NCL Epic Studio or NCL Jade Inside cabin for a Solo Traveler?

I'm deadset on going to the Mediterranean this spring with Norwegian.

I am having trouble though deciding whether to get a Studio Cabin or an Inside cabin. The studios look sooooo tiny. Like you can barely stand in them. But they are also about 200-300 cheaper than an inside cabin with single supplement. The thing I do like about the Epic Studio cabins is the idea of the studio lounge and meeting other solo travelers. I fear I wouldn't meet anyone if I took a regular inside cabin on the Jade.

Anyway, has anyone traveled on Norwegian and experienced by solo and inside cabins? I have only been on one cruise and that was Carnival, so Norwegian is new to me,also this is my first solo trip.

I have recently sailed Norwegian Sun (oceanview) and Epic (studio cabin). If you are looking for some socialization, I would recommend Epic. I would have been eating alone all the time or at a nightly share table (not always offered) in the dining room if I had not hooked up with a number of other roll call members who suggested we get a same time every night table together. On the Epic it was so easy to meet other solo travelers and make plans to share a table or attend entertainment together. The Epic has a cruise director staff member assigned to host solo gatherings and set up some dining room group reservations.

Having said that, I think itinerary is a big player, so does one ship offer an itinerary which is significantly more suitable to your expectations?

I have recently sailed Norwegian Sun (oceanview) and Epic (studio cabin). If you are looking for some socialization, I would recommend Epic. I would have been eating alone all the time or at a nightly share table (not always offered) in the dining room if I had not hooked up with a number of other roll call members who suggested we get a same time every night table together. On the Epic it was so easy to meet other solo travelers and make plans to share a table or attend entertainment together. The Epic has a cruise director staff member assigned to host solo gatherings and set up some dining room group reservations.

 

Having said that, I think itinerary is a big player, so does one ship offer an itinerary which is significantly more suitable to your expectations?

Yeah itenerary is important to me too.

I am trying to decide between

1. NCL Jade - Venice to Venice 7 day adriatic

and

2. NCL Epic - Barcelona to Barcelona 7 day

I really like the Venice itinerary because it has a stop in Athens and I'm interested in seeing the parthenon also, there is a stop in Turkey at Euphesus, I'm interested in seeing the Temple of Artemis ruins. But then I also really want to see Pompei too which is on the Barcelona itinerary.

I guess I may just choose the Barcelona one for now. and maybe later take a tour to other parts of the Mediterranean next year.

I haven't tried either on NCL, but here are my 2 cents anyway :)

If I were traveling in either an inside cabin or a studio, chances are that I'm only in that space to sleep. No hanging out and relaxing, just sleep. So I think I'd go with the cheaper studio, especially since the lounge might be an interesting perk.

As logan mentioned, itinerary is very important, too. But those are both great, if different, itineraries. So your idea of just deciding you'll have to go again (and again and again.... :) ) is perfect!

I did Jewel inside in 2010 and Epic in 2011 Studio. Epic hands down.

More options, more people. I enjoyed the studio cruise as much as my last 2 Breakaways in balconies

I just finished the sailing the Epic with an inside studio. March 1, 2015.

Note: I booked a studio but was upgraded to an inside cabin. This was my second solo cruise. The first was with Carnival, there are things about both cruise-lines I wish the other one did so please take what I say with a grain of salt.

1) I had no problem using the studio lounge. Because I was not in a studio room my card would *NOT* open the door to the lounge if it was locked. But once I explained to the ship's crew member who was there most times; that I was sailing as a solo I was let in by whoever was already in the lounge already. Also most of the time the doors were not locked anyway.

2) I was not the only person sailing solo who did not have a studio, one woman had a balcony (she paid less that $700 for it). So don't stop looking for bargains, if you are solo you can use the lounge.

3) There is a white board in the lounge, the director and fellow cruisers would post about get-to-gathers on it. Dinner was usually at 5:00 PM with a list of events to meet at thru-out the night. This made it easy to meet up with other solos even if you went to the lounge when no-one else was around.

4) I found the people in the lounge to be very friendly, but they did tend to break up into groups of similar ages as people would talk about common interests. At the dinners the groups were far more mixed, and just plain fun - I highly suggest going to them.

5) My inside room was fine for a solo traveler. With the way the shower and toilet is setup with translucent walls I would not want to share it with one of my female friends. While the curtain supplied would let them have privacy, it also blocks the way to the front door. These rooms are not for people who are not very close friends. I also did not like the way the TV was hard to see unless you were sitting up in bed.

6) There was a broken light and a damaged light switch in my room. I told customer services about them on the second day, and they had a repairman and the problems fixed within the hour. A-PLUS for service. Carnival in the past has done repairs in the same day I reported them, but not that fast. And Holland America took two days to get their repairs done, mind you that was a plumbing issue and would be harder to fix.

7) I never saw a studio room, and most of the solo cruisers seemed happy with them. But one guy who was on the big side (not overweight, just big and tall) did have problems moving around in his room. Services checked him out in his room and promptly moved him to an inside room. So if you are over 6 feet tall you might have problems moving around. Remember, I have not seen a studio room. I just heard this cruiser point out why he was moved.

8) The studio lounge always had coffee machines and hot water for tea (yes, there was an assortment of teas available). Also hot chocolate, milk, cold water and some days orange juice available. There also was small boxes of breakfast flakes (Special K, Wheaties, Corn Flakes etc) available in the morning if you needed a quick breakfast without the crowds. Also there was a covered area with biscuits, muffins, rolls to snack on. Also I don't drink so I did not take note of the hours but there was a bartender there in the evenings and people seemed very happy with the drinks he served.

Basically, it was a great place to meet other solo travelers and just about everyone seemed to like their studio cabins. I hope my post was useful.

8 Cruises with Carnival.

1 Cruise with Holland America.

1 Cruise with NCL.

I just got back from a 7 day epic and stayed in a studio. Everyone 100% of the people staying in the studios absolutely loved them, I on the other hand will be staying in a inside cabin next time. I just need more space. I'm sort of a messy pig and that small cabin just got to junky to quick. No place to hide my junk.

Just want to update.

I chose NCL Jade with an inside cabin.

I may try Epic next year.

I was able to get an inside for about $50 more than if I had bought a studio on Epic. So once the price came down, I was pretty comfortable with getting the inside.

Just want to update.

 

I chose NCL Jade with an inside cabin.

 

I may try Epic next year.

 

I was able to get an inside for about $50 more than if I had bought a studio on Epic. So once the price came down, I was pretty comfortable with getting the inside.

Have just returned from my first solo cruise on NCL Jade and it was fantastic - they have a great program for solo travellers - coordinated meet up every evening and organised group meals etc. They even arranged a surprise party for my birthday. Met loads of really nice people.

You will have a great time!

I have to say that my experience on Jade was different. They did little for solo travellers. The good was the worst I have ever experienced, and I had a lot of noise from the next door cabin. Epic was much better. Personal preference is with RCI

I have to say that my experience on Jade was different. They did little for solo travellers. The good was the worst I have ever experienced, and I had a lot of noise from the next door cabin. Epic was much better. Personal preference is with RCI

Where did you travel to on the Jade?

Where did you travel to on the Jade?

I was on the Eastern Mediterranean itinerary, which I really did enjoy. That was in January/February 2013. The weather in Athens was lovely, but it was bitterly cold in Istanbul.

The food was a real downside for me, as well as being woken up in the night by the neighbours!

I have to say that my experience on Jade was different. They did little for solo travellers. The good was the worst I have ever experienced, and I had a lot of noise from the next door cabin. Epic was much better. Personal preference is with RCI

I must say this was also my experience on Jade , the solo arrangements were very poor indeed

Have just returned from my first solo cruise on NCL Jade and it was fantastic - they have a great program for solo travellers - coordinated meet up every evening and organised group meals etc. They even arranged a surprise party for my birthday. Met loads of really nice people.

 

You will have a great time!

Anyone I may know? [emoji16]

I have to agree. I thought they did a fine job with the solo meet ups each evening at 6:30 pm.

I was on the Eastern Mediterranean itinerary, which I really did enjoy. That was in January/February 2013. The weather in Athens was lovely, but it was bitterly cold in Istanbul.

 

The food was a real downside for me, as well as being woken up in the night by the neighbours!

Guess you were on the cruise before mine where it snowed in Istanbul?

I had the UDP, so I never tried the MDR. I'm a bit of a food snob and was disappointed with the inconsistency of the service and quality of the food. This was my first experience with NCL and has left a sour taste in my mouth (pun intended).

I guess I'll stick with Celebrity for now-- though I wish they did a better job with solos.

I wanted to update this thread for anyone who is considering both.

I just finished my Jade cruise solo. I absolutely loved it! My first solo cruise and everything went off without a hitch.

As far as being solo friendly, I didn't see it that way so much. Maybe I should've alerted the cruise director crew or something that I was solo, I don't know. Also, every evening at 6:30pm they had a solo travelers gathering at a bar area. I know this time conflicted with at least two port days and my excursions, and by the middle of the cruise, I had already met some people from this message board to have dinner with nightly, so I never ended up going to the 6:30 meet up.

Other than that one meet up at an inconvenient time, I didn't really see NCL cater to solos at all. I feel like if they were going to have a meet-up it should be in the morning around breakfast time, not dinner. So that people can plan activities and dinners/lunches with other solos if they wanted.

I ended up meeting several solo people traveling just on my own, so I never felt lonely. Plus everything was so busy. However, I would say the first couple of days I did feel a bit lonely but I think part of it was jet lag, and being in an inside cabin.

I'm still going to do an Epic cruise. However, I still don't see many itineraries that excite me right now. I really love to go back to Europe.

After my experience with the Jewel, I only stick with ships like the Epic and Breakaway. I might do the Escape next year.

Ladybird, it's different when you go on a new ship with a studio experience. I've traveled in regular rooms, and there's no effort to bring solos together. As for the Med, I love it, too, and wish there were more affordable solo options. My sole Med cruise was on RCCL three years ago, $799 fir 12 days. Haven't seen pricing like that since![emoji17]