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11 Frequently Asked Norwegian Cruise Line Questions

Richard Simms

Richard Simms

  • June 21, 2019

Whether you’re considering sailing on the newest, oldest, biggest, or smallest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, odds are you have questions.

While each of those ships offers unique experiences, there are certain questions that just about every person has when they begin researching a trip on NCL. Rather than scouring the internet for the information you need to plan the perfect trip, we’ve compiled a wealth of information you’re likely to find useful.

READ MORE: 7 Questions to Ask Before Booking a Cruise

Everything below is accurate as of June 2019.

So, let’s take a look at some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Norwegian Cruise Line.

Norwegian Cruise Line

1. How does the Free At Sea promotions work?

Although considered a “special promotion” that could end at any time, Free At Sea is offered pretty much year-round. The program offers “perks” based on the level of stateroom you book.

Most of the time, inside and studio (solo) staterooms are allowed to pick one perk, balconies receive two, and guests staying in the exclusive Haven area may pick all 5 perks.

The changes are made to the program occasionally (including the period during which all five promotions are offered at lower stateroom levels). The standard perks offered are as follows:

  • Specialty Dining
  • Premium Beverage Package
  • 250 minutes wi-fi
  • $50 per port shore excursion credit
  • 3rd and 4th guests sail free

These perks are offered to the first two guests in the room. Proving there is truly no such thing as “free”, guests must pay a 20 percent gratuity (added on to the cost of the cruise) for the dining and beverage packages.

2. How much does the drink package cost… and what does it cover?

norwegian cruise line drink package

The vast majority of people who sail on NCL and want the drink package wind up getting it as part of the “Free At Sea” promotion mentioned above.

But if, for some reason, that’s not the case, you can buy one of two drink packages: the Premium Beverage Package (formerly known as the Ultimate Beverage Package) and the recently-introduced Premium-Plus Beverage Package.

The Premium package (which is the option given as a Free At Sea promotion) will run you $99 per person per day (plus 20% gratuity) and essentially covers any drink under $15.

The Premium Plus package costs $128 per person per day (plus 20% gratuity) and covers just about anything you could want to consume-beverage-wise, during your sailing. There are restrictions on both packages.

READ MORE: NCL Rolls Out New Premium Drink Package

For example, while they cover cocktails on one of Norwegian’s private islands(Great Stirrup Cay), they do not cover them on the other (Harvest Caye). Neither covers mini-bar drinks, but the Premium Plus package does include things like wine dispensers as well as specialty coffees and energy drinks.

Premium Beverage wine

3. How does Norwegian deal with upgrades?

For the most part, the legendary “upgrade fairy” concept is dead. While there are still occasions when customers may receive unsolicited offers for an upgrade, Norwegian has largely switched over to a program called Upgrade Advantage. In a nutshell, the program allows select guests to bid on an upgrade.

READ MORE: How To Bid For An Upgrade On Norwegian Cruise Line

Generally speaking, you are given the opportunity to bid on staterooms that are up to two categories higher than the one in which you’re currently booked.

This means that if you book an inside stateroom, you can bid on an ocean view or balcony cabin. Not all guests are given the opportunity to bid, and there is no guarantee that a bid will be accepted.

There are pros (potentially getting a sweet upgrade at a relatively low cost) and cons (having no control over where your new stateroom will be located) to the program, and it’s important that you fully understand how Upgrade Advantage works before booking.

4. Do I need to make dining reservations in advance?

dining area Norwegian Cruise Line

While the idea behind “Freestyle Cruising” is the ability to do what you want, when you want — including eating — there are times when you should make a reservation. If there’s a specialty restaurant you’re dying to hit, make a reservation.

This is especially true if you want to celebrate a special occasion on a specific night in a specific restaurant.

For example, a lot of people enjoy ending their cruise by eating at Cagney’s Steakhouse on the final night of the cruise. As a result, you may have difficulty walking up and snagging a table.

That said, if you’re willing to sit and have a drink at one of the nearby bars, odds are good that they’ll be able to seat you eventually.

READ MORE: New Norwegian Ship To Feature Over 30 Restaurants & Lounges

5. Does Norwegian offer a discounted dining program? 

Norwegian Cruise Line dining

Yes. There are two different ways to get free or reduced dinners in specialty restaurants aboard Norwegian’s various ships.

The first is to take advantage of the “free specialty dining” offer as a Free At Sea bonus (detailed above) on most sailings. How many meals you receive depends on the length of the sailing.

For example, on three and four-night sailings, guests receive one night of specialty dining. On week-long sailings, they’ll receive three. If this particular perk is picked as part of a Free At Sea promotion, a 20 percent gratuity will be automatically added to the cost of your cruise fare.

The second option is to pre-purchase a dining package offering a certain number of dinners for a locked-in price. The 3-Meal Specialty Dining Package currently runs $92.40 (plus 20 percent gratuity).

It’s worth noting that whether you receive specialty dining as a Free At Sea perk or purchase a package, some restaurants may require an additional upcharge.

For example, Bayomo by Ocean Blue (as well as Ocean Blue itself) will cost an additional $10.

delicious ribeye steak

6. Does Norwegian have a “formal” or “elegant” night? 

Sort of. Norwegian’s Night Out is the line’s version of a “formal night,” but this is a bit different from most things.

Dubbed “Norwegian’s Night Out,” there is no official dress code. Instead, they suggest it’s a great night to dress up… or not.

You’ll see people wandering around dressed to the nines as they head out to one of the specialty restaurants (or to get their picture taken with the captain), but you’ll also see people very casually dressed.

Norwegian Night Out

7. Does Norwegian charge for room service?

Yes. After introducing what they called an “enhanced room service menu,” which offers a mix of complementary and for-fee items last year, NCL added a “convenience charge of up to $7.95” per order.

Morning coffee and continental breakfast can be ordered without the service charge being attached. Also, guests of The Haven do not have to pay the convenience charge on their room service orders.

8. Does NCL have staterooms for solo travelers?

Norwegian Cruise Line cabin

Most of the newer ships have cabins specifically designed for solo passengers (called Studios) and an entire lounge dedicated to their occupants.

The Studio Lounge offers snacks, games, and a comfortable space in which to hang out. It’s a great area where people traveling alone can meet fellow solo guests for group dinners and activities.

Better still, you don’t have to stay in a Studio stateroom to participate in the events.

9. What can you tell me about The Haven?

Haven on Norwegian Bliss

Available on most ships, The Haven is NCL’s take on the ship-within-a-ship concept. Most Haven staterooms are located in an area that requires separate keycard access.

However, be careful when booking… some of Haven’s staterooms are mixed in with regular cabins, so if this is important to you… double check!

While each Haven is different, many come with access to a private bar, restaurant, and pool. Other arrangements are often made on some ships that do not have a separate Haven restaurant.

For example, on the Norwegian Gem , Haven guests have exclusive access to breakfast at Moderno restaurant and lunch at Cagney’s.

10. How much is the daily gratuity charge?

(Photo courtesy NCL)

While the gratuity rates can change at any time, as of June 2019, the current rates are as follows:

  • $18 per person, per day for The Haven, Concierge, and Suites
  • $15 per person per day for all other stateroom categories

READ MORE: Norwegian Stops Open Bar Program on Two Ships

This fee applies to any guest 3 years of age or older and is 100 percent refundable in the event of a cancellation.

11. Can I bring bottles of wine on board?

Yes! While guests are not allowed to bring other types of alcohol, soda, or water on board, they can bring corked, sealed bottles of wine or champagne. At embarkation, passengers are charged a “corkage fee” for each bottle, whether the intent is to consume the wine in a restaurant or in the guest’s stateroom. The corkage fee is $15 for 750 ml bottles and $30 for 1,500 ml Magnums.

Wines gifted to passengers, whether by friends who arrange to have a bottle left in their stateroom or travel agents, are also subject to the same fee. The one exception to the “no bottled water” rule is in regard to factory-sealed purified water needed for medical devices or baby formula.

11 frequently asked norwegian cruise line questions

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NCL FAQs – 28 Best Questions About Norwegian Cruise Line

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When booking a cruise, you’ll have lots of questions about Norwegian Cruise Line if you’re considering them. To help you out, I’ve pulled together answers to some of the most common NCL FAQs.

Click on the arrow to see the answers.

Absolutely! NCL has two programs for kids aged 3 to 17, Splash Academy and Entourage , plus the newer ships have entertainment options like arcades, water slides, bungee, go-karts, laser tag, zip line, or ropes course. Check with the ship you’ll be sailing on to see which options are available.

Norwegian’s cancellation policy focuses on the number of days you’re cancelling before the start of the cruise. Penalties kick in at the 120-day mark and increase as your sail date nears. Full information on their current policy can be found on their website .

Instead of formal nights, NCL has “Dress Up or Not” nights where it’s your choice. There will usually be one or two of these nights on a seven-night cruise. This is a good opportunity for family portraits or having your pic taken with the captain.

Norwegian Cruise Line is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE: NCLH), which also owns Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

At this writing, the Viva is the newest ship in the NCL fleet, to be joined by the Aqua in April of 2025.

NCL is known for freestyle cruising, and was the first cruise line to eliminate set dining times, which allows guests to choose their own schedule.

Norwegian’s customer service number is 1 (866) 234-7350. Its hours of operation are Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. – Midnight ET, and Saturday to Sunday : 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. ET.

Not at this time, but you are welcome to wear a mask if you choose to.

The largest NCL ship by weight is the Encore, which has 169,116 Gross Register Tonnage and is 1,094 feet long in overall length.

Norwegian has payment plans through Uplift, which has so interest-free plans and others with interest. See NCL’s website for more info.

Like all cruise lines, NCL has its pros and cons. Here’s my take on the subject.

No, they don’t, but they do offer laundry service.

NCL has its Free at Sea program, which for certain sailings may offer (with limitations): free open bar, free specialty dining, free wi-fi, free third and fourth guests in a cabin, free excursions, and free airfare.

Norwegian Joy, Bliss, Encore, Prima, and Viva all have go-karts.

Yes, Norwegian offers a 10% discount to service members and their spouses, as well as veterans.

In the United States, Norwegian sails out of Baltimore, Boston, Galveston, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York City, Orlando and Beaches, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Seward, and Tampa.

The Haven is available on the Bliss, Breakaway, Epic, Encore, Escape, Getaway, Gem, Jade, Jewel, Joy, Pearl, and Prima, and will be available on the Viva.

Only purified or distilled water for CPAP machines or making baby’s formula is allowed to be brought onboard Norwegian ships. Norwegian will provide distilled water for CPAP machines on request.

Yes, you can bring sealed bottles of wine onboard. At embarkation, they will be checked, and you will be charged a corkage fee of $15.00 USD for a 750-ml Bottle or $30.00 USD for a 1,500-ml magnum bottle. Box wines aren’t allowed onboard.

Yes, in fact, Norwegian was the first cruise line to build solo cabins, which they call studios. Norwegian has studio cabins on the Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Escape, Getaway, Epic, Pride of America, and Prima. They have also recently increased the number of solo cabins.

Yes, Norwegian has two programs for kids aged 3 to 17, Splash Academy and Entourage . They will be safe and supervised, enjoying fun activities with kids their own age. (Note that Norwegian Spirit does not offer youth programs.)

Yes, but it’s relaxed compared to how you used to have to dress on a cruise. NCL suggests “cruise casual” for most situations, and “smart casual” for main dining rooms and specialty restaurants. Men will need long pants for smart casual situations. For more information, check out our post or their website .

NCL occasionally offers free airfare for the second guest in a cabin on certain cruises with its Free at Sea program. See their website for current offers.

NCL allows up to two pieces of luggage per person brought onboard, weighing up to 50 pounds each. If you’re flying, you’ll also need to abide by your airline’s requirements.

No, unfortunately, they don’t.

Basically, you can’t bring aboard items considered weapons, irons, explosive substances, illegal drugs, dangerous items, etc. For a comprehensive list, see NCL’s website .

Yes, all NCL ships except Pride of America have a casino. Note that casinos are not allowed to operate when nearing or leaving a port, or in the vicinity of Hawaii. If you gamble on an NCL ship, be sure to join Casinos at Sea and get their player’s card.

Questions about Norwegian Cruise Line - NCL FAQs

Final Thoughts On NCL FAQs

And there you have it, answers to the most common questions about Norwegian Cruise Line. Hope these answers help!

For any further questions, please visit NCL’s website .

Happy cruising!

FAQs About Norwegian Cruise Line

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The ultimate guide to Norwegian Cruise Line ships and itineraries

Gene Sloan

Looking for a cruise where you can do what you want, whenever you want, without a lot of structure and rules? Norwegian Cruise Line could be your brand.

The Miami-based cruise line pioneered the idea of "freestyle cruising" — cruising without rigid dining schedules, dress codes and formal nights — and it's still the go-to line for vacationers who want a floating resort experience with a casual, laissez-faire vibe.

Instead of a few big main restaurants with fixed seating times, Norwegian ships offer a wide range of eateries and no assigned seating times — just make a reservation. When it's time for dinner, if you want to dress up, fine. There's no rule saying you must, though.

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Norwegian vessels also offer lots of options for daytime fun but are particularly well known for evening entertainment. You'll find everything from music halls with Beatles cover bands and dueling piano bars to theaters with some of the most elaborate shows at sea — including some big-name Broadway productions.

Norwegian ships are also loaded with bars, lounges and nightclubs, including always-busy casinos. Put it all together, and you have vessels with a very lively atmosphere — particularly at night. If you had to compare Norwegian ships to something on land, you'd probably say they were like floating versions of the casino resorts you find in Las Vegas.

Just to be clear, Norwegian is a big-ship line . Its largest vessels are among the biggest cruise ships at sea (they must be, to accommodate everything mentioned above). If you want an intimate cruise experience, Norwegian probably isn't a good choice.

That said, the line does offer some smaller ships that aren't quite as big and bustling as its giants.

Norwegian is also a mass-market brand, not a luxury cruise operator. Still, as we'll explain below, it offers a wide range of accommodations, some of which fall squarely in the luxury segment. In some cases, its ships have an exclusive area full of high-end cabins and suites called The Haven that comes with its own private pools, lounge areas and even restaurants.

In short, if you want to turn a Norwegian cruise into a luxury experience , you can do that, too. Norwegian really is the line where you make the trip what you want it to be.

Related: Which cruise brand is right for you?

3 things TPG loves about Norwegian Cruise Line

  • The do-what-you-want freestyle vibe
  • The wide range of restaurants, bars and nightspots
  • The stellar entertainment

What we could do without

  • The sky-high extra charges

The Norwegian Cruise Line fleet

norwegian cruise line questions

Norwegian is the world's fourth-largest cruise line by passenger capacity, with 19 ships that together offer 56,780 berths.

Smaller only than Royal Caribbean , Carnival Cruise Line and MSC Cruises , the brand has become increasingly known for having some of the biggest, most amenity-filled vessels at sea. The line doesn't just operate giant ships, though. More than half of its fleet is comprised of vessels that, by today's standards, are considered almost midsize.

Indeed, Norwegian is essentially two cruise lines in one. The line's nine newest ships are big, bustling floating megaresorts that can carry upwards of 3,000 to 4,000 passengers at double occupancy (and even more with every berth filled). At around 143,000 to nearly 170,000 tons, all eight currently rank among the 50 biggest cruise ships in the world (although their rankings will shift downward as more big ships debut).

Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles

However, Norwegian's 10 older ships are much more modest in size, measuring around 75,000 to 94,000 tons and carrying closer to 2,000 passengers at double occupancy.

Norwegian thus appeals both to cruisers who like a giant resort vibe and those who prefer something more modest. The key, depending on your tastes, is getting on the right ship in the fleet.

On the big-ship end of the spectrum, Norwegian's four relatively new Breakaway Plus-class vessels — Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Escape — are the line's premier offerings. While not quite as big as Royal Caribbean's giant, Oasis-class ships , they are firmly in the pantheon of the world's cruising giants. They are the Norwegian vessels most packed with restaurants, bars, entertainment and over-the-top attractions.

Unveiled in 2019, Norwegian Encore is, notably, the 23rd biggest cruise ship in the world as of this story's publishing (it will drop in the rankings over the coming years as additional megaships debut). At 169,116 tons, it's bigger than all but three Carnival ships. Only Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises have significantly more bigger vessels.

One step down in size from the Breakaway Plus ships are the still-quite-large Breakaway-class ships — Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway — as well as the one-of-a-kind Norwegian Epic and the recently unveiled Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva .

Around 17% smaller than Norwegian's biggest vessels, Prima and Viva are the first tow of six sister ships that the line will roll out between now and 2027 that will significantly change the composition of its fleet. While not the biggest vessels in the Norwegian fleet, these ships will be notably packed with restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and decktop attractions. They also mark a more upscale turn for the line, with more space per passenger than earlier Norwegian ships and lots of suites.

Related: I've been on nearly every Norwegian ship. Here are my first impressions of Norwegian Prima

Norwegian's 10 smaller vessels break down among five classes, but many are roughly the same size and offer similar amenities.

norwegian cruise line questions

One notable outlier among the smaller ships is the 2,186-passenger Pride of America. Sporting a patriotic U.S. theme (you'll find venues named after Thomas Jefferson and John Adams), and a distinct array of lounges and entertainment, it's the only big cruise vessel based year-round in Hawaii.

Pride of America notably operates with a mostly U.S. crew, in keeping with regulations governing cruise itineraries that only include U.S. ports.

Related: Our take on the new Norwegian Encore

Destinations and itineraries

Norwegian sails almost everywhere in the world, but its heaviest presence is in the Caribbean, Europe and Alaska.

In a typical summer, the line will deploy nearly half its ships to Europe while sending several more to the West Coast to sail to Alaska from Seattle; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Seward, Alaska. It'll also operate trips to Bermuda from New York City and Boston, usually with two ships, and trips to the Bahamas and the Caribbean out of Miami.

During the winter, the line will move many of its vessels to North America to operate sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas. It also sends a few ships to Asia, Australia and South America, and it'll typically keep a single vessel in Europe, too.

As mentioned above, the line also operates one ship (Pride of America) in Hawaii year-round. It's the only cruise line to offer year-round voyages in Hawaii.

norwegian cruise line questions

In North America, Norwegian ships sail out of Baltimore; Boston; Galveston, Texas; New York City; Miami; Tampa; San Juan, Puerto Rico; New Orleans; San Diego; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Seattle; Honolulu; Vancouver, British Columbia; Quebec City; and Seward, Alaska.

In Europe, Norwegian ships sail out of Amsterdam; Stockholm; Copenhagen; Oslo and Tromso, Norway; Southampton and Portsmouth, England; Le Havre, France; Reykjavik; Lisbon, Portugal; Barcelona; Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Trieste, Italy (near Venice); Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens); and Istanbul.

Related: The best Caribbean cruise for every type of traveler

Who sails Norwegian Cruise Line?

norwegian cruise line questions

Norwegian appeals to vacationers who want a big-resort experience at sea with lots of options for dining and entertainment. In that, it's similar to Royal Caribbean — perhaps its closest competitor.

However, unlike Royal Caribbean, Norwegian hasn't retained any of the trappings of old-style cruising. There are no formal nights, as you'll still find on Royal Caribbean ships, or dress codes. Norwegian has also thoroughly done away with the concept of big main restaurants with fixed seating.

Because of that, Norwegian is popular with people who are seeking flexibility — freedom to eat when they want, with whom they want and to dress however they want, for sure, but also more freedom in general to just set their own schedule day and night.

Norwegian cruises are very unstructured vacations, and that's by design.

Like Royal Caribbean ships, Norwegian vessels have an inordinate amount of teen- and tween-friendly attractions — everything from some of the largest waterslides at sea to the only go-kart tracks on the ocean . That makes them particularly appealing to families, including multigenerational groups. Families are a big part of Norwegian's business.

It's not just families that flock to Norwegian, though. The line's ships are designed to offer a little something for everyone, and thus they appeal to a wide demographic, including couples of all ages and even solo travelers (the line has been a leader in adding solo cabins to ships in recent years). They also draw customers with a wide range of incomes.

At their core, Norwegian ships are mass-market ships, with entry-level cabins that are affordable to middle-class travelers. However, overlaid across most vessels are high-end suites and services that are at a luxury level, and the line draws a good number of luxury-seeking travelers.

The exclusive, keycard-accessed suite complex called The Haven (found on 13 of Norwegian's 19 ships) comes with private lounges, pools and other tony features. It's essentially a small, luxury vessel that has been planted atop otherwise middle-class, mass-market megaships. These complexes appeal to well-heeled travelers who want a luxury cruising experience while also getting all the fun attractions, entertainment and dining venues only a mass-market megaship can offer.

Cabins and suites

Norwegian is known for offering a wide range of accommodations on its ships. You'll find everything from relatively low-cost, windowless inside cabins that measure as little as 135 square feet (perfect for the budget traveler) to massive, multi-room suites that are more than 50 times that size.

At the high end, the accommodations are aimed at affluent travelers who, for whatever reason, prefer the megaship experience to that of a luxury ship, and they truly are among the most spectacular accommodations at sea.

Some, such as the giant Garden Villas found on six Norwegian ships — Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Star — sprawl over thousands of square feet and have as many as three bedrooms plus separate living rooms and dining rooms.

norwegian cruise line questions

The Garden Villas also have private outdoor sun decks and courtyards with hot tubs. Additionally, the Garden Villas on Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Star include private outdoor dining areas and steam rooms.

norwegian cruise line questions

Depending on the ship, top suites can come with perks such as private butlers and concierges who attend to your every need, access to a private restaurant, a private suite lounge and sun deck, reserved seating in entertainment venues and priority boarding and disembarkation.

On more than half of Norwegian's ships, many of the top suites are part of The Haven. Billed as an upscale "ship within a ship" and aimed at luxury travelers, The Haven is located at the very top of vessels and often comes with private lounges, pools, sunning areas and even restaurants.

norwegian cruise line questions

Norwegian is also heralded for kicking off the trend of more solo cabins on cruise ships . In 2010, it debuted an entire zone of small studio cabins for one — 128 in all — on its then-new, 4,070-passenger Norwegian Epic, and it has since added them to seven more new ships.

The studio cabins are tiny at just 100 square feet. However, they're superbly designed to maximize storage space. On the ships that have them, they are clustered around an exclusive Studio Lounge where solo travelers can mingle at daily happy hour gatherings.

Related: What it takes to get concierge lounge access on a cruise ship

Restaurants and dining

Norwegian was an early pioneer of the idea of giving cruisers lots of choices when it comes to restaurants on ships, and even its smallest vessels offer a wide range of options.

On Norwegian's recently built Breakaway Plus-class ships, there are up to 20 places to grab a bite, ranging from high-end French restaurants and steakhouses to casual pubs.

Every vessel has two or three main restaurants and a casual buffet where meals are included in the fare — the latter is usually called the Garden Cafe.

Other included-in-the-fare venues found on some ships include O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar and Grill, a casual pub; an outdoor bar and grill called Topsiders; and casual Asian restaurants that go by many names including Shanghai's Noodle Bar, Ginza and Bamboo.

Also, every ship has a least four and often many more extra-charge eateries. Two found across the entire fleet are Cagney's, the line's signature steakhouse, and Le Bistro, a fine French restaurant. Every ship also has an Italian restaurant, called Onda by Scarpetta or La Cucina. There also are churrascaria restaurants called Moderno on most Norwegian vessels.

norwegian cruise line questions

On some ships, you'll also find Ocean Blue, a seafood restaurant; The District Brew House, a gastropub serving craft beers; and a Mexican spot called either Los Lobos or Los Lobos Cantina. Every vessel has some sort of sushi restaurant, often called Sushi or Wasabi, and there are hibachi-style teppanyaki restaurants on nearly every Norwegian vessel.

You might even find Starbucks stores on some ships (the one-year-old Norwegian Prima has two!) and there are Starbucks products on every Norwegian vessel. Also, some ships have private restaurants just for passengers staying in The Haven.

Some of the extra-charge restaurants come with a flat fee (the teppanyaki outlets are $59 per person, not including the cost of drinks). However, most are a la carte, with sometimes hefty pricing. One thing you need to know upfront about going on a Norwegian cruise is that there are a lot of extra charges — and sometimes quite high extra charges — on the line's ships, particularly for things like restaurants.

A surf-and-turf dish at Ocean Blue that combines an 8-ounce filet mignon with a lobster tail costs $55, for example. If you just order a whole lobster, you'll be out $49. The least expensive entree on the menu, a roasted cauliflower steak, is $22.

norwegian cruise line questions

If you know you want to eat at several extra-charge restaurants during a single voyage, you can buy one of several dining packages that offer meals at a discount.

Related: The 7 best meals you can have at sea

Entertainment and activities

Few lines offer as broad a range of entertainment and activities on their ships as Norwegian. The line's biggest vessels offer multiple entertainment venues, from theaters to comedy clubs; a wide range of deck-top attractions; large casinos; full-service spas; and even virtual reality attractions. You'll also find a seemingly endless array of bars, lounges and nightspots.

Theaters and shows

norwegian cruise line questions

Entertainment is one of the core areas where Norwegian excels, and if you're the kind of person who loves nights out with live music and lively performances on your vacations, you're going to love the line.

Many of Norwegian's biggest ships have state-of-the-art theaters as big as those you'd find on Broadway, with big-name productions to match. Norwegian Bliss, for instance, has the Tony Award-winning "Jersey Boys."

In some cases, the Broadway shows are cut down slightly from the original versions, and the casts aren't quite as seasoned as what you'll find on Broadway. However, these are quality productions. The best part is they are entirely free. Compare that with the hundreds of dollars you'd spend to take your family to a show in New York City.

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Norwegian ships also are jam-packed with music venues. Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Epic, for instance, have the Cavern Club, a reproduction of the British club that gave rise to the Beatles. It comes complete with a cover band that plays the group's greatest hits.

There are also Howl at the Moon dueling piano bars on some Norwegian ships, and there's the lively Q Texas Smokehouse found on Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy (a music-and-food concept that pairs live music with barbecue).

In addition, several Norwegian ships offer dinner theater venues with circus-type productions, and one vessel, Norwegian Getaway, features a magic-infused dinner theater show in a steampunk-inspired space called The Illusionarium.

Several ships also offer comedy club entertainment.

Other interior attractions and activities

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In addition to entertainment spaces, the interiors of Norwegian ships are loaded with other venues where passengers can kick back and let loose day and night.

All but one Norwegian ship (Pride of America) has a casino, and on the line's bigger vessels, they are huge operations. The casino on Norwegian Encore has more than 300 slot machines and 26 table games (including blackjack, roulette, poker and craps), plus its own bar.

On the line's big Breakaway-class and Breakaway Plus-class ships, the casino — along with a large proportion of all onboard restaurants, bars and clubs — sprawls across three central decks connected by an atrium-like space known as 678 Ocean Place (the name derives from the location of the decks, which on each ship are decks 6, 7 and 8). At night, these three-deck complexes become bustling places.

The Breakaway- and Breakaway Plus-class ships have innovative outdoor promenades called The Waterfront lined with seating for many restaurants and bars. The Waterfront is located on Deck 8 of each of the ships, which is one of the main decks for restaurants on them all.

Like the ships of the Breakaway and Breakaway-plus classes, the Prima Class ships have a lively zone that mixes casino space, bars, eateries and entertainment that sprawls across decks 6, 7 and 8. These vessels also have outdoor eating space in an area called Ocean Boulevard.

In addition, Norwegian two new Prima Class ships (Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva), as well as another relatively new Norwegian vessels — Norwegian Encore — have innovative gaming and virtual reality zones called Galaxy Pavilion (a fourth Galaxy Pavilion area on Norwegian Joy is being removed during an overhaul in dry dock scheduled for early 2024).

There's nothing quite like Galaxy Pavilion in the cruise world. The venue has an amazing array of high-tech virtual reality experiences, including incredibly realistic race car simulators (on Norwegian Encore, there are eight in a row along one wall), hang gliding simulators, virtual mazes and a virtual reality "Jurassic Park" ride.

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The Galaxy Pavilion on Norwegian Encore is the biggest of them all. Among added features, it includes a 45-minute escape room experience laced with special effects. Themed around a Spanish galleon, it's designed to be played by up to six people at a time.

Just be warned that you'll pay a hefty fee to play in the Galaxy Pavilion. A weeklong pass to the venue will set you back $199 per person. There also are hourlong passes available for $29 per person, or you can sample a single ride for $8 (except for the escape room, which is priced separately at $15 per person).

There's also a bowling alley on Norwegian Epic and duck pin bowling lanes on Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Getaway and Norwegian Breakaway.

Norwegian ships also all have Mandara Spas, which can be quite big on the bigger vessels, and there are fitness centers on every ship.

Deck-top attractions

What you'll find on the top decks of Norwegian ships will vary quite a bit depending on the vessel. The line's smaller ships will have at least one or two pools, sunning areas and usually a sports court area — but not all that much else.

The big ships are a different story.

On the line's Breakaway-, Breakaway Plus- and Epic-class ships, you'll find giant waterslides and kiddie splash zones and, in some cases, even more over-the-top attractions such as go-kart tracks and laser tag arenas.

The go-kart tracks (now on Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Joy) are quickly becoming Norwegian's signature can-you-believe-this-is-on-a-ship attraction, and they truly are impressive. The biggest two of them, on Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Prima, are nearly 1,400 feet long and sprawl over three decks.

Note that this is some serious go-karting. The cars that Norwegian uses can hit speeds up to 32 miles per hour. Three of the speedways, on Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Encore, also feature middle-of-the-track observation areas where your family and friends can cheer you on to victory — and even shoot you with "lasers" that'll give you a boost of power.

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The open-air laser tag arenas also are significant venues that are unlike anything you'll find atop the ships of other lines. The one on Norwegian Encore, which is the largest laser tag arena ever put on a ship, is themed around the lost city of Atlantis and spans the back of the vessel.

As is the case with the Galaxy Pavilion attractions mentioned above, the go-kart and laser tag experiences on Norwegian ships don't come cheap. You'll pay $15 per person for an eight-lap romp on the go-karts. Joining a five-minute laser shootout costs $10 per person. In both cases, you can buy a weeklong pass for $199.

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The top decks of a few Norwegian ships — mostly the bigger ones — also have a ropes course, a climbing wall or both. Some vessels also have miniature golf courses.

You'll find an exclusive, extra-charge, adults-only VIP sunning area on seven Norwegian ships called Vibe Beach Club. The biggest of these areas is on Norwegian Encore, where Vibe Beach Club is an expansive private lounge with a full-service bar, cabanas and two hot tubs designed to hold up to 270 people — far more than on other ships.

For those with money to burn (pricing on Norwegian Encore recently was $99 per person for a day pass), the Vibe Beach Clubs are lovely, secluded deck-top hideaways. However, there's a downside for everyone else on board the ships that have them, which is that they take away from the deck-top lounge space available to everybody else.

Related: The 12 cruise ships with the most spectacular attractions at sea

Children's programs

As is typical for big-ship cruise lines, Norwegian has an extensive children's program, with programs and activities for children as young as 6 months through the age of 17.

The heart of the program, called Splash Academy, brings free, supervised activities daily for children ages 3 to 12. The line splits children here up into three age groups: Turtles (ages 3 to 5), Seals (ages 6 to 9) and Dolphins (ages 10 to 12), and they each have their own age-appropriate activities ranging from treasure hunts to video game competitions. On many ships, there are extensive dedicated spaces for the different groups.

While the free programming ends at 10:30 p.m., you can pay extra to leave your kids at Splash Academy past 10:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m., when it's billed as the Late Night Fun Zone.

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Norwegian also has rooms on its ships for babies and toddlers ages 6 months to 3 years. Called Guppies, the program offers parents a place to play with their youngest children, with occasional youth staff-led activities and games.

Norwegian also offers dedicated teen zones and programming on ships for children ages 13 to 17. Called Entourage, the teen zone is a place for teens to hang out, dance and play games, and it's supervised by counselors who plan activities and challenges.

What to know before you go

Required documents.

A passport is required for all cruises leaving from a non-U.S. port and all Panama Canal sailings (regardless of departure port). If you're a U.S. citizen, you don't need a passport for most sailings from U.S. ports (including sailings to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, the Mexican Riviera and Alaska).

Instead, you can travel with a state-certified birth certificate or other proof of citizenship and a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification. That said, Norwegian strongly recommends that all travelers bring a passport.

Passports must be valid for at least six months after your trip, and the name on your reservation must be exactly as it's printed on your passport or other official proof of nationality.

Norwegian adds an automatic service charge of $20 to $25 per person, per day, to final bills, depending on your cabin category. Depending on the service you receive, you can adjust the amount up or down at the guest services desk before disembarking. In addition, a 20% gratuity is added to the bill at bars, extra-charge specialty restaurants and ship spas.

Related: Everything you need to know about tipping on a cruise ship

Norwegian has been rolling out faster Wi-Fi systems across its fleet in recent years, so you can now stream video on ships.

Pricing changes over time, but the fastest "premium" service on Norwegian vessels recently was priced at $39.99 per person per day, if you bought it in advance. Norwegian also offers a less expensive plan that doesn't allow video streaming for $29.99 per person per day if purchased in advance.

This pricing is quite a bit higher than what some other lines, such as Carnival or Princess, charge for Wi-Fi. Princess recently was charging just $14.99 per person per day for a WiFi package.

Related: Wi-Fi on ships really is getting better

Carry-on drinks policy

Norwegian allows you to bring bottles of your own wine or Champagne on board, but it will charge you a hefty corkage fee of $15 per bottle for the privilege — even if you plan to drink the bottle in your room. This is a more draconian policy than you'll find at most lines. Most lines allow passengers to bring at least a bottle or two of their own wine on board at no charge.

Smoking policy

On all ships, smoking (including e-cigarette smoking) is only allowed in designated outdoor areas, cigar lounges (for cigar smoking only) and casinos. It's forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies. Passengers caught smoking in their cabins will be fined $250 per occurrence.

Unlike many cruise vessels, Norwegian ships do not have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks for passenger use. Instead, the line offers extra-charge laundry and dry cleaning services.

Related: Everything you need to know about cruise ship laundry services

Electrical outlets

All cabins on Norwegian vessels have standard North American-style, 110-volt outlets and European-style, 220-volt outlets. Some cabins also have USB ports.

The currency used on all Norwegian itineraries is U.S. dollars. All vessels operate on a cashless system with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a cruise card you can use to make charges. This same card also lets you into your cabin.

Drinking age

The official drinking age on Norwegian ships is 21. That said, passengers who are 18 to 20 can purchase and consume beer or wine on ships in international waters with permission from parents or legal guardians. The parent or legal guardian must be on board and sign a waiver at guest services. The lower drinking age in international waters does not apply during sailings in Alaska and Hawaii.

Norwegian Cruise Line may be the most laid-back line out there when it comes to dress codes. You can basically wear whatever you want, whenever you want.

The line specifically says that casual wear (think: khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts for men; casual dresses, skirts, shorts, jeans and tops for women) is just fine anytime during the day, at the buffet and in most specialty restaurants.

The line just recommends a step up to "smart casual" outfits in its more formal dining rooms and upscale specialty restaurants. In keeping with Norwegian's laid-backness, this might still mean nothing more than a crisper pair of jeans, or maybe slacks with a collared shirt, for men. Definitely no need for a jacket. For women, slacks, jeans, dresses, skirts and tops will do fine.

Related: What to pack for your first cruise

Norwegian Cruise Line loyalty program

Norwegian has a point-based frequent cruiser program, Latitudes Rewards, that has seven tiers, ranging from Bronze (requiring 1 point) to Ambassador (700 points).

Members earn points for every night they sail on one of the line's ships. They get an additional point for every night they stay in a concierge room, a suite (not including stays in minisuites, or stays in suites resulting from an upgrade) or a room in The Haven. They also get an additional point for every night booked through a Latitudes Rewards Insider Offer.

Hitting the first tier, Bronze, takes one cruise. Reaching the second tier, Silver (20 points), would take at the most three cruises if you're doing seven-night trips.

Related: Everything you need to know about the Norwegian loyalty program

Lower tiers don't bring all that much in terms of truly valuable benefits. You'll get things like priority check-in and discounted spa treatments performed while ships are in port. However, higher levels of the program start to be enticing.

Platinum (75 points) brings free dinners at two extra-charge restaurants, a discount on an internet package, behind-the-scenes ship tours and concierge service.

The top Ambassador level brings a truly wonderful perk: a one-time complimentary seven-night cruise in a balcony cabin. You can pick almost any sailing except trips around Christmas and the new year.

In contrast to airline frequent-flyer programs, cruise line loyalty programs do not require you to requalify for status every year. So, yes, the perks with lower tiers aren't great. But it's not as difficult as it might at first seem to hit the more rewarding higher tiers in just a few years if you're cruising a lot.

A passenger staying in suites and booking through Latitudes Rewards Insider Offers could get to the Platinum level with just four seven-night cruises.

Related: The TPG guide to cruise line loyalty programs

How much does a Norwegian cruise cost?

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Norwegian designs its ships to appeal to a broad mix of people, in part by offering a wide range of cabin types at varying price points. On a typical sailing, you might find an entry-level cabin for around $100 a night while a high-end suite is five to 15 times that amount.

At the time of this story's posting, A The Haven two-bedroom family villa on Norwegian Jewel for a seven-night Alaska cruise in August 2024, for example, was going for $13,978 per person, based on double occupancy. That's more than 13 times the cost of the least expensive inside cabin (which was starting at $1,058 per person, based on double occupancy). Oceanview cabins on the same sailing started at $1,698 per person, based on double occupancy.

Note the "based on double occupancy" caveat in the above paragraph. As is typical for cruise lines, Norwegian charges on a per-person basis, not per room, and it prices most cabins based on two people occupying a room. It does offer some cabins for solo travelers on some ships that are priced based on single occupancy.

In general, Norwegian's newer ships including Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Prima and the Breakaway-class and Breakaway Plus-class vessels will be more expensive than the line's older, smaller ships. However, there are many factors that go into pricing for any given cruise, including the popularity of the specific itinerary, the time of year when the cruise is taking place and changing demand trends.

As you might expect, pricing for all ships will generally be lower during offseason periods such as September and October.

The timing of when you book can also matter. Cruises book up much further in advance than airplanes or hotels, and many cruisers will tell you the best pricing for any given sailing often is available when cruises first go on sale (which can be a good two years before a departure). Booking far in advance will also give you the best chance of getting your preferred cabin type and location on a ship.

Once on board a Norwegian ship, you'll pay extra for most drinks, extra-charge restaurants, spa services, shore excursions, internet service and a few other things — unless you've bought a package for some of these items in advance. Some onboard activities such as go-karting also come with an extra charge. What's included in the fare is your lodging, meals (in non-extra-charge restaurants) and most entertainment.

Related: 15 ways that first-time cruisers waste money on a cruise

How to book

If you're sure you know what sort of cabin you want, on which ship, on which itinerary — and about a dozen other things — you can head over to ncl.com to make a booking directly.

That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise (there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process — trust us) we recommend you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises.

A good travel agent will quiz you about your particular interests, travel style and preferences, and steer you to the perfect cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. They can also help you if something goes wrong just before, during or after your voyage.

If you're sure Norwegian is your line, look for a travel agent who specializes in trips with the brand. You want someone who understands all the little quirks that are unique to Norwegian's cabin categories and, preferably, has done ship inspections to see the cabins firsthand.

Whether you use a travel agent or not, make sure to maximize your purchase when paying for the cruise by using a card that offers extra points for travel purchases . This could be the Chase Sapphire Reserve , which offers 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel and dining (excluding the annual $300 travel credit), or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card , which brings 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel and 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on dining.

Bottom line

For big-ship lovers, Norwegian pretty much has it all. There's tons of great entertainment on Norwegian's vessels, plenty of venues for eating and drinking, and all sorts of deck-top diversions — at least on the line's newest ships. Throw in the brand's low starting prices, and it's an even more compelling package.

If we have a gripe with the line, it's about the "extra-charge creep" we've been seeing for attractions on Norwegian ships such as go-karts and laser tag in recent years, and the higher a la carte prices spreading across the line's onboard restaurants.

Then again, you get what you pay for, as the saying goes. If you're on a tight budget, there are plenty of included-in-the-fare choices for dining and entertainment. If money is no object, you can follow a different "journey" through the ship, as Norwegian executives like to say, to a far more high-end vacation.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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Cruzely.com | Everything Cruising

20+ Norwegian Cruise Tips, Tricks, and Things to Know

Sailing aboard a Norwegian cruise? You’re no doubt excited, but might have some questions on what exactly to expect and maybe some tips to help your trip go more smoothly. 

NCL sign

Above all, you should know that you’re about to have a great time. Norwegian is a popular cruise line, and one of our personal favorites.

But if you’ve never been on the cruise line, there things to know that can make your trip better. 

Overview: What It’s Like to Sail Aboard Norwegian

Before we get into the things to know, you might be wondering what it’s like to sail aboard Norwegian Cruise Line… and how it is different from other cruise lines. For that, we have an entire guide to sailing NCL here .

In general all those things that you love about taking a cruise on any line apply to Norwegian. If you’ve sailed other lines, you will likely find the experience to be similar overall.

For instance, the ships are almost works of art (especially newer ones) and an engineering marvel. There’s a big focus on things to do on the ship, and it starts with your time around the pool, often with large pool decks, plenty of chairs, as well as things like putt-putt, sport courts, and more to keep everyone occupied. There’s also a big focus on food and drink; there’s no way that you will go hungry or thirsty on your cruise.

But while Norwegian Cruise Line might offer an experience that cruisers know and love, there are some touches that set the cruise line apart from others.

A Focus on Outdoors : While any cruise ship will have outdoor space, Norwegian seems to be on a trend toward opening up the outdoors to the indoors. For instance, some newer ships have observation lounges with tall multi-story windows with 180-degree views. Ships also focus a lot on outdoor dining, and promenades that offer seaviews around the entire ship. NCL also likes to put open promenades down closer to the ocean, putting you closer to the sea.

The Haven : If you’re a cruise passenger with a higher budget, then Norwegian offers The Haven, which is unique to their ships. Instead of just offering a suite, The Haven is essentially a “resort within a resort.” In addition to luxurious (and large) rooms, the area has private entry, its own pool, restaurant, and bar. It offers the small ship experience with larger ship amenities.

Cruise Line Size : We like to think of Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian as the “Big Three” cruise lines. They dominate the market. But when it comes to size, Norwegian is the smallest of these three. What does that mean for you? Once on the ship, it means very little. But when planning, Norwegian sails from fewer ports and has fewer total sailings than its bigger rivals, so you don’t have as many options.

Onboard Expenses: Every cruise line aims to get passengers spending on the ship, but Norwegian seems to have prices that are higher than rivals like Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Internet and drink packages — two major areas of onboard spending — are good examples. Specifically the basic drink package is $109 per person, per day . Compare that to Carnival, which charges around $60. 

Tips & Things to Know About Sailing Norwegian Cruise Lines

norwegian cruise line questions

Now that you have an idea of what you can expect on board, below we’ve pulled together some of our favorite tips and things to know for sailing on a Norwegian cruise. Use these ideas to make your trip as much fun as possible, but also potentially save money, time, and have a better vacation.

Sail on the Newer Ships When Possible (There’s a Big Difference!)

Over the last few years Norwegian has made big headlines by introducing some of the most extravagant ships at sea. Ships like the Norwegian Joy , Bliss, Encore , Prima , and Viva take cruising to another level with the public areas, restaurants, and things to do on the ship. For instance, you can even ride go-karts or dabble in virtual reality — all on a ship that’s built with a luxury feel (especially the new Prima-class vessels).

While older ships are typically cheaper to sail, we’ve found them smaller and with fewer things to do on board. Unless you only want to sit by the pool and relax, newer ships offer so much more to passengers, and the design and atmosphere is second-to-none.

So if you have the means, we recommend sailing on the newer ships.

Download the Cruise Norwegian App (It’s Free)

Everyone has an app these days, including cruise lines. The big difference? Instead of doing something silly like showing how you will look when you’re older, the cruise line apps — including the  Cruise Norwegian app  — are extremely useful.

Download it for free and you can use it for tons of things on the ship. It includes deck plans (so you don’t get lost), an overview of your onboard spending, the daily schedules, and you can even book reservations and excursions. Best of all, you don’t have to purchase wi-fi on the ship to use the app. It can save you a ton of time and headache.

Make Reservations Early (As Early As You Can)

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These days there is a lot to do on new ships from specialty restaurants to activities onboard. Some Norwegian ships even have go-kart tracks at sea ! The thing is that with thousands of people on the ship and only a certain amount of open spots, the restaurants and things to do can fill up quickly. That’s why Norwegian has implemented a reservation system.

One piece of advice — sign up as early as you know you want to do something. Space is at a premium. You can do so through the app, through your online account, via phone, or once you are on the ship. No matter how you do it, just make sure you try and reserve a spot early so that you don’t miss out.

The “Free at Sea” Offer May Still Cost Gratuities

One of the big draws to Norwegian has been their  “Free at Sea” offer . You book a cabin and you can get the regular bare-bones fare, or you can get a number of perks included for a slightly fare. The perks include everything from shore excursion credit to alcohol packages to wi-fi.

You can choose whether or not to take advantage of the deal and even which perks you would like.

One thing to watch out for is gratuity. If you select an option that typically has gratuity — like the alcoholic drink package — then you still have to pay this amount. For instance, the drink package is normally $109 per person, per day. But it also has a 20% gratuity on top of that. So even with the free drinks offer, you’re paying around $20 per day. A couple on a weeklong cruise would pay a total of about $300 in gratuities on the free drink offer.

Keep this in mind. You’re still getting a good deal as far as a drink package for $20, but it might be an added expense you didn’t realize you’d have to pay.

Know That Prices for “Free at Sea” Are Often Higher (But Usually Not By Much)

We mentioned the “Free at Sea” offer above that’s been popular for Norwegian. Depending on which cabin you cruise, you can get a number of freebies included with your cruise like free drinks or free wi-fi.

One thing to watch, however, is that you actually end up paying more for the ‘free’ perk. For instance, we did a recent search for a balcony cabin on an upcoming 7-night cruise. The headline price shown was $1,599 per person, for a “sail away” balcony. This is a cabin where Norwegian picks your room, and it isn’t eligible for any of the perks in the “Free at Sea” offer.

Want to get perks included? The cheapest balcony cabin in our example search with the free perks was $1,649 — $50 more per person . This $50 per person increase seems to be consistent in our check.

That’s not exactly “free,” but it’s a small price to pay for a drink package, wi-fi, shore excursion credit, and specialty dining.

Norwegian Casinos Are a Great Place to Learn Games

Table games and slot machines on a cruise

Lots of people that go on cruises love the casino. It’s a fun way to spend some time at sea whether you’re a serious gambler or just like to bet a few bucks.

Always wanted to try a new casino game but been too intimidated? That’s understandable. It’s scary to saddle up next to a bunch of pros at a blackjack table or when rolling dice in a craps game.

On Norwegian, the casino offers daily classes on games. Here, newbies can take their turn learning the rules and playing practice rounds without risking cash.

Even without the classes, cruise ship casinos are a great place to get your feet wet with new games. Limits are low , making it less intimidating for beginners.

Want to Cruise Hawaii? Norwegian Is Your Best Bet (Here’s Why)

Is Hawaii on your bucket list? Then check out cruises aboard NCL’s Pride of America. Through U.S. law, foreign-flagged vessels can’t pick up passengers from an American port and take to to another American port without having a stop in a foreign country. The vast majority of cruise ships are flagged under a foreign nation. That means to go to Hawaii, they have to put in a visit to another country along the way. 

That’s why most cruise lines leave a port like Los Angeles, sail to Hawaii, and then return for a quick visit to Mexico before heading home. Given the distance, it ends up to be a lot of time at sea.

NCL, however, operates Pride of America — the only major cruise ship we know of that’s flagged under the United States. That means it can sail all around the Hawaiian Islands, instead of spending days traveling to another country to comply with the law. So instead of spending days at sea, you spend more time exploring Hawaii and simply fly back and forth from the mainland.

Dine Outside for Fantastic Views

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For some reason cruise ships seem to keep getting bigger and better but continue to bring you more inside to the shops and the restaurants. One thing that Norwegian does really well is give passengers places to connect with the ocean. One example is their outside dining.

Now, you might think that sitting outside to eat during a cruise is pretty simple. Truth is, there’s a lot to take into consideration, including the sun, rain, and the constant wind as the ship is underway.

Norwegian, however, takes all this into account with covered spots to eat that are also out of the wind. The result? A number of great places where you can sit outside, sip a drink, and enjoy a meal without having to worry about a sunburn or the wind carrying your napkin away.

The Fish (Or Other Designs) Face Forward to Tell You Where You’re Headed

norwegian cruise line questions

A quick and easy tip to help you get your bearings on the ship — the fish face forward. Let us explain…

In the halls of the ship where there aren’t any windows, it’s easy to get turned around. All the cabin doors look the same and the hallways are long. You could walk for hundreds of feet before realizing you’re going in the wrong direction. In this case, just look down.

Many Norwegian ships have carpets with a design with lots of small fish. Other ships it’s a design with random triangles. As an aid to passengers, all the of these face forward. So you are walking in the direction of the fish or the triangles on the carpet, you’re going forward. Walking the opposite direction? Then you’re headed aft.

This can save you a lot of time, frustration, and wasted steps as you leave the cabin and head to go have fun. Look down, and the fish will tell you where to go.

Get Your Spot at the Pool Early on Harvest Caye

Pool on Harvest Caye island

One of the favorite stops by Norwegian ships is Harvest Caye . The private island in the southwest Caribbean is a beach-lover’s paradise. There’s ample space to lay out by the beach, a huge freshwater pool, restaurants, bars, shops, ziplines and more. And because it’s only for Norwegian cruise ships, it’s like your own personal paradise.

One tip is to head to the pool first thing on the island and stake out a spot. Even visiting on a smaller ship, we’ve found that the chairs around the pool fill up quickly. It’s by far the most popular spot on the island.

If you head over in the late morning or early afternoon, there might not be a single open chair. During our visit we didn’t hit the pool until the peak time and had to just set our stuff on the ground. Crowds are much thinner in the early morning or late afternoon when many have headed back to the ship already.

Now, we’re not saying to be a chair hog. So don’t just set your stuff down and leave. But if you know you want some pool time, try to do it early.

Head to the 24-Hour Restaurant for Fresher Food

While cruise ship buffets are on every ship, not everyone is a fan of them. Want something fresher that’s made special for you? Head to the 24-hour restaurant on the ship.

Each Norwegian ship will have a restaurant (O’Sheehans on some, The Local on others) that serves around the clock. Have a seat, get whatever you want on the menu, and you don’t have to pay anything. The nice part is that there is a variety of things to eat, and it’s prepared for you instead of being intended to feed the masses.

Are You an Investor? You Could Get Up to $250 Onboard Credit

Most of the major cruise lines are actually part of larger public companies, including Norwegian. That means you can actually own a stake in the ship that you sail. Shares of the company trade under the ticker “NCLH”. And for those owning at least 100 shares at the time of sailing, then you are eligible for a shareholder benefit.

The amount of the benefit depends on the length of your cruise, and is currently set as follows:

  • $250 onboard credit per stateroom on sailings of 15 days or more
  • $100 onboard credit per stateroom on sailings of 7 to 14 days
  • $50 onboard credit per stateroom on sailings of 6 days or fewer

You’ll need to submit some documentation before you sail. If you want to take advantage, then you can read more about the benefit here .

No Reservation? There Might Still Be Space Available

Miss out on making a reservation before a specialty restaurant was booked up? Head down anyway. Reservations are important, but there is still a chance you can get a seat.

Often times people make reservations and then don’t show. Or other times there is still a space, even if the reservation list is full.

The best bet is to show up early or late in the dining time — not during the peak when most people want to eat. In fact, we’ve personally showed up to a restaurant that had a full reservation list and found it largely empty when it first opened, allowing us to grab dinner with no problem.

NCL Has the Youngest (Major) Fleet in the Industry

norwegian cruise line questions

There’s no arguing that the salt and sun take a toll on anything near the coast — especially ships. At the same time, the pace of development on cruise ships is breathtaking. A ship built 20 years ago barely even compares to a ship built today.

That’s why it’s noteworthy that NCL features the youngest fleet of any of the major cruise lines. In fact, its oldest ship was built just over 20 years ago, but many more ships have been built recently. And with the addition of its Prima class — where one new ship is slated to join the fleet each year through 2027 — that fleet should continue to stay fresh.

Want a Deal? Look for the Drink of the Day

On some cruise lines, the Drink of the Day isn’t anything special. The cruise line literally just calls a drink the “Drink of the Day” to make it seem special and charges the same amount.

Norwegian is different. On their cruises the Drink of the Day is actually discounted a couple of bucks. So if a cocktail is normally $11, it will be priced at only $9. It’s a small difference, but it’s nice to get a little discount. So not only can you try something new each day, but you can also save money doing so.

Be Prepared For Higher Prices

As mentioned above, Norwegian’s “Free at Sea” offering is popular… and for good reason. For just a little more, you can get a lot of extras included with your cruise. This can be everything from wi-fi minutes to drink packages to shore excursion credit. 

One thing to note, however, is that if you don’t opt for this — and even if you do — you should be prepared for higher prices than what you see on many other lines. 

We mentioned that the drink package starts at $109 per person, per day plus a 20% gratuity. That’s considerably higher than most lines. Unlimited wi-fi runs as much as $40 per day. Gratuities cost $20 per person, per day for most cabins (and $25 for higher-end rooms). Then there are charges for things like the go-karts and the Galaxy Pavilion (a high-end video gaming experience) on newer ships.

Bottom line, it seems that NCL prices many things at a premium. Don’t have sticker shock.

Weather at Great Stirrup Cay Can Cause Cancellations

You wake up, the sun is shining, the sea is blue, and your day at Great Stirrup Cay (NCL’s private island) is… cancelled?

Great Stirrup Cay in The Bahamas is a must-see. It features beautiful beaches, activities, food, and more, and it’s all for the exclusive use of NCL passengers. But the ship anchors offshore and then a smaller boat (a tender) brings you in.

Unfortunately, we’ve been on a cruise where the stop was cancelled because, while the weather was beautiful, it was too windy for the tenders to operate. Instead, we spent the day at sea. To be sure, it is disappointing. Just know that since there is no dock, weather is a bigger issue on if you’ll actually be able to visit.

Sugarcane Mojito Bar Can’t Miss

Every cruise line has their own unique bars like Carnival’s Alchemy Bar or Royal Caribbean’s Bionic Bar. One of the special ones on NCL is the Sugarcane Mojito Bar.

This spot features an intimate setting that’s filled with comfy leather seats and dark wood panels that give you a Cuban vibe. But what’s special is the menu. It’s all focused on mojitos.

You can try a jalapeno cucumber mojito, or a pineapple coconut style. One that we thought sounded most interesting is the Floridita, made with Bacardi, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur, and lime.

Even if you’re not a huge mojito fan, the vibe and atmosphere is something you’ll want to stop and enjoy.

Bring White (or Neon) Clothing for the Party

One tip is if you are sailing the Caribbean, you’ll want to bring some white or neon clothing with you. On trips to this area, the cruise line often puts on white — or now moving to “glow” — parties on the pool deck. So you’ll head out to poolside at night, listen to some music, dance, and generally have a great time while all glammed up in either white or neon.

And after the main party, there is likely an afterparty located in the ship’s nightclub.

Wi-Fi Package Prices Fall Through the Trip

There’s no arguing that NCL likes to push prices higher. In fact, cruise line executives have said as much. That can lead to some pricey items on the ship. For example, the highest-tier of wi-fi service runs a staggering $40 per day if bought onboard, and you buy service for a whole cruise.

But there is a way you can save some money. We’ve noticed with sailing NCL that after each day you can still buy the Internet package, but the total cost reduces day by day. So if you buy the $40 service on the first day of a 7-day cruise, you’ll pay about $280 for the trip. Wait until the next day, and the price drops to around $240, and so on.

So if you can go without for a couple of days at the start of the cruise, you should be able to save some considerable money.

Boarding Early Means Waiting on a Cabin

norwegian cruise line questions

We all want to get on the ship early and start our vacation. What we’ve noticed, however, is that boarding early (before 1-2 p.m.) usually means having to wait for your cabin to be ready. So you’ll board the ship and find that the doorways to the cabin hallways will be closed off.

You can still enjoy the ship, but you’ll either have to drop off your luggage as you board and come back later to pick it up (there is a location where they will hold bags until rooms are ready), or explore the ship with your bag in tow.

Or you can just wait to board later and be able to go right to your room as you get on the ship.

Souvenir Glasses Make Cool Keepsakes

Souvenir glasses for drinks aren’t anything new in cruising. But often they are honestly pretty tacky or gaudy. They may be fun on the cruise ship, but they are nothing you’d really use at home.

On Norwegian Cruise Line, it’s a bit different. They offer souvenir glasses you can take home, but they offer cool styles. For instance, there is a porcelain tiki glass that would be perfect for sipping something in the summer back home. Or maybe you’d rather a porcelain pineapple mug?

The point is, instead of being junky plastic cups that get tossed after a few months, these glasses are things that you’ll actually want to use back home. 

Norwegian Doesn’t Allow Drinks Onboard

Something to know for those soda drinkers who might have a favorite brand — NCL as a whole serves Coca-Cola products. You won’t find Pepsi or other products from that company on the ship.

As well, Norwegian also doesn’t let you bring on beverages (other than a bottle of wine/champagne) when you board, unlike other cruise lines. So you can’t just bring on your preferred beverage for your trip.

So if you have a drink that you just can’t live without, then you’re going to have to wait until you reach a port of call.

More on Sailing NCL:

  • Worth It? Complete Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Drink Package Guide
  • Norwegian Cruise Line Gratuities (Tips): Full Guide to Cost & How They Work

Good Deal? Everything to Know About Norwegian’s “Free At Sea” Sale

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Norwegian Cruise Line: The Complete Guide

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Table of Contents

About Norwegian Cruise Line sailings

Norwegian cruise line destinations, norwegian cruise line cruise prices, what is the best norwegian cruise line ship, what’s included on ncl cruises, ncl firsts in the industry: what is norwegian known for, ncl loyalty program: latitude rewards, norwegian cruise line credit card, what is ncl known for.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is one of the top players in large-ship cruising, and its fleet is seeing one of its biggest refits in decades with its new Prima fleet of ships. Norwegian Cruise Line ships are also known for their colorful hull art that makes them stand out in ports around the world.

The company dates back to 1966 when it got its start as a Norwegian shipping company. Today, it has become one of the more popular mainstream cruise brands and is part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which also includes the Regent Seven Seas and Oceania brands.

If you’re scrolling through endless Norwegian Cruise Line reviews, let this complete guide to the cruise company give you the larger overview of what sets this brand apart from the rest. There are some interesting innovations from Norwegian that other cruise lines have since adopted, but they started here.

» Learn more: The best travel credit cards right now

NCL sails around the world with numerous routes from the U.S. to Caribbean destinations as well as around the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas.

Its loyalty program, onboard amenities and variety of cabin types offer something for every type of traveler.

Cabin types: You can expect a range of different cabin sizes and layouts ranging from solo-traveler interior studios and inside cabins for as many as four people to ocean view and balcony cabins. A wide range of suites are also available. The Prima class of ships feature the largest suites, some of which have private whirlpools on the balcony and as many as three bedrooms. 

Main U.S. routes: NCL has plenty of North America sailings from U.S. ports to Alaska, Bermuda, Canada and New England. There are also sailings to the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico and the Panama Canal, among others. 

Loyalty program: NCL's Latitudes Rewards loyalty program, which issues one point for every night sailed as well as bonus points for booking suites or participating in certain promotions. At each elite tier, members earn onboard benefits like discounts, laundry service and special event access. The more you travel with NCL, the more benefits you can earn. 

norwegian cruise line questions

NCL spans the globe with sailings to every continent (even Antarctica) on a wide range of ships. They leave from both U.S. coasts as well as from Hawaii — where NCL has operated inter-island Hawaiian sailing for almost two decades.

Antarctica.

New Zealand.

Pacific Islands.

Panama Canal.

South America.

Depending on how long you want to sail and where you're going, you can find cruises as brief as two nights and as long as 21 days or more.

» Learn more: The pros and cons of cruises

You'll find lots of good deals on Norwegian, but cruise fares will fluctuate based on the destination, time of year and other variables. You’ll want to keep these factors in mind when booking a cruise, as they'll affect the price of the trip:

Time of year.

Trip duration.

Destination.

Ship class.

Cabin type.

You can find cruise bargains for as low as $350 on four-night cruises, but if you want to splurge and do a longer cruise, expect to pay as much as $4,600 or more (especially if you book a suite or a Haven category room).

Of course, the fare will always vary depending on which cabin type you book.

» Learn more: The best ways to book a cruise

norwegian cruise line questions

(Image courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line)

When it comes to which NCL ship is best, that depends on what you're looking for in a cruise. If you're traveling with a family, for example, water slides, amusement park-style games and multi-bedroom suites may be important. This means you may prefer one of the line’s newest Prima Class ships: Norwegian Prima or Norwegian Viva.

If you're looking for a romantic vacation, perhaps you'll want a smaller ship or a cabin in The Haven, which is a hotel-within-a-hotel concept with more personalized service. The Haven is only available on select Norwegian ships, including Encore, Viva and Prima.

What is the newest NCL ship?

Norwegian Viva launched in the summer of 2023, making it the newest ship for NCL. It has special features like a three-tier race track, the fastest slides at sea, a food hall with 11 complimentary eateries and a sustainable cocktail bar.

» Learn more: Do you need a passport for a Caribbean cruise?

On any NCL cruise, these benefits are always included:

Accommodations in the category you select at booking.

All meals in snack and buffet restaurants, main dining rooms and, when available, the food hall. 

Free non-bottled water, juice, hot chocolate, and some coffees and teas.

Fitness center access.

Shows and entertainment.

Pools and kids pool play area.

Onboard activities.

Government fees and port taxes.

If you want to partake in specialty dining reservations, Wi-Fi, Norwegian cruise excursions or upgraded beverage packages, you'll have to pay fees (sometimes bundled for greater savings).

» Learn more: Are cruises all-inclusive?

Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered many features aboard its ships, some of which other cruise lines have imitated. These are some of the special features you'll find aboard some or all of the ships in NCL’s fleet.

Freestyle dining: open-seating in restaurants with extended hours and no reservations. 

Private island: Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas is a private island for cruise passengers. NCL was the first cruise company to offer access to a private island, and it spurred a growing trend in the industry.

Full Broadway theater productions.

Onboard internet cafe.

Bowling alley at sea.

Ice bar at sea.

Studio accommodations for solo travelers, with a private lounge.

Sustainability-focused onboard bar with zero waste.

Collection of NFTs from a cruise company, available for sale.

Race track at sea.

norwegian cruise line questions

Latitude Rewards awards members with points based on each night they sail, and they can earn bonus nights when booking certain categories of suites.

Occasional promotions also offer double-night credit. You will only earn cruise points on eligible sailings where you are paying a traditional fare; promotional sailings with a heavy discount might not be eligible, although you would still receive the benefits at your tier. Also, sailings on sister lines do not qualify for Latitude Rewards cruise points.

As you accrue nights, you earn elite status that delivers onboard benefits that grow with each status tier.

Latitude Rewards levels

The loyalty program has seven levels, from Bronze to Ambassador. The full roster of onboard amenities can be found on the Norwegian Cruise Line website . There are some extra perks that come with certain tiers.

How to earn Latitudes Rewards points

Earn one point for every night you spend on a sailing and double points in suites or The Haven category accommodations.

How to redeem points

This program does not offer any points to redeem. Instead, you would earn benefits on future cruises related to your particular elite tier. Ambassador members (700+ points) earn a free 7-night cruise.

Spending on the Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard® won’t earn you Latitude Rewards points (the only way to do that is by sailing with NCL), but it will earn you WorldPoints. This currency can be redeemed for onboard credits on future sailings, Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursions and other travel experiences. The card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for world travelers.

With the Norwegian Cruise Line® World Mastercard, you earn WorldPoints as follows:

3x points on NCL sailings.

2x points on eligible airfare and hotel purchases.

1x point on everything else.

Earn 20,000 WorldPoints, which is good for a $200 onboard credit or discount toward a future cruise, if you spend $1,000 or more in the first 90 days the account is open.

How to redeem WorldPoints

Each WorldPoints point is equivalent to one cent, which you can then redeem for things such as:

Stateroom upgrades.

Travel discounts.

Last-minute cruises.

Onboard credits.

Car rentals.

Hotel stays.

Gift cards.

» Learn more: The best cruise lines

No, but you can pay for a Wi-Fi package, which starts at $29.99 per day per device.

No, but all sailings do include accommodations, activities, food and beverages, and entertainment. There is the ability to purchase extra benefits on each ship.

There are several drink package options on NCL sailings:

Non-alcoholic

The Unlimited Soda package includes all fountain soda drinks for $9.95 per person per day.

The Unlimited Starbucks package includes all Starbucks drinks for $12.95 per person per day.

An adult over the age of 21 could opt for a non-alcoholic drink package, but that means everyone else on their reservation must also get non-alcoholic drink packages.

Premium offers most drinks that cost $15 and under. You can pay the difference if you choose a more expensive drink. This unlimited package costs $109 per person per day.

Premium Plus offers even more drink options, mostly premium and top-shelf category labels, bottled water, Starbucks drinks and energy drinks for a flat price of $138 per person per day.

Keep in mind that alcoholic drink packages must be purchased for all people above the age of 21 in the same reservation, and those under 21 must pay for the soda package. The policy is intended to prevent people over the age of 21 from getting alcoholic drinks for other members of their party that did not pay for the alcoholic drink package.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers sailings at different price points to a global range of destinations. It is also known for its beautiful hull art, pioneering Freestyle Dining and adding buzzworthy amenities like ice bars and race tracks to its ships. NCL cruises are fun for all types of travelers, and its loyalty program can provide added perks along the way.

(Top photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line)

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

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1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Credit Card

on Bank of America's website

1.5x-2x Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.

60,000 Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

norwegian cruise line questions

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Norwegian Cruise Line Review – Ships, Destinations, Dining, and More

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Norwegian Cruise Line Review – Ships, Destinations, Dining, and More

Basic Information

Departure ports, featured shore excursion, onboard activities, complimentary dining, specialty dining, bars and beverages, accommodations, latitudes rewards, final thoughts.

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Norwegian Cruise Line has been around since 1966. Since that time, it’s grown to be one of the largest cruise lines in the world. It has been an innovator in the cruise industry by being the first cruise line to eliminate set dining times with their Freestyle Cruising program.

A Norwegian ship is easy to spot since each one’s hull is adorned with bright artwork, some of which have been done by world-famous artists like Peter Max, Guy Harvey, and David “Lebo” Le Batard.

Norwegian Breakaway Peter Max artwork

With 17 ships sailing to over 450 destinations across the world, there’s a Norwegian cruise to suit every traveler’s dreams!

Name: Norwegian Cruise Line

Parent Company: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (which also owns Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises)

Number of Ships: 17

Destinations: 450+

Loyalty Program: Latitudes Rewards

Credit Card : Norwegian Cruise Line ® World Mastercard ®

Norwegian currently operates 17 cruise ships:

  • Norwegian Bliss
  • Norwegian Breakaway
  • Norwegian Dawn
  • Norwegian Encore
  • Norwegian Epic
  • Norwegian Escape
  • Norwegian Gem
  • Norwegian Getaway
  • Norwegian Jade
  • Norwegian Jewel
  • Norwegian Joy
  • Norwegian Pearl
  • Norwegian Sky
  • Norwegian Spirit
  • Norwegian Star
  • Norwegian Sun
  • Pride of America

Norwegian Encore, built in 2019, is the newest ship in the NCL fleet. In 2022, the new Leonardo class of ships will be introduced.

Hot Tip: Think you can’t use miles and points to book a cruise? Think again. Check out our ultimate guide to booking a cruise using miles and points.

Norwegian sails to over 450 destinations from 17 departure ports across Europe and North America.

Private Ports/Islands

Norwegian Cruise Line has 1 private island in the Bahamas called Great Stirrup Cay. Activities offered on the island include snorkeling, kayaking, zip-lining, paddle boarding, and more!

Great Stirrup Cay

If luxury is what you’re after, you can rent a private villa at Silver Cove. Each villa comes with a private bathroom, a TV with on-demand movies, air conditioning, a retractable glass wall, and access to the upscale Silver Cove buffet.

Silver Cove at Great Stirrup Cay

You won’t go hungry during your day at Great Stirrup Cay. You can make your own tacos at Abaco Taco, grab a quick bite at the food truck, Tropic Like It’s Hot, or enjoy lunch at the Jumbey Beach Grill. You’ll also find 3 bars on the island — Bacardi Bar, Bertram’s Bar, and Patron Bar.

If you’d prefer to explore beyond Great Stirrup Cay, you can book the exclusive shore excursion at this port to visit the famous swimming pigs! Your excursion includes round-trip transportation to Treasure Island to interact with these playful piggies.

Hot Tip: Want to make sure you’re getting the best price on your cruise? Check out our list of the  best websites to book your cruise  at the lowest price to get started.

There is so much to do on a Norwegian cruise! In addition to cruise ship staples like pools, a casino, art auctions, Broadway-style shows, and a spa, Norwegian also offers lots of unique and thrilling activities including:

  • Kids’ Aqua Park
  • Ropes course
  • Virtual reality
  • The Waterfront oceanfront promenade
  • Waterslides: Ocean Loops, Free Fall, The Epic Plunge, The Whip

Note that some of these activities may come with additional fees, and not every activity is available on every ship.

Norwegian cruise line waterslides

Hot Tip: When booking your cruise, make sure you’re using the right credit card to maximize your benefits. See our guide to the  best credit cards to book cruises  for some guidance.

Dining and Beverages

Norwegian Cruise Line was a pioneer with its Freestyle Dining program. There are no set dining times or assigned seats, as is customary with “traditional” dining on many cruise lines. You can dine whenever and where ever you wish. Plus, there is never a formal night requirement.

  • Main dining rooms (up to 3 per ship)
  • O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill
  • Asian Fusion
  • 24-hour room service

Norwegian Star Main Dining Room

Norwegian offers a selection of specialty dining restaurants that come with an additional cost (some offer à la carte pricing while others come with a flat per person charge). Not all of these locations are available on every ship.

  • Bayamo by Ocean Blue
  • Cagney’s Steakhouse
  • Food Republic
  • Margaritaville
  • Moderno Churrascaria
  • Pincho Tapas Bar

Hot Tip: You can purchase specialty dining packages ahead of time so you can enjoy these restaurants without having to worry about payment. Packages start at 3 specialty meals for $99.

A Norwegian ship can feature up to 22 different bars and lounges including:

  • 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar
  • Bliss Ultra Lounge
  • Great Outdoors
  • The Humidor Cigar Lounge
  • Magnum’s Champagne and Wine Bar
  • Maltings Beer and Whisky Bar
  • O’Sheehan’s Bar and Grill
  • Shaker’s Martini Bar
  • Skyy Vodka Ice Bar
  • Sugarcane Mojito Bar
  • Vibe Beach Club
  • Waves Pool Bar

As typical with many cruise lines, some beverages aren’t included in the cost. If you would prefer to pay for your drinks upfront, you can purchase a beverage package:

  • The Corks and Caps Wine and Beer Package includes soft drinks plus beers and wines by the glass. The cost is $65 per person per day.
  • The Premium Beverage Package includes soft drinks, select spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass, and bottled or draft beer up to and including $15 each. The cost is $99 per person per day. 
  • The Premium Plus Beverage Package includes soft drinks, beers, spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass and select bottles of wine with dinner, plus sparkling water, energy drinks, and specialty coffees. The cost is $128 per person per day.

For the 3 packages above, you must be 21 years old or older to purchase. If 1 person purchases a package, everyone (over 21 years old) residing in the same stateroom or additional staterooms that were under the same form of payment is required to purchase it. Anyone under 21 years of age on the same reservation will be required to purchase the Soda Program.

  • The Soda Program provides endless fountain soda throughout your cruise. The cost is $5.95 per person per day for ages 12 and under. For anyone over the age of 12, the cost is $7.95 per person per day.

Bottom Line: Beverage packages must be purchased for the entire length of the cruise . A 20% gratuity and beverage service charge will be added to all beverage package purchases.

Norwegian offers many different types of staterooms to accommodate all kinds of travelers. Whether you’re traveling solo or with the whole family, on a budget or looking to splurge, you’ll find a stateroom that will suit your needs.

Here are some of the highlights:

If you’re traveling by yourself, check out the Studios on Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss, and Pride of America. These 1 person accommodations are designed for the solo traveler — and priced accordingly.

At approximately 100 sq. ft., these mini rooms have just the essentials, but you’ll also get access to the Studio Complex and Lounge, a shared space where you can relax, order room service, watch TV, and meet your neighbors.

Norwegian studio for solo travelers

A Family Balcony Stateroom comes with a location that’s near the kid-friendly action, including the youth program and pool deck, and it sleeps up to 4 passengers.

If a spa experience is what you’re after, consider booking a Spa Suite, Mini-Suite, or Balcony Stateroom . These relaxing rooms are located close to the Mandara Spa and include access to the Thermal Spa Suites, sauna, hydrotherapy pools, steam room, and heated loungers.

For the ultimate in luxury at sea, try out The Haven by Norwegian . The Haven collection features the most luxurious staterooms located at the top of the ship. You’ll have access to a concierge and 24-hour butler, plus the private sundeck (complete with pool and hot tub) reserved just for Haven guests. Select ships also offer a private Haven bar and restaurant.

Courtyard Penthouse With Balcony - Norwegian Haven

Hot Tip: Make sure you don’t forget anything — check out our  printable cruise vacation packing list!

Latitudes Rewards is Norwegian Cruise Line’s loyalty program. Each tier is determined by the number of points you have earned.

  • You’ll earn 1 point for each cruise night (for example, you would earn 7 points for a 7-night cruise)
  • Earn an additional 1 point per night when you book a Concierge, Suite, or Haven stateroom
  • Earn an additional 1 point per night if you book a Latitude Rewards Insider Offer

Latitudes Rewards perks vary by tier — here are some of the highlights (each level of status includes all benefits offered by lower tiers):

  • Bronze: Priority check-in at the pier, a bottle of sparkling wine in your stateroom, free artwork for attending the art auctions
  • Silver: Exclusive onboard cocktail party, discounts on shore excursions, photos, and spa treatments while in port
  • Gold: Priority tender tickets, discounted laundry service, priority disembarkation
  • Platinum: Priority embarkation, dinner for 2 and a bottle of wine at Cagney’s or Le Bistro, free internet minutes
  • Platinum Plus: Dinner with ship officers, priority restaurant and entertainment seating.
  • Ambassador: Complimentary 7-day cruise

Norwegian Cruise Line has been a cruise industry leader since the 1960s. Whether you want to sail the Caribbean, explore Europe, or journey through exotic destinations in Asia, Norwegian has you covered.

It was the first cruise line to eliminate the traditional set dining times when it introduced Freestyle Dining, allowing guests to eat at any time at up to 28 different locations on each ship.

Plus, if you sail with Norwegian multiple times, you’ll be able to take advantage of their loyalty program, Latitude Rewards, which offers benefits like priority check-in, discounts on shore excursions, priority tender tickets, and even a free cruise!

Whether you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing room for 1, or are living it up with a big group, you’ll find lots of different staterooms to choose from on a Norwegian ship.

Norwegian is among the world’s largest cruise lines and offers everything from simple, budget-friendly vacations to all-out luxury sailing. The choice is yours!

Interested in other cruise lines? Check out of fact sheets of Carnival , and Princess Cruise Lines to see what other options are awaiting you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best norwegian cruise ship.

The idea of the “best” ship is subjective, but the biggest and newest ship is Norwegian Encore, which debuted in 2019. Norwegian will be introducing the new Leonardo class of ships in 2022.

Where does Norwegian Cruise Line cruise to?

Norwegian Cruise line sails to over 450 destinations across the world in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Is Norwegian Cruise Line all-inclusive?

Norwegian Cruise Line isn’t totally all-inclusive, but it’s close. Each ship will have numerous restaurants to eat at that are included in your fare. However, many beverages require an additional charge, and there are always restaurants available that come with either à la carte pricing or incur a per person charge. A majority of the activities on board are included, so you are definitely able to have a great vacation without paying anything extra on board.

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About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

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Home » Cruise » Norwegian Cruise Line » Complete Guide to Cruising on Norwegian Cruise Line

Complete Guide to Cruising on Norwegian Cruise Line

If you're planning your first NCL cruise, we have a complete guide to cruising on Norwegian from dining to entertainment and more.

Complete Guide to Cruising on Norwegian

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Norwegian Cruise Line is an American cruise line headquartered in Miami that was founded in Norway in 1966. Norwegian — also referred to as NCL — pioneered many firsts in the industry, including an exclusive private island along with its popular brand of casual, “freestyle” cruising. This flexible cruise style replaced traditional set dining times with anytime dining and made lots of options for activities and entertainment the norm.

Norwegian Cruise Line is part of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), which also operates Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. With its three subsidiaries, NCLH is one of the largest cruise operators in the world.

If you’re planning your first NCL cruise, we have a complete guide to cruising on Norwegian Cruise Line.

Norwegian Cruise Line Expands Exotic Itineraries Collection

Call to Book Your Next Cruise Now: 1-855-228-5584!

Who Should Cruise Norwegian Cruise Line?

Norwegian Cruise Line appeals to families of all kinds as well as couples, due to its abundant offerings — from more than a dozen restaurant venues aboard any given ship to an intimate suite complex and marquee top-deck attractions like a three-story racetrack.

Norwegian ships vary in size with its older vessels accommodating just 2,000 guests. While Norwegian Encore (2019) has a capacity of double or about 4,000 guests. The ships are in the mid to large range. While most are fit for a casually cruising passenger, newer vessels have premium finishes and a larger space-to-guest ratio.

Norwegian is often noted for its first-class entertainment, whether it’s a stage production plucked straight from Broadway or a cutting-edge VR arcade. Thus, these are ships for vacationers who don’t want to be bored for a single moment.

Norwegian Encore Alaska Cruise Review

While theater shows are part of the cruise fare, many of Norwegian’s enticing extras do come with a fee. Although, guests can purchase many upcharges in advance like drink and dining packages . Thus, cruisers should budget for the appealing amenities they’ll find on an NCL cruise, from escape rooms to Starbucks.

Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line is the only major cruise line serving the Hawaiian islands year-round with roundtrip sailings from Honolulu. So, anyone interested in a sailing through Hawaii should consider Norwegian’s Pride of America.

Norwegian Cruise Line Ships

The Norwegian Cruise Line fleet consists of 19 ships as of publication. Sixteen ships are divided into six ship classes. While Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Spirit, and the Honolulu-based Pride of America stand alone.

  • Norwegian Aqua (debuting 2025)
  • Norwegian Viva (2023)
  • Norwegian Prima (2022)
  • Norwegian Encore (2019)
  • Norwegian Bliss (2018)
  • Norwegian Joy (2017)
  • Norwegian Escape (2015)
  • Norwegian Getaway (2014)
  • Norwegian Breakaway (2013)
  • Norwegian Epic (2010)
  • Norwegian Gem (2007)
  • Norwegian Jade (2006)
  • Norwegian Pearl (2006)
  • Norwegian Jewel (2005)
  • Pride of America (2005)
  • Norwegian Dawn (2002)
  • Norwegian Star (2001)
  • Norwegian Sun (2001)
  • Norwegian Sky (1999)
  • Norwegian Spirit (1998)

NCL Ship Classes

  • Sun Class : Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Sky
  • Dawn Class : Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Star
  • Jewel Class : Norwegian Gem, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Jewel
  • Breakaway Class : Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway
  • Breakaway Plus : Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Escape
  • Prima Class : Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Aqua (coming 2025)

Cruising on Norwegian

EXCLUSIVE RATES: Get Deals on Your Next Norwegian Cruise!

Norwegian Cruise Line Cabin Categories

Although Norwegian offers several cabin configurations to suit its cruisers, it’s probably best known for its largest and smallest offerings. The Garden Villas onboard Norwegian Star and Norwegian Dawn are some of the most spacious at sea. They feature three bedrooms that sleep up to seven people and about 6,694 square feet of space.

On the other end of the spectrum, NCL is often lauded for its accommodations for solo cruisers called Studios. These single staterooms, complete with their own shared lounge, are cozy but priced without steep supplements for independent cruisers.

Expect standard amenities across cabins, including a safe, TV, refrigerator, hair dryer, desk with chair, luggage storage and private bathroom with sink, toilet and shower. Included standard toiletries offer a lemongrass scent. Bed configurations depend on the cabin category but typically consist of single beds that can convert to a queen.

Norwegian’s popular “Free at Sea” promotion bundles some coveted perks into the price of your cruise. For more details of this booking offer: Everything You Need to Know about Norwegian Cruise Line’s Free at Sea .

Accommodating up to four occupants with up to 142 square feet of space, interior cabins are available on every NCL ship. And they are often the cheapest stateroom that you can book.

With up to 161 square feet of living and a window to the sea, outside or ocean view cabins provide a vista. These cabins are available across every Norwegian ship except Norwegian Epic.

Norwegian Prima Balcony Cabin Review

One of NCL’s most popular cabin categories, balcony staterooms range in size but all offer the added benefit of some (privately enjoyed) fresh air. Beginning with standard balcony staterooms around 205 square feet in size, up to four guests can sail together or opt for connecting balcony staterooms for even more square footage. Family Balcony Staterooms run up to 216 square feet and are located near family-friendly hotspots like the pool and kids’ clubs.

Club Balcony Suites, formerly known as Mini-Suites, can still accommodate up to four passengers but have up to 285 square feet to spread out.

All balcony cabins come with a coffee maker upon request, but Club balconies also come with one complimentary valet laundry; a bottle of sparkling wine; treats delivered to your cabin twice per week; bathrobes; and the ability to pre-book entertainment and dining prior to sailing (21 and 125 days out, respectively).

NCL’s new Prima Class of ships offer some of the most spacious and elegantly appointed balcony cabins at sea.

Suites and penthouses onboard Norwegian ships come with a host of additional amenities. These include priority reservations and even a personal escort on/off the ship as well as butler service (except Norwegian Joy).

Suites typically sleep up to five or six people and range from a 409-square-foot Family Suite to the 1,382-square-foot Deluxe Owner’s Suite. As mentioned, the Garden Villas are some of the most spacious suites at sea surpassing 6,000 square feet. From complimentary Champagne and spirits to a daily fruit basket and an exclusive restaurant for breakfast and lunch, the suite life on NCL ships is an upgrade worth investing in.

Cruisers are empowered to sail solo onboard Norwegian with dedicated single staterooms called Studios as well as a variety of other accommodations. Solo staterooms are far from only interior closet-sized cabins and include a snug but thoughtful design plus the option for ocean view or balcony configurations.

The Studio Complex is where fellow independent cruisers can meet up at the private Studio Lounge, with coffee and snacks throughout the day (except aboard Pride of America). Single occupancy cabins are being expanded fleetwide, but those interested in Studio cabins can expect about 100 square feet of living space with a social window to the corridor. 

Cruising on Norwegian

Note: The Spa Balcony, Spa Club Balcony Suite, and Spa Suite within The Haven that were previously available on select ships were recategorized to traditional staterooms as of January 2024.

One of the most coveted “ship within a ship” complexes is Norwegian Cruise Line’s Haven, which debuted onboard Norwegian Breakaway in 2013. Since then, each iteration of the Haven has only become more spacious and in-demand.

This keycard access-only area at the top of the ship features some of the most luxe cabins on the ship. A dedicated bar, lounge, restaurant, concierge service, pool and sun deck (for ages 16-plus) round out The Haven’s premium offerings. In other words, you never have to leave if you don’t want to!

You can check out The Haven on Norwegian Prima here .

Accessibility

Norwegian Cruise Line employs Accessibility Coordinators who are available to work with guests on their specific needs prior to cruising. This includes accommodations for the deaf and low hearing; blind and low vision; passengers with limited mobility; medical needs such as oxygen tanks; guests with service animals; special dietary requirements; and cognitive disabilities.

The cruise line requests that any guests requiring this type of assistance contact their Access Desk up to 90 days in advance for interpreters. Or, up to 45 days in advance of sailing for all other requests. Guests can rent beach wheelchairs for use on Norwegian’s private island, though there a limited number onboard.

Wheelchair-accessible staterooms are available across every ship in the fleet. Although, guests should book them well in advance due to limited availability. These rooms offer wider door frames, roll-in showers, shower benches, high-rise toilets, handrails and space to maneuver throughout the room and in the cabin hallway.

Destinations You Can Visit While Cruising With Norwegian

Norwegian Cruise Line operates on every continent, offering a wide range of destinations and repositioning opportunities. While the cruise line’s bread and butter remain warm-weather destinations, ample voyages in Europe as well as Alaska and Canada/New England provide variety for any season.

While Norwegian sails the Caribbean , the Bahamas , and Mexico year-round, you’ll also find cruises to Bermuda, the South Pacific, Greek Isles/Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada/New England, the U.S. Pacific Coast, South America, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Africa, transatlantic voyages and select sailings that stop in Antarctica .

norwegian cruise line questions

Three- and four-day itineraries make a weekend cruise possible for anyone able to sail from Florida to the Bahamas or New York to Bermuda. While most Norwegian cruises average about a week, there are available voyages of up to 16 days. These longer sailings typically include a Panama Canal crossing.

Departure Ports When Cruising on Norwegian

There are more than 50 ports of departure for Norwegian Cruise Line itineraries, crisscrossing the globe. Some of these embarkation ports include London, Melbourne, Tokyo, Lisbon, Dubai, and Reykjavik.

However, when it comes to homeports — or dedicated turnaround ports where ships are based for contiguous sailings or a season — there are a few primary departure ports used by NCL.

At the time of publication, Norwegian’s domestic homeports include (in order of the number of ships based there): Miami ; New York; Port Canaveral (Orlando); Seattle; Los Angeles; Honolulu; Tampa; Seward, Alaska; New Orleans; San Diego; Boston; Baltimore; and Galveston . Norwegian Viva and Norwegian Epic are also seasonally based in San Juan.

Abroad, Norwegian Cruise Line bases ships in Vancouver for Alaska season or Quebec City for Canada/New England season. Norwegian Spirit spends about eight months of the year splitting its time between Australia and the South Pacific. Additionally, 10 ships spend three to eight months homeported in European ports like Barcelona or Civitavecchia (Rome).

BOOK NOW: Exclusive Offers on NCL Cruises!

Norwegian Cruise Line Private Islands

Sailing an NCL ship to the Bahamas or Caribbean, cruisers can visit Norwegian’s own private Bahamian island, Great Stirrup Cay . More than a dozen ships make calls here throughout the year.

Norwegian Cruise Line also operates a private resort in Belize, Harvest Caye. Many of the line’s Western Caribbean itineraries visit this destination.

Ways That Cruising Will Change

Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas

Under Norwegian Cruise Line ownership since 1977, Great Stirrup Cay initiated the private cruise island craze. After $400 million in improvements, the 270-acre island has recently expanded its beaches and dining venues along with enhancing its cabanas and oceanfront bars. Guests looking for even more exclusivity (similar to the Haven onboard) can reserve space at Silver Cove. This dedicated area has its own private beach as well as upgraded amenities. For instance, there’s an upscale dedicated restaurant, an outfit of the Mandara Spa, and a Moet & Chandon Champagne Bar.

Activities awaiting cruisers who call on GSC include kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, ziplining, standup paddleboarding — or nothing at all. Excursions to nearby Treasure Island offer vacationers the unique chance to swim with the island’s wild pigs.

Dining venues like Abaco Tacos and Jumbey Beach Grill are complimentary. If you have a drink package, it applies to island watering holes such as the Bacardi Bar or Patron Bar.

Harvest Caye, Belize

Harvest Caye is Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island located in southern Belize. This 75-acre retreat opened in 2016 in partnership with the country of Belize. While located only about a mile from the mainland of Belize, the only way to visit is on an NCL cruise.

Harvest Caye, Belize features a lagoon pool with swim-up bar, a 7-acre beach, restaurants and bars, and a variety of shore excursion options. You can certainly enjoy a day of fun in the sun at this private island.

However, unlike other private islands, Harvest Caye is staffed by locals and not NCL staff. Further, food and drinks are an up-charge, even if you have a drink package.

Onboard Dining Available When Cruising on Norwegian

Norwegian’s pioneering type of “freestyle cruising” largely applies to its dining. With flexible dining times and 20-plus restaurants on some ships, foodie cruisers are spoiled for choice across the NCL fleet. From pub dining and sushi to Italian, French, Brazilian, and Mexican cuisine, it’s just about impossible to be jaded by culinary options onboard.

Norwegian Encore Restaurant Menus and Dining Guide

For an overview of all the dining options on Norwegian Prima, check out the Norwegian Prima Restaurants Guide With Menus .

In terms of room service , individual items are complimentary but there’s a delivery fee of approximately $9.95 for each order. This excludes morning coffee and Continental breakfast. Guests staying in The Haven do not have to pay for room service.

INCLUDED – Norwegian Cruise Line Restaurants

Main Dining Rooms : Whether they are larger and grander single dining rooms on older ships or modernized offerings divided between three restaurants, main dining rooms are the included sit-down option for meals onboard most cruise lines, and Norwegian is no exception. Dubbed the Manhattan Room, Taste, and Savor on ships that have launched in the past few years, these “MDRs” offer a standard, multi-course menu at all meals along with a daily rotating menu at lunch and dinner. What we like best about Norwegian’s take on main dining is that the venues feel like individual restaurants even if the menus are the same across each space.

Buffet : Every NCL ship offers a buffet-style dining option —sometimes called the Garden Café — at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Peruse hot and cold plates, including a salad bar and plenty of pastries as well as soft-serve ice cream. Made-to-order omelets and a carving station can also be found among the many counters teasing your palette with included options.

O’Sheehan’s/The Local : No matter which iteration you’ll find onboard your Norwegian cruise ship, these 24-hour pubs come in handy with late-night snacks and a surprisingly comprehensive offering at breakfast (plus less crowds!) Classic pub fare like fish and chips or burgers dominate the menu here, but specials rotate daily. Ten ships still sport the original name of O’Sheehan’s, while it’s dubbed The Local on all ships following Norwegian Joy. This is also the place to catch a sports game or a round of trivia.

cruising on norwegian

Indulge Food Hall : This complimentary food hall-style dining venue tantalizes cruisers with small bites from food trucks and counters proffering noodles, Indian food, healthy salads, and more. Sit in a booth or outdoor by the pool, order from an iPad, and wait for the deliciousness to arrive. Indulge is available onboard Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The Haven Restaurant : The dedicated restaurant found within The Haven complex serves contemporary plates for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition to a standing menu, the restaurant in the Haven is extraordinary at accommodating special requests, when possible.

SPECIALTY – Norwegian Cruise Line Restaurants

American Diner : Is there anything more kitschy-cool than dining in a booth that looks like an old Cadillac? Pair the retro atmosphere with some classic diner favorites, complete with a boozy milkshake, and you have the ultimate family vacation destination. This casual restaurant, found under cover on deck, is aboard Breakaway- and Breakaway Plus-class ships.

Cagney’s : The classic American steakhouse is a must. Norwegian Cruise Line does it right with moody, Manhattan-inspired décor; mouthwatering sides including parmesan truffle fries; and Certified Angus Beef in your choice of cut. This failsafe choice for dinner is available fleetwide.

Moderno Churrascaria : Taken straight from the authentic steakhouses of Brazil, Moderno is an all-you-can-eat, meat-lover’s delight, complete with salad bar. Enjoy this South American tradition across a dozen of Norwegian’s ships (some with outdoor dining). 

Le Bistro : For a romantic night out, it’s hard to beat Norwegian Cruise Line’s French eatery, Le Bistro. Found aboard all ships except Pride of America, Le Bistro offers equal parts sumptuous cuisine, fine wine, and intimate ambiance. Escargot, anyone?

cruising on norwegian

Teppanyaki: There are five different sushi venues across the Norwegian fleet. However, the idea of hibachi or a Japanese grill is the ultimate crowd pleaser and a spot you’ll want to reserve in advance of your sailing. Teppanyaki is a meal and a show rolled into one. It’s so well-liked it’s found on most ships, rebranded as Hasuki on Norwegian Prima and Viva.

Los Lobos : If you’re craving the perfect margarita and maybe some tableside guac, head to Mexican cantina Los Lobos. A menu drawing upon the palate-pleasing dishes of Mexico as well as an entire menu of tequila will delight diners sailing Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Viva and in a retrofitted venue onboard Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Dawn.

La Cucina : Norwegian’s hallmark Italian restaurant is La Cucina, which of course translates to “the kitchen.” Here, all the comfort foods and carbs of Italy come alive with a menu of pastas as well as traditional entrees and portions meant to be shared family style. A total of 14 ships offer the chance to dine at La Cucina. And the experience is heightened on Breakaway- and Breakaway Plus-class ships where oceanfront seating is available.

Featuring an original twist on the land-based favorite, Onda by Scarpetta is NCL’s upscale Italian restaurant on Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Spirit, and Prima-class ships.

Food Republic: If you’re indecisive about lunch or dinner, Food Republic is either the best or worst place to head. This a la carte menu features small plates from international cuisines, whether its Asian buns or Latin street food. Great for groups, this is an ideal restaurant to try something new — if you can make up your mind.

Norwegian Joy Restaurant Guide With Menus (2023)

Ocean Blue : Sailing the seas, a cruise ship is the perfect place to indulge in a seafood dinner. Ocean Blue is a fine dining experience with seating along the Waterfront onboard Norwegian Bliss, Encore, Joy, Getaway, and Breakaway. Bayamo by Ocean Blue is a similar take on seafood dishes aboard Norwegian Escape.

Passengers on Prima-class ships will find a Mediterranean twist on fresh fish plates at Palomar .

Q Texas Smokehouse : Drawing upon authentic Texas-style barbecue, this laidback venue also occasionally features live country music and some serious Southern-inspired cocktails. Slow-cooked meats and all the fixins are available on Norwegian Bliss, Encore, and Joy.

Coco’s : Fancy an ice cream sundae or over-the-top milkshake? Head to Coco’s for treats like chocolates and crepes onboard Norwegian Encore, Bliss, Prima, and Viva.

While these are many of the popular dining venues found across the NCL fleet, you should refer to NCL’s website for deck plans of your ship for the most comprehensive look at dining options.

NCL Bars & Lounges

Norwegian is known for its nightlife, which ranges from cozy cocktail lounges to brew pub-style hangouts to dance clubs and even breezy, alfresco bars along the Waterfront. These are just some of the popular bars where you might find a delicious drink on your next Norwegian cruise.

District Brew House: The District Brew House is a craft brew hall at sea, offering an impressive variety of beers on tap as well as by the bottle. It also features local ales from Miami’s own Wynwood Brewing Company. With leather furniture and a schedule of tastings on the program, it’s a comfortable place to unwind any time of day. The District Brew House first debuted onboard Norwegian Escape.

Cruising on Norwegian

Spinnaker Lounge : The place to be after hours on Norwegian’s Sun and Jewel class ships — plus Norwegian Spirit — is the Spinnaker Lounge. By day it’s a serene observation lounge perched at the top of the ship, but by night the spacious dance floor comes alive with a band or opportunity to karaoke.

Maltings Whiskey Bar : Specializing in concoctions featuring a whiskey base as well as tasting flights, Maltings is a classy bar across more than half a dozen Norwegian ships.

Sugarcane Mojito Bar : A popular venue on Norwegian ships is this Sugarcane Mojito Bar. This venue features tasty variations of this refreshing libation made with rum and muddled mint. With indoor/outdoor seating areas, revelers can dance to a Latin band or sip their fruity Cuban mojito along the waterfront with the added flavor of the salty ocean air.

The Cellars Wine Bar : This partnership with renowned Napa Valley winemakers, the Mondavi Family, translates to a sophisticated experience for wine lovers onboard Norwegian Escape, Bliss, Joy, Encore, and Dawn. Go with a favorite varietal or speak with your bartender about trying something new.

A-List Bar (also the Prime Meridian Bar on select ships): This circular bar, titled after a former Norwegian Cruise Line CEO, serves up some of the tastiest and most inventive drinks across the fleet. Handcrafted cocktails fill the pages of the A-List menu. Or you can request that your mixologist whip you up something to your taste as you sit tucked at the aft of the ship between two specialty restaurants.

Bliss Ultra Lounge : Thumping house music keeps the energy high at Bliss, the dedicated nightclub that glows across a dozen of Norwegian’s ships. This is where you might find cruisers gathering for the line’s signature White Night Party.

Spice H2O : An adult-only sun deck by day, Spice H2O becomes an outdoor dance party by night. Ushering in the fun with themed deck parties (like the totally ‘80s), revelers can dance with abandon under the night sky.

Cruising on Norwegian

Syd Norman’s Pour House : Modeled after the legendary nightclubs of LA’s Sunset Strip, Syd Norman’s debuted on Norwegian Breakaway and is featured on Getaway, Prima, and Viva as well. Spotlighting rock cover bands, this small space has been expanded on ships over the years due to its standing-room-only crowds. For a similar vibe, some other select ships in the fleet feature The Cavern Club . Modeled after the Liverpool landmark, this venue features Beatles tribute bands.

Skyy Vodka Ice Bar : One of the most exciting novelty bars on the seven seas, Norwegian offers a floating ice bar onboard Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, and Norwegian Getaway. Complete with parkas and mittens to grip your frozen drink vessels, this chill experience comes with a cover charge.

While these are some of the more popular bars, other bars found throughout the NCL fleet include the Atrium Bar, Mixx Bar, Skyline Bar in the casino, Waves Pool Bar, a Champagne Bar, Martini Bar, Sake Bar, a cigar lounge, and a comedy club, among others. Not to mention, the Prima Class features two brand new bars , the Metropolitan Bar and the Belvedere Bar , each serving their own signature cocktails.

Beverage Packages When Cruising on Norwegian

Considering whether it’s worth purchasing a drink package on your next cruise? Or, if you should upgrade your Free at Sea drink package to the Premium Plus? Here is everything you need to know about beverage packages on Norwegian Cruise Line . We walk you through the inclusions of each to help you decide what’s right for you.

Onboard Activities/Entertainment on Norwegian Cruise Line

Most Norwegian Cruise Line ships come outfitted with a dizzying array of attractions, both included and for fee, like the impressive top-deck attractions on newer vessels. These include an industry-leading Aqua Park with slides, splash areas for kids, and a massive ropes course; an open-air laser tag arena; and of course, the signature GoKart racetracks, which can span multiple levels.

Indoors, cruisers can lose themselves for an entire sea day at the Galaxy Pavilion, an arcade with interactive games including virtual and augmented reality as well as an escape room. Bowling is also available on Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Pearl.

norwegian cruise line questions

Of course, traditional cruise ship amusements like mini golf and a sports court are also available, along with a rock wall on select ships.

Take in a game show like “Deal or No Deal” or “Wheel of Fortune,” where real cruising contestants play for cash, prizes, and a whole lot of fun.

The nightly production shows are a highlight across most Norwegian ships, with Broadway-inspired recreations from “Six” to “Beetlejuice” alongside creative, original productions in the theater.

Live music can be found in bars and lounges around the ship, including purpose-built venues like Syd Norman’s or the Cavern Club. Cover bands spanning blues and rock-and-roll perform here nightly. Or, if you’re sailing onboard a ship with Howl at the Moon, prepare yourself for some rowdy renditions on dueling pianos.

For laughs, the Levity Entertainment Group keeps a vibrant roster of comedians on deck at the Comedy Club onboard select ships.

Of course, you’ll also find a plethora of activities led by the cruise staff too including trivia, game shows, deck parties, and more. There’s also plenty of other live music around the ship in various bars and lounges.

Casinos at Sea is the name of Norwegian’s fleetwide casino program. Offering relatively large onboard casinos, Norwegian Cruise Line ships offer spaces with slot machines, gaming tables, a dedicated bar and more. There is a casino aboard every NCL ship with the exception of Pride of America.

The five tiers of casino rewards include Jade (for beginners); Pearl (up to 5,000 points); Sapphire (up to 15,000 points); Ruby (up to 35,000 points); and Elite (for up to 100,000 points in a tier evaluation period). The annual casino tier evaluation period runs from April 1 to March 31. Perks like complimentary drinks apply across Norwegian Cruise Line as well as its sister brands Oceania and Regent.

Cruising on Norwegian

Spa and Fitness

Mandara Spa and Salon is Norwegian’s onboard center for pampering and unwinding. In addition to a variety of body treatments and hair and nail services, Norwegian’s spas offer excellent thermal suites . Guests can access these adults-only spaces separately with a day or cruise-long pass. They include a variety of saunas, thermal pools, hot and cold rooms, therapeutic showers and heated, ceramic loungers. They also typically offer stellar views over the sea as you relax.

Adjacent to every Mandara spa is a fitness and wellness center. Here, cruisers interested in keeping active can utilize a range of machines, like treadmills and ellipticals, or opt to use free weights or TRX training equipment. While use of the gym is complimentary, a variety of classes are on offer for an additional fee, including yoga, Pilates, and spinning. NCL currently offers RYDE indoor cycling on select ships.

NCL Kids Clubs

The youth program on Norwegian Cruise Line ships is Splash Academy for kids ages 3 to 12. Then, there’s Entourage for teens 13 to 17. These complimentary clubs and services are available across the fleet except for Norwegian Spirit.

Guppies Open Play is a dedicated area for families of the littlest cruisers. This self-guided space allows the caretakers of infants and toddlers ages 6 months to 3 years to play with their kiddos utilizing toys and games suited for early childhood.

Splash Academy offers age-appropriate games and activities supervised by youth staff or offered for the entire family to participate in. Think: game shows, trivia sessions, scavenger hunts, and sports competitions.

Entourage is the hangout for teens onboard Norwegian Cruise Line. Here, teens can enjoy diversions like movie nights, dance parties, video game tournaments, arts and crafts, or a karaoke session. In addition to supervised daytime activities with counselors, these spaces are also open after hours so older kids have a place to congregate.

For parents of kids aged 3 to 12, late-night childcare between the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. is available for an additional fee, allowing for a date night.

What’s Included When Cruising on Norwegian Cruise Line?

When booking a cruise, it’s important to know what is part of your standard cruise fare. Check out everything that’s included on a Norwegian cruise , from full-service main dining to bespoke nightly entertainment.

How Much Does It Cost to Live on a Cruise Ship?

While each ship has slightly different offerings, here’s a list of what you can expect as part of your cruise fare.

  • Accommodations
  • Dining (specialty dining carries an extra fee)
  • Continental breakfast ordered with room service
  • Basic beverages (water, lemonade, iced tea, juice, coffee)
  • Shows, including stage performances in the theater, comedy club, etc.
  • Live music around the ship
  • Many activities, like trivia sessions, game shows, dance classes, etc.
  • Use of the pools and the water slides/dry slides
  • Some outdoor amenities, like the ropes course and sports court
  • Dance parties
  • Fitness center
  • Use of the NCL app (WiFi is an additional fee though)

While much is part of the cruise fare, some things will cost extra . Unfortunately, NCL does have the reputation of charging for more of its onboard offerings when compared to other cruise lines.

Wi-Fi Offerings on NCL

Norwegian Cruise Line offers two basic internet packages onboard its ships. The Unlimited Wi-Fi Package offers general browsing on the web, email, and messaging for about $29.99 per device, per day. (Guests can add a second device for $15.99 per day). The Unlimited Premium Wi-Fi Package is $39.99 per device, per day ($25.99 per diem for a second device) but includes audio and video streaming plus VPN access. Prices are subject to change depending on the vessel or itinerary.

Norwegian Cruise Line Gratuities

A daily gratuity is automatically added to each passenger’s account, aged 3 years and older. The daily gratuity for guests booked in standard cabins through Club Balcony Suites is $20 per person, per day. For guests staying in The Haven complex or other suites, the service charge is $25 per person, per day.

Tips can be prepaid or settled at the end of the voyage. If service wasn’t up to standards, guests can make an adjustment to these gratuities at Guest Services while still onboard.

A 20% gratuity is added to each beverage purchase as well as at most specialty dining venues.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Loyalty Program

Latitudes Rewards is Norwegian Cruise Line’s loyalty program. First-time cruisers with NCL are automatically enrolled in the program, earning one point for every night spent on a ship. An additional point per night is earned when booking a suite or a Haven cabin or a special Latitudes offer.

There are seven tiers in the Latitudes Rewards program:

  • Bronze (1-19 points)
  • Silver (20-44 points)
  • Gold (45-74 points)
  • Platinum (75-149 points)
  • Sapphire (150-349 points)
  • Diamond (350-699 points)
  • Ambassador (700-plus points)

Perks range from discounts in the duty-free shops onboard to exclusive cocktail parties, free laundry service, priority check-in and embarkation, in-room amenities like a complimentary dinner for two with a bottle of wine, behind-the-scenes ship tours, and more.

Additionally, the Latitudes Magazine is available as Norwegian’s members-only digital magazine with news, travel tips, and more.

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20 Norwegian Cruise Line Interview Questions and Answers

Prepare for the types of questions you are likely to be asked when interviewing for a position at Norwegian Cruise Line.

norwegian cruise line questions

Norwegian Cruise Line is a travel company that specializes in cruises to exotic destinations. If you’re interested in working for Norwegian Cruise Line, you’ll need to be prepared to answer some specific interview questions about the company and its cruise ships. In this article, we’ll give you some tips on how to answer Norwegian Cruise Line interview questions.

Norwegian Cruise Line Interview Process

The interview process at Norwegian Cruise Line can vary depending on the position you are applying for. However, most positions will require at least one phone screening with either a recruiter or hiring manager, followed by one or more in-person interviews. For some positions, you may also be asked to complete an assignment as part of the interview process. Overall, the interview process is generally positive, though it can be lengthy and may involve multiple rounds of interviews.

  • What do you know about Norwegian Cruise Line?
  • How would you handle an irate customer?
  • Why do you want to work at Norwegian Cruise Lines?
  • What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?
  • Do you have experience working in a team environment?
  • Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult situation or person.
  • Are you comfortable speaking on the phone for long periods of time?
  • Can you provide an example of a time when you went above and beyond for a customer.
  • Do you have any sales experience?
  • Have you ever worked with a diverse group of people before?
  • Describe your experience in the hospitality industry.
  • What is your availability like?
  • Are you willing to travel, sometimes up to 15 days straight?
  • Do you speak any other languages besides English?
  • Would you be able to lift heavy objects such as luggage?
  • Are you available to work weekends, nights and holidays?
  • If we were to called one of your references what would they say about you?
  • Describe to us how you handled a conflict with a coworker.
  • What do you think separates Norwegian from its competitors?
  • Why did you leave your previous job?

1. What do you know about Norwegian Cruise Line?

This question is a way for the interviewer to assess your knowledge of the company and its operations. It’s important to research the company before you go in for an interview, so you can show that you’re serious about working there. In your answer, try to include facts about the company as well as what attracted you to it.

Example: “I know Norwegian Cruise Line has been around since 1966, when it was founded by two Norwegians. I also know that it offers cruises to destinations all over the world, including Alaska, Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean. I’ve always wanted to travel the world, so this company seems like a great place to do that.”

2. How would you handle an irate customer?

This question is a great way to assess your customer service skills. It’s important for employees in the travel industry to be able to handle difficult customers with tact and grace, so employers ask this question to make sure you have those skills. In your answer, explain how you would approach an irate customer and what steps you would take to calm them down.

Example: “I’ve had experience dealing with irate customers before, and I know that it’s best to remain calm when they are upset. If they’re yelling at me, I will try my best to listen to their concerns without interrupting them. Once they’ve finished speaking, I’ll apologize for any inconvenience and offer to help resolve the issue.”

3. Why do you want to work at Norwegian Cruise Lines?

This question is a great way for employers to learn more about your interest in their company. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention specific aspects of the job that you are excited about or how you feel like you would fit into the role.

Example: “I have always been interested in working on cruise ships because I love traveling and meeting new people. I also think that Norwegian Cruise Lines has an amazing reputation as a travel company, so I am very excited to work here.”

4. What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?

This question is a common one in interviews, and it’s important to be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. When answering this question, think of two or three strengths you have that are relevant to the position and explain how they help you succeed. Then, list a weakness and explain what steps you’ve taken to improve it.

Example: “I am an excellent communicator, both written and verbal. I feel comfortable speaking in front of large groups and can easily make small talk with new people. My biggest weakness is my attention to detail. In college, I took a course on organizational skills to learn ways to improve my ability to stay organized. Now, I use several apps to keep track of my tasks.”

5. Do you have experience working in a team environment?

Working in a team environment is an important part of working for Norwegian Cruise Line. The company wants to know that you can work well with others and are willing to take on the responsibilities of being a member of a team. When answering this question, it’s important to show your ability to collaborate with others and be a team player.

Example: “I have worked in a team environment throughout my career. I find that teamwork makes projects more efficient and allows everyone to learn from each other. In my last position, I was one of five people who made up our department. We all had different strengths and weaknesses, but we were able to support each other when needed.”

6. Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult situation or person.

This question is a great way to learn more about how you handle conflict and challenges. When answering this question, it can be helpful to talk about a time when you had to use your problem-solving skills or communication skills to resolve the situation.

Example: “When I was working as an assistant manager at my previous job, there was one customer who would come into the store every day and complain about something. It got to the point where we were all getting annoyed with her. One day she came in complaining that our prices were too high. I calmly explained to her that our prices are competitive compared to other stores in the area. She left without any further complaints.”

7. Are you comfortable speaking on the phone for long periods of time?

This question is a way for the interviewer to assess your communication skills. It’s important that you are able to communicate clearly and concisely with customers, so it’s best if you have experience speaking on the phone in a professional setting.

Example: “I am comfortable speaking on the phone for long periods of time because I’ve done it before. In my previous position as an administrative assistant, I was responsible for answering phones and taking messages for my supervisor. I also had to make outgoing calls to clients and vendors to schedule appointments or answer questions.”

8. Can you provide an example of a time when you went above and beyond for a customer.

This question is a great way to show your dedication and willingness to help others. When answering this question, it can be helpful to think of a specific time when you helped someone in need or went above and beyond for a customer.

Example: “When I worked at my previous job as a sales associate, one of my customers came into the store looking for a gift for their daughter’s birthday. They were having trouble finding something that they liked, so I offered to go through our inventory with them to find something that would work. After going through all of our options, we found a necklace that she loved. She was very happy with her purchase and told me how much she appreciated my help.”

9. Do you have any sales experience?

Norwegian Cruise Line is a travel company, so they want to know that you have experience selling. They are looking for candidates who can sell their cruise experiences and excursions to customers. If you do not have sales experience, explain what other types of customer service or management experience you have.

Example: “I have no formal sales experience, but I am very outgoing and friendly. I enjoy talking with people and making them feel comfortable. In my previous job as a server at a restaurant, I learned how to make customers happy by being attentive and helpful. I also learned how to upsell certain menu items to help the business make more money.”

10. Have you ever worked with a diverse group of people before?

Norwegian Cruise Line is a company that hires employees from all over the world. The interviewer wants to know if you have experience working with people who are different than you. Show them that you can be respectful of other cultures and backgrounds.

Example: “I’ve worked in an international environment before, so I’m used to working with people who speak different languages or come from different countries. In my last job, I had coworkers from Germany, France, Spain and Italy. We were able to communicate using Google Translate, but we also learned some basic phrases in each other’s language. It was fun learning about our differences and finding ways to work together.”

11. Describe your experience in the hospitality industry.

This question is a great way to learn about your potential co-workers and how they view you. It’s also an opportunity for you to show the interviewer that you’re passionate about hospitality and have experience in this field.

Example: “I’ve worked as a server at a restaurant since I was 18 years old, so I’m very familiar with the hospitality industry. My favorite part of working there has always been interacting with customers and making sure they enjoy their dining experience. I love learning about new cultures and meeting new people, which makes my job fun.”

12. What is your availability like?

This question is a way for the interviewer to learn more about your availability and how you plan your schedule. It’s important to be honest in this situation, as it can help them determine if you’re a good fit for their company.

Example: “I’m available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but I am also available on weekends if needed. I have no plans during that time period, so I would love to work with Norwegian Cruise Line.”

13. Are you willing to travel, sometimes up to 15 days straight?

Traveling for work can be a challenge, but it’s important to let the interviewer know that you’re willing to do what is necessary to get the job done. If you have experience with long travel periods, share your strategies for staying productive and maintaining good mental health while on the road.

Example: “I’ve worked in sales before, so I’m used to traveling for extended periods of time. When I was working as a sales representative for XYZ Company, I would often spend 15 days straight on the road. To stay healthy during this time, I made sure to pack plenty of snacks and water bottles to keep me energized throughout the day. I also scheduled my calls and meetings around meal times to ensure I got enough food into my body.”

14. Do you speak any other languages besides English?

Norwegian Cruise Line is looking for employees who can communicate with customers in their native language. If you speak another language, let the interviewer know that you are willing to help translate for guests on board.

Example: “I am fluent in Norwegian and English. I also have a basic understanding of Spanish, which I learned in high school. While working here, I would be happy to translate for our international guests.”

15. Would you be able to lift heavy objects such as luggage?

This question is asked to determine if you are physically capable of performing the job. The interviewer wants to know that you can lift up to 50 pounds and perform other physical tasks required for the position.

Example: “Yes, I have experience lifting heavy objects such as luggage on a daily basis at my current job. I am in good shape and regularly work out to stay fit. I also take care of myself by eating healthy foods and getting plenty of sleep.”

16. Are you available to work weekends, nights and holidays?

Norwegian Cruise Line is a travel company that takes customers to exotic destinations using cruise ships. The company needs employees who are willing to work weekends, nights and holidays when necessary. When answering this question, make sure you let the interviewer know about your availability for these types of shifts.

Example: “I am available to work any shift as long as it’s within my schedule. I understand that working weekends, nights and holidays may be required at times. However, I am happy to do so if needed.”

17. If we were to called one of your references what would they say about you?

This question is a great way to learn more about your candidate’s character and personality. It also allows you to see how they interact with others, which can be an important part of the hiring process.

Example: “I would hope that my references would say I am a hard worker who always puts in 110% effort. They would probably tell you that I’m very friendly and easy to get along with, but I know when it’s time to buckle down and work. I think they would appreciate my sense of humor and ability to make them laugh.”

18. Describe to us how you handled a conflict with a coworker.

This question is a great way to learn more about your potential coworkers’ interpersonal skills. It’s important that you choose a conflict that was resolved successfully and one in which you learned something from the experience.

Example: “I once had a coworker who would often make fun of me for my accent. I tried to ignore it at first, but eventually I told him that his comments were making me uncomfortable. He apologized and promised not to do it again. After that, he started asking me questions about Norway so we could have deeper conversations during our breaks.”

19. What do you think separates Norwegian from its competitors?

This question is a great way to show your knowledge of the company and how you can contribute to its success. When answering, it’s important to highlight what makes Norwegian Cruise Line unique from other cruise lines. You may also want to mention any specific features that appeal to you about the company.

Example: “I think one thing that separates Norwegian Cruise Line from its competitors is the variety of destinations it offers. I’ve always wanted to visit Alaska, so when I saw that Norwegian offered cruises there, I knew I had to apply for this position. Another thing that sets Norwegian apart is its customer service. The employees seem very friendly and helpful, which is something I strive to do in my own career.”

20. Why did you leave your previous job?

This question can help an interviewer learn more about your career path and how you’ve grown professionally. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a specific skill or quality that you developed in your previous job that helped you grow as a professional.

Example: “I left my last position because I wanted to work for a company with more opportunities for growth. At my previous job, I learned valuable customer service skills that have helped me become the person I am today. Now, I’m ready to take on new challenges and continue growing as a professional.”

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This Norwegian Cruise sailing takes you on a bucket list adventure: What it's like aboard

F or Kylie Herd, an Australian passenger on Norwegian Dawn’s Feb. 25 southern Africa itinerary, cruising has been the best way to check places off her bucket list.

“I just go with whatever cruise line has the itinerary that I want to do at the time that I’m available. It tends to be Norwegian, and when I saw that Norwegian had all these African cruises, I just thought, ‘I’m going to spend summer in Africa,’ because it’s an amazing itinerary,” she told USA TODAY.

When it comes to cruising, most Americans probably think of bopping around the Caribbean or checking out the wilds of Alaska if they’re feeling especially adventurous, but that’s really just scratching the surface. Cruise lines are increasingly offering diverse itineraries including expedition cruises to remote parts of the globe and introductory sailings to help travelers explore countries and regions they might never visit otherwise.

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Madagascar was the real draw for months of consecutive cruises on the Dawn for Herd.

“I’ve been trying to go to Madagascar for years. I always wanted to go there way before the movies ever came out. It’s one of those places that’s really difficult to get to,” she said. “When I saw Madagascar on a cruise itinerary I was like, ‘I have to do it.’ ”

Although the Feb. 25 sailing had to skip Madagascar for logistical reasons after a delay departing Mauritius, Herd said that she was able to visit the country earlier on her trip and that it was a real highlight.

Norwegian’s Africa itineraries had various changes and missed ports throughout the season. Passenger contracts give cruise lines some leeway to alter itineraries on short notice for reasons including weather or conditions on the ground that prevent ships from reaching or being accommodated safely in a scheduled port. Such changes can be especially common in regions prone to political unrest or that lack sophisticated port facilities.

Even so, Herd said she understood why passengers who missed out would be frustrated, but she encouraged her fellow travelers to keep an eye on the positive. “I understand the disappointment. I was disappointed, too, but we’re still having a great time.”

The Feb. 25 cruise still stopped at Reunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean, which has an active volcano, as well as ports in South Africa where travelers could spot local wildlife.

Safari from a cruise

Norwegian Dawn stopped at four ports in South Africa, three of which offered safari experiences as shore excursions.

▶ From Richard’s Bay, passengers could visit the iSimangasilo Wetland Park , home to elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, zebras and other classic African big game. The park is about an hour and a half drive from the port, and Norwegian’s shore excursion included two game drives, snorkeling and a traditional South African braai, or barbecue.

Just as cruise itineraries can sometimes be subject to last-minute changes, safaris are at the whim of wild animals. Sightings are not guaranteed, but patience and vigilance are often rewarded.

▶ In Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), Norwegian Dawn’s passengers could visit Addo Elephant National Park, also about an hour and a half drive from the port.

As the name suggests, Addo is home to a huge and docile population of more than 600 elephants. These animals often congregate around watering holes accessible from well-worn safari tracks.

Even after a strong rainfall the night before the excursion, which allowed elephants to retreat into the bush and temporarily lessen their reliance on overtaxed wells, dozens of the creatures greeted visitors coming from the ship for two-hour game drives.

▶ In Mossel Bay, passengers could also access private game reserves, which often have a higher concentration of wildlife roaming free but can include animals that are not directly indigenous to the area.

Cape Town and the winelands

There’s more to Africa than safaris, and Cape Town is an especially good place to experience metropolitan life and other kinds of outdoor activities on the continent.

South Africa’s legislative capital offers excellent hiking, a great foodie culture, beautiful (if slightly chilly) Atlantic beaches, penguins and more.

For travelers willing to explore beyond the city, South Africa’s wine country is close at hand in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, and many vineyards offer tastings and meal experiences. One Norwegian excursion took passengers to the Blaauwklippen wine estate in Stellenbosch, which is best known for its Zinfandel.

Is an Africa cruise worth it?

From a financial standpoint, a cruise around Africa can be an excellent way to explore. For American travelers, however, flights to and from the ship are often more expensive than the cruise itself.

For example, a 13-day Norwegian itinerary that begins in Cape Town on Dec. 7 and ends in Mauritius on Dec. 20 has prices that start at $899 per person for an inside stateroom, but flights can be well over $1,000 round trip. The current cheapest itinerary from Detroit, for example, is a 42-hour slog on multiple airlines via Montreal and Dubai to Cape Town. The return trip is a bit shorter, at 31 hours, also via Dubai and Montreal. That routing would cost $1,694 per person in economy as of March 18, according to Google Flights.

Logistically speaking, though, it can be much easier to book a cruise and rely on the line’s shore excursions to expand one's horizons than to coordinate one's own safari.

“With multiple diverse ports of call within one coastal continental area, our Africa voyages provide our guests the opportunity to explore lush rainforests or volcanoes, experience captivating wildlife tours, learn about the rich culture on the South African coastline, indulge in Cape Town’s incredible wine regions, and so much more,” Brian Gilroy, vice president of revenue management and itinerary planning for Norwegian Cruise Line, said in a statement to USA TODAY.

The one thing to keep in mind is that the African cruise market is less mature than the Caribbean – at many ports, there just aren’t comparable facilities to handle big ships. That doesn’t mean the cruises can’t or don’t happen, just that sometimes the operation is a little less fluid than the well-oiled Miami machine.

“Our 11- and 12-day cruises start and end in either Cape Town, South Africa, or Port Louis, Mauritius, and include an overnight stay in one of those magnificent cities, giving our guests the chance to fully explore what these regions offer. The variety of adventures our guests can experience in these destinations are endless, which makes for a truly unforgettable cruise experience," Gilroy said.

Travelers may be more likely to encounter a hiccup on their Africa cruise, but that’s all part of traveling to a new and exciting place. A missed port or an extra sea day can be a great time time to take stock, focus on the highlights, enjoy the experience of unlocking a new destination, and maybe take another sip of the wine your onboard sommelier recommended.

Just take a page out of Herd the Australian’s book. Despite some schedule changes, she said, “I’ve loved every single thing.”

The reporter on this story received access to this sailing from Norwegian. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.  

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This Norwegian Cruise sailing takes you on a bucket list adventure: What it's like aboard

Norwegian Dawn docked in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), South Africa.

  • Norwegian Cruise Line

Basic ON BOARD payment questions from a newbie

By LGinPA , March 12, 2023 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Cool Cruiser

New cruiser here. Now that I've successfully paid my cruise balance 120 days before departure I'm thinking about expenses incurred on board. From reading this board I've learned that: 

  • I'll attach my CC to my NCL account during online check-in.
  • Any charges accrued on board will be charged to my account. 
  • I should check the account often for accuracy using the NCL app, online, or the TV in our cabin.

Question 1:

When are the charges actually charged to my CC card; as they occur or at the end of the cruise? 

Question 2 (OBC application):

I have $100 of OBC from a group perk. I understand from reading this board that I can only apply it when ON BOARD and not for item's ahead of time.

At what point can I apply the OBC; Can I save it until the end and apply as a whole to knock down my final balance due?  Or do I need to apply is as I make charges, and if so how do I do that?  

Thanks so much this board is awesome! 

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LloydJr

I've seen temporary charges to my CC during the cruise, but the real charge never occurs until the end of the cruise when the invoice is finalized.

Thanks

JandC_Cruising

14 minutes ago, LGinPA said: New cruiser here. Now that I've successfully paid my cruise balance 120 days before departure I'm thinking about expenses incurred on board. From reading this board I've learned that:    I'll attach my CC to my NCL account during online check-in. Any charges accrued on board will be charged to my account.  I should check the account often for accuracy using the NCL app, online, or the TV in our cabin.   Question 1: When are the charges actually charged to my CC card; as they occur or at the end of the cruise?    Question 2 (OBC application): I have $100 of OBC from a group perk. I understand from reading this board that I can only apply it when ON BOARD and not for item's ahead of time.   At what point can I apply the OBC; Can I save it until the end and apply as a whole to knock down my final balance due?  Or do I need to apply is as I make charges, and if so how do I do that?     Thanks so much this board is awesome! 

The "actual" charge will not post to your credit card until disembarkation day.  Very similar to a hotel on check-out day. 

For OBC's, the value will get auto applied as you accrue charges, as long as the OBC may be used for that charge.  For example, if you have $100 OBC and you get a $150 spa service on day 1, you on-board account will show the spa service charges less the OBC.  You really don't "choose" what charge this OBC gets applied to.

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MeHeartCruising

The cruise line may process a transaction that shows up as a pending charge on your credit card multiple times during your cruise.  They sometimes seem to do $300 when you check in.  If you make a significant purchase on board, they may submit a pending charge for $495 for that gold watch you just bought, for example.  They are verifying that your card actually has enough credit on it to pay for these purchases.  If there are not sufficient funds on the card for these purchases, there will be a problem at the time of purchase that you will need to address.

However, these charges eventually drop off and never get fully processed by the credit card company.  Instead, NCL will run a final charge on your card for the entire amount of your purchases.  For example, this would be for the $495 watch plus any other purchase you made -- t-shirts, candy, daily service charges (if not pre-paid), dinners outside of your pre-purchased package, etc.  So they may run a final charge for $612.  That is the only charge that will eventually fully post to your credit card. 

The other intermediate pending charges will fall off your card -- but this does not always happen right away.  Mine are usually gone by the time I get home from my cruise.  But I've seen a couple times where they lingered for several days.  This will vary based upon the rules of your own card.  NCL doesn't do anything to cancel them.  They just fall off your card because they were not submitted as final charges, they were "test the balance" transactions.

And yes, as posted above, you don't choose when to use your OBC or not.  It will just be used as a positive entry into your account balance.  Any purchase that is valid for that type of OBC (refundable or non-refundable) will subtract from it before increasing the amount you will have to pay in cash.

lostone65

21 minutes ago, LGinPA said: New cruiser here. Now that I've successfully paid my cruise balance 120 days before departure I'm thinking about expenses incurred on board. From reading this board I've learned that:    I'll attach my CC to my NCL account during online check-in. Any charges accrued on board will be charged to my account.  I should check the account often for accuracy using the NCL app, online, or the TV in our cabin.   Question 1: When are the charges actually charged to my CC card; as they occur or at the end of the cruise?    Question 2 (OBC application): I have $100 of OBC from a group perk. I understand from reading this board that I can only apply it when ON BOARD and not for item's ahead of time.   At what point can I apply the OBC; Can I save it until the end and apply as a whole to knock down my final balance due?  Or do I need to apply is as I make charges, and if so how do I do that?     Thanks so much this board is awesome! 

The charges will show up as they occur, but the final charge does not happen until the end of the cruise.  They place basically a hold on the card and if you exceed the hold or your credit card company flags for fraud you will need to call them or approve in your app for the credit card (I had to do that last cruise because I forgot to notify my credit card company and we waited until onboard to book our excursions so there were higher charges than normal on a daily basis. You onboard credit will automatically deduct from charges you incur that qualify for onboard credit to be used (daily service charges do not qualify) so your onboard credit will reduce your final total at the end.  Hope that helps!

Also, not all credit card companies show the interim charges to you.  I've used various cards with NCL and some show me the early charges and some do not.

And, one more thing.  This is why you often hear it is bad to use a Debit Card for cruises (and rental cars).  For a debit card, you will actually be tying up CASH in your checking account until YOUR BANK drops these interim charges.  Some banks can take days or a week, so I've heard.  So if you charge $1200 of stuff during the cruise, the cruise line puts $1200 of "holds" on your bank account.   Then on the last day, they process another $1200 for the full actual final bill.  That means your bank account gets deducted $2400 until the original $1200 in interim charges drop back off.

1 hour ago, JandC_Cruising said: The "actual" charge will not post to your credit card until disembarkation day.  Very similar to a hotel on check-out day.  For OBC's, the value will get auto applied as you accrue charges, as long as the OBC may be used for that charge.  For example, if you have $100 OBC and you get a $150 spa service on day 1, you on-board account will show the spa service charges less the OBC.  You really don't "choose" what charge this OBC gets applied to.  

OK, I get it. So they'll just use the OBC until it's all used up. Thanks, this really helps! 

17 minutes ago, LGinPA said:   OK, I get it. So they'll just use the OBC until it's all used up. Thanks, this really helps! 

Be sure to understand that some OBC is granted as refundable.  Some OBC is granted as non-refundable.  You should ask which type you have if it's not clearly stated in your paperwork.  If it came from the cruise line, it's probably non-refundable.  If it came from a travel agency, it may be either.

Refundable OBC can be used to pay for anything on the ship, including the cruise line's Daily Service Charge.  If you don't spend all the OBC, it will be refunded to you at the end of the cruise.  I don't recall how they pay you, but they either cut you a check at the end of the cruise or send you one in the mail, I think.

Non-refundable OBC is probably more common since a lot of people get it from the cruise line itself.  NCL does not permit non-refundable OBC to pay for the Daily Service Charge.  You can use it to pay for excursions, buy drinks, buy meals, buy t-shirts, buy candy, etc.   If you don't use it all up by the end of the cruise, you lose it.  It goes away.

You can view your account balance on your cabin's TV on most ships.  However, the listing on the TV does NOT do a good job of showing how non-refundable OBC affects the overall balance, especially if they are adding the Daily Service Charge (which it won't offset) to your account every day.  If you have both types of OBC (which is possible), it is nearly impossible to figure out your true balance via the TV.  Go to the service desk and ask for a print out of your account balance during your cruise.  They will gladly give it to you multiple times.  This is the best way to truly understand if the OBC is being properly credited to your account purchases.

If "Refundable OBC" remains on the account at the end of your cruise, they ask that you "cash out" at the Service Desk before you disembark.

1 hour ago, MeHeartCruising said: The cruise line may process a transaction that shows up as a pending charge on your credit card multiple times during your cruise.  They sometimes seem to do $300 when you check in.  If you make a significant purchase on board, they may submit a pending charge for $495 for that gold watch you just bought, for example.  They are verifying that your card actually has enough credit on it to pay for these purchases.

OK, I understand now and am familiar with pending charges.  Thanks!  

1 hour ago, MeHeartCruising said: And yes, as posted above, you don't choose when to use your OBC or not.  It will just be used as a positive entry into your account balance.  Any purchase that is valid for that type of OBC (refundable or non-refundable) will subtract from it before increasing the amount you will have to pay in cash.

I'm glad I don't get to decide how it's spent. Thanks! 

casofilia

Here is an example of part of an account

image.png.7018706f161a50f81ba1db9abf1f48d9.png

There is no OBC on there but the two lines at the bottom will indicate your debit or credit and whether any of that is Non-Refundable having come from NR OBC

My husband and I each have $75 OBC from being prior NCL cruisers. Does that combine to $150 for our cabin or will it be applied as $75 for each person's separate charges? I am usually the one to charge things during our cruises but do I need my husband to charge at le ast $75 in order for his OBC to be applied? Thanks!

2 minutes ago, DMP609 said: My husband and I each have $75 OBC from being prior NCL cruisers. Does that combine to $150 for our cabin or will it be applied as $75 for each person's separate charges? I am usually the one to charge things during our cruises but do I need my husband to charge at least $75 in order for his OBC to be applied? Thanks!

Yes you have $150 combined if you set-up your account onboard accordingly. We just make sure our accounts have the same credit card listed for both of us.  We've never had a problem with one of us owing and the other losing OBC.

RocketMan275

4 hours ago, LGinPA said: New cruiser here. Now that I've successfully paid my cruise balance 120 days before departure I'm thinking about expenses incurred on board. From reading this board I've learned that:    I'll attach my CC to my NCL account during online check-in. Any charges accrued on board will be charged to my account.  I should check the account often for accuracy using the NCL app, online, or the TV in our cabin.   Question 1: When are the charges actually charged to my CC card; as they occur or at the end of the cruise?    Question 2 (OBC application): I have $100 of OBC from a group perk. I understand from reading this board that I can only apply it when ON BOARD and not for item's ahead of time.   At what point can I apply the OBC; Can I save it until the end and apply as a whole to knock down my final balance due?  Or do I need to apply is as I make charges, and if so how do I do that?     Thanks so much this board is awesome! 

FWIW, just arrived home after departing Breakaway this morning.  The final charges to my Credit Card are already showing on my card.

SpacemanSpiff

SpacemanSpiff

4 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said: The cruise line may process a transaction that shows up as a pending charge on your credit card multiple times during your cruise.  They sometimes seem to do $300 when you check in.  If you make a significant purchase on board, they may submit a pending charge for $495 for that gold watch you just bought, for example.  They are verifying that your card actually has enough credit on it to pay for these purchases.  If there are not sufficient funds on the card for these purchases, there will be a problem at the time of purchase that you will need to address.   However, these charges eventually drop off and never get fully processed by the credit card company.  Instead, NCL will run a final charge on your card for the entire amount of your purchases.  For example, this would be for the $495 watch plus any other purchase you made -- t-shirts, candy, daily service charges (if not pre-paid), dinners outside of your pre-purchased package, etc.  So they may run a final charge for $612.  That is the only charge that will eventually fully post to your credit card.    The other intermediate pending charges will fall off your card -- but this does not always happen right away.  Mine are usually gone by the time I get home from my cruise.  But I've seen a couple times where they lingered for several days.  This will vary based upon the rules of your own card.  NCL doesn't do anything to cancel them.  They just fall off your card because they were not submitted as final charges, they were "test the balance" transactions.   And yes, as posted above, you don't choose when to use your OBC or not.  It will just be used as a positive entry into your account balance.  Any purchase that is valid for that type of OBC (refundable or non-refundable) will subtract from it before increasing the amount you will have to pay in cash.

BTW, this why you  NEVER  want to use a debit card for this purpose.  With the potential for multiple holds on the card, and delays in some of these holds dropping off, you risk being overdrawn on your bank account with all of the chaos it causes.

They must disregard anything on your account under a certain amount.  I checked my account on the tv and saw that I had 92 cents charged to my account. While we were still docked in LA my travel partner and I had a glass of wine.  There was a sign at the bar clearly explaining that while in port there was a tax.  I never charged  another thing on the cruise. Got home, nothing on my credit card  then or now .  (I had linked my credit card with my account)   

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Travel Documentation Resources

Age requirements for travel, travel sanctions and regulations, required travel documentation and information for cruise holidays, required travel documentation.

Carefully read the documentation that each guest must present at the pier prior to boarding. Travel to some destinations may require special visas and travel authorizations before the cruise. If travelling internationally, the countries you are flying to and/ or connecting through may have different visa or travel requirements, whilst we attempt to provide you with most up to date information below, we encourage you to visit the government and airport websites of every country you will be travelling to throughout your journey to familiarise yourself with their requirements. Please visit Norwegian Cruise Line global visa support centre for additional visa requirements for your cruise by clicking here .

For vaccination requirement details, please visit Sail Safe .

For country specific requirements, please visit Cruise Travel Requirements by Country .

Travel Visa Requirements

Norwegian Cruise Line has partnered with VisaCentral to provide our guests with comprehensive, accurate information regarding travel visas. Some of VisaCentral’s guest travel services include visa application kits and assistance with obtaining other visas where required. Visit the Global Visa Support Centre on the VisaCentral ( http://visacentral.com/Norwegian-cruise-line-splash?login=103407 ) page for assistance with visa applications.

United States Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) - for Citizens of Visa Waiver Programme Countries (VWP) Entering the United States Per the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) requirements, all VWP travellers must obtain an electronic travel authorisation (ESTA) prior to boarding a travel carrier to enter the United States. This can be done by completing the online application on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website. Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. However, DHS recommends that applications be submitted no less than 72 hours prior to travel. Passport holders from the below countries with biometric passports are eligible to participate in the US Visa Waiver Programme: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom All passport holders from the above countries must be able to present a valid ESTA or US Visa before boarding a cruise that starts, visits, or ends in the United States. Any person unable to do so will be denied boarding.

Schengen Visas - for Entry to the European Union for Applicable Nationalities The Schengen Agreement (effective March 26, 1995) is an agreement between several member states of the European Union (EU) to remove immigration controls for travel within their collective territories. This creates a "borderless" region known as the Schengen Area , which changes the procedures for entering, connecting or travelling between any of the Schengen States. Click here for more information.

There are four types of Schengen visas; Type C is the one typically needed by passengers, which can be issued by any one of the Schengen states and is valid for all the others. Due to the type of itineraries in Europe, The Schengen Agreement maintains that certain nationalities require a visa to enter the EU zone. Guests who are not US, Canadian, or European nationals are strongly encouraged to contact the nearest EU-member country embassy to determine if a Schengen visa is necessary.

Some European itineraries require a Multiple Entry Schengen visa because the ship leaves and re-enters the Schengen Zone.

Asia, Australia and South America Itineraries For sailings that visit Asia, Australia, and South America, a specific visa may be required for entry. Some must be obtained in advance; some can be obtained onboard; some will be handled by Norwegian Cruise Line.

Please visit Visa Central for support with obtaining these required visas.

Visas must be obtained in advance of departure if your cruise is visiting any of the destinations listed below.

Visas for the following countries will be obtained for U.S. and Canadian passport holders with the help of the cruise line while you are onboard. Costs may be associated with the processing of arrival visas. Any fees related to securing these visas will be charged to your onboard account."

  • Cuba ( click here for more info)

Contact VisaCentral for more information or for assistance with obtaining any visas that are required in advance of your cruise.

Visa Requirements for American Samoa

All guests of any nationality are welcome to go ashore whilst in transit in American Samoa ports, there are no visa requirements before or during the cruise.

Visa Requirements for Angola

In transit guests visiting as a port of call do not require a visa before or during the cruise.

Passport holders from the below listed countries between the ages of 9 months and 60 years are required to have a yellow fever vaccine certificate , without it guests will be detained onboard.

Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Congo Republic, Cote d’ Ivory, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French-Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and Venezuela

Visa Requirements for Argentina

Passport holders from the below listed countries do not require a visa for Argentina. Passport holders from all other countries not mentioned below will require a visa prior to the cruise issued by an Argentinean embassy or consulate. Guests without a valid visa will be denied boarding on embarkation day. It is not an option to remain onboard in Argentinean ports without a visa.

Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia Republic, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Mónaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Perú, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts And Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa (Ex Samoa Occidental), Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia Rep., Somalía, South Sudan, Sudan Rep., Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vanuatu, and Vatican City

The below nationalities may be eligible for AVE Electronic Travel Authorisation if they meet certain requirements:

Albania, Angola, Antigua And Barbuda, Bahamas, Bahrain, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia And Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Rep, China, Dem. Rep. Congo, Congo, Rep. Pop., Côte D`Ivoire (Costa De Marfil), Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Rep, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini (Swaziland), Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Marshall, Islands, Mauritius, Moldova, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Níger, Oman, Palau, Papúa New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Saint Vincent And The Grenadines, Salomon Islands, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Republic Serbia, Seychelles, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, The Gambia, Togo, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, and Zambia.

If the above nationals do not have a valid AVE Electronic Travel Authorisation they will require a visa issued by an Argentinean embassy or consulate prior to the cruise or be denied boarding on embarkation day.

Under the MERCOSUR agreement the following nationalities may travel with a Cedula or National ID that is valid and in good condition:

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Visa Requirements for Australia

Anyone who does not carry a passport from Australia or New Zealand must have an Australian visa to go on any cruise that calls to an Australian port or they cannot sail.

Passport holders from the following countries are eligible to apply for the ETA via the app on their own. Third parties, like Visa Central cannot assist with the app set up as it has to be done on the mobile phone the applicant takes with them on the trip.

Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, Republic of San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States and Vatican City.

The Australia Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) is only available via an APP on your mobile device. This was introduced by the Government of Australia following the pandemic. The APP can be found in Apple APP store, ANDROID, or where you normally find APPS for your device. Here are some instructions on the APP for Australia ETA:

  • Once you download the app be sure to have your passport with you when you start the eVisa application process.
  • The App requires that the physical passport is scanned. The Passport Chip and Info Page scan line is read in real-time.
  • In addition to providing a scan of passport you will need to take a photo and answer a series of questions.
  • Cost is $20 paid on the APP. Fee is set by Australia government and subject to change
  • APP validity is typically multi entry, one-year validity with stay of up to 3 months. Please note, visa validity is always at the discretion of the Consulate.

All other nationalities not mentioned above must apply for a visitor visa that can be applied for using this link https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/visit

  • The cost for the visa is up to AUD150
  • The stay is granted for up to 12 months

Visa Requirements for Bahrain

Visa requirements for bermuda.

Based on Bermuda's immigration regulations, some passengers may require a visa to visit the country. Effective March 1st, 2014, guests who require a visa for Bermuda may enter Bermuda visa-free as long as they have a valid multiple-entry U.S. visa or U.S. Residence Card.

Learn More About Visas

Visa Requirements for Brazil

*Starting April 10th, 2024, passport holders from Australia, Canada, Japan, and United States will require an eVisa to enter Brazil. The eVisa must be obtained in advance and will take up to 5 working days to process. The application process is done online and can be found on this website https://brazil.vfsevisa.com/ .

Passport holders from the following countries require a visa for Brazil from an embassy or consulate before the cruise:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Australia*, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada*, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands, Côte 'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, East Timor, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan*, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United States*, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Under the MERCOSUR agreement the following nationalities may travel with a Cedula or National ID that is valid and in good condition on sailings that remain in South America:

Visa Requirements for Brunei Darussalam

All foreign passengers must hold a passport with remaining validity of at least 6 months as of the date of entry.

All passengers are required to fill out and submit an Electronic Arrival Declaration Form for Brunei before embarking on any cruise that visits Brunei Darussalam.

Brunei Electronic Declaration (imm.gov.bn)

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to go ashore in Brunei:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Laos, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Thailand, The Principality of Liechtenstein, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.

Passport holders from the below countries will be charged $20 per person for a Brunei visa upon arrival into ports in Brunei Darussalam. This visa is mandatory and will be charged to the onboard account for all guests onboard the ship who do not already possess a Brunei visa. The visa is required for both guests who go ashore and guests who choose to remain onboard. The cost of the visa will not be waived for guests who remain onboard.

Australia, Bahrain, China, Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan

Passport holders from all other counties must have a visa for Brunei from an embassy or consulate before the cruise.

Visa Requirements for Cambodia

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to visit Cambodia:

Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam

Passport holders from the below countries will be charged $30 per person for a Cambodian visa upon arrival into Cambodian ports. This visa is mandatory and will be charged to the onboard account for all guests onboard the ship who do not already possess a Cambodian visa. The visa is required for both guests who go ashore and guests who choose to remain onboard. The cost of the visa will not be waived for guests who remain onboard in Cambodian ports.

Albania, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Dem Rep of Congo, Rep of Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Palau, Palestinian Territories, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sint Maarten, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Passport holders from the below countries and any countries not mentioned above require a visa from a Cambodian embassy or consulate.

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan

Please note that electronic visas "e-visas" obtained online are only valid to enter Cambodia by air or land. These visas cannot be used to enter Cambodia by sea onboard cruise ships.

Visa Requirements for Canada

Click here for more information on Cruising and/or flying through Canada.

Visa Requirements for Cape Verde

Visa requirements for chile.

Passport holders from the following countries require a visa for Chile before the cruise. To apply for a Chilean visa please visit https://tramites.minrel.gov.cl/Solicitudes/visa.aspx . Guests without a visa for Chile will be denied boarding on embarkation day. It is not an option to remain onboard whilst the ship is in Chilean ports:

Afghanistan, Angola, Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, China, Comoros Islands, Congo, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, East Timor, Ethiopia, Philippines, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, India, Iraq, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Lesotho, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Myanmar, Morocco, Maldives, Mauritius, Micronesia, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Papa New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Korea, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Visa Requirements for Colombia

Passports are required for all sailings that visit Cartagena as a port of call.

Canadian passport holders that embark or disembark in Cartagena will be charged a fee of CAD $85 by local immigration authorities. This fee does not apply to in transit guests visiting as a port of call.

Visa Requirements for Dominican Republic

Guests that are in transit and visiting Dominican Republic as a port of call only, do not require a visa to go ashore.

The following requirements are for guests that are embarking the ship in La Romana, Dominican Republic only.

  • All foreign and Dominican passengers entering or leaving Dominican Republic on commercial flights must complete the free electronic entry and exit form, which combines the Traveller's Health Affidavit, Customs Declaration, and International Embarkation/Disembarkation forms. The form is available in different languages and can be accessed through the following link: https://eticket.migracion.gob.do . It must be complete up to 72 hours before the flight. This form is not required for transit guests.
  • Passport holders from the below countries are required to pay for a tourist card at the port of embarkation at La Romana under the following circumstances. If a guest flies into the Dominican Republic, and is in the country for over 24 hours when they board the ship, they will have to purchase a tourist card from authorities at the cruise terminal. The cost is $20 USD or 20 Euros which has to be paid in cash. They only accept these two currencies. If a guest is disembarking in La Romana and remaining in the Dominican Republic for more than 24 hours, they need to purchase a tourist card from authorities in the cruise terminal for $10 USD or 10 Euros cash. They only accept these two currencies. American Samoa, Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba*, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadalupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Holland, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Hawaii, Ireland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Marshall Islands, Salomon Islands, Italy, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Mauricio, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Montserrat, Namibia, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Palau Island, Panama, Papa New Guinea, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, San Marino, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Scotland, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname, Thailand, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Turks & Caicos, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, United Arab Emirates, US Virgin Islands, Vatican City, Vanuatu, Venezuela.
  • Passport holders from Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Peru, Uruguay do not require a visa from an embassy or consulate before the cruise.
  • Passport holders from Cuba and Haiti must be a valid United States Green Card holder to be eligible for the tourist card. Without a valid Green Card, those nationalities will require a visa from an embassy or consulate before the cruise.
  • Passport holders from all other nationalities not mentioned in the above categories, will require a visa to enter Dominican Republic from an embassy or consulate before the cruise.

Visa Requirements for Ecuador

All foreign passengers must hold a passport with remaining validity of at least 6 months as of the date of departure.

Passport holders from the following countries require a visa for Ecuador from an embassy or consulate before embarking a cruise visiting Ecuador.

Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, , Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, India, Iraq, Iran, Ivory Coast, Kenia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Chad, Republic of Congo, Republic of Guinea Bissau, Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Syria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen.

Passport holders from all other counties may visit Ecuador as port of call without a visa.

Visa Requirements for Egypt

Israeli passport holders require a visa for Egypt before the cruise.

No other nationalities require a visa to visit Egyptian ports by sea on a cruise ship. Some nationalities, such as Canadians, require a visa to fly to Egypt, but do not require a visa if entering Egypt by sea.

Visa Requirements for Faroe Islands

Passport holders from the following countries require a visa for Faroe Islands from an embassy or consulate before the cruise. Visas on arrival are not available, therefore any guest who does not have a valid visa before the cruise will be detained onboard whilst the ship is in Faroe Islands' ports. Please note Schengen visa is not sufficient for entry into Faroe Islands. Entry requires a visa specifically for Faroe Islands if the nationality is on the visa-required list below.

Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina*, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia*, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova*, Mongolia, Montenegro*, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia*, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Taiwan (citizens with a passport issued which contains an identity card number are exempt from the visa requirement), Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine*, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

*Only biometric passport holders are exempt from the visa requirement.

Visa Requirements for Falkland Islands

In transit guests visiting as a port of call do not require a visa for Falkland Islands before or during the cruise.

Visa Requirements for Fiji

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa for Fiji:

Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Estonia, Germany, Micronesia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Vatican, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Nauru, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Ireland, Marshall Islands, Romania, Russia, Samoa, Serbia, Slovakia, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom & Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Passport holders from all other nationalities not mentioned above are eligible to apply for a visa on arrival. The visa cost is $99 and will be charged to the onboard account for all guests onboard the ship who do not already posses a visa for Fiji. The visa is required for both guests who go ashore and guests who choose to remain onboard. The cost of the visa will not be waived for guests who remain onboard in Fiji ports.

Visa Requirements for French Polynesia

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to go ashore in French Polynesia ports. Passport holders from all other countries not listed below will require a visa for French Polynesia prior to the cruise.

Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Cyprus, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Fiji, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, St. Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Marteen, St. Vincent and the grenadines, Salomon Islands, Western Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Timon, Tonga, Tuvalu, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam

Visa Requirements for Gambia

Passport holders not mentioned in the below category will require a visa on arrival to go ashore in Gambia. Guests will be charged $150 USD per person for the visa. This visa is mandatory and will be charged to the onboard account for all guests onboard the ship who do not already possess a Gambia visa. The visa is required for both guests who go ashore and guests who choose to remain onboard. The cost of the visa will not be waived for guests who remain onboard in Gambia ports.

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to go ashore in ports in Gambia:

Algeria, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine.

Visa Requirements for Greenland

Passport holders from the following countries require a visa for Greenland from an embassy or consulate before the cruise. Visas on arrival are not available, therefore any guest who does not have a valid visa before the cruise will be detained onboard whilst the ship is in Greenland ports. Please note Schengen visa is not sufficient for entry into Greenland. Entry requires a visa specifically for Greenland if the nationality is on the visa-required list below.

Visa requirements for Guadeloupe

Passport holders from the following countries will require a visa to go ashore in Guadeloupe: Algeria, China, Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Montenegro, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine.

These restricted nationalities must hold a resident card from a European country, a Schengen visa issued by French authorities or a valid visa from the United States. Guests without a visa will be detained onboard and unable to go ashore whilst the ship is in Guadeloupe.

Passport holders from all other nationalities not mentioned above do not require a visa to cruise.

Visa Requirements for Ireland

Passport holders from the below listed countries do not require a visa to go ashore in Irish ports. Passport holders from all other countries not mentioned below will require a visa prior to the cruise issued by an Irish embassy or consulate. Guests without a valid visa will be denied boarding on embarkation day. It is not an option to remain onboard in Irish ports without a visa. A Schengen visa or United Kingdom visa is not valid for travel to Ireland.

Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City

Certain nationalities may be eligible for the visa waiver programme if they meet certain requirements, these include the following nationalities Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Montenegro, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Thailand, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, India, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam

Visa Requirements for Israel

Passport holders from the following countries will require a visa from an Israeli embassy or consulate before the cruise:

Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bahrain, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, China, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros Island, Congo, Cook Island, Cuba, Djibouti, Dubai, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kirghizstan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Laos, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Reunion Island, Rwanda, Samoa, St. Thomas, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra ¬¬Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa for Israel before or during the cruise:

Albania, Andorra, Anguilla, Antilles, Argentina, Austria, St. Kitts & Nevis, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Falkland, Finland, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Lesotho, Macau, Macedonia, Malta, Malawi, Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Netherlands, New Guinea, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Suriname, Taiwan, Turks and Caicos, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, United States of America, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City.

Passport holders from the following countries are restricted from entering Israel. Guests from these countries are not allowed to go ashore and must remain onboard whilst the ship is in Israeli ports:

Aden, Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen.

Nationalities not mentioned in the above categories above must obtain a visa from an Israeli Embassy or Consulate prior to their cruise. Guests who do not possess the Israel visa must remain onboard in Israeli ports.

Visa Requirements for India

Anyone who does not hold a passport from India requires a visa to visit Indian ports. The visa can be an embassy-issued visa sticker or an electronic visa. Both types of visas must be obtained in advance, prior to the beginning of the cruise. Anyone who requires an Indian visa and is unable to present one at check in on embarkation day will be denied boarding. The e-Tourist Visa can be arranged online, please refer to this website https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html to submit the application.

Visa Requirements for Indonesia

Passport holders from the below countries do not require a visa to visit Indonesia:

Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Philippines, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam

Passport holders from the below countries require an e-voa or an Electronic Visa upon Arrival for Indonesia. This visa is mandatory and can be applied for here starting 60 days prior to entry into Indonesia. This visa is required for both guests who go ashore and guests who choose to remain onboard and must be applied for and received prior to sailing. E-VOA must be printed to be considered valid.

Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hongkong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Maldives, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Timor Leste, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uzbekistan, and Vatican

Passport holders of the following countries require an Indonesian visa from an Indonesian embassy or consulate prior to sailing. Anyone who requires a visa for Indonesia and does not have one will be denied boarding on embarkation day.

Afghanistan, Congo, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen

Passport holders from all countries not listed above require an Indonesian E-visa arranged online at the below website or through an Indonesian embassy or consulate prior to sailing. Anyone who requires a visa for Indonesia and does not have one will be denied boarding on embarkation day. E-Visa must be printed to be considered valid.

https://molina.imigrasi.go.id/

Visa Requirements for Ivory Coast

In transit guests do not require a visa to go ashore before or during the cruise.

Guests over the age of 9 months and of any nationality are required to have a yellow fever vaccine certificate , without it guests will be denied boarding. A medical waiver will be accepted in lieu of the yellow fever vaccine.

Visa Requirements for Japan

Please refer to this website for the most updated visa policies to visit Japan by cruise ship. Anyone who requires a Japanese visa and is unable to present one at check in on embarkation day will be denied boarding. This visa cannot be arranged onboard the ship. It must be done through a Japanese embassy or consulate prior to sailing.

Click Here for More Information

Visa Requirements for Jordan

All guests of any nationality are welcome to go ashore whilst in transit in Jordan ports, there are no visa requirements before or during the cruise.

Visa Requirements for Kenya

Passport holders from the below countries will be charged $55 USD per person for a Mombasa visa upon arrival into ports in Kenya:

Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil. Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo Brazzaville, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Egypt, El Salvador, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Guyana, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Hong Kong, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malagasy, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palau Pacific Isles, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United States, United kingdom, Vatican City, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen.

All guests of any nationality are required to have a yellow fever vaccine certificate , without it guests will be detained onboard. A medical waiver will be accepted in lieu of the yellow fever vaccine.

Visa Requirements for Madagascar

A visa is not required to visit Madagascar by cruise; this applies to all nationalities.

Visa Requirements for Malaysia

Israeli passport holders are prohibited from entering Malaysia and must remain onboard in all Malaysian ports.

All passengers are required to fill out and submit an Online Arrival Card for Malaysia before entering Malaysia by plane or ship starting 3 days prior to entry. Passengers should submit this form at the below website before embarkation where applicable: Malaysia Online Arrival Card (imigresen-online.imi.gov)

Passport holders from the below listed countries require a visa to embark or debark in Malaysia:

Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo Democratic Republic, Congo Republic, Cote D'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong, India, Liberia, Mali, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Western Sahara

Passport holders from the below listed countries and guests who have visited or passed through the below countries are required to have a yellow fever vaccine certificate in order to be given clearance to go ashore in Malaysian ports, without it guests will be detained onboard:

Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Colombia, Cameroon, Central Afrika Republic, Chad, Congo, Djibouti, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Suriname, Somalia, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, Venezuela, Zambia, Zaire, United Republic Of Tanzania

Visa Requirements for Martinique

Passport holders from the following countries require a visa for Martinique before the cruise. A valid Schengen visa, United States visa or a Canadian visa is accepted to go ashore in Martinique. Any guest without the visa is required to remain onboard whilst the ship is in Martinique ports.

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Belarus, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Bhutan, Brunei, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia*, Madagascar, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia, Moldovia*, Mongolia, Montenegro*, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Papua-New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Serbia*, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine*, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

* Only biometric passport holders are exempt from the visa requirement.

Visa Requirements for Mauritius

If you are booked on a cruise that starts or ends in Mauritius, please read carefully the following visa requirements for your entry to Mauritius.

Passport holders from the below countries require a visa for Mauritius before the cruise from an embassy or consulate:

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Laos, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Pakistan, Palestinian State, Saharawi Republic, Somalia, Yemen.

Passport holders from the below countries will require a visa for Mauritius. If you are booked on a cruise that begins in Mauritius, this visa can be obtained at the airport. If you are booked on a cruise that ends in Mauritius, this visa is eligible to purchase on arrival for $80 USD per person. This visa is mandatory and will be charged to the onboard account for all guests onboard the ship who do not already possess a Mauritius visa.

Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cambodia, Cameroon, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Palau, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam.

All other nationalities not mentioned in the above categories do not require a visa before or during the cruise.

Visa requirements for Morocco

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to go ashore in ports in Morocco:

Algeria, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Bahrain, Brazil, Bulgari, Burkina-Faso, Cote D’lvoire, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Colombia, Congo, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, Gabon, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, Hungary, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Mali, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Niger, Norway, New Zealand, Oman, Portugal, Netherlands, Philippines, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, St. Marteen, Senegal, Singapore, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States of America.

Passport holders from countries not mentioned above will require a visa for Morocco from an embassy or consulate before the cruise. Guests without the visa must remain onboard whilst the ship is in Moroccan ports.

Visa Requirements for Mozambique

Passport holders from Canada, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Israel, United States of America, Russia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Norway, Sweden, Netherland, United Kingdom, South Korea, Ivory Coast, Finland, Indonesia, Ireland, Singapore, Ghana, Senegal, German, France, Italy, China, Portugal and Ukraine will be charged $30 USD for the arrival visa.

All other passport holders from nationalities not mentioned above will be charged $90 USD for the arrival visa.

Visa Requirements for Namibia

Passport validity of 6 months is strictly enforced.

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to go ashore in ports in Namibia:

Angola, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Finland France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Liechtenstein, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Seychelles, Singapore South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

All other nationalities not mentioned above require a visa for Namibia before the cruise from an embassy or consulate. Guests without a visa may remain onboard with no penalty.

Passport holders from the below listed countries and guests who have visited or passed through the below countries are required to have a yellow fever vaccine certificate, without it guests will be detained onboard.

Angola, Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Congo, Congo Republic, Cote d’ Ivory, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French-Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and Venezuela.

Visa Requirements for New Caledonia

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa for New Caledonia:

Albania*, Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia*, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominique Islands, Estonia, Finland, Fiji, France, Germany, Georgia*, Great Britain, Greece, Grenade, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia*, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova*, Monaco, Montenegro*, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Marianne Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Salvador, Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles Islands, Singapore, Solomon Island, South Korea, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, St. Christophe & Nieves, St. Marteen, Vatican City, St. Vincent, St. Lucie, Switzerland, Sweden, Timor Eastern, Tonga Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu Islands, Ukraine*, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu Islands, Venezuela. *Only holders of biometric passports do not require a visa

Passport holders from all nationalities not listed above require a visa for New Caledonia issued either, by a French embassy or a Schengen Visa issued by a French embassy, before the cruise. Guests without a valid visa will be detained onboard whilst the ship is in ports in New Caledonia.

Visa Requirements for New Zealand

All passengers debarking in New Zealand are required to download the New Zealand Travel Declaration App "NZTD" and fill out the privacy policy before embarkation. 24 hours before departing the last port before entering New Zealand, all guests will be required to fill out and submit the full travel declaration form on the "NZTD" app. Any guests unable to access the app may use the below website to fill out the and submit the New Zealand Travel Declaration.

New Zealand Travel Declaration Website

The government of New Zealand has recently launched an electronic visa called the NZeTA that will be required for all guests not holding New Zealand or Australian passports to obtain prior to their cruise.

The NZeTA visa will be available for purchase via New Zealand's immigration website, or their mobile app, called NZeTA. Guests will also have to pay what is called the International Visitor Conservation And Tourism Levy (IVL) which is done at the same time as the visa application.

NZeTA visa will cost 9 NZD if purchased via the mobile app, and will cost 12 NZD if purchased via the website. The IVL will cost 35 NZD, and price remains the same whether purchased through the mobile app or website. Therefore, total cost will be either 44 NZD or 47 NZD per person to get both the NZeTA and IVL.

WHO NEEDS THE NZeTA VISA?

All guests who do not hold passports from New Zealand or Australia require the NZeTA visa to enter New Zealand by sea (for cruises that start and end in Sydney).  Australian permanent residents who do not hold Australian passports also require the NZeTA.  All nationalities are eligible to enter New Zealand by sea on a ship with the NZeTA.  However, only the visa waiver countries can obtain an NZeTA visa to enter New Zealand by air (for cruises that start in Auckland). Guests from all nationalities that are not part of the visa waiver programme (except for New Zealand and Australian passport holders) must get a visitor visa to enter New Zealand by air.  This is a separate visa that is also obtained online.

All guests MUST have the NZeTA or visitor visa in order to take any cruise that visits New Zealand ports. It is not an option to detain a guest onboard in New Zealand ports if they do not have the required visa. For cruises that begin in Sydney, we will check for the NZeTA confirmation email from every guest at check in so please print or have the confirmation email available on your phone. Anyone who has not yet applied can do so at the pier, but will not be boarded if they do not receive approval before the ship sails.

Click here to view countries and territories that are visa waiver countries.

HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET THE VISA:

It is recommended that everyone applies for the NZeTA at least 72 hours prior to travel, as it can take up to 72 hours for the visa to be approved for certain individuals. 

Guests who are flying into New Zealand (for cruises beginning in Auckland) who are not from visa waiver countries, must get a New Zealand visitor visa prior to travel. This visitor visa is now obtained online by all nationalities, and it takes an average of 14 working days to be processed. The visitor visa can also be used to enter New Zealand by sea, so if a guest already has a visitor visa and is entering New Zealand by sea, it is not necessary for them to also get an NZeTA.

More information on the NZeTA can be found at www.immigration.govt.nz/nzeta .

Visa Requirements for Nicaragua

Guests from the following countries require a visa to go ashore in Nicaraguan ports. If a guest does not have a visa, immigration in Nicaragua may allow the guest to go ashore if they purchase a visa for $64 USD. It is not guaranteed that the option will be given for guests to purchase a visa upon arrival to Nicaragua.

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, China, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Timor Leste, Vietnam, Yemen

Guests from the following countries must have a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate in order to go ashore in Nicaraguan ports, unless they are permanent residents of another country, not mentioned below.

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and all African countries except Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia and Tanzania.

Visa Requirements for Norway

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to enter Norway. All other nationalities not mentioned below are required to hold a valid Schengen visa from an embassy or consulate before the cruise:

Albania (applies to holders of biometric passports), Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda (BDTC passports), Bosnia and Herzegovina (applies to holders of biometric passports), Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia (applies to holders of biometric passports), Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Korea (Republic of), Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro (applies to holders of biometric passport), Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia (applies to holders of biometric passports), Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, the Seychelles, Serbia (applies to holders of biometric passport), Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine (applies to holders of biometric passport), United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, United States, and Venezuela

Do I Need a Visa for Norway? - UDI

Visa Requirements for Oman

Guests of all nationalities except for Israel will receive a visa upon arrival to Oman arranged by the shipboard team. If the ship is in Oman for only one day, the visa is free of charge. If the ship is in Oman for 48 hours or more, the visa cost is $29 per person, which will be charged automatically to all guests' onboard accounts. The visa cost will not be waived for guests who choose to remain onboard in Oman.

Visa Requirements for Peru

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa for Peru:

Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belarus, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cook Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Fiji, France, Germany, Granada, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Holly See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Lithuania, Lichtenstein, Luxemburg, Macedonia, Malta, Malaysia, Marshal Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nauru, Niue, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Salomon Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Tongo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, and Vanuatu

Passport holders from all other counties must have a visa for Peru from an embassy or consulate before the cruise.

Visa Requirements for Philippines

All passengers are required to fill out and submit an Electronic Travel Declaration Form before entering the Philippines by Plane or Ship starting 6 days prior to entry into the Philippines. Passengers should submit this form at the below website before embarkation where applicable.

eTravel - Philippine One-Stop Electronic Travel Declaration System

Passport holders from the below countries do not require a visa to visit the Philippines.

Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d' Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea (ROK), Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Indian nationals with a valid Australian, Japanese, American, Canadian, Schengen, Singaporean or UK visa or permanent residence permit and Chinese nationals from mainland China with valid Australian, Japanese, Canadian, Schengen or US visa do not require a visa to visit the Philippines.

Passport holders from all countries not mentioned above require a visa obtained from an embassy or consulate before the cruise.

Visa Requirements for Qatar

Passport holders from the below countries will receive a visa on arrival. For guests arriving by ship, the cost for visa on arrival is $75 USD per person:

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Brunei, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Ecuador, Finland, France, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Guyana, Holland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Macau, Macedonia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, San Marino, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Suriname, Turkey, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela.

For all other nationalities not mentioned above a visa will be required for Qatar, please visit https://visitqatar.com/intl-en/practical-info/visas/visa-details for more information on how to apply for a visa.

Visa Requirements for Reunion Island

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa to visit Reunion Island before or during the cruise. All other nationalities not mentioned below will require a visa before the cruise from an embassy or consulate. Any guest without a visa for Reunion Island will be detained onboard:

Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Brunei, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenade, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Netherlands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, St. Kitts and Nevis, Vatican, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marina, Seychelles, South Africa, East Timor, Taiwan*, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Uruguay, Ukraine, United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu.

Passport holders from China and India are eligible for a visa voucher in lieu of a visa provided by an approved travel agency only. The visa voucher must be valid for the duration of the stay in Reunion Island. Please find the list of approved travel agencies attached.

Visa Requirements for Samoa

All guests of any nationality are welcome to go ashore in ports in Samoa, there are no visa requirements before or during the cruise.

Visa Requirements for Sao Tome

Passport holders from the below countries do not require a visa to go ashore in Sao Tome ports:

Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United States.

All other nationalities not mentioned above will require a visa upon arrival, the cost of the visa is $50 USD per person. The ship will process the visa on your behalf and charge your onboard account.

Guests of any nationality over the age of 9 years old are required to have a yellow fever vaccine certificate , without it guests will be detained onboard. A medical waiver will be accepted in lieu of the yellow fever vaccine.

Visa Requirements for Saudi Arabia

If you are booked on a cruise that visits Saudi Arabia as port of call, please read carefully the following visa requirements to go ashore. Passport validity of 6 months is strictly enforced.

Passport holders from Israel, Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen and Syrian nationals are prohibited from entering Saudi Arabia and must remain onboard whilst the ship is in Saudi Arabian ports. These passport holders are not eligible to apply for e-visa or visa on arrival.

Passport holders from all nationalities not mentioned in the above category are required to apply for e-visa. Eligible guests must apply for the e-visa online before the cruise using this website https://visa.mofa.gov.sa/Account/LoginIndividuals . E-visa transit by sea, starts at just USD $25 and payment is taken online whilst completing your application. For comprehensive visa application guidelines, please refer to the attached document:

Passport holders from the following countries are eligible to purchase a visa on arrival at a cost of $128 USD per person. Guests holding a valid and used US, Schengen, or UK visas are eligible for a visa on arrival. We encourage all eligible guests to apply for the e-visa instead because the cost for the visa on arrival is significantly more expensive.

Australia, Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brunei, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, St. Kitts and Nevis, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa for Saudi Arabia before or during the cruise:

Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.

Guests without the visa may remain onboard with no penalty.

Visa Requirements for Senegal

Passport holders from the below countries will require a visa from an embassy or consulate before the cruise to go ashore. Guests without the visa must remain onboard.

Afghanistan, Albania, Antigua & Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize, Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bhutan, Chile, China, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Eritrea, Georgia, Guyana, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Maldives, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sao Tome & Principe, Serbia, Somalia, Sudan, Southern Sudan, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen.

Passport holders from the following countries will receive a visa on arrival at no cost to go ashore.

Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Gabon, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Jamaica, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lesotho, Libya, Lichtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal, Norway, New Zealand, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Switzerland, Suriname, Swaziland, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Passport holders from the following countries will not require a visa before or during the cruise to go ashore.

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Brazil, Canada, Cape-Verde, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Germany, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, India, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Liberia, Malta, Mali, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Togo, Tunisia, United States of America, United Kingdom.

Passport holders not mentioned in the above categories will require a visa from an embassy or consulate before the cruise.

The yellow fever vaccine is no longer mandatory but it is recommended by the local health authorities to go ashore.

Visa Requirements for Seychelles

A visa is not required to visit Seychelles by cruise. This applies to all nationalities.

Visa Requirements for Singapore

All passengers are required to fill out and submit an Electronic Arrival Card before entering Singapore by Plane or Ship starting 3 days prior to entry. Passengers should submit this form at the below website before embarkation where applicable. ICA | SG Arrival Card

Passport holders from the following countries require a visa for Singapore from an embassy or consulate before the cruise.

Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Moldova, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Passport holders from China, Hong Kong, India, and Taiwan may be eligible to enter Singapore without a visa if they meet both the below conditions:

Have a valid onward air/ferry/cruise ticket departing Singapore within 96 hours.

Have a valid visa or long-term pass issued by Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom, or United States of America.

Passport holders from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Georgia, Turkmenistan and Ukraine may be eligible to enter Singapore visa free if they have a valid onward air ticket departing within 96 hours of entry. This only applies if departing Singapore by air, if departing Singapore by land or sea a visa from an embassy or consulate must be obtained before the cruise.

Passport holders from all nationalities not mentioned above do not require a visa to go to Singapore.

ICA | Check if You Need an Entry Visa

Visa Requirements for South Africa

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa for South Africa issued from an embassy or consulate prior to the cruise. Passport holders not mentioned below will require a visa for South Africa from an embassy or consulate before the cruise. Any guest who requires a South African visa and does not have one will be denied boarding on embarkation day.

Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados. Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guyana, Henderson, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Qatar, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turks and Caicos, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Passport holders from the below listed countries and guests who have visited or passed through the below countries are required to have a yellow fever vaccine certificate, without it guests will be denied boarding.

Visa Requirements for South Korea

Passport holders from the below countries may be eligible for the K-ETA Electronic Travel Authorisation programme if they meet certain requirements. The below nationalities must have a K-ETA or South Korean visa issued from an embassy or consulate before the cruise if embarking or disembarking in South Korea.

Albania, Andorra, Antigua-Barbuda, Argentina, Australia*, Austria*, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium*, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada*, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech, Denmark*, Dominica, Dominican Rep., Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland*, France*, Germany*, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong*, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy*, Jamaica, Japan*, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao*, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands*, New Caledonia, New Zealand*, Nicaragua, Norway*, Oman, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland*, Portugal, Qatar, Republic Of Serbia, Romania, Russia, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore*, Slovak, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain*, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Surinam, Sweden*, Switzerland, Taiwan*, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, U.A.E, United Kingdom*, United States*, Uruguay, and Venezuela

Passport holders from all other counties must have a visa for South Korea from an embassy or consulate before the cruise.

*South Korea has provided the below 22 countries with a temporary exemption from the K-ETA from April 1, 2023 - December 31, 2024.

Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States

Official Notice of K-ETA Exemption

Visa Requirements for Sri Lanka

All passengers are required to obtain an electronic ETA visa prior to arrival to Sri Lanka. This visa is free of charge and must be obtained online at least 48 hours in advance. Anyone who does not obtain the ETA visa in advance must remain onboard in Sri Lankan ports. This visa must be obtained using this link http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ and click on “Transit ETA” to complete application.

Visa Requirements for Taiwan

Please refer to this website for a list of countries that do not require a visa for Taiwan.

Passport holders from Hong Kong, Macau, UK overseas must obtain a Taiwan Entry & Exit permit. There are different documents required depending on the place of birth and/or residence.

Chinese (People’s Republic of China) Passport holder must obtain Taiwan Entry & Exit Permit before boarding cruise, on-line entry permit is not available.

The below documents are required to enter Taiwan:

  • PRC Passport with validity at least 6 months after enter Taiwan
  • PRC Travel pass to Taiwan
  • Entry & Exit Permit Taiwan Republic of China

Passport holders from the following countries are eligible for an eVisa when they meet relevant criteria, by accessing this link eVisa Application (boca.gov.tw) :

Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, Kiribati, Kuwait, Mauritius, Montenegro, Oman, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

All other nationalities not mentioned above require a visa before the cruise from an embassy or consulate, anyone without a visa for Taiwan will be denied boarding.

Visa Requirements for Tanzania

Passport holders from many countries will require an e-visa to go ashore in Tanzania. Guests must apply for the e-visa prior to embarkation. There is a 10 day approval process on the e-visa, approvals may be granted whilst on the ship in transit to Tanzania. Please visit https://immigration.go.tz/index.php/immigration-services/visa-information to apply for the e-visa online.

All guests of any nationality are required to have a yellow fever vaccine certificate , without it guests will be detained onboard. A medical waiver will be accepted in lieu of the yellow fever vaccine. A 10-day inoculation period is required for the vaccine to be valid.

Visa Requirements for Thailand

Passport holders from the following countries do not require a visa for Thailand:

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Monaco, Mongolia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, The Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, USA, Vietnam

Passports holders from the following countries can purchase a Thai visa on arrival onboard the ship for $80 USD per person. This visa is mandatory and will be charged to the onboard account for all guests onboard the ship who do not already possess a Thai visa. The visa is required for both guests who go ashore and guests who choose to remain onboard. The cost of the visa will not be waived for guests who remain onboard in Thai ports.

Bulgaria, Bhutan, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu

Passport holders from all nationalities not listed in one of the above categories require a Thai visa issued by a Thai embassy or consulate prior to the cruise. Any guest who requires a Thai visa and does not have one will be denied boarding on embarkation day. Applications for Thai VISA can be done online or in person at the Thai embassy or consulate in the country of departure of the applicant.

Visa Requirements for Turkey

If you are booked on a cruise that starts or ends in Turkey, please read carefully the following visa requirements for your entry to Turkey. Passport validity of six months is strictly enforced.

Passport holders from the following countries are eligible to apply for an e-visa that must be applied for online before the cruise using this website https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/ :

Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Canada, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Fiji, Gabon, Grenada, Haiti, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Oman, St. Lucia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Suriname, Syria, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Zambia.

Passport holders from the following countries require a visa before the cruise from an embassy or consulate:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Kiribati, Republic of Congo, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mexico, Micronesia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, North Mariana Islands, Pakistan, Palau Republic, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zaire, Zimbabwe.

Passport holders that are visa free and do not require a visa for Turkey before or during the cruise:

Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Macedonia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tajikistan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom*, United States, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican, Venezuela.

For cruises that visit Turkey as a port of call, a visa is not required for any nationality. However, passport validity of 6 months is strictly enforced. Any guest whose passport will expire in less than six months must remain onboard in Turkish ports.

Visa Requirements for United Arab Emirates

Passport holders from the following countries will receive a visa upon arrival to the United Arab Emirates free of charge. Passport holders from all nationalities not listed below require a UAE visa before the cruise. Please visit https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/before-you-fly/visa-passport-information/uae-visa-information/ for more information on how to apply for a visa. Any guest who requires a UAE visa and does not have one will be denied boarding on embarkation day.

Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexican, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Russia, Grenadines, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vatican City.

Visa Requirements for United Kingdom

Passport holders from the below listed countries require a visa to go ashore in United kingdom ports. Guests from these countries that do not hold a United Kingdom Visa on embarkation day will be denied boarding. This visa must be arranged prior to your cruise through an embassy or consulate. A Schengen Visa or Irish Visa is not valid for travel to United Kingdom.

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Zaire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Sao Tome e Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkeminstan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Visa Requirements for Uruguay

All guests of any nationality are welcome to go ashore whilst in transit in Uruguay ports, there are no visa requirements before or during the cruise.

Visa Requirements for Vanuatu

Passport holders from the below listed countries do not a require a visa to go ashore in Vanuatu ports. Passport holders from all other countries not listed below will require a visa for Vanuatu prior to the cruise.

Argentina, Australia, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Botswana, Belize, Brazil, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Cuba, China, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominica, Denmark, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Ghana, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Hungary, India, Israel, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Mauritius, Mexico, Malaysia, Maldives, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Namibia, Nigeria, Nauru, new Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Pakistan, Palau, Papa New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Turkey, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tanzania, Uruguay, Uganda, United States, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Vatican City, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Visa Requirements for Vietnam

Passport holders from the below listed countries do not require a visa for Vietnam. Passport holders from all other countries require a visa to go ashore in ports in Vietnam. The visa on arrival will be arranged by the onboard team. Guests will be charged $50 USD per person. This visa is mandatory and will be charged to the onboard account for all guests on the ship with the exception of the below passport holders. The visa is required for both guests who go ashore and guests who choose to remain onboard. The cost of the visa will not be waived for guests who remain onboard in Vietnamese ports.

Belarus, Cambodia, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Norway, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, and UK

Birth Certificates To obtain an original or state certified copy of a birth certificate, you can contact your hospital of birth or the Vital Statistics Department of the County where you were born.

Passports For more information on obtaining a passport, please visit the U.S. Passports & International Travel website, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative , or VisaCentral .

Government-issued Photo I.D.’s You can usually obtain a state-issued photo I.D. from your local driver's license/Division of Motor Vehicles office. Contact your local office or visit your state's DMV website for more information and instructions. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to access their list of State Departments of Motor Vehicles.-->

Electronic Travel Authorisation Per the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) requirements, all VWP travellers must obtain an electronic travel authorisation prior to boarding a travel carrier to enter the United States. This can be done by completing the online application on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ’s website. Applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. However, DHS recommends that applications be submitted no less than 72 hours prior to travel. In most cases you will receive a response within seconds. Potential responses include:

  • Authorisation Approved
  • Travel Not Authorised : Travellers must obtain a nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate before travelling to the U.S.
  • Authorisation Pending : Travellers should check the ESTA website for updates and final response.

An approved travel authorisation will be:

  • Required for all VWP travellers prior to boarding a travel carrier to enter the United States under the VWP.
  • Valid unless revoked, for up to two (2) years or until the traveller's passport expires, whichever comes first;
  • Valid for multiple entries but not a guarantee of admissibility to the United States at a port of entry.

Norwegian Cruise Line guests can contact VisaCentral for visa inquires or assistance with the visa application process. Norwegian Cruise Line guests receive discounted VisaCentral service fees. Be sure to access the VisaCentral website at http://visacentral.com/Norwegian-cruise-line-splash?login=103407 or calling (844) 834-5702 and reference account 75006 when calling to receive the discounted rates.

Note: These terms are effective at the time of boarding.

Travelling with Infants:

  • At least six (6) months of age on the day of boarding
  • At least twelve (12) months of age on the day of boarding if your cruise has 3 or more consecutive days at sea.

Travelling with Minors and Young Adults: Norwegian Cruise Line’s policy dictates that a minor or young adult must be accompanied in the same stateroom (or connecting stateroom) by a passenger 21 years of age or older at the time of boarding.

  • Minors – an individual under the age of 18 on the day of embarkation/boarding.
  • Young Adult – an individual between the ages of 18 and 20.

Note: Two people under the age of 21 may travel together in the same stateroom if they are a married couple and provide proof of marriage to a Norwegian Cruise Line representative at the pier prior to boarding.

Travelling with Minors Unaccompanied by Parent or Legal Guardian*:

For passengers under the age of 18 travelling with an accompanying adult, who is not the minor's parent or legal guardian, a Parent/Guardian Consent Form that authorises the minor's travel and further authorises medical treatment in case of an emergency must be delivered to a Norwegian representative at the pier during check-in. Failure to produce this letter at embarkation may result in boarding being denied. Both living parents/legal guardians must sign and complete this form and attach a copy of his/her driver's license or other government issued identification. Minors of the same parent(s)/legal guardian(s) may be listed on the same form:

  • Download and Complete the  Parental Consent Release form  (PDF)

Minors or the same parent(s)/legal guardian(s) may be listed on the same form

  • Copy of both parents/legal guardians Driver’s License or other Government Issued ID

Adoptive parents, legal guardians or persons separated or divorced are advised to keep legal and other relevant documents available in order to clarify custody rights.

*If travelling to Canada, you’ll need the following document in addition to items #1 and 2 (Alaska, Pacific Coastal, and Canada/New England Itineraries):

Canadian entry requirements stipulate that a child under the age of 18 travelling alone, or with person(s) other than both parents , should be in possession of a letter (preferably notarised) from the parents or legal guardian containing:

  • Authorisation for the child to travel with another person and to be outside the country;
  • The name and a 24-hour contact telephone number of the parents or guardian;
  • The destination and length of stay in Canada.

OFAC Sanctions/Regulations Please be advised that the United States Department of the Treasury through the Office of Foreign Assets Control ('OFAC') has issued a series of sanctions against these countries, certain nationals, and certain entities. These sanctions limit the ability of cruise lines to conduct business with these countries, their citizens, and any other entities designated by OFAC.

Sanctioned Countries are as follows: CRIMEA REGION OF UKRAINE, THE SO-CALLED “DONETSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF UKRAINE,” THE SO-CALLED “LUHANSK PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF UKRAINE,” CUBA, NORTH KOREA (DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA), SYRIA, OR IRAN.

High-Risk Countries are as follows: VENEZUELA, RUSSIA, OR BELARUS.

Accordingly, it is Norwegian Cruise Line’s policy that if you are a citizen or resident of one of these sanctioned or high-risk countries, Norwegian Cruise Line is entitled to cancel your booking and refuse boarding unless you can satisfy the following conditions:

  • Proof of citizenship in a non-sanctioned country; OR
  • Proof of residency** in a non-sanctioned country; AND
  • Evidence that you are funding the cruise, including all onboard charges by providing a credit card from a bank associated with a non-sanctioned country and a non-sanctioned financial institution.

** This must be in the form of a valid passport, temporary or permanent resident card, or national ID card including personal information and photography. Russian passport holders may also present a valid US visa. Documentation, such as a rental agreement, showing address, will not be sufficient.

You must be able to satisfy the above criteria to sail on board a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. Please note that Norwegian Cruise Line reserves the right to cancel your booking and refuse boarding if there are any changes to the laws and regulations such that completing the booking would cause Norwegian Cruise Line to be in noncompliance with applicable laws and regulations.

COMMENTS

  1. Frequently Asked Questions

    If you have additional questions, please call us at 1-800-625-5672. Can I still split the dinner for two vouchers if I am a solo traveler (two meals for one person)? ... Norwegian Cruise Line carries a limited number of irons and ironing boards which can be loaned to guests for a few hours at a time. They can be requested through housekeeping ...

  2. Prepare for Your Cruise

    Answer "yes" to "Do you currently have a cruise reservation?" Enter your ship name, reservation number and sail date to add your reservation to your account. If you're having trouble finding your cruise, either reset your password or call our Technical Support department at 1.866.625.1160.

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  7. NCL FAQs

    Absolutely! NCL has two programs for kids aged 3 to 17, Splash Academy and Entourage, plus the newer ships have entertainment options like arcades, water slides, bungee, go-karts, laser tag, zip line, or ropes course.Check with the ship you'll be sailing on to see which options are available.

  8. Contact Norwegian Cruise Line Services

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  26. Required Travel Document and Information For Cruise Vacations

    Norwegian Cruise Line strongly recommends all guests to obtain a passport for their cruise vacation for the following reasons:. If you miss the ship at its scheduled U.S. departure port and need to travel outside the U.S. to meet the ship, a passport would be required to travel internationally by air.