Sell me on the Haven

[Sthrngary]

2 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

I think that a lot depends on what you do and where you spend your time.

 

For example, I just don't feel that hustle and bustle that others talk of. On the larger ships we often spend time playing cards during the day at bars in the main public areas (for example Maltings on the Breakaway). Often the bar isn't open but the Waterfront one will be.

 

Getting away from the crowds isn't something that I ever feel the need to do. For others it is probably a big issue.

You make a very good point.  The real key to a GREAT cruise vacation is how you approach it. You found a place to enjoy friends and company while playing cards on the Waterfront.  Smart and good planning.  I love to write about the Haven and help folks with their questions.  It is fun for me during this down time.  However, sometimes I lose myself in the concept and notion.

 

The truth is, the Haven give me the feeling, for one week a year, that I am kind of a "Rock Star".  Kind of silly really.  Little things make the trip worth it for me.  Other folks including some times my family, think I am just nuts.  Things like going down the service elevator for port days so you are off the ship in less then 60 seconds with no lines.  My server in the Haven restaurant knowing my name and serving me more then once like the old days.  The Haven Bartender seeing me coming and having my favorite drink waiting.  The Haven Consigliere getting me a specialty restaurant reservation when they are all sold out. Not only having room service, having the food from the Haven Restaurant.  

 

The question is, "Is it worth the premium?"  Depends on if those kinds of things are really important to you.  When I was younger, it was not important to me at all.  As I got older, it became very important.  Cruise are what we make of them, they never go perfectly so we all have to make choices on what makes it great for us.  To Each Their Own.  Cruise well everyone.

[graphicguy]

50 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Good to know you were on the Joy. That is the ship we will be sailing on for our September cruise. One concern I have, specific to the Joy, is that it has a lot more "Haven" rooms than the typical Breakaway Plus class ship, due to nearly all of the formerly "Concierge Suite" (or whatever they were called) rooms now being converted to Haven rooms. I am concerned about the Haven areas being more crowded.

Thought about that myself.  But, from what I understand, the Haven areas are bigger, too.  The Haven restaurant is larger.  The Observation Room (which I've never seen on any of the other NCL ships I've sailed) is larger.  The Haven Restaurant/Bar is larger.  The outdoor areas are larger.

 

How much larger?  I don't know.  Given the Joy was the only ship that had a "Concierge Cabin" vs all the other ships, I'm wondering if those cabins were already taken into account as "Haven Areas" already?

 

Other differences, you don't have to fret about restaurant or entertainment reservations, ever.  Concierge takes care of all of that, even in a "sold out" restaurant/show.  Got a billing issue?  No need to stand in line at Customer Services.  Got WiFi issues?  Again, all of that taken care of by the concierge.

 

Want special snacks delivered to your cabin?  Want extra ice?  Want special pillows?  Want more towels?  Want dinner SERVED in your cabin by one of the specialty restaurants?  Butler takes care of all of that.

 

There's so much the Haven has to offer, I find it difficult to sail any other way (although I have).

[Trimone]

The main problem with the Haven is price, I have a Haven room booked for September at the older pricing, looking now at the latest prices, I would have to consider going for a more luxurious brand of cruise line.

[KeithJenner]

25 minutes ago, Trimone said:

The main problem with the Haven is price, I have a Haven room booked for September at the older pricing, looking now at the latest prices, I would have to consider going for a more luxurious brand of cruise line.

I was just pricing up the Epic for 2023. The cheapest Haven Suite is over double the price of an aft balcony, and not far off three times an inside.

 

Give me two cruises in an aft balcony over one in the Haven any day. 🙂

[FLcruisergrl]

I won’t cruise on NCL unless I’m in a suite or the Haven. I’m not someone who likes crowds or standing in line. The Haven solves that for me. Coming back to the dock, hot and tired, and seeing a ton of people trying to get back on the ship and knowing there will be a Butler to escort me through all of that and right to security on the ship make the price worth it. Having the restaurant that will make me whatever I want (within reason), whether it’s on the menu or not. Having the butler fill the fruit bowl with only red grapes because he noticed we ate all of those and left the other fruit...it’s the little, special things that really make it worth it!

Edited May 4, 2021 by FLcruisergrl

[valleyvillage]

JamieLogical thanks for this post! It's so nice to read about all the things we love about cruising instead of the volatile, political, complaining, fatalistic stuff. Not that there's anything wrong with that! 😀 

We are crazy about the Haven, both on Bliss and on Joy. We loved the Haven Restaurant on Bliss, but on Joy they had a kitchen fire just before our cruise and so we had breakfast and lunch in Cagneys. But they managed to transfer the whole Haven experience to Cagneys, just for those meals. They also gave us 7 specialty dinners, since there was no Haven Restaurant for dinner. Still had a great time.

I will be interested to hear from folks who cruise Joy Haven who have cruised before the great concierge class switcheroo. 

[Sthrngary]

5 minutes ago, FLcruisergrl said:

I won’t cruise on NCL unless I’m in a suite or the Haven. I’m not someone who likes crowds or standing in line. The Haven solves that for me. Coming back to the dock, hot and tired, and seeing a ton of people trying to get back on the ship and knowing there will be a Butler to escort me through all of that and right to security on the ship make the price worth it. Having the restaurant that will make me whatever I want (within reason), whether it’s on the menu or not. Having the fill the fruit bowl with only red grapes because he noticed we ate all of those and left the other fruit...it’s the little, special things that really make it worth it!

Well done, bravo.  

[Two Wheels Only]

2 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

One concern I have, specific to the Joy, is that it has a lot more "Haven" rooms than the typical Breakaway Plus class ship, due to nearly all of the formerly "Concierge Suite" (or whatever they were called) rooms now being converted to Haven rooms. I am concerned about the Haven areas being more crowded

 

That's a valid concern that (for now) nobody can answer. We don't even know what "normal" will be in the future.

 

Worst case scenario, 118 staterooms will have Haven access. How full the Haven will feel can fluctuate even on BA Plus ships that have fewer suites.

 

I would probably still take a suite on Joy but leading up to the cruise, I'd be on the lookout for reviews that give details on how crowded this particular Haven is.

 

Edited May 4, 2021 by Two Wheels Only

[MsTabbyKats]

One thing to note (which may be irrelevant) is that people book the Haven to "get away from it all".  I've read more than one review where people complained about children/families or a few loud people "taking over" the place.

 

 

[Sthrngary]

43 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

One thing to note (which may be irrelevant) is that people book the Haven to "get away from it all".  I've read more than one review where people complained about children/families or a few loud people "taking over" the place.

 

 

Allow me to address this since I was one of the folks that included comments on Children in the Haven. 

 

First, my "Secrets of the Haven Luxury Experience" document was 10 pages long.  Two sentences addressed children in the Haven.  I must have struck a nerve because I had some angry parents all claiming their children were perfect. 

 

Second, the issue is not with children, it is with their parents whom are no where to be found.  They expect the enclosed Haven Courtyard to be their baby sitter.  Most of the children are well behaved.  Some are not.  The crew can not address the issue.

 

Third, this happens mostly on Thanksgiving, Spring Break and Christmas cruises which are the ones that score the most families.  

 

Fourth, when the Haven Courtyard is a kids zone, simply go to the Haven Sundeck which on the Joy is deck 19.  It is 16 and older and has the biggest and best two hot tubs on the ship. 

 

I cruised with my kids when they were young.  They were either with us, or in the cruise camp.  The issue is not every parent thinks that way.  

 

The bottom line, it is rarely an issue.  I hope I helped this topic.  

[JamieLogical]

49 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

One thing to note (which may be irrelevant) is that people book the Haven to "get away from it all".  I've read more than one review where people complained about children/families or a few loud people "taking over" the place.

 

 

 

Well, NCL is requiring passengers to be fully vaccinated to sail in September. 12-15 year olds may be eligible as early as next week, but the earliest estimates I have heard for children younger than that is September for first doses. Plus, my sailing is after the traditional start of school in the US and it departs from Jamaica, so passengers will need passports. I feel like all of those factors should severely limit the presence of children on board.

[JustAPilot]

Honestly from what you are telling us I don’t think you would benefit that much for what you get. You don’t like being near the pool and prefer shade so finding a lounger for you won’t be a problem in the regular sections. You like drinking onboard so getting the upgraded drink package might be a better use of your money.
 

Are you a foodie or do you prefer eating pizza for lunch? We can’t stand waiting in line at a buffet nor do we like buffet dining and feeling rushed so the Haven restaurant is a nice bonus and the dishes are higher caliber then the other restaurants plus you can order what ever you want.
 

Now if the funds are not a concern then you should experience Haven at least once and judge for yourself. 

Edited May 5, 2021 by JustAPilot

[JamieLogical]

6 minutes ago, JustAPilot said:

Honestly from what you are telling us I don’t think you would benefit that much for what you get. You don’t like being near the pool and prefer shade so finding a lounger for you won’t be a problem in the regular sections. You like drinking onboard so getting the upgraded drink package might be a better use of your money.
 

Are you a foodie or do you prefer eating pizza for lunch? We can’t stand waiting in line at a buffet nor do we like buffet dining and feeling rushed so the Heaven restaurant is a nice bonus and the dishes are higher caliber then the other restaurants plus you can order what ever you want.
 

Now if the funds are not a concern then you should experience Heaven at least once and judge for yourself. 

 

We usually avoid the buffet except for late night snack when nachos, floppy pizza, or cookies can really hit the spot. We usually stick to the MDRs or O'sheehan's/The Local for breakfast and lunch. We also liked to lunch at Margaritaville at least once, but that's no longer an option.

 

Dinners are always specialty restaurants or MDRs.

[ceilidh1]

4 hours ago, FLcruisergrl said:

Coming back to the dock, hot and tired, and seeing a ton of people trying to get back on the ship and knowing there will be a Butler to escort me through all of that and right to security on the ship make the price worth it. 

Curious - how do you arrange that? This was an aspect we never made use of and didn't know it was an option!

[MaryZ]

You can sit up on the sundeck under an umbrella.  Or you can sit in the lounge area or up above the pool or by the pool.  
Restaurant is excellent.  Especially breakfast.   You can order whatever you'd like to your cabin.  Tell the butler if you want certain snacks all the time. 
The bartenders are wonderful.  Most of the people you'll be seeing daily are fun to be with.
Now for the Joy, the racetrack is better than Encore & Bliss.  If you like the arcade, it's better than on the Bliss or Encore.  We spent a lot of time on the sun deck and even in the hot tub on Joy.  We spent very little time outside of Haven.  We basically sheltered due to people coughing and we were aware of the upcoming covid issues.   We both had been sick in January and early February so if anyone was coughing anywhere, we left.   There were a lot of people coughing on that cruise. 
The observation lounge is slightly smaller for Haven.  But it's still wonderful.
We did the last Panama Canal cruise on the Joy that ended 3/1/20 so the cabins you speak of were not part of Haven.  I do believe it's going to definitely affect the Haven. 
With than in mind our next trip in Haven is in an aft haven suite so we have our own space. 
One of the things we enjoy most is getting off the ship or back on the ship during port days.  Especially in Europe.   So we will see how different it's going to be with extra cabins added.  The Escape has a nice size Haven but I do think it's going to be much busier with the additional cabins.
We enjoy the fact that everyone does their job well and we feel we are being catered to.    We sail in all different categories of cabins on all lines and enjoy them all. 

[RolandofGilead]

What I enjoyed about the haven is the feeling of a small community within the ship. I am a social person and enjoy meeting new people but prefer to have a little bit more sustained engagement. I generally stick to a somewhat set pattern in my day and was able to get to know a few groups of people that would be typically in the same places as me at different parts of the day. I had some great conversation with people at the bar at night after the kids were asleep. I enjoyed being able to meet people with different perspectives and from different stages in their lives.

[gmbhardy]

Jamie, I’ve read many of your posts and it’s very clear, like,  me you absolutely love cruising cruising and are particularly fond of the NCL experience. You owe it to yourself to try the Haven and form your own conclusions. I like the Haven because it’s as casual as the rest of the ship. I find the atmosphere to be nice, not pretentious. Shorts and sandals in the dining room for supper no problem and by the way the Haven restaurant is the best by far on the ship. As mentioned by many posters, the Haven bar is exceptional. The bartenders are mixologists not drink makers. Service is outstanding and the common areas are generally not crowded.  Prior to the pandemic we would alternate between the Haven and balcony rooms but from now on its Haven all the way (if we ever get cruising again). Life is short and fragile, if you can afford it, go for it.   

[Blueberry89]

I’m still waiting for my first Haven experience having had two trans Atlantic’s cancelled 😿 We have done a suite on a non Haven ship (The Star I think) and with our platinum status we felt we were treated like royalty. We’ve done the Vibe on the larger ships so I imagine the Haven is the perfect combination of the two. 
 

We’re booked on the Encore through the Panama Canal next April in the Haven. I can’t wait!

[complawyer]

the heading read sell me on the haven.  bro, book a haven and (1) it will sell itself (2) as i've said many times before, you'll never be happy with anything less.

 

i dont want to sound like a rah rah travel agent (im not) just a haven fan.

 

it starts when you first get through the security checkpoint. while 3-4000 of your closest friends are waiting to either check in, or be allowed to get on the ship, you are directed to a private room, with cookies, refreshments, etc. your room keys are laid out in alphabetical order in neat little envelopes.

 

after about 15 minutes, the concierge comes and gets you to take you on board (all this while all those thousands of friends are still clustered in lines.  

 

the concierge takes you by private elevator to the haven private restaurant/bar.

 

while all the others who have finally made it on board are herded into the buffet line to try and find seats and plates.  while you are enjoying a quiet meal, and a calming drink, the others are being bombarded with offers of the daily  drink special, at an outrageous price, but good news... you can keep the plastic glass. more s**t to pack when the cruise is over,

 

while most cabins are not ready for occupancy until after 2:00 P.M., ( this is wonderful if youre traveling with small, tired, screaming children,  your haven room has probably been made ready. when you get there (i cant swear for everyone) but we've been greeted by the butler and cabin steward,

 

tell the butler what you prefer and for the rest of the cruise, your wish (within reason) will be his command.

 

same with the cabin steward.  my major request from him is that he always bring extra bath towels,and to empty the mini fridge to avoid temptation.

 

it also doesnt hurt your relationship if you slip him a $20 at the start. prior to all this, im sure that the concierge has already introduced himself/herself.  if you have any special requests/ or want dinner reservations, or specific shore excursions, now is the time to tell him.

 

as for the butler.. nothing beats coming back from a long hot shore excursion, flopping down on your balcony and having him bring an ice cold beer.  forget "HAVEN" this is "HEAVEN"

 

the clincher for me is on disembarkation day. remember your 3-4000 closest friends getting on the ship?  well guess what.. they all need to get off also.  you can make prior arrangements with the concierge to meet up and he can get you right off the ship, to your luggage area through through the customs officials and into a cab while all those thousands of other friends are still standing on the stairwells waiting their turn.  That alone,my friend is more than worth the price of admission.

 

sorry for this long post, but again,if i cant get a haven,or at the very least a suite when there is no haven, i aint going.

 

whatever you choose, stay safe and most importantly .... bon voyage

[SFO-F/A]

I am not a fan of paying 2-3 times the cost of a club room balcony to get a Haven suite.

 I've heard about the issue with kids gone wild!  Parents ignoring them as they scream and run amuck disturbing guests who want peace.  I've read this is a frequent problem and the staff do nothing. 

It all depends on your comfort level, if you have kids and don't mind them, go for it. 

It depends on your willingness to spend hard earned money or if you have unlimited funds. 

For me, a nice club balcony, is great, a relaxing aft balcony is great.  I'd take 2-3 trips on one of those rather than 1 haven trip anyday....  but if money was not an issue, perhaps I'd try the Haven.

I'd just be really bummed if loud, obnoxious children ruin my cruise.  

BTW, kids on cruise ships never bother me.....they are in the kids club or not in my space.

In the Haven....they are there...

[KeithJenner]

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

the clincher for me is on disembarkation day. remember your 3-4000 closest friends getting on the ship?  well guess what.. they all need to get off also.  you can make prior arrangements with the concierge to meet up and he can get you right off the ship, to your luggage area through through the customs officials and into a cab while all those thousands of other friends are still standing on the stairwells waiting their turn.  That alone,my friend is more than worth the price of admission.

This is one of the things that would hold a value to me on some cruises, and on those cruises I would pay a bit to avoid the queues.

 

However, it’s worth pointing out that it is solving a problem that doesn’t exist in a lot of places (specifically Europe, but I’m sure other places as well).

 

In Miami, yes I’d love to avoid that queue.

[Trimone]

In reality the Haven is what cruising was thirty year’s ago, people paying attention and doing their job, to the best of their ability.

Cruises thirty years ago were much more exclusive, people dressed for dinner, you felt special.

The Haven now is too expensive for a middle of the road brand cruise ship, for the price you can book an five star brand, where good service is throughout the ship, not just on the top two floors.

[sverigecruiser]

3 hours ago, Trimone said:

 

The Haven now is too expensive for a middle of the road brand cruise ship, for the price you can book an five star brand, where good service is throughout the ship, not just on the top two floors.

 

I agree that the Haven is too expensive now but when I have researched the five star brands still cost more. I prefer the more relaxed service on the "cheaper" cruiselines. I like the excellent service in the Haven or the Yacht Club but sometimes I think that it's too much and then it's nice to leave the Haven/Yacht Club and go somewhere else.

[WarfRatWA]

12 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Well, NCL is requiring passengers to be fully vaccinated to sail in September. 12-15 year olds may be eligible as early as next week, but the earliest estimates I have heard for children younger than that is September for first doses. Plus, my sailing is after the traditional start of school in the US and it departs from Jamaica, so passengers will need passports. I feel like all of those factors should severely limit the presence of children on board.

Economics permitting, go for it.  If you really need to crunch the numbers, look for those shoulder season sailings where prices tend to be a bit cheaper.  Case in point, we are booked in H2 on the NCL joy, the 3rd week of January 2022.  We got a phenomenal price on the H2, lower than what we would normally pay for an H5/6.  You can also opt to stay in a Haven Room outside the Haven Complex to drive the price down a bit.  Though, for me, I like it in the complex.

 

The greatest benefit to me, is crowd control.  I love the big ships for all they have to offer, except the requisite crowds.  Entering the Haven complex literally melts all that crowd stress and noise away. 

 

You mentioned you are not a big pool person and others have talked about kids in the Haven pool.  I, personally have never had a negative child experience in the Haven pool, though I am quite certain it happens.  On the NCL Joy, you have the sundeck which I believe 16+.  The highest sundeck on the ship.  There is also the Haven Observation lounge and library which are perfect locations for a book and a cocktail/glass of wine.

 

If you make to the Haven bar, order up a Smokey Old Fashioned, enjoy the cocktail and the show.

 

The only down side to the Haven is that once you stay there, you'll refuse to stay elsewhere.

 

I hope you go for it...to me, its what cruising is all about.

[Fabulous97]

We went in the Haven on the Epic a few years ago. We were booked on a balcony cabin with myself, OH and my Mother. For some reason I looked on the NCL website about 10 days before we went and they had two bedroom/2 bathroom suites available for approx £1k more than the balcony for all three of us in total. I thought I would chance it and call NCL to see if we could change and pay the difference (nothing ventured, nothing gained).

 

They agreed and the cabin was changed. It was fantastic from start to finish, the bar staff were so attentive, it was quiet and the Haven restaurant superb. Mother loved coming back to the cabin to see what "treats" had been left for her. The staff made such a fuss of her and made her feel really special, it was the first time she had been cruising since my Father had passed away. It is definitely a ship within a ship. To be able to have a decent cup of tea is very important to us English!

 

Since then it has always been a bit too expensive to warrant the cost. I think that time the cruise gods were looking down at us. I think I literally had to drag my Mother off the ship!

 

If I could do it again I would. The highs are plenty of sunbeds and space, proper glasses in the lounging area. Attentive staff, Haven restaurant (lovely food and service) Haven bar, proper mixologist and Fever Tree tonic. Getting the best seats for shows, being escorted onto the ship and no queues. Sail away canapes, ice creams offered. I know some of these things seem very small we all just felt very spoilt!