Couple of first time Haven questions

[fastpitchdad]

I know...again?

 

I searched and at best found conflicting answers. We are doing an upcoming Baltic cruise in the Haven. 

 

Are we charged for the dining and drinking package gratuities? 

When you order from a specialty restaurant while in the Haven restaurant do you have to pay the upcharge? Does this include other upcharge restaurants like sushi, margaritaville or the raw bar? 

Can the butler bring half and half for coffee? On our previous European cruise there didn't seem to be any half and half on the entire ship. 

Best tipping strategy (I read everything from don't tip at all to tip $100 on the first day and last day)?

Do the haven hot tubs have hours? Does the bar? (thinking about using bar+hot tub later in the evening).

Anything else I should know that I wouldn't have discovered during my hours (fractions anyway) of searching? 

 

[Two Wheels Only]

35 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

Are we charged for the dining and drinking package gratuities? 

 

Yes. That started years ago. It used to be no service charge on the promos when booking the Haven.

 

36 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

When you order from a specialty restaurant while in the Haven restaurant do you have to pay the upcharge?

 

Yes. You "pay" as you would if you were in the specialty restaurant (SDP, a la carte, or cover charge).

 

38 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

Does this include other upcharge restaurants like sushi, margaritaville or the raw bar? 

 

I don't know if they will bring sushi/seafood through the ship.

 

39 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

Best tipping strategy (I read everything from don't tip at all to tip $100 on the first day and last day)?

 

Do whatever YOU feel is right. Ignore what others feel is right.

 

39 minutes ago, fastpitchdad said:

Do the haven hot tubs have hours?

 

Kinda sorta. They'll often let couples/groups  stay past the posted time.

 

 

[mjcatlvr]

I'll chime in here. Haven Hot tub hours are posted and it has been my experience that they cover the tubs with some type of netting at around 10pm, so there is no getting in. Tipping is very personal but especially in the Haven goes a long long way! We have always taken care of our Butler and Room Steward up front with $100 then same at the end, we always say how much we appreciate them taking care of us during our cruise. In the Haven restaurant, we also have met so many exceptional Servers that we take care of them also. When the Haven Bartender pours our drinks right away before we even ask, we leave a few bucks on the bar and then also take care of them at the end of the cruise. As far as Half and Half, Butler has always had it waiting for me in the fridge. Take a note card, write your cabin number and name on it, along with your desires, make it easy.

[graphicguy]

Tipping is a hot topic.  I've always had exemplary service from my concierges and use them for just about everything, making dinner, show and excursion reservations, making wifi work on my iPad/iPhone, taking care of all my billing issues, and escorting me to shows.  They've always done all that with a smile and a thanks.  I tip them accordingly.

 

The Butlers, never really needed them all that much.  They do deliver snacks during the day, but aside from that, I don't require anything of them.  I tip them accordingly.

 

Bartender in the Haven who always knows my favorite drinks, always smiles and calls me by my name, always urges me to try one of his/her concoctions that was painstakingly makes, in general makes my time at the Haven bar enjoyable.  I tip them accordingly.

 

Waitstaff in the Haven restaurant...hard to nail down what I should tip, given I always seem to get a different person who takes care of me.  Not really sure how to dip in the Haven restaurant, as there's always a table available, and there is so much staff in there to take care of you, it's hard to know how to tip.  Plus, I don't dine in the Haven restaurant every day, and some days, I just grab some breakfast items from the breakfast buffet in the Haven and take it back to me cabin. So, unless someone goes above and beyond for me, the entire cruise, I give the concierge an envelope and ask him/her to give it to the Haven Restaurant staff.

 

I leave a $50 bill in the cabin for the suite steward and they are always top notch in the Haven.

 

Whether you tip $100, $50, $20, $10...everyone is alway appreciative.  How you do it us up to you.

[ColeThornton]

No need to tip on the first day when they haven't done anything for you yet.   You should expect that you are going to get exemplary service from your butler and you can compensate them accordingly at the end of your cruise commensurate with how much you have used them.

[Black_Pearl]

Honest question here . . . Aren't we automatically charged for gratuity?  I know years ago it was a big thing that you needed to tip your room steward because it wasn't prepaid but that has changed, correct?  Are we just talking above and beyond tipping on top of the automatic tip?

[hbe30]

3 minutes ago, Black_Pearl said:

Honest question here . . . Aren't we automatically charged for gratuity?  I know years ago it was a big thing that you needed to tip your room steward because it wasn't prepaid but that has changed, correct?  Are we just talking above and beyond tipping on top of the automatic tip?

In the Haven the concierge and the butler are not included in the auto service charge.

[Kalum]

So you pay for the haven and Butler and concierge usagage are incl.

 

So I only tip if they go beyond the expected...but what is beyond...

Bringing you snacks...no

Room service (not a whole dinner...maybe some pizza or chicken wings)...incl...$1 or 2 per order...just like in a normal balcony...

Now if they would bring me drinks...but they are not incl in the beverage package...so I rather go myself...

Escorting you around the ship to a show or shore excursion or disembark...that should be included...

 

Same for the concierge...making reservations for a restaurant...or show...should be included...

 

Now if they do something special... so what is really special?

 

Waiter in the haven restaurant usually get nothing.. most of the time there is someone else...so who do you tip...and what about the chefs?...they do the hard work...if the steak is bad a nice smile wont help me

 

Same for the bartender...if they are really good...$10...but since we dont drink alcohol... hell they have a hard time making virgin drinks ...ouch...

Last cruise in la cucina...we ate there 4 times...11 day trip... very good food...bartender made the best virgin drinks in board...we slipped her $20 tue last evening...because they were really special...

 

And the Service charge is also higher in the haven...

So on a 7 day trip...just normal stuff...

Maybe 20-30 for the room steward...if he is fix and has our room ready when we go to bed...

Butler...maybe 20...if we do use room service...

Concierge...I really dont know...but so far never more than 20...and when I think back even that was too much...

 

But thats just me

[BirdTravels]

18 minutes ago, Black_Pearl said:

Honest question here . . . Aren't we automatically charged for gratuity?  I know years ago it was a big thing that you needed to tip your room steward because it wasn't prepaid but that has changed, correct?  Are we just talking above and beyond tipping on top of the automatic tip?

Cabin steward is covered by Daily Service Charge. We always tip above and beyond for the time it takes to clean our suite. Butler and concierge are not included in the DSC and expect to be tipped separately. 

[Kalum]

14 minutes ago, hbe30 said:

In the Haven the concierge and the butler are not included in the auto service charge.

From NCL:

Not only will you have access to all the ship has to offer, you'll enjoy the personal service of a concierge and 24-hour butler throughout your entire stay. 

 

As I said b4 if they go beyond the expected...fine...but if not...I dont tip em..

But that is just me

[pcakes122]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Cabin steward is covered by Daily Service Charge. We always tip above and beyond for the time it takes to clean our suite. 

Let me say upfront that I always tip my cabin steward additional, mainly because they are so nice and constantly asking if they can do more!

 

That said, I've seen so many posts about tipping the Haven cabin stewards extra because they "work so hard" or they have to "clean a larger room" and I wonder what in the world kind of messes are people making? 😂  Granted, I cruise solo frequently, but my cabin always looks like no one lives there.  I'm very neat, I don't leave stuff laying around on desks, etc., I rinse out the shower after I use it and fold my towels, rinse out my sink, etc.  Am I the only one?

 

When I read some of these comments I wonder if people are living like "Animal House" in their Haven cabins!  Never takes my cabin steward very long to clean my suite.  I agree that it's very nice to tip the cabin stewards more - but if you really want to help them, maybe be a little neater?

 

P.S.  My room stays so neat that I always tell the cabin steward on Day 1 that I only need turn-down service - I don't need service during the day.  (I make my own bed just like home - out of habit - so it's not a big deal for me.)  The only thing I may need during the day is ice if I plan to hang out on the balcony.

Edited September 14, 2019 by pcakes122

[gizfish]

With regards to the half and half, the ship will certainly have heavy cream since it is used in cooking, and will have light cream and/or half and half for coffee.  I like heavy cream for my coffee, so I have always requested a carton of it for my Haven cabin and have always had that request accommodated.  

[erdoran]

People talk about tipping the steward extra because he/she has to clean a bigger room but I suspect they have fewer rooms to clean so all other things being equal, IMHO it’s not obligatory to tip them because they get DSC.  Butler and concierge don’t.

 

Having said that, if my steward is outstanding, and every one I’ve had in the haven has been, I do tip extra.  BUT—don’t feel obligated just because you have a bigger room, unless you make a lot of extra work or have a lot of extra requests.