Getaway - June 5 - Haven 14872

[suebbbhoney]

Booking our cruise -

A littler background, my DH (54), DD (19) and I (53) went on the NCL Getaway June 5 -12. I booked the cruise (using our future cruise credit from a previous cruise) over Labor Day 2015 - a balcony cabin leaving May 29. We chose the Getaway because we love the itinerary (my DD and I did it with her BFF in March 2015) and she REALLY wanted to see the show, Legally Blonde . (It was later change to Million Dollar Quartet and she was a little disappointed). In late October, I learned we had a dance recital the 28th and pushed the cruise back to June 5th instead. It was super easy! I just called and they took care of everything – transferred all our payments and even put us in the same cabin. We've cruised several times before, but this would be our first balcony cabin and I booked a BD level cabin using the AARP discount. It included the UDP. I'm one of those heavy duty vacation planners, so I continued to watch prices.

The last day before I made my final payment, prices dropped! I called and upgraded to an FB level balcony cabin for $150 less, plus UBP was included, too. It took about 45 minutes on the phone, because we also had dining and entertainment reservations, and pre-paid gratuities to transfer by that point, Score!

About 30 days out, I received an upgrade email, offering a Haven upgrade for $750 pp, but I only had to pay that for the first two guests. Let me tell you, I'm a teacher and we've had a rough year, plus our usual trip to ComicCon in San Diego was canceled because we couldn't get tickets for the first time in 9 years. I was ready! I called and in 15 minutes later I had an aft balcony Haven Suite - #14872 (for about 40% of the usual price!). I didn't tell DH and DD – They found out when we got in line at the cruise terminal! I tell this story because I know there are other compulsive planners out there wondering if they, too, could finally afford a Haven cabin :)

A couple of weeks before your cruise, you receive an email and letter informing you about the Haven amenities and asking about your room preferences.

Two weeks before we were scheduled to leave, Norwegian switched the port order. We would go to Cozumel Thursday instead of Friday and Costa Maya on Friday. We did not have plans for Cozumel so no adjustments needed to be made, but we had reservations in Costa Maya for the lovely Maya Chan. They had already contacted me about the possible change earlier that day and assured us they would be open and have room for us. It was actually a good change, as both ports were much less crowded and it provided an extra day of work during slow season in Costa Maya. The staff at Maya Chan said they are very dependent on tourism and welcomed the business on additional day. They were able to sell out on Thursday and come very close to it Friday, also.

 

Arriving – Day 1

We drove to Miami from Missouri, as DH hates to fly and we were going to spend an extra week in Daytona after we left the ship. We spent the night before at the Hampton Inn in Sawgrass. It was clean, comfortable, inexpensive and came with a good breakfast. It was about a 45 minute drive to port. We arrived about 11:15 and parked in the POM garage. It was fairly crowded, but the upper levels still had plenty of spaces. The POM lot is more expensive than other ports we've parked at (20$ per night), but it is covered and monitored.

Check in was busy, but the Haven perks started right away. We waited about 10 minutes in line to check in and then sat down in the lounge and had some snacks. They whisked us up about 15 minutes later, bypassing the VERY long queue of other passengers. Staff guided us up to the Haven lounge, explained what the concierge does in the Haven, and provided food/drinks. We took that time to sign our daughter up to drink in international waters (18-20 year-olds can drink beer and wine on the ship with parental consent). Usually you have to go to the Purser's desk and there's a long line, but not this time.

We were going to eat lunch in the Haven restaurant, but it was full, so we dropped our backpacks in our room

and went to the Flamingo Grill. The food was nice and we tried a little bit of everything. The pork was especially yummy! The FG is outside and the day was really humid, so we didn't linger too long. Of course, I had to get that first UBP drink!

We then went to our cabin to settle in and unpack. Waiting for us was a fresh flower arrangement, champagne and a large bottle of water. While unpacking we also discovered slippers, bathrobes and an umbrella to use.

 

 

 

Afterwords, we decided to wander around the ship and see the sights. I love to wander and look at everything right away and try to “orient” myself. The ship was very attractive, clean and in good repair. We had dinner at Haven restaurant. My DH had steak and lobster, I has prime rib and my DD had the duck. All tasted excellent! Afterward, my DD and I went to the “Welcome Aboard” show. It was enjoyable and previewed the coming shows for the week. After the preview we were especially excited to see Burn the Floor and Million Dollar Quartet. We attempted to get into Howl at the Moon, but it was already full. It's a very small venue for such a large ship. So, we wandered up to the Garden Buffet to see what they had and then went for a soak in the hot tub in the Haven. When we got back my DD discovered that all the movies were complementary, so she watched one, before going to bed.

I'll post the dallies as soon as they are up loaded:)

[suebbbhoney]

Freestyle Daily - Day 1

 

 

https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a6d939b3127cceecf013c1b3a500000030O00AZOWzVm0ZMWgPbz4O/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00401243569220160719031529536.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

[cruizinwithkids]

What was your family's reaction when they found out you were staying in the Haven?

[Sand and Seas]

What a great cabin! Really love that balcony. Can't wait to hear more:)

[Clarea]

Huge balcony, looking forward to more photos!

[Seminole1975]

Looking forward to your review and living vicariously!!:)

[suebbbhoney]

Day 2 – Day at Sea

The next morning was overcast and very windy. We had breakfast in the Haven – DH had steak and eggs, I had a ham, mushroom and cheese omelet and my DD had “the best french toast in the world”, plus mimosas :) I'm not usually a drinker, but I'll admit I got good use of the UBP. We headed up to the buffet for my favorite chocolate croissants. I look forward to them on each cruise!

At 11 we had the Cruise Critic Meet&Mingle. It was nice to meet the people I had been talking with online. The officers spoke to us and they served snacks and cute little strawberry smoothies for everyone. Here is the card they gave us with everyone's number, in case you had a request. M&M Card They really try to impress the Cruise Critic members! Our group did a slot pull and it was fun! We also did a cabin crawl where you see other cabin types. This was really interesting. We saw two Haven cabins, one of the larger non-Haven aft cabins and a Studio. The Studio cabin and lounge were really cool! So now I've added that to my “travel wish list”.

Here's the card of all the ship's officers that we received at the Meet&Mingle and the invite to the Captain's Cocktail Party (We didn't go- I forgot!)

 

 

We had lunch at Savor. It was good - fish and chips, leg of lamb, spicy shrimp pasta. Afterward, I went up to the Haven hot tub, while my DH read in lounge and sampled different drinks!

Here's some pictures of the Haven sundeck and pools:

 

 

 

When we returned to our cabin there was a snack waiting: brownies/cookies. It was my DH's birthday, so I had booked a dinner at Moderno. The ship was rocking because of high winds and I was feeling a little seasick – I shouldn't have been reading earlier, it always makes me a little queasy when the ships rocking (but it was a really good book). We had my appetizer, but when they started to bring the meat around I had to leave. The smell was too much. According to DH and DD, I would have loved it. The “meats” were delicious and the salad bar had all the fancy cheeses my DD loves. My DD is not a big on meat, but even she said the fillet was great. Pleasant surprise, we found out later they didn't charge me for the meal and used my UDP credit for my daughter.

After dinner, I took some Dramamine and slept while they watched a movies in the cabin (The pay-per-view movies are free in the Haven). DH doesn't like to go out without me and DD didn't want to go out alone.

 

Freestyle Daily - Day 2

 

 

[suebbbhoney]

What was your family's reaction when they found out you were staying in the Haven?

 

My DD was thrilled, as we had talked about suite upgrades on our last cruise. My DH was more interested in "what exactly does that mean?" When all was said and done, he really liked it (didn't even complain about the $$ - LOL)

[suebbbhoney]

Day 3 – Roatan

This morning we moved our clocks back another hour. Once again, we had breakfast Haven. We had the same as the day before and discovered the little buffet on the other side of the restaurant. Chocolate croissants nearby, yummy! Buffet picture My DD and I loved the fresh fruit – lychee and dragon fruit! We haven't had them since out last trip to Hawaii!

 

 

We took advantage of the priority disembarkation from the Haven. You meet fifteen before docking and they whisk you down with no lines. Lovely perk! We has reserved a Fun'n'Sun tour with Victor Bodden ($30 pp – a bargain!). My DD and I took this tour last year with her BFF and really enjoyed it. We checked in a little early and took the extra time to wander the port for a few minutes and put on sunscreen. Our driver and guide met our group. We filled up the small tour bus and off we went. The first part of the day is a city tour with a stop at a souvenir store shop and a grocery store. Our guide was funny and well informed. Next you stop at Victor's Monkey Business. So fun! I was a little disappointed because our group was so large, I didn't get a picture with the monkeys.

 

Next we went to Bananarama Beach. The water is crystal clear and warm. Your tour comes with a lounger. We spent about 2 ½ hours there, swam and had lunch: Roatan dip/nachos, southwestern rolls, cheese fries, hamburger/fries, water, fancy frozen drink for DD and local beer. Prices had increased quite a bit since we were there last March. It was right at $60 for lunch. A drive back to the ship and some shopping completed our day in port.

That evening we had dinner in the Haven. The menu is the same every night, but they had our favorites. I started with a huge shrimp cocktail and sea bass, my DD had prime rib, and DH had surf and turf. We had reservations for Burn the Floor, so there wasn't time for dessert (until later).

Burn the Floor is EXCELLENT! My DD was a competitive dancer for 7 years and I have danced my entire life plus former speech/drama teacher, so we LOVED it. Lovely costumes, excellent dancing and hot music. It's a “do not miss” show.

After the show DH went back to the room, but DD and I wanted dessert, so off we went to the Haven for their chocolate layer cake. Yummy way to end the evening.

 

[suebbbhoney]

Day 4 – Belize (7:45 for tender)

We got up early for what I thought would be an adventure touring the Lamanamai Ruins. Since we needed to meet the priority debarkation group in the Haven Lounge, we got our usual breakfast there. We met the concierge, Virginia, at 7:45 so we could be in the first group off the ship. As I mentioned before, using this service was an excellent perk. We were one of the first people off the ship and on the first tender, as our tour was supposed to be a long one.

The tender trip is a fairly smooth one and only takes about 20 minutes. Once off the tender, we exited and headed straight to the meeting point for a Cruise Excursioneer tour. Here things went off the rails :( The rep from the tour walks us over to a guide; who tells us that they had already left. She said our ship's time in port is too short for that particular tour and they don't offer it to our ship? WTH? I was really disappointed, but assuming they would automatically refund our deposit we headed back to the cruise terminal to regroup. (They did not – I'll explain at the end)

A guide, Sheldon, overheard, told us about several other tours. He had on a purple shirt, from a company I recognized from my research (can't remember which one - as I said I was upset, I had really wanted to see the ruins). We said we needed time to decide (I didn't want to be pressured into anything). We found a bench and talked about what else we might do and decided the zoo would probably be fun. We came back 15 minutes later – he was still there. He took us on a lovely city and zoo tour for $65 pp. It was about 3 1/5 hours. The zoo really very beautiful, really more of an animal sanctuary and very educational.

 

 

 

 

We arrived back at port about 2, did a little shopping and went back to eat a late lunch on the ship. Normally, we would have eaten in port, but last year we learned the hard way, they put coconut in almost all their food and my DD get's sick from it (food sensitivity).

We lunched in the Haven. I had a Cobb salad, sea scallops, brownie – my DD had flatbread with mozzarella and prosciutto, goat cheese gallette, brownie, and my DH had the Cobb salad , french dip w/fries, carrot cake, meat and cheese sampler. It was all yummy.

For the rest of the afternoon my DD and I relaxed by the Haven pool and read.

Belize is a lovely port and many people say they don't know if they should leave the ship or not. I definitely would. The zoo was nice, people I talked to said the diving was excellent and we did cave-tubing the year before and had fun.

That evening we went to Teppenyaki for dinner (me - scallops/shrimp, BH – fillet/lobster, DD - fillet/chicken, everyone – fried rice, green tea cakes, edemame, miso soup) It was very entertaining and delicious. They do display Japanese cooking (like Kobe in the states). There's singing, silly jokes and of course good food. I highly recommend it for everyone.

Afterward, we watched Deal or No Deal (entertaining) as we waited for the feature movie that night, Star Wars: Force Awakens in 3D.

 

 

[suebbbhoney]

Day 5 – Cozumel (switch form usual schedule with Costa Maya)

 

 

We have been to Cozumel several times and didn't really feel like doing anything specific. My DH is not a fan of the beach and we already had 2 beach days planned for the week, so we planned to just wander around, shop and find somewhere to use wifi.

We slept in and had breakfast in the Haven before leaving. All the people on tours left earlier, so there was no wait to leave. We walked around near port and stopped in a bar across from the dock (Mary Janes), so DH could get his favorite Dos Equis Dark, DD could get a fancy frozen drink and we all could use the Wifi. We picked up some souvenirs and went back to the ship.

We ate a late lunch in the Haven and I hung out at the Haven pool for the rest of the afternoon, while DH had a drink or tow in the lounge. While we were out there a fancy yacht pulled up across from the Getaway - the Tatoosh, owned by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatoosh_(yacht)

 

OMG and I thought the Haven was luxurious! Everyone was out taking pictures and gawking :0

Since we had a reservation for Million Dollar Quartet, we headed to the Garden Cafe for a pre-show snack/dinner. The Garden Buffet is nice. Every time we walked past during the cruise, there was always seating and a good variety of choices. The times we stopped and had something to eat, the staff was very nice. No matter how busy they were, the area was always clean and the food fresh.

Million Dollar Quartet was excellent. The music was great and the performers fantastic. Don't miss it! My DD and I both wish we would have made reservations to see it twice – it really was that entertaining.

After that, my DH went to bed, but DD and I were still going strong. We went to watch the “Celebrity Dance Off” where they pair passengers with staff (not dancers) and compete. Personally, we always enjoy the silly “game” shows that the ships put on and try to catch them. Although, I wish they had been held somewhere other than the Atrium, as it doesn't seat enough people and the sight lines are poor.

Next we headed to Howl at the Moon – dueling pianos with audience participation. The performers were funny and very skilled. We really enjoyed it. A great way to end our day!

 

 

[havanese barnie]

Going on getaway on11l20

can you email copies of the dailies to:mgoldstein519@gmail.com

[suebbbhoney]

Can do! Have a great trip!

[suebbbhoney]

Day 6 – Costa Maya

We started our morning off with breakfast in the Garden Cafe, as we wanted to try it once. It was good, but not Haven good. We then headed up to the Haven, for priority debarkation.

I couldn't wait to get off the ship, so we could head to one of my favorite places - Maya Chan. We went last year and fell in love with the place. This year, as returning guests, they even gave us a discount:) We were the first people there and we stayed until 3. Why do I loved it there? The lovely paploma, with chairs hammocks and our our little bed? The rum punch, fresh guacamole and chips they greet you with? Or maybe the delicious drinks? Wonderful, fresh lunch? Excellent service? Yummy drinks? All of the above! Last year, my DD and her BFF actually asked if we had to go back to the ship :) They were joking of course, but that kind of summed it up as to how LOVELY it is.

 

 

 

That night we planned for dinner at Tropicana so we could see the Burn the Floor dinner show. We arrived about 30 minutes before it was scheduled and were seated right next to the dance floor. The show was about 20 minutes and they did different number than the evening performance. Once again, the dancing and costumes were outstanding. Dinner was very good, too. I had scallops, Caesar salad, Cornish game hens, and lava cake (my favorite). DH had scallops, Caesar salad, beef wellington, Boston crème cake. DD had risotto, shrimp, lava cake, crème brulee. All our selections at the Tropicana were very tasty. We didn't have a poor meal, no matter where we dined the entire trip.

After dinner my DD and I watched another goofy game show, Name the Question (ship version of Jeopardy) while we waited for our reservation to see the Comedians perform. They were very funny, but DD and I liked the Second City troop from the Dawn better. The Comedy shows are held in a small venue and it's hard to get reservations. If you like comics, make your reservations when you first get on the ship, so you can see all of them. There were four comedians ( two per show) and we were only able to see two of them.

I completed my night by soaking in one of the Haven hot tubs. I stopped by the Glow Party – it seemed like it would have been fun with friends. When I returned to the cabin, I could faintly hear music from the Glow Party in cabin, but it wasn't too loud and didn't keep DH from falling asleep before I got back. LOL

 

[suebbbhoney]

Day 7 – At Sea

Our last day was a sea day. Personally, I LOVE sea days. We breakfasted in the Haven and had “our usual”. I went to the “Technical Talk” presentation. I try to attend it on each ship. I really enjoy learning about how the ship operates and what the crew does. I learn something new each time. This time was no different. One of the things I appreciate about the Norwegian presentations is that the officers always give most of the credit to their staff and really seem to appreciate EVERYONE that works on the ship.

After that, I stayed for “Inside the Illusinarium” where the magicians talked about the show, their careers and even did a couple of illusions – very entertaining. Then it was time for some poolside relaxing. I went up to the Haven sundeck where I read, enjoyed the sea breeze and relaxed. The staff brought around a variety of snacks to sample – shrimp. sandwiches, fruit and fruited water. My DH came out and we had lunch poolside. They have a separate pool menu and serve it when the restaurant is closed between lunch and dinner.

After lunch I went to the “CruiseNext” presentation. My DH had already discussed it and I purchased two future credits. They are $250 each, but they refund ½ of that back to you. You have four years to use them (no problem there!) It's a good deal for us, as we really enjoy “Freestyle” cruising. I enjoyed the presentation about all the places they cruise to and some of the special cruises, like repositioning or Back to Back cruise opportunities. I love to dream/plan future vacations.

Then it was time to get ready for The Illusinarium. As a Haven guest, we met early and had preferred seating in the front row. We thought the food was good - steak and shrimp. I have heard others complain, but we liked it. The show was very entertaining with three magicians and mind reader. It was well worth the cost. Even DH had a good time.

Next we went to the early seating of the “Good-Bye Show” in the theater. As you may have deduced, we really like shows. It was very enjoyable, similar to the “Welcome Aboard” show – a little bit of everything, variety type show. We did a little souvenirs shopping (I like to get a Christmas ornament from each ship) and used my Latitudes discount. We went back to the cabin and packed up for departure. When that was finished, my DD and I headed up to the Garden Cafe for a snack.

Our Suite had a tub, complete with complementary bath salts, so I took a nice long soak before watching a movie and going to bed. I couldn't let the whole trip go without that tub it out :)

[suebbbhoney]

Last Day - Debarkation

We choose to do self carry, as we only had one bag each plus our backpacks. We met with the concierge one last time in the Haven lounge for debarkation. They took us down the freight elevator and we were able to bypass the lines of people leaving the ship. We did have to wait in line for customs, but it cut our time in half (at the very least). Lines were very long and I don't know if it's just because it's a largw ship or things moved slowly.

We headed to the garage, loaded out luggage, paid, and were off. Getting in and out of the garage was very efficient. It's expensive, but convenient. Debarkation Notice

 

Shore Excusioneer Problems (see Day 4)

When we returned home, I checked to see if I Shore Excusioneer had refunded my deposit. They had not. I contacted them:

“When we arrived for our tour, we were told they had already left (although we were on the first tender off our ship) and that there was not time to do the tour. How do I go about getting a refund for our deposit?”

They responded the same day with:

“Hello Sue,

Thank you for contacting Shore Excursioneer. Regarding your inquiry about not making your excursion. Please allow us 24 to 36 hours to verify on your case. I will need to verify with our local operator what had happened. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thank you for understanding.

Regards,

Karina E.”

So I thought my refund was on it's way, but 5 days later I had not heard back and so I sent them :

“Have you been able to contact your local operator yet? “

Once again, they responded the same day:

“Hello Susanne,

I am glad to hear back from you today. We verified your case with our local representatives in Belize and they*answered that it is impossible as they were at the cruise terminal until all guest from the 3rd tender were all ashore. On that date, we had several guests from the Getaway that were off the ship in time for their excursions. Sorry, but in these case, a refund will not be applicable. I apologize for the inconvenience that might cause you.

Regards,

Karina E.”

As you can assume, I was now pretty angry. They threw a wrench into my well laid vacation plans and were now refusing a refund of my deposit. It's not a huge amount, $38, but it's the principal of the thing. So I sent back:

“​We got off the very first tender and were there on time. As Haven guests, we had priority disembarkation and arrived at the meeting site at 8:15. We were told that the*Lamanai Mayan Ruins Excursion*took too long and everyone had already left from the other ships, that they didn't do that tour with our ship - there wasn't enough time.*

We talked to a man right outside the gate, he walked us over to a pregnant woman. She told us this information.”

They never responded back,. Since I had paid with Papal, I went through their process to get my refund. I did eventually get my money back, but it was a hassle. If we had been late, I would have understood – no refund, but we were actually 15 minutes early and one of the first people on the first tender.

I had checked them out on Cruise Critic before I booked and they had good reviews, but I would not recommend ever using them.

 

Final Thoughts:

Ship Size

This was our first trip on a “big ship” and I enjoyed it, but I think I prefer a smaller ship. We had a really great time, but embarkation and debarkation in Miami and the ports was a lot more difficult. If we hadn’t been Haven passengers, it would have been a huge headache. Also, there were so many people that you had to make reservations for most of the entertainment ahead of time – most “headliner” shows filled up early. Additionally, the ship was so large it took us a couple of days to find everything and I think we really didn't have time to enjoy it all the ship offered.

The Haven

We really used “The Haven” amenities a lot and enjoyed them. On this ship, it was well worth the money. I would have had a great time regardless, but my DH doesn’t like crowds much and lines make him really crabby, so it made vacation MUCH better for him. If you decide to upgrade, research what they will do for you and take advantage of it. Eat in the restaurant ( outstanding food and service with an upgraded menu), use the priority embarkation and debarkation, etc ... (Virginia, the concierge was wonderful), watch the free movies, and lounge on the sundecks/pools.

The Getaway

She's a beautiful ship with many nice amenities. I love that the fish on the carpet “swim” to the front, so you can find your way. Our stateroom was the BEST! So comfortable and spacious! We enjoyed every meal and all the shows were entertaining. Yes, the pool deck is crowded, but there were always sun loungers open away from the pool. I think the Atrium is a poor place for shows, but the shows were fun. Don't miss the Illusionarium, Million Dollar Quartet and Burn the Floor. If I could cruise in the Haven, I would go on the Getaway again, but I think that overall I prefer a smaller ship if I'm in a regular cabin. Not a critique of the ship, but just my preference.

[Onegirltravel]

Day 6 – Costa Maya

We started our morning off with breakfast in the Garden Cafe, as we wanted to try it once. It was good, but not Haven good. We then headed up to the Haven, for priority debarkation.

I couldn't wait to get off the ship, so we could head to one of my favorite places - Maya Chan. We went last year and fell in love with the place. This year, as returning guests, they even gave us a discount:) We were the first people there and we stayed until 3. Why do I loved it there? The lovely paploma, with chairs hammocks and our our little bed? The rum punch, fresh guacamole and chips they greet you with? Or maybe the delicious drinks? Wonderful, fresh lunch? Excellent service? Yummy drinks? All of the above! Last year, my DD and her BFF actually asked if we had to go back to the ship :) They were joking of course, but that kind of summed it up as to how LOVELY it is.

 

Hi Sue,

 

Thanks so much for the review! i have been on the Getaway twice but have never been to Western caribbean before. Can you tell me more about Maya Chan? Did you book it on your own? was it far from the port? I am traveling solo, do you think it is safe for me to go there on my own?

 

Any info you can provide is appreciated :)

[suebbbhoney]

Hi Sue,

 

Thanks so much for the review! i have been on the Getaway twice but have never been to Western caribbean before. Can you tell me more about Maya Chan? Did you book it on your own? was it far from the port? I am traveling solo, do you think it is safe for me to go there on my own?

 

Any info you can provide is appreciated :)

 

I booked through their website http://costamayabeachresort.com/ . We met their port rep after a short walk (10 minutes or so) and they put us on a taxi with a group of people. We also returned with another group of people.

 

It's a day of pure relaxation. We mostly lounge in the ocean, drink, eat, read and catch up on email (the wifi works well), but you can kayak and snorkel, too. The food is really delicious and the bar staff goes out of their way to make drinks to suit you - alcoholic or not.

 

I think it would be safe to go alone, as their are many people walking to meet tours and once you are there, there's a lot of staff around. I went, the first time, with two high schools girls and never felt uncomfortable. The staff is very friendly and all speak English.