Is NCL More at Sea Better Than Free at Sea? Let's Discuss

Join John from Byte Size Cruises today as we discuss the shutting down of Free at Sea and the start of More at Sea. Norwegian Cruise Line is making some big changes.... Let's talk about it.
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[@ByteSizeCruises]

Just a quick update. If you are booked prior to Oct.1 2024 and you sail after January 1, 2025, you will not automatically get More At Sea. You will get the More at Sea beverage package as NCL has no way at that point to delineate the packages. If you purchased Free at Sea Plus that will be removed from your booking and be refunded to your initial payment. Just updating as I see other questions and mentions.

[@cesiliaduarte1781]

What? They will remove my free at sea plus? This is ridiculous. My sailing is this month. Will they take it away?

[@ByteSizeCruises]

⁠you are good

[@cesiliaduarte1781]

@@ByteSizeCruises Thanks, makes me feel better. I paid even the internet after buying free at sea plus. Thanks for replying appreciate it?

[@johnl56]

I went away from Ncl a couple years ago because of their pricing and upcharges. This won't bring me back to NCL. Sad because I like the product

[@MichaelHennessy-h4l]

Good job John. NCL squeezing more $$$ out of each cruiser to add to their bottom line. It’s all about maximizing the return to stockholders.

[@ByteSizeCruises]

I don’t love it

[@LunaLight95]

NCL has gone from having the best and most inclusive drinks package to making me not want to book 🤦‍♀️😥

[@ByteSizeCruises]

Yep. Not great

[@timmcneill7344]

Do you know this affects the Free at sea Plus that I Purchased for my March 2025 cruise?

[@ByteSizeCruises]

It will not. Anything booked will be honored and not changed

[@timmcneill7344]

@@ByteSizeCruises Thank you

[@bridgetmccarthy7333]

Just looked at my reservation and it no longer shows that I paid for the premium plus with Starbucks and bottled water included!

[@chucklawus]

ByteSizeCruises is wrong on this particular point... Free at Sea "Plus" will be REFUNDED to you and gone from your 2025 cruise. (i.e., NO unlimited WiFi (unless you pay/add package, e.g., our 7-day Alaska cruise on Bliss next year will be $209 pp or $418 for couple.) NO $50 shore excursion credit for 2nd person; NO sparkling/still bottled water; NO Starbucks, e.g., our 7-day Alaska cruise will be $276 for both of us; NO 2 additional specialty dining (e.g., 2 additional Cagney/Bistro/Seafood new cover price will be $60 pp = $120 x 2 meals = $240 per couple;) and, NO select wine bottles at dining or P+ premium liquor, e.g., $32 Macallan Quest will now be $15 credit/off and $17 added to your bill.) Our $686 Free at Sea Plus purchase will be refunded, BUT when I added up costs to replicate "Free at Sea Plus" package it's now well above the "to be refunded" cost I already paid.

[@ByteSizeCruises]

Yep. I added as a pinned comment. Only for the plus. Not normal free at sea

[@Bushmaster225]

This is B.S. It’s going to cost more. After 15 cruise I might go back to Celebrity.

[@autobotdiva9268]

NCL isnt very kid friendly so i dont cruise much on them

[@Star-Boarder]

Excellent

[@charliedurham4248]

More transparent pricing. Probably conforms more to the spirit of the new pricing transparency regulations. I never liked them calling it "Free" at Sea. Misleading marketing. This is better for that. I am sure they put a lot of work into the drink package decision. It will be interesting to see how many more people start declining the drink package. My total guess is that this drink package change will be about a wash for NCL, but more fair for cruisers, as less non drinkers will be subsidizing the drinkers' package costs.

[@ByteSizeCruises]

Totally agree on all counts.

[@brettparnell8254]

I like it overall. MAS will take a lot of the decision-making away from both the passengers and the crew. If you want a specialty dining meal extra, just pay the cover charge. If you want a drink and it's not listed in the connessieur collection, order it. There should be a lot less questions like "do I need to upgrade the drink package? Or do I need more specialty dining?"

[@jameshchetwyndjr9739]

Ok I think with changes I am not included also

[@Sana-vi7sw]

I upgraded to free at sea plus just a few days ago before i saw all these rumors on cruise critic about the changes. Im still trying to understand it all but i think i made a good decision getting fas+ before they got rid of it

[@ByteSizeCruises]

Yep. It’s no longer available now.

[@jameshchetwyndjr9739]

@@Sana-vi7sw yes today free at sea gone now more $30 pp plan no Starbucks mostly top shelf 2025 bookings +

[@LunaLight95]

I liked that this year we got free at sea and then was able to upgrade it to more at sea. I was hoping it was going to be like that in the future. I guess it was just so that they could phase out free at sea

[@ByteSizeCruises]

Ugh

[@jameshchetwyndjr9739]

@@LunaLight95 royal is $90 pp drink package. So $22 pp died

[@jcinewilliams8819]

I will have to say I am a little unhappy about this change. Because the free at sea (as far as the drink package was) worked for me. However, I did always upgrade to a premium drinking package Because I am one of those that, like to have no concerns about how much I drink or the cost of things of what I drink. And I like being able to drink as much bottled waters as I could get everyday as well as getting freshly Squeezed juice. Now, none of that is included?😡 so I don't know how I feel about it. Hopefully there is some more Clear explaining that goes along with understanding this more at sea business, but as it sounds to me, I don't think I like it, but I still love Norwegian. I'm just going to have to figure out a different method with drinking.

[@ByteSizeCruises]

Agreed

[@williamwchuang]

Yeah I should've booked yesterday.

[@jameshchetwyndjr9739]

@@jcinewilliams8819 I agree

[@jameshchetwyndjr9739]

@@williamwchuang think now differences between line about gone. Find honest travel agent get 80% off cabin deals For drinks I did bottles = $10 per glass

[@GreyGooserr]

Just one thing. You said if it’s over $15, you would have to pay for the whole drink (like Starbucks, energy drinks). According to the NCL FAQ, if you have More At Sea you will get $15 off any drink from the “Connoisseur Collection”

[@ByteSizeCruises]

Starbucks and energy drinks are not included and need to be purchased a la carte. It is 15 off from the connoisseur club menu. Correct. Super confusing at the moment

[@ianclarke9656]

Your wrong about if already booked as we have been changed already and we booked in September to sail August 25

[@ByteSizeCruises]

It’s very clear it is for new bookings only You will only receive the more at sea drink package as there is no way to discern them from each other without free at sea plus which has been eliminated