"Better to go alone than not go at all." YES! I wholeheartedly agree. 👍👍Thanks for this video of your whole cruise adventure. Those solo cabins look just right for one person!
I have just booked a solo balcony cabin on msc virtuosa. It will be small, but I'm looking forward to having a balcony in the Norwegian fjords and it's much cheaper than a normal balcony cabin with the single. supplement
Another reason the price was low is that this is a repositioning cruise where the Gateway is being moved from the summer season in Europe to the winter/spring season in America. Those cruises are always longer with very, very good prices - with the downside is that they can be two weeks or more.
I'm off on my first solo cruise at the end of the month, I've taken advice from you and other you tube content. Thank you for your videos I've appreciated your honesty and advice.
Ben, thanks for the interesting and informative content! Ive cruised solo on the Breakaway (which seems to be much like the Getaway) and absolutely loved it. I'll take a look at the Getaway. Thanks again!
This video helps me show my friends the solo cabins. I travel solo and enjoy the cabins. I've traveled the Breakaway numerous times. My last cruise was my Mardi Gras in February on the Breakaway and stayed in a solo room with a balcony on the 12th floor. Had complete access to the Solo Lounge. I'll be on the Getaway for my birthday cruise in November out of New Orleans. From your video, they are basically the same ship layout!
@@TravelWithBen121 I'll be on the Jewel Oct 19th for an Alaska cruise out of Seattle. I haven't been on the Jewel since 2013. Repositioning cruises are my favorite!
thank you for this video! in 3 weeks I'll be going on the Getaway as a first time NCL cruiser and im a bit nervous traveling out of the country with my son. This video prepares me so much! I watched over a period of days and this was worth it!
Thank you for watching! The Getaway is great, I had zero complaints! I would definitely cruise with NCL again in the future. I hope you and your son enjoy your cruise! 🚢😁
Great encouragement, I'm doing the transatlantic Solo on the Encore in December, booked a Solo Balcony, and got upgraded to a Deck 13 BA but still with Studio Lounge access etc. My first TA, first over 1 week , first NCL, first even Balcony, first time with specialty dinners booked !
I've cruised alone and with friends. I like both but it makes for a very different experience each way. When I am alone I chose to stay alone...I don't go to the solo meetings...but it's impossible to "avoid" people all the time... people feel sorry for you and want to draw you in. They cannot grasp that you are quite happy alone. Oh well people are just being kind right? But I love doing things on my own or doing absolutely NOTHING 😂
Yes I too have experienced the pier running activity. My one dollar bus in Cabo never arrived. I was determined to see what Costco looked like in Mexico. And top it off my friend had her baby in the stroller. We caught the last tender and that ship was ready to roll the second we got back on board. I will never do that again!
Great vlog of your trip! I just booked a studio for New Year’s Eve on Getaway out of New Orleans so am glad you showed off so much of the room/ship! I’ve always thought a transatlantic would be awesome, but with the uncertain weather maybe not???? Q: I cruised the Mediterranean on NCL Epic in a Studio last summer and every night at 5 a group of us (8-15 people) gathered in the studio lounge(when bar was open) to hang out for n hour. Did you notice this on getaway? Our demographic was age 30-60, yours looks older…
Thank you, Jon! It depends if you need the weather to enjoy your cruise. I'm not the kind of person to sit around the pool everyday and I like to walk around the ports so I'm glad it wasn't very hot everyday. We had a few days when the ship was rocking but not too bad. I assume people did gather in the lounge between 5-7 as the bartender was there but I never went there at that time. Age demographic was pretty much the same, 40-60 I would say.
i was shocked to see your shower seen! that said i was impressed with it as it really showed how a person actually fits in the tiny shower and that it's functional
NEW SUBSCRIBER!! When you said "Americans are different or special" I roared with laughter. Yes, we are!! And some of us are extra different and extra special (unfortunately)! Better to stay away from religion and political topics at all costs. lol. And I could tell you were British right off? Why? Because you talked about the Americans. LOL. But it's cool!! Loved this vlog. I'm a solo traveler and it's great to see other solo travelers out here. I've never tried cruising before but decided to go on my first one next year. I'm traveling on the Princess cruise line but also wanted to try Norwegian (because of the solo cabins). I didn't like paying the double fees for Princess but wanted my first cruise to be extra special and they had a lot of shows and restaurants I wanted to see. I haven't chosen a cruise line to be "loyal" to so this will be exciting. I do like that Norwegian seems to have a lot of different types of ports that other cruise lines don't seem to have so I'm willing to give them a whirl. I don't think the 100ft cabin would cause me any anxiety and I was surprised that not too many solo cruisers used the solo lounge after watching other solo cruisers on Norwegian. It might have been because of the length of the cruise. Maybe you could try doing a seven-day back-to-back to see more solo cruisers in your age range. Thx for sharing. I look forward to many more of your videos!
Thanks, Angela! Welcome! 😁 I think even Americans will accept that they are 'special' HAHA. I am British but I don't think the opinion of Americans is limited to us Brits 🤣 It's great that you're going on your first cruise! To be honest, it's really difficult to 'choose' a cruise line. Luckily, you can jump around and you're not limited to staying with the same one. But like you said, the double supplement isn't ideal for solo cruisers so that's why the studio cabins are a great money saver, but they are difficult to find as they sell out fast. I don't know if it looks smaller on video, but the studio cabin definitely wasn't 'too small'. For one person it was the perfect size, I definitely had no complaints about the cabin. There was always people in the lounge but out of respect for the other guests, I never filmed any video in there if there were people there! So the lounge might always be empty in my videos but that's just because I tried to only film when it was empty, it was used by many people! The age demographic on this cruise was definitely older but I had no complaints! Thanks again for watching, Angela! New videos coming very soon 😁
Dang I'm old and American we got a lot of mentions on this video. I enjoyed watching and your vlog though. Even with the rain it looked like it was beautiful
I just got off the Getaway ( March 31 - April 7 NYC to Bermuda, Nassau, back to NYC. My first cruise ever and my fiance took me as an early birthday present (April 14 is my birthday). I loved every second of the cruise, Million Dollar Quartet was phenomenal! Taste, Savor, O’Sheehans, American Diner AND the buffet were delicious choices. I watched this entire video in one sitting and it made me feel like I was back on board. Already planning the next cruise on NCL for this summer. You did a wonderful job narrating and explaining. I so enjoyed all the additional video from your port day adventures, thank you. Already like and subscribed and about to check out more of your content ☺️
Wow! Thank you so much for the kind comment, Kelly! I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise on the Getaway and happy birthday! I have no complaints about the Getaway, it was an amazing experience! I would definitely cruise with NCL again. I can't believe how great Million Dollar Quartet was! And the food was amazing at every venue too. Thanks so much for watching and subscribing! 😁👍
I watched your video over several days and it was really nice! Thanks for sharing! I went on my first cruise ever with Norwegian Joy last month to Bermuda and I travelled solo. I wanted to leave comfortably from NY because I reside here. I did unfortunately have to pay double occupancy because the joy doesn’t have solo cabins and I wanted a balcony room. I really didn’t need it because I spent so little time in my room! Smh! I was super scared at first especially traveling alone as a woman, but I quickly realized I was in a safe space. Met so many people and the crew was awesome. I always got a window seat for dinner because the crew remembered, which was actually sweet. Did have breakfast and dinner with a few folks and this one lady was super weird. She kept telling about all her life achievements and men she had in her life. She just kept talking lol I wanted to run..lol Anyways I loved the cruise and your right, sometimes I wished I had company but I really do enjoy my own. And doing anything I wanted on my own timing was a huge plus!
Thank you for watching, Flo! That's great that you did a solo cruise! You should be proud of yourself 😁 I totally know what you mean, it's definitely nice having a balcony cabin but do you 'need' it? I don't think so. You only use the cabin to sleep so I would rather spend my money elsewhere and have a smaller cabin. Of course, nowhere is 100% safe but a cruise ship is a lot safer than a land vacation. It's so easy to meet people if you want to! You will always meet weird people on a cruise 🤣 Solo vacation means you do whatever you want!
Ben I just returned from Transatlantic on Celebrity Silhouette, Ft Lauderdale to Amsterdam, yes most Cruisers were 50+ on mine. You Vloggers tend to be younger Went to Azores as a Port Day, simply amazing. Much younger passengers on Carribean Cruises. Jon P
Sounds great, Jon! I think there's a few reasons why transatlantic cruises usually have an older crowd, young people can't get a long time off work/school to take a longer cruise is one of the main reasons, also the cruise starting and finishing in different places suits people with more free time. Thank you for watching! :)
I did a similar cruise on the Getaway in a Studio the June before this, just going the other way. Went from Port Canaveral and ended in Lisbon. Few less days and ports, but was still good. Azores and Lisbon are two of the same ports. We also stopped on the islands of Madeira ported in the city Funchal.
@@TravelWithBen121 yes. Same exact sailing. Sorry I didn’t run into you for a meal. Glad to have your vlog as a keepsake though, lol. I flew to London from NY to see a show in the West End and then sailed home.
I’ve really been enjoying your videos.by the end of tonight I will have watched on and off this whole three hour blog. Lol. I watched your previous video on the cost of this cruise. Where do you find these deals? Do you book on NCL website? I’m in my 50s and want to travel solo. I’ve most traveled on HAL, never NCL.
Thanks Ben, I do enjoy your dialog and your take as if “you have never cruised before” keep up that vibe. Good recommendation… lesser-known cruise ports are the best! No Ben, you do not sound American (Well maybe NOLA at 2am). Ship Size 2500 or smaller is the ideal size. I have found that at port the same products at different stores, they will “Talk” and exchange product between stores. Sea Days, what will we do? We have 44 Sea Days in 2024 (South Pacific, Hawaii and Canal) and 26 Sea Days in 2025 (Trans Pacific and New Zealand) (Oh my, have we booked wrong? NO... We will be cruising! On NCL we have cruised on the Encore and Breakaway (Getaway Sister) and yes, continue to Cruise again and again. Am I the only one who watched 3 hours? Maybe a series of shorter videos, or maybe I will just go to O'Sheehan's or the Local.
Sounds great to me, Jeff! The bigger ships are not for everyone, sometimes it's better to go on the smaller ships! There's no mistake at all with sea days, they're great! You do whatever you want with your time, play some games, join the quizzes or lay around the pool, your choice. Thanks for watching the whole series! I just cruise with MSC so check out those videos if you didn't already :)
Today Day 2, I finished watching your 3 hour Vlog, it was so great! Im curious what you do for a living, and how you come to speak Chinese or was it Japanese ? Very interesting . I will continue to follow your future adventures. Well Done !
So….. I have looked at NCL for 2024 and 2025 repositioning and transatlantic cruises on their website as well as vacations to go (it’s easier to filter) but I am not finding anything even close to that price. Was it perhaps last minute pricing?
Somehow TH-cam had me watching just the very end of this video again. It was so sad for me to see you leave the ship because I saw your New York hotel disaster already!
I just did the getaway from NYC to eastern carribean! Beautiful ship! I got sick unforunately and got billed 15k USD For medical bills and now cant go back on NCL til i pay it off lol got really sick on day 7 out 10. The first 7 days were a blast!
I always travel solo and have been on the Getaway as well! My next cruise is on February 22 on the Bliss leaving Miami to Los Angeles for 15 days! Join me!
Cheers, Pete! Yes, room service is available in the studio cabins! The only thing I will advise about walking issues is the studio lounge is on deck 10 and there’s studio cabins on deck 10 and 11 so make sure you have a cabin on deck 10 to avoid stairs! Thank you for watching 😁
Hey Ben, great vlog. I'm halfway through. I know you mentioned not to do the excursions, but as a woman solo traveler it's not always safe to go at it alone off the ship. The excursions can be safer in my opinion. Also, do the NCL ships have solo oceanview/balcony cabins? I like the private solo space and lounge, but would want one of those rooms.
Thank you, Chiquita! 😁 I didn't say don't do the excursions, I said I'm not doing any. Excursions are definitely a great way to explore a city on an organized tour and I never put myself in a dangerous situation. But of course, everyone should take care of themselves and be safe. I have heard that NCL offers solo Oceanview and balcony cabins but I have never seen them advertised so maybe it is true! You could always pay double for a balcony if you need it but I don't so the studio cabin was perfect for me 😇 Thank you for watching!
I would guess that the reason that the curtain slides over the mirror maybe, due to a person who is half awake. Not giving themselves a heart attack in the middle of the night. While they get up to use the facilities and see their own dishelved reflection in the mirror???-Happy sailing
Hi Ben, thank you for your video! I am still hesitating to book a cruise as a solo traveler (from Lisbon to Miami). Its a good bargain but I am scared of being alone and not really talking to everyone for days. What was your experience? Did you get in touch with other (solo) travelers? Sorry if you mention that later, I am only at minute 27 but I couldnt wait to ask :) Thank you!
@@christinas.9374 hello Christina, you have 2 choices: stay home and not be scared or book the cruise and have a great time 😁 there’s solo meetings everyday so there’s plenty of opportunities to meet other solo travelers if you want to! Stay alone if you want to or make friends if you want to! It’s your vacation, you do whatever you want 😝 go for it!
Thanks Ben. Nice vlog. I’m going to Greece next fall on NCL solo. It was great seeing how things really are for one person. Your price was incredible. Was return airfare included or was that extra. Where do you look for the best deals. Mine is a lot more and my cabin is a solo cabin like yours but not a repositioning cruise. Keep your travels coming. Thanks.
Thank you for watching, Susan! Wow, a Greek cruise sounds amazing! My price was cruise only, no extras. I will make a video soon about how to get a great deal on cruises. Enjoy your cruise!
Did you have a virtual window in your cabin? So you can see out on the ocean on a screen or something? I would suspect the round doors at the bed was such or am I wrong?
good on you Ben for traveling solo, amazing video. Agreed the Americans are a special breed (I was in France Gare De Nord getting a ticket and there was this lovely girl next to me and we got chatting, I asked her where she is from, she answered saying she is from "California", obviously every American will answer which state he/she is from when we actually just want to know which country). its a long video so I am going to enjoy it in chunks. Whether is shit, maybe next time cruise here in Australia.
Hey Ben, love the videos (recent subscriber).... We're going on Viva next year so watched all the Prima videos. Wondering if yuu could help..... We're trying to place your accent as it seems a mix of British and 1 or 2 other dialects (european maybe?) thanks!! Paul
Cheers, Paul! I'd love to check out the Viva and the other NCL ships just to see how they compare! I had an amazing experience on the Getaway and Prima! HAHA I can help you with that but not yet... stay tuned, I'll talk about it soon. Thanks for watching! 😁
Why didn't you go to the Solo meetings at 5 pm? It's for people traveling solo and you get to meet people, and have group dinners with them if you like
Oh ok, I hear you, I also enjoy dining alone. Occasionally if I meet someone at the Solo that I connect with I'll eat with them. I loved your vlog, you kept me hooked 😅 I also LOVED Burn the floor!!!!💃
Lol Ben doesn't complain about any countries and he travel a lot. A hotel/motel/guesthouse should be reasonably clean, should not have bugs crawling around like that, it's crazy.
Unfortunately the Norwegian Getaway is not seaworthy for ocean-going voyages. I think I was on the same crossing. The Norwegian getaway really handles ocean swells poorly. The ocean was rough but it was typical of the open ocean. This is very different from the ocean liner the qm2. Compared to a proper ocean liner like the qm2, the Norwegian Getaway feels junky and cheaply made.
"Better to go alone than not go at all." YES! I wholeheartedly agree. 👍👍Thanks for this video of your whole cruise adventure. Those solo cabins look just right for one person!
Thanks, Lisa! I had a great time 😁 the studio cabins are perfect for 1 person in my opinion! No complaints 🙏
I have just booked a solo balcony cabin on msc virtuosa. It will be small, but I'm looking forward to having a balcony in the Norwegian fjords and it's much cheaper than a normal balcony cabin with the single. supplement
Thank you for your wonderful videos, I'm cruising solo for the first time in December and watching these has alleviated my anxieties.
@@annekirkman6709 you’re welcome, Anne! Enjoy your cruise! 😁
"Wow, this was so informative! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!"
@@ShamsideenAwwali you’re welcome, Erin 😁
Another reason the price was low is that this is a repositioning cruise where the Gateway is being moved from the summer season in Europe to the winter/spring season in America. Those cruises are always longer with very, very good prices - with the downside is that they can be two weeks or more.
You're right, William! I don't see a two week cruise as a downside :)
But now with Starlink, you can work from "home" and go on an adventure.
I've done 3 TA cruises solo in an inside cabin. Great way to travel.
I agree! I enjoyed the cruise very much 🙏
What a sweet solo journey .. you are so organized! PS I love your just normal clothing!
Thank you, Parris! 😁 sometimes it’s nice to dress more fancy but most of the time, it’s about comfort 🙏
You're so positive. I'd love to be a single cruiser on a ship when you're there and hang out at times. Excellent video. Thank you
@@briansieve cheers, Brian! No reason to not be positive 😁
Another great video, thank you!
Thank you! 🙏
Very nice, Ben. The ship is beautiful and so much to do. Looks like you had a fabulous time. It’s hard to resist chocolate cake. 😊
HAHA I told myself everyday to not have chocolate but it’s difficult when there’s 50 pieces in front of you 😂
I'm off on my first solo cruise at the end of the month, I've taken advice from you and other you tube content. Thank you for your videos I've appreciated your honesty and advice.
I’m glad my videos were helpful! Enjoy your cruise 😁
Ben, thanks for the interesting and informative content! Ive cruised solo on the Breakaway (which seems to be much like the Getaway) and absolutely loved it. I'll take a look at the Getaway. Thanks again!
@@coreyoliver5532 cheers, Corey! Yes, I think those 2 ships are similar, Getaway was great! 😊
This video helps me show my friends the solo cabins. I travel solo and enjoy the cabins. I've traveled the Breakaway numerous times. My last cruise was my Mardi Gras in February on the Breakaway and stayed in a solo room with a balcony on the 12th floor. Had complete access to the Solo Lounge. I'll be on the Getaway for my birthday cruise in November out of New Orleans. From your video, they are basically the same ship layout!
Sounds great, Jon! The Getaway was great, I’d love to check out the other NCL ships 🚢
@@TravelWithBen121 I'll be on the Jewel Oct 19th for an Alaska cruise out of Seattle. I haven't been on the Jewel since 2013. Repositioning cruises are my favorite!
Alaska will be great! It’s on my bucket list 😁
Solo Cabin with a balcony on the Getaway?!?!?
I saw all the vlog and it was excellent, sorry for your weather.
Thank you, Joyce! 😁👍
thank you for this video! in 3 weeks I'll be going on the Getaway as a first time NCL cruiser and im a bit nervous traveling out of the country with my son. This video prepares me so much! I watched over a period of days and this was worth it!
Thank you for watching! The Getaway is great, I had zero complaints! I would definitely cruise with NCL again in the future. I hope you and your son enjoy your cruise! 🚢😁
I love the solo cabins. So cozy in the best way.
I agree, Jan!
Watch your videos because you are so upbeat and positive Keep being that way
@@WTucker816 thank you ☺️
ohh at first thought the thumbnail said "3 hour tour" and was a reference to gilligan's island 😀
😁
I would enjoy meeting you and hearing all your travel stories! I've traveled solo on many ncl cruises and liked them all.
NCL does solo cruising very well!
It’s so entertaining vlog and nice information to share with great camera angle 😍 Thanks Ben
Thank you for watching! 😁
Ben thank you for showing us how Brave you are to travel lone. I would be chicken(scared that is)
Thank you! Life is too short to not be brave :)
Great encouragement, I'm doing the transatlantic Solo on the Encore in December, booked a Solo Balcony, and got upgraded to a Deck 13 BA but still with Studio Lounge access etc.
My first TA, first over 1 week , first NCL, first even Balcony, first time with specialty dinners booked !
Sounds amazing, Hendrik! Enjoy your cruise!
You're so right, people complaining from the moment they step on board, should just stay home.
I totally agree, Jeffrey! Crazy people.
I've cruised alone and with friends. I like both but it makes for a very different experience each way. When I am alone I chose to stay alone...I don't go to the solo meetings...but it's impossible to "avoid" people all the time... people feel sorry for you and want to draw you in. They cannot grasp that you are quite happy alone. Oh well people are just being kind right? But I love doing things on my own or doing absolutely NOTHING 😂
@@ychaps I agree with everything you said, Yvonne 😂 people are just being kind.
I love that you’re doing free stuff in the various ports.
@@viennafingers26 I like exploring, Rachel 😁
American Diner is included in cruises now
Really?! That’s great, another option.
Yes I too have experienced the pier running activity. My one dollar bus in Cabo never arrived. I was determined to see what Costco looked like in Mexico. And top it off my friend had her baby in the stroller. We caught the last tender and that ship was ready to roll the second we got back on board. I will never do that again!
Wow, Sheri! That was a close call, it's lucky you made it back! Lesson learned :)
Great vlog of your trip! I just booked a studio for New Year’s Eve on Getaway out of New Orleans so am glad you showed off so much of the room/ship! I’ve always thought a transatlantic would be awesome, but with the uncertain weather maybe not????
Q: I cruised the Mediterranean on NCL Epic in a Studio last summer and every night at 5 a group of us (8-15 people) gathered in the studio lounge(when bar was open) to hang out for n hour. Did you notice this on getaway? Our demographic was age 30-60, yours looks older…
Thank you, Jon! It depends if you need the weather to enjoy your cruise. I'm not the kind of person to sit around the pool everyday and I like to walk around the ports so I'm glad it wasn't very hot everyday. We had a few days when the ship was rocking but not too bad.
I assume people did gather in the lounge between 5-7 as the bartender was there but I never went there at that time. Age demographic was pretty much the same, 40-60 I would say.
i was shocked to see your shower seen! that said i was impressed with it as it really showed how a person actually fits in the tiny shower and that it's functional
The world is full of surprised, Corinne! The shower definitely isn't 'tiny' :)
NEW SUBSCRIBER!! When you said "Americans are different or special" I roared with laughter. Yes, we are!! And some of us are extra different and extra special (unfortunately)! Better to stay away from religion and political topics at all costs. lol. And I could tell you were British right off? Why? Because you talked about the Americans. LOL. But it's cool!! Loved this vlog. I'm a solo traveler and it's great to see other solo travelers out here. I've never tried cruising before but decided to go on my first one next year. I'm traveling on the Princess cruise line but also wanted to try Norwegian (because of the solo cabins). I didn't like paying the double fees for Princess but wanted my first cruise to be extra special and they had a lot of shows and restaurants I wanted to see. I haven't chosen a cruise line to be "loyal" to so this will be exciting. I do like that Norwegian seems to have a lot of different types of ports that other cruise lines don't seem to have so I'm willing to give them a whirl.
I don't think the 100ft cabin would cause me any anxiety and I was surprised that not too many solo cruisers used the solo lounge after watching other solo cruisers on Norwegian. It might have been because of the length of the cruise. Maybe you could try doing a seven-day back-to-back to see more solo cruisers in your age range. Thx for sharing. I look forward to many more of your videos!
Thanks, Angela! Welcome! 😁 I think even Americans will accept that they are 'special' HAHA. I am British but I don't think the opinion of Americans is limited to us Brits 🤣 It's great that you're going on your first cruise! To be honest, it's really difficult to 'choose' a cruise line. Luckily, you can jump around and you're not limited to staying with the same one. But like you said, the double supplement isn't ideal for solo cruisers so that's why the studio cabins are a great money saver, but they are difficult to find as they sell out fast.
I don't know if it looks smaller on video, but the studio cabin definitely wasn't 'too small'. For one person it was the perfect size, I definitely had no complaints about the cabin. There was always people in the lounge but out of respect for the other guests, I never filmed any video in there if there were people there! So the lounge might always be empty in my videos but that's just because I tried to only film when it was empty, it was used by many people! The age demographic on this cruise was definitely older but I had no complaints! Thanks again for watching, Angela! New videos coming very soon 😁
Dang I'm old and American we got a lot of mentions on this video. I enjoyed watching and your vlog though. Even with the rain it looked like it was beautiful
😂 Thanks, Kris 👍
I just got off the Getaway ( March 31 - April 7 NYC to Bermuda, Nassau, back to NYC. My first cruise ever and my fiance took me as an early birthday present (April 14 is my birthday). I loved every second of the cruise, Million Dollar Quartet was phenomenal! Taste, Savor, O’Sheehans, American Diner AND the buffet were delicious choices. I watched this entire video in one sitting and it made me feel like I was back on board. Already planning the next cruise on NCL for this summer. You did a wonderful job narrating and explaining. I so enjoyed all the additional video from your port day adventures, thank you. Already like and subscribed and about to check out more of your content ☺️
Wow! Thank you so much for the kind comment, Kelly! I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise on the Getaway and happy birthday! I have no complaints about the Getaway, it was an amazing experience! I would definitely cruise with NCL again. I can't believe how great Million Dollar Quartet was! And the food was amazing at every venue too. Thanks so much for watching and subscribing! 😁👍
Hello Ben, this was a refreshing review. Lots of European countries.
A lot to see! Thank you, Tia :)
I watched your video over several days and it was really nice! Thanks for sharing! I went on my first cruise ever with Norwegian Joy last month to Bermuda and I travelled solo. I wanted to leave comfortably from NY because I reside here. I did unfortunately have to pay double occupancy because the joy doesn’t have solo cabins and I wanted a balcony room. I really didn’t need it because I spent so little time in my room! Smh!
I was super scared at first especially traveling alone as a woman, but I quickly realized I was in a safe space. Met so many people and the crew was awesome. I always got a window seat for dinner because the crew remembered, which was actually sweet. Did have breakfast and dinner with a few folks and this one lady was super weird. She kept telling about all her life achievements and men she had in her life. She just kept talking lol I wanted to run..lol Anyways I loved the cruise and your right, sometimes I wished I had company but I really do enjoy my own. And doing anything I wanted on my own timing was a huge plus!
Thank you for watching, Flo! That's great that you did a solo cruise! You should be proud of yourself 😁 I totally know what you mean, it's definitely nice having a balcony cabin but do you 'need' it? I don't think so. You only use the cabin to sleep so I would rather spend my money elsewhere and have a smaller cabin. Of course, nowhere is 100% safe but a cruise ship is a lot safer than a land vacation. It's so easy to meet people if you want to! You will always meet weird people on a cruise 🤣 Solo vacation means you do whatever you want!
Ben, I deleted my question after I realized how stupid I was to ask that question! Thank you for always being so kind and nonjudgmental.
I always try to be 😁
You are a gentleman, even when your bed is filled with bedbugs and cockroaches 🪳 are climbing the walls in an affordable Chinatown Roached out Motel!
Ben I just returned from Transatlantic on Celebrity Silhouette, Ft Lauderdale to Amsterdam, yes most Cruisers were 50+ on mine. You Vloggers tend to be younger Went to Azores as a Port Day, simply amazing. Much younger passengers on Carribean Cruises. Jon P
Sounds great, Jon! I think there's a few reasons why transatlantic cruises usually have an older crowd, young people can't get a long time off work/school to take a longer cruise is one of the main reasons, also the cruise starting and finishing in different places suits people with more free time. Thank you for watching! :)
I definitely want to try one of those solo cabins
Go for it, Mary! The ship is waiting for you 😁
I did a similar cruise on the Getaway in a Studio the June before this, just going the other way. Went from Port Canaveral and ended in Lisbon. Few less days and ports, but was still good. Azores and Lisbon are two of the same ports. We also stopped on the islands of Madeira ported in the city Funchal.
Sounds great!
Ben, look for more cheap cruises and review it, i learned so much from your cruise reviews.
Thanks, Yen 👍
Yes! I want to take one so bad. I had one come up for $50 with my rewards!
Wow! That's a great deal! Go for it 😁
Just started following you. I was on this sailing in the studios too! It was a rough sailing.
I also woke up an hour late in La Havre and almost missed the excursion to Paris!
@@fivegirl this cruise was October 2023, were you on this sailing?? So cool! I had a great time 😁
@@TravelWithBen121 yes. Same exact sailing. Sorry I didn’t run into you for a meal. Glad to have your vlog as a keepsake though, lol. I flew to London from NY to see a show in the West End and then sailed home.
@ sounds great! Studios were great!
I love it 🎉❤😊
@@Steen-k6v thanks!
Thanks for the video. It was both entertaining and informative. It really makes me want to do a solo cruise once I get over this freakish long covid.
Thanks for watching, Alex! Hopefully you can take a cruise soon :)
Stop the covid virus nonsense.
The fit checks are the cutest thing. :) Going on a similar itinerary on Encore in reverse order in November 2024, except from Miami. So excited!
Enjoy your cruise!
Cabins forward bounce and rock much more than cabins aft!
I couldn’t tell, David 😁
I’ve really been enjoying your videos.by the end of tonight I will have watched on and off this whole three hour blog. Lol. I watched your previous video on the cost of this cruise. Where do you find these deals? Do you book on NCL website? I’m in my 50s and want to travel solo. I’ve most traveled on HAL, never NCL.
Thank you, Pam! Yes, I booked directly on the NCL website. 😁
I'm a solo cruiser too. You got a sub.
Cheers! When’s your next cruise?
@@TravelWithBen121 NCL Encore to Alaska from Seattle Sept 29-Oct.6.
Really enjoy your vlogs and you do a good job of making the vlogs interesting. When showing the menus, slow down and check the angle of lighting.
Cheers, Chris! Good advice, thanks!
Thanks Ben, I do enjoy your dialog and your take as if “you have never cruised before” keep up that vibe. Good recommendation… lesser-known cruise ports are the best! No Ben, you do not sound American (Well maybe NOLA at 2am). Ship Size 2500 or smaller is the ideal size. I have found that at port the same products at different stores, they will “Talk” and exchange product between stores. Sea Days, what will we do? We have 44 Sea Days in 2024 (South Pacific, Hawaii and Canal) and 26 Sea Days in 2025 (Trans Pacific and New Zealand) (Oh my, have we booked wrong? NO... We will be cruising! On NCL we have cruised on the Encore and Breakaway (Getaway Sister) and yes, continue to Cruise again and again. Am I the only one who watched 3 hours? Maybe a series of shorter videos, or maybe I will just go to O'Sheehan's or the Local.
Sounds great to me, Jeff! The bigger ships are not for everyone, sometimes it's better to go on the smaller ships! There's no mistake at all with sea days, they're great! You do whatever you want with your time, play some games, join the quizzes or lay around the pool, your choice. Thanks for watching the whole series! I just cruise with MSC so check out those videos if you didn't already :)
Nope. I am captivated, and shall watch all the way straight through.
Today Day 2, I finished watching your 3 hour Vlog, it was so great! Im curious what you do for a living, and how you come to speak Chinese or was it Japanese ? Very interesting . I will continue to follow your future adventures. Well Done !
Thank you for watching, Sibylle! I hope you enjoyed it :) I do speak Chinese, I will talk about it soon :)
So….. I have looked at NCL for 2024 and 2025 repositioning and transatlantic cruises on their website as well as vacations to go (it’s easier to filter) but I am not finding anything even close to that price. Was it perhaps last minute pricing?
I booked this cruise 2-3 weeks before the departure date, Christopher. That probably had an effect on the price.
Somehow TH-cam had me watching just the very end of this video again. It was so sad for me to see you leave the ship because I saw your New York hotel disaster already!
HAHAHA Sheri, I left the ship with so much hope! And then it turned bad! 😂
Most people don't know this but a ship captain said most cruise lines have a buffer time before the ship leaves.
That’s not true, the ship will leave on time.
They can deny boarding if a passenger is not back at the designated time.
I just did the getaway from NYC to eastern carribean! Beautiful ship! I got sick unforunately and got billed 15k USD For medical bills and now cant go back on NCL til i pay it off lol got really sick on day 7 out 10. The first 7 days were a blast!
Wow that’s bad luck… good luck with that. I’m glad you enjoyed the ship 👍 I agree, the Getaway is beautiful!
I cant wait to take my first solo cruise. You make it look so easy
YOUR vacation should be easy! What's difficult about it...?
I always travel solo and have been on the Getaway as well! My next cruise is on February 22 on the Bliss leaving Miami to Los Angeles for 15 days! Join me!
Enjoy your cruise, Dan!
Great video, can I ask if it is viable for someone with walking issues and also can you get any room service
Cheers, Pete! Yes, room service is available in the studio cabins! The only thing I will advise about walking issues is the studio lounge is on deck 10 and there’s studio cabins on deck 10 and 11 so make sure you have a cabin on deck 10 to avoid stairs! Thank you for watching 😁
On some ships you can rent a mobility scooter which you arrange in advance often on the cruise website.
went on the getaway from Miami a number of yrs ago.kinda sucked,but i had a good time.
Great!
Washy Washy!
Of course!
Hey Ben, great vlog. I'm halfway through. I know you mentioned not to do the excursions, but as a woman solo traveler it's not always safe to go at it alone off the ship. The excursions can be safer in my opinion. Also, do the NCL ships have solo oceanview/balcony cabins? I like the private solo space and lounge, but would want one of those rooms.
Thank you, Chiquita! 😁 I didn't say don't do the excursions, I said I'm not doing any. Excursions are definitely a great way to explore a city on an organized tour and I never put myself in a dangerous situation. But of course, everyone should take care of themselves and be safe. I have heard that NCL offers solo Oceanview and balcony cabins but I have never seen them advertised so maybe it is true! You could always pay double for a balcony if you need it but I don't so the studio cabin was perfect for me 😇 Thank you for watching!
I would guess that the reason that the curtain slides over the mirror maybe, due to a person who is half awake. Not giving themselves a heart attack in the middle of the night. While they get up to use the facilities and see their own dishelved reflection in the mirror???-Happy sailing
@@Lindarianmusic maybe you’re right, Linda 😁 thank you!
Thanks for sharing information about solo cruising. I’m very much interested in traveling by self sometime. How much does it cost?
You’re welcome, Tanna 😁 I talked about the price in the video.
Hi Ben, thank you for your video! I am still hesitating to book a cruise as a solo traveler (from Lisbon to Miami). Its a good bargain but I am scared of being alone and not really talking to everyone for days. What was your experience? Did you get in touch with other (solo) travelers? Sorry if you mention that later, I am only at minute 27 but I couldnt wait to ask :) Thank you!
@@christinas.9374 hello Christina, you have 2 choices: stay home and not be scared or book the cruise and have a great time 😁 there’s solo meetings everyday so there’s plenty of opportunities to meet other solo travelers if you want to! Stay alone if you want to or make friends if you want to! It’s your vacation, you do whatever you want 😝 go for it!
When was this October 22, 2023? My wife and I was on that one
Exactly that, David 😁 Southampton to NYC departing on October 22, 2023 👍 Look out for yourself in the videos 😂
i am
Where and when did you learn Chinese?very impressed with your spoken abilities. Did you teach English in China?
Good questions, Yvonne 😊
Thanks Ben. Nice vlog. I’m going to Greece next fall on NCL solo. It was great seeing how things really are for one person. Your price was incredible. Was return airfare included or was that extra. Where do you look for the best deals. Mine is a lot more and my cabin is a solo cabin like yours but not a repositioning cruise. Keep your travels coming. Thanks.
Thank you for watching, Susan! Wow, a Greek cruise sounds amazing! My price was cruise only, no extras. I will make a video soon about how to get a great deal on cruises. Enjoy your cruise!
Was this a repositioning cruise?
Yes 👍
Did you have a virtual window in your cabin?
So you can see out on the ocean on a screen or something?
I would suspect the round doors at the bed was such or am I wrong?
You're wrong, Seb! That is actually a round frosted window to the corridor. Of course, no one can see in and you can't see out :)
MSC do solo too
Great! Hopefully more follow.
good on you Ben for traveling solo, amazing video. Agreed the Americans are a special breed (I was in France Gare De Nord getting a ticket and there was this lovely girl next to me and we got chatting, I asked her where she is from, she answered saying she is from "California", obviously every American will answer which state he/she is from when we actually just want to know which country). its a long video so I am going to enjoy it in chunks. Whether is shit, maybe next time cruise here in Australia.
HAHAHA I'm glad you agree that Americans are 'special', Eugene :) I would love to cruise around Aus!
Most Californians and Texans view themselves as if their state were their country. The rest of us identify as American first. 😂
Hey Ben, love the videos (recent subscriber).... We're going on Viva next year so watched all the Prima videos. Wondering if yuu could help..... We're trying to place your accent as it seems a mix of British and 1 or 2 other dialects (european maybe?) thanks!! Paul
Cheers, Paul! I'd love to check out the Viva and the other NCL ships just to see how they compare! I had an amazing experience on the Getaway and Prima! HAHA I can help you with that but not yet... stay tuned, I'll talk about it soon. Thanks for watching! 😁
Good stuff Ben, thanks! How many days before the cruise did you book it?
Thank you! 😁 I booked this cruise 2-3 weeks before so it was very last minute!
@@TravelWithBen121 Wow...awesome!
I hate elevators too!
This seems like a snooze Ship😒 very slow paced huh??
Yes! My kind of cruise :)
Why didn't you go to the Solo meetings at 5 pm? It's for people traveling solo and you get to meet people, and have group dinners with them if you like
Because I usually had other plans. I prefer to eat alone 😁
Oh ok, I hear you, I also enjoy dining alone. Occasionally if I meet someone at the Solo that I connect with I'll eat with them. I loved your vlog, you kept me hooked 😅
I also LOVED Burn the floor!!!!💃
@@glowmichell2390 thank you, Michell 😁 me too!
What was your price per day for solo cabin? How did you research it mainly for solo cabin?
I talk about the price here:
th-cam.com/video/JIcdk7cLW94/w-d-xo.html
Whatever you do young man DO NOT stay in a hotel in New York under $ 200.00 a night 🪳🪳🪳🪳🪳🪳🪳🪳🪳🪳LOL
Why’s that, Steve? Greatest country in the world? 😁
New York is too expensive.
That is rough Ben, glad you share your experience so I won't make that mistake.
Lol Ben doesn't complain about any countries and he travel a lot. A hotel/motel/guesthouse should be reasonably clean, should not have bugs crawling around like that, it's crazy.
@@TravelWithBen121There are many great countries around the world. 😄
isn't it crazy that people complain about a ship rocking when they choose a TA cruise.. LOL.
HAHAHA people will complain about anything 😂 complaining about a cruise ship rocking is just crazy!
I am curious if you ever interacted with other solo travelers?
Of course, Kristine :) This cruise had about 200 solo travelers.
所以你會說中文嗎？哪裡學的呀？😮
我会说 😂
@@TravelWithBen121 Cool !! Good for you ! So was it a repositioning cruise ??
Yes 👍 the ship was going from Europe over to the Caribbean.
When did you cruise?
@@100HOLYGHOST October 👍
@TravelWithBen121 Cool! so looking forward to mine in December. Hope there isn't many cruising on mine also😉
I mean how they going to know you recording unless you got a big ass camera
I just want to be respectful 😁
Ben, you’re under 60? I never would have guessed!😂
Only just, Annie 😂
How much weight did you gain during the cruise?🥵
HAHA I walk a lot so I can eat a lot, Mark!
Grocery stores sell bananas. How? 😂😂😂😂😂
What?! Grocery stores where you live don’t sell bananas? 😂
I am enjoying your travelogues very much. Not sure what your constant negativity towards “Americans” is but I guess you have your reasons.
Constant? Only a few times, Jeff 🤣 There's always a reason 👍 Thanks for watching!
You don’t sound American Ben,but you look American.😉
HAHA I don't know if that's good or bad, Jan!
So Cool must be your favorite words
Renee, if something is cool, I say it’s cool. Crazy, right?!
Unfortunately the Norwegian Getaway is not seaworthy for ocean-going voyages. I think I was on the same crossing. The Norwegian getaway really handles ocean swells poorly. The ocean was rough but it was typical of the open ocean. This is very different from the ocean liner the qm2. Compared to a proper ocean liner like the qm2, the Norwegian Getaway feels junky and cheaply made.
@@terrikatz4854 I don’t agree with anything you said, Terri 👍
❤️🏳️🌈
I still never saw how much you paid
@@GertTown I said it in the video 👍
Not 6000 people on a ship that can carry only a bit under 4000 😂, do your research
4000 guests + 2000 crew = 6000. There’s even room for rude people like you 👍
@@TravelWithBen121 crew is never counted as guest capacity, now who is being rude
You're being obnoxious. He's right... it carries 6k people. Relax and don't be so touchy. @@TinnekeVDE
New subscriber, thanks to youtube algorithmes. Love the channel. Nice videos so let's all subscribe! 💙💙❤🇨🇵
Thank you, Canelle 😁🙏