BEACHBARB

We've only been in the Haven proper this past January on the Encore.  Loved it.  Usually get aft penthouse for the large balcony but I enjoyed being in the proper area.  Will miss the Horizon Lounge from the Encore.  I'll be looking for you!!!

On 3/3/2024 at 1:32 PM, PatJim said:

Thanks so much.
If you do book the Escape for February 23 next year, please get in touch.  Love to meet up for drinks or whatever.  We’re in cabin #17728.

BTW, just noticed from your signature that we were on the same sailing last November 4th😎 on the Getaway.

 

Just booked last Friday.  Cabin 17704 - there were only 2 cabins left on 17.  Wish I had the go ahead from family a bit earlier - could have saved over $2,000 on a 2 bedroom.  A year from today, we'll be in Tortola - we'll go to Cane Garden Bay.  

Thanks for the quick reply.  We'll give it more thought.  Have been to Antigua before and this place sounded pretty nice.  We aren't very demanding.  

On 11/22/2023 at 2:25 PM, Nashna said:

Blue Waters is an elegant British-style resort.  I would not recommend a day pass as you will not receive the same outstanding service as guests staying for a vacation.  Plan to stay for a whole week to experience the features at Blue Waters.  This is not a good resort to stay for a day.  

Please explain.  We can do a day pass for 5 of us and it's not too expensive.  What is so bad about it????

Love your review and honesty.  I really laughed several times.  We're sailing the Encore in January and I'm disappointed in the entertainment listed.  On the Bliss a couple years ago we saw SIX and it was awesome.  This past February there were some kids in the Haven and they were not parented well.  One little girl was doing cartwheels in the Haven lounge (on the Getaway which has a smaller lounge).  We tried Los Lobos on Bliss and really liked it - sorry you didn't.  But there were 6 of us so we entertained ourselves.  Have you looked into Virgin - no kids on there either  

We booked the Residence Inn Miami Airport for 5 adults.  2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms.  Free airport shuttle and paid shuttle to port.  

Loving your review!!!!  My sistah's and I cruise together a lot.  And we have a blast.  Love the Haven so interested in the Prima.  We feel as your do about ports.  Don't want to pay for taxis, lounge chairs, umbrellas, drinks - when we've already paid plenty for the Haven so why not just stay and enjoy all they have to offer.  

We are booked for Embassy Suites in January because we like the area but haven't stayed there in years so these reviews convince me to book the Hyatt House in Dania because there will be 5 of us and we booked 2 rooms at Embassy where we only need 1 room at Hyatt.  We sail out of Miami but usually fly Southwest info FLL.  Thanks cruisecritic peeps!!!!!!

What's Included Enjoy your resort pass anytime between 10:30 AM - 6 PM local time Unlimited continental breakfast, lunch and snacks Unlimited drinks (alcohol & non alcohol) Beach access, and 2 private pools Use of fitness center Lounge chairs and umbrellas by pool and on beach Poolside bars with swim-up bar Beach and pool volleyball Daytime entertainment programs for adults (daily) and children Non-motorized Watersports: windsurfing and kayaks Free WiFi in public area Bathrooms are available for changing Breakfast Lunch Snacks Bottled water Coffee and/or Tea Alcoholic Beverages Guest rooms/accommodations TOWELS are Not Included (Please bring one with you from the ship) Transfers to/from your cruise ship. Motorized water sports Lockers are not available so pack light Items of a personal nature including spa and gift shop

Read more about Antigua Shore Excursion: All-Inclusive Jolly Beach Resort and Spa Pass - https://www.viator.com/tours/St-Johns/Antigua-Shore-Excursion-All-Inclusive-Jolly-Beach-Resort-and-Spa-Pass/d22047-9444P31?mcid=56757

Following!!!!  Going there in February and I know they have 365 beaches - one for every day of the year.  Don't want to go back to the one we've been to previously just because we want to try something new.  

If SIX is still on the Bliss - it's a MUST SEE!!!!  I still listen to the music all the time and just loved it.  

I must say, NCL has THE BEST french fries!!!!!  I would get them with steak instead of baked potato.  

I liked the dining room better on the Breakaway than the Bliss.  When we were on the Bliss - it was so bright at dinner and they said they couldn't turn the lights down.  Now - on the Breakaway - I would not want to eat in the courtyard area - I'd wait till a table opened up in the dining room but that's just me.  I did like the sun deck better on the Bliss - so much larger.

On 8/30/2022 at 6:32 AM, david_sobe said:

One reason why the Breakaway/Getaway are some of my least favorite ships.  The Haven is an afterthought and big steps back from its predecessor Epic.  Besides the tiny restaurant, it's courtyard is small and the Haven sundeck has no water features. 
If I was considering the Haven on any NCL ship these ships would be last on my list.  The Escape corrected most of these shortcomings in the Haven.  Then Bliss/Encore took the Haven to another level.  Now Prima took it even higher.  But anyone that has sailed Bliss or Encore or even Epic in the Haven and sailed Breakaway or Getaway, they will be surprised.

20 hours ago, Shellbelle28 said:

We were on Bliss in October in aft suite 11312, which is the "large" balcony version. And man, it is amazing! We did a cabin crawl with our Cruise Critic roll call and we ended at our suite. I felt like royalty! We opened the door and the butler had rearranged the living room area and set out snacks and drinks for everyone. We never went ashore in the ports, we just lounged on the balcony and people watched.

We live pretty frugally in our day to day lives, but when we cruise we like to be spoiled. I do think I like the smaller ships overall, but that Bliss aft penthouse is an awesome memory. 

Our next cruise, we're trying the Sun, also in an Aft penthouse. It will be an interesting comparison. 

We were on the Breakaway a few years ago in a Haven aft and did the cabin crawl with Cruise Critic.  I agree - you feel like royalty.  People are so amazed!!!!  

1 hour ago, wolft927 said:

Traveling with my wife and our 20 year old son and his GF, they have a courtyard haven suite but they don’t know it yet. It is his girlfriends first cruise ever! Think we set the bar to high lol

WOW - she will be SOOO spoiled.  My first cruise was a couple decades ago and we had a porthole with an upper and lower.  Now we stay in aft Haven and someday maybe a 2 bedroom in the actual Haven area.  

Update:  NCL has allowed us to cancel with full refund because it was considered a back to back.  Thanks to cruisecritic and NCL for handling this .  We will sail NCL again - hopefully when/if this virus goes away.  And we'd love to sail out of NY again in January/February on one of the big ships.  

On 1/21/2022 at 8:37 PM, julig22 said:

I've always initiated contact via email.  Got an email and call back from a staff member the following day.

kbyrd@ncl.com

I send her an e-mail and she's wonderful and all is taken care off.  Thank you for your help on this.  

7 hours ago, rachiem said:

Do you have a link to this form? I suppose I'd need to go back to my TA to process it.

I didn't know you could do this and was about to wave goodbye to £200

Following - is it just the normal "contact us" or a special form??  Thanks.

15 hours ago, julig22 said:

I've always initiated contact via email.  Got an email and call back from a staff member the following day.

kbyrd@ncl.com

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!

17 hours ago, julig22 said:

Pre-covid I had a b2b "modified" - first leg cancelled, dates of 2nd leg  changed.  They did a lift and drop to another ship with a similar itinerary for passengers on the cancelled cruise, which of course created an issue for me.  For those affected by the date change (my second leg) we were given a few alternatives but nothing matching my original itinerary and I wasn't interested.

I contacted Katty Byrd, customer services and was able to negotiate a different cruise - so they were willing to work one on one. Figure out what you think would be reasonable and ask.  

Sadly, after all the negotiations, covid cancelled everything anyway😪

Do you happen to still have her phone number.  I tried calling and they person answering tried to help me but never gave me Katty Byrd's number.  Thanks in advance.

5 hours ago, bigrednole said:

I think anyone that is staying in a 2BR Haven Suite with 3-people can make schedule changes in their life. If not, then the cruise cannot be that important to them.

You are a ray of sunshine.  You know nothing about what's going on in our family since we booked this cruise.  

17 hours ago, julig22 said:

Pre-covid I had a b2b "modified" - first leg cancelled, dates of 2nd leg  changed.  They did a lift and drop to another ship with a similar itinerary for passengers on the cancelled cruise, which of course created an issue for me.  For those affected by the date change (my second leg) we were given a few alternatives but nothing matching my original itinerary and I wasn't interested.

I contacted Katty Byrd, customer services and was able to negotiate a different cruise - so they were willing to work one on one. Figure out what you think would be reasonable and ask.  

Sadly, after all the negotiations, covid cancelled everything anyway😪

Funny you mentioned Katty Byrd because I was looking up names of people I could contact and she is at the top of my list.  

10 hours ago, bigrednole said:

Unfortunately a B2B cruise IS NOT a 2-week cruise. They are in fact 2 separate cruises. The first cruise is canceled and not much you can do other than get a refund or FCC. The second 1-week cruise is still going. You have to make a choice to keep it or not. This is how insurance works. People do not understand insurance well and they learn a lot when they finally have to use it. Every piece of a trip is a separate entity and none are dependent on another. If flights are booked separately, they are treated separately. You could still fly to the destination, so that was a choice. 

 

As for your lost 1st week, get the refund and figure something else to do. There really is no option unless you want an FCC for the second week. 

Insurance won''t cover this.  I called them and they have a very specific list of things that are covered.  A FCC that's only good till the end of this year isn't something we want but we may be forced to take a cruise to somewhere we don't even want to go.  This damn virus.  Screwing up so much. 

HELP!!!!

We were booked on a back to back on the Joy 1/22 and 1/29.  Now the 1/22 is canceled but the 1/29 is scheduled to sail.  We don't want a one week cruise  We booked for 2 weeks and now only have the option for 1 week.  What are out options?  Our "NCL insurance tells me via phone call that not wanting to go for just one week of a two week cruise isn't covered.  Great.   We are booked in a 2 bedroom Haven for 3.  Not inexpensive,  Getting partial credit or anything similar isn't going to work for us.  And an FCC only good thru 12/31/2022 isn't good either.  Options?  You friends know the whats up so let me know.  We're desperate !!!!!!!