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

[justhappy]

33 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Not asking too much at all! That's what the butler is there for. You might be able to get a head start on the request by letting the pre-cruise concierge know, but I have a feeling they'd just tell you to let the butler know when you board.

 

But, I don't think it's a request that's out of bounds or too much at all.

   I did call the pre cruise concierge and that’s who put me in the waitlist.

 I’m just wanting a good cruise after having to cancel last months on short notice because of Miss Daisy. Fingers crossed she will continue to do better and this cruise will be worry free.

  I will be on a mission looking for hash brown rounds, mozzarella sticks, cookies and I just might be getting some of those beef tostada appies from the main dining room😋  Because like you I think they are the best appetizer from the main dining rooms. Maybe I’ll ask my butler for a plate of 8🤔

I’d better put a note for day 5 down now!

 

Here is Daisy with a get well card and treats  from the neighbors two dogs two days ago.

Her eye looks like she’s been on a week long bender with red blood vessels growing everywhere and IOP causing swelling, but the Vet Specialist says she’s doing great!

Edited February 16 by justhappy

[JGander]

20 hours ago, benel204 said:

Hello all,

I have a question regarding room service when staying in a Haven suite.

We upgraded to a Haven penthouse suite for our May Mediterranean 11-night cruise on the Escape and really looking forward to trip. (Thanks again to @Sthrngary and others on this thread for the great information about Haven and encouragement to treat ourselves!)

This is our first NCL cruise and Haven, and I've combed the boards thoroughly, but wasn't clear about Haven room service.  One thread stated that they were not able to order Haven for room service because they were not in the Haven area (I believe they had a Haven Aft Penthouse).

 

There are a couple of ports where we want to get an early start, and therefore may opt for room service for breakfast.

 

Question:  Our cabin is not in the Haven proper -- can we get room service from the Haven, or only from the room service menu? And if we can order room service from Haven, is room service available from the Haven only during Haven dining room hours?    (I realize we can get 24 hour room service from the room service menu, but I am asking specifically about Haven room service.)

 

 

Leaving from Barcelona on the 6th? If so we will be in one of the other Aft suites.

 

A lot of confusion exists about these suites because they used to not be "Haven" suites, so you got some perks, but not all perks, of the Haven. You also got terrible butlers who didn't want to run to the back of the ship from their precious haven up front. I guess enough people complained and they added the aft suites to the Haven experience.

 

This will be our first time on the Escape, love the aft suites on the Epic.

[benel204]

41 minutes ago, JGander said:

Leaving from Barcelona on the 6th? If so we will be in one of the other Aft suites.

We are leaving Barcelona on May 5 to Trieste May 16.

 

[JGander]

1 minute ago, benel204 said:

We are leaving Barcelona on May 5 to Trieste May 16.

 

OK, I'm tired. Yes, the 5th, the 6th in Palma.

[benel204]

18 minutes ago, JGander said:

OK, I'm tired. Yes, the 5th, the 6th in Palma.

I thought so 😊

I'm curious if there is one butler that services all the aft suites, or maybe a couple of decks of aft suites ?

 

[JGander]

1 hour ago, benel204 said:

I thought so 😊

I'm curious if there is one butler that services all the aft suites, or maybe a couple of decks of aft suites ?

 

There are 14 suites aft, so I hope it is more than 1 butler!

[Sthrngary]

2 hours ago, JGander said:

There are 14 suites aft, so I hope it is more than 1 butler!

@JGander My motto is "Realistic Expectations" on everything cruise related.  I have found, the butlers on every NCL Ship have been grossly over worked with way to many Suites to work with.  Some are better then others.  Butlers in general are hit or miss on all cruise lines I have been on.  

 

Please also remember, Butlers on NCL do a certain set of duties and the rest is done by the Haven Concierge Desk.  By splitting the duties where other cruise brands have the Butler doing everything, the NCL Butlers can have more suites.  In theory anyway. 

 

If you have never had a butler, you will enjoy the nicety.  If you have had one on a Luxury line, you will instantly notice the difference.  The best approach is clear and transparent communication upfront on what is important to you and your elevated cruising experience. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[MadisonBay]

8 hours ago, justhappy said:

I have an upcoming cruise in early March on the Breakaway. I forgot to make dinner reservations for Ocean Blue and when I called the pre Concierge line all they could do was add me to the waitlist.

And its for the first night of the cruise. If they can’t get us in, would it be too much to ask that the butler serve us a meal from Ocean Blue in our stateroom? Knowing it’s a long and busy turnaround day I don’t want to ask too much. I’d hope I would know upon boarding if they were able to get us a reservation, and if no be able to make the request early enough to give our butler a heads up. I would definitely just ask for all the courses at once and not expect them to serve course by course.

Do you think that’s asking too much?

I realize appreciation of food is very subjective. Here's our experience...we ate at Ocean Blue in November on Encore and last month on the Bliss.  I found the food in the Haven Restaurant far superior especially the lobster tails.  It's not a great loss to substitute the Haven Restaurant for Ocean Blue. Plus you can always request (in advance) different offerings.  Now that I'm home and eating my own cooking, I miss those problems - Haven vs. Ocean Blue.

[JGander]

1 hour ago, Sthrngary said:

@JGander My motto is "Realistic Expectations" on everything cruise related.  I have found, the butlers on every NCL Ship have been grossly over worked with way to many Suites to work with.  Some are better then others.  Butlers in general are hit or miss on all cruise lines I have been on.  

 

Please also remember, Butlers on NCL do a certain set of duties and the rest is done by the Haven Concierge Desk.  By splitting the duties where other cruise brands have the Butler doing everything, the NCL Butlers can have more suites.  In theory anyway. 

 

If you have never had a butler, you will enjoy the nicety.  If you have had one on a Luxury line, you will instantly notice the difference.  The best approach is clear and transparent communication upfront on what is important to you and your elevated cruising experience. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

Oh, I agree, but as a fan of the Epic aft suites, the issue of poor quality butlers was brought up several times. And I mean poor quality on the very basics.

 

We honestly could completely skip the butler, especially on our next cruise since we are in port every day, and we tend to get off with the first group and back on as late as possible.

[benel204]

47 minutes ago, JGander said:

We honestly could completely skip the butler, especially on our next cruise since we are in port every day, and we tend to get off with the first group and back on as late as possible.

@JGander Since you are an experienced NCL and Haven cruiser who tends not to stay in the Haven proper, I'm curious what will be the top Haven value/benefits/perks you'll take advantage of on this port-intensive cruise coming up?  (aside from the large Aft facing cabin)

I gave that a lot of thought before we upgraded to Haven, so would appreciate your perspective. 

[JGander]

10 hours ago, benel204 said:

@JGander Since you are an experienced NCL and Haven cruiser who tends not to stay in the Haven proper, I'm curious what will be the top Haven value/benefits/perks you'll take advantage of on this port-intensive cruise coming up?  (aside from the large Aft facing cabin)

I gave that a lot of thought before we upgraded to Haven, so would appreciate your perspective. 

 

Honestly, not a lot. Most of the on-ship stuff would be on sea days, and we have none.

 

The Escape appears to have a nice, if small, sauna to use so we won't be getting the ThermaSpa, and a private hot tub. Sadly the hot tub is likely to be closed since we will be in motion at night shortly after we return.

 

The restaurant is mostly a waste this trip, we will only be able to get breakfast twice, and dinner more often but it will depend on what we found to eat on shore if we attend.

 

The best amenity to us is the ability to get off the ship right away. We will use the balcony a lot, we enjoy sitting out on it in the evenings and relaxing on the loungers while the ship takes us to the next stop.

[vinotinto]

How does the priority tender work for Great Stirrup Cay? If we want to get on an early tender, do they just take us to the early tender or do we sign up through the concierge for an early tender?

Edited February 17 by vinotinto

[ggTexasGal]

1 minute ago, vinotinto said:

How does the priority tender work for Great Stirrup Cay? If we want to get on an early tender, do they just take us to the early tender or do sign up through the concierge for an early tender?

If the concierge does not address the procedure, be certain that you ask any questions you have regarding the tender process. (Things might be handled slightly differently from ship to ship.)

[Candy Apple 12]

57 minutes ago, vinotinto said:

How does the priority tender work for Great Stirrup Cay? If we want to get on an early tender, do they just take us to the early tender or do we sign up through the concierge for an early tender?

Laat week on the Escape the concierge told everyone who wanted an early tender to meet in the Haven lounge at 9:30. Our port time was expected to be 10 AM. As soon as the tenders were cleared, the concierge used the Haven crew elevators to bring us down to deck four to get in line for the tender. We were on the tender by 10:10.AM.

 

We were on the second tender to leave. There were two tenders filling at the same time. After guests were loaded onto the tender crew loaded additional items onto the tender such as signage for the island and many coolers. This may have been why we were the second tender to leave. We did arrive in plenty of time to get loungers in the first row at Infinity Beach, which is the beach closest to the tenders.

 

Remember to bring your beach towels from your suite. 

 

For the return trip, look for a crew member holding a Haven sign so you can bypass the line. This started at 2 PM for us. Last tender was scheduled for 3:30. 

[duckylady]

When does the letter/email come informing Haven guests about pre-cruise concierge services?  We're booked in the Haven on the Breakaway at the end of March.  I haven't received anything from NCL other than our booking confirmation.  I have a few questions/requests that I'd like to ask prior to embarkation day. 

[ggTexasGal]

11 minutes ago, duckylady said:

When does the letter/email come informing Haven guests about pre-cruise concierge services?  We're booked in the Haven on the Breakaway at the end of March.  I haven't received anything from NCL other than our booking confirmation.  I have a few questions/requests that I'd like to ask prior to embarkation day. 

We've received our letters around 30 days +/- pre-cruise.

Here is the Concierge Desk # 1-855-625-4283

...or Email:  Norwegian ConciergeDesk@NCL.com

Edited February 26 by ggTexasGal
correction made

[Shidah]

People onboard Joy and Encore reporting the Haven started charging $25 for any extra lobster tails this week.  Anything more than the one that came with the meal.  
 

I do feel that sometimes people who would not  think to order 4 or more lobster tails do it because of things they see online.  And then it winds up forcing policy changes.   We’ve had some amazing things done for our family in the Haven that I would never ever disclose on social media because everyone would ask/expect it.   
 

 

[cruiseny4life]

5 hours ago, Shidah said:

People onboard Joy and Encore reporting the Haven started charging $25 for any extra lobster tails this week.  Anything more than the one that came with the meal.  
 

I do feel that sometimes people who would not  think to order 4 or more lobster tails do it because of things they see online.  And then it winds up forcing policy changes.   We’ve had some amazing things done for our family in the Haven that I would never ever disclose on social media because everyone would ask/expect it.   
 

 

It's true. Here's a screenshot of the bottom part of the Haven menu. Thanks to @Grimix for breaking the news on Cruise Critic last night. 

 

If you don't believe me (not you @Shidah), wander yourself over to NCL.com, find the Haven menu and check it out for yourself.

 

Here's a download of the full menu. 

Fleet_Haven-Dinner_Mobile-Menu_022124 (1).pdf 

 

[Treasure Hunter]

Yes, just got off the Encore. I was shocked when I asked for surf and surf in the Haven restaurant as I always do as I don’t like filet and they wouldn’t do it. So my grandkid also ordered the surf and turf( she only wanted soup and shrimp cocktail) and I had her lobster tail. The filet was wasted. But we paid a fortune for the two bedroom suite and I was disappointed in the change. By the way the service was also not up to previous cruises. A 45 minute wait from sitting down until appetizers. If they brought iced tea there was no sweetener , if they brought bread there was no butter. The actual food ( when we finally got it) was delicious. The outdoor dining in the restaurant was great and the almond croissants still fabulous.

[Ticatraveler]

I find this new upcharge for lobster very disappointing. We will in the Haven aboard the Prima in May.  We have sailed in the Haven many times and really enjoy it. But this is by far the most expensive cruise we have done. We have in the past found the value to be good but now we are starting to question this. I understand that every business is cutting corners but when does the cuts and increased prices become too much?  I dont know the answer as we do like NCL. 

Getting back to the lobster policy, I imagine some people might have abused it during their stay but maybe a limit of two would be a way to keep the customer happy.

[azappraiser]

1 hour ago, Ticatraveler said:

Getting back to the lobster policy, I imagine some people might have abused it during their stay but maybe a limit of two would be a way to keep the customer happy.

 

Isn't that the way it always goes when a privilege gets abused... agree with a 2-tail limit

[Sthrngary]

Ok folks, lets all be fair here.  There was a time when cruise guest exclusive reason to cruise was to order everything on the menu.  That was the cruise.  My sister used to order triple cut prime rib.  Cruising evolved and places like the Haven, Retreat, and Yacht Club were designed.  The cost was three times a normal rate but these area's were sold out first.  I loved the concept and attempted to learn every way to create value for staying in these areas.  That is the whole reason for this huge, long and detailed thread.  So it is clear, folks over did the request for lobster tails for a while.

 

The point is, when we find a way to leverage value from the Haven or the Premium Plus Beverage package.  Sooner or later NCL will catch on and change the policy.  Just the way things work.  Everyone is different so what I am about to say is simply my opinion.  The older I get, the smaller amounts of food I want.  A two lobster tail limit is more then fair for me.  But if you will be making your decision to stay or not stay in one of these VIP area's due to a limit on lobster tails, that is your right to make that decision.  Disappointing yes, surprising no.  Fixed the glitch.  Lets find some other glitch's, this one is gone. LOL

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[cruiseny4life]

22 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

But if you will be making your decision to stay or not stay in one of these VIP area's due to a limit on lobster tails, that is your right to make that decision. 

It's absolutely not about the lobster. That's what NCL wants you (big you) to argue. So that it sounds entitled and childish. It's about cuts being made overall. The Haven was known as a place to order a couple lobster tails (or ten if you wanted). You can't do that anymore. What is the next cut?

 

When (if) I book the Haven again, will the perks/exclusivity be watered down from when I purchased to when I sail? As you've mentioned multiple times (rightfully so), Haven prices have increased. Now there are fewer perks. Sure, it's lobster right now. It was Veuve last year. What is next?

 

The fact is, the only thing I know is that if I book the Haven today, the experience I thought I was booking may different when I step onboard. And, that, is disappointing. 

 

2 hours ago, Ticatraveler said:

We have in the past found the value to be good but now we are starting to question this. I understand that every business is cutting corners but when does the cuts and increased prices become too much?  I dont know the answer as we do like NCL. 

I agree with you completely. Will anyone not book the Haven because they can't get two or seven lobster tails? Nah. That ain't going to happen. Well, I sure hope no one would make a vacation decision on some ok'ish lobster tails. But, when the unknowns (as I mentioned above) become the norm, then some (myself included) will have to ask tough questions of themselves to determine if they are willing to purchase a product that could change from booking to trip. And, like you, "I don't know the answer as we do like NCL" too. 

 

2 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said:

So my grandkid also ordered the surf and turf( she only wanted soup and shrimp cocktail) and I had her lobster tail.

I learned a long time ago that it's very important to keep grandma happy! I'm sorry the service wasn't up to par with a Haven cruise. Hopefully that was a one-off. Still, unfortunate for you and your family! 

[CruisingSince1982]

On 2/14/2024 at 2:51 PM, Candy Apple 12 said:

 

I was on the Escape last week, and the Haven restaurant was not open early for our Tortola port of call. My butler said the night butler could bring anything to the room which was on the continental breakfast menu, but none of the hot foods from the Haven restaurant because it wasn’t open. I eat gluten free, so there’s not much on the continental breakfast menu that I can eat. I had picked up a few boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios from the regular (not Haven) breakfast buffet a few days earlier when my traveling companions wanted to try it out, so I asked for a few cartons of milk to keep in the fridge. My traveling companions ate some almond croissants left over from the day before. The butler brought 6-8 every morning—way too many for the two of them to eat!

 

You should have been able to get a hot breakfast with room service, whether the haven restaurant was open or not. If a regular cabin can get that, I would never expect not to have the same in the Haven. 

[CruisingSince1982]

What time doe the Haven restaurant open in the morning on a Mediterranean cruise? Some of these ports have arrivals times of 6am! Thank you 🙂