What makes it worth and extra $4400.00?

The spa was the only place we didn't feel welcome on the Epic. We asked for a tour the first day and it was all about what treatments we could book to look better and nothing about what we could do to feel better. After the tour they told us that we could buy a pass but they should have recognized the bracelets we wore to show that we already had access!

 

We never went there again after the tour!

Yeah....I understand about the push to sell massages and the like. If I have one (OK maybe two) issues on any cruise ship, it’s the bombardment to buy stuff and services.

On my first Haven Spa Cabin, I was also bombarded by the push to sell me Spa Services. I politely turned them down and told them I was in the Haven Spa, and was immediately given a brief tour of the Spa with no more selling done.

I was also a bit put off by the selling of whatever oils or elixirs they push. I have taken upon myself to tell them not to bother as I don’t want/need/use any of them. They usually back off pretty quickly. For whatever reason, it seems the RCL cruises I’ve taken the Spa personnel have been much more aggressive in selling their “products” than on any cruise line. Not sure why.

What was nice about MSC, there was no attempt to upsell oils and products used when I got a massage. On the other hand, I got a haircut on the Divina. The person who cut my hair was very aggressive in selling me the shampoos, etc they used. I finally just left the hair station abruptly when the 3rd “no” didn’t suffice in gettting my message across.

Yeah....I understand about the push to sell massages and the like. If I have one (OK maybe two) issues on any cruise ship, it’s the bombardment to buy stuff and services.

 

On my first Haven Spa Cabin, I was also bombarded by the push to sell me Spa Services. I politely turned them down and told them I was in the Haven Spa, and was immediately given a brief tour of the Spa with no more selling done.

 

I was also a bit put off by the selling of whatever oils or elixirs they push. I have taken upon myself to tell them not to bother as I don’t want/need/use any of them. They usually back off pretty quickly. For whatever reason, it seems the RCL cruises I’ve taken the Spa personnel have been much more aggressive in selling their “products” than on any cruise line. Not sure why.

 

What was nice about MSC, there was no attempt to upsell oils and products used when I got a massage. On the other hand, I got a haircut on the Divina. The person who cut my hair was very aggressive in selling me the shampoos, etc they used. I finally just left the hair station abruptly when the 3rd “no” didn’t suffice in gettting my message across.

We also got a tour of the spa on Meraviglia and they said nothing about any extra treatments.

Although the benefits of a suite are wonderful, the extra money to pay for it would easily pay for a second cruise,

We would keep booking balconies in order to have more cruises, rather than having to wait longer to have a suite.

It's all in what you need.

Although the benefits of a suite are wonderful, the extra money to pay for it would easily pay for a second cruise,

 

We would keep booking balconies in order to have more cruises, rather than having to wait longer to have a suite.

 

It's all in what you need.

True....I always play that game with myself. I can book a balcony and cruise 2x, I can book a window cabin 3x, I can book an inside GTY cabin 4x, for what it costs to sail once in the Haven.

I sailed solo on the Breakaway and in a Haven Spa Cabin. Of course I enjoyed the Haven Spa Cabin more, but the solo cabin was unique in its own right. May have been the people I met in the solo common area. But, that was a weird cruise for me. I couldn't relate to my fellow solo travelers, at all. Could have been me. I've pretty affable and easy to please. So I came to the conclusion it was them. LOL!

Then, you start adding in the perks, like UBP, UDP, internet plans, excursion credits, additional OBC, that you get booking the Haven, that you may not get booking a GTY, and the financial equation gets a little fuzzy.

As you say, depends on what you want.

I know the Haven experience really made all of my cruises, and I was happier with those experiences than any of my other cruise experiences....on any other cruise line.