COMPARISON: NCL Studio Cabins & Studio Lounges

[HowardK]

Some of the ships had both Spice H20 and Vibe- but it seems by removing Spice H20 the only option people had was Vibe- so that would have added $200 to my cruise cost in May- not a big deal. However, the laser tag to me was too much space used. 

I do admit every day I look up case numbers or vaccine news. I find there are so many people who don't care. I saw there were $40k people alone going through the Philadelphia airport yesterday, yet 30th street train station wasn't as busy.

I hope they can get the vaccine to the general public (everyone in line after the first people) by the spring and then maybe have some time for a reduction .

In my opinion, we were somewhat headed to herd immunity in the sense many people weren't being careful. A lot of people don't understand the mathematics of exponential growth, and that at least 3.5%-4% of the population at a minimum has already had cases.

I used to be out on average perhaps in my estimate 75-80 hours a week (work+ commute + weekends) and now its around 2 at most. 

 

[farmersfight]

11 hours ago, coastcat said:

After my June Quantum OTS cruise in a Studio balcony, I will post photos & a review here. It's a balcony in Alaska, how can it be anything but fabulous, right?

 

Thanks from me 2! This will be perfect timing for me to review before my Anthem OTS cruise in Jan 2022 and my Odyssey OTS cruise in Feb 2022.

 

And yes, a balcony stateroom in Alaska will indeed be fabulous...

[farmersfight]

15 minutes ago, HowardK said:

Some of the ships had both Spice H20 and Vibe- but it seems by removing Spice H20 the only option people had was Vibe- so that would have added $200 to my cruise cost in May- not a big deal.

 

I heard that it is hard to get those Vibe passes and that you better head to guest services immediately upon boarding the ship to purchase them. Here's a group of people vying for those coveted vibe passes on board;

 

[debenson0723]

14 minutes ago, HowardK said:

I do admit every day I look up case numbers or vaccine news. I find there are so many people who don't care. I saw there were $40k people alone going through the Philadelphia airport yesterday, yet 30th street train station wasn't as busy.

I hope they can get the vaccine to the general public (everyone in line after the first people) by the spring and then maybe have some time for a reduction .

In my opinion, we were somewhat headed to herd immunity in the sense many people weren't being careful. A lot of people don't understand the mathematics of exponential growth, and that at least 3.5%-4% of the population at a minimum has already had cases.

I used to be out on average perhaps in my estimate 75-80 hours a week (work+ commute + weekends) and now its around 2 at most. 

 

I completely agree that so many people don't care.  The main thing I hear is 'I don't know anyone who has even got it'.  Well, I know plenty and they will be more than happy to talk to you.

I work for a small division of a larger company...my job is to travel between locations but at this point, they are trying to keep me 'grounded' as much as possible. Easier said than done.  We have 14 locations and as of yesterday, 9 locations have staff out due to covid (and 2 locations are temporarily closed).  I have been exposed 3 times and tested 3 times, all negative. The two worst cases I have seen were men, age 48 and 52, who were very sick during the summer and are still recovering..one may have lifelong effects.  This virus isn't anything to mess with.  My state is 'open' but I basically go to work and come home, with a stop at the market once or twice a week. 

I have learned that I spend the majority of my money on breakfast with my girlfriends, shopping, and travel.  Since I haven't done any of that in 9 months, my bank account is healthier than it has ever been, LOL.

[debenson0723]

10 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

I heard that it is hard to get those Vibe passes and that you better head to guest services immediately upon boarding the ship to purchase them. Here's a group of people vying for those coveted vibe passes on board;

 

Really depends on the ship and the cruise.  My last 2 cruises (Getaway in November 2019 and Encore in February of this year) Vibe passes were still available on the 2nd day on board.  I think they have overpriced them for what they are.  But like I mentioned before, I would rather sleep on a heated tile lounger in the Thermal Spa than outdoors in the sun (says the person from Arizona, where we get way more sun than I like).

[debenson0723]

2 hours ago, farmersfight said:

Same here, they would be a "one and done" for me also. Now Carnival's roller coaster at sea (on the new Mardi Gras), now that's a different story, lol.

 

Again, like laser tag, imo the go karts are a big waste of valuable open deck space on the stern. I will concede however, that the go karts I'm sure are very popular with kids & teens, so NCL did "hit the mark" with those demographics. But for us adults, unless you are always a big kid/teen at heart and love go karts, it's "one and done".

While I tend to agree with you,  the go karts are a huge money maker for NCL. I only sail when kids are in school and it is still hard to get passes.  Granted, they don't run them (or laser tag) all the time.  I did love the laser tag and would have done it more often if I could have gotten reservations.

I wonder how often the Mardi Gras will be able to run the roller coaster.   I would think only on port days when the ship isn't moving.  The wind/rain in the Caribbean seems like it would be detrimental to doing it otherwise.  I hope you get the chance to find out and report back to us.

[HowardK]

48 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

I heard that it is hard to get those Vibe passes and that you better head to guest services immediately upon boarding the ship to purchase them. Here's a group of people vying for those coveted vibe passes on board;

 

Yes, people would post that there was a specific place to get them- either the Local or guest services and that people in certain boarding groups would get them. I figured for Bermuda it would have been worth it as it was a warmer route, but not for Canada/New England

[coastcat]

NCL's go-kart track is a headline grabber, much like RCL's Flow Rider and Ripcord. The advantage to RCL is that their star attractions are almost all no-charge and NCL's are profit centers. Laser tag is loads of fun but placing it outdoors on the top deck really limits its use since it's closed in bad weather. RCL was smart to bring it inside.

 

Go-karts are fun but I live a 10-minute drive from an excellent indoor track, so it's not quite a novelty. Oddly enough, laps onboard NCL are cheaper than at the local track... well, if you don't count the cruise fare required to access the track... I am sometimes a big kid at heart and yeah, roller coasters > go-karts.

 

Only Encore got rid of the Spice H2O space; the other three BA+ ships still have it. TBH, I don't like Spice H2O all that much due to the smoking areas. Vibe seems cool but getting a pass on a ship other than Encore involves super-early boarding and a fast run to whichever venue sells passes. I'm not averse to "exclusive" areas but would rather spend the money in advance on a Thermal Spa pass than risk a sprained ankle in a likely-futile effort to get a Vibe pass on the ship.

 

That's another reason I'm not planning to sail on NCL Joy again soon - no Studio, no Thermal Spa, no thanks.

[farmersfight]

6 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

Since I haven't done any of that in 9 months, my bank account is healthier than it has ever been, LOL.

 

Same here for sure. I think of it as the "silver lining" in this year long pandemic; I'm saving $ bills like a squirrel saves nuts for the winter. The on going steady gain in my now "healthy" (a relative term) savings account will enable me to purchase my cruises upfront and pay in total. No having to use the old credit card or personal line of credit!

[farmersfight]

6 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

I only sail when kids are in school

 

I think that is a great strategy. I'm thinking Sept-Feb (with the exception of Thanksgiving and/or Christmas week and then again April, May. That's 8 months available to cruise with very limited # of kids on board (most are in school) and also, I believe prices of cruises are lower during these time periods (since the kids are in school, the parents have to stay home as well; less demand causes the cruise lines to lower prices).

 

So far and to start out with, my 3 booked cruises are; Dec 18-26 on Mardi Gras (I broke the no Christmas week rule here), Jan 20-31 on Anthem OTS & Feb 26-March 6 on Odyssey OTS (this one departs before spring break so it should be fine).

 

6 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

I wonder how often the Mardi Gras will be able to run the roller coaster.   I would think only on port days when the ship isn't moving.  The wind/rain in the Caribbean seems like it would be detrimental to doing it otherwise.  I hope you get the chance to find out and report back to us.

 

[farmersfight]

6 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

I wonder how often the Mardi Gras will be able to run the roller coaster.   I would think only on port days when the ship isn't moving.  The wind/rain in the Caribbean seems like it would be detrimental to doing it otherwise.  I hope you get the chance to find out and report back to us.

 

Good point, I didn't think of that (the wind issue when the ship is underway). I bet you're right, Carnival probably will have to only run the roller coaster when the ship is not moving in port. I'd hate to get blown off the track on that roller coaster due to the wind/relative wind. It's a long way down to the surface of the water.

 

Yeah, I'll definitely find out and report back (maybe even with pictures).

[farmersfight]

2 hours ago, coastcat said:

much like RCL's Flow Rider and Ripcord.

 

Now here are a couple of amenities that I can get excited about. And, they'll be on both the Anthem OTS & Odyssey OTS, both Quantum class ships.

 

2 hours ago, coastcat said:

The advantage to RCL is that their star attractions are almost all no-charge and NCL's are profit centers.

 

Yeah, I'm coming to realize that about NCL. For example; the adult-only venue with NCL is the Vibe (except where Spice H20 is still there) which is an extra charge. By contrast, the adult-only venues on RCL (Solarium) and Carnival (Serenity) are no charge. Oh, and speaking of the adult-only venues on RCL vs NCL & Carnival, RCL did a real smart thing by totally enclosing their venue (Solarium) with see through panels. By enclosing this venue, RCL has eliminated the problems with wind and rain that NCL (Vibe or H20) & Carnival (Serenity) have to contend with. RCL also has located the Solarium up top and all the way forward providing wonderful views of what's in front of the ship and where the ship is going.

 

2 hours ago, coastcat said:

That's another reason I'm not planning to sail on NCL Joy again soon - no Studio, no Thermal Spa, no thanks.

 

I didn't know Joy doesn't have studio staterooms (like her BA + class sisters have). Also, no Thermal Spa. Was this because Joy was originally built for the Asian market? I think I read that somewhere...

Edited November 26, 2020 by farmersfight

[farmersfight]

Hi @coastcat. To be honest, I was concerned about my Anthem OTS cruise because of it departing from a northern port (Cape Libert, NJ) on Jan 20th. Bbbrrr... You might have the same issue (to a lesser extent) on your Quantum OTS Alaska cruise.

 

But then I looked a little closer at the Anthem OTS and found out that she has an entirely enclosed pool (w/2 hot tubs). I'm sure this space is climate controlled and the water heated in the pool (and of course, the hot tubs). If that wasn't enough, RCL did it (designed it) right again by having the adults-only Solarium totally enclosed up front, facing forward (since Quantum OTS is configured the same way, can you image sitting in one of those hot tubs in the Solarium with your DOD in hand taking in those fabulous views of Alaska?).

 

Needless to say, after finding these things out, I'm not concerned anymore...

 

https://beyondships.com/RCI-Quantum-Tour-2.html

Edited November 26, 2020 by farmersfight

[coastcat]

1 hour ago, farmersfight said:

Hi @coastcat. To be honest, I was concerned about my Anthem OTS cruise because of it departing from a northern port (Cape Libert, NJ) on Jan 20th. Bbbrrr... You might have the same issue (to a lesser extent) on your Quantum OTS Alaska cruise.

 

Eh, the weather isn't an issue for me. I've acclimated to life in the Pacific Northwest and now consider anything over 70F to be way too hot. Alaska cruises, no problem. Caribbean, that will be a shock to the system.

 

While I'd love to do Ripcord, I've done iFly on dry land and know how tough it is on the upper arms. We'll see if resuming physical therapy gets my shoulder back into shape in time because indoor skydiving was lots of fun. I can't believe it's no extra charge on RCL because it is NOT cheap.

 

Oh, I am so looking forward to getting back on board, whenever it may be. It's been such a stressful year. Some ocean sunsets would help.

[debenson0723]

6 hours ago, coastcat said:

Only Encore got rid of the Spice H2O space; the other three BA+ ships still have it. TBH, I don't like Spice H2O all that much due to the smoking areas.

 

That's another reason I'm not planning to sail on NCL Joy again soon - no Studio, no Thermal Spa, no thanks.

Yup...smoking is the reason that I don't use the Vibe often.  And I got a little bit annoyed that Encore added that smoking area outdoors near the pool bar on the port side.  I tried to walk on the starboard side to avoid it, if I remembered.

And no Thermal Spa is the one reason I haven't booked the Joy, though I would really like to sail that ship.

[debenson0723]

So for those of you who are familiar with RCL, do they ever do price drops closer to the date of sailing like NCL does (or maybe did)?  Even though NCL has charges for their extra amenities, I typically pay $700-900 for a 7 day cruse by booking within 6 weeks of departure (and that is not a studio but anywhere from an inside to balcony). I don't mind paying for extras if my base price is lower.

 

On my February Encore cruise, I was able to upgrade from a studio with only the wi-fi perk, to a forward facing ocean view with the UBP, UDP and wi-fi for $66, 3 days before departure. Those are the kind of deals I like to find.

[farmersfight]

2 hours ago, coastcat said:

 

Eh, the weather isn't an issue for me. I've acclimated to life in the Pacific Northwest and now consider anything over 70F to be way too hot. Alaska cruises, no problem. Caribbean, that will be a shock to the system.

 

While I'd love to do Ripcord, I've done iFly on dry land and know how tough it is on the upper arms. We'll see if resuming physical therapy gets my shoulder back into shape in time because indoor skydiving was lots of fun. I can't believe it's no extra charge on RCL because it is NOT cheap.

 

Oh, I am so looking forward to getting back on board, whenever it may be. It's been such a stressful year. Some ocean sunsets would help.

 

Yeah, I know what you mean about weather acclimation. I grew up in hot, humid south Florida (Hialeah - near Miami) and lived there long enough to get acclimated to that heat & humidity. Did it again when I went off to college in Galveston, TX (Texas Maritime Academy) and then lived in Houston, TX for many years. I bet @debenson0723had to do a little heat (but a dry heat) acclimation in AZ, as well. Same for my younger son who is currently in Tucson, AZ attending the University of Arizona (go Wildcats).

 

I've done the opposite of what retirees usually do (move south to Fla) and moved north from TX back up to Michigan (where I was born).

 

I saw the Ripcord by IFly on the Quantum class ships; I'm definitely interested (if that pressured air can lift my 200+ lb body, lol). Wow, RCL doesn't charge for it; that is unbelievably good (for we the customers/pax). RCL (& Carnival) also doesn't charge for access to their adults-only retreat, Solarium (& Serenity) whereas NCL charges for Vibe. Seems like NCL is like the polar opposite of RCL wrt to charging extra for many activities/venues (i.e. the go-karts and I'm not sure but I'm betting NCL charges for laser tag, as well). As you see posted here in CC (especially the NCL forum), all these extra $ grabs (aka charges/fees) are because of FDR.

 

Best of luck getting your shoulder back in shape so that you can "sky dive" (Ripcord) on your upcoming Quantum OTS cruise!

Edited November 27, 2020 by farmersfight

[farmersfight]

53 minutes ago, debenson0723 said:

Yup...smoking is the reason that I don't use the Vibe often.

 

Wow, I didn't know NCL allowed smoking in Vibe. Spice H20 yes, but also Vibe? Not a good move on NCL's part. Vibe should be smoke free (imo).

[farmersfight]

41 minutes ago, debenson0723 said:

So for those of you who are familiar with RCL, do they ever do price drops closer to the date of sailing like NCL does (or maybe did)?  Even though NCL has charges for their extra amenities, I typically pay $700-900 for a 7 day cruse by booking within 6 weeks of departure (and that is not a studio but anywhere from an inside to balcony). I don't mind paying for extras if my base price is lower.

 

On my February Encore cruise, I was able to upgrade from a studio with only the wi-fi perk, to a forward facing ocean view with the UBP, UDP and wi-fi for $66, 3 days before departure. Those are the kind of deals I like to find.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences with "last minute" deals on NCL. I plan on using that strategy with NCL also and see if I can book good deals within 30 days of departure. I'm interested to see what responses you get about whether RCL does the same.

 

I didn't think about booking the base "sail away" rate (to lock in the stateroom category, i.e. balcony) and then just paying separately for any extras. Have you done this in the past and is it cost effective (compared to paying the higher fares with the "included" perks)?

[debenson0723]

2 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences with "last minute" deals on NCL. I plan on using that strategy with NCL also and see if I can book good deals within 30 days of departure. I'm interested to see what responses you get about whether RCL does the same.

 

I didn't think about booking the base "sail away" rate (to lock in the stateroom category, i.e. balcony) and then just paying separately for any extras. Have you done this in the past and is it cost effective (compared to paying the higher fares with the "included" perks)?

First, a possible correction.  I meant to say smoking in Spice H2O, not Vibe.  Since I have never been in the Vibe, I am not 100% sure about the smoking but I think I have read reviews/seen photos of people smoking at the bar.  Hopefully someone who  knows for sure will let us know.

 

Yes, I have booked a certain category at the 'sail away' rate and paid for any incidentals OOP.  I did this for my April 2019 Bliss Pacific Coastal (balcony) and May 2019 Sky Cuba (Inside) cruise.  I am not a big drinker and being Platinum I get 2 free specialty dinners (on the Bliss) and that worked out for me.  I did meet friends for dinner one night at Q and just had appetizers and their wonderful Smoky Peach Margarita (my favorite NCL cocktail).  We ate dinner in San Francisco, Victoria and Vancouver so just grabbed something in The Local before or after.  I think my total bill on that cruise was around $100 when I left the ship. 

The Sky was even better...it was only a 4 day, very last minute (2 weeks out) and my main focus was visiting Cuba (which I loved and really want to go back).  This cruise had the true 'open bar' so I had my share of Frose (like a slushy wine...total girly drink, LOL) and Margaritas, plus wine at dinner. I had dinner in Havana and the rest of the time in the MDR. I think my OOP when I left the ship was less than $50.

I book my perks based on itinerary...if it is a port intensive cruise, then I am more likely to do sail away and if I am going to be on the ship most of the time (like Encore...I have been to those ports so many times I never left the ship for more than an hour) then I like to pick my cabin.  But I am so happy to be on a ship, I would sleep in a closet.

[farmersfight]

9 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

First, a possible correction.  I meant to say smoking in Spice H2O, not Vibe.  Since I have never been in the Vibe, I am not 100% sure about the smoking but I think I have read reviews/seen photos of people smoking at the bar.  Hopefully someone who  knows for sure will let us know.

 

Yes, I have booked a certain category at the 'sail away' rate and paid for any incidentals OOP.  I did this for my April 2019 Bliss Pacific Coastal (balcony) and May 2019 Sky Cuba (Inside) cruise.  I am not a big drinker and being Platinum I get 2 free specialty dinners (on the Bliss) and that worked out for me.  I did meet friends for dinner one night at Q and just had appetizers and their wonderful Smoky Peach Margarita (my favorite NCL cocktail).  We ate dinner in San Francisco, Victoria and Vancouver so just grabbed something in The Local before or after.  I think my total bill on that cruise was around $100 when I left the ship. 

The Sky was even better...it was only a 4 day, very last minute (2 weeks out) and my main focus was visiting Cuba (which I loved and really want to go back).  This cruise had the true 'open bar' so I had my share of Frose (like a slushy wine...total girly drink, LOL) and Margaritas, plus wine at dinner. I had dinner in Havana and the rest of the time in the MDR. I think my OOP when I left the ship was less than $50.

I book my perks based on itinerary...if it is a port intensive cruise, then I am more likely to do sail away and if I am going to be on the ship most of the time (like Encore...I have been to those ports so many times I never left the ship for more than an hour) then I like to pick my cabin.  But I am so happy to be on a ship, I would sleep in a closet.

 

Yeah, NCL allowing smoking in both Spice H2O and Vibe would not be a good "vibe" 😂. If I had to guess, I'd guess that NCL made one out of the two venues smoke-free (Vibe), so as to accommodate both their smoking & non-smoking customers. Kind of the same concept as allowing smoking on one side of the ship and keeping the other side smoke free. Interesting that you think that you have read reviews/seen photos of people smoking at the bar in Vibe. I agree, hopefully someone on CC here with 1st hand knowledge can let us know.

 

At the risk of sounding totally ignorant, what is "OOP"? I even did my due diligence (googled it) and only came up with - Object Oriented Programming (OOP). Definitely not that, I'm sure. Thanks for sharing your experience with the "sail-away" rate vs paying the higher fare and getting the perk(s). I think I would still like to pick my location because although probably very rare, if left to the cruise line, they could locate you in a stateroom with an obstructed view. Just as a quick side note; I looked at RCL's beverage package (which they were advertising to me as a Black Friday sale - 40% off, I think but for my cruise that is not until Jan 20, 2022. I'll wait for the next Black Friday sale, Nov 2021 - closer to my cruise departure date) and it looked like a better deal than NCL's. I only saw 1 type of beverage package but it was reasonably priced and included premium brands like Crown Royal (how could it not with the company name of Royal Caribbean).

 

Congrats on being platinum (you must have to have a serious # of cruises under your belt to achieve platinum status). Now that I am retired, with all kinds of time on my hands, and will be cruising as my "retirement activity of choice or RAOC", maybe someday I can achieve one of those shiny metal levels (silver, gold, platinum).

 

I found your May 2019 Norwegian Sky cruise to Cuba intriguing. I had thought that the U.S. Govt did allow reopen travel to Cuba again but then shut it back down. Interesting that you were able to travel to Cuba as recently as 2019. If you loved Cuba, you may need to book a Carnival cruise in a "Havana Cabana" or "Havana Inside" on one of their larger, newer ships. I actually had reserved (no deposit required for 96 hours - a Carnival program) a Havana Cabana (kind of like a balcony stateroom but with a patio) on a 7 day Mexican Riviera cruise out of Long Beach, CA on the new Carnival Panorama. Unfortunately, I had to let the reservation go because the cruise was in August 2021 and my 2 sons have to be in summer school at college. If you are booked in a Havana stateroom, you have exclusive access* to the Havana Pool (& hot tubs) located on the stern of the ship. (*for some reason, the exclusive access was only to 7 pm then Carnival opened up this area to all passengers. But, at least you had the exclusive access during the entire day). There is also a Havana Bar (with a stage for live bands) in the Havana area which is open to all passengers. I just think this is an interesting concept that Carnival did.

 

Lastly, I'm with you 100%. I too, would sleep in a closet to be on a ship;

Edited November 27, 2020 by farmersfight

[debenson0723]

4 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

At the risk of sounding totally ignorant, what is "OOP"? I even did my due diligence (googled it) and only came up with - Object Oriented Programming (OOP). Definitely not that, I'm sure. Thanks for sharing your experience with the "sail-away" rate vs paying the higher fare and getting the perk(s). I think I would still like to pick my location because although probably very rare, if left to the cruise line, they could locate you in a stateroom with an obstructed view. Just as a quick side note; I looked at RCL's beverage package (which they were advertising to me as a Black Friday sale - 40% off, I think but for my cruise that is not until Jan 20, 2022. I'll wait for the next Black Friday sale, Nov 2021 - closer to my cruise departure date) and it looked like a better deal than NCL's. I only saw 1 type of beverage package but it was reasonably priced and included premium brands like Crown Royal.

 

Sorry...Out Of Pocket. 

 

If you don't get the Beverage Package as a Perk on NCL, it is totally not worth paying OOP (LOL). The gratuities on the perk are about $20 a day, which is roughly the cost of 2 cocktails.  If I think I am going to drink more than 2 a day, then the perk is worth it for me.  The great thing I have found with the perk is that I can try cocktails I might not have liked otherwise...if I like it, great and if I don't, just order something else.

 

I made it to Cuba 10 days before we were banned again.  That whole cruise situation is a very long story (was actually booked on MSC and had to change last minute) but it all worked out for the best.  And I have looked often at those Havana Cabins but just too expensive for a solo (never seen one with no single supplement).  I have only been on Carnival once...a 5 day NE/Canada sailing in October out of NYC (best sail away port, IMO)...again booked last minute and only $300.

[farmersfight]

43 minutes ago, debenson0723 said:

Sorry...Out Of Pocket. 

 

If you don't get the Beverage Package as a Perk on NCL, it is totally not worth paying OOP (LOL). The gratuities on the perk are about $20 a day, which is roughly the cost of 2 cocktails.  If I think I am going to drink more than 2 a day, then the perk is worth it for me.  The great thing I have found with the perk is that I can try cocktails I might not have liked otherwise...if I like it, great and if I don't, just order something else.

 

I made it to Cuba 10 days before we were banned again.  That whole cruise situation is a very long story (was actually booked on MSC and had to change last minute) but it all worked out for the best.  And I have looked often at those Havana Cabins but just too expensive for a solo (never seen one with no single supplement).  I have only been on Carnival once...a 5 day NE/Canada sailing in October out of NYC (best sail away port, IMO)...again booked last minute and only $300.

 

OOP - Out of Pocket. Of course (duh). Thanks.

 

Yeah, to get NCL's beverage package as a perk or to pay the less expensive sail-away fare and just pay OOP for drinks as you get them on board. That is the question. Again, I'll probably opt for the higher fare with the beverage package (& any other perks), so I can choose my stateroom location.

 

I agree, Carnival is not "solo friendly" (& I wish they were, as I like Carnival and used to sail with them exclusively - before I became "solo"). With the 3 cruises I have booked, the first one is the brand new Mardi Gras out of Port Canaveral on a 8 day Eastern Caribbean, Dec 18, 2021 (X-mas cruise). I "pulled the trigger" and booked it (even as a solo) because I saw that the ship had "junior balcony" staterooms, which have just a little less interior floor space but have the same sized balcony. I thought, "perfect for one person". However, even though the junior balcony was a little less cost than a regular balcony, it was pricey because I still have to pay the 100% solo supplement. I made a one time exception to my self-imposed, "never pay full 100% solo supplement" rule because I really wanted to check out the Mardi Gras. We'll see if it was worth it.

 

As far as sailing out of NYC, I'm close with a booked cruise out of Cape Liberty, NJ in Jan 2022 on the Anthem OTS. I booked this one far out in advance to be able to book one of those hard to get studio balcony staterooms. Mission accomplished! Booked another studio balcony stateroom on the new Odyssey OTS (Quantum Ultra class) out of Port Everglades in Feb 2022. But yeah, I'm looking forward to sailing out of the NYC/NJ area and spending a few days pre & post cruise in the NYC/NJ area in a hotel. Only glitch is; the Anthem OTS cruise departs NJ on Jan 20, 2022 (11 day southern caribb). Bbrrrr...

BUT, all is well because I checked out the ship and she has a fully glass enclosed pool (climate controlled space) as well as the fully enclosed (again, glass panels) adults-only area, Solarium. Both the Solarium and the indoor pool have hot tubs and bars, so I'm set! Let it snow...

 

The more I look at RCL and how they have designed their ships, I have to give them my "blue ribbon" and "tip of the hat" for best designs & amenities on their cruise ships. Prime example; totally enclosing their adults-only Solarium and positioning it forward with views in front of the ship. Solves any wind and/or cold problems. Ask Carnival about the complaints they are getting about their totally exposed Serenity adults-only area, up top & forward. Talk about windy; a lot of times, passengers can't even use Serenity while the ship is underway because of the wind/relative wind. Probably the same issue for NCL's exposed Vibe (which you get to pay extra $ for). I've been noticing a lot of other designs & features of RCL ships that, imo, win hands down over their main competition (NCL, Carnival). Well, with 2 RCL cruises booked, I'll be able to find out first hand!

 

Take care.

Edited November 27, 2020 by farmersfight

[debenson0723]

I am really interested in trying a Quantum class ship but wish they had one on the west coast. Right now I have so much airline credit that I don't mind flying to the East Coast but once that is gone, then it affects my bottom line if I have to pay a solo supplement (even 50%). And for some reason I always have a hard time navigating the RCL website...I see specials advertised but then they never come up for me...maybe because I am not logged in?  Not sure.

 

You mentioned a few responses back about paying for your cruises in full and not using a credit card. Something I do is use my Delta AmEx card for everything, pay it off each month and then use the miles I earned to fly internationally.  I just checked last night for a NY to London flight in May and it is only 28000 miles and $195 (O/W).  Hard to beat that price (and I can always find cheap flights to NYC).  Makes going to Europe for only a week worthwhile to me. I also get a companion pass once a year, which is basically BOGO.  They have extended the expiration on these passes to 2022 so now I have 3 of them...but I am a solo traveler so they don't do me much good, LOL.They are transferable though.

 

Not sure if you have seen photos of the Observation Lounge on Bliss/Encore/Joy but it is one of my favorite places on those ships.  It is not like the RCL Solarium in that it is not an outdoors type place, but it is in the front of the ship, full size windows that wrap around the whole area, chaise loungers, comfy chairs and couches of all sizes, a huge bar and food (breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea).  I got up early one morning and got some great photos of the sunrise over the Golden Gate Bridge as we were sailing into San Francisco. The food is a nice, higher end mini-buffet, salad bar, desserts.  And if you want more, the real buffet is one story up on deck 16. Sometimes in the evening they have live music also. Being on this forum is really making me miss cruising!

[coastcat]

6 minutes ago, debenson0723 said:

I am really interested in trying a Quantum class ship but wish they had one on the west coast. Right now I have so much airline credit that I don't mind flying to the East Coast but once that is gone, then it affects my bottom line if I have to pay a solo supplement (even 50%). And for some reason I always have a hard time navigating the RCL website...I see specials advertised but then they never come up for me...maybe because I am not logged in?  Not sure.

 

You mentioned a few responses back about paying for your cruises in full and not using a credit card. Something I do is use my Delta AmEx card for everything, pay it off each month and then use the miles I earned to fly internationally.  I just checked last night for a NY to London flight in May and it is only 28000 miles and $195 (O/W).  Hard to beat that price (and I can always find cheap flights to NYC).  Makes going to Europe for only a week worthwhile to me. I also get a companion pass once a year, which is basically BOGO.  They have extended the expiration on these passes to 2022 so now I have 3 of them...but I am a solo traveler so they don't do me much good, LOL.They are transferable though.

 

I book all my travel with a Chase Sapphire Preferred card to get the travel protection plus points to transfer and redeem - except for flights on Delta since I have the Delta AmEx. Not sure why I still have the Delta card since I mainly fly Alaska these days, but hey. I mainly use the Delta card for vet bills.

 

Two Quantum-class ships will be on the West Coast in 2021; Quantum and Ovation will both be in Alaska that summer. I'll be on Quantum in mid-June as my first RCL cruise. There's a rumor floating around that RCL will return to sailing out of southern California and in my mind it makes sense to keep Ovation there in the winter. There's plenty of demand and if they start sailing there in late 2021 the timing would be great - my guess is that we West Coasters will flock to the Mexican Riviera/Pacific Coastal itineraries as cruising ramps up, since it's a drive-to/short-flight port for us.