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Solo dining


Adriana

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Okay, so kind of a silly question. I have a number of cruises lined up, all of which I am doing solo (sola?). I am pretty used to doing things alone, but dining typically is one of those times that is is less comfortable to be alone. I can be social, so can strike up a conversation with others and have done so in the MDR. However, I am contemplating doing the dining package to try something different. I def do not want to interrupt anyone else’s nice dinner (for which they paid extra) with my chatter. Have you seen many or any solo people dining in the specialty places? In Coastal Kitchen, other couples have chatted with me, but they started the convo, not me. A nice dinner is an experience, something people want to talk about, be social, etc. There are no bigger tables like in MDR for multiple parties, right? Just the private tables? After I get used to the pity of the servers because I am solo, dinner is usually fine, so I still plan on going for it. Anything you do during solo dinners, especially as you sit there between courses? I don’t like texting or cell to much at dinner table since it seems rude, even if I am alone. 

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I believe there are a few here ( @twangster )who can answer you. I'm looking forward to the answers as well.

I bought the Ultimate Dining Package for upcoming solo trip. I sailed with a bunch who didn't want any of the specialty dining a few weeks ago. I plan on dining alone every night at the specialty restaurants. I find it way less daunting to eat alone in a smaller restaurant. Also, I really wanted to try them all and now I can.

Please tell me you're joking about the "pity" part. I don't see myself responding well to that. I chose this for myself. I feel like there are plenty of people who sail and dine solo for many different reasons. Another cruise I went on 4 of us were linked and we were put with 2 other separate groups of people - I think if you wanted to be part of a big group you could be. Related side note - all of us really got along and we hung out a lot during the cruise. We keep up a little on facebook.

I only really ate dinner with my large group for my last trip, so I brought my kindle with me when I ate. I've traveled alone before for business and done the same  - a book or a newspaper.

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Yup, @ellcee, everyday, I got so many questions as to why I was alone and why I couldn’t find someone, you name it. I kept saying I enjoyed being on my own and was okay, but it was every day and often with an assurance that it would be okay. I KNOW it will be okay, I chose to be here! I was close to making up a husband and saying I pushed him overboard or some other ridiculous answer to give just to make them laugh ;hopefully) and move along. Solo cruising can be great, it is just the dining (anywhere) that is a little less great as I enjoy sharing the experience. Let’s see what others may say. And yes, @twangster has all the answers!! ?

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Oh come on now, we all now @Matt has ALL the answers!

I cruise solo often.  I am also a frequent solo business traveler.  When you travel for business sooner or later you have to eat.  I'm not going to eat fast food so you reach a point as a business traveler that you get over any hang ups or issues about eating alone in something other fast food restaurants.  Sometimes this means eating at the bar within a restaurant but sometimes I just want a table.  In fact, if someone else is paying the bill, why not try a reasonable sit down restaurant?  

Cruising solo and eating dinner alone come naturally because I have traveled solo for business.  We all have to eat sometime and in the case of a cruise, we all paid for our included meals.  Since I paid for it, why not try a reasonable sit down experience?

For solo dining I choose My Time Dining.  I am always seated at a table for two by myself.  Service is typically fast and the wait staff always treat me well.  I have never noticed if any one is looking at me because quite honesty I don't care if they are, much like when I travel for business.  I wear a sports coat on formal night.   It's easy to do and it respects the dining room process.  i don't pay a lot of attention to what other people are wearing and it doesn't bother me if others don't dress up.  I wouldn't even notice if someone wore white after Labor day, I've probably done it myself.

I tend not to do specialty dining very often.  I do sometimes, but rarely.  The MDR for me is generally ideal .  I take pictures of menus for the blog (flash off) and if I remember pictures of my meals.  I often think what I might blog about or reflect on the day and before I know it my meal has arrived.  

I paid for the MDR, so I have no qualms about using something I paid for.  

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8 hours ago, Adriana said:

everyday, I got so many questions as to why I was alone and why I couldn’t find someone, you name it.

Well then I have some preparing to do. Questions are okay but asking "why I couldn't find someone" will make me get snarky. I work in NYC - people eat solo in restaurants all of the time. No one says a word.

 

 

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1 hour ago, ellcee said:

Well then I have some preparing to do. Questions are okay but asking "why I couldn't find someone" will make me get snarky. I work in NYC - people eat solo in restaurants all of the time. No one says a word.

Have fun with it.  

"I'm a really mean person and no one likes me"

"They went overboard at the first opportunity"

"It was a last minute deal and the cruise only cost me $60.  How much did you pay?"

"I'm doing research for a blog" - then turn the table and ask them all sorts of questions.

Seriously though, I just explain I have a flexible travel schedule and my friends and family do not, which is the truth.  

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I was close to telling them all sorts of things, but just smiled and let them know I enjoy getting away from everything and disconnecting. I don’t think I look too pitiful, but hey, who knows!! ... I am still undecided, the MDR is fine for solo dining, I just enjoy sharing the experience of a nice dinner. We shall see. I can come up with a slew of remarks as to why I am solo, @twangster, those were some excellent ones!! 

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ha ha ha I have sailed solo often since my first cruise and yes the questions are plentiful I love giovanis but only eat there when sailing with family when alone for me it usually starts with the head man at the door don't you want to make friends? I reply I spent my whole life with the govt fugitive task force and am working please just give me a table by myself if you watch over the following nites of the cruise you will see the eyes on you grow to alarming levels I guess the staff talks a lot oh and one side bene my service has always been impecable?

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I'm doing my first solo cruise next year. I'm looking forward to it, without the overgrown manchild who spoiled my first cruise a few years back.

I plan, after reading @twangster's posts and live blogs, to request solo MDR dining at a table for two.

I like people well enough, and may very well socialise all day long, and into the evening. Then again, maybe I won't. I'd rather plan to eat alone and do my socialising elsewhere.

That said, because @JLMoran wrote such an amazing review of his Chef's Table experience, I have booked that for my cruise next year. I'll socialise while dining that night.

I'm also very much looking forward to Wonderland on my solo cruise in 2020. I agree, someone to share that experience with would be rather nice - maybe I can share a table with some other people? Or the tables will be close enough together to share the experience even if not strictly speaking dining together.

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I did Wonderland solo. 

I'm not going to sit by and let an experience be missed just because I'm by myself.  Like cruising solo, eating in a specialty restaurant like Wonderland solo meant I only had to pay for one and I only had to please myself without worrying if it is something another person might not like. 

I have a cruise booked next year with friends I've cruised with before but I'm hesitant to book Wonderland again because I don't know if they would like it.  Jamie's is a safe bet I'm pretty sure they would like.

I think Wonderland is something everyone should try at least once for the experience but I feel like its something I don't need to do over and over again.

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Well, now I am feeling guilty on getting the package because I desperately want to buy a home! Buuut, if the guilt dissipates enough, I will go for the package and go to each restaurant, even Izumi, but staying away from seafood. Yeah, I know, I know, it IS mainly a sushi place, but plenty of other things to try. Thanks for the feedback!! I still enjoy dining more with others, but the menus for some places look great! 

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On 8/1/2018 at 8:50 AM, ellcee said:

Thanks, @twangster I think I will do it. The whole point of me traveling alone is doing what I WANT TO DO. I always travel with people and I love it. I also love being alone and not having to put anyone's wants above my own.

Look at this way. You can still compare notes with me (and my wife, if we run into each other onboard after we've both gone), and we'll be posting our separate impressions in our live blogs for others to compare and maybe chuckle over. ?

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  • 3 months later...

I just did my first solo cruise last month. I was asked quite a bit if I was alone and when I said yes the feedback was amazing. I had an older woman I met on an excursion that she didn't know but she was proud of me.. adorable. In general all of the women I spoke to had the same response, which I appreciated. Men seemed more surprised a woman would travel alone. No one but the staff said anything while I was eating about being solo - except for Chef's Table but that's a whole different experience.

I loved dining alone. I had my Kindle. I enjoyed my food. I'm a people watcher so I tried to watch a little while being discreet.

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27 minutes ago, RatedPG said:

May I ask what people here feel or think about taking pictures of food/meals at dinner time?

I do it a lot and I vacillate between not caring what others think and being embarrassed about it.  Oh, I also need to mention that I usually dine alone.

Umm...have you seen some of the live blogs?  Obviously, many of us snap away ?

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  • 2 weeks later...
5 hours ago, SpeedNoodles said:

So, just to clarify - I've chosen "My Time Dining" - and I see on the cruise planner where I can make reservations ahead of time - but as just one person, I could just show up, request do dine alone, and they would seat me at the first available table? Am I understanding that correctly?

Yup. You can also make reservations for every day if you want to.

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