GETAWAY Picture Review (Great Stirrup Cay, Cozumel, Grand Cayman & Jamaica)

[mpcaruth]

Where is the closest area to the kids pool to sit? Hoping the wrangle a spot close by for those sea days.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Sorry, I don't recall any lounge chairs within sight of the area. There are covered outdoor dining chairs and tables next to the splash park. This area is really just an outdoor overflow area for the Garden Cafe.

 

In looking at the photos, it looks like you may be able to get a lounger on Deck 16 overlooking the family pool area.

[alexmom]

I'm really enjoying your review and will count the minutes until you post another tidbit of gold ! And your photos are amazing, especially the pool photos.

 

Where you ever at the main pool early in the morning, like around 6 or 7 am ? I like to swim laps and I'm trying to figure out when and where to do that.

 

I'm traveling on Getaway February 2017 in a studio cabin. It's a first with NCL and a first solo trip in 30+ years.

 

If you really want to see a balcony that's truly amazing, the forward facing balconies on Princess take the cake ! We were in L103, had 15 people from our role call on it for sail away and had room for another 4 or 5 without crowding. In fact, even after the sail away, people from the role call would stop by and 'visit' the balcony LOL ! It was wonderful ! I'm a social creature who enjoyed every minute. Even if you don't share it, the balcony is awesome. They call them obstructed DZs but there's nothing obstructed about them.

 

I hope you enjoyed your cruise as much as we are enjoying hearing about it !

Kristine

[tinker 4]

Great review. When you looked down what deck where the big balcony on?

 

alexmom

 

What Princess ship where you on. Love a big balcony. We always booked Caribe deck on the Ruby, Star, Caribbean.

[mpcaruth]

I'm really enjoying your review and will count the minutes until you post another tidbit of gold ! And your photos are amazing, especially the pool photos.

 

Where you ever at the main pool early in the morning, like around 6 or 7 am ? I like to swim laps and I'm trying to figure out when and where to do that.

 

I'm traveling on Getaway February 2017 in a studio cabin. It's a first with NCL and a first solo trip in 30+ years.

 

If you really want to see a balcony that's truly amazing, the forward facing balconies on Princess take the cake ! We were in L103, had 15 people from our role call on it for sail away and had room for another 4 or 5 without crowding. In fact, even after the sail away, people from the role call would stop by and 'visit' the balcony LOL ! It was wonderful ! I'm a social creature who enjoyed every minute. Even if you don't share it, the balcony is awesome. They call them obstructed DZs but there's nothing obstructed about them.

 

I hope you enjoyed your cruise as much as we are enjoying hearing about it !

Kristine

 

Thanks!!! Someday, after we put the kids through braces and college, I will splurge and get a great, big, magnificent suite with an aft balcony. Until then, I will have to be content with low end cabins.

 

Yes, I did walk by the main pool early in the morning, and you should have no trouble swimming laps (albeit short laps). I love exploring and walking around the ships early in the morning before the masses take over. I will go ahead a post my pics on the main pool next.

 

I wish I could just whip out this review in a single setting; however, it takes a lot of time, and it will definitely be a week before I can complete it (or sadly, maybe 2 weeks).

[mpcaruth]

Main Pool area:

 

This area is the daytime party scene of the ship. We never utilized this area, as we are not sun worshipers and do not like getting into overly-crowded pools. Please note, the Getaway main pool area is no more busy than all cruise ship main pool areas on a sea day.

 

This area is even more crazy on port days just before sailaway. I think the first thing everyone did when they got back on the ship was grab 5 drinks with their UBP: they needed to make up lost time while in port! My teens commented frequently on all the drunks partying in the pools and hot tubs. It really was the worst I have ever seen on a ship (Although, I have never sailed spring break).

 

Main pool empty during the early morning:

 

 

 

 

Stage and one of the hottubs to the left:

 

 

 

 

 

Stairs to the hot tub:

[mpcaruth]

I found another picture of the kids pool area.

 

[mpcaruth]

Great review. When you looked down what deck where the big balcony on?

 

The longest balconies were on deck 8, then deck 9 is a little shorter than 8, and finally deck 10 had the standard size balcony as all the others going up.

 

The guy in red is on deck 9. You can see that his balcony is much larger than ours, as he has his elbow on a table.

 

The bottom balcony level is deck 8, and they had lounge chairs.

 

[zackarykeef]

Great review. When you looked down what deck where the big balcony on?

 

Considering OP stated she was very forward on the ship, the large balconies below her on deck 9 are likely the B6 rooms (Large Balcony). The even larger ones below that with the loungers are likely the M6 rooms (Mini-suite with large balcony). Hope that helps!

Edited March 22, 2016 by zackarykeef

[paulyb81]

Great review so far. Keep it coming!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Sissaaaaaa]

Wow - those refugee pictures are just amazing!

[mpcaruth]

Great Stirrup Cay:

 

This was our first time at this port. GSC is a tender port. We had decided to sleep in a little and catch a tender around 10:00. The Freestyle Daily suggests you get a tender ticket for the time you want to disembark. However; when I went to get the ticket around 8:00, the crew told me I really wouldn’t need one, because by that time we would be able to go on through. So… we arrive at the meeting place (main theater) around 10:00 and were directed to seating. There must have been a few hundred folks ahead of us. The process took a long time, and everyone was instructed that the waves were very choppy and the tenders we going very slowly for safety purposes. We finally arrive on the Island a little after 12:30. The last tender back to the ship was scheduled for 4:00.

 

It was a little chilly, so we mostly explored, relaxed in loungers, and had a few drinks. My husband and I had the UBP and the kids had the free soda packages (we booked the cruise before they cut the soda perk). The bar on the way to the Lagoon is much less crowded and you can get drinks quickly. We grabbed our loungers near the lagoon.

 

Main beach area (picture taken at the end of day after everyone had already left):

 

 

 

 

Walking away from main beach area to the lagoon:

 

 

 

 

 

[mpcaruth]

Great Stirrup Cay Continued:

 

Cabana along the way:

 

 

Restrooms and food along the way:

 

 

 

Small rocky beach area along the way:

 

 

 

 

And here's the Lagoon:

 

[mpcaruth]

Great Stirrup Cay Continued:

 

 

The Lagoon area was very nice, but on the cold windy day, it was still a little too chilly for us to swim.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mpcaruth]

Great Stirrup Cay Continued:

 

My daughter and I decided to walk the road/path located up above the Lagoon.

 

 

 

Along this road, we also saw this path. We attempted it, but it was just too overgrown, especially in flip flops.

 

 

 

We continued on the road. This picture was taken from the high point and we could see water on the other side. So, we kept walking.

 

 

Near the end:

 

 

 

At the end of the road we could see Royal Caribbean's private island, Coco Cay:

 

[mpcaruth]

Great Stirrup Cay Continued:

 

Coco Cay:

 

 

My daughter found quite a few hermit crabs during our walk.

 

 

After our walk, we met back with the guys and headed to the tender. We got to the tender at 3:15, and since there was no line we figured we would be back on the ship soon. WRONG! They let us board the tender, but it did not leave until 4:00 - the last one. I think it was inconsiderate of NCL to make everyone wait. Had we known, we could have at least waited in comfortable loungers on the beach.

 

Between that morning and the afternoon, we spent a total of 3-1/3 hours for the tendering process for less than 3 hours of time on the island. Lesson learned.

 

 

By the way. If you love Great Stirrup Cay, you should try Half Moon Cay (Carnival & Holland). In my opinion GSC in nice, but Half Moon Cay is Great.

Edited March 23, 2016 by mpcaruth

[mpcaruth]

Wow - those refugee pictures are just amazing!

 

Thank you!

[ShannonSC2]

The longest balconies were on deck 8, then deck 9 is a little shorter than 8, and finally deck 10 had the standard size balcony as all the others going up.

 

The guy in red is on deck 9. You can see that his balcony is much larger than ours, as he has his elbow on a table.

 

The bottom balcony level is deck 8, and they had lounge chairs.

 

 

This is good to know because we have a balcony on the 9th floor this coming week. I was on the Getaway last year but we had an inside cabin. I never paid any attention to the balconies. Thank you for posting this.

[melcarrier]

We have a balcony on the 9th floor next week too!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited March 23, 2016 by melcarrier

[zackarykeef]

This is good to know because we have a balcony on the 9th floor this coming week. I was on the Getaway last year but we had an inside cabin. I never paid any attention to the balconies. Thank you for posting this.

 

We have a balcony on the 9th floor next week too!!

 

Fyi...make sure to check your room type. Those larger balconies are specifically called "Large Balcony" and are the B6 category. They are only forward of the ship on Deck 9. If you are mid-ship or aft, you likely have a BD or BB room, which are regular size balconies (save for several angled balconies).

 

Just didn't want you to be misguided!

[Annmeat]

Am enjoying this review very much.

Thank you for your time and effort!

Oh- you could be my twin.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Sand and Seas]

Loving your review and pictures. Your pictures of the refugees are especially touching. We need to be reminded of our own blessings.

 

Yes, the Angled balconies are nice for the extra room but you are getting to view more of your neighbors balconies due to that angle too. We like the angled as we don't think it's worth the extra $$ to pay for the large balconies. If that's extra important to you, check those out. And as a FYI, they made the Escape balconies a little deeper than those narrower Getaway/Breakaway balconies. It's all good as long as you are able to cruise, right?

Edited March 23, 2016 by Sand and Seas
more to add

[trixiegal]

Subscribing from the Carnival board so I can come back and read this. My phone app doesn't let me star it if I find a thread in another board. So annoying...

 

Looking forward to your Jamaica port excursion. We are going in November on the Carnival Visit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[mpcaruth]

Am enjoying this review very much.

Thank you for your time and effort!

Oh- you could be my twin.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Thanks! Uh oh, were you "blessed" with dark culy hair too.

Edited March 23, 2016 by mpcaruth

[mpcaruth]

Subscribing from the Carnival board so I can come back and read this. My phone app doesn't let me star it if I find a thread in another board. So annoying...

 

Looking forward to your Jamaica port excursion. We are going in November on the Carnival Visit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

We really enjoyed Jamaica, just make sure you have everything planned before you go. This is not a port to just wing it.

[alexmom]

Great review. When you looked down what deck where the big balcony on?

 

alexmom

 

What Princess ship where you on. Love a big balcony. We always booked Caribe deck on the Ruby, Star, Caribbean.

 

The huge forward balconies are only on the Royal and Regal. We were on the Royal Princess on Lido deck. The balconies have a curved steel balcony so you can't see through it when you're sitting down. That's why it's 'obstructed'. The curve of the balcony cuts wind down by throwing it up and over the top of the balcony. I had 1 day where reading a paperback was a hassle and I had to tie back my long hair. Leaving and arriving in ports makes the balcony a perfect vantage point, but there is no lock on the door-it can be accessed at all times.

 

We were on the Caribbean Princess in December and I saw a Caribe balcony during a cabin crawl-they really are nice ! Forward is better though. It's so quiet up there it's like you're alone on your yacht instead of a cruise ship loaded with people.