Norwegian Getaway: What are the best of's and secrets?

[Cinderellie]

My husband and I - cruisers in our 60's staying in a family balcony - will be sailing on the Norwegian Getaway for 12 days on February 26th. Before other cruises, I have asked the question on this forum for past cruisers of the ship to share what they liked BEST, what we should definitely try, and secrets you wish you knew before you sailed.

 

So if you've sailed the Getaway, what restaurants, activities, shows did you like best, would not miss if you were us?

 

What foods would you definitely suggest?

 

What secrets did you discover about the Getaway that you wish you knew before sailing?

 

Thanks in advance.

Cinderellie

[complawyer]

loved the waterfront, and the ability to eat outside and people watch. the best show we've ever seen (imho) was called illusionarium on the getaway, unfortunately, they no longer have it

[www3traveler]

My two favorite shows are Million Dollar Quartet and Burn The Floor.

My two favorite restaurants are Ocen Blue and Cagney's for dinner.  I usually eat breakfast at the Local.

If you are a sun person, check out Spice H2O-- free sun deck at the rear of the ship on Deck 16.

 

Most importantly relax and enjoy.

 

[EllieinNJ]

Also will be on the Getaway in Feb. but not your sailing.  Was on the Breakaway twice and enjoyed the dueling pianos.  Must sign up the first day for the production shows.  Have to be at Syd's an hour before show to get a seat. 

 

The lamb chops and filet in Cagneys are my favorites.  Their seven layer cake is to die for.  Le Bistro's filet is great too.  So is their mushroom soup and escargot.  You have to be a big meat eater at Moderno.  I was stuffed after the second round.

[cruiseny4life]

I've sailed on the Getaway twice this year, with another cruise coming up in 19 days. My husband and I always get thermal suite passes. It's my favorite part of the ship. 

 

For food, you'll find Shanghai Noodle Bar to be delightfully scrumptious! We typically order at least four to six portions of the dumplings and spring rolls. They're so great! I just wish we didn't have an Eiffel Tower's worth of steam bowls around us when we do this. The entrees are great too! I especially enjoy the Char Siu with Rice Noodles. My husband always gets the Shrimp Fried Rice. I'm hungry now and just finished my breakfast!

 

Be prepared for a line, especially if the ship is close to capacity. In April (110% capacity), the line was two hours long! We didn't wait. In September, there was no line (ship was about 35% capacity), so we dined there then. The hostess told us the lines the week before (100% capacity) were 100 or more people. 

 

I really enjoyed one show that was done in the Illusionarium. The performers are the same crew that perform "Million Dollar Quartet." The one I love is "Broadway Unplugged." They take your favorite Broadway hits and sing/perform them in a way you wouldn't expect. Do attend at least one showing of this if you even, just barely, enjoy Broadway.

 

I'm happy to answer any questions you have and will be starting up a "live" review as we get closer to the cruise. I might start it today, depends on my mood and workload at the place that pays the bills. 

 

Bottom line, y'all are going to have a fabulous time onboard the Getaway!

 

 

[mking8288]

Getaway is one of NCL's newer mega-sized ship, it's like the Majesty x 3 together, getting to/from your balcony itself is a good daily exercise by itself.  The 2 small MDR, Taste & Savor will have plenty of small tables for 2, 3 and 4 to dine alone, and if you go early at 5:30 pm - good chance of getting seated by the giant window to watch the ocean waves - same menu choices as the larger AFT MDR with a dance floor & (live ?? or digital) music, just a bit too noisy all around for us & services can be slower as it is a long trip to/from the gallery below deck.  Embarkation, do try to enjoy a leisure lunch in the small MDR (opens at 12 noon) or go to O'Sheehan's / The Local for easy comfort food instead ... crews do try to herd most up to the buffet. 

 

You'll plenty of sea days to check out all the Specialty restaurants and don't worry if you can't book or reserve them now, do it onboard & even on Day 2 as all the slots/time will only become available on the ship.  If the MDR offers the chef's daily specials, look & consider those as they are often very good - including sit-down breakfast.  Check the Freestyle Dailies and better yet, ask at the Dining Reservation Desk ahead if they are opening up some of the Specialty Restaurants onboard for lunch on sea days - the MDR Lunch menu is a fixed one and by Day 4 or 5, you will likely sample all of them ... but, they should have a Daily Specials on these longer itineraries.

 

Check out Spice H20 on Deck16 AFT (plus the Bliss Lounge) while at sea, especially once the ship sailed past the Carolinas into warm climate.  Shanghai Noodles is casual comfort fusion dining, open for dinner only & they don't take reservations - it's fun to sit at the counter & watch them prepare food, cooked to order on stainless steel, electric cooktop in a clean, bright & open kitchen.  It is right next to the casino, some of the smoke might drift over - despite the upgraded HVAC, as they are enclosed and .... so if you are sensitive, do use your masks accordingly.  

 

The "regular" balcony size are small with just enough room for 2 to sit, plus a small mini-table.  We will be on the GA again this coming January, and the plan is to do a "minimal" Semi-Live update 2.0 as our/my March 2022 pictorial blog/review was fairly extensive already - look out for that as we'll be back before then on our 12 days.  There are a good # of live reviews this year on the Getaway, although the CC "Search" functions aren't very good to help find them - here's one for you 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2840868-getaway-semi-live-limited-ny-florida-pc-gsc-nassau-3272022/

 

Enjoy your cruise, happy & healthy sailing soon.  

 

[Cinderellie]

Thanks! Keep these coming!

[KarlChilders]

We have sailed Getaway 3 times, most recently just off Sunday.  We absolutely love the waterfront and the Mojitos at Sugarcanes.  I'll second Million Dollar Quartet, absolutely fabulous show.  This recent trip we felt the food quality was just a little off from our previous cruises but I heard there had just been some crew changeover so maybe they are still working out the kinks.  I twice had a steak overcooked, so if you are ordering steak, you might want to order one degree more rare than you would normally.  Ropes course is really fun if you are physically able to do it.

[detroitlions]

Most of the above comments are spot on. I have been on the Getaway 4 times.

Loved the Million Dollar Quartet disliked burn the floor fell a sleep lol.

One thing I must say is the food on all the ships are almost identical aka Cagneys on the Bliss or on the Getaway I have not found much variation between NCL ships. unless the restaurant is different. 

[dbrown84]

On 12/12/2022 at 9:25 AM, cruiseny4life said:

I've sailed on the Getaway twice this year, with another cruise coming up in 19 days. My husband and I always get thermal suite passes. It's my favorite part of the ship. 

 

For food, you'll find Shanghai Noodle Bar to be delightfully scrumptious! We typically order at least four to six portions of the dumplings and spring rolls. They're so great! I just wish we didn't have an Eiffel Tower's worth of steam bowls around us when we do this. The entrees are great too! I especially enjoy the Char Siu with Rice Noodles. My husband always gets the Shrimp Fried Rice. I'm hungry now and just finished my breakfast!

 

Be prepared for a line, especially if the ship is close to capacity. In April (110% capacity), the line was two hours long! We didn't wait. In September, there was no line (ship was about 35% capacity), so we dined there then. The hostess told us the lines the week before (100% capacity) were 100 or more people. 

 

I really enjoyed one show that was done in the Illusionarium. The performers are the same crew that perform "Million Dollar Quartet." The one I love is "Broadway Unplugged." They take your favorite Broadway hits and sing/perform them in a way you wouldn't expect. Do attend at least one showing of this if you even, just barely, enjoy Broadway.

 

I'm happy to answer any questions you have and will be starting up a "live" review as we get closer to the cruise. I might start it today, depends on my mood and workload at the place that pays the bills. 

 

Bottom line, y'all are going to have a fabulous time onboard the Getaway!

 

 

I 2nd Shanghai.  And yes, the portions are more like tapas sized, so order plenty

[RUDIMAY1]

We really enjoyed the Mojitos bar in 2018.  We had a tough time getting something we wanted to eat after going to shows.  We ate at O’Sheenans more than we wanted.  Any suggestions on other alternatives on embarkment day?  We sat in O’Sheenans until our room was ready.  Overcrowded and noisy.  Is the pool bar or others opened?  Maybe a lunch alternative?

[Cinderellie]

Thanks for these tips. Any others?

ME

[BirdTravels]

19 minutes ago, Cinderellie said:

Thanks for these tips. Any others?

ME

Have a great cruise... the days are getting short!

 

Since you live in NJ, you know that the weather will be a bit slick on embarkation day. Ensure that you work that into your embarkation plan. 

 

We have sailed on the Getaway 4 or 5 times and her sister ship the Breakaway 4 or 5 times. 

 

We normally take our evening meals in the Tropicana MDR. We'll go wait in line before opening and get a table next to the dance floor so we can hear and see the live music. Find out which nights the Burn the Floor cast will be dancing in the MDR and go extra early to ensure you get to see the show in the MDR. If you're a Dancing with the Stars fan, we first saw the DWTS Pro Dancer Keo Motsepe as a Getaway Burn the Floor dancer in the Tropicana Room. 

 

And you know that the first day and a half and the last day and a half it will be chilly out (to include a dusting of snow on embarkation day), so we hide out in the Sunset bar or grab a window table at the back of the Garden Cafe and sip coffee and read or play cards. The ship has a library / card room on Deck 6 behind the big video screen, but it is too small for us (but you can pick up a daily crossword puzzle and sudoku there. 

 

For us, an evening meal at O'Sheehan's or the buffet are fine too. We look at the specials of the day/theme in the buffet and may switch our plans based on what we see in tomorrow's Freestyle Daily. And don't forget Shanghai.

 

To us, spending money on Specialty Dining beyond what comes with the Free at Sea and our Latitudes Dinners is unnecessary. Our order of preference would be Le Bistro, Teppanyaki, Moderno, Ocean Blue, Cagney's, La Cucina. Yeah, we're not a Cagney's fan (the service and food have been on a steady decline for the past few years across the fleet (pre- and post-pandemic)). And we will go to Wasabi Sushi for lunch on a sea day. 

 

I know you don't get to San Juan until late, but don't miss out on the city. We took a walking shore ex that included a light meal. Or, walk down the waterfront to the old fort which is beautiful at night. 

 

We frequent Syd Norman's. Or park in the Atrium early and watch whatever the evening events are. And,,, we'll give in and park in the Sugarcane Mojito bar for some live music. The goal there is to start at the top of the menu and order the flavored mojitos until you get to the bottom of the menu, then repeat. 

 

THIS IS NOT THE GETAWAY - but the following link is to a live post from our recent cruise on the Breakaway (Getaway's sister). Give you a few ideas.... or not....

 

A few photos from San Juan