Norwegian Cruise Line is making some big changes to prices and onboard services in 2023; I’ll run down all of the things that you need to know before you take your next NCL cruise.
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CHAPTERS
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0:00 Intro
1:20 Service Fees and Charges
2:42 Open Bar and Drinks Packages
3:35 Daily Cleaning Services
4:46 Food and Beverage Offerings
5:51 Onboard Entertainment
8:00 Room Service
9:03 Onboard Internet
10:10 Latitudes Perks
LINKS & RESOURCES
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NCL Service Charges – https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-faq/what-is-onboard-service-charge
NCL Beverage Packages – https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/onboard-packages/beverage-packages
SOCIAL
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Photo credit:
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NCL Breakaway – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Norwegian_Breakaway_10.JPG
Priscilla – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trooping_the_Colour_(5800732541).jpg
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32 Comments
They have also stopped the free bottle of champagne in balcony cabins.
Why not raise the cruise rates and get it all over with
Was on the Encore in October. Ended up seeing Kinky Boots twice because there was plenty of walk-in room both nights and empty seats. I was (of course) impressed but I was surprised to see such a big cast show. I later found the salary range for that cast (on a casting website) – Lola was paid $2k/wk, the other leads $1.5K and the ensemble, $1K/wk. My guess is was the most expensive show on the fleet and could no longer be justified as a 4x/wk offering.
I can confirm NCL does now charge a room service fee for the continental breakfast. I believe it is $4.95. I just got off the Dawn last week. Also, they didn't have a behind the scenes tour.
Priscilla’s last showing was 2 weeks ago. I saw a video of the last night/show curtain call. Sailing of Epic Jan. 8-15 no longer had Priscilla in any of the dailies.
I'm going on the Encore in March. I hope it all that I expected from NCL.
Also, thank you for keeping all in the lope!
My husband and I were talking about our next cruise for this year, I said we've been everyplace we've wanted to go – some more than once. I love Puerto Vallarta and I'd like to spend more than 8 hours in port by taking a cruise. We decided we're going to Puerto Vallarta at an all inclusive resort, I believe we're not going to be nickeled and dimed and have a relaxing vacation at my favorite place for a week. Our last cruise on Ruby Princess to Alaska last year in June was our worst cruise experience ever, I don't want a repeat.
Nice video. Rumor has it just about all production shows will be eliminated. They’re trying to repay 12 billion dollars in debt and it costs a lot of money to keep the entertainers onboard while performing 2 nights a week (4 shows). It seems they’re going to be headed towards bringing guest entertainers on for short-term contracts for the foreseeable future. I don’t have proof but I have sources on the inside lol. I guess we shall see. I just got off Bliss and Jersey Boy and SIX were still on. However, I’m booked on Escape April 30th and After Midnight is not even listed to book as entertainment.
I went on my first cruise ever last August on the NCL Joy and loved it. My sister & I are going on the Prima this April. I've heard that one of the shows (Noise Boys) was canceled but the Donna Summer show is still available. It's disappointing that there will only be one show.
In Le Bistro, they’ve added an upcharge for the filet mignonette Rossini which used to be included, and they’ve taken the crab roulade appetizer off the menu. These are small changes, but they leave a bad taste particularly for those of us who’ve cruised NCL in the past and have certain expectations.
I was on Bliss and Encore in the pre Xmas and post Xmas period and saw up charges added in the 2 week period.
The big picture is for NCL to get it's debt paid down and survive for the long term. My friends just went on Dawn in Jan and she said NCL has changed and she was not happy w lower service for higher charges.
How do you book the behind the scenes tour on the norwegian getaway in march
My wife and I cruised on the Prima the week of Dec. 16th 2022 and loved it. The ship is beautiful and mostly great but not without it's issues. We are 1st time NCL cruisers and had a "fun enough time" to take advantage of booking future cruises on board. What is being said about the cuts and monetary increases is primarily true. So my take, is to off set those things as much as possible and take advantage of deals they offer. They had up to $4K match (you 2k them 2k) of future cruise money. They also offer onboard credit by being a stock holder, I believe up to $250 depending on length of cruise. Also try to book in low season if you can. Not that I want to pay more or like all the cuts, but I do understand that being shutdown for so long made serious impacts on the industry as a whole. I try to remember that most new ships cost a BILLION $ to build and millions to run and NCL has 4 on order in the next few years and for comparison Carnival just 1. So it seems they are really trying to "right the NCL ship line" as they say.
I’ve sailed on many different lines. I sail NCL in a few days and this I the first time that I don’t have a good feeling about a ship/line pre-cruise. Too many changes and price increases since I booked last February. I think this will be a one and done. Well 2nd and done because my first NCL was in 1989 on the Norway and cruising and the service has definitely changed since then.
Grant, when the ship is at a Port, do they always offer discounts for spa, salon, or barbershop services (for those guests that stay on board)?
Seriously considering canceling my NCL and booking with Royal
Txs for the info. Much appreciated
NCL had really impressed me with the “great cruise comeback.” They had improved so many areas where I felt they were sub-par. My recent cruise was fantastic and I felt was worth more than I paid. Changing ingredients and removing entertainment could really impact the brand. One of the comments we had was that our Teppanyaki steak was amazing compared to eating at Kobe on land.
We heard Prisella Queen of the Desert was removed due to the fact it was coming back on Broadway for its 25 anniversary this year?
My husband and I cruised on the Breakaway in December and we were so disappointed that they didn’t open the pool roof even once and there was dining several times a day and no one felt comfortable hanging out in the pool while people were dining all around the pool and hot tub area. The upper deck was nice but service was slow for beverage service.
Just to tell the story! We had a big group travel on NCL Cruise in 2018, and 2019! My wife has one cocktail a day, and I prefer at least three when it is in my drink packages on the cruise! Just saying that we loved NCL, we love just eating in our on ship bookings! We had 24 of our friends booking on these two cruises!, and then we came into covid! at the end of our cruise in 2021.
Just came off the Star. Confirming Continental breakfast is $4.95+ on NCL now. Beef cuts are a lower grade than pre-covid, even Tepanyaki steak was tough when cooked medium rare. Thankfully Cagney's was still good. Shows were underwhelming, though 2nd week was better than the 1st on a 14 day cruise. There did not seem to be any cut backs on cleaning so far, the ship was kept very clean by very diligent staff, and we still had 2 room cleans. I don't mind dropping to a single clean now that there are no more towel animals at night.
Since we cruise with my 5 year old, I would love the option to pay for the second cleaning each day.
I ready do not like that they raised the base cruising prices so high then apply promotions to that. 50 % off a cruise sounds great but the last few I have priced is putting me about 1,000 to 1,500 more than what I paid late last year and this year so far. It is now not the value it use to be. Yes I will still cruise but instead of three cruises it will be two per year. I am also looking at land trips now as I can do some fairly upscale international land vacations cheaper than a cruise. They are going to have to get many new customers to replace us old loyal customers…
Went with Epic, August 2022, and unfortunately Pricilla was cancelled due to injury/illness. Have booked new cruise in October this year, also with Epic. Really hope Pricilla is back then 🙂 The show they are promoting on the website, is Burn the floor, but no one more than that yet. Think it was the same when I last went with Epic, that it only showed one show until a few weeks before departure. Then Pricilla appeared on both website and app.
Question: do you think they added more days to the cruise (11 instead of 7 days), and then also took the opportunity to raise the prices overall ? because I paid almost twice as much for this cruise compared to the one last year. Regardless, it's fair to say that everything has become more expensive in general. Love cruises, so I probably would have booked regardless 😉
could I ask guest services about the behind the scenes tour for my cruise in March?
Cruises aren’t cheap and it does bother me that there are still so many things that cost extra once you are on board. The go-carts, laser tags and arcade for example. My kids were off exploring and we got a message of $300 worth of charges on our account from the arcade. Had a heart attack on the spot.
Do you know of WhatsApp can be used while cruising? If so are you able to text with people not on the ship? Thanks!! Love your channel!
Hello Grant, we have lots of cruise experience but 1st time in May on NCL Getaway for a family event we are invited to. . We are used to the traditional pre paid gratuity payment for staff with RC, Celebrity and other lines, and most of the time will tip in envelopes extra for cabin stewards, waiters, if service was attentive. Confusing to us with NCL is their service charge $20 a day per person (balcony cabin), which when I booked with a NCL travel agent, it was never brought up or did they recommend it to be prepaid. I discovered this when reading the fine print on the cruise contract. I called NCL and confirmed it could be prepaid, if not would be auto charged on cruise last day to our account. I asked if this charge replaces the "Gratuity" charge and was told yes, but read and hear it does not? what is your understanding? Roy Erskine
Hi Grant .. I'll be on the Escape in a couple months and was wondering if you would know of a place on board like the Spinnaker lounge on the Dawn? I love a quiet place to look at the ocean and enjoy my morning coffee ☕
Hi what are some of the hidden fees,I will expect at the end of my cruise,are there added port fees,thank you