Mike D.

I'll chime in (having stayed in the "kids" bedroom) on the Breakaway--it was fine with me.  I think you'd find that the main area of the Haven Family Suite is much nicer than the main area of the mini-suite.  More space (although probably not a bigger balcony), better seating area, better table area and better coffee/bar area.  And the main bathroom is terrific.

Enjoy your cruise.

Mike

I suspect you'll get lots of answers to this.  For me, a 10:50 a.m. flight would be too early.  While I don't know what day of the week your cruise ends, Los Angeles traffic can be problematic on any day/time.  And LAX itself can be crowded traffic-wise.

Having said that, I admit to having "control issues" and I just don't like finishing a vacation knowing that there is a challenge making a flight.

Yes, walking off with your luggage will be quicker than waiting for your color to be called.  

Enjoy your cruise.

NCL Joy Officers and Staff as of September 2019

Captain--Gunnar Hammerin

Staff Captain--Arne Karlstroem

Chief Engineer--Ioannis Karloulsos

General Manager--Hannah Han

Staff Chief Engineer--Blazo Stanisic

Chief Electrical Engineer--Bjoern Arnesen

Asst. General Manager--Marites Sonza

Food and Beverage Director--Gilbert Derecho

Cruise Director--Daniel Causito

Executive Housekeeper--Rommel Temones

Beverage Manager--Wade Cleophas

Cruise Next Manager--Kimberly Bennett

Shore Excursion Manager--Catalina Kiss

My favorites (some already mentioned):

Escargot and Mushroom soup at Le Bistro

Carrot cake (only place I've had it is the "suite" lunch at Cagney's on the Star...and I've had it a lot.  Actually a waiter who shall remain nameless would also get it "smuggled" into our cabin)

Bread pudding (Garden Cafe)

Cooked to order Omelet (Garden Cafe or Haven Breakfast)

Fruit salad at breakfast (Garden Cafe)

Ribs in "Q"

8 oz Filet Mignon rare at Cagney's

Salad bar in Moderno--specifically the olives, hearts of palm, proscuitto 

The 1st occasion the dinner was with the Staff Captain in Taste (I think...on the Star and it wasn't Versailles) with 6 other guests.  It was really interesting to hear about his love of the sea and his path to Staff Captain.  The other occasion was with a Assistant Hotel Director in the Haven Restaurant on the Breakaway (where we were lucky enough to be sailing) with just my cellmate and one other cruiser.  His story was also quite interesting but was about the hospitality industry.  Both were memorable occasions.

For the first PP dinner, I had signed up with the Cruise Next folks on the first day (along with booking the freebie tour)--I'm pretty much there right after the muster drill, the second dinner was arranged by our concierge in the Haven.   

I appreciate the perk.

MD

I'll chime in with experience.  I had been Diamond at Harrah's (Caesars) for a number of years when I first noticed a cruise offer in late 2013 at the Harrah's Tahoe facility.  I don't know if I had missed one before.  I had never cruised.  So I asked my buddy if he wanted to try it.  So my first CAS cruise was on the Jewel from New Orleans in 2014.  There have been 17 more since then, all CAS or booked though the CAS phone number with my Harrah's/Caesars discount.

I learned fairly early on that I did not have to drive to Lake Tahoe to get the certificate out of the machine for the NCL offers there.   I have other reasons to go there but I don't really need the certificate for Tahoe.  Just my Total Rewards # (which NCL seems always to refer to as the Marquee number) and the CAS phone number.  877-742-9521.  HOWEVER, I suspect that strategy may not  work for CAS offers at the various Las Vegas Casinos that Caesar's owns.  In July this year, at Caesar's Paris, the employees and the instructions they handed out at hotel check-in  (which I didn't save unfortunately) made it clear that if the certificate (which does have a unique number unlike that scrap of paper that comes from the machine in Tahoe) didn't get picked up by the Sunday morning deadline  it wouldn't be valid.  I don't have a way to verify that since I already picked up the certificate.  But the employees at Total Rewards were clearly tracking what certificates were picked up. 

I don't know what happens at other Harrah's/Caesars casinos.  I suspect the OP's offer might be from Harrah's NOLA...I like the place but I haven't gotten an offer from them. It is also about 2,500 miles away so I don't hang out there much.

Best to all,

MD

1 minute ago, VPMJ said:

OK, thanks, that's what I thought and I just needed clarification in order to proceed with our planning. Which specialty dining options are recommended for Lobster and Filet Mignon? I would assume Ocean Blue and Cagneys?

I can only speak to Cagney's for Steaks.  They have both a 5 oz and an 8 oz filet that I find generally excellent.  (Just my opinion of course.) 

I haven't been to Ocean Blue (my cruise buddy thinks "fish" is a tuna fish sandwich), so I can't speak to the Lobster there.  I think you can search this site and find both the Cagney's and Ocean Blue menu's here.

Enjoy your cruise.

MD

Thanks for your review.  Good read.  I was in the Haven on the Breakaway in January and also had a wonderful experience.  

You mentioned the A/C.  I travel with "Nanuck of the North" who thinks sleeping in a refrigerator is perfect.  He got his own bedroom (I took the "kids bedroom" in a 2 bedroom Haven Family Suite) and he nearly got the A/C to hang icicles from the ceiling.  Ugh.  But the living room and "my" room were kept a reasonable temperatures since there were 3 separate thermostats that actually worked.

Costa Maya:  I grab a "taxi" at the back of the Costa Maya port (costs $4 US) and ride into Mahahual.  There is a great strand to walk on, lots of hotels, restaurants and massages on the beach.  Nice place to spend an afternoon.  I generally walk back to the ship (probably 45 minutes) and get my steps in for the day.

Honduras:  I expect your port was Roatan.  I'll echo that it is a place for an excursion, not for walking around in the port area.  Inside the port is OK but my hoofing around the port area was, uh, unrewarding.  

Thanks again.

I haven't been on the Joy yet (going in August) but it does not have the option of Thermal Suites or cabins that include that as part of the fare.  The Bliss does.  

I bet other folks who have been on both ships will chime in.  

MD

Hello mgcharleston.  I'll give you my opinion which is worth exactly what I'm charging for it.  😎

It depends on a number of things which have much to do with you and what makes you comfortable.  Booking late can get you good deals and it is a "shoulder time" for Alaska. 

--Are you close to the port so that you don't have to make extensive flight arrangements to get there?  Last minute airline reservations can be problematic and/or expensive. 

--How long do you intend to wait to book? On board things (like restaurants and excursions) can get booked up although restaurant reservations can generally be booked when boarding the ship. 

--Is your schedule such that you can modify it at the last minute to make the cruise?  Or do things at home/work need planned around certain dates?  I don't think there is much risk the ship would totally fill-up but you might have limited cabin choices booking late.  If you have your hearts set on a balcony and an inside would be disappointing, that might impact your choice of timing.

--Are there any perks now that might not be available for a last minute booking?  I've never done a last minute (since I'm not very close to a port and I have control issues) but it might be worth considering.

Enjoy your cruise!  

My experience in Suites and the Haven has been that the on-board concierge has been super helpful in arranging and rearranging dinner reservations after we are on the ship.  That isn't the ideal answer for a compulsive planner like me, but, again my experience has been excellent getting booked into restaurants there weren't "available".

Enjoy your cruise.

MD

3 hours ago, elwood_98034 said:

Opening up the Haven bar and restaurant to non-Haven guests will inevitably reduce to a large degree the access restrictions that were in place up until recently. It is being said that access control will be difficult to enforce, and probably won't be enforced. It has also been said that paid Haven guests aren't able to be readily identified visually. I think you and your family could do pretty much whatever they want, and from what people are saying, no one will do a thing.

 

But I may be wrong. I'm just going off what other people are saying.

My experience in the Haven on the Breakaway was that we were "checked" going in and out of the "secured" areas.  We had to walk past the concierge desk on the way in (generally getting acknowledged) and our access cards were usually scanned whenever we went in the Haven Restaurant.  The concierge definitely knew me by name.  

Having said, the door between the Haven on the 15th deck leading to the spa was often ajar, as was the door on the 16th deck leading in/out of the Haven.  I didn't notice anyone who didn't "belong" but my mission is to enjoy my vacation and not worry about who is going in and out of anywhere.

I don't drink so I don't buy the drink package so I have no experience about the Haven bar.  

MD

I'll just add that I have eaten in Margaritaville for lunch on embarkation day (Breakaway in January).  It was open to Haven Guests complementary (because the Haven Restaurant wasn't open yet) but I believe any guest could order (and pay) there.

Enjoy your cruise.

Another example.  This was the January 26th 11 day on the Breakaway.  We were in a Balcony cabin.  These are the minimums, I didn't record from the maximums were:

H2  $1,500

H3  $1,500

H4  $1,000

H5   $500

H6   $800

H7   $500

H9   $500

One of those minimums worked for us.

MD

I see a 4/5 and a 4/12/20 Mexican Riviera cruise for the Joy on the NCL website just now.  Plus the 4/19 Pacific Coastal that you alluded to.  

Best,

MD

I'm also Platinum Plus and don't want to diminish the perks.  I've enjoyed dinner with the officer and the extra bottle of water.  But it took "only" 175 points (and 16 cruises on NCL) to get to PP. The gap between PP and Ambassador (700 points) is 525 points.  That would mean about 37 more 7 day cruises at 14 points a cruise if my math is right.

I'll chime in with others about some incentives/perks that would encourage me with an obtainable point target along the way to Ambassador which I'll never make.  The Lounge idea is OK but as a non-drinker, I'm thinking an extra specialty meal (or two), a free shore excursion, or as others have mentioned, a cruise fare discount.  Maybe one of those at 250 points and another at 350 points etc.

While I don't really want to "start over" on another line, a few cruises on that other line, and I'd have some perks there.

Thanks for the thoughtful discussion. 

Seems like we have two topics.  

My experience on the Breakaway Haven was that we got escorted off the ship but I always just made my own way back on.  There weren't crowds and I never really noticed if there was "special" treatment available.  And I'm big on being special.  🙂

On the Breakaway, we found my usual favorite, Cagney's, to be disappointing.  And the steak/service in the Haven Restaurant to be excellent.  So, doing it again in the Haven if that ever happens, I would skip Cagney's as a specialty restaurant but go to say Teppanyaki (always fun) and/or other specialty restaurants for dinner variety since the Haven menu doesn't change except for a couple daily specials.  

Enjoy your cruise.

I have not sailed on the Royal Princess, I know that she holds about 3,600 passengers.  I have sailed on big ships (NCL Bliss) from San Pedro and the terminal can handle that load pretty well even with another cruise ship in port.  I suspect this is a Mexican Riviera cruise so "probably" there won't be a big customs hold-up.

I will agree with the previous poster that the vehicle traffic at LAX is an issue.  15 minutes "stuck" in traffic there isn't unusual.  I generally guess at a 30 minute ride from the San Pedro port to LAX + 15 minutes.

Inside the terminal at my airline of choice (Southwest) there can be a pretty long line to check baggage and get a boarding pass if I don't already have one.  Maybe 20 minutes.  Your airline may be much better than this.

I am also TSA pre and the delay isn't long there--say 15 minutes from baggage check-in to making my way to the gate.  I have no experience with a wheelchair but there seems to be plenty of assistance available at LAX.

There are places to eat in Terminal 1 at LAX.  The terminal is generally crowded but has improved over the last couple years.  Of course there was almost no way to go except up.  I haven't had to sit on the floor there in a while there...which is a step up.  🙂  I've also never been starving as I left a cruise ship so my culinary experience at LAX has been mostly bottles of water and granola bars.

My math would say that, conservatively, it would be an hour and 20 minutes (30 minutes travel +15 minutes LAX traffic + 20 minutes check-in baggage +15 minutes TSA) from the time your transport moves from San Pedro to the time you would be making your way to the gate. 

Since I hate missing planes, I'd pick the 2:30 p.m. although being stuck at LAX for an extra 2:30 minutes isn't attractive.

Enjoy your cruise.

MD    

I appreciate your "newbie" question.  Thanks for asking.  

I generally have the thermal suite pass (spa) and any port day is a great day in the spa since it will be very uncrowded.  I suspect that port day in Nassau would be a day that NCL might sell day passes.

I'll chime in that my experience is that the only restaurants open for lunch would be the buffet, Margaritaville and (possibly) O'Sheehans.  I do note that O'Sheehans looked like it was closed in the Daily that Bird Travels so thoughtfully posted above.

I think port days are a GREAT day for exploring the ship, working out, napping, and actually being on vacation. 

When I return to Nassau (no firm plans yet), I will either stay on board or get the day pass to Atlantis and float around in their lazy river for a few hours.  The "Queen's Staircase" in Nassau was worth seeing.  

Enjoy your cruise. 

Thanks so much for your review.  Good to know!

24 minutes ago, Nolanoel said:

Hey Mike....I think we were on the same Breakaway cruise - we did 11 day Jan. 6th out of NOLA and  I didn't see any kids at all.  I agree with you....the Haven pools are strange...I never saw anyone using them.  I loved the Haven restaurant - only did one dinner there but enjoyed lunch and breakfast every sea day.  Very good experience.  Wish I was still there.  

We were on the 11 day on January 26th our of NOLA on the Breakaway.  Now I know TWO good dates to pick. 🙂  I will second your "wish I was still there" sentiment.  

1 hour ago, BNBR said:

 

I sailed the Haven once.  After that experience, why would I bother again?  And if it's more or less a gamble whether I get a pre-school or luxurious experience, I'm not interested.  We sailed in February, not spring break or summer or winter break, or anything of the sort.  The courtyard was loaded with kids.  10 - 15 all day long.  Screaming, running, splashing, snorkeling in the hot tubs, playing loud games in the pool.  Basically, the parents would love the enclosed area to keep their kids in view, they sit and read a book and let their kids run wild.  This is what happens when you have 3rd/4th guest free and 2 bedroom family rooms.  The Haven seems (possibly unintentionally) designed to encourage exactly this.  Posting a picture I took at the bottom, it was usually even more full of kids than in the picture!  And again, it comes down to simply why would I roll the dice on whether I'll have a kids cruise (in Feb!) or a quiet shang ri la?

 

The solarium on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean is 16+.  So the idea that there will be kids is not accurate at all.  For me, I just see no value in the courtyard and pool.  It can be full of kids, no view outside, it's totally enclosed with no ocean view, loud and echos, small, etc.  The solarium on X/RCI is exactly the opposite and you get access with any normal cabin.  On X, we sat in beautiful big padded teak loungers overlooking the ocean.  The pool was big enough for laps, the hot tubs had an ocean view, servers were coming around for drink orders, and there is a little cafe in there, too.  So why would I have interest in the Haven and pay substantially more for it?

 

Have you sailed Oasis class yet?  You may have a different view of entertainment on that ship.  And yeah, I love the slides!  So for us we like Harmony/Symphony.  Though the Escape has probably my favorite slide at sea.  Forget the name but it's the big inner tube slide.  It's outstanding and they move the line fast.

 

And I would say we still had a very nice time on the Escape with the Haven.  The spa must be the best at sea, it's amazing.  The waterfront was a blast and we enjoyed the specialty dining quite a bit. The thing is, you don't need a Haven room to do any of that!  Our favorite stuff was not in the Haven!  We would much rather have drinks on the waterfront than the tiny enclosed lounge/bar sitting next to the concierge.  The Haven restaurant is highly overrated and just vanilla.  There are so many better things to do outside the Haven.

 

 

Thanks for that picture!   That would certainly wreck the area for me.  

My one Haven experience was on the Breakaway in January for 11 days.  On that voyage I believe there were (maybe) 8 children in the whole Haven, 5 of them in one family and super well behaved.  I think that good experience was about the time of year and the duration of the cruise which would probably discourage the participation of many children.  So the Haven pool area was always nice and quiet.

My usual place to hangout during the day is the Thermal Suite and having Haven privileges didn't change that.  The Haven pool is (IMHO) pretty silly with its limited depth and weird couches in the middle of the water.  Did we sit out there a few times?  Yes.  Pleasant place to read a book?  Yes.  

I'll disagree about the Haven restaurant.  I found the service and food to be very good+.  Would I like more variety in the dinner menu...yes!  I understand that "in the good old days" any item like on any restaurant menu could be ordered.  That would be nice but I was still quite pleased.

2 hours ago, janice2348 said:

Yes, you would pay the difference in the upgrade service charges.  

I started to question that but, instead actually looked up my bill from a January 2019 Balcony to Haven upgrade on the Breakaway.  Yep, Janice is correct...paid the then $17.50 per day rate.  But I had not prepaid the service charges and I am a US traveler...I don't know if that makes any difference.

Not that you asked, but that upgrade has spoiled me more than I already am.  I say go for it.  

Either way, enjoy your cruise!

Hello John,

I'm both Platinum Plus here (and Diamond at Caesar's).  I've been to Atlantis (on an NCL excursion there) for a few hours.  I like the place.  But...

I haven't found a reasonably economical way to travel there and stay.  Airline prices from the mainland take most of the joy out of the complimentary stay for me.  

Perhaps others can enlighten us?

Best,

MD

There are lots of excellent suggestions here.  I'll add my 2 cents worth...but they may not be worth that.  🙂

The thermal spa in the Dawn is nice and a good place to just relax, enjoy views and soak away tension.  Even if you didn't buy a pass, they "may" be available on day one (and they'll give you a tour to see for yourself) and it is possible that a single day pass may be available on some days.

I go for a long walk around the ship in the morning after the gym.  With my coffee, of course, but not with my usual companion.  I meet lots of interesting folks out doing the same thing.  It is fun to swap stories, ask/answer questions and get to know folks in that way.  The Dawn (as I recall) has a nice promenade deck (#7) that allows a complete walk around the ship...without being truncated like many of NCL's larger ships.  There always seem to be quite a few people out walking.

Enjoy your cruise...I hope it is with your friend...

Best,

MD