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There is something incredibly freeing about doing everything on your own time when you’re on vacation. By packing wisely and keeping these special considerations in mind, you can ensure that your solo cruise on Royal Caribbean will be a rewarding experience. Making friends onboard proved to be extremely easy and having a group to hang out with certainly enhanced my experience. One place that proved to be a fantastic social environment onboard were the hot tubs! Hanging out in the hot tub always led to interesting conversations with fellow passengers, several of which I connected with throughout the rest of the cruise. Understandably, safety is one of the biggest factors on people's minds when it comes to venturing on a solo vacation.
How To Book A Solo Cabin On The Royal Caribbean
I, however, found the way that works best for me and I am already looking forward to my next solo cruise. If you have 340 or more of the Royal Caribbean loyalty points you can get a reduced price on the single supplement fee. These don’t incur the single supplement fare, although worth reminding you that these won’t necessarily be the lowest-priced staterooms available.
Ready To Travel Alone?
I Travel Solo on Cruises. I've Got 5 Tips for a Great Trip: Photos - Business Insider
I Travel Solo on Cruises. I've Got 5 Tips for a Great Trip: Photos.
Posted: Wed, 02 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Other onboard entertainment ranges from West End-style shows to comedy nights, with plenty of opportunities to meet others. If cruising during winter, visit Norway to see wondrous fjords and (possibly) the aurora borealis, with the Land of the Northern Lights package. If water sports are your thing, book a tropical cruise with a schedule of shore excursions that involve snorkeling, surfing, scuba diving and similar activities. Choose tours focused on wildlife watching, historical sites or food and beverage to meet shipmates who enjoy the same. Dining arrangements, onboard activities and port tours make meeting like-minded people easy.
Dining solo
You don't want to pack formal attire only to realize you didn't really need those dressy duds after all and can get away with a sundress or a versatile pair of slacks. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Margaritaville at Sea is another good choice for quick and affordable two-night trips to the Bahamas, though you'll need to find love quickly on such a short cruise. With no plan B, I cried and walked from the airport to a nearby hotel in the dark.
Not all ships have single staterooms, but we have highlighted those that do, and in some cases, double occupancy is cheaper. I enjoy being social and talking to new people, so I find this as a huge advantage of cruising solo. Another way around the fee is if you have at least 340 or more points in the Crown and Anchor Society (Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program). If you are that high up in the system, the single supplement cruise fare is reduced to 150% from 200%. And when you're in port, be sure to introduce your child to the flavors of the destination, especially with foods they get to try for the first time.
Cabins and Accommodation
I don’t normally eat alone at restaurants at home, so I was not sure what my dining experience would be like onboard. Going into my cruises, I planned to eat most meals at the buffet and spend my days in port or at sea exploring solo. When it's time to slow your heart rate, escape for a spa treatment or perch yourself at one of the many bars onboard and swap travel tales with the bartender. Some guided multi-day tours cater to solo travelers, which is a bit of an oxymoron when you consider that you'll have travel partners from sunrise until sunset for the duration of your trip.
Choose the right cruise and you’ll get all of this while avoiding the common ‘singles surcharge’. There are plenty of ways to get more bang for your buck when you sail on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Every ship in the fleet offers a range of delicious complimentary dining options, but you can dig into even more crave-worthy flavor by purchasing a Specialty Dining Package for less ahead of your cruise. Add a Specialty Beverage Package — which includes unlimited alcoholic beverages, soda, and more — and your experience is as close to all-inclusive as it gets. And with so many complimentary shows and attractions onboard, you can easily fill every sea day without spending a single dollar extra. Dining is one of the most common conundrums for solo travelers, especially if you're not keen on ordering room service each evening.
How To Keep Your Family Happy On A Cruise Vacation
Meanwhile, the Spectrum of the Seas primarily sails in Asia, providing a unique cultural experience for passengers with regional flavors in restaurants like Sichuan Red and Noodle Bar. One of the best things about Royal Caribbean cruises is that there is something for everyone, regardless of age and interests. If I had to leave you with some advice for the first time, I’d say be open-minded and have fun with the new experience.
Safety and Well-Being: What Royal Caribbean Offers for Singles
And when it comes to babies and toddlers, nap time is nap time, regardless of the time zone. Planning a cruise vacation alone with your child helps you keep those routines, as you'll have a steady home base and can tailor your days to your preference. Small-group fun doesn’t stop with shore excursions—there also are lots of places and ways to participate on board, too. Get in on a cooking class or a dance class, or bravely belt out a tune at karaoke night. Single retirees with more freedom and perhaps a larger budget can look into luxury lines like Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas, and Silversea. These lines go the extra mile to cater to singles, offering reduced supplement charges and specialized meet and greets.
As an extrovert I did not feel lonely once, although I did enjoy having an internet package so I could still chat with friends and family back home. In the end, my solo cruise experiences could not have been more different than I initially imagined. I ended the two cruises with new friends and memories made throughout the Caribbean. Most importantly, though, I learned a few key lessons that may help alleviate a few concerns if you are planning a solo cruise vacation.
In 2013, Royal Caribbean introduced one extra cruise point in their loyalty program, Crown & Anchor Society for all solo cruisers. By booking a cruise just for you, Royal Caribbean will give you an extra point each night of your cruise. Lastly, try meeting your fellow cruisers before you even get onboard by connecting on Facebook. It seems like there is a Facebook group organized for each sailing, so just search on Facebook for your ship name and sail date, and see what you find. You might strike up a conversation with others booked on the same cruise, and end up making friends before you even get onboard.
Norwegian sail across a wide range of destinations too, from the British Isles and the Mediterranean to Hawaii, Alaska and the Caribbean. For senior singles cruises, all the previous options are still reasonable choices. The caveat is that cruise lines that cater to mature travelers are often targeted at couples, with solo travelers skewing older. To cater to this trend and type of traveler, Royal Caribbean has added studio staterooms to its newest ships. These cozy spaces are 119 square feet and do not require a single supplement fee; in some rooms, guests also have their own balcony for additional space and envy-inducing views of the ocean and destinations. They offer a range of activities and facilities designed for individuals cruising on their own, along with solo cabins on some ships.
