TRAVEL
going places
SOLO CRUISES / MALTA / DINING
A holiday on your own is not only a rewarding way to see the world, it’s also a chance to make new friendships, as our travel expert discovers on her first solo cruise
by PAM FRANCIS
GOING IT ALONE
Float away Relaxation, new adventures and friendships are part of the appeal of a solo cruise
The last time I went on a cruise was ten years ago with my other half. It was full of couples like us, wining and dining around the romantic islands of the Caribbean. This time, as I boarded Saga’s Spirit of the Rhine for its Keukenhof and Dutch Delights cruise, there were no cosy couples. It was for solos only.
There I was, one of 52 passengers – 45 women and seven men – who, for various reasons, were holidaying on their own. These were to be my companions for seven nights, while the cruise took in the tulip fields, windmills and grand historic buildings of the Netherlands. Supposing nobody spoke to me? Or people were cliquey? Would I be Pammy no-mates, sitting on my own?
Looking nervously at my fellow passengers, I tried to work out if any might become my new best friend. Or if there were any dishy men, which wasn’t really the point since this was a solos trip, not a singles holiday.