Traveling as a Single after Divorce

     While many resorts and land tour operators cater to single travelers, there’s something exciting and memorable about taking a high seas cruise. This type of vacation allows you to easily explore multiple ports-of-call, but be able to retire nightly to your cabin aboard the cruise ship, which is your home away from home for the duration of your vacation. Whether you’ll be traveling alone as a recent divorcee, or embarking on a cruise with a few friends, conduct basic research before making important decisions related your cruise getaway. 
   
First, calculate your overall budget, determine how long you’d like to travel, and where you’d like to go. Popular cruise destinations include the Caribbean, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Alaska, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, South America and the Panama Canal. Next, research which of the cruise lines offer itineraries close to what you’re looking for, during your desired travel dates. This is research you can do online, or with the help of a travel agent or tour operator. Many of the popular cruise lines specialize in catering to specific types of vacationers, such as honeymooners, families with kids, seniors, or singles. Each ship within a cruise line’s fleet also often offers themed sailings and lifestyle cruises that cater to specific audiences, such as gay travelers, singles, or people with a specific hobby or interest. “Cruising can be a great way to meet other singles. You should never feel intimidated to go on a cruise by yourself. There will always be other singles aboard the ship in your same situation. What better way to meet new people? There are many websites devoted to cruises specifically for singles. There are also many singles organizations and online dating sites that organize cruises,” said Michelle Jerson, a producer and spokesperson for TravelZoo.com. 

When booking a cruise, every ship has several types of cabins, all of which will be relatively small (compared to traditional hotel rooms). The size of the cabin and its location on the ship, plus the duration of the cruise, and the time of year you’re traveling, will all help determine how much you ultimately pay. As a general rule, cabins with ocean views and verandas cost more. The single most important thing to remember when booking a cruise is that you should never pay full price! With a bit of online research, there are amazing deals to be had, especially if you’re booking on a last-minute basis from an online travel website, or plan to travel during non-peak periods.

The following are money-saving tips for booking and planning your cruise vacation:  

1.  After speaking with a travel agent and visiting the websites operated by the specific cruise lines, shop for the best deals offered by the popular online travel sites, like Hotwire.com, Travelocity.com, Kayak.com and Orbitz.com. Travelzoo.com constantly updates its website with details about the best travel bargains available, including last-minute cruise opportunities. It’s often possible to save up to 50 percent off of published rates by shopping around for the best deals.

2.  In order to advertise extremely low rates, many cruise lines charge for upgrades and add-ons, as well as for extra services and amenities while you’re aboard the ship. Land excursions at each port-of-call cost extra. Plan on spending extra for activities, such as spa visits aboard the ship, alcoholic beverages, as well as bottled water and soft drinks during non-meal times. Before departing, determine what’s included and what’s not, and plan your itinerary according to your budgetary limitations. For a three to five night cruise, plan on spending at least $200.00 to $300.00 per person on extras, such as non-included activities, ground transportation, and land excursions.

3.  Pricing can be more expensive when traveling solo, as much as double the cruise line’s “double occupancy” cabin rate. You may want to consider sharing a cabin with another single. “This is a great way to guarantee a new friend on board from the start. There are a few things, however, you’ll want to determine before booking a room with a roommate, to make sure you’re compatible. Ask about the other person’s age and social habits, such as whether they smoke, if they’re a heavy partier, and if they are an early riser or night owl,” added Jerson, who stated that many single cruise tour operators offer a free cabin-mate matching service to help their clients save money.

4.  Often, when you book a discounted cruise, airfare to and from the port from which the ship departs from (Miami, for example), is not included. Thus, you’ll need to book your own airfares. Again, you’ll want to shop online for the best rates and allow plenty of room in your travel schedule for unexpected flight delays. This might mean booking a hotel in your departure city for the night before you set sail.

5.  Book your land excursions, spa visit(s) and other optional activities early, since space fills up quickly. These reservations can be made when you initially book your cruise, or from the cruise line’s website prior to your departure. Once aboard the ship, there will be an activities coordinator or concierge who can help you book optional activities, on a space available basis. To avoid getting ripped off by local tour operators at the various ports-of-call, work with your cruise line or your travel agent to pre-book all activities and land excursions. Avoid hopping into a local taxi and planning your own impromptu adventures, unless you know exactly where you’re going and know how you’ll get back to the ship on time.