"Soul sister," that's how Cathie Mazzarella describes the new
friend she met onboard a singles cruise. "Our
backgrounds couldn't be more different but yet there was something that
clicked," said Mazzarella. "She is a southern belle and I am a hard,
fast New Yorker, but when I heard her yell my name in that southern
drawl on the ship that first day, I knew we'd be friends for life."
According to SinglesCruise.com, stories of budding female friendships like Mazzarella's that occur onboard their specialized cruise vacations are quite common. "The SinglesCruise.com experience offers you all the fun of a cruise vacation, while providing a new outlet for you to meet and socialize with a variety of people just like you," said Steven Hattem, Director of Carlson-owned SinglesCruise.com.
During each SinglesCruise.com sailing, unattached travelers have the opportunity to meet their fellow cruise mates during a variety of exclusive hosted onboard activities. The vacationers can choose to join other adults throughout their cruise at poolside cocktail parties, private dance classes, battling board game sessions, karaoke contests and singles-only land excursions.
A March 2006 Mintel report on Singles and Travel (Attitudes and Behavior) reports that singles as a whole represent 41% of the U.S. population or approximately 121 million people. The study also indicates that about a third of singles travel alone. "Besides offering unmarried adults an opportunity to meet new people, companies like SinglesCruise.com offer women a safe way to travel single but never alone," explained Hattem.
In Mazzarella's case, she and her new friend Renee first met before the cruise set sail through SingleCruise.com's hosted message forums where they discussed their excitement for the upcoming adventure. Since the Fall cruise, they have already met up two times, with more get-togethers planned for the future. Along with the pre-cruise message forums, the company also hosts a Bon Voyage dinner the night before the cruise departure to introduce the travelers in the group, and offers a complimentary roommate matching service for adults traveling on their own who want to take advantage of the more affordable shared cabin rate.
"While some romantic relationships do develop within the large onboard groups, all of our guests walk away from their trip with new friendships they made throughout the week," adds Hattem. "Many of the SinglesCruise.com alumni travelers also meet up around the country and end up planning other vacations together."
SinglesCruise.com offers a variety of winter escapes to the Caribbean ranging from 3-nights to 11-nights. For more information about any of the upcoming sailings, call 800-393-5000.
About SinglesCruise.com
SinglesCruise.com is the largest singles cruise operator in the United States and has been booking singles cruises since 1991. Offering exclusive events hosted by professional cruise directors, SinglesCruise.com provides a unique and memorable vacation experience for singles looking for fun and adventure with new travel companions.
Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, SinglesCruise.com is part of Carlson Vacation & Business Travel (CVBT) a division of Carlson Leisure Group, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Carlson Travel Group, Inc.
