Tag Archives: Norwegian Sun

Norwegian Ends Open Bar on Sun and Sky

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Norwegian Sky

Starting in September, Norwegian Cruise Line will no longer offer its open bar on all Sky and Sun sailings, which was said to be a key selling point in a competitive short cruise market.

The Sky and Sun both sailed to Cuba recently with an open bar offering. The Sky went to the open-bar program in 2016, with the Sun following as she was positioned into the short cruise market

Guests were able to enjoy, for free, a variety of unlimited premium spirits, mixed cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draft beer up to $11.

The ships will now operate under Norwegian’s popular “Free at Sea” marketing program, letting guests choose various perks, including free WiFi, shore excursions, or an open bar, for example.

Existing reservations on cruises departing on either ship after Sept. 7 will be honoured for the open bar program.

So close yet so far: Disappointment on the Norwegian Sun

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Image result for Norwegian sun

Lori Osgood’s clients were eager to visit Cuba for the first time this week when they were to cruise into Havana aboard the Norwegian Sun. The group had been planning their family cruise since last November.

It was not to be.

The Trump administration’s new regulations implemented on Tuesday forced cruise lines to immediately remove Cuba from all itineraries.

“They were excited to soak in all that Havana had to offer — the sights, sounds, people and culture,” said Osgood, a Cruise Planners travel advisor in Jacksonville, Fla. “They are disappointed that they missed their chance.”

Instead of Havana, the Norwegian Sun’s passengers headed to Nassau, Bahamas. Norwegian informed passengers with an announcement on the ship.

“I sell a fair amount of Cuba and am saddened that many of my clients who were planning to travel there will not have the opportunity to do so, at least not in the foreseeable future,” she said.

As for cruise travellers already booked for Cuba, she will spend “a few extra hours to make sure our clients who were supposed to go to Cuba are well taken care of.”

Norwegian Cruise Line Raising Automatic Gratuities

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Norwegian Jade

Norwegian Cruise Line will be raising automatic gratuities added to the cost of a passenger’s ticket starting on April 1.

According to CruiseCritic.com, the daily service charges for passengers in standard cabins and mini-suites will be $14.99 per person, per day, an increase from the previous fee of $14.50. Travellers sailing in The Haven or other suites will see prices jump from $17.50 to $17.99.

For passengers sailing on the Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun, the cruise line’s all-inclusive ships, they will now have to pay $20.49 instead of $19.99 when staying in standard cabins and mini-suites. Prices for customers in suites rose from $22.99 to $23.49.

Thankfully for passengers who booked their voyages before April 1, Norwegian will still honour the previous rate as long as the gratuities are paid before the sail date. The price increases come one year after the cruise line last raised gratuity rates.

CruiseCritic.com also noted Norwegian’s Hawaii-based Pride of America ship would continue charging passengers an additional General Exercise Tax of 4.275 per cent.