Norwegian Cruise Line Brings Back “Free at Sea” Ahead Of Black Friday Promo Period

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is reintroducing its signature “Free at Sea” program, replacing the short-lived More at Sea offer that launched in 2024.

The return marks a return to a more familiar system for cruisers – but with some key distinctions depending on where you book.

While the core benefits are broadly the same worldwide, how guests pay for and receive the perks varies significantly between the US and UK markets.

What Free at Sea Includes

The revived Free at Sea package offers the same signature perks NCL guests have come to expect, including:

Unlimited Open Bar with premium spirits and 100+ cocktails
Specialty Dining Package (number of meals depends on sailing length)
150 minutes of Starlink WiFi per guest
$50 shore excursion credit per port for the first guest in each stateroom
Free 3rd and 4th guests on select sailings

The package is widely available, from short Caribbean breaks to longer European and transatlantic voyages. It may be restricted on some voyages, but for now appears to be available across the full range of ships and sailings.

US Guests: “Free” but With Daily Gratuities

For guests booking through Norwegian Cruise Line in the US, Free at Sea is technically included at no upfront cost, but gratuities apply for certain perks:

$28.50 per person, per day for the drinks package
$20 per person, per meal for specialty dining

A bartender aboard a Norwegian Cruise Line ship skillfully pours a bright red cocktail into tall glasses, set against the backdrop of an elegant bar with a distinctive modern sculpture and a relaxed atmosphere.

Guests can choose to remove the drink and dining perks when booking if they prefer not to pay the gratuities – and still receive the Wi-Fi and shore excursion credit at no cost.

For travellers who plan to enjoy cocktails and specialty dining, the gratuities can still offer strong value compared to purchasing those packages separately.

UK Guests: Pay an Upfront Upgrade, No Daily Gratuities

For UK-based guests, Free at Sea works differently. Instead of daily service charges, travellers pay a fixed one-time upgrade fee, which varies by sailing length:

2-day cruises: £99 per person
3 – 4 days: £129
5 – 6 days: £199
7 – 8 days: £249
9 – 10 days: £309
11 – 12 days: £359
13 – 14 days: £409
15 – 16 days: £459
17 – 18 days: £519
19 – 20 days: £569
21+ days: £619

Discounted prices apply to third and fourth guests sharing a stateroom.

Two refreshing drinks on a cruise ship bar, with a vibrant yellow and red frozen cocktail garnished with mint in a cup labeled 'NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE,' next to a clear drink with a lime wedge, showcasing the NCL's 'Free at Sea' indulgent beverage options.

Once that upgrade is added, guests receive all Free at Sea perks – including drinks and dining – with no additional gratuities for these perks to pay onboard (but, just as with the US version, the regular daily gratuities will still apply).

However, unlike the US model, UK guests who do not purchase Free at Sea will not receive any of the included Wi-Fi or shore excursion credit.

You can buy WiFi separately, but for many people it won’t be worth the cost when you could pay a small amount extra to also get drinks, shore excursion credit and speciality dining.

Key Differences From “More at Sea”

When NCL replaced Free at Sea with More at Sea in 2024, the goal was to refine how perks were structured and priced – but the changes proved confusing for some guests.

The 2025 relaunch of Free at Sea simplifies things again while keeping some of the improvements introduced under More at Sea.

UK guests will only notice a difference in the number of speciality dining meals and WiFi minutes, which varied depending on your stateroom category under More at Sea as well as by sailing length. Now, only sailing length makes a difference.

For US guests, the gratuity costs for the drinks package would vary by sailing length but now will be a standard daily amount.

“Free at Sea Plus” Returning Soon?

Norwegian has suggested that this change also sets the stage for the return of an enhanced package, previously known as Free at Sea Plus.

When reintroduced (name still TBD), it’s expected to include additional benefits such as the beverage package being extended to Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas.

The drinks package being removed from Great Stirrup Cay is a recent change that has disappointed loyal NCL fans.

Is Free at Sea Worth It?

For many guests, Free at Sea still represents strong value – particularly on longer sailings or for those who enjoy cocktails, specialty dining, and internet access.

But it’s not always the cheapest option.

The takeaway? Free at Sea is best for travellers who plan to use all its perks. For light drinkers or those who prefer main dining, opting out and saving the gratuities (in the US) or upgrade fee (in the UK) might make more sense.

NEW DEALS JUST RELEASED!

Don’t miss the latest NCL offers…

If you found this interesting, please share!

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.