What You Need To Know
Answers to the most common questions about cruising.
What
does my cruise fare include?
Your cruise fare entitles you to accommodations, meals and
entertainment aboard ship. Certain specialty restaurants are
available with either nominal cover charges or fixed price
menus and à la carte pricing in addition to the standard
dining program. Items of a personal nature are not included,
such as alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, spa treatments,
certain specialty exercise classes, laundry, photographs,
casino, ship-to-shore phone, e-mail, Internet, fax and Shore
Excursions (including all Dive In™ programs). Government
taxes and fees are also not included.
How do
I pay for onboard expenses?
For your convenience, all shipboard expenses are charged
to NCL's special onboard credit program. Sign up on the first
day of your cruise, by establishing your method of payment
with Visa®, MasterCard®, American Express®, Discover®,
travelers checks or cash. If you choose to settle your account
with cash, a deposit will be required in advance. You may
also use your debit card; however, please be advised that
NCL obtains pre-authorization which some banks may hold for
up to 30 days.
What
about currency?
You
may cash travelers checks at the Reception Desk. Currency
exchange, at prevailing rates, is available on some cruises.
Travelers checks and most major credit cards are accepted
in the ports we visit. Proper ID is required when cashing
travelers checks.We
recommend you carry a small amount of local currency when
visiting foreign ports, although credit cards are commonly
accepted in shops and restaurants.
What
are the customs allowances?
United
States residents must declare all articles acquired abroad
and in their possession when they return to the U.S. This
includes items purchased in "duty-free" shops. The
duty-free exemption allowed for purchases or gifts for returning
U.S. residents varies, depending on how long they have been
out of the U.S. and which countries they have visited. The
standard exemption for U.S. residents who have been abroad
more than 48 hours is $600 - $800, which may include one liter
of alcohol (if you are at least 21), 100 cigars and 200 cigarettes.
*
Residents returning to the U.S. from the U.S. Virgin Islands
may bring $1,200 worth of goods duty-free. The duty-free exemption
for U.S. residents doesn't need to include items that are
mailed back to the U.S.; those will be assessed for duty when
they arrive. The duty-free exemption for a package mailed
as a gift is $100; the exemption for a package marked for
personal use is $200. Non-U.S. citizens should check with
their local authorities for customs allowance information.
For more specific customs information, be sure to attend the
briefing by the Cruise Director before your ship reaches home
port. (Check the daily onboard newsletter for time and place.)
You can also obtain information before you sail by contacting
the nearest U.S. Customs office (look under United States
Government, Department of Treasury in your local phone book).
You can also visit the U.S. Customs website - www.customs.ustreas.gov
- or call 1.202.927.6724 and ask for the brochure "Know
Before You Go." Note: Bottles of liquor you purchase
on board or ashore will be held in a secure area and delivered
to your stateroom at the conclusion of the cruise.
*U.S.
Citizens and residents are not allowed to bring more than
200 cigarettes into the U.S. if they are produced in the
U.S., whether made for export or not.
How many
suitcases can I bring?
Each person is allowed up to 200 pounds of personal luggage
on board. However, if you are traveling by air, ask the airline
if it has different restrictions. Airlines and NCL have limited
liability for loss, so be sure all baggage and personal belongings
are properly insured. Suitcases should be securely locked
and tagged. You should hand-carry medication, jewelry or other
valuables and important documents.
What
about smoking, drinking and gambling on the ship?
Smoking
is only permitted in the designated Smoking Areas and the
Open Decks. Guests must be 21 to purchase or drink alcohol
or to gamble on the ship. Current legislation prevents
us from offering gaming on round-trip Hawaii cruises, and
under these circumstances the casino will be closed throughout
the voyage.
What
time is dinner?
What
time would you like it to be? NCL's exclusive Freestyle Cruising
lets you choose. We offer open-seating dining in a variety
of restaurants and cafés with individual menus, so
it's your choice. You can have lunch or dinner with friends
in one of the elegantly appointed restaurants. Reserve a table
for two in an intimate bistro.
Order
an omelette prepared just the way you like it from the breakfast-buffet
chef. Indulge yourself with delectable selections from the
Chocoholic Buffet.™ There
are special menus for youngsters and special entrées
from Cooking Light®. There's even a menu created by Henry
Haller, former White House Executive Chef under five U.S.
presidents. Special meals are available including low-calorie,
vegetarian, no MSG, low/no sodium and low/no cholesterol meals,
as well as sugar-free and fat-free desserts. All of our restaurants
are non-smoking. Most specialty restaurants require a per
person cover charge or offer a` la carte pricing. Reservations
are recomended and can be made on board.
Will
I need an electrical converter?
The
current on board is 110 volts AC. However, some high-voltage
hair dryers, electric rollers and electric razors may require
a converter.
Do children
cruise for free?
Children
under two cruise at substantially reduced prices when staying
in a stateroom with two or more paying guests. However,
government fees still apply.
Are there
children's programs?
Kid's Crew™ is our onboard children's program and it's
one of the most comprehensive at sea. Click
here for more info on our Kids Crew Program.
Are babysitters
available?
NCL offers group sitting for ages 2-12 for a nominal fee
with the Kid's Crew counselors. In addition to our regular
sitting hours of 10 pm - 1 am, group sitting is available
in port from 9 am - 5 pm. Private babysitting is not available.
Click here for more info on
our Kids Crew Program.
Are
there any pool regulations?
According to United States Public Health (U.S.P.H.) regulations, no diapers of any kind are permitted in the swimming pools or jacuzzis, including those marketed as "swimmers."
What
other services are available?
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 Beauty
parlor and spa services include hair styling, manicures,
pedicures, facials
and massages in our Mandara
Spa Salon
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Gift
shops feature duty-free shopping, with fine jewelry,
perfumes, clothing, cosmetics and limited drug store
items
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Laundry
& dry-cleaning services
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Tuxedo
rental prior to sailing
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Internet
Café
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Art
auctions
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Photographs
taken throughout the cruise |
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Click here for
more information. |
What
about guests with special needs?
NCL welcomes guests with special
needs. Of course, we may require advance notice in order to
accommodate them, so they must advise NCL's Passenger Courtesy
Department of their needs at least three weeks prior to their
cruise.
All of our ships have designated
staterooms with wider doorways and bathrooms that will accommodate
wheelchairs and staterooms with lights and under-pillow vibrating
alarms for guests with hearing impairments. Guide dogs are
permitted on all NCL ships.Many staterooms have refrigerators
that can be used to store medications that must be kept cold.
Guests who need oxygen or require oxygen therapy are welcome
on all NCL ships; however, they must supply their own oxygen.
Guests who use wheelchairs must provide their own. Click
here for more information for guests with special needs.
Is there
a doctor on board?
A physician and nurse are on each ship to provide medical
care and services at customary charges. Commonly used medications
are kept on board and may be prescribed by the ship's doctor.
What
if I'm pregnant?
NCL will make every effort to accommodate you, providing
you have not entered the 24th week of pregnancy when the cruise
ends. However, you must provide Passenger Courtesy with a
medical certificate establishing your due date prior to your
cruise.
What
about Shore Excursions?
Click here
to view the available Shore Excursions. An updated listing
of Shore Excursions are available approximately 3 months prior
to the first sailing of each cruise destination season. If
you are booked on a cruise, a Shore Excursions brochure and
pre-request form will be mailed to you with your cruise documents.
Some tours are available to pre-request online, or you may
fax the completed pre-request form to 1-305-436-4110. Once
onboard, Shore Excursions can also be purchased at the ship's
Shore Excursion Desk.
How can
we celebrate a special occasion?
You may purchase wine, or bon voyage gifts, such as fruit
baskets, champagne, birthday cakes, canapés, flowers
or other gifts for your stateroom. Please let us know at least
three weeks before sailing. Click
here for more information.
What
if I need to stay in touch while away?
All of our ships have computer terminals you can rent by
the hour at the Internet Café.
You can also telephone, telex, radiogram or fax to anywhere
in the world and be billed* at
applicable ship-to-shore rates.
NCL guests can also be contacted on one of our ships by calling
1.888.NCSHIPS (1.888.627.4477) from USA. For the rest of the
world please dial 1.732.335.3280. When guests are contacted
with the ship via satellite, they can be reached directly,
if they are in their stateroom. If not, a message about the
incoming call will be delivered to their cabin and then they
can call back* the shore via
satellite. Click here
to for NCL Ship Telephone & Fax Numbers."
*Please
use the American Express, MasterCard and Discover card, only.
What
about Tipping?
SERVICE CHARGE
A fixed service charge of $10 per person, per day
will be added to your onboard account. For children ages 3-12,
a $5 per person per day charge will be added to your onboard
account; there is no charge for children under the age of
three. Our crew is encouraged to work together as a service
team and is compensated by a combination of salary and incentive
programs that the service charge supports. It is our earnest
wish that you enjoy your Freestyle Cruise experience and that
our entire crew in all areas of the ship will provide you
with the standard of service for which NCL is known. Therefore,
if you have any concerns about the service you receive during
your cruise, please bring them to the immediate attention
of our reception desk staff on board so that we can address
any issues in a timely manner before the cruise is over.
Both NCL and NCL America have a structured guest satisfaction
program on board designed to handle any concerns raised by
our guests relating to the service or on board product quickly
and efficiently. In almost all cases we are able to come up
with a satisfactory solution to any issues which are raised
and make sure our guests can focus on enjoying their cruise
vacation. In the unlikely event we cannot satisfactorily resolve
the issue through our guest satisfaction program, guests will
be able to adjust the service charge according to the level
of inconvenience they feel they have experienced. Our clear
priority is to have the opportunity of resolving the issue,
when it happens, to everyone’s complete satisfaction.
GRATUITIES
Unlike most other ships in the cruise industry,
there is no required or recommended tipping on NCL America
or Norwegian Cruise Line ships. Guests should not feel obliged
to offer a gratuity for service that is generally rendered
to all guests.
However, all of our staff are encouraged to "go the
extra mile", and so they are permitted to accept cash
gratuities entirely at the discretion of our guests who wish
to acknowledge particular staff members for exceptional or
outstanding service. In other words, there is genuinely no
need to tip but you should feel free to do so if you have
a desire to acknowledge particular individuals.
Also, certain staff positions provide service on an individual
basis to only some guests. We encourage those guests to acknowledge
good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities.
For example, for guests purchasing bar drinks the recommended
gratuity is 15 percent. Similarly, for guests using concierge
and butler services, we recommend they consider offering a
gratuity commensurate with services rendered.
Documentation,
visas and passports
The
United States Government recently enacted the Border Security
Act, under which, effective January 1, 2003, all guests must
provide key personal information in advance of sailing. Guests
may fill out the Advance Guest Registration
online, or they can obtain a form through their travel agent
to return via fax or mail to NCL
All
United States and Canadian citizens must carry proof of citizenship
such as a valid passport or birth certificate along with a
government issued photo ID (16 years or older). It is your
responsibility to check with your travel professional, local
immigration office and/or respective embassy or consulate
to determine requirements for passports, visas and other documentation,
including vaccinations for infectious diseases. Guests denied
boarding by local immigration officials for lack of proper
documents are not entitled to a cruise refund. Here are some
guidelines, but please note that this list is not exhaustive.
For
travel from the United States
To destinations in Canada, Bermuda, Mexico, the Bahamas and
the Caribbean, guests who are not United States or Canadian
citizens must carry a valid passport and multiple entry visa
for entry into the United States (B-2 Visitor's Visa), or
a visa waiver.
As
visa requirements vary by country and are subject to change,
guests who are not United States or Canadian citizens are
urged to contact your travel professional, local immigration
office and/or respective embassy or consulate to determine
the entry requirements for your cruise destinations.
For
travel from Hawaii
At the time of printing, U.S. Immigration regulations required
all guests on Hawaiian cruises that call at Fanning Island
in the Republic of Kiribati to carry a valid passport.
For
travel abroad
As visa requirements vary by country and are subject to change,
all guests traveling abroad are urged to contact your travel
professional, local immigration office and/or respective embassy
or consulate to determine the entry requirements for your
cruise destinations. Click here
for more information.
Where
can I keep my valuables?
Security envelopes and/or safe deposit boxes are available
from the ship's purser at no charge. Most staterooms and suites
have mini-safes. Please note, however, that NCL is not responsible
for valuables left in staterooms or elsewhere on board.
Are visitors
allowed on board?
Due to security reasons, unfortunately, no.
What
is the Latitudes® program?
NCL's
Latitudes Program awards repeat guests with benefits and privileges.
Click here for more information
or call Latitudes Customer Service at 1.800.343.0098.
What
to Pack?
Freestyle Cruising gives you the freedom to dress as you
please. So come as you are. No need to check for a suggested
dress code in the ship's Freestyle Daily as you would on traditional
cruises. Resort casual attire is always appropriate morning,
noon and night. If you like, you can slip into a pair of khakis
and a polo shirt, a skirt and blouse or a sundress for dinner.
We do not allow jeans, T-shirts, shorts, cut-offs, tank tops,
bare feet, etc. in any of the restaurants at dinner.
For those who do love to dress to the nines and get that
annual formal portrait photography done, there is one optional
formal evening in at least one of the main restaurants on
every cruise; at least two formal evenings on longer cruises.
This means black tie or dark suit for gentlemen and evening
gown or cocktail dress for ladies. But remember, on formal
evenings you can always choose to dine in one of the other
restaurants instead and enjoy some of the other lounges and
leave your dressier clothes at home.
In warm climates, shorts, slacks, sundresses, jeans and
tops - and of course a swimsuit and cover-up are all appropriate
daytime attire. Air conditioning can feel chilly, so pack
a sweater. Because weather is difficult to predict, in cooler
climates dressing in layers is the best approach. For visits
to places of worship, check your Freestyle Daily for attire
guidelines. Be sure to bring a pair of comfortable walking
shoes, too. Other essentials: sunglasses, a sun hat or visor
and sunscreen. Don't forget to bring prescription medicines
in original containers and an extra pair of glasses or contact
lenses. Carry valuables and medication in a handbag you keep
with you at all times.
Important Note: All suitcases are collected
the night before we return to our home port, so be sure to
bring an overnight bag.
What
can't I bring onboard?
Passenger is not allowed to bring onboard the vessel without
the previous written permission of the Carrier any intoxicating
liquors, or beverages, firearms, weapons of any kind, ammunition,
explosive substances or any goods of a dangerous nature, nor
animals of any kind, except service or guide animals, provided
the passenger notifies Carrier prior to the cruise of his
intention to bring such animal and agrees to take sole responsibility
for any expense, damage, injuries or losses associated with
or caused by such animal.
What
if I still have some questions?
Contact us at the following numbers:
toll-free 1.800.327.7030; Miami 1.305.436.4000; or visit our
website at www.ncl.com. NCL also
has a Fax Back program that provides 24-our fax-on-demand
with 65 different document choices. Call 1.800.329.6251.
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