It’s easy to imagine that the majority of lone travellers are teenage backpackers racketing around the world on a gap year. But this isn’t the case. Last year, the average age of the UK solo traveller was 57. With both the desire and the means to explore the world, the over-fifties are now the age group most likely to holiday alone.
Offering both space for solitude and opportunities for social interaction, a cruise takes the stress out of solo travel. And as cruise lines become more and more sensitive to the needs of those sailing alone – providing dedicated social events as well as solo cabins or deals waiving those dreaded single supplements – the number of people choosing to set sail on their own is growing. Here are a few ideas for ships and trips.
Best for meeting other solos
Touring specialist Riviera Travel offers a selection of river trips exclusively for solo travellers, so all your fellow passengers will be in the same metaphorical boat. If this is your first river cruise, opt for a classic itinerary such as the eight-day Blue Danube, which starts and ends in Budapest. Highlights include tours of Vienna and Salzburg and a classical quartet recital on board.
For a local departure
British cruise line Fred Olsen currently has a solos offer on its seven-night German Cities and the Kiel Canal cruise, where an inside twin-bedded cabin will cost the same per person whether you sail alone or in a pair. The seven-night round trip from Newcastle includes a captain’s drinks party and gala dinner and features a transit of the Kiel Canal.
For first-time river cruisers
With the single supplement waived, solo travellers can save up to £522 per person on a six-day Danube cruise this summer. Sailing from Budapest, MS Serenity follows the river upstream through two more great European capital cities, Bratislava and Vienna. The cruise also visits historic Melk and ends in Passau, where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers meet. There are optional city tours and excursions to sights including Vienna’s vast Schönbrunn Palace, Bratislava Castle and the Benedictine Abbey at Melk.
Best for big-ship fun
Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships feature studio cabins designed for single occupancy, as well as an exclusive lounge for solo travellers. These big vessels have a huge choice of restaurants and bars, which you can explore on singles meet-ups. Try a week-long Premium All Inclusive sailing (which includes gratuities and many drinks) around the Western Caribbean from Miami.
Best for long-haul adventure
There are plenty of opportunities to bond with fellow cruisers on Avalon Waterways’ 15-day Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia and the Mekong cruise, where activities include a Vietnamese cookery class, a ride on an ox cart and a visit to a traditional Khmer home. The added bonus? There’s a “no single supplement” offer, too.
Best for small-ship intimacy
If you find the idea of travelling on a large ship daunting, consider G Adventures’ eight-day Burgundy River Cruise Adventure, where there will be a maximum of 22 passengers aboard the boutique barge that cruises from Dijon, visiting small villages and vineyards. On these small-group trips, solo travellers can be paired with others of the same sex in twin or multi-share cabins, for those who wish to avoid paying a single supplement.
Expert Advice
Richard Sykes, cruise director with Voyages to Antiquity, advises those cruising solo for the first time to opt for a small ship. “It provides a far more sociable environment than a larger vessel.” Hosted solos meet-ups are great for getting to know others, he adds, but not the only way. “Excursions give you an automatic group to chat to. And at meals choose the largest table you can; it’s a relaxed way to meet fellow diners. We find that many people, both solos and couples, rebook in groups after they have met on a cruise. It often turns out they bonded at dinner.”
Alison Bisset, tour manager with solo travel specialist Just You, says the biggest step is turning up. “For those who have lost partners or have divorced, a solo trip can be nerve-wracking. But travel with a small group, and you’re soon like a close-knit family. You always find people of a similar mindset – you have a common interest in travel, at least. My groups include people from all walks of life, and with the day’s sights to discuss, they never lack conversation.”
By: Joanna Booth , APRIL 2018 The best cruises for solo travellers – and why it’s the perfect way to find romance, Thelegrapg, recover from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/articles/best-solo-cruises-and-how-to-find-romance/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_em
