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My opinion on Princess for solos


elycelynne
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ah i didnt know they asked the larger table if they are open to additions . interesting

 

When you arrive at the entrance of the MDR, you are asked if you would like to share a table and then you are seated at a shared table with others arriving at the same time and willing to share. I usually find it’s with the people in front of me or in back of me in line and it’s generally at a table of 8. I’ve found Anytime Dining on Princess to be a positive experience as a solo.

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When you arrive at the entrance of the MDR, you are asked if you would like to share a table and then you are seated at a shared table with others arriving at the same time and willing to share. I usually find it’s with the people in front of me or in back of me in line and it’s generally at a table of 8. I’ve found Anytime Dining on Princess to be a positive experience as a solo.

 

I'll just chime in with my agreement to the above statement. I soloed for two weeks on the Regal last January and ate in the MDR just about every night. Half the time, I asked for a table just for myself and the other half, I opted to share. There were no issues at all regardless of which option I chose. I met some wonderful people and had some great conversations on the nights I chose to share a table and I got in some quality reading and people-watching on the nights I chose to dine alone.

 

I keep promising myself that I'll give NCL's solo cabins a try some day but so far my solo experiences on Princess have been positive enough to keep me coming back -- at least until I make Elite! :)

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  • 1 month later...

I have traveled solo for all except two of my cruises. I certainly don't feel "left out". For dinner I don't mind sharing and tell the maitre' d, just no children. I participate in trivia, if I go. I talked with people and enjoy going to art auctions. I don't expect anyone to cater to me just because I am solo. I feel that it is my responsibility to blend in and don't expect special accommodations to be made for me. I like cruising solo and expect to do it for a very long time.

I also feel that every cruise is what you make of it.

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I have traveled solo for all except two of my cruises. I certainly don't feel "left out". For dinner I don't mind sharing and tell the maitre' d, just no children. I participate in trivia, if I go. I talked with people and enjoy going to art auctions. I don't expect anyone to cater to me just because I am solo. I feel that it is my responsibility to blend in and don't expect special accommodations to be made for me. I like cruising solo and expect to do it for a very long time.

I also feel that every cruise is what you make of it.

 

I love this post:).......I feel the same way.......and to add something else, I have been cruising solo since 2003......so

it has been 15 years......I go and always have a good time.....I am so used to being on my own, cruising solo is a piece

of cake (for me anyway).....I have never sailed with Princess but I am guessing I would have a good time with them as well.

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Update: I recently cruised on the Grand Princess and this time the person conducting the trivia had no problem asking over the mic on my behalf. Apparently it just depends on the particular ship and/or staff!

 

How was the Anytime Dining for you on this cruise? Did you have a good experience?

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How was the Anytime Dining for you on this cruise? Did you have a good experience?

 

It was okay. The service efficiency varied from night to night, and the tables filled up really quickly. If I got there much past 5:30 there was a good chance that I would have to wait a long time until being seated -- Even as a solo sharing a table. I'm considering going back to Traditional for my next cruise (but then sometimes that's a crapshoot depending on your serving person).

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Granted, my awful solo Princess cruise was several years ago but in reading this thread nothing much seems to have changed. Dining was the worst part of it. On one evening when I was seated at a table with several couples traveling together they had a fit and called over the Maitre December and complained, he just rolled his eyes and stated, "he had to sit it somewhere"! I love enjoying a nice dinner and every night was a chore on that cruise.

 

 

I’ve had it where I was the only one at a table for twelve but they said no one could join me as all of the seats were supposed to be occupied. I ultimately changed seats every day at that table for 1/12 for variety and sat with another couple another time. They did not break me and force me out.

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  • 1 month later...

I've cruised Princess solo a dozen or so times Princess is very solo friendly. I have a 14 day cruise on the Caribbean Princess booked for this fall solo and I cant wait. I've seen those Single's meet and mingle in the Patters but I never go to them. I went to one about 11 years ago on the Emerald Princess that was suppose to be in the Wheelhouse bar, the bartender thought I was kidding and I've never been to another one since.

 

I love Princess solo, actually I took my girlfriend last year, I'll never do that again:rolleyes: solo only, from now on. Later Todd

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Well I can only share my experience. I normally do not sail on cruises that are less then 10 days in length. Last year, I was on 4 NCL cruises totaling 54 days and I just last week, I came back from a 10 day Gem cruise.

 

I eat breakfast in the main dining room only. I prefer to be served and it is the only place where lox/smoked salmon is available. If I am in a relative hurry, I ask for a table of two to eat solo. Other times, I ask to share. Sometimes I am added to an existing table and a few other times, I am the first person starting a share table.

 

For dinner, I have no interest in dining alone. I find it absolutely boring because I think dinner should be an experience. That is just a personal preference and opinion. We are all different. Now, I have cruised 8 times so far as a solo even though I just completed my 36th cruise. I have had great success with the solo program and host. I would not like to go to dinner at night not knowing if I would have dinner mates. Showing up for dinner and asking to share would not work for me. I find that a crap shoot, so to speak. Just as an example on how things work on my last cruise. I ate dinner 3 nights in specialty restaurants with another solo since we were both Platinum members. The other nights, I ate with the solo group at a table of 6. The host ate dinner with us 3 nights.

 

Personally, I find this the most rewarding when it comes to breakfast and dinner. Many other solos prefer a different set up and they should go with what they want.

 

One more thing, someone on the previous page in reply to my post mentioned the term "truly a solo." I really don't understand that because solos can be: single, divorced, widowed, married but traveling alone, those that prefer to mingle and then those that prefer more alone time.

 

I'm so glad to read your post as I am exactly the same way. I am going on my 23rd cruise but just my 2nd going solo. I will be on The Escape 4/14 for 6 days. My first solo cruise was on Carnival's Sensation (5 day) last November. That cruise was super cheap ($231) but I couldn't find anyone to go with me so I thought it would be a perfect cruise to start my solo cruise experiences. I have been divorced 4 years now and I pretty much do everything by myself but the one thing I can't do by myself is eat dinner in a restaurant/MDR. I can eat breakfast or lunch, see shows, lay at the pool, and gamble by myself but sitting alone at dinner eating terrifies me. So when I did my Carnival cruise I made sure that I had early seating and that I asked for the "singles" table. Sure enough there were 8 of us single people and we wound up having a great time. Matter of fact I wound up playing Blackjack every night with a couple of the guys even staying up to 4am one night.

 

So now that I know that I like to cruise solo I wanted to try NCL. I did do the Studio cabin on the Epic three years ago but I was sailing with a friend and we never utilized the lounge. I am really looking forward to my cruise in 4 weeks and I will be at the solo meetings every night so I can eat with the group. Like you I don't want to eat dinner by myself and I hope that there are a lot of people that want to eat with other solo cruisers.

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