Getaway Haven stay 2/15-2/22

[jupitercruiser123]

Just returned this am from 2/15 getaway cruise. Got upgraded to the Haven. Many plusses and minuses with this.

 

Plusses - generally quieter. Haven has its own restaurant, and bar. Had a meet the captain and officers event w/in the Haven. Very nice - but fast...... small pool area for Haven only - many issues w/this. Haven has upstairs private area as well - no pool and no elevator to get there. Butler and cabin steward were AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! cannot say enough about these hard-working wonderful gentlemen. they responded quickly and promptly to any request, were wonderful about privacy as well and each nite brought a special snack.....

 

Minuses - unfortunately, unless something changes w/policy i would not upgrade to haven if you were looking for quiet and the ability to sit at the pool. there were 8 lounge chairs, a few deck chairs and some deck "sofa's" there were 6 pool chaises in the h20. During my trip we had a family of about 10-12 that every am put their towels on the lounge chairs and the pool chaises. their kids hung out in both hot tubs and pool. There was minimal if any room for anyone else and this happened every day of the trip. There is no elevator to the other haven area, so if you cant do stairs - you didn't get to enjoy Haven. Rules clearly state you can't leave towels but in such a small area as the Haven, definitely needs to be enforced. you can do the math to see how many families were put out because of this one family. I hope they enjoy the future cruises on NCL, because I won't be one.

 

ports - st martin was a blast - st thomas, kinda not. nassau is nassau.

 

food - very good.

 

shows - very good.

 

service - other than the pool issue - these people work their tails off! most pleasant experience!

[20YearsBetweenCruises]

What did you do in St. Martin?

 

 

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[david_sobe]

Thanks for the quickie review - cant wait to hear more. I haven't sailed on Getaway but I could never understand the use of space in the Haven. The Haven almost looks like the Haven on the Jewel Class ships. Has NCL forgot they added 40 more suites???? 6 loungers in the water is a major waste of space. Although it looks very nice and would be ideal if there were only 15 suites on board.

Your experience was one of ours on the Epic. The hot tubs were over run with teenagers and the pool was a kiddie pool. Its frustrating but I tell myself they pay just as much to use the facilities.

But biggest disappointment is not having an adults only area in the Haven like Epic (Posh). If Posh had a small waterfall or cooling off pool, that would be ideal for the newer ships.

 

Welcome home. We all will be "patiently" waiting for more :)

Edited February 22, 2014 by david_sobe

[heakja]

Strange that it should be so difficult to enforce the no-chair-hogging-rules in a limited-size area like the Haven.

[isdoo]

Did you raise the chair hogging with the concierge? What did (s)he say?

[heakja]

I feel for the OPer, it is not always easy to raise an issue like this. Being a shy person, I for sure wouldn't risk getting the evil eye from 12 people in the Haven every day for a whole week. Paying a premium rate, I expect NCL to deal with this. It must have been very visible for the staff.

[3DBeach]

Thanks for sharing a review.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Thank you for sharing your experience. It was very nice of you to take the time. :)

[LrgPizza]

I absolutely without a doubt would have been out there on a lounger at 4AM to be sure I beat them to one, just for the principle of the thing.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

I absolutely without a doubt would have been out there on a lounger at 4AM to be sure I beat them to one, just for the principle of the thing.

 

 

This was exactly my first thought. I would have draped at least three loungers, in addition to my own, with books, towels, clothes, etc., and then snuggled in for a nice long nap. And if anyone said anything to me, I would whip out the photos of their clan I had been snapping all week. :cool: My motto has always been "Don't get mad, get even".

[gelo7]

Welcome back, and thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[SissasMomE]

Minuses - unfortunately, unless something changes w/policy i would not upgrade to haven if you were looking for quiet and the ability to sit at the pool. there were 8 lounge chairs, a few deck chairs and some deck "sofa's" there were 6 pool chaises in the h20. During my trip we had a family of about 10-12 that every am put their towels on the lounge chairs and the pool chaises. their kids hung out in both hot tubs and pool. There was minimal if any room for anyone else and this happened every day of the trip. There is no elevator to the other haven area, so if you cant do stairs - you didn't get to enjoy Haven. Rules clearly state you can't leave towels but in such a small area as the Haven, definitely needs to be enforced. you can do the math to see how many families were put out because of this one family. I hope they enjoy the future cruises on NCL, because I won't be one.

 

This seems to be a common complaint about The Haven on the larger ships. :(

[Zimomiller]

I absolutely without a doubt would have been out there on a lounger at 4AM to be sure I beat them to one, just for the principle of the thing.

 

Wanna bet who would be the ones complaining to the concierge, staff etc about the chair hogs?

[LrgPizza]

Wanna bet who would be the ones complaining to the concierge, staff etc about the chair hogs?

Not much the staff could do if I was actually sitting in it. :D

[Medtech2]

Just returned this am from 2/15 getaway cruise. Got upgraded to the Haven. Many plusses and minuses with this.

 

Plusses - generally quieter. Haven has its own restaurant, and bar. Had a meet the captain and officers event w/in the Haven. Very nice - but fast...... small pool area for Haven only - many issues w/this. Haven has upstairs private area as well - no pool and no elevator to get there. Butler and cabin steward were AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! cannot say enough about these hard-working wonderful gentlemen. they responded quickly and promptly to any request, were wonderful about privacy as well and each nite brought a special snack.....

 

Minuses - unfortunately, unless something changes w/policy i would not upgrade to haven if you were looking for quiet and the ability to sit at the pool. there were 8 lounge chairs, a few deck chairs and some deck "sofa's" there were 6 pool chaises in the h20. During my trip we had a family of about 10-12 that every am put their towels on the lounge chairs and the pool chaises. their kids hung out in both hot tubs and pool. There was minimal if any room for anyone else and this happened every day of the trip. There is no elevator to the other haven area, so if you cant do stairs - you didn't get to enjoy Haven. Rules clearly state you can't leave towels but in such a small area as the Haven, definitely needs to be enforced. you can do the math to see how many families were put out because of this one family. I hope they enjoy the future cruises on NCL, because I won't be one.

 

ports - st martin was a blast - st thomas, kinda not. nassau is nassau.

 

food - very good.

 

shows - very good.

 

service - other than the pool issue - these people work their tails off! most pleasant experience!

How was the Haven Restaurant? Better than the regular MDR?

 

As far as towels hogging chairs I have absolutely NO qualms moving them...

 

In such a small space it would be easy to see if their people are attached:)

 

Now, if peeps want to get up at 6:30am and they actually STAY in the chair all day, more power to them!

[DMH15]

How was the Haven Restaurant? Better than the regular MDR?

This is exactly like people leaving their laundry in a washer or dryer after the cycle. As I have no qualms about putting their laundry on a table I would also move their stuff and when approached, smile and say, "clearly you weren't using it and I wanted to." Then I would resume reading my book or close my eyes and listen to my music.

As far as towels hogging chairs I have absolutely NO qualms moving them...

 

In such a small space it would be easy to see if their people are attached:)

 

Now, if peeps want to get up at 6:30am and they actually STAY in the chair all day, more power to them!

 

 

 

 

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