I stayed in the exclusive VIP area of Norwegian's new cruise ship: Here's what $5,150 gets you
Norwegian Cruise Line's latest ship, Norwegian Aqua, has a section exclusive to its highest-paying guests.
The Haven includes 123 suites and a private restaurant, bar, lounge, and two-floor pool deck.
These high-end cabins start at $5,150 per person for a weeklong cruise this summer.
The amenities on Norwegian's new ship are fairly routine, at least as mass-market cruises go.
There's a water playground for toddlers, and a hybrid roller coaster-waterslide for taller kids. There's an LED sports court for groups of hoop-shooting teens and a pickleball court for groups of weaker-kneed adults.
But the two-month-old Aqua has one secret that most of the ship's guests can't — or won't be allowed to — catch a glimpse of: the Haven.
The Haven is a mini luxury ship hidden within the walls of the massive vessel.
The Haven is a collection of Norwegian Aqua's highest-end suites with access to an exclusive lounge.
On paper, this shared space has all the amenities of a typical cruise (like a pool and restaurant), except quieter, upscale, and more service-forward.
This exclusivity has been a big selling point for a cruise line that doesn't usually target luxury travelers.
The company increased its count of Haven cabins from 107 on its previous Prima-class ships to 123 on the new Prima Plus-class Norwegian Aqua.
Demand is outpacing the expansion.
About 9% of Norwegian Aqua's 1,387 cabins are in The Haven.
The limited inventory means they're in hot demand.
These high-end accommodations are reserved faster than other stateroom categories — often about four months before sailing, the cruise line told Business Insider.
The Haven is sold out for about half of the ship's seven-day Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida, this summer.
A 'haven' from what? Noise, crowds, and, maybe more subliminally, the less wealthy.
The most affordable Haven option left for this summer, a balcony cabin in early August, starts at about $5,150 per person.
The cost is steep compared to a standard (albeit smaller) non-Haven balcony stateroom, which is about $1,900 per person on the same voyage.
Is paying almost triple the price for a somewhat similar accommodation worth it? Well, it depends on how much you value exclusivity and service.
The Haven Lounge is gated from the rest of the ship behind keycard-activated glass doors.
Life past these doors feels less like a commercial cruise and more like a luxury ship.
The contemporary lounge is grounded with bright, neutral decor. It's as trendy (à la some statement furniture) as it is cozy (with plenty of couches and decorative books).
Find the concierge desk if you need to make a spa reservation.
Or, if you're looking for a peaceful afternoon, snag one of the windowside seats and a drink from the bar.
The watering hole is hard to miss, with an opulent art deco elan that commands a glimpse or two from any passerby.
Bespoke beverages from a bespoke bar.
You could indulge in a sugary margarita. But why bother with the conventional when the drinks here are nothing like those outside the Haven?
For one (or four), it uses in-house infused vermouths, liqueurs, spirits, and bitters. And if you're feeling especially daring, you could ask the bartenders to create a customized cocktail based on your ideal base and taste (refreshing versus spirit-forward, classic versus adventurous).
If you're feeling peckish, head to the adjacent restaurant.
No need to restlessly queue up at the main breakfast buffet for some lukewarm bacon.
In the morning, the Haven Restaurant serves classics like eggs Benedict and other options like shrimp toast — all to be paired with a line-up of pastries and cold cuts from a small buffet.
Enjoy your lunch at one of the outdoor tables.
Satisfy your afternoon hunger with a fried seafood platter, lobster bisque, or Brie burger.
For dinner, head back for steak tartare, porcini risotto, and more lobster, this time in the appetizer deviled eggs and entrée surf and turf (with filet mignon, of course).
Nap off the food coma at the two-floor pool deck.
There are no hard plastic poolside chaises here. Every lounge chair is topped with a thick cushion and garnished with a head pillow.
If you're lucky, you can snag one of the cabanas (at no additional cost, unlike the cabanas out there).
The outdoor lounge also has a bar. If standing up requires too much energy, wait for a waiter to request your order.
Cool off in the infinity pool.
Or warm up in the two hot tubs on the top deck, where you'll find more lounge seating.
If you're temperature-confused, hop between the private sauna and ice room.
The Haven's location at the aft of the ship is strategic.
Its rear positioning blocks the chill from incoming headwinds while providing unobstructed ocean views from the infinity pool.
It may be inconvenient for guests who want to access amenities at the front of the ship (such as the theater and Observation Lounge). Luckily, the private Haven keycard-activated elevators help expedite the journey.
Plus, there's no need to rush when you get priority for almost everything.
The Haven's amenities don't stop at the elevator doors.
In addition to this exclusive space, Haven guests also have a cabin butler, reserved seating for theater shows, and priority embarkation, debarkation, and tendering — an underrated benefit when visiting Norwegian's private island, which will require taking a tender to shore until a pier is completed at the end of the year.
That alone could make the Haven worth every penny.
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