lynnc99

We have been booked on an Alaska cruise in May. My concern has been twofold.

First - that the ports of call in Alaska are, in essence, small communities in an isolated area. The risk to those communities could be very high, with limited medical resources readily available. Therefore, I wonder if ships will be forced to skip the very ports that drew us to this cruise in the first place.

Second - that every person boarding the ship will come through Seattle where current cases have been concentrated.

We will happily postpone. 

Hello, You said you leave on deck 7. Is there a certain place. I have an earlier flight so want to be early in line and just wondered exactly where they start the line up.

Thanks for the info!

 

We just got off the Getaway today. We had a very early breakfast in the buffet, and were on 7 with out luggage by 7:15. We got right out, almost no line at Customs, and were on our way to MIA via Uber by 7:35.

 

Lines do get long if you wait but going early has its definite benefits!!!

We walked off the Getaway this morning in Miami....off the ship by 7:30, very short line ahead of us at customs, and grabbed Uber to the airport. The only way to go!

Hey we were on the same cruise! Our 2nd trip on the Getaway.

 

Just to clarify - Margaritaville does have a small selection of breakfast buffet style offerings (pre made omelettes, breads, etc.). We picked up our breakfast selections at the main buffet and then headed upstairs a couple of mornings to enjoy the air and quiet surroundings. But yes, it doesn't sit well with me that the Flamingo Grill is gone!

Just back from our Getaway cruise, and definitely no water or soda allowed on board!

Just got off the Getaway this morning. Tides Boutique has a very limited selection of clothing. T shirts, a few swimsuits, etc. - mostly handbags and costume jewelry.

We took our first cruise with Norwegian during storm season a couple of years ago. We were slightly rerouted along the north shore of Cuba in order to avoid a tropical storm. In the words of the Captain, "NCL isn't paying me to destroy a billion dollar ship!"

 

Truthfully, tropical storms are like the elephants of weather systems. They're huge and move very slowly, so there is plenty of time to prepare and adjust.

We cruised on the Getaway in 2014 and will return to do the Western Caribbean in October.

 

A couple of questions:

 

Has Fat Cats replaced the Grammy Experience? (Which, by the way, was one of my faves!)

 

Have you indulged in the Thermal Spa package? We don't plan a ton of excursions or a la carte dining, so thinking this may be a nice "splurge" for us but would love to hear from someone who's used it.

 

We are wondering about an excursion to the ruins - any opinions on which may be the best - or which you didn't really care for?

 

Looking forward to this cruise even more than we did our first on the Getaway!

We were on the Getaway in August and you are right, Sunday at the buffet was seafood/lobster night. Kind if over rated IMHO....and made for the busiest might at the buffet as well.

You'll love it! We made our maiden voyage aboard the Getaway in August. I'm posting a link to my CC review (a "review of the week" by the way!). I hope this helps - we loved the entertainment options and freestyle dining!

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=261451

I took shorts and rarely wore them - instead wore summery skirts most the time.

Hubby also took too many shorts and slacks.

 

We never planned to pack the duct tape, bungee cords, storage cubbies, whistle, all that stuff....

We opted for the walk off disembarkation. No need to put luggage out the night before. We were up early for a quick breakfast and walked off the ship in Miami before 8 am.

We did see a man in the Tropicana Room (standard MDR) "invited" to put a button up shirt on over his tank top and remove his fishing hat.

 

And while we did not get the UDP, I had appetizers only (an assortment) for dinner 2 nights. It was perfect for me.

We just returned from the Getaway. Rates may indeed drop a bit during summer - it's hurricane season, for one thing, and prime time for anything in a resort destination is winter thru spring break. We found that the ship was not booked to capacity during our August cruise - making the trip that much more enjoyable!

 

That said, don't worry about the weather. Our cruise was during the formation of a tropical storm and the Captain just diverted our route a bit west to avoid the storm. No issue at all. These storms are huge systems but move very slowly, so no risk of being "surprised."

 

Our itinerary was a bit different from the one you listed - we had a stop in St. Martins instead of Tortola. Each port could indeed include a lot of shopping (yuck!) but also had beach excursions, snorkeling, and other things available that kids would enjoy. If I had it to do again, I'd research the ports more than I did and set up my own itinerary for desired excursions, but that's another topic!

 

The Getaway itself has many options for the kids. 5 slides, climbing wall, mini golf, teen club, dance parties at night, movies, shows, and family friendly comedy all great for teens. Food choices galore including stuff teens would like. Your quieter son may just be content to curl up with a book on the Waterfront deck or in the nicely appointed library....or even sit with a pepsi up in the Flamingo Grill. The iConcierge app allows you to know where they are if you split up.

 

The Getaway is a brand new ship and we loved every moment. The Freestyle cruising let us make our own schedule and do as much or as little as we wanted at any given moment in time.

You can also book using the iConcierge app on board. It lets you preview menus as well.

The Getaway has replaced the White Party with the Glow Party. Ours was Thursday night at 10:15 pm. in Spice H2O. Kids are welcome but it is very crowded and music is super loud so they may not want to stay long. Your 4 yr old will probably end up riding on your shoulders.

We just got off the Getaway last week. It was our first cruise so I can't compare to other ships but here is what helped us navigate pretty easily:

1. I made notes from CC boards re: location of places I wanted to remember (Flamingo grill was one!)

2. We figured out quickly that the aft elevators were easiest for us. It put us inside the Garden Cafe for breakfast, near Spice H20 for sunshine, and at an easy to navigate end of decks 6, 7 and 8 for dinners and entertainment. Our cruise was not 100% booked so we had no trouble meandering through the casino or atrium to get to other locations.

3. I found a couple of landmarks and went from there. Deck 7 included the Theater, O"Sheehans, the casino, and Tropicana Room. It was easy to eyeball things and go up or down a level from there.

If the Caribbean interests you, consider the Norwegian Getaway. It is a brand new ship, and huge (so very little motion). Lots of options for all ages. There is a teen club, slides, climbing wall, etc. - but also movies, a game room, arcade, pool table, etc. There is room for quiet time if your son is more "bookish" and the entertainment is 100% family friendly (even the comedians).

 

Freestyle cruising means he could have the freedom to choose when and where he wanted to eat if you are apart on board - and the NCL app lets you stay in touch electronically if you carry your cell phones.

 

We are just back from our first cruise on the Getaway and still on cloud 9. The entire week, I imagined how great it would be with family along. Plenty of options for all ages, and the perfect amount of freedom (with supervision) for kids.

We just returned from a 7 day Getaway cruise - our first! - and loved the freestyle approach.

 

Truth is, we had always steered clear of cruising exactly because we didn't want to be told when, where, and with whom to eat. We have no issue with dressing up and looking nice, but a tux in the Caribbean in August? Come on.

 

I loved being able to order whatever I wanted. Two nights I opted for a selection of appetizers in the Tropicana room - so perfect!

The adult pool is 6 feet deep throughout. There is a shallow wading area on each side.

The family pool is about 3 ft deep.

Tossing in my 2 cents worth as a new cruiser - we just returned from a week on the Getaway.

 

The only salad dressing option that seemed to rotate at the buffet was Caesar. The Caesar was my favorite - mild and not overly garlic-y! Other options were the standards you'd find anywhere.

 

Fruit at the buffet included all melons, pineapple, apples, bananas, and oranges. No berries.

 

Our favorite dishes from our week - all in standard restaurants:

* ceviche appetizer (I had this twice as my entree!)

* grilled shrimp on Saturday night in MDR.

* turkey chili at the buffet (I know...who eats chili when it's 98 degrees outside? and I don't like ground turkey. But they did this really well!)

* Caesar salad

* Cuban pork in MDR on Saturday - hubby's favorite of the entire trip.

* Coconut ice cream

* Pulled pork, rice and beans, and fried plantains at the little cuban grill on Deck 16 (I forget the name just now). DEFINITELY worth the calories! Shoot, toss in a caramel flan for dessert!

* One of my favorite dinners: an appetizer assortment in the Tropicana including soup, Caesar salad, ceviche, and grilled veggies.

 

I'd pass on:

* Asian stir frys in buffet. Looked good but tasted really, really salty to me.

* Steak Diane in MDR. OMG. This was a pound or more of meat. Way too much food and too well done.

* Desserts at nighttime buffet. Cookies may be fine, but other baked goods seemed dry and pre-packaged.

Just returned from a cruise on the Getaway and women wore a variety of clothing styles in the MDR. Nice capris, slacks, skirts, or dresses are fine.

 

We did see one man who was "invited" to remove his fishing hat and put a button up shirt over his tank top in the MDR.

We just returned from a cruise on the Breakaway's sister ship, the Getaway out of Miami.

 

We got the soda package and are GLAD we did. Regular price of a soda on board is $2.10 per 12 oz cup. With our package, your key card has a Pepsi sticker. Bartenders gladly refilled my large Tervis tumbler throughout the day.

 

We definitely got our money's worth!

We just returned from our first cruise - a beautiful week on the Norwegian Getaway. Here are a few points I wanted to contribute to the board....with thanks for ALL that I learned by reading and lurking here in the weeks before we left!

 

So in no particular order....

 

* OK yeah, this one IS first and IS important. We cruised during hurricane season. We live in FL so we know the lingo, and we knew that Christobel was forming up as a tropical storm. Kudos to our crew who rerouted us a bit south and west to skirt the storm. We cruised along the north coast of Cuba and Hispanola for our first sea day, then cut south to St. Martins. We had one morning of overcast skies and you could definitely see the heavier chop on the water, but essentially our cruise was not affected by the storm.

 

* The Getaway is a new ship and there was no need for a lot of the "extras" mentioned in threads on packing. Draperies were weighted to stay closed. Storage areas had doors that closed securely. The bathroom had ample storage for 2 and an automatic door closer - so the over the door hanger would have been in the way. (In fact, a lot of hooks, tape, etc. would probably have marred the finishes in this beautiful ship!) There was a retractable clothesline in the shower. The closet held about 18 hangers - we had brought a few extras and I was glad for that - but way better than hotels offer.

 

* Norwegian provides hair dryers and is very specific - do not bring your own! It is considered a fire hazard (maybe due to the high wattage? who knows?)

 

* There is a safe in the room. We never felt that our property was at risk but better safe than sorry esp if you carry a lot of cash.

 

* Yes, I overpacked. Best clothing options for me were summer "crinkled" skirts and t shirts or tank tops. I took one long skirt and one easy-to-pack dress and used both. Hubby lived in shorts and golf shirts - one pair of long pants and a couple of nicer shirts rounded out his wardrobe. While Norwegian is known for its "freestyle" cruising, there are dress codes for a few of the nicer restaurants and we saw one man "invited" to remove his fishing hat and put on a shirt over his tank top.

 

* We had often heard that "your room doesn't matter" - but we LOVED our balcony mini-suite! So...if you can spring for a balcony, I'd recommend it. Beautiful to sit out at sunrise or after dark....just to breathe the tropical air! But be advised that if the balcony door is open...the a/c turns off. So no sleeping with an open door if you want the a/c running.

 

* For those who speculate that the buffet is something like Old Country Buffet or Golden Corral - nope, you're setting the bar way too low. The buffet was surprising in its constant variety and high quality food. Even a burger was fantastic - super lean and quality beef. Ours included salads, asian foods, grill items, pizza, sandwiches, breads, fresh fruit, desserts, soups, and specialty items (4-6 specialty entrees per meal, plus various side dishes). A few dinners offered made to order crepes for dessert. Breakfast was as simple or as lavish as you wish.

 

* We opted OUT of the upgraded meal plan offered by Norwegian and stuck with the restaurants that were included at no extra charge. We were NOT disappointed! We had 6 options and rotating menus daily - but yes, we returned to some favorites, too.

 

* For us, it made sense to get the soft drink package - diet pepsi addict that I am.

 

* The entertainment was fantastic! FAR better than I'd expected! This will be a whole separate part of a review I'm working on!

 

* Do research on your ports of call ahead of time. I wish I had! The initial impression of each port is touristy with a capital T. We live in south Florida, so beach excursions were not something we needed to do - but I wish we had researched a bit more about the cultural offerings and history of each location and we could have rented a scooter and done some exploring on our own. Just my opinion/preference.

 

* OK here it comes. Be aware of the fact that the cruise lines have some kind of close tie to jewelry stores in major ports (from the Caribbean to Alaska, from what I have read). The stores are not owned by the lines, but there is obviously some connection there. If you are considering buying jewelry on your trip - DO YOUR HOMEWORK and LET THE BUYER BEWARE. Whatever cruise you are on, you are likely to hear a lot of promotion of the Diamonds International stores. Read up on this store. They have a "D" rating by the BBB. We purchased a watch for my husband (not a Rolex by any means!) and were pleased with a small, long established jewelry store in St. Thomas - NOT one hawked by the flashy brochures and high pressure sales tactics. And for goodness sakes, what on earth is a "shopping consultant"? There were 2 on our ship - but nowhere did anything say that they were gemologists. I got the feeling they could just as well be hawking diet aids on late night infomercials.

 

* Muster drill is mandatory, so don't play with that.

 

* We chose the easy walk-off disembarkation at Miami. So simple! We were off the ship and on our way home before 8 am.

 

* I loved the pre-paid gratuity system. It felt odd to eat a lavish dinner and just walk away! The only additional tips we paid were to the luggage porters when we arrived at the port, and an added tip to our room steward.

 

* Some people seem to love building a "relationship" with their steward, but ours was very discreet and we liked it that way! We didn't meet him until Tuesday but the service was impeccable.

 

* The Getaway is a huge ship which means we felt very little motion even as we skirted a tropical storm. We brought along bonine and took it for a couple of days, but no issues.

 

* DO take along your basic OTC medications just in case. No need to let a headache or indigestion ruin a day of your trip.

 

* Sanitize and wash your hands often! Our ship had positioned towel dispensers in rest rooms so that you could use your towel to open the door - excellent!

 

* You'll lose internet and cell service as soon as you leave port. I was worried about that, actually....but it turned out to be a true blessing of the trip! Unplugged is great!

 

Hope you all enjoy YOUR first time out as much as we did!

If you create an account on ncl.com you can reserve your dinners and shows and clearly see the time options available. We reserved Burn the Floor Sun 8/24 at 7:30. Our plan is to eat at O'Sheehans that night so we don't have to worry about a dinner reservation bumping into the show.