Ordering two main courses at dinner used to be one of those little cruise perks nobody thought twice about.
Fancy the steak and the lobster? Go for it. Curious about another dish on the menu? No problem.
But that classic cruise tradition is about to change on Norwegian Cruise Line.
From 26 September 2025, passengers who order more than one main course in the complimentary dining rooms will be charged $5 for each additional entrée. The first dish is still included in your fare, but the days of freely sampling multiple mains are coming to an end.
The change hasn’t been widely promoted either. Instead, it quietly appeared in the small print at the bottom of dining room menus.
So why has Norwegian Cruise Line introduced the fee… and how are cruisers reacting to it?
New Speciality Dining Policy
Alongside the entrée charge, Norwegian has also tightened its speciality dining reservation rules.
Guests aged 13 and older who do not cancel or modify their reservation at least two hours before the scheduled time will now face a $10 penalty. The same charge also applies to anyone who arrives more than 15 minutes late.
Previously, passengers had up to 24 hours to cancel their reservation without a fee.
The new policy is designed to discourage guests from holding tables they don’t end up using, something that can make it harder for other passengers to secure reservations.
Why the New Fees?
Norwegian Cruise Line has not issued a detailed explanation for the new charges.
However, many industry observers believe the entrée fee is aimed at reducing food waste and improving service efficiency in the main dining rooms. When guests order several main dishes at once, it can slow down kitchens and increase the amount of uneaten food that ends up being discarded.
Others see it as part of a wider trend across the cruise industry, where lines are introducing small charges for things that were once included.
While $5 may not seem like much, critics argue that it chips away at one of cruising’s traditional appeals – the sense of abundance and freedom when it comes to dining.
How It Compares to Other Cruise Lines
For now, Norwegian appears to be the only major cruise line introducing a charge for additional main courses in the main dining room.
Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and MSC Cruises still allow guests to order multiple entrées without any extra cost.
Whether Norwegian’s competitors will follow suit remains to be seen. Cruise lines often watch each other closely when introducing new policies, especially those that affect onboard spending.
What It Means for Cruisers
For most passengers, the change will have little impact. As long as you order a single main course at dinner, nothing changes.
But guests who enjoy sampling several dishes during a meal will now need to factor in the extra charge.
The stricter speciality dining reservation policy is also something to keep in mind. If you book a table and then decide not to go, you’ll need to cancel in advance to avoid the fee.
Cruise dining has long been associated with variety and indulgence, so even small changes like this can feel significant to regular cruisers.
Whether passengers view the new fee as a sensible step to cut waste or as another example of creeping extra charges, one thing is clear – it has already sparked plenty of discussion across the cruise community.
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Carnival also charges $5 each for extra entrees, but that’s starting after 3 entrees, so its quite different. Margaritaville charges $7 extra per additional entrée, but apps and deserts remain unlimited on both lines
We were introduced to the extra charge for a second main dinner on MSC Meriviglia last year. We only did it once, on Lobster dinner evening. I think extra pasta dinners were ‘on the house’ though. But the “Continental ” sized dinner portions on MSC, as opposed to American “diner sized” portions, could result some surprises on your bill. All in all it represents a very small up charge in grand scheme of things on the cruise ship experience. .