Heidi BucoloIt had been over two years since we last sailed with Norwegian Cruise Line. Since then, the cruise line has implemented a series of policy changes that are reshaping what it’s like for passengers to cruise NCL. So, we decided it was time to hop back onboard to see firsthand how these new policies affect the guest experience. Just back from Norwegian Aqua, we’re sharing our honest thoughts.
Key Takeaways: Norwegian Cruise Line Policy Changes 2025-2026
- Main Dining Room Fee: Norwegian now charges $5 for each additional entree ordered in the main dining room, though appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts remain unlimited. NCL has also introduced room service ordering restrictions and no-show fees for specialty dining.
- Great Stirrup Cay Beverage Changes: Starting March 1, 2026, onboard beverage packages will no longer work at Great Stirrup Cay. A separate island beverage package will be available to purchase beginning January 2026.
- Additional Policy Updates Since Our Last NCL Cruise: Norwegian has eliminated specialty dining packages in favor of fixed cover charges, replaced Free at Sea with More at Sea (removing the “Plus” upgrade option), and cut licensed Broadway shows.
Norwegian Cruise Line Dining Policy Changes
Norwegian Cruise Line has implemented several dining policy changes recently that affect both complimentary and specialty dining experiences. From new fees in the main dining room and restrictions on room service to the elimination of specialty dining packages and a new pricing structure at specialty restaurants, these changes impact how guests need to approach onboard dining and budget for their cruise vacation.
Additional Entree Fee in Main Dining Rooms
Similar to other cruise lines, NCL now charges a $5 fee for ordering additional entrees beyond the first in the main dining room. The fee applies only to additional entrees. Appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts remain unlimited at no extra charge. The cruise line states this policy aims to reduce food waste.
When compared to competitor cruise lines, this policy change is the most restrictive. Royal Caribbean only charges for additional lobster entrees on formal night, and Carnival Cruise Line only charges for third and subsequent entrees.
While you’ll certainly never go hungry on an NCL cruise, this policy change may make you rethink your MDR game plan. One of the benefits of cruising has always been the ability to try new things, and Don has been known to order two entrees from time to time to sample a couple different items. Of course, you still can; you’ll just have to budget accordingly.
New Room Service Restrictions
Norwegian has also quietly updated its room service policy, limiting guests to one hot dish and one cold dish per person, per breakfast delivery. Guests may order two items per person, per delivery from the all-day menu. Ordering additional items requires placing a separate order with additional delivery fees. On a positive note, these delivery fees remain the same, which is $4.95 for breakfast orders and $9.95 for orders from the all-day menu.
With so many additional dining options, we don’t think this is a big deal; however, it’s just another call-out to the “nickel-and-diming” approach. While some cruise lines, like Carnival, price room service items a la carte, NCL is the first to place limits on such orders.
No-Show Fee for Specialty Dining
Yes, the two dining policy changes mentioned above may be a disappointment to some cruisers, but we’re happy to see that NCL is now enforcing its $10 no-show fee for guests who make specialty restaurant reservations and fail to cancel in advance. In fact, we don’t know why this wasn’t a thing sooner. This aligns Norwegian with similar policies from other cruise lines.
Personally, we feel it’s just common courtesy to cancel a reservation if your plans change. This helps free up tables for other guests who were unable to get reservations. The cancellation policy is quite generous, with guests needing to cancel no less than two hours prior to their dining time.
While we were apprehensive that we couldn’t make any specialty restaurant reservations prior to our Norwegian Aqua cruise, we were able to secure all our desired restaurants at our preferred times in the NCL app immediately upon boarding the ship. And we didn’t really hear any rumblings from other guests regarding this policy update.
Elimination of Specialty Dining Packages
With the introduction of More at Sea (for sailngs booked October 2024 and beyond), Norwegian Cruise Line discontinued all specialty dining packages. Previously, guests could purchase packages at discounted rates to supplement meals received with the Free at Sea promotion. Under the new system, each specialty restaurant has a fixed cover charge that guests pay per visit, as opposed to the previous a la carte fees if a guest didn’t have a meal credit.
With these new cover charges, guests can order up to three appetizers and desserts for no additional fees. Extra entree charges do apply though.
During our Norwegian Aqua sailing, we dined at four specialty restaurants (two included in More at Sea and two cover charges). With the exception of Sukothai, the cover charge and allotted menu items were more than sufficient even if the menus were streamlined a bit since our last sailing. With regards to Sukothai, we did think the $50 cover charge was a bit pricey. It would have been nice if we could have ordered the pad thai or fried rice as an appetizer; but instead, these dishes count as entrees and incur an additional $25 second entree fee.
During our other dining experiences at Los Lobos, Onda, and Le Bistro, we actually saved money with the cover charge versus ordering the items based on old a la carte prices. Given the menu items we actually ordered, we saved approximately $100 in total across the three restaurants.
Norwegian Cruise Line Beverage Policy Changes
In another recently announced shake-up, Norwegian Cruise Line has made some changes to its beverage package policy, specifically related to Great Stirrup Cay.
No More Drink Package on Great Stirrup Cay
Starting March 1, 2026, Norwegian Cruise Line’s onboard beverage package will no longer work at Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas. This is a big policy change that has upset many NCL cruisers as they will now have to pay for all alcoholic beverages purchased ashore.
While guests have never been able to use drink packages at NCL’s other private island in Belize, Harvest Caye, eliminating this benefit at Great Stirrup Cay now puts NCL more in line with Carnival’s Celebration Key. However, Royal Caribbean’s drink package still works at Perfect Day at CocoCay as does MSC’s at Ocean Cay.
What remains complimentary at Great Stirrup Cay:
- Water
- Iced tea
- Lemonade
- Select juices
Norwegian will introduce a new, exclusive Great Stirrup Cay beverage package starting in January 2026, though pricing and specific details have not yet been announced.
This policy change coincides with NCL’s massive $150 million investment to transform Great Stirrup Cay into a more developed destination experience. The transformation will include:
- A multi-ship pier that allows vessels to dock directly and eliminates tendering
- An expanded pool area
- A new waterpark with slides and attractions
- Enhanced dining venues and bars
- Upgraded infrastructure throughout the island
Reduction in Specialty Drink Menus
This is likely a minor change for most, but for cruisers who enjoy sampling drinks off all the specialty bar menus, it was a disappointment to learn that Norwegian Cruise Line has streamlined its beverage offerings.
While we are unsure if this is a fleetwide change, many of the bars on Norwegian Aqua served the same menu. Specifically, I missed the bottled cocktails, like All About the Basil, at the Belvedere Bar. Other favorites like a Smoked Peach Margarita and Rebellious Fish were no where to be found either. In fact, the only two bars on the ship that have truly distinct menus are the Metropolitan Bar and Whiskey Bar.
Entertainment Shifts & Broadway Shows Cut
Yes, we know this is not a “new” change but it is new since we last sailed on Norwegian Cruise Line back in the summer of 2023. Since then, the cruise line has shifted its entertainment focus from Broadway and West End productions to all original shows. We’ve always said that Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line had the best entertainment in the industry, but that’s not really true anymore.
In the last couple years, NCL has eliminated several licensed shows from its fleet, including Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Footloose, Kinky Boots, and Six, among others. In our opinion, Choir of Man is top-notch, but other than that, the shift to Norwegian-produced revues makes the cruise line’s entertainment offerings more comparable to competitor cruise lines rather than maintaining its previous distinctive positioning.
While Norwegian Viva does retain Beetlejuice: The Musical for now, Norwegian Aqua debuted with an original production instead. Revolution: A Celebration of Prince is the signature production on this ship, along with The Price is Right Live and Elements: The World Expanded. Don’t get us wrong, these shows are entertaining but not up to the level of entertainment on Royal Caribbean’s newest ships. The Prince show is well-produced with a dynamic stage setup and high energy, but it isn’t much more than a concert experience.
The Real Value of More at Sea
As of October 1, 2024, Norwegian Cruise Line replaced its longstanding Free at Sea promotion with More at Sea. With similar inclusions, the most significant change for us is the elimination of the “Plus” upgrade option that existed under Free at Sea.
More at Sea inclusions:
- Unlimited Open Bar (with more premium brands)
- Specialty dining meals (number based on cabin type and cruise length)
- WiFi minutes (for all guests; minutes based on cruise length)
- Excursion credits (first guest only)
Previously, guests could opt to upgrade their included perks to Free at Sea Plus for $49 per person, per day. This upgrade tier included the Premium Plus beverage package with premium cocktails, specialty coffees at Starbucks, and bottled water, among other premium drink offerings. Under More at Sea, no such option exists. This means guests who want inclusions like specialty coffee or bottled water must purchase them separately à la carte or through standalone packages.
The Free at Sea Plus option also included two additional specialty dining meals, additional shore excursion credit, and an upgrade to unlimited WiFi (upgrade to streaming for an additional $10.80 per person/day).
More at Sea Price Analysis
Looking at our 5-day Norwegian Aqua sailing, we would have paid $109 for the drink package gratuity ($21.80 per person, per day) and $11.80 for the specialty dining gratuity with Free at Sea. For an additional $245 pp ($49 per day), we could have upgraded to Free at Sea Plus and paid an additional $54 to upgrade to streaming WiFi.
For a total of $419.80 per person, we would have received 3 specialty meals, the Plus drink package (with Starbucks and bottled water included), $50 per port for shore excursions, and unlimited streaming WiFi.
With More at Sea, we received unlimited open bar (no Starbucks or bottled water), 2 specialty meals, 75 minutes of WiFi per guest (full price to upgrade to streaming WiFi $39.99 per day), and $50 shore excursion credit per port for guest 1 only.
With More at Sea, we paid $30 per person, per day for beverage gratuity ($150) and $40 for dining gratuity. Plus, we paid $35.99 per day to upgrade our WiFi to unlimited streaming ($179.95), approximately $30 pp for a water package, approximately $65 pp over the five days for Starbucks drinks, and $48 pp for an additional third specialty dinner.
This equates to just under $515 per person, or just over $100 more for comparable offerings from the former Free at Sea Plus. Not to mention, this More at Sea offering is also less $100 shore excursion credit for guest 2 (but we didn’t use this perk anyway). And, our bottled water and Starbucks purchases were not unlimited with More at Sea.
While only a modest price increase, having to pay extra for our daily coffee and bottled water did make it feel less inclusive when compared to other cruise lines. Though, it didn’t really detract from our overall cruise experience.
More at Sea vs. Free at Sea vs. Free at Sea Plus: Our 5-Day Cruise Comparison
| Item | Former Free at Sea | Former Free at Sea Plus | More at Sea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Upgrade Cost | $0 | $245 per person ($49/day) | $0 |
| Beverage Package Gratuity | $109 per person ($21.80/day) | $109 per person ($21.80/day) | $150 per person ($30/day) |
| Specialty Dining Gratuity | $11.80 per person | $11.80 per person | $40 per person |
| WiFi | Included minutes (75 mins for 5-day cruise) | Unlimited; streaming upgrade for $54 ($10.80/day) | 75 minutes; streaming upgrade $179.95 ($35.99/day) |
| Specialty Dining Meals | 1 meal included | 3 meals included | 2 meals included |
| Starbucks | À la carte | Unlimited (included) | À la carte or purchase a standalone package |
| Bottled Water | À la carte | Unlimited (included) | À la carte or purchase a water package |
| Beverage Package Tier | Standard open bar | Premium Plus (premium spirits, specialty coffee, bottled water) | Standard open bar (more premium brands than old FAS) |
| Shore Excursion Credit | $50 per port (guest 1 only); $100 value for our 5-day cruise | $50 per port (both guests); $200 value for our 5-day cruise | $50 per port (guest 1 only); $100 value for our 5-day cruise |
Final Thoughts
Navigating Norwegian’s new policy changes now requires more strategic planning and budgeting. With a continuing shift to more a la carte pricing, costs can add up quickly. To avoid sticker shock at the end of the cruise, guests should go into their vacation expecting to pay extra for certain things.
For maximum cost savings and value:
- Take advantage of unlimited appetizers and desserts in the main dining room instead of opting for additional entrees
- Carefully choose at which specialty restaurants you want to use your More at Sea credits
- Purchase bottled water packages instead of paying $4.50 for each bottle
- Only purchase an unlimited Starbucks package if you think you’ll drink 3+ specialty beverages a day
- Skip room service and opt for complimentary options around the ship like The Local or Indulge Food Hall (options vary by ship)
- Limit beverage purchases while ashore in Great Stirrup Cay
Despite all the recent changes, the core NCL cruise experience is still the same—the ships are well-maintained and elegant, the freestyle cruising philosophy provides ultimate dining flexibility, and pricing is still very competitive.
However, for travelers who previously chose Norwegian specifically for its high-caliber entertainment and inclusive nature, these changes are a notable reduction in what makes NCL distinctive in the cruise market.
The bottom line is that guests absolutely can have a great time on Norwegian Cruise Line. They just need to be aware of these changes to avoid frustration and disappointment once onboard.
With Norwegian Luna debuting in early 2026 and all the exciting updates coming to Great Stirrup Cay, we can’t wait to see what else the future holds for NCL.
Comments
What do you think of all the Norwegian Cruise Line policy changes? Do these updates impact your decision to cruise with the brand? Drop us an anchor below to share your recent NCL cruise experiences.
9 comments
Janis Wold
We are Platinum with NCL, so we have obviously sailed with them many times. Sadly, we are DONE. The last several cruises have been disappointing and NCL just doesn’t care. If you’re not paying extra to be in the Haven, they just don’t seem to care about you, no matter your status. One of the perks we’re supposed to receive is access to the concierge to assist with specialty dining reservations. They won’t give you a number to call the concierge. The Cruise Next desk, where we were told we had to go to talk about our perks, said that since we weren’t in Haven, we had no concierge, because they were too busy with Haven guests. I pointed out that it was one of the perks they advertised for our loyalty status, and he basically shrugged his shoulders and said no. They also make you almost beg to receive the other perks — you have to go to the Cruise NeXT desk early on the first day of the cruise and ask for the perks. They used to put cards in the stateroom with the info and you showed up (dinner with officers, behind the scenes, etc). To add insult to injury, the Cruise Next people hounded us with phone calls, letters in our stateroom, etc to try to get us to buy our next cruise. Even after I told them I would never sail NCL again due to the way they cut our perks, they kept trying to get us to buy cruise credits. They just don’t care! It’s all about nickel and diming us.
Bill Carney
One and done. We did one NCL sailing on Breakaway out of New Orleans, and it was our worst cruise experience ever. Three hours in line to board the ship, lines starting two hours before restaurants opened, lines, lines, lines, lines. I swear a third of the sailing was spent standing in line.
Never again on NCL.
Ruth Krzyk
I had last sailed NCL in 2020, Just weeks before the shut down. We had 7 cruises with NCL prior to that. In 2023 and 2024 we tried Celebrity.
The Beyond was beautiful but we hated the infinite veranda. We also didn’t think the food in MDR was as good as NCL. And we had a bad experience in one of the specialty restaurants. There was plenty of entertainment, the comedian they had on board was the best, but we never have really enjoyed any shows at sea
In 2024 we were on the Reflection. We had problems with the cabin service (barely saw him and he rarely smiled; those are just comments, not what the problems were), MDR was not good at all (ate at buffet one night and it was much better.) Only one specialty DR was decent out of 3. I don’t recall doing any shows in the theater, opting to do silent disco or whatever event was happening in the space that wasn’t really designed for it.
In February, we were back on NCL (Escape) and it was like slipping into a comfortable shoe. Our room steward greeted us whenever he saw us. Any liquor upgrades were included without the Plus package. Shows (Choir of Man, Syd Norman’s Pour House) were fabulous. Plus NCL has all the goofy activities we enjoy – battle of the sexes, not so newlywed game, Deal or No Deal and most importantly, Mr Sexy Legs.
As for the charge for extra entree, we had never done it on any cruise. We have never ordered room service. And I am thrilled with the $10 no show fee in specialty. Oh, and the minutes included in wifi are now per person, not per cabin as they used to be so we were fine without adding streaming.
In 19 days we are boarding the Breakaway for a 15 day transatlantic and can hardly wait!
John J J
We’re sapphire with NCL and I think we’re at the point of switching completely over to Celebrity because of the nickel and dining and all the last minute itinerary changes that are always done just after final payment.
Joanne
Done with NCL
John Cumming
We started cruising 20 years ago when it was “dirt cheap” and have always managed to find bargains, especially on TransAtlantic cruises. I think those days may be coming to an end though and I suspect many people will have to scale back on cruises or, if they have a healthy budget, move up to the premium cruise lines where more is included in the hefty price.
“Nickel and Diming” is the perfect word for it and one better be checking your account long before your cruise is over.
Joan Wallace
Will definitely look into other cruise lines! I hate being nickeled and dimed !!!
Patricia Osterlo
I wish they would bring back the Broadway Shows
Patricia Osterlo
I wish they would bring back the Broadway Shows