How social are people on NCL cruises?

[Laszlo]

My wife and I have made a number of great friends. A couple we met from Montreal on a cruise in 2018 have become close friends, they have been to our house and we have been to theirs. We are traveling with them on our next cruise. 

 

In 2016 on our Alaskan cruise we might a couple from London. They were both in their 90's. We were waiting in line to have dinner and they looked a little lost. We invited them to have dinner with us. Extremely interesting people to talk with. They were both in WW2, I'm a history buff and really enjoyed getting to know them. Unfortunately both of them passed last year

[Markanddonna]

On 11/13/2022 at 2:20 PM, ontheweb said:

Not a solo as I cruise with DW, but I totally understand what you wrote about finding a shared table. Our last NCL cruise was on the Epic in the Western Mediterranean 10 years ago. On the first night at dinner, we were asked do you want a table for 2 or to share a table. We replied that we would share as we have often enjoyed meeting others at dinner. And then after we were seated, we waited, and waited, and waited. We finally realized no one else seemed to want to share, and then said we would do a table for 2.

 

After we booked an NCL cruise again (the Prima next summer), I posted and asked if this was typical. The overwhelming majority of posters wrote basically why would I ever want to share a table with strangers.

We are just off the Epic and sharing tables did not happen. There was hacking and coughing going around, so we tightened up our socializing.

[ontheweb]

On 11/13/2022 at 10:07 AM, vswan said:

I think covid may have something to do with people not wishing to share tables in the mdr.

That does not explain our experience on the Epic in 2012. See post #23 in this thread.

[eileeshb]

Just a note on the times the ships may have unexpected groupings, when I cruised in late February out of Miami there was something like 500 french speakers on board because it was mid-term/spring break in both France and Quebec. On that one the ship made a lot of the announcements in both English and French.  

[DCGuy64]

My wife and I are going on an NCL cruise next month and on that "other" site *cough Zuckberg cough* there's a growing list of solo travelers who will be attending the Meet & Greet, doing a pub crawl and a casino thing. I think that's a great way to meet other travelers, both solo and non. 😀

[Reese15233]

I am so not a social person but I am way more open to friendly interactions on cruise ships. You are, even with so many different people from different places, with different views and opinions, having a  positive shared experience and that just seems to create good vibes. Unfortunately this seems harder to do elsewhere in the world today. I have even met people at the airport (some on same cruise some on another) and the anticipation and excitement of or from a cruise vacation is common ground enough to start delightful conversations. You can almost tell who the cruise travelers are because of this. I also think it's why negative people are often chastised here on CC. Most cruisers embrace the joy of it even when some aspect of the experience isn't perfect. 

[Markanddonna]

Glad we tightened the social circle. Someone on our cruise posted they tested positive for Covid, post cruise.  Our roll call didn't have a meet and greet and all the usual social gatherings. We learned last May on a transatlantic to not play cards with others, etc. Lots of Covid on that sailing. Someday we will be back to normal!

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Reese15233 said:

I am so not a social person but I am way more open to friendly interactions on cruise ships. You are, even with so many different people from different places, with different views and opinions, having a  positive shared experience and that just seems to create good vibes. Unfortunately this seems harder to do elsewhere in the world today. I have even met people at the airport (some on same cruise some on another) and the anticipation and excitement of or from a cruise vacation is common ground enough to start delightful conversations. You can almost tell who the cruise travelers are because of this. I also think it's why negative people are often chastised here on CC. Most cruisers embrace the joy of it even when some aspect of the experience isn't perfect. 

We were off the ship in Dublin on a cruise waiting in line for the opening to see the Book of Kells. We spoke to the people near us in line who turned out to also be on the cruise. I guess this is the sort of positive social reaction among cruisers that you have referred to.

[MaggieNY]

On 11/14/2022 at 2:29 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

There's good social interaction and bad social interaction...Bad is when somebody decides that they want to get to know you and interrogate you without mercy.  Where are you from?  What are you doing tomorrow?  Which cabin are you in?  What kind of family do you have?  What do you do for a living?  What are your hobbies?

I see you've talked to my husband...🤣

[MrsTocko]

On 11/12/2022 at 3:40 PM, New2cruise2022 said:

Beyond organized events, are many people social or do people generally keep to themselves? I get that EVERYONE is different. Some people are shy, some are more outgoing. Some are together for a romantic getaway, etc. So I guess, in your experience (traveling alone or as a couple), is it welcomed to have a conversation with strangers in line, at a bar, at a restaurant, a show, etc? I know how to read people so I’m confident I can figure it out when I get on the ship, just curious about how well it is received or not. (Or if I will feel like “that guy” if I show up at an activity in the evenings/night.)

 

Thanks!

I think you will be fine. Most people are genuinely friendly enough to strike up a conversation about the cruise if nothing else.  Not sure what ship you are on, but if there is an adult only area (Spice H20 on smaller ships) that is a great place. We like to find "our" bar, that one place that the feel of it is very comfortable that helps to make us more social.  Bartendars that can do that, are FANTASTIC. 

 

 

[Markanddonna]

Port intensive cruises, not much socializing. Caribbean and that sort ,more socializing

[ontheweb]

5 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

Port intensive cruises, not much socializing. Caribbean and that sort ,more socializing

About half of our cruises have been port intensive European cruises. The only one that we felt that there was a lack of socializing was on the NCL Epic. (The others were on Princess, HAL, and Royal Caribbean.)

[phillygwm]

49 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

The only one that we felt that there was a lack of socializing was on the NCL Epic. 

So was this because of the ship or the cruise?  I've been on the Epic twice:  In a studio and in what is now called a Club Balcony.  I don't think there's anything inherent with the Epiq that would dissuade socializing.  Maybe you just caught a bad cruise?

[ontheweb]

32 minutes ago, phillygwm said:

So was this because of the ship or the cruise?  I've been on the Epic twice:  In a studio and in what is now called a Club Balcony.  I don't think there's anything inherent with the Epiq that would dissuade socializing.  Maybe you just caught a bad cruise?

It is possible that it was just that cruise. I thought it was because the ship was so BIG. DW thought it was because we were in Europe, but as I wrote previously about half our cruises were in Europe, actually with one 10 years earlier with almost the same itinerary.

[Markanddonna]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

It is possible that it was just that cruise. I thought it was because the ship was so BIG. DW thought it was because we were in Europe, but as I wrote previously about half our cruises were in Europe, actually with one 10 years earlier with almost the same itinerary.

The Epic had a lot of problems with ports and cancelations, etc. I think people just wanted to eat, see a bit of entertainment, and then go to slt. People getting sick didn't help 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Markanddonna said:

The Epic had a lot of problems with ports and cancelations, etc. I think people just wanted to eat, see a bit of entertainment, and then go to slt. People getting sick didn't help 

Our cruise was well before Covid (2012), and we made all of our ports. But maybe people were not as interested in ports. One of the things we were really interested in (and paid for in advance) was an excursion from Marseilles to Arles. (Arles is where Van Gogh did most of his paintings) We were warned by the excursion people that it was not selling enough. I was also told by one of them that it was a great excursion and that he would push it. Then it was cancelled for not enough excursion tickets sold. How can you not get 10 or whatever low number you need not sold on a ship so large? And it was not like Marseilles was a port with a lot of DIY options.

[complawyer]

thruthfully, although i am not really "anti-social",  im not inclined to be social either. i dont go on a cruise with the intent of meeting people, so consequently i dont go out of my way to do so.  im very content to socialize with just my wife (who talks to everyone within range) and our 3rd traveling companion.

 

i may exchange a comment or 2 with someone on a a shore excursion, but other than a few words that would be it.

 

ok, i confess, im just a grumpy old man!

[dumbth]

47 minutes ago, complawyer said:

although i am not really "anti-social",  im not inclined to be social either. i dont go on a cruise with the intent of meeting people

 

Exactly my inclination; maybe we kindred spirits should hang out together 😃. No, seriously I cherish solitude and suffer when folks intrude in a self righteous way oblivious to signals. Especially regret the attitude that numbing one's natural and wise inhibitions with alcohol is an enlightened thing. I put up with someone who spent a long cruise contorted around our balcony partition because I bored him a bit less than his wife, but someday will draw the line sharply.

 

P.S. The above was composed before the previous post appeared and was not intended to be comment on CptAleSpill.

Edited November 17, 2022 by dumbth

[ziggyuk]

50 minutes ago, complawyer said:

thruthfully, although i am not really "anti-social",  im not inclined to be social either. i dont go on a cruise with the intent of meeting people, so consequently i dont go out of my way to do so.  im very content to socialize with just my wife (who talks to everyone within range) and our 3rd traveling companion.

 

i may exchange a comment or 2 with someone on a a shore excursion, but other than a few words that would be it.

 

ok, i confess, im just a grumpy old man!

 

I coming out, this describes me too, I was starting to feel I was a bit of a grump reading this thread 😂

[phillygwm]

25 minutes ago, CptAleSpill said:

I'm confused.  Don't us grumpy old men tend to gravitate towards each other and have a great time?  

This reminds me of my first time on the Epic, when it was a new ship.  I struck up a conversation with a guy and the topic turned to the toilets (which are not designed for larger people.)  We found a topic to bond over 🤣

Edited November 17, 2022 by phillygwm

[complawyer]

no, i still dont want to gravitate to other grumpy old men.  who wants to hang out with other fat, balding old guys, sitting around drinking bud lite and talking about the good old days,

or for us vets, our days in the "NAM" 

[cruiseny4life]

8 hours ago, complawyer said:

no, i still dont want to gravitate to other grumpy old men.  who wants to hang out with other fat, balding old guys, sitting around drinking bud lite and talking about the good old days,

or for us vets, our days in the "NAM" 

I'm going on a cruise to the western Caribbean in March. Any chance you're going? This grumpy young'ish (balding and fat tho) guy still needs to share that bottle of scotch with you. 🙂 

[complawyer]

no, we're booked on the jewel in jan, and the dawn in june.  but as grumpy as i might be, i would love to share a scotch with you. chivas on  the rocks with a twist of lemon 

 

have a great cruise!

[DaisyGoldberg]

Fear not, those reading this thread who AREN'T particularly sociable. You too can have a wonderful cruise.

 

I'll share a table for trivia or exchange pleasantries in a line or elevator, but other than that, I'm on a cruise to relax, which generally doesn't involve interactions with people I don't know. (I'm not hanging out in bars or lounges, either). I mostly roam the ship with book/kindle in hand.

[The Traveling Man]

23 hours ago, ontheweb said:

And it was not like Marseilles was a port with a lot of DIY options.

Please forgive me if I'm hijacking this thread, but there's LOTS of things to do in and around Marseilles that are easy to arrange on your own.  If you're a fan of "The Count of Monte Cristo" you won't want to miss a harbor tour to the Chateau d'If on an island just off the coast.  Another great option is to catch the tourist train that runs up the hill from the harbor to the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde.  It's a lovely church with spectacular views of the city and harbor.  There also are dozens of great restaurants surrounding the harbor and several interesting museums within walking distance of the city center.  If your interest lies in art (you mentioned that your trip to Arles was cancelled), you could check on tours to Aix-en-Provence, a town located about a 45 minute drive north of Marseilles which also inspired and attracted many artists, particularly during the height of the impressionist era.  If all else fails, Marseilles has a great number of buildings which are architecturally very interesting, so a relaxing stroll through town could be a lot of fun in its own right.