Age Policy
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has specific age requirements depending on the ship’s itinerary, the activity, and whether the traveler is considered a minor or a young adult.
Minimum Age to Sail
- Infants: Must be at least 6 months old on the day of boarding.
- Transatlantic/Remote Voyages: If the cruise has 3 or more consecutive sea days, the infant must be at least 12 months old.
Stateroom & Booking Requirements
NCL’s policy regarding who can book and stay in a room depends heavily on the destination:
- US, Canada, & China Itineraries: Guests under 21 must be accompanied in the same or an adjoining stateroom by someone 21 or older.
- All Other Itineraries: Guests under 18 must be accompanied by someone 18 or older.
- Exceptions:
- Married Couples: If both are under 21 but at least 18, they can stay in a room together if they provide proof of marriage.
- Military: Active US or Canadian military members (18–20) can book their own staterooms with valid ID.
Alcohol Consumption
The standard drinking age on NCL is 21, but there are some nuances:
- International Waters: For cruises departing from US ports into international waters (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), parents can sign a Young Adult Alcoholic Beverage Waiver at Guest Services. This allows guests aged 18–20 to purchase and consume beer and wine only.
- Europe, Australia, & New Zealand: For round-trip cruises from these regions, the drinking age for all alcohol is 18 (no parental waiver required).
Onboard Activities & Curfews
- Gambling: You must be 18 or older to play in the casino.
- Spa & Fitness: The minimum age for the Thermal Spa and Fitness Center is 18 (though children 16+ may use the gym with adult supervision).
- Adult-Only Areas: Venues like Spice H2O or Vibe Beach Club are restricted to guests 18 and older.
- Teen Curfew: There is a general curfew of 1:30 AM for all guests under 18 unless they are with a parent or guardian.
Required Documentation for Minors
If a minor (under 18) is traveling with only one parent or with an adult who is not their legal guardian, NCL requires a Parent/Guardian Consent Form.
Note: For cruises visiting Canada, requirements are stricter; you should bring a notarized letter of consent from the non-traveling parent(s) to avoid boarding issues.
Dining Information
Freestyle Dining, Your Way
Norwegian Cruise Line revolutionized onboard dining with Freestyle Cruising, a flexible, stress-free dining concept that lets guests eat when they want, where they want, and with whomever they choose. There are no assigned dining times, no fixed seating, and no pre-selected tablemates, meaning you never have to rush to an early breakfast or interrupt your day to make a scheduled dinner. Whether you prefer a quiet meal for two, a family celebration, or the chance to meet new people, Norwegian Cruise Line dining is designed entirely around your personal schedule and preferences.
More Restaurants Than Days of the Week
Unlike traditional cruise lines that limit dining to one main dining room and a few casual outlets, Norwegian Cruise Line offers an impressive variety of real, full-service restaurants, with many ships featuring up to 13 unique dining venues. From elegant specialty restaurants like Le Bistro, Norwegian’s signature French restaurant, to Cagney’s Steakhouse, known for premium cuts and classic steakhouse favorites, each venue offers its own distinctive menu and culinary style. Guests can enjoy everything from sushi and teppanyaki to Italian, Mediterranean, Tex-Mex, tapas, and contemporary American cuisine, ensuring there’s something new and delicious to discover every night of your cruise.
Endless Choices, Anytime Cravings Strike
Norwegian Cruise Line makes it easy to dine exactly how you want. Enjoy a perfectly cooked steak and martini after a day of snorkeling, sushi poolside, pasta paired with fine wine after sightseeing, or burgers and pizza to celebrate a family milestone. From interactive buffet action stations and made-to-order dishes to romantic balcony dining with in-room service, Norwegian offers unmatched flexibility and variety to satisfy every craving, every day.
Resort-Casual Dress Code
With Freestyle Cruising, Norwegian Cruise Line embraces a relaxed resort-casual dress code, allowing guests to enjoy their vacation without formalwear requirements. During the day, casual attire such as shorts, jeans, skirts, and casual tops are welcome throughout the ship. Swimwear with a cover-up is permitted at buffets and outdoor dining venues. In the evening, most restaurants welcome collared shirts and slacks or nice jeans for men, and dresses, skirts, or casual-chic outfits for women. Guests who enjoy dressing up can do so at select upscale venues, but it’s always optional, comfort comes first.
The Best Buffet Experience at Sea
Norwegian Cruise Line’s buffet experience goes far beyond traditional cafeteria lines. Guests enjoy expansive salad bars, chef-attended action stations, freshly carved meats, grilled favorites, custom pasta dishes, and indulgent desserts made to order. Start your day with fresh juices, specialty coffees, or brunch cocktails, and return anytime for international favorites prepared right before your eyes. For a quick bite or coffee break, the onboard café serves premium Lavazza coffee drinks and tempting pastries throughout the day.
Lobster Every Night
Seafood lovers will be delighted to know that lobster dishes are available nightly on Norwegian Cruise Line, with select sailings featuring an unforgettable lobster feast night, making it easy to indulge in one of cruising’s most beloved culinary traditions.
Relaxed Disembarkation Dining
Even on the final morning of your cruise, Norwegian Cruise Line lets you enjoy a leisurely breakfast without the rush. There’s no need to wake up early or wait in crowded public spaces, simply relax, dine at your pace, and enjoy your final moments onboard until it’s time to disembark.
Fuel Surcharge Policy
Norwegian Cruise Line reserves the right to implement a fuel supplement without prior notice if the closing price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil exceeds $65 USD per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). If imposed, this fuel surcharge may be applied at Norwegian’s sole discretion to both new and existing reservations, including bookings that have already been paid in full. The fuel supplement is charged separately from the cruise fare and will not exceed $10 USD per guest, per day. This policy helps Norwegian Cruise Line manage fluctuating fuel costs while continuing to operate sailings worldwide.
Payments / Refunds
Deposits & Payments
Standard deposits vary by category and duration: Club Balcony and below require $50 (1 day), $100 (2-6 days), $250 (7-9 days), or $400 (10+ days) per person; Haven and Suites require $250 (1-5 days) or $750 (6+ days); and Garden Villas require $750 (1-5 days) or $2,500 (6+ days). Deposits are fully non-refundable from booking if reserved under certain promotions (like BOGO). Standard final payment for all voyages is due exactly 120 days prior to sailing, including short cruises, and bookings inside 120 days require immediate full payment. Changing sailing dates, vessel swaps, or name changes are considered cancellations and follow standard penalties.
Cancellation & Refunds
Cancellation fees depend on stateroom category and days before sailing.
120+ Days Prior to Sailing
- Club Balcony Suites & Below: No penalty (100% refund)
- The Haven, Suites & Garden Villas: No penalty (100% refund)
119-106 Days Prior to Sailing
- Club Balcony Suites & Below: 25% of total voyage price
- The Haven, Suites & Garden Villas: 25% of total voyage price
105-91 Days Prior to Sailing
- Club Balcony Suites & Below: 25% of total voyage price
- The Haven, Suites & Garden Villas: 50% of total voyage price
90-61 Days Prior to Sailing
- Club Balcony Suites & Below: 50% of total voyage price
- The Haven, Suites & Garden Villas: 75% of total voyage price
60-31 Days Prior to Sailing
- Club Balcony Suites & Below: 75% of total voyage price
- The Haven, Suites & Garden Villas: 100% of total voyage price
30 Days or Less Prior to Sailing
- Club Balcony Suites & Below: 100% of total voyage price (no refund)
- The Haven, Suites & Garden Villas: 100% of total voyage price (no refund)
Smoking Policy
Norwegian Cruise Line is committed to providing a healthy, comfortable, and enjoyable environment for all guests and crew. As part of this commitment, nearly all indoor public areas onboard Norwegian ships are smoke-free, with limited, clearly designated exceptions. Smoking is permitted only in approved indoor locations and designated outdoor areas, and guests are expected to strictly follow all onboard smoking regulations.
Indoor Smoking Areas
Smoking is generally prohibited inside Norwegian Cruise Line ships, except in specific venues. Cigar lounges, where available, permit cigar smoking only; cigarettes, pipes, electronic cigarettes, and vapor devices are not allowed. Certain ships, including Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Sun, Norwegian Star, and Pride of America, do not feature a cigar lounge, and cigar or pipe smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor areas on those vessels. Casino smoking policies vary by ship: Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy, and Norwegian Encore offer a dedicated smoking room within the casino, while on most other ships, active casino players may smoke cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vapor devices during gaming hours only. Cigar and pipe smoking is never allowed in casino areas.
Staterooms and Balconies
Smoking of any kind, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic cigarettes, and vapor devices is strictly prohibited in staterooms and on private balconies. Guests found violating this policy will be charged a $250 USD cleaning fee, and additional charges may apply if damage such as burn marks is discovered. Guests staying in Garden Villas may smoke only in their private garden areas and on private sun decks.
Outdoor Smoking Areas
Designated outdoor smoking zones are clearly marked onboard each ship. Smoking is not permitted near food venues, jogging tracks, outdoor sports areas, children’s pool zones, Vibe Beach Club, Posh Beach Club, or along The Waterfront. On ships featuring The Haven, smoking is prohibited in the Haven Courtyard but is allowed on the Haven Sun Deck (forward) aboard Breakaway and Breakaway Plus Class ships.
Ship-Specific Smoking Locations
Outdoor smoking areas vary by vessel. Select examples include Deck 15 mid-ship on Norwegian Breakaway, Getaway, and Epic; Deck 16 mid-ship on Norwegian Escape; Spice H2O on Norwegian Bliss and Escape; a designated smoking room on Deck 8 aboard Norwegian Encore; Deck 13 forward on Jewel and Star Class ships; Deck 12 forward on Norwegian Sky and Sun; and the Waikiki Bar on Deck 13 aft aboard Pride of America. Guests should always refer to onboard signage for exact locations.
Failure to comply with Norwegian Cruise Line’s smoking policy may result in fines or further action. Policies are subject to change at any time, and guests are encouraged to review current guidelines prior to sailing.
Travel Protection
NCL offers NorwegianCare Travel Protection. This includes a Trip Cancellation Waiver from NCL (covers 100% cash refund for specified medical reasons) and a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) cruise credit waiver (providing 90% FCC under the Platinum Plan, or 75% FCC under the Standard Plan, valid for 12 months). Travel insurance benefits underwritten by Arch Insurance Company include trip interruption (100%), travel delay ($500), accident/sickness medical ($20,000), evacuation ($50,000), and baggage protection. Payment must be made by final payment date. To waive the pre-existing medical condition exclusion, the plan must be purchased within 14 to 21 days of initial deposit.
Tipping Policy
NCL automatically applies a daily ‘onboard service charge’ to folios for guests aged 3 and older (children under 3 are exempt): Club Balcony Suites and Below are charged $20.00 USD per person, per day; and The Haven and Suites are charged $25.00 USD per person, per day. Guests sailing on Pride of America (Hawaii-only) are subject to an additional 4.275% Prepaid Service Charge GET Tax on gratuities. Service charges can be prepaid prior to sailing. Daily service charges are optional and discretionary; guests can visit Guest Services to adjust the charges on board. Prepaid gratuities cannot be refunded onboard and must be requested via NCL Guest Relations post-cruise. An automatic 20% service charge/gratuity is added to all beverage purchases, specialty dining cover charges, entertainment-based dining, and spa/salon services onboard.
Dress Code
Under NCL’s “Freestyle Cruising,” there is no formal dress code. Daytime is casual, and swimwear with cover-ups is fine at the buffet and outdoor restaurants. Evening dining is resort casual (collared shirts and pants/nice jeans for men; dresses, skirts, trousers, or jeans for women). Upscale specialty venues require smart casual (collared shirt, slacks/jeans, closed-toed shoes for men).
Formal Nights
- There are no mandatory formal nights. NCL features “Norwegian’s Night Out,” which is an optional opportunity for guests to dress up for photos and fine dining.
Excursions
- Enhance your cruise vacation by pre-booking your excursions (recommended for most savings and to guarantee availability) via the cruise line app or book while onboard. Space is limited and popular excursions sell out fast!
Why NCL?
Trusted Global Cruise Leader
As the third-largest ocean cruise line, NCL’s large and loyal customer base reflects its proven reliability, safety standards, and consistent guest satisfaction.
Freestyle Cruising Experience
Enjoy complete freedom with no fixed dining times, no assigned seating, and no formal dress codes, allowing you to cruise entirely on your own schedule.
Exceptional Family & Kids Programs
Norwegian offers age-specific youth programs and family-friendly amenities, including nursery lounges on many ships for children as young as six months.
Family-Friendly Staterooms
Many Norwegian staterooms are designed to accommodate families, featuring pullman or bunk beds so parents and children can comfortably stay together without booking multiple cabins.
Wide Range of Dining Options
With multiple complimentary and specialty restaurants onboard, NCL offers global cuisines that rival land-based dining, making it an ideal choice for food lovers.
Outstanding Buffet Experience
Norwegian’s buffets feature fresh ingredients, made-to-order stations, and diverse menus that consistently rank among the best at sea.
Flexible Beverage Packages
NCL’s beverage packages allow guests to enjoy cocktails, wine, beer, and soft drinks without worrying about individual drink costs, enhancing onboard value and convenience.
World-Class Entertainment
From Broadway-style shows to live music, comedy, and immersive performances, Norwegian’s theaters and entertainment venues offer unforgettable nights at sea.
Affordable Cruise Pricing
Norwegian Cruise Line is known for offering competitive pricing and value-driven promotions, making it an excellent option for budget-conscious travelers and frequent cruisers alike.
American-Style Service Excellence
Guests consistently praise Norwegian’s friendly, attentive crew members who go the extra mile to deliver personalized and memorable service.
FAQ
What is Freestyle Cruising on Norwegian Cruise Line?
Freestyle Cruising is Norwegian Cruise Line’s signature concept that allows guests to enjoy complete flexibility throughout their voyage, including no fixed dining times, no assigned seating, and no formal dress codes. This relaxed approach lets travelers dine where they want, when they want, and with whomever they choose, creating a resort-style cruise experience that feels more like a personalized vacation than a traditional cruise.
Are meals included on Norwegian Cruise Line cruises?
Yes, Norwegian Cruise Line includes a wide variety of complimentary dining options in the cruise fare, such as main dining rooms, buffets, and casual eateries. Specialty restaurants offering premium cuisine such as steakhouses, French bistros, and teppanyaki are available for an additional charge, though many sailings include promotional dining packages that add significant value.
Does Norwegian Cruise Line offer beverage packages?
Norwegian Cruise Line offers several beverage packages that allow guests to enjoy unlimited select beverages for a flat daily rate. Options typically include alcoholic beverages, sodas, and specialty coffees, making it easier to budget onboard expenses while enjoying cocktails, wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks without paying per item.
Is Norwegian Cruise Line family-friendly?
Yes, Norwegian Cruise Line is highly family-friendly and offers age-appropriate youth programs for children and teens, as well as family-focused accommodations. Many ships feature kids’ clubs, teen lounges, water parks, and activities designed to keep younger guests entertained while adults enjoy their own onboard experiences.
What is the minimum age to sail on Norwegian Cruise Line?
Infants sailing on Norwegian Cruise Line must be at least six months old at the time of embarkation, or at least twelve months old for itineraries with three or more consecutive sea days. Guests under 21 must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or older in the same or connecting stateroom, in accordance with Norwegian Cruise Line’s age policy.
Are gratuities required on Norwegian Cruise Line?
Norwegian Cruise Line does not require mandatory tipping for general services, though guests may offer cash gratuities for exceptional service at their discretion. A service charge is automatically applied to beverages, specialty dining, spa services, and salon treatments, ensuring crew members are fairly compensated while maintaining a flexible tipping policy.
What is Norwegian Cruise Line’s cancellation policy?
Norwegian Cruise Line’s cancellation policy varies depending on the length of the cruise, stateroom category, and how close the cancellation occurs to the sailing date. Deposits become non-refundable after a certain period, and cancellation penalties increase as departure approaches. AffordableTours.com recommends reviewing cancellation timelines carefully and considering travel protection to safeguard your investment.
Does Norwegian Cruise Line offer travel insurance?
Yes, Norwegian Cruise Line offers NorwegianCare travel protection, which provides coverage for trip cancellation, interruption, and delays due to covered reasons such as illness or unforeseen events. If a cancellation does not qualify for cash reimbursement, guests may receive a cruise credit toward a future Norwegian sailing, offering added peace of mind.
Is smoking allowed on Norwegian Cruise Line ships?
Smoking on Norwegian Cruise Line ships is limited to designated outdoor areas and specific indoor locations such as certain casino areas or cigar lounges, depending on the ship. Smoking is strictly prohibited in staterooms and on balconies, and violations may result in cleaning or damage fees charged to the guest’s onboard account.
What destinations does Norwegian Cruise Line sail to?
Norwegian Cruise Line sails to more than 450 destinations worldwide, including Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Asia, Australia, South America, and transatlantic routes. This extensive global presence allows travelers to choose from a wide variety of itineraries and cruise lengths tailored to different interests and travel styles.