Where to Meet People As A Solo Cruiser

If you’re cruising solo as you work remotely, you probably are the type of person who is perfectly happy to spend time alone. But sometimes you just want to talk to other people about something other than work.

At least, that’s been my experience. I enjoy having a ton of “me time,” but it’s also nice to find people to talk to and hang out with, especially on sea days. While I never set out explicitly to make friends, I have found that some places on the ship are better than others for running into people and forging connections. Here are a few.

Hot Tubs

I know, kind of weird, right? When I was on Navigator of the Seas last year, though, I ended up hanging out with the same group of people in one of the main hot tubs outside of the Solarium. I didn’t intend to make friends there, and we never made plans, but somehow, every evening before dinner, I found myself chatting with the same 6 or so people, all who were part of different groups. They actually gave me some great advice, including recommending that I book an excursion in Ensenada, which turned into one of my favorite excursions. So, don’t discount the power of hot tubs for socializing.

View from the Navigator of the Seas hot tub. I went in November, so the sun set well before 6:00.

Game Shows

I’ve always just been an audience participant, never a contestant, but if you are feeling particularly extroverted, you could volunteer to lead a team in Crazy Quest or one of the other many game shows they have on board. Just being in the audience around others who are watching the same antics is great for meeting people and starting conversations.

Excursions

When you book through Royal, you’ll end up meeting in one of the theatres before heading out. This can be a great way to get to know the other people on your tour. They’re probably into at least some of the same hobbies as you! I ended up meeting other solo remote workers on my excursion in Victoria, BC, which made that walking tour extra fun.

Solo Meetups

I have to admit that I have never attended one of these, as I assumed it was more for singles. But I’ve heard from other solo cruisers that these can be a good way to meet up with other solos/remote workers. They’ll show up in the Royal app when you are on board and are not run by anybody. So, this one is likely hit or miss, depending on who’s on board. Still, it’s worth a shot if you really want to meet people!

Classes

There are all kinds of classes you can take on board, from cake decorating (for a fee) to free Zumba and line dancing classes. The smaller groups makes it easier to start talking to people and seeing if you click. I recently took a pickleball class onboard Quantum of the Seas and really enjoyed getting to know people early in my travels who I ran into throughout the week. This was also a great way to play pickleball even without a partner.