Cruising with friends is always fun, but a cruise is also an opportunity to meet new friends. On a ship with hundreds or thousands of passengers, how do you find those you’d like to spend time with?
Connect with your
fellow passengers before the cruise begins. Groups for passengers of specific cruises can pop up on
social media well before the departure date. Future shipmates use these groups
to share tips and recommendations and make plans to meet on board. Ask your
professional travel advisor where to look for social media groups for your upcoming
cruise.
Get involved in
onboard activities. Be
sure to choose a cruise that offers activities you enjoy, whether that’s
sunning by the pool, working out, going on shore excursions, playing deck
games, listening to guest speakers, or taking in a live performance. The
activities will get you out of your cabin and into the mix with people who
enjoy the same things you do.
Sit with others
at dinner. In the ship’s
dining room, ask the maître d’ to seat you at a larger table where you could
start or join a conversation. If you don’t connect with anyone, simply ask to
be seated at a different table the next night. And if you meet friendly
shipmates during the day, suggest gathering for dinner or drinks that evening.
Ask the social
staff to introduce you to other passengers. The cruise director and the rest of the social staff manage all
onboard events and activities, so they meet lots of passengers who are friendly
and welcoming to new people. An assist from a member of the social staff can
help you overcome any initial shyness about introducing yourself to your
shipmates, too.
Consider a
theme cruise. Your
professional travel advisor can help you look at special cruises that are centered
on a theme, which means you’ll automatically have something in common with
everyone else on board. There are theme cruises for a wide range of interests:
everything from TV and movies to music, sports, crafting, fitness, dancing, LGBTQ+,
cars, wellness, cooking, beer and wine…the list goes on.
Stay in touch. After you make some new acquaintances, use
the cruise line’s app to message each other while you’re on board. And before
you leave the ship, get contact information for the new friends
you’d like to stay in touch with.
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