Havenly disappointment?

[Two Wheels Only]

My reason for posting this was to see if others have had disappointments during their Haven experience, given the much higher price over regular staterooms and the hype that you see pre-cruise.

 

If that is the case, your question seems to be more "Are guests #3 & #4 treated equally to guests #1 & #2?...".

 

In my experience and the experience of others, the answer is "yes". Even Haven guests staying outside of the Haven complex (H6, H7, H8, H9) are treated equally to those staying inside of the Haven complex (H5, H4, H3, H2).

 

Having the much smaller bedroom (imo) started the problem. How was that decided? Was there an option to switch at the mid-point of the cruise?

[Sauer-kraut]

You should have rotated the sleeping arrangements half way through on the day the sheets got changed. It would have been more fair.

[js]

Sorry about your expeience but Im not sure how where you slept has any relevance. We were just on Breakaway in August in the Haven in an H4, our second time. My mom had the master and my 51 year old dh and I had the smaller room. I can tell you we were all treated equally and If anything I was more the lead. Perhaps it is my personality and maybe can be the same for your friends. Its too bad your Haven experience made you cry.

 

 

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Edited September 24, 2016 by js

[hftmrock]

how would the dining area know that you were in the 'closet'? How would they know who was in the main bedroom and who wasnt? maybe you were switching every night? where would it say on your card or in the computer that you were in the 2nd bedroom where the dining staff could see?

[Msail]

Probably the couple that you were traveling with very discreetly tip the waiters nicely that gets you great service and they remember you.

 

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[j603]

I never said that our being in the second bedroom made the wait staff pay less attention to us. They were two separate points that I was making.

 

I have to say, I debated over posting this here for about a week, given the track record of backlash of a negative post, and decided today to post it. Maybe, I didn't word my posts exactly correct or made it seem confusing, but I seriously regret posting it. There seems to be a lot of people telling me that how I got treated couldn't have possibly happened and it must all be me and my misconstrued perception, well, we did get treated that way. Plain and simple. I started this post because I was curious to see if anyone had bad experience in the Haven. Well, just like the old saying goes, curiosity killed this cat. I give up. Consider this thread killed. Pretend it never happened and have a nice day. Enjoy your stay in the NCL bubble, I am going to hop over to the Disney bubble for a while.

[triptolemus]

I started this post because I was curious to see if anyone had bad experience in the Haven. Well, just like the old saying goes, curiosity killed this cat. I give up. Consider this thread killed. Pretend it never happened and have a nice day. Enjoy your stay in the NCL bubble, I am going to hop over to the Disney bubble for a while.

 

Don't know why you have to be so bitter about your post here. You posted in an open forum and received responses which indicate that, no, others have not shared your experience.

 

Are you just upset because no one agreed with you? This isn't about an NCL bubble. Its just that your points seem rather pedestrian and, as stated, most folks don't share your experience.

[MickeyDs]

I never said that our being in the second bedroom made the wait staff pay less attention to us. They were two separate points that I was making.

 

I have to say, I debated over posting this here for about a week, given the track record of backlash of a negative post, and decided today to post it. Maybe, I didn't word my posts exactly correct or made it seem confusing, but I seriously regret posting it. There seems to be a lot of people telling me that how I got treated couldn't have possibly happened and it must all be me and my misconstrued perception, well, we did get treated that way. Plain and simple. I started this post because I was curious to see if anyone had bad experience in the Haven. Well, just like the old saying goes, curiosity killed this cat. I give up. Consider this thread killed. Pretend it never happened and have a nice day. Enjoy your stay in the NCL bubble, I am going to hop over to the Disney bubble for a while.

 

I think it's the fact that you stated you weren't treated as well as the other couple but didn't dive into many details. Your experience in the Haven would be very atypical.

 

There are some people who don't care to be treated like a VIP, and the Haven wouldn't do much for them. I will say though, that I've never seen haven staff treat customers differently to an extreme (obviously if you're tipping regularly some will notice).

[ColeThornton]

You seem to be a bit sensitive and overly dramatic about this. Most certainly you are entitled to your feelings and opinion but I think most people look at what you described and are thinking "nope, not stuff I would be stressing and crying about".

 

I hope your next experience is better.

 

P.S. Don't take the kids room next time. ;)

[triptolemus]

 

P.S. Don't take the kids room next time. ;)

 

Or if you do, don't pay 1/2 the cabin's fare for it.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I never said that our being in the second bedroom made the wait staff pay less attention to us. They were two separate points that I was making.

 

I have to say, I debated over posting this here for about a week, given the track record of backlash of a negative post, and decided today to post it. Maybe, I didn't word my posts exactly correct or made it seem confusing, but I seriously regret posting it. There seems to be a lot of people telling me that how I got treated couldn't have possibly happened and it must all be me and my misconstrued perception, well, we did get treated that way. Plain and simple. I started this post because I was curious to see if anyone had bad experience in the Haven. Well, just like the old saying goes, curiosity killed this cat. I give up. Consider this thread killed. Pretend it never happened and have a nice day. Enjoy your stay in the NCL bubble, I am going to hop over to the Disney bubble for a while.

 

 

This can be a tough place, especially when the armchair psychologists come out to play. I guess you did get an answer to your question--no one has said they've had a similar experience. I'm sorry your experience was far less than desired both on the ship and here on the boards! Good luck!

[AdoraBelle]

Armchair psychiatry: if something in this situation had you crying, it seems like there must be more to the story, because nothing you mention seems tear-worthy. If it's simply that you were expecting to be treated like royalty or a celebrity and you weren't, I get the sense that sort of fawning is hit or miss even in Haven. Anyone reading this would probably do well not to let their entire vacation hang on that.

 

But generally speaking, these days it's best not to post something on the internet if you're only prepared to accept one type of response.

Edited September 25, 2016 by AdoraBelle

[IsanTom]

Try the Haven one more time and you take big bed and the other couple take the closet.

Tell the dining staff you have a smoke allergy, so they have something to put a face on.

Then please report back on how the 2nd cruise turned out!

[DMH15]

Wow, how did your so-called friends react? They let you pay 1/2 for less. I would be looking for new friends.

 

 

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[Cruisercl]

Hi OP,

 

I am sorry that your cruise in the Haven was not up to your expectations or even what you thought you had paid for. You paid ALOT of money for the well touted Haven experience.

 

This is your perception of your experience and as we all know (or should know, if not Google it) perception is reality. I believe you; every cruise experience is different and NO ONE on this board was there.

 

It seems to me that the regular CC 'disparagers of people with opinions' are here. Please take their opinions with a grain of salt and humor. It is kind of sad that some people here disparage you for expressing an opinion or not loving every single aspect of a NCL cruise; quite shameful at times. In reality no one does.

 

I thank you for the heads up.

 

I am Platinum on NCL so have cruised with quite a bit; it appears that in your situation the service is weakening in the Haven as well; not really surprising.

 

I wish you better cruising in the future. :)

[Two Wheels Only]

We're still trying to figure out what left the OP "feeling stressed out and crying".

 

Was it the size of the 2nd bedroom/2nd bathroom?

Was it the height of the bed in the 2nd bedroom?

Was it the lack of chocolates and missing towel animals?

Was it the "rarely addressed" first names?

Was it the "very hard time getting served" (which hasn't been explained)?

Was it the "less interested" staff (which hasn't been explained)?

 

Many posters such as myself, MickyDs, and triptolemus simply asked what was so bad to make the OP cry. Nothing asked above was worth crying over except for things related to the 2nd bedroom.

 

Many posters suggested that some of the problems could have been sorted out DURING the cruise. Venting after the cruise doesn't solve anything.

 

Others also felt that the "equal pay/non-equal sleeping arrangements" was also a factor in the OP's dissatisfaction. Can't blame the Haven staff for that.

 

Nobody is disparaging the OP's opinion. We simply don't see anything to warrant that opinion.

[bobg529]

The OP essentially travelled in the Haven at half price, but got screwed by their "friends" into the crap room that is really there to stuff kids in, not adults. You get what you pay for. I don't think their problem is actually with NCL, it's with their "friends".

[Até]

With the Haven getting larger and larger I have to give some, at least a little, credit to the OP's report as I have seen a few reports of butlers and concierge having too many needy passengers to deal with them all. I also feel the Haven crew, as well as the rest of the ship's crew that interact with passengers, can quickly read us passengers and tell where extra gratuities are going to come from. Perhaps OP was read as cheap, right or wrong. It can unfortunately be a self fulfilling thing.

Edited September 25, 2016 by Até

[andymattmom]

Did you tell them you wanted chocolate and towel animals in the second bedroom?

[LarissaRose]

 

I have to say, I debated over posting this here for about a week, given the track record of backlash of a negative post, and decided today to post it. Maybe, I didn't word my posts exactly correct or made it seem confusing, but I seriously regret posting it. There seems to be a lot of people telling me that how I got treated couldn't have possibly happened and it must all be me and my misconstrued perception, well, we did get treated that way. Plain and simple..

 

I believe you OP! Sorry you ran into so many NCL cheerleaders :(:( but also, you should never have evenly split the cruise fare. Hindsight is 20/20? Wow at someone saying "Perhaps OP was read as cheap, right or wrong", doesn't make how you were treated acceptable!

 

knowing CC this thread will probably get deleted though in T minus 10... 9..........8................

[Blondie008]

Put it down to a bad experience and don't make the mistake of cruising in a cabin with friends (or relations for that matter unless they are your children or parents) again.

It does sound like you were treated like the "second event" - The main bedroom was the recipient of first class - whilst you were in coach. (So to speak)

Going halvers on this - honestly? Nah - perhaps a 60% - 40% costing would have been more appropriate.

Your friends clearly didn't pick up on any of it -

I'd move on - as much as there is a sting in the tail - just move on - Otherwise it will eat you up..

Next time go it alone - and learn from it.

We have struggled even cruising with friends on the same ship let alone the same room :eek:

Its too late now to complain to NCL - the problems you encountered should have been addressed with at the time of the event - And even if it meant taking it to the Hotel Director - then that's what should have been done.

Get researching that next vacation - FOR TWO!!!

[david_sobe]

I am not understanding the OP's Haven complaints. I was expecting real complaints when I saw the title of the thread. There is a bit of confusion.

 

NCL gives out one plate per day per suite. If you wanted more, you could have asked the butler.

 

If the staff "rarely" called you by your name.....what did they call you the other times?

 

Hopefully the OP did not equally share the price of the cruise otherwise you should have taken turns sharing the master bedroom. The second bedroom is really for children but small adults can stay there with their own bathroom. If you were unhappy with the bedroom you should have complained to your friends.

The people in the master bedroom paid big bucks for a suite on a new ship. Anyone after the first two bookings are usually charged only a few hundred dollars. Did they invite you along? If you paid your own way that was an incredible deal to stay in the Haven even if your bedroom and bathroom were not the same standards as the master bedroom.

I have a hard time believing Haven staff would treat people different just because they are in another bedroom. How would they know where you sleep or why would they care?

Maybe the OP was being overly self conscious about cruising with their friends. The OP could have booked a penthouse in the Haven if they wanted to.

Edited September 25, 2016 by david_sobe

[latebloomer56]

On our trip with Aunt & Grandson a couple years ago we got a 2BR suite on the Dawn. She wasn't treated any differently than us when in the second BR. However she was disappointed at not receiving the daily papers. Easy fix I spoke to the cabin steward and she got them but not us :). Happy all around. Hearing so many closet comments though has me a little nervous as we have another trip in Oct. Same cabin cat. with our son & his wife in that BR. This time we got Auntie her own cabin across the hall.

Sorry the OP had a bad time. Vacation is what you make it maybe traveling with others isn't for them.

[momofmab]

I never said that our being in the second bedroom made the wait staff pay less attention to us. They were two separate points that I was making.

 

I have to say, I debated over posting this here for about a week, given the track record of backlash of a negative post, and decided today to post it. Maybe, I didn't word my posts exactly correct or made it seem confusing, but I seriously regret posting it. There seems to be a lot of people telling me that how I got treated couldn't have possibly happened and it must all be me and my misconstrued perception, well, we did get treated that way. Plain and simple. I started this post because I was curious to see if anyone had bad experience in the Haven. Well, just like the old saying goes, curiosity killed this cat. I give up. Consider this thread killed. Pretend it never happened and have a nice day. Enjoy your stay in the NCL bubble, I am going to hop over to the Disney bubble for a while.

 

I think you should be able to vent about your experience without everyone jumping all over you- but cc has never been a very warm & fuzzy place for that.

 

That said, I DO agree with others that splitting the room evenly was not fair to you. Perhaps the items you're complaining about would have bothered you less if your share had only been 1/3? Even if I had never been in the Haven before, when I got there and saw that the master was SO much nicer (not to mention the bathroom), I would have said something to my friends (and I would hope that THEY would say something). Live and learn. Next time I would book my own room, even it wasn't Haven.

[CateW]

I am sorry that your Haven experience didn't live up to your expectations.

 

I agree with some others, I don't think splitting the faire equally was fair, it should have been 70/30 for the closet.

 

I am looking forward to our first Haven experience in January on the Breakaway in a Courtyard Penthouse.

 

Personally, we would not sail in the 2 bedroom with another couple, not even a relative. Live and learn.

 

Hopefully, your next experience will be better.