Awkward Solo Moments

[LandlockedCruiser01]

She then says "but you're alone, is that allowed?? in this incredulous screech. I kept my cool thankfully, and said "I've been allowed out by myself now for quite a few years without a chaperone". At this point the man with her just mumbled some sort of "sorry to have bothered you" and hustled her away.

Wow! She sounds like a horrible person for saying that to you, especially with the tone of voice she used. Good thing her husband had a conscience, and dragged her away. If I were you, I would have done one of these things, just to mess with her.

 

I'd pretend to get all panicky (much like how someone would react when getting pulled over by a cop), and blurt out: "Holy crap! You're right! That's gotta be a violation of the Maritime Human Passage Act?" (not a real law, just a spoof of the PVSA :)) Then I'd turn around and pretend to act scared.

OR

I'd put on a ticked-off look on my face, lean over to her ear, and whisper: "Ma'am, listen, this is for a government job. You CANNOT talk about it out loud in public! You could get me fired like that. I'm not allowed to being people along. Security reasons. OK?"

OR

I'd put on a smug face, and say: "Fair enough. But I'd rather cruise by myself than have arguments every day on my cruise. Because hey, with the way that woman treated you, it's pretty much a given that she and her husband argue a lot.

 

One quick word in that woman's defense. She may have been referring to the cruise line's policies, rather than to moral/social rules. There is actually a cruise line that specifically prohibits solos from booking. It's MSC.

Edited February 5, 2014 by LandlockedCruiser01

[Thoie]

There is actually a cruise line that specifically prohibits solos from booking. It's MSC.

Um, what?

 

 

Sent from a mobile device.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

Um, what?

"Um, what?" is right. I was shocked as well.

 

There's a thread called "No Solos Allowed". It talks about how MSC rescinded a solo passenger's booking. Check out: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1957921.

Edited February 5, 2014 by LandlockedCruiser01

[Thoie]

"Um, what?" is right. I was shocked as well.

 

There's a thread called "No Solos Allowed". It talks about how MSC rescinded a solo passenger's booking. Check out: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1957921.

 

Very weird. I went solo on MSC last year, and they had multiple solo minglers with officers joining us for lunch etc. I honestly couldn't count how many solos I ran into.

Various crew members would check on me during the trip and invite me out dancing or for coffee - I thought they were extremely solo-friendly. Wonder what changed in the space of 8 months?

 

Sent from a mobile device.

[kek123]

Wow! She sounds like a horrible ?"

 

One quick word in that woman's defense. She may have been referring to the cruise line's policies, rather than to moral/social rules. There is actually a cruise line that specifically prohibits solos from booking. It's MSC.

 

I suppose that could be true!

Was shocked reading the MSC solo thread, had a brochure from MSC in my "possibilities" trip file which I have since tossed after reading that.

[Talisker92]

I was on a cruise solo after my wife passed away, and met a lovely couple and their grandson. The lady said she had a problem sleeping because of an injury, and needed more pillows.

I told her I was solo, and if she would give me her cabin number, I would bring her my extra pillows.

Well, that evening I was carrying 3 pillows to their cabin, and someone asked me what I was doing with all those pillows. I said that it was a beautiful night, and I planned to sleep under the stars LOL

[eric26]

I just had this conversation with someone (not on a cruise, but cruise related)

 

me - I'm going alone on a cruise in Dec

J - that's nice, going with your family?

me - no, I'm going alone

J - but with a tour, right?

me - no, just me

J - you're going to be alone on the ship??

me - well, me and 4000 other people

J - uh, :eek: :confused:

 

I just booked my first solo cruise and had almost exact conversation with a coworker last night. It ended with him saying...

 

"well if you gotta go by yourself that's okay i guess. I just hope you can find a way to still enjoy the trip"

 

I just laughed and assured him that I will enjoy it:D

[AmoMondo]

Very weird. I went solo on MSC last year, and they had multiple solo minglers with officers joining us for lunch etc. I honestly couldn't count how many solos I ran into.

Various crew members would check on me during the trip and invite me out dancing or for coffee - I thought they were extremely solo-friendly. Wonder what changed in the space of 8 months?

 

Sent from a mobile device.

 

Of the 18 cruises I've done with MSc, 15 have been as a solo. It hasn't changed, they still take bookings from solos. They occasionally limit the number of cabins designed fro 2 or more that they will allow to be sold at solo occupancy. The exception seems to be the Lirica's sailings in Dubai where there don't appear to be any cabins left at all for solo occupancy at the dates I've looked at. Have been looking at proces for various cruise this year and even the Dubai to Freemantle repo next year and there are definitely cabins available to book as a solo.

 

Don't think they are doing as many zero supplements as they used to. Time will tell when the Autumn repo schedules go on sale.

[AmoMondo]

I suppose that could be true!

Was shocked reading the MSC solo thread, had a brochure from MSC in my "possibilities" trip file which I have since tossed after reading that.

 

That's a shame because it's simply not true.

[vacation luvver]

kek123, you reminded me of an incident that took place many years ago. A married couple, who knew that I was on the cruise by myself, approached me, and the husband asked me if I was sharing a cabin with the cruise director. (FWIW both the cruise director and I are female.)

 

I haughtily said, "Of course not. Why would you think that I was sharing a room with the hired help?" Of course, I don't go around calling the people who work on the ship "the hired help," but his question really offended me, because it signified that he thought the only way a solo person could cruise was by sharing a cabin with a ship's employee, and that we solos were willing to do so.

 

He said that at one time, he saw me go in some direction, and he figured that I was going to my cabin, and another time, he saw the cruise director coming from that direction, so he figured that we were in the same cabin. (I guess he never saw the couples in cabins on either side of mine or across from mine go or come from that direction.)

 

I got the impression that he and his wife had discussed whether or not I was sharing a cabin with the cruise director for a little while, and he finally said, "Let's settle this for once and for all. I'll go ask her."

[AmoMondo]

It does often seem to be other passengers (who no doubt would be terrified to be on their own) who seem to come up with ridiculous comments or questions or behave strangely towards us. Fortunately they seem to be in the minority.

 

On my last cruise (last week on Costa) I was a bit irritatedabout the way the crew in the Club restaurant behaved towards me. They knew I was travelling solo, I made the restaurant booking for one (printed confirmation even said that) but when I arrived and was taken to my table it was set for 2. Didn't mind that, but after that no one approached me for quite some time to offer a menu or take a drinks order. Eventaully a crew member came over to ask if I was waiting for someone to be joining me. I told them that I wasn't but would like someone to bring a menu. He guy made a big deal about me being on my own. It was the shocked tone that was really amusing. I travel frequently on my own for leisure and work and have done so for more than 30 years but couldn't help thinking that someone who was perhaps travelling for the first time and feeling nervous about it, would have been made to feel awkward by that treatment. Crew should be trained to deal professionally with all passengers whether travelling alone, as couples, families or in some other arrangement.

[Pushka]

I think that's true. Solo travellers are perfectly ok with being solo, but it's everyone else who creates the discomfort.

[kitty9]

I've only had one "questionable" experience on a solo cruise, back when I was in my early 40's---it was part of a world cruise. I was sitting in the Palm Court, next to a group of much older women, all widows, also traveling solo, and one asked me to join their trivia group. After about 5 minutes with this group, one of the women asked me what it was like traveling as a lesbian, and if I had any problems being "like that" when traveling to more conservative countries. I was totally aghast. Now, what would make these women think I was a lesbian? I don't think any of them knew what "gaydar" was. I very politely told them that I was married to a jerk who ran off with his 22 year old nurse, and I was divorced (true story), and definitely not a lesbian, not that anything is wrong with that. But, I just can't imagine why anyone would ask a perfect stranger such a question.

 

But I think the biggest thing that hacks me off are the ones who look at solo cruisers as somehow pathetic losers. Hey, I've cruised all over the world, I've seen things that most people never have, and I live a very wonderful, active life as a divorced person. I don't need anyone with me to enjoy life, but you just can't seem to get some people, usually married couples, to understand that.

[laedw]

I've only had one "questionable" experience on a solo cruise, back when I was in my early 40's---it was part of a world cruise. I was sitting in the Palm Court, next to a group of much older women, all widows, also traveling solo, and one asked me to join their trivia group. After about 5 minutes with this group, one of the women asked me what it was like traveling as a lesbian, and if I had any problems being "like that" when traveling to more conservative countries. I was totally aghast. Now, what would make these women think I was a lesbian? I don't think any of them knew what "gaydar" was. I very politely told them that I was married to a jerk who ran off with his 22 year old nurse, and I was divorced (true story), and definitely not a lesbian, not that anything is wrong with that. But, I just can't imagine why anyone would ask a perfect stranger such a question.

 

But I think the biggest thing that hacks me off are the ones who look at solo cruisers as somehow pathetic losers. Hey, I've cruised all over the world, I've seen things that most people never have, and I live a very wonderful, active life as a divorced person. I don't need anyone with me to enjoy life, but you just can't seem to get some people, usually married couples, to understand that.

 

Please tell me their response! Your experience and the other comments I have read on this thread made me laugh out loud! How clueless can some people be? I cruise solo sometimes too and was invited to share a dinner table with a couple I had met on the ship. The wife was a successful entrepreneur and had married a successful corporate man. He bragged about the his and her Rolex watches he bought in port. Any way, the husband must have thought I was unable to find a mate (go figure!) so he thought he could fix me up with the bus boy:confused:. His wife was incredulous and told him he is a bus boy and to be quiet! I couldn't stop laughing.

[Thoth]

I've only had one "questionable" experience on a solo cruise, back when I was in my early 40's---it was part of a world cruise. I was sitting in the Palm Court, next to a group of much older women, all widows, also traveling solo, and one asked me to join their trivia group. After about 5 minutes with this group, one of the women asked me what it was like traveling as a lesbian, and if I had any problems being "like that" when traveling to more conservative countries. I was totally aghast. Now, what would make these women think I was a lesbian? I don't think any of them knew what "gaydar" was. I very politely told them that I was married to a jerk who ran off with his 22 year old nurse, and I was divorced (true story), and definitely not a lesbian, not that anything is wrong with that. But, I just can't imagine why anyone would ask a perfect stranger such a question.

 

But I think the biggest thing that hacks me off are the ones who look at solo cruisers as somehow pathetic losers. Hey, I've cruised all over the world, I've seen things that most people never have, and I live a very wonderful, active life as a divorced person. I don't need anyone with me to enjoy life, but you just can't seem to get some people, usually married couples, to understand that.

As a single man, I've ship traveled solo 15 times. There is no telling what others have said behind my back. :eek:

[kitty9]

As a single man, I've ship traveled solo 15 times. There is no telling what others have said behind my back. :eek:

 

Oh, yeah. I absolutely know that things have been said.

 

laedw, one lady said "Oh, we didn't mean anything by that. It's just that at your age, it's unusual not to want to cruise with a man. And how someone your age can cruise this line, for so long a cruise, we just wondered ". Now, what that has to do with sexual orientation, I just don't know. I responded by telling them I'm great at the stock market and I'm independently wealthy and don't need a man. Then I said, "If your husband ran off with a woman half his age, you'd sit your butt on a cruise ship, too." That shut them up.

[kitty9]

Double post. Boards are acting up.

Edited February 9, 2014 by kitty9

[Lois R]

Darcie....that is the first time I have heard that story:eek:.....WOW.....

that woman sounds......well the first word that comes to my mind is

Ignorant:mad:..I agree, why would a total stranger ask you that question?

It takes all kinds of people to make up this world...sound like you got

an idiot on your cruise:rolleyes:

[tgmtgm]

On a Royal Caribbean cruise several years ago I shared an elevator with a husband and wife from our roll call and the wife turned to me and said- "You're the guy who's traveling alone- how's that working out for ya??" Spoken in the most condescending tone you could imagine. My one word reply to them- smashingly! :D

 

Tony

[Thoie]

On a Royal Caribbean cruise several years ago I shared an elevator with a husband and wife from our roll call and the wife turned to me and said- "You're the guy who's traveling alone- how's that working out for ya??" Spoken in the most condescending tone you could imagine. My one word reply to them- smashingly! :D

 

Tony

 

"Well, I think you'd have to ask your husband about that <wink>"

 

Then see how well they enjoy the rest of their trip.

 

(Yes, I'm a bad person).

[laedw]

Oh, yeah. I absolutely know that things have been said.

 

laedw, one lady said "Oh, we didn't mean anything by that. It's just that at your age, it's unusual not to want to cruise with a man. And how someone your age can cruise this line, for so long a cruise, we just wondered ". Now, what that has to do with sexual orientation, I just don't know. I responded by telling them I'm great at the stock market and I'm independently wealthy and don't need a man. Then I said, "If your husband ran off with a woman half his age, you'd sit your butt on a cruise ship, too." That shut them up.

 

Good for you! What idiots! The assumptions that some people make. Glad you put them in their place.

[Thoth]

Oh, yeah. I absolutely know that things have been said.

 

laedw, one lady said "Oh, we didn't mean anything by that. It's just that at your age, it's unusual not to want to cruise with a man. And how someone your age can cruise this line, for so long a cruise, we just wondered ". Now, what that has to do with sexual orientation, I just don't know. I responded by telling them I'm great at the stock market and I'm independently wealthy and don't need a man. Then I said, "If your husband ran off with a woman half his age, you'd sit your butt on a cruise ship, too." That shut them up.

I blame the sexual revolution on TV and in movies for prejudices against single/solo people. Nowadays many assume ( :D ) that everyone is sexually active all the time and if they don't see us with one gender they "assume" we are into the other gender.

Me I'm an old fashioned bachelor and I respect old fashioned bachelorettes as women who are complete individuals. I can think for myself and many cruisers tend to see me as one who is capable of creating my own fun. People will still ask "how can you cruise solo ? " I respond "REAL EASILY I can do as I please " :D

[Thoth]

On a Royal Caribbean cruise several years ago I shared an elevator with a husband and wife from our roll call and the wife turned to me and said- "You're the guy who's traveling alone- how's that working out for ya??" Spoken in the most condescending tone you could imagine. My one word reply to them- smashingly! :D

 

Tony

That's right ! ;)

[Pushka]

My mum is a widow and she has found some of these issues with married couples. The wife always seems to be threatened by solo women (for whatever reason) and either makes snarky remarks (divorced or unmarried solos or women not travelling with partners) or in the case of widows, avoidance.

 

Not everyone is like that. On a cruise I was travelling with my mum, on our table we had an older couple who hadn't married (engaged though), me with mum, a solo divorced American female and a gay guy. We were an odd bunch but we had the BEST time and made so much noise laughing and often the last to leave our sitting.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited February 9, 2014 by Pushka

[kitty9]

Darcie....that is the first time I have heard that story:eek:.....WOW.....

that woman sounds......well the first word that comes to my mind is

Ignorant:mad:..I agree, why would a total stranger ask you that question?

It takes all kinds of people to make up this world...sound like you got

an idiot on your cruise:rolleyes:

 

You know Lois, I put it all off on the fact that these women were all over 80, one approaching 90. Sometimes the older generations just say whatever, and they think its ok. Not that their age absolves them from rude, but sometimes certain generations and/or people don't understand. They live in a myopic world where things are black and white. I remember in some countries I traveled to, like Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, they really don't "get" single women, especially independent single women. And they certainly don't get divorced, so I hardly think they'd understand a cradle robbing ex--lol.