Smaller ships with Suites instead of Havens?

[coondogg97]

We've been fortunate enough to have stayed in the Haven a couple of times on our previous cruises. We are looking at possibly going on a smaller ship (Sun or Sky) that doesn't offer a Haven area. From what I've read it sounds like all the amenities are the same, except without the Haven area. I'm afraid after being spoiled in Havens that we will be disappointed not having that separate area and bar. That being said, we've never been in a suite on such a small ship, so will we really miss the separate Haven area?

 

Can anyone who has experience with both chime in and give me your opinion.

 

Thanks!

[Jembeccatoo]

If you typically spend your time onboard in the haven deck exclusively, using the pool area, restaurant and bar, your experience on the Sun or Sky will not be what you are looking for. 

If you are willing to join the masses, there are half as many people onboard as on a mega ship so it shouldn’t feel as crowded. 

[brookie848]

We've been in a suite on the Dawn without a Haven and we do miss the Haven area a bit. Since we normally stay in 2-bedroom suites, we missed not walking through the Haven lounge area and getting a drink on our way in/out of our cabin. 

 

I think it may also depend on the itinerary. We were on a port-heavy itineraries (only one sea day), so we didn't have a lot of time to miss not having a Courtyard (although we did a time or two). We actually enjoy eating in the MDRs a couple of times on a cruise, so not having a Haven restaurant wasn't a deal breaker for us. 

 

It is a different experience, but it is one we were okay with, especially if the itinerary is something we are interested in doing.

[valleyvillage]

You will still have private dining for breakfast and lunch, which we really enjoy. We did miss the Haven Restaurant for dinner as an option. The Sun and Sky are sister ships and are really nice!

[FLcruisergrl]

We’re on the Sun in June. No Haven, but the Owner’s suite has a jacuzzi on the balcony!

[FranknBeans]

The Sky has separate bedroom sites se & sf. beautiful mahogany finishes

[tymike]

I began cruising with a forward facing penthouse on the Dawn (pre Haven and still no Haven).  Loved, loved, loved it!  I have sailed on NCL multiple times now and have stayed in the Haven on the Breakaway twice.  Yes, the bar area is nice to have in the Haven, but unfortunately, one of my BA cruises had an awfully huge group sailing together and that wrecked the entire Haven experience.

For me, I prefer a smaller ship and will not miss the masses or dinner in the dedicated restaurant.  I am booked on the Gem in 2020 in a suite, but not with the Haven.  The suite perks are perfect in my experience and the Haven was hit or miss.

Whatever you decide...enjoy!

[ourfab5]

We are currently on the Sun in an Owners Suite and are loving it! Our last NCL cruise we had two- 2 Bdrm suites in the Haven but unfortunately had a horrible experience. The service was wonderful but our fellow Haven guests made our cruise a nightmare. Several families were out of control and kids were completely unsupervised and totally took over everything everywhere. Teens took over the Haven pool and sun deck sneaking in their non-Haven friends to where it felt like we were in a constant teen disco. Security was set in place about the third day which reduced the size of the teen crowd but somehow only increased the poor behavior of the Teens who remained. Trust me it was bad.  We ended up spending a lot of time crowded on the balcony of one of our suites because the cabin next to our other suite blasted horrible offensive rap music from their balcony in addition to smoking pot. They were finally caught and escorted off the ship but that wasn’t until our last port stop. So, we had one peaceful balcony day at sea out of a seven night cruise. We did complain to our Butler and Concierge but the situation was well outside their control. 

So, after that experience we were pretty much done cruising altogether when we had an opportunity to try out the OS on the Sun for part of our Spring Break. We already had plans the first few days of break and couldn’t take the time for a full week cruise so we decided to take a chance on a 5 night Western Caribbean. It has been perfect in every way!! Breakfast and lunch has been at a Cagney’s every morning reserved for suite guests only (menu seems nearly identical to what we had expierenced in the Haven), we have had dinner at a specialty restaurant each night so I cannot comment on dinner in the MDRs. The OS balcony in huge and we have thoroughly enjoyed the hot tub. It feels like our own private Haven!! 

As for the rest of the ship, even though it is Spring Break and most rooms are filled we have not experienced any of the crowd issues we have had on the larger ships. I was worried that our 16 year old daughters were going to be bored without all the water slides, etc. but it’s been just the opposite. They were just saying this morning that they would much rather cruise like this in a smaller ship than to be fighting the crowds and rude people we have experienced  in the past. We love the Haven concept and my husband and I will definitely be trying it again once our kids are grown and our vacation time is not centered around school holidays. 

Let me know if I can answer any questions about the Sun! 

[FLcruisergrl]

46 minutes ago, ourfab5 said:

We are currently on the Sun in an Owners Suite and are loving it! Our last NCL cruise we had two- 2 Bdrm suites in the Haven but unfortunately had a horrible experience. The service was wonderful but our fellow Haven guests made our cruise a nightmare. Several families were out of control and kids were completely unsupervised and totally took over everything everywhere. Teens took over the Haven pool and sun deck sneaking in their non-Haven friends to where it felt like we were in a constant teen disco. Security was set in place about the third day which reduced the size of the teen crowd but somehow only increased the poor behavior of the Teens who remained. Trust me it was bad.  We ended up spending a lot of time crowded on the balcony of one of our suites because the cabin next to our other suite blasted horrible offensive rap music from their balcony in addition to smoking pot. They were finally caught and escorted off the ship but that wasn’t until our last port stop. So, we had one peaceful balcony day at sea out of a seven night cruise. We did complain to our Butler and Concierge but the situation was well outside their control. 

So, after that experience we were pretty much done cruising altogether when we had an opportunity to try out the OS on the Sun for part of our Spring Break. We already had plans the first few days of break and couldn’t take the time for a full week cruise so we decided to take a chance on a 5 night Western Caribbean. It has been perfect in every way!! Breakfast and lunch has been at a Cagney’s every morning reserved for suite guests only (menu seems nearly identical to what we had expierenced in the Haven), we have had dinner at a specialty restaurant each night so I cannot comment on dinner in the MDRs. The OS balcony in huge and we have thoroughly enjoyed the hot tub. It feels like our own private Haven!! 

As for the rest of the ship, even though it is Spring Break and most rooms are filled we have not experienced any of the crowd issues we have had on the larger ships. I was worried that our 16 year old daughters were going to be bored without all the water slides, etc. but it’s been just the opposite. They were just saying this morning that they would much rather cruise like this in a smaller ship than to be fighting the crowds and rude people we have experienced  in the past. We love the Haven concept and my husband and I will definitely be trying it again once our kids are grown and our vacation time is not centered around school holidays. 

Let me know if I can answer any questions about the Sun! 

Oh, you’ve got me excited for our June cruise! I just wish it was longer than a 3-night!

[GeezerCouple]

19 hours ago, FLcruisergrl said:

We’re on the Sun in June. No Haven, but the Owner’s suite has a jacuzzi on the balcony!

We had one of the OS on the Sun, for an Alaska cruise a few years ago.

 

AMAZING!

We chose the starboard side on the NB trip to Seward, and especially on the day between Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier, that view of the coastal mountain was spectacular.  Although we had weather predictions of rain each day, we had gorgeous blue skies almost non-stop (a few sprinkles only).

 

That suite was our favorite EVER.

So much space, 1.5 baths, and those forward views, including from LR and BR (although having the bed closer to the windows/etc., would have been nicer. And a huge balcony.

We didn't use the hot tub as much as we would have done on a warmer cruise, however, but we "should have"! 

 

We had room service for many of our dinners, so we could enjoy those views, and we usually pre-arranged for breakfast to be delivered, too.

 

GC

 

[Mike D.]

My suite experience is on the Star and my Haven experience is on the Breakaway.  What I mainly miss on the Star versus the Breakaway Haven is the Haven restaurant for dinner.  I found it rivaled (excelled actually) the Cagney's restaurant and only liked the other upscale restaurants (like Teppanyaki) for the variety, not the quality.  

 

As a non-drinker, the bar in the Haven has no value to me.  The juices and snacks by the Haven pool were OK...but there is little danger of me starving on a cruise anyway.

 

I feel like I get just as much personal attention in the Star suites as I do in the Haven.  Our Breakaway cruise had a nice, quiet Haven area all the time--the only younger folks were well behaved.  But it wasn't spring break and it was a longer cruise.  I think the pool in the Haven is pretty silly and we spent plenty of time in the Thermal Suite (which we paid for).  We do that on the Star also.