A solo cruise is an excellent vacation choice if you’re looking to experience exciting destinations around the world and make new friends along the way.
Sometimes you don’t want to wait to see a destination until you have a travel partner who can go with you. Maybe you just like the introspective time that a solo vacation can provide.
Traveling alone doesn’t mean you have to rough it, backpack, or do all the planning yourself.
If you’re considering taking a cruise vacation by yourself, here are some solo cruise tips to help make your journey an unforgettable experience.
Choose a Cruise Line That’s Solo-Friendly
Iconic Suite on Celebrity Edge
Not all cruise lines are the same. If you’re planning your much-deserved vacation and you want to travel solo, pick a line that welcomes single travelers.
Single Stateroom with Infinite Veranda on Celebrity Beyond
Celebrity Cruises has beautiful single staterooms, many with a private veranda, and offers hosted social events for solo travelers.
You’ll find a vast range of excursions on offer, many of which are the perfect bonding opportunity for anybody looking to make new friends, and a safe, inclusive environment on board.
Martini Bar
The spas and fitness facilities on board are second to none. There’s dazzling entertainment on every ship, whether you want to take a front row seat at the Martini Bar and watch the mixologists at work, or take in one of our state-of-the-art shows.
Celebrity is also one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly cruise lines in the business, too.
All this adds up to Celebrity Cruises being the perfect choice for solo travelers, something that has been recognized by the travel industry. Celebrity was the proud winner of the 2022 Solo Traveler Magellan Award, presented by leading travel industry publication Travel Weekly.
Single Staterooms on Celebrity Silhouette and all Edge-series Ships
Celebrity Apex
With every new ship, Celebrity has added more staterooms to its fleet that are solo-traveler friendly – and many of them have a private veranda, too. Don’t miss out on a trip of a lifetime because you don’t have a travel partner who can go with you.
Celebrity Beyond has 32 solo staterooms with an Infinite Veranda, as does the new Celebrity Ascent. Celebrity Apex features 24, while Celebrity Edge is home to 16 solo staterooms. Celebrity Silhouette will also have 4 inside single staterooms perfect for solo guests.
These single staterooms start at 131 square feet, giving you plenty of space to move around. Not only are single staterooms spacious, but they’re also outfitted with the same modern, sleek design and luxurious amenities as all staterooms on Celebrity’s ships.
Single Stateroom on Celebrity Edge
On Edge-series ships, the larger single stateroom with infinite veranda is perfect for solo cruise guests, a generous 184 square feet including the veranda space.
The infinite veranda isn’t like a normal cruise ship balcony. With the push of a button, the doors to your veranda seamlessly open and fold into the sides of the room, bringing the outdoors in, making it perfect for those who love to soak up the sun and the views from their own private space.
What Are The Best Cruises For Solo Travelers?
Sky Lounge
The best cruises for solo travelers depend on the experiences you most want out of a vacation.
Are you a thrill-seeker looking to cross items off your bucket list? Want to see the capital cities of Europe without hotel-hopping and planning all your own accommodations and train travel? Are you more interested in hiking or history?
Celebrity has crafted different itineraries for travelers of all kinds, from introverts who prefer fewer social activities to extroverts who thrive on meeting new people.
St. Croix
Craving time in the sun against the backdrop of white sand beaches and crystalline waters? Consider a 7- or 10-night Caribbean cruise, where snorkeling and diving shore excursions are bound to introduce you to people with similar interests and a sense of adventure.
If you’re a history buff, tour thousand-year-old churches in Italy or see the ancient ruins of Greece up close.
Galapagos Islands
Or choose the Galapagos Islands, where you’ll share life-affirming adventures with fellow travelers every day, gathering together in the evenings to swap stories.
There is no shortage of options for cruisers who are traveling solo.
What About Solo Cruises For Seniors?
On a cruise, seniors can enjoy a worry-free vacation featuring world-class accommodations and a travel experience tailored to their interests.
Celebrity’s cruises have onboard activities to suit everyone, from thrilling entertainment and live music to guest speaker series and guided meditations.
On solo cruises for seniors, accessible staterooms and excursions for all types of mobility levels ensure guests see as much of the world as they desire.
Tips For Making New Friends During Your Solo Cruise
Craft Social
Just because you’re cruising solo doesn’t mean you have to be alone, unless you want to be, of course. Here are a few ways to make friends—and memories—onboard.
Get to Know the Crew During Your Solo Cruise
One of the best things about sailing with Celebrity is the friendly, engaging crew from all around the world. Many guests enjoy talking with them and learning about the area of the globe they’re from.
World Class Bar
Finding a bartender you get along with so you can have your own “local” bar on the ship is an easy way to feel comfortable in a lounge while cruising solo.
Get to know your cruise director, who you’ll often see walking around the ship. If they know you’re a solo cruise passenger, they may give you some insider tips on upcoming activities or entertainment you won’t want to miss.
Join New, Dedicated Events for Solo Travelers
Eden
Meet fellow solos in a friendly environment at Celebrity Cruises’ new Solo Travelers’ Gathering and Dinner, hosted by the Activity Team.
Check the time in your Celebrity App or Celebrity Today daily program and head for the Sky Lounge (on Millennium and Solstice-series ships) or luscious Eden on Edge-series ships, where you can meet fellow solo travelers. The friendly Activity Team will help break the ice.
Galapagos Islands
The Shore Excursions team will be present to facilitate bookings should you meet a potential buddy to join you for excursions.
There will also be a special solos’ table at dinner that night, and an unhosted solos’ table every night thereafter for anybody who is enjoying the company of new friends for dinner. This is the perfect opportunity to get together with other people traveling solo.
Get Out & Mingle
You might be tempted to unwind in your stateroom after busy days ashore. However, spending time in public spaces on the ship is a great way to meet new people.
Celebrity Edge
Strike up a conversation and make some new friends on the very first night of the cruise. Perch at the bar for drinks if you feel awkward sitting alone at a table. Get chatting on shore excursions, and join group activities on board.
Celebrity’s ships are equipped with high-speed WiFi so it’s easy and convenient to start a WhatsApp group to arrange activities and meet-ups with newfound friends.
Casino
Say Yes to Dining With New People
Joining people for dinner is a great way to make friends and have a fun meal at the Main Restaurant or in a specialty restaurant.
People will likely be intrigued by you traveling on your own, want to get to know you better, and enhance their own dining experience. Even couples like to socialize and meet new people on vacation. Since you’re all travelers who enjoy seeing the world, it’s easy to swap travel stories.
The solos’ table is also always an option. Sitting here is a great way to meet other adventurous solo travelers and swap stories.
Opt for an Assigned Seating Time for Dinner
As a solo cruise traveler, you may benefit more from doing a traditional assigned seating time instead of dining at different times.
With an assigned seating time, you’ll be sat at the same table each night with other cruise passengers and the same crew waiting on you. It will give you some familiarity as your tablemates, server, and sommelier get to know you and your dining preferences—and sparkling personality!
If you don’t feel totally compatible with the other folks at your table, talk to the maître d’ and ask for a different table.
If you’re seated at a table on your own and feel self-conscious, have a book or journal on hand. A journal is a lovely way to pass the time at dinner, giving you the opportunity to reflect on the day and write about all the amazing things you saw in port or did on the ship.
Book Shore Excursions Through the Cruise Line
Alaska
Celebrity’s shore excursions highlight the best parts of a destination and provide unforgettable experiences. Bond with fellow passengers by exploring the port together. You’ll have the chance to run into them again on the ship for more fun and conversation.
When you book a shore excursion, you know you’ll be spending your day surrounded by other travelers on your ship. Most ports have multiple ships calling at them each day, so it’s better to spend the day making new friends with people who will board your ship at the end of the day.
Zipline
Choose an excursion that features a hands-on activity. This gets people out of their element and provides easy conversation starters.
Chatting with others while hiking through a rainforest or waiting on a zip-lining platform can lead to fun conversations. Choosing a tour like a wine tasting or a cooking class is a great way to break the ice with fellow passengers.
San Francisco, California
If you go on a sightseeing shore excursion on a bus, try to sit up near the front so you’re close to the guide. They’ll usually be open to conversations and are a wealth of knowledge on the destination you’re visiting.
You can ask questions and also learn about what it’s like to live there. It’s a way to have some socialization throughout your solo cruise day in port while also learning more about the city or town you’re visiting.
Galapagos Islands
The best part? All the details are taken care of for you. You’ll be conveniently guided right to your shore excursion transportation from the ship. You’re guaranteed to be back to the ship in time before it leaves for the next port.
Take Classes Onboard
Cellar Masters
Join in beverage and culinary programs on board and mingle with like-minded passengers who, like you, appreciate a glass of fine wine or an expertly prepared meal. Onboard classes and seminars give you the chance to see cooking demonstrations, learn about the art of wine tasting, and more. You can even create your own wine blend onboard.
If wine isn’t your thing, you can learn the art of bartending in a Mixology 101 class. Sample a martini flight at the Martini Bar. Into whisky? Try the Macallan Flight Experience, which lets you taste a trio of whiskies. Or join one of the gaming classes in the casino; once you’re confident to try your luck at the tables, it’s easy to strike up a conversation.
Yoga class
If you like to work out, the classes at the Fitness Center are a great way to meet like-minded travelers. Workout classes on cruise ships tend to attract a core of enthusiasts, after the initial well-intentioned rush during the first day of the cruise, and you could find yourself making plans to meet new friends every day for yoga, or F45.
Read: Best Solo Trips for Women
Start Planning Your Solo Cruise
Paris
Ready to cruise solo? Browse itineraries and book your single stateroom today.
