Solo Cruise vs. Singles Cruise: Don’t get them Confused!
When looking into a going on a cruise by yourself, you’re going to want to make sure you use the correct verbiage to indicate what you’re looking for. You may find on cruise sites the option to search for Singles Cruises and think, that’s me, I’m by myself. However, a solo cruise and a singles cruise are not the same thing. Let’s take a look at the differences.
What is a Singles Cruise?
A singles cruise usually hosts a group of single people looking for romantic partnership. The host or hosts will plan activities on the ship like dinners and cocktail parties that encourage people to mix and mingle and have fun. They often schedule hosted singles cruises around around holidays like Halloween or New Year’s Eve for some extra fun.
Some singles cruises have specified age groups such as 50+, while others are for all ages. Many of the hosted cruises help to match roommates of the same gender to avoid paying a single supplement.
What is a Solo Cruise?
Solo travelers aren’t necessarily single; they are simply individuals traveling alone. Sometimes, a person just wants to get away on their own or their partner doesn’t like to cruise so they travel by themselves. For others, they’ve lost their partner or have gone through a divorce. Solo cruisers who are single may not be looking for love, they just want a nice vacation.
Experience as a Solo Cruiser on a Singles Cruise
I have not participated in a singles cruise myself, but I was a solo traveler on a cruise that had a hosted singles group. This particular cruise was a New Years cruise on the Norwegian Epic out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. In some ways, the singles group drove me crazy. They were loud and took over areas of the ship like they owned the place. Whenever I visited the Studio Lounge, reserved for those in the solo studio cabins, they were always there.
However, that cruise was also my best experience so far meeting other solo travelers with whom to dine and socialize. The few of us solo travelers who were not in the singles group really bonded, despite being quite a different group of people. Spanning four decades in age and from all over the US and Canada, we couldn’t have been more different. The six of us ate dinner together each night and hit up the bars and entertainment on board afterwards. On New Year’s Eve, we all dressed up in our finest attire and had a blast celebrating together.
Do you want to go on a singles cruise? Or will you stick to cruising solo?
