Review of the Bliss Haven from a Chinese passenger perspective

[tomservo]

I stumbled onto this video last night of a video review of the Haven on the Bliss from a vlogger out of Hong Kong (there are english subtitles). It's an interesting non-Western take on the Haven experience, although she did conclude (spoiler alert) that the food and facilities were not worth it.

 

 

[Laszlo]

So the "Broke Girl Channel" cruised in the Haven Lol

[dexddd]

A nice high-quality video overall.  I feel she did a very objective review and she hit many of the points that come up frequently enough.  Nickel and Diming, Haven not worth the price.  Food is subjective - we had very good meals in Escape Haven in June and those looked better in some cases for the same things.

 

I found it interesting that the Food Republic was as busy as it appeared.

 

I liked here comment about "robotic and lack of enthusiasm" with the concierges and "..butlers and concierges not being able to help..".  We've run into that enough times.

[tomservo]

The steak that they were saying was overcooked around the 9:20 mark, they referred to it as a tenderloin fillet - I've never seen a tenderloin that looked like that. Whole tenderloins are kind of tube-shaped (for lack of a better word), where as that was wide and flat. I tried googling it, the only thing that I could find that came close and could still be considered tenderloin is the tail, but otherwise I have no idea what kind of steak that was.

https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/cuts/cut/2886/tenderloin-tails

 

[ClarkBHM]

I get that some people are really foodies, but this one was particularly picky about almost everything she ate. 

[david_sobe]

I watched this video last week and thought about posting it.  However, I am sometimes reluctant to post other's videos.  I really enjoyed the video. It was very balanced. I think she was expecting a bit more luxury and better food for the price that she paid.  She definitely had many compliments about the ship.  But I think for the price the Haven is these days, a luxury line may provide better food.

I had to laugh at her description of the concierge being robotic.  Its very clear this woman is used to 5 star hotels and was expecting a 5 star hotel experience.

Edited March 2, 2019 by david_sobe

[newmexicoNita]

Interesting review but very well balanced. I do think she has a fixation with food. One thing for me, she talked so fast it was a bit hard to read the sub titles and probably a little to long for my aging brain.  

[cruiserchris613]

On 3/2/2019 at 6:26 AM, david_sobe said:

I watched this video last week and thought about posting it.  However, I am sometimes reluctant to post other's videos.  I really enjoyed the video. It was very balanced. I think she was expecting a bit more luxury and better food for the price that she paid.  She definitely had many compliments about the ship.  But I think for the price the Haven is these days, a luxury line may provide better food.

I had to laugh at her description of the concierge being robotic.  Its very clear this woman is used to 5 star hotels and was expecting a 5 star hotel experience.

I would have to agree with you on that. If you're paying for the Haven experience, I would expect the Haven restaurant would have alternating menus! 

If she wanted a true luxury experience, she should have tried Oceania or Regent. Perhaps their concierge are more human! 

 

As a Cantonese speaker myself, I think it's part of our culture to be foodies! Though I must admit, she was pretty picky...Broke Girl staying in the Haven!

Edited March 4, 2019 by cruiserchris613

[mking8288]

Hmmm, Mrs. M helped me with this YT review and IMHO, not very impressed with the scope, depth & how the Haven experience on the relatively new Bliss was reviewed, rated or otherwise being critical.  

 

Here's a different one - done for the Bliss doing the Panama Transit last year, by Bob's Your Uncle - he has quite a collection of YT video reviews, sailing on different cruiselines - it's a longer one w. English subtitle/caption.

 

 

The link - playlist - has a # of other ship review, including MSC, Norwegian Joy (when it first launched in the China market then) ... click thru it, rather interesting.   Click on the upper right bar, the Bliss should be #2 on the list, skip the MSC Seaside.

 

Back to the reference video, it seemed that she has not sailed NCL before & not familiar with embarkation options for lunch, mentioned that everyone (aside from Haven guests) are destined for the buffet only ... and, we being NCL addicts, know that it is not true - MDR is open and very often, O'Sheehan's (Locals) on mega ships are options for those in the "knows".  

Edited March 4, 2019 by mking8288

[YVRBassElectric]

I have spent 34 days in the Bliss Haven (3 cruises), I think she got robotic service as the crew could have been uncomfortable with the camera. We sailed the first 2 paid sailings - April/May - crew and officers remembered us in September! I am sailing in a non-Haven cabin right now & some restaurant staff still recognized me - caring about the people who serve you often results in better service!

 

[david_sobe]

13 minutes ago, YVRBassElectric said:

I have spent 34 days in the Bliss Haven (3 cruises), I think she got robotic service as the crew could have been uncomfortable with the camera. We sailed the first 2 paid sailings - April/May - crew and officers remembered us in September! I am sailing in a non-Haven cabin right now & some restaurant staff still recognized me - caring about the people who serve you often results in better service!

 

She raved about the service in the Haven restaurant and how fancy it was.  She also really enjoyed the Haven lunch menu and thought it was better than the dinner one.  She only stated the concierge seemed robotic in his speeches.  I can imagine that was probably the 5th time he gave that speech on embarkation day. If he only had to give it once to a few passengers, he may have seemed more genuine.

[dexddd]

Stop making excuses for lackluster concierges or butlers.  The mega ships are the worst. Either provide a quality product or get rid of it.

 

I've said it before.  Do a survey of each suite room and concierge and butlers and let the cream rise to the top.

[cruizinrican]

I would have liked to have seen more of the inside of her cabin and less on all the food reviews.  I wished she would have gotten into detail about what she was asking or requesting from concierge and butler that they weren't able to answer or help her with??  Video was beautifully done and music was nice.  I just thought she spoke extremely too fast and half the time I wasn't done reading subtitles before she was on to the next slide!?  LMAO  Maybe I'm a slow reader.  But thanks for posting it, this is probably as close as I'll ever get to a Haven Suite!  LOL

[cruiserchris613]

7 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Hmmm, Mrs. M helped me with this YT review and IMHO, not very impressed with the scope, depth & how the Haven experience on the relatively new Bliss was reviewed, rated or otherwise being critical.  

 

Here's a different one - done for the Bliss doing the Panama Transit last year, by Bob's Your Uncle - he has quite a collection of YT video reviews, sailing on different cruiselines - it's a longer one w. English subtitle/caption.

 

The link - playlist - has a # of other ship review, including MSC, Norwegian Joy (when it first launched in the China market then) ... click thru it, rather interesting.   Click on the upper right bar, the Bliss should be #2 on the list, skip the MSC Seaside.

 

Back to the reference video, it seemed that she has not sailed NCL before & not familiar with embarkation options for lunch, mentioned that everyone (aside from Haven guests) are destined for the buffet only ... and, we being NCL addicts, know that it is not true - MDR is open and very often, O'Sheehan's (Locals) on mega ships are options for those in the "knows".  

 

I concur. I always enjoy Bob's Your Uncle's reviews. Very in-depth, detailed, and great footage, plus humorous at times. As mentioned by @mking8288, here is his review of the Bliss, which is much more favorable than Broke Girl's. Love his comment about Cagney's prime rib, "I'd swim back to the ship for that."