OTrail

Good to read some experiences in here, I'm on the Sky at the end of May 2025 for a Baltic cruise so pleased to read there are some get togethers. I'm only 38 so probably at the lower end of scale for cruising but all the ones I've been on before I've met some really interesting people. Even met two people from the town I live in who I'd never even seen before, there's only 10k in the town so always stop and have a chat with them if I see them now.

Yeah, I'm already booked on the Baltic cruise at the end of May 2025. Guess I've got 6 months til I look if I'm going on a 2026 cruise

Ah thanks, I hadn't even thought about National Express. That makes much more sense. I had looked at LoganAir but honestly I don't like flying and at 6'4 and 20 stone their planes look like a panic attack waiting to happen

Just wondering if anyone has recommendations for getting between Heathrow and Southampton. Cruising next year and trying to plan how to get down from Edinburgh. I'm not the best flyers but it's either 90 mins in to Heathrow or 8 hours on the train (either changing in Birmingham - not so bad, or having to change stations in London - very bad). Plan to fly to Heathrow and I don't drive myself but have seen some chauffer places that do the journey? Has anyone used one before for a transfer or could recommend another way?

My first time on Princess. I'm a solo cruiser, can I just turn up at the main dining room for lunch/dinner and be seated at a random table with others or is it better to reserve a time through the app? Also are there any days with the MDR is formal only and if you're not suited and booted for a formal night you need to eat elsewhere?

Thanks! I ended up booking 4 excursions today. I'm doing my own thing in two of the cities I'll be visiting so just another two destinations to look at but nothing jumped out at me. I was able to use $300 of on board credit too so basically got two excursions for free

Cheers all, there's a couple I'm interested in so looks like that's tomorrow's job

Probably seems like a daft question but I was just looking at my cruise and see there's already shore excursions available - I'm not sailing until May 2025. Are excursions usually available this early and should I start booking or am I safe to leave it for a good few months yet to see if other, different, excursions are added?

Apologies for hijacking but this is of interest to me for a future cruise. I'm arriving by train the day before, would my best bet be to stay at the Ibis and then just walk down the road through Gate 10? (looking on Google Maps)

Thanks everyone. Did a lot of Googling, read a lot of reviews, watching a lot of YouTube and ended up going with Princess. A lot of what was said in here seems to be repeated elsewhere with regards to differences.

Well I've booked. 31st May 2024, off through the Baltics on the Princess. Deluxe Balcony cabin. Took about 8 attempts to get payment through, and it's not showing in my account which is a little bit worrying although I can manually look it up I assume it'll just be a few minutes before it does. Anyway, time to start getting excited

Thanks everyone, very helpful! @CruzeQueen2 @rj59 thank you for sharing your experiences. I'm feeling more comfortable about things now. The ship's a lot bigger than I'm used to but I'm sure I'll cope lol I was watching some videos and there seemed to be a lot of little eateries throughout the ship, are these all free? Or is it only meals in the dining rooms that are included and the little pizza/sushi places are extra? And room service? I quite like the idea of having my own little breakfast on my balcony.

Thanks folks this has all been really helpful! Definitely swaying towards booking it and reading everyone's experiences has already notched up the excitement Going to have a look on YouTube for some videos of the ship and read some reviews, look at some pics. Thanks again all!

Wow, this is very helpful thanks for the reply. Especially regarding the dining, I thought it was going to be "you have a set time every evening with the same people at the same table" so really good to hear I can go and join different people each time. Will definitely check out the roll call for when the cruise comes along (not until May '25 so a while to go yet)

Thanks! Puts my mind at ease that another solo traveller replied, and even if you didn't attend knowing the option is there for arranged meet ups for solo travellers is very helpful for me

Hi all I was looking at going on a Princess cruise for the first time and was just wondering if anyone has experience of them as a solo cruiser. Or even just experiences of Princess in general. I've only ever been on a Marella cruise before which, I think, is quite different to Princess. What's the dining experience like, is it same table every night? What's the dress code in the dining rooms? Do Princess have events/meet ups for solo travellers? Can I book shore excursions with Princess? Are there quiet areas I can sit and read without being in my cabin all the time? The ship is going to be the Sky Princess and I was planning on booking a balcony cabin.

Looking at going on a cruise in a couple of years and it's between these two as they sail from Southampton around dates that are convenient with an itinerary I'm interested in. I've only cruised with Marella (formerly TUI) before and was just wondering if anyone has experience of both to offer a recommendation of one over the other. I'll be 38 and a solo traveller, I'm more laid back and not in to all the formal events/dining. Do either have arranged solo meet ups, like coffees/breakfasts? It's been about 5 years since my last cruise and I'm feeling like a total newbie again

Cheers both! Disheartening but I guess I'll take a look at others. Not a problem as such, but I'm on the younger side of the cruising demographic so Saga are very much out and I'm sure I've read before that Fred Olsen are a bit of an older crowd too.

Hi all Asking here as I'm sure there's people a lot more informed than myself, are there any plans for Marella to sail from the UK again? I did a few cruises with them (back when they were TUI) and found they were very good for solo travellers but I've not seen any cruises from them starting at a UK port. Failing them, does anyone have any recommendations for a similar cruise line for a solo traveller? I'm not too keen on the thought of the larger cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean, and prefer smaller ships with fewer kids.