Solo cruising when you are older

[denni]

First cruise since Covid and first solo cruise. Loved reading all the positive comments. 

[DaisyGoldberg]

On 3/20/2022 at 11:06 PM, eileeshb said:

  If you want to play it safe pick a cruiseline that has a solos program like NCL, while it’s the largest ships in NCL have the solo-specific cabins they do (or did pre-covid) operate the solos host on the jewel-class ships as well. 

Just got off the Pearl a couple of weeks ago - per my dailies there was a Solos meet up in the afternoon of Day 1, and every evening at 6 pm in one of the bars - presumably this timing set up to facilitate dining/entertainment companionship if wanted, make plans for the next day, etc. These meetings were listed as unhosted, which may be a covid artifact - I seem to recall in the past they had a staff member involved, but maybe that's just the larger ships.  

[zippyjet]

On 5/9/2022 at 11:30 AM, DaisyGoldberg said:

Just got off the Pearl a couple of weeks ago - per my dailies there was a Solos meet up in the afternoon of Day 1, and every evening at 6 pm in one of the bars - presumably this timing set up to facilitate dining/entertainment companionship if wanted, make plans for the next day, etc. These meetings were listed as unhosted, which may be a covid artifact - I seem to recall in the past they had a staff member involved, but maybe that's just the larger ships.  

My DFF cruised the Pearl twice and as a solo cruiser. She liked the ship and Norwegian. Both her cruises were more than seven nights one was  14 nights through the Panama Canal. IHOP, she feels yours truly and Norwegian would not be the greatest fit.

1. Washey, washey??? Ugg! and no food back to your cabin are not plusses in my book.

[Cruise Kay]

I am a senior and just started solo cruising this year. I’ve been on two trips so far. And like others have said, it really comes down to the attitude you bring. You have to look at your expectations. It’s obviously not going to be the same experience as traveling with a loved ones, having a constant meal companion, someone to sit next to at the shows, someone to talk to you and laugh with and share shore excursions with. But it is still an amazing, luxurious vacation aboard some amazing ships and you get to see some beautiful places. 
i’m a very active person but one thing I had to figure out on my first solo cruise was: it’s OK not to do every single activity every day. Even though I’m on a cruise ship with lots to offer, at my age, sometimes I need an afternoon of lying around the cabin reading a book and taking a nap or watching movies on TV. Even though it’s a gorgeous day outside, that’s OK to do if that’s what you need. Listen to your body when you get tired and sore, take a break! One nice thing about traveling as a solo is that if you’re not enjoying a show, you can quietly get up and leave without having to consult with anyone else. You don’t have to keep up with anyone. You can eat when you’re ready and you don’t have to negotiate when or where. Also, I have found plenty of opportunities to sit in large communal areas, such as the promenade or pool deck, if I really want to be around people and hear voices and conversations. There’s always trivia games and opportunities for mingling, but solo cruising is also a great time to disconnect and do your own thing and just watch the ocean drift by. I would recommend always buying the Internet package so you can stay in touch with loved ones daily by text or messaging, if that’s your thing. I have run into elderly senior cruisers who use walkers and have difficulty getting around, they arrange for assistance getting on and off the ship as needed ahead of time, and they do their thing and have a great week. Give some thought ahead of time to what you would like from your vacation and bring some flexibility and open mindedness, and I bet you’ll enjoy it.