Dining Solo - What Is Your Preference?

Hi,

I was a solo cruiser on Anthem (March 4-7). I enjoy my solo trips anywhere I travel, but this was my first solo cruise. I found myself eating at the WJ mostly or grabbing a slice or two from Sorrento's. Dining alone does not bother me in the least in my daily life, but on the ship it seemed daunting. I felt like it would be "spotlight-ish" if I went to the main dining room or any of the specialty restaurants alone.

I know one of these cruises when I go solo again, I will put on my big girl panties and dine solo - in one (or some) of the restaurants. Until then, I'd like to ask what do other solos do for dining? I was thinking maybe sign up to be part of a table of 8 or 10? Sign up for a table for one? Does Royal Caribbean set up a table or two for solo diners?

Thanks in advance!

I dine alone in whatever restaurant appeals to me and think nothing of it.

The only time I encounter a problem is in a buffet. If I leave my seat to fetch additional items, my place will likely be cleared when I return. :( (Yes, I know, leave a note, or a sweater, or whatever.)

I have been sailing solo for years and years. Normally, I choose

traditional dining, late seating and I request a mid-large table. I enjoy

meeting people and I love being seated with other folks.

There are times I choose to dine in the Specialty restaurants and normally

go on my own. Usually the wait staff is awesome and the service is

fabulous.....they could care less if you are on your own.

Also, if you participate in your roll call there are times you can find

some really nice folks and sometimes people enjoy dining together.

That is a nice way to meet other folks too.

As for being in the "spotlight"? I cannot tell you how to feel but I can tell

you most people are much more interested in themselves than who is

dining on their own at another table.

I don't usually go to the buffet for dinner at all.......I prefer being

served and enjoy it:D

Hope some of this helps and you have a great next cruise:)

I've traveled solo several times and I do understand your "spotlight" feeling. I usually request traditional late dining at a table of 8 or 10, however, the other parties may not show up every night so you may be sitting alone at the table (that happened to me twice). I'm trying something different this time; I'm doing Anytime Dining on my upcoming cruise on Enchantment of the Seas. I was told that I could have the option of having a table by myself. I'll write back and let you know how that went!

I was going to respond to your question but then I saw Lois' response and she said pretty much everything I would have said.

You've got a great attitude toward solo travel. Good luck to you and enjoy your next cruise - all of it - including dining.

I was going to respond to your question but then I saw Lois' response and she said pretty much everything I would have said.

 

You've got a great attitude toward solo travel. Good luck to you and enjoy your next cruise - all of it - including dining.

What she said, I agree with Lois! I have had pleasant times with others in the main dining room and find it's much better than eating alone. If you have an excursion or something that precludes dinner in the main dining room I have eaten at the buffet but it's a real let down and lonely.

Sue

I choose traditional dining and a table for 8.......I eat alone all my life, and I like the change of dining with others - meeting new people and sharing nice conversation. If the first table I'm assigned to doesn't suit me, I ask to be switched.

I also eat alone on the ship for various meals. It doesn't bother me, but I can't say I prefer it -- If I particularly want that food (eg sushi bar) or if I particularly want the location (i.e. not in the MDR), then I will dine alone.

Well, we are all different. I don't have a problem eating breakfast and lunch alone. However, I definitely prefer to eat with others for dinner. As a result, I always make it a point to join the Roll Call. Now when I am on a ship with Studio cabins, I never have a problem finding people to have dinner with.

Hi,

 

I was a solo cruiser on Anthem (March 4-7). I enjoy my solo trips anywhere I travel, but this was my first solo cruise. I found myself eating at the WJ mostly or grabbing a slice or two from Sorrento's. Dining alone does not bother me in the least in my daily life, but on the ship it seemed daunting. I felt like it would be "spotlight-ish" if I went to the main dining room or any of the specialty restaurants alone.

 

I know one of these cruises when I go solo again, I will put on my big girl panties and dine solo - in one (or some) of the restaurants. Until then, I'd like to ask what do other solos do for dining? I was thinking maybe sign up to be part of a table of 8 or 10? Sign up for a table for one? Does Royal Caribbean set up a table or two for solo diners?

 

Thanks in advance!

I was solo on the Anthem in Jan 2016. At both breakfast and lunch (in American Icon), I mentioned to the hostess that I wanted to SHARE. Thus, I was seated at a large table (sometimes 8, sometimes 10), and other folks would be brought to join me. (Or I was shown to a partially full 8 or 10, and joined the folks there.) Most of my tablemates were couples.

Ask for a singles/solos table when you book. Have done several, all enjoyable with interesting diners.Had one hosted by a priest once. He was a hoot.

As mentioned by others, I do not have a problem eating alone and actually prefer it for lunch (I don't eat breakfast often). I do, however, prefer to eat with people for dinner and in the MDR. I always request late sitting at a large table. I have had great luck being seated with compatible people.

On my next cruise I am assigned open seating even though I booked 11 months in advance and requested late. Not happy about this at all and my TA was pretty useless trying to get it changed (new TA in the works;)). Hoping I can get it changed once I am on board. I can't believe that every single seat is filled so how hard could it be to find room for one???

A huge THANK YOU to all for your responses.

I have booked another solo cruise on Anthem for September (sort of as a "do-over"). ;)

This time I won't deny myself the many dining options!

This time I will dine in the restaurants for dinner!

This time I am packing my big girl panties!

LOL!

Ask for a singles/solos table when you book. Have done several, all enjoyable with interesting diners.Had one hosted by a priest once. He was a hoot.

I booked Any Time Dining for my upcoming cruise. I will inquire about seating at a singles/solo table onboard. Thanks for the suggestion!:D

I have sailed solo on NCL, Royal and CCL.

CCL was the best for me, the 2 cruises I did I sat at a large table with other solo's.

NCL I ask the host/hostess to share a table. Sometimes a small wait for others to show up. I have shared a table with couples or other solo's.

Royal I request early seating at a large table and sat with couples and no solo's.

When I cruise solo I ask to join a large table and that usually works great. On River Cruises I loved meeting new people daily and then meeting them for excursions. River Cruises have under 200 travelers so I just go to a table. Sometimes I sit alone and see who joins me.

When I cruise solo I ask to join a large table and that usually works great. On River Cruises I loved meeting new people daily and then meeting them for excursions. River Cruises have under 200 travelers so I just go to a table. Sometimes I sit alone and see who joins me.

I am taking my first River Cruise in just over a week:D and I am going

on a brand new boat....Maiden Voyage actually:)....I can't wait!

I was on AMA twice and loved it first trip 2 years ago was Budapest to Amsterdam and last year I did the land portion on my own (Prague and Paris) and sailed Germany wine country. Food great as were the people that I met. Enjoy

My first solo was on Freedom of the Seas last year. I was assigned My Time dining - not my preference, but there was a waitlist for traditional dining. I was told that there were no shared tables for the MyTime dining, and was seated at a table for 2. Frankly, it was not a pleasant experience and I felt ignored as a solo, from not getting my coffee to the photographer bypassing my table. I did mention the problem of solo dining at the pursar's desk and got lots of apologies. I chose to enjoy dining in the Windjammer with a good book for the rest of the cruise. I just booked solo on Freedom again this summer, since it's a convenient port and ultimately the trip was very restful. Unfortunately, I'm back on a waitlist for traditional dining again. I anticipate going to the Windjammer with my Kindle most nights.

Truluv, don't settle for the Windjammer. See the Maitre'd when you get on the ship. Tell him your situation and ask for Traditional. You deserve better treatment - Good luck!

Truluv, don't settle for the Windjammer. See the Maitre'd when you get on the ship. Tell him your situation and ask for Traditional. You deserve better treatment - Good luck!

Hi Tess, I am glad you posted this:)......I was going to say the same thing.

I rarely, if ever eat dinner in the buffet. Sorry they had a poor experience

in the dining room but I would also say to see the Maitr'd.....being

ignored is unacceptable (in my opinion),.....being treated poorly

because a person is solo is really unacceptable. So really,

the dining room staff was out of line (from the sound of it).

My TA said the same thing when we were discussing it. He's a cruise specialist who has booked our family's trips for 10+ years. He told me that if I had mentioned the experience to him right after the cruise, he would have called his contacts in RCL to report it too - totally unacceptable. I did report it to the Pursar's desk and received a lot of apologies including calls to my stateroom from the Restaurant Manager. While all that attention might have solved the service issue, I still would have been alone at a table for 2. Seriously, there are benefits to WJ sometimes. I can dress more casually, eat when I want, get a window table, continue reading, and the selections were ok.

However, TA has suggested going right the MaitreD when boarding next tme, and asking to be squeezed into traditional dining. He said that the odds are very good that they will be able to find a solo diner an assigned table with dining companions, if I decide to go that route.

My TA said the same thing when we were discussing it. He's a cruise specialist who has booked our family's trips for 10+ years. He told me that if I had mentioned the experience to him right after the cruise, he would have called his contacts in RCL to report it too - totally unacceptable. I did report it to the Pursar's desk and received a lot of apologies including calls to my stateroom from the Restaurant Manager. While all that attention might have solved the service issue, I still would have been alone at a table for 2. Seriously, there are benefits to WJ sometimes. I can dress more casually, eat when I want, get a window table, continue reading, and the selections were ok.

 

However, TA has suggested going right the MaitreD when boarding next tme, and asking to be squeezed into traditional dining. He said that the odds are very good that they will be able to find a solo diner an assigned table with dining companions, if I decide to go that route.

Hi:), this is just to give you another option......in my opinion, as long

as people are friendly it doesn't matter to me if the table is for "solos"

or not.

So if there are people who are welcoming, I don't care what their

maritial status is....so if the Maitr'd had a nice table, and some were

couples or even a family? I would sit with them.

Absolutely agree! Just to clarify, I wasn't asking for a table with solos. I would have been absolutely fine with families, couples etc. And I can be entertaining :-) or a good listener, depending on the dynamics. I am an amazingly interesting person (tongue in cheek). I have interesting high profile career experiences, for ex -- national news events, famous people type stories -- to bring to the table, no pun intended. But I enjoy hearing about grandkids, people's wedding stories, cruise stories, hearing about where people live, choice of entrees, etc. and am very happy to be interested listener.

Our family enjoyed meeting others in the dining room and had preferred traditional dining on our past cruises. Seems very hard to get traditional dining now, though! And unfortunately, I was told that Freedom's MyTime dining arrangements wouldn't seat a solo diner with others. They said that the best they could do was to try to put my table for 2 near tables of other passengers who appeared friendly, so I could try to strike up a conversation. Ouch. Someone else might be ok wth that, but it felt awkward to me on my 1st solo cruise.

I'm ok with WJ and a kindle though too. I may try getting an assigned table, and might try the solo dining room experience again on my next Freedom solo cruise to see if anything has changed. WJ is a good option, so I know I won't be hungry!

On NCL the studio cabin host set up dinner every evening for the solos. Or so I'm told, my first solo on NCL is coming up in two weeks!

On NCL the studio cabin host set up dinner every evening for the solos. Or so I'm told, my first solo on NCL is coming up in two weeks!

Please report back to the board how this goes for you. I'm considering a studio and hoping to eat dinner with others, so would love to hear about your experience.

Thank you

Debr