THE SECRETS OF THE NCL HAVEN LUXURY EXPERIENCE

[momofjohnjr]

On 2/13/2022 at 5:15 PM, BlueSeaz said:

Cruising from the San Juan port, is there a Haven lounge there or priority boarding? Normally would not care but I just tour ligaments in my ankle and hobbling.

 

Thanks

U should get the wheelchair service. Faster or not I bet it's still a very long walk.

[Sadric]

On 4/13/2021 at 1:18 PM, Sthrngary said:

It was my pleasure.  A couple of things.  I was booked on the NCL Encore for May 2020.  Was cancelled.  I then rebooked for the Encore for May 2021.  Was cancelled. Now I am on the Joy for the week after thanksgiving.  Second, I have a much longer document on the Haven.  If you give my your email address, I will send it to you.  

 

I have done these kinds of studies on Luxury vs. Mainstream vs. Premium Cruises.  Also on how to make your cruise a All-Inclusive VIP Luxury Experience.  This stuff is my hobby during covid times.  Happy to help.

Hello! Long time lurker. On the Encore 4/22..Haven..

 

May I get your Haven document? I’m at rdesear@gmail.com. 

 

Many thanks and a great topic.

 

Ryan

[pcakes122]

On 2/14/2022 at 8:24 AM, vacation44 said:

Here is the balcony. The first one is the right side when we walk out and the second one is the left side.

No regular Haven loungers?? Is this standard on the Joy? 

 

[aero777]

On 2/26/2022 at 9:41 PM, pcakes122 said:

No regular Haven loungers?? Is this standard on the Joy? 

 

Those are the same loungers we received for our Haven Courtyard PH with large balcony (HE) on both the Bliss and the Encore December 2021 and January 2022. Our chairs were simulated wicker with thick cushions.

No more terry cloth covers on the Haven loungers with thick cushions in the courtyard or on the sun deck.

Edited March 4, 2022 by aero777

[Sthrngary]

On 2/26/2022 at 10:41 PM, pcakes122 said:

No regular Haven loungers?? Is this standard on the Joy? 

 

I was just on the Joy in November 2021.  The loungers on my deck was exactly the same as by the Haven Courtyard pool or the Haven Sundeck.  If this is a Haven Suite, Ask your butler to swap out the loungers if you like.  I had enough room on my deck for two more loungers, they brought them. FYI only.

 

Cruise well.

[pcakes122]

On 3/4/2022 at 1:17 AM, aero777 said:

Those are the same loungers we received for our Haven Courtyard PH with large balcony (HE) on both the Bliss and the Encore December 2021 and January 2022. Our chairs were simulated wicker with thick cushions.

No more terry cloth covers on the Haven loungers with thick cushions in the courtyard or on the sun deck.

Wow. I had regular Haven loungers on my December 2021 cruise on the Gem.

[mnpurple]

Can someone share an Email address for the Haven concierge? I know I can call, but easier for me to send a message.

[Sthrngary]

14 minutes ago, mnpurple said:

Can someone share an Email address for the Haven concierge? I know I can call, but easier for me to send a message.

NorwegianConciergeDesk@ncl.com 

[mearsfansinboise]

On 2/12/2022 at 6:16 AM, Hutcha said:

Most people here don't like to disclose how much they tip. Go over to the Royal Caribbean side and they don't have a problem with it. What you'll get here is that "it's a very personal decision". How much did your staff member do for you? What was the level of service? 

 

I have a trip in two weeks, and here's what I'm personally budgeting for 7 days (dependent on the service)

Butler - $100-200

Cabin attendant $50-75 extra

Concierge - $50-75

Maitre D and hostess $25 each

 

 

Thanks for this @Hutcha, I'm not sure why it's so taboo to speak of (akin to talking about salaries in the workplace?) but this is very helpful.  Knowing we don't have to do this, it's still good to know ranges of what people do, and to whom.

[complawyer]

hey, mearsfansinboise.

 

i tip about the same as you, but dont forget the waiters and waitresses that serve you, especially if you have a haven or regular suite. i tip 5 for breakfast and lunch, 10 for dinner (even in mdr).

 

10 to the teppanyaki chef, a few bucks to the bartender after each drink, and if i'm doing ok, 5 bucks to the blackjack dealer. although i dont usually use the buffet, if im at the omlet station and he's making me a specific omlet, i usually leave a buck or 2

 

also dont forget the porter that takes your bags before boarding, and the one that helps you with the luggage and onto a cab post cruise.

 

this may all sound excessive, and as been discussed before it's all up to the individual.

[Sadric]

On 1/18/2022 at 9:24 PM, Pace67 said:

We were in the Haven on the Breakaway 2 weeks ago and my daughter and I are vegetarians. We would pre-order our vegetarian meals the day before with the maitre D. He would give suggestions (pasta, stuffed peppers, gnocchi etc...) and there were vegetarian options in the Haven for appetizers, so we only had to get the main entree accomodated. You can also request meals on the Haven menu without the meat. One day for lunch I had the shrimp scampi without the shrimp and it was delicious. We never had a problem and every meal was delicious. I also asked for fruit and vegy snacks from the butler and he never failed to deliver each day. 

 Ok this made me curious. What is shrimp scampi without the shrimp? I picture a bowl of butter and garlic. Not making fun. Genuinely curious.

[Sthrngary]

8 minutes ago, Sadric said:

 Ok this made me curious. What is shrimp scampi without the shrimp? I picture a bowl of butter and garlic. Not making fun. Genuinely curious.

@SadricYou make a good point.  However, the real point of this post was that if you give the Haven Team advanced notice, they can accommodate your food requirements.  There is a fantastic video on YouTube of a grandmother who was also a vegetarian. The Haven staff brought dishes from several restaurants to accommodate her needs. 

 

I am currently on the NCL Joy as I write this reply.  I am for the first time not in the Haven.  I am having a fantastic time.  If I had any major food issues, I assure everyone, the Haven would be the place to be. Will the other restaurants accommodate you outside of the Haven, sure.  You pay a premium for the Haven but it is worth a premium. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every minute. 

[meglet]

On 3/6/2022 at 8:18 PM, complawyer said:

hey, mearsfansinboise.

 

i tip about the same as you, but dont forget the waiters and waitresses that serve you, especially if you have a haven or regular suite. i tip 5 for breakfast and lunch, 10 for dinner (even in mdr).

 

10 to the teppanyaki chef, a few bucks to the bartender after each drink, and if i'm doing ok, 5 bucks to the blackjack dealer. although i dont usually use the buffet, if im at the omlet station and he's making me a specific omlet, i usually leave a buck or 2

 

also dont forget the porter that takes your bags before boarding, and the one that helps you with the luggage and onto a cab post cruise.

 

this may all sound excessive, and as been discussed before it's all up to the individual.

I soooo don't mean to be flaming, or critical, or capital letter crazy, and tip butler, concierge, and sometimes steward too. The ship knows where you eat BL and dinner every day, so do they just not funnel whatever percentage of the DSC to the specialty staff, or the Haven restaurant staff based on where you're eating? I HAVE tipped extra there for amazing service, but not always. Thank you for any info.

[Sthrngary]

9 minutes ago, meglet said:

I soooo don't mean to be flaming, or critical, or capital letter crazy, and tip butler, concierge, and sometimes steward too. The ship knows where you eat BL and dinner every day, so do they just not funnel whatever percentage of the DSC to the specialty staff, or the Haven restaurant staff based on where you're eating? I HAVE tipped extra there for amazing service, but not always. Thank you for any info.

@megletTipping is personal.  It is also a very sensitive topic.  This thread was designed to provide ideas that would allow the guest that wanted to upgrade their cruising experience to the Haven to get the most out of there investment.  Way back when, my goal was and still is to enhance our cruising experience.  In the Haven, the Butlers are not on the Gratuities program.  Nor is the Haven Concierge. Most of the rest of the Haven Crew participate in the $18.50 per person per day gratuities.  

 

Is it necessary to tip any more, no. Is it required, no.  Do I personally do it yes.  A great example is an experience I am having right now as I write this.  I am on the NCL Joy cruising this week.  I am in the Vibe Beach Club.  This group of NCL crew members are going above and beyond the call of duty for us all.  I tipped today very generously and I will again at the end of the week.  They make me feel like a rock star.  

 

We all know what average and way above average service feels like.  We know that we are so fortunate to live in country as we do.  If you can afford a bit more, if you get the kind of service that makes you feel good, give a bit to these great hard working folks.  What is funny, we all don't really need to.  For many of us, it just makes us feel good and helps them and their families back home.

 

Cruise well.

 

[Pace67]

3 hours ago, Sadric said:

 Ok this made me curious. What is shrimp scampi without the shrimp? I picture a bowl of butter and garlic. Not making fun. Genuinely curious.

The shrimp scampi in the Haven is much more than that. It is an angel hair pasta cooked with EVOO, butter, garlic and fresh parsley. It's delicious. 

[Pace67]

On 2/14/2022 at 8:54 AM, Karaboudjan said:

If you want to tip the serving team I would just leave it on the table.  If you to single someone out then I guess handing it to them is better since you can't be sure who will bus the table.

I gave a very generous tip to a server in the Haven bar at the end of our cruise, but did not give as much to the rest of the servers. I later found out ALL tips are shared with ALL servers within the Haven. That includes bar and restaurant. So, now I tip them all equally. 

[May B]

On 3/21/2022 at 9:30 PM, Pace67 said:

I gave a very generous tip to a server in the Haven bar at the end of our cruise, but did not give as much to the rest of the servers. I later found out ALL tips are shared with ALL servers within the Haven. That includes bar and restaurant. So, now I tip them all equally. 

When they hand over their tips, does somebody write down how much each server puts in? Whenever I read about shared tips, I always wonder if that’s a way for them to get good evaluations in their employee record, similar to when they get mentioned by name, with rave reviews, in a guest survey.

[Pace67]

11 hours ago, May B said:

When they hand over their tips, does somebody write down how much each server puts in? Whenever I read about shared tips, I always wonder if that’s a way for them to get good evaluations in their employee record, similar to when they get mentioned by name, with rave reviews, in a guest survey.

Good Question. I'm not sure. When I gave this tip to the server, he thanked me and said they will all appreciate it. I told him it was for him due to all the extra care he gave us and that's when he explained all tips given individually must be shared between them all. I will be in the Haven in May on a Baltic cruise, I will try to pry a little more and share anything I find out. Since they were all great, I honestly didn't mind. 

[pamps2801]

If you have a Haven suite, and a beverage package, can you order drinks to your room, or do you have to go to a bar and bring the drinks back to your suite yourself ? We have an aft Haven suite.

[luckyinpa]

4 minutes ago, pamps2801 said:

If you have a Haven suite, and a beverage package, can you order drinks to your room, or do you have to go to a bar and bring the drinks back to your suite yourself ? We have an aft Haven suite.

 

the package does not cover drinks delivered to the cabin

[Sthrngary]

22 minutes ago, pamps2801 said:

If you have a Haven suite, and a beverage package, can you order drinks to your room, or do you have to go to a bar and bring the drinks back to your suite yourself ? We have an aft Haven suite.

Your answer was given by @luckyinpa.  Here is a way to approach this situation.  When you use your drink package, you can get two drinks at a time.  Find a bar, closest to your suite and get two drinks.  Yours on most ships will be the Haven Bar.  If you upgrade to the Premium Plus Beverage Package, order a selected bottle of wine at dinner and bring what remains back to your suite.  

 

It is a work around but gets the job done.  

 

Cruise well

[cooncat_mom]

I have to admit, my first contact with the NCL pre-cruise concierge was impressive.  Being  very lactose intolerant, on cruises I bring powdered coconut milk for my coffee (meh…) or drink it black 😝 and eat dry breakfast cereal.  Since it’s not an allergy I don’t meet with the maitre d’ - I just check menus and then if all else fails I go to the buffet or order room service for one of my go-to foods. (The difference is an allergy can kill you…This just puts me in pain for several hours) When our email came from the the Concierge I requested a foam pillow and then asked if it would be possible to have some almond milk or Lactaid available. If not, it wouldn’t be a problem for me to pick it up in Port Canaveral. I got an email back fairly quickly letting me know that they would gladly make sure both would be available in our fridge. I also got an email from the special needs department! (I will just choose wisely). This is already different  from what I’ve experienced in non-Haven suites.  I’m now intrigued to see what the Haven experience brings us!

[Sthrngary]

47 minutes ago, cooncat_mom said:

I have to admit, my first contact with the NCL pre-cruise concierge was impressive.  Being  very lactose intolerant, on cruises I bring powdered coconut milk for my coffee (meh…) or drink it black 😝 and eat dry breakfast cereal.  Since it’s not an allergy I don’t meet with the maitre d’ - I just check menus and then if all else fails I go to the buffet or order room service for one of my go-to foods. (The difference is an allergy can kill you…This just puts me in pain for several hours) When our email came from the the Concierge I requested a foam pillow and then asked if it would be possible to have some almond milk or Lactaid available. If not, it wouldn’t be a problem for me to pick it up in Port Canaveral. I got an email back fairly quickly letting me know that they would gladly make sure both would be available in our fridge. I also got an email from the special needs department! (I will just choose wisely). This is already different  from what I’ve experienced in non-Haven suites.  I’m now intrigued to see what the Haven experience brings us!

Have a wonderful cruise and don’t hesitate to ask questions on this boardHave a wonderful cruise and don’t hesitate to ask questions on this board. 
 

Cruise well

[Revsoles]

I’m wondering if anyone else has had less than impressive Haven pre-cruise experience? This forum maybe raised my expectations for the Haven experience, and I hope my on board experience is better, but I have had zero communication from the concierge in advance of our cruise (tomorrow), I finally emailed the concierge desk at the beginning of this week and got a robo-response email saying I would receive a reply in 48 hrs and…crickets. We didn’t have many requests and it’s nothing we can’t handle when we get on board, but a little irritating if the practice of concierge reaching out isn’t uniform. Is it possible this is just for loyalty tier members? This is our first NCL cruise so who knows? I booked online direct through NCL last fall and my only experience with NCL customer service via phone (not the concierge but general line) was very poor as I called with a question about being double charged for Wi-Fi upgrade and the agent put me on hold for 20 minutes (the timer was ticking on my car’s infotainment screen so I knew precisely how long it was) and then came back and presumably forgot who he was talking to because he started in answering questions about Covid testing, which I did not ask. I’m pretty easy going, but that was exasperating, and he was never able to answer the original question so I will have to deal with that on board I guess.
 

I wasn’t planning on doing the butler letter, I hate to impose, but after seeing many have had positive experience with it, I now am doing that and I hope that gets better results!

 

I am determined to have a great time regardless, but I would like to receive at least close to the same level of service as others are getting in Haven.

[Sthrngary]

@Revsoles I am the op-ed and began this threat a few years ago.  You took the time to ask question and elaborate and I thought that deserved some personalized attention.  This thread was designed to enhance a guest experience on a NCL cruise.  That has always been my goal, enhancement.  Unfortunately, NCL is a Main Stream Cruise Brand like Royal, Carnival, HAL, MSC and Celebrity.  If your upcoming cruise was on a Luxury Brand, you would never have had to make your posting.  That is why this thread is called the Secrets of the Haven.  Sometime, you have to prompt NCL the be the best they can be and to get the most out of your upcoming experience.  Not the way it should be however a fix never the less.  On to answering your questions.

 

10 hours ago, Revsoles said:

I finally emailed the concierge desk at the beginning of this week and got a robo-response email saying I would receive a reply in 48 hrs and…crickets.

In normal cased however not in yours, you should have received a U.S. mail letter from the Haven with both their email and telephone number. This should have happened at least 30 days ago.  It should happen months before your cruise because one of the best amenities it booking specialty restaurants 130 days in advance.  That is the fault of NCL solely and the reason in past post I have provided the phone number and email directly to Maria at the shore Haven Desk.  To late for you now, my apologies. 

As you may or may not know, NCL had a ship that hit a sand bar and had to cancel several weeks cruises.  This has lead to having to rebook lots of Haven Client on the Joy and Encore.  They were not staffed for that and I am afraid that might be one of the issue for the "Crickets".  Let me be clear, NO excuse for them not responding and giving your personalized service.

 

10 hours ago, Revsoles said:

was very poor as I called with a question about being double charged for Wi-Fi upgrade and the agent put me on hold for 20 minutes

This again is an example of why I wrote this thread.  If that would to have happened to me, I would call or write the shore Haven desk. Since this is your first NCL and Haven Experience, you had no idea at the time.  Again, a flaw for NCL.  The other solution is to call Shore Excursions which handle thing like this very quickly. To late for that, but if you like your cruise, will help you in the future. 

 

10 hours ago, Revsoles said:

I wasn’t planning on doing the butler letter, I hate to impose, but after seeing many have had positive experience with it, I now am doing that and I hope that gets better results!

Because of your past experience, I want to set some expectations here.  You have two folks on board that help you.  Your Butler and your Haven Concierge. The Concierge are actually higher up then the Butler.  On your Internet Charge, ask the concierge.  Show Reservations, changes in Restaurant times/date, mistakes on your suite bill.  All Concierge. When you get onboard, you will notice a line for the Concierge, skip the line and drop off you carry on's to your suite.  It won't be ready but that is a nice amenity for the Haven.  Have a drink at the Haven Bar or take the drink to the Horizon Lounge, Have lunch at the Haven Restaurant NOT the American Diner which is offered.  Then after lunch go to the Concierge when the line is down with all your issues and requests.

 

Your butler is things like pillow menu, if you have a large balcony extra lounge chairs, mattress topers, things like that.  More about your suite, less about things outside your suite.  If you don't see your Butler right away to hand them the letter, call the Concierge to have the butler come to your suite. 

 

As you cruise and you have more issues or question, write them here and I will respond.  Hope I was in some way comforting and helpful.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every minute.