Access to Havana Pool with Multiple Rooms (only 1 Havana)

[maui traveler]

On 1/25/2022 at 2:12 PM, Jamman54 said:

For the Havana Experience, booking a Havana inside cabin is all we need. Best bang for the buck! 

I’m sailing this summer and found two Havana inside to be less then 300 more each.

Zero lounge hogs. This area is undervalued.

[maui traveler]

On 1/25/2022 at 2:51 PM, Jamman54 said:

$250 to $300. Money well spent. 

Paid the lower end of this for two insides this July. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

On 1/25/2022 at 9:39 AM, BasicSailor said:

I have really no interest in them as there is really no privacy at all.

After a whole week I saw people out there about 10% of the time I was out there. I wan't out there much either as I was always relaxing back by the pool or off the ship exploring .

[Illbcruzn4life]

On 1/20/2022 at 3:28 PM, DramaQueen22 said:

As others have said, Havana is only for those guests who pay for the cabin in that area.  And buying wristbands from E Bay won't get you anywhere either.  The colors change week to week, and you have to be wearing it to even get in; your Sail and Sign has a sticker on it too.  If you tried to buy anything at the bar, you'd be asked to leave at that time. The area is monitored and enforced regularly.

 

I love those cabins, and do not mind the upcharge to stay there.  But it would really make me mad if someone who didn't pay the extra tried to skirt around the system.

What sticker is on your sign and sail card?

[UPNYGuy]

9 hours ago, maui traveler said:

Couldn’t agree move…I felt so uncomfortable when I spent a few hours in Haven on NCL Bliss as wasn’t a guest of that level. Should’ve had to walk the plank. I left before the gig was up. Wouldn’t enjoy daydreamer in my Havana experience this July.

I got annoyed when the tours used to go through the Haven area when I was staying in there. I don’t recall Carnival doing this in the Havana area. 

MSC also did this with the yacht club, and I also thought that was disruptive. 

[delerium98]

9 hours ago, maui traveler said:

I’m sailing this summer and found two Havana inside to be less then 300 more each.

Zero lounge hogs. This area is undervalued.

 

Amen!  That is absolutely worth the up charge.  Even more-so on a Vista class ship.  I'll be staying in a Havana Cabana room for the first time here in a few months and I CANNOT wait!

[DramaQueen22]

On 2/19/2023 at 12:20 AM, Illbcruzn4life said:

What sticker is on your sign and sail card?

It's a small sticker that has the Havana logo.  You will also receive a colored wristband for access to the area.  You need both.

[Illbcruzn4life]

3 hours ago, DramaQueen22 said:

It's a small sticker that has the Havana logo.  You will also receive a colored wristband for access to the area.  You need both.

Something must have fallen through the cracks when I cruised on the Horizon in the Havana area as neither one of our cards had a sticker on them. I still have our sign and sail cards on my desk here and double checked after I read your post.

[scoobysnacks70]

The whole concept of these reserved areas reminds me of the episode on Frasier where him and Niles keep upgrading their club memberships because they keep hearing about an area that they don't have access to--eventually they end up in the alley behind the spa 🤣

[DramaQueen22]

2 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Something must have fallen through the cracks when I cruised on the Horizon in the Havana area as neither one of our cards had a sticker on them. I still have our sign and sail cards on my desk here and double checked after I read your post.

Maybe they're not using them anymore.  When we were on Celebration in January, there were no Cheers stickers on our cards even though we had the package.  I guess the stickers are another "cutback"!

[Eli_6]

Some of yall act like this is admittance to the White House or something...

 

I have stayed in a Havana cabin three times and I somehow missed all of these multiple check points in place because when I sailed they were just little rubber bands you can take on and off.  In one instance, they even put 4 bands in our cabin even though there were only two of us.  They do change the band colors (although, I don't know if it is every week) so I wouldn't attempt to buy off of Ebay. There are stickers on the S&S cards, but no one is scanning them as you enter.  They would only notice if you ordered a drink.  I frankly think that you could probably switch out bands without a problem so long as the guest who isn't in the room doesn't order a drink while they are there.  Like others, I don't personally see the problem as long as there are not more in the area at one time than the room occupancy of the Havana room.  When I have stayed in the area in the past, the Havana area has never been very busy anyway...even during a Christmas cruise where the ship was at capacity, it wasn't busy.  There was more than one time where my husband and I were the only people in the area...which, frankly, I would rather have other people around to converse with because if I just wanted to sit by a pool by myself I would just stay home and sit by the pool in my backyard.  

[Eli_6]

On 1/20/2022 at 9:10 PM, bdever said:

Driving home from work and thinking about this thread something is just not adding up. Why hubby in Havana cabin by himself or with a kid? Is it because of the cost of Cheers package and OP doesn’t drink??? It doesn’t make sense to me why OP would book 2 cabins with adults assigned to different cabins unless it was because 1 adult doesn’t drink??? Otherwise why not just get a single Havana cabin for 3 people with 3 wristbands and be done with it??? No rule breaking with 2 wristbands for 3 people or 1 wristband for 2 people, etc. There is something missing from the story here and it’s so suspich and sketch that it’s going to raise eyebrows from crew on board just sayin. Why would anyone book a Havana cabin and a non Havana cabin for 3 people in the same family over 12 years old if not for cheers??? Doesn’t make any sense economically when there are Havana cabins that sleep 3 people. 

Maybe the wife and husband want to have "adult" time alone without kids around. And by adult time, I mean R-rated adult time.  

 

My husband and I prefer to have two cabins when cruising with our kids...even if it is an adjoining cabin with a door that we can close after they go to sleep.  

 

Additionally, if the kids are over 12 but under 15, you may not be able to book the kids across the hall from the adults in the Havana cabin so you may HAVE to put an adult in the other cabin. Swap the kids wristband out for the husband.  Why does it matter whether a 12 year old kid uses the band or the husband who is booked in another room uses the band?  It doesn't take away from your experience in the least. In fact, I would think your experience would probably be better sharing a hot tub with another couple than a Mom and a kid...

 

 

[Illbcruzn4life]

6 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

Some of yall act like this is admittance to the White House or something...

 

I have stayed in a Havana cabin three times and I somehow missed all of these multiple check points in place because when I sailed they were just little rubber bands you can take on and off.  In one instance, they even put 4 bands in our cabin even though there were only two of us.  They do change the band colors (although, I don't know if it is every week) so I wouldn't attempt to buy off of Ebay. There are stickers on the S&S cards, but no one is scanning them as you enter.  They would only notice if you ordered a drink.  I frankly think that you could probably switch out bands without a problem so long as the guest who isn't in the room doesn't order a drink while they are there.  Like others, I don't personally see the problem as long as there are not more in the area at one time than the room occupancy of the Havana room.  When I have stayed in the area in the past, the Havana area has never been very busy anyway...even during a Christmas cruise where the ship was at capacity, it wasn't busy.  There was more than one time where my husband and I were the only people in the area...which, frankly, I would rather have other people around to converse with because if I just wanted to sit by a pool by myself I would just stay home and sit by the pool in my backyard.  

so you do get a sticker on your card. What does the sticker say?

[Jamman54]

31 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

so you do get a sticker on your card. What does the sticker say?

Havana

[RenoNanaOz]

20 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Something must have fallen through the cracks when I cruised on the Horizon in the Havana area as neither one of our cards had a sticker on them. I still have our sign and sail cards on my desk here and double checked after I read your post.

In January we had to go to Guest Services to get the sticker for Havana and Cheers.

[Illbcruzn4life]

3 hours ago, RenoNanaOz said:

In January we had to go to Guest Services to get the sticker for Havana and Cheers.

Interesting. My wife had the soda package and didn't have a sticker for that either but had no problems getting a soda.

 

As someone mentioned earlier they never checked our cards, just the wristbands.

 

We never knew there was a sticker for the cards.  

 

Let's see if we get stickers in April when we are on the Celebration.

[RenoNanaOz]

1 hour ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Interesting. My wife had the soda package and didn't have a sticker for that either but had no problems getting a soda.

 

As someone mentioned earlier they never checked our cards, just the wristbands.

 

We never knew there was a sticker for the cards.  

 

Let's see if we get stickers in April when we are on the Celebration.

Only the Bartenders look for the sticker. The reason we knew was when we ordered our first drink it charged to our account. That's why we went to Guest Services. Security just looks at your wristband when you walk out.

[Illbcruzn4life]

7 hours ago, RenoNanaOz said:

Only the Bartenders look for the sticker. The reason we knew was when we ordered our first drink it charged to our account. That's why we went to Guest Services. Security just looks at your wristband when you walk out.

tyvm for taking the time to reply to my questions. 😀

[n6uqqq]

If I want a less crowded experience, I just cruise on a spirit class ship. No need to spend all the extra money for a less crowded area that has a pool just like the rest of the ship. From my "commoners" balcony on the Panorama above the Havana area, the back "porch" areas were mostly deserted. I guess this is Carnival's version of a caste system.

Edited February 22, 2023 by n6uqqq

[Illbcruzn4life]

8 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

If I want a less crowded experience, I just cruise on a spirit class ship. No need to spend all the extra money for a less crowded area that has a pool just like the rest of the ship. From my "commoners" balcony on the Panorama above the Havana area, the back "porch" areas were mostly deserted. I guess this is Carnival's version of a caste system.

having choices is GREAT! 🙂

[n6uqqq]

1 hour ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

having choices is GREAT! 🙂

I can agree with you there, as a shareholder who has a ways to go to get back to even, I am thankful for all the big spenders 😉!

[Eli_6]

On 2/21/2023 at 12:38 AM, Illbcruzn4life said:

so you do get a sticker on your card. What does the sticker say?

When I went, there was a brown sticker that said "Havana" on it.  However, others have posted they didn't get it so IDK...maybe this is dependent on the ship. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

4 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

When I went, there was a brown sticker that said "Havana" on it.  However, others have posted they didn't get it so IDK...maybe this is dependent on the ship. 

Probably correct as we ordered drinks at the bar when we were out at the Havana pool and nobody said anything.

[Pellaz]

On 2/18/2023 at 4:17 PM, UPNYGuy said:

DW and I have witnessed numerous people tossed out for trying to skirt the Havana access rules on Horizon and Panorama. One on Panorama was so belligerent that ship security was called on her. This *is* (thankfully) enforced. 

 

Oh, yes.   On our cruise last October on Horizon, there was a group of four kids who tried to enter the Havana area "illegally."   On the first instance they tried to get past the "door guard" and were repulsed.  On the second instance they slipped past the "door guard" while he was away briefly and got into one of the hot-tubs.  I knew they were there improperly but didn't speak up as they weren't being disruptive, but when the "guard" saw them he politely but firmly told them to leave.   At that point, claiming ignorance of the rules wouldn't have worked.  

Later they tried to cut in line at Pizzeria del Capitano as a group, people rightly complained, and they were escorted away by ships' security.   I never saw them afterward and assumed they had been forced to walk the plank.  😄  

 

On 2/21/2023 at 1:38 AM, Illbcruzn4life said:

so you do get a sticker on your card. What does the sticker say?

It's just a brown sticker saying "Havana."   In practice the "door guard" will look for the wristband first, and the sticker second, if needed.

 

On 2/21/2023 at 1:47 PM, Illbcruzn4life said:

Interesting. My wife had the soda package and didn't have a sticker for that either but had no problems getting a soda.

The computer system should be automatically aware of your purchase of Bottomless Bubbles or Cheers, and charges (or doesn't charge) accordingly.  

Sharp contrast to Royal Caribbean three weeks ago, where I had pre-purchased the soda package before sailing.  When I went to a bar to get my cruise-specific chipped soda cup, to my astonishment they had to look up my pre-purchase on a long, paper list.  How retro!  😮