Soloing planet
Regarding “Solo Traveler Needn’t Pair Up,” by Ed Perkins [More for Your Money, Sept. 13]: None of my friends likes cruising. I’m a retiree. I’ve traveled solo economically on cruise ships several times. I always use this company: www . vacationstogo.com. It even has a separate category for solo travelers. Many lines don’t mark up their prices for solo travelers. The majority mark them up only 25%.
I’ve traveled from Tiajin, China, to Anchorage, Alaska; Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Southampton, England; Buenos Aires to Antarctica and back.
I took my first cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Panama. It was a short cruise just to see if I liked it. I waited until the last minute to go and got a solo cabin for about $100 — total price.
I learned on the trip to Antarctica to buy excursions on websites other than the cruise lines’.
We generally traveled in small vans with fewer than 15 people in the van, along with a guide and driver. The cruise lines’ excursions packed huge buses with loads of tourists who soon overwhelmed the parks we visited.
It’s easy to meet other solo travelers if you feel like doing something with others. Or you can go alone.
I always eat in the buffet because I find it easier to meet and talk with fellow travelers that way. The dining room seems to be filled with people who travel in groups. CONNIE MORENO
Lynwood