Norwegian Cruise Line just killed MORE at Sea after barely a year. Starting November 5, 2025, it’s back to “Free at Sea” – but this isn’t your 2022 Free at Sea. Here’s the evolution:
🍹 BEVERAGE PACKAGE: The $15 Cap That Vanished (Then Came Back as Tier Exclusions)
OLD Free at Sea (2022-2024):
– $15 price cap – want that $17 cocktail? Pay $2 difference + 20% gratuity
– Premium brands limited
– Daily gratuity: ~$138.60/person for 7 nights
MORE at Sea (2024-2025):
– NO price cap – unlimited Grey Goose, Casamigos, Woodford Reserve
– 45% more premium brands included in base package
– Tiered pricing based on trip length: $30 (short), $27 (medium), $23 (long cruises)
NEW Free at Sea (Nov 5, 2025+):
– Tier-based exclusions replace price cap – “Connoisseur’s Collection” and “Signature Selection” excluded
– Grey Goose, Casamigos, Woodford Reserve likely moved to excluded “Signature Selection” tier
– You get $15 OFF excluded tiers (e.g., $18 Grey Goose martini = pay $3 + 20% gratuity)
– Flat rate: $28.50/day all cruise lengths
– Winner: Short cruisers (pricing), Loser: EVERYONE loses premium brands that were free under MORE at Sea
🍽️ SPECIALTY DINING: From Complex to Simple
OLD Free at Sea (2022-2024):
- Cabin-dependent mess – Balcony+ got more meals than Inside/OV
- Example: 7-night Inside = 1 meal, Balcony = 2 meals
MORE at Sea (2024-2025):
- Even MORE complex (cabin + length matrix)
- 7-night Balcony = 3 meals, Inside = 1 meal
- 12+ night Balcony = 5 meals, Inside = 3 meals
NEW Free at Sea (Nov 5, 2025+):
- Length-based ONLY (no cabin discrimination)
- 7-8 nights = 3 meals for EVERYONE
- 9+ nights = 4 meals
- Winner: Inside/OV passengers FINALLY get equal treatment
📶 WIFI: The Great Simplification
OLD Free at Sea (2022-2024):
- 75 mins (short), 150 mins (medium), 300 mins (long) – Per person
MORE at Sea (2024-2025):
- Same structure (75/150/300) – Starlink-powered
NEW Free at Sea (Nov 5, 2025+):
- Flat 150 minutes ALL cruise lengths
- Winner: Short cruisers (doubled from 75), Loser: Long cruisers (halved from 300)
⚓ EXCURSIONS: The Only Thing That Never Changed
All Three Versions: – $50 credit per port – Guest 1 only – Same across all packages. The new terms page does make clear that for excursions less than $50, you don’t get any credit for the difference.
💰 THE REAL STRATEGY: Give Them Enough to Want More
This isn’t cost-cutting – it’s revenue engineering.
The Freemium Cruise Model:
150 minutes WiFi on a 12-night cruise? That’s 12.5 minutes/day. Enough to check email, not enough to video call home or stream. Solution: Buy unlimited WiFi upgrade ($$$).
4 specialty dining meals on a 14-night cruise? That’s dining out every 3.5 days. You’ll want more. Solution: Buy additional specialty dining ($$$).
NCL is doing what airlines perfected: Give you just enough in the base package to get by, then sell you the premium tier.
ALL THAT SAID, if you like to drink on a cruise, Free MORE Free at Sea is by FAR the best package available on a mainstream cruise line. You’ll see this later today when we compare real prices of Norwegian and their competitors based on announced Black Friday sales and the actual prices of select sailings.
Winners:
✅ Inside/Oceanview passengers Finally get equal specialty dining (1→3 meals on 7-nights)
✅ Short cruisers (2-6 nights) – Double WiFi, simplified pricing
✅ 7-night Balcony passengers – No change to dining (3 meals stays 3)
✅ NCL’s revenue team – Long cruisers will pay for WiFi/dining upgrades
Losers:
❌ Long cruisers (12+ nights) – 150 mins WiFi is laughable, 4 meals isn’t enough
🎯 What’s Coming Next
Read between the lines: Why would NCL reduce perks on long cruises (their highest-spending customers) unless they’re planning to sell them back?
Maybe? A premium tier (think “Free at Sea Plus” or similar). My best information indicates the new Free at Sea isn’t the end game – it’s the foundation for tiered upselling.
Later today: I’ll break down NCL’s Black Friday sale and how it stacks against competitors. (There is a reason they released these together — they want coverage of one more than the other…FAS is a fait-accompli.)
