More at Sea

[Fifi1910]

My FAS + had gone from reservation for 29 October 2024. Did a chat and they confirmed that it is an IT glitch and emailed me my amenities details which do include all the FAS+ extras. I know the chat is not always 100% reliable but the email shows everything included. Hopefully they’ll sort the app/ website 🤞🏻. 

[bkrickles1]

I just got off the phone with my pcc, who I've been working with for more than 7 years.

The pcc's just had a big meeting this morning and he was able to answer the one question pertaining to my situation.

I just booked Aqua a few days ago for next August and was wondering how the bartenders would know if I had the fas or mas beverage pkg and how would that work. It would be murder on the bartenders and it won't have to be.

If you're like me and booked before today and are sailing after 1/1/25, you will get the mas beverage pkg improvements WITHOUT any price adjustment. This makes perfect sense.

I also mentioned to him how the forums were blowing up with people going crazy about their fas+ upgrades and he said those that are sailing after 1/1/25 will be placed in the connoisseur pkg.

I'm not proclaiming that any of this is 100% certain, but my pcc usually has his facts pretty straight.

[Asawi]

16 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

I just made dining reservations for a Feb. 2, 2024 cruise.  We have 2 FAS meals and 2 Platinum meals.  Total of 4.  I reserved LaCucina, OceanBlue, Cagney’s and LeBistro.  I was not asked to pay anything.  Although the NCL website and app is throwing errors everywhere…the bookings did go through.

Were they marked as "cover charge" when you did the reservations? 

[Asawi]

Double post! Sorry!

Edited Tuesday at 04:16 PM by Asawi

[vacation44]

18 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

I just made dining reservations for a Feb. 2, 2024 cruise.  We have 2 FAS meals and 2 Platinum meals.  Total of 4.  I reserved LaCucina, OceanBlue, Cagney’s and LeBistro.  I was not asked to pay anything.  Although the NCL website and app is throwing errors everywhere…the bookings did go through.

That is great news as it saves a future headache trying to get the money back!   Thank you for reporting it.     @schmoopie17, it seems like @laudergayle beat us!   

[Generatedusername]

I booked a December cruise today and got the MAS. I had thought it was going to take effect in 2025. So I didn't get the extra specialty dining meal but I did lose the beverage upgrade. Yay! 

[schmoopie17]

32 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

I just made dining reservations for a Feb. 2, 2024 cruise.  

I assume this would be Feb 2. 2025.

 

EDIT: Just realized it has to be 2025, since unless you have a time machine you wouldn't be booking for 2024. And it's far too early to book restaurants for 2026. 😁

 

Where are you going? 

 

Edited Tuesday at 04:27 PM by schmoopie17

[julig22]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

7-day cruise

 

Does anyone remember the old cost of wifi upgrades?

 

MAS

I believe the Unlimited upgrade was about 29.99/day. So on a 7-day cruise, it would be 209.93 less $100 FAS credit. If you upgraded on day 2, it was $79.94 and so forth.

 

[UKstages]

9 hours ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

Your quote of the 2016 Cover Charge; what did it actually mean?   Like going into a bar, a charge to get in?   Or the minimum you could spend at "a la carte" prices?   Or the cost of the meal whatever you ate?

 

back in the day, NCL used the term "cover charge" correctly. it was an extra nominal fee you paid to get into the restaurant in which you were otherwise able to dine for "free."

 

in their current use of the term "cover charge," they are using it interchangeably to mean the cost for a fixed price restaurant. they are all fixed price restaurants now, except the MDR and the local and so forth.

 

8 hours ago, david_sobe said:

Since the steak house/French are up to $20 more than some other specialty dining, wont everyone just flock to the more expensive ones for the bang for the buck if they get a few specialty meals included with More At Sea?

 

as they do now with FAS.

 

cagney's is always the first to book up!

 

6 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

The good news is they are no longer calling the package "Free at Sea" since the name confused the heck out of all the new customers, who seemed to post on these forums frequently that they were confused about paying for a "Free" package.

 

but they are now confusingly calling it "more" at sea; you pay more and, in some cases, get less. but, by all means, enjoy your second and third dessert!

 

6 hours ago, mistertomatoe said:

Starlink is faster so you can do more with less time.

 

starlink is not faster on NCL. 

 

NCL has chosen to throttle the capacity for passengers and reserve most of the speed and bandwidth for officers and staff. starlink provides much faster service to NCL, but NCL puts through the same speed they always have, more or less. the service is more reliable with starlink, but it isn't any faster... for passengers. 

 

throughput is either 1.5 mbps or 5 mbps... this is significantly slower than other cruise lines that offer service through starklink.

 

6 hours ago, david_sobe said:

Drinks - can now go above $15 per alcoholic drink. 

 

this apparently works as it does now... go above $15 per drink and get a $15 discount,

 

you will pay the difference.

 

 

[pghflyer]

Interesting the fees for specialty dining and beverage package are now called "Price" and not a "20% Gratuity" of the previous value......but the FAQ still indicates that the "price" covers their gratuities.

 

I definitely give extra to bartenders for excellent service BUT I certainly do expect that they are already getting a base gratuity from my 20% fee.

 

 

[dtodd]

56 minutes ago, Fifi1910 said:

My FAS + had gone from reservation for 29 October 2024. Did a chat and they confirmed that it is an IT glitch and emailed me my amenities details which do include all the FAS+ extras. I know the chat is not always 100% reliable but the email shows everything included. Hopefully they’ll sort the app/ website 🤞🏻. 

That is super helpful to know thank you! I leave on November 30 and had free at sea + and it also disappeared.

Edited Tuesday at 04:52 PM by dtodd

[CookieBeen]

1 hour ago, Fifi1910 said:

My FAS + had gone from reservation for 29 October 2024. Did a chat and they confirmed that it is an IT glitch and emailed me my amenities details which do include all the FAS+ extras. I know the chat is not always 100% reliable but the email shows everything included. Hopefully they’ll sort the app/ website 🤞🏻. 

Hope this is true!

[UKstages]

10 minutes ago, pghflyer said:

Interesting the fees for specialty dining and beverage package are now called "Price" and not a "20% Gratuity" of the previous value......but the FAQ still indicates that the "price" covers their gratuities.

 

I definitely give extra to bartenders for excellent service BUT I certainly do expect that they are already getting a base gratuity from my 20% fee.

 

 

 

they're getting something, but it is almost certainly not 20%. 

 

as explained in many other tipping threads, NCL maintains a general employee fund, financed by the onboard service charge and the 20% gratuity. out of that comes all manner of employee incentive initiatives, which could range from performance bonuses to direct cash distributions to an employee pizza party to painting the employee break room. it all likely comes out of the same fund. if your bartender is providing individualized service and you'd like to see him or her rewarded directly, continue to throw an extra dollar or two (or five) his or her way every now and again.

 

Edited Tuesday at 05:00 PM by UKstages

[bkrickles1]

42 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

Starlink is not faster on NCL. 

 

NCL has chosen to throttle the capacity for passengers and reserve most of the speed and bandwidth for officers and staff. starlink provides much faster service to NCL, but NCL puts through the same speed they always have, more or less. the service is more reliable with starlink, but it isn't any faster... for passengers. 

 

throughput is either 1.5 mbps or 5 mbps... this is significantly slower than other cruise lines that offer service through starklink.

 

 

 

You're probably right about this. 

My daughter just sailed Symphony of the seas after sailing Getaway at the end of April. 

Both ships have Starlink and she said wifi was noticeably better on Symphony. 

[BirdTravels]

[laudergayle]

56 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

I assume this would be Feb 2. 2025.

 

EDIT: Just realized it has to be 2025, since unless you have a time machine you wouldn't be booking for 2024. And it's far too early to book restaurants for 2026. 😁

 

Where are you going? 

 

Lol.  Yes 2025.  This is the Getaway from NOLA to Western Caribbean that @cruiseny4life is on.  This is what you take when you only have a week vacay🤣

[laudergayle]

1 hour ago, Asawi said:

Were they marked as "cover charge" when you did the reservations? 

I didn’t pay attention to all of them, but Ocean Blue was definitely Cover Charge.

[laudergayle]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

7-day cruise

 

Does anyone remember the old cost of wifi upgrades?

 

MAS

FAS upgrade for Unlimited WiFi on a 7 day cruise was $109 pp.

 

 

[JandC_Cruising]

1 hour ago, Fifi1910 said:

My FAS + had gone from reservation for 29 October 2024. Did a chat and they confirmed that it is an IT glitch and emailed me my amenities details which do include all the FAS+ extras. I know the chat is not always 100% reliable but the email shows everything included. Hopefully they’ll sort the app/ website 🤞🏻. 

I just did the same.  They sent the current detailed invoice with everything still there as well claiming we will get the benefits this December on our cruise.

I hope those of you who are sailing this month can report that all goes smoothly and the expected upgrades are all there and honored upon boarding!

None of us want to spend the first hours or days of our vacations in line at guest services trying to resolve on board.

  

[Katrina1547]

1 hour ago, UKstages said:

 

 

 

this apparently works as it does now... go above $15 per drink and get a $15 discount,

 

you will pay the difference.

 

 

 

No, you will not pay the difference:

 

[moviegal]

3 hours ago, macewank said:

As someone who's taken FAS+ every cruise, I haaaaaaate this.  I cannot believe there is no "upgrade" for More at Sea.

Right? Same here. We LOVED FAS+ and never cruised without it. I don't consider Grey Goose to be "premium" liquor, either. I'm certain all the higher end liquors won't be included now, and no more fresh juice (my favorite), Starbucks, bottled water, unlimited wifi, etc. We legitimately used ALL of the benefits of FAS+. Fingers crossed NCL will soon add a "More At Sea +"  because this new program really, really puts the FAS+ folks at a major disadvantage. Really sad to see it go.

[JandC_Cruising]

11 minutes ago, Katrina1547 said:

 

No, you will not pay the difference:

 

Actually you will pay extra if you wish to drink a brand "not included".

They are classifying some liquors and wines as "Connoisseur Collection".

I don't think anyone knows what will fall in that class yet.

For those, you are going to receive a $15 credit against the cost of the beverage. (FAQ answer  attached)

For example, I don't expect that Whistle Pig Bourbon or Macallan Scotch (around $30 a pour) to be covered under the "MAS" program.  I can hope, but I'm not expecting that to be part of the MAS "expanded brands"

 

[fastpitchdad]

2 hours ago, Fifi1910 said:

My FAS + had gone from reservation for 29 October 2024. Did a chat and they confirmed that it is an IT glitch and emailed me my amenities details which do include all the FAS+ extras. I know the chat is not always 100% reliable but the email shows everything included. Hopefully they’ll sort the app/ website 🤞🏻. 

 

It disappeared online/app for my Oct 19 sailing but still shows in my edocs. 

[HBCcruiser]

11 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

 

It disappeared online/app for my Oct 19 sailing but still shows in my edocs. 

Cool. Mine too. Thanks for the E-doc tip! 

[JSar]

21 hours ago, hallux said:

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

I removed the alcohol package from my "free at sea"... I don't drink enough to justify the cost difference with the gratuities.