Solo and Specialty Restaurants

[imsetuc]

Anyone with experience cruising solo and purchasing the specialty restaurant package?  I am considering the Ultimate Dining Package on Royal Caribbean 12-night cruise coming up, and was wondering if it is awkward to eat solo on the specialty dining rooms.  

[spyhop3]

5 hours ago, imsetuc said:

Anyone with experience cruising solo and purchasing the specialty restaurant package?  I am considering the Ultimate Dining Package on Royal Caribbean 12-night cruise coming up, and was wondering if it is awkward to eat solo on the specialty dining rooms.  

 

Hi there! I have the experience that you seek. On my last NCL cruise, I bought a 3-night specialty dining package. I sat at a 2-top by myself each night. On one night, I chatted with tables around me throughout the night, the second night the restaurant of choice wasn't particularly busy so I received exceptional (and shall I say above and beyond) service and on the third night, I brought along my Kindle and read quietly with a glass of wine.  In all cases, I enjoyed myself.  

 

My recommendation would be just to be prepared for anything. Bring along a book or something to occupy yourself (iPad,  crossword puzzle, etc.) and be open to others in the room. I always told the maitre'd that I was dining along and asked for a special table or view and was always accommodated.  

 

I have an upcoming cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette and have also purchased a specialty dining package. I'm looking foward to it.  And, you can try it one night and if you don't like it ask the staff to seat you at a table with others. Many cruisers are social and very welcoming.

 

Hope that helsp.

Diane

 

 

 

[calliopecruiser]

I always eat in the specialty restaurants during a cruise, even if I dine solo (I travel solo, but sometimes I have friends on board so I don't always eat solo).    Don't waste the opportunity to try different things; take a book/phone/tablet with you in case people-watching isn't enough. 

[watson61]

I dined solo in the specialty restaurants for the first time on Regal Princess. It was great.  I found it less awkward than dining alone in the main dining room.  I brought my Kindle both times, but in the second restaurant, I barely looked at it since the couple next to me was chatty.  I'd definitely do it again.

[SSLDR]

I've dined solo numerous times in specialty restaurants on DCL, RCL and HAL and never gave it a second thought.  Don't worry about what others might think just do whatever you want and enjoy yourself.

[Lois R]

I have also dined  many, many times in the Specialty restaurants over the years.  I always enjoy it and plan on doing it again when I cruise in April.

[bob brown]

One of my NCL Platinum perks is two dinner's for two at a choice of different specialty restaurants.   I will look for another Platinum solo at the solo get-together, who is interested in sharing each other's coupon for two.   In that way, we get four comp. dinner's in the specialty restaurant, instead of just two....

 

Just in case you were wondering, NCL will not "split" the dinner for two coupon for you to use two different times, alone.   At one time they did that for solo's, but not any longer.  So sharing with another Platinum is the "workaround"...

Edited November 28, 2018 by bob brown

[PerfectlyPerth]

Awkwardness is more about your own feelings and emotional security. 

 

I cant be bothered waiting for friends to decide if they want to try out the newest restaurants in town so I just go myself because I want to try the food. On ships I am no different. 

[zqvol]

On 11/25/2018 at 1:40 PM, imsetuc said:

Anyone with experience cruising solo and purchasing the specialty restaurant package?  I am considering the Ultimate Dining Package on Royal Caribbean 12-night cruise coming up, and was wondering if it is awkward to eat solo on the specialty dining rooms.  

 

I do it on NCL all the time. I don't find it awkward at all. Remember that it is really not any different than sitting alone in a MDR, just different menus. I can see that if you are used to joining tables it could feel strange, but if you eat alone anywya, it is no big deal.

[RJ257]

Thanks for the insight on specialty dining.

[imsetuc]

Thank you all for your feedback.  I never have issues eating by myself, and felt it would be the same in the specialty restaurants, and hearing from most of you it certainly is.

[HowardK]

Hello, I went on the NCL Escape 2x this year; the first time I ate in the MDR with a group of 8 or 9 solos everynight- the only thing I didn't like was that we ate from 8-10pm all the time.

 

The second cruise I wanted to do more my own thing - I purchased the 4 meal plan (then it turns out I went a 5th time and wasn't charged).

 

I found the particular month /time I went (mid Sept to Canada New England) that the specialties were not crowded. Often I was in and out in 30-45 minutes. I brought my Kindle and earbuds and found that no one really seemed to be watching anyone.

 

Getting dinner out of the way as also helpul- more time for movies, shows, music venues and spoke to people at those.

 

 

[bob brown]

On 12/16/2018 at 12:58 PM, HowardK said:

Hello, I went on the NCL Escape 2x this year; the first time I ate in the MDR with a group of 8 or 9 solos everynight- the only thing I didn't like was that we ate from 8-10pm all the time.

 

The second cruise I wanted to do more my own thing - I purchased the 4 meal plan (then it turns out I went a 5th time and wasn't charged).

 

I found the particular month /time I went (mid Sept to Canada New England) that the specialties were not crowded. Often I was in and out in 30-45 minutes. I brought my Kindle and earbuds and found that no one really seemed to be watching anyone.

 

Getting dinner out of the way as also helpul- more time for movies, shows, music venues and spoke to people at those.

 

 

Surprised that the solo group went so late...

When I was on the Breakaway from 27 Oct to 11 Nov, we went to the MDR after the solo party most nights at around 6:00 or 6:30...

[ksmcdonald]

My father will be going on his first solo cruise.  He is an experienced cruiser, 70 plus cruises under his belt, but they all were with my mom.  She has been gone now for five years and he really misses cruising but just thought it would be too hard to go without her.  He has decided to try a solo cruise in January and I was wondering what is the best way for him to have dinner with other solo cruisers.  He is going on the NCL Epic and I know they have the free-style dining so he won't be assigned to a regular table each night.  He is very, very social and loves to meet new people.  If you go to the MDR solo, can you ask to be seated with other people?  I want to give him some advice before he leaves. 

[travelnap]

I have been cruising solo for quite some times and I always enjoy the specialty restaurants when cruising solo.  As others have commented before, usually the service is exceptional and no one will make you feel out of place.  Probably they will bend over backwards to make sure you enjoy your dining experience.  That has been my experience anyway.

[bob brown]

5 hours ago, ksmcdonald said:

My father will be going on his first solo cruise.  He is an experienced cruiser, 70 plus cruises under his belt, but they all were with my mom.  She has been gone now for five years and he really misses cruising but just thought it would be too hard to go without her.  He has decided to try a solo cruise in January and I was wondering what is the best way for him to have dinner with other solo cruisers.  He is going on the NCL Epic and I know they have the free-style dining so he won't be assigned to a regular table each night.  He is very, very social and loves to meet new people.  If you go to the MDR solo, can you ask to be seated with other people?  I want to give him some advice before he leaves. 

You can certainly do it that way, but there is no guarantee he will find others wishing to share at that time...

The best thing for him to do, would be to go to the nightly solo cruiser's (of all ages) get-together. The time and location will be listed in the Freestyle Daily.   It is usually held in the Studio Lounge, which is normally only for those in Studio cabins, but during the get-together, it is blocked open for all solo cruiser's on the ship to access.   

There, a host from the cruise activities staff will make introduction's, conduct games, maintain signup sheets for specialty restaurants, shore excursion's, and other group activities.   At the end of the meet, all who do not have other plans, are invited to join the group for dinner in one of the main dining rooms, where a couple of large tables are already  reserved.

 

I do this all the time, and have met some great new friends on every cruise....

[NSnJW]

I just got off the Epic Dec 5th.  I had a studio and went to the first get together.  There must have been over 100 people there.  It was packed.  I am not super social so I bailed, but for the social type, there was always lots to do at the open evening meets.  Plenty of people to have a meal with.

[ksmcdonald]

18 hours ago, bob brown said:

You can certainly do it that way, but there is no guarantee he will find others wishing to share at that time...

The best thing for him to do, would be to go to the nightly solo cruiser's (of all ages) get-together. The time and location will be listed in the Freestyle Daily.   It is usually held in the Studio Lounge, which is normally only for those in Studio cabins, but during the get-together, it is blocked open for all solo cruiser's on the ship to access.   

There, a host from the cruise activities staff will make introduction's, conduct games, maintain signup sheets for specialty restaurants, shore excursion's, and other group activities.   At the end of the meet, all who do not have other plans, are invited to join the group for dinner in one of the main dining rooms, where a couple of large tables are already  reserved.

 

I do this all the time, and have met some great new friends on every cruise....

 

Thank you!  Exactly the information I was looking for.  He does have a studio cabin so I'll tell him to make sure he goes to the nightly get-together! 

[ksmcdonald]

17 hours ago, NSnJW said:

I just got off the Epic Dec 5th.  I had a studio and went to the first get together.  There must have been over 100 people there.  It was packed.  I am not super social so I bailed, but for the social type, there was always lots to do at the open evening meets.  Plenty of people to have a meal with.

 

Thank you so much for the info!  I'll make sure my dad goes to that first get together just to see what it's all about.

 

 

[bob brown]

Tell hi

6 minutes ago, ksmcdonald said:

 

Thank you so much for the info!  I'll make sure my dad goes to that first get together just to see what it's all about.

 

 

Tell him to be sure to check the Freestyle Daily for exact location..on the first night, they often hold it at a different bar, as some not in the Studio's need directions on getting to that 'hidden' lounge; and sometimes when there are large number's attending those, they move it to a larger venue on the ship....

[HowardK]

On 12/18/2018 at 9:01 AM, bob brown said:

Surprised that the solo group went so late...

When I was on the Breakaway from 27 Oct to 11 Nov, we went to the MDR after the solo party most nights at around 6:00 or 6:30...

Hi Bob- were we on the same Breakaway cruise in October of 2014? 

 

- This group of 8 or 9 I was in May was an subgroup of the solo crowd- a lot of them knew each other from one meeting before the cruise so I stuck wtih them. However, its the last time I'll ever eat so late! 

[bob brown]

I was not on that one...

I was on the Breakaway previously on Jan 2014,  Jan 2016, Jan 2017, and Jan of 2018

Oct of 2014 I was on the QM2.

 

There are a lot of "regular's" cruising on those 14 day cruises each January....

[LandlockedCruiser01]

I've eaten breakfast and lunch alone on Carnival multiple times.  (For dinner, I had assigned seating.)  The people I sat with were very friendly and sociable.  They either engaged me in a real conversation, or we exchanged introductory pleasantries and ate our meals quietly.  It was as non-awkward as non-awkward can get.

 

Well, except once: I sat at a table with a group of six women and one man, all 50+.  (I was 29 at the time.)  No one was overtly hostile or anything.  Although, one woman made a disparaging remark about cruising solo, and the man looked timid and barely said a few words.  I was happy to finish my meal and leave.

Edited December 26, 2018 by LandlockedCruiser01

[dswallow]

1 hour ago, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

Well, except once: I sat at a table with a group of six women and one man, all 50+.  (I was 29 at the time.)  No one was overtly hostile or anything.  Although, one woman made a disparaging remark about cruising solo, and the man looked timid and barely said a few words.  I was happy to finish my meal and leave.

 

What sort of a disparaging remark about cruising solo? I really can't think of any. Certainly none that couldn't be replied to with something like "I've no doubt whoever you're traveling with would likely prefer to be traveling solo, too."

[LandlockedCruiser01]

1 hour ago, dswallow said:

 

What sort of a disparaging remark about cruising solo? I really can't think of any. Certainly none that couldn't be replied to with something like "I've no doubt whoever you're traveling with would likely prefer to be traveling solo, too."

The remarks was: "Wow, that's bizarre!"  (The women all seemed to know each other, and the man was probably one woman's husband.)  Only I was too hung over to think of a good comeback on the fly.  I like yours, though.

Edited December 26, 2018 by LandlockedCruiser01