More at Sea

[PhillyTravelBug]

After scrolling through, I can't wait to book my next cruise now 🫠. I have four cruise next certificates to use and began eying a baltic cruise for 2026 possibly. 

[Liljo22]

At least this will stop the posters that question if its really "free".

[mistertomatoe]

1 hour ago, Katrina1547 said:

 

No, you will not pay the difference:

 

 

Going above means getting something outside the package. I have a feeling the 45% more is mostly the wine stuff that seems way over priced in the first place. They'll just push a lot of the fancier stuff to the Connoisseur's Collection. Assuming they don't remove things from ships altogether it'll definitely include the super fancy stuff like Louis XIII and Hennessey XO.

 

The no more $15 bev cap is just marketing trickery.

 

There's also the Starbucks and bottle water stuff (cheap stuff, Pellegrino, Acqua Panna) which aren't included but not technically paying a price difference. I'm not sure what will happen to the Red Bull or Hatsu tea.

[Liljo22]

4 minutes ago, mistertomatoe said:

The no more $15 bev cap is just marketing trickery.

 

Don't understand this line.  There are plenty of cocktails that were above $15 that will be included now, ie an Espresso Martini that was $17-$18 previously that will be included now.  

Edited Tuesday at 07:33 PM by Liljo22

[DCGuy64]

Worrying about having to pay more for cognac seems like the very definition of a first world problem, but maybe that's just me!

[DCGuy64]

Just now, Liljo22 said:

Don't understand this line.  There are plenty of cocktails that were above $15 that will be included now, ie an Express Martini that was $17-$18 previously that will be included now.  

My thoughts exactly.

[mistertomatoe]

It's interesting to hear what people are being told. I know why they have to stick with one beverage program for sailings starting Jan 1, 2025.  They have to make changes to the menu so they have to do something with Free at Sea PLUS which includes the Premium Plus package. That won't exists anymore so I'm not sure what they will do. It doesn't sound like they are cancelling the PLUS for those that already purchased it. Sounds like a modification.

 

This is what the NCL KB says about the Free at Sea PLUS. It doesn't address the drink package upgrade.

 

Note:  The Free at Sea PLUS Upgrade Package is discontinued effective for sailings beginning January 1, 2025, and beyond.

With the launch of More At Sea™, we have discontinued the Free at Sea Plus upgrade program, which will now be modified on reservations made on or before September 30, 2024 for sailings on or after January 1, 2025. The modified package will continue to include the following offerings:

• Two additional specialty dining meals
• An additional $50 credit per Shore Excursion
• Unlimited Wi-Fi minutes

[Ken the cruiser]

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.

[laudergayle]

1 minute 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.

@HBCcruiser  another post about FAS+.  Seems you will get some of the benefits…probably not the one you really wanted though.

[txcfa]

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.

Edited Tuesday at 08:00 PM by txcfa

[mistertomatoe]

5 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

The Plus drink package will be refunded.

 

How much will you be refunded? I thought it's one price for the PLUS package upgrade that includes everything.

Edited Tuesday at 08:00 PM by mistertomatoe

[ChiefMateJRK]

I'll toss out another data point:

I just did mock bookings for four future cruises that I have booked.  All went up slightly, averaging $138.46 total increase per cruise for two passengers.  I believe that NCL has taken this opportunity to roll in a modest across the board price increase.  No surprises there.  All else is the same for me.  I could opt out of the specialty dining and beverage package and reduce the total fare.  In all honestly, if it weren't for the marketing blitz, I doubt I would have noticed the "big change."  I don't upgrade to premium plus beverage.

[Fifi1910]

12 minutes ago, txcfa said:

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.

 

Edited Tuesday at 08:12 PM by Fifi1910
No reply

[Ken the cruiser]

7 minutes ago, txcfa said:

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.

I just got this info 10 minutes ago from the NCL Online Chat function, which took less than 1 minute to link up with someone. You might want to try that option. But since NCL is refunding the Plus Beverage Package cost, whatever that might be as it was bundled in the overall $49 pp/day cost, it would make sense the Starbucks and bottled water "Plus" perks would disappear.

[Fifi1910]

13 minutes ago, txcfa said:

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.

My amenity receipt sent from chat today definitely shows premium plus beverage package still included for October 2024 sailing. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 hours ago, Ladyshopper23 said:

Does this mean that Baileys is back to being included again? I couldn't drink that other stuff they were offering instead that came within the $15 limit, it was nasty (can't remember the name of it). Husband liked it though!

I hope everyone who is cruising soon and has had things they've paid for disappearing from their booking gets sorted. 

Baileys was added back months ago.  It was no charge on our July Bliss cruise.

[laudergayle]

15 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

In all honestly, if it weren't for the marketing blitz, I doubt I would have noticed the "big change."  I don't upgrade to premium plus beverage.

I agree. I’ve done a few mock bookings and the difference was less than $100 and we get an extra meal.

 

To me the biggest negative is the Internet Upgrade.  In the past (when we didnt do FAS+) I would just upgrade one person to Unlimited.  Now it looks like it’s priced “per cabin” and is priced as though two people upgraded. I’ve never tried to make 150 mins work…so my next cruise I will definitely be trying this.  Hopefully they will have onboard deals during the cruise.

 

 

[schmoopie17]

3 hours ago, laudergayle said:

This is the Getaway from NOLA to Western Caribbean that @cruiseny4life is on.  

That's right...how could I forget? Oh I know how...I'm old.

[UKstages]

2 hours ago, Katrina1547 said:

No, you will not pay the difference:

 

as noted upthread, please allow me to introduce you to the connoisseur collection!

 

https://www.ncl.com/no/en/cruise-faq/what-connoisseur-collection

 

the thing you quoted about no $15 beverage cap is NCL's poorly worded and ineloquent way of saying that they have taken some popular drinks (such as baileys) that used to be arbitrarily priced at over $15 and placed them in the MAS beverage package. they always should have been in the FAS beverage package, but they inexplicably - and arbitrarily - were not. (and, yes, I'm aware that bailey's was already put into standard FAS beverage package some time ago.)

 

as for those who think that NCL has taken the opportunity to put forth a modest price increase (they have), please see post #53 again, in which it is revealed that NCL will be absorbing the sales tax on drinks (when imposed in US ports) and the VAT when applicable in foreign ports.   part of the price increase is surely going to pay for that. 

[Ken the cruiser]

47 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I'll toss out another data point:

I just did mock bookings for four future cruises that I have booked.  All went up slightly, averaging $138.46 total increase per cruise for two passengers.  I believe that NCL has taken this opportunity to roll in a modest across the board price increase.  No surprises there.  All else is the same for me.  I could opt out of the specialty dining and beverage package and reduce the total fare.  In all honestly, if it weren't for the marketing blitz, I doubt I would have noticed the "big change."  I don't upgrade to premium plus beverage.

Following along on that thought. The only reason we previously paid the FAS beverage gratuity when booking a cruise, as my DW only drinks water and Starbucks hot chocolate, was to be able to purchase the FAS Plus package, which we thought was worth the additional $49 pp/day.

 

Now that the Plus package will officially be history after Jan 1, we have no need any longer to pay the FAS Beverage Package gratuities. So our plan is to do a mock booking of our 22-day April 2026 cruise after Jan 1 and see how many SD reservations come with that length of cruise where we would only be paying the gratuities. If the result is more than a few $$$, especially if NCL does not raise the price of our cabin category by then, we will probably refare our booking at that time because I don't drink that much alcohol and see no need to also pay around $42 pp/day for the both of us for the MAS beverage package.

Edited Tuesday at 08:58 PM by Ken the cruiser

[JoeTec]

I am sailing on Oct 27th. in a balcony so 2 free at sea dinners & I purchased 2 more

Now the xtra 2 that I purchased isn't showing anymore & I was showing a balance due of $206.00

 

So I got on the chat & they are telling me I have to call & reprice because of the change.  So I went & printed my summery off & now it is back to paid in full but the xtra dining is missing.

 

who knows what is going to happen to the people sailing from now until 12/31

 

 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

15 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

2016 prices

 

I never cease to be amazed by the depth of you ur “scrapbook” 🤭

[MagnoliaBlossom]

13 hours ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

@BirdTravels

 

Your quote of the 2016 Cover Charge; what did it actually mean?   Like going into a bar, a charge to get in?   Or the minimum you could spend at "a la carte" prices?   Or the cost of the meal whatever you ate?

It is a misuse for f the term, in my opinion, but that’s what the meal cost is/was per person.  There were some upgrade costs say, if you’re u wanted a lobster tail with your steak, but it included an app, an entree and a desert.

[mistertomatoe]

27 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

as noted upthread, please allow me to introduce you to the connoisseur collection!

 

https://www.ncl.com/no/en/cruise-faq/what-connoisseur-collection

 

the thing you quoted about no $15 beverage cap is NCL's poorly worded and ineloquent way of saying that they have taken some popular drinks (such as baileys) that used to be arbitrarily priced at over $15 and placed them in the MAS beverage package. they always should have been in the FAS beverage package, but they inexplicably - and arbitrarily - were not. (and, yes, I'm aware that bailey's was already put into standard FAS beverage package some time ago.)

 

as for those who think that NCL has taken the opportunity to put forth a modest price increase (they have), please see post #53 again, in which it is revealed that NCL will be absorbing the sales tax on drinks (when imposed in US ports) and the VAT when applicable in foreign ports.   part of the price increase is surely going to pay for that. 

 

They need to fill it in with more info. It sounds like Starbucks is part of the collection but it's clearly not. On an internal FAQ it says "Any guest with More at Sea will receive 50% off any drinks in the Connoisseur Collection." 

 

I hope the no tax/VAT thing applies to waters like Alaska/Canada too. It's so annoying to have a Premium Plus package and get charged $10 in tax for one drink because you're in U.S. waters and Canada's waters is visible from the ship.

[UKstages]

i ask all the difficult questions, and get all the answers, so you don't have to.

 

you're welcome.

 

here are the MAS promo codes...

 

Studio, Inside, Oceanview, Balcony & Club Balcony Suite...

 

ALL4CHO2 (Beverage, Specialty Dining Package, Internet & Shore Excursions)
BVSXIN2 (Beverage, Internet & Shore Excursions)
DISXIN2 (Dining Package, Internet & Shore Excursions)
INTSHO2 (Internet & Shore Excursions)

34CHO (3rd & 4th Guest Sail Free) or 99CHO (3rd & 4th Guest Sail for $99 USD)

Suite & Haven...

CHOALL42 (Beverage, Specialty Dining Package, Internet & Shore Excursions)
HBVSXIN2 (Beverage, Internet & Shore Excursions)
HDISXIN2 (Specialty Dining Package, Internet & Shore Excursions)
HINTSHO2 (Internet Package & Shore Excursions)

CHO34 (3rd & 4th Guest Sail Free) or CHO99 (3rd & 4th Guest Sail for $99 USD)

 

look for these codes on your invoices for 2025 bookings. as you can surmise from some of these, it appears that is indeed possible to opt out of the beverage and dining packages, just as you can today.

 

with regard to the beverage package... 

 

NCL is now saying in some promotional literature that the MAS beverage package will offer guests 45% more premium brands and confirms that it includes gratuities.  as examples of included spirits, the cite grey goose vodka, citadelle gin, mount gay rum, espadin mezcal, casamigos blanco tequilla, suntory toki whiskey and bulleit rye. (although, in typical NCL fashion, they have misspelled "bulleit" as "bullet.")  also included are wines by the glass, seltzers, and bottled or draft beer.

 

with regard to soda, if guest #2 is a child... for non-hawaii itineraries, the soda substitution will be $12.50 per day.

 

if you didn't purchase MAS when you booked, the beverage package will be sold on the first two days of the cruise for $89/per person/per day, plus taxes and fees.

 

now, here's where it gets interesting. with regard to the connoisseur collection. NCL alternately states that guests will pay the difference above USD 15 or they will get a 50% discount on all connoisseur beverages. that is clearly either a mistake or taken from an early draft of the program and not removed when they changed it!

 

and just to confirm, with regard to specialty dining, the fee paid at the time of booking will "cover" your dining experience at any specialty dining restaurant, with no so-called "cover charge" and no gratuities.  if you decide to purchase additional dining onboard, you will pay the prevailing and inaccurately named  "cover charge" for whichever specialty restaurant you select. presumably, you can prebook reservations online or in the app without paying anything, just as you do now.

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:38 PM by UKstages