Arizona Via - Summer 2019 - 28

Why cruises
are great for

solo travelers
Last summer, I took a cruise on the Danube. I
drank wine with new friends at a Vienna vineyard,
soaked at a Hungarian bathhouse, and hiked the
hills above the town of Passau, Germany. In the
evening, I sang along with postdinner tunes in
the lounge or enjoyed quiet meals on the terrace
when I didn't feel like socializing.
The cruise provided a perfect combination of
company and privacy, freedom and security.
Here are six reasons why more cruisers should
consider going solo. - l au r a k i n i ry

But you can
choose to be
alone. As much as
I enjoyed dinners at the
communal tables, I was
just as happy to slip back
to my stateroom to read
a book, take a nap, and
simply be.

You can follow
your whims.
Before the trip, I'd
planned to join an all-day
excursion into the Czech
Republic. Once on board,
I decided that a few
hours baking bread in
the Austrian countryside
sounded nicer. Being
able to do as I pleased,
without consulting anyone else, was liberating.

36-38caMJ19_SOLOTRAVEL.indd 38

It pushes you out
of your comfort
zone. Sure, it can
feel awkward asking
strangers to let you join
their dinner table. But it's
also a great way to make
new friends and boost
your confidence. The
best part? You can always
eat somewhere else the
next night.

Cruising under the Golden Gate.

It's safe. The crew
is always looking
out for you. They
know (generally) where
you are and notice if you
aren't where you're supposed to be. Miss a
departure because you
were too busy sampling
chocolate in Vienna?
Crew members will alert
your emergency contact.

It's becoming
more affordable.
The "single supplement"-when cruise lines
charge solo travelers the
full two-person price for
a stateroom-has long
deterred many who travel
alone. But many cruise
lines now offer special
rates for singles.

Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul, Turkey.

PLAN
A
TRIP

Want to find out more about solo
cruising? Contact the AAA Vacation
Expert at your local branch, visit AAA
.com/travel, or call (877) 835-2233.

TOP TO BOTTOM: SAMANTHA ESTRADA / STOCKSY; JOE AZURE / TANDEM STOCK; CARLO ACENAS / TANDEM STOCK

You'll never be
lonely. When you're
cruising on your own,
crew members will go
out of their way to attend
to your needs. Fellow
passengers gravitate to
you, and invitations for
dinner or onboard trivia
games are likely to follow.

Gondola ride in Venice.

3/26/19 3:05 PM

http://AAA.COM/TRAVEL http://AAA.COM/TRAVEL

Arizona Via - Summer 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Arizona Via - Summer 2019