Carnival for 63-year-old solo woman?

[Chelly]

Is Carnival a good choice for a 63 year old solo woman traveler? I am planning my first transatlantic cruise.

[Cotton]

I'm a little bit older than you, and have taken several solo cruises. I like doing what I want to do whenever I want to do it. No one else to answer to.

 

As for transatlantic, it wouldn't bother me a bit to go! (The Carnival crew/staff seem to want to look after me - the little ol lady all by herself!):D

 

Go for it!

[cuyahoga11]

I would do it in a heartbeat but every time I mention a cruise someone pops out of the woodwork and want to go also. I guess I am lucky I have family and friends that enjoy cruising as much as I do

[elon mom]

about 2 years ago we saw an elderly lady on the GLORY- she had been on it for about 6 weeks....she said it was cheaper than a retirement home- she woke up in a beautiful port almost every day and met lots of nice people :)

[mom2sons]

All I can say is I'm jealous! I'd do it in a heartbeat. Your own agenda, own pace, own everything???? How wonderful!

 

Enjoy!

Shara

[LHP]

Is Carnival a good choice for a 63 year old solo woman traveler? I am planning my first transatlantic cruise.

 

ABSOLUTELY NOT!! You should take me with you!!!! :D

 

At 53, I have a wonderful time on Carnival.

[misguidedangel]

My mom is 68 and has gone on three Carnival cruises and has a good time. Don't worry, go, have fun and make it the best time possible!!!!!

[Kudos2Fly]

My parents went lasted year on Carnival and they are 63 and loved Carnival.. Of course they weren't solo. But being 63 they both enjoyed Carnival very much. Plus my mother is on dialysis and they took good care of her.

 

Have fun... If I didn't have a husband, I would be going solo also. Cruises are a great way of going on a vacation if you are solo..

[G'ma]

Is Carnival a good choice for a 63 year old solo woman traveler? I am planning my first transatlantic cruise.

 

My first cruise on Carnival was at age 38....I'm now 68...and I'm still cruising them. I love their ships, love the atmosphere, enjoy the food immensely. The day is packed with a wide variety of activities...which you can do or not...to your liking.

 

If you are a friendly person who smiles a lot, likes to meet new people, enjoys the interaction, not afraid to share a dining table with strangers.....you will love it. I have no problem "on my own" and enjoy it very much. You'll find others - women and men - who are either traveling alone or with same-sex friends. You can usually "buddy" up - or not. I'm not much of a "buddy upper" myself, prefering to keep my own counsel. But I do enjoy my table mates, the other cruisers, conversations at the bar or in the lounges.

 

I cruise 2/3 times a year on Carnival and have never had anything but a great time.

 

I would suggest you might book a balcony for yourself. I find it a quiet respite when the "rah-rah" gets too much or the noise level rises. It's my escape-to place.....

 

If you don't enjoy cruising with children, avoid the summers, school vacation time (around the holidays) and spring break time which is in the March-April window. I cruise September through mid-December, the first week or so in January and in May. There will still be kids onboard, but not the hordes of them found during other times.

 

Are you on the new Splendor Transatlantic? Transatlantic voyages usually don't have many children at all and tends to attract a more mature crowd. Keep in mind that the average age on a Carnival cruise is 43......

[lc7467]

63 is not elderly!! Don't you know 60 is the new 40!

[Chelly]

Thank you for the great responses!!!!! I guess I had the mistaken opinion that Carnival is a "party ship" for young travelers. In the past, I traveled with my husband on Sitmar (anyone remember that line?), Princess, RC and Celebrity. Now, I travel alone and love it. Just returned from Machu Picchu. Anyway, I had been considering HAL until someone suggested Carnival, which frankly, shocked me at first. I know I don't want a stuffy cruise full of couples and an interested in a good mix of fellow travelers. Has anyone had bad experiences with Carnival? Anyone been on both Carnival and HAL and have a preference? Thanks again for the great help.

[GamerMom64]

Hi Chelly, I just wanted to wish you a great trip! :D

[caribbeanchickie]

Thank you for the great responses!!!!! I guess I had the mistaken opinion that Carnival is a "party ship" for young travelers. In the past, I traveled with my husband on Sitmar (anyone remember that line?), Princess, RC and Celebrity. Now, I travel alone and love it. Just returned from Machu Picchu. Anyway, I had been considering HAL until someone suggested Carnival, which frankly, shocked me at first. I know I don't want a stuffy cruise full of couples and an interested in a good mix of fellow travelers. Has anyone had bad experiences with Carnival? Anyone been on both Carnival and HAL and have a preference? Thanks again for the great help.

 

Hi Chelly,

 

DH and I have been on HAL and Carnival.

We found HAL to be very relaxing and low key. After the nightly theater show we would go to our room and off to sleep. We found ourselves to be a tad bit bored. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, it was just a a little too relaxing for us. :rolleyes: A couple of days is ok but not for 7 days....

 

For Carnival- we are late 30's and don't party on the home front. We are just the reg. ole joes who work, come home and do the same thing all over again the next day.

Seems like whenever we board a "carnival Fun Ship", our "boring predictable" lifestyle leaves us and we let loose and have a fabulous time. :cool:

 

IMHO- I would choose HAL if I really needed a VACATION of relaxation and just doing NOTHING. I choose Carnival because I want to have FUN!

 

Your never too old to cruise on Carnival. Go and have a blast. I'm sure you will find plenty of single chaps who would love to dance the night away with you. :D

[Sandgnat]

Thank you for the great responses!!!!! I guess I had the mistaken opinion that Carnival is a "party ship" for young travelers. In the past, I traveled with my husband on Sitmar (anyone remember that line?), Princess, RC and Celebrity. Now, I travel alone and love it. Just returned from Machu Picchu. Anyway, I had been considering HAL until someone suggested Carnival, which frankly, shocked me at first. I know I don't want a stuffy cruise full of couples and an interested in a good mix of fellow travelers. Has anyone had bad experiences with Carnival? Anyone been on both Carnival and HAL and have a preference? Thanks again for the great help.

I want to go to Machu Picchu, I am so jealous. Go, have a great time. Go to the roll call prior to your cruise and meet people. Say Hello to every one, you won't be alone. If you can find a CC group cruise take one of those. The groups are very welcoming and you can join in or out of any thing you want. You can make it a "party ship" if you want that, or get away from a group that is parting more than you like. Have a great cruise.

[TortieGal]

ITA with Sandgnat (where's our countdown at? LOL)...if you want a party, you can make it a party. My 2 Carnival cruises have both been of the shorter variety - one which has the reputation of being a booze/party cruise - but not being a partier myself, I never found this to be an issue. We had late seatings on both and basically just went to the show after dinner then bed.

 

(Well, on the last night of Paradise, we were "out" until 3:30 but we were just hanging around with some of our tablemates at one of the bars...felt like we were the only ones around! :o)

[Chelly]

I am looking at the Liberty's 2009 transatlantic cruise departing from Rome. Carnival fits my budget and would allow me time to tour Rome for a day before sailing.

[blackrose602]

I would definitely go for it! I just got off the Glory with my father (late 50s). Our tablemates were in their 50s and 60s. Though there was definitely a "young family" contingent, there were also solos and couples of all ages. One couple was recognized for having been married 55 years! I think Carnival does the best job at truly offering something for everyone. You can be alone as much as you like or participate as much as you like. You'll love it!

[ladycaveat]

Is Carnival a good choice for a 63 year old solo woman traveler? I am planning my first transatlantic cruise.

 

As a 61 year old solo woman traveler, I'll be leaving on my sixth Carnival cruise in January. So to answer you question . . . yes! :p When I was married, my husband wouldn't cruise on a Carnival ship but that was back in the days when Carnival was known as the party ship for college kids. You can still have a party but there are a lot more families and older folks these days which makes it a ship for all tastes.

[terri910]

about 2 years ago we saw an elderly lady on the GLORY- she had been on it for about 6 weeks....she said it was cheaper than a retirement home- she woke up in a beautiful port almost every day and met lots of nice people :)

We ran into a woman like that on the Spirit in Dec. 2005....honestly, she said the very same thing....we saw her at various places on the ship and she was almost always in conversation with someone. Very friendly, very nice lady having an absolutely WONDERFUL time....

[MikeM711]

ABSOLUTELY NOT!! You should take me with you!!!! :D

 

At 53, I have a wonderful time on Carnival.

 

 

I'm with LHP on this one. At 54, ya need to take a younger guy with ya. :D

[browneyes7]

about 2 years ago we saw an elderly lady on the GLORY- she had been on it for about 6 weeks....she said it was cheaper than a retirement home- she woke up in a beautiful port almost every day and met lots of nice people :)

 

That sounds like a great life to me!!!!:)

[browneyes7]

I am looking at the Liberty's 2009 transatlantic cruise departing from Rome. Carnival fits my budget and would allow me time to tour Rome for a day before sailing.

 

My DH and I are booked on this cruise!! :)

[WeBeCruisin']

I'm older than dinosaur dookie, and I've taken two CC group cruises since I became single again and had more fun on them than I did on any of my other cruises. I could do anything I wanted, when I wanted, and could either be by myself in a quiet corner reading or napping, or I could close down the casino and disco at 3 a.m. and then go to the pizza bar for a nitecap and snack.

 

The fact that I have four more group cruises booked is a testimonial to how much I love them. If you are active on the rollcall boards, by the time you actually cruise, you'll feel like you're sailing with a very welcoming and accepting extended family. :) :cool:

[Luckysll]

63 is not elderly!! Don't you know 60 is the new 40!

 

So glad to hear that! I'm going to be 60 next year :D .

 

And to the OP...yes, Carnival is great for a solo traveller. I have done 4 cruises on Carnival and have 3 more booked. A couple were with my sister-in-law and one upcoming is with my family, but the others are/were all solo and I love Carnival.

[Tapi]

Thank you for the great responses!!!!! I guess I had the mistaken opinion that Carnival is a "party ship" for young travelers. .

 

You will still find "the young party crowd" on shorter cruises, like the weekend Bahamas cruise from Miami. But on a Transatlantic sailing, the crowd is not as young, usually with the time and resources to get away for several weeks at a time (read between the lines: retired, more low key and sophisticated).

 

 

About your age, is that physical age, or mental age? I have seen people in their 60's and 70's aboard my cruises that are livelier and rowdier than the 30 and 40 somethings!