Questions on The Haven

[travelerpair]

We are taking a cruise in Feb. 2013 and I am curious to hear about anyones experience with The Haven. The itinerary I like is from Tampa and we have done it before. However, the Pearl from Miami has The Haven. We are going to do a suite either way (big birthday for ME) Is the Haven worth it, and is it possible to have 4 adults comfortable in an Owners suite? Anyone?

[garycarla]

As to the OS - most of them are just one big room. 4 adults, especially if not related might be rough. Clarify the ship as that might help us help you.

 

Is Haven, or even a suite worth it? That question gets asked weekly. If you scroll down over the past week, you will find some discussions about it. And some about OS vs other suites. As to being worth it - You will hear some say "YES". Some will say maybe, and others are perfectly happy in an inside. So, hard to say if it is worth it to you.

[palmyrafan]

We are taking a cruise in Feb. 2013 and I am curious to hear about anyones experience with The Haven. The itinerary I like is from Tampa and we have done it before. However, the Pearl from Miami has The Haven. We are going to do a suite either way (big birthday for ME) Is the Haven worth it, and is it possible to have 4 adults comfortable in an Owners suite? Anyone?

 

DH and I think the Haven is the only way to cruise. We enjoy the privacy and the perks that we get. Our favorite is 14514 and it is quite spacious. One bedroom, bathroom has separate tub and shower, double vanities with makeup mirror and plenty of storage. The living area also includes a small table that seats 4 for dining or games and we always enjoy the coffee maker and small fridge. We love the Haven area as it affords us the privacy we like, whether eating dinner in there or just lounging by the small pool.

 

We have never booked the Owner's Suite but I have heard it is definitely worth it. Enjoy your cruise :)

[travelerpair]

We are booked in Owners with 2 balconies on the Dawn.

[Cubechick]

I probably wouldn't put 4 adults in an OS. 2 would be sleeping on the pull-out in the livingroom.

 

I think the Haven on the Epic is worth it. Other ships not so much as they don't have the restaurant and bars that the Epic Haven does. The Havens on the other ships is a small private pool area. Not worth thousands more IMO (but many disagree with me!).

[Anthony&David]

We are taking a cruise in Feb. 2013 and I am curious to hear about anyones experience with The Haven. The itinerary I like is from Tampa and we have done it before. However, the Pearl from Miami has The Haven. We are going to do a suite either way (big birthday for ME) Is the Haven worth it, and is it possible to have 4 adults comfortable in an Owners suite? Anyone?

 

We are booked in an OS on the Dawn and part of the reason we selected this cruise was that the Dawn does not have the Haven. We have twice previously had Haven access (OS on the Jewel and 14514 on the Gem), and our experiences in the Haven were very different, with the first being relaxing and the second being stressful (due to a few families who often took over the space as if it was their own, being loud, making a mess, and allowing their children to use the lap pool and hot tub as playgrounds). By not having the Haven, we do not have to hope that the Haven is the relaxing getaway it is described as and then be disappointed if it is not. Another bonus of the Dawn not having the Haven is that the deposit was substantially less and I recall that the actual cruise cost was less.

 

Regarding four adults in the OS, on the Jewel the bedroom was separated from the living/dining room by a heavy curtain that blocked noise and light, so it was like having two distinct rooms. From what I have read and seen, on the Dawn the OS has an actual set of doors between the rooms. If it matters to you, the full bath has access only through the bedroom (but, at least there is the half bath off of the living room). More important might be the bed/couch - who would get the larger (and I am guessing more comfortable) bed versus the couch? To me, there is definitely enough space (in terms of overall square footage, storage, seating, etc.) for four to be quite comfortable, but if we were among a group of four, we would select this suite only if it was agreed that we would get the bedroom.

[rsinj]

I think the Haven on the Epic is worth it. Other ships not so much as they don't have the restaurant and bars that the Epic Haven does. The Havens on the other ships is a small private pool area. Not worth thousands more IMO (but many disagree with me!).

 

Yes, I/we disagree with you.

 

Howard

[rsinj]

DH and I think the Haven is the only way to cruise. We enjoy the privacy and the perks that we get. Our favorite is 14514 and it is quite spacious. One bedroom, bathroom has separate tub and shower, double vanities with makeup mirror and plenty of storage. The living area also includes a small table that seats 4 for dining or games and we always enjoy the coffee maker and small fridge. We love the Haven area as it affords us the privacy we like, whether eating dinner in there or just lounging by the small pool.

 

Agreed 100%. We were in 14514 on Jewel last year and have the same suite again in March coming up.

 

Having a smaller Haven makes it special/private. Most days we had the entire courtyard to ourselves. The huge outside upper deck was magnificent for sailaway - again most times we were the only ones out there.

 

On Jewel, we also had the Haven lounge overlooking the midship pool with food/drinks, the big screen, and it was just a nice comfortable place to relax. It was our hideout on disembarkation day.

 

Howard

[travelerpair]

Thank you for real information. I too was a put off by children in the Haven (most come with clueless parents). We are only considering 4 in the suite because NCL will not give my daughter our suite privileges if we buy them a separate same deck balcony. Makes no sense to me. We are using the bedroom and just wanted to know if the space was comfortable for 4.

[palmyrafan]

Thank you for real information. I too was a put off by children in the Haven (most come with clueless parents). We are only considering 4 in the suite because NCL will not give my daughter our suite privileges if we buy them a separate same deck balcony. Makes no sense to me. We are using the bedroom and just wanted to know if the space was comfortable for 4.

 

No NCL will not extend suite privileges to family members not in suites. There are many opinions on this subject, but the bottom line is that you and your family have to be comfortable in how you are cruising. If you are homebodies and like to hang out in the suite/stateroom after dinner, it could get a bit cramped. But if all you will be doing is sleeping and showering in there, it might work for you.

[rsinj]

because NCL will not give my daughter our suite privileges if we buy them a separate same deck balcony. Makes no sense to me.

 

Obviously that's a different subject as palmyra indicated, but I am with the camp that if you don't pay for the suite/Haven, why would/should those perks/benefits be provided to you?

 

As an alternative, you could always purchase two larger suites (category SC or SE) not in the Haven.

 

Then you'd all have suite privileges - just no Haven access. You'd all have the ability to go to Cagney's for breakfast, butler/concierge/priority, etc.

 

Howard

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

Agreed 100%. We were in 14514 on Jewel last year and have the same suite again in March coming up.

 

Having a smaller Haven makes it special/private. Most days we had the entire courtyard to ourselves. The huge outside upper deck was magnificent for sailaway - again most times we were the only ones out there.

 

On Jewel, we also had the Haven lounge overlooking the midship pool with food/drinks, the big screen, and it was just a nice comfortable place to relax. It was our hideout on disembarkation day.

 

Howard

 

Hi, this is the first I've heard of this lounge on the Jewel. Do you have more information? We have booked a 2 room suite on the Jewel for November. Thank you.

[goldmom]

Hi, this is the first I've heard of this lounge on the Jewel. Do you have more information? We have booked a 2 room suite on the Jewel for November. Thank you.

 

The Jewel is the only ship that has this lounge area. On the sister ships it has been converted into suites. It is only accessible to Haven guests. It is up a flight of stairs. There is a great coffee machine in there and they put out snacks during the day. There are board games and couches. The view overlooking the pool area is fantastic. It seems to be a hidden treasure as I've almost never seen anyone else in it.

[Fishbait17]

I'm going to assume from the OP's posts that the third and fourth adults are the couple's adult daughters, am I correct? We have two adult daughters, now 22 and 25, and I wouldn't hesitate to share the OS with them. It's not the "perfect" setup, but the suite is very large and would be comfortable in our situation. The main problems would be four people sharing the main bathroom, but it's doable for a close family. Likely, though, my choice would be to share a two bedroom Haven Suite with them. While the second bedroom is tiny, at least it offers isolation from the main living area for my daughters to sleep in. The additional bath would be very handy for them as well. Of course, by choosing this option, we would be giving up a much larger floor plan and the huge balconies, but it's a tradeoff for a bit more privacy. OTOH, if we were two "equal" couples, neither situation is ideal. Both accommodations offer very distinct differences in comfort and privacy for the third and fourth guests, and it would be hard to equalize. But hey, since I am paying for my daughters and they are simply coming along on a free ride, they would be thrilled with whatever they get. Ideally, we like to get them their own suite (we have done the OS with the connected forward suite with them and it's great) but financial circumstances do not always allow this.

 

We are not Haven junkies, except for the Epic. We have often found the Haven too crowded or noisy for us, and I am not one for just sitting around relaxing in public, I prefer to be inside my own suite for that (in which case, either suite is great). The upper sun deck, though, is terrific if you wish to sunbathe in peace (not my thing, but my family enjoys it). What, specifically, are you looking for in the Haven experience?

 

Robin

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

The Jewel is the only ship that has this lounge area. On the sister ships it has been converted into suites. It is only accessible to Haven guests. It is up a flight of stairs. There is a great coffee machine in there and they put out snacks during the day. There are board games and couches. The view overlooking the pool area is fantastic. It seems to be a hidden treasure as I've almost never seen anyone else in it.

 

Thank you so much. See, you can always learn something new on CC!

[NayRN]

I'm not new to suites but I am new to a Haven suite. I'm just a bit confused regarding the butler....do I have one for my suite and a separate one for the Courtyard?? Just planning out my "Tip Fund"! BTW....I will be in the Haven OS on the Jewel.;)

[DMH15]

I'm not new to suites but I am new to a Haven suite. I'm just a bit confused regarding the butler....do I have one for my suite and a separate one for the Courtyard?? Just planning out my "Tip Fund"! BTW....I will be in the Haven OS on the Jewel.;)

 

Yes there are 2

[FLAHAM]

I like kids (mine are grown) and generally don't mind having them around. However, the presence of even one child seems to render the Haven's swim-against-the-current pool unusable for that purpose. In fact, one mother gave me a particularly nasty look when I turned on the current and began to swim, precluding her child from jumping in for perhaps 15 minutes.

[travelerpair]

Obviously that's a different subject as palmyra indicated, but I am with the camp that if you don't pay for the suite/Haven, why would/should those perks/benefits be provided to you?

 

As an alternative, you could always purchase two larger suites (category SC or SE) not in the Haven.

 

Then you'd all have suite privileges - just no Haven access. You'd all have the ability to go to Cagney's for breakfast, butler/concierge/priority, etc.

 

Howard

To you rsinj. How do you defend paying $299 for 3 & 4 in the suite (full privilege) and full fare for two in an ajoining balcony (no privileges)? Makes no sense anyway you play it. We would get the adjoining suite, but it does not have a balcony and my daughter has alergies and likes the fresh air. At this point we are bringing this to all levels of NCL as we are not adding to the number of possible guests using suite perks just paying for an additional cabin. The size of the 2nd bedroom will not work for 2 adults, so the suite we have chosen for the size and real door to the bedroom is it.

[dexddd]

We just were in one of the OS on the Dawn about a month ago. While the pull out sofa is the largest and probably most comfortable I've seen on any NCL ship (they are new sofas that NCL start using in 2010) it still only come out to about the size of a double or maybe a bit bigger (pretty long but not really wide). Fine for children but probably a bit tight for adults. IMO, I wouldn't choose this room for 4 adults unless you are close family.

 

If you are going on the Dawn you could also choose a SC (2 bedroom family suite) or the SA (Deluxe Owners Suite with two bedrooms/bathrooms but no balcony - either 12000 or 12500).

[Cubechick]

To you rsinj. How do you defend paying $299 for 3 & 4 in the suite (full privilege) and full fare for two in an ajoining balcony (no privileges)? Makes no sense anyway you play it. We would get the adjoining suite, but it does not have a balcony and my daughter has alergies and likes the fresh air. At this point we are bringing this to all levels of NCL as we are not adding to the number of possible guests using suite perks just paying for an additional cabin. The size of the 2nd bedroom will not work for 2 adults, so the suite we have chosen for the size and real door to the bedroom is it.[/quote]

 

Just to clarify (if I'm reading your post correctly) the OS on the Pearl does not have a "real door" to the bedroom. A heavy curtain is drawn to separate the livingroom and bedroom areas.

[Fishbait17]

To you rsinj. How do you defend paying $299 for 3 & 4 in the suite (full privilege) and full fare for two in an ajoining balcony (no privileges)? Makes no sense anyway you play it. We would get the adjoining suite, but it does not have a balcony and my daughter has alergies and likes the fresh air. At this point we are bringing this to all levels of NCL as we are not adding to the number of possible guests using suite perks just paying for an additional cabin. The size of the 2nd bedroom will not work for 2 adults, so the suite we have chosen for the size and real door to the bedroom is it.

 

I think I am misunderstanding which suite you are looking at on which ship... I thought you were looking at the Gem's Owner's Suite (with two balconies) and the same on the Dawn (on decks 9 and 10). Either of those has a connected forward suite with balcony. Sorry I don't have the cabin designators handy, not easy to flip between screens on an iPad.. If THOSE are the OS's you are speaking of, my above comments hold, but if you are speaking of the new Deluxe Owner's Suites on the Dawn, please disregard my original post, as they are a completely different setup that I know little about. Also, the two bedroom suites on both ships also have a real door separating the bedrooms, both of the bedrooms, and they are perfectly suitable for four, although, as I stated above, not equally. My daughters, as adults, have shared the second bedroom, and also the sofa bed in various suites and they were just fine, although I must say they do like having their own suite better ;).

 

I am also one who agrees that those in suites only should share the benefits. I wish there was another engineered way around it (paying an extra fee or paying for the third and fourth in both the suite and their own cabin), but there is no other way. I tried every option available over the years when my daughters were too young to be in their own suites, when there were no Owner's suites that slept all four of us, and no connecting suites were available, only regular staterooms (like on the Sun). We have had to make concessions, purchasing extra suites or crowding into one suite because that's just the way it is. First, paying $299 and crowding in allows for NCL to sell the other (non-suite) cabin as well, so NCL makes more even if you pay less - it's weird to think about, but by purchasing your daughters their own non-suite cabin, instead of putting them into your suite, you are actually costing NCL money. Also, if the rules bend a little, they will continue to bend until they break altogether, it's a slippery slope. If NCL allows one family to bring their children to share in suite privileges, next it will be Uncle Joe and Aunt Sue plus THEIR kids, maybe the grandparents, etc. I have seen this a few times when sailing, and it isn't pretty.. How would you feel paying so much for your OS and then having EVERY Haven suite allowed to bring two guests into the Haven? I have seen people sneak their friends/family in and the small space got very crowded very quickly, until the Haven butler took care of the issue. the space is not really big enough for full occupancy, but statistics show that the Haven suites are rarely fully occupied to their limits, so it works. The same goes for other suite benefits, like Cagney's breakfast and lunch, etc. I understand it's disappointing, believe me, I have been there, but I understand why the rules are in place and abide by them.

 

Robin

 

 

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[khaide612]

Something else to keep in mind - regardless of whether there is a curtain or a door between the rooms. If you wake up at different times, trying to get up & get ready & go out for the day is way more difficult when someone is sleeping on the couch. What about getting a Haven 2-bedroom?

[rsinj]

To you rsinj. How do you defend paying $299 for 3 & 4 in the suite (full privilege) and full fare for two in an ajoining balcony (no privileges)? Makes no sense anyway you play it. We would get the adjoining suite, but it does not have a balcony and my daughter has alergies and likes the fresh air. At this point we are bringing this to all levels of NCL as we are not adding to the number of possible guests using suite perks just paying for an additional cabin. The size of the 2nd bedroom will not work for 2 adults, so the suite we have chosen for the size and real door to the bedroom is it.

 

Look, this thread wasn't about what's fair or not. You wanted to know about the Haven and everyone has provided you with good/valuable information. Let's stick to the original topic and keep it at that.

 

Howard

[travelerpair]

Thank you for some valid information (as one who has been there). Best solution will be to pay for the 3&4 and keep the extra cabin. I have met 2 couples who have sailed in the Haven and been very unhappy with the number of children who take over the area, so we have decided to sail on the Dawn.