Free At Sea Plus

[AK Dreaming]

I am traveling with 3 of us in one cabin for the first time.  I am curious how some of the Free at Sea benefits work.  I've tried looking at the site but was hoping for some real world experience to answer these questions.  

1.  With Free at Sea we get 2 specialty Dining meals.  So I believe that is for the first 2 guest.  If we get Free at Sea Plus and get 2 more meals, can we use those meals for the third guest to dine with us and basically have 2 meals for all three of us?

2.  I know you can get upgraded cocktails and bottles of water with the upgrade to Plus.  Does this include cans of Soda.  I like to keep a couple cans in my room for sitting on the balcony and I usually buy them.  This would make the Plus much more valuable to me.

3.  With Free at Sea Plus does each guest get unlimited wifi.

Thank you for help with any of these questions.

 

[hallux]

There is at least one thread with a lot of discussion about the deal, your questions may be answered there - 

 

[European_CruiseGirl]

No the two extra meals are for passenger 1-2 so they cannot be given to passenger 3. If passengers 1-2 had 2 speciality restaurant meals per person previously with Free at Sea Plus they will both have 4 speciality restaurant meals included. 
 

Also for Wi-Fi: for US customers it seems free Wi-Fi is for passengers 1-2. For EU customers free Wi-Fi is for passenger 1 only.

Edited October 8, 2022 by European_CruiseGirl

[archer77]

2.  I know you can get upgraded cocktails and bottles of water with the upgrade to Plus.  Does this include cans of Soda.  I like to keep a couple cans in my room for sitting on the balcony and I usually buy them.  This would make the Plus much more valuable to me.

 

>> It includes fountain drinks, not cans.

 

 

3.  With Free at Sea Plus does each guest get unlimited wifi.

Thank you for help with any of these questions.

 

>> I believe it is only 150 minutes per guest for a 7 day cruise (or 300 minutes for a 12 day)

 

 

[KeithJenner]

3 hours ago, archer77 said:

3.  With Free at Sea Plus does each guest get unlimited wifi.

Thank you for help with any of these questions.

 

>> I believe it is only 150 minutes per guest for a 7 day cruise (or 300 minutes for a 12 day)

 

 

That is for Free as Sea. Free at Sea Plus gives unlimited wifi.

[Sthrngary]

Thank you for making this thread.  

 

1. Specialty Meals:  Only can be used for the guest it is assigned for. 
2. Unlimited WiFi:  For US guest, both devices is unlimited.  I just upgraded to the Unlimited WiFi Streaming.  It was $70.00 for the week.  Regardless, wifi on a ship is awful. 

 

Allow me to provide the approach I have used for the third and forth person.  Since all guest 21 and older in a cabin need to all purchase the Free At Sea Plus Program, your guest will have two meals on that program.  Just buy a package with two additional meals.  On the internet, two devices is enough if everyone in the cable can be a little flexable.  However, the if you purchased the Free At Sea PLUS for the third person, they would have it anyway.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[SubSmithy]

On 10/8/2022 at 12:40 PM, Sthrngary said:

Allow me to provide the approach I have used for the third and forth person.  Since all guest 21 and older in a cabin need to all purchase the Free At Sea Plus Program, your guest will have two meals on that program.  Just buy a package with two additional meals.  On the internet, two devices is enough if everyone in the cable can be a little flexable.  However, the if you purchased the Free At Sea PLUS for the third person, they would have it anyway.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

Sthrngary, first I always enjoy reading your posts.

 

I am in this same boat (pun intended).  I purchased the Free At Sea Plus For three.  NCL charged $343 + $343 + $243.  It was purchased through my TA who was assured that the third person would receive 2 meals with the upgrade.  My trip summary shows all three of us have the upgrade but doesn't detail the meals.  Clicking on the detail link shows the fine print:

 

The fees listed above cover the following: Guests 1 and 2 who are 21+ receive all Free at Sea Plus offers. Guest 1 and 2 under 21 years of age receive the Soda Package instead of the Premium Plus Beverage Package. Additional guests 21+ receive the Premium Plus Beverage Package only.

 

So right now it appears that #3 has no dining and I will have to buy more while #1 and 2 have more dining than we need.  (Including Platinum vouchers)  In the past while traveling as two,  a restaurant would deduct 2 meals of of one of our cards one night and then two meals off the other card on another night.  Other times they would deduct a meal from each.  I don't think I can count on this to even out the number of meals for all three.

 

In the end I am just trying not to leave the cruise with unused meals while at the same time having to buy extra meals.

 

Todd

[Sthrngary]

33 minutes ago, SubSmithy said:

Sthrngary, first I always enjoy reading your posts.

 

I am in this same boat (pun intended).  I purchased the Free At Sea Plus For three.  NCL charged $343 + $343 + $243.  It was purchased through my TA who was assured that the third person would receive 2 meals with the upgrade.  My trip summary shows all three of us have the upgrade but doesn't detail the meals.  Clicking on the detail link shows the fine print:

 

The fees listed above cover the following: Guests 1 and 2 who are 21+ receive all Free at Sea Plus offers. Guest 1 and 2 under 21 years of age receive the Soda Package instead of the Premium Plus Beverage Package. Additional guests 21+ receive the Premium Plus Beverage Package only.

 

So right now it appears that #3 has no dining and I will have to buy more while #1 and 2 have more dining than we need.  (Including Platinum vouchers)  In the past while traveling as two,  a restaurant would deduct 2 meals of of one of our cards one night and then two meals off the other card on another night.  Other times they would deduct a meal from each.  I don't think I can count on this to even out the number of meals for all three.

 

In the end I am just trying not to leave the cruise with unused meals while at the same time having to buy extra meals.

 

Todd

Todd:

 

To the best of my ability and all the research that I have done; you and your second guest will have five meals.  Two with the original Free at Sea; two with the Free at Sea PLUS and one for Platinum. Your third person seems to have paid for the Premium Plus Beverage package not the Free at Sea PLUS.  I am not sure if that is what you wanted.  Simple fix.  

 

Call NCL, talk to one of them and ask them what is going on.  The worst thing they can say is you have to talk to your travel agent.  I always call NCL first because when I call my Travel Agent, it takes for ever to get my answers.  

 

Sorry I could not be more help.  The one thing I can say is I have a 3 & 4 guest.  My adult Children.  The Free at Sea PLUS was not available at the time.  I had three specialty meals which was Free at Sea that gave me two and one for American Express Platinum.  I purchased each of my children a four meal package.  On the meal My wife and I did not have a package for, we went to the Asian place which gave those with the meal package lots of small plates.  My wife and I added a couple and paid a really small fee.  Lost of ways to work it our once you find out the deal. 

 

I know you said you did not want to waste any meals.  On NCL, unless I am in the Haven, I would always prefer one or the other specialty restaurants.  Last cruise I did solo, I ate at Cagney's four times. Every time it was something different.  Except of course for the desert which was always the chocolate cake, LOL. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[SubSmithy]

12 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

........always the chocolate cake, LOL. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

So after spending some time on the phone and the chat it seems to shake out this way:

The upgrade offer both online and then through my TA and NCL had no option to pay the $343 for the third guest only for 1 and 2 with 3 being charged "only" $ 243.  BUT, NCL verified that guest 3 received 2 meals which works out.  1 and 2 have the two original meals, two upgrade meals and two vouchers for a dinner at Cagney's and then the Bistro.  So I think I can parlay that into 4 nights of specialty dining, and a trip to an A la carte  and the Haven for the other nights.  I may be nit picking but its time to put the spending brakes on this trip HAHA!

 

January cant come soon enough!

 

Todd

[cruiseinfoseeker]

7 hours ago, SubSmithy said:

So after spending some time on the phone and the chat it seems to shake out this way:...

 

The reps are still really really uninformed about this (among other things which includes things that have actually been around for a long time, unlike this new package). It would really surprise me if you actually get the 2 additional dinners for the third person. The $243 is the cost of just getting the upgraded beverage, which is what the chart says the third person has to get if over 21. It says nothing about more dinners or any of the other perks for the additional person. Further, it clearly reads that way on the chart and in the terms descriptions on NCL site, in my opinion.

 

Save your chat logs and/or request an email confirming the additional dinners for 3rd as I have a feeling you are going to have to provide that on the ship when those dinners aren't on the third persons account.

 

 

 

[Two_UW_Badgers]

Has anyone had any luck upgrading to this package if they booked last year? We are currently upgraded to the Premium Plus Package for our November cruise and I don’t see an option for this package. I don’t understand why it is only available for those who booked after a certain date? 

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, Two_UW_Badgers said:

Has anyone had any luck upgrading to this package if they booked last year? We are currently upgraded to the Premium Plus Package for our November cruise and I don’t see an option for this package. I don’t understand why it is only available for those who booked after a certain date? 

Just call NCL. I only had the P+DP also and they upgraded to the Free at Sea Plus for a few extra dollars.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[HuliHuli]

On 10/13/2022 at 8:26 PM, Sthrngary said:

I always call NCL first because when I call my Travel Agent, it takes for ever to get my answers.

Sounds like you don't have an effective TA.  My TA researches the question and provides the answers.  That is how it is supposed to work.

[MotownVoice]

11 minutes ago, HuliHuli said:

Sounds like you don't have an effective TA.  My TA researches the question and provides the answers.  That is how it is supposed to work.

 

[Sthrngary]

18 minutes ago, HuliHuli said:

Sounds like you don't have an effective TA.  My TA researches the question and provides the answers.  That is how it is supposed to work.

@HuliHuli If I had used a travel agent, I would agree with you.  My next trip had to be booked with NCL Casino's At Sea.  My wife won the Slot Tournament on the Joy in December 2021 so she has an entry into the "Winner Take All $100,000.00' slot finals. So I called NCL, went to the NCL Haven Pre-Cruise person even though this cruise I was not in the Haven.  She handle it in less then five minutes. 

 

Normally, I would call my agent, Staci and she would get it done for me.  So for not being clear.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[HuliHuli]

7 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

Normally, I would call my agent, Staci and she would get it done for me.  Sorry for not being clear.  

No worries!

[Ronaldo807]

Is the charge to upgrade added to your invoice or is this paid immediately similar to booking/paying for a shore excursion?

[cruiseinfoseeker]

57 minutes ago, Ronaldo807 said:

Is the charge to upgrade added to your invoice or is this paid immediately similar to booking/paying for a shore excursion?

The experience I had was that it was added to the invoice. However, that was a couple of months ago AND before the option became available to book within the reservation ourselves. 

 

I suspect that now that it's been loaded onto the website as an option in the reservations that it would be treated the same as all the other things are and that payment would be due at time of selecting it even if you have not paid in full and are outside of the final payment date.

 

You would have to find someone with recent experience that fit both criteria I noted (not paid in full and prior to final due date) to get the best answer now.

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, Ronaldo807 said:

Is the charge to upgrade added to your invoice or is this paid immediately similar to booking/paying for a shore excursion?

It was added to my final payment. Simple and I did not have to pay up front. 
 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[Ronaldo807]

58 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

It was added to my final payment. Simple and I did not have to pay up front. 
 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

So I added it online this morning, but then I got an email from Norwegian that my credit card was declined, but the package was not removed. Calling customer service was less than helpful so now I have an email in to my TA to help figure out what is going on. I'm before final payment, but if they are going to just add it to your invoice then why request payment online?

Edited October 17, 2022 by Ronaldo807

[Sthrngary]

27 minutes ago, Ronaldo807 said:

So I added it online this morning, but then I got an email from Norwegian that my credit card was declined, but the package was not removed. Calling customer service was less than helpful so now I have an email in to my TA to help figure out what is going on. I'm before final payment, but if they are going to just add it to your invoice then why request payment online?

No clue. I called, it was added to my account and increased my final payment. You did it online, I did it via phone. That seems to be the only difference.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[ziggyuk]

On 10/8/2022 at 10:13 AM, European_CruiseGirl said:

Also for Wi-Fi: for US customers it seems free Wi-Fi is for passengers 1-2. For EU customers free Wi-Fi is for passenger 1 only.

 

Where did you see this? I am in Europe and added Free@Sea+ and both passengers 1&2 have unlimited WiFi.
We are not EU but I can't see that makes a difference.

Edited October 17, 2022 by ziggyuk

[European_CruiseGirl]

1 hour ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Where did you see this? I am in Europe and added Free@Sea+ and both passengers 1&2 have unlimited WiFi.
We are not EU but I can't see that makes a difference.

 

I see it in my confirmation 😁 The reason behind it is - apparently - if you had previously (like EU Wiesbaden reservations had) only one wifi included originally then the free at sea + also gives only one unlimited wifi. See below my confirmation:

 

 

[ziggyuk]

3 hours ago, European_CruiseGirl said:

 

I see it in my confirmation 😁 The reason behind it is - apparently - if you had previously (like EU Wiesbaden reservations had) only one wifi included originally then the free at sea + also gives only one unlimited wifi. See below my confirmation:

 

 

 

If I found myself in that situation I would be making a complaint and getting my PCC to fix it as the text clearly says guest 1&2 get all the listed perks.
 

Quote from the below snip:

"The fees listed above cover the following: Guests 1 and 2 who are 21+ receive all Free at Sea Plus offers."

 

[CCruiser08]

For those of you who have done the upgrade- Does the Free at Sea Plus incur additional gratuities for bar/dining? I’m assuming it does (hoping to be wrong!) Where are those listed?  It’s kind of a hefty charge for the 10 day Prima Iceland/Norway cruise for 2 people, I do want to know if there are additional fees outside the upgrade charge.