2/22 Getaway Sailing Review: First time on NCL

[mloca]

This was our 13th cruise but our first on Norwegian. We are typically Royal or Disney when we travel with our now 3 teenage daughters and Celebrity/RCL when cruising just the two of us. Last year we went on The Allure and we were all WOW'd! We wanted to go on this ship again but the pricing was close to double that of The Getaway and so we decided to give NCL's newest ship a try. Our neighbors and two kids also joined us on this cruise. Overall we were pleasantly surprised.

Arrival: We visited family in Florida prior to Embarkation and so we had rented a car from Enterprise. We dropped it off at the Hyatt in Miami (Enterprise has a location there) that is close to the pier. Taxi for 5 with tip was $20 and took less than 10 minutes. We arrived at 10:30 and cruised through check in. They began boarding just before noon. We went to Headliners to buy our Ultimate Beverage package and change a few dinner reservations. The wait was minimal.

Activities: Our first impression was going to the ropes course where we were greeted by an excellent recreation staff. Signing the waivers was so easy and efficient. We were up on the ropes course in no time. NOTE: If you want to enjoy this when boarding wear close toed shoes. This is an amazing activity as you can do it over and over and it absorbs lots of people. Not a lot of waiting around. It is a little scary at sea in the wind, so might be best to try when docked if you are hesitant. The plank is a "must do"! The water slides were never busy and equally as fun. Our kids never got bored on this ship and we were worried coming off a Mega Ship. The pool area is small but adequate and there were plenty of chairs available. Pool side entertainment was fun. The gym was nothing special but had everything you needed.

We didn't use the spa.

Dining: We ate at La Cucina, Cagney's. Le Bistro and Illusionariam. The other nights we ate in Tropicana, Savor and O'Sheehans. This is our "Freestyle Cruise" and we have always loved formal dining and getting to know our wait staff. This is different and I would not say it is better or worse. It was more relaxing eating at different times that worked for us and the variety was nice as well. We also enjoyed wearing whatever we felt like on any given night, felt more like a laid back vacation experience. La Cucina was very good and our party of 9 all enjoyed our meals. Cagney's was good, but not nearly as good as Chops on Royal. The steaks were excellent but the sides were lacking and tasted frozen. Le Bistro was very good and probably our favorite of the three. Dining at Illusionariam was disappointing. (Not the show) It was a set menu including a shrimp and filet dinner. The filet was overdone and it was like a bad banquet dinner in our opinion. The Garden Cafe has an excellent layout but was just OK in our opinion. It lacked the variety and quality of other cruise lines, but not a make or break. We ate lunch and breakfast in the main dining room and it was Very Good. Wish we would have done that all week. OSheehans seems to be the 24 hour dining area which had wings, mozzarella sticks, fries, burgers etc. They also host prime rib night, fried chicken and other alternative dining options. It was fine, we affectionately referred to it as Bennigan's.

Service: The staff on this ship was in one word AWESOME. It is the ships biggest strength. As mentioned we loved the rec. staff but the entertainment staff was also lots of fun. Julie was very involved throughout the week. The kids club staff was the best my kids have ever experienced and truly made their trip so much fun. From the bartenders to the waitstaff they never seemed put out and were more than eager to help. Our cabin steward was fantastic. I would say one of the best we ever encountered. Can't say enough about the staff.

Entertainment: We only went to a few shows including Illusionarium, Burn the Floor, Howl at the Moon and on board comedy. Burn the floor was very good, Illusionarium was excellent and Howl at the Moon and comedy was a lot of fun. Our favorite part of this ship was actually the parties each night in H20. We loved being outside dancing and the fact that it was all ages made it that much more fun. Unlike an indoor dance club that attracts the younger crowd, these dance parties were a blast and our kids could join us on the dance floor. The Glow party was a complete blast as was the 80's dance night that features fireworks. NOTE: The day of the glow party look at your freestyle daily, you can decorate your own t shirts with glow paint for free in the Grammy Experience venue. The shirts were free as was the activity. Made the night! We also enjoyed grabbing a drink before of after dinner each night at one of the outdoor bars. This is how cruising was meant to be, not jammed inside a bar not connected to the sea.

Cabin: We had balcony cabin's next to each other. They were fine although the balcony was very small. The shower seemed larger than normal. The rooms have a blow dryer at the desk and the bathroom has shampoo and body wash. One shortcoming of the ship is the halls to your cabin are very narrow (too late to change that). Comparatively it's fine as we do not spend much time there.

Ports: We typically don't do shore excursions. In St. Maarten we rented a car at the pier for about $90 All In. It was quick and efficient and we wanted flexibility. We drove to Orient Beach and then onward to Grand Case where we enjoyed a low key lunch at one of the many local spots. In St. Thomas we took a cab to Magens Bay. There were 5 ships in port and this once quiet bay was very busy but still we enjoyed the calm blue waters and facilities. We even say a few sea turtles in the water. $8 each way pp and $4 pp entry (over age 12). We stopped in town at the market and picked up a few little trinkets. It was raining the day we were in the Bahamas. We shopped a little but could have easily stayed on board.

Disembarkation: This was very easy. We had breakfast at 8:00 and walked off the ship at 9:00 with our own bags. We grabbed a car service to Fort Lauderdale for $80 (for 5 of us). NLC gives you the choice as to when you can leave as you sign up for various times which falls into the culture of Freestyle Cruising.

Summary: For the RCL faithful I would recommend trying this ship. It has a different vibe. If we were traveling as a couple we would probably take advantage of the Ultimate Dining Package and enjoy 7 specialty restaurants through the week. We took advantage of the Ultimate Beverage Package and for us it represented a great value with plenty of options for cocktails, wine by the glass, and beers. The wait staff was always happy to serve us and with a few exceptions there were plenty of beverage options. It's always good to mention the type of alcohol you want in a drink when you order it so they do not server the house brand. The break even for the Ultimate Beverage Package is 7 drinks/day which for some comes pretty quick.

The only downfall was the smoke emanating from the casino. We heard others complain about it and the ship's staff trying to find a solution to the problem. My attitude is that if it's a problem in the first month I can't imagine what it will be like in a couple years.

[champagne123]

Thank you for your wonderful review. Just like you....we loved the Allure and Oasis and thought that nothing could ever compare to them. We also decided to try NCL for the first time on the Breakaway recently and just like you, we were pleasantly surprised.

[VanessaM]

Thank you so much for your review!

 

We will be leaving 3/22. We have a 15yo so like you we generally travel RCCL with him because of the variety of activities for his age. This will be our first NCL so I was excited to read your thoughts. Sounds like he will have plenty to keep him and his friend busy! Can't wait to board...

[Demonyte]

Thanks for the review.

 

P.S. Please do not use the "bold"-button extensively in the future (especially when changing the font from the default one that can be configured by the reader themself) - it makes the text really hard to read, I had to copy-paste the text to a word processor in order to remove the formatting and to be able to read it comfortably. There is a reason why the bold effect is not on by default. ;)

Edited March 6, 2014 by Demonyte

[inghilch]

Thank you for your review. We really wanted to try the Allure as well but as you say, the Getaway was 1/2 the price so we figured why not. Can you tell me were the glow and 80s parties adult only? Thanks!

[rockbock]

Thanks for the review. We'll be on the 3/29 sailing...also our first time on NCL. We're really looking forward to this cruise.

[mloca]

Thank you for your review. We really wanted to try the Allure as well but as you say, the Getaway was 1/2 the price so we figured why not. Can you tell me were the glow and 80s parties adult only? Thanks!

 

No both parties were open to all ages. Our sailing did not have a lot of kids on board and I would say there were only a handful, less than 15 at most at the parties.

[DedeM]

Thank you for your review!

 

I was on the ship just for the one day sailing out of Miami and loved it. That's why I'm going back on 3/15. It's a beautiful ship!

 

I'm disappointed to hear about the food at Illusionarium though, as I want to see the show. You're not the first person to mention that.

 

I can't believe Allure and Oasis are twice as much. That's crazy! I would have liked to try one of them one day, but they are going to have to drop their price point!

[Still Dreaming]

Loved your review!!

 

We have sailed several different lines but enjoy NCL for the freestyle vacation! Oh and the price!

[mloca]

Thank you for your review!

 

I was on the ship just for the one day sailing out of Miami and loved it. That's why I'm going back on 3/15. It's a beautiful ship!

 

I'm disappointed to hear about the food at Illusionarium though, as I want to see the show. You're not the first person to mention that.

 

I can't believe Allure and Oasis are twice as much. That's crazy! I would have liked to try one of them one day, but they are going to have to drop their price point!

 

They were for our family because we are a family of 5 and booking rooms can be a little tricky. Also the Allure was dry docked last week so could have raised the price of the Oasis. Worked out for us as we had a great vacation on the Getaway.

[wichitastatecruiser]

Thanks for the review. I will be sailing in October and have cruised the Carnival Freedom and RCCL Oasis. I had originally booked the Allure for October but a group of friends decided to try this ship a try since a lot of us had just been on the Oasis this past October. I was worded that I wouldn't like NCL, however the more I read about the Getaway and the "freestyle" concept I think it might be my favorite line after my cruise. I was able to get a mini suite with large balcony for $400 less that the ocean view balcony on Allure. Recently NCL decided not to charge a single supplement for the same sailing so now I have the same room plus $140 OBC for $1800 so saving @ $800 by doing this sailing now!

[Atlgator]

Thank you for a good review. I have read several places about the food in the Illusionarium not being up to par, but the show being great. I also appreciate that you did not focus the entire review on what you ate for each and every meal as some reviewers do on here. I am looking forward to the ropes course also. This will be my first time on NCL after cruises on both RCCL & Carnival. SO far, I have seen no reviews on the fitness center, equipment and classes, or on the Pub Crawl and the other drinking establishments.

And btw, your review read fine regardless of font, color, and boldness. :D

[CruiseGirlKS]

Great review, Thank you for sharing. :)

[Nolefan95]

Thank you for your review. This was the perspective I was looking for as I usually cruise with RCCL.

 

Question for you - I have seen it mentioned in several posts, did you hear noise from the cabins next to you? Several posts have mentioned a lack of insulation.

[inghilch]

No both parties were open to all ages. Our sailing did not have a lot of kids on board and I would say there were only a handful, less than 15 at most at the parties.

 

Thanks for clarifying. I had cruised the Epic a few years back and thought the night parties were 18 and older. We are sailing the NY spring break week so I expect the number of kids on board to increase significantly.

 

We also need two rooms as a family of 6 and the Allure is big $$ for a balcony and up. Someday. I need to travel out of the prime time! I'm sure the Getaway will be fabulous!

[gelo7]

Thanks, for sharing your thoughts.

[SissasMomE]

Glad you had a great time!!

[Medtech2]

Thanks for clarifying. I had cruised the Epic a few years back and thought the night parties were 18 and older. We are sailing the NY spring break week so I expect the number of kids on board to increase significantly.

 

We also need two rooms as a family of 6 and the Allure is big $$ for a balcony and up. Someday. I need to travel out of the prime time! I'm sure the Getaway will be fabulous!

You are correct in that the parties on the Epic were adult only a few years back. I can only imagine that some parents complained that they wanted their kids with them. I would prefer adults only but I understand. It just gets aggravating when some people let their younger kids run around the dance floor like it was a playground...

[inghilch]

You are correct in that the parties on the Epic were adult only a few years back. I can only imagine that some parents complained that they wanted their kids with them. I would prefer adults only but I understand. It just gets aggravating when some people let their younger kids run around the dance floor like it was a playground...

 

Thank you! I wasn't sure if I remembered correctly. It was like an outdoor nightclub. Thankfully that year we were sailing with grandparents who watched the kids. Now without them on this upcoming trip I see it both ways. Agree the dance floor is not a playground. Given also the parties start late, the younger kids should really be in bed. Problem is I don't want to be!

[mloca]

Thank you for a good review. I have read several places about the food in the Illusionarium not being up to par, but the show being great. I also appreciate that you did not focus the entire review on what you ate for each and every meal as some reviewers do on here. I am looking forward to the ropes course also. This will be my first time on NCL after cruises on both RCCL & Carnival. SO far, I have seen no reviews on the fitness center, equipment and classes, or on the Pub Crawl and the other drinking establishments.

 

And btw, your review read fine regardless of font, color, and boldness. :D

 

Thank you! My husband went to the fitness center everyday but did not participate in classes. He said the equipment was nice and plenty of cardio equipment, no lines. No loud music and very low key. The classes are in separate areas. We did not do the pub crawl and I didn't see anything in the daily....probably would have gone. We did not do the ICE Bar but probably had a drink at every other bar on the ship. Again our favorite low key place to grab a drink was at Sugar Cane outside. We also enjoyed sitting at the bar at Headliners during the comedy shows and dueling pianos. Enjoy your cruise! :)

[mloca]

Thank you for your review. This was the perspective I was looking for as I usually cruise with RCCL.

 

Question for you - I have seen it mentioned in several posts, did you hear noise from the cabins next to you? Several posts have mentioned a lack of insulation.

 

We did not have a problem with this but did hear a few complaints by other passengers. The biggest issue was my husband could hear cabins all around us flushing their toilets. It didn't bother me but he was very aware of it.