11 Norwegian Cruise Line Changes for the Worse

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know we sail NCL often. My friend Kim, whom I call the Cruising Queen, convinced me to try it years ago, and we’ve made some of our best memories onboard thanks to the food, the shows, and the flexibility.

That said, we’ve noticed some frustrating shifts in recent years. And while we’re not done sailing with NCL—we still cruise with them—we’re more aware of where and how we want to spend our money.

If you’ve already switched to another cruise line or taken a break from cruising altogether, I don’t blame you. When prices rise and quality declines, it makes you think twice about your next vacation.

Here are the biggest NCL changes guests are noticing—and why they’ve been so disappointing.

Rising Costs Without Added Benefits

In recent years, especially after the Big-C, NCL has gradually raised costs while making noticeable cutbacks—all in the name of recovering what they lost during that challenging time. Instead of maintaining the level of service, crew, entertainment, and dining that we were used to, they’ve been taking things away without adding any benefits to make up for it.

For example, NCL has raised the daily service charge to $20 per person per day for Club Balcony Suite and below, and $25 for The Haven and Suites—one of the highest in the cruise industry. They’ve also eliminated turn-down service, which may seem small, but it was one of those touches that added to the overall experience. On top of that, housekeeping services have been scaled back, with many guests now only getting once-daily service instead of the twice-daily refresh we used to expect.

Unfortunately, these changes haven’t improved the guest experience. If anything, they’ve left many cruisers wondering if NCL is still worth the price.

Dining and Food Quality: A Decline in Menu Options and Variety

Many cruisers have noticed that NCL’s dining experience isn’t what it used to be. Menu items that were once guest favorites have disappeared, and the overall sense of cost-cutting is hard to ignore. Take the buffet, for example—crepes were once a delightful staple, but now they’re nowhere to be found. Even cookies, a simple treat, are hidden away. On our recent NCL Encore cruise, we had to specifically ask for them because they weren’t put out like they used to be.

The buffet’s quality has noticeably declined, with fewer creative options and a focus on basic, uninspired dishes. Other small changes stand out across the main dining rooms and buffets—like butter no longer being real butter and milk for coffee now coming in little envelopes instead of proper cream or milk.

Now, I understand the idea of reducing waste—no one wants to see food thrown out—but this feels like more than that. It’s less about sustainability and more about quietly cutting back. These little changes add up and take away from the overall experience, especially when you’re paying for a vacation where food is a highlight.

The main dining rooms have also become repetitive, with menus that only swap out a few appetizers and mains each night. For cruisers who look forward to variety, this lack of rotation can make dinners feel monotonous and dull after a few nights.

Even in The Haven, where you’d expect a higher standard, noticeable downgrades have crept in. The steak and eggs breakfast, for example, used to feature filet mignon but now serves New York strip instead. These little cutbacks are hard to ignore, especially in a space marketed as a luxury experience.

For cruisers who view food as a key part of their vacation, these changes are noticeable with an overall decline in variety and attention to detail.

New $5 Charge for Extra Entrées in the Main Dining Room

As of late September 2025, NCL has added a $5 charge for additional entrées in the main dining rooms. Your first entrée is still included, but if you order a second—even if it’s just to share with someone else at the table—that second dish now comes with a fee.

There was no official announcement. Just a quiet menu update to the footnotes that guests noticed onboard, and travel agents received confirmation. Another subtle change that makes it feel like we’re now paying for things that used to be standard.

It’s not about overeating. Sometimes you want to try both the pasta and the seafood. Or maybe you and your spouse split one dish and each order something different. That kind of flexibility used to be part of the cruise dining experience. Now, it feels like we’re being nickel-and-dimed for dining the way we always have.

Other cruise lines like Carnival and MSC already have similar policies—but it still stings. It’s just another example of how NCL is quietly changing the experience for loyal cruisers.

Specialty Dining Changes: From à la Carte to Expensive Cover Charges

NCL’s specialty dining has gone through big changes—and not in a good way. Specialty restaurants used to offer à la carte pricing, which gave guests the flexibility to order what they wanted (unless they were using a dining package). Now, à la carte is gone, replaced by flat cover charges that rival or even exceed what you’d pay at a nice restaurant on land.

What’s worse, the value of these cover charges is shrinking. Portions at many specialty restaurants are smaller, and the overall quality isn’t what it used to be. Take Cagney’s, for example. It used to be a standout steakhouse that offered premium options like Tomahawk steaks as part of the cover charge or with a dining package. Now, Cagney’s feels more like an overhyped Outback Steakhouse, serving fewer entree options for a whopping $60 per person.

For longtime cruisers, these changes are hard to ignore. If you’re looking to avoid these rising costs, your best bet is to take advantage of NCL’s More at Sea program or buy a specialty dining package before boarding. But even then, the quality just isn’t what it used to be.

Read more: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Specialty Dining Menus

The Loss of Free at Sea Plus and the “More at Sea” Trade-Off

NCL’s Free at Sea promotion was a hit among cruisers, but they’ve replaced it with More at Sea. While NCL promotes More at Sea as a better value because it’s a bundled package, the reality is that it’s just a way to cover up the fact that they’ve taken away options. Yes, it’s more cost-effective than paying full price for each perk individually, and it’s even cheaper than the cost of gratuities for Free at Sea, but that doesn’t mean guests are truly getting “more.” In reality, they’re getting fewer choices disguised as an upgrade.

The Free at Sea Plus option, which offered more generous and seemingly limitless benefits, has been eliminated, with no More at Sea Plus replacement.

And I loved Free at Sea Plus. It was one of those upgrades that felt worth it. I’d end my dinners with an espresso or cappuccino, sip on Pellegrino and Aqua Panna all day, and enjoy unlimited glasses of Veuve Clicquot. It made the cruise experience feel just a little more special. Now, those little luxuries are gone unless you want to pay even more out of pocket.

This change feels like a downgrade for those willing to pay a little extra for added flexibility. NCL may be calling it “More at Sea,” but it feels like less for many guests.

Cutbacks on Entertainment Options

In 2023, NCL started reducing Broadway shows, leading to significant reductions in beloved productions like Six, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and more without offering true replacements. Entertainment used to be a big part of sailing with NCL, and there was always something to do. Now, it’s gone downhill.

There are fewer showtimes and fewer live performances in the theater, and some productions have been replaced with lower-budget alternatives. In some cases, what’s left feels more like an upsell than actual entertainment. Take Wheel of Fortune—sure, you can sit and watch for free, but how is that considered a nightly entertainment option? I love a good Bingo game or Deal or No Deal, but let’s be real—these aren’t replacements for high-quality productions. They’re just another way for NCL to make more money.

This shift has been a major disappointment for cruisers who book NCL partly for its vibrant nightlife and Broadway-style shows.

No Turn-Down Service

This one has cruisers divided. Some don’t mind the loss of nightly turn-down service on NCL, while others feel it took away a small but meaningful touch that added a sense of luxury. There’s something about coming back to your cabin after a long day to find fresh towels, a tidied room, your bed turned down for the night—and sometimes being greeted by a whimsical towel animal.

Unless you’re staying in a suite, the stateroom cabin attendant no longer comes in while you’re at dinner or a show to refresh your cabin for the evening. The gradual removal of this nightly perk actually dates back to 2019, when NCL stopped providing towel animals under the guise of being eco-friendly. By April 2023, turn-down service was removed entirely across all fleets, and with it came reduced cleaning services.

This change has also increased the workload for stateroom attendants, who now manage double or even triple the number of cabins compared to the past. And who remembers when cabin stewards had assistants? Those days are long gone.

Read more: Smart Cruise Cabin Tips You Need to Know

New Room Service Limits Quietly Introduced

NCL used to offer room service as one of those little comforts that made cruising feel special. It was especially nice when you wanted breakfast on your balcony or a low-key lunch in your cabin. But recently, they’ve added new limits that feel like yet another cutback.

Guests can now only order one hot item and one cold item per person, per delivery. It’s not precisely clear what counts as “hot” or “cold.” Is coffee a hot item? What about toast? The policy is vague, leaving many cruisers wondering how it will be enforced.

And no, the delivery fee hasn’t gone down. You’ll still be charged $4.95 for breakfast or $9.95 for the all-day menu, plus 20 percent gratuity. But you’ll get less food for the same price. Some guests have even reported needing to place multiple orders to get what they used to enjoy in one go.

This may not seem like a big deal on paper. But it’s another example of how small changes add up and chip away at what once felt like an easy, relaxing experience.

Printed Freestyle Dailies Are Being Phased Out

It’s being reported that Norwegian Cruise Line no longer automatically delivers printed Freestyle Dailies to your cabin each night. Unless you specifically request it, you’re now expected to view the daily schedule on the NCL app or on your stateroom TV.

On our most recent sailing back in May, this wasn’t the case, and there’s been no official announcement from NCL, but guests on newer sailings are noticing the change.

For many cruisers, the printed daily is part of the experience. It’s a convenient way to plan your day, reference showtimes, and keep track of dining hours without relying on Wi-Fi or your phone. Now, you have to ask your cabin steward or visit guest services to get one, if they even have extras available.

NCL might frame this as reducing paper waste, but like other recent changes, it also saves the cruise line time and money. For longtime guests, it’s yet another small thing that quietly disappears.

Altered Itineraries or Shortened Port Times

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Some cruisers, including me, have been pretty frustrated with how itineraries get changed closer to sailing dates or port times are cut short—sometimes so much that you barely get to enjoy the destination. A few weeks before our NCL Breakaway cruise to the Caribbean, they completely removed Tortola from the itinerary. Their excuse? “Fuel efficiency is part of our commitment to the environment and sustainability efforts.” Let’s be real—I call this an excuse. I was so excited to visit Tortola, and this felt like a huge letdown.

The problem is that they often wait until after the final payment to make these significant changes. In my case, it was just one canceled port day, but I’ve seen others deal with entire itinerary changes, including bucket list cruises, and they’re stuck with no way to cancel or switch to another sailing. Unless you have cancel-for-any-reason insurance (which isn’t cheap), you’re locked in once that final payment is made.

Let’s also discuss how short port days have become. I love itineraries with long days at port, but they are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Why? MY guess is that it saves them money on port fees and keeps us on the ship longer, spending more.

For those of us who cruise to explore, these changes are frustrating.

More at Sea Drink Package No Longer Accepted at Great Stirrup Cay

This one is frustrating. One of the things we love about visiting a cruise line’s private island is that the drink packages you paid for onboard usually carry over to the island. But now Norwegian Cruise Line is stepping away from that, completely.

Starting January 1, 2026, the More at Sea drink package will no longer be honored on Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island in the Bahamas. This now makes both of Norwegian’s private destinations — Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Caye — places where onboard drink packages aren’t accepted. If you want to enjoy cocktails or bottled water while lounging in the sand, you’ll have to either pay à la carte or purchase a separate island drink package.

This hits especially hard for us because on one of our past cruises, we splurged on a Silver Cove Lagoon Villa. One of the things we really enjoyed was being able to relax in our private villa and order drinks all day without thinking twice. We had the More at Sea drink package, and it was a treat. That little luxury is no longer included, and now you’ll either have to pay per drink or buy a separate drink package just for the island.

It’s another example of how NCL is gradually taking away the things that made cruising with them feel easy and worthwhile.

What do you think about these Norwegian Cruise Line changes for the worse? Have you experienced any of these firsthand, or have other changes frustrated you? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your thoughts!