More at Sea

[D_And_K_gocruising]

Looking at the bottom of the page listed in the first post, if you have a ressie already, you'll get the new drink package.. You will NOT get any of the other extras ie:more dining.. At least that's how I read it. 

[Sand and Seas]

32 minutes ago, PhillyTravelBug said:

I found this with my email for travel partners with NCL.

 

This cost per day refers to MAS Beverage only.  Is there still an additional gratuities charge for the Specialty Dining meals?    

 

It sounds like an all or nothing MAS.  No more choosing which of the items we want?

[schmoopie17]

34 minutes ago, tsahall01 said:

Using the $23/day for my up coming cruise in February, it is actually cheaper than the Free at Sea!!  One more dinner, but less minutes for internet, better drink choices--that's a win for me!

Are you already booked? If so, you are grandfathered to the existing Free at Sea package. 

If not, and you book starting tomorrow, you get the new plan.

[Alegeeter]

48 minutes ago, tsahall01 said:

Using the $23/day for my up coming cruise in February, it is actually cheaper than the Free at Sea!!  One more dinner, but less minutes for internet, better drink choices--that's a win for me!

I'm sure we will get the details tomorrow but the way I was reading it is the More at Sea is $23/day on top of the FAS. Just a way to get more money from us.

 

If FAS is gone completely tomorrow then there has to be a trick. They wouldn't give all of that away for $23/day. 

Edited 12 hours ago by Alegeeter

[david_sobe]

1 hour ago, Captain-John said:

I'd welcome the extra speciality meal too, and I do make use of a beverage package, so not seeing too much downside from my own perspective.

Just like a casino, the house always wins.  Let's read the fine print tomorrow

[Captain-John]

1 minute ago, david_sobe said:

Just like a casino, the house always wins.  Let's read the fine print tomorrow

 

I dare say. I am no NCL cheerleader, and born a cynic. However, I could easily drink an extra $150 or so of 'premium' beverage on a cruise if the MAS price is higher. So I try and square the books as best I can. 😁

 

Seperately, I find the 'advance notice' period to the TA market quite generous. This has been teased well in advance of the official announcement.

[pghflyer]

I am not sure how the "more minutes per stateroom" is really that at all.........other than for people with 3+ people in the room, now the "kids" get some minutes of their own too.  But otherwise, it is the same for couples on sailings up to 11 nights....and then a reduction of HALF for 12+ night sailings.   As someone who almost exclusively does 12+ night itineraries....I would rather have the double WIFI we have now rather than 2 more specialty dining nights.  I suppose the cost of buying an additional 150 minutes per person is probably cheaper than buying 2 additional specialty dining per person so perhaps still better for those who either (1) don't use Internet at all or (2) typically buy unlimited anyhow.  The whole allocation of minutes is overall not relaxing/ vacationish anyhow having to log-in/ log-out, count your minutes, etc. No one else is doing this micromanagement of minutes to their guests.

 

Holland (Have it All) and Princess (Princess Plus) both include Specialty Coffee, Bottled Water, Unlimited WIFI, and Free Gratuities in their packages, and I think those items are sorely missing for NCL (which is closer to those 2 than Carnival).

Edited 12 hours ago by pghflyer

[hallux]

I'm also curious how this plays out for a non-drinker.  Can I select the features I want or am I forced to take all of them?  This is a step in the wrong direction for me if I can't deselect the beverage package, I'll just have to a-la-carte the dining (if I want more than two since I'm now Platinum) and WiFi

[Eno]

Waiting to see how things play out.  I want high end drinks - I want my Ron Zacapa rum, Whistle Pig Rye, Macallan 12 yr, Don Julio and Patron and 40% off of bottles of champagne not included.  I want my water, starbucks and unlimited WIF (non-streaming).  I am amazed that NCL is the only line that doesn't include water - still or sparkling in basic packages.  Not a deal breaker as I can buy but I don't want to be nickeled and dimed when I cruise.  Princess caps at 15 drinks per day - fine but high end.  Celebrity - expensive drinks but have found great itineraries - hate the nonrefundable deposit/refundable deposit difference.   NCL - waiting to see what happens for my 2026 booked cruise.  Liked the FAS+ but will jump ship to another line if not happy.  

[Asawi]

My guess:

US will probably still be able to decline drinks and speciality dinners, same as now, and still get excursion discount and Internet minutes.

EU/Uk will still be "all or nothing", same as before. Substantial price increase. Benefits for drinkers, but those that don't drink alcohol still won't have speciality coffees, bottled water (sparkling or still) or cans of soda for "free". Would it really be so hard to give us that?! We're paying €30-35 per day for most cruise lengths from what I can tell (more per day for shorter cruises). As a non-drinker, for me it only makes sense to get the package if there are lots of cheap(ish) excursions. Which is rare.

[DorothyB]

I don't like it:

 

1) How much will cost go up?  Assuming they "only" add the actual cost to us of the old FAS benefits

 

2) Since I drink very little and NCL doesn't offer Dr Pepper, I opt out of the "unlimited open bar" portion saving (based on memory) over $200 in gratuities on a one week cruise

 

3) Specialty Dining - a 7 day balcony or above will get one more meal which would be nice if it didn't cost us more.  I don't care for most desserts, so more appetizers would be nice, but I'm actually thinking I would skip dessert in some of the specialty restaurants so adding cost to cover the additional appetizers and desserts is negative for me

 

4) wi-fi package - Faster wi-fi speeds should be happening anyway.  The only advantage of "more minutes" applies to guests 3 and above, and they could use the internet of guests 1 & 2 if they wanted to.  I have been guest 3 and used the internet of guest 2.  I did upgrade that person to unlimited which was less expensive than purchasing unlimited for myself.  So, this one is sort of a wash.  I would need to upgrade whatever I get to premium streaming anyway.

 

5) no change to excursion benefit

 

So, I'm not a fan of the change

[Floyd in VA]

I am waiting to read about the more at sea+ program. There is no way they can offer super premium liquor at rail prices 

[Menocchio]

I feel like the beverage package is sleight-of-hand. In the very near future I think we'll see the a la carte prices of drinks rise to a point that would have made the old Unlimited Open Bar package pretty useless. To call it an upgrade while raising prices, they're adding a few more included options. But which spirits made the cut was always pretty arbitrary. None of the brands mentioned are really more premium or expensive than what was already on the list (at least at my local liquor stores). 

 

It all comes down to the pricing, and how modular the thing is. The only US price was $30/day for the beverage package, which is an increase over FAS. How much for the whole package, and are WiFi and the ShoreEx discount available at no additional cost?

[Ellis1138]

I don't drink, so that part is lost on me anyway.

 

So the only difference for me is I get 1 extra Specialty dining and I lose free wifi minutes on long sailings.

 

This "big announcement" is kind of nothingburger to me. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

Are we going to know the final answer in 2 hours and 20 minutes?

[BunnyHutt]

22 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Are we going to know the final answer in 2 hours and 20 minutes?

There’s a 2025 cruise that a friend and I are mulling over. I just screen-shotted current price breakdown and will price it again tomorrow for **** and giggles. 😆

[Floyd in VA]

3 minutes ago, BunnyHutt said:

There’s a 2025 cruise that a friend and I are mulling over. I just screen-shotted current price breakdown and will price it again tomorrow for **** and giggles. 😆

 

I booked a cruise today. I will do a mock booking tomorrow to see the price increase.

[kjquilts]

We'd been toying with cancelling our 4/22/2025 cruise on the Dawn and replacing it with the Viva T/A San Juan to Lisbon arriving on 4/27 then flying to Venice and taking the MSC Opera 7 night cruise on 4/28.    We've been to several of the ports on the Dawn cruise and I'm not crazy about the Dawn due to lack of the Great Outdoors and Observation Lounge.   I also hate the way NCL has been changing/cancelling port stops after final payment and just didn't want to deal with it.

 

The 4/13//2025 VIVA T/A is really inexpensive ..... only 4 port stops which is fine because we love sea days.  We've been to San Juan and Lisbon but none of the ports of call.  Called our PCC today and booked a balcony outright. I got two VIBE passes and the promo two extra specialty dinners. This should give us 7 specialty dining meals on a 13 day cruise on a ship with multiple dining options.   I guess the trick will be getting reservations.  Larry and I each have $300 FCC to apply to this cruise due to price drop after final payment on the Spirit so that almost takes care of VIBE.   Luckily I hadn't applied the FCC because I was very "iffy" about the Dawn cruise. 

 

Will be interesting to see what tomorrow brings :)

 

 

[UKstages]

i'm curious to see how they handle casino guests with elevated status.

 

right now, a very big benefit (for some players) is free drinks throughout the ship. ("elite" players actually get premium + drinks and free unlimited wifi.) so what will they do for casino guests in the new world order?

 

as for the branding surrounding  "more at sea." it's a little misguided and a bit of a misnomer. how can you call it "more," when some things are actually less? or if they cost more. maybe that's what the "more" refers to!

[Sand and Seas]

14 minutes ago, UKstages said:

i'm curious to see how they handle casino guests with elevated status.

 

right now, a very big benefit (for some players) is free drinks throughout the ship. ("elite" players actually get premium + drinks and free unlimited wifi.) so what will they do for casino guests in the new world order?

 

as for the branding surrounding  "more at sea." it's a little misguided and a bit of a misnomer. how can you call it "more," when some things are actually less? or if they cost more. maybe that's what the "more" refers to!

Yes, we have been wondering the same thing.  We like the way the new CAS benefit package works for us.  Hopefully they will get any changes figured out for us in advance.  Ruby tier currently gets the basic FAS drinks for their cabin with the casino paying the 20% gratuities fee.  Ruby also gets unlimited wifi for one.  Elite tier gets the FAS Plus drinks and two unlimited wifi.   

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

I have just looked at cruises we have in February and am comparing what they are offered today with what managed to get with the last price drop.   We paid about $3500 NZ (Inside) and that price still shows on the first place I look at the cruise on NCL and stays at that till I actually go into the "booking" page where the price becomes $6200 NZ!!  That is Family Inside while the Inside (what we have) is $5000.

 

Caveat Emptor.

[Floyd in VA]

6 minutes ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

I have just looked at cruises we have in February and am comparing what they are offered today with what managed to get with the last price drop.   We paid about $3500 NZ (Inside) and that price still shows on the first place I look at the cruise on NCL and stays at that till I actually go into the "booking" page where the price becomes $6200 NZ!!  That is Family Inside while the Inside (what we have) is $5000.

 

Caveat Emptor.

 

They don't have the "More at Sea" prices listed. Maybe later today.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@Floyd in VA

 

Remember that I am in New Zealand and it is Oct 1st here and in Australia where we have to book.   So although all the details have not been released even here I think Sydney are trying to stop bookings from here.   It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow,

[Floyd in VA]

3 minutes ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

@Floyd in VA

 

Remember that I am in New Zealand and it is Oct 1st here and in Australia where we have to book.   So although all the details have not been released even here I think Sydney are trying to stop bookings from here.   It will be interesting to see what happens tomorrow,

 

It is October 1st on the East Coast. My guess it probably will not go live until it is the 1st in Hawaii. There are still many references to FAS on NCLs webpages. 

[UKstages]

1:25 AM  on the east cost of the USA and "more at sea" is live.

 

banner on the homepage links here:

 

https://www.ncl.com/cruise-deals/more-at-sea

 

it appears as if they will be honoring FAS benefits for all cruises booked prior to 10/1/24, with the addition of the new MAS beverage package benefits. in other words, you'll get the standard FAS package you booked, but you'll also enjoy the expanded beverage package. if you purchased additional specialty dining, you'll get to keep that, too. (although, it appears the new "cover charges" [tee hee] may be less than the previous fees for additional specialty dining!)

 

they are, however, introducing something they are calling "the connoisseur collection," i kid you not. and that will be, you guessed it, for drinks costing more than $15. MAS customers will get, a $15 discount off those rinks, just as you do now with FAS.

 

the restaurant "cover charges" (tee tee) will be different depending on venue/cuisine, but they will be USD $40, $50 and $60 for those wishing to purchase additional specialty dining. cagney's and le bistro at $60... los lobos at $40... and the asian restaurants at $50, which is a big mistake, if you ask me (they didn't ask me.) the other "cover charges" (tee tee)  seem reasonable. (hey, I call 'em like I see 'em.)

 

their cursory mention of faster speeds for wifi is laughable. they detail the costs for longer wifi packages and mention the speed... either 1.5 or 5 mbps. and that is not competitive with other cruise lines that have switched to starling. 

 

they have not yet updated the casinos at sea benefits page, which still shows "premium plus" as a benefit for "elite" gamblers. 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by UKstages