Cabin and Dining - What Do You Book

What do you book as a solo for your cabin and dining?

I generally book an oceanview. I like having some natural light in my cabin.

I like traditional dining if the cruise is longer than 4 nights and the ship/boat has traditional dining; otherwise, I like 'anytime' dining on short cruises. It's worked well for me.

Depending on what cabins are available, I'll usually book the best thing I can find for under $200/night. On NCL that has often resulted in a balcony. I've never booked an inside (except as a preliminary booking strategy) and doubt I ever will except maybe on a very short CTN.

I don't do "traditional" dining, so I go with "freestyle" or what ever open dining program is available.

Balcony. Anytime Dining. Every time. :)

I usually book a guarantee obstructed ov cabin and am hopeful about upsells and upgrades.

On my last Christmas holiday cruise I lucked out with an upgrade to a balcony. This was my first balcony and I was thrilled.

In recent years I skip formal nights and do anytime dining or the lido most evenings. My favorite dining experience was anytime dining on HAL. Half my meals I ate with others in the dining room and half the time I just went to the lido. Faith

If I am on Crystal, I will book a window cabin; if I'm sailing on another line, probably a balcony. Traditional dining, table for 8.

When I first started cruising I would always look for cheapest cabin

and that would be an inside almost every time. But as the years have

gone by, some of my circumstances have changed and I usually go with

a window or balcony. As for dinner? I usually go with Traditional dining

but sometimes I will step outside of the box and do Select. (Celebrity's

term for "anytime dining"). And I have also been on cruises where I

dined in the Specialty Restaurants all week (not on a regular basis but

I have done it).

I have 2 cruises coming up and I have a balcony on both. The first

one is this Saturday, a 5 nighter to the Caribbean and I am doing

Select Dining. But on my cruise to Alaska in May I have decided to

do Traditional dining, with a large table....hopefully an 8 top:)

I love a balcony, so have been doing just balconies for a little while now. These days, oceanview rooms are often close to the same price as balconies (marketed as a "free upgrade" to balconies), so it's an easy decision.

I might try an inside again when I get to the point that I have more time but not a whole lot more money to travel. That way I might be able to go more often.

For dining, I much prefer traditional dining, table of 8. Hands down. Having to make small talk with a new group of strangers every night on select/ anytime/freestyle dining is not my idea of fun. Getting to know the same people better over a week (or longer) is almost always fascinating.

If I were to try NCL again (and their inside solo studios), I would probably do specialty dining every night, even if it meant eating alone. On the one NCL cruise I tried, their MDR was not at all good, but the one specialty restaurant we tried then was amazing. So for the lower cost of the cruise, the upcharge might be worth it.

Funny you should ask... I just can't decide. It's wreaking havoc on my brain trying to decide. I can't even decide which cruise I want... Lol. I do like open seating for dinner. If I want to join a group I can, if I want to dine alone I can.

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Balcony. Anytime Dining. Every time. :)

Amen to that!

Balcony is my first choice but it depends on the single supplement. For example, on my next cruise the ss was 160% for OV and 200% for balcony. The money I saved by taking an OV paid for flights, before and after hotel stays and excursions.

I would only take an interior cabin if it was a gift. I need natural light.

I prefer traditional dining as I am very shy. Having to try to talk to a different group of people each night would be torture for me.

Now, I only book balconies. I love the ocean. I think it's so worth the price. I spend a lot of time in my cabin. I love to sit on the balcony or just stand and look over the rail, especially in the mornings. I enjoyed sitting at the solo table on my last solo cruise for early dining in the MDR.

I'm getting ready for my second cruise in a couple months - both solo. I prefer a balcony cabin because I like having my morning coffee delivered by room service and spending the morning enjoying coffee while the sun rises. Plus, having a balcony gives me the option of "escaping" from the chaos on deck if things get too loud by the pool or in the lounged. I prefer "anytime" dining because I don't want to be tied to a schedule for anything while on vacation - meals included.

My vacation is all about relaxing, solitude and finding pockets of quiet time (mixed in with a couple fun excursions).

I'm getting ready for my second cruise in a couple months - both solo. I prefer a balcony cabin because I like having my morning coffee delivered by room service and spending the morning enjoying coffee while the sun rises. Plus, having a balcony gives me the option of "escaping" from the chaos on deck if things get too loud by the pool or in the lounged. I prefer "anytime" dining because I don't want to be tied to a schedule for anything while on vacation - meals included.

 

My vacation is all about relaxing, solitude and finding pockets of quiet time (mixed in with a couple fun excursions).

Solo Pam?? Do you only dine alone?

Solo Pam?? Do you only dine alone?

No, I've never had to dine alone. I have always been seated with other diners -- sometimes a table with a couple other singles, sometimes with a large table. One time I celebrated a 60th wedding anniversary with a couple, their children and another couple who were also strangers. But we all had a great time. I've never been seated with anyone I didn't enjoy.

I'm fascinated by people who say they choose traditional dining because they're shy and don't want to be seated with different people every night. But what if you're seated permanently with a group you don't really want to get to know the whole week? :-)

I'm fascinated by people who say they choose traditional dining because they're shy and don't want to be seated with different people every night. But what if you're seated permanently with a group you don't really want to get to know the whole week? :-)

I don't prefer traditional because I'm shy. I just hate small talk. That whole "what's your name, where are you from, what do you do", and just feeling each other out for common things to talk about.

As for the dinner partners, I've often been on a cruise the first night and wondered how this eclectic group of people could possibly get along, but in every instance by the end of the cruise have really enjoyed my tablemates. If they were really intolerable, I would ask the maitre d' for a change of table. (Once we did have a couple at the table that decided they didn't fit in and they asked for a change. We saw them at a table for 2 after that.)

First cruise for me soon, so I decided to go for a balcony as insurance in case I needed to escape the hoardes. As for dining, I didn't really understand the choices when I booked, plus I had a guarantee booking so my choice is not assured, and chose 2nd sitting as my preference. As all this will be a new experience, I don't think there were any right or wrong choices, or at least they won't make themselves known till a few days into the cruise

I booked from inside to suite most categories. But most of the time I prefer an inside.

But always freestyle/MTD and always a table by myself

For those who prefer to dine alone:

Do you partake of the black tie nights and still dine solo in your finery, or if not what do you do instead?

No, I've never had to dine alone. I have always been seated with other diners -- sometimes a table with a couple other singles, sometimes with a large table. One time I celebrated a 60th wedding anniversary with a couple, their children and another couple who were also strangers. But we all had a great time. I've never been seated with anyone I didn't enjoy.

 

I'm fascinated by people who say they choose traditional dining because they're shy and don't want to be seated with different people every night. But what if you're seated permanently with a group you don't really want to get to know the whole week? :-)

Hi Pam,:) I would go to the Maitr'd and tell him I would like to change

tables. But I am not shy at all so I guess that part would not pertain

to me;)

 

I'm fascinated by people who say they choose traditional dining because they're shy and don't want to be seated with different people every night. But what if you're seated permanently with a group you don't really want to get to know the whole week? :-)

You can always ask to change tables. On my transatlantic cruise a few years ago, it was obvious at the first dinner that I was a bad fit for the table where I had been seated (traditional dining), so I asked the next day to be changed. I thoroughly enjoyed the people at the next table where I sat.....we didn't become fast friends or anything, but we had some interesting conversations at dinner and I enjoyed their (brief) company. (FWIW, the first table was all solo diners, the second table had one married couple, one pair of friends cruising together but without their SO's, and an elderly couple with their adult daughter. I think some people believe solos only mix well with solos, but I find that's not true.)

For those who prefer to dine alone: Do you partake of the black tie nights and still dine solo in your finery, or if not what do you do instead?

There aren't any formal nights on NCL (just a "dress up or not" nght). But if there were, I would dine in the buffet instead, simply because I don't want to pack the necessary clothing (not because I'm alone).