After I got stood up, I took a luxury cruise in Europe by myself. I learned 3 surprising things along the way.

• After my date bailed on me, I decided to take a trip on a luxury river cruise alone.  
• Although traveling solo initially felt odd, it allowed me to enjoy the experience to the fullest.  
• The cruise also made me rethink my relationship with alcohol, food, and fitness.

I planned a trip on a luxury river cruise with a potential suitor I met through friends in Barcelona. He was from a municipality in Spain called Valladolid, and his eagerness to travel together was evident from the first time we met.

I was nervous about inviting him on a trip. I explained that we would be sharing a suite cabin on a seven-night cruise, starting from Vienna, Austria, and ending in Budapest, Hungary. He jumped at the idea, and I felt a nervous but excited knot forming in my stomach.  

After receiving trip confirmations from both Riverside Luxury Cruises and my airline, I got a message from him saying he wouldn't be able to make it. Although he'd known the dates for quite some time, he said he couldn't take time off from work. 

I had to decide whether I should cancel the entire trip or go alone.

Traveling by myself on a small luxury cruise wasn't ideal, but something inside me told me to do it (and possibly learn something new about myself in the process).

Dining alone allowed me to enjoy meals without distractions  

Upon arrival, I was amazed at how opulent the boat was. I opened the door to my cabin and was impressed by all the fixtures and decorations that evoked a sense of modern luxury. My room had two water-level sliding doors that allowed me to see the Danube River as though it was right next to me. 

Next to the sliding doors, I noticed a bottle of white wine and two champagne flutes on a small corner desk. A rush of sadness poured over me, and all I could think about was how much I wished I had someone to enjoy a drink with. 

Roaming the ship, I found a jazzy piano bar, a cozy coffee shop-like bistro, a fancy dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows, and many other Instagram-worthy spots. As the night progressed, I went to the Waterside restaurant for dinner. 

I sat at a table set for two next to a window facing Vienna. Sitting alone didn't bother me, but I began to feel odd when the waiter removed the set of unused utensils.

As the food came out, I noticed that I could fully taste each dish when I didn't have any distractions. Eating alone allowed me to focus on all of the flavors, from the wine to the dessert. I put my phone down and enjoyed the view. 

Going on excursions alone was a freeing experience 

As we sailed on the Danube River towards the Central European cities of Dürnstein, Linz, Bratislava, Esztergom, and Budapest, I participated in a few excursions to pass the time.

The thought of going on excursions alone was a little stressful, as I knew people would wonder why I was by myself. 

As I began participating in the activities, I started to feel more liberated. The loneliness I initially felt faded, and I felt like I had total control over what I wanted to do and when. 

I started chatting with other folks on the trip. When I met couples from Australia, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, each spoke to me directly and willingly. I came to the realization that the conversations may have flowed differently if I had been with someone else.

It was fun meeting travelers from around the globe, even if it didn't lead to life-long friendships.  

It's easier to overindulge when you're by yourself 

Since I was on an all-inclusive boat, I took frequent trips to the bistro for a milkshake or scoop ice cream. During multi-course dinners, I had more than two glasses of wine.

This form of over-indulgence was frequent, and it changed my perception of how much was too much. It turned out I was having too much of a good time.

The trip made me rethink my relationship with alcohol, food, and fitness. After the cruise, I made a deliberate plan to improve my health. 

Traveling solo isn't the easiest, but it's worth it. Even though it felt a little weird to be alone, I was perfectly content and realized I didn't need a potential partner to make me happy.

All I needed was to be present and focus on what was right in front of me.