Norwegian Prima Is a Strong Ship for Solo Travellers

Norwegian Prima is one of the best options for cruising alone. I sailed her on a transatlantic repositioning from Europe to the United States in 2025, and the solo experience was genuinely good. NCL has built more infrastructure for solo passengers than almost any other mainstream line. The ship has dedicated Studio cabins, a private lounge, daily solo meetups, and a dining concept that removes every awkward moment of eating alone. It is not perfect - the Studios are windowless and small, and the solo programme skews older on repositioning routes. But if you want to cruise solo without paying double and without feeling like an afterthought, Norwegian Prima delivers.

The Single Supplement Question

Norwegian Cruise Line’s approach to solo pricing is the most generous in mainstream cruising. On standard double-occupancy cabins, the single supplement ranges from 50% to 100% of the fare. That means a cabin priced at around £800 ($1,000) per person in double occupancy could cost you £1,200 to £1,600 ($1,500 to $2,000) as a solo booking.

But here is where NCL stands apart. If you book a Studio cabin or one of the solo-priced staterooms - inside, ocean view, or balcony - there is no supplement at all. These rooms are priced for single occupancy from the start.

I booked my transatlantic sailing within a three-month window before departure. The solo pricing meant I paid my fare for an ocean view room with no supplement whatsoever. It sold out quickly because the deal was that good. If you book late, as I tend to, the solo-priced cabins can disappear fast, but the value when you find one is hard to beat.

One honest warning: NCL’s parent company announced in late 2025 that it plans to reduce the number of solo cabins across its brands going forward. The Studios on Prima are safe for now, but the wider solo-priced cabin programme may shrink on future ships. Book while the options are still generous.

Solo Cabins and Accommodation

Norwegian Prima has 73 Studio cabins located on Decks 12 and 14 at the forward end of the ship. These are inside cabins - no windows, no balcony - at roughly 95 square feet. You get a full-size double bed (not a twin), a small desk area with a stool, a walk-in shower, and decent storage space for one person.

The bed is the highlight. It is wider than the standard twin you get in most cruise ship cabins, and the mattress is comfortable. The floor space around the bed is tight, particularly if you are tall. The desk area with its small stool is not somewhere you will sit comfortably for any length of time. Realistically, you will spend cabin time on the bed. The darkness is the trade-off. Without natural light, you lose all sense of time. That can be great for sleeping, terrible for waking up.

Beyond the Studios, Prima also offers solo-priced inside, ocean view, and balcony cabins. These are standard double-occupancy rooms with solo pricing applied. They are larger than the Studios and sometimes cheaper, depending on the sailing. My ocean view room on the transatlantic was mid-ship, spacious, and cost less than a Studio would have on the same sailing. Always compare prices before defaulting to the Studio.

All solo cabin categories include access to the Studio Lounge on Deck 12. This is a keycard-access lounge with complimentary coffee, tea, juice, and snacks throughout the day. The cookies are genuinely good. It is a quiet space to work, read, or meet other solo passengers without the noise of the main public areas.

For more on cabin options across all categories, see our guide to understanding cruise cabins.

Social Life and Meeting People

NCL runs a dedicated solo traveller programme on Norwegian Prima. There is a solo activities coordinator assigned to your sailing. Their job is to host daily meetups, organise group activities, and help solo passengers connect with each other.

The main meetup happens at 5pm every day. On my transatlantic sailing, the crowd was predominantly 60-plus. That is partly the repositioning factor - shorter Caribbean sailings attract a younger and more varied mix. The coordinator ran icebreaker games, scavenger hunts, and trivia. On one sailing, a solo traveller counted 42 people at a single meetup.

I also noticed NCL offered an LGBTQ+ group gathering. I did not attend either group regularly, but the option was there. If you want social structure, you will find it. If you prefer to be alone, nobody pushes you.

The 5pm timing is not ideal. On port days, if you are returning at 4pm after a full day ashore, rushing to a meetup does not appeal. I skipped several for that reason. But on sea days, the meetup becomes the anchor of the evening. People exchange restaurant recommendations, form dinner groups, and plan the next day together.

Dinner is where the social piece works best. On Prima, solo travellers often arrange group dinners informally at the daily meetup. Someone says “I have a reservation at Hudson’s at 7pm, who wants to join?” and a table of four or five comes together. It is low-pressure and flexible. On other NCL ships like Norwegian Epic, the line reserved formal tables for solo guests in the main dining room. Prima’s approach is more informal but works just as well.

Daily Life as a Solo Traveller

A typical day on Norwegian Prima as a solo passenger starts with breakfast at the Indulge Food Hall on Deck 8. This is the single best feature for solo dining on the ship. You sit down, order from a touchscreen, and food from up to 11 different eateries arrives at your table. No waiting for a table for one in a formal restaurant. No awkward buffet tray balancing. Just sit, tap, eat.

The food hall has Tamara for Indian, Nudls for noodle dishes, Q Smokehouse for barbecue, The Latin Quarter for tostadas, and more. All complimentary. I used it for most meals and never ate the same thing twice.

During the day, the ship works well for solo passengers. The Observation Lounge on Deck 17 is a good reading spot with 180-degree views. Trivia sessions happen in The Local, the 24-hour pub on Deck 8. The Mandara Spa thermal suite is an option if you are willing to pay the fee.

I tried the three-level go-kart track on the top deck. It costs around £12 ($15) per session. I also tried one of the dry slides and managed to hit my head on the way down, which I would not recommend repeating at 52. The activities skew towards families and younger passengers, but on a repositioning cruise the reality was mostly people in their sixties.

Evenings are easy. Shows in the Prima Theatre do not require a companion - just book a seat through the app. Syd Norman’s Pour House has live rock music and fills up fast, but solo seats at the bar are usually available. The Belvedere Bar on Deck 6 is a good late-night option with proper cocktails.

My practical tip: sit at the bar counter in the Indulge Food Hall rather than a table. The bartenders are sociable, and you can order food from any of the restaurants while chatting. It is the most natural solo dining spot on the ship.

The Solo Verdict

Solo on Norwegian Prima: a genuinely strong choice with one of the best solo infrastructures at sea.

Book this ship solo if you want to avoid single supplements entirely, if casual dining matters more to you than formal restaurants, or if you like having a social programme available without it being mandatory.

Skip this ship solo if you need natural light in your cabin and cannot afford the solo balcony upgrade, if you want a refined and quiet atmosphere (Prima leans towards families and entertainment), or if you prefer a smaller ship where everyone knows your name.

Norwegian remains the best mainstream line for solo cruising. The Studio concept, which NCL pioneered, is still the industry benchmark. If solo is your absolute priority and you want a newer ship, Prima or her sister Viva are the ones to book. For a more intimate and upscale solo experience with a supplement you can absorb, look at Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 - but you will pay more for the privilege. For another Norwegian option with a good solo setup, Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Star both have Studio cabins and the same daily meetup programme.