GatorMomInNC
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2011
- Messages
- 2,282
In September, we returned from a week long Med cruise on the Norwegian Epic in a 2 bedroom Haven Suite.
Originally we were booked on the Magic for a week, back to back with the Transatlantic, which would have been my dream cruise, but since I began a full time job this year I couldn't take 3 weeks off. Since we were down to a one week port intensive cruise on the Magic, I figured I would look around for cheaper options. I ended up booking 2 other cruises, the Epic and the RCCL Freedom of the Seas. I then gave my kids the choice of which they liked and they voted for the Epic, mainly due to the water sides and rock climbing wall. I was nervous about going on NCL for the first time, especially since it is such a large ship, but since it was also the cheapest of the three choices I thought, why fight it??
I know many people think giving specifics on money is tacky, but let's face it, for many of us looking outside of DCL it is to find something more affordable, so I really think the cost comparison is important. The costs of the three cruises (2A2C), all for balcony rooms, was NCL $3900 (including free drinks and about $340 in OBC); RCCL $4500; and DCL $5200 (that was an OBB price with $200 in OBC). Of course, the DCL room was bigger than the other 2 cruise lines, although I don't really remember all the specifics. The ports were pretty much the same, they all left out of Barcelona.
My sister was considering coming on the cruise so she booked a Solo cabin just in case. These are 100 sq. ft. inside cabins they have on the Epic just for single travelers, with their own lounge and social gatherings, which is something I think more cruise lines should do.
As I researched and prepared for the cruise, and as final payment date neared, I began to worry about the size of the room. My husband doesn't cruise very often and isn't a big fan. He is also claustrophobic, and with 4 of us in the room, I was starting to wonder if he would be miserable. I became obsessed with the Haven, the more I read about it. It was just hard to justify spending so much more when I was also spending so much on the flights and the excursions. But when my sister decided she was definitely coming along I proposed that she stay in the smaller room of the 2 bedroom Haven suite and her portion of the room - which was about the same as what she would have paid in the Solo room, would supplement the cost of the room for us. In return she would get access to the balcony and all of the perks of the Haven. It made the room more affordable for us, but I think I would have done it even without her.
In the end, we booked the 2 br/2 ba Haven suite for 5. The cost for the 5 of us, inclusive of drink package for 2, 250 minutes of internet time, 3 nights in specialty restaurant (for 2) and $600 in OBC, and MOST tips (more on that later) was $8k. Obviously, this is pretty steep for a 7 night cruise, I think we actually got a good value. Especially compared to DCL - if I had to upgrade to a Concierge room on DCL (which I am not even sure sleeps 5??) or even just the balcony room that sleeps 5, or 2 rooms, I would have surely spent more than this, and would not have had the drink package.
I will spare you the complicated story of our flight arrangements and how my husband almost got stranded in Miami on the cusp of Hurricane Irma, and ended up losing his business class seats and how American Airlines done him wrong...suffice it to say we all ended up in Barcelona on Saturday 9/9, the night before our cruise. We spent the night at the Marriott Diagonal using points. Honestly, I was so tired, I can't even recall what the rooms looked like, I just wanted to go to bed.
Originally we were booked on the Magic for a week, back to back with the Transatlantic, which would have been my dream cruise, but since I began a full time job this year I couldn't take 3 weeks off. Since we were down to a one week port intensive cruise on the Magic, I figured I would look around for cheaper options. I ended up booking 2 other cruises, the Epic and the RCCL Freedom of the Seas. I then gave my kids the choice of which they liked and they voted for the Epic, mainly due to the water sides and rock climbing wall. I was nervous about going on NCL for the first time, especially since it is such a large ship, but since it was also the cheapest of the three choices I thought, why fight it??
I know many people think giving specifics on money is tacky, but let's face it, for many of us looking outside of DCL it is to find something more affordable, so I really think the cost comparison is important. The costs of the three cruises (2A2C), all for balcony rooms, was NCL $3900 (including free drinks and about $340 in OBC); RCCL $4500; and DCL $5200 (that was an OBB price with $200 in OBC). Of course, the DCL room was bigger than the other 2 cruise lines, although I don't really remember all the specifics. The ports were pretty much the same, they all left out of Barcelona.
My sister was considering coming on the cruise so she booked a Solo cabin just in case. These are 100 sq. ft. inside cabins they have on the Epic just for single travelers, with their own lounge and social gatherings, which is something I think more cruise lines should do.
As I researched and prepared for the cruise, and as final payment date neared, I began to worry about the size of the room. My husband doesn't cruise very often and isn't a big fan. He is also claustrophobic, and with 4 of us in the room, I was starting to wonder if he would be miserable. I became obsessed with the Haven, the more I read about it. It was just hard to justify spending so much more when I was also spending so much on the flights and the excursions. But when my sister decided she was definitely coming along I proposed that she stay in the smaller room of the 2 bedroom Haven suite and her portion of the room - which was about the same as what she would have paid in the Solo room, would supplement the cost of the room for us. In return she would get access to the balcony and all of the perks of the Haven. It made the room more affordable for us, but I think I would have done it even without her.
In the end, we booked the 2 br/2 ba Haven suite for 5. The cost for the 5 of us, inclusive of drink package for 2, 250 minutes of internet time, 3 nights in specialty restaurant (for 2) and $600 in OBC, and MOST tips (more on that later) was $8k. Obviously, this is pretty steep for a 7 night cruise, I think we actually got a good value. Especially compared to DCL - if I had to upgrade to a Concierge room on DCL (which I am not even sure sleeps 5??) or even just the balcony room that sleeps 5, or 2 rooms, I would have surely spent more than this, and would not have had the drink package.
I will spare you the complicated story of our flight arrangements and how my husband almost got stranded in Miami on the cusp of Hurricane Irma, and ended up losing his business class seats and how American Airlines done him wrong...suffice it to say we all ended up in Barcelona on Saturday 9/9, the night before our cruise. We spent the night at the Marriott Diagonal using points. Honestly, I was so tired, I can't even recall what the rooms looked like, I just wanted to go to bed.
