You are so very right.
My DH's EX was on the same cruise, and this was a cruise 1600 miles from our
homes.
My DH's cousin, whom he had not seen in years, also from the same area.

"Jeff Gersten" wrote in message
...
(Dory Samuels) wrote:

I agree with all the reasons already mentioned
but have one more and it is a biggie. No one
on board is a stranger to me. I'll strike up a
conversation with anyone but only on the ship.
"All in the same boat" thinking.

That is a great reason that I had not thought of. and might not be
evident to anyone who had never cruised. Just to add to your
thought----you get to meet both people from all around the world plus
from familiar places. As an example---on our last cruise we met several
people from Australia and I met someone originally from my home town
(his late father had been the Superintendent of the school at my wife's
first teaching job) and someone who graduated from the same college as
me only one year later.