Candy Apple 12

12 hours ago, df5250 said:

They tried to escort us off, but we wound up in the crowd with everyone else once we hit the public stairwell or queued up to scan to get off the ship. Haven elevator only went to deck six and then we walked to the public stairwell and down from there. It was different from other ships.

So no crew elevator that takes you right to the gangway like on the Bliss and Escape?

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

Everything below are minor nitpicks. We enjoyed our food. We enjoyed the restaurant. We had very good and attentive service. The below are just the differences we noted between Getaway/Joy and Pr1ma. 

 

1. The menu changed up a little bit prior to our sailing. Not much, and it didn't really impact us a whole lot, but there were a couple of changes. 

2. Presentation of food was more important than special requests/taste. My husband is a shrimp fiend. He orders a 12-piece shrimp cocktail. Despite this being on the dinner menu, an undressed Shrimp Louie was served (wasting the lettuce, tomato, and avocado as he doesn't eat those). At lunch a cold shrimp isn't available, so he orders the grilled shrimp that is served with the Israeli Cous Cous salad. Despite asking for 10 - 12 each time, the server was only allowed to bring six out at a time. Thus, we had to bother the server for more later in our meal service.

3. We requested a standing order of pretzel rolls during dinner. In the past this request was always provided and when we would sit down for dinner, we'd let the server know. On Pr1ma this was request was not possible, though pretzel rolls were available in the buffet. 

4. The servers, except the two we ultimately requested each time, just were not as (I'm at a loss of words: they were professional, they were polite) more distanced? They didn't seem as engaging. 

5. We were on an eleven day cruise. One time, the day before embarkation, did the maitre d acknowledge us. I don't need a conversation, but I do expect the person in charge of the front of house to at least stop by a couple times to check-in. He did not. And we were not the only ones he did this with. On Joy, the maitre d was always very "happy" to see us. I say "happy," because we're guests, so staff are always happy to see us. It's just the professional front that they all excel at. On Getaway, the maitre d and us (and other tables) had ten to fifteen minute conversations discussing so much more than just the weather and our food. It felt like the local diner you know the owner of, not a multi-billion dollar corporation's luxury restaurant. 

6. The breakfast buffet was oftentimes empty and not refilled quickly. Because the cruise embarked from Barcelona, I craved prosciutto as a replacement for jamon. I don't normally, but Spain! Anyway, they put six or eight little nests of prosciutto out at a time. Within a minute, it was gone. It would take five to ten minutes to refill this. Same with the fruit refills. Having said that, there appears to be a workaround we did not utilize! If you really want something off the buffet ask your server for it. We noticed a server bring a guest a full plate of melon and prosciutto. This seemed like overkill to us, so I didn't do this. But, it's certainly possible.

 

Again, please know, these are nitpicks. Our cruise was enjoyable. Personally, I enjoyed Pr1ma and would cruise it again. My husband would, but he much prefers the Breakaway/Breakaway Plus class of ships. Hence our Getaway sailing in February. 

 

 

Lots of nitpicks can definitely add up. Regarding points 2 and 3, it sounds like the staff needs a lesson in flexibility. Regarding points 4 and 5, it sounds like the staff needs a refresher course in hospitality. Regarding point 6, thanks for the workaround idea. I’ll have to remember that if by it’s still an issue in January. 

3 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

We sailed Pr1ma in November. It was a Transatlantic and while we enjoyed being outside, many folx did not. Despite this, many of the loungers were taken on the sunny afternoons when the temps were in the 70's. We never had an issue finding a lounge chair and enjoyed the hot tub. The sundeck servers were always around and I enjoyed the second bar. It alleviated long waits as anyone outside could just go to that bar instead of traipsing inside in wet bathing suits. Much better experience than Joy or Getaway! 

 

Since we booked NCL excursions that met in the theatre I cannot tell you about concierge staff taking Haven guests to the gangway. We did NOT find a Haven line upon our return to the ship in Cartagena or Ponta Delgada. We just waited in the normal line to be welcomed back onboard. We just found our way to the aft of the ship and the private Haven elevators to get back to our room. 

 

The bar was never crowded for long. I am somewhat of a bar fly, though I don't talk to people unless they start a conversation with me. From what I observed, around dinner time, groups will take up the chairs in the lounge after getting a drink from the bar (or the bar server that goes through the lounge asking for drink orders). The seats themselves never filled up except a couple occassions. Again, only around dinner time, except the last evening. The last night, many of us went to say goodbye to the servers (disembarkation day was my only day with a hangover). 

 

I think you'll find Pr1ma's Haven to be a solid choice. The restaurant is good (weird policies, sometimes), but not as good as other Haven restaurants I've experienced. The servers are wonderful and you if you hit it off with one or two servers, you can request to be sat with them. That's what we did and had great service the rest of the cruise! 

 

Our butler, Jefferson, was the best butler we've ever had in the Haven! The concierge, Stefan, was delightful and helped us with a couple of special requests (nothing crazy, but nothing I'll discuss publicly). Really, really great service.

 

@Goldenknight, do you have anything to add? We were on the same cruise, though didn't know each other until lunch on one of the last day's of the cruise.

Why wasn’t the restaurant as good as other Haven restaurants?

5 minutes ago, PatJim said:

We have been loyal NCL cruisers for many years.  It used to be good value for the money.  We loved the Dawn when it home ported in NYC, and then the Gem when it replaced her.  Our first experience in a “true” Haven, with its own restaurant, bar & lounge, hooked us into only booking Haven cabins (exception was the fantastic Garden Villa on the Dawn, but that’s another story).

Itineraries and price are forcing us to look at other lines.  NCL seems to reserve the itineraries that interest us for their older non-Haven ships, and there aren’t any more 14-day cruises from NYC.  Despite booking early, when cabin prices are generally lowest, Haven prices are now so high we’re looking for the Haven concept elsewhere. We don’t know if another line can compete with the Haven experience, but are willing to find out!
 

Our Latitude status did influence our choice to try MSC’s Yacht Club — Ambassador on NCL matched Diamond on MSC.  We wanted a cruise from Copenhagen next year, while staying with friends there, and MSC’s Euribia has a 7-day r/t.  NCL doesn’t have a Haven ship there.

 

We also like that, besides being less expensive than NCL, the YC has free WiFi; minibar and premium extra drinks package, including water and soda (with no added gratuities); and comp access to thermal area.  Daily service charge is $15.50/day, compared to $25/day in the Haven.  Down payments to book YC suites are 1/3 to 1/2 less than NCL, and final payments are 3, not 4, months out.

YC members also have access to a private beach area and restaurant on MSC’s Ocean Cay in the Caribbean, so we cancelled an NCL cruise next November/December, and booked the MSC Meraviglia in a Duplex YC cabin for ourselves and my DS.  We gave up a 12-day cruise for only 7 days, but it’s just after Thanksgiving, so that’s ok.

 

We still have 2 NCL Haven cruises booked.  Looking forward to sailing on the Prima for the first time this November, and our Danish friends are joining us on the Breakaway in February 2026.  It will be interesting to compare the Haven with the YC.  Sailing an Italian line will also be new to us.  We do hope to temper our expectations and just enjoy the differences each brings.

Please come back to the NCL board and do a comparison after you sail. I’m curious about your Meraviglia cruise. 

19 hours ago, ColdCruise said:

When we went to Nuuk in 2017, we walked from the port area (industrial port) up the side of a cliff to the town. That ship did not have any transport laid on for people not on excursions. So everyone walked - most passengers were British and I think they (or majority on our ship) were just bigger walkers than people I usually find on NCL ships. Greenland is a great walking around cruise itinerary. 
 

After we got up to town level, we walked around meandering our way over to the Ethnographic museum and spent several hours there. It was a great museum - some geography & some geology about the island formation,a lot of information on prehistoric migrations and how the island was settled by Inuit ancestral people like the Thule etc. very good displays.  Similar to the type of displays you could find at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. 
 

I think we were in Nuuk on a Sunday because I remember most stores we walked by were closed. We walked around the city talking our time returning to the ship in time for dinner and sailaway. 

 

Bug netting to cover your head & especially your face due to the “mossies” and gnats - major excursions from Akureyri got to Myvatn (very worthwhile) … Myvatn translates to “lake of midges” - kind of like gnats. Qaqortoq in Greenland was literally swarming with mossies or gnats. We made a beeline to the store to by nets because we’d left ours behind. People who got to the Qaqortoq store late were out of luck, they’d all been purchased. This time we are bringing them. Not a fan of bugs in my eyes and mouth. Get it from Amazon or somewhere, like these:

Stansport Mosquito Head Net (709) https://a.co/d/2zaJjw4 (best worn over some type of hat)

 

Thanks. I wouldn’t have imagined it would be that buggy. I’ve been to Iceland in June once before and I don’t recall it being buggy. The bug netting won’t take up much packing space. 

On 7/15/2024 at 9:16 AM, rritter25 said:

I just returned from the same itinerary on Saturday, July 13th. I'm not sure if you are aware, but our itinerary was changed at the last minute. They removed the 2 ports on Greenland and substituted Nuuk instead due to too much ice in the ports. They also removed one port in Iceland so we ended up with an extra at sea day. We did see icebergs, and there was heavy fog and high winds. I would recommending bringing warm layers, gloves, hat, and either hiking boots or shoes. Most dressed very casually on the ship except those I saw getting special family portraits done. Let me know if anyone has questions and I'll be happy to reply back. Enjoy your trip!

We are thinking of doing the Star itinerary next summer that goes to Nuuk. What did you do there?

On 7/16/2024 at 10:44 PM, ColdCruise said:

id recommend waterPROOF rain pants as well @BRC6C - REI has a couple that are rain & wind proof that can go on over your regular pants and one of the pairs I have unsnap along the side seams so they’re easy on/off as needed and pack down small (and for PLAY weight restrictions are light). Iceland can be very windy !
 

I have a pretty good packing list for polar/near polar travel. I’m very casual on vacation and get a couple wears for most things (except the obvious). It doesn’t hurt that we’re both platinum so get a couple free laundry bags per cruise, so reduces packing.

 

A lightweight merino wool, long sleeve T-shirt is good (I like Smartwool’s 100 series cuz I don’t want to bulk up) and I also bring 1 or 2 of Costco’s 32 Degree undershirts and tights - thin for layering, lightweight, pack small but add warmth. Plus the 32 Deg hand wash and dry overnight and merino doesn’t hold body odors, so if they need to be worn more than once as a layer, it’s all good. I have put on some weight this past year (trying…unsuccessfully..to loose) so thin layers are essential as I don’t want to buy a bunch of larger clothes. I WILL loose that extra poundage some day!

 

as @rritter25 said, a hat & gloves might be handy. Didn’t need them in that 21-day I mentioned earlier but ya never know. I needed them on other trips. They’re in my packing pile. I also have a pair of Merrel hiking shoes (most boots rub my boney ankles) that are waterproof- I’ll wear those on the plane and bring sneakers and recovery sandals, maybe a pair of flats. A polar fleece, scarf or buff, a puffer jacket, a raincoat. Of course bathing suit for the pools -probably doing Myvatn and there’s an outdoor hot tub/sauna at our pre cruise hotel

 

And the bug netting @300dtc mentioned! We did need that at Myvatn one trip and didn’t have it in Qaqortoq and desperately needed it. I think our ship bought out the towns entire supply …but not everyone got to the market in time 😜

What is bug netting and why do you need it?

6 hours ago, Cruiser8087 said:

For those curious of the itinerary change, details below.
 

- Notification Time:Less than 24 hours before check-in. Talk about a last-minute surprise!
- Shortened Cruise:By one whole day. (Because who needs that extra day of relaxation, right?)
- Port of Call Casualties:Goodbye Tortola and San Juan. We were especially looking forward to Tortola. 🏝️

 

NCL’s compensation

- 20% Future Cruise Credit: Like a rain check on a future party – nice to have, but doesn’t quite make up for the missed celebration.

- Pro-rated Refund for One Day Lost: A decent gesture, but still leaves a lot to be desired.

- $100 credit to stateroom

 

Thoughts on from those impacted on the compensation? And those not impacted - what would you have considered fair given the details above?

Can you post a screenshot of the letter with the original vs new itinerary? Thanks. 

24 minutes ago, RosieRoo said:

We didn’t pay the money for the Haven on Prima and we were happy with our choice, but it was a cool weather cruise so there was no one out on the pool decks for the most part. Breakfast and lunch in Cagneys.  The concierge was setup in there as well. Saw the butler everyday and we had a huge cabin with a separate bedroom and living room. If I did the Prima again I’d do the same. 

4 minutes ago, dexddd said:

Haven on Prima is half outside with no roof.  Hopefully a good weather trip.

Southern Caribbean starting from NYC in the winter, so we’ll spend the first few days exploring the inside of the ship and then we’ll enjoy the warm weather out on the Haven sun deck. 

5 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Stayed in the Haven on the Prima early this year.  Yes, very nice...2nd only to the Haven on the Epic (which has been newly updated).

 

While not the Jade, I stayed in an Aft Suite on the Gem, very similar to the Jade.

 

The Haven is restricted to a small pool area.  I still had the services of a Butler and the Concierge and had Breakfast and Lunch open to me in either Cagney's or Moderno.

 

Concierge sets up shop in Cagney's at a table by the Whiskey Bar.  Butler came to the cabin every day to check on me and drop off goodies.

 

Honestly, I wouldn't pay more for a Haven cabin on a Jewel Class ship.

I’ve heard good things here on CC about the Haven on the Epic. It’s on my radar for a cruise at some point. 

56 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

From a previous cruise on the Getaway or Escape. They are nice holders

Agreed. Did yours come as a lanyard, or did you punch a hole in it? 

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

erisajd

 

while booking a suite in a true haven complex, is a treat not to be missed, unless you really need to spend the money, the other suites (and the attendant perks  thereto) are also top notch. we've stayed in both, personally, i dont believe it's worth the extra $$$. while the private lounge, bar and restaurant are amazing, in an actual haven complex,  i'd still rather have the extra coins in my pocket to pay for other things on board.

that being said, however, we're booked in the haven deluxe 2 bedroom suite on  the prima end of sept. while it did stretch our budget slightly, i wanted to sail the prima, and so weoptrd for the haven as opposed to the regular suite.

We also went with the Haven on the Prima for our next cruise. I think the difference in the Haven will be worth it for the Prima. 

2 hours ago, erisajd said:

That all said I would select a ship that has a true 'Haven' experience . . . and not the new massive ones that have too many Haven cabins to provide a Haven experience. . .  

 

it's all very hard to pin down which ships have a decent Haven experience and which do not . . . sure - you figure it out but the first or low time cruiser is hard pressed to understand which ships seem to have the better Haven experiences. . . 

The itinerary I chose is only offered one time on the Jade, so that was not possible. 

2 hours ago, njhorseman said:

The only ships with the "true Haven experience" are the large ships...the ships built after the Gem, starting with the Epic. The smallest of these are Prima with a double occupancy passenger capacity of 3099 and Viva with a double occupancy capacity of 3195.

I’ve done the Haven on the Bliss and Escape, and I have one booked on the Prima. I’m looking forward to a smaller ship. 

40 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

The “small pool” is a swim-against-the-current endless lap pool.  It is one of the only places in the NCL fleet to get in a real swim.  Highly recommended.

I own an endless pool, and I agree that they allow you to get in a real swim, but I’m not going to pay an extra $5000 just to get in a real swim during my cruise! 

33 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Just off the Gem in a Forward Suite. We had everything Haven guest did with the exception of use of the Haven courtyard and sundeck. Same boarding, same place for breakfast and lunch, Moderno and Cagneys. It wasn't close to worth it the 3K extra they wanted for the cheapest "Haven" Cabin

 

 

 

I noticed in the video that you had one of the Haven key card holders. Was that from a previous cruise, or did you get it on this cruise?

On 7/18/2024 at 11:03 AM, complawyer said:

dont do it, your 5k can go a long way for other things. while i love the haven complex, for 5,000, i can live w/o the private pool, bar and restaurant. people in the "suites" have access to moderno for breakfast, and cagney's for lunch on a daily basis. the rooms are basically the same

I booked a regular suite. Now I have $5000 burning in my pocket to spend on flights, excursions, travel insurance, and everything else that goes along with cruising!

2 hours ago, European_CruiseGirl said:

Jade Haven does not have a restaurant (or a bar). All suite passengers, Haven or normal suites, eat breakfast/lunch in the same specialty restaurant. There is no specific dinner restaurant for any suite passengers on Jade. And also on Jade the normal ”non Haven” suites get the exact same priority access to everywhere as the Haven suite guests. So on Gem, Jade, Pearl and Jewel there is no real benefit on booking the Haven. The only plus for Haven is a small small pool area. 

Thank you for your input. It confirms my decision to book a regular suite. 

2 hours ago, Pens fan said:

There was a designated area where we met the concierge for disembarkation - both at ports and at the final destination.  On both of our cruises on the Gem and Jade it was the whiskey bar area.  While that could be different on other cruises, we've always received instructions either by a letter in our cabin or in person in disembarkation meeting on the next to the last day of the cruise explaining the whole process.

6 minutes ago, 2ndhoney said:

We usually met the Concierge on the Jade at the Whiskey Bar to get off the ship. When we got back to the ship at a port stop, there wasn't any signs for the Haven for getting back on the ship - just the usual line (we did a Greece & Turkey cruise). We were only escorted onto the ship the first day by the Concierge.

Sounds good. I’ve had some ports where there was a crew member holding a Haven sign to get you past the line to get back on the ship after a port of call. It wasn’t always necessary, but was very helpful at certain stops. The Jade has fewer passengers than the Bliss and Escape, so maybe it’s a perk that’s not needed as much. 

53 minutes ago, 2ndhoney said:

We had an Aft Suite (not Haven) on Star last month & Jade last year and we had priority embarkation & disembarkation as well as escorted off for tours, tenders, breakfast in Moderno, lunch in Cagney's, afternoon snacks, Sparkling wine on embarkation day, etc. 

This sounds like all the Haven perks except for the Haven areas. Where did you meet for the escort off the ship?

53 minutes ago, Pens fan said:

We last sailed on the Jade in 2019.  At that time, non Haven suites received all the amenities of the Haven suites with the exception of access to the Haven itself.  We definitely had priority embarkation and disembarkation.  The same was true on the Gem in 2018.  While I guess it's possible that something has changed, I doubt it.  I think it would be more trouble than it's worth to separate Haven suite vs non Haven for that one amenity.  Hopefully someone who has sailed more recently can comment.

Where did you go to meet the concierge on the Jade for priority disembarkation? When you got back to the ship at a port stop, did you just follow the Haven signs for getting back on the ship?

In photo I compared the two side-by-side and highlighted the amenities that were the same. It looks like the main difference is the access to the Haven pool, hot tub, and sundeck. Both list personal escort on and off the ship, but only the Haven lists priority embarkation/disembarkation. I have enjoyed the easy process getting on and off the ship when I have sailed in the Haven, and I wonder what the process would be like if I choose to sail in a suite instead of the Haven. It’s about $5000 more for the Haven for the cruise I’m looking at, so I’m trying to decide if it’s worth it. 

On 3/11/2024 at 11:39 PM, MrMan said:

Live in Galveston. Take Uber weekly. About $60 to Hobby and $120 to IAH. Never had an issue with getting an Uber. May have a wait if you’re first off the ship as most of the drivers are coming from off island. There are cabs as well at the port

Are cabs an easy way to travel from the port to a hotel in Houston? Based on some of the experiences in this thread, I’m wondering if taking a taxi would be less of a hassle. 

Has anyone confirmed whether they carry commercial liability insurance?

4 hours ago, Laszlo said:

It will be limited use of the balcony today until the winds lower in intensity.

 

 

The seas look a little choppy, but the weather looks beautiful. Did they have to close the pool at all due to the strong winds you mentioned earlier?

Enjoy your extra hour of sleep tonight and your sea day tomorrow. This was the Gem as she left port about an hour ago. 

2 hours ago, Laszlo said:

Little bummed…. it’s been too windy to fly my drone, this evening the gust have really picked up. Will try in the Moro f before we leave for H20 Sports

 

Is the facial recognition a new thing they have been trying? Seems like they are using it half the time we have been here…. And it seems so be working not great, maybe it’s just my mug. It takes 5x as long as reading my ship card.

Since drones are on NCL’s prohibited items list, do you have to pick it up from security on your way off the ship?

2 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

I'm not either, but my wife gets french press in the cabin and you can get it in the restaurant.

That would work for the coffee drinkers I know. Do they have Tea Forte? I love the English Breakfast tea from Tea Forte.