Free at Sea, All Four Question (Haven vs. BD with perks)

[js]

Hi.

 

I currently have five adults in an H4 on Encore. When we travel on Away ships the five of us use the H4. We are all family, the adults are my kids but 22/25 and we are all Platinum.

We all want the Ultimate Beverage Package but that comes with only passengers 1/2.  We enjoy the Haven restaurant and was only going to use the Platinum dining, which for five people in the cabin, would be able to get two but still one person will need to be paid for in full or I need to purchase the dining package for one person and Ultimate Beverage Package for three people.  Our itinerary is Bermuda.

 

I just went to look at the prices, and they did go up, but my TA discounts NCL and I can get 2 people in a BD for $3655, which includes the beverage package for all and dining.  How many days is the specialty dining?

 

I could get three BD cabins, 2 in each cabin, for $10,965, which includes alcohol package and dining for all. My ds can then invite a friend if he wants.

 

My H4 cabin for 5 people with beverage package gratuities is $13,020, but I still need to purchase alcohol for three and we don't have specialty dining.  I won't miss the Haven restaurant if we can go to specialty restaurants each night so I need to find out how many nights they give us.  Can someone please let me know.

 

We LOVE the Haven, only book the Haven and I will miss the Haven, but thinking if we are in Bermuda for 3 days and off the ship, maybe we won't use Haven as much, although we would use on the sea days.

The difference in price is $2,055, so I guess that isn't a huge difference given BD vs. Haven for five people total but when I add on we can have specialty dining and I need to purchase the alcohol packages, it starts adding up.

 

For those those that have done Haven and moved to a balcony, were you upset in knowing what you were missing? I'm thinking I should just go ahead and move us but not fully sure.  We LOVE the Haven but at night we are outside the Haven, it's the daytime that we utilize it.  Also, how much longer is the  "all four perks" promotion?

Thank you so much!

Edited July 10, 2019 by js

[dporter]

The specialty dining is based on the number of days you are sailing:

 

Specialty Dining Package

Sail Length	# Of Dining Package Meals		Retail Value		20% Gratuities
3-4 Nights	1		$44.95 per person		$8.99 per package
5-6 Nights	2		$79 per person		$15.80 per package
7-8 Nights	3		$99 per person		$19.80 per package
9-10 Nights	4		$114 per person		$22.80 per package
11+ Nights	5		$129 per person		$25.80 per package

 

[js]

14 minutes ago, dporter said:

The specialty dining is based on the number of days you are sailing:

 

Specialty Dining Package

Sail Length	# Of Dining Package Meals		Retail Value		20% Gratuities
3-4 Nights	1		$44.95 per person		$8.99 per package
5-6 Nights	2		$79 per person		$15.80 per package
7-8 Nights	3		$99 per person		$19.80 per package
9-10 Nights	4		$114 per person		$22.80 per package
11+ Nights	5		$129 per person		$25.80 per package

 

Thank you.

I wasn't aware and that is very helpful.  So that would be three nights for my 7 night sailing plus my two Platinum meals (although maybe one Platinum meal since a lot can change in a year LOL).  If I wanted to add the fifth person to the dining, it would be $120 to add three nights and if I stayed in the Haven, it would be an additional $120, which would be okay, it's the alcohol that is killing me with the high price.  We all will/have made use the package, although my dh could use the beer/wine but thinking everyone has to get the exact same. 

 

I don't know what I should do.  Right now, I think I would switch but not sure.  How long will the promotion be and I'm thinking we utilize the outside of the Haven at night, and the Haven during the day, which the first/second Bermuda day we will be off the ship.  The third day, we will be staying on so sea days then going home and going to Bermuda. GGGRRRR

 

Thank you.

Edited July 10, 2019 by js

[Nclgetawaymenhoney]

Well the beverage package is 99 per day x 7 nights 693 plus mandatory 20% gratitututy 139 so 693 + 138.60 = $831.60 x 3 people 2494.80 for the drink package wow that’s alot

[EaglesWin]

Only you can decide if it's worth spending an extra $5k for Haven. We don't know your financial situation. For some it would be a no-brainer. Others might have important things they can do with that 5k.

[dporter]

js,

 

You are welcome.

 

As Platinum you still get the dinners.  

 

These are per stateroom, so if you have 1 stateroom it would cover only 2 people, 2 staterooms would cover 4 people.  

 

 

Dinner For Two At Cagney's Or Le Bistro With A Bottle Of Wine6 (per stateroom)
Dinner For Two At Moderno Or La Cucina6 (per stateroom)

 

So if you had 3 staterooms, all of you would at least have 2 specialty dinners.

 

If you were in the Haven, you would have 3 specialty dinners for 2 people. Might be able to use all 3 at once so you could all eat together at 1 specialty restaurant.  The rest of your included meals would be the Haven Restaurant unless you purchased additional specialty dining.

 

I know what you mean about the beverage package, they are pricy.

 

Since the cost is pretty close you have to decide whether the Haven amenities are worth paying for additional beverage packages.  

 

We have experienced Haven on Norwegian Jade twice and enjoyed having the more private/less crowded space.  There isn't a Haven restaurant on the Jewel class ships and found the main dining room had great food.  We are going on Epic and Haven pricing seemed a little high for the port intensive trip so we opted for a spa balcony this time.  

 

[js]

8 minutes ago, Nclgetawaymenhoney said:

Well the beverage package is 99 per day x 7 nights 693 plus mandatory 20% gratitututy 139 so 693 + 138.60 = $831.60 x 3 people 2494.80 for the drink package wow that’s alot

 

Thank you. Even if I didn't purchase the alcohol and let the others just drink, I'm guessing I would be in the approximate $1500-$200 range. I remember the days when we had 6 in an H4 and all specialty and alcohol was paid for all in cabin, and the specialty was for every night.

 

Just now, EaglesWin said:

Only you can decide if it's worth spending an extra $5k for Haven. We don't know your financial situation. For some it would be a no-brainer. Others might have important things they can do with that 5k.

 

I know, thanks. I'll talk to my dh tonight. It can be done but I'm not sure about paying another $5,000 on top of the $13K or even another $3,000 if I start adding the alcohol (whether OOP or package) and dining. I think I would feel better and move if we were leaving out of Florida and had four port days, we would be off the ship, back on to shower and eat and like I said spend time outside of Haven. The 21/25 year olds won't be lounging in the sun and they wouldn't be using Haven during the day, except to maybe eat breakfast/lunch/dinner, it would be my dh and me. Dang.

We do balconies on RCCL but YC on MSC and Haven on NCL so I know what I will be missing. It would make it easier if I didn't know LOL

 

[EaglesWin]

1 minute ago, js said:

 

We do balconies on RCCL but YC on MSC and Haven on NCL so I know what I will be missing. It would make it easier if I didn't know LOL

 

I know exactly what you mean. We've switched to Haven on NCL and haven't gone back (2 so far). But we are thinking of getting a balcony for our next NCL cruise.

[PTC DAWG]

Book the balcony’s, let the kids suffer... 🙂

[kernie968]

Did three cruises in the Haven and could not imagine going in to a regular balcony, but after going to the balcony I found I do not need the Haven. In the Haven there was so much of the ship we never saw because we spent so much time in the Haven. Once we were out of the Haven we found places on the ship that we loved that we had never experienced before. The Haven is nice, but not worth the extra cost. The ships are huge and there is so much to see and do, but if you hang out mostly in the Haven you miss the rest of the ship.

[chars]

I would keep three of you in the Haven and book two of the kids in a balcony.  This way, the two would be able drink and get the dining package.  You would just have to pay for drinks for the third person in the Haven.  This way, you can enjoy the haven and be able to have one of this kids with you.  I imagine, the twenty-somethings wouldn't be in the Haven as much as you would be.

[coloradocruiselover88]

I would stick with Haven.  Also don't you awarded 2 points versus 1 towards the next Latitudes level?

 

 

[LeesaB]

Put you and your husband in the H5 and tell your kids that you'll pay for them to share a balcony or they can pay the difference to get whatever they want.

[LeesaB]

OR book one of the Haven suites with a connecting stateroom and put your kids in the connecting room.  They *might* be able to get Haven perks that way too.

 

EX: book an aft Haven balcony, stick one kid on the sofa in the aft suite so 3 people automatically have Haven perks.  This kid would need to purchase the beverage and specialty dining package.  Stick 2 kids in the connecting balcony - they'll get their perks and you can ask the concierge if they'll allow them to have Haven access.

[gymbomb]

Having sailed in everything from inside rooms to Haven, I would take 2 or 3 balcony rooms over 5 adults in an H4 any day, even if the cost were the same. Or maybe a less expensive/smaller suite for the parents and a balcony for the 3 adult kids.

[graphicguy]

JS.....sounds like it's going to be a great family cruise.

 

1.  Haven vs BD....tough choice.  As you already know, the Haven is just a great experience.  You're in your own little world where all the crew will do just about anything, give you almost everything, that you request, within reason.

2.You're Platinum, so you get two specialty dinners, in addition to any Specialty Dining package that comes with your perks.  That's a big plus.  Recent cruises, that I've taken in "non-Haven" cabins seem to have crew extending great service to me.  Not that their service was ever anything but exemplary.  But, crew seemed to do a "little more" than I remember before I was Platinum Latitudes. Plus, I was invited to more "private" parties since becoming Platinum.  Will that be enough to offset the service level in the Haven?  Probably not.  But, it does mitigate spending less for a BD.

3.  Drinks....personally, you've earned the "perks" you're enjoying as you've cruised NCL quite a bit.  I think those who may or may not qualify for the perks are on their own when it comes to drinks...get the perk?  Buy the drink package?  Pay as they go?  Up to them, really.

 

I've looked at the cost of the drink package (including getting it as part of a higher fare). I can never make a financial positive by declining the drink package.  My day starts with a mimosa or Bloody Mary.  Afternoon usually nets me a few beers.  Evening nets me a before dinner drink and an after dinner drink.  Then, there's usually a nightcap ordinarily after the show....or about $70/day (w/tip) on average if I were paying for the drinks "a la carte".  UDP for the win in my case.

 

I absolutely love Bermuda.  As you know, I just returned.  So, for the 3 days we were docked there, I ate meals onboard the ship (breakfast, lunch and dinner).  After Breakfast I either did an excursion (a.m.) and returned to the ship for lunch.  Or, I "self toured" and came back for meals on the ship.  I think one day while I was in St George's I decided to eat lunch in a restaurant because St George's was about a 40 minute ferry ride back to the ship.  That sandwich amounted to a $40+ fish sandwich.  Sandwich was good, but not any better than a $4 McDonalds fillet o fish meal.  That's the only time I ate anywhere outside of the ship.

 

At night I was either in Hamilton, at the street fair, or sightseeing the clubs around the fort.  I was always back on board for meals (paid for them, I'm getting them...LOL!).

 

Being Platinum is a nice perk.  You'll never be able to get the Haven level of service, but Platinum perks aren't a bad consolation prize, particularly given the delta in cost between Haven and the balcony cabins.

[js]

Thank you all so much for your well thought-out responses.  I greatly appreciate them.

 

I did like the idea of the Haven connecting to the balcony.  Didn't think of that one.

We have done up to 5-6 people in the H4s, we make due rather booking the balconies.

 

My 21 is a rising senior in college. Found out yesterday, his second degree (Masters in Education) classes begin next June.  So actually now we have to change the date to their break in August.

 

After speaking to my dh and mom, I informed them we need to change the cruise to August.  Upon doing that, my sister, her dh and their three young boys will now also go. There is no way they are doing the Haven (and it would be lost on them and they would never utilize) so now I'm so happy that the decision has been made for me and we will get three balcony rooms for my family and my sister will get two rooms.  We are all Platinum so with the promotion, we will get three specialty restaurants, and each cabin will also get the Platinum two meals, so we will have five specialty restaurants and all have the alcohol package. 

 

Graphicguy, you are correct and I agree with you regarding the UBP.

To some it seems trivial, but we all enjoy having our drinks and going to the specialty restaurants, so this would have been a big additional cost for our family in the Haven.  I wake up with mimosas, margaritas or mojitos during the day, wine at dinner and ending the night with beers since I can keep on going with beers LOL

22 year old boys can drink. My dh enjoys a few drinks and there is no way I want to think about what I am ordering or if I need/want a drink if I didn't have the package.

Still going on a cruise, lucky to be in a balcony and going to Bermuda with my family so all will be fabulous.  Thank you all very much.  Now to go look at the deck plans since I need five cabins close together LOL

 

 

Edited July 11, 2019 by js