What makes it worth and extra $4400.00?

[BNBR]

If you want TradeWinds lmk and I’ll give you a referral. You will save $$$$$ over their prices.

 

Will do. We have a ton planned for next year, but if I can find a week available then I am almost surely going to give this a shot. I'll save your info.

[dexddd]

Will do. We have a ton planned for next year, but if I can find a week available then I am almost surely going to give this a shot. I'll save your info.

 

When they get a bit older look at Paul Gauguin in FP. We'vegone with our kids and we all had a fantastic time. They have a greatnaturalist program for the kids during xmas and summer which isoutstanding. Pretty much everything on the ship is included in your fareother than high end booze, gift shop, and spa.

They have two private islands you go to which are also fantastic.Food very good as was service.

[erdoran]

FP is fabulous! DH1 & I cruised it on Club Med cruises in 1997, then spent a week on Moorea and we saw Paul Gauguin in the lagoon we were staying on. I sailed it again myself in 2012, this time with Tradewinds - much less ambitious itinerary but great scenery and fabulous diving & snorkeling.

[BNBR]

When they get a bit older look at Paul Gauguin in FP. We'vegone with our kids and we all had a fantastic time. They have a greatnaturalist program for the kids during xmas and summer which isoutstanding. Pretty much everything on the ship is included in your fareother than high end booze, gift shop, and spa.

 

They have two private islands you go to which are also fantastic.Food very good as was service.

 

I would love to do that, but there is no way I'm flying to the South Pacific! I have enough trouble enjoying our European trips because of the flights and I fly business class, still can't stand it.

[67Cruiser]

I keep hoping against hope that one day soon NCL will recover their lofty Suite prices currently wandering the stratosphere, and return them to the sea. This will be the 1st time in 14 years that we haven't stayed in a full suite of one form or another on NCL. In our case, there is no justification for the inflated pricing. The only thing we've seen in the last few years or so, is a significant downturn in terms of emphasis placed on the customers satisfaction. They continue to take this away, and then that away, they pinch pennies everywhere they can replacing the great with the barely acceptable. They fill the ship with NCL Telemarketers who hound you for this, or to sign you up for that. We go on vacation to get away from this, not immerse ourselves in it. That's why we don't cruise the new larger NCL vessels. Been there, done that, lesson learned... Thankfully we were in the Haven, but you still felt somewhat like you were trapped in a fine prison. Unable to venture outside the Haven and enjoy the rest of the ship for fear of being hounded to death, as your corralled into various stalls for processing.

The price for peace has gotten out of hand, however. For that kind of money, we may as well just hop on the next flight and stay at an all inclusive resort. This may just be our future vacation. We love cruising, but if the cruise lines continue this course, this will likely be our last.

[littlelulu01]

I’m perfectly happy in an inside stateroom. If the choice was up to me I’d vacation more often and in the least expensive room available with zero perks. I do like speciality dinners, better food options and spa and willing to pay extra for those things. Husband on the other hand isn’t interested in cruising unless it’s in the Haven. He isn’t pretentious at all, but he’s just not a fan of large crowds, lines and he loves the Haven area. I had him talked into a couple non Haven rooms in the past but he ended up paying for the upgraded experience. I find the longer sailings tend to be priced better. Never done a ta and prefer Port intensive sailings so it’s difficult but not impossible to find something in my price range. We love the Jewel class Haven and so stick with what we know. If just me and the kids we do the inexpensive rooms and have fun participating in everything on the ship.

 

My gripes -If you’re charging luxury line prices, the food should be similar quality to what’s available on luxury ships. Cutting back on food offerings isn’t going to get better results in the long run. The ubp exclusions really gets me too. For a non alcohol drinker it’s a waste unless you’re body and mind can take a bunch of sugar laden mocktails. At the very least they could offer up the soda package choice instead of the ubp as a free perk switch out. If sailing in the os or gv we get canned soda and water bottles included but if I want one with my dinner and don’t want to pay extra, I have to byob from the stateroom. Last time we sailed in the gv we had 12 bottles of hard alcohol and two bottles of champagne included. Should have asked them for a rain check on future water bottle and soda fees.

[canadianeh934]

Recently my husband has been so busy at work, we have travelled less. Therefore when we do travel, I prefer to stay in nice accommodations and make the most of it.

 

I do not consider myself royalty, but nor is it menial to me. I can afford it and I do appreciate it. I can also afford a Chanel purse, and I do appreciate it.

 

Not sure what that attitude is here. Jealousy? If so, get over it.

 

Get over it....lol!

 

The ship goes to the same places no matter how much you pay for the place you sleep.

 

 

It is not worth it at all, when that same extra cost could be used to take longer and more frequent vacations.

[Cruizen Susan]

The only people who think you are "treated like royalty" in the Haven are those who can't really afford it. The "exclusive" factor is menial to those who can. But I'm glad they can offer a product that some crave so much that they are willing to save for 3 years to experience it.

 

I can't blame NCL for going this route, though. Facebook made billions by being "exclusive" for a long time. People crave feeling special.

 

I disagree. My self-esteem is in tact, as well as my being fine with booking the occasional inside cabin and totally enjoying it.

 

I do not book a Haven cabin to be "treated like Royalty" And I don't book it to feel exclusive or special. Also, do not "crave" it. I book it because it's a treat for a celebration like this year's retirement, or special anniversary. And the main reason for booking the Haven is the peace and tranquility it offers. Some love to drink and party, and some of us love to read, stargaze, and enjoy quality time together with my dear husband.

[perkydebrajean]

It took me years to convince my husband to go on a cruise. I booked a haven room on the Pearl because I figured if I started him out in a suite then my chances of getting him to go again would be higher than if I started him in an inside room. And he also isn't big on crowds and we keep different sleep schedules, so having a separate bedroom and living room worked out great for us. We did an 11 day Southern Caribbean for $5500 total for 2 people. That was before they started offering all the "Free at Sea" promos. Since they've started throwing those in, the price for almost an identical cruise now is costing just shy of $12,000 for 2 people. They've priced us out of the Haven for right now. We enjoyed the Haven but cringe at the costs now.

[cleobella]

We cruise a lot and this is because we are OK with an inside cabin (great for sleeping) and occasionally we splurge on a balcony if the views when docked in port are very nice. We balance this by upgrading our dining a few times, getting a spa pass, and not holding back on excursion expenses (which are often DIY or local arrangements). I'd love to try a suite someday, but can never bring myself to shell out that money. If I did I'd be really annoyed if my exclusive solarium was open to families with kids, loud folks, or if the designated restaurant was not amazing. Truly, if you can afford Haven class fees, why not try one of the smaller exclusive ships that are really all inclusive and very upscale? Just my opinion, everyone has different ideas and that makes the world interesting!

[sverigecruiser]

They've priced us out of the Haven for right now. We enjoyed the Haven but cringe at the costs now.

 

I agree with this, they have priced us out. We can afford it but it's not worth the money, we think.

 

For us that means that we don't choose to cruise with NCL right now. MSCs Yacht Club is much better value for money.

[BNBR]

And the main reason for booking the Haven is the peace and tranquility it offers.

 

I guess I could see your point of view if the Haven was peaceful and tranquil. My experience was the exact opposite. Even my wife was trying to say it wasn't that big of a deal... then 20 minutes later during an intense match of Marco Polo, almost threw her book down and wanted to just go read in the spa. Personally, playing the "will it be overrun by kids or not for my next trip" lottery is not something I'm interested in.

 

I'm glad you enjoy it.

[BNBR]

It is not worth it at all, when that same extra cost could be used to take longer and more frequent vacations.

 

Keep in mind that not everyone has to make the same give and take. Some can pay the extra cost and take long and more frequent vacations. I imagine many Haven guests can.

 

That said, I agree with you anyways. The Haven is not a good value when you can sail a luxury line for less.

[DMH15]

Keep in mind that not everyone has to make the same give and take. Some can pay the extra cost and take long and more frequent vacations. I imagine many Haven guests can.

 

 

 

That said, I agree with you anyways. The Haven is not a good value when you can sail a luxury line for less.

 

 

 

Sometimes I have cruised in the Haven with friends and family were not. It worked for us.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[LeesaB]

NOT the Haven experience, but...

 

We are a family of 4... and since my husband snores, we often have slightly different sleep schedules than the kids, and my husband and I like to sleep in our birthday suits, the 2 bedroom suites are a great option for us. One room is simply NOT an option, so we have to look at two rooms. The jewel class ships are great in that they offer these rooms NOT in a Haven, so they're priced rather in the middle of two cheaper rooms vs the same room in the Haven.

 

I believe it was in the neighborhood of $2K more to get the suite than two oceanview rooms, but it was completely worth it for us. We LOVED having our own balcony. The butler service was very nice. The concierge was nice but didn't do much for us. Our favorite amenities were the priority embarkation and disembarkation (both at the beginning and end of the cruise and in the ports)... that can be worth a lot depending. Honestly, once we listed out the pros and cons of two oceanviews vs one two bedroom suite on the Pearl, it was a no brainer.

 

That said, we're not going with the Haven on the Getaway next because holy cow, their prices are astronomically higher. I really wish they would have kept some of those two bedroom suites out of the Haven pricing structure on their larger ships. I love the cleanliness of the booking process vs having to figure out two different rooms and two different sets of whos in what room and who needs what key card to get their rooming situation figured out.

 

No, we didn't get the Haven experience, but from what I have seen on here, a lot of people think it's not worth the extra cost on the Jewel class ships if you can get suite service without the extra $$$.

 

Not sure if this is very relevant but thought I'd weigh in anyway.

[Rileyz]

I like the haven for certain itineraries on Jewel class. We are in the haven on our upcoming Alaska cruise and it’s great because that itinerary is typically colder and rainy. I’ve had one tranquil and one very noisy experience in the Breakaway haven but for the right price I’d still book it.

[Cruizen Susan]

The Haven is not a good value when you can sail a luxury line for less.

 

Not necessarily. My daughter is doing a 10-night Oceania for $$$ more than our 2-week Escape in the Haven. Plus it's easy to say one can cruise a luxury line for the same cost, but I choose NCL for the port of departure convenience and the itinerary. Many of the luxury lines cost $$$$ more for the equivalent suite. Price Crystal, Oceania, and Seaborn for a 14-day to compare apples and apples. They also have far fewer selections from our favorite departure ports.

[Mslmesq]

Get over it....lol!

 

The ship goes to the same places no matter how much you pay for the place you sleep.

 

 

It is not worth it at all, when that same extra cost could be used to take longer and more frequent vacations.

 

You sound fun.

 

....or not.

[Raewriter]

Adding my two cents. We are taking our second suite cruise in June. First was on the Dawn in the Owners' Suite with large double balcony to the western Caribbean out of New Orleans and it was the perfect cabin for our family. We are a family of four and have one son in a wheelchair and though the Dawn doesn't even have a Haven, we absolutely loved the extra space for our son and all his medical supplies, plus all the other suite perks. We especially loved the HUGE front and side balconies. The OS has a separate bedroom with a sliding door for privacy as well as a very large living area. We could put our son to bed in the master on his raised-bed inflatable mattress that we pack alongand still hang out in the living room or on the side balcony.

 

When we decided to take another cruise to Alaska (the 3rd for my husband and I, first for our boys), we actually looked at Disney as we're kind of Disney nuts. Because of our older son's needs and the space his wheelchair and supplies take up, we would have needed two separate cabins for the four of us. We just couldn't fit in a regular cabin. The cost for an inside accessible cabin and a balcony cabin on Disney was actually MORE than booking the Owners' Suite again on The Pearl, where we could all be together.

 

The Haven OS does cost a lot but the benefits to me more than offset the cost. Our older son loved everything about our last cruise. It was his favorite vacation by far and we all created wonderful memories (his brother became a full-on shuffleboard nut!). I fully expect our experience on The Pearl to match or exceed our previous suite cruise and can't wait.

[67Cruiser]

I have to admit that I am the guilty party when it comes to suites. My wife could care less, an inside cabin is just fine with her. Don't get me wrong, she certainly enjoys staying in the suites, but it's not a deal beaker for her. I guess I'm like many of the other husbands here, I like having the extra room to breath.

Raewriter... I here you with regard to the 2 balcony OS... I was there on the Dawn to Bermuda, loved it obviously! Ireally love those big long front balconies.

As Perkydebrajean mentioned however, the same exact cruise I took a few years back, on the same ship, in the same room, is now 2 to 3 times the price, with far less in return... and there's certainly nothing FREE about any of these so called FREE Offers. It's all "smoke and mirrors" at NCL these days.

[AusQueen]

We always try and book ourselves in a suite when undertaking a cruise that is more than 15 days. It can be claustrophobic to be confined in a really tight space for an extended period. The abundance of the space is great especially for the odd time that you would rather be inside your cabin for some peace - LOL. Depending on the suite you get into, you also can have access to the Haven which is good if you want to be able to stay around a pool without trying to fight for a chair. If you book a suite, you have a separate /special dining area for your breakfast and lunch. Ala Carte and all included. You dont have to be in the buffet if you don't want to. Room service has no surcharges. Aside from the space and private dining facilities, the service you receive is heaps better. You have a butler and a concierge that could help you with your reservations - meals ( MDR and specialty dining), entertainment, tours, etc. This is particularly quite evident in Norwegian. Not much with Princess or Celebrity based on our experience. Once you have tried the suites at Norwegian, you will be cursing yourself once you travel the mini-suites or the balcony. The difference is huge.

 

Also, if you are into Latitudes ( which everyone is into ) - you will earn double points for your stay. Making it quicker to achieve Platinum status, etc etc.

 

You need to weigh if these things matter you as the cost is tripled. In the same token, NCL does offer 50% on some suites with some of their promos. They get snapped up real quick though.

[Maya1234]

“It is not worth it at all, when that same extra cost could be used to take longer and more frequent vacations.”

 

 

But some of us don’t want longer or more vacations. I know it’s hard for non-homebodies to understand but for people like me, longer sounds like torture and more frequent unappealing.

[AusQueen]

“It is not worth it at all, when that same extra cost could be used to take longer and more frequent vacations.”

 

 

But some of us don’t want longer or more vacations. I know it’s hard for non-homebodies to understand but for people like me, longer sounds like torture and more frequent unappealing.

 

I think because of the traveling time and the cost of airfares from /to Australia- these are the main reasons why a lot of Australians are into those long or back to back cruises. Traveling from Europe is at least 23 hours and to America about 14 hours. That's how my husband and I think when we join cruises outside our region/continent.

[CruisingSince1982]

I know this is subjective and probably discussed before. At any rate, I'm looking at a 10 cruise on the Epic in January. The price difference from a balcony to a suite/haven is $4400.00

 

What does a suite offer to make it worth so much more than a balcony?

 

Someday, I'm going to get a suite just because... I work hard, and I figure I deserve it. However when I look at the price, I just can't justify spending so much on a few days. $6998.00 before DSC, tips and parking at the port, is a lot for 10 days.

 

Thanks

 

For 10 days, I would grab that!! We are paying quite a bit more for a week.

[detroitlions]

BTW....in an aft Penthouse Suite this weekend on the GEM. No Haven restaurant and mid size ship. But, I get everything else. Cost $3,300 plus all the goodies I mentioned, plus $1025 OBC from NCL, AMEX and my TA.

 

Helluva deal!

I like the Haven but the prices I see, like yours I never get anymore.

My June cruise in a mini suite that I booked under no tax break for 3 is $4000

 

These sailings with the cheaper prices have to be out of season.