Norwegian's Free at Sea

Hi. I am about to book a 7 day cruise on the Gem and trying to figure out which "free at sea" option to choose. I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the following scenarios?

For the $50 excursion credit......if you choose not to do an excursion in a port or two, will NCL give you the $50 per port credit to apply to your onboard expenses?

For the 250 free wifi minutes, will they allow you to apply the cost of that package towards the unlimited wifi package instead?

Thanks for your help!

Hi. I am about to book a 7 day cruise on the Gem and trying to figure out which "free at sea" option to choose. I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the following scenarios?

 

For the $50 excursion credit......if you choose not to do an excursion in a port or two, will NCL give you the $50 per port credit to apply to your onboard expenses?

 

For the 250 free wifi minutes, will they allow you to apply the cost of that package towards the unlimited wifi package instead?

 

Thanks for your help!

1. $50.00 per CABIN sure excursion - use it or lose it. If you don't use it you'll lose it. Period.

2. I have no idea, sorry.

Harriet

You cannot apply the price of the 250 minutes towards unlimited.

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Does anyone pick the wifi package? Seems crazy to me. UBP and SDP every time.

Does anyone pick the wifi package? Seems crazy to me. UBP and SDP every time.

Ditto! Something for everyone, but I'm with you on this topic!

Thanks all. One more question. I see that the wifi is $29.99 per day. Can you purchase it mid cruise? Let's say days 4-7 of a 7 day cruise? I am thinking about choosing the free 250 wifi minutes as my "free at sea" choice

Thanks all. One more question. I see that the wifi is $29.99 per day. Can you purchase it mid cruise? Let's say days 4-7 of a 7 day cruise? I am thinking about choosing the free 250 wifi minutes as my "free at sea" choice

No.

Thanks all. One more question. I see that the wifi is $29.99 per day. Can you purchase it mid cruise? Let's say days 4-7 of a 7 day cruise? I am thinking about choosing the free 250 wifi minutes as my "free at sea" choice

Everyone is entitled to their own choice, but it seems like the 250 minutes of wifi is a distant fourth when ranking the four choices, at least when perusing the boards.

Book in the next couple of days and get an added bonus...

https://www.ncl.com/specials-and-promotions/choice

NORWEGIAN'S FREE AT SEA

Plus book now to receive a free bottle of wine and chocolate covered strawberries.

CHOOSE FROM 4 FREE OFFERS

1. FREE Unlimited Beverages

2. FREE Specialty Dining

3. FREE Shore Excursions

4. FREE WiFi

Book in the next couple of days and get an added bonus...

 

https://www.ncl.com/specials-and-promotions/choice

 

NORWEGIAN'S FREE AT SEA

Plus book now to receive a free bottle of wine and chocolate covered strawberries.

CHOOSE FROM 4 FREE OFFERS

1. FREE Unlimited Beverages

2. FREE Specialty Dining

3. FREE Shore Excursions

4. FREE WiFi

Does this mean if Platinums book now they will get two bottles of wine and two orders of chocolate covered strawberries?

I'm inferring you only get 1 perk on your sailing and you're choosing 250 minutes of free wifi to be online and connected instead of unlimited soda, beer, wine and alcohol or upgraded dining for 4 dinners. :confused:

Everyone is entitled to their own choice, but it seems like the 250 minutes of wifi is a distant fourth when ranking the four choices, at least when perusing the boards.

Agree it's not the most popular choice on this board but everyone has different circumstances. If you're not a big drinker and get two choices it's a very reasonable second pick (and real savings if you're going to get internet access anyway).

We chose it as our only pick recently as we were traveling with two young kids making specialty dining less palatable, the two beers I bought on board cost me less that the "gratuity" on the beverage package and the excursion credit doesn't come close to balancing out what you would pay a private tour operator for the same thing NCL offers. It was an easy decision for us that effectively reduced our cruise cost by the amount of the wifi package.

happy cruising all,

csm

I did the WiFi on my upcoming Escape, but only because I have teens only in that cabin, and they already got the dining package. For them, it's a slice of wonderment to keep up with friends back home.

The dining package or beverage package is only for the first two in a cabin, correct?

My friend just book Alaskan cruise for her family of 9 (7 kids). Having dining package for only 4 means paying a good chunk to get the rest the package. She chose Internet for each cabin.

Going on the Jade in September, and we selected the UBP and the Shore Excursion credit. If we do a shore excursion, we do it through the ship, and we tend to only eat at specialty restaurants once or twice a cruise.

For those who pick the wifi, please realize that the connection speeds are glacial, and the minutes could go quickly.

--Michael

Ditto! Something for everyone, but I'm with you on this topic!

I agree! Why would anyone want to "stay connected" on a vacation! To me, a vacation means getting away from it all! I only use my smartphone to take pictures. We cruised with our 2 sons and their families last year. One family bought the wifi package for their teens, and we rarely saw them! They did not want to participate, only sit around on their devices! The other son with even older teens, did not purchase the wifi for their kids, and we joined them for much fun (basketball, flowrider, zip line, etc) Why bother even going on vacation and spending all that money? Just my opinion. Im sure there are those that feel differently, and that's ok. But what a waste of a vacation!

Hi. I am about to book a 7 day cruise on the Gem and trying to figure out which "free at sea" option to choose. I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the following scenarios?

 

For the $50 excursion credit......if you choose not to do an excursion in a port or two, will NCL give you the $50 per port credit to apply to your onboard expenses?

 

For the 250 free wifi minutes, will they allow you to apply the cost of that package towards the unlimited wifi package instead?

 

Thanks for your help!

We just returned from a cruise on the Escape. We'd booked this cruise last February, I think and they had their Free at Sea promotion running, so we selected the Ultimate Beverage Package. It was great! We typically drink very little on these trips, but had a few this time. It was all inclusive with the exception of the real high dollar wines, etc. No gratuities added, etc.

Well, we were just online with them, trying to book our next trip..a transatlantic. We selected the Ultimate Beverage Package, again. When we get the breakdown of charges, there is a $300+ charge for beverages. My husband gets the rep back on the phone. She's explaining that that is the gratuities based on the length of the cruise. So...FREE Ultimate Beverage Package is no longer free. We probably wouldn't drink $300 worth total, let alone incur gratuities in that amount. There's a little bait and switch there. When looking at the cruises online, NCL.com does not indicate that this "free" benefit is going to cost you anything...and it didn't on our last trip. I can see adding a gratuity per drink..but not a flat amount per day.

The excursion option is $50 per cabin per port up to $200. The WIFI on any ship we've been on has been so awful..just really frustrating...that I wouldn't want that, regardless..just my opinion.

Does anyone pick the wifi package? Seems crazy to me.

Me! Just booked today the pick 2 promo with the 50% reduced deposit - took the wifi and shore excursion credit. I don't drink enough to cover the gratuities on the beverage package and I like to eat light when traveling, so the specialty restaurants are not a draw for me. I'm happy to pick and choose what I want to eat from the complementary options. I know I am probably in the minority, but I am happy with my choices.

So...FREE Ultimate Beverage Package is no longer free. We probably wouldn't drink $300 worth total, let alone incur gratuities in that amount. There's a little bait and switch there. When looking at the cruises online, NCL.com does not indicate that this "free" benefit is going to cost you anything...and it didn't on our last trip. I can see adding a gratuity per drink..but not a flat amount per day.

Whether it's the drinks package or specialty dining or wifi or shore excursion credit or kids sail free, they are all promotions used to gain your vacation dollar. NCL includes the free drinks package with an inside cabin, Celebrity on the other hand does not. That is value to me and the main reason why we're thinking about sailing on the escape next year. Obviously you're having problems paying 12.42 per day for unlimited alcohol, juice and soda. You could always choose to sail Celebrity since they do not charge for gratuities with their drinks package. It also includes espresso based coffees, fresh squeezed juices and bottled water. Maybe you see value in that, but the cruise itself will more than likely be more comparing apples to apples against NCL. Only you can decide where your vacation dollars go and what is your perceived value.

Me! Just booked today the pick 2 promo with the 50% reduced deposit - took the wifi and shore excursion credit. I don't drink enough to cover the gratuities on the beverage package and I like to eat light when traveling, so the specialty restaurants are not a draw for me. I'm happy to pick and choose what I want to eat from the complementary options. I know I am probably in the minority, but I am happy with my choices.

Had the UBP twice now before gratuities became extra. That was a good deal, but like you we don't drink enough to cover the gratuities now that they are not included in the deal. So, that is out for us now.

Tried the UDP before it became the Specialty dining plan, all five of us agreed that we are just as happy eating at the MDR. So, that option is out for us.

We would go with the shore excursion credit & wifi also.

I agree! Why would anyone want to "stay connected" on a vacation! To me, a vacation means getting away from it all! I only use my smartphone to take pictures. We cruised with our 2 sons and their families last year. One family bought the wifi package for their teens, and we rarely saw them! They did not want to participate, only sit around on their devices! The other son with even older teens, did not purchase the wifi for their kids, and we joined them for much fun (basketball, flowrider, zip line, etc) Why bother even going on vacation and spending all that money? Just my opinion. Im sure there are those that feel differently, and that's ok. But what a waste of a vacation!

You really don't understand why some folks needs to be connected ?

Perhaps they need to stay in touch with children or other family while away .

I can name dozens of other reasons why many need to be connected as well. We don't all have the luxury of "disconnecting " while on vacation

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Does anyone pick the wifi package? Seems crazy to me. UBP and SDP every time.

I did cause don't drink and am travelling alone so I don't want to go specialty dining by myself! Would pick shore excursion credit if I can have two perks.

Does this mean if Platinums book now they will get two bottles of wine and two orders of chocolate covered strawberries?

I am assuming so. I booked & get the free wine & am platinum & expect another bottle. Don't drink so I am taking both home. If travelling with friends I would give to them. Those strawberries always come when I am not hungry!

This time I got email list of my perks:

internet pkg

choc strawberries

$50 OBC

bottle wine

Never got an email before that I remember.

The Platinum perks will come separately I assume. My cruise is next year.

You really don't understand why some folks needs to be connected ?

Perhaps they need to stay in touch with children or other family while away .

I can name dozens of other reasons why many need to be connected as well. We don't all have the luxury of "disconnecting " while on vacation

 

 

 

 

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I agree,

I am self employed

My DH & I have elderly parents at home

Had the UBP twice now before gratuities became extra. That was a good deal, but like you we don't drink enough to cover the gratuities now that they are not included in the deal. So, that is out for us now.

 

Tried the UDP before it became the Specialty dining plan, all five of us agreed that we are just as happy eating at the MDR. So, that option is out for us.

 

We would go with the shore excursion credit & wifi also.

murcor; I'm considering changing my 2 picks as I sail in October. I currently have the speciality dining and the shore excursion credit. Thinking of exchanging one of them for the wifi.

We've sailed only twice before but never on NCL. We've never tried speciality dining on Celebrity or Carnival. Celebrity the food was amazing, Carnival was good but nothing to brag about.

Wondering if the complimentary restaurants are sufficient for our liking and worth getting?

We are not big drinkers to pay the 18% gratuity so that's definitely out.

Yes of course it's nice to disconnect from the world on vacation but some of us need to keep in touch with my children and family at home.

What do you think?

The complementary dining is absolutely fine for many people. We eat at the specialities because we particularly like some of them, but would be quite happy with the included options otherwise.

What is the best option depends on the individual (and I certainly won't join some others on this thread in judging people for their decisions).

I would consider what you would spend if there were no promo offers. Would you actually use shore excursions? Look at the speciality menus and consider whether there are any that you particularly like the look of. Would you get the Internet anyway?