Going on my First Cruises Back-to-Back and Solo

I can't speak to what Virgin charges per drink but on NCL expect to pay (all in USD)$3-4 for sodas and spring water, $6-8 for sparkling water, $8-9 per bottle of beer, $9-12 for glasses of wine and basic cocktails made with house labels, $13-14 for frozen and some signature drinks, and starting at $20 for premium shots and cocktails made with top shelf liquors. Waters, both spring and sparkling along with the top shelf and premium label liquors are not included in the $109/day/passenger package pricing, to get those included you would need to add the Premium Plus package at $138/day/passenger. On top of the menu pricing you will be assessed a 20% auto-gratuity, this will also be added to the total value of any package purchase price. So, if you plan on only 2-4 alcoholic drinks the package would only pay off for you if you will also be drinking 15-20 sodas a day.

Gravol better known as Dramamine in the United States and the UK is good but you need to start taking it before symptoms appear. Bonine (aka meclizine) is a better alternative as it can be taken after symptoms appear with almost the same results as taking it before feeling nausea or suffering vertigo. The big drawback to any OTC or Rx medications for seasickness is you would need to avoid alcohol and caffeine, then also increase your water and electrolyte intake for the medicines to be most effective with the least amount of side effects. For many that are unsure if they will suffer this form of motion sickness a more holistic approach might benefit them. Such as having ginger lozenges (from pharmacies or health food stores) and eating green apples (available on board every ship I've sailed), coupled with eating smaller meals more often and trying to avoid high carbs (except crackers) and fat content foods. Acupressure cuffs or bracelets, like Sea-Bands, can also be helpful but only if you can accurately place the pressure ball over the correct nerve bundle, which might require some experimentation.

Every cruise line has a daily activity sheet, and cruisers are very helpful to each other in their willingness to answer specific questions over social media. For NCL you can Google "Freestyle {ship's name} {number of nights}" to see past examples of the daily sheet. For VV you could most likely do the same but I don't know the name they call their sheets. Over on other big Meta sites their are rollcall fan pages for almost every voyage. You just need to search those social media platforms using the ship's name and embarkation date. Also each cruise line at their website maintains extensive FAQs pages and have some sort of pre-cruiser planner or manager to preview and in most cases purchase prior to boarding things like internet packages, shore excursions, premium dining, and spa/salon treatments, as well as when required reserve tickets to on board entertainment or special activities.
Also you are starting you cruise "addiction" not with a back to back cruise but with a side by side experience. A B2B is 2 consecutive bookings on the same ship, while a S2S is 2 cruises on different ships (even if the same cruise line) with the 2nd sailing starting within 24 hours of the first voyage ending.

Thanks for the responses MzMoniqueRenee and AuntPinkie. Really the only 'drink package' I was referring to that seems excessive is the $109USD/day on NCL! Since I reside in Canada and use CAD, if you add approximately 37% to that, it's at least $150CAD/day. On a 7-day cruise, it would be over $1000 to drink unlimited (basic alcoholic beverages)! That's seems excessive for someone who probably only has 2-4 drinks per day! That's what I was referring to. The VV cruise doesn't have an all-you-can drink option so one way or another, you are paying for your drinks while onboard.

More importantly, I just wanted to know how to best prepare, and once on board, enjoy what these cruises have to offer as a solo traveller.

Someone else who has cruised before mentioned that there is the possibility of sea sickness. I have been on ferries and never had an issue. The only time I recall getting really sea sick was when on a smaller boat for a 2-hour trip in tough seas to a scuba diving location in south Asia. That said, I suppose there is always the Gravel option. Someone also mentioned that there are some kinds of bracelets you can get and wear that help to prevent sea sickness. Can anyone provide more information on this please???

Okay, props to Dave Dryden too

A whole lotta ouch in this mask. Good ol’ Gerry Cheevers

The classic Dryden. Ken, not Dave.

Hi goaliemask

I have sailed both Virgin Voyages and NCL twice in the last 6-months. I do not associate a drink package with excessive drinking or the number of drinks consumed. Thus I need no calculator. You know your drinking consumption better than anyone... What is your dilemma?

I always get the premium drink package on NCL Free at Sea Plus because. I don't consume beer or junk liquor and I want to premium alcohol, pellegrino, starbucks and champagne by the bottle (so I know it is fresh and I never feel the need to consume it all as it is prepaid) without being told that is not in my package and see a large bill at the end of the cruise for these basic pleasures. I may tak 3 sips and once the ice melts order a new one. I am not trying to get torn down. There are too many preditors on ships for that.

Not to mention I travel solo (not in the studio cabins) I do participate in the dinner activities on occasion. I prefer the club balcony suite for its amenities and my bonus American Airlines miles. Even with friends we get separte cabins or rooms at resorts.

Virgin Voyages -- I love their ships and I have a 14-day cruise out of Barcelona for my birthdays sailing all the way back to Miami, FL. I only cruise on Virgin when they offer SHIP LOOT to cover my drinking expense for the duration of the cruise. So for instance if I use your example I would only travel if there was a promotion offering a minimum of $400.00 in sailor loot.

I would recommend a NCL next cruise credit and credit card in combination. I never use a prepaid credit card so I cannot give commentary on how it works or the benefits. If you are on a tight budget: I recommend not drinking however everyone needs water.

These ships are very different and Virgin Voyages has never offered drink packages, the good news. On NCL it is not. I would not trust desalinated water. Again, I am particular about what I consume. YOLO!

This was a valid question and I hope my answer is helpful.

Welcome to the wonderful world of cruising. While I have not sailed either cruise line, we have several cruises under our belts. Your thoughts seem sound concerning the drink package. We have never drank enough to make it worth the cost. Some people do and you won’t really know until you have been on the ship. Enjoy your adventure. Please let us know how first two cruises go!