Phil265

We are planning a transatlantic cruise on the Encore in 2024 and hoping to be able to Upgrade maybe to a Haven suite when time comes to bid. 

What is the lowest cabin category that allows you to bid for the Haven? Would that be a standard balcony cabin or does it have to be a mini suite? I heard upgrades from oceanview to the Haven are not possible that is why I want to make sure. 

I have a question concerning the Ncl weight restrictions for luggage. On the homepage all I could find was that a max. of 22kg / 50 pounds per bag is allowed. 

Is it the same for Haven guests? How strict are they when your bag is a little overweight? We are planning on travelling with only one shared bag starting tomorrow which is about 26kg / 50 pounds. What would happen in that case? Our airline allows more than 22 kg and guest flying business class for example could even check bags with a 32 kg /  70 pounds per bag limit…

Thanks everyone!

25 minutes ago, jdvmd said:

Got off the ship yesterday morning! Fantastic experience. Have all the dailies.

It would be great if you could post the latest dailies! Thank your sharing your experience! I will be on the Encore in december myself.

Are the Christmas decorations up yet? Anything else that is new?

Just out of curiosity… why does everyone on here seems so keen on checking in the exact second it is enabled? I mean people disuss the exact minutes and seconds even when it is in the middle of the night.

Is there anything I miss? Is there a disadvantage if I check in 20, 10 or 5 days out instead of 21 sharp

On 10/25/2022 at 5:03 PM, July1963 said:

We booked Norwegian first time for July next year on the Joy. We have since found out that children are not allowed on the Sundeck. This would exclude us as a family from this whole area, our Son will be 14 when sailing, only child and behaves much as an adult. I did have an online Chat with Norwegian and they said to talk with Guest Services when onboard. 

Has anyone seen children in this area? This may well be a deal breaker for us to the extent we cancel.

Don’t you think it is a little overdramatic to cancel the whole cruise because of that tiny adults only area? I mean how much time are you planning on spending up there with your son? Back when I was 14 the least thing I wanted to do on a cruise was sit in a boring place like the Haven sundeck with my parents and sunbathe or read a book. That was at a time when ships did not even have anything like waterslides, laser tag, gocarts, teen areas and so on…there is not even a pool up there. I mean did you ask your son if spending time up there is so important to him that all the 99% of the other cool stuff and Haven amenities on a ship like the Joy or Encore don’t matter to him anymore or is it just you being unhappy about a rule that is there for a reason? 

3 hours ago, 2boyzmom said:

I am on this cruise with you. I read 2500 guests total so I'm not sweating getting in to the shows, I'm just hoping the concierge will handle the reservations.

How do you know how many guests are on your cruise? Did you ask ncl, or is there another way? Thanks!

7 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

The Premium Plus Beverage Package is not for everyone.  Just like staying in the Haven area, you have to study what you can gain from this program. Many think it is all about drinking enough to justify upgrade.  From a value proposition, that is in many ways is true.  Yet there is something else that needs to be considered.  That is how you approach your cruise vacation.

 

Again, so no one takes me the wrong way, it is not for everyone.  The first time I purchased the Premium Plus program, I did it for the full bottle of selected wines at meal time.  My wife LOVES win.  She hated having to order a glass of wine and when she when she did, it took a while to get it.  When I saw that you could order a full bottle, that solved the issue for my wife.  

 

What I did not know that very first time was the program covered a lot more of what we as a family love.  It was a learn as you go situation which lead me to write this original article on this program. At home, we have water by our beds at night.  We quickly found out bottled imported water was part of the program.  At dinner, we would order Imported water with gas.  After dinner we would ask our waiter to give us two bottles of non-gas water to take to our room.  Normally, I would not order fancy water at meals out. When they were complementary, it was easy to enjoy this luxury.  A plus for us.

 

The next situation that happened was I was at the Haven bar.  Don't think that this is just a Haven benefit because it is not.  I asked the Bartender for a "Nice" sipping tequila.  He looked at my cabin card, noticed the coding for the Premium Plus package and served me a lovely glass of Tequila 1942.  I had never had this before and it was smooth and lovely.  The price per glass usually would have been about $45.00.  With this program, it was no charge.  

 

I like many others like Starbucks.  At first, I was not sure if Starbucks was included.  It certainly was.  Again, when in the Haven, specialty coffee was complementary regardless of which drink package you had.  Out side of the Haven, whether at the Starbucks counter or at a restaurant, there was always a charge.  I had a habit of going to the Observation Lounge in the morning to get a nice coffee at the Starbucks.  This became another benefit.  

 

A few of the bars on all NCL ships do drinks that use smoke.  That are above the normal $15.00 maximum, they also came with this package.  I can remember being in the Teppanyaki Japanese Restaurant and ordering a full bottle of French Champagne.  It was only my wife and I.  The waiter asked me how many glasses I wanted.  There was eight at my table and I asked for eight.  It was no issue and we had three bottles that night with our new friends.  

 

Over time, we learned more about the rules and policies for this beverage plan and leveraged it to make our vacations special.  The cost of the upgrade was a premium however never having to worry about added charges to my room portfolio allowed me to create as close to an all inclusive vacation as one can create on a mainstream cruise brand.  

 

People ask me all that time, is it worth the money.  The answer is, NO.  When you take the approach I was attempting to create a stress free all-inclusive approach, the answer is YES.  Still, the debate is having this program creates the need to make it a value and if you can't drink that much, don't get the package.  I truly never looked at it that way.  Instead, I would now without fear try new items and expended my experiences with no fear of a huge bill at the end of my cruise which I had done in the past. 

 

One more benefit was we would plan our dinner on ordering a second bottle of wine for my wife.  That bottle we would bring to our cabin for a night cap on the balcony.  I explain how we use this program all the time.  I try to educate folks that brands not found on the written list are still on the plan.  All you have to do is ask.  Now there are some obvious exceptions like Louis or Dom.  Yet even on those items, you gain a pretty hefty discount. 

 

The debate on is it worth it or not will never end.  Yet for my lovely bride and I, we never cruise without it.  Now with the New NCL Free at Sea PLUS which includes the Premium Plus Beverage Package and other things, it is even easier for us to enjoy our goal of All-Inclusive feel on an NCL Ship.  

 

We will be cruising on the Breakaway in December of this year.  We have both the Free at Sea Plus package and for the first time, we booked the Vibe Beach Club Cabana months before the cruise.  

 

Like anything else, none of this extra's are essential to having a great cruise.  If your strategy on cruising is similar to mine, consider this as an option.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

Gary your posts and comments are amazing! It is gonna be my first time in the Haven in december and I am pretty sure it would not be the same without all the knowlege you shared here! You should probably write a book!! 

I will take the opportunity to ask one of my few remaining questions…we have the premium plus package and were wondering how it works with the bottled / sparkling water. Is it just available in the restaurants for diner, or during the day at the other bars aswell? We do also like having a bottle for the night or just while laying at the pool but haven’t figured out how exactly that works or where to get them from…

Thank you for your advice!

It is gonna be my first time in the Haven on the Encore in December!

A while back there was talks about a “Haven area” on Great Stirrup Cay? Nothing has heen updated since… Do Haven guests get access to the silver cove lagoon or is there maybe another spot reserved for Haven guests? Does anyone have an update on that matter?

Other than that I have read there is priority tendering for Haven guests to be on the first tender. How does that work? Is it only for the first tender, or can you skip the line for the second or third one aswell? Thanks erveryone!

8 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Ignore the nasty comments from hallux. 

 

While some waiters have been instructed to tell you that you can order one appetizer, one entrée, and one dessert, there are no such restrictions in the terms and conditions for Specialty Dining. (You may find Cruise Critic threads that address Platinum-level perks which have different restrictions). 

 

Order as many appetizers and sides as you want.  We do, and have never been charged (and we cruise multiple times a year). 

 

https://www.ncl.com/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions

• Applicable to guests 1-2 on the reservation
• Dining package is applicable to guest ages 2 and older
• Package prices are subject to change
• Guest is responsible for 20% gratuities on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package prior to cruise
• 20% gratuities on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package are included when booking through the Australia office
• For Casino booked reservations – promotion code CASFAS will be added under referral code CASUPALL on sail lengths 7 nights or longer for Balcony and above staterooms
• Packages are based on a per meal basis
• Any Harvest Caye bars, restaurants, or venues, The Bake Shop, Ice Cream Bar, Gelato, specialty items in the Asian restaurant, Special Occasion/Holiday menus (New Year's, Christmas, etc.),
• Jazz Brunch, Wine Lovers and Murder Mystery lunches, and beverages are not included as part of the Specialty Dining Packages
• Guests are permitted to pre-reserve specialty dining with entertainment included However, the guest is responsible to pay the full retail value
• If the guest chooses to use the reservation as part of their specialty dining package, they will need to make these arrangements once onboard
• Specialty Dining Packages include one main course per person at Cagney's and Le Bistro
• Additional main courses will be charged at the a la carte price listed on the menu
• There is no minimum or maximum to the number of meals that can be redeemed in a day, however each meal is counted towards the package

Thank you so much! That was an answer I was hoping for!

3 minutes ago, Phil265 said:

well if I have overseen something I would be happy if you could send me some links to the weekly answers to my question. Thanks

also, your answer isn't really helpful.

2 hours ago, hallux said:

With the free at sea promo your only restriction is the entree.

 

I guess we were due for our weekly thread on this...

well if I have overseen something I would be happy if you could send me some links to the weekly answers to my question. Thanks

What I have found on here is that there is one main course included in the regular “free-at-sea” dining package. What about the Entrees / starters, soups and deserts? My wife is usually not a big fan of main courses, so she would be happy to skip the main course to try more of the delicious sounding starters or deserts. She rather has two or three starters than one main course.

So in general, how many starters, appetizers or deserts are included in the dinging package without me having to pay extra? Thank you all for your help!

Why wouldn‘t it be worth it just because you are staying in the Haven? 

19 minutes ago, Selion said:

If you look at the end of fine prints, you'll notice "05/21" printed.  If it's only by glasses, then the value of PPB is severely limited.

 It has always been only  “by the glass“. Why does that severely limit the value? 

28 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

 But do what you feel is right for you and your preferences, and please allow me to make mine. Thanks.

I never questioned your preferences. 

2 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

$35 a glass? Yikes! I can buy it myself and pay the $15 corkage fee and yet STILL come out ahead.

Having said that, I HAVE opted for Premium+ packages in the past on other lines and usually end up losing money or drinking too much, so this time we're sticking with the included package and maybe ordering the odd top-shelf stuff once in a while. But that's just me.

You only come out ahead if you intend not drinking more than 5 glasses of champagne during the entire cruise if you bring your own bottle. I would never pay 35$ for just one glass of champagne, but when you consider the regular price for a whole bottle of Veuve is about 40$ on land then the upgrade is well worth it. You are on vacation…Just have a bottle of champagne each night during dinner, maybe another glass or two during the day, some starbucks coffee in the morning, fresh orange juice for breakfast, bottled water, maybe a premium cocktail at the bar after dinner and even at home all this would add up to more than 60$ per day. So the 29$ per day for the upgrade seems pretty much worth it to me. If you don‘t intend to drink that much champagne or premium stuff, then of course the upgrade will make u loose money in the end. 

11 hours ago, Laszlo said:

Its the overuse of antibiotics in the 80's and 90's that have caused many issues

The overuse of antibiotics which still happens today and causes antibacterial / antimicrobial resistance which leads to many issues. The increase in food intolerances and other allergies is not one of them. 

23 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Sterile lifestyle? Washing my hands after using the restroom and before eating, and not touching public restroom doors is living a "sterile lifestyle"?

 

I had no qualms about self-service buffets before this, but reading that washing hands after using the bathroom is "too extreme" for some people, I think I am now on board with no longer touching shared utensils in buffets!

Maybe I should have put it in quotation marks. I meant a “sterile lifestyle“. Which includes not touching handrails, door knobs etc. and using hand sanitizer too often. Noone was talking about not washing your hands after using the bathroom. Where did I say anything about not washing hands?  There is a difference. 

40 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Recent? I am 42 years old and learned about hand hygiene and not touching dirty surfaces in elementary school. I've been opening bathroom doors with my sleeve or paper towel or the side of my hand my entire life. Hand sanitizer has been common and available on the market for at least all of my adulthood....

 

Sadly that is exactly the reason why we see an increase in allergies and food interolerance in the past 50 years. Your body only knows how to fight a pathogen when coming in contact with it. A sterile lifestyle is not necessarily a healthy one. 

6 hours ago, mpdog42 said:

Yeah I bet you were top of the class at John Hopkins..

someone getting a little moody? Nah, not John Hopkins, did you? I don‘t live in the US. I did go to medical school tho. So how about you tell me something about that „Medical field“ that I don‘t already know. 

On 6/7/2021 at 11:05 AM, mpdog42 said:

I can tell you have no experience  in the Medical field..

Well I do and I have to say CaptainWoody is making a point. 

Yes, very helpful! Thank you so much for all your detailed information. Since all my last booked cruises in 2020 on the Encore got cancelled I can‘t wait to finally (hopefully) sail in 2022. I am booked from Miami. Already excited about your posts on the new terminal and everything else in November!

Are there any information on the Haven area at the new NCL Miami cruise terminal? Will there be a Haven area, check-in and security check? Since the terminal is ready for passengers, are there any pictures of the area?

1 hour ago, Trimone said:

So you’re saying that anyone that likes a beer doesn’t deserve Haven Life?

Sorry I use the Haven and I enjoy a beer before dinner. I also don’t want to miss shows when someone is pricing around for people that want to photograph cocktails instead of drinking them. 

Noone said that. It is just not the smartest idea then to go to a bar that is known and very much appreciated  for its delicately made cocktails when I just want to grab a beer and then complain about the long wait. Besides I am pretty sure there is more than one bartender during busy hours.  

4 hours ago, Trimone said:

I’m so glad not being on your cruise, nothing winds me up more than a bartender making a 5-6 minute cocktail when I’m waiting for a quick beer.

Too bad that other than the haven bar there aren‘t like 50 other places to get that quick beer on a cruise ship.