Does size matter? A She Said/He Said Review of the Getaway/Sky 2015

[realcindylouwho]

She Said:

 

Food and Beverages: I am a good cook. Take that back, a GREAT cook and I have absolutely no objection with 99% of the food I consume on a cruise. I eat the majority of my meals during the year at home so to have someone plan for a meal, shop for groceries, unload the car, put away the groceries and cook the meal; I’m not ever going to complain. I am somewhat of a light eater and try to balance the “bad” foods with the “good for you” foods. Some of my selections on this cruise were outstanding. I had the Mac and Cheese in Cagney’s for the first time and it was to die for! On the buffet there is usually some type of a chopped fresh veggie/bean salad with a light vinaigrette dressing that is always delicious. NCL always has it and on a daily basis they change the combo of ingredients. The onion rings served in the Haven pool area are very tasty. Although I can’t remember the name of the apple dessert served in Cagney’s I absolutely loved that as well. NCL has made huge improvements in their desserts. In the past I was one of many who felt that they look fantastic but tasted bland. Good job NCL.

 

 

Since we had the UBP I absolutely indulged in drinks that I would never have chosen to purchase. I love wine and I repeatedly looked over the full wine list and there were only 2-3 wines that were not covered under the UBP. I sampled many wines and found two new favorites, both a white and a red. I tried for the first time PISCO and fell in love with NCL’s PISCO PUNCH. If you’ve never tried it, you should! Ask for one with only 1 shot of PISCO, as it is served with 1 ½ shots. It smells somewhat and tastes somewhat like tequila to me! It will be the drink of the day on Wednesday and the charge is $6.95 if you do not have the UBP. I also developed a deep love for Moscow Mule’s which are Thursday’s drink of the day at $6.95. You can have it served in an engraved copper mug for an additional $9. Now I wish I had done that and since we are sailing on the SKY again in March (oops, did I just let that slip?!!!) I will make certain to bring one home. Late afternoons, in the Haven, I would order a Bloody Mary and the first time they asked me what brand of vodka I wanted in it, I giggled. I’m used to Seagram’s and to have a choice of at least 5 higher end vodkas left me scratching my head!:o I settled on Kettle One. I drank on average 6 drinks a day, with one day consuming an extra to make it 7. Darn GSC and those wonderful Pain Killers!!! Doing the math, if I had to purchase the UBP I would not be able to drink enough to pay for the cost. This is due to the cocktails I drink. If I were an exclusive wine drinker, I would come out ahead, as the wines I preferred were in the range of $12-$14 a glass. However, the higher end wines are almost exclusively poured at the specialty restaurants and the nearby bars that fill those drink orders.

[Ontario cruise duo]

Enjoying your review very much. We were on the Getaway with you sailing on November 29th. We also were on the Catamaran excursion to Dunn River Falls, which was also very enjoyable. DH was the guy with the BIG Toronto Maple Leaf tattoo on his right shoulder. Maybe you will remember him, he does kinda stick out in a crowd with that tattoo and his other ones. Anyway, the rum punch was really potent on the way back and I have pictures of him up dancing with the "girls". Maybe I can look at our pictures and see if you are possibly somewhere in the group of dancers, but I need a description of you and your wife. I will be following your review and reliving that great ship again. P.S. I did not find the smoke that bad in the casino, unless the person next to me at a machine was smoking. Not a gambler by any means, but was sitting at a .25 cent slot machine with $20.00 and playing it up and down, was up to about $50.00 and told the DH that I would "cash out" once I got back down to $30.00. Before I got that low, coins started flying on the screen, don't really know what I had hit... and made it up to $167.00 and change, at which point, I promptly "cashed out"! Ended up spending a few more $$$'s in the casino over the week and was up approximately $100.00 at the end. That's my fix till my next cruise.... probably in a few years once our lousy Canadian dollar reaches "par" again (wishful thinking anyway)!:rolleyes:

[WildcatRock]

Enjoying your review very much. We were on the Getaway with you sailing on November 29th. We also were on the Catamaran excursion to Dunn River Falls, which was also very enjoyable. DH was the guy with the BIG Toronto Maple Leaf tattoo on his right shoulder. Maybe you will remember him, he does kinda stick out in a crowd with that tattoo and his other ones. Anyway, the rum punch was really potent on the way back and I have pictures of him up dancing with the "girls". Maybe I can look at our pictures and see if you are possibly somewhere in the group of dancers, but I need a description of you and your wife. I will be following your review and reliving that great ship again. P.S. I did not find the smoke that bad in the casino, unless the person next to me at a machine was smoking. Not a gambler by any means, but was sitting at a .25 cent slot machine with $20.00 and playing it up and down, was up to about $50.00 and told the DH that I would "cash out" once I got back down to $30.00. Before I got that low, coins started flying on the screen, don't really know what I had hit... and made it up to $167.00 and change, at which point, I promptly "cashed out"! Ended up spending a few more $$$'s in the casino over the week and was up approximately $100.00 at the end. That's my fix till my next cruise.... probably in a few years once our lousy Canadian dollar reaches "par" again (wishful thinking anyway)!:rolleyes:

 

I remember you because we sat right next to you on the catamaran ride to the falls!!!

[WildcatRock]

DW just pointed out that I neglected to describe for you what we were wearing - I was wearing red swim trunks with a blue Coolibar shirt under a grey T-shirt. DW has blonde hair to her shoulders and was wearing a very broken in cowboy hat. We were sitting right next to you. You have looked at me and thought that I looked like Brad Pitt........or more like Drew Carey.

[Ontario cruise duo]

Yes we were sitting next to each other. I said to my husband after I read your posting that you must have been the couple sitting next to us only because of the fact that after that day I don't recall seeing you guys onboard, probably due to the fact that you were in the infamous "Haven", lucking people. We were just the lowly Canadians in a midship balcony cabin on the 11th floor. Someday, someway, maybe, when that Canadian dollar rises (or we win a great big Canadian lottery) we too can experience the "Haven" life. Tomorrow night, I'll be off looking for those catamaran dancing photos! Will keep you posted on that matter! DH is retired, but some people (me) have to get up for work in the a.m.

 

I also wanted to mention that our niece graduated last April from Michigan State as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army and is currently stationed in Italy. Quite a coincidence (well almost) - - not our child.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Ontario cruise duo

[WildcatRock]

He Said - The Getaway Intangibles:

 

Here's my summary of the intangibles and resulting experience for me on the Getaway...I had fun. Let me emphasize....I HAD FUN!!! Yeah right you reply? Everyone always has fun on a cruise. No, let me be specific...most fun cruise for me EVER. And this was my 7th cruise and I'm saying that. And I've been fortunate to have some awesome cruise experiences in my life, but nothing like this. And I'm a stuck up Jewel class ship lover who vowed he never sail a "big ship". Wow, was I ever wrong.

 

All I can tell you is that, for me, there was a different vibe on the Getaway. From the moment I stepped on the ship it felt different.

 

The Crew - To me this seemed to be the happiest and best crew ever, and I've been around some great crew members on the Pearl and the Jewel. My impression, whether right or wrong, is that NCL pulls the best crew members from other ships to the Getaway, Breakaway, and the Escape. This crew, everyone I came across, were engaged, seemed happy, and always greeted me with a smile. i know they work their booties off, but man did I appreciate how well all of them treated us. Great job Getaway crew.

 

The Ship: Beautiful, clean ship. Colors are fine, can't recall what the colors are do to the Man Card in my pocket. But the ship is really awesome.

 

Food: Best I've had yet. From breakfast to lunch to dinner the food seemed to have a better taste than what I had experienced in my previous cruises. The menu seemed basically the same, with some additions, but even the stuff I'd had before on other cruises just tasted better than me. We had the UDP which is a must get. We ate at Le Bistro twice, Cagney's twice, Teppanyaki, and La Cucina, and the service staff and food were excellent. I had steak once and the lobster tail 4 times never having to pay the upcharge on the lobster tail.

 

Beverages: I'm a Jack Daniel's guy and spent my week trailing to kill bottles of Gentleman Jack....and was quite successful in my endeavor. One night I tried a glass of Don Julio 1942 which is 73 year old tequila. A bottle on the ship goes for $200+ and you would think a glass would be over the UDP limit but nope, it was included. Don Julio 1942 by the way is the best tequila ever. Having the UDP is a breeze as they just swipe your card, no receipts to sign. With the exception if you're still in Miami and you have to sign the receipt for the sales tax. I thought we paid sales tax at one other stop (GSC?) but for the life of me I can't remember....darn whiskey....

 

The Fun Stuff: Here's where I got to feel like a kid again. The Getaway has water slides, a ropes course, putt putt, Spice, a game arcade, the Waterfront, neat bars throughout the ship, all of which when combined provide for a really fun experience. I'm 51 and went down the water slides, even the one where the bottom drops out from you, and the really fast ones. I went down them A LOT and can't even tell you how many times. We did the ropes course which is incredibly safe as you are in a harness with a really sturdy line connecting you to a railing above you. There's a plank you can walk on that's roughly 6 inches wide, about 6 ft long and extends out from the ship 140 ft up from the water. No problem...and I even looked down...rather quickly...but I did it. At the end of the course you get to do a zip line from one side of the ship to the other. Did it a couple times even going "hands free" the last time.

 

The Glow Party was a blast. It was on Day 5 - Grand Cayman, and held at Spice. Great dance beats, fun crowd (much more fun than any previous White Hot Party), it started raining, no one cared, we danced and had a great time.

 

Ship Layout: As DW previously said, everything on the ship is pretty spread out and it can be difficult to remember where everything is. Of course the were a lot of people on the ship but at no time did it ever feel crowded to me, with the exception of walking through the shops when there was a sale going on. Talk about a feeding frenzy. These people were like sharks who smelled blood in the water. A big reason why one should never go shopping....

 

The Haven: This is what really seals the deal for me with the Getaway and while I'll only sail on her in The Haven. The Haven is amazing. For me there's no other way to describe it than to use the word amazing. It looks great, the crew are awesome, I loved the layout of decks 16 and 17, and as far as relaxing, I hit the mother lode. I especially loved the clam shell looking loungers on deck 17 and remember laying in one watching Jamaica slowly fall away towards the horizon, before I took a snooze.

 

The Haven bar is like a magnet drawing cruisers to it throughout the day, especially at night. If you wanted to see a new friend you'd made, there was a good chance you'd find them at the bar. I'll never forget Eddie and Rich and their lovely wives. What wonderful people...I hope to get to cruise with them again. Evelyn and the other bartenders were wonderful as were Nathan and Kalai the Have restaurant matre' d.

 

Virginia was a terrific concierge who always greeted us with a warm smile. Our butler and room steward were terrific and were always so willing to do what they could to ensure we were being treated well.

 

Summation: I loved the Getaway. So much so that during our last sea day I began to feel some trepidation about getting on the Sky two days later. The Getaway is big, beautiful, incredibly fun, and with a great crew. It ranks at the top for me as the best cruise I'd ever taken. And just two days later I'll be getting on the Sky, the tiny, old ship doing just a Bahamas cruise. Man, what a let down will it be to go from the Getaway to the Sky.

 

As night fell on our last sea day I remember going to bed with rising worry about what we were going to experience on the Sky. I was worried that compared to the Getaway and this great experience we were preparing to leave, that the Sky cruise would be a miserable failure.......boy was I ever wrong.....

[BeachBecky]

What a good review, left me wanting more and more

 

Thanks to both of you for the massage information in Cozumel :) - Becky

[Ontario cruise duo]

DW just pointed out that I neglected to describe for you what we were wearing - I was wearing red swim trunks with a blue Coolibar shirt under a grey T-shirt. DW has blonde hair to her shoulders and was wearing a very broken in cowboy hat. We were sitting right next to you. You have looked at me and thought that I looked like Brad Pitt........or more like Drew Carey.

 

Yup, checked our photos of the Catamaran ride back to the ship. You and your DW were dancing right along with my DH in a couple of pics. You were a couple of steps behind my DH and your DW was a bit obstructed in a few others.

 

I must agree with you that the staff on this ship was awesome. Always, always saying hello and with the utmost sincerity. Spoke to our room steward a couple of times and got to know about his family back home. He was just returning to the ship when we got on board. Left him a nice tip at the end of our cruise, they work so hard to please and appreciate the additional $$$'s at the end. He was not around when we were leaving and we asked another steward if he would locate him for us, which he gladly did. Also, spoke to the Cruise Consultant on the ship and he lives in a City which is only 30 miles away from us and knows some of the same people we know from the small town which we live in. Small world indeed!

[ourfamilylovescruising]

love this review!! thanks for taking the time to write it.

[WildcatRock]

She Said:

 

Entertainment:We didn't go to any performances and only caught parts of a couple of the crowd participation shows. We did have a ball on the slides and spent time (after climbing Dunn's River Falls) enjoying them nearly all to ourselves. There were several elementary aged kids who cautioned me about the Free Fall slide. They told me they couldn't go on it because they didn't weigh enough and sometimes people get stuck inside and you have to hold your nose and on and on. I told them I was just going to do it and if they heard any screaming, it was me! What a blast! I had to go down it three times before I convinced Kent it was safe.:rolleyes: We also spent time on the Ropes Course and I became braver as I maneuvered through it and at points didn't even hold on to the rope. Yes, I did walk the plank and the last time I zip lined, the crew member yelled "let go" and I did. I can be somewhat fearless if I don't spend too much time thinking about all of the "what ifs" beforehand.

 

 

It looks as though I shall also finish up my reviewing of the Getaway so we can review the Sky. After swearing for the past 4 years that we would NEVER cruise on a large ship, I can call myself a liar. Not only did we sail her but we loved the Getaway! While walking about the ship, we were constantly greeted by crew members who would stop what they were doing, smile and say hello or ask how our day was going. Going through the buffet line, I encountered my crew members singing either out loud or quietly to themselves. To me this is a sign of a happy person and I enjoyed hearing them sing because it too made me feel happy! I don't think I can judge it as my favorite ever cruise, as my favorite was in 2013 in a 2 BR Haven suite on the Pearl. I can't put a finger on what exactly it was about that particular cruise, but it relaxed me to the bone and that was completely what I was needing at that moment in time. Will I sail the Getaway again? Absolutely! I would love to see NCL do a 10-12 day Southern Caribbean from Miami on this ship.

[bobg529]

She Said:

 

Entertainment:We didn't go to any performances and only caught parts of a couple of the crowd participation shows. We did have a ball on the slides and spent time (after climbing Dunn's River Falls) enjoying them nearly all to ourselves. There were several elementary aged kids who cautioned me about the Free Fall slide. They told me they couldn't go on it because they didn't weigh enough and sometimes people get stuck inside and you have to hold your nose and on and on. I told them I was just going to do it and if they heard any screaming, it was me! What a blast! I had to go down it three times before I convinced Kent it was safe.:rolleyes: We also spent time on the Ropes Course and I became braver as I maneuvered through it and at points didn't even hold on to the rope. Yes, I did walk the plank and the last time I zip lined, the crew member yelled "let go" and I did. I can be somewhat fearless if I don't spend too much time thinking about all of the "what ifs" beforehand.

 

 

It looks as though I shall also finish up my reviewing of the Getaway so we can review the Sky. After swearing for the past 4 years that we would NEVER cruise on a large ship, I can call myself a liar. Not only did we sail her but we loved the Getaway! While walking about the ship, we were constantly greeted by crew members who would stop what they were doing, smile and say hello or ask how our day was going. Going through the buffet line, I encountered my crew members singing either out loud or quietly to themselves. To me this is a sign of a happy person and I enjoyed hearing them sing because it too made me feel happy! I don't think I can judge it as my favorite ever cruise, as my favorite was in 2013 in a 2 BR Haven suite on the Pearl. I can't put a finger on what exactly it was about that particular cruise, but it relaxed me to the bone and that was completely what I was needing at that moment in time. Will I sail the Getaway again? Absolutely! I would love to see NCL do a 10-12 day Southern Caribbean from Miami on this ship.

 

You didn't miss that dream cruise by much. I was on the Getaway for the 12 day Southern Caribbean cruise that sailed on 10/31/15. We had six ports of call; Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, St Thomas, St Lucia, and St Kitts. I loved the ship too by the way, as you described she had a great crew, great food, great bars, just an all around wonderful vibe. I'm loving your review by the way, now get back to work and finish it!:D

[realcindylouwho]

She Said:

 

Have you read that workplace sign? The one that says "Don't ask me to ADULT today. I don't think I can adult". Well, that has been Kent and my life since the morning we docked back in Miami from our SKY cruise. Yep, we are those people that don't have an international cell phone plan. We also don't use the ship's internet. We figure, if there is an emergency, someone will call the ship. Once at the port, we turned on our cell phones and Kent had many calls and texts on his phone. We have dealt with a close family member needing to be moved from the hospital, to a rehab facility and into hospice, all within a four days. A cancer diagnosis sucks to deal with and we have been "adulting" since our return to reality on December 11th. Not offering anyone here any apologizes, simply a reason for our delay in completing our review. So onward we proceed!

 

As a review, DH and I have only cruised NCL and only in the suites which have ranged from Aft suites to twice in a Garden Villa. We booked an aft balcony on the Sky as an economical add-on cruise to extend our sea vacation and optimize the value of the ridiculous airfare we have to pay from Kansas City to reach ANY port. We both figured we could "tough it out" with the UBP and the balcony would be a way to escape the crowds if needed. However, I got a bit more nervous after we had checked in and were waiting to board the SKY. I prodded Kent to call NCL and see if we could upgrade ourselves to a suite, as I had checked and saw there was still availability. DH called and told me NCL said it was a NO GO to change on the day of the cruise and we anxiously awaited our boarding with group 6. We took our pic with the happy crew members and made our way to a bathroom first and then we boogied over to the Great Outdoors for our first drink. We'd made a plan and were some of the first cruise passengers to arrive to this area and grabbed a Jack and Pepsi and a Mojito. I will say, it tasted just like we were suite passengers:rolleyes:! We leisurely enjoyed some of the buffet food and ordered another drink or two, strolled around the ship to familiarize ourselves with the layout and were given the all-clear that the rooms were ready. Apprehensively we entered the room, checked out the bathroom with the famous shower curtain and took in our view from the balcony. It was absolutely fine and I knew that this cruise was going to be one where we had no schedule or plans so we could catch up on sleep, maintain our drinking we had grown accustomed to on the Getaway (:rolleyes: yes another eyeroll from me) and enjoy the time on the sea and freedom from the real world for another 5 days.

 

Some of you may be thinking that I sound like a stuck-up suite snob. Those that have met us would likely say we are the exact opposite. We cruise NCL suites because of the value of the product that we receive and the experience we create from cruising in this way. We book at least a year in advance, we have studied the prices and the promos, we are platinum latitudes and those perks have added value as well. This is how we choose to spend our vacation dollar. Because of our experience on the SKY we have been able to see how we can expand and stretch our cruise funds further.

 

Food and Beverages: At Cagney's I experienced the best steak I've ever eaten! It was cooked to a perfect medium and was incredibly tender. Overall, the drinks were strong, but I certainly missed the pretty garnishes and fancy designs on the beverages I ordered. I was spoiled at the Haven Bar on the Getaway. Beverage service pace was as I expected with many having the UBP that week. Many times there was only a person or two ahead of me and the slowest wait I had was at the pool level bar. Yes, we witnessed a hot tub full of drunk people who hogged the space an entire afternoon. A person would have to have been plain stupid to go into it during that time, as most of the party-ers stayed in the hot tub for hours. The average person would have needed to use the restroom during that time and I think they DID relieve themselves, just not in an official place where that function should occur. Ironically, that hot tub was shut down and a net placed over it for the remaining days of the cruise.

[WildcatRock]

He Said: Debarkation/Miami Overnight/Sky Embarkation:

 

Greetings! Let me first begin by apologizing for my delay in posting the "He Said" review of the Sky. I've had to deal with out of town family stuff and busy work stuff.....knowing I'm going on another cruise in 61 days has helped me get through the past week.

 

Debarkation:

 

In all of our years cruising we've never had an issue with debarkation as we always do easy walk off. Because we were spending the night in Miami we decided to debark differently this cruise by having our luggage taken off the ship for us. We figured it may take us a while to find our luggage, but weren't in any rush, so no big deal.

 

The night before we put our luggage tags on and put our luggage outside our door. Got up the next morning and had our last breakfast in the Haven restaurant and said our goodbyes to all of our new friends, both passenger and crew. We handed out the tips to the concierge, butler, room steward, and various crew members who had gone above and beyond to give us an amazing cruise experience. At about 9:30 Virginia escorted us down to deck 6 and who was standing outside of the elevator when it opened? Our good friend Alvin Sigua. What a wonderful person. If you are sailing on the Getaway within the next 5 months ask for Alvin, he's one of the matre d's and tell him Kent and Cindy told you to meet him.

 

We walked off the ship and quickly and easily found our luggage. Wow, that was easy. There was a long line waiting to clear customs, but it moved fast.

 

Now here's the cool part - I assume all of you are like me....you HATE that moment when you have to walk off the ship knowing that it may be months, a year, or longer before you cruise again. I really don't like leaving the ship and the utter feeling of dread. This day was different though as I realized I wasn't going home. Instead, I was going to hop in a cab, go to the hotel, chill out the rest of the day, then get on a cruise tomorrow!! What an AWESOME feeling it is to walk off one cruise ship knowing your vacation isn't done and that you get to head back out to the big beautiful ocean on another ship tomorrow. If you haven't had an opportunity to do this, I really hope at least once in your cruise life you get to experience this feeling.

 

Miami:

 

Frankly, we had an utterly boring and totally relaxing day. We got to the hotel around 10 am which meant we had the pleasure of chilling in the lounge for a couple hours until our room was ready. Once it was we stowed our gear and found a Subway in downtown for lunch. We spent the afternoon chilling in the hotel, decided to not go to Bayside, and had dinner at the hotel bar. We spent the rest of the night chilling in our room looking forward to tomorrow. What an exciting day....right??

 

Sky Embarkation:

 

We always sailed in suites on cruises out of Miami and always had the benefit of checking in at the VIP room. We had no idea what it would be like to check in at the main counters so we arrived at the cruise terminal at our usual time of 10:30 am. We walked through the crowd of cruisers who had debarked from the Sky and headed into the terminal to clear security.

 

I always love walking through the crowd of debarkers because I know they're sad about leaving the ship, and we're always excited to be the one's boarding the ship. Until that is, when our cruise ends and we're the debarkers....I always have a desire to trip those darn embarkers who are about to board the ship.....

 

We cleared security, filled out our health questionairre and quickly were at one of the counters checking in. Check in was a breeze and in no time we were upstairs waiting for our boarding number to be called. Because we arrived pretty early we had to wait a while before boarding began at around 12 noon. In no time our boarding number was called and we were walking on the gangway and on to the Sky. This whole process was a breeze.

 

Sky Initial Thoughts:

 

I have to admit, I was nervous about cruising on the Sky based upon the reviews I'd read. Yes, many reviews were positive, but many were not. So I walked on the ship prepared to be either relieved and excited, or depressed and bummed. I walked on the ship and took me about a minute to be totally relieved and excited.

 

Obviously, the Sky isn't the Getaway. It's on old ship, much smaller, without all the cool fun stuff. In my opinion I'll tell you what I think it is.....it's a wonderful ship! I loved the colors and decor. It was clean - it looked clean, it smelled clean. I loved the layout of the ship - it's very easy to get around.

 

We were staying in cabin 9078 which is located aft, right in the middle of the ship. The stairs/elevators are just a short walk away. Just two decks up from us and easily accessible from the stairs or elevators was the Garden Cafe (the buffet), Longboard's, and the Great Outdoor Cafe (buffet on the aft of the ship). This deck is also the pool deck.

 

One more deck up (deck 12, also known as the Sports Deck) was Cagney's, the Plantation Club, the golf ball driving tents, shuffleboard, and the wonderful Promenade with A LOT of chairs and recliners.

 

Down from deck 9 on deck 7 is where you'll find the casino, the Tradewinds shops, the Coffee Bar, and the atrium over deck 6. Deck 6 has the photo gallery, Captain Cook's bar, Dazzle's Night Club, and the customer service area. Deck 5 has the Palace main dining room and Le Bistro. One note about access to Le Bistro - it's actually accessed on deck 6 via steps located by Captain Cook's Bar.

 

I forgot to mention that on deck 11 (the Pool Deck) the Outrigger Lounge is located in the front of the ship. It's the Sky's version of the Spinnaker Lounge. It's big, very nice, with doors that allow you access to a nice outside deck overlooking the bow of the ship. Also of note is that on deck 12 at the very front is a really neat area. There is a nice children's pool and a hot tub that I don't know is used very much as I don't know how many people know it's there.

 

My impression of the Sky is that she's bigger than she looks once you get on the ship with a lot of open space that I think is probably under utilized.

 

Our Cabin:

 

As I mentioned above, we were in cabin 9078, right in the middle of the aft of the ship. I've read many reviews that said the Sky's cabins are small. Yup, they are. But, the room was nice and clean. The bed was comfy. The bathroom was cozy, but serviceable. The shower has a curtain but has plenty of room. The deck is wonderful. It's big, had two loungers and two chairs on it.

 

We met our room steward the first day and he did a great job. Our room was cleaned every morning and we had the gift of a new towel animal at night.

 

Absolutely no complaints about the room.

 

Well, that does it for tonight's part of the review. I'll be back tomorrow night with my comments about the ports of call, the restaurants, bars, and ambiance of the Sky.

[WildcatRock]

He Said:

 

Prior to leaving the Getaway, the Concierge, Virginia, told us to go meet the Concierge on the Sky, Suzana. So after our lunch on embarkation day we went up to the Plantation Bar where the Concierge Desk is located and introduced ourselves to Suzana. It was then that we'd learned we'd been given VIP privileges. OMG this is freaking awesome...we get to eat breakfast at Cagney's. This trip is getting even better.

 

OK, let's be honest. Sure we were given VIP status but many of you will probably be thinking we had a boring cruise on the Sky as after you read this you'll be thinking we didn't do anything on the cruise. Oh to the contrary...we did an amazing thing....we relaxed!

 

Freeport:

 

As many of you already know, the Freeport harbor is very commercial with nothing around it. We'd read that the fun stuff is a 20 minute ride away from the port. Wouldn't have a clue about that as we never left the ship. The weather was supposed to be iffy that day so we didn't schedule our usual snorkeling excursion. We spent the day on the ship and loved it.

 

There's a small development at the port with local shops and bars but the area didn't seem to be overly utilized by the cruisers who did get off the ship. We spent the day drinking, eating, relaxing, and me getting my booty beat in shuffleboard by DW....I'm pretty sure she was cheating....

 

We haven't stayed on a cruise ship in port more than just a few times but find it incredibly relaxing. And this day was no different. While many cruisers had stayed on the ship too, we felt like the ship was ours. Pure bliss.

 

However, we'll be back in Freeport in March and are planning on going on a snorkeling excursion.

 

Nassau:

 

Neat town. Got off the boat and walked through the shops for a little while then back on to the boat. it seemed as if many more passengers got off the boat here than at Freeport. I always detest getting off the boat then walking around a city by myself as I hate walking through the locals trying to sell me stuff, or taking me for a cab ride. But, I understand they're just trying to make a living.

 

I really appreciate Cruise Critic and being able to read all of the reviews as I was prepared for Freeport and Nassau. Knowing what to do and what not to do greatly help.

 

Nassau was pretty and I'm sure we'll probably venture out more in March.

 

Once cool thing about Nassau - DW and I were eating breakfast in Cagney's and I was looking out at the water and noticed a bird was floating on the water. Ah...that's nice I thought.....then.....BAM!!!! A shark came out of the water and got it. A FREAKING SHARK!!!! I loved it.

 

GSC:

 

Not much to cover here other than we made it to GSC. We're batting 1.000 for stops at GSC as this was our 6th stop at GSC out of 6 cruises. This stop however was much better than the previous week's stop when were on the Getaway as the weather and ocean were perfect. Hardly any wind, clear skies, warm temps, and clear seas for snorkeling. It seemed as if a large percentage of passengers had come to the island as the beach was busy. We were on one of the last tenders and had a simply marvelous day at GSC.

 

Restaurants:

 

Great Outdoor Cafe: Food was good, selection was good. Bar was very good. Drinks were always well prepared and nice and strong. Bar staff were very pleasant.

 

Le Bistro: Here's a big DUH moment...we ate there twice and both times I had the lobster. Couldn't resist it. The food quality was spectacular and the service was excellent.

 

Cagney's: Ate here twice. Food quality was excellent and the service was quick and very good.

 

We had purchased the specialty dining and had no issues. Worked very well.

 

Bars: We purchased the UDP, and like the specialty dining package, had no issues. The drinks were prepared very well and nice and strong. Didn't have any premium beverages so we never paid extra. The bar staff were pleasant and always had a smile for us.

Ambiance of the Sky: Overall, I loved the "feel" of the Sky. Again, after reading some of the reviews on the Sky I was worried about what the ship would be like and what the crew would be like. It had seem as if NCL is moving all of the "good" crew members to the bigger ships based upon comments I'd read on CC, but I didn't find that to be true on the Sky. I found the crew to be engaging, friendly, and working hard to give us a great cruise experience. I liked the layout of the ship, the ease of getting around the ship, the furnishings, decor, and colors.

 

My simple comment about the ambiance of the Sky is that it made me happy. I really enjoyed being on the ship, was incredibly relaxed, met some amazing crew members, had no issues with any passengers having too much fun. It was a great cruise. Relaxing, enjoyable, a wonderful experience.

 

We'll be back on the Sky March 14th for a fun-filled spring break cruise...which I'm sure will be interesting. But I'm looking forward to being back on the Sky.

 

Tomorrow I'll conclude my review with some final comments about some wonderful crew members from the Sky, some parting comments about both the Getaway and Sky, and my answer to the question - "Does Size Matter" when you cruise on two ships as vastly different than the Getaway and the Sky.

[vicocala]

Thank you for your review! It has been fun reliving our cruises on the two ships through your experiences. Enjoy that next cruise in March, we are going on the Spirit and are looking forward to yet another of the smaller, older members of the fleet.

[BVIArabella]

WildcatRock:

Could you please let me know if you saw any wheelchairs or even walkers on the tender ship to GSC?

My sister-in-law is in a wheelchair but we would really like to go to GSC on our Sky cruise in February. We do not have any information on accessibility on the tenders.

Thanks

[WildcatRock]

WildcatRock:

Could you please let me know if you saw any wheelchairs or even walkers on the tender ship to GSC?

My sister-in-law is in a wheelchair but we would really like to go to GSC on our Sky cruise in February. We do not have any information on accessibility on the tenders.

Thanks

 

Actually I did see someone get on the tender using a walker. Then saw her on shore being pushed around in a wheel chair that is designed for being on sand (it was big rubber tires that make it a lot easier to push the chair in sand). Your SIL will need to have some mobility as the tender boats have two levels and you get on it from the ship on the top level and will need to walk down stairs to exit the ship off the front ramp when you get to GSC.

[BVIArabella]

Thanks very much! The stairs may be too much for her. We'll have a nice day on the ship!

[WildcatRock]

He Said: The Conclusion:

 

Sorry for the delay in posting my final comments, work, family, and New England Patriot's football have consumed my time of late. As promised, here are my concluding comments:

 

Sky Crew Members:

 

I frankly was concerned about what the crew members on the Sky would be like. This concern was born most predominantly by CC reviews I'd read. My take on the quality of Sky crew members is this - they were wonderful. They work hard, always greeted me with a smile, and helped give me a great cruise experience. There were a few that stuck out to me; in particular were our wonderful concierge, Suzana Bajramovic and the Hotel Director, Jean-Michel Dhelin. Suzana was incredibly friendly, warm, accommodating, and went out of her way to ensure we were having a great cruise. If you ever get to cruise on the Sky in a suite, and Suzana is your concierge, you will be taken care of very well. We've enjoyed meeting all of the Hotel Directors on our cruises as Jean-Michel is not an exception. He was wonderful. Very approachable, easy to talk to, and genuinely interested in us and wanting to make sure we were having a great cruise. We'll be back on the Sky March 14th and am happy to know that he'll be on the Sky that week too.

 

We had a wonderful waitress in Cagney's, Dina, who was spectacular. What a wonderful person.

 

Again, overall, the crew of the Sky were wonderful and really helped in giving me a great cruise experience.

 

Parting Comments Getaway vs Sky:

 

The Getaway - big, new, beautiful, a lot of fun stuff to do. The Haven....wow...great concierge (Virginia), awesome bar staff (Evelyn), amazing staff in the Haven restaurant led by Kalai.....

 

Crew - very good. Haven crew were spectacular

 

Ports of Call - been on this itinerary several times previously, love it, no problems. Did stuff I hadn't done before, and am ready to do it again.

 

She's a big ship with a lot of people, but never felt crowded.

 

Food was very good.

 

No issues experienced on the cruise....except for the squeaking chairs in the mornings on deck 17.....but it didn't impact my cruise experience.

 

Would I sail on her again.....ABSOLUTELY......and will book my next cruise on her again as soon as NCL posts the Fall 2017 itineraries.....C'mon NCL!!!!!!!

 

The Sky - smallest cruise ship we've ever been on. Furnishings and decor were lovely. Clean, a lot of space on the ship to chill out and relax

 

First time not in a suite. But loved our cabin. It was small but very comfortable, balcony was large and wonderful.

 

The crew were very good - Loved Suzana the concierge, Jean-Michel the Hotel Director, bar staff were good, restaurant staff were very good, our room steward was excellent.

 

Ports of Call - didn't experience Freeport, but will in March. Nassau was fine....loved the shark jumping out of the water to get the bird....GSC was wonderful as usual.

 

Relaxation level - much higher on the Sky as compared to the Getaway.

 

Would on sail on her again? Absolutely! Have the next cruise booked for this March 14th.

 

THE FINAL VERDICT!!!! DOES SIZE MATTER????????

 

Drum roll.......here's my answer to the big question..........."Does Size Matter?" and my answer is a BIG FAT resounding.......NO!!!! When it comes to cruise ships, for me, size does not matter. I was worried that it would matter between these two ships. But surprisingly it didn't. Why you may ask? Because I learned each ship is unique. You need to know that, and accept that. I think all too often we as cruisers expect all cruise ships to fall into the same category. What I learned is you can't do that. You can't do what I was doing....comparing all ships to my beloved Jewel Class ships. They're all unique, with their own ambiance, with their own unique feel and culture.

 

I learned that I must be opened minded and not get caught up in size, amenities of one ship compared to other ships, and frankly go on a cruise with a fixed mindset influenced by what other cruisers say about a particular ship. I learned that cruising is what we, individually, make of it. That each cruise is independent of any other cruise I've ever been on. That they are all their own unique experience.

 

Most of all, throughout this two week experience, I learned that regardless of the ship and it's size...ultimately what determines if I have a great cruise experience is.....me.

 

So, to answer the BIG question....."Does Size Matter?"......my answer is unequivocally, and with no hesitation or reservation.......NO!!!! Size does not matter.

 

I wish you my wonderful Cruise Critic family many happy cruises...regardless of the size of cruise ship you are sailing on....

[margie1221]

Fantastic read, great insights. Thanks for the time invested to provide such a thorough review - for both ships!!!!

 

Happy future cruising to you and your bride :)

[realcindylouwho]

She Said:

I am so lazy and my husband keeps suggesting I finish up this review. I decided to see if I could figure out how to add photos, and I hope I am successful. If so, we should be able to see a picture here:

 

 

 

That was one of my all time greatest accomplishments and it only took five minutes of a C.C. search to find out how to copy and insert photos. I guess my DH needs a little tutorial from his DW?:rolleyes: If you are ever on a cruise with me you will see my world famous cruise hat. The much loved hat is on my head anytime I am out in the sun and goes in the water with me as well. I bought a new hat this year but it just isn't the same. I will likely wear my favorite until it rots apart.

 

 

 

The next photo, as well as the first, were taken at the bar at G.S.C. that is closer to the lagoon. We were so happy to have been able to get to G.S.C. twice on our two week cruising adventure, as we usually take the first tender out and the last tender back. It is a day to relax, enjoy the water, take little (or long) sun naps and partake heavily in the UBP! Hubby nearly exclusively drinks Jack and Diet Coke and on this day I enjoyed several Pain Killers. One I consumed was brown. HEAVY on the alcohol pour.;)

 

[swaterbury]

This review is so me and my wife! We started in 2009, have been on the Star, Pearl, Jewel and Spirit. We sail in suites as well. We will be on the Sky 2/22 in B1 9078 and Getaway 2/28 in Spa suite 14730!

 

AJ

 

A little off subject from the review - sorry - but...

 

Have you joined the roll call for the Getaway? I don't remember seeing your name on there. You should check it out - we'll be doing a meet and greet at Cagney's on the 29th. :)

 

Thanks for a great review so far!

 

Sara

[tinkr2]

Thanks for the great review. We did getaway in May and then Escape in Sepember. i have been super worried about our Sky sailing. Now I am not so worried, thank you. And I know to schedule stuff in Freeport, no staying on the ship for me. Im sailing this December.

[tsavong]

Thanks for a great two-sided review! I am set to take my first cruise ever on the Sky for the end of the month. I have read a ton of reviews and was a little concerned but reviews like yours makes me understand that I'm what determines what kind of cruise it will be. Therefore, it'll be awesome!