What was your best solo cruise?

[yellowbird23]

I have gone solo on two short cruises and am contemplating going on a transatlantic solo in the near future as I am addicted. Any suggestions? I am a 60 y/o married female with a wonderful, generous couch potato husband. What lines offer the freestyle dining? I generally have to change my table due to the fact that I really enjoy eating alone. This doesn't make me a snob, but I just like the solitude it allows me.

[kitty9]

Freestyle dining actually comes in two ways: NCL's freestyle dining where you can go anytime you want which is similar to Princess' choice dining which is similar to NCL's, and the luxury lines that have what's known as open seating where you dine anytime during their hours of operation. As a solo cruiser, I'm not at all fond of freestyle or open seating. I don't enjoy dining alone and I much prefer having a set group of tablemates---friendly faces that become friends during the cruise. I've done 45 cruises and I won't do one that's open seating or freestyle, unless they have a program like Seabourn's where solo travelers are invited to dinner each evening by a ship's officer, a crew member like the cruise director or a member of the entertainment staff. I just don't like that uncomfortable feeling of sitting alone when everyone else is talking and laughing and having a great time at their large tables. Everyone is different in their choices, so I guess what I'm saying is you're limited to only two mass market lines who offer freestyle/personal choice dining. I hope you find a cruise that meets all your expectations and that you have a fantastic time.

 

My best cruise as a solo? Crystal's 35 day cruise from Hong Kong to Dubai. It was fantastic.

[yellowbird23]

Thank you Kitty9...very informative. Wow...35 days. I am envious of you.

[jetskier]

Hi Patty,

I will let you know in two weeks when I get back. :)

Dave

[Faith77]

I like to kind of mix it up by taking both land and sea trips. I guess I like each trip to be different from the last one.

 

I really enjoyed my rivercruise to Russia in June, 2005. I spent 4 nights in St Petersburg (on the boat) 7 nights cruising thru Russia, and 4 nights in a hotel in Moscow.

 

That said, most of my cruises have been shorter (5-7 nights) trips. I've been to Alaska twice (7 & 14 nights), NY-Canada twice (5 & 7 nights), and I will be on the Dawn Princess over Christmas/New Years for 11 nights.

 

I prefer traditional dining (late seating). If I wasn't happy with my tablemates (hasn't happened yet) I'd probably do some kind of alternate dining and/or try to change my table.

 

Years ago, on my 7 night NCL Sea NY-Canada cruise, I tried the freestyle dining. I was uncomfortable with it and, most nights, just did the lido. I see some itineraries on NCL that appeal to me (Hawaii) but I feel that the whole freestyle dining thing doesn't work for solos.

 

I've really enjoyed reading the different boards and hearing about other solos cruising experiences. One of these days I will definately do an exotic cruise itinerary.

 

Faith

[dmk446]

Hi Patty in PA, I just got back on NCL's Dawn from the Bahamas, went solo. I liked the Freestyle dining and sitting alone, tho I did have dinner with others I met on board a couple of times. I find the resturant staff tend to share with a solo more than a group, some have very intersting histories. My wife, like your husband, cannot do the extended or multiple cruise per year so SOLO Aboard! LOL Good luck on finding a cruise, Happy Sails to you...

[gxchan]

Hi Patty,

 

I've sailed on NCL twice and really love Free Style dining, although I haven't sailed on a ship that has traditional dining, so I may like that, as well. Since you mentioned you don't mind dining alone Free Style is a very good choice. I also like dining alone (for dinner especially) because it gives me a bit of quiet time at the end of the day and before the evening's entertainment. The nice thing about Free Style is you can ask to join others for any meal, except in the specialty restaurant. I sometimes will ask to share at breakfast. Also, you meet so many people onboard and as a solo will be invited to join them, if you wish. I particularly like dining on my own in the specialty restaurants because it is more intimate, the service is more relaxed, quieter, etc.

 

Welcome to solo cruising--it is a blast!

[wrp96]

My favorite was a 10 night cruise on RCCL's Brilliance of the Seas to the Panama Canal. I would love the opportunity to be able to do a much longer cruise. RCCL does have traditional dining but I could have eaten solo that cruise since my tablemates never appeared.

[jp2001]

I have been on 2 cruises on NCL, one with a friend and the other solo. I liked both cruises but the solo cruise was my favourite one. I had time to relax and just do whatever I wanted to do. I liked Freestyle dinning. I shared some meals with people I met onboard and I had other meals by myself. I like to have breakfast by myself, and they would sit me by the window most of the time (the one morning I went to the buffet, I didn't like the experience and chose room service for the busy ports of call mornings instead of buffet) and that worked great, I don't like to be rushed in the morning, I feel stressed all day if I start my day by being rushed. I had lunch by myself too but often it was a very informal meal for me (buffet, shared with people I met, when it was not crowded, a burger on the island or a stir-fry mid-afternoon in the Blue Lagoon). When I went to the dinning room for lunch, it was again by myself. As for dinner, Teppenyaki room is fun because everybody is watching the chef making the meal and people tend to talk to each others. I had dinner twice with people I met onboard and the rest of the time I had dinner by myself but it was the nights when I wanted to make the show or the first tender for the island, dinner was not the highlight of the night on those nights. I always had great service by the waiters.

I just love to cruise. While I hope my boyfriend will join me on my next cruise, if he doesn't, I will never be bored. (He said he feels stupid he declined the cruise, it was such a good deal and he missed me a lot but it was a last minute deal and he was busy at work so he decided not to ask for time off to his boss - I don't think he will make this mistake twice :D).

It was good to cruise alone though, I'm sure I would not have relaxed as much as I did if I went with my boyfriend (and I needed to relax very badly, I was near depression - no kidding, my doctor told me so). Next time, I hope I can show him the pleasure to relax on sea days and to explore on port days though... and I'm sure a dinner with my dear boyfriend on a cruise ship would be SO ROMANTIC.

[Solo Cruiser]

2 of my 3 (yes only 3 but I'm hoping for better) cruises have been solo and it's almost impossible to say which was my favorite. All my cruises have been on Princess and they do offer an "anytime dining" option which I used all 3 times.

 

I always asked to be seated with others and it was always pleasant. If you prefer to dine alone that can be arranged also especially if you come to the dining room at the off-peak hours.

 

Ok, ok back to which was my favorite.... well the Alaska cruise was my first ever so it was my favorite... wait, wait the transatlantic lasted 17 days and I went to Venice so it was my favorite... oh drat I still can't say which one. :p

[airlink diva]

I have to say my Westerdam cruise of 2005 was my best (my Miracle cruise from last year is a very close second).

I was sailing solo on the cruise and while waiting in line at port, I met Val. She was on her very first cruise and was so excited! I had to laugh with her when she told me that she got up at 1 a.m. that morning! Val was traveling with her cousin and we met up later.

I end up meeting alot great people on this cruise. My tablemates at dinner were the best! There were a few days that I want to stay in my room and rest, but because I enjoyed my tablemates, I went to dinner.

I dance several nights away in the disco (the asst CD start calling me dancing queen when he saw me :D ).

All the ports were fun and even with all the action, I still found time to find a nook and catch up on my reading.

I even treated myself to a full spa treatment and it was worth every penny!!

I hate to say it, but each cruise I take now, is rated on my Westerdam cruise!!