chlost

My flight lands at 11:23 AM and I'm a travel agent trying to pre-board NCL Getaway for a ship inspection prior to sailing (I'm also sailing for the week). I have no luggage except a backpack carryon and I'm going to take a taxi, but does anyone know any short cuts? I"d like to arrive at the port as quickly as possible. . .

How did you make that first step in going solo? Found a last minute deal on Celebrity and just booked it (I am a travel agent/cruise specialist)!

Did you have fears of never leaving your cabin/room? No, I am a very outgoing person. . . but even if you are not, I recommend cruising on a line that offers traditional seating dining so that you meet new people your very first night out and you will have them as friends for the rest of the cruise - and get to eat dinner with them every night!

Where did you cruise to? From San Juan round trip to Eastern/Southern Caribbean islands.

What ships cater or like having solo travelers? Any cruise line will enjoy having you aboard. That being said, if the cruise line does not offer "studio" or "single" staterooms, then you will have to pay double the listed price (if it lists $700 per person for a week, that is based on 2 people in the room and even if you are solo, you will pay $1,400). Sometimes the rates are so good that this still works like with my last solo cruise on Carnival. Alternately, Royal Caribbean's new Quantum of the Seas offers single staterooms as do Norwegian's 3 newest ships (Epic, Breakaway, Getaway). Carnival typically has a lot of singles traveling and on my last solo cruise they put me at a table in the evening (traditional seating dining) with all solo travelers and we had a blast! Royal Caribbean also has traditional seating dining, so that would be a good option.

At ports did you stay on the ship or adventure off? When I cruise, I go to relax and unwind and spend time at the spa. Since I have been to many of the ports before, I often do not get off at all. When I do, I either take a ship shore excursion, or stay fairly close to the pier.

How did you pick your excursions? I usually like to try something new, but even if it is not new, I just choose something reasonably priced that piques my interest.

How long was your first solo cruise? One week. The second was 5 days. But I would not hesitate to do a longer one either.

Dinner, I don't even want to go there. That is #1 fear. Eating by yourself in a packed restaurant EEKKK! Help needed on this one. 3 words: TRADITIONAL SEATING DINING. You sign up for a given time and request a large table so you will meet many people and NEVER dine alone for dinner! For breakfast (or even lunch) you can order room service for free or I usually go to the dining room and asked to be seated with other people. As a last resort, you can go to the buffet. . . there are so many people coming and going, and many other people eating in groups or alone that you should not be as intimidated :)

Any helpful advice is appreciated. I am shy female not young, not old either. I really want to cruise to the Eastern Caribbean, not Bahamas I've been there. Any tips on a good first solo cruise? I am 41 and did my first solo cruise about 2 years ago. You can do it. . . just take the plunge!!! You'll be so glad you did :)

If most of the people on the trip will have digital cameras along (I'm guessing yes), then you could do a "scavenger hunt" where people have to get pictures of things instead of the items themselves. You could make it fun by having them get other cruisers to agree to strange poses (your best James Bond or Marilyn Monroe pose) or making strange faces or showcasing their best talent (maybe touching the tip of their tongue to their nose) or it could be as simple as photographing the people they find (such as the person wearing the red bikini, the person who speaks 2 languages, etc.).