# **What Are the Change Fees on Norwegian Cruise Line?**

When you book **a cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line you may wonder what happens if you need to make changes after you have reserved.** Change fees can mean extra cost depending on what you change when the change happens and what kind of fare you booked. Knowing how Norwegian handles changes helps you plan and possibly avoid unnecessary fees. Here is a breakdown of what to expect.

**Types of Changes**

“Changes” can mean different things. **It can be changing the sail date or itinerary, changing who is traveling, changing the cabin category, or changing names on the reservation.** Each kind of change can have different fees or rules.

### **When Changes Occur Before Final Payment**

If you make changes before the final payment date you often have more flexibility. You may be able to change your sail date or itinerary without paying a penalty if the new cruise is similar in cost or better. **If the new cruise costs more you will pay the difference in fare. If it is less, depending on your fare type you might get a credit or refund.** Cabin upgrades or category changes might also be allowed before final payment with minimal cost, depending on availability. Name corrections like fixing spelling are often allowed without fee if done early.

### **When Changes Occur After Final Payment**

Once final payment is due or paid changing the reservation is often treated like canceling and rebooking. That means you may face cancellation charges based on how far away your sailing date is. **After that you rebook which may result in paying higher rates plus any penalties. For example changing your departure date near your sail date will likely incur a large fee or full fare loss.** Changing cabin to a lower rate category after this point usually means you lose the difference and possible penalties may be applied. Name changes or substitutions close to departure are subject to stricter rules and often penalties similar to cancellation.

### **Name Changes and Corrections**

You can correct spelling errors in guest names fairly easily and often with no fee if done well in advance. **But completely substituting a guest or changing the person who is traveling tends to have stricter deadlines and fee schedules.** Some minor errors are forgiven but full name changes often require notice and may be charged once inside certain windows. If within a small number of days before sailing name changes are treated more like cancellation and penalties apply accordingly.

### **Cabin Category Changes**

Moving to a better or more expensive cabin category is usually easier than moving to a cheaper one. If you want to upgrade your cabin after booking you may be able to do so subject to availability and pay the difference. **But moving to a cheaper cabin category once you are within the cancellation penalty period means you may pay penalties for the original booking plus lose what you paid extra or not get back difference.** New changes may be allowed but any rate difference may not be refunded and you may lose perks or promotions that came with the original cabin.

### **Itinerary or Departure Date Changes**

If you change your sail date or itinerary this is often considered a cancellation and new booking. That means you may pay the cancellation fee for the original reservation then book the new one at the current rate. The closer to the sailing date you are, the greater the penalties. **Sometimes Norwegian allows date changes without fee if you are outside certain days before sailing and depending on the fare rules.** But once inside that window, penalties escalate often to a high percentage of fare or the entire fare.

### **Other Fees To Know**

Beyond the fee inherent in changing or cancelling, there may be other costs. If you change the name of a guest or substitute someone they may charge administrative or processing fees. **Some special promotions or fares may have non refundable deposits or no change allowed. If you booked a promotional fare often the rules are stricter and many changes may incur full cost or no credit.** Also add ons like flights, transfers or land packages often have separate change policies and fees. Airlines may charge heavily for flight date changes or cancellations. If your booking included those add ons those fees apply too.

### **Schedule of Penalties**

Norwegian Cruise Line uses a schedule for penalties that increase as you approach the sailing date. **For example changes made far in advance may result only in forfeiture of deposit. Closer to the sail date you may lose 50 percent or more.** Within the last 30 or so days or less you may be required to pay full fare or lose the entire fare. The exact number of days depends on the fare type, cabin type and whether you paid fully. The rule is simple: sooner you make the change the less expensive; later changes cost more.

### **Best Practices to Minimize Fees**

To avoid heavy change fees consider booking flexible or refundable fares if available. Make changes or corrections as early as possible. Double check names and spellings when booking so you avoid needing changes. Avoid booking flights or add ons you cannot change easily. **Get travel insurance when possible so you have coverage if unforeseen events force changes.** Always review the terms of your fare before booking so you know the deadlines for cost free changes or minimal fees.

### **Summary**

In sum Norwegian Cruise Line does have change fees depending on what you change and when you change it. **If you make changes before final payment you may avoid penalties or pay only fare differences. After final payment changes are treated more strictly with cancellation like penalties.** Name changes, cabin category changes, itinerary or departure date changes all carry different fees depending on timing. Promotional fares tend to have less flexibility. Being aware of the schedule, knowing your fare rules, and acting early are the best ways to reduce change costs when cruising with Norwegian.