NCL sure has changed target markets in 6 years

[CruiseScrooge]

I'm cruising again and always going solo getting the inside gty and looking for bargains and flexible to travel last minute. NCL seems to be now deals for 2-4 passengers and free flights and kids free and free excursions and get our booze and wifi package and so on. Unless i'm missing something the fares for solo cheap as heck passengers like me now stinks on toast even last minute. NCL,CCL, and MSC were always my choices in that order if prices were close but darn as much as i love O'Sheehan's pub i guess it is bye bye.

[wolft927]

9 minutes ago, CruiseScrooge said:

I'm cruising again and always going solo getting the inside gty and looking for bargains and flexible to travel last minute. NCL seems to be now deals for 2-4 passengers and free flights and kids free and free excursions and get our booze and wifi package and so on. Unless i'm missing something the fares for solo cheap as heck passengers like me now stinks on toast even last minute. NCL,CCL, and MSC were always my choices in that order if prices were close but darn as much as i love O'Sheehan's pub i guess it is bye bye.

Look at the studio cabins on NCL ships. 

[shof515]

8 minutes ago, CruiseScrooge said:

 NCL seems to be now deals for 2-4 passengers and free flights and kids free and free excursions and get our booze and wifi package and so on.

nothing is free at all. get the marketing buzzwords out of your head

 

flights and kids free is rolled into the overall cruise fare pricing. if you compare the fare from a regular promo to these promos, you will see the price difference

 

excursions is not free. it is only a 50 dollar credit off shore excursion and its only for the first person in the cabin

[Russiamomm]

I agree that NCL isn’t dropping the solo supplement as often as they used to.  As far as the FAS goes, there’s really not that much difference for a solo vs. double occupancy.  A solo traveler gets half off the airfare, as opposed to the second traveler free.  Same difference.  A solo only pays grats for one - including the dining and drink packages and only pays taxes and fees for one.  The excursion perk actually works out better for solos because you get the full $50.  
 

I travel solo or with a friend often.  On the rare occasion they drop the solo supplement it’s actually cheaper to get two rooms than to share a cabin.  (I always get the FAS.  The perks are worth it for me as opposed to a sail away rate.)

[J0Y0US]

6 minutes ago, Russiamomm said:

I agree that NCL isn’t dropping the solo supplement as often as they used to.  As far as the FAS goes, there’s really not that much difference for a solo vs. double occupancy.  A solo traveler gets half off the airfare, as opposed to the second traveler free.  Same difference.  A solo only pays grats for one - including the dining and drink packages and only pays taxes and fees for one.  The excursion perk actually works out better for solos because you get the full $50.  
 

I travel solo or with a friend often.  On the rare occasion they drop the solo supplement it’s actually cheaper to get two rooms than to share a cabin.  (I always get the FAS.  The perks are worth it for me as opposed to a sail away rate.)

 

You just made me think what is the most expensive part of the ship that you are paying for? Space

 

Solos and Doubles are essentially taking up the same amount of precious space with their cabin. Thats where most of the cost to the line comes from.

 

On the flip side things like an extra set of luggage or extra dinner are fairly minor regarding total costs. Especially when you consider on that 2nd person they can get more upcharges extracted.

 

I suspect the "deals" are structured so that solos do end up bringing someone possibly.

[debenson0723]

Not too many things are the same now as they were 6 years ago...

 

You have to know how to play the game.  I am a solo traveler and looking at a cruise next month. I wait until the solo supplement is in place and typically book 3-4 weeks out. The sailaway inside is about $75 less than the sailaway balcony. The ocean view I prefer (forward facing) is $200 more than the balcony. Its not that important to me to pick my cabin so that option is out. I buy my own airfare (which I did a few months ago and will get a credit if I change my mind) for just under $200 r/t. $100 obc for being a shareholder will pay for my cocktails and the bottle of wine with my LeBistro platinum dinner will last me 2 nights. The $50 excursion credit will usually cover me if I decided to go ashore. 

While I am happy with this arrangement, I am going to wait a few more weeks to see if the rate drops more and I can get the FAS added for about the same price. If not, I will book the cruise and consider purchasing an internet package outright.  Going to put my vacation days in the schedule when I go back to work on Tuesday and start looking for another cruise for the spring and fall. 

[CruiseScrooge]

Maybe i should have said what they offer now as bonuses and deals misses the mark for me but thats the way it goes. For example i always drive to the port, i never take excursions or booze or wifi etc... I really like NCL and maybe if my upcoming cruises on MSC and CCL are lousy i'll open the purse strings wider. I really love O'Sheehan's. When staring at a Guy's burger on CCL i think to myself i couldn't been at O'Sheehan.. if CCL brings back the free tiny fish and chips  and fried oysters stand they replaced with a fee based seafood stand oh boy i'd be happy.

Darn i hungry.

[IrieBajan54]

3 hours ago, wolft927 said:

Look at the studio cabins on NCL ships. 

I cruise solo and the Studio cabins are never cheaper than an inside cabin. I take an inside cabin every time (more space) and sometimes got lucky with a balcony. I always book Sail-Away rate:: don't care where my cabin is located and  FAS is not even on my radar.

 

I agree with OP that decent solo rates are hard to get now. I enjoyed many last minute bookings up until COVID. A month before the shutdown, I cruised my favorite ship, the Gem 11 days in a balcony for $824 base fare.

Edited January 1, 2023 by IrieBajan54
correction

[blueslily]

6 minutes ago, IrieBajan54 said:

I cruise solo and the Studio cabins are never cheaper than an inside cabin. I take the inside cabin every time (more space) and sometimes got lucky with a balcony. I always book Sail-away rate: don't care where my cabin is located and  FAS is not even on my radar.

 

I agree with OP that decent solo rates are hard to get now. I enjoyed many last minute bookings up until COVID. A month before the shut down, I cruised my favorite ship, the Gem 11 days in a balcony for $824 based fare.

 

Yep, I can also relate to both you and the OP.  Plus, no studio cabin for me when I sail solo either. It's been better to book a standard cabin, and now for me, they are always balcony cabins for just me. I will see how booking solo last minute in 2023 goes. 

[globetrotterjay]

Not all lifestyles are flexible to last minute bookings, but it can definitely save you money if the ship is predicted not to be full. Back in the fall, I solo booked Epic Spa Haven. Spa & Haven officially sold out weeks ago, confirming I made the right choice for me. The price tag is cringey, but solo travelers are disadvantaged with upgrade opportunities. You still have to pay double occupancy, and if you’re looking to build latitude status, you don’t earn anything additional if your suite was obtained via bidding. Because Epic has the unique solo rooms, I looked into them. Significantly less, thousands. 1/4 the size of the room I booked and I’ll have a balcony that’s bigger than the entire solo room. Alone in cramped 100sqft with no view (window view is corridor) isn’t treating myself. No direct access to outdoors freaks me out. Your vacation is what you make it and you definitely get what you pay for. I live in WNY where we just experienced perhaps the worst blizzard storm our city has ever seen. I am so desperate for sunshine I need it available 24/7 while vacationing lol. The Haven is great if you’re solo. Having the luxury of eating any meal in my room, food quality is tremendously better, priority on/off/seats for shows, less chance of being around kids, minimal worry booking restaurants last minute. I definitely believe I overpaid, but once I get on board I know I’ve done all I can to give myself the best experience and now to get that first drink 😆

[david_sobe]

I have always seen the solo cabins as very expensive.  They are very popular and have seen inside sail away cabins less expensive than a studio for 1.

As far as the target market these days........it changed many years ago with FDR.  The target market is really none of us (here on CC).  NCL and other cruise lines knows the loyal cruiser that flood these boards will always cruise.  They gain nothing with luring back loyal customers who will always be there.  The target market is young families who have never cruised before.  They may not care if they never cruise again but they want their business.  The new cruiser is not aware of all the slickness of booking cruises today with all the "free" stuff.  They make lots of money off these new families.  Us loyal cruisers are always looking for deals especially with our loyalty perks.

[phillygwm]

My first NCL cruise was in a solo cabin and I've been in a cabin by myself on every subsequent sailing (usually in a balcony/Club.)  

 

It really is a matter of supply and demand.  NCL wants to fill those solo cabins on the ships that have them but they usually command a premium; I've found it cheaper to get an inside cabin and pay the supplement.  From NCL's standpoint, if they're filling cabins with couples, why offer a supplement to cut your revenue in half?  

 

I've occasionally checked CruisePlum and the NCL solo specials there tend to be for relatively last minute cruises.  The vast majority of deals are for MSC so read into that what you will.

[graphicguy]

Just like any cruise line, a little shopping (different dates, time of year, cabin categories, etc) goes a long way.

 

Took a 7-nite New England/Nova Scotia Breakaway cruise as a solo in a Club Balcony Cabin in November.  Took all FAS.  Without the OBC that came with it, I think I was somewhere in the neighborhood of $600-$700  all in.

 

Just have to shop a little bit.  But, that’s always been the case.

[SeekingKillerWhales!]

I think you have to hunt the deals now. But I just signed up today for a 10-day cruise to Alaska in August, with the drink package and my own interior room (preferred for motion sickness reasons) for $1,650 which I think is pretty darn good considering the inflation. The 2-person room is $1,360ish each, so I am paying more, but definitely not double.

 

Good luck!!!

[Viajera7]

On 1/1/2023 at 4:33 PM, IrieBajan54 said:

I cruise solo and the Studio cabins are never cheaper than an inside cabin. I take an inside cabin every time (more space) and sometimes got lucky with a balcony. I always book Sail-Away rate:: don't care where my cabin is located and  FAS is not even on my radar.

 

I agree with OP that decent solo rates are hard to get now. I enjoyed many last minute bookings up until COVID. A month before the shutdown, I cruised my favorite ship, the Gem 11 days in a balcony for $824 base fare.

My Christmas cruise studio was cheaper than the inside on the Epic (12-23-22 to 12-30-22).

[UnbridledEnthusiasm]

I'm usually  solo and noticed that there aren't that many deals really for people going solo. I pretty much ignore rates for inside cabins and the studios because I need natural light. I have seen a few decent deals out there but you would really have to have a flexible schedule to take advantage of them tbh.