Thoroughly enjoyed this cruise. NCL is in our top two cruise lines and the Getaway is an enjoyable ship. Ports were generally fun and interesting. Got a break on the weather as it was sunny and 60 most days, with a bit of rain in Germany.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Our wait to board the ship was minimal. Had lunch at the Savor restaurant, Food was very good and the place was fairly empty.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food was very good in the main dining rooms. Recommend eating in the Tropicana where entertainment is provided during dining. We did not use the specialty restaurants. Buffets were usually good, although consistently the same throughout the voyage.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Due to chilly temperatures, most of the outdoor activities were closed throughout the trip. They had a library (little better than usual ones), card room, board games available, ping pong, mini golf, and shuffleboard as well. One unique feature we used was the stand with a cam that allowed you to take a photo, add a message and post to facebook, twitter or Instagram.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The entertainment was first rate. Karl Loxley was an amazing vocalist, similar to Josh Groban. The dance troupe, Burning Up the Floor, provided a very energetic and enthralling show. We also enjoyed Bernadette Nyari, a virtuoso violinist. The acts in the various lounges were quite good as well. We paid to see Cirque Dreams and it was a bargain as an excellent 3 course meal was included. The only complaint would be the stage is fairly small and with columns and other people it was a bit difficult to see the whole show.
Children's Programs
No kids
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Service was quite good throughout the ship. Only problem we had was it seemed our steward's schedule conflicted with ours and our room didn't get done until late.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship was very clean and often saw staff cleaning throughout.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Our cabin was nice - unobstructed view from balcony, fancy shower, lots of storage. One complaint would be we often had to shut the door due to smoke coming in - not sure if it came from fellow passengers smoking on balconies, or wafting down from pool area smoking section. TV channel selection was slim - only 3 English speaking channels.
Pretty boring place. Finding a bathroom was difficult. In fact public restrooms are hard to find in most cities and usually require payment (even in churches). Recommend people carry spare change. We did not go to Berlin like many people as I have been there before.
We were here 2 days and booked a tour through Viator. Half the price of the cruise line tour and equal to their itinerary. Amazing place to see with a lot of history. Do not miss the Hermitage Museum!
We booked a Hop On Hop Off bus but disappointed with it . Headphones only worked occasionally and the wait often exceeded 30 minutes. Helsinki has some interesting sites but not our favorite place.
We had an early flight so opted to get off first and carry our own luggage. We were through the exit and into a cab 20 minutes after the ship alowed people to disembark.
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