Ncl breakaway haven questions

[Barnos]

Hi All,

 

We’re lucky enough to have booked a 10 day cruise from Orlando to the Caribbean in a spa suite within the Haven on Norwegian breakaway – I’m just wondering exactly how this haven deal works.

 

 Evidently we have a beverage package included – but is that the basic one with a $15 limit on drinks? Are those drinks still limited within the Haven bar, can you get a bottle of wine at dinner for example? I’m thinking we might be faced with the cost of upgrading the beverage package but I’m unsure?

 

I understand we have full access to the Haven restaurant, but do we have access to all of the other speciality restaurants at no other cost? Or is there a four day limit or something?

 

Similarly with the Internet – we haven’t we have a package but I’m guessing it’s not unlimited?

 

 The truth is, I’m a bit disappointed (At the thought of having to pay for these extras!)having splashed out for a haven suite, and we were comparing this with the other top cruise lines evidently offering completely all-inclusive deals – any guidance help would be appreciated.

 

Big thank you 

[NayRN]

10 minutes ago, Barnos said:

Hi All,

 

We’re lucky enough to have booked a 10 day cruise from Orlando to the Caribbean in a spa suite within the Haven on Norwegian breakaway – I’m just wondering exactly how this haven deal works.

 

 Evidently we have a beverage package included – but is that the basic one with a $15 limit on drinks? Are those drinks still limited within the Haven bar, can you get a bottle of wine at dinner for example? I’m thinking we might be faced with the cost of upgrading the beverage package but I’m unsure?

 

I understand we have full access to the Haven restaurant, but do we have access to all of the other speciality restaurants at no other cost? Or is there a four day limit or something?

 

Similarly with the Internet – we haven’t we have a package but I’m guessing it’s not unlimited?

 

 The truth is, I’m a bit disappointed (At the thought of having to pay for these extras!)having splashed out for a haven suite, and we were comparing this with the other top cruise lines evidently offering completely all-inclusive deals – any guidance help would be appreciated.

 

Big thank you 

1. Beverage package is good all over the ship for drinks less than $15. If the cost is more, you pay the difference. 15 cruises and I’ve never had to pay extra. BUT I don’t drink all the exotic scotches and whiskeys....

2. Haven Restaurant is open for all three meals. Unless you chose the dining package for speciality restaurants, you are responsible for the cover. While the Haven menu doesn’t change, the food is great and you definitely won’t go hungry!

3. Internet is not free - if you didn’t take it as one of you perks, I think it’s expensive. I receive free minutes for my Latitudes status and take minutes as a perk but to be honest, the WiFi isn’t the best and I typically leave minutes unused.

 

I’ve researched other cruise lines and I really feel that, for the money I’m paying to sail in a suite.....I think feel it’s worth the money....YMMV.

[FLcruisergrl]

Yes, it’s still the standard packages. We find plenty of drinks that stay within the plan. Bottles of wine are not included, but I believe you get 20% off. You get the Haven restaurant included, but no other specialty restaurants for free just because you are in the Haven, but you should have the dining plan (you should). The Haven restaurant is very good! WiFi is also not free, but you can upgrade your promo plan to the unlimited for around $100. We absolutely LOVE the Haven and would not sail in a non-suite room on any NCL ship.

Edited August 3, 2019 by FLcruisergrl

[BirdTravels]

Your beverage package works everywhere on the ship. The package pays for the first $15 of every drink. The Haven bar is like every other bar on the ship. $15. 

 

You can can order wine by the glass for dinner. The package covers the first $15. You get a discount if you want wine by the bottle, but it is not free. Buy by the glass. 

 

No no need to upgrade your beverage package. Pay the overage if you exceed $15. 

 

The dining package covers your meal for 4 dinners. As a Haven guest, you do NOT get free specialty dining like other cruise lines. So you can dine with the package 4 times for free (certain items and dinner shows have an upcharge). 

 

You got 250 minutes of internet with the package. You can upgrade to an unlimited package if you choose. 

 

Yes, you got [the cheapest] suite. You got perks. The perks all have terms and conditions. 

 

We we were in a Grand Suite on Royal last month. We got free internet. We did not get any dining. We did not get any drinks. We did not get any ShoreEx credit. We did not get any discounted air. We did not get butler service. The Haven is a better deal. 

Edited August 3, 2019 by BirdTravels

[Barnos]

 Thanks to everyone for the replies, it’s much appreciated and the answers are pretty much as expected.

 

My problem is that we like to drink a bottle of wine with our evening meal and I’m guessing the wines by the glass is from  a limited selection (I don’t know if anyone can point me towards a drinks included list?) The other thing when serving wine by the glass, it’s sometimes it’s a question of exactly how quick your waiter to can be 😀 Nothing worse than sitting there with an empty glass! 

[Shidah]

If getting the bottle with dinner is important to you, then upgrade your drink package.  We are going to upgrade our next cruise to see how much we use it.

[finishedover30cruises]

You can order 2 glasses of wine per key card so just get multiple glasses at a time.  Never a need for an empty glass.

 

[FLcruisergrl]

Here is a list of bottles you can get on the premium plus

 

https://www.ncl.com/sites/default/files/premium-plus-beverage-package.pdf

[Ozzieru1e]

22 hours ago, Barnos said:

Hi All,

 

We’re lucky enough to have booked a 10 day cruise from Orlando to the Caribbean in a spa suite within the Haven on Norwegian breakaway – I’m just wondering exactly how this haven deal works.

 

 Evidently we have a beverage package included – but is that the basic one with a $15 limit on drinks? Are those drinks still limited within the Haven bar, can you get a bottle of wine at dinner for example? I’m thinking we might be faced with the cost of upgrading the beverage package but I’m unsure?

 

I understand we have full access to the Haven restaurant, but do we have access to all of the other speciality restaurants at no other cost? Or is there a four day limit or something?

 

Similarly with the Internet – we haven’t we have a package but I’m guessing it’s not unlimited?

 

 The truth is, I’m a bit disappointed (At the thought of having to pay for these extras!)having splashed out for a haven suite, and we were comparing this with the other top cruise lines evidently offering completely all-inclusive deals – any guidance help would be appreciated.

 

Big thank you 

 

I plan on sailing NCL Breakaway in a Haven Forward-Facing Suite & was wondering about tipping for room service.  Do you tip each delivered meal to your suite, end of each day or the end of the cruise???  Also do you tip in the Haven restaurant after each meal (assuming service was good)?

Would like to hear others tipping practices in the Haven???

[FLcruisergrl]

4 minutes ago, Ozzieru1e said:

 

I plan on sailing NCL Breakaway in a Haven Forward-Facing Suite & was wondering about tipping for room service.  Do you tip each delivered meal to your suite, end of each day or the end of the cruise???  Also do you tip in the Haven restaurant after each meal (assuming service was good)?

Would like to hear others tipping practices in the Haven???

The butler brings room service, so we factor that into their overall tip and do not tip individually. We also do not tip after each meal in the Haven. If someone gives spectacular service, we tip them at the end of the cruise.

[Ozzieru1e]

3 minutes ago, FLcruisergrl said:

The butler brings room service, so we factor that into their overall tip and do not tip individually. We also do not tip after each meal in the Haven. If someone gives spectacular service, we tip them at the end of the cruise.

 

Thanks that sounds right.  Stayed in a Haven Courtyard Suite H5 on the Escape 7/2019 which was my first experience with the Haven.  I only had room service one time for breakfast the first day in Bermuda because I had an early morning excursion.  I forgot it was the Butler who brings the meals to the room.

I always take the Free Beverage Package & Free 3 Specialty Dining offers; but staying in the Haven I took advantage of the $50 port credit & Free Internet minutes (never had time to use internet minutes).

Embarkation day we had lunch in the Haven restaurant & it was great not having to deal with the Garden Cafe buffet crowd😃

The service was wonderful staying in the Haven section...I will see if it’s as good when you stay in a suite outside the Haven section.  

It’s true once you go Haven you can’t go back!!!!

[Ozzieru1e]

Ooops

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by Ozzieru1e
duplicate

[seemoreroyals]

We are doing the Haven for the first time and booking a H9 Spa Suite on the Breakaway out of NOLA in December 2020.  Have a couple of questions.  After this cruise we will have enough points to move to Platinum level.  I have heard that Concierges will attempt to meet any reasonable request. Currently we are Gold level  and would like to attend a behind the scenes ship tour.  Do you think they would do this without making us pay?  I called the 1-855-NCL-Haven number and they said I would have to ask when I got on the ship.  Also I thought I had heard somewhere that Haven guests were able to get PPV movies in their cabin free of charge.  I guess I was mistaken as I was told when I contacted them this was not the case.  Can anyone who has sailed in haven clear this up for my wife and I?

 

Also if we upgrade to a different Haven category  between now and sail away do we get free use of the thermal spa or are the Haven H9 Spa Suites the only part of Haven that get this for free? 

[mkmaj]

Your other option for wine by the bottle is to bring your own onboard at $15/bottle corkage fee and have them brought to you at dinner. 

[gizfish]

43 minutes ago, seemoreroyals said:

We are doing the Haven for the first time and booking a H9 Spa Suite on the Breakaway out of NOLA in December 2020.  Have a couple of questions.  After this cruise we will have enough points to move to Platinum level.  I have heard that Concierges will attempt to meet any reasonable request. Currently we are Gold level  and would like to attend a behind the scenes ship tour.  Do you think they would do this without making us pay?  I called the 1-855-NCL-Haven number and they said I would have to ask when I got on the ship.  Also I thought I had heard somewhere that Haven guests were able to get PPV movies in their cabin free of charge.  I guess I was mistaken as I was told when I contacted them this was not the case.  Can anyone who has sailed in haven clear this up for my wife and I?

 

Also if we upgrade to a different Haven category  between now and sail away do we get free use of the thermal spa or are the Haven H9 Spa Suites the only part of Haven that get this for free? 

It is doubtful that NCL would give you a perk for free when they usually charge for it, Haven or not.  So the odds of you getting a free behind the scenes tour are slim to none since it actually is not a reasonable request. 

 

You will be able to watch any of the movies available on the PPV movie list on the TV for free.  When you select the movie, the charge will show as zero.  (Generally the NCL staff off the ships knows absolutely nothing about what goes on on the ships.) 

 

You will need to be in a spa cabin or suite to have free use of the thermal spa area.  It is not a general haven perk.

 

Also, as an FYI, this thread is many months old, and you would probably have gotten more/faster answers if you had started a new thread.

[seemoreroyals]

Thank you.  I will probably do a little more research and put a few more thoughts together and start a new thread.  Nice to hear we get free PPV movies as a Haven perk. Once they priced it all out for us including all fees and deducting current promo discount and use of wife's  CAS 7 star cruise to receive an additional $1300 discount it ended up costing less than we thought.  Definitely looking forward to our first Haven experience.

[Sand and Seas]

1 hour ago, seemoreroyals said:

Thank you.  I will probably do a little more research and put a few more thoughts together and start a new thread.  Nice to hear we get free PPV movies as a Haven perk. Once they priced it all out for us including all fees and deducting current promo discount and use of wife's  CAS 7 star cruise to receive an additional $1300 discount it ended up costing less than we thought.  Definitely looking forward to our first Haven experience.

Sorry for the offsubject question.   Was your 7star trip for this upcoming year?   

We hadn't heard yet if it's now available  to book.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, seemoreroyals said:

We are doing the Haven for the first time and booking a H9 Spa Suite on the Breakaway out of NOLA in December 2020.  Have a couple of questions.  After this cruise we will have enough points to move to Platinum level.  I have heard that Concierges will attempt to meet any reasonable request. Currently we are Gold level  and would like to attend a behind the scenes ship tour.  Do you think they would do this without making us pay?  I called the 1-855-NCL-Haven number and they said I would have to ask when I got on the ship.  Also I thought I had heard somewhere that Haven guests were able to get PPV movies in their cabin free of charge.  I guess I was mistaken as I was told when I contacted them this was not the case.  Can anyone who has sailed in haven clear this up for my wife and I?

 

Also if we upgrade to a different Haven category  between now and sail away do we get free use of the thermal spa or are the Haven H9 Spa Suites the only part of Haven that get this for free? 

No and No.

 

It is unlikely that on a ship like the Breakaway that the concierge would be able to swing a free BTS tour. It never hurts to ask if the concierge could cash in a favor with the cruise next department.... but that has to be done as soon as you embark. 

 

That being said, on small ships, we have had concierge arranged private tours of the bridge, galley and engine control room. We actually spent an hour on the bridge with the captain while the ship secured tendering, pulled anchor and sailed away from GSC. And time in the engine control room with the Chief. (Neither location are currently on a public BTS tour).  

 

The only Haven class that has spa access is the H9. If you move to another cabin class, you will have to pay the ~$200 per person spa charge. On the BA, there is a sauna in the Haven courtyard for your use. But if you want the whole Thermal Suite experience, you need to be in an H9 or pay for it.  

 

[seemoreroyals]

49 minutes ago, Sand and Seas said:

Sorry for the offsubject question.   Was your 7star trip for this upcoming year?   

We hadn't heard yet if it's now available  to book.

Yes.  The upcoming year is ready to book as of Feb. first.  We only take one cruise a year and were pleased when the cost of our Haven was lowered by almost $1300 by using the value of it to partially cover the cost of our H9 Haven.  We had previously booked this Haven about 10 days ago and decided today to call CAS.  We are very excited to take our first Haven cruise.  

[seemoreroyals]

46 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

No and No.

 

It is unlikely that on a ship like the Breakaway that the concierge would be able to swing a free BTS tour. It never hurts to ask if the concierge could cash in a favor with the cruise next department.... but that has to be done as soon as you embark. 

 

That being said, on small ships, we have had concierge arranged private tours of the bridge, galley and engine control room. We actually spent an hour on the bridge with the captain while the ship secured tendering, pulled anchor and sailed away from GSC. And time in the engine control room with the Chief. (Neither location are currently on a public BTS tour).  

 

The only Haven class that has spa access is the H9. If you move to another cabin class, you will have to pay the ~$200 per person spa charge. On the BA, there is a sauna in the Haven courtyard for your use. But if you want the whole Thermal Suite experience, you need to be in an H9 or pay for it.  

 

 

Thank you.  I think we will stay with the H9.  I know it is smaller than the other Haven rooms as far as cabin and balcony but to us the thermal spa access will be worth it.  I like the fact that we can practically walk out our door to the thermal spa and it is just 2 floors up to the main Haven area.  Seems that the H9 should be priced higher relative to other categories since it has free access to the thermal spa and a jacuzzi in the room and still has all the other Haven perks but we are not complaining.

[gizfish]

Just so you are aware, the h9 is not a very comfortable cabin.  It's small and there is no place to sit other than on the bed or in the uncomfortable dining table chairs.  If you could book a different haven room and purchase separate thermal suite passes, that may be something to consider.  The idea of the hot tub in the room is nice, but it seems most people don't use it as much as they thought they would.  Personally we only used it once.  It takes forever to fill, and it's so difficult to get the temp comfortable that we had to keep adjusting the water the whole time it was filling.

[Two Wheels Only]

5 hours ago, seemoreroyals said:

Seems that the H9 should be priced higher relative to other categories since it has free access to the thermal spa and a jacuzzi in the room and still has all the other Haven perks but we are not complaining.

 

It only sleeps 2. The other suites sleep more.

[seemoreroyals]

6 hours ago, gizfish said:

Just so you are aware, the h9 is not a very comfortable cabin.  It's small and there is no place to sit other than on the bed or in the uncomfortable dining table chairs.  If you could book a different haven room and purchase separate thermal suite passes, that may be something to consider.  The idea of the hot tub in the room is nice, but it seems most people don't use it as much as they thought they would.  Personally we only used it once.  It takes forever to fill, and it's so difficult to get the temp comfortable that we had to keep adjusting the water the whole time it was filling.

 

For us the access to the Haven  and thermal spa area for what we consider a relative bargain price is what attracted us to the H9  Haven Spa Suite.  The bathroom and storage areas seem to be better than what we are used to in the balcony cabins where we usually stay.  All the reviews I have read say the bed is quite comfortable which is the primary reason we need the cabin.  Hot tub in room will be nice for my wife as she likes to take baths as opposed to showering. Other than sleeping, and watching an occasional movie, and getting ready we won't be spending that much time in our room.  I agree the cabin is not big enough for dining or entertaining but we have the Haven area and the rest of the ship for that.

[seemoreroyals]

6 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

It only sleeps 2. The other suites sleep more.

 

We have another couple we usually cruise with.  If they decide to join us on this one, we may see if there is another suite that has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms that would work.  We would look at cost of that versus them booking their own H9 if one is still available once they make up their mind.

[Barnos]

I'm delighted that this  thread has become active again as I started  it, some weeks ago in relation to the beverage plus package options?

 

We've now completed our cruise... and I have to say our opinion of the Haven is a little bit mixed.. I will post a full cruise review sometime over the next few days but the edited highlights would read..

 

Beverage package upgrade -  was ultimately offered to us a few days before the cruise  we took it, and were delighted with our decision (but why on earth were we told that the upgrade was not available by NCL staff until we got on board... although apparently the concierge would be able to sort it out for us?)

 

Talking of that concierge – yes the senior concierge was very helpful (when she was there) but her assistant was less than useless  (when she was there) quite often there was no one there.

 

 Haven spa Suite -  Nice room, but half in - half out of the Haven -  that was definitely the feeling we had

 

 Haven spa Suite cleanliness -  absolute major disappointment -  we had major problems despite complaining to the concierge -  I will put full details on my review

 

Haven spa suite Butler -  I've cruised with a butler before,  on that occasion the butler was useless, so was this guy -  I would describe it as having average room service.

 

Let me not end on a negative – the Haven itself is wonderful and the Haven restaurant is one of the best I've ever been in on a cruise and the majority of the staff inside the Haven (despite a few language problems) were also exceptional..

 

If you've book  a Haven cruise I'm sure you will enjoy it :-) it is a lovely place