You gave some great information that people need to be prepared for before they cruise. I see people commenting that Norwegian now sounds too expensive for them, however, everything you mentioned is pretty standard across many lines. It would be the same on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America etc. Also, Norwegian (and some others) have promotions that will include free adult beverage package. You just pay the service charge. Gratuities are about the same on all the lines. Specialty restaurants always have a fee on most lines. When you get to the more luxury lines then more things are included but at a higher cost.
Go carts are $15 and book early as they slots sell out. I also feel it’s a one and done and wouldn’t suggest buying unlimited race package as most of the time they don’t allow racing in bad current, weather or port. Load up your Starbucks app b4 trip cause if you use the room key they add $1 per cup to your room as a service fee. Also they don’t have straws on board but you can grab one from Starbucks or bring a metal straw.
Your information is definitely correct! I just came back from the Bliss. I’ve been cruising for 9 years with Norwegian. So I agree with what you’re saying. Please continue to keep us informed about different cruise tips about the cruise lines. Thank you.
I love NCL but it’s starting to feel like they are nickeling and diming you. So many extras that are not included. I went on the bliss and certain activities such as bingo was $30 a card, $30 for deal or no deal card, etc... I don’t mind paying for the extras but charging $30 but that’s pretty steep for a game. Yes it included prizes but it was totally rigged. The best prize won was $400 on board credit by one person. Out of $thousands$ of dollars spent on the cards, you would think they weren’t so tight. The laser tag which wasn’t great was $10 and the go karts, waiting one hour in line even though you have a reservation for $10 was disappointing. The hibachi grill was great except for the one lady who ordered vegetarian. The chef cooked the meat before the vegetarian meal and mixed in all the juices from the meat into the ladies dish. She wasn’t happy and didn’t eat the meal. That’s around $30 pp. NCL will try and get you to spend money. Also, the gratuity of $15 pp per day wasn’t mentioned until the second to last day of the ship/cruise. TLDR: I would go back on Norwegian, I would just do some research into how much it’s really going to cost you before you arrive on ship.
Personally I would be happy to pay extra for the cruise itself, rather than putting your hand in your pocket all the time Been looking at Viking , and more recently Regent Cruises which is a fully inclusive cruise I am not looking at amusement things on board , would rather spend money on exploring the places the ship visits. Thank you the great information as usual
It seems these days you are being nickeled and dimed to death. The comment below is interesting, why would you have to pay for a quiet area? I understand the shops, excursions, liquor, soda, specialty dining is an added fee. But why do the games and attractions onboard, like go carts, laser tag, etc. cost extra? I think those things should be included as part of amusements onboard. Just my humble little opinion.
At the very least, nonalcoholic beverages should be included. Jeez. How long will it be before they start charging for food? Indeed, they're already doing that in the "speciality" restaurants. How long before the bean counters decide to make the regular "included" food so lousy that customers are practically forced to pay for the premium restaurants? (Or have they already done that? I don't cruise, so I don't know.)
Natasha Newman Hi Natasha, I am so turned off by Norwegian cruise line. Not too long ago, one of their ships was due to go into dry dock for upgrades and refurbishments. An executive decision was made to start the work on the last sailing before dry dock. Areas of the ship were off limits to cruisers, there was dust and noise from onboard work. If I remember correctly, there was such an outcry from the passengers and rightly so, Norwegian at first tried to get away with a 25% refund. How insulting. The fight continued and they eventually agreed to refund 100% of the cruise fare. Should never have happened. They stared the work early hoping to save time in dry dock and thus lost revenue, but at the expense of cruisers enjoyment of their cruise. That speaks volumes as to Norwegian not caring about its passengers. I cruised on Norwegian once, did not care for the exclusive anytime dining only. As I recall there was no fixed dining times in the MDR, which I prefer. Norwegian failed big time, in my opinion.
Captain Quirk Hi Captain Quirk, I agree, I think the food in the MDR is not stellar as you would expect. Back in the day there were no specialty restaurants onboard cruise ships. I can understand a specialty restaurant with unusual fare that would be appealing to some but why does there have to be an extra charge. For example, a steak in the MDR was not as good as one I had in the specialty steak house restaurants onboard. Same with the hamburgers, the ones on the pool deck and dining room are made with mystery meat. But yet I can pay five dollars and get a special burger made with real ground beef. Not liking that aspect of dining. Why do I have to pay for a good ice cream cone? I can get a subpar soft serve for free but not a good one. I have cruised for years and enjoy it as a way to vacation but I am not liking some of the trends I am seeing.
I so agree. We are going on MSC hopefully in October and the only free drinks is tea, coffee and water. I dont drink tea or coffee. The drink package for non alcoholic drinks is going to cost an extra $300. No thank you. I wish they were like other cruise lines where you could being a case of pop on board. I am going to bring some packs of hot chocolate and those little drink Crystal's and syrup and see if it will make it onto the ship in my luggage. For our cruise we will only have 2 sea days so shouldnt be too bad.
Most of the things that he references are known by experienced travelers but I was surprised to find out that I had to pay to get to the ship from the rail station to embark and from the ship to the airport after my cruise. Every other line that I've used offers free transportation to and from the ship.
@d money : That's to be expected for an all-inclusive package, but it also gives you the convenience and peace of mind of not having to reach into your pocket every time you want to actually *_do_* anything.
Now that could be interpreted two ways. On NCL I get only what I pay for and on Crystal you pay for everything whether you make use of it or not. Seems fair.
For the "quiet lounge", what you really get? I've been so burned by places that say quiet area, and you have a family of 8 pretty much playing dodge ball next to you. Do the NC really monitor the level of quiet, or is it lip service? (Yes, I know I sound old and grumpy, but even an extrovert needs some down time. 🙃)
Gary is mistaken about the observation lounge on the Breakaway / Breakaway Plus class ships. There is no charge to enter. He may be getting it confused with the Posh / Vibe clubs on the ships which are chargeable.
Room service for breakfast has no charge as long as you don’t order hot food. You can get tea or coffee, a carafe of water, muffins,crossants, and fruit. I was just on ncl bliss and ordered a continental breakfast with no charges to my cabin.
I can’t believe you didn’t mention that Norwegian always has “free at sea” offerings. Depending on the stateroom you book and the promotion they are running, , you can get free specialty dining, free premium beverage package , free WiFi, free or reduced airfare. You pay 20% gratuity on the food and beverage package only. On my upcoming cruise my fare includes the beverage package for 2, 4 specialty dining meals for 2 and free WiFi for one device.
Free at sea. "FREE EXCURSIONS"!!! YES!!! oh wait you mean $50/cabin savings? & most excursions are more than $100 pp? hmmm. & if we don't go to the port because of weather I don't get anything? hmmmm Free = $150? (& the cabin to get the free stuff is normally more expensive than the cheaper rate cabin without the free at sea.)
@@Glock2201 last year this time, when i took a ncl 10 day cruise pretty sure it said free shore excursions...........then in small print said something to effect $50/cabin. probably changed it after people like me didnt consider $50 to be free
You need to check the "freebie" drink package. It will wind up costing you a whole lot of money. The wifi on my last NCL cruise was non-existent. The specialty dining and excursion offers are pretty good.
This is pretty standard across cruise lines. I've been on Royal and Carnival, and NCL coming up in January 2023 and this is all to be expected. Now, the NCL cruise I have booked is a group cruise which is a 7 day carribean cruise that includes the drink package, specialty dining, some OBC (dont remember how much off the top of my head), and I think also a credit in some amount for a shore excursion (maybe $50??) came out to right at $1500pp. Which was about 500 more than my initial budget, but when all the perks are factored in, it comes out less than what I WOULD have spent (because I would get the drink package, I'm going to spend money onboard SOMEWHERE even if not a whole lot, so ill use the OBC, I'll likely use the credit for a shore excursion, I'm happy for the specialty dining and will use it for sure, but would normally pass. So, there are definite deals to be had and found, especially right now. Its significantly more money than the carnival cruise I have in a couple of months where it was $1200 for a 5 night carribean cruise (balcony) for myself AND my son but add another 300 for both of our drink packages (one kid, one cheers). But different class of ship, too.
I've found myself loving MSC (then again we booked Yacht Club), but I 100% understand why they aren't for everyone. I'd recommend cruising Yacht club if you want the lap of luxury. I loved it.
I went on my first cruise August 2019 on the Norwegian Gem. Since it is not a huge ship they don't have these extra charge activities, i.e. go karts on ship. One major point is NCL does not have self serve laundry so you are forced to pay to have the crew do your laundry if necessary. I did not have enough closes for the hot weather and ended up spending forty dollars myself on laundry.
It seems like cruise lines are going more the way of the upcharge. I get it but I don't like it. particularly the haven type things. And room service, but wow on Norwegian the add ons are so costly. Given these crazy extra costs, I think people will start choosing other types of vacation because cruising is no longer the great value that it used to be. We have been doing all-inclusive rather than cruising for this reason.
Room service is $9.95 now. With Free at sea many of the extras are included. Beverages up to $15 price, one or two specialty restaurants, $50 off shore excursions and 150 min. per person of free wifi. If you take advantage of these you will save a lot of money. If you don’t drink it still may save you money.
When you select "Free at Sea" they default to include the "Free Drink Package" which costs $20/per person/per day for gratuities. (so $400 for a couple on a 10-day cruise). But you can decline the Free Drink Package (which you should do unless you have at least 2 alcoholic drinks per person per day).
I was visiting Norwegian Pearl in May as a visitor. We ate at main dining room, I had sleeveless t-shirt and they asked me to put my jacket on as it wasn't appropriate.
if you want laundry done, it will cost you $20 for a small bag, twice per two week cruise, even in the suites. The suites on Princess offer free laundry every day if you need it.
One of the big differences I find on the NCL brand as an adult is that they don't have and adult area with a pool. Sure they may have a small adult area with a hot tub but still no pool. I was also disappointed that with their ongoing sale they offered free wi-fi. They offer upgrades from that up to around $180. I don't consider all of that free. I know all the companies are struggling with staffing, huge expenses, etc.
We were just on the Norwegian Star in a family suite and there was no service charge for breakfast room service, but all other times of day a service charge.
Is therd this misconception that cruising is cheap? Cheap travel for us is a weekend road trip staying in a pub. We cruise for the experience - so paying $20 for a bag of laundry to be done doesn't seem that excessive. A few hundred dollars (I think we paid $700 for our most expensive ship excursion) for a oncd in a life time experience, some that are life changing, again - is it really that much? Maybe it depends on where you go? Or is it why you're taking the trip? Why do people get so antsy paying for things you'd be paying for in a hotel?
I think it's simply the fact that they advertise (or at least strongly convey the idea) that it's a one price, all-inclusive experience, and then you find out that they charge you $$$ for _everything._
If you compare the cruise lines. Like the time of year, newer ships and itinerary you will see that NCL is cheaper and you can built up your cruise as you wish. I did. Do your research. Don't forget about the perks you get with free at sea. So you must add that to the cost of the other cruise lines.
Pay to watch movies on tv. Recently sailed on NCL and was raining a lot. We wanted to stay in and watch a movie and room service. Charge for room service and a movie. Guess I’m used to Holland America, no charge for either. Wise up NCL. We did get free airfare, free WiFi, free three nights at specialty restaurant and free adult beverage when we booked.
@@jeffross5424 i started researching all inclusive resorts after your comment. I came to conclusion since gf & I don't drink cruise is gonna be a better deal. Now land based vacations with a road trip while camping out of the car!! :)
We ve done about 44 cruises n our last cruise on NCL it was all nickel n dime ohmygod you now have to pay for adult areas on The Encore and our platinum benefits nave been trimmed down a lot it’s getting ridiculous so after all these NCL cruises we r going back to Royal and the newer Carnival ships. Hey even a Carnival ship has great adult areas free and if course Royal has great adult areas that r free this May even trying MSC it’s half price of our Encore fare we paid
Hi Gary! Which cruise line would you recommend for a fam of 4 with 2 little ones that is fun, safe but also economical? Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I love your videos.
@@cruisecrazy7066 what kind of upload /download speeds? & reliability? was reading an article on how challenging it is to go to a satellite on a rocking/moving ship. kinda like riding a horse using a bow and arrow to shoot a strawberry off a guy's head who is standing on a train.
norwegian the cruise line or norway destination? ncl has some of the most expensive excursions anywhere. 500-600$ per person per day for things like uffizi accademia, last supper pinacoteca brera castello sforzesco, vatican capitoline , louvre orsay orangerie, ....
There's a difference between being charged for truly "premium" or "extra" goods & services, and being charged* for every little thing and routine stuff like food and nonalcoholic beverages. ___________ * Or should I say "overcharged", since the customers are a captive audience and there are no competitive free-market forces to keep a lid on prices.
my biggest problem with NCL is they change the rules each year they went from all inclusive to all inclusive premium now back to nearly nothing included but some things are... I like NCL doing my 10 cruise on them in a few month but each time you have to check out what makes sense what 'free' package to get and why. Its mostly vague.. the 3 years? they did 'all inclusive premium' in europe where the easiest to follow.
To wake up past 6am, that cost $9.95 To take more than one shower a day, that's $39.99 per shower To look at the captain, $59.75 per look or $200 for the entire cruise
These apps for the boats they use on board, with schedules and maps and times and all the details you need for your trip, do you need to buy wifi to be able to use those? Cause that's a bit stupid if that's the case. Is it?
You need a premium drinks package But If you're only wanting a coffee in the morning it might be worth just paying the $7 a day for coffee - which is what we pay for Starbucks here anyway
"Peaple" ALSO should know that they CAN cruise with MINIMAL outpouring of money for their cruises "without a shadow of a doubt". EVERY conceivable "MUST" will have been taken care of during their stay: COVERED are: cabin, food and entertainment! One doesn't "need" to go to a specialty dining, nor health classes/exercise, sauna, etc. Simply bring a book, eat to your hearts content, enjoy the many shows on board... without spending a dime!
If people are prepared to pay, and actually splash out on these extras, then the cruise lines will continue to hike the prices and continue the practice.
Our NCL10 day western caribbean was awesome last year on ship epic. We ate at the free main dining rooms every night. Neither my gf nor I drink alcohol & we didn't do any beverage package. We did two excursions & took a taxi round-trip once. the rest of the time we walked around ports or walked to beaches. We ate on the ship most of tge time. We did get lucky & bid on a balcony & got it. We did pay more for a cirque show & it was worth it. Depends on what you enjoy & how much you are willing to spend. Just know that it will cost much more than the base cruising fare. six times the base cruising fare is what I calculated. Although this was for a 14 day cruise.
@@kirkrasmussen2601 Thanks for taking the time to respond. 6 x the cost of the initial fare. That is an interesting calculation. Question: Did you do the 'Spa' onboard?
@@Trapster99 we bought thermal spa package $249 pp. 5 days til we cruise for 14 days! on our 10 day cruise we did not do thermal spa. this will be our 1st time. kind of like everything in life, cruises can be good experience or bad depending on our attitude we bring. I've seen some cruise forums reviews where average age seemed to be up there. the reviewers were whining n crying about everything. hoping I'm able to be be positive as I age & I guess manage my expectations.
@@kirkrasmussen2601 From what I hear and read, those Spa packages are, for many, the highlight of the trip. I am curious to know if that Spa package allows you the use of the shower in the Spa area. That is supposed to be worth it on its own. Plus, the hot, and mostly exclusive jet bath/jacuzzi. In addition, it is supposed to be a quite area of the ship, 'away from it all'. Good luck and enjoy
@@Trapster99 GF & I thought long & hard about the $249 each. We paid less than $800 for the base fare. Just saw too many good spa reviews & decided to give it a try. Quiet area - some were complaining that some people were jibber jabbering loudly. I've got earbuds & ear plugs :) I'm about 90% sure we can use spa showers. Find out in 4 days here!
I am one who objects to the service charge pp per day. Let’s say they clean 10 rooms a day, that is $1500 a day In service charges for a maid. Basically, the customers are paying their salary. We know that no maid gets that much a day. So they pocket the difference. Makes me angry.
Go to guest services ask for gratuities to be taken off your bill & tip how you want. We don't tip (we're Aussie) & so we find the idea of giving money for service we've paid for strange so always take it off
A three year old causes alot more mess than an adult. The cabin steward still has to clean up the cabin, the cooks still have to cook food, the kids club provides free supervision and activities, but you're since you're child can travel for free the gratuities shouldn't be any hassle. Hopefully, you chose the 3rd/4th passenger travels for free option as one of your Free At Sea perks
I'm not Aussie and think tipping is archaic and demeaning. When I've brought it up on our local Fascist Book group you'd have thought I roasted and ate puppies for breakfast! @@jenniferschultz7178
I just watched this and been on other cruises AND most of your negative comments about what's not included are not included on carnival, princess , holland or royal. Your making it sound like ncl is the only one. People do your research, this vlog is absolutely incorrect on most things he said.
On Princess some of those chargers occur but lower prices. EG 18% gratuity instead of 20%, lower daily service charge, and so on. Specialty restaurants are a la carte compared to flat charge on Princess. Guest laundries on Princess vs pay for it to be done on NCL. It also seems like drink prices and such may be higher, based on drink lists I’ve seen different places. And I just googled a random shore trip (White Pass Rail Skagway) and NCL is about $20 more. I agree, do your research, I think most of those costs can be contained, and I plan to travel NCL. But it is something to think about.
depends on ncl epic ship. ncl allowed reservations for shows. on our coming up cruise ncl Dawn does not have show reservations but does have dining room reservations. shows epic we paid for a cirque show well worth it. we might have paid for an escape room (can't remember). this cruise on Dawn all shows are included.
I'd like to thank everyone who spends big money on these extras! You make my cruise fare a phenomenal value, since I just do the free stuff.
You gave some great information that people need to be prepared for before they cruise. I see people commenting that Norwegian now sounds too expensive for them, however, everything you mentioned is pretty standard across many lines. It would be the same on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America etc. Also, Norwegian (and some others) have promotions that will include free adult beverage package. You just pay the service charge. Gratuities are about the same on all the lines. Specialty restaurants always have a fee on most lines. When you get to the more luxury lines then more things are included but at a higher cost.
Viking is becoming more attractive all the time. Everything is included except for top shelf alcohol.
Yeah.
But ya pay for it in the cruise fare.
Amazingly.... Nothing is "free".
Viking is INSANELY expensive!
@@glamp63 but ooh the service you get is unbelievable
Go carts are $15 and book early as they slots sell out. I also feel it’s a one and done and wouldn’t suggest buying unlimited race package as most of the time they don’t allow racing in bad current, weather or port.
Load up your Starbucks app b4 trip cause if you use the room key they add $1 per cup to your room as a service fee.
Also they don’t have straws on board but you can grab one from Starbucks or bring a metal straw.
Thank you about the straws 😭😭😭
I have been on many cruises on many cruise lines - almost all of these charges are the same on all cruise lines.
Your information is definitely correct! I just came back from the Bliss. I’ve been cruising for 9 years with Norwegian. So I agree with what you’re saying. Please continue to keep us informed about different cruise tips about the cruise lines. Thank you.
I love NCL but it’s starting to feel like they are nickeling and diming you. So many extras that are not included. I went on the bliss and certain activities such as bingo was $30 a card, $30 for deal or no deal card, etc... I don’t mind paying for the extras but charging $30 but that’s pretty steep for a game. Yes it included prizes but it was totally rigged. The best prize won was $400 on board credit by one person. Out of $thousands$ of dollars spent on the cards, you would think they weren’t so tight. The laser tag which wasn’t great was $10 and the go karts, waiting one hour in line even though you have a reservation for $10 was disappointing. The hibachi grill was great except for the one lady who ordered vegetarian. The chef cooked the meat before the vegetarian meal and mixed in all the juices from the meat into the ladies dish. She wasn’t happy and didn’t eat the meal. That’s around $30 pp. NCL will try and get you to spend money.
Also, the gratuity of $15 pp per day wasn’t mentioned until the second to last day of the ship/cruise.
TLDR: I would go back on Norwegian, I would just do some research into how much it’s really going to cost you before you arrive on ship.
VPJared facts
I went on NCL last year; the website does clearly state the total mandatory gratuity fee when you book.
Personally I would be happy to pay extra for the cruise itself, rather than putting your hand in your pocket all the time
Been looking at Viking , and more recently Regent Cruises which is a fully inclusive cruise
I am not looking at amusement things on board , would rather spend money on exploring the places the ship visits.
Thank you the great information as usual
It seems these days you are being nickeled and dimed to death. The comment below is interesting, why would you have to pay for a quiet area? I understand the shops, excursions, liquor, soda, specialty dining is an added fee. But why do the games and attractions onboard, like go carts, laser tag, etc. cost extra? I think those things should be included as part of amusements onboard. Just my humble little opinion.
Mary Elizabeth I agree. I have always wanted to go on Norwegian but I find the expensive but at least they usually have the free at sea promos
At the very least, nonalcoholic beverages should be included. Jeez.
How long will it be before they start charging for food? Indeed, they're already doing that in the "speciality" restaurants. How long before the bean counters decide to make the regular "included" food so lousy that customers are practically forced to pay for the premium restaurants? (Or have they already done that? I don't cruise, so I don't know.)
Natasha Newman
Hi Natasha, I am so turned off by Norwegian cruise line. Not too long ago, one of their ships was due to go into dry dock for upgrades and refurbishments. An executive decision was made to start the work on the last sailing before dry dock. Areas of the ship were off limits to cruisers, there was dust and noise from onboard work. If I remember correctly, there was such an outcry from the passengers and rightly so, Norwegian at first tried to get away with a 25% refund. How insulting. The fight continued and they eventually agreed to refund 100% of the cruise fare. Should never have happened. They stared the work early hoping to save time in dry dock and thus lost revenue, but at the expense of cruisers enjoyment of their cruise. That speaks volumes as to Norwegian not caring about its passengers. I cruised on Norwegian once, did not care for the exclusive anytime dining only. As I recall there was no fixed dining times in the MDR, which I prefer. Norwegian failed big time, in my opinion.
Captain Quirk
Hi Captain Quirk, I agree, I think the food in the MDR is not stellar as you would expect. Back in the day there were no specialty restaurants onboard cruise ships. I can understand a specialty restaurant with unusual fare that would be appealing to some but why does there have to be an extra charge. For example, a steak in the MDR was not as good as one I had in the specialty steak house restaurants onboard. Same with the hamburgers, the ones on the pool deck and dining room are made with mystery meat. But yet I can pay five dollars and get a special burger made with real ground beef. Not liking that aspect of dining. Why do I have to pay for a good ice cream cone? I can get a subpar soft serve for free but not a good one. I have cruised for years and enjoy it as a way to vacation but I am not liking some of the trends I am seeing.
I so agree. We are going on MSC hopefully in October and the only free drinks is tea, coffee and water. I dont drink tea or coffee. The drink package for non alcoholic drinks is going to cost an extra $300. No thank you. I wish they were like other cruise lines where you could being a case of pop on board. I am going to bring some packs of hot chocolate and those little drink Crystal's and syrup and see if it will make it onto the ship in my luggage. For our cruise we will only have 2 sea days so shouldnt be too bad.
These EXTRAS apply to most all cruise lines, exception Viking and Virgin
Disney Cruise line have most of these extras included as part of the fare
Most of the things that he references are known by experienced travelers but I was surprised to find out that I had to pay to get to the ship from the rail station to embark and from the ship to the airport after my cruise. Every other line that I've used offers free transportation to and from the ship.
You don’t have any of these issues on Crystal Cruises. Everything is included in your fare. You get what you pay for.
@d money : That's to be expected for an all-inclusive package, but it also gives you the convenience and peace of mind of not having to reach into your pocket every time you want to actually *_do_* anything.
Now that could be interpreted two ways. On NCL I get only what I pay for and on Crystal you pay for everything whether you make use of it or not. Seems fair.
For the "quiet lounge", what you really get? I've been so burned by places that say quiet area, and you have a family of 8 pretty much playing dodge ball next to you.
Do the NC really monitor the level of quiet, or is it lip service?
(Yes, I know I sound old and grumpy, but even an extrovert needs some down time. 🙃)
You are not alone..
@@Travel_queenCirca2009 open your eyes...
Shachar Petrushka care to elaborate?
@@Travel_queenCirca2009 it's from some 90ies or 80ies song...
Gary is mistaken about the observation lounge on the Breakaway / Breakaway Plus class ships. There is no charge to enter.
He may be getting it confused with the Posh / Vibe clubs on the ships which are chargeable.
Room service for breakfast has no charge as long as you don’t order hot food. You can get tea or coffee, a carafe of water, muffins,crossants, and fruit. I was just on ncl bliss and ordered a continental breakfast with no charges to my cabin.
Lots of good information here. Thanks!
One caveat is there is no room service charge for the continental breakfast.
I can’t believe you didn’t mention that Norwegian always has “free at sea” offerings. Depending on the stateroom you book and the promotion they are running, , you can get free specialty dining, free premium beverage package , free WiFi, free or reduced airfare. You pay 20% gratuity on the food and beverage package only. On my upcoming cruise my fare includes the beverage package for 2, 4 specialty dining meals for 2 and free WiFi for one device.
Laura Gwillim Absolutely right and the more often you cruise with NCL, the more freebies you get. Norwegian fares generally are also lower than other
Free at sea. "FREE EXCURSIONS"!!! YES!!! oh wait you mean $50/cabin savings? & most excursions are more than $100 pp? hmmm. & if we don't go to the port because of weather I don't get anything? hmmmm Free = $150? (& the cabin to get the free stuff is normally more expensive than the cheaper rate cabin without the free at sea.)
@@kirkrasmussen2601 NCL states that it is free excursion credits and not free excursions.
@@Glock2201 last year this time, when i took a ncl 10 day cruise pretty sure it said free shore excursions...........then in small print said something to effect $50/cabin. probably changed it after people like me didnt consider $50 to be free
You need to check the "freebie" drink package. It will wind up costing you a whole lot of money. The wifi on my last NCL cruise was non-existent. The specialty dining and excursion offers are pretty good.
Cruising is not like it use to be. I remember the days when almost everything was included in your basic fare
This is pretty standard across cruise lines. I've been on Royal and Carnival, and NCL coming up in January 2023 and this is all to be expected. Now, the NCL cruise I have booked is a group cruise which is a 7 day carribean cruise that includes the drink package, specialty dining, some OBC (dont remember how much off the top of my head), and I think also a credit in some amount for a shore excursion (maybe $50??) came out to right at $1500pp. Which was about 500 more than my initial budget, but when all the perks are factored in, it comes out less than what I WOULD have spent (because I would get the drink package, I'm going to spend money onboard SOMEWHERE even if not a whole lot, so ill use the OBC, I'll likely use the credit for a shore excursion, I'm happy for the specialty dining and will use it for sure, but would normally pass. So, there are definite deals to be had and found, especially right now. Its significantly more money than the carnival cruise I have in a couple of months where it was $1200 for a 5 night carribean cruise (balcony) for myself AND my son but add another 300 for both of our drink packages (one kid, one cheers). But different class of ship, too.
Our last cruise in 2000. We only had to pay 2.00 a day gratuity for everyone. 18.00 a day is so much more. Cruises don’t seem cheap now
So gratuities have risen LESS THAN a dollar per year since you last cruised. Doesn't seem to out of line
Awesome! It's been years since I've been on a cruise ship 😪
Garbage line along with Carnival, Royal Caribbean and MSC.
Love Crystal and Silverseas.
I've found myself loving MSC (then again we booked Yacht Club), but I 100% understand why they aren't for everyone. I'd recommend cruising Yacht club if you want the lap of luxury. I loved it.
I went on my first cruise August 2019 on the Norwegian Gem. Since it is not a huge ship they don't have these extra charge activities, i.e. go karts on ship. One major point is NCL does not have self serve laundry so you are forced to pay to have the crew do your laundry if necessary. I did not have enough closes for the hot weather and ended up spending forty dollars myself on laundry.
I think that ncl should make the WIFI free. I know that the vsat stuff is expensive, but they should include it with the fare.
It seems like cruise lines are going more the way of the upcharge. I get it but I don't like it. particularly the haven type things. And room service, but wow on Norwegian the add ons are so costly. Given these crazy extra costs, I think people will start choosing other types of vacation because cruising is no longer the great value that it used to be. We have been doing all-inclusive rather than cruising for this reason.
how much is your all inclusive? gf & i don't drink so in a way happy alcohol is an add on. & also kind of discourages all inclusive for us
@@kirkrasmussen2601 The last one was just under $2200 including excursions. My wife is a teacher so we can only go during off school times.
Room service is $9.95 now.
With Free at sea many of the extras are included. Beverages up to $15 price, one or two specialty restaurants, $50 off shore excursions and 150 min. per person of free wifi. If you take advantage of these you will save a lot of money. If you don’t drink it still may save you money.
When you select "Free at Sea" they default to include the "Free Drink Package" which costs $20/per person/per day for gratuities. (so $400 for a couple on a 10-day cruise). But you can decline the Free Drink Package (which you should do unless you have at least 2 alcoholic drinks per person per day).
I was visiting Norwegian Pearl in May as a visitor. We ate at main dining room, I had sleeveless t-shirt and they asked me to put my jacket on as it wasn't appropriate.
guy or girl? yes i want to look at your armpit hair while i eat (sarcasm)
@@kirkrasmussen2601 guy and no armpit hair lol
Yay Gary!
if you want laundry done, it will cost you $20 for a small bag, twice per two week cruise, even in the suites. The suites on Princess offer free laundry every day if you need it.
Laundry is free for Latitudes Rewards Members that have reached Platinum Level or beyond as well as for Haven guests.
One of the big differences I find on the NCL brand as an adult is that they don't have and adult area with a pool. Sure they may have a small adult area with a hot tub but still no pool. I was also disappointed that with their ongoing sale they offered free wi-fi. They offer upgrades from that up to around $180. I don't consider all of that free. I know all the companies are struggling with staffing, huge expenses, etc.
We were just on the Norwegian Star in a family suite and there was no service charge for breakfast room service, but all other times of day a service charge.
Is therd this misconception that cruising is cheap? Cheap travel for us is a weekend road trip staying in a pub. We cruise for the experience - so paying $20 for a bag of laundry to be done doesn't seem that excessive. A few hundred dollars (I think we paid $700 for our most expensive ship excursion) for a oncd in a life time experience, some that are life changing, again - is it really that much?
Maybe it depends on where you go? Or is it why you're taking the trip?
Why do people get so antsy paying for things you'd be paying for in a hotel?
I think it's simply the fact that they advertise (or at least strongly convey the idea) that it's a one price, all-inclusive experience, and then you find out that they charge you $$$ for _everything._
If you compare the cruise lines. Like the time of year, newer ships and itinerary you will see that NCL is cheaper and you can built up your cruise as you wish. I did. Do your research. Don't forget about the perks you get with free at sea. So you must add that to the cost of the other cruise lines.
That's true, but at a certain point it gets to a point where they start nickel and diming you for every little thing and it becomes oppressive.
NCL IS A SCAM COMPANY! Avoid them!
All cruise lines have very similar costs.
NCL is not a rip off, it’s just a higher level of cruise.
Pay to watch movies on tv. Recently sailed on NCL and was raining a lot. We wanted to stay in and watch a movie and room service. Charge for room service and a movie. Guess I’m used to Holland America, no charge for either. Wise up NCL. We did get free airfare, free WiFi, free three nights at specialty restaurant and free adult beverage when we booked.
Not every item on the Room Service menu is free.
I Don’t find any of that unusual. pretty much standard in the Cruise industry
Gary, when are you going on 7 Sea Explorer? Stay in the Regent Suite!!
0:18 a no no. The balcony door has been left open.
Norweigen sounds like a rip off
land based vacations are looking better and better than these behemoth cruise lines lately
which ones? cruises can still be good value i think depending....
depending how deep your pockets are?
@@jeffross5424 i started researching all inclusive resorts after your comment. I came to conclusion since gf & I don't drink cruise is gonna be a better deal. Now land based vacations with a road trip while camping out of the car!! :)
We ve done about 44 cruises n our last cruise on NCL it was all nickel n dime ohmygod you now have to pay for adult areas on The Encore and our platinum benefits nave been trimmed down a lot it’s getting ridiculous so after all these NCL cruises we r going back to Royal and the newer Carnival ships. Hey even a Carnival ship has great adult areas free and if course Royal has great adult areas that r free this May even trying MSC it’s half price of our Encore fare we paid
Hi Gary! Which cruise line would you recommend for a fam of 4 with 2 little ones that is fun, safe but also economical? Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I love your videos.
THIRTY DOLLARS per DAY for internet? YIKES.
Princess charges $7 per day for unlimited, high speed internet.
Do the math for a 20 day cruise.
We did a 21 night cruise & the internet was worth every cent. We pay for premium internet at home so why not on holidays?
@@jenniferschultz7178
That is $630 for 3 weeks.
I am on Crown Princess with high speed internet. 40 days for $280.
BIG difference.
@@cruisecrazy7066 what kind of upload /download speeds? & reliability?
was reading an article on how challenging it is to go to a satellite on a rocking/moving ship. kinda like riding a horse using a bow and arrow to shoot a strawberry off a guy's head who is standing on a train.
@@kirkrasmussen2601
Very reliable. High speed.
I can watch RUclips videos no problem.
@@jenniferschultz7178 : You pay $30 a day for internet at home???
Damn. I’ll stick to my diamond Royal Caribbean.
norwegian the cruise line or norway destination? ncl has some of the most expensive excursions anywhere. 500-600$ per person per day for things like uffizi accademia, last supper pinacoteca brera castello sforzesco, vatican capitoline , louvre orsay orangerie, ....
I like being nickeled and dimed....I hate paying for things I never use as if it were a perk. I'd rather just buy what I want our right.
There's a difference between being charged for truly "premium" or "extra" goods & services, and being charged* for every little thing and routine stuff like food and nonalcoholic beverages.
___________
* Or should I say "overcharged", since the customers are a captive audience and there are no competitive free-market forces to keep a lid on prices.
my biggest problem with NCL is they change the rules each year they went from all inclusive to all inclusive premium now back to nearly nothing included but some things are... I like NCL doing my 10 cruise on them in a few month but each time you have to check out what makes sense what 'free' package to get and why. Its mostly vague.. the 3 years? they did 'all inclusive premium' in europe where the easiest to follow.
Thanks for the video :)
To wake up past 6am, that cost $9.95
To take more than one shower a day, that's $39.99 per shower
To look at the captain, $59.75 per look or $200 for the entire cruise
How much to stare at the cute waitress? Lol
These apps for the boats they use on board, with schedules and maps and times and all the details you need for your trip, do you need to buy wifi to be able to use those? Cause that's a bit stupid if that's the case. Is it?
If you are getting open bar with your package does that include Starbucks?
You need a premium drinks package
But
If you're only wanting a coffee in the morning it might be worth just paying the $7 a day for coffee - which is what we pay for Starbucks here anyway
No
"Peaple" ALSO should know that they CAN cruise with MINIMAL outpouring of money for their cruises "without a shadow of a doubt". EVERY conceivable "MUST" will have been taken care of during their stay: COVERED are: cabin, food and entertainment! One doesn't "need" to go to a specialty dining, nor health classes/exercise, sauna, etc. Simply bring a book, eat to your hearts content, enjoy the many shows on board... without spending a dime!
I have a cruise next month on the escape!!!!
The cubing Chicken I am going on the escape in April. Please post your experience
kissmetny I will
With that coronavirus going around, I suspect "escaping" is exactly what you're gonna want to do! 😄
Captain Quirk i got home before all of the corona stuff happened
@@veraa5282 : Whew! That's good.
If people are prepared to pay, and actually splash out on these extras, then the cruise lines will continue to hike the prices and continue the practice.
Nothing new here. It would be helpful to say that there is no self service laundry.
alhambra, mezquita, alcazar, .....
Formula 1 sim? Sign me up
Our NCL10 day western caribbean was awesome last year on ship epic. We ate at the free main dining rooms every night. Neither my gf nor I drink alcohol & we didn't do any beverage package. We did two excursions & took a taxi round-trip once. the rest of the time we walked around ports or walked to beaches. We ate on the ship most of tge time. We did get lucky & bid on a balcony & got it. We did pay more for a cirque show & it was worth it.
Depends on what you enjoy & how much you are willing to spend. Just know that it will cost much more than the base cruising fare. six times the base cruising fare is what I calculated. Although this was for a 14 day cruise.
@@kirkrasmussen2601 Thanks for taking the time to respond. 6 x the cost of the initial fare. That is an interesting calculation.
Question: Did you do the 'Spa' onboard?
@@Trapster99 we bought thermal spa package $249 pp. 5 days til we cruise for 14 days!
on our 10 day cruise we did not do thermal spa. this will be our 1st time.
kind of like everything in life, cruises can be good experience or bad depending on our attitude we bring. I've seen some cruise forums reviews where average age seemed to be up there. the reviewers were whining n crying about everything. hoping I'm able to be be positive as I age & I guess manage my expectations.
@@kirkrasmussen2601 From what I hear and read, those Spa packages are, for many, the highlight of the trip. I am curious to know if that Spa package allows you the use of the shower in the Spa area. That is supposed to be worth it on its own. Plus, the hot, and mostly exclusive jet bath/jacuzzi. In addition, it is supposed to be a quite area of the ship, 'away from it all'.
Good luck and enjoy
@@Trapster99 GF & I thought long & hard about the $249 each. We paid less than $800 for the base fare. Just saw too many good spa reviews & decided to give it a try. Quiet area - some were complaining that some people were jibber jabbering loudly. I've got earbuds & ear plugs :) I'm about 90% sure we can use spa showers. Find out in 4 days here!
I am one who objects to the service charge pp per day. Let’s say they clean 10 rooms a day, that is $1500 a day In service charges for a maid. Basically, the customers are paying their salary. We know that no maid gets that much a day. So they pocket the difference. Makes me angry.
One of the worst cruise line in industry.
Anyone adjust the daily service charge for kids ? I have a 3 year child. Kinda think it’s a bit high to pay for that.
Go to guest services ask for gratuities to be taken off your bill & tip how you want. We don't tip (we're Aussie) & so we find the idea of giving money for service we've paid for strange so always take it off
A three year old causes alot more mess than an adult. The cabin steward still has to clean up the cabin, the cooks still have to cook food, the kids club provides free supervision and activities, but you're since you're child can travel for free the gratuities shouldn't be any hassle. Hopefully, you chose the 3rd/4th passenger travels for free option as one of your Free At Sea perks
I'm not Aussie and think tipping is archaic and demeaning. When I've brought it up on our local Fascist Book group you'd have thought I roasted and ate puppies for breakfast! @@jenniferschultz7178
I just watched this and been on other cruises AND most of your negative comments about what's not included are not included on carnival, princess , holland or royal. Your making it sound like ncl is the only one. People do your research, this vlog is absolutely incorrect on most things he said.
On Princess some of those chargers occur but lower prices. EG 18% gratuity instead of 20%, lower daily service charge, and so on. Specialty restaurants are a la carte compared to flat charge on Princess. Guest laundries on Princess vs pay for it to be done on NCL. It also seems like drink prices and such may be higher, based on drink lists I’ve seen different places. And I just googled a random shore trip (White Pass Rail Skagway) and NCL is about $20 more.
I agree, do your research, I think most of those costs can be contained, and I plan to travel NCL. But it is something to think about.
The SpaceX Starlink is going to make paying for cruise ship internet obsolete.
Do you have to make reservations for the shows on Norwegian? Do you have to pay for certain shows?
depends on ncl epic ship. ncl allowed reservations for shows. on our coming up cruise ncl Dawn does not have show reservations but does have dining room reservations.
shows epic we paid for a cirque show well worth it. we might have paid for an escape room (can't remember). this cruise on Dawn all shows are included.
Mmm
emmm well have to say wont be sailing with this company = Expensive ! thanks for the information
It's spelled "your", not "you".
Can you do your own laundry for free?
No! You can buy packages that include 1 free load, but it's $29 per extra load (or if you don't pay for the package).
Wash in the shower, take soap powder with you.
@@freeagent8225 True I did hand wash a couple things on my last NCL cruise 😂 stopped at Juneau and grabbed tide pods