PatJim

Thanks to everyone who responded re bartender tips.  I didn’t realize they get a cut of the drink gratuities.  

On 4/9/2024 at 10:43 AM, 9tee2Sea said:

….FYI..inside the Haven Observation Lounge, there is an automatic coffee machine where you can make a really good Cappuccino or Espresso for free.Just push a button and out it comes.

And lattes!💕 Alas, we’ve only found this fantastic coffee machine in the Haven Observation Lounge on the Bliss and Joy.  Was so disappointed not to find it on the Epic,  Breakaway and Getaway.  We’ll be in the Prima Haven in November for the 1st time.  Does anyone know if they also have it?

For ships that don’t, I make an approximate latte in the cabin, with hot milk delivered by the butler every morning (along with almond croissants).  It’s the one thing that gets me up!

On 4/8/2024 at 1:14 PM, Russiamomm said:

I’m not sire what you’re referring to for the MDR.  If you choose to eat there, gratuities are covered by the DSC.  There will be no additional gratuity unless you choose to leave one.  The only additional grats for being in the Haven are the butler and concierge, unless you choose to leave additional for other staff members.

I was surprised to learn that bartenders also are not covered in the Daily Service Charge.  Has something to do with excluding staff who are not used by all cruisers, as not everyone drinks or is in the Haven!  We tip accordingly, usually with every drink order, plus a $20 upfront to Haven bar tender.

We also give tips to wait staff in Haven restaurant and elsewhere.  For quite a few cruises we didn’t know anyone did this, then on the Gem in Moderno at breakfast years ago we saw someone slip the waiter a tip, and that got us doing it, too.  This is highly subjective.  The wait staff doesn’t expect tips, and no one should feel they “should” tip.  But New York has a generous tipping culture.  A Concierge we knew once told us he was dismayed at being moved from the Gem to a ship not sailing out of NYC, because the tips were the best here.

Oops - forgot to post link:  https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2830623-the-ncl-haven-luxury-vip-experience-secrets-revised-for-2022/?do=findComment&comment=67194170

We always have lunch in the Haven at embarkation, mostly as an early chance to get to know the staff, and for them to get to know us.  It’s kind of a tradition for me to order the scallops, and Jim to have a hamburger, but if you want to eat light, you can always choose 2 appetizers.  Here’s a link to the Haven lunch menu:
 

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/617ac6f28abd337ac8fc5f75/t/6255de58dbe6f61442cae352/1649794648915/NCL+Haven+Lunch+Menu.pdf

At least once later in the cruise, I’ll go down to the Garden Cafe, make up a plate of curry, and bring it back to the Haven to join Jim for lunch!  We board the Prima in November, and I’m really looking forward to the Indian food in Indulge Food Hall.

To enhance your Haven experience, please check out Gary’s Secrets of the Haven.  Don’t be put off by the number of pages - just dive in!  No matter how many times we cruise, I always learn something useful for next time.  Have a great cruise.

1 hour ago, NclCruiuser said:

not sure how this will affect anything, but Congestion pricing will have just started in NYC and people might be crazed trying to find alternative streets and ways to travel. I will be going down the West Side Hiway to the pier but have not figured out yet how to get back on Northbound without getting trapped and having to pay.

Best... Steve

Just a quick note on NYC’s congestion pricing, which takes affect in June:

Cars are $15 peak times (5 am-9 pm, which affects cruisers)

Taxi is $1.25; Uber, Lyft $2.50

6 hours ago, goldmom said:

We're doing the Joy to Bermuda in May and the Breakaway to Canada in October.  I prefer the Joy to the Breakaway.  More restaurants, love the Horizon Lounge and the balconies on deck 17 are deep enough to squeeze in a lounge chair.

I'd probably pick Bermuda, but you can'r go wrong either way.  Enjoy!

PS. The 2-bedroom suites in Haven proper do have small balconies, but ours is slightly larger, as it extends in front of the master bathroom.  Regardless of size, we always request a lounger with our pre-cruise concierge list, and usually it’s there when we board.

6 hours ago, goldmom said:

We're doing the Joy to Bermuda in May and the Breakaway to Canada in October.  I prefer the Joy to the Breakaway.  More restaurants, love the Horizon Lounge and the balconies on deck 17 are deep enough to squeeze in a lounge chair.

I'd probably pick Bermuda, but you can'r go wrong either way.  Enjoy!

Are you on the May 19th cruise?  We’re in #17110.

19 hours ago, graphicguy said:

OK…all you Haven Vets…. 

 

Have an opportunity to book a 7 day Bermuda cruise to either Bermuda in June (my B-Day) or in Sept for Canadian itinerary.  Both in HI cabin.  Been years since I’ve been to Bermuda.  But, Sept in Canada makes it right in the middle of leaves changing.

 

Any input on Joy (I’ve never sailed her)?  Sailed her to either Bermuda or Canada?

 

Both are cheap (I mean really cheap for Haven) and about the same fare!

 

TIA!

You can let the weather decide for you—sort of like flipping a coin😁. We booked a Bermuda cruise September 2022, and ended up going to Canada/New England!  Got an email from NCL 8 pm night before departure, so had to scramble to repack and get Canadian documentation (COVID-related and no longer required).  Felt sorry for cruisers already in New York who only had warm-weather clothes with them.  There were a lot of sweat shirts bought in Newport, our first port of call.

I would choose Bermuda in June, as I think weather is increasingly more iffy on East Coast in September.  Jim and I have done numerous Canada/NE cruises from NYC in September.  Sometimes we see fall foliage, but usually we don’t.  Timing it this far in advance is tricky.  Good luck with your choice.

Very well said, Gary.  Thank you.

For many years, I led Cruise Critic Meet & Greets, especially on the Gem.  Jim and I loved planning cabin crawls.  We usually were able to get members to volunteer almost every type of cabin for the crawl.  It was very educational.  Some members who never would have considered booking an inside could see for themselves their clever storage despite their small size, and that booking this category would allow them to cruise more often.  We also knew cruisers who, after seeing an Owner’s Suite on the crawl, saved for a couple of years to afford booking one.  

The mention on this thread that travel insurance likely won’t cover missing the ship due to a late excursion, was very helpful.  We thought our TI company would cover this scenario.  We always book comprehensive insurance p, because it covers pre-existing medical conditions.  It’s not cheap, but gives us peace of mind.

Jim just reread the TI contract.  it mentions late flight causes for missing the ship or a tour, but not a late tour operator causing us to miss the ship.  Who knew??  So thanks so much for this info.

Really enjoyed your comparison of the Getaway changes, both good and not so good.  Thank you for taking the time to post.

To slake your thirst, here’s the recipe for the Rebellious Fish, one of my favorites, too.

REBELLIOUS FISH

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz. Passion Fruit Liqueur
• 1 oz. Vodka
• 1/4 oz. Orange Liqueur
• 2 oz. Orange Juice
• Sparkling Wine (for topping)

 Garnish:

• Fresh Berries

We’ve also been fortunate with Haven staff, including butlers.  Our 1st Haven suite was on the Gem back in December, 2011; our butler was Josephine.  She was friendly, knowledgeable, professional.  She walked us through what to expect, and how to best utilize her and the other Haven staff.  She was always available to answer questions or fulfill our requests.  Over the years, we got to know her well, and when she had her son, if we knew she would be onboard, we brought gifts for him.

The last time we saw Josephine was September 2022.  We were in the Manhattan Cruise Terminal prior to boarding when she walked in.  Hugs all around!  Even though she wasn’t our butler on that cruise, she secretly arranged to have a birthday cake delivered to our suite.

Pre-Haven, we booked NCL as one of the few lines that sailed out of NYC year round,  It’s our interactions with the wonderful crew—not just in the Haven—that keeps us loyal.  

2 hours ago, FLAHAM said:

Frozen lobster tails never did it for me.  Take an NCL cruise with port stops in Maine or the Canadian Maritimes and have a lunch with a live (fresh-killed) steamed whole lobster.

Yes!  We’ve done quite a few Canada/New England cruises, and always have a lobster lunch in every port😋 Our last cruise there was a September 2022 Bermuda cruise, that was switched to C/NE night before, but that’s another story…

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

The surcharge for the beef filet at Le Bistro is for the foie gras which I hate.

 Wish that was true.  I had read that on CC, but on a recent cruise, my sister ordered the fillet without foie gras, but was still charged.  Both the waiter and then assistant maitre d’ explained that the surcharge was for the superior quality of the fillet, not the fois gras.  They also said there was no way to NOT charge the $10 using their computer system.  Really ridiculous, as many people won’t eat fois gras for ethical reasons, or—like you—simply don’t like the taste (full disclosure—I do like it).  It also implies that the fillet in other restaurants is inferior.  We were so annoyed by this, we went to the Haven Concierge and he had the charges reversed on Susan’s account.  It turned out to be from his discretionary account, not from the restaurant.  It’s not the $$, it’s the principle!

On 3/29/2024 at 1:10 AM, complawyer said:

last time we had lobster in  the mdr had to be at least 7-8 years ago, and i commented they looked like shrimp on steroids

I remember on the Gem in a non-Haven 2-bedroom suite, we used to order lobster tails from the butler to have in our cabin at sailaway, with the comp bottle of bubbly that actually tasted good.  Was a celebratory way to start our cruise!  No extra charge because lobster was always on the main dining room menu the first night.

Then NCL stopped offering any lobster.  In La Cucina, lobster fra diavolo became shrimp fra diavolo, and so on.  I asked why no lobster at every CC Meet & Greet, and always got the same stock answer - the supply wasn’t up to NCL standards re uniform size.  Found this hilarious, as other cruise lines continued serving lobster.

Then, shortly before COVID shut down cruising, NCL put lobster items back on the menu, but with a surcharge.  Now they’ve added a surcharge for beef fillet in Le Bisteo.  It’s kind of sad.

On 3/25/2024 at 11:18 PM, UKstages said:

 

same here... it's become impossible to spend cash.

 

i take the same euros and pounds with me on every trip. and then i bring them home. they have as many frequent flyer miles as i do.i was in london a couple of months ago and nobody wanted cash. everything is a swipe.

That’s so funny!

It’s the same situation in Denmark.  They went cashless a few years ago.  If you want local currency (krone) in Copenhagen, only one central bank handles it.  Everyone uses credit cards.

We also always use the pre-cruise concierge number to make our requests, rather than do it by email.So much better talking to someone, as we often have questions they can immediately answer (almond milk available for our cabin’s fridge?).  They can also answer Qs, especially for New Haven cruisers, about the dpi low menu, etc.  About 2 months out, I ask who our Concierge will be — not necessary, we know, but if it’s someone we’ve cruised with before, it adds to our anticipation.

3 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

…So, if you want to spend most of your time with the friends, forget the Haven. You all could look into booking Vibe or thermal suite. If you all have a pass, then you all can enjoy the amenities there and the reduced number of passengers. I bet for the price difference of a balcony vs. Haven, you could even purchase everyone Vibe passes or the thermal suite (not saying you should, but you probably could). 

 

At any rate, let us know what your decision is. We're interested and vested in your cruising enjoyment now! 

This is a great suggestion!  Just hope the ship you’re sailing on has a Vibe or Posh Beach Club with available access passes.  Pride of America does  not.  I also thought, like complawyer above, of booking a 2-bedroom for you and your parents, if the other couple could book a Haven penthouse suite.  Some of them, outside the Haven proper, are less expensive.  We have been booking Haven 2-bedrooms with my sister after she lost her husband.  She pays 1/3 the cost, and gets all the Haven perks for far less than if she booked a separate Haven cabin.  (She’s also kind enough to take the smaller “kids” bedroom without complaining 🥰)

I would not book a suite if traveling companions are not also booked there.  You would be giving up many of the suite perks you’re paying for, to spend time with friends/family.  
 

What ship are you on?  Surprised you thought the Prima, with its Haven restaurant and bars, etc., was meh.  But if you’re booking on a Gem-class or older ship without these Haven facilities, you could still enjoy breakfast & lunch at your private venues and meet up for dinner with the other 2 couples.  

It is possible to invite non-Haven guests to the Haven for dinner, maybe once, if the Concierge agrees, but you would be charged a steep fee for each guest.  They can also visit you in your cabin, but would not be allowed in other Haven spaces.

The only thing you might be able to do with them, related to Haven privileges, is to join you in Haven for an early disembark if you are all booked on the same excursion.  The Concierge would have to allow it.  A Roll Call couple, not in the Haven,  shared an excursion with us that had an early meeting time.  They were allowed to join us in the Haven, so we could be together in the staff elevator to be escorted off the ship.

The beverage tax is a  N Y State requirement, not something NCL has a say in, except they are required to collect it.  It’s still in effect after sailaway, until the ship clears NY waters.  That will be sometime after sailing under the Verrazano Bridge, which occurs @ 40 minutes after leaving the dock. 
Think the tax rate is .875% per beverage.  On our last cruise, tax for drink I had at lunch on day of departure was $2.49.  It was either a glass of wine or a Matador from the bar.

On 3/19/2024 at 3:54 PM, The Traveling Man said:

Thank you for refreshing my memory and correcting my mistake.  Yes, it is called the Garden Villa, not the Owner's Suite.  Poh-tay-toe, Pah-tah-tah ?  A rose by any other name would still be an amazing three-bedroom suite with more amenities than you can shake a stick at.  Dining table for eight, grand piano, giant big screen TV, living room with enough sofa seating for eight adults, etc., etc., etc.  Simply amazing !  Oh yeah, and wrap around one-way mirror windows from one end of the living room to the other that overlook the pool which is one deck below.

I forgot about the giant tv in the living room and the 1-way wraparound mirrored windows overlooking the pool deck!  One of us actually went down a deck one night to see if people could see in😆 

We had a fantastic concierge, Roseanne, who seemed to be everywhere we were, and insisted on escorting us to dinners.  Or have the butler escort us.  

Battlement, we’ve sailed NCL out of New York’s Passenger Terminal numerous times (40+) and always arrive early, usually @8:30-9 am.  NY terminal staff never check arrival time on your check-in, so come whenever you wish.

For those arriving by cab or private car hire, direct the driver to stop directly in front of the build entrance once up the ramp.  Porters will take your checked bags; we always tip them.   Have never parked at the terminal, but believe there is an elevator taking you down to Departures and porters to take your bags.  Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

 
However you arrive, be sure to have your check-in paperwork available.  They do check that you’re a legit passenger, before you can get in a security line.  As mentioned above, look for a prominent Haven sign towards the left.  
 

The downside of early arrival is having to stand in the Haven check-in line waiting for officials to open it to check your passport.  We spend the time chatting with other passengers.  Once through security, you’ll be directed to the Haven lounge.  It used to be on the left after security, but recently we’ve been directed all the way down the terminal to the Haven lounge on the right.  
 

Early arrival is a personal decision.  Jim 💕 being early.  For him, vacation can’t start too early, and it starts for him when he’s in the Haven lounge.  (For me, it starts when I’m in the car, heading across town!). We usually have a small bite in the lounge—smoked salmon sandwiches are a favorite—knowing we’ll be sitting down to lunch in the Haven restaurant shortly after 11:30.

Once on board, we can either drop off our bags in our cabin (if staying in the Haven proper), leave them with the Haven restaurant hostess, or bring them with us to the restaurant.  Pre-lunch, Haven staff offer non-alcoholic drinks and hors d’oeuvres.  If you want an alcoholic drink from the bar, there is a NY alcohol tax while the ship is in port and in NY State waters.

You’re going to have a wonderful cruise, taken care of by the Haven staff.  We board the Joy in May for a short cruise to Bermuda, and can’t wait!

Patricia

Jim and I call it Value Spending.  All of us here on CC have a limited amount of income vs. expenses.  After deducting necessary expenses (taxes, insurance, housing….) what’s left is discretionary.  There are a million things we could use this $ for—recovering the living room couch comes to mind—but we prefer spending it on cruises, booking 2-bedroom Haven cabins and sharing the cost with my widowed sister or inviting friends to come with us.  It’s about the experiences we have onboard, sharing with family and friends, and also seeing crew members we are close to, or meeting new ones who will become friends.  For us, there’s nothing like it.  Our visitors will just have to put up with the couch as it is🥰

I wouldn’t do it.  The two in the non-Haven balcony won’t be able to experience any of the Haven perks, especially the Haven restaurant, bar, lounge, sun deck….  If you want to spend time together with them, you would be giving up a lot of what you’re paying for.  Why not just book 2 adjoining non-Haven concierge cabins, and get Vibe passes?