Did you know that Norwegian Cruise Line has exclusive Studio Stateroom cabins designed for solo travelers?
If you are someone looking at going on a solo adventure, and you’re considering a cruise for your next journey, Norwegian Cruise Line’s studio staterooms may be just the perfect option for you.
I recently returned from my own solo travel adventure where I tested out and stayed in one of these Studio Staterooms. I am excited to share with our readers everything I learned about this truly unique room category, what it was like, and if I would personally recommend it to other prospective solo travelers.
Come along with me as we explore everything included when sailing with Norwegian Cruise Lines in one of their exclusive Studio Staterooms!
Room Layout
Something about these rooms to keep in mind, is that they are quite small. Measuring in at about 99 square feet, these rooms might be small but they are designed with apparent functionality in mind.
Guests will find that Norwegian Cruise Line has done a good job of maximizing this small space. The Studio Staterooms come equipped with everything a solo traveler might need during their journey at sea.
The rooms have a small twin sized bed on one side of the room and a small bathroom area on the other side of the room. Most cruise cabins I have stayed in have been rectangle in shape, with the door on one end of the room, and the stateroom extending back from the hallway. The Studio Staterooms are a little different, with the rooms in an horizontal layout, with the door in the middle rather than at one end of the cabin.
The orientation of my particular room had my bed on the right side of the room and my bathroom area on the left side of the room.
Across from the bed, guests will find a good sized closet for hanging clothes and storing belongings during their cruise. The small bathroom area was actually larger than I initially expected. With a small sink area with plenty of shelving space, a sizable glass shower, and a separate tiny room complete with a door for the toilet, the Studio Stateroom bathroom is definitely plenty of space for one person.
I found the layout of this room to be quite sensible. Again, while it is small, I do think that most guests will find it to be a very comfortable home at sea!
In fact, I really came to enjoy my little stateroom. I think that this Studio Stateroom has become one of my favorite stateroom types that I have had the opportunity to stay in on a cruise. The room was really comfortable and had a cozy environment and aesthetic about it.
Stateroom Features
The Studio Staterooms have every feature that a solo traveler might need when cruising. Whether it be for short trips or long voyages, I believe that any guest can have a great time while staying in one of these rooms.
In addition to the basics such as the bed, shower, toilet, and sink, there are some other really great things that these rooms have for guests to enjoy.
The closet next to the bed also has a big TV built into it. This TV has some great features for guests to explore, including one of my favorite features, the sailing map. This live map shows guests exactly where in the world your cruise ship is at, and this was especially helpful to me when we were sailing into the Vancouver cruise port so I knew exactly when to leave my room to take in the beautiful views as we cruised into Vancouver.
There is a small safe inside the closet for passengers to store valuables should they desire. Guests will also find plenty of hangers inside the closet to hang their clothes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that these closets had a good amount of space. Guests of these Studio Staterooms can also store their suitcases under the twin bed, as these beds have plenty of room underneath as well for storage.
There is also a stateroom phone that can be used to call various locations around the ship, such as the guest services desk, or another stateroom onboard. Also next to the bed is a great reading light that can be used while relaxing in bed after a long day of exploring.
There is a small moveable ottoman in the room that can either be used as a chair, or as a nightstand. I chose to keep this as a nightstand and it was very handy throughout my trip.
Probably my most favorite feature of the Studio Staterooms was the virtual ‘window’. This virtual screen has a live feed of exactly what is going on outside of the ship. Even though it may not be a real window, it does make it seem and appear as though you can see outside. I really enjoyed looking out this window in the early mornings when I woke up, especially when we were sailing into port. Something that is really neat about these ‘windows’ is that they are only available to the Studio Staterooms onboard Norwegian Cruise Line ships.
(Example of bathroom storage shelves and sink area inside Studio Staterooms, complete with hairdryer)
I also really enjoyed the various lighting options inside this small and cozy room. In the Studio Staterooms onboard the Norwegian Encore, there are three different lighting settings. My favorite was what I personally started to call the ‘cozy lighting’, which allowed me to turn off the bright overhead lighting and instead turn on the soft glow lighting behind the bed. If you get the chance to stay in one of these Studio Staterooms, definitely test out the various lighting options as the contribute greatly to the environment of the room.
(Example of 'cozy lighting' behind the bed inside Studio Staterooms)
Another thing that surprised me about this room was the bathroom area. This portion of the room was quite a bit bigger than I initially expected. Complete with a large mirror and several shelves and drawers, solo guests of Norwegian will have plenty of space to store their toiletries and other belongings.
Additionally, I was shocked to discover that there were not one, not two, but seven outlets in this room! There were several combinations of USB, American outlets, and European outlets in the room for passengers to charge their various electronic devices. Solo travelers will have no problem charging their phones, iPads, kindles, etc! This Studio Stateroom had the most amount of outlets that I have ever seen in a cruise cabin, and I know solo travelers will be happy to have the amenity during their sailing.
(Example out outlets found inside Studio Stateroom onboard the Norwegian Encore ship)
The shower inside the room is a glass walk-in shower which is a great feature. They are slightly smaller than the showers available in the standard interior staterooms, however I felt that they were large enough. These showers also come complete with Norwegian Cruise Line’s standard wall mounted body soap and shampoo. Something to note, this shampoo can be rather drying, so if you are someone that needs conditioner regularly, remember to bring your own from home! Guests of these staterooms will also find plenty of towels available to them that are refreshed by their stateroom attendant throughout the cruise.
Exclusive Amenities
One of the biggest perks of staying in a Studio Stateroom is the access to the Studio Lounge. The Studio Lounge is a special lounge designated just for Studio Stateroom guests that can only be accessed with a Studio Stateroom keycard.
In fact, the entire Studio Stateroom area, which encompasses the rooms and the lounge, can only be accessed using a Studio Stateroom keycard. This is a great way to guarantee that the only guests in this area are passengers who are staying in these particular rooms.
The Studio lounge is bigger than I had expected as well, and comes with plenty of comfortable couches and chairs for guests to either relax in or socialize with other solo traveling passengers. This space has some great artwork and ambiance as well and makes for a great place to spend the morning or evening onboard.
A bid advantage of the Studio Lounge is all the complimentary snacks and treats available 24 hours a day to studio guests. Solo travelers can find cookies, fruit, small cakes, flavored fruit water, tea, and more in the lounge. One of my personal favorite features was the specialty coffee machine available to guests staying in Studio Staterooms. This specialty coffee machine could make lattes both caffeinated and decaf, and were completely complimentary throughout the duration of the cruise sailing. Definitely make sure to check out the Studio Lounge at least a few times if you are someone planning on staying in a Studio Stateroom!
(Complimentary specialty coffee is a great Studio Lounge perk!)
In addition to great eatery options and small snacks offered in the Studio Lounge, solo traveling guests can also attend exclusive events designed just for solo travelers. These solo traveler meetups are held throughout a cruise sailing in various locations around the ship, including in the Studio Lounge.
(Inside exclusive Studio Stateroom area, hallway to staterooms)
Guests can find out where their Norwegian Cruise Line ship is hosting solo traveler events in the Freestyle Daily. The Freestyle Daily is a great resource that tells exactly when and where events are held throughout a voyage. Passengers will receive a printed copy of the Freestyle daily each night of their cruise inside their stateroom.
These solo traveler meetups are usually very casual and serve as an opportunity for guests staying in Studio Staterooms to meet other passengers traveling by themselves. This can be a great opportunity to meet new friends, or just to get to know fellow passengers. In my experience, these solo traveler meetups are relatively well attended and consist of all different age groups, ranging from young adults to experienced travelers in their 60s or older.
Which Ships Have Studio Staterooms
Cruise staterooms designed for just one person are available on other cruise lines throughout the industry. But Norwegian Cruise Line does a great job of making these rooms feel unique and rather special.
Norwegian Cruise Line has their unique Studio Staterooms onboard the following vessels in their fleet: Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva, and Norwegian’s Pride of America ship.
There is actually quite a few Norwegian Cruise Line ships that have these exclusive rooms, which means that guests will have plenty of ships to choose from should they be looking into a solo cruise adventure! On my solo cruise experience I sailed with the Norwegian Encore, which is where all of the photos in this article came from.
(Outside Studio Stateroom locked area)
For prospective solo cruisers looking to sail on Norwegian Cruise Line’s newer ships I would recommend either the Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Encore or even newer still, the Norwegian Prima or Norwegian Viva! These Studio Staterooms are sure to offer the very best of the Norwegian Cruise Line brand, and allow guests to test out the best staterooms designed for one person in the industry.
The Norwegian Epic and Pride of America ships are a little older in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, but have been refurbished over the years and visit some incredible places around the world. These ships would make a great option for travelers looking to visit Europe, in the case of the Norwegian Epic, or Hawaii in the case of the Pride of America ship.
Cruise Itineraries that offer Studio Staterooms with Norwegian Cruise Line
Prospective guests looking to tryout Norwegian’s Studio Staterooms while also traveling the world are in luck. Because the Studio Staterooms are offered on quite a few Norwegian ships, it means that passengers have the opportunity to sail on some awesome itineraries as well.
Currently there are just a handful of cruise itineraries that are offered by Norwegian that are not available onboard ships with Studio Staterooms. These itinerary types include: Africa cruises, Australia and New Zealand cruises, and South America cruises. Norwegian Cruise Line does have some great itineraries that visit these regions, however, the ships they are currently using to sail to these places do not have Studio Staterooms onboard. If you are someone looking to sail these itineraries with Norwegian Cruise Line, consider booking a standard interior stateroom instead.
(Inside Studio Stateroom exclusive area, staircase to Studio Lounge)
Guests looking to sail in a Studio Stateroom with Norwegian Cruise Line can look forward to the opportunity to travel the following destinations: Alaska, Bahamas, Asia, Caribbean, Mediterranean Europe, Northern Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, Coastal Pacific, Panama Canal, Bermuda, Canada and New England, Transatlantic sailings, and the Greek Isles. All of these cruise itineraries use Norwegian ships that have Studio Staterooms onboard.
(Example of the 'cozy lighting' and the virtual window at night)
Norwegian Cruise Line offers almost all of their itinerary types to guests wishing to cruise solo and test out the exclusive Studio Staterooms! This is a great feature to solo travelers looking for their next adventure.
Why These Rooms are Great for Solo Travelers & Overall Thoughts
After my recent solo cruising experience with Norwegian Cruise Line onboard the Norwegian Encore, I can say that my mind has been opened to a whole new way of travel. Prior to this experience I was slightly nervous to travel or cruise alone, but after my 4 night sailing onboard Norwegian Encore, I now absolutely see the positives in solo cruising and would try it out again at some point.
Norwegian Cruise Line has done such a good job of fostering a positive and fun environment as well as experience for solo travelers. The Studio Staterooms themselves make the perfect option for guests looking for a quick weekend away, or a longer international itinerary. Whatever cruise sailing prospective guests choose, I know they will enjoy their Studio Stateroom.
(Example of Norwegian Cruise Line's Freestyle Daily onboard ship schedule)
Overall I believe that cruising is one of the absolute best ways to solo travel. The combination of assured safety, as well as limitless experiences, value for money, and the unique option of cruising in of it self, all these things make for the perfect solo traveler adventure. I would absolutely do another solo cruise at some point in the future should the opportunity arise, especially with Norwegian Cruise Line!
Conclusion
We are just months away from the release of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Norwegian Viva. We here at Cruise Blog are very interested in seeing what this new ship will bring to the Norwegian Cruise Line brand. Now that I have sailed in a Studio Stateroom, I am curious to see what the Studio Stateroom and lounge will look like onboard Norwegian’s newest ship.
Traveling solo can be intimidating. The idea might sound nerve wracking, but I found the entire experience to be quite freeing as well as confidence boosting. If you are someone interested in planning a solo adventure, I highly recommend considering a cruise for your next journey!
Hayley Phillips
Hayley Phillips is a military spouse currently living in Florida and loves all things travel and travel planning.
