Yinster

Benefits wise - I like to see other countries like the US given the same as the UK. All the usual FAS. Drinks package, shore excursions credit, a few nights at a speciality dining restaurant and WiFi credit. Give people premium drinks. And supply more cans of soft drinks that I can put in my fridge. Also why not supply bottles of water too? Though when we first cruise with NCL, speciality dining was unlimited. Now it's 2 nights on a seven day cruise Have more self service coffee machines around the haven area for Starbucks coffee. I don't drink coffee but my partner appreciated it on the Joy. Changing the menu at the Haven restaurant. Even if it's a three night rota for seven days Having a tick sheet for afternoon snacks at the start of the cruise that the butler collects. Just like the breakfast menu .This will say what is going to be offered on what day. Hopefully reducing what is wasted plus knowing if there's any allergies or preference. When we were on the Joy, we were fine with the snacks on the observation lounge so ask for NO afternoon snacks. Hate food wastage. .

You are correct we don't know the running costs of things but what we do know which gives an indicator of how well the business is doing is share prices and end of year profit values. If these are considered excess then customers do have a cause for complaint of rising prices and loss of benefits. Ultimately NCL like most companies have to answer to shareholders before customers. Cruise lines need to be competitive as loyalty only goes so far. Especially as most now status match for you to try them. For now, the Haven is our go to for the price we want. But we do cruise with other lines and our next cruises are with two different cruise lines

Totally agree Sthrngary, NCL shouldn't raise prices and cut benefits but they have. Like everything in life, we value what it is worth. If it's not worth the money, we won't buy. However as long as people pay for the product given, prices will continue to raise and maybe more benefits will get cut.

Yes and no. The concierge doesn't have anything to do with the running of the Haven restaurant. However if you wish to invite non haven guests like we have (with a surcharge) then you need to organise that with the concierge and a reservation is kinda of made so the concierge knows when non haven guests are in the haven. The concierge will coordinate with the maitre D with the time.

The reason I asked is simply cos this thread is very long now and to for you to create the new one. Plus having 2022 in the title kinda of dates it. Like you say, things evolved including the Haven You will be surprised who reads on here. Eyes and ears everywhere. TBH as a company there's two ways to make profit when costs keep rising. Either raise prices and/or cut benefits. it's just business.

Sthrngary - will you be creating a new Haven thread for 2024?

The coffee thing can be kinda of given easily by providing a self service coffee machine like the one they have on the observation lounge on NCL Joy.and putting it either in the bar area or pool area. The beans they use is the same beans they use in Starbucks. As for the FAS program, if you book under the UK bookings you get all that as part of the Haven packages. And not just what is on offer at the time. The normal FAS are including. Set number of minutes of WiFi that you can upgrade, some nights at speciality dining, credit on shore excursions and normal drinks package that you can upgrade.. it is why we did Haven in the first place. Cos paying them separately with a balcony make no sense when we could just a Haven suite for same price. remember though UK bookings are different US bookings. We lose our deposit if we cancel. .

That is true but only if it's the first lot of check in times when the ship is ready for people to board. Once all the numbered groups have safely boarded, you can just check in and walk on. Of course that is during the later check in times and closer to when everyone needs to be onboard

Thanks for clarifying it is the American diner and not Q.

Hello again I thought saying I prefer the flight home to be the shorter of the two would suffice but I can explain further. Not an issue Yes we flew to our cruise but like most people when you start your holiday/vacation that flight is part of the adventure. So you look forward to it and excitement is built in After the cruise, like most, you just want to go home. Well we do. So having the shorter flight is a factor for us. Not a big factor but still a factor. If we lived stateside then I guess we would prefer the other way I don't usually suffer from jetlag but on this trip, it didn't matter. I didn't really adjust to EST as we were only in NY for two days before we sailed. Then we were adjusting to one less hour every couple of days so it was ideal.

The whole sentence in the original post said the flight home would be the shorter flight. Like someone else said, you are confusing yourself. Everyone else seems to have grasp the spirit of the contents. Apologies to the original poster, I didn't think my wee post would have been so controversial

That has been very helpful For the smokehouse I heard that haven guests can use it for Day 1 lunch. If that is so, I will do that for free

I knew this hence why question of how do I use both different credits/ coupons to get more for my buck

I received something similar and heard nothing back till 1 month before the cruise when the organiser on the ship came back to the staff on land.Though 11 days is cutting it fine

Sorry if I confused you. Probably the way I said it Starting west (stateside) and moving east towards Europe. Does that help?

Being a Scot and want to use this fully, can anyone advise the best way to use our 2 platinum dining and 2 speciality dining vouchers for NCL Joy Restaurants we like to dine are Teppenaki Cagney's La Cucina Food Republic BBQ smokehouse Though I have heard that we as haven guest can dine at the smokehouse for lunch on the first day. Is that true? TIA

What email address did you use? I have contacted for a couple of meet and greets on different ships and each time they have replied initially to say they will coordinate with the person on board. Then nearer the time I would get the details of where and when.

Bring from the UK, we preferred going West to East so that the flight back home is the shorter one. Yes, the clocks went forward a few times but it didn't really impact our cruise. However it is definitely personal choice. Weather wise, it can be anything as it is out in the Atlantic Ocean. But I've thing I did learnt is depending on the direction of sailing, we took a starboard cabin and got more sun than our friends on the port side

Tipping is so subjective. Tip how much you want to whoever you want and you won't go wrong. There is no right or wrong answer and don't let anyone tell you differently

Even with the new location, there will be a haven waiting area after security. So you join the masses depending on when you arrive. Once past security there will be signage saying haven check in. Usually at the very end of check in. If you don't see it, ask the person directing people to the different check ins. We usually only hang about in the haven waiting area waiting for to board.if there is nothing holding us to board we just go onboard as the waiting area usually consists of a few chairs, some snacks and drinks you find onboard anyway

We will going on Joy in November and have a meet and greet in the conference rooms, Atlantic and Pacific. Where is that? Loving how you are sharing the experience.

What's the name of the concierge? Hopefully by the time we are onboard in November there might be a new concierge. Not that we are high maintenance but everything you said the concierge couldn't do is all part of the job.

All depends on who you book with as some TA don't participate in the upgrade bid program. Nothing to do if the Hutton works.

Yes, just ask for that menu when you sit down and they hand you that menu. Also depending on the maitre d, you might be able to get anything else from a different restaurant within the ship. However if they say no, don't stressed as since COVID they have been short staffed and this requires one of the staff to fetch it. But you can ask and wait. Only thing they won't get is sushi. It doesn't travelled well.

Yes and then print out another key card. One cruise, I had several cards printed out cos for some reason I couldn't get into my cabin.