Linda the Book Lover

I am also not sure why they do either but I think it is for more revenue as the area is never extremely busy. There are two bartenders for a small amount of people and there is never a real wait for a drink. I think I may have seen three bartenders during the sea days on the Carribean cruise but most of the time on the Med cruise there was only one (port intensive). I guess they want to keep the bartenders busy.

Yes there are only a few passes. We have been on the Epic twice and enjoyed Posh and the Haven. Be aware you will see and elevator in the corner which goes to the Haven pool area but it only works using a keycard so if you have access to Posh and not staying in the Haven you will not be able to go to the pool. The Caribbean cruise is busy yet we never had an issue finding a seat though the bar area was hopping especially after returning to the ship after a port stop. The Med cruise it was quiet (weather difference) I am sure is the reason.

Yes we will be on the Escape

I love the thermal spa and in 173 days my daughter and I will be enjoying it once again.

Yes, I agree you are having two vacation experiences for the price of one!

I admit that if you can booking the Haven is the way to go during spring break and also the summer says this retired mom who travels with an educator daughter and her daughter. Everyone is different in likes and dislikes and also their fiscal circumstance. My granddaughter who is a quiet high schooler was thrilled last summer when she found out we would sail in a POA (not a true Haven) suite. Since we sailed before on this ship together in a balcony cabin, she was able to weigh in on the differences. It was worth the money on POA since it is a port intensive cruise we have sailed before and we had not planned to lay around at a pool. My daughter and I are sailing this summer on the Escape in the Haven to celebrate her special birthday. The husband and I decide what type of cabin based on the itinerary, but I admit we enjoy the extra comforts of the Haven.

I have to agree with BirdTravels. I have sailed with my husband and separately with my adult daughter on different size NCL ships and we never had an issue with too many people. It gets real busy at the bars closest to the "paid dining rooms" and before and after shows. We have also sailed on the Pearl, Jewel, and POA, and enjoyed the smaller ship feel. I do have to say the larger ships have more venues to relax in and more restaurant choices. If there are any tendering ports there can be a back-up in the waiting to get off and on the ship. My daughter and I have the Escape booked to celebrate her birthday in June and we are really looking forward to it.

I am curious about the Discovery spa pass. From reading above it seems the passes are 7-day. I will be on a 10-day cruise. Does couple apply to any two people in the cabin?

Have a great time planning!

A great share about the bus! We fly Southwest and the terminal is right by the lot, so you only walk inside the terminal. It was the walk once outside that for me was so long pulling my suitcases. Though for someone younger than their 70's and they exercise it would be a piece of cake. I know...I know...get on the treadmill. 😂

Could this be the cruise the daughter and I will finally meet you? We are going June 18th-25th 2023.

Thanks for the thermal suite plug. The daughter and I (I am a senior) booked a Haven Spa Suite as we both love the spa. I especially love the chaise lounges. You summed up Escape Haven nicely for me. We have stayed in Suites on the the non-Haven ships and the Haven and though they are basically the same there is a little tweak here and there.

They will slowly start popping up. Try and wait until at least 18 months out as more will begin to show. We tend to book far in advance for a popular cruise and have found this to be when most of the good ones are there to book. We also book private/semi-cruise excursions and have never had an issue. In fact on our Med cruise we booked all semi-private with 8 total. We had a great time and met some fun people. It was great not a having a crowd.

In Enseada there is a bus which will take you into downtown Ensenada. They offer excursions etc. Most enjoy the La Bufadora and the ability to shop at the "swap meet" my loose term for the little open air shops up and down on the way to and from the blow hole after you stop. You can walk from the ship to the downtown area but it is a walk. I am older so we always take the bus to downtown. Though we have been many times we sometimes go to the La Bufadora area to shop and then come back and enjoy a bar downtown and walk back to the bus area for the return to the ship. If you do major shopping, as one time my daughter and I went to buy pots for our yards in varying sizes, and we took a taxi back to the ship. We live in California and it is about a 6 hour drive from my house - worth it for the wonderful pots as they cost almost twice as much stateside.

You will sail from San Pedro. When you pick up your luggage there are signs directing you to the Uber/Lyft/ etc pick up. Be prepared to walk. We have wheels on our luggage and there are benches to rest if you feel the need. It is not a hike but be it is a walk. If you are staying at an LA hotel first you will walk straight as you leave the luggage area and there are signs directing you to the hotel shuttle area for the hotels that offer them.

Looking forward to the Escape Haven in June 2023. We are booked in a spa Haven Suite because my daughter and I wanted to enjoy both.

It is a personal choice if you will use both and your idea of checking it out once on board is a good one. As my husband and I aged we started preferring the spa more as we drank less 😉. I personally am a fan of the heated loungers and purchase a spa pass or book a spa cabin. My daughter and I have a spa suite coming up so we can enjoy both outside and inside.

Next up in Haven Land Escape - June 2023.

Thanks for the information! Is it Deck 6 on the Discovery Princess as well?

This will be interesting to see what will be offered. I would love to try the Suite Experience on Princess as I would like to compare to NCL Haven and MSC YC (sign...paid regular price-and no not rich just saved up for it. This bidding program sounds interesting as on my new return to Princess I booked an Aft Balcony on Discovery. Wondering about where the bidding starts etc.

Once on AARP go to AARP Awards. Scroll down and you will see on the right hands side--see all awards.

We are not rich either😊 We sail aft balconies or a Havana cabin on Carnival (the suites are not worth the money-but my son, daughter, and myself did do a Grand Suite recently on the Panorama- 70th birthday gift from my son for me). And no suite for me on my upcoming Princess cruise for the Eclipse either. I admit I have been cruising alot lately (the rebooked from COVID) but I budget for my vacations and at my age it is what I enjoy spending my money on. You will recognize me as the older lady wearing the out-of fashion clothes.

We have stayed in the Haven and also the Suites on the non-Haven ships. We loved the service in both types of experiences even though it also meant Cagney's for breakfast and lunch only. We have also sailed the YC on MSC (Seaside and Seashore). To me it is really different experiences and I agree the prices are less on MSC and the level of service is different. Everyone bent over backwards to ensure you had a great time. We did find our Seashore Butler to be not as wonderful as on the Seaside. Even though we are low key we would need to remind him to fill our fridge with more beer 😂. We will lose our Diamond aka used to be Black status as we will not be sailing on MSC within their one cruise every three years to keep it. I found that once we requested something the NCL Butlers were always on point. Post-COVID on POA both Jeffrey (Butler) and Gulsen (Concierge) hit it out of the park. I am looking forward to the Haven on the Escape with my adult daughter for her 1/2 century birthday in 2023.

We have had our dessert delivered to our cabin and enjoyed it later. There was never an issue.

My husband loves warm chocolate chip cookies in the evening when we return to our cabin. Every night they would be there. We always request during our introduction meet with the Butler. My DGD also requested on POA (Suites no Haven on this ship) and every night she got them including enough for my DD and myself. She could not wait to tell her Grandpa. on the Epic we have also requested a sandwich when we returned to the cabin (very port intensive Europe) and it was not an issue. These are requests which take nothing away as far as restaurant time from others also enjoying the Suite/Haven Life. THough they always add a little cheese to my scrambled eggs in the restaurant in the morning. 😉