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Sthrngary

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About Me

  • Location
    Birmingham, AL
  • Interests
    RVing, Movies, Jazz Music, and Alabama College Football
  • Favorite Cruise Line(s)
    Oceania Cruises, NCL Haven, Celebrity Retreat, Crystal Cruises
  • Favorite Cruise Destination Or Port of Call
    Any where

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  1. @jleslie48 I have stayed in the Haven and the Club Suite which is not in the Haven on the NCL Joy. Feel free to ask me anything you would like. I also went on the Joy as a Solo. Happy to help. In the future, with a specific question, just do a new thread. Most everyone here is extremely helpful. Whether you see the benefit of the Haven, or any other stateroom is a personal decision. We all respect those decision on most CruiseCritic.com threads. The more specific you are on your question, the better the answer will be to support you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  2. @jleslie48 Tell us all how you really feel. All kidding aside. I have cruised all of the Ship Categories on NCL. Each have something to love and something this is less then pleasing. I have cruised in a Inside Cabin Stateroom, Balcony, Club Suite, Haven Spa Suite, Haven Penthouse Suite and the H2 Deluxe Haven Owners Suite. Like the ships, each stateroom and each set of accommodations had some good and bad aspects. Our job for enjoyment and reducing disappointment in your vacations is to do some due diligence on our choices. It is important to explain clearly with unemotional yet descriptive words our likes and dislikes and why. That really helps folks make a good business decision. After decades of cruising for me, the only thing that is consistent is nothing is for everyone. So do the research and take everyone's opinion including myself with a grain of salt. This way, the core is always how to make our cruise vacation better. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  3. I had no idea many years ago that this "Topic" would have the original version and an updated version. I also had no idea that the second updated version would have 159 pages of responses. This stream sometimes takes on a life of it self. However for me personally, when someone is so excited about their Haven Suite like, @benel204 it is all worth it. All that really matters is that people have a good time cruising. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  4. @benel204 Congrats. I was in the H2 Owners Suite on the Joy. I did a YouTube Video which I will put the link below. Three Bottles: They will give you a list to choose from once onboard. Lot of choices. Water: The water is yours to use as you wish. Yet you can take it off the ship. Mixers: The soda, juices and mixers are replenished daily at no charge. You tell the Butler what you want. Motion: Not an issue at all. The deck is huge and while the ship is sailing, it tends to be a bit windy. If you have any other question, just ask. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  5. @Ronni7770 I was just on the Riviera. I loved it. different vibe then I was used to in all my previous cruises. Enjoy it. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  6. @Battlement OK, you are and will be fine. All cruise have something that does not go exactly to plan even if you are a detail person as we are. Go to the pier earlier then the earliest they say. All you have to do is get through security and you are good to go for the Haven. Don't worry about it. Out of your control and make it a fun quest. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  7. @Battlement I am not sure where port you are going out of. I would get to the port 1 hour early in this case, 02:00 PM. The first part is the hardest. You just have to get through security. Once that is done, there are signs to the Haven Entrance like for First Class Sky Miles Members at the Airport. These signs are not easy to find so really look. You don't want to get on a regular guest line. I also don't like lines so standing a bit prior to getting through security is for me a necessary evil. Again, just get through security. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  8. @9tee2Sea The core of this side track to this thread was someone with mobility issues on the NCL Joy. They wanted to go out of port of New York. They just wanted to know based on their situation, in or out of Haven Proper? The Haven is not for everyone. It is not for every ship. It is not for every itinerary. It does not met every guest needs. Some guest love it, some like it, some think it is average and other don't like it at all. This is that way it should be. Chooses. Everyone for the most part that comment love to cruise. Having the Haven Debate keeps cruising on all of our minds. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  9. @NclCruiuser I have used Allianz Insurance for every cruise and my trip next month to Europe with my adult daughter for over five years. I had three claims and one really big one. They paid in less then 15 days. Never use the cruise brand insurance. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  10. @NclCruiuser Hello and welcome to CruiseCritic.com. I have been on the NCL Joy in the Haven twice. I read your post and understand your question and concern. Based on the mobility issues, I would stay in the Haven Proper. Here is why. The Joy has a elevator in the Haven that takes you to both Haven floors. It also has an elevator that takes you to the Haven Sundeck. The Haven Elevators are never crowded. Some one suggest HAL, that is a very nice brand. There are a lot of Very Nice Brands. However I am simply addressing your question based on asking about the Haven. BTW, I am the author of this stream. Ask me and anyone else on this thread. Everyone is really nice. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  11. @Battlement You are more than welcome. The Getaway was my first Haven Experience way back when. On tipping. Your call and a hotbed of debate. I personally provide the Butler with their tip upfront which is not every ones approach. I toss $20 or so a couple of times during the week at the bartenders in the Haven Bar. I usually wait until the end to take care of the Haven concierge. Four your son and the noodle bar. This is one of my favorite places, my wife and I love it. Get on line about 45 minutes early. I do not think the Haven can help you with that one. This restaurant pack them in for each service. I love sitting at the bar and watching them cook. You usually get a choose for the day one lunch when you embark. I have done the American Dinner and it is not my cup of tea. I usually go to the Haven Restaurant where others who have cruised NCL usually go. A word of advice. The real secret to the Haven is engaging with the Haven Staff. The better they know you, the more welcome they make you feel. Gratuities help but a pleasant guest is the key. I have also do the Retreat. The two are close but I prefer the Haven. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  12. @ChiefMateJRK Heck NO, I dearly love it. I am about to go back to Europe next month thanks to Delta Airlines raising my status to Diamond and having a sale to Paris. This is a gift to my 32 year old daughter. I begged her to do a cruise with me but she does not love cruising as I do. So I did my normal due diligence and took care of most of the other details. I am still going to miss not being on a cruise ship but we will get by. Four countries in 10 days. Seriously, I am looking forward to it. Different experience. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  13. @ChiefMateJRK Well stated. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  14. I know we are all posting with a bit of a sense of humor. That make me very happy. Sometimes, we take life a bit to seriously. Yet some things have been brought up that for me kind of make sense. Cruising scratches a different itch for each person. Frequent Vacations: To some, this is more important than a over the top stateroom. On another blog, there is a person that feels very strongly about taking more cruises and never having an expensive stateroom. This same person loves to tell stories of getting off at different ports to find very inexpensive wines and liquor's. All this is fine until this same poster basically wants ever other poster to agree with them or they criticize those that disagree. Once In A Life Time Experiences: Then there are posters that would prefer not to cruise or vacation all that often. Instead, they would rather have a nicer stateroom, maybe The Haven or Retreat or Yacht Club. Maybe even an owners suite or nicer with all kinds of nice appointments. For this person, the experience is enhanced by as I have said a few time, "Being Treated Like a Rock Star for One Week A year". Vacationing All the Time: This was brought up in an earlier post. I wish this person was me, sure is not. But I get great joy from those that can actually vacation all the time. One such couple I follow on YouTube. That kind, sweet and humble. They both obviously did very well in life prior to retirement. They go on Brands like Regent Seven Seas, Ritz Carlton, and other high-end cruise experiences. Somehow, I get great pleasure watching their experience knowing it is not something I will ever be able to do. Enjoying someone else's experience is a gift. Each example to me is unique, special and share how people can and are different. What unites each example is everyone loves to cruise. For me personally, that is enough. Something about cruising simply scratches my itch in a way land based vacation never had. I am the middle kind of cruiser. I used to be the cruiser that did the least expense cruise. I like to say, I have rarely been on a cruise that I did not enjoy. I would like to add something that makes my cruises really special. For me, nothing is better for me then to go on a cruise with it is my guest first time. That just happened to me and watching their reactions really made my cruise even better. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
  15. OK, let us play this out. Must everyone gets an upgrade "Bid" opportunity. I choose my words carefully. I have to assume this is the OP's question. Here is a, not the, but a strategy. If you want to help your friend, go online with their permission and open their NCL Account showing this cruise. You should see a link to "Bid" upgrades. That is your starting point: What to Upgrade too: This is the first question. Suite, Club Suite and or Haven. Make a decision but understand, if you bid on all three, the first one take is the one you get. You won't be obligated to take all three. Do your Due Diligence: How much did you pay, vs how much is the upgrade you want. For sake of this example here is some math. I paid $1000 per person for my stateroom. The upgrade I want is a Haven suite which if I purchased today would be $3000 per person. Next step is look at the availability of the category you are bidding for. If lots of staterooms are available, you bid lower. If a just a few are available, you bid higher. Does not mean you will get it but is a good strategy. Be Happy with your Original Booked Stateroom: Do folks get bids, yes. Does it happen often, no. Go into this with the idea that you will NOT get an upgrade. Just Book the Category You want: With high inventory, sometimes you can just book the higher category at a great price and eliminate the waiting. Consider this. This is a lot of work if you really want the upgrade so for a friend to do this for me or anyone else, is quite the ask. No computer, no phone, I would personally pass. Just be happen with what you got. Just my two cents yet I wanted to answer the question posed. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
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