What has been your experience???

[nisey0422]

I am thinking of going on a 10-day Alaskan cruise in 2009. Two co-workers and their wives are going and I was invited. The only problem is that I'm single and have no cabin-mate. I see that people are meeting up on this boards and boards like this. What has been the experience of two strangers meeting up for a cruise? I'd like to hear some feedback before I put out the invite...

[colorcrazie]

Many years ago, when I was single, I signed up for NCL's single share program. It was the only way I could afford to go at the time. They paired up singles matched by sex, age, and smoking preference...up to 4 in a cabin. I was nervous, but it was fine. Anyone willing to take that kind of chance to have the experiences of cruising usually was fun to be around. I did this a number of times and if I did get a cabin mate whom I didn't much care for, it was usually mutual and we would just agree to not spend time together. Always suggested cabin rules re. shower times, etc.
That said, I have never shared a cabin with someone I "met" on a newsgroup. I'm now too old and set in my ways to do it, but if younger, I would consider it.
Just my experience. If you can't find a willing travel buddy among friends, family, or acquaintances and can't afford single supplements, better to go with a stranger than not at all!
Marty

[dina]

Personally, I LOVE cruising with no cabin mate. Going with other couples is fine to. We eat together and hang out then I'm off an running on my own. I'm not sure about Alaska but I'm sure you'll be going on excursions with them as well which will be nice.

[misguidedangel]

I would suggest trying to find someone you know or just go yourself. Not knowing who you're going with is a disadvantage and can lead to disaster. Just think, you could end up with a stick in the mud who insists on going to bed at 9pm and LOCKS you out of the cabin as if she forgets she's sharing with someone....that or hogging the closet/drawer space....

I go solo, I pay more, but it is more fun to have no one else in the cabin but you...

[Nothin but blue skies]

I just read all the posts on this thread and they were very interesting and showed lots of pros and cons to this situation. So far my DH and I have always cruised together and often have friends/family book with us (separate cabins). If something were to happen to one of us, I like to think that we could still cruise solo and enjoy it, but I never thought about sharing a cabin with a stranger before.

For those of you who have done this, do you know ahead of time who your cabin mate will be, or can you find out? If so, maybe you could be online pals for a little while prior to cruising to see what each other's personalities are like. You could even set up ground rules prior to sailing. Sometimes it is easier to exchange ideas and set something like this up in writing that face to face.

[colorcrazie]

I have not shared a cabin with a stranger in a long time, but so far as I know, you meet when you run into each other in the cabin after you board! That may not be true if you go through an organization, like one of the big singles clubs, but definitely true when done through the cruise line.
Marty

[lhp]

Off Topic: Hubby was just in Raleigh,NC last week on business....very nice area.

Personally, I would not hesitate to go on my own.

Years ago, Carnival used to fix up total strangers (of the same sex) as cabin mates....but sadly in the world we live in today...that is just not a good idea.

An Alaskan cruise is going to be an expensive one and not one that I would want to take the chance of being ruined by a odd cabin mate.

I would just get a cabin by myself, if I could not find a friend or acquantance that you know you would enjoy to go along.