Sthrngary

@Sand and SeasAllow me to do my best and I hope you and other find this helpful. I was on the Joy twice in 6 months. I was in the Haven with my family the first time and in a Club Suite solo the second time. I also wrote this op-ed on the Secrets to the Haven. The room service menu as I recalled, did not look different from the regular room service menu. This fact is kind of not relevant because all the room service I did came from the Haven Restaurant while in the Haven Suite. That was the first request I made from my butler on day one. The only time this is not honored is when the Haven Restaurant is closed or the item you request is not on the Haven Menu. Room service in general is mostly lackluster. It sound romantic and lovely especially when in a Suite. Try it once, ask for the Haven Restaurant and provide a review. That would be helpful. Remember my opinions are only my own and other opinions should be considered. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Take a look at the Amenities on the Joy. Look at the Haven Categories. That might help you. The bottles in the Haven are on the ledge in the bathroom. They are small and get replenished when they are gone. They are high end. When out of the Haven, they can be located in the shower in dispensers. Cruise well. Amenities JOY.pdf

@CruiseCattVery good question. Consider this, the Encore has hottubs in the Vibe. The view is lovely. There is a bar in the Vibe. With all that said, the best view in my opinion on a Alaska cruise is the Observation deck which is climate controlled. You have a Bar and a Starbucks. Since it is the Encore they have the Thermal Spa which cost as much as the Vibe. I would opt for the Thermal Spa instead of the Vibe. Just my two cents which is what I think you were asking for. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

My posts are all about strategy. Realistic expectation. Making your cruise experience the best it can be. The game has changed on the Vibe Beach Club. What if none of us knew the game changed. What if we did what we always did. Got on the ship super-fast, even paid extra to get on faster just to run to the Vibe Beach Club Desk. We were there first but they were sold out. How would we feel then. At least new we know, when you book your cruise, book your Vibe. Simple as that. If you can't get the Vibe, make a decision on if you want to cruise if you feel strongly that way. Better to be informed. Now to clarify a couple of points. The Cruise I am on is a special cruise. It is for the winners of the slot tournaments from all NCL ships from 2021. The Haven is almost sold out and that is very unusual for a cruise 150 days away. The people going on this cruise are not new to cruising and they found out just like we did, the new game for the Vibe. On my Cruise which is December 4, 2022; on the Breakaway out of New Orleans; 150 days in advance the Vibe week passes are sold out. The Cabana's in the Vibe are sold out. That is a fact. This does not mean your cruise is sold out. The new game again is when you book, book your Cabana or Vibe pass. Nothing is going to change that. Folks, I do not do post to create controversy or to promote fear. I do it so those that read my post can be as informed as I am, so we have the best possible cruise experience. Cruise well everyone and enjoy every moment.

Hello Everyone, Sthrngary here: Thank you to all the folks that shared information on getting a Vibe Beach Club Pass in advance of your cruise sailing. I want to share my experience with everyone. My cruise is 150 days away, I called and get two Vibe Passes for the week at $209.00 per pass put on my remaining balance due August 6, 2022. I was beyond thrilled. Then I realized I could have gotten a Vibe Beach Club Cabana for with two week passes for just a bit more. I immediately called back and it took until the next day to find someone who could help me. It seems, at 150 days out, all Breakaway Vibe Beach Cabana's are completely sold out. In addition, Normal Vibe Beach Club passes are sold out. I am sharing this with you because I thought they were released 90 days before, but now I find out that even at 150 days you can get them. Please be advised. My wife and I are thrilled to get the passes, we are happy not to have to run to get them when we board on the ship. I hope this information helps everyone. Cruise well and Enjoy Every Moment.

Did the Vibe Cabana come with two vibe passes? I will call back and change that if that is the case. Your assistance is appreciated.

@vacation44When I first read your response I thought you meant a Beach Villa. Now I realize you meant a Cabana in the Vibe. Per your suggestion, I just called NCL. It took some effort but they confirmed I have two Vibe Beach passes for the week for my cruise. What is interesting is, they did not charge me. My remain balance went up instead of having to pay for it now. That was a pleasant surprise. I want to thank you for your help. I hated the run to the Vibe Desk. It made an already hectic day worse. I still don't trust I have this until it shows up on my online account. So I will call to verify even though they have charged me. Better safe then sorry. Thanks again Cruise well.

@Jim The LizardWow, Jim. You made my day. You can bet, tomorrow morning. I will be calling NCL and waiting the customary 90 minutes to talk to someone so they can transfer me several times, LOL. The one thing I can assure you, if I can pre-purchase the VIBE. It Shall Be Done. Thank you so much for the heads up. I hated the run to the Vibe desk. I would much prefer simply to go to the Vibe and have a drink when I get onboard. Life it short and I am trying to have a nice time for sure. Hope happiness and health to you and yours. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

@REV_CruiserThank you for your kind words. Please remember, Haven is always my first approach. That will never change. Haven Lite is my approach until the Haven prices come back to a point where I can justify them again. I am retired new and my budget is not what it once was. On to your question. The Tequila in question is $45.00 per shot. if you have the normal perk drink package which is called the Premium Drink Package, the up charge per shot would be $30.00. For lots of reasons, I do the Premium Plus Drink Package, as long as the ship has the 1942, there is no upcharge. I write extensively on the Premium Plus Drink Package as I do about the Haven and now Haven lite on CruiseCritic.com. My goal is to inform, not to suggest. Folks can make their own budget opinions. Cruise well.

I am the author of this topic. My next cruise is on December 4, 2022 on the NCL Breakaway out of New Orleans. This was not the ship or the itinerary I would have chosen however it was selected because it hosts the Slot Machine Finals. My wife some how won the Slot Machine tournament on the NCL Joy in December 2021. This is crazy and odd. My wife never gambles. We will be going Haven Lite as I described on this topic. Usually I would do a Haven Upgrade bid. The issue is even thought this cruise leaves in almost six months, most all Haven suites are booked. I am assuming because of the Slot Machine Tournament. If not, I have no idea. The other reason is some of my family members will be joining and they simply can not afford the Haven. When you go on a cruise with family and good friends, you want to dine with them every night. This kind be expensive for the Non-Haven Guest. My Haven Lite Strategy is the same I did for my NCL Joy solo trip earlier this year. Premium Plus Beverage Package Upgraded Unlimited Streaming Internet Three meal Specialty Restaurant Package Earliest Boarding Time Vibe Beach Club and or Thermal Spa Depending on Weather Pre-Paid Gratuities Pre-Cruise Hotel by the Port If anyone has any questions, just ask. Cruise well.

The two hot tubs are located in the Haven Courtyard, not on the Haven Sundeck. They do not have an age restriction. The Layout f the Breakaway is very similar to the Getaway. The deck you are specking of is just above the Haven Courtyard. It looks over the courtyard. They are not age restricted. I personally have never seen anyone other then adults up there because all you can do is look over and lay down. Boring for most children. Usually 16 and above. This is due to on Holiday cruises where there are lots of families with young children who take over the Haven Courtyard. I have seen children under 16 on the Haven Deck. They have been kinder and nicer then some adults. I have never ever had an issue on a Haven Sundeck. About 30 days prior to the cruise. May I suggest you purchase from Amazon the plastic cruise luggage tags with the metal bindings. They are cheap and you can print your luggage tags and put them in them. The benefit is they never break or come off like the ones NCL sends you. I hope I helped you with your questions. I will be on the Breakaway in December. Save some Tequila for me. Cruise well.

You have to get your own spa reservations. You can ask the on-board Haven Concierge to assist. I would go directly to the spa. The Haven has reserve section in the orchestra left. You still have to reserve a seat for the big shows. Cruise well

That is the truth, nobody likes a debbie downer. The issue is, we all have the right to simply not read the articles and move on. The OP has the right to outline anything they want. As is shown, this topic became very popular. It did not break CruiseCritic.com rules or policies. Who among us has the right to say what can and cannot be posted if it follows the rules and policies. Don't think I disagree with the notion of folks complaining on CruiseCritic.com. I just think if any of us think our topics or only positive topics are all that is allowed, we miss the point of social media. Cruise well.

@drbeamer I can tell you are very excided and new to the Haven by your comment. Please remember, my response to you is my personal opinion. On CruiseCritic.com, everyone has their own take on the advice given. The first day onboard is not a great time to engage the Butler to much. They are doing things behind the scenes. If you do, all they will do is bring you regular room service which is less then good. So instead, to to either the buffet or the 24/7 Restaurant. Get something simply like a burger or salad. You will have lots of time to eat at the Haven for lunch. Remember, the Haven has the same menu and it never changes. Some folks like this others do not. I like it. Hope that helps. Cruise well.

Very well written and I agree with your foundation. Yet this is social media. The heading of the article indicated the information within. I saw it and engaged. I also had the option to simply go to the next article. When I engaged some one criticized my comment as harsh which for me is a first especially since I was attempting to be helpful. My thoughts again was this is social media, people clash sometimes. The author was very frustrated and needed a place to vent. We have all felt that way in our lives. This stream topic is the true minority of the topics or comments shared on CruiseCritic.com. Again, after reading all the posts, the OP was a little over the top for sure. Disappointment does that to a person some times. Cruise well.

I know the Haven like the back of my hand. I also have traveled enough on NCL to give some recommendations. That means the way I feel which might not suit your needs to keep that in mind. Food and good food is never an issue. When the Haven Restaurant is closed, the buffet is open. Most NCL ships have a 24/7 restaurant that is really good. They are called different things on different ships. I love the burgers and wings there. The hotdogs are good also. The key to enjoying the Haven in general is to leave it and enjoy the ship also. When the ship gets to busy or you just want some privacy, you go back to the Haven. You will not get a complete cruise experience if you stay in the Haven the whole time. Remember, I do the Haven a lot. I also love the pool games at the main pool, go cart track, Lasor tag and the water slides. I recently went on the NCL joy for the second time in four months. The first time I was in the Haven, the next time I was in a club suite outside the Haven. The club suite taught me to enjoy the whole ship and my next trip with will be in the Haven, will be that much better. This includes foods. I hope all that makes sense. Ask me anything. Cruise well.

You are allowed to have your opinion on the op situation and my comment. That is why CruiseCritic.exists. I gave my thoughts and some solutions. That took thought and time. You and others can agree and disagree. I respect you took the time to let me know how you felt. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

Wow, what a thread. And I was bored today. I read most of the replies and hope what I am about to say will assist you in some way. The key here is NCL has the right to do exactly what they did you the OP. This also happens when an entire ship is chartered. By the way, If I have hit the lottery, I will charter an entire ship and take all my friend on it. Day dreams are fun are they not? OP, let me help you was a few things that has worked for me in the past. I traveled the world for 40 years for business. Just so you know I am empathetic to your situation, I was cancelled due to covid 4 times until I was finally able to take my cruise. It seems you were cancelled so you so you must have taken the 125% FCC on your first cruise way back then. That put you up 25%. Now let us leverage all the rest for you. Assumption: Nothing anyone can do about the inconvenience that you are going through. We need to let that go and look for some solutions. Hotel: Hotels understand that Covid and other matters will cause cancellations. It seems you stated you will lose your hotel costs. Call the hotel, explain your situation and odd are they will refund you or give you credit. If you did a Priceline non-refundable, they also will consider refunded you based on your situation. What I shared with you, I have actually done. So it is not hear say. Refunds: FCC of 100% never include tax and port charges because they go to the respective governments. NCL never keeps them. If they did keep them, you would get that benefit in the fcc. Travel Insurance: It is clear that you did not take Travel insurance. Please conder that in the future. The Actual Cruise: I have watched cruise prices, they have gone up. Do yourself a favor, go to NCL.com and look for yourself. I love my Travel Consultant however when these situation happened to me, I took the bull by the horns and did the due diligence. It takes some time but you can make out on this deal. I simply can't imagen that prices have doubled. FCC: There are many things that FCC can be used for and not just the cruise. This again shows how little my Cruise Consultant knew even though she was a super high producer. I have used FCC for Excursions, upgrades for internet, Premium Plus Beverage Package and the list goes on. The key is you have to call NCL and do it pre-cruise. None of this is going to bring your cruise back. All I can say is, at the original price you paid, if the service was bad, you would really be upset even more then you are now. Finally and I hope you take this to heart. In the world of cruising, you get a lot more with honey then with vinegar. What I am about to share has worked for me 100% of the time. If you have ever read any of my posts, you know that folks use my advice all the time with very positive results. Write a very well written letter to the top four executives with NCL. Explain your situation and do not threaten. As a matter of fact, let them know you fully understand they had every right contractually to do what they did. On the last paragraph, ask them to assist you with the reservation you want in anyway they can. Leave the "Ask" open-ended. Send the letter registered mail and send it right away. I hope it all works out for you. Cruise well.

Breakfast: 07:00 AM to 09:30 AM Lunch: 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM Dinner: 05:30 PM to 09:30 PM Cruise well

The excursion hotline answer quickly. They think you want to buy something. Cruise well.

Thank you for your kind words.

This is very true however the meal either is part of the Free at Sea perks, purchased meal package or ala cart. Specialty Restaurants still have a cost. I only share this because it is confusing at times. Especially for those that have cruised luxury brands where they have unlimited specialty restaurants. Cruise well everyone.

@CDR BensonYou sir are always a gentlemen. I believe we both have the same attitude. Showing concern to those that support us will always gain better results then demanding or being aggressive. On a cruise ship, a smile and thank you will provide a much more pleasant sailing than a complaint. In the work I did for my career, I noticed those that reported to me would complain about their co-workers. My first question, which I was taught to say was, "Have you addressed this with the person you have an issue with." The answer was always, NO. They wanted me to address the issue instead of giving the person an opportunity to explain themselves. I would always send them back to address these issue unless it was a unwelcome advance. On a cruise ship, I have always had great results nicely and privately sharing my concerns with the individual. Hope you and Ms, Benson are enjoying life and so happy to read one of your replies. Cruise Well and thank you for all your service.

@Treasure Hunter I wish you would stop talking about the food in the Haven Restaurant as I am eating a Tuna Sandwich on white bread. I also had those lovely lobster tails. More importantly I had the Prime Rib. Then Lobster Tails and Prime Rib. So now, I am having to have Tuna because I was starting to look like a Steer and Lobster at the same time. Let us not for get the Carrot Cake for lunch or the Chocolate cake from Cagney's. Thanks for getting me off my diet. Cruise Well.

That is the point. I did not know either the first time I had a Butler. So I asked for nothing and they did just that. They are so busy doing things outside of being a Butler for Haven Suites. Then I started to read online articles on what a butler does and does not do. I read some of the common and uncommon things people asked for. I would give you a list of what I ask for however it won't really help you. It are things that make my cruise better. However I will give you some items just as an example: Coffee Delivered In the Morning: Room Service only from the Haven Restaurant All Pay For items out of the suite Extra Lounge Chairs on the Balcony Extra Wine Bucket for the Balcony Mattress topper for sofa bed Water for CPAP Machine Request, not always handled of Diet Restricted Snacks (Keto) The list goes on. I hand them a letter on day one so it is all in writing. Research what other ask for and have received and think what would make your trip better. Cruise well.