Solo Cruiser's Roll Call

[kelib]

Booked on the Edge for January 30, 2022. Quite a few solo cruisers taking advantage of the decent solo price for this ship. 

[VOYOV]

Thanks a lot , I hope on  RCC is the same . On NY cruise maybe few alone cruisers , it will be my first .

Good also to sip at the bar before dinning . 

[Missymo]

Hello everyone, my name is Mona and went on my first solo cruise in September.  I was hesitant at first, I became a solo in 2019 then hit with the pandemic like everyone else.  My September cruise on Edge was so successful, I have now booked 3 more in 2021-2122.  Next up Christmas on Millennium .

[CruiseMH]

Will be on a B2B cruise on the epic Jan 23rd and Jan 30th out of San Juan.

Anyone else on this trip ?

[coastcat]

On 11/9/2021 at 7:10 PM, kelib said:

Booked on the Edge for January 30, 2022. Quite a few solo cruisers taking advantage of the decent solo price for this ship. 

We're taking over the Edge! So excited about that one, especially since it's otherwise hard to justify the cost of a Sunset Veranda at single occupancy.

 

Meanwhile, I've already re-done my schedule. Yeah, what a surprise. I've pushed the NCL Spirit cruise to 2023 (7-day Vancouver to Seward) and booked NCL Getaway for next March out of NYC. It'll be fun to compare the older-style Studio cabin/lounge to the Breakaway+ version. Price was decent, at $1049 plus all the usual fees & such, but of course I'll be checking NCL's site on the 16th for the "big sale" they've promised.

 

Still trying to decide on an early December Mexican Riviera cruise for next year. Do I give Princess another chance? Finally get on Carnival? Retreat to the familiar, well-loved NCL Bliss?

 

 

[kelib]

2 hours ago, coastcat said:

We're taking over the Edge! So excited about that one, especially since it's otherwise hard to justify the cost of a Sunset Veranda at single occupancy.

 

Meanwhile, I've already re-done my schedule. Yeah, what a surprise. I've pushed the NCL Spirit cruise to 2023 (7-day Vancouver to Seward) and booked NCL Getaway for next March out of NYC. It'll be fun to compare the older-style Studio cabin/lounge to the Breakaway+ version. Price was decent, at $1049 plus all the usual fees & such, but of course I'll be checking NCL's site on the 16th for the "big sale" they've promised.

 

Still trying to decide on an early December Mexican Riviera cruise for next year. Do I give Princess another chance? Finally get on Carnival? Retreat to the familiar, well-loved NCL Bliss?

 

 

Getaway used to be my favorite ship, I would have to see now since they have now taken away my favorite spot to enlarge Vibe. Will need to start looking at NYC and Bayonne cruises since they are driving distance, but I rarely book more than a few months out. 

Edited November 16, 2021 by kelib

[GTVCRUISER]

My next solo cruises ........December 5th 2021 Koningsdam to Mexico ......January 9th Koningsdam to Mexico 

[IamAlyce]

Looking fo other solo cruisers on NCL Escape, Dec 4 & 11, 2021

[Ilovesailaway]

Just booked my first solo. Carnival Sunrise 1/6 out of Miami. Our roll call is dead. Hope other solo cruisers are on board.

 

[journeymore]

Anyone on Celebrity Apex December 27?

[aeath_bp]

Solo cruising on the Carnival Magic Feb. 26; concerned they won’t have the customary solo/singles cruise dinner assignments; I’ve always met some good people at dinner that makes the whole vacation more fun.

[NSnJW]

I just got off the Carnival Glory and I can state that twice we were seated at a shared table without being asked and the restaurant reservation on the Carnival Hub had a button for shared table.

Who knows how things will change by February though.

[coastcat]

Sigh. Stupid variant. I decided to cancel my January 30 Celebrity Edge cruise - you know, the one with the amazingly low solo supplement that enabled me to book a Sunset Veranda? The FCC will go towards an Apex or Beyond sailing later this year.

 

Next cruise is now NCL Getaway out of NYC in early March. Final payment date is next week, after which I'll be haunting the site in search of price drops on balcony cabins.

[debenson0723]

On 11/7/2021 at 10:05 AM, coastcat said:

Okay, so one of these days I will actually get on a Carnival ship... I was booked on Magic next May but my brother is getting married around the same time so that one went into the cancellation file. I've replaced it with a July sailing on NCL Spirit, which will spend the next two summers in Alaska.

 

So now here's the latest version...

December 3 and 6: Navigator of the Seas b2b (7 days total)

January 30: Celebrity Edge

June 13: Quantum of the Seas (lift & shift from June 2020)

July 13: NCL Spirit (5-day)

September 23: NCL Prima transatlantic

January 29, 2023: NCL Breakaway (the vlogger cruise)

March 5 2023: NCL Prima

 

While I want to hop onto NCL Bliss for the April LA->Vancouver move, pricing is higher than I'd like right now. Hoping that will slide into solo-friendly territory. If it does, I'll move the Spirit sailing to 2023.

 

And did anyone else notice that NCL has restored the "Solo Cruiser Discount" search filter?!?

Did you end up doing the 3 day Navigator of the Seas?  I have a credit on Royal from a cancelled Thanksgiving cruise (travel partner tested positive 6 days before leaving) and am thinking of using my credit in June on the 3 day Navigator, just so it doesn't go to waste.  Would love to hear your thoughts as a solo cruiser.

Will also be with you on the Prima TA...cannot wait for this sailing!

[coastcat]

16 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

Did you end up doing the 3 day Navigator of the Seas?  I have a credit on Royal from a cancelled Thanksgiving cruise (travel partner tested positive 6 days before leaving) and am thinking of using my credit in June on the 3 day Navigator, just so it doesn't go to waste.  Would love to hear your thoughts as a solo cruiser.

Will also be with you on the Prima TA...cannot wait for this sailing!

I did! It was combined with the 4-day sailing (Ensenada + Catalina Island).

 

Solo cons: RCI allows unvaccinated kids so about half the tables were blocked off (most of the time) in areas accessible to those passengers. Finding a table in the Windjammer buffet was challenging and good luck finding any two-tops that aren't blocked off. I did notice that during at least one meal period, the signs were removed. I don't know if there were solo group tables available in set time dining since I had My Time Dining.

 

Solo pros: Pretty much everything else! MTD was limited to vaccinated passengers so there were no blocked tables and no prohibition against mingling. No limits on seating or socializing in the vax-only lounges and I felt perfectly comfortable hanging out alone (sipping a Hurricane at Boleros while listening to a Latin jazz band... ahh, lovely). Windjammer was pretty terrible anyway so I happily ate breakfast at Promenade Cafe and lunch at El Loco Fresh. The crew was lovely and so were the cinnamon sugar doughnuts at Promenade.

 

Can you go in May instead? There's no solo discount on the June Navigator sailings but the four May sailings are slightly discounted (balconies start at $730 double occupancy, $572 single).

[debenson0723]

@coastcatthanks for all the info! I am not a huge buffet person and would do MTD so that sounds great.  I do want to try Jamie Oliver's restaurant so not too concerned about dinner on a 3 night cruise. It wouldn't hurt me to skip a few meals.

 

And also thanks for the heads up on May.  I do have a trip to NYC planned the 2nd weekend to see a Broadway show that I bought tickets for in December 2019 and was going to visit family over Memorial Day but possibly I could do this cruise then and visit them in June.  Also thinking of waiting until November (before Thanksgiving)...need to check out all the options.  I really appreciate your insight.

 

Have you booked your airfare for September yet?  I bought my ticket on Delta using miles and $195 in Comfort class.  Hoping maybe for an upgrade somewhere down the line but I will be fine either way.  I am going to spend at least one day in London, possibly two, before heading to Southampton.  First time sailing out of this port.  Take care.

[coastcat]

14 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

Have you booked your airfare for September yet?  I bought my ticket on Delta using miles and $195 in Comfort class.  Hoping maybe for an upgrade somewhere down the line but I will be fine either way.  I am going to spend at least one day in London, possibly two, before heading to Southampton.  First time sailing out of this port.  Take care.

Same here. I've booked the Holiday Inn in Southampton hotel based on the discussion in the roll call, using cash + IHG points earned at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro. (FYI, the Crowne Plaza is resuming renovation work so the Doubletree is a better pre-cruise choice for this spring/summer)

 

Can't take that much time off work since I need to actually pay for all these cruises... current plan is to spend one day in London and then take the train to Southampton for the pre-cruise stay. I might book a roundtrip flight to NYC and use points for business/first to London. A first class seat will probably be bigger than the Studio cabin on Prima! 

 

Trying hard to not book any new cruises yet. Well, other than the Celebrity cruise to use up FCC.

Edited January 3, 2022 by coastcat

[nesila]

On 1/1/2022 at 8:39 PM, coastcat said:

Sigh. Stupid variant. I decided to cancel my January 30 Celebrity Edge cruise - you know, the one with the amazingly low solo supplement that enabled me to book a Sunset Veranda? The FCC will go towards an Apex or Beyond sailing later this year.

 

Next cruise is now NCL Getaway out of NYC in early March. Final payment date is next week, after which I'll be haunting the site in search of price drops on balcony cabins.

I'll second that. My fourth cancellation 😞

 

Was supposed to board Apex today, booked with that similar AMAZING fare from Jan 2020.

 

So sad. And my brother and SIL still went.

 

Looking at Beyond for Nov 7, but may use FCC for suite on the Summit... 

 

So the question is... is it 'better' to be solo on an Edge class ship in a solo cabin OR be solo in the Retreat on an older ship?

 

Thoughts welcome on how to spend the FCC (not enough to cover an E sailing.)

[coastcat]

5 minutes ago, nesila said:

I'll second that. My fourth cancellation 😞

 

Was supposed to board Apex today, booked with that similar AMAZING fare from Jan 2020.

 

So sad. And my brother and SIL still went.

 

Looking at Beyond for Nov 7, but may use FCC for suite on the Summit... 

 

So the question is... is it 'better' to be solo on an Edge class ship in a solo cabin OR be solo in the Retreat on an older ship?

 

Thoughts welcome on how to spend the FCC (not enough to cover an E sailing.)

Good question! I appreciate that Celebrity offers a single version of the Infinite Veranda, and that they offer more of them than RCI does of the Studio Balcony. I also appreciate that booking an ES cabin means you don't get hosed on the "always included" pricing. However, you do pay a premium to be on those ships, and a swankier cabin is certainly tempting... 

[nesila]

25 minutes ago, coastcat said:

Good question! I appreciate that Celebrity offers a single version of the Infinite Veranda, and that they offer more of them than RCI does of the Studio Balcony. I also appreciate that booking an ES cabin means you don't get hosed on the "always included" pricing. However, you do pay a premium to be on those ships, and a swankier cabin is certainly tempting... 

And then there is always Alaska. I would love to do Hubbard, I did solstice in 2019 for my 50th with family. Wondering what Alaska would be like alone... it was mostly couples and families when I went.

 

I was thinking for Alaska - book inside cabin then try for a move-up to any veranda... but then again if I don't get it, that's a long week without a balcony...

 

Think I'll stick to NCL after this FCC is gone however, seems easier to find a studio and go anywhere.

Edited January 3, 2022 by nesila
typo, i'm over 50 LOL

[coastcat]

2 hours ago, nesila said:

And then there is always Alaska. I would love to do Hubbard, I did solstice in 2019 for my 50th with family. Wondering what Alaska would be like alone... it was mostly couples and families when I went.

 

I was thinking for Alaska - book inside cabin then try for a move-up to any veranda... but then again if I don't get it, that's a long week without a balcony...

 

Think I'll stick to NCL after this FCC is gone however, seems easier to find a studio and go anywhere.

Book a Bliss or Encore Studio to Alaska:

1. Way, way cheaper than a balcony unless you can snag a last-minute deal.
2. Studio Lounge = free espresso drinks so you don't have to pay for Starbucks.
3. Lots of solos. I've done Alaska on each ship and both times the solo gatherings were well attended.
4. You have a huge wraparound semi-private balcony: The Waterfront. Unless the ship is in a prime glacier viewing area, most folks prefer to hang out in the Observation Lounge. Dress warmly, grab your beverage of choice, and go to The Waterfront instead.

I've only got one Alaska trip booked for this year and it's on RCI rather than NCL. It's really hard to resist changing that situation, especially since it's a 30-40 minute drive from home to either of the Seattle cruise terminals.

[GTVCRUISER]

Solo Cruise on the Koningsdam 1 day and a wake up 

[GTVCRUISER]

Happy to be cruising again 🙂

[coastcat]

Woohoo, just booked another one! NCL released sailings for Norwegian Viva (2nd in the Prima class) and despite the hefty cost, I booked a Studio for Viva's first transatlantic in November 2023. So now I have four 2023 cruises booked, all NCL.

[bottomfeeder]

Just booked the Enchanted Princess transatlantic for April 2022.  Planning to combine it with a 2 week land vacation in Belgium/Western France once I get to Copenhagen.  It's a replacement for what was to be my retirement cruise to Hawaii on Viking last month, that got switched to a Mexican cruise when the Hawaii ports stayed closed to cruise ships--so I canceled it.  Sure hope this one goes and the virus situation gets better between now and then!