Cruise From Home And Relax
Everyone knows that a cruise vacation is one of the most relaxing, hassle free vacations you can take. Imagine if you also didn’t have to worry about traveling to start your vacation but could just drive up to a port near your home and get onboard your luxury cruise ship. Here at CruiseExperts.com we’ve made it easy to see which cruises start close to home. Get started with our Home Port widget by clicking on your home port below.
Small Ship Line #: Australis
Some of the most dramatic landscapes in the world can be found in Patagonias Tierra del Fuego, and Australis takes its passengers right into the heart of them aboard the all-inclusive Ventus Australis or the Stella Australis. Each day, passengers disembark their ship and navigate the icy waters in zodiacs, getting up close and personal with glaciers and penguins along the way. It doesnt get more off-the-beaten-path than this.
Best Alaskan Cruise: Royal Caribbean
Courtesy of Royal Caribbean
- Ship Name: Ovation of the Seas
- Itinerary: Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Victoria
Solo travelers can explore scenic Alaska on Ovation of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbeans newest vessels. Step inside the North Star, a rotating glass capsule for 360-degree views of the stunning Alaskan wilderness, or, for even more thrills, try the sky diving or surf simulators. The Ovation of the Seas has two types of solo staterooms: studio interior cabins with virtual floor-to-ceiling views ranging from 96 to 104 square feet, or super studio cabins with private balconies at around 119 square feet. Either way, both come with full-sized beds. The cabins can also be difficult to book online so plan in advance and try calling a travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly.
See more reviews of the best Alaska cruises you can book today.
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Best Cruise For Singles On A Budget
Norwegian Bliss
On most cruise ships, the cabins are priced for two guests. This means that even if you are looking to enjoy a vacation at sea as a solo cruiser, you end up paying extra to have a stateroom all to yourself. Not so on Norwegian! The handsome, custom-designed single-studio stateroomsan industry firstprovide solo cruisers with an affordable and stylish way to set sail. As an added benefit, singles in the Norwegian Studios get exclusive key card access to the Studio Complex and Lounge. This is a shared private area to mingle, have a drink, watch TV, and maybe meet someone with whom you could enjoy the rest of the cruise. In the morning, you and your new friend can relax in the Lounge with a cup of complimentary coffee or espresso. Just be sure to avoid these things polite people never do on a cruise.
What to expect:
Mega Ship Line #: Msc Cruises
Though MSC is headquartered in landlocked Switzerland, this cruise line has mastered the art of mega-ships, building five of the 25 largest in the world: MSC Grandiosa, MSC Bellissima, MSC Meraviglia,MSC Seaview, and MSC Seaside. Each can hold between 5,300 and 6,300 passengers at maximum capacity. MSC Grandiosa is the newest of the five, offering innovative features like Zoe, an artificial intelligencepowered virtual assistant that can help you with any questions or requests on board, as well as impressive entertainment like the third set of Cirque du Soleil shows at sea . But on all five ships, youll find everything from top-notch dining options to bowling alleys to copious outdoor space for sunbathing. MSC has some plans for mega-growth, too: it has another Meraviglia-Plus class ship and four World-class mega-ships in the pipeline, each with a capacity between 5,800 and 6,850 passengers.
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Small Ship Line #: Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Sailing with only 490 guests, the Seven Seas Navigator takes its all-inclusive promise seriously, offering unlimited shore excursions, open bars with premium wines , unlimited Wi-Fi, and dining in specialty restaurants. The ship sails all over the world, spending time in Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe on week-long to three-month-long sailings.
What About Solo Cruises For Seniors
Senior citizen cruises provide a worry-free vacation featuring world-class accommodations and a vacation experience tailored to their interests. Our cruises have onboard activities to suit everyone, from thrilling entertainment and live music to speakers series and guided meditations.
On solo cruises for seniors, accessible staterooms and excursions for all types of mobility levels ensure our guests see as much of the world as they desire.
Read: Cruises for Seniors With Disabilities
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Cruises For Singles In Their 30s
McDaniel said cruisers in their 30s are looking for a good mix of bustling nightlife and engaging in classes, but I also think in your 30s that you really want to explore and experience culture. She said river cruises that offer things like silent discos and paint-and-wine classes appeal to this age group.
A great option: The Danube Flow on U River Cruises starting at $1,999/person
Why you should sign up: This cruise line was originally built to cater to millennials, McDaniel said. The cruise includes excursions like a walking tour of Vienna and a palace tour. On board, a rooftop lounge with morning yoga classes and an ice bar ensure guests will always have something to do.
Best For Over : Saga Cruises
Courtesy of Saga Cruises
- Ship Name: Spirit of Discovery
- Itinerary: Aalborg, Denmark Aarhus, Denmark Gothenburg, Sweden Oslo, Norway Esbjerg, Denmark Southampton, England
The U.K.-based cruise line, Saga, offers ocean cruising on smaller ships for the over 50 crowd and its newest ship, Spirit of Discovery, will debut more than 100 cabins dedicated to solo travelers. All single’s cabins have balconies and average 245 feet of space, and theres even single’s suites for more space. The company offers door-to-door pick-up service to transfer guests to the ship followed by a sail away cocktail party. The ship focuses on boutique luxury cruising, and the intimate atmosphere makes it easy to create comradery with other guests. Even more, theres a singles mingle drink hour, singles lunch and singles meet-ups for cultural shore excursions like Scandinavian jewelry and art workshops.
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River Ship Line #: Amawaterways
AmaWaterways cruises the waters of Europe, Africa, Vietnam, and Cambodia, with a handful of new ships debuting in the past few years. In 2019, the line launched AmaMagna, a double-wide river cruise on the Danube that features massive 710-square-foot suitesa size unheard of on a river-going vessel. Despite the ship being so much larger than its sisters, the passenger count only increased by 20 percent to 196 guests, ensuring an intimate experience.
Small Ship Line #1: Silversea Cruises
Silversea’s five expedition ships stop in the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Europe, Africa, the Galápagos, and Antarctica on shorter duration sailings, but they also offer around-the-world itineraries for an international clientele. Off-the-beaten-path excursions make for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like penguin spotting in Antarctica or private catamaran tours in tropical locales. In September 2019, Silversea completed its first journey through the Northwest Passagea monumental featwith the Silver Explorer, a 144-passenger expedition vessel. The fleet was joined by the new Silver Origin, a Galapagos-specific ship, in 2020.
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Why Its Important To Pick The Right Line For You
Weve long said that no matter what type of cruise youre taking, its important to do a little bit of research or work with a travel advisor to make sure that you wind up with a vacation thats going to be a great fit. Yes, you can jump on just about any cruise ship and have an amazing time.
And yes, the basics of a cruise will be the same on most lines. But the devil, as they say, is in the details.
With that in mind, were going to look at each of the major cruise lines and give you an idea of what they have to offer adult travelers.
From restaurants perfect for date nights to a ship on which no one under the age of 18 is allowed, weve got all kinds of options for you to consider.
Think of this as a Beginners Guide to Adult Cruising. Lets dive in, looking at what they each offer, in no particular order.
Keep in mind that in some cases, well be speaking about what a cruise line specializes in generalities. Not all of the mentioned restaurants or amenities will necessarily be available on every ship in the lines fleet.
Large Ship Line #: Norwegian Cruise Line
Things escalated quickly for Norwegian: the cruise line jumped from medium-size ships to mega-ships practically overnight , with just three ships in its current fleet sized somewhere in between. But thats soon about to change. Norwegian currently has six ships on order as part of Project Leonardo, each of which will hold about 3,300 passengers. Its interesting to see a cruise line scale back from its mega-ships and opt for a more manageable size for such a large order. Details about the new ships are scarce, though the first is expected to launch in 2022.
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Tips For Single Travelers:
Connect with other singles who are traveling near you on the Couchsurfing app, and always offer to host travelers from out of town.
You can also make friends in your destination city by attending meetups for solo travelers!
Remember that solo travel is not about being alone all the time take advantage of opportunities like group tours, including single travelers just like yourself!
The shared experience of traveling together may make lasting friendships.
Grab a special single travelers travel insurance plan to cover you in case of injury, illness or even lost luggage.
You can also take out an international health insurance policy before traveling for peace of mind on your journey abroad.
Many travel agents offer discounts to those who book their fares independently.
Tauck And Other River Lines
Solo travelers looking for an upscale river cruise often can find a deal from Tauck, a high-end tour company that has a European cruise division. It markets more than half a dozen river vessels.
As it often does, Tauck this year has eliminated its single supplement completely on its least-expensive category of cabins . The waiver applies to every departure for 2021, more than 200 in all.
Tauck also has reduced its standard single supplement charge by $1,000 for other selected cabin categories on select departures.
Other river lines that sometimes waive or significantly lower single supplement charges include Avalon Waterways and AmaWaterways. The latter currently has a promotion that drops the single supplement for balcony cabins on more than 800 Europe and Asia sailings to just 25%. The promotion also offers a very low 10% single supplement for solo travelers who book a fixed-window cabin on one of more than 200 departures.
AmaWaterways also has four ships in Europe that each have two dedicated solo cabins that carry no single supplement. They are the France-based AmaDolce, AmaLyra and AmaCello, and the AmaDante, which sails on the Rhine and Moselle rivers.
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Advantages Of Solo Travel
One of the biggest advantages of solo travel is that solo travelers will get to explore ports more freely. There are no plans, no schedules and fewer people needing attention. A solo traveler can go at their own pace instead of being held back by others!
In addition to exploring on your own terms youll have plenty of opportunities for new friends while youre solo. Cruise ships are built for socialization since that is their biggest draw! Whether its a formal event, or simply meeting someone at dinner, there will always be an opportunity to meet new people and make lasting connections.
Many solo travelers enjoy the freedom of being able to do what they want when they want. No one else has to be ready at the same time as you, and theres no waiting for other people to go out. If solo travel is right for you then it will allow you ultimate flexibility in planning your vacation itinerary!
Many solo travelers like that they can sleep late if they want, or wake up early without having to disturb someone else sleeping next to them. They also like the extra storage space solo travelers get in their cabins which is not available to those who share a room with someone else!
Finally, solo travel allows you to keep your vacation stress free and worry-free by having no one elses needs but your own that have to be taken into consideration. No worrying about anyone elses hangovers, preferences or allergies.
Go Your Own Way: The Best Cruise Lines For Solo Travellers
Jeannine Williamson
Tuesday May 18 2021, 09:54am
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Large Ship Line #: Cunard
For those longing for the romantic nostalgia of bygone transatlantic sailings, Cunard is your go-to. The legendary cruise line was established in 1840 and has had dozens of ships in its fleet, though today, there are just three active vessels: the Queen Mary 2, the worlds only true transatlantic ocean liner, designed specifically for ocean crossings, as well as the worlds only pet-friendly ship the Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Victoria. Activities havent changed all too much in the last 180 yearstheres still a proper afternoon tea, black-tie dinners, and galas in the ballrooms. Its quite like a step back in time, with all the modern safety measures, of course. Cunards next ship is scheduled to be christened in 2022.
Best River Cruise For Solo Travelers
AmaWaterways Christmas Markets on the Danube
Starting in Budapest, Hungary, and concluding in Vilshofen, Germany, this remarkable river cruise will open the doors to four countriesHungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germanyand three iconic capitalsBudapest, Bratislava, and Viennawhen theyre decked out in their holiday finest. Solo cruisers will meet others interested in experiencing Christmas trees glittering with thousands of lights, bells ringing from cathedral towers, and adorable European children regaling visitors with carols. The best secret in cruising right now is that AmaWaterways is waiving the single supplement cost on select ships in Europe with specially designed 140-square-foot, single-occupancy staterooms and French balconies. Every cruise ship has its own secrets waiting to be discovered, but here are some secrets that cruise lines wont tell you.
What to expect:
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Best Cruise Deals And Discounts Sorted By Your Dream Destination
Sometimes it’s all about the destination and that is certainly true of cruise destinations. The cruise port you depart from and the amazing cruise ports you visit define your experience as much as what cruise line or cruise ship you sail on. At CruiseExperts.com we understand that and have sorted these cruises by the places you’ll visit on your cruise vacation. So whether it’s a cruise to Alaska, a Caribbean cruise, cruises to Hawaii, a cruise to the Bahamas or Bermuda or a cruise to Mexico you’ll find it easily with the help of our destination wizard. Maybe you’re looking for a cruise vacation that’s just a little different like a Panama Canal cruise, a Transatlantic cruise, cruises to Europe, a Tahiti cruise with a tour of the South Pacific, a down under adventure with an Australia / New Zealand cruise or even a fall foliage cruise through Canada and New England. Whatever floats your boat get started by selecting your dream destination on our cruise search page.
Large Ship Line #: Princess Cruises
Part of the Carnival family, Princess Cruises has a fun claim to famethe TV show The Love Boat was set on its Pacific Princess ship. If youve never seen an episode, youre in luck, as one of the onboard TV channels airs reruns around the clock. But you wont want to stay cooped up in your stateroom when you discover all the activities on board its 17 ships, from its special Seawitch craft beer program that sees the cruise line partner with breweries around the world to Discovery at SEA, a series of programs based on TV shows from the Discovery, Inc. family of networks, including Animal Planet, the Discovery Channel, and the Science Channel. In October 2019, Princess Cruises newest ship, the Sky Princess, set sail, debuting a new class of stateroom called Sky Suites, which is the lines most luxurious offering. Its next two ships, Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess, are scheduled to launch by the end of 2021.
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Small Ship Line #: Metropolitan Touring
Operating three expedition vessels in the Galápagos, Metropolitan Touring is the ideal cruise line for those seeking a casual experience in the wildlife hotspot. The tiny ships, which only accommodate between 40 and 78 passengers, have a laid-back atmosphere where the focus is very much on wildlife spotting. The company also offers land-based tours in mainland Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia that can be combined with a Galápagos expedition.