Haven for port intensive cruise?

[chill6x6]

I would definite get a Haven cabin.  I'd probably get the least expensive Haven cabin available though.  That person outside the ship holding The Haven sign after a long day in port is worth it! Your butler can have some sandwiches and snacks waiting on the table for you after that long day as well!

[dexddd]

On all our Haven trips never had anyone with sign to get back on.  MSC for YC, yes.

[JGmf]

On 6/28/2023 at 6:34 PM, Treasure Hunter said:

The Haven is always worth it.

 

On 6/28/2023 at 6:40 PM, fastpitchdad said:

$2500 for a 10 day from an inside? Absofreakinglutely!!!

 

Don't agree at all with @Treasure Hunter but in this case totally agree with @fastpitchdad.  In your situation, the upcharge per person is $125/day. 

 

There's no question that upgrading is a total value play for you two, for all the perks everyone mentioned.  (Though I've never seen a dedicated Haven line to re-board the ship from a port stop).

 

Have a great cruise!!

 

[Seminole1975]

On 6/29/2023 at 7:31 AM, Treasure Hunter said:

You get all your original perks plus standard Haven perks like butler concierge Royal treatment wonderful restaurant etc. only get alcohol package if it was part of your original perks

Except for the spa. We were in a spa Balcony non-haven and upgraded to the Forward Facing Aft Suite Haven for an August cruise in the Mediterranean . I was told that we would lose our thermal spa privileges. We are going places where it will be extremely hot, so I figured we could use the hot tubs in the Haven if we needed to. I personally think we should have been able to keep the thermal spa privileges (my DH likes it), but oh well. 

I too think that it would be worth it to upgrade to the Haven. My fav perk is being escorted off the ship and not have to wait in a line. This is nice in a port intensive cruise. We were in the Haven on a Baltic Cruise and it was fantastic!

Edited July 2, 2023 by Seminole1975

[omahabob]

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

On all our Haven trips never had anyone with sign to get back on.  MSC for YC, yes.

On the Getaway in May, there was a sign for a separate line, but it was on a pedestal. No one was holding it. And I saw no escort (wasn't in the Haven).

Edited July 2, 2023 by omahabob

[Candy Apple 12]

I’ve never seen a sign for Haven upon returning to the ship, but on future cruises I’ll be sure to ask before getting off. 

[david_sobe]

A port intensive cruise would have no consideration for the Haven in my book.  There are Haven perks for such a cruise.   Staying on the ship or getting back early and hungry?  The Haven restaurant is OPEN.  While all other dining options are closed except for the buffet and The Local, The Haven restaurant stays open on port days.  Getting up early to make that extra early excursion?  No problem.  Have your butler deliver breakfast to your cabin or walk down the hall to the Haven restaurant for a quick bite.  Running late for that excursion?  Have the concierge escort you off the ship on the freight elevators.  Having issues booking an excursion?  Let the concierge try and get you in.

 

This thread is based on the glass is half empty.  Flip the script and look at the glass half full.  A port intensive cruise is all the reason to book a Haven cabin.

[ellewoods]

6 hours ago, Candy Apple 12 said:

I’ve never seen a sign for Haven upon returning to the ship, but on future cruises I’ll be sure to ask before getting off. 

On our cruise there was no sign but towards the end of the port day when the lines were at there longest the butlers would hang around outside and you just went up to yours and they would walk you by the line to the check in desk and then head back out. 

[DrUrsula]

YES!

[graphicguy]

23 hours ago, Seminole1975 said:

Except for the spa. We were in a spa Balcony non-haven and upgraded to the Forward Facing Aft Suite Haven for an August cruise in the Mediterranean . I was told that we would lose our thermal spa privileges. We are going places where it will be extremely hot, so I figured we could use the hot tubs in the Haven if we needed to. I personally think we should have been able to keep the thermal spa privileges (my DH likes it), but oh well. 

I too think that it would be worth it to upgrade to the Haven. My fav perk is being escorted off the ship and not have to wait in a line. This is nice in a port intensive cruise. We were in the Haven on a Baltic Cruise and it was fantastic!

If you move from a Spa cabin, which comes WITH Spa access, going to another cabin type, you lose the Spa Perk.  However, if you book a Haven Spa Suite, that would include spa access.

 

In brief, Spa Cabins get access to the Thermal Spa.  Non-Spa cabins, do not, unless you pay for it.

[Seminole1975]

45 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

If you move from a Spa cabin, which comes WITH Spa access, going to another cabin type, you lose the Spa Perk.  However, if you book a Haven Spa Suite, that would include spa access.

 

In brief, Spa Cabins get access to the Thermal Spa.  Non-Spa cabins, do not, unless you pay for it.

True, as I mentioned I moved from a spa cabin to a non spa cabin. Thanks for the clarification. 

[omahabob]

7 hours ago, DrUrsula said:

YES!

 

LOL! I'd take the Haven for ANY cruise. Now, if they could just give it to me for free.......

[Lunesse]

On 6/28/2023 at 11:05 AM, FLConnie said:

Haven perks are great for getting off the ship on port days!  Just meet your excursion bus and grab the front row seats. We also like being a little more secluded the rest of the time and the breakfast in the Haven on port days is fast 🙂

Why is it fast? Curious, as we will have morning excursions to meet and were wondering how to get a decent breakfast before going.... 😃

[omahabob]

You can have an early breakfast delivered to your cabin in the Haven. On most ships, you'll also get priority deboarding.

[cruiseny4life]

13 hours ago, Lunesse said:

Why is it fast? Curious, as we will have morning excursions to meet and were wondering how to get a decent breakfast before going.... 😃

My husband enjoys going to the restaurant for breakfast so he can talk with the servers. I...well, I'd prefer to just order room service. But, on port days, when we have early excursions we can do one of two things:

 

1. Just make a breakfast from the buffet. No wait for servers or for the cooks to get to crackin' an egg. 

2. Let the host and server know we're in a hurry and need a quick breakfast. In our experience, the server has told us what would come the quickest. We ordered what the server recommended. And it was to our table in about five minutes (I don't remember what it was). 

 

Definitely a good way to get some nourishment before going out for the day. And, since someone insists on the restaurant, a quick way to get food. 

[Lunesse]

Thanks! Great idea to ask for what's fast. Sorry to sort of derail the thread. 😃