Couples and singles - breakdown on typical Alaska cruise?

[anthranill]

Being recently divorced, a long planned family cruise will leave me the "third (or is that fifth) wheel onboard...



Well, it's not like I expect to have some romantic encounter, but it's be nice to maybe strike up a conversation and share some fun with someone interesting.



Does anyone have any comments, suggestions or, possibly, are an adult single female heading off to Alaska, in July, on the ms Oosterdam? :)


Thanks!

[hammybee]

There is no such thing as a typical Alaskan cruise. Heck, I don't think there is such a thing as a typical cruise anywhere, on a mass marketed cruise line.

Only thing certain, is there will be other solos onboard.

[Sprocket]

Have you posted on your Roll Call thread yet? That is a great way to "meet" people before you sail. We have a few solos posting on ours and they are planning shore excursions etc. with the group.

Also the ship plans some social gatherings for the Solos on board, a chance to meet others and chat. I went to 2 or 3 my last cruise and had a great time.

[leoandhugh]

One thing you can count on for almost every cruise on any itinerary - there will be many more female solos than male solos. Best bet is to go to the solo affairs and see who is there and talk to some of them. But Alaska cruises in general are so port intensive that your shore excursions and time to rest up from them will take up a large part of your day. Assuming, since you said this is a family cruise, you will all be sharing the same dining table so that takes that venue away as a possibility for meeting other non-family passengers.:)

[Roz]

Solo cruisers make up a very small (less than 1% I'd say) percentage of passengers on any cruise.

Chances are you will meet many interesting people to chat with or maybe spend some time with, but don't count on any of them, or very few of them, to be single or solo cruisers.

My recent Oosterdam cruise had no organized single/solo get togethers, which kind of surprised me. I've always enjoyed the single/solo lunch in the dining room.

Roz

[CowPrincess]

My first cruise was as a solo, and I did fine. No romance, darnit :) but got "adopted" by several people, which really helped. A cruise is a GREAT way to travel single -- no worries about getting lost and never seeing your hotel again :)

Tips? Be friendly, use the standard "Did you go on an excursion in Seattle, /Vancouver / other ports of call?" to get people talking, and spend a bit of time away from your family if possible out in public. The excursions themselves are also good to meet people on -- very easy to talk about the moment, y'know?

[FlorenceItaly]

Solo cruisers make up a very small (less than 1% I'd say) percentage of passengers on any cruise.

Chances are you will meet many interesting people to chat with or maybe spend some time with, but don't count on any of them, or very few of them, to be single or solo cruisers.

My recent Oosterdam cruise had no organized single/solo get togethers, which kind of surprised me. I've always enjoyed the single/solo lunch in the dining room.

Roz

Roz,

I am very surprised to hear this. I sailed on the Oosterdam, Feb 9th, and two single/solo luncheons were offered, and one evening gathering.


Marie

[Roz]

Marie,

I was surprised also, given that we had 3 sea days. I specifically looking for the luncheon in the daily activity calendar. Nothing in the evening in the Crow's Nest or disco. A little disappointing. My #1 criticism of the cruise was lack of activities for anyone, single or otherwise.

Roz

[FlorenceItaly]

Marie,

I was surprised also, given that we had 3 sea days. I specifically looking for the luncheon in the daily activity calendar. Nothing in the evening in the Crow's Nest or disco. A little disappointing. My #1 criticism of the cruise was lack of activities for anyone, single or otherwise.

Roz

It sounds like maybe there was a change in personnel. I can't figure out why just four sailings later they would not be offering these activities.


Marie

[hammybee]

My sense of this is that it all depends on how many solo cruisers they have onboard.

[juliecat]

I was the only person who showed up for our solo travelers party on the Oosterdam to Alaska last May. Disconcerting but I did make friends with the cruise activity staff.

J

[anthranill]

Interesting... Well I will ponder this - Yea I saw the Roll Call - Neat idea.

So maybe they base the solo/single activities on the amount of registered guests? Maybe I should drop an email to them in that there will surely be one fortysomething sailor looking at both the Northern Lights and the nighttime sights.

Yea, the family is going to be there, but they are all well attached to their spouses and kids. I am, however, obligated to dig out my clip-on bow tie for the big family dinner...

I do hope to be able to do some astronomical observations that far north - I love watching satellites at night, and have only seen auroras twice. I am not too much into the "tourist traps" of the ports of call, but then again, I do have a great interest in Russian history and we will be visiting Stitka...

One thing is for sure, this is surely going to be an interesting week for one person, who's confined his travels to big US cities and the US Southwest...

[katree]

Interesting... Well I will ponder this - Yea I saw the Roll Call - Neat idea.

So maybe they base the solo/single activities on the amount of registered guests? Maybe I should drop an email to them in that there will surely be one fortysomething sailor looking at both the Northern Lights and the nighttime sights.

Yea, the family is going to be there, but they are all well attached to their spouses and kids. I am, however, obligated to dig out my clip-on bow tie for the big family dinner...

I do hope to be able to do some astronomical observations that far north - I love watching satellites at night, and have only seen auroras twice. I am not too much into the "tourist traps" of the ports of call, but then again, I do have a great interest in Russian history and we will be visiting Stitka...

One thing is for sure, this is surely going to be an interesting week for one person, who's confined his travels to big US cities and the US Southwest...

I'm sailing solo on the Sept. 12th Amsterdam, and am also most excited by the Russian history element in Sitka, but alas, wrong month, wrong ship...

[anthranill]

Ten more days... :)