Cruise inside cabin but eat in the Haven?

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, hbe30 said:

With NCL now raising their prices I have now booked my next cruise with MSC Seaside in the Yacht Club, which is the same principal as the Haven, a ship within a ship . I've been reading the service is outstanding, not to mention their prices are about half of the Haven price. There are many Haven guests that have jumped ship. 

 

We had a fantastic time on Seaside in the Yacht Club. Prices have started to creep up for the Yacht Club but MSC still easily beats NCL on price. There are differences but you'll probably enjoy the Seaside Yacht Club. 

[GUEST71919]

9 hours ago, hbe30 said:

I have sailed about 10 times in the Haven. I find that NCL is allowing a lot of non Haven guests in. My last 2 cruises have seemed very crowded and not the experience I used to enjoy. With NCL now raising their prices I have now booked my next cruise with MSC Seaside in the Yacht Club, which is the same principal as the Haven, a ship within a ship . I've been reading the service is outstanding, not to mention their prices are about half of the Haven price. There are many Haven guests that have jumped ship. 

And @Twowheelsonly ...

 

I have heard this sentiment from others, but then the very loud chorus of those who dislike the line overall (entertainment/ food) have kept me from moving forward. I did look at the cabins, but the suites seemed so small. We have crossed over recently to taking a few cruises with RCL and loved sailing on the Allure (the OS was amazing). We are booked on two additional RCL cruises in 2019 so those should provide more good info. Don’t think I can see myself in the Royal Suites (for one, they are seriously overpriced and two, from my observation it goes past service and well into servitude... just not our style). Our thought was that with Royal Caribbean there are many ships and it allows for auto status matching on Celebrity. I think MSC has been allowing status matches from other lines, once we are slightly higher on NCL or RCL we likely will give it a try!

 

But the sharing and knowledge and perspective is why I keep coming back to CC ( despite too much snarkiness and ego at times).  And I cannot believe you people are now forcing me to go watch this slide video... for shame!!! 😳🤯😛

 

Lynn

[steveweese]

That was absolutely the worst thing I have watched in 64 years. I don’t think NCL will respond. What could you say to that guy? 

[Two Wheels Only]

4 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

I have heard this sentiment from others, but then the very loud chorus of those who dislike the line overall (entertainment/ food) have kept me from moving forward. I did look at the cabins, but the suites seemed so small.

 

By size, the Deluxe Suites on MSC Seaside are most similar to the H5 on the BA/BA Plus ships. The exception is that unlike the H5 which only sleeps 3, the Deluxe Suites sleep either 4 or 5 (sofa-bed or sofa-bed and pullman). We had no complaints about the entertainment nor any complaints about the food. Our "worst" meal was actually in one of the specialty restaurants and that was just so-so because of the limited menu choices. The restaurant itself was beautiful and the service was great but I enjoyed my appetizer more than my entree.

 

4 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

 Don’t think I can see myself in the Royal Suites (for one, they are seriously overpriced and two, from my observation it goes past service and well into servitude... just not our style).

 

We had the Royal Suite on Seaside and the price was (still is) less than NCL asks for the least expensive Haven suite for 4 people on the BA/BA Plus class if comparing the same week. If someone is looking at a Haven H4, it's actually less expensive to book 2 Deluxe Suites on Seaside or Meraviglia. 

 

Another consideration is Celebrity Edge and the Retreat (ship-within-a-ship). A Sky Suite for 4 (outside of the Retreat complex) with Retreat access is less than a H6 or H7 for 4 (outside of the Haven complex) with Haven access. The Sky Suite is a little bit larger than a Haven H5 or Deluxe Suite on MSC. I've never sailed Celebrity and some of the first reviews have been fair to poor (expected on a new ship) but I'm still considering Edge. Seaside also had fair to poor reviews at first but those things have been corrected/improved. 

 

(apologies for the thread hijack...)

[GUEST71919]

5 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

By size, the Deluxe Suites on MSC Seaside are most similar to the H5 on the BA/BA Plus ships. The exception is that unlike the H5 which only sleeps 3, the Deluxe Suites sleep either 4 or 5 (sofa-bed or sofa-bed and pullman). We had no complaints about the entertainment nor any complaints about the food. Our "worst" meal was actually in one of the specialty restaurants and that was just so-so because of the limited menu choices. The restaurant itself was beautiful and the service was great but I enjoyed my appetizer more than my entree.

 

 

We had the Royal Suite on Seaside and the price was (still is) less than NCL asks for the least expensive Haven suite for 4 people on the BA/BA Plus class if comparing the same week. If someone is looking at a Haven H4, it's actually less expensive to book 2 Deluxe Suites on Seaside or Meraviglia. 

 

Another consideration is Celebrity Edge and the Retreat (ship-within-a-ship). A Sky Suite for 4 (outside of the Retreat complex) with Retreat access is less than a H6 or H7 for 4 (outside of the Haven complex) with Haven access. The Sky Suite is a little bit larger than a Haven H5 or Deluxe Suite on MSC. I've never sailed Celebrity and some of the first reviews have been fair to poor (expected on a new ship) but I'm still considering Edge. Seaside also had fair to poor reviews at first but those things have been corrected/improved. 

 

(apologies for the thread hijack...)

We won’t spank you for a minor hijack, this has turned into “nice, rational people who avoid snarkiness” thread... it’s been lovely, don’t you agree?  😊

 

We usually sail in the Haven with my sister, I can’t think of another 3rd much less 4th person I would cruise with except my Mother and my niece and her husband who now live with her to care for her (she is 91 and post stage 4 cancer so that is out sadly).  I don’t know if I would love the other Haven suites like I love that 2vr 2ba! 

 

 I am glad to know that Seaside made changes - I gave those initial reports credence since those reporters included a number of rational, mature types who are rarely dramatic. With your new info on MSC, I am going to take a new look right now and appreciate the info and the time your took to provide it. We also definitely want to try Celebrity, but thought we should wait until we are Platinum (soon) or Diamond (early 2020 most likely). 👍🏼🔥

 

Lynn

[GUEST71919]

8 hours ago, steveweese said:

That was absolutely the worst thing I have watched in 64 years. I don’t think NCL will respond. What could you say to that guy? 

True.. although I know what I would say 🤪🤭😂💁🏼‍♀️

[ziggyuk]

12 hours ago, 2Beeze said:

I think MSC has been allowing status matches from other lines, once we are slightly higher on NCL or RCL we likely will give it a try!

Lynn

 

Unfortunately they started matching lower since October, NCL Platinum used to match to black but now only matches to gold, I think they may have overdone it.

[DMH15]

On 12/9/2018 at 11:20 AM, shof515 said:

52 minute video?..really?..wow..seems way tooo long. how do people watch this?

I only lasted a minute watching it.  

[GUEST71919]

1 hour ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Unfortunately they started matching lower since October, NCL Platinum used to match to black but now only matches to gold, I think they may have overdone it.

That would hurt them some I would think... but I am not about to try to figure out how cruise management thinks! 🙊 Two words for them however - “New Coke” 🤦🏼‍♀️  ‘Nuff said.

[bbryan5]

Self entitled D-BAG!

[Barb Nahoumi]

On 12/9/2018 at 1:51 PM, ks said:

Have watched a few of their posts and found them boring and full of complaints. On one they complained about the salad in La Cucina for what seemed to be hours.

 

On another note I have stopped going to Cruise Critic Meet and Greets because the last two I went too were very poorly organized and I was wondering at the time if the organizers had volunteered just for the chance to get VIP Treatment from NCL?  Many Meet and Greets have been great but the last two were very disappointing.  

The last Meet and Greet that we attended was on the October 26th sailing on the Dawn.  The event was very well planned by the organizers, and was one of the best ever.

[inspiration100]

I"m seeing "Comments are disabled for this video."  Is anyone else?

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 12/10/2018 at 4:42 AM, Sara_smile said:

You are not correct.  They had no special passes to enter the Haven.  As someone else pointed out, the inaugural Alaskan Bliss cruise was packed with NCL VIP's, etc.  They assumed because they had a prior VIP treatment it was going to happen again as if they are that special.  That is a huge clarifier that needs pointed out.  Adrian was shooing Haven guests to Margaritaville because there was no room.  Why would non-Haven guests with no prior authorization be allowed in dine in the Haven.

Although I stopped watching at about 10 minutes in, I gathered that they were escorted to the Haven via special access from the pier.  Seems like this error began with the private escort to the Haven area and this was, in their view, interpreted as special access.  They should have never been taken there prior to verifying with the Haven concierge, in this case Adrian.

[ColeThornton]

15 minutes ago, inspiration100 said:

I"m seeing "Comments are disabled for this video."  Is anyone else?

 

 

Yes.   He probably stopped people from commenting after the 100th time he got called a complete tool.

[Trimone]

Personally for the disabled community I think they do a good job.

[david_sobe]

7 hours ago, inspiration100 said:

I"m seeing "Comments are disabled for this video."  Is anyone else?

Yep, I suppose they did not like what many people were commenting on.  I could not help myself.  I find their videos like a train wreck that you cant help watching.  Believe it or not they have other videos about this incident claiming people come up to them in the street offering sympathy to the way they were treated, stated Haven guests cancelled their reservations and moved to MSC all because of what they went through.  They raise hell at the meet and greet and write a 5 page letter to NCL.  NCL stands behind their policy and Adrian.  However, the part that irks me is that NCL gave them a dinner at the Haven in which they filmed.  I guess they have no shame.

Lets repeat:  Passengers booked inside cabin.  Passengers demand lunch at Haven during embarkation day.  Passengers get angry and demand NCL fire everyone involved not letting them eat in the Haven.

*****?  What are we missing here?

[Oakman58]

58 minutes ago, Trimone said:

Personally for the disabled community I think they do a good job.

 

How so??

[Trimone]

17 minutes ago, Oakman58 said:

 

How so??

Their you tube channel addresses numerous challenges the disabled experience during cruises, you all forget they where invited to dine for lunch, like most NCL issues it comes down to communication, and dealing with multiple languages on board sometimes instruction comes down to expirations 

[GUEST71919]

10 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

Yes.   He probably stopped people from commenting after the 100th time he got called a complete tool.

It is clear comments were edited to include only the “you two rock” options (channel “owners” can remove comments, it’s a bit like putting a 1980 glamour shot on your 2019 online dating profile, isn’t it? 😂😂😂). 

 

@Trimone  And that would be fabulous, if that is what was posted; but it loses a lot of it’s power when they go on to make fun of elderly passengers who were having problems (and film them) or ridicule individuals of other races complete with wigs and altered speech.  Besides, there is precious little about disabilities there.

 

They defend their own behavior by saying its humor - I have zero doubt that they would not find it funny if people were making fun of them. At least the criticism is about their behavior, NOT about how they look, their clothing, their speech, their race, or any other personal attribute. That’s fair. They also made an attempt to have people punished in a way that would put those individual’s jobs in put in peril because they were angry that they didn’t get super special treatment on a cruise that they neither paid for or deserved. Doesn’t sound like award winning actions to me. But they block criticism of themselves on their own channel so this thread just allowed people to express another view (since their “fans” already had a place). 

[CruiseJB]

We just got home from the 12/15 sailing

 

so... I debated about posting my experience about eating at the Haven.  Decided to go ahead and do so as it proves attitude is everything.  I organized our roll call meet and greet not expecting any perks from NCL.  When we got to our cabin found 2 things. 1. a letter from the Hotel Director welcoming us and stating Pam his secretary would be our personal concierge for the voyage.  2. an invite to the captain's reception.

 

we did not attend the reception and did not plan to utilize Pam's services.  I did not feel entitled to those amenities.  But... my husband loves steak tartare and was hoping maybe it was something he could get on the cruise.  I was aware it was on the Haven menu and was hoping to find it in the mdr one night.  By wednesday I had checked and found it was not.  So I called Pam to see if she could arrange it Thursday evening for him in the Manhatten room.  Long story short, she rearranged our Le  Bistro reservation to Thursday and escorted us to the Haven Wednesday at 9pm. There were only 2 other tables being served while we there, so it helped me feel less guilty about accepting the "perk"

 

Charlie was able to enjoy the appetizer he looked forward to.  

 

When I made my request I did not expect it could be done and only asked so he could maybe have a special treat.  I never in a million years expected to eat in the Haven.

 

I made my request with no expectations and was very thankful for receiving it.

 

Edited December 23, 2018 by CruiseJB
add date if sailing

[GUEST71919]

1 hour ago, CruiseJB said:

We just got home from the 12/15 sailing

 

so... I debated about posting my experience about eating at the Haven...

...

 

When I made my request I did not expect it could be done and only asked so he could maybe have a special treat.  I never in a million years expected to eat in the Haven.

 

I made my request with no expectations and was very thankful for receiving it.

 

 

I so appreciate your willingness to post this and I for one am so glad Charlie got his steak tartare (I must add better him than me 😉). I am pretty sure that I speak for the majority of Haven guests to say I have no issue at all with the situation that you described. Although there is commentary here about the fact that certain people did not pay for the privilege, the core problem was not money but conscending attitude and a lack of gratitude. When it grew to ridiculous levels, and any criticism was banned by those involved, it left a bad taste in the mouth of many.  The “do you know who I am???” tactic is bad enough, but it’s especially grotesque when it has no basis in reality!

 

It is very clear to me from what you have written above that you and your husband are not remotely in the same galaxy as those in the situation discussed here.  If you get another such invitation, I hope that you will accept it without feeling guilty or the feeling that you are not wanted. I know that I would be glad to have you dine with us if we were onboard. We sail again in a few weeks and I will laugh out loud if I see steak tartare on the menu and will silently dedicate it to Charlie 😊

 

Happy sailing 🧜🏼‍♀️

Lynn

Edited December 23, 2018 by 2Beeze

[pcakes122]

On 12/22/2018 at 4:52 PM, david_sobe said:

Lets repeat:  Passengers booked inside cabin.  Passengers demand lunch at Haven during embarkation day.  Passengers get angry and demand NCL fire everyone involved not letting them eat in the Haven.

*****?  What are we missing here?

Without expressing my opinion on the video, the one fact you are missing is that they were brought TO the Haven by an NCL employee (providing wheelchair assist) at the direction of the NCL employee who checked them in (as VIPs) in the Haven boarding area.  The cruisers did not ASK for lunch in the Haven, but were TOLD by the NCL employee at check-in that they would be NCL's guests for lunch in the Haven.  That person then directed the NCL employee who was providing wheelchair assist to take the guests to the Haven restaurant.  (The Haven is a key-card only entry area - these two would not have have been able to enter the Haven area on their own.  They were brought there.)  It was THEN that Adrian told them they didn't belong.  The way I interpreted the story they told on video - their objection was NOT that they couldn't stay for lunch - but rather that NCL told them they were invited to the Haven (not at their request or demand btw), were brought to the Haven by NCL personnel and then were embarrassed by how they were treated when they were told they were not welcome.

 

I won't weigh in on the letter, video, etc., but I can say that I would have been embarrassed, too.  (and frustrated that NCL put me in that position due to a lack of coordination between the staff at the Haven check-in desk and the Haven concierge.)

Edited December 24, 2018 by pcakes122

[david_sobe]

1 hour ago, pcakes122 said:

Without expressing my opinion on the video, the one fact you are missing is that they were brought TO the Haven by an NCL employee (providing wheelchair assist) at the direction of the NCL employee who checked them in (as VIPs) in the Haven boarding area.  The cruisers did not ASK for lunch in the Haven, but were TOLD by the NCL employee at check-in that they would be NCL's guests for lunch in the Haven.  That person then directed the NCL employee who was providing wheelchair assist to take the guests to the Haven restaurant.  (The Haven is a key-card only entry area - these two would not have have been able to enter the Haven area on their own.  They were brought there.)  It was THEN that Adrian told them they didn't belong.  The way I interpreted the story they told on video - their objection was NOT that they couldn't stay for lunch - but rather that NCL told them they were invited to the Haven (not at their request or demand btw), were brought to the Haven by NCL personnel and then were embarrassed by how they were treated when they were told they were not welcome.

 

I won't weigh in on the letter, video, etc., but I can say that I would have been embarrassed, too.  (and frustrated that NCL put me in that position due to a lack of coordination between the staff at the Haven check-in desk and the Haven concierge.)

No that is not correct. You do realize if they had VIP status and were given Haven access, they could have stayed.  Even in their own words they never state they had VIP status or given any right to the Haven.  If they were ever given any such status they would have mentioned it in their 5 page letter to NCL and on their several hour rage against NCL to fire Adrian.  No letter or status was ever given.  People enter the Haven all the time.  When a handicap person requests an escort, they will escort you anywhere you want to go, no questions asked. When they get to the Haven they are asked to leave.  That should be the end of the story.  I can only imagine the chaos on embarkation day on the first Alaskan cruise for Bliss.  The concierge has a job to do.  A port employee pushing wheel chairs is not an NCL employee.  Nice try.   If they did not have the handicap escort, they would have never made it to the Haven.  You need to watch the video before you comment.

Edited December 24, 2018 by david_sobe

[pcakes122]

6 minutes ago, david_sobe said:

No that is not correct. You do realize if they had VIP status and were given Haven access, they could have stayed.  Even in their own words they never state they had VIP status or given any right to the Haven.  If they were ever given any such status they would have mentioned it in their 5 page letter to NCL and on their several hour rage against NCL to fire Adrian.  No letter or status was ever given.  People enter the Haven all the time.  When a handicap person requests an escort, they will escort you anywhere you want to go, no questions asked. When they get to the Haven they are asked to leave.  That should be the end of the story.  I can only imagine the chaos on embarkation day on the first Alaskan cruise for Bliss.  The concierge has a job to do.  A port employee pushing wheel chairs is not an NCL employee.  Nice try.

You are incorrect.  They wouldn't have had Haven check-in if they did not have VIP status.  They didn't "wander" into the Haven.  I am also disabled and you can't tell the wheelchair assist person to take you into the Haven.  It is key card entry.  Actually watch their vlog from that day (not the video about the letter - the actual cruise travel vlog.)  They absolutely had Haven check-in - they filmed it.

Edited December 24, 2018 by pcakes122

[david_sobe]

9 minutes ago, pcakes122 said:

You are incorrect.  They wouldn't have had Haven check-in if they did not have VIP status.  They didn't "wander" into the Haven.  I am also disabled and you can't tell the wheelchair assist person to take you into the Haven.  It is key card entry.  Actually watch their vlog from that day (not the video about the letter - the actually travel vlog.)  They absolutely had Haven check-in - they filmed it.

Nope.  The video speaks for itself.  The NCL response speaks for itself.  They admit they were not given Haven access.  Their demand was based on an assumption they are "the media" and were given VIP status before on smaller NCL ships (their words, not mine).

I think you need to watch their video. NO HAVEN access NOR VIP status was ever given.  That is their story and clearly why the concierge bounced them from the Haven.   You do see their abusive videos demanding NCL fire staff for enforcing NCL rules.  Its wrong on so many levels.  I hope you never have to deal with abusive customers like this.

Edited December 24, 2018 by david_sobe