Shy Single

DD (26) will be cruising with us for the first time. She is very shy. What would be the best way for her to mix and mingle with other singles in her age group?

DD (26) will be cruising with us for the first time. She is very shy. What would be the best way for her to mix and mingle with other singles in her age group?

I'd say it depends on the ship. For those that have physical activities like rock-climbing wall, flowrider, ice skating, etc.-- these might be a good place.

You could check out the ROLL CALL for your cruise and a post a message seeking others in her age group.

Of course, in the evening, most people in that age group will hang out at the martini bars or dance clubs.

My son is 25 and a bit shy, but he had no problem disappearing from me for most of the cruise!

Does she want to mix and mingle with others on her cruise, or is that just what you think she should be doing?

She should just do activities she wants to do and can meet people that way (just like on land). It might be a class in the gym, finding a trivia team to join, or having a cold drink in the lounge.

Does she want to mix and mingle with others on her cruise, or is that just what you think she should be doing?

 

She should just do activities she wants to do and can meet people that way (just like on land). It might be a class in the gym, finding a trivia team to join, or having a cold drink in the lounge.

Please do not assume. Check if your daughter really wants to be involved in a group, she really may be looking forward to being by herself or doing things that the group may not want to do.

I have been to the Bahamas for example at-least four(4) times with one of my travel companions. Each and every time they turn down doing the buggy ride around town. So the next time I went on a solo trip that included the Bahamas guess which ride I took? My next solo I again plan to go and do things that I never get to do if I go with someone else.

Your daughter may already have her own plans on what she wants to do. Those plans may even include just doing nothing and staying on-board and relaxing instead of running around and keeping up to some group.

Offer her help if she wants to join a group, but don't push what you think she should be doing. Let her enjoy the trip by doing what she wishes and what is fun to her, even if it means she is by herself.

Freedom to do what I want, when I want without having to worry about other people is why I love solo cruising.

Freedom to do what I want, when I want without having to worry about other people is why I love solo cruising.

Couldn't agree more.

I appreciate that you all have the rights to your opinions, and choose to cruise solo for your own reasons. I was hoping, though, as solo cruisers you might share some of your "tips and techniques" for meeting other singles on the cruise.

Don't presume to judge my motivation in trying to help my daughter. She WANTS to meet people and get involved, but due to some anxiety issues and her naturally shy nature, it is difficult for her. I am looking for ways to help her with what she WANTS to do.

She WANTS to meet people and get involved, but due to some anxiety issues and her naturally shy nature, it is difficult for her. I am looking for ways to help her with what she WANTS to do.

If she wants to meet people then the best advice depends on which cruise-line and sometimes even which ship she will be sailing on.

Carnival:

----------

Carnival has always been good for me to meet people, whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner if you dine in the main dining rooms just tell the greeter at the main doors that you are single and that you want to sit with other singles, they will then put you at a table with other solo cruisers. The only problem I have had with this is meeting people who are so interesting that I end up talking with them for hours and thus miss some ship board events.

At dinner I often (not always) was invited to join some of the others in going to the shows and other events on-board the ship. On my next Carnival solo cruise I hope to link up with other people going on the same excursions to save on the taxi fares. One thing about the free-for-all talking around the table, you get an idea of who your dining companions are and whether you want to spend time with them in the main room and/or on excursions.

There is usually more than one table of solo cruisers at dinner time (there are fewer for breakfast/lunch times) so if you find you don't like the people you are eating with you can on following days be asked to be moved to a different table or even just a single table for just yourself. Otherwise, you will find yourself assign to the same table each time with pretty much the same people. To me it was a fun time, and I went to a number of shows that I would had not gone to by myself.

NCL Epic and other NCL ships with solo cabins:

----------------------------------------------------

NCL has what is called the solo lounge. If your daughter has a solo room or even a regular room that she is the only one using then she counts as a solo cruiser and can use the solo lounge. If she has not booked a solo room (I did my solo cruise with a regular inside room) she need to talk to the main desk to have her card setup to access the solo lounge.

Once there she will find that there are all sorts of mixers going on for solo cruisers. There is a director who arranges for everyone who wants to share a HUGE table in one of the dining areas if you want to share dinner - but the solo lounge itself is a great place to hang out. It have it's own bar, coffee/tea, cold drinks and lighter snacks so you can stay there for hours if you wish and everyone who comes in is another solo cruiser like yourself.

While I did not go to them the director also arranged a number of party events to go to and in one case birthday cupcakes for one person who was cruising alone on their birthday.

An important detail pointed out by another poster in a different thread. There was a WhiteBoard which ANYBODY can post any events/excursions they may want other solo cruisers to join. So always read the WhiteBoard every day to see if there is something you would want to do. And if she wants to go somewhere but want companions she should just write it somewhere on the same WhiteBoard.

Holland America:

-------------------

My trip on Holland America was to Alaska, so not only was it an older crowd of people - the scenery was so distracting. On other cruises Sea-Days has the ship just surrounded by water which encourages many people to be talking to each other. On the Alaskan trip I spent my time worrying that I would use up my battery on my camera before the second one got fully recharged. Yes, I took a lot of photos on that trip - who want to talk when there is a whale breaching off to the side or you can see killer whales diving under the ship?

I did not notice a program to help solos but have no idea if that is Holland America in general or if it was the nature of this cruise itself. One thing I will say, you don't get lonely on an Alaskan cruise, you are too busy looking at the scenery to get bored.

Holland America did have a fancy Queen's Tea where you are seated with other people, and while I did not join I know there was a number of late night events that were more like polite parties. I did not find HA as lively as Carnival or NCL but they did have mixers that solo cruisers could join and like I said it may really be the nature of an Alaskan Cruise with an older crowd of people.

Hopefully others can give you more advice.

So those are all the cruise-lines I have been on so far. I hope this help.

PS. I am 57, your daughter you said was 26. What I noticed is that the younger solo cruisers very often went to the bars or disco/night clubs in the evening/night time. Please don't think of the bars as all being like the ones on land. On both the Carnival Breeze and NCL Epic there was a great lounge area with lounge seating, a big movie screen and a specialty food court along with the bar so many people would just sit back and relax while watching the movie and as often as not the drinks they were having were non-alcoholic. I don't drink and still had a great time there. Basically, avoid spring break and you rarely see anyone getting very drunk.

Don't presume to judge my motivation in trying to help my daughter. She WANTS to meet people and get involved, but due to some anxiety issues and her naturally shy nature, it is difficult for her. I am looking for ways to help her with what she WANTS to do.

I'm just surprised that if it's her idea, she didn't ask herself.

as solo cruisers you might share some of your "tips and techniques" for meeting other singles on the cruise.

And many people did - roll calls, activities, lounges, etc. And some of us don't care about meeting other singles on the cruise - either we don't care whether people are single or not, or we enjoy spending time on our own. I have enjoyed time with married, widowed, and single people when traveling solo on a cruise, and also enjoyed time alone (except for dinner - I hate dining alone).

I appreciate that you all have the rights to your opinions, and choose to cruise solo for your own reasons. I was hoping, though, as solo cruisers you might share some of your "tips and techniques" for meeting other singles on the cruise.

 

Don't presume to judge my motivation in trying to help my daughter. She WANTS to meet people and get involved, but due to some anxiety issues and her naturally shy nature, it is difficult for her. I am looking for ways to help her with what she WANTS to do.

For me the place to meet other people is sitting directly at a bar. Sitting somewhere in a lounge in a comfy chair does not really invite someone else to stop by and chat with you. Even better in a bar where there is karaoke.

But that only works if your daughter enjoys drinking / a bar or night club setting.

I appreciate that you all have the rights to your opinions, and choose to cruise solo for your own reasons. I was hoping, though, as solo cruisers you might share some of your "tips and techniques" for meeting other singles on the cruise.

 

Don't presume to judge my motivation in trying to help my daughter. She WANTS to meet people and get involved, but due to some anxiety issues and her naturally shy nature, it is difficult for her. I am looking for ways to help her with what she WANTS to do.

I just did a solo cruise in Alaska. I don't do the bar scene at home. But there on the ship I did go to the lounges and see the shows, watch dancing (I don't dance). I did the meet and greet and met people I hung out with when I wanted too. But I had a great time and will definitely cruise solo again. I really think she will have fun if she wants too.

I am quite a bit older than your daughter but I agree with some of

the suggestions....Your roll call is a nice way to meet other people

on your cruise. People chat back and forth for many months (sometimes)

and it can become a nice group of folks turning into "cruising buds":D

As a frequent, younger solo traveler I also recommend sitting at one of the smaller bars like a martini bar or piano bar. People tend to strike up conversations at the bar. Numerous times I've been asked to join new friends at shows or at the club.

Couldn't agree more.

Been on two solo cruises. I saw somewhere on the last cruise, meet the singles. Seems odd going to one of those. I am happily married but someone to hang with for a drink or bs works.

Does anyone ever go to those events?

I think we need to know what cruise the OP is going to be on, my advice would vary greatly depending on what ship, I gather they've already made a decision.

I think we need to know what cruise the OP is going to be on, my advice would vary greatly depending on what ship, I gather they've already made a decision.

I listed the three cruise-lines I went on and the solo experience was different on each cruise-line. We really need the cruise-line and even better which ship to give the best advice.

I think Earl hit the nail on the head....same experiences for me. What ship?

I think we need to know what cruise the OP is going to be on, my advice would vary greatly depending on what ship, I gather they've already made a decision.

We will be on the Carnival Paradise. Sorry this took so long, I kind of quite monitoring it because of some of the earlier remarks.

Thanks for any help you can give me to pass along to DD!

We will be on the Carnival Paradise. Sorry this took so long, I kind of quite monitoring it because of some of the earlier remarks.

 

Thanks for any help you can give me to pass along to DD!

I'm reading this thread for the 1st time the day after the OP posted the above comment.

Several responders had asked what ship? what line?

Didn't anyone see the box for the OP's Paradise Dec 12 sailing ? To me the answer to the question was already right there.

To the OP: if your 26 year old daughter has anxiety issues, introduce her to another woman or two of the same approx. age bracket and then disengage. Your daughter may find her level of comfortability or not. Carnival does have singles events in their daily schedules, sometimes they are attended, sometimes not. Many solos prefer alone or down time, and one should recognize that solos are not necessarily singles, that's why there is a distinction between the 2 classifications.

Your daughter may find being out on excursions is one way to meet people. Another way would be for her to eat at a different MDR table than you. Without knowing more about your daughter, most of what anyone can advise, myself included, is merely speculation.

I'm reading this thread for the 1st time the day after the OP posted the above comment.

 

Several responders had asked what ship? what line?

 

Didn't anyone see the box for the OP's Paradise Dec 12 sailing ? To me the answer to the question was already right there.

 

To the OP: if your 26 year old daughter has anxiety issues, introduce her to another woman or two of the same approx. age bracket and then disengage. Your daughter may find her level of comfortability or not. Carnival does have singles events in their daily schedules, sometimes they are attended, sometimes not. Many solos prefer alone or down time, and one should recognize that solos are not necessarily singles, that's why there is a distinction between the 2 classifications.

 

Your daughter may find being out on excursions is one way to meet people. Another way would be for her to eat at a different MDR table than you. Without knowing more about your daughter, most of what anyone can advise, myself included, is merely speculation.

Thank you for your help. Since I am not a single and have never cruised solo, I wasn't aware of the singles events. Perhaps I can encourage her to attend one.

I'm reading this thread for the 1st time the day after the OP posted the above comment.

 

Several responders had asked what ship? what line?

 

Didn't anyone see the box for the OP's Paradise Dec 12 sailing ? To me the answer to the question was already right there.

Must be tough to be the only smart person on CC.

Or maybe, just maybe, the box was added to her signature after her original post. :rolleyes:

Must be tough to be the only smart person on CC.

 

Or maybe, just maybe, the box was added to her signature after her original post. :rolleyes:

Or, posters have the signatures turned OFF, so that they can't see the multitude of text and graphics that many people use in their sig files.

I agree with the different table suggestion, although I don't know if you can do it in advance or would have to change on-board.

Schoif, Just be aware that at this time of year there may only be a half dozen singles in her age group. Ship singles meet may have no one attending. Singles comprise 1-2% of total cruisers. Just the way it is. I would also suggest a look at Hosted Singles group cruises. 2 agencies, maybe more now, do them on most lines. Groups, maybe 40-to a couple hundreds, dine together and other group activities.Most are divided by over or under age 40. Google HostedSingles cruises.