1st timer needs help!!!!

[MikeVee]

Hello all.... I'm looking to go on my very 1st cruise and it would be by myself. I would love to hear everyone's input. I have few concerns as you can imagine being that it would be my first cruise and its solo. I'm 29 yrs old and would travel out of New York.

I appreciate any feedback at all.

Thank You in advance
Mike

[gxchan]

Hi Mike,

What specifically are your concerns? Cruising single and meeting people? Cruising for the first time? Dining? What cruise line are you looking at and where are you looking to cruise?

Essentially cruising as a single/solo is probably one of the easiest ways to travel. You will meet people when you dine in the main dining room at dinner (if you go traditional dining), you will meet people on shore excursions, around the pool at bars, playing games, etc. Before the cruise you will chat with people on the roll call and many setup get togethers on the ship.

If you cruise on NCL some of their ships have solo cabins which connect to a common area where solos/singles gather and there is a member of the crew that will assist in putting together group dinners at the specialty restaurants or other venues. Other lines, like Royal Caribbean, don't have such amenities for single/solo cruisers but it is still fairly easy to meet people. If you are looking for alone time, you get that too.

Ginnie

[Dancer Bob]

1. Take twice the money and half the clothes you think you'll need. Make sure you understand what you do and don't have to pay for on the ship.

2. You will only accomplish about 1/4 of what you think you can accomplish at a port stop. Internet is MUCH cheaper ashore.

[Simpleshoes]

Originally Posted by MikeVee

Hello all.... I'm looking to go on my very 1st cruise and it would be by myself. I would love to hear everyone's input. I have few concerns as you can imagine being that it would be my first cruise and its solo. I'm 29 yrs old and would travel out of New York.

I appreciate any feedback at all.

Thank You in advance
Mike

I was worried the first time on my own too, but discovered cruising is easy. Check the daily programme that will be dropped in your stateroom to pick your activities. There may be a singles gathering spot. On the QM2 it's at breakfast time on deck 7. Go to the dance lessons and the dances! Ask to be seated at a large dinner table in the main dining room. You can ask to be moved if it doesn't suit you. Check the menu mid-day to decide if you like it and if not go to a buffet or other venue. Talk to the social hostess to gain some direction. First time around, it's easier and safer to take a ship's tour when you port to be sure you get back in time. Or you might go ashore with new friends who are seasoned cruisers and know what they're doing. Depending on where you go, don't look like a tourist. No flashing a cellphone or bling. Stay up late. Nap in the afternoon. Relax. You'll like it.

[pgoody82]

I just turned 30 on my second cruise, and was single... Personally I say bring a wing man!

However...

I enjoyed the Carnival Splendor earlier this year and it was a great ship with a lot of fun things to do. There is a little schedule they give you every day and listed on it are many singles gatherings.

Like someone said, meet people in the main dining room, I think Carnival is actually good about sitting you with like aged people. The table I was at with my ex girlfriend (we were mid/late 20s) was joined by 2 single guys in their 20s, and 2 single gals in their 20s, needless to say the six of us became best friends for the rest of the cruise.

I would not be surprised if the dining room staff wised up and put you at a table with some single ladies doing a ladies night out type of cruise.

I went on the Carnival Splendor and the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas, I preferred the Splendor hands down for the night life, I also enjoyed the adult only pool deck on Carnival, it had a lot of young adults, the Freedom of the Seas's version of adults only pool was like a retirement home, not kidding.

I loved the Splendor! Good choice.

P.S. I had a balcony room which would be an extremely romantic place on any cruise, if you don't have that option I think you'd probably just save the money for the interior room, because I don't think a port hole will help you accomplish what a balcony can.

[dancinman66]

Originally Posted by Dancer Bob

1. Take twice the money and half the clothes you think you'll need. Make sure you understand what you do and don't have to pay for on the ship.

2. You will only accomplish about 1/4 of what you think you can accomplish at a port stop. Internet is MUCH cheaper ashore.

Hey bob

how you doin
not seen you on the boards for a while
whats you rnext cruise

catch you
Greg :0

[Dancer Bob]

Been over on Costa and Cunard boards allowing them to experience my brilliant wit and dazzling personality.
Going on Crystal Serenity TA 09 Dec. It's an experiment- a lady whose opinion I trust says there's good dancing on board, also NHBob, but he gets coy when asked for details. Unfortunately all the reviews say something like "there's no nightlife" so I can only hope I'm not wasting my money.
There's a group of us going on Costa Mediterranea Jan 09, we're also thinking about Santos Brazil in March. I'm also booked for Black Sea with Costa in April- I got 17 days for the price of 12 on Cunard, Cunard's music is so unreliable I couldn't justify the price difference.

[dancinman66]

Originally Posted by Dancer Bob

Been over on Costa and Cunard boards allowing them to experience my brilliant wit and dazzling personality.
Going on Crystal Serenity TA 09 Dec. It's an experiment- a lady whose opinion I trust says there's good dancing on board, also NHBob, but he gets coy when asked for details. Unfortunately all the reviews say something like "there's no nightlife" so I can only hope I'm not wasting my money.
There's a group of us going on Costa Mediterranea Jan 09, we're also thinking about Santos Brazil in March. I'm also booked for Black Sea with Costa in April- I got 17 days for the price of 12 on Cunard, Cunard's music is so unreliable I couldn't justify the price difference.

yeah I know what you mean
alot of people will say no night life when there is ballroom though as they dont class that as life

try iglu pricing also, can get great cunard deals
crystal dancing depends on the cruise as not always alot from what I have heard
let us know how you go

my next is rccl out of australia on nov 5

enjoy yourself
Greg

[Dancer Bob]

I gather Crystal recently changed their policy, it's now "alcohol included", which of course is the exact opposite of dancing. It's advertised as a ballroom and big band cruise, which are not the same thing at all. I've got my travel agent checking to see what Crystal actually promises about dancing, to be able to report if they actually deliver. Also about their Ambassador Hosts- not directly applicable to me, but indirectly, since what kind of female dancers are they trying to attract?

[dancinman66]

the dance hosts for crystal is usually only one bloke
talking with the gentlemen hosts who have done crystal they say sometimes they just twiddle their thumbs as noone to dance with
they have the music but not quite like cunard

[Dancer Bob]

Oh great. Just read another review, no mention of nightlife except one classical concert(!!!).
If I'm stuck with a bunch of decrepit-old-geezer-wannabes, I'm not going to be happy, but I guess I'll just have to find some way to pass the time. Maybe there's a dancer on the cruise staff who will take pity. I don't like dancing with professionals- they try to lead too much.
Good luck on RCCL, I found it a nice line but no dancing (although Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan had a really popular salsa lounge).