Haven, Food, Reservation questions

[Annmeat]

Hello;

 

We shall be traveling on Getaway this summer in a Haven suite. I have used the handy-dandy search tool, yet still need some assistance. While a seasoned cruiser, I have only been a stalker thus far on Cruise Critic. I finally put on my big girl pants and joined.

I have these questions

 

1) Can we order from the specialty restaurants and have it delivered to the Haven restaurant? The 2BR suites do not have large enough tables to enjoy dinner with the family served there. I know that we can ask for the MDR menus. I also understand that there will be the up charge. We have no interest in the UDP.And I also do not mean Moderno, Teppanyaki, or sushi. Just Cagneys or the French place.

 

2) As a suite guest I am able to pre- book shows and specialties 55 days ahead. Will I be able to magically do this on line on the 55th day prior to departure?, or will I have to call NCL? Does the website recognize that I am a suite guest and able to book 10 days earlier?

 

3) Has anyone posted menus from the MDR? I found some from a special 2 night cruise but not from the regular cruise we are taking.

 

I appreciate any assistance. I will not ask about tipping, the DSC, freestyle deck or free upgrades or price reductions. I will not call the ship a boat , the cabin a room or the captain the driver.

Thank you

 

Annmeat

[happy cruzin]

Hello;

 

We shall be traveling on Getaway this summer in a Haven suite. I have used the handy-dandy search tool, yet still need some assistance. While a seasoned cruiser, I have only been a stalker thus far on Cruise Critic. I finally put on my big girl pants and joined.

I have these questions

 

1) Can we order from the specialty restaurants and have it delivered to the Haven restaurant? The 2BR suites do not have large enough tables to enjoy dinner with the family served there. I know that we can ask for the MDR menus. I also understand that there will be the up charge. We have no interest in the UDP.And I also do not mean Moderno, Teppanyaki, or sushi. Just Cagneys or the French place.

 

Not sure about using a table in the Haven restaurant. But I would think it's possible - especially if you let the concierge/restaurant manager know of your plans. They really aim to please and that doesn't seem to be an outrageous request. ;)

 

You'd still be charged the cost of the dinner - regardless of where it was served - so we would want the ambiance of the restaurant too! Is there a reason you'd prefer not to be in the specialty restaurant??

 

The Haven has a very nice menu - many choices and the service is FANTASTIC!

 

2) As a suite guest I am able to pre- book shows and specialties 55 days ahead. Will I be able to magically do this on line on the 55th day prior to departure?, or will I have to call NCL? Does the website recognize that I am a suite guest and able to book 10 days earlier?

 

We have always called - I've never tried to do it on line.

 

3) Has anyone posted menus from the MDR? I found some from a special 2 night cruise but not from the regular cruise we are taking.

 

Can't help you here. We've never ever stepped foot in the MDR's. :o We usually choose to frequent the specialty restaurants - with an occasional dinner in the Haven or O'Sheehans thrown in for good measure!

 

I appreciate any assistance. I will not ask about tipping, the DSC, freestyle deck or free upgrades or price reductions. I will not call the ship a boat , the cabin a room or the captain the driver.

Thank you

 

Annmeat

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic! Please above ;) :D

Edited May 18, 2014 by happy cruzin

[happy cruzin]

Not sure how many you are trying to serve for dinner - in your cabin - but here is a photo of the table that was in our cabin on the Breakaway - it seats 4.

Our table on the Epic in the 2 BR Family Suite was similar.

[maja651]

We are sailing in a suite on the Getaway in June and were able to book our reservations for dinng and the shows 55 days out online.

[Annmeat]

Thank you for the rapid responses!We need to seat 5 in the suite, so the , little , round table will be - well, eh.

the reason for eating the meal in the Haven restaurant is the availability of reservations when we want them. I know that the butler will serve us in the suite- but the suite does not have a table large enough, and I don't really want to muck it up with the 3 kiddos and tons of covered dishes . So - if I can order from the MDR menu for service in the Haven, perhaps I can order from a specialty as well?

 

As for eating in the specialty restaurants themselves, I have been hearing tales of people being unable to get reservations from even their amazing concierge, Anoop with the advent of the UDP and the free UDP offers that were tossed around this spring to boot. We simply don;t know today if we want something from Cagneys on a Tuesday or Friday. And we have heard marvelous things about the Haven restaurant and about the food in the MDR, which we can order in the Haven , so I see no benefit to eating in a special every night. We have amazing Teppanyaki here at home, as well as Italian and sushi, would only want to go Moderno . Cagneys is our old standard, of course, from other ships. La Bistro has the escargot. no? But if we must eat them in our cabin, we shall...

 

This will be our first foray onto the larger NCL ships. We are used to the smaller Jewel class. We are quite excited!

 

Annmeat

Edited May 18, 2014 by Annmeat

[Annmeat]

We are sailing in a suite on the Getaway in June and were able to book our reservations for dinng and the shows 55 days out online.

 

oooooh! I can't wait to hear all about your cruise! We are leaving in July!!!

[david_sobe]

I have not been on the Getaway but the concierge told us on Epic that we could eat all meals in the Epic Club (Haven restaurant) if we wanted to. They can deliver anything from the MDR or specialty restaurant to the Haven restaurant. On lobster night several people did this. Since the suite table is way too small for 5 people you can simply eat at the Haven if you wish.

I personally would not do this because I like to eat at different places each night. There is too much to explore on the ship. If I was going to get food from Cagneys or Shanghais, I would eat at their nice restaurant. The concierge can get you reservations and any table you want. It seems like too much fuss to get things delivered from another restaurant to another restaurant IMHO.

[happy cruzin]

I have not been on the Getaway but the concierge told us on Epic that we could eat all meals in the Epic Club (Haven restaurant) if we wanted to. They can deliver anything from the MDR or specialty restaurant to the Haven restaurant. On lobster night several people did this. Since the suite table is way too small for 5 people you can simply eat at the Haven if you wish.

I personally would not do this because I like to eat at different places each night. There is too much to explore on the ship. If I was going to get food from Cagneys or Shanghais, I would eat at their nice restaurant. The concierge can get you reservations and any table you want. It seems like too much fuss to get things delivered from another restaurant to another restaurant IMHO.

Think I'm with you there! But good to know it's an option...especially for a group of 5 or more.

To be honest - some days the ONLY time we left the Haven on the Epic was for dinner. If we'd not gone to the restaurants for dinner there's a lot of the ship we would never have seen! :eek: ;)

[maja651]

oooooh! I can't wait to hear all about your cruise! We are leaving in July!!!

 

I'll be sure to write all about it! It will be our first time in a 2 bedroom suite, and first time sharing a cabin with anyone. Of course, there are 2 bedrooms, so we won't be sharing sleeping space, but still wonder if this will "cramp our style", lol. This cruise for us will be very different as my brothers, mother, nephews, good friends, their mother, and their kiddo are all coming. I am definitely carving out hubby and me time! :).

[happy cruzin]

Thank you for the rapid responses!We need to seat 5 in the suite, so the , little , round table will be - well, eh.

the reason for eating the meal in the Haven restaurant is the availability of reservations when we want them. I know that the butler will serve us in the suite- but the suite does not have a table large enough, and I don't really want to muck it up with the 3 kiddos and tons of covered dishes . So - if I can order from the MDR menu for service in the Haven, perhaps I can order from a specialty as well?

 

As for eating in the specialty restaurants themselves, I have been hearing tales of people being unable to get reservations from even their amazing concierge, Anoop with the advent of the UDP and the free UDP offers that were tossed around this spring to boot. We simply don;t know today if we want something from Cagneys on a Tuesday or Friday. And we have heard marvelous things about the Haven restaurant and about the food in the MDR, which we can order in the Haven , so I see no benefit to eating in a special every night. We have amazing Teppanyaki here at home, as well as Italian and sushi, would only want to go Moderno . Cagneys is our old standard, of course, from other ships. La Bistro has the escargot. no? But if we must eat them in our cabin, we shall...

 

This will be our first foray onto the larger NCL ships. We are used to the smaller Jewel class. We are quite excited!

 

Annmeat

 

You are correct...that table will never work for 5!

 

But....on the other hand, I have never heard of Haven guests having any issues with reservations at the restaurants - even at the last minute. Certainly has not been an issue for us on the Epic or Breakaway - once they asked us if we'd mind going 15 minutes later than we had requested which was no big deal. I would expect it to be the same on the Getaway. ;)

[cadien]

Has anyone ever requested a larger table in their suite? Considering the cocktail party and other in-suite entertaining options, I wonder whether that's an option. There will be five of us too.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[LrgPizza]

........., so I see no benefit to eating in a special every night. We have amazing Teppanyaki here at home, as well as Italian and sushi, would only want to go Moderno . Cagneys is our old standard, of course, from other ships. La Bistro has the escargot. no? But if we must eat them in our cabin, we shall...

 

Others can maybe verify, but I'm pretty sure you're not going to be able to get Moderno delivered anywhere - cabin or Haven. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding what you are saying there.

Edited May 18, 2014 by LrgPizza

[happy cruzin]

Has anyone ever requested a larger table in their suite? Considering the cocktail party and other in-suite entertaining options, I wonder whether that's an option. There will be five of us too.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Good question!

[Annmeat]

Others can maybe verify, but I'm pretty sure you're not going to be able to get Moderno delivered anywhere - cabin or Haven. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding what you are saying there.

 

No- I know that we cannot have that - except can you imagine exiting your cabin just as waiters with meats and pineapples on sticks are parading down the hall ,trying not to drip their succulant juices on the new Getaway carpet ..

 

Moderno is one i will book ahead. The kids want to take hub there for his birthday..

 

BTW, lrgpizza, I am quite a fan. I wanted to show my son a thread you were involved in last night and "poof'. it had disappeared.!!

[Annmeat]

Has anyone ever requested a larger table in their suite? Considering the cocktail party and other in-suite entertaining options, I wonder whether that's an option. There will be five of us too.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

GREAT idea. The table in the jewel class is square an we managed to squeeze in. Our very first suite was on DCL, the Walt Disney Suite. Actually, it was our first cruise with the 3 kids, 14 years ago.They are 16 now ! It has dining room. and a library. And a butler's pantry. And and and..

But i do digress.

 

A bigger table would be great.

[LrgPizza]

No- I know that we cannot have that - except can you imagine exiting your cabin just as waiters with meats and pineapples on sticks are parading down the hall ,trying not to drip their succulant juices on the new Getaway carpet ..

 

Moderno is one i will book ahead. The kids want to take hub there for his birthday..

 

BTW, lrgpizza, I am quite a fan. I wanted to show my son a thread you were involved in last night and "poof'. it had disappeared.!!

Thanks, I think! :o I know exactly what thread you mean. I guess I gotta work on being more serious. I tried to have fun with that.

 

Looking forward to Moderno myself. While others go for the waterfront seating, I want to be right by the kitchen so I can catch the meat as soon as it enters. I'll be the one yelling, "Hey, beef boy! Over here!" as soon as he enters the room.

[TravelJoe]

Welcome to Cruise Critic! Please above ;) :D

 

 

When you log into NCL.com, the system will magically know that you are a suite passenger at 55 days and can start booking dining and entertainment.

 

One point to note is that the online system has some restrictions -- not all dining times are shown, so you have to book something and then when you get on board, revise the time. The same restriction applies if you call into the concierge desk. And some of the pre-pay options don't accommodate odd numbers of passengers (like my family of 5). We have to pay for 6, and we get credit once we're on the ship. Usually covers the cost of the wine at dinner (well, partially) :)

[52marv]

Hi Annmeat,

 

We were on the Getaway in a 2 bed Haven suite with our 16 & 13 year olds. We LOVED it!

 

As far as your questions you can have anything in the Haven restaurant, even if it's not on the menu. We are an allergy family and the staff went out of the way to create substitutions for my daughter. A friend orders eggs benedict with steak for breakfast in the Haven as her version of steak and eggs. We try not to get crazy with ordering unobtainable things, but the staff, continually surpassed our notion of what was possible. The staff in the Haven are wonderful.

 

If you want MDR food, they will deliver it to you in the Haven or your room. We asked to have MDR menus placed in our room at the start of the cruise.

 

I've cut & pasted my response to another person about my Haven tips, in particular, click on the link at the end. It has all the Haven tips I culled from CC before I left in March.

 

Have fun:

 

 

 

Just got off the Getaway, Anoop and Noemi, the concierges are fantastic. They escort you to the front of the line when disembarking at islands and on the last day right off the ship. No lines ever. They escort you to front of line for Illusionarium dinner magic show. They can get you reservations for any restaurant, show, spa excursion (except last night, Cagney's was booked solid)

 

Use the Pre-concierge service. NCL will email the name of the Pre-concierge, ours was Arthur Paris and he was wonderful. They will do whatever you ask, we arranged for spa, food & drink in room, afternoon tea.

 

The Haven has reserved seating in the theater on the left side about ten rows from the front, so you don't need to go early (they release Haven seats 5 minutes before the show). It's good seating, although if you want to sit in the center of the theater, go early.

 

Our butler was Rodney, he was wonderful. I arranged to have chocolate chip cookies and gummi bears in the room when we arrived and he kept them coming all week. Every afternoon @ 4 pm he delivered chocolate covered strawberries, canapés (salmon, shrimp, brie, prosciutto) sandwiches (your choice) and chips. If we had wanted something else, he would have brought it.

 

Lobster night is in the Buffet on the 2nd day on Getaway. Instead, on that night, @ 6 pm Rodney delivered two plates of lobster tails to our suite, perfectly cooked. My son and husband were amazed.

 

Other people had breakfast, lunch dinner delivered.

 

Rodney delivered DVDs for my daughter.

 

On the sun deck, Oliver & Mary, the deck stewards bring around cookies, fruit skewers, cold towels, little cups of smoothies, drinks.

 

I posted this for someone else, Scroll down to #15 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2009254

[happy cruzin]

Hi Annmeat,

 

 

 

We were on the Getaway in a 2 bed Haven suite with our 16 & 13 year olds. We LOVED it!

 

 

 

As far as your questions you can have anything in the Haven restaurant, even if it's not on the menu. We are an allergy family and the staff went out of the way to create substitutions for my daughter. A friend orders eggs benedict with steak for breakfast in the Haven as her version of steak and eggs. We try not to get crazy with ordering unobtainable things, but the staff, continually surpassed our notion of what was possible. The staff in the Haven are wonderful.

 

 

 

If you want MDR food, they will deliver it to you in the Haven or your room. We asked to have MDR menus placed in our room at the start of the cruise.

 

 

 

I've cut & pasted my response to another person about my Haven tips, in particular, click on the link at the end. It has all the Haven tips I culled from CC before I left in March.

 

 

 

Have fun:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just got off the Getaway, Anoop and Noemi, the concierges are fantastic. They escort you to the front of the line when disembarking at islands and on the last day right off the ship. No lines ever. They escort you to front of line for Illusionarium dinner magic show. They can get you reservations for any restaurant, show, spa excursion (except last night, Cagney's was booked solid)

 

 

 

Use the Pre-concierge service. NCL will email the name of the Pre-concierge, ours was Arthur Paris and he was wonderful. They will do whatever you ask, we arranged for spa, food & drink in room, afternoon tea.

 

 

 

The Haven has reserved seating in the theater on the left side about ten rows from the front, so you don't need to go early (they release Haven seats 5 minutes before the show). It's good seating, although if you want to sit in the center of the theater, go early.

 

 

 

Our butler was Rodney, he was wonderful. I arranged to have chocolate chip cookies and gummi bears in the room when we arrived and he kept them coming all week. Every afternoon @ 4 pm he delivered chocolate covered strawberries, canapés (salmon, shrimp, brie, prosciutto) sandwiches (your choice) and chips. If we had wanted something else, he would have brought it.

 

 

 

Lobster night is in the Buffet on the 2nd day on Getaway. Instead, on that night, @ 6 pm Rodney delivered two plates of lobster tails to our suite, perfectly cooked. My son and husband were amazed.

 

 

 

Other people had breakfast, lunch dinner delivered.

 

 

 

Rodney delivered DVDs for my daughter.

 

 

 

On the sun deck, Oliver & Mary, the deck stewards bring around cookies, fruit skewers, cold towels, little cups of smoothies, drinks.

 

 

 

I posted this for someone else, Scroll down to #15 http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2009254

 

ALL great advice....thanks for sharing your experiences!! ;)

 

 

 

 

Sent from my phone - using the Cruise Critic forums app

Edited May 19, 2014 by happy cruzin

[Annmeat]

Hi Annmeat,

 

We were on the Getaway in a 2 bed Haven suite with our 16 & 13 year olds. We LOVED it!

 

[]WOWZA!!1

You need to write a travel column!!

THANK YOU!!!!!

ANNMEAT and FAMILY!!!!

Edited May 20, 2014 by Annmeat

[52marv]

You are more than welcome Annmeat, and thank you for your kind words!

 

One more thing: Ask the pre-concierge, through email before you go, to put bed toppers on the kids room beds. It makes it a bit more comfy.