Haven Sundesk on Escape

[Kmermaid]

The last day was the busiest. Did either of you hear/see what happened to close down the pool and shallow area?

 

No, by that day we would not go near the so called pool or hot tubs in the courtyard. We used our noise cancelling headphones to combat the echoing din for the short amount we spent upstairs. Maybe they were closed down because more water was splashed out of the pool then in? ;);)I felt sorry for the staff because this is a parenting issue not NCL. Our butler suggested we don't travel around this time, but our main reason was for the port of Bermuda and having the water temperature be at level we could go in without wet suits?! NCL really needs to change how they market the Haven, but that won't happen so it just needs to be talked about on forums so people are aware what the product really is. And its not only when school is out this can happen, a baby/toddler will be brought into a hot tub and make it unusable. DH says never again and will go back to RCCL with their adult only areas.

[Kmermaid]

There are 2 hot tubs in the courtyard area - one designated for adults only. Meaning children are allowed in the other one. And one on the upper outside sundeck.

 

The kids took over both courtyard hot tubs.

[baflagg]

I put in a bid to upgrade to the Haven for our July cruise but it appears to be sold out so don't think we'll be successful. We were in the Haven a couple of years ago and loved it but booked a balcony this time around. As nice as the Haven is I just couldn't justify the price. If we do win the bid I know my daughter (11) will be very disappointed to not be able to go to the sundeck, she loves lounging in the big round comfy chairs reading her book. It's unfortunate there are those that ruin it for those that are well behaved. Haven or no Haven we'll have a great time either way.

[ama123]

I put in a bid to upgrade to the Haven for our July cruise but it appears to be sold out so don't think we'll be successful. We were in the Haven a couple of years ago and loved it but booked a balcony this time around. As nice as the Haven is I just couldn't justify the price. If we do win the bid I know my daughter (11) will be very disappointed to not be able to go to the sundeck, she loves lounging in the big round comfy chairs reading her book. It's unfortunate there are those that ruin it for those that are well behaved. Haven or no Haven we'll have a great time either way.

 

My 11 year old daughter will be disappointed as well. Our upcoming cruise will be our 3rd with ncl, but 1st in the Haven. We have all been looking forward to it. I'm sure the new rule is not going to ruin our vacation but I can see there being times it would be nice for her to be able to use the sundeck area with us. It is a shame the way some people, children and adults alike, have no consideration for those around them.

[sverigecruiser]

We have cruised with access to the Haven three times, twice on the Epic and once on the Breakaway. Children has not been a problem on our cruises but I still think that it's good if parts of the Haven became adults only.

 

NCL should do the same thing as MSC and reduce the number of two bedroom suites in the Haven. There are very few two bedroom suites in MSCs Yacht Club so less attractive for families with children.

[amygutman]

On the Escape now with our 9 yo - Butler and concierge very apologetic about the new (as of 2 days ago new) 16+ designation on the upper deck but apparently on the last few cruises parents let their children run amuck and when the concierges tried to get the parents to behave like...well, PARENTS, the concierges were reported to management and the parents received no other punishment.

 

That being said - yes, this is the busiest Haven courtyard we have ever been in, including the Breakaway over Christmas holiday, but it is filled with some of the nicest, friendliest singles, families and non-parent couples we have met - and the staff cannot be beat.

 

Sure - kids laugh, splash and are occasionally loud. They are kids, after all. Perhaps it is the parents on the cruise actually "adulting", but the kids are supervised (even if slightly remotely from the beck chairs) and rather polite. For the quiet experience - go 1 flight up to deck 18 inside courtyard - muted, quiet and comfortable.

 

Are we disappointed about little man not being able to go on the the top deck with us? Of course. But we understand, and it will absolutely not ruin what has been an outstanding vacation so far. The Haven is our Heaven - and especially so this week on this wonderful ship with with outstanding crew.

[Diager]

Well that was not our experience last week. The children were very noisy and jumping and splashing in the pool and hot tubs. No chance for an adult to use the area. We tried the upper sun deck but the noise from below seemed to rise and be even louder than in the pool area. This is not what we expected. No more Haven for us.

[Laszlo]

This is the photo posted on FB. That FB thread has gotten pretty NASTY IMO BTW.

 

 

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Excellent idea!!! Don't blame NCL blame the parents and kids

[Shidah]

Making a reservation for the Escape for next spring, and this thread has convinced me to skip the Haven this trip and go for just a balcony. Making the sundeck adults only is a step in the right direction and likely the only way to ensure that there is at least one hot tub not overtaken by kids. The majority of adults have no desire to share a hot tub with other people’s children. In contradiction, my last cruise in the Haven on the Getaway there were very few children. I guess I got lucky. I saw one family a few times in the Haven restaurant that had a baby, and they were the most well-behaved baby I ever met. One group had “extra guests” the first day in the lounge. That was taken care of quickly and never saw the expanded group again. The courtyard was pretty serene the entire trip. The worst behavior I saw all week was a group of kids sneaking alcohol out of their DOS and out of the Haven. They looked to range from 12 - 16. Otherwise no kid issues. Wonder why the Escape is routinely reported as being so much worse?

[BNBR]

Making a reservation for the Escape for next spring, and this thread has convinced me to skip the Haven this trip and go for just a balcony. Making the sundeck adults only is a step in the right direction and likely the only way to ensure that there is at least one hot tub not overtaken by kids. The majority of adults have no desire to share a hot tub with other people’s children. In contradiction, my last cruise in the Haven on the Getaway there were very few children. I guess I got lucky. I saw one family a few times in the Haven restaurant that had a baby, and they were the most well-behaved baby I ever met. One group had “extra guests” the first day in the lounge. That was taken care of quickly and never saw the expanded group again. The courtyard was pretty serene the entire trip. The worst behavior I saw all week was a group of kids sneaking alcohol out of their DOS and out of the Haven. They looked to range from 12 - 16. Otherwise no kid issues. Wonder why the Escape is routinely reported as being so much worse?

 

This is why I think royal has a better product. Solarium is 16+ and no need to pay for a suite. NCL has nothing competitive.

[marmirdc]

We were on the Escape last week and noticed a lot of the same things, that’s why we booked a Haven Spa Suite on deck 16. We also didn’t use the sun decks much (weather) but used the thermal suite daily(and that’s 18+). DW used the courtyard for early morning relaxation and coffee. No kids around then 😁

[dexddd]

We were on the Escape last week and noticed a lot of the same things, that’s why we booked a Haven Spa Suite on deck 16. We also didn’t use the sun decks much (weather) but used the thermal suite daily(and that’s 18+). DW used the courtyard for early morning relaxation and coffee. No kids around then 😁

 

Yeah - while the pool area was busy at times we just went back to our room with large balcony with no noise.

[sharandmike]

This is the photo posted on FB. That FB thread has gotten pretty NASTY IMO BTW.

 

 

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What FB forum was this on? I belong to a few, and have seen the topic discussed, but not w/ this photo.

[aeroo777]

What FB forum was this on? I belong to a few, and have seen the topic discussed, but not w/ this photo.

NCL HAVEN CRUISERS - Norwegian Cruise Line

[HBCcruiser]

NCL HAVEN CRUISERS - Norwegian Cruise Line

 

 

 

Yup. That one!

 

 

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[QueenOfZoom]

We did Haven on Escape last year. I'm a smoker and the spouse loves hot tubs so the sundeck should have been perfect for us except for the kids. Preface by saying I have five-age difference between oldest and youngest is six years-so I have lots of experience with young children. Every cruise I've been on where kids were a problem it goes back to the parents.

 

On Escape there was a couple with two children under age five. They frequently went in the sundeck hot tub. The kids had no toys, they were bored. One time I was in the tub with them, the boy thought it would be fun to spit water into my face. Parents did absolutely nothing. Another time I was in a lounger facing the hot tub, one of the kids grabbed dad's sunglasses to play with. Dad got angry and actually dunked the kid as punishment, literally held the kid's head underwater!

 

I tend to not get off the ship in ports so I used all areas of the Haven a lot. Indoor pool/hot tub area was hit or miss as far as kids, only once was there an issue in the Haven dining room at dinner.

[blue and gold]

Hi friends! I read on another forum that the Haven sundeck does not allow children anymore. I kind of don’t believe this — does anyone know??

 

TIA!!

 

 

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Just off the Escape - Haven sun deck has a sign for 16 and over. Was not enforced during 1st day but sat next to a family that moved because their son was too young to go to the sun deck later in the week.

[Cyclops32]

The Bliss has the same sign. Have not been back up there since yesterday but at the time there were only 4 people up there sitting in the smoking section of the Haven. I really hate it because when. We are near the glaziers both my wife and I would love to be up there but can't because our kids are stuck below. Really messes up a Alaskan cruise

 

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[trumpetfish55]

The Escape Haven courtyard was unusable by adults during the Escape June 10th cruise. Kids for most of the time in both hot tubs and the pool. Courtyard filled with screaming kids. The poor attendant having to mop up the water the kids left by JUMPING into the hot tub from the sides. Just be prepared for this If you booked a ‚Haven‘

[sverigecruiser]

I think that it's great that parts of the Haven now seems to be adults only on some ships.

 

The best thing should be if they had a "no running, no screaming, no ballthrowing, no hottub jumping etc." rule and really enforced it but that doesn't seem to happen.

 

Security should handle the ruleenforcing so that the concierge don't have to do it.

[ClarkBHM]

Just so I understand, there are few to no complaints about poor behavior on the Sundeck, correct? It sounds like it was a quiet, peaceful area before hand. So now, NCL has addressed the problems around the Haven pool by closing off a different area of the Haven from the kids.

 

Seems like the solution doesn't match the problem.

[dexddd]

Just so I understand, there are few to no complaints about poor behavior on the Sundeck, correct? It sounds like it was a quiet, peaceful area before hand. So now, NCL has addressed the problems around the Haven pool by closing off a different area of the Haven from the kids.

 

Seems like the solution doesn't match the problem.

 

That would be my take on it.

[Laszlo]

Just so I understand, there are few to no complaints about poor behavior on the Sundeck, correct? It sounds like it was a quiet, peaceful area before hand. So now, NCL has addressed the problems around the Haven pool by closing off a different area of the Haven from the kids.

 

Seems like the solution doesn't match the problem.

 

A few to no complaints where? Here or on the ship? LOTS of complaints about kids here Lol. You might one to do some reading of reviews. It seems like every other review of the Haven their is a problem with unruly kids

Edited July 9, 2018 by Laszlo

[Diager]

So true. NCL has not addressed the problem. On June 10 cruise I didn't see any children on the outside sun deck. It was the courtyard pool and inside deck that was totally out of control with screaming, unruly children.

[Summerstravel]

We were on the Escape last week and noticed a lot of the same things, that’s why we booked a Haven Spa Suite on deck 16. We also didn’t use the sun decks much (weather) but used the thermal suite daily(and that’s 18+). DW used the courtyard for early morning relaxation and coffee. No kids around then 😁

 

That sounds great what time is the best ? When does it start to get busy? Thanks