Getaway misses its first two Batic ports

[Seminole1975]

We were on the Getaway for the June 3 Baltic cruise and had the same issue getting back on the ship in Warnemunde. It had been a rainy, miserable day, and then cleared up in the late afternoon. so lots of folks got off the ship to enjoy the lovely little town and waterfront. When we returned (in good time to make the "all aboard") there was an enormous line outside waiting to get through the terminal, and then, once inside, it looked like the lines at Disney World, but far less organized. We had to go through the metal detectors there, and from what we heard, it was a security issue, as there had been bomb threats at a couple train stations in Berlin that day. When you combine the folks who were out enjoying the pretty weather, with those returning (delayed) from Berlin excursions, you have some pretty big logistics problems. We saw Getaway personnel standing around rather helplessly, and there was no organization in the terminal at all... just a crush of people going through 4 metal detectors, with no discernible lines. It was a total mess, and took the better part of an hour to get through.

 

Thank you for posting this information. I was curious to know what to expect. From reading certain Getaway threads, it seems as if some NCL personnel do not have a contingency plan if and when the situation does not go as expected. I have been reading the TA to Southampton thread and those folks had it rough!!! I would have had a panic attack if I had to stand in line for four hours and not know what was happening!!! NCL should take some courses from Disney on crowd control! Disney will keep you moving in an organized way and entertain you at the same time!!

[Sauer-kraut]

Thank you for posting this information. I was curious to know what to expect. From reading certain Getaway threads, it seems as if some NCL personnel do not have a contingency plan if and when the situation does not go as expected. I have been reading the TA to Southampton thread and those folks had it rough!!! I would have had a panic attack if I had to stand in line for four hours and not know what was happening!!! NCL should take some courses from Disney on crowd control! Disney will keep you moving in an organized way and entertain you at the same time!!

 

I think that you will find it is port employees who actually work the terminals and not NCL employees.

[Seminole1975]

I'm so glad you posted! We were on the June 3 Getaway cruise and saw Million Dollar Quartet. I've seen tons of shows - on ships, in Vegas, national touring companies, and many on Broadway. We have friends who are performers, our daughters danced for years, and we know when something is really good or not. We loved Burn the Floor (fantastic dancers!!!) but I can honestly say that Million Dollar Quartet is the very best show we've ever seen on a ship, and beats most of the rest we've seen elsewhere, too. Your son was terrific, as was each of the performers. I loved it so much that I researched the cast's backgrounds after we returned!

 

Please tell your son how much we enjoyed the show; it was truly fantastic and he is a big talent. Best show ever!!!

 

Wow thanks! This is a bit off the subject, but if you get a chance, look up Will Boyajean, the actor who plays Johnny Cash. He started a charity called Hopeful Cases with the money he made on his first contract with NCL last year. He plays the guitar in the NYC subway and donates the money to homeless people or people down on their luck. He was quite the sensation in the NYC media and even appeared on the Rachel Ray show. He also received an award from the Tribeca Film Festival Disruptor Awards which recognizes traditional and non-traditional ways of tackling the worlds problems! He would be too shy to ever say anything, but if you see him around the ship, tell him congratulations!

[Alegeeter]

Hi all!

 

I was on the May 25th Baltic cruise which thankfully went smoothly & also had great weather, well except for a shower in Helsinki.

Wow, that technology is amazing for the Russians to disable the ship!!

 

Seminole1975 ~ thanks for the info. Your son did a great job!! I loved the show so much I went twice & if it had been on the next night would have gone again!!

 

Have a nice evening.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

 

We were on that sailing too and agree, Kurt and the entire cast were phenomenal! It was the most talented cast I've seen on a ship!

[Nelsj099]

Russian Customs is always bad... ALWAYS. I can't wait for St. Petes where I don't have a tour booked at all getting off on my Visa. We will see how that goes.

[Seminole1975]

I think that you will find it is port employees who actually work the terminals and not NCL employees.

 

So the port employees work the security checkpoints, X-ray machines and organize the lines getting back on the ship? The day in question in Warnemunde was due to a bomb threat or other security issue and hopefully not the norm? Thanks, I am trying to understand. I hate lines as I suppose do most folks! :o:(:mad:

[dixieagle]

I think that you will find it is port employees who actually work the terminals and not NCL employees.

 

Yes, this is true. The NCL folks were simply standing there looking on helplessly. If I were NCL, I'd be having a chat with whoever administers the terminal there. It was chaos.

[dixieagle]

Wow thanks! This is a bit off the subject, but if you get a chance, look up Will Boyajean, the actor who plays Johnny Cash. He started a charity called Hopeful Cases with the money he made on his first contract with NCL last year. He plays the guitar in the NYC subway and donates the money to homeless people or people down on their luck. He was quite the sensation in the NYC media and even appeared on the Rachel Ray show. He also received an award from the Tribeca Film Festival Disruptor Awards which recognizes traditional and non-traditional ways of tackling the worlds problems! He would be too shy to ever say anything, but if you see him around the ship, tell him congratulations!

 

I had read that about him after we returned from the cruise. Very impressive!!!

 

I wish we'd run into any of the cast around the ship, as I certainly would have spoken, but we never saw them. :(

[Seminole1975]

I had read that about him after we returned from the cruise. Very impressive!!!

 

I wish we'd run into any of the cast around the ship, as I certainly would have spoken, but we never saw them. :(

 

I wish you had! They are out and about-they can go in the passenger areas. People have come up to them when they are together and asked which one has the mom on CC. They get a kick out of that!:cool:

[Huntingdon1701]

So the port employees work the security checkpoints, X-ray machines and organize the lines getting back on the ship? The day in question in Warnemunde was due to a bomb threat or other security issue and hopefully not the norm? Thanks, I am trying to understand. I hate lines as I suppose do most folks! :o:(:mad:

 

Not even one person in line when I returned at Warnemunde. I don't even recall going through a terminal - you just came in the gate and walked to the gangplank. (16th May sailing).

[Seminole1975]

Not even one person in line when I returned at Warnemunde. I don't even recall going through a terminal - you just came in the gate and walked to the gangplank. (16th May sailing).

 

Thanks Huntingdon! That is very reassuring! (Enjoyed your review btw)

[Huntingdon1701]

(Enjoyed your review btw)

 

Thank you!

[djacobson]

Hi! His name is Kurt. He is in Million Dollar Quartet and plays Carl Perkins. This is his 2nd contract on the Getaway.

 

I was on the Getaway May 16-25 and saw Million Dollar Quartet twice. Best show I have ever seen on a ship and your son was outstanding!

[debenson0723]

Wow thanks! This is a bit off the subject, but if you get a chance, look up Will Boyajean, the actor who plays Johnny Cash. He started a charity called Hopeful Cases with the money he made on his first contract with NCL last year. He plays the guitar in the NYC subway and donates the money to homeless people or people down on their luck. He was quite the sensation in the NYC media and even appeared on the Rachel Ray show. He also received an award from the Tribeca Film Festival Disruptor Awards which recognizes traditional and non-traditional ways of tackling the worlds problems! He would be too shy to ever say anything, but if you see him around the ship, tell him congratulations!

 

I attended a Q and A on the ship in which Will participated. It was very enjoyable to hear him talk about the cast and how much they get along, the little things they do on stage to make the others laugh, etc. I wish I would have known about his charity because, as you said, he did not mention it at all and I would have asked him about it. Never did see any of the cast around the ship, at least not that I noticed. Have a great time on your cruise.

[Seminole1975]

I attended a Q and A on the ship in which Will participated. It was very enjoyable to hear him talk about the cast and how much they get along, the little things they do on stage to make the others laugh, etc. I wish I would have known about his charity because, as you said, he did not mention it at all and I would have asked him about it. Never did see any of the cast around the ship, at least not that I noticed. Have a great time on your cruise.

 

Thank you! Can't wait but I guess I will have too! I will look out for the Q and A. Did not know they had one!

[ttnc4me]

Oh that makes sense .........the Russians did it lol and his sources are ???

Posting this from onboard currently and the cruise director gave the exact same information.

 

We were 30 mins late arriving in Tallinn due to wind but they allowed an extra 30 mins in port to make up for it.

 

The captain came on a bit ago to let us know if we were awake at 3:30am to watch outside for the beautiful Archipelago strait. Looks like Stockholm will be a go!

 

All other ports have been perfect. It was funny watching us be on the news for docking in Gdynia and having half the city come out to watch us dock and leave again.

 

The officers deserve a raise for whomever navigates Warnemunde as it appears that there is almost literally a 50 foot clearance on either end when navigating out of the port.

[Seminole1975]

Posting this from onboard currently and the cruise director gave the exact same information.

 

We were 30 mins late arriving in Tallinn due to wind but they allowed an extra 30 mins in port to make up for it.

 

The captain came on a bit ago to let us know if we were awake at 3:30am to watch outside for the beautiful Archipelago strait. Looks like Stockholm will be a go!

 

All other ports have been perfect. It was funny watching us be on the news for docking in Gdynia and having half the city come out to watch us dock and leave again.

 

The officers deserve a raise for whomever navigates Warnemunde as it appears that there is almost literally a 50 foot clearance on either end when navigating out of the port.

 

Thank you for this information! So glad to hear that the cruise is going well!

[N52939]

I was on this particular cruise (joined a day late in Warnemunde). The information on the GPS jamming was actually announced by the Captain just before we were due to sail. The strange thing is that the GPS on my iPhone appeared to be working fine the whole time. After the Russia - New Zealand game finished, 3 helicopters flew overhead and into the distance and the Getaway was able to leave port after that.

 

Interesting but still:

 

1. It's correct

2. It's a rumor that has taken on a life of its own fueled by pax debating this in the atrium

3. It's somewhere between true and not true

4. It's what ncl is telling their pax on the ship to take the blame off themselves

 

 

My take...2 ..3...or 4. Lol

 

 

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[WakeView4Us]

I was on the Getaway May 16-25 and saw Million Dollar Quartet twice. Best show I have ever seen on a ship and your son was outstanding!

 

 

We agree...we saw it previously on the Escape and the Getaway and can't wait to see it again on the Getaway in a few days! Best show, hands down, on any of the 19 cruises I have been on.

[DebbieT11]

The captain came on a bit ago to let us know if we were awake at 3:30am to watch outside for the beautiful Archipelago strait. Looks like Stockholm will be a go!

 

Seriously.... this is an AH-mazing experience!!

[ttnc4me]

I'm so glad you posted! We were on the June 3 Getaway cruise and saw Million Dollar Quartet. I've seen tons of shows - on ships, in Vegas, national touring companies, and many on Broadway. We have friends who are performers, our daughters danced for years, and we know when something is really good or not. We loved Burn the Floor (fantastic dancers!!!) but I can honestly say that Million Dollar Quartet is the very best show we've ever seen on a ship, and beats most of the rest we've seen elsewhere, too. Your son was terrific, as was each of the performers. I loved it so much that I researched the cast's backgrounds after we returned!

 

Please tell your son how much we enjoyed the show; it was truly fantastic and he is a big talent. Best show ever!!!

We just saw this show tonight and I have to echo these sentiments. After dozens of cruises on many different lines, this show is AMAZING!!! Although my husband and I could relate as immediately recognizing the songs and performers, even my teenagers commented on how much they liked the show. BRAVO to the cast and crew!

[Seminole1975]

That's so great! Thank you. When the show was in Chicago for 7 years ( DS was in it for 2) families would bring teenagers & they would end up going 2-3 times! One of my friends took his kids every time they visited Chicago & that was before my son was in it!!

 

 

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[Seminole1975]

I just emailed Kurt today that the reviews on CC are good and that's sayin something!

 

 

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[$hip$hape]

I think that it sounds ridiculous when people ask how late they embark and how to get off as quick is possible when the cruise ends. Why book a cruise if you want to spend as little time as possible on the ship? (I have some understanding for doing it because of late or early flights but that's not always the reason.)

 

For me the ship is more important than the ports but I prefer a nice ship AND some interesting ports.

 

I think that it's good that people are different so I don't mind that many will disagree with me but that's my opinion.

Nice post.

As I sit here at home in front of my PC, finishing a can of Pringles in me underwear,

I envy anyone on a cruise.