Norwegian Cruise Packages: What You Get, What Costs Extra & What We Thought Was Worth It
Norwegian's Free at Sea bundles drinks, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and shore excursion benefits into one of the line's most recognizable offers. We recently used it ourselves aboard Norwegian Encore — and some parts were much more valuable than others.
What Are Norwegian Cruise Packages?
Norwegian Cruise Line offers several ways to bundle or pre-purchase onboard extras, but the package most travelers encounter is Free at Sea. Depending on the current promotion and reservation, Free at Sea can combine an unlimited open bar package, specialty dining, Wi-Fi minutes and shore excursion credits.
That can make comparing a Norwegian cruise with another cruise line confusing. The advertised cruise fare does not tell you the whole story. The real question is what you will actually use — and what those benefits would have cost you separately.
Our First-Hand Experience on Norwegian Encore
We recently sailed Norwegian Encore to Alaska and purchased Free at Sea for our cruise. We used the beverage benefit, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and our shore excursion credit, so our opinion of the package is based on actually using it rather than simply comparing Norwegian's published list of benefits.
The biggest surprise was how differently we felt about the individual pieces. The drinks package was great and, for us, a fantastic value. We also used our shore excursion credit and appreciated having it. The Wi-Fi was another story: during our sailing, we found the ship's internet just about worthless.
That is why we recommend evaluating Norwegian's package benefit by benefit instead of assuming every inclusion has equal value.
What Does Norwegian Free at Sea Include?
Norwegian's current Free at Sea program includes four major onboard benefits: an unlimited open bar, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and a shore excursion credit. Exact terms can change, so travelers should always check the benefits attached to their specific reservation.
| Benefit | What It Provides | Our Take |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Open Bar | Eligible alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages under Norwegian's Free at Sea beverage terms. | Excellent. This was one of the strongest parts of Free at Sea on our Norwegian Encore cruise. |
| Specialty Dining | A set number of specialty dining meals based on the length of the sailing and current offer. | A useful way to experience restaurants outside the complimentary dining venues. |
| Wi-Fi | Norwegian currently advertises 150 minutes of high-speed Wi-Fi for eligible guests under Free at Sea. | Disappointing on our sailing. We found the Wi-Fi aboard Norwegian Encore just about worthless. |
| Shore Excursion Credit | Norwegian currently provides a $50 credit per port toward eligible Norwegian shore excursions for the first guest on the reservation. | We actually used ours, so this represented real savings rather than a benefit that went unused. |
The Drinks Package Was a Standout Value for Us
Of the Free at Sea benefits we used, the beverage package was one of the easiest to appreciate. We did not have to stop and think about the price every time we ordered a drink, and we made enough use of the benefit that we considered it a fantastic value on our trip.
That does not mean a beverage package is automatically a good deal for every cruiser. Someone who rarely drinks alcohol may assign very little value to it, while a traveler who regularly orders cocktails, beer, wine, soda or other included beverages may get substantially more value.
Before deciding how much a drink package is worth to you, use our Cruise Drink Package Calculator to compare the package cost with what you realistically expect to drink each day.
You can also read our broader Cruise Drink Package Guide and Cruise Drink Package Truth for help deciding when these packages make financial sense.
We Actually Used the $50 Shore Excursion Credit
A promotional benefit only has value if you use it. On our Norwegian Encore Alaska cruise, we did use our Free at Sea shore excursion credit, so it directly reduced what we paid for an excursion.
Under Norwegian's current terms, the $50 shore excursion credit applies to the first guest on the reservation and is available at each port for eligible excursions booked through Norwegian. It is not simply $50 in general onboard credit that can be spent anywhere.
If excursions are an important part of your cruise, compare Norwegian's offerings with the advice in our Shore Excursions Guide and Cruise Excursions on a Budget.
Free at Sea Wi-Fi Looked Better on Paper Than It Worked for Us
Norwegian currently includes a limited amount of Wi-Fi time with Free at Sea. That sounds useful, particularly on a destination such as Alaska where travelers may want to send photos, check messages or share video from the trip.
Our experience aboard Norwegian Encore was poor. We found the ship Wi-Fi just about worthless. That does not mean every passenger on every Norwegian ship or sailing will have the same experience, but it absolutely affected how much value we personally assigned to this part of Free at Sea.
For more on the realities of staying connected at sea, see our Cruise Ship Wi-Fi vs. Cell Service Guide.
What Is Free at Sea Plus?
Free at Sea Plus is Norwegian's enhanced upgrade to Free at Sea. Norwegian currently lists it at $49.99 per person, per day for adults, subject to the applicable terms and reservation.
The current upgrade adds benefits such as premium beverage selections, Starbucks drinks, bottled water, unlimited streaming Wi-Fi, a discount on additional specialty dining and prepaid daily service charges.
Whether that is worth the additional cost is a very different question from whether standard Free at Sea is worthwhile. A traveler who values premium drinks, Starbucks and unlimited internet may reach a very different conclusion from someone who is already satisfied with the standard beverage and dining benefits.
We are building a dedicated Free at Sea Plus guide and a side-by-side Free at Sea vs. Free at Sea Plus comparison as part of this Norwegian package series.
How We Would Evaluate Norwegian Free at Sea
Do not assign the advertised value to every benefit automatically.
Instead, ask what you would genuinely buy without the package. If you would normally buy drinks, eat at specialty restaurants and book Norwegian excursions, Free at Sea can replace expenses you were likely to incur anyway. If you do not drink, avoid paid restaurants and book independent excursions, the calculation changes substantially.
For us, the package was not theoretical. We bought it and used it. The beverage package delivered excellent value, the shore excursion credit saved us money, and specialty dining added variety. The Wi-Fi was the weak point during our Norwegian Encore sailing.
That mixed experience is exactly why the best way to judge Free at Sea is to break it into its individual components.
More Norwegian Cruise Planning Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included with Norwegian Free at Sea?
Norwegian currently includes an unlimited open bar benefit, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and a $50 shore excursion credit for eligible reservations. Specific terms and eligibility can change by promotion and sailing.
Is Norwegian Free at Sea actually worth it?
It depends on which benefits you will genuinely use. On our recent Norwegian Encore cruise, we thought the drinks package was a fantastic value and we used our shore excursion credit, while our experience with the ship's Wi-Fi was very poor.
How does Norwegian's $50 shore excursion credit work?
Under Norwegian's current terms, the credit applies to the first guest on the reservation and can be used toward eligible Norwegian shore excursions at each port. We used the benefit ourselves during our Alaska cruise.
Is the Norwegian drink package worth it?
For us, yes. We considered the Free at Sea beverage benefit a fantastic value on Norwegian Encore. Whether it makes sense for another traveler depends on normal drinking habits and the applicable package cost. Our Cruise Drink Package Calculator can help estimate the break-even point.
Is Norwegian cruise Wi-Fi good?
Performance can vary by ship, itinerary, location and sailing. During our recent Norwegian Encore Alaska cruise, however, we found the Wi-Fi just about worthless.
What is Free at Sea Plus?
Free at Sea Plus is a paid upgrade that adds enhanced beverage choices, unlimited streaming Wi-Fi, additional dining savings and other benefits to standard Free at Sea. Norwegian currently advertises the adult price at $49.99 per person, per day, subject to its terms.
Package features, prices and promotional terms can change. Verify the benefits attached to your specific Norwegian Cruise Line reservation before purchasing or upgrading.
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