Top Tip for the Haven - Be aware of the Tips

IMO, you should have told the butler what you did or didn't want to be delivered as an afternoon snack. If the butler doesn't hear anything (good or bad), the butler will just deliver whatever is on the schedule.

I think that part of the problem is that many TAs advertise this as prepaid gratuities and may not know (or don't tell) if someone is in the haven that there is a difference.

Precisely

Maybe she should have asked. What a novel idea for someone that supposedly works for tips....

That is what I tell the Butler. I don't like the snacks that they deliver or that the casino delivers, so I tell him no snacks unless I call. I've only called for those delicious oatmeal raisin cookies and they were brought within minutes.

The casino delivers snacks too? What kind? This upcoming cruise is through CAS as well as being in the Haven. :D

The casino delivers snacks too? What kind? This upcoming cruise is through CAS as well as being in the Haven. :D

I could be wrong here (lol I am sure someone will set me straight :)) I think a huge issue is that many don't know or are insecure about what they can ask from a butler with some others who go to the opposite extreme. I have been in a haven suite twice. The first time with my mom who had medical issues and wanted something to eat late night but refused to "wake" the butler up for room service. After the cruise I found out about the night butler. Our butler had no idea she sometimes wanted a late night snack or else I am sure he would have put her mind to rest. Some don't want to "bother" the butler..but hey YOU pay extra to "bother" the butler no matter how many cabins he services. I didnt ask a lot from my butlers but they were great, they both took the time to make sure our vacation was the best and offered their assistance when not asked. I tipped with the thought in mind on how much they made my vacation more special then it would be if not in haven. Thank you Gian and Mark Santos :) On all of my NCL cruises I have lucked out with equally great room stewards that I have tipped extra.

Quick question, do you tip as the Butler delivers things to the room (i.e. each time you request something), or just tip once at the end?

Quick question, do you tip as the Butler delivers things to the room (i.e. each time you request something), or just tip once at the end?

Quick question, do you tip as the Butler delivers things to the room (i.e. each time you request something), or just tip once at the end?

I just tip at the end of the cruise.

Some people also tip a bit at the beginning of the cruise. I've had a few butlers that made me glad I don't do that.

Quick question, do you tip as the Butler delivers things to the room (i.e. each time you request something), or just tip once at the end?

I normally tip a few times during the trip, if I ask for things.

We recently had an amazing time on the NCL Getaway. The Haven was amazing, along with the food and staff. The only thing that put a damper on the holiday (well, with the exception of all the rain!!!), was the tipping at the end. I pre-paid my tips, which were more than average due to the room type we had booked. The day before we were scheduled to leave, we were told by the Haven staff that our tips did not go towards the lovely people who were serving us all week within the Haven - and that they were distributed to the rest of the staff on board. :o

 

What? total bummer as we hardly spent much time outside of the Haven and did tip additional in the speciality restaurants when we dine with the commoners (LOL kidding!). Not knowing this ahead of time also was a bit problematic as I had not enough 'cash' and needed to decide who would get what. The staff were all amazing and it just made me feel awkward on the last day. Not a good way to end the holiday.

 

Anyways, I put a little video together on youtube on my great experience in the Haven so if you are interested in watching, you can search it on Youtube (leslieloo on food & travel) or the link if this works. :D

Wow, I had no idea that haven staff would chase for tips in such a direct manner.

Wow, I had no idea that haven staff would chase for tips in such a direct manner.

They don't usually based on our experience on NCL. That is why I asked who were the folk(s) doing that. I have read of several people having absent butlers all week to only have them show up the last night mysteriously.

Wow, I had no idea that haven staff would chase for tips in such a direct manner.

Is it possible that either the butler or the concierge was only relaying the fact that "they" are not part of the DSC?

We stayed in the Owners Suite and saw our butler twice. Would you like to guess how much we tipped him?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

What an odd question. The best butlers are those who do their job and who you don’t see unless they are summoned. If there’s something you want, you need to ask. They aren’t mind readers. If you don’t happen to see your butler, you can leave a note, or speak to the Concierge. Sheesh.

We recently had an amazing time on the NCL Getaway. The Haven was amazing, along with the food and staff. The only thing that put a damper on the holiday (well, with the exception of all the rain!!!), was the tipping at the end. I pre-paid my tips, which were more than average due to the room type we had booked. The day before we were scheduled to leave, we were told by the Haven staff that our tips did not go towards the lovely people who were serving us all week within the Haven - and that they were distributed to the rest of the staff on board. :o

 

What? total bummer as we hardly spent much time outside of the Haven and did tip additional in the speciality restaurants when we dine with the commoners (LOL kidding!). Not knowing this ahead of time also was a bit problematic as I had not enough 'cash' and needed to decide who would get what. The staff were all amazing and it just made me feel awkward on the last day. Not a good way to end the holiday.

 

Anyways, I put a little video together on youtube on my great experience in the Haven so if you are interested in watching, you can search it on Youtube (leslieloo on food & travel) or the link if this works. :D

Nice video thanks!

We will be in haven for the first (and probably only) time over Christmas on the Escape.

Your video helped.

Quick question, do you tip as the Butler delivers things to the room (i.e. each time you request something), or just tip once at the end?

I started this on my last cruise to Alaska (our first Suite experience) as I'm so used to tipping for basically anything that is done. It was actually sort of awkward. We will be in the haven on an upcoming cruise and I'm going to try to refrain from this and save it for the end. We'll see how it goes. :)

We too were used to tipping for everything that’s done. Our butler asked us to hold off tipping until the end of the cruise.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Hi! Loved the video! Can you tell me who the Haven concierge and maitre’d is in the Haven restaurant? Thanks!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Quick question, do you tip as the Butler delivers things to the room (i.e. each time you request something), or just tip once at the end?

Our butlers have always asked us to wait until end of cruise. Our first butler was good. We had no idea how good until we sailed a suite again. That butler was MIA and our room steward did most of the service for cofffee machine etc. on cruise, walking down hall , looking for butler. He saw me coming and ducked into service area. Did not come by in evenings. Concierge did mention that there were complaints, not just mine. Last cruise, Jennifer was a dream. Next cruise is in Haven, first time. Looking forward to next month in Austrailia on Jewel.

That is what I tell the Butler. I don't like the snacks that they deliver or that the casino delivers, so I tell him no snacks unless I call. I've only called for those delicious oatmeal raisin cookies and they were brought within minutes.

Oatmeal raisin cookies yeah. Have you tried the white chocolate macadamia. They are awesome.

Our butlers have always asked us to wait until end of cruise...

Why do they want you to wait until the end of the cruise? If I was ever in the Haven, I would think I would rather tip each time they brought me or did something for me. Then not tip them or maybe add something small at the end

They don't usually based on our experience on NCL. That is why I asked who were the folk(s) doing that. I have read of several people having absent butlers all week to only have them show up the last night mysteriously.

I had a butler on one cruise show up at the cabin the last sea day of the cruise with a debarkation booklet with the verbiage about concierge and butler not being part of DSC highlighted and pointed it out.

It made me pretty uncomfortable considering I already had his tip in an envelope in the safe. I did consider lowering it (it was probably already too high), but opted against it because I thought it was possible he figured I didn't know what to do because I am a bit younger than the typical suite crowd.

Thanks for posting your video, what a wonderful glimpse into The Haven Life :-)

Hi! Loved the video! Can you tell me who the Haven concierge and maitre’d is in the Haven restaurant? Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

In November the concierge was David and he was absolutely fantastic.

If a suite guest is going to ignore the information that is already available (FAQ, for ex), that same guest is going to ignore any additional information that NCL would provide.

 

 

"Why does my free promo cost over $100pp" - didn't read the Terms & Conditions of the promo.

"Why isn't the butler a part of the DSC?" - didn't read the FAQ about Money Matters.

Logically incorrect, not everyone feels a need to read every word on a website. I would not go to an FAQ unless I had a question I wanted answered. Since it would be reasonable to assume that a 'pre-paid service charge' (in common parlance a 'tip') was indeed a pre-paid service charge, I would give it no further thought and believe that I had met my obligation. I would have no compulsion to go to an FAQ and find out that it's actually a 'pre-paid service charge for some people but not others'.

QED, it would be better if NCL made that clear at the point of pre-paying the service charge and not leave it to serendipity; if I have no reason to question something, I am unlikely to question it.

IMHO.