Freestyle is single friendly

Cruise Travel, Sept-Oct, 2004 by Phyllis Hering

I have never written a letter to the editor before, but this statement in the Norwegian Sun Ship of the Month (Cruise Travel, April 2004) goes against everything I have experienced cruising as a single traveler: "Freestyle is probably not the choice for singles traveling alone."

I totally disagree. I was on the Norwegian Sun in November as a single traveler, and I recommend NCL's "Freestyle Cruising" dining to anyone traveling alone. The staff were very nice and every evening would ask me if I wanted company for dinner (a polite way of saying it). I sat every night with different people; some nights were a lot more fun than others. But the plus side to that, it was only one night; if it were fixed seating, I would be stuck with these people for seven days, or I would have to try to change tables. This way I got to meet a lot of people. Since you are on a cruise, you have instant conversation starters: How do you like the ship? How many cruises have you been on? What's your favorite cruise? ... Of course, you need to go at a popular time; I would go to dinner at seven and never had a problem.

The other issue I could see with assigned seating: What if everyone went to a specialty restaurant and you were the only one at a table for 10? How uncomfortable would that be? For me, a downside is the specialty restaurants, because they are by reservation and not open-seating. But the dining room was terrific, so I did not feel that I missed out on anything.

I have also been on Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and love them tot single travelers, too. In December I am going on Silversea Cruises, and I am totally looking forward to that.

Phyllis Hering, Bayside, NY