IrieBajan54

If any solos are looking to getaway for Thanksgiving, the NCL Gem out of NYC has falling prices. It's a 10 day sailing Nov 23 - Dec 3.

Currently, obstructed oceanview (OK category) is $883 all in plus $185 SBC. Pretty darn good deal.

The cruise director was only in charge of the "solo" passengers as far as I know. He had several jobs on the ship, from exercise instructor in the morning to performing in several of the shows in the evening. He was part-way through a six month contract with NCL.

Actually, I don't think you are talking about the Cruise Director. The individual is a member of the cruise staff. The person has cruise staff duties which includes being the Solo Host. I had 2 different Hosts on my 2 cruises and I saw them doing different things as you described.

Yep. The fridge is there on the Epic. I am sailing the Gem in November in an obstructed OV and will definitely miss the Lounge.

It could be pretty cold.

Or, it could be very warm.

It might rain.

It might a cloudless sky.

 

It WILL be humid.

And the food will be terrific.

LOL. One Thanksgiving I cruise out of New Orleans and to my surprised on return it was colddddd and icing. Didn't expect that at all.

October 13, 2015 ....NCL Sun.... San Diego roundtrip 11 days Mexican Riviera. Family Inside Cabin: $962 total.

October 29, 2015 ... NCL Jade 16 nights TransAtlantic Barcelona to Houston. Inside Guarantee Cabin $846 total.

Thanks for that tip. It sounds a lot easier than Carnival's early saver program.

Even if the price I booked never drops, I am more than happy with it. I will keep checking the website though for price drops:)

One thing to remember about a solo booking a Studio, you don't want to accept an upgrade if you want 24/7 access to the Lounge. Better to get OBC. However, if the Lounge is not important to you, then so be it. But personally, I don't thing an Inside Cabin is an upgrade. It has to be at least an OV or better yet a balcony.:)

I noticed you will be going on Breakaway in 2016. To Bermuda by any chance? I never been there and am thinking of doing a Bermuda cruise, not sure when but its definitely on my cruise list.

Nope. Haven't been to Bermuda yet. Don't know when I will be ready to stay in one place for 3 days as the only port of call. I'll be doing a 14 day to the Southern Caribbean in January.

That's nice, when I cruise from a different port then my own, I never stay in a hotel. I fly in the same day and leave at the end of the cruise.

I guess it depends on the individual's stress coping skills :) .. I tend to worry that something will go wrong... like bad weather that will close the airport. We tend to have freaky ice storms in January and February. But there is always the case where something mechanical can keep a plane from flying. So, I generally go in a day early just to make sure the ship doesn't sail without me.

Well, I don't live in NYC anymore but will be sailing out of Manhattan in January. I now hail from North Texas where it is still in the 90's daily. However, with family still in the city, I do not have to worry about a hotel pre- or post- cruise. That saves a lot since hotels are expensive there.

The first time on the Epic, I was in a balcony and was able to get in during other hours because I had already met several solos who let me in.

The second time on the Epic, I was in a Studio and had no problems of course. I approached a couple in the Lounge one day and I found out they were married and staying in a balcony. Another time, I saw teens in the Lounge getting cookies and I figured they could not be travelling as solos. LOL. So I guess there is a problem where non-solos are taking advantage of the situation and NCL is trying to take control.

Since I really enjoy the Lounge and see it as a good place to hangout for social activity, I pretty much have decided to book only Studios so I can have 24/7 access. Next year, I will be on the Breakaway, then Escape and again on Breakaway so I am booked in Studios.