Absolutely wonderful!!!! We have been on 20+ cruises with various cruise lines, but this was one of the best as far as food and excursions are concerned. We really enjoy the NCL casual attire guidelines.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Upon arriving at the port, there were two entrances based on our stateroom deck. This automatically cut the wait time in half plus being a Latitudes member enabled us to move into a shorter line. Once on board the Garden Café was serving lunch and before we were finished eating, our room was ready.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Our breakfast meals were either at the buffet or at Savor restaurant. Both were delicious and offered anything you could want to start your day. Often lunch was between 2 & 4 after returning from an excursion and the buffet was still available with so many selections that it was hard to decided what to eat. For dinner, we ate in three specialty restaurants, as well as Savor, Taste, and the Garden Café. Normally, we don't eat at an Italian restaurant, but La Cucina was the exception. The veal was tender and cooked to perfection. In Ocean Blue, the lobster tails were a good size, 6 to 8 oz. Cagney's steakhouse is always a favorite with steak so tender, you can cut it with a butter knife. Not to mention seafood night at the buffet. The shrimp were plentiful and peeled; the best I've eaten in a long time! I would go so far as to say, the food on this cruise was 100% outstanding.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
The weather was too cool for the pool or any outdoor activities. Although the water slides looked like fun if it was summer. There was always something going on in the Atrium...game shows, "How to" lessons, or music & dancing.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
We attended "Burn the Floor". This was a non-stop dancing performance that was amusing, entertaining, and breath-taking. I would recommend it to everyone. However, I would be remiss if I didn't say that we enjoyed the "old way" of attending nightly shows in the theater without reservations or timed admittance.
Children's Programs
We had no children with us.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Our room steward, Yong Sheng Sun, kept our room clean and performed all his duties to perfection. All waiters and waitresses were friendly and helpful. Each of the crew had a smile and kind word to say. It was a pleasure being on this ship!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
This was the second time we traveled on the Getaway so we were familiar with the layout. All areas of the ship were clean and well-maintained... we often would see the crew cleaning, especially in the buffet area and restaurants. Gives you a good feeling!
Cabin / Stateroom
3 out of 5
Our balcony cabin was average in size; however the bathroom was larger than expected. Our shower had a door rather than a curtain and there was ample counter and shelf space. One issue was the closeness of the bed to the closet...only inches separated the two. This was very inconvenient, especially during the night when you had to crawl down the bed to get out. The steward kept our room clean.
(My husband misses the chocolates that used to be left on our pillow at night.)
Ship tip
Enjoy as many of the restaurants as possible...the food is delicious!
While we did not go on a ship excursion, we spent several days in Copenhagen before and after the cruise. We enjoyed the sightseeing which we did on the Hop-on and Hop-off bus. The people in the city are friendly and willing to help with directions and offer recommendations.
While most of the tours were into Berlin, the 6 hour round trip did not entice us. Instead, we chose to visit the Schwerin castle and we were not disappointed. This fairy tale castle was beautiful inside and out. There was so much to see...Each room was decorated differently. The landscaping was just a lovely. After a short talk into town, we were given free time to explore on our own.
While I wasn't sure what to expect from Estonia, the Scenic Tallinn tour was very interesting. The Tall Tower, Swan pond, and Song Festival grounds contained a wealth of history. Also the Olympic grounds and yachting complex were amazing to see.
We took the two day Best of St Petersburg tour and were non stop for the 17 hours. The palaces and museum were awesome...and very crowded. It was hard to see everything in the few hours we toured, but it was enough to get a sense of their greatness. We visited the church of the Spilled Blood, but it was too early to go inside, which was a disappointment. The main problem we encountered was not being able to leave the port the second night as scheduled due to the wind conditions. We were happy to sail away the next morning.
We toured the Vasa Museum which was absolutely fascinating. The story behind the ship, it's discovery and how the museum was built around the ship was very interesting. The appearance of the ship and details of its construction captured the imagination. The town of Stockholm and medieval Old Town were equally fascinating.
Very well organized. Since we were staying in Copenhagen, we enjoyed a very relaxing breakfast in the Savor restaurant before leaving the ship. Once we picked up our luggage, we were able to get a taxi without issue.
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