1st time sharing a room, what's it like?

[PSP]

Vic,

 

I have been on 16 cruises, 11 of which I traveled solo. On one of the 11 solo cruises I tried a single share and I would not do that again. My cabin mate, whom I had never met, was a delightful older lady, however she expected me to do everything with her and if I was up later than her she would wait up for me. Since that experience I have paid the extra dollars to sail alone.

 

Valerie

[kryos]

Vic,

 

I have been on 16 cruises, 11 of which I traveled solo. On one of the 11 solo cruises I tried a single share and I would not do that again. My cabin mate, whom I had never met, was a delightful older lady, however she expected me to do everything with her and if I was up later than her she would wait up for me. Since that experience I have paid the extra dollars to sail alone.

LOL ... what a nightmare! That's why I would never use the single share programs of the cruise lines. They don't match for compatibility at all ... just gender ... and you can very well wind up with exactly the situation you experienced. While I don't conduct a formal "interview" as the poster on this thread above me lists, I do ask most of those questions of someone in advance ... usually someone I've met around these boards or on previous cruises. One of the primary things I like to mention and make sure we are in agreement on is "we are not joined at the hip, okay?"

 

I make sure my cabinmate understands that while I am not adverse to doing some things with her, I also want to do my own thing and expect that she will be comfortable with running her own show as well. Then we can catch up with each other's day over dinner.

 

Like others on this board have expressed ... of course, I prefer to have my own cabin. However, I also prefer to take expensive cruises ... usually one a year of anywhere from 21 to 30 days in length. Sometimes, the budget just demands a cabin mate in that situation, and when it does I am not adverse to sharing ... as long as it is a share of my own choosing, who is someone I feel I can have a compatibility with. Make no mistake ... we don't have to become lifelong friends ... but we have to be compatible enough to share close quarters for up to a month.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[wharf rat]

Last year I took a long (25 day) expensive cruise and opted for a roomie sight unseen. Well, it turned out she was just released from a mental institution and I was kindof afraid of her. We 'tolerated' each other and it was a long long 25 days. I just came back from a 10 day cruise and I paid double! I will not share a cabin with anyone I do not know from now on! And I am taking a long land tour in two months and paid single supp.

 

My thought is "beware unknown roomies".....

[RD64]

I have cruised, solo, with friends, and also as part of a single share program with HAL.

 

I can honestly say that the share program worked alright with me, and I even had the cabin to myself twice. It worked because my "assigned" cabin mates had different schedules - however you are still sharing with a stranger.

 

Travelling with friends also has its advantages (cost) and disadvantages. Just because you may be friends does not mean that you can necessarily travel well together.

 

I now prefer to have a cabin to myself and pay the single supplement. Last August, and again this coming March, three of us (good friends) travelled together, yet had separate cabins. To me, the extra space and privacy are well worth the supplement. I have found that Carnival and HAL offer the most realistic supplements - at least during the periods when I am able to cruise. Cheers!

[PINEVIEW01]

i personally would enjoy having a roommate for a cruise- but one that we both had conversed and emailed and knew our cruise would be great- i am really layed back and a roll with the flow kind of girl so i figure it would be easy for me to find a roomy- and us both have a great time- doing our own thing or something together or what ever............. will see- dh cannot always go with me- he is not the cruise fanatic i am..........lol

hope you all have wonderful cruises- together or solo- get out there!

I know how you feel. I am the cruise fanatic not, the DH. I was lucky to met friends on two of my long cruises who also like to cruise more than there DH's. I cruised last year with one and I really was leary having never done the dorm thing:) We had a great time and have a cruise planned for this January. I am doing a TA with the other this September. I like my space, but having a net work of cruise buddies means twice the number of cruises I can take;) I hope to make others in the future too.