COMPARISON: NCL Studio Cabins & Studio Lounges

[farmersfight]

4 hours ago, HowardK said:

I might do the Escape a 3rd time NYC to Canada/NE but its not until 9/17/23- it is a great ship. Howl at the Moon, Spice H2o, The District among other things. 

 

I'll be departing the NYC area (Bayonne, NJ) on the Anthem OTS on January 20, 2022. But, I'll be heading south vice north on an 11 day Southern Caribbean cruise in a studio balcony cabin!

[coastcat]

9 hours ago, farmersfight said:

And you wouldn't have to deal with all the cat hair! And, husband hair? Not to insinuate that your husband is hairy or anything (I know, too personal. Apologize.).

 

That'd be great! However, I want to get a regular balcony cabin with a solo supplement discount. I steadfastly refuse to be "stuffed" into one of NCL's 99 sq ft studio cabins (even if fitted with a virtual window/balcony). Plus, as I've mentioned before, "gotta have me a balcony" (even being solo). On the other hand, exclusive access to NCL's studio lounge does sound tempting...

My husband and the cats all shed!

 

Well heck, if we're going to want real balconies, maybe an older ship (and thus less expensive) is the way to go. Or Quantum-class? The prices on Odyssey for early 2022 are pretty good. They've got a 6-day Western Caribbean (Cozumel, Grand Cayman, CocoCay) in late April for about $1200 in the Studio Balcony category. Very tempting.

[farmersfight]

56 minutes ago, coastcat said:

My husband and the cats all shed!

 

Well heck, if we're going to want real balconies, maybe an older ship (and thus less expensive) is the way to go. Or Quantum-class? The prices on Odyssey for early 2022 are pretty good. They've got a 6-day Western Caribbean (Cozumel, Grand Cayman, CocoCay) in late April for about $1200 in the Studio Balcony category. Very tempting.

 

I have to retract my earlier post of not ever wanting to be "stuffed" into one of NCL's studio cabins because with my (reserved and about to be booked) PoA cruise, I would've have definitely booked a studio cabin if the price was a lot lower than a regular interior cabin. However, as I understand it, the Studio Lounge on the PoA is not much of a "perk", to say the least. So, by me booking an interior on PoA, I don't feel like I'm missing out on the Studio Lounge.

 

Yeah, I agree. The prices on the Odyssey OTS studio balconies for early 2022 are pretty good. So good, I had to snag one; I'm on the Odyssey OTS on an 8 day Southern Caribbean cruise from Feb 26 - March 6, 2022.

 

That late April 2022 6-day Western Caribbean cruise in a studio balcony on the Odyssey OTS for $1,200 is a good deal. Only problem for me though is that I've done those Western Caribbean cruises multiple times (been to Cozumel, Grand Cayman multiple times). I would like to go to RCL's private island CocoCay though.

 

As a matter of fact, my Feb 26 - March 6, 2022 8 day southern caribbean cruise on Odyssey OTS includes a stop at Grand Cayman and Aruba. As I mentioned, I've been to Grand Cayman multiple times and have also been to Aruba. I am planning on just staying on the ship in those 2 ports (I'll be able to explore/enjoy the ship without the crowds). The last port stop is Curaco, which I haven't been to, so I plan on going ashore there.

[coastcat]

4 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

I have to retract my earlier post of not ever wanting to be "stuffed" into one of NCL's studio cabins because with my (reserved and about to be booked) PoA cruise, I would've have definitely booked a studio cabin if the price was a lot lower than a regular interior cabin. However, as I understand it, the Studio Lounge on the PoA is not much of a "perk", to say the least. So, by me booking an interior on PoA, I don't feel like I'm missing out on the Studio Lounge.

 

Yeah, I agree. The prices on the Odyssey OTS studio balconies for early 2022 are pretty good. So good, I had to snag one; I'm on the Odyssey OTS on an 8 day Southern Caribbean cruise from Feb 26 - March 6, 2022.

 

That late April 2022 6-day Western Caribbean cruise in a studio balcony on the Odyssey OTS for $1,200 is a good deal. Only problem for me though is that I've done those Western Caribbean cruises multiple times (been to Cozumel, Grand Cayman multiple times). I would like to go to RCL's private island CocoCay though.

 

As a matter of fact, my Feb 26 - March 6, 2022 8 day southern caribbean cruise on Odyssey OTS includes a stop at Grand Cayman and Aruba. As I mentioned, I've been to Grand Cayman multiple times and have also been to Aruba. I am planning on just staying on the ship in those 2 ports (I'll be able to explore/enjoy the ship without the crowds). The last port stop is Curaco, which I haven't been to, so I plan on going ashore there.

I'd rather do a southern Caribbean journey - in the alternate universe I'd be starting to pack now for my December 13 NCL Epic cruise out of San Juan. Sigh. I've got western and eastern Caribbean both on the calendar for early 2022. I'll get Epic on the calendar somehow - it's the original Studio concept! (okay, I had a mid-ship deck 11 balcony for this December and even a Studio in 2022 will cost more, but oh well)

Edited November 30, 2020 by coastcat

[farmersfight]

19 hours ago, coastcat said:

(okay, I had a mid-ship deck 11 balcony for this December and even a Studio in 2022 will cost more, but oh well)

 

I was totally surprised when I was booking the PoA. For the cruise dates I picked out (mainly due to better price), I was able to book a regular inside cabin (w/100% solo supplement) for $148 less than a studio cabin.

 

I'm not sure how that could be because the studio cabins are priced for single occupancy? But, the cruise I booked, with the studio cabin more than the inside cabin (w/100% solo supplement), it seems like the studio cabin is priced with a 100% solo supplement!??

 

I'm definitely happier with the result; booked a regular inside cabin with more space (sq.ft) than a tiny studio cabin for $148 less!

[coastcat]

4 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

I was totally surprised when I was booking the PoA. For the cruise dates I picked out (mainly due to better price), I was able to book a regular inside cabin (w/100% solo supplement) for $148 less than a studio cabin.

 

I'm not sure how that could be because the studio cabins are priced for single occupancy? But, the cruise I booked, with the studio cabin more than the inside cabin (w/100% solo supplement), it seems like the studio cabin is priced with a 100% solo supplement!??

 

I'm definitely happier with the result; booked a regular inside cabin with more space (sq.ft) than a tiny studio cabin for $148 less!

Supply and demand. With only 4 Studio cabins on POA, they can demand a higher price. However, as you noted, you can book a larger inside cabin for less. I've seen this on other NCL ships, too. So who knows? There are many mysteries lurking within the NCL pricing algorithm.

 

One advantage of booking that inside cabin is that it's eligible for the upgrade bidding program; Studios are excluded from that option.

[farmersfight]

3 hours ago, coastcat said:

Supply and demand. With only 4 Studio cabins on POA, they can demand a higher price. However, as you noted, you can book a larger inside cabin for less. I've seen this on other NCL ships, too. So who knows? There are many mysteries lurking within the NCL pricing algorithm.

 

One advantage of booking that inside cabin is that it's eligible for the upgrade bidding program; Studios are excluded from that option.

 

Thanks. That definitely makes sense. As I think I mentioned in a previous post, I've made an exception to my self-imposed rule of "gotta have me a balcony" (i.e. book at least a balcony, no OV's or insides - even NCL's studio cabins, even though that Studio Lounge is very tempting). Since the PoA sails each evening and during the night (to arrive at her next island/port by morning), I asked myself, if I'm in a balcony or even an OV, what am I going to be able to see at night? Hence, the decision to save some $$ and book an interior. Being in an interior, I wasn't even worried about the cabin's location on the ship; it's the very last interior cabin, port side, deck 7. I picked it because there are no neighboring cabins on one side and in front of my cabin.

 

Interesting what you said about this inside cabin being eligible for NCL's upgrade bidding program. I don't remember seeing anything thing about the upgrade program during the booking process. Will the chance to bid for an upgrade be offered by NCL at some date as we get closer to departure? Hope I didn't miss something now wrt it.

 

Anyway, 4 cruises now booked for the fall/early winter of 2021 & mid/late winter of 2022. I think I'm good (for now, lol). Btw, for the PoA cruise (late Oct 2021), I've already got my pre & post cruise hotel booked (4 nights pre & 3 night post). That'll be 14 days (2 weeks) in Hawaii. I even have my rental car booked in Honolulu pre cruise. Got really good deals on both the hotel & the rental car.

 

Aloha 🍍!!

Edited December 1, 2020 by farmersfight

[croozbabe]

NCL is pulling the wool over our eyes with those so-called single occupancy studio cabins.  Sure, they can only occupy a single person....BUT they are not priced at half of a double occupancy cabin plus they are smaller than a regular cabin.  Very sneaky.  No one is getting a good deal booking one of those studios.  Very sneaky of them.  I have not and will not sail on NCL.

 

[All-ready2cruise]

IMO, no one can pull the wool over my/your eyes if I/you don't allow them to.  Research is king and doing it, comparing other offers, other cruise lines etc. is something most solos do.  I've yet to sail in an inside, nor a studio cabin.  The thing is, while the studio cabins on NCL are not half price, they also don't offer them as "sailaway" cabins. So, the price you see, is the price you get and you can choose which perks you want to keep except that shorex and wifi are included. 

 

I enjoy cruising, I enjoy meeting people and if it suits me, I'll cruise in an OV, balcony or better.  It's really up to the cruiser to decide.  

 

There are cruise lines I won't cruise on too, you won't sail on NCL, I won't sail on a whole list of cruise lines.  It's our choice. 

 

Enjoy your cruises. 

Edited December 2, 2020 by All-ready2cruise

[farmersfight]

On 12/1/2020 at 2:39 PM, croozbabe said:

NCL is pulling the wool over our eyes with those so-called single occupancy studio cabins.  Sure, they can only occupy a single person....BUT they are not priced at half of a double occupancy cabin plus they are smaller than a regular cabin.  Very sneaky.  No one is getting a good deal booking one of those studios.  Very sneaky of them.  I have not and will not sail on NCL.

 

 

I was wondering about this also and @coastcatwas kind enough to provide me the answer; supply & demand. That's why NCL can keep those studio cabins priced so high. I guess it's a good thing in a way, it demonstrates that us solo cruisers are out there in #'s which is why the demand for studio cabins is high. I don't think NCL would be the only cruise line to take advantage of this demand to make more $$.

 

I just experienced this personally; I booked an interior cabin on the Pride of America (PoA) for less than the cost of a studio cabin (albeit, the PoA only has 4 studio cabins, so there's the supply & demand effect again). So, even paying a 100% solo supplement (double fare) on that inside cabin, I get much more room than a studio cabin, for less!

 

You're absolutely right about NCL's studio cabins; they're tiny (99 sq ft, I think). For that fact and the fact that they are interiors with no OV or balcony, I will not book them (even with the "perk" of having exclusive access to the studio lounge). Gotta have me a balcony...

 

To be fair, a lot of times you can "get a good deal" by booking one of those studio cabins with NCL. This is because NCL will price the studios at a point where they are lower than an inside cabin where you have to pay the 100% solo supplement. Fortunately, I happened to find an exception with my booking of the PoA where the studio cabins were priced higher than the regular inside cabins, even with the 100% solo supplement.

 

IMO, I don't think of NCL as "sneaky". NCL is like any other major market cruise line; they're out to make a profit. I think NCL is just using that good old supply & demand to maximize their profit margin where they can.

 

I'll always look at NCL when shopping for cruises as a solo. But, I also keep an open mind and look at other cruise lines, as well. To emphasize my point; I currently have 1 cruise booked with NCL (PoA), 1 cruise booked with Carnival (Mardi Gras)and 2 booked with RCL (Anthem OTS & Odyssey OTS). So my unsolicited advice to you is; don't give up on NCL. I wonder what the "Most Interesting Man in the World" would say about this;

 

 

 

[croozbabe]

When singles complain about having to pay a single supplement, the response is "oh, NCL has cabins just for single people".   There is no mention that these cabins still cost more than the per person amount for a regular cabin and they are the size of a closet.  So, IMO, its not a good deal at all.

 

[coastcat]

I priced out 7-day January 9, 2022 cruises on Encore, Bliss, and Breakaway; the Studio cabins with full Free At Sea perks were $240-$300 less than the cheapest inside cabin with Free At Sea. The extra square footage in the inside cabin (135 square feet) compared to the Studio (99 square feet) is space I'm not going to use anyway. I don't need a queen-size bed when it's just me! I also appreciate having the private card-controlled Studio area, comfortable Lounge, and all the espresso I can drink.

 

To me that plus the slightly lower fare is worth giving up 36 square feet, especially on a ship with The Waterfront. To others it isn't. To each their own.

[farmersfight]

14 hours ago, croozbabe said:

When singles complain about having to pay a single supplement, the response is "oh, NCL has cabins just for single people".   There is no mention that these cabins still cost more than the per person amount for a regular cabin and they are the size of a closet.  So, IMO, its not a good deal at all.

 

 

That is not always true, as @coastcatpoints out (above post). Also, here is what I said in my previous post;

 

14 hours ago, farmersfight said:

To be fair, a lot of times you can "get a good deal" by booking one of those studio cabins with NCL. This is because NCL will price the studios at a point where they are lower than an inside cabin where you have to pay the 100% solo supplement. Fortunately, I happened to find an exception with my booking of the PoA where the studio cabins were priced higher than the regular inside cabins, even with the 100% solo supplement.

 

Remember, when you are solo and book a regular cabin, you'll have to pay the solo supplement, which is normally 100%. So yeah, the pp rate on the regular cabin may be lower than a studio cabin, you have to factor in that you'll (normally) have to pay the solo supplement, so you have to pay double (if the supplement is 100%). So normally, the studio cabin will be less than a regular cabin with the solo supplement. You can't compare pp rate in a regular cabin vs the studio cabin rate (for 1 person) because the cruise line (i.e. NCL) will never allow you, as a solo, to pay just the single pp rate when booked in a regular cabin. Again, there are exceptions to every rule and sometimes you can find a solo cruise deal where the cruise line has lowered the solo supplement to as low as 0% in a regular cabin, which means you will only have to pay the pp rate for 1 in a regular cabin (which is normally priced pp based on double occupancy).

 

Hope I helped (at least somewhat...).

 

Cheers 🍻

Edited December 3, 2020 by farmersfight

[croozbabe]

My point is that I believe that many people think "Wow, NCL has cabins for single people; that means that there is no single supplement."  They think this without looking at the ppdo for a regular inside cabin and noticing that the ppdo is actually LESS than what is being charged for the tiny single studio.  I know that they cannot book the regular cabin for that ppdo price, so they are still paying a supplement to occupy a much smaller space.  For example, say the ppdo for a basic inside is $900; without a single supplement it would be 450/person.  Yet the price for the single studio is $600.  So,  don't fool yourself into thinking NCL does not charge a single supplement; they are, however it is less than the 100% charged by other cruiselines....and you are getting a much less desirable cabin.

 

[farmersfight]

5 hours ago, croozbabe said:

For example, say the ppdo for a basic inside is $900; without a single supplement it would be 450/person.  Yet the price for the single studio is $600. 

 

You've got me kind of scratching my head here. Isn't the ppdo $450? (not $900, as you stated). The cruise line would make $900 on that cabin with double occupancy (which is what they want hence, why cruise lines normally charge a solo in a basic inside cabin a 100% solo supplement - to make sure they still get that $900 for that inside cabin).

 

So, if you are a solo booking that basic inside cabin, normally you're going to pay $900 because you will have to pay the 100% solo supplement. This is typically the case. To me, paying $600 for the studio is a lot better than having to pay $900 for the basic inside cabin because you have to pay the 100% solo supplement.

 

As I mentioned in my previous post, sometimes you can find a deal for solos where the cruise line will discount the solo supplement all the way down to 0% (no solo supplement). Yes then, you would only have to pay $450 for that basic inside cabin. I've seen a lot of solo supplement discounts of down to 25% which in your example would cost the solo cruiser $562.50 to be in that basic inside cabin. Yes, much better than paying $600 for a studio cabin (more room, less $).

 

In my real life example on booking the PoA, NCL had priced the studio cabins higher because there are only 4 of them on the ship, so low supply with high demand (again, credit to @coastcat). NCL had priced them high enough that it was less expensive for me (as a solo) to book a regular inside cabin even with the 100% solo supplement. For me, a "no brainer", I booked the inside cabin for less $ and more room.

 

@coastcathas a good point about the studio cabins on the bigger, newer NCL ships. They come with exclusive access to a dedicated studio lounge. Unfortunately, the so-called "studio lounge" on the PoA consists of a table and 4 chairs and that's about it. NCL probably decided that with only 4 studio cabins, it's not worth it to go in there and remake the PoA's studio lounge into a true studio lounge, like the other newer, bigger NCL ships.

 

Maybe @coastcator @All-ready2cruisecan chime in here and bail me out, lol...

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by farmersfight

[All-ready2cruise]

@farmersfight hey Marty, I think you're doing a good job and holding your own here. 

 

A bit ago, I decided that January, 2018, would be a great time to cruise. After some research, I booked with NCL, a balcony, as is my usual choice.   I had friends who booked a few days later, solo cruisers as well, and they just chose inside sailaway cabins.  They only paid $399, +taxes & DSC but,  no single supplement, no FAS perks but no worries either.  

 

Research and knowing what will make you happy is what works best for most solo cruisers and as I mentioned before, most solos I've met are very savvy and very self-determined when it comes to their cruise choices.  I actually find it insulting when someone tries to tell me that a merchant of any kind is "pulling the wool over my eyes". Always read the fine print.  

 

As I've said before, for me, it's not just price, nor just the cruise line, nor the itinerary either, it's the whole experience.  I'm Platinum on NCL and enjoy sharing some my benefits with fellow solo cruisers, making it a very nice and enjoyable cruise.  I'm the only one who can ruin my cruise and I'm very determined not to do that to myself. 

 

[farmersfight]

18 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

@farmersfight hey Marty, I think you're doing a good job and holding your own here. 

 

A bit ago, I decided that January, 2018, would be a great time to cruise. After some research, I booked with NCL, a balcony, as is my usual choice.   I had friends who booked a few days later, solo cruisers as well, and they just chose inside sailaway cabins.  They only paid $399, +taxes & DSC but,  no single supplement, no FAS perks but no worries either.  

 

Research and knowing what will make you happy is what works best for most solo cruisers and as I mentioned before, most solos I've met are very savvy and very self-determined when it comes to their cruise choices.  I actually find it insulting when someone tries to tell me that a merchant of any kind is "pulling the wool over my eyes". Always read the fine print.  

 

As I've said before, for me, it's not just price, nor just the cruise line, nor the itinerary either, it's the whole experience.  I'm Platinum on NCL and enjoy sharing some my benefits with fellow solo cruisers, making it a very nice and enjoyable cruise.  I'm the only one who can ruin my cruise and I'm very determined not to do that to myself. 

 

 

Hi Connie, happy Friday! Thanks for saying that I was "holding my own". Did you know that was Ernest McSorley's (Capt of the Edmund Fitzgerald) last words via radio transmission to the Arthur M. Anderson right before the "Fitz" plunged beneath the surface of Lake Superior?

 

 

 

You sound like me and prefer to cruise (even as a solo) in a balcony cabin. Your friends got a great deal on that inside sail away. How did they not have to pay the solo supplement? Maybe NCL discounted the solo supplement all the way down to $0? Did they book last-minute because I heard that NCL will discount their cabins right before cruise departure dates.

 

18 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

I actually find it insulting when someone tries to tell me that a merchant of any kind is "pulling the wool over my eyes". Always read the fine print.  

 

I agree. I was trying to explain that NCL wasn't "pulling the wool over your eyes" and that they, like any other cruise line in the business, are in existence to make a profit. As you said with the example of your friends, NCL probably deeply discounted those inside cabins (no solo supplements) close to the departure date. Not exactly pulling the wool over anybody's eyes, eh? Same with me, finding that deal on the PoA where I booked an inside cabin with the 100% solo supplement for less than a studio cabin. Again, no wool over my eyes.

 

You've got a good strategy the way you book your cruises; for the whole experience. For me, it's definitely not about the cruise line, as I have demonstrated by having 4 cruises booked on 3 different cruise lines (NCL, Carnival & RCL). But one disadvantage to cruising with different cruise lines is that it will undoubtedly take much longer to reach that "shiny metal" (Platinum) level with one cruise line. Oh well, variety is the spice of life, right? I think I am going to like cruising with the different cruise lines and on the different ships because within a relatively short time period, I will be able to compare & contrast both the cruise lines and the ships (through the lens of a solo cruiser to find out which cruise line and/or ship is best with solo cruisers).

 

For me, I think it is the ship and the itinerary. I want to try ships I haven't been on and cruise to places I have not been. Also, price does weigh in for me also, as I want to book balconies but I don't want to have to pay 100% solo supplement (up to 25% is o.k., but no more). I think that is why I am really going to like RCL's Quantum class ships (Anthem OTS & Odyssey OTS) because they have those studio cabins with balconies. So, you don't have to pay a solo supplement and you still get a balcony. Best of both worlds.

 

By the way, just curious, what does it take to become Platinum on NCL?

 

Cheers 🍻!

 

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by farmersfight

[All-ready2cruise]

31 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

Hi Connie, happy Friday! Thanks for saying that I was "holding my own". Did you know that was Ernest McSorley's (Capt of the Edmund Fitzgerald) last words via radio transmission to the Arthur M. Anderson right before the "Fitz" plunged beneath the surface of Lake Superior?

 

 

 

You sound like me and prefer to cruise (even as a solo) in a balcony cabin. Your friends got a great deal on that inside sail away. How did they not have to pay the solo supplement? Maybe NCL discounted the solo supplement all the way down to $0? Did they book last-minute because I heard that NCL will discount their cabins right before cruise departure dates.

 

 

I agree. I was trying to explain that NCL wasn't "pulling the wool over your eyes" and that they, like any other cruise line in the business, are in existence to make a profit. As you said with the example of your friends, NCL probably deeply discounted those inside cabins (no solo supplements) close to the departure date. Not exactly pulling the wool over anybody's eyes, eh? Same with me, finding that deal on the PoA where I booked an inside cabin with the 100% solo supplement for less than a studio cabin. Again, no wool over my eyes.

 

You've got a good strategy the way you book your cruises; for the whole experience. For me, it's definitely not about the cruise line, as I have demonstrated by having 4 cruises booked on 3 different cruise lines (NCL, Carnival & RCL). But one disadvantage to cruising with different cruise lines is that it will undoubtedly take much longer to reach that "shiny metal" (Platinum) level with one cruise line. Oh well, variety is the spice of life, right? I think I am going to like cruising with the different cruise lines and on the different ships because within a relatively short time period, I will be able to compare & contrast both the cruise lines and the ships (through the lens of a solo cruiser to find out which cruise line and/or ship is best with solo cruisers).

 

For me, I think it is the ship and the itinerary. I want to try ships I haven't been on and cruise to places I have not been. Also, price does weigh in for me also, as I want to book balconies but I don't want to have to pay 100% solo supplement (up to 25% is o.k., but no more). I think that is why I am really going to like RCL's Quantum class ships (Anthem OTS & Odyssey OTS) because they have those studio cabins with balconies. So, you don't have to pay a solo supplement and you still get a balcony. Best of both worlds.

 

By the way, just curious, what does it take to become Platinum on NCL?

 

Cheers 🍻!

 

 

Don't think I remember them being his last words but I definitely remember the tragedy of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. 

 

 

As far as balconies are concerned, yes, they are my preferred cabin. But, while I've never done an inside or studio, I have done almost every other type cabin from OV to Suite, no Haven yet, that comes May 2022. 😉

 

 

Yes, quite often if there are still cabins available on any cruise NCL will do the special for solo cruisers and offer inside sailaway cabins with $0 supp.  It's a great deal if you're not fussy about
location. Sorry Marty, I thought I'd mentioned it. My bad. 😉

 

As far as insults go, you already know how I feel about them, I don't hide from expressing my feelings. 

 

Here's the list of Latitude Rewards.  

 

https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/latitudes-rewards-program

 

The way I got to be Platinum was taking advantage of Insider Offers, staying in Suites and taking 12 cruises. 🛳️

 

Have a nice Friday evening and weekend. I went out and bought some wine for this evening.  Looks like there might be some celebrating. Son, put his house on the market Wednesday, there are at least 3 offers on the table today.  He works so hard, so proud of him and love his family of course.  

 

Cheers 🥂

Edited December 4, 2020 by All-ready2cruise

[farmersfight]

7 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

Don't think I remember them being his last words but I definitely remember the tragedy of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. 

 

Ah yes, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot. One of my favorite songs and imo, one of the best songs ever written (but I'm biased 'cause I'm a ship guy & a Great Lakes guy). Here he is in his prime;

 

 

He doesn't look like that anymore as he has definitely aged. As a matter of fact, I think I went to one of his concerts when he was in his later years and I didn't even recognize him! I thought to myself "who's this old guy on stage?".

 

I thought NCL did discount their cabins when it got close to departure. I wonder, do they also discount their balcony cabins for solos?

 

Congrats to your son (& his family) for it looks like, the impending sale of his house! Let the wine flow...

 

[All-ready2cruise]

1 minute ago, farmersfight said:

I thought NCL did discount their cabins when it got close to departure. I wonder, do they also discount their balcony cabins for solos?

Thanks for the good wishes for my son & family, I'll shoot you a quick line if it happens as I expect to.  

 

I saw GL at Expo 67 in Montreal, great fun we had.  Mom & Dad were so happy we went.  

 

Did you ever find out if any of the other lines discount similar to NCL?  I've never seen it but I don't look specifically for it.  

Balcony cabins can be discounted but not usually with $0 supp. although sometimes with a 30 - 40% discount.  

Not sure we'll be seeing those for a while though.  

 

Cheers 🥂

[farmersfight]

12 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

Did you ever find out if any of the other lines discount similar to NCL?  I've never seen it but I don't look specifically for it.  

Balcony cabins can be discounted but not usually with $0 supp. although sometimes with a 30 - 40% discount.  

Not sure we'll be seeing those for a while though.  

 

I'm not really sure whether other lines discount (close to departure date) like NCL. From what I recall reading here on CC, it was only NCL that was doing this (I could be wrong).

 

When I was booking the new Mardi Gras with Carnival, what attracted me (besides the urge of having to check out this ship) was that the ship has "junior balcony cabins" which are a bit smaller than the regular balcony cabins. I thought that these would be perfect for solos. And, there are somewhat less in price than a regular balcony cabin (which puts them in closer reach for us solos even with the 100% solo supplement. Carnival should really designate these junior balconies for solos and price them accordingly).

 

For finding solo supplement discounts (25% or lower) and over-all great deals (without regard to the solo supplement), there is a web site I go to that I can't name here on CC, so it shall remain nameless. Maybe you already know of the one I am referring to...

 

Cheers (again) 🥂.

 

P.S. - I agree, we may not see solo supplement discounts for awhile. Too much  pent up cruising demand; no need for NCL (or any other cruise line) to offer discounts. Plus, they desperately need the extra revenue ($$).

Edited December 4, 2020 by farmersfight

[All-ready2cruise]

5 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

I'll shoot you a quick line if it happens as I expect to.  

 

5 hours ago, farmersfight said:

Congrats to your son (& his family) for it looks like, the impending sale of his house!

Well, house is sold.  So happy for them, got way over asking! Celebrating for sure.  

[farmersfight]

12 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

 

Well, house is sold.  So happy for them, got way over asking! Celebrating for sure.  

 

[HowardK]

I agree demand will be high and I don't see being able to upgrade from a Studio to Balcony for not much money for awhile once we resume. 

[coastcat]

7 hours ago, HowardK said:

I agree demand will be high and I don't see being able to upgrade from a Studio to Balcony for not much money for awhile once we resume. 

Sigh. Yes, it could be a while. Upgrading to a larger interior or ocean view, maybe, but balconies will likely stay at a hefty premium due to demand. Not entirely sure I'd want to be quarantined in a Studio either - the cozy size wouldn't bother me but the lack of sunlight and fresh air would.

 

Better days are coming.