NCL have made the right move.

NCL (Norwegian Cruise Lines ) have recently made a big change to their cruises.  NCL were really one of the first mass market brands to go All Inclusive and for the last few years offered  your choice of stateroom which you could only book as All Inclusive or an allocated cabin without the drinks.

This though was  not popular with everyone and led to quite high prices especially if you don’t drink much. So in April they cancelled their pricing structure and introduced ‘Free at Sea’  This is what Eamonn Ferrin, vice president and managing director of NCL said about the change:

“This is all about reinforcing freestyle cruising, giving more flexibility, choice and value to our customers,” Ferrin said.“These are the key watchwords of our brand. The core values of Norwegian are that you can wear what you want, eat what you want and when you want, and that you can choose from a wide range of entertainment. We have done a lot of research among existing customers and those yet to cruise, and it was a real eye-opener into what they really want. Across all demographics and socio-types, having choice and individuality to create their own vacation experience was really important.”

The new change came into effect in April.   You can now select your cabin number or choose an allocated cabin and choose to just pay your cruise price or add on pre paid gratuities if you want to and your ‘Free at Sea’ option.

NCL guests can pay £99 per person based on a 7 night cruise on Free at Sea and choose two of these options

-A premium drinks package worth up to US$99 per person per day, including gratuities and service charges

-Speciality dining for three nights of a seven-night sailing worth $89 per person, including gratuities and service charges

-Free WiFi up to 250 mins per stateroom, per 7 night cruise

-US$50 dollars on board credit per stateroom, per port, to spend on shore excursions.

This gives customers choice and the flexibility to choose the best option for themselves.

Since introducing this structure I have noticed an increase in sales for NCL, which is great. I really like them as a cruise line, they are more relaxed than some and have some excellent facilities on board. I really do hope this has worked for them and am sure it works well for the customer.

To view more about NCL Cruises click here


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I have worked in the travel industry for over 25 years now since beginning as a holiday rep on a campsite in France and I have a real passion for travel. I've worked in all aspects of the industry including sales, marketing and management and I've specialised in most products…

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