Solo Cabin's Breakaway

[Summerstravel]

I have a few questions about the solo cabins on the NCL Breakaway.

Is there a safe?

Is there a mini fridge? I am on medicine that needs to be kept cold. 

How big is the closet space? How many hangers? 

Is the lounge open for coffee all the time?

Any tips and tricks for solo traveling would be appreciated. 

Thanks everyone hope we are back to cruising soon. 

Tracie 

[HowardK]

Hello the studios, have a safe but no mini fridge. There were maybe 7-8 hangars but they can bring you more. Closet is I don't know maybe 5-7 feet wide- can anyone verify? 

[farmersfight]

37 minutes ago, HowardK said:

Closet is I don't know maybe 5-7 feet wide

 

Are you sure it is the closet and not the studio stateroom itself, lol? Just kidding. I'll be trying out the NCL "solo experience" on Breakaway's sister ship, Norwegian Getaway (9-day Baltic cruise, Aug 15-24, 2023).

[HowardK]

28 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

Are you sure it is the closet and not the studio stateroom itself, lol? Just kidding. I'll be trying out the NCL "solo experience" on Breakaway's sister ship, Norwegian Getaway (9-day Baltic cruise, Aug 15-24, 2023).

Come to think of it it is 4 1/2 feet!! On one cruise I took the hangers down as they were rattling at night. 

[debenson0723]

1 hour ago, Summerstravel said:

I have a few questions about the solo cabins on the NCL Breakaway.

Is there a safe?

Is there a mini fridge? I am on medicine that needs to be kept cold. 

How big is the closet space? How many hangers? 

Is the lounge open for coffee all the time?

Any tips and tricks for solo traveling would be appreciated. 

Thanks everyone hope we are back to cruising soon. 

Tracie 

There is a safe, it is on the shelf of one of the two closets. No mini fridge but I have heard you can request one (not sure where it would go but I am sure you aren't the first person who needed one).

There are two closets, both the same size. The clothes hang from front to back. I am not a light packer at all and have had plenty of room (and yes, you can ask for additional hangers). I always pack one or two of those collapsible cloth 'drawers' that you can get at the dollar store, for items that don't hang or smaller accessories. There also used to be on the Breakaway and Getaway 2 large baskets under the bed that I used for t-shirts, shorts, etc.  There is plenty of room under the bed for those and also your luggage.  On both of those ships the lid on the ottoman opens up for additional storage (I used it for dirty clothes).  That feature was eliminated on the ships built after the Getaway. I have always found plenty of storage space on these ships.

The lounge is open all the time for coffee (the best on the ship, so I have heard), as well as juice and water, breakfast pastries in the morning and cookies/cake in the evening.  I have cruised solo on many NCL ships for the past 5 years so feel free to ask any other questions.

[DaCruiseBug]

The studios are 100 square feet in size. That's 10 x 10. My advice to you is to book an inside room instead. They're usually not that much more (sometimes even less) than a studio and you get quite a bit more room.

[debenson0723]

34 minutes ago, DaCruiseBug said:

The studios are 100 square feet in size. That's 10 x 10. My advice to you is to book an inside room instead. They're usually not that much more (sometimes even less) than a studio and you get quite a bit more room.

I was going to mention this also.  I don't have much interest in using the Studio Lounge and have found the Sailaway prices for the inside cabins (even with the solo supplement) to be less than the price of a studio.  I have even been lucky to get an Ocean View or balcony for less on a couple of cruises when booking last minute.

[Back to school]

I prefer solo versus inside cabin.  Lounge   - snacks, OJ, coffee, bartender 5PM to 7PM, TV area.  I like the design.  

[hallux]

10 hours ago, Back to school said:

bartender 5PM to 7PM

Just as a point of note - the bartender may be the case on the BA and GA and some others, but on some other ships with the lounge there is no bar for them to tend.  On on my two sailings on the Bliss, on occasion there was a server that visited the solo meet and did one round of drink orders.

[Summerstravel]

16 hours ago, HowardK said:

Hello the studios, have a safe but no mini fridge. There were maybe 7-8 hangars but they can bring you more. Closet is I don't know maybe 5-7 feet wide- can anyone verify? 

Thank you I think I will need a few more hangers lol... 

[Summerstravel]

15 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

There is a safe, it is on the shelf of one of the two closets. No mini fridge but I have heard you can request one (not sure where it would go but I am sure you aren't the first person who needed one).

There are two closets, both the same size. The clothes hang from front to back. I am not a light packer at all and have had plenty of room (and yes, you can ask for additional hangers). I always pack one or two of those collapsible cloth 'drawers' that you can get at the dollar store, for items that don't hang or smaller accessories. There also used to be on the Breakaway and Getaway 2 large baskets under the bed that I used for t-shirts, shorts, etc.  There is plenty of room under the bed for those and also your luggage.  On both of those ships the lid on the ottoman opens up for additional storage (I used it for dirty clothes).  That feature was eliminated on the ships built after the Getaway. I have always found plenty of storage space on these ships.

The lounge is open all the time for coffee (the best on the ship, so I have heard), as well as juice and water, breakfast pastries in the morning and cookies/cake in the evening.  I have cruised solo on many NCL ships for the past 5 years so feel free to ask any other questions.

Thank you for the all the information I really appreciate it. I really want to try out the solo cabin and see what I think. I will check with NCL and see about the fridge. Your suggestions are very helpful and I am looking forward to my first solo cruise. 

Tracie

[Summerstravel]

14 hours ago, DaCruiseBug said:

The studios are 100 square feet in size. That's 10 x 10. My advice to you is to book an inside room instead. They're usually not that much more (sometimes even less) than a studio and you get quite a bit more room.

I really wanted to try the solo cabin so I can access to the studio lounge and meet up with other solo travelers. The inside cabin was a little cheaper yesterday when I booked the cruise. Does the inside cabin or ocean view have a fridge? 

Tracie

[Summerstravel]

14 hours ago, debenson0723 said:

I was going to mention this also.  I don't have much interest in using the Studio Lounge and have found the Sailaway prices for the inside cabins (even with the solo supplement) to be less than the price of a studio.  I have even been lucky to get an Ocean View or balcony for less on a couple of cruises when booking last minute.

I am going to keep an eye on prices but I thought I may like the studio lounge area. What did you not like about the lounge just curious? Thanks for sharing! 

Tracie 

[Summerstravel]

2 hours ago, hallux said:

Just as a point of note - the bartender may be the case on the BA and GA and some others, but on some other ships with the lounge there is no bar for them to tend.  On on my two sailings on the Bliss, on occasion there was a server that visited the solo meet and did one round of drink orders.

So the bar wasn't opened in the lounge? 

Thanks for your information. 

Tracie

[HowardK]

Also, please note you can get into the lounge area for the solo gatherings- depending on the cruise you can get in there during the day - sometimes the area was unlocked.

 

I always would book a studio and sometimes a week before call to upgrade to a balcony if the ship wasn't sold out- it was usually the last minute price differential between the balcony and my original studio cost. sometimes $100-$150

[thedarklord]

I can confirm that fridges can be put in studio cabins - I had one added in for my medication when I sailed in a studio. It was, admittedly, a bit crammed in - there's obviously nowhere dedicated for it to go, but it did the job for me.
Google 'ncl access desk' and get in contact with them - they'll arrange for any adaptations you need, always been really helpful for me in the past.

[hallux]

45 minutes ago, Summerstravel said:

So the bar wasn't opened in the lounge? 

Thanks for your information. 

Tracie

There is no "bar" in the lounge on the Bliss or Encore...

[debenson0723]

11 hours ago, Summerstravel said:

I am going to keep an eye on prices but I thought I may like the studio lounge area. What did you not like about the lounge just curious? Thanks for sharing! 

Tracie 

The traffic in the lounge is going to vary from cruise to cruise but in my experience, there is maybe one or two people in there at a time and was usually empty, other than during the solo 5pm meet ups.  But on my last Getaway cruise in November 2019, they didn't even hold the meet ups in the lounge...they were in the Cavern Club or Mojito Bar.  The best way to meet other solo cruisers is on your Roll Call prior to boarding.  Again, depending on the group, we have sometimes made plans with Roll Call members to meet up in Miami the night before the cruise for Happy Hour and/or dinner.  And I have planned an embarkation lunch a few times for solo cruisers in the MDR after boarding so we could put faces with names.  That's where I met @halluxon the Bliss.  I may be a solo cruiser but I have never been alone on a cruise.

[hallux]

I'll second @debenson0723  That lunch meet was great, and I ended up spending the morning in San Francisco with someone from the roll call.  I don't recall too much time during that cruise where I wasn't with a member of the roll call or the solo group.

[BermudaBound2014]

12 hours ago, Summerstravel said:

I really wanted to try the solo cabin so I can access to the studio lounge and meet up with other solo travelers. The inside cabin was a little cheaper yesterday when I booked the cruise. Does the inside cabin or ocean view have a fridge? 

Tracie

 

I highly recommend you amend your reservation for a few reasons. 1) You will have access to the solo lounge regardless 2) While the studio cabins are a nice design, there is VERY minimal space for your needed fridge and an inside cabin will save you a bit of $$. Win/win imo. These cabins make use of every square inch available. I was just like you,, I wanted to try a studio to see what they are all about. I'm one and done with the concept especially since regular insides can often be cheaper. I find solo cruising an excellent experience and I think you will really enjoy it. I have always gotten more time off than my DH so I've done several solos on many different lines and have no reservations recommending solo cruising to others.  

 

PS: Not sure if you are aware or not,, but there is an entire forum here dedicated to solo cruising that helped me tons my first solo cruise. Solo Cruises: Ask a Question - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums

 

Edited March 20, 2021 by BermudaBound2014

[farmersfight]

6 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

1) You will have access to the solo lounge regardless

 

I think this was "bantered about" before but if I'm not mistaken, you have to be booked in a studio cabin to have full access to the studio lounge? I think as a solo booked in a regular stateroom (i.e. an inside) you can still attend the solo meet ups in the studio lounge but you don't have full access like those who are booked in studio cabins.

[hallux]

8 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

1) You will have access to the solo lounge regardless

 

2 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

I think this was "bantered about" before but if I'm not mistaken, you have to be booked in a studio cabin to have full access to the studio lounge? I think as a solo booked in a regular stateroom (i.e. an inside) you can still attend the solo meet ups in the studio lounge but you don't have full access like those who are booked in studio cabins.

@farmersfightis right, somewhat.  It seems your experience will vary as some here have reported getting Studio Lounge access added, but my experience on two NCL cruises is that ONLY guests staying in the Studio cabins have access to the lounge.  People asked and were denied the ability to have the lounge coded to their card if they were not staying in the Studio.

 

Maybe the BA is different?  Maybe it's up to whoever the head of guest services is?  No idea...

[BermudaBound2014]

On 3/20/2021 at 5:02 AM, farmersfight said:

 

I think this was "bantered about" before but if I'm not mistaken, you have to be booked in a studio cabin to have full access to the studio lounge? I think as a solo booked in a regular stateroom (i.e. an inside) you can still attend the solo meet ups in the studio lounge but you don't have full access like those who are booked in studio cabins.

 

Interesting! Thanks for that info. Perhaps things have changed, or perhaps they differ by ship? I ended up chatting with a lady who happened to be in a balcony cabin, but she had her key card coded for entry into the studio lounge so she did have full access. I thought that if I were to sail solo on ncl again this is the route I'd go.

 

I understand wanting to try the studio cabins. I was in the same place. After trying, I was one and done for a few reasons. Mostly because I really enjoy a balcony (even pre-covid) and found that the extra large solo balconies (with chaise lounge chairs) on the Anthem class are perfect for me when I want to sail solo. Unlike many who want the studio lounge for social gathering, I tend to meet people everywhere, and chances are if I'm sailing solo it's to decompress so laying on my balcony with a great book is often my preference. 

 

Also, the studio lounge is interior. It never feels right to me to spend time totally inside with no windows (even on land). I feel a bit caged. The lounge did offer excellent coffee, but the snacks were less than desirable and I don't expect there will be self serve snacks or coffee after covid.

 

But, I totally understand wanting to try the concept for oneself. With this particular OP, I'm hesitant to recommend because she needs the fridge and the space is going to be extremely tight. If she can get the inside for cheaper and then get her cruise card coded to enter the studio lounge I think her experience would be much more pleasant. Best of both worlds so-to-speak.

[kelib]

A few years back they changed the policy about all solo passengers having access to the solo lounge. I was told at the time that there were complaints, that people felt they had paid for the exclusiveness of the lounge and that it should be limited. 
 

The other thing that has changed the last few years is that the designated solo host now changes week to week instead of the same long term host. So you get some hosts who love the assignment and some who act like it is a punishment. 
 

Very rarely do you see people in the lounge during the day. The bar was only opened (where there was one) from 5-7

my first trip on the Getaway we met nightly at the Mojito bar.

 

The other thing that changed was making the meetups at 5:00 instead of 6. Official reason and true is that it allowed more time fir people who want to go to first show. Unofficial reason I was told was the restaurant team had issues fitting in large groups later in the evening,

 

First night meetup is a challenge since it is so close to sail away . I have had one on the Escape just stand in a designated area and told people to come to the studio next night. So unless you meet someone you could easily be on your own for dinner. 
 

I like to go to the meetups the first 2 nights if only to find people who want to go to a later dinner, which you can usually find. 
 I usually liked the fact that they had water dispensers in the lounge and also snacks. On the escape they had awesome breads like banana, pumpkin ..... I would always grab one fir the room fir breakfast if I needed to leave early fir an excursion. Never thought about that  may all going away.  
 

I
 

 

 

[lepidoptera]

I like sailing in the studios a little better than a regular inside. I feel like the layout is better-mostly that you can actually walk around the bed or store things under the bed easier. I like that the bed doesn’t split in 2 so there isn’t a crack down the middle. The rooms are very quiet-since the hallway the studios are on are key carded, they don’t have traffic and loud discussions waking you when you are trying to sleep. I really getting tea in the morning from the studio lounge-much happier facing the public once I’m caffeinated.