Sthrngary

@cruiseny4life I can see why you phrased your question the way you did. I did the Haven on the Getaway, Breakaway and Joy most recently. The Haven is a place were 99% of the folks at dinner time have nice pants, collared shirt and close toed shows. Lunch and breakfast are more casual. The issue is not so much NCL policy. It is what the normal is. Bathing suite, or workout shorts are not quite formal enough however I don't think the staff will say anything to you during breakfast and lunch. Dinner is another story. It is the other Haven Guest that will give you the evil eye as I have seen so many time. Hope that helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@babysteps You make a really good point and I so glad you added it. In my case, I tried everything while waiting for the dates to open. The only hope I had was as soon as the return was available, book it. So glad I did, weeks later is was so much higher and now it is insane. I have made a huge mistake in past cruises. I would think about them every day from start to finish. This was even worse right after all our cancelations due to covid. When I finally got on the ship, it was anticlimactic. This Oceania Cruise I am taking a different approach with all aspects of it. I have handled the normal stuff like the airfare on this thread, finding pictures of the newly done state rooms and deciding on the drink package that makes sense to us. No more visualizing the cruise 1000 times before going on it. My mind and future experience will be SO much better. This is a Bucket List Cruise and long time in coming. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

My spelling and grammar is completely awful. Great post on your approach. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

You are right, 330 days. I just kept going to the Delta site until I saw the dates would open the next day. Good luck on your flights. Keep the faith. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@ORV Thank you for taking the time to share. It both thoughtful and educational for those reading. I hope you will take the time to take it all in and focus on your own enjoyment. I want to thank you for showing the prices of the drink packages and upgrade from select to Prestige. That was very informative and supports the many posts done prior. I heard you were missing a port from one of your previous posts. I loved your response. Anyone who has ever cruised, regardless of brand, has had the same thing happen. It is one of the surprises of cruising. It can never be planned perfectly. My wife and I are still sorry we missed swimming with the pigs in the Caribbean however we still completely enjoyed that cruise. Again, please enjoy, have an afternoon tea service, listen to some nice music with new friends and possible an adult beverage in you hand. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Allow me to give what I did. Let me say, my approach is not perfect. It does come from four decades of flights domestic and international. Hear was my approach: I booked my Oceania Cruise Labor Day 2022. My cruise will depart November 9, 2023. Over a year later. We fly into Athens, and out of Barcelona. I went to my favorite Air Brand, Delta and looked at what was available. The answer was "NOTHING". Delta does not post their flights until 8 or 9 months prior to the flight. Live and learn. I then looked at all the other air brands to see when their flight schedule opened up. Seemed to be similar. This got me to my next approach. What would it cost me in money or points/air miles to book the flights as far out as I can go. I wanted to see: a) What if I flew from my home base vs. driving to Atlanta, GA; b) What was the flight schedules from a stand point of connections and wait time at the connected airports; c) Where their weird ways of booking the flights to save money even if I had to wait longer on a lay over or take another connection; d) How many points/airline miles would I need and did I have enough; e) If I booked fully refundable coach, how did that compare to the $1,000.00 discount I get from Oceania if I choose to do my own flights. I did the same approach as above for other brands. Please remember, I am retired, have time on my hands and this approach was part of my life prior to retirement. I know this seems like over kill. Before it is brought up, I also look at Oceania Cruise only fares however it was six of one, half a dozen of the other for my situation. I went on YouTube.com and watched reviews of Different International Coach, Coach Premium Plus and Business Class. I must admit I also watched some of the better brands First Class just because we all have to have goals. It was fun. I realized, Delta was my brand, not perfect but my brand. It helps that Delta's largest hub was two hour drive time from my home. I also realized that I could us "ALL" my miles saved for years and transfer some from my American Express Rewards Program to get a Delta ONE Business Class ticket round trip for my wife and I. The second set of tickets was for the same itinerary for the friends joining us which was a fully refundable coach ticket incase they bugged out on use for this cruise. I booked both sets of tickets at 12:01 AM the moment they became available. For anyone that wants to approach things this way please remember. You can only book the flight when your return becomes available. Just the way it works. I was pleasantly surprised we could all fly out of my home base rather then Atlanta for less money and points/miles. Shocked me and glad I looked. To get the lowest cost on both we fly in the day before arriving in the morning, 08:00 AM and Fly out the day after the cruise comes back. An extra day in Athens and one in Spain. The Very Best Itinerary was Birmingham, AL to Atlanta with an over two hour layover. Atlanta to JFK with a four hour lay over. JFK to Athens Direct. Any flights late or delayed have flight after them so I felt the decisions were good. On the way back we have a Direct Flight back to Atlanta and a connection to Birmingham. Much better and less time. Delta had no direct flights from Atlanta to Athens. Since booking these flights I have check on how much it would cost me now. The Fully Refundable fare would cost $500.00 per person more now. The Business Class fare would cost over a half a million more miles/points. Now you know why I planned it the way I did. I have used cruise lines promotional airfare before. It only took once to realize it was indeed a little less expensive and a lot more stressful. There were surprises for me that I did not like. No points received and cost for checked luggage. No seats early and no corrections unless you paid a fee. When taking everything into consideration, it was a no brainer to do it on my own and do the early due diligence so I have the information I needed to make a good business decision. I hope this adds to this stream. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

It seems your question is not really being answered. There are lots of post/treads that talk about Cruise Line Air. This includes Oceania Air. I studied them most likely for the same reason you are asking the question. I will be flying into Athens and out of Barcelona. If you book it yourself as far out as you can, you can book for the same prices as what Oceania will give you back instead of doing their airfare. For me it was $1,000.00 each and I got two coach fully refundable tickets for $1,150.00 each. On to your specific question. The feed back was not great and average at the best situation. There was not many direct flights and more then one connections. The general consensus was very stressful. Folks complained about having to pay $100 per piece of luggage even when their status with the airline was high. They did not get their airline points and the list goes on. Then others contradicted those claims. It is very hard to know who to trust so I figured, trust myself and book with Delta. Remember Cruise brands do cruise and Airlines do air. When you think a cruise line will do anything other then what cost them the least, we usually get disappointed. Hope that assist is some way. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@McGarrett5oh My pleasure. That is correct. There is also no service charge for room service when in the Haven. Yes if open and you were crystal clear with your butler upfront. Go to the Haven Desk in the Haven Lounge for that information. I usually would go to or call the Haven desk the morning of to see if the ship cleared. They would have all the info. They would take you down the service elevators and right off the ship. Very nice especially on the last day when you have an early flight out. Depends on the ship. Most ships do the normal stuff like Orange or Apple juice. They are usually very accommodating. Hope that helps and I know others will be giving you great advice. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I have been cruising for 43 years, the first time I purchased Cruise Travel Insurance was 2021. It was the best decision I had made in those 43 years. My wife go Covid 8 days before the cruise. I would have lost half my money paid. Instead, it was back in my account in15 business days. @DCGuy64 Makes a valid point on if you want the cancel at any time clause. If that is not important then you can consider purchase up to your final payment. The question at hand is pre-existing concisions and the time that has to pass for them to be covered. Please read the fine print on that topic. The reason I suggest purchasing at final payment is for the most part, once you purchase the insurance and it passed it 30 day right to cancel, you own it. If you wanted to cancel your cruise deposit for a full refund prior to full payment, you would not get back the insurance premium. Hope that makes sense. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@westcoastmom They will have a ball. I recently took my three adult children on the NCL Joy. It was there first Haven Experience. My daughter thought I was being bougie. Until she was treated like a Rock Star. It was my 43rd wedding anniversary cruise. A great time was had by all. Ask me anything you like. Happy to help you make this a great cruise. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

You have every right to feel I was judgmental. I did not explain my comment as I would have normally done. That was my bad completely. Let’s start over. I wrote the op-Ed the secrets of the Haven VIP experience. My emphasis as to assist cruisecritic.com members with all the value and amenities available in the NCL Haven. The first publishing was 5 years ago. It was revised, early 2022. I really wanted to make a difference in how Haven Guest can enjoy the experience. Then many folk would post items that were rare, or were unrealistic. New Haven Guest would have an unrealistic expectations that led to disappointment. My concern was to explain, which I did poorly, that sushi could be ordered, at a cost to the Haven Guest, from the Sushi restaurant if on board and opened at the time. You were right to call me out for my comment. My heart was in the right place but my worded didn’t reflect it. Cruise well and enjoy every moment

Hello kind sir. I hope you got my email soon me time back. All my best and looking forward to your upcoming reviews. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I was also on the Joy, in the Haven. I also upgrades my wife and my drink package yet not my three adult children. We ordered water and Champagne and every one got a glass. However, it seems since then, the rules have changed. More like the rules are now being enforced. So be aware sharing might be an issue now. Just an FYI.

Call NCL and or book the Vibe Cabana that comes with two weekly vibe passes.

Hello All, every now and again I post something here on the "Haven Secrets" stream I wrote years ago. It is going to be very hard for new and existing Haven Guest to go back and read the original posting and all the extremely helpful comments. Please remember when asking a question or commenting to an inquiry to set realistic expectations. I love the Haven and even though I have taken a break from NCL and the Haven Experience for a short time, it is for me the best of both worlds. Mega Ship experience with a lovely private and exclusive section for a fortunate few. Great experience and concept. To answer some question posed throughout this and other posts, here is simply my two cents: Butlers: Yes, I wrote the Butler Letter. It is not for everyone however worked for me. That is an important distinction. Yes, I tip my butler on day one which I NEVER used to do. I do it now because of conversations with butlers on guest leaving without providing gratuities. Before you ask, with four people in my suite, I gave a gratuity of $200.00. Don't hate the messenger. You do You. Adult Beverages In the Room: If you request your butler to bring adult beverage to your suite, regardless of the drink package you have, it will be charged to your room, PERIOD. Some post say the butler will do it for you. If they do, they can get fired. Canned Soda: Unless you are in the H2 Owners Suite, Owners Suite or THREE bedroom villa (a very few others), you will not have complementary soda/mixers in your suite. If you want a pitcher of coke or other soda, ask your butler. I have gotten both YES and NO for this request. The same thing holds true for juice. Start with low expectations and be surprised if it happens. Specialty Coffee's: If made in the Haven Restaurant, they are complementary. NOT, at the Starbuck store. Juices are also available at the Haven Restaurant. On ships like Encore and Joy, the Haven Observation Deck has the best coffee machine I have ever used for specialty coffee. Room Service: On day one, tell your butler you want room service ONLY from the Haven Restaurant if they are open at the time. When you order, it is the same as ordering from the Menu when at the Haven Restaurant. PLEASE REMEMBER, the Haven Restaurant has a fix menu which does not change. So if you want something for room service that is not on the menu, like sushi, that is not going to happen or you will be charged. If you want regular room service menu items, it is just fine. Mid-Day Snacks: The are for the most part fixed. They are also nothing great. Will your butler make a change, sometimes. The word sometimes is important when creating realistic expectations. When I hear all the special stuff people are asking for then the next guest gets a "NO" from their butler, it makes me sad. Escort to Small Show Venues: Don't expect this no matter what you hear on this or other social media site. Has it happened, "YES". Is it a NCL Haven Policy, "NO". It is hit or miss. Again, if it is your expectation, and you don't get this service. You don't like the experience. The big shows you can have an escort but you don't need one. The Haven section is off to the left but depending on the show, you might want a different seat. Again, realistic expectations. Same Server in Haven Restaurant: Not the way the Restaurant is structured. Great service is the norm. Same server is not the policy. Did some folks have that experience and enjoy it, yes. Don't expect it. Also, if you want a quick meal, go to another venue other than the Haven Restaurant. That is good advice. Drinks Served on the Haven Sundeck: I have done the Haven many, many times. It is rare for me to have had a server ask me for a drink order while in the Haven Sundeck. That is why I love the Vibe Beach Club which has a dedicated bar. Since I know that, I simply go to the Haven Bar one deck down and get my drinks. If I win the lottery and a server shows up, I order a drink. Also, I have used the wireless Haven Suite phone in my Haven Suite to ask my butler to bring food to the Haven Sundeck. He was always happy to do so. However, an adult beverage has been a charge except once. Clear as mud, right. Expectations. Request for For Sale Items Out of Suite: Sorry to say, they simply put them up somewhere and don't remove. That is their new policy. It is the way it is. Request for Filet with Eggs for Breakfast: This is possible most of the time if you give the head waiter a 24 hour heads up. I have also been turned down on this request due to supply chain issues. Pillows Menu: It is nice but I have never thought it made to much of a difference. If it does for you, go for it. Finding Haven Check-In: Depends on port. Security seems to be the same for everyone on the ship so this topic needs to be where to go after security has been complete. The port staff is consistently worthless. All I do is look all around for the Haven sign and eventually find it. I personally choose early boarding so the line at the actual Haven Check In is less crowded. Just me, my approach. Complementary Lunch Embarkment: On most of the larger ships, the embarkment lunch is offered at a complementary specialty restaurant like "The American Diner". I have done that only once. I much prefer the Haven Restaurant for lunch day one. Personal preferences here. Booking Specialty Restaurant Reservations: You can book 130 days prior to your embarkment date to have priority reservations. When on the ship, you can change however you will notice that you can't always get the change you want. The more crowded the ship is, the harder it is to get the day and time you want at the last minute. Just the way it is. My Personal Opinion: I love the Haven. Yet my next few cruises are on another cruise brand. I had an experience in 2021 on the now defuncted Crystal Cruise Lines. I wanted to take a Luxury Cruise Test Drive. Crystal is back now with new owners, FYI. The investment for seven days was less then the Haven's lowest cost suite. I got the chance to upgrade to a Penthouse with a butler. I wanted to see and feel the difference in the Luxury segment. The butler was a game changer in every way. The afternoon snacks were over the top and I could have smoked salmon every afternoon if I wanted. They brought all the canned soda I wanted and even brought my wife bottles of wine and me a bottle of vodka at no extra charge. The specialty restaurants were outstanding for a cruise. The personalized service was very special from every crew member. This cruise was totally boring for me and my wife. No energy and we missed the normal cruise activities. Some of the guest who had cruised this brand previously acted like they owned the brand making newcomers like me feel uncomfortable. This experience would have been much better suited for a longer Mediterranean cruise with lots of time at each ports. Not for the Caribbean. I bring this up because if you want the "best of the best": service, food, drinks, specialty restaurants, amenities, less kids onboard, ect., choose a luxury or ultra-luxury brand. In todays market, be prepared to pay the same about for a New SUV as for your cruise. Do not have that same expectation from the NCL Haven. Do your due diligence so you have realistic expectations. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

NO, only at specialty restaurants. Soda's, only with soda or drink package. I think you are expecting more then you will receive at the Haven. My concern is your expectation of what they will do or not do is going to disappoint you. Remember, this is the VIP section of a Mainstream Cruise Brand. Not ultra-luxury all inclusive which cost the same as a new small SUV. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@westcoastmom I will do my best to give you my first hand experience. First, you were asked which ship you are on because only the larger ships have a full Haven Area with bar and restaurants. The smaller ships, give you breakfast and lunch at specialty restaurants but not dinner. That makes a difference. My comments will be based on ships like Encore, Bliss, Joy, Breakaway, and the brand new ships. Not ships like the Pearl. The Haven Restaurant has juices and specialty coffee which does not cost more. When in a Haven Suite, you tell your butler to do all room service from the Haven Restaurant. Problem solved it the Haven Restaurant is open when ordering. If you have a Haven Observation Area, it usually has those items available. I have NEVER had an issue asking my Butler to brink a pitcher of Orange Juice. Just ask and you will receive. I have stayed in the Haven Two Bedroom Family Villa, Spa Suite and the Deluxe Owners Suite. With and without my children. Canned soda is a cost in most suites and restaurants except in an Owners Suite or Three Bedroom Villa. I hope this helps you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Wow, this thread sure has take an interesting turn. I started this topic to gain as much incite on setting my expectations realistically for a first time "O" cruiser. Thank you to everyone who shared your opinions. All your opinions. They have been most helpful. Decades of cruising taught me a very valuable lesson, set expectations low and always be happy with the result. My cruising history is to pay more on a Mainstream Cruise Brand and for that have a Suite Only Restaurant that had consistently better food as well as a better level of personalized service. However, I like many others, do our due diligence prior to booking other brands. My hope was once a guest leaves their stateroom, they are ALL treated the same. Simply hope, and it seems that is what my wife and friends will receive from Oceania. On dining, I have been on most all the mainstream brands for decades. I agree, food is relative to every ones personal experience and tastes. What I will say is when given the option, I usually never eat in the Main Dining room of a Mainstream Cruise Brand. It is my vacation which I usually wait 18 months to go on. I usually get myself a package of specialty restaurants. Costs a bit more but for my enjoyment has been worth the premium. Unless of course if I have access to the Suites Only Restaurant which my experiences in the past have been as good or better than the specialty restaurants on that brand. Because it was brough up in earlier post, I am in a Penthouse on my upcoming Oceania Cruise. I got this stateroom during the Labor day sale which was a 4-Catigory Upgrade. I personally choose "O" because of the smaller ship, itinerary in the Mediterranean, an expectation the personalized service would be equal too or slightly better than the Suites on Mainstream Brands, and slightly elevated dining in all venues. If what I wanted was the "Best of Everything", I would have chosen a brand that is Ultra-Luxury. You know, the brands that cost you the same as a new SUV. Yet if any of us go to their respective blogs, you might here the same thing about their experiences. Instead, it was clear this choice of Oceania was slightly elevated from past experience. Not perfect, not obscenely prices, and not in the truest sense of the words "All Inclusive" . We all make those kinds of choices in life. The key is do your due diligence, accept others opinions, and process all the information given by others that love cruising as you do. Enough feedback by enough cruisers gives a pretty good general idea of what to expect. Cruise well everyone, I hope we meet for a coffee or cocktail on a mutual sailing.

When we cruised NCL in November 2021, the steak house was outstanding. In March 2022 same thing, outstanding. In December 2022, it was horrible. My hopes are that all cruise brands get their act together in the next few months. I like many don't mind paying more in these times as long as the quality does not go down. All cruise brands and brands in general need to take a long hard look at cutbacks. It any brand took to many loans or to high amounts they know future bookings are their only salvation. Future bookings for all brands are base on the experiences cruiser gain today. If we feel the 3 to 2 guest to crew ratio is now 4 to 2, that will effect our overall quality of experience. If the steak houses have sub-par beef, then close them until you can do it right. Disappointed guest on something as basic as a steak house is unacceptable. In the business I did all my life, the owners would build fantastic facilities. They were amazing similar to when a ship is dry docked. What those owners learned quickly was new carpet will not take the places of personalized service and if you market high end dining those dining experiences. Charge more but don't cut back. Just my two cents. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@gojigirl I am the Author of the "Butler Letter" concept. I am also the CruiseCritic.com author of the op-ed "The secrets of the Haven VIP Experience". As you can see from the responses, the "Butler Letter" can be controversial. Some use it and love it, other don't. It is like all aspects of a cruise. To each his own. The origins of the letter was lackluster butler performance in my past. The letter evolved over time to be an outline of my families likes and dislikes. It all started after a very frank conversation with two butlers. The shared confidentially that many of their guest simply do not provide them a gratuity. The reason they felt was they were not part of the "Pre-Paid" gratuity program. After this happened over and over again, it effected their attitude because their income dropped. I thought to myself, what if we broke tradition and gave the butler their entire gratuity on day one with a letter. The moment I started this, I never had an issue with a butler being attentive. That is my experience and how the "Butler Letter" came to be. I was always very careful how I introduced the gratuities within the letter. A sample letter is attached in an earlier post on this thread. I am an old timer and cruise all my life. To provide a gratuity upfront was against every thing I had ever done on a cruise. I did not want to offend anyone, just wanted an attentive butler. I dislike even talking about this subject because so many people are critical of approach without even using it as intended. Every post I do I have only one goal in mind. Improve in someway the cruising experience. Today, with all the cut backs, and brand cost savings; an attentive butler can and usually does make all the difference. Those that disagree with me approach, please share what you do that has worked. All that matters is our individual enjoyment. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@ISABELLA It does not matter. I personally book ahead if I can. Just to have it done. I have never here a Haven Guest being turn down a reservation for a show. I want to make a statement to you and everyone about the Haven. My goal has always been to create realistic expectations of the Haven and it's amenities. In my opinion, the Haven is the best of both worlds if what you want is both a improved cruising experience and the availability of a mega ship with all that includes. It definitely won't be Ultra-Luxury nor are you paying for that. It will be enhanced in almost every way from the normal cruise experience. Again, have realistic expectations and you will enjoy the experience. Just my two cents. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

As a first time Oceania Cruise guest, I love to read reviews. The more the merrier. Especially since the Riviera was just drydocked. At first, I wanted to see the new PH category. Then a ship tour after the work was done. Both video's just showed up on another social media source. I then went to CruiseCritic.com reviews to see what folk thought. The very few reviews done in January 2023 were not what I expected. They were less then stellar, some times contradicted each other especially on dining. I studied survey systems in my previous life and this is not a cross sampling. Please if you take a cruise and are a member of cruisecritic.com, take some time and do a review. Be fair across the board so we can learn from you. Thank everyone for considering this request. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@herbanrenewal You are getting great feedback. I hope my thoughts also assist. I went solo for the first time in 25 cruise over 44 years in March 2022. The reason I did was because it was a Club Balcony Suite and not double occupancy so it was literally $800.00 for the week on the NCL Joy. I was thrilled as you could imagine. I attempted in December 2022 to gain a Solo deal like that for my Sister who wanted to join my wife and I on the NCL Breakaway. From March to December nothing was available. It was full double occupancy. During this time I would go to other ships and on occasion I saw a deal. Another piece of information is the NCL Haven does not have solo deals. Even if you us the NCL Bid Upgrade, it still is two times the bid. I think the normal solo fares are more likely to be a deal when the ship is not close to fully booked. Kind of like a hotel with extra rooms. Just my two cents and I hope it assist you. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@ISABELLA I am the author of "The Secrets of the Haven VIP Experience". Your comment on the Haven not being All-Inclusive has been debated for some time. The facts are, it is not but most folks like myself, approach with a strategy to come as close as possible to "All-Inclusive". Some of the things I do are s follows: I use my American Express Platinum with a AMX approved travel agent to get the perk of On Board Credit and dinner for two in the French Restaurant. This gives me a total of Three Meals in specialty restaurants utilizing the Free At Sea promotion. Upgrade the 150 minutes of Internet to Unlimited Streaming. If you have more folks, it just is used one device at a time. Just the way it is. When in the Haven, I skip the Vibe Beach Club which I do prefer over the Haven Sundeck because it has a bar. Instead I consider the Thermal Spa but only if it is important to me or cold weather. Personals preference. I upgrade to the Premium Plus Drink Program and if so, evaluate the new Free At Sea PLUS program for the benefits it provides me. Takes some due diligence but worth the effort. Pre-Pay the gratuities and create a letter for the butler with my want's and needs. See Butler letter on the Haven Secrets blog. I personally prepay the tip to the butler. Please look up gratuity for butler posts, everyone has a different approach. Just know, butlers are not included in the standard gratuities program. I am analytical so I have taken cruise from different brands, put them on an excel for comparison. I add what other brands provide for their VIP area's and amenities I am looking for to get as close as an Apple to Apple comparison. The reality is with all in approach, NCL sometimes is higher and some times is lower. I would prefer all Mainstream Brands VIP area's would provide the same benefits and amenities but their Marketing Team would not agree with me. The bottom line is when you do the comparisons, they seem to be about equal. Personal preference has some folks loving the Haven and other prefer the Retreat. Both groups like the VIP area's over the rest of the ship as one might assume. Hope that helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Thank you and I am so proud of all the contributions on that blog. I tend not to contribute as I once did and allow those on recent Haven Cruise to do all the heavy lifting. It is pretty extensive and that is nice. You can also ask for meals from the Main Dining room menu if you give the staff enough heads up. Still this is a point many don't like especially those that travel Celebrity Retreat or MSC Yacht Club. Search Haven Restaurant Menu on CruiseCritic.com for the most recent PDF. Go on the the NCL.com site, go to FAQ, and look for Premium Beverage Package list. You can also look at the Premium Plus Beverage Package which is an upgrade to the standard package. Their is many blogs on CruiseCritic.com on these packages and what makes them different. Example, on the standard Premium Beverage Package, Bottled Water, energy drinks, fresh juices and specialty coffee's are not included. However, as a Haven Guest those juice and specialty coffee in the Haven are include for all guest. Starbucks is NOT. The daily fee's have just gone up. I hate to sound like a broken record. Those new gratuities are a recent blog on the CruiseCritic.com NCL area with lots of comments. Remember, the Butler is not included in the gratuities program that is put on your suite portfolio. Lots of articles on what to tip your butler are also searchable. Opinions vary. On normal gratuities, that information is available on the NCL.com site. Hope that helps. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.