Lisbon/Galveston Transatlantic Review – NCL Viva in The Haven

Hi everyone, Okay, here I go—I haven’t done a cruise review in ages, and even longer since I’ve posted one on this forum. So, this is kinda your fault, Catherine, if I’m getting back into it... I just hope I haven’t lost my touch!

It’s a transatlantic cruise, so there are a lot of sea days. That means this review will mostly focus on the ship, especially the "Haven" section, which doesn’t get much coverage on this forum. There’ll definitely be some comparisons with MSC’s Yacht Club, since they’re direct competitors.

This will be my third cruise with NCL—a company I really love—but my first in The Haven.

My two previous cruises were on smaller ships: the NCL Sun for the Chilean fjords and the NCL Spirit in February 2025 in Asia, departing from Taiwan and arriving in Korea. I *loved* the Spirit.

Alright, let’s get started!

This trip was booked almost last-minute in early October for late November, after I had to cut short my August trip for medical reasons.

At first, when I looked at this cruise, I hadn’t specifically decided to go for The Haven. I wanted a relaxing cruise but still with destinations I hadn’t been to before. I kinda stumbled upon this one, and the itinerary appealed to me. I also found the balcony cabin price pretty good—around 2800 € for a balcony cabin (for two), all-inclusive package included. Not including flights, of course. In the end, we decided to try The Haven (obviously not the same price), but I think we got a great deal for the promised perks.

Itinerary: Departure from Lisbon, arrival in Galveston, Texas. Stops: St. Martin, St. Thomas, La Romana, Cabo Rojo, Falmouth in Jamaica.

Thanks Nathalie, it’s really sweet of you to jump in! It’s such a joy to read you again!!! I don’t know The Haven and I’m really excited to discover it.

HELLO For once, it’d be interesting to know the price for The Haven.

Hi, yes it’s planned ;)

Perfect! I think it's important to have all the details to form an opinion.

So, I’ll continue... Well, we won’t keep you in suspense then! 🙂

What made us decide on The Haven was the price—we really think we got a great deal. Normally, The Haven is expensive, even pricier than MSC’s Yacht Club.

I’d wanted to try it for ages, but the prices were always way too high.

This time, though, the price was 6300 € for both of us for two weeks. I also got a small 8% discount by booking through a travel agency, so the total came to around 5900 €. That price includes the room—we chose the "cheapest" suite. This cabin is a bit bigger than the Yacht Club’s balcony cabins, and the balcony is larger too, with a proper lounger, two chairs, and a big high table for eating. We really loved the layout—the bed, for example, is a king-size, and I’m not sure the YC has a king (I think it’s a queen, if I remember right). There’s tons of storage space. The bathroom is gorgeous, with a huge walk-in shower and separate toilet. The toiletries are L’Occitane, and they’re really nice. I’ll come back to the room with photos once I’m on board—I haven’t been there yet.

As for the price, it’s all-inclusive, and all drinks are covered up to $15 each (unlimited). In The Haven, you also get every type of coffee available, which isn’t the case on NCL even with the all-inclusive package. However, like the rest of the ship, bottled water isn’t included, but we had a carafe of water in the fridge every day. The price also includes the flight from Marseille to Lisbon. There was a flight deal, so I took it, and honestly, there was almost no difference in price with or without the flight. For a reasonable price, I could’ve added the return flight, but I didn’t for personal reasons—mostly Air France miles 😅. From what I remember, NCL charged around 600–650 € per person for the flight with Air France.

In this price, we also get 300 minutes of internet each. Yeah, it’s not unlimited. We also have 5 specialty restaurants included, and a $50 discount per person for one excursion.

That’s it for the price. I booked less than two months before departure—around October 5th or 6th, I think—for a November 27th departure.

It's now November 27th, and we have our flight to Lisbon at 6 AM. Originally, I had chosen to leave on the same day as the ship's departure, which was the 28th, but we were arriving relatively late. So, I got a bit stressed and changed the flight for an extra 50 € to arrive the day before. In the end, it wasn't necessary because we found out a few days before the cruise that due to strikes at the port of Lisbon, the ship wouldn't be able to depart on the 28th as planned. The ship will stay docked for three nights: the night of the 27th to disembark passengers from the previous cruise on the 28th as scheduled, and the night of the 28th since the ship can't leave before the 30th. Unfortunately, the stop in Punta Delgada has been canceled for the same reason. Of course, we were a bit disappointed, but these are the ups and downs of travel. In the end, I didn’t regret it because it allowed me to visit Sintra, which I didn’t know and is truly magnificent.

Nothing special to say about the flight—it's a TAP flight, and it was on time. The only drink service we had was water; there wasn’t even coffee. But it was a small plane with two seats per row, so it was fine. Upon arrival, there was no passport control since we’re in the Schengen Zone. We picked up our luggage and took an Uber to the hotel. For a one-night stay, I chose the Ibis Styles Liberdade, and it was really great—excellent value for money. We arrived at the hotel around 8:30 AM, and since we left home so early, we had breakfast at the hotel for 12 € per person. It was a very hearty buffet and really good. The hotel kindly upgraded us—well, we laugh about it at Accor—and gave us the room right after breakfast. Since we woke up at 3 AM, we took a little nap before heading out to explore Lisbon, a city we already knew but is really charming. The city center is beautiful and within walking distance from the hotel. After that, we used Ubers to get around. Unfortunately, Belém Tower is under renovation, so we ended up taking a walk by the seaside before returning to the hotel. We enjoyed the complimentary aperitif offered by the hotel and then had dinner at a small restaurant nearby. And then, bedtime 😴 Tomorrow is embarkation day. Due to the strike, we received instructions not to arrive at the port before 11 AM because luggage wouldn’t be handled before then. Since we went to bed early, we’ll wake up early... It’s now the 28th, and we’ll take the opportunity to stroll around the hotel and check out the Christmas markets while enjoying another excellent breakfast—with Portuguese pastries, of course.

Thanks for these “details” 😉 that really make things more concrete. The price is excellent! I love the Occitane products—we had them on Ponant a few years back. And the separate toilets are a real plus.

On the other hand, I'm struggling with the photos... I might have to try with the computer, but my phone just won't cooperate

Hi Nathalie, I’m so happy to read your post—thanks for making this review such a pleasure to read, and thanks to Catherine for convincing you.

What a great price, well done!

I also love NCL, except in the summer during school holidays 😕

Looking forward to the rest! 😎

Hey Nath!

For someone who hasn't done a travel journal in a while, I think you haven't lost your touch. We're just missing a few photos and it'll be perfect!

We had the chance to chat in PM about this cruise, and I think the price was really great. Sure, it's a transatlantic with quite a few sea days, but the price is still amazing for The Haven.

Looking forward to the rest! !

Hi Nathalie,

I’m so happy to read your review and discover The Haven. We’ve kind of moved away from MSC’s Yacht Club in favor of Explora...

I’ll take this opportunity to send you my best wishes for 2026, as well as to all the forum members.

Hi Nathalie,

I’m so glad to read your review and learn about The Haven. We’ve kind of moved on from MSC’s Yacht Club to Explora...

I’ll take this opportunity to send you my best wishes for 2026, and to all the forum members.

Boarding. We had a boarding time at 11:00 AM, which was supposed to be the first slot since we’re priority. We’d been warned that it wouldn’t be possible to drop off luggage or check in early due to the strike at the port of Lisbon. There was a Facebook group for this cruise, and by morning, people were already complaining and showing the line to queue up to drop off bags that couldn’t actually be dropped off... Around 10:30 AM, we took an Uber—we were about 10–15 minutes from the port. When we arrived, there was already a huge line; it had just started for luggage drop-off... There were no signs indicating we had priority for The Haven, nor was there a butler in sight. So, I went inside to ask for info. Meanwhile, Alain was already in line with the suitcases, pretty annoyed...

Anyway, inside, they told me to come back with our luggage and that our bags would be prioritized and taken directly inside. An employee came with me, pulled Alain out of the line, and helped us with the bags—we didn’t have to wait at all, which was such a relief... After that, though, we still had to queue a bit for security, and there was no priority there, but it wasn’t too complicated or long.

Right after that step, we were immediately taken care of by The Haven butlers. We were brought to a separate lounge where there was food and drinks to snack on (no alcohol). We were asked to sit down, and staff came to collect our passports and QR codes. It was super quick—less than 10 minutes. We got our room keys right away. Then, we were escorted to the ship, and we went ahead of everyone else, but through a separate line, so there was no issue with other passengers. We were taken directly to The Haven’s private elevator.

It wasn’t even noon when we were in our room, which was already ready.

Here are the photos of the room. We love it.

Next post: the first lunch 😋. And let me tell you—you eat *really* well in The Haven! !

Hi Nathalie, Thanks for sharing your thoughts—I’m excited to check out THE HAVEN 😉

Really nice cabin, great vibe, the high table and chairs on the balcony

Hello to those following me!

This morning’s post is all about the food on November 28th. A little food porn... Yes, there’ll be a lot because, let’s be honest, you eat *really* well on NCL, and even better in The Haven. What we also loved is that we can eat indoors or outdoors. The service is excellent and quick—something we really appreciate. Just so you know, for cruises booked in Europe, the all-inclusive package is included in The Haven, but that’s not the case for those who book in the US or Canada, who have the option to include the "More at Sea" package or not. In our case, it’s included—I assume we’re paying for it somehow—but as a result, all drinks are covered.

The weather’s nice in Lisbon, and since we’re not at sea, there’s no wind, so we can easily eat outside. We boarded quickly, and for now, no one’s eating outside yet—just inside.

Here’s the lunch menu and the photos. I think the presentation is really pretty, and on top of that, it was delicious. The scallops dish was a bit small—next time, I’ll ask for a double portion because they were excellent. That said, with the soup, starter, scallops, and dessert, it was more than enough!

P.S. The lobster bisque was really good too, with real chunks in it.

And I’m heading straight into the evening meal next. The next post will be about the outdoor space: sun loungers, bar, pool, jacuzzi 😊

Hi there! The private pool deck with sun loungers, bar, and jacuzzi is absolutely amazing. The view of the wake is stunning, and the space is really beautiful and comfortable. There’s always plenty of room. There are two decks—one with the pool and one with the jacuzzis. Servers are constantly circulating.

Is anyone still following this?

I'm here. The outdoor space looks especially peaceful.. It's so inviting.

Anyone still following?

Well, of course we’re following you!

The ship looks really nice, and the food—wow. No comparison to the Sky (the ship I took last year, which wasn’t great at all, to put it mildly).

Ready for the next update! !

Yeah, okay, this is The Haven. (So it's kind of like a private section of the ship.) Texte It's not really comparable, even though I did enjoy the Spirit.

I'll move on to breakfast now 😉

I have to say, this cruise is mostly going to be about eating, drinking, and relaxing... That's pretty much the point of transatlantic crossings 😄

Hello, So today is November 29th. We had a great night. Today the ship is still docked, so we decided to visit Sintra. Originally, I hadn’t planned on it since we were supposed to be at sea heading toward Punta Delgada. We woke up early and were among the first to go for breakfast, which opens at 6:30 AM on port days and 7:00 AM on sea days.

There’s only one place to have breakfast here, which is different from the Yacht Club where there are three spots: the restaurant, One Pool, and TSL.

Here, it’s at the restaurant, which is actually a mix of all three since you can have it outside or inside. You’ve got a buffet with plenty of choices, and it’s really good—especially the pastries and fresh fruit. There’s also an à la carte menu for hot dishes, coffee, and fresh juice. I found it super convenient because orders are taken quickly, and then you can help yourself at the buffet, so there’s practically no waiting to eat

And here are the photos... I find it really annoying to post photos here compared to Facebook where it’s done in 3 seconds

And here are a few photos of the restaurant itself. We were pretty much able to get a table for two by the picture window with an ocean view every day—morning, noon, and night. The restaurant is quiet, and what I really appreciated was that, unlike on the new MSC ships, there’s no TSL noise to disrupt meals. Alain, who’s really sensitive to ear issues like tinnitus, really appreciated that.

The restaurant is really sleek and not crowded at all!

Do you have any photos of the "Bistro"? On Sky, this restaurant seemed nice but not quite up to the grand French restaurant hype they’re selling.

Hi Nathalie, Yeah, I can read you... from Doha, whenever I get 5 free minutes. It seems to me that The Haven at the back of the ship should be more comfortable than the YC all the way at the front, right?

Hey Nathalie, still around too! Most of the photos you posted on FB weren’t visible outside your group—at least I couldn’t see them. Plus, a travel journal is way nicer to read 😎

We're early risers 😉, I think most people got up later. But it's true that even though The Haven was full, we never felt crowded, noisy, or had to wait for a table in the restaurant, no matter the meal. I think part of it is that while all the cabins were booked, it wasn't full in terms of people... For example, there were very few kids or big families. Though I hear the vibe is different during American school holidays and even more so during Spring Break.

Oh... Weren't you scared a few days ago with the issues in Iran?

I’ve always preferred being at the back of boats—I think the view of the wake is the best on the ship. The big advantage is the One pool (even if they don’t call it that) You don’t get that feeling of being closed in like you do in the Yacht Club, where it’s still pretty glassed-in to act as a windbreak. It also means, since there’s less wind exposure, you can have umbrellas everywhere, and that was really nice because the hunt for shade has often been a problem.

Oh, you should’ve told me!

About the bistro While I loved it on the Spirit, we were really disappointed with it on this ship. I honestly think that because the food in The Haven was excellent, the service was fast and efficient, and it was so quiet, we found the bistro just okay by comparison—especially since it was extremely noisy. We had the same feeling in most of the specialty restaurants... it’s just that we were so comfortable "at home." The only specialty restaurant I really enjoyed was the Italian one because we could eat outside—it was mild out, quick, tasty, efficient, and pleasant with the ocean view.

A little hello to Catherine

Nathalie, I confirm—I really enjoyed my Southampton-Barcelona cruise in October 2023 on the Prima, the Viva’s twin. Hardly any families, and I didn’t enjoy the one on the Viva in Greece in July 2025 as much. Too many families and kids... but obviously, I wasn’t in The Haven.

These two ships still have the advantage of a large outdoor area.

I can confirm for the Italian restaurant.

I’ll move on to the stopover in Sintra. I’m going to have a hard time choosing just a few photos—I really felt it was worth it. It was beautiful and interesting. I didn’t regret at all staying an extra day in Lisbon.

It’s not exactly nearby—you should count on nearly an hour from the port with traffic. The fare is around 30 € one way, same for the return. And we paid 7 € to connect between the two palaces.

Pena Palace. Wow, it's quite a climb to get there! There’s also the option to take a paid shuttle to the top. But hey, we had to walk off all that food we ate! The palace is truly stunning, the view is absolutely gorgeous, and I really loved it.

Just realized I have very few photos because my phone battery was acting up, and I had to turn it off most of the time to save enough battery to call an Uber. So, no photos of the second part! But it was less impressive than this part anyway, so you’ll have to make do with these!

Still interested in your review. Thanks!

Oh... Weren’t you scared a few days ago with the issues in Iran?

We left the day after the American president asked his citizens to leave Qatar. I just figured that if the Iranians struck, it’d be more likely the American base than the capital. 😉 Anyway, I’m glad I didn’t have to witness the fireworks. For us, it would’ve been a shame to cancel everything. Though the thought did cross my mind the next day at Roissy for another reason... But I’ll save that story for my trip report. 😉

Hi Nathalie,

Thanks for this report—it really takes us along on your trip! Have a great Sunday, Guylène

After visiting Sintra, we’re heading back to eat on the ship. Lunch will still be just as good. The weather’s taken a turn, so we’ll be eating inside.

After a good restorative nap, A little stroll on deck 8 (outside The Haven), even if the weather is a bit chilly and not super nice. It's really great because you can walk all the way around the ship outside on this deck. I find it really lovely and pleasant.

Oh, that deck eight that goes around the ship—I really loved it! In the evenings, peaceful walks with beautiful sunsets—what great memories!

And the evening meal... Still just as good.

Okay, so the review about The Haven is almost done... I’ll post a few more photos of the "food"—yeah, on a transatlantic cruise, all you do is eat (or almost). We had 5 specialty restaurants—I’ll list them too—but the quality was below The Haven’s restaurant, especially in terms of service and the lack of calm. I’ll also add the port stops, but none were mind-blowing. That said, I wanted beach time, and I got beach time ;) The shows? Meh, not great.

Hi Nathalie, I’m still following you, now from Victoria, Seychelles. Thanks for taking the time to write this trip report—it’s so much more vivid and enjoyable to read than those quick FB posts.

Well, on a transatlantic crossing, you relax, chill out, take a dip, read, and eat... We’ve got 6 days at sea.

Here are a few more food photos.

So we have a specialty restaurant package (5). One evening on this transatlantic, we went to eat at the French bistro restaurant. Here’s a funny little anecdote. Earlier in the afternoon, we got a call in our cabin from Le Bistrot restaurant to confirm our reservation for the evening. This was the first time that had happened... but what really stood out was how much the person insisted on telling us what to wear for dinner. They kept stressing that men needed to wear sleeves and a collar, along with dress pants and proper shoes. They even specified that it was a restaurant with a somewhat upscale dress code.

It made me smile because I think that, since The Haven is so laid-back in terms of dress code, they must be cautious and don’t want to offend their more privileged guests, so they’d rather warn them that there’s a required dress code. That’s how I interpreted it, anyway, since this is my several time sailing with NCL, and never before has a specialty restaurant called to tell me to dress up!

Anyway, we *loved* the bistro on our February cruise on the Spirit—we even used our two-visit package for this restaurant because we thought it was that good.

This time, though, we were disappointed... The menu is the same... I think that because we’re in The Haven, where the food is exceptional and you can pretty much get the same dishes on demand—even the lobster, which is an extra charge at the bistro—we just didn’t enjoy the bistro as much. The Haven restaurant is quiet, fast, and the servers are starting to recognize us, so we simply preferred it over the bistro.

The bistro was packed, the servers were overwhelmed, and it was really noisy. I think that played a big part. I’m still sharing the photos, though!



















So this restaurant is part of the "More at Sea" package. If you want to book it as an extra, it’s $60 per person.

Hi Nathalie,

The dishes looked amazing and the sunset was gorgeous. Thanks so much, Guylène

Hi Nath!

As mentioned before, the Bistrot sur le Sky restaurant isn’t worth the $60, and I found the dishes pretty average for a French restaurant. We ate there three times, and it was really nothing special. Good thing it was included in the package.

It’s still weird that someone called you to ask you to dress up for the restaurant! At the same time, there are people on cruises who act like they’re at a "campsite" and show up in flip-flops and swimsuits. Maybe that’s why they insist on the "dress code" being respected! !