NCL Introduces 5-Dollar Main Course Fee: What Vacationers Need to Know

The new fee applies to all NCL cruises that began on or after September 26, 2025. Guests in the main dining rooms receive one complimentary main course. Each additional main course will be charged at 5 US dollars. This rule stands in contrast to the previous practice, where guests could order as many dishes as they wished.

NCL communicated this change rather discreetly—the notice is found in the fine print at the bottom of the main dining room menus. Critics suspect this was done on purpose, to market the measure as a sustainability initiative rather than a revenue-generating tactic. This has sparked a lively debate in the cruising community. Some passengers feel that this kind of "nickel-and-diming" restricts their vacation experience, especially since they fear that portion sizes might have been reduced, forcing them to order a second main course just to feel full. The fee also takes away the guest's ability to risk-free try a second, perhaps unfamiliar, dish.

Other customers, however, show understanding and argue that the fee helps reduce the enormous amount of food waste on ships. They view the cost as minimal in relation to the overall cost of the cruise.

NCL is not alone with this new fee, but its approach is the most aggressive. Here is an overview of how the major cruise lines handle additional main courses in their main dining rooms:

Royal Caribbean has a clear advantage here and could attract customers who value the traditional all-inclusive promise. It remains to be seen whether other cruise lines will adopt NCL's aggressive strategy or if Royal Caribbean will use its policy as a unique selling point.