SouthernBelle_N_Louisiana

In suite espresso maker in living room area of suite

Invitation to private party was waiting for us when we arrived

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Check in was a breeze. Table of goodies to snack on.

Then we were personally escorted up to the 16th floor Haven area to meet the concierge. We met Anoop and then headed to our Aft suite.

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Haven check in area -- should have posted this first LOL

Family pic while in the Haven check in

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Vanity Dressing Area in MBR

MBR bath tub

MBR Double sinks

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Hello fellow cruisers!

Our family of three just returned from the Getaway and a fantastic week in the Haven. We stayed in an Aft Penthouse Suite - 11308 - port side.

This was our first cruise on NCL. We have sailed with CCL and RCCL several times before trying NCL.

I will have to say that NCL has won us over. The service and easy going Freestyle of NCL was so relaxing and this was the first 7 day cruise where we truly did not want to leave.

.

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Thank you everyone for the great advise. We have decided to rebook out departure for a later time.

But..............have been on hold for 1 hour and 7 mins.

Tried again for another 30 minutes and will keep trying all night. I have 24 hours to change to a different time.

We are using FF miles for Delta.

We are not the kind of people to take a risk, too much invested in our travels.

Thanks again everyone.

Good Decision!!

We travel to NOLA often and Friday morning traffic is baaad.

Have a great cruise!!

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We are looking at an 11:00 flight out of New Orleans on Friday, Nov. 21. We will be on the NCL Dawn, repo out of Boston. Last year, we were on NCL Jewel in Oct., and returned on a sunday, and walked off w/our luggage very early. We had driven. We will do the same, walk off w/our luggage, getting in line ASAP in the early morning.

That is the weekend before Thanksgiving. There is a Saints football game in the Superdome Monday evening. People will fly in that Friday to enjoy a long weekend in NOLA.

Make your flight a later time in the day. The airport is at least 30 min from the port.

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Yep just did this recently. Call the NCL Shorex number directly, give them your NCL reservation number and they'll make the change. Then they'll email you a confirmation of the new excursion.

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Can't wait to hear your thoughts on the aft suites!

Yes!! I do plan to do a full review once we are back mid June :)

I'm still trying to figure out how to load pics on this site so if you know or anyone else, please tell me. It used to be that you went through another picture website to post but I am not sure if they have improved upon that or not. I'm pretty computer savvy and sometimes I couldn't even figure it out a couple of years ago.

We sail her in the Haven in June 7th. We have an aft penthouse corner Haven suite 11308.

This will be our first NCL cruise so not sure what to expect. We have sailed other lines many times.

What was the Haven pool area like? Crowded? Quiet? Over run by chair hogs? Perfect? How did it compare to the main pool areas on board?

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Ok so if we have $300 in OBC plus I bring about $500 cash/travelers chqs for the week ...we should be good right??

We might buy a few of less than $40/bottles of wine and some fun frozen cocktails and some light shopping plus cash tips but that's about it.

Are we good??

It sounds like karma was at work here. :)

 

Have a great cruise.

WE WILL!!! :D

Thanks!!

Ummmm I think this is my story and I'm sticking to it ;) The backstory to all this is she was originally booked with us last year when I set this up and then cancelled it. She's vascillated the last 8-10 months and driven us nuts about it... So here it is....

Ship is full... Lifeboats can only hold so many... The airfare is over $800 (it really is since it's so last minute), it's a safety issue with the lifeboats thing... Maritime rules dictate all that, blah, blah, blah

Whatcha think???? LOL!!

She ain't going... I made the executive decision for her

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We are in a Haven Aft penthouse June 7th. My MIL (?!?!?!) has for about the 6th time changed her mind again about going with us. UGH!!!

Is it too late to add her to the reservation? When I originally booked, the rate was $699 for 3/4 person. Now that it's so close I am not sure. Are they open today at the NCL offices for me to check?

Sorry, I'm just a little aggravated that she keeps changing her mind. :/

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All of the cruises I have been on have had the VIP party on the second night.

Thanks!! Will call concierge hotline Monday and see about changing our reservations ... Appreciate your help!!

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Is the Haven cocktail party the same night on the Getaway? I booked the Illusionarium for the second night at 5:30 so I may need to change that??

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I would buy Premium seats if you are sure you do not want to be seated in the booths in the back. As Haven guests, you will get first selection of seats in your paid area. Your concierge will tell you where to meet and what time to be escorted to the theater for seating.

 

Robin

Thank you!! This is what I did already for our June cruise on GA... I bought the premium seats... Now I feel better that what you have stated is how it is handled with the concierge. This is good to know :)

Thanks again!!

Robin N

We are staying at Hampton Inn Brickell. Very close to shops and stores and close to port. I picked it based on others recommendations from this website :)

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We sail getaway in June and DS is celiac so he's gluten free. I notified our NCL PCC when I booked. When I get back I'll do a gluten free review on here so others with this same issue can know options. I personally feel like there are two places we can vacay and know our child's dietary health is safe... Cruises and Disney World.

They even assured me that he will have gf snacks in splash academy. We will dine at the illusionarium on board so I am curious to see how that meal is handled.

We are in the Haven area and will probably eat there most nights so that we have a wait staff familiar with his diet to avoid having to go thru it all every night with a different server. He is still uncomfortable with celiac as he is newly diagnosed and at almost 12 yrs old, it's a huge lifestyle change and he's embarrassed by it still. Working on that ;)

Hope you have a great cruise!! I'll post my review mid June.

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We went on the Allure (sister ship) two years ago. I don't know the ages of the kids you might be traveling with but there are no slides or any extras on those ships except the Flowrider and the tiny tiny zip line. Our son is almost 12 and is looking forward to real water slides and the other goodies like ropes course, walk the plank, nickelodeon on board, etc.

Also to us the Allure is just so big you lose that true cruise feel cause it's almost "too mega".

A cruise is what you make it and we did enjoy ourselves. I just wish that RCCL would start putting true water slides on these new ships.

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I too would love to see Splash Academy for 10-12 year olds.

And I think you are in the Haven area like we will be in June. Im so anxious to hear about all the wonderful perks, features and extras of the Haven area on this fabulous new ship.

Thanks!!!

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Do they assign a different butler for the Haven Aft suites than the Haven area suites? Just wondering how one person would be able to care for that many suites??

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Get over YOURSELF. It's not all about YOU or YOUR child. I travel with my child (who thought the behavior in the Haven was terrible) when I need to on the line that I choose. You don't get to decide that.

 

 

 

You're the diaper changer, aren't you?

I wasn't posting to folks with kids... I have a child. It's the ones without kids who I think might need to chill a little.

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Ok, at first, this thread was interesting given the OP had some of the same concerns I did. But then it seemed folks just got plain nasty about the presence of children anywhere on a ship.

Enough already!! If children are going to bother you and you KNOW that, don't sail during peak times when the kids are out of school or use your common sense to choose a luxury line where very few kids will be on board.

I'm sorry, but GET OVER YOURSELVES!!! It ain't all about YOU!!!!!

I think those of us with kids (me), who are spending the money for the haven (also me) and have raised our kids the right way (again me) resent those that allow their kids to yell, scream, and act like baboons. I'm not talking about kids playing in a pool being kids. There is nothing wrong with that at all. I am talking about inconsiderate, rude kids who jump into hot tubs, splash around in hot tubs, and have no regard for others around them. They really are not to blame - it's the parents fault.

My thoughts exactly....

I find this thread interesting because our son will be in the Haven on GA with us in June. To be perfectly honest, I chose the Haven so our SON wouldn't have to endure the numerous obnoxious children at the other pool areas on board. Our last cruise on the Allure (where I would expect families with better behaved children) was absolutely atrocious in the pool areas. The cussing, pushing, running and horse play was not appreciated by us nor my son who just wants to enjoy his vacation.

I am a high school teacher and my husband is law enforcement... we wanted so much to say something to these children but did not because as said in previous posts, the problem is the parents who are no where to be found.

My hope is that the awesome slides, ropes course along with the kids club area will offer him something to do all day along with an occasional dip in the Haven pool area.

If any of you are on the June 7th GA and you see the young man in our family picture below behaving badly, PLEASE feel free to come share that with me and he will be dealt with appropriately. But, I feel pretty confident that won't be necessary ;).