The Haven? is it really worth it?

The Haven basically costs about $1000 per night for the cabin per week. Is it really worth that?

Suites do sound nice but its hard to justify paying 5 or even 10 times what a regular cabin costs. I've had balconies, ocean-views and even insides and can say that it really didn't make a difference since all I do in the room is sleep and shower. There are so many places and things to do on a ship that hanging out in the cabin seems to be a waste. I was just in South Beach and stayed at the Fontainebleau for $300+ a night and was barely in the room. What a waste. For the cost of the Haven, I could go on another vacation or 2.

Well, I'm not spending nearly that. In fact, if you priced it per person, we're paying roughtly $170 per person per night. WELL worth it for us.

To each his own - if it's not worth it for you, why even bother thinking about if it's worth it to someone else?

I think that The Haven is worth it if you feel that it's right for you.

My DH and I just returned from the Gem in The Haven and wouldn't have it any other way. We loved the area and the experience and the staff and cannot say enough good about it.

However, we do like spending a lot of quiet time together - so, for us, it's a perfect fit. The suites are very comfortable, The Haven area is also comfortable. We loved the lunch in Cagneys (well, breakfast too - but we had that brought in to the suite). It's fits the way we like to cruise.

Again, I truly feel that it's all about personal preference (the costs being another factor in that). For us, we wouldn't want to cruise any other way (but that doesn't may any other way wrong - just not the fit for us).

Happy Cruising! :)

This is a very very good question and good thread to start. My first cruise was in a balcony. I did not even know they had suites. When I found out they had suites I was shocked at what people were paying for them. I never thought I would be a suite passenger. I dont think it cost $1000 extra per night as the OP stated (unless you are talking owners suite).

But the suite experience on NCL does try to create a "special" feeling for the passengers. There are more suite perks with NCL than any other cruise line that I know about. Many of the perks are simple things as priorty boarding. When I boarded Epic in a suite, I could see non suite passengers actually boarding faster than us. I was not upset but just trying to convey the point that sometimes the perks are over stated.

We also spent almost 8 grand on our suite and they still charged us for every can of soda we removed from the fridge. To me that made no sense. The butler escorts you to seats that are reserved but you can score better seats on your own. The hamburger served in the Epic Club is the same hamburger from the buffet (just served on a fancy plate).

Now it sounds that I am down playing the suite experience? Right? Well, I am booked in another suite on NCL. We like the quiet areas in the courtyard and Haven. We love Posh. We love Epic club. We LOVE priority disembarkation (no standing in any lines to get off ship). We also love the extra square feet and larger cabins and bathrooms. We love being able to get into restaurants even when they are booked and sold out for the night. One night on Epic we tried to get into Moderno and it was sold out. We dont wear our suite status on our sleeve but the hostness noticed our key card and looked at us like we were crazy. We instantly got a table at the restaurant.

If you get off the ship where you need to tender, you will be on the first tender ship. You can get hot breakfast and any meal served in your cabin. Your bed is high end fabrics and the bathroom stocked with bette soaps and lotions, etc.

They also give you a bottle of sparkling wine for sail away. The butler delivers treats to your room daily.

I could go on and on but I wont. Are these services worth the extra money? It all depends on the person I guess. But there is a saying on these boards, once you enjoy the suite life, you never go back.

I guess that must be true because we are booked in another sutie.

There is NOTHING like the Haven on any other ship. It is what always brings me back to NCL. I prefer quiet time on a lounge chair. Some prefer the action of the pool area. If you are not going to use the Courtyard area then IMO it's not worth the cost. I enjoy the quiet time up there, especially on sea days.

The perks of a suite without the Haven access IMO is not enough for me to pay...but when the Haven is included I will book when the price is not outrageous. If I can justify I will always book in the Haven. A good example is my 9 night Dec 2012 Christmas cruise and my 9 night Dec 2013 Christmas cruise. Both are the same week of the year (Holiday sailing) and both are 9 nights. Same everything including itinerary. You would think same or similar price? The Haven is $7000 MORE for 12/2013 sailing than my 12/2012 Haven suite. I guess I will be skipping the Haven for the 2013 sailing...just can't justify that.

I've just been looking at the Haven on the Epic and it seems to be around $3000 per person for the week. That is still $850 per night for 2 people.

I've just been looking at the Haven on the Epic and it seems to be around $3000 per person for the week. That is still $850 per night for 2 people.

Some people pay for the Four Seasons and some pay for a Marriott or Holiday Inn. It all depends on what you personal need out of your vacation.

On the Epic, it is WELL worth it. Just the exclusive areas themselves and the wonderful experiences in the Epic Club are worth every penny. We saved up for that special vacation and I was not disappointed in any way afterwards. I feel like I am hard to please sometimes (I do stay in a lot of hotels and know what good service and value are)

I think it is a personal decision. To some, none of those things may matter. To us, it was a wonderful week that we will save up for and do again.

Some people pay for the Four Seasons and some pay for a Marriott or Holiday Inn. It all depends on what you personal need out of your vacation.

Well said. With a few miles one can easily find a hotel/resort for $1,000 a night, and some for under $100 a night. There, and based on the bookings on a ship, some people think it is worth it, and others do not. After all, 20% or so think an inside is just right.

We think the Haven is worth every dollar for the privacy and the perks we are paying for. We love the limited amount of people in a private area that we have paid thousands to enjoy. That is why we book the Haven.

That being said if memory serves me right in an earlier thread you thought that anyone who was associated with the family of a Haven guest (not booked in the Haven) was entitlted to the same perks and privacy. So I am not sure where this is going..for $1000 a night I am entitled to what I paid for. You are not entitled to what you do not pay for. You are probably better off not booking a Haven.

I think its a personal preference. What do you want in your cruise or desire in your cruise? Whats your cruise style? Will you use the benefits that suites offer you?

For us, we find that it would be a waste of money. We would not use the services provided but that is "our way" of vacationing. Whats yours? Its your money and your time off so pick what is right for you.

Have fun

TBH I haven't experienced Haven or even visited the Courtyard on any NCL ship. My first cruise on NCL Jade was in a fwd suite just below bridge because it was a bargain (January even in Southern Europe is not too warm) but since then we haven't been in one. For us (couple in 30's) I'm sure that the Haven would be wonderful but as long as we can enjoy the other aspects of "The Suite Life" for less $$, I'm happy.

We meant to go budget for our upcoming cruise and we originally booked OV but as the departure has come closer, the price of suites dropped and now we are going to suite for about $140pp/day which I consider as great price.

As others have said too, it's all about what You want - we couldn't currently afford Haven prices but even the cheapest suites are an amazing way to enjoy the cruise. :)

The Haven basically costs about $1000 per night for the cabin per week. Is it really worth that?

 

Suites do sound nice but its hard to justify paying 5 or even 10 times what a regular cabin costs. I've had balconies, ocean-views and even insides and can say that it really didn't make a difference since all I do in the room is sleep and shower. There are so many places and things to do on a ship that hanging out in the cabin seems to be a waste. I was just in South Beach and stayed at the Fontainebleau for $300+ a night and was barely in the room. What a waste. For the cost of the Haven, I could go on another vacation or 2.

If you have to ask,its too much for you!:rolleyes:

As excellently mentioned above, perks are nice, but not all are very usefull.

For me, The Haven is not about perks. For me, it is about being able to be in a quiet atmosphere when you are not in your cabin.

Of course, most Haven cabins are larger than average and butler service can be very handy, but basically it is all about a feeling and about getting some rest.

If you like the routine on the ship, there is no important reason to pay top dollar for something that basically "only" is about privacy.

Having said this: NCL made us dependant on this brilliant concept and therefor we only cruise in The Haven.

The Haven basically costs about $1000 per night for the cabin per week. Is it really worth that?

 

Suites do sound nice but its hard to justify paying 5 or even 10 times what a regular cabin costs. I've had balconies, ocean-views and even insides and can say that it really didn't make a difference since all I do in the room is sleep and shower. There are so many places and things to do on a ship that hanging out in the cabin seems to be a waste. I was just in South Beach and stayed at the Fontainebleau for $300+ a night and was barely in the room. What a waste. For the cost of the Haven, I could go on another vacation or 2.

BTW,where do you come up with $1000 per night for Haven.Oh,thats it,there are four (4) of you in the Haven Suite!:D

With the AmEx OBC suite special and a TA discount, we recently booked an SG suite on the Star for about $800 per person for a 7 night cruise (not including taxes, fees, and gratuities). SJ suites are available for even less. That's about $50 per person *less* than NCL's advertised price for a mini-suite or aft balcony on our cruise. Even with the taxes, fees, and gratuities, it's well under $200 per person per night. The owners suites are a little more than twice as much but if you put 4 people in them the total cost per person isn't that much more than a regular suite because the third and fourth guests receive a very significant discount. Where is the OP getting $1,000 per person per night? I know the Star doesn't have "The Haven," but I find it hard to believe Haven suites cost more than five times as much. Maybe the Garden Villa suites cost this much but that's hardly representative.

Read post #6. Simple mathematics. But I guess you have to be able to read the post.

Post # 1 clearly states the Haven.

Read post #6. Simple mathematics. But I guess you have to be able to read the post.

Ahh yes, post #6....where $850 = $1000.

:D

To answer your question, yes...it's worth it. In the same way that hotels like The Peninsula, The Four Seasons, The Waldorf Astoria, The Plaza, and many others of their ilk can charge $600 - $800 / night, so too can those who cruise in suites...justify whatever rate they are paying.

Want proof? 10 ships. 52 weeks. No empty suites.

.

Read post #6. Simple mathematics. But I guess you have to be able to read the post.

 

Post # 1 clearly states the Haven.

Sorry, I thought the OP said $1,000/night *per person*. Even so, as post 6 points out, the math comes out to about $850/night, not $1,000. To answer your question: No, that's probably not worth it. But you can get a suite for much less than that on other ships and maybe even on the Epic if you pick a different date.

True they may be full but I can assure you that many of the suites are up-sells at 30%+ off the going rate. Kind of like when you board a plane and first class is always full? Free upgrades. Up-sells make them a much better deal especially when you put 6 people in a 2 bedroom family cabin.

My last cruise in February had 50% of the Haven suites booked one month out. Two weeks later they were full. :o

The Haven basically costs about $1000 per night for the cabin per week. Is it really worth that?

 

Suites do sound nice but its hard to justify paying 5 or even 10 times what a regular cabin costs. I've had balconies, ocean-views and even insides and can say that it really didn't make a difference since all I do in the room is sleep and shower. There are so many places and things to do on a ship that hanging out in the cabin seems to be a waste. I was just in South Beach and stayed at the Fontainebleau for $300+ a night and was barely in the room. What a waste. For the cost of the Haven, I could go on another vacation or 2.

You're absolutely right, you could use that money to go on more cruises or vacations. DH and I prefer to sail the Haven way because we enjoy it so much.

We typically choose 14514, it is our favorite suite. With the extra $$ we get a separate living room, dining room and a full bath which includes separate shower, separate tub, double vanity, separate bedroom and a balcony. We also have access to the Haven area with the pool, hottub, exercise equipment, sauna, showers, loungers, and private deck accessible to Haven guests only. We also then get the amenities that other suite guests enjoy: breakfast and lunch at Cagney's (sure beats those food lines), priority reserved seating at the shows, priority embarkation and debarkation lines, Butler and Concierge who will do anything in their power to make sure your stay is absolutely fabulous.

So as you can see, DH and I definitely think cruising the Haven way is the way to go. Sure, we only cruise once every year or two, but for us it is worth it. After a long day in port oftentimes we just want a hot shower, dinner in our suite, dressed in jammies and then we watch a movie and crash at a decent hour.

To some people it is worth it. I have heard many say that once you cruise the Haven way there is no other way to cruise. I would have to agree. But it is a personal choice and only one you can make. Whatever you decide, have a great cruise :)

I've had a balcony and an inside cabin. If I could afford to book the haven or even a regular suite I most def. Would. I like to spend time on the cabin and having extra space would be worth it lol.....but I don't think my hubby would like me to pay about 2000 pp pn to go on a cruise!

I've had a balcony and an inside cabin. If I could afford to book the haven or even a regular suite I most def. Would. I like to spend time on the cabin and having extra space would be worth it lol.....but I don't think my hubby would like me to pay about 2000 pp pn to go on a cruise!

$ 2,000 per person per night? For 2 people on a 7 night cruise that would make it $ 28,000. I have never seen a haven room cost even half of that on a brand new ship. If you look for deals, and your time off is flex, you could pay 2,000-3,000 per person for a haven. The second next cruise we are in a haven, and we paid not even $ 2,000 pp. :D

$ 2,000 per person per night? For 2 people on a 7 night cruise that would make it $ 28,000. I have never seen a haven room cost even half of that on a brand new ship. If you look for deals, and your time off is flex, you could pay 2,000-3,000 per person for a haven. The second next cruise we are in a haven, and we paid not even $ 2,000 pp. :D

lolol nooo not pp pn. sorry mean pp lol! that would be rediculous!

I also love the Haven suites and now only want to book them. We only have time to sail once or occasionally twice a year, so when I'm on vacation I want to pamper myself, so for us it's worth it.

Also, although many of the suites may be done by upsells. I know that many people who get upsold to suites are then spoiled and will book suites initially the next time they sail. That's how they sucked us in!:D