Free at Sea?

[freedom50]

We have never cruised with NCL. However we have traveled with Princess and Holland America over a dozen cruises. Have two questions. The first is about the current promotional offer on free or reduced air fare. We have used ez air on other cruises. My understanding is that when you book you do not find out the prices until 75 days prior  to sailing. Are the prices worth waiting for? Can you cancel this portion of the cruise fare if it does not work for you? Second question free exursions? Has anyone had a "free exursion"? Thank you for your responses.

[graphicguy]

I think the "free airfare" is dependent on where you're flying from and where you're flying to.  I saw a post stating that the airfare from Atlanta to Miami turned out to be free.  But, I looked at flights from Ohio and saw that it would cost me $100.  I have points with Delta and used them instead.

 

I have used the excursion credit.  It's a $50 credit towards any excursion supplied by NCL.  There are some that are $50 (and a few less than $50).  But, the majority of the excursions are more than $50.  In that case, the $50 credit would be subtracted from the cost of the excursion.

 

A side note, the $50 credit is for the cabin, and not per person.

Edited February 25, 2019 by graphicguy

[PTC DAWG]

The airfare charge (if any) comes up immediately when you put in the airport you will be flying from...this happens when you price out the cruise on NCL's website...I'm sure any TA could be of help with this too.  

 

NCL may book a shuttle from the airport to the cruise terminal when airfare is booked...seems like I have seen $30 or so, I think this can be cancelled by calling them if you do not wish to use it.  

Edited February 25, 2019 by PTC DAWG

[ColeThornton]

Free/reduced air prices from various cities:

 

https://www.ncl.com/cruise-deals/choice/air

[erdoran]

Be aware, you ARE charged for transfers, they are NOT free; NCL just buries the cost so you don't see it unless you know where to look.

 

When you select free airfare, it WILL show you what the airfare is right after you have selected it but it won't show you the transfers.  Once you accept the free airfare it will be added to your total cruise cost, along with the transfer cost.  There is a Details link under your cruise cost, if you click on that you will see what you are being charged.

 

My opinion is that handling the transfer cost this way is totally deceptive because at no time is this displayed to the consumer, and there's no indication that you are even being charged.  The cheerleaders will say "no problem, it's in Details"...and it is - but who would think to click on that?  There needs to be a display at least once that this charge exists.

[Luv Cruising Land or Sea]

2 hours ago, freedom50 said:

We have never cruised with NCL. However we have traveled with Princess and Holland America over a dozen cruises. Have two questions. The first is about the current promotional offer on free or reduced air fare. We have used ez air on other cruises. My understanding is that when you book you do not find out the prices until 75 days prior  to sailing. Are the prices worth waiting for? Can you cancel this portion of the cruise fare if it does not work for you? Second question free exursions? Has anyone had a "free exursion"? Thank you for your responses.

As others have said you will see the cost if any of the airfare as soon as you hit "book".

 

Be aware there are several restrictions - you will not see your "flight info" until 75-50 days prior to sailing and you are at the mercy of Premier Air (NCL Booking agent).  Most flights are booked "same day" and can have one or more connections.  You may opt to pay the deviance fee of $50 and fly in or out the day before or after.  Until last week you had to book a hotel with NCL - this is no longer the case - you just pay the deviance fee.  In my case flights to San Juan would have been about $1500 for the two of us - we are paying $99 each round trip but we are flying in the same day as the ship departs - at least she doesn't sail till 9:00 pm and we are due to arrive in SJU at 2:30 pm   Transfers will be bundled in but you can opt out - cost is $29 per person each way.

 

As other's have said you receive an "excursion credit" per CABIN not per person.  You can use this credit to book excursions ahead of time but you must CALL NCLto do this.  Booking on line will result in full charges and then a credit issued when you are on board.

[leerathje]

13 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

Free/reduced air prices from various cities:

 

https://www.ncl.com/cruise-deals/choice/air

I just looked at this...I live in Vancouver, Canada. Only 2 cruises show?? So the free/low airfare is useless to me then?

[jbethel11]

On 2/25/2019 at 10:01 AM, freedom50 said:

We have never cruised with NCL. However we have traveled with Princess and Holland America over a dozen cruises. Have two questions. The first is about the current promotional offer on free or reduced air fare. We have used ez air on other cruises. My understanding is that when you book you do not find out the prices until 75 days prior  to sailing. Are the prices worth waiting for? Can you cancel this portion of the cruise fare if it does not work for you? Second question free exursions? Has anyone had a "free exursion"? Thank you for your responses.

Nothing is really "free" its just a gimmick NCL does for raising the prices of their sailing. Case and point, Getaway for March 2020 for 4 people with "Free 3rd and 4th Guests" is 2300 for JUST 1 PERK in an Interior Cabin. For a balcony, it is 3200, with all perks! Ridiculous!

[graphicguy]

Generally speaking, an interior cabin is always going to be less expensive than a balcony cabin.  So, no surprise the Balcony on the Getaway is more than the Interior cabin on the same cruise, same date.

[PTC DAWG]

57 minutes ago, jbethel11 said:

Nothing is really "free" its just a gimmick NCL does for raising the prices of their sailing. Case and point, Getaway for March 2020 for 4 people with "Free 3rd and 4th Guests" is 2300 for JUST 1 PERK in an Interior Cabin. For a balcony, it is 3200, with all perks! Ridiculous!

This is not surprising, the price being the same would be the surprising part..

Edited February 26, 2019 by PTC DAWG

[jmsnyc]

About to book a solo cabin with one free offer on a 5 day.   The drink package adds $99 gratuities so it makes me think twice as I am not a day drinker and do not want to get sloshed every night.    I will probably have 3 drinks, so not sure average price of drinks but I was also thinking of doing the wifi package.   Is it worth the $50 excursion  or drinks and the gratuity cost ???

[graphicguy]

5 minutes ago, jmsnyc said:

About to book a solo cabin with one free offer on a 5 day.   The drink package adds $99 gratuities so it makes me think twice as I am not a day drinker and do not want to get sloshed every night.    I will probably have 3 drinks, so not sure average price of drinks but I was also thinking of doing the wifi package.   Is it worth the $50 excursion  or drinks and the gratuity cost ???

Drinks average about $10/ea (not including tips).  Likely a bit more.  So, if you’re saying you’ll drink only 3 drinks during the entire cruise, then it’s not worth it.  If you’re saying you will drink 3 drinks/day, then yes...the drink package is worth it.

[jmsnyc]

6 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Drinks average about $10/ea (not including tips).  Likely a bit more.  So, if you’re saying you’ll drink only 3 drinks during the entire cruise, then it’s not worth it.  If you’re saying you will drink 3 drinks/day, then yes...the drink package is worth it.

It has to be worth $150.  ($50 value of excursion credit  + gratuity) Are drinks like jack/coke $10 ?  I remember them being less but I have not been on a cruise in years without the package - so I guess if I do spend $30 a day , its a breakeven.  I could also use my rum runners to offset the cost but thats inconvenient. I probably will anyway just to have some alcohol in my room. The drink package includes fountain soda but not bottled water, right? If it included bottled water , that would be a no brainer

Edited February 26, 2019 by jmsnyc

[NLH Arizona]

16 minutes ago, jmsnyc said:

About to book a solo cabin with one free offer on a 5 day.   The drink package adds $99 gratuities so it makes me think twice as I am not a day drinker and do not want to get sloshed every night.    I will probably have 3 drinks, so not sure average price of drinks but I was also thinking of doing the wifi package.   Is it worth the $50 excursion  or drinks and the gratuity cost ???

It depends on how much you drink, if the beverage package is worth it to you.  At $20 a day added for gratuities/service charge, if you drink a couple of drinks or more a day, it is worth it because drinks range from $10 to $15.  Not to mention, you can get soda as well.  For me, if I had to purchase the beverage package, it wouldn't be financial good for me, but as a perk, it is a no brainer for me and I'm a light drinker.

 

 

[KarlChilders]

1 minute ago, jmsnyc said:

About to book a solo cabin with one free offer on a 5 day.   The drink package adds $99 gratuities so it makes me think twice as I am not a day drinker and do not want to get sloshed every night.    I will probably have 3 drinks, so not sure average price of drinks but I was also thinking of doing the wifi package.   Is it worth the $50 excursion  or drinks and the gratuity cost ???

The break even on the gratuities for the beverage plan is about 2 cocktails or 3 beers per day.  So if you have a pre dinner drink and a glass of wine with dinner you will pretty much break even.  I come out ahead.

[graphicguy]

I know the drink package has been changed a little bit recently.  I’m sure Jack Daniels is included.  Not sure of the price per drink for Jack and Coke, though.

 

As @NLH Arizona mentioned, per drink charges are likely to be at least $10/ea.

 

Rum runners are redundant with the drink package.  Plus, I hate running back to the cabin to get a drink.

 

Kind of a no brainer for the drink package from a financial standpoint.

[PTC DAWG]

6 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I know the drink package has been changed a little bit recently.  I’m sure Jack Daniels is included.  Not sure of the price per drink for Jack and Coke, though.

 

As @NLH Arizona mentioned, per drink charges are likely to be at least $10/ea.

 

Rum runners are redundant with the drink package.  Plus, I hate running back to the cabin to get a drink.

 

Kind of a no brainer for the drink package from a financial standpoint.

Agree, it it's an offered perk, and you even like to drink a few...even a Pepsi or a Club Soda... $20 a day is an easy threshold to HIT.  

Edited February 26, 2019 by PTC DAWG