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Norwegian is vying for solo travelers with these tiny $1,880 single-person cabins on its latest giant cruise ship

17 May 2025 at 10:55
an empty bed in a single-person studio cabin on Norwegian Aqua
Norwegian Aqua has 1,387 cabins, 93 of which are for solo travelers.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

  • Norwegian Cruise Line has been leading the solo cruise travel boom.
  • Its new ship, Norwegian Aqua, has 93 single-person cabins with access to a shared lounge.
  • The cruise line added 1,000 of these increasingly popular staterooms to its fleet in 2024.

Norwegian's latest ship, Norwegian Aqua, is floating bait for cruising families. It also wants to attract the opposite demographic: solo travelers.

In recent years, Norwegian has emerged as the leader of the solo cruise boom, adding about 1,000 single-person cabins to its fleet in 2024.

For the company, it's a great money-making opportunity: 10% of cruisers from US ports go alone, with millennials and Gen Zers most likely to cruise solo, according to the trade group Cruise Lines International Association.

For solo cruisers, it's a great money-saving opportunity: Many cruise lines charge independent travelers a "single supplement" fee to compensate for lost revenue on double occupancy cabins. In some cases, this additional expense can double the cost to sail.

That is, unless they stay in one of Norwegian's solo staterooms.

Norwegian Aqua launched in March with 93 single-person cabins.
people taking photos of Norwegian Aqua
Norwegian debuted its latest ship, Norwegian Aqua, in March.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The new 4,482-guest vessel is spending the summer operating weeklong Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida. These "studio" accommodations are already sold out for a third of these voyages, with the least expensive remaining options starting at about $1,880 โ€” about $560 cheaper than a traditional inside cabin with the single supplement fee.

That's almost $270 per day for a windowless 94-square-foot cabin.
empty twin bed in a singleperson studio cabin on Norwegian Aqua
The single-person cabins are located on deck 12 and 13.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Of the 93 options, 73 are what Norwegian affectionally call "studios."

It's a fitting name for a tiny cabin, but don't let its 94-square-footage footprint fool you. It still has all the necessities of a cruise stateroom, including a twin bed sandwiched between a wall-mounted TV and a storage unit.

You'll only have to walk a few steps to the bathroom.
small, empty bathroom in a solo-person studio cabin on Norwegian Aqua
Glass walls separate the bathroom from the bedroom.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The bathroom is similarly tight with surprisingly ample shelving.

Bring your conditioner โ€” the cabin only provides body wash and shampoo.

There's no additional seating, save for the backless desk stool. However, it does come with access to a shared living room.
empty Studio Lounge on Norwegian Aqua
The studios are far from spacious, but they can access a private Studio Lounge for solo travelers.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Solo cruisers can mingle with other lone wolves at the Studio Lounge, accessible only to those staying in single-person cabins.

The multi-section space has plenty of lounge seating, from chaises to shared couches. It also serves a small breakfast buffet, in addition to coffee and snacks throughout the day.

Not all who are alone at sea have to be lonely.

Read the original article on Business Insider

My $5,000-a-week cabin on Norwegian's new cruise ship was better than a luxury hotel

15 May 2025 at 17:01
empty Haven Penthouse with balcony on Norwegian Prima
The Haven Penthouse with Balcony cabin on Norwegian Aqua is as modern and luxurious as a boutique hotel room.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

  • I spent three nights in a Haven penthouse on Norwegian Cruise Line's latest ship.
  • The Haven is Norwegian's ultra-luxury "ship within a ship" concept.
  • My cabin felt like a high-end boutique hotel room with a butler and L'Occitane products.

A butler. Bedside lamps each costing hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. A giant balcony with sweeping views of the ocean.

No, this isn't a yacht. This is, maybe surprisingly, a new 4,482-guest cruise ship โ€” Norwegian Aqua.

However, there's a catch: Not all its cabins have these frills. They're exclusively available in the Haven, Aqua's ultra-luxury "ship within a ship" concept.

Only 123 of the vessel's 1,387 staterooms are in this class, sectioned off behind keycard-locked glass doors. And privacy on a floating city doesn't come cheap.

The Haven is sold out for many of Norwegian Aqua's weeklong summer 2025 Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida.
infinity pool in The Haven on Norwegian Aqua
Guests in Haven cabins have a private sun deck with an infinity pool.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The most affordable option left, a balcony cabin, starts at about $5,020 per person โ€” steep compared to the standard inside cabins, which go for about $1,310 per person on the same voyage.

Haven cabins include a butler, concierge service, a private lounge, restaurant, bar, and pool deck.

More money means more space.
empty side dining table in the Haven Penthouse with Balcony on Norwegian Aqua
The Haven Penthouse with Balcony suites range from 368 to 418 square feet.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

I spent three complimentary nights in a "Haven Penthouse with Balcony" during Norwegian Aqua's test sailing in April.

The cabin category spans up to 418 square feet with an up to 134-square-foot balcony.

The ship's usual interior accommodations are no larger than 263 square feet, while non-Haven balcony options are, at most, 358 square feet with a 69 square-foot balcony.

I've been on my fair share of luxury cruises, but even my Silversea and Regent Seven Seas Grandeur cabins were smaller than this.

And more space means more amenities.
mini-fridge and espresso maker in the Haven Penthouse with Balcony on Norwegian Aqua
The cabin comes with a Nespresso machine and a stocked mini-fridge.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The cabin comes with a Nespresso machine, a stocked mini-fridge, three types of complimentary bottled water (one sparkling, two stilled), and nightly sweet treats delivered to your dining table.

The drawers are soft-close, the lights are dimmable, and the curtains can be controlled with a bedside button.

Good luck finding all of these amenities in a non-Haven accommodation.

Enjoy your morning espresso on the balcony.
empty balcony in the Haven Penthouse with Balcony on Norwegian Aqua
The cabin category's balconies range from 84 to 134 square feet.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

It's so large, the outdoor furniture only occupies three-fifths of the space.

Head inside if you'd rather lounge in the air conditioning. There are plenty of seating options there.
empty couch under a wall decor in the Haven Penthouse with Balcony on Norwegian Aqua
The cushioned bench is located next to the TV.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The room can accommodate up to three people. Yet, there's enough space for double that.

Use the dining table if you've ordered room service. There's also a bench behind it, although its hidden drawers make it better for storage.

Or stretch your legs on the built-in sofa beside the entertainment console. Both are elevated, leaving enough space to tuck your bags underneath.

No need to will yourself out of bed to turn off the lights.
empty bed in the Haven Penthouse with Balcony on Norwegian Aqua
The penthouse has a king bed.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Just roll to your side to find the control panels. With a few presses, you can turn off the overhead lights, dim the bedside lamps, and switch on the nightlights.

When it's time to wake up, use these controllers to raise the blackout and sheer curtains.

More importantly, the bedside panel has enough outlets to charge your phone, laptop, smartwatch, and smart ring.

Or, keep all your tech plugged in at the desk.
empty desk next to bed in the Haven Penthouse with Balcony on Norwegian Aqua
The desk is located next to the bathroom and across from the bed.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

It's also where you can phone your butler for packing help or the concierge to make a spa reservation.

If you prefer to sit for your morning skincare routine, use the built-in light-up vanity mirror. The toilet is the only seating in the bathroom (I don't judge multitaskers). But at least it's quarantined behind closed doors, which any couple will tell you is an underrated bathroom feature.

A spacious bathroom for a spacious penthouse.
empty bathroom with a shower, sink in the Haven Penthouse with Balcony on Norwegian Aqua
The bathroom has one long sink with two faucets.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The shower is both roomy (with seating) and flexible (with two shower head options โ€” a waterfall and handheld).

Some cruise cabins only offer two-in-one body wash and shampoo. Here, they're kept separate, in addition to conditioner and lotion โ€” all from L'Occitane En Provence.

One hand soap is for peasants (people in the regular cabins). Haven guests get both liquid and bar suds.

No need to worry about storage.
empty closet with drawers open in the Haven Penthouse with Balcony on Norwegian Aqua
The closet is behind semi-opaque glass sliding doors.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The apartment-sized closet has hangers and large drawers. The motion-sensing lights make navigating it easy, especially when looking for your plush post-shower bathrobe.

Little details โ€” like the lighting options, modern design, and name-brand toiletries โ€” make the stateroom feel more like a boutique hotel.
empty bed in the Haven Penthouse with Balcony on Norwegian Aqua
The penthouse is available on decks 12 through 15.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The decor is minimal, relying on color-accented walls to spruce the room. It looks more like a studio out of an interior design brochure than a cruise cabin.

Ultimately, is a Pinterest-friendly room necessary for a fun vacation? No. Did I need two hand soaps and three bottled water varieties? Absolutely not.

But if you and your partner are paying more than $10,000 for a seven-day summer vacation in the "penthouse," I suppose it's fair to expect an unnecessary surplus of unnecessary amenities. Vacuuming up these luxurious resources will make you feel like royalty โ€” a nice price to pay for the price you paid.

Plus, if you don't like your room, there's always the private lounge nearby.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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