Being a single on a World Cruise

For all Solo World Cruisers - I have started a blog from the perspective of a traditional UK World Cruise 2014 from Southampton on P & O Liner Aurora.

Scrapnana,

So glad to see you are doing a blog. I know you have been interested in doing this for a long time and look forward to following your adventure.

Safe travels, and Happy New Year!

Kathi

 

Good luck with the packing. I'm going to start packing on Thursday for my QV World Voyage which starts on th 12th. I'm hoping three suitcases will do it. I am a guy so I don't have quite as much stuff but with all our formal nights, I'm taking three suites.

 

Don't forget to waive as we pass each other between Brisbane and Sydney. :D

 

Have a great trip.

 

Don

Don,

I packed another suitcase (medium sized one) and started to panic because the third of my clothes alloted to it filled it!:eek: Then I thought of my space bags (the type you roll not the ones that need a vacuum). I was able to get 6 shirts into one medium sized one and it takes up very little space. I think I might make the three suitcases!

Kathi

Scrapnana,

So glad to see you are doing a blog. I know you have been interested in doing this for a long time and look forward to following your adventure.

Safe travels, and Happy New Year!

Thanks and Happy New Year to you!

For all Solo World Cruisers - I have started a blog from the perspective of a traditional UK World Cruise 2014 from Southampton on P & O Liner Aurora.

Thanks for posting this. I seriously considered doing the 2014 Aurora World Cruise. Hope you have a wonderful time!

Hi, All,

This is my first post- hope it works!

Hopefully I will do a rtw in the next 18 mo to 2 years, as a 66 yo single. Although I am readiing Kathisworldvoyage blog, (what fun to plan vicariously), and lean towards Cunard, I do not need to embark and disembark in the same port.

Life has been interesting, and we have lived all over- my kids went to 6 schools on 3 continents in 5 years! (Well, at least they are well-rounded, and have given me at least 2 grandchildren each...) We have travelled a lot, and have been on some (mostly longer) cruises. Also, we are trilingual (speaking English, Spanish, and on the telephone).

I would like to have at least one of my grandchildren join me on one segment of the journey- any segment.

Do any of you have a suggestion as to which criteria to use when picking a line? (Carnival-style cruising is not for me.)

Price matters, of course, but is not the overriding consideration.

Although I have never been in an inside cabin, are they really awful?

Thanks to all of you for any help. It is so nice to have a forum to discuss various issues, and it has been fun "lurking" here at CC!

All the best, Peggy

Peggy, I do Insides, never understood paying double for a balcony rarely used.I would recommend trying a short cruise on whichever lines interest you for such a long cruise. I was on Cunard years ago, not my cup of tea.And remember, on the Queens they have that class system. I hope to do a WC in a few years.Wish Celebrity would do it but I was told never happen. Oceania, if they use one of their .two newer larger ships,..,would suit my tastes to a T.Most lines use their older, smaller ships.Some getting dated, a bit ragged for my tastes.I guess you could call this investment cruising!

Thanks so much for answering! I have been looking at Oceania. An inside cabin would help overcome the supplement issue, especially if the TV has a live feed... In any case, no matter how small, there should be enough space for one:)

Epic solos sound dreadful. Too bad there are few solo cabins with a view, even if obstructed. Any thoughts? :confused:

Peggy, I do Insides, never understood paying double for a balcony rarely used.I would recommend trying a short cruise on whichever lines interest you for such a long cruise. I was on Cunard years ago, not my cup of tea.And remember, on the Queens they have that class system. I hope to do a WC in a few years.Wish Celebrity would do it but I was told never happen. Oceania, if they use one of their .two newer larger ships,..,would suit my tastes to a T.Most lines use their older, smaller ships.Some getting dated, a bit ragged for my tastes.I guess you could call this investment cruising!

Zoncom, another line that has caught my eye is celebrity. I always enjoy froufrou food (or any other kind, for that matter, except pizza (I would rather eat a rat, as one of my grandchildren might say). ;) Also, sorry for not thanking you sooner, I am one of the lucky ones that got the flu, followed by pneumonia :-( so have been out of gas. All the best, Peggy

A retired lady school Principal does World cruise blogs online. Absolutely wonderful. KWEENKAREN.com Also THE PREISMANS.com(think name spelled correctly?) Only bad thing on Celebrity is their pizza. Only good food on Princess is their pizza, even had a salmon, spinach and goat cheese one for breakfast.But Princess has longer, more diverse cruises than Celebrity. (one gals opinion). Cannot have it all.

For what its worth, Celebrity is not doing a WC itinerary at the present. We have put together 62 and 45 day back to backs which we enjoyed, and my husband has done several solos when I haven't wanted to go. He would absolutely agree with you about the pizza on Princess.

Happy travels!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Reporting back on being a single on a world cruise. I LOVED it. I was at a table for ten and when we started all ten were solo travelers. Five of us were together for the entire 118 days and two more were with us from San Francisco to Southampton. We became like a family checking in if someone was sick, having dinners in the alternative restaurants, wine parties on deck, etc. Having the stateroom to myself was fabulous. I met people from all over the world onboard and enjoyed everything (except getting sick).

I am now saving for my next world cruise!

Reporting back on being a single on a world cruise. I LOVED it. I was at a table for ten and when we started all ten were solo travelers. Five of us were together for the entire 118 days and two more were with us from San Francisco to Southampton. We became like a family checking in if someone was sick, having dinners in the alternative restaurants, wine parties on deck, etc. Having the stateroom to myself was fabulous. I met people from all over the world onboard and enjoyed everything (except getting sick).

 

I am now saving for my next world cruise!

I would love to read your entire blog about that one milady, would you post the link again por favor ?

Pete

I would love to read your entire blog about that one milady, would you post the link again por favor ?

 

Pete

Most certainly!

kathisworldvoyage.blogspot.com

It has been 6 months since returning from my World cruise and I am pining to do another. It was all I had expected and more. P and O are now charging 75% single supplement. This must reflect the number of single people wanting to cruise. Supply and demand.

Having done a World cruise in my own cabin I can appreciate the benefits of more space in the cabin and no chance of any inconveniences. Such as being woken up in the night, wanting privacy when changing for dinner and strong perfume use.

These worries can be easily abated by mutual cooperation to each persons wishes.

I have shared 4+ times in the past and never had any problems. I have in the “old days” done 4 birth shares and they turned out to be great cruises I remember well.

I am looking to find a nice lady to share my next World Cruise. £8000+ extra is a lot to pay to be on your own. I am aiming for Azura or Aurora 2018 Grand / World Cruise but would consider any RWC with a good itinerary.

That gives enough time to plan and save. We could even meet up or do a short get to know you cruise.

Scuttlebutter, not sure if you posted to ask for someone to share a room but if that was the case just wanted you to be aware that is against Cruise Critic rules.

Keith

I thought I had posted this but guess I only put it in my blog. For those solo cruisers out there thinking of a World Voyage, you will not be alone. Cunard has a World Voyage Concierge and I asked her how many solo cruisers were doing the full world. She said she did not know the exact number off the top of her head but that about 85 were signed up for the World Voyage Gala Dinner. So almost 20% of those doing the full world were solo cruisers.

Scuttlebutter,

I finally caught up with your blog (I had started it before I left home) and enjoyed it very much. I was amazed how you got your luggage on the train!

I was infected by the World Voyage Bug, too. I am hoping to do another one in 2017.:)

I originally wanted to do another in 2017 especially with the prospect of Azura doing her first Worldie. I was booked in a single cabin on Azura’s Grand World cruise leaving in 2013 but as you know it was cancelled due to low uptake. I am hoping she will be able to go through the by then open wider Panama canal. I thought it better to aim for 2018 in a single cabin. It may seem a bit ahead but it is not that far taking into account planning and saving then bookings open in September 2016.

Scapnana

Yes the number of singles looking to do World cruises is high and growing. It was difficult to know exactly how many there were on Aurora 2014 RWC. There were about 100 at the first singles meeting in Anderson’s and that was during a force 9! We had one single lady who had done 20+ RWC‘s.

I am thankful to have had the opportunity to book long expensive cruises in 2, 3 and 4 birth shares with the then enlightened cruise company P & O. They recognised the need and it made business sense helping to fill the ship.

I enjoyed reading your blog imagining I was there. It was interesting to compare experiences. I have sailed with Cunard on QE2 and am seriously considered one of their World cruise.

HI Kiwichick,

This is something I will be watching as well, I have teenagers and hope to do a world cruise in a few years (hopefully when they are independent, they don't seem to leave home these days!) and the single supplement is something I have only just thought about recently after talking to someone about it. I am only 47 but by then will probably be in my 50's, so had better start saving..!

Michelle :)

Holland just decreased the single supplement for the 2016 world cruise by 25% - hope they will start a trend!

Holland just decreased the single supplement for the 2016 world cruise by 25% - hope they will start a trend!

I switched from Pacific Princess WC to Amsterdam because of this... saved SOOO much money!!!:D

I switched from Pacific Princess WC to Amsterdam because of this... saved SOOO much money!!!:D

That's great! It is not often that there is a price reduction AND a lower single supplement on World Voyages.

I have posted a few messages on different boards, just come across this one, so will try again.

I was on Fred Olsen Bramar Sept 2014 to St Petersburg. I had a really good cruise and met a lot of people my age group, 66 years old. I then booked a 10,20,30% promotion as the itinerary of the world cruise ticks all my boxes.

The first of my three was on the Balmoral around the UK and Scottish Islands, the age group was so much higher. I have just come off the Bramar, which was a French river waterways cruise. I enjoyed that cruise. I know the Fred Olsen cruise ships do not have the wow factor of Cunard and Celebrity, which I was on earlier this year, the first leg of the world cruise on the Queen Victoria, then a transatlantic from Miami to Southampton on the Eclipse in May. I thought the Queen Victoria, had too many 'legs' on their cruise with a lot of passengers getting off and on. I also found it quite large to meet people on. I cannot find out any information on how many solos go on Fred Olsen or the average age group. I have called their head office, but they don't give me any real information. I am now having serious reservations, and would like to hear from any solo that has done a world cruise with them. The pluses for me are a small ship, only around 800 passengers, only being broken down once in Australia, and the food and staff are both really good.The downside is the ship is older, cabins a lot smaller, and do not know about the age group. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated

BRIT,Several points to remember about WCs in general. Singles make up 1-2% of total cruise population. Average cruiser does NOT do total WC. Have heard 20% do. Combo of not enough vacation time for Americans, not enough money and fear of boredom I think. I recently returned from 71N on Oceania Insignia, 650 passengers. (I am female). We had 3 single guys and maybe 25 solo ladies. Lots of Brits. People got on and off. Just the way it is. I would rather have a shorter segments cruise on a more desirable ship, which I did. Always a segment or 2 that is not to your desires or you have done several times prior. I highly recommend Oceania WC segments. As singles we were royally treated, even a social hostess who did singles dinners .Insignia doing WCs for next few years. I explored other lines but O did more ports, having best food and value just under luxury class.No formal dress. They offer discounted SS periodically too.HAL will be a very aged group. Princess probably the most diverse group. Do not know about Queens.