End of Cruise Survey - ALONE! Really?!?

[PCWalton1]

Just got off Explorer of the Seas today from a 5 Night cruise to Bermuda. We had excellent weather and smooth sailing until today when we arrived to rain in Bayonne. Someone else started a thread about the problems getting off the ship today, but that didn't affect me too much.

 

The staff, crew, guest entertainers, and fellow passengers were great. This is what keeps me coming back time and time again. Most of the time I sail solo, but not because I want to be alone. I can get the alone feeling on a land based vacation. I cruise because it is a great way to meet people and not feel alone. The only time I felt alone this cruise was the first night in Bermuda I was at my dinner table by myself as my tablemates were still out exploring the islands. Even then, my Assistant Waiter Oswald and another Assistant Waiter talked with me after dinner. We talked about the ships along with Quantum replacing Explorer out of Bayonne, and I brought up the Dynamic Dining and the elimination of the MDR. I told them this is what I enjoyed about cruising. We got to know each other a little more, and it's something I wouldn't get eating in a different restaurant each night with different waitstaff.

 

I get home and access the online survey (replaces the paper ones fill out on the ship at the end of the cruise) via an email. At first they were having technical difficulties. When I finally accessed it, I was appalled by the travel companion section. There were many choices for travel companions, but only one at the bottom called "Alone".

 

I would have preferred any other the following: Single, Solo, Myself, Individual, or Independently. I realize in a thesaurus alone comes up under solo and solitary comes up under single, but not everyone who travels by themselves is looking for solitude or to be alone.

 

It just shows that some people in the corporate office are out of touch with their passengers and should probably spend some time on the ships working to get to know their passengers just as well as the staff and crew.

Their current promotion is get the 2nd person in the stateroom for 50% off when paying 100% for the 1st person. So they're gonna charge 150% for 2 people, but 1 person will pay 200%? Doesn't sound like Royal Caribbean corporate is interested in the solo traveler.

 

Anyway, just needed to get that out of my system. Now back to enjoying all the photos I took and the video of the dunking stool reenactment at Kings Square in St. Georges.

 

So have you considered therapy to overcome this obvious issue of traveling alone?

Let me guess, the therapist suggested cruising? :p

Edited May 10, 2014 by PCWalton1

[Langley Cruisers]

Actually, "No Travel Companion" would be a better choice than "Alone" on the survey.

 

I would agree. :)

 

I think people who are word sensitive would be bothered by this. Some words just rub me the wrong way when they are used in certain circumstances.

 

I would agree. :)

 

Let's remember that we are all blessed to be cruising at all. Please? :)

.

[MADflyer]

I was looking at prices for a cruise on RCI recently and the solo cabin was more expensive than a regular inside double for 1 pax....

 

I am getting so tired of this. I found a solution by just booking the double, paying for it and then calling and having resolutions take away the second person.

 

Just booked Liberty for 4 night 14 May Barcelona for $299x2 or $598. They wanted $1138 for single cabin. I had to pay the full amount online as payment required at time of booking. Resolutions will refund the taxes and fees for second person and change it to solo so I can complete check-in.

 

Their pricing caused me to delay and worked to my advantage as I was prepared to pay $798 3 days ago.

 

Their solo policy states it should be 200% for all and 150% for those with more than 340 cruise points.

[NorbertsNiece]

I would agree. :)

 

 

 

I would agree. :)

 

Let's remember that we are all blessed to be cruising at all. Please? :)

.

 

[emeraldcity]

I haven't traveled solo ... yet. But I keep considering the possibility. And I'm going to take the OP's position here. Words are powerful things and the word "alone" is generally used in a negative light.

 

Take my DD when her internship dropped her into small town Ohio, where she discovered that when evening rolled around she didn't have anyone to share time with ... "Mom, I feel so ALONE!" and I told her "You're not alone honey -- you're by yourself."

 

And then there was that awesome moment when my soon-to-be-Ex said "Leave me alone!" and I replied "I grant you your wish ... you'll be alone for the rest of your life." :)

Edited May 10, 2014 by emeraldcity

[Ramblin' Ma'am]

I haven't traveled solo ... yet. But I keep considering the possibility. And I'm going to take the OP's position here. Words are powerful things and the word "alone" is generally used in a negative light.

 

 

I took a solo cruise on Liberty a couple weeks ago (which was great). I admit that the word "alone" threw me a bit too. Just because it was the LAST option and came after options like "With my spouse" "With my friends," "With my children" etc. So after all those, choosing "Alone" seemed a lot bleaker than "Solo."

 

 

 

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[The_Big_M]

So after all those' date=' choosing "Alone" seemed a lot bleaker than "Solo."

 

[/quote']

 

I'm still not getting it.

 

Solo and alone are synonymous.

 

"I went solo." That means I went alone. Without anyone. As said earlier, how you can be solo on a ship full of people is hard to fathom, so I can't see it as any more attractive.