Does Charleston por attract lots of solo cruisers?

[alviriv1]

Just curious. Sailing out of Charlrston next year.

[NSnJW]

I did a back to back out of Charleston in mid Feb and it seemed to have several solos and also singles traveling together.  It did not have much of a solos mixer so you should go to the Roll Call for your voyage and try to connect there.

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, alviriv1 said:

Just curious. Sailing out of Charlrston next year.

 

I don't understand your question.  Why would one port over another make a difference as to whether solo cruisers sail from there or not?  

[LandlockedCruiser01]

On 3/20/2022 at 3:01 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

I don't understand your question.  Why would one port over another make a difference as to whether solo cruisers sail from there or not?  

 

More than you might think.  In some embarkation ports, travel logistics for solos are tedious, pricey, or both.  This is 100% true for Galveston, and slightly less true for Port Canaveral.  In those ports, you gotta pay to get yourself from the airport to your pre-cruise hotel, and then to your ship, since group shuttles are hard to find, if not entirely nonexistent, and distances are very long.  And when you travel alone, it REALLY adds up, since you're the only one shouldering the costs.

 

Conversely, the opposite is true in ports like Miami, New York, or Los Angeles.  Once you get out of the airport, public transit is easy to find and plentiful, and most hotels offer inexpensive shuttles.  Those embarkation ports are more solo-friendly than others.

Edited March 28, 2022 by LandlockedCruiser01

[alviriv1]

Exactly. Last month's cruise out of Tampa was full of solo cruisers. But whenever I cruise out of Cape Canaveral, it is mostly families and couples or big groups.

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

More than you might think.  In some embarkation ports, travel logistics for solos are tedious, pricey, or both.  

 

I appreciate your response to my question.  I didn't realize that you were referencing the cost and experience for embarkation/disembarkation at the different ports.  

[LandlockedCruiser01]

On 3/28/2022 at 7:14 PM, rkacruiser said:

I appreciate your response to my question.  I didn't realize that you were referencing the cost and experience for embarkation/disembarkation at the different ports.  

Yes, exactly! 👍 

 

As a general rule of thumb, old cities that developed before cars became widespread tend to be more solo-friendly.  Their distances are short due to their compact layout, and their public transit is generally good.  You can save money by using local buses and such.

 

Cities that developed later are more like giant suburbs. Everything is spread out, public transit is awful, and walking is impossible in many parts.  So unless you get lucky with shuttles, you end paying a lot by yourself just to get between different locations.

Other than getting from the airport, Charleston is more like the former.  Once you get to your hotel downtown, you can walk everywhere, like meals or local sights.  And the ship is close too.  As opposed to renting a car, or being stuck in your hotel next to a six-lane road with no crosswalks and overpaying for DoorDash meals.

Edited March 30, 2022 by LandlockedCruiser01