This big ship cruise line will now include more dining, drinks and Wi-Fi in its cruise fares
It’s the end of an era. After years of offering variations on its Free at Sea booking perks promotion, Norwegian Cruise Line is sunsetting its signature offering of included drink packages, Wi-Fi, shore excursions and specialty restaurant dining.
But don’t be sad. The cruise line wants to offer its guests “More at Sea.”
That’s right, as part of an overarching brand repositioning, Norwegian is embracing the concept of MORE: more to do on board, more to see on vacation and more value.
As part of this rebranding, NCL is swapping out its longstanding Free at Sea booking promotion for a More at Sea booking promotion, offering guests the same categories of freebies but now with more included.
But is there a catch?
More at Sea perks
“Free at Sea has been part of our lexicon for a long time; it served us well,” David Herrera, Norwegian Cruise Line president, told TPG in an exclusive interview. “This is the next evolution. This is the opportunity to upgrade from Free at Sea.”
That upgrade translates into more complimentary amenities included in every booking, starting with bookings made Oct. 1 for cruises departing on or after Jan. 1, 2025.
Now, when you book a cruise, Norwegian Cruise Line will include the following More at Sea perks:
- Upgraded beverage package, which will cover premium beverage brands and more than 100 specialty cocktails. The cruise line is getting rid of the existing Unlimited Open Bar and Premium Plus beverage packages for a new drink package featuring 45% more beverage brands across all drink types.
- Additional specialty dining meals on weeklong or longer cruises, including up to three appetizers and three desserts per person, per meal. Passengers booked into balcony cabins will receive one meal on three-night sailings, two on four- to six-night cruises, three on seven-night cruises, four on eight- to 11-night voyages and five on 12-night cruises. Guests in inside and outside cabins will receive a reduced number of meals.
- More Wi-Fi minutes for a total of 75 to 150 minutes of Starlink Wi-Fi for every passenger (depending on cruise length).
Norwegian will continue to offer a $50 shore excursion credit per port for the first guest on the reservation, complimentary airfare for the second guest and free third and fourth guest fares on select voyages when sharing a cabin with two paying guests.
Passengers can opt out of the beverage package and specialty restaurant meals if they so choose.
(Pro tip from Herrera: “If you have more than two drinks a day, it doesn’t make sense [to opt out of the drink package]. You should take the More at Sea beverage package; it is a better deal.”)
Guests booked on cruises through 2024 will still receive their Free at Sea perks before that offer disappears. Passengers previously booked on 2025 sailings will receive the Free at Sea perks available when they put down a deposit but will be upgraded to the new More at Sea beverage package at no additional cost.
More than just More at Sea
Other changes will help travelers get more from their cruise experience while making the pricing structure (and your bottom line) more transparent.
For example, specialty dining fees will revert from a la carte pricing to a flat-fee cover charge, also beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
“It’s just easy,” says Herrera. “It’s clear. If you want to go back to that same restaurant you went to two nights ago, you know exactly what you’re paying.” You don’t have to add up the separate prices of an appetizer, entree and dessert to know how much you’ll spend on a meal.
Beverage prices will be standard across drink types, so one glass of wine will cost the same as another, and cocktails won’t span a wide range of prices.
To give guests more to do on board, Norwegian is revising its entertainment offerings to focus on musical productions with mass appeal, whether new or reimagined shows, and is increasing entertainment and activity options beyond the theater.
The line will also introduce a new mobile app before the end of 2024. The app should facilitate the cruise check-in process and provide an easier-to-access onboard bill and restaurant, show and shore excursion bookings.
Want more itinerary options? In 2026, NCL will send its 20-ship fleet on a larger variety of short cruises and a greater range of cruise lengths in Europe. It will offer plenty of warm-weather beachy sailings and voyages to far-flung destinations such as Alaska and Asia.
Does More at Sea mean more expensive?
You don’t need a business school degree to figure out that if a cruise line is adding more inclusions in its base price, then its cruise fares will likely increase.
When asked how the More at Sea rebrand would impact vacationers’ bottom lines, Herrera said that NCL cruisers are more concerned with value and simplicity than nickel and diming.
“When people look at Norwegian Cruise Line as an option, they’re not looking for a low-cost provider,” Herrera says. “They’re looking for an elevated experience, and they want ease of use. They want transparency in pricing, and part of our strategy is not only to be genuine and transparent but to reinforce that there’s value there. This is literally the direction that a lot of our travel partners told us to take: Make it more inclusive, charge a little bit more, but people will pay for it.”
How much more More at Sea fares will cost is still to be determined, as the pricing wasn’t available at the time of publication. But Herrera is optimistic that today’s travelers prefer the simplicity of knowing how much they’re spending over adding up disparate trip costs to save a few dollars. That transparency and ease are as much a part of the value proposition as all the included amenities.
“Everyone feels great when they get off a great vacation, but they feel even better when they feel like they got a great value,” said Herrera.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.