Haven worth it for a solo?

[ColeThornton]

12 hours ago, Sthrngary said:

If I am at a $800.00 solo rate, add $200.00 for Vibe for a total of $1,100.00.  I choose the Vibe. 

 

 

That's some fuzzy math.  🙂

[graphicguy]

10 hours ago, JustAPilot said:

Here is one, port intensive Europe cruise with no sea days, how much use of the amenities on the Haven would you use if your off the ship every day? 

To me, it doesn’t matter if there are port intensive cruises or a lot of sea days.  

 

It’s the fact that I don’t have to do any of the mundane (and sometimes irritating) things like make/change reservations, stand in line for….well, anything, have to fight for a seat anywhere in the Haven, get anything I want (within reason) anytime, sent to my cabin.  Have the Concierge get a reservation at a Specialty Restaurant for me, when it’s sold out.

 

Even the beds in the Haven cabins are indulgent.

 

Those are just a few of the things that have no bearing on whether the cruise is port intensive or not.

 

Now, in particular, when cruises are short staffed, I think I’d appreciate the Haven even more.

[KKB]

15 hours ago, complawyer said:

 

the only downside with booking a haven, is that it will be difficult, if not impossible to be satisfied with anything less.

 

I do worry about this a bit & may be a reason NOT to book it😂

 

That being said, MIL & FIL had a huge suite when we cruised DCL (balcony large enough for all 26 of us to gather). It was nice but not worth what they paid.

 

We like a balcony but we usually have a $500 limit--meaning if it is less than $500 total  more than an interior to book a balcony we will. Otherwise we choose interior. (EXCEPT Getaway/Breakaway--we were not fans of those tiny interiors. THAT being said...it is what we have booked for 10 day Med cruise next summer. When 5 of us are going it's already pricey enough!) 

 

Generally we aren't in our room much & every time we have a  balcony we agree we just don't use it that much.

[Sthrngary]

11 hours ago, complawyer said:

you will definitely not regret booking a haven, especially if your ship has the designated haven pool area, bar and restaurant. i would also like to add, when we 1st meet our butler, (which is usually right after we get into the cabin) i request the following: bring a carafe of coffee, and a carafe of hot water for tea, sweet rolls, pastries and or croissants. but just enough to start the day, and i have him/her bring it at around 7:00 am. this really helps if you need  to get off the ship for an early scheduled excursion.  if i dont ask for a beer, i'll ask for a can or two of pepsi (i'm addicted).

 

i also have him bring an assortment of meats, cheeses and crackers as an afternoon munchie

 

finally, (and ive posted this many times before) at final disembarkation, everyone is trying to get off the ship. its like trying to check out of a hotel at the same time as  a few thousand of your closest friends. the concierge has the ability to get  you off the ship, to your luggage and on your way to a cab, within 15-20 minutes. no muss, no fuss, and no bother.

 

all things being equal, to me that alone is worth the price of admission. 

again, if in any way you can afford the extra $$$ go for it.

 

our last cruise (this past april from athens) we invited an old friend to join us in the 2 bedroom. i told her the 2nd bedroom was small, but would accommodate 1 person comfortably and she would have access to the rest of the cabin and all the haven amenities. she had sailed with ncl before, but never in the haven complex. needless to say, she came off the cruise spoiled as hell, and i dont think she'll ever book a lessor cabin on her own. by the way, she's joining us again in a 2 bedroom suite this sept on the star from southampton. the down side is the star doesnt have a haven, but the suite amenities are the same 

 

 

Well said as always.  I could just clarify one thing.  When every we ask our Butler for a soda or beer, please be advised there might be a cost.  Always ask so we don't get a surprise.  My reason for commenting it to set realistic expectations.  People are confused on this issue all the time.

 

Cruise well.

[Sthrngary]

5 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

That's some fuzzy math.  🙂

You are quite right, that was some Fuzzy math.  Allow me another stab at it.  My last trip was a Solo trip on the NCL Joy.  I stayed in a club suite which was very nice.  My basic fare was $800.00 (usually it would have been $1,600).  I added the Vibe Beach Club for $200.00 for the week which brought my total to $1,000.00.  There was of course taxes and other adds that took the fare to $1,300.00 or so.  Then I added the Premium Plus Beverage Package for and upgrade of $250.00; Upgraded my internet to streaming unlimited for $100.00; and added three specialty restaurants for $90.00. The Total was $1,600 ish.  If I would have booked the Haven on this cruise I would have been close to $4,000.00 without the Vibe (unneeded if in Haven), Premium Plus, Upgraded Internet and Specialty Restaurants.

 

If I would have gotten an upgrade bid I would have been all in.  This cruise, that was not in the cards.  I still had a great time and called it Haven lite.  Sorry about the math.

 

Cruise well.

[complawyer]

1st off good buddy, it's good to hear from you again. actually, i must have been blessed with great butlers. never once have i been charged for a beer or a soda that they brought my cabin.

 

just lucky i guess. on a prior cruise, i asked the steward if he could replace the sparking wine bottle with a bottle of proseco. 9my wife's favorite)         he did with no problem. on my last cruise (this past april) i asked the steward for the same thing, and although he informed me he counldnt do it, he brought us a bottle of moet et chandon instead. and who thinks the haven isnt worth it?

[markkw07]

On 6/2/2022 at 9:37 AM, KKB said:

I am considering bidding on a Haven room.

But I will be solo this cruise (DH  only will take ONE cruise during golf league...)

Wondering if anyone has sailed Haven solo.

Pros/cons?

 

If the Price is Right!, Def Go for it!

[JustAPilot]

I do like Gary’s response to be realistic on what you can get and what you don’t for the amenities. For all we know you could of gave your butler a $500 tip at the beginning and told them to take care of you. Hell ya I’ll be running to you with a bottle of Moet. 

[complawyer]

no, actually i gave him $75 dollars total for the entire cruise, and it was my cabin steward not the butler.  the butler got $150 at the end, and the concierge $100. in the end, i gave the cabin steward back the bottle of champagne as we never got around to drinking it. our loss, but i shows what you can expect staying in a haven complex.

 

 

[nferr]

Like everything in cruising it's up to the individual. I cruise solo, so a normal balcony cabin is more than enough room and balcony for me. I always can find places to sit in the sun and I'm not a pool person. I'll usually sit around H2o and have a couple of cocktails during the day. For food I go to specialty restaurants, I go to the MDR, I go to the buffet, all depending on my mood.  At night I'm hitting the same bars and entertainment venues as everyone else. For this cruiser the haven would be a huge waste. 

[complawyer]

nferr:  I think you missed the point of the original question. it was posed as would it be worth it to book a haven suite if traveling solo.

 

my response was if he could afford it to do so. While everything you've said makes sense and holds true, youre absolutely correct, if you're solo and dont care about the extra amenities, a balcony makes perfect sense.  if you want the extra goodies (and apparently you dont) while i am not knocking  your decisions, I stand by my original post. if he can afford to upgrade, "GO FOR IT"

[nferr]

4 minutes ago, complawyer said:

nferr:  I think you missed the point of the original question. it was posed as would it be worth it to book a haven suite if traveling solo.

 

my response was if he could afford it to do so. While everything you've said makes sense and holds true, youre absolutely correct, if you're solo and dont care about the extra amenities, a balcony makes perfect sense.  if you want the extra goodies (and apparently you dont) while i am not knocking  your decisions, I stand by my original post. if he can afford to upgrade, "GO FOR IT"

 

No. I didn't miss the point. In fact I answered it. "To me" it wouldn't be worth it at all. "For you" it is. Just giving my opinion. Like I posted, it's up to the individual.

Edited June 8, 2022 by nferr

[complawyer]

no, without trying to be argumentative, the point of the question was , was it worth it for the person asking. you dont think it is, i think he'd be really happy if he did.

 

consequently, neither of us are right or wrong

 

 

[UKstages]

8 minutes ago, nferr said:

No. I didn't miss the point. In fact I answered it. "To me" it wouldn't be worth it at all. "For you" it is. Just giving my opinion. 

 

no, i'm pretty sure you did miss the point, based on the way the OP phrased the question and the initial post.

 

the OP was basically saying, "hey, i've kind of already made the decision to do the haven, but i'm having regrets because i'm wondering if it's worth it if it's just me."

 

the OP already compared non-haven amenities and services available outside of the haven and determined the haven was where he wanted to be. the only issue is whether it was "worth it" to cruise solo in the haven.  your post said that, for you, you don't need no stinkin' haven... you're just fine elsewhere on the ship. and that  is a most welcome viewpoint. it just has little relevance to the question that was asked.

Edited June 8, 2022 by UKstages

[nferr]

13 minutes ago, UKstages said:

 

no, i'm pretty sure you did miss the point, based on the way the OP phrased the question and the initial post.

 

the OP was basically saying, "hey, i've kind of already made the decision to do the haven, but i'm having regrets because i'm wondering if it's worth it if it's just me."

 

the OP already compared non-haven amenities and services available outside of the haven and determined the haven was where he wanted to be. the only issue is whether it was "worth it" to cruise solo in the haven.  your post said that, for you, you don't need no stinkin' haven... you're just fine elsewhere on the ship. and that  is a most welcome viewpoint. it just has little relevance to the question that was asked.

 Well I disagree. But I understand what you're saying. As a solo I like my freedom to spread out all over the ship, to spend a ton of time in the Haven makes it not worth it to me. That's what I was posting. Like I said up to the individual. The haven is the Haven, you either want to spend the money on it or you don't. There's no right or wrong answer. 

Edited June 8, 2022 by nferr

[Sthrngary]

3 hours ago, nferr said:

Like everything in cruising it's up to the individual. I cruise solo, so a normal balcony cabin is more than enough room and balcony for me. I always can find places to sit in the sun and I'm not a pool person. I'll usually sit around H2o and have a couple of cocktails during the day. For food I go to specialty restaurants, I go to the MDR, I go to the buffet, all depending on my mood.  At night I'm hitting the same bars and entertainment venues as everyone else. For this cruiser the haven would be a huge waste. 

@nferrIf you read the CruiseCritic.com topics on the Haven, you will recognize my screen name.  I write about it all the time.  I truly love it.  Yet when I read your thoughts, I agree with you.  On my last cruise which I was a solo, I did not stay in the Haven.  One night, I met a really nice gentleman that cruise much more then I do and always as a solo cruiser.  He also eats in Cagney's, almost nightly, at 5:30 PM.  One night, I had dinner with him.  Wonderful conversation and the meal was lovely.  At the end of the meal, he always ordered two irish coffee's.

 

I share this with you because everyone has a different take on how to cruise.  Whether to stay in the Haven, do a club suite or balcony or stay in NCL single cabins which is also a nice option for a solo.  You have every right to approach cruising anyway you want and I am happy to hear you enjoy it as much as I do.  

 

For all my Haven fans out there.  During my last cruise, I actually went to the MDR and the Buffet which I usually don't do when staying in the Haven.  In both cases, I really enjoyed it.  I also did some things I have not done in the past like lots of those fun pool games.  My next cruise will be in December and because of that experience, I will change my approach a bit.  

 

What I love most about this board and CruiseCritic.com in general is we accept that everyone approaches and enjoys cruising in their own way.  Thank everyone for that.  It has made the last few years tolerable. 

 

Cruise well.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Sthrngary

[argyll1881]

Imagine the overcrowding if everyone liked the same restaurants at the same dining times or the same cabin categories !  Thank goodness for diversity of opinions.

[nferr]

7 hours ago, argyll1881 said:

Imagine the overcrowding if everyone liked the same restaurants at the same dining times or the same cabin categories !  Thank goodness for diversity of opinions.

 

Exactly. Actually, and I'm not knocking the original poster, the question is kind of silly. I don't see why being solo has anything to do with whether or not the Haven is worth it. You can ask the same question for any room on the ship (well maybe except for the studios), you're paying more being solo. Is it worth it? Up to the individual.

[UKstages]

oy.

[KKB]

10 minutes ago, nferr said:

 

Exactly. Actually, and I'm not knocking the original poster, the question is kind of silly. I don't see why being solo has anything to do with whether or not the Haven is worth it. You can ask the same question for any room on the ship (well maybe except for the studios), you're paying more being solo. Is it worth it? Up to the individual.

Of course it is up to the individual. Virtually all vacation decisions are--some spend more for luxury, others go bare bones to travel more (or travel at all!). Some love to lounge in the sun all day, others tuck themselves in a shady corner reading while others spend the day hopping from activity to activity. 

 

But I'm using these forums as intended--asking for information from those with more knowledge of the situation than I.

I have never sailed solo before & I have never sailed Haven before.

I appreciate seeing opinions from all & take all that information into consideration as I ponder my decision.

 

And as I have asked for opinions of those with experience on things I have not done yet, I do my part by answering questions about things I DO know.

 

Making comments about other's postings is not helpful. 

If you think a question is silly, then simply have a private laugh & move on. 

 

 

[nferr]

24 minutes ago, KKB said:

Of course it is up to the individual. Virtually all vacation decisions are--some spend more for luxury, others go bare bones to travel more (or travel at all!). Some love to lounge in the sun all day, others tuck themselves in a shady corner reading while others spend the day hopping from activity to activity. 

 

But I'm using these forums as intended--asking for information from those with more knowledge of the situation than I.

I have never sailed solo before & I have never sailed Haven before.

I appreciate seeing opinions from all & take all that information into consideration as I ponder my decision.

 

And as I have asked for opinions of those with experience on things I have not done yet, I do my part by answering questions about things I DO know.

 

Making comments about other's postings is not helpful. 

If you think a question is silly, then simply have a private laugh & move on. 

 

 

 

I said I wasn't knocking you for asking the question. Never hurts to ask. But think about it. What would make it any more worth it or not being solo or being a couple in the Haven? I tried to look at it as being a solo in the Haven. If you're paying the extra to be in the Haven it will all depend if you want to spend a significant amount of time enjoying the amenities of the Haven.  To me, being solo, a major enjoyment is having the freedom of spending my day doing what I want around the entire ship. To me the Haven wouldn't be worth it at all.  Now you might like just spending more time around the Haven, which is undoubtedly more luxurious and more pampering. My best friend only cruises on the Haven (he is married) and they rarely leave the Haven. I don't get the point of the question to be honest. It's up to you. Do you want the Haven or not? 

Edited June 9, 2022 by nferr

[KKB]

2 minutes ago, nferr said:

 

I said I wasn't knocking you for asking the question. Never hurts to ask. But think about it. What would make it any more worth it or not being solo or being a couple in the Haven? I tried to look at it as being a solo in the Haven. If you're paying the extra to be in the Haven it will all depend if you want to spend a significant amount of time enjoying the amenities of the Haven.  To me, being solo, a major enjoyment is having the freedom of spending my day doing what I want around the entire ship. To me the Haven wouldn't be worth it at all.  Now you might like just spending more time around the Haven, which is undoubtedly more luxurious and more pampering. My best friend only cruises on the Haven (he is married). I don't get the point of the question to be honest. It's up to you. Do you want the Haven or not? 

Thus why I asked the question.

I have never sailed solo nor Haven. 

I'd love to try Haven. 

But I'm wondering as a solo would I take advantage of the Haven as much.

Meaning--if I do, would that be alienating? If I want to be social, would I spend much time in Haven?

Again. Just getting POV's from others.

[nferr]

Just now, KKB said:

Thus why I asked the question.

I have never sailed solo nor Haven. 

I'd love to try Haven. 

But I'm wondering as a solo would I take advantage of the Haven as much.

Meaning--if I do, would that be alienating? If I want to be social, would I spend much time in Haven?

Again. Just getting POV's from others.

 

I hear you. And I was trying to answer it from my point of view as a solo cruiser. Just did a 15 night transatlantic on the Epic in April solo. I bid up for a balcony and it was plenty of room and very comfortable for one, I did five nights in Cagney's and LeBistro, had the free drink package, $50 off every excursion, etc., met people in the bars at night, spent the nice sea days up in H2o on deck, went to the shows. For me the only real advantage of the Haven would be the private restaurant on days I didn't use specialty dining but the MDR was just fine as was the buffet. Other than that I probably would be out and about or relaxing in my room. But that's just me, others here have told you why they feel it's worth it to them. I think it comes down to what you're looking for out of the cruise. Anyway that's my opinion as a solo cruiser.  Booked another solo cruise right after Thanksgiving on RCL and looking at another transatlantic next year on NCL.  Love it.

[cruiseny4life]

Can we throw tipping advice for the Haven into this post to really bring on the popcorn lovers? Yum, yum!

[Sthrngary]

1 hour ago, KKB said:

Thus why I asked the question.

I have never sailed solo nor Haven. 

I'd love to try Haven. 

But I'm wondering as a solo would I take advantage of the Haven as much.

Meaning--if I do, would that be alienating? If I want to be social, would I spend much time in Haven?

Again. Just getting POV's from others.

@KKB I would like to take a different tack.  My reason are simple.  Many times folks posting comments have not actually experienced what they are giving opinion on.  I have experienced the Haven on many occasions, I have cruised solo. I have not experienced the Haven Solo though.

 

Taking the fact that you can obviously budget the investment/premium for both the Haven and as a solo cruiser as a given. The Haven was designed to be the best of both worlds.  To get the best our of it, you have be very clear on the amenities provided so your can leverage them if you choose. 

 

Lots written on the Haven Amenities on CruiseCritic.com so you have a resource.  As a solo,  it almost makes it easier to be in the Haven.  Some examples: I like coffee delivered in the morning from my butler.  I wake up early like 06:30 to 07:00 AM.  I tell the Butler to bring it then.  If my family was with me, it would wake them up.  I also like and I hope you will try the Almond croissants that are only available in the Haven. They are live changing.  In my recent Solo Cruise I was not in the Haven but many guest were there on my cruise because I recommended it so much.  One of those guest brought me a plate with two of those Croissants.  Yum. 

 

I was a professional speaker for decades traveling the world so I have been a Solo in travel situation as a life style.  Eating alone can be a blessing and a hardship.  Sometimes, a nice meal, on your balcony is just what the doctor ordered.  

 

As a solo, I also had an easy time getting seats at the Haven Bar or even more importantly in the Cavern Club for the Beatles shows. The best part of the Haven is when the craziness of the ship gets to much, you can just go through the Haven doors and chill. 

 

You will love it.  One more thing.  The subject of the Haven or any main stream brands VIP section always has folks that want to argue about it. Most of the time they have never experienced it like I alluded to above.  Take everyone's point of view with a grain of salt; the truth will rise to the top. 

 

Cruise well.