You are new too old to cruise solo !!

[airlink diva]

I just returned from a fun seven day cruise on the Miracle!! One of the highlights was my tablemates at dinner. I was at the late seating at a table for six people. Only five came to dinner. Our table was a great variety of people. My favorite tablemate was an 84 year old WW II vet. He was a ranger and came behind the **** lines in France. He also was a great joker and you never knew what was coming out of his mouth next. Best of all, he was traveling solo!! He's never got off the ships at port (Nick stated that he cruise so much that the ports were nothing special)., but I would see him around the ship enjoying himself.

I hope that I'm still going strong in my 80's and traveling!!!!

[Island Annie]

I had a similar experience last March on the Miracle.

 

I had requested late seating dinner at a large lable. When the matradi showed me to my table the first night, there was only one elderly gentlemen already seated. He had silver hair, and was wearing a white tux. I'm not sure what his exact age was, but I'm guessing somewhere in his late 80s/early 90s.

 

I sat down next to him, and we started talking. Turns out he had just returned from a cruise around the world, and had all kinds of interesting stories to tell.

 

Later, he told me he lives in Ft. Lauderdale, and travels quite extensively. He LOVES to cruise, and takes 2-3 per year solo.

 

Throughout the week, he would tell me about what he did each day while ashore, and I would see him out & about evenings onboard. (even saw him in the disco one night, and he could keep right up with all the younger guests on the dance floor!

 

He was so fun to talk to, and I really admired his attitude about life, and never being too old to do anything.

 

Yup, it's true! IMHO . . . . You're never too old to cruise solo.

[kryos]

He was so fun to talk to, and I really admired his attitude about life, and never being too old to do anything.

 

Yup, it's true! IMHO . . . . You're never too old to cruise solo.

Isn't it wonderful when you meet these sort of people? They often turn out to be the most fun to talk with too ... because they have such a wide variety of experiences to share.

 

On my Island Princess cruise last year, I met this elderly gentleman in Churchhill's ... the cigar lounge. The CC group I had dinner with each night were all non-smokers and they would go to Crooner's in the evening to listen to the piano player. I would usually join them in the non-smoking section, and then head across the hall to Churchhill's when I wanted a cigarette.

 

I got to talking with this elderly gentleman who spent a lot of time there as well. Turned out he was a former paratrooper in World War II. Can you just imagine all the great conversations we had ... with me being a former sport skydiver ... talking about the changes in parachutes from what he was used to ... and how sport jumping differed from what he did? This guy was a wealth of knowledge and had a lot of great "war stories" to tell. He also had his share of travel stories as well, since he was very well traveled and a veteran of many, many cruises. There were many a night when I would get to talking with him in Churchhill's and never make it back to Crooner's ... or by the time I headed back there, the CCers group had long left to go to bed. :)

 

I only hope I can have even a tenth of the cruising memories this guy had by the time he reached his later years. It's obvious he knew how to live life to the fullest ... and that's exactly the type of person who is really fun to talk with.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kitty9]

There is a gentleman that I have cruised the same time with on Crystal. He's over 90 years old, cruises as a solo and was recently honored by Crystal for taking his 150th cruise on that line. He always has the same table in the dining room and they reserve the same table in the bar for him. He's so with it, he plays trivia every sea day.

[ladysail2]

I hope I'm still cruising and 'with it' well into my 80's and hopefully 90's...why can't time stand still......LOL

Sounds like you've had great experiences meeting these wonderful storied folks. They are interesting to listen to.

Maybe I'll be fortunate to meet up with one of them sometime in the future.

[DAMNGOODCRUISER]

I'm feeling so much better about my age now. After reading your posts and hearing about these older people, I'm sure I'll have a blast. I am 77 yrs old and will be on my first solo cruise.

[Lois R]

I'm feeling so much better about my age now. After reading your posts and hearing about these older people, I'm sure I'll have a blast. I am 77 yrs old and will be on my first solo cruise.

 

Hope you have fun.:)....you found a very old thread......it was originally

started back in 2006:eek:

[crusinpsychRN]

I met a Vietnam vet on Legend last week who was a character! We'd meet every morning on Lido and talk about all kinds of things. We got to know each other well just by striking up a conversation.

 

One of the joys of traveling solo!

[lumberbutcher]

I am 60yo and just come back off of my first solo cruise on the Triumph. I am disabled and decide to see if I could enjoy a cruise by myself and my scooter. I would park on the Panarama deck and smoke my cigar and people of all ages would stop and talk with me. I enjoyed this cruise more then the cruises with my now ex wife. I was not uncomfortable at all. I had dinner in the MDR every night and had a table to myself. Just me but I prefer to eat alone. The wait staff was just great to me. I will cruise solo again. I didn't do any ports and just stayed on the ship. I have done the ports before and enjoyed the almost empty ship.

[airlink diva]

Wow someone is still reading one of my old threads!!

I'm so honored!

Glad you had such a great time Lumberbutcher! With very few exceptions, my cruises and even land base trips are mainly solo! Many people fear being alone,but I find it refreshing and enjoyable.

Happy sailings everyone!!

[Talisker92]

There was a man named Egon who traveled solo on various MSC ships for over a year. I believe he was in his 90's. His thread was "never too old", and unfortunately he passed away recently.