What makes it worth and extra $4400.00?

[erdoran]

There's a lot of back and forth about the wisdom of spending the extra $$$$$ on Haven and once again my words of wisdom - personal choice. DH and I rarely vacation together because of his work, so when we do I want it to be perfect and it's worth the $$$ to me. Others who vacation together more frequently may have more tolerance for crowding, lines, indifferent service (or have a DH who has more tolerance :>). My DH is ridiculous sometimes about what upsets him - but I picked DH, warts & all, so that's why it's our choice.

 

Having said all that, DH just retired, so who knows, his tolerance may increase and we may travel more and spend less - or not. time will tell.

 

But for all, it's your personal choice as to value for $ spent, and only YOU know what has value to you and what doesn't. Just because I am a Haven fan doesn't mean inside cabins are a "wrong" choice, and vice versa. It's all good, as long as we are surrounded by water!

[rdh3377]

We have 8 ppl in a 3 bedroom Garden Villa for a 7 night on the Gem. Total cost comes out to around $430.00 per person per day. This includes staff gratuities (not the butler) and the basic insurance. Then you add in the various perks from NCL. Note that with the current or just ended promotion, 3rd and 4th persons sail for free. What we require, since this is a family gathering, is a lot of in-suite dining, and quiet for good conversation. This suite totally fit the bill. Everything else, free beverage package for the two people in the party who drink, priority boarding and disembarking, priority seating at shows etc. is just icing on the cake. I was budgeting between 5 and 600 per day per person, so when the most recent promos became available, I jumped on it. My only disappointment is that there is no haven restaurant and bar on this ship. However, the departure port and itinerary were exactly what we wanted. We are first time cruisers, all of us, so we really have minimal expectations. Hopefully, based on other threads, our expectations will be met and exceeded. We shall see. Have a nice day.

[richg35]

Basically NCL figured out that they could charge people a lot more by segregating them from the masses and making them feel like they are "special". It's "luxury" in the same way that a building with stainless steel appliances in the apartments and is marketed as "luxury".

 

But it was brilliant because people ate it up. That's the marketer's biggest success - making people feel they need something that they had no idea they even needed.

[BostonGal35]

we think suites and haven are worth it at the right price point and depending upon the itinerary.

we spent $8k for a suite for our 2 week panama canal sail. that was worth it to us.

i would not spend $8k for a 7 day sail.

id consider spending $6k to $7k for a suite for 7 days depending upon the ports. if its caribbean, we may just stay on ship for a few ports anyway. if its port intensive not worth it.

 

is it hard to go back to a regular room after? yes. but we've done it and while we miss the perks, it makes it all that more special the times we can stay in a suite.

[April42749]

This thread is akin to asking if it is worth it to buy a larger house because you can afford it and it makes you happier than buying a smaller house that gives you more money to spend in other ways. It is really a matter of what makes you happy. If you are happy in an inside, you will be impressed by a suite but you may not gain much additional happiness. It all boils down to priorities. For me, it is not worth it because the experience is truly not that special.

 

 

You have the perfect answer to this age old question.

 

On a cruise I like to get the best bang for my buck, as far as "cabin". As a non-eater, non-drinker, don't want to be limited to ship excursions, can leave the computer at home, travel only with DH, don't want afternoon snacks or anyone to escort me....there is $0 bang for the buck in the Haven for me.

 

However, I have a jewelry collection to die for. And, I come home from every cruise spending more on jewelry/watches than the cost of the cruise. I will admit, I've overpaid more than once, because "a new ring" is my memory of that trip, that I'll have forever. The benefits of the Haven are over once I'm at home.

 

As you said, it comes down to priorities. If someone has to question "is it worth it"....then it probably isn't worth it for that person.

[BNBR]

You have the perfect answer to this age old question.

 

On a cruise I like to get the best bang for my buck, as far as "cabin". As a non-eater, non-drinker, don't want to be limited to ship excursions, can leave the computer at home, travel only with DH, don't want afternoon snacks or anyone to escort me....there is $0 bang for the buck in the Haven for me.

 

However, I have a jewelry collection to die for. And, I come home from every cruise spending more on jewelry/watches than the cost of the cruise. I will admit, I've overpaid more than once, because "a new ring" is my memory of that trip, that I'll have forever. The benefits of the Haven are over once I'm at home.

 

As you said, it comes down to priorities. If someone has to question "is it worth it"....then it probably isn't worth it for that person.

 

I think "is it worth it" is a fair question to ask and allows everyone to elaborate on why they think it "is" or "is not" worth the cost. It's just that those who disagree need to respect others opinions as well, not everyone is going to have a positive/cheerleading type response. I wish I had of asked this question and found out more prior to booking the Haven!

[erdoran]

You have the perfect answer to this age old question.

 

On a cruise I like to get the best bang for my buck, as far as "cabin". As a non-eater, non-drinker, don't want to be limited to ship excursions, can leave the computer at home, travel only with DH, don't want afternoon snacks or anyone to escort me....there is $0 bang for the buck in the Haven for me.

 

However, I have a jewelry collection to die for. And, I come home from every cruise spending more on jewelry/watches than the cost of the cruise. I will admit, I've overpaid more than once, because "a new ring" is my memory of that trip, that I'll have forever. The benefits of the Haven are over once I'm at home.

 

As you said, it comes down to priorities. If someone has to question "is it worth it"....then it probably isn't worth it for that person.

 

And I NEVER buy jewelry, on cruises or otherwise. I have some nice pieces I inherited that I forget to wear :> But I sail Haven. It's all about what matters to each of us. April42749 spends on jewelry, I spend on Haven, others spend on whatever THEY value.

[April42749]

I think "is it worth it" is a fair question to ask and allows everyone to elaborate on why they think it "is" or "is not" worth the cost. It's just that those who disagree need to respect others opinions as well, not everyone is going to have a positive/cheerleading type response. I wish I had of asked this question and found out more prior to booking the Haven!

 

Yeah...I was thinking that when people "ask"...they've already read these boards and could make their decision based on what's important to them, not to other people.

 

If someone gave me a gift of a Haven cruise, I wouldn't turn it down based on my principles.

[BNBR]

If someone gave me a gift of a Haven cruise, I wouldn't turn it down based on my principles.

 

I would politely decline.

[graphicguy]

Actuallly, $8K for two weeks in the Haven isn’t bad at all. That’s $4K/week and given all the perks, that would be hard to beat on any sort of other vacation given the level of luxury and service you received.

 

I’ve flipped back and forth from Haven to a solo cabin. Like you, I do miss the Haven when I am sailing in a different category. But, I’m flexible.

 

How can being on any cruise be bad (unless you shipwreck or you hit a Hurricane)?

 

That said, I’m sailing more and more in the Haven, or like a couple of weeks ago, a Penthouse Suite (where all the Haven perks are available).

 

we think suites and haven are worth it at the right price point and depending upon the itinerary.

we spent $8k for a suite for our 2 week panama canal sail. that was worth it to us.

i would not spend $8k for a 7 day sail.

id consider spending $6k to $7k for a suite for 7 days depending upon the ports. if its caribbean, we may just stay on ship for a few ports anyway. if its port intensive not worth it.

 

is it hard to go back to a regular room after? yes. but we've done it and while we miss the perks, it makes it all that more special the times we can stay in a suite.

[sverigecruiser]

Actuallly, $8K for two weeks in the Haven isn’t bad at all. That’s $4K/week and given all the perks, that would be hard to beat on any sort of other vacation given the level of luxury and service you received.

 

I’ve flipped back and forth from Haven to a solo cabin. Like you, I do miss the Haven when I am sailing in a different category. But, I’m flexible.

 

How can being on any cruise be bad (unless you shipwreck or you hit a Hurricane)?

 

That said, I’m sailing more and more in the Haven, or like a couple of weeks ago, a Penthouse Suite (where all the Haven perks are available).

 

Did you really got all Havenperks in a penthouse on the Gem?

 

I see that you cruised in a Yacht Club suite on Meraviglia last fall/winter. How do you compare that to the Haven?

[graphicguy]

The GEM is a great ship. Different not only in size (vs mega-ships) but in the experience. It's not nearly as manic as my cruises on NCL's and RCCL's megaships.

 

The only "perk" I didn't get with my Gem Penthouse was access to the (very small) Haven area on the ship. The Gem does not have a Haven specific restaurant and bar. But, I did get access to the Butler and Concierge (Elvina, who was fantastic). Elvina would set up shop in the Moderno Restaurant in the a.m. to take care of everything I needed (booking specialty dining, excursions, entertainment, taking care of billing issues, embarkation/debarkation, etc). She made it a point to tell me to call her mobile phone if I could not find her in Moderno. She always answered, regardless of the time of day (or night) to assist.

 

I was also able to eat breakfast in Moderno and lunch in Cagney's every day.

 

YC in Meraviglia was also outstanding. MSC is a little more laid back with their Butlers and Concierge. They aren't as up front about using them for anything you need. My Butlers and Concierges on all my Haven cruises were always coming to me to offer assistance or to try to make the cruise better. In the YC, they'd help if asked, but you had to go find them. Not better or worse, just different. I had sailed Divina in the YC, too. I liked Meraviglia better. The YC restaurant on Divina was on the opposite side of the ship to the YC. I didn't mind as I always look for ways to get exercise on cruises. Some other YC passengers on Divina complained about that fact, though.

 

On Meraviglia, the YC restaurant is next to the Top Sail Lounge....very convenient.

 

Top Sail Lounge was a great place to hang out, meet up, have a few drinks, all while overlooking the front of the ship.

 

Haven is nice to do those things, too....especially on the NCL Mega ships. I just liked Top Sail a bit more as they had entertainment in the evenings. And, if you didn't feel like a whole meal, snacks were always available in the Top Sail Lounge.

 

 

Two ways of doing a premium cruise experience. Both great. Both Different. I'll sail both again, soon!

 

 

Did you really got all Havenperks in a penthouse on the Gem?

 

I see that you cruised in a Yacht Club suite on Meraviglia last fall/winter. How do you compare that to the Haven?

[sverigecruiser]

 

YC in Meraviglia was also outstanding. MSC is a little more laid back with their Butlers and Concierge. They aren't as up front about using them for anything you need. My Butlers and Concierges on all my Haven cruises were always coming to me to offer assistance or to try to make the cruise better. In the YC, they'd help if asked, but you had to go find them. Not better or worse, just different. I had sailed Divina in the YC, too. I liked Meraviglia better. The YC restaurant on Divina was on the opposite side of the ship to the YC. I didn't mind as I always look for ways to get exercise on cruises. Some other YC passengers on Divina complained about that fact, though.

 

I have been in the Meraviglia Yacht Club and I have also been in suites on Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Breakaway. Our first suiteexperience was in a aft penthouse on the Norwegian Jade.

 

I think that the butlers on Meraviglia were more avalible than the butlers we have had on NCL.

 

Our next cruise will be on the Divina. We know how it differ from Meraviglia and won't mind the walk to LeMuse.

[BostonGal35]

we enjoyed the Gem Haven, but would be just has happy with a non-haven suite on the smaller ships. the courtyard area was nice, but if you look the prices, they are crazy mad high compared to suites that dont have access to the haven (but get all the same perks otherwise).

[graphicguy]

Cool!

 

I did see my Butler on the Divina in the Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge serving drinks. But, aside from that, I didn’t see him much.

 

As an example, I saw my Butler on the GEM nearly every day. He’d just ring the doorbell to my cabin to make sure I had everything I needed.

 

Not that one is better than the others, just different in my opinion.

 

Divina is also a beautiful ship. You’ll love it. And, I agree. The walk from one side of the ship to the other for meals is a good thing.

 

When are you sailing?

I have been in the Meraviglia Yacht Club and I have also been in suites on Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Breakaway. Our first suiteexperience was in a aft penthouse on the Norwegian Jade.

 

I think that the butlers on Meraviglia were more avalible than the butlers we have had on NCL.

 

Our next cruise will be on the Divina. We know how it differ from Meraviglia and won't mind the walk to LeMuse.

[graphicguy]

we enjoyed the Gem Haven, but would be just has happy with a non-haven suite on the smaller ships. the courtyard area was nice, but if you look the prices, they are crazy mad high compared to suites that dont have access to the haven (but get all the same perks otherwise).

Saved $2K on my Penthouse Suite on the GEM. Had a tour of the Haven area during the Cabin Crawl. As the rest of all the Havens on the ships that have them, it was beautiful.

 

NCL does a great job with the Haven. The GEM HAVEN was no different. But, without the Haven specifically bar and restaurant, I took the savings and booked the Penthouse without Haven Access.

[dexddd]

I have been in the Meraviglia Yacht Club and I have also been in suites on Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Breakaway. Our first suiteexperience was in a aft penthouse on the Norwegian Jade.

 

I think that the butlers on Meraviglia were more avalible than the butlers we have had on NCL.

 

Our next cruise will be on the Divina. We know how it differ from Meraviglia and won't mind the walk to LeMuse.

 

The butlers on MSC did more for us than any butler on NCL although their duties are a bit different.

 

For LeMuse on Divina, you have the option to go down to the public decks, back, then back up but the quickest route is to exit YC, go down a floor or two to first passenger deck, head to to the back then up the last set of stairs and you are there.

[sverigecruiser]

Cool!

 

I did see my Butler on the Divina in the Yacht Club Top Sail Lounge serving drinks. But, aside from that, I didn’t see him much.

 

As an example, I saw my Butler on the GEM nearly every day. He’d just ring the doorbell to my cabin to make sure I had everything I needed.

 

Not that one is better than the others, just different in my opinion.

 

Divina is also a beautiful ship. You’ll love it. And, I agree. The walk from one side of the ship to the other for meals is a good thing.

 

When are you sailing?

 

I can't remember that any of our butlers on NCL has ever rang our doorbell just to see if we had everything we needed. We saw our MSC butler a lot in the Top Sail Lounge and he always gave us extra good service. He also escorted us off the ship for disembarkation and didn't left us until we had found our luggage.

 

We had a spa suite on our first cruise on the Epic and we really liked the walk over the pooldeck every morning when going to the Haven for breakfast.

 

Our cruise is February 10 so it's still a long wait!

[sverigecruiser]

 

For LeMuse on Divina, you have the option to go down to the public decks, back, then back up but the quickest route is to exit YC, go down a floor or two to first passenger deck, head to to the back then up the last set of stairs and you are there.

 

Thanks for the advice.

[richstowe]

Great thread . Certainly in the different strokes for different folks category . Taking one Haven cruise every three years instead of a balcony cabin every year is inexplicable to me. ( I could say 6 inside cabins but let's not go crazy .;)) For that matter travelling on the same cruise line each and every time is also something I don't get . Then again my friends can't understand why I keep taking cruises . Again to each his own .

[graphicguy]

I can't remember that any of our butlers on NCL has ever rang our doorbell just to see if we had everything we needed. We saw our MSC butler a lot in the Top Sail Lounge and he always gave us extra good service. He also escorted us off the ship for disembarkation and didn't left us until we had found our luggage.

 

We had a spa suite on our first cruise on the Epic and we really liked the walk over the pooldeck every morning when going to the Haven for breakfast.

 

Our cruise is February 10 so it's still a long wait!

Similar experience. On the GEM a couple of weeks ago, we had a Butler escort us onto the ship, and our Concierge escort us off.

 

YC on both Divina and Meraviglia had the Butler escort us on and off the ships.

 

Generally speaking, I've used the concierge more on my Haven cruises and used the butler more on my YC cruises. I think the duties with both Haven and YC are a little different as they divide them up between the Concierge and Butler.

 

Either way, great experience on both Haven and YC.

 

I really liked my Haven Spa Suite cabins because they included run of the Spa.

 

You can always book a quick 4 night inside cabin cruise between now and your Divina Cruise to tide you over until Feb.......;).

[sverigecruiser]

Similar experience. On the GEM a couple of weeks ago, we had a Butler escort us onto the ship, and our Concierge escort us off.

 

 

Did the concierge follow you off the ship and all the way to the luggage claim? The concierge never left the ship with us on NCL but maybe it's a new thing, or up to the concierge to decide.

[sverigecruiser]

 

I really liked my Haven Spa Suite cabins because they included run of the Spa.

 

 

The spa was the only place we didn't feel welcome on the Epic. We asked for a tour the first day and it was all about what treatments we could book to look better and nothing about what we could do to feel better. After the tour they told us that we could buy a pass but they should have recognized the bracelets we wore to show that we already had access!

 

We never went there again after the tour!

[dexddd]

Did the concierge follow you off the ship and all the way to the luggage claim? The concierge never left the ship with us on NCL but maybe it's a new thing, or up to the concierge to decide.

 

For us on NCL, when you are in the suite/Haven lounge on embarkation you get someone (concierge, butler, or asst) to walk you onto the ship. Any other time it is only to security line.

 

MSC they meet you at luggage drop at embarkation and on excursions they take you onto pier and meet you back at pier or tender line.

[snee]

When you are outside on the decks at the shows in the bars can you tell who is who after all were ah.Jock Tamsons bairns each to there own do what you enjoy