THE SECRETS OF THE NCL HAVEN LUXURY EXPERIENCE

[complawyer]

58 minutes ago, nhtravels said:

I'm sorry that my original question has caused such a stir.  Again, it was not my intention to bring our friends into the Haven.  

it wasnt your question, it was my response. guess i either kicked a hornet's nest or started a real s**t storm.

[nhtravels]

35 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

  Folks are aloud to have an opinion.  

Yes.  It would be a very vanilla world if we all saw things the same way.  I do tend to like a lot of different flavors!

[complawyer]

3 hours ago, copper004 said:

You know you are losing this argument when you have to come up with these sad, tear-jerking scenario’s.

On the NCL Escape, on deck 17 & 18 there are 50 Haven cabins (that’s not counting all the Haven cabins in the aft). So if everyone in those cabins had just one friend who had some misfortune in their life on the ship, there are 50 more people in the Haven who have not paid for the enhanced service. You are okay with that? If you were a paying Haven passenger, do you feel 50 additional people using the Haven services who had not paid for it will have no impact on your experience? My scenario is as extreme as yours, shame on both of us. Bottom line, non-Haven guest should be welcomed and entertained in your cabin. They should not use the pools, hot tubs and bar. They chose not to pay for that luxury. The Haven restaurant is different, they are paying for their meal. But keep in mind, they might also be taking seats away from paying Haven passengers who might wish to eat there. 

 

 

3 hours ago, copper004 said:

You know you are losing this argument when you have to come up with these sad, tear-jerking scenario’s.

On the NCL Escape, on deck 17 & 18 there are 50 Haven cabins (that’s not counting all the Haven cabins in the aft). So if everyone in those cabins had just one friend who had some misfortune in their life on the ship, there are 50 more people in the Haven who have not paid for the enhanced service. You are okay with that? If you were a paying Haven passenger, do you feel 50 additional people using the Haven services who had not paid for it will have no impact on your experience? My scenario is as extreme as yours, shame on both of us. Bottom line, non-Haven guest should be welcomed and entertained in your cabin. They should not use the pools, hot tubs and bar. They chose not to pay for that luxury. The Haven restaurant is different, they are paying for their meal. But keep in mind, they might also be taking seats away from paying Haven passengers who might wish to eat there. 

 

it isnt a matter  of winning or losing the argument, i havent tried bringing someone into the haven area, and i'm not relaly sure i would, since all the contra arguments are extremely valid. people paid good $$$ for the exclusive haven experience ,and they shouldnot be denied the entire experience paid for.

 

again, that being said, based on my hard luck scenario, would you reconsider and attempt to bring your sister-in-law onto the haven?

[complawyer]

1 minute ago, nhtravels said:

Yes.  It would be a very vanilla world if we all saw things the same way.  I do tend to like a lot of different flavors!

i dont know, i kind of like vanilla, it takes the guess work out of major decision making.

 

just joking, of course you are correct.  i didnt realize my original response would cause such an uproar. read some prior posts, i have been blasted numerous times for commenting on my choice of haven suites.

[kitty-sail]

So - aren't those chocolate filled pastries in the Haven breakfast buffet to die for ❤️

[oteixeira]

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

again, that being said, based on my hard luck scenario, would you reconsider and attempt to bring your sister-in-law onto the haven?

Nope, I would not break that rule.  Bring her to your room, or the restaurant and pay for her meal. 

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

  i didnt realize my original response would cause such an uproar.

 

It wasn't a personal attack from me or anyone else from what I could see. I hope that it didn't feel that way to you. The same thing happens on the MSC forum when it comes to Yacht Club access (even though MSC will on some occasions sell day passes).

 

I would imagine that the Retreat on Celebrity is treated the same way. It's not about keeping people out. It's about keeping the experience that people have paid for.

 

When NCL flirted with the idea of allowing any guest on the ship an opportunity to dine in the Haven restaurant (whether they were friends/family of Haven guests or not), the backlash from Haven guests was quick and strong. It was strong enough for NCL to cancel the idea. The NCL Cruise Critic member posted...

 

"Recently, we explored making an extremely limited number of reservations for The Haven restaurant available to non-Haven guests. Given that this test has not been well received, we will continue to preserve The Haven experience exclusively for our Haven guests"

 

...which shows that keeping exclusive areas exclusive is important.

[Drews_Cruise]

Can’t wait to taste those..I’m curious to know when we’re asked what we want in our room for a treat if they will really accommodate you as best they can.  Even if I asked for salted Dutch licorice do you think they would find it?  LOL 

(Sorry forgot to attaché the quote from kitty sail)

Edited July 15, 2021 by gardening_guy

[copper004]

14 minutes ago, gardening_guy said:

Can’t wait to taste those..I’m curious to know when we’re asked what we want in our room for a treat if they will really accommodate you as best they can.  Even if I asked for salted Dutch licorice do you think they would find it?  LOL 

(Sorry forgot to attaché the quote from kitty sail)

We sailed in the Haven on POA in Hawaii a few years ago. I told the butler I liked the soft pretzel sticks they served in the buffet with mustard. I mentioned I liked a spicy brown mustard like Guldens. The next day I had pretzels and Guldens mustard, he got off the ship and bought it at a near-by store. Now THAT is service! 👍🏼 🥨

[All-ready2cruise]

3 hours ago, nhtravels said:

I'm sorry that my original question has caused such a stir.  Again, it was not my intention to bring our friends into the Haven.  

IMO, there's no need to apologize. The way to go, IMO, is to simply invite your friends/family to your Haven/Suite cabin for dinner.  It's almost assured that if they see the wonderful service you receive and the ambiance of the dinner you'd enjoy in your cabin, they'll likely want to book the Haven for their next cruise.   Sharing the suite/haven experience is such a great way to introduce your friends or family to the suite way is so great. 

 

Enjoy your cruise

[Sailing12Away]

Ignoring the beating of a dead horse that just keeps neighing...

 

I'll be hopping on the Encore in ~45 days in an Aft Haven cabin. I know all about the M&Ms (plain & peanut) and gummy bears, but what other munchies have folks asked for and received in their rooms?

 

Our first Haven experience wasn't a good one, but for our 2nd trip we had a much better butler. He asked for our preferences on day 1 and when I told him to think of me as an oversized child in terms of food preferences, he nailed it. BLT and PB&J sandwich triangles for me, with the fancier canapes for hubby.

 

Does anyone know what the little fried chickpea crunchy munchy snacks from the Haven bar are called? Or the trail mix that isn't trail mix (more of an asian sesame cracker mix) I usually see near the martini bar? Just looking for some new ideas of stuff to have in the room for late night munchies.

 

 

[complawyer]

1 hour ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

It wasn't a personal attack from me or anyone else from what I could see. I hope that it didn't feel that way to you. The same thing happens on the MSC forum when it comes to Yacht Club access (even though MSC will on some occasions sell day passes).

 

I would imagine that the Retreat on Celebrity is treated the same way. It's not about keeping people out. It's about keeping the experience that people have paid for.

 

When NCL flirted with the idea of allowing any guest on the ship an opportunity to dine in the Haven restaurant (whether they were friends/family of Haven guests or not), the backlash from Haven guests was quick and strong. It was strong enough for NCL to cancel the idea. The NCL Cruise Critic member posted...

 

"Recently, we explored making an extremely limited number of reservations for The Haven restaurant available to non-Haven guests. Given that this test has not been well received, we will continue to preserve The Haven experience exclusively for our Haven guests"

 

...which shows that keeping exclusive areas exclusive is important.

i did not at any time consider the opposing views a personal attack, i was just surprised that so many people would be so against brining a close friend or relative onto the have area

[Shellbelle28]

18 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

Ignoring the beating of a dead horse that just keeps neighing...

 

I'll be hopping on the Encore in ~45 days in an Aft Haven cabin. I know all about the M&Ms (plain & peanut) and gummy bears, but what other munchies have folks asked for and received in their rooms?

 

Our first Haven experience wasn't a good one, but for our 2nd trip we had a much better butler. He asked for our preferences on day 1 and when I told him to think of me as an oversized child in terms of food preferences, he nailed it. BLT and PB&J sandwich triangles for me, with the fancier canapes for hubby.

 

Does anyone know what the little fried chickpea crunchy munchy snacks from the Haven bar are called? Or the trail mix that isn't trail mix (more of an asian sesame cracker mix) I usually see near the martini bar? Just looking for some new ideas of stuff to have in the room for late night munchies.

 

 

I love the aft penthouses, we always book them. On our last cruise (Australia/New Zealand on the Jewel) I asked the butler to keep a pitcher of ice water in the room, refreshed frequently. He brought potato chips while we were in Milford Sound. There was always something on the table when we got back to the room!

That snack mix they have in the bars is amazing! They stopped putting it out mid cruise last time (it was February 2020) because of COVID control efforts (I don't know why, I NEVER share that teeny little jar they put on the table!). I hope it's back by the time we sail in October! At one time I had the website where it is sold (you have buy like 5 pounds). 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Shellbelle28

[kitty-sail]

7 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Ignoring the beating of a dead horse that just keeps neighing...

 

I'll be hopping on the Encore in ~45 days in an Aft Haven cabin. I know all about the M&Ms (plain & peanut) and gummy bears, but what other munchies have folks asked for and received in their rooms?

 

Our first Haven experience wasn't a good one, but for our 2nd trip we had a much better butler. He asked for our preferences on day 1 and when I told him to think of me as an oversized child in terms of food preferences, he nailed it. BLT and PB&J sandwich triangles for me, with the fancier canapes for hubby.

 

Does anyone know what the little fried chickpea crunchy munchy snacks from the Haven bar are called? Or the trail mix that isn't trail mix (more of an asian sesame cracker mix) I usually see near the martini bar? Just looking for some new ideas of stuff to have in the room for late night munchies.

 

 

I believe it's called just  bar mix and he'll understand.

[kitty-sail]

8 hours ago, gardening_guy said:

Can’t wait to taste those..I’m curious to know when we’re asked what we want in our room for a treat if they will really accommodate you as best they can.  Even if I asked for salted Dutch licorice do you think they would find it?  LOL 

(Sorry forgot to attaché the quote from kitty sail)

You can get just about anything you want for a snack as long as it's available on the ship, your butler will try to accommodate your every wish.

Don't mean to put a damper on this happy subject, but butlers have complained about aft cabins as they are very far from the butler pantry. So if you're aft, be kind and generous.

PS: Except if your Prima - then all cabins are aft.

Edited July 15, 2021 by kitty-sail

[rmandmm]

We’ve (me and the kids, when it was just us) traveled in suites on different lines and on NCL on a non-Haven ship, so our December cruise is our very first Haven experience! To answer the question about what I’m looking forward to most….it’s EVERYTHING! 🙂 We’re in one of the DOSs and I absolutely can’t wait to share all that room, luxury, food and drinks with my husband, who has only been on one other cruise. Even though it was in a suite, it was on another line that wasn’t that exceptional. He is going to be totally ruined and will never ever be able to book a non-suite!

 

Happy Sailing, everybody!

[kitty-sail]

8 hours ago, copper004 said:

We sailed in the Haven on POA in Hawaii a few years ago. I told the butler I liked the soft pretzel sticks they served in the buffet with mustard. I mentioned I liked a spicy brown mustard like Guldens. The next day I had pretzels and Guldens mustard, he got off the ship and bought it at a near-by store. Now THAT is service! 👍🏼 🥨

Many yrs ago, hubby and I sailed on the Crown to So America.  One night at dinner I mentioned to the Head Chef that I like chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Well, when we returned to our cabin after the show, I found a whole tray of cookies baked especially for me.❤️ 🍪

[Hadacareer]

9 hours ago, kitty-sail said:

So - aren't those chocolate filled pastries in the Haven breakfast buffet to die for ❤️

Are they better than the ones in osheehans?  I also love the almond ones!

[oteixeira]

9 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Ignoring the beating of a dead horse that just keeps neighing...

 

I'll be hopping on the Encore in ~45 days in an Aft Haven cabin. I know all about the M&Ms (plain & peanut) and gummy bears, but what other munchies have folks asked for and received in their rooms?

 

Our first Haven experience wasn't a good one, but for our 2nd trip we had a much better butler. He asked for our preferences on day 1 and when I told him to think of me as an oversized child in terms of food preferences, he nailed it. BLT and PB&J sandwich triangles for me, with the fancier canapes for hubby.

 

Does anyone know what the little fried chickpea crunchy munchy snacks from the Haven bar are called? Or the trail mix that isn't trail mix (more of an asian sesame cracker mix) I usually see near the martini bar? Just looking for some new ideas of stuff to have in the room for late night munchies.

 

 

We asked for just meat and cracker plates.  What we got each day was much closer to a small charcuterie of crackers, bread, meat, and some cheese.  It was amazing.  

[kitty-sail]

2 hours ago, Hadacareer said:

Are they better than the ones in osheehans?  I also love the almond ones!

Sorry but I haven't had the pleasure of tasting the ones in O'Sheehans.

I go to O'Sheehans for their wings and nacho platter. And on occasion their prime rib.

Edited July 15, 2021 by kitty-sail

[kitty-sail]

2 hours ago, Hadacareer said:

Are they better than the ones in osheehans?  I also love the almond ones!

I think the chocolate are filled with something like Nutrella - and just so good that I usually steal one to save for later. They don't make chocolate ones every day as they trade off different fillings

[Drews_Cruise]

43 minutes ago, kitty-sail said:

Sorry but I haven't had the pleasure of tasting the ones in O'Sheehans.

I go to O'Sheehans for their wings and nacho platter. And on occasion their prime rib.

Wings on a cruise ship?  I don't think I've ever had wings while on a cruise.  Just one more thing to love about NCL😋

[bookbabe]

We have a Haven 2 bdrm booked on the Encore in May, and it was the cheapest way to bring my widowed mother along on a bucket list Alaska trip that she never got to do with my dad.  
 

DH and I were originally booked in the (non-Haven) OS on the Sun, and initially booked the connecting balcony for my mom so she could have her own space and not be sleeping in the living room.  Based on suggestions upthread, I contacted the pre-concierge to see what suite perks she could access with us, and we were pretty much shot down entirely.  So, we switched ships and cabins, saved over $10k, and are now all in the Haven.  Yeah, it was WAY cheaper to get the 2 bdrm for all of us than to book her a connecting cabin when you factor in the solo supplement.

 

We normally do non-Haven suites, so I’m looking forward to the private area and the dinner availability.  Has anyone done the Encore Haven to Alaska before?  Are the hot tubs and pool open?  Do they normally keep the roof closed?  How crowded does the observation lounge get?  My mom likely won’t venture too far out of the Haven other than a few shore excursions, so curious to know if it will be hard to find seats and such with good viewing.

[Sthrngary]

3 hours ago, rmandmm said:

We’ve (me and the kids, when it was just us) traveled in suites on different lines and on NCL on a non-Haven ship, so our December cruise is our very first Haven experience! To answer the question about what I’m looking forward to most….it’s EVERYTHING! 🙂 We’re in one of the DOSs and I absolutely can’t wait to share all that room, luxury, food and drinks with my husband, who has only been on one other cruise. Even though it was in a suite, it was on another line that wasn’t that exceptional. He is going to be totally ruined and will never ever be able to book a non-suite!

 

Happy Sailing, everybody!

Anything you want to know about an (H2) Deluxe Owners Suite, just ask.  I am on the Joy end of November with my family of 5.  It will be quite the cruise for both of us.

[Falckon]

11 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

Ignoring the beating of a dead horse that just keeps neighing...

 

I'll be hopping on the Encore in ~45 days in an Aft Haven cabin. I know all about the M&Ms (plain & peanut) and gummy bears, but what other munchies have folks asked for and received in their rooms?

 

 

On the first day, we give the Butler a short note advising him or her of our preferences, which they always seem to fill. Here's an example:

"As for afternoon snacks, we don’t care for canapes or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

We do enjoy cheese and crackers, (especially blue cheese), sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, chips, pretzels, salsa, cashews, bar mix, some fruit and an occasional cookie."