Moving from Celebrity to Norwegian Getaway

[elapel01]

I have a booked Celebrity Mediterrean cruise however Celebrity’s prices are just getting way too high.  Looking at Getaway cruise next October and was thinking it would be worth it to try Norwegian.  Then I realized how many passengers are on the Getaway!  Has anyone gone from a smaller passenger ship to high passenger ships with Norwegian and been OK with the increase?   Any help would be appreciated.

[ggTexasGal]

55 minutes ago, elapel01 said:

I have a booked Celebrity Mediterrean cruise however Celebrity’s prices are just getting way too high.  Looking at Getaway cruise next October and was thinking it would be worth it to try Norwegian.  Then I realized how many passengers are on the Getaway!  Has anyone gone from a smaller passenger ship to high passenger ships with Norwegian and been OK with the increase?   Any help would be appreciated.

For years I could not convince DH to go on the EPIC!  Then, they debuted the Getaway and he agreed to go during the inaugural year.  We loved it!  In January we went on the Bliss, and loved it!  Typically, we prefer the Jewel-class ships, but we had no problem on the Getaway, and are looking forward to our cruise booked on Getaway in November!

I forgot, I did get him on the Epic a few years ago.  Not a favorite, but we will go it again also!

Edited April 4, 2019 by ggTexasGal
additional comment

[Zippeedee]

I liked the Gem, but I LOVED the Breakaway and I'm on the Getaway later this month. There is so much more to do and see!  In the Med you'll be off the ship almost every day anyway so finding quiet spaces isn't as much of an issue as on the transAtlantics.  Try it!

[bigreckster]

We were loyal Celebrity cruisers for years but really wanted to try something different.  We did the Haven on the Getaway and loved the change!  The dining in the Haven was excellent and the entertainment choices in the evening put Celebrity's old, un-inspiring shows to shame!  There were lots of people, yes...but we never felt overwhelmed or crowded, especially with the Haven's upper sundeck area and dedicated bar.  We're already booked for the Escape for next Jan. and don't intend to return to Celebrity.  Happy cruising!

[andymattmom]

We are NCL and Celebrity lovers but are trying MSC Seaview for Mediterranean cruise next May (2020). Had booked the Edge while on Equinox in November. Found MSC- staying in interior Yacht Club room (like Haven but some say better) for $2500 for weeklong cruise. 

[CarolinaMamma]

I have cruised on smaller Celebrity ships (Millennium and Infinity) and on Breakaway. I think if you are used to Celebrity quality, you should plan to upgrade your NCL experience to match it, and then figure that into the price comparison. We only eat in specialty restaurants for dinner on NCL. On our Bermuda cruise, which was very rough, as we were chasing a hurricane, a lot of outside venues were closed due to wind, which meant that the inside public areas felt crowded, so we were glad to have a large aft balcony. I imagine this would not have been such an issue in fairer weather. On the other hand, we liked that there were more entertainment choices and things to do on Breakaway. The How at the Moon dueling pianos was one of our favorites. Also, keep in mind that on a ship that offers UBP as a “free” perk, you are going to see a lot more of your fellow passengers trying to “get their money’s worth” and walking around drunk at all hours. We enjoy NCL, but know that it is a different experience than Celebrity.

[richstowe]

I did a Med cruise on the Epic and was recently on the Getaway . Both are overcrowded ships with lots to do . The good thing , at least for us , is that Mediterranean cruises are very port intensive . We have been on two and basically used the ships as floating hotels . You still want to be on a nice ship but the itinerary is the thing .  

I agree with CarolinaMamma that the MDR experience is inferior to Celebrity . 

[myjillian]

We jump back and forth on Princess, Celebrity and NCL.....Each has it's own Yah and Nay🙂 I don't think you will feel a difference on the ships except for the feeling that you just don't feel "at home" on Ncl.  Just like any company you get favorite ships eveywhere....ours is The Connie...we've taken her everywhere....on Princess The Grand has taken us around the World ( at different times )😊 and NCL just keeps surprising us and we have no favorite.

[Jldevlin]

We have sailed the smaller Celebrity ships ...loved them !!!!! Always said we would  never sail a big NCL ship ...Then Getaway had an amazing deal on a Transatlantic that we jumped on thinking well we are still on a ship so if it is too crowded we can sit on our balcony ...And we loved the Getaway !! So much to do ...lots of options for shows that Celebrity just does not have ...We would go on her again happily ....Heading to the Med on Epic in September 

[DaCruiseBug]

On 4/4/2019 at 2:46 PM, elapel01 said:

I have a booked Celebrity Mediterrean cruise however Celebrity’s prices are just getting way too high.  Looking at Getaway cruise next October and was thinking it would be worth it to try Norwegian.  Then I realized how many passengers are on the Getaway!  Has anyone gone from a smaller passenger ship to high passenger ships with Norwegian and been OK with the increase?   Any help would be appreciated.

 

I don't think the size is what you have to worry about. Even on those bigger ships they do a pretty good job spreading things out so you don't really feel crowded.

 

What I will say is to lower your expectations a bit when it comes to food and service. Main dining room food on Celebrity is about the same quality as the specialty restaurants on NCL and the service on Celebrity is a few notches above.  The one area NCL is a bit better is the entertainment and their bartenders seem to be more personable with guests.

 

Also, be mentally prepared to be charged service fees etc for just about everything on NCL. You'll pay about $20 per person per day in "service fees" on the beverage package which unlike on Celebrity doesn't include bottled water or specialty coffees. You'll also be charged a room service fee. NCL also has the highest daily gratuities of any mainstream cruise line etc. Just be mentally prepared for all of the other "adds".

[elapel01]

On 4/5/2019 at 9:43 PM, richstowe said:

I did a Med cruise on the Epic and was recently on the Getaway . Both are overcrowded ships with lots to do . The good thing , at least for us , is that Mediterranean cruises are very port intensive . We have been on two and basically used the ships as floating hotels . You still want to be on a nice ship but the itinerary is the thing .  

I agree with CarolinaMamma that the MDR experience is inferior to Celebrity . 

Thanks. I agree about going on the Mediterranean cruise.  That’s the only reason I am even thinking about NCL.  This is all about the itinerary.

[ocdb8r]

I think most people have summed up experiences pretty well here.  Just a few small bits from me that weren't entirely addressed:

 

1) I'm surprised no one has mentioned the pool situation on the larger NCL ships.  If you are a pool person, be prepared for a very cramped experience.  We LOVE NCL and this is the only single thing I don't love about the large ships.  Our solution: we always factor in the cost of a spa pass and get our fill of "water time" in the spa therapy pool (and much more as relaxing in this area is wonderful).  Despite the pool issue, we have no trouble finding sunny spots on the upper decks so between the spa pass and empty upper decks, we've found a way to address this one gripe.

 

2) As others have mentioned, I think NCL typically does an excellent job with managing people on the big ships.  Big ships mean more venues and thus a greater variety of entertainment.  We feel we get all this and still maintain the general "vibe" of NCL that exists across the fleet, regardless of ship size. 

 

3) Fully agree on main dining room experience - upgrade to the paid restaurants for at least half the cruise.  Final note on food is that for years we felt NCL had the absolute best buffet at sea.  We're not lovers of buffets but for quite a while NCL struck the perfect balance of variety, freshness and accessibility.  Personally, I think standards have slipped a bit in the last 3-5 years but we still find the buffet perfectly acceptable for breakfast and times we just don't want to sit through a full service meal.

 

Despite all of the above, NCL does have it's own "vibe" that is distinct from Celebrity.  I think they truly offer "freestyle" cruising (although, I think they need to srop the "free" and maybe call it "your style").  This results in a group of people that like to approach the ship on their own terms.  Celebrity still has an air of traditional cruising where your experience is a bit more "programmed".  We like part of both and like one of the previous posters find ourselves rotating between Princess, Celebrity and NCL (but lately more NCL as even with the "extras" added in, we feel we're getting better value and better overall entertainment experience).  

 

Please come back and post a trip report with your thoughts after you've cruised!

[graphicguy]

Been on Celebrity Solstice and both “Away” ships on NCL.  These are their bigger ships in both respective line.  So, not sure I can make apples to apples...small(er) ship vs larger.

 

Food is comparable between Celebrity and NCL.  I did have some service issues on Celebrity.. But, there are always going to be glitches.  It’s how they’re handled is what makes or breaks service.  Celebrity really didn’t seem to care.  NCL bends over backwards for me (not sure if being Platinum Latitudes makes a difference).

 

Entertainment is what really sets the two apart.  IMHO, NCL has the best entertainment at sea.  From the solo performers in the Atrium to the big productions in the theaters, NCL does it the best.

 

Pricing...always dependent on time of sailing, when you booked and itinerary, but Celebrity has priced out to be much higher for regular cabins compared to NCL, and very close to NCL’s Haven, which is a whole other category when it comes to your cruise experience.

 

I’ve never had a bad cruise....that includes my “less than perfect” Celebrity cruise.  However, I keep coming back to NCL because of the service, entertainment and the value they offer.

 

I think you might find there are things you’ll like one over the other, and things you may miss by taking one over the other. Hard to say what those things might be for you.  But, if you have more specific info you need about NCL, people in here are helpful.  Just quiz us.

[newmexicoNita]

On 4/4/2019 at 2:46 PM, elapel01 said:

I have a booked Celebrity Mediterrean cruise however Celebrity’s prices are just getting way too high.  Looking at Getaway cruise next October and was thinking it would be worth it to try Norwegian.  Then I realized how many passengers are on the Getaway!  Has anyone gone from a smaller passenger ship to high passenger ships with Norwegian and been OK with the increase?   Any help would be appreciated.

We usually prefer a smaller ship but the activities on larger ships often make up for any inconveniences. We are doing the Breakaway for the second time in Oct. The difference for us in large versus smaller ships is: service (our experience only) and crowds But with the crowds, to be fair, both times we have cruised mega ships we have hit crappy weather, resulting in most of the passengers deciding to stay inside, plus our Breakaway experience was during a spring break with over 2000 kids on board. 

 

Give NCL a try, even if it turns out not to be exactly what you thought it would be, cruising is still fun and you will have experienced a new line. We have done both and happen to prefer NCL because it is a bit more laid back in our opinion. 

[elapel01]

Thanks.