Haven = Bleh

[Bonobochick]

Of my 5 times in the Haven, adults were always more misbehaved than children! This thread is very misleading, and not true at all from my experience.

 

Not misleading at all. Your experience isn't universal. Another person's experience being different than yours doesn't make either experience any less true. I haven't had this experience in the Haven but I do agree the issue is parents letting kids run wild. Kids will be kids and it's a vacation for all but their parents can't just check out on watching their behavior. Some kids are well behaved... others not so much.

 

That said, it may be worth checking out premium lines as a way to lessen the chances of this happening again.

[DanielleAlaine]

I sailed in the Haven on The Jewel during early November and never saw one kid. We stayed in the pool area the entire week! Actually we were the only people out there for the better part of the week. This was 2014. Maybe things have changed.

 

 

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[RickinNYC]

Hi Rick

 

We've been on a few cruises with you before (last on Breakaway when you organized the fun roll call meeting) We always have to travel on school holidays due to my job and the kids but have to say the groups in the Haven last week were OBNOXIOUS. I have two rambunctious son's and rarely let them go to Haven pool-there were diapered babies in the splash/chair area which didn't bother me as I wasn't laying there but the worst was a group of 3 brothers or cousins throwing water filled balloons around all while the Dad sat with his beats earphones on watching his MacBook. I always book the Haven but we stay in aft suite so we use Haven for meals and drinks mainly. I noticed sign on one of the hot tubs that said adults only, but that guy was in there with his kids. Hopefully you have a better week and unfortunately I spoke to other people who were annoyed with what was going on in there (from 8 am until afternoon-they never really left eating both meals in there) and nothing was done. Supposedly the father and mother got heated with a female senior citizen who complained to them about their kids behavior. Maybe keep the card they give out at meet and greet and contact the hotel director is your cruise has people like this.

 

 

 

Hey there! Nice to “see” you again! And thanks for the heads up. Good intel to have considering it was for the Breakaway Haven just last week. I just read your post to my husband and he agreed with me that we should get Vibe passes, Haven notwithstanding. Thanks for helping me win that debate!!!

 

 

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[klo0315]

We sailed in the Haven on Breakaway out of NY to Bermuda last August, the week leading up to Labor Day. Our daughters were 9 and 11. We firmly set th expectations to them as we boarded that the Haven was to be just that, at Haven. No running, no screaming, no splashing...if they wanted to be loud and splash in the pools we took them out to the kids pool.

There were other children in the Haven and most were well behaved. There was, however, one very large extended family....I think grandma/grandpa and then 3 or 4 of their kids with their own kids, so maybe 15-20 people total. They were awful. Let their kids run everywhere, they were all ridiculously loud and when other passengers complained a huge verbal fight broke out in the Haven courtyard. It was the most ridiculous example of poor adult behavior ever. Anoop stepped in, security came in and it was resolved. The family was a bit quieter the rest of the trip.

It just proves that anything can happen in the Haven. We personally love the private areas, the perks and the special treatment.

 

 

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[BEACHBARB]

Been in the Haven 5 times, never had this issue

 

Been in Haven twice on Breakaway beginning of February. NEVER had a problem with children. Did meet a very cute year old that is now my boyfriend. He called my sisters and I (all around 60 or so) "THE GIRLS". Gotta love that kid!!!! And we did.

[apietros]

Been in Haven twice on Breakaway beginning of February. NEVER had a problem with children. Did meet a very cute year old that is now my boyfriend. He called my sisters and I (all around 60 or so) "THE GIRLS". Gotta love that kid!!!! And we did.

 

How cute! Imagine if all people enjoyed children and had your attitude!

[Cruise a holic]

Had a negative experience with a family in the Haven in August of last year on the Breakaway to Bermuda- the parents sat with their heads buried on their electronic devices and in their books- kids went nuts- without any discipline from the parents! Two of the kids- rearranged all of the pool lounge chairs so they could jump from chair to chair- they also locked the inside of the towel closet! It was clearly the fault of the parents who felt entitled- not sure why the kids weren't in camp or enjoying some of the kid activities- selfish parents- The staff didn't do anything either- we moved up to the second level of the Haven to try to relax.

 

As others suggested, best to sail when schools are in session if you can. The Haven is really great and the only way I would even consider NCL.

[Two Wheels Only]

He called my sisters and I (all around 60 or so) "THE GIRLS". Gotta love that kid!!!! And we did.

He'll want to see "the girls" a lot more when he's a teenager (different meaning, though).:*

[bmwman]

I don't get this comparison. I sail mostly with Haven access, but have ZERO interest in a luxury line. I fear not enough casino, far too intrusive staff, not enough ship-wide amenities and entertainments.

 

 

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Your fears are not well founded. The price of the Haven is now out of control compared to Lux. Lines! and the entertainment s great. Of course entertainment is subjective I get that. Casinos - far more exclusive and upmarket. Hard to switch I know but their are others out there offering just as good for less and more exclusive than the Haven No kids club usually means fewer kids.

 

Do not get me wrong we love both the NCL product and kids .... we were all kids once but we too have seen examples on Epic of children uncontrolled playing and screaming that stupid yes stupid Marco Polo game which irritates most adults trying to relax

[bmwman]

Had a negative experience with a family in the Haven in August of last year on the Breakaway to Bermuda- the parents sat with their heads buried on their electronic devices and in their books- kids went nuts- without any discipline from the parents! Two of the kids- rearranged all of the pool lounge chairs so they could jump from chair to chair- they also locked the inside of the towel closet! It was clearly the fault of the parents who felt entitled- not sure why the kids weren't in camp or enjoying some of the kid activities- selfish parents- The staff didn't do anything either- we moved up to the second level of the Haven to try to relax.

 

As others suggested, best to sail when schools are in session if you can. The Haven is really great and the only way I would even consider NCL.

 

Saw something like this too. Sadly some people thought it was funny when one of the kids fell and injured themselves. Berate the parents yes but laugh at the child no however bad they were.

[BNBR]

Your fears are not well founded. The price of the Haven is now out of control compared to Lux. Lines! and the entertainment s great. Of course entertainment is subjective I get that. Casinos - far more exclusive and upmarket. Hard to switch I know but their are others out there offering just as good for less and more exclusive than the Haven No kids club usually means fewer kids.

 

Do not get me wrong we love both the NCL product and kids .... we were all kids once but we too have seen examples on Epic of children uncontrolled playing and screaming that stupid yes stupid Marco Polo game which irritates most adults trying to relax

 

I agree with you in general but I think NCL puts out a subpar product. I actually think Royal offers a better experience than the Haven with no need to book a suite! Casino is way better, solarium is better than haven, entertainment better, etc. You just don't get the aweome concierge and priority tender but I can live with that. Or I'd just book a suite on Oasis for less than the Haven.

 

I'll either go with royal in the future or simply sail a proper luxury line. Haven is not the luxury product that NCL portrays.

[BNBR]

Not misleading at all. Your experience isn't universal. Another person's experience being different than yours doesn't make either experience any less true. I haven't had this experience in the Haven but I do agree the issue is parents letting kids run wild. Kids will be kids and it's a vacation for all but their parents can't just check out on watching their behavior. Some kids are well behaved... others not so much.

 

That said, it may be worth checking out premium lines as a way to lessen the chances of this happening again.

 

It is 100% the parents. They sit and do nothing while their kids yell and scream. Just no desire to be a parent. In that sense, the Haven is great. You relax and have drinks in a nice environment, and your kids run free in a well contained area. Sucks for everyone else but the inconsiderate parents are having a killer vacation.

 

Would I sail NCL again? No. There is just so much better options for less money. The Haven is what had me interested and it simply didn't deliver.

[Shawnino]

If it's not a haven away from screaming brats, what is it actually a haven "from"?

[BNBR]

If it's not a haven away from screaming brats, what is it actually a haven "from"?

 

It's a haven from the grossly undersized and overcrowded one main pool for 5,000 people. Though granted, the main pool is adults only and more of a haven from brats and inconsiderate parents than the Haven...

 

Personally I think spice H2O is more of a haven, if you could only find a deck chair.

[aeroo777]

It's a haven from the grossly undersized and overcrowded one main pool for 5,000 people. Though granted, the main pool is adults only and more of a haven from brats and inconsiderate parents than the Haven...

 

Personally I think spice H2O is more of a haven, if you could only find a deck chair.

Have you shared any of your observations with the officers or staff?

Honestly, it seems like you’ve spent an incredible amount of your vacation time trolling the NCL boards.

[notafanofthecold]

Hey, I was just wondering if you are referring to the product as sub par because of the children issues or were there other issues that made you feel it was sub par? I am only asking because we have never sailed NCL and have just booked the Bliss in the haven. We usually sail concierge class on Disney (I know your worst nightmare with all the kids) but their service is wonderful. Do you think the food/service was good? Would love your thoughts. THank you!

 

 

I agree with you in general but I think NCL puts out a subpar product. I actually think Royal offers a better experience than the Haven with no need to book a suite! Casino is way better, solarium is better than haven, entertainment better, etc. You just don't get the aweome concierge and priority tender but I can live with that. Or I'd just book a suite on Oasis for less than the Haven.

 

I'll either go with royal in the future or simply sail a proper luxury line. Haven is not the luxury product that NCL portrays.

[andysgirl360]

Just back from a 2 week sailing on the BA. My wife and had a Spa Balcony (not Haven) we also made the mad dash to get Vibe passes which we did. 30 plus Vibe passes went to people in the Haven. I heard it time and time again during the cruise, we are in the Haven but thank god we got Vibe passes. From what I heard their were a bunch of loud kids staying in the Haven. Keep in mind we only had 150 under 21. Makes me glad we did not get an upgrade offer LOL

 

Hi Laszlo - I was on the same cruise and did get an upgrade to Haven Spa cabin. The Haven was totally peaceful as far as I am concerned. We had a family with 4 very well behaved teens (2 of which barely spent any time in Haven) and two families with preschool kids - if there were any others they were invisible. Never did I have any issue with noise etc. We spent many peaceful sea days in the courtyard and Haven sun deck - in fact barely even got to see the rest of the ship as we spent so much time in Haven.

 

Just wanted to throw in my two cents as to not totally discourage people from Haven. I think our sailing was quiet because it was 14 days and not during a school break. Sailing after ours - concierge told me they expected 85 kids in Haven, but of course that was during President's Day week. I think length of cruise and time of year makes a HUGE difference.

[AlexandNessa]

Hey, I was just wondering if you are referring to the product as sub par because of the children issues or were there other issues that made you feel it was sub par? I am only asking because we have never sailed NCL and have just booked the Bliss in the haven. We usually sail concierge class on Disney (I know your worst nightmare with all the kids) but their service is wonderful. Do you think the food/service was good? Would love your thoughts. THank you!

We are platinum on DCL, all concierge, and have sailed all 4 ships. We do not sail with children either. We have been in the Haven on Norwegian 6x.

 

I rather like the Haven experience better. I like the contained, private area for the ship within a ship concept. We've never had an issue with service on either, though I think you'll find the service outside the concierge area on Disney to be better than outside the Haven area on Norwegian. If you go on a ship that has a Haven restaurant, it's very good, with my only gripe being the menu is static. You can arrange for other things to eat, but I'd never eat there every night. If you have any specific questions, I'll be happy to try to answer.

 

I'm not discounting the OP's experience at all. We too have been bothered by unsupervised children in the Haven. Inconsiderate parents should be forced into dishwashing or public bathroom cleaning if caught red-handed, sitting idly by sleeping or reading or quietly enjoying a cocktail while their kids run wild in the Haven. Your key card will literally say "Welcome to Your Sanctuary" if in the Haven. Team Norwegian should strive to keep it as such, no matter what your age (we've never encountered raucous, drunken adults in the Haven, but inevitably as soon as someone says the children were unruly, you can queue the 'drunken adults are just as bad' counter argument.).

 

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[cheaperts]

Suffer the children who come to the Haven - the Good Book Ver. 101

 

 

OMG...bout spit my drink out!;p

[bmwman]

I agree with you in general but I think NCL puts out a subpar product. I actually think Royal offers a better experience than the Haven with no need to book a suite! Casino is way better, solarium is better than haven, entertainment better, etc. You just don't get the aweome concierge and priority tender but I can live with that. Or I'd just book a suite on Oasis for less than the Haven.

 

I'll either go with royal in the future or simply sail a proper luxury line. Haven is not the luxury product that NCL portrays.

 

100% correct - its not the product it portrays and the sooner people realise the sooner the price will reflect this. The post about the verbal fight - who needs it when you have spent that sort of money.

 

But I was talking about HAL Silverseas, Seabourn etc or even Azamara. NCL is now the new Carnival and if that suits then fine but I have done my time on Club 18-30 (mind you it was amazing all those years ago and still have scars :) )

 

NCL is NT a luxury cruise line It is not what it wants to be. It is a profit making cash guzzling public company FULL STOP. All Haven is in marketing terms is a differentiator to pay more. Steven is absolutely on the money when he stays outside but with Haven access. It is no sanctuary and anyone who says it is are away with fairies.

 

We have actually seen a near physical fight in the Haven. Pushing and shoving over this exact issue - noise

 

Subpar product for the price yes and some of senior management on the ships these days are IMHO poor but that is a subjective view

[apietros]

We are platinum on DCL, all concierge, and have sailed all 4 ships. We do not sail with children either. We have been in the Haven on Norwegian 6x.

 

I rather like the Haven experience better. I like the contained, private area for the ship within a ship concept. We've never had an issue with service on either, though I think you'll find the service outside the concierge area on Disney to be better than outside the Haven area on Norwegian. If you go on a ship that has a Haven restaurant, it's very good, with my only gripe being the menu is static. You can arrange for other things to eat, but I'd never eat there every night. If you have any specific questions, I'll be happy to try to answer.

 

I'm not discounting the OP's experience at all. We too have been bothered by unsupervised children in the Haven. Inconsiderate parents should be forced into dishwashing or public bathroom cleaning if caught red-handed, sitting idly by sleeping or reading or quietly enjoying a cocktail while their kids run wild in the Haven. Your key card will literally say "Welcome to Your Sanctuary" if in the Haven. Team Norwegian should strive to keep it as such, no matter what your age (we've never encountered raucous, drunken adults in the Haven, but inevitably as soon as someone says the children were unruly, you can queue the 'drunken adults are just as bad' counter argument.).

 

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wow

[BNBR]

Hey, I was just wondering if you are referring to the product as sub par because of the children issues or were there other issues that made you feel it was sub par? I am only asking because we have never sailed NCL and have just booked the Bliss in the haven. We usually sail concierge class on Disney (I know your worst nightmare with all the kids) but their service is wonderful. Do you think the food/service was good? Would love your thoughts. THank you!

 

I have not sailed DCL so can't compare. But compared to Oasis, I think the NCL product is absolute sub par. Entertainment is totally lacking, it's dismal. The ship is way overcrowded. One pool for 5,000+ people. Guests dragging loungers into outdoor hallways, whatever they can do to get some sun. It was ridiculous. The Haven could be great, and if you are lucky to not have 2 or 3 doofus families on your sailing, the Haven can be a total sanctuary, but we wouldnt even consider NCL again in any capacity. A regular ocean cabin on Oasis is superior to Haven on Escape, for 1/4 the price.

 

Kids are not a nightmare. I have 2 young kids. Kids screaming so loud in a very contained "sanctuary" that you can't hear yourself think, and that you pay a lot of money for is a nightmare.

 

Escape had some cool features, yes. But I would label it a "brochure cruise".... Looks fantastic in the brochure, but just totally misses the mark.

[BNBR]

Hi Laszlo - I was on the same cruise and did get an upgrade to Haven Spa cabin. The Haven was totally peaceful as far as I am concerned. We had a family with 4 very well behaved teens (2 of which barely spent any time in Haven) and two families with preschool kids - if there were any others they were invisible. Never did I have any issue with noise etc. We spent many peaceful sea days in the courtyard and Haven sun deck - in fact barely even got to see the rest of the ship as we spent so much time in Haven.

 

Just wanted to throw in my two cents as to not totally discourage people from Haven. I think our sailing was quiet because it was 14 days and not during a school break. Sailing after ours - concierge told me they expected 85 kids in Haven, but of course that was during President's Day week. I think length of cruise and time of year makes a HUGE difference.

 

I think my concern with Haven is that it can be hit or miss. If it weren't for a couple of terrible parents, the Haven would have been a sanctuary. But I'm not willing to roll the dice on that in the future. I'd prefer to book a sure thing. I sailed in February, hardly spring break or summer, and kids outnumbered adults 2:1 in the Haven. It was often so loud, so obnoxious, that we simply grabbed our things and left. That's not the sanctuary we were sold and we definitely wouldn't risk it again when there are other lines that offer a "sure thing" and substantially better product for less money. We have options, and the other options are quite simpy, better.

[gja360]

I think my concern with Haven is that it can be hit or miss. If it weren't for a couple of terrible parents, the Haven would have been a sanctuary. But I'm not willing to roll the dice on that in the future. I'd prefer to book a sure thing. I sailed in February, hardly spring break or summer, and kids outnumbered adults 2:1 in the Haven. It was often so loud, so obnoxious, that we simply grabbed our things and left. That's not the sanctuary we were sold and we definitely wouldn't risk it again when there are other lines that offer a "sure thing" and substantially better product for less money. We have options, and the other options are quite simpy, better.

 

 

Was it Presidents week when most schools are closed? That would be just like booking during spring break or summer.....

[umpire56]

On the cruise on the Breakaway that ended February 26 was very unusual because of the 1500 kids aboard during school break . Believe me The Haven is a great place to relax and get excellent service...Do not let one bad cruise ruin it for the other people that can really enjoy it in the future.... If you do not like crowds then remember when booking do not book Presidents week and yes I was on this cruise but not in the Haven...Had ...a Great time...