Jump to content

solo- first timer -meals


hlsess
 Share

Recommended Posts

When I was solo out of Venice fall before last I had a couple of people tell me I was 'brave' for traveling alone at my age - since I'm about ready to retire, I assume they meant I was brave to travel alone at such an old age :p

IMO, cruising is actually one of the easiest solo adventures, you sleep in the same bed every night, know where to find food, don't need to schlepp your luggage from place to place, etc.. The hard parts are the pre and post cruise arrangements of airport to ship and back & rooms for pre or post cruise stays.

 

Hi, I agree with you wholeheartedly:)......love cruising solo, unpack once and that is it. As for arranging pre and post cruise, I don't look at that as hard really. I just add that to the fun of the planning:D

Oh, I am sailing out of Venice this July and am looking at hotels pre-cruise right now! It is my first time visiting there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, I agree with you wholeheartedly:)......love cruising solo, unpack once and that is it. As for arranging pre and post cruise, I don't look at that as hard really. I just add that to the fun of the planning:D

Oh, I am sailing out of Venice this July and am looking at hotels pre-cruise right now! It is my first time visiting there.

 

Just curious about what cruise line you have booked this time? Wondered if you are branching out to try another new line? I'm in process of shopping for another cruise myself...just can't decide on itinerary, line, or how much I want to spend! If I would only win the lottery I'd give Viking Ocean a try...

 

And yes, cruising is way easy for solo travel. I've also been looking at Road Scholar tours as an alternative, as they have a number of them with no single supplement and go to some places I want to see that you can't really get to by cruise ship. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have travelled single all over the world and love it.

I could invite a friend - but then I have to do what they want. I do take family at March Break or, for week once in a while. But want to see what I want - do what I want - I have joined others for outings.

I usually as for a large table - Yes the question, are you solo - no they usually say oh, are you alone?

I just reply yes, and change the topic - if they are clods they may get back to why? Most people get it and I enjoy the table I am at for the week.

the new "My Time" dining is not for me - they put you alone - that is ok one night, but not all week. I book a set dinning time (usually late) and have the same table mates for the week.

I have had times when they are not there - usually first night - they often go to buffet then. But have others turn and say - please move to our table.

Had one lady get my room number and kept calling me because she was alone, she tried to plan my week with me! had to ask her not to call, I had plans.

OK, why did this go to bold! oops hope it comes out on the board ok.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, I agree with you wholeheartedly:)......love cruising solo, unpack once and that is it. As for arranging pre and post cruise, I don't look at that as hard really. I just add that to the fun of the planning:D

Oh, I am sailing out of Venice this July and am looking at hotels pre-cruise right now! It is my first time visiting there.

Try to find a hotel near one of the Alilaguna water boat stops, very easy and comparatively reasonably priced water transportation from the airport to your hotel and then from your hotel to the ship. You can also stay near P. Roma which is where the buses from the airport drop you and where the people mover to the pier is located - but IMO taking the Alilaguna boat is nicer, although it takes a bit longer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just curious about what cruise line you have booked this time? Wondered if you are branching out to try another new line? I'm in process of shopping for another cruise myself...just can't decide on itinerary, line, or how much I want to spend! If I would only win the lottery I'd give Viking Ocean a try...

 

And yes, cruising is way easy for solo travel. I've also been looking at Road Scholar tours as an alternative, as they have a number of them with no single supplement and go to some places I want to see that you can't really get to by cruise ship. :)

 

Hi, I am sailing with Silversea. I cruised with them last summer too and LOVED IT:D.....yes, it is a bit pricey but oh, so worth

it:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was solo out of Venice fall before last I had a couple of people tell me I was 'brave' for traveling alone at my age - since I'm about ready to retire, I assume they meant I was brave to travel alone at such an old age :p

IMO, cruising is actually one of the easiest solo adventures, you sleep in the same bed every night, know where to find food, don't need to schlepp your luggage from place to place, etc.. The hard parts are the pre and post cruise arrangements of airport to ship and back & rooms for pre or post cruise stays.

 

You nailed it. I've been traveling solo since my divorce in 1987 (married 17 years; got that out of my system ... ) ;p I just starting cruising last fall and I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to try it. Most of my travel until now has been cross-country road trips (solo -- just me and the car), or flying to visit family/friends or attend conferences/conventions/festivals (e.g., the North American Festival of Wales).

 

My first cruise was last September: Holland America on the Amsterdam (~1380 passengers). I now have 5 more cruises booked over the rest of 2018 + 2019. And I'm seriously considering doing one of the world voyages (more likely in 2021 if I last that long).

 

I've been focusing on cruise lines with smaller ships: HAL, Regent Seven Seas, and Oceania so far, although I do have a 33-day trip booked on Cunard Queen Mary 2 in late 2019 just to see if I'll do OK in a larger ship (it's almost 2700 passengers). :eek:

 

I just decided that if I DON'T do this now, I'll regret it later when I'm no longer physically able to travel -- and that day is approaching faster than I'd like. I loved every minute of my first cruise -- 14 days -- and never had any problems at all traveling alone either onboard or anywhere else.

 

I also agree with you about the pre- post- trip stuff. I always say I love going places / seeing new sights, but I HATE the process of getting there. I live about an hour from Vancouver BC, and 1.5 hrs from Seattle, which works fine for cruises originating there (I just take the train the morning of embarkation). But getting to other parts of the country usually means a day or two of travel just to get to a hotel near the departure port, with associated transfers. I'm letting the cruise line handle the "day before"/"day after" transport, transfers, and hotel stays if needed. And once I'm on the ship, bliss!!

 

Lana in Bellingham, WA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love Venus, been there a few times. One of the easiest ports to cruise from.

I stayed on one of the canals in the main area - many to choose from. (do not remember name).

Then had a meal right on the canal that night. Cruise was not till late afternoon, so I got up and walked - took the local water bus from one end to the other - similar to taking a city bus. Ticket allowed me to get on/off - went to a local market, saw all the kids that take that in the morning to school. Stay at a hotel with a nice lounge and dinning room. Found the streets get a little deserted late at night, and was more comfortable to go for a walk late afternoon, then settle to my hotel for dinner. Take a pair of shoes that dry easy - some of the main area becomes underwater at times. I wore runners that dry quickly. From my hotel, (did late checkout at 12)I only had to walk to the ship - around a few twists and turns, but I had a map. Was told that was easier than taking a water taxi - and it was. Ordered "." coffee, but ended up with the strongest shot I have ever had - gave me a jolt for the day (haha). I prebooked a ticket from the train to a water taxi to hotel from airport.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the NCL Pearl last year and the dining room staff would ask the question as "Just one?" like there was something unusual or weird about that. It was the only time traveling solo made me feel weird. I eat almost all meals in the MDR alone- I take the standard cruise with no specialty things as usually I can find a rock bottom guarantee cabin but it comes with no stuff. I prefer the MDR as I like the restaurant style service and courses as opposed to the free for all at the buffet. I just take my Kindle and enjoy. My husband of 25 years hates to cruise, so if I want to go, I go by myself- and we are both good with that!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1

On the NCL Pearl last year and the dining room staff would ask the question as "Just one?" like there was something unusual or weird about that

 

That is what I am always hearing recently on NCL too. Interesting since NCL caters to solos. I have found that I really like dining alone. It is a revelation for me. Maybe I am coming into my own!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1
On the NCL Pearl last year and the dining room staff would ask the question as "Just one?" like there was something unusual or weird about that

 

That is what I am always hearing recently on NCL too. Interesting since NCL caters to solos. I have found that I really like dining alone. It is a revelation for me. Maybe I am coming into my own!

 

I also hear "Just one?" occasionally on land, but I don't impute any particular meaning to it. Sometimes it is asked merely for clarity.

 

NCL, at least on the ships with a studio lounge, actively tries to form groups of solo passengers for dinner seating, so dining alone may be a little less common on NCL than the number of solo passengers would indicate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I quite enjoy the speciality restaurants for solo dining - the main venues are a bit more daunting.

My experience with dining solo on a cruise is limited as I've only done it once, but I wound up doing the specialty restaurants a lot on that trip because a) the MDR was blah and b) the specialty restaurants were numerous and good. It was awkward because I basically ditched the solo group a fair amount as a result, LOL. But I don't mind eating by myself--I usually travel by myself, so it's part of the deal.

 

 

On my next cruise (which the person I quoted is on, by the way--hi!), I've bought the 7-day dining package. Of course, I'm sure it'll turn out that the MDR on that ship is fantastic, now that I've done that. :-)

 

 

Anyway, it depends on the ship as to how far specialty dining gets you, as some ships only have a couple of extra restaurants and you'll probably get sick of that. Eating at a large table in the MDR can be interesting, even when you're traveling with other people. I'd never want to feel I had to eat at the buffet, though--if I wanted to, fine, but I'd rather feel awkward eating a rare steak than less awkward eating picked-over, sneezed-on food out of steam trays. :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Thought I'd circle back to this thread post-cruise, as it was soooooo helpful in my planning and preparations. Thank you, all, for your participation and insights.

 

First, the cruise I just finished was loaded with solos. As suggested on this board, the ship hosted a solo gathering on the first night, and many of us went together to the MDR for the first dinner on board. That was a particularly good way to break the ice.

 

For this weeklong cruise, I had lined up a number of specialty venues with my little table for one. I was looking forward to it! As it turned out, nearly every night I had the option of joining others or not. One night a couple I had met on our hotel transfer shuttle invited me to join their table. I did, and joined them a few other times as well. Another solo and I realized we had reservations for 1 at the same venue one night, so we combined. The one night I truly wanted to dine alone was at the venue with an upcharge, and I did.

 

Bottom line: I ate with people when I wanted to, and I ate alone when I wanted to. It was perfect! And nobody, ever, asked me why I was alone -- it was utterly unremarkable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thought I'd circle back to this thread post-cruise, as it was soooooo helpful in my planning and preparations. Thank you, all, for your participation and insights.

 

First, the cruise I just finished was loaded with solos. As suggested on this board, the ship hosted a solo gathering on the first night, and many of us went together to the MDR for the first dinner on board. That was a particularly good way to break the ice.

 

For this weeklong cruise, I had lined up a number of specialty venues with my little table for one. I was looking forward to it! As it turned out, nearly every night I had the option of joining others or not. One night a couple I had met on our hotel transfer shuttle invited me to join their table. I did, and joined them a few other times as well. Another solo and I realized we had reservations for 1 at the same venue one night, so we combined. The one night I truly wanted to dine alone was at the venue with an upcharge, and I did.

 

Bottom line: I ate with people when I wanted to, and I ate alone when I wanted to. It was perfect! And nobody, ever, asked me why I was alone -- it was utterly unremarkable.

 

Hi, glad to read you had such a great experience:). I see you were on The Wind........I sailed on The Spirit

last summer and will be going on Whisper in July. I have to agree with your assessment. I felt very welcomed

and I think I ate with other people every night but 1. I am hoping this coming cruise will not be my last with

Silversea..........they have a very warm and welcoming attitude. It is terrific:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, rkacruiser, I have appreciated your perspective.

 

Lois, wishing you fair winds on the Whisper med cruise -- I hope to do that some day! As you probably noticed, I signed up for two more sailings when I was onboard: next winter on the Shadow in Asia (where I'll be anyway, so I thought ...why not just add a cruise?), and the following spring on the Muse in Alaska with my daughter to celebrate her college graduation. Like you, I loved the SS experience from start to finish, and when I do the math it seems to come out pretty well when I account for their promotions and the low single supplement. Perhaps we will meet -- and dine -- aboard a Silversea vessel in the future.

 

My best to you both,

Edited by Unibok
typo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I travel on HAL ships all the time by myself, and I’m an older woman. I managed to snag a single room for the next one - yay! I love sitting at large tables in the MDR and was disappointed only once - a formal night and I was the only one at the table that night. Just a wee bit awkward. I didn’t ask, but I’m surprised they didn’t offer to seat me with another group. Since I’ve travelled solo for business and military, I don’t have a problem eating by myself. Great way to people-watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I travel on HAL ships all the time by myself, and I’m an older woman. I managed to snag a single room for the next one - yay! I love sitting at large tables in the MDR and was disappointed only once - a formal night and I was the only one at the table that night. Just a wee bit awkward. I didn’t ask, but I’m surprised they didn’t offer to seat me with another group. Since I’ve travelled solo for business and military, I don’t have a problem eating by myself. Great way to people-watch.

 

I have had that same experience: the only guest who appears for dinner at a large table. Like you, I have no problem dining by myself. That's what I do when I am home. When such has happened, and it has not happened often, on a ship, I find the usually very good/excellent service becomes even better! And, the service staff have a bit more time for conversing with me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I usually cruise with P and O; husband hates cruising and I love it. I lived alone before marriage and really enjoy travelling alone, so if someone asks me why I'm along my reply is "Because I enjoy travelling alone." Always book tables for one in speciality restaurants and enjoy the attention and good service. In the MDR I usually share a 6 or 8 and meet nice people unless I'm really tired when I ask for a 2 to myself.

Only problem I've ever had was trying to use the buffet one night; never again! Get up for something you've forgotten and your whole meal vanishes. Get up for self serve wine and your dinner vanishes. Go for more and your glass of wine vanishes! It's like Sisyphus!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't cruised alone yet. My first solo is in November. But I have dined alone in the buffet for many meals. Since my wife passed away, I have taken 4 of my 6 grandchildren on a cruise, so most times I dine alone. I like buffets so when I buffet alone, I treat each food trip as a stand alone venture. I get my food, drink and salad on the initial trip and if I want a dessert, I don't bank on returning to the same spot. Sometimes I get there in time and sometimes I don't. Doesn't matter to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just completed my 1st solo cruise on Carnival - short weekend trip from L.A. to Ensenada and back. I met several other solo cruisers - some around my age, some elderly, all really nice people. Thankfully nobody was rude to me at all. Several asked me if I was by myself and I cheerfully said yes, and they just kinda knowingly nodded. I think it's the nature of that particular cruise - mostly people from the area, relatively inexpensive weekend vacation, etc. One lady did tell me she thought I was brave traveling alone at such a "young" age - which made me laugh because I often travel alone, and I am older than she is!

 

Anyway, to answer the question - I prefer the main dining room because I know I have a seat waiting for me, and they bring the food to me! I took a chance the 1st evening to see who I would be sitting with and got very lucky - 2 pairs of friends, another solo cruiser, and a father-son pair. If I didn't know any better, I'd think Carnival ran some kind of personality test on us beforehand because it just so happened we all got along like long-lost friends. But if you don't feel comfortable, talk to the staff and they will be as accommodating as they can. They want you to have a good time and be happy, so you will keep spending money and return for more cruises! ;-)

 

Our first cruise was with Carnival, and having travelled from Australia, we didn't know what to expect. Like you we felt Carnival chose our dinner companions with care: a family, 3 generations, which included a gay son and partner, and intellectually disabled grandson (20s). Having worked with blind and vision impaired people, we were not 'put off' by the 'variety' within the family. 17 years later our close friendships remain, but sadly, from hence forth, I will be a solo traveller, due to the loss of my husband early 2017.

 

One never knows who they meet when sailing, but we have only had great experiences when we chose to dine with others on our many and varied cruises.

 

I am not daunted at the prospect of a solo traveller.

 

I am currently experiencing this for the 1st time back on what were yearly 3 month trips to USA and Canada.

Life is full of surprises but 'we only have one chance at life'.

;) :)

 

 

SaveSave



 

 

SaveSave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as meals, I will eat where I choose on a given night. Sometimes that's the MDR (alone or try to share a table), at the buffet, or at a specialty restaurant. I don't mind eating alone, and frankly, it's one of the benefits of traveling solo--I can eat when I want, where I want, and what I want. :D

 

Regarding other passengers' questions, I just answer honestly. I like to travel, and if my DH can't, then I go alone. He also travels by himself for certain events or itineraries (e.g., fishing trips with the boys). Usually those who are surprised don't intend to be unthinking with their responses; they just haven't met someone (in particular, a woman) who travels solo.

 

I have had people ask me if my DH has given me permission to travel or make other tending-toward-insulting comments, and I disengage from the conversation. Life's too short to explain myself to strangers.

 

I luv your attitude. I'm single 60 plus, retired and I don't deal with my on "drama" well much less others. So I'm up and about when I want to where I want to. I'm booked on my second cruise ever and it's 49 days. I'm excited and scared. Scared because of the 49 days on sea and not because I'll be alone.

 

I went to school that had nuns as admins. The President of the school (College) would say from time-to-time; "If you were on a desert island, could you entertain yourself?" That really stuck in my mind and spoke loudly to me. Then a female minister named Wanda Davis-Turner framed it for me, "You don't like to be by yourself because you don't like yourself." Those words yelled at me ...I had to do a lot of introspection.

 

Ramona

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

If you're shy like me and don't feel like talking with strangers during a long dinner at a group table or feeling awkward alone, HAL offers the ability to order room service from the dishes in the main dining room. I stop by the dining room in the afternoon to check the menu (it's on the ship's app too now), and then call in what I want for dinner and eat quickly and peacefully in my cabin. Then I can also hit the Lido buffet if I want to try some other soup or appetizer (many are from the main dining room menu)

 

If I'm going to the dining room, I usually go early or late so it doesn't feel as crowded and I can get in and out of there quickly, while enjoying my meal with a good book.

 

Some people might enjoy sitting with strangers over a meal, but I don't do it in a regular restaurant so I really don't like it on a ship, especially being crammed tight into a table. I've also found from overhearing people at other tables that conversation too-often turns to politics and the current president, which would ruin my appetite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first ever cruise was Nov 2017, Panama Canal. I went with a group made up of some members of a Mon., Tues., Thur. morning exercise class formed by the instructor. Some of the instructors co-workers and friends came along too. I booked my trip (Princess) with me, myself and I only in an interior cabin The single supplement is 100% of one paying passenger.

 

I asked no one to help me pay, I didn't complain or moan that I was paying double. A couple of the cabins had three people (I found just me was a tight squeeze). Yet I had folks in this group (the exercise folks) trying to get into my business asking inappropriate questions, some even asked for the water I had ordered and prepaid.:rolleyes:

 

My response: It's my business not yours as long as I didn't ask you to help me pay. And the water ...pay for your own water. If it's to expensive for you to pay it's to expensive for you to use mine. As no one in that particular click has or had a heaven or hell to put me in ...back off and drive down your own lane.

 

Ramona

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...