Celebrity and solos

[FLchick3]

Hi, I see that Celebrity has an entire page dedicated to solos. What has been your experience on Celebrity?

 

Do they have a solo meet and greet on the first night or all nights of the cruise?

 

Do they have a solo table in the MDR?

 

In general, are they trying to cater to the solo market, or is it just a dedicated web page right now?

 

TIA! 

[mouse1961]

Looked at the page after seeing your post. It looks like something new they’re trying. I’ve been on a lot of their cruises solo and celebrity wasn’t exactly solo friendly. The only thing was a solo meet up at a bar but I never saw more than a couple solos there. I cruise in October so guess I’ll find out what’s different then.

[JsMom2]

Celebrity is my favorite line to cruise solo!  They usually have the standard singles meetup scheduled, but I've never seen anyone attend.  I usually travel aqua class, and dine in Blu.  They always make me feel welcome, and will usually seat me at a table for 2 that is close to tables on either side, so I can socialize with my neighbors.  I like the solitude so am not searching for someone to hang with.  But I usually meet people in the Persian Garden and at the nightly game shows.  And at the dance parties there are plenty of people dancing solo or in groups.  I was hooked on the Solstice class ships, but sailed on Infinity last summer and absolutely loved it!

[whee-sailing]

I was on Celebrity in February for three back to backs in the Caribbean. They had a hosted solo meet and greet the first day. After that there was nothing formal. On the board by the guest relations desk they did advertise a solo meet up every day after that, but they never put it in the daily planner. No solo table in the MDR that I was aware of.

 

For the meet and greet:

Cruise 1: Three showed up and all were solo cruisers.

Cruise 2: About 12 showed up. Four of us were solo. The rest were single but travelling with other people.

Cruise 3: About 20 showed up. Two were solos. The rest single, travelling with others. Most were groups of singles.

 

Celebrity would not be my first choice for solo travel, but it had the itineraries I wanted and, at the time, no solo supplement and that was more important to me.

[FLchick3]

Thank you for the information!

[cruisemom42]

I've always enjoyed cruising Celebrity solo. 

 

Catering to solo travelers -- to my mind -- involves more than just hosting a solo get-together or a solo table. 

 

I find the crew to be very attentive to solo passengers (in terms of bar service, dining room staff, etc.) and passengers are friendly and social for the most part. 

 

I'd rather eat with a mixed group of people at dinner than at a solo table. I just head to the dining room when I'm ready to eat and ask to share a table with others.

[FLchick3]

Thank you cruisemom

[miguelmia]

When I cruised solo on Celebrity Reflection in January they did have a solo table (a 10-top) in the MDR. For the most part people arrived around 6 or so. I'm not sure if there's a final cutoff time for being seated there, but definitely ask if it's available. I also can't recall if you need to have "select" dining (i.e. not a set time); that might be worth asking the maitre'd once you're onboard.

 

There was just one solo meetup advertised in the app/planner on the first day. One of the asst. cruise directors hosted a meet and greet and also told us about the solo MDR table while there.

[chefchick]

I think you will find as you cruise more as a solo that what makes a “good cruise line for solos” is a good cruise line in general. Sure, dedicated solo meet ups or shared tables in the MDR are great but only if the other people there are folks you’d want to hang out with.  I am an introvert by nature, but I find I get out of my comfort zone a bit when I cruise solo and make the effort to “meet” others by sitting at the bar or joining a trivia team for example.  When I cruise with friends or family we squirrel away and barley talk to anyone else.  So yes, Celebrity is a good cruise line (although I don’t think I’ve found a BAD line yet, and I’ve tried almost all of them).  I will second the suggestion to cruise in Aqua class of your budget allows….I found that I was treated like a Queen every night (just the way I like it) 😎

[Crumbled]

Just off the Edge as a solo two weeks ago and I had a great time. I too am an introvert, and  very comfortable in my own company. I chose to dine in the same MDR most nights and was really looked after by the team there. Aqua class and Blu would be lovely I'm sure, but I still felt treated like a queen in the plain old Cosmopolitan MDR! But then service is attentive across the board on Celebrity imo.

 

There was no solo table to my knowledge. Perhaps this is different on M and S class ships, versus Edge class (no set dining on E class, 4 MDRs etc)? Or maybe I just didn't know about it because I'd prefer to eat by myself anyway? 

 

Solo meet ups were listed daily in the planner but I didn't feel was necessary for me personally so I never went.

 

[FLchick3]

Interesting! It looks like Edge has the solo Infinite Veranda cabins so I'd guess they might have a solo dining table. But maybe not! 

 

I appreciate everyone's feedback so far! 

[jbandmr]

Hi FLchick.............please let me know where I can find the page on solos you mentioned for Celebrity. I have been on a few cruises with them and would like to find out about this. Thanks for your help and Happy Cruising!

[whee-sailing]

@jbandmr Probably this page.

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/blog/solo-cruises

[jbandmr]

Thank you. Much appreciated.

[SoloAlaska]

Late to the party but I cruised solo last year on Millennium and it wasn’t the most solo friendly experience but I truly enjoyed myself. The downside was the MDR I was placed at a table for two along a wall with giant chairs. Zero vibe and I was so bored waiting between courses (2+ hours for 3 courses is very very slow) that I went back to my cabin to get my knitting.

 

I felt very safe and had staff I talked to daily who would watch out for me which I truly appreciated. Those connections daily made me feel great. 

[Etta1213]

2 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

Late to the party but I cruised solo last year on Millennium and it wasn’t the most solo friendly experience but I truly enjoyed myself. The downside was the MDR I was placed at a table for two along a wall with giant chairs. Zero vibe and I was so bored waiting between courses (2+ hours for 3 courses is very very slow) that I went back to my cabin to get my knitting.

 

I felt very safe and had staff I talked to daily who would watch out for me which I truly appreciated. Those connections daily made me feel great. 

Did you have the option of being seated at a larger table with other solos?  Or at a larger table that had room? Would that have been worse? I think I'd probably wind up at the buffet just because I'd feel less conspicuous. 💞

Edited August 31, 2023 by Etta1213

[SoloAlaska]

3 minutes ago, Etta1213 said:

Did you have the option of being seated at a larger table with other solos?  Or at a larger table that had room? Would that have been worse? I think I'd probably wind up at the buffet just because I'd feel less conspicuous. 💞

I think this was just before they returned to mixed tables (Covid rules) but I made friends with an amazing family and joined them for dinner every night after. It was so much better. Even having a table near other people would have been better than what I was given. I’m sure a couple would have preferred the privacy of the table I had but it wasn’t for me.

[Hobbsey]

Certainly Celebrity solo pricing is not very inviting.  Not offering guarantee rates to solo "guests" is very discouraging.   A couple can get a veranda on my upcoming 5 day cruise for $1100.  Solo pays $1500+.  $300 a day with no added amenities on a 22 year old ship that has tons of open cabins.   SMH. 

 

[rj59]

On 9/2/2023 at 4:58 AM, Hobbsey said:

Certainly Celebrity solo pricing is not very inviting.  Not offering guarantee rates to solo "guests" is very discouraging.   A couple can get a veranda on my upcoming 5 day cruise for $1100.  Solo pays $1500+.  $300 a day with no added amenities on a 22 year old ship that has tons of open cabins.   SMH. 

 

I just posted on the Celebrity boards about this discrimination. I'm used to paying 200%, but on a Mexico trip in November they want $1400 for a solo, versus $300 per person for an inside, which is 450%. Has anyone tried booking a phantom person and having them as a no-show? I would imagine the port fees/taxes would be refunded? I love Celebrity, since they have a more youthful vibe and innovative ships than the HAL and Princess ones I've been on mostly for the past decade, but their pricing is very opaque--visiting the future cruises desk on Apex was like a car sale, with all sorts of codes and discounts and 'working the numbers' (I expected them to say 'what do I have to do to get you into this shiny new ship?'). 

[bottomfeeder]

I still check Celebrity prices, because I have really enjoyed sailing on them, but yes, they seem to be really trying to discourage solos with their pricing.  It's so disappointing.

[sambamama]

Welcome to solo cruising.That isn't just Celebrity. On HAL, every cruise I saw had a 79- 100% supplement. Pre-Covid, there was 50% or less.