Many loyal Norwegian Cruise Line travelers know that NCL has long emphasized its commitment to solo cruisers and travelers.
For years, Norwegian has been a leader in the cruise industry when it comes to catering to solo guests, offering discounts, exclusive lounges, and amenities that other major lines rarely match.
A change in course for solo cruisers
In 2023, Norwegian Cruise Line announced an ambitious goal: to offer either solo cabins or staterooms at a heavily discounted single-traveler (or single occupancy) rate across its fleet. At the time, it seemed like a bold step toward making solo cruising more accessible.
However, recent updates suggest that NCL is walking back on that promise. During the company’s third-quarter earnings call, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings president and CEO Harry Sommer announced a strategic shift away from expanding solo cabin offerings.
“We are also focused on… minimizing the number of single cabins that we take across all three brands, not just Norwegian, but for Oceania and Regent,” Sommer said.
This refers to the other cruise lines under the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings umbrella, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
From expansion to reduction
The news marks a complete reversal in strategy. In 2023, NCL Holdings revealed plans to introduce nearly 1,000 dedicated solo cruiser staterooms across its fleet. Then, in early 2024, Norwegian even debuted new solo cabin categories, including Solo Oceanview and Solo Balcony, for sailings starting January 2, 2024.
Now, the company appears to be shifting its focus away from expanding solo staterooms in favor of maximizing ship occupancy.
Why fewer solo cabins?
According to Sommer, the decision aligns with Norwegian’s new focus on high-demand itineraries:
“As we move into the fourth quarter, we are seeing the benefits of our strategic focus on Caribbean itineraries, which are attracting more families to the Norwegian brand. We expect this to continue into 2026 with load factor exceeding 2024 levels.”
In short, NCL’s current goal seems to be increasing its load factor, keeping ships as close to full capacity as possible, which may come at the expense of solo travelers.
What solo cruisers are saying
Many frequent solo cruisers are expressing disappointment at the change, sharing their reactions on Reddit and other social media platforms.
One user commented, “That’s weak… NCL was one of the few lines that seemed to promote the solo cruiser experience.”
Another wrote, “As a solo cruiser, NCL’s studio cabin availability is what drew me to their brand. This is really disappointing.”
My experience with NCL’s solo staterooms
I’ve personally stayed in Norwegian Cruise Line’s Studio Staterooms twice, once on a four-night Pacific Coast sailing aboard Norwegian Encore, and again on a 12-night Transatlantic cruise from Florida to Rome onboard Norwegian Epic.
Across both voyages, I found NCL’s solo cabins to be an excellent experience. The rooms are compact but thoughtfully designed, offering everything a guest needs for a comfortable stay. I also appreciated the exclusive events and private lounge access for solo cruisers, thoughtful touches that make traveling alone feel social and relaxed.
For anyone considering a solo cruise, I’ve always recommended Norwegian as one of the best lines for single travelers. A great way to have a safe solo traveler experience at a relatively affordable price depending on the itinerary.
What this means for future solo sailings
So far, it doesn’t appear that Norwegian Cruise Line will remove its existing Studio Staterooms. Instead, the change seems to impact how many regular staterooms will be available to solo travelers at a single-occupancy rate.
It’s also possible that this shift could affect the number of solo cabins included on future new ships, though no official updates have been shared yet.
As always, Candid Cruise Travel will continue to follow Norwegian Cruise Line’s evolving solo travel strategy and keep readers updated with the latest cruise news!
