Comments on: Freestyle Dining on NCL’s Epic: Perfect for Solos? http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/ All You Need to Travel is YOU Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:30:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anonymous http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1700 Anonymous Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:24:00 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1700 It's true that being assertive usually helps to make connections with others when traveling solo, but not always. I wouldn't assume that everyone who has had a bad solo cruising experience is a wallflower. It might just have been the other passengers they happened to sail with. Sometimes you click with people and sometimes you don't. It’s true that being assertive usually helps to make connections with others when traveling solo, but not always. I wouldn’t assume that everyone who has had a bad solo cruising experience is a wallflower. It might just have been the other passengers they happened to sail with. Sometimes you click with people and sometimes you don’t.

]]> By: Charly http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1693 Charly Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:45:00 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1693 Hey guys, this is a vacation. stop acting like wallflowers and get out there. When it's assigned seating, Be the first to say " Hi, i'm Charly from jersey and you are? The whole table will speak up. it just take one person to act like a social director. Stop being so shy. Be bold no one here knows you and will never see you again so be that aggresive person not the shy one. You can do this on the tours too. I met so many people on the two solo cruises, that I had to write names on the back of my photos. remember, "what happens on the cruise stays on the cruise". Hey guys,
this is a vacation. stop acting like wallflowers and get out there. When it’s assigned seating, Be the first to say ” Hi, i’m Charly from jersey and you are? The whole table will speak up. it just take one person to act like a social director. Stop being so shy. Be bold no one here knows you and will never see you again so be that aggresive person not the shy one. You can do this on the tours too. I met so many people on the two solo cruises, that I had to write names on the back of my photos. remember, “what happens on the cruise stays on the cruise”.

]]> By: Solo Dining Aboard the Norwegian Epic | SoloFriendly.com http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1502 Solo Dining Aboard the Norwegian Epic | SoloFriendly.com Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:15:49 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1502 [...] aboard Epic was: Which restaurants are included, and which have an extra fee? I’ve actually already written a blog post about that from a few months ago, which you can  find here.  I was also asked about the room service, and [...] [...] aboard Epic was: Which restaurants are included, and which have an extra fee? I’ve actually already written a blog post about that from a few months ago, which you can  find here.  I was also asked about the room service, and [...]

]]> By: SoloFriendly http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1063 SoloFriendly Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:55:59 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1063 Yeah, I'm not a big fan of room service. I mean it's nice for the occasional breakfast treat, or if you're sick, or if you're already in your jammies and your stomach starts growling. But otherwise, I'd rather be out with other people eating. There's something about eating alone in a room where I sleep that feels pathetic to me. It's like being grounded when you're a kid. Yeah, I'm not a big fan of room service. I mean it's nice for the occasional breakfast treat, or if you're sick, or if you're already in your jammies and your stomach starts growling. But otherwise, I'd rather be out with other people eating. There's something about eating alone in a room where I sleep that feels pathetic to me. It's like being grounded when you're a kid.

]]> By: Sabina http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1062 Sabina Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:11:52 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1062 "Double bleh" is right - sitting with strangers when eating alone. The forced and awkward conversations. The laughter cut off because whatever was said isn't really funny. Yuck.<br><br>But 11 restaurants for free?! You could go for lunch, if you're ever on board during lunch and not off sightseeing whereever you're docked. At this time of day you might be able to sit alone because it won't be so crowded. I went on a cruise, but I was with 9 other people, so the dinner dining room worked out perfectly for us. If you really want to eat alone, you could order room service. It was free on my ship, and I'll bet it is on yours too, if you go. “Double bleh” is right – sitting with strangers when eating alone. The forced and awkward conversations. The laughter cut off because whatever was said isn't really funny. Yuck.

But 11 restaurants for free?! You could go for lunch, if you're ever on board during lunch and not off sightseeing whereever you're docked. At this time of day you might be able to sit alone because it won't be so crowded. I went on a cruise, but I was with 9 other people, so the dinner dining room worked out perfectly for us. If you really want to eat alone, you could order room service. It was free on my ship, and I'll bet it is on yours too, if you go.

]]> By: SoloFriendly http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1026 SoloFriendly Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:36:39 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1026 So there was no expectation for you to eat in the traditional dining room with assigned seating (that's what I consider traditional)? So there was no expectation for you to eat in the traditional dining room with assigned seating (that's what I consider traditional)?

]]> By: joanna_haugen http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1025 joanna_haugen Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:32:45 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1025 It didn't have those names. There were just eight or nine places to eat on the ship. I think three of them had a modest charge for dinner, the rest were free all the time. It didn't have those names. There were just eight or nine places to eat on the ship. I think three of them had a modest charge for dinner, the rest were free all the time.

]]> By: SoloFriendly http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1024 SoloFriendly Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:03:02 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1024 I think finding a travel agent with expertise in cruises for solos is sound advice. You probably stand a better chance of winding up on a cruise with more solo travelers that way. I think finding a travel agent with expertise in cruises for solos is sound advice. You probably stand a better chance of winding up on a cruise with more solo travelers that way.

]]> By: Ted http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1023 Ted Thu, 25 Mar 2010 06:58:10 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1023 My thoughts exactly when I read Lynn's post. As you noted, it's a crapshoot. She didn't say where her cruises were, or how long they were, but I'd guess they were longer than my four-day cruise and not in Southern California.<br><br>I also suspect that Lynn found people "very friendly and made a point of talking to [her]" because she's a woman. I've read many accounts of female soloists being approached and making friends easily. Conversely, my own experience is that male solo travelers are assumed to be dangerous or suspect and are thus given as wide a berth as possible. That may or may not have been a factor in the difference. Or I may have just been unlucky, or (I suspect) chosen the wrong cruise. <br><br>If I ever do cruise solo again, I'll find a travel agent who has interest and experience in cruises for single clients and get help in selecting something more likely to be hospitable. But I think I'll wait until I have someone to go with before I consider another cruise. My thoughts exactly when I read Lynn's post. As you noted, it's a crapshoot. She didn't say where her cruises were, or how long they were, but I'd guess they were longer than my four-day cruise and not in Southern California.

I also suspect that Lynn found people “very friendly and made a point of talking to [her]” because she's a woman. I've read many accounts of female soloists being approached and making friends easily. Conversely, my own experience is that male solo travelers are assumed to be dangerous or suspect and are thus given as wide a berth as possible. That may or may not have been a factor in the difference. Or I may have just been unlucky, or (I suspect) chosen the wrong cruise.

If I ever do cruise solo again, I'll find a travel agent who has interest and experience in cruises for single clients and get help in selecting something more likely to be hospitable. But I think I'll wait until I have someone to go with before I consider another cruise.

]]> By: SoloFriendly http://solofriendly.com/freestyle-dining-on-ncl-epic-perfect-for-solos/#comment-1022 SoloFriendly Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:38:06 +0000 http://solofriendly.com/?p=4351#comment-1022 Wow, Lynn, you and Ted could not have had two more different experiences! Wow, Lynn, you and Ted could not have had two more different experiences!

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