Cruise but without the hell of other people

[TediousTim]

Is there a lovely way to cruise? I think we'd like the nice bits of a cruise (waking up in a new place everyday) but - eating with other people, the hideousness of "organised fun," having strangers make small talk - this sounds horrendous. Is there a better way to cruise?

This!! Loll!

I would only do this if Hercule Poirot was on board🤣

We did a Nile cruise and the tables all seated six. We were put with two other couples who were on holiday together. I hate eating with people I don’t know. I’m told the best cruise ships are the boutique Saga cruises but I think you have to be over 50 to go.

Unfortunately not. I went a few years ago and as there were so few of us we were really pressured to join in.

For me - as I was in a
Couple then - part of the fun was mixing and socialising! We were placed on a table the first night with a group of single women but they all got allocated places on different tables and from night two we were with a group of 10 - they were absolutely lovely. We met up at each port and shared taxis to the beaches . I am mrs social mind - get on with anyone ! But had a fab time ! Go with an open mind and mingle ! And if you don't want to - you can eat in your cabin or just go to the all day buffets - it's no biggie ! But I really enjoyed the lovely cuisine eqch night and the great company! It was great fun . If you are seriously anti social either eat in the cabin or eat at the buffet but I really enjoyed the black tie nights and getting all
Dolled up ! We had 8 on a 28 day cruise - like I said I was in a couple then but we did have a couple of singles on our table and for me it was fine and made no difference. I really enjoyed getting to know different people and it was nice when you're ambling round the ship and bump into people you know to have a drink with ! Go for it ! Embrace the social aspect too ! I'm waiting till I get my pension then I'm doing another !single or not ! I did ap&o Caribbean cruise .

You need to do Norway.

My parents cruise a lot and they said this was the one that expected the least socially

@stillvicarinatutu my parents love all the social aspects of cruising like you. But not everyone is the same. My parents’ idea of a great holiday is a very long way from mine.

The OP specifically wants to avoid the socialising with strangers and organised fun aspects. She’s not likely to decide to just give that a go.

I hate ocean cruising, but love river cruises. I've done the Nile, and the Seine. Only about 100 passengers, no organised " fun", and a new place to visit every day. Wonderful.

TBH if you have issues around eating, I don't think a cruise is a good thing. We did a three day one - but everything seemed to be based around food - I've never seen to much in my life wherever we sat someone was eating something!

Sorry, haven't RTFT, but I just wanted to tell you that we've cruised several times in the last few years, huge ships, and there's no forced activities or shared dining tables. You don't have to ask for a separate table, everyone gets one. They have 2 dinner sittings to allow this. I never speak to anyone... there's no need.

Funnily enough I feel exactly the same as you which is why I love the bigger boats, they're so anonymous, like walking through town; it's the smaller boats, like Nile cruises, where I'd be worried that we'd have to chat and interact with others!

This is true. Part of the reason I (surprisingly) liked the cruise was because whenever my youngest turned up hungry (often) I could just say - ‘go & get some food then’ & he could. There is food everywhere. Snack bars, restaurants, coffee type places, buffet, on every deck there are places to eat.

Soproudoflionesses · Today 00:46
CraigDavid · Yesterday 22:07
One of the Nile cruises that only takes about 20 people? Always looked pretty good to me.

“I would only do this if Hercule Poirot was on board🤣“

nooooo! You might end up shot by a poisoned dart and thrown in the river.

Who did you go with?

I don't think I'd cruise
Then . It's funny I didn't think I'd enjoy it - because previously
Y idea of holiday heaven was (and still is to a large extent) hiring a villa , own pool , no worrying about getting a sunbed or not seeing the kids in the pool , stay in or go out as the mood takes you - so I did t expect to enjoy a cruise . It was my ex that wanted to do it - it was a very different sort of holiday for me . But I did enjoy it . I think it's quite an easy and safe thing to do alone - which is why I may choose to do another maybe if I'm still single when I retire .