Just back from the Getaway and posting some random thoughts

[battweb]

This was our 4th NCL cruise (second time on the Getaway) and we have been on many others. Our most recent cruise was on the RCCL Allure of the Seas - so, there is a slant toward our experience there. Overall, the Getaway is a great ship and has a ton of fun things to do. Rather than doing a typical review, I wanted to post some random thoughts.

 

- The ship felt more crowded this time. Last time was March 2014 and for whatever reason, the ship felt busier.

- Tepanyaki. Fun dining experience and ate here the first night. Table mates were not great and the service was very slow to start. Went again and it was better. Great chef and better service. Ignore the menu and order steak and lobster. So good! Lobster with butter and soy sauce is amazing. I do wish they had half portions available for the kids. My 9 year old ate a lot, but there was a ton left over.

- Cutback of fireworks is disappointing.

- Service is mostly good. Spotty at times though.

- I did not see our cabin steward until the last day, which is very odd compared to our previous cruising experiences. My wife saw him the first day very briefly. He did a fine job, but probably lost out a bit financially by not being more noticeable.

- Cagneys Steakhouse was good. The apps never thrilled me though (chicken wings? Sliders??). Had the filet and it was cooked perfectly. Sides were all really good.

- Saw Burn the Floor. Very entertaining show. Go see it.

- Illusionarium is a cool magic dinner show at sea. I missed the host of a year ago, but this one did a fine job as well - just not as funny or charismatic. Magicians were good and especially enjoy the mentalist. Food was good. Liked it better this year, even though the menu had not changed (steak and shrimp).

- We were underwhelmed by Ocean Blue. My wife had the Dover Sole, which is their signature dish. It was just okay and have had much better. The sea bass was good. Nothing out of the ordinary, but good. Service was okay as well. Didn't think it was worth the $40 up-charge per person. I would not do this again.

- La Cucina was okay and comparable to the quality that you would get in main dining.

- Enjoyed the Legally Blonde show. Good production.

- Game shows were all a lot of fun and entertaining. Cruise Director staff does a really good job.

- The main area of the casino is very smokey. No filters and you will smell like smoke very quickly. They do have a small section that is non-smoking, but it still blends in. Still wonder why they allow smoking on a cruise ship.

- Odd that you don't see the NCL staff cleaning up more around the pool area during the day. Occasionally, you will see plates or drinks all piled up around. Disney and RCCL are much better about this.

- Nice to see NCL with a staff member watching somewhat over the pools. I would not call them lifeguards as they were more busy watching out for kids in the adult people or people with bottles, but it is an improvement. All cruise lines need some sort of lifeguard on duty at the pools. Disney is the best at this.

- I did see a guy get handcuffed for some sort of violence (fighting?). I saw him push a security guard as well. Security was there in force and did a good job handling the situation. I hope they sent that guy home. Amazing how people can be so stupid.

- We had two medical helicopter evacuations during the cruise. Hope the people were okay.

- Kids loved the video arcade, especially the air hockey. In O'Sheenhans, we bowled and played basketball as well. Lots of fun, but the costs can add up fast.

- Hey Towel Guy: smile every once in a while, you might enjoy it.

- Buffet was good, though it would be nice to see some variety.

- Main pool is too small for the amount of passengers on board. It gets really crowded in the afternoons.

- Do the ropes course and walk the plank!

- Disembarkment went well and we were off the ship and in the car by 8 a.m.

- Overall, the cruise was fun and relaxing. The Getaway is a great ship.

[cmdchiefthom]

Thanks for a concise review. I kind of feel the same way about the Getaway, enough to book her again in February. Glad you enjoyed the ship and your cruise.;)

[sunsetme]

thanks for the review, always appreciate the latest assessment.

[youngestof9]

Nice review. I LOVED the mentalist of illusionarium. Did you see her tattoos? Very cool.

[Sand and Seas]

Enjoyed your post! Did you try the Flamingo Grill? Where did you have breakfasts? (I like to avoid the crowded buffet)

[battweb]

Nice review. I LOVED the mentalist of illusionarium. Did you see her tattoos? Very cool.

 

Yes, very cool tattoos. She was great!

[battweb]

Enjoyed your post! Did you try the Flamingo Grill? Where did you have breakfasts? (I like to avoid the crowded buffet)

 

I agree on the crowds, though our breakfasts were typically in the buffet or occasionly in Flamingo.

[emmak8]

Thanks for posting your thoughts.

[david_sobe]

Welcome back and thanks for your thoughts. I agree with you about La Cucina. I just don't get the cover charge. The quality is exactly the same as the MDR. We even thought the gnocchi was better in the MDR and told them that on the comment card. We loved the food in all the restaurants on Getaway except La Cucina. I love Italian and even imitation Italian like The Olive Garden but La Cucina does not even come close.

Edited August 9, 2015 by david_sobe

[Jaco5NC]

Thank you for sharing your experiences! Glad you had a great week!