Haven - does ship or location matter?

[Monica887]

If I'm going to take the Haven likely just once, is there a particular ship or itinerary to choose (or avoid) to make the most of the experience? Like, would a beachy location be better than New England because of taking more advantage of the pool deck or something?

[The Traveling Man]

12 minutes ago, Monica887 said:

If I'm going to take the Haven likely just once, is there a particular ship or itinerary to choose (or avoid) to make the most of the experience? Like, would a beachy location be better than New England because of taking more advantage of the pool deck or something?

We have sailed in the Haven only a couple of times out of our 28 NCL sailings.  Each time it was on one of the mega ships which have a dedicated Haven Lounge and Restaurant.  Also, each time was on a cruise that featured a lot of days at sea, such as a TransAtlantic or a cruise from NYC to the Southern Caribbean.  Those sea days give you lots of opportunities to really enjoy the Haven experience.  On a port-intensive cruise you will spend most of your waking hours on shore, while much of your on board time will be spent asleep in your cabin.  Either way, though, the Haven is a wonderful way to travel.

[Sailing12Away]

Any ship with Haven rooms is a lovely experience, but yes, the actual experience will vary by the ship. It's not to say the smaller ships are not as good, but for us we adjust the price we're willing to pay based on how many amenities you actually receive.

 

All ships with a Haven classification (not just suite, but Haven) include priority reservation bookings, priority embark/disembark, priority seating at shows, private concierge just for Haven guests, butler service with daily snacks, free room service, etc etc.

 

Smaller Jewel class ships (Jade, Pearl, etc) also include a courtyard area that has a private pool & hot tubs for Haven guests only, as well as sun decks around and above the pool area. There's no separate restaurant or bar, but you get to eat breakfast and lunch in one of the specialty restaurants which is open only to the suite guests.

For us, there isn't much difference between a non-Haven suite and a Haven suite on those ships. The only thing that separates out the perks is access to that courtyard pool and sun deck. Everything else is the same in terms of perks, and the non-Haven suites are significantly cheaper.

 

On the bigger ships (Epic, Encore, Bliss, etc) you get all of that and more. Those ships have a separate restaurant only for Haven guests, open for all 3 meals. The menu doesn't change, but most folks swear that the food quality or preparation is of a higher notch than the regular main dining room food. You also get a separate bar (sometimes two) dedicated just for Haven guests, as well as a lounge to sit and relax in.

 

Everyone has their list of what is important to them, but we enjoy the larger space in the rooms and the little perks when the price is right to move into Haven when it's there. But on the smaller ships, my limit of what we'll pay is definitely lower than what we're willing to pay for Haven on the larger ships. Having said that, our best Haven experience was on the Epic - the most highly debated ship of them all. 

[Karaboudjan]

I'm not sure the itinerary matters much.  Just being in the Haven and doing what you normally enjoy on a cruise will still be a fantastic experience. 

 

I do agree that if you are only doing the Haven once it is worth choosing one of the large ships that have the Haven restaurant and lounge.  I believe that some of the ships might have a Haven observation lounge which could be nice on some itineraries.  

 

[meglet]

Some Haven suites have very small balconies, so be sure to do your "research" if that's important to you.  

[jlabs03]

I will be doing my first Haven in May on the Breakaway.  It will probably be my only one unless I find another excellent deal or get upgraded.  I agree with those that say if this is your only haven experience look at the ships that have a Haven proper on newer ships to get the full experience (The Epic, Breakaway and Breakaway plus ships).

I will be in the aft facing penthouse, so I will not be in the Haven proper, but I wanted a separate bedroom and living room since it is me and my 15 year old.  Now she has her own room to sleep in and her own bathroom and will not disturb me when she gets back late.  I am ok with walking to the Haven area from the back of the ship, from my research this is peoples biggest issue with rooms not in the Haven proper.  If you want to walk out your door and have all of Haven right there you should look at the rooms in the Haven proper.  If you do not mind walking to the Haven area then you can get some bigger rooms and better balconies for equivalent prices.  

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, jlabs03 said:

I will be doing my first Haven in May on the Breakaway.  It will probably be my only one unless I find another excellent deal or get upgraded.  I agree with those that say if this is your only haven experience look at the ships that have a Haven proper on newer ships to get the full experience (The Epic, Breakaway and Breakaway plus ships).

I will be in the aft facing penthouse, so I will not be in the Haven proper, but I wanted a separate bedroom and living room since it is me and my 15 year old.  Now she has her own room to sleep in and her own bathroom and will not disturb me when she gets back late.  I am ok with walking to the Haven area from the back of the ship, from my research this is peoples biggest issue with rooms not in the Haven proper.  If you want to walk out your door and have all of Haven right there you should look at the rooms in the Haven proper.  If you do not mind walking to the Haven area then you can get some bigger rooms and better balconies for equivalent prices.  

One other factor to consider with aft rooms on the mega ships is the possibility of vibration.  During Cruise Critic cabin crawls we have visited friends in Aft Penthouse rooms on several Breakaway class ships.  Each time there was a noticeable amount of vibration which we did not experience in our mid-ship stateroom.  @Sailing12Awaywho commented earlier on this thread was one of those we visited.  She has commented on several other threads about the vibration as well as the long walk to the Haven lounge.

[Hutcha]

Aft penthouse (didn't notice the vibration) on the Joy or Bliss to Alaska. You have that extra large balcony (2nd only to the owner's suite), the indoor heated pool and jacuzzi, two jacuzzies on the haven sundeck (Bliss not certain about Joy), and the Horizon lounge with 180 degree sweeping views. You can also dine outside at the haven restaurant. This will be my next NCL cruise.

[brookie848]

If you do a "newer" ship, avoid the Getaway and the Breakaway. The Getaway was our least favorite Haven cruise simply because the restaurant was so small. There were only four or so window tables and there was no outdoor seating area (except for by the pool, but there are no views there).

 

And when the restaurant gets crowded, people waiting back up into the lounge, which makes it crowded.

 

We really like the Epic's Haven with Posh, huge restaurant, the outdoor seating area, and the private gym and spa treatment rooms. We haven't been on the Bliss/Encore/Joy, so we can't compare those.

[mafig]

I've read several times that Epic has the nicest Haven.

[FLcruisergrl]

I’ve sailed in the large ships with the full Haven and small ships with no actual Haven, but amazing suites (owners, garden villa). To experience classic Haven, of course, sail the larger ships. But I found I like the best suites on the small ships. The personalized service is absolutely amazing.

[Sthrngary]

Hello, allow me to answer your question a little differently.  Years ago, I booked the NCL Pearl in a Haven two Bedroom Family Villa.  The Pearl does not have a dedicated Haven Restaurant or Haven Bar.  Prior to that cruise, I went on one of NCL Bigger ships in the Haven.  I was completely sold.  I cancelled the Pearl (I would cruise on the Pearl but not in the Haven) and booked the Encore.  

 

If I was only doing the Haven once, I would do the Bliss or the Encore.  I have done the Haven on the NCL Joy and it was lovely however the Joy had extra Haven Suites leading to a much more crowded Haven Bar and Sundeck.  The Joy also does not have a Thermal Spa which I love.

 

Please remember, the Haven is not for everyone and it is most definitely not perfect.  It is however an excellent way to improve your cruising experience on a larger NCL ship.  

 

Cruise well.

[Sailing12Away]

13 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

Hello, allow me to answer your question a little differently.  Years ago, I booked the NCL Pearl in a Haven two Bedroom Family Villa.  The Pearl does not have a dedicated Haven Restaurant or Haven Bar.  Prior to that cruise, I went on one of NCL Bigger ships in the Haven.  I was completely sold.  I cancelled the Pearl (I would cruise on the Pearl but not in the Haven) and booked the Encore.  

 

If I was only doing the Haven once, I would do the Bliss or the Encore.  I have done the Haven on the NCL Joy and it was lovely however the Joy had extra Haven Suites leading to a much more crowded Haven Bar and Sundeck.  The Joy also does not have a Thermal Spa which I love.

 

Please remember, the Haven is not for everyone and it is most definitely not perfect.  It is however an excellent way to improve your cruising experience on a larger NCL ship.  

 

Cruise well.

Have you considered trying Haven on the Epic yet? I think it would fit your style of cruising as well. That was one of our favorite experiences. 

[Sthrngary]

7 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

Have you considered trying Haven on the Epic yet? I think it would fit your style of cruising as well. That was one of our favorite experiences. 

My response was based on the original question, "If you only did the Haven once, which ship would you do it on?"  That lead me to say Bliss and Encore.  These are the newer ships with all the improvement made from older ships like the Epic and Joy.  

 

Any NCL large ship would have a great Haven in my opinion.  The Bliss and the Encore still would be my choice if I could only do one.  Hope that adds to my point of view which is personal and should always be considered that way.

 

Cruise well.

[The Traveling Man]

On 4/6/2022 at 8:25 PM, Sailing12Away said:

On the bigger ships (Epic, Encore, Bliss, etc) you get all of that and more. Those ships have a separate restaurant only for Haven guests, open for all 3 meals. The menu doesn't change, but most folks swear that the food quality or preparation is of a higher notch than the regular main dining room food.

Agreed.  For example, the Haven restaurant is the only place on any ship where I've seen them add a few shavings of black truffle to Eggs Benedict.  It's also the only place on an NCL ship where you can get lobster at no extra charge on a daily basis.

[Newfun4me]

19 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

Hello, allow me to answer your question a little differently.  Years ago, I booked the NCL Pearl in a Haven two Bedroom Family Villa.  The Pearl does not have a dedicated Haven Restaurant or Haven Bar.  Prior to that cruise, I went on one of NCL Bigger ships in the Haven.  I was completely sold.  I cancelled the Pearl (I would cruise on the Pearl but not in the Haven) and booked the Encore.  

 

If I was only doing the Haven once, I would do the Bliss or the Encore.  I have done the Haven on the NCL Joy and it was lovely however the Joy had extra Haven Suites leading to a much more crowded Haven Bar and Sundeck.  The Joy also does not have a Thermal Spa which I love.

 

Please remember, the Haven is not for everyone and it is most definitely not perfect.  It is however an excellent way to improve your cruising experience on a larger NCL ship.  

 

Cruise well.

Question - if you were booking Haven on the Encore, would you book within the Haven complex or would you consider a Haven aft suite with large balcony for Alaska?  I'm struggling with that decision.  We did Alaska a few years ago on the Jewel in the DOS and didn't really spend any time in the actual Haven area.  We spent a lot of time on our own balcony.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.    

[Sailing12Away]

15 minutes ago, Newfun4me said:

Question - if you were booking Haven on the Encore, would you book within the Haven complex or would you consider a Haven aft suite with large balcony for Alaska?  I'm struggling with that decision.  We did Alaska a few years ago on the Jewel in the DOS and didn't really spend any time in the actual Haven area.  We spent a lot of time on our own balcony.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.    

I just did Alaska on the Encore in a Haven aft balcony. The room was lovely, but we prefer to be closer to the actual Haven area. It all depends on how you like to spend your time while on vacation. We like to be at the Haven bar, so being all the way aft wasn't ideal for us. If you don't care about that, then the room is lovely, but prone to lots of vibration.

[Two Wheels Only]

On 4/7/2022 at 9:07 AM, meglet said:

Some Haven suites have very small balconies, so be sure to do your "research" if that's important to you.  

 

On 4/7/2022 at 3:50 PM, Hutcha said:

Aft penthouse (didn't notice the vibration) on the Joy or Bliss to Alaska. You have that extra large balcony (2nd only to the owner's suite), the indoor heated pool and jacuzzi, two jacuzzies on the haven sundeck (Bliss not certain about Joy), and the Horizon lounge with 180 degree sweeping views.

 

As noted above, some Haven suites (even some of the aft-facing suites) have a rather small balcony. For Escape, Joy, Bliss, or Encore, an aft-facing suite balcony on deck 13 will look like this.....

 

 

...which is the smallest among the aft-facing suites on those ships. The largest is deck 9 and the second largest is deck 12. On most of the ships in the BA/BA Plus class, NCL has started to charge more for the larger group of aft-facing balcony suites. 

[Sthrngary]

2 hours ago, Newfun4me said:

Question - if you were booking Haven on the Encore, would you book within the Haven complex or would you consider a Haven aft suite with large balcony for Alaska?  I'm struggling with that decision.  We did Alaska a few years ago on the Jewel in the DOS and didn't really spend any time in the actual Haven area.  We spent a lot of time on our own balcony.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.    

@Newfun4meThere are two real questions here. First, In or out of Haven Proper.  Second, Budget.  

 

The most important thing you said was you were cruising in Alaska.  That makes all the difference in my answer.  The secrets to Alaska for me are my balcony and access to the Deck 19 Sundeck.  From a balcony standpoint I want it to be on the larger size but for two folks, just big enough for two lounge chairs.  From a Sundeck stand point I want to be able to sail Glacier Bay and have access to the outside hot tub on the Sundeck.  I love the huge Aft Balcony however if I went into the Haven Sundeck, that is quite the walk wet.  

 

If this was a much warmer cruise itinerary, I would do the Aft Balcony in a heart beat. So I would give up a Huge Balcony for a decent sized one.  This means NO Two bedroom Family Villa.  Not even the one that has a large balcony on deck 17.  

 

Now the budget question.  For this cruise the ultimate in cruising experiences when budget is not a consideration is the H2 Haven Deluxe Owners Suite. One floor below the Sundeck and one floor above the Horizon Lounge which has a grand view in a climate controlled environment.  

 

If the H2 investment is out of the question, for me it is, then any Haven Suite other then the Haven Spa Suite in the front of the ship even it is not in Haven Proper.  This way you get a nice sized balcony, and a short elevator or stairs to the Haven entrance or if in Haven proper to the sundeck and the lounge. 

 

I only brought up the H2 Owners Suite because you stayed in one before.  I hope in some way that helps you.

 

Cruise well.

[Hutcha]

21 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

 

As noted above, some Haven suites (even some of the aft-facing suites) have a rather small balcony. For Escape, Joy, Bliss, or Encore, an aft-facing suite balcony on deck 13 will look like this.....

 

 

...which is the smallest among the aft-facing suites on those ships. The largest is deck 9 and the second largest is deck 12. On most of the ships in the BA/BA Plus class, NCL has started to charge more for the larger group of aft-facing balcony suites. 

Yeah, care is needed when choosing which aft balcony you get, but even 13 is larger than most other categories. Was in that room last month, and was very happy with the balcony. Wouldn't pay the extra $900 they were asking for the extra large balcony

[The Shrike]

If you're only doing the haven once, and it's just you and your SO, I'd go for a Haven Spa Suite on one of the big ships.  You get all the amenities of a Haven room plus you have a hot tub, you're located just down the stairs from the Haven itself, and you get complementary full access to the thermal spa.

[Cruze2020]

So much good insight into Haven. Much appreciated. I’m looking ahead to a one time splurge on Haven Bliss to Alaska this summer. Location is key ... to me the long walk from aft would be a negative despite friends loving that location. For me the full joy of the experience is being right in the Haven Courtyard. Having been to Alaska twice before, the plan is to minimize the excursions and enjoy all on board!

[Two Wheels Only]

22 hours ago, Hutcha said:

Yeah, care is needed when choosing which aft balcony you get, but even 13 is larger than most other categories. Was in that room last month, and was very happy with the balcony. Wouldn't pay the extra $900 they were asking for the extra large balcony

 

For Escape, they are all the same price (HA).

 

For Breakaway/Getaway, the larger group (H7) cost more than the smaller group (HA).

 

For Joy, Bliss, or Encore, the larger group (HB) cost more than the smaller group (HC). The smallest difference that I have seen is $50pp. The largest difference that I have seen is $1,500pp. 

 

Even with the smaller group, there are different sizes and stateroom configurations. The OP hasn't returned so we have no idea as to what is more important to them. 

[Newfun4me]

On 4/8/2022 at 6:17 PM, Sthrngary said:

@Newfun4meThere are two real questions here. First, In or out of Haven Proper.  Second, Budget.  

 

The most important thing you said was you were cruising in Alaska.  That makes all the difference in my answer.  The secrets to Alaska for me are my balcony and access to the Deck 19 Sundeck.  From a balcony standpoint I want it to be on the larger size but for two folks, just big enough for two lounge chairs.  From a Sundeck stand point I want to be able to sail Glacier Bay and have access to the outside hot tub on the Sundeck.  I love the huge Aft Balcony however if I went into the Haven Sundeck, that is quite the walk wet.  

 

If this was a much warmer cruise itinerary, I would do the Aft Balcony in a heart beat. So I would give up a Huge Balcony for a decent sized one.  This means NO Two bedroom Family Villa.  Not even the one that has a large balcony on deck 17.  

 

Now the budget question.  For this cruise the ultimate in cruising experiences when budget is not a consideration is the H2 Haven Deluxe Owners Suite. One floor below the Sundeck and one floor above the Horizon Lounge which has a grand view in a climate controlled environment.  

 

If the H2 investment is out of the question, for me it is, then any Haven Suite other then the Haven Spa Suite in the front of the ship even it is not in Haven Proper.  This way you get a nice sized balcony, and a short elevator or stairs to the Haven entrance or if in Haven proper to the sundeck and the lounge. 

 

I only brought up the H2 Owners Suite because you stayed in one before.  I hope in some way that helps you.

 

Cruise well.

Thank you.  This is very helpful.  The Owners Suite is already sold out or we would have booked it.   We are currently in a 2-bedroom because we do like more space than the courtyard suite offers.  We also have a significant amount of credit we need to use this year before it expires.  I was trying to decide between the 2-bedroom suite or an aft suite.  You have helped me and I am staying where we are - although I'm on hold with NCL right now to move our cabin to 17100.  It sounds like that cabin has a good-size balcony.  Thank you again!  I love reading your posts and find them incredibly helpful.

[Monica887]

Op here and I AM still reading! We are looking at summer '23 so I'm still far away from a decision! 

 

It would be me ( mom of little kids) and my mother (older but very active). We do love the thermal spa. Not Alaska, because we are doing that this summer. Otherwise location doesn't matter to us. She would likely prefer the private restaurant, though that doesn't matter to me. We are used to sharing a standard size balcony room, so we don't need a TON of extra space. I mostly look forward to the calmer, quieter sections, since I'm leaving the kids at home. We both want relaxation, she likes the pampering and feeling like it's "special". 

 

Edited to add, I do like the idea of a larger balcony. I could spend a week there and never move, especially with good room service!

Edited April 13, 2022 by Monica887