roger001

I did a Bliss courtyard Haven two weeks ago, 7 night, for about $430 a night pp.  But yours is a good price.  

I realize it can't be helped.  But at the same time, it is time for full refunds for those guests that wish to cancel.  This is not the cruise they purchased.

1 hour ago, roger001 said:

We cruised in a Haven recently, Bliss.  The butler and concierge were both very available had we needed them.  We just don't use their services much at all though.  For tipping Haven or anywhere, there is no recommended, or standard, or expected amount at all.  It is up to you.  We tipped the butler and the concierge $70 each.  We tipped our cabin steward $70.  We enclosed this in an envelope with a note thanking them, giving it them last day.  We tipped the Haven restaurant maitre d $30 the last morning at breakfast.  We tipped the restaurant servers during the cruise $5 at breakfast and $10 at dinner.  We tipped our servers in the Haven bar $2 for each round served at our chairs and the bartender $2 if we got something from the bar.  We tipped our two favorite bar servers $20 each on our last day.  There is no agreement on a recommended amount of tipping anywhere.  You are not wrong whatever you do.  

Oh yea.  Forgot to add, we gave the young lady at the Haven customer service desk a $20 the last day also.  

We cruised in a Haven recently, Bliss.  The butler and concierge were both very available had we needed them.  We just don't use their services much at all though.  For tipping Haven or anywhere, there is no recommended, or standard, or expected amount at all.  It is up to you.  We tipped the butler and the concierge $70 each.  We tipped our cabin steward $70.  We enclosed this in an envelope with a note thanking them, giving it them last day.  We tipped the Haven restaurant maitre d $30 the last morning at breakfast.  We tipped the restaurant servers during the cruise $5 at breakfast and $10 at dinner.  We tipped our servers in the Haven bar $2 for each round served at our chairs and the bartender $2 if we got something from the bar.  We tipped our two favorite bar servers $20 each on our last day.  There is no agreement on a recommended amount of tipping anywhere.  You are not wrong whatever you do.  

Wow!  I’m so sorry.  This whole thing is really getting worse with each weeks sailings, other cruises and lines also.  Sucks…again.  

Just stayed away from any potential crowd situation the week before cruising.  We were on the last no mask Bliss cruise last week.  With masks now required, that's probably our last cruise, at least for a long time, or until that requirement is lifted.  We already cancelled our next booked one.  

Enjoyed it.  Thanks.  We were on the Bliss last week.  Hope you trip home is a better experience than ours out of Long Beach last Sunday.  Between SWA and the Long Beach terminal, it was the experience from hell.  

Had a free PCR test from our health dept this week.  Had results in about 24 hours.  The lines for testing, no appointments, are getting longer and longer though. 

If it's Haven you want, the Bliss is wonderful.  If you want one of the smaller Jewel class ships, and we love them, then don't book their Haven.  It offers nothing that the suites can't give you.  I suggest on those class ships, try for a rear facing deck 10 suite.  

1 hour ago, Adian80 said:

Sounds like you had a fabulous, relaxing trip.  Can you tell me what the boarding process was like for Haven guests?  I saw a report yesterday that showed really long lines for the preboarding COVID test.  Is there a separate line for Haven guests for the COVID test and check in process? 

No.  Haven priorities don't begin until after going through security.  Then you are escorted to a Haven check in lounge and escorted onto the ship when it is ready.  However, for us we had a 10 am check in time. The line for Covid testing was very short, no delay, tested quickly, results in about 20 minutes.  Then into a line for the shuttle back to the boarding berth.  Haven priority begins there.  The only problem we had was our hotel shuttle dropped us off at the boarding berth.  We had to walk with luggage down to the testing berth, about 5 to 10 minutes.  If you get transportation, be sure they drop you at the correct berth, I believe 93.  Boarding I believe was berth 91 or maybe 92.  Maybe someone can verify or correct that.  

2 hours ago, exgman said:

We agree with you roger. We found the rooms to be a nice size and well decorated. However the chair/fold out bed was totally unusable as were the deck chairs. Extremely uncomfortable. We used John, the concierge several times for reservations and he was excellent. The escort off the ship via the freight elevator was fantastic. I’ve never disembarked a ship so fast and easy. The Haven bar and restaurant crew were great as well. Our first time on NCL, not our last. 

We were going to just walk off ourselves.  As we passed through the bar/lounge area, John was standing there and said come on.  We did. He had us off that ship so fast I think I was trying to catchup mentally.  Never been off a ship that fast.  

The Bliss, the Haven, my opinion.  Having sailed on the Bliss last week and booked in the Haven, I offer these thoughts.  If you haven’t tried the Haven experience before, then if you plan to someday to see what it’s like, I suggest the Bliss. 

We found both the Haven facility and the crew staffing it to be wonderful.  The Haven on the Bliss, and I guess the mega ships that have a large inclusive Haven area like the Bliss does, is inclusive enough to offer more than we can actually enjoy though.  That’s at least for us, couple in our late 70s.  Even though the Haven was fully booked (the ship otherwise was only about 60%), we never felt like there was anything crowded at all.  In fact, I thought it was only about half full. 

We loved the beautiful forward exclusive observation lounge.  It was always uncrowded and peaceful.  And it always had a delicious variety of snacks available along with an excellent espresso coffee machine.  An attendant was always present and bar service readily available.  My wife enjoyed  the very peaceful and quiet small library just above it.  The Haven restaurant was wonderful for breakfast and dinner.  We never tried it for lunch.  And our favorite, the bar/lounge.  Again, seldom more than a few persons there, servers fantastic, and drinks excellent.  It was just peaceful and relaxed.  We, being a bit older, only used the pool area and its hot tub once.  Again though, seldom any crowd at all.  Usually only two or three others in the area.  The outdoor area was super nice, exclusive, and almost private with little use.  For us, we just don’t hang out in the sun any longer though. 

We had cabin 17722.  Our cabin attendant Edison, fantastic.  The cabin though was not quit what we have enjoyed on the Jewel class suites.  Slightly smaller and not well arraigned we thought.  For the Haven, a dedicated butler and concierge was pretty much always available in the area.  We had little need for either, but did enjoy seeing them so readily available had we needed their services.  There is a customer service rep always on duty in the bar/lounge area if you need any of that type assistance.  A real advantage of a Haven on the Bliss type ships is that everything you need is just moments away from your cabin.  You basically would never need to see the rest of the ship to still have a wonderful cruise. 

We did venture out frequently though using two specialty restaurants, the buffet, and the what was formerly O’Shehans.  And we even drove the race cars.  Our biggest Bliss disappointment was Six being cancelled for the cruise.  A cast member got last minute confined for whatever reason.  Jersey Boys played two nights. However, at an hour and forty five, having seen it several times, we passed on that.  The Beatles forty five minute show was fun to watch, although their musical notes were a bit off I thought. 

Back to the Haven.  I can’t say enough about how wonderful the staff and crew assigned to the Haven are.  We wanted to adopt all of them.  You will be pampered by them as much as you wish.  In conclusion, if you wanted to at least try the Haven experience once, I really recommend the Bliss.  We are not big ship fans though.  The Bliss (and our other big ship, the Getaway) both beautiful and with a wonderful crew.  However, they are just too big and with much more offerings than we can comfortable use.  We are fans of the Jewel and Dawn class ships and very happy with their suite offerings.  I cannot however see how using the Haven on those ships would offer much of anything that the suites don’t.  So, Haven, go Bliss if you want to give it a try.  We did, loved it, and will now be back to the smaller ships.   But Bliss staff and crew, we love you and will miss you.  So glad we tried it once. 

The attached is a You Tube video of the Bliss Haven.  

Jersey Boys, both the movie and the Broadway touring production, filled with the F word. Part of the production.  On the Bliss now.  Six canceled last minute for this cruise.  

We’re Haven this time.  But usually, weather good, we sit on the pool deck, snack from the grill items available out there, or grab something out of the buffet, and sit, drink and people watch as the guests arrive.  An exciting part of it all beginning.  And, don’t want to get too full and not appreciate the evening meal. 

All you can do is base a decision on the current sailings.  You like what your see, then book.  But no way to know what can happen in the future.  It could change in many ways.  But.....you just don't and can't know.  

30 minutes ago, rtkenmore said:

Sailing to Roatan now..  so skipping Cozumel and likely shortening Roatan. 

What is the mask requirement on board now?

As I said, we each have a mask tolerance and recognize the need for them  for our many required activities, doctors, grocery, etc.  However, remember many, many current booked NCL guests, me included,  booked only and only because the cruises would be 100% vaccinated and NO masks.  Understanding circumstances can require sudden change  of masking requirements, this does not change the facts that many, many of us just can’t accept a masked cruise. Hopefully specifics will be determined early this week. 

Will just have to wait and see how this mask thing goes.  I’m scheduled next week.  I absolutely cannot do a cruise with masks.  They bother me just to much.  Each have their tolerance I guess.  Guess I’m out the bucks then if this comes to pass. Have insurance but it won’t cover this I assume.  What a mess.  

Well.....hell!     I can't see the ship getting turned around and underway for the next sailing any where near on schedule.  Hope NCL Covid procedures prove me wrong.  

Yes.  Bring your own.  And they're pretty inexpensive.  And you can check easily several times a day.  You'll be surprised on how it varies.  

Test.......happened to me a few weeks ago.  Lasted for about 3 days.  Don't know why. 

The Jewel class Haven is just not all that great I don’t think.  Not like the Haven on the big ships.  My opinion.  Nothing really dedicated to the Haven guests other than the small courtyard.  

Those Pearl, and the Jewel class ship mini suite (Club Balcony), and suites bathroom tubs were a product of an era when guests were much smaller...and even then the tubs were pretty small.  Much like the chairs throughout the ships being replaced with larger ones not long before the Covid shutdown, those tubs probably would not accommodate many of the guests any more.  And, to even shower you had step over the very tall edges of them to enter.  I always wondered how many people fell getting in and out.  They just weren't a very good design idea.  

The size of these mega ships and the distance from one point to the next can be lengthy.  To chase down food from a kitchen far away would take up many minutes of a waiters time.  I would say no just for that reason.  

Do you remember what night Six is performed?