Comparison Beyond Retreat to NCL Haven?

[FlyGal25]

X is my cruise line. My go to. However, the Beyond Retreat is pricing me out. I have patiently waited for a inkling of a price drop to no avail ... it is after all spring break. (however, there are still over 90+ suites still unoccupied on that sailing)

 

So, I checked around and found a deal on NCL's ship Joy in the Haven that is insanely cheaper.  It has perks, but it seems more convoluted than X's four wifi, obc, drinks, tips. And to top it off looks like NCL doesn't include it for my daughter (we are a party of 3).  Of course NCL is a better deal, but at what cost? Am I going to be ogling Beyond on our same stops to Cozumel and Costa Maya regretting my decision?  Or am I going to be looking at it saying I am so glad I tried NCL? 

 

I have only been on NCL once, and I cannot compare it because it was Pride of America in 2007 with all American crew. You cannot judge regular NCL based on that experience -- and was it ever dreadful. 

 

With all that said, anyone lucky enough to sail Beyond in the Retreat and NCL Joy in the Haven? Or even X's Edge class and NCL's Breakaway +?  I have googled and read comparisons but those seem to be on older class Solstice/Millennium ships and I know those are not like Edge class Retreat. 

 

Would love feedback from someone who has experienced both. 

 

 

 

 

 

[George C]

I have sailed ncl many times they definitely went downhill about 20 years ago, I refuse to sail them, have you considered MSc yacht club many of us think that is as good or better than celebrity retreat on edge class, we have sailed edge and beyond in the retreat.

[FlyGal25]

I do not know much about MSC, other than it is an Italian based line. I have heard mixed reviews, but that was years ago and for European sailings. 

 

[George C]

7 minutes ago, FlyGal25 said:

I do not know much about MSC, other than it is an Italian based line. I have heard mixed reviews, but that was years ago and for European sailings. 

 

I doubt the negative reviews were from people in yacht club, yacht club is normally way cheaper than retreat , it gives you WiFi, premium liquor package, there is a nicer outside area than edge class retreat with pool , hot tub and restaurant, suite lounge is beautiful with live music from 5 to 11 and a baby grand piano there, if you really want to save more they also sell inexpensive inside rooms . You get butler like retreat, reserved seats to shows etc . There are several threads comparing yacht club with retreat. MSc sails from Florida and New York.

[FlyGal25]

30 minutes ago, George C said:

I doubt the negative reviews were from people in yacht club, yacht club is normally way cheaper than retreat , it gives you WiFi, premium liquor package, there is a nicer outside area than edge class retreat with pool , hot tub and restaurant, suite lounge is beautiful with live music from 5 to 11 and a baby grand piano there, if you really want to save more they also sell inexpensive inside rooms . You get butler like retreat, reserved seats to shows etc . There are several threads comparing yacht club with retreat. MSc sails from Florida and New York.

 

George C, I am already researching! LOL (I think the meh reviews were from years ago and they definitely were not about yacht club. Yacht Club is fairly new to me. I have read about it on boards, but I haven't taken the time to look into it until now.) 

 

I found their newest ship Seascape is over our vacation time. Hmmm....decisions, decisions. 

[Cruise a holic]

Have sailed in the Haven on NCL.  Not the same product as Celebrity.  The NCL ships are so crowded if you leave the Haven.  Food in Specialty restaurants was disappointing.  I also do not like the way the ship is designed- lack of a real theatre and center atrium.   

 

Clearly the ships appeal to many- just not for me.  Will stick to Royal Caribbean- Oasis and newer ships and Celebrity.

[FlyGal25]

18 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

Have sailed in the Haven on NCL.  Not the same product as Celebrity.  The NCL ships are so crowded if you leave the Haven.  Food in Specialty restaurants was disappointing.  I also do not like the way the ship is designed- lack of a real theatre and center atrium.   

 

Clearly the ships appeal to many- just not for me.  Will stick to Royal Caribbean- Oasis and newer ships and Celebrity.

Appreciate the honest review. I know it is all personal opinion but I love reading both sides.

 

Can you tell me what ship you were on in the Haven?  

 

[LadyShiva]

I would suggest you research NCL Joy's ship layout (cruisedeckplans website) and Joy's Haven via YouTube, versus written reviews.  I have enjoyed both Apex's Retreat and many of the NCL ships' Haven areas.  However, Joy is a unique ship and layout, as it was built for the busted Chinese market.

 

I think you will enjoy Haven amenities, but my opinion is just another opinion on the internet.  🙂  I hope you have a lovely cruise, and I completely agree with you on the bizarrely high pricing on the Retreat.

[FlyGal25]

10 minutes ago, LadyShiva said:

I would suggest you research NCL Joy's ship layout (cruisedeckplans website) and Joy's Haven via YouTube, versus written reviews.  I have enjoyed both Apex's Retreat and many of the NCL ships' Haven areas.  However, Joy is a unique ship and layout, as it was built for the busted Chinese market.

 

I think you will enjoy Haven amenities, but my opinion is just another opinion on the internet.  🙂  I hope you have a lovely cruise, and I completely agree with you on the bizarrely high pricing on the Retreat.

I have watched several YouTube videos on the Joy. For most, the Joy's biggest Haven bonus is the observation lounge, and drawback is no thermal spa.

 

Personally, our pro is that I can book a suite that is very large for a good price. And one of the stops is new to us (Roatan). Two cons for the Joy for us are: fixed menu in Haven, indoor pool for Caribbean sailing. 

 

But the differences in price is staggering. $4K more for Beyond. I can't do it. I would pay more for a product I know and love, but not that much more. Insanity to me. Especially when they have so many suites that are still open. Come on, they have to know they are pricing themselves out. 😠

 

 

[RMac713]

30 minutes ago, FlyGal25 said:

I have watched several YouTube videos on the Joy. For most, the Joy's biggest Haven bonus is the observation lounge, and drawback is no thermal spa.

 

Personally, our pro is that I can book a suite that is very large for a good price. And one of the stops is new to us (Roatan). Two cons for the Joy for us are: fixed menu in Haven, indoor pool for Caribbean sailing. 

 

But the differences in price is staggering. $4K more for Beyond. I can't do it. I would pay more for a product I know and love, but not that much more. Insanity to me. Especially when they have so many suites that are still open. Come on, they have to know they are pricing themselves out. 😠

 

 

 

[RMac713]

Are you looking at this year?  We sail April 2-9 and while there are many balcony cabins open, there are very few retreat suites.

[FlyGal25]

11 minutes ago, RMac713 said:

Are you looking at this year?  We sail April 2-9 and while there are many balcony cabins open, there are very few retreat suites.

Yes, Beyond April 9-16

[cruising sister]

I sailed the Joy in the Haven last November. The pool does have a retractable cover but is was closed for our cruise. There is a Haven sun deck that can get crowded. I liked the Haven restaurant and it had both indoor and outdoor seating. I had no problem with fixed menu as it was all, tasty. The Retreat restaurant on Celebrity have many things I did not like so the rotating was not a decision maker for me.  You can always leave the Haven to enjoy the rest of the ship. I find the specialty dining no different than the other cruise lines. I would cruise the Haven on the Joy again with no hesitation. 

[Stem to Stern]

51 minutes ago, FlyGal25 said:

I have watched several YouTube videos on the Joy. For most, the Joy's biggest Haven bonus is the observation lounge, and drawback is no thermal spa.

 

52 minutes ago, FlyGal25 said:

But the differences in price is staggering. $4K more for Beyond. I can't do it. I would pay more for a product I know and love, but not that much more. Insanity to me.

X is my cruiseline, too.  But it is good to have options.  I would take the advice of @LadyShivaand check out the ship you are considering in great length via YouTube and study the deck plans.  That is what I did when I began looking at other lines because of Celebrity's rising prices.  However, YouTube may not give you much of an indication about the clientele and vibe on board which may or may not impact your on board experience.  What have you discovered about MSC Yacht Club on board MSC Seascape?  This is the option we have decided to have a go at.  It will be the first time on MSC Cruises for us.  MSC Seascape is brand new and access to their thermal suite is included with the Yacht Club experience.  I have now decided to set a maximum per person per day spend on a suite experience cruise and there are very few Celebrity sailings that fall below this pricing threshold.  Whatever you decide I am sure you will have a fantastic time.  You will be on a cruise.

[FlyGal25]

7 minutes ago, cruising sister said:

I sailed the Joy in the Haven last November. The pool does have a retractable cover but is was closed for our cruise. There is a Haven sun deck that can get crowded. I liked the Haven restaurant and it had both indoor and outdoor seating. I had no problem with fixed menu as it was all, tasty. The Retreat restaurant on Celebrity have many things I did not like so the rotating was not a decision maker for me.  You can always leave the Haven to enjoy the rest of the ship. I find the specialty dining no different than the other cruise lines. I would cruise the Haven on the Joy again with no hesitation. 

Thank you for your review. I know I can leave the Haven and with specialty dining included I know I will, but I really enjoyed Luminae on previous sailings. 
 

I saw the roof was retractable but it’s still not the open airy feeling. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 

 

Still very happy to read you enjoyed the Haven on Joy. 

[cruising sister]

I found the butler in the Haven much more responsive. It was almost comical how many treats she brought us. When I was on the Infinity our butler told us to go to the retreat lounge for our afternoon snack. Granted Infinity will not compare to Beyond so you would need hear from someone who has experienced it. 

[Cruising89143]

Haven’t read all of the other responses. We cruised in the Haven on the Bliss in October of 2019. The Bliss is a sister to the Joy. Joy was built for the Asian market but NCL did make some changes prior to entering the U.S market. As you’re aware the Haven is NCL’s ship within a ship concept and IMHO they do it very well. 
 

As long as we stayed in the Haven it was great. It was very nice and service was great. Loved the lounge and observation areas in the Haven. The food in the Haven restaurant was very good but the menu does not change. Loved the outdoor Haven restaurant as well.

 

Once outside of the Haven it was very busy. Something I would expect on a mass market line like NCL and MSC who both offer very large ships. You don’t have that issue on Celebrity. But looking at cruise lines like NCL and RCI, NCL does suites much better but I give Celebrity the overall nod for the Retreat. 

[cruising sister]

When I sailed the Haven was full and only about 50% outside the Haven. I agree outside would be a madhouse if full. We only left for our specialty dining. 

[mafig]

I know people complain that the Haven's restaurant's menu doesn't change.

However, it has the same Lobster, Prime Rib, Filet Mignon every night.  DH still talks about having lobster every night for dinner.

 

 

[FlyGal25]

40 minutes ago, Stem to Stern said:

 

X is my cruiseline, too.  But it is good to have options.  I would take the advice of @LadyShivaand check out the ship you are considering in great length via YouTube and study the deck plans.  That is what I did when I began looking at other lines because of Celebrity's rising prices.  However, YouTube may not give you much of an indication about the clientele and vibe on board which may or may not impact your on board experience.  What have you discovered about MSC Yacht Club on board MSC Seascape?  This is the option we have decided to have a go at.  It will be the first time on MSC Cruises for us.  MSC Seascape is brand new and access to their thermal suite is included with the Yacht Club experience.  I have now decided to set a maximum per person per day spend on a suite experience cruise and there are very few Celebrity sailings that fall below this pricing threshold.  Whatever you decide I am sure you will have a fantastic time.  You will be on a cruise.

 

I have done a lot of research on Joy and the Haven before I posted today. Since I am still sitting on the fence,  this was my attempt to try and see if someone could push me over to one side. LOL 😉 

 

Agree about vibe and clientele, it can impact your experience - but that can wildly vary with spring break sailings. (A Caribbean spring break cruise on X is vastly different than say an X European cruise.) 

 

I only have started to scratch the surface with MSC and Seascape. It looks nice, but not sure about how I feel about it yet. Too early to tell. But it isn't off the table. I really liked a lot of the spaces on the ship, especially for my daughter. Just need to read more about the food as it seems from a non Yacht Club standpoint the free options are lackluster. I also watched a video about the entertainment and from the looks it is not on par with similar mega ships. 

 

So here I am, still sitting on the fence. 

[FlyGal25]

35 minutes ago, cruising sister said:

When I sailed the Haven was full and only about 50% outside the Haven. I agree outside would be a madhouse if full. We only left for our specialty dining. 

 

42 minutes ago, cruising sister said:

I found the butler in the Haven much more responsive. It was almost comical how many treats she brought us. When I was on the Infinity our butler told us to go to the retreat lounge for our afternoon snack. Granted Infinity will not compare to Beyond so you would need hear from someone who has experienced it. 

 

Yeah, I would not like the madhouse feel.

 

I worried about that when we sailed Oasis years ago, and to my shock it was not bad at all. However, Oasis is larger than Joy so the jam packed feeling could definitely be a con. I don't want to stay in Haven exclusively, I do like exploring. I am sure it will be a very full ship during peak spring break. 

 

It is odd how some Celebrity Butler's are phenomenal and others are just going through the motions. Our Solstice and Reflection butler was incredible! Equinox ... not so much. 

 

 

 

[RichYak]

15 minutes ago, FlyGal25 said:

I only have started to scratch the surface with MSC and Seascape. It looks nice, but not sure about how I feel about it yet.

I, like you, no longer see good value in Celebrity's Retreat product. FWIW, After researching some other lines, I've decided to move to MSC Yacht Club next year. The more research I do, the happier I am with that choice. That said, I didn't do much research on NCL Haven so I can't help there.

[FlyGal25]

12 minutes ago, mafig said:

I know people complain that the Haven's restaurant's menu doesn't change.

However, it has the same Lobster, Prime Rib, Filet Mignon every night.  DH still talks about having lobster every night for dinner.

 

 

If only one of us was a lobster fan.  I KNOW! 🤯 The one shellfish all 3 of us can pass on. Now if it were crab legs ... 🤣

 

However, I figured with the Free at Sea I would do a couple of specialty dining places (albeit, I have to pay for my daughter.) 

[FlyGal25]

4 minutes ago, RichYak said:

I, like you, no longer see good value in Celebrity's Retreat product. FWIW, After researching some other lines, I've decided to move to MSC Yacht Club next year. The more research I do, the happier I am with that choice. That said, I didn't do much research on NCL Haven so I can't help there.

I really enjoy Celebrity, but their price point is insane compared to NCL and MSC. I get that they are a more premiere ship and cannot expect the price to be the same. However, $4K more? No, no and NO! Can't justify that. 

 

I know Celebrity did have mysterious price slashes for the Retreat suites on Beyond, but it hasn't touched the date for the sailing I need. I held out hope with so many suites still left but we are at the 60 day point and that price tag hasn't budged. 😟

[Cruising89143]

8 minutes ago, FlyGal25 said:

If only one of us was a lobster fan.  I KNOW! 🤯 The one shellfish all 3 of us can pass on. Now if it were crab legs ... 🤣

 

However, I figured with the Free at Sea I would do a couple of specialty dining places (albeit, I have to pay for my daughter.) 

 One area of the specialty dining that we loved on the Bliss was outside seating area. If the weather is nice it’s a great place to enjoy dinner.