Honeymoon of our Dreams!

My husband and I celebrated our honeymoon on the Norwegian Getaway and it exceeded all of our expectations!  We had originally planned on going to an all-inclusive resort somewhere in the Caribbean, but the cost of flights and resort combined were astronomical.  We were also concerned about being "stuck" in one location for a week and potentially getting bored.  We decided to take a quick look at some Caribbean cruises to see if we could get better rates.  Our honeymoon in total (including airfare) was over half less than any resort we were looking at.  Our total bill (including airfare, excursions, gratuities, and other purchases) came to a total of $2,500.

What we loved about the Norwegian Getaway was the ability for us to relax and do nothing (peacefully) when we wanted to and to engage in activities (some we've never thought of trying before) other times.  We liked being able to do things on our own schedule and that there were plenty of activities to keep us from ever getting bored.  There was a great mix of people (families, singles, couples young and old) travelling with us.  Norwegian did excellent at catering events and activities aimed at these different groups.

We really enjoyed the food options that were included.  The Irish pub O'Sheehans was amazing.  Great pub food, better than many pubs we've been to back home!  The main buffet was excellent.  It always provided such a wide array of options (oriental, indian, seafood, salads, etc.) that we never got bored.  It also provided a great amount of mainstays to keep even the pickiest of eaters happy (burgers, chicken fingers, mac'n'cheese, etc.).  We often had a difficult time deciding whether to go to a main dining room or just stick with the buffet.  And oh my goodness, I nearly lost my husband to the desert crepe station at the dinner buffet.  If you haven't had a chocolate crepe before, you haven't fully lived!  Not to be outdone, Flamingo Bar and Grill had some of the best cuban food we've ever eaten (and some we've never even tried).  The only downside was that we didn't discover this gem until the day before the cruise ended!  The main dining room was also excellent.  Everything we had (meat lasagna, braised short ribs, jerk chicken) was delicious and served hot.  The only thing we weren't impressed with in general were the dessert options at the different dining locations.  However, not eating a ton of dessert was probably best for us anyway!

We upgraded to a balcony room and absolutely loved it.  There was plenty of space for the two of us in our cabin and lots of hidden areas for extra storage. The bed was fantastic.  This was the ONLY time we can say we weren't ecstatic to be back in our own bed once we got home.  We got some of the best sleep on this cruise than we have on any other vacation!  Our cabin steward was amazing: always cleaned our cabin quickly, never in the way, always there to greet us in the morning and evening, and always ready to help us with any request.

We did not purchase any extra package, but we did get the Unlimited Beverage Package as part of our cruise deal (and for upgrading our room).  We thoroughly enjoyed taking advantage of the UBP to try a bunch of different drinks at all the different bars.  All the bartenders were wonderful, but the bartenders at the Sugercane Mojito Bar were outstanding.  All bartenders would listen to the customers and were willing to make anything you asked for, even if it wasn't on the menu.

Over all we had a fantastic experience.  This was the first cruise for my husband, and my 6th cruise overall.  Norwegian is currently my favorite cruise line just because of the free style cruising.  I did not miss the formal night or the mandatory dinner seating.  This vacation was exactly what we wanted: freedom to do what we wanted to when, and a variety of things to choose from.  We can't wait to get back on the Norwegian Getaway soon!