DMH15

We had not intended to book Epic DOS originally but after our Jade cuise was cancelled (NCL moved out of Houston) we rebooked Jade out of Tampa, but that was also cancelled for a music charter. They price protected us for Dawn or Epic. We chose Epic but then ponied up extra $$$ for the DOS and we loved it. There were 3 of us. Me, my sis and my niece. it was a happy twist of fate!

Deluxe Owners Suite. So sorry.

MadisonBay, enjoyed your post and liked reading your comparisons.

David, I have done both too and also a third scenario - have booked the aft suite on the Sun twice with no haven at all. I love the Sun and loved those cruises. Being in the DOS on the Epic really was a different animal. Being in the Haven was better than I expected. But although our butler, Maxi was incredible the concierge (team) were almost indifferent. But being in the hub was great. Nice to have workout facilities and a massage treatment room close by… I could slink back to my room after relaxing massage. Priceless. We found the convenient POSH a bonus. I am happy in any of the three scenarios. I choose value over cost every time. I always like reading your posts.

Epic was beautiful on the inside (from the DOS).

I like nickle and diming. It means I only pay for extras I want.

Love this! extrovert here. I am the offspring of two extrovert parents. They were wonderful. My mother had so many gifts… but the one trait I admired most about her was her ability to befriend and truly relate with anyone. She was comfortable with billionnaires as well as the homeless guy on her corner (she lived downtown). She was kind, funny and smart. People still constantly tell me how much they loved my folks. I hear new stories about them every day. Ironically, some of their best friends were introverts who just liked being in their company.

Love this! I have made friends for life from my cruises. The majority of people on cruises “get each other” and are people I enjoy meeting and spending time with.

Love your guidelines.

Here is something to ponder. Track your ship the night before and morning of in “real time”. We knew early that The Epic was behind schedule. Even before NCL notified us. Due to fog it got in a little before noon. It was crazy busy in our hotel dining room for breakfast. We always arrive early to the ship but this cruise it did not matter. We all waited outside in the sun until the ship was cleared. We left about 4 hours late.

If you ever get the opportunity for the Epic DOS jump on it! Quite the experience getting there. We booked a suite for 3 on the Jade out of Texas. A few months later NCL announced it was pulling out of Texas and our cruise was cancelled. So we switched to same ship, same suite out of Florida. A few months later THAT cruise was chartered for a music charter and our cruise was cancelled again. What are the odds of getting cancelled twice? They offered us Epic or Dawn. I had been on Dawn and not thrilled with it. So we booked Epic. They would not give us a two bedroom Haven suite for three of us their solution was putting my sister and I in a two person suite and my niece in an inside cabin across the hall. She was not 18 yet. Regardless, they said it would be OK. I insisted on getting in writing that she was to receive all the initial sweet privileges that we paid for on the first booking. After a few days, my sister and I realized we were not happy with these arrangements so we had our travel agent who is my cousin call and ask them what they could do for us to get us in a suite together… we were afraid my niece would just hang out in her own space and we wanted family time… So we went for the DOS and paid extra. What we paid was reasonable and worth it. It was a journey getting to that reservation. No regrets!

Yeah, she said that a lot!!!!

Wow. My mom was super frugal and she and I vacationed together a lot. My dad said “you girls go and have fun while I hold down the fort, I lived across the street). My mom closed her business at age 62 while my dad’s illness slowed him down. Four years later he died. On one of our NCL cruises, on the Jewel in an outside cabin, we met a couple from my childhood neighborhood who were in the haven and had us us to their cabin. I looked at my mom and said “we need to do this”… from that point forward I booked our suite and Haven cruises and she would just say “tell me what I owe”. So my otherwise frugal mom was hooked. The day after he 83rd birthday she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and lived 5 weeks and 5 days. My siblings and I had always encouraged her to spend her money on herself. And cruising was the one place she did indulge. It gave her joy. And JOY was her name. When she was alive used to tell us she us, “I’m a banker’s kid so I budget my money. I want to make sure I can take care of myself and not be a burden on you kids”. After her medical bills and funeral she had not run out. She did not have a lot, but she was able to complete what she set out to do. Seventeen years after my dad died my mom joined him. Truly, our cruises were some of her favorite memories. And you know what? She would have loved them in an inside cabin too. She was that kind of person. But one of my favorite pictures of her was at breakfast on the Sun in Il Adagio having suite breakfast at our favorite table on the window. That suite breakfast and lunch venue was peaceful and quiet and the food was superior. She loved it. We cruised twice in the same aft corner suite with a huge balcony. We never know what tomorrow brings. Embrace the things that bring you joy.

I love the restaurant North Italia. It is right across the street from my hotel. Great vibe and food.

I have stayed quite a few times walking distance to Marketplace and free tram but then I switched to Brickell area as I like the restaurants there.

My SA cruise on the Sun in an aft PH suite remains my favorite cruise to date. Flew to Antarctica from Punta Arenas. Once in a lifetime experience.

We cruised Epic in a forward DOS. The Haven was great. Never felt that crowded (compared to others).

I cruised in a corner aft suite on Sun for South America and the Chilean fjords very similar to Alaska. Loved it.

After many cruises the NCL Sun holds a special place in my heart. We sailed 2 cruises a total of 25 days in the same aft suite. Two awesome cruises.

It is possible to cruise in Haven on NCL or similarly in YC on MSC with friends or family not in that category. We met up after breakfast in the general population part of the ship. We did specialty dining some nights together. Of couse, off the ship in ports did not matter.

I cruised as a solo on Seaside in YC. Paid double. That was my contract. No where does it state you can make adjustments enroute.

I have been cruising in Haven on NCL and YC on MSC for quite a while. The difference in my cruise vacations before this were night and day. So, I show my appreciation to those responsible for making that happen.

Nope. Many are like me. Just established in career and made good choices. I do not have kids. I drive my cars 10-12 years and have had same job 33 years. I do things for others A LOT. In my personal and professional life. So, my idea of a perfect vavation is R & R. So, I find great value in both the butler and Concierge and I tip accordingly.

OMG. I just realized while reading your post you could have been talking about me 50 years ago. My parents had gone out and upon return commented on my rearranging the furniture in our living room. It was months later they realized it was because of the huge hole in the wall behind the secretary, which one of my “friends” had left behind. I have three siblings but my mom always attributed her grey hair to me. Ironically, I developed into a very responsible adult, by the grace of God. In all my cruises I have never been bothered enough by teens, tweens or kids to consider it a detriment to my enjoyment. This encompasses 5 lines and Haven and YC to inside cabin.

Love it. I am hanging my head in shame. LOL.