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.

Taylor RainsFeb 4, 2024, 17:24 IST

I went on a solo cruise and loved it more than I thought I would.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

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.

The Norwegian Sky in port at La Romana, Dominican Republic.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

I had to wait inside the cruise terminal for about an hour before boarding.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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 Ocean Endeavour with a chinstrap penguin.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The small Antarctic vessel was made for rough waters, so it was pretty barebones — and it was hard to keep occupied.

View of the aft deck on the Antarctic vessel. The pool was on deck 6 while the hot tub was right above it on deck 7. The pool wasn't used due to the cold and winds.Taylor Rains/Insider

I didn't worry too much about lacking amenities on the Norwegian Sky, despite it being one of NCL's oldest and smallest ships.

Deck 11 of the Norwegian Sky.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

Boarding was painless. I got my key card during check-in and found assembly station N to get my sticker, and then I was free.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

NCL's daily schedule was packed from morning until late at night with events like trivia, comedy, and bingo.

The banner with Bingo card prices was put outside the Stardust Lounge about 30 minutes before the game started.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I attended travel-related things like an "airlines of the world" trivia and a "where in the world am I" game show.

The hosts were always fun and personable.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

My favorite entertainment, though, was easily the nightly theater performances, which I didn't expect to be as good for a repositioning cruise.

The cruise director, Will, danced and sang with the performers at the end of one of the shows.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

As a Broadway fanatic, I love musicals, so the two shows were exactly what I'd see on a night out at home.

Each show played twice a night, which helped with the crowds.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The activities were mostly held in the lounges and bars scattered throughout the ship, while the shows were in the Stardust Theater.

The lobby of the Norwegian Sky on embarkation day.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Fortunately, I never found myself fighting for a seat — which I do think is sometimes easier when you're solo, though.

The Sugarcane lounge, which had a bar, was a great place to enjoy live music in the middle of the day.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

There was also a casino, spa, Starbucks, jewelry and alcohol stores, and a gift shop onboard.

If cigarette smoke bothers you, I would avoid walking through the casino.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Probably the best part of cruising solo was there was nobody to hold me back from eating as much as I wanted.

There were two dining rooms, but I liked the Crossings restaurant best.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

There was a buffet, free dining rooms, specialty restaurants, pizza, and a late-night pub.

For example, I had ravioli and scallops from the dining room, beef chili from the late-night pub, and meat cuts from the buffet.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I enjoyed the buffet food between main meals and took advantage of the option to sit outside.

Views of buffet seating. There were also tables along the sides of the pool deck.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

I got a California, a dragon roll, and Sake.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The dining room definitely had the overall best food out of everywhere I ate. But the service was much slower.

The BBQ pork and fries I got for lunch one day in the dining room.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Granted, sitting alone in a sea of couples and families at mealtimes was a little awkward at first, but I quickly realized nobody cared.

My lunchtime window table during the at-sea day.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

There was also a family pool in the back of the boat, but it was small with a lot of kids.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

That's one of the best things about cruises — there's something for several different types of travelers.

I parked myself at a lounge one afternoon and just read and enjoyed a $7 beer. The price wasn't as steep as I expected.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

Royal Caribbean's bigger Explorer of the Seas blocks the Norwegian Sky in this photo.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Passengers could either book an excursion, stay on the ship, or relax in the port.

The river and pool were free. Note: The ship in the background is Royal Caribbean, which shared the port with NCL that day.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

NCL left my excursion ticket in my room on embarkation day.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

The excursion also included some cliff jumping, which I wasn't expecting but still enjoyed.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I ended up making friends with another cruisegoer, and we actually went to dinner and a show together that night.

The downside of cruises is that there is limited time to see the ports. I wish I could've explored Puerto Plata more.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Meeting her was a nice relief after an underwhelming solo meetup on the first night.

When I got to the meetup spot, there wasn't any clear indication of who was part of the group and who wasn't.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Overall, I ended up liking the boat more than the port — which I think is the main draw for many cruise lovers, anyway.

The bars was one of the few places that was hard to find seating, but the bartenders were quick with drinks.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

The gym was empty when I took this photo right after boarding, but it was pretty busy when I went the next morning.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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.

One thing I love doing is just walking around the side of the boat and listening to music or podcasts. It's relaxing for me.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The early bedtime meant I missed the evening comedy, karaoke, and parties. But I don't really regret getting extra sleep.

A-Train did a show on the first night, which was easily a highlight.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Plus, my inside cabin made sleeping easy because it was completely blackout. I think this could bother some people, but I loved it.

The room was tiny but perfect for one person even though its intended for two — that would be a tight squeeze.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Plus, unlike solo trips to other countries, this all-inclusive trip meant all my entertainment and food was pre-paid and pre-planned.

The itinerary included times and places for each activites.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Granted, the Sky has just the basic expectations and lacks the water slides, go-karts, and malls present on many modern ships.

The view of the Norwegian Sky (left) next to Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas (right), which has been upgraded with slides.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Personally, I think the Sky is perfect for three or so days. I probably wouldn't be able to stay for the next 11.

For sports, we had this court for things like soccer and basketball. There was also shuffleboard and ping pong.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

A larger ship with more to do, see, and explore might offer more to keep me occupied on an extended sailing.

The main lobby was compact and bottlenecked easily, which was probably my only complaint.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

I was one of the first guests on Royal Caribbean's $1,800-per-person Icon of the Seas. Nothing prepared me for what it was like on the world's largest cruise ship.

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