1st Time Cruising - Solo on Celebrity or NCL

[Lisa Lamb]

Hi

 

I've never been on a cruise before, but as I've got a couple of weeks off between jobs and my husband is working I thought I would take the plunge as I've always wanted to give it a go!

 

I'm thinking of doing 7 days around the Med but wanted to know which cruise might be best for me - NCL Epic or Celebrity Edge? I love the idea of going on the new Celebrity ship, but I'm not sure if the NCL one might be a better option for travelling alone as it has a lot more single cabins. Does anyone know if you can access the studio lounge if you're not in a studio? I'm a keen to socialise 47 year old 🙂 Thanks!

[Deb and Jack]

I would recommend the Epic. NCL is much better than Celebrity for solos IMO. Regarding access to the lounge. If you are not in a studio,  you could only go in the lounge during the nightly gathering. I recommend attending at least the first night, you'll meet lots of other solos and there will probably be others who are not staying in the studios.  Best of luck, enjoy your first cruise!! 

[NSnJW]

I was in a Studio on the Epic in November and they only blocked the door open to the lounge in the evening but people often let others in at other times.  

A lot depends on the Solo host.  I was solo in a balcony on the Breakaway in February, the hostess said we were welcome in the Lounge anytime and showed us a back way in to a unlocked door.

[Cruisingformetime]

I did solo in a studio on the Breakaway in 2017. The lounge was nice, and sometimes the door was held open and sometimes not. It just depended on what was going on. I got to meet neat people and I never once was lonely. If you do a studio, pack light, those cabins are the size of a watch pocket but were all I needed.

[Lisa Lamb]

Thanks everyone for responding to my post...it was really helpful and I've booked to go on NCL this Sunday...scared and excited!

[NSnJW]

Have a great cruise and a great time.

[geoherb]

Have a great cruise. I'm going on my first solo cruises next week. DH has to stay home to work. Plus he isn't as interested in going back to Alaska as I am. I'm going on a Princess ship, one that we've sailed on before. 

[Earl Colby Pottinger]

I done solo on the Epic twice.  Each time I had an interior room, not a solo.  But I still got to enter the solo lounge.

 

It is a great ship for solo cruiser.

 

PS. I spent way too much time in the blues bar.  The music paid for the trip itself.