The Haven Restaurant versus Specialty Dining

[FLcruisergrl]

Wow! Even if the drink and specialty dining packages along with free gratuities are included in a special cruise sale like the one we got on our cruise last December? We booked 2 Haven cabins and don’t remember a special “gratuity” charge for the drink and special dining package.

 

Yep. It would show on your reservation and is included in the cruise cost. It may have been different in past bookings, but we were charged that in December and for our cruise next December.

[Ken the cruiser]

Yep. It would show on your reservation and is included in the cruise cost. It may have been different in past bookings, but we were charged that in December and for our cruise next December.

Well then, there’s another reason why NCL isn’t at the top of our cruise list. But, then again I’m 66 and not really the demographic NCL is targeting either.

[Son of a son of a ...]

Well then, there’s another reason why NCL isn’t at the top of our cruise list. But, then again I’m 66 and not really the demographic NCL is targeting either.

 

Sir, you have 107 days at sea booked for 2019. If you are spending 1/3 of your year at sea, I do not believe you are the demo.

[PTC DAWG]

Sir, you have 107 days at sea booked for 2019. If you are spending 1/3 of your year at sea, I do not believe you are the demo.

 

 

Agreed, yet, here he is.

[Ken the cruiser]

Sir, you have 107 days at sea booked for 2019. If you are spending 1/3 of your year at sea, I do not believe you are the demo.

You're right. We do love to cruise. We did a family cruise in December and NCL had the only Caribbean itinerary that fit our family schedule. There were a lot of great things NCL provided that we liked, such as a variety of great evening shows as well as interactive game shows. We also felt if the Haven restaurant would have offered different evening menus like the Celebrity Illuminae does for their Suite guests, we might consider NCL for a future transatlantic cruise. But I have to admit adding 18% gratuities onto perks given to you to book the cruise does seem a bit cheap.

[Two Wheels Only]

But I have to admit adding 18% gratuities onto perks given to you to book the cruise does seem a bit cheap.

How do you feel about 20%? :')

[Ken the cruiser]

How do you feel about 20%? :')

Good catch! Personally, if a cruise line is going to give us a perk, any applicable gratuities should be included, especially if the base cruise fare has magically gone up to pay for that perk.

[Vyhanek]

I would say yes, to using your dining credits to Cirque Dreams. The show is definitely better than the main shows int he theater and the food is good too. The Cirque show, the dueling pianos, the hypnotist and the comedy shows are my favorite. Since this new Australian male flaming liberal group took over the theater on the NCL ships, I prefer the smaller shows now.

 

As far as the haven resteraunt, it is absolutely the best food not he ship and the best service. They will remember your name, they will remember your drink, how you like your coffee, it is very nice. I also like many of the restaurants not included in the specialty dining program. Personally I could skip all together Cagney's and La Cucina. The Haven has the best steaks and the Olive Garden beats the La Cucina any day. I like Food Republic (on the Escape), I like the sushi bar on many ships. I like the restaurants that aren't part of the mass specialty dining program. That and the Haven and I'd be just as happy.

[phissy]

Yes, Haven guests are charged the 18% on the package at the time of booking (at least the US bookings).

The actual gratuity for NCL is 20%.

This is for everything , drinks, drink pkg, ala carte dining, SDP, spa, etc. If you chose drink or dining pkg as your promo, remember you have ALREADY paid 20% gratuity. They add it to your cruise fare when you book.

Suites and above did not have to pay additional gratuity for perks until NCL quietly changed it overnight, same time they increased all gratuities 20% .

[Kfamilycruise]

I miss the days when Haven passengers weren't charged the gratuity. Although I hear everyone on variety in the Haven restaurant. It's so good that I honestly never cared. At least I knew one place I could get the dessert I wanted every night!

[yummysbakery]

I miss the no gratuities for the haven as well. And I do believe the prices for the haven are getting a bit steep but I haven't been able to book anything else but the haven lol spoiled....I have booked suites on the ships where there is no haven restaurant and found the service better in the suites but really missed the haven restaurant.

 

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[SS Exeter]

The Haven hands down. There are enough choices that you can't get bored. Everything in the Haven Restaurant is better than the other choices. We ate at three of the specialty restaurants and were sorry that we did.

[Two Wheels Only]

Suites and above did not have to pay additional gratuity for perks until NCL quietly changed it overnight, same time they increased all gratuities 20% .

There were 2 changes that were 6 months apart. First was the service charge (18%) for suite guest promos in June 2017. Then was the change from 18% to 20% in Dec 2017.

[GUEST71919]

Wow! Even if the drink and specialty dining packages along with free gratuities are included in a special cruise sale like the one we got on our cruise last December? We booked 2 Haven cabins and don’t remember a special “gratuity” charge for the drink and special dining package.

 

Look at your invoice under special charges or similar term ... when you click on the option that you will accept those perks, those fees are tacked on. It is not clear to me why since I have to assume the staff if paid out of all the tip proceeds regardless - but as so much in 2018, it doesn’t have to be logical for someone to claim it’s logical without proof and turn it magically into “. Can’t see much of an option. But it will be charged on all drink packages and speciality dining (there could be situations where it’s rolled into the flat price).

 

My personal opinion is that the “free meal package” is being covered by those “gratuities” - I think the next time around we will pass on the “free” meals.

[GUEST71919]

I would say yes, to using your dining credits to Cirque Dreams. The show is definitely better than the main shows int he theater and the food is good too.

Of course that is yet another charge over and above what you pay for the dinner within the package. Even for the “standard seats” ...

[Got No Real Name]

We're taking a family cruise in December on the Getaway, which will also be our first Norwegian cruise, and have booked 2 Haven balconies. We're looking over the Special Dining promotion we're getting and found the first two people in each room get 3 "free" SD meals. The only catch is that we still have to pay 18% gratuities for the first 2 meals and then pay full price for the third person (our granddaughter) + gratuities. What's also interesting is that we get free gratuities as another one of our Haven promotional perks, so paying that extra SD 18% gratuity charge is another issue that rubs us a little.

 

Here's our question. If we already have unlimited access to the Haven restaurant, why should we even consider going anywhere else to eat our meals? Our first inclination, as it is only a 7 day cruise, is to just eat our meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, in the Haven restaurant and forget about the "free" SD meals perk.

 

If you have a few extra moments and have an opinion about the quality and menu variety of the Haven restaurant, we would enjoy hearing what you have to say.

 

The second FAS item is ore-paid DSC not free gratuities. All packages (drink/dining) have the gratuity added. After all, the server/barkeep still needs to do his job whether you pay or whether you eat at a discount. The Haven restaurant is very nice. We have dined there a time or two. Depending on the age of your granddaughter, she might be able to eat off of the free kids menu even at the specialties. Enjoy your cruise.

[Ken the cruiser]

The second FAS item is ore-paid DSC not free gratuities. All packages (drink/dining) have the gratuity added. After all, the server/barkeep still needs to do his job whether you pay or whether you eat at a discount. The Haven restaurant is very nice. We have dined there a time or two. Depending on the age of your granddaughter, she might be able to eat off of the free kids menu even at the specialties. Enjoy your cruise.

We went on the cruise this past December and had great time; although as it turned out we didn't have to pay any gratuities on either the drink package or the 3 specialty restaurants we went to, other than paying for our granddaughter as she was the 3rd person in our other Haven cabin. Not sure if it was because we booked the cruise back in Oct 2016, before they changed the rules, or because we were booked in the Haven. Also, before the cruise my DW called the Haven concierge and they said we didn't have to pay them. So I guess we lucked out.

[Two Wheels Only]

We went on the cruise this past December and had great time; although as it turned out we didn't have to pay any gratuities on either the drink package or the 3 specialty restaurants we went to, other than paying for our granddaughter as she was the 3rd person in our other Haven cabin. Not sure if it was because we booked the cruise back in Oct 2016, before they changed the rules, or because we were booked in the Haven.

It was because you booked the Haven before the change. People in the Haven during the same week as you were service charged on their promos if they booked after the change.

[MIA-CRUISER]

You're already in the Haven and you already are getting the free specialty dining package and Haven guests aren't charged the 18% gratuity ....so why do you think you have to pay that....you aren't charged 18% gratuity when you go to the specialty restaurants....go places like Teppanyaki or Moderno's which are quite a bit different then you will find in the Haven dining experience

 

I really didn't know Haven guests don't pay 18% gratuity. Good to know!!! It makes me very happy jaja!

[MIA-CRUISER]

It was because you booked the Haven before the change. People in the Haven during the same week as you were service charged on their promos if they booked after the change.

 

 

Oh..I am confused. 18% service charge will be applied on Haven guests? It depends on promo? I booked on Jan 14-21/Oct gateway, is it before the change or after the change? How do I know?

[GA Dave]

Oh..I am confused. 18% service charge will be applied on Haven guests? It depends on promo? I booked on Jan 14-21/Oct gateway, is it before the change or after the change? How do I know?

 

Just look at your MyNCL, Vacation Summary, Payment tab. Mine shows "Choice Promotion Service Charge:" and a dollar amount. Also shows:

 

 

• Amount Due:
  $0.00
  

:D