Non-Haven Guests can now Dine with Haven Guests for $25

[swedish weave]

Absolutely....They should just say no..

 

And its a problem because the crew has been directed to keep the pax as happy as possible. Conflict of interest .

At least they removed the gates blocking the 4th 5th and 6th decks from coming topside.. ;)

 

mpk

 

OH NO ______ Now we will be invaded by the CELLAR DWELLERS !!!:D:D

[che5904]

The other thing that irks me is that (in my case) this change was implemented after our final payment--and I do not like how NCL is changing the rules in the middle of the game. I am sure they are legally able to make changes in the terms of the passage, but I think its not right. In a perfect world,bthey would not make any changes like this for any cruises where people have made their final payment. I am hopeful that I am wasting my energy on this---I am really looking forwrd to our cruise, the cabin, the NCL experience--- so many positive things said on here about NCL---with luck this is a non issue.

 

OK I'm going to throw a little of my opinion logic your way. If any company, including NCL was to follow this thought process and not make changes after anyone's final payments then they would never ever be able to make changes, since it is always going to be after someone's final payment. Unless you mean make a change and not implement it until 3 months down the road, which I can't see many companies doing.

 

I really don't think a lot of effort in worrying is going to be necessary. OK I've never traveled the suite life, nor do I ever expect to be able to afford to. But here's the way I am looking at this.

 

There are only 2 areas of the suite life, I can see this impacting.

#1 you may have to make reservations for the Haven Restaurant, which I would probably recommend anyway (if you can) that way you get the time and date you wish to eat there. I'm sure the restaurant only has so many seats available. Probably not all suite guests have pax in other cabins travelling with them (otherwise we would have more posts than we do on "can so and so board with me"). As well the restaurant won't be over crowded because of this, since again it only holds so many.

#2 the other area is the haven couryard where those guests could mix and mingle before or after dinner, adding more people. That time frame would be very easy to avoid if you found this to be an issue.

 

Enjoy your cruise and your suite life and if you have a moment think of us that will never experience the great perks in our lifetime. But are happy for those who can. :)

[oldguysandgalls]

Gotta get me ready and spiffed up for evenin supper:

 

1. Sunday suit

2. Shirt

3. Tie

4. Suspenders

5. Clean hankie

6. Baseball cap

7. Socks

8. Shoes with laces

9. Moonshine

10. Chewin Tobacco

11. Matches

12. Spare change

(where are me long johns???)

[swedish weave]

Gotta get me ready and spiffed up for evenin supper:

 

1. Sunday suit

2. Shirt

3. Tie

4. Suspenders

5. Clean hankie

6. Baseball cap

7. Socks

8. Shoes with laces

9. Moonshine

10. Chewin Tobacco

11. Matches

12. Spare change

(where are me long johns???)

 

Leave the tie home and double up on the moonshine !!:D

[emcelh]

I wonder how many people are actually going to take advantage of this. If you invite some of your closest friends or family to have dinner with you but know it will cost you $25 for each of them, some people might think twice about it.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I wonder how many people are actually going to take advantage of this. If you invite some of your closest friends or family to have dinner with you but know it will cost you $25 for each of them, some people might think twice about it.

 

I hope so!

 

Of course, if you are already paying several thousand just to be up there - the additional $25 or $50 probably does not pose a problem (though perhaps mentally)!

 

Tom

[oldguysandgalls]

Gonna make me another batch ;) (luv me Santa tie...real purdy :D ...all dem purdy lites goin on an off )

 

Leave the tie home and double up on the moonshine !!:D

[CTCruisers]

I think we will pass and just eat at the buffet. ;-)

[DMH15]

che, you did not question me, jack did. You were just trying to find another published source. I understand. ;) I said in the 2nd post that I received an email from NCL Agent news.

 

I am guessing that NCL released it as a new policy to their "Travel Partners" on Saturday and may release it to the public this week. I don't know, I don't run their marketing department. But hey, I am always open to job offers. :D

Hey, does an employee discount go with that? Hehe.

[galleycook]

I wonder how many people are actually going to take advantage of this. If you invite some of your closest friends or family to have dinner with you but know it will cost you $25 for each of them, some people might think twice about it.

 

IMO, this has the potential to be the tip of the iceberg. What's next, $10 to allow your friend to use a lounge chair by the courtyard pool, $5 to use the hot tub, $4 to join in the suite meet and greet, $7 to tour the Bridge with the other suite guests........ I say this tongue in cheek but at the same time, realize it's all about generating extra revenue.

Again, as I've said previously, if someone wants the benefits/perks of a suite, then book one.

[DaveBo]

My experience from being in a Villa on the Jewel years ago is that this won't be a big deal. Did I bring my parents up to the Villa to check it out and have dinner in our cabin once? Sure did! On our TA cruise all the "Haven" guests were very respectful of the other "Haven" guests' privacy.

 

We are booked on the Epic TA in 3 weeks in "Haven"...so I'll see what the result of this new policy is. In my opinion, an invited guest is very different from opening up the restaurant to reservations from anyone on the ship. Now... what if they could get $100 per person for the restaurant... would they do it? I have a feeling time will tell! And THAT would be the end of "Haven".

[stephenandrew]

OK I'm going to throw a little of my opinion logic your way. If any company, including NCL was to follow this thought process and not make changes after anyone's final payments then they would never ever be able to make changes, since it is always going to be after someone's final payment. Unless you mean make a change and not implement it until 3 months down the road, which I can't see many companies doing.

 

I really don't think a lot of effort in worrying is going to be necessary. OK I've never traveled the suite life, nor do I ever expect to be able to afford to. But here's the way I am looking at this.

 

There are only 2 areas of the suite life, I can see this impacting.

#1 you may have to make reservations for the Haven Restaurant, which I would probably recommend anyway (if you can) that way you get the time and date you wish to eat there. I'm sure the restaurant only has so many seats available. Probably not all suite guests have pax in other cabins travelling with them (otherwise we would have more posts than we do on "can so and so board with me"). As well the restaurant won't be over crowded because of this, since again it only holds so many.

#2 the other area is the haven couryard where those guests could mix and mingle before or after dinner, adding more people. That time frame would be very easy to avoid if you found this to be an issue.

 

Enjoy your cruise and your suite life and if you have a moment think of us that will never experience the great perks in our lifetime. But are happy for those who can. :)

 

Yeah---I guess that is a better way to put it regarding the change--making it effective some period of time down the road. It does not seem so far fetched to me that a company would announce a change being effective in X number of months, but it really makes no difference; NCL certainly has the right to change things more quickly. I suspect you are correct, I won't even know the difference--perhaps it is just a matter of principal to me. On one hand, NCL markets the Haven as being exclusive to suite guests, a cruise within a cruise, then it suddenly become less exclusive. For me, that "exclusivity" was a big part of booking the CV room. I have never traveled in a suite before---so what do I know anyway?

[swedish weave]

Gonna make me another batch ;) (luv me Santa tie...real purdy :D ...all dem purdy lites goin on an off )

 

Wanna borry mine ?? Santy Klaus on a Harley with flashing lights!!!:D

[mtm1]

Are these people nuts charging this much for this concept and differentiating based on passengers bookings. Evidently they don't understand the world economy situation..Wake up and read the Wall Street journal and check the DOW and check your investment portfolio....

[darrengs]

Are these people nuts charging this much for this concept and differentiating based on passengers bookings. Evidently they don't understand the world economy situation..Wake up and read the Wall Street journal and check the DOW and check your investment portfolio....

 

????

[crusinmama06]

Anyone notice the news on Cruise Critic today? NCL confirmed it...;)

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4612

[che5904]

Anyone notice the news on Cruise Critic today? NCL confirmed it...;)

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4612

 

Hey you are now famous ;). I wished they would have interviewed NCL to get their response. Would have made interesting reading.

[crusinmama06]

Hey you are now famous ;). I wished they would have interviewed NCL to get their response. Would have made interesting reading.

 

I think that word is INfamous. :p

[mpk218]

Are these people nuts charging this much for this concept and differentiating based on passengers bookings. Evidently they don't understand the world economy situation..Wake up and read the Wall Street journal and check the DOW and check your investment portfolio....

 

Not to worry the market will bounce back .

 

right after the 2012 elections ;)

[cdnsteelman]

I'd wager this will result in less traffic and a much-needed clear rule for overly-pushed concierge's to point to. I wonder how long this will take to roll out to non-Haven suite perqs like breakfast and lunch in Cagney's... I hope it's soon... bring your guests along to Cagneys for breakfast for an extra $15 or lunch for an extra $20 pp.

 

As for all the comments about noisy kids... good grief... noisy adults are a much bigger issue.

 

csm

[medicalma'am]

This is great news to me. We have 5 family members in a group of 14 who are NOT in a suite on our next cruise. Some of us were wondering how we will feel about enjoying Cagney's without them. Now if NCL extends this to other ships and Cagney's, we will have an opportunity to invite them to join us for lunch or breakfast there a couple of times during the cruise.

 

Also, look at it as advertising for NCL: these guests will experience Cagney's, they may consider it worth the upgrade to a suite, this will create greater revenue in the future for NCL. Seems like a win (now for NCL)-win (now for suite guests to invite)-win (for NCL in the future).

[medicalma'am]

The "noisy kids" problem can mostly be solved by cruising when colleges and public schools are in session. That is the only time we cruise!

[medicalma'am]

On the Epic - and presumably on the new builds - there are at least 75 suites that have access to the club and lounge. If each could invite 4 guests twice a week that means a possible extra 300 people a night, not including the original suite inhabitants.

 

This can translate into big money for NCL, but nothing but headaches for those in "The Haven".

 

As to which could result in bigger crowds, the pay method seems to have that possibility. While some people might talk the concierge into allowing a guest or two, I doubt it adds up to much extra traffic. But if all you need do is make a reservation the equation changes dramatically.

 

I don't understand it when cruise lines and other hospitality providers offer these upgrades and then want to dilute them by letting in people who did not pay for the privilege. It brings into question the sanity of those who do pay (which I think a lot of people on these boards already think is suspect)..

 

As for "big Money" for NCL, I am sure they have already done the stats and know how many people will take advantage of this. They are well versed in how it will affect the bottom line for them. I am sure this is a trial to test it out. Depending how well it pays off, or causes problems and complaints, will tell us if it is rolled out fleet wide in one fashion or another.

[Norwegian Cruise Line]

Dear Cruise Critic Members,

We would like to stress that this policy was put in place as a courtesy to our Haven guests who are traveling with family and friends and want to have a special dining experience with them once or twice during their cruise.

 

We want to clarify that it is for dinner only and they have no access to any of the private areas except the restaurant and a drink in the Epic Lounge before dinner.

The integrety of our Haven remains private and is for Suite guests only. The only enhancement is that now Haven guest have to option to invite their friends or family for dinner.

Best,

Norwegian Cruise Line Public Relations

[BeadBabe]

There are many ways to look at this. ;) I say we view the POSITIVE! :D

To me, this means the Haven restaurant is just like a "specialty restaurant". We pay $25 to eat at Cagney's or $10 for La Cuchina...why not $25 to eat at the creme de la creme! :D

I'm going to take this as a CHALLENGE!! Nowwww, to find a "Haven Guest" to woooo with my charms so that I can pony up the $25 and check it out! :cool:

I'll post back and let you know how I do! :o