Studio balconies

[marktwothousand]

Is the purpose of the new studio balcony cabins mainly to get single cruisers to buy a balcony cabin outright instead of getting a true studio and then just rebooking to a balcony at the last minute?

 

for most of the cruises where I booked a studio, I just ended up checking the NCL site for better balcony rates up until the day of cruise, and then just paid the difference in cost for the balcony. In most cases it wasn’t much.. $500 Canadian max. Sometimes just a couple hundred, and in one instance, it was like a $20 difference 

 

I feel like single cruisers who want balconies might still get a better rate by booking a studio and then paying the cost difference for a balcony at the last minute.

 

Obviously regular-fared balconies for single cruisers don’t get the studio lounge but I don’t think anyone really cares about that…

 

I’m sure NCL Has run the numbers and discovered they will make more money by getting single cruisers to pay for a balcony upfront…companies obviously never do anything like this unless they’re trying to make more money off it

[julig22]

The new solo categories are in uncharted territory, no knowing how they will be processed in the future. No way of knowing at this point if they will still offer reduced solo supplement on regular staterooms for example. What about bidding?  And if they sell out, no price adjustments?

I do know that they are NOT eligible for world points upgrades (already tried!). 

[marktwothousand]

39 minutes ago, julig22 said:

The new solo categories are in uncharted territory, no knowing how they will be processed in the future. No way of knowing at this point if they will still offer reduced solo supplement on regular staterooms for example. What about bidding?  And if they sell out, no price adjustments?

I do know that they are NOT eligible for world points upgrades (already tried!). 

Ya I guess this is the thing, they may start charging 100% occupancy for single travellers in balconies now 

[EnterGenericName]

Definitely a money ploy in my opinion,  just a rebranded solo-supplement. Regarding the lounge access perk booking a a non-studio solo, on my last cruise we had folks just ask the cabin stewards to let them into the lounge, even if they didn't book a studio. 

 

Also, in this case, it actually costs a dollar more to book a solo balcony! 😄 (7-19 April 2024, TA)

[dhanakorn]

Some low-level balconies have been re-classified as Solo balcony (BT). When I started cruising on NCL, back then it was very rare to see the price of balcony dropped so much that a solo traveller could get upgraded from a studio/inside to a balcony by paying a few dollars more. Ships were sailed at full capacity. Post-pandemic, I've seen more last-minute fire sale on balcony. But ships start getting full nowadays, it'll be harder for a solo traveller to move up to a balcony at small upcharge.   

 

[Asawi]

I haven't looked at balconys, but when it comes to inside an oceanview it seems like it's the least desireable cabins that have been made into solos. So I'm not too impressed so far.

[Smitheroo]

I'm traveling with my sister in law in April on the Bliss.  I have a studio and she has a solo balcony. Both are located very close to each other on deck 12

[Smitheroo]

8 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

Is the purpose of the new studio balcony cabins mainly to get single cruisers to buy a balcony cabin outright instead of getting a true studio and then just rebooking to a balcony at the last minute?

 

for most of the cruises where I booked a studio, I just ended up checking the NCL site for better balcony rates up until the day of cruise, and then just paid the difference in cost for the balcony. In most cases it wasn’t much.. $500 Canadian max. Sometimes just a couple hundred, and in one instance, it was like a $20 difference 

 

I feel like single cruisers who want balconies might still get a better rate by booking a studio and then paying the cost difference for a balcony at the last minute.

 

Obviously regular-fared balconies for single cruisers don’t get the studio lounge but I don’t think anyone really cares about that…

 

I’m sure NCL Has run the numbers and discovered they will make more money by getting single cruisers to pay for a balcony upfront…companies obviously never do anything like this unless they’re trying to make more money off it

You must mean "solo" balcony as there is no "studio" balcony.   I think it is a marketing strategy ("ploy" sounds so negative)  Cruise lines compete with each other and most dont give breaks to the solo cruiser.  Yet they are often are the ones who can afford to cruise with less demands on their disposable income.  I dont know anything about how upgrades work but my impression that as a solo traveler I find the new solo pricing attractive. It brings the cost of a balcony into the affordable range for me. I havent booked this class yet and wont if the fare eventually gets hiked. 

[hallux]

7 hours ago, dhanakorn said:

Some low-level balconies have been re-classified as Solo balcony (BT)

Check other ships.  For example - the Bliss has Solo Balcony cabins on decks 11 and 12.  Getaway had them on 1,10 and 12.  I wouldn't call all of those necessarily "low level".

[Langham1865]

I do think that solo travel is a growing segment.  This is their way of trying to capitalize on it.  Whether you a "ploy" or 'marketing" it makes good business sense for any cruise or travel business to find a way to make money off of solo travel.  If i was running a travel business, I definitely would try to find a way to monetize it on the initial booking for the higher categories rather than later when you haven't sold cabins.  Now the deals won't be as good on the front end for the customer, as they are when the price drops on unsold categories, but the customer also will guarantee getting the cabin type.  Now we will see if we the customer feels the front end pricing is in our benefit or not and how they adjust the initial model down the road.  

[latebuyer]

I was just on royal caribbean and really disliked dining alone. Have they changed it where if you book a regular inside/balcony you can’t go to the solo dinner?

[SoloAlaska]

For cruises that book out way in advance I think booking solo balcony from the beginning is a smart choice. If RCL had this option for my 2025 cruise I would have considered it. NCL is definitely positioning itself as the cruise line for solo travel which is why I’m trying it for the first time in a few weeks. If it fits me then I will probably be cruising 2-6 times a year with them for the years to come. I have 50 years of cruising left so that’s a lot of cruises. 

[Smitheroo]

16 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

I was just on royal caribbean and really disliked dining alone. Have they changed it where if you book a regular inside/balcony you can’t go to the solo dinner?

are you referring to the dining situation for solos on RCL or NCL?  Because I'm not aware of any "solo dinner" on NCL (I am hardly an expert but do read a lot and spend a lot of my time on this forum trying to learn)   It is my understanding that on those  NCL ships that have studio lounges  groups might form to eat together somewhere on the ship.  If you dont have studio or these new solo cabins you're not supposed to use the studio lounge but others have said that isnt necessarily true. I'm also sure even if you cant get into a Studio lounge you could join up with the group en route to the dining venue.

[www3traveler]

3 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

You must mean "solo" balcony as there is no "studio" balcony.   I think it is a marketing strategy ("ploy" sounds so negative)  Cruise lines compete with each other and most dont give breaks to the solo cruiser.  Yet they are often are the ones who can afford to cruise with less demands on their disposable income.  I dont know anything about how upgrades work but my impression that as a solo traveler I find the new solo pricing attractive. It brings the cost of a balcony into the affordable range for me. I havent booked this class yet and wont if the fare eventually gets hiked. 

Beginning in January 2024, Norwegian is offering a limited number of cabins be marketed as Studio (Inside, Oceanview and Balcony).  Probably in response to several years of passengers asking for them (as far back as when the Epic came out with Studios).  I have a Studio Inside booked for a cruise in 2025.

[Smitheroo]

6 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

Beginning in January 2024, Norwegian is offering a limited number of cabins be marketed as Studio (Inside, Oceanview and Balcony).  Probably in response to several years of passengers asking for them (as far back as when the Epic came out with Studios).  I have a Studio Inside booked for a cruise in 2025.

The information I saw was that the new category is referred to as "solo" balcony, not "studio" balcony. (as well as solo oceanview and solo inside)   The "studio" cabins are designed specifically for one person in a select area of the ship.  That's all I was correcting.    I have a studio book for April 2024 and my sister in law who is traveling with me has a solo balcony a few steps down the hall.  Solo balcony etc may or may not have access to a studio lounge. That depends on if the ship has a studio lounge. 

 

 

[www3traveler]

My booking confirmation information for my 2025 cruise says:" Inside Studio Single".  I will have access to the Studio Lounge, but will probably never use it other than to take a quick peek.

[hallux]

38 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

Have they changed it where if you book a regular inside/balcony you can’t go to the solo dinner?

 

18 minutes ago, Smitheroo said:

Because I'm not aware of any "solo dinner" on NCL (I am hardly an expert but do read a lot and spend a lot of my time on this forum trying to learn)   It is my understanding that on those  NCL ships that have studio lounges  groups might form to eat together somewhere on the ship.

Nothing has changed.  Solos staying in any cabin category wishing to be part of the evening meet can go to the Studio Lounge or wherever the meeting is held and join the group for dinner.

[Smitheroo]

29 minutes ago, hallux said:

 

Nothing has changed.  Solos staying in any cabin category wishing to be part of the evening meet can go to the Studio Lounge or wherever the meeting is held and join the group for dinner.

 It is my impression that solos staying in studios and the *new* solo categories (solo balconies, solo oceanview, solo inside) can use studio facilities. (if the ship has them) I'm not referring to the Solo "meet and greet"  They are held any where on the ship and are for any solo traveler. The studio lounge is exclusively for studio passengers and the new category of solos. The booking info states that people who book these categories have access to the studio lounge, if the ship has one. Booking info does not say that if one person books an inside cabin.  I realize that sometimes rules arent followed, even by the person in charge. Not much you can do about that.  Nor would I care   

[Daruma]

Can't delete apparently. 

Edited November 13, 2023 by Daruma

[hallux]

2 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

I'm not referring to the Solo "meet and greet" 

I was referencing your comment about not being aware of any "solo dinners".  There very much IS, and it starts with the solo meet in the lounge (or wherever on the ship it's being held), then the group goes to dinner.

2 hours ago, Smitheroo said:

The studio lounge is exclusively for studio passengers and the new category of solos.

and currently, on the ships with a Studio Lounge, the lounge IS available to solos in all categories if the nightly meet is held there (which, in my experience, has been every night on two trips on the Bliss and one on the Escape), but ONLY during the time of the nightly meet.  The door closest to the lounge is propped open so those non-Studio solos can enter to mingle.  At all other times, yes, the lounge is only for those who have key-card access.

[Smitheroo]

11 minutes ago, hallux said:

I was referencing your comment about not being aware of any "solo dinners".  There very much IS, and it starts with the solo meet in the lounge (or wherever on the ship it's being held), then the group goes to dinner.

and currently, on the ships with a Studio Lounge, the lounge IS available to solos in all categories if the nightly meet is held there (which, in my experience, has been every night on two trips on the Bliss and one on the Escape), but ONLY during the time of the nightly meet.  The door closest to the lounge is propped open so those non-Studio solos can enter to mingle.  At all other times, yes, the lounge is only for those who have key-card access.

Oops- you are right.  When I saw solo "dinner"  I was thinking solo dining room.  Yes, anyone can go to the meet and greets 

[marktwothousand]

Su su suddio

[Davechipp74]

I just always got a regular balcony room, and paid the double occupancy, these are the same deal, no? 

[SoloAlaska]

3 minutes ago, Davechipp74 said:

I just always got a regular balcony room, and paid the double occupancy, these are the same deal, no? 

No it’s less than double occupancy. If your cruise on an itinerary without a supplement then it’s cheaper to get a regular cabin than a dedicated solo cabin.

[julig22]

37 minutes ago, Davechipp74 said:

I just always got a regular balcony room, and paid the double occupancy, these are the same deal, no? 

It just depends on the ship. The solo category might be a little cheaper than double occupancy but every cruise is priced differently.