Please help me choose an unsuitable cruise

[All-ready2cruise]

Yup, whatever makes YOU happy. Enjoy your cruises whichever way suits you best and I will do the same. 

 

Cheers

[LandlockedCruiser01]

1 hour ago, farmersfight said:

Let's see, drawing attention to yourself by going onstage in the piano bar, doing the limbo on the lido deck and you're saying that the the couple in their early 60's at the table were the "alpha dogs"? If that's true, I want to party with that couple! And it would be o.k., 'cause I'm about their age. Just teasing you; you sound like a lot of fun so no wonder the "Fun ships" are such a good fit for you.

 

Thanks! That couple were the alpha dogs of the table.  That is, they took charge to get everyone to introduce themselves, started group conversations, and set the tone for the dinner social dynamics.  I saw them while I was doing the limbo, but they sat on the sidelines rooting for the participants, not partaking themselves.  (Limbo would be a challenge for most 60-somethings.)

Edited December 6, 2020 by LandlockedCruiser01

[farmersfight]

7 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

(Limbo would be a challenge for most 60-somethings.)

 

I resemble that remark! 😉

[coastcat]

9 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

I give you major props for your courage and willingness to "come out of your shell" a bit. As far as assigned seating at a table full of strangers, I give it 15 minutes max before you'll find yourself engaging in enjoyable, friendly conversation/chit-chat with your table mates and probably the beginning of a new friendship with one, two, three or all of them.

 

I'll take that bet because it's free money. Trust me on this. I've dined with strangers on a cruise ship, at weddings, all sorts of venues - a small amount of friendly light chit-chat, maybe but not always. Friendship, or even remembering their names afterward, definitely no. It's not how I'm wired and I'm quite comfortable with that.

 

Now, I would be interested in trying the Chef's Table on Carnival (or equivalent elsewhere) since everyone is there to taste and discuss adventurous dishes. That's different - it's like an excursion and there's a focal point (in this case, the food). I had fun chatting on my Ensenada winery tour for the same reason.

 

It's the difference between "here is a random collection of total strangers, go mingle" and "here's a fun activity and look, there are other people who are here to do fun activity". The wonderful thing about solo cruising is that it provides abundant opportunities for both types of interactions without requiring you to partake of any of them. 

 

A lovely thing about the NCL Studio Lounge is that if you're feeling up to chat, you can go hang out there. And if you're not feeling up to chat, you can still hang out there. On Bliss, it was quickly established that social people sat in the center area and anyone there to just read or chill out would take the (more comfortable) sofas along the walls. I'm a little sad that, if my April Bliss cruise actually sails (who knows?), I'm not in the Studio area and will not have access to space. Then again, it's unknown what impact the health protocols will have on meeting places like that where almost no one is in the same "bubble." (thank goodness I'll be vaccinated by the time of my June cruise!)

[farmersfight]

4 minutes ago, coastcat said:

I'll take that bet because it's free money. Trust me on this. I've dined with strangers on a cruise ship, at weddings, all sorts of venues - a small amount of friendly light chit-chat, maybe but not always. Friendship, or even remembering their names afterward, definitely no. It's not how I'm wired and I'm quite comfortable with that.

 

I can fully appreciate this. I guess my point was that between assigned dining (where you dine with the same folks each night) and anytime dining (where you dine with different folks each night), you are much more likely to make friends with the assigned dining. O.k., 15 minutes may be a little optimistic. And btw, who said anything about betting any $$? Lol.

 

9 minutes ago, coastcat said:

I'm a little sad that, if my April Bliss cruise actually sails (who knows?), I'm not in the Studio area and will not have access to space. Then again, it's unknown what impact the health protocols will have on meeting places like that where almost no one is in the same "bubble." (thank goodness I'll be vaccinated by the time of my June cruise!)

 

Just my guess but I'm thinking that cruising won't return to any semblance of "normalcy" until the 2nd half of 2021. This gives the 1st half of 2021 for the vaccine to be fully distributed and available to everyone. I'm hoping you're right about being vaccinated by June and that you'll be able to go on your June cruise.

 

I recently booked 4 cruises and stayed conservative on the first two (because of the vaccine issue), booking in late Oct & late Dec 2021. The remaining two are in late Jan & late Feb 2022.

 

Fingers crossed 🤞!!

[LandlockedCruiser01]

20 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

I can fully appreciate this. I guess my point was that between assigned dining (where you dine with the same folks each night) and anytime dining (where you dine with different folks each night), you are much more likely to make friends with the assigned dining. O.k., 15 minutes may be a little optimistic. And btw, who said anything about betting any $$? Lol.

 

The "betting" might have been metaphorical.  Still, there's a difference between true connections and what I call "courtesy connections", where you have a shared goal but not always shared interests.  The former is when you bond over a new experience, realize you have things in common, and become friends, even if just for the duration of the cruise.  The latter isn't too different from work colleagues.  That is, you make an effort to get along and exchange pleasantries, but you don't hang out outside that place. (Unless you bond well enough for it to turn into true connections, which happened on one of my cruises: I ended up dancing at Señor Frog's with my tablemates.)

 

By and large, your tablemates will be courtesy connections.  And that's fine.  At work, your shared goal is to get the job done.  At assigned dining, your shared goal is to enjoy a fun company with new people.

Edited December 6, 2020 by LandlockedCruiser01

[farmersfight]

6 minutes ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

 

The "betting" might have been metaphorical.  Still, there's a difference between true connections and what I call "courtesy connections", where you have a shared goal but not always shared interests.  The former is when you bond over a new experience, realize you have things in common, and become friends, even if just for the duration of the cruise.  The latter isn't too different from work colleagues.  That is, you make an effort to get along and exchange pleasantries, but you don't hang out outside that place. (Unless you bond well enough for it to turn into true connections, which happened on one of my cruises: I ended up dancing at Señor Frog's with my tablemates.)

 

By and large, your tablemates will be courtesy connections.  And that's fine.  At work, your shared goal is to get the job done.  At assigned dining, your shared goal is to enjoy a fun company with new people.

 

Now that I think about it some more, I may be off. It's probably a total crap shoot, i.e. you could go to a table during anytime dining, meet someone (you haven't met before) and really hit it off resulting in a lasting friendship (even after the cruise is over).

 

On the other hand, you could be in assigned dining, go to the same table every night and not "click" with anyone at your table (which may make for some awkward silence during meals).

 

12 minutes ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

I ended up dancing at Señor Frog's with my tablemates.

 

Yeah, I can see that happening, lol. Senior Frog's can do that to people...