Is the Haven really worth it?

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

I use them, too.  Now we both have leaked our secret!

So I checked out and didn't quite get the difference between that site and a typical TA.  What's the advantage?  Is it purely for research and comparison purposes?

[tomservo]

26 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

But, those who are booking Haven for $7K, $8K, $9K or more for a two person suite aren’t very good at doing even a little research.

 

They may not know how or not care that it costs that much, and NCL certainly wants to convince people that it costs that much. I was raised frugally and continue to be very frugal, so I hate overpaying for things and love the thrill of the hunt for a good deal. It might sound silly to some, but I apply this to luxury/high-end items too. I don’t think being frugal has to mean getting the best cheapest version of something, it can mean getting the best deal on the thing you want.

 

For example I had my eye on a luxury car that retails for about 60k brand new. No way I’m paying that, so I look at 4 year old CPO models, except by me they’re selling for 35k. Still more than I want to pay, so I researched car dealers a little further out from me (some in other states 100 miles away), negotiated among a few dealers, and walked out paying 24k. I know the traditionally frugal thing to do is buy a nice reliable mid-sized car (too tall for compacts) and drive them into the ground, which is what I did with my last car. I bought a Honda Accord in 2005 and drove it for 12 years and put 220k miles on it. But now I’m at a point in my life where I like nicer things and can afford nicer things. At the same time I’m financially responsible: I have no debt aside from my mortgage, have never carried a balance on a credit card, I save a good chunk of my income and I’m maxing out my 401k.

 

The point is you don’t have to be Uncle Pennybags to sail in the Haven. If you enjoy the perks, can afford it, and are willing to pay the premium, it can be a good product for you. 

[tomservo]

24 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

What's the advantage?  Is it purely for research and comparison purposes?

 

Purely research. 

[April42749]

59 minutes ago, tomservo said:

 

They may not know how or not care that it costs that much, and NCL certainly wants to convince people that it costs that much. I was raised frugally and continue to be very frugal, so I hate overpaying for things and love the thrill of the hunt for a good deal. It might sound silly to some, but I apply this to luxury/high-end items too. I don’t think being frugal has to mean getting the best cheapest version of something, it can mean getting the best deal on the thing you want.

 

The point is you don’t have to be Uncle Pennybags to sail in the Haven. If you enjoy the perks, can afford it, and are willing to pay the premium, it can be a good product for you. 

You, dear friend, are what I call "a value shopper".....getting the best quality for YOUR taste at the best price.

 

 

[BNBR]

Worth it?  No.  For us at least.  Would never do it again unless the price was obnoxiously cheap.  The price of an additional balcony cruise?  Heck no.  We sailed on Escape with the nice Haven facilities, too.  You seem to have similar feelings and aren't terribly wowed by all the "luxury" gimmicks.  So I would think you'll find the extras nice, but certainly not worth the price of admission.

 

The food in the Haven restaurant never changes, and it's a small menu.  It's not all that much different than anywhere else on the ship, regardless of the cheerleaders comments about it.  The service in the Haven restaurant is mediocre and nothing special as well.  We ended up not eating there very much because it's so limited and truly nothing special.  The Haven courtyard on our sailing (middle of Feb, not summer or spring break) was full of kids who essentially took over the pool/hot tubs.  They were so loud you couldn't even read a book on the upper deck.  The sun deck is small and was often crowded enough.  Plus it's just kind of a little "bleh" sundeck.  It's nothing special at all.  The Haven bar is probably the worst bar on the ship.  It's just a tiny bar in the lobby next to the concierge.  No view, couple of seats at the bar and right next to the Haven elevator.  Whoopie.  And remember the courtyard is totally enclosed with no views at all, including the upper deck.  The butler and concierge were generally fairly useless.  Unless having a couple of cheap snacks dumped off at 3PM every day is a huge deal for you...

 

The whole concept of a ship within a ship, I really like the idea.  But in execution, it's not there at all.

Edited September 26, 2019 by BNBR

[graphicguy]

@tomservo.....We have the same thought process.

 

Scrimped and saved, got my kids in and through college.  A wife went by the wayside in the process, but you can't win them all.

 

Anyway, I still remember all those "staycations" we took because it was a lot less expensive than doing something like a cruise.  Used to drive used Mazdas, now driving something not a whole lot more expensive, but nicer nonetheless....Acura.  No desire for a Mercedes or a BMW.  They're nice.  But, they're not $60K nice, at least not to me.

 

I do splurge now....on cruises.  Won't apologize for it, either.  When I feel the need, I sail the Haven.  If that fare is priced what I consider too high, I'll find something else (some other cruise line/some other category) to book.

 

 

[GA Dave]

Believe me, if I could afford it, I would skip The Haven as well and do this:

 

Savannah

 

[tomservo]

1 hour ago, April42749 said:

You, dear friend, are what I call "a value shopper".....getting the best quality for YOUR taste at the best price.

 

 

 

You're right, value is probably a better word than frugal.

[SailBreakaway]

This is a very subjective and hot topic, however I want to share my experience with you, as it may be beneficial to someone.

 

In 2014, we were INVITED to upgrade to a Haven category room for the first time, we had been balcony cruisers prior and very happy.  At the time, the upgrade department set upgrade prices and invited guests to upgrade to Haven for a set cost.  These were the days I'll tell you, prior to the FDR era btw.  That program is long gone.  Since then we paid for Haven several times from 2015-2018, when prices were lower as demand and popularity was lower in Haven.  Since May of 2018, we have not been in the Haven. The pricing is too great, as for one booking, we could sail two or more sailings in a Mini Suite.  We have found what we like to think is a sweet spot in the product without the 5 figure Haven costs.  We book an Aft Balcony or a Mini Suite, we then add Thermal Spa passes, Specialty Dining for all nights (and then some depending not he ship), drink package of course, and purchase Vibe passes (being Plat helps with this first come first serve and priority embark/debark perks).  This gives us a GREAT experience, and for that cost we cruise twice instead of once.  I'll also tell you, and you can tell by my signature, that we have since sailed MSC Yacht Club once, and are booked 3-4 more times through end of 2020 (and two NCL sailings).  

 

To each his own.  Haven is a remarkable experience and one that has created amazing memories for my family and I and we are truly blessed to have had those experiences.  

 

As a side note, I've noticed that Haven pricing in Miami has been more competitive lately (hmm wonder why?!?) especially during some of the slower months, and it is reminiscent of pricing out of NY some years ago.  NY Haven pricing, will probably never see any relent, due to the very high demand, deep pocket market,  and low inventory of that experience.

[ollienbertsmum]

1 hour ago, SailBreakaway said:

This is a very subjective and hot topic, however I want to share my experience with you, as it may be beneficial to someone.

 

In 2014, we were INVITED to upgrade to a Haven category room for the first time, we had been balcony cruisers prior and very happy.  At the time, the upgrade department set upgrade prices and invited guests to upgrade to Haven for a set cost.  These were the days I'll tell you, prior to the FDR era btw.  That program is long gone.  Since then we paid for Haven several times from 2015-2018, when prices were lower as demand and popularity was lower in Haven.  Since May of 2018, we have not been in the Haven. The pricing is too great, as for one booking, we could sail two or more sailings in a Mini Suite.  We have found what we like to think is a sweet spot in the product without the 5 figure Haven costs.  We book an Aft Balcony or a Mini Suite, we then add Thermal Spa passes, Specialty Dining for all nights (and then some depending not he ship), drink package of course, and purchase Vibe passes (being Plat helps with this first come first serve and priority embark/debark perks).  This gives us a GREAT experience, and for that cost we cruise twice instead of once.  I'll also tell you, and you can tell by my signature, that we have since sailed MSC Yacht Club once, and are booked 3-4 more times through end of 2020 (and two NCL sailings).  

 

To each his own.  Haven is a remarkable experience and one that has created amazing memories for my family and I and we are truly blessed to have had those experiences.  

 

As a side note, I've noticed that Haven pricing in Miami has been more competitive lately (hmm wonder why?!?) especially during some of the slower months, and it is reminiscent of pricing out of NY some years ago.  NY Haven pricing, will probably never see any relent, due to the very high demand, deep pocket market,  and low inventory of that experience.

 

You know I never really thought of the speciality dining as off-setting as it were the need to go into the Haven.  I didn’t buy the dining package on my last cruise.  We are always happy with the MDR, but I did have 3 speciality meals on one of my Epic cruises and I did enjoy them.    

 

On the Star we were Fwd and frequently went along the deck 12 corridors to get to what we wanted to do Aft.  If we were taking that route in the morning we saw inside lots of spacious rooms because they were being cleaned.  In the afternoon we noticed the left overs of fancy snacks outside some rooms.  Were these HAven rooms?  

 

To be honest I was not at all envious.  I was having a great time in my ‘tucked away behind the theatre’ deck 5 porthole.  I am just curious. In the Epic I have never known where the Haven was.  I feel like it must have like an entrance to the Hogwarts train.  After 4 cruises on that ship, how could I never have noticed what must be a fairly decent footprint.  

[tomservo]

2 hours ago, SailBreakaway said:

We have found what we like to think is a sweet spot in the product without the 5 figure Haven costs.  We book an Aft Balcony or a Mini Suite, we then add Thermal Spa passes, Specialty Dining for all nights (and then some depending not he ship), drink package of course, and purchase Vibe passes (being Plat helps with this first come first serve and priority embark/debark perks).  This gives us a GREAT experience, and for that cost we cruise twice instead of once.

 

I know people do it but I think paying 5 figures for the Haven is nuts. As I said earlier in the thread I have no interest in paying more than 800-850/night in the Haven.

 

I will say that when we hit Platinum, some of the perks will overlap and we may not be sailing in the Haven as much and rely more on bidding than direct bookings, especially if the prices keep climbing...

[graphicguy]

I agree.  Paying 5 figures for a single Haven Suite is ridiculous.

 

I've mentioned before, I've never paid more than mid $4 thousands, all in.  And, that's usually in a Haven Spa Suite, which includes the Thermal Spa (for those ships that have them), which is one of my favorite areas on the ship.  I easily spend a couple of hours/day in the Thermal Spa....reading, just lounging on the heated loungers, overlooking the water...jumping into the jetted pool every once in a while.

 

Since I've become Platinum I've sailed on the new ships (more specifically, the Escape).  I have taken a tour of the Escape Haven.  It is stunning with a large Haven Restaurant on a separate floor.  That will be my next Haven cruise in all probability.

 

That said, the Platinum benefits are very much appreciated in a balcony cabin, too.  They make for a more enjoyable experience when you're not in the Haven.

 

Still, nothing quite like the Haven experience, IMHO!

[Georgia_Peaches]

4 hours ago, GA Dave said:

Believe me, if I could afford it, I would skip The Haven as well and do this:

 

Sheesh!  Now you're talkin'...I'm in!

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

  Paying 5 figures for a single Haven Suite is ridiculous.

 

I agree with this and that's the reason why we didn't paid $10000 for a week on the Epic and booked the then brand new MSC Meraviglia instead. 

[sverigecruiser]

8 hours ago, graphicguy said:

But, those who are booking Haven for $7K, $8K, $9K or more for a two person suite aren’t very good at doing even a little research.

 

What do you mean with this? Do you mean research different dates or different ways to book the cruise?

 

I have no reason to research dates I'm not interested to cruise but I'm defenitely willing to research different ways to book the cruise.

[graphicguy]

3 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I agree with this and that's the reason why we didn't paid $10000 for a week on the Epic and booked the then brand new MSC Meraviglia instead. 

Been on the Meriviglia.  Nice ship.  It was about 18-20 months ago,  but the YC fare wasn’t less expensive than any Haven Suite I’ve sailed.  

 

The only time I had a YC suite that was less expensive than the Haven was on the Divina out of Miami over a couple of years ago.  MSC only had the Divina sailing in North America at the time and they were pushing cheap fares to establish MSC here.  
 

You and I have had this discussion before.  For some reason, North American ship fares seem to cost more when booked in Europe.

 

If the timing doesn’t work, no cruise on any cruise line will work.

[MizDemeanor]

Have never had a time in The Haven that I didn't like, or thought was the same as Non Haven on NCL. I have had upper end Suites on Celebrity and found service levels to be terrible, so my money goes to Haven first. 

 

Having said that, right now to Bermuda, $1,999 for Haven Cabins. Aft Cabins were at this price, Foward cabins are/were at this price. Courtyard are still at this price. 

 

The gripe about menus not changing are sort of silly, the menus in the specialty venues don't change either and you can order from the MDR menu any time you want in Haven. 

 

Try it you'll like it.

[Cruising89143]

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I agree with this and that's the reason why we didn't paid $10000 for a week on the Epic and booked the then brand new MSC Meraviglia instead. 

 

We booked the new MSC Grandiosa this week out of Barcelona for next spring. I priced the Epic out of Barcelona. YC versus Haven. The Epic came in at over two grand more. Not worth it IMHO. This will be our first time on MSC. We love Celebrity. Our favorite cruise line thus far but I’m over paying the prices on X. 

[sverigecruiser]

4 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Been on the Meriviglia.  Nice ship.  It was about 18-20 months ago,  but the YC fare wasn’t less expensive than any Haven Suite I’ve sailed.  

 

 

In July 2017 the price difference was close to $3500 for us.

[sverigecruiser]

4 hours ago, graphicguy said:

If the timing doesn’t work, no cruise on any cruise line will work.

 

The difference may be that MSC is much cheaper when the timing works for us.

[Hotspring]

 

Do not forget that the Haven is about the only place on most ships in which you can get a real king size bed that is comfortable.  

At best the rest of the cabins have a couple of miniaturized twin beds slide together for the master bed.  Hardly as comfortable.

Also Haven cabins get a cloth comforter protector for luggage, while the other cabins have plastic roll up things rolled on to the bed.  

 

Finally time is money, does one want wait in line for hours to get ensure getting into the entertainment venues, when a  Haven person only needs to show up by 15 minutes to show time and have their choice of seats.   

 

This in addition to what has been mentioned.

[tomservo]

18 hours ago, graphicguy said:

 I have taken a tour of the Escape Haven.  It is stunning with a large Haven Restaurant on a separate floor.  That will be my next Haven cruise in all probability.

 

Have you done the Haven on the Bliss? I looked at the Escape deck plans and pics, honestly the lounge and courtyard didn't look any bigger than on the Getaway. The restaurant though is much bigger and has the outdoor seating which is nice, but the sundeck looked about the same size as well. Have you been in the Haven on the Breakaway/Getaway? How did it compare?

On the Bliss the Haven looks much bigger. The 2-story lounge is much bigger, it has the Haven Observation deck, and the sundeck is much bigger. 

[tomservo]

17 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

What do you mean with this? Do you mean research different dates or different ways to book the cruise?

 

I think he meant different dates.

 

[tomservo]

11 hours ago, cruisingator2 said:

We love Celebrity. Our favorite cruise line thus far but I’m over paying the prices on X. 

 

I just cancelled 2 X cruises due to timing issues that I booked a year ago. They've gotten so much more expensive now!

[brookie848]

1 hour ago, tomservo said:

 

Have you done the Haven on the Bliss? I looked at the Escape deck plans and pics, honestly the lounge and courtyard didn't look any bigger than on the Getaway. The restaurant though is much bigger and has the outdoor seating which is nice, but the sundeck looked about the same size as well. Have you been in the Haven on the Breakaway/Getaway? How did it compare?

On the Bliss the Haven looks much bigger. The 2-story lounge is much bigger, it has the Haven Observation deck, and the sundeck is much bigger. 

I've been on the Escape and the Getaway. I think the lounge/courtyard area is about the same on both. One nice thing about the Escape is that the Haven "indoor" deck is two stories above the courtyard, so that can dampen the noise some. It also has the roof, which makes it nice if the weather isn't cooperating (the Breakaway has this, too). 

 

I've been the on the Escape, Epic and Getaway and the Getaway was my least favorite Haven.

 

We've only sailed in the Haven/suites and NCL and the Haven is the right mix to make us happy. We like the bigger cabins and the priority on/off the ship. We really, really appreciate the casual atmosphere on NCL's ships. And I admit, we like the afternoon snacks. 😁

 

However, prices continue to rise and there will be a point where we won't be willing to pay them. We're not there yet, but we're getting close.