The Best Tips For How To Make Friends On A Cruise
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Learning how to make friends on a cruise doesn’t have to be hard, whether you are a solo traveler, a couple looking to make new friends, or in a group traveling together but wanting to meet people your own age. I have been on many cruises on Celebrity and Norwegian and have made friends I still chat with, and you can too. Here are some tips for how to make friends on a cruise that might help you.
Making New Friends On A Cruise Ship
Cruising offers a unique opportunity to meet people of various ages, backgrounds, and nationalities who can broaden your perspectives and enrich your cruise experience. For a set time, whether it’s four days or fourteen, you are in a closed environment with hundreds or thousands of other people, bound to run into individuals time and again whether in an elevator, on the pool deck, or while on an excursion. This provides the perfect chance to make new friends and enjoy their company during the trip.
Having The Right Mindset
A positive attitude is important for ensuring a positive outcome in any encounter. Don’t be a complainer; no one likes to be around a Negative Nellie. And above all, be open. Keep your body language open – don’t cross your arms or turn away from people.
Be Open And Approachable: To make friends, you need to be friendly. Don’t expect people to come up to you. Smile at people, which makes you open to someone to chat with you. Laugh at someone’s joke. If you are lighthearted, you will be more approachable.
Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone: The important part of making new friends on a cruise is to be open to new experiences that can facilitate new friendships, whether it’s participating in a trivia challenge or taking a line-dance class. Getting out of your comfort zone helps, as it gives you something to chat about with the people around you.
Respect And Inclusivity: Be open-minded about others’ cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Be mindful of jokes or stories you tell to be sure you don’t offend others.
Don’t Try Too Hard: Be open to new friendships but don’t approach it like a challenge. Be easygoing and open, friendly and gregarious, without being overbearing and desperate.
Take Advantage of Social Opportunities
Cruise ships offer many opportunities to be social, making them one of the easiest places in the world to make new friends. Activities take place all day long, even on port days, so you have many chances to make new friends.
Choose To Dine With Others: Rather than dining alone or with your partner at a table for two, opt for a group table. Chatting over meals is a great way to meet other people.
Join Group Activities: Every cruise line offers daily activities that encourage interaction between cruisers. Examples include trivia challenges, archery challenges, pickleball tournaments, table tennis tournaments, volleyball tournaments, slots tournaments, and ship tours.
Go To Social Events: Seek out gatherings such as cocktail parties, dance parties, and soirées with the officers.
Attend A Meeting: Meetings with specific groups take place daily, such as those for veterans, recovering alcoholics, LBGTQ, knitters, bridge enthusiasts, and others.
Attend Seminars: Each day, seminars are held that might include other like-minded people. Examples include health and wellness seminars, wine tastings, and how to play table games in the casino.
Take A Class: Classes abound onboard ships, such as fitness classes, arts and crafts, yoga classes, cycling classes, dance classes, cooking classes, and mixology courses.
Go To Events: Onboard shops hold daily events that often include prize drawings. These include those for jewelry, watches, and the like. The spa may also hold a prize drawing, and the art auctions are interesting. These are fun and often include a free glass of champagne.
Use Onboard Apps and the Daily Newsletter: Finding these activities is easy on a cruise ship! Each evening, check your onboard app and/or your daily newsletter for opportunities happening the next day that you want to attend.
Chat With The Crew: Ask your bartender or cabin attendant where they are from and ask questions about their family and culture. Learn their names and always greet them warmly.
Tips For Making The First Move
Making a new friend is much like dating: find someone you may be compatible with and start a conversation. Here are some tips.
Starting Conversations: Use conversation starters about cruising, such as asking if they have ever cruised on this ship before, how many cruises they have taken, whether they have cruised on other cruise lines, that sort of thing. Another easy conversation starter is to make a positive comment about the funny graphic T-shirt they are wearing, or ask where they got their neat cruise lanyard. Or simply ask someone if they will take your photo, then offer to take theirs.
Finding Common Ground: Once you have gone through those questions, find common ground and expound on it. Ask what other ships they have cruised on this line, what they thought of the other cruise lines, and what cruises they are going on next. Ask what excursions they are booked on, and if you have one in common, tell them you look forward to seeing them there.
Also, ask where they are from; you may be from a similar area, and this gives you more things to chat about.
Building And Maintaining Connections
Once you have made a connection, build on it.
Plan To Meet Again: If you met at an archery challenge, for example, ask if they are also doing another upcoming challenge and say you look forward to seeing them there.
Exchange Contact Information: If you meet someone you click with, offer to exchange contact information at the end of the cruise. Rather than email, exchange social media contact info.
Social Media and Post-Cruise Friendships: Once the cruise is over, send friend requests to the people you have exchanged social media handles with. Like and make positive comments on their posts. Continue to be friendly.
Navigating Challenges
Making friends isn’t easy, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Be prepared, though, for those who aren’t receptive.
Dealing With Rejection: If you make an overture and a connection doesn’t happen, simply smile and walk away. It’s okay – you can’t make friends with everyone. Don’t let it get you down; try again with someone else. But if you’re getting rejection after rejection, you might have to adjust your approach. You may be trying too hard.
Finding Alone Time: Although making new friends can be fun, don’t forget that a large part of cruising is relaxation. Take time for yourself to kick back and just enjoy the cruise experience.
Final Thoughts On How To Make Friends On A Cruise Ship
Making friends on a cruise can be one of the most memorable and fun things about your trip, enhancing your experience. I still have fond memories of people we met on cruises past, and some I still keep up with via social media, enjoying seeing where they’re cruising next and exchanging tips.
So, step outside your comfort zone and make a new friend or two on your next cruise. You’ll be glad you did.
Happy cruising!
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