Not allowed into the Studio Lounge

[The P]

HowardK: re: NCL building studios with balconies....I'm with you on that one!:cool:

[HowardK]

HowardK: re: NCL building studios with balconies....I'm with you on that one!:cool:

 

 

It would have been nice to do that on the Escape :)

 

I remember them taking a tour through the lounge as if we were like animals/stray dogs in a zoo! However, I am convinced many of us solos were having a better time than people arguing with friends/family members.

 

I will say though now come to think of it- while there are perks to the balcony, in some instances having the studio gives you more of a connection to the whole scene.

 

Although the balcony is nice, I don't really like to shelter myself there during the day. I felt as though I made efficient use of the Epic studio- sleep 6 hours, change for like an hour in the afternoon and thats it.

[GUEST080219]

think since it is called the "Studio Lounge" that's who should be using it, people in the studio cabins.

 

True. Not to forget that the studio lounge was also called the living room in the beginning as it was thought as a shared living room to sit relax and work for the guests staying in the small studio cabins without a fridge or proper desk.

 

That this plan of an urban style studio and living room complex failed and they now just have the hourly solo meeting in it is a different point.

 

My gut feeling is that they will sooner than later slightly modify the studio concept anyway to be able to generate more revenue. Going into the direction of a poor peoples version of the haven.

[maywell]

True. Not to forget that the studio lounge was also called the living room in the beginning as it was thought as a shared living room to sit relax and work for the guests staying in the small studio cabins without a fridge or proper desk.

 

That this plan of an urban style studio and living room complex failed and they now just have the hourly solo meeting in it is a different point.

 

My gut feeling is that they will sooner than later slightly modify the studio concept anyway to be able to generate more revenue. Going into the direction of a poor peoples version of the haven.

 

How did it failed, if the point is getting people that would had paid 200% of the fare, onboard for at least 30-50% of it? Not everyone see staying in a interior as a bad thing, especially when all a person want is a place to shower / sleep / change clothes while the rest of ship, is what they really want access to. The lounge is just a nice bonus perk for a quick bit to eat and meeting others especially during the solo meeting.

 

 

If you have an room upgrade, you pretty much exchange the lounge perk for the other's room benefits such a balcony to eat on / look out from, bigger space, a mini fridge, etc. Still have solo meetings which is open to everyone regardless when the door is popped open. (Yes, I can talk - I had a mini-suite upgrade from a studio last year. NCL didn't want to give more OBC,lol)

[Earl Colby Pottinger]

They advertise in the daily's that the solo get together is open to everyone- that is pretty much the only time I go in there.

 

Are you sure it is in all the dailies each day or did I misunderstand? I did not remember it in my dailies so I did a google search. I only was able to find solo meetings mentioned in the day 1 sheets. Are there meetings on the following days I don't know about?

 

I am hoping to do NCL again next year so I really would like to know.

[calliopecruiser]

It seems to be ridiculous to have a lounge for solo passengers and then tell some solo passengers that they're not able to get in. It that's really NCL's rule, it tells me so much more about how NCL feels about solo passengers ;)

[maywell]

It seems to be ridiculous to have a lounge for solo passengers and then tell some solo passengers that they're not able to get in. It that's really NCL's rule, it tells me so much more about how NCL feels about solo passengers ;)

 

The all-round-access to the lounge is for those in the STUDIO room only - even says it in the 'what included in the fare' what type of passenger gets around the clock access. A soloer in a balcony room loses the access but gains so much with a balcony because dammit its a balcony, its speaks for itself!

 

 

Seriously, if you're going for a room upgrade from a studio - take a Oceanview and up, not an interior. Trust me on this...

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

[calliopecruiser]

The all-round-access to the lounge is for those in the STUDIO room only - even says it in the 'what included in the fare' what type of passenger gets around the clock access. A soloer in a balcony room loses the access but gains so much with a balcony because dammit its a balcony, its speaks for itself!

 

 

Seriously, if you're going for a room upgrade from a studio - take a Oceanview and up, not an interior. Trust me on this...

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

 

It makes much more sense if it is actually a "Studio Lounge" and not a "Solo Passenger Lounge".

 

It also tells me more about NCL than it does about the the people who book studio cabins and don't want to share. There's no way I'd book a cabin on NCL, ever.

[FLchick3]

Are you sure it is in all the dailies each day or did I misunderstand? I did not remember it in my dailies so I did a google search. I only was able to find solo meetings mentioned in the day 1 sheets. Are there meetings on the following days I don't know about?

 

I am hoping to do NCL again next year so I really would like to know.

 

 

I just got off the Getaway that sailed 9-5-2015. What happened was this: We all met the first evening in the bar and were led to the Studio Lounge. There the Solo Cruise Director handed out a list of activities, some of which had a mark indicating he would be in attendance. There were also some signup sheets for dinners and shows in the Studio Lounge. Those of us in balconies could technically only have access to those sheets that evening…..but the Solo Director gave us his ship phone number so we could call him later and ask about events or get added to events.

 

 

 

I never saw the Studio Lounge again as we were told on this cruise it would be for Studio residents only. The handout that was given to us was more detailed and did have more information than the dailies. There was a dinner every night, a few lunches and a few shows.

 

 

 

Half way through the cruise I noticed a note at the bottom saying there would be a solo gathering at 9am each morning in the buffet area (Solo Director not in attendance) so people could gather if they wanted to and plan their day. As I never attended that I don’t know if anyone showed up or if it was easy or difficult to find the people that did show up.

 

 

 

The Getaway may be different than Epic or Breakaway.

[FLchick3]

Calliopecruiser – I generally agree with you. It was not as well organized as it could have been, but I do believe NCL is trying and right now, it sounds like they are doing more than other lines.

I believe the problems stem from people staying in Studio cabins with lots of family onboard and letting the adult family members in to drink the coffee and the kids in to eat all the cookies.

[maywell]

It makes much more sense if it is actually a "Studio Lounge" and not a "Solo Passenger Lounge".

 

It also tells me more about NCL than it does about the the people who book studio cabins and don't want to share. There's no way I'd book a cabin on NCL, ever.

 

No offense - its basically the same thing. Not all soloers are going to want to make friends with each other - some are just taking the room because they already part of large group that a family reunion or company outing, etc. Some already have plans with the spa, already picked out their activities or prefer being alone - all of which is fine. NCL accommodates them, which is all some people ask and that's that.

 

The lounge is there for passengers in studio rooms since there no coffee machine or mini-fridge in those rooms unlike the regular interiors, oceanviews, etc. And really? If you take out lounge, where are you going to put a mini-fridge and coffee maker in that already cramped 100 sq ft room? Its a engineering wonder that they manage to fit the toilet, shower and bathroom sink like they did...

[calliopecruiser]

No offense - its basically the same thing.

 

How is it the same thing? If it's a Studio Lounge, it's for people using the studio cabins. If it's a Solo Passenger Lounge, it's for passengers traveling solo, regardless of what cabin they are using. Is it a place for solo passengers to meet (therefore it should be open to all passengers traveling solo), or is it a communal extension to the studio cabins (in which case it should be open to only studio cabin passengers, whether or not they are traveling solo)?

 

Booking a cabin for single occupancy (regardless of the cabin type) does not make one a solo passenger.

[The P]

How is it the same thing? If it's a Studio Lounge, it's for people using the studio cabins. If it's a Solo Passenger Lounge, it's for passengers traveling solo, regardless of what cabin they are using. Is it a place for solo passengers to meet (therefore it should be open to all passengers traveling solo), or is it a communal extension to the studio cabins (in which case it should be open to only studio cabin passengers, whether or not they are traveling solo)?

 

Booking a cabin for single occupancy (regardless of the cabin type) does not make one a solo passenger.

 

It is a lounge for the studio passengers in which solos passengers are allowed in one hour a day, unless it is now being worked as what happened on the Getaway. It is intended for people who paid for a studio and is a perk of that booking. 24/7 access is for studio passengers only. From the beginning, it was never intended as a solo lounge.

[What'sUpCooley]

I don't mind not being let into the lounge area. However, it would be nice to be able to see the white board each day. I don't want to sign up at the beginning of the cruise for a dinner in the middle of the week. I want to just go with the flow.

 

On my Epic cruise last year, the solo gathering was each evening around 5pm or so. Not 9am...yeesh!!!

[FLchick3]

Ok, so through all these posts I have identified the major change…..which is that in the past or on other ships there was a gathering at about 5pm each night for all solo passengers, which allowed everyone access to the white board.

 

On my cruise we met each night in one of two bars before dinner, so we never did have access to the white board.

 

I have no issue with not being allowed to hang out in the Studio Lounge, but having our “meeting place” be at the Studio Lounge at 5pm would have resolved the issue.

Edited September 17, 2015 by FLchick3

[Earl Colby Pottinger]

 

I just got off the Getaway that sailed 9-5-2015. What happened was this: We all met the first evening in the bar and were led to the Studio Lounge. There the Solo Cruise Director handed out a list of activities, some of which had a mark indicating he would be in attendance. There were also some signup sheets for dinners and shows in the Studio Lounge. Those of us in balconies could technically only have access to those sheets that evening…..but the Solo Director gave us his ship phone number so we could call him later and ask about events or get added to events.

 

 

 

I never saw the Studio Lounge again as we were told on this cruise it would be for Studio residents only. The handout that was given to us was more detailed and did have more information than the dailies. There was a dinner every night, a few lunches and a few shows.

 

 

 

Half way through the cruise I noticed a note at the bottom saying there would be a solo gathering at 9am each morning in the buffet area (Solo Director not in attendance) so people could gather if they wanted to and plan their day. As I never attended that I don’t know if anyone showed up or if it was easy or difficult to find the people that did show up.

 

 

 

The Getaway may be different than Epic or Breakaway.

 

Thanks a lot for the reply.

 

The first evening on NCL Epic we also had the meeting with the Solo Cruise Director. I don't remember a list being handed out but that might be my bad memory (I am getting old after-all and was/am still recovering from a stroke a few months earlier).

 

In-fact I don't remember getting any handout sheets from the Solo Cruise Director but I do remember the lounge would get very crowded just before 5 PM, I never made the connection that maybe a lot of the people there were not Studio Room Solos.

 

I also did not see any notes about a 9:00 AM meeting in the morning, however because of my diet needs I always went to the MDR to eat and would easily miss them. I will watch out for these meetings on my next cruise.

[Earl Colby Pottinger]

It is a lounge for the studio passengers in which solos passengers are allowed in one hour a day, unless it is now being worked as what happened on the Getaway. It is intended for people who paid for a studio and is a perk of that booking. 24/7 access is for studio passengers only. From the beginning, it was never intended as a solo lounge.

 

While I was able to use the lounge with myself in an inside cabin, I understand that the real/main reason it exists is for the Studio Cabins that do not have the space or features found in even an inside cabin.

 

Even just letting in other solo travelers for the one hour to read the white board and organize the dinners is a good idea, I just don't remember it being posted clearly or my attention directed that way.

 

It seems maybe the problem is a lack of communication from NCL to the solo travelers in non-Studio Cabins.

 

But NCL is still the cruise line I would want to send first time solos on to get started.

[Earl Colby Pottinger]

I don't mind not being let into the lounge area. However' date=' it would be nice to be able to see the white board each day. I don't want to sign up at the beginning of the cruise for a dinner in the middle of the week. I want to just go with the flow.

 

On my Epic cruise last year, the solo gathering was each evening around 5pm or so. Not 9am...yeesh!!![/quote']

 

I have to check on the next cruise, but I am getting the impression that there is a way to see the White Board at 5:00 PM. Better I think would be a webcam so we can check it out anytime we want in our own rooms.

 

I think the meeting at 9:00 A is a seperate get together without the Solo Cruise Director.

[Earl Colby Pottinger]

Ok, so through all these posts I have identified the major change…..which is that in the past or on other ships there was a gathering at about 5pm each night for all solo passengers, which allowed everyone access to the white board.

 

On my cruise we met each night in one of two bars before dinner, so we never did have access to the white board.

 

I have no issue with not being allowed to hang out in the Studio Lounge, but having our “meeting place” be at the Studio Lounge at 5pm would have resolved the issue.

 

I would like that to be the standard too. It would solve a lot of the problems.

 

What do you think of my idea of a webcam that can be selected from the TV in your room?

[Tura Lura]

I'm in a studio cabin on the breakaway in a couple weeks. If i see kids coming in the studio lounge, i'll be pissed. I'm quite happy that it's a grown up area for other folks in studios only. If there's a meeting each day that other solo travelers attend, that's cool, but beyond that it's for folks in studios.

[FLchick3]

I would like that to be the standard too. It would solve a lot of the problems.

 

What do you think of my idea of a webcam that can be selected from the TV in your room?

 

No good LOL! I would want to be able to write on the white board myself if looking for an excursion partner. :)

[ChCo38]

So what I'm reading from all the posts is that the solos get together to go to dinners and shows if they want? This is the first time I'm going solo, my husband passed away, and I have chosen the specialty dining as my free perk but I wasn't sure how it would work being solo. So maybe I didn't make a bad choice then?

[What'sUpCooley]

So what I'm reading from all the posts is that the solos get together to go to dinners and shows if they want? This is the first time I'm going solo, my husband passed away, and I have chosen the specialty dining as my free perk but I wasn't sure how it would work being solo. So maybe I didn't make a bad choice then?

 

Exactly. There is a white board where everyone signs up for the time they want to go to dinner and/or shows. Have a great cruise!!

[ChCo38]

Thanks for your reply!

[remharri]

Just adding my two sense, as I stayed in a studio the first time I was on NCL and loved it. However, this time, an interior room was cheaper than the studio lounge. So that's what I went with.

 

I would like access to the studio lounge to be able to meet other solo travelers. I want to do the dining package and it sure would be nice to dine with others. Maybe they need to keep a sheet at guest services where other solos outside of the studios can sign up for get togethers. That way those who didn't book a studio aren't going into the lounge to eat cookies and drink cappuccinos. I understand the perks of staying in a studio as I've done so before, but they need to make it more accessible for other solo travelers without others getting upset because the outside are getting in.

 

I'm hoping by the time I sail the Epic again in January, I will be able to meet other solo travelers either in the lounge or outside the lounge.