I haven’t had a vacation in well over a year and think it is well past time to get the batteries recharged. Towards this end I was thinking a cruise might be nice (not looking for a walking tour of Europe…looking to plant my butt somewhere with umbrella drinks and a good book).
Thing is I am terrified of walking on a boat to be surrounded by octogenarians or, even worse, loads of screaming kids. Nothing against either group but I would much prefer a boatload of people roughly my age…at least most of the passengers.
I was thinking a singles cruise as a way to ensure something on that order but glancing at some online I cannot say I am overly impressed. I thought perhaps a Windjammer cruise might be fun but that looks like couples mostly and feeling like a fifth wheel among every passenger is not inviting either.
So I turn to Dopers for ideas within my narrow constraints. FTR I am 38 y.o. single male (and I look fine in a bathing suit). The cruise can be pretty much anywhere in the world. I am more into the relaxation aspect than caring where I go or what I see but of course cool destinations never hurt.
One thing I didn’t catch in your OP is how long of a cruise you’re looking to take.
The only cruise I have personal experience with was a four-day cruise from LA to Ensenada and back. That was a FANTASTIC trip for me, my wife, my mother and my father-in-law. This was on Royal Carribbean’s Monarch of the Seas. There were plenty of folks of all ages on board. It definitely made me want to try other cruises.
As for word of mouth, I know a couple of folks who have done a 12-day cruise which involves flying out to Hawaii, spending two days on the big island, and then cruising back. I can’t offer you more detail than that, unfortunately, other than that people I know have come back claiming that they’ve returned from Heaven.
There are also some very popular 7-day cruises from LA down to the Mexican Riviera. I only know of one person who has done that cruise, but she’s done it twice and loved it both times.
I’m happy to contribute more detail on my person experience if that would be helpful to you, but I suspect there will be a lot of other Dopers here who can offer you more info.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do – I think you’ll enjoy just about any cruise you take!
My wife and I recently took a ten day Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas. Ports of call were Aruba, Panama canal, Costa Rica and Grand Caiman. We enjoyed ourselves immensely, and I can heartily recommend the line, ship and itinerary. One aspect of our trip would not appeal to you: my wife and I were definitely below the median age, and we’re 52. I was told by more experienced cruisers that the Carnival line attracts a younger crowd.
We took a Carnival Mexican cruise a couple of years ago and had a pretty good time. The crowd was mixed but seemed to contain mostly 20-30 year olds. We took two smallish children and traveled with a large group of friends who covered all age ranges and kid situations, too.
There were all types on the boat- from the early risers/exercisers who walked the decks and hung out in the gym to the party animals who stayed in the casino drinking and dancing until late. There was a private nude sunbathing deck (which surprised me) and a spa for massages, a day care center, etc., too. I felt it had something for everyone.
The boat was big enough that you could hang out in the quiet library or party on the pool deck with the Calypso band depending on your mood.
Many people come off a cruise saying “It was the best vacation I ever had. I’m going to do it every year!!” We had a very good time but didn’t have that kind of experience ourselves. We did find it a very good value though and did enjoy the trip very much.
I got nothing to add to the OP except “Me too.” I am just about turn fifty and want to cruise someplace to see a whale. (I have never seen one.) I want to be pampered, to have time to read, to drink and eat too much.
I do not want to be the only single person there. You would think someone would cater to this sort of group.
Heh. From where I live, that’s a three hour tour. Just drive down to Gloucester and hop on a boat. Heck, last time I went, the whales were so close to shore I could practically see where I work from the boat.
I am tempted to do one of the Alaska cruises, though. It would be fun to go kayaking through glaciers.
I’ve taken three. The first was on the QE2 to France, in April 1980. Very nice (I was heading there for a conference) but I’d recommend going west, since you pick up an hour every day, which you’ll need. Not going to do much sunbathing that time of year in the North Atlantic, though.
The second was in the southern Carribean, to Grenada, Martinique, and up the Orinoco river with a flight past Angel Falls and to a lake in the jungle with a dozen waterfalls emptying into it. Also nice, and not as many really old people as might be found on a cruise in the northern Carribean. We did get stuck on a sandbar in the Orinoco for a day, but being stuck on a cruise ship for a day is a lot more fun than being delayed in an airport for an hour. This was on an Ocean Cruise Lines ship, but I don’t think they exist any more.
The third was a traditional Alaska Cruise, in August. It was even sunny for most of it. This was on Princess cruises. You might not like the Princess Cruise bubble (limo at the airport to your hotel, luggage handled everywhere, train cars just for you, etc.) but it was very relaxing.
Funny you should mention it. While my primary goal is R&R if I had a choice of things to see whales top the list. The only cruises I know for certain that manage this regularly are Alaska cruises in the appropriate season for whales to be there. My parents did that once and the cruise ship stopped and put Zodiacs over the side and motored nearer the whales (I can only hope they did so in a conscientious manner…probably did as whale tours are lucrative and I doubt they’d want bad press for annoying the whales). The Zodiac also took them near some largish rocks loaded with seals…all-in-all sounded pretty neat. Doubtless there are other places in the world where this can be done as well.
All of that said I am still more concerned about the general demographic makeup of the passengers. Some kids and some elderly are fine as long as it’s not Romper-Room or the Lawrence Welk revival aboard ship.
There are other, cheaper, ways of seeing whales. There are whale watching dinner cruises in (at least) Santa Barbara and San Diego. In Santa Barbara we trailed a mother and baby (at the proper distance) for an hour. We saw a whale, briefly, during our Alaska cruise, but the glaciers were better for me. (We saw one calving!)
OK, Swan Hellenic has (according to Cruise Critic) a family-surly attitude. They cater to older adventurers. Each cruise has a thyme. Wine-tasting, Baltic history, Africa, experts lecture onboard.
The company is British, the main lounge has “the feel of a British gentleman’s club” it has a library stocked with nonfiction. Most rooms have a balcony.
Is it just me, or are you all thinking “DopeCruise 07?”
Oh! 24February 2007 to 6 March, the Capitals of Colonialism Cruise. Leave from Rio (I know a girl in Rio, everyone knows a girl in Rio), Recife, Salvador, a few other places then Bridgetown!
About 3,500 sterling (from London). Who’s up for it?
The cruise before is Chile to Argentina to the Falklands. That sounds good too.
My husband and I took a 10 day cruise to Hawaii on Royal Caribbean on the Serenade of the Seas, and I wouldn’t do it again.
We’re quiet people, and cruises really aren’t geared towards that. It was hard to find a quiet spot. I spent most of my time on my balcony.
Though previous cruisers had raved about the food, I found it to be only a step or two above caffeteria food-- plentiful, but bland. (They didn’t even have Ranch dressing on the salad bar during the entire trip!) They ran out of Heineken on the second day.
The other passengers were the worst part about it. Loud, rude and obnoxious, they treated the cruise staff like they were dirty slaves, and flagrantly disobeyed all of the rules, such as not wearing bathing suits to the dining room and waiting their turn in line.
What we’re considering is taking a freighter ship when we next go to Europe. The accomodations are every bit as nice as a cruise ship. Some ships even have pools and workout facilities. It’s described as being a much more relaxed atmosphere, apparently used by a lot of writers and artists as their means of transport across the Pond. Here’s a site about it.
I think another factor involved is the age of the ship. The newer ships (in any fleet) seem to offer more of everything for everybody. I think you can take virtual tours of most ships online these days.