My First Solo Trip, Part Two: The Cruise
- Tiffany Twofoot
- Jun 18
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 13
As my time in Orlando came to an end, I grabbed an Uber for Port Canaveral, buzzing with excitement for my first solo cruise! I was booked on the Norwegian Epic with an itinerary that read like a pirate map: Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, Falmouth, Jamaica, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, Mexico. Having cruised multiple times with Norwegian Cruise Line, I felt like a seasoned pirate ready to navigate the check-in process. I made a plan to arrive early, giving myself plenty of time to explore the ship and discover all its nooks and crannies before the crowds arrived.
Solo Lounge Perks and First Meet-Up
Norwegian truly excels at catering to solo travelers! I booked a solo balcony cabin, which granted me access to the solo lounge—a haven designed just for solo adventurers. This lounge features a bar (staffed from 5 pm to 7 pm) and offers what many claim is the best coffee on the ship (excluding Starbucks), along with a delightful selection of pastries and snacks to boot. And, each day of any Norwegian cruise, a wonderful member of the entertainment staff hosts a solo meetup. On this cruise, the first meeting was held in a larger common area, but subsequent meetings were held in the solo lounge.
Although I'm initially quite shy and tend to keep to myself, I had promised myself that I would attend the first solo meetup to see what the atmosphere was like. At the first meetup, anybody who was brave enough had an opportunity to introduce themselves, and then we were able to sign up for a group dinner the following night. Although I didn't meet or speak to anybody at that meeting, I liked the vibe and decided I would attend the meetup on day 2 to have dinner with other solo travelers.
A Small-World Encounter
In the meantime, I was on my own for the rest of the evening. However, I was walking down the hall to my room when I heard somebody call my name. At first, I shrugged it off as not being meant for me (after all, I didn't know anybody on the ship). However, I stopped and turned around just in case, and low and behold, it was a guy I went to elementary school shrugged it off as not being meant for me (after allwith and had no seen (we are Facebook friends) since the early 80's! It was such a freak"it's a small world" encounter. I ran into them again at the buffet that eveing and had dinner with his family. Oddly enough, I never saw him again for the next 5 days, but that's because I was too busy with my new solo traveler friends. I will say it was comforting knowing there was somebody on the ship I knew, just in case I needed any help.
Great Stirrup Cay: Beach Bliss in a Cabana
On the second day, we arrived at Norwegian's private island, Great Stirrup Cay. I decided to treat myself to a day of luxury and rented a cabana for the day. Since I prefer tranquility over crowds, having a cabana was perfect for guaranteeing a fantastic beach day. The beach and ocean are my happy places, and it had been ages since my last sandy rendezvous. Fortunately, the weather was perfect, allowing me to enjoy a wonderful day of sunbathing, peaceful reflection, and solitude. The only thing that would have made this day better would have been if it had happened later in the trip, so I could have shared the cabana with my new friends.
Connections at Sea: A Night of New Friendships
That evening, I headed to the solo meet-up, which turned out to be a great decision. We started with a fun icebreaker game and then we proceeded to dining room, where I was seated with 9 other adventurous souls. It was a great opportunity to chat and get to know each other. When dinner wrapped up, a smaller group of us decided to hit the nightclub together for a fun and interesting night of karaoke and a lively dance party!
A New Crew: The Three Musketeers (and Then Some)
The next day was a sea day, and I spent a good portion of the day exploring the ship and enjoying some of the daytime entertainment. In the late afternoon, I met up with two fabulous women I had met the night before, and from that point forward, we became the Three Musketeers of the sea. Over the course of the week, two other solos joined us here and there as well. The 5 of us fell into a delightful routine where we met up every night around 11pm at the Irish pub for drinks and snacks. It wasn't something we specifically planned at first, but it became our nightly shenanigan, and honestly, is probably one of the things I miss most to this day.
Island Adventure in Jamaica
Falmouth, Jamaica was our next destination. One of the musketeers was originally from this beautiful island and had plans to meet her brother, father, and friend in port. She invited me to join them, which is something I would normally not feel comfortable doing, and I didn’t want to intrude on her family time. However, when she insisted, I very bravely decided to step outside my comfort zone, and boy, am I glad I did! Her friend drove us around to some incredible spots, and we had lunch at a seaside restaurant with stunning views. It was an absolute blast, and I'm thrilled I decided to let my adventurous side shine!
Exploring the Ports with New Friends
Over the course of the week, I went into each port with my friend T and one or two of the other members of our group. At each port, we’d just wander off the ship, ready to discover whatever fun-filled adventure awaited us. In Georgetown, we hopped on a tour bus for a fascinating and speedy tour around the city—what a fantastic way to soak in the sights! In Cozumel, we hired a cab for a flat fee to drive us around. Our driver doubled as a tour guide, showing us local sights and making a crucial pit stop for some liquid enlightenment at Casa Mission. Pro tip: There’s a taco wizard behind the main building at Casa Mission crafting street tacos so divine, they deserve their own culinary award. Seriously, those tacos were the kind of deliciousness that makes you question every other taco you've ever eaten!
Bittersweet Goodbyes and Lasting Memories
Unfortunately, of course, this fun-filled, adventurous week had to come to an end. The days seemed to fly by in a whirlwind of excitement, laughter, and new experiences that I wished could last forever. And though I was sad it was over, I was thrilled with how amazing and life-changing the experience was. The memories created during this week will stay with me for a lifetime, serving as a reminder of the beauty of exploration and connection.
Travel After Loss: Rediscovering My Joy
Travel has always been a passion of mine, a way to escape the mundane and embrace the unknown. Since my husband passed away, I have often found myself hesitating to embark on new adventures. And, with my now adult children off on their own adventures, I worried that I wouldn't have the opportunity to travel the way I wanted to. The thought of exploring new places alone was daunting, and I often questioned whether I could find joy in travel without my husband or children by my side. However, I am very grateful that I decided to book this cruise, which turned out to be a transformative experience. The decision to step outside my comfort zone and embrace the journey was one of the best choices I could have made. I was fortunate enough to meet some of the most wonderful people from various backgrounds, each with their own stories and experiences to share. The connections we formed were genuine and heartfelt, transcending the boundaries of age and geography. I still keep in touch with many of them, exchanging messages, sharing our solo travel experiences, and planning future meet-ups, which has created a sense of community that I cherish deeply.
