Specialty Meals As A Perk
Norwegian Cruise Line often offer speciality dining as part of a booking perk. This may be in the form of a certain number of meals in speciality restaurants or with the addition of a dining package.
If you are somebody who knows that theyll want to try speciality restaurants it can make more financial sense to buy the package or book ahead of time.
To recap: Norwegian Cruise Line offer free food in the main dining rooms, buffet and usually another option. You dont have to spend a penny extra on food during your cruise if you dont want to, I usually dont!
The first thing that I loved about Norwegian Encore was the main dining rooms! If youd like to learn more about the main dining rooms check out this video and dont forget to
New Premium Plus Beverage Package
If you only buy top shelf alcohol, this is the package for you. The Premium Plus Beverage Package includes beverages by the glass for Veuve Clicquot, Patrón Añejo, Hendricks Gin and more.
Also included in your by-the-glass package are unlimited soft drinks, beers, spirits, cocktails, wines and select bottles of wine with dinner. In addition, still and sparkling water, energy drinks, and specialty coffees are included.
An interesting option about the Premium Plus package is that if you purchase the Premium Beverage Package, you can ask to upgrade to the Premium Plus when you are onboard.
COST: $128 per person per day plus 20% gratuity and beverage service charge.
Total cost for a seven-day cruise: $1075.20 per person.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
| Type |
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| Headquarters |
| US$4.354 billion |
| Number of employees |
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is a holding company that is domiciled in Bermuda and based in the United States. It operates three cruise lines as wholly owned subsidiaries: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. With its subsidiaries combined, it is the third-largest cruise operator in the world. It is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. It has never had any connection with Norway, although its subsidiary Norwegian Cruise Line did, at its inception.
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Specialty Dining Packagefrequently Asked Questions
WHERE CAN I PURCHASE A SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE?
Online in our “Dining” section at ncl.com/myncl or through Norwegian Reservations at 1-866-234-7350. Once onboard you may also purchase it on the first two days of your cruise by calling or visiting any Restaurant Reservations Desk. For three and four-day cruises, this package may only be purchased on the first day of your cruise.
IS THERE A MINIMUM / MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF MEALS I CAN PURCHASE?
A minimum of 2 meals is required and the total amount cannot exceed the length of the cruise.
MY TRAVELLING COMPANIONS DON’T WANT A DINING PACKAGE, DO THEY HAVE TO BUY IT?
No, Specialty Dining Packages are purchased individually.
IN WHICH VENUES WILL MY SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE BE HONOURED?
Specialty Dining Packages are honoured in the following specialty restaurants: American Diner, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Food Republic, Italian, Le Bistro, Los Lobos, Moderno Churrascaria, Ocean Blue and Bayamo by Ocean Blue, Pincho Tapas Bar, Q Texas Smokehouse, Raw Bar, Sushi and Teppanyaki.
Guests may also dine in select entertainment-based restaurants using their SDP meal.
HOW CAN I MAKE DINING RESERVATIONS FOR A SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE?
Once purchased, you can make reservations online in our “Dining” section at ncl.com/myncl or through Norwegian Reservations at 1-866-234-7350. Once onboard, you can also make reservations by calling or visiting the Restaurant Reservations Desk or using the Norwegian App.
Is Norwegian Cruise Lines Free At Sea Good For All Itineraries
Generally speaking, Norwegian Cruise Lines Free at Sea is applicable to all sailings of 3 nights or greater. Chartered sailings and land portions of Cruisetours are the exceptions.
Hawaii sailings offer a slightly modified Free at Sea promotion. Currently, the promotion entitles guests up to 4 free offers . Additionally, the Hawaii Beverage Package option is different than the typical Free Open Bar perk.
The Hawaii Beverage Package is applicable to Pride of America sailings only, for guests 1-8 on the reservation.This package includes a variety of beverages up to $15. It also includes fountain soda, freshly squeezed juice, bottled water , non-alcoholic beer, and specialty coffee in the dining room only. The package does not include specialty coffee outside of the restaurants, room service, mini bar purchases, or vending machines.
NCLs Disclaimer: The purchase of any alcoholic drinks within the Hawaii Beverage Package may, in certain individual circumstances, be restricted in accordance with Hawaiis Intoxicating Liquor Law and applicable local rules and regulations.
Retail value of the Hawaii Beverage Package is $99 per person, per day.
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Hawaii Beverage Package For Pride Of America Cruises
Cost: $99 per guest, per day
If youve opted for the Free at Sea perk on your Pride of America cruise, this is the drink package youll receive.
The Hawaii beverage package includes a nice selection of beverages up to $15 a glass. It includes fountain soft drinks, freshly squeezed juice, bottled water , non-alcoholic beer, and specialty coffee .
The Hawaii Beverage Package does not include specialty coffee outside of the restaurants, room service, mini bar purchases, or vending machines. For any drinks over $15, guests will be charged the difference.
What Does The Cruise Fare Include
Not included in the base fare nor in any of the Free at Sea packages are certain exclusive alcoholic beverages, drinks from the mini-bar, speciality coffees, bottled water, the convenience charge for room service orders , spa and beauty treatments, use of the spa facilities , bowling alleys, racetrack and lasertag, casino play, full shore excursions, certain fitness classes, certain onboard seminars, dry cleaning and laundry, purchases in our shops on board as well as from Dolce Gelato on Breakaway-Class ships, Coco’s, speciality cakes and pastries, photographs, ship-to-shore-phone, e-post and internet above the included minutes, faxes as well as gratuities and personal expenses.
The speciality restaurants have à la carte pricing or a cover charge. A 20% gratuity and speciality dining service charge applies .
Please note that in order to comply with Spanish and Italian tax regulations we are required to charge Spanish/Italian VAT on applicable retail items purchased on board cruises from/to Barcelona, Venice and Rome , as well as on all other cruises whilst the ship is in Spanish or Italian waters.
Please note that for cruises to/from Australia, Australian VAT has to be charged for all entertainment, drink and dining packages, spa and wellness treatments as well as shore excursions and further additional services .
Please note that the information provided in this paragraph is correct at the time of going to print but subject to change.
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$50 Us Shore Excursion Credit
If youre planning a cruise, its likely that youll book some shore excursions, so the free shore excursion credit is a nice perk. With Norwegians free shore excursion credit, a $50 credit will be applied to the first guest on the reservation.
If youre planning excursions before your cruise, you can pre-reserve shore excursions online before your cruise and the credit will be applied. As well, excursions can be booked onboard.
Something to note is that there wont be a refund given if you dont book excursions in certain ports, and there is no additional monetary value.
Fuel Surcharge Policy On Norwegian Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line has eliminated its fuel surcharge effective for all voyages departing in 2009. NCL will refund the fuel supplement in the form of an on-board credit for all 2009 bookings within the final payment period. All existing 2009 bookings outside of the final payment period will be adjusted to remove the fuel supplement and NCL will revise the final payment amount. NCL is suspending the company’s fuel supplement for all voyages departing in 2009 at this time. The Company reserves the right to re-instate the fuel supplement for all guests should the price of light sweet crude oil according to the NYMEX increase above $65 per barrel. NCL may collect any fuel supplement charge in effect at the time of sailing, even if the cruise fare has been paid in full.
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Payments / Refunds On On Norwegian Cruises
PAYMENT SCHEDULEAll passengers, including third through eight berth passengers, must pay the deposit set forth in the following table for the applicable cruise within the option period offered on the cruise at the time of booking and must pay the final payment within the time prescribed in the table for the applicable cruise. Group passenger policies may differ. An additional deposit may be required for holiday sailings.Effective January 9, 2008, categories AA and A1 through A4 will have a 24 hour option for deposit or final payment depending on the payment schedule. Additionally, cancellation fees will begin immediately once money has been applied to the reservation.Payment is required at the time of booking.
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Private Cruise Island Enhancements
NCL Norwegian expanded the company’s plans for its Bahamian privately-owned island Great Stirrup Cay and the exclusive luxury resort destination Harvest Caye . Harvest Caye port features a large-sized swimming pool, private beach, shallow lagoon , private cabanas available for rent, as well as a huge flora and fauna diversity.
Great Stirrup Cay was last enhanced in 2014 and by 2017 spring features several new offerings and amenities .
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Understand The Terms & Conditions Before Booking
In general the perks from Norwegian are straightforward, but there are some terms you should know about.
For instance, weve mentioned that gratuities are still charged even on free perks. If you take advantage of the third and fourth guests in a cabin sail free perk, for instance, you will still need to pay gratuities like any other passenger.
Other things to know include that the free specialty dining perk is only for a some meals and gratuities are also charged on the value of the package. The free wi-fi offer is for only 100 minutes on cruises less than seven days or 250 minutes for trips of seven days or more. It is not unlimited.
For the full terms and conditions of the offers, you can click here.
The Ultimate Guide To Norwegian Cruise Line Ships And Itineraries
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Looking for a cruise where you can do what you want, whenever you want, without a lot of structure and rules? Norwegian Cruise Line could be your brand.
The Miami-based cruise line pioneered the idea of freestyle cruising cruising without rigid dining schedules and dress codes and formal nights and its still the go-to line for vacationers who want a floating resort experience with a casual, laissez-faire vibe.
Instead of a few big main restaurants with fixed seating times, Norwegian ships offer a wide range of eateries and no assigned seating times just make a reservation. When its time to head out to dinner, if you want to dress up, fine. But theres no rule saying you must.
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Norwegian vessels also offer lots of options for daytime fun, but are particularly well known for evening entertainment. Youll find everything from music halls with The Beatles cover bands and dueling piano bars to theaters with some of the most elaborate shows at sea including some big-name Broadway productions.
That said, the line does offer some smaller ships that arent quite as big and bustling as its giants.
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Travel Protection Options On Norwegian Cruises
This plan protects you in these important ways:
Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, and Trip Delay Protection Insurance coverage in the event unforeseen medical conditions or other covered causes disrupt your travel plans, causing you to cancel, interrupt, or delay your trip. Enhanced Cancellation Protection in the event you are forced to cancel for a non-covered reason .
Baggage Loss and Baggage Delay Protection Higher limits to protect you from the airport, to the pier, to the shore.
Medical Protection and Emergency EvacuationIncluding important supplemental coverage to Medicare or your HMO/PPO that may not cover participants who are traveling outside the United States.
Worldwide Emergency Assistance For services ranging from replacement of lost prescription medicine to referrals for local medical providers.
Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the description of coverage’s and services provided, along with all of the provisions, limitations, and definitions of the plan.
If you have any questions about our Travel Protection Plan, please call the plan’s administrator, BerkelyCare, at 1- 722-5672.Description of Coverage
| Enhanced Cancellation Protection Provided by NCL | 90% Cruise Credit |
Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption
Trip Cancellation
Trip Interruption
PLEASE NOTE: Benefits will not be paid for expenses not refunded in the event of the airline’s or NCL’s insolvency.
SPECIAL ENHANCED TRIP CANCELLATION PROTECTION
PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
Baggage Delay
Other Interior Attractions And Activities
In addition to entertainment spaces, the interior of Norwegian ships are loaded with other venues where passengers can kick back and let loose day and night.
All but one Norwegian ship has a casino, and on the lines bigger vessels, they are huge operations. The casino on Norwegian Encore has more than 300 slot machines and 26 table games , plus its own bar.
On the lines big Breakaway Class and Breakaway Plus Class ships, the casino along with a large proportion of all onboard restaurants, bars and clubs sprawls across three central decks connected by an atrium-like space known as 678 Ocean Place . At night, these three-deck complexes become lively places.
The Breakaway and Breakaway Plus Class ships also have innovative outdoor promenades called The Waterfront lined with outdoor seating for many restaurants and bars. The Waterfront is located on Deck 8 of each of the ships, which is one of the main decks for restaurants on them all.
Two of the newest Norwegian vessels Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Joy have state-of-the-art gaming and virtual reality zones called Galaxy Pavilion.
Theres nothing quite like Galaxy Pavilion in the cruise world. The venue has an amazing array of super-high-tech virtual reality experiences, including incredibly realistic race car simulators , hang-gliding simulators, virtual mazes and a virtual reality Jurassic Park jeep ride.
Theres also the bowling alley youll find on Norwegian Epic.
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Norwegian Cruise Line Makes Changes To Free At Sea Offering
Norwegian Cruise Line makes changes to its popular “Free at Sea” promotion, including dining and Wi-Fi.
NCLs Free at Sea upgrades have always been trendy for those sailing with the cruise line. The program enables guests to either pay a relatively small fee or even receive it for free with a booking and, in exchange, get things such as complimentary WI-FI, specialty dining, beverage packages, and more.
As of January 18, the cruise line did make some changes to the program. The changes have been made to the specialty dining packages, where guests get less, and the WIFI packages, which have been increased.
Where Can You Use The Norwegian Cruise Line Specialty Dining Package
Cruisers can use Norwegian Cruise Line Specialty Dining Packages at most specialty venues. These include American Diner, Cagneys Steakhouse, Food Republic, La Cucina, Onda by Scarpetta, Le Bistro, Los Lobos, Moderno Churrascaria, Ocean Blue, Bayamo, Pincho Tapas Bar, Q Texas Smokehouse, The Raw Bar, and Teppanyaki.
American Diner is a casual eatery serving up American classics. Norwegian Encore, Joy, Bliss, Escape, Breakaway, and Getaway are home to American Diner.
Bayamo is the signature seafood restaurant on Norwegian Escape. Here, cruisers can enjoy fresh catches along with amazing views.
Cagneys is NCLs signature steakhouse serving up tender cuts of beef. Luckily, this staple venue is on all ships in the fleet.
Food Republic is one of our favorite restaurants on Norwegian Cruise Line. This tapas restaurant serves up flavors from around the world. Although, it is located on only a few ships in the fleet including Norwegian Bliss, Escape, Encore, and Joy.
La Cucina is NCLs Italian restaurant serving up classic Italian dishes in a rustic setting. This restaurant is on all ships in the fleet except Norwegian Encore and Spirit.
Le Bistro is another Norwegian Cruise Line staple. This upscale French restaurant is the perfect spot to celebrate a special occasion. Luckily, Le Bistro can be found on all ships in the fleet except Pride of America.
Of note, a SDP meal in Food Republic, Pincho Tapas Bar, and Wasabi includes 4 menu items.
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Ncl Free At Sea Promotion
Norwegian Cruise Lines Free at Sea promotion gives guests access to up to between two and five free offers, depending on the stateroom category that they book.
Depending on the current promotion available, the Free at Sea may be included in your booking at no cost, or you may have to pay an extra fee of around $99 to access it.
The number of Free at Sea inclusions also varies. Sometimes you may only get to choose two of the five with an inside cabin, at other times you may get access to all five perks.
Soft Drinks And Juices For Children And Adolescents Included
Guests 220 years will enjoy unlimited soft drinks, water and juices in all bars, in all lounges and restaurants during the entire cruise. 20% gratuity included.
Young adults between 18 and 20 years of age can purchase and personally consume wine and beer while on board only with the consent of an accompanying parent, with the exception of Alaska itineraries.
One bottle of water per person per day available in the stateroom. 20% gratuity included.
Wide range of speciality coffees served in all restaurants on board at meal times. 20% gratuity included.
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