South Lake Friends European Cruise
13-day European Cruise
On board the Norwegian Dawn
May 3, 2025
Contact Gerry with Ash Travel with questions. Gerry@AshTravel.com (352) 552-0421
Itinerary
Pricing
Our group rates are locked in and will stay the same as long as we have cabins available. These rates are only good for a cabin holding 2 guests.
We chose to add a $100 onboard credit to each cabin booked in our group.
|
Price including |
Stateroom Type |
All 4 Choice - Drinks |
|---|---|---|
| Oceanview Balcony | ||
| Oceanview | ||
| Inside | ||
*Prices are the total for one stateroom with two passengers. On 2/23/24 our group rate was $644 less on the balcony cabin compared to NCL.com.
With the group rate, the $250 per cabin deposit is fully refundable and due within one week of adding names to reservation.
Final payment is due on January 3, 2025. Any money paid is fully refundable before this date.
Insurance is priced below. We can add this now or later to your NCL booking and pay this with your final payment.
Call for pricing on cabins with more than 2 guests, or any other cabin type on this ship.
If NCL lowers their rate below ours, we can adjust your price down - before the final payment January 2025.
We can also book any cabin type available on this sailing at the best rate offered by Norwegian Cruise Line, and then move you into the group.
You should not be able to book this cruise cheaper on your own. If available, we can get your discounts from senior, military, etc.If you book any other way, you will miss out on the additional onboard credit with the group and our guaranteed group dining.
We can set you up with a payment plan to spread the cost out - ask us how!
IF YOU DID BOOK ON YOUR OWN: If within the past 60 days, we can move your booking into our group, add an onboard credit, and guarantee your dining with our group.
Travel Protection
Ash Travel recommends travel protection.
For this cruise, we recommend using NCL's vacation protection. This is an optional purchase and can be taken or declined on a per cabin basis. The Insurance price for the cabins we have quoted is $598 - $478 - $358 per cabin depending on the cabin type you choose.
- NCL's travel protection offers:
- Full cash refund for cancellation due to an emergency or medical reason
- 75% future cruise credit for any non-covered cancellation.
- Emergency medical care on the ship and in the ports.
The cruise line does not cover cancellation due to a problem with a pre-existing condition, but, you would get a 75% future cruise credit. Contact us for more details.
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VACCINE-REQUIRED CRUISES
For this sailing, NCL no longer requires vacination or testing!
Drink and Dining packages + Wi-Fi & Excursion credit
You can choose the free drink package with your booking. When you do this, NCL adds the gratuities for this package. For this 13 day sailing, this amounts to $284 per person. This is less than $22 per person per day.
You can choose the free 3-nights specialty dining package. When you do this, NCL adds the gratuites for this package. For 3 specialty meals, this amounts to $28 per person. (~$9.32 per person per meal)
There is no extra cost when adding the Wi-Fi (300 minutes per person) or the $50 per cabin per port shore excursion credit.
The total cabin cost above in the right column includes the 4 items above.
Other Common Q & A
Q: How much are gratuities (tips) and when do we pay them?
A: Current Gratuitie rates for NCL are $20 per person per day. For this 13 day sailing this equals $260 per person.Gratuities on suites are higher (ask for details). NCL will add them to your room account. Or, at any time before the cruise, we can add a payment to your credit card to cover the gratuities. Some clients do this because they don’t want to see that expense a month after the cruise on their credit card bill.
Q: Do I have to have a passport to go on this cruise?
A: Yes. Since we will be adding international air, Ash Travel request a copy of you passport to be text to us, so we can make sure the details entered are correct. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months past the end date of your trip.
Q: Why purchase Cruise Protection? (Insurance)
A: Your personal health insurance policy will not work on the cruise ship. And most will not work internationally, Along with cancellation coverage, cruise protection will cover the cost of emergency medical care on the ship or in the cruise ports. If an emergency interrupts your trip, it will cover the cost of getting back home other than on the ship. If we add NCL’s policy to your booking, it will be with your final payment.
Q: Does everyone in my cabin have to purchase a drink package if I want to?
A: Yes - If an alcohol package is purchased, each adult in the cabin has to purchase a drink package.
Q: What is the dress code?
A: The café requires a cover-up and shoes, at a minimum. For breakfast and lunch, shorts are acceptable in the main dining room. For dinner, we suggest Dockers & Polo shirt/golf shirt or better for men, and slacks and blouse or dress for women. Nice jeans with a nice blouse or shirt could work. There will be a night or two that will have photo opps around the ship. You may want to dress up a bit for these.
Q: How much luggage can I bring?
A: Two bags per person is the suggested limit. We have taken more than this with no complaints from anyone.
Q: Can I bring drinks/alcohol on the ship?
A: Each adult can bring one bottle of wine or champagne in their carry-on luggage. The rules state: that you can't bring liquor, beer, more than 1 bottle of wine, or bottles/cans of water or soda with your carry-on bags (and none in your checked bags). The cruise lines are checking more bags than in the past and confiscating excessive soda and bottles of alcohol. We hear stories of how some people get booze aboard, but we always point out that the fine print states that if you are caught trying to take items on board that are forbidden, the cruise line can deny you passage on the cruise. We have heard of many bottles being confiscated but never heard of them not letting you cruise if you were caught. If it happens, we can say "We told you so".
Q: What if I require a special diet?
A: We will state your requirements on your booking, and your waiter will be aware of this and take care of you.
Q: Do I have to pay for food and drinks?
A: You will find plenty of good food on board that will be at no charge. With NCL, there are more some specialty dining restaurants that charge an additional cost compared to other crusie lines. Pizza is available almost any time of the day or night. You will find milk, tea, water, coffee, and some kind of punch/lemonade available at no charge. Sodas, orange juice, and bar drinks will be at an additional charge.
Q: Is there a cost for room service and what can I order?
A: Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced an enhanced room service menu. The new menu offers an expanded selection for breakfast, in addition to a wider variety of options available 24 hours. Individual items on the menu remain available on a complimentary basis and a convenience charge of up to $9.95 USD will be added to each order placed. There is a $4.95 Room Service Breakfast fee is fleetwide for all breakfast room service orders Orders placed by guests sailing in the Haven & Suites staterooms are not subject to the service fee*. A 20% gratuity and beverage service charge will be added for non-complimentary beverages and special occasion items.
Q: Is there a charge for shows?
A: There is no charge for any entertainment on cruise ships. You will have much to choose from. Comedy shows, Vegas-style song & dance, piano bar, live audience game shows, poolside shows and activities, and more are included.
Q: How do I book a shore excursion?
A: Closer to the cruise date, you can book online with the cruise line. We can answer questions and help with excursions if needed.
Q: What if I don’t have a roommate?
A: We can book a cabin with a second name and change the second name with no problem until a week before the sail date. For the best rate, go ahead and book your cruise with you and 'Mr/Mrs. Smith' traveling with you. Pay the deposit and work on a roommate for now. When your new roommate pays their deposit, we will apply the full amount you paid to your name on the booking. If you travel solo, you will pay double the base rate, only saving the taxes for the second person.
Q: Can we add a 3rd/4th person to our cabin?
A: Yes. When we book a cabin for 2, we may use a cabin that only holds 2 passengers and is less expensive than a category that is the same size but has a pull-down bed. To add a 3rd/4th person, we may have to move you to a different cabin (that will hold up to 4) and the cost on the first two is a little more, but the cost on the 3rd/4th could be less. When we average this out, everyone in the cabin pays less. This may not be the case if you deposit on a cabin now, and want to add another person later. Remember – the rooms are small, but the bathroom gets very small when 4 adults need to shower and get ready for dinner at the same time.
Q: What can I purchase on the ship and how do I pay for it?
A: When you do your online check-in, you will enter the credit card that will be used for all purchases on the ship. You will purchase items (gifts, drinks, excursions, etc.) using your room key. You can go to the service desk at any time to see the details/balance of your onboard account. During the cruise, you can have the cruise line apply a cash or credit card payment to your room account. Most commonly, guests will leave the ship without doing anything and the cruise line will apply the charges to your card after the cruise. On the last night of the cruise, each cabin will be given a printout of the charges to review. So, if you review this and see no problem, just allow Royal to charge your card on file and don’t worry about it.
As I get more questions from the group members, I will add them here, to supply the answers to everyone.