First time cruising by ourselves

[B4RK3R]

HI all,

 

New to the forums here, but I have taken a few cruises so far. My fiance and I are booking the Carnival Glory on 4/22 and we are pretty excited about it. She has a few more cruises under her belt compared to me. The issue (or lack thereof maybe) is that every time we have cruised in the past, it has been been with a large group of people (10 or more) but this year our usual group wont be joining us. I guess my question is, for the cruisers who have cruised with just your significant other, what do you do with all your free time??? I mean, when we cruised with a large group, we were always waiting on someone to get "ready" or taking 30+ minutes to find someone who had wandered off on the boat, but when we did meet up, we enjoyed going to the clubs, and drinking, and doing other activities on board with a large group... Do people enjoy cruising with more people or less???? This will be a pretty new experience for us!

[easyboy]

My wife and I enjoying cruising by ourselves. Our activities, onboard and in port, are dictated by our own preferences, and not for the concern for others. We like to do it on our own pacing. Even when with families, we go on separate ways and just meet after dinner to share each one's experiences for the day. I am sure you will enjoy your cruise.

[fsa1155]

We have cruised both by ourselves and with large groups. Large groups are fun but you do have more people to tend to and make sure that everyone has a good time. When we are by ourselves, we really have no agenda and just relax for the week. We don't really make any plans and just enjoy the down time.

[louanne93]

This was sort of my question also. I always cruise with my husband, sometimes with friends, mostly by ourselves or with our kids. I am cruising in 12 days with a girlfriend and my 22 year old daughter. I know this cruise will be different. Just wondering if I will have as much fun! I know people do girls cruises all the time, just hoping this is for me!

[Drazil65]

I mean, when we cruised with a large group, we were always waiting on someone to get "ready" or taking 30+ minutes to find someone who had wandered off on the boat, but when we did meet up, we enjoyed going to the clubs, and drinking, and doing other activities on board with a large group... Do people enjoy cruising with more people or less???? This will be a pretty new experience for us!

This is the exact reason we do not purposely cruise with others (there have been times when other people we know will book same cruise but we do not do it together) and it is called "wonderful and Vacation"...Even on the cruises in the past when people have booked the same time we have (not too often as we book our cruises well in advance and have our plans all done before spilling the beans publically) we go ahead and make all our plans.

 

 

We do not typically make plans with others, if the group wants to meet each day for catch up time or for dinner, sometimes we join and sometimes we dont. The thing we do not do is wait on people (we eat dinner if that is what it is about) or waste time with people that have no common courtesy where others are concerned to be ready on time. Its rude and we no longer make it our problem (we have certain family members that are horrible at time management when others are involved, then just laugh it off with a "oh, I am so sorry blah, blah, blah) , we go on with the plan and move to the next thing when appropriate.

 

 

We have the best quality vacations, just the 3 of us and it has eliminated so much stress (too many family vacations ruined with arguing among all the people about what to do, where to stay, what to eat, who is paying etc.). It is the best time and it will spoil you for the future, you will get used to just going ahead and making your own plans and doing your own thing. It is wonderful and freeing to be able to actually enjoy your time with each other...:D

[sgttami]

To me cruising with others=stress, especially if it's a large group.

 

I like solo cruising the best and at other times, a friend or two at most. Even then, we'll still do our own thing during the day and we each have our own cabin. Usually we'll meet for dinner and sometimes we'll book excursions together if it's a new port that none of us have been to.

 

For me, the less companions, the better...lol I've never been bored on a cruise!

[Jamericannn]

HI all,

 

New to the forums here, but I have taken a few cruises so far. My fiance and I are booking the Carnival Glory on 4/22 and we are pretty excited about it. She has a few more cruises under her belt compared to me. The issue (or lack thereof maybe) is that every time we have cruised in the past, it has been been with a large group of people (10 or more) but this year our usual group wont be joining us. I guess my question is, for the cruisers who have cruised with just your significant other, what do you do with all your free time??? I mean, when we cruised with a large group, we were always waiting on someone to get "ready" or taking 30+ minutes to find someone who had wandered off on the boat, but when we did meet up, we enjoyed going to the clubs, and drinking, and doing other activities on board with a large group... Do people enjoy cruising with more people or less???? This will be a pretty new experience for us!

 

 

 

I am in the opposite situation as you. This is the first time I am cruising with the family and kids. I enjoyed cruising with DW but I am really looking forward to cruising with my kids and other family members. I think it will be a bonding moment even though we are already a good family.

As long as you and your fiancé is have the same taste in things you do then you won't have an issue or if you both have different taste and do not mind separating from each other sometimes. I think it is better when you can do a mixture of activities together and some things by yourselves. Go to the serenity and chill. Go to the casino and do one of the specialty restaurants together.

 

By the way, I am on the 4/22 cruise as well. Please join the roll call and the facebook page. We will be having a cocktail party and looking for a few more people to join in.

[B4RK3R]

Thanks All! glad to see so many who cruise by themselves and not in large groups. I'm sure we will have a blast either way. I mean, how can you not have fun on a cruise ship!!!!

[Jamericannn]

Thanks All! glad to see so many who cruise by themselves and not in large groups. I'm sure we will have a blast either way. I mean, how can you not have fun on a cruise ship!!!!

 

 

If you guys are scared of cruising alone and want to pay for my cruise then I will join you on the ship and build the numbers. lol

[originalgeek]

Well I can only speak for my wife but I still spent plenty of time waiting for her to get ready.

 

And if we ever meet on board I will deny I ever said that. :)

[JawjaFatBoy]

My wife and I cruise to relax and generally don't make a lot of concrete plans. I'm a corrections officer and have quite my fill of strict schedules at work. We usually look over the FunTimes for the next day, and IF we see something that looks interesting we'll check it out.

 

But for the most part we just enjoy not having to drive, cook, clean, etc. DW likes nothing better on a sea day than to find a shady spot on deck and take a nap, and I take advantage of those times to read, sample the dining options, or wander around the ship with the camera.

[sandij]

My DH and I have done some 30 plus cruises and all but three of them were by ourselves. We tend to do all the meals and excursions together but other things we do seperately. I like read in the sun and he likes to go to the casino or take a nap. I like to go to the shows and movies and food demonstrations and occasionally he does also but it doesn't bother me to go by myself. I'm on vacation to relax and that's what I do.

[Catbw]

My DH and I have only going by ourselves so far, to keep busy we just read through the Fun Times and found a bunch of activities that we were interested in. We went to the nightly shows and went had some drinks and played the games in the Red Frog! Pools were not so much of an option being we were in Alaska [emoji12]

 

Our next trip we will be sailing with DH's brother and his wife, so I think that will be a nice change as well.

 

 

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[bnorris10]

The hubby and I love cruising alone - We enjoy the freedom of not having to wait on others

 

Something you guys could consider doing is meeting people on the boat - Join the Roll Calls and maybe plan to have a meet up

 

Something the hubby and I have done was got to know the people where we like to visit - Like we go to piano bar every single night at 9 pm and so we became regulars and got to know those come in there - plus we got to know people in the red frog bar because love hanging out there - plus we like doing games so we got to meet people there - not to mention we enjoy being put at a big round table with others at dinner time (Not okay with booths shared by other people as that is to close for comfort for me) - So its nice to see a familiar face around the boat

[cb at sea]

I don't do well with "groups"....I HATE the waiting for others, and it's like "herding cats" to get everyone to agree on the same thing! When we do travel with others, we pretty much go our own way, and meet for dinner or things in the evening.

 

Hubby and I have been together for 43 years...we do quite well on our own! And no, we aren't "joined at the hip" all day long..we each do what we want...which is usually the same thing...but not always!

[GradUT]

When we (self and spouse) cruise alone--about 80% of the time--we enjoy booking a fixed dinner time with a table for 6. It gives a chance to meet new people and compare daily adventures with others. (If you prefer Anytime Dining, you can ask to be seated with others each night.). We find it a little boring to eat alone when we have seen each other almost all day anyway.

 

One caveat--We have found that people choose to dine with strangers less often on Carnival than on HAL or Princess. In fact, when we had a table for 6 for Late Dining on the Pride last fall (and in a prime location next to the window no less!), we had one couple join us for one night and that was it! It was a little weird sitting alone at such a large table!

[auscgguysgirl]

My DH and I LOVE to cruise alone. We don't get the opportunity to do it very often, as our travel plans are usually jacked by tag along friends or family. Although, even if we do have companions, we always let our friends/family know that we do not need to be entertained and we do not intend to entertain.

 

We cruised this past October alone and it was wonderful. We just did what we wanted when we wanted. We are cruising again in February 2018 alone. We spend a lot of time in the spa ... the gym ... checking out shows, etc. We do shore excursions or get off the boat in port and just wander around.

 

Sometimes, we just relax and nap. There is no rush and we enjoy not having to do or plan or be somewhere.

[Jamericannn]

Well I can only speak for my wife but I still spent plenty of time waiting for her to get ready.

 

And if we ever meet on board I will deny I ever said that. :)

 

 

Screenshot taken

[B4RK3R]

The hubby and I love cruising alone - We enjoy the freedom of not having to wait on others

 

Something you guys could consider doing is meeting people on the boat - Join the Roll Calls and maybe plan to have a meet up

 

Something the hubby and I have done was got to know the people where we like to visit - Like we go to piano bar every single night at 9 pm and so we became regulars and got to know those come in there - plus we got to know people in the red frog bar because love hanging out there - plus we like doing games so we got to meet people there - not to mention we enjoy being put at a big round table with others at dinner time (Not okay with booths shared by other people as that is to close for comfort for me) - So its nice to see a familiar face around the boat

 

 

My Fiance and I love the piano bar. We usually kick off the night there, then make our rounds to the other bars and clubs/casino on the boat. We also love to make friends with our bartenders. Seeing a familiar face every day/night at our favorite spot is nice.

[originalgeek]

Screenshot taken

 

 

check is in the mail!

[B4RK3R]

If you guys are scared of cruising alone and want to pay for my cruise then I will join you on the ship and build the numbers. lol

 

Looks like we are already going to be on the same boat! Can't wait!

[Jamericannn]

check is in the mail!

 

 

I hope it is coming by Express mail