The Haven

[WorldTraveler151208]

Hello, 

Next month I'm going on a cruise in the NCL’s The Haven (Norwegian Bliss) for the first time. I've already been on NCL, but only in a regular cabin. I have been loyal to MSC Yacht Club for many years, but the quality in MSC is getting worse, and the ships are getting far too crowded. Therefore I decided to try the competition. Is the Haven worth its price and is the quality of service really higher than in the rest of the ship? Maybe someone has tried both and has a comparison between MSC YC and NCL Haven? I will be grateful for your opinion.

[vpearlkc]

1 hour ago, WorldTraveler151208 said:

Hello, 

Next month I'm going on a cruise in the NCL’s The Haven (Norwegian Bliss) for the first time. I've already been on NCL, but only in a regular cabin. I have been loyal to MSC Yacht Club for many years, but the quality in MSC is getting worse, and the ships are getting far too crowded. Therefore I decided to try the competition. Is the Haven worth its price and is the quality of service really higher than in the rest of the ship? Maybe someone has tried both and has a comparison between MSC YC and NCL Haven? I will be grateful for your opinion.

 

Having done the Haven once, a non haven suite once and a balcony a couple of times I would say that the quality of service in the Haven is much higher but not worth the price. Kind of sad that the suites are going away as at about half the price of the Haven and great quality of service they are a bargain for me.

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, WorldTraveler151208 said:

Hello, 

Next month I'm going on a cruise in the NCL’s The Haven (Norwegian Bliss) for the first time. I've already been on NCL, but only in a regular cabin. I have been loyal to MSC Yacht Club for many years, but the quality in MSC is getting worse, and the ships are getting far too crowded. Therefore I decided to try the competition. Is the Haven worth its price and is the quality of service really higher than in the rest of the ship? Maybe someone has tried both and has a comparison between MSC YC and NCL Haven? I will be grateful for your opinion.

 

The service is higher than in the rest of the ships. I don't think that it's worth the price anymore so we have moved on to MSCs Yacht Club instead. They offer a much better value for the money.

 

I compared the YC and the Haven in my review of our Meraviglia cruise in July 2017. You can find it in the review section.  

[xcell]

I'd say depends on the room.

 

For my family (4), we enjoyed the two room H4 in the Haven.

 

Haven is nice. But again, for my family, the YC was more affordable so it is unlikely I will be returning to the Haven anytime soon. Luckily we have done it twice.

 

 

[BirdTravels]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. The Haven is really comfortable. And it is really nice to feel pampers. But it is not worth the prices that NCL is charging. While we use the Haven facilities and restaurants, we spend much, much, much more time outside the Haven complex (restaurants, spa, shows) than in. And, you can do that in any class of room. Since the Haven restaurant menu never changes, it is good for two dinners, at most.

Edited September 21, 2019 by BirdTravels

[ColeThornton]

3 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic. The Haven is really comfortable. And it is really nice to feel pampers. But it is not worth the prices that NCL is charging. While we use the Haven facilities and restaurants, we spend much, much, much more time outside the Haven complex (restaurants, spa, shows) than in. And, you can do that in any class of room. Since the Haven restaurant menu never changes, it is good for two dinners, at most.

 

 

You might want to edit again to change "it's nice to feel pampers".   lol

[MizDemeanor]

We think it's worth every penny. And right now, Haven cabins, excellent Haven cabins, are $1,999 to Bermuda out of NY. Hard to go wrong at that price. 

[Sailing12Away]

We tried Haven once. It seems our experience was different from the majority, but we didn't care for the butler service at all. We splurged on a short 5 night cruise since the price was "low", but we're not itching to do it again unless a good deal can be found.

 

What was great - the Haven pool area. The main pool on the Jade was small and always crowded, but the Haven pool was practically empty every time we went. Yes, the pool itself is tiny, but when you're the only one in it, it doesn't matter.

 

The concierge was also a huge help for disembarking and on excursion days - you skip ahead of the other 2,000 guests through crew member elevators. Last minute changes to dining reservations were no problem either - they do the work for you.

 

Our butler sucked though and wouldn't help us with anything. But our room was huge (DOS) and that worked out great on our one day at sea where we had breakfast in the room, then lounged and rested all day sprawled in our enormous suite. 

 

If you go in with realistic expectations and are comfortable with the price, then it's a win. The hard part though is finding a price you're comfortable with the way the prices just keep climbing.

[StackSkipton]

Price part is hard to define. For example, wife and I are introverts and thus our idea of fun cruise is drink, book/Switch/iPad and lounger somewhere. Thus the Haven area were we can get drink and lounger without fighting with crowds is extremely valuable. We also enjoy roaming the ports but on our time so ability to get up, have breakfast and decide to get off right then is nice as well.

 

We are on Breakaway tomorrow in Spa Haven, during the day, you will find us either in Thermal Spa, Haven Lounge, Haven Sun Deck. Breakfast/Lunch will be Haven or buffet depending. For Dinner, we do either MDR/Haven but we have specialty restaurant booked and we take in a show or something. Again, the Haven ability to just show up and get a seat is really nice at all the shows except Howl at the Moon/Comedy.

 

However, I wouldn't book it for room amenities. As others have mentioned, butler is hit or miss and eating in room is pretty difficult as table is very small for most rooms. 

 

Also, wife and I don't have kids so we book a cruise when kids are in school and prices are more "reasonable".

[dexddd]

If you think YC is crowded, Haven will normally feel more crowded.

[graphicguy]

Done both.... MSC YC twice....once out of Miami, and the last time cruised the Mediterranean.

 

I have sailed NCL in many different cabins...from solo cabins to the Haven (3x).

 

I’ve sailed in the YC on the MSC Divina and Meriviglia.  I’ve sailed in the Haven on the NCL Getaway and Breakaway.  MSC YC used to be a bargain vs NCL Haven when MSC first entered the North American market to establish themselves. That’s not the case anymore.

 

I am booked on the Breakaway in a Spa Haven Balcony Suite sailing next weekend.  I compared MSC ships out of Miami sailing about the same time.  The only similarly priced MSC YC cabin was an inside, which really isn’t an apples to apples comparison to the Spa Haven Balcony Suite.

 

The key for NCL Haven booking is to keep an eye out for price drops, which usually happen weeks, not months, before the sail dates.  That said, I’ve never paid more than $4,500 for a Haven cabin.

 

IIRC, I paid $4,500 in the YC on my last MSC cruise last year.  It was a wonderful cruise.  Obviously there’s a European bias to MSC cruises, but that’s a good thing.  You’ll have a Butler and a Concierge.  Top Sail Lounge is quite nice, and much bigger than the Haven Lounge.  Neither the Top Sail, nor the Haven Lounge ever get crowded, though.

 

There are more private lounge areas in the Haven vs the YC.  I like the Haven restaurant better than the YC restaurant, both the service and food were better in the Haven restaurant.

 

Entertainment on NCL is loads better than the entertainment on MSC.

 

Both experiences were good, but given a choice, same money/fare, same perks....I’d pick the Haven!

 

BTW....The Bliss has a gorgeous Haven area (although they are all very nice).

Edited September 21, 2019 by graphicguy

[WorldTraveler151208]

15 hours ago, dexddd said:

If you think YC is crowded, Haven will normally feel more crowded.

Actually I don't think YC is crowded, I meant MSC ships in general. However, also in the YC you can already see an adequately smaller ratio of the surface to passengers. I was on the newest MSC Bellissima in June and there was often a lack of sunbeds on the YC sun deck and of tables at the restaurant for dinner, which never happened on older MSC Fantasia Class ships.

[WorldTraveler151208]

Thank you all for the responses. I have mixed feelings now because I see there are very divergent opinions about the Haven. And what does it look like in the Haven’s Horizon Lounge?  Are all drinks included in the price, as in YC?

[StackSkipton]

Each boat Haven area is different so check out deck plan/ Google for more details. On the away class, it’s just sitting area with nice leather chairs and bar right there for lounge. There is also larger outdoor area as well with pool, 2 hot tubs and nice size sun deck. 

 

No, drinks are not included with Haven but Haven guests get access to all perks with current Free at Sea offering. So about 150 per person for gratitude charge. 

 

 

[sverigecruiser]

18 hours ago, graphicguy said:

 

The key for NCL Haven booking is to keep an eye out for price drops, which usually happen weeks, not months, before the sail dates.  That said, I’ve never paid more than $4,500 for a Haven cabin.

 

 

This is a very important part of your experience. You book the cruise just a few weeks in advance and can find very good prices. Most people prefer to book earlier and then the Haven cost much more.

 

I'm glad for you but that doesn't help me. If I should book everything a few weeks in advance the planetickets should cost MUCH!

[sverigecruiser]

19 hours ago, graphicguy said:

 

There are more private lounge areas in the Haven vs the YC.

 

 

Maybe on some ships but not on the ships I have cruised on in the Haven, Breakaway and Epic.

[Laszlo]

On 9/21/2019 at 5:42 AM, WorldTraveler151208 said:

Hello, 

Next month I'm going on a cruise in the NCL’s The Haven (Norwegian Bliss) for the first time. I've already been on NCL, but only in a regular cabin. I have been loyal to MSC Yacht Club for many years, but the quality in MSC is getting worse, and the ships are getting far too crowded. Therefore I decided to try the competition. Is the Haven worth its price and is the quality of service really higher than in the rest of the ship? Maybe someone has tried both and has a comparison between MSC YC and NCL Haven? I will be grateful for your opinion.

 

You can check out these three videos, the Haven is Great!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Maybe on some ships but not on the ships I have cruised on in the Haven, Breakaway and Epic.

Hmmmm....I’ve sailed both.  The Haven pool area has two floors of loungers. There are private loungers (some of them for 2 people) outside is overlooking the water, also.

 

It’s possible I may have missed those on MSC.

Edited September 22, 2019 by graphicguy

[sverigecruiser]

5 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Hmmmm....I’ve sailed both.  The Haven pool area has two floors of loungers. There are private loungers (some of them for 2 people) outside is overlooking the water, also.

 

It’s possible I may have missed those on MSC.

 

I mainly thought about indoor lounge areas, like the Haven lounge and the Top Sail Lounge.

 

The Haven has two floors outside but I think that the outside Yacht Club areas feel more like different lounge areas even if they are located on the same floor. At least on Meraviglia the Yacht Club passengers also has access to the Aurea sundeck, if that hasn't changed since I cruised on her. 

[dexddd]

On NCL if you pick the drinks perk you pay gratuity on list price of package which adds up.  MSC DSC is $12.50 pp pd vs what $16.95? on NCL last check or has it gone up again.  MSC the mini bar in room is also included for YC as is gelato although MSC made recent change to drink packages so it may be not included anymore.  MSC has a daily paper.  Only thing I can think of that NCL gives but MSC charges for is in room movies.