Solo Cruiser's Roll Call

As long as u go to the solo meet up the first night in the lounge u will be absolutely fine :) the rest just kinda flows from there! We always had about 20 for dinner each night wherever we decided to eat. Eating alone was the one thing I was worried about & I needn't have worried one little bit :) have a great time!

As long as u go to the solo meet up the first night in the lounge u will be absolutely fine :) the rest just kinda flows from there! We always had about 20 for dinner each night wherever we decided to eat. Eating alone was the one thing I was worried about & I needn't have worried one little bit :) have a great time!

Thank you! That relieves my concerns. While I don't mind my own company,it's always nice to share a meal with others.

Thank you! That relieves my concerns. While I don't mind my own company,it's always nice to share a meal with others.

You will never HAVE to eat alone. However, in my experience, this likely means eating in the complementary venues, not the specialty restaurants.

You will never HAVE to eat alone. However, in my experience, this likely means eating in the complementary venues, not the specialty restaurants.

Not so......On both my Breakaway & Getaway cruises the Solo group dined at the specialty restaurants certain nights. Some opted out but many of us went. One night a group went to the Jungle Fantasy show and I opted out.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm having the opposite problem. I like eating alone and reading. (What can I say, I put the "solo" in solo cruising.) I'm trying to ask about getting an MDR table to myself (a 2-top) on my upcoming X cruise and am being gently chided to dine with others. Sigh. :) Might be the buffet for me.

Don't be made to feel like your choice is wrong or weird. On some occasions I dined alone because I felt like it, other times I asked to be seated with others. (I'm talking about anytime dining.) They are happy to accommodate you.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not so.....

As I said, "in my experience". So, yes-- it was "so"

I am on Regent Lisbon to Cape Town this October,and I will be solo for the first time ever (over 60 cruises) as my husband passed away May 30th. There will, however, be friends who decided to join this trip and for which I am grateful, however, I will still be alone. I certainly don't want to depend on them all the time.

This will definitely be a new experience for me.

Another "introvert" here.:) Just booked a studio this week for NYE cruise. Definitely looking forward to meeting others (in spite of my introvertedness...is that even a word? ha!) and also enjoying some me time. I booked this as a challenge to myself to get out more and quit waiting on others to travel with me. I am unbelievably excited. Now, do I buy a spa pass or not this trip...hmmm. I am enjoying the feeling of making no set plans so who knows! Anyone else on this sailing?

I'm having the opposite problem. I like eating alone and reading. (What can I say, I put the "solo" in solo cruising.) I'm trying to ask about getting an MDR table to myself (a 2-top) on my upcoming X cruise and am being gently chided to dine with others. Sigh. :) Might be the buffet for me.

Unfortunately, cruising does not lend well for dining alone.....it seems it's frowned upon. I, too, like an occasional meal by myself.......and, I'm a very social being. I just like to have my own thoughts rambling around my head when I'm eating and don't like it when there's "forced" conversation.

As you mentioned, I go up to the buffet and find an "out-of-the-way" table [and, even then get asked by the staff "are you dining alone?"] And, even get chastised by other diners.

It's one of the reasons I get a cabin with a veranda.....there I can dine alone if I so desire without questions.

Unfortunately, cruising does not lend well for dining alone.....it seems it's frowned upon.

It depends on the cruise line. Royal Caribbean and NCL no problems at all even in the specialty restaurants. I can't remember the last cruises ever been in a restaurant on a cruise ship being the only one seated solo.

It depends on the cruise line. Royal Caribbean and NCL no problems at all even in the specialty restaurants. I can't remember the last cruises ever been in a restaurant on a cruise ship being the only one seated solo.

I really do what I want to do [within reason, of course.] Even when I'm given "looks" and they try and place me where I don't want to go - I don't say much and just take a seat where I'm happiest. I travel with a 90lb Service Dog so most Matre d's and servers are happy to just leave me alone - serve me and get me out of their way!!!!

Unfortunately, cruising does not lend well for dining alone.....it seems it's frowned upon. I, too, like an occasional meal by myself.......and, I'm a very social being. I just like to have my own thoughts rambling around my head when I'm eating and don't like it when there's "forced" conversation.

 

As you mentioned, I go up to the buffet and find an "out-of-the-way" table [and, even then get asked by the staff "are you dining alone?"] And, even get chastised by other diners.

 

It's one of the reasons I get a cabin with a veranda.....there I can dine alone if I so desire without questions.

I don't remember not being able to request a table for myself on Celebrity, of course I always take anytime dining and not set dining. They may tell you that you will need to wait longer for a table to open up, but I've never had a very long wait.

Roz has a really good idea though. Unless X has changed things, you can order any MDR menu items during dining hours through room service. I would either go check out the menus in the afternoon outside the MDRs (they do post them though I noticed sometimes only at 1 of the 2 MDRs for some reason) and/or ask my steward to bring me MDR dinner menus every day. Sometimes the ones from my steward didn't arrive until pretty late, though. Then just call room service during MDR dinner hours and tell them you want to order from the MDR menu. The whole meal will come all at once, but unless you're ordering ice cream (in which case I advise you to eat dessert first!) that hasn't been a problem for me and I'm a slow eater.

Then just take each course out to your balcony and enjoy your solo dinner seaside! :)

Don't get me wrong.......I love the company of others and am a very personable person [if I do say so myself!] It's why I pick Traditional Dining. That said, there are those occasional times when I simply want the company of ME!

It's nice to have choices in what and how we do things and I like the choices that cruising gives me.

Gosh, Bottomfeeder. That seems awfully lonely -- eating on the balcony by yourself. But to each his or her own. You're on vacation so do what you enjoy.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm having the opposite problem. I like eating alone and reading. (What can I say, I put the "solo" in solo cruising.) I'm trying to ask about getting an MDR table to myself (a 2-top) on my upcoming X cruise and am being gently chided to dine with others. Sigh. :) Might be the buffet for me.

If you're going for fixed seating, perhaps there aren't enough tables. I cruise Celebrity a lot and usually choose select dining and have never had a problem getting a table for two for myself. If I choose to eat at the same time each evening, I usually request and get seated in the same section (with the same waiter).

Just ask-- sometimes they'll surprise you!

Gosh, Bottomfeeder. That seems awfully lonely -- eating on the balcony by yourself. But to each his or her own. You're on vacation so do what you enjoy.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't always eat by myself. I like to get the menus every day to see whether I want to eat in the MDR or the buffet mostly, but usually once a cruise or maybe twice I like to dine alone on my balcony. What can I say, I'm an introvert!

Gosh, Bottomfeeder. That seems awfully lonely -- eating on the balcony by yourself. But to each his or her own. You're on vacation so do what you enjoy.

Bottomfeeder -- it doesn't sound lonely; it sounds like you're comfortable in your own skin & are confident to do what works for you. Congratulations.

Enjoy cruising!:)

As an introvert, I've had to explain to people that there is a HUGE difference between being alone and lonely. You can be surrounded by people and feel lonely, and feel abundant being alone. I'm the latter. :)

This will be my first time cruising solo in November but it sounds like there are plenty of opportunities to be with people when a person wants to and have quiet time when a person needs it as well. After all, it is a vacation!

I confess that it would seem lonely to me to be alone on my balcony eating my dinner. I would choose a table for one in the main dining room. I certainly do not judge or disagree with someone who chooses differently than me.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can totally understand eating alone in ones room/balcony. Even when I cruise with others I'm always the odd man out and alone in my cabin. If I decide to strike off on my own and not meet the others in the MDR I'd rather just eat alone in my room or grab something on the lido deck and sit outside in a dark corner. But I guess I'm what one would call "unhappily single" and without the distraction of conversation with my cruising partners three of whom are also single, I reach the point of having no appetite after observing the couples and families around me while I'm waiting to be served.

I can totally understand eating alone in ones room/balcony. Even when I cruise with others I'm always the odd man out and alone in my cabin. If I decide to strike off on my own and not meet the others in the MDR I'd rather just eat alone in my room or grab something on the lido deck and sit outside in a dark corner. But I guess I'm what one would call "unhappily single" and without the distraction of conversation with my cruising partners three of whom are also single, I reach the point of having no appetite after observing the couples and families around me while I'm waiting to be served.

In my opinion, you sound VERY unhappy......:eek:......

I have been on my own for many, many years......it is good I like my

own company:D......and I LOVE having the cabin to myself...no sharing

clikcers with anyone:D;)

As for having no apetite? No such thing happening here:)

Sounds like you don't enjoy sailing solo where many of us love it. If I was so unhappy

doing something I don't think I would continue to do it.

Sounds to me like Mike is going on cruises with friends that encourage him to come along but he's not into it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi all -- I'm new to these boards (and to Cruise Critic in general) and got a taste of solo cruising last summer. Looking forward to more solo trips and glad to know this thread is here for future reference! :)

I wouldn't say I'm necessarily unhappy sailing alone. I love having the room to myself and being able to explore the ship by myself. Choosing what shows to see and when is one of the best parts of solo cruising for me. Dinner is that one sore spot, The MDR or the specialty restaurants are my preference, but without my regular dinner companions the fact that I've lived 34 years without finding someone special seems to hit home pretty hard. Same thing applies in a restaurant on land.

Living alone with both parents having passed and no siblings, I've adjusted enough that spending the most of my free time and holidays alone doesn't phase me. The same applies to vacations, I just tend to call in my meal orders and take them back to my place of lodging when on a land based vacation.