SaltyPawz

If you don’t already have an answer… We’ll be on Breakaway in early September. I plan to write a review. It’ll be our second Haven cruise. Our first was last November/December on Escape. Looking forward to another Haven experience!

We were in an H3 on Escape in Nov/Dec. Room 17100. It’s a beautiful room, and we took advantage of the huge balcony for many hours each day. For the three included bottles of spirits, we selected all liquors, no wine. And yes, we took the cartons of water with us off the boat. If Jojit is your butler and Anthony is your room steward, you are in for quite a treat!

For our November/December 2023 trip, we received the luggage tags 34 days prior to the cruise.

As a huge fan of Napa Valley reds and French Bordeauxs, I don’t recall seeing Oberon. Silverado, Duckhorn, Decoy, Louis Jadot are a few reds I remember along with several Italian others (can’t remember the vineyard names). There was one Chateauneuf-du-Pape, which was tasty. The Norwegian red blend seemed to be randomly available. If you’re a Chardonnay fan, there were three or four on the premium list. And, there were a couple of Rieslings (Eroica and Chateau Ste Michelle). I didn’t have any champagne, so I can’t comment on the Veuve Clicquot availability. If Michael and Suri are still at the Haven bar, you are in for a treat! Michael made a spicy margarita that was divine. And, they were both very patient and curious to learn what type of mixed drink to make. I hope this helps!

We were on the Escape (Haven) in November/December. I don’t have pictures but will share my experience. To note… Hubby enjoys beer (no wine, no liquor). I prefer wine in this order: red, rose, white, champagne. Since this was our first Haven experience, we did upgrade to Premium because I wanted to enjoy everything offered without an on-the-spot, additional cost coming to mind. (The decision to upgrade was a long one since we both had to upgrade even though hubby would not benefit -we didn’t see any “premium” beers.) The wines offered were okay. In the specialty restaurants, I was given the bottle of wines ordered. At La Cucina, I ordered an Italian red from the premium list, and it went well with dinner. At Cagney’s, I ordered the same red and was given the bottle. (On a funny note, it was strange to walk around with a bottle of wine after dinner. The second time, we got smart and brought a bag.) At the Haven bar, I would get a glass of red if our daily chef treats included cheese/nuts/crackers, which it often did. And, depending on what I ordered for dinner at the Haven restaurant, I would have a glass. I quickly became “bored” with the wine offerings, but I realize I have specific likes/dislikes. However, the Haven bartenders made some VERY tasty concoctions based on my tastes (spicy margarita, not-so-sweet vodka spritzer, dark espresso martini). On another side note… I don’t usually enjoy milkshakes, or frappes, or sweet milky/creamy drinks. But, the Haven bartenders made a killer banana mudslide, and I enjoyed a few of those! For our upcoming Haven trip in September, I haven’t decided if we will upgrade. Not sure if it’s worth roughly $580 (upgrade cost plus gratuity) for one person to enjoy from the premium list. If we enjoyed whisky/bourbon or if the wine selection is widened, I’d have no hesitation. Here’s hoping someone will provide you with pictures/updated list, so you can make the best decision for you.

This was my experience on the Escape this past November/December. When we wanted to get off the ship, the concierge would take us down (via service elevators) to the ramps. Mostly, this would be with a group of Haven guests. Once, it was just us two and the concierge held the line and we “cut”* in line to get off the ship. I use the word “cut” on purpose because there were at least a hundred guests in line that we could see. We heard a few grumbles behind us as we walked through security and down the ramps. This was my first experience “cutting” in a line as a Haven guest, so I thought I’d share my experience. Getting back on the ship… We never saw a Haven tent or a Haven sign outside the ship. We got in line and walked up the ramp through security. Once through security, we would look for a person with a Haven sign, and he/she escorted us to the service elevator up to the Haven area. *I use the word “cut” knowing it might cause friction since priority embarking/disembarking is a perk of Haven. And, it’s a perk I very much enjoy having and using! The experience I mention was the first and only time it was used in front of a very long line of people. Sharing so you might store those in the expectations category.

I have a few questions not exactly related to Haven, so I won’t be surprised if I’m pummeled or asked to post on another forum. We took our first Haven cruise the week after Thanksgiving on the Escape and loved it! We booked another Haven cruise for Canada/New England this fall that ports in NYC. Does anyone have preferences for flying into LGA or JFK? And, any recommendations for hotels near the Manhattan cruise terminal? Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

When I first read your response, I had NO idea what it meant. Then, I read a recent news ticker. Truth be told, Canada/New England or the Bahamas would be just fine! Of course, safety is implied. 😜

Thank you all for the advice given regarding cruising in a Haven room on a ship with no Haven restaurant/courtyard/bar. We just booked a Canada/New England trip and decided to go with a ship that has all Haven amenities. As always, this thread is always so helpful! Happy Christmas to you and yours!

On our recent cruise (November 25, Escape), a gentlemen wearing a tank top was asked to change. He came back wearing a t-shirt and was seated. Based on my observation, women and children had much more accepted, relaxed standards than men.

Question for anyone who has cruised in a Haven room on a ship with no courtyard/restaurant/bar. After our recent cruise, we are sold on the Haven and are considering a Canada/New England cruise. The ship has Haven rooms but no courtyard/bar/restaurant. Is it worth it? Or, is this the time to go Haven-Lite?

I echo your post as this was our recent experience. By our third visit to the Haven restaurant, the hostess knew our names and that we preferred to sit outside. One particular staff member would take care of us -no matter where we were sitting. He knew our names, my husband’s drink preference, our desire for bread and butter, and would give me wine suggestions. The assistant maitre d often checked on us and would make suggestions. Although the menus don’t change, we ate most meals in the Haven mainly because of the atmosphere and top-notch service. And, since there were two of us, we never waited more than five minutes.

NCL Escape - First Haven Experience (but not the last) From the time we arrived at the Port Canaveral terminal to sitting in the Haven Lounge was less than 30 minutes. We were greeted by the head concierge, Dilip, and given a brief overview of the Haven and his services. The bar was open and there were limited snacks (M&Ms, gummies, a few bread pastries). The bar was in full swing. A spa representative was there, and the two concierges were busy with passengers. Lunch in the Haven restaurant and American Diner were offered beginning at 11:30. We weren’t given an idea when rooms would be ready, so we left to explore the ship. We came back to the Haven area around 3. The rooms were ready by then. The DOS (H3) is a very nice room with more than enough space for two people. The best part -the huge balcony! We spent many, many hours in the loungers. Within 10 minutes of being in the room, we were greeted by our butler, Jojit. It seemed we were one of the last on his route to meet. So, we did write a butler letter with a pre-tip/bribe (whatever you want to call it). He opened it immediately and read it out loud. With the pre-cruise concierge, we requested two extra firm pillows and snacks (peanut M&Ms, trail mix, chips). None was in the room, but he took care of it within 30 minutes. Our room steward was excellent. We were offered twice a day services, but requested once a day. However, each night we saw him in the hallway, he would greet us by name, and ask if we wanted turn down service or if we needed anything. We didn’t utilize butler services very much although he asked us multiple times a day if we needed anything. Two Haven bartenders were such a treat! My hubby drinks beer, and I normally enjoy red wine. The red wine selection on NCL is okay, but if you like variety, even with the Premium beverage package, you might get bored. Of note, I’ve never had a mudslide, but one of the bartenders made a banana mudslide for me, and it was delicious! Also, if you like espresso and coffee-flavored drinks, try a carajillo. It was fun to watch the bartenders at work making drinks and meeting other cruisers. After eating at many specialty dining restaurants and trying the buffet once for lunch, we decided to eat most meals in the Haven restaurant. The menus do not change, but we combined this with that/eliminated this and added that/ordered an extra side of this. More than the food, we looked forward to one particular server who always made our meal fun and enjoyable. There were very few kids -we saw maybe 10. Getting off at ports was very easy. A concierge would escort you to the level. Although we were told to look for the Haven sign when getting back on, we saw it only one time. When you get spoiled with it once, you miss it when it’s not there! Disembarking through Haven is fantastic! Once we were given the all clear, we were collecting luggage within 10 minutes. Customs line was the longest we waited the whole trip. First impressions…. We love the Haven and are already planning our next cruise. This thread offered the best advice: 1) have reasonable expectations, 2) communicate your reasonable expectations, and 3) don’t let something minor ruin your experience. So, thank you @Sthrngary for creating this thread and for everyone else for all your posts!

It’s day five of our first Haven experience on the Escape, and we (hubby and I) are having a wonderful time! Hubby is sold on the Haven for any future cruises. Right now, we are enjoying this beautiful balcony and a delicious tasty beverage. If you have any questions while we’re still on board, let me know! More to follow later.

Just sharing the timeline for my upcoming Haven trip. 130 days out: Booked specialty dining reservations (via app). 130 days out: Selected Haven amenities preferences (via online form received in email). 34 days out: Received a letter from NCL with luggage tags and pre-cruise concierge information. 26 days out: Scheduled onboard entertainment (via email to pre-cruise concierge). According to a pre-cruise concierge, Escape releases only “The Choir of Man” to pre-book. All the rest must be booked on board. All that’s left to do is check in, pack, and embark! It’s our first Haven experience, so we’re very excited! (Well…. I am. Hubby doesn’t know we’ll be staying in the Haven or about any amenities.)