Passengers exit by walking across a gangway in this circumstance. The ship has a great range of dining venues, one of the most popular live shows on the entire fleet with Burn The Floor, and a huge amount of venues for guests of all ages, including great kids and teens clubs. With a passenger capacity of 3,804, not to mention its 1,821 crew members on board, the Norwegian Joy is like a little community of travelers with just enough people to make a large neighborhood. Each morning, our butler (who was shared with 8 other Haven staterooms) arrived with a pot of coffee and almond croissants. How Many Cabins Are on The Norwegian Epic? Located in and amongst the enclave is the all-suite accommodation section of the Haven. Inside the complex, there's a private restaurant so you never have to eat in the same room with non-Haven passengers. Read about my attempt to test every dish at its 11 venues in four days to find out. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Here are my first impressions of Norwegian Prima after getting a sneak peek at it this week in advance of its first official sailing on Saturday. In this video, I discuss all the features and benefits that come with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)'s "The Haven" experience. It spreads over parts of three decks one more than on earlier ships. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. The key unique features will be extra open spaces on deck and a focus on even better service, with a higher staff-to-guest ratio ensuring you never have to wait for everything. Hi, I'm Jenni. On embarkation day, expect to find drinks and snacks waiting at your dining table. For women, it includes summer and casual dresses, skirts, regular or capri pants, shorts, jeans and tops. Millions of travelers rely on Cruise Hive in the United States, Europe, Australia, and around the world. It definitely felt small enough with the Haven. Norwegian is great at trendsetting, with entertainment from Blue Man Group and Second City. This is all relative, of course. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. Find cheap Norwegian (NCL) cruises on Tripadvisor. Aesthetically, both ships have contemporary decor. Thats helped by the shorter itineraries Norwegian Sky specialises in 3-5 day cruising. One factor contributing to what was a "Woah, there's maybe way too much jammed up here" feeling upon first seeing the top deck of Norwegian Prima is that, as has increasingly been the case with Norwegian ships in recent years, large chunks of it are closed off to regular passengers. Additionally, you will receive invitations to cocktail parties and have the chance to socialize with the officers of the ship. Very subjective..we love the quiet smaller Haven of the Gem and the Jewel, not crazy about the Breakaway, we just like the smaller personalized service as opposed to the Mega Haven even with the added amenities. The newest ships in Norwegian's fleet offer the largest variety of balcony and suite categories as well as the immensely popular solo travelers' cabins. As proof, just consider how in the 2018 refurbishment the ships waterslide was removed, while two new bars were added. 1. Does it get crowded in the courtyard? It seemed as if every few hours, someone swung by with a bowl of fruit or finger sandwiches. ft. sleeps 3), For a cozy spa experience, this is the spot. Executives hint at an answer. TPG values it at $1,600. The outdoor lounge area at the Haven includes a stunning infinity pool that appears to flow right off the back of the vessel. The line has been a pioneer among big-ship lines in taking promenades to a new level by making them wider and adding venues to draw passengers out onto them. The main highlights of Norwegian Jewel are the live entertainment, including comedy and magic shows, and the food. Even if I had my opinion is exactly that, a single opinion. Suite amenities include pluses like a cappuccino machine, luxury bath products and a welcome bottle of sparkling wine, as well as fruit and bottled water, on embarkation day. They feature two bedrooms with king-size beds, a double sofa bed, two bathrooms with jetted showers and a large balcony to gather together and enjoy the beautiful views or snuggle under the stars. Evening dining attire in the The Haven Lounge for women includes slacks or jeans, dresses, skirts and tops. (While youre exploring, the certified suite butler will likely be unpacking your suitcase and checking to see that everything is in order!). You'll find the equally sculptural Onda by Scarpetta, a high-end Italian eatery, right off its top level, and a string of stylish restaurants with new-for-Norwegian themes not far from its midlevel. The Haven offers unparalleled accommodations aboard Norwegian Cruise Line vessels, and offers guests private access to exclusive spaces such as The Haven Lounge and The Haven Restaurant (Or, if on a Jewel-class ship, a dedicated speciality restaurant that is used for exclusive breakfast and lunch offerings). The Haven allows passengers to enjoy everything from a private bar and lounge to a custom restaurant, secluded sun deck and calm courtyard, without ever leaving the suite complex. If you're a fan of the line, this is the new ship you can't wait to book. Up to $15 per drink is included in the price of wine by the glass, beer, and spirits. When Norwegian Cruise Line announced their upcoming ship, the Prima, they made quite the splash. The ship is well maintained, with the refurbishment helping to breathe fresh life into a ship that remains popular for a lot of younger adults. As they say "different strokes for different folks". Why? This isnt a list based just on my opinion. Included in your cruise fare are the services of a concierge and butler. If you dont want to go take this option, however, keep in mind that the Haven also has a variety of connecting rooms, although keep in mind that you cant stick two children in a cabin of their own. For a cruise ship to have over 100 solo cabins is incredibly high. When pricing out cabins on Norwegian Prima in a Haven Penthouse balcony versus a standard balcony cabin, the cost is 2.5 to 3x more. To get from the main pool to the entryway to the go-kart track, for instance, you have to walk through the top-of-the-ship Surfside Cafe buffet. Boasting privacy and tranquility, as well as some of the best ocean views onboard, this top-deck hideaway is a retreat in itself. Rather than waiting at extended security checkpoints, you have a special line for quick processing. 265 reviews. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Did Norwegian Cruise Line make its new ships too small? Ive then looked at the average score for each ship on those three sites to rank the ships in order. Enrollment required. Id be willing to bet I spent quite a bit less time (and money) in the casino than I typically might, opting instead to relax at The Haven bar or watch the free in-room movies that were one of the many perks. The Haven is the all-suite section of Norwegian Cruise Line ships, accessible by keycard-holders only. Norwegian Prima has the best Haven in terms of quality of features as the newest ship in the fleet, it has the best examples of Haven features including the restaurant and infinity pool. But which is the favourite of cruise travellers which of the ships do they see as the best? Ive been on some including the inaugural sailing for Norwegian Encore and the oldest ship Norwegian Spirit but not enough that I can have a genuine opinion of my own on each ship. Our phone broke one night and when she came to check on us, she was able to get it repaired ASAP. Norwegian Breakaway 4.464. Unfortunately, I suspect this will create some traffic jams in the buffet once the ship is fully up and running. (Perhaps the reason it ranks near the top of the list is because I got to entertain passengers back in the day as part of a handbell choir special performance on a Caribbean cruise!). Norwegian Epic - Best Deals in December 2023. posh was great. On the other hand, Carnival has . The largest ship in the NCL fleet is Norwegian Encore, the last of the Breakaway Plus ships. Not only is the Ocean Boulevard on Norwegian Prima roomier than ever, but it'll absorb a lot of passengers on sea days who otherwise would be packing the top decks of the ship. We've had concierges (not on the Skynever cruised on her) that were always checking up by phone and personal visit, and we just found it unnecessarily intrusive to the point of becoming annoying by the end of the cruise. My only quibble with all the aforementioned deck-top attractions is that it may be too much. The major criticism levelled at the ship is more to do with the excursions offered in Alaska, which dont get you as close to nature as they do with other cruise lines. LauraS When I cruised the next suite on Epic, the Haven area was nice but never did the concierge ever say hello or ask if we needed anything. With up to 875 sq. As a Norwegian Cruise Line Haven passenger, youll find more benefits here. Norwegian Cruise Line's ship, the Norwegian Epic has five cruises sailing in December 2023. Makes me think "motel" pool. In what is a technological marvel to watch, the entire lower deck of seating in the theater slides away to create a giant dance floor. It also has just as robust an array of onboard entertainment, including a real Broadway show (the Tony Award-nominated "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical") in a stunner of a theater that converts late at night into a dance club. This is totally subjective. Despite being 14% smaller than Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Prima has a go-kart track that is 22% larger than the one on that ship. Voted Best Accommodations, Porthole Magazine. Before we get into the full list, let me take a second to explain how Ive ranked the ships in order. This is in contrast to the spaciousness of the public areas in the interior of the ship. The only differences are that Encore has a bigger racetrack and laser tag arena, but at the cost of losing the Spice H2O bar area for adults only. Despite having done many sailings on Norwegian Cruise Line, the price-point of The Haven had always prevented me from booking. The colors are muted with warm light browns and creams punctured with cool blue accents a sharp departure from the bold color palettes found on many earlier Norwegian cruise ships. It really is elevated. While NCL pitches itself as a family-friendly cruise line, the newer ships definitely have a lot more to do onboard, and are more about the at-sea experience. Another big perk as far as I was concerned came at the end of the week. A ship's traveler rating is provided under license by Cruiseline.com, which manages one of the largest databases of cruise reviews and ratings by travelers. The impacted cruise is the ship's March 19, 2023 departure, a 7-night roundtrip . Is Carnival or Norwegian better? The concierge threw in a bottle of wine at Cagneys for no reason other than she took care of her guests. Taking a bite-the-bullet approach, I booked an amazing two-bedroom suite and invited Doug (aka Mr. Cruise Radio) along for the ride. Small fees, like the charge for room service, are waived for passengers in suites on Norwegian Cruise Line. Richard is the executive editor of Soaps.com and the author of several novels. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. Ample seating in both sunny and shaded sections provide a comfortable spot to lounge in or out of the sun. You can mix and match what you want from any of the venues and order them to your table with a few taps on the tablet that you'll find at every table. It's unlikely I'll cruise on the BA again, but if I do there's no way I would take a cabin that didn't have Haven accessit made the experience tolerable. has written about cruising for more than 25 years and for many years oversaw USA Todays award-winning cruise site. Spa Suites have priority access to the Mandara Spa and other spa-themed privileges (available only on Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Epic). Also created by Studio Dado, Nama boasts a cream-and-orange color palette and suspended light fixtures subtly inspired by masago (fish eggs) and a reception desk that hints at the marbling pattern found on fish. Enchanted with cruising from my first voyage in the Bahamas on the SS Emerald Seas to Alaskas Inside Passage. Norwegian Cruise Line's Haven might be the suite experience for you. But the ship itself isn't ridiculously giant in the way that many recent megaships from big-ship lines have been and it doesn't carry the same sort of massive number of passengers. From a practical point of view, that's a big deal. Its cabins are sleek and modern. Star was the first ship that was designed with the Freestyle Cruising mantra in mind and yes, there is a lot of choice on board and an atmosphere that is worlds apart from traditional cruise formality. One of the newest ships in the NCL fleet, Norwegian Prima is the first in the Prima Class and it feels like a lot of lessons have been learned from the Breakaway and Breakaway Plus classes. Forty-two of these luxurious suites are on decks 15 and 16. You and your baggage have been whisked to an area of the ship known as the Norwegian Cruise Line Haven. The Haven allows passengers to enjoy everything from a private bar and lounge to a custom restaurant, secluded sun deck and calm courtyard, without ever leaving the suite complex. An upcoming sailing of Norwegian Epic is being changed, with one port of call cancelled and another extended. In my basic balcony cabin, there was just a relatively small area of built-in closet space. Yet it just wasnt executed in the most thought-out way. The FFS cruise will set sail on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship in . Ive chosen these three because theyre independent, and because they have a lot of reviews. In particular, the pre-cruise customer service gets a bit of a hammering, but people generally love the experience on the ship. And, a large balcony awaits. Neither ship has the Haven suite-only area but does feature suites. It does have very stylish decor, and the Alaskan summer itineraries are definitely more attractive to those who prefer sightseeing over partying. Guests staying in this exclusive and . It might be interesting to read which ships I liked best but it wouldnt necessarily be useful. Its lounge chairs are plush and upscale. Double balcony is offered on Norwegian Dawn. (4,451 sq. The best NCL ship for adults depends on your cruise style. (2,378 sq. ;). These luxurious suites are on decks 15 and 16 and spirits about my to. Attractions is that it may be too much the cost Epic is being changed, with entertainment from Blue Group... With non-Haven passengers Cruise is the all-suite section of the ship this contains! Socialize with the officers of the Haven lounge for women includes slacks or jeans, dresses skirts... A fan of the best of Soaps.com and the food bars were added have! Both sunny and shaded sections provide a comfortable spot to lounge in or out of the is. The spaciousness of the public areas in the Bahamas on the Carnival Horizon Cruise ship in the full,... 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