I went on my first solo cruise to the Caribbean and worried about getting bored on the ship. I ended up having more fun than expected.
I recently took a solo cruise on the Norwegian Sky from Miami to the Dominican Republic.
I worried I might feel trapped on the ship during the three-day sailing, but found the opposite.
There were plenty of activities to do onboard, and I ate as much as I wanted, guilt-free.
As Business Insider's aviation reporter, I typically spend as much of my time on airplanes as possible.
However, on a recent trip to the Dominican Republic, I thought it might be fun to switch it up and take a cruise down to the Caribbean instead of flying.
Taking a solo cruise had always been a bucket list item of mine. So, for only about $300, I booked myself into an interior room on a one-way sailing from Miami to La Romana, Dominican Republic, on the Norwegian Sky. (La Romana is about the halfway point between Punta Cana and Santo Domingo.)
I'm no stranger to traveling alone, but I was curious how going solo in giant cities or mountain towns translated to a cruise with a set itinerary. I prefer having more room for randomness in my schedule.
But, to my relief, I didn't feel trapped on the ship, and I still got to enjoy the same freedom of choice thanks to the myriad activities throughout the three-day voyage.
Here's why I'd book another solo cruise.
I had a few hesitancies in booking a solo cruise. My main worry was being bored.
On the myriad other solo trips I've been on, I can always find a museum or hike a new trail when I feel like I've run out of tourist hot spots.
This concern also stemmed from my boredom on the expedition ship I took to Antarctica in 2022, which had no casino, fancy dining, or shows.
The small Antarctic vessel was made for rough waters, so it was pretty barebones — and it was hard to keep occupied.
I didn't worry too much about lacking amenities on the Norwegian Sky, despite it being one of NCL's oldest and smallest ships.
Fortunately, my worries were put to rest quickly after boarding when I finally got the day's itinerary and found plenty to look forward to.
NCL's daily schedule was packed from morning until late at night with events like trivia, comedy, and bingo.
I attended travel-related things like an "airlines of the world" trivia and a "where in the world am I" game show.
My favorite entertainment, though, was easily the nightly theater performances, which I didn't expect to be as good for a repositioning cruise.
As a Broadway fanatic, I love musicals, so the two shows were exactly what I'd see on a night out at home.
The activities were mostly held in the lounges and bars scattered throughout the ship, while the shows were in the Stardust Theater.
Fortunately, I never found myself fighting for a seat — which I do think is sometimes easier when you're solo, though.
There was also a casino, spa, Starbucks, jewelry and alcohol stores, and a gift shop onboard.
Probably the best part of cruising solo was there was nobody to hold me back from eating as much as I wanted.
There was a buffet, free dining rooms, specialty restaurants, pizza, and a late-night pub.
I enjoyed the buffet food between main meals and took advantage of the option to sit outside.
I did pay $50 extra for sushi and Sake at an a-la-carte specialty restaurant. The add-on meal wasn't worth it, though.
The dining room definitely had the overall best food out of everywhere I ate. But the service was much slower.
Granted, sitting alone in a sea of couples and families at mealtimes was a little awkward at first, but I quickly realized nobody cared.
The one thing I didn't do was spend much time by the pool. I'm also not interested in the deck parties or gambling.
That's one of the best things about cruises — there's something for several different types of travelers.
As far as ports, the cruise only had one stop in a coastal city called Puerto Plata on the northern side of the Dominican Republic.
Passengers could either book an excursion, stay on the ship, or relax in the port.
I wanted to see some of the island while I was there, and I had a $50 excursion credit, so I booked a zipline and waterfall tour through NCL.
Here, I decided to socialize a bit with the other travelers after keeping to myself most of the at-sea day, and I'm glad I did.
I ended up making friends with another cruisegoer, and we actually went to dinner and a show together that night.
Meeting her was a nice relief after an underwhelming solo meetup on the first night.
Overall, I ended up liking the boat more than the port — which I think is the main draw for many cruise lovers, anyway.
My days were spent getting up early and going to the gym, participating in the day and evening events, and going to bed by 10:30 p.m.
It's exactly how I wanted to spend my weekend cruise, and I had a lot of fun doing what I wanted — there was no one I had to accommodate.
The early bedtime meant I missed the evening comedy, karaoke, and parties. But I don't really regret getting extra sleep.
Plus, my inside cabin made sleeping easy because it was completely blackout. I think this could bother some people, but I loved it.
Plus, unlike solo trips to other countries, this all-inclusive trip meant all my entertainment and food was pre-paid and pre-planned.
Granted, the Sky has just the basic expectations and lacks the water slides, go-karts, and malls present on many modern ships.
Personally, I think the Sky is perfect for three or so days. I probably wouldn't be able to stay for the next 11.
A larger ship with more to do, see, and explore might offer more to keep me occupied on an extended sailing.
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