NancyW12

for those of you booking with TA's and getting a significant savings or benefits, what cabin class are you booking and for how many people? Trying to compare my solo experience to y'alls.

Yup- had that in a quote for a shuttle from FLL area to Miami. I didn't use that company.

It also depends on what class of cabin you are looking to purchase. I travel solo in the cheapest cabin on the boat. usually when I consider a TA, they can give me the same price as NCL and a $25 OBC- not worth it to give up the ability to purchase spa passes, book my shows. etc. If one was staying in the Haven with multiple people, they are spending 10-20x my cruise price and would get perks to match that.

I'll give you two examples of do-it-yourself on a Greek cruise with another line- Santorini and Athens.

Santorini- had to tender in. Then cable car up to the top of the mountain. Then public bus from the town at one end of the island to the town at the other. Lots of potential to get left behind, right? Wrong. The public bus was packed with people from the ship- nearly everyone had the Rick Steves book or the Frommer's. It was a tight connection coming back. I made sure to keep at least one person wearing a ship's tour sticker behind me- my total cost- $10. Ship's tour- $129

Athens- disembarked at the dock. Caught a taxi to the start of the subway line. Took the subway to the Acropolis. I beat the tour from the ship up there. Used the RS audio tour on my ipod. The tour was so strung out, the people in the back couldn't hear the guide- they were just walking like sheep. After the Acropolis, I did the RS audio walking tour thru Athens that started at the base of the Acropolis. had lunch in a local restaurant. Took the subway to the end of the line. Grabbed a public bus back to the dock. Total cost including the admission to the Acropolis? $40. Ship's tour? Over $200.

I did that as a single, middle aged woman traveling alone during a Greek work stoppage and strike. People all over the world use local public transport to go about their daily lives. It's ok to do it on vacation as well. The ships scare you by hundreds of dollars into taking their travel options and my personal opinion is you can have a much more personal and local experience enjoying a city on your own.

IF you can go on your own, a superb resource is to download the Rick Steves Europe app. Excellent detailed walking tours, with the Pompeii- being a big winner, as example. :)

There are also numerous - tip based - "free" walking tours available. I done many of these.

Rick Steves does an amazing job. Between his Cruise Ports guidebook (also known as the Blue and Yellow Bible), the app, and the audio tours for the app, you can do it all yourself.

Buy the Pompeii ticket in advance.

British Airways will kill you with the fees.

If you are a Perrier or San Pellegrino sparkling water person, keep in mind, those aren't in the beverage package. However, club soda from the bar gun is. Club soda, bottled sparking water, and traditional soda will all hit you $3 or so each, so the beverage package can still be a good deal (for tips only) for a light drinker who enjoys sparkling water or soda.

Hi! Solo NCL cruiser here- let me make this much more simple for you. Follow these steps:

ncl.com

find a vacation (expand the advanced search button)

left side- if you have a specific ship or port you want to depart from, click those.

right side- pick your date range.

change number of passengers to 1.

click "view results" (yellow at the bottom)

that search will show the cruises departing out of the port you choose on the dates you choose and the price for one person to travel. I check it on a daily basis with my coffee when I am looking for something specific. When the price reaches what she wants to pay, book it. Most often it will be a "X" room or guaranty. This means whatever class she wants to travel in, she agrees tp let the cruise line choose her room in exchange for a cheap price. Often this does not have freebies with it, but as a solo, it can be lesse xpensive to buy your own drinks anyway.

Hope this helps

We had no issues in Rome, but of course were cautious travellers. We both purchased rather pricey travel bags (over the shoulder for both) that are slash resistant and also have stuff in them to prevent the use of credit card readers. If you can afford it, get one of these bags--they also have all kinds of zippered compartments and clasps for attaching wallets, etc.

 

We never took more than we needed out with us, leaving the rest safely in a safe in the hotel.

 

On our most recent trip, my husband brought along an old wallet that he didn't care about. He put in a few euros in that. Had we been "held up" he would've given the thieves this wallet instead of his real one. Luckily we never had to test this!

 

He has been to Rome a few times and was told that putting a wallet in one's pants' pocket is fine, as long as a hand remains in that pocket with it.

I bought mine on ebay for $25. Doesn't need to be pricey.

My last cruise I enjoyed eating in the main dining room and was always seated at a two top by myself. One night I complimented a woman a couple of tables over about her absolutely beautiful shoes. We chatted and she and her husband invited me to join them. Had I not just finished, I would have. Good tablemates can come in many varieties but it is nice to know you are not stuck with the same ones if its not a good fit.

I have found free WiFi available in virtually every port...often in the terminal building, or a nearby internet cafe or bar. I never pay for Wifi on cruises...it is a rip-off. Sure, you will be out of touch on sea days, but that is usually not an issue for me.

Isn't that the whole point of going on a cruise;)?

I tried the thermal suite on the Pearl and it was the first thing I signed up for on the Epic (I go next month). I think it's one of those things that you just know about yourself- some folks are going to drink like fish and would buy the UBP if it weren't free. Others can't stand a buffet or traditional dining so do specialty meals every night. Others wouldn't miss a piece of entertainment. For me, it's the peace and relaxation of a sauna, steam room, bubble pool and heated chair. Then crawl into one of those bathrobes on a lounger with a Kindle and watch the sea go by. That's my cruise.

Both ships have offered it at right at $20 a day.

NCL has the best prices for solo travelers.

Bargain? I need to walk off the ship at the end all inclusive for $100 a day- cabin rate, taxes and fees. if I spend additional on spa or cocktails, that's on me.

I went solo on an MSC European cruise 6 years ago and had traditional seating. Being a single woman, they stuck me at a table with two families of kids. It was horrifically uncomfortable for everyone at the table. I had no idea you were able to change tables or I would have done so.

I am all for a two top and my Kindle.

Last summer I watched the Western Mediterranean cruises and saw them go down into the $350-500 range for a solo passenger (inside GTY, 1 person) about 1-2 weeks before sailing. I booked a plane ticket for this year expecting the same. Um, no. Only one week has the fare dropped for a solo below $1000. I booked a studio with a drinks package. Those are now sold out.

This year is busier than last year.

Thanks for the idea- I bought a travelon bag with RFID wallet on ebay for $25

I got one last January (2017). It was approx. 12-14oz size

same question. I stay in Hiltons for work but not quite enough points to book one.

Loved the thermal spa on the Pearl and have it booked for the Epic. I went studio room and spa pass as the spa has a balcony with loungers on it (two-fer right there!) so no need to book a balcony- just go to the already paid for spa.

Anybody consider that maybe they know it's difficult to drink a frozen drink without a straw and maybe there is an efficiency survey or cost analysis behind the whole thing showing that after one pina colada ending up down the front of your bathing suit that people switch to beer?

Probably

Hi- you're on my cruise! I am using the Rick Steves guidebook and audio tours and DIY.

I love the fact that the lounge is quiet enough, the sofa is comfortable enough, and the passenger is relaxed and enjoying their vacation enough that a nap on the sofa happens. That is the sign of a good vacation right there!

Last January, I got a fire sale inside cabin as a solo for $50 a day on a smaller ship. Today, I have a studio booked on a different boat, different region for more than I hoped to pay but still a steal. My all in on this European cruise for one with room, beverage package, all tips, and thermal suite is $1500. Same cruise, I watch the upgrade bid thread and see people paying more than my entire cruise pp ON THE SAME BOAT to upgrade to a Haven- so those people are spending 3x pp more than I am and they think they are getting a bargain as well. They lay out $7500+ for 2 people in the Haven and think they are getting a steal there. I like that NCL gives the options of what to spend on or not. I do my own shore excursions, so a fare with those included would simply be an inflated fare and I wouldn't' sail. Now? I choose what I want to buy. And the folks in the fancier cabins are happily spending what I'm not and everybody is happy with what they chose. Winner!

For the poster who asked about sparkling waters such as Perrier and San Pellegrino- those are charged for. Club soda/soda water at the bar is either charged as a soda or given free (depending on the bartender)