Cruising in the Haven on Norwegian

 

    Norwegian's Haven is a "Ship within a Ship" concept that allows people to experience small ship luxury while also having access to large ship amenities. Fewer people and exclusive areas allow people to truly experience Norwegian's "Freestyle" cruising.  There's always a lounger by the pool, a cozy chair in the Observation Lounge, or a table in the restaurant when you're ready for them, no camping out or reservations required.

    The suite rooms are located both within the Haven and on other decks, but all have access to the special Haven common areas.  On the Norwegian Joy these include the Haven Lounge, Restaurant, Library, Observation Lounge, indoor pool area, and sun deck.  There are a limited number of Haven rooms and only passengers in those rooms may enter the Haven common areas, making them quieter with much more availability.  In order to use a lounge chair by the main pool on just about any mainline cruise ship you have to be up pretty early in the morning and camp out your spot.  In the Haven you should be able to get a seat in the pool area or on the sun deck pretty much any time you want. The same can be said of the other common areas in the Haven. 

    

    The staff to passenger ratio in the Haven is smaller than that on the rest of the ship so the service is superior.  I found that they were very good at remembering names and preferences which makes each passenger feel special. If you are sitting in any of the common areas, except the library, staff will come by to see if there's anything you need.  They are happy to bring you something to eat or drink and engage in conversation if you are so inclined. 

    In the restaurant your glass will never be empty and you will never leave hungry.  The menu stays the same each day, but there is so much variety that we were certainly never bored.  A few members of our family thought it was phenomenal that they could have steak and lobster for dinner every night!  The Haven Observation Lounge, known on the Joy as the Horizon Lounge, came well stocked with delicious treats in the morning and the evening.  I often woke up early and went to do my Bible Study while enjoying "First Breakfast" and a delicious latte while watching the sun rise, then meeting my family for "Second Breakfast" a few hours later in the restaurant.  One of my favorite treats was the "DIY Trail Mix" bar provided every afternoon in the Horizon Lounge. They had all manner of nuts and dried fruits as well as candies.  I even packaged up a little on the last day to take home with me, which turned out to be a really good thing when we ended up driving home! In addition to all this, canapes, or small treats, were brought to our room every afternoon - most of which we were too stuffed to enjoy, but it was really thoughtful.

    The sun deck wrapped around from port to starboard across the front of the ship.  It had multiple hot tubs, comfy padded loungers and huge 2-person chairs, and cabanas for relaxing in the sun.  Sadly, it was pretty chilly during our cruise as California was unseasonably cool.  The kids still spent plenty of time in the hot tubs and the indoor pool area offered a great place to relax when it was too cold to go outside. Waiters made the rounds here too, bringing people drinks and snacks so they could maximize their relaxation time.

    Another benefit of staying in the Haven was the concierge staff.  They were ever present to make or reschedule reservations as you had need and escort you to other events on the ship.  At show time they would take you through the back areas of the ship directly to the theater where a seat had been reserved for you. When we came into a port they would whisk us directly to the tender boat or gangway, skipping in front of whatever line had been waiting for who knows how long. They even went out of their way to coordinate with the cleaning crew for the deck above me and ask them to set up the chairs later so I could sleep.

    Our embarkation and disembarkation was prioritized so we were the first to board the ship and we were able to leave on the last day at a time that suited us. When we were returning to the ship on the tender we also were able to skip the line and hop right on the waiting boat.

    So, what are the downsides of the Haven?  Well, of course, the price.  All this does not come cheap my friend, but our family is together so rarely and we were able to enjoy so much more time together that for us, this was worth it.  The amenities in the Haven are so awesome that it is less likely that you will want to go out and explore the rest of the ship.  I didn't feel like I missed out though!  The kids did go out and enjoy the entertainment in the evening and the pool and slides during the day at times.  Finally, as expressed by one member of our party, the Haven spoils you for a regular cruise experience.  If this would be a one-time opportunity for you, keep in mind that your next trip might be tarnished by the lack of exclusivity you enjoyed while cruising in the Haven!

Here's the thing: Would I do it again?  Yes.  If money was no object or we were celebrating something very special I would enjoy cruising in the Haven again.  I might, though, prefer to try out one of the smaller, luxury lines that offers the same experience on the entire ship for a similar price.  Time will tell!