Single Woman Solo Cruising:

Sonia enjoying the Paul Gauguin cruise in Bora Bora

I’m a single woman cruising solo and enjoying life at 67. I feel young, vibrant, and excited about life.

With all the turmoil and uncertainty in our world today, I’ve decided to cruise solo as much as my budget will allow. I’m in good health and want to enjoy the positives, meeting people from other countries and seeing new places on our beautiful planet.

Focusing on small ships catering to singles:

This year, I’ve booked three different cruise lines to compare: PONANT (French), CRYSTAL (owned by Abercrombie and Kent), and SEABOURN (Carnival Corporation & plc.) After trying all three cruises, I’ll be able to discuss the pros and cons of each, and decide which cruise line I prefer.

Solo traveling is growing, especially among women, so I have researched the smaller ships that offer discounts for solo travelers, and cannot wait to compare all three.

My first cruise is on The Paul Gauguin Cruise Ship (PONANT)

I plan to spend a week in Bath, U.K., before heading to Singapore, where the first leg of my cruise starts.

This will be my third cruise on the Paul Gauguin twice to French Polynesia, which I highly recommend.

The ship is small, with 330 passengers, and the crew is always upbeat and friendly. They remember my first name and the extra-strong Americano is ready every morning when I arrive at the early risers continental breakfast bar.

On my Christmas cruise in French Polynesia, I met a nice Romanian woman who loves to swim as much as I do. We would meet at the coffee bar at 6:00 a.m. and wait for the swimming pool to be refilled with warm seawater. I love that there is no chlorine in the pool and that they replace it with seawater daily. Here’s a video on how they do it.

I’ve never been to Singapore, so I decided to hire a guide (tours by locals). I arrive in the evening at Changi Airport, and a Paul Gauguin representative will drive me to my hotel. (That’s the plan!) The following day, I’ll have 3 hours to tour Singapore’s highlights with my guide before embarkation.

Another bonus are the lectures on board the Paul Gauguin by various experts. So I look forward to learning about different cultures and other interesting facts on my two-week journey to Darwin (see map above). I’ve pre-booked my excursions to stunning islands and beaches such as Parai Beach, Indonesia, Java, Bali,

Komodo Island (and the famous Komodo dragons, the largest species of dragons up to 330 lbs).

My last excursion before Darwin, is in Dili (the capital of East Timor), an island that I was hoping the Peace Corps would send me to volunteer when I applied.

Please follow me as I cruise along for another two weeks to Fiji.

Let me know if you’ve experienced a wonderful cruise and which cruise lines you would suggest I try.

More to come!!!

Sonia

2nd part of the cruise from Darwin to Fiji

What does “self-love” mean to you?

The most important relationship in your life is the one you have with yourself. Do you agree?

If you have trouble understanding the term, “Self-love” another way to understand this is to realize that it can motivate and guide you towards self-care practices. Those who genuinely love themselves are more likely to prioritize their health and happiness.

Self-love took me a long time to understand, and now I see the importance of practicing self-care.

I live in Orange County, California, where most people are into exercise, taking care of staying healthy and youthful. Self-care is important to me, and I don’t think it’s being self-centered or selfish. It’s something I do for myself and for my adult children. It doesn’t mean I’m egotistical and lack kindness and empathy towards others. It means that I want to keep as active and healthy as I can be to enjoy the rest of my life and avoid health issues as long as I can.

Another part of self-love is setting boundaries,

Is self-care the same as self-centeredness?

Self-care is essential, but what do I mean by it? (Here is my list)

Eat right, and avoid fast food, sugary sodas, and desserts

Exercise every day

Take pride in yourself and your looks (for yourself)

Avoid alcohol

Sleep 7-8 hours

Do not smoke

Call your friends

Check on family members

Keep learning

Belong to a community

Gratitude Journaling

Meditation

Travel

Self care is not the same as being self-centered.

What is self-centeredness?

According to Chat GPT, the definition of self-centeredness:

“Self-centeredness refers to a personality trait or behavior where an individual excessively focuses on themselves, their own needs, desires, and interests, often to the exclusion or neglect of others. It can manifest in various ways, such as constantly talking about oneself, seeking attention or validation, prioritizing personal gain over the well-being of others, and displaying a lack of empathy or consideration for others’ feelings and perspectives.”

Finally, Marissa Peer describes 3 ways to know you love yourself in a succinct manner in this short video.