Is Haven worth the money?

[Carnac767]

9 hours ago, newty25 said:

 

Except once you drive the Mercedes, it's hard to go back to the Toyota!

To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld from "The Airport" episode when he's telling Elaine why he must get the one available seat in First Class.  "Have you ever flown in First Class?  No?  You don't know what you're missing.  I've flown in First Class.  I can't go back.  I won't."  Once you've cruised in a Suite or the Haven, you're ruined.  🤣  You can't go back.

[mjcatlvr]

19 minutes ago, c21kin said:

Big Mistake going in Haven....I did it 9 years ago and can’t stop!!! 
Be Careful...

TRUTH!! We were perfectly happy with our Mini Suite until we tried The Haven, so be very careful if you are thinking of it as a one time treat, it might be tricky to go back 😊

[Sthrngary]

We are all so funny on this thread.  I want to thank everyone for having a sense of humor and being transparent.  We all need a little fun in our lives.  I am going to buck the thread a bit.  The reason is some folks have also given some pretty good reasons for not cruising in the Haven.  I think we all have to respect their opinions also.

 

Here is another take on "Not" going in the Haven.  With the money you save, you can get the specialty meal package for all seven nights.  I love the Haven Restaurant but some of those specialty restaurants are very good. You could spend some more money on the Vibe Beach Club and the Thermal Spa (Not on the Joy).  You could even do the Premium Plus Drink Package and all the most expensive excursions.  Heck, you might go on two or three cruises for the cost of one Haven suite. With all that, you still will not be at the cost of the Haven in most cases. One has to consider that.

 

We all have to admit that is also an option for a NCL cruise. All of this is a choice and regardless of what you choose, it will be right for you.  That is the most important thing. 

 

What I think is important is that when ever any of us give our opinion, it is important it is based on a person's actual experience.  An opinion to do or not do Haven from a person that has never done it, is "hear say" and does not give the accurate information on the experience. I personally agree that the Haven is not quite worth it an "Huge dollar amounts", or the smaller ships, or when the weather does not allow you to use the Haven Courtyard.  We all have to weigh the pro/cons and make a decision based on our own needs.

 

Cruise well everyone. 

[newty25]

18 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

We are all so funny on this thread.  I want to thank everyone for having a sense of humor and being transparent.  We all need a little fun in our lives.  I am going to buck the thread a bit.  The reason is some folks have also given some pretty good reasons for not cruising in the Haven.  I think we all have to respect their opinions also.

 

Here is another take on "Not" going in the Haven.  With the money you save, you can get the specialty meal package for all seven nights.  I love the Haven Restaurant but some of those specialty restaurants are very good. You could spend some more money on the Vibe Beach Club and the Thermal Spa (Not on the Joy).  You could even do the Premium Plus Drink Package and all the most expensive excursions.  Heck, you might go on two or three cruises for the cost of one Haven suite. With all that, you still will not be at the cost of the Haven in most cases. One has to consider that.

 

We all have to admit that is also an option for a NCL cruise. All of this is a choice and regardless of what you choose, it will be right for you.  That is the most important thing. 

 

What I think is important is that when ever any of us give our opinion, it is important it is based on a person's actual experience.  An opinion to do or not do Haven from a person that has never done it, is "hear say" and does not give the accurate information on the experience. I personally agree that the Haven is not quite worth it an "Huge dollar amounts", or the smaller ships, or when the weather does not allow you to use the Haven Courtyard.  We all have to weigh the pro/cons and make a decision based on our own needs.

 

Cruise well everyone. 

If I could be assured of having a Vibe pass... I might consider a non-Haven trip.

 

But, I think I'd be miserable on a cruise not being able to escape the masses somewhere.

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, mjcatlvr said:

Years ago there was a show on the TV called Family Affair. Single Dad with three children and the AMAZING MR. FRENCH. I used to wonder what the heck do people do to be able to afford a Butler, Cook, Assistant etc like Mr. French? What a treat. Just fantastic to have someone (other than your Mother) look after you.

🤣🙄The hits keep coming.....

[mjcatlvr]

10 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

🤣🙄The hits keep coming.....

Really? This is your contribution to this thread? 😜

[complawyer]

if you can afford a haven cabin, go for it. whether or not it's worth the extra dollars, is totally up to each individual.

 

i've stated before, a few years back, we were booked into a min-suites, (and we were totally happy with the cabin and the costs).  ncl had a special promotion, where the cost of the suite and the promotion offers, were almost equal to what we were paying for the total of the daily gratuities, dinners and drinks, so we  gave it a try. this was on the getaway (which subsequently became our favorite ship) 

 

we had a forward penthouse suite. the only negative was when we docked, we could hear the anchor being lowered. other than that, like so many others who have posted, if i cant book a haven, my wife refuses to go. 

 

all that being said, there is no way to even try to compare the haven area with any part of the rest of the ship, or cabins. 

 

im absolutely sure sthrngary will agree 100%

[Sthrngary]

6 minutes ago, complawyer said:

if you can afford a haven cabin, go for it. whether or not it's worth the extra dollars, is totally up to each individual.

 

i've stated before, a few years back, we were booked into a min-suites, (and we were totally happy with the cabin and the costs).  ncl had a special promotion, where the cost of the suite and the promotion offers, were almost equal to what we were paying for the total of the daily gratuities, dinners and drinks, so we  gave it a try. this was on the getaway (which subsequently became our favorite ship) 

 

we had a forward penthouse suite. the only negative was when we docked, we could hear the anchor being lowered. other than that, like so many others who have posted, if i cant book a haven, my wife refuses to go. 

 

all that being said, there is no way to even try to compare the haven area with any part of the rest of the ship, or cabins. 

 

im absolutely sure sthrngary will agree 100%

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE 100%

[justhappy]

1 hour ago, Sthrngary said:

 

Here is another take on "Not" going in the Haven.  With the money you save, you can get the specialty meal package for all seven nights.  I love the Haven Restaurant but some of those specialty restaurants are very good. You could spend some more money on the Vibe Beach Club and the Thermal Spa (Not on the Joy).  You could even do the Premium Plus Drink Package and all the most expensive excursions.  Heck, you might go on two or three cruises for the cost of one Haven suite. With all that, you still will not be at the cost of the Haven in most cases. One has to consider that.

 

This is exactly what I will be doing in December if I don’t win at bidding for a Haven stateroom. The prices for  Haven right now are far more than I feel it’s worth.

If I don’t win, I’ll be happy in my club suite and try for vibe passes, thermal passes, have a few massages and take some nice excursions. Either way I’ll be happy to be on a ship at sea. 

 

[complawyer]

sthrngary

 

only goes to show, great minds think alike. its a shame we dont have similar cruises planned, i think we'd get along great, but from a prior post, i'm about 15 years older than you

[Sthrngary]

12 minutes ago, complawyer said:

sthrngary

 

only goes to show, great minds think alike. its a shame we dont have similar cruises planned, i think we'd get along great, but from a prior post, i'm about 15 years older than you

Your 95????  LOL.

[complawyer]

i thought you previously said you were in your mid-50's. i'll be 74 in feb. 

[All-ready2cruise]

Please.... age is just a number. So much depends on how well we take care of ourselves.  70 something could so easily just be 50-55 something.   IMO, it's all about how we feel about ourselves... 

 

[ChiefMateJRK]

49 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

The Haven is like buying the fanciest room at the Best Western. Money would probably be better spent on either an additional cruise or nicer cruise line.

Blasphemy!!!  Didn’t you ever have a Mr. French butler to wipe your “nose.”  How can you ever be happy?  

[SeaShark]

4 hours ago, newty25 said:

If I could be assured of having a Vibe pass... I might consider a non-Haven trip.

 

But, I think I'd be miserable on a cruise not being able to escape the masses somewhere.

 

Then you'd want to book a Studio cabin, right?

 

Guarantee that there are less people in the Studio Complex than in the Haven. You can escape the masses in the studio lounge. And one thing the Haven simply can NOT deliver: NO KIDS ALLOWED.

 

And did I mention the private bathroom that you share with NOBODY?

[Old & Retired]

16 hours ago, Hutcha said:

I'll add a different spin to it. I've been on 4 Norwegian cruises in the past decade. Two smaller ships (early in the timeline), and more recently a Breakaway and Breakaway plus ship. All standard balcony cabins. On the smaller ships, I didn't notice the Haven areas. On the large ships, they take a huge chunk out of the upper decks to define the Haven area. They force all of the non Haven guest into, what I think, a much smaller, compressed area than what it should be. Take a look at the picture I've attached. The red outlines the Haven area and the blue is the Vibe Beach Club.

 

There are about 80 Haven cabins on a ship of this class (Encore pictured). Lets say 200 guest. I estimate that 40% of the upper decks are taken by The Haven and Vibe ($200pp/week). 30% is pay per use activities, the race track and laser tag. That leaves 30% for the other 3,800 guests. I've been one of the 3,800 twice, and let me tell you, you can feel it. The pools are tiny. The deck chair game is on another level. The bars are packed. It's just not much fun to be up there on a sea day. So much so that I've vowed to never go on another NCL cruise, unless I'm in the Haven. That will be in February. 

 

 

Your red line is incorrect.  The Haven sundeck ends about where the white area meets the blue area.  We only have the two forward hot tubs.  Aft of that is all Vibe.  There is a locked metal door port and starboard if they ever want to change the border between Haven and Vibe.

[Two Wheels Only]

9 hours ago, Heymarco said:

The Haven is like buying the fanciest room at the Best Western. Money would probably be better spent on either an additional cruise or nicer cruise line.

 

The higher end/luxury cruise lines don't always work for active young adults or for families with children. For those groups, the zip - lines, ropes courses, go-karts, water parks, etc. work while still having the exclusive complex on the other end of the ship. 

[Sthrngary]

10 hours ago, complawyer said:

i thought you previously said you were in your mid-50's. i'll be 74 in feb. 

LOL, I am actually 64 going to be 65.  You are not older then me, you are wiser then me.  Yes, I would really enjoy a visit on a cruise one day.  CruiseCritic and the many folks we meet as well as interact with provide a once unavailable friend pool.  Especially when the post well as you have always done. 

[Sthrngary]

10 hours ago, All-ready2cruise said:

Please.... age is just a number. So much depends on how well we take care of ourselves.  70 something could so easily just be 50-55 something.   IMO, it's all about how we feel about ourselves... 

 

I could not agree more.  Some days I feel my age and most days I feel so much younger.  Kind of one of the reasons I like to cruise larger ships.  The ability to do things that simply make you feel younger. 

[david_sobe]

Its all subjective.  With today's prices you can get 2 balcony cabin cruises vs 1 Haven suite cruise.  Many would take 2 cruises over the 1.  Every time I come home from a Haven cruise, I tell myself that I did not need to spend as much on the ship yet the next time I still book the Haven. IMHO many features in the Haven are about making the passenger feel special and not necessarily special things.  I have never found the Haven check in that orderly or speedy.  I can only speak for the port of Miami but general check in is many times quicker and more efficient than the Haven.  The Haven lounge has many families with kids and it gets bogged down while other guests quickly check in.  They will take you and break the line but the march to the ship is fairly quick so is that line jump worth it?  We are not big pool and sun worshippers so we dont really use the Haven pool area.  The ships with the Haven restaurant really make the Haven special.  The service is outstanding and the food really good.  But reality is sometimes the service in the MDR can be better and food is subjective.  We really dont use butlers that much either.  We love the big suites with all the room.  We book things online before the cruise so the concierge is not that special to us.  What I love is priority disembarkation.  Gosh how much is this worth?  Priceless 😁

[Sthrngary]

 

9 hours ago, Heymarco said:

The Haven is like buying the fanciest room at the Best Western. Money would probably be better spent on either an additional cruise or nicer cruise line.

@HeymarcoAs someone whom has traveled for business for decades, I am forced to disagree.  It is obvious that you have a very strong opinion.  I respect it, I do. However, it is also quite clear you have never cruised in a Haven Suite.  So allow me to assist your perception.  

• I have cruised on a luxury brand.  The suites were not quite as nice as a Haven Suite.
• I have cruised on almost all the Main Stream Brands.  Both in normal staterooms and their equal to the NCL Haven.  Very nice, not much better or worse.  Just different.

Maybe, just may be; one day you will find a bargain for a Haven Suite; maybe you will be able to upgrade at a bargain price.  That is what got me stated.  It may or may not change your mind.  What is will do is allow you to reevaluate Best Western's. 

[newty25]

26 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

NCL doesn’t work for us family people with children either, they are currently banned (or whatever we want to call it to make people feel better).

 

Children aren't banned. Unvaccinated people are banned. Families that are fully vaccinated are welcome to cruise!

[MsTabbyKats]

@SthrngaryThe value of the Haven is so subjective.  You may remember, about 2 months ago I was contemplating the Haven on the Getaway (it was a good price...but money isn't an issue).  What turned me off was that the king bed couldn't be separated (I don't want DH kicking me all night) and the roof of the courtyard didn't close.  Those were really the only things I cared about.

DH is my butler (he calls himself that) and I don't care about food.  We like to be with all kinds of people.  In addition, I live in the heart of NYC,  What one person would call crowded, I'd call empty.  In other words....I don't find the ships crowded.  

 

The only thing that would tempt me is if the Haven included a massage every day.

 

So, for me, no, the Haven is not worth the money.

 

 

[newty25]

5 minutes ago, Heymarco said:

Children have no way of getting vaccinated, others have a choice. You can call an ace a spade, but either way, NCL chose to not accommodate families and children. Point is, shouldn’t stop someone from considering a luxury cruise line since NCL chooses not to value children or families.

 

Children 3 and over can get jabbed in China. Chile is 6 and older. The US and most other countries are 12 and up. So, if your child happens to be vaccinated, they can sail.

[sverigecruiser]

 

MSCs Yacht Club is better than NCLs Haven, I think. The Haven needs to cost less than the Yacht Club for a similar cruise for me to think it's worth it. Normally the Haven still cost much more than the Yacht Club.

 

If I ever shall cruise on NCL again it will be in the Haven. For me it's Haven or no cruise. If I think that the Haven cost too much for a cruise I'm interested in I'm out.