Breakaway / Live (*) / Solo - Feb-07-17-2019...

[IRMO12HD]

@sid_9169thanks for the invitation to 'participate' in this cruise memory!  I'm still holding out hope (#FingersCrossed!) that I'll get to cruise the Panama Canal on Encore in April 2021.  I really enjoyed your descriptions of the facilities . . . and the food and drink!  How busy was the Ropes Course?  I'm really tempted to find a cruise on Escape or Breakaway or Getaway so I can try it out!

[loretta]

17 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

Hi Loretta, just want to say, hey, if you love Sid's reviews, you might like the cruise experience on NCL.  I'm not sure which cruise lines you've been on but hey, why not let us know what you like and maybe we can determine if NCL is something you'd like.  

 

Cheers 🥂 

I've been on RCCL, Carnival, Princess, HAL, Disney and a few other smaller cruise lines. They all have their plusses and minuses. I travel solo and a balcony cabin is a must for me. I'm not a big specialty restaurant fan, I usually just eat in the MDR for breakfast, skip lunch and graze at the buffet for dinner.  I do like my libations but have only gotten a drink package once on Carnival and don't think I got my money's worth out of it. Right now, I'd be happy to have something booked on any cruise line but I'm waiting to make a reservation until we see more light at the end of the tunnel. I still love to peruse people's old trip reports to bring back that excitement of having a cruise to look forward to. 

 

Stay safe everyone and keep the faith that we'll be cruising soon!

[All-ready2cruise]

3 hours ago, loretta said:

I've been on RCCL, Carnival, Princess, HAL, Disney and a few other smaller cruise lines. They all have their plusses and minuses. I travel solo and a balcony cabin is a must for me. I'm not a big specialty restaurant fan, I usually just eat in the MDR for breakfast, skip lunch and graze at the buffet for dinner.  I do like my libations but have only gotten a drink package once on Carnival and don't think I got my money's worth out of it. Right now, I'd be happy to have something booked on any cruise line but I'm waiting to make a reservation until we see more light at the end of the tunnel. I still love to peruse people's old trip reports to bring back that excitement of having a cruise to look forward to. 

 

Stay safe everyone and keep the faith that we'll be cruising soon!

Hi Loretta, nice to make your acquaintance, I travel solo now as well, having lost my DH a few years ago. I've cruised mostly with NLC with only 1 cruise with MSC, which I loved but was as a couple so not really relevant to solo cruising. 

 

I love meeting fellow cruisers, solos or couples, makes no difference to me.  I understand about not wanting to make reservations right now so that's not an issue at all.  I've never done an inside or studio cabin (NCL offers solo cruisers these cabins and I think RCL has begun to offer them as well and even balcony cabins too).  I do usually choose a balcony cabin as well. 

 

Although I only drink wine, I always get the Premium ( basic) beverage package with NCL and have never regretted it.  NCL offers the PBP as a FAS promo (Free at Sea pkg)  You do end up paying the gratuities for the pkg ($138 7-day cruise) but, for most, it's a good deal.  The dining pkg is similar, in that, you pay the grats ($15.80 for 2 specialty dining meals).  Not bad really considering the ala carte prices. (You don't pay those prices when using the SDP). 

 

I'm not sure what itinerary you're interested in but wow, NCL seems to have some really wonderful itineraries available in 2022.  

 

Hope this helps.  Please feel free to ask any questions you have regarding solo cruising with NCL.   

 

Stay safe,

Cheers 🥂

 

BTW, there is a solo cruisers forum: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/279-solo-cruisers/

Just in case you're interested. 

Take care

 

[loretta]

22 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

 

 

22 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

 

22 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

Sorry about the loss of your husband, I know it's tough to lose a spouse. My sister lost her husband four years ago and she's still grieving.  Everyone has their own timeline on healing. It's good to hear you were traveling in the better days. 

 

Thanks for all the good information on the dining and drink packages. When things get back to normal, I'll definitely look at NCL cruises.  Right now I don't feel like putting a deposit on any future cruise until I am confident that COVID is no longer an issue and only the good Lord knows when that will be.

 

I've been on on the singles boards and it seems to be a very supportive group with a lot of good ideas and tips for traveling solo. 

 

[loretta]

Well, my recent reply didn't turn out very well because it looks like it was posted by All-Ready2cruise. I couldn't find a reply with not including your reply so I just deleted it. CruiseCritic keeps on fiddling with things that I can't keep up with!

[Shaded Lady]

On 2/27/2019 at 8:56 AM, sid_9169 said:

I will be updating the other thread from time to time, but I suspect that eventually, interest will fade... I hope to have you all back with me for my next journey... Thank you all again so much.........

Hey @sid_9169 dedicated Tribe member here- guess you got that wrong, didn't ya??? 2 years and Sid's Aye Tee Ell is still going strong!

[sid_9169]

4 minutes ago, Shaded Lady said:

Hey @sid_9169 dedicated Tribe member here- guess you got that wrong, didn't ya??? 2 years and Sid's Aye Tee Ell is still going strong!

I'm often wrong about a lot of things... Go figure... If it weren't for the pandemic and the loss of the ability of any of us to cruise, i probably would've abandoned it... Now, it's really the only thing that keeps me semi-sane...

[mopedmom1]

 

"I will be updating the other thread from time to time, but I suspect that eventually, interest will fade... I hope to have you all back with me for my next journey... Thank you all again so much........."

 

@Shaded Lady @sid_9169Haha, too funny! I had copied the above to paste in the ATL Thread.  Thanks sid for our tribe. It truly got me through some dark times after Ralph's passing.

[jethrojam]

On 2/21/2019 at 7:17 AM, sid_9169 said:

After the debacle at Savor the other night, I went to the Taste MDR tonight. My notes say Italian meatballs, coconut shrimp, avocado hummus, matzo ball soup, and ravioli with lobster sauce.

 

Interestingly, I was seated right next to the people who were next to me the night that I walked out of Savor... They said that after I left, there was quite a scene at my table, with officers and restaurant staff. They also said they never saw that waiter again. I hope he didn't get in some kind of big trouble. I didn't complain or anything when I left, I just walked out.

 

Also, one of the men in their group was really drunk, and talking loudly. He ordered another long island ice tea, and it appeared that he had several beforehand. He must have asked me where I was from ten times...

Hey Sid, just found this while dreaming about cruising.   Great job.  I did an similar cruise out of canaveral right before the pandemic and have to agree...10 days maybe a bit too much haha.   

At any rate, I looked and looked and reread, and can't find what the heck happened at Savor???

Thanks for the great read!

[sid_9169]

6 hours ago, jethrojam said:

Hey Sid, just found this while dreaming about cruising.   Great job.  I did an similar cruise out of canaveral right before the pandemic and have to agree...10 days maybe a bit too much haha.   

At any rate, I looked and looked and reread, and can't find what the heck happened at Savor???

Thanks for the great read!

One night, I arrived for dinner, and was seated quickly, but a waiter never came... After about fifteen minutes, I just got up and left. From what I understand, the waiter that was supposed to be in charge of my section got reamed out by his superiors. I didn't want to get the guy in trouble, I just wanted to eat...

[jethrojam]

10 hours ago, sid_9169 said:

One night, I arrived for dinner, and was seated quickly, but a waiter never came... After about fifteen minutes, I just got up and left. From what I understand, the waiter that was supposed to be in charge of my section got reamed out by his superiors. I didn't want to get the guy in trouble, I just wanted to eat...

ah yes   I have had that happen to me at a chain that rhymes with longborn.   sometimes you just get seated in that in between spot I guess.   Glad you didn't let it bother you!