NCL Free at Sea Calculator
Compare No Package vs FAS vs FAS+ for your cruise
6
$12
2
8
1
7
2
No Package
$1,675
Total for all guests
Per day$239
Per drink$33
Dining$400
Free at Sea
$863
Total for all guests
Per day$123
Per drink$17
Dining$100
Best Value
Free at Sea Plus
$750
Total for all guests
Per day$107
Per drink$15
Dining$50
You save $925 with Free at Sea Plus!
Based on 7 nights, 2 guests, and 6 drinks/day, Free at Sea Plus comes out ahead.
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Frequently Asked Questions
NCL Free at Sea includes an open bar with drinks priced up to $15 (cocktails, beer, wine), 150 minutes of basic WiFi per guest (flat, regardless of cruise length), specialty dining (1 meal on 2-4 night sailings, 2 on 5-6 night, 3 on 7-8 night, 4 on 9+ night), and a $50 shore excursion credit per port. Open bar coverage DOES extend to Great Stirrup Cay after NCL's March 2026 policy reversal. Not included: Starbucks specialty drinks, streaming WiFi, energy drinks, and bottled water.
FAS Plus adds premium and top-shelf liquor (Patron, Macallan 12), Starbucks specialty coffees, energy drinks, bottled water, unlimited streaming WiFi (instead of 150 minute basic), 50% off additional specialty dining, and it rolls the $20 daily service charge into the package price. If you drink Starbucks daily, need streaming WiFi for work, or plan to eat at specialty restaurants beyond the included meals, the upgrade often pays for itself.
Yes. NCL originally announced an exclusion of Great Stirrup Cay drinks from the standard Free at Sea package, but reversed the policy on March 28, 2026 after guest backlash. Free at Sea open bar coverage now extends to GSC indefinitely -- no FAS Plus upgrade required for drinks at the private island.
NCL charges $20 per person per day for Club Balcony Suite cabins and below, and $25 per person per day for The Haven and Suites. Both rates apply to guests age 3 and up. Free at Sea does not include the service charge -- you pay it separately. Free at Sea Plus rolls the service charge into the package price, so there is no additional daily charge (the price drops to $34.99/person/day if service charges are already prepaid on the reservation).
Yes. Booking NCL through Costco Travel passes through all Free at Sea perks (whichever tier is running at the time). On top of that, Costco typically provides a Costco Cash Card worth 5-8% of the cruise fare, delivered digitally 2-4 weeks after the cruise. Buyer's Choice sailings add a photo package, internet minutes, bingo credit, casino play, spa credit, wine, and chocolate-covered strawberries on top.
Related guides
- Is the NCL Free at Sea Drink Package Worth It? (2026)NCL's Free at Sea beverage charge runs $28.50 per person per day in 2026, and Free at Sea Plus is $49.99. The break-even is lower than most people think, but the package has two traps that quietly cost you money. Here is the honest math.
- NCL's Great Tides Waterpark: What a Day Really CostsGreat Tides Waterpark opened at Great Stirrup Cay on September 4, and the day pass starts at $99.99 per person with no discount for children. For a family of four that is one island day costing more than a full week of Free at Sea for two adults. Here is the math on what you are actually buying.
- Do You Tip on a Cruise if Gratuity Is Included? 2026The daily auto-gratuity most cruise lines charge already covers your standard service, so you are not obligated to tip extra. But it is a separate thing from the 18-20% added to drinks and spa, and a few lines bundle it into the fare entirely. Here is exactly what is and is not covered.