Kris2Stepjohn

This was my 2nd Cruise on the Norwegian Getaway and I was very pleased that I was not bored this 2nd time around! While the Cruise Director, JC Sanchez, was the same...many of the ship's activities have changed. The Atrium on Deck 6, is still the heart of the ship and hosts nightly musical acts and different game shows. It can be a bit crowed so if there is an act or an activity you really want to see, make sure to get there early. This year the "house band" was Groove International and they did well with reggae and R&B such as Sade, not so much with Pop Music. Both Burn the Floor and the Illusionarium had new casts so seeing those shows again didnt feel like a repeat!

The service on board the Getaway is still really great! We traveled the week of my husband's 50th Birthday and there were several members of the crew that made sure the week was memorable. Most especially, the Food & Beverage Director, who personally led a group of servers to our table and presented my husband with a specially made Cheesecake (his favorite!) for the celebration! We had met the Director a few days before and in conversation mentioned his birthday and the fact we were looking for cheesecake. It was a complete surprise that he would go out of his way to make sure my husband had his own cheesecake to enjoy! Our stateroom steward also helped me find a small earring that I thought I had lost. This type of customer service goes a long way in my book!!!

Sailing an Eastern Caribbean itinerary, we stopped at Tortula instead of St Maartin this time. We went to Can Garden Bay which was an $8pp taxi ride from the ship. This beach was nice and clean. Tortula is a quaint island with decent beaches, but you can see the construction layout for future shopping in the expanded port. Right now, Tortula is a good island for beach fun. Save your shopping for St Thomas or Nassau.

Several people mention in other reviews that the smoke from the Casino is a problem. While I will admit, the smoke smell is strong in the casino on Deck 7, I didnt find it a problem at the restaurant O'Sheehan's on that same deck. Yes, you can smell smoke walking through the casino, but it was not as bad as some others have described in other reviews.

One other thing to consider, the pools are very small on this ship. If that is a problem for you, wait for the Norwegian Escape coming later this year. The new ship's design promises 2 larger pools which will be an asset!

Overall, I had a great week on the Getaway! Food was good, service was great, and so was the cake!!!

The Getaway was a beautiful ship with a wonderful crew that worked really hard to ensure your time aboard is enjoyable.I traveled with my husband and 13 year old son on the Eastern itinerary.  We chose this cruiseline for the Freestyle Dining and found it to be a great option for my family since we dont like to "dress formal" while on vacation. I was very pleased with the complimentary dining options that were available without the added expense of the specialty restaurants. I was expecting to have to eat in the Buffet areas all week, but found that there truly are other good restaurant options that allowed us to enjoy nice meals without the hussle and bussle of the buffet crowds. My husband and son particularily enjoyed the O'Sheenan's Restaurant stating that they had "the best buffalo wings" on the boat! For me, it was nice to go get a made to order omlet for breakfast without having to stand in line, holding a plate. The quality of the food was very good and we tried all of the complimentary dining options except the Tropicanna Room, only because we just ran out of time. 

My 13 year old really enjoyed the Entourage club and looked forward to spending time there each evening. As an only child, he had no problem making new friends and he said the counselors were "pretty cool" about including everyone and introducing kids the first 2 sea days. Throughout the week, he spent a lot of time with his "new friends" playing mini golf, basketball, and several other activities. His only complaint was the pool. He only got to swim about 15 mins on the first day. The pools are just too small and too crowded. While the ship has the featured waterslides, the lines are very long and there are just too many people using the pools to enjoy them, at least on the sea days. For adults, you will have to get up early to secure a good location by the pool. Whether in the sun or the limited shaded areas, I agree that the pool deck was not designed well and it is too small. We ended up using our port time to enjoy the beaches and swim. 

The entertainment aboard the Getaway was also really great! My husband and I enjoyed Burn the Floor, Legally Blonde (although he wont admit it), and the comedian Mark Vierra! However, our favorite was the majic show "Illuminarium". Having never been to a "live" magic show, I was not expecting to be involved in their tricks. They are several opportunities for audience participation which makes it fun and made us Believers! The Floor seats are worth the extra price to get better viewing, but get there early for the best seating. Also, bring an unusual item for the Mentalist to guess. I just happened to have an umbrella in my purse, and she not only guessed what it was, she even knew the color. She also guessed what my son's picture was on his IPhone and it wasnt even on! (You had to be there, it was really shocking!)

We stayed in an AFT Balcony Cabin 14276 on the 14 Floor. This I wont recommend unless you plan to party on the ship. The cabin itself is fine, but it directly under the Garden Cafe - Deck 15 (Buffet) and the H2O Spice (Party Deck - 16) and you can hear the music (and feel the vibrations) up until 1am in the morning. It's quiet in the back of the ship during the day and you will also feel a lot of the ship movement, so it that is what you like, it would be the perfect cabin. 

Overall, we had a lot of fun on the ship and will definitely "Cruise Like a Norwegian" again!