Weird Haven Check-In experience?

[wilmingtech]

On the NCL Jewel today.

 

We got into the port at 10:30, dropped our luggage went through security and then headed into the check in line for the Haven.

 

The lady working the Lattitudes/Haven check in lines was adamant that we couldn't check in yet and sent us over to the Haven lounge.

 

We thought it was weird that we couldn't go through the check-in line but went to the lounge anyways. When we got to the lounge they asked our room number and names and asked us to have a seat.

 

At this point we waited. And waited. During that time my 8yo managed 6 plates of snacks and all the Lattitudes people had already boarded. About half the people in the Haven Lounge had already boarded. Finally around 11:45 the Concierge Juaqin came and brought us our checkin paper pack and keys and said we could board the ship at anytime.

 

So we headed on board and the security person at the boarding bridge asked for our key cards, realized we were Haven and tracked down an escort for us to the ship.

 

When we got to the scanners they quickly realized none of us had pictures (obviously) and hadn't been checked into the ship yet. So our escort took us to guest services and we spent 15 minutes checking in there and setting up our on board account.

 

Finally about 12:15 we were in Modernos for lunch.

 

This is our first Haven experience and we can totally roll with it but just didn't seem like 'priority boarding'.

 

Curious if anyone else on this ship today or previously (Haven or Suite) had a similar experience as we did.

 

-Sean

[wilmingtech]

To add to the fray, we are now standing on the 13th floor waiting for new cards as none of our keys work for Haven access. Surprise!

 

-Sean

[triptolemus]

Port Operations at San Pedro for NCL suite check-in is a cluster#uck. Twice they have tried to send me to the regular check in lines. I have seen them send mini-suite guests to the Haven/Suite check in area.

 

You have to be insistent with them. They are clueless.

 

[NLH Arizona]

Port Operations at San Pedro for NCL suite check-in is a cluster#uck. Twice they have tried to send me to the regular check in lines. I have seen them send mini-suite guests to the Haven/Suite check in area.

 

You have to be insistent with them. They are clueless.

 

Same thing happened to me at the San Pedro pier. I had to ask four different people where the suite check in was and all but one directed me to the regular check in line. Finally the fourth, a nice gentleman, pointed me in the right direction.

[amarvel]

I've heard San Pedro is hit or miss. We have boarded the Jewel twice in Seattle while in a suite and it was run very well.

 

We board the Jewel next Sunday in the Haven, thanks for the heads up that things might not be as smooth.

[Tricialy]

That's disappointing! I have to say, out of 6 cruises where we've stayed in suites - only three times have we been directed to where we were supposed to be - Houston, Copenhagen, and Miami. Seattle kept sending us to the Platinum check-in line and then couldn't figure out why they couldn't print out our key cards - because they were already ready in the Haven Lounge. I guess the port employees check in passengers for different cruise lines. Sometimes I've had them take us to the next available room and others we've been checked in in the Haven Lounge itself. Enjoy your trip!!

[triptolemus]

I've heard San Pedro is hit or miss. We have boarded the Jewel twice in Seattle while in a suite and it was run very well.

 

We board the Jewel next Sunday in the Haven, thanks for the heads up that things might not be as smooth.

 

Suite check in and the suite lounge are to the right after the single security checkpoint. You will see the suite lounge set up on the far south wall. Don't let them send you left.

[wilmingtech]

So the takeaway here for us-

 

1. If you check into San Pedro you'll go through a security line outside the building with everyone else. Have your picture ID and cruise docs out.

 

2. Once inside go through the security scanning and scan your bags and body through the xray scanners.

 

3. As soon as you go through the scanners hang a right and head to the Lattitudes and Haven check in areas. Use the Haven check in line regardless of what the person says that is standing out at the front of the stanchions.

 

4. Once through checkin then go relax in the Haven Lounge and wait for your concierge to check in with you.

 

Have Fun! We are :)

 

-Sean

[david_sobe]

Priority boarding does not mean each person or couple is separately and personally escorted on the ship. They will board you with priority boarding in groups. If you just miss the last group, you will have to sit in the Haven lounge to wait for the next group. Since there are so many passengers it would be impossible to personally board each one separately. Since you were eating lunch just after noon, it sounds like you were on the ship pretty fast. If the woman in the Haven lounge said you could not board yet there was obviously a reason. They were probably waiting for the next Haven escort to come back to the lounge. I have sailed in the Haven on multiple ships and have always sat down and waited for the next herd. 11:45 seems reasonable and what I have also experienced. The key card situation is unfortunate but does happen even to Haven guests.

Not making light of your situation but just explaining. Have a great cruise.

Edited January 31, 2016 by david_sobe

[triptolemus]

Priority boarding does not mean each person or couple is personally escorted on the ship. They will board you with priority boarding in groups. If you just miss the last group, you will have to sit in the Haven lounge to wait for the next group. Since there are so many passengers it would be impossible to personally board each one separately. Since you were eating lunch just after noon, it sounds like you were on the ship pretty fast. I have sailed in the Haven on multiple ships and have always sat down and waited for the next herd. 11:45 seems reasonable and what I have also experienced. The key card situation is unfortunate but does happen even to Haven guests.

Not making light of your situation but just explaining. Have a great cruise.

 

I don't know if you have ever cruised NCL out of San Pedro, or done so within the last couple of years. The situation there for Haven/suite check-in is notoriously busted and hopelessly frustrating.

 

OP is not talking about having their individual hands held as they go aboard the ship. They are talking about the overall experience at San Pedro -- which, most of the time, sucks.

[wilmingtech]

Priority boarding does not mean each person or couple is separately and personally escorted on the ship. They will board you with priority boarding in groups. If you just miss the last group, you will have to sit in the Haven lounge to wait for the next group. Since there are so many passengers it would be impossible to personally board each one separately. Since you were eating lunch just after noon, it sounds like you were on the ship pretty fast. If the woman in the Haven lounge said you could not board yet there was obviously a reason. They were probably waiting for the next Haven escort to come back to the lounge. I have sailed in the Haven on multiple ships and have always sat down and waited for the next herd. 11:45 seems reasonable and what I have also experienced. The key card situation is unfortunate but does happen even to Haven guests.

Not making light of your situation but just explaining. Have a great cruise.

Dave - No issue with the time it took to get on the ship.

 

The issue was that we never got checked in and I think that contributed to the time it took to get on the ship.

 

In addition having to then go to guest services and check in onboard which took about twice as long as it did checking in on my previous cruises.

 

And then after all that our keys didn't work.

 

-Sean

[david_sobe]

Dave - No issue with the time it took to get on the ship.

 

The issue was that we never got checked in and I think that contributed to the time it took to get on the ship.

 

In addition having to then go to guest services and check in onboard which took about twice as long as it did checking in on my previous cruises.

 

And then after all that our keys didn't work.

 

-Sean

I feel the frustration. I don't want to sound like I am not sympathetic. I have boarded and missed the boarding photo. I have boarded and lost the Haven escort midway through the process. Hiccups happen. Key cards not working is not unusual and happens to passengers both Haven and non-Haven. To board at 11:45 is fairly early.

That's all I am saying. Not accusing you of complaining or not allowed to be frustrated.

I am sure everything will go smoothly now you are on board. Keep us posted.

[toyotaford]

I've heard San Pedro is hit or miss. We have boarded the Jewel twice in Seattle while in a suite and it was run very well.

 

We board the Jewel next Sunday in the Haven, thanks for the heads up that things might not be as smooth.

 

We may run into you at check in. We have two suites and two Haven suites. Have been watching Haven for a while hoping to upgrade one or both of the other two but have been sold out for a while.

Edited February 1, 2016 by toyotaford

[amarvel]

So the takeaway here for us-

 

1. If you check into San Pedro you'll go through a security line outside the building with everyone else. Have your picture ID and cruise docs out.

 

2. Once inside go through the security scanning and scan your bags and body through the xray scanners.

 

3. As soon as you go through the scanners hang a right and head to the Lattitudes and Haven check in areas. Use the Haven check in line regardless of what the person says that is standing out at the front of the stanchions.

 

4. Once through checkin then go relax in the Haven Lounge and wait for your concierge to check in with you.

 

Have Fun! We are :)

 

-Sean

Thank you so much!

[3kidsncats]

Ah man -- I was thinking about you at 10:15 this morning, lol, thinking you were probably dropping off your bags and ready to have a great time (which I know you are, regardless of the hiccups).

 

Sorry to hear that you had a less than smooth check in. I had the problem of being directed to the wrong line initially, but since the woman said aloud that she was directing me to my tier level, rather than Haven check-in, which I could see up ahead, I politely corrected her. Can't imagine why they directed you to wait in the lounge since that's for post-check in. Makes no sense.

 

Hope lunch was good -- did you get Luis as your waiter? lol. Missing all my favorite people that work on the ship. And I'm so jealous that you get to see Len all this week :-) Tell him Sir Kenneth's family says hi :-) If you're down in the Maltings/Shakers area, look for Stan as he will take good care of you.

 

And most importantly have a great cruise!!!

[Kinofdc]

<<The lady working the Lattitudes/Haven check in lines was adamant that we couldn't check in yet and sent us over to the Haven lounge.>>

 

My speculation is that the main glitch occurred at this juncture. When the Haven check-in line became operable, they forgot to send someone to alert you while you were waiting in the Haven check-in lounge. But then, this has never happened to me in 15 cruises (all in suites, majority in Haven) with NCL. We zipped through the Haven check-in line, waited briefly in the lounge, and invariably within 5-10 minutes, the concierge will greet us with our packages. Then a butler will escort us to the suite or the suite restaurant.

 

In December on the Sun, somehow, they did forget to ask us (and about 6 other suite guests) to slide the keypasses at the entrance of the ship. Upon discovery, the concierge came to Le Cucina (the suite restaurant), where we were already having lunch, to pick up our cards (to complete our check-in at the entrance) and returned to us in 10 minutes.

 

Moreover, my sources from the Jewel inform me that the new concierge on the Jewel, Joaquin, has not received high marks, perhaps due to lack of experiences. A difficult act to follow, perhaps, as his 2 immediate predecessors, especially Florentina, were fantastic.

 

Have a great cruise!!

Edited February 3, 2016 by Kinofdc

[rekarlu]

Moreover, my sources from the Jewel inform me that the new concierge on the Jewel, Joaquin, has not received high marks, perhaps due to lack of experiences.

 

Actually, we found Joaquín to be an excellent Concierge on the Jewel last week.

He was very, Very, VERY responsive to every request we had and incidentally, he was also very efficient at it as well.

I would give him 2 Thumbs Up without any hesitation.

 

Likewise our check-in experience in San Pedro last week was one of the quickest of our 44 cruises. We must have been on the ship within 10 minutes of entering the terminal. This was around 12 Noon.

 

We did not have a Haven nor a Suite but we are Platinum with NCL so we get the benefits of using the Concierge and like I said, Joaquín was just fantastic!

Edited February 3, 2016 by rekarlu

[3kidsncats]

Joaquin was definitely not fantastic when we were in the Jewel Haven the first week of January. He seemed like a nice guy, but in terms of being a concierge was pretty much not present. The one request I had, a reservation change after we were selected to dine with an officer, was ignored completely. He basically told me that since I had a reservation already, there was no need to change it, and to just leave it as is. ( we missed our night at Modernos to dine with an officer, and I wanted to switch our second night at Le Bistro to Modernos so we could try it). I asked if he could at least try, he said he would, and we never heard from him again. The hostess was able to make the change and notify us in ten minutes.

 

At check in, he gave us our packet with one keycard missing. He said he would be back with it -- but instead of going to get it, he went on to several other passengers, and boarded them while we sat waiting. Finally another staff person tried to board us, found out about the missing keycard, and immediately escorted us aboard and obtained the card.

 

He provided zero info on priority disembarkation in Mazatlan or Puerto Vallarta -- apparently there isn't any priority disembarkation for those ports, but then at least tell people that ahead of time.

[DMH15]

<<The lady working the Lattitudes/Haven check in lines was adamant that we couldn't check in yet and sent us over to the Haven lounge.>>

 

My speculation is that the main glitch occurred at this juncture. When the Haven check-in line became operable, they forgot to send someone to alert you while you were waiting in the Haven check-in lounge. But then, this has never happened to me in 15 cruises (all in suites, majority in Haven) with NCL. We zipped through the Haven check-in line, waited briefly in the lounge, and invariably within 5-10 minutes, the concierge will greet us with our packages. Then a butler will escort us to the suite or the suite restaurant.

 

In December on the Sun, somehow, they did forget to ask us (and about 6 other suite guests) to slide the keypasses at the entrance of the ship. Upon discovery, the concierge came to Le Cucina (the suite restaurant), where we were already having lunch, to pick up our cards (to complete our check-in at the entrance) and returned to us in 10 minutes.

 

Moreover, my sources from the Jewel inform me that the new concierge on the Jewel, Joaquin, has not received high marks, perhaps due to lack of experiences. A difficult act to follow, perhaps, as his 2 immediate predecessors, especially Florentina, were fantastic.

 

Have a great cruise!!

 

 

Was Hanno one of them? We loved that man in April on the Jewel.

[acharris1]

We got directed to the regular check-in line, even though we said we were Haven and it took a good 30 minutes for the guy to figure out why he couldn't find our cards. Now we know where to go and just ignore them if they direct us incorrectly, lol.

[wilmingtech]

I think whats happened with Joaquin is what you see commonly happen in the business world when personnel do a really good job as workerbees and are promoted to manager. They are so used to getting praise for doing a good job and working really hard that when they get promoted they don't realize that they don't need to do the work anymore but just to follow up to make sure its done.

 

I think we are all on the same page with Joaquin. He doesn't seem completely comfortable in his role. I think he is definitely new to the position and has worked hard through the ranks to get there and has no formal management training.

 

I think that NCL probably fails him as well by removing the concierge lounge and not giving him a place to be constantly visible and reachable. A concierge should be the main point of communication between the suite guests and the rest of the ship. And if I cant just walk down the hall and talk to you or have to leave a message its going to feel like we are not connecting.

 

On top of that I've seen Joaquin anxiously walking around seemingly 'getting stuff done' rather than staying in one spot and making the call to have someone execute. I think the concierge needs to be the executive team leader of the suites and haven and not the executor of hundreds of little tasks.

 

Just my 2cents. He's been really nice and goes out of his way to say hello when he sees us but is not always reachable and doesn't seem 100% comfortable with his role.

 

-Sean

[3kidsncats]

I have to say I agree with what you've said, Sean. He really did strike me as a nice guy with a ready smile. But you nailed it -- he seems uncomfortable and unsure of himself. A bit overwhelmd, to me. Of course, I think we were there for his very first week, so maybe it was even worse that week. We also didn't eat at Modernos much for breakfast or lunch, preferring the courtyard, so almost never saw him. We saw him at the port during embarkation, in the morning at Mazatlan getting off, at the disembarkation meeting, and during disembarkation. I talked to the Starboard butler Jennifer more than I talked to Joaquin, and I was on the Port side, lol. He just wasn't around, and when he was, he seemed befuddled.

 

Don't know why they closed the concierge lounge, because I really don't think there was any work being done on it during our cruise, but it seems it would make sense to have it available. I feel bad complaining, because I really do think he just needs proper training. For me, the thing is, if he had tried to make our change, if he had communicated in any way to me that he would make the effort, I wouldn't have faulted that he didn't do it -- would have accepted it just wasn't possible. But him telling me 4-5 times that it was best to just leave as it was didn't impress me with his concierge skills.

[mistertoaster]

I have checked in many times at the Haven and a few times in the MSC Yacht Club. The Haven check-in process is hit and miss. If a lot of folks are checking in at the same time usually more hit than miss. MSC has a much better embarkation experience for Yacht Club guests.

 

They have a large canopy labeled Yacht Club curbside. This eliminates any confusion regarding check in area. You are greeted by a MSC representative and a butler. A porter is waiting for you luggage. You are than escorted to check in lounge by the butler. The lounge in Miami and Barcelona were very comfortable and much nicer than any lounge I experienced on NCL. After your key cards are generated, you are escorted to the Yacht Club, meet the concierge and then lunch in the a Yacht Club restaurant. A seamless experience and great first impression. MSC just ordered four more ships, and NCL is their main target in the U.S. If I were NCL, I would replicate the Yacht Club embarkation experience as closely as possible.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Port Operations at San Pedro for NCL suite check-in is a cluster#uck. Twice they have tried to send me to the regular check in lines. I have seen them send mini-suite guests to the Haven/Suite check in area.

 

You have to be insistent with them. They are clueless.

 

Love the dog picture and you are so right. The lady who stopped us kept trying to say we did not have a suite. I called another person over and they actually looked at my paper then sent us to the suite wait area before they opened the check-in desk. No sorry to us but what the hey we were going on a cruise!

[Kinofdc]

Was Hanno one of them? We loved that man in April on the Jewel.

 

Yes, you are prescient as the other one was Hanno.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Kinofdc