Haven Questions

[firstprincesscruise]

I am new to The Haven. If we are in the Haven and our friends aren't can we bring them in with us to the pool or restaurant or would they be confined to our cabin only?

[Two Wheels Only]

Stateroom only.

 

Haven common areas (lounge, pool, sundeck, bar, etc.) are for Haven guests only.

 

Over the years, the concierge has had the ability to bend the rules but the official policy is Haven guests only.

[firstprincesscruise]

5 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

Stateroom only.

 

Haven common areas (lounge, pool, sundeck, bar, etc.) are for Haven guests only.

 

Over the years, the concierge has had the ability to bend the rules but the official policy is Haven guests only.

Thank you. I appreciate it. 

[Yinster]

You can arrange with the concierge to bring them to the restaurant for a meal. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. There will be a charge for this per non haven guest 

Edited August 19, 2021 by Yinster

[Trimone]

1 hour ago, Yinster said:

You can arrange with the concierge to bring them to the restaurant for a meal. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. There will be a charge for this per non haven guest 

Believe me it doesn’t happen 

[Yinster]

1 hour ago, Trimone said:

Believe me it doesn’t happen 

I had a few guests for dinner with us in the haven restaurant. There's a set price non haven guests pay to dine but it must be arrange with the concierge beforehand. From memory it was slightly cheaper for breakfast and lunch but for dinner it was $30 or $35 pp

 

I can't answer why it never happened for you. But believe me, it has happened with us.on different cruises too.

[Two Wheels Only]

The "non-Haven" guests with Haven guests in the Haven restaurant can happen but it can also get refused. The concierge can refuse if the Haven is crowded that week, if others have already asked and now the restaurant is at capacity, if the moon is in the wrong position, etc. 

 

There's no harm in asking but nothing is guaranteed.

[blitheone]

The last time we sailed with NCL, about three years ago, my Beloved and I had an Owner's Suite. Two of our grandchildren (out of six on the cruise) were booked in our cabin and only those two were allowed in the Haven Dining Room and at the Haven pool. The family did get to board together but everyone else had to wait in the main waiting room until we were called.

 

I didn't feel too bad for the other kids and their parents because they spent a lot of time on our balconies, eating goodies that our kind and diligent butler delivered. Our sons were so impressed, they also tipped him. 🙂 (Btw, unless things have changed, the butler and concierge aren't included in the crew's tip pool)

[Sthrngary]

No, your family and friend can not use the amenities of the Haven, unless they are Haven Guests. You can invite them to your suite though. The Haven is several times more expensive then other staterooms on the cruise.  The reason is those amenities.  Has it happened, yes and no.  It depend on the staff at the Haven Desk.  Those of you that have read my posts especially about the Haven, know I am usually not quite this blunt.  

 

It is important for everyone to understand that NCL created this notion of a "Ship-Within-A-Ship" to attract guest leaving the brand for Luxury Brands.  These Guests really like NCL.  Like myself, my first cruise 41 years ago was on the SS Norway.  As time went on, the Cruise Industry looked for more ways to attract more guest then build bigger ships.  That is way you can cruise today for about the same as you could 20 years ago.  To improve the brand profit margin, they developed a Suite Only area put a very large premium on the fare. The Haven is the most profitable staterooms on any NCL cruise.

 

If to many acceptations are made, they notion of the Haven exclusivity will be lost.  That is why in most cases very few acceptations are made and rarely common knowledge.  

 

 

 

[Hadacareer]

28 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

No, your family and friend can not use the amenities of the Haven, unless they are Haven Guests. You can invite them to your suite though. The Haven is several times more expensive then other staterooms on the cruise.  The reason is those amenities.  Has it happened, yes and no.  It depend on the staff at the Haven Desk.  Those of you that have read my posts especially about the Haven, know I am usually not quite this blunt.  

 

It is important for everyone to understand that NCL created this notion of a "Ship-Within-A-Ship" to attract guest leaving the brand for Luxury Brands.  These Guests really like NCL.  Like myself, my first cruise 41 years ago was on the SS Norway.  As time went on, the Cruise Industry looked for more ways to attract more guest then build bigger ships.  That is way you can cruise today for about the same as you could 20 years ago.  To improve the brand profit margin, they developed a Suite Only area put a very large premium on the fare. The Haven is the most profitable staterooms on any NCL cruise.

 

If to many acceptations are made, they notion of the Haven exclusivity will be lost.  That is why in most cases very few acceptations are made and rarely common knowledge.  

 

 

 

Totally agree..we are cruising haven for the first time on our next cruise, and I would be very peeved off if others are using something we have paid extra for..it would be my last time in the Haven

[complawyer]

this question has been asked before, and i got blasted for my reply. i said i would try to get my friends or family into the bar or pool area, but got blasted by other people. i get their concerns and points of view. youre spending major bucks for the haven exclusivity, why bring those that have not, to get the same perks.

 

prior posts suggested speaking to the concierge, i suggested the old "vegas handshake" a $20 bill, and maybe a couple of tens to the hostess at the restaurant.

 

this idea did not go over well with others.  now on my next 2 cruises, i have booked the 2 bedroom haven suites and explained to my friends that although the other bedroom is small, they are more then welcome to share the booking, get all the other amenities offered by the haven, and have complete access to the rest of the cabin. so far they are in agreement.

[david_sobe]

On Encore last year, the concierge told everyone on the first day guests were allowed in the Haven restaurant for a fee but only 2 times the entire week.

Edited August 20, 2021 by david_sobe

[Shidah]

I asked once to have 2 guests at the Haven restaurant for lunch ( restaurant was extremely empty) and was charged $35 each for them.  It was enjoyable for them, but not sure it was worth 70 bucks when we all could have had lunch together elsewhere on the ship for free.

[caitlynambrai]

3 hours ago, david_sobe said:

On Encore last year, the concierge told everyone on the first day guests were allowed in the Haven restaurant for a fee but only 2 times the entire week.

That was exactly the info I was provided by my PCC- it looked like he cut and pasted from an internal source document.

[Sthrngary]

All me to shift focus a bit.  As the NCL cruise begin to happen more and more, there is a very rare opportunity.  The ships are at a much lower capacity so it will be less crowded.  The rule just put in place about only unvaccinated guests which will effect families with unvaccinated children under 12 will also affect the number of guest on-board.  

Although cruise this year has its challenges and yes dangers.  This might be a "Once in a Life Time" opportunity to try and enjoy the Haven.  I warn everyone on this subject.  Once you cruise in the Haven, it is extremely (possible) hard to go back.  Cruise well everyone.  Enjoy live safely.

[Daniel A]

If I couldn't get a lounger or a hot tub in the Haven because they were already occupied by non-Haven passengers, the Hotel Director would certainly understand how unhappy I would be.

 

How can somebody think they have the ability to give away Haven perks for free when the rest of us have to pay dearly to have them?

[skeeter195]

Not everyone you see in the haven is actually staying in a haven room.  Here is my story.  2 years ago my wife and I made friends with a couple in the casino one afternoon.  They invited us to dinner in the haven and we accepted.  They had met us outside the haven and we went in with them.  We had drinks at the bar, had dinner then more drinks after that all the time having a really good time.  When we were leaving our new friends stopped at the concierge desk and got us 2 keys to access the haven whenever we wanted and to use all of the amenities there.  Now we knew at the time that the haven was private and secluded but had no idea that it was as "guarded" as it was.  We went to the bar lounge and restaurant a couple of times for both lunch and dinner with and without our new friends.  The staff treated us like everyone else.  Our new friends apparently were VVVIP.  They never let on and we could care less if they did, they we super nice and very down to earth.  The point of this story is never say never.  If the right person asks for something they will get it.  

[oteixeira]

4 minutes ago, skeeter195 said:

Not everyone you see in the haven is actually staying in a haven room.  Here is my story.  2 years ago my wife and I made friends with a couple in the casino one afternoon.  They invited us to dinner in the haven and we accepted.  They had met us outside the haven and we went in with them.  We had drinks at the bar, had dinner then more drinks after that all the time having a really good time.  When we were leaving our new friends stopped at the concierge desk and got us 2 keys to access the haven whenever we wanted and to use all of the amenities there.  Now we knew at the time that the haven was private and secluded but had no idea that it was as "guarded" as it was.  We went to the bar lounge and restaurant a couple of times for both lunch and dinner with and without our new friends.  The staff treated us like everyone else.  Our new friends apparently were VVVIP.  They never let on and we could care less if they did, they we super nice and very down to earth.  The point of this story is never say never.  If the right person asks for something they will get it.  

Your experience is probably 0.01% of how this goes.  I think it is important that you mention that, because what you are talking about does not happen in the Haven in my experience.  I have seen people flat out told no at the concierge desk for something as simple as "one drink with our new friends at the Haven bar".

[Trimone]

On my last cruise some very nice European cruisers invited there friends to the sun deck, I with others witnessed not only the intruders being evicted but also the haven customer’s threatened to be kicked out! 

[All-ready2cruise]

2 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

Cruises fix all issues.

So true; enjoy your cruises, Gary... I actually think my laptop hates me sometimes... LOL

(just in this little sentence I've had to correct, now 7, spelling mistakes) 

 

I have to say, @Sthrngary, I really appreciate your willingness to help others looking for some Haven experiences. 

Just keep on keeping on. 

Cheers

[Vyhanek]

Ive cruised in the Haven many times.    Bringing a guest to a meal is hit or miss depending on the SHIP and how busy they are.    I paid $35 per guest on the Haven on the Epic.    But the Epic Haven is unique.   The Epic Haven is very large and has fewer Haven Guests compared to the other large ships with the full Haven experience. (Not counting the mini Haven's (as I call them) on the Pearl, Gem, Jade that have no restaurant or dedicated Haven bar - that's not the Haven experience  we envision).   Guests in general are not packed into the Epic Haven like on the other ships so there are empty tables at meals and servers aren't swamped like in the Haven on the other ships.    The Epic was the first ship to have the expanded Haven with restaurants/bars, they went all out on the Epic Haven and its huge.   So there is capacity for guests to invite people to the restaurant on non peak times.    But, Don't even think about asking on the first night of the cruise or the last night of the cruise.   These are nights where every Haven guest is dining in the Haven the Haven and they are absolutely swarmed.

 

The other ships I've been on, I get it.    There is no extra room for non Haven guests.   The bars and restaurants are really very busy.   NCL learned how to really, really pack the Haven.    

[Two Wheels Only]

22 minutes ago, Vyhanek said:

NCL learned how to really, really pack the Haven.    

 

Especially on Joy.😒

[drumming cruisers]

You can have the butler serve a meal in your cabin and have non Haven dinner guests there. 

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Especially on Joy.😒

Please explain.

[david_sobe]

IMHO the outsider Haven threads are misguided.  There are not flocks of outsiders sneaking in the Haven.  Many times I would prefer outsiders compared to some Haven guests. My last trip on Encore, the Haven was a tranquil heaven.  However, I have seen Haven teenagers all crammed in the hot tubs and the Haven pool taken over by toddlers diving for their toys.  Someone posted an Encore video of small kids screaming playing hide and seek in the Horizon lounge.  It all depends when you sail. I like to sail in February when kids are in school.