The NCL Haven Luxury VIP Experience "Secrets" REVISED for 2022

[PatJim]

3 hours ago, Fogfog said:

TYVM  @graphicguy  

 

Was just reading that tiny text on it.

 

BTW

Can someone confirm that Haven has priority boarding at port calls? Is there a tent/awning somewhere or butlers looking for Haven pax?  

 

 

TYIA

I learned from a butler that if you return to the ship within 2 hours of departure, to look for a Haven staff member after going through ship security.  They stand by a curtained-off area, and will escort you by staff elevator to the Haven.  If there are several gangplanks open, just be sure to go up the one closest to the Haven location (i.e. forward gangplanks on -away ships).  
Last November on the Getaway at one of the ports, we were in a loooooooong line to board, and it started to rain.  A butler came down off the ship to locate Haven guests and escorted us directly up the gangplank.  

[PatJim]

3 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Yeah, but that's it, just the one option and it's an upcharge. I can buy the whole bottle here at home for $50.

 

1 hour ago, Traveling Fools said:

 

This just happened to us on the Epic.  Same thing happened to us in November aboard Azamara's Onward.  It dampens the value of the PP package and borderline makes the advertisement for the PP package misleading and false.  It is ridiculous to know I can drink Johnny Walker Blue label all day in the Haven lounge, but then have to pay $30.00 for a wine NCL pays $5 bucks for.

 

 

 

I hear you.  That’s also why we’re bringing our own, at least for cruises where we don’t have to fly to board.

 

BTW, a TA told us that NCL will end the Free at Sea program “soon.”  Anyone else know about this?

[SaltyPawz]

4 hours ago, Fogfog said:

TYVM  @graphicguy  

 

Was just reading that tiny text on it.

 

BTW

Can someone confirm that Haven has priority boarding at port calls? Is there a tent/awning somewhere or butlers looking for Haven pax?  

 

 

TYIA

This was my experience on the Escape this past November/December. 

 

When we wanted to get off the ship, the concierge would take us down (via service elevators) to the ramps. Mostly, this would be with a group of Haven guests. Once, it was just us two and the concierge held the line and we “cut”* in line to get off the ship. I use the word “cut” on purpose because there were at least a hundred guests in line that we could see. We heard a few grumbles behind us as we walked through security and down the ramps. This was my first experience “cutting” in a line as a Haven guest, so I thought I’d share my experience. 

 

Getting back on the ship… We never saw a Haven tent or a Haven sign outside the ship. We got in line and walked up the ramp through security. Once through security, we would look for a person with a Haven sign, and he/she escorted us to the service elevator up to the Haven area. 

 

*I use the word “cut” knowing it might cause friction since priority embarking/disembarking is a perk of Haven.  And, it’s a perk I very much enjoy having and using! The experience I mention was the first and only time it was used in front of a very long line of people. Sharing so you might store those in the expectations category. 

[Fogfog]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Been in both the YC (Meriviglia and Divina) and Haven (Epic, Breakaway, Getaway).  Never saw YC Butlers ferry YC guests from a port.  I do know they have tents, as does Haven.  But, I never quite understood those.  You either just disembarked from the ship, or are within 50 feet of re-embarking.  Do you really need a tent that close to the ship?  Why not just embark or disembark on the ship?  The ship is "right there".

 

NCL....Once on board (re-embarking), there's a concierge holding a Haven elevator for you vs waiting for one.

The YC folks skip the long embarkation at ports of call--

So for example, we'd enter at the bow through a YC awning over the gangway/tent and into that door/up the priority elevators - yet gen pop had mid ship or aft lines/elevators. 

Its a nice perk when lines to  get back on are long and the weather is too wet/too hot/too cold etc. 

Up a designated gangway, through security screening and then up the YC elevators. Super convenient

 

[Fogfog]

2 minutes ago, SaltyPawz said:

 

*I use the word “cut” knowing it might cause friction since priority embarking/disembarking is a perk of Haven.  And, it’s a perk I very much enjoy having and using! The experience I mention was the first and only time it was used in front of a very long line of people. Sharing so you might store those in the expectations category. 

It is a nice paid-for perk. We agree.

😘

[Jordan61]

3 minutes ago, SaltyPawz said:

This was my experience on the Escape this past November/December. 

 

When we wanted to get off the ship, the concierge would take us down (via service elevators) to the ramps. Mostly, this would be with a group of Haven guests. Once, it was just us two and the concierge held the line and we “cut”* in line to get off the ship. I use the word “cut” on purpose because there were at least a hundred guests in line that we could see. We heard a few grumbles behind us as we walked through security and down the ramps. This was my first experience “cutting” in a line as a Haven guest, so I thought I’d share my experience. 

 

We did that a couple of times and I asked my husband, "don't you kind of feel like an a**hole?" and he immediately said, "nope."

[skeeter195]

The nickel and diming has turned into quarters and halving now with the alcohol choices.  I am on vacation and want to drink better wines and bubbles at times.  I stay in the Haven and do not mind spending money on an upgraded package or buying a wine outright.  Low and behold I am now finding it hard to find a decent selection of wines... Solution, bring my own.  So now I have to lug 6-10 bottles in my luggage hoping they do not break.  I then have to find a place to properly chill my bottles at different temps like I have at home and they have on the ship.  Carry my bottle(s) to the dining room like a hobo.  Carry or tag the unfinished bottle.  

 

Who is winning here???? NCL for sure.  I am still paying for "their" package(basic or not) and I am drinking less of "their" alcohol.  This makes my vacation more work to drink a better quality of spirit.  NCL's changes are to drastic to quickly.  The premium plus package was nice at first but it has changed to much to fast.   

[McGarrett5oh]

On 1/21/2024 at 3:23 PM, PatJim said:

Jim and I will be on the Prima for the first time in November, in a Haven 2-bedroom cabin, so we love the reviews that you and others have posted here.  I’ve read that the master bathroom in this suite doesn’t have hooks or anywhere nearby to put the bath towels after showering.  Was this a problem for you?  We can bring Command or 3M hooks for a temporary fix, but are they needed?

Yes this is so.  There are many design flaws in the bathrooms in the Prima 2 bedroom suite.  Hooks and shelf space are issues.   We bought these suction hooks and attached to mirrors (unlike most ships, the walls are not magnetic).  
 

Antimbee (10 Pack) Suction Cup Hooks for Shower, Bathroom, Glass, Door, Windows, Kitchen etc, Max Hanging up to 11 lbs - Waterproof Suction Cup Hanger Holder Removable (Transparent Dual Hooks Design) https://a.co/d/4sb8w5K

 

You will also need to get creative on maximizing space throughout the suite. Have the butler remove all the accent pieces and books. Use the space on the window ledge.   Your butler will stow any suitcases that don’t fit under the beds

although we kept one in the corner of the master bedroom and used as a shelf.  
 

We enjoyed our Prima cruise but wish they had made some better design choices.   Cheers!

[UKstages]

5 hours ago, PatJim said:

BTW, a TA told us that NCL will end the Free at Sea program “soon.”  Anyone else know about this?

 

quite a little tasty nugget of controversy you slipped in there.

 

i'm surprised nobody has commented on it.

 

do we know about what?

 

the fact that TAs sometimes give out wildly inaccurate information? yes, i have heard this. TAs are a lot like cruise consultants at NCL... they don't always have a complete grasp of the facts and the terms, the TA's statement requires further exploration and clarification.

 

as for the substance of your question... is NCL doing away with "free at sea?" no, i have not heard this. i have no inside line, but i doubt it. they might go back to a "pick two" or "pick three" strategy that they had four or five years ago... but to eliminate their ridiculously successful (from a marketing standpoint) FAS program? i just don't see that happening. 

Edited January 23 by UKstages

[cruiseny4life]

12 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

quite a little tasty nugget of controversy you slipped in there.

 

i'm surprised nobody has commented on it.

 

do we know about what?

 

the fact that TAs sometimes give out wildly inaccurate information? yes, i have heard this. TAs are a lot like cruise consultants at NCL... they don't always have a complete grasp of the facts and the terms, the TA's statement requires further exploration and clarification.

 

as for the substance of your question... is NCL doing away with "free at sea?" no, i have not heard this. i have no inside line, but i doubt it. they might go back to a "pick two" or "pick three" strategy that they had four or five years ago... but to eliminate their ridiculously successful (from a marketing standpoint) FAS program? i just don't see that happening. 

I saw the comment. I did a little research. I found nothing to back it up...yet. I could see them doing the pick two or three like they did a few years ago. Unless Dirty Harry is going in a totally different direction than Frankie Boy, I don't see the complete and utter disappearance of Free at Sea happening. I'm wrong a lot. So, maybe I'm wrong, but I really don't think so. 

[Daniel A]

I've received a few emails saying the second guest sails free promo will be ending soon.  I don't really have any more details as I've been deleting them without really reading them.  Maybe that's what the TA meant.

[Fogfog]

I could imagine they bundle the "free at sea" and call it what it is-- inclusive. 

And raise prices.

I would expect the bev package included to change and the premium plus fees to rise. 

Not a hotel pro here - yet expect this is about cost centers, traffic in special dining etc 

If everyone is getting bev packages--then it is "included". For those that don't imbibe it has less  value than those who have drink before dinner etc

[GALSews]

17 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I've received a few emails saying the second guest sails free promo will be ending soon.  I don't really have any more details as I've been deleting them without really reading them.  Maybe that's what the TA meant.

The second guest may have the "fly" free option. The sail free is for third and fourth guest and is sometimes $99, not free. Is that what you meant? 

[RocketMan275]

46 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I've received a few emails saying the second guest sails free promo will be ending soon.  I don't really have any more details as I've been deleting them without really reading them.  Maybe that's what the TA meant.

I get those emails on a regular basis.  2nd guest sails free, whatever the current promotion is, it will end tonight.  Funny thing, they never end, I get the same email a day later tellling me I need to hurry the promotion will end tonight.  Wash, rinse,  repeat.

[havoc315]

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I get those emails on a regular basis.  2nd guest sails free, whatever the current promotion is, it will end tonight.  Funny thing, they never end, I get the same email a day later tellling me I need to hurry the promotion will end tonight.  Wash, rinse,  repeat.

They rotate— 50% off, then becomes “second guest free”

50% off 2 people = second person free. 
 

it had been 30-40% off last year… slowly increasing. But I don’t think the price has actually gone down, seems they have increased the prices while increasing the supposed discount. 
 

I wonder how much it really helps them secure bookings, “wow… what a discount, I better book before it expires tonight!”

[graphicguy]

20 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I get those emails on a regular basis.  2nd guest sails free, whatever the current promotion is, it will end tonight.  Funny thing, they never end, I get the same email a day later tellling me I need to hurry the promotion will end tonight.  Wash, rinse,  repeat.

I don't even pay attention to those "sales" on the WEB site anymore.  I just go to the fares and see for myself what they look like.  I don't depend on any cruise lines' "sales" as they are just like my car dealer's emails announcing "never before seen pricing".

 

😉

[UKstages]

50 minutes ago, havoc315 said:

I wonder how much it really helps them secure bookings, “wow… what a discount, I better book before it expires tonight!”

 

funny you should wonder this.

 

there was a sixteen year lapse in my cruising on NCL.... i cruised with them in 2003 and then started up again in 2019. and when i booked that cruise in 2019 through CAS, i actually told the rep that i was calling to take advantage of the "special" because i knew it expired that night.

 

so, in answer to your question, i'd say it probably helps them a great deal... with new or long lost customers. if it didn't, they likely wouldn't continue doing it. but customers will only respond once to a false sense of urgency. after that, the never-ending sale becomes fodder for ridicule and mockery. so they have to weigh that negative customer sentiment against what benefit they get from new customer acquisition. apparently, they've done that and the never-ending sales will continue.

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, GALSews said:

The second guest may have the "fly" free option. The sail free is for third and fourth guest and is sometimes $99, not free. Is that what you meant? 

No, the promo says the second guest sails free.

[Daniel A]

1 hour ago, havoc315 said:

They rotate— 50% off, then becomes “second guest free”

50% off 2 people = second person free. 
 

it had been 30-40% off last year… slowly increasing. But I don’t think the price has actually gone down, seems they have increased the prices while increasing the supposed discount. 
 

I wonder how much it really helps them secure bookings, “wow… what a discount, I better book before it expires tonight!”

 

19 minutes ago, UKstages said:

in answer to your question, i'd say it probably helps them a great deal... with new or long lost customers. if it didn't, they likely wouldn't continue doing it. but customers will only respond once to a false sense of urgency. after that, the never-ending sale becomes fodder for ridicule and mockery. so they have to weigh that negative customer sentiment against what benefit they get from new customer acquisition. apparently, they've done that and the never-ending sales will continue.

There is a sales concept referred to as "FOMO" which stands for Fear Of Missing Out.  You see it in practice all the time on television ads.  "When they're gone their gone...  Hurry, while supplies last.. etc..

 

This is the same thing.  Create a sense of urgency to incentivize consumer action.

[TPgal]

20 hours ago, McGarrett5oh said:

ou will also need to get creative on maximizing space throughout the suite. Have the butler remove all the accent pieces and books. Use the space on the window ledge.   Your butler will stow any suitcases that don’t fit under the beds

although we kept one in the corner of the master bedroom and used as a shelf.  

This is great news!  Thank you for sharing this tidbit.  We're booked for a 2Br on the Viva leaving out of Athens, but doing a 10 day Italy jaunt prior and I don't think that the three of us can do that in backpacks, so there will be luggage, and while the drawers under the beds seem like a great idea the luggage problem seemed real.  

[TPgal]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

I don't even pay attention to those "sales" on the WEB site anymore.  I just go to the fares and see for myself what they look like.  I don't depend on any cruise lines' "sales" as they are just like my car dealer's emails announcing "never before seen pricing".

 

😉

Same.  I book, then check in on the different pricing schemes.   Every now and then there is a change worth the phone call - the last was a $700 drop which is significant and will cover the cost of the PP+ package if we opt in.   But, it's not the promos that change the price, it's the cost of the cabin.

[havoc315]

4 hours ago, Daniel A said:

 

There is a sales concept referred to as "FOMO" which stands for Fear Of Missing Out.  You see it in practice all the time on television ads.  "When they're gone their gone...  Hurry, while supplies last.. etc..

 

This is the same thing.  Create a sense of urgency to incentivize consumer action.

I understand the marketing ploy. I wonder how often it really helps them get a sale where it’s so blatantly obvious that it’s an empty ploy.

I have to think most cruise customers go to the website multiple times before finally booking.  Won’t take long to realize “sale always ends tonight.”

 

 

[Sailing12Away]

~35 days away from sailing and the luggage tags have arrived. Things are starting to get real.

(for anyone wondering about the 'how soon before sailing can we expect our luggage tags when staying in the Haven').

[cruiseny4life]

14 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

~35 days away from sailing and the luggage tags have arrived. Things are starting to get real.

(for anyone wondering about the 'how soon before sailing can we expect our luggage tags when staying in the Haven').

That's aboooot when we received them back in October, for our November cruise.

 

Where ya headed??

[PatJim]

On 1/22/2024 at 3:54 PM, McGarrett5oh said:

Yes this is so.  There are many design flaws in the bathrooms in the Prima 2 bedroom suite.  Hooks and shelf space are issues.   We bought these suction hooks and attached to mirrors (unlike most ships, the walls are not magnetic).  
 

Antimbee (10 Pack) Suction Cup Hooks for Shower, Bathroom, Glass, Door, Windows, Kitchen etc, Max Hanging up to 11 lbs - Waterproof Suction Cup Hanger Holder Removable (Transparent Dual Hooks Design) https://a.co/d/4sb8w5K

 

You will also need to get creative on maximizing space throughout the suite. Have the butler remove all the accent pieces and books. Use the space on the window ledge.   Your butler will stow any suitcases that don’t fit under the beds

although we kept one in the corner of the master bedroom and used as a shelf.  
 

We enjoyed our Prima cruise but wish they had made some better design choices.   Cheers!

Thank you so much for your detailed answer.  We’ll definitely follow your recommendations.