Cruises are NOT for INTROVERTS?

[@jameswilson3300]

Interesting, thoughtful and insightful.

[@paulapowell6216]

I'm a fellow introvert who just did a solo cruise on the Norwegian Bliss a few weeks ago. I had a great time and met several other solo cruisers, but felt very comfortable doing my own thing most of the time. It was such a positive experience that I'm tempted to book another cruise on this same ship. I'm glad I discovered your channel and look forward to watching more of your videos.

[@NarrativeEscapes]

Yeah, I loved the Norwegian Bliss as well. Where did you cruise to?

[@paulapowell6216]

@@NarrativeEscapes It was a 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise.

[@NarrativeEscapes]

I'm thinking of doing Alaska in 2023, but I may be thinking of not doing it on Bliss and doing some sort of cruise and land combination using the Norwegian cruises that go from Vancouver to Seward (and in reverse). Not sure yet.

[@oOoMiSSBiRDoOo]

Yes. I love being alone in the general area of other people that are seated quietly far away.

[@NarrativeEscapes]

Exactly! It's not even as if I don't mind a conversation kicking off, it's just I don't like environments we're engaging is constant or a pressure.

[@sandybrown4764]

Because I watch cruise videos, this video popped up for me. I was delighted to view it, as I've long considered cruising solo, my preferred modus operandi. I'm not shy; I just prefer to keep to myself. I had to laugh at the bliss you described at being surrounded by 4,000 people and never speaking to anyone on the ship. That does sound like heaven! I can't wait to binge your other videos. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@NarrativeEscapes]

Thanks. It was a fantastic experience. In all honesty I did speak to people but in that natural sort of having an experience together way rather than needing to in order to survive. The Canadian Rockies videos are pretty cool and crazy.

[@kylehale2491]

Thank you for this video! I’m heading to Orlando to hop on the NCL Prima in a few weeks for my first solo cruise. :) Makes me feel a little more at ease.

[@NarrativeEscapes]

You'll love it. I am also very jealous of you going on the Prima. I really want to do they ship at some point but it hasn't worked out or its a tad expensive. I like the Promenade deck. I love a good wrap around promenade deck. The food options also look great. I'd have really liked to have done the transatlantic to Iceland and then Iceland to the UK.

[@christineharmon5996]

Thanks so much for sharing. Just considering going on a cruise alone. Totally out of my comfort zone. Thinking about going out of Boston on Norwegian. Sounds like you liked Norwegian! I'm a New Englander so I am hoping to sail somewhere warm and they go to Bermuda. Thanks for the tips!

[@NarrativeEscapes]

Yeah it worked out well for me and Norwegian where great. I found it to be perfect. There is a playlist of 'how I did it' for my solo cruise. kzbin.info/aero/PLG2BRwAznUo4nsuVWQk_tQSa58fPLxi7- I really want to do another. If like to do Alaska or a transatlantic from NY to Iceland and then from Iceland to the UK. One day...

[@cindyldoe]

Thank you, really enjoyed this. Never been on a cruise, but have often thought of a repositioning cruise with tons of books.

[@NarrativeEscapes]

Exactly! I was wanting to do a transatlantic but the pandemic got in the way. There is an NCL cruise that goes from NY to Iceland and then Iceland to UK. A back to back. I'd love to do that. Probably, 2023. We shall see. It's a bit expensive at the moment and I never like booking too far out.

[@FraserAtSea]

I agree that you need to be careful re: dining. While pretty extroverted, I do sometimes feel a bit anxious about main dining rooms on ships as a solo. However, COVID seems to have really helped with getting a table for 1!

[@NarrativeEscapes]

Haha, that is true! Was amazed at how well. It went on NCL. They never questioned single diners on single tables at all. It was quite a surprise. I know they is what they said they did but it seemed a bit confused on the forums.

[@FraserAtSea]

@@NarrativeEscapes I’ve found NCL to be best with solo’s, especially on their large ships (where they have the solo lounges etc)

[@NarrativeEscapes]

Yeah I was in a solo cabin with the lounge and everything but I spent most of my time in deck, in the observation lounge or waterfront. I never really used the solo cabin lounge thing.

[@rwest5386]

I like your review approach and it's been ~20 years since my last cruise but I think ready, again. I have mainly narrowed it down to two cruise lines, Virgin and Norwegian. At ~70, 6'3" and 210lbs I'm not sure I'm a good candidate for a studio room but am both single and ready to mingle. I drink very little alcohol, I probably wouldn't have have more than 6-8 drinks total, just being sociable and wouldn't care if I had zero, I do however drink a lot of water. I'm not sure what the water situation is, out and about the ship, would a drink package or the "Free at Sea" package even make any since, for me, here in the USA? Do you have any recommendations, for me?

[@NarrativeEscapes]

I don't normally go for drinks packages because they cost so much and I don't really drink. Outside of a cruise I don't drink at all and then on the cruise it's only the frozen ones. So for me they make zero sense really and I don't really go for them for soda alone. Free at Sea can be different though as I get $50 shore excursion discount (even if you take multiple ones per day), a speciality dining slot per week and a level of free internet. This can make it borderline worth it even if I am not drinking much - for example on my Alaska cruise it was nice to have for the shore excursion discount and the internet the drinks part was sort of a rider. I think the challenge with giving advice on this I am not sure if Free at Sea is priced differently in the US and the UK. As an example when I pay for Free at Sea that is it...period, yet I think the in the US you pay for Free at Sea then also get hit with gratuity per drink.

[@neuralwarp]

Doesn't sound very suitable for introverts or autistic spectrum.

[@NarrativeEscapes]

I couldn't comment on the autistic spectrum.