The NCL Haven Luxury VIP Experience "Secrets" REVISED for 2022

[Sailing12Away]

@bundtkate Regarding hot tubs... on our trip around Spain in May there were folks hanging out in the hot tubs till around 10pm. Not sure of the 'official' closing time, but so long as it's just a few people lounging and not causing ruckus they let you linger later than the pool. 

 

Not sure when you're sailing, but I'll be back on the Joy in February. My most recent trip wasn't a pool weather trip so didn't pay much attention.

[bundtkate]

2 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

Not sure when you're sailing, but I'll be back on the Joy in February.

We sail Dec 4 so very soon (but also not soon enough of course). I guess I'll have to see how late they keep bringing me drinks in the hot tub and report back. Y'know, for science.😅

[2boyzmom]

We are leaving on the Breakaway next Sunday for 14nights and realize i really need to upgrade to unlimited wifi. Should i email the concierge now? I would like to use my OBC for the upgrade so not sure I can handle this now...

[stefmaia]

2 minutes ago, 2boyzmom said:

We are leaving on the Breakaway next Sunday for 14nights and realize i really need to upgrade to unlimited wifi. Should i email the concierge now? I would like to use my OBC for the upgrade so not sure I can handle this now...

Easiest to do with OBC as soon as you get on board. There will be a table in the atrium, or you can go directly to internet cafe.

[2boyzmom]

7 minutes ago, stefmaia said:

Easiest to do with OBC as soon as you get on board. There will be a table in the atrium, or you can go directly to internet cafe.

i just don't want to deal with a line. Can we diss the concierge and head straight there?

[stefmaia]

3 minutes ago, 2boyzmom said:

i just don't want to deal with a line. Can we diss the concierge and head straight there?

LOL It's always worth trying !!

 

If you don't ask, you don't get.

[Rulers Mom]

@Sthrngary,  would you consider putting the letter to your butler in your profile, under downloads?  I just searched multiple threads until I found it, and it is so helpful!  Here’s a screenshot of what I’m talking about.  

 

Edited October 30, 2022 by Rulers Mom

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, Rulers Mom said:

@Sthrngary,  would you consider putting the letter to your butler in your profile, under downloads?  I just searched multiple threads until I found it, and it is so helpful!  Here’s a screenshot of what I’m talking about.  

 

I thought it was there.  Sorry, I will attempt to do so in the future and thank you for the complement.  

 

A little history.  When I first attached the letter and how I used it, I got so much push back.  People hated it and especially objected to my upfront gratuities.  Fast forward to today.  I get at least two requests a week for the letter.  No more push back and everyone uses it differently. 

 

It makes me feel good that something I do, gives others benefit.  It keeps me motivated so thank you.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.  

[pbenjamin]

On 10/26/2022 at 10:24 AM, mconthehighseas said:

It's a shame they don't make Nespresso pods with with illy coffee.  

 

They do make them.   Just google "Illy Nespresso pods".  They are aluminum, too, quite useful if one is boycotting Nestle for doing business in Russia.

[CDR Benson]

On 10/29/2022 at 11:37 AM, bundtkate said:

Would you trust them with pressing wedding attire? I expect I could ask my wedding planner for a recommendation shore-side, but there's an appeal to be able to hand my dress and fiancee's suit off to the butler the day before and have them ready before we head off the next day. Given both garments will need to travel a fair ways, I'm sure they're going to need pressing.

 

If you look back a few pages on this thread, you'll see my trip report of our cruise in the Haven on board Norwegian Joy last month. In the piece, I relate that I packed my service dress uniform to wear for the cocktail reception with the captain and other ship's officers scheduled for the second evening of the cruise.  The transportation of our luggage was not kind to my uniform.  I discovered minutes after our luggage was delivered to our suite that my uniform jacket was horribly wrinkled.

 

I informed the Haven concierge, Mr. Newball, of my situation.  He informed me that there would no problem in getting the jacket pressed.  Within the hour, our butler retrieved the jacket, and, an hour after that, it was delivered to our suite.  Unfortunately, it looked like a rush job;  the deep wrinkles had been pressed out, but the jacket still looked like it had been slept in.

 

I asked our butler to have the laundry folks take a more thorough crack at it.  It took about two hours that time, but when our butler returned, the jacket was presentable.  Not, one admits, that crisp, sharp look like it just came from the dry cleaner.  But it was certainly wrinkleless.  I wore it with no concerns the next evening.

 

We were not charged for the pressing service.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[bundtkate]

1 hour ago, CDR Benson said:

We were not charged for the pressing service.

Well that would certainly be a pleasant surprise! I very much expected we would be charged. I also appreciate the first hand experience and expect presentable would do the trick. After all, when you're getting married out of reach of your normal dry cleaners, it makes sense sacrifices would need to be made. I think the setting will make up for minor shortcomings. 🙂

[bundtkate]

On 10/29/2022 at 12:17 PM, Sthrngary said:

The French Press from the Haven Restaurant is some of the strongest I have every out outside of Europe.

That is actually quite encouraging. Normally, I go with espresso drinks to be safe because regular coffee tends to be too weak for my liking, but you've convinced me to give it a try. Thanks for the tip!

 

On 10/29/2022 at 12:17 PM, Sthrngary said:

The water package is simply better water and very inexpensive.

This is very true and I may well end up going that way. I try my best to avoid packaged things when I can, but at least NCL does cartons which is better than plastic bottles. I've emailed the concierge today and followed your lead asking for paid items to be removed. I also requested water and iced tea in the fridge so worst case I'll try it on day one, then buy the water package onboard if I hate it. One thing I've found nice about NCL is no sale games on packages like RCI. They just cost what they cost so you can make decisions when they make sense for you and not based on fear of missing a sale.

 

On 10/29/2022 at 12:17 PM, Sthrngary said:

Ask the Haven Desk if you can take them for a tour and this is your wedding party.  They will say yes.  Bring them to the Haven Sundeck for sail a way.  All will be forgiven.  I assure you.

That is such a fantastic idea, thank you! I'm sure they'd love that. Think I could get them some of that Haven French Press while they're there, or is that asking too much? 😉
 

Thanks again for the advice and apologies for taking so long to reply. I was out of town fetching my dress from the tailor and Cruise Critic is miserable to use on a phone so I waited until I got home and could say thank you properly on a real keyboard. Probably still a few typos, but the sentiment is there. 😅

[Sthrngary]

8 hours ago, bundtkate said:

That is such a fantastic idea, thank you! I'm sure they'd love that. Think I could get them some of that Haven French Press while they're there, or is that asking too much? 😉

You can ask, but that might be pushing it.  Usually, only access to you suite is permitted. 

[Laszlo]

For anyone who has stayed on the Getaway in a Haven Spa Cabin...... Are their power outlets either 110 or USB by the bed or nightstands?

 

Thanks

[Sthrngary]

16 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

 

For anyone who has stayed on the Getaway in a Haven Spa Cabin...... Are their power outlets either 110 or USB by the bed or nightstands?

 

Thanks

I did this suite in 2019, it was on one side of the bed only.  I brought a small round power strip which also had USB.  Hope that helps.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[cruiseny4life]

8 hours ago, bundtkate said:

That is actually quite encouraging. Normally, I go with espresso drinks to be safe because regular coffee tends to be too weak for my liking, but you've convinced me to give it a try. Thanks for the tip!

I too will echo my love of a strong cup of coffee. I just finished my daily cold brew and am about to start on the three shot espresso that I brought from home. We have one of those Breville espresso makers, along with a coffee maker (that makes cold brew and other assorted types of hot coffee). Because of this, I suppose I'm a coffee snob. 

 

Anyway, so as not to leave a long, long post (which I do way too often), the French Press coffee from the Haven is perfect! It's truly really strong. You'll love it! It's not the best tasting coffee, but it is still great 

[Laszlo]

6 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

I did this suite in 2019, it was on one side of the bed only.  I brought a small round power strip which also had USB.  Hope that helps.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Thank you!

[bundtkate]

3 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

We have one of those Breville espresso makers

We do too! We miss it terribly when we cruise. Extra encouraging that you also like the French press. This may be the first cruise where we miss the Breville a bit less. 🙏

[CDR Benson]

12 hours ago, bundtkate said:

 I think the setting will make up for minor shortcomings. 🙂

 

On the day of our wedding, a few decades ago, the limousine brought the Good Soon-to-Be Mrs. Benson to the church.  Almost as soon as she stepped out, you'd think a calamity had ensued.

 

It was five minutes before she was scheduled to start down the aisle.  The train to my wife-to-be's gown had ripped free and her maid of honour could not get it reättached.  At the same time, my then-sister-in-law, who was handling the logistics, frantically announced that the flowers for the church had not yet arrived.  Meanwhile, the four-year-old ring bearer had decided this was the perfect time to launch into a kicking-and-screaming temper tantrum.

 

"What will we do?" they all cried.  "Everything's not ready!"

 

It was now one minute to show time.  My wife calmly asked if I was there.

 

He is, said my sister-in-law.

 

"Then, we're ready," declared my wife.  "Let's go!"

 

 

As long as he's there, ma'am, there are no shortcomings.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2022 by CDR Benson

[rbxlady]

1 hour ago, bundtkate said:

We do too! We miss it terribly when we cruise. Extra encouraging that you also like the French press. This may be the first cruise where we miss the Breville a bit less. 🙏

We have a Breville Creatista Plus (it was my mom’s, and I inherited it— I normally wouldn’t spend that kind of money!), which we started using daily after our last Keurig gave up the ghost. I found the French press coffee in the Haven restaurant to be adequately strong and sufficient for our purposes, but it was still not as good as the Nespresso. However, I wasn’t pining for my Breville or anything, as there are plenty of other options if you do want something stronger than the French press. We did use the Nespresso machine in our cabin a fair bit, and the Starbucks coffee (I had lattes while my husband had cappuccinos) in the Haven restaurant was excellent. They made animal designs with the milk, which was very cute.

 

Believe me when I say that if you request for the coffee to be extra strong or for a double shot in your Starbucks coffee, the Haven will make it happen. They really do go above and beyond for you so long as what you are asking is reasonable. The only request I had that went unfulfilled (and honestly, I didn’t press it) was to have heavy cream in our fridge. We used half and half for a week and lived to tell the tale.

[mearsfansinboise]

20 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

I thought it was there.  Sorry, I will attempt to do so in the future and thank you for the complement.  

 

A little history.  When I first attached the letter and how I used it, I got so much push back.  People hated it and especially objected to my upfront gratuities.  Fast forward to today.  I get at least two requests a week for the letter.  No more push back and everyone uses it differently. 

 

It makes me feel good that something I do, gives others benefit.  It keeps me motivated so thank you.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.  

 

Your letter was the most helpful thing I ever got out of CC!

I was going to share my letter on a thread once when someone asked what to say in the letter and then I thought not to because I didn't want to get bashed for it.  If you don't ask, you don't get --- and we asked and we got.  Works for us!

[MJC]

I'm going to jump on the thank-you bandwagon for this thread. We just booked our first NCL cruise and before we did, I read every single page of it. We will be sailing on the Gem in 2023. While we considered The Haven initially, the things I learned here helped us to choose an Aft Penthouse Suite with large balcony on that particular ship. Knowing what we were getting along with how we like to cruise, and considering all the things included in our fare plus our AmEx perks, we feel we are getting a lot for the price we paid in a cabin we are excited about.

 

We have not ruled out The Haven for future NCL cruises after learning what we have. To the contrary, though we generally prefer smaller ships, it has us considering one with all the bells and whistles if we book in The Haven. Go-Karts, anyone? 🙂

 

 

[Sailing12Away]

Regarding the butler letter, on our trip in May on the Star, we had both the butler and concierge specifically comment on it saying they wished other guests were as straight forward and upfront as their NY ones. 

 

"NY'ers know what they want and are not shy about asking for it. It makes our job easier knowing what we can do to keep you happy and make it a great vacation." 

 

So at least in that experience, the staff appreciate the letter. Easier to keep track of what each room likes/doesn't like and giving a little bit of personality on the guests themselves makes you more memorable. So much easier having a face with a name and some info beyond "Mr/Mrs Jones in 17123".

The staff do talk about the guests as well.... apparently there are photos hanging up in the crew only areas. We're hoping our faces were on there and stories shared about our previous trips with NCL due to us being in a garden villa and "good" guests not for being the PIA ones.

[Perkolater]

On 10/30/2022 at 4:33 PM, Rulers Mom said:

@Sthrngary,  would you consider putting the letter to your butler in your profile, under downloads?  I just searched multiple threads until I found it, and it is so helpful!  Here’s a screenshot of what I’m talking about.  

 

 

 

I've looked but have been unable to find the letter.   Where can I find it?   Thank you and Sthrngary!

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, Perkolater said:

 

I've looked but have been unable to find the letter.   Where can I find it?   Thank you and Sthrngary!

 

Butler_NCL_Cruises_Template.docx