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In the spirit of Columbus Day, explore the ocean blue on a singles cruise
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The discovery of the Americas is honored on the second Monday in October.
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, and bumped into The Bahamas while searching for a new route to India. Declaring the islands as Spanish territory, and a fantastic future site for all-inclusive Sandals resorts, Christopher Columbus returned to Europe and gathered some new single friends for his next journey, and the next, thus creating the Americas, and also the first known singles cruises.... or something like that. My version might be a little clouded, because Columbus Day was always a school holiday when I was a kid, so my brain still shuts off when the day arrives. But, I do know that the cartoons I've seen with Columbus crossing the Atlantic in a ship with the American flag on it are not quite accurate.
Imagine the adventure of crossing the ocean to a new land, with a boatload of strangers, all anticipating either a fantastic new experience, or at least a nice diary entry or two, before falling off the edge of the earth. Except for that last part, it sounds like a singles cruise. In modern times, there are resources available to help you plan a solo or group trip, including some discounts which won't involve you hoisting a ballast or scrubbing the poop deck. Oh, that reminds me - no pets allowed.
According to solo travelers' polls and remarks on travel web sites, the top two cruise lines for singles departing from Florida and California are Carnival and Holland America. Carnival Cruise Lines is highly rated for larger ships (2000+ passengers) and ages 21-40, whereas the smaller ships on the Holland America Cruise Line (about 1500 passengers) are suggested as better for more mature singles. If, however, you're a lively 60-year-old who doesn't mind larger ships with more acreage to trek and places to party, you may very well see yourself on Carnival, too. Consult travel agencies for further opinions.
Don't think of a singles cruise as an aquatic hookup joint, but as an opportunity to travel with like-minded individuals with the common goal of enjoying travel to a new destination, and the possibility of new relationships. If you would like a very specialized singles cruise experience, there are age group cruises, African-American singles cruises, and others to be found online. One note of warning, however, to those quick to jump into vacation romances: there is no screening process for passengers claiming to be single, and indeed, anyone can take a singles cruise, so... I'm just sayin'. Players aren't always landlubbers. Oh, skip the analogies and just watch out for liars and cheaters.
Singles cruises offer match sites for same-sex roommates to be acquired before the trip, lessening the cost of a single room rate. The higher cost for a person traveling alone is called a single supplement, and is a common grievance for the single population. In this year's economy, however, most cruise lines have lowered overall rates, to lure travelers on a tighter budget. With or without an assigned roommate, personal friend, or partner in your stateroom, cruises are a good travel deal this year.
In addition to the typical entertainment on ships, singles cruises target group activities such as dance lessons, exercise classes, and team challenges to encourage mixing, or invite solo participants. Some cruises hire dance hosts, available to partner guests during lessons or at the nightclub. Of course, ideally, you'll find your own partner in the crowd.
Activities on the ship are only a portion of your cruise experience, of course. Your destination(s) will make memories for a lifetime. Whether you consider yourself a solo explorer or a group member in good company, travel safely and remember that Columbus did the hard part -- you're just supposed to enjoy!
A single thought: Anchors aweigh!
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