This forum inspires me

[cruisegurl]

I leave this Saturday from Port Canaveral for a 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise on the NCL Sun. I chose this cruise because the port is about two hours from home, so easy commute, and the price was pretty good even though the single supplement was about 160%. And I chose it on short notice, about two weeks, so easy planning.

My husband and I had taken about 30 cruises in the past and had a ball!! He passed away about 2 1/2 years ago (no sympathy please). Just a statement of where I am. Our little family has had quite a few changes since then. Our younger daughter and her husband have had a second baby, the older daughter has gotten married and is expecting her first child and I retired in July. So life has been busy.

I have taken three short cruises since Tom passed away. One by myself, one with a close friend and one with my daughter. All were enjoyable but of course not the same as the longer cruises we took in the past.

Anyway, the point of this whole thread, is to say thank you to all of you who cruise solo and post your experiences. I have never been afraid to travel by myself (I am on only child so not afraid of being by myself-- thanks Mom and Dad) but it's easy to get in a rut and forget about all the opportunities that life has to offer. I read this forum often, and you all help me remember that there is life to be lived. I'm very excited about this cruise and hope that there will be many more in the future. There are many people out there that you regular posters help to encourage to try something different and assure that they will be OK and not stand out as being "solo".

So thank you again and let's keep this forum active, you never know who you help to encourage to just get out there and try it.

Sincerely,

Sandra

[Lois R]

I leave this Saturday from Port Canaveral for a 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise on the NCL Sun. I chose this cruise because the port is about two hours from home, so easy commute, and the price was pretty good even though the single supplement was about 160%. And I chose it on short notice, about two weeks, so easy planning.

My husband and I had taken about 30 cruises in the past and had a ball!! He passed away about 2 1/2 years ago (no sympathy please). Just a statement of where I am. Our little family has had quite a few changes since then. Our younger daughter and her husband have had a second baby, the older daughter has gotten married and is expecting her first child and I retired in July. So life has been busy.

I have taken three short cruises since Tom passed away. One by myself, one with a close friend and one with my daughter. All were enjoyable but of course not the same as the longer cruises we took in the past.

Anyway, the point of this whole thread, is to say thank you to all of you who cruise solo and post your experiences. I have never been afraid to travel by myself (I am on only child so not afraid of being by myself-- thanks Mom and Dad) but it's easy to get in a rut and forget about all the opportunities that life has to offer. I read this forum often, and you all help me remember that there is life to be lived. I'm very excited about this cruise and hope that there will be many more in the future. There are many people out there that you regular posters help to encourage to try something different and assure that they will be OK and not stand out as being "solo".

So thank you again and let's keep this forum active, you never know who you help to encourage to just get out there and try it.

Sincerely,

Sandra

 

Hi Sandra, what a neat post:) and I hope you have a wonderful

time on the cruise:D.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!:)

[SMSACE6]

I leave this Saturday from Port Canaveral for a 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise on the NCL Sun. I chose this cruise because the port is about two hours from home, so easy commute, and the price was pretty good even though the single supplement was about 160%. And I chose it on short notice, about two weeks, so easy planning.

My husband and I had taken about 30 cruises in the past and had a ball!! He passed away about 2 1/2 years ago (no sympathy please). Just a statement of where I am. Our little family has had quite a few changes since then. Our younger daughter and her husband have had a second baby, the older daughter has gotten married and is expecting her first child and I retired in July. So life has been busy.

I have taken three short cruises since Tom passed away. One by myself, one with a close friend and one with my daughter. All were enjoyable but of course not the same as the longer cruises we took in the past.

Anyway, the point of this whole thread, is to say thank you to all of you who cruise solo and post your experiences. I have never been afraid to travel by myself (I am on only child so not afraid of being by myself-- thanks Mom and Dad) but it's easy to get in a rut and forget about all the opportunities that life has to offer. I read this forum often, and you all help me remember that there is life to be lived. I'm very excited about this cruise and hope that there will be many more in the future. There are many people out there that you regular posters help to encourage to try something different and assure that they will be OK and not stand out as being "solo".

So thank you again and let's keep this forum active, you never know who you help to encourage to just get out there and try it.

Sincerely,

Sandra

 

Ok, though I want to, I wont extend any sympathies as you request but I will say that I do "hear you" and understand where you are coming from! I also am an only child and have always enjoyed my "alone time", though it has not always been readily available during my life. When I have cruised solo, 3 times, I went with the intent of not looking for company, just enjoying myself but each time I came away with many new friends, who I remain in contact with. I wish you a wonderful cruise, and I know that you will not feel alone. I never have.:)

[jp2001]

I wish you a great cruise!

[elycelynne]

Just wondering how your cruise went. How was the solo experience with NCL?

[kitty9]

What a lovely post. I'm so thrilled to welcome you into our solo cruising sister/brotherhood. I'm assuming you're now hooked on solo cruising?

[MrFunInTheSun]

I leave this Saturday from Port Canaveral for a 7 day Eastern Caribbean cruise on the NCL Sun. I chose this cruise because the port is about two hours from home, so easy commute, and the price was pretty good even though the single supplement was about 160%. And I chose it on short notice, about two weeks, so easy planning.

My husband and I had taken about 30 cruises in the past and had a ball!! He passed away about 2 1/2 years ago (no sympathy please). Just a statement of where I am. Our little family has had quite a few changes since then. Our younger daughter and her husband have had a second baby, the older daughter has gotten married and is expecting her first child and I retired in July. So life has been busy.

I have taken three short cruises since Tom passed away. One by myself, one with a close friend and one with my daughter. All were enjoyable but of course not the same as the longer cruises we took in the past.

Anyway, the point of this whole thread, is to say thank you to all of you who cruise solo and post your experiences. I have never been afraid to travel by myself (I am on only child so not afraid of being by myself-- thanks Mom and Dad) but it's easy to get in a rut and forget about all the opportunities that life has to offer. I read this forum often, and you all help me remember that there is life to be lived. I'm very excited about this cruise and hope that there will be many more in the future. There are many people out there that you regular posters help to encourage to try something different and assure that they will be OK and not stand out as being "solo".

So thank you again and let's keep this forum active, you never know who you help to encourage to just get out there and try it.

Sincerely,

Sandra

 

Catching this right around the time when you should be getting back. Am sure you had a blast, hope you tell us all about it.

 

Totally understand the alone time, meeting new friends and people is always fun too, you still get plenty of alone time. Can't wait to hear your stories.

[cruisegurl]

Hi everyone!

Thanks so much for your good wishes and interest in my solo adventure.

Do I need to say it? I had a wonderful time!! I meet a lot of nice, friendly people on board and never once was sorry that I had gone solo. As you know, NCL has freestyle dining. The first evening I was seated with three very nice couples. Going into the dining room the second evening, I ran into one of the couples and they asked me to join them. From that night on we met at 8:00 for dinner. The next to last night we went to Le Bistro together. (I tried not to go to that one, thinking they might like an evening alone, but they insisted!) I ran into one of the other couples many times and we had lunch together one day. I met lots of other nice people at the pool and in the lounges. I've always found that most people that cruise are friendly and outgoing and easy to get to know.

And naturally it was nice to have the cabin all to myself. I learned that on my on I enjoyed getting up early and having that first cup of coffee in the outdoor cafe about 6:30am. That of course made an early afternoon nap necessary! And I didn't have to work around anyone's plans but my own.

I'll say again I think this board is wonderful for giving others the information and "courage" to try solo travel. God willing, I will go many more times in the future and I encourage others to just go for it!

Happy cruising,

Sandra

[Lois R]

Hi everyone!

Thanks so much for your good wishes and interest in my solo adventure.

Do I need to say it? I had a wonderful time!! I meet a lot of nice, friendly people on board and never once was sorry that I had gone solo. As you know, NCL has freestyle dining. The first evening I was seated with three very nice couples. Going into the dining room the second evening, I ran into one of the couples and they asked me to join them. From that night on we met at 8:00 for dinner. The next to last night we went to Le Bistro together. (I tried not to go to that one, thinking they might like an evening alone, but they insisted!) I ran into one of the other couples many times and we had lunch together one day. I met lots of other nice people at the pool and in the lounges. I've always found that most people that cruise are friendly and outgoing and easy to get to know.

And naturally it was nice to have the cabin all to myself. I learned that on my on I enjoyed getting up early and having that first cup of coffee in the outdoor cafe about 6:30am. That of course made an early afternoon nap necessary! And I didn't have to work around anyone's plans but my own.

I'll say again I think this board is wonderful for giving others the information and "courage" to try solo travel. God willing, I will go many more times in the future and I encourage others to just go for it!

Happy cruising,

Sandra

 

Hi Sandra:) welcome back and I am so glad you had such a great

time:)...it is always nice to read when someone enjoys their cruise

so much:D

I bet you book another one sooner than you think;)

[cruisegurl]

Thanks Lois. You're probably right! Celebrity is also my favorite cruise line and hopefully I'll be back on one of those ships before too long.

[janetlm]

I am so glad that you had a good time. It makes it so pleasant when others aboard are friendly. I have also been fortunate to meet and chat with others on every cruise that I have taken both solo and not. I truly believe that friendliness is a common trait for those individuals who like to cruise.

[LittleMissS]

I love that there is a forum for solo cruisers! Sandra...(and everyone on here) definitely inspires me to do some traveling on my own!

 

I've always felt very limited when it comes to taking vacations...mainly because many of my friends are married and have kids, or have different vacation times as I do (I'm a teacher), or can't / don't want to spend the money on a vacation. I'm afraid I've let this bog me down for way too long. This past summer I finally went abroad (something I've wanted to do for a long time...albeit with a group). This was my first "big" vacation! Now that I'm back, I've planned a Med cruise for summer 2011 (my first cruise! Soooo excited), but am antsy to plan another vacation for 2012.

 

I too am an only child, so I'm not afraid to be alone. Although the vacations I would like to take are out of the country, and I have to admit, it makes me nervous to travel abroad by myself. Reading everyone's posts in here definitely inspired me to look into traveling by myself! So for that, I say "thanks!":D