introverts: have you regretted going solo?

i'm curious if any typically not very social people have gone on a cruise and regretted it? or is it the best thing you ever did? due to extremely good pricing, some cruises in the next few weeks have become available to me but no one else can go with me. but i've never traveled alone. I typically enjoy sharing things with my family/friends etc who i travel with. also some of these occur over christmas so it would be a bit weird to be away then. i'm imaging ships full of huge families while i'm solo.

friends all say go for it, go out of your comfort zone etc etc. but they haven't gone solo on a cruise. i do realize that princess has a solo meet and there are some solos on the roll call. i already investigated that. and i know could probably find someone to do excursions with. but then again, maybe not lol. fear of the unknown i guess.

I like sharing the fun with others, too. I'm not an "introvert", and I wouldn't enjoy a lone vacation. I think if you are inundated with others all day, every day, you might enjoy the solitude....but I can't see ever taking a cruise alone. Just not my thing.

I have never traveled solo...but I wouldn't hesitate to do so. We have met many, many single cruisers over the years. Have included them in conversations, invited them to sit with us for a meal, a show, etc. I know I would be very comfortable in cruising solo if I had to and see absolutely nothing wrong with it. I also enjoy solitude, so to curl up with a good book on the pool deck and a cocktail appeals to me.

Most of my cruises have been solo, and the beauty of cruising is that you can choose to be with others or not. I've never done a Christmas cruise (too expensive), but I've heard they tend to attract a lot of families.

Roz

I'm a solo traveler and cruiser and although I'm not a complete introvert I'm also not the life of the party type. I really like cruising because it is generally easier on a cruise ship than most other types of travel to join in with others when you want to and also to be alone if you want.

I have taken holiday cruises but only with family, and I do think that for a first solo cruise you might feel a bit as if everyone is part of a group except you.

We have met some solo cruisers who were seated with us in the dining room. Didn’t notice any indication that they were not enjoying the cruise.

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We know many solo cruisers and some are introverts and they do very well.

Go for it.

Keith

i actually have found a january cruise too. with a private island plus just 2 port stops. st thomas and st maarten. and while i have done no research on them im' assuming they are on the safe side to be solo.

re: holiday comments above, thats kind of what i worried about. all groups/families. where as other times there would be more solo and more chance to hook up for excursions/eating etc. not me intruding on others holiday or feeling left out

criusemom i can definitely see your perspective of being 'alone' if you want on a ship. when i was on in october on the Regal, i swear it was empty (though i'm told all ships always sail full). so i am comfy with that ship and can easily find places to chill. or try to mingle. the piazza had a lot of activities. i think going on a ship i'm familiar with is a huge plus to be solo.

still. id hate to leave my gf behind and thats part of it too but she assured me she would treasure the alone time ;)

and i havent flown in 20 years and that kind of makes me nervous too. id get a direct 3 hour flight to minimize the risk. as you can tell i'm horrible at decisions. i even fret over what brand of paper clips to buy....ok not that bad. but some of these cabins are going for peanuts vs 2000 or 3000 and the money guy in me doesnt want to let the deals get away.

Why not see this solo travel as a challenge and an opportunity to extend your life experience. When I was single in my early twenties I went to Europe twice by myself. When you travel alone you may meet people who would never have approached you if you were part of a larger group. If you enjoy cruising go and enjoy yourself. You will be able to do exactly what you want without having to accommodate others wishes. Participate in the activities you enjoy and you will make new friends. How do you think you will feel in twenty years if you don't go? Will you regret you missed a great opportunity? As I have grown older, I have learned the decisions one makes based on fear are not the best decisions.

I have traveled extensively solo (cruises and land tours). On my first solo cruise, I made sure to get a balcony cabin. That way, if I wanted some time to myself, I had my space.

But I do recommend taking shore excursions with others, and meeting people on your roll call.

As I tell myself, if I am not willing to travel alone at times, I won’t go. And for me, that isn’t an option.

I’ve met some great people while I was traveling solo, and still keep in touch.

Enjoy!

Dena

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i'm curious if any typically not very social people have gone on a cruise and regretted it? or is it the best thing you ever did?

I am what some might consider a classic introvert, and while I don't think cruising is the best thing ever, I find it an enjoyable activity. There are usually places to go on ships where I can be completely, or mostly, alone. And when I want to be part of a crowd, that's pretty easy to find. I've found most cruisers are pretty friendly.

Travel solo is very relaxing to me - no expectations of others. But I would avoid holiday cruises as there are many large family groups which may reduce the number of other solo cruisers. Or I could be completely wrong as solo cruisers might enjoy the decorations and holiday atmosphere.

i'm curious if any typically not very social people have gone on a cruise and regretted it? or is it the best thing you ever did? due to extremely good pricing, some cruises in the next few weeks have become available to me but no one else can go with me. but i've never traveled alone. I typically enjoy sharing things with my family/friends etc who i travel with. also some of these occur over christmas so it would be a bit weird to be away then. i'm imaging ships full of huge families while i'm solo.

 

friends all say go for it, go out of your comfort zone etc etc. but they haven't gone solo on a cruise. i do realize that princess has a solo meet and there are some solos on the roll call. i already investigated that. and i know could probably find someone to do excursions with. but then again, maybe not lol. fear of the unknown i guess.

If you've never traveled solo before, a cruise is a great thing to start with......you can easily find company and activities if you want to, but you don't need to do anything with anyone else if you don't want to. A great combination, and a lot less planning and fewer decisions to make than with other types of solo travel. If you want an excursion, you can sign up for one, but if you don't, you don't have to.

I'm an introvert in that I can enjoy time on my own and need solo time to kind of recharge, yet I do enjoy company in some things and some times. I have traveled solo a lot, all over the world; while I don't prefer traveling by myself over traveling with someone else, I sure prefer traveling by myself to staying home by myself. Cruising solo is not "the best thing I ever did", nor the best solo traveling I've ever done, but I do enjoy it for long, relaxing days at sea. My solo cruises have all been on Crystal (not as expensive for solos as you might think), and they've been serene, calming voyages with good food, nice people, and as many activities as I might want -- though usually I want none at all and don't even go to the shows at night.

My first trip alone was to London/Paris (NOT a cruise), shortly after my 22 year marriage ended. I did a tour and flew to London 1 day early, & stayed at same hotel as tour. That meant at the END of the tour, I waved goodbye to EVERYONE I was with for 10 days! They flew out of Paris airport, I had to fly out of London/Heathrow. That also meant I had to find my way to the train, get on the correct train back to London and get myself to my hotel near the airport .... ALONE and SICK. Fever, no voice, sore throat, vertigo. I DID it ... and then took a solo cruise to Cuba in May 2017. I LOVED it. I could be with people or not. SO many people were friendly and social. I was happy to share a dining table and one time I asked a couple if I could sit with them! They said yes, and we had a great evening. Went to a couple of shows together, it was terrific.

I think if you DO go solo on a cruise, you will find it to be more fun and an easy way to travel and get to meet people.

and i havent flown in 20 years and that kind of makes me nervous too. id get a direct 3 hour flight to minimize the risk. as you can tell i'm horrible at decisions.

I see that you live in PA. You don't have to fly, you can drive up to Bayonne, NJ and cruise on the Anthem. We've been on the Anthem several times and love it.

I see that you live in PA. You don't have to fly, you can drive up to Bayonne, NJ and cruise on the Anthem. We've been on the Anthem several times and love it.

i could never go solo cause was expensive. and i could never get the prices i'm getting on princess now. playing in the casino really paid off. thats the only reason id even consider flying down to FLL

examples double/solo pricing

7 day inside 99/199

gty balc 199/398

8 day inside solo 258

balcony 458 solo

14 day inside 658 solo

obst balcony 858

and many more examples. a lot got sold out yesterday.

over christmas there's 11 nite 553 gty balcony.

also on most of these trips taxes and port are INCLUDED. i dont know how they can do it but they are. the final price for the 14 day is the 858 for the solo cabin. crazy! when i see the regular pricing it could be 3000 to even 6000 for a balcony regular price.

closest thing ive seen out of NY is possibly a few winter trips for insides 429 on 10 day gty on the Gem. however the 400 parking is more than even the most expensive flight to FLL. but i admit id prefer not to fly. and ive never seen solo pricing on RCL.

never saw solo pricing on Pride but i do know you can get 600 PP balcony in the winter for a 7 day double

i was just excited because my small casino play paid off on princess.

I’m an introvert and never travelled alone, however I just got back from a cruise with my husband who wasn’t keen on doing organized activities and had a blast! I went to a lot of the activities alone and met some really cool people. I’d say go for it!

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I am a complete introvert and find cruising perfect. I can choose to interact or not as I please.

I have not gone on a cruise solo, however I have gone on some flight and hotels trips. If it"s something you think you would like to try, you will never know until you do it.

I cruise solo almost all the time including a world cruise (with another one in less than a month). I am definitely an introvert but find it very easy to talk with people on a cruise. I always choose fixed seating so I get to see and get to know the same people every day. Also, I join the roll call for my cruise so I "know" some people in advance. Love cruising solo!

I have a good friend, who is an introvert, who cruises a lot.

She just does not interact with other people. She takes reading material, and has a plan of starting in X location, then at a certain time, moving ot Y location, etc. To relax, read and NOT interact with people.

I have a good friend, who is an introvert, who cruises a lot.

 

She just does not interact with other people. She takes reading material, and has a plan of starting in X location, then at a certain time, moving ot Y location, etc. To relax, read and NOT interact with people.

On my recent cruises I’ve seen several people like that. They have needlework, books, puzzles etc., and I see them around the ship working on whatever it is they have. They seem very happy to be enjoying their time alone. That’s the beauty of a cruise ship…..You can spend time alone if you want, in comfort, or find other people and other things to do.

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I would probably not be classified as an introvert as I have a very outgoing personality, but I also value my alone time. That is why I choose to travel solo. I have sailed with most of the mass market lines and have enjoyed all of them. Give me some good books or a good library, and I am quite content to just sit out on the deck reading and watching the water glide by. I also join the roll call and meet a few people that I end up running into throughout the cruise, and that is enjoyable as well.

I usually just do the ship's excursions when I travel solo, as the price difference isn't that much for one person, plus I know that they will always get me back to the ship on time. With the prices you quoted, I think you should jump at the one of the trips and just relax and enjoy yourself. Hope you have a great trip.

Wouldn't consider myself an introvert but have cruised 4 times solo. It is usually more fun being solo than when I go with friends/family, do what I want when I want. Also made more friends on the ships than I would when sailing with others. Went to the singles events the first two days an found some people to do things with but then had plenty of ME time.