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I was able to get on the phone with NCL and the agent (YMMV) was able to confirm FAS+ works for bookings prior to 10/01/24 and sailing before 12/31/24, so our Dec cruise seems to be "fine".   I had not purchased the specialty dining packages for our kiddos yet, and those are gone, so it'll be monitoring as we approach and potentially shifting where we dine as a family.

I was able to get an e-doc benefit statement that I plan to definitely have with me on the cruise!

4 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We are currently booked on a Pearl B2B leaving in Nov 2024. As others have commented, we too lost our FAS+ today. When I contacted the Online Chat rep, here is what I was told.

 

FAS+ is no longer offered. But you did have the following

• Two additional specialty dining meals

• An additional $50 credit per Shore Excursion

• Unlimited Wi-Fi minutes

 

The Plus drink package will be refunded. You will have MORE premium beverage includes a variety of spirits and cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $15 USD retail price per drink. If a drink is over $15 you would pay the difference. It also includes fountain soda, juice, and non-alcoholic beer. Will not include bottled water or specialty coffee i.e. Starbucks

 

After hearing this, our stress level dropped quite a bit. The only thing we'll need to prepurchase now is a case of bottled water, and my DW will have to pay for her Starbucks hot chocolate. All of the other FAS Plus perks remained intact. It will be interesting to see what the refund amount will be for just the Plus beverage package for our 23-day cruise.

This is different than what other posters were highlighting earlier after their chat discussions.   I have not been able to speak to someone at NCL yet to check so relying on comments here - I'm most annoyed about the Starbucks loss and the water.

4 minutes ago, sjacobs11 said:

You'll get a refund for the FAS+ as it's no longer offered for sailings as of 1/1/25.

Yes, which is sparking a lot of confusion as our sailing is December 2024.

1 minute ago, HBCcruiser said:

Same. They removed it from our October 6, 2024 sailing. Yup that’s in a few days. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I have my TA checking on it. 

Let me know what you hear.   I was going to call in a bit and see what they say, but likely will try and cancel with as close to a full refund as I can get given their switch-a-roo.

7 minutes ago, PammyMouse said:

On the website.  May pull the trigger tonight if it is still there 😂

Ok, I'll try and look there.   We had purchased FAS+ for a December sailing and, as of this morning, it no longer shows up in "my plans" on the App.   And it doesn't show as available to purchase their either.

1 minute ago, PammyMouse said:

It's back...I should have patience with NCL IT.  😀

Where did you see that it reappeared ?   On my app, the FAS+ no longer shows.

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Cancelled. 

Yes, our "free at sea plus" has disappeared for our December sailing.   We are sub 90 days to sail.   Anyone have experience yet this morning barking at NCL or Haven Concierge for this ?   I am guessing they will not give us any break to cancel, but I find this hilariously bad customer service.   We had upgraded for the water / starbucks / unlimited internet with the 2 extra meals a bonus.

25 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

My best suggestion is either discuss with someone at NCL (or your TA) and, also go on your cruise with an open mind, expect the least-favorable-to-your situation, and pray that "gg was WRONG!"

Yeah, it seems to be prepared for anything and assume the worst.   I didn't think shoreside NCL would be much help and/or not give me anything of use in case the restaurant mgr balks on ship, or doesn't honor.   I think I'll check with Haven concierge first thing on arrival.

My thought was that if he qualifies for the kids meal, but doesn't eat anything off it, or just desert, NCL should not really have a problem with the 5 of us sharing 4 credits, but we will see when we get there.   

I thought this was likely covered somewhere, but I could not find an answer so apologies if this is annoyingly redundant.

Our family of 5 is on one of the NCL Encore xmas cruises and have reservations, but trying to decide how many specialty dining credits to get.

We will do at least four meals -- Onda, Teppanyaki, Le Bistro, Food Republic (Onda/Le Bistro might tweak, but other two definitely sticking).

I 'think' we can likely feed all of us with 4 credits at Onda and Le Bistro.   Teppanyaki we would need 5, as our youngest will definitely want to order off the adult menu, and the way Food Republic works, we can definitely get away with using 4 there.   Would it be permissible for us to get each of our kids 3 specialty credits (my wife and I have 4 through FAS+ for each of us).   That way we could have 5 for Teppanyaki and 4 at the other restaurants and plan to share the 4 "meals" with the 5 of us at Onda and LeBistro.   Thought it might work with our youngest under 12 that sharing easier to be permitted, but thought I would ask.

Any other tips/tricks for situations like this ?

1 hour ago, jenninlaca said:

Thank you so much! Super helpful. The Escape out of Galveston on 12/20 is actually cheaper than all the others but that Friday departure may be difficult. Encore is quite a bit more but I like all that it has to offer. Still debating!! 

The port area of Galveston is totally fine and there are lots of hotel options.   Getting there from the airport looks like way more of an ordeal than Miami (and likely New Orleans, but I do not have direct experience there).    We wanted the East Carib and liked the Choir of Man show offering and other stuff on the Encore.

Hi!   We kicked around several of the same itineraries, and will be first time NCLers, for that period and settled on the Encore (Dec 22 out of Miami).    We were more swayed by the Eastern Carib destinations as most of our recent cruises have been the Western Carib variety and wanted something different (and we were unable to make the Dec 20 Galveston departure).   We liked the Encore offerings vs the Bliss and didn't really want to leave out of NOLA.

If it helps at all, here is a link where I kicked around excursion and specialty dining options.

I think you will have a great time!    We are certainly looking forward to a specific Christmas cruise.

Thank you all so much for the info and recommendations!

@www3traveler Thanks for the specific Christmas activities, the gingerbread construction sounds very interesting and will definitely check it out!

@BirdTravels - yes!   I followed your live blog as I knew that itinerary would be the same to get a sense of timing (and on a Spring Break / holiday week for likely similar crowds).    Good point about DR, I'll need to do more research as we get closer.   I like the idea of the Dip & Zip and might sign up for it when the window opens, but cancel if still pretty "hot".   I'll think more about Q/Ocean Blue, we liked the Ocean Blue location and Q live music, but we can always just go for a drink there to enjoy.

Hello everyone!   My booking window is opening in a bit and trying to finalize what might fit us best family wise and thought I'd check with the experts as we've never been on any NCL ship before and only been to a couple of these ports before (and not in December!).   I was able to follow a couple of 2024 live blogs that appear to follow the same itinerary, so have a sense of what boat activities happen when. 

Food wise - we will have 2 or 4 specialty dining credits for my wife and I and trying to see how many extras to get for the three kiddos.   

Ocean Blue - I think my wife and I will do this one with just us.

Teppanyaki - full family here as I think it will be fun xmas eve or xmas day.

Food Republic - full family as the menu looks great.   I think we can get away with 4 credits as a family as 16 items is a great sampler.   Should we consider this for lunch on the sea days, or definitely dinner?

Q - I had not considered trying this, but if they regularly do an ABBA music night that I have seen referenced, it might be fun.   Is there anyway to tell what night of the cruise this might be beforehand, or only when you get on board ?

For families with teenagers, is there another specialty experience that we should consider ?    Trying to work on dinner timing to best matchup with shows/entertainment, but seems hard to gauge early (i.e., will the featured acts be any good ?   will the game shows be fun at all ?   etc.)

Excursions - I think being first time on NCL, and first time at a couple of the ports, will likely just stick with their offerings despite the extra $.

Puerto Plata, DR - Never been, and it might be fun to just sit at the beach club area that it looks like is included.   However, I think the waterfalls seem like a unique experience.   The ATV buggy / waterfall seems a bit pricey and was leaning toward the Zip and Dip that appears to include some ziplines and waterfalls.   Is that the best offering, or is there something I am missing.

St Thomas - It looks like of the beaches, people seem to like St Johns.   Was going to go with the "champagne catamaran beach break" but trying to see what the difference is with the higher costed beach escape & snorkel which appears to have a truck ride with photo stops ?    Does not seem like it is worth the extra.   Also mulled the Coral World Ocean park but reviews seem very mediocre.   Maybe spring for one of the helmet dives, which look pricey, but might be fun.

Tortola - the port arrival/departure hours here look awful (the 6.45am-2:30pm) which makes me unsure anything is worth chasing.   The Jost Van Dyke beach looks like a great time, but a bit more expensive relative to the Island Beach Break, but maybe best to just walk off the boat and stay in the port area to be more flexible on time.

Great Stirrup Cay - are the zip lines worth doing, or an easy pass ?

Anything else we should definitely make sure we check out on-or-off boat ?    We plan to get our youngest the arcade pass and we hope that the VR experience is still available for him with the laser tag going away before our trip.   Hopefully, they keep the escape room as we hope to try it out.   It looks like it might survive drydock, but nothing concrete yet on that (and the VR stuff). 

On 5/7/2024 at 12:45 PM, 2ofusrdy4cruisin said:

Info: Drydock November 2024. Will be adding balcony cabins to deck 15 forward portside by reducing size of Observation Lounge.

We've been trying to monitor these as our kiddos are very interested now in what activities might be removed that would have appealed to them.