What ships seat you with others at dinner?

[mef_57]

4share, I am not sure where you are located, but perhaps a visit with a cruise specialist travel agent would help you mesh better with a cruise line....or decide to give up cruising.

It is quite understood there days that the longer the trip, the older the demographic, and if it is a repositioning cruise, then just as much a consideration.

Perhaps an American or Caribbean cruise on a more 'American' line would suit your funloving nature as well as closer age demographic (emotional), but the problem is they don't offer set dining and you will run into the same problem of waiting for a shared table to generate. They do tend to run solo get togethers at 'cocktail hour' which could lend to getting other solos together for meals....but no guarantees.

Personally, as an introvert, I am often more happy eating alone and as a long time solo traveler, I don't expect anyone to contribute to the make or break of a trip. Only I am responsible for my own happiness,  so if social happens, then great. If it doesn't, then I am happy having done my own thing.

MSC and Costa have traditional dining and cruise the Caribbean. MSC has a big push to break into the American market, so perhaps that line might suit.

[mef_57]

Another line with set dining that is solo friendly is Cunard. I have recently done a 12 day cruise with them and as it was over Christmas there was close to 100 solos on the trip. Granted, at 61 I was on the young end of the scale, but they seated solos together at tables, and I felt lucky with my table of 8 combination. I had actually been dreading the set dining scenerio as I am happy dining alone, but this worked out fine.

[4share]

Thanks MEF. I understand you enjoy your own company (saves the hassle of trying to meet people, and the right people), I can relate to that as sometimes I would prefer my own company than the wrong company. My style is more the budget and younger pax rather than those looking for upmarket cruising and with big price which I feel is more the mature pax. Value for money! It's all about linking with like minded people but since I have never sailed from anywhere other than Australia and within close reach I honestly have no idea of other markets. P&O and Carnival would have the younger pax in Australia (young??), with others more inclined to attract the oldies.

 

NCL seems to have a good reputation from what I read here for looking after solo's with daily hosted meetups, but is that the 60+ brigade as I often find is representative of many solos travel groups. I'm looking for the under 60's group! Decades back P&O in Australia would line you up with another (single, not solo) to escort to the singles party. Hit and miss, but a bit of fun and at least they made some effort. These days P&O cant even offer a good meal, and any attempt at a solos meetup would have you heading for the doors (ducking the radar) after 10 minutes unless completely desperate for company.

 

Do NCL attract a younger crowd and have respectable solos meetups for Bahamas, Caribbean cruises?

 

How do the other cruise lines fare in these destinations.

 

    

[CruiseGal999]

On 11/25/2018 at 1:23 AM, magpie9 said:

Hello, I really like solo cruising. I can keep myself busy and like the quiet times. But the only time I do like a little company and conversation is over dinner. On my last cruise to Bermuda with NCL they repeatedly sat me on my own even though I asked for a share table. On Diamond Princess in Japan they put me on the same table every night with same people. It was good as we had things to talk about, such as a catch up of what we had done that day.

 

So what ships have you had good company over evening meals? And the attitude of the staff in dining rooms to solos. 

 

NCL has a great solo meet up group each evening.   This is NOT a singles group ... as in meat market.  And it is not the group sailing in the solo/studio cabins.  This is a great group with an NCL coordinator who provides everyone gifts (bingo cards, spa certificates, etc.) and makes dinner reservations for the group and you bypass everyone in line for the dining room and get seated at your designated table(s). 

 

 

[JulieMcCoy]

I suggest avoiding ships that offer a lot of specialty-dining venues. I just traveled on RCI's Allure of the Seas, which is a very large ship with five or so specialty restaurants, in addition to the main dining room. Because so many people spend several nights dining in the specialty restaurants, tables during traditional seating in the main dining room often have empty seats. My daughter and I had asked to be seated at a large table so we could enjoy the company of others as well, but two seats were empty each night at our table for six.

[dad son team]

Question for those that don't mind going to the MDR and prefer to eat alone.  What do you do to pass the time besides read a book?  MDR dining can take a bit and you can only look around the room so much.