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.

What other services are available?

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.  Once onboard, Shore Excursions can 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.

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.

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.

For our U.S. flagships, Pride of America and Pride of Aloha, the service charge will not be paid to the crew while on board the vessel. As you may know, leave for most international crew on cruise ships in unpaid. This service charge will be paid into a fund which will provide our American crew with leave pay or continued earnings while on leave. This service charge on our U.S. flagships is not a gratuity. Separately, a 15% gratuity is added for bar drinks and spa services.

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 must provide information to Jaunts to pre-register.

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 if I still have some questions?

Contact Janet at the following number: toll-free 1.800.840.5881; 1.386.761.5881 ; or

Email:

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.