How much would you pay for Haven?

[don't-use-real-name]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

I believe AMEX platinum still offers it.  Just used it on my Escape Cruise in Feb.  It also varies by cruise line.  AMEX offers NO OBC for MSC cruises, for example

 

For NCL I believe it’s $100 OBC for Interior Cabin, $200 for a Balcony/mini-suite, $300 for Haven Suite and “full suites”.

 

I remember when AMEX did the $500 OBC.  It wasn’t so long ago, but I haven’t seen that one in a while, either.

 

Also, make sure your TA passes the OBC on to you.  Some won’t...not sure why.

I believe that the AMEXCO offering was exclusive to the AX Platinum Card with no affiliation to other entity and the

entire billing had to be done to that account - no partial payments.

My airline AX card did not qualify.

And of course YMMV - - -

[graphicguy]

2 minutes ago, don't-use-real-name said:

I believe that the AMEXCO offering was exclusive to the AX Platinum Card with no affiliation to other entity and the

entire billing had to be done to that account - no partial payments.

My airline AX card did not qualify.

And of course YMMV - - -

Correct on all counts.  You DO NOT have to use AMEX travel for your booking.  But, you have to make the entire booking on an AMEX Platinum Card to get the OBC.

 

And, the only card you can use to get the OBC is AMEX branded cards.  You can't use the Platinum Delta Amex Card, as an example.

[Sailor Taylor]

18 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Correct on all counts.  You DO NOT have to use AMEX travel for your booking.  But, you have to make the entire booking on an AMEX Platinum Card to get the OBC.

 

And, the only card you can use to get the OBC is AMEX branded cards.  You can't use the Platinum Delta Amex Card, as an example.

 

So I cannot split the booking between 2 cards?  I have a Citi card that offers 3% on all traveling. If my cruise costs a total of $8,000, can I put say $5,000 on Amex to get the obc and the rest on Citi?

[graphicguy]

35 minutes ago, Sailor Taylor said:

 

So I cannot split the booking between 2 cards?  I have a Citi card that offers 3% on all traveling. If my cruise costs a total of $8,000, can I put say $5,000 on Amex to get the obc and the rest on Citi?

Not certain, but my TA told me I could not split the fare to get to AMEX OBC.  Maybe call your TA and ask if you can.  

 

But, I think it’s an AMEX rule, not an NCL or Travel Agent rule.

 

I know I get points on AMEX in addition to the OBC, which can be turned into a rebate or gift card.  So, the cruise fare charge would add some benefit over and above the OBC.

 

3% of the $3K delta on Citi nets you $90.  Up to you whether it’s worth it or not.

[tombec1]

7 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Correct on all counts.  You DO NOT have to use AMEX travel for your booking.  But, you have to make the entire booking on an AMEX Platinum Card to get the OBC.

 

And, the only card you can use to get the OBC is AMEX branded cards.  You can't use the Platinum Delta Amex Card, as an example.

 

Can you tell me the procedure to get the Amex OBC?  I know I can get it if I book direct with Amex Travel, but I'm booked using NCL's website, and I paid with my Amex Platinum.  Thanks in advance. 🙂

[graphicguy]

14 hours ago, tombec1 said:

 

Can you tell me the procedure to get the Amex OBC?  I know I can get it if I book direct with Amex Travel, but I'm booked using NCL's website, and I paid with my Amex Platinum.  Thanks in advance. 🙂

Call your PCC at NCL and tell them you want to apply the AMEX Platinum OBC to your reservation.  If they don’t know how to do it, just transfer your reservation to AMEX travel.

[tombec1]

On 6/1/2019 at 10:44 AM, graphicguy said:

Call your PCC at NCL and tell them you want to apply the AMEX Platinum OBC to your reservation.  If they don’t know how to do it, just transfer your reservation to AMEX travel.

Do you know the promo code they add?  They're typically listed on the confirmations.  I figure it's a no brainer for them to add it if I give them the code.  Thanks again.

[graphicguy]

Don’t have a promo code.  My TA just added it to my reservation as an OBC.  Can’t link them, but this is the page they use to see how much you get by booking with AMEX Platinum (not an AMEX travel site)......

 

Just ask your PCC if they participate in the AMEX Platinum promo....

 

Only on select cruise lines, and combine them with additional special benefits when you pay in full with a qualifying American Express® Card! Co-branded cards do not qualify, nor do certain cruise line fares and promotions. Please contact us if you'd like to verify whether or not you will qualify. Additional restrictions apply1. Participating Cruise Lines: Cruise Line Cardholder Benefits AmaWaterways17 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises (excluding Africa cruises): $300 per stateroom onboard credit $100 spa voucher per stateroom Azamara Club Cruises13 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises: $300 per stateroom onboard credit Exclusive behind-the-scenes ship tour One bottle of premium champagne delivered to stateroom once per cruise Celebrity Cruises18 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises (excluding Galapagos): $100 - $300 per stateroom onboard credit, depending on category booked One bottle of champagne or wine per stateroom Crystal Cruises7 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises (including Crystal's Ocean, River and Yacht cruises): $300 per stateroom onboard credit Crystal Adventures® shore excursion credit (maximum value $200 per stateroom) Centurion members get the following benefits instead: ♦ $500 per stateroom onboard credit ♦ Crystal Adventures® shore excursion credit (maximum value $150 per stateroom) Cunard Line2 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises: $300 per stateroom onboard credit (for oceanview staterooms: category EF or higher on Queen Mary 2; cat FA or higher on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth) Bottle of wine (for oceanview staterooms: category EF or higher on Queen Mary 2; cat FA or higher on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth) Holland America Line6 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises: Up to $300 in Onboard Credit per stateroom ($100 per interior, oceanview or Lanai; $200 per balcony; $300 per suite) One plate of dipped strawberries delivered to stateroom once per cruise Norwegian Cruise Line16 Receive the following benefits when booking select 5-night or longer cruises: Up to $300 in Onboard Credit per stateroom ($100 per interior or oceanview; $200 per balcony or mini-suite; $300 per suite & Haven) Complimentary dinner for two at the French Restaurant Oceania Cruises14 Receive the following benefits when booking a category C stateroom or higher, on select 5-night or longer cruises: $300 per stateroom onboard credit Premium Wine Tasting Event for two One bottle of wine from the Wine Tasting Event menu Princess Cruises11 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises: Up to $300 in Onboard Credit per stateroom ($100 per interior or oceanview; $200 per balcony or mini-suite; $300 per suite) Assorted canapes delivered to stateroom one night of the cruise Regent Seven Seas Cruises3 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises: $300 per suite onboard credit Exclusive Private Galley Tour: Guests will be escorted to the Galley and welcomed with champagne. If the ship is unable to provide the Galley Tour for security reasons then the Private Provision Tour will be offered. The Private Provision Tour includes a tour of the various store rooms with an explanation of how items are purchased and delivered to the vessel as well as a review on how inventory works. The tour includes wine & cheese tasting. Centurion members also receive: ♦ An additional $200 per suite onboard credit Royal Caribbean15 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises: Up to $300 in Onboard Credit per stateroom ($100 per interior or oceanview; $200 per balcony or mini-suite; $300 per suite) One bottle of champagne delivered to stateroom once per cruise Seabourn Cruise Line4 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises: $300 Onboard Credit per stateroom "Suite Dreams" turn down service (once per cruise) One bottle of premium wine delivered to stateroom once per cruise Centurion members also receive: ♦ An additional $200 per stateroom onboard credit Silversea Cruises5 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises: $300 Onboard Credit per stateroom A single bottle of Dom Perignon (or similarly valued champagne) per suite; with the exception of Silversea Expeditions (Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos, and Silver Discoverer) Tour of the Galley, except on Silversea Expeditions (Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos, and Silver Discoverer) Centurion members also get the following benefits: ♦ Additional $200 per stateroom onboard credit Uniworld River Cruises12 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises (excluding "Classic China" cruises): $300 Onboard Credit per stateroom One bottle of premium champagne and chocolates delivered to the stateroom upon embarkation Windstar Cruises8 Receive the following benefits on select 5-night or longer cruises: $300 Onboard Credit per stateroom "Romance Under Sail" package: one bottle of premium champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, and canapes

 

[lovetocruise954]

On 5/17/2019 at 8:25 AM, fsa1155 said:

We absolutely love the Haven but we only book it if we are traveling just by ourselves.  We have several friends that love to cruise with us but would never pay for the Haven.  I'm not going to pay the extra only to have to spend a lot of time with our friends outside of the Haven.  We also like the Haven when we don't really care about missing the ports.  We've seen most of the Caribbean ports so we don't mind missing those to enjoy our time in the Haven.  We truly enjoyed all the benefits such as the priority boarding, butler service, Haven restaurant and bar.  When we travel by ourselves in the Haven, we usually meet a few people and end up sharing a few drinks and meals with them.  

 

We try to cruise twice a year.  Once by ourselves ( just hubby and myself ) and once with our friends.  So, we get the Haven once a year.  

 I totally agree with you on "We absolutely love the Haven but we only book it if we are traveling just by ourselves.  We have several friends that love to cruise with us but would never pay for the Haven.  I'm not going to pay the extra only to have to spend a lot of time with our friends outside of the Haven."

 

I would only do the Haven if other people in my group are also booking the same type of stateroom. Theres no point in booking such an amazing suite when you won't really be able to enjoy it. We are booked on the bliss for Alaska and we are going with a large group of family members. Everyone booked either a mini-suite, balcony, and ocean view. I really wanted to book the Haven but did not want to be the only one in our group with this type of cabin. 

 

Other wise, I would tell you to book the Haven if it is something you are interested in! Its your money, spend it how you want, enjoy life and have fun! 

[Sup_Devil]

I am debating whether to pull the trigger on our first Haven cruise. We are a family of 4. 1 teenager and another boy a couple of years younger. Not toddlers that run around screaming by the way lol. My boys are huge, we were in a family mini suite on the Epic and it was doable but very tight. That was only a 4 night cruise and we are looking at a 7 night western Caribbean sailing on the Breakaway. 

 

We had fun on the Epic but the wait at the bars, the wait for pool chairs, the wait for anything and everything was a definite bummer. Granted it was spring break... I can't help but think if it's as crowded on a 7 night cruise that I'll be even more disappointed. 

 

To go from mini suite with large balcony to H6 aft penthouse(wife really wants 2 bathrooms) it's looking like an extra $3500-$4000. That's ballpark an extra $125 per person per day. Not sure how much cheaper a upgrade bid could be either. Does anyone have a better room recommendation on the Breakaway in Haven? 

 

[mooche]

On 5/16/2019 at 4:06 PM, GA Dave said:

My wife and I went Haven last time.  We will never go back to "normal" cabins again.  The Haven atmosphere and perks are just so worth it to us.  We decided we would rather save our money and cruise every other year in the Haven, than cruise 2-3 times a year in a "normal" cabin.  Our next cruise is really expensive, but it will definitely be worth the wait.

I agree wholeheartedly.   I would pay the extra because of the perks and the cabins ....  having said that it depends on where you are going.  I noticed that the Alaska trips are much more expensive so I am booking with HAL for that one and am getting so much bigger cabin and perks for the money.

 

[Shoppie124]

On 5/20/2019 at 4:00 PM, BNBR said:

 

My sailing was 2/24 - that's where that picture is from.  That's not spring break or summer.

 

If you want a more kid-free cruise, do Celebrity.  They generally have the "free at sea" type stuff just like NCL.  It's an upmarket experience (lacking the "fun" stuff like slides and what not) but it's a more Haven-ish vibe throughout the entire ship.  Our last Celebrity sailing was cheaper than Royal or NCL for the week, with included drink package and internet.  If you like a more relaxed vibe, it may be right up your alley.  Very few kids on the ship and no kids are allowed in the solarium.

 

Celebrity would be a good middle ground between NCL and HAL/Viking type crowd.  It's not totally older/boring people and not kid centric either.

Mid February is when NY schools have a winter break.

[Von & John]

On 6/3/2019 at 11:51 AM, Sup_Devil said:

I am debating whether to pull the trigger on our first Haven cruise. We are a family of 4. 1 teenager and another boy a couple of years younger. Not toddlers that run around screaming by the way lol. My boys are huge, we were in a family mini suite on the Epic and it was doable but very tight. That was only a 4 night cruise and we are looking at a 7 night western Caribbean sailing on the Breakaway. 

 

We had fun on the Epic but the wait at the bars, the wait for pool chairs, the wait for anything and everything was a definite bummer. Granted it was spring break... I can't help but think if it's as crowded on a 7 night cruise that I'll be even more disappointed. 

 

To go from mini suite with large balcony to H6 aft penthouse(wife really wants 2 bathrooms) it's looking like an extra $3500-$4000. That's ballpark an extra $125 per person per day. Not sure how much cheaper a upgrade bid could be either. Does anyone have a better room recommendation on the Breakaway in Haven? 

 

@Sup_Devil

If you are unsure of the Haven expense...

Have you considered 2 connecting Balcony Cabins?

[Sup_Devil]

1 hour ago, Von & John said:

@Sup_Devil

If you are unsure of the Haven expense...

Have you considered 2 connecting Balcony Cabins?

Funny enough we ended up booking a 7 day Bermuda cruise instead. We wanted to try out the new Encore. Booked a H6 aft Haven suite. I think we will be very happy it! 

[Von & John]

2 hours ago, Sup_Devil said:

Funny enough we ended up booking a 7 day Bermuda cruise instead. We wanted to try out the new Encore. Booked a H6 aft Haven suite. I think we will be very happy it! 

 

Have a Fantabulous Cruise & Enjoy the Haven!

 

[aero777]

2 hours ago, Sup_Devil said:

Funny enough we ended up booking a 7 day Bermuda cruise instead. We wanted to try out the new Encore. Booked a H6 aft Haven suite. I think we will be very happy it! 

Good choice!

Did you research the different cabin configurations and balcony sizes of the H6’s?

[Sup_Devil]

13 hours ago, aero777 said:

Good choice!

Did you research the different cabin configurations and balcony sizes of the H6’s?

Yes! We requested deck 9 for the largest balcony. Also fairly convenient to the restaurants etc. We like taking the stairs alot instead of waiting for elevators. 

[casofilia]

Absolutely NOTHING!!!   I want to cruise as often as I can every year and so I cruise Inside.   Just how many days can I cruise Inside in comparison to the Haven?

I had a quick look at the Bliss and the Haven is 6 times more expensive than Inside.

[tomservo]

I think a good way to quantify this is to ask how much more of a premium (as a %) over the cost of a balcony cabin would I be willing to pay for the Haven. For a family of 4 staying in an H7 or higher, I think I would be willing to pay a 50-75% premium for the Haven. So take a standard 7 day cruise where a balcony cabin for 4 costs 3500, then I'd be willing to pay 5-6k for a Haven room. I know that's on the low end, but that's probably about the most I would pay (maybe a little more for a newer ship and/or a pricier itinerary, i.e. Alaska). In terms of the way I value it, half of the premium is for the bigger room (two sleeping areas is key with kids), and the other half for all of the Haven perks.

 

The nicer rooms is one of the reasons I'm hesitant to book the Yacht Club with their recent price increases. On the Divina, you have 3 YC cabin choices - a slightly nicer normal sized balcony room, a more expensive bigger suite with no balcony, or a much more expensive Penthouse. The Family Suite is a non-starter since there's no balcony, so the premium I'm paying is almost 100% for the perks, which to me by themselves aren't worth the extra 2-3k.

 

Regarding the sailing less in the Haven vs sailing more in a standard cabin debate, my wife would definitely rather sail less often, but in the Haven. She's not a big cruiser and doesn't like large crowds, so the Haven is perfect. We're going to try X in the fall as well, but we do like newer ships with lots of stuff to do (especially for our kids), and then somewhere quiet to retreat to, so we'll try to enjoy the Haven while it lasts before prices become astronomical.

[aero777]

Would anyone like to join us in the Haven on the fabulous Joy? Dec 1, 2019 Haven Courtyard Penthouse with Balcony H5 $1949 pp. Latitude members will receive a total of 21 points.

We sailed the Joy in May and loved it, can’t wait to sail her again. 

[Nolanoel]

6 minutes ago, aero777 said:

Would anyone like to join us in the Haven on the fabulous Joy? Dec 1, 2019 Haven Courtyard Penthouse with Balcony H5 $1949 pp. Latitude members will receive a total of 21 points.

We sailed the Joy in May and loved it, can’t wait to sail her again. 

That is such a fantastic time of the year to sail.  Low, low prices, rarely crowded, few children!  Have a wonderful cruise!!

[JamieLogical]

14 minutes ago, aero777 said:

Would anyone like to join us in the Haven on the fabulous Joy? Dec 1, 2019 Haven Courtyard Penthouse with Balcony H5 $1949 pp. Latitude members will receive a total of 21 points.

We sailed the Joy in May and loved it, can’t wait to sail her again. 

 

Hahaha. That sounds like a great deal, but I am already booked to sail on the Bliss on December 1. My PCC would probably murder me if I switched it again. First we were booked on the Encore TA for November 2, but then they changed the itinerary, so we switched it to the Encore Eastern Caribbean out of Miami for Dec. 1 and THEN we switched it to the Bliss 12-day Southern Caribbean out of NYC Dec. 1 and booked the Encore for next April instead. My PCC is getting back from vacation herself tomorrow. If I called her up first thing with another change her head might explode.

[drvmywifecrzy]

I miss the old days 2016 when I called and got upgraded on the Escape from an Inside to Haven (H5) for $500 total just 3 days out from sailing

[Greenpea2]

32 minutes ago, drvmywifecrzy said:

I miss the old days 2016 when I called and got upgraded on the Escape from an Inside to Haven (H5) for $500 total just 3 days out from sailing

Wow! I never heard of that happening! I got some calls from the Upsell Fairy that we’re goid deals but not THAT good. You were lucky!

[aero777]

5 hours ago, Nolanoel said:

That is such a fantastic time of the year to sail.  Low, low prices, rarely crowded, few children!  Have a wonderful cruise!!

Thanks Nolanoel! Sailed right after Thanksgiving last year out of Nola and it was almost a little too quiet 🤫