8 Tips for Solo Cruisers Who Want to Work Remotely At Sea

So, you want to work remotely from a cruise and go solo.

First off, you aren’t crazy. More and more people are embracing the idea of cruising solo, and they aren’t all single. I am a happily married mom who just needs to get away once in awhile (the feeling seems mutual).

Whether you’re single or just needing a break from reality, solo cruising is a great way to travel. In my opinion, it’s even better if you can keep making money while you’re on board by working your remote job.

I didn’t know anyone who had done either of those things before I embarked on my first solo working cruise adventure, so I’m offering you the advice I wish I had gotten ahead of time.

What to Know About Working Remotely as A Solo Cruiser

With that in mind, here we go. Feel free to reach out with questions or to add your own input to the list!

1. Accept that it’s not your typical vacation

When I cruise with my family, I like to do EVERYTHING. I figure, we paid for this quality time together, and I don’t want to spend an extra second in my cabin if we can be out doing something that we can’t do at home.

But when I am on a solo working cruise trip, I have a different mindset. I spend several hours a day in my cabin working, which means I inevitably have to miss out on some of the many activities that happen throughout a day at sea. I’ve learned to review the cruise compass (or app) daily, pick 2-3 “must-do” activities, and then let the day take me wherever it’s going to take me.

Sometimes, this strategy leads to me crashing in my cabin at 10:00 at night instead of joining in the Billy Joel sing-along at Schooner Bar. And sometimes, it leads to me pretending I’m in my 20s as I close down the nightclub, dancing like it’s 1999 with a bunch of strangers. I can tell you that both of these scenarios will happen at least once during my solo cruises, but I don’t know which nights they will be. That’s the exciting part.

2. Book shore excursions instead of venturing solo

After touring some ports with and some without one, I err on the side of booking one, even if it’s the shortest (and cheapest) one available. Shore excursions are a great way to meet other people, if you want to. They are also safer than venturing out on your own, especially in different countries or in areas where you don’t speak the native language.

Sometimes, though, there just isn’t a shore excursion that excites you. That happened to me in Astoria, Oregon. I read up on the port and knew there was a very walkable path into downtown, so I just went there and wandered from bookstore to bookstore before heading back to the ship. But I didn’t really talk to any other cruisers, and I also only saw a very small part of the city. So, if you’re debating, I say do the shore excursion.

>> Read more advice on pros and cons of shore excursions for solo travelers.

3. Treat yourself

I like to splurge on one thing that I just can’t do at home when I’m traveling solo. I love booking a Thermal Suite pass if the ship has one, so this is often my big splurge. They honestly aren’t crazy expensive. It’s $60 for an upcoming 4-night cruise, and $200 for an upcoming 15-night Transatlantic (that’s like… less than $20 a day. Math is not my strong suit). I have started doing this instead of a massage, which can easily run closer to $300 when you factor in a tip, especially for suckers like me who can’t say no to an aggressive sales pitch.

Anyway, the point is, I highly recommend finding something to treat yourself to, whether it’s a spa package, specialty dinner, drinks package, or whatever else you fancy.

The heated stone chairs are the main feature in the Thermal Suite on board the Serenade of the Seas. There were also two steam rooms, an aromatherapy room, and showers. The heated floors were amazing.

4. Don’t rush to do everything all at once

At sea days are super long anyway, but they feel doubly long when I travel solo because I am only fending for one person instead of trying to herd my family from one place to another. So, don’t feel rushed to get to everything on day one. For me, the best part of solo travel is being able to do things whenever I want. On my last cruise, I ended up at the gym at 7:00 one night and had the entire place to myself because everyone else was at dinner. Lesson learned for the next cruise!

5. Approach the Windjammer with a strategy

Ok, so here’s something nobody warned me about. The staff at the Windjammer are so on top of things that your hot plate of food will be gone in a second if you set it down and try to go back for a glass of water. It honestly stressed me out to the point that I opted to eat alone in the Main Dining Room instead of the Windjammer for dinner, as I had been planning.

On my last cruise, the Serenade of the Seas, I discovered Rita’s Cantina at the back of the Windjammer. This was the PERFECT spot for a solo cruiser. It was not busy, so I could set down my plate of food and go back for a water or dessert (or thirds of spaghetti, don’t judge me). It was also right next to the bar. Win-win.

6. Embrace the awkwardness at dinner

I haven’t found a dinner solution I love yet. I have been at group tables and at a solo table. It’s weird to be with all couples, especially when they aren’t conversationalists. But it can also be weird to be alone and making small talk with your waiter who feels sorry for you even though you emphatically tell them no, I’m not lonely, I’m just traveling alone.

Between the two options, I’d pick dining solo. I bring a book and engage in small talk. Now that you can reserve My Time Dining on the app, I’ve started doing so instead of scheduling either an early or late dinner. I don’t want to be tied down to a set dinner time. Sometimes, they’ll put me next to other solos, which is nice, but that entirely depends on who is there at the time.

Once I discovered Rita’s Cantina on the Serenade of the Seas, I ate at the Windjammer for dinner. Now I’m wondering how many other areas like Rita’s Cantina exist that I just never got around to discovering on other ships. You better believe I will be checking on every cruise I take from now on!

My first of a few plates of dinner on Italian night, after I discovered the best spot to eat solo on The Serenade of the Seas.

7. Nobody cares why you’re there

One reason I love traveling via cruise ship instead of just getting an AirBnB in a random city is that everybody is on vacation! Nobody cares that you are solo or working. Everyone just wants to have a good time. You can start a conversation with anybody in the hot tub, at the casino, at a show, or literally anywhere on the ship (except maybe the Thermal Suite) and people will be super friendly. So, if you are worried about people thinking it’s weird that you’re solo, you can stop. They genuinely don’t care. You might get some questions about the points, though.

8. Yes, you need the Wi-Fi package

Look for deals online because it will be cheaper to get the Wi-Fi package before you board the ship. This is one extra you can’t get out of buying.

What other tips do you have? Share them in the comments!