Got away on the GETAWAY!

[RMS Olympic]

Ernie, I agree with everything you said in your review. I sailed on Getaway on Nov 29th not expecting much as the Epic was less than special back in 2010.Absolutley loved the Getaway...and like you came away very happy with the ship and her crew. I still cant believe my attitude towards NCL has changed after this one sailing. I am sailing the Escape on Nov 14th just after you get off her crossing. Because these ships have so much to offer I know I wont be able to take it all in during a 7 night cruise...So booked anther Escape cruise in May 2016. So many people who put down NCL cant figure out my changed opinion....But the Getaway did.

I am also trying the Star in Feb 2016...to see if service and food is of equal caliber even on a much older ship. Service and food= onboard experience that negates less hardware offerings. If the Star leaves me a happy cruiser....NCL will have me back for good.

Enjoy the crossing...be gentle with her as she (Escape) gets broken in.

Tom

[eroller]

Thank you so much for this review! I am cruising for the first time and going solo. I will be sailing on the Getaway on the 14th of February to St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Nassau. Apparently you have cruised quite a bit, can you suggest any worthwhile excursions for me? Thanks again.

 

Firsttime15

 

 

I think GETAWAY is fantastic for solo travelers! To be honest I don't really do excursions that much. I tend to just wonder off on my own. Magens Bay is very popular in St. Thomas. Orient Beach and Maho Beach (if you like airplanes) are popular in St Maarten. Atlantis in Nassau is also very popular. Since we all have different interests it's hard know what you might enjoy. Once onboard there will be lots of information about the various excursions, so I would just go with what interests you.

 

Bon Voyage!

[eroller]

 

Ernie - THANK YOU for your thorough review, pictures, and dailies. We'll be celebrating my youngest daughter's birthday on board and having those dailies gave me a good idea of what will be going on the day of her birthday so we can plan our celebrations :D

 

I'll also be on the Escape's TA in October & look forward to meeting you on board!

 

 

You're welcome and I look forward to meeting you on ESCAPE. Can't wait for that one!

[eroller]

Wow that's incredible. I would have never guessed that

 

Bill

 

 

I agree. It was an experiment but I'm so pleased with the results (and the ease of it all) that I think I will leave my traditional camera at home for now on.

[eroller]

Thanks for this thorough review of the Getaway. First trip with NCL coming up in may on this ship and we will take a very good look at all of this information.

 

Thanks

GonzoWCS

 

 

 

You're welcome! Glad you enjoy it.

[eroller]

Ernie, I agree with everything you said in your review. I sailed on Getaway on Nov 29th not expecting much as the Epic was less than special back in 2010.Absolutley loved the Getaway...and like you came away very happy with the ship and her crew. I still cant believe my attitude towards NCL has changed after this one sailing. I am sailing the Escape on Nov 14th just after you get off her crossing. Because these ships have so much to offer I know I wont be able to take it all in during a 7 night cruise...So booked anther Escape cruise in May 2016. So many people who put down NCL cant figure out my changed opinion....But the Getaway did.

I am also trying the Star in Feb 2016...to see if service and food is of equal caliber even on a much older ship. Service and food= onboard experience that negates less hardware offerings. If the Star leaves me a happy cruiser....NCL will have me back for good.

Enjoy the crossing...be gentle with her as she (Escape) gets broken in.

Tom

 

 

 

Looks like we are on the same page Tom. I haven't been this impressed with NCL since I sailed on the NORWAY as a kid in the 80's. I LOVED NCL and the NORWAY back then. Needless to say I was impressed enough to put down a deposit and book the maiden voyage crossing of ESCAPE. I'm really looking forward to it and anticipate it will be every bit as good as GETAWAY, and maybe better!

 

I'm booked on NORWEGIAN PEARL later this month. It's a ship that represents the "old" NCL so to speak, but I still think it will be a good experience but different than GETAWAY. Obviously the ship won't have all the bells & whistles, but if the software aspect is as good as GETAWAY then I'll be happy. The price was too good to pass up, and gives me just enough days to jump up to Platinum Status with NCL's Latitudes Club.

 

Hope your future NCL cruises are as excellent as GETAWAY was for both of us!

 

Ernie

[nimiq]

OMG so stupid of me I press the wrong button yesterday and removed myself from this thread ....But yes found you back :-)

 

Eric

[eroller]

OMG so stupid of me I press the wrong button yesterday and removed myself from this thread ....But yes found you back :-)

 

Eric

 

 

Welcome back Eric! We missed you. ;)

[nimiq]

Welcome back Eric! We missed you. ;)

 

Ha you see thats is why I am so happy to be on this thread people are so nice :-)

 

Eric

[nimiq]

Welcome back Eric! We missed you. ;)

 

Hello Mister,

 

More questions for you how does the formal nights work on the Getaway compare to the Divina ?

 

I heard no formal on Getaway is that true ?

 

Thanks

 

Eric

[eroller]

Hello Mister,

 

More questions for you how does the formal nights work on the Getaway compare to the Divina ?

 

I heard no formal on Getaway is that true ?

 

Thanks

 

Eric

 

 

You are correct Eric. Freestyle on GETAWAY is very casual. There is no formal attire required, no jacket and tie. Some people brought sport coats for a slightly more formal evening in Le Bistro but it certainly isn't required. Slacks and a collared shirt do just fine.

 

DIVINA is a much more traditional cruise experience, and I believe I recall two formal evenings. I saw very few tuxes but plenty jackets and ties for the guys. Other than those two formal nights it was pretty casual.

 

Ernie

[Tricialy]

Thanks to your awesome review and photos, we booked the Getaway Haven Spa Suite for July. Never been on one of the megaships and I can't believe I could enjoy any ship more than I have loved the Pearl, so very excited to see - and to cruise the Caribbean when it is guaranteed to be warm (we haven't had the best luck cruising in the winter/spring)

 

NCL should be paying you!!

[eroller]

Thanks to your awesome review and photos, we booked the Getaway Haven Spa Suite for July. Never been on one of the megaships and I can't believe I could enjoy any ship more than I have loved the Pearl, so very excited to see - and to cruise the Caribbean when it is guaranteed to be warm (we haven't had the best luck cruising in the winter/spring)

 

NCL should be paying you!!

 

 

Very nice of you to say! Thank you.

 

I think you're going to love GETAWAY and the entire Haven experience. The spa is gorgeous and so is the Haven lounge and dining room. You're in for a treat.

[KeepCalmNCruiseOn]

Love your TR. Great review and amazing pictures.

Thanks for sharing! :)

[canadiancruisers11]

Ernie, Hell of a review and I love the pics...I've got a running group on the Getaway next Feb, any chance I could share these pics to our website or how can that work?

 

Thanks

Craig

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Ernie, Hell of a review and I love the pics...I've got a running group on the Getaway next Feb, any chance I could share these pics to our website or how can that work?

 

Thanks

Craig

Hey Canadian Cruisers. What week are you guys going next February.

 

We are on her for February 7th.

 

Bill

[eroller]

Love your TR. Great review and amazing pictures.

Thanks for sharing! :)

 

 

You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed the pics!

[eroller]

Ernie, Hell of a review and I love the pics...I've got a running group on the Getaway next Feb, any chance I could share these pics to our website or how can that work?

 

Thanks

Craig

 

 

Hey Craig,

I'm glad you enjoyed the review and pics!

 

Maybe the way to share the pics would be to include the link on your website. I certainly don't mind if you do that.

 

 

Ernie

[canadiancruisers11]

Hey Canadian Cruisers. What week are you guys going next February.

 

We are on her for February 7th.

 

Bill

 

Snap...We are on her the week after...A1A Marathon is on the Sunday then we board after that...Thx for the link to the pix, they are outstanding.

 

Craig

[canadiancruisers11]

That would be great...Really appreciate that, it would give our runners something else to look at other than pre-produced marketing shots lol...Wicked thx

 

Craig

[canadiancruisers11]

Hey Craig,

 

I'm glad you enjoyed the review and pics!

 

 

 

Maybe the way to share the pics would be to include the link on your website. I certainly don't mind if you do that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ernie

 

 

Thx I will put up on the RFFC page today. Already shared with our Running group and they'll love it! Talk soon

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RMS Olympic]

I sure hope Escape is as good as Getaway.....as I now have 2 cruises booked on Escape.

I must admit the onboard experience with todays NCL as found on Getaway has me returning to NCL....something I never would have thought possible. The promotions are also incredible...in fact I have booked a 10 day Canary Island cruise on Epic in April 2017...and I don't even like Epic.

Have you sailed Carnivals Breeze or Dream and if so how did the experience compare to Getaway?

Thanks,

Tom

[raymondreddington]

Funny I wasn't enamored with EPIC like I was with GETAWAY. Granted I haven't sailed on EPIC but I did visit her twice and had lunch onboard. Maybe I would feel differently if I sailed on her?

 

QUANTUM is quite different than other RCI ships for sure, but she still feels very much Royal Caribbean with perhaps a touch of Celebrity thrown in. The Dynamic Dining concept is similar to Freestyle yet still a bit different in concept. QUANTUM still has the grand WOW spaces (minus the big dining room) but even with those GETAWAY was the winner for me.

 

Agree, agree, agree"!

We were nervous booking our first Getaway trip as Epic was such a downer. I felt like we were in a floating apartment building in Greenwich Village.

 

Getaway has now ruined us for other ships and lines.

I hear that Sean is leaving for the Escape.

 

Wish Getaway would do southern route...or Greek isles! Something about this ship was lacking on Breakaway ..

 

LOVE your review ...like reliving vacation

 

RR

[bfamily4]

Thank you for a great review. do you recommend the getaway for a young family? kids will be 5/6 when we cruise next yr. we've only cruised disney so far and we loved it. we are torn between the 5 night wonder or the 7 night getaway. is the service/ cleanliness/night time entertainment comparable to disney?

[eroller]

Thx I will put up on the RFFC page today. Already shared with our Running group and they'll love it!

 

 

Fantastic! Glad to hear it.