This month Ambassador Cruise Line has partnered with 50+ dating app and website, Ourtime, to help encourage people to create meaningful relationships – whether friendship or romance – as they enter a new year.
Both Ambassador, the premium-value, no-fly cruise line, and Ourtime are in the business of connecting people. Together, they reveal their top tips for meeting new people as an over 50, including how to spark a new conversation and where to look for like-minded people with similar interests.
Ourtime’s resident dating expert, Kate Taylor, is one of the UK’s best-known online dating experts and the author of five books about dating and relationships.
Kate says: “Ourtime recently conducted a survey which revealed that while most singles over 50 feel confident messaging via online dating (85%), confidence levels drop significantly when it comes to making conversation in person (36%). However, understanding some simple tips and tricks can really help to make meeting new people a breeze.
“Meeting new people as an over 50 is no different than at any other age, but if it isn’t something you’re used to, it’s normal to feel a little uncomfortable. The key thing to remember is that everyone feels the same way – some are just better at hiding it than others!
“And if in doubt, simply remember my top tips for meeting new people as an over 50…”
- Put yourself in the right setting
Being in an environment or setting that promotes conversation can help significantly when it comes to meeting new people – in fact it can make all the difference.
“Classes or workshops can be a great place to connect with people that have similar interests,” says Kate. “You already have something in common before you’ve said a word to each other. Joining a club is also worthwhile, as you already have a shared interest.”
“Cruise lines such as Ambassador provide a great environment for solo travellers to connect. Whether it be in the hot tub over a glass of wine, in a crafts workshop as you make your very own stained-glass decorations, or over a three-course dinner in the dining room, a cruise with Ambassador offers plenty of great opportunities to meet new people,” says Kate.
- Ask open-ended questions
“To keep the conversation flowing, it’s important to ask open-ended questions that elicit a response beyond ‘yes’ or ‘no’ – enabling people to give detail and context to a conversation,” says Kate.
For example, instead of asking ‘Did you have a good day today?’, a better question could be ‘What has been the highlight of your day and why?’. This will give the other person much more opportunity to go into detail, which will not only help you learn more about them but open the conversation for further relevant questions.
- Be a good listener
“Everyone likes to be heard and it can be a big turn-off to engage in conversation with someone who talks over you, doesn’t listen or dominates the conversation,” says Kate.
For some, these attributes could be down to nerves or wanting to impress, but good relationships and friendships are based on a mutual understanding and respect for one another.
Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. So, make a conscious effort to listen to genuinely understand – you will find that the conversation flows more naturally this way. Also be sure to maintain eye contact to visually show that you are invested in the conversation.
- Stick to neutral subjects to begin
The Ourtime survey revealed that in the early stages of meeting someone new, light-hearted topics were enjoyed the most.
“79% of over-50s daters like to talk about their hobbies and passions, while 65% like to discuss their careers and 64% enjoy chatting about their families. The top conversational turn offs, in contrast, were the “deep” topics. 82% of daters over 50 don’t want to talk about money and 76% don’t want to discuss previous partners,” revealed Kate.
Therefore, we do not recommend launching into a deep topic straight away – it could come off as intrusive or rude. Start light and stick to fun, neutral topics and once you’ve got to know each other, deep and meaningful discussions will come.
- Get out of your comfort zone
Igniting a conversation with a stranger is challenging for most people, no matter the situation. Learning to accept the fear and acknowledge the risks makes the approach a little easier.
“My tip is to ask yourself – what is the worst that can happen? If the conversation doesn’t go the way that you planned, at the very least you probably learned something about yourself that will make approaching someone else easier in the future,” says Kate.
The Ourtime survey revealed that 20% of over 50s said they wanted to book a cruise as their new year’s resolution for 2023, so if you’re ready to take the plunge, Ambassador and Ourtime have come together to offer two £1,000 vouchers to Ourtime members, which can be used towards booking a cruise with Ambassador, where they can experience the warmest welcome at sea while meeting new people outside of their social circle for friendship and maybe more…
Two lucky winners will be able to put these vouchers towards any 2023/24 cruise itinerary with Ambassador, with a wide variety of destinations on offer including the Mediterranean, Nordics, Canary Islands, North Africa and the Baltics, to name a few.
To enter the competition before it closes on 31 January, members can visit: www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/ourtime-competition/
What’s more, between now and 31 January, all Ourtime members will also be able to benefit from an exclusive 10% discount off solo cabins on any Ambassador cruise in the 2023/24 season on top of the already lucrative New Year offers. These include up to 30% off selected sailings, up to 50% off upgrade to Explorer drink package and up to £840 of complimentary onboard credit.
To benefit from the exclusive 10% discount, Ourtime members should use the code OURTIME10 when booking. The discount can also be combined with the competition prize, so the two Ourtime members that are lucky enough to win the competition can use the £1,000 prize towards paying off their final balance. To find out more, visit: www.ambassadorcruiseline.com.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
To be in with a chance of winning, participants can enter the competition at www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/ourtime-competition/ The competition opens at 10:00 on 3 January 2023 and closes at 11:59 on 31 January 2023. The prize draw will be held on 3 February, with winners notified within 5 working days. Competition Terms & Conditions apply. The exclusive OURTIME10 discount code is valid from now until 31 January 2023.
About Ambassador Cruise Line
Ambassador Cruise Line launched in 2021, offering premium-value no-fly cruises to the UK market. Based in Purfleet, Essex, Ambassador provides authentic adult-only experiences combined with a selection of multi-generational itineraries to multiple destinations including the Nordics, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Africa. The cruise line’s first ship, Ambience, entered the fleet in May 2022, operating from her home port of London Tilbury. From the 2023/24 season, guests will sail onboard Ambience as well as Ambassador’s second ship, Ambition, which joins the fleet in May 2023 and heralds the launch of sailing from seven regional UK ports: London Tilbury, Newcastle, Dundee, Liverpool, Belfast, Bristol, and Falmouth.
Ambassador’s extremely experienced management team is led by Chief Executive Officer, Christian Verhounig, and its principal shareholder is Njord Partners LLP, London. Ambassador is a member of ABTA, the UK’s leading travel trade association widely acknowledged as the mark of trust and reassurance associated with travel brands. Consumer funds are protected by means of a financial failure insurance policy managed by TMU Management Limited and underwritten by Accelerant Insurance Europe SA, who are regulated by the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA 3193). The scheme is fully compliant with the Package Travel and Linked Arrangements Regulations 2018. For more information, visit www.ambassadorcruiseline.com
About Ourtime
Ourtime is a dating service dedicated to the over 50s, who are younger and more connected than ever. Developed especially for these singles, Ourtime offers many ways for singles to meet: through different search criteria, profile recommendations and activities. Ourtime makes it easy for the over 50s to find singles of their age, in their area, who share their values and similar interests. For more information, visit www.ourtime.co.uk