PatJim

Thanks to everyone who responded re bartender tips. I didn’t realize they get a cut of the drink gratuities.

And lattes!💕 Alas, we’ve only found this fantastic coffee machine in the Haven Observation Lounge on the Bliss and Joy. Was so disappointed not to find it on the Epic, Breakaway and Getaway. We’ll be in the Prima Haven in November for the 1st time. Does anyone know if they also have it? For ships that don’t, I make an approximate latte in the cabin, with hot milk delivered by the butler every morning (along with almond croissants). It’s the one thing that gets me up!

I was surprised to learn that bartenders also are not covered in the Daily Service Charge. Has something to do with excluding staff who are not used by all cruisers, as not everyone drinks or is in the Haven! We tip accordingly, usually with every drink order, plus a $20 upfront to Haven bar tender. We also give tips to wait staff in Haven restaurant and elsewhere. For quite a few cruises we didn’t know anyone did this, then on the Gem in Moderno at breakfast years ago we saw someone slip the waiter a tip, and that got us doing it, too. This is highly subjective. The wait staff doesn’t expect tips, and no one should feel they “should” tip. But New York has a generous tipping culture. A Concierge we knew once told us he was dismayed at being moved from the Gem to a ship not sailing out of NYC, because the tips were the best here.

Oops - forgot to post link: https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2830623-the-ncl-haven-luxury-vip-experience-secrets-revised-for-2022/?do=findComment&comment=67194170

We always have lunch in the Haven at embarkation, mostly as an early chance to get to know the staff, and for them to get to know us. It’s kind of a tradition for me to order the scallops, and Jim to have a hamburger, but if you want to eat light, you can always choose 2 appetizers. Here’s a link to the Haven lunch menu: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/617ac6f28abd337ac8fc5f75/t/6255de58dbe6f61442cae352/1649794648915/NCL+Haven+Lunch+Menu.pdf At least once later in the cruise, I’ll go down to the Garden Cafe, make up a plate of curry, and bring it back to the Haven to join Jim for lunch! We board the Prima in November, and I’m really looking forward to the Indian food in Indulge Food Hall. To enhance your Haven experience, please check out Gary’s Secrets of the Haven. Don’t be put off by the number of pages - just dive in! No matter how many times we cruise, I always learn something useful for next time. Have a great cruise.

Just a quick note on NYC’s congestion pricing, which takes affect in June: Cars are $15 peak times (5 am-9 pm, which affects cruisers) Taxi is $1.25; Uber, Lyft $2.50

PS. The 2-bedroom suites in Haven proper do have small balconies, but ours is slightly larger, as it extends in front of the master bathroom. Regardless of size, we always request a lounger with our pre-cruise concierge list, and usually it’s there when we board.

Are you on the May 19th cruise? We’re in #17110.

You can let the weather decide for you—sort of like flipping a coin😁. We booked a Bermuda cruise September 2022, and ended up going to Canada/New England! Got an email from NCL 8 pm night before departure, so had to scramble to repack and get Canadian documentation (COVID-related and no longer required). Felt sorry for cruisers already in New York who only had warm-weather clothes with them. There were a lot of sweat shirts bought in Newport, our first port of call. I would choose Bermuda in June, as I think weather is increasingly more iffy on East Coast in September. Jim and I have done numerous Canada/NE cruises from NYC in September. Sometimes we see fall foliage, but usually we don’t. Timing it this far in advance is tricky. Good luck with your choice.

Very well said, Gary. Thank you.

For many years, I led Cruise Critic Meet & Greets, especially on the Gem. Jim and I loved planning cabin crawls. We usually were able to get members to volunteer almost every type of cabin for the crawl. It was very educational. Some members who never would have considered booking an inside could see for themselves their clever storage despite their small size, and that booking this category would allow them to cruise more often. We also knew cruisers who, after seeing an Owner’s Suite on the crawl, saved for a couple of years to afford booking one.

The mention on this thread that travel insurance likely won’t cover missing the ship due to a late excursion, was very helpful. We thought our TI company would cover this scenario. We always book comprehensive insurance p, because it covers pre-existing medical conditions. It’s not cheap, but gives us peace of mind. Jim just reread the TI contract. it mentions late flight causes for missing the ship or a tour, but not a late tour operator causing us to miss the ship. Who knew?? So thanks so much for this info.

Really enjoyed your comparison of the Getaway changes, both good and not so good. Thank you for taking the time to post. To slake your thirst, here’s the recipe for the Rebellious Fish, one of my favorites, too. REBELLIOUS FISH Ingredients: 1/2 oz. Passion Fruit Liqueur 1 oz. Vodka 1/4 oz. Orange Liqueur 2 oz. Orange Juice Sparkling Wine (for topping) Garnish: Fresh Berries

We’ve also been fortunate with Haven staff, including butlers. Our 1st Haven suite was on the Gem back in December, 2011; our butler was Josephine. She was friendly, knowledgeable, professional. She walked us through what to expect, and how to best utilize her and the other Haven staff. She was always available to answer questions or fulfill our requests. Over the years, we got to know her well, and when she had her son, if we knew she would be onboard, we brought gifts for him. The last time we saw Josephine was September 2022. We were in the Manhattan Cruise Terminal prior to boarding when she walked in. Hugs all around! Even though she wasn’t our butler on that cruise, she secretly arranged to have a birthday cake delivered to our suite. Pre-Haven, we booked NCL as one of the few lines that sailed out of NYC year round, It’s our interactions with the wonderful crew—not just in the Haven—that keeps us loyal.

Yes! We’ve done quite a few Canada/New England cruises, and always have a lobster lunch in every port😋 Our last cruise there was a September 2022 Bermuda cruise, that was switched to C/NE night before, but that’s another story… Wish that was true. I had read that on CC, but on a recent cruise, my sister ordered the fillet without foie gras, but was still charged. Both the waiter and then assistant maitre d’ explained that the surcharge was for the superior quality of the fillet, not the fois gras. They also said there was no way to NOT charge the $10 using their computer system. Really ridiculous, as many people won’t eat fois gras for ethical reasons, or—like you—simply don’t like the taste (full disclosure—I do like it). It also implies that the fillet in other restaurants is inferior. We were so annoyed by this, we went to the Haven Concierge and he had the charges reversed on Susan’s account. It turned out to be from his discretionary account, not from the restaurant. It’s not the $$, it’s the principle!