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.
Back
to Top
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.
Back
to Top
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. The
shipboard newsletter will advise you of exchange facilities, current
exchange rates and opening hours for local banks.
Back
to Top
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 $400, 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.
Back
to Top
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.
Back
to Top
What
about smoking, drinking and gambling on the ship?
Smoking
is allowed in most public rooms but not in the show lounges,
restaurants and food service areas. 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.
Back
to Top
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 restaurant. 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 required and can
be made on board.
Back
to Top
Do
children cruise for free?
Children
under two cruise free when staying in a stateroom with two or more
paying guests. However, government fees still apply.
Back
to Top
Are
there children's programs?
Kid's
Crew™ is our onboard children's program and it's one of the most
comprehensive at sea.
Back
to Top
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.
Back
to Top
What
other services are available?
•
Beauty parlor and spa services include hair styling, manicures,
pedicures, facials and massages
• Gift shops feature duty-free shopping, with fine jewelry,
perfumes, clothing, cosmetics and limited drug store items
• Laundry & dry-cleaning services
• Tuxedo rental prior to sailing
• Internet Café
• Art auctions
• Photographs taken throughout the cruise
Back
to Top
What
about people 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.
Back
to Top
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.
Back
to Top
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.
Back
to Top
What
about Shore Excursions?
Shore
Excursions can be purchased at the ship's Shore Excursion desk for
various daytime and/or evening tours. On certain cruises, you may
pre-register for Shore Excursions before the cruise. A Shore Excursion
booklet is sent to each guest on a cruise of seven days or longer once
final payment for the cruise has been received. Information about the
ports of call is available at the Shore Excursion desk.
Back
to Top
How
can we celebrate a special occasion?
You may
purchase wine, fruit baskets, champagne, birthday cakes, canapés,
flowers or other gifts for your stateroom. Please let us know at least
three weeks before sailing.
Back
to Top
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 are also provided with their own onboard e-mail address
printed on their cruise ticket. Guests can also be contacted on one of
our ships by calling 1.800.MARISAT. A satellite telex will be
delivered to your stateroom, and you can then call the party via
satellite. At a more expensive rate, you may be contacted directly via
the High Seas Operator at 1.800.SEA.CALL.
Back
to Top
How
much should I tip?
Traditionally,
gratuities for all the service you experienced aboard an NCL ship were
paid at the end of the cruise. This often led to a last-night scramble
as guests tried to find the correct amount of cash to place in each
tip envelope. For your convenience, NCL now automatically applies a
service charge to your shipboard account: $10 per guest per day for
guests age 13 and above, $5 per day for children age 3-12 and no
charge for children under the age of three. All of the service
personnel on board receive gratuities from this service charge and
there is no need for you to think about additional tipping.
Separately, a 15% gratuity is included in bar tabs and spa services.
Back
to Top
Documentation,
visas and passports
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. 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.
Remember that new rules in the United States require a passport for all travel by air or by sea to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda,
effective December 31, 2006. A passport will be required for all land travel to and from these countries as of December 31, 2007.
Back
to Top
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.
Back
to Top
Are
visitors allowed on board?
Due to
security reasons, unfortunately, no.
Back
to Top
What
is the Latitudes® program?
NCL's
Latitudes Program awards repeat guests with benefits and privileges.
See page 40 for details or call Latitudes Customer Service at
1.800.343.0098.
Back
to Top
What
if I still have some questions?
Contact
us at the following numbers: toll-free 1-800-603-5471. NCL also has a
Fax Back program that provides 24-hour fax-on-demand with 65 different
document choices. Call 1.800.329.6251.
Back
to Top
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.
Back
to Top
|
