Tears from Haven

[Spaniel Lover]

Carnival really has nothing similar to compete.

 

I think you haven't been paying attention to the last couple of new Carnival ships... the Vista class. They've got something on Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon (and the upcoming California-based Carnival Panorama) that Haven and Yacht Club people might find very appealing... especially those of you who wish The Haven was adults-only.

 

They have a Haven-like area called the Havana area at the far back end of the ship, on deck 5. It's adults only, and the only people that have access to it are the small number of people staying in a nearby Havana cabin. So, you get an un-crowded pool and sundeck area, like you do with The Haven, but it's adults-only and it's super inexpensive compared to The Haven. They even have very inexpensive inside cabins in the Havana area.

 

I think this video I made about my cruise on Carnival Vista will help you see what's so cool about Carnival's adults-only Havana area:

 

 

 

-KA89LvnBsg

to watch the video in HD and/or Full Screen on YouTube

In a Havana cabin on Carnival, you do not have a butler or a concierge, and you don't have a private restaurant. But it's hugely cheaper than The Haven, and there are those delicious Guy Fieri burgers! :p:p

 

You can learn more about the Havana area on Carnival's Vista-class ships by reading my full review here.

[cruise4kicks]

I think you haven't been paying attention to the last couple of new Carnival ships... the Vista class. They've got something on Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon (and the upcoming California-based Carnival Panorama) that Haven and Yacht Club people might find very appealing... especially those of you who wish The Haven was adults-only.

 

They have a Haven-like area called the Havana area at the far back end of the ship, on deck 5. It's adults only, and the only people that have access to it are the small number of people staying in a nearby Havana cabin. So, you get an un-crowded pool and sundeck area, like you do with The Haven, but it's adults-only and it's super inexpensive compared to The Haven. They even have very inexpensive inside cabins in the Havana area.

Jim, my next cruise is the Vista in a Havana Cabana. After many suite/Haven cruises, I'm feeling like I may have found my new home.

 

BTW, I watched your videos about a month ago. Great stuff! I've been directing my friends and family to your site. ;)

[graphicguy]

I think you haven't been paying attention to the last couple of new Carnival ships... the Vista class. They've got something on Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon (and the upcoming California-based Carnival Panorama) that Haven and Yacht Club people might find very appealing... especially those of you who wish The Haven was adults-only.

 

They have a Haven-like area called the Havana area at the far back end of the ship, on deck 5. It's adults only, and the only people that have access to it are the small number of people staying in a nearby Havana cabin. So, you get an un-crowded pool and sundeck area, like you do with The Haven, but it's adults-only and it's super inexpensive compared to The Haven. They even have very inexpensive inside cabins in the Havana area.

 

I think this video I made about my cruise on Carnival Vista will help you see what's so cool about Carnival's adults-only Havana area:

 

 

 

 

-KA89LvnBsg

to watch the video in HD and/or Full Screen on YouTube

In a Havana cabin on Carnival, you do not have a butler or a concierge, and you don't have a private restaurant. But it's hugely cheaper than The Haven, and there are those delicious Guy Fieri burgers! :p:p

 

You can learn more about the Havana area on Carnival's Vista-class ships by reading my full review here.

Jim....I’ll acquiesce to your judgement as I have not sailed Carnival in a while. As I’m able to afford a better cabin/service experience on my cruises, the more I’m looking at Haven/YC/RCCL Star suites.

 

Maybe we’ll look at Carnival somewhere down the road. But, NCL and MSC have provided an experience we prefer. I’m willing to pay for that experience, too.

 

I read your MSC review. While I haven’t sailed the Seaside. I have sailed Divina and Meraviglia. I liked both much more than your Seaside critique.

 

Price is always a consideration. I’m looking at a Breakaway Spa Haven Suite (the suite type you really enjoyed) in Sept. I can sail for $4,500, including drinks, some specialty restaurants, some excursion credits, internet package and $1,000+ OBC.

 

I can sail in a CCL Grand Suite for about a $1,000 less, but with no Butler, no concierge, much less OBC, etc.

 

I’ll take the Haven.

 

Sincerely enjoy your reviews. I read/watc/appreciate all of them.

 

We just disagree!

 

;)

[dexddd]

Which MSC ships have you been sailing? I know for a fact that Seaside and Divina have a lovely pool deck just for YC with an outdoor grill and bar.

 

MSC has always included their top tier drink package for YC guests, and it's far more inclusive than NCL's drink package (bottled water, specialty coffees, basically anything you can drink, plus gelato and crepes).

 

Another incentive for the YC is that their restaurant menu changes daily.

 

That is what I was thinking too. YC on Divinia and Seaside has a huge pool area with bar and food that is outside.

[shaun07]

I think you haven't been paying attention to the last couple of new Carnival ships... the Vista class. They've got something on Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon (and the upcoming California-based Carnival Panorama) that Haven and Yacht Club people might find very appealing... especially those of you who wish The Haven was adults-only.

 

 

Great video. I will have to look into carnival. Thanks

[cyndepet]

Price is always a consideration. I’m looking at a Breakaway Spa Haven Suite (the suite type you really enjoyed) in Sept. I can sail for $4,500, including drinks, some specialty restaurants, some excursion credits, internet package and $1,000+ OBC.

 

 

 

;)

 

Serious question - how do you score so much OBC? I need to know what to look for in the future!

[shaun07]

Serious question - how do you score so much OBC? I need to know what to look for in the future!

 

Not sure how others do but one good rule is not to book directly with Ncl. i personally use a TA. On average he saves me about 5%.

[graphicguy]

Serious question - how do you score so much OBC? I need to know what to look for in the future!

Good question.

 

I'm Platinum on NCL. That nets me an additional $100 OBC by itself. Right now the Haven Spa Suites for the dates I'm looking to sail have $300 OBC. I always book using my AMEX Platinum Card. Right now, they have an additional $300 OBC for the NCL Haven Spa Suite.

 

That's $700 in OBC right there.

 

I use an online TA that I've used for years. They're actually a pretty big one. You can use one of their agents to book. Or, I always book online and do my own research. As such, for the Haven Spa suites I'm looking for, they throw in the commission they would ordinarily pay an agent, since I don't use an agent. In this case, the TA OBC is $350.

 

So, OBC total for the Getaway Haven Spa is $1,350 in total.

 

For comparison, MSC does not have an agreement with my online TA and apparently none with AMEX, either. As such, I can't get any AMEX OBC by booking an MSC cruise.

 

OBC with RCCL isn't nearly as generous when looking at the same dates/sailings, although my TA does offer similar OBC with them (again, I believe that's the commission they don't have to pay to an agent, given I don't use one).

 

Generally speaking, it seems NCL is more generous with OBC than other cruise lines.

 

AMEX Platinum is also generous. I fly a lot for work. While the annual fee for the AMEX is $550, they offer $200/year on airlines for things like extra checked baggage, meals on a flight, free entrance to private airport lounges (a MUCH BETTER way to tackle long airport layovers ...some of the lounges even have showers...all of them offer wine, liquor, beer and food at no charge), basic insurance on cruises, insurance on my rental cars, $200/year in UBER credits, and obviously the OBC on some cruise lines. In addition to the OBC, AMEX Platinum also offers me one specialty dinner and a bottle of wine. To me, well worth it.

 

Plus, since I use my AMEX primarily for booking work travel and expenses, I write off the annual $550 fee on my taxes.

 

All-in-all, the combination of my credit card, my TA and NCL.....all combined, make it difficult to change cruise lines (although I do sail most of them) with all the perks and OBC they offer me.

 

My last cruise was on the GEM. I had $800 OBC all totaled. I used ALL the non-refundable but still had $225 of refundable OBC left over. NCL sent me a check for that amount about 4-6 weeks after the cruise.

[dexddd]

MSC has OBC in cases but not much - like $25-$50 per person in the room (all 4 in our case).

 

If they match you to Black you get the 5% the cruise fare (maybe you don't even have to be Black and it is offered at other levels?).

 

I do get a discount by my TA when booking MSC as well as NCL.

[graphicguy]

MSC has OBC in cases but not much - like $25-$50 per person in the room (all 4 in our case).

 

If they match you to Black you get the 5% the cruise fare (maybe you don't even have to be Black and it is offered at other levels?).

 

I do get a discount by my TA when booking MSC as well as NCL.

 

I've always wondered if the OBC offered by TAs (in addition to what's offered by the cruise lines) is somehow tied to the amount of volume that particular TA does with that particular cruise line?

 

I did an MSC status match. So, I'm "BLACK" status with MSC (their highest reward status). Not sure the discount is tied to the status on MSC, however.

 

When all's said and done, I consider NCL/RCCL to be closest in the sort of cruise experience offered by the mainstream cruise lines. They both are innovative. They both have beautiful, well cared for ships. They seem to cater to the same sort of cruiser (like myself). So, I compare their offerings the most often.

 

I believe NCL does a better job with entertainment and service. RCCL does a better job with tech (Robot bartender, VOOM). I like both. But, considering all the perks and costs, I think NCL is the better value. This Sept, I'll probably be cruising the Getaway in a Haven Spa Suite for about the same price as RCCL would charge for a Superior Balcony room given all the OBC I'll have. Plus, I'll have the drink package, excursion credits, internet package and specialty dining package as icing on the cake, which I would not have with RCCL.

 

MSC is unique in that they sail the most beautiful ships I've ever seen. I sailed Divina in the Caribbean and 6 months later the Meraviglia in the Mediterranean. I can see them making their North American based cruises better in a hurry. As it was, I found their Cirque show as good as anything else I've seen. Some of the other shows might not appeal to this market, but I believe they will, given a short period of time.

 

Carnival? I know some have said the VISTA is a big step up for them. Perhaps. I liked the Conquest and the Breeze sailings I took. The crowd and entertainment were not quite to my taste. Doesn't make them bad. Just not what I prefer.

 

I'll sail RCCL and MSC again, however!

[dexddd]

For my TA it "seems" the discount is based more on price of room category.

 

Sailed Carnival once, long time ago but don't see sailing on them again.

 

Waiting for MSC to bring out all those new ships especially to NA.

[graphicguy]

For my TA it "seems" the discount is based more on price of room category.

 

Sailed Carnival once, long time ago but don't see sailing on them again.

 

Waiting for MSC to bring out all those new ships especially to NA.

Same for my TA.....higher the fare, the more OBC offered.

 

I liked both of my Carnival cruises. Have had better experiences on other cruise lines. I know many, many love the Carnival experience. As they say, different strokes for different folks.

 

Maybe if I find a Carnival cruise that’s either super cheap, or an interesting itinerary, I’ll look at them more seriously. But, as of right now, I’d book NCL, MSC or RCCL first (in that order).

[galleycook]

Ever since we tried a suite, there has been no turning back. In my opinion NCL and the Haven are the best of the three lines that we been suite guests on (NCL, Celebrity and RC). I will say however that I like some of the larger perks which seem to be consistently included in an RC Star suite, such as unlimited drinks, prepaid tips and specialty restaurants. We found the Genie pretty much non-existent though and it was quite obvious they did not do what a butler does. I’d much prefer an NCL butler. We have 2 Haven cruises coming up shortly so I guess I’ll see if the benefits /perks are diminishing. Based on past experience, I'm pretty sure we will get to our suite on embarkation day much faster (on NCL).