"Levels" of Haven question

[davencl]

My Haven upgrade experiences:

We started sailing 2015,  have 8 NCL cruises completed.  Of those we won 3 haven upgrade bids.

Upgrade bidding allowed you to bid up to 2 categories higher.  We've always initially booked mini suite or club balcony suite allowing us to bid on haven.   Of the five times I've bid on haven I've been successful on 3 of them.   On average I paid 1/3 the price increase of directly booking a haven suite.  If a haven room is sold out I don't bother to bid as there's little chance of getting that upgrade.  I only book on available haven rooms and then only if they interest me.   In all three cases we won the 2 bedroom suite as we like the separate master bedroom with door.  Didn't use second bedroom.  

[Sand and Seas]

28 minutes ago, davencl said:

My Haven upgrade experiences:

We started sailing 2015,  have 8 NCL cruises completed.  Of those we won 3 haven upgrade bids.

Upgrade bidding allowed you to bid up to 2 categories higher.  We've always initially booked mini suite or club balcony suite allowing us to bid on haven.   Of the five times I've bid on haven I've been successful on 3 of them.   On average I paid 1/3 the price increase of directly booking a haven suite.  If a haven room is sold out I don't bother to bid as there's little chance of getting that upgrade.  I only book on available haven rooms and then only if they interest me.   In all three cases we won the 2 bedroom suite as we like the separate master bedroom with door.  Didn't use second bedroom.  

Thanks for sharing your experience with Haven upgrades.   I've read of a lot of people getting upgrades to lower categories, but you don't often hear of successful upgrades from Balcony or Club Balcony to Haven.   

 

Were your successful upgrades for regular 7 day cruises or longer?  

I ask because looking back at the upgrade emails we have received I've noticed that the starting bids for 10, 11 & 12 day cruises are very close to the starting bids for 7 days.  I'm wondering if those longer cruises are generally not as full and many of them are definitely not 'prime' sailing seasons.  Looking ahead to some cruises I have been watching, there is Haven availability in mid-fall cruises yet not much in January out of Miami...which appears to be a very popular month to sail!

 

Of our 40plus NCL cruises, we have only been in the Haven three times.  Loved those cruises but we are perfectly happy with our regular Club Balconies.  However....maybe I need to place a few upgrade bids just in case🤔

[davencl]

12 minutes ago, Sand and Seas said:

Thanks for sharing your experience with Haven upgrades.   I've read of a lot of people getting upgrades to lower categories, but you don't often hear of successful upgrades from Balcony or Club Balcony to Haven.   

 

Were your successful upgrades for regular 7 day cruises or longer?  

I ask because looking back at the upgrade emails we have received I've noticed that the starting bids for 10, 11 & 12 day cruises are very close to the starting bids for 7 days.  I'm wondering if those longer cruises are generally not as full and many of them are definitely not 'prime' sailing seasons.  Looking ahead to some cruises I have been watching, there is Haven availability in mid-fall cruises yet not much in January out of Miami...which appears to be a very popular month to sail!

 

Of our 40plus NCL cruises, we have only been in the Haven three times.  Loved those cruises but we are perfectly happy with our regular Club Balconies.  However....maybe I need to place a few upgrade bids just in case🤔

From my not so good memory. 🙂

 

First time bidding was for Bliss on second Alaska sailing after maiden voyage.   Full ship so no success.

Second time was for Breakaway out of NOLA.  14 day cruise won upgrade to 2 bdrm.

Third time was Joy Panama canal cruise from Miami to LA.  14 or 15 day cruise won bid for upgrade to 2 bdrm.

Don't remember for sure but think our third successful bid was for 7 day Mexican Riviera on Bliss.

[Russiamomm]

1 hour ago, Sand and Seas said:

Thanks for sharing your experience with Haven upgrades.   I've read of a lot of people getting upgrades to lower categories, but you don't often hear of successful upgrades from Balcony or Club Balcony to Haven.   

 

Were your successful upgrades for regular 7 day cruises or longer?  

I ask because looking back at the upgrade emails we have received I've noticed that the starting bids for 10, 11 & 12 day cruises are very close to the starting bids for 7 days.  I'm wondering if those longer cruises are generally not as full and many of them are definitely not 'prime' sailing seasons.  Looking ahead to some cruises I have been watching, there is Haven availability in mid-fall cruises yet not much in January out of Miami...which appears to be a very popular month to sail!

 

Of our 40plus NCL cruises, we have only been in the Haven three times.  Loved those cruises but we are perfectly happy with our regular Club Balconies.  However....maybe I need to place a few upgrade bids just in case🤔

The two times we won a bid into the Haven we’re both from regular balcony cabins to 2BR Havens.  Both bids were at the lower end of the “good” range.  One was for a 10 night Canada/New England on the Joy out of NYC last September.  The ship was pretty full, and we were stunned we won the bid.  We had given up hope.  Had boarded the ship, had lunch, dropped our carry ons in our balcony cabin and went down to change a dinner reservation.  That’s where we found out we won - 2 hours after we boarded! It was a fantastic trip and hooked us on the Haven forever.  LOL.

 

the second trip was for a TA on the Breakaway this past April.  The Haven had been sold out for weeks.  We had pretty much resolved ourselves to not being in the Haven.  Six days before sailing we got the email that we won!  So it can happen even if the Haven is showing as sold out.  There are sometimes cancellations.

 

We loved the TA so much we booked the reverse in December on the Epic.  We booked the Haven outright for that one.  Between the military discount and a 20% off coupon that appeared in my account, we felt it was a good enough deal to just book it.

[KateQ22003]

18 hours ago, omahabob said:

It says select. Some of the others do. I missed the forward facing with large balconies, and some of the family suites. The club balcony suites, which is most of the ship, do not. There's still a decided minority of the non-Haven cabins on the ship that have butler service, and a  tiny fraction of those available fleet wide, which was my original point.

To clarify, club balcony suites are not true suites. They are glorified balconies.

[dexddd]

On 7/12/2023 at 2:44 PM, Grimix said:

The only other 'levels' of haven are in owners/garden suites. There you get 3 bottles of booze (on a 7-day sailing, more for garden villa I think?) You get a bottle of real champagne (instead of the sparkling wine all the other Haven gets) on embarkation. Also the soda/sports drinks in the mini-fridge are considered mixers and free in those suites. Other than that all the Haven people get the same perks (Ok, I guess the spa suites get complimentary thermal suite passes too, so maybe 3/4 (4 if you count more liquor as another level) different sets of perks in the Haven.)) Too be honest the room is the draw, and not these extra perks!

 

All Haven gets the priority on/off, butler, 'free'-movies, 'free'-room-service, reserved seating at main theater shows, bar and restaurant (on ships with them), access to the Haven pool/sun-deck, and the other stuff that I'm missing. 

The gvs do get more bottles.  As far as champagne, they've been cheaping out on that for years.

[omahabob]

4 hours ago, KateQ22003 said:

To clarify, club balcony suites are not true suites. They are glorified balconies.

 

Yes, I've said that before. There's no club either.

[Morgsmom]

Thanks everyone.  Based on the responses I'm going to remove my bids.  From what is NOT included in the Haven I don't think it holds a candle to the Yacht Club on MSC.  (I can't drink a soda from the minibar without paying for it? huh, what?)  In addition since there's apparently no thermal area on the Joy and we will be cruising in September I'm not sure any haven pool area would be of interest. 

 

Truth be told, I'm regretting booking this cruise which is 100% on me for not doing more research into NCL cruise line and what it includes -or doesn't in the case of a beverage package.  And don't even get me started on the Veuve 🍾

[Sailing12Away]

On 7/12/2023 at 3:00 PM, Morgsmom said:

Thank you. Very helpful.  I’d only want to be in the Haven proper. 

I would rethink that on the Joy if I were you. The HJ, HI, and HH cabins are amazing. The room size is much larger than those in the "proper" Haven, the price is cheaper, and it's a short elevator ride up into the "proper" area that you won't even notice.

[dexddd]

18 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

Thanks everyone.  Based on the responses I'm going to remove my bids.  From what is NOT included in the Haven I don't think it holds a candle to the Yacht Club on MSC.  (I can't drink a soda from the minibar without paying for it? huh, what?)  In addition since there's apparently no thermal area on the Joy and we will be cruising in September I'm not sure any haven pool area would be of interest. 

 

Truth be told, I'm regretting booking this cruise which is 100% on me for not doing more research into NCL cruise line and what it includes -or doesn't in the case of a beverage package.  And don't even get me started on the Veuve 🍾

Our last Haven on Escape we had best room on ship.  That category includes three bottles of booze and unlimited in room water and soda.  Butler introduced himself, first words ... We can't bring drinks under the package to your room....What a first impression.

 

Last trip on Prima in an OS had same in room drinks.  Went to Haven for breakfast.  Ordered Coke Zero.  Asked if wanted can or gun.  Thought odd question.  Said can.  Told that would be full charge.  I could have gone to room for one.

 

Same trip, first day, ordered normal.  Crown with coke zero.  CR was an upcharge.  $1.00 plus grat.  Classy. 

[dexddd]

18 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

Thanks everyone.  Based on the responses I'm going to remove my bids.  From what is NOT included in the Haven I don't think it holds a candle to the Yacht Club on MSC.  (I can't drink a soda from the minibar without paying for it? huh, what?)  In addition since there's apparently no thermal area on the Joy and we will be cruising in September I'm not sure any haven pool area would be of interest. 

 

Truth be told, I'm regretting booking this cruise which is 100% on me for not doing more research into NCL cruise line and what it includes -or doesn't in the case of a beverage package.  And don't even get me started on the Veuve 🍾

Oh, and if you won the upgrade your grats would not change, but take note of grats between the two lines.

[Seas2mountains]

18 hours ago, Morgsmom said:

Thanks everyone.  Based on the responses I'm going to remove my bids.  From what is NOT included in the Haven I don't think it holds a candle to the Yacht Club on MSC.  (I can't drink a soda from the minibar without paying for it? huh, what?)  In addition since there's apparently no thermal area on the Joy and we will be cruising in September I'm not sure any haven pool area would be of interest. 

 

Truth be told, I'm regretting booking this cruise which is 100% on me for not doing more research into NCL cruise line and what it includes -or doesn't in the case of a beverage package.  And don't even get me started on the Veuve 🍾

Pricing for the Haven on NCL Joy in September is actually lower than other times of the year and is quite comparable to MSC YC pricing for deluxe balcony cabins. You could pay to upgrade to get a confirmed cabin. 
 

The Haven pool area on the Joy has a retractable roof for the poor weather days. 
 

The NCL ships have much better entertainment options than I have experienced on MSC when in YC and the staff on NCL provide excellent service throughout the ship. When on MSC, we have had great service in YC but it’s not as great when leaving the YC area. 
 

You may be surprised to find out that NCL can provide a wonderful cruise experience whether in the Haven or not. 

[PAPAx5]

Hi, We’re planning to book a Forward-Facing Deluxe Penthouse Suite w/ Large Balcony but our neighbor claims the wind would make using the balcony impossible on sea days. I hope “ the self proclaimed expert “ is wrong.

 Any info by experienced cruisers would be helpful. Thanks

[goldmom]

50 minutes ago, PAPAx5 said:

Hi, We’re planning to book a Forward-Facing Deluxe Penthouse Suite w/ Large Balcony but our neighbor claims the wind would make using the balcony impossible on sea days. I hope “ the self proclaimed expert “ is wrong.

 Any info by experienced cruisers would be helpful. Thanks

I've been in forward facing penthouses on both the Breakaway and the Gem.  I have always loved these cabins and stayed in them many times.  It can get very windy, but I have always used the balcony on sea days.  You may get really buffeted by the wind, but i like that.  The only time we were unable to use the balcony was in rough seas when all the furniture needed to be tied down.  It will also depend to some extent where you are sailing. 

Enjoy!

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, PAPAx5 said:

Hi, We’re planning to book a Forward-Facing Deluxe Penthouse Suite w/ Large Balcony but our neighbor claims the wind would make using the balcony impossible on sea days. I hope “ the self proclaimed expert “ is wrong.

 Any info by experienced cruisers would be helpful. Thanks

 

1 hour ago, goldmom said:

I've been in forward facing penthouses on both the Breakaway and the Gem.  I have always loved these cabins and stayed in them many times.  It can get very windy, but I have always used the balcony on sea days.  You may get really buffeted by the wind, but i like that.  The only time we were unable to use the balcony was in rough seas when all the furniture needed to be tied down.  It will also depend to some extent where you are sailing. 

Enjoy!

I'll second goldmon's observation about the wind on forward facing balconies.  We booked a Deluxe Owners Suite w/large balcony on Breakaway out of NOLA.  We found the balcony to be unusable when the ship was in motion.  Twice, the crew lashed all the furniture together to prevent it being blown overboard. This happened once while traveling south and again when travelling north.  In fact, one time the crew entered our cabin to tie the furniture down while we were sleeping.  We didn't find out until the next morning.  I would never book one of these cabins again.

I would suggest looking at a 2bdrm haven suite.  We've booked one on Encore on deck 17 which ha the bigger balconies.  Encore and several other ships have a Haven observation deck that extends across the entire front of the ship.  It is enclosed and free from wind.

Suggest you view this video:

 

And this one:

 

[RB9643]

9 hours ago, dexddd said:

Same trip, first day, ordered normal.  Crown with coke zero.  CR was an upcharge.  $1.00 plus grat.  Classy. 

 

This makes no sense to me. Crown is included in the basic package, let alone the Premium package+ available in the Haven. Were you in port?  Was that maybe a local tax?

 

 

[scooter6139]

11 hours ago, dexddd said:

Our last Haven on Escape we had best room on ship.  That category includes three bottles of booze and unlimited in room water and soda.  Butler introduced himself, first words ... We can't bring drinks under the package to your room....What a first impression.

 

Last trip on Prima in an OS had same in room drinks.  Went to Haven for breakfast.  Ordered Coke Zero.  Asked if wanted can or gun.  Thought odd question.  Said can.  Told that would be full charge.  I could have gone to room for one.

 

Same trip, first day, ordered normal.  Crown with coke zero.  CR was an upcharge.  $1.00 plus grat.  Classy. 

 

We found that with the FAS+, which incudes the top tier beverage package, this all became moot.  Our butler on the Joy was happy to put as many soda or beer cans/bottles in our fridge as they were included in the package.  Same with bottled water.  BUT, from research on these forums, milage may vary for different guests and ships.

[Sailing12Away]

On 7/17/2023 at 4:41 PM, RB9643 said:

 

This makes no sense to me. Crown is included in the basic package, let alone the Premium package+ available in the Haven. Were you in port?  Was that maybe a local tax?

 

 

Premium  Plus has nothing to do with Haven. It's available to all guests who want to pay extra up front so they don't get charged as they go for those 'premium' drinks.

[dexddd]

On 7/17/2023 at 3:41 PM, RB9643 said:

 

This makes no sense to me. Crown is included in the basic package, let alone the Premium package+ available in the Haven. Were you in port?  Was that maybe a local tax?

 

 

Of course it makes sense, it is NCL.   We were not in port and the Haven bartender on Prima told me not covered in package and would incur a charge.  I've read they have reverted back to it being included.

[Sigyn]

On 7/17/2023 at 7:27 AM, dexddd said:

Last trip on Prima in an OS had same in room drinks.  Went to Haven for breakfast.  Ordered Coke Zero.  Asked if wanted can or gun.  Thought odd question.  Said can.  Told that would be full charge.  I could have gone to room for one.

 

Same trip, first day, ordered normal.  Crown with coke zero.  CR was an upcharge.  $1.00 plus grat.  Classy. 

you had to pay for soda in a can? that's so weird. did you have the classic drink package vs. premium+? That's the part of the Haven that I find completely unacceptable vs. the Retreat and other premium ship-in-a-ship suite components of other lines. We just cruises in the Retreat and their Premium drink package is automatically included with all rooms in the Retreat, along with premium Wi-Fi. However, there is a cutoff even for Premium customers - their drink package only includes drinks up to $17, whereas NCL has no cap. 

Edited July 23, 2023 by Sigyn

[Sailing12Away]

2 hours ago, Sigyn said:

you had to pay for soda in a can? that's so weird. did you have the classic drink package vs. premium+? That's the part of the Haven that I find completely unacceptable vs. the Retreat and other premium ship-in-a-ship suite components of other lines. We just cruises in the Retreat and their Premium drink package is automatically included with all rooms in the Retreat, along with premium Wi-Fi. However, there is a cutoff even for Premium customers - their drink package only includes drinks up to $17, whereas NCL has no cap. 

The premium drinks & wifi is not 'free' in the Retreat - it's simply built into the cost of your cabin fare. For the lower category rooms they have an option for an 'all-in' too, for a fee. If you add in the FAS+ to the cost of a Haven room, the perks would be the same for a lower price.

 

Same with the lower category rooms. You can add FAS+ to a regular balcony on NCL and add in the same perks with a balcony on Celebrity - and NCL has always been cheaper when I've priced it out.

[Sigyn]

6 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

The premium drinks & wifi is not 'free' in the Retreat - it's simply built into the cost of your cabin fare. For the lower category rooms they have an option for an 'all-in' too, for a fee. If you add in the FAS+ to the cost of a Haven room, the perks would be the same for a lower price.

 

Same with the lower category rooms. You can add FAS+ to a regular balcony on NCL and add in the same perks with a balcony on Celebrity - and NCL has always been cheaper when I've priced it out.

I didn't say it was free, I said it was automatically included. 

[dexddd]

13 hours ago, Sigyn said:

you had to pay for soda in a can? that's so weird. did you have the classic drink package vs. premium+? That's the part of the Haven that I find completely unacceptable vs. the Retreat and other premium ship-in-a-ship suite components of other lines. We just cruises in the Retreat and their Premium drink package is automatically included with all rooms in the Retreat, along with premium Wi-Fi. However, there is a cutoff even for Premium customers - their drink package only includes drinks up to $17, whereas NCL has no cap. 

We had just the normal bev package.  Yes, they said can soda extra.

 

Maybe they should just install one of those fancy coke machines to make me happy and to help staff.

[Sailing12Away]

On 7/23/2023 at 9:09 PM, Sigyn said:

I didn't say it was free, I said it was automatically included. 

To me that means 'free' as it's no additional charge. 

[RocketMan275]

7 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

To me that means 'free' as it's no additional charge. 

There is a big difference between 'free' and 'included'.