I thought I'd feel lonely on a cruise full of travelers in their 60s and 70s. I'm glad I was wrong.

I was one of the youngest people on a 12-day expedition cruise.

Vivienne Dovi

I don't spend much time with anyone over 50, besides my parents.As someone in my early 30s, I mostly find myself interacting with people in a similar life stage: completing postgrad degrees, building careers, and figuring adulthood out.I typically take my trips solo, too, connecting with other travelers around my age as I explore. All of this changed in January, when I boarded a 12-day expedition cruise to Antarctica with about 200 other guests.I knew there would be some older travelers on board, but by the end of my first full day on the ship, I discovered I was the third-youngest. I was also the only one my age traveling solo.When I realized that most of my fellow cruise-goers were retired, in their 60s and 70s, and traveling in pairs or groups, I braced myself for 12 days of isolation.Luckily, I couldn't have been more wrong.Being young and solo on an expedition cruise made me visible in a way I hadn't anticipated

I was surprised by how quickly the other guests took an interest in my life.

Vivienne Dovi