I haven’t given much thought to my travels and how some years there tends to be a theme around the trips. One year I focused on international film festivals (Toronto, Karlovy Vary and Avignon) and the next year my travels brought me to wellness resorts (Miraval and Red Mountain Resort & Spa) and national parks. Often times, it’s just me booking trips that fit my mood, budget or can squeeze into the window of time off from work. But the more I look at the patterns, it has emerged that my years are taking themes now. Last year, I traveled with my family (sister, nieces and mom) on family summer travel to Spain, two days in Venice and for mom’s birthday in Las Vegas. This year, the theme seems to be back to solo travel and a focus on cruises.
Why Solo Cruise?
I shouldn’t be a fan of cruises given their disdain for solo travelers through the single supplement and higher priced solo cabins when they have any at all and yet, I find myself wanting to disconnect from the world on a cruise. It’s easy to do when you are on a repositioning cruise and opt out of Wi-Fi. The multiple days at sea make the cruise less expensive so I look for options that are priced well since I have to pay for two people, me and my phantom friend, husband, family member. Cruises can also win my “where do I want to go now” as they reach interesting ports that I might not consider on my own. That’s what’s drawing me in this year. The opportunity to visit destinations that I haven’t yet and in the case of Hawaii, a destination that is pretty expensive to do on my own given the need for a rental car and luau reservations that start at two people (I won’t get into the discussion of restaurants that don’t let one person book a table or bar seat as that is another soapbox for another time).
Solo Cruise Research
So, this year, I started to look at the East Coast US to Europe repositioning cruises, aka transatlantic sailings, and a funny thing happened, they are popular! And of course, popular means expensive. My search across which ships have solo cabins included NCL, Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity which left me speechless as prices were over $3,000 for just me, one person, in an interior or Oceanview cabin which is crazy! Past transatlantic cruises in a guaranteed balcony were under $1000 so the thought of paying such a high price for a lower-class cabin made me rethink my vacation.
When folks ask me “why a cruise” and “what do you do on sea days” and the “don’t you get bored” questions, I reply that I need to disconnect, sleep and do what I want when I want to without the worry of a missed train schedule, changing hotels every day and the inevitable restaurant booking especially with food intolerances. I don’t need to think or make a decision beyond “should you really eat dessert first”. Everything I need is on the ship, at a price, for me to use if and when I want/need it. That’s the joy of a cruise vacation, the sleeping late and still finding food easily. Reading a book all day in the cabin with the balcony door ajar to hear the sound of the ocean. Going to the gym and finding space to work out. Deciding today could be a spa day or a day of trivia.
That’s the price of not having to stress over the many decisions a solo traveler is making on their vacation. Solo travel is lovely don’t get me wrong but there are days you just want to sleep in or have someone else decide what’s for dinner and choose from there.
The Hawaiian Cruise to Vancouver
In May, I sailed from Hawaii to Vancouver, a mini transpacific sailing (the ship comes in from the grand crossing from Sydney, Australia on its way to Vancouver for the summer Alaska sailing season). With three days in Hawaii, it’s an appetizer of a vacation for this U.S. state of islands in the Pacific. While I know those on the West Coast can easily visit Hawaii and I do Europe, it’s a long way to go for a cruise. Hawaii is expensive destination and while marketed to honeymooners and families, its rarely seen as a solo holiday destination so the cruise allows me to give it a try and see the highlights without the commitment of a resort and advanced reservation of a pool or beach chair and expensive cabana. You’ll see posts from that cruise soon.
Summer Med Cruise from Barcelona
Later this summer, I will sail in the Mediterranean on a ship that leaves from Barcelona and arrives in Rome, a one way sailing to visit some unique ports in Spain, France and Italy. In this case, I will already be in London for a summer vacation so had time to fill in and the cruise fits nicely as it again allows me to follow (or not) the schedule and visit the ports that are new to me like Ibiza, Valencia, Ajaccio and Portofino. Unlike the repositioning cruises, which sail at less than capacity, I expect the Med cruise to be sailing FULL so much busier than I’ve seen in a while. My first cruise post pandemic, the third sailing of Celebrity Edge, was 50% full, which meant I had the ship to myself and a lot of empty spaces to escape to. Now the demand is back full force which means the people are back so it will be test to see how anti-social I really want (or need) to be.
Solo Travel in Europe
As a solo traveler in Europe, travel is a bit easier (and cheaper) than in the U.S. so when the ship docks, I can choose to wander on my own, book a local tour with Viator, Airbnb Experience or Get Your Guide or pay a premium to do a ship arranged tour in port. In Europe, I can find joy and fill the day wandering the city/towns/villages, stopping for a local lunch and enjoying a slower way of life on my vacation. That’s what cruises allow me to do – participate fully or create my own adventure. To sleep late on sea days and get up early ready to explore in port. Or to stay on the ship on the port days and explore the empty vessel to finally get a pool chair without worry.
Final Thoughts – Themed Vacations
This year, my travel theme is cruising. Seems the universe and probably my self-conscience needs me to chill and relax with the option to do nothing or go full out but to do it knowing there is food I can eat (cruises are great to accommodate food allergies and intolerances) and live music at night. Traveling solo those are two wins already. I can join a shared table and meet other travelers, dine alone at a table or escape to the buffet in jeans and a t-shirt to mix and match healthy and unhealthy choices for dinner.
Themed vacations can be fun – maybe you enjoy golf trips, girls’ getaways, spa time, gambling at a casino resort or big adventures like an African Safari itinerary. Maybe like me, film festivals, music festivals, sporting events are on your list more frequently. There really are so many options to build a trip around – learn to cook, learn to tango, fly fishing in Montana or relaxing on the beach with a pineapple drink in hand. When traveling solo, no one can veto your theme.
Where will your vacation take you this year and will there be a theme?