Norwegian Epic solo "studio" cabins announcement

http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-latest/in-the-news/article/?jid=90

My initial thoughts as a solo customer, not necessarily in any order:

1) They've been reading this board

2) Create an area where fellow solos can meet and mingle in their own setting

3) The complaints from unhappy solos on NCL have been more about service and fellow passengers than cabins (I consider cabin single supplement complaints a given)

4) These cabins may make many solos initially jump aboard Epic, but I wonder if the rest of the NCL/Freestyle experience will entice a solo to go again.

http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-latest/in-the-news/article/?jid=90

 

My initial thoughts as a solo customer, not necessarily in any order:

 

1) They've been reading this board

 

2) Create an area where fellow solos can meet and mingle in their own setting

 

3) The complaints from unhappy solos on NCL have been more about service and fellow passengers than cabins (I consider cabin single supplement complaints a given)

 

4) These cabins may make many solos initially jump aboard Epic, but I wonder if the rest of the NCL/Freestyle experience will entice a solo to go again.

I'm not sold on that size ship to begin with. 4500 people on one ship is a little intimidating for me as far as a calming experience, which is what I go solo for. To each his own I guess.

I kinda like the idea that they are including cabins for the solo traveler. It's a step in the right direction, for sure! Although those prices look like they are pretty high. I like the bigger ships, there are more places to hang out. 4200 people is a lot, but heck, I'd try it!

I read the news about the solo rates on the new NCL Epic. I have a friend that really want to sail on the Epic for her birthday. While I don't like ships of this size, it does offer alot of options.

The one thing is alot of bad reviews for the solo cruisers,esp for dining option. I might try this ship prehaps a year down the road.

I hope now that other cruiselines offers cabins at a more reasonable cost for solo cruises and I applaud NCL for least making an effort (but they could offer great rates on the other cabins also!!)

And I see that this ship is doing a ta on my birthday--6-24-10 from London to NY. This could be a really fun trip for me--maybe a week in London, the ta to NY, a few days in NY visiting my dad, and then home to CA.

I'll keep an eye out for reviews. I'm thinking that this ship could be really fun to do a ta on. And I was just thinking how much I enjoyed my last cruise on HAL's Amsterdeam--what a perfect size ship that was for me.

Faith

You probably saw this on other posts, but NCL was apparently doing some test pricing over last weekend before their big announcement. I found a solo rate of $412 + taxes/fees for a Jan 2011 sailing and grabbed it. They had them as low as $362, but that was in a less desirable week for me. Rates were back up by Monday. There were people booking 2 studio cabins with one person in each for less than they could put 2 people in one cabin. The studio cabin is small, but I'll make it work. I'm glad I jumped when I did.

Heck, I would do it. I did my last solo on Majesty and my cabin was barely larger then the Epic studio. I was perfectly fine by myself in there.

Well, there's certainly solo interest; heck, I find it interesting and I'm a Celebrity junkie. But based on the stories on this forum, I have to hope that along with more solo cabins comes more staff training to treat solos better.

On the other hand, are they hoping that if they sort of put all the solo cabins together in a particular area and have a communal solo "coffee" area, that they'll mix and mingle with each other so that ultimately they'll dine with each other? That could potentially take a lot of pressure off the staff having to deal with seating solos when the other passengers onboard don't want to be seated with solos.

I'm not sure I like this trend. It could create a solos "ghetto" together with an expectation that solos should=MUST book in this area.

I hope NCL's move inspires other cruise lines to do likewise!

I'm not fond of NCL and I'm even less fond of inside cabins, but I might give it a try just to show support for the policy. I still think that if a ship is sailing with empty cabins (and they pretty much know their occupancy 4 to 6 weeks before sailing) they should offer the cabins to solos with no supplement if booked 30 days or less before sailing. They'd fill the cabin with one fare, rather than none, and add to their on-board revenue.

You probably saw this on other posts, but NCL was apparently doing some test pricing over last weekend before their big announcement. I found a solo rate of $412 + taxes/fees for a Jan 2011 sailing and grabbed it. They had them as low as $362, but that was in a less desirable week for me. Rates were back up by Monday. There were people booking 2 studio cabins with one person in each for less than they could put 2 people in one cabin. The studio cabin is small, but I'll make it work. I'm glad I jumped when I did.

My friend did just that this past weekend for December.

When the fares for the Epic first came out, I was surprised that solos still paid double for studios, since the marketing brochure I was sent had language in it that said the studios were perfect for single/solo cruisers.

This announcement is enough to make me seriously consider booking an Epic cruise.

Roz

Sorry but a 100 square foot cabin would just make me feel horribly claustrophobic. However, i gotta give props for NCL actually trying to cater to an underserved demographic :)

Whilst it is great that NCL are including not just solo cabins but grouping them together and giving an exclusive area, I share the last posters concern about the size of the cabin - agree that it would feel a bit claustrophobic to me too. Also like many others have said not a fan of the huge ships, just don't feel they are as friendly as the smaller ones. (I don't mean really tiny - say 1500pax is perfect for me)

Still I applaud any efforts any cruise line makes to consider the needs of us solos more.

The small size of the cabin doesn't bother me as I spend most of my awake hours outside. The size of the ship doesn't appeal to me. However, if I am desperate for a cruise and don't have enough saved for a regular cabin on a smaller ship, I may give it a try. It will be interesting to read the first reviews.

I'm not sure I like this trend. It could create a solos "ghetto" together with an expectation that solos should=MUST book in this area.

No, I don't think that will be the case. IMHO it just give a good option for solo travellers on a budget. Of course, if someone can book a suite by herself, great for her!

No, I don't think that will be the case. IMHO it just give a good option for solo travellers on a budget. Of course, if someone can book a suite by herself, great for her!

i agree.

How was the Gem and roomie?

http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-latest/in-the-news/article/?jid=90

 

My initial thoughts as a solo customer, not necessarily in any order:

 

1) They've been reading this board

 

2) Create an area where fellow solos can meet and mingle in their own setting

 

3) The complaints from unhappy solos on NCL have been more about service and fellow passengers than cabins (I consider cabin single supplement complaints a given)

 

4) These cabins may make many solos initially jump aboard Epic, but I wonder if the rest of the NCL/Freestyle experience will entice a solo to go again.

I think I am only go on the Epic only. The Epic is going back to Europe in May 2010 and I may go with her transatlantic & for her Med cruise. However, no other ships in the NCL line interest me.

The small size of the cabin doesn't bother me as I spend most of my awake hours outside. The size of the ship doesn't appeal to me. However, if I am desperate for a cruise and don't have enough saved for a regular cabin on a smaller ship, I may give it a try. It will be interesting to read the first reviews.

I agree with everything you've said! The size of the ship would be the biggest drawback for me. And the freestyle dining. But, I might give it a shot at some point, anyway. I'd like to show support for the idea and hope other cruise lines follow suit.

As for the separate Lounge area, I thought it looked nice in the picture, but if there are no windows (I couldn't tell), I probably wouldn't hang out there too much anyway. Unless I was planning to meet someone there, specifically, or maybe after dark when I couldn't see much outside, anyway.

I just don't get it! A monster-size ship, then they put you in a closet and call it a solo studio. I'll stick to the smaller ships and pay the supplement.

I just don't get it! A monster-size ship, then they put you in a closet and call it a solo studio. I'll stick to the smaller ships and pay the supplement.

Ditto! :-)

I can't see accepting "inferior" accommodations just so you can say that you paid less than 200%.

I believe it's called getting the highest revenue per square foot.

I don't think that I would call this inferior cabins...they look very nice even if quite small...however, a lot of hotel rooms are smaller and a lot of appts in major cities are only 300sq ft total. And thats for people to live in full time...so this isn't that small.....And a lot of cabin on the other ships are only 125 sq ft. for a couple. And yes, I have booked a studio for the crossing next May 2011, but have a balcony for this Oct. on Epic. So I will experience both.

I'm looking forward to doing the Epic. I love the idea of doing a longer cruise solo. NCL has their schedules up until dec 2011. My 50th is in Dec 2011 and i have until sunday to book with a 50% off deposit. Just sad that it will be so far away. But i'm looking forward to it. I'm retired navy and some of the rooms in the barracks were set up to be 95 sq ft per person with 4-6 people sharing so to have 100sq ft to myself that is like the penthouse:rolleyes: let alone the quarters on board ship.