Onboard Service Charge

Why is there a service charge?

The reason there’s a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) are encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including complimentary restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programmes that your service charge supports. How much is the charge? Onboard Service Charges are additional.

Are service charges across the board for all guests?

All guests 3 years or older.

How do I prepay my service charges?

Contact your travel professional and request that it be added to your cruise reservation. If you have not made final payment this will be included in your final payment amount or if final payment has already been made we will require full payment at the time it is added.

At what point in the booking process can the prepaid charges be added?

They can be added at anytime up to 24 hours prior to sailing.

Why would I prepay my service charges?

The convenience of pre-paying the service charges allows you to plan your budget prior to your cruise giving you additional freedom whilst on board.

If I cancel my cruise are the service charges refundable?

Yes! The service charges are 100% refundable.

If there is a service issue can the service charges be adjusted on board?

Guest satisfaction is the highest priority at Norwegian Cruise Line. We have structured a guest satisfaction programme designed to handle any concerns about service or on-board product quickly and efficiently. However, in the event a service issue should arise during your cruise please let our on-board guest services desk staff know right away, so that we can address these in a timely manner. It is our goal to reach a satisfactory solution to any issue when it happens and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise. Should your concerns not be met with satisfaction you can adjust the charges.

How much are the service charges?

For bookings made on or after January 1, 2023:

• $25.00 USD per person per day for The Haven and Suites;
• $20.00 USD per person per day for Club Balcony Suite and below;

For bookings made before January 1, 2023, that pre-pay their service charges before their sail date:

• $20.00 USD per person per day for The Haven and Suites;
• $18.00 USD per person per day for Club Balcony Suite;
• $16.00 USD per person per day for all other stateroom types

Accessibility

Norwegian believes that the fun and excitement of Freestyle cruising should be able to be enjoyed by everyone. That’s why we are committed to providing all of our guests the freedom of choice to cruise your way. In order to assist you with any special requirements you may have, Norwegian has a seasoned group of cruise professionals who are specifically trained to meet your needs through our dedicated toll free number for accessible travel 01 541 0297). Norwegian’s team of Access Coordinators at the Access Desk have experience in furthering Norwegian’s mission to provide a safe and accessible cruise experience for all guests with special requirements to the extent that is feasible. The Access Desk Coordinators will discuss with you your needs and expectations for your cruising experience. You or your travel agent will be contacted so that we can try to meet your needs prior to your cruise as soon as we receive your Special Accommodation Requirements Information form available from our Access Desk. In order to make your cruise experience as enjoyable as possible and so that we can try to meet your specific needs, call 01 541 0297 (voice), fax (305) 468-2171, send an email to accessdesk@ncl.com or have your travel agent contact us.

Packing Tips / Dress Code

When it comes to what to wear, you can go resort casual or get decked-out and look your best – it’s your call. Feel Free to wear what you like. We even have special “Dress-Up or Not Night.” It’s the perfect opportunity to get your portrait taken with your family, that special someone or even with the ship’s Captain.

Cruise Casual: the Freedom of Freestyle Cruising

Dress cruise casual anytime during the day, in the buffet and in most speciality restaurants. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men. Swimwear is acceptable at the buffet and outdoor restaurant, but a shirt or a cover-up and footwear are required.

Be sure to pack a sweater – the air conditioning can be chilly. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants.

Please Note: We want you to be comfortable, but tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded, with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or speciality restaurants.

All Decked-out: Smart Casual

Dress smart casual in our more formal dining room or in our more upscale speciality restaurants. For women, it includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. For men, it’s jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Kids 12 and under are welcome to wear nice shorts in all our restaurants.

Ready for Adventure: Shore Excursions

Think about the shore excursions you’ll be taking and pack accordingly, including comfy walking shoes. For kids and adults it’s good to pack a pair of closed-toed shoes. You can check within the specific shore excursion for more information.

Special Events: Theme Nights and Parties

Our newest event, Norwegian’s Night Out, is the perfect opportunity to get dressed up for an evening of cocktails, fine dining and great entertainment. You may also want to pack an all-white ensemble for our iconic White Hot Party.

Smoking Policy

As the health and well-being of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance, indoor public areas, with the exception of the cigar lounges and the casino, throughout all our ships are smoke-free. Dedicated outdoor areas are assigned to smoking.

Special Dietary Needs

If you have any food allergy or a dietary requirement that requires Kosher meals or gluten-free food product, please advise a Norwegian Reservations Agent, or your Travel Agent at the time of booking. Obtaining the product for many of these requests requires 30-days notice prior to sailing, and we want to ensure that we are able to fulfil your request. We cannot guarantee Kosher Meal requests made within 30 days of sail date. For the protection of all of our guests, it is not permissible to bring aboard any food items that would require preparation by the ship’s staff, or food items that would require cold storage in our kitchen facilities.

Medical Facilities

A physician and nurse are on each ship to provide medical care and services at customary charges. Commonly used medications are kept on board and may be prescribed by the ship’s doctor.

Disabled Facilities

We welcome guests with special needs. The information you are provided with about your holiday (which may be on our website, in our brochures or elsewhere) before you make your booking will include a general indication of the suitability of the holiday for someone with reduced mobility. However, reduced mobility of course means different things to different individuals as we fully appreciate that individual capabilities, restrictions and requirements will vary considerably. If you suffer from reduced mobility or any medical condition or disability which may affect your holiday, please give us full details before booking so that we can provide you with precise information as to the suitability of the holiday taking into account your specific needs. Guests who have significant mobility impairments should travel with someone who will take responsibility for any assistance needed during the cruise and in the event of an emergency. Any assistance provided by Norwegian Cruise Line, its team members or service providers does not form part of the contracted services unless agreed differently in writing or where required by legal regulations (for example, in accordance with EU regulation 1107/2006 dated 5 July 2006 on the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air and EU regulation 1177/2010 dated 24 November 2010 concerning the rights of passengers when travelling by sea). Any special requirements which we have accepted will be specifically confirmed as accepted on your confirmation invoice. Unless and until specifically confirmed as accepted, all special requests and requirements are subject to availability and do not form part of the contracted services.

We have a limited number of staterooms per ship that are wheelchair accessible with grab rails in the bathrooms, lower sinks and toilets, shower seats, raised beds, adjustable hanging rods in wardrobes, tilting mirrors and extra wide doors for easy access.

If you do use a wheelchair, you must bring your own and it must be collapsible. If you do not wish to bring your own wheelchair on board, please contact our U.S.-based supplier Scooteround on 001 (888) 441 7575 to arrange delivery of one to the ship. All wheelchairs and scooters must be stored in your stateroom; they cannot be left in the hallway or any other public area. To ensure the safety of our guests and crew, wheelchairs may not be used to transfer from the ship to a tender. Guests in wheelchairs may consequently not be able to participate in certain activities or shore excursions in tender ports. Norwegian Cruise Line can only accept certain types of wheelchairs on board. Please see www.ncl.eu/about/accessible-cruising for further information. All guests who require medical equipment to be brought on board must advise Norwegian Cruise Line before sailing. Failure to do so may result in equipment not being cleared before departure.

For hearing-/ vision-impaired guests, we have a limited number of staterooms with vibrating alarm clocks and a flashing light system alerting guests to fire alarms. For the vision-impaired, we allow registered guide dogs on all Norwegian Cruise Line ships (airline and international quarantine restrictions may apply and should be checked before booking your cruise).

Guests who need oxygen or require oxygen therapy are welcome on all Norwegian Cruise Line ships; however, you must supply your own oxygen. U.S.-based Special Needs at Sea is the only company allowed to deliver and supply oxygen to Norwegian Cruise Line ships. Let us know at the time of booking that you’ll be bringing oxygen on board, then contact Special Needs at Sea at 001 954 585 0575 to arrange delivery to the ship.

Any physical challenge or medical condition that requires special treatment or attention must be reported to Norwegian Cruise Line at the time of booking. For certain conditions we ask for medical declaration and liability forms. Due to unpredictable circumstances at sea, Norwegian Cruise Line must reserve the right to refuse or revoke passage to anyone who, based upon objective standards, is in a physical or mental condition that jeopardises the safe operation of the vessel, who poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others or who may require care beyond that which Norwegian Cruise Line can provide.

For guests with diabetes, refrigerators suitable for storing insulin are available in all staterooms except Studios (category T1 and T8).

If you are on a low calorie diet, breakfast, lunch and dinner menus feature low calorie, haute cuisine dishes. Sugar-free and fat-free desserts are also available. Gluten-free, lactose-free, sodium-free, Kosher and dairy-free diets can also be catered for and must be requested at least two months before your cruise. For further information see www.ncl.eu.

Wi-Fi & Internet Access

All our ships are equipped with 24 hour Internet Cafés. Click here for more information on rates and services. Wireless internet (also known as WI-Fi) is also available throughout Norwegian’s entire fleet.

The central telephone number for our ships is 001 732 335 3280 (from US$ 7.95 per minute; please have ship name and your credit card number at hand).

You can also stay connected on the high seas using your own compatible mobile phone. International roaming charges are billed to your home account. Final rates are determined by your service provider and not NCL. For further information please check your provider directly.

Services

Beauty parlour and spa services include hair styling, manicures, pedicures, facials and massages in our Mandara Spa Salon. Gift shops feature duty-free shopping, with fine jewellery, perfumes, clothing, cosmetics and limited drug store items. Laundry & dry-cleaning services. Internet Café. Art auctions. Photographs taken throughout the cruise.

Age Restrictions

All requirements stated below apply at the time of embarkation. Infants sailing on board a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel must be at least six months of age. However, for voyages that have three or more consecutive days at sea, the infant must be at least 12 months old.

When on board, a minor is defined as an individual under 18 years of age at the time of embarkation. A young adult is defined as an individual between the ages of 18 and 20. Please note that this does not relate to child pricing, where the age is 2-17 years old.

Company policy states that on itineraries that include a port in the United States of America, Canada or China guests under 21 years of age must be accompanied in the same, connecting, or side by side stateroom by a guest who is 21 years of age or older at the time of embarkation (staterooms opposite of each other are not applicable under this policy). For all other cruises this regulation applies to all guests under 18 years of age with the exception of guests who are citizens of the United States of America, Canada or China. For guests under the age of 18 travelling with an accompanying adult, who is not the minor’s parent or legal guardian, a Parent/Guardian Release Form (available here: www.ncl.eu/ParentGuardianForm) that authorises the minor’s travel and further authorises medical treatment in case of an emergency must be given to a Norwegian Cruise Line representative at the pier during check-in. Failure to present the completed form at embarkation may result in boarding being denied, with no refund provided.

On cruises that include a Canadian port, guests under 18 travelling with a single parent have to provide a letter of approval (preferably notarised) from the parent not travelling. Note: Two people under the age of 21 may travel together in the same stateroom if they are a married couple and provide proof of marriage to a Norwegian Cruise Line representative at the pier before embarkation.

Children under 16 years of age are not allowed to enter the fitness centre. The minimum age for use of the Casino and the Thermal Spa (sauna, steam room, hot tubs) is 18. Some bars and lounges on board Norwegian Epic and Breakaway (Plus)-Class ships, for example Spice H2O, are adult only (18 and over). Lifeguards monitor the family pools during scheduled pool hours. However it is strongly recommended that all children under 12 have adult supervision at all times. The safety of all children (up to the age of 18) is the responsibility of their parent(s) or other accompanying adult(s) irrespective of whether a lifeguard is on duty.

For safety reasons children must not be left unattended on board when their parents or other accompanying adults go ashore.

Alcohol and Beverage Policy

On itineraries that include a port in the United States of America, Canada or China, guests must be 21 years of age or older to purchase or consume (terms and conditions may vary on alcoholic beverage packages, please check at the time of booking). Alcoholic beverages as part of Premium All Inclusive are only included for guests of 21 years of age and older. On all other itineraries this regulation applies to guests aged 18 or above with the exception of guests who are citizens of the United States of America, Canada or China. On cruises that include a port in the United States of America, Canada or China but with the exception of Alaska and Hawai’i itineraries, Norwegian Cruise Line permits young adults between 18 and 20 years of age to purchase and personally consume wine and beer only whilst on board and with the consent of an accompanying parent. Authorisation will be given only when the accompanying parent completes the Young Adult Alcoholic Beverage Waiver form. This form can be obtained and completed at the Guest Services Desk on embarkation.

Sail & Sustain

We remain committed to preserving our oceans and protecting the environment, people, and communities that are vital to each and every Norwegian Cruise Line voyage. Our commitment extends far beyond our ships, transforming how we operate on a day-to-day basis by injecting sustainability into all aspects of our approach. Without this, we’d be unable to offer the unrivalled guest experience that defines a Norwegian Cruise.

We understand that protecting our environment and our oceans is not only vital to our industry but also to our planet. Our Safety, Security, Health and Environmental Protection policy establishes our commitment to conduct our operations safely, securely and with sensitivity to the environment around us. Preserving our oceans and protecting our environment is one of our core company values that we strive to meet through our daily goals:

• Prevent accidents and incidents involving pollution of the environment
• Reduce the environmental impact of our operations
• Dispose of rubbish and materials in accordance with national and international rules and regulations
• Recycle and reuse materials
• Continually improve our ISO 14001 certification objectives and targets

Across our fleet, we have implemented many of the most innovative environmental policies and technologies in the cruise industry. As such, we meet or exceed all international, national, state and local port regulations, including those set by MARPOL, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We are also accredited to the international ISO 14001 standard for Environmental Management Systems. This achievement recognises that we utilise a core set of standards for an effective environmental management system that reduces our environmental impact and increases our operating efficiency.