The NCL Haven Luxury VIP Experience "Secrets" REVISED for 2022

[Benelope]

On 5/2/2022 at 9:24 AM, gvgseg said:

Abugarcia,

 

Can you point me to where this is? We will be returning on the Encore to Seattle this August and probably won't fly back home until an 8:30pm flight.  It would be nice if we could have our luggage sent directly to the airport so we don't have to have it with us throughout the day.

Here is some information directly from the Port of Seattle: Port Valet - Enjoy Seattle Luggage Free! | Port of Seattle (portseattle.org) 

 

We just got off the Bliss and saw this advertised throughout the boat.  

[Sailing12Away]

2 hours ago, Benelope said:

Here is some information directly from the Port of Seattle: Port Valet - Enjoy Seattle Luggage Free! | Port of Seattle (portseattle.org) 

 

We just got off the Bliss and saw this advertised throughout the boat.  

Just a caveat for whoever is thinking of doing this... do not leave anything of value in your luggage. I'm not talking about your diamonds and expensive booze you bought at duty free... I mean things like your laptop charging cable, for example.

 

We did this on our Alaska trip last summer. When we arrived in JFK we were one bag short at baggage claim. Had to get an employee to look up the bag by our sticker number on my receipt. They claimed the bag was held up by TSA and missed the flight (we had put the bags out the night before, and our flight wasn't until 2pm, so I called BS on that). We thought one of the bottles of booze we were bringing home had cracked and maybe leaked, causing some concern over why there was a wet bag. But nope, all the booze made it home safe and sound (albeit 2 days after we did).

 

Long story short, they had to get the bag to us the next day via a delivery service who dropped it off at our house. The tags on the bag told the truth... somehow Alaska Airlines shipped the bag from Seattle to San Diego instead of JFK. Then the next morning it flew over to JFK and finally made it to our house around 10pm. We have a $100 voucher from Alaska Airline for our troubles... but that doesn't help us on the East coast when we don't have any West coast trips planned anytime soon.

[abugarcia1]

On 5/2/2022 at 11:24 AM, gvgseg said:

Abugarcia,

 

Can you point me to where this is? We will be returning on the Encore to Seattle this August and probably won't fly back home until an 8:30pm flight.  It would be nice if we could have our luggage sent directly to the airport so we don't have to have it with us throughout the day.

sure thing, here is a link with that information

https://www.portseattle.org/page/port-valet-enjoy-seattle-luggage-free?msclkid=fc64e3c2a64d11ecbe0d665efe0a6a3b

[janice2348]

On 5/3/2022 at 4:30 PM, Sthrngary said:

Since I created the NCL Butler Letter many years ago, the result you and I have gotten have improved.  the strategy is simple.  Upfront clear communication.  Even with that, thinks like GF items can get messed up.  You again showed good business judgement in contacting the supervisor.  

 

The challenge is some folk don't do the due diligence and then when something happens, they don't say anything.  They wait until they are off the ship.  My experience tells me, you can say something and get the service you wish, if you are clear and kind. Thank you for your post, your message was excellent. 

 

Cruise well.

My pleasure!  And thank you for your informative and amusing posts!

[DorothyB]

On 4/26/2022 at 6:52 PM, UKstages said:

there is no delivery fee for haven guests ordering room service. and there isn't really any advance notice required, unless you're ordering something out of the ordinary.  most butlers prefer that you call them directly to order, rather than picking up the phone and dialing room service. they are the ones who are going to bring it to you.

This will be my first haven experience.  Can the butler (or whomever) bring a meal served in the main dining room?  Is there a delivery fee for this?

 

Thanks!

[Two Wheels Only]

6 minutes ago, DorothyB said:

Can the butler (or whomever) bring a meal served in the main dining room?

 

Yes.

 

6 minutes ago, DorothyB said:

Is there a delivery fee for this?

 

No. 

[cruiseny4life]

3 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Yes.

 

 

No. 

Try to give them some notice. They'll do it, but someone is going to be hustling up and down some stairs to do this.

[missnd]

15 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Try to give them some notice. They'll do it, but someone is going to be hustling up and down some stairs to do this.

How do you know what the main dining room is serving that evening so you can order?  Do the butler's have access to the menus in advance?

[DorothyB]

3 hours ago, missnd said:

How do you know what the main dining room is serving that evening so you can order?  Do the butler's have access to the menus in advance?

Unless it has changed, the menu for evening is posted by late morning outside the main dining rooms.  

[missnd]

9 hours ago, DorothyB said:

Unless it has changed, the menu for evening is posted by late morning outside the main dining rooms.  

So, is that what people do?  I would love to hear some experiences of people who have actually had MDR food served in their room by their butler.

[vinotinto]

9 hours ago, DorothyB said:

Unless it has changed, the menu for evening is posted by late morning outside the main dining rooms.  

This is correct. They are posted fairly early (late morning sounds about right). I would try to let your butler know at least by early afternoon. Note that I highly recommend eating in the main dining room. At least in the Breakway, the atmosphere there was wonderful. They had a jazz band and the dancers from Burn the Floor put up a nice show 2 nights per week. We really enjoyed eating in the MDR and the food was really good!

[The Shrike]

30 minutes ago, missnd said:

So, is that what people do?  I would love to hear some experiences of people who have actually had MDR food served in their room by their butler.

We picked a sea day to dine in the suite and told the butler the day prior.  The day of, we went and checked the menu mid-morning to get an idea of what we wanted.  The butler found us a couple of hours before dinner with a menu and got our choices.  At dinner time he set the table and served the meal.

[DorothyB]

4 hours ago, vinotinto said:

 Note that I highly recommend eating in the main dining room. . . . . We really enjoyed eating in the MDR and the food was really good!

My hesitation about dining there is that it is yet one more exposure to covid 🙂  One great thing about the haven is the ability to eat breakfast & lunch in a smaller venue, the haven pool & chairs in smaller venue, etc.

[janice2348]

20 hours ago, missnd said:

How do you know what the main dining room is serving that evening so you can order?  Do the butler's have access to the menus in advance?

You can ask your butler for copies of specialty dining menus.  Maybe he can get copies of MDR menus the night before. I had access when I had to choose meals in advance due to gluten/dairy intolerance.   

Edited May 15, 2022 by janice2348

[bookbabe]

18 hours ago, janice2348 said:

You can ask your butler for copies of specialty dining menus.  Maybe he can get copies of MDR menus the night before. I had access when I had to choose meals in advance due to gluten/dairy intolerance.   

Your butler definitely can get you the entire week’s menus in advance.  We asked on our Xmas Encore cruise and got them, and when we had the same butler (the fabulous Rao) last week for our Alaska Encore cruise he automatically brought them for us again.  It’s really handy for figuring out what nights to eat where.

 

[missnd]

19 minutes ago, bookbabe said:

Your butler definitely can get you the entire week’s menus in advance.  We asked on our Xmas Encore cruise and got them, and when we had the same butler (the fabulous Rao) last week for our Alaska Encore cruise he automatically brought them for us again.  It’s really handy for figuring out what nights to eat where.

This is what I was hoping to hear.  Thank you!

[CDR Benson]

Well, it's real, now.  We just made the final payment on our 16 September cruise to New England/Canada.  After seventeen months of largely sitting on our hands since booking this cruise, now the to-do list has gotten busier.

 

I had my first direct interaction with Norwegian last week (everything else had been done by our TA), and I'm pleased to report that it was went just as the information provided by the supremely helpful Mr. Tilkin indicated it would:  easily and graciously.

 

The Good Mrs. Benson and I are booked in the Haven, and Haven guests are permitted to make their specialty-restaurant reservations on line at 130 days out from the sail date.  A week ago, Monday, 09 May, was the 130th day, and, sure enough, on that day, I became able to make reservations for specialty restaurants through our on-line account.

 

The next day, though, I noticed that the dinner reservations had gone into the cart, along with our excursions and other purchases, which we weren't prepared to pay until this week.  This raised the question for me as to whether the reservations were actually in place or if because they were in the cart, the reservations were in some sort of limbo.  They didn't reflect in our on-line itinerary.

 

So I sent an e-mail to the Norwegian Concierge Desk---a resource provided by Mr. Tilkin in this thread---asking for clarification.  Within two days, they responded (most cordially) with the confirmation for our dinner reservations enclosed.  And I checked our on-line account and, aye, they reflect in our itinerary, now.

 

This, I hope, augurs well for our experience on the cruise.

 

 

Edited May 17, 2022 by CDR Benson

[DorothyB]

We will be sailing on the Pearl in a Haven suite - if we order pizza or cheeseburgers from the room service menu, is there a charge? I understand that other cabins are charged for this.

 

Thanks!

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, DorothyB said:

We will be sailing on the Pearl in a Haven suite - if we order pizza or cheeseburgers from the room service menu, is there a charge? I understand that other cabins are charged for this.

 

Thanks!

No. No service charge for room service while in the Haven. If you order from a specialty restaurant, outside of your Free at Sea perks/dining plan, then you'll be charged for the meal. 

[The Shrike]

13 minutes ago, DorothyB said:

We will be sailing on the Pearl in a Haven suite - if we order pizza or cheeseburgers from the room service menu, is there a charge? I understand that other cabins are charged for this.

 

Thanks!

You can be hanging out by the Haven pool, decide to do lunch there, and the staff will bring that pizza or cheeseburgers right to you, along with some beverages.

It's nice to be in the Haven.  😃

[scooter6139]

Just upgrade an SC Suite on Joy to an HI Haven Penthouse.  Wanted to get within the complex itself but that was almost double the upgrade cost to just the smaller HF Courtyard Penthouse.  Perhaps we can bid on one later, but at least we have Haven access now!!  

[CDR Benson]

I chose to book one of the Haven HI suites on deck 14.  They're larger than the lower-tier suites in the Haven complex proper, and significantly cheaper.  If you've booked one of the mid-ships HI's, you'll be near the elevator.  That puts you one to, maybe, three minutes from the Haven decks proper.

 

I can live without being on "Millionaires' Row", if it's larger, cheaper, and I receive the same perks to be on deck 14.

 

You made a good choice.  I'd stick with it, even if a suite in the Haven proper becomes available.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by CDR Benson

[vacation44]

19 minutes ago, CDR Benson said:

I chose to book one of the Haven HI suites on deck 14.  They're larger than the lower-tier suites in the Haven complex proper, and significantly cheaper.  If you've booked one of the mid-ships HI's, you'll be near the elevator.  That puts you one to, maybe, three minutes from the Haven decks proper.

 

I can live without being on "Millionaires' Row", if it's larger, cheaper, and I receive the same perks to be on deck 14.

 

You made a good choice.  I'd stick with it, even if a suite in the Haven proper becomes available.

 

 

My husband and I timed it and it was less than a minute from our cabin door to the door of the entrance into Haven.     If I remember correctly, you have the same cabin as we did but on the starboard side.    

[CDR Benson]

4 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

My husband and I timed it and it was less than a minute from our cabin door to the door of the entrance into Haven.     If I remember correctly, you have the same cabin as we did but on the starboard side.    

 

Aye, we do, and I so appreciated what you told me about your experience.  I'm sure we've made a good choice.  The Good Mrs. Benson always leaves the details of our cruise preparation to me, and I'm looking forward to her reaction to this suite.

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

16 hours ago, scooter6139 said:

Perhaps we can bid on one later, but at least we have Haven access now!! 

Stay where you are! 🙂 We were in an HI on Getaway back in April on deck 14. We were one deck away from the entrance to the Thermal Suite which was used a lot by us and two decks away from the Haven Restaurant/Lounge/Courtyard. We had a very quiet room and great room steward, Gusti! 

 

My husband and I appreciated being able to walk two flights of stairs to the Haven as it allowed us a little bit of exercise. Also, I believe the rooms on the 16th deck surrounding the courtyard might be a bit louder as people head from the lounge/restaurant back to their rooms, or leaving their room to head anywhere else on the ship. Just a hunch since we were on a very quiet 14th deck.

 

We've been looking at a future cruise on the Getaway and are pretty sure we'll be getting the same HI category room, 14130 so long as it's available. Also, the room is on bridge level (on the Getaway) so you can see the officers on the bridge from your balcony as they work the controls.