Why I Started Solo Cruising (and Built a Community)
From that first solo gangway to a thriving community — lessons, courage, and the unexpected joy of sailing on your own terms.
Have you ever wanted to take a cruise so badly that you asked — maybe even begged — everyone you know to join you, only to find no one could go? I did that for years. Then, during Covid, when life’s fragility hit home, I realized something simple but profound: I didn’t want to wait anymore. I booked my first solo cruise. I was terrified — but I was also free. And honestly? A cruise felt like the safest way to take that leap.
The Freedom of One Keycard
When you step into your stateroom as a solo traveler, something shifts. You notice how small cruise cabins are — but suddenly that space is all yours. Every shelf, every hanger, every inch of the closet. The bathroom? Yours alone. The bed? Yours to stretch across without a single snore interrupting the waves outside your window. It’s peace you can hear. It’s rest you didn’t know you needed.
Best of all, the schedule is yours. Sleep in. Explore. Stay on deck until sunset. There’s no compromise when you travel solo — only choice.
“Solo doesn’t mean alone — it means you finally get to choose.”
Solo Does Not Mean Single
Let’s be clear: solo cruising does not mean single cruising. I’m married — happily — but I still love traveling solo. People often assume solo cruising is just a singles event at sea. It’s not. Most ships host a casual “solo meet-up” in a bar somewhere onboard, but attendance is usually sparse. That’s part of why I built something better.
When I couldn’t find a true space for solo cruisers, I created one. That spark became what’s now one of the largest solo cruising communities online — a thriving Facebook group that welcomes 400–500 new members every week. It’s a safe harbor where solo cruisers share stories, advice, and encouragement — helping each other take that first brave step up the gangway.
What I Tell Every First-Time Solo Cruiser
- Walk the ship before you unpack. Explore every deck, peek into quiet corners, and find “your spot” early — the café nook, the sunrise rail, the hidden lounge where you’ll feel at home.
- Talk to the crew. No one knows the ship like they do. Ask for tips, favorite menus, or hidden gems — it breaks the ice and reminds you that you’re never really alone out there.
- Say yes to something spontaneous. Trivia night, a dance class, sunset sailaway — whatever makes you hesitate, try it once. That’s where most friendships start.
The Heart of It All
Solo cruising is equal parts independence and belonging. There are moments of quiet balcony mornings — coffee in hand, sea breeze in your hair — and moments of connection: trivia games, impromptu dinners, spontaneous laughter with strangers who become friends. You’ll find your tribe somewhere between the lido deck and the late-night pizza line. You may even meet them again, following in your wake.
So whether you’re single, married, introverted, or just craving time to yourself — give yourself permission to go. You’ll discover that solo doesn’t mean being alone. It means coming home to yourself.
See the shirt I couldn’t cruise without →
Soli Deo Gloria.