As a frequent solo traveler on NCL because of the reduced rates for the studio cabins (no double cabin charges) and their free at sea package, I beg to disagree with you. With the package I usually find that I only end up with the daily service/tip fee on my bill at the end of my cruise. I usually choose unlimited drinks, 150 minutes of internet, $50 off excursions, and 2 specialty dining meals for my free at sea. I can see going with the basic package if you're not a drinker, enjoy buffets, and plan to explore ports on your own. But not choosing the free at sea promo pricing is a false economy that's going to cost you more in the end. Just my 2 cents.
Yes, we can definitely agree to disagree. So far on NCL the rates I’ve seen for solos have only been 5%-10% cheaper than an equivalent cabin at double occupancy (I’ve only priced a few so I realize there could be bigger savings somewhere in there. I just haven’t come across them yet). The studio cabins were the same or higher than an inside cabin at double occupancy. I did a video on the pricing breakdown to show rather than it just being my hearsay. But their free at sea is not a value for me because I want premium WiFi which you still have to pay an additional amount for. On this sailing, I didn’t care for shore excursions (no plans to get off the ship) or specialty diving (I prefer quick service). The basic rate that I got was much lower. Even with the drinks that I purchased, my overall price was less than the fare with Free at Sea. Everyone has different preferences when sailing and I’m so happy that it works for you and your situation. It came out cheaper for me doing it my way. Just different strokes for different folks. 😊
I was on the NCL Breakaway end of Apr-early May. I was not only a solo cruiser but a first time cruiser. I had a blast. I'm going to watch your other videos. You did a great job of this review.
That is so great to hear! This was just one experience. And even though it wasn’t the best for me, that will not stop me from trying another NCL ship. Thank you so much for the feedback! ❤️❤️❤️
I do love NCL. I’ve sailed on the Breakaway, Joy, Bliss, Getaway and Gem. Soon to sail solo on Epic. Always 7 days or longer. They are certainly not perfect, but overall I believe they try to give something to the solo traveler. Enjoyed the video! Hope you do have some good experiences.
I agree, Regina! In the video before this one, I shared the solo group and meet up experience on the NCL Breakaway. NCL is the absolute best for solos who want to connect and meet others on the ship. That's not really me so the ship is important to me. For me, I just feel I can have better experiences on other lines for the same price (or cheaper). But yes, I'm already booked on another NCL ship already! Thank you so much for watching and commenting.
Hello SIG, thanks so much for the insight into NCL's Solo Cruise Experience. So much great information covered in 15 minutes and in such an interesting way. Wishing your channel much success, from one content creator to the other. You have a new subscriber in US.
We just got home from a Mediterranean Cruise on NCL... was fantastic! The food, the shows, the service, cozy cabin, comfy bed, lovely shower...we stayed away from the Atrium on the ship and found lots of getaway areas with food and drink. We loved the freestyle...eating when you want, where you want. Excursions were well organized. Would do NCL cruise again in a heartbeat.
That sounds like an awesome experience! I do hope my next NCL experience on a different ship is like yours. I do plan to try them again on a newer ship. Thank you so much for sharing your positive experience! ❤️❤️❤️
I’m do glad to hear you enjoy it! Your opinion of NCL is not wrong. People can have different experiences on ships and that is completely okay. My absolute favorite is Celebrity…but I do plan to sail NCL again on a newer ship someday. Thank you so much for commenting! ❤️
Hi Cheryl, this was so nice. You had the right idea about that atrium, I was getting anxiety, whoa that noise. You truly found a nice spot afterwards. This was super informative. I noticed some people received their bags nice n early. I liked that, a lot. Thank you for sharing, lots of great information.Have a wonderful week, Sweetheart. See you in the next on.
Hey Etta! Yes, and that Atrium stayed like that for most of the cruise. It was definitely a "central hub!" And yes, NCL did well on the bag delivery. It's always nice to go to your cabin for the first time and see your bag there waiting for you! Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Etta!
Thanks for the great review. Too bad it was not all that you were expecting but glad it didn’t totally deter you from giving NCL another chance. Although I love Carnival, I have been enjoying you stepping outside of CCL and showing us other solo cruiser options from other cruise lines. Stay blessed. ✌🏾🛳️🌺
Thank you so much for the feedback, Keshia! And yes, even the negatives weren't enough for me to say I would never cruise again. If anything, it sets my expectations for what to expect when I sail again on a different ship. I still love Carnival but it has been a great experience trying different cruise lines. Also, I do think that plays into why I had negatives on this ship. Cruising multiple lines and ships gives you a wider range of comparisons. Thank you so much, as always, for watching and commenting, Keshia!
Great vlog, Sig! Finally getting to catch up on the series. Looks like you went through some things that first day, but love how you put things in perspective and still managed to enjoy yourself. The fact that the service was great goes a long way. I am mad at them with that corkage fee though...lol. Looking forward to catching up on more videos.
Yeah, I think no matter what line or what sailing, everything's not always going to be 100% perfect. Regardless, you're still on a cruise and still on vacation. There were good things and not so good things about this sailing, but I still had a good cruise over all. Thanks so much for watching and supporting, Regina!
Oohwee! Yes, Breakaway!!! Break away🤣 Worst I’ve ever been on. I stated my reasons in one of your other vids. One turnoff for me was whenever I saw the cruise director, he was always flanked by a staff member on each side of him. It was like, here comes the king and his cronies. His demeanor and posture demonstrated that, in my opinion. 🤷🏾 Rockaway Duo was on there in 2022. I enjoyed them. The atrium area was often busy. I had a much, much better experience on NCL Prima. Thanks for your review. I concur!!!
Oh, wow, Anthony! I do remember that the Breakway was not a positive experience for you either. But it's encouraging to hear that you liked the Prima better. I know it's a newer ship and I want to sail one of their newer ships. But this Breakaway experience got me wondering if it would be worth my money...lol
Hi thank you for your videos. Can you please tell me overall how your gluten free experience was? I'm sailing on NCL Getaway next fall, and I have celiac.
Overall, I felt the GF experience was just okay. To me, I wouldn’t starve and had basic GF options (protein & veggies). The most frustrating experience for me was having to pre-order in the buffet. I’ve never experienced that on other ships. And usually I can get things like GF pancakes or French toast without pre-ordering. You won’t starve but I’ve just had better GF experiences on other cruise lines and ships. But I’m NCGS. I think for celiac, the experience is PERFECT. They are EXTREMELY careful and prepare GF options in separate areas. They were EXTREMELY sensitive to food allergies.
I'm writing this after the fact - what did you not like about Virgin Voyages? I've gone on three of their cruises and I don't think I would go again because I was bored after the second cruise and couldn't get out of the third one. The food was good, but I wasn't impressed with the entertainment and I found there wasn't much to do as a solo cruiser on their ships. I went on a solo cruise on NCL Breakaway and stayed in one of their inside solo rooms on deck 10. It was my first experience with an inside room and it wasn't that bad, although it was only 100 sq. ft. and I couldn't unpack fully. It was very cozy. While I wasn't crazy about the inside room, it was in a private solo only area with it's own lounge. What I really liked about the NCL solo experience was that we had our own concierge that got all the solo folks on the ship together for activities and it was a lot of fun. I was never alone unless I wanted to be. I've found that going to solo meetups is a mixed bag. I've attracted the person who wants to be attached at the hip and who is super upset when she doesn't get invited to everything the other women are doing and worked hard not to let that person ruin my cruise! I do remember the $15 corkage fee. They said for $15 I would get a corkscrew along with two nice wine glasses and an ice bucket to put my champagne in - none of which I received. I was blown away by the deck party and I don't usually go to stuff like that. I remember NCL as being a median cruise. Everything was just okay - food, entertainment, ship, etc. I've haven't booked an NCL cruise again, but I would if the ports and price were right. This video was helpful and well-done. Thank you.
My issues surrounded my gluten intolerance, ill-informed crew and their offerings. I didn't know Virgin and was told that things were not gluten free when they were or the choices were bad. I gave feedback of my horrible experience in their app and they corrected the information I received immediately. Then I learned of more options. It's hard to have a great time when you're hungry and everyone is have a great food experience except you. I was with friends on that sailing and had a good time after I got the food issue ironed out. But I want to go back again because I didn't experience a lot on the ship because I was with friends. I had a great time, but I think it was because of my friends. I didn't experience much of the entertainment and didn't participate in their solo cruiser meet up. So, I'm going to give it another try I do think that NCL's solo cruiser program and amenities are absolutely great! I'm like you in not looking to be joined at the hip and fear situations like you described. So I'm not likely to do that again...lol. And for the corkage fee...yeah, they didn't even bother to lie to me about getting extras...lol. I agree...NCL was okay but nothing wowed me about it. I would go again too if there was a good deal. Thank you so much for watching and commenting!!!
Thank you so much! Yes, it's double on Carnival...but yet can be less expensive than solo on NCL, depending on your sailing. :-) Thank you so much for watching!
That’s great to hear and I’m so excited for you! Everybody has different experiences, perspectives, and preferences, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Have a great time on your next NCL Breakaway sailing! ❤️❤️❤️
Cheryl, I am "Carnivalized" and it laids dormant until I am on another cruise line, then it comes to the surface 😂. So, I truly fight to keep a open mind, accept with Celebrity, love them! 🥰
Now Celebrity is my cruise line! LOL And Carnival too! But yes, it's hard not to compare. ESPECIALLY when you're paying more but feel like the experience is less. But yes, it's hard to keep an open mind when you have other experiences!
What i really dislike about ncl and I've been on quite a few. Is that i got every night around 4 messages on my cabin phone to visit the cruise next booth. It became very annoying. I didn't like msc seascape, and carnival is just too rowdy for me. Wanting to try Holland and princess. Have you been on any of those cruise lines? Virgin is too young for me I'm 58.
Oh wow! I wasn't even thinking about that but I got the messages on my phone everyday as well! And that was on a 4-day cruise and annoying. I can't imagine a 7-day...lol I was wondering if their bigger and newer ships would be better. I do want to try but it's like I'm not anxious to waste my money...lol I do enjoy Carnival but now I look forward to the Vista class and above. I never hang with the crowds on any cruise line/ship so I feel good with Carnival. I haven't been on Holland or Princess yet but have BOTH of them booked for this year, so stay tuned!!!! I'm so excited to try both as a solo cruiser. And also, I sailed Virgin once with friends. I had a great time with my friends but still unsure if I actually enjoyed the ship (because I hung with my friens). I have that booked again this year as a solo cruiser so I can actually experience the ship. But I'm 58 and I didn't feel like the ship was too young for me. But I need this do-over by myself to confirm.
I had a champagne bottle and popped the cork myself. If you didn't buy their drink package, they charged you for it BEFORE you got on the ship! Outside of checkin, no one even saw my bottle...lol
Cork fees are a little high just to twist out the cork!! If you want to remove it yourself you should be able to for no charge. Lots of great info in this video!!
Yes, I'd rather them call it what it is. A fee for bringing on the wine they allow you to bring on board! LOL Thank you so much for the feedback and thank you for watching and commenting!
Thanks for your review on NCL. I have sailed a few times with them , and only stayed in the solo studio room. After seeing the Ocean view room I will try it on my next cruise. I hope your cruise is better tomorrow.
I want to go back one day and try the studio cabin just for the experience. Maybe if I can find a 3-day...lol. And even though this day didn't rank high on my list of cruise experiences, it still wasn't enough to make me say I'd never sail again. I would try a different ship. Thanks so much as always for watching and commenting!
I am a repeated NCL solo cruiser, and on various NCL ships. I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE NCL! On my last cruise, I enjoyed a Solo *balcony* cabin. NCL's Solo staterooms, except the Studio, are simply the regular staterooms allocated to the respective categories. Hence, there is no difference in size and layout and amenities from the non-Solo cabins of the same category.
That's good to know! I was wondering if the cabins were exactly the same as the regular cabins. So glad to hear that you love NCL as a solo cruiser. I'm looking forward to trying them again! Thank you for watching and commenting!
Hey Rorie! No, I've never been to Norway...yet. :-) Oops! Did I not say it in this vlog? We went to Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay! Thank you so much for watching!
Wow! I was on the Bliss and experienced similar. The bands were on repeat, I felt lulls in entertainment during the evenings, and the Local was the only late night option for a ship full of people! I did love the solo studio. It was my own little cocoon. I'll have to give NCL another try, but it's a walk, not a run.
I will tell you....until this vlog, I never knew so many people had similar experiences. Yes, I thought the solo cabin, lounge and meetups were all awesome. But that particular ship, I wouldn't want to do again. Agreed...I would sail NCL again but a walk, not run. Thank you so much for commenting!!!
Oh no, Karen! I wouldn’t recommend that at all! Always try a cruise line and ship for yourself. Two people can have two completely different experiences on even the same sailing. Reviews are great for things to look out for on your own cruise. If you check the comments, while this doesn’t top the list for me, there are a few others in the comments you LOVE NCL or even the NCL Breakaway. Experience it for yourself! ❤️❤️❤️
Hey there! That depends on your cruising style and what you like. Ships have many different activities to cater to every cruise style. When I work with my clients, I have a discussion with them to find out what they like so I can recommend different things. Definitely make sure you download their app and go through their activities to see what interests you! I'm sure you will have a great time!
I see why you walked in and right back out of the club!😂😂😂 new subscriber here! Hopefully we cruise together 1 day and can meet. Haven't sailed NCL yet bc their comped cruises have a $20/day/person Admin fee that brings the comped cruise total to almost $1,000 for a 7 night cruise, so we have taken our time deciding on sailing with them. We don't drink, so don't bring any alcohol onboard, but do bring soda/water/juice, so it's disappointing and surprising that they charge the corkage fee without just cause, and your video is the first I've heard that information. Granted I haven't researched NCL yet, and your video is my first look inside 1 of their ships, so I appreciate you providing the info at the beginning of the video and reiterating it during your recap bc it IS an important fact to know beforehand, and can be easily overlooked, since it's not a cruise industry standard. I look fwd to supporting more videos from you! Up next for us is Utopia, Wonder (almost B2B) then Icon... but we DID just do Carnival Firenze twice in the last month, so we are NOT Royal exclusives like it seems!😂😂😂
Yes, I’m not a clubber, but even if I was, that would not have been the scene for me! 😂 This was my first time on NCL as well and I’m sailing to get a feel for the ship and policies. Now the corkage fee is only about f you decline their free at sea and don’t get a drinks package. I looked up their policy which did not specify the number of bottles you could bring. It stated a corkage fee, but not that it would apply whether they uncorked it or not. As you stated, on other lines you’re charged if you bring it to the restaurant. This fee was just for bringing it onboard. I would have appreciated a clear statement. I should have to dig to piece things together and figure it out. Thank you for subbing! I saw that you were vlogger earlier and subbed to your channel as well. Looking forward to your vlogs too! I had sails Carnival 25 times before starting to try other lines. Last year, I didn’t sail Carnival once. This year I have Virgin, Princess and Holland on deck for my first solo cruise experiences!
@SIGCruiser thank you for your support! Yes, I'm not a clubbers either...except for Howard Homecoming!🤣🤣🤣 I usually do try to stop by the club though, mostly for footage or if traveling with other people who want to check it out, but your moment was FUNNY...like uhh, yeah no, exec thug that IS a good song!🤣🤣🤣 We have Princess in our sights roo, but just have to find time to schedule her in. It is nice online meeting you!😘😘😘
I can't wait to hear of your experience on a larger NCL ship. I do think eventually I will try one of their newer ships, but it will be a minute. I also think that it might be this particular ship because I've heard great feedback on the Pearl. I originally had that one booked before I switched to the Breakaway. I may go back and try the Pearl too.
I enjoy cruises at various price points. When price points are a bit higher, I do expect better amenities, services, experiences, etc. This wasn’t horrible. But yes, for a pricier cruise, I expected better. Thank you so much for watching and commenting.
@SIGCruiser I'm going to always go to the beach❤️ and I'm going to always get in the water but I think....I just want to know that someone is on watch for me😁 That way, I feel more free in the water and I'm always chasing that feeling.
I know!!!! It takes a lot for me to look at something negatively. But I do think it's because, over the past year, I've had the opportunity to experience quite a few cruise lines, and I'm comparing experiences. This one didn't measure up to some of the others, even though the pricing is either the same or more than others.
I never realized how much those apps make a difference until this cruise. This was the first time since having an app that I actually opted to carry the paper schedule with me instead. I have NEVER done that!
I hope you found it helpful! Just things to watch out for on your own cruise if you've never sailed. But your experience can be totally different! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
I’m not sure that booking on a ship that carries 4000 guests and then complaining it’s crowded is a legitimate reason to complain? Just saying. Book on smaller ships like I do for a different cruise experience. The Atrium is always jammed on Day 1…..Experienced cruisers know that. Yes, the app can be frustrating at times. I think in time it will improve. I still like human contact with guest services when they’re not too busy if I need info. You can often get some good advice too. Remember, NCL is trying to embrace solo cruisers more than any other line and I appreciate that. No cruise is perfect. Glad you felt better by end of vlog. Cruise on!
All ships have crowded areas that I avoid. That’s what I was showing. This was my first NCL cruise so no, I didn’t know about the Atrium and how crowded it is. Other cruise lines don’t have crowded atriums like NCL because they spread their events out in different areas. I’ve only seen this now on NVL so far. But that’s the great thing about cruising different lives for the first time. You discover similarities and differences…some good, some not so good. It sounds like NCL is a great solo experience for you and that’s great to hear! It’s okay if it’s not the greatest experience for everyone. Yes I do find it frustrating to pay more and find that things like the cruise app process a lesser user friendly experience than less expensive cruise lines. I don’t ever prefer to have to go to guest services for standard cruise information . It’s great that there are options that everyone can choose from to find what’s best for them too. So glad you found your preference! Thank you so much for watching, sharing, and commenting! Cruise on! ❤️❤️❤️
Omg you stepping in pee,lol j/k. We have cruised NCL once and did not have a good experience. I think the shorter cruises might be a challenge with this line.
Oh noooooo! Don't tell me that! I scrubbed my feet so hard in the shower that night! LOL Well, if the shorter cruises are a challenge for them, it doesn't incite me to do longer cruises! LOL!
Thanks for a great video. It has cemented for me that we will NEVER sail NCL ever again. We've sailed with them 3 times in the past, but last one was way back in 2007. We'll stick with Princess, Celebrity, maybe will try Holland and may even go more upscale with lines like Silversea or Oceania.
I was going to say never say never...but you've sailed them 3 times already. This one my first sailing with them so I do want to try again on a newer ship. But yes, now I LOVE Celebrity and looking forward to trying Celebrity and Princess. Oceania is on my list as well! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@SIGCruiser Yes, I have 3 cruises on Celebrity and a 4th coming up later this year, and 35 cruises on Princess with a 36th (a transatlantic) already booked for 2025. Many of our cruises, by the way, are 14 days or longer -- just did one in April/May for 32 nights. Would never be able to survive a long one on NCL with the product it now offers.
@neresq oh nice!!!! I want to be you one day! But I’m looking forward to my first Princess experience in the fall. With 35 Princess cruises, I’m sure you recommend them! 😂
I deleted my comment by mistake. Great review. Seems discrepancies with the app and paper schedule, the flood and the corkage fee the negatives. But I’m lost cuz you said whether they see the bottle or not? Or you drank it in your room? Did the steward supply the wine opener or you had your own? I’m missing something.
That's what I'm saying, Cydney! I had a bottle of prosecco. I popped the cork myself. Champagne bottle top so no corkscrew needed. The only person who saw my bottle was the check-in agent in the terminal...lol. So basically it's a $15 fee per bottle to bring wine/champagne onboard. It wouldn't even disturb me as much if they just stated that rather than calling it a corking fee.
When you go through security to get inside the terminal, they scan your bag (same process as others). When they see you have bottles in your carryon, they send you to the "liquor table." LOL At the liquor table, yes, they record your room number and how many bottle you have (you have to take them out) and they charge the $15/bottle to your room. Now, you can decide to throw the bottles away (likely the port people would relieve you of it) or take it to your car if you drove...lol But again, all this is if you did not have the drink package (their Free at Sea promo).
Hello Gloria! So when the port agents scan your bags and see that you have bottles before you get on the ship, they charge you a corking fee right then and there. So if f you open and drink in tour cabin (and the ship crew don’t see it) they are charging you a corking fee…even though they don’t see it or uncork it. But mind you, if you have the drink package or Free and Sea promotion, this won’t apply.
Very Interesting take on NCL Solo cruising... I can't wait to eventually book mines and create my Solo VLog... But Yeah, I just Sub'd to you and looking forward to more Solo cruise reviews from your perspective... #MelaninAtSea #Salute take care and Peace Your TH-cam peer Dj Skillz From Philly, PA
Definitely!!!! We need as many perspectives as possible! Two people can sail the same ship and have two different experiences and opinions…and both may be true. 😊 To me, it’s the “why.” Please let me know when you do your solo vlogs, DJ Skillz! ❤️❤️❤️
I was on the breakaway 6/2 sailing. It was my first on NCL. Food was better than carnival &RC but the entertainment was lacking. Sail away parties were non existent?! Debarking at ports went pretty quickly as well for it being a sold out sailing. I don’t plan on sailing with NCL anytime soon.
I never made it to the sailaway because they had the solo meet up at the same time. But someone said it was really good on our sailing. Yes sounds like you’ve had better experiences too. Thank you so much for sharing your experience! ❤️❤️❤️
Since you had a solo stateroom did you have access to the solo lounge? Just because there are washing stations doesn't mean passengers will use them. When we went on NCL the food wasn't good and the casino wasn't operated right. Doesn't sound like you had a good experience. If you give NCL another chance is up to you. But, you now know what they are.
Hey Harlan!!! Yes, if you're in a solo cabin, you get access to the lounge. You are absolutely right. Because the only time most people stopped to wash their hands is when they had crew there directing them to do so. And you still saw a minor few step right beside them to continue into the buffet without washing their hands. No, I would not rate this as one of my best cruise experiences. It seemed lacking to me for the price. Yes, I do want to try one of their newer ships eventually. Not in a rush to do so though.
@@SIGCruiser My wife and I went on an NCL cruise. Our first cruises were with Carnival and they were with new ships. My wife liked new ships. She didn't like the NCL cruise as I didn't like it either. I don't know how they are now, but, NCL was the only cruise line we were on that closed the buffett area when they weren't serving meals. There were many other problems too.
Oh wow! See now I didn't experience closed buffets on my ship. But there are so many other cruise lines and ships out there. I agree if you had a very negative experience on one ship, go with a different one. I don't believe in giving my money to a business for repeat bad service.
Is that really a "solo" cabin? Is that not just an ocean view cabin that you paid double occupancy for? NCL has solo cabins much smaller that are in the studio lounge.
They converted some of their interior, oceanview, and balcony cabins to solo cabins across their fleet. I haven't checked to see if these are the same dimensions or smaller cabin dimensions of each cabin category. But yes, it felt like a normal sized oceaniview cabin. But no, I did purchase it under the solo cabin category where it states an occupancy of one person for the rate. Yes, the studio cabins are much smaller at 100 sq. ft.
I had planned to go to Cagney's but never did. I heard it was really great though. I'd be willing to give NCL another try...but on another ship though! Thank you so much for chiming in!
Thank you so much!!!! I appreciate you! And so glad to hear about your first ever NCL solo cruise! Like I said in the previous video, their solo cruiser program is the best ever. I'm sure you're going to enjoy it if you like meeting others on the ship. I would love to hear about your first impressions when you sail!
Yes...I consider them minor inconveniences. They weren't dealbreakers. But when you want to have a relaxing and enjoyable vacation, having a few of those minor inconveniences can have an affect on your cruise. But still, it was better than being at home!
Won’t be booking NCL any time soon . The Atrium was to congested , room service menu was minimal , $$$ and my husband had flu 😷. I had to bring food from food court. Pub was only 24 hr I think . Let’s not talk about the drink pkg cost ? Sorry NCL Breakaway , not a fan 😒
I don’t know why you’re complaining about the bottle of wine for everybody knows all you have to do is read before you get on the boat that they charge you any bottle they don’t want you to bring your own bottle of wine which is no problem at all you don’t bring wine to restaurants And you make a big deal about the wine does Norwegian drink package is one of the greatest things they have and only come to like $20 a day to buy drinks
Yeah…you missed the point. Even if you don’t take it to the restaurant, there’s still a charge. The charge is before you get on the ship. And the charge is for a service that is NOT provided. Thank you for watching!
Right. But I’ve never seen a restaurant inviting you to bring your own bottle of wine either. Cruise lines do. NCL does. Other cruise lines charge a corking fee only if they actually provide the service. NCL charges the fee even if they don’t provide the service. And I never took the bottle to the restaurant. I opened it myself and drank it in my cabin.
The problem is that NO other cruise line charges a corkage fee to bring your own bottles onboard. Cruising is different than land, with different rules and options. Restaurants don't charge for water, but the ship itself does, so apples to oranges comparisons, as far as the bringing onboard corkage fee. The other cruise lines have a corkage fee IF you bring the bottle to the RESTAURANT, but not simply for bringing it onboard, when it is an allowable item to bring onboard. That's like charging for bringing sodas and water onboard, which is a much more fair and accurate comparison. MSC and Virgin are the only lines I'm aware of that do NOT allow you to bring soda, water, champagne or wine onboard, however, Virgin includes all essential drinks in the cruise fare. A person shouldn't HAVE to feel the need to purchase a drink package, despite the "decent" pricing of they are not avid drinkers or sharing a room with a non-drinker, meaning they will not utilize the value of the package. That's partially the REASON cruise lines allow you to bring your own drinks onboard (if a restaurant ALLOWED you to bring you own bottle, you wouldn't feel it was out of place to do so). Many people only want an occasional glass of wine or champagne, and frankly, most who bring they own bottles find the either never opened it, or didn't finish a whole bottle because you have to REMEMBER to drink it when the ship typically has you out of ur room more often than in. Same goes for non-alcoholic drinks. So it's not common practice in the cruise industry to charge a "just because" corkage fee for someone to do EXTRA research looking for hidden fees, and especially for bottles that may or may not become uncorked during the sailing.
@hangingwiththehowards ❤️❤️❤️ ALL of this! Thank you so much for the detailed response. This better explains it. And love your last points…worth bringing my own bottle, I still purchase drinks here and there. And there have been sailings where I ended up y bottle back home. Your comparisons are 100% on point. Thank you so much for commenting! ❤️❤️❤️
One and done with NCL. Sailed on Spirit with miserable, disinterested staff. The butler and cabin steward were fabulous but were quitting. Food not impressive. Didn’t like dinner? Waiter didn’t care. Only cruise ever where we couldn’t wait to get off the ship.
People will always find something to complain and bitch about. No matter what. You felt nickel and dimmed, but does that take away from the actual beauty of the ship? Does it take away the ocean views from the different spots on the ship? Etc. etc. be grateful that you can go on a ship like the breakaway while other people sit on their balconies for a vacation. Be thankful.
Obviously you didn’t watch to the end where I make points such as this still being better than being home and that these negatives wouldn’t prevent me from sailing NCL again (and that the viewer shouldn’t be prevented from sailing because no cruise is perfect). I share both positives and negatives throughout the vlog, sharing my actual experience. Thank you for commenting though.
i am glad i found your channel. i will be doing my frist solo in sept of next year. on holland. and i am also gluetan free. you seem to have a great personality also. so looking forward to your videos
Thank you so much for stopping by! And I am doing my first Holland cruise in November! Hopefully I will have some things to share with you for your cruise. Thank you so much for the feedback and thank you for watching and commenting!
Yes, I've heard that too, Betty. But even so, I'm a firm believer in trying things for myself....well, as long as the price is do-able...LOL. But yes, I will be sailing on Holland very soon to try it out for myself.
I didn't really experience that on this ship. Well, there was only one show. I think I went 30 minutes early and got a seat in the back (my preference) with a decent view. Hate to hear about having to get to a show THAT early on a ship!
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As a frequent solo traveler on NCL because of the reduced rates for the studio cabins (no double cabin charges) and their free at sea package, I beg to disagree with you. With the package I usually find that I only end up with the daily service/tip fee on my bill at the end of my cruise. I usually choose unlimited drinks, 150 minutes of internet, $50 off excursions, and 2 specialty dining meals for my free at sea. I can see going with the basic package if you're not a drinker, enjoy buffets, and plan to explore ports on your own. But not choosing the free at sea promo pricing is a false economy that's going to cost you more in the end. Just my 2 cents.
Yes, we can definitely agree to disagree. So far on NCL the rates I’ve seen for solos have only been 5%-10% cheaper than an equivalent cabin at double occupancy (I’ve only priced a few so I realize there could be bigger savings somewhere in there. I just haven’t come across them yet). The studio cabins were the same or higher than an inside cabin at double occupancy. I did a video on the pricing breakdown to show rather than it just being my hearsay. But their free at sea is not a value for me because I want premium WiFi which you still have to pay an additional amount for. On this sailing, I didn’t care for shore excursions (no plans to get off the ship) or specialty diving (I prefer quick service). The basic rate that I got was much lower. Even with the drinks that I purchased, my overall price was less than the fare with Free at Sea. Everyone has different preferences when sailing and I’m so happy that it works for you and your situation. It came out cheaper for me doing it my way. Just different strokes for different folks. 😊
I was on the NCL Breakaway end of Apr-early May. I was not only a solo cruiser but a first time cruiser. I had a blast. I'm going to watch your other videos. You did a great job of this review.
That is so great to hear! This was just one experience. And even though it wasn’t the best for me, that will not stop me from trying another NCL ship. Thank you so much for the feedback! ❤️❤️❤️
I do love NCL. I’ve sailed on the Breakaway, Joy, Bliss, Getaway and Gem. Soon to sail solo on Epic. Always 7 days or longer. They are certainly not perfect, but overall I believe they try to give something to the solo traveler.
Enjoyed the video! Hope you do have some good experiences.
I agree, Regina! In the video before this one, I shared the solo group and meet up experience on the NCL Breakaway. NCL is the absolute best for solos who want to connect and meet others on the ship. That's not really me so the ship is important to me. For me, I just feel I can have better experiences on other lines for the same price (or cheaper). But yes, I'm already booked on another NCL ship already! Thank you so much for watching and commenting.
Hello SIG, thanks so much for the insight into NCL's Solo Cruise Experience. So much great information covered in 15 minutes and in such an interesting way. Wishing your channel much success, from one content creator to the other. You have a new subscriber in US.
Thank you! I subbed your channel as well!
We just got home from a Mediterranean Cruise on NCL... was fantastic! The food, the shows, the service, cozy cabin, comfy bed, lovely shower...we stayed away from the Atrium on the ship and found lots of getaway areas with food and drink. We loved the freestyle...eating when you want, where you want. Excursions were well organized. Would do NCL cruise again in a heartbeat.
That sounds like an awesome experience! I do hope my next NCL experience on a different ship is like yours. I do plan to try them again on a newer ship. Thank you so much for sharing your positive experience! ❤️❤️❤️
I always travel with NCL and I love it, food, entertainment, cabin all is fantastic. I’m not agree with you at all but I respect!
I’m do glad to hear you enjoy it! Your opinion of NCL is not wrong. People can have different experiences on ships and that is completely okay. My absolute favorite is Celebrity…but I do plan to sail NCL again on a newer ship someday. Thank you so much for commenting! ❤️
Hi Cheryl, this was so nice. You had the right idea about that atrium, I was getting anxiety, whoa that noise. You truly found a nice spot afterwards. This was super informative. I noticed some people received their bags nice n early. I liked that, a lot. Thank you for sharing, lots of great information.Have a wonderful week, Sweetheart. See you in the next on.
Hey Etta! Yes, and that Atrium stayed like that for most of the cruise. It was definitely a "central hub!" And yes, NCL did well on the bag delivery. It's always nice to go to your cabin for the first time and see your bag there waiting for you! Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Etta!
@@SIGCruiser Always a pleasure dear.
Ha ha! Introvert solo traveler meetup would be a thing!
Yes! Party together at the same time in our own rooms! LOL!
Thanks for the great review. Too bad it was not all that you were expecting but glad it didn’t totally deter you from giving NCL another chance. Although I love Carnival, I have been enjoying you stepping outside of CCL and showing us other solo cruiser options from other cruise lines. Stay blessed. ✌🏾🛳️🌺
Thank you so much for the feedback, Keshia! And yes, even the negatives weren't enough for me to say I would never cruise again. If anything, it sets my expectations for what to expect when I sail again on a different ship. I still love Carnival but it has been a great experience trying different cruise lines. Also, I do think that plays into why I had negatives on this ship. Cruising multiple lines and ships gives you a wider range of comparisons. Thank you so much, as always, for watching and commenting, Keshia!
Great vlog, Sig! Finally getting to catch up on the series. Looks like you went through some things that first day, but love how you put things in perspective and still managed to enjoy yourself. The fact that the service was great goes a long way. I am mad at them with that corkage fee though...lol. Looking forward to catching up on more videos.
Yeah, I think no matter what line or what sailing, everything's not always going to be 100% perfect. Regardless, you're still on a cruise and still on vacation. There were good things and not so good things about this sailing, but I still had a good cruise over all. Thanks so much for watching and supporting, Regina!
Oohwee! Yes, Breakaway!!! Break away🤣 Worst I’ve ever been on. I stated my reasons in one of your other vids. One turnoff for me was whenever I saw the cruise director, he was always flanked by a staff member on each side of him. It was like, here comes the king and his cronies. His demeanor and posture demonstrated that, in my opinion. 🤷🏾
Rockaway Duo was on there in 2022. I enjoyed them. The atrium area was often busy. I had a much, much better experience on NCL Prima. Thanks for your review. I concur!!!
Oh, wow, Anthony! I do remember that the Breakway was not a positive experience for you either. But it's encouraging to hear that you liked the Prima better. I know it's a newer ship and I want to sail one of their newer ships. But this Breakaway experience got me wondering if it would be worth my money...lol
I am enjoying watching solo cruiser being that this will be my new norm starting 2025 ❤
OMG! I love how you said that! “My new norm.” Indeed!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hi thank you for your videos. Can you please tell me overall how your gluten free experience was? I'm sailing on NCL Getaway next fall, and I have celiac.
Overall, I felt the GF experience was just okay. To me, I wouldn’t starve and had basic GF options (protein & veggies). The most frustrating experience for me was having to pre-order in the buffet. I’ve never experienced that on other ships. And usually I can get things like GF pancakes or French toast without pre-ordering. You won’t starve but I’ve just had better GF experiences on other cruise lines and ships.
But I’m NCGS. I think for celiac, the experience is PERFECT. They are EXTREMELY careful and prepare GF options in separate areas. They were EXTREMELY sensitive to food allergies.
I'm writing this after the fact - what did you not like about Virgin Voyages? I've gone on three of their cruises and I don't think I would go again because I was bored after the second cruise and couldn't get out of the third one. The food was good, but I wasn't impressed with the entertainment and I found there wasn't much to do as a solo cruiser on their ships.
I went on a solo cruise on NCL Breakaway and stayed in one of their inside solo rooms on deck 10. It was my first experience with an inside room and it wasn't that bad, although it was only 100 sq. ft. and I couldn't unpack fully. It was very cozy. While I wasn't crazy about the inside room, it was in a private solo only area with it's own lounge. What I really liked about the NCL solo experience was that we had our own concierge that got all the solo folks on the ship together for activities and it was a lot of fun. I was never alone unless I wanted to be. I've found that going to solo meetups is a mixed bag. I've attracted the person who wants to be attached at the hip and who is super upset when she doesn't get invited to everything the other women are doing and worked hard not to let that person ruin my cruise! I do remember the $15 corkage fee. They said for $15 I would get a corkscrew along with two nice wine glasses and an ice bucket to put my champagne in - none of which I received. I was blown away by the deck party and I don't usually go to stuff like that. I remember NCL as being a median cruise. Everything was just okay - food, entertainment, ship, etc. I've haven't booked an NCL cruise again, but I would if the ports and price were right. This video was helpful and well-done. Thank you.
My issues surrounded my gluten intolerance, ill-informed crew and their offerings. I didn't know Virgin and was told that things were not gluten free when they were or the choices were bad. I gave feedback of my horrible experience in their app and they corrected the information I received immediately. Then I learned of more options. It's hard to have a great time when you're hungry and everyone is have a great food experience except you. I was with friends on that sailing and had a good time after I got the food issue ironed out. But I want to go back again because I didn't experience a lot on the ship because I was with friends. I had a great time, but I think it was because of my friends. I didn't experience much of the entertainment and didn't participate in their solo cruiser meet up. So, I'm going to give it another try
I do think that NCL's solo cruiser program and amenities are absolutely great! I'm like you in not looking to be joined at the hip and fear situations like you described. So I'm not likely to do that again...lol. And for the corkage fee...yeah, they didn't even bother to lie to me about getting extras...lol. I agree...NCL was okay but nothing wowed me about it. I would go again too if there was a good deal.
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!!!
Miss well done. Will be watching more as I just completed a solo Carnival cruise. Yes, it cost double!!
God Bless
Thank you so much! Yes, it's double on Carnival...but yet can be less expensive than solo on NCL, depending on your sailing. :-) Thank you so much for watching!
We've never sailed NCL, but we've heard mixed reviews. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Yes, and as we say...we still got to try it for ourselves. I heard the mixed reviews too. Thank you so much for watching!
Headed on my 20th cruise for Halloween. NCL Breakaway was one of my favorites!
That’s great to hear and I’m so excited for you! Everybody has different experiences, perspectives, and preferences, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Have a great time on your next NCL Breakaway sailing! ❤️❤️❤️
Cheryl, I am "Carnivalized" and it laids dormant until I am on another cruise line, then it comes to the surface 😂. So, I truly fight to keep a open mind, accept with Celebrity, love them! 🥰
Now Celebrity is my cruise line! LOL And Carnival too! But yes, it's hard not to compare. ESPECIALLY when you're paying more but feel like the experience is less. But yes, it's hard to keep an open mind when you have other experiences!
What i really dislike about ncl and I've been on quite a few. Is that i got every night around 4 messages on my cabin phone to visit the cruise next booth. It became very annoying. I didn't like msc seascape, and carnival is just too rowdy for me. Wanting to try Holland and princess. Have you been on any of those cruise lines? Virgin is too young for me I'm 58.
Oh wow! I wasn't even thinking about that but I got the messages on my phone everyday as well! And that was on a 4-day cruise and annoying. I can't imagine a 7-day...lol
I was wondering if their bigger and newer ships would be better. I do want to try but it's like I'm not anxious to waste my money...lol
I do enjoy Carnival but now I look forward to the Vista class and above. I never hang with the crowds on any cruise line/ship so I feel good with Carnival. I haven't been on Holland or Princess yet but have BOTH of them booked for this year, so stay tuned!!!! I'm so excited to try both as a solo cruiser.
And also, I sailed Virgin once with friends. I had a great time with my friends but still unsure if I actually enjoyed the ship (because I hung with my friens). I have that booked again this year as a solo cruiser so I can actually experience the ship. But I'm 58 and I didn't feel like the ship was too young for me. But I need this do-over by myself to confirm.
My husband used a fork or spoon handle and pushed the cork down into the wine. 🍷 no way we were paying $30 dollars for them to open it lol
I had a champagne bottle and popped the cork myself. If you didn't buy their drink package, they charged you for it BEFORE you got on the ship! Outside of checkin, no one even saw my bottle...lol
I definitely want to try a solo cruise
I hope you can soon. I'm sure you will love it!
Cork fees are a little high just to twist out the cork!! If you want to remove it yourself you should be able to for no charge. Lots of great info in this video!!
Yes, I'd rather them call it what it is. A fee for bringing on the wine they allow you to bring on board! LOL Thank you so much for the feedback and thank you for watching and commenting!
Thanks for your review on NCL. I have sailed a few times with them , and only stayed in the solo studio room. After seeing the Ocean view room I will try it on my next cruise. I hope your cruise is better tomorrow.
I want to go back one day and try the studio cabin just for the experience. Maybe if I can find a 3-day...lol. And even though this day didn't rank high on my list of cruise experiences, it still wasn't enough to make me say I'd never sail again. I would try a different ship. Thanks so much as always for watching and commenting!
I am a repeated NCL solo cruiser, and on various NCL ships. I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE NCL!
On my last cruise, I enjoyed a Solo *balcony* cabin.
NCL's Solo staterooms, except the Studio, are simply the regular staterooms allocated to the respective categories. Hence, there is no difference in size and layout and amenities from the non-Solo cabins of the same category.
That's good to know! I was wondering if the cabins were exactly the same as the regular cabins. So glad to hear that you love NCL as a solo cruiser. I'm looking forward to trying them again! Thank you for watching and commenting!
Where did this cruise go? Did I miss that? Glad you like your stateroom! Have you been to Norway 🇳🇴 ?
Hey Rorie! No, I've never been to Norway...yet. :-) Oops! Did I not say it in this vlog? We went to Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay! Thank you so much for watching!
Wow! I was on the Bliss and experienced similar. The bands were on repeat, I felt lulls in entertainment during the evenings, and the Local was the only late night option for a ship full of people! I did love the solo studio. It was my own little cocoon. I'll have to give NCL another try, but it's a walk, not a run.
I will tell you....until this vlog, I never knew so many people had similar experiences. Yes, I thought the solo cabin, lounge and meetups were all awesome. But that particular ship, I wouldn't want to do again. Agreed...I would sail NCL again but a walk, not run. Thank you so much for commenting!!!
Thank you for sharing, I had planned a cruise with this particular cruise line, now I can cancel it,again thank you for the 411
Oh no, Karen! I wouldn’t recommend that at all! Always try a cruise line and ship for yourself. Two people can have two completely different experiences on even the same sailing. Reviews are great for things to look out for on your own cruise. If you check the comments, while this doesn’t top the list for me, there are a few others in the comments you LOVE NCL or even the NCL Breakaway. Experience it for yourself! ❤️❤️❤️
heyas Sig hope your doing well i am curious what things you suggest doing solo while on a carnival cruise i board my first solo cruise in 2 weeks
Hey there! That depends on your cruising style and what you like. Ships have many different activities to cater to every cruise style. When I work with my clients, I have a discussion with them to find out what they like so I can recommend different things. Definitely make sure you download their app and go through their activities to see what interests you! I'm sure you will have a great time!
I hated the Breakaway, it felt cramped to me. However the solo cabins are a lot better than they were in 2013.
Ahhh… Yes, although I didn’t care for the ship either, I enjoyed my solo ocean view cabin. Very comfortable! Thank you so much for sharing! ❤️
Dope review and insight
Thank you so much for the feedback! And thank you for watching and commenting!
Glad I watched this first.
I hope that means you got some good tips!
@ I did, thanks
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Great vlog Cheryl!
Thank you, RacQuelle! ❤️❤️❤️
Fantastic review. So objective!
Thank you so much for the feedback. And thank you for watching and commenting!
Those cork fees are ridiculous, especially if I’m permitted to bring the bottle onboard.
Bit flooded bathroom 😮lol.
I hope your 2nd day was better.
I'm like, just call it what it is....a fee to bring bottles onboard! LOL
@@SIGCruiser haha right!
Yeah that corkage fee is ridiculous.
It truly is!
I see why you walked in and right back out of the club!😂😂😂 new subscriber here! Hopefully we cruise together 1 day and can meet. Haven't sailed NCL yet bc their comped cruises have a $20/day/person Admin fee that brings the comped cruise total to almost $1,000 for a 7 night cruise, so we have taken our time deciding on sailing with them. We don't drink, so don't bring any alcohol onboard, but do bring soda/water/juice, so it's disappointing and surprising that they charge the corkage fee without just cause, and your video is the first I've heard that information. Granted I haven't researched NCL yet, and your video is my first look inside 1 of their ships, so I appreciate you providing the info at the beginning of the video and reiterating it during your recap bc it IS an important fact to know beforehand, and can be easily overlooked, since it's not a cruise industry standard. I look fwd to supporting more videos from you! Up next for us is Utopia, Wonder (almost B2B) then Icon... but we DID just do Carnival Firenze twice in the last month, so we are NOT Royal exclusives like it seems!😂😂😂
Yes, I’m not a clubber, but even if I was, that would not have been the scene for me! 😂 This was my first time on NCL as well and I’m sailing to get a feel for the ship and policies. Now the corkage fee is only about f you decline their free at sea and don’t get a drinks package. I looked up their policy which did not specify the number of bottles you could bring. It stated a corkage fee, but not that it would apply whether they uncorked it or not. As you stated, on other lines you’re charged if you bring it to the restaurant. This fee was just for bringing it onboard. I would have appreciated a clear statement. I should have to dig to piece things together and figure it out.
Thank you for subbing! I saw that you were vlogger earlier and subbed to your channel as well. Looking forward to your vlogs too! I had sails Carnival 25 times before starting to try other lines. Last year, I didn’t sail Carnival once. This year I have Virgin, Princess and Holland on deck for my first solo cruise experiences!
@SIGCruiser thank you for your support! Yes, I'm not a clubbers either...except for Howard Homecoming!🤣🤣🤣 I usually do try to stop by the club though, mostly for footage or if traveling with other people who want to check it out, but your moment was FUNNY...like uhh, yeah no, exec thug that IS a good song!🤣🤣🤣 We have Princess in our sights roo, but just have to find time to schedule her in. It is nice online meeting you!😘😘😘
😂😂😂😂 Nice meeting you online too! Maybe we will cross ships one day! 😁
I’ve only sailed on the smaller NCL ships Pearl and Dawn. Loved that experience. Seems the larger ships may have a different vibe. I shall soon see.
I can't wait to hear of your experience on a larger NCL ship. I do think eventually I will try one of their newer ships, but it will be a minute. I also think that it might be this particular ship because I've heard great feedback on the Pearl. I originally had that one booked before I switched to the Breakaway. I may go back and try the Pearl too.
@@SIGCruiser I think Epic is newer. But I have a feeling that club vibe may be the same on all NCL ships but we shall see 🤣🤣
It was packed tho...LOL!
@@SIGCruiser😂
😂😂😂
NCL Solo suite is too rich for my blood, good review though, you're not being picky glad you gave it to them
I enjoy cruises at various price points. When price points are a bit higher, I do expect better amenities, services, experiences, etc. This wasn’t horrible. But yes, for a pricier cruise, I expected better. Thank you so much for watching and commenting.
The beach looks lovely. Love solo travel and solo cruising but didn't like going to the beach solo.
Really, Stephanie? Any particular reason?
@SIGCruiser I'm going to always go to the beach❤️ and I'm going to always get in the water but I think....I just want to know that someone is on watch for me😁 That way, I feel more free in the water and I'm always chasing that feeling.
@stephanied.k.3589 Ahhh! Gotcha! I can completely understand that! ❤️
Great Vlog!!!! very informative!!!! Thanks!!!
Thank you so much for the feedback, Maggie!!! And thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Why in the world would they block the wake view with a tv screen wow😮
I really REALLY hope that was water you stepped in 😳
Me too!!!!!!
Thank you SIG very informative. Next time I will do SOLO cruiser. Very lovely lady.
Yay! Yes you must try solo cruising at least once! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! ❤️
Yay! Yes you must try solo cruising at least once! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! ❤️
Interesting, 1st time I've heard you have a negative experience. I guess 1 out of 30 isn't bad. 😀🐸
I know!!!! It takes a lot for me to look at something negatively. But I do think it's because, over the past year, I've had the opportunity to experience quite a few cruise lines, and I'm comparing experiences. This one didn't measure up to some of the others, even though the pricing is either the same or more than others.
Hello! Thank you for sharing!
Thank YOU for watching and commenting, Brenda! I appreciate you! ❤️❤️❤️
Boy u r not lying about NCL app Carnival spoiled me when it comes to the app.
I never realized how much those apps make a difference until this cruise. This was the first time since having an app that I actually opted to carry the paper schedule with me instead. I have NEVER done that!
Wow this is certainly an eye opener
I hope you found it helpful! Just things to watch out for on your own cruise if you've never sailed. But your experience can be totally different! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
I’m not sure that booking on a ship that carries 4000 guests and then complaining it’s crowded is a legitimate reason to complain? Just saying. Book on smaller ships like I do for a different cruise experience. The Atrium is always jammed on Day 1…..Experienced cruisers know that. Yes, the app can be frustrating at times. I think in time it will improve. I still like human contact with guest services when they’re not too busy if I need info. You can often get some good advice too. Remember, NCL is trying to embrace solo cruisers more than any other line and I appreciate that. No cruise is perfect. Glad you felt better by end of vlog. Cruise on!
All ships have crowded areas that I avoid. That’s what I was showing. This was my first NCL cruise so no, I didn’t know about the Atrium and how crowded it is. Other cruise lines don’t have crowded atriums like NCL because they spread their events out in different areas. I’ve only seen this now on NVL so far. But that’s the great thing about cruising different lives for the first time. You discover similarities and differences…some good, some not so good. It sounds like NCL is a great solo experience for you and that’s great to hear! It’s okay if it’s not the greatest experience for everyone. Yes I do find it frustrating to pay more and find that things like the cruise app process a lesser user friendly experience than less expensive cruise lines. I don’t ever prefer to have to go to guest services for standard cruise information . It’s great that there are options that everyone can choose from to find what’s best for them too. So glad you found your preference! Thank you so much for watching, sharing, and commenting! Cruise on! ❤️❤️❤️
Omg you stepping in pee,lol j/k. We have cruised NCL once and did not have a good experience. I think the shorter cruises might be a challenge with this line.
Oh noooooo! Don't tell me that! I scrubbed my feet so hard in the shower that night! LOL Well, if the shorter cruises are a challenge for them, it doesn't incite me to do longer cruises! LOL!
Thanks for a great video. It has cemented for me that we will NEVER sail NCL ever again. We've sailed with them 3 times in the past, but last one was way back in 2007. We'll stick with Princess, Celebrity, maybe will try Holland and may even go more upscale with lines like Silversea or Oceania.
I was going to say never say never...but you've sailed them 3 times already. This one my first sailing with them so I do want to try again on a newer ship. But yes, now I LOVE Celebrity and looking forward to trying Celebrity and Princess. Oceania is on my list as well! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@SIGCruiser Yes, I have 3 cruises on Celebrity and a 4th coming up later this year, and 35 cruises on Princess with a 36th (a transatlantic) already booked for 2025. Many of our cruises, by the way, are 14 days or longer -- just did one in April/May for 32 nights. Would never be able to survive a long one on NCL with the product it now offers.
@neresq oh nice!!!! I want to be you one day! But I’m looking forward to my first Princess experience in the fall. With 35 Princess cruises, I’m sure you recommend them! 😂
I deleted my comment by mistake. Great review. Seems discrepancies with the app and paper schedule, the flood and the corkage fee the negatives. But I’m lost cuz you said whether they see the bottle or not? Or you drank it in your room? Did the steward supply the wine opener or you had your own? I’m missing something.
That's what I'm saying, Cydney! I had a bottle of prosecco. I popped the cork myself. Champagne bottle top so no corkscrew needed. The only person who saw my bottle was the check-in agent in the terminal...lol. So basically it's a $15 fee per bottle to bring wine/champagne onboard. It wouldn't even disturb me as much if they just stated that rather than calling it a corking fee.
@@SIGCruiser so the check in person sees it, notes it and notifies or flags it and they just place the $15 on your account? Wow.
When you go through security to get inside the terminal, they scan your bag (same process as others). When they see you have bottles in your carryon, they send you to the "liquor table." LOL At the liquor table, yes, they record your room number and how many bottle you have (you have to take them out) and they charge the $15/bottle to your room. Now, you can decide to throw the bottles away (likely the port people would relieve you of it) or take it to your car if you drove...lol
But again, all this is if you did not have the drink package (their Free at Sea promo).
@@SIGCruiser got it. Thanks
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I don’t understand your comment that they charge a corkage fee if “they see it or not”. How would they know to charge the fee if they didn’t see it?
Hello Gloria! So when the port agents scan your bags and see that you have bottles before you get on the ship, they charge you a corking fee right then and there. So if f you open and drink in tour cabin (and the ship crew don’t see it) they are charging you a corking fee…even though they don’t see it or uncork it. But mind you, if you have the drink package or Free and Sea promotion, this won’t apply.
Great Content.. thank you…wish you could go with me on the Carnival Mardi Gras Aug 11th - Aug 17th……
Thank you so much! I won’t be on that sailing but I’m quite sure you will have a a GREAT time!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Very Interesting take on NCL Solo cruising... I can't wait to eventually book mines and create my Solo VLog... But Yeah, I just Sub'd to you and looking forward to more Solo cruise reviews from your perspective... #MelaninAtSea #Salute take care and Peace Your TH-cam peer Dj Skillz From Philly, PA
Definitely!!!! We need as many perspectives as possible! Two people can sail the same ship and have two different experiences and opinions…and both may be true. 😊 To me, it’s the “why.” Please let me know when you do your solo vlogs, DJ Skillz! ❤️❤️❤️
I was on the breakaway 6/2 sailing. It was my first on NCL. Food was better than carnival &RC but the entertainment was lacking. Sail away parties were non existent?! Debarking at ports went pretty quickly as well for it being a sold out sailing. I don’t plan on sailing with NCL anytime soon.
I never made it to the sailaway because they had the solo meet up at the same time. But someone said it was really good on our sailing. Yes sounds like you’ve had better experiences too. Thank you so much for sharing your experience! ❤️❤️❤️
I did not like that cruise
You sailed the Breakaway? Yes, it was definitely not my greatest cruise experience.
Just have many drinks, all of these problems will go away 😂
I think you are 100% correct, Liam! LOL!
I am a Solo cruiser so
NO NCL Breakaway for me. 😅
Oh wow! 😂 Have to tried them before?
Since you had a solo stateroom did you have access to the solo lounge? Just because there are washing stations doesn't mean passengers will use them. When we went on NCL the food wasn't good and the casino wasn't operated right. Doesn't sound like you had a good experience. If you give NCL another chance is up to you. But, you now know what they are.
Hey Harlan!!! Yes, if you're in a solo cabin, you get access to the lounge. You are absolutely right. Because the only time most people stopped to wash their hands is when they had crew there directing them to do so. And you still saw a minor few step right beside them to continue into the buffet without washing their hands. No, I would not rate this as one of my best cruise experiences. It seemed lacking to me for the price. Yes, I do want to try one of their newer ships eventually. Not in a rush to do so though.
@@SIGCruiser My wife and I went on an NCL cruise. Our first cruises were with Carnival and they were with new ships. My wife liked new ships. She didn't like the NCL cruise as I didn't like it either. I don't know how they are now, but, NCL was the only cruise line we were on that closed the buffett area when they weren't serving meals. There were many other problems too.
Oh wow! See now I didn't experience closed buffets on my ship. But there are so many other cruise lines and ships out there. I agree if you had a very negative experience on one ship, go with a different one. I don't believe in giving my money to a business for repeat bad service.
Is that really a "solo" cabin? Is that not just an ocean view cabin that you paid double occupancy for? NCL has solo cabins much smaller that are in the studio lounge.
They converted some of their interior, oceanview, and balcony cabins to solo cabins across their fleet. I haven't checked to see if these are the same dimensions or smaller cabin dimensions of each cabin category. But yes, it felt like a normal sized oceaniview cabin. But no, I did purchase it under the solo cabin category where it states an occupancy of one person for the rate. Yes, the studio cabins are much smaller at 100 sq. ft.
@@SIGCruiser Oh wow, that is interesting. It looked like a great solo cabin
It really was. I would book that type of cabin again in a heartbeat!
Yeah I did not like the Breakaway AT ALL. 2/10 and the 2 was for the buffet and Cagneys.
I had planned to go to Cagney's but never did. I heard it was really great though. I'd be willing to give NCL another try...but on another ship though! Thank you so much for chiming in!
Great videos. Let's not ignore the fact that your skin is POPPIN, sis. I'm taking my 1st ever NCL and solo early 2025.
Thank you so much!!!! I appreciate you! And so glad to hear about your first ever NCL solo cruise! Like I said in the previous video, their solo cruiser program is the best ever. I'm sure you're going to enjoy it if you like meeting others on the ship. I would love to hear about your first impressions when you sail!
You had so many things stacked against you on this cruise. Good for you for sticking it out.
Yes...I consider them minor inconveniences. They weren't dealbreakers. But when you want to have a relaxing and enjoyable vacation, having a few of those minor inconveniences can have an affect on your cruise. But still, it was better than being at home!
Won’t be booking NCL any time soon . The Atrium was to congested , room service menu was minimal , $$$ and my husband had flu 😷. I had to bring food from food court. Pub was only 24 hr I think . Let’s not talk about the drink pkg cost ? Sorry NCL Breakaway , not a fan 😒
There's nothing I can disagree with there. Yes, that Atrium was ALWAYS congested. And yes, expensive drink package. I agree.
I don’t know why you’re complaining about the bottle of wine for everybody knows all you have to do is read before you get on the boat that they charge you any bottle they don’t want you to bring your own bottle of wine which is no problem at all you don’t bring wine to restaurants And you make a big deal about the wine does Norwegian drink package is one of the greatest things they have and only come to like $20 a day to buy drinks
Yeah…you missed the point. Even if you don’t take it to the restaurant, there’s still a charge. The charge is before you get on the ship. And the charge is for a service that is NOT provided. Thank you for watching!
I meant out on the street you don’t bring a bottle of wine to a restaurant
Right. But I’ve never seen a restaurant inviting you to bring your own bottle of wine either. Cruise lines do. NCL does. Other cruise lines charge a corking fee only if they actually provide the service. NCL charges the fee even if they don’t provide the service. And I never took the bottle to the restaurant. I opened it myself and drank it in my cabin.
The problem is that NO other cruise line charges a corkage fee to bring your own bottles onboard. Cruising is different than land, with different rules and options. Restaurants don't charge for water, but the ship itself does, so apples to oranges comparisons, as far as the bringing onboard corkage fee. The other cruise lines have a corkage fee IF you bring the bottle to the RESTAURANT, but not simply for bringing it onboard, when it is an allowable item to bring onboard. That's like charging for bringing sodas and water onboard, which is a much more fair and accurate comparison. MSC and Virgin are the only lines I'm aware of that do NOT allow you to bring soda, water, champagne or wine onboard, however, Virgin includes all essential drinks in the cruise fare. A person shouldn't HAVE to feel the need to purchase a drink package, despite the "decent" pricing of they are not avid drinkers or sharing a room with a non-drinker, meaning they will not utilize the value of the package. That's partially the REASON cruise lines allow you to bring your own drinks onboard (if a restaurant ALLOWED you to bring you own bottle, you wouldn't feel it was out of place to do so). Many people only want an occasional glass of wine or champagne, and frankly, most who bring they own bottles find the either never opened it, or didn't finish a whole bottle because you have to REMEMBER to drink it when the ship typically has you out of ur room more often than in. Same goes for non-alcoholic drinks. So it's not common practice in the cruise industry to charge a "just because" corkage fee for someone to do EXTRA research looking for hidden fees, and especially for bottles that may or may not become uncorked during the sailing.
@hangingwiththehowards ❤️❤️❤️ ALL of this! Thank you so much for the detailed response. This better explains it. And love your last points…worth bringing my own bottle, I still purchase drinks here and there. And there have been sailings where I ended up y bottle back home. Your comparisons are 100% on point. Thank you so much for commenting! ❤️❤️❤️
One and done with NCL. Sailed on Spirit with miserable, disinterested staff. The butler and cabin steward were fabulous but were quitting. Food not impressive. Didn’t like dinner? Waiter didn’t care. Only cruise ever where we couldn’t wait to get off the ship.
Oh wow! I hate to hear that. Especially when you spend your hard earned money for a great vacation. I can understand why that would be a one and done.
People will always find something to complain and bitch about. No matter what. You felt nickel and dimmed, but does that take away from the actual beauty of the ship? Does it take away the ocean views from the different spots on the ship? Etc. etc. be grateful that you can go on a ship like the breakaway while other people sit on their balconies for a vacation. Be thankful.
Obviously you didn’t watch to the end where I make points such as this still being better than being home and that these negatives wouldn’t prevent me from sailing NCL again (and that the viewer shouldn’t be prevented from sailing because no cruise is perfect). I share both positives and negatives throughout the vlog, sharing my actual experience. Thank you for commenting though.
i am glad i found your channel. i will be doing my frist solo in sept of next year. on holland. and i am also gluetan free.
you seem to have a great personality also. so looking forward to your videos
Thank you so much for stopping by! And I am doing my first Holland cruise in November! Hopefully I will have some things to share with you for your cruise. Thank you so much for the feedback and thank you for watching and commenting!
Ive heard that Holland is super boring. Reason why i haven't gone yet@@SIGCruiser
Yes, I've heard that too, Betty. But even so, I'm a firm believer in trying things for myself....well, as long as the price is do-able...LOL. But yes, I will be sailing on Holland very soon to try it out for myself.
@@SIGCruiser same here I like to try myself
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Ain't nobody got time😀 for dat
😂😂😂
This video was unhelpful and lacking in real information about the solo experience
Gotcha. Thank you for your engagement, Wayne!
Breakaway ship was awful in my opinion
It was definitely my least favorite cruise ship experience, that's for sure. I hope all NCL ships are not the same.
The problem with Norwegian especially their damn shows is that you gotta get there two hours early because people sit there and wait for the show.
I didn't really experience that on this ship. Well, there was only one show. I think I went 30 minutes early and got a seat in the back (my preference) with a decent view. Hate to hear about having to get to a show THAT early on a ship!
Honestly i found this to be a whining mess..very much shedding you in bad light
Ok. Thank you for watching!
I’ve only sailed on the smaller NCL ships Pearl and Dawn. Loved that experience. Seems the larger ships may have a different vibe. I shall soon see.
Can't wait to see!