Sometimes I don't think cruise lines understand us

[caribsun]

19 hours ago, Etta1213 said:

Did you get a solo rate from Carnival?

Hold on to your hat, I did a 8 day cruise NYC to San Juan  in a balcony for 375.00 total. The other cruise was round trip from Fort Lauderdale 7 nights inside cabin for 900.00. I have done 6 other solo cruise on various cruise lines and have never paid double. It takes work finding the deals. 

[Meander Ingwa]

The upside of solo travel, particularly if you are retired , is the ability to up and go on short notice.  You can take advantage of last minute deals which even when charged at double occupancy are a huge deal.  You are not tied to another's schedule or needs

 

I have my eye on grabbing a last minute repositioning from Tokyo to Vancouver in the Spring.  More of an excuse to visit Kyoto and coming home the slow way

[shippmates]

On 6/29/2023 at 12:09 PM, Rothko1 said:

Do any cruise lines have communal tables in the MDR for solo travelers?

Cunard does a great job with solo and dining tables.  When you have fixed dining, they try and put you at a table with all solo travelers.  You have the option to share a table or sit by yourself in the main dining room for breakfast and lunch.  I try to avoid the buffet as I have found it hard to find a table to share with anyone.

[SoloAlaska]

On 6/27/2023 at 7:24 PM, sophiesmom said:

I have to agree with you.  I took a cruise on Celebrity last Christmas.  In many ways it was a huge mistake.  I had been recently widowed and didn't want to be home for the holidays by myself.  It would have been nice if the cruise line had offered some type of accommodations for dining other than eating all by myself,  That part was horrible.  By the way, I love cruises.  Now I am off the soapbox.

I was stuck at a table along a wall alone with tall chairs near the kitchen entrance, it was horrible. Only stayed at my dining assignment for one night and then I made friends and joined their group for dinner. They had one person drop out at the last second so a spare chair at their table and at a better dinning time. I had hoped for a communal table or at least to be near other humans with my dining room assignment.

[Ombud]

On 6/29/2023 at 9:09 AM, Rothko1 said:

Do any cruise lines have communal tables in the MDR for solo travelers?

Princess can do a solo lunch table for anyone who's interested if asked plus the host/hostess asks if I am sharing or table for 1 at breakfast. I have an assigned dinner table (solo) which I prefer as I'm eating faster than most to make a show.  But I could share there also if I wanted to 

[Joanne G.]

On 7/1/2023 at 9:21 AM, oakridger said:

 

Holland America Line does.  You tell them when entering the dining room if you want to sit at a shared table.  I prefer to eat by myself unless I have met someone previously and we arrange to meet for dinner, but I am always asked.  

 

~Nancy

But whatever the cruise line, being asked if you are willing to sit at a shared table only works if other people arriving at the same time are also willing.

 

 It seems the further away we get from “traditional” cruise dining, the more people prefer to dine with their own party.  But if any line has passengers who like the old traditions, I can see that it would be Holland America.  

Edited July 21, 2023 by Joanne G.

[carol louise]

When I cruised Carnival, solo or with my sister, when having chosen fixed seating, I found they put me or us at a table with other adult singles (i.e.not obviously married couples or families), though not necessarily solo travelers. So I would not find myself as the sixth person sitting with a family of five, for example.

[cruisemom42]

On 6/27/2023 at 7:24 PM, sophiesmom said:

I have to agree with you.  I took a cruise on Celebrity last Christmas.  In many ways it was a huge mistake.  I had been recently widowed and didn't want to be home for the holidays by myself.  It would have been nice if the cruise line had offered some type of accommodations for dining other than eating all by myself,  That part was horrible.  By the way, I love cruises.  Now I am off the soapbox.

 

I don't understand this comment at all. I sailed on Celebrity three times in 2022 and was always able to request sharing a table in the MDR if I wanted to dine with others. I have always felt very welcomed as a solo traveler on Celebrity. In fact, on one (B2B) cruise, the MDR "greeters" already knew me by name on the 2nd day and always greeted me with a smile and asked if I wanted to share or dine alone. 

 

On 7/21/2023 at 4:54 AM, Joanne G. said:

But whatever the cruise line, being asked if you are willing to sit at a shared table only works if other people arriving at the same time are also willing.

 

 It seems the further away we get from “traditional” cruise dining, the more people prefer to dine with their own party.  But if any line has passengers who like the old traditions, I can see that it would be Holland America.  

 

The only line where I have found it difficult to find others to share with is, ironically NCL. People who cruise with them seem to be very anti table-sharing, for some reason. Never had issues on HAL, Princess, Celebrity or a few other specialty lines.

 

[JamieLogical]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I don't understand this comment at all. I sailed on Celebrity three times in 2022 and was always able to request sharing a table in the MDR if I wanted to dine with others. I have always felt very welcomed as a solo traveler on Celebrity. In fact, on one (B2B) cruise, the MDR "greeters" already knew me by name on the 2nd day and always greeted me with a smile and asked if I wanted to share or dine alone. 

 

 

I was going to say the same thing. I have cruised solo with Celebrity several times post-COVID and always asked for a sharing table in the MDR at dinner and was always accommodated. I never once dined alone in the MDR unless I wanted to.

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by JamieLogical

[sambamama]

Holland America still has fixed dining. I sign up for 8 pm and ask for a table of 6 or 8. That usually works. I get sat at a table of 6  usually. But many times it ends up there is only one other couple and then I am alone. The maitre'd then tries to move me to a back up table. At lunch or breakfast, they group people so I'm fine.

Princess only come as you are dining, which means you usually wait for 30 minutes or more. You can avoid that by getting the same table every night with the same waiter. I chose that, as I'm picky and I don't like waiting. But it meant I ate alone every night.