Having cruised in inside cabins and oceanview cabins only prior to cruising with my kids, I made a snap decision after booking the NCL Getaway for a 5-day cruise from NYC to Bermuda to upgrade us to The Haven. It was the summer of 2022 and we hadn’t really been anywhere since the pandemic began and the price was pretty amazing (under $7K for 2 adults and 2 kids with the Free At Sea promo). Today’s prices are much higher! I am glad I was able to afford The Haven even if it’s the only time we ever get to sail in it. I was really excited to give my kids the ultimate experience and The Haven, her amenities and her staff did not disappoint.

I had read in many chat groups that if we were traveling in The Haven we could arrive anytime we wanted to at the port which was excellent (and accurate) advice. We made our way to Pier 88 in NYC - just a 30 minute ride from our home in Northern NJ. It had been more than 10 years since I had cruised, but it all came back to me. There were plenty of staff directing us where to go and find The Haven check in and all was easy until we discovered that we had been checked in at the wrong counter and given the wrong sea cards. WELL I NEVER! 😱 (Kidding.)The Haven team gave us a super quick fix and we waited in the lounge to get our correct cards. We were quickly escorted on board by a butler directly to our muster station where our cards where scanned in less than a minute. Our room was ready (before Noon) so we headed to check it out. Our cabin was an incredible AFT Haven 1 bedroom suite with a massive balcony that would be the highlight of our trip (more to come on the cabin). We changed into bathing suits and our butler directed us to the American Diner for a complimentary lunch. What a treat! We didn’t have to brave the buffet on embarkation day and it set the tone for a relaxed and picturesque sail away out of NY Harbor.