Solo cruisers

[Cindy Rae]

Life responsibilities have kept me from cruising HAL for 20 years but now I can!  The chat for our upcoming April 2022 Transatlantic cruise on the Rotterdam is raising my anxiety.  So many couples with thousands of posts and hundreds of cruise days.  Anyone else new to cruising or traveling solo that can pick up what I'm putting down?  

I look forward to participating with everyone but I don't understand why the taxi in Brugge or when our Mix and Mingle will be (on ship, in a cabin, in a conference room?)  I'm all in with a local flavor gift exchange!  Would love tips on how to join in as a solo.

[Cindy Rae]

Looking at information from Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle guidelines https://boards.cruisecritic.com/meet-mingle/hollandamerica/  finds me answering one of my own questions!  I'm just a ferry boat away from their offices in Seattle so if you need me to pick up anything... 🙂☺️

HAL-MEET-GREET-REQUEST_form.pdf

[tamsno]

Welcome to CruiseCritic.  So glad you are able to cruise again.  I am also Cindy and have nearly 50 cruises mostly solo over the last 20 years with HAL, Celebrity, Princess and a few more.  It can be a little daunting but definitely the best way to see the world.  Please join in the conversation for your cruise.  They will have information about the Meet and Greet which is typically in a lounge,  other onboard activities people are interested in, tours, etc.  It does seem to involve mostly couples but there are always many solo travelers.  Anyone can participate equally and people are usually quite friendly.  I think of it as being a "plus one."   The ship may offer solo travelers get togethers,  lunchs, etc. you can find out about onboard.  I choose fixed dining with a large table and have been so lucky to always have excellent dinner companions to enjoy evening activities with and maybe join on an excursion.  (The occasional pajama night with room service and a movie after a long day is great too!)  Have fun!

[Traveling Mike]

I am glad to see your first cruise is a Trans-Atlantic Cruise.  I have never been on a HAL ship but the other cruise lines I have done are very active on the Trans-Atlantic Cruises.  Make sure you are active on your Cruise Board.  Let them know you are new and have anxieties.  They will help you will all questions and will explain things differently knowing you are new.  As far as seeing lots of couples that is normal and not normal.  On the RCL and NCL cruises I have taken there is always lots of solo or girls traveling together.  I have lots of friends that I have met on the Cruises and some are solo and some  are couples.  Couples are always wiling to meet and do things with solo cruisers.  Just open up and enjoy the fun.

 

If you take this cruise and do not like not having lots of solo people you might try a Trans-Atlantic Cruise on NCL with the Solo cabins.  NCL has solo cabins that draw lots of solo cruiser and they have a Solo Cruise Director that does activities for solo travelers.

[pcur]

Personally, I think one of the best ways to meet people and see if you are compatible, is to select Anytime, My Time, what ever they call "go when you want" dining.  Tell the head waiter at the podium you would like to sit with other people who have indicated their table is open.

 

Then, if you like them, and vice versa, make more plans.  If not, you go to another table the next night, and so forth.