Are there paticular cruise lines that are best if cruising alone and that are geared to middle agers?

If you are looking for an upscale cruise line, Crystal is well liked by single travelers. The single room rate is 125% which is low compared with other lines that charge anywhere from 150% to 200%. There are singles parties and each cruise has a number of hosts that will help you dance the night away.

I actually went on a Royal Carribean Cruise last year to the Western Carribean, alone without my wife for a business function. I was aboard the Voyager of the Seas which was a beautiful, big boat. I was charged full price no discounts for being a single traveler but was treated like GOLD.

I selected the option of sitting at a table of ten people - where I met several couples, familes, and another single women (also a doctor, at the same business function that I was at). We hit it off well and I actually enjoyed the cruise.

Really the huge myth about traveling single on a cruise is like the worst thing in the world when really it isn't! There is just so much to do, and so many friendly people you will not even notice that you are alone.

Happy Sailing

I wouldn't recommend a Carnival cruise in the summer -- unless you like being surrounded by families with kids and the college age set (or those about-to-be college students) who frequent the lower cost Carnival cruises.

I was in a group, but it was a group's sake for dinner only. None of us did the same type things on board, but we all found plenty to do. I'm also not middle aged, so I can't comment from that perspective.

My advice is to plan when kids are in school. That will take away both the little kids running around (700 in Camp Carnival alone which is the young kids on my cruise) and the coeds.

yourowncabin.com offers a weekly news letter with single cabin prices for most of the cruise lines. I think is is $25 for the subscription.

I got a great deal on NCL Spirt for only $466 for an Alaska cruise and would you believe I was able to use my CO miles!!