River and small ship cruising has many incredible rewards for travelers of all ages and lifestyle, but for the Solo Traveler it also overcomes one of their biggest concerns, their safety. River and small ship cruises are without a doubt the safest choice of any vacation for Solo Travelers. And, in most cases they are also the most hassle-free and affordable vacations as well.
The team at Premier River Cruises has been assisting Single and Solo Travelers for many years. During that time we’ve become very familiar with many of the most common concerns that must be addressed when planning a solo traveler’s vacation. Some of the more frequent ones are:
Will I be Safe?
On most vacations, solo travelers tend to follow some self-imposed guidelines to ensure their safety in a foreign destination. For example, if they are not completely comfortable, they may limit where they go in a city and thus miss many of the more interesting sights, especially at night. Solo travelers need to be very careful about their hotel location, how and with whom they tour, where to store valuables, how to get around town and much, much more.
Yes, typical tourist attractions like museums, churches and castles are almost always safe, even when traveling independently, but they generally do not provide a true sense of the city, you know the “local color” that is so important to capture, especially for those who enjoy traveling solo. That said, unless you have befriended a local (prior to arrival) that you know and trust, there are many sights and areas of a city that the solo traveler just may have to avoid because you’re just not at ease going there alone.
Many solo travelers must rely on their own intuition or on people they don’t know to advise them about the “good” parts of a city — both can be a bit risky at times. All in all, planning a solo vacation alone can be very stressful and will most certainly create lots of extra work, and a great deal of pre-arrival anxiety.
| River and small ship cruises are hassle-free and eliminate the safety concerns for solo travelers |
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All elements of the trip are managed by experienced people who know the destination. |
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One-stop shopping provides best air, secure hotels and your luxurious river or small ship cruise |
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From the moment you arrive there are knowledgeable “locals” who you can turn to for advice |
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Your in-depth, “included” touring is managed by local guides — who could know the area better? |
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You travel in small groups of like-minded travelers which generally include 8-10 solo travelers |
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The intimate nature of a luxurious river or small ship cruise creates a naturally social environment |
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If you want to move about independently, you can rely on the ship’s staff for sound advice |
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The ship is your safety net, it moves from place to place and you unpack and pack only once |
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Beoming quickly known and recognized by ship’s staff adds an extra layer to your security blanket |
There’s nothing like experience to overcome much of the anxiety and many of the typical safety concerns most solo travelers face.
In buying your cruise from Premier River Cruises, you’ll always deal with one of our Solo Traveler Cruise Experts who will provide support to you at every turn: before, during, and after you arrive home from your exciting river cruise vacation.
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We’ve been to just about every river and small ship cruise destination and understand your concerns |
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We’ve traveled solo, so we understand why it is important to feel safe |
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Our experience allows us to advise you about which river or small ship cruise line will work best for you |
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Our Solo Traveler cruise experts will make you an instant expert on every element of your river cruise, including each destination you visit. |
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Please continue reading the article below the "Get A Quick Quote" section. |
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| Book early for BEST SOLO PRICES! |
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We know you're eager to start planning your river or small ship cruise vacation!
To help you get started, call and speak to a cruise expert at 855.255.1200, toll free, or submit a 'Get A Quick Quote' for a
Solo Traveler river or small ship cruise — we'll contact you right away to help you select & plan a perfect cruise vacation. |
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Will I have to pay an outrageous "single supplement"?
One of the many advantages of dealing with a Solo Traveler Cruise Expert at Premier is that you'll instantly have access to well over 100 specially-negotiated Europe river cruise offers where there are NO single supplement fees, and be able to get the lowest, negotiated solo prices from the other river and small ship cruise lines for all other destinations.
What do I need to know before I go to maximize my enjoyment?
That's a really good question! Traveling to foreign lands can be a bit daunting and at times even overwhelming. Each of our cruise experts have an average of 18+ years experience in international travel experience which means they will happily share valuable information and proven travel tips that will help you plan, prepare, and even pack for your river or small ship cruise… right down to what the temperature will be in each place you visit, at the time of year you visit.
Not only that, but if you’re doing a pre and/or post land stay, your personal travel planner will also reveal some of our personal sightseeing hints and useful information on local transportation, cool restaurants, best shopping opportunities and even local tipping customs — all guaranteed to greatly improve the enjoyment of any cruise, make it “hassle free,” and ultimately one of your best vacations ever!
How will I know where to go and what to do?
One of the most rewarding and cost savings elements of a river or small ship cruises are the FREE fully-escorted shore excursions in each and every port visited, as well as many well-priced optional excursions. There are many to choose from and you’ll always travel with a very experienced, English speaking local guide.
Because riverboats and small ships stay in port much longer (sometimes overnight) than mega-sized ocean ships, there’s also plenty of time to explore on your own. Here too, you’ll always be prepared: you’ll have the ability to ask your ship's manager anything and everything about your destination — they’ll even give you a note in the local language for taxi drivers to get you safely back to the ship. And remember, prior to your deparure from home, you'll have been armed with a multitude of sightseeing ideas as well as some really enjoyable and totally safe places to have a meal off the ship and, of course, some great shopping and photo-op suggestions from your personal travel planner.
Will there be other Solo Travelers? Will I "fit in"?
Most certainly there will be other Solo Travelers. European river cruises especially tend to have the most solo travelers onboard and on most sailings, about 7-8% of the passengers are solo travelers; small ship cruises tend to have a smaller percentage of "solo" travelers. Despite that, the number of passengers on a riverboat or small ship is so small, and so intimate, there will be no worries about meeting others or having other solo travelers to dine with should you choose to do so.
Will I be able to stay in touch with friends and family at home?
Today’s modern riverboats and small ships are technological marvels with all the technical or communication tools that one would expect. On river cruises, free 24-hour a day internet (If you would like to, bring your computer.) and international long-distance phone service is at your disposal. On small ship cruises to more remote destinations like the arctic, antarctic, Galapagos Islands, or South Pacifc islands, internet connection may not always be available, but international long-distance phone service is always available.
Ready to find out more about river and small ship cruising?
We truly hope that this article and others on our Premier site have shown you why we believe river and small ship cruises are the best and safest travel values for solo travelers. And, we may be a bit biased, but we are confident there’s no better place to book your river or small ship cruise than with Premier. Should you have any questions or comments please call one of our cruise experts at 1.855.255.1200, or can email info@premierrivercruises.com. We’d love to hear from you and promise to answer quickly.
Want to read more about the river cruise experience as a Solo Traveler? Click HERE.
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