Travelling solo? Choose a luxury cruise and embark on the adventure of a lifetime!
Have you ever thought about taking a luxury cruise? How about getting onboard solo and setting sail on the adventure of a lifetime? If you’re considering solo travel for the first time, a cruise is a wonderful way to ease into getting those dream experiences alone. There’s nothing you want from a vacation that you won’t find onboard a cruise!
Cruise liners have all the little luxuries you crave, from fine dining and first-class spa treatments to excellent entertainment and luxury staterooms.
Take a look at the rise of solo travel
This has been the number one travel trend of recent years. In fact, solo travelling was up 7% in the past year alone. It’s no surprise as it’s attractive to all ages, from mature travellers who haven’t had time to explore the world as they’d like until now to young people in Generation Z in their late teens and early twenties.
So, what’s the appeal? Solo travel not only pushes you out of your comfort zone, it also pushes you out of the zone of others’ expectations. Taking a trip alone means you can craft the itinerary to suit you, see what you want to see, and have experiences you’ll love. That allows us to come back to our friends and family refreshed and buzzing with excitement from our new experiences.
There are many other reasons why we like to take solo trips. They include going to destinations our loved ones don’t find attractive, wanting to take time out to refresh ourselves from work and daily life, and wanting an adventure. Many people are now unmarried, divorced, or separated, too, which is another reason here is strong demand for solo holidays.
However, gone are the days when we had to don a backpack, rough it, and stay in hostels to travel solo. Luxurious solo holidays are now very much in demand, which is why many people choose a solo cruise.
How has cruising changed to cope with this trend?
Cruise lines have changed what they offer travellers to ensure solo passengers have a memorable trip. They understand that people who travel solo want to meet other people and make friends as they travel on board ship and explore ports. Here’s what the cruise lines have done to cater for them…
1. No more single supplements for some cruise ships
Many cruise lines now have ships with dedicated solo cabins which are all in the same area and have a lounge area so you can meet fellow solo travellers. Many solo travellers resented paying single supplements for the use of double cabins.
2. Dedicated activities for solo travellers
From coffee mornings to excursions in the day, entertainment and mixers in the evenings, there are lots of things in which solo travellers can choose to participate and meet other people.
3. Hosts who look after solo travellers
Some cruise ships provide dance hosts, and some have ‘gentleman hosts’ for solo ladies, for example.
4. Easy dining
Some cruise lines have dinner tables hosted by officers. This is perfect for solo travellers, allowing them to meet and chat while they eat. There are also buffets where dining is informal, and people can mix and chat.
It’s now so much easier for solo cruisers. Isn’t it time that you organised the solo trip you’ve always wanted to take?
And if you are considering cruising, here are the six of the best reasons to choose it…
1. It’s travel without the hassle
You enjoy several different destinations but only have to unpack once. Sounds good, doesn’t it? That means you spend more time soaking up the sights, enjoying local food and drink, and making wonderful memories. You don’t spend your precious time schlepping from airports to hotels and back again, checking in and out, packing and unpacking, and stressing about transfers.
2. It’s a slice of home when you’re far from home
You get to know the crew and your fellow passengers, and you become a community. This is something which is perfect for solo travellers, helping them to meet friends and feel safe and secure as they travel. You also don’t have to memorise different hotel layouts, room numbers, and the way to different restaurants, as you would on a different type of multi-destination holiday.
3. It’s the ideal solution whatever your age
Whether you’re a young couple, parents with a young family, coping with teenagers, or mature solo travellers exploring the world, a cruise is the perfect solution for you. The age range on board is diverse and there’ll be someone of your age with whom you can chat about your day. It’s also a safe environment for teenagers to go off and enjoy a little freedom, and there’s so much to do for families with youngsters.
4. You enjoy your holiday at your own pace
You can do as much, or as little, as you like. Pack your days full of onshore excursions and activities and your nights full of entertainment. Or, simply relax and unwind and watch the horizon as you sip a cocktail. You choose!
5. It’s great value for money
A lot of cruises are all inclusive and you don’t have to change Sterling for local currencies to pay for meals and drinks. Either they are included, or you can arrange a Sterling on-board package. This is especially helpful when there are currency fluctuations. You also don’t have to pay for multiple transfers between airports in different destinations.
6. You can stay connected to the people you love
The days of difficult ship-to-shore communications are long gone. Cruise ships have excellent WiFi so you can email, make online calls using apps like Skype and WhatsApp, and post on social media.
Alexander Panagopulos is the Founder and CEO of Supercruises.com. Supercruises.com’s main objective is to offer a fully online experience to anyone wishing to book a cruise in the UK, making it very easy with just 6 clicks.
If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.
Cruise liners have all the little luxuries you crave, from fine dining and first-class spa treatments to excellent entertainment and luxury staterooms.
Take a look at the rise of solo travel
This has been the number one travel trend of recent years. In fact, solo travelling was up 7% in the past year alone. It’s no surprise as it’s attractive to all ages, from mature travellers who haven’t had time to explore the world as they’d like until now to young people in Generation Z in their late teens and early twenties.
So, what’s the appeal? Solo travel not only pushes you out of your comfort zone, it also pushes you out of the zone of others’ expectations. Taking a trip alone means you can craft the itinerary to suit you, see what you want to see, and have experiences you’ll love. That allows us to come back to our friends and family refreshed and buzzing with excitement from our new experiences.
There are many other reasons why we like to take solo trips. They include going to destinations our loved ones don’t find attractive, wanting to take time out to refresh ourselves from work and daily life, and wanting an adventure. Many people are now unmarried, divorced, or separated, too, which is another reason here is strong demand for solo holidays.
However, gone are the days when we had to don a backpack, rough it, and stay in hostels to travel solo. Luxurious solo holidays are now very much in demand, which is why many people choose a solo cruise.
How has cruising changed to cope with this trend?
Cruise lines have changed what they offer travellers to ensure solo passengers have a memorable trip. They understand that people who travel solo want to meet other people and make friends as they travel on board ship and explore ports. Here’s what the cruise lines have done to cater for them…
1. No more single supplements for some cruise ships
Many cruise lines now have ships with dedicated solo cabins which are all in the same area and have a lounge area so you can meet fellow solo travellers. Many solo travellers resented paying single supplements for the use of double cabins.
2. Dedicated activities for solo travellers
From coffee mornings to excursions in the day, entertainment and mixers in the evenings, there are lots of things in which solo travellers can choose to participate and meet other people.
3. Hosts who look after solo travellers
Some cruise ships provide dance hosts, and some have ‘gentleman hosts’ for solo ladies, for example.
4. Easy dining
Some cruise lines have dinner tables hosted by officers. This is perfect for solo travellers, allowing them to meet and chat while they eat. There are also buffets where dining is informal, and people can mix and chat.
It’s now so much easier for solo cruisers. Isn’t it time that you organised the solo trip you’ve always wanted to take?
And if you are considering cruising, here are the six of the best reasons to choose it…
1. It’s travel without the hassle
You enjoy several different destinations but only have to unpack once. Sounds good, doesn’t it? That means you spend more time soaking up the sights, enjoying local food and drink, and making wonderful memories. You don’t spend your precious time schlepping from airports to hotels and back again, checking in and out, packing and unpacking, and stressing about transfers.
2. It’s a slice of home when you’re far from home
You get to know the crew and your fellow passengers, and you become a community. This is something which is perfect for solo travellers, helping them to meet friends and feel safe and secure as they travel. You also don’t have to memorise different hotel layouts, room numbers, and the way to different restaurants, as you would on a different type of multi-destination holiday.
3. It’s the ideal solution whatever your age
Whether you’re a young couple, parents with a young family, coping with teenagers, or mature solo travellers exploring the world, a cruise is the perfect solution for you. The age range on board is diverse and there’ll be someone of your age with whom you can chat about your day. It’s also a safe environment for teenagers to go off and enjoy a little freedom, and there’s so much to do for families with youngsters.
4. You enjoy your holiday at your own pace
You can do as much, or as little, as you like. Pack your days full of onshore excursions and activities and your nights full of entertainment. Or, simply relax and unwind and watch the horizon as you sip a cocktail. You choose!
5. It’s great value for money
A lot of cruises are all inclusive and you don’t have to change Sterling for local currencies to pay for meals and drinks. Either they are included, or you can arrange a Sterling on-board package. This is especially helpful when there are currency fluctuations. You also don’t have to pay for multiple transfers between airports in different destinations.
6. You can stay connected to the people you love
The days of difficult ship-to-shore communications are long gone. Cruise ships have excellent WiFi so you can email, make online calls using apps like Skype and WhatsApp, and post on social media.
Alexander Panagopulos is the Founder and CEO of Supercruises.com. Supercruises.com’s main objective is to offer a fully online experience to anyone wishing to book a cruise in the UK, making it very easy with just 6 clicks.
If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.
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I used to travel a lot for business and often ended up eating alone. In the days before the mobile phone and lap-top I used to take a note pad down to dinner. People looked at me strangely as I was on my own so I organised a little distraction. Attitudes have changed and nowadays a lot of people travel alone and it is far more widely accepted. I would very happily go on a cruise, though I think my wife would want to come too!
Yes Peter, things have changed and travelling solo is so much easier now. Bring your wife on a cruise, too! She’d love it!
I’ve thought of travelling solo but not via a cruise. I never used to like the idea but in recent years I’ve found it a lot more appealing. I think it’s because I’d never really known or appreciated just how much you can usually do on a cruise liner and how versatile it is to actually explore more areas than you would on a regular holiday with one destination. Cruises are usually pretty well reviewed too and I imagine it’s a safer way to solo travel being around others and a way to make new friends.
The only trips I’ve done on my own have been in the UK but I’ve loved all of them. There’s a much greater sense of independence and achievement, and you only have to consider what you want to do (sounds selfish but it’s true!) It’s interesting cruise liners have started to be more inclusive of us singletons and solo travellers and it’s very, very good to know there are some out there without that dreaded single supplement!
Couldn’t agree more Kimberley. Solo travelling gives you a unique and empowering feeling! You should definitely try a solo cruise though.. You won’t regret it!
As a seasoned cruiser I’ve noted how much cruises have changed over recent years, cruises are now much more welcoming for solo travellers than they used to be.
For the sociable single you can have a wonderful time, dining with different companions every evening of the cruise. I’ve met some fascinating people from every walk of life on cruises.
Nowadays there are so many leisure options too that if you are on your own you can be busy all day, every day. To be honest, my wife and I are like singles from just after breakfast through to dinner, we go and do our own thing during the day before meeting up to change for pre dinner drinks and dinner.
Sounds like you have found the perfect cruising experience recipe for solo travelling with your wife Chris!
I frequently travel solo but gave up on the idea of a cruise due to the single supplement. Always felt it was unfair I had to pay double just to travel alone. I love that many cruise companies have started to ditch the single supplement for fair pricing. Hopefully I can give cruising a try in the near future.
You would be amazed to see the solo offers currently available by most cruise lines. Your near future might be just around the corner Eden!
I think traveling by yourself is something that’s mostly overlooked by a lot of people. To be honest, I spent a fair amount of time traveling with a partner and it always ended up being a little difficult. It’s definitely a challenge to go it alone, but like you said — once you get out of your comfort zone, you can meet like-minded people while also getting to learn a little bit more about yourself.
That’s right Greg, all the magic happens once we step out of our comfort zone!
I never would have thought of traveling solo on a cruise no less. I think cruises are romantic and very intimate and best shared with a loved one. However, this article gave me an idea that it would be good to solo travel on a cruise because there are cruise lines that cater to solo travelers. That is good to know. And yes, getting to meet other solo cruisers in the lounge areas is a great way to make new friends. We can never have enough friends!
I feel that most people share your original idea of a cruise; that it is best shared with a loved one. But in the case of solo travelling, it all comes to the cruise line and how open minded one is. Solo travelling has boomed in the last years. It provides a great sense of independence, a unique adventure and, of course, the added bonus of new – fellow solo traveller – friends! A triple win!
I wonder if we’re going to see solo travel take off in the coming years. It’s the ultimate in social distancing after all.
This is a very interesting question Alistair. We are expecting that the face of travel will change following COVID19 but the exact “how” remains to be seen.