MAS details and thoughts

[detroitlions]

I really wish folks would read the changes that were posted by NCL before they put comments on here makes it real hard to read any real issues.

Most of the complaining from what I am hearing is the unknown. You will just have to be patient and wait for all the changes to kick in.

Do I think they are significant no I do not.

The dining package looks better and will probably end up costing slightly more.

The drink package to me looks the same with bonuses like mid level spirits will now be included that were on the pay extra list before like grey goose.

I am willing to bet they will come out with a Starbucks and water package that you can add to your bill just please wait and be patient.

 

[stellarose33]

TA got back to me. so basically FAS is done and it's all MAS is now in place. We get all the perks of  MAS without paying the extra since we booked in April for summer 2025. Bonus!!!!

[bkrickles1]

16 minutes ago, stellarose33 said:

TA got back to me. so basically FAS is done and it's all MAS is now in place. We get all the perks of  MAS without paying the extra since we booked in April for summer 2025. Bonus!!!!

didn't I tell you this already? LMAO!!

[stellarose33]

7 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

didn't I tell you this already? LMAO!!

just wanted it in writing from my TA.  🙂

[macewank]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

If they kept the FAS+ to please you then they should keep the FAS to please others.  
 

To the best of my knowledge no one had posted the new drink prices or what is or is not included. 
 

btw isn’t a direct replacement for fas

 

It's being advertised as such.

 

 

It's *the* package you get when you book, and with the exception of internet minutes on 12+ day sailings, the perks are either the same, or better across the board.  There is no reason for the basic FAS package to exist once MAS goes live.  Nobody would pick it, and I haven't seen a single person saying they'd rather have the FAS option.

And nobody is saying that FAS+ as-is needed to remain.  It could've been something else (MAS+ ?) that bundled specialty dining/internet/water/juice like FAS+ had.  You keep trying to validate your stance by saying "no one has posted the new prices or drink menu", and I keep telling you that the drink prices + menu isn't what people are complaining about when they bring up FAS+.

 

MAS will probably have most of the things I drink off of the P+ menu (Hendricks, Patron Anejo, EH Taylor, Blantons, and Woodford Reserve -- which was moved to P+ sometime mid/late last year).  Connoisseur collection is probably where the BTAC whiskeys (Pappy, George T Stagg, etc..) and high end scotch (Macallan flights) and cognac (Hennesy XO) will end up, but who knows. I'm not worried about my drink package on 2025 sailings. I'm annoyed I'm going to have to spend more money to recouperate the other benefits.

 

1 hour ago, bkrickles1 said:

I spent 10 days in the Vibe on Getaway in April and I only met one person who had FAS+

Might have been me!  April 7th sailing from NY to a bunch of Caribbean spots?

[RocketMan275]

5 minutes ago, macewank said:

You keep trying to validate your stance by saying "no one has posted the new prices or drink menu", and I keep telling you that the drink prices + menu isn't what people are complaining about when they bring up FAS+.

The difference in drink prices might well offset the complaints about orange juice.

[bkrickles1]

11 minutes ago, macewank said:

 

Might have been me!  April 7th sailing from NY to a bunch of Caribbean spots?

Actually, we sailed Getaway April 19th. 

It was a great cruise, made way better with my first time in Vibe. 

[macewank]

10 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

The difference in drink prices might well offset the complaints about orange juice.

The difference between "included in package" and "included in package" is $0.  It's a more than safe assumption that if it wasn't included in P+, it won't be included in MAS either, so...I really do not understand the point you're trying to make when you say that.  At best, it's included either way.  At worst, it's going to cost more because it was included in P+ and isn't in MAS. 

 

edit: and yes, we "don't know" this, but be logical.  if a paid drink package upgrade didn't cover it, the "everyone gets this at booking" package ain't gonna cover it either.

Edited Wednesday at 06:23 PM by macewank

[macewank]

Just now, bkrickles1 said:

Actually, we sailed Getaway April 19th. 

It was a great cruise, made way better with my first time in Vibe. 

 
Ah nice!  Victor and Jody were awesome. We had so much fun! 

 

Hope we left the place in decent condition!

[bkrickles1]

2 minutes ago, macewank said:

 
Ah nice!  Victor and Jody were awesome. We had so much fun! 

 

Hope we left the place in decent condition!

My wife and daughter wanted to take Jody home with us! He was the best! 

And Victor was a great bartender and was so nice too. 

We only got off the ship for 2 ports because we loved them and Vibe so much. 

[Sunboater]

On 10/1/2024 at 8:45 AM, jds2001 said:

It seems NCL screwed the pooch on keeping it under wraps until 9:30AM, so here goes my previously written post on this.

 

Now that it can be officially discussed, here are some thoughts on the ACTUAL changes with MAS.

 

TL; DR - this is a good evolution to FAS; it eliminates the idea that you’re paying “gratuities” on something and introduces much more straightforward pricing.

 

First, this REPLACES FAS wholesale. The program’s structure is mostly unchanged, but the inclusions are very different in both the beverage and dining package, and the pricing has slightly increased. The concept that you are just paying gratuities on some (fake) retail value is gone, and as before you can accept or reject individual pieces of the package.

 

There is now only one alcoholic beverage package available, and it is more akin (but not identical) to the old Premium Plus Beverage Package, and the cost is dependent on the length of sailing. For a 1-7 day sailing, it is $30/pp/day; for an 8-11 night sailing, it is $27/pp/day; and for a 12+ night sailing, it is $23/pp/day. This applies to guests 1-8 in the cabin as it does today. Bottled water and Starbucks are not included in this package; however, the separate Starbucks and water packages remain available for purchase. The materials that NCL sent out said that this package would cover 90% of beverage brands available on board. For brands that are not included, you will receive a $15 discount with the package, as you do today.

 

With this change, effective 1/1/25, the Premium Plus Beverage Package and Free at Sea Plus upgrades are no longer available. If they have been purchased previously, they will be refunded to the original form of payment. All guests who opted for a beverage package, whether at FAS or MAS pricing, will receive the MAS beverage package. This is the ONLY component that changes for existing reservations.

 

With this change, taxes will be waived on food and beverage in US ports, on EU sailings, or in Spanish/Italian waters. This is a welcome change that will eliminate nuisance charges.

 

If you don’t purchase the beverage package pre-sailing, it will be available for purchase onboard for the first two days at $89/pp/day.

 

Next is the specialty dining. All venues are moving to a "cover charge" (and we can gnash our teeth about the meaning of that phrase), more properly known as a prix fixe menu. Additional specialty dining packages are no longer offered; however, any packages already purchased will be honored. The prix fixe menu offers three appetizers, one main course, and three desserts.

 

The number and prices of meals in the package have changed as well. First, the meals are $20/ea, and the number included depends on cabin category and length of sailing. For Oceanview and below, for a 12+ night sailing, you get 3 meals; 8-11 nights 2 meals; and for 3-7 nights one meal. For a balcony and above, for a 12+ night cruise, you get 5 meals, 8-11 4 meals, 7 nights you get 3 meals, 4-6 nights 2 meals, and 3 nights 1 meal. As mentioned, additional nights beyond this are not available for purchase any longer, and you would have to pay the cover charge at each restaurant.

 

What is the cover charge? For steak, Teppanyaki, French, and seafood restaurants, it is $60; for Brazil, Asian, Food Republic, and sushi, it is $50; and for Italian, Mexican, BBQ, and Pincho(??), it is $40. This could represent a saving over today. Additional packages were around $50/night, so you can use your package meals for Cagney’s and Le Bistro, for example, and pay for the cheaper ones.

 

Now for the less good change for long voyages. WiFi has simultaneously increased and decreased. What do I mean by that? The number of minutes has been decreased for long sailings to 150, but it now applies to every guest in the stateroom, not just the first 2. For short sailings (3-6 nights) it remains at 75 minutes, and for 7 nights and longer, 150 minutes. There remains no charge for this.

 

The $50 per tour shore excursion credit is unchanged; however, with the elimination of FAS+ it now applies to only the first person in the stateroom with no opportunity to upgrade. BOGO airfare is also unchanged, as well as the 3rd and 4th guest for free of $99 (plus port charges) for select sailings.

 

In conclusion, I think that this is a logical evolution of the program, and there are some missteps in it, but not much (notably the elimination of FAS+). I hold out hope that a MAS+ will be introduced at some point in the future.

Just to add to your response, which I did not see earlier: If you purchase the FAS+ before October 1, 2024, and sail before January 1, 2025, your FAS+ is not cancelled. You are grandfathered in, even though this does not show in the reservation details online. NCL informed me that this will be fixed to display on my account soon. When I get my sea pass, there will be a sticker showing FAS+.

However, if you change your reservation and they rebook you in the system, you will lose this grandfathering for the upgrade. So, for those who purchased, don't cancel just yet. I have had three different representatives explain this to me, and one said all are cancelled. The confusion arises because not all representatives are on the same page yet

[BigRedFan]

21 hours ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

We have 2 cruises in February that are booked through the Sydney office.   On each we will have 2 FaS Specialty meals and the 2 Latitude meals.

 

Am I right in assuming that we will be treated at each one in exactly the same way as previously?

 

What about similar meals during 4 booked cruises in November and December 2025?

 

Thanks

 

Mike

Hi Mike,

My PCC told me that basically I keep all the FAS benefits but will get the MAS for the drinks.  The only difference I see is that you can't buy extra specialty restaurants ahead of time.  When you go to make the dinner reservations and choose to add more restaurants you will have to pay the cover charge at that point.  I'm hoping that they adjust the drop-down menu to reflect a solo cruiser reservation instead of having a table for 2 be the lowest choice. In booking any cruise going forward the only thing I see that is less than what I normally get would be the cut in internet minutes.  My next cruise is in a month under the FAS option so we'll see how it goes.

Genzi

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@BigRedFan

 

G'day Genzi

 

That was the way I read it but I can't get my PCC to tell me!!!

 

We have two in February so will look forward to finding out then

 

Mike

[jds2001]

4 minutes ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

@BigRedFan

 

G'day Genzi

 

That was the way I read it but I can't get my PCC to tell me!!!

 

We have two in February so will look forward to finding out then

 

Mike

The current wording on the TA help site coincides with this. The package is “modified” with the two dining, excursion credit, and WiFi remaining. I assume there will be a refund of some unknown amount for the beverage piece. Importantly, if you cancel it, it cannot be re-added. 

Edited Wednesday at 06:52 PM by jds2001

[RocketMan275]

31 minutes ago, macewank said:

edit: and yes, we "don't know" this, but be logical.  if a paid drink package upgrade didn't cover it, the "everyone gets this at booking" package ain't gonna cover it either.

Be logical and wait until the facts are known before making upon assumptions.

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, stellarose33 said:

We get all the perks of  MAS without paying the extra

Please tell me what additional perks you are receiving?  Is it anything other than not having to pay a buck or two for a drink over $15?

[stellarose33]

31 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Please tell me what additional perks you are receiving?  Is it anything other than not having to pay a buck or two for a drink over $15?

and my price does not change. I get MAS for the price of FAS since I booked in March of this year. so it saves me a few bucks. 

[ocdb8r]

56 minutes ago, stellarose33 said:

and my price does not change. I get MAS for the price of FAS since I booked in March of this year. so it saves me a few bucks. 

It only saves you a few bucks if the pricing went up.  I can tell you for 3 cruises in 2025 that I have been tracking, thus far pricing has not changed from last week.  My suspicion is loads/yields are not what NCL wants to see (travel is softening and RCL is eating their lunch in the PR department) and they are hoping they can "sell" this as a big upgrade to draw in more customers.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

Those people who are saying that the price has not gone up; have you tried to make a "trial" booking?

 

You may well find the the "old" price is now the "Sailaway" price and the actual price has really gone up.

We have a cruise booked at NZD3500 and the into in the website shows that.   If I do a trial booking the "Sailaway" price is NZD3000  BUT  the price of what we have booked is NZD5900

[bkrickles1]

4 minutes ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

Those people who are saying that the price has not gone up; have you tried to make a "trial" booking?

 

You may well find the the "old" price is now the "Sailaway" price and the actual price has really gone up.

We have a cruise booked at NZD3500 and the into in the website shows that.   If I do a trial booking the "Sailaway" price is NZD3000  BUT  the price of what we have booked is NZD5900

I booked a sailing on Aqua last week.

I've done several mock bookings since yesterday with the exact same parameters.

The difference was $100 more.

Basically the same.

[dock]

Just checked the app and our FAS+ purchase has been removed and now booking reflects the basic FAS inclusions.

 

 

Have emailed TA and awaiting a response. 



 

[ChiefMateJRK]

15 minutes ago, bkrickles1 said:

I booked a sailing on Aqua last week.

I've done several mock bookings since yesterday with the exact same parameters.

The difference was $100 more.

Basically the same.

Same here. They were probably about ready for some incremental price increases anyways. Possibly nothing to see here.  

[vswan]

I don't know if anyone can answer my questions, but thought I'd ask. Went online and looked a my two bookings.

 

I have a Nov. 24 cruise booked for 2. I originally booked an inside cabin but upgraded to a balcony with credit card points. Since the original booking was for an inside I have one specialty dining included with the original FAS I booked. The booking now shows all of the original FAS items - the drink package, 1 specialty dining, internet minutes and shore excursion for guest 1.

 

My second cruise is a solo 12 night in January 25. It lists the drink package, internet minutes, shore excursion and under specialty dining it lists specialty dining, but doesn't list how many. At booking it was 3 meals - the lowest package option for purchase with MAS is for 5 meals. Do I keep my original 3 meals which I've already paid the service fees for or does this get transferred to the new lowest level package of 5 meals? Will I need to pay a charge for the additional 2 meals?

 

As a mostly solo traveler, I already get 2 platinum meals and I have no interest in 5 additional specialty meals. I could use the 2 platinum for the restaurants with the higher cover charge and just pay the $20 for an additional meal at a lower cost specialty dining if I wanted another.

 

The price for the drink packages is very reasonable compared to Royal and Carnival. Have traveled both recently and was unwilling to pay the pppd rate, just don't drink that much. I expect the price on this will increase pretty quickly.

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

Those people who are saying that the price has not gone up; have you tried to make a "trial" booking?

 

You may well find the the "old" price is now the "Sailaway" price and the actual price has really gone up.

We have a cruise booked at NZD3500 and the into in the website shows that.   If I do a trial booking the "Sailaway" price is NZD3000  BUT  the price of what we have booked is NZD5900

I have a cruise booked for Jan 2025 and one for Jan 2026.

Neither price has changed a dime for an identical booking.

[tombli]

We have a 21 day cruise scheduled next spring. Before my final payment, I'd been going back and forth on buying the FAS+. Had never done so on our other dozen NCL cruises. I guess I'm glad the decision was made for me 🙂  I've never had the Plus beverage package, tap water is fine for me, and the few times I wanted a nicer liquor I paid the difference. But thought it would be nice to try for a longer cruise. I'm curious now what liquors that were extra would now be covered. There were a few I liked that were a few $$ more. The specialty dining changes are interesting. We'd always used our FAS and Latitude credits for the ala carte places, then paid the cover for Teppanyaki. That was $49 last time, now $60. So calculus changes. But bottom line for me is I don't think it will change our spend much. I would rather than fiddle with prices here than continue to cut basics like housekeeping and entertainment.