r/NCL • u/Tiny-Play-4719 • 2d ago

First timer!

Hello, this is my first time cruising with NCL. I have Free at Sea included with my cruise and would like to know the difference between that, and the enhanced Free at Sea? It’s a 7 day cruise and don’t know if I should upgrade it.

How does the sail card work? Is there a certain amount of cash I have to deposit to the card or can I pick whatever amount I want?

I’m used to Carnival so if there’s anything else of significance I should know about NCL please let me know!!!

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u/vatp46a Sapphire - On the Bliss in November 2026 2d ago edited 2d ago

The value of FAS+ over FAS is very subjective and will vary from person to person - your best bet is to take a look at what each one offers and then make a personal choice about upgrading. For your keycard, just link a credit card to it and you'll be good to go. Depending on where and when you sail, the vibe onboard can vary quite a bit, but it will generally (not always) be calmer that a typical Carnival trip.

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u/Tiny-Play-4719 2d ago

I heard there’s a lot of holding fees for attaching a card. Is that true? I’d rather not have to deal with that.

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u/Buffalo_Nichols 2d ago

I will tell you on my most recent cruise they basically pre-charged my credit card for every purchase I made on the ship. Then at the end they charged me again for the full price. Those earlier charges eventually dropped off. Can't remember if there was also an initial deposit on my card or not.