Mattsudds

I meant that magic shows used to be free, a regular of cruise ships. And the illusionarium show has nothing those shows didn't have other than the special effects of the room.

Like many here, I am just back from the Norwegian Getaway. Many people will post great pics and reviews from the ship in general, so I thought I would post something about the Illusionarium, the novelty on the ship. The Illusionarium is in the same space as the Spiegel tent on the breakaway. This is a domed, circular space which is fitted out with the idea that an auction of magician's props is about to take place. It is very well done in general and the domed roof plays a key part in the show.

The show is MCed by the 'auctioneer' and I wont give too much away but to say that there are several different magicians. The tricks are what you have seen in shipboard magicians before. There are disappearing handkerchiefs, ladies, card tricks and levitating furniture and a 'mentalist'. The action takes place on the circular, raised stage in the middle of the room. A few volunteers take part but nothing that embarrasses the individual.

The dinner was Proscuitto, tomato and mozzarella salad, surf and turf, trio of deserts. In truth, the food was a big disappointment. The starter had been chilled so long that it was rubbery and tasteless, the main course steak was delicious but tiny, with undercooked veg. Desert was fine. Service was rushed and unpolished.

I had pre-booked via myNcl and wished I hadn't bothered since the ship didn't have the reservation I had paid for, and onboard the prices were different anyway. Despite having 4,100 onboard, the shows weren't full and on the showing I attended, at least half the audience were crew. Onboard, discounts were being offered due to the empty space.

Overall this was a very well done venue, magic we have all seen before and a really poor dinner. Perhaps it will get better but for me presently this is an extra charge for something that once was free, with a worse meal than available elsewhere.

Other than that, Getaway is a nice ship with most of the good and bad points of Breakaway repeated.

For me, I would still rather they confined the casino to a single, enclosed space so that it wasn't so central to the ship, and the smoking confined accordingly.

Explorer operates for Semester at Sea on very long educational voyages. In 2015 she is due to end her spring voyage in Southampton, and voyages after that are not yet published. I would anticipate that this is just a booking for one of their trips not yet advertised.

Given that Thomson have just announced they are adding balconies to their ships, I can't imagine that they would be especially interested in the Explorer. She was designed to travel so far that her designers assumed balconies would be largely useless and thus she has very few. Those sisters have proven very expensive to operate and in mainstream service, have rarely been particularly successful. Costa certainly can't wait to get rid of the Voyager. I can't see her fitting with Thomson's plans but one never knows.