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

[Kirk2121]

On 2/13/2022 at 1:09 PM, Sthrngary said:

@JoebucksI hope this revised thread helps you out a bit better.  Enjoy!!

 

Cruise well.

Thank you Gary.  Your guide & advice has really helped my gf & I really enjoy the Haven for her 50th bday. 

 

& have also appreciated all the other cruise critic posters advice on how to enjoy the Haven. 

 

Not wanting to go down tipping rabbit hole, but GF n I have been tipping from day 1. 

 

& handing our butler our letter also seemed to work well. 

[fox02554]

9 hours ago, pcakes122 said:

It's going to be hard to go back - I've never been able to do it LOL

Made me Laugh , this weekend Hubby told me " don't book a cruise unless you can book Haven " we haven't even cruidrd Haven (04/17/2022 NOLA breakeaway ) and he's already spoiled 🤣

 

[Lionkingrichard]

13 hours ago, Kirk2121 said:

Food sooo good! Steak was yum!  As was shrimp appetizer. 

 

I either need to become a professional football player or start training for next Olympics because I'm eating like an athlete & I'm sure not working out like one. 

 

We're having butler serve us dinner tomorrow night.  Gonna order off the Haven menu. 

 

That Tiger Shrimp was cooked perfectly! So crisp! Ask for 4 shrimp on one plate.

[Kirk2121]

Breakfast! Have part buffet & menu.  Edit more of a breakfast bar than buffet. 

 

In harvest caye belize gf paddle boarded & we kayaked. 

 

Back to Haven pool.  Concierge just approached us about getting beef stroganoff specially prepared. My gf's favorite dish. 

 

Gf maybe do massage.  6 pm dinner in room. Then salt bath maybe 🙂 then movie. 

 

Told gf this is as good as it gets!

 

Edit: shrimp toast was suggested by butler.  Really delicious the other day. 

Edited March 1, 2022 by Kirk2121

[Kirk2121]

Unbelizable! Dome open. 

[Kirk2121]

Room decorated by steward & butler 🙂 1st time we've ever been served food in our room. 🙂

[RocketMan275]

On 2/28/2022 at 12:06 PM, 14pp said:

What is considered appropriate tip for the various staff members in the Haven? A bit out of my realm here and want to make sure we are in the range for our upcoming trip.

Very nice.  On our very first cruise, we found a similar set of decorations at our cabin.  It was quite clear, the decorations were for newly weds, that this wasn't for us.  I contacted ships services and within 10 minutes the decorations were gone.  They were meant for a cabin on the other side of the vessel.

[Kirk2121]

Gf n i walked to the spa to get her a hot stone massage & hair styling. 

 

The beach loungers outside the Haven didn't have cushions.  & the hot tubs had like 6 people in each! How do people live like that? Lol TOTALLY KIDDING.  looked like everyone was enjoying themselves.  Maybe not Haven enjoying themselves but.... 🙂

 

 

Our May Cruise we're gonna be back to the interior of the boat where we have to row again! 

[CDR Benson]

4 minutes ago, Kirk2121 said:

Our May Cruise we're gonna be back to the interior of the boat where we have to row again! 

 

We keep you alive to serve this ship.  Row well and live.

 

I used to open my speeches to I Division---newly reporting sailors, most of them fresh out of basic---with that, and I could always tell by the looks on their faces which of them had never seen Ben Hur.

 

 

[nattie]

Thank you everyone for keeping me excited about our upcoming Haven experience! 

 

I have emailed NCL concierge and have received PDFs of the Haven menus. Attaching them here in case anyone needs them! Pics paint way better picture though, thank you Kirk2121!Haven Breakfast Menu.pdfHaven Pool Menu.pdfHaven Lunch Menu.pdfHaven Dinner Menu.pdf

[Kirk2121]

13 minutes ago, nattie said:

Thank you everyone for keeping me excited about our upcoming Haven experience! 

 

I have emailed NCL concierge and have received PDFs of the Haven menus. Attaching them here in case anyone needs them! Pics paint way better picture though, thank you Kirk2121!Haven Breakfast Menu.pdfHaven Pool Menu.pdfHaven Lunch Menu.pdfHaven Dinner Menu.pdf

Daaang you! I gotta get a Mahi mahi Reuben! 🙂

Really like the local Reuben. 

 

Butler had mentioned the pool menu but i had forgotten. 

 

Thank you for sharing. 

[pcakes122]

22 hours ago, Kirk2121 said:

Your guide & advice has really helped my gf & I really enjoy the Haven for her 50th bday. 

I really have to say it has been great fun to hear from someone truly enjoying the Haven by embracing everything it has to offer! That's how to do it! 👍🏻

 

I think it is so disappointing when people book the Haven and then are hesitant to take full advantage of the services because they are afraid the butler & Haven team are "too overworked." Or they don't want to appear "needy" or "be a bother." And then those who actually do post that they fully use the services either get shamed for doing so or scolded about whether or not they are tipping appropriately.

 

Cruising (especially in the Haven!) Is a VACATION! 😊  It is meant to be fully enjoyed...to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences that bring you joy and make fabulous memories. And after dozens of Haven trips I can honestly say that that just about every NCL staff member I've met gets joy and takes pride in helping to make your trip an outstanding experience.

 

I think your approach to this trip has been awesome and I'm sure you have motivated others to embrace the Haven the way you have! 😊

 

(PS Have you had the mini BLTs? Lol)

[vacation44]

7 hours ago, nattie said:

Thank you everyone for keeping me excited about our upcoming Haven experience! 

 

I have emailed NCL concierge and have received PDFs of the Haven menus. Attaching them here in case anyone needs them! Pics paint way better picture though, thank you Kirk2121!Haven Breakfast Menu.pdfHaven Pool Menu.pdfHaven Lunch Menu.pdfHaven Dinner Menu.pdf

 

[Kirk2121]

1 hour ago, pcakes122 said:

I really have to say it has been great fun to hear from someone truly enjoying the Haven by embracing everything it has to offer! That's how to do it! 👍🏻

 

I think it is so disappointing when people book the Haven and then are hesitant to take full advantage of the services because they are afraid the butler & Haven team are "too overworked." Or they don't want to appear "needy" or "be a bother." And then those who actually do post that they fully use the services either get shamed for doing so or scolded about whether or not they are tipping appropriately.

 

Cruising (especially in the Haven!) Is a VACATION! 😊  It is meant to be fully enjoyed...to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences that bring you joy and make fabulous memories. And after dozens of Haven trips I can honestly say that that just about every NCL staff member I've met gets joy and takes pride in helping to make your trip an outstanding experience.

 

I think your approach to this trip has been awesome and I'm sure you have motivated others to embrace the Haven the way you have! 😊

 

(PS Have you had the mini BLTs? Lol)

Watching our Butler go was amazing! I told her i needed to set up a slow motion camera to see how she cleaned up our room. 

 

I somewhat had little bit of ulterior motive.  I wanted to see extent of what a butler did.  Eventually i was considering being a full service charter captain with guests getting meals & over nighting on my boat for a week.  Maybe now I'll be more of a self service captain 🙂

 

The birthday party was huge hit with the gf.  We did feel a little guilty.  & I consider my gf n I good consistent tippers.  Not huge tippers.  Our steward & butler really really worked hard.  She dropped off all our food.  Then brought desert about 45 minutes later.   Then cleaned all the dirty dishes.  My gf n i ended up more or less eating for 4.  Sooo delicious! But sooo stuffed.  Feel guilty wasting food.  When the concierge got kitchen to do creme brule & beef stroganoff we still got all our other food we ordered before.  Think we're gonna eat some leftovers for breakfast & lunch 🙂 although I'd packed a couple zip lock bags so i stored food in that.  Plastic bad but so is them having to dispose of wasted food i think. 

 

After cleaning up all the plates & silver ware from our bday party for 4 with only two of us.  She looked at our ice & said I get you more Mr. Kirk.  & she brought us more iced tea in a pitcher.  I pretty much blinked with food coma & she had cleaned up.  Was amazing.  But i also could tell she was HUSTLING.  Don't know how many other rooms she's servicing but she was moving. 

 

The butler said they no longer do salt baths but my gf wasn't sure she wanted to wash off the products from going to the spa. 

 

When our room steward came in after our desert & did our turn down with butler cleaning.  I Tipped him & thanked him for bday help.  He handed tip to butler.  She's like that's for you.  I had already tipped her what i considered well before.

 

I hate opening the tips can of worms.  But tipping people as they do things imo is a better way.  Plus the free riders that don't tip, then the butlers & stewards know where to spend their time.  & it also communicates gratitude & that the staff are doing what i want.  Tipping thread people always talk about how they never saw their butler so they didn't tip them.  Well tip them a little when you meet them the 1st day.  

 

I'm amazed at how many hours some of cruise workers work.  & how talented/disciplined.  I could maybe have done at 21.  At 50 no way 🙂

 

 

[worktocruise610]

@Kirk2121 your info and pictures are great, thank you so much for posting, makes me so excited for our Haven trip in May. You should write a review, or a separate post, as some others may not see all you have if they’re not looking for “secrets”.

Thanks for you sharing, enjoy the rest of your cruise!

[Blueberry89]

I’m really enjoying your review as well. We’ll be first time haven cruisers in 46 more sleeps and all these food pictures have me salivating lol. 
 

did you request birthday room decorations specifically? My hubby is turning 60 this cruise and am considering doing the same. Although I’d be the one eating that delicious looking cake 😋

[Kirk2121]

24 minutes ago, Blueberry89 said:

I’m really enjoying your review as well. We’ll be first time haven cruisers in 46 more sleeps and all these food pictures have me salivating lol. 
 

did you request birthday room decorations specifically? My hubby is turning 60 this cruise and am considering doing the same. Although I’d be the one eating that delicious looking cake 😋

Thanks! 

 

I pretty much followed Gary's suggestions. 

 

We sent in a letter.  & then handed the butler two copies.  The letter is earlier in this thread.  Starts with dear most beloved butler & concierge irr.  Gary had some flowery language in his 🙂.  Basically introducing us.  Like i said it's a little earlier in the thread.   Definitely worth sending in.   Plus made gf n I had to think about what we wanted to create letter. 

 

In the letter i said we were celebrating Jen's 50th.  I should have specifically asked for the decorations.  But our butler & steward has really taken care of us. 

 

Tipping along the way as Gary does has really helped imo.  But maybe we got a really super butler? Dunno it's our 1st interaction with a butler.  But if you tip them some at 1st meeting & never see the butler again, then that's on the butler.  Tipping is kind of some work for me.  I always use cash.  Hint: they have automated change machines in Casino to break bigger bills down.  $100s to $20s 20s to 5s.  5s to 1s.

 

Gf is a heavy soda drinker.  We don't drink alcohol.  So this is probably a little different from many. 

 

Another thing gf n I usually do is split meals & deserts so we can taste n try.  The food has been sooo good we've been going overboard.  Waaay overboard! 🙂

 

If your husband has specific requirements kitchen/concierge might be able to help.  My dad is 76 I'd love to see him try the Haven.  Sometimes when we go out to eat the list of what he can eat seems shorter than list of what he can't. 

 

Hope you have a great 60th celebration.  In the haven i haven't had my two melt downs.  Normally each cruise something irks me & i mumble to myself twice per cruise.  HAVEN't 🙂 had that yet.  Still time 🙂

 

Also hope i haven't raised anyone's expectations too high.  Because maybe butler has huge demanding vip & can't provide enough service.  Cruise is Pretty much what we make of it. 

[Kirk2121]

1 hour ago, worktocruise610 said:

@Kirk2121 your info and pictures are great, thank you so much for posting, makes me so excited for our Haven trip in May. You should write a review, or a separate post, as some others may not see all you have if they’re not looking for “secrets”.

Thanks for you sharing, enjoy the rest of your cruise!

I just hope i didn't send Gary's thread off in a different direction.  This thread & one before Gary has done incredible job creating & supporting. 

[rnfulk]

10 minutes ago, Kirk2121 said:

In the letter i said we were celebrating Jen's 50th.  I should have specifically asked for the decorations.  But our butler & steward has really taken care of us. 

I did the same in my butler letter when I had my 40th in January. Returned from a fishing excursion to find the butler had brought cake and nachos and the room steward had decorated. It was such a nice surprise.

[mnpurple]

This is making me so excited for our cruise. We leave in 11 days. Our family of six will be in the 2 Bdrm Haven suite, leaving from New York. Not super exciting ports to me, so we're just looking forward to making the most of the Haven. I talked with the concierge to set things up ahead of time and they were great. I have a letter prepared too.  We have previously been on the Pearl Haven, which we really enjoyed, so I'm sure this will be even better.  

 

We enjoyed having the small courtyard on the Pearl, which was just across from our room.  It was especially nice in the morning because we had someone sleeping in the living room, I could just pop over there for my coffee. Having priority on and off ship was great then because we have some medical concerns with a family member. I'm not sure with numbers on cruises now, it will be as important, but who wants to wait in lines? Haha! 

[CDR Benson]

So many Haven lodgers are relating here that they have submitted, or will submit, a letter to their respective butlers, as Mr. Tilkin recommends.  I will be doing so, as well.  Thus, it occurs to me that the butler staffs on the NCL ships must be noticing this new development from their assigned guests.  It may even, among them, pick up a nickname, such as "the Gary letter".  And at some point, the butlers will come to expect it.

 

Along those lines, I wouldn't be surprised if, in a couple of years or so, the concept of the Gary letter becomes a convention on these boards when discussing the Haven.

 

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by CDR Benson

[Kirk2121]

10 minutes ago, mnpurple said:

This is making me so excited for our cruise. We leave in 11 days. Our family of six will be in the 2 Bdrm Haven suite, leaving from New York. Not super exciting ports to me, so we're just looking forward to making the most of the Haven. I talked with the concierge to set things up ahead of time and they were great. I have a letter prepared too.  We have previously been on the Pearl Haven, which we really enjoyed, so I'm sure this will be even better.  

 

We enjoyed having the small courtyard on the Pearl, which was just across from our room.  It was especially nice in the morning because we had someone sleeping in the living room, I could just pop over there for my coffee. Having priority on and off ship was great then because we have some medical concerns with a family member. I'm not sure with numbers on cruises now, it will be as important, but who wants to wait in lines? Haha! 

Hope your family has an awesome time! We haven't used priority disembarkation yet.  Sleeping off the food can't get up that early 🙂

 

Reminder for others.  Kids have spring/summer breaks. 

 

This cruise not too many kids.  A few.  Haven would have been so cool as a kid.  Altho probably not realize how cool it was until i was an adult. I was trying to take my nephews on Carnival cruise this summer but didn't work out.  I was amazed at flight /hotel prices when kids are out of school. 

[Kirk2121]

5 minutes ago, CDR Benson said:

So many Haven lodgers are relating here that they have submitted, or will submit, a letter to their respective butlers, as Mr. Tilkin recommends.  I will be doing so, as well.  Thus, it occurs to me that the butler staffs on the NCL ships must be noticing this new development from their assigned guests.  It may have even, among them, picked up a nickname, such as "the Gary letter".  And at some point, the butlers will come to expect it.

 

Along those lines,

I wouldn't be surprised if, in a couple of years or so, the concept of the Gary letter becomes a convention on these boards when discussing the Haven.

Little surprised that ncl doesn't embrace the letter.  & suggest it.  Altho maybe cruisers expectations would get out of hand. Dunno. 

[Kirk2121]

Food really gone down hill! Looks alot like leftovers from a bday party 🙂 ha

 

 

 

Oh wait it is leftovers! 

 

 

 

View not bad though:) 

 

 

🙂

Edited March 2, 2022 by Kirk2121

[CDR Benson]

2 minutes ago, Kirk2121 said:

[M]aybe cruisers expectations would get out of hand. 

 

I imagine that happens with some cruisers already.  Despite all of the on-line information on what cruise-ship butlers do and don't do, there will always be some who will view the butler as their own personal Jeeves and push the envelope.

 

Thus, it doesn't outweigh the benefit of the Gary letter:  it informs the butler of your preferences and expectations.  He doesn't have to guess what kind of treats to leave in your room, or when (or if) you want your morning coffee brought to your suite.  Do you want him to check in with you every day, or should he presume no news is good news?

 

In addition, knowing your concerns allows the butler to provide you with immediate advice or information.

 

A Haven lodger may not realise great benefit from handing his butler a Gary letter---but it can't hurt.