sharlon

We just returned from our first Med cruise and used Italy Tours on our first port day in Livorno.  We did a tour of Florence.  

Our driver, who was amazing BTW, picked us up right at the ship.  We were able to get to Florence as the shops were opening, even after stopping to get a view of the city from a hilltop.  Once inside the city walls, we met our tour guide at the Piazza Della Republica.  Our tour group ended up being two vans of people, but it wasn't an issue.  Our ear pieces worked well and our guide did a great job of pacing our group.  We saw everything I could have hoped for and were able to beat most of the crowds, though the area around the Duomo was a bit nuts.  We had pre-purchased the tickets to see David at the Academie.  Our guide took care of the tickets and we were inside right on time.  

I will add that I asked our guide for some shopping suggestions and she was great with that info also.

Our return to the ship was right on time as well.  Oh, and he was great about saying if anyone needed to stop along the way, just to let him know.  No one did, but that was nice.

All in all, a great day and a great tour.  

Just wanted to say hello!  I am sailing on 7/9 in a Haven 2 br family suite, so see you there!  It will be myself, my husband, and our recent high school grad.  This is my hubby's and mine third straight sailing on The Getaway and my son's second.  All in the Haven.  It just seems to always work best with our schedule.  

Hubby just looked it up. They cancelled their original schedule which was in the Baltics, but are repositioning to the Caribbean and cruising there instead. Whew!

I hope not. I just booked last night. 

I am supposed to sail tomorrow and haven’t heard a word from NCL. I have seen three different people currently on board (2 on twitter and one I know personally) post within minutes of each other that an announcement as made that they won’t be arriving back until around 8 PM Saturday and have the option to spend Saturday night on board 

I have been following closely as we sail Saturday. I have a friend who is currently on the Epic. She posted this morning that they are on their way to the Bahamas on only one engine. Not sure why she assumes that (were they told, did she hear it somewhere, who knows). At this point, we would be happy to take a refund for our sailing next week and make alternate plans. 

okay, our ship must not go into Harvest Caye then. We are on Royal Princess into Belize City and it says we have a tender.

Belize City is a completely different port and does use a tender. Harvest Caye is a private island type port built by Norwegian Cruise Line.

THWG! Congrats on getting out from a Tech wife and mom (daughter just finished first year and is currently studying abroad)!!!

We are sailing 6/3 for out second time on the Getaway. Thanks for your funny and great review! I love that, like many Tech students, you are a nerd in a variety of fields!

We ARE cruising then as well!!! from ATL

Reading this review and saw your post. Hubby and I will be on, also from Kennesaw.

I just booked a cabana on Harvest Caye today for a June sailing and confirmed with the NCL rep that our credit would indeed apply.

Add us to the list of those who may never cruise outside of the Haven again. We did a family cruise in a 2 bedroom in 2016. Now, hubby and I are going for our anniversary (same ship, almost same itinerary). We didn't even consider another line because of the lack of the Haven common areas.

Wondering about the embarkation Margaritaville Haven lunch. It was not an area when we cruised the Getaway before, so I am not familiar with this. Can you tell me more?

We just get off the Getaway today and had an H7 forward facing penthouse. My husband and I had numerous discussions regarding the importance of being “in” Haven vs. out.

 

I was a little envious of the those who could easily walk down the hallway to their rooms. But our penthouse was very large with a great bathroom, and has others have mentioned, a 5 min walk to Haven.

 

I am thinking of changing our H7 in March 2019 to an H6 to have the aft balcony.

 

 

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Thank you! I just replied on your real time review thread asking you specifically, so good to hear your thoughts. We don't spend much time on the balcony, do thinking the forward would suit our needs well!

Great "cruising" along with you real time! I would love to hear more about your stateroom. We cruised the Getaway in 2016 and are considering doing it again for our 25th anniversary. We were in a 2 bed family suite last time and are considering the category you had since it will just be DH and I. What deck were you located on? We really liked our stateroom being behind the door of the Haven, so to speak. Only thing really turning us off on the available forward suites.

ETA: Just saw you replied on my thread! Thanks so much!

Thanks everyone! We definitely have some things to consider.

Thank you so much! That is what we were thinking. I just wish there was a little bigger available than the courtyard stateroom. Definitely don't need a 2 bedroom again!

We sailed the Getaway a couple of years ago with our kids, so we were in the 2 bedroom family suite. LOVED IT! Now the hubby and I are looking at sailing it again for our 25th anniversary. One of the things we liked most about the Haven was having our stateroom inside that area as we spent most of our time in the courtyard or on the sun deck in the Haven. In looking at the available staterooms, we have the option of the Courtyard Stateroom, the Spa Suite, the Forward Suite with balcony and the Aft Suite with Balcony. Only the Courtyard Stateroom is inside the Haven.

Has anyone stayed in a Haven stateroom both inside and the outside the Haven area and can tell me what you thought of the difference? We are just not sure if we want to be elsewhere on the ship.

Thanks!

No more than $20 cab ride. Also look at Holiday Inn Express Convention Center for 24 hr shuttle.

Wonderful! Thank you! I will definitely check it out!

Just in case you didn't know, there is absolutely nothing around this hotel. We stayed here last year 1 night post-cruise and would never do it again. I only booked it since it had free airport shuttle. We had to order pizza (delivered) because there was nothing for us to even walk to.

 

As long as you're not looking for anything to do close by, you will be good at this location. Otherwise, it's not a good choice.

I am looking at this hotel (Hilton Ft. Lauderdale Airport) for 1 night pre-cruise. I am only considering it because I have a late flight and the airport shuttle is 24 hours. (open to other suggestions, if anyone has any that have 24 hr shuttle)

Anyway, does anyone know approx. what a cab would cost from here to the port?

oops, double post

What is your best upsell ( not the upgrades )

1) cruiseline/ship

2) sail date

3) days before sail date when contacted

4) price per person

5) from what category to the new category

6) did you take it

7) was it worth it

1. NCL Pearl

2. 10/28/07

3. 11 days

4. Original offer was $400 pp, got it for $332 pp

5. AF to AA (have never even had a balcony cabin before, so this should be interesting)

6. YEP! Now if I can just make it to sail date without having to cancel.

7. We'll see