Best Haven?

[kendy]

Which ship has the best Haven area?

[ColeThornton]

Just now, kendy said:

Which ship has the best Haven area?

 

 

Good question, I guess that depends on what is important to you.  What are you looking for?

[Laszlo]

The Escape!!!

 

 

[complawyer]

the haven on any ncl ship is top class, so dont worry about which one is the "best"

 

your own pool area, sun deck, bar and restaurant, who could ask for anything else.

[FLcruisergrl]

You will get a different answer from everyone. I personally love the Epic, because the restaurant is large, there is an outside grill area, and the courtyard has plenty of lounger seating.

[dexddd]

Not the GA, no roof.  Generally not Jewel Class due to small size, high price, no restaurant.  So that leaves Epic and newer sans GA.

[BirdTravels]

The Epic has the best Haven in the fleet. It has a super large 2 story lounge. Super big restaurant (unlike the Breakaway and Getaway where they have to put tables on the pool deck vs. loungers as overflow seating (they call it outdoor seating). A large separate outside dining room. The Epic provides you access to the Posh Club (the Vibe on other ships). It has a small private gym overlooking the courtyard. Both steam and saunas. The one downside is that it does not have a roof over the courtyard so the environment is the current outside environment. 

[NW Pacific]

the Bliss has the very best Observation Lounge included, huge,  has all other Haven amenities.  think the Joy has the same set up!

[Trimone]

Best Haven? The one without unruly children with liberal parents 

[dexddd]

13 hours ago, Sissy Voofta said:

The best Haven is on THE EPIC.

 

Be warned: The Jewel Haven is more than a little bit tacky. 

 

Not sure if you are saying that picture is Jewel Haven or not but it is  Garden Vila picture.

[david_sobe]

I used to say Epic hands down.  The Breakaway class ships actually took several steps backwards in the Haven area compared to Epic.  However being just off the Encore this year, the Encore is the new winner IMHO.  OMG.  The Haven pool area is larger.  The Haven sundeck is better than Posh with 2 giant hot tubs hanging off the side of the ship.  The Haven restaurant is huge with an outdoor seating area.  The Horizon lounge cant be beat.  OMG its huge with amazing views with food and beverages.  They pipe in Zen music and its so relaxing.  For the first time ever, I really felt as if I was cruising a luxury line.  The Haven complex is HUGE 3 stories with space for everyone to stretch out and.  Without a doubt Encore was the best Haven experience ever.  I assume Bliss is just as good.

[Kim L]

The Bliss Haven is great 3 stories. Hot Tubs on top deck, it was great sitting in the hot tub and having drinks delivered to you. The Getaway Haven is very nice also. 

[david_sobe]

1 hour ago, TopangaMacNamammy said:

W.O.W.! It sounds like you had an epic experience on the Encore! How were drinks at the Horizon lounge? I heard that the Horizon has some of the best service on the entire ship and that is why it is so popular. That sounds like an incredible experience, David!

The drinks were fine.  But they were the same throughout the ship.  I think I saw some ordering some very creative drinks they may not serve elsewhere but the standard drinks I drank were pretty even throughout the ship.  They dont serve alcohol in the Horizon lounge.  The Haven lounge serves alcohol.  Yes the Haven is that big that it has 2 giant lounges.

[david_sobe]

2 hours ago, Kim L said:

The Bliss Haven is great 3 stories. Hot Tubs on top deck, it was great sitting in the hot tub and having drinks delivered to you. The Getaway Haven is very nice also. 

I was not crazy about the Getaway Haven.  The Haven restaurant is tiny...windows on one side. No water features on the Haven sundeck.  No forward lounge to watch the water.  No moving roof in the Haven pool to keep out elements and its much smaller. No outside eating area in the Haven restaurant.  The list goes on and on.  The Breakaway-Plus fleet did correct some of these flaws.

[BirdTravels]

59 minutes ago, Sissy Voofta said:

 

The Villas are a part of The Haven.

 

The tacky style extends to and from the Villa. 

 

But yes, you are correct it is the Garden Villa (in The Haven).

The "Garden Villa" is a 3BR suite on the ship. Not the Haven. The hot tub is part of the room's "balcony" not accessible to anyone other than the occupants of that room. It is not a public space. 

 

The Haven courtyard on the Jewel looks like

 

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by BirdTravels

[dexddd]

10 hours ago, Sissy Voofta said:

 

The Villas are a part of The Haven.

 

The tacky style extends to and from the Villa. 

 

But yes, you are correct it is the Garden Villa (in The Haven).

When was that picture taken?  All Jewel Class have had major refurb in last three years.

[ColeThornton]

1 minute ago, Sissy Voofta said:

 

it's a current picture but yes, you are right and they need to be on their toes about this sort of thing some of the facilities have been too long between drinks ~ SV

 

For some reason your font is yellow and barely legible on the white background.

[graphicguy]

Have been in the Haven on both -Away ships.  Loved them both.  But, I’ve also toured the Haven (while staying in a “regular ole” BA cabin on the Escape.  Mercy....what a wonderful Haven.

 

I’m actually looking at the Haven on the Bliss to Alaska next year and really looking forward to it.

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, Sissy Voofta said:

 

There is no issue or basic matter about whether or not it's a ""public space"", the """Garden Villa""" is a part of The Haven and not the rest of the ship.

 

For further information I invite you to see https://www.ncl.com/au/en/why-cruise-norwegian/cruise-accommodations/the-haven or just refer the picture below: 

 

Thanks. SV. 

A classic example of what the mainstream media does. Take something (a picture) totally out of context and assert that "This is want the Haven looks like". Basically Fake News. A picture of someone's private balcony is displayed and say "this is the Haven". Yes, one could argue that the private balcony is in the Haven, but it is not "The Haven". Even after I took the time to show what "The Haven" really looks like, we go back and take the the out of context picture of someone's private balcony and assert that the entire Haven looks like the private balcony. Fake News. And only one fortunate group a cruise have the privilege to see the private hot tub on the private balcony.

 

Here's the private living room right inside from the private hot tub on the private balcony on the Jewel. 

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by BirdTravels

[david_sobe]

Lets be clear. The Haven is special and fantastic on all ships.  Even the Sky with no Haven complex still provides wonderful Haven service for its suite guests.  However, the Haven is definitely better on some ships than others.

Having said that and just sailed Encore, here is a video that demonstrates the absolute luxury of the Encore Haven.  Also with a ship like Encore, the concierge is more important than ever because of all the activities to book. Its so nice to be in this complex and have the concierge making your reservations for go carts, shows, restaurants, escape room, Galaxy Pavilion, laser tag, etc.  These forward lounges are spectacular and see how these ships are built for Alaska.

 

Norwegian Encore | The HAVEN Full Walkthrough Tour & Review 4K | All Private Spaces - YouTube

Edited December 11, 2020 by david_sobe

[FLcruisergrl]

5 hours ago, Sissy Voofta said:

 

I'm using NCL's definition/categorization/presentation of The Haven, there's no dubious context whatsoever.

 

It's spurious to suggest that there's something misleading going on.

 

The Jewel Haven is what it is, it is plain for the eye to see.

 

I'm not going to post a photo-essay which nevertheless makes the point of the original photo (one of NCL's Jewel Haven promotional photos no less):

 

Jewel Haven is extremely tacky. Any interior designer can see the same lousy motifs and colors carried throughout. They are also worn. So while no one picture is like The Bible to the Jewel Haven the spa/balcony photo provides a fair characterization of the whole.

 

It's not as if the spa/balcony is divorced from The Haven which is what you have claimed (that is "fake news"). 

 

I really don't know how anyone can defend The Jewel Haven, it needs to be gutted and re-designed with some worthwhile principles in mind.

 

~ SV

I agree, the picture you posted is of a tacky garden villa courtyard. But it’s been re-done and those are not the current furnishings.

[BirdTravels]

21 hours ago, Sissy Voofta said:

I really don't know how anyone can defend The Jewel Haven, it needs to be gutted and re-designed with some worthwhile principles in mind.

Fake News.

 

I posted pictures of the Jewel Haven in post #21. If you gut that space, what are you going to replace it with? It is modern and contemporary. Have you ever been in the Jewel Haven? At least look at the photos of the Jewel Haven in post #21 before posting more fake news. 

[complawyer]

14 minutes ago, TopangaMacNamammy said:

The Jewel Haven is extremely tacky, and this is objectively true. The lounges and public spaces look as if they are from a 1988 Miami hotel corporate chic, glossy surfaces, lots of dated wood and color palettes. Everywhere you look are mismatched textiles of various patterns that clash to the eye. Ceilings in the Family Villa look straight out of The Cheesecake Factory (and if you think the interior design of The Cheesecake Factory is cultivated and elegant, perhaps you should take some interior design courses to show you the way). The Jewel Haven needs a complete gut and refresh as Sissy is suggesting. The Haven on the NCL Getaway is an example of tasteful decor at sea. From soft muted fabrics that mesh well to blue nautical accents referencing the beautiful Caribbean sea, these beautiful staterooms are luxurious and well-appointed, fit for even the pickiest of interior designer.

im sorry, after 18 cruises on different ncl ships, (Getaway being my favorite) i'm much more concerned and interested in the itinerary and the price, and really dont give a rats tushie about the accents, or the trim.  i try and have as little interaction with the crew as possible, other  than the bartender in the haven, the waiters and my butler, cabin steward and the concierge. Dont really need anything else .  let me enjoy my balcony at sunset with a glass of champagne or a cold brew.      i have only once been disappointed with my cabin choice, aft suite on the epic. no room to move about. round bed almost completely takes up the entire cabin, and no privacy in the bathroom.

 

if youre that against the jewel, by all means choose another ship. you have a bunch more to choose from. but as a wise man once said "to each his own, and beauty in is the eye of the beholder"

 

so stop complaining, and just enjoy the cruise. 

 

 

[complawyer]

1 hour ago, TopangaMacNamammy said:

Beauty is in the 👁 of the beholder--- unless your 👀 are gouged out, or your face mask is covering your eyes instead of the mouth AND nose, where it should be. With your vision obscured or disabled, the experience of any Haven on any NCL Boat would be exactly the same (that is, unless they smell different).

 

I am not complaining, but offering my take on the interior as I am a registered Interior Designer in the State of Minnesota.

sorry honey, my eyes are just fine, my mask is covering only my nose and mouth, and im sticking with my thread, you my dear can book whatever cabin in what ever category floats your boat (pun intended) you're a registered interior designer, i'm a licensed attorney in california. the cabins should still cost about the same for either one of us. if its ugly, its ugly.  you want beautiful, or a great itinerary for a decent price? i'll take itinerary and price any time. 

[PTC DAWG]

That private hot tub looks fine to me....I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder.