What does my cruise fare include?
For your cruise ticket (which includes port charges and government
taxes), you receive accommodations, meals and entertainment aboard
ship. Items of a personal nature are not included such as
alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, spa treatments,, laundry,
photographs, casino, ship-to-shore phone and fax, and shore excursions
including Dive In™ snorkeling.
Do children cruise free?
Only children under two cruise free when staying in a stateroom with
two or more paying guests. However, port charges and government
fees still apply.
How do I pay for onboard expenses?
Our on-board credit program lets you charge just about everything to
your shipboard account so that you won't have to carry cash
around. The only exception is the casino on the Norwegian
Dynasty. Sign up on the first day of your cruise and settle on
the last, at which point you can pay with cash, Visa®, MasterCard®,
American Express®, Discover® or traveler's checks. Some
restrictions apply to the amount you can charge in the casino. Can
I earn United Airlines Mileage Plus® Awards?
Every time you sail in an NCL suite or oceanview stateroom, you
receive 1,000 miles for any cruise 6 days or less, 3,000 miles for 7
days and 5,000 miles for 8 days or longer! Miles may not be split,
and only one guest per stateroom is eligible to receive award miles.* What
about currency?
You may cash traveler's checks at the Purser's Desk and currency
exchange, at prevailing rates, is available on European cruises.
Traveler's checks and most major credit cards are accepted in the ports
we visit. Proper ID is required when cashing traveler's
checks. On foreign cruises it is recommended to carry a small
amount of local currency, although credit cards are accepted for
purchases in most local restaurants. The shipboard newsletter will
advise you of exchange facilities, current exchange rates and opening
hours for local banks. What are the Custom allowances?
US citizens are allowed $400 worth of merchandise when returning to
the United States after being abroad for more than 48 hours, and an
additional $800 worth when returning from the US Virgin Islands.
Citizens returning to the US after being abroad for less than 48 hours
are only allowed $200 worth of merchandise which may include 50
cigarettes, 10 cigars, 150 ml. (4 fl. oz) of alcoholic beverages and 150
ml. of perfume containing alcohol. guests over the age of 21 may
also bring one quart of liquor (four quarts from the US Virgin Islands)
or wine and 200 cigarettes. Loose, unset diamonds, rubies,
sapphires and emeralds are duty exempt. Non-US citizens should
check with their local authorities for custom allowance information.
Note: Liquor purchased on board or ashore will be held in a secure
area and delivered to the guest's stateroom at the conclusion of the
cruise. How many suitcases can I take?
Each person is allowed up to 200 pounds of personal luggage on
board. However, if you are traveling by air, your airline might
have different restrictions. Please contact the airline for such
information. Airlines and NCL have limited liability for loss, so
be sure all baggage and personal items are properly insured.
Suitcases should be securely locked and tagged. Items such as
medications, jewelry or other valuables and important documents should
be hand-carried. NCL does not assume responsibility for loss or
damage of these items. What time is dinner?
From our early-riser service at 6:00 am to our nightly midnight
snacks, there are lots of dining options and little chance to go
hungry. Breakfast is always open-seating (7:00 am - 9:00 am), but
you will be assigned to one of two scheduled seatings for lunch and
dinner, so that you can be assured of attentive service at an unhurried
pace. While your ship is at sea, lunches are 12 noon (main) and
1:30 pm (late); and dinner seatings are 6:00 pm (main) and 8:30 pm
(late). In port, there is open seating for lunch (12:00 noon -
2:00 pm) as well as breakfast. If you have a preference as to time
and whether you'd like to sit with friends, tell us when you book and
we'll try our best to accommodate your wishes. All the dining
rooms aboard our ships are smoke free. Will I need an electrical
converter?
The current on board is 110 volts AC. However, some
high-voltage hair dryers, electric rollers and electric razors may
require a converter. Are there children's programs?
"Kids Crew" is our on-board children's program and it's
one of the most elaborate at sea. We have youth coordinators for
kids between 3 and 5 years of age, 6 and 12 years of age, and teen
coordinators for teenagers between 13 and 17 years old. There are
many activities for children in the evening, so parents may want to
request main seating in the dining room. There are many activities
for children in the evening, so parents may want to request main seating
in the dining room. Are there babysitters aboard?
NCL offers babysitting (individual or group) for a fee.
Sitters are available between the hours of noon and 2:00 am.
Arrangements must be made at the Information Desk 24 hours in advance,
but cannot be done prior to sailing.
What other services are available?
- Beauty parlor including hair styling, manicures, pedicures,
facials and massages.
- Gift shops feature duty-free shopping including fine jewelry,
perfumes, clothing, cosmetics and limited drug store items.
- Laundry & dry cleaning services.
What about people with special needs?
Wherever possible, NCL will try to accommodate people with physical
or mental disabilities. All ships have staterooms designed for
people with physical disabilities. Please check deck plans for
details. However, any medical condition or physical disability
that may require special attention must be reported to our Passenger
Courtesy Department when your reservation is made. (See Terms
and Conditions)
Is there a doctor aboard?
A physician and nurse are on each ship to provide medical care and
services at customary charges.
Pregnancy
If you're pregnant, NCL will make every effort to accommodate you
and your little passenger, providing you have not entered your 24th week
of pregnancy. However, the expectant mother must carry a medical
certificate establishing her due date and fitness to travel. (See
Terms and Conditions.)
What about shore excursions?
Shore excursions can be purchased at the Shore Excursion Desk for
various daytime and/or evening tours. If you prefer to go on your
own, information about the ports is available at the Shore Excursion
Desk. A shore excursion booklet will be sent you once final
payment has been received.
Special celebrations
You may purchase wine, fruit baskets, champagne, birthday cakes,
canapés, flowers or other gifts for your stateroom. Please ask
our travel agent to advise us at least three weeks prior to sailing.
What if I need to call home?
You can phone, telex, radiogram or fax to anywhere in the world and
you will be billed at applicable ship-to-shore rates. The most
economical way for someone to contact you on one of our ships is to call
1-800-MARISAT. A satellite telex will be delivered to your
stateroom, and you can then call the party via satellite. At a
more expensive rate, you may be contacted direct via the High Seas
Operator at 1-800-SEA-CALL.
How much do I tip?
The following are recommended guidelines:
- Waiter and Cabin Steward: $3 each per person per night.
- Maitre d' and Busboy: $1.50 each per person per night.
These gratuities are usually paid at the end of the cruise. A
%15 gratuity is already included in bar tabs, beauty salon and spa
services. Other staff may be tipped as services are rendered.
Documentation, Visas and Passports
It is the guest's responsibility to check with their travel agent,
local immigration office and/or respective embassy or consulate to
determine requirements for passports, visas and other
documentation. Guests denied boarding by local immigration
officials for lack of proper documents are not entitled to a refund.
- For travel from the United States to destinations in Canada,
Bermuda, Mexico and the Caribbean, including the Bahamas: US and
Canadian citizens who are not resident aliens must carry a passport
and Alien Registration Card (Form 1551). Foreign guests must
carry a valid passport and multiple entry visa for the United States
(B-2 Visitor's Visa), or a visa waiver. All guests on
Hawaii cruises that call at Fanning Island in the Republic of
Kiribati must carry a passport.
- For travel abroad: All guests traveling abroad are required to
carry a passport which is valid for at least two months after your
return date. Non-US citizens residing in the US need a
Resident Alien Card for their return flight to the US. Visa
requirements vary by country and are subject to change. At
press time, visas or fees were required for US citizens traveling to
the following destinations:
- South America: An entrance fee is required for guests
entering Chile and is collected at Santiago International
Airport. A visa is required in Brazil. Immigration
formalities are handled by the Purser's Office on all other South
American cruises.
- Russia: A Russian Tourist Visa is required for
guests visiting St. Petersburg on their own and not participating
in an NCL arranged shore excursion. Visas may be obtained at
a Russian embassy or through a Visa Service Agency prior to
leaving the US. Guests, who participate in NCL shore
excursions and who do not intend to explore on their own, are not
required to obtain individual visas. The (shore excursion)
ticket covers the via requirement.
- Turkey: A visa is required for guests entering
Turkey. For a nominal fee, guests departing from Istanbul
may obtain a visa upon arrival at Istanbul's airport. On all
other cruises to Turkey, visas are handled by the Purser's Office.
Where can I keep my valuables?
Security envelopes and/or safe deposit boxes are available from the
ship's purser at no charge. Please note, however, that Norwegian
Cruise Line is not responsible for valuables left in staterooms or
elsewhere on board.
Are visitors allowed?
No, sorry.
What is Latitudes?
Latitudes is NCL's special program for repeat guests. It
encompasses a variety of personal privileges such quick check-in areas
in select cities for members; early embarkation on day of sailing;
exclusive invitations to on-board events; and unique members-only
benefits. Members also receive special savings on select sailings,
and the opportunity to earn free and discounted cruises through the use
of Latitudes Visa® card. Latitudes magazines keep members
informed about what's new at NCL as well as the latest Latitude
discounts available. On each cruise, all new NCL guests are given
an opportunity to join Latitudes. For more information call
Latitudes Customer Service at 1-800-343-0098.
I still have some questions!
Your travel agent can answer most of your questions. However,
if you need to reach Norwegian Cruise Line prior to your cruise, you can
call the following numbers: Toll-free 1-800-327-7030, Miami 305-436-4000
or visit our website at www.ncl.com.
NCL also has a Fax Back program which provides 24 hour fax on demand
with 65 different documents. Call 1-800-329-6251. |
