1st time cruise solo female traveller queries

[Aquaship0]

Hi everyone,

 

I signed up so I could get some more information on going on a cruise for the first time. I’ve been looking at cruises for a few weeks and I think it could be a good experience for me. I’m looking to enjoy some down time and get away from real life and do something new and interesting. 
 

I had a few questions after reading many things. 
 

- Is there a lot of solo travellers on cruises? I’m a woman in my 40s enjoy my own company, but wouldn’t want to feel out of place if it’s more couples and families. 
- I’ve been looking at cruises with all of the lines but it looks like some have very pricey drinks and wifi packages from what I read here like Royal Caribbean’s. I saw that going with Princess could be best value for money ? Any feedback on this.

- Are last Minute deals better deals? I can go whenever I’d like but as I haven’t been looking long I’m not sure if I’ll be paying more of less for booking on a cruise that’s available sooner. 
- Do the gyms have any weights or is it just cardio looking at the princess ship I wasn’t sure. 
- Is the food in the casual dining all you can eat? Will I be able to get as much pizza or ice cream as I may like 😆

- I’m not much of a party person more of books, good food and a nice glass of wine type. If I did want to try a bar or nightlife how fancy of a dress or outfit do I need? In general is causal attire ok like jeans or shorts.

- with the wireless packages will I be able to use as much internet as I want or how does that work. Are all the apps I like to use available or are some things restricted. How about music like Spotify. 

Thank you so much 

 

 

[edinburgher]

1 hour ago, Aquaship0 said:

I’m not much of a party person more of books, good food and a nice glass of wine type. If I did want to try a bar or nightlife how fancy of a dress or outfit do I need? In general is causal attire ok like jeans or shorts.

Depending on the cruiseline, unless it is ultra casual,you may find yourself looking out of place wearing shorts in the evenings (daytime is fine)unless you are happy to eat only in the more casual buffet. Also depending on the line, some may not allow the wearing of shorts in the Main Dining Room(MDR) in the evening.  Many women opt for  non denim trousers and a smarter/dressier top. Smart casual is usually the way to go.

 

Suggesting you may find it useful to go over to the SOLO travellers forum where you can browse current and past threads for info  and suggestions. This one

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/279-solo-cruisers/

 

A friend recently returned from her first solo cruise and found that joining in activities such as trivia and attending solo events was the way to go for her. And she joined the solo cruisers dining table in the MDR not every evening but a few of them when she felt like company. 

 

The other option you have is to join any current Roll Call for you sailing as that is where you will find fellow passengers exchanging  info and ideas for shore time. It is also where any other solo passengers will introduce themselves. And do attend any "Meet" to get to know them in person.

 

And welcome to CC.  You would find it worthwhile to spend somet time learning how the site works and how to get the most out of it.  Your first question is likely to be "what is a Roll Call?"

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2997081-how-to-join-your-roll-call/

 

Edited 14 hours ago by edinburgher

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, Aquaship0 said:

Hi everyone,

 

I signed up so I could get some more information on going on a cruise for the first time. I’ve been looking at cruises for a few weeks and I think it could be a good experience for me. I’m looking to enjoy some down time and get away from real life and do something new and interesting. 
 

I had a few questions after reading many things. 
 

- Is there a lot of solo travellers on cruises? I’m a woman in my 40s enjoy my own company, but wouldn’t want to feel out of place if it’s more couples and families. 
- I’ve been looking at cruises with all of the lines but it looks like some have very pricey drinks and wifi packages from what I read here like Royal Caribbean’s. I saw that going with Princess could be best value for money ? Any feedback on this.

- Are last Minute deals better deals? I can go whenever I’d like but as I haven’t been looking long I’m not sure if I’ll be paying more of less for booking on a cruise that’s available sooner. 
- Do the gyms have any weights or is it just cardio looking at the princess ship I wasn’t sure. 
- Is the food in the casual dining all you can eat? Will I be able to get as much pizza or ice cream as I may like 😆

- I’m not much of a party person more of books, good food and a nice glass of wine type. If I did want to try a bar or nightlife how fancy of a dress or outfit do I need? In general is causal attire ok like jeans or shorts.

- with the wireless packages will I be able to use as much internet as I want or how does that work. Are all the apps I like to use available or are some things restricted. How about music like Spotify. 

Thank you so much 

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!  I'm glad you found us. 🙂  I hope you'll stay a while.

 

I'm sure you'll get better answers to your questions from others, but I'll do what I can with them.  Full disclosure:  I'm a guy, but your Qs don't seem to be specific to any gender.

 

• There are solo travelers on every cruise.  I estimate that on most mainstream cruises, it's roughly 2 to 10% of the passengers onboard.  There will usually be solo meetups on several days during the cruise.  I haven't personally attended any of them, and I've heard mixed reviews on those that have.  But you might find what you're looking for at one of them.  Good luck!
• My view is many of the cruise lines charge a lot for both drink packages and Internet access.  Are the drink packages worth it?  You really should do the time to calculate it out.  Generally, the breakeven point is around 5-7 drinks per day.  There are, of course, cruise lines (mostly the more luxurious ones) that include the Net and/or drinks.  And then there's Princess, which offers two added cost packages that include drinks, Internet, and some other stuff.  Different calculations apply with those, the discussion of which goes beyond what I want to discuss here.
• These days, the best cruise deals are the ones that are secured at the time of release.  Prices tend to drift up from release date to sail date and the sooner you book, the better the cabin you can get.  But if you're not fussy about what cruise line, or cabin, or date you sail, then there are deals to be had.
• I don't frequent cruise line gyms. 😛  I suspect most, if not all, have weights.
• The buffet and MDR are free and all you can eat, though on some lines there are limits on free main courses (long story).  Pizza and ice cream are almost always free wherever you can find it.  Again, Princess is a little different; they have three classes of dining outlets - free (buffet, MDR, grill), specialty (the fancier restaurants, cost extra unless you have a package), and casual (cost extra unless you have a package).
• Most places on most cruise ships on most days are very casual with jeans and shorts being just fine.  All ships try to have formal-ish evenings where you're asked to dress a little better than this, but they're generally just suggestions,
• On most cruise lines, the Internet is all-you-can-use on whatever device you want, whatever you want to do with it, whenever you want to do it.  Some cruise lines block sites they consider naughty and some plans on some cruise lines discourage or disallow streaming.  I should warn you that the Net can be spotty at times on cruise ships and will almost certainly be slower than you're used to on land.  

 

This was a fun list to compile.  Thank you for asking these questions.  I hope they are of help to you.

Edited 14 hours ago by Honolulu Blue

[John Bull]

Hi & welcome to CC.

 

You've had good responses already, altho a great many answers depend on which cruise line or even which ship or which cruise.

 

You mentioned Princess, a favourite of ours. Value-of-money it's on a par with most others, but choosing a cruise line involves so many other factors

 

There are certainly a great many couples and/or families.

Far fewer families in school term-time, on ships which cater more for adults (eg HAL and Fred Olsen)  and more-expensive lines like Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, and on itineraries which have much less appeal to kids like South America, the Baltic, fjords.

But a sprinkling of solos on pretty-well all cruises.

 

Drinks are expensive on all cruise ships, whether that's in packages or as-you-go. Some are drinks-inclusive but because obviously nothing's for free the cost is included in higher cruise prices. Unless you're a heavy drinker the cost of drinks is pretty secondary, so don't allow it to complicate your choice. 

 

If you're booking from North America, for most cruises your deposit is refundable in full up to "final payment day" (your fellow North Americans can tell you how many days that is before sailing).So there's no reason why you can't take advantage of early-booking perks. You can always cancel if you see a late bargain.

If your deposit is at risk from the day you book (eg in Europe and Australia) I suggest you book in good time for a date or an itinerary that you're very very keen on. But if you're not confined by set dates and simply want a good value cruise leave it late - some cruise prices rise & others fall (often dramatically) depending how popular they are. If you've left it too late for one, there'll be others.

 

Sorry, can't help with gyms -  I close my eyes when I walk past torture chambers 👿

 

Other than things like no bare feet or uncovered swimwear in the buffets, there's no dress-code during the day.

In dining rooms and evening venues, folk on different cruise lines dress according to the ship's norm. That's usually smart-casual, eg dresses or trousers for the ladies but on most ships that doesn't apply in the buffet.

Some ships have one or two "special" nights, when passengers are expected to dress elegantly, although different folk have different interpretations of "elegant". Again, that doesn't apply to the buffet.

 

You'll never go hungry - fast-food  (pizza, burgers, fries etc) is available from stands & buffets throughout the day til late-nite. 

In the included dining rooms you can ask for more. I find that embarrassing, so a favourite ruse is to tell the waiter something like "I just love Tiramasu, but I've never heard of Dondurma and it sounds amazing - which do you suggest for a hungry lad?" The answer is almost-always "I can bring you both, sir"

 

Different cruise lines offer different wifi packages, from wifi-included to time-limited (remember to log out each time, or your time on-line will evaporate). Some are restricted to a single tablet. As per a previous post, wifi is often slow & unreliable on ships, altho it's vastly better than it used to be.

Free wifi is available at bars etc in ports. But the same risk of slow or intermittent, so check that other customers are happily tapping away before ordering. And because it's public wifi don't open sensitive stuff like your bank or card accounts.

 

Cruise lines do go out of their way to help solos to get together.

If the ship has "traditional dining" (each evening you have the same table at the same time and with the same table-mates), solos are allocated together on tables of 8 to 10.

This is a good way to get to meet cruise buddies. I'm jealous of those on solo tables - they're usually amongst the last tables to leave, they go off together to a show, bars, etc, they exchange their different experiences that day, and I've seen them go off mob-handed at ports

 

For all newbies I always suggest using a cruise specialist T/A, rather than either direct with the cruise line or thro an all-sorts High Street T/A. A good 'un is worth their weight in guiding you thro the pros & cons of different cruises.

 

JB 🙂

 

[neeuqdrazil]

I'm also a 40-something solo female cruiser who prefers her own company. 

 

I've only sailed with Cunard and HAL, but every cruise line has different dress code standards and expectations. I'm a fan of watching cruise review videos/vlogs for the lines/ships I'm interested in to see what the 'vibe' of the ship is (just make sure that they're on a regular cruise, not a press-only cruise, as those seem to be quite different.) 

 

As mentioned above, the number of children/families will differ dramatically based on what ship, when, and what itinerary, you're looking at.  

 

Most of the time, I book my cruises well in advance, in part because I have to fly to get to a departure point. 

 

Have a wonderful time! 

[NotADopey1]

Norwegian has a good all inclusive package.  They have a section of solo cabins and a social area for solos.  Good mix of ages, couples, singles and entire families.  Might be worth a look.

[leaveitallbehind]

I would suggest talking with a travel agent who focusses on cruises and review your circumstances, expectations, and budget with them.  They would be in the best position to understand this information and make recommendations for the cruise line(s) that would best fit for you.  They also would be in a position to provide the best fares for your cruise.

Edited 7 hours ago by leaveitallbehind

[MamaFej]

Welcome, @Aquaship0! You've gotten some great advice so far. 

 

I tend to book cruises very far in advance, as we usually fly on points, especially if I'll be cruising from a different continent.

 

You can sometimes get great deals on last-minute cruises, but the flights might be considerably more expensive. It's a bit of a balancing act. 

 

If you live within driving distance of where you'd like to cruise from, a last-minute (which could be up to a couple of months) deal may be ideal for a first cruise. I live just 90 minutes from a cruise port, but the best last minute deals have a habit of coming up when I'm about to leave town. 🤷🏼‍♀️

 

I hope you'll enjoy your first cruise! 

[StollyBolly]

We have met solo travelers on various cruises and they have always been welcome to join others for dinner.  I presume most lines have open seating now, so show up and ask to be at a shared table.  Agree with someone’s comment that Trivia is an excellent way to meet a few people. 
 

Happy sailing! 

[Host Kat]

15 hours ago, Aquaship0 said:

Hi everyone,

 

I signed up so I could get some more information on going on a cruise for the first time. I’ve been looking at cruises for a few weeks and I think it could be a good experience for me. I’m looking to enjoy some down time and get away from real life and do something new and interesting. 
 

I had a few questions after reading many things. 
 

- Is there a lot of solo travellers on cruises? I’m a woman in my 40s enjoy my own company, but wouldn’t want to feel out of place if it’s more couples and families. 
- I’ve been looking at cruises with all of the lines but it looks like some have very pricey drinks and wifi packages from what I read here like Royal Caribbean’s. I saw that going with Princess could be best value for money ? Any feedback on this.

- Are last Minute deals better deals? I can go whenever I’d like but as I haven’t been looking long I’m not sure if I’ll be paying more of less for booking on a cruise that’s available sooner. 
- Do the gyms have any weights or is it just cardio looking at the princess ship I wasn’t sure. 
- Is the food in the casual dining all you can eat? Will I be able to get as much pizza or ice cream as I may like 😆

- I’m not much of a party person more of books, good food and a nice glass of wine type. If I did want to try a bar or nightlife how fancy of a dress or outfit do I need? In general is causal attire ok like jeans or shorts.

- with the wireless packages will I be able to use as much internet as I want or how does that work. Are all the apps I like to use available or are some things restricted. How about music like Spotify. 

Thank you so much 

 

Hello @Aquaship0 and welcome to the Cruise Critic website & message boards!

 

Thank you for your new thread on the Ask s Cruise Question forum. However, it is the forum for general questions regarding cruising. Your inquiry was off topic there since it concerns sailing solo. 

 

To help you out, your new thread has been moved to our Special Interest Cruising - Solo Cruisers forum where it will be on topic. The majority of your fellow Cruise Critic members that sail solo frequent this forum and provide feedback here. Browse through the thread titles in this forum looking for threads of interest. You may find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that may be of interest to you.

For some helpful information about cruising solo check out our oldie but goodie Cruise Critic article Solo Cruise Tips last updated September 22, 2023. Perhaps something helpful for you will be found in another oldie but goodie Cruise Critic article last updated January 07, 2020: Finding a Cruise Travel Agent

 

Finding an experienced cruise specialist TA to help you is best, especially first-time cruisers. They should be able to answer your questions and more as you think of them. Cruise promotions, inclusions and even onboard programming can change on a dime. Working with an experienced cruise specialist will help meet your needs -- and your budget -- with up-to-date information on sailings. Your agent can even help you get your price adjusted if it drops, and many times a bonus of onboard credit or some sparkling wine upon arrival sweetens the deal. They can also alert you to promotions offering no dreaded solo supplement surcharge on solo passenger fares. This surcharge can be anywhere from an additional 10% to 100% of your cruise fare.

 

The Cruise Critic website and message boards are both great resources for new as well as experienced cruisers and we are so glad you found us! Please click here Cruise Critic Community for all our discussion forum categories. I suggest you put the page link in your browser's Favorites for quick & easy access in the future. Please read a few threads in the various forums to get a feel for what each forum is about. Make sure you read any pinned threads (aka stickies) on the top of the first page of threads in most forums. You will find very important instructions or information there.

 

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Once you have booked your cruise, be sure to see if there is an existing Cruise Critic Roll Call thread for your specific cruise line, ship and sail date. Please read What is a Roll Call? Everything you Need to Know and How To: Create A New Roll Call. For more information about our famous Roll Calls, please read the Roll Calls and Our Policy Regarding Facebook and Roll Calls sections in the Guidelines we all agreed to follow when registering for our free Cruise Critic memberships.

 

Use the Roll Call Finder Tool at the top of the specific ROLL CALLS forum for your specific cruise line and ship to see if there is an existing Roll Call thread for your specific sail date. If not, feel free to start one! Just follow the directions in How To: Create A New Roll Call, especially how they are to be titled. And don't worry about any responsibilities in starting a Cruise Critic Roll Call thread. Our Roll Calls belong to all members sailing that cruise; there is no designated leader or owner. It does not matter who started the thread. Our Roll Calls are for Cruise Critic members sailing on the same cruise. They get to know one another online before their cruise so there will be all kinds of discussion in the Roll Call thread for their cruise!

 

If one already exists, click the Roll Call title to open the thread and read through the posts to get to know the other Cruise Critic members sailing with you. Then use the dark blue Reply to this topic button to post an introductory post about yourself. I feel sure your fellow Cruise Critic members will welcome you with replies. For more information regarding posting on our boards, please click here: How to: Reply to a Topic / Quote / Multi-Quote 

 

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So sorry this is so long, but I sincerely hope this information will be helpful to someone new to posting on our message boards. We are soooo happy to have you aboard Cruise Critic! 

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat

[DRS/NC]

I'm an older female who often cruises solo.  I'm not a 'joiner' as I always prefer a book to most groups. However, I do like to socialize at dinner so I ask to share a table.  it usually works well.  I usually cruise w/Princess where solo get-togethers are offered each evening, usually 5:30ish and some folks then have dinner together.

 

"Smart casual" usually works for evening attire.  Black pants & a fancy top work for "formal" nights.

I don't drink alcohol or special coffees, so I never get a drink package. I pay for soda as I go. I may buy a minimal wifi pkg.

 

I too encourage you to work w/a cruise specialist travel agent -- in person if possible  -- since this very new to you. A TA can explain the dreaded Single Supplement.

Also, come back here to CC w/questions.  There are LOTS of us here w/years of experience!

 

ENJOY!