Alaska

an addendum: lost in all the changes is how to get what was in the old Free At See PLUS under the singular More At Sea and what the costs are. Would be very helpful if NCL took their old table and added an additional column on the right for More At Sea https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/Free_at_Sea_Plus_ver011823.pdf

To make a long story short... 3 phone calls with NCL, getting a letter from NCL, reading various stories online about the NCL change, and comments on Cruise Hive have been full of contradictory messages by NCL. We are 100% sure NCL has told us we don't get BOTH Free At Sea and More At Sea. NCL converted us to the More At Sea rules even though we booked and paid by Oct 1 for a Jan-Feb 2025 cruise. The $$ difference between Free At Sea and More At Sea is refunded to us and if we want to use that refund to get the level of items missing in More At Sea when compared to Free At Sea, then we can. My wife's research of this conversion was detailed and my takeaway from her summary was that unlimited wi-fi and getting to Starbucks's for coffee and de-cafe tea with an alcohol drink for her here and there onboard (I don't drink) just got really expensive for us with the change. Putting the plan differences aside, she observed the various NCL reps she spoke with seemed fuzzy on all the details about this plan change. This is not a comment on the reps but is a comment on the training by mgt of the reps. What the reps first told her was NOT reflected in our NCL booking reservation and that is what led to the additional calls to NCL and ultimately the final answer that we she has now had reaffirmed by more calls with NCL. The core confusion looking back on all this was NCL not simply telling us that regardless of when you booked in 2024 and regardless of when you paid in 2024, you are converted to the new plan because the cruise is in 2025. It is what it is.

NCL has now told us (via phone and letter) that even though we booked and paid in full BEFORE Oct 1st for a Jan-Feb 2025 cruise that the Free At Sea will NOT be honored and we are required to switch to More At Sea and NCL will refund any difference. Seems as if they are ignoring the spirit of previous contracts and are using the fine print to say NCL can switch you even if you did everything you needed to do based on their prior advertising when booking and paying. Disappointed in NCL's inability to fully grandfather in those who booked and paid prior to Oct 1st not to mention Platinum status. Hypothesis - It is likely the case that NCL IT department did not want to program in grandfathered bookings with Free At Sea.