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

[LindaKB]

21 hours ago, Ballwin Babe said:

Contemplating upgrading to a Haven suite for our November cruise.  Can anyone describe what is in the Haven Spa?  I called NCL but she wasn't sure.  I suspect she may have been reading me the description of the larger spa with general access.  Thanks!

On the Bliss last Spring we got the Thermal Suite. It has a huge mineral spa pool with many jets. The usual hot tub ( mostly warm)

Showers to rinse thru out the main room. Robes, towels &lockers men/women locker rooms with private shower & changing room. 

Sauna 

Steam room

Salt room

Frozen tundra room. 🤣

Ceramic heated loungers. 

Our experience on the Bliss. We had a club balcony room for the week but got the week pass for the thermal suite. 

Bring shoes (I had to wear tennis shoes one time I forgot my flip flops) the frozen tundra room requires footwear. 

Also day passes are available for passengers on port days. 

Our port days the thermal suite was a loud busy crazy mad house. 

People camped out on the ceramic loungers with towels stacked up underneath them for pillows while they watched movies & shows on their iPads. 

Loud talking, just like the main pool. 

We ended up not going on port days. 

And the last night it was open till 8pm.  

We had a routine of using every room. By 6pm they were closing the frozen tundra ☹️ and defrosting it. The ice melting causes a pool of water several inches in the whole place. 

We were unable to use the frozen tundra or be comfortable on the ceramic lounger holding all our belongings so we left. 

Lesson: sea days great. Port days and last evening not so much. 

[PatJim]

18 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

No, it wasn't.  I find it difficult to believe that NCL would stop you from bringing a wine aboard just because they have it in stock.  I've never brought wine aboard NCL but I have on other lines and the wines I brought were not checked against any list.  Until NCL publishes a list of wines which are not allowed, I simply don't see how they could enforce this.

Thanks for asking.

 

You can bring whatever brand of wine you like onboard.  We’ve brought on Rombauer Chardonnay, when NCL carried it.  In fact, we first tried it on an NCL cruise, after Jim read great reviews in Wine Spectator.  Since that first bottle, we joined their wine club.  Cheaper than retail, and waaaaaay cheaper than the onboard price!  Especially since NCL waved corkage fees for BYOB if you have their drinks package.

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

[RocketMan275]

1 minute ago, PatJim said:

You can bring whatever brand of wine you like onboard.  We’ve brought on Rombauer Chardonnay, when NCL carried it.  In fact, we first tried it on an NCL cruise, after Jim read great reviews in Wine Spectator.  Since that first bottle, we joined their wine club.  Cheaper than retail, and waaaaaay cheaper than the onboard price!  Especially since NCL waved corkage fees for BYOB if you have their drinks package.

Cheers!

Rombauer Chardonnay is one of my favorite Chardonays.

For a cheap date, Simi Chardonnay is fine.

I really don't care for Cabernet Blanc.  Too acidic.  

[cruiseny4life]

51 minutes ago, LindaKB said:

Hello & thank you for this highly informative thread Gary!!

I started on page 1 & am now on page 40. 

I can not emphasize enough the value of actually READING from page 1!! Every couple pages it seems some one chimes in a question that is most always answered the page before! 🙄 

That being said, here goes my question ( I'm still bound & determined to finish the entire thread)

My question: we're booked (first time) Haven Spa Balcony December 4th Norwegian Bliss. 

We're on the West Coast & got the flights on our booking too. 

We would like to arrive 2 days before. 

Would we ask now our pre-cruise Haven Concierge to do this?

She was able to easily change our specialty dining reservations over the phone yesterday. 

Thank you all for your help. 

We're fairly new to Norwegian and brand new to The Haven 

Review NCL's Air Standards by clicking on the link below. There is a specific section about "deviations." 

 

https://www.ncl.com/air-service-standards

 

You're getting close to the cutoff for adjustments to your airfare, but you still have time. Just review the above, then give NCL a call (or your travel agent). You'll also need to adjust your transfers, especially if you are not booking NCL hotels (always way more expensive than the going rate, but the choice is yours). 

[LindaKB]

31 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

@LindaKB It seems your question about about having your flights coming in two days prior to embarkment.  I am on lots of cruise brand boards and this issue is something that some of the brand have handled. Unfortunately, I do not know the answer for NCL.  It has nothing to do with being in the Haven thought. Please call your travel agent immediately or if you purchased directly from NCL, call them.

 

The one thing I do know is that once the ticket is issued, that is all she wrote.  Let us know what happens.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

I called Lynn my Norwegian Advisor/agent. She handled everything. 

Arrive 2 days before. Stay at the Marriot & all transfers. 

😊

[mrshorsy]

On 8/2/2023 at 11:03 PM, RocketMan275 said:

You'll be able to booking specialy dining and entertainment 130 days out.  

You've only paid gratuities for the drink package.

The prepaid service charges are for the DSC.  As NCL explains;

Why is there a service charge?
The reason there's a fixed service charge is an important one: Our Crew (as are the crew from other lines) is encouraged to work together as a team. Staff members including complimentary restaurant staff, stateroom stewards and behind-the-scenes support staff are compensated by a combination of salary and incentive programs that your service charge supports. How much is the charge? Onboard Service Charges are additional.

Since you're in the Haven, you'll also have to address gratuities for the Butler and the Concierge who are not covered in the service charge.

If you prepay the service charge, you can probably save a few bucks.

https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/faq#!#what-is-onboard-service-charge

Remember though that tipping for Butlers and concierge is at your discretion not an automatic given or amount 

[RocketMan275]

1 minute ago, mrshorsy said:

Remember though that tipping for Butlers and concierge is at your discretion not an automatic given or amount 

Fine but should address that to someone else besides me.

My tipping philosophy is this: tip early, tip often, tip generously.

[P_Mcruisers]

3 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Fine but should address that to someone else besides me.

My tipping philosophy is this: tip early, tip often, tip generously.

I second that philosophy whole heartedly.

[RocketMan275]

Just now, P_Mcruisers said:

I second that philosoohphy whole heartedly.

JMHO, but too many view tipping as something to be minimized or avoided entirely.

[mrshorsy]

12 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Fine but should address that to someone else besides me.

My tipping philosophy is this: tip early, tip often, tip generously.

Sorry yes ! I meant to address it to the poster who was asking about extra gratuities. 
Bar staff - we usually tip a dollar or so with each drink they soon get to know your face and your preferences! 
we cruise Haven most times and tip the butler a small amount on arrival and then the rest depends on the trip. On one cruise we saw out butler twice thoughtout a 10day sail we did not leave a tip The Haven courtyard guy however was amazing. My son was revising for his GCSE’s at the time and he was in the cabin with his books on sea days. We were situated just off the courtyard and Teddy would pop in and bring him cups of tea and cookies and ask what he was learning about. It was lovely it went above and beyond we left a substantial tip 

[Trivan]

7 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

JMHO, but too many view tipping as something to be minimized or avoided entirely.

I think we have to acknowledge that in some cultures tipping is not a norm.  So a general guideline is helpful. I just got back from a 2 week trip to Hong Kong and a 10% service charge was added to every restaurant bill. Thats the tip, no more no less.  Now if someone not knowing came to the US, tipped 10% at a restaurant, that would be viewed as insulting.  So we have to educate and guide and hope they understand the dynamics of our wage system here.

 

It doesn't help that there isn't a general guide on the cruise for the Haven Butlers. The best I've seen is ranges and people need to do what is comfortable for them.  Zero would be bad, but I would hope that no one in the Haven is not tipping the Butler and/or the Concierge if some level of acceptable service was provided. 

[LindaKB]

On 11/24/2022 at 9:16 AM, Phil265 said:

I have a question concerning the Ncl weight restrictions for luggage. On the homepage all I could find was that a max. of 22kg / 50 pounds per bag is allowed. 

Is it the same for Haven guests? How strict are they when your bag is a little overweight? We are planning on travelling with only one shared bag starting tomorrow which is about 26kg / 50 pounds. What would happen in that case? Our airline allows more than 22 kg and guest flying business class for example could even check bags with a 32 kg /  70 pounds per bag limit…

Thanks everyone!

I'm reading thru past your question & not seeing it answered. Did you get an answer to this?

[omahabob]

That question has been answered numerous times. Bag limits are the same for everyone. They don't normally weigh bags. Unless yours is obviously significantly overweight, it's very unlikely they'll ever weigh it.

[Daniel A]

9 hours ago, LindaKB said:

I'm reading thru past your question & not seeing it answered. Did you get an answer to this?

You should be getting a discount on your air charges because of the deviation, although obviously you will be paying additional funds for the pre-cruise hotel and transfer but that's all good.  I booked my cruise more than a year in advance and requested a two-day deviation in Rome with hotel and transfers.  - No good.  I was waitlisted for the hotel but they did book the two day air.  I had to scramble to find a hotel in Rome with a transfer service from the hotel and to the cruise port two days later.  Enjoy your pre-cruise deviation, you did well!

 

To answer your question about the luggage weight, you need to wait until you get your Air Confirmation from NCL.  That will show which airlines you have been booked on.  Once you know that, you need to check with your airlines(s) directly to find out their baggage policies.  Just be sure to check each airline you will be flying as some airline's policies are different than others.

 

I hope this helps...😃 

[raschwinger]

Good morning all.  We are currently booked for Alaska in the Encore Haven in July 2024.  I have been reading many rough reviews of the Encore from this summer's cruises.  Wondering if anyone has opinions for the Haven on the Encore vs the Bliss.  We have cruised the Bliss and Escape in the Caribbean in the past and decided to try the Encore.  My kids want to try the virtual arcade and some of the other features.  Most of the reviews that are concerning my wife are regarding crowding and lines.  We just cruised the Breakaway in June in the Haven for the first time and obviously did not have to deal with crowds, so I am assuming it will be a similar experience on the Encore?  Anyone have experience with this ship or thoughts?  Thanks so much.  Cruise well all.

[Grimix]

2 hours ago, raschwinger said:

I have been reading many rough reviews of the Encore from this summer's cruises.  Wondering if anyone has opinions for the Haven on the Encore vs the Bliss.

Did Haven Bliss last october (Mexican Riviera), and doing Encore's this October (Alaska). I'll let you know! (Of course being a late season Alaska cruise the pax count probably won't be comparable...

[flying_dutchman]

Hi, we’ll be on the Prima from Southampton to Iceland fro an 11-day cruise. First time in the Haven for us. Since I’m Dutch, I don’t have a lot of experience with tipping on a cruise ship (we don’t really are expected to tip back home), so I am wondering what are the amounts that Butlers and room stewards would expect on an 11 day cruise? 

[Pitzel]

4 hours ago, flying_dutchman said:

Hi, we’ll be on the Prima from Southampton to Iceland fro an 11-day cruise. First time in the Haven for us. Since I’m Dutch, I don’t have a lot of experience with tipping on a cruise ship (we don’t really are expected to tip back home), so I am wondering what are the amounts that Butlers and room stewards would expect on an 11 day cruise? 

Your room steward is included as part of your Daily Service Charge (DSC), though you are welcome to tip more for exceptional service. The Butler and Concierge (or Assistant Concierge) are not part of the DSC and should be tipped separately.

To determine an amount for each, you may want to factor in how many people are in your cabin, how much you utilize each of their services, and how much they contribute to your overall satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) on your cruise. 

In the past, we have had situations where we have not tipped the Concierge at all...because we never once used their services (no reservations, no special requests, no escorts to anything, nada!). In other cases, the Concierge has been fantastic and we might tip $5-20 per "interaction" depending on what was involved -- totalling about $75-100 for the cruise.

For Butlers, we have tipped anywhere between $10-50+ per day for the cabin, depending on the service received and how they enhanced our cruise.

For room stewards, it is not uncommon for us to tip an additional $20-100 for a week long sailing, over and above the DSC. Again, depending on the level of service that we receive.

All of this to say, it is not uncommon for us to bring $500 or more in cash just for tips if we are staying in a suite for a week and expect to utilize all of the services available to us.

BUT...there are no hard and fast rules on tipping on the ship and there are many, many, many threads on CC around tipping and LOTS of opinions on all ends of the spectrum. If you search a bit, you will read all sorts of recommendations. It is up to you to choose what you are comfortable tipping.

[2Cruise4Ever]

Hello fellow NCL-ers!  Leaving on Escape this Sunday and am so very excited!  @Sthrngary  I have my Butler letter ready to go, too (thank you for the template!).  Will write a review with pics when we return.  Thank you all so very much for the helpful advice!  We love the Haven and are super excited to return!

Edited August 10, 2023 by 2Cruise4Ever

[Ballwin Babe]

4 minutes ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

Hello fellow NCL-ers!  Leaving on Escape this Sunday and am so very excited!  @Sthrngary  I have my Butler letter ready to go, too (thank you for the template!).  Will write a review with pics when we return.  Thank you all so very much for the helpful advice!  We love the Haven and are super excited to return!

Would it be possible for me to get a copy of the template?  We are in a Haven suite in November for the first time, and we don't even know what the possibilities are!  LOL  thanks so much!

[omahabob]

21 minutes ago, Ballwin Babe said:

Would it be possible for me to get a copy of the template?  We are in a Haven suite in November for the first time, and we don't even know what the possibilities are!  LOL  thanks so much!

 

[Sthrngary]

2 hours ago, Ballwin Babe said:

Would it be possible for me to get a copy of the template?  We are in a Haven suite in November for the first time, and we don't even know what the possibilities are!  LOL  thanks so much!

@Ballwin Babe The post #1 is the full explanation of the Haven in GREAT detail.  That should be very helpful.  I am not sure which template you would like to have.  The Butler Letter, the Excel Calendar or the Journey Document. Respond to my using @Sthrngary and I will accommodate.  

 

Anytime you want some information or have question, come back to this topic stream.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[Ballwin Babe]

1 hour ago, Sthrngary said:

@Ballwin Babe The post #1 is the full explanation of the Haven in GREAT detail.  That should be very helpful.  I am not sure which template you would like to have.  The Butler Letter, the Excel Calendar or the Journey Document. Respond to my using @Sthrngary and I will accommodate.  

 

Anytime you want some information or have question, come back to this topic stream.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

@Sthrngary can I get the butler letter?  Thanks so much. 🙂

[kasimir]

Hi everyone, DW and I are seasoned cruisers on several cruise lines and did some 7 NCL cruises so far, and just upgraded and will be trying the Haven for first time on our 11 day TA Prima cruise in November. 
Now we are both very excited since we have been talking about the Haven for the last couple of years. 😊
 

I did read the first couple of pages of this massive topic and there is a lot of valuable information in here, but we are curious about a few things as I don’t know where to find the time to read through 110 pages of forum comments. 😉

 

I see a lot of personal Haven reviews about the BA/BA+ ships and videos on YouTube, but there is not that much to be found about the Prima if you discard all the content by travel agents and journalists. So we are really curious about your personal opinion about the Haven on the Prima. And how it compares to the other NCL ships.

FYI… we already cruised on the Prima in balcony, so we know the ship itself, and we actually really liked it. 
 

Two concrete questions out of curiosity: 

- What is the alternative lunch restaurant for Haven guests on the Prima for embarkation day? The other ships offer the American Diner, but that’s not available on Prima. 
- How are the Haven lounge facilities at the Barcelona cruise terminal? Anything to be aware off?

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by kasimir

[pkay1]

@kasimir I have stayed in the Haven on the Bliss, Escape and Prima. There isn't an alternative restaurant for lunch on the Prima because the dining room is large enough to handle everyone eating at once on the first day. I assume this is still the case as I sailed on the Prima in December of '22. The pool deck was really nice on the boat. Loved hanging in the infinity pool and its location in the back of the ship. Less windy than the sun decks on the other ships. The bartenders were really good, remembered what my DH and I enjoyed drinking, but we thought the bar area was a little boring. It didn't seem to have the energy of the Haven bars we've experienced on the other two ships. I attributed this to the fact that everyone had to take the elevator(Haven only, so not the end of the world) up to the bar, instead of having their rooms on the same level as the bar. In essence, no one on the ship was staying in the Haven proper. It might have just been our week on the ship, but it was definitely a disappointment because we like hanging in the Haven bar, especially when there are fun, friendly travelers to meet. In my post cruise review, I suggested that it might be nice to have some kind of entertainment in the Haven lounge/bar, like maybe a vocalist or piano player, just to get people to want to hang in that area. The restaurant was very good. No complaints there. We loved our room, but as I stated above, it didn't have the same feeling as being in the Haven proper, which some people don't care about. I stayed in a Haven spa suite on the Escape, which was not in the Haven proper, and didn't feel like I was fully immersed in the Haven like I felt in my two Haven experiences on the Bliss. I'm not sure I would stay in the Haven on the Prima again. Actually not sure I would travel on the ship at all. I'm interested to see what changes NCL will make to the next ships in the Prima class. The Prima is lovely, but there are some misses on the ship, as has been well documented by others. I've been on the Dawn and the Jewel and have stayed in a club balcony suite and an aft balcony suite, so I feel I've experienced different types of rooms on the ships. I'm sailing on the Bliss again next month, in the Haven, and it will be my fourth time in two years. It's definitely my favorite! I haven't sailed in or out of Barcelona...yet. I'm sailing on the inaugural cruise on the Regent Grandeur in November, and we disembark in Barcelona. It's my first Regent cruise, so I'm very excited! Have a wonderful trip on the Prima! I know you will since you said that you liked the ship already! Enjoy your first Haven experience!!