Everything... project Leonardo/Prima class!

[Steff79]

14 minutes ago, GreenFamily said:

What time does the gym open each morning? There’s no jogging track, so the gym will be busy on a full ship. 

6am to 11pm at our cruise. 

[GreenFamily]

1 minute ago, Steff79 said:

6am to 11pm at our cruise. 

Perfect! 

[CruiseDoc79]

I just watched Harr Travel's video of the Haven on Youtube and I am very underwhelmed.  The lounge and restaurant look very spartan and minimalist but not in a good way.  The restaurant in particular I would go so far as to say it is the least appealing of all the other restaurant spaces onboard.  I would much rather spend time in Hundson's main dining room than in this Haven restaurant (except for the food and service of course!).  

And then the sun deck is beautiful, but there appears to be almost zero shade!  This was an issue for us previously having sailed in the Retreat on Celebrity Edge which they fixed with their next version on Apex by adding lots of sun umbrellas.  Hopefully Norwegian will too, as lots of their guests will want to enjoy the outdoor spaces but don't want direct sun the whole time.  

I will say having a sauna and snow room is very cool and welcome.

 

I remain quite excited to sail on Prima as pretty much every other venue looks beautiful and I love Norwegian in general.  This Haven though looks like a major miss IMO.

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

19 hours ago, PistolPete13 said:

Hi everyone,

 

The Prima is scheduled to arrive in NYC the evening of 10/5 and won't officially set sail with passengers until 10/10 (yes, I'm booked to be on that sailing!).

 

Does anyone know what the ship will be doing for those 5 days in between?  I suspect it will be tours for media and travel agents.  I would love to get photos of the ship with the NYC skyline in the background.

The cruise mapper schedule doesn't show any activity for the ship during that window.  Is there another site that may show more ship movement details?

https://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/new-york-port-98?tab=schedule&month=2022-10#schedule

 

She is sailing with passengers 10/6, I am on the sailing to Halifax.

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

16 hours ago, PistolPete13 said:

 

Any idea which day they are sailing out of NYC and the time?

My confirmation says 4pm on 10/6.

Edited September 7, 2022 by Teacherloves2Cruise

[Zippeedee]

Not opening the spa onto the outside area is a lost opportunity. The spa on the Epic has an outdoor deck with a hammock and loungers. It is wonderful.

[Steff79]

The green coktail line, sweet garden,

had things from that green thing in my mouth the hole time :-))

 

cheers. 

 

Edited September 7, 2022 by Steff79

[kwokpot]

8 hours ago, Steff79 said:

The mens locker room  is very small, that is all ( only shower and restrooms are more there )

This seems to be a trend on new builds of vall cruiselines, but I guess with a finite amount of space they want to devote it to the other actual spa amenities. I don't think I like Virgin's solution of doing away with locker rooms and having individual unisex changing rooms and shower stalls.

The other annoying thing is complicated electronic locks on lockers. Everyone has problems with them and eventually the spa staff gets tired of always resetting the locks and/or having to open a locker for a guest so they just leave the lockers with unusable locks. 

[Steff79]

The lock is easy here with 4 wheels with numbers from 1 or 0 not sure to nine. Then lock and do other numbers at the wheels. With your old numbers you can open the lock again. The old system I now is to push the numbers at a display. 

[kessdarln]

14 hours ago, Steff79 said:

 

so sad you can’t go out , at the msc seaside is this part of the Yachtclub lounge to sit outside. ( at the seaside it is a little bigger ) . They should change that at least at the next ships.

 

I love that MSC has inside cabins in the Yacht club and the Spa is included.  I just booked one of those for the same cost as a studio on Prima. I hope NCL adds inside cabins to Haven one day. 

[Steff79]

52 minutes ago, kessdarln said:

I love that MSC has inside cabins in the Yacht club and the Spa is included.  I just booked one of those for the same cost as a studio on Prima. I hope NCL adds inside cabins to Haven one day. 

Me too. My last three msc cruises were in the Yachtclub. And price was less then the studio now. 
I like msc too. But the food at ncl is milestones better then msc at the Buffett.  Yachtclub Food was nearly the same lever i think. 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Steff79

[david_sobe]

15 hours ago, CruiseDoc79 said:

I just watched Harr Travel's video of the Haven on Youtube and I am very underwhelmed.  The lounge and restaurant look very spartan and minimalist but not in a good way.  The restaurant in particular I would go so far as to say it is the least appealing of all the other restaurant spaces onboard.  I would much rather spend time in Hundson's main dining room than in this Haven restaurant (except for the food and service of course!).  

And then the sun deck is beautiful, but there appears to be almost zero shade!  This was an issue for us previously having sailed in the Retreat on Celebrity Edge which they fixed with their next version on Apex by adding lots of sun umbrellas.  Hopefully Norwegian will too, as lots of their guests will want to enjoy the outdoor spaces but don't want direct sun the whole time.  

I will say having a sauna and snow room is very cool and welcome.

 

I remain quite excited to sail on Prima as pretty much every other venue looks beautiful and I love Norwegian in general.  This Haven though looks like a major miss IMO.

They definitely went with a minimalist, hip, urban kind of look for the Haven.  Yes Hudson's looks more glamourous for sure.  I think it could be for 2 reasons.  NCL created a much more relaxed and casual Haven experience for its guests.  Since the Haven is so large and huge, it could be a bit tacky to have all those luxury upgrades in such a large place.  Hudson's the MDR went for a more traditional glamour cruise ship dining room. However if you look at Taste and the Manhattan Room on the newer NCL ships, those dining rooms are just as glamourous as the Haven on those ships.  I think NCL went for a more relaxed, resort kind of feel for its Haven.

If you are only looking for glamour, Prima is the ship where if you have a pass for Vibe, you may not even need the Haven.  Vibe  looks like the Retreat on Celebrity and if you dine in Hudson's, you will have all the glamour you like 🙂

My concern is having a Haven so large with so many people, will it not feel intimate and private?   Have they turned the Haven into the Yacht Club which is just a part of the ship for suite guests to wander about.   I also am curious what's its like to have to take elevators to the Haven instead of just walking out your door down the hall to the restaurant, etc.  With it being so big, have they defeated the purpose of the Haven?  The Haven suites are more casual too.  Gone are the big marble bars in the 2 bedroom suites.  However they did add a real second bedroom with a real bed.

Edited September 8, 2022 by david_sobe

[Karaboudjan]

1 hour ago, david_sobe said:

They definitely went with a minimalist, hip, urban kind of look for the Haven.  Yes Hudson's looks more glamourous for sure.  I think it could be for 2 reasons.  NCL created a much more relaxed and casual Haven experience for its guests.  Since the Haven is so large and huge, it could be a bit tacky to have all those luxury upgrades in such a large place.  Hudson's the MDR went for a more traditional glamour cruise ship dining room. However if you look at Taste and the Manhattan Room on the newer NCL ships, those dining rooms are just as glamourous as the Haven on those ships.  I think NCL went for a more relaxed, resort kind of feel for its Haven.

If you are only looking for glamour, Prima is the ship where if you have a pass for Vibe, you may not even need the Haven.  Vibe  looks like the Retreat on Celebrity and if you dine in Hudson's, you will have all the glamour you like 🙂

My concern is having a Haven so large with so many people, will it not feel intimate and private?   Have they turned the Haven into the Yacht Club which is just a part of the ship for suite guests to wander about.   I also am curious what's its like to have to take elevators to the Haven instead of just walking out your door down the hall to the restaurant, etc.  With it being so big, have they defeated the purpose of the Haven?  The Haven suites are more casual too.  Gone are the big marble bars in the 2 bedroom suites.  However they did add a real second bedroom with a real bed.

 

I was in the Haven on the Escape and I thought the wall treatment was a bit over the top.  I don't expect to be in the Haven on Prima any time soon so I have not paid attention to the look, but I think I would be fine with something more minimal.  I would gladly trade the marble bar for a 'real' second bedroom.  I'm not so sure about trading the master bath with the ocean views for a wider balcony.

 

As for elevators, even on the BA/+ ships only half or so of the Haven is on the restaurant level, so many guests cannot just walk down the hall.

 

Finally, my impression of the bar/lounge area was not intimate and private but cramped and uninviting.  I think that more space would be an improvement, although I suppose the bar will always be choke point.

[Dr. Cocktail]

2 hours ago, david_sobe said:

 

My concern is having a Haven so large with so many people, will it not feel intimate and private?   Have they turned the Haven into the Yacht Club which is just a part of the ship for suite guests to wander about.   

Good Morning David!

 

I have always enjoyed your posts and wanted to weigh in on the "new Haven" discussion.

I recently canceled a booking I made in the first minute it went on sale for a Haven Penthouse with Master Bedroom and Large Balcony. As more details came out about Prima, the less interested I became. No private covered pool, a disjointed layout and most importantly, not a lot of shade.

The decor is definitely minimalist and comparable to what I've been seeing in renderings for the new Explora 1 - high end, Italian design.

 

I must disagree with you on your views on the Yacht Club. On Seaside Class ships, I have a private pool, outdoor bar and large deck, albeit with minimal shade.

 

The indoor lounge is a two story, glassed in affair with the dining room linked to the bar and a wind protected outdoor seating area as well. It is most definitely NOT "just a part of the ship for suite guests to wander about"!

[Steff79]

I have to correct me. Tonight they have a crepes station at surfside. Maybe I saw it the last time not or they change it sometimes.prima in Helsinki 

 

[david_sobe]

3 hours ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

Good Morning David!

 

I have always enjoyed your posts and wanted to weigh in on the "new Haven" discussion.

I recently canceled a booking I made in the first minute it went on sale for a Haven Penthouse with Master Bedroom and Large Balcony. As more details came out about Prima, the less interested I became. No private covered pool, a disjointed layout and most importantly, not a lot of shade.

The decor is definitely minimalist and comparable to what I've been seeing in renderings for the new Explora 1 - high end, Italian design.

 

I must disagree with you on your views on the Yacht Club. On Seaside Class ships, I have a private pool, outdoor bar and large deck, albeit with minimal shade.

 

The indoor lounge is a two story, glassed in affair with the dining room linked to the bar and a wind protected outdoor seating area as well. It is most definitely NOT "just a part of the ship for suite guests to wander about"!

I wrote that at 5am.  I was not putting down the Yacht Club.  My choice of words should have been better.  Many complain on celebrity that the Yacht Club limits their roam of the ship since they are not booked in suites.  I was trying to do a comparison.

[Papadog]

4 hours ago, Steff79 said:

I have to correct me. Tonight they have a crepes station at surfside. Maybe I saw it the last time not or they change it sometimes.prima in Helsinki 

 

Hi .....can you please tell me  if they are offering the Seafood Extravaganza on your cruise?

Thanks

[Steff79]

At the surfside? Today there was Alaskan theme. I like the food there. I don‘t know, i have to look at the old dailies or writhe if it will come. 
 

but I can tell you, I like the prima with everyday more.There are some minus like the cocktails. I wish the old menu back. I didn‘t had a great coktail until now the hole cruise. The atrium is not perfect. Even with the music at the penrose bar. That area is to small. The last days the complete deck 6 at the atrium was packed with people who are sitting and standings while they had no seat. Then you see nothing when you are outside of the bar because of the deco there. 
 

but at warm weather when you can use the outside area late night in the evenings places like that will be outstanding 

 

 

Good bye Helsinki 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Steff79

[Two Wheels Only]

3 hours ago, david_sobe said:

 My choice of words should have been better.  Many complain on celebrity that the Yacht Club limits their roam of the ship since they are not booked in suites. 

 

Why would people sailing on a Celebrity ship complain about how much space MSC gives to the Yacht Club?🤪

[RVACruiser43]

8 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Why would people sailing on a Celebrity ship complain about how much space MSC gives to the Yacht Club?🤪

Probably got the name wrong.  We did one non NCL cruise and it was on Celebrity Silhouette in Jan.  Walking around the ship touring the first day, I entered whatever they call the suite pool area and found out we didn't belong.  It did cut off the ship.  Unlike the Haven area that you don't even notice on most ships.

 

[PhillyTravelBug]

Glad to see some photos of the thermal spa area pop up. Really loving the different concept they have with it. Looking forward to it.

[Steff79]

Many great places to take pics at the ship, 

For people who likes Taking photos perfect:

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by Steff79

[Red-Sol]

An early review of Prima:

 

https://eatsleepcruise.com/our-honest-norwegian-prima-cruise-ship-review/ 

[Jim The Lizard]

6 hours ago, RVACruiser43 said:

Probably got the name wrong.  We did one non NCL cruise and it was on Celebrity Silhouette in Jan.  Walking around the ship touring the first day, I entered whatever they call the suite pool area and found out we didn't belong.  It did cut off the ship.  Unlike the Haven area that you don't even notice on most ships.

 

Interested to see why you felt you didn't belong.   We are taking our first Celebrity cruise in December with some family who has encouraged us to try Celebrity.  I am a big NCL fan.  So your opinion piqued my interest!  Please share your thoughts if you don't mind.  

[steamboats]

12 hours ago, Papadog said:

Hi .....can you please tell me  if they are offering the Seafood Extravaganza on your cruise?

Thanks

 

They had it for lunch on one of the sea days for the Christening cruise.

 

12 hours ago, Steff79 said:

There are some minus like the cocktails. I wish the old menu back. I didn‘t had a great coktail until now the hole cruise.

 

Go up to the Observation Lounge, they had the full bar menu there. I had Lemon Drop Maritinis (and for the second one we asked it to be prepared with Limoncello) or Espresso Maritinis (upcharge of 3 USD plus 20% as the price is 18 USD on the menu). The bar tender there can make you all classic cocktails.

 

steamboats