Mature singles on Holland America

[vab1224]

I know HA caters to a more mature crowd -- of which I am one. I am wondering if any of you have traveled solo on a HA ship, and, if so, did you enjoy it? Were your assigned idinner companions also solo travelers, or were you seated with couples or families? Were you charged double for your cabin accommodations, or were you given a "break" on the cabin price? Thank you for your replies.

[CowPrincess]

I have travelled solo on a HAL ship, I have enjoyed it, and my assigned dinner companions were not other solos. Regarding pricing, I have recently experienced both "pay double" (didn't take it) and "here's a price break" (booked it ) for 2 different cruises. Seems to depend on the cruise.

HAL usually has a "singles and solos" lunch get-together.

[casamariposa]

I, too, travel solo. On my transatlantic cruise last year, I was at a table for eight. All of us were traveling solo. (First time that ever happened to me!) Most times, I am with couples or singles traveling together. Either way, I have had a great time. Last month I was on the Maasdam for 14 days, and I shared a table with two wonderful couples. We laughed a lot and have been in contact since the cruise. Whether on a land tour or on a cruise, I have met marvelous people traveling solo. Re pricing of cabins, I wish HAL would return to posting the singles fares by category. Used to be you'd check the fares and know whether the brochure rate for singles was 125%, 150%, or 200%, depending on category. It is very mysterious now.

[solocanadian]

Originally Posted by vab1224

I know HA caters to a more mature crowd -- of which I am one. I am wondering if any of you have traveled solo on a HA ship, and, if so, did you enjoy it? Were your assigned idinner companions also solo travelers, or were you seated with couples or families? Were you charged double for your cabin accommodations, or were you given a "break" on the cabin price? Thank you for your replies.

I've been travelling solo on HAL for some time now. Best I can figure I pay 150% for an outside cabin. Never been seated with a group of solo pax except on one occasion and we made that happen. Usually seated at a table of 6 to 8 with a mix. There is a perponderance of single women and very very few single men. Singles luncheon one time only had one man. The other times it was like a senior luncheon at a home - not my cup of tea since I'm in my mid 60's.

[onthegogirl]

Originally Posted by vab1224

I know HA caters to a more mature crowd -- of which I am one. I am wondering if any of you have traveled solo on a HA ship, and, if so, did you enjoy it? Were your assigned idinner companions also solo travelers, or were you seated with couples or families? Were you charged double for your cabin accommodations, or were you given a "break" on the cabin price? Thank you for your replies.

I often travel solo on HAL cruises and have met many, many solos on board. I have had a table of four, all of us solos, a table of eight, six of us solos and a table of ten, five of us solos. I have always had a wonderful time and seldom make other dinner arrangements. You can also do As You Wish dining and ask for a table of six or more. There is no guarantee that you will have singles at your table but you could dine with different folks each night.

There is a single supplement, usually 50% but sometimes higher. You can also sign up for the "singles partners program" There you agree to room with a stranger of your sex and smoking preference. If someone else signs up you get a roomy; if not, you get the cabin for half the double rate. I used the singles program once and ended up in my own cabin. Since I sail longer cruises I prefer to pay the extra fee and not worry.

On sea days there are usually a few tables set aside in the dining room for singles and solos. This is a great way to meet people. Also, joining a roll call for your cruise and attending the Meet and Greet is excellent.

I personally love sailing solo. The only thing I would like better is if my DH would sail along with me.

Hope this answers some of your questions.

[Rhea58]

As a widow, I, too, sail single. Some cruises ago I was assigned a
table of other older women who were boring & we had little in common.

Since that experience, I have embraced the Anytime Dining which has worked to my advantage. Either I am seated w/a new bunch of folks each nite (asking for largest table available) or pair up w/those I've met along the way to dine together.
Either way it is way more interesting.

I also attend the singles luncheon & mariner's luncheons...it is not
lonesome being on a HAL ship if that is your concern.

I usually have my own outside cabin and pay 150%.

[RuthC]

I've been sailing solo for 10 years now (20 solo cruises). Yes, I like it! I like being able to come and go as I please, without coordinating my plans with anyone. As the spirit moves me works just fine.

I always have As You Wish Dining---that is, I wish a large table, at main dining, with the same people every night. It is so nice to have dining companions that I get to know, and with whom to share the details of the day. It's generally been a mix of other solos, singles traveling together, and couples. I was never seated with a family with kids.
Once I had to request a table change, and once I changed after 20 days because I had become friendly with some people.

Usually I take the inside cabin by myself, for a 150% single supplement over the per person, double occupancy rate. I did the "single share" program three times, and would do it again. I had two lovely cabinmates out of the three. (Hey! Baseball players would love that average!)

If the choice is stay home alone, or cruise alone, well---the choice is easy. Cruise!

[HamOp]

Originally Posted by solocanadian

There is a perponderance of single women and very very few single men. Singles luncheon one time only had one man..

I like those odds...

[CowPrincess]

Originally Posted by HamOp

I like those odds...

We've got a single male friend I keep trying to convince to sail on HAL -- but he hasn't tried it yet. I think he'd enjoy the ships and "those odds" too

[photomikey]

We met an older single lady on one of our rollcall meetups a few years back, and after meetup #1 I don't know that I ever saw her without a crowd around her. If she wasn't singing in the piano bar she was dancing with a gentleman in the crows nest or cheering on someone at a game show or yelling out BINGO. She was always around no less than 10 other people - some couples, some singles. She was a riot, and we're not particularly social, but I loved being with her.

I'm probably 30 years her junior and I didn't do half the stuff she did.

This is to say that if you find yourself at home sitting in the back of the theater alone, you will probably find the same aboard ship, but if you find yourself chatting someone up in the theater lobby, you will find plenty of people your age (if "your age" is something that's important to you) aboard to hang out with.

[casamariposa]

I agree wholeheartedly with Photomikey. I met friendly people while waiting to embark on my recent cruise and spent time aboard with them. If you are truly interested in people, you'll do just fine. Heck. I'm still in touch with people I met touring in Italy in the 60s.

[Solo Cruiser]

I've cruised solo on Princess and HAL and yes I LOVED them all. On HAL I was seated at dinner with 7 other solos and we had a great time getting to know each other during the week. We even all went out "clubbing" after the farewell dinner. PHOTOMIKEY would not have like our odds that night as there were 3 men and 5 women. But it usually does favor the males odds wise. On Princess I usually paid 200% but on HAL I booked for about 160%. Let us know how you like it when you return.

[RevNeal]

I've enjoyed my solo cruises. The industry is geared to the Noah's Ark Syndrome (where people come aboard 2 x 2), so when one finds a cruise line that is welcoming to Solo cruisers and makes it easy for them with 150% Single Supplements, it's a win-win.

[seashell]

i have not done as many solo cruises as Ruth or Rev Neal but i've done my share. I tend towards HAL and Celebrity. I have had tables with mostly couples and singles. One family on my first solo cruise and the kids and i got along great. by the end of the trip someone mistaked me for family. nice compliment. my panama canal trip i ended up with 2 couples and had a great time. I ended up kayaking with one of the husbands since his wife cannot do anything like that.

i second the roll calls. i have met some great people that way and it's nice to see them on board. usually quite a bit. i've even looked before i book a cruise to see how the group looks. it has swung my choice a couple times. Lots of the roll call people have been many times but at least a couple are newbies.

rates have usually been 150 per cent. right after 911 the supplement was dropped for a few months.

RevNeal, loved your panama canal pictures. they got me ready for my trip.
Ruth and RevNeal i have read your posts before and would love to meet you on cruise sometime. Hope someday our paths cross.

[DizzyDallasDi]

Originally Posted by vab1224

I know HA caters to a more mature crowd -- of which I am one. I am wondering if any of you have traveled solo on a HA ship, and, if so, did you enjoy it? Were your assigned idinner companions also solo travelers, or were you seated with couples or families? Were you charged double for your cabin accommodations, or were you given a "break" on the cabin price? Thank you for your replies.

For the past 6 years, I've traveled solo on all of my trips (land and sea) and have been on 3 solo cruises, 2 of them on HAL. The term "mature" usually means different things to different people so that's a little dfficult for me to pin down exactly what you mean. I'm in my late 50s and may be considered "mature" simply by my chronological age; however, my lifestyle and mindset is much younger.

If you are looking for a passenger mix with people who "act mature," then you can be assured that HAL ships cater to and have those types on board. The activities offered onboard do not appeal to the "drink till you puke" or "hairiest chest / legs contest" folks so they are few and far between on a HAL ship.

The shorter cruises, e.g., 7 days, will have a younger age group aboard due to the fact that they are still working and likely have children so their vacation time will be limited to the 7-day or less cruises. The longer cruises will naturally attrack people who don't have time constraints so they will most likely be retired and some will be enjoying themselves even as they get way up in years....good for them!!

That being said, the itinerary and time of year (e.g., school breaks) will dictate the "maturity" of the passengers on any given cruise.

My last dinner assignments (Alaska 2009) at a table of 8 consisted of 1 other solo, 2 couples and a son with his mother. It was also a great mix of nationalities, Brit couple, Aussie son and mother, couple from California, solo female from Vancouver (originally from Poland) and me (from Texas). We had a great time with lots of laughs and interesting discussions.

I was charged 200% for my cabin because of the location I chose...and I knew this going in. I wanted an aft (stern) balcony and was willing to pay for it. There are other cabins available that can be had for 125% up for a solo. Location has a lot to do with the increase in price for a solo passenger.

I absolutely love traveling solo. It gives me the freedom to do what I want to do when I want to do it without pressure or worry about anyone else's pleasure but mine. That being said, I am a very personable and outgoing gal who can strike up a conversation with most anyone. I'm alone when I want to be anD socializing when I want to be. It's the perfect world for me.

Where are you going and on what ship? That's being asked merely out of curiosity but it may also give a good idea of the passenger mix you're likely to encounter.

Happy sailing...HAL is a really nice cruise line with lovely staff and very comfortable beds.

[vab1224]

Thanks everybody who replied to my message. I have just come from a cruise on a competing cruise line, and will probably not go again until next year. after reading comments from everyone, I think I will feel very comfortable going solo on HAL.