wolft927

Upgrading to the Haven is almost impossible lately. We are on the Escape January 6th 2024 and there are only 13 Haven suites left. We have a 2 bedroom Haven Suite, becasue we are traveling with anouther couple and was the most affordable way to all stay in te Haven

So wife and I who have been cruising in nothing but the Haven for the past few years have just booked our first MSC Yacht club on the Seascape. We love the Haven, but pricing has gotten a little crazy. Looked at both for same time of year and cheapest Haven was over $3k more for 7 day cruise. Now granted we are doing an inside Yacht clube suite for our first go around, but for $3300 to get a "Haven like" experience I am gonna give it a shot. Would love to here feedback on those who have tried the yacht club, and how did it compare.

So, Wife and I have sailed Carnival, RCCL, Princess, and have been exclusive to NCL Haven for the past few years. We love the Haven but their prices have gotten a little out of control. So we are going on the Seascape staying in the Yacht Club. We have already Tier Matched with MSC so we are going in as Silver so we got a 10% off the cruise off the bat (NCL could learn from MSC on this). We decided to book the inside Yacht Club mainly because the price was fantastic!!! We spend all our time out of the Cabin so we really wont miss the Balcony. With that being said I do have a few Questions: 1: Sailing in the yacht club you get double reward points? 2: I see the Yacht club pool is much nicer and bigger then most Haven Pools, Does it really get crowded up there? 3: Anyone Cruise Haven as well adn compare the yacht club dining room to the Haven Dining Room? 4: Also, it looks like there are formal nights on MSC, other then the formal nights are Bermuda Shorts and Polo Shirts allowed in the Dining rooms for dinner? Would love any feedback or opinions anyone can give a new MSC and new yacht club cruiser. If the yacht club comes anything close the Haven, we will most likely be switching to MSC! Thanks again

Sailed in April, 1 of the main dining rooms will be open for lunch, as well as buffet, and the Local. The Haven Restaurant will also be open for Haven guest and also American Diner ( Free for Haven guest on the first day.)

Sailed out in April on the Joy. Boarding was smooth but a bit delayed due to Full Coast guard inspection. We were in the Haven so showed our boarding docs outside then were taken to a separate entrance then up an elevator to the separate Security screening and check in line. Haven Boarded first and our friends boarded in group 1, and they got on board about 45 minutes after us.

So I am going to Jump in on this, I have sailed RCCL Symphony of the seas in a balcony that was last October. Now Icon different ship, but no that different. Sailed the Joy this April in the Aft Facing Haven with 2 teenage girls 16 and 17. Hands down choose the Joy and the Haven. Still lots to do such as Go Karts, Water slides, Laser Tag, the VR arcade. Sailing in the Haven provides a level that a normal Balcony cant compare to. I get the Icon is gigantic and has things that the Joy doesn't, but I will say food will be much better on the Joy with the Haven and specialty dining perks. Also, Having room service available 24 hours a day free of charge is amazing for the teenagers that want to do late night snacks and such. My teenagers used it all the time. Also Priority Embarkation and Debark in ports and getting off the ship the last day is amazing! Meet in the Have lounge and be escorted down a crew elevator directly to the gangway. Also have sailed in the Forward facing Haven you are contemplating and also amazing room for the price. Separate bedroom from living room area, only down side is the balcony is small. Just my opinion, Icon in a balcony or Joy in a Haven Suite, absolutely choose the Joy

So short answer is yes, NCL can charge. Longer answer is we cruised last month in the Haven with our teenage daughter and her friend. In the Haven they never charged them...but they where charged outside the Haven. Like other have said be prepared to be charged if not its a nice treat

Like other have said, Boarding time all depends on the previous cruise Passengers disembarking. Also like others have said Coast Guard inspection, US health inspection, and also if CBP is doing a full crew inspection that can delay boarding time. We have boarded as early as 10:30 before and this last time we boarded about 12:30 due to Coast Guard inspection.

Just off the Joy last month, The drop down slide that goes over the side they are strict on everything. Nothing in your pockets, absolutely no jewelry, also no metal or plastic on your swimsuit, even the plastic things that wrap around the draw strings i was turned away for.

Yea NOLA terminal sucks!!!!!!! lol....Miami, traveling in a Haven, easy as anywhere we boarded from.

Yea, anyone under 21 can not have a drink package, personally we had our 20 year old son and his 20 year old girlfriend with us on a previous cruise, wife and I had drink package which allows 2 drinks per card, we simply got them the drinks they wanted and cost nothing. Some may say we are wrong for doing this but nobody cares as far as staff

True, great thing about the Haven, pretty much ask and you shall receive lol

Nobody needs to talk to you lol… how other spend their money is up to them. I have spent $1200 for a cruise also have spent upwards of $10k. I have also traveled the world every continent excluding Australia. Yes cruises berse land based is not the same… have done both but honestly I am happy with either

I will say I do love the nespresso makers, but some mornings just want regular coffee lol

I don’t believe so I could be wrong, I know the Havens do

Haven courtyards again are one room, no seperate bedroom. If that’s something your looking for I recommend the Haven Aft suite, huge balcony private bedroom but outside the haven complex

Honestly it depends sometimes on the staff, I have never tried but have heard some say yes and some say no…maybe someone will have more insight

So when it comes to service, do not compare POA to the international ships...100% totally differant

I get the drink package point with Princess, but some of your other points Water has NEVER been included in the Drink package that comes with the FAS...so not sure why that would be a shock Understaffed...I am sure they were...just like every other business on sea and on land. Excursions: NCL does not own the tour operators that do the excursions...but to your point if they are that bad they need to be brought to the attention of the ship as they will and do suspend tours of there is enough complaints about them. Disembarkation: This again can go smoothly or horrible: A lot of this depends on the staffing levels of CBP. I have had good and bad disembarkations on every Cruise Line As far as people saying they will never sail again on NCL....that is their option where to spend there hard earned money. I will never say I will never sail a certain cruise line, but i do have preferences. We were on the Joy in April during Spring Break week, ship was absolutely slammed packed, but we expected that. Was some service a little slower, sure, but had an amazing vacation.

So what your saying it is NCL's fault that you did not read the cruise contract or pricing information and what it included before paying? Carnival has a cheers package, but if you dont read the fine print you will not know that it is capped at 15 drinks, also they dont tell you that even without the cheers package you are also capped at 15 drinks per day. Also you say NCL has Shady business practices? Well if that is your thoughts on the matter why would you ever do business with a company like that?

Exactly, my last cruise we upgraded to the Haven about 100 days out, got the lowest price available, within 2 weeks all Haven Suites were sold out. If you want the Haven, and its within your means dont take a chance thinking you will win a bid on one, slim to none now a days.

Can only speak for US site, so do a mock booking and choose a haven suite, then when it gives you the room number, there will be a tan that says choose another cabin, this will then bring you to a choice of forward or aft, then deck number. It will bring up a deck plan showing alll haven suites in that deck,

Haven upgrades have turned out to be much much harder than say a year ago. Watch the rates. Check the inventory for the Haven every day, if the cabin count is not going down you will see reductions in the rate so they can fill it. That’s how we upgraded from balcony to haven last 2 cruises. But make sure you check every day, one day there where 35 haven the next day when prices reduced there were only 7 available by the time I booked

We are looking forward to the Grotto on the escape in January. Joy doesnt have one they have an enourmas hot tub

Most reviews i see that are bad about the Pearl Class and the Dawn Class are people who cruise the BRekaway and Breakaway Plus class ships first. I for one, Have sailed on the Star and Dawn before...loved them, but since sailing on the BReakaway several times and the Joy and our next on the escape will only sail ships that were built with the Haven