Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced big changes this year that upset many loyal fans, including new room service restrictions, fees for extra main dining room entrées, and more.
Many have taken to social media to voice frustration about the changes, claiming that they erode the value and flexibility of “Freestyle Cruising” that longtime cruisers had come to appreciate.
Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or a loyal Latitudes member, it is important to understand the changes before embarking on your next voyage. Here’s a breakdown of the Norwegian cruise news that will impact your vacations in 2026 and beyond.
Return of "Free at Sea"
Norwegian is axing its "More at Sea" program less than one year after launching it. Effective November 5, 2025, NCL's website confirms that "Free at Sea" has returned, albeit with some changes, "because that's the way cruising should be."
According to Norwegian, "Free at Sea" makes it easy to indulge in premium cocktails, enjoy specialty meals, embark on memorable shore excursions, and stay connected with the cruise line's speedy WiFi package.
Thankfully, the cruise line isn't making any changes to the drink package's inclusions, other than the unpopular decision to restrict its use ashore at Great Stirrup Cay in The Bahamas.
Guests will still have unlimited access to over 100 included cocktails, wines by the glass from around the world, beers & seltzers, and a selection of non-alcoholic beverages.
The only important update to the drink package is that the pricing is no longer determined by the number of sailing days. Instead, NCL's "Free at Sea" Unlimited Open Bar has a flat price of $28.50 per person, per day.
Moving on, everyone will receive 150 minutes of Wi-Fi, regardless of their cruise's length. Previously, the number of minutes given to all guests was determined by the voyage's length. Guests on short cruises only got 75 minutes, while those on longer sailings had 300 minutes to use.
Finally, the cruise line amended its specialty dining perk to be based solely on the length of the cruise, rather than the voyage's duration and cabin category.
As part of NCL's rebranded "Free at Sea" program, those on 2-4 night cruises will get 1 complimentary specialty dining meal, while those on 5-6 night sailings will get 2. Guests embarking on a 7-8 night voyage will enjoy 3 specialty meals, and passengers on 9 night cruises or longer will have 4 included specialty meals.
New Main Dining Room Fees
Effective September 2025, NCL began charging for extra entrées in its main dining rooms. However, appetizers, like soups and salads, and desserts are still unlimited.
This move caught many passengers by surprise. Historically, cruisers could order multiple entrées as part of their cruise fare. This was popular for those who liked to sample different dishes or share amongst their tablemates.
Now, NCL’s dining room menus state that additional entrées will incur a $5 service charge. Although the reasoning was likely to cut down on waste, some have suggested alternative solutions, such as offering half portions of entrées to those who are indecisive.
Compared to lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival, NCL’s new dining room policy is the most restrictive. Carnival, for example, charges guests when they want a third entrée or more, while Royal only charges for additional lobster tails on formal night.
Room Service Restrictions
Passengers also noticed that NCL quietly updated its room service policy. Instead of allowing guests to order unlimited food, cruisers are restricted to one hot and one cold dish per person, per breakfast order.
Additionally, NCL guests can only order two items per person, per delivery from the all-day menu.
If passengers want more food, they will need to place a second order, which means another service fee and additional wait time between deliveries.
The good news (if you can call it that) is that Norwegian did not increase the mandatory room service delivery fees. Guests will still pay $4.95 for breakfast and $9.95 for items from the all-day menu.
No-Show Fees for Specialty Restaurants
Another dining change that Norwegian made this year was to begin enforcing a no-show fee for guests who book specialty restaurants but don’t cancel in advance.
The cancellation policy is generous, too. Passengers need to cancel no less than two hours before their reservation to avoid the $10 no-show fee.
This helps free up tables for last-minute reservations and prevents guests from monopolizing high-demand dining slots at popular restaurants like Cagney’s Steakhouse or Teppanyaki.
Read more: I tried an extra-cost restaurant on my Norwegian cruise
Norwegian Great Stirrup Cay Drink Package Change
Out of all the changes made this year, this is likely the most unpopular among guests. Starting March 1, 2026, all onboard NCL drink packages won’t work ashore at Great Stirrup Cay, the cruise line’s private island in The Bahamas.
Instead, Norwegian will release a new package specifically for use on the island for an additional cost. That said, there will be select complimentary beverages for guests, including water, iced tea, and juice.
This policy change aligns with other major cruise lines, like Carnival and Holland America, which don’t allow their passengers to use drink packages at private destinations.
However, Royal Caribbean, MSC, and Princess do not restrict guests in the same way. Their cruisers can use onboard drink packages at their private islands (CocoCay, Ocean Cay, and Princess Cays) without buying a separate package.
No More Freestyle Daily Schedules
Norwegian suddenly stopped delivering the traditional paper Freestyle Daily schedule to staterooms across its fleet. This means that guests are expected to browse the daily activities and operating hours on their mobile phones or the cabin’s television.
“We just got off the NCL Encore and noticed that the Freestyle Daily was no longer being delivered to staterooms. After asking our room steward and guest services, we were told this is a brand new policy: paper copies aren’t automatically provided anymore,” one passenger shared on Reddit.
NCL is not the first cruise line to move away from printed schedules. Royal Caribbean, for example, also eliminated delivering the daily paper Cruise Compass, citing environmental concerns and cost savings as the primary motives.
Although many guests don’t mind using their smartphones, some passengers prefer the traditional paper copies. It may seem archaic to younger cruisers, but older guests often find it easier to highlight activities and keep the paper schedule in their bag.
Thankfully, paper Freestyle Dailys can still be obtained onboard. If your cabin steward is unable to deliver them, you must visit the Guest Services desk.
Norwegian Sky Leaving Fleet
Norwegian Sky is set to leave NCL’s fleet in August 2026, marking the first ship departure from the line in nearly two decades — 17 years to be exact.
Earlier this year, passengers were notified that all cruises from August 20, 2026, onward were cancelled, as Sky will join the Cordelia Cruises fleet in India. Norwegian Sun will also leave NCL’s fleet. However, her departure is not scheduled until 2027.
Norwegian Sky and Sun are two of the cruise line’s oldest and smallest ships. Still, they helped pioneer the “Freestyle Cruising” concept that has become synonymous with NCL.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
