The new Norwegian Breakaway is a standout when it comes to accomplishing the near impossible—to make a large-scale vessel that can truly “work” in the family, premium, and luxury cruise markets, and then, do something special just for singles too.  Usually a product that tries to satisfy a wide variety of needs ends up making so many compromises that none of the desires are well-served.  This is just not the case on Breakaway–Norwegian has proven that divergent cruise experiences can thrive comfortably side-by-side and in high style.

A Luxury Cruise:  The Real Deal, Plus Some!

True luxury and exclusivity combined with big ship activities, entertainment and dining choice. All good!

Here’s the thing about luxury—it’s not a fancy cabin and some added perks that will satisfy the truly affluent and experienced traveler.   They expect, and  for the prices they’re willing to pay, deserve a sense of exclusivity.  In fact, luxury travelers are often paying for the privilege of escaping the masses (there, I said it)!  Norwegian’s Haven Complexes are like a “ship-within-the-ship,” delivering authentic luxury, privacy and exclusivity.

Norwegian does this first by putting all Haven Staterooms behind a private, key-card only access area where you’ll encounter only other Haven residents, preserving exclusivity.   They take it seriously—you can’t pull a “spring break” move by booking several regular cabins and one Haven, and then let all the others into the complex—that’s not allowed and the concierge at the entrance is there to make sure!

Gourmet Meals in an exclusive Dining Room is an included privilege for residents of The Haven

Once in the complex, you’ll find luxuriously appointed suites of all sizes from owner’s suites that don’t give up any ground to other ships, to an innovative two-bedroom family villa that will accommodate up to five guests.  There’s a private pool complex, a concierge, a private lounge, and an out of this world private restaurant only for use by Haven residents.

What The Haven surrenders to some of the luxury only brands is that it’s not all-inclusive.  Cocktails, beverages, shore excursions and other specialty dining venues will cost extra, just as they do for all guests.  But while the Haven isn’t cheap, even when you add in these extras, it’s still a great value and compares very favorably with the traditional luxury cruise pricing.

But you also get access to an incredible array of entertainment options, production shows, nightclubs, activities and a fantastic youth and children’s program that you simply can’t find on the pure luxury ships.  As a Haven resident, you’ll also get preferred, reserved seating at shows, priority embark and debark and host of other privileges that ratchet up the experience.  Finally, when you compare to a  pure luxury cruise, you’re likely to find a generally younger and livelier clientele (there, I said it again) which may be a better overall fit.  But remember, unlike other ships that offer beautiful suites where you can retreat from the masses, The Haven offers much more than just your stateroom when it comes to “escape.”

Norwegian Makes a Leap:  Premium Cruising

I’m paraphrasing Norwegian’s CEO, Kevin Sheehan, but essentially he suggests that the Breakaway-class ships have jumped them into the premium cruise experience.  At first, this seemed to be a stretch but after two days onboard, I came around to his point-of-view.  My accommodation was a standard, Oceanview balcony room and it had pretty much all the comforts and nice touches I’d expect to find on a premium cruise.  I also found that the design sensibility of the stateroom was a “notch above” in terms of the look and feel of the finish materials with a clean, modern design that felt well above “standard” for cruise ships.

Modern and bright, but with rich wood accents and a leather headboard to make the stateroom warm and inviting.

There were other hallmarks of a premium cruise experience—such as venues that offer a wide variety of dining options and experiences.  I ate in both optional and included restaurants and was delighted at both. Among the cost-optional restaurants, there’s a mix of both cover charge (one price to dine there) and a la carte pricing as in a traditional restaurant.

It’s here that I also want to make a point about included vs. extra cost dining.  While there is certainly a long-term trend on cruises to offer more diverse dining experiences, they often cost extra and Norwegian follows the same pattern.  BUT (and this is an important one), there are 11 dining venues on Breakaway that have no added cost!  Of course, fold in a couple of cost-extra specialty dining nights, coupled with a nice balcony stateroom, and you still have a very affordable premium cruise experience, sailing conveniently from mid-town Manhattan to Bermuda, the Bahamas and Southern Caribbean depending on time of year.

Family Cruising:  Norwegian Gets It Waaay Right

With Breakaway, Norwegian is burnishing their reputation for a great family experience that looks after all ages—from their radical water slides to their terrific youth programs.  I did take the time to visit and talk with several of the youth staff, and you can just tell by speaking with them that they’re engaged (and they probably feel they have the best gig on the ship).  There’s a wide variety  of accommodations that comfortably accommodate four guests (including decent-size interior staterooms), and plenty of adjoining cabins so larger families like mine can enjoy some space and privacy while staying close.

One particular stateroom type that appealed to me and my wallet was the Family Oceanview on Deck Five.  These accommodate five guests (I have three kids–always a challenge when traveling), and also have a regular bathtub making them a great choice with younger children. In the picture below, you can see that berths 1 and 2 are regular beds, berths 3 and 4 are conversions from the daytime sofa, and the fifth berth (not seen)  comes down out of the ceiling (and is stowed away each day for your convenience):

Oceanview rates, comfort for five, and full bathtub too!

Because they’re sold at an Oceanview fare basis, a family of five can get all that Breakaway offers at a very affordable price.  In fact, a fall departure on a 7 night came out to less than $750 per person, fully inclusive of taxes.  The total of  $3,720 was about what I paid to rent a two-bedroom lakeside rustic cabin on a lake in Minnesota a couple years ago. . .and we still had to bring in our own food and cook it, as well as make up our own beds, and entertain ourselves. Of course, they’re entirely different experiences, but I think the price comparison illustrates what a great value this cruise is.

Single Cruisers:  Finally, a Rational Approach

Breakaway (along with Epic and the upcoming Getaway) has a “Singles Studio” complex that’s really innovative as well.  This is a set of cabins on two decks that share private entrance access and a private meeting lounge/snack bar/wine and cocktail bar.  These cabins are all interior (no windows) and are smallish by normal accounts (about 100 square feet) but plenty ample for a single guest and the space is well designed.

There’s a full-size beds (not a twin) and instead of a walled-off bathroom, the sink is in the room behind a sliding divider and the shower stall opens right into the cabin (the toilet IS in its own private room).  The décor and lighting evoke a modern, urban vibe that just seems right for this area.  While these cabins are somewhat of a premium price-wise, they’re a better value than paying a single supplement and your residence is among other singles so breaking the ice is a bit easier.

What makes the Breakaway (and her soon to launch sequel, the Getaway) truly successful at satisfying all these cruise desires is summed up in two ways:

• First, the sheer number of choices they offer in terms of entertainment, dining and activities can and will delight any traveler, no matter which “set” they belong to.  Families, singles, and luxury travelers all want to be engaged and entertained!
• Second, Norwegian dedicated the space and thinking to create unique zones and facilities to appeal to each group’s needs.  These are well designed and well executed and shows their seriousness about fulfilling the promise they’re making to each type of cruiser.

While a lot of lines can say they have something for everyone, Norwegian can say they have lots of things for everyone.  I applaud the fact that they took each groups needs very seriously and in my opinion, they’ve succeeded masterfully.  Highly recommended!

Norwegian Breakaway makes New York City her year ’round home port, sailing seven to 12 night voyages to Bermuda, the Bahamas/Florida, and the Southern Caribbean.

Book a suite in The Haven and we’ll pay your gratuities–this is for all Norwegian Cruise Line ships that offer Haven staterooms and we’ll extend the offer for all stateroom occupants!  Just call us for your price and details.

What’s better than going to a fun Halloween party where you get to dress up and mingle with your friends?  Well, it could be going to a fun Halloween party on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean with 620 costumed singles from around the country!

The 2012 Halloween singles cruise was a smashing success and was the largest singles cruise ever hosted by SinglesCruise.com.  Highlights of the 8-day Caribbean singles cruise included the ever popular singles-only costume party and contest, a Trick or Treat Chocolate and Wine Cabin Crawl, a Neon Glow Night and Singles Ghostly Bingo.   

The costume party was a big hit with singles showing up in the most creative, elaborate and fantastic costumes yet.  The winner came as “The Predator”, and a very scary alien came in a close second place.  The costumes were all so unique and original that it is always hard to pick the winners.  Many singles even got into the festive Halloween spirit by decorating their cabins.

Aside from the Halloween festivities, the cruisers got to explore some fabulous Caribbean islands, enjoy the sunshine on deck, and join in the fun week-long hosted singles parties and events.

Were you left on the dock this year?  Don’t worry – SinglesCruise.com is already planning and taking reservations for their 2013 Halloween singles cruise.

Check out the details of the 2013 Halloween singles cruise

Halloween Karaoke on 2011 singles cruise

Other festive Halloween activities the singles can take part in include a Trick or Treat Chocolate and Cabin wine crawl, Dance Flash Mob, Neon Glow Night and Singles Ghostly Bingo.  The 8-night Eastern Caribbean on the Carnival Valor cruise departs Miami, Florida on October 27, 2012 and visits St. Thomas, USVI; Antigua; Tortola, BVI; and Nassau, Bahamas.

Festive SinglesCruise.com Hosts

Five Fun Facts about SinglesCruise.com’s 2012 Halloween Singles Cruise:
1. Many singles book this cruise up to a year ahead of time
2. The Halloween costumes get more creative and outrageous each year
3. To get into the Halloween spirit, many cruisers elaborately decorate the inside of their cabins and cabin doors
4. There are six dedicated cruise directors from SinglesCruise.com hosting the singles cruise
5. Singles should be prepared to break out in a coordinated flash mob dance when they hear the group’s signature song onboard.  What is it?  You’ll have to join them onboard the Valor to find out!

Cabins are still available!  Reserve your spot today on the 2012 SinglesCruise.com Halloween Singles Cruise

Attend the largest singles Halloween party at sea!

There are great deals for solo travelers announced this week as Crystal Cruises offers a solo traveler sale on Europe luxury cruise voyages, and Tauck waives their single supplement on a variety of 2013 river cruises. 

And Royal Caribbean promises that connecting to the Internet will be a lot faster next summer thanks to their new satellite service – hip, hip, hooray!   Also – In the wake of the Concordia disaster, the Global Cruise Industry has announced two new safety policies.

Crystal Cruises Offers Low Solo Mediterranean Cruise Fares for Fall
Crystal Cruises already charges one of the lowest rates in the luxury cruise industry for sole occupancy of a double occupancy room, but with a new solo travelers’ sale on fall Mediterranean voyages, guests traveling alone can enjoy even lower fares to vacation in ease through one of the most beautiful cruising areas in the world.  A significantly-reduced solo supplement of just 10% can save individuals up to almost $900 off a private, deluxe outside stateroom (Category C) of their own. 

The savings are offered on eight 11- and 12-day Crystal Serenity sailings through the Black Sea, Middle East, Canary Islands, and entire Mediterranean, starting with September 6’s voyage.  The all-inclusive luxury cruises embark in Athens, Istanbul, Venice, Barcelona, and Lisbon from September through November, with overnight visits and more time in both smaller, off-the-beaten-path and favorite, large ports throughout Italy, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Montenegro, Israel, Croatia, Morocco and the Canary Islands.  Attractive air add-ons are offered from more than 200 North American ports.

Tauck Waives Single Supplement on 2013 Europe River Cruises
Tauck has announced that it will waive the single supplement for cruisers booking Category 1 staterooms aboard its fleet of elegant river cruise ships for the 2013 Europe season.  The savings apply to every departure on all 14 of Tauck’s European river cruise itineraries.

“The fact that we’ve waived the Category 1 single supplement on over 100 Tauck river cruise sailings will be welcome news to solo travelers everywhere,” said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar.

“For solo travelers organizing their own trip to Europe, all the work of planning and executing the itinerary falls entirely on their own shoulders, but with a Tauck river cruise, everything is taken care of for them,” continues Mahar. “And of course, there’s a camaraderie and connection with their fellow travelers, plus a great sense of security, that solo travelers don’t get to enjoy on their own. Finally, because our riverboats hold just 118 guests, they offer a refined, club-like atmosphere that’s very intimate and welcoming for anyone traveling on their own.”

Single but don’t want to travel alone?  Check out SinglesCruise.com’s line-up of upcoming hosted group singles cruises.

Royal Caribbean Promises Faster Internet at Sea
O3b Networks announced a milestone multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement with Royal Caribbean Cruises to provide high-speed satellite-delivered broadband service aboard the world’s largest cruise ship.  By summer 2013, more than 8,000 guests, staff and crew members aboard the Oasis of the Seas will be the first to enjoy O3b’s enhanced connectivity at sea as if connected to fiber at home or in the office.

A true technology innovator, Royal Caribbean Cruises is the first to utilize O3b’s new maritime offering O3b Maritime, which delivers the reach of satellite and the speed and latency of fiber at a fraction of the cost of conventional providers. O3b is enabling maritime service providers to offer affordable fiber-like capacity across the Caribbean and ocean regions around the world. Providing unparalleled bandwidth, O3b’s steerable satellite beams will provide cruise industry passengers ultra-fast Internet communications throughout their voyage.

Global Cruise Industry Announces Two New Safety Policies
On behalf of the global cruise industry, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) announced that the cruise industry has adopted two new safety policies. These policies, which address issues related to the recording of passenger nationality and the common elements of musters and emergency instructions, result from the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review launched in January 2012.

1. The Nationality of Passengers policy was developed in response to the request of governments at the May meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee meeting.  This policy prescribes that the nationality of each passenger onboard is to be recorded and made readily available to search and rescue personnel as appropriate.
2. Under the Common Elements of Musters and Emergency Instructions policy, member cruise lines have specified 12 common elements that will be communicated to passengers in musters and emergency instructions.  Among those common elements are a description of key safety systems and features and an explanation of emergency routing systems and recognizing emergency exits.  Both policies exceed current international regulatory requirements.

Meet Shelby - SinglesCruise.com's lead cruise director

If you have sailed with SinglesCruise.com in the past six years, you are probably familiar with Shelby – the agency’s lead cruise director.  If not, we would like to introduce her and tell you a bit more about her important role at the company.

Shelby’s Job:
Shelby coordinates all of the behind-the-scenes details for our onboard singles cruise program, and sails along on many singles cruises throughout the year.  Shelby and her energetic team coordinate a full schedule of events and activities that you, our guests, take part in throughout your singles cruise vacation.  From the initial welcome mixer to the final farewell celebration, Shelby and her staff have organized every detail of your singles cruise.

Cruise Ship Experience:

Shelby leading a dance lesson

Prior to joining SinglesCruise.com, Shelby’s cruise ship career started in 1999 working in Princess Cruise Line’s onboard entertainment department where she scheduled the onboard activities for the entire ship and was a part of the production shows featuring all of the ship’s singers and dancers. She also supervised and improved the guest’s satisfaction results and was a true master of ceremonies.  Teaching dance classes to her cruisers was one of the things she enjoyed most on board. She still teaches these fun dance lessons for our guests including salsa, merengue, cha cha, country line dancing and more!

Insight on Singles:
In addition to studying psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Shelby’s personal experience, history of working on cruise ships and years of working with single guests have given her valuable insight and confidence to answer your questions in her new “Ask Shelby” singles lifestyle column. 

“Dating and being single can be wonderful but it can also be a real headache!” explained Shelby. “There are relationship and dating patterns that are undeniable as well as some common dating pitfalls that can be avoided if we take a step back and look at the signs. Let’s play the ever changing dating game and win!” 

Be sure to check out the “Ask Shelby” column in the SinglesCruise.com blog and send in your cruising/dating/relationship questions to Shelby at Shelby@SinglesCruise.com.  Your question could be featured in one of her upcoming posts! 
 

Singles beach excursion

Solo travelers who book a regular cruise vacation hoping to meet other singles onboard may end up disappointed that their vacation didn’t meet their expectations.  These travelers may not realize the complete value of booking their cruise with a travel agency that specializes in organizing singles cruises.

Guarantee of Meeting Other Singles
When you book your cruise with a singles cruise group, you will be guaranteed to meet a large group of single travelers (most average group sizes consist of 150 people).  In addition to participating in fun singles events with the group, you can hang out with your new friends on the ship and you’ll have someone to explore the ports with.  You’ll also have the opportunity to dine with new friends each night.  On a regular cruise, you may get stuck dining with love-struck honeymooners or noisy families.

“From my experience, there are usually only a few single travelers here and there on the cruise ship apart from our singles cruise groups, so your chances of meeting them on your own is not very likely,” described Shelby Bergeron, SinglesCruise.com’s lead cruise director.

Singles shore excursion

Unique Activities & Theme Nights
A hosted singles cruise provides you with an itinerary of fun events and activities you can participate in throughout your cruise.  From private wine tastings, dance lessons and ice cream socials to karaoke parties and country theme night, there is a full line-up of unique get-togethers.  Plus, there are three cocktail parties included with your cruise fare on every seven night sailing.  It’s your vacation so you decide what events you want to attend.

Singles Cruise Host Leading Mixer

Friendly Onboard Hosts
In addition to organizing the private events for your singles group, your personable singles cruise host is onboard your entire cruise to answer your questions and offer valuable travel recommendations.  As seasoned cruisers, they know the ins and outs of cruising and can give you insider tips on what not to miss on the ship and what you may enjoy in port.

Friendships and Camaraderie
According to Bergeron, the friendships you will make on a singles cruise are priceless.  “Most of our guests end up making real connections with the other singles onboard, and these friendships continue to develop long after their cruise docks back in port,” Bergeron explained.  “Many plan to meet up on future singles cruises, and even on other trips they take around the country.  Now with Facebook, it’s easier than ever to stay in touch with your new travel companions.”

If you are looking to enjoy a cruise vacation and meet a few new friends, an organized singles cruise provides a great deal of value for your money.

Recent marriage resulting from singles cruise introduction

While not everyone ventures onboard a singles cruise with the intention of meeting their soul mate, it does happen more frequently than you might think.  SinglesCruise.com’s lead cruise host Shelby Bergeron coordinates approximately 20 singles cruises a year and estimates that in addition to the typical four or five marriages that result from a singles cruise pairing each year, at least another 40 to 50 couples start a long-term relationship after the cruise.

While this number may seem slightly insignificant compared to statistics from some popular online dating sites, Bergeron believes meeting someone special in a fun, laid back setting like a singles cruise is better and more authentic than meeting them online because you meet and get to know them face-to-face.  She says you can tell right away if you have a spark with another single and focus on getting to know them better throughout the cruise.

“I met my husband Dustin at the pre-cruise party on the 2010 After Thanksgiving singles cruise,” described Victoria.  “We were instantly attracted to each other and hit it off right away – even though our first conversation was about politics of all things.  We have been inseparable ever since the cruise even though I lived in Chicago and he lived in Indiana.  We just got married in December 2011 – on our one year anniversary of meeting each other.  The only bad thing about our wedding was that we couldn’t convince some of our cruise friends to come to our wedding because they were all out cruising!”

Another unique benefit to taking a singles cruise is that singles have the opportunity to meet potential love interests from all over the country and even all over the world that they would never have met otherwise.  Instead of the tired dinner and movie date, you can get to know your catch while you snorkel, kayak, play beach volleyball or attend a karaoke party.

Interested in learning more about Singles Cruises?  Ask our Singles Community on Facebook about the SinglesCruise.com Experience!