Hello,

It has been 25 years since I've been on a cruise (7-day Carribeean that was a gift -- and it was fun!), but now I need a short getaway, mainly so I can quarrantine myself to get a writing/tinking project done. A cruise seems like a good solution. but while I feel rather confident about planning trips on land, I am completely out of my element planning this.

If someone could direct me to the most reputable websites to do the searching, I can take it from there. I am probably looking for something short -- 3 or 4 days is fine, and don't care which port in the US I take off from. I am centrally located in the US, so can get anywhere with equal ease or pain, depending on your viewpoint.

I am hoping my flexibility (dates, don't care about cabin class, destination) will yield a good price and that there might be a good website just for someone like me. I've been going to individual cruiseline websites and it seems inefficient.

Thanks in advance.

Try going to a site like expedia and search for a cruise by destination whether it be the Caribbean or Mexico which will have the 3-4 day cruises. Then pick one and go to www.cruisecompete.com and enter this info. You will get bids from competing agents and basically the best price wins. Or try going to www.vacationstogo.com and see what they have available. This could save you a step. They have a number of discounted cruises.

If you are a member of Costco you can try to get a quote from them as well. They do have a vacation club.
Have fun. Larry

Thank you, Larry. I will give those a whirl! Appreciate the direction.

If you don't mind being on a larger ship, I'd also recommend the Norwegian Epic, which has special single cabins. I love the cabins and think they offer a good value. But I can't remember if they have a desk for writing.

Doug does the Epic do 3-4 days cruises? I assumed not as its their big money boat so to speak.

No, they do not. I should have been more specific ... big ship and longer cruise. It's a particularly good value for singles as there is no supplement for their single cabins. The OP might very well do just as well on price for a short cruise in an inside cabin, but I think those ships are even less suited for a "thinking/writer" project. Can you imagine? Thinking on a Carnival weekend jaunt?

Well you asked for it so I'll say it.
"Perish the thought." Extreme groan.

Well, that little studio cabin on the Epic would work just great...on another trip, perhaps. I will keep it in mind; thank you!

This is harder than I thought. Damn single supplement. I have tried the "cabin in the woods" approach and nearly died from boredom. I am good for about 5 hours at a time, then need to see people or hear the white noise of a sidewalk cafe. I am good at hunkering down. I am less good at bunkering down.

Doug, LArry,

Are there any other lines to avoid as I search -- for the noise/kid/distraction factor? I'm good with a reasonable amount of disruption -- probably pretty tolerable of a lot -- but really don't want to deal with children running around and such. I know that sounds terrible. I see myself on a lounge chair with my laptop and notes, earbuds in, drink at-the-ready.

OK, Kit, is there any possible way you could spare a lot more time and do a Transatlantic or other re-positioning cruise? Being at sea is the most peaceful experience I have ever had. It would be wonderful for writing. DH and I did that a couple of years ago with the very same idea as you. DH is a writer and I am a painter. We had breakfast (saw other people then for a little while) then, he often took his laptop and sat somewhere on deck (exactly as you describe - deck chair, drink on the table, snacks at hand, waiter keeping an eye out in case he needed anything) writing. I am a bit of a recluse so usually stayed in the cabin painting. When DH got hungry, he came back and we went for lunch. Then it was either more painting, etc. until dinner time when we had time to meet other people, or we went swiming, etc. Evening, we went to the clubs or other entertainment. The cruise was seven days at sea, then several ports. It was a perfect combination of meeting new people, quiet time for work, food all prepared, decent entertainment and seeing a few new places, all at a really cheap price. You see these TA and repositioning cruises in the Spring and Fall for as low as $419, but many around $600. Of course, you do have the airfare back home, and I have no clue about the single supplement. I hope you can find something that works for you. Oh, that ship was Crown Princess, which is our favorite of so far, only four.

Oh, how great does that sound, Sassafrass? I just have a deadline that's tighter than that will allow in my schedule. I would need to plan that chunk of time quite a bit further out. The single supplement is a killer, and adding a friend to the equation to circumvent it ruins the productive nature of the drill -- assuming any would be willing to match this nonwishlist anyway. But I am going to keep my eye on this Epic ship for later.

Maybe I need to course correct/abandon ship (ewwwww) and look for a land-based lounge chair.

OK Kit, I'll be honest with you. Short cruises on any line are party-oriented, packed to the gills, and often end up in drunken revelry. If those things distract you, then a short cruise is not for you.

If you can swing it, a 7-day cruise would be much better, but Caribbean cruises in general are busy and lively, with lots of kids. If you go for a quieter ship, it will be an expensive luxury cruise and will certainly not last for 3 or 4 nights.

kit: I think you are right. A cruise at this time is not the best I think. Sorry.

Yes, agree. The "trapped" aspect appealed to my need for productivity. But the more I look at these itins -- even for the 7-10 days -- the every-day ports/stops mean I would never get anything done.

BUT. The transatlantic is an excellent idea for the futures list, as is the Epic and its solo cabin (and I like its Spain/Italy itin) and best of all, being on the cruise forum means I have stumbled upon and downloaded 6 brochures for European river cruising, which sounds like something I'd love but have never really thought much about.

For this more immediate project, I might just head for Colorado instead. Thanks for your input, all. Much and truly appreciated.

My pleasure kit. I hope your project is a success. Then take that cruise.

Hi Kit, It sounds like you may have ditched the cruise plans for now, but I thought I would send you a link for future bookings. I’m also a writer and do a lot of solo travel and get frustrated at the single supplements and would recommend www.cstn.org, an independent site that trawls the web for deals that are solo traveler friendly. Their cruise calendar is particularly good as it identifies upcoming cruises that have low or no single supplements: http://www.cstn.org/news/cruisecalendar.htm

For a small one-off membership you can get access to a much larger database of cruises and trips.

Good luck with your writing. I hope you achieve your goal and find the quiet vacation you’re looking for.

Thank you, Indiana. I will keep my eye on that site, too. Appreciate the thought!