NCL Solo Experience: Studio & Experience Advice Needed

[MissyDot]

Hello!  My only cruising experience is on Celebrity (Solstice & Edge class) but I want to branch out and I do want to do a low stress easy going solo trip in December hopefully and somewhere warm: Caribbean preferably.   Have you sailed on NCL as solo traveler ?  Should I consider the studio cabins- the concept looks cool and I’m intrigued by the studio lounge space.  Thanks in advance for your input: the good and the bad welcomed! 

[jlowe420]

I have never been in a studio cabin but I have sailed solo on a few different trips and really enjoyed it.  I'm not a super outgoing person and enjoy spending time by myself.  That being said, one of the best solo cruises I ever did was only great because I bought passes to the "Vibe Beach Club" which is a pay area of the ship that is 18+.  Having this on a long cruise allowed me to have a shaded bar seat every single day.   Being in the same area the whole time also led to a lot of friendships and chats with the other people in the vibe.  At the end of the cruise we were all friends and I even have a photo from us all at the mojito bar on the last night.

 

Anyways, my next two cruises are solo and I can't wait!

[www3traveler]

I have had a number of cruises in a Studio cabin, doubt that I will ever sail again (minus ships that do not have Studios) again.

 

Just enough space for one person.  Very comfortable

 

I very rarely use the Studio Lounge.  I know some evenings they have Solo meetings in the Lounge and sometimes those are held at one of the bars.

 

I have taken 37 cruises all solo.  I have met lots of people both passengers and crew who have become very good friends.

 

Enjoy!!  Any cruise is what you yourself make it.

 

[hallux]

I've sailed in Studio cabins twice, both were good experiences.  The cabin is enough for sleeping, dressing, showering and doing your "business", it's not well-suited for lounging around.  However - on the ships that have the Studio cabins there's the space called The Waterfront with tons of comfortable outdoor seating.

 

The lounge is a nice place - on my last cruise I went up to the lounge just after rooms were ready and ended up running into some people (there were a dozen there at the time) that I ended up hanging around with for much of the trip!

 

15 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

I know some evenings they have Solo meetings in the Lounge and sometimes those are held at one of the bars.

The two times I spent a lot of time with the solo group every meeting except the first one was in the Studio Lounge, and the first one only STARTED outside the Studio Lounge so those not staying in a Studio could be shown where to go for the meetings the rest of the week.

 

I will prefer to book Studio cabins if it makes sense as I do love the concept, but they're not always the best deal.  I'm doing a 15-day Panama Canal trip in January and booked a regular inside at $1,000 less than a Studio.  Even my PCC, when I talked to her to book, was going to put me in one and I declined as it was more expensive (which surprised her).  When I booked my October 2019 cruise I sailed in a balcony for only $60 more than a Studio when airfare was factored in (I paid full solo supplement but only $200 to NCL to book the airfare, Studio would have been full airfare at my expense, I used a TA to book that one, she figured it all out).  The point is that you need to figure everything when considering the cost of the Studio compared to a higher category.

Edited July 16, 2023 by hallux

[Russiamomm]

I’ve come four trips in the studios - two on the Breakaway and two on the Escape.  I’ve also done solos in a balcony cabin.  I absolutely loved the studio,  I would chose one over a regular inside cabin or even an oceanview.  (I won’t go so far as to say that I liked it more than having a balcony.  😂)

 

NCL is arguably the best line for solo travelers. They have nightly solo meetups and go to dinner after, if you’re interested.  Plenty of opportunity to meet people.  I’ve made many friends on my solo cruises.  The studio lounge is great, especially if you’re a coffee drinker.  The coffee machine is great.  They also have pastries out in the morning and snacks throughout the day.  The cabins themselves are small, but bright and well designed.  There’s plenty of room for a single person.

 

Go for it!  Enjoy!

[victory2020]

I love the solo lounge with the espresso machine - I don't have to go upstairs for my 1st cup of coffee

[HowardK]

I did studios twice and upgraded to balconies 3 times; those times I was still able to attend the solo gatherings, from my experience on some of the cruises not many people attend the gatherings after the first few nights and had their own sub-groups by then.

I am planning on my first cruise in 6 years for next fall on the Prima and am going to book a balcony this time.

Sometimes I prefer the extra space and room to unpack. 

- The times I had balconies it was still easy to meet other solos. 

[DaisyVacay]

Hi! I’ve sailed 4 times solo, 3 times in a studio cabin, once in a balcony cabin. For me, the studio cabins are efficient. There is enough room to store my things, charge electronics, and get ready. On the rare occasions I want to take a nap or lounge in the cabin, it’s cozy and comfortable. The solo meetings are at 5pm or 5:30pm each day either in the lounge or at a bar.  You can choose to go to dinner with other solo cruisers and do other activities together after the meeting. Usually, you can get into the meeting if you are solo and not in a solo cabin if you arrive when the meeting is starting.

 

I was on the Escape last week and the solo coordinator was the best I’ve had. He proactively booked a number of activities that we could choose to attend each night. Especially on the first few days, I find it comforting to see familiar faces at the venues to sit and with.

 

The lounge space is comfortable if you are looking for a quiet place indoors. Plus, as others have said there is an espresso machine, pastries, fruit and lemonade in the lounge. Very convenient (and quiet) in the morning, especially if you have an early excursion. On my last sailing I also bought the Vibes pass. I knew that I wanted a little quiet space on the deck and didn’t want to stalk loungers every morning. The same people tend to be there as well. 

 

I also agree that you should check the price of your studio cabin because they can fluctuate. If you think you want a bigger space, make sure to compare the options. I booked a balcony on the Joy, which doesn’t have studios, because it was cheaper than an inside cabin. I loved the balcony on that cruise because I spent more time in the cabin. However, on an excursion heavy itinerary, the studio is perfect for me. 

[jcscv]

I've stayed in the studio cabins 3 times (with another one coming up). Sometimes it can be more expensive than just paying the supplement on a regular inside room, but I prefer the studio cabins.  There seems to be more storage available in the studio cabins, and I find them to be cozy.  I don't spend much time in my room, no matter what type of room I'm in, so the studios fit my needs.  The lounge is an added bonus with the coffee, drinks, and snacks fully stocked all day, and later into the night. It's also a great place to meet and chat with people.

 

[phillygwm]

My first NCL cruise was in a studio cabin (the reason I chose NCL to begin with.)  I wasn't technically travelling alone; a friend was in another studio.  I subsequently did a cruise (not on a ship with studios) where I was solo.

 

It's really a function of the individual.  The studio cabins are small and can cost as much as a (larger) inside cabin but NCL does go to a lot of effort to allow those guests to mingle...if that's what you want.  There is a special lounge, dinner lists, solo traveler get togethers and other opportunities.  You may appreciate that or you may really want to be solo.  If the latter, you're better going with the larger cabin.

[floridafish]

I just had my 1st Studio cabin experience on the Prima with one coming up on the Escape. 

The space is very well laid out with a good size bed. I never slept so well.

I enjoyed having the lounge down the hall for morning coffee and some sweets at night.

As mentioned earlier, NCL has a Solo meet every afternoon at 5 ( i really think they should make it a bit later) but it is a great way to meet new people and open to all class cabins. I highly endorse the Studio Cabin.

[LauraAnneC]

1 hour ago, floridafish said:

I just had my 1st Studio cabin experience on the Prima with one coming up on the Escape. 

The space is very well laid out with a good size bed. I never slept so well.

I enjoyed having the lounge down the hall for morning coffee and some sweets at night.

As mentioned earlier, NCL has a Solo meet every afternoon at 5 ( i really think they should make it a bit later) but it is a great way to meet new people and open to all class cabins. I highly endorse the Studio Cabin.

I totally agree about the solo meeting being too early. I only went to one solo meeting on the first evening last Feb because it was just too early for me. I don’t want to eat dinner until 7.30 or so on a cruise. Going to dinner straight after the meeting is just way too early for me! 

[herbanrenewal]

40 minutes ago, LauraAnneC said:

I totally agree about the solo meeting being too early. I only went to one solo meeting on the first evening last Feb because it was just too early for me. I don’t want to eat dinner until 7.30 or so on a cruise. Going to dinner straight after the meeting is just way too early for me! 

On the other hand if you are an early riser type person who dines early you may find the meetings too early (I usually reserve 530 or 545 dining times). I wish they varied the times so both early riser and late nighters could attend a meeting or two. Or even an Open Meeting at the first meeting date starting at 430 til 630 with the attendant there to facilitate interpersonal meetings, coordinate dining times etc. That first meeting can be very crowded with actually less time for interpersonal interaction. Having a staggered start time may work better for everyone.

But I love having the lounge to myself at 5-6am for my morning coffee.

Edited July 22, 2023 by herbanrenewal

[hallux]

41 minutes ago, LauraAnneC said:

I totally agree about the solo meeting being too early. I only went to one solo meeting on the first evening last Feb because it was just too early for me. I don’t want to eat dinner until 7.30 or so on a cruise. Going to dinner straight after the meeting is just way too early for me! 

I, on the other hand, don't mind eating dinner at 5:30 or 6 so the meetings are perfect.  Nothing says you HAVE to have dinner with the group at that early time.  You could even mingle with the other solos and see if others are like-minded and plan your own dinner time.

[edspec]

I LOVED the studio cabin on the Bliss.  As others have said the lounge was great for coffee and meeting people.  Have a wonderful  time!

[Stonegeneral]

Little late to the party on this one, and admitedly it was my first and so far only cruise experience....but had a studio cabin for my Nov cruise on Encore last year. The room is super efficient on space and the lounge is a great place to relax, grab a snack or a water/coffee, etc. The waterfront more than makes up for having your own balcony and I regularly took walks or grabbed a drink and sat at one of the waterfront bars to take in the view, you really won't miss having your own private balcony IMO. We had a great group of solo travellers on my cruise and bonded pretty quickly and went to dinners many times together. Some of our group rotated in and out, so if you want to go off and do your own thing, you could still slide back in for another dinner meet-up. I have to say it was a really positive experience and a great introduction to cruising.

[cb2367]

I've been on several cruises and mostly book studio cabins, although I am interested in knowing how others here have booked inside or balcony at less than double cost.

 

There's a studio lounge on the ships with the studio cabins. After the first night, the group of solo travellers will meet up there with the solo coordinator. They will hang out for a bit and then the coordinator will arrange for the group to go to dinner.

 

I would recommend booking with NCL and checking out a studio cabin/meeting up with other solo travellers.

[LauraAnneC]

7 hours ago, cb2367 said:

I've been on several cruises and mostly book studio cabins, although I am interested in knowing how others here have booked inside or balcony at less than double cost.

 

There's a studio lounge on the ships with the studio cabins. After the first night, the group of solo travellers will meet up there with the solo coordinator. They will hang out for a bit and then the coordinator will arrange for the group to go to dinner.

 

I would recommend booking with NCL and checking out a studio cabin/meeting up with other solo travellers.

I have mostly booked the solo cabin but in my forthcoming cruise on the Bliss on Dec the sail away balcony was only €200 or so above the solo cabin price which I jumped at. 

[hawkeyetlse]

On my last cruise, the solos meeting was at 6pm but the coordinator could only stay like 15-20 minutes because he always had to run off to do his hosting duties in the theater for the first show at 7pm. He suggested that we all arrive a bit earlier to have more time, but this didn't really happen. In hindsight we should have asked the cruise director to change the time officially in the Daily. In my experience 5 or 5:30 works best.

[hallux]

8 hours ago, cb2367 said:

I've been on several cruises and mostly book studio cabins, although I am interested in knowing how others here have booked inside or balcony at less than double cost.

You just have to look for the cruises with solo cruiser discounts.

[MiniJeffrey]

I've done several and I simply love it. You always meet other single travellers to do things together. I would recommend it - and I'm an introvert so that's saying something :D. And if you feel to not socialize: fine you have the entire ship to you alone. Best of both worlds.

 

One thing: the studio's are small, not too small for me but keep in min that it will be a small inside cabin. But they look great and are way more practical than normal inside cabins for me. The lounge for me could be a little more appealing to me, it's mostly empty.

[dad son team]

10 hours ago, cb2367 said:

I've been on several cruises and mostly book studio cabins, although I am interested in knowing how others here have booked inside or balcony at less than double cost.

 

There's a studio lounge on the ships with the studio cabins. After the first night, the group of solo travellers will meet up there with the solo coordinator. They will hang out for a bit and then the coordinator will arrange for the group to go to dinner.

 

I would recommend booking with NCL and checking out a studio cabin/meeting up with other solo travellers.

You just need to watch the fares for the best deals that do not have the solo supplement.  My September cruise on the Sun to Alaska doesn't have the supplement so that was great!  When shopping be sure to use the filters and select 1 person traveling so you'll see the correct fare.  

[phillygwm]

15 hours ago, cb2367 said:

I've been on several cruises and mostly book studio cabins, although I am interested in knowing how others here have booked inside or balcony at less than double cost.

 

The studio cabins always sell at a relative premium.  You can often get a (larger) inside cabin for about the same cost, even factoring in the supplement.  

 

Occasionally, usually on shorter notice, SS is reduced.  A site like Cruiseplum is useful in organizing that information.  Also, if you're a casino player, SS is usually waived (less so recently, though!)

[eileeshb]

Of the 5 cruises I’ve done so far I was in a studio for 4 of them, the other was an inside that was half the price of a studio because it was late booking just after the resumption and the ship was at less than half capacity.  It’s been Escape, breakaway, getaway and Epic so far. I did the inside on Epic and a studio on Epic as well, the inside cabin was way darker than the studio simply due to design. The studio cabins are mostly white which makes them feel more open than the insides. In my experience so far you’ll rarely see a bargain price for the studios whereas the other cabin classes regularly drop in price based on demand. I did manage to get a cheap rate on a studio for a friend on our upcoming Alaska cruise but the free at sea and gratuities had increased in cost and reduced in benefits compared to when I booked my studio though it still worked out cheaper overall. 
As others have said NCL have a solos host on the bigger ships, the first meet-up on embarkation day will be scheduled for one of the public bars and then move to the studio Lounge. Depending on the ship all further meet-ups will be in the lounge or a specific bar, on breakaway/getaway the ship policy was that non-studio guests were not allowed to go to the lounge for the meetups. Just going to the first meet-up will give you a bunch of familiar faces to spot throughout the cruise if you want a “buddy” on excursions or for meals. The solos host changes from week to week but it is usually a member of the cruise director’s staff, they usually make a group booking at one of the MDRs for dinner each evening and will book a group for the 2 main stage shows in the theatre, anything more varies from host to host or ship to ship. 

The coffee machine is one of the main attractions for the studio lounge, I’ve heard from the coffee fiends that it’s the best free coffee on the ship. I’ve only used that machine to provide hot water for tea or hot chocolate. You can have a sea view inside the studio if it doesn’t have the virtual porthole by tuning the TV to the bridge camera channel. 

[HelCat]

I have only done one solo cruise and it was on the NCL Prima. I loved it. The room was small but it was enough space for me. I didn’t spend much time in there. I didn’t hang out in the solo lounge much but having the espresso machine and snacks in there was great.  I went to most of the solo meetups and had a good time. Some of us ended up going to dinner together almost every night. It was a good experience. I plan on doing another solo trip on NCL Getaway next year.