Getaway - 12/13-12/20 - H6 Aft PH

[esp13]

I debated whether to do a review as I'm not sure I have anything new to add, but I realized that I really appreciated all the reviews before my cruise, so I decided to go ahead and do this.

 

A little background - I traveled with my mother. I am 43 and she is 64. This was our 6th cruise overall and our 5th with NCL. I booked the cruise in May of 2013, before the Getaway was built and before the Breakaway was in service, so it's been a long wait. But I did get $450 in onboard credit for booking that early ($300 for a suite more than 9 months out, $75 each for latitudes). About a month before the cruise I also cashed in my NCL MasterCard points for an additional $600 in OBC, so we had $1050 in OBC. Booking early also got me the best price, at least that I ever saw. By the time of final payment, the suite was nearly $1500 more per person. So, all in all, I was very happy with my decision.

 

After waiting 19 months, we finally left for Miami from Boise, Idaho on December 12th. Thankfully, there were no weather issues in Boise or Chicago and we arrived on time about midnight in Miami. We had booked the Holiday Inn Express near the airport for the night, and the shuttle arrived fairly quickly to pick us up. It was a bit humorous because the other two passengers in the shuttle had enought luggage for 6 people, but the driver made it work and we were off to the hotel. Not too much to say about the hotel. It was a decent place and served the purpose of a place to sleep before leaving on the cruise.

 

The next morning, we got up and got around and had the free breakfast at the hotel. There was a shuttle service available for $15 per person, but having done those in the past, we opted for a cab. We left about the same time (without having to be packed in a van) and quickly arrived at the pier. The cost was $30. So, for the same money, we had a much easier and more comfortable ride. Oh, and we arrived at the pier about 10:30, I think.

 

At the pier, a porter quickly took our bags, and we headed in to the terminal. It took just a few minutes to get through security and we went straight to the priority boarding room. Check in was very quick and we were escorted upstairs to the suite waiting area before 11. We only waited maybe 15 minutes and we were escorted onto the ship. It think we were some of the very first on, but I'm not totally sure about that. In any case, as soon as we were onboard, we were taken up to the Haven. I'm sure we were there by 11:30 at the latest. Very quick, very easy, very wonderful.

 

In the Haven, we met the concierge, Adrian, who was wonderful all week. He gave a brief introduction and then we were on our own to go explore. Sliders and fries were being served and bar was open, so it was a great start.

 

That's all the time I have right now, but will be back with more if people are interested.

[abe3]

Great review so far. Looking forward to more

[3DBeach]

Looking forward to reading more.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[esp13]

So, continuing on - while we were in the Haven Lounge with Adrian, he indicated that "your suites" were almost ready, but we could drop off any carry ons there now. So here was the only real difference between being in a suite in the actual Haven and being in the aft (or, I assume Forward or Spa) suites. It is obvious that NCL makes a big effort to get the in the Haven suites ready quickly, but the others are located in regular cabin passageways, so they can't be available until the other cabins are ready (usually between one and two). Of course, I didn't think of this until we had schlepped all the way aft. It's totally insignificant, but I thiught I would mention it so that anybody in the same situation would know. You can always leave your carry ons at the concierge desk if needed.

 

So, after the unnecessary trip aft, we decided to explore a little before heading back to the Haven for lunch. We checked out 678 Ocean place (the 6th, 7th, and 8th decks) where all the restaurants, theaters, many of the bars, casino, shops, and similar stuff is located. I really like this design. It's great having all of these things centrally located and I think it's really well put together. I did notice a stale smell in the casino, but didn't notice it anywhere else. But I am a smoker, so that opinion may not count. However, my mother is a non-smoker and also didn't notice it anywhere else.

 

While on the subject of smoking. This was my first cruise since the new change in policy and I was interested in how it would be handled. Overall, I thought it was fine. There are 4 smoking areas that I know of. Outside the Sunset Bar on deck 8 starboard, on the starboard side of the bar in the H2O area, on the port side on the main pool deck (15) at the Waves bar and in a somewhat enclosed area adjacent to the bar, and all the way forward on the Haven sun deck (deck 17). There may also be something on the main sundeck (16) but I spent no time there so I don't know one way or another. While I missed the morning coffee and cigarette on the balcony, it wasn't a big deal to go up a couple of decks. And we spent most of our time on the Haven Sundeck anyway. For any non-smokers who are in the Haven and think the forward Sundeck sounds nice, my mom was there all week and was never bothered by cigarette smoke. It was never crowded and it has the best views. Some of that may change week to week, but I wouldn't be afraid to check it out. If it is a problem, there are large numbers of chairs, loungers. And daybeds on other parts of the sundeck that still offer nice ocean views. In any case, while I'm sure there are others who feel differently, I found the smoking areas to be sufficient for my needs and a reasonable compromise.

 

With that bit out of the way, I'll get back to less controversial topics in the next bit. :)

[lfk60]

Thanks for the info regarding the aft Haven suites availability! Hadn't thought about that and we have one in a few weeks. Will make sure to have a light carry-on.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your review!

 

Thanks.

[Contessa30]

Please tell us more....

My Mom and Sister are booked in an Aft PH in February.

How did the bed configuration work for you two? Were you able to have the bed separated into two twins? Did one of you sleep on the sofa - if so, was it comfortable?

Thanks!

[esp13]

Please tell us more....

My Mom and Sister are booked in an Aft PH in February.

How did the bed configuration work for you two? Were you able to have the bed separated into two twins? Did one of you sleep on the sofa - if so, was it comfortable?

Thanks!

 

The bed does not split into twins and even if it did, I don't think there would be enough room to really separate them. We shared the king sized bed in the bedroom and it was fine. The bed is plenty big and neither of us ever felt the other move. As long as they are comfortable sharing a bed, I think that is the way to go. The sofa bed is probably fine, but it can't be better or even as good as that bed.

[esp13]

So, after exploring the ship a bit, we went to the Haven restaurant for lunch. It was a nice lunch and the staff were great. Then we went back to the cabin which was now open. We checked that out and met Rene, our steward for the week. He was wonderful, always friendly and helpful.

 

Then it was time for the drill which was pretty quick and efficient. We went straight from the drill to the Haven sundeck for the sail away. It was a little chilly, but we had a beautiful view for the trip out to sea.

 

Then it was back to the cabin to unpack. There are two closets in the bedroom and plenty of shelves so we had no space issues in either the bedroom or bathroom. When the unpacking was finished we headed to dinner in the Haven. Again, the food was great as was the service. By this time we were both exhausted from the travel and day, so we headed back to the room. I knew that our butler, Jorge, had probably tried to find us, but we had been in and out repeatedly. So, when I got to the room, I called him and he arrived just a few minutes later, apologetic for having missed us earlier. I assured him we understood and he proceeded to reacquaint us with our favorite coffee machine, as well as show us the other stuff in the cabin. We then ordered the drinks we wanted for the cabin and he had them delivered within 10 minutes. We then enjoyed a nightcap on the balcony and headed for an early bedtime (we're not old, we just act that way sometimes).

 

Pausing here for a few words about the butler. I've read numerous reviews, comments, criticisms, etc., about butlers so here is my take. They are what you choose them to be. We did not use Jorge a lot. He did deliver breakfast to the suite several mornings, but aside from that we only specifically asked for things two other times. He brought treats every afternoon. We didn't specifically request anything, but we enjoyed the sandwiches and sweet treats throughout the week. So, some would say he didn't do much. Others would say he did a lot. I think he did everything we asked, did it well, was friendly and available and we enjoyed his services and tipped accordingly. For me, the butler is not just about what I ask him to do, but the fact he is available whether I choose to call him or not. That, by itself, is worth a lot to me. Anyway, Jorge was great and the fact that I didn't have numerous special requests doesn't make him any less great to me.

 

Next up - lazy days on the Sundeck where we meet new friends and drink lots of alcohol.

 

Oh, and this is likely to get less detailed because I don't want to still be writing this after Christmas, so feel free to ask any questions along the way.

[sue402001]

I'm enjoying your review and can't wait to read more esp13!

[tarps14]

When you say you "ordered the drinks we wanted for the cabin", what exactly are you referring to? We will have an aft suite in January and while I know there is no alcohol included, are there sodas or something we're not aware of?

[esp13]

When you say you "ordered the drinks we wanted for the cabin", what exactly are you referring to? We will have an aft suite in January and while I know there is no alcohol included, are there sodas or something we're not aware of?

 

You're not missing anything. We just order stuff we want to have in the cabin. So I got a six pack of Diet Pepsi and a six pack of Corona. My mom got a bottle of wine. It's not included with the cabin, we had to pay for it. But we did ask Jorge to get it for us rather than getting it ourselves. That's all I was referring to there. We just find it nice to have those things stocked up so they are always available if we are in the stateroom. Hope that clarifies things.

[david_sobe]

Loving this review

All the way from Boise Idaho to the Caribbean :)

[esp13]

Loving this review

All the way from Boise Idaho to the Caribbean :)

 

Yep. 9+ hours, including layovers, both ways. Long trip, but very worth it.

[esp13]

Continuing on --

 

So, on the Eastern Caribbean route, the first two days are sea days. They are my favorites. I love visiting the islands, but I really, really love sea days. Nothing is better than being on the water, sun shining down, and drinks readily available. So, what did we do on Sunday and Monday? We got up, had the breakfast that Jorge delivered, and then put on our swimwear and headed for the Haven sundeck. As we were on the opposite end of the ship, we did take everything we thought we might need, including clothes that would be acceptable if we went somewhere for lunch. But that was all easily carried in a beach bag, so it was no issue. Also, the Haven has towels available, so no need to take the beach ph towels in the room.

 

Arriving on the sundeck, we picked our spot (it was either empty or nearly so every day when we arrived) and commenced the sun worshipping. Other than walking through I spent no time on the main pool deck in the Haven, but it never looked to be overly crowded. The upper level sundeck around the pool was similarly populated, but not crowded.

 

While sunbathing, we were joined by a few other people, including a couple from Cincinnati. As happens, we began chatting and soon had become fast friends. We ended up sitting up there together every sea day and also the day the ship was in Nassau. On the last night we joined them for dinner and exchanged contact information. From strangers to fast friends in a week. All thanks to two nicotine addicts and a very lovely sundeck.

 

We also made fast friends with Robert, the waiter for the sundeck. He is from Romania and is very friendly and efficient with the drinks. The four of us kept him very busy on those sea days, particularly Thursday when we drank the afternoon away. All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend the day(s).

 

On those lazy days, we ate lunch once at O'Sheehans, once at the noodle bar, once (Thursday) on the Haven sundeck from the Haven pool menu, and once from a combo of Jorge's snacks, and a quick run through the buffet. I know that the food is another subject of constant debate, but I never had a bad meal. I'll talk more specifically about dinners later, but I was never anything but happy with my meals.

 

On those lazy days (Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday) we would depart the sundeck in early to mid afternoon and return to the cabin to shower and get ready for dinner. We ate at the Haven on Saturday night, La Cucina on Sunday, the Illusionarium on Monday, sushi on Tuesday, Teppanyaki on Wednesday, and Tropicana on Friday. If you are wondering about Thursday, we ate so late for lunch that we basically skipped dinner. Alcohol will make you lose track of time. Again, I thought the food was great in all the venues, even the widely panned Illusionarium. I'll be happy to answer specific questions about any of those venues if I can, but for now I'll leave it at "Food. Good. Yum."

 

Next up - St. Maartens and St. Thomas and how I finally got my mom to snorkel. Or, how I actually got to see St. Thomas from someplace other than my balcony.

[puddles99]

Thanks so much for the review . . . we're sailing in an aft PH in February as well. I may have missed it, but which cabin were you in? Thanks!

[esp13]

Thanks so much for the review . . . we're sailing in an aft PH in February as well. I may have missed it, but which cabin were you in? Thanks!

 

You didn't miss it. I looked back and I failed to identify that we were in cabin 13902. It's on the starboard side and, according to the wonderful chart floating around here, is the smallest Aft PH balcony. I can't speak to the others as I obviously was not on them, but for being the "smallest" PH balcony, it was still pretty darn big. We had two loungers, two regular chairs and a small table, and a regular sized table and two chairs for dining. We had more than enough room and I wouldn't hesitate to book the room again.

[esp13]

So, Tuesday and Wednesday of the cruise were stops in St. Maarten and St. Thomas. When we did this itinerary four years ago on the Epic, I came down with a case of the flu (the fever, aches, icky feeling variety). It came on with a vengeance on the day we were in St. Maarten. I did go on our excursion, but felt progressively worse as the day wore on so did not really enjoy it. By the time we got back to the ship, I felt awful and basically went to the cabin and slept for the next 48 hours. So, all I managed to see of St. Thomas was the harbor from my balcony (for the 15 minutes I felt good enough to get out of bed). So, on this trip, I was determined not to repeat that fun (and, I should mention that I also caught a cold on my Western Caribbean trip two years ago).

 

I basically bathed in hand sanitizer for the week before we left and all the way through the flights to Miami. I am quite sure that I used more of hand sanitizer in the various locations on the ship than any other 5 people combined. I was the poster child for "washy, washy, happy, happy." And it worked. I made it through the full 7 day cruise with no illness in sight. TRIUMPH!!

 

Feeling entirely symptom free, I joyfully woke up Tuesday morning and got ready for our excursion. We had booked the Golden Eagle Sail and Snorkle (which we had also booked four years prior) when we got on the ship in order to use our OBC. IMPORTANT NOTE: Shore excursions are more expensive when booked on the ship. Somehow in four prior NCL cruises, I had not figured this out. It was not a big deal, but again, some information to pass along.

 

Anyhow, we had breakfast in the Haven lounge and then headed downstairs for our tour meeting place in the Getaway theater. We had our tickets, our towels and sundry items. What did we not have? Our photo ID's. Why? Because when my mom asked, I confidently said we didn't need them. Why did I say this? Because I'm an idiot who didn't bother to read the info in the Freestyle and confidently remembered never having to actually show an ID on previous trips. So, we arrived in the theater 5 minutes early feeling very smug at being ready and on time. Only to promptly see the notification about the photo ID and run (unsmugly) back to the room to get them. By the time we returned, the tour had been called. However, thanks to our speed trip, we were able to meet everybody on the pier. No harm, no foul except for the hit to my ego for being so clearly, ridiculously wrong.

 

After a short wait on the pier, we were through the port to the Golden Eagle catamaran. As it turns out, Captain Sam (as in Samantha) was there just as she had been 4 years earlier. We loaded up and headed out for a snorkle spot. Now, I've kind of been trying to get my mom to try snorkling for a while, but she hates having her face in the water and mostly likes to just swim. But, this time, I convinced her to try and we got all the equipment and the instructions (which I needed as well as it had been awhile since I'd snorkled). We got into the water and kept close to the boat for awhile as my mom got used to using the snorkle (mainly remembering to breathe and to tighten her mask). I was very proud of her as she fought through her initial fears and difficulties and soon became a pro. We swam to the snorkling spot and explored the area for a little while. By the time we got back to the boat, she was hooked.

 

After snorkling, we moved on to a beach area. The trip there took as past the famed Maho beach and we could see the crowds awaiting the planes. We anchored a little offshore and enjoyed swimming in the warm water with drinks being served. Towards the end, a rainstorm hit, but as we were already soaked it didn't have too much effect. Rum punch can cure about anything.

 

We headed back to the port in the midst of intermittent showers. The only downside was there was not the usual sun to dry us out on the trip back so it did get slightly chilly, just because of the wet and wind. When we returned to the pier, we were all retrieving and putting on our shoes (they make you take them off before getting on the boat) when an older gentleman (who had spent several minutes telling my mother how much he didn't like the excursion) who had probably had several too many rum punches lost his balance while putting his shoes on and tumbled into the water with his backpack on. It was a scary moment, but luckily, he did not hit is head (it was close though) and several guys including the staff from the boat quickly helped pull him out of the water. So, remember, if you are on one of these trips, find a safe place to put your shoes on or limit the rum punch.

 

I really enjoyed the Golden Eagle trip. The crew was great, the group was (Mr. Grumpy aside) very enjoyable, and while the snorkling was nothing spectacular, just getting my mom out there made it fantastic. If you like being out on the water, having fun, and getting a little snorkel and swim time, I highly recommend it.

 

Next up - St. Thomas.

[thatjoeguy]

Great review so far! We're on the Getaway in 19 days (thanks NCL countdown!) and we're trying to plan stuff for the stops. Sounds like your sail and snorkel was great. Why did you decide on that one over the others offered?

[esp13]

Great review so far! We're on the Getaway in 19 days (thanks NCL countdown!) and we're trying to plan stuff for the stops. Sounds like your sail and snorkel was great. Why did you decide on that one over the others offered?

 

It really was great and the one in St. Thomas (which I will get to soon) was even better. As to why we picked it, that's an excellent question that I don't have a good answer for. I originally picked it back in 2010 and I'm sure I had good reasons. This time around I picked it mostly because I wanted to redo the excursions that I bascially missed (or didn't enjoy) because I was ill that week. I do remember looking at all the excursions and really wanting the snorkel and swim combo. I think Golden Eagle might have had the best or better reviews, but I really don't remember.

[esp13]

On Wednesday morning, I again woke up entirely free of any symptoms of any illness and practically sang with joy. I was finally going to get to see more of St. Thomas than the harbor. We again went to the Haven restaurant for breakfast, then to the Getaway Theater to await our tour being called (this time with our photo ID's). As with the previous day, the process was quick and we were soon escorted to the bus/truck things that would take us to the other side of the island where our catamarans awaited.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that I had booked the St. John's Champagne Sail and Snorkel for this trip. It was, again, the same one I had booked (and missed) four years prior. The bus/truck trip is a bit bumpy and a little hairy, but offers some great views of St. Thomas and the hills and harbor. After about 20 minutes or so, we arrived at the dock and were quickly divided into three groups and taken aboard the three catamarans being used on the tour. We got Captain Joe, Kenny, and Susanna and they were AWESOME!!

 

As we sailed across to St. John's, Kenny gave us a little history of the islands and some local info, including that rum is way cheaper than milk, and that one of the top 10 NYE parties occurs on one of the British Virgin Islands. He was very informative and very funny.

 

Once at St. John's we donned our snorkel gear like pros and jumped in. My mom and I almost immediately saw a stingray which was very cool. We then swam to the nearby reef and were amazed on the fish there. The current was kind of strong and we didn't want to have to swim back too far, so we didn't explore the entire reef, but what we saw was really incredible. Very clear water, lots of different kinds of fish and coral.

 

We then made our way over to a spot where the crew had said that turtles tended to come and graze. Sure enough, it was not long before we saw a turtle on the bottom. As we watched he even swam to the surface mere feet from us and then dived back down. It was really cool. I had seen sea turtles in Hawaii, but not while snorkeling so this was a new thing for me.

 

At that point, we decided to go back to the boat and change our snorkels for noodles and do a little floating around. This was also fun. We could have swam to the beach, but we were pretty happy just hanging out in the water.

 

When it was time to return to the boat, we climbed aboard and the rum punch was served. We then settled in for a sail back to St. Thomas. The sun was out, the sail was up and the punch was plentiful. Hard to ask for a better day. We made it back to the dock, reversed our previous trek to the bus/trucks and headed back for the port. It was another easy trip and quick (but very hot) walk back to the ship. Once there, we headed up to the Haven restaurant for lunch.

 

After lunch, we returned to the cabin for showers, rest, and to get ready for a dinner reservation at Teppanyaki. We were seated very close to our 7:00pm reservation time. Our tablemates included two young children (4 and 7 probably). They were good kids, but I felt bad for them because they were clearly tired from a day at the beach and Teppanyaki is not a short process. The chef did his best to engage them and did get some smiles, but the little girl was out on her mother's lap before the food was finished being served. If you've got young kids and want to do Teppanyaki, I really encourage people to get the earliest seating available so that they don't hit the wall before the meal. In any case, the chef was entertaining and the meal was good so we left satisfied.

 

After Teppanyaki, we hit the casino where I managed to win back what I had lost the night before. But, don't worry, I gave it all back on Thursday night. Doing my best to keep NCL afloat and all.

 

That's basically the end of my mostly out-of-order day by day recap. I'll have one more post with some random observations/comments. And, as always, if I can answer any questions let me know.

[realcindylouwho]

"We headed back to the port in the midst of intermittent showers. The only downside was there was not the usual sun to dry us out on the trip back so it did get slightly chilly, just because of the wet and wind. When we returned to the pier, we were all retrieving and putting on our shoes (they make you take them off before getting on the boat) when an older gentleman (who had spent several minutes telling my mother how much he didn't like the excursion) who had probably had several too many rum punches lost his balance while putting his shoes on and tumbled into the water with his backpack on. It was a scary moment, but luckily, he did not hit is head (it was close though) and several guys including the staff from the boat quickly helped pull him out of the water. So, remember, if you are on one of these trips, find a safe place to put your shoes on or limit the rum punch."

 

Oh goodness! I would have gasped and then started laughing! I'm one of those people who laugh at inappropraite times and I can hardly keep myself from doing this. I also am a "catcher" so I would have tried to catch him mid fall, which would have been impossible. Sometimes, those who complain about the sea get the KARMA from the sea. But, I bet the rum punch had a lot to do with his dunk in the water. hehe:D Rum punch usually tastes only like fruit juice and it can sneak up on you quickly!

[cruisingcasinos]

great review. love your style.

[PathfinderEss]

Really enjoying your review, thanks for taking the time to write and post it.

[Ctrinh225]

So u really recommend the St John Champagne Snorkel? My sis is Not a great swimmer. Was it really deep. I would hate to spend all this money then she only stayed on the catermaran. But I love to Snorkle and its my first time to St Thomas. Thank u

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[sissyb]

We were on the same cruise with you. We were in cabin 12304. LOVED THE CABIN!! The cruise was great. It was our first NCL cruise. Usually RCCL