How I eased into solo overseas travel
The first time I ever went to Europe, was by myself. I always wanted to visit Italy, but I wasn’t sure if it would ever happen. In 2015, I realized I could fulfill my dream, if I decided to go alone. Considering I have never been to Europe before, I needed to find a way to easily travel overseas as a solo traveler.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
Without much thought, I checked @norwegiancruiseline to see if they offered European vacations, and sure enough, they did! I have taken a few solo cruises at that point, so I felt comfortable with cruising alone. You can read more about why I love Norwegian Cruise Line here.
For my first European cruise, I chose a land and sea cruise. This package included: 4 days in Rome with hotel and tours and then 7 days of sailing on the NCL Epic with stops to Florence/Pisa/Tuscany, Monaco/Nice, Palma Majorca, Barcelona, and Naples/Amalfi Coast.
The reasons why I loved a Land & Sea Tour for my first solo European trip were:
- There was plenty of time to explore Rome during the land portion of the trip.
- You have the opportunity to meet people. I made friends immediately with the people in my group.
- The Land & Sea Tour included all tours in Rome, plus you benefit from express passes to skip the lines and English-speaking tour guides!
- The cruise line takes care of the itinerary and hotel.
- Once you board the ship, you do not have to pack and unpack.
- You can book your own excursions with the cruise line at each cruise destination or book private tours for an authentic experience.
- You get to visit multiple countries in one trip!
- You are accounted for. The ship knows if you are on or off the boat. This provided me with a sense of relief and comfort.
If you’re nervous about traveling overseas by yourself, a land and sea tour is a great option!
Have you traveled overseas alone or taken an overseas cruise?
[…] This is the book that inspired me to travel solo. Liz spoke to my soul when she traveled the world by herself to find passion, love, and peace. I can read this book over and over and it will always be my favorite travel book. You can read more about my first time traveling to Europe HERE. […]