Review of the Getaway May 16-23 Haven H4

This review is of the Getaway May 16 to the Eastern Caribbean. My GF and I have gone on cruises before but this was her parents first time. We stayed in the Haven in a 2-Bedroom suite H4. We all had the UDP and UBP. Feel free to ask ay questions you have. I'll do my best to type everything up but I'm sure I'll forget some things.

Embarkation

We flew into Ft Lauderdale the day before the cruise so we could avoid any possible delays. We left the hotel at 10am the next day, and were at the port of Miami by 10:30. Once there we dropped off our luggage and went to our terminal. The security line was short and there was no VIP/Heaven line. When we got pass security the Haven check in office was immediately to our left only a few steps away. We were the only ones in there and had all our paperwork done in about 5mins. Our key cards said Haven on them and had the UDP & UBP stickers on them. After that we were directed to the room across from the one we were in to wait. In the room were couches and refreshments. We were in the room for about 30 sec before we were led upstairs VIP style. The lady led us past all the lines to a staff elevator and then past more lines of angry people staring at us, all the way to the VIP/Haven waiting area. The waiting area was nice and had a lot of refreshments and seating. There was a wedding going on so there were a lot of people in the waiting area. We were only there for about 45mins before we got the Ok to be led onto the ship. At this time it was somewhere between 11:30-45. We were then led to Haven where the concierge gave his speech and talked about the Haven and what he does. After that we went to the bar and ordered some drinks. Waiters then came out of nowhere and started serving everyone sliders and fries. Once we were done with our drinks and food we went to our room.

Room

We stayed in room H4 16712. It's a 2-bedroom suite and was very nice. We stayed in a 2-bedroom suite before on the Dawn, but we thought this one was much nice. The location of this room was great. It was close by everything and there wasn't a lot of foot traffic going past our room. The room was very modern looking with all current up to date electronics. We let my GF parents have the master bedroom since they had never been on a cruise before. The master bedroom and bathroom were very nice as usual. Surprisingly for two adults the second bedroom was quiet comfortable to sleep in. The pull out sleeper sofa with an egg crate on top was very soft. The bathroom was the same size you would typical have in a normal inside cabin. Only downside to the second bedroom was that there wasn't a lot of walking room. Overall I really liked this style room and will be staying in it again.

Haven

This was my first time staying in the Haven and it was amazing! I'll never stay in anything else again. The food, drinks and, service was the best I've ever had. It's like you have the whole ship to yourself. You really don't have to leave the Haven for anything unless you want to. All the people who work there all know your name and are willing to go over the top for you. We spent a lot of time here during sea days. It's nice having a private sun deck where you never have to fight anyone for space. The private pool and Jacuzzis are also a nice bonus. There are three places you can eat in the Haven. The first is the Haven restaurant. This is the place you go to for a nice sit down meal. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner here. The second is the Haven bar. Here they serve any type of drink you can possible want. They also have their own lunch menu and in the evening they have different appetizers you can get. The third place is outside in the Haven courtyard. They will serve you anything from inside here. They also have snacks water and tea available throughout the day as well. Also the Haven has it's own sauna, spa rooms, and private shower room as well.

Butler & Concierge

Our butlers name was Jorge and he was great. He answered the phone every time we called and had an answer to every question we had. We order room service several times through him and he was very quick. He really went above and beyond. Every afternoon he would bring us snacks and treats. On the second day my GF mentioned to him how she likes cookies and chocolate covered strawberries. Every afternoon after that there were always cooking and chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us in our room. We also used the night butler a couple times as well during our sailing. The food was still great but took longer. Although we expected that since it was 2 or 3 in the morning. Our concierge was Adrian and we used him to book everything on the ship. He also gave us good tips for things to do at the different ports we were at. The only thing he couldn't do was get us into some specialty restaurants at the times we wanted. I'm guessing this was due to a lot more people having the UDP. My favorite thing he did for us was get us into the Illusionarium show. Unfortunately we found out before our cruise was that the Illusionarium was going to be shut down due to renovations. Well halfway through the cruise we found out they were going to have a special showing of the new revamped Illusionarium. We asked him if he could get us in and he said he would let us know. Hour later he called and said he could get us in but we had to pay the cover charge. Later that night he informed us that there wasn't going to be a cover charge and we could go for free. This really made our trip special since we were one the few people who got to see the first showing of the new Illusionarium.

Restaurants (UDP & UBP)

Since we chose the Haven when we booked our trip we got both the UDP & UBP. This was our first time getting the UDP, so we decided to make good use of it. During our cruise we went to every specialty restaurant on the ship except for the Raw Bar & Ocean Blue (for dinner). My favorite places were Le Bistro, Teppanyaki, Wasabi, and Ocean Blue (lunch outside window). The other specialty restaurants were good but they didn't really stand out to me. Unfortunately we also never made it to any of the complimentary dinning halls. We did go to O'Sheehan's for dinner and late night munchies a couple times. The food here was really good and always hit the spot. We also went to Flamingo for lunch one day as well. We were all really surprised how good the food was here as well. Everyone also really liked all the different meals in the Haven as well. Since my GF has a sweet tooth we also tried Carlo's Bakery and Dolce Gelato. We definitely liked the sweets from Carlo's Bakery more than Dolce Gelato. The UDP is something we would get again. We never got charged for anything with except for the place that was a la carte. Even when we did get charged we received 25% off the bill. As for the UBP if you’re not a big drinker or like expensive drinks this package isn't for you. But luckily for us it was worth it. We tried so man different drinks on this cruise. We were either ordering something new or some kind of top shelf liquor. Pretty much everything and anything alcohol related is covered under the UBP.

Ports and Excursions

The first stop on our cruise was at St. Thomas. Once there we decided to go to Megan's Bay. Many people told us to not book this one through NCL, since it was overpriced and we could get a cab for less. Were glad we listened because it was much cheaper for the 4 of us to get a cab. The drive to the beach isn't long at all. Also it's very easy to find a cab for a ride back. There is a big section where cabs wait for people. Just remember there is a fee per person to get into beach itself. Megan's Bay was a very beautiful beach. There were a variety of water sport activities you could do for a fee. Also there is a bar and store on the beach which is convenient. The only downside was there were two other cruise ships there as well. This made the beach very crowded. But we still found a good spot and had a great time. It's definitely worth going to at least once. Also the port at St. Thomas was very nice, clean, and quiet. There weren’t a billion people trying to sell you thing like in Nassau. The next stop we went to was Tortola. We diced to book the Virgin Gorda Baths through NCL. It was a very straightforward process to get there. Everyone met early in the theater where they told us what we were going to do. Next we got off the ship and hopped on a ferry that was only a little walk away. After the ferry we all got into safari style trucks and they took us to the baths. If anyone in your party has trouble walking long distances this excursion will be hard for them. There is a lot of walking up and down a variety of terrain. We did both trials going down and up. Although there is a lot of walking it's well worth it. The Baths are beautiful and amazing. We had a lot of fun going through them. We also really liked the beach after the baths. It wasn't crowded and water so clean and cool. We saw a variety of fish all over place. After the long hike back up to the top we once again hopped back into the safari bus to ferry. Once back in port we did some exploring. There wasn't much to see or do in port because it's still being built. There are some shops but not a lot. Our last stop was at Nassau. I've been there before so we didn't do any excursions. We just walked around the port and did some souvenir shopping. The last excursion we did was the everglades out of Florida. This was pretty cool because you get to take an airboat ride. They also have a park with different kinds alligators you can see. Unfortunately there was a drought so the airboat couldn't go to a lot of places. I recommend this to anyone who hasn't done it before. Once it's time to go they will take you to the airport and drop you off.

Disembarkation

Disembarkation was pretty much the same as usual. The last night we had to fill out all the normal paper work and luggage tags. We did the everglades tour so we had to put out our entire luggage the night before. The next morning we had breakfast for the last time in the Haven. Then we all met in the theater again to talk about the excursion we were doing. After that they led us off the boat and took us to our luggage. Once we were done with customs they led us to the bus for our excursion.

Things we did on the Ship

• The boardwalk was really nice and we spent a lot of time there. We even had dinner on it a few times. I think this is something NCL needs to have on all of their ships.
  
• The shows were a lot of fun. We went to Burn The Floor & Legally Blonde. Major plus about staying in the Haven was that they always reserved seating for you.
  
• The Ice Bar was also very interesting and cold. The drinks in there are very good and they are free. Only downside was that there isn't a lot of room in there and you can only stay for so long because it's so cold.
  
• One of my favorite things we did was the water slide. I don't care how old you are water slides are always fun. I liked how there were a few different styles of slides as well.
  
• The ropes course was also fun. My GF and I were up there for almost 30mins doing the different courses. It's one of things you need to try once even if you are scared of heights.
  
• The lobster rolls at Ocean Blue during lunch is a must try as well. We went there for lunch a couple times. There is a fee for them, but if you have the UDP you'll get 25% off.
  
• On the 5th day they had the fireworks show. It wasn't very long but it's always fun to see fireworks.
  
• The Illusionarium is a must see as well. Since we went to the first show they weren't serving any food. The magic show is cool and will keep you thinking about how they did that.
  
• The casino was also nice as well. It's big so it never felt really crowded. We spent most of our time playing craps and roulette there.
  
• Almost every night we went to Bliss. It was a fun club atmosphere with a lot of dancing. There were a variety of ages there but mostly younger adults. Great place to go at night if you are single.
  
• My GF and I also did the message special they were having at the spa as well. It is overpriced but still something fun to do and it's very relaxing.
  
• We also did Bingo as well one day. We didn't win but it's still something fun to do during sea days.
  

Things we didn't like

• The smoke from the casino was everywhere. You couldn't anywhere around there without coming back smell like it.
  
• Compared to the other ships I've been on this one seemed much more crowded. I know it's bigger ship and everything with more people, but it just seemed like people were everywhere.
  
• It was hard to get dinner reservation even with the concierge doing it. As I said earlier though it's probably due to more people having the UDP as a perk.
  
• We also never went to the main pool or H20 because it was a jungle of people. There were too many people and never enough chairs.
  
• The fitness center & jogging track was a joke. There weren’t enough cardio machines and the room was very small. The weight room was always a mess and the weights were all out of order. There were too many people in there that didn't know what they were doing or just hanging out. If you have ever seen the jogging track in person then you know why when I say it's worthless. They put it right in the middle of everything. Even if you go during the designated jogging time you are still running into people.
  
• We also didn't like how NCL crammed everything you can think of into this ship. Yes it's nice because there's a lot to do, but there isn't much room in any of these places. It also gives a very crowded feeling.
  

Conclusion

Overall we had a great time and can't wait to come back. The weather was perfect and it wasn't muggy. The Haven, UDP, and UBP are what really made the cruise for us. Also the staff was excellent everywhere went to. They were always very polite and courteous. There was always something for us to do on the ship and we were never bored. I wish we could have gotten to do everything but we just ran out of time. I hope you have found this review helpful and informative. I know I've forgotten some stuff so please ask any questions you might have. Thanks for reading.

Great review. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the review.

If Adrian could not get you into specialty restaurants at the times you wanted...boy they must be PACKED. Adrian can make anything happen. Luckily we did not have this issue in February. But now everyone has the UDP which IMHO really takes away some of the appeal of the specialty restaurants. I hate eating in packed restaurants where everything is rushed and service suffers.

Great review look forward to some pics, Sailing in the Haven for the first time in September, 4 days out before reservations can be made. What should i pre book and What day was the Haven cocktail party and where was it ? Any tips

Loved your review. Takes you there and back with important details. If pictures are worth a thousand words, your review was worth a million to me.

I'm looking forward to my first Haven experience next year.

Thanks for sharing :)

Great review look forward to some pics, Sailing in the Haven for the first time in September, 4 days out before reservations can be made. What should i pre book and What day was the Haven cocktail party and where was it ? Any tips

This thread has pics of the Heaven on the Breakway. Pretty much the same on the Getaway. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2216135

Hope its Ok OP. So many CC members have been so helpful I just want to give back.

Loved your review. We are sailing on the Getaway in Feb, 2016 in the Haven and we cannot wait.

Great review look forward to some pics, Sailing in the Haven for the first time in September, 4 days out before reservations can be made. What should i pre book and What day was the Haven cocktail party and where was it ? Any tips

What I recommend doing is pre booking all the specialty restaurants you want to go to. At least then you'll be on the books and it will be easier to move you around to the times you want. Just because you pre book for certain time doesn't mean you can't change it to fit your schedule. The cocktail/captains party was on the second day of the cruise. They had it at the Grammys Experience. We met the captain and most of the officers there. They were serving h'orderves, wine, and a variety of mix drinks for free. A tip I can offer is to dress up nicely for this event. People really dressed up for this party.

This thread has pics of the Heaven on the Breakway. Pretty much the same on the Getaway. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2216135

 

Hope its Ok OP. So many CC members have been so helpful I just want to give back.

I've got no problem with that at all. I'm glad you posted this because I'm sailing in the same style room on the Breakaway in September!

Here are some pictures I took of the room.

This thread has pics of the Heaven on the Breakway. Pretty much the same on the Getaway. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2216135

 

Hope its Ok OP. So many CC members have been so helpful I just want to give back.

Thanks :)

What I recommend doing is pre booking all the specialty restaurants you want to go to. At least then you'll be on the books and it will be easier to move you around to the times you want. Just because you pre book for certain time doesn't mean you can't change it to fit your schedule. The cocktail/captains party was on the second day of the cruise. They had it at the Grammys Experience. We met the captain and most of the officers there. They were serving h'orderves, wine, and a variety of mix drinks for free. A tip I can offer is to dress up nicely for this event. People really dressed up for this party.

Thanks for all the tips, greatly appreciated. We will pre book all meals, and then swap around on board. Is it recommended to book shows etc as i know they have an area reserved for Haven guests. Thanks for the tip about the Havens Cocktail Party and dressing up, i believe that this is also Norwegians Night Out as well, can you remember the time of the party as we will book dinner for after it. Did you do the Illusion show and thanks again for the pictures.

Will Adrain be around for a while? Sailing next week.

Do you remember who the asst concierge was?

Thanks

Ment to say would you recommend the Ilusionarium show, since you seen the first show since the revamp

I've got no problem with that at all. I'm glad you posted this because I'm sailing in the same style room on the Breakaway in September!

Have a great cruise :)

Here are some pictures I took of the room.

Good pics. I have so long to wait but I know it will be worth it!

Thanks :)

 

 

 

Thanks for all the tips, greatly appreciated. We will pre book all meals, and then swap around on board. Is it recommended to book shows etc as i know they have an area reserved for Haven guests. Thanks for the tip about the Havens Cocktail Party and dressing up, i believe that this is also Norwegians Night Out as well, can you remember the time of the party as we will book dinner for after it. Did you do the Illusion show and thanks again for the pictures.

Yes, it was the same night as Norwegians night out. I can't remember off the top of my head but it was either 6:30 or 7:00pm.

Yes I would recommend doing the Illusionarium. I didn't see the previous shows but this one was pretty good. Since we were Haven they gave us front row seats right in front of the stage.

Will Adrain be around for a while? Sailing next week.

Do you remember who the asst concierge was?

 

Thanks

Adrain is going to be there until the Escape launches. He's going to be the concierge for that ship in the fall. I'm not sure who is going to be replacing him. I forget his assistant name but she was Filipino lady. She was really good and helped us out just as much as Adrain did.

My wife and i were in 16708 on the same dates. We also were in the haven for the first but definetly not the last time. Jorge was wonderful as was the entire staff.

Saturday cannot come soon enough!!!

Thanks for your review pboxfun! I saw that you did the airboat excursion after the cruise. I have that booked as well for my cruise that starts next week! Just wondering, when did you make it back to the airport (which airport)? I currently have a 5:15 flight booked but have the opportunity to switch to 3:35 and wondering if that's enough time. Thanks!

Thanks for your review pboxfun! I saw that you did the airboat excursion after the cruise. I have that booked as well for my cruise that starts next week! Just wondering, when did you make it back to the airport (which airport)? I currently have a 5:15 flight booked but have the opportunity to switch to 3:35 and wondering if that's enough time. Thanks!

I want to say we made it to Fort Lauderdale airport around 1pm. We had about the same time flight as you and wished me made it earlier. They said they make it that time incase they hit traffic or run late.

I want to say we made it to Fort Lauderdale airport around 1pm. We had about the same time flight as you and wished me made it earlier. They said they make it that time incase they hit traffic or run late.

Thanks for the response! I am still a little nervous about switching to the earlier flight, like you said, in case of traffic or running late. I guess 4 hours isn't terrible in the airport. Better than rushing to try to make it...been there, don't that.

Thanks again!

Did you stay in Lauderdale before the cruise and if so where? Also who did you use for transfers?

Hopefully by now NCL realizes that giving away thousands of UDP's as a "free" perk causes havoc on the ships since people eat in a narrow time window and over a relatively small number of additional cost venues. Because so many people are denied the seating times they want (for both people with the UDP and without it) this results in a loss of goodwill by all which NCL absolutely does not want.

The UBP perk on the other hand is used many hours every day and over at probably a dozen plus bars and the restaurants so it tends to be seamless and does not cause conflict.

I predict you will see the UDP go away.

Did you stay in Lauderdale before the cruise and if so where? Also who did you use for transfers?

Yes we did. We stayed at the Residence Inn Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port. The hotel provided complimentary transportation from the airport to the hotel. The hotel had transportation to the port of Miami for a flat rate of $80 for the first 1-4 passengers and an additional $13 per person after that. We did everything through the hotel to make it easy.