For one set fare, a cruise vacation enables travelers to see multiple destinations while enjoying most of the onboard amenities. Although, what is included in each cruise line’s standard price can fluctuate. To help cruisers planning a vacation with Norwegian Cruise Line, we have put together this list of what’s included on Norwegian Cruise Line. See why a cruise vacation might be the best value for your travel dollars.

What’s Included on Norwegian Cruise Line (2024)

Like most cruise lines, there are several things that are always included in the cruise fare. These include accommodations, some food and drinks, and most onboard activities and entertainment. Here, let’s dive into the details of exactly what you’ll get included on a cruise with NCL, and what will cost you extra.

Accommodations

Your cruise fare covers the cost of your stateroom for the duration of the trip. Included with your accommodations, you will have a friendly room attendant who will make up your cabin once a day.

All NCL ships offer a variety of different room categories from studio cabins to suites and everything in between. Choosing your cabin type will be the main driver of your total cruise costs. Certain cabin categories provide travelers access to exclusive areas of the ship, like private sun decks, lounges, and restaurants for those staying in The Haven. So, make sure to review all of the benefits for each cabin category before selecting the perfect fit for your next NCL cruise.

Food and Dining

What food is included on a Norwegian cruise?

Regardless of the ship, you can enjoy three meals a day (with some snacks in between) at the casual Garden Cafe (or Surfside Café and Grill on some ships). This buffet is part of your cruise fare and offers a variety of menu items morning, noon, and night.

Other casual fare varies from ship to ship, such as poolside grills, snacks in venues like the Observation Lounge or Spice H2O, a noodle bar, or a complimentary pub. O’ Sheehan’s or The Local is available on most ships in the NCL fleet. This sit-down venue is your go-to spot for pub favorites 24 hours a day.

In addition to this casual fare, cruisers can also dine in the Main Dining Room. Norwegian Cruise Line offers the unique Freestyle approach to dining which means that you can dine wherever you want, whenever you want. There is no set dinner time and no set table arrangement.

Most of the larger NCL ships have two to three complimentary main dining rooms. These dining rooms are always open for dinner, serving a different menu each night, with some standard dishes that never change. All of the venues serve the same menu. One of the main dining rooms is also open on select days/hours for a sit-down breakfast and lunch.

What drinks are included on a NCL cruise?

When it comes to beverages onboard the ship, you will have the option of select drinks like iced tea, some juices, lemonade, filtered water, and drip coffee/tea. While these items are complimentary, soda, bottled water, specialty coffee, and alcoholic beverages will cost you extra money.

Related Post: Guide to Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Packages

Pool Deck and Sports Deck

All Norwegian Cruise Line ships have a large pool deck for all cruisers to enjoy at no additional cost. Offering at least one main pool, hot tubs, and loungers, the pool deck is the ideal place to spend your days at sea. Many of the newer and larger ships in the fleet also offer other pool deck amenities like a kids’ aqua park and some of the most thrilling waterslides at sea.

Many elements of the sports deck are also included on Norwegian Cruise Line. Activities like a basketball court, mini golf, and the ropes course are all complimentary and fun for cruisers of all ages.

Onboard Activities

Your cruise ship is a hub of activity and events. You will always find something to do on the ship that will not cost you a dime.

On Norwegian Cruise Line, you can enjoy modern fitness facilities, select exercise classes, and an outdoor jogging track for a workout at almost any time of day. Various poolside activities also occur when the weather permits. From dance classes to table tennis, there are plenty of ways to stay active.

Other onboard events like trivia contests, game shows, and various demonstrations and seminars are also included in the cruise fare. These events will be listed on the daily schedule on the Cruise Norwegian app. So, be sure to check for the exact events occurring on your cruise. Even if you do not participate, these daily activities are equally as fun to watch.

Youth Programs

Included in the cruise fare on Norwegian Cruise Line are youth programs for children aged 3-17 years old. Splash Academy is for kids 3-12 and includes various interactive activities. Entourage in the teen hangout for those 13-17 years old. This area includes a dance zone, game zone, and other activities taking place around the ship. Family fun activities can also include a movie night, scavenger hunts, dance parties, and more.

There is a Guppies program (a non-drop off program) for parents and children aged 6 months to 3 years old to interact in a dedicated play space.

Nightly Entertainment

At night, your Norwegian Cruise Line ship comes alive with plenty of entertainment options that won’t cost you anything. The signature evening entertainment can be found in your ship’s main theater. Here, there will be featured headliner acts such as comedians, singers, and other performers showcasing their talents.

The ship’s cast of singers and dancers will also routinely perform in various productions shows. On newer ships in the NCL fleet, there are also signature shows like Choir of Man and Burn the Floor. While still complimentary, these signature shows will require reservations. Those can be made online up to 120 days prior to your sailing.

Norwegian Cruise Line also features dedicated venues on select ships that host dueling pianos, comedy shows, Beatles tribute band performances, karaoke, and more. If that’s not enough, there will be plenty of other live music around the ship including a DJ that spins tunes until the wee hours of the morning.

Norwegians know how to party. So, there will certainly be themed parties that take place during the cruise as well. From outdoor deck parties like the White Hot glow party to 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s themed parties and even a “silent party,” there is always something happening for those who like to live it up.

What is Not Included in Your Cruise Fare

While cruises do provide a great vacation value, not everything will be covered in the cruise fare. On Norwegian Cruise Line, there are other amenities that can be purchased if cruisers choose to do so. Keep in mind that some of these extras are included in NCL’s More at Sea program. You can read more about that at the end of this post.

Shore Excursions

Your cruise ship will transport you to several exciting ports of call. Unfortunately, shore excursions are not part of the base fare. These tours and additional experiences can be booked through the cruise line or through third part retailers at additional costs. Shore excursions can range from $25 a person for a group walking tour to several hundreds of dollars for private tours or unique experiences.

Alcoholic and Some Non-Alcoholic Beverages

As mentioned previously, alcoholic beverages are not part of the cruise fare. On NCL ships, beer, wine, cocktails, soda, specialty coffee and tea, and bottled water will all cost additional fees. Depending on your drinking habits, purchasing one of the Norwegian Cruise Line beverage packages might be a better option than paying the a la carte pricing. Or better yet, take advantage of the More at Sea offer to score a free Unlimited Open Bar package. Of note, bottled water and specialty coffee are not included in this package. To get those, you must pay a la carte or get a Starbucks beverage package.

Some Entertainment and Onboard Activities

While there are several included activities and entertainment, many ships offer additional classes and activities that cost an up-charge. These can include mixology demonstrations, food and wine pairings, games like Deal or No Deal and Bingo, and more. Some ships include premium entertainment like Cirque Dreams or Happy Hour Prohibition – The Musical which also require a cover charge.

Unfortunately, the go-kart racetrack and Galaxy Pavilion virtual reality complex found on Breakaway Plus and Prima-class ships all cost extra money as well.

All NCL ships have a spa providing a variety of services for additional costs. These experiences, such as massages or salon services, can be booked pre-cruise or while onboard the ship. Many ships also have a thermal suite. This area includes a selection of relaxing experiences such as saunas, therapeutic pools, heated loungers, and sometimes even a snow room. Guests can purchase a pass to the thermal suite pre-cruise or once on board.

Of course, any shopping in the retail stores onboard the ship or gaming in the casino are all at your own expense as well.

Specialty Dining

While there are many dining venues covered in your cruise fare, Norwegian Cruise Line also offers several up-charge dining options and experiences, all of which have a flat-rate cover charge. These include specialty venues like Cagney’s steakhouse, the French-inspired Le Bistro, Italian restaurant Onda by Scarpetta, Q Texas Smokehouse, and Teppanyaki.

If you do want to dine at one or more of these restaurants, reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 120 days prior to your sailing.

Other Add-Ons

For those who want to stay in touch with family and friends online, you will need to purchase an internet package. WiFi is not part of the Norwegian Cruise Line fare. Neither is laundry services. If you would like clothing washed or pressed, it will cost you extra money.

Room service carries an additional charge on Norwegian Cruise Line as well. Morning coffee and continental breakfast are still complimentary but other hot items will incur a service charge of $9.95 for each order. Cruisers staying in The Haven are exempt from these charges.

Other add-ons like the previously mentioned beverage packages are an additional fee. Likewise, so are photo packages, special celebration packages, and transportation to and from the cruise port.

Finally, there will be a daily service charge added to your onboard cruise account. These daily gratuities are currently $20 per person per day for Club Balcony cabins and below. They’re $25 for suites and The Haven guests. These charges go towards the hardworking staff on the ship including your stateroom attendant, wait staff, bar servers, and various other crew. If you choose, the daily gratuities can be pre-paid using your online account prior to the cruise.

Does Norwegian Cruise Line have an all-inclusive package?

Now that you know what is included and not included on an NCL cruise, you might be wondering if Norwegian offers an all-inclusive package. NCL has a new program called More at Sea. It’s pretty much always included in the cruise fare unless you opt out of any or all of its perks. More at Sea applies to just about any standard cruise booking. It does not apply to charter sailings or select other group cruises.

More at Sea is essentially the rebranding and restructuring of Norwegian’s previous Free at Sea program. It’s rolled into the base cruise fare — with some minimal extra fees attached. It includes the Unlimited Open Bar package, a set number of specialty dining meals based on the length of the cruise and the stateroom category booked, a set number of wifi minutes, shore excursion credit, and free 3rd and 4th guests in a cabin on select sail dates.

To avoid additional fees attached to some of these perks, guests have the option of opting out of some/all of them at the time of booking. For a more detailed look at More at Sea, including the terms and conditions and extra fees associated with the offer, head over to this post.

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