Norwegian Cruise Line is committed to more. With its new brand positioning, MORE, the cruise line has set out to enhance the cruise experience for its passengers by providing them with more premium inclusions and value on their cruise vacations.
Starting October 1, any Norwegian cruise booking for a sailing of more than 3 days from January 1, 2025 onwards is eligible to receive “More At Sea,” an upgraded version of the “Free At Sea” package. ” from the cruise line. More At Sea offers an expanded beverage package, more included specialty meals and upgraded WiFi, plus other benefits.
Related: Top Travel Agents Share How to Get the Best Price on Your Cruise
Of course, more perks will mean an increase in cruise prices.
Come Cruise With Me's travel agent partners, PostCard Travel Planning, compared prices between a seven-night cruise with the previous Free At Sea package booked on September 30 and the same cruise with the new More At Sea package booked on the 3rd. of October.
They found that additional drinks and special meals increased the total cruise price for two passengers traveling in the same balcony stateroom by approximately $200.
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The More At Sea drinks package is an impressive upgrade
With Norwegian's More At Sea, guests sailing on a cruise of seven nights or less will pay $30 per person per day for the upgraded unlimited open bar package. Passengers on voyages of eight to 11 nights will pay $27 per person per day, and on cruises longer than 12 nights, they will pay $23 per person per day. The previous Free At Sea beverage package cost passengers $21.80 per day.
Adding more value to justify the price increase, the new package offers more inclusions and fewer restrictions than most cruise lines' beverage packages. And it costs much less.
Related: Royal Caribbean Has a Drink Package Policy You Won't Like
Beverage packages are often expensive add-ons to cruises. Some cruise lines limit the number of drinks passengers can order per day and usually also set a maximum price for included drinks.
Princess Cruises limits alcoholic beverages to 15 drinks per 24-hour period on their packages. The cruise line's Plus Beverage Package, which costs $64.99 per day, caps the drink price at $15. Their Premier Beverage Package, which costs $84.99 per day, includes premium premium beverages priced up to $20.
(The 15 drink limit applies to all Carnival-owned brands.)
Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package does not have a daily drink limit, but only includes drinks priced up to $14. Package prices vary depending on the trip, averaging between $70 and $105 per day.
Related: Royal Caribbean Brings Back Luxury Beverage Package Deal
More At Sea Raises the Bar for Cruise Beverage Packages
Norwegian's More At Sea beverage package does not limit the number of drinks passengers can order. It also removes the previous package's $15 price cap for included drinks.
However, this does not mean that Norwegian cruise passengers can go crazy with unlimited drinks. Ship staff may refuse to serve alcoholic beverages to any passenger who does not consume alcohol responsibly.
The new package will also offer 45% more premium beverage brands compared to the previous Free At Sea beverage package. Featured brands include Gray Goose vodka, Casamigos tequila and Woodford Reserve bourbon whiskey. Passengers can also choose from more than 100 specialty cocktails.
The package will include many of the premium brands provided in the cruise line's additional Premium Plus beverage package, which will no longer be offered with More At Sea. However, the More At Sea package will not include Starbucks or bottled water, which were included with Premium Plus.
Related: Norwegian Cruise Line Makes Big Changes That Many Don't Like
With a wide variety of premium brands and no price limit on drinks, Norwegian's Unlimited Open Bar package appears to offer much more value at a lower price than Royal Caribbean's Deluxe Beverage Package.
A new pricing policy will streamline specialized meals
To simplify specialty dining, Norwegian will also reprice its a la carte specialty meals for fixed restaurant coverage charges starting January 1, 2025.
Cover charges per person for Norwegian's new specialty restaurant are as follows:
- Steak, Teppanyaki/Hasuki, French and Seafood: $60 covered charge
- Brazil, Asia, Food Republic and Sushi: $50 cover charge
- Italian, BBQ, Pincho and Mexican: $40 cover charge
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For special meals included on More At Sea, guests will not pay restaurant cover charges, but will pay less with a package price that varies by stateroom category and duration of voyage. Prices for More At Sea dining packages start at $20 per package for a specialty meal for two guests.
Passengers will pay restaurant cover charges for any special meals additional to those included in their package.
They will also be able to order more appetizers and desserts at specialty restaurants with More At Sea, with up to three of each included with each meal.
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