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Norwegian Cruise Line is making cruising more personal

Norwegian Cruise Line is making cruising more personal

Yahoo15 hours ago
Norwegian Cruise Line is making cruising more personal originally appeared on TravelHost.
Norwegian Cruise Line offers attractive options for this increasingly common type of cruiser.
One of the advantages of taking a cruise over a land vacation is the many activities to enjoy in one place: the cruise ship.
Several major cruise lines cater to families and wide demographics, so entertainment options are plentiful for everyone.Traveling with family? Having fun on waterslides, playing games in arcades, or teeing up at mini golf may suit parents with their younger kids, while grandparents may prefer playing trivia and a cup of coffee or tea.
Couples can enjoy a number of romantic options such as getting a couples massage, dining at one of the specialty restaurants, or sipping wine while watching the sunset.
There are also friend groups that can do a bar hop or hit the casino for some gambling.
If you are traveling solo, there is no shortage of pleasures onboard: from soaking up the sun poolside or visiting the thermal spa for rejuvenation, cruisers of all kinds have something to enjoy.
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Norwegian Cruise Line is doing something other cruise lines are beginning to copy
Cruise lines always seek to accommodate evolving passenger preferences, and traveling solo is one rising trend that popular cruise lines such as Norwegian, Celebrity Cruises, and Virgin Voyages are watching.
Data from both cruise and land-based travel industries indicates that solo travel has seen significant growth and is expected to maintain its upward momentum.
Vacationers preferring solo trips may want more flexibility or time to self-reflect and rejuvenate. Whatever the reasons for this shift, cruise lines are catering to this evolving market.Norwegian Cruise Line is arguably doing the best job of making it easier and more attractive to set sail solo than ever before.
Norwegian offers accommodations for solo travelers throughout its entire fleet. Solo staterooms have been available since 2010 on the Norwegian Epic, making it the first major cruise line to offer this type of stateroom option.
With the rise in solo travel, last year, the cruise line began to expand its stateroom options across its fleet, and the options are not limited to one stateroom category.
Norwegian's solo cabin's include Solo Inside, Solo Oceanview, and Solo Balcony, giving independent travelers many options to fit their preferences and budgets.
It has made a major improvement for travelers who want to sail on their own by also offering staterooms based on single occupancy. In the past, cruisers had to pay for double-occupancy, even if booking for only themselves. Typically, solo travelers will pay less, depending on the time of year and the destination.
And Norwegian is catering to solo travelers in other ways.
The cruise line offers guests who are staying in Norwegian's Studio staterooms exclusive access to the Studio Lounge, offering a space for socializing while grabbing complimentary coffee and snacks.
Dining alone can be awkward, but so can dining with a bunch of strangers. Norwegian offers freestyle dining, giving flexibility to dine alone or with other passengers. With this model, there are no fixed dining times or pre-assigned seating, so passengers can choose on a daily basis.
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What Virgin Voyages and Celebrity Cruises are doing for solo travelers
Celebrity Cruises has introduced solo accommodations on its most recent Edge class ships: the Edge, the Apex, the Beyond, and the Ascent. Cabin options for one person include the Edge Infinite Verandas and Inside Staterooms. These rooms include the same amenities as double-occupancy and differ only in being slightly smaller.
Celebrity Cruises also hosts a welcome reception and group dining option to help solo travelers connect with others.
Virgin Voyages is joining the competition for attracting solo travelers this year and has dropped the rate for Sea Terrace cabins on select voyages, offering up to 70% off the second fare.In addition, Virgin Voyages offers a range of social activities for individuals traveling alone, such as bar crawls, group fitness, and onboard games.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
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