tonytone68

On 12/22/2019 at 10:37 AM, wilmingtech said:

Dropped off in a Lyft around 10am.  It's now 10:15 and we are sitting in the Haven waiting area.

 

Quick answers to Boarding in  San Pedro -

 

HAVEN - Once you get past the initial security entrance where you dump your liquids, they do have a separate line in Security for Haven Guests.  Dont be afraid to go around the lines in the 3 left side lanes.  You wont see the Haven sign on the far right side through the crowd until you get right up to it.  They give you little card holders for your Haven room key.  

 

PRIORITY ACCESS - 

You have to use the regular security lines but after getting through security you will find a Priority Access line for checkin that is separate from the other check in locations.  It is to the right side (middle of building as you walk in)  and the far right in front of Haven is Lattitudes Priority checkin.

This is awesome!  Thank you so much for this tip!  We're sailing on the Joy in April and we're excited to experience the Haven on this ship.  We experienced it on the Jewel, Pearl, Jade and Epic.  We weren't impressed with the Haven on the Epic, so we're hoping this is better.

31 minutes ago, DaCruiseBug said:

I was watching the NCL website like a hawk the past 2 weeks or so to see what kind of sales NCL would have.

 

So the regular sale before Thanksgiving was a pick 5 freebies for Oceanview and above plus airfare on certain sailings (interior got 1 perk). The "black friday sale" was actually a cut back on those freebies and you only got 3 perks if you're in Oceanview thru Mini-Suite. The "Cyber Monday" sale was the same exact thing as the Black Friday sale...and the "back to normal programming" sale is the same exact as the Cyber Monday sale.

 

Basically NCL did absolutely nothing as far as any specials over the past few days...they actually offered less then before. Many other cruise lines I looked at actually threw in a few small items to make the deals attractive but NCL turned into scrooge instead.

Is their marketing department that bad that they can't come up with anything? Or is it all just greed?

If you see a "Pick 5" offer for Oceanview and above, you should probably take it especially if airfare is included.  We have only seen this for suites and the Haven.  We book the Haven and found that when you pick the drink package and the dining package, you still have to pay taxes and gratuities on those packages which add on another $300 or $400 to the cost of the cruise.  We've noticed that NCL has started doing this last year.

Good luck with your cruise search! 

5 hours ago, OHRiverRats said:

We did a 10 day on Dawn last winter. There were 2 laundry specials, day 3 and day 6. We didn't realize there would be two and sent items to be cleaned on day 3. Should've waited til day 6 after more had accumulated!  Enjoy your cruise. We'll be on the trip after yours. 😄

I agree here.  We were on a 9 day cruise last year on the NCL Pearl and we had 2 laundry specials on day 3 and day 6.  🙂

Good afternoon!

We've got another photo album for you today, this time from Norwegian Jade:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/photos/ships/norwegian-jade-438/

 

 

We hope you enjoy :)

Christina

________________

 

Christina Janansky

Associate Producer

Cruise Critic

Thank you for the pictures! We just booked the Deluxe Owner's Suite for next October! We can't wait!

Thanks for posting. We're sailing on the Pearl next month and now we're excited to see the refreshed ship!

Thank you for the update. We're booked on the Seaside in the Royal Suite for March 23. 2019 and we just received the email from our TA that the itinerary was changed. Ocean Cay is not longer on the March 2019 itinerary. We too, are a little disappointed since we've been to all of these ports (except for Puerto Rico).

We're booked in the Yacht Club and so we're going to try to look for another sailing with availability in the Yacht Club. We were looking forward to Ocean Cay.

my bid is in for a haven Aft-Facing Penthouse with Master Bedroom & Balcony.

 

cruise is 10/8 out of NY. These rooms look nice and knowing they are at the back of the ship versus the actually Haven at the front, but shouldn't be a problem.

We did the Haven Aft Penthouse on the NCL Getaway in 2015 out of Miami. The NCL Breakaway has the same footprint and so you'll love the balcony! We spent most of our time on our balcony on our cruise and had our butler bring us breakfast every morning!

Yes

and

No.

 

Depends what you mean by perks. There are perks that always come with the suite. What you will not get are the promotions - like "Free at Sea".

Actually, if you upgrade to the Haven, you will get the Perks associated with the Haven. For example, access to the Haven, Haven restaurant, concierge, butler, priority embarkation and disembarkation, priority seating at shows, etc.

What you do not get are the additional promos. If you originally booked a balcony and received 2 promos, you will retain those promos when you upgrade.

I have family member that just got back from an Caribbean cruise and they upgraded from a mini-suite to a 2 BR haven and keep their promos from their original booking but enjoyed all of the Perks of the Haven.

Hi. Has anyone who has booked their NCL cruise through Cosco Travel received an email offer to upgrade? I'm just wondering. We're looking to book an NCL cruise through Costco but we're seeing mixed comments on Cruise Critic about upgrade offers. So I would like to check.

Thanks,

If you used an travel agent and have not received an Upsell email then most likely they have opted out of the program, meaning you have no opportunity to bid.

 

If you did not use a travel agent and did not receive an email, call the upsell department and ask them to send one to you.

Thanks everyone for the information. We're Platinum members with NCL and we've always booked a suite or the Haven with them. We were looking to see if we could bid on the Garden Villa just to try that experience since they are both showing as available for our cruise.

Based on the advice given from some of you awesome cruise veterans, I thought I would call NCL and check. It appears that Hurricane Irma may impacted the upgrade emails going out as the offices / staff prepared for Irma, dealt with their current passengers as well as plan for local issues / damage that I'm sure has happened. I was advised to give it a couple of weeks while they work through everything and the region gets back up and running.

Our prayers to everyone impacted by Hurricane Irma!

Does anyone know how NCL determines who gets an opportunity to bid for an upgrade? We're 76 days our from our cruise and I have not received a bid but I have read from our cruise Roll Call that there are some that have received email invitations to bid.

I'm just curious to know if there is any rhyme or reason for how NCL chooses who receives invitations to bid? Or is it just luck of the draw?

Cheers,

Tony

Or maybe thoose who say that it's worth it book suites? I say that I think that it's worth it and I also book suites.

We have always booked suites or the Haven on those ships that have it. It's definitely worth it for us! We like to lay out and relax and I don't like having to plan my sea days around getting and keeping a lounge chair by the pool. In the Haven, this has never been an issue. That alone makes the extra cost worth it for us.

It was in my NCL mailbox on exactly 80 days

Thanks everyone for the information! :)

How far in advance of your cruise should you expect an email offering you the opportunity to bid?

I apologize for the asking if this already has been asked. There are 45 pages of conversations so I thought I would just ask again.

Cheers,

Tony

We're in an H3 for our June sailing. Got the offer to bid for an H2 and an H1 For the heck of it, I made the minimum offer for each. Don't think I'll get either and am happy with my H3!

If you dont mind me asking, what were the minimum bids that NCL was asking? We're booked in an H4 in November and we're trying to gauge what a fair bid might be if be receive an invite to bid.

I got an opportunity to upgrade from H3 Haven to H1 or H2...but according to my sailing in June both of those cabins are sold out...I'm not going to minimum offers another $800 per person for the H2. Think I've spent enough...

 

 

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Wow. We're in an H5 on the Pearl for a 9-day sailing after Thanksgiving. We are hoping to get an incredible offer to upgrade to an H3 or H2. If the minimum offer is $800 for an H3...we're not going to bid either. That would mean $1600 for the both of us which is only a $400 if we were to book an H3 originally. That is not worth it.

We booked a Haven Courtyard Penthouse suite (only 2 available on the Pearl) so we're happy with our choice. Like you, we paid a premium for our Haven suite since there are only 2 of these suites available. NCL will have to give me a great offer to have me bid. If we did upgrade and we won, NCL would be able to get the extra $1k or more pp from someone that wants to experience the Haven H5 suite for 9 days.

We're still 7 months out so I'm just reading what others are offering and / or what they paid for their offers.

We were in an H4 on the Escape for a 7 day E. Caribbean cruise. Got the offer to bid on H2 and H3. The minimum was $750 for either one. However, they were all listed as sold out well in advance, so I'm not sure of the point? We have a July cruise to Alaska coming up and I'm hoping to be able to bid on an upgrade there, too. However, it too is showing everything above us a sold out. Once you are in the Haven, I doubt ever going back. In fact, we have only been in suites on NCL (the original one was accidental---we had a 2 week cruise tour booked, then my son was accepted to grad school and we only had 1 week to vacation, so our TA used the total 2 week cruise price to get a Haven suite.), which has really spoiled us for other lines!

Good luck with your bidding!

Cheers!

This is my offer

I bid the minimum on both I didn't get a response yet hoping I do ...I'm on the epic leaving in march I'm in a haven penthouse aft ..

 

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Hi. Thanks for sharing this. I was curious how this would work for people already booked in the Haven. We're booked in a H5 in November on the NCL Pearl and we're hoping to get an offer to bid on an H2 or H3. Based on what others have posted on other threads, they were being asked for a minimum bid of $500 pp for and H5, H6 or H7 and $750 pp for an H2 or H3. Having already paid for my H5 suite, I would not bid $750 pp for and H2 or H3 because the cost difference is not significant enough for me to want to place a bid. The starting bids you posted are more reasonable.

Did you bid and did you win? If so, if you don't mind, what was your winning bid? I'm trying to get a feel for what would be a reasonable bid.

Cheers!

For what it's worth, here's what little I know about the program. We booked 2 balconies for the June 2nd Dawn to Bermuda. I received the upgrade email the next day and it says I can bid on a mini-suite and above. If I were to upgrade to a aft penthouse right now, it would cost me $1150pp. The bids under the upgrade advantage program for the same cabin start at $500pp and go to $2000pp. At a bid $1150pp; the same it would cost me to outright upgrade now and get all the suite perks (which you don't get if you win the bid), the meter is at the high fair point of the bid meter. So, while I think there are some good upgrades to be had, people need to know what it would cost to upgrade now and the benefits versus what they want to bid and the benefits or negatives of not getting full suite benefits. In my case, the only thing I am really interested in would be the 3 bedroom garden villa. But, I haven't decided whether to bid on it yet or not.

Hi. Are you sure about this - not getting the suite perks if you win a bid for a suite? Mind you I'm no expert but from what I've read, you would get the benefits of the suite / Haven if you win the respective bid. You would not, however, receive any new promos associated with the new bid. For example, if you book a suite / Haven originally, you get all of the promos at the time of booking whereas if you book a balcony, you would only get 1 or 2 of the promos.

I called my TA today and they confirmed this with NCL. We're booked in the Haven (H5) in November and I am hoping to move up to an H3 or an H2 suite and I wanted to confirm whether we would get the perks afforded to H2 or H3 Haven suites. I confirmed that yes we would get the perks associated with an H2 or H3 Haven suite if we bid and win the bid.

I'm hopeful. We've sailed the Haven on the Epic and the Getaway and have decided that we will only sail the Haven. Given that, if we bid and lose, we're still okay with that. I know what we paid for our suite and I know what the cost is of the H2 and H3 and I won't bid unless I know that I would get a great deal.

Cheers!

I'm sorry if I've missed this, but does anyone know if this program is going to be rolled out to NCL's other ships? We're sailing on the NCL Pearl in November for a 9-day cruise and we're booked in one of the courtyard penthouses (H5). I would be interested in bidding on an H2 or H3. I booked through Costco and I'm not sure if they participate in this program.

You might get a lower price or a heafty obc by using a ta vs using NCL direct. I couldn't find Haven prices that even remotely resembled your price but was shopping for med two week. They are running about quadruple what you are seeing. I used the online site where you put in the dates and category desired and then get quotes from various ta's. Once you get the quotes via email you can look up the companies and then call the ones with the best reviews and prices.

 

I've come to the conclusion that for the price, and the extras I would want, the Haven is not in my future any longer. People are raving about MSC but the big negative for me are the formal nights. Celebrity did away with them recently and their bev pkg is hands down much more inclusive and less expensive. They have some good suite prices. They don't have the Haven but do have a dedicated restaurant and Michaels club, concerige and butler. HAL has also ditched formal nights and has upped their suite amenities. I guess if you don't want all the extras that NCL charges you can still get a decent price on NCL. But for someone who does want the extras on NCL they will typically cost you much more now that they come with the included perks that for some aren't all that inclusive when you read the fine print.

 

I think that the whole book early and then keep an eye on prices till final payment is the best way to go regardless of which line you choose. They all fluctuate up and down depending on how strong bookings are but I've not seen any big price cuts on NCL suites. Some discounting after final pmt but not to the level when first avail for booking. That whole upsell last min is a bit too risky if you know you want a suite. I would think odds are pretty slim you would get lucky enough to nab one using that method.

I agree with you about NCL's Haven prices. You almost have to plan your cruises during the slow seasons which is difficult if you have kids still in school. We looked at the NCL Bliss and their least expensive Haven room is running over $4k pp. I mean you can book a concierge level room on NCL's luxury cruise line, Regent Seven Seas for less than the cost of a Haven room.

We're booked on the NCL Pearl later this year in a Haven Courtyard Penthouse but we've already booked our next cruise on the MSC Yacht Club. I have friends that have sailed the Haven and the Yacht Club and say MSC's Yacht Club experience rivals NCL's Haven experience. It's about $1k less per person so we're willing to try it.

Thanks for your review. Like you, we've sailed the Haven on the Epic and the Getaway. We're sailing the Pearl in November out of New Orleans in the Haven. However, we're seeing the NCL's prices for the Haven are approaching those of Luxury cruise lines. We booked a reservation on the Breakaway in the Haven Courtyard Penthouse for 2018 and we cancelled it and booked the Royal Suite on the MSC Seaside instead.

We're hoping MSC designed the Seaside with it's American consumers in mind. I can see how the design and service might have been different that what you've seen in the Haven. Having been to Europe many times, I have found that Europeans tend to live and travel in tighter spaces that what we're used to here in the US and the service is also very different. I guess that's partly why I've never really looked at MSC before. Given the price difference between the Haven and the Yacht Club, we're willing to try the Yacht Club on the Seaside next year.

Thanks for your comparison and also for your tips. We will definitely look at pre-purchasing as much as we can before our MSC cruise.

Some people pan the YC2 cabins because of the lack of the balcony but they are our favorite because they are huge. The windows are floor to ceiling in both the bedroom & living room.There are small water jets on the outside that keep the window clean. You can leave your curtains open at night & watch the sunrise from bed.

Also the bathroom is twice the size of a YC1.

2 sinks and a separate shower with lots of jets & a large tub. I really like this because I do not like trying to step into the tub to take a shower.

I like Norwegian but I am sure we will never do the Haven. Gets down to $$$$$.

We will again be sailing in a few weeks on the Divina in a YC2.

Just my husband & myself. Not only is it always less than $2000. pp but there is a $10.next cruise coupon you can buy onboard. It has LOTS of exclusions & expires in 18 months. But we always go in March & as soon as we get back, book for the following March.

That $10. coupon gives us $400.00 on board credit since we do Yacht Club & early booking.

This will be the third year we are taking advantage of this. You can bet if it is still offered...I will be buying another one of those coupons in a few weeks.

Hi Shippy. Thanks for sharing. Like you, my partner and I have sailed multiple times in NCLs Haven penthouses. While we like NCL's Haven experience, like you, we have seen their prices rise to the point were the prices are compare to other luxury cruise lines (i.e. Regent Seven Seas, Oceana, etc.). We have been looking at MSC's Yacht Club. After some thought, we booked the MSC Seaside for April 2018 in the Royal Suite (I think a YC1) which is priced competitively with NCL's Courtyard Haven Penthouses. If our experience is as good as NCL's Haven, we will probably continue to sail with MSC in their Yacht Club. Your description of the $10 coupon will certainly seal that deal too! Thanks again!

We're sailing on a 9 day cruise on the NCL Pearl in November and staying in the Haven. We've sailed in the Haven on the Epic and the Getaway and loved the Haven Restaurant. This was especially great for dinner after a busy excursion day. The restaurant was convenient and centrally located.

Do any other past Haven guests who have sailed on the Pearl know if there is a dedicated dinner restaurant for for Haven guests?

We stop in 6 ports on our sailing and we're more than likely going to have a few nights where we will just want to pop in for a nice quiet dinner and not be bothered by the buffet or a specialty restaurant.

Cheers,

Tony

Maybe I can offer my opinion since I meet your requirements having cruised in both aft suites and Haven suites on the Pearl and Jewel 5 times in the past 6 years.

 

In the aft suites we have stayed in, we have received: priority embarkation and debarkation, priority tendering, breakfast and lunches at Cagneys/now Modernos on some Jewel class ships, access to the butler and concierge, afternoon treats delivered to your suite and invitations to special events.

 

The the 2 Bedroom Haven suites and Garden Villas we have stayed in we also received in addition to the above: access to the Haven area and sundeck above, reserved seating at the theater, private tour of the bridge for our family, a high level of attentiveness from the butler, concierge and room stewards.

 

Since we primarily cruise the week after Thanksgiving the weather can be somewhat iffy. Having access to the Haven area which can be pleasantly warm as compared to the cooler outside air temperature is an added value to us. Also, if the weather is nice, the retractable roof is opened allowing the fresh air and a gentle breeze to circulate. If it begins to rain a bit, the roof slides closed and you still can sit in your swimsuit and enjoy a dip in the pool or take a relaxing soak in the hot tub. My retirement aged parents used the small exercise area most mornings in the Haven where they didn't have to wait for the treadmill and they enjoyed playing the video games on the t.v. screens!:D If you want to be away from the masses, the activity and loudness of the main pool area on deck 12, and want to enjoy the sun in relative peace, then the upper Haven sundeck offers wonderful views and your choice of areas to sit. Most Haven sundecks will have a hammock or two to relax in as well. Every cruise we have been on there has been seating for well over 60 people and less than 10 have ever been using the sundeck while I have been laying in the sun up there. Our MOST enjoyed cruise was one where we stayed in a two bedroom Haven suite, just my husband and I. We would put on our swimsuits, open our door, walk less than six steps and be inside of the Haven. We experienced the most relaxed week of our lives having immediate access to our suite, the two bathrooms (;)) the pool, the hot tub, the suite restaurant, and a bar all within steps, not decks, from us. it was truly the best choice for us. I will also add...we book our suites of choice at least a year and a half out. We had originally booked an aft suite on deck 10. Two weeks before our cruise the prices dropped and we called our PCC who moved us, at no charge, to this 2 bedroom Haven suite and were able to keep all of our OBC. So the stars all fell into perfect alignment for this senario to happen!

 

As for the two Garden Villas we have stayed in? We booked two years out and saved our pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, dollars, to be able to fully pay for the suite of our dreams in cash. No-one should create a financial hardship to be able to cruise. Whatever cabin/suite you choose, remember, you are on the ship! Only YOU can make your vacation be the best it can be, so gather the facts, get opinions and make an informed decision! HAVE FUN and GOOD LUCK!

Thank you for sharing your experience. We too have stayed in the Haven on the larger ships (Epic and Getaway) but this will be our first time on one of NCL's smaller ships. We're sailing on the Pearl next year. We were debating whether to just book a suite or a Haven. We stayed in a suite on Star a while back.

We booked the Haven on the Pearl and I think we'll keep our room. The Haven perks are nice but we really value relaxing on the sun deck and in the Haven Courtyard!

Again, thank you for your insight!