NYTimes | Behind
a locked door aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship is a world
most of the vessel’s 4,200 passengers will never see. And that is
exactly the point.
In
the Haven, as this ship within a ship is called, about 275 elite guests
enjoy not only a concierge and 24-hour butler service, but also a
private pool, sun deck and restaurant, creating an oasis free from the
crowds elsewhere on the Norwegian Escape.
If
Haven passengers venture out of their aerie to see a show, a flash of
their gold key card gets them the best seats in the house. When the ship
returns to port, they disembark before everyone else.
“It
was always the intention to make the Haven somewhat obscure so it
wasn’t in the face of the masses,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian’s
former chief executive, who helped design the Escape with the hope of
attracting a richer clientele. “That segment of the population wants to
be surrounded by people with similar characteristics.”
With
disparities in wealth greater than at any time since the Gilded Age,
the gap is widening between the highly affluent — who find themselves
behind the velvet ropes of today’s economy — and everyone else.
