NCL Haven vs. RCL Star Class

[Hutcha]

 

First off, I know it’s not a strict apples to apples comparison. The typical Haven room can be had for much less than the typical Star Class room. However, given some variables, that cost difference can quickly be reduced, or overcome.

 

I’ll start this thread in both the Norwegian and Royal groups. I don’t have any great status on either line, so I can be somewhat neutral. Some background on me; I’m married with five kids. I’ve been on about 15 cruises, and last year was my first in anything above a balcony. Sorry if this is a long read. I’ll give my review of each, and then compare the two at the end. First, I’ll start with a copy of the NCL review I wrote.

 

The Cabin 

We were in an Aft Facing Penthouse on the Bliss, #13906. The room was great! Plenty of storage. Large master bath, with 2 vanities, a large soaking tub and separate shower. The living room felt larger than what the pictures portrayed. The balcony is why you book this room. Being on 13, we had the smallest of the balconies in this category. That being said, it was still plenty big. It had 2 full size loungers, a table and 2 chairs, and a small cocktail table with 2 additional chairs. There was enough room to put the 4 chairs at the table and have a meal.

  

The Haven

The Haven was a great experience, and we'd do it again, for the right price. We paid about $6k to book this room. It was originally over $7k, but we had a few price reductions. The ship was at 1/3 capacity, but the haven was booked to 100%. It never once felt crowded. The most people in the restaurant were during the embarkation lunch and disembarkation breakfast. Even then, it was about 75% filled. During most dinners, there were never more than 7-10 tables occupied. 

 

The food in the restaurant was ok. We were not blown away by it. It felt inconsistent. The first night, I had prime rib and lobster tail. It was fantastic. The last night, I had it again, and it came out drenched in a thick gravy (not au jus) that was absent before. The much talked about pork chop was dry. I was told they prepare it well done, so I ordered it med-well. Should have gone medium. My wife had several things she just plain didn't like. We're not picky people, and we didn't send anything back. Breakfast was really good. The French press coffee was great for me, but a little too strong for my wife. They had a nice selection of pastries, parfaits and fruit on the buffet. We only did lunch on embarkation day. The staff here was outstanding. They went above and beyond on every visit. They made the restaurant the experience it should have been. 

 

The bar was amazing. Great craft cocktails. Very personable bartenders. They did magic and card tricks, and kept everyone very entertained. We had a lively bunch that would go there every night, and the bartender would just start lining up random shots for everyone in sight. As many as 14 at a time. On the 2nd night, the bartender started talking about a wheel of drinks he was going to put together. On night 4, it showed up. You'd spin it, and whatever shot it landed on, that's what he'd line up. I found that the liquor selection was very good, but there was nothing there that was exclusive to the Haven. There were 3-4 other bars that had a lot of high end stuff as well. We did pay for the premium plus package. The Haven bar is good for the extras. The syrups, infusions and the smoke machine.

 

The courtyard was very nice. Never more than 15% occupied. There were plenty of opportunities to have the pool or hot tub to yourself. There were a couple of very well behaved kids that would frequent the area. The sundeck was great! Occupancy ran about 50-75% on the nicer days. Plenty of options for seating, in and out of the shade. There are two large hot tubs up there that rarely had anyone in them. Bar service up there was never lacking. It did take a little longer, because the server had to go down two levels and aft to the main Haven bar to get your drink. I had a burger up there that was the best on the ship. My wife got one later, from the buffet, and it didn't compare.

 

The concierge was nice and attentive, but we didn't use him for much. We had a billing issue, from the embarkation lunch, that he straightened out. Once, he saw us walking into the main show. He flagged us down, and showed us to the reserved seating, which we didn't use. 

 

The Horizon Lounge was nice and spacious. It was one of the more crowded spaces in the Haven. Great area to take in the sights, and a must have on a cruise like Alaska. They had a nice selection of food and snacks out, and the coffee machine pumped out some nice java. 

 

The Butler

Thanks to @Sthrngary, and all of the information he put out, I had a good idea of what to expect. My summation of the butler is that he's your personal waiter. He'll bring breakfast, lunch and dinner to your room, and set it up on a white tablecloth. Inside or outside. What did we use him for? We gave him what snacks we wanted and they were always there (plus some extra ones). He set up breakfast one morning when we had to be off of the ship early. It was nice opening the bedroom door at 7 to find it there and ready to go. On 3 of the nights, he picked up our deserts for us, and one night a special requested diner for my wife, who was a little seasick. We had the minifridge emptied out, and a pitcher of ice tea and orange juice in there. He was mostly good about keeping them filled. He was very nice and very attentive. 

 

 

 

Overall Impression

The Haven was really nice, but it did not blow me away. I would do it again, for the right price. I think NCL nickels and dimes the passengers too much. At the prices they want you to pay for the Haven, it should include more. They need to let your butler bring you drinks and include the mini fridge if you have the drink package. This is very cheap on their part. I can have a great meal in my cabin, but no wine to accompany it? I cannot imagine paying $18-22K for a DOS, only to have them suck more money out of me for internet, drinks, tips, and more

 

 

Royal Caribbean – Harmony of the Seas

 

The Cabin

We were in an A1, Spacious Aqua-theater Suite. It was myself, wife and 5 kids (14-22). The cabin was nicely appointed, but not as luxurious as some of the other Star class suites. It was very large. It had a full bath in the hall, a nice master bedroom with a large bathroom, and a 2^nd bedroom that could be made up with 4 beds (2 upper, 2 lower). There was a dining area with a small table (sat 4), and a large living room with seating for about 8. The balcony was enormous! I think it was 850 sq/ft. It had a table with 6 chairs, sun loungers, chairs on the sea side, a bar at the railing with bar stools, and mounted binoculars. In the room there was a Lavazza machine, and mini fridge stocked with your choice of soft drinks, water and beer.

Suite Areas

There were really only two areas that were specific to suite guests. They had a suite sun deck that had its own bar, hot tub and lots of places to sit. Next, was Costal Kitchen and the suite lounge. This was where the suite only restaurant was, and it had a bar and lounge area in the other half. I thought the food was very good. I had the best filet of my life here. The bar and lounge were very nice and functional. Great place to grab a drink and hang out, but not too lively.

 

The Genie

This is what sets Star class apart. On this ship, there were only 10 Star class cabins. To serve these cabins, they have three genies. If there is anything you need done while you are on board, the genie will take care of it. There is not another person on the ship that you would need to contact. They are your one stop shop. They contact you a few weeks out, to get an idea of your preferences. What drinks you want in the cabin, snacks, dining times and preferences, special occasions being celebrated and so on. When you show at the pier, the star class team will whisk you through the check in process. Once done, they contact the genie to come and escort you onto the ship. We were the 2^nd family to board.

 

They give you their WhatsApp number, so you can contact them when ever you need something. They sat down with us and provided a printed schedule for the week. On this were all of our dinner reservations, shore excursions and shows we were going to see, along with anything else like spa appointments. They take care of all of your room service needs. If it is available on the ship, you can get it delivered (minus bottles of alcohol or wine). Below are some pictures of what we had.

 

The genie will usually meet you at the restaurant at your reservation time, and see that you are seated right away. For shows, they block off the best seats ahead of time, and meet you outside to escort you to the seats and call over a person to take your bar order. To get off the ship in port, they meet you at your cabin, or place of your choosing, and escort to the front of the security line. If you are celebrating anything, the genie will decorate your cabin and have a special cake made. They arrange special tours, set up in suite cocktail parties, will meet you at attractions like ice skating to escort you to the front, and will set up just about anything within their power. Towards the end of the cruise, the genie leaves a personalized gift for each person in the cabin. I’d estimate the value of our gifts at $15-40 for each gift.

 

Included with Star Class

Almost everything is included with a star class cabin. The drink package, gratuities (not including the genie), internet for each person, specialty dining (to include any upcharges), unlimited laundry and dry cleaning, behind the scenes tours, classes that have a charge (cupcake making, etc.), front of the line privileges on flow rider and the zip line, and Starbucks (beverages only).

 

Overall Impression

Star Class blew me away. I wish I could afford it every cruise. We have one booked in June that cost us less than $10K for four of us. I’ll add a few more for $600 each. The level of personalization is insane. Having drinks delivered with snacks or meals is hugh. You can even have a standing Starbucks order delivered every morning. The Genie is amazing. Not having to worry about extra charges is really nice. Even if they don’t have something available on the ship, the genie will go out of their way to source it for you.

 

Comparison

I know most would compare The Haven to Sky class. Like I said at the start, it’s not a strict “apples to apples” comparison. For the same price, hands down, I’d go with the Haven over Sky class. The Haven also gives that ship within a ship feel that is absent on Royal. The reason I wanted to compare the Haven to Star Class is for those that are looking for an extra level of service, are considering the more expensive rooms in The Haven, or are traveling with multiple people.

 

PRICE

I know prices can vary dramatically between the two. You can score The Haven for two, on a 7 day cruise, for under $5K, and you could pay $30k for two in Star Class. So, I picked a random week to compare. The first week in June, 2024. Four adults. An older Breakaway class vs an older Oasis class. Both sailing off of the east coast.

On NCL, a 2-bedroom Haven suite was $13.9K. On RCL a 2-bedroom Star Class suite was $16.3K. The NCL cruise included the drink package plus tips for 4, two specialty dining meals for two and 150 minutes of internet. For a comparison I added 2 nights of specialty dining for the 2 that had it already, 4 nights dining for the two that didn’t ($550 total), internet for 2 so all 4 have access ($315), and gratuities ($700). That brings NCL up to about $15.5K. That doesn’t include charges for thing like dinner add-ons, laundry, etc.

I hope this was helpful for those looking to cruise in a suite in the future. Let me know If you have any question.

 

Happy Sailing!!

 

 

Pics from The Bliss

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

4 hours ago, Hutcha said:

The much talked about pork chop was dry. I was told they prepare it well done, so I ordered it med-well. Should have gone medium.

I am not one to order my cook to a desired wellness, except well done. I did this back in September. It was terrible. In January I ordered the tomahawk chop medium and damned if it's not one of the best cuts of meat I have ever had in my life. It will be a meal I remember forever.

[cruiseny4life]

Thank you for the comparison. I enjoyed reading through it as I've wondered about RCL's suite class - not going due to dress code, but appreciate being able to compare the two. Hope you enjoy many more cruises in your future!

[luckyinpa]

one time i think haven is better than star class is over holidays. i did a christmas cruise on bliss and it was nice to have the haven area to escape in. i felt it was worth the premium.  also i feel haven restaurant seating is not as 'congested' as what i had on oasis in coastal kitchen. but oasis has the superior lighting with all those windows. haven is more dark and refined looking. 

 

of course if i ever did star class i think i could hibernate in the royal or star loft and get my privacy. 🙂

Edited February 2, 2023 by luckyinpa

[Hutcha]

2 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

Thank you for the comparison. I enjoyed reading through it as I've wondered about RCL's suite class - not going due to dress code, but appreciate being able to compare the two. Hope you enjoy many more cruises in your future!

Royal had really relaxed their dress code. I don't remember it being an issue anywhere. 

[Hutcha]

1 hour ago, luckyinpa said:

one time i think haven is better than star class is over holidays. i did a christmas cruise on bliss and it was nice to have the haven area to escape in. i felt it was worth the premium.  also i feel haven restaurant seating is not as 'congested' as what i had on oasis in coastal kitchen. but oasis has the superior lighting with all those windows. haven is more dark and refined looking. 

 

of course if i ever did star class i think i could hibernate in the royal or star loft and get my privacy. 🙂

You definitely feel how crowded the ship is on Royal. The suite deck isn't bad, but it's not The Haven. CK was definitely more crowded than the Haven's restaurant, but with Star class, you never waited and always got a good table. 

[Nilbog]

Thanks for the comparison. GO AF!

[amygutman]

Really interesting - thank you!

Having a Genie sounds great, but the thing we love most about the Haven (and MSC YC) is the quiet Haven area with pool. 

That being said, hot tubs and a great view of the aqua shows does sound appealing. 

Let me ask you: if the price / itinerary were EQUAL, which would you book - Haven or Star Class? Obviously it differs ship to ship, and both clearly a lot of money, but is have a Genie worth not having a Haven pool in your opinion?

Thank you...much appreciated. 

Warmest, Amy

[Hutcha]

4 hours ago, amygutman said:

Let me ask you: if the price / itinerary were EQUAL, which would you book - Haven or Star Class? Obviously it differs ship to ship, and both clearly a lot of money, but is have a Genie worth not having a Haven pool in your opinion?

Thank you...much appreciated. 

If it's just myself and wife, I'd go with The Haven. Traveling with my family, Star class. There are a lot of variables. If I can get the 2BD room in Haven, and the 3rd & 4th are free, it's a no brainer. If I need 2 haven rooms vs 1 Star class room, Star might be cheaper. Plus, the extras really add up on NCL.

[vacation44]

21 hours ago, Hutcha said:

 

First off, I know it’s not a strict apples to apples comparison. The typical Haven room can be had for much less than the typical Star Class room. However, given some variables, that cost difference can quickly be reduced, or overcome.

 

I’ll start this thread in both the Norwegian and Royal groups. I don’t have any great status on either line, so I can be somewhat neutral. Some background on me; I’m married with five kids. I’ve been on about 15 cruises, and last year was my first in anything above a balcony. Sorry if this is a long read. I’ll give my review of each, and then compare the two at the end. First, I’ll start with a copy of the NCL review I wrote.

 

The Cabin 

We were in an Aft Facing Penthouse on the Bliss, #13906. The room was great! Plenty of storage. Large master bath, with 2 vanities, a large soaking tub and separate shower. The living room felt larger than what the pictures portrayed. The balcony is why you book this room. Being on 13, we had the smallest of the balconies in this category. That being said, it was still plenty big. It had 2 full size loungers, a table and 2 chairs, and a small cocktail table with 2 additional chairs. There was enough room to put the 4 chairs at the table and have a meal.

  

The Haven

The Haven was a great experience, and we'd do it again, for the right price. We paid about $6k to book this room. It was originally over $7k, but we had a few price reductions. The ship was at 1/3 capacity, but the haven was booked to 100%. It never once felt crowded. The most people in the restaurant were during the embarkation lunch and disembarkation breakfast. Even then, it was about 75% filled. During most dinners, there were never more than 7-10 tables occupied. 

 

The food in the restaurant was ok. We were not blown away by it. It felt inconsistent. The first night, I had prime rib and lobster tail. It was fantastic. The last night, I had it again, and it came out drenched in a thick gravy (not au jus) that was absent before. The much talked about pork chop was dry. I was told they prepare it well done, so I ordered it med-well. Should have gone medium. My wife had several things she just plain didn't like. We're not picky people, and we didn't send anything back. Breakfast was really good. The French press coffee was great for me, but a little too strong for my wife. They had a nice selection of pastries, parfaits and fruit on the buffet. We only did lunch on embarkation day. The staff here was outstanding. They went above and beyond on every visit. They made the restaurant the experience it should have been. 

 

The bar was amazing. Great craft cocktails. Very personable bartenders. They did magic and card tricks, and kept everyone very entertained. We had a lively bunch that would go there every night, and the bartender would just start lining up random shots for everyone in sight. As many as 14 at a time. On the 2nd night, the bartender started talking about a wheel of drinks he was going to put together. On night 4, it showed up. You'd spin it, and whatever shot it landed on, that's what he'd line up. I found that the liquor selection was very good, but there was nothing there that was exclusive to the Haven. There were 3-4 other bars that had a lot of high end stuff as well. We did pay for the premium plus package. The Haven bar is good for the extras. The syrups, infusions and the smoke machine.

 

The courtyard was very nice. Never more than 15% occupied. There were plenty of opportunities to have the pool or hot tub to yourself. There were a couple of very well behaved kids that would frequent the area. The sundeck was great! Occupancy ran about 50-75% on the nicer days. Plenty of options for seating, in and out of the shade. There are two large hot tubs up there that rarely had anyone in them. Bar service up there was never lacking. It did take a little longer, because the server had to go down two levels and aft to the main Haven bar to get your drink. I had a burger up there that was the best on the ship. My wife got one later, from the buffet, and it didn't compare.

 

The concierge was nice and attentive, but we didn't use him for much. We had a billing issue, from the embarkation lunch, that he straightened out. Once, he saw us walking into the main show. He flagged us down, and showed us to the reserved seating, which we didn't use. 

 

The Horizon Lounge was nice and spacious. It was one of the more crowded spaces in the Haven. Great area to take in the sights, and a must have on a cruise like Alaska. They had a nice selection of food and snacks out, and the coffee machine pumped out some nice java. 

 

The Butler

Thanks to @Sthrngary, and all of the information he put out, I had a good idea of what to expect. My summation of the butler is that he's your personal waiter. He'll bring breakfast, lunch and dinner to your room, and set it up on a white tablecloth. Inside or outside. What did we use him for? We gave him what snacks we wanted and they were always there (plus some extra ones). He set up breakfast one morning when we had to be off of the ship early. It was nice opening the bedroom door at 7 to find it there and ready to go. On 3 of the nights, he picked up our deserts for us, and one night a special requested diner for my wife, who was a little seasick. We had the minifridge emptied out, and a pitcher of ice tea and orange juice in there. He was mostly good about keeping them filled. He was very nice and very attentive. 

 

 

 

Overall Impression

The Haven was really nice, but it did not blow me away. I would do it again, for the right price. I think NCL nickels and dimes the passengers too much. At the prices they want you to pay for the Haven, it should include more. They need to let your butler bring you drinks and include the mini fridge if you have the drink package. This is very cheap on their part. I can have a great meal in my cabin, but no wine to accompany it? I cannot imagine paying $18-22K for a DOS, only to have them suck more money out of me for internet, drinks, tips, and more

 

 

Royal Caribbean – Harmony of the Seas

 

The Cabin

We were in an A1, Spacious Aqua-theater Suite. It was myself, wife and 5 kids (14-22). The cabin was nicely appointed, but not as luxurious as some of the other Star class suites. It was very large. It had a full bath in the hall, a nice master bedroom with a large bathroom, and a 2^nd bedroom that could be made up with 4 beds (2 upper, 2 lower). There was a dining area with a small table (sat 4), and a large living room with seating for about 8. The balcony was enormous! I think it was 850 sq/ft. It had a table with 6 chairs, sun loungers, chairs on the sea side, a bar at the railing with bar stools, and mounted binoculars. In the room there was a Lavazza machine, and mini fridge stocked with your choice of soft drinks, water and beer.

Suite Areas

There were really only two areas that were specific to suite guests. They had a suite sun deck that had its own bar, hot tub and lots of places to sit. Next, was Costal Kitchen and the suite lounge. This was where the suite only restaurant was, and it had a bar and lounge area in the other half. I thought the food was very good. I had the best filet of my life here. The bar and lounge were very nice and functional. Great place to grab a drink and hang out, but not too lively.

 

The Genie

This is what sets Star class apart. On this ship, there were only 10 Star class cabins. To serve these cabins, they have three genies. If there is anything you need done while you are on board, the genie will take care of it. There is not another person on the ship that you would need to contact. They are your one stop shop. They contact you a few weeks out, to get an idea of your preferences. What drinks you want in the cabin, snacks, dining times and preferences, special occasions being celebrated and so on. When you show at the pier, the star class team will whisk you through the check in process. Once done, they contact the genie to come and escort you onto the ship. We were the 2^nd family to board.

 

They give you their WhatsApp number, so you can contact them when ever you need something. They sat down with us and provided a printed schedule for the week. On this were all of our dinner reservations, shore excursions and shows we were going to see, along with anything else like spa appointments. They take care of all of your room service needs. If it is available on the ship, you can get it delivered (minus bottles of alcohol or wine). Below are some pictures of what we had.

 

The genie will usually meet you at the restaurant at your reservation time, and see that you are seated right away. For shows, they block off the best seats ahead of time, and meet you outside to escort you to the seats and call over a person to take your bar order. To get off the ship in port, they meet you at your cabin, or place of your choosing, and escort to the front of the security line. If you are celebrating anything, the genie will decorate your cabin and have a special cake made. They arrange special tours, set up in suite cocktail parties, will meet you at attractions like ice skating to escort you to the front, and will set up just about anything within their power. Towards the end of the cruise, the genie leaves a personalized gift for each person in the cabin. I’d estimate the value of our gifts at $15-40 for each gift.

 

Included with Star Class

Almost everything is included with a star class cabin. The drink package, gratuities (not including the genie), internet for each person, specialty dining (to include any upcharges), unlimited laundry and dry cleaning, behind the scenes tours, classes that have a charge (cupcake making, etc.), front of the line privileges on flow rider and the zip line, and Starbucks (beverages only).

 

Overall Impression

Star Class blew me away. I wish I could afford it every cruise. We have one booked in June that cost us less than $10K for four of us. I’ll add a few more for $600 each. The level of personalization is insane. Having drinks delivered with snacks or meals is hugh. You can even have a standing Starbucks order delivered every morning. The Genie is amazing. Not having to worry about extra charges is really nice. Even if they don’t have something available on the ship, the genie will go out of their way to source it for you.

 

Comparison

I know most would compare The Haven to Sky class. Like I said at the start, it’s not a strict “apples to apples” comparison. For the same price, hands down, I’d go with the Haven over Sky class. The Haven also gives that ship within a ship feel that is absent on Royal. The reason I wanted to compare the Haven to Star Class is for those that are looking for an extra level of service, are considering the more expensive rooms in The Haven, or are traveling with multiple people.

 

PRICE

I know prices can vary dramatically between the two. You can score The Haven for two, on a 7 day cruise, for under $5K, and you could pay $30k for two in Star Class. So, I picked a random week to compare. The first week in June, 2024. Four adults. An older Breakaway class vs an older Oasis class. Both sailing off of the east coast.

On NCL, a 2-bedroom Haven suite was $13.9K. On RCL a 2-bedroom Star Class suite was $16.3K. The NCL cruise included the drink package plus tips for 4, two specialty dining meals for two and 150 minutes of internet. For a comparison I added 2 nights of specialty dining for the 2 that had it already, 4 nights dining for the two that didn’t ($550 total), internet for 2 so all 4 have access ($315), and gratuities ($700). That brings NCL up to about $15.5K. That doesn’t include charges for thing like dinner add-ons, laundry, etc.

I hope this was helpful for those looking to cruise in a suite in the future. Let me know If you have any question.

 

Happy Sailing!!

 

 

Pics from The Bliss

 

 

 

 

 

 

How did you get that incredible looking cheese/meat board?   I asked a few times while we stayed in a Haven category and were always given a mere fraction of that and without good offerings included.

[Hutcha]

35 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

How did you get that incredible looking cheese/meat board?   I asked a few times while we stayed in a Haven category and were always given a mere fraction of that and without good offerings included.

That was Star class. That day, I had to tell him to only have one delivered. Earlier on the cruise, two showed up. I don't think I have any pics from the cabin food while I was in the Haven.

[RocketMan275]

39 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

How did you get that incredible looking cheese/meat board?   I asked a few times while we stayed in a Haven category and were always given a mere fraction of that and without good offerings included.

Our butler provided something very similar on our last cruise on Breakaway.  We told him we were on a high protein low carb diet and he came through.

[Hutcha]

23 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Our butler provided something very similar on our last cruise on Breakaway.  We told him we were on a high protein low carb diet and he came through.

Our butler provided what we requested, but nothing had that "wow" factor.

[gingersvp]

I have sailed both within the past 12 months and feel your observations and review is pretty spot on. I will say, I miss the Haven area on RC. We really got to know our Haven bartender and the private pool area is fantastic!

 

You cannot beat the personalization that Star class presents. The Genie is hands down my favorite. 

 

I sailed both the Oasis and the NCL Escape at full capacity. The Escape felt far more crowded in the rest of the ship and it really needed the Haven to have quiet space. BUT on the Oasis it was super annoying to try to find time by the pool on a sea day. I've decided that on my next Star class experience (October 2024) I'm going to see if the Genie can assist with that. I've frequently criticized the Oasis class ships for being so inward focused (very few areas give you ocean views) but after the Escape I appreciate the Oasis far more. It's just a better designed ship for the crowds. 

 

Coast Kitchen was far superior to Haven restaurant. I was very very bored by the Haven restaurant. But the Haven bar was far superior.

 

Having all the specialty dining, tips and drinks included in Star a major plus.

 

If pricing is the same, I would take Star over Haven. It's just that I have not often found Star class cabins under my price point - there's only a few per ship. There are a lot more Haven cabins on each ship and it's a bit easier to find for my price point.

I will happily sail either - it comes down to finding a sailing/cabin under a specific price point for me.

 

 

[kuku77254]

So, between Haven and Sky class, will I be terribly disappointed with Sky class? Cruising because there is so much for my 10 year old to do on the ship (we'll be doing 2nd Haven soon) but we were considering RCL next year because it looks like more to do (and different) for him but I love the peace and quiet of the Haven. I don't love crowds or standing in line so huge mistake? 

[Sailing12Away]

I'm intrigued by Star class, but have never once found a sailing even orders of magnitude close to what I've been finding on NCL. I guess it all depends on where you're looking to travel and the time of year, but last 5 Haven trips averaged about $450/pp/day. That's with cabins ranging from an HH (Joy) to an H1 (Star & Pearl). 

 

I haven't been able to find a Star class trip for anywhere close to that price. Just looked up a 9 night great barrier reef trip for 2024. Grand loft suite would cost us over 1K/pp/day. Sure, it comes with wifi - I don't care about wifi, I get free wifi on land and nothing happening back home is that important it can't wait 1-2 days while I'm at sea.

 

I dunno, you're going to have a hard time convincing me there's double the amount of value packed into that little genie guy. 

[amygutman]

On 2/2/2023 at 11:18 AM, Hutcha said:

If it's just myself and wife, I'd go with The Haven. Traveling with my family, Star class. There are a lot of variables. If I can get the 2BD room in Haven, and the 3rd & 4th are free, it's a no brainer. If I need 2 haven rooms vs 1 Star class room, Star might be cheaper. Plus, the extras really add up on NCL.

Thank you!

I agree - the Haven 2 bedroom is awesome. Appreciate the honest answer. 

Warmest, Amy

[psac]

On 2/3/2023 at 3:42 PM, kuku77254 said:

So, between Haven and Sky class, will I be terribly disappointed with Sky class? Cruising because there is so much for my 10 year old to do on the ship (we'll be doing 2nd Haven soon) but we were considering RCL next year because it looks like more to do (and different) for him but I love the peace and quiet of the Haven. I don't love crowds or standing in line so huge mistake? 

We’ve done both, and will continue to, but we have 1 Sky class, and 3 Haven trips booked for comparison. Haven is a lot better for us. It’s really not close. Haven areas are much better than the Suite lounge/sundeck, and the Haven restaurant is miles better than Coastal Kitchen, although the CK menu does change every night. 
 

But… we don’t have kids. I can see the Royal ships having a LOT more to offer in the non-suite areas that would be a lot more fun for kids.  So obviously that has to be a big consideration in your choice!

 

one more item…. We had the Sky Loft on the Oasis, and that’s one heck of a room. We spent so much time on our balcony, we didn’t need the suite areas as much. 

Edited February 5, 2023 by psac

[Hutcha]

On 2/3/2023 at 7:59 PM, Sailing12Away said:

I'm intrigued by Star class, but have never once found a sailing even orders of magnitude close to what I've been finding on NCL. I guess it all depends on where you're looking to travel and the time of year, but last 5 Haven trips averaged about $450/pp/day. That's with cabins ranging from an HH (Joy) to an H1 (Star & Pearl). 

 

I haven't been able to find a Star class trip for anywhere close to that price. Just looked up a 9 night great barrier reef trip for 2024. Grand loft suite would cost us over 1K/pp/day. Sure, it comes with wifi - I don't care about wifi, I get free wifi on land and nothing happening back home is that important it can't wait 1-2 days while I'm at sea.

 

I dunno, you're going to have a hard time convincing me there's double the amount of value packed into that little genie guy. 

Is it just 2 of you? It's hard to find the value if the number of people is small. You have to be a Royal loyalist, or just not care about money, to drop that much. Like I said above, If it's just myself and wife, hands down I'd go with the Haven. I don't even think I'd go Sky class with just the 2 of us.

 

When Your number grows, the value comes in. Last year was seven of us in a 2 bedroom suite. I got it for $350 pp/pd. This year, I have the same  (A1) on a different ship (Allure) for $250 pp/pd. I will say that prices are definitely going up and the deals are becoming hard to find.

 

My wife and I have decided that the next suite will be on Celebrity. I really want to try the retreat out. 

[Sailing12Away]

9 hours ago, Hutcha said:

Is it just 2 of you? It's hard to find the value if the number of people is small. You have to be a Royal loyalist, or just not care about money, to drop that much. Like I said above, If it's just myself and wife, hands down I'd go with the Haven. I don't even think I'd go Sky class with just the 2 of us.

 

When Your number grows, the value comes in. Last year was seven of us in a 2 bedroom suite. I got it for $350 pp/pd. This year, I have the same  (A1) on a different ship (Allure) for $250 pp/pd. I will say that prices are definitely going up and the deals are becoming hard to find.

 

My wife and I have decided that the next suite will be on Celebrity. I really want to try the retreat out. 

Just the 2 of us. Sometimes we bring my MIL along, but her health is declining rapidly so not sure if she'll be able to travel with us again. The retreat is on our list to try as well, but same thing, just can't justify the price yet. All the Celebrity loyalists love to come out of the woodwork and say for what you get it's a better value and NCL is nickel & diming.... but again, depends on what is a value add to you.

 

We have a Galapagos trip booked on the Flora, so that will probably be our first Celebrity encounter, and not sure if it's fair to start there since anything else will pale in comparison. It's not even a real cruise ship, more of a glorified large yacht, so I expect we will be blown out of the water with that whole experience. I would love for NCL to come up with something similar for small expedition type sailings either for antarctica or even just the smaller less visited islands in the carribean. 

 

But that 7 day trip on Flora is nearly costing us the same as our 10 day on Prima in an H4. A one vacation a year type of trip at those prices.

[Hutcha]

On 2/3/2023 at 3:42 PM, kuku77254 said:

So, between Haven and Sky class, will I be terribly disappointed with Sky class? Cruising because there is so much for my 10 year old to do on the ship (we'll be doing 2nd Haven soon) but we were considering RCL next year because it looks like more to do (and different) for him but I love the peace and quiet of the Haven. I don't love crowds or standing in line so huge mistake? 

Personally, if the price is the same, or more, for the Sky class room, I think you will be disappointed. I think the NCL ships have a lot to do for kids, but I won't sail them again outside of the Haven. Too much space is taken away for The Haven and places like the racetrack, where you have to pay extra to enjoy. I don't think Royal is better for kids. You just have to know what you have going into each brand. They each have their own little tweak on the offerings.

[Hutcha]

On 2/5/2023 at 7:48 PM, Sailing12Away said:

We have a Galapagos trip booked on the Flora, so that will probably be our first Celebrity encounter

 

The Flora looks really interesting. I didn't know Celebrity offered that product. Yeah, I think it'll beat Haven, but you're paying for it.

 

On 2/5/2023 at 7:48 PM, Sailing12Away said:

All the Celebrity loyalists love to come out of the woodwork and say for what you get it's a better value and NCL is nickel & diming.... but again, depends on what is a value add to you.

 

Loyalist are going to do their thing and defend their product. That's how Royal gets some people to pay $40k for a 7 day Star class cruise. If I had $40k to drop on a single vacation, it wouldn't be there.

[luckyinpa]

On 2/6/2023 at 9:27 AM, Hutcha said:

Personally, if the price is the same, or more, for the Sky class room, I think you will be disappointed. I think the NCL ships have a lot to do for kids, but I won't sail them again outside of the Haven. Too much space is taken away for The Haven and places like the racetrack, where you have to pay extra to enjoy. I don't think Royal is better for kids. You just have to know what you have going into each brand. They each have their own little tweak on the offerings.

 

 

haven vs crown loft suites i think the crown lofts (i never paid more than about 3300 pp) are a better deal . at least on the breakaway, bliss and getaway (courtyard and 2 br suites). all  my haven cabins had balconies barely fit for kids. the lower bliss level is bigger than the upper level thankfully

 

insanely small for the prices you pay for haven though. the crown lofts are huge by comparison.  so if balcony is more important than butler and ship within a ship you def should get the crown lofts (and other suites like owners suites..aquatheater etc. (trying one of those in may)

 

i dont have kids but to me oasis seemed 'more fun' than getaway/breakaway/bliss that i've been on. 

 

 

[luckyinpa]

1 hour ago, Hutcha said:

 

The Flora looks really interesting. I didn't know Celebrity offered that product. Yeah, I think it'll beat Haven, but you're paying for it.

 

 

Loyalist are going to do their thing and defend their product. That's how Royal gets some people to pay $40k for a 7 day Star class cruise. If I had $40k to drop on a single vacation, it wouldn't be there.

 

i dont even know how people get cabins like they royal suite. for the fun of it i was pricing out a retirement cruise. went to mid to end of 2024. tried 3 different ships. no royals available. i guess they really do book them the day they come out. even few star lofts were available. 

[vacation44]

4 hours ago, Hutcha said:

 

The Flora looks really interesting. I didn't know Celebrity offered that product. Yeah, I think it'll beat Haven, but you're paying for it.

 

 

Loyalist are going to do their thing and defend their product. That's how Royal gets some people to pay $40k for a 7 day Star class cruise. If I had $40k to drop on a single vacation, it wouldn't be there.

Agreed---if I had $40,000 to spend on just one vacation, it would not be there.