If your paying the $ for a Haven Room -- why choose the Aft H6?

[xcell]

If you are paying so much $ for the Haven room/experience, why would you choose an Aft Balcony and have to walk the entire ship to experience the courtyard, restaurant, pool/sun deck, etc...  I hear the butlers are less attentive because you are not that close.

 

 

[ColeThornton]

Easy answer:   The view from the aft balconies!  Also, the ability to walk off all the food you've eaten while dining in the Haven restaurant.  🙂

[NayRN]

Personally I enjoy the quietness of the location and while it is a walk to the Haven proper, I do not mind it at all....think of it as burning all those extra cruise calories that get consumed! I do not eat every meal in the Haven dining room, nor do I order every drink from the Haven bar. The pool in the Haven is small and while I do enjoy an occasional dip, I am more the type of person who lounges - which I can do on my HUGE aft balcony. If you're "worried" about cocktails, the aft elevators on the Escape, Getaway and Breakaway stop on deck 8 - directly in front of the Prime Meridian bar which is very rarely busy. It's also a good location for the majority of the restaurants.

 

In my experience ONLY, I've never seen any different level of service from the butlers. They've been just as attentive, sometimes even more! The only person I've had less interaction with is the Concierge.....

 

I will be sailing in the Haven on my next cruise only because I'm sailing solo and will require some of the Courtyard human interaction.  I never thought I'd enjoy sailing aft so much - but like your first time sailing in the Haven, once you try it, it's difficult to go back!

[softl]

We are sailing the Bliss shortly, Haven package but the cabin 10106. We will move a bit, but it's a cruise ship. Moving is a huge portion of the experience.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Why; for all the reasons stated and the pic below![emoji6]

 

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[LeesaB]

The balcony.  Plus, I *like* to walk.

 

Also, it's cheaper than other Haven options. 

 

Did I mention the balcony?

[BirdTravels]

The room is nearly 2x the size of a balcony room in the Haven complex for less $$$ and the balcony is 3x the size. They are wonderful rooms with 180 degree views of the sights around. 

[Georgia_Peaches]

Also, the cabin is a nice size with wonderful views from the bathroom (if you pick a deck with the bedroom on the inside) and the additional full bath is a plus.  The walk to/from the Haven is worth the price you pay for the aft balcony and extra space.  We stayed in an H5 and enjoyed it very much and found the convenience of being in the Haven proper to be nice as well.  But I would take an H6 over any of the others any day of the week.

 

On another note, some have suggested that the H6's are cheaper.  In my experience, they have only been cheaper than some of the categories...not all.  We paid more for our H6 than we did for our H5.  This was on the Away class.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Georgia_Peaches

[LeesaB]

37 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

On another note, some have suggested that the H6's are cheaper.  In my experience, they have only been cheaper than some of the categories...not all. 

Ok, yes.  Though I'm shopping for a family of 4, so the H5s aren't an option for us.  I look at the H4 and H6 mostly when pricing a room.  And on my next cruise, the H6 is currently $1,250 per person cheaper than the H4.  (Yeah, when pricing for 4 people - the H4 price is INSANE compared to the H6.)

[rfkeith10]

2 hours ago, softl said:

We are sailing the Bliss shortly, Haven package but the cabin 10106. We will move a bit, but it's a cruise ship. Moving is a huge portion of the experience.

We have also booked cabin 10106 for a cruise in late October.  We would sure like to know your thoughts of the cabin upon your return.  In case you haven't seen it, there is a very good tour of the cabin at the beginning of the YouTube  link.

 

Ray

[luckyinpa]

2nd bathroom for the sofa guests is a perk as well. the 2BR is just beyond reach on a holiday cruise ..aft is 1100 more than the courtyard for christmas on bliss

[MizDemeanor]

I am not one who HAS to be enveloped in the Haven Area. I see the areas as amenity space and the service levels that come with The Haven we have found to be extremely consistent. 

 

Butlers in cabins may be better or not than others, but we have not encountered any issues to date. 

[softl]

35 minutes ago, rfkeith10 said:

We have also booked cabin 10106 for a cruise in late October.  We would sure like to know your thoughts of the cabin upon your return.  In case you haven't seen it, there is a very good tour of the cabin at the beginning of the YouTube  link.

 

Ray

Saw the video the other day but thanks for thinking of us. Our cruise is in November, si I'll await your review instead!

[gmbhardy]

2 hours ago, *Luv2Cruz* said:

Why; for all the reasons stated and the pic below!

 

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

I think that says it all. We stayed in an H6 on the Getaway last February and absolutely loved it.

[rfkeith10]

6 minutes ago, softl said:

Saw the video the other day but thanks for thinking of us. Our cruise is in November, si I'll await your review instead!

Darn!  Hoping your cruise was before ours.  We'll share our thoughts when we get back...

[softl]

7 minutes ago, rfkeith10 said:

Darn!  Hoping your cruise was before ours.  We'll share our thoughts when we get back...

Where does your cruise depart and what's the itinerary?

 

Ours is NYC, Canaveral and GSC I think..

 

BIL and I are doing an airboat tour in Canaveral.

[aero777]

As for the Butler service aft, you have a cordless phone that works anywhere on the ship. The Butler and Concierge are on speed dial, if you need anything just give them a call. 

Unless you have mobility issues, the walk to Haven is a good thing! 

 

[aero777]

Be aware balcony sizes and cabin layout vary by deck number. This is the glorious balcony on deck 10 Escape, one of the smaller H6 balconies...

 

[Amy7979]

5 hours ago, softl said:

We are sailing the Bliss shortly, Haven package but the cabin 10106. We will move a bit, but it's a cruise ship. Moving is a huge portion of the experience.

 

That was our cabin a couple of weeks ago and we love love loved it! If Walter is your butler tell him Amy & Bill from 8/11 say hello... and even more so, please tell Assistant Concierge Qi (not sure on the spelling but it's pronounced "key") that we said hi and thank you again for all of the help with our group photo.

 

On Glacier Bay day be sure to head straight up to the Haven sundeck to watch the scenery from behind the protection of the wind shields!

 

You're in for a real treat. Happy to answer any questions.

[Amy7979]

3 hours ago, rfkeith10 said:

We have also booked cabin 10106 for a cruise in late October.  We would sure like to know your thoughts of the cabin upon your return.  In case you haven't seen it, there is a very good tour of the cabin at the beginning of the YouTube  link.

 

Ray

Same offer for you, Ray - if you have any questions please let me know! We just reluctantly left 10106 a couple of weeks ago.

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, aero777 said:

Be aware balcony sizes and cabin layout vary by deck number.

 

I may have posted the info for the BA/BA Plus ships once or twice. 😋

 

The pictures posted in this thread show neither the largest nor the smallest H6 balconies. It's important to do the research.

 

2 hours ago, MizDemeanor said:

Butlers in cabins may be better or not than others, but we have not encountered any issues to date. 

 

Butler's rotate. You might get a good one and you might not. The butler (not the location) will determine the level of service.

 

It's also important to note that a party of 4 might book the H6 over the H4 but a party of 2 or 3 can book the H5 that sleeps 3. We're a party of 4 so it's a battle between the H6 and H2 or H3 (if there is one) or us. The H4 would be an option for us if one of the grandmas came along (she and the kids would take the 2nd bedroom).

 

The walk to the Haven is a non-issue for me. My wife prefers being "inside the complex" but also prefers the huge balcony and lower price vs. the H2/H3. If my suspicion is correct, the Leonardo ships might be a better setup for us IF the Haven complex is located aft.

[xcell]

I've done the h4 and h2 -- and my favorite is the H4 but thats for the kids (separate bedroom and washroom).

 

 

[gtaylor]

Shuuuuush.

 

You guys are giving away our secrets.  

 

gary

[FLcruisergrl]

22 hours ago, xcell said:

If you are paying so much $ for the Haven room/experience, why would you choose an Aft Balcony and have to walk the entire ship to experience the courtyard, restaurant, pool/sun deck, etc...  I hear the butlers are less attentive because you are not that close.

 

 

Haven’t read through responses, but as I’m sure others have mentioned, the views and the huge size of the balconies. Attentiveness is based on the butler, not the location. I will gladly walk the length of the ship, as it’s good exercise and you get to see the rest of the ship. Aft will always be my first choice!

[pcakes122]

The aft views & larger balcony is definitely a plus - but you don't need to book the Haven for those views (aft balconies & aft mini-suites have awesome views as well - and alot cheaper!  That's all I used to book before I became addicted to the Haven.)  On Jewel-class ships you can have BOTH the aft views & suite benefits (like a butler) without even booking the Haven!  (best of both worlds IMO!)

 

The biggest benefit I can see to booking the Haven aft is for the ease of having your non-Haven friends come & go easily into your cabin - and hosting fun butler-hosted get-togethers that include your non-Haven friends.

 

You CAN bring your non-Haven friends to your cabin in the "Haven Proper", but unless you are in an owner's suite + the balconies aren't very big or suitable for outdoor entertaining.  (Plus you have to shoo them into your cabin and not allow them to roam the Haven - kind of awkward.)