deneetro

 

The only downsides I've found to travelling solo are

 

3. At the buffet, how do you retain your seat if you need to go for something else? Staff usually clear away glasses and plates within minutes of you moving away, so most times you return to find new people in your seat. It's fine if there are people at your table with a common language, then you can ask them to let the waiters or other passengers know you're coming back.

 

When I go to buffets alone and go to get seconds ....I always lean my chair forward up against the table on the front two legs. That seems to be the universal signal that the seat is occupied.

Deneetro, had you joined up with your RollCall before the cruise?

This particular cruise did not have a roll call meeting that I was aware of. I checked the thread, but there was not meetup, and it was not a very active thread.

As one who nearly always sails solo, and generally prefers it, I have met some great people through the Roll Calls. That gives me the option to do things with a group, or own my own. It really is also an issue of mind over matter. Sounds as if you talked yourself into feeling depressed and lonely. It may be easy to do that, but it's nearly as easy to make plans for having a good time meeting new people.

!:)

I think the key is, you "prefer" to sail solo. I would "prefer" to go with someone, but that was not an option for me. I had plans of having a good time and meeting new people, meeting other singles/solos etc., but unfortunately, it didn't happen, so the loneliness and depression did creep in, because my expectations/plans were not met.

My experience cruising solo seems to be a little different from everyone else. I took a 3 day Bahamas cruise in late December - it was my first cruise - and of course first solo cruise. I had quite a few awkward moments. First, I felt it was awkward boarding the ship, and they take your picture -obviously to try to sell you a copy later. I immediately recognized that I was the only solo cruiser, since everyone else was families or couples. Departure was awkward...everyone was with their partners or families in a party mood, and I was alone. Dinner the first night was when it came to a head. Table for six, but only one couple who was Italian and very much in love showed up. No one to talk to, and the servers kept asking when the rest of my party was going to show up. Again, the photographer came around taking pictures of the groups, and then when he came to me, I was depressed by this time, and declined. Went to the solo/singles meetups but no one else showed, and so the first night, I wanted off of that ship so bad.

I will say it got better over the next 2 days. I guess I just accepted that I was alone, but I struggled to find people to talk to. The hot tub on the last day was where I finally found people to talk to, and was invited to eat dinner with some folks I met there.

I guess being satisfied with cruising solo has to do with your expectations and whether you enjoy being alone. I don't enjoy being alone, although I'm accustomed to it, and had an expectation of quickly making friends, so for me it was awkward and disappointing.

The good news, even with my disappointment, I haven't ruled out cruising again. Too many places I want to go, and cruising seems to be the most economical.