solodad Posted July 29, 2022 Report Share Posted July 29, 2022 Hi everyone, I'm cruising with my teenage son, leaving out August 14th on Explorer OTS. He's 16 and has zero problems making friends. I know he will make friends right away, and I will essentially be left on my own lol. I haven't cruised since my divorce, and have never "solo" cruised. I am a little concerned about being lonely on the ship, and was just wondering whats the best way to meet up with other solo cruisers? Is there a section on this website? Are there certain groups or get togethers on the ship? Being alone is a totally new thing for me, and I'm still adjusting to all the differences. WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted July 29, 2022 Report Share Posted July 29, 2022 19 minutes ago, solodad said: Hi everyone, I'm cruising with my teenage son, leaving out August 14th on Explorer OTS. He's 16 and has zero problems making friends. I know he will make friends right away, and I will essentially be left on my own lol. I haven't cruised since my divorce, and have never "solo" cruised. I am a little concerned about being lonely on the ship, and was just wondering whats the best way to meet up with other solo cruisers? Is there a section on this website? Are there certain groups or get togethers on the ship? Being alone is a totally new thing for me, and I'm still adjusting to all the differences. Welcome to the boards! I frequently travel solo; I enjoy the freedom of it on most occasions. I have been widowed for over 14 years. I have gotten to the point that even though I cruise solo, I am not looking to meet and mingle, if it happens okay. But I often find that people on cruises are friendly enough to invite me along on many occasions without putting in much effort. I wouldn't say you are solo as your son will be with you, you may not always do the same activities, but you aren't traveling alone. That distinction is a big difference as coming to an empty room alone is jarring at first. But if you don't mind a bit of cesspool, joining the Facebook group for your sailing might help. Plus, there will be trivia and, in some cases, nightly get-togethers for single people. You can check the compass or even the app and see when these events occur. If gambling can be a thing, slot pulls are a great way to meet others. Enjoy your cruise, VirtKitty and ellcee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted July 29, 2022 Report Share Posted July 29, 2022 I've met a lot of solo cruisers who are frequent solo cruisers who were scared to death of being solo on their first solo cruise. Natural emotions I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellcee Posted July 29, 2022 Report Share Posted July 29, 2022 A big part of traveling solo is managing expectations. Figure out where you're most comfortable being alone and when it's important to be near people. If you read, bring plenty of books. If you like to watch stuff, download material onto your devices. Do any activity you want to, don't let being alone hold you back. WAAAYTOOO and VirtKitty 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisingNewb Posted July 29, 2022 Report Share Posted July 29, 2022 Though I do not travel solo, my experience is that there are a surprising number of solo cruisers and most of them that I have encountered are very open and great to converse with. We always strike up conversation with people dining alone and if they happen to be solo cruisers, we converse everytime we see Mr./Ms. Solo again. I agree to manage expectations but if you are easy going and approachable, you shouldn't be lonely. Have fun. FloatyBoaty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveling Mike Posted July 29, 2022 Report Share Posted July 29, 2022 You just entered my world. Most people do not know what it is like cruising as a single adult with a child. They have ideas but they have not lived it. I have been a single father for the last 24 years (since my son was 1). I have been cruising with him since he was 8 years old. First of all, you probably will not see your son much. I had a rule that my son must have dinner with me every night. By the age of 9 he figured out how to shorten dinner for himself. He would get his main course when we were eating our appetizers; have his desert with our main course and would excuse himself to join his new friends. The rest of the time I was a solo cruiser. What I would change: I would keep the dinner rule but I would add a rule that my son and I would pick one thing in the middle of the day that we would do together. Meeting People: Get on Facebook, Cruise Critic and Royal Caribbean Blog and find your cruise. Meet people before you go. On the ship go to the ship trivia and ask to join a group. Most people do not mind you joining them. I look for a group that does not look like a couple. Don't be afraid to start a conversation with someone at the bar. Even if you do not drink you can hang out and have a soda or water. On the RCL ships I hang out at the flow rider and there are always people to talk to. Advice: Don't be afraid to be alone. You get full control of your life. You get to go to the shows and sit where you want. If you do not like the show you can get up and leave. When I go to dinner I set alone and can get done with dinner in 30 to 40 minutes and not the 2 hours with a group. With covid going away you can always ask for a large table at dinner. This give you 6 to 10 new people to talk to. Take a book or computer and set in the Solarium and enjoy the scenery and quiet. One of my favorite things to do is hang out at the flow rider and rock climbing wall and watch people. Go to the shows, events and dances; you will enjoy them. My last advice and it sounds like it is not you; do not use your child as a replacement for a partner. One last thing: I find formal night a very bad time to be solo. I make it a point not to do dinner at the main dining room on formal night or I do a 5:30 dinner time. To me it is depressing to be around all the couples dressed up. I do the buffet, burger joint or a non-fancy specially restaurant. MaryS, natalie.gonzalez, WAAAYTOOO and 2 others 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloatyBoaty Posted July 29, 2022 Report Share Posted July 29, 2022 I was on my first solo cruise in June (my first cruise overall was just in April) and like you, was a little concerned. I loaded up my iPad with books and …. didn’t have a chance to read more than one. Cruising solo was wonderfully freeing and relaxing without having to meet someone else’s schedule/expectations. I met SO MANY other solo cruisers and talked to lots of couples too! People were very friendly overall, and asking them how many cruises they’ve done/how long they’ve been cruising/what their favorite cruise was types of questions were great conversation starters. I was placed with a group of female solos in the MDR which did make for some very long very chatty dinners, but knew I could opt out and go somewhere else if I chose to. Loved cruising solo and doing it again in October. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattycruise Posted July 31, 2022 Report Share Posted July 31, 2022 Everything that Traveling Mike said. also see about booking a shared table gif dinner. I did that with my daughter and it gave us people to chat with. I also adopted 2 young ladies to our table when one sent out an SOS about dining alone(after 2 days) and another was by herself at a shared table of 6….no one showed for dinner at her table! additionally consider running a meet/greet sail away for solo travelers -pick location on ship, pick time….show up! Someone ran one in my first ever solo and we went to the MDR to ask to be seated together, we also all met for 10am trivia. Some did excursions together. It was super nice. Traveling Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPPJJ-GCVAB Posted July 31, 2022 Report Share Posted July 31, 2022 On 7/29/2022 at 10:22 AM, solodad said: Hi everyone, I'm cruising with my teenage son, leaving out August 14th on Explorer OTS. He's 16 and has zero problems making friends. I know he will make friends right away, and I will essentially be left on my own lol. I haven't cruised since my divorce, and have never "solo" cruised. I am a little concerned about being lonely on the ship, and was just wondering whats the best way to meet up with other solo cruisers? Is there a section on this website? Are there certain groups or get togethers on the ship? Being alone is a totally new thing for me, and I'm still adjusting to all the differences. Check out the Roll Call section on this blog and see if your cruise is already listed…you’ll have an idea of perhaps a few others on the same cruise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
She Sails Away Posted July 31, 2022 Report Share Posted July 31, 2022 I’ve begun solo cruising as well, and find that day three is my “little bit lonely “ day. I spend time at the Flowrider, watching lots of happy folks. I do trivia and dance classes, swim, hang out in a chair on the sundeck. It’s nice to be surrounded by music and sun and people if you need that. Going to karaoke to listen is also a great energizer. But mostly I revel in disconnecting, doing what I want when I want. I’ll go see a show more than once if I like it, or leave early if I don’t. (I always sit in the very back row on the aisle.) I love eating whenever I’m ready, or ordering room service and being lazy. Reading, napping, shopping on the promenade, watching movies by the pool, and walking the walking track are great activities. There’s so much to do—or not do. Relaxation is available and activities are available. You get to decide. I am hooked on cruising solo. I would consider what Traveling Mike said and plan on firm dates with your son. Maybe more than just dinner. And I don’t do the main dining room at all when I’m alone. Too time consuming, and I prefer not to chat up strangers, though lots of people enjoy meeting new folks this way. You’ll be amazed at how often you find people asking if you’re traveling alone, and then want to hear all about it. It has a way of coming up in random situations! check out cruise critic message boards. They have a whole section devoted to discussing solo cruising. And consider blogging here about your journey! I did, and that really added to my enjoyment of the trip—it’s fun to share your day with folks and interact that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowen Posted July 31, 2022 Report Share Posted July 31, 2022 We've met some amazing people who were solo cruising. If you do group things you will certainly meet them faster, so if you want people to hang out with you can probably find some easily just by joining a few activities. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzywuzzy Posted July 31, 2022 Report Share Posted July 31, 2022 The Cruise Compass will have a list of solo/single get together places and times every day. If you consider going that route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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