Solo Voyages

Cruise lines adapt policies to accommodate those traveling alone.

- KRISTY ALPERT

As the crew lined the gangway, glaciers and mountains filled my view, and I snapped a selfie to document the surreal moment from where I stood at the north bank of the Beagle Channel in Ushuaia, Argentina. I was destined for Antarctica, and the ship in front of me would be the vessel that brought me to my seventh continent.

That solitary picture proved I had chosen to venture beyond my comfort zone, but more importantly, it served as a stark reminder I was completely alone: no friends, family members or loved ones to hold my bags or take photos for me. I had come alone and was about to embark on the first solo cruise of my life.

I prepared for my first solo journey by assuming I would be the only single traveler on board that Polar Latitudes ship. Little did I know I would soon be surrounded by a group of six other solo cruisers — of all ages, races, and life stages — who would form our own little cruise family during that 13-day voyage. Together we shared in the excitement of our Antarctic journey, rejoiced alongside one another as we celebrated birthdays and life changes and, yes, took pictures for each other without having to ask.