Help - Free at Sea - NCL Newbie

[LIMPIT]

Hello,

we have booked our first cruise on NCL Sun next year, we are experienced cruisers but I am a bit bewildered with the FAS Package.

If anyone could assist, I would be very grateful.

I did research the T&Cs but it has left me even more confused ? :

 

Premium Drink Package - $15 threshold per drink, pay the difference any value over, do you pay 20% gratuity on the drinks within the offer and/or extra costs above $15 ?

I also read that drinks on Hawaiian Cruises or drinks within Hawaiian waters may not be included ?

Our Cruise is out of Honolulu around Hawaiian Islands then onto French Polynesian Islands.

 

Speciality Restaurants - My understanding is that our length cruise/cabin grade allows two inclusive reservations each, can these be taken in either “Cover Charge” or “A La Carte” Restaurants ? and am I correct that in ALC Restaurants you can order any amount starters, deserts or sides with a single main ?

No Pre Boarding Reservations for these FAC Perks, only if you add extra chargeable reservations ?

 

Thankfully the Wi-Fi & Excursion Allowance within the FAC Package appear self explanatory.

 

Many thanks 

 

[cruiseny4life]

You'll find answers to all your Free at Sea questions here: https://www.ncl.com/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions

 

Hawaii deets: 

 

[LIMPIT]

3 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

You'll find answers to all your Free at Sea questions here: https://www.ncl.com/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions

 

Hawaii deets: 

 

Because we are sailing on the Sun not Pride of America, assume that our package is not classified as a “Hawaiian Beverage Package” so that assists with that query, thanks

[azappraiser]

5 minutes ago, LIMPIT said:

Premium Drink Package - $15 threshold per drink, pay the difference any value over, do you pay 20% gratuity on the drinks within the offer and/or extra costs above $15 ?

 

The first $15 & gratuity is already covered with the drink package; if you order a drink that has a cost of $18.00, you're only paying an extra $3.36. (difference between 15 and the cost of the drink, plus gratuity on the difference)

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, LIMPIT said:

Because we are sailing on the Sun not Pride of America, assume that our package is not classified as a “Hawaiian Beverage Package” so that assists with that query, thanks

Oooopsie daisy, then it doesn't matter HI or not. What @azappraiser states is truth. You may have to pay taxes on drinks in US waters. Not sure what HI does in that case, but I'm sure we'll have someone let yo uknow.

[azappraiser]

We paid taxes on the POA in 2014...

 

[LIMPIT]

Anyone had experience sailing any other NCL ship other than Pride of America ? 

[hallux]

45 minutes ago, LIMPIT said:

Speciality Restaurants - My understanding is that our length cruise/cabin grade allows two inclusive reservations each, can these be taken in either “Cover Charge” or “A La Carte” Restaurants ? and am I correct that in ALC Restaurants you can order any amount starters, deserts or sides with a single main ?

No Pre Boarding Reservations for these FAC Perks, only if you add extra chargeable reservations ?

This has been covered on this forum ad nauseam, but I'll do it again...

 

You can reserve either type of restaurant.  You can NOT get "any amount of starters, desserts or sides", it's been pared down to one of each with one main.  You can certainly reserve them before boarding, if you want to do more than the two meals, be sure to book the cover charge places FIRST or you will be charged up-front for them (unless you want to just pay for them now).  If you're looking to make reservations after around 100 days before boarding you're not likely to get the reservation times you want and you'll need to try as soon as you board.

Edited September 25, 2023 by hallux

[durberville]

I know I risk adding to the nausea but are you saying that I can’t have an appetizer AND a soup or salad with my entree? 😕 (Don't care about dessert) Don’t think I’ve ever experienced that on any cruise line. 

[hallux]

@durberville I think there's still some confusion on that, but you may be able to bargain with them to let you do both of those and skip the dessert.

[ggTexasGal]

5 minutes ago, durberville said:

I know I risk adding to the nausea but are you saying that I can’t have an appetizer AND a soup or salad with my entree? 😕 (Don't care about dessert) Don’t think I’ve ever experienced that on any cruise line. 

You can!  However, the waiter/waitress might tell you that there will be an extra charge.

This scenario has been discussed many times, with many different experiences, and often depends on the ship, the restaurant, and the server  at the time!

Yes, quite confusing, and can be frustrating.

Edited September 25, 2023 by ggTexasGal
edit typo and added text.

[MCMC100]

2 hours ago, durberville said:

I know I risk adding to the nausea but are you saying that I can’t have an appetizer AND a soup or salad with my entree? 😕 (Don't care about dessert) Don’t think I’ve ever experienced that on any cruise line. 

In my experience it has always been appetizer, soup or salad, entree and dessert. I have never been told “no”.  Just sailed two weeks ago on Joy and did this very thing in four specialty restaurants (although I did skip dessert in La Cuccina one evening out of an abundance of caution for my long term heart health). 

[durberville]

11 minutes ago, MCMC100 said:

In my experience it has always been appetizer, soup or salad, entree and dessert. I have never been told “no”.  Just sailed two weeks ago on Joy and did this very thing in four specialty restaurants (although I did skip dessert in La Cuccina one evening out of an abundance of caution for my long term heart health). 

That is good to know, thank you! I sure hope our experience is similar.
 

That said, is this “rule” a quirky restriction with Specialty dining only, and NCL in particular?  Because this is how we always order in any MDR …the fact it’s suggested we might have to barter an extra starter for a dessert is very off-putting. 😳
 

 

[hallux]

3 minutes ago, durberville said:

Specialty dining only

Specialty dining when using the free meal (either the free-at-sea or the Platinum coupon).

3 minutes ago, durberville said:

Because this is how we always order in any MDR

Order whatever you want in the MDR, even multiple entrees if you please.  This thread was asking about the specialty dining in regards to free-at-sea, I think you piped in asking about MDR meals but did not specify such, hence the confusion.

Edited September 26, 2023 by hallux

[MCMC100]

You can order anything and everything in the MDR. The minor restrictions in the specialty restaurants is post COVID change. Prior you could order multiple appetizers if you chose. You can definitely get app, soup/salad, entree and dessert in specialty venues. If you go to Cagney’s order the 7 Layer Chocolate cake for dessert. It’s almost like a second entree….

[durberville]

7 minutes ago, hallux said:

Specialty dining when using the free meal (either the free-at-sea or the Platinum coupon).

Order whatever you want in the MDR, even multiple entrees if you please.  This thread was asking about the specialty dining in regards to free-at-sea, I think you piped in asking about MDR meals but did not specify such, hence the confusion.

Thank you - sorry for the confusion. 🙂

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, durberville said:

I know I risk adding to the nausea but are you saying that I can’t have an appetizer AND a soup or salad with my entree? 😕 (Don't care about dessert) Don’t think I’ve ever experienced that on any cruise line. 

The Specialty Dining Package (that comes with Free at Sea) includes 1 appetizer, 1 soup/salad, 1 entree, and 1 dessert. A total of four courses. We often have 2 appetizers and no soup/salad with no problem. It would also include 2 sides where priced separately (like at Cagney's). 

[Fabulous97]

Looks like you are in the UK?? If you have booked through the UK or Europe you don't pay gratuities on the drinks package if $15 or under which covers most drinks. In the EU you can't give something away for free and then make a charge for it.

 

The US is different.