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

[mearsfansinboise]

26 minutes ago, Laszlo said:

Yes, in the Haven check in lounge at the terminal they will have snacks and drinks. Once you board the ship they will take you to the Haven lounge area of the ship. They will have drinks and food, the Conceriges will explain how things work. Cabins should be ready shortly after

 

Haven Boarding......

 

 

Gahhhhh!  Thanks for sharing!  - I sailed Haven the first time in March; this is my husband's first time.  Soooooo excited.

[Sthrngary]

30 minutes ago, mearsfansinboise said:

Gahhhhh!  Thanks for sharing!  - I sailed Haven the first time in March; this is my husband's first time.  Soooooo excited.

Allow me to add.  My strategy when cruising in the Haven is to first, drop my bags off in my Suite followed by getting a drink at the Haven Bar.  Please remember while in port, there will be a tax put on your suite portfolio. It is not much.  

 

Depending on the ship, there is a small setting of food in the observation lounge.  In the past, they would serve sliders in the Haven Courtyard.  As a Haven Guest, you will have the choose of having Lunch at the Haven Restaurant or one of the specialty restaurants complementary for that one lunch.  It is usually the American Diner.

 

I suggest always the Haven Restaurant because the food is better.  I would usually sit outside because of the view.  Lunch usually takes 1.5 hours so your suites are usually ready at 1:00 PM.  That is good timing.  

 

When you enter the Haven Courtyard, the Haven desk is usually busy with folks changing and or adjusting thing.  That is why I attempt to get onboard as soon as I can.  Try to get all your reservations for Specialty Restaurant done pre-cruise.  Things you can't do pre-cruise are go-carts, spas, Lasor Tag.  Shows can be done later if you don't have a reservation. 

 

My advice in staying in the Haven is, use this special area as your relief when the ship gets to hectic or crowds are to large.  That said, explore the entire ship and don't lose the excitement of being on a huge hotel on the sea.  If you have any other questions, just ask.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[CDR Benson]

1 hour ago, Sthrngary said:

Allow me to add.  My strategy when cruising in the Haven is to first, drop my bags off in my Suite followed by getting a drink at the Haven Bar.  Please remember while in port, there will be a tax put on your suite portfolio. It is not much.  

 

Depending on the ship, there is a small setting of food in the observation lounge.  In the past, they would serve sliders in the Haven Courtyard.  As a Haven Guest, you will have the choose of having Lunch at the Haven Restaurant or one of the specialty restaurants complementary for that one lunch.  It is usually the American Diner.

 

I suggest always the Haven Restaurant because the food is better.  I would usually sit outside because of the view.  Lunch usually takes 1.5 hours so your suites are usually ready at 1:00 PM.  That is good timing.  

 

When you enter the Haven Courtyard, the Haven desk is usually busy with folks changing and or adjusting thing.  That is why I attempt to get onboard as soon as I can.  Try to get all your reservations for Specialty Restaurant done pre-cruise.  Things you can't do pre-cruise are go-carts, spas, Lasor Tag.  Shows can be done later if you don't have a reservation. 

 

My advice in staying in the Haven is, use this special area as your relief when the ship gets to hectic or crowds are to large.  That said, explore the entire ship and don't lose the excitement of being on a huge hotel on the sea.  If you have any other questions, just ask.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

All superb advice.  The Good Mrs.Benson and I just got back from our stay in the Haven for the 16-23 September cruise, and followed that template almost exactly.

 

I'm draughting my post on our Haven experience, now.

 

 

[Sthrngary]

39 minutes ago, CDR Benson said:

 

All superb advice.  The Good Mrs.Benson and I just got back from our stay in the Haven for the 16-23 September cruise, and followed that template almost exactly.

 

I'm draughting my post on our Haven experience, now.

 

 

@CDR Benson I am very excited to read your post.  My hope and wish is that one day, you and the Good Mrs. Benson can join my wife and I to mutually enjoy a cruise vacation. For someone who posts a lot on areas I truly enjoy, it was my pleasure to assist you, Sir in any way I could. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[CDR Benson]

7 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

@CDR Benson I am very excited to read your post.  My hope and wish is that one day, you and the Good Mrs. Benson can join my wife and I to mutually enjoy a cruise vacation. For someone who posts a lot on areas I truly enjoy, it was my pleasure to assist you, Sir in any way I could. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

The GMB and I would very much enjoy having you and Mrs. Tilkin as shipmates for a cruise.

 

Your advice was invaluable to me in preparing for our Haven stay.  I modified it where applicable, of course, but I followed your basic template and it couldn't have turned out better.

 

Very much obliged, sir.

 

 

[jkbec101]

We just returned from the Epic where we had Cabin 17003 in the Haven.  Here are my observations regarding our experience.

 

First off, would I cruise in the Haven again?  Yes, definitely!!

 

Haven Restaurant - Service was hit or miss.  We ate in the Haven 4 times as a couple, my wife once alone (I was on an excursion).  One Breakfast and one Dinner we were seated and then ignored by the staff and service was slow.  On the other two occasions, service was perfect.  I surmised that if you had the same server at Dinner that you had a say lunch or breakfast, service was definitely better, but if the server was new to you, not so much.  When service was poor, it did not feel like a fine dining restaurant.  For example, our last night, we ate dinner there and arrived to a nearly empty venue.  Server had to be flagged down to take drink order.  My wife ordered a glass of wine and I a beer.  Brought the wine but not the beer (had to ask).  Wife ordered appetizer of Lobster deviled eggs, a Caesar salad and surf and surf.  I ordered the Caesar and surf and surf (twin lobster tails).  In my opinion, proper service would have been to bring the appetizer first alone and then the salads together.  We were brought the app and my salad, then her salad, then the main course.  Servers in the Haven were slow even when told of time constraints (excursion, show reservations, etc.)  At our last dinner, I informed the server that I had reservations to play in a poker tournament that started at 8:30 and we needed to speed things up, he looked surprised and offended.   by comparison, server in La Cucina asked straightaway if we had plans after dinner or were we leisurely dining that evening.  This is something that should have been asked at dinner in the Haven.

 

Food quality was also hit and miss, breakfast was horrible, but that was across the board and not just Haven.  Dinner was much better.  

 

The Cabin - We had the two bedroom family suite and it was great for the two of us.  Our cabin was always cleaned and tidy whenever we returned.  Never had an issue.

 

The Butler and Concierge - This was by far the best part of the Haven.  While in Rome, my wife injured herself on an NCL excursion and the staff handled not only cancelling the excursion the next day for her, but also switching out the excursions the day after to lessen the distance walking.  Priority debarkation, embarkation and tendering were great.  Probably could have utilized the butler more, but that's just not who we are.  Everyone was johnny on the spot when something was needed and as a result we tipped above and beyond what we would normally do.

 

The last piece is a very slight annoyance.  With all the cleaning and tidying up of the staterooms, it meant that housekeeping carts were ALWAYS in the hallway, the only exception was very late at night.  Hallways were not that wide, so had to sidestep them constantly.  Not really an issue, but something to point out as we commented about it during the cruise.  

 

Embarkation - We boarded in Barcelona and had a transfer from our hotel to the ship.  We bypassed the security line due to Haven status (this may be new as many have complained about this in the past).  We arrived at the port by 11:00 and onboard in the Haven Lounge by 11:15.  Given a tour of the Haven area and room was ready by 11:30 for all Haven guests.  

 

As I stated at the start, these are just my observations and opinions and someone else who was in the Haven with us may have very different impressions.  

 

 

[mconthehighseas]

I love this thread and am so grateful to SthrnGary for having started it.  I have learned so much about NCL and the suite/Haven experience.
I do have a question about children.
On other cruiselines, there are some suite venues where children are not encouraged, which was not a problem, since there were plenty of other places where my family could go and still be treated very well.  
Are there places in the Haven where children should not go?  I understand that some people cruise to get away from their children.  We are not there yet, but I don't want to make someone else's vacation less enjoyable if we don't have to.

[Sthrngary]

7 minutes ago, mconthehighseas said:

I love this thread and am so grateful to SthrnGary for having started it. 

This is my pleasure and so happy you enjoy the subject and effort by all whom contribute.

 

8 minutes ago, mconthehighseas said:

On other cruiselines, there are some suite venues where children are not encouraged, which was not a problem, since there were plenty of other places where my family could go and still be treated very well.  

The only place that Children are discouraged is the Haven Sundeck because it is 16 and up.  I have seen children up there but their parents were very mindful to keep the noise level and behavior nice especially in the Hot tubs.  Still it is 16 and above.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

 

 

[Sthrngary]

23 minutes ago, jkbec101 said:

We just returned from the Epic where we had Cabin 17003 in the Haven.  Here are my observations regarding our experience.

 

First off, would I cruise in the Haven again?  Yes, definitely!!

 

Haven Restaurant - Service was hit or miss.  We ate in the Haven 4 times as a couple, my wife once alone (I was on an excursion).  One Breakfast and one Dinner we were seated and then ignored by the staff and service was slow.  On the other two occasions, service was perfect.  I surmised that if you had the same server at Dinner that you had a say lunch or breakfast, service was definitely better, but if the server was new to you, not so much.  When service was poor, it did not feel like a fine dining restaurant.  For example, our last night, we ate dinner there and arrived to a nearly empty venue.  Server had to be flagged down to take drink order.  My wife ordered a glass of wine and I a beer.  Brought the wine but not the beer (had to ask).  Wife ordered appetizer of Lobster deviled eggs, a Caesar salad and surf and surf.  I ordered the Caesar and surf and surf (twin lobster tails).  In my opinion, proper service would have been to bring the appetizer first alone and then the salads together.  We were brought the app and my salad, then her salad, then the main course.  Servers in the Haven were slow even when told of time constraints (excursion, show reservations, etc.)  At our last dinner, I informed the server that I had reservations to play in a poker tournament that started at 8:30 and we needed to speed things up, he looked surprised and offended.   by comparison, server in La Cucina asked straightaway if we had plans after dinner or were we leisurely dining that evening.  This is something that should have been asked at dinner in the Haven.

 

Food quality was also hit and miss, breakfast was horrible, but that was across the board and not just Haven.  Dinner was much better.  

 

The Cabin - We had the two bedroom family suite and it was great for the two of us.  Our cabin was always cleaned and tidy whenever we returned.  Never had an issue.

 

The Butler and Concierge - This was by far the best part of the Haven.  While in Rome, my wife injured herself on an NCL excursion and the staff handled not only cancelling the excursion the next day for her, but also switching out the excursions the day after to lessen the distance walking.  Priority debarkation, embarkation and tendering were great.  Probably could have utilized the butler more, but that's just not who we are.  Everyone was johnny on the spot when something was needed and as a result we tipped above and beyond what we would normally do.

 

The last piece is a very slight annoyance.  With all the cleaning and tidying up of the staterooms, it meant that housekeeping carts were ALWAYS in the hallway, the only exception was very late at night.  Hallways were not that wide, so had to sidestep them constantly.  Not really an issue, but something to point out as we commented about it during the cruise.  

 

Embarkation - We boarded in Barcelona and had a transfer from our hotel to the ship.  We bypassed the security line due to Haven status (this may be new as many have complained about this in the past).  We arrived at the port by 11:00 and onboard in the Haven Lounge by 11:15.  Given a tour of the Haven area and room was ready by 11:30 for all Haven guests.  

 

As I stated at the start, these are just my observations and opinions and someone else who was in the Haven with us may have very different impressions.  

 

 

I love your evaluation and I want to tell you why.  When I started this thread, my goal then and now was to create a realistic expectation of the Haven Experience.  You gave the good and the bad.  For example your experience in the Haven Restaurant.  If I read your review, I would order differently knowing that I wanted the course served correctly.  On your thoughts on the butler where you did not ask for much.  That is normal and unfortunately, butlers are over worked on NCL.  They can not be as intuitive as they are on other luxury lines.  I personally give the butler a letter upfront with our wants and needs.  I rarely ask for anything after day one so I get what you were saying.

 

Again, thank you for being so accurate with your experiences.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[CDR Benson]

The Good Mrs. Benson and I are back from our 16-23 September cruise to New England/Canada on Norwegian Joy.  I want to provide an insight to our experience in the Haven.  I suspect the OP of this thread, Mr. Tilkin, has been interested in this, given that I expressed concern over the quality of service after reading some posts submitted by Haven guests of cruises earlier this year whose experiences were less than expected.

 

Like Mr. Tilkin, I am a thorough planner.  After our 2020 cruise was cancelled when Canada closed its borders to cruise-ship visits, I spent a few months researching before deciding on a replacement cruise.  In February, 2021, I booked suite 14778 on Norwegian Joy.  14778 was one of the suites than had just been folded into Joy’s Haven enclave.  Presumably because they are not in the “millionaires’ row” of the Haven proper, these newly added suites were considerably less expensive than a Haven courtyard suite, while at the same time, being larger than a Haven courtyard suite.  14778 is one of the two suites (the other being 14178) with an angled balcony, slightly larger and a bit of a view forward.

 

We arrived in New York City the day before sailing and, the next morning, had no problem getting a taxicab to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.  Our scheduled check-in time was 0900-0930.  We arrived at pier 88 at ten minutes before 0900, and I was surprised to find only about ten people ahead of us.  Of those, only one other couple were also Haven guests, so when the line opened on the hour, the GMB and I were the second couple through the priority embarkation line.  We proceeded smoothly through security to the NCL ticketing desk.  After a review of our documents and our photos taken, we were issued our key cards and escorted to the Haven waiting area.  (I hesitate to call it a lounge; it consisted of rows of banquet chairs and some tables with water, juices, coffee, tea, and light snacks.)  Elapsed time from our arrival at the pier to being seated in the waiting area:  thirty-five minutes. 

 

About an hour later, at 1025, Joy’s Haven concierge, Mr. David Newball, presented himself and, after a brief introduction, the boarding procedure began.  It was swift and efficient.  We were in the first group of Haven guests delivered on board to the Haven Lounge, where we received a briefing of the Haven’s services.  The GMB and I were seated in the lounge with our first cocktails in hand by 1050.

 

Around an hour later, when the waves of arriving Haven guests began to ebb, I decided we should complete the check-in for ship’s muster.  Our muster station was on deck seven.  On the way, we stopped by our suite to drop off our carry-on bag.  Although the staterooms had not yet been announced as ready for occupation, ours looked ready in all respects, except for no “welcome aboard” literature.  (The expression of delight on my wife’s face when she saw the space made it worth every cent I spent on this vacation.)

 

Muster check-in was easy.  Crew members were stationed at strategic junctions to direct guests to the correct locations.  At our muster station, our key cards were scanned and we were informed that we were not required to do anything when the emergency drill was conducted at 1600.

 

We had lunch in the Haven Restaurant, then relaxed in the Horizon observation lounge.  We wanted good seats to view the ship getting underway in a few hours.  At 1545, I went to our suite to see if our luggage had been delivered.  It had.

 

It is at this point that my narrative goes to the quality of service we experienced in the Haven on board Norwegian Joy.

 

 

I did some quick unpacking---just the items that I wanted up on hangers.  One of those items was my service dress blue uniform.  There would, indeed, be a cocktail reception hosted by the ship’s master, Captain Håkan Svedung and some of his officers for Haven guests the following evening.  Please, fellows, I don’t want to open yet another sartorial debate between people who dress and the t-shirt-and-Bermuda-shorts crowd.  I foresaw the possibility of this occasion and, in such an instance, the captain is our host and I am in his house; therefore, I felt that I should dress appropriately.  Unfortunately, I had tried a different method of packing my dress uniform, hoping to prevent wrinkling, and it backfired.  The trousers came out fine, but the jacket was horribly wrinkled.

 

I returned to the Haven concierge desk and spoke to Mr. Newball about the possibility of getting my jacket pressed.  No problem, he assured me.  He would send our butler to our suite to pick up the garment.  I said that I would head right down to meet him.

 

I waited for our butler for half an hour, but he never showed.  It was almost 1700, the scheduled time of departure, and I was going to watch it with my wife.  I grabbed the uniform jacket, intending to give it to Mr. Newball directly.  However, when I got to the concierge desk, he was busy with other guests, so I continued on, rejoining the Good Mrs. Benson in the Horizon observation lounge. 

 

The next ten minutes was the last time I had any ideas that we would experience poor service in the Haven.

 

In that time, our butler, Mr. Willie Erum, showed up where we were sitting and introduced himself.  He apologised to us for having missed us in our suite.  He had spent the last ten minutes tracking us down, so he could ensure my jacket got pressed.  Talk about making a good first impression!  I turned it over to him, figuring I’d see it the next morning.

 

The underway was delayed by an hour.  The GMB and I got back to our suite around 1830, and---how about that?---my uniform jacket was back.  However, it looked like it had been given a rush job; all the severe wrinkles were pressed out, but it still looked like I had taken a nap in it.  I was deciding on how to approach this when both Mr. Erum and our room steward, Richard, arrived at our door.  They couldn’t have been more willing to make our voyage enjoyable.  I informed Mr. Erum of how favourably impressed I was that he had gone to the effort of hunting me down to get my jacket.  Then, I pointed out that the fellows who had done the pressing had missed quite a few wrinkles.  Mr. Erum said he’d see to it.  (And he did---when the jacket came back again, it was completely presentable.)

 

 As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I followed the admirable lead of Mr. Tilkin’s original post.  My preparation for our stay in the Haven included two letters to our butler (the text of which appears in some other thread on this board).  One letter had half my intended tip to the butler attached to it, in expectation of a splendid working relationship; the other letter, if our butler had been a no-show that first day and seldom seen on the others, had no tip.

 

I gave Mr. Erum the letter with the money.

 

In the letter I expressed the following requests from the Good Mrs. Benson and myself:

 

■  All for-sale or charged items, especially those in the mini-refrigerator, removed from the suite.  (That had already been taken care of by the concierge.)

 

■  A pitcher of iced tea and a pitcher of orange juice placed in the mini-fridge as needed.

 

■  A bowl of potato chips and a bowl of peanut M&M’s provided daily.

 

■  Five memory-foam pillows for the bed.

 

 

I didn’t expect our remaining requests to be met until the next morning, and we were fine with that.  The only other task for Mr. Erum that night was my wife’s request for ice.  Mr. Erum was gone so long to handle that that I began to think that maybe he’d gone to the north Atlantic to chip some ice off a floating berg.

 

Then, he returned, with ice---and with a pitcher of iced tea and a pitcher of orange juice and bowls of potato chips and peanut M&M’s!

 

I knew for sure that we had a winner in Mr. Erum.  He kept us informed and provisioned throughout the cruise.  One thing I appreciated, because I hate waste, is that he supplied us with the tea and juice and snacks as needed, rather than automatically dumping out what we didn’t consume one day and replacing it.  He gauged it so well that we were never without, at any time.

 

But here’s where Mr. Erum went above and beyond for us.

 

Both the GMB and I suffer from arthritic knees.  Hers are worse than mine.  Months ago, as a “nice to have” measure, I hired an electric scooter for my wife to use on board, if needed.  Between the time I hired the scooter and the date of sail, her knees had declined to the point that “nice to have” was now pretty much “need to have”.  When the scooter’s battery ran low on the fourth day, Mr. Erum got it recharged.

 

On the second night, I lost the tip of my cane in a battle with elevator doors.  Mr. Erum could not find a replacement tip on board, so he MacGyvered a functioning tip out of packing material and masking tape.  It wasn’t pretty, but it worked as well as a manufactured version, getting me around the ship and Portland, and Saint John, and Halifax.  Since getting home, I haven’t even bothered to replace it, yet.

 

Funny, I didn’t expect to need a butler much, but he turned out to be invaluable.  I know that opinions on tipping are divided on these boards, but at the end of the cruise I was happy to give Mr. Erum the other half of his tip (with a bit more thrown in for good measure)---he’d well earned it.

 

 

Nor can I praise enough the Haven concierge, Mr. Newball, and his assistant, Rosemarie.  They provided all the nuts-and-bolts services and information that made our cruise go so smoothly.  They made our show reservations the first day; they arranged for the GMB to have a wheelchair available for debark/embark at every port visit; they escorted us to all of the event venues.  The concierge desk on Norwegian Joy’s Haven was our fount of all wisdom about events on the ship and how to get things done.

 

The Haven Restaurant was a luxurious dining experience.  We had never been catered to so graciously or generously.  At our first dinner there, I ordered the prime rib and asked for a lobster tail to be added.  The waitress smiled and said, “Of course.  Just one?”

 

The quality of the food, for our meals, at least, was first rate.  We ate in the Haven Restaurant several times, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and every meal was superb.  If I have any criticism, it’s that their cooking-to-temperature is just a little to high for my taste.  I ordered medium rare and the protein came out slightly nearer to medium.  Not a fatal flaw, but next time, I think I’ll order “rare” when I want “mid-rare”.

 

The GMB and I spent a lot of time in either the Haven Lounge or the Horizon observation lounge.  Mr. Tilkin and some others have tagged it right when they said that the seats at the bar of the Haven Lounge are perpetually occupied.  We noticed that the same gathering of barflies seemed to light there every night.

 

It didn’t matter, though.  No matter where we sat in either lounge area, a waiter appeared within a minute or two after we plopped down to check on us.  We made good use of the included Premium Beverage Package.  In that week, we both exceeded our usual alcohol imbibing rate for a year.

 

 

Some amplifying information on our suite.  Back in February, poster vacation44 remarked on her stay in suite 14178.  Suite 14178 is the “mirror image” (same layout and dimensions, only on the port side) of the one we occupied, 14778.  Vacation44 commented on 14178’s generously sized cabin and balcony and the handy walk-in closet.  The same hold true for suite 14778.  Plus, there were no noise issues above, below, or outside.  Yes, the space is close to an elevator bank, but we heard no disturbing sounds because of it.

 

In this case, being so near the elevators was a plus.  The suite was, perhaps, fifteen feet from the closest elevator.  Unless there was a rush, such as on the morning of debarkation for a port visit, we went from our suite to the Haven Lounge in one-to-two minutes.

 

 

One story before I wind this up.  It more appropriately belongs in a review of our cruise in toto, but it’s such a good example of serendipity that I have to mention it.

 

I mentioned the cocktail reception held by the ship’s master for the Haven guests.  Well, the evening of the reception, the GMB and I were dressed to the nines to attend, but a series of misadventures (including my duel with the elevator) kept us from getting to it.  I was a bit put out, but it wasn’t a disaster.  Since we were dressed for it anyway, we decided to go to dinner in the Haven Restaurant (that was our first dinner there).  It wasn’t crowded, but we had to wait a couple of minutes because the GMB requested a table by a window.  Shortly, we were seated.  We gave the waitress our drink orders and got settled in.  That’s when I took a look around the restaurant.

 

Wouldn’t you know?  A few tables away, behind the GMB’s left shoulder, Captain Svedung was having dinner with his senior officers.  I figured it was fate’s way of tweaking my nose over missing the reception and turned my attention back to the lady I brung to the dance.

 

The captain and his staff broke up just about the time that Mrs. Benson and I were waiting on dessert and coffee.  I looked over to see the ship’s officers head for the exit, but Captain Svedung go the other way.  He headed toward our table.  He’d noted my uniform and stopped by to welcome us aboard.  The captain and I talked shop for a few minutes.  I told him that his was the more difficult job---he had all of the sea-going responsibilities that I’d had, plus 4,000 guests for whom he had to provide a vacation experience.  He complimented his staff and insisted they were the ones that made it happen.

 

 

And that goes to the point of my entire post.  This was the most . . . the only word for it is serene vacation in the thirty years my wife and I have been together.  Sure, my planning gets some of the credit for that.  But, hugely, the reason for the success of our cruise lies in the crew of Norwegian Joy.  Never---I mean never---on our previous cruise, at any resort, in any hotel or restaurant, or at any other venue, have we encountered a staff of employees so willing, so eager, so gracious to ensure that their guests have a wonderful experience.  And they’re not so attentive because they have to be; they are because they want to be.

 

Was our experience flawless?  No.  But the few difficulties that arose were never more than short-lived hiccoughs because the ship’s staff responded quickly and with aplomb.  When a Navy captain is selected for flag officer rank, he is sent to the Navy’s knife-and-fork school for admirals.  One of the first things these admiral-selectees are taught is to be careful in what they express, because if an admiral were to say something like, “Gee, I loved Ovaltine when I was a kid.  I wonder if it still tastes as good?” then his staff is going to move Heaven and Earth to get the boss some Ovaltine.

 

For the Good Mrs. Benson and myself, our stay in the Haven was just like that.

 

As Mr. Tilkin has taken pains to point out, his posts only relate his experience in the Haven, after the preparations he took.  But, like the small print in the financial ads say, “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.”  He doesn’t---he can’t---promise anyone else who rides in the Haven will have the same level of royal treatment.  The same holds for my account above.  I’m only relating how it went for my wife and myself.

 

And, for us, it was the absolute best getaway of our lives.  We hope your experiences prove the same, or better.

 

 

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by CDR Benson

[UKstages]

30 minutes ago, CDR Benson said:

And, for us, it was the absolute best getaway of our lives.  We hope your experiences prove the same, or better

 

what a great read that was... so well written and so fair with its praise and criticism. 

 

i was on the joy on the cruise immediately preceding you and i share most of your sentiments about the haven staff and the crew overall.  (i'm toying with doing a post myself to share some of my kudos, observations and frustrations.) again, thanks for taking the time to share your experience. it was a really fun read!

Edited September 28, 2022 by UKstages

[Sthrngary]

11 hours ago, CDR Benson said:

The Good Mrs. Benson and I are back from our 16-23 September cruise to New England/Canada on Norwegian Joy.  I want to provide an insight to our experience in the Haven.  I suspect the OP of this thread, Mr. Tilkin, has been interested in this, given that I expressed concern over the quality of service after reading some posts submitted by Haven guests of cruises earlier this year whose experiences were less than expected.

 

Like Mr. Tilkin, I am a thorough planner.  After our 2020 cruise was cancelled when Canada closed its borders to cruise-ship visits, I spent a few months researching before deciding on a replacement cruise.  In February, 2021, I booked suite 14778 on Norwegian Joy.  14778 was one of the suites than had just been folded into Joy’s Haven enclave.  Presumably because they are not in the “millionaires’ row” of the Haven proper, these newly added suites were considerably less expensive than a Haven courtyard suite, while at the same time, being larger than a Haven courtyard suite.  14778 is one of the two suites (the other being 14178) with an angled balcony, slightly larger and a bit of a view forward.

 

We arrived in New York City the day before sailing and, the next morning, had no problem getting a taxicab to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.  Our scheduled check-in time was 0900-0930.  We arrived at pier 88 at ten minutes before 0900, and I was surprised to find only about ten people ahead of us.  Of those, only one other couple were also Haven guests, so when the line opened on the hour, the GMB and I were the second couple through the priority embarkation line.  We proceeded smoothly through security to the NCL ticketing desk.  After a review of our documents and our photos taken, we were issued our key cards and escorted to the Haven waiting area.  (I hesitate to call it a lounge; it consisted of rows of banquet chairs and some tables with water, juices, coffee, tea, and light snacks.)  Elapsed time from our arrival at the pier to being seated in the waiting area:  thirty-five minutes. 

 

About an hour later, at 1025, Joy’s Haven concierge, Mr. David Newball, presented himself and, after a brief introduction, the boarding procedure began.  It was swift and efficient.  We were in the first group of Haven guests delivered on board to the Haven Lounge, where we received a briefing of the Haven’s services.  The GMB and I were seated in the lounge with our first cocktails in hand by 1050.

 

Around an hour later, when the waves of arriving Haven guests began to ebb, I decided we should complete the check-in for ship’s muster.  Our muster station was on deck seven.  On the way, we stopped by our suite to drop off our carry-on bag.  Although the staterooms had not yet been announced as ready for occupation, ours looked ready in all respects, except for no “welcome aboard” literature.  (The expression of delight on my wife’s face when she saw the space made it worth every cent I spent on this vacation.)

 

Muster check-in was easy.  Crew members were stationed at strategic junctions to direct guests to the correct locations.  At our muster station, our key cards were scanned and we were informed that we were not required to do anything when the emergency drill was conducted at 1600.

 

We had lunch in the Haven Restaurant, then relaxed in the Horizon observation lounge.  We wanted good seats to view the ship getting underway in a few hours.  At 1545, I went to our suite to see if our luggage had been delivered.  It had.

 

It is at this point that my narrative goes to the quality of service we experienced in the Haven on board Norwegian Joy.

 

 

I did some quick unpacking---just the items that I wanted up on hangers.  One of those items was my service dress blue uniform.  There would, indeed, be a cocktail reception hosted by the ship’s master, Captain Håkan Svedung and some of his officers for Haven guests the following evening.  Please, fellows, I don’t want to open yet another sartorial debate between people who dress and the t-shirt-and-Bermuda-shorts crowd.  I foresaw the possibility of this occasion and, in such an instance, the captain is our host and I am in his house; therefore, I felt that I should dress appropriately.  Unfortunately, I had tried a different method of packing my dress uniform, hoping to prevent wrinkling, and it backfired.  The trousers came out fine, but the jacket was horribly wrinkled.

 

I returned to the Haven concierge desk and spoke to Mr. Newball about the possibility of getting my jacket pressed.  No problem, he assured me.  He would send our butler to our suite to pick up the garment.  I said that I would head right down to meet him.

 

I waited for our butler for half an hour, but he never showed.  It was almost 1700, the scheduled time of departure, and I was going to watch it with my wife.  I grabbed the uniform jacket, intending to give it to Mr. Newball directly.  However, when I got to the concierge desk, he was busy with other guests, so I continued on, rejoining the Good Mrs. Benson in the Horizon observation lounge. 

 

The next ten minutes was the last time I had any ideas that we would experience poor service in the Haven.

 

In that time, our butler, Mr. Willie Erum, showed up where we were sitting and introduced himself.  He apologised to us for having missed us in our suite.  He had spent the last ten minutes tracking us down, so he could ensure my jacket got pressed.  Talk about making a good first impression!  I turned it over to him, figuring I’d see it the next morning.

 

The underway was delayed by an hour.  The GMB and I got back to our suite around 1830, and---how about that?---my uniform jacket was back.  However, it looked like it had been given a rush job; all the severe wrinkles were pressed out, but it still looked like I had taken a nap in it.  I was deciding on how to approach this when both Mr. Erum and our room steward, Richard, arrived at our door.  They couldn’t have been more willing to make our voyage enjoyable.  I informed Mr. Erum of how favourably impressed I was that he had gone to the effort of hunting me down to get my jacket.  Then, I pointed out that the fellows who had done the pressing had missed quite a few wrinkles.  Mr. Erum said he’d see to it.  (And he did---when the jacket came back again, it was completely presentable.)

 

 As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I followed the admirable lead of Mr. Tilkin’s original post.  My preparation for our stay in the Haven included two letters to our butler (the text of which appears in some other thread on this board).  One letter had half my intended tip to the butler attached to it, in expectation of a splendid working relationship; the other letter, if our butler had been a no-show that first day and seldom seen on the others, had no tip.

 

I gave Mr. Erum the letter with the money.

 

In the letter I expressed the following requests from the Good Mrs. Benson and myself:

 

■  All for-sale or charged items, especially those in the mini-refrigerator, removed from the suite.  (That had already been taken care of by the concierge.)

 

■  A pitcher of iced tea and a pitcher of orange juice placed in the mini-fridge as needed.

 

■  A bowl of potato chips and a bowl of peanut M&M’s provided daily.

 

■  Five memory-foam pillows for the bed.

 

 

I didn’t expect our remaining requests to be met until the next morning, and we were fine with that.  The only other task for Mr. Erum that night was my wife’s request for ice.  Mr. Erum was gone so long to handle that that I began to think that maybe he’d gone to the north Atlantic to chip some ice off a floating berg.

 

Then, he returned, with ice---and with a pitcher of iced tea and a pitcher of orange juice and bowls of potato chips and peanut M&M’s!

 

I knew for sure that we had a winner in Mr. Erum.  He kept us informed and provisioned throughout the cruise.  One thing I appreciated, because I hate waste, is that he supplied us with the tea and juice and snacks as needed, rather than automatically dumping out what we didn’t consume one day and replacing it.  He gauged it so well that we were never without, at any time.

 

But here’s where Mr. Erum went above and beyond for us.

 

Both the GMB and I suffer from arthritic knees.  Hers are worse than mine.  Months ago, as a “nice to have” measure, I hired an electric scooter for my wife to use on board, if needed.  Between the time I hired the scooter and the date of sail, her knees had declined to the point that “nice to have” was now pretty much “need to have”.  When the scooter’s battery ran low on the fourth day, Mr. Erum got it recharged.

 

On the second night, I lost the tip of my cane in a battle with elevator doors.  Mr. Erum could not find a replacement tip on board, so he MacGyvered a functioning tip out of packing material and masking tape.  It wasn’t pretty, but it worked as well as a manufactured version, getting me around the ship and Portland, and Saint John, and Halifax.  Since getting home, I haven’t even bothered to replace it, yet.

 

Funny, I didn’t expect to need a butler much, but he turned out to be invaluable.  I know that opinions on tipping are divided on these boards, but at the end of the cruise I was happy to give Mr. Erum the other half of his tip (with a bit more thrown in for good measure)---he’d well earned it.

 

 

Nor can I praise enough the Haven concierge, Mr. Newball, and his assistant, Rosemarie.  They provided all the nuts-and-bolts services and information that made our cruise go so smoothly.  They made our show reservations the first day; they arranged for the GMB to have a wheelchair available for debark/embark at every port visit; they escorted us to all of the event venues.  The concierge desk on Norwegian Joy’s Haven was our fount of all wisdom about events on the ship and how to get things done.

 

The Haven Restaurant was a luxurious dining experience.  We had never been catered to so graciously or generously.  At our first dinner there, I ordered the prime rib and asked for a lobster tail to be added.  The waitress smiled and said, “Of course.  Just one?”

 

The quality of the food, for our meals, at least, was first rate.  We ate in the Haven Restaurant several times, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and every meal was superb.  If I have any criticism, it’s that their cooking-to-temperature is just a little to high for my taste.  I ordered medium rare and the protein came out slightly nearer to medium.  Not a fatal flaw, but next time, I think I’ll order “rare” when I want “mid-rare”.

 

The GMB and I spent a lot of time in either the Haven Lounge or the Horizon observation lounge.  Mr. Tilkin and some others have tagged it right when they said that the seats at the bar of the Haven Lounge are perpetually occupied.  We noticed that the same gathering of barflies seemed to light there every night.

 

It didn’t matter, though.  No matter where we sat in either lounge area, a waiter appeared within a minute or two after we plopped down to check on us.  We made good use of the included Premium Beverage Package.  In that week, we both exceeded our usual alcohol imbibing rate for a year.

 

 

Some amplifying information on our suite.  Back in February, poster vacation44 remarked on her stay in suite 14178.  Suite 14178 is the “mirror image” (same layout and dimensions, only on the port side) of the one we occupied, 14778.  Vacation44 commented on 14178’s generously sized cabin and balcony and the handy walk-in closet.  The same hold true for suite 14778.  Plus, there were no noise issues above, below, or outside.  Yes, the space is close to an elevator bank, but we heard no disturbing sounds because of it.

 

In this case, being so near the elevators was a plus.  The suite was, perhaps, fifteen feet from the closest elevator.  Unless there was a rush, such as on the morning of debarkation for a port visit, we went from our suite to the Haven Lounge in one-to-two minutes.

 

 

One story before I wind this up.  It more appropriately belongs in a review of our cruise in toto, but it’s such a good example of serendipity that I have to mention it.

 

I mentioned the cocktail reception held by the ship’s master for the Haven guests.  Well, the evening of the reception, the GMB and I were dressed to the nines to attend, but a series of misadventures (including my duel with the elevator) kept us from getting to it.  I was a bit put out, but it wasn’t a disaster.  Since we were dressed for it anyway, we decided to go to dinner in the Haven Restaurant (that was our first dinner there).  It wasn’t crowded, but we had to wait a couple of minutes because the GMB requested a table by a window.  Shortly, we were seated.  We gave the waitress our drink orders and got settled in.  That’s when I took a look around the restaurant.

 

Wouldn’t you know?  A few tables away, behind the GMB’s left shoulder, Captain Svedung was having dinner with his senior officers.  I figured it was fate’s way of tweaking my nose over missing the reception and turned my attention back to the lady I brung to the dance.

 

The captain and his staff broke up just about the time that Mrs. Benson and I were waiting on dessert and coffee.  I looked over to see the ship’s officers head for the exit, but Captain Svedung go the other way.  He headed toward our table.  He’d noted my uniform and stopped by to welcome us aboard.  The captain and I talked shop for a few minutes.  I told him that his was the more difficult job---he had all of the sea-going responsibilities that I’d had, plus 4,000 guests for whom he had to provide a vacation experience.  He complimented his staff and insisted they were the ones that made it happen.

 

 

And that goes to the point of my entire post.  This was the most . . . the only word for it is serene vacation in the thirty years my wife and I have been together.  Sure, my planning gets some of the credit for that.  But, hugely, the reason for the success of our cruise lies in the crew of Norwegian Joy.  Never---I mean never---on our previous cruise, at any resort, in any hotel or restaurant, or at any other venue, have we encountered a staff of employees so willing, so eager, so gracious to ensure that their guests have a wonderful experience.  And they’re not so attentive because they have to be; they are because they want to be.

 

Was our experience flawless?  No.  But the few difficulties that arose were never more than short-lived hiccoughs because the ship’s staff responded quickly and with aplomb.  When a Navy captain is selected for flag officer rank, he is sent to the Navy’s knife-and-fork school for admirals.  One of the first things these admiral-selectees are taught is to be careful in what they express, because if an admiral were to say something like, “Gee, I loved Ovaltine when I was a kid.  I wonder if it still tastes as good?” then his staff is going to move Heaven and Earth to get the boss some Ovaltine.

 

For the Good Mrs. Benson and myself, our stay in the Haven was just like that.

 

As Mr. Tilkin has taken pains to point out, his posts only relate his experience in the Haven, after the preparations he took.  But, like the small print in the financial ads say, “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.”  He doesn’t---he can’t---promise anyone else who rides in the Haven will have the same level of royal treatment.  The same holds for my account above.  I’m only relating how it went for my wife and myself.

 

And, for us, it was the absolute best getaway of our lives.  We hope your experiences prove the same, or better.

 

 

 

Hello Sir, your review is one of the best written I have read in a while.  You give me to much credit.  You had a choice to do the due diligence.  To learn and take action is a true credit to your eventual approach.  My favorite part was the fix to your walking stick.  Wow.

 

Glad you had a good time.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[CDR Benson]

22 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

You give me too much credit.  

 

Not too much credit at all, sir.  Sure, I would have eventually ferreted much of what your original post recommended.  But you saved me a measure of time and effort by providing all that advice in one place.  To planners like ourselves, that's finding the mother load.  Moreover, you touched on considerations that wouldn't have occurred to me, otherwise.

 

As you know, the GMB and I are scheduled for a cruise with Regent Seven Seas in November, 2023.  You've said that Regent is the gold standard in luxury cruise lines, and I don't doubt that.  But I tell you, I'm finding it difficult to imagine any cruise surpassing our experience in the Haven---it was that sublime.

 

 

[Sthrngary]

20 minutes ago, CDR Benson said:

As you know, the GMB and I are scheduled for a cruise with Regent Seven Seas in November, 2023.  You've said that Regent is the gold standard in luxury cruise lines, and I don't doubt that.  But I tell you, I'm finding it difficult to imagine any cruise surpassing our experience in the Haven---it was that sublime.

@CDR Benson  Sir, Regent Seven Seas is a completely different animal.  Funny, I also considered a cruise November 2023 in the Mediterranean on Regent.  Our friends could not choose this cruise due to budget concerns. It was disappointing to my wife and I but we would rather be with them and chose Oceania.  

 

On to Regent.  Consider the service you got from the Haven on the entire ship.  It is the Haven on steroids.  The main dining room is better then the best Specialty Restaurant or Haven Restaurant from service to food quality.  I know that is hard to believe.  There is a much better crew to guest ratio making "Personalized Service" even better.  If you have a butler, they are much better trained is you can believe that.  They also have a lot more time to focus on their guest rather than behind the scenes work duties. 

 

That said, the size of the ship, they nature of port intensive approach, create a very hard to describe experience.  You deserve to be treated like "Rock Stars" and I assure you that is what is going to happen.  BTW, I truly loved the Haven on the Joy as well.  My favorite place was the Horizon Observation Lounge and the Library. Lovely ship.

 

Cruise well and I know you will, and enjoy every moment. 

[CDR Benson]

1 minute ago, Sthrngary said:

BTW, I truly loved the Haven on the Joy as well.  My favorite place was the Horizon Observation Lounge and the Library. 

 

The Horizon Observation Lounge was our favourite place, as well.  Particularly, at night.  There is nothing as soothing as the sea at night, under the stars, surrounded by the faint glows of other ships in the distance.

 

We barely glanced at the Haven Library.  I had brought a book I had been meaning to read.  You know that small sundecked courtyard area between the Haven Lounge and the Horizon Observation Lounge?  Three mornings running, I took my book, stretched out on one of the chaise longues, and began to read.

 

It's a well-written book about a topic I heartily enjoy.  And each of those three days, I never got more than three pages read before I fell asleep.  That's how balmy and tranquil that location is.

 

 

[scooter6139]

13 hours ago, CDR Benson said:

 

 

Like Mr. Tilkin, I am a thorough planner.  After our 2020 cruise was cancelled when Canada closed its borders to cruise-ship visits, I spent a few months researching before deciding on a replacement cruise.  In February, 2021, I booked suite 14778 on Norwegian Joy.  14778 was one of the suites than had just been folded into Joy’s Haven enclave.  Presumably because they are not in the “millionaires’ row” of the Haven proper, these newly added suites were considerably less expensive than a Haven courtyard suite, while at the same time, being larger than a Haven courtyard suite.  14778 is one of the two suites (the other being 14178) with an angled balcony, slightly larger and a bit of a view forward.

 

 

 

Thank you for this very detailed review/accounting of your stay on the Joy in one of the outside Haven suites.  We are sailing in December in #15150, a similar HI Cabin one deck above (unless a bid is accepted of course).  We can't wait for our first Haven stay and appreciate hearing how everyone's experiences differ.  Helps us temper our expectations on the realities of cruising.

[CruzinMel]

On 9/27/2022 at 11:09 PM, CDR Benson said:

The Good Mrs. Benson and I are back from our 16-23 September cruise to New England/Canada on Norwegian Joy.  I want to provide an insight to our experience in the Haven.  I suspect the OP of this thread, Mr. Tilkin, has been interested in this, given that I expressed concern over the quality of service after reading some posts submitted by Haven guests of cruises earlier this year whose experiences were less than expected.

 

Like Mr. Tilkin, I am a thorough planner.  After our 2020 cruise was cancelled when Canada closed its borders to cruise-ship visits, I spent a few months researching before deciding on a replacement cruise.  In February, 2021, I booked suite 14778 on Norwegian Joy.  14778 was one of the suites than had just been folded into Joy’s Haven enclave.  Presumably because they are not in the “millionaires’ row” of the Haven proper, these newly added suites were considerably less expensive than a Haven courtyard suite, while at the same time, being larger than a Haven courtyard suite.  14778 is one of the two suites (the other being 14178) with an angled balcony, slightly larger and a bit of a view forward.

 

We arrived in New York City the day before sailing and, the next morning, had no problem getting a taxicab to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.  Our scheduled check-in time was 0900-0930.  We arrived at pier 88 at ten minutes before 0900, and I was surprised to find only about ten people ahead of us.  Of those, only one other couple were also Haven guests, so when the line opened on the hour, the GMB and I were the second couple through the priority embarkation line.  We proceeded smoothly through security to the NCL ticketing desk.  After a review of our documents and our photos taken, we were issued our key cards and escorted to the Haven waiting area.  (I hesitate to call it a lounge; it consisted of rows of banquet chairs and some tables with water, juices, coffee, tea, and light snacks.)  Elapsed time from our arrival at the pier to being seated in the waiting area:  thirty-five minutes. 

 

About an hour later, at 1025, Joy’s Haven concierge, Mr. David Newball, presented himself and, after a brief introduction, the boarding procedure began.  It was swift and efficient.  We were in the first group of Haven guests delivered on board to the Haven Lounge, where we received a briefing of the Haven’s services.  The GMB and I were seated in the lounge with our first cocktails in hand by 1050.

 

Around an hour later, when the waves of arriving Haven guests began to ebb, I decided we should complete the check-in for ship’s muster.  Our muster station was on deck seven.  On the way, we stopped by our suite to drop off our carry-on bag.  Although the staterooms had not yet been announced as ready for occupation, ours looked ready in all respects, except for no “welcome aboard” literature.  (The expression of delight on my wife’s face when she saw the space made it worth every cent I spent on this vacation.)

 

Muster check-in was easy.  Crew members were stationed at strategic junctions to direct guests to the correct locations.  At our muster station, our key cards were scanned and we were informed that we were not required to do anything when the emergency drill was conducted at 1600.

 

We had lunch in the Haven Restaurant, then relaxed in the Horizon observation lounge.  We wanted good seats to view the ship getting underway in a few hours.  At 1545, I went to our suite to see if our luggage had been delivered.  It had.

 

It is at this point that my narrative goes to the quality of service we experienced in the Haven on board Norwegian Joy.

 

 

I did some quick unpacking---just the items that I wanted up on hangers.  One of those items was my service dress blue uniform.  There would, indeed, be a cocktail reception hosted by the ship’s master, Captain Håkan Svedung and some of his officers for Haven guests the following evening.  Please, fellows, I don’t want to open yet another sartorial debate between people who dress and the t-shirt-and-Bermuda-shorts crowd.  I foresaw the possibility of this occasion and, in such an instance, the captain is our host and I am in his house; therefore, I felt that I should dress appropriately.  Unfortunately, I had tried a different method of packing my dress uniform, hoping to prevent wrinkling, and it backfired.  The trousers came out fine, but the jacket was horribly wrinkled.

 

I returned to the Haven concierge desk and spoke to Mr. Newball about the possibility of getting my jacket pressed.  No problem, he assured me.  He would send our butler to our suite to pick up the garment.  I said that I would head right down to meet him.

 

I waited for our butler for half an hour, but he never showed.  It was almost 1700, the scheduled time of departure, and I was going to watch it with my wife.  I grabbed the uniform jacket, intending to give it to Mr. Newball directly.  However, when I got to the concierge desk, he was busy with other guests, so I continued on, rejoining the Good Mrs. Benson in the Horizon observation lounge. 

 

The next ten minutes was the last time I had any ideas that we would experience poor service in the Haven.

 

In that time, our butler, Mr. Willie Erum, showed up where we were sitting and introduced himself.  He apologised to us for having missed us in our suite.  He had spent the last ten minutes tracking us down, so he could ensure my jacket got pressed.  Talk about making a good first impression!  I turned it over to him, figuring I’d see it the next morning.

 

The underway was delayed by an hour.  The GMB and I got back to our suite around 1830, and---how about that?---my uniform jacket was back.  However, it looked like it had been given a rush job; all the severe wrinkles were pressed out, but it still looked like I had taken a nap in it.  I was deciding on how to approach this when both Mr. Erum and our room steward, Richard, arrived at our door.  They couldn’t have been more willing to make our voyage enjoyable.  I informed Mr. Erum of how favourably impressed I was that he had gone to the effort of hunting me down to get my jacket.  Then, I pointed out that the fellows who had done the pressing had missed quite a few wrinkles.  Mr. Erum said he’d see to it.  (And he did---when the jacket came back again, it was completely presentable.)

 

 As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I followed the admirable lead of Mr. Tilkin’s original post.  My preparation for our stay in the Haven included two letters to our butler (the text of which appears in some other thread on this board).  One letter had half my intended tip to the butler attached to it, in expectation of a splendid working relationship; the other letter, if our butler had been a no-show that first day and seldom seen on the others, had no tip.

 

I gave Mr. Erum the letter with the money.

 

In the letter I expressed the following requests from the Good Mrs. Benson and myself:

 

■  All for-sale or charged items, especially those in the mini-refrigerator, removed from the suite.  (That had already been taken care of by the concierge.)

 

■  A pitcher of iced tea and a pitcher of orange juice placed in the mini-fridge as needed.

 

■  A bowl of potato chips and a bowl of peanut M&M’s provided daily.

 

■  Five memory-foam pillows for the bed.

 

 

I didn’t expect our remaining requests to be met until the next morning, and we were fine with that.  The only other task for Mr. Erum that night was my wife’s request for ice.  Mr. Erum was gone so long to handle that that I began to think that maybe he’d gone to the north Atlantic to chip some ice off a floating berg.

 

Then, he returned, with ice---and with a pitcher of iced tea and a pitcher of orange juice and bowls of potato chips and peanut M&M’s!

 

I knew for sure that we had a winner in Mr. Erum.  He kept us informed and provisioned throughout the cruise.  One thing I appreciated, because I hate waste, is that he supplied us with the tea and juice and snacks as needed, rather than automatically dumping out what we didn’t consume one day and replacing it.  He gauged it so well that we were never without, at any time.

 

But here’s where Mr. Erum went above and beyond for us.

 

Both the GMB and I suffer from arthritic knees.  Hers are worse than mine.  Months ago, as a “nice to have” measure, I hired an electric scooter for my wife to use on board, if needed.  Between the time I hired the scooter and the date of sail, her knees had declined to the point that “nice to have” was now pretty much “need to have”.  When the scooter’s battery ran low on the fourth day, Mr. Erum got it recharged.

 

On the second night, I lost the tip of my cane in a battle with elevator doors.  Mr. Erum could not find a replacement tip on board, so he MacGyvered a functioning tip out of packing material and masking tape.  It wasn’t pretty, but it worked as well as a manufactured version, getting me around the ship and Portland, and Saint John, and Halifax.  Since getting home, I haven’t even bothered to replace it, yet.

 

Funny, I didn’t expect to need a butler much, but he turned out to be invaluable.  I know that opinions on tipping are divided on these boards, but at the end of the cruise I was happy to give Mr. Erum the other half of his tip (with a bit more thrown in for good measure)---he’d well earned it.

 

 

Nor can I praise enough the Haven concierge, Mr. Newball, and his assistant, Rosemarie.  They provided all the nuts-and-bolts services and information that made our cruise go so smoothly.  They made our show reservations the first day; they arranged for the GMB to have a wheelchair available for debark/embark at every port visit; they escorted us to all of the event venues.  The concierge desk on Norwegian Joy’s Haven was our fount of all wisdom about events on the ship and how to get things done.

 

The Haven Restaurant was a luxurious dining experience.  We had never been catered to so graciously or generously.  At our first dinner there, I ordered the prime rib and asked for a lobster tail to be added.  The waitress smiled and said, “Of course.  Just one?”

 

The quality of the food, for our meals, at least, was first rate.  We ate in the Haven Restaurant several times, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and every meal was superb.  If I have any criticism, it’s that their cooking-to-temperature is just a little to high for my taste.  I ordered medium rare and the protein came out slightly nearer to medium.  Not a fatal flaw, but next time, I think I’ll order “rare” when I want “mid-rare”.

 

The GMB and I spent a lot of time in either the Haven Lounge or the Horizon observation lounge.  Mr. Tilkin and some others have tagged it right when they said that the seats at the bar of the Haven Lounge are perpetually occupied.  We noticed that the same gathering of barflies seemed to light there every night.

 

It didn’t matter, though.  No matter where we sat in either lounge area, a waiter appeared within a minute or two after we plopped down to check on us.  We made good use of the included Premium Beverage Package.  In that week, we both exceeded our usual alcohol imbibing rate for a year.

 

 

Some amplifying information on our suite.  Back in February, poster vacation44 remarked on her stay in suite 14178.  Suite 14178 is the “mirror image” (same layout and dimensions, only on the port side) of the one we occupied, 14778.  Vacation44 commented on 14178’s generously sized cabin and balcony and the handy walk-in closet.  The same hold true for suite 14778.  Plus, there were no noise issues above, below, or outside.  Yes, the space is close to an elevator bank, but we heard no disturbing sounds because of it.

 

In this case, being so near the elevators was a plus.  The suite was, perhaps, fifteen feet from the closest elevator.  Unless there was a rush, such as on the morning of debarkation for a port visit, we went from our suite to the Haven Lounge in one-to-two minutes.

 

 

One story before I wind this up.  It more appropriately belongs in a review of our cruise in toto, but it’s such a good example of serendipity that I have to mention it.

 

I mentioned the cocktail reception held by the ship’s master for the Haven guests.  Well, the evening of the reception, the GMB and I were dressed to the nines to attend, but a series of misadventures (including my duel with the elevator) kept us from getting to it.  I was a bit put out, but it wasn’t a disaster.  Since we were dressed for it anyway, we decided to go to dinner in the Haven Restaurant (that was our first dinner there).  It wasn’t crowded, but we had to wait a couple of minutes because the GMB requested a table by a window.  Shortly, we were seated.  We gave the waitress our drink orders and got settled in.  That’s when I took a look around the restaurant.

 

Wouldn’t you know?  A few tables away, behind the GMB’s left shoulder, Captain Svedung was having dinner with his senior officers.  I figured it was fate’s way of tweaking my nose over missing the reception and turned my attention back to the lady I brung to the dance.

 

The captain and his staff broke up just about the time that Mrs. Benson and I were waiting on dessert and coffee.  I looked over to see the ship’s officers head for the exit, but Captain Svedung go the other way.  He headed toward our table.  He’d noted my uniform and stopped by to welcome us aboard.  The captain and I talked shop for a few minutes.  I told him that his was the more difficult job---he had all of the sea-going responsibilities that I’d had, plus 4,000 guests for whom he had to provide a vacation experience.  He complimented his staff and insisted they were the ones that made it happen.

 

 

And that goes to the point of my entire post.  This was the most . . . the only word for it is serene vacation in the thirty years my wife and I have been together.  Sure, my planning gets some of the credit for that.  But, hugely, the reason for the success of our cruise lies in the crew of Norwegian Joy.  Never---I mean never---on our previous cruise, at any resort, in any hotel or restaurant, or at any other venue, have we encountered a staff of employees so willing, so eager, so gracious to ensure that their guests have a wonderful experience.  And they’re not so attentive because they have to be; they are because they want to be.

 

Was our experience flawless?  No.  But the few difficulties that arose were never more than short-lived hiccoughs because the ship’s staff responded quickly and with aplomb.  When a Navy captain is selected for flag officer rank, he is sent to the Navy’s knife-and-fork school for admirals.  One of the first things these admiral-selectees are taught is to be careful in what they express, because if an admiral were to say something like, “Gee, I loved Ovaltine when I was a kid.  I wonder if it still tastes as good?” then his staff is going to move Heaven and Earth to get the boss some Ovaltine.

 

For the Good Mrs. Benson and myself, our stay in the Haven was just like that.

 

As Mr. Tilkin has taken pains to point out, his posts only relate his experience in the Haven, after the preparations he took.  But, like the small print in the financial ads say, “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.”  He doesn’t---he can’t---promise anyone else who rides in the Haven will have the same level of royal treatment.  The same holds for my account above.  I’m only relating how it went for my wife and myself.

 

And, for us, it was the absolute best getaway of our lives.  We hope your experiences prove the same, or better.

 

 

 

CDR B, thank you so very much for this review - it has eased my mind tremendously.  We have traveled in the Haven twice before, once on our own as self-sufficient upgrades from a balcony cabin, and a second time with my mother, as a distraction from the first anniversary of her widowhood.  Those were healthier, more mobile days for Mom, and the most we asked of the butler was to deliver her breakfast daily.  7 years later, we are going again in the Haven, with a more delicate version of mother, and I have worried endlessly over how much would be too much to ask of a butler, and how we would handle her mobility issues.  One hopes never to be too demanding, so I will credit yourself and OP for helping me develop an idea of what would be acceptable and what would not.  Thank you again!

[CDR Benson]

9 hours ago, CruzinMel said:

7 years later, we are going again in the Haven, with a more delicate version of mother, and I have worried endlessly over how much would be too much to ask of a butler, and how we would handle her mobility issues.  One hopes never to be too demanding, so I will credit yourself and OP for helping me develop an idea of what would be acceptable and what would not.  Thank you again!

 

Glad that I was able to help.  As I mentioned, several months ago, I expected only minor mobility issues with the Good Mrs. Benson and hired an electric scooter for her to use as a just-in-case gesture.  By the time of the cruise, it became her primary means of getting around the ship.

 

There are a couple of scooter-rental companies that provide equipment for folks taking cruises.  I used Scootaround.  About two months before the cruise, I hired one from the types of getabouts that were recommended for cruise ships and provided the necessary info (dates of cruise, cruise line, name of ship, port of departure, etc.).  On the day of sail, the scooter showed up in our suite mid-afternoon.  In fact, it arrived before our luggage did.

 

We saw many passengers using these or similar conveyances on board, so it's something the cruise ships are geared to handle.

 

As for wheelchairs, the Haven concierge desk on board is the point of contact.  The concierges arranged a wheelchair for my wife, along with a crewman to push it, to get her off the ship at the port stops and to get her back on when we returned.  (I don't know if the ship will permit you use of the wheelchair for you to push during your port visit.  That wasn't necessary in my wife's case.)

 

The Haven concierge will also provide wheelchair transportation to various venues on board, such as shows in the Joy Theater.  And, if you contact the pre-cruise Norwegian Concierge Desk and notify it that your mother needs assistance in boarding the ship that first morning that you check in at the port terminal, the desk will flag her boarding documents as such and have a wheelchair for her there, as well.

 

The ship's staff, and NCL in general, was exceptionally accommodating with us with regard to providing wheelchair assistance.  I'm sure they will be for you, too.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

[commodore2010]

On 9/28/2022 at 11:29 AM, Sthrngary said:

@CDR Benson  Sir, Regent Seven Seas is a completely different animal.  Funny, I also considered a cruise November 2023 in the Mediterranean on Regent.  Our friends could not choose this cruise due to budget concerns. It was disappointing to my wife and I but we would rather be with them and chose Oceania.  

 

On to Regent.  Consider the service you got from the Haven on the entire ship.  It is the Haven on steroids.  The main dining room is better then the best Specialty Restaurant or Haven Restaurant from service to food quality.  I know that is hard to believe.  There is a much better crew to guest ratio making "Personalized Service" even better.  If you have a butler, they are much better trained is you can believe that.  They also have a lot more time to focus on their guest rather than behind the scenes work duties. 

 

That said, the size of the ship, they nature of port intensive approach, create a very hard to describe experience.  You deserve to be treated like "Rock Stars" and I assure you that is what is going to happen.  BTW, I truly loved the Haven on the Joy as well.  My favorite place was the Horizon Observation Lounge and the Library. Lovely ship.

 

Cruise well and I know you will, and enjoy every moment. 

 

Sailing in the Haven for the first time this December. We have been on Regent many times and Oceania a few times.  Looking forward to the experience. I have been in regular cabin on NCL as well when on family vacatons and always had a good time.  

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, commodore2010 said:

 

Sailing in the Haven for the first time this December. We have been on Regent many times and Oceania a few times.  Looking forward to the experience. I have been in regular cabin on NCL as well when on family vacatons and always had a good time.  

@commodore2010 You will have a GREAT time.  it is different then Regent and Oceania but not better or worse.  Just different.  I really like it because it gives me the best of both worlds.  A huge ship activities with a small ship feel.  Please tells us how it goes.

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[Sailing12Away]

@CDR Benson - we were getting off the Joy as you were getting on. David was awesome, we had sailed with him previously on Encore last year and he recognized us at the NYC terminal when we were waiting to board the Joy. I'm always amazed when folks remember us despite the thousands of guests they interact with each year, but he was a joy then and a joy this trip as well. He said he most likely will not still be on the Joy when we return in February, but Juan, Armand and Christian will be so looking forward to endless drinks with them again.

 

As for the perpetual bar chair hogs - guilty as charged. Although they're not great for short people so our next trip in February I'll probably be opting for the lower ones away from the bar itself.

 

@oteixeira - check out post 711 above.... that will be your room in a few months. No photos to peek at, but good positive vibes.

[oteixeira]

@CDR BensonThank you for including your account of the room.  I am booked in the same room for a Panama transit in Feb/March of next year.  It sounds like I will have 15 days of pure joy with that room.

[psac]

@CDR Benson Another thanks for your post (and for your service!). We’ll be on the Joy in November, and really looking forward to it. We were on the Breakaway last year, and the Haven bar/sundeck service was insanely good, but the Haven restaurant service was… meh. At best.  Sub-par for sure compared to the Escape pre-covid, but we gave them a pass since they were still early in the restart process.  Glad to hear that your Joy service was back on the positive side of things!!

[CDR Benson]

3 hours ago, oteixeira said:

@CDR BensonThank you for including your account of the room.  I am booked in the same room for a Panama transit in Feb/March of next year.  It sounds like I will have 15 days of pure joy with that room.

 

You will, indeed.  If I were to travel on Joy again and had unlimited funds at my disposal, I'd still pick 14778 or 14178 as my suite.  With their size, their angled balconies, and particularly their mid-ships location, as I gauge it, they're the best two staterooms on the ship.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

[vacation44]

On 9/27/2022 at 11:09 PM, CDR Benson said:

 

Some amplifying information on our suite.  Back in February, poster vacation44 remarked on her stay in suite 14178.  Suite 14178 is the “mirror image” (same layout and dimensions, only on the port side) of the one we occupied, 14778.  Vacation44 commented on 14178’s generously sized cabin and balcony and the handy walk-in closet.  The same hold true for suite 14778.  Plus, there were no noise issues above, below, or outside.  Yes, the space is close to an elevator bank, but we heard no disturbing sounds because of it.

 

So happy to read your vacation was everything you wanted it to be.    I was hoping you would report back with experience and really enjoyed reading your trip report.   

 

We just got off the Joy a few weeks ago and our cabin was three cabins away from our previous 14178.   While we also liked our non-Haven Suite, for us, nothing beats 14178 & 14778 for the price for a Haven cabin.