The Haven is an exclusive key-card-access enclave on the upper passenger decks of select Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) cruise ships. It offers spacious and well-appointed accommodations, exceptional customer service, and premium food. The Haven is located on decks 17 and 18 forward and is a private key-card-access enclave for guests staying in one of The Haven suites. The Haven is a ship-within-a-ship concept, providing guests with the most luxurious, well-appointed, and spacious accommodations.
The Haven offers ocean views, a wet bar, and two spacious balconies. These suites include a king-size bed, additional bedding, and additional bedding that can be upgraded. The Haven also features a 24-hour butler service, concierge service, and a variety of other luxurious spaces on the Norwegian Aqua.
The Haven is a popular choice for Norwegian Cruise Line passengers, offering a unique and luxurious experience. The Haven offers a private elevator that takes guests to their exclusive enclave, where they can enjoy the services of their concierge. The Haven is a must-visit destination for those seeking a luxurious and exclusive experience on Norwegian Cruise Line ships.
📹 Norwegian Cruise Line The Haven Review — Worth the Money?
In this video, I discuss all the features and benefits that come with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)’s “The Haven” experience.
📹 The Haven | Norwegian Cruise Line
Hidden away at the top of the ship is The Haven by Norwegian, home to our most luxurious, well-appointed and spacious …
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 🙂
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.
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
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.
Great article 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.
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.
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?
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 article.
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
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.
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 article explaining and showing off the article of the Haven! Can’t wait to see more of your articles. 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?
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.
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.
Priority disembarkation is useless! Especially if you are taking your own bags off and use a wheelchair assist. Paying $2k for most other rooms each and Paying $10k each in the Haven is a difference of one cruise or 4 cruises. You also need to have plenty of BIG tip money for all the services you already paid for!
I traveled on the escape out of New York, going to Bermuda on the heaven I found it to be not worth the money. The pool was slimy. Nobody running drinks. They had the beach club closed. The comic was making fun of people from the haven. I would rather have done a two week cruise with somebody else and spend all that money on 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 YouTube when they should know their own product and make their own articles! 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 issue with things like the Haven is that it feels like they’re just bringing back the segregation of the old days like on ocean liners. One of things that appeals to me about cruising is that even if you have the smallest, cheapest cabin, you do still have access to everything on the ship. It feels like a step backwards from the egalitarianism they’ve had for so long.
NCL is the worst line by far. Can’y even say it’s better than Carnival, yet more expensive. Not even close to the others. You literally must get a Haven cabin or forget about it. NCL’s Breakaway Class ships are the same as Royal’s Quantum Class. On the Quantum Class ships the area NCL dedicates to the Haven guest is an indoor for all pool/hot tubs and bar area and a magnificent indoor adults only area called the Solarium for all over 18 with pool/hot tubs/bar and bistro. NCL charges over $200 per person to enter the adults only deck area. Everything on NCL is pay to play. Nothing is Free!(that’s marketing) Right now Virgin is serving up the best food. Love Royal Caribbean’s food and Carnival’s deck food. Found the food on NCL not up to par, even in the Haven.