We didn't like the Haven, what are we missing

[SpainAlien]

So, I know this will be controversial but we stayed in our first Haven cabin on the Joy last year. This week were given the option to upgrade our club suite on the Epic and we sat down and talked about it. We decided that we didn't want to go up to the Haven even though it would be relatively cheap at the moment, our reasoning was this:

 

We didn't like the attention of the butler and concierge

We didn't use the butler's or concierge's services being quite independent

We didn't use the coffee machine because we don't like Nespresso 

We didn't like the repetitiveness of the Haven restaurant 

The daily snacks went uneaten because there is so much food on board

 

We did like the ship

We loved the cabin but didn't need all that space (forward facing Haven suite)

We did like the common areas and couldn't see the advantage of the Haven areas.

We like Spice H20, particularly on Epic and can't imagine spending much time in the Haven pool area because of the noise from the vents (we didn't notice this noise on Joy)

 

Maybe I am missing something but in our case the "once you go Haven you will never go back to a standard cabin" just doesn't apply. In fact we have booked a forward facing oceanview on Escape for Dec 2023

 

 

Edited February 1, 2022 by SpainAlien

[rachiem]

I have to be honest but we weren't blown away either.

Butler was so, so. Didn't really see him that much.

Loved the food in the restaurant but the lounge was soulless and freezing cold. Bar tenders were surly and rude.

Concierge was good, as was the sun deck...weather was not good, so didn't use it much.

We had a spa suite, which was quite tight but access to the spa was excellent!

I think that NCL have such good entertainment, that you can still have a fantastic time without all the whistles and bells.

We probably wouldn't bother with the Haven again

[KeithJenner]

I agree with almost all of this (although I do like Nespresso).

 

We sailed in a suite on the Pearl back in 2013. We really liked the cabin (owners suite on the front corner), and I appreciate that the Haven experience is different on the older ships even, especially as our cabin wasn’t in the Haven.

 

I have very little use for a butler or concierge. Many people who stay in the Haven don’t seem to be great fans of the general public areas of the ships, but those areas are one of the things that I sail for.

 

We didn’t have a haven restaurant as such but had Cagneys for breakfast and lunch, but just ate there for lunch once. It was good but we didn’t bother going back. We don’t eat big breakfasts or lunch so don’t want a sit down meal. I’m sure the Haven restaurant is good, but I enjoy the other restaurants anyway, so don’t need it.

 

I have never had any inclination to book the Haven again. I have had three cruises since when we have been given suite benefits, but other than trying the restaurant one other time for lunch have never made use of them (much to the confusion of the concierge on one cruise).

 

I would pay extra for the room, but can leave all the rest. Overall that Pearl cruise was my least memorable ship experience as I felt we were isolated from the rest of the ship, and that was without actually being based in the Haven. In hindsight we spent time in the Haven pool area when we would have had a much better time in a bar somewhere else on the ship.

 

[FLcruisergrl]

Sounds like it’s just not for you, which is okay! I, personally, can’t stand crowds so I prefer the quiet of the Haven. I’m also the person who takes care of everyone and everything else all year, so to have someone take care of me (butler) is truly a treat! To each their own.

[Trimone]

Do you know I feel exactly the same about the Bar staff, they act of if it’s your privilege to be served by them, and the cocktail stools always get served first, maybe it’s a European thing? 

[Markj]

I have a completely opposing view and have no issues with any of the things the OP isnt keen on.

 

But thats the beauty of the world we live in - if we all liked the same then what a boring place this would be. Its great that people can recount their experiences and there is never any "right" or "wrong"

 

I guess when these ships get designed they try to cater for a wide range of requirements and price bands to try and suit everyone

[ChrisNY2]

43 minutes ago, Trimone said:

Do you know I feel exactly the same about the Bar staff, they act of if it’s your privilege to be served by them, and the cocktail stools always get served first, maybe it’s a European thing? 

 

Bartop stools getting the most attention is pretty much par for the course at any bar/restaurant. In fact, that's why I usually like to eat dinner at the bar in restaurants at home - you get the best service from the bartender. 

[Trimone]

1 hour ago, ChrisNY2 said:

 

Bartop stools getting the most attention is pretty much par for the course at any bar/restaurant. In fact, that's why I usually like to eat dinner at the bar in restaurants at home - you get the best service from the bartender. 

Don’t think you’d get far doing that in the U.K. 

[kodos]

I'm sure the Haven staff on each ship probably can make or break the experience. We were recently on the Bliss in the same forward penthouse and I would say other than the size and niceness of the cabin the staff made the experience more than the amenities.  I have been on the same cruise pre pandemic on the Bliss in a spa balcony. 

 

I'm not really a butler/concierge person either but I studied up the on 50 page secrets of Haven thread in this group. I wrote the butler a letter of the things I thought he could do to make the my experience better which he was delighted to do. One of which was just to bring me real coffee in the morning because I hate Nespresso but he also brought orange juice for my wife and creamer. Since the cabin had a separate bedroom I gave him permission to come in when he needed to. I also specifically specified told him what snacks I wanted and how little to avoid a lot of food waste.  

 

I didn't really have a huge need for the concierge either but on every cruise I have ever been on something causes me to need at least one trip to the front desk and the long line that is usually there. I just told the concierge the problem and let them work on it for me. I did have them make a dinner reservation for me and move some spa stuff around. 

 

The area where we really enjoyed the experience was the bar staff on our ship and the how accommodating the restaurant was. The bar staff was fun and made excellent drinks I've never had and our drink runners were attentive. We were a group of 6 for dinner and they always had a 6 top ready and would make a 6 top outside for us. We also made request a day in advance each night to have favorite items sent up from other restaurants each night.  

 

So all in all in was a good experience and if I found an exceptionally good deal again or happened to win an upgrade bid I'd do it again but at the normal prices I would just get my usual cabin. 

Edited February 1, 2022 by kodos

[Hutcha]

1 hour ago, Trimone said:

Don’t think you’d get far doing that in the U.K. 

Brits aren't known for their tipping though.

[Hutcha]

The Haven is what you make it. It's totally customizable. Don't like Nespresso? Have them bring you a French press or a pot from the MDR. Don't like the snacks? Change them or turn them off. Don't see/see too much of the butler? Let them know what your expectations are. 

 

Even with all of the customization, the Haven might not be your thing, and that's totally fine. For me, as a regular passenger on NCL, I always hated how much space was dedicated to the Haven area. I felt jammed in the open areas. Always had to fight for lounge chair the attention of a bartender.

[MsTabbyKats]

For us, the Haven would be a complete waste. 

 

First of all, neither of us drink.

 

We both "eat healthy".  The Haven menu isn't.  Yeah, I know they'll bring me whatever I want, but I want to roam around the buffet and choose from lots of choices.

 

We have no need for a butler or concierge....don't need anyone to walk me anywhere.

 

Certainly don't need afternoon snacks brough to my cabin.

 

I like being in crowds....that's what I'm used to.

 

The one thing I'd like is "the nice cabin"....(not completely...he kicks...I like the separate beds).

 

And that's why I'm not bidding for a Haven cabin.  I'm leaving it for someone who would enjoy it............!

 

 

[MichiganBound]

Count me amongst those not attracted to The Haven experience.  I did a forward facing suite 3-4 years ago and got many of the Haven type amenities.  As others have said, I did like the room...however...I had no use for the endless snacks sent to the room (do we really need even more food?).  The butler was meh...didn't actually see him till day 3 of the cruise.  Anyways, I really had no need to see him.  Had breakfast at Cagney's once and it was nothing special at all.  I didn't go back after that. I ran into the concierge around day 4 and she seemed quite disappointed that she wasn't seeing me at the Suite breakfasts and lunches at Cagney's.  The only other benefit I did like was priority debarkation at all ports.  

 

Most of the suite amenities were wasted on me.  It would be the same with the Haven.

[mjkacmom]

One thing to keep in mind is lower capacity recently, when we were on the breakaway years ago we walked in and out of spice, it was packed!

[ppcox]

2 hours ago, Hutcha said:

Brits aren't known for their tipping though.

Yes and that’s a problem for us , we always tip but the staff hear our British accents and assume they are not going to get a tip. My husband overcame this a few cruises ago by tipping the Vibe bar staff the first day and we were well looked all week so we tipped them again on the last day. We are all different I can’t wait to sail in the Haven 🤞on the Encore in April. If we don’t I’ll be perfectly happy with our Spa balcony and Vibe passes.

[Trimone]

Tipping should make no difference, a gentleman always tips at the end of the service, after receiving above standard of service…

[Cruising Lynne]

9 hours ago, SpainAlien said:

So, I know this will be controversial but we stayed in our first Haven cabin on the Joy last year. This week were given the option to upgrade our club suite on the Epic and we sat down and talked about it. We decided that we didn't want to go up to the Haven even though it would be relatively cheap at the moment, our reasoning was this:

 

We didn't like the attention of the butler and concierge

We didn't use the butler's or concierge's services being quite independent

We didn't use the coffee machine because we don't like Nespresso 

We didn't like the repetitiveness of the Haven restaurant 

The daily snacks went uneaten because there is so much food on board

 

We did like the ship

We loved the cabin but didn't need all that space (forward facing Haven suite)

We did like the common areas and couldn't see the advantage of the Haven areas.

We like Spice H20, particularly on Epic and can't imagine spending much time in the Haven pool area because of the noise from the vents (we didn't notice this noise on Joy)

 

Maybe I am missing something but in our case the "once you go Haven you will never go back to a standard cabin" just doesn't apply. In fact we have booked a forward facing oceanview on Escape for Dec 2023

 

 

Thank you so much for your post. Some times I feel like I am the only one that hasn't had a Haven room! I see posts of reviews and get excited, but then the person is in the Haven and I know their experience is completely different. I almost don't want to read those reports. I would like to see more reviews from people in regular cabins, as I feel it is more relatable to more people. 

 

The only thing about the Haven that I think I would really enjoy is the Priority disembarkation. I also would like access to a potentially less busy hot tub. As I get older I can't eat as much so the restaurant and snacks are not a big draw. 

[sanger727]

I have not cruised in the haven but a friend has and loves it. This thread is selling me on it more and more. I eat snacks at home and one of the most annoying things about a cruise for me is that I can't get what I would like to eat when I would like to eat it. We have to plan our day around hitting the buffet at the exact times they have snacks or fruit out and if needed take it back to our room for later. I like nespresso so that would be a plus. When we have stayed at all inclusive we look for ones that have a "quiet pool" or priority area just because they are less crowded and I can enjoy reading a book or dipping in the pool. Can't wait until we get a good enough deal that we can try it. 

[MBMGWM]

My DH and I are mixed on the Haven.  We upgraded a few years ago on the Getaway.  We really enjoyed the lovely cabin and the proximity to the courtyard and sun deck but, upon reflection, we did not take full advantage of being in the Haven.  We loved all the different areas on the ship and the different restaurants.  We had embarkation day lunch in the Haven restaurant and had most of our breakfasts there, but never ate dinner there.  The bartenders were fantastic in the Haven, but we found that we were mostly "out and about" so we didn't really spend much time there.  If we ever did the Haven again, I would definitely spend more time in the Haven areas.  I discovered the joy of the loungers in the pool, but it was on our last day.  

 

Like others mentioned, the priority embarkation/disembarkation/tendering was wonderful.  We had a situation when we were on Grand Cayman and the line for the tenders was extremely long.  It was a very hot day and I do have trouble standing still for long periods.  One of the staff from the Haven saw us, called our names and immediately pulled us out of the line and took us to the front.  My husband and I joked that seeing him and having him take us up for quicker tender boarding made the cost of the upgrade worth it!  

[Niffernay]

7 hours ago, ChrisNY2 said:

In fact, that's why I usually like to eat dinner at the bar in restaurants at home - you get the best service from the bartender. 

Us too.  They are a captive audience.  🙂  To each their own. 

[weltek]

I thought long and hard about this recently, due to some pricing making it  probably the most affordable it would ever be. When it comes down to it, though, I feel like I I can enjoy an aft (non-haven) balcony or suite and use my Latitudes status to get most of what I value. I think the only thing I'd fall short on is the backdoor and highest priority ease of access Haven guests get to a lot of places. I don't value the rest of the perks enough to spend the money. And while the Haven is lovely on the surface, I've visited and think it's lacks character. If I want privacy on a sundeck and dedicated bartender, I'd do the adult-only Vibe pass instead for a much lower price point.

So yeah, I'm glad the Haven is there for people who want it. And for the rest of us, I am glad we can still customize an experience that gets us what we value. Glad to hear my thinking isn't completely off the wall. But, well, if someone gives me a free haven upgrade, I'll take it...

[ECCruise]

Everyone's take on this will vary.

 

For us, the value/price relationship is pretty far out of whack.  Hasn't always been this way but, for us, the differences between a balcony (or often, Club Balcony) and suite/Haven on NCL is a chasm that we wouldn't even consider breaching in our sailings going forward.

 

[pcakes122]

21 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

Everyone's take on this will vary.

 

For us, the value/price relationship is pretty far out of whack.  Hasn't always been this way but, for us, the differences between a balcony (or often, Club Balcony) and suite/Haven on NCL is a chasm that we wouldn't even consider breaching in our sailings going forward.

 

Ok, so I have to say I agree with this.  I have been exclusively cruising in the Haven (or Jewel-class suites) for the past several years (at least 6x per year pre-pandemic.)  However, those trips have all been comped by NCL Casinos at Sea.  Sometimes my comp was a lower-level Haven than I need (I need an accessible cabin which is a Courtyard Penthouse), so I've had to pay an upgrade fee - but never more than maybe $400 in those rare cases.  I LOVE the Haven and can't imagine cruising without it anymore (I even stopped cruising Royal and Celebrity since my comps on those lines were just "Junior Suite/Concierge Class" level.)

 

Well. Since I haven't been cruising (or gambling on NCL), the comp I was offered on a Prima cruise was an M2 (Forward-Facing Club Balcony) and my upgrade price to the Haven (HB) was $2210!  That is the most I've ever paid for the Haven and it was a tough pill to swallow.  I paid it because I still want to be in the Haven, but I realize now I've truly been spoiled. 

 

Bottom line, as a die-hard Haven fan, I can honestly say I don't ever see myself paying the current Haven prices, and I am not sure I'm even willing to pay the casino upgrade prices in the future.  I love the experience, but I don't know that it's worth THAT much.  (It has definitely made me want to try MSC's Yacht Club which I understand is a similar or superior experience at a better price!)

[oteixeira]

We all have different things that scratch our itch.  🙂It not being the haven for you is a bonus as it means you can do more cruises with less then people who want to be in the haven.  Enjoy your next cruise!

[Two Wheels Only]

13 hours ago, SpainAlien said:

So, I know this will be controversial but we stayed in our first Haven cabin on the Joy last year.

 

Some people try the Haven and don't want to do it again.

Some people try NCL and don't want to do it again.

Some people try cruising and don't want to do it again. 

 

There's nothing wrong with wanting to try something,  giving something a try, and then deciding that it isn't for you.