Suite Smackdown – Who does it better? Celebrity Retreat vs. Norwegian Haven!

[Seany527]

The Winner

 
So who does a better job? Is there a better value between the two brands? It’s not an easy answer but I hope the information above will be helpful to you when making a selection.
Personally, with a choice between the two, I would choose the Haven over the Retreat. The Haven wins in both overall experience and value. Here’s why...

I believe Celebrity already does an amazing job and excels at service and food throughout their ships and in their main dining rooms. Moving from a traditional cabin to a suite offers little overall benefit. The experience is already so refined, it’s difficult to improve upon. Of course, everything always has room for some improvement but overall, Celebrity gets it and provides a great cruise vacation no matter what price you pay or what room category you sail in.  I don’t see the additional perks Celebrity is offering in the Retreat as added value because I already enjoy the overall brand experience so much.

With Norwegian, comparing the traditional cabin to a suite, there is a huge step up. Norwegian also offers a good overall product but they do have more areas they can improve upon. Personalized service, food preparation and the like have always been enjoyable but when you move into the Haven, the cruise experience is taken to the next level. But, their true selling point is their ship within a ship experience.  You can have the choice to stay within the Haven complex with a limited number of guests, never venturing out until your cruise is over. If you do want to leave to attend a show or play trivia, the option is there for you, and that’s what cruising with Norwegian is all about…doing what you want, when you want to.  I guess that’s why they call if “Freestyle” cruising. 

 

I hope you enjoyed this comparison.  If you haven’t already left a comment and you’ve sailed between these two lines, I’d love to hear what you think as well.

[goldsmip115]

In my humble opinion your conclusion TOTALLY missed the mark.  But, those are my personal values for a cruise.  I personally think NCL is an inferior product across the board and especially comparing the Haven to the Retreat.  It’s great to have a totally encapsulated suite experience but not at the expense of far superior food and dining experiences and butler and suite service.  I’ve often said that I was loyal NCL and the suite experience because I didn’t know better.  Gratefully now I do.

[KAE27]

Thanks for taking the time to make this thread, @Seany527!  It's fascinating, and you've done a thorough and well-organized job in presenting a lot of useful information.

[Seany527]

On 9/19/2021 at 2:43 PM, DrKoob said:

One comment, one question.

 

Question: If you are going to spend the $$$ to get into The Retreat or The Haven, why wouldn't you just take the same $$$ and go to one of the luxury lines. We (after 20+ Celebrity cruises) are leaving to go to Viking Ocean. Price for a stateroom slightly larger than a Sky Suite is less than that same Sky Suite on most voyages. And on Viking Ocean I never have to worry about a lot of what I see people worrying about on this thread; there are no kids, no upselling in the spa, no smoking, full access to all restaurants, free shore excursions in every port, no gambling, no art auctions, no pushy (and really horrible) ship's photographers. 

 

I have absolutely no first hand experience but from what I’ve read...they have strict/annoying dress codes and the activities/entertainment is mediocre.  
I would love to try one eventually, just to experience it. 

[SireDoime]

On 9/18/2021 at 1:25 PM, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Celebrity's higher-end suites are hard to beat.

Has anyone here ever sailed Regent? They do have them all (CxC, YC, MSC) beat... but then again, Regent is in a very different class than the aforementioned.

 

But CxC does have great food, as well. I love Tuscan Grill and Murano.

[SireDoime]

5 hours ago, Seany527 said:

I have absolutely no first hand experience but from what I’ve read...they have strict/annoying dress codes and the activities/entertainment is mediocre.  

Yeah, true. From what I gather luxury lines cater to the retirees who have done all the fun stuff and now they just spend the rest of their life in fancy-foo-foo comfort on a fancy ship. But the upside: it's about being catered to and pampered. 

[Cruise a holic]

Having sailed on the Edge and NCL Breakaway- hands down that Celebrity is a better more cost effective choice.  Never sailed on MSC- but from what I read- not that appealing.  May try Oceania.  If you leave the Haven on NCL- it is so crowded.

[Big_G]

Thanks @Seany527. Good read. We switch back and forth between Royal and Celebrity suites. Two completely different experiences. We may have to branch out after reading this.

[Hlitner]

8 hours ago, SireDoime said:

Has anyone here ever sailed Regent? They do have them all (CxC, YC, MSC) beat... but then again, Regent is in a very different class than the aforementioned.

 

But CxC does have great food, as well. I love Tuscan Grill and Murano.

You are going into an entirely different cruise world when you set foot on Regent, Seabourn, Silverseas, or Crystal.  The ships are smaller, the passenger/crew ratios are much better, the space ratio is usually at least 50% higher (meaning nothing is ever crowded), and the service is over the top.  There is no need for your cruise card, wrist bands, etc because everyone on the luxury lines is treated in a similar manner.  

 

I should add that the luxury lines have good (sometimes great) food.  And consider that if I am on X and go to a bar (with a premium beverage package) I will usually find a limited top shelf selection of single malts, cognacs, etc.  If I want Orange Juice, grapefruit juice, etc. I know that it will truly be freshly squeezed on the luxury lines.  When I get a margarita I know they will be using fresh squeezed lime (not even sure they have Rose's on the luxury lines).  On the luxury lines there are more options.  On those lines folks can also enjoy items like caviar at no additional cost (I probably ate $1000 of caviar on my recent Seabourn cruise).

 

But there is also a downside to the luxury lines and it is entertainment.  If we are cruising in the Yacht Club (we love MSCs YC) we can go outside the YC enclave and have our choice of numerous entertainment options (later at night it is common to have 3 or 4 different bands/entertainers working at the same time in different lounges).  Make no mistake that the luxury lines are more sedate (laid back) then cruising on X.  While this suits us, it may not suit some other folks (particularly the younger cruisers).  And kids/teens programs on luxury line are either non-existent or not even close to what you find on lines like MSC, NCL and X.

 

I like to point out one huge difference with the luxury lines is that there are no queues....for anything!  Tender tickets?  No...you just walk down to the tender area and get on the next tender.  When coming back to the ship at a tender port there are no long lines to get on a tender.  We have been on mass market lines (including X) where tendering involves more then an hour (or a lot longer) of waiting.   I will give MSC some credit because when in the Yacht Club you can always have a Butler take you down an express elevator and quickly get you off the ship.  And when we return to the ship (when docked) there is often a separate entrance open for the YC (near the elevators that whisk you up to the YC area).

 

Hank

Hank

[gina21764]

On 9/18/2021 at 12:51 PM, pdanza22 said:

thanks for the info, we have our eye on an aft Sky Suite, but not sure if we should pull the trigger yet (it's Mediterranean Aug, 2022)

Hi.  We just booked a Med cruise in July of 2022 in the aft Sky Suite.  We're super excited!!!

[countess5]

Celebrity Hands Down! 

 

Cheers

[LGW59]

On 9/23/2021 at 2:55 AM, SireDoime said:

Yeah, true. From what I gather luxury lines cater to the retirees who have done all the fun stuff and now they just spend the rest of their life in fancy-foo-foo comfort on a fancy ship. But the upside: it's about being catered to and pampered. 

Not spending the rest of my life in “fancy-foo-foo comfort “. But you bet your *** when I go on vacation I utterly enjoy the fruits of my labor.  NCL is not and will not be part of that enjoyment.

[runnerandme]

We have sailed in the Haven twice.   ( 2 bedroom villa).  Service was good not great. We did sail in an Owners suite ( NCL Sun). Service was better, but still not great. Entertainment was outstanding. Cagney’s was great. Buffet quality was poor. Ship was crowded, loud, and we did not enjoy the smoke from the casino. NCL let non Haven guests to use area, mostly families of Haven guests. This made it crowded.

I do think we got better service in other areas of the ship because we were in a suite.

 

We have sailed in  FV, Concierge, Sky Suites and last sailing in a Celebrity Suite. All cruises on Celebrity have been great. Last cruise 8/27/2021, Luminae was outstanding. If I did not like what was on menu, they would adjust to my taste. There was also the option to order off the kids menu that had a great filet that you could cut with your fork ! DH wanted a baked potato and steak-not on menu no problem.

Casino no smoking so that is a plus.  Retreat lounge, we used it a few times. Never many guests.

Martini bar fun,fun.  Guests were treated great no matter where their cabin was..

 

So if  NCL had a super great itinerary, I would book the Haven.  Never a regular cabin.

 

But the clear winner for us and our tastes and likes is Celebrity. 

[goldsmip115]

Amen.  Been there and done it in NCL Haven. Moved on to Celebrity and I hope that I never have to look back!

[Nolanoel]

Thanks so much for creating this thread!  I am booked on the Apex in a Sky Suite….first Celebrity cruise. Have tons of experience on NCL ships..Haven ships, suite ships and last cruise was in the Garden Villa..about 6000 sq ft of living area and 4500 of private deck - going to be hard to ever beat that experience !  I am looking forward to seeing how I like Celebrity.  Already impressed by the all inclusive tip perk and the premium drink package.  A tad concerned about how small the suite is compared to my NCL suites.  I am okay with the idea of the layout not being all in one place.  We rarely spend all our time in the Haven.  I am expecting the entertainment to be so so….but most of NCL’s smaller ships also have so so entertainment.  LOL.  I wish there had been a bit more input from people who actually sailed on both lines instead of throwing in other lines.  I am always amused at folks who dis a cruise line they have never sailed on…you did a good job reviewing the two.  I may have missed it in your review but does Celebrity have coffee makers in their suites?  I am going to have trouble without my espresso in bed.  Lol

[voyager1964]

One aspect that could be important for some guests but is missing in this interesting comparison is the cruise air program. NCL still does not have anything comparable to X/RCL or Princess Air program. Even though the X's Air pricing has apparently gone up.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

2 hours ago, Nolanoel said:

Thanks so much for creating this thread!  I am booked on the Apex in a Sky Suite….first Celebrity cruise. Have tons of experience on NCL ships..Haven ships, suite ships and last cruise was in the Garden Villa..about 6000 sq ft of living area and 4500 of private deck - going to be hard to ever beat that experience !  I am looking forward to seeing how I like Celebrity.  Already impressed by the all inclusive tip perk and the premium drink package.  A tad concerned about how small the suite is compared to my NCL suites.  I am okay with the idea of the layout not being all in one place.  We rarely spend all our time in the Haven.  I am expecting the entertainment to be so so….but most of NCL’s smaller ships also have so so entertainment.  LOL.  I wish there had been a bit more input from people who actually sailed on both lines instead of throwing in other lines.  I am always amused at folks who dis a cruise line they have never sailed on…you did a good job reviewing the two.  I may have missed it in your review but does Celebrity have coffee makers in their suites?  I am going to have trouble without my espresso in bed.  Lol

 

Your butler will be happy to bring you espresso.  And comparing a sky suite to a Garden Villa is like comparing apples and oranges.  For a real comparison, you would have to book a high-end suite on Celebrity.

Edited September 26, 2021 by Happy Cruiser 6143

[LGW59]

18 hours ago, goldsmip115 said:

Amen.  Been there and done it in NCL Haven. Moved on to Celebrity and I hope that I never have to look back!

Norwegian Sun, 14 days Mexican Riviera, PH suite.  I was a guest of a friend who got upgraded because of her casino spending.  Butler was awesome, could not do enough for us.  The suite itself left much to be desired, though it did have a large bathroom w/tub and separate shower and lots of storage.  It included specialty dining which was totally meh in both of our opinions.  Would not do NCL again, Celebrity is IMO a far superior product and staff is amazing.  Next up Oceania.  

[Nolanoel]

22 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Your butler will be happy to bring you espresso.  And comparing a sky suite to a Garden Villa is like comparing apples and oranges.  For a real comparison, you would have to book a high-end suite on Celebrity.

That was one cruise out of many.  I like the freedom of making my own coffee and not having to get up and let someone in my suite.  Also, I get that you love Celebrity…I hope I will as well!  But I don’t get how you can rate a cruise line you stated you have never sailed.  For a real comparison try it and then rate it.

[Nolanoel]

38 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

Edited September 26, 2021 by Nolanoel
Double post

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

8 hours ago, Nolanoel said:

That was one cruise out of many.  I like the freedom of making my own coffee and not having to get up and let someone in my suite.  Also, I get that you love Celebrity…I hope I will as well!  But I don’t get how you can rate a cruise line you stated you have never sailed.  For a real comparison try it and then rate it.

 

Well, I can read and make judgments.  Based on my conversations with others, I don't believe I would care for NCL.  My choice.  I get to decide how to spend my money.  Most telling to me was all the people in the Yacht Clubs on MSC who stated that they would never do the Haven again.

[Nolanoel]

2 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Well, I can read and make judgments.  Based on my conversations with others, I don't believe I would care for NCL.  My choice.  I get to decide how to spend my money.  Most telling to me was all the people in the Yacht Clubs on MSC who stated that they would never do the Haven again.

2 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Well, I can read and make judgments.  Based on my conversations with others, I don't believe I would care for NCL.  My choice.  I get to decide how to spend my money.  Most telling to me was all the people in the Yacht Clubs on MSC who stated that they would never do the Haven again.

Right, of course it's your choice.  I suppose I don't understand leaping in to a thread that is pretty specific.   Haven vs. Retreat (precisely what I was interested in finding out about) and mucking it up by throwing in MSC while definitively stating how you "know" enough about a cruise line you've only read about.... so many topics on cruise critic to choose from and you pick one where you've only been on one side of the fence??  So, it's my "choice" to decide how I like my coffee.....I really want to hear about folks who have sailed both lines in suites.  You are comparing apples to an imaginary fruit that you haven't seen or tasted.   I am booked on the Apex.  I don't even imagine that one sailing will give me enough experience to judge whether or not Celebrity is the best or worst cruise line ever.  Smh

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I wasn't the only one who injected MSC's Yacht Club into the conversation.  I get that you think my opinion is uninformed.  I grant you the right to have your opinion of my opinion.  😁  That will not, however, change my opinion.  And probably not the opinion of those who have sailed in the Haven and the Yacht Club either.  And I don't believe that any of us stated that Celebrity was the best or worst cruise line ever.  Enjoy your cruise, whatever line you decide to cruise on.

[Nolanoel]

59 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

I wasn't the only one who injected MSC's Yacht Club into the conversation.  I get that you think my opinion is uninformed.  I grant you the right to have your opinion of my opinion.  😁  That will not, however, change my opinion.  And probably not the opinion of those who have sailed in the Haven and the Yacht Club either.  And I don't believe that any of us stated that Celebrity was the best or worst cruise line ever.  Enjoy your cruise, whatever line you decide to cruise on.

I don't actually think your opinion is uninformed.  Only as it relates to the differences between the Haven and the Retreat.  I can see by your cruise history that you have a wealth of information and experience on Celebrity!  I was only saying that as the actual topic here is a comparison of the Haven (which I have a wealth of experience with) vs. the Retreat that you can't really make a comparison any more than I can.  I am booked on a Celebrity cruise in the Retreat and am trying to see what is different.  I can't give an informed opinion on the differences as I have never sailed on Celebrity before.  I will say this - I have never experienced screaming children on any NCL cruise.  I believe that is because I rarely book any cruise when kids are out of school.  I can't think of a time when I ran across kids other than in line for the water slides on the larger ships.    LOL   Truthfully, my expectation is that Celebrity is going to be notch above NCL in most areas.  I am eager to try it.  What's the entertainment like?  

[LGW59]

28 minutes ago, Nolanoel said:

I don't actually think your opinion is uninformed.  Only as it relates to the differences between the Haven and the Retreat.  I can see by your cruise history that you have a wealth of information and experience on Celebrity!  I was only saying that as the actual topic here is a comparison of the Haven (which I have a wealth of experience with) vs. the Retreat that you can't really make a comparison any more than I can.  I am booked on a Celebrity cruise in the Retreat and am trying to see what is different.  I can't give an informed opinion on the differences as I have never sailed on Celebrity before.  I will say this - I have never experienced screaming children on any NCL cruise.  I believe that is because I rarely book any cruise when kids are out of school.  I can't think of a time when I ran across kids other than in line for the water slides on the larger ships.    LOL   Truthfully, my expectation is that Celebrity is going to be notch above NCL in most areas.  I am eager to try it.  What's the entertainment like?  

I have never flown on Spirit Air, so thus have no experience to compare them to any other, but I do know that I will never fly on them