Feels strange booked NCL

Avid Carnival cruiser, but a great deal came up on NCL Getaway, sailing tomorrow:eek: Got a family sized balcony for 7 day east Caribbean for $499, no solo supplement:D Got to use an old $250 reward, so current OOP was $250;) I must admit I'll be lost with the ship size, how things work in general. In other words, leaving my Carnival comfort zone, especially being a solo cruiser.

Be sure and post a review, even if just a short one to let us know how it worked out. Hoping you have the time of your life!

Be sure and post a review, even if just a short one to let us know how it worked out. Hoping you have the time of your life!

I'm really nervous in a way. A friend happens to be driving to Miami tomorrow and she'll drop me off at the port. I usually board Carnival as early as I can, but in this case I'll not have that luxury as I'm at her mercy. Usually I hit a buffet, but tomorrow I don't no where to go. I only booked it yesterday, so haven't had time for much research.

What's really weird, in October I was just off Sensation and tomorrow Getaway. Quite a change.

Don't know if it matters to you but NCL got rid of lobster tails in the MDR and buffet a few months ago. If you want lobster you'll have to pony up for a specialty restaurant now. Have fun. 9 days until my NCL Sun cruise!!

Our first NCL cruise (after 15 in a row on CCL) was on Getaway's sister ship - Breakaway. We had a great time. Really had no problem navigating the ship. I think you will find the entertainment and food a big change! Try to catch Legally Blonde, Burn the Floor, Second City, and Howl at the Moon dueling piano bar. O'Sheehan's has good pub food and is open 24 hours. Try their ropes course - especially "the Plank." Fat Cats jazz club is also a great place to listen to some really good music. Have fun with the "washy washy happy happy" people at the buffet. Don't be nervous! Enjoy the new experience and have a great cruise!

Our first NCL cruise (after 15 in a row on CCL) was on Getaway's sister ship - Breakaway. We had a great time. Really had no problem navigating the ship. I think you will find the entertainment and food a big change! Try to catch Legally Blonde, Burn the Floor, Second City, and Howl at the Moon dueling piano bar. O'Sheehan's has good pub food and is open 24 hours. Try their ropes course - especially "the Plank." Fat Cats jazz club is also a great place to listen to some really good music. Have fun with the "washy washy happy happy" people at the buffet. Don't be nervous! Enjoy the new experience and have a great cruise!

No ropes. I'm 70:eek:

Have fun!

Joe & Wanda

No ropes. I'm 70:eek:

My DH and I sail on RC and Celebrity. While we have sailed on Carnival and Princess, we prefer RC and Celebrity. We also got a good deal next August on the NCL Breakaway, Haven suite.

Looking foward to a new experience. I am sure you will enjoy it.

You will be perfectly fine. Most probably you won't go back to the whale tail;)

Have fun! You can attend the solo gatherings in the studio lounge to meet your fellow solo travellers.

Sent from my phone. Typos are inevitable.

Enjoy the new line and appreciate the differences. I tried NCL Epic a while back and now I'm repeating on that ship since I enjoyed the food and entertainment so much on NCL.

Viva le difference!

Enjoy the new line and appreciate the differences.

 

 

Viva le difference!

Big DITTO to that sentiment!! :)

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Avid Carnival cruiser, but a great deal came up on NCL Getaway, sailing tomorrow:eek: Got a family sized balcony for 7 day east Caribbean for $499, no solo supplement:D Got to use an old $250 reward, so current OOP was $250;) I must admit I'll be lost with the ship size, how things work in general. In other words, leaving my Carnival comfort zone, especially being a solo cruiser.

Felt the same way when we took our first princess cruise last month but I got over it real quick once i boarded, I felt as if I was cruising for the first time, everthing was just so different to me. Carnival will always be my first love but there are too many good deals out there for the other lines that nows the time to try them.

We felt the same 2 years ago when we booked the Epic. Loved it so much we went back last year. You will love it.

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You'll be fine. NCL is my second favorite line to Carnival and the most similar in my limited experience. If CCL were to close their doors tomorrow, I'd go with NCL as a replacement. Have fun. That's something NCL seems to know about, just as CCL does. I think you'll find the vibe to be familiar.

Be sure and post a review, even if just a short one to let us know how it worked out. Hoping you have the time of your life!

Yes please post a review. I said I would NEVER cruise Carnival. The Magic changed that! I've said the same thing about NCL, especially since a friend recently went on that line for an Alaskan cruise. She gave up eating in the main dining room after the first few nights because her food was all served off temperature. I may have to eat my words again if the deal/itinerary is good enough. In respect to cruises I love being wrong :D

The worst thing that could happen is you'll only have a good time.

Few things we learned in September:

1. the touch screens are great for looking to see where things are located and making reservations

2. If you like solitude and want to avoid kids, the vibe beach club is a good investment. You sign up at guest services, it was $80, but well worth it. If sold out on embarkation day, try again. People who paid never showed up on our trip on Sept.

3. O'sheehans has happy hour, great for a little savings on drinks. Most meals served there are repeated during the week, Prime rib 2 nights, chicken & waffles 2 nights and ribs 2 nights.

3. Lots of specialty dining, we felt MDR was terrible food but loved Le Bistro. Le Bistro and Cagneys sold out very fast so if planning on going book early in the week.

4. If you go to the Magic show, I personally would not pay for the floor seats, just get banquet unless you want to get there about 45 minutes before the doors open to get a good floor seat.

5. On embarkation day for lunch go to aft Deck 16, the buffet there was empty. It is more of a Tapas style than the main buffet and has its own bar.

6. For buffet we found going aft was less crowded, especially in the AM for omelets. There are 4 stations and we always found one that had no line. Just walked around checking until we found it.

7. The fish on the carpet swim towards the front of the ship, helps find your room after a few cocktails!!

Avid Carnival cruiser, but a great deal came up on NCL Getaway, sailing tomorrow:eek: Got a family sized balcony for 7 day east Caribbean for $499, no solo supplement:D Got to use an old $250 reward, so current OOP was $250;) I must admit I'll be lost with the ship size, how things work in general. In other words, leaving my Carnival comfort zone, especially being a solo cruiser.

Just down the hall from ya in 12140. Gonna be a great cruise.

My first NCL cruise as well. I was supposed to be on a Carnival one this week but it didnt work out. Started with an inside room, then got upgraded to an OV and a price drop. Just got upgraded to a balcony for no additional charge. Less than $485 pp

I still like Carnival but I am not loyal to any line.

Hmmmmm.....we just recently booked what will be our first NCL cruise for September 2015....but no strange feeling yet.....maybe cause still a ways out, or as I've read on NCL's CC forum, some suggest NCL's Hawaiian cruise on their Pride of America, ain't a "real" or "true feeling" NCL cruise....guess we'll be seeing later.

You will be perfectly fine. Most probably you won't go back to the whale tail;)

Why? i go where my wallet tells me to go. Nothing wrong with Carnival or any other line. The differences between the major lines is minimal at best. I love them all and my wallet decides who I'm cruising with next (hence why I have NCL, Carnival, NCL, and then RCCL currently booked).

Don't know if it matters to you but NCL got rid of lobster tails in the MDR and buffet a few months ago. If you want lobster you'll have to pony up for a specialty restaurant now. Have fun. 9 days until my NCL Sun cruise!!

Not true. They have lobster tails in the buffet one night. Check your schedule for more information.

And start your cruise eating at O'Sheehans. It is on deck 7 right where you enter the ship. We loved it there. Good comfort food open 24 hours.

Getaway is a great ship. You'll have an amazing time.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise! I'm jealous you got to take advantage of such a great deal.

Heather

Fyi, all solos can go to the solo happy hour held in solo lounge each evening. If you're interested, they do group dinners, including specialty restaurants. If you are not in studio cabins, happy hour is the only time the lounge is open to you. It's between 5:30 and 6:30 each night.

Also, Getaway has a lot of outside bars where smoking is allowed...I think I remember you being a smoker?

Funny thing, I was on Getaway this summer and really liked OSheehans a lot but can't remember what I ate! Most food was so so to me at other places on the ship. I liked the Brazilian steak house and Cagneys ok. Noodle bar, Shanghais maybe, was good for lunch. Liked Teppanyaki on Epic, but didn't try on Getaway. Spent a lot of time in casino. Wheel of fortune machines were always empty. Nobody played them! They do not pay. Trust a sister on that. Fireworks display is worth seeing. Quest game is pretty fun to watch.

I like Norwegian, maybe not as much as Carnival, but you'll have a great time!!

Wernt you on our NCL Epic Roll Call 2 years ago?

So this isn't the first time;)