Norwegian Cruise Line The Haven Review -- Worth the Money?
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- Опубликовано: 8 июл 2024
- In this video, I discuss all the features and benefits that come with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)'s "The Haven" experience. I then try to answer the seemingly simple question of whether or not The Haven is worth its premium price tag.
Find out all about the Haven Restaurant, Butler, Concierge, Lounge, Bar, Stateroom, and more!
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We have sailed on NCL more than I care to admit in everything from an Inside to a 2 Bedroom Suite in The HAVEN. There is nothing that compares to The HAVEN. After a rather terrible travel day that included an ice storm, repeated delays, and barely making the ship, hearing the staff in the pre-embarkation lounge say “Mr. and Mrs. … So nice to see you. We have been waiting for you.” made the stress of the previous 10 hours melt away. Lesson learned; don’t fly on embarkation day even if it is a one hour flight from Montreal to JFK. Mother Nature may have other plans :)
Can you provide a copy of the letter you gave your butler? It would help get an idea of offerings.
So far best Haven explanation!!!! Informative!
Thank you for your detailed breakdown of THE HAVEN, it helped me chose the best outcome for my family. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the info on the Haven, we sail in October and will stay in the Haven. I haven't been able to find many actual reviews, just room tours so this was great info.
We have only ever cruised ncl haven from owners on pearls , 2beds on epic ,and our favorite the Alf penthouse on getaway /escape .
in our option it’s only got better on the newer ships with the inclusion of the haven restaurant and bar .
Yes it’s expensive but you can price watch and look at start or end of season if you need .
it’s great for a family vacation for adults and children alike . We are 36 days away from haven escape 10 day Mediterranean , so pleased you enjoyed it
I am a die hard Norwegian fan and the escape is my favorite boat in the fleet but i think prima might take the lead. you did indeed nail the point from a cost value I couldn't justify it but the the experience is something difficult to put a price on. I have great service without haven all over the ship but I will also point out the the escape is an anomaly compared to the rest of the fleet i have tried even compared to bliss, encore etc. the customer service on escape is second to none.
I worry that I'm a cruise video junky but you did such a good job with everything, camera, sound, editing, I must subscribe now. :)
We sail the Haven in 4 weeks and are over the moon about it ! Great great vlog thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Great overview that tracks with my own experience. We stayed in the Haven for the first time a couple years ago on the Escape. Just an amazing experience that to us was worth every very expensive penny. Finally going back to the Haven in December, this time on the Encore. Can’t wait!
I’ve always had a great experience on the Epic and I fully appreciate the money spent staying in the Heaven. If you can afford it, it’s worth every sent. Great vlog btw, nicely done.
Great video, thanks for sharing! We’re sailing tomorrow in an aft penthouse on the Getaway and are excited to be Haven guests for the first time, your video was very helpful!
Have an amazing cruise! Those aft suites are amazing, enjoy the view and the Croissants 😊
Thanks! Sailing this Sunday and hoping to upgrade to Haven!!!!
going on my 4th haven experience and will never go back. and the escape in my opinion is the best, but we are now going on the prima in November and they have some big shoes to fill. love the video
Sailing in the new Prima Haven in mid-September and can't wait. My first cruise was an NCL Haven experience on the Breakaway, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the experience ever since. I wish all the ships had a full Haven. I agree, it is extremely difficult to go back.
3x Haven guest since 2015.
Booked Prima 11 day Transatlantic in 2023 aft owners deluex Haven
Cant wait.
The Haven is hands down the best cruise experience...EVER! Yes it is expensive but plan your vacation far enough away so paying will be easier, monthly payments are the way to go.🎉
Stayed in the Haven on the Breakaway- IT WAS HEAVEN! Cost an arm and a leg.....well worth it!
You are very personable. Enjoyed your video. I plan to show my grandchildren what hard work can get them.
His traveling companion appears to be a very nice accomplishment.
I love the Haven and stay there as often as my funds permit. I always book a suit and bid on the haven and have won twice.
I'm sorry.. I had to review her dance from the beginning of your video like 5 times! Totally caught her out there doing the happy dance! Love it! LOL!
That's my wife for ya!
Great video, very informative, thank you. We just put in a bid to upgrade to the Haven Penthouse with Balcony and Haven Aft-Facing Penthouse with Large Balcony on our upcoming cruise on the Prima, after watching video reviews on the Haven, we are excited and hopeful to get our bid accepted, cheers!
I HOPE YOU GET IT!!!!
Excellent video review. I will go for the Haven on my next cruise.
Hope you enjoy it!
Great tip on the pre-embarkation letter 📝
My brother and I paid extra for Priority Access on our 06Mar22 cruise on the Getaway and no one in the terminal acknowledged either the wheelchair assist OR the Priority Access on or eDocs! So much for boarding with or just after the Haven guests as we never heard any special call to board for either.
My only complaint was the private outdoor deck areas were closed due to “weather”/“wind” almost every day when I cruised Alaska years ago.
My favorite: the forward-facing indoor scenic lounge space. Sitting there with a warm beverage and reading a book was so cozy
Good presentation thanks.. I’m seriously considering trying the Haven on the Norwegian Joy.
The Joy would be a great ship to try it on!
Well done! Best Haven video on RUclips IMO. From experience I can say that once you stay in the Haven you will not want to cruise any other way.
Wow, thank you!
Food looks great and it looked like you had the Haven mostly to yourself . Very interesting and hopefully we can go sometime when there is a special offer .
Agreed, it's definitely worth looking into!
Very nice job. This is from someone that has written and done videos on the “Secrets of the Haven VIP Experience”. I fully agree with everything you said. So glad you brought up the Butler letter. Cruise well and enjoy every moment.
Your CruiseCritic posts were a huge help to me when planning this trip! Thanks for watching
@@cruiseshipblitz Wow, I had no idea. Reach out to me any time. Love your work.
Great video, thanks!
The Haven on the Getaway never gave us special return from excursions. Often, the dining room was full and the wait for a table would be over an hour. There was priority access to shows, but they weren't that full anyway. Also, there were a lot of families in the Haven (this was the week before Easter) and the hot tubs were occupied by children the entire week. We never saw the butler after the first day. Our room steward did all the work. It was nice, but not worth the increase unless you get a deal.
I also was in Haven during a holiday week. Many of the things that you’ve said all correct. My correction was simply to go the week before or the week after holidays. The result was an exceptional an extraordinary experience. I have also been on the getaway, so I fully understand what you said.
@@candaceladuca7310 I hope so too.
This is concerning. If we are spending 4 or 5x a regular fare and not getting what is stated when booking, I would have a minor temper tantrum. We are looking at a week over Memorial Day. Sounds like I would need to lower my expectations.
I did the Getaway as well, no Haven, but I had access to the adults only pool under the Haven, next to the fitness center. Lots of kids in the Haven sounds like hell to me.
Were booked spring break 2023, march/April looks like another spring break mayhem like we always experience this 1st long break after winter🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️😫😫 we are already prepared for Low expectations and total full capacity craziness since like us, we have teens and spring break is a total mayhem everytime👍
Well editored and useful video nice work! It would be nice if you showed what the letter looked like as I wouldn’t even know what to ask for. So, maybe do a follow up on that?
We did the "Escape" Nov. 2023 to/from Bermuda and it was a BIG change from our dozen cruises on DCL. Not all bad, but different. The vibe of casino smoke and 1970's shopping mall in the 7-8-9 district kept me from exploring a bit, to my detriment. Mostly, the food and service were fine, with the standard NCL up-sell. Entertainment was m'ehh (compared to Disney) and room steward had other places to be. Seemed that there were 4,000+ passengers on a 3,000 passenger ship as the elevator congestion was terrible and the disembarkation in NYC was Spirit airline quality.
But the Spa was awesome, the specialty dining was ++, the service/people were very nice, and the choice of itineraries is great and the rooms are not small. So we are going again . . .
The "Getaway" this coming October from New Orleans . . . and yes, per your review, jumping on the Haven when the price difference isn't too, too different. The express dis/embarkation seems like a + and appreciate your review of their restaurant and uncrowded spa/pool area. I don't drink alcohol and prefer a certain soft drink (which I can bring on Disney but NOT on NCL !?!). We'll see what the Butler can do about that?
We won an upgrade bid for the Haven on the Encore. Couldn’t have afforded the full price. You did a great job describing the experience. We also wrote a letter to the butler. It definitely spoils you for regular cruising on a big ship. It was nice to have the extra room as we brought our niece (we got a forward cabin that had a separate living room). Truly made it a memorable trip for all 3 of us.
That's awesome. I'm also considering submitting a bid for a Haven upgrade, particularly since I was already thinking of paying for many of the amenities that automatically come with the Haven (such as the spa access and finer dining). I think I have a good chance of being upgraded since I'm sailing in low season, however I'm not sure how to price my bid. Did you submit a fair, good or strong bid to score the upgrade? Did they let you know you won the upgrade soon after you submitted the bid? Thanks!
Congrats on winning the upgrade!! Does not make sense to pay full price. After the bid,when did you find out? I placed my bid 10 days ago.
Awesome deal!! How long after the bid did you get a reply? I submitted my bid 10 days ago. I bid closer to minimum. Lol
@@kv1930 it was about 5 days before the cruise that we got the notification that we won the bid. Our bid was just a smidge over the minimum. Good luck!
@@wanderlust4465 same here! Starting bid was $900 pp for heaven,I offered $980.
Great video and I agree with all your notes on what makes the Haven so great. It is a great experience and completely spoil you for your next cruise. We bid on an upgrade for my first cruise ever and won. That was a blessing and curse as now I do not want to cruise outside of the Haven... Oh Well. I am on the Breakaway in 9 days.
Hope you have a great cruise! Even if it's not in the Haven. Sometimes the upgrades are worth it, and other times less so. The Breakway is a fantastic ship in its own right!
Same exact situation. I think the only thing you miss out on is the extra rewards points. Loved it
yes....yes it is worth it...IMO...and ALWAYS fly in the day before...in Seattle we always stay precruise hotel at the Edgewater...it's literally steps to the ship...ENJOY!!!!...its the one time we go all out and enjoy an amazing week.
On my first Haven cabin cruise, a fellow passenger told me that I would never be able to go back. She was right. I have been spoiled by all that the Haven has to offer. You did a very good presentation on all that the Haven has.
Oh my! My husband and I were on the Encore in January upgraded to the Haven. This was our first cruise. And yes, a wonderful video explaining it all.
The best review ever💯💯💯 yes review
4 NCL cruises since 2015.
3 Havens and one Spa Suite.
Never again unless it is as a Haven guest.
Doing Prima Transatlantic as Haven guest in November 2023 on Prima.
You forgot the issued cell phone to call your butler while anywhere on the ship to get anything for you.
The reserved seating at all shows no waiting no lines.
Private elevators is huge.
Spot on video.
Great video. Out of curiosity what items/things/want did you put in your letter to your butler before you sailed. We are sailing to Haven in April and want to be as well prepared as anything. What are some of the things that we should be thinking about to maybe prepare a note to our butler also.
The Haven was worth it when it was just double balcony price. Now that its 5 times or more than a balcony, the value is not there as much anymore. If you cruise the Haven years back you know all the Haven perks they took away. Its still wonderful if you can afford it but it used to be 100% worth it.
🚨🚨Broke Alert!!🚨🚨
Can you give me an idea of what kind of letter you sent to butler and how you would get a hold of him or her before boarding? We prepaid the service gratuties before we won our bid on the Haven. Did we make a mistake by prepaying?
just got back from NCL bliss cruise. and haven members gets treated royalty on that boat, they have their own elevators when you first walk in. if i can afford it i would definitely book haven, but instead i just got a regular balcony. which was still a great experience but haven is the goal here.
It is definitely worth it
Can you please talk about the tip structure for Haven please. Example prepaid, butler, conceirge. I assume the latter 2 are not covered in the prepaid gratuities.
Is there a room service charge for in suite meals or is that one of the included perks?
Also is laundry included?
Please give us an idea of special requests we can ask for.
Great video! What exactly was the format and content of the letter you wrote to the butler? My husband and I are going to book our cruise soon!!!
Curious as to what you requested in your letter for the Concierge. Looking at a trip to Greece in 2024 and NCL in a Haven Suite is winning me over from Celebrity or Royal Caribbean.
I'm sailing the Haven on Breakaway Penthouse Aft with larger balcony in the middle of March. After seeing your video, I can't wait. Do you think it was a bad idea to get the haven penthouse aft with larger balcony since it's a long way from the haven courtyard?
Thanks.
Thank you for the video. We just booked a Haven on the Joy. Is the laundry free or do we need to pay?
what room did you have? we have the king bed single room but do not see were our actual luggage would be stored? is there space under the bed?
I've heard that the new ships in NCL fleet like the Viva, Prima and Aqua all have dramatically increased the size of the Haven...rumors have it that the service has suffered and it's not the same "exclusive" feel you get on ships like the Bliss, Encore, Joy...much more crowded...we've only been on the Bliss and that Haven experience is always amazing, going again in May 2025...something to factor in to your plans, maybe.
We cruised for 1st time on February 2024. We stayed at The Haven. I was a reluctant cruiser, loved the experience!!! Going back in November and again in February. The only confusing thing for us was the tipping. We paid gratuities ahead, and the buttler and steward made clear to us on embarcation day that they would like their tip at the beginning of the trip. We tipped generously, but it felt kind of uncomfortable. What do you usually do for them? Thank you
We ONLY cruise NCL Haven. It's a completely different experience than being in with general population. If you can afford it, do it. You won't be disappointed. You'll be one of 300 instead of one of 4-5000.
Is there a drink package included in a Heaven booking? And are gratuities for the package extra.
❤ great introduction. Can you tell me how much the ten day costed per person.
Haven is the best it is worth the experience! 🎉
Other lines also have a big focus on their suites, like MSC or Celebrity. NCL, however, seems to have some of the largest Suite exclusive areas.
The ship within a ship is an interesting concept. I’ll probably never sail on a suite; the room itself may be affordable but the extra tangible and intangible benefits do add to the price tag. Still, I definitely see why people love it and why cruise lines focus on suites a lot. For some it feels too decadent but others like the privacy but still getting to use other part of the ship or sailing with large families.
Nice video explaining and showing off the video of the Haven! Can’t wait to see more of your videos.
Did have 1 question, does NCL give you like a form to fill out to give your butler the first day or did you guys write a letter detailing some preferences because you knew you would have one?
There's no form, so you have to act on your own to write a letter. A standard form would make a lot of sense, but might cause too much extra work for the butler if people are provided the opportunity to ask for extras. Unlike some luxury lines, Haven butlers are responsible for a LOT of staterooms at one time.
We have cruised on celebrity, retreat class. Sounds very similar to haven.
@@cruiseshipblitz I thought the Haven came with a personal butler?
@@rgruenhaus The wording states you get a personal butler according to what I've read, but that butler also serves other Haven staterooms. Perhaps it is poor wording on NCL's promotion material to make one think the butler for your stateroom is yours and yours alone. I would think it wouldn't be very practical nor cost efficient for NCL.
Is it true that the Haven butler and concierge don’t any of the pooled tip money?
This was helpful ty. Was it still worth it if there are 4 days of port visits? Do you feel we will stil get to enjoy all the extra amenities lounges restaurants etc? Thanks!
great video, sailing prima jan in haven, can you tell me if cocktails are free without drink package? thanks.
Thank you for comments we are sailing on the Haven in 116 days. How did you get a letter to the concierge?
If I ever do a cruise, I guess the Haven is the way to go for me.
Is the Haven restaurant food included in the price of the room ? Or do you have to pay extra to eat there?
Looks great, at the detriment to regular cruising.
We just got back from a NCL cruise and it was the worst cruise experience we’ve ever had on any of the five cruise lines we’ve sailed. I want to emphasize that this is taking into consideration the effects of the pandemic. (We understood that things have not entirely returned to normal.)
The food was subpar compared to other lines, unless you were prepared to pay extra. There were fewer included options than on other large cruise lines. There was more up-charging than on other cruise lines too. Unfortunately, this was my first and last NCL cruise.
Sounds like you over expected, and are hard to please??
I totally agree with you regarding NCL. I've sailed one time, and will never go back. The food and service was very subpar. I'm used to premium lines like Holland America, Celebrity, and Oceania. With that being said, NCL has a huge cult following. They are extremely popular (even before the Haven came to be), and people will defend them til the end.
@@jaywoods378 NCL has become too expensive. A few years ago, I booked a mini-suite for $950 for a 7-day cruise. This year, they wanted $2,000 and $1,200 for an interior cabin (different dates), for 5-day cruises.
I’m sailing on the Haven in a couple weeks is the premium beverage package i.e. the more expensive alcohol included in the Haven or do I have to purchase it separately as a package?
Tell me more about this letter you wrote, what did you include? We set sail 6/21 around Italy!
Is the haven cigar friendly in the outside areas?
Would love to see a copy of the letter you gave your butler for ideas.
My wife and I have booked a balcony and a daily rate just for service was $ 40 a day .Is there a service charge at Haven pre day for the room
So we’re just not going to talk about what happened at 00:25? lol 😂
She's got moves
I heard the Haven restaurant menu doesn't change for the duration of the cruise. Is that still the case?
Thank you for the videos! If you are in a Haven room and have the free at sea, will being a Haven guest allow you to have the better drinks say a better whisky like Woodford? and not need to upgrade to the free at sea premium plus...
Still drinks up to $15 are included anything more you pay the difference.
My wife and I Have done Haven Class and The Retreat Class on Celebrity. They were both great and worth the money. But if food is your thing, Oceania is the way to go.
I've heard this, I really need to give them a try!
Are tips included or do I have to tip every person ?
Loved the haven wouldn’t go any other way
You mention the music blasting at the pool deck, but every Norwegian cruise has an adult's only pool area without loud music. So you don't have to be in the Haven to get away from the noise.
Hello!
Great video and tips! My question is the following. Is it worth to do it with a 3 year old girl, my daughter? Is it worth it to stay in The Haven with kids? We are going on on a 5 day cruise on the Breakaway. Thank you
There were quite a few families on our pre-Easter cruise on the Getaway. The kids took over the hot tubs, but it was a cool sailing. The Haven staff bent over backwards to make sure the kids had things they wanted to eat. If you can afford it, no harm.
Nice
Can you bring up a regular passenger?
Nice review! Just booked a Haven for the 1st time. Curious, how did you tip the Haven staff? I heard they weren't included in the general "tip pool". Did you use cash and envelope method (old school)? TIA 🚢
We tipped cash at the end of the cruise, mostly for the staff we interacted frequently with
@@cruiseshipblitzWe are sailing on the Epic for a 10-day Mediterranean cruise in the Haven this summer & are very curious how much you tipped the Butler, & the room steward. It sounds like the Butler is not around much. We want to be prepared. We are in a 2-bedroom suite in the Haven. We are a family of 4. Our boys are quite grown at 17 & 21.
Were there any extra charges you didn't know about? Was food and drinks included? How much did yiu have to rip your butler?
I've been tempted by The Haven or Yacht Club but it would have to be on a ship I've sailed before, otherwise, I'd feel pulled in both directions.
You might be right! I think that if I had been on the ship in other rooms and then do the Haven I could be satisfied with my comparison! Though I didn't like hearing that a butler cares for several rooms/guests in the Haven! I have seen other videos where it was put forward that a butler is dedicated!
Watching this video made feel like i could achieve this level of the fancier life when we all know thats impossible
What kind of stuff did you write in your letter?
What a shame people don’t subscribe to the channel.. tip for next videos ask people to subscribe in the first 3 minutes… keep up the good work
Thanks for the support!
Can you comment as to the additional gratuities in the Haven. I've been told that in addition to the normal gratuities, you should tip your concierge extra as their services aren't included. However, I can't find any standard rules/rates for what that should look like?
The concierge and butler are not included in the prepaid gratuities. We googled what the average was. It depends on how much you use them. We didn’t use the concierge as much, but still tipped them.
If the butler has several guest rooms they are not dedicated? Once you touch base with the Concierge to set everything up for the cruise you might not need them later I suppose!
Do Haven guests get free passes to the spa?
Any input on how to navigate the Haven when you're with family and they don't have a Haven room?
It’s pretty simple: they can’t come into the Haven.
HOWEVER, they can take advantage of some of your Concierge benefits like reservations for dining, shows, or excursions so long as you’re the one making them
Is the food in the haven restaurant included on the haven? You didn’t say so it’s very confusing
Ok will try bid upgrade. See things in video not know.
Are the specialty restaurants on the ship included on the haven? Or do you still have to pay extra for them?
You still have to pay extra. Honestly, the food in The Haven is better than anything in the specialty restaurants, but if you’re looking for variety the option is open to you
We tried a specialty the first night. After we did the Haven the next day we cancelled the other specialty dinners.
yes. ALWAYS THE HAVEN
Sounds like awesome service. i've been using $20-$30 per day tip for the butler for 2 people. is that still good? We're going in January to the Caribbean
I have no official answer... But we just tipped our butler $150 for a 7 day trip for a party of 4. We didn't ask much of him other than the regular duties. I am hoping we didn't disappoint him.
Wehave a cruise booked for September and we just put in a bid for the Haven… can you do a video on tipping? If we get it we have no idea what to tip at the end of the week..
I'm working on a whole video about cruise tipping, will probably drop later this week
If you get The Haven upgrade (I hope you do, it's worth it!) You'll definitely have to tip more than if you're in a normal stateroom. Butler and Concierge do not get gratuities as part of the normal service charge
@@cruiseshipblitz groovy.. looking forward to it!
@@cruiseshipblitz I have heard that a winning bid to the Haven will not come with all Haven perks as well as no extra latitudes points! Wonder if that's true?
How do you put in a bid for the Haven?
@@sircharlesmormont9300 once your cruise is booked you can do it in the website once your logged in.
Is it true that the Haven has special spa access? What is that like?
I think the only “special access” would be the fact you may be able to get a reservation that otherwise wouldn’t be available
Outside of that, I believe admission to the thermal suite is still extra
Having the private pool area would be worth it.
Will the lifeboats be seated according to class??
They should!! Just like the good ole days!!
I am still laughing...nice sense of humor. By the way, I can barely swim.
If you have family aboard who are not in the haven, can they come to some of the pool or dining?
Unfortunately, no. Only Haven guests are allowed to use the pool or the Haven restauraunt; however, non-Haven family guests can join in reservations made through the Haven concierge (think theater shows, specialty dining, etc.)
Don’t bring non-Haven riff raff into the Haven!!
There was a computer company that relied on word of mouth and the commodore 64 and the Amiga computer died because of it! Sad that NCL relies on RUclips when they should know their own product and make their own videos! Nothing like questions and answers from the horses mouth! Individual perspective is nice but each experience can be different!How staff takes care of a person with a ton of money and a person who won a bid to the Haven can be totally different!
My experience with the Heaven restaurant food was getting boring with the same food everyday