What a great deal, Zach. Years ago I went on a HAL cruise Miami, Panama canal, to Los Angeles for 23 days. Cost: $4800 played bingo every day that it was offered @$50 daily buy in. Won a few, $200 here, $500 there. The "coverall" was a rollover situation until 2 days before we disembarked. About 300-350 played that day and the amount of the pot was about $12,000. Well, I won!!! Payed for my and my partners cruise so it was basically a free cruise. Thanks B-13. I have the bingo card framed in my house to this day! Love your videos, can't wait for more👍😁❤️🌈❤️🌈
One point about the “free at sea” package: while it does include meal, a little internet, drinks, and a shore excursion credit in the base fare there is an add-on for gratuities for the meals and drinks in the final fare. The amount for meals is small but for drinks it’s several hundred dollars per person. If you’re not much of a drinker (I don’t drink at all) you can remove the drinks package and save that money.
I love the NCL Solo cruises and love that they have expanded to solo balcony as well! I've done 2 Caribbean cruises and going to Alaska next April! I don't drink alcohol so declined the "Free at Sea" bar - saved the $200+ on the tips. The Solo lounge had coffee and snacks, and many water stations around the ship. I save my pennies so I can travel more! lol
Taking my first ever cruise with NCL in December as a solo traveler. Twelve day transatlantic from U.K. to Miami. In an Oceanview cabin, free at sea package I'm in for 1,250.00; with neccessary flights and hotel, just over two grand. I'm looking forward to the experience.
I got a Solo 4 night cruise on the MSC Magnifica for $109 (plus taxes and fees) last april and got assigned a balcony room. I think that might be my best score so far.
Thank you, Zach! 1) I appreciate your transparency in this video. I now realize I paid a LOT more for a solo cruise on Virgin next May with the exact same itin, only it will be 5 instead of 7 days. I wish I'd known about this NCL itin before now but this gives me info for the future. 2) Please do more budget minded trips with transparency of cost. There is truth in what you said...if we cruise on a budget we get to cruise a lot more. Loved this video! 🙂
A cruise hack that I do is bring an insulated water bottled (with a handle) and fill it with water and some ice at the buffet. You can go to any bar and get a glass of water to refill while wandering around. NCL is my favorite! Leaving in 4 days on the Jade!
I totally agree with your points on NCL working well with solo cruisers - I'm so impressed at the focus being put on the solo market from Norwegian. My personal view is that the modern ships are so huge that it's simply not acceptable to offer rooms specially designed for the solo traveller. What a great deal you got on this one - I often struggle to get deals like this to them include grats etc - well done!
Totally agree that all new ships should have some solo staterooms! Because what do you mean it costs over $4000 USD for a solo traveler to have a 7 day cruise on the largest ship in the world?
Thanks Zach! That is an amazing deal. We always have to factor in flights from Canada (and we do carry-on only so we like Premium Economy flights). Yes, we get so tired of winter that we booked a value cruise next spring (affordable side-by-sides on Celebrity).
Best deals I’ve ever found for cruises are with NCL. 7 night Alaska cruise last month on Encore for $448 in a solo studio. Recently booked 13 night cruise on Bliss in 2025 to France, Spain and Portugal in a solo balcony for a give-away price of $835. Watch those fares…they can make crazy drops overnight.
How much did you pay total for that cruise? without the cost of flight and hotel preboard. I am seeing one for 850 from LA to Bahamas I believe at 850. So add on at least another 300 for flight and a bit more for hotel. What are the other required fees? Food is free right?
@@travelmanMNMy total cost for cruise only is $1503. That includes the balcony cabin, all food of course, plus the Free at Sea drinks/wifi pkg and even basic trip insurance. At end of cruise I’ll have $260 crew gratuity to pay. Exceptional deal on a very nice ship.
Another wonderful video Zach! I will definitely have to check out the website you mentioned. I’m a solo traveler as well. Oh, I was wondering does the Joy have those water bottle filling stations? I would just bring my own water bottle to save money. Keep the great informative videos coming please!!!
NCL should be applauded for working with the solo traveler. I'm so tired of paying double. Funny aside. I was recently on a Norwegian Fjords cruise and was onshore and a lady was buying something and when they told her the total, and without thinking, she pulled up her medallion to pay for it. Becomes a non thinking habit so fast.
I booked 3 NCL Transatlantic cruises with airfare that were cheap. NCL has gotten expensive. I used to go on Carnival until they cancelled their single rate for the lowest category. I paid double for a while but I’m retired now. I’m looking at MSC.
Thanks Zach! I find the air fare these days that is killing our cruise ability! Ughhh! Good for you, Bermuda is on my list….from Canada, NYC is a bit expensive! I wonder with all the protests and unfriendly welcoming to some of the ports will lessen the drive of people to go on cruises and drive the cruise price down a bit? I’m waiting for some casino offers but with all the sell outs of cruises these days…deals are not as often. Keep cruising and enjoy your adventures! 🎉😊
We are going on our first Norwegian Cruise and we upgraded to the unlimited drink package and paid all our gratuities. Yes we did purchase 2 excursions and air fare hotel so no this doesn’t beat your price. Lol
The MSC Grandiosa is having great prices right now I just booked a solo Christmas 2025 7 day sailing out of port canaveral with the drink and wifi package for less than 1200 with 100 onboard credit..I like NCL too because of their solo room, the solo lounge alone is worth being in a solo room.
I did that as well on NCL, but a New England cruise. Solo here and did their cheapest room. ima about 2K all in ( train to Boston, 3 nights in Boston, 7 day cruise, insurance), expect all Boston activities and food. no drink package, no internet. should be less than 2500 all in
My husband and I once took a 7 night cruise on Norwegian a few years ago for $376 for both of us. There wasn't a lot of extras back then and I'm sure we had a couple excursions so this was just the price of the cruise. It was an inside stateroom also.
Zach, I was able to cruise for less than you, but it was over 25 years ago! Does that count? Seriously, you got an incredible deal, including fantastic amenities!
I'm doing a Celebrity (Constellation) back-to-back, 24 nights, Rome to Tampa, OV (same cabin), no extras, and four shore excursions so far. Total: $5147 or $214 per night so far, and that also includes gratuities (not sure if you included them in your calculation), air NY to Rome(flight back from Tampa purchased with points), and insurance with Allianz. Surprisingly I found a couple of options with them lately. I'm not a heavy drinker, give my donation to the casino almost every night but don't expect to pass $300 on extras at the end of the cruise. Solo cruiser.
Wow...I have paid less but adjusted for inflation and the fact that they were the cheapest insides avbx the per day price was probably the same per day all in and you were in a balcony on a much newer ship. Mine were a 4 and 5 day in 2009 and 2012 Carnival Paradise and Carnival Spirit respectively in a 1A inside and then just a regular inside. I had to fly and do hotels on each end. I love to learn about budget deals...great information and thank you for the focus. People can decide with fair knowlege about the value of the "specific cruiseline and the fancy and new" with a clear idea about the cost. I hear about nickel and diming all the time on NCL but still think it would be a fine try and if up for an inside..well one could special dine every day and come out similarly if prices stay good for solos. And, sigh, as one ages sometimes coffee goes out the window...LOL. I have been looking at a Vision of the Seas Bermuda one..will check out NCL...I think Bermuda will be wonderful...it has been on my list a while and I know it is a spendy place so you really did well.
Took 2 solo cruises on NCL last year - NE/ Canada and then to Alaska. Alaska was expensive because i flew from Newark to Seattle. Both lovely cruises. Going on RCC next year with a cousin. 6 days 5 nights Port Canaveral. We'll see. Cruised out of Miami yrs ago on RCC but definitely an NCL fan
Transatlantic cruises seem to have a lower per day average from what I have seen. I imagine the lack of port stops makes for lower demand and no port fees.
While I liked the Joy as a ship, I'm deathly allergic to eggs, followed ALL of the protocols (filled out the form, spoke to Chef, etc), multiple times I was served meals that could have killed me. And they...didn't care. At all. I got a ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Like, sorry, you're already here so too bad, so sad. Since it was also retro-fitted from the Asian market to the US market, the pools/common areas were disastrous. I would definitely try Norwegian again - I've heard the Prima line is wonderful - my Joy experience was terrible. I also sailed out of NYC to Bermuda - same itinerary. Sailing MSC next month for the first time, so very nervous after this last one on Norwegian.
Hey, have been on the NCL site trying to find that solo room you had. Had the "Chat" person talking to me but said he could not tell me the prices online. I must not have been in the correct place. I guess I need a travel agent. I just figured I could do it on my own. Has anyone tried booking themselves? I have never done this before. Thanks.
Cruise Plum is really a search engine. You can go directly from Cruise Plum to the cruise line site. There are no savings or discounts by using them and you can’t schedule with them.
@Cenlalowell I've been looking since the beginning of the year. They are up there. I cruised 5 months last year with two transatlantic cruises. Last year was cheap. This year it's ugly
I would never again book a Norwegian Cruise. My grandmother and I booked a ten night Alaskan Cruise on the Sun. It was so mismanaged from start to finish. My grandmother is disabled and our room was the furthest away from the closest elevator. We had requested a room close to the elevator. The Bathroom had so many issues which included a non functioning hair dryer, A dangerously loose wall outlet, As well as plumbing issues which affected most passengers including us and caused the public women’s toilet to overflow. We also had a big fiasco with our luggage. Also we had booked a Salmon bake ashore in Juneau in which we were told to meet at the wrong place and we ended up missing it. We did get a refund but our day was wasted. Norwegian needs to really rethink how they manage their ships and how poor management affects fellow passangers. From two dissapointed passengers.
@ZachtheTravelingMan the number 1 purchase should be insurance. Your not buying does not make you a very good role. New and seasoned cruisers should question your decision. Why not buy insurance? Always buy insurance! I no longer follow you!
No, would not base a cruise just on the cost of the cruise. You have my sympathy. Going to Bermuda is good. Bermuda is a really nice place. Wouldn't go with a few cruise lines, but, Bermuda is really nice. You walked with your luggage? Always have to be aware of what you spend onboard. When we took an NCL cruise the coffee was so bad my wife couldn't drink it. I didn't either. I enjoy playing in the casino too. NCL had the worst run casinos. Going on a cheap cruise isn't necessarily the best.
