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Mediterranean cruise solo


sarakimm
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My husband and I were supposed to be retired this year and celebrate by going on a Mediterranean Cruise, my #1 bucket list item. Instead he died of a brain tumor last year. After a year of grieving, I have decided to take that cruise, solo. My questions are, What is the best time of year to go on a Mediterranean cruise? What are the best cruise lines / itineraries? Best excursions? Since I am going alone I think I would only feel comfortable going on cruise-sponsored/organized excursions.

 

Have any of you ever done this alone? I would welcome any and all suggestions/guidance on Mediterranean cruises in general and also doing it solo.

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So sorry for the loss of your DH.

 

I think the cruise is an excellent idea and, when you get used to this site, you'll find that there almost certainly will be options available to you when it comes to both new friendships and your tours. For example, you can join the "roll call" for your cruise, where other CC members on the same ship arrange meetups on-board and small group private tours.

 

As to itinerary, it sort of depends on the places you want to visit. For a first timer, a western Med is probably the best bet. The one we took was Barcelona to Barcelona visiting Nice, Cannes, Pisa, Rome, Ajaccio (Corsica) Gibraltar, and Valencia. But there were similar itineraries with ports that we weren't terribly interested in, like Tangier (Morocco). Or you could do an Adriatic and Greek Islands out of Venice or Rome. Again, it's all down to what you want.

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I'm sorry for your loss. Good for you for deciding to go forward with the cruise!

 

My first solo cruise was in the Greek islands, and my most recent cruise was in the Med. I liked going in the fall (October for the former, November for the latter). It's shoulder season, so places aren't as crowded, and the temperatures are not so stinkin' hot. But be aware it can get chilly in some places, particularly in November.

 

It probably is a good idea to stick with ship's excursions until you get comfortable with this mode of travel.

 

As to what ship or line, that is going to depend on what your own likes, dislikes, and preferences are. I am guessing that you'll want to minimize the dreaded single supplement. A lot of cruises charge a 100% supplement. You'll be doing well to keep it under 50%. Don't automatically dismiss the idea of a luxury line: Silversea, Regent, and Crystal all offer 20-50% supplements on SELECTED sailings. And their fares include a lot of things that others charge extra for. The key is finding which cruises are selected for the lower supplement. Fortunately, Med cruises often are. I'd suggest using a travel agent who is familiar with solo cruising. Also, there is a sub-forum under Special Interest Cruising here for solo cruising (be sure to choose solo, and not singles--that's a whole different ball of wax).

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I am also so very sorry for your loss.

 

I would recommend a Mediterranean sailing in April, May or September into October. I find the ports less crowded then in the summer months and it is far less hot and humid.

 

Keith

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  • 3 weeks later...

Good morning.......so sorry for your loss.

 

I am 60 and have been sailing solo for about 15 years.......I have been to the Med and love it:)........anytime of the year is great;)......but I do agree the summer can be hot, but I am going in July this year.......it is booked and paid for and I am sure it will be a great cruise....mid summer heat or not:) Sailing from Venice to Nice.......can't wait!

 

 

As for your questions about "the best"? That really depends on the person and $$ and what they want from a cruise. I have been on Celebrity to the med back in 2012.......it was Greece, Italy and Turkey for 10 nights. It was awesome! It was my first

time visiting these places and I just loved it.

 

 

Then last summer I was able to step up to Silversea and sailed from Barcelona to Rome........they are different

than mass market.......quite a bit more in price but the overall experience is much more detailed......MUCH smaller ship.......higher end service and food. And I went on ship's excursions with them.....all were small in size and very good.

 

So, it really depends on you...........I do have a suggestion.........we cannot name Travel agencies on here but

I would say maybe find a local TA and go see them in person and get some 1 2 1 time.......find a TA who

specializes in cruising........they would be able to you too.

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Let me add my voice to the chorus of condolences, and also the encouragement for moving forward with a solo cruise. My suggestions come from the perspective of someone new to cruising, a solo traveler, and one who has embraced travel as a way to both make the most of the life I have,while also processing through layers of grief.

 

From what I saw on my first solo cruise a few weeks ago, and from what I've seen on these boards, you can have a wonderful time (or an awful time) on any ship. Given that, I encourage you to find one that provides the comfort, support, and environment your soul craves right now. In my case, that meant a smaller ship without a party vibe, a veranda room, and a knowledge that most things would be taken care of for me. Dare I say it needed to be a safe and nurturing environment? That's what my soul craved.

 

sarakimm, it was such a healing experience. From the moment I got to the pre-cruise hotel and received an envelope with instructions from the cruise line, I felt I was in someone else's care for the first time in decades. Arriving on board (no lines and no hassles, btw), I was greeted with a glass of prosecco and ensconced in the world aboard. Not gonna lie: I got a little teary. As a cruise newbie, I took my prosecco and explored the still-empty ship. There was a large lounge on an upper floor, and I entered to the strains of a pianist singing and playing "What a Wonderful World." sarakimm, it all was so gentle and so soft and so safe and so utterly lovely. I walked to the windows with my back to the pianist, looked out to the sea we would be joining in just a few hours, and cried. It was a cry of relief, of gratitude, of release, of peacefulness.

 

I wish that for you, to find the environment that gives you exactly what you need.

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My husband and I were supposed to be retired this year and celebrate by going on a Mediterranean Cruise, my #1 bucket list item. Instead he died of a brain tumor last year. After a year of grieving, I have decided to take that cruise, solo. My questions are, What is the best time of year to go on a Mediterranean cruise? What are the best cruise lines / itineraries? Best excursions? Since I am going alone I think I would only feel comfortable going on cruise-sponsored/organized excursions.

 

Have any of you ever done this alone? I would welcome any and all suggestions/guidance on Mediterranean cruises in general and also doing it solo.

 

I am so very sorry for your loss.

And welcome to Cruise Critic. This is a terrific resource.

 

And I'm also very glad that you are going to be taking this cruise (whichever one you choose!), and hopefully many more.

 

If you could tell us just a bit about your travel preferences, such as which hotels you've preferred to stay at (Hilton? Four Seasons? Modern high rise? Smaller boutique hotel or "bed and breakfast" types?) that might help some of us with cruise line or ship suggestions.

 

And within each cruise line and ship, there are wide choices in terms of space (and some services) and, of course, price.

 

On some ships, I prefer to spend more time in our suite, but on other ships, we enjoy the ambiance of the ship's public areas and spend more time there, too.

 

I also agree that for starters, going on ship-sponsored excursions probably makes sense, at least until you get your bearings about how things "work" (and they can be slightly different on different cruise lines).

Some people prefer taking ship-sponsored excursions all the time, letting them take care of it all, etc.

We prefer taking private tours, which can be customized.

On the "Roll Calls", one can often find others on the same cruise who are organizing private tours, but wish to include others, to share the costs... groups of perhaps 4 to 8 or 10 (or more?). If you do this, make *sure* that you understand exactly what is planned; this might be better in the future, not for the first cruise(s).

 

I find cruising to be remarkably relaxing... it's like traveling by land, but... "the hotel follows you around at night" :) None of the constant packing/unpacking/packing!

And I find the motion of the ship very relaxing as well.

 

You should check out the general "vibe" of the cruise lines and ships. Some tend to have younger passengers and more drinking/partying, and some less so, for starters.

And then there is the question of children... whether you think you would enjoy (or at least not mind) having young children/teens around in larger numbers, or not. Some of this differs automatically depending upon season, and whether schools tend to be in session, but even then it can differ, by cruise line/ship.

 

You also might want to look at itineraries... which port stops, and perhaps choose a cruise that stops at a few places you've always wanted to see (or places you'd like to see again).

Note that on rare occasions, a port might be cancelled due to weather (or political concerns), but this isn't too common, unless one is sailing during hurricane season in areas more likely to be affected.

 

Do ask more questions here.

I've learned *SO* much, and it made a huge difference in the success of the recent cruises!

 

And also, browse through the list of all forum topics, for help/suggestions about related issues such as air travel to/from cruises, hotels before/after, travel insurance (for possible medical costs and/of if a cancellation is necessary, plus things like cabin choice or special interest cruises.... :)

 

GC

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