Raddo

Another perk of travelling solo with RC is finding the ships that do the single balcony cabins!! I have overnight booked a 7 days Japan cruise sailing from Shanghai for March 2026 and got myself a Solo Balcony cabin. 😊

Thanks for all the feedback. I was planning to do a B2B for Queensland and South Pacific from Brisbane in March 2026 but in the end, I found a much cheaper cruise! I'm now doing a 7 nights Japan cruise sailing from Shanghai on Spectrum for same month and managed to secure a solo balcony cabin.

I have booked a 7 nights Japan cruise sailing from Shanghai for March 2026 and did well to secure myself a solo balcony cabin in the process. Sure the ship is geared to the Asian market but the food does have its western choices!!

I would personally consider deck 3 cabins as they can be midship (my prefered location) and noise is not an issue for me as I'm deaf so hearing aid is off when I sleep!! 😉 This year for the 1st time, I'm trying out a Promenade cabin.

As a solo cruiser, I have always prefered to eat in the MDR and I have always been given a table to myself (a 2 seater) when I have requested it. This way, I can avoid the problems in the Windjammer where by getting up to get next course, I could lose my seat and table. If the MDR is closed for lunch on shore days, my 1st choice away from Windjammer would be to try alternative venues like Park Cafe, Sorrentos or just go for sandwich rolls at Latitudes and Promenade Cafe etc. I only hit Windjammer at quieter times like opening times or when the shows are on!! RC are good for solo cruisers in that you can eat alone if you wish in the MDR. Unlike MSC, who intends to put solo cruisers at a big table with others! This is unsuitable for me as a deaf person. The last MSC cruise I took (Europa) was the exception as I was transfered over to the Aurea cruisers restuarant where I had a table to myself and the next table to me, also had a solo cruiser and we ended up talking!! Solo wise, I prefer to do my own thing but is happy to have a conservation with other cruisers if approached for a chat like in the Diamond Lounge. You can make the cruise how you want.

Thanks OCSC Mike for the clarification.

I have done 19 cruises so far but never done a back to back. Would I have to book the two cruises separately or would I get a discounted price overall if I ring RC to make it a single booking but both cruises? Any advice on this by those who have done them would be much appreciated!! It just that I got my eye on 2 different cruises from same port but together makes a back to back.

It's the Small Claims Court route I'm taking and thankfully for me in the UK, they have an office registered in the UK that I've used for them in my legal action. I've kept all correspondence including the postal receipts for the International 'Track and Signature' that I had sent to NCL head office in Miami and which were signed for. My legal action has already provoked a response from NCL via their European Resolution Team. They say they are ready to transfer my FCC to my September booking but one small problem - they have already cancelled my cruise!! Too little, too late for that reply.

My Greek Isles cruise for next month got cancelled by NCL when the final balance due date passed by without my FCC having being applied to the booking which would have paid it off in full. NCL had SIX MONTHS to action this yet kept telling me that it was still being processed. Two letters to the Vice President - Guest Services to resolve this issue went unanswered. In cancelling my cruise, NCL levied cancellation charges on me. As far as I'm concernced, NCL had breached their contract with me by failing to transfer my FCC to my booking in good time and have my cruise paid off in full. I have started legal action against them on this and require all my money to be refunded back to me that I paid them. It was their error to cancel my cruise without applying my FCC to pay the balance off. I have now booked an alternative cruise with another cruise line and will never use NCL again!!

I do think it's strange that MSC are still insisting on a negative test result within '48 hrs' to sail with them because my cruise from Southampton to Norwegian Fjords are countries that has dropped all testing requirements to enter them. Even face masks rules are gone for public transportation places and the EU has done so too!! The cost of tests has gone up considerably high as 'test centres' scale down their operations overall.

I had the opposite effect from RC as I was supposed to be on a Norwegian Fjords cruise on Anthem that was changed to a UK cruise only. The prices did changed to a higher price but RC informed me that if I accept this change, no additional charges for me. They have changed two of my ships for next year but the itineries remains and no change for me.

I'm cruising on MSC Virtuosa 3rd September and travelling solo. MSC had allocated me a 4 berth cabin so is not at full capacity!!

That's a bit of a bummer for me as on the MSC website, they still have a link to taking their extended Covid insurance and I purchased it. They should remove this link as this requirement been dropped or is there the commission to be earned by MSC in keeping the link?

I have booked 2 MSC cruises as a solo traveller and the cruise fare stayed the same with no additional charges and that's for a normal inside/ocean view cabin.

I'm sailing on MSC Virtuosa on 3rd September from Southampton and I have noticed that via the MSC website, there is a link to Prenetics for purchasing home PCR test kits that can be sent off by post with results given 24 hours from lab receiving the sample. I used to have my tests done in store in Boots Pharmacy with result within an hour but the price has shot up a lot so I have opted to use the Prenetics service (UK Government approved) as its cheaper than Boots!! The service would fit in the 48 hours period required.