Sthrngary

I can attest you can not be 100% on even what is on this list. My goal in this comment is to establish realistic expectations. Other brands are added and some they are out. The good news is you never go thirsty. It took me a one hour mission, to find the two bottles of Tequila 1942 which is part of this program but not on this list. So some things not on the list are available and some things on the list are not on the ship. The issue is a Floating hotel. Thank you for the list, it is super helpful. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Hello Sir, your review is one of the best written I have read in a while. You give me to much credit. You had a choice to do the due diligence. To learn and take action is a true credit to your eventual approach. My favorite part was the fix to your walking stick. Wow. Glad you had a good time. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I wish I could answer this question exactly but I can not. BTW, I did have in-suite dining but very rarely. I have had butlers tell me 100% NO; other said yes. The policy is No even from a butler. NCL is so consistent on some things and not on others. I know that was clear as mud. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

It is ok, we can both be confused. It is NCL after all. Allow me to give my experience and say that it may not be every ones. When in the Haven, I have never had an issue to the point where between Lunch and dinner the bartender gave me a bottle of Selected Wine for my wife. Unopened. Now when I have been in other restaurants specifically the MDR's, the program is not always understood. You have to get the manager over sometimes and wait for certain selections. Not always but sometimes. The only reason I was asking was my last trip, we ordered a bottle of French Champagne (Selected Wine) had the Premium Plus program for breakfast. No charge. We did it a couple of times because I obviously have a need to be a little toasted in the morning, LOL. Thank you for taking the time to post the link. Very kind of you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I am confused. I don't remember reading that the list of Selected Wines for the Premium Plus Beverage package was for Dinner only. If that is the case, I have been giving very bad advice for a long time and I am sorry. I have been able to get selected Premium Plus Bottles of Wine/Champagne at any meal including breakfast. I have never been turned down when I ordered one. Please share where this is the policy so I can correct my advice in the future. I am kind of embarrassed I might have missed this. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

To clarify, any wine/beer/spirits brought by a butler will not be part of the Premium Plus Beverage Package. This rule is silly in my estimation but the suite is charged. Yes, some folks have posted that their butler brought them something on the package, that is not the rule, that is the exception. My advise which comes from both experience and the disappointment of having a huge suite tab at the end of the week; ask first then have a strategy if the answer is no. Nothing is more upsetting as thinking thing are available and then realizing it was not. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I love your evaluation and I want to tell you why. When I started this thread, my goal then and now was to create a realistic expectation of the Haven Experience. You gave the good and the bad. For example your experience in the Haven Restaurant. If I read your review, I would order differently knowing that I wanted the course served correctly. On your thoughts on the butler where you did not ask for much. That is normal and unfortunately, butlers are over worked on NCL. They can not be as intuitive as they are on other luxury lines. I personally give the butler a letter upfront with our wants and needs. I rarely ask for anything after day one so I get what you were saying. Again, thank you for being so accurate with your experiences. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

This is my pleasure and so happy you enjoy the subject and effort by all whom contribute. The only place that Children are discouraged is the Haven Sundeck because it is 16 and up. I have seen children up there but their parents were very mindful to keep the noise level and behavior nice especially in the Hot tubs. Still it is 16 and above. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@CDR Benson I am very excited to read your post. My hope and wish is that one day, you and the Good Mrs. Benson can join my wife and I to mutually enjoy a cruise vacation. For someone who posts a lot on areas I truly enjoy, it was my pleasure to assist you, Sir in any way I could. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

The answer is yes, but NOT from room service. Usually they allow two. The best approach is to find a Bartender that you connect with, give them a tip, and ask for the beer. On wine, they usually open it and recork it. Sometimes it is not what you ask for, it is how you ask. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Allow me to add. My strategy when cruising in the Haven is to first, drop my bags off in my Suite followed by getting a drink at the Haven Bar. Please remember while in port, there will be a tax put on your suite portfolio. It is not much. Depending on the ship, there is a small setting of food in the observation lounge. In the past, they would serve sliders in the Haven Courtyard. As a Haven Guest, you will have the choose of having Lunch at the Haven Restaurant or one of the specialty restaurants complementary for that one lunch. It is usually the American Diner. I suggest always the Haven Restaurant because the food is better. I would usually sit outside because of the view. Lunch usually takes 1.5 hours so your suites are usually ready at 1:00 PM. That is good timing. When you enter the Haven Courtyard, the Haven desk is usually busy with folks changing and or adjusting thing. That is why I attempt to get onboard as soon as I can. Try to get all your reservations for Specialty Restaurant done pre-cruise. Things you can't do pre-cruise are go-carts, spas, Lasor Tag. Shows can be done later if you don't have a reservation. My advice in staying in the Haven is, use this special area as your relief when the ship gets to hectic or crowds are to large. That said, explore the entire ship and don't lose the excitement of being on a huge hotel on the sea. If you have any other questions, just ask. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Hello all, Sthrngary here. I have cruised both in and out of the Haven Proper. I have also cruised in a Haven Spa Suite on the Getaway. Most recently I cruised on the Joy, in the H2 Haven Deluxe Owners Suite with my family. Haven Spa Suite: Nice suite with the hot tub by your bed. Small balcony and near the Spa/Gym. An elevator ride to the Haven Courtyard, Restaurant and pool. My wife and I did not feel disconnected at all. Just the way it was. It is important that the investment of this lovely room and experiences was $2,099.00 for a week which was shockingly low at the time. Haven Penthouse In the Haven Courtyard: The suite was bigger then the Haven Spa Suite. Nice to be in the Haven Proper but after the first day, forgotten. I think the fact that we love exploring the entire ship and not just staying in the Haven 24/7 has us feeling this way. If we never really wanted to leave the Haven, this would be our choice. Haven Deluxe Owners Suite: I only bring this up because it was a goal and bucket list experience. Surprisingly, this was a "One and Done" experiences. We got lucky and all the moons were in the right place. For us, being right next to the Haven Library with the view of the front of the ship was my favorite benefit. Quiet and calm place to write. The suite was lovely, huge and after the first day or so, was like any other suite. I know that sound horrible to say but it is the way we felt. Glad we did it though. As long as a guest knows there is some walking to get to the Haven if not in Haven Proper and they have no issue with that, go for it. If price is and issue to stay out of the Haven Proper, consider it. To get the huge balconies in the back of the ship, consider it. Just know the pro/cons. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@joyous Love the name by the way. You have taken my quote out of context. I made that quote after reading lots of comments from the OP. Every cabin, with any obstruction to the view especially the balcony needs to be stated. I hate to say it but especially if it is in the Haven which normally would cost a premium of 2 to 3 times the normal fare. The Cruise Company not doing so is unacceptable. The poster is not sure if they have obstruction. There issue is NCL can't tell them if they do either and was unwilling to accommodate them into another similar cabin. Shame on NCL for not having better Customer Service. My point and still is my point; let's wait and see if this is actually an issue after the ship goes out and video's/pictures of these rooms are available. For your information, I shared inside contacts with the OP on who to contact on the matter privately. I thought I had to clarify my point so it would not be misunderstood. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@AACJ Allow me to do my best to assist you. Bottles Of Wine: At restaurants and bars, they have a list of drinks and wines. You can order a glass of wine all the time. On the Bottle situation. If you have the Premium Plus Beverage Package, you can choose to order a bottle of "Selected Wine" from the list. The list indicates that bottles that are ok under the program. NOT every bottle so you have to check the list and that list changes frequently. Whole Bottle Of Champagne: I always do the Premium Plus program. Over the past year, there were two French Champagne's available. One by the glass (not a selected one for a bottle). The other by the Bottle. When they delivered the bottle to my table, they ask how many glasses I would like to have. When I went solo, I did the Glass selection and had several of them. When I went to the Asian Flat Grill Restaurant, I ordered the bottle (selected) and shared with those with me. My approach: My wife loves Chardonnay. She also loves to have a glass or two on the balcony prior to bed. Since you are charged for room service or butlers bringing Alcoholic beverages to your suite/cabin regardless of drink program, we have a strategy. At dinner, my wife orders a few of the nicer Chardonnay's by the glass. Towards the end of dinner (lunch or breakfast), she orders a bottle and has on glass. They put the cork back in and we take it to our stateroom. Problem solved. I hope that clarifies your question and confusion. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I have read all the replies. All are possible. I have one more think but I am not sure that you qualify. With the new Free At Sea PLUS. You get another $50.00 per excursions. So when you order/purchase an excursion, you get $100.00 off. Just wanted to give you one more possibility not knowing your situation. Cruise Well and Enjoy Every Moment.

@RocketMan275 I am not a Champagne kind of guy. Then, when in the NCL French Restaurant, I simply had to have a nice Champagne with dinner. I had the Premium Plus Beverage package. I truly enjoyed my French Champagne. So much so that every meal from that point forward, I ordered the bottle that was available as a selected wine. One of the main reason's I get the Premium Plus program is my wife likes wine in the room. She, god bless her, has a bottle at dinner and we order another bottle which most of which we take back to the suite. You can gain that bottle at Breakfast, Lunch or dinner. You can even order it at the Haven Bar. So it does not need to be a meal or dinner. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

The Breakaway and the Getaway have tables in the Haven Courtyard. Not sure why they would need to move lounge chairs out but that is one nice place to have lunch. That is my memory anyway. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I cannot answer that question. Look at current list for the Premium Plus Drink Program. It changes yearly but their are selected wines you can order by the bottle French champagne included. I usually order one for the table when we do the Japanize Dinner night. I used to have a list but it would be different now. Hope that all makes sense. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Renaissance by Marriott. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

There is a bottle of Champagne you can get from the bar. It is super nice. If not, your plan will work great. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

If I am not mistaken, the Veuve is available by the Glass. No need for 40%. To more specifically answer your question, yes, the 40% would work on a full bottle. If I win in the Casino, I buy a bottle of Dom. I get 40% off on it. Hope that helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Question for the Oceania Frequent Cruisers: I know that NCL has an program where you can upgrade your cabin with a bidding system. Crystal Cruises offered an upgrade for a specific amount based on the cabin you did book. What is the procedure if any for Oceania. Thank you for your support and responses. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

The Haven Restaurant does not take reservations. Please keep that in mind. Also, if your friends are not in the Haven, there is a cost and you have to gain permission for them to join you in the Haven Restaurant. As it relates to reservations on Specialty , just ask the Concierge. I think a better strategy is to book your Specialty Restaurants online 130 days prior to the cruise for priority day/times. The big productions shows in the Main Theater have a Haven section on the left side of the stage. It is nice to have access but depending on the show, I simply sit where I want anyway. For example, one show I sat in the third row center (advice i got from a comment) another show I was the last row by the exit. The one thing that must be said, the smaller venues like the Comedy Store or Cavern Club is first come first served even for Haven. Lots of post on this issue and one must not expect special seating for these smaller venues even if someone online claims they were allowed in before the door opens. We all have to remember that setting realistic expectations to what you get and don't get allows for less disappointment when the reality of the cruise happens. I hope that post is helpful. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Joe: Thank you for sharing so much. Also, you obviously have read many of my posts. I have also booked the Celebrity (Celebrity Suite) and it was on the Equinox. This was Pre-Covid and Pre-Retreat. My experience was not the best and I also wrote the CEO a not explaining why I was disappointed. The Suite was a nice blend of space, storage, balcony and living space outside of the Master Bedroom. The ship was a month away from dry dock and the crew was less then excited which was shown in their attitudes. As a Haven Guest, I have always had a great experience. Partly because I did so much work to figure out how to gain every bit of value from my stay. Whether early morning coffee in the Haven Library above the Horizon Observation Lounge or pre-dinner drinks at the Haven Bar having my favorite Tequila 1942. The Haven gave me a balance of quiet, private and relaxing time with the opportunity to be a kid on the Water Slides, Go Cart, Laser Tag and VR center. I might be old but I love that stuff. My Selection of Oceania Cruise for my friends and my Mediterranean Cruise was much more about them, then about me. I did an excel Spreadsheet on 10 different cruises, during the same time, going to similar locations. My hope was we could find a away to go on the New NCL Viva in the Haven. I took NCL Breakaway; NCL Viva, Celebrity Edge, Oceania, Regent, Viking, Ritz-Carlton and a couple of others. I looked at staterooms from Spa Suites to full Penthouse Suites. I looked at the Haven and the Retreat. My focus was on staying within our friends budget. The best choice for a cruise that has a lot of port days ended up being the Oceania Riviera. If this cruise was my wife and I, we might have simply paid more and gone on the Viva. We both know, we will have a better time with our friends. On another note, I have stayed in the Haven (H2) Deluxe Owners Suite (Video on YouTube) with my family on the NCL Joy December 2021. That was an experience and a half. I can see how the Vista Suite on Oceania might be lovely. I am hoping for a paid upgrade opportunity if that exists on an Oceania Cruise. I love all the other travel you outlined. Lovely way to enjoy our time and rewards on life. I have no grand kids, so we often take our adult children with us. The central theme as we get older is friends and family make the cruise. Thank you again for taking the time to share your story. A great story it was as wall. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Your point is extremely important. That is why I list all the amenities. My choose would be focused on my likes and dis-likes. Yours is focused on the things that enhance a trip for you. If everyone could learn that simple thought, more folks would be much happier. I could give you a few but they don't bother me. I have learned that these situation happen and just say NO. Also, on the internet minutes. I could not agree with you more. I liked it better years ago with no cell phone, phones or internet. I do the unlimited for my wife, not for me. As a matter of fact, I do a lot of the choices I make for my lovely bride. The Haven is and has been my favorite way of cruising. When I did go on Celebrity in the Retreat, it was ok but I like the Haven better. However, when I went on the Crystal Cruises voyage, I understood the difference. The entire ship was the Haven/Retreat on steroids. My choice of Oceania for this trip was much more about the Itinerary, investment and being held to a budget because we were going with our friends. What I am trying to say is there is a very big difference in personalized service when it is the entire ship. Hard to quantify. Hope that all makes sense. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.