NCL Getaway Redux - Live Junket from 12/31/22 - 1/8/23

[cruiseny4life]

It's a boring Tuesday, ahead of a holiday week at work. That means it's time to to start my "live" of the sailing I'll be taking in 18 days. 

Before getting started, if you're interested in reading about my previous voyages, feel free to click on one (or both, if you're really bored) of the reviews below:

 

 

Apparently, my husband and I are converted cruise devotees. Of course I spend an inordinate amount of time on Cruise Critic, but that's mainly because I have a terribly boring job. This will be the third cruise in 2022, all of which have been on NCL's Getaway. We really are branching out to a new ship, the NCL Joy, in March, but for now, we'll stick to the best ship in the fleet. Thankfully NCL sails out of NYC year round or we likely would not have gone on so many cruises. 

 

Here are the basics:

 

 

If you did read the "NCL Getaway Live Journey," this itinerary should look vaguely familiar, though it originally had us staying in Bermuda three days (we never made it to Bermuda, described below). You'll also notice this sailing is departing on New Year's Eve. We aren't normally late night folks, but we'll try to make it to midnight and participate in whatever 2023 party NCL has planned for us. There will be a party. Right? I sure hope so! I'll get some cheap champagne for me and some sort of sparkly mocktail for the husband who doesn't partake in the boozy drinks. 

 

Check-in day was Saturday, 12/10. This day was also my grandma's birthday, so we didn't check-in. We finally did yesterday. Our check-in time is 10:30 - 11 AM which should be perfect as we're not staying in Manhattan this time. We've decided we'll try the Hampton Inn Ridgefield Park, with their free parking and shuttle to/from the pier. They offer free breakfast too. I'm sure it's the powdered eggs, weird brown & serve sausages, and make your own waffles. Whether we eat or not, we'll be having a fine meal onboard the Getaway just a few hours after breakfast, so we'll be fine.  I'm sure I'll have plenty of opinions and let you fine folks know how it is. My husband is worried we'll not get to the pier when we want and that we'll have to wait for people to get off the ship. I don't really care. I'll be on vacation with nowhere to go. Home is 4.5 hours away so as long as we're on the road by noon, I'm happy. 

 

I'm glad we don't have to give Bermuda $40 each this time. To be fair, they did refund us for our aborted trip in September, due to Hurricane Earl impacting the island. We also won't have to plunk down $80 each for COVID tests. An extra $240 to spend on a massage, in the casino, or in Bermuda. Sweeeeeeeeet!!! 

 

Hurricane Earl (https://imengine.editorial.prod.rgb.navigacloud.com/?uuid=45255519-84da-5012-afd0-6e3c7c7fd363&function=fit&type=preview)

 

We're obviously heading to the ocean in the winter which is bittersweet for me. I am a huge fan of snow and cold. Today it was 5 degree Fahrenheit when I went to work. The landscape was absolutely gorgeous and the air had that crisp feeling as it passed through my nostrils. I am hoping any storms wait until we're home. Here's a few photos of the homestead this morning, after our weekend storm. Still not too much snow, but at least it's on the ground making everything sparkly! 

 

      

 

           

 

For now, hotel reservation, shuttle, and parking are taken care of. We have four lovely dogs and a cat. My mom is going to be taking care of them while we're gone. We're also checked in for our cruise. All is done. Now the waiting commences! I hope you'll wait with me and keep me company. I promise to share some great photos, experiences, and thoughts when we finally get on the ship. 

[goldmom]

Love your enthusiasm!  I hope you have a wonderful cruise.  I'll be curious to hear what is open in Bermuda in January.  Especially in the Dockyard area.  We'll be there in March and we were thinking that not much would be open.

Enjoy!

[Redsky5292]

We stayed in a Hampton Inn in Boston at the beginning of December and was pleasantly surprised with their breakfast.  They had a make your own waffle station and the sausages were fresh.  I'm not a big fan of eggs so I can't comment on them.

[Grimix]

3 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

We're obviously heading to the ocean in the winter which is bittersweet for me. I am a huge fan of snow and cold. Today it was 5 degree Fahrenheit when I went to work. The landscape was absolutely gorgeous and the air had that crisp feeling as it passed through my nostrils.

Having moved back to California after spending 12 years or so in your neck of the woods (Liverpool, outside Syracuse. My wife used to moonlight at one of your hospitals in Utica.) I much prefer my situation. We're an hour and a half from the snow. We can go ski and enjoy it (They got 5ft this weekend, but alas I broke my heel when the ladder slid out from under me while putting up Christmas lights, so it will be a later start to the ski season for me) but the snow doesn't follow me home!

 

That said we did book Alaska for October next year so need to get in the mood for the cold!

[cruiseny4life]

2 hours ago, goldmom said:

Love your enthusiasm!  I hope you have a wonderful cruise.  I'll be curious to hear what is open in Bermuda in January.  Especially in the Dockyard area.  We'll be there in March and we were thinking that not much would be open.

Enjoy!

Thank you for the kind words! And, if I don't (though I expect I will), I hope you truly enjoy your March cruise to Bermuda! I'll definitely do my best to see which shops are open. I expect I'll spend some time in the Dockyard, though I suspect we'll be taking a ferry over to Hamilton. I just realized that maybe the ferry doesn't run in January. I'll have to look into this! 

[cruiseny4life]

2 hours ago, Redsky5292 said:

We stayed in a Hampton Inn in Boston at the beginning of December and was pleasantly surprised with their breakfast.  They had a make your own waffle station and the sausages were fresh.  I'm not a big fan of eggs so I can't comment on them.

This is really helpful! I do hope the experience is the same. If I think about it, I'm sure I'll be posting some photos of the goods.

[Laszlo]

Have a great time! We get on the day you get back for a 12 day

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, Grimix said:

Having moved back to California after spending 12 years or so in your neck of the woods (Liverpool, outside Syracuse. My wife used to moonlight at one of your hospitals in Utica.) I much prefer my situation. We're an hour and a half from the snow. We can go ski and enjoy it (They got 5ft this weekend, but alas I broke my heel when the ladder slid out from under me while putting up Christmas lights, so it will be a later start to the ski season for me) but the snow doesn't follow me home!

 

That said we did book Alaska for October next year so need to get in the mood for the cold!

You must be close to the Bay Area. I've enjoyed the feet upon feet of snow in Tahoe before. It's a really great place to ski. Of course, you might be somewhere completely different. 

 

Now, if you had had the five feet of snow, I bet you wouldn't have broken your heel and your ski season would be intact! But really, I hope you recover quickly and get those ski boots on again soon. Missing a ski season is not a whole lot of fun! 

 

Utica's hospitals are expanding, well at least one is! I don't know which one, but one of them is building a new facility in downtown Utica. Just opposite the hockey arena. But, I don't know Utica as well. When I was growing up, my friends and I would always wander over to Syracuse and Carousel Center (Destiny). 

Anyway, soak up that California sun, enjoy some wine, and heal that heel! 

[FLAHAM]

If champagne is a once-a-year treat for you, splurge on a decent bottle (or my favorite, Spanish cava).  

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, Laszlo said:

Have a great time! We get on the day you get back for a 12 day

12 days sounds so much better than eight! Thanks for the well wishes. It'll be a great cruise, as will yours! I hope to follow along/read about yours at some point so I can vicariously have a twenty day cruise. 🙂

[cruiseny4life]

54 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

If champagne is a once-a-year treat for you, splurge on a decent bottle (or my favorite, Spanish cava).  

I'm thinking by the glass as I have the drink package. I'm not much of a drinker - pretty much only on cruises when I have the package and it's included. I will look into this Spanish Cava though! 

[Laszlo]

16 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

12 days sounds so much better than eight! Thanks for the well wishes. It'll be a great cruise, as will yours! I hope to follow along/read about yours at some point so I can vicariously have a twenty day cruise. 🙂

I was planning to do a day by day "Live" review.... kind of rethinking it. I'm not sure if I want to do any work Lol

[Grimix]

22 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

You must be close to the Bay Area. I've enjoyed the feet upon feet of snow in Tahoe before. It's a really great place to ski. Of course, you might be somewhere completely different. 

 

Now, if you had had the five feet of snow, I bet you wouldn't have broken your heel and your ski season would be intact! But really, I hope you recover quickly and get those ski boots on again soon. Missing a ski season is not a whole lot of fun! 

 

Utica's hospitals are expanding, well at least one is! I don't know which one, but one of them is building a new facility in downtown Utica. Just opposite the hockey arena. But, I don't know Utica as well. When I was growing up, my friends and I would always wander over to Syracuse and Carousel Center (Destiny). 

Anyway, soak up that California sun, enjoy some wine, and heal that heel! 

Yes we're 30 minutes east of Sacramento, almost at the foothills of the sierras (another 20 minutes up the road, which is Auburn (Same name as another city near you where my wife normally worked)). I still call it carousel, but destiny did add some cool new features/stores.

 

I forgot to say to have a great cruise! 

[vacation44]

As a fan of your prior reviews, I will definitely be following along on your cruise.   Also, some of your daily posts do get a chuckle out of me.

 

Have a wonderful sailing!

[cruiseny4life]

23 hours ago, vacation44 said:

As a fan of your prior reviews, I will definitely be following along on your cruise.   Also, some of your daily posts do get a chuckle out of me.

 

Have a wonderful sailing!

Why thank you! I try not to get all pontificating or ranty-like...sometimes I fail though, especially when we're talking dress codes:) I'm glad a few of the posts get some chuckles!! 

[cruiseny4life]

On 12/13/2022 at 5:02 PM, Laszlo said:

I was planning to do a day by day "Live" review.... kind of rethinking it. I'm not sure if I want to do any work Lol

I agree...I think I'll keep this one up, but if I don't, well I'll fill in the details later. But, you should certainly just enjoy the heck out of your cruise if you feel like it's work! None of that is allowed while on the ship.

[cruiseny4life]

On 12/14/2022 at 1:20 PM, Grimix said:

Yes we're 30 minutes east of Sacramento, almost at the foothills of the sierras (another 20 minutes up the road, which is Auburn (Same name as another city near you where my wife normally worked)). I still call it carousel, but destiny did add some cool new features/stores.

 

I forgot to say to have a great cruise! 

Fond memories indeed if you remember all that! 

Thanks for the great cruise wish. I hope it's as wonderful as the one you reviewed a few weeks ago! 

[vacation44]

4 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Why thank you! I try not to get all pontificating or ranty-like...sometimes I fail though, especially when we're talking dress codes:) I'm glad a few of the posts get some chuckles!! 

Oh, it is more than a few!   

[cruiseny4life]

Today is a day of anticipation! Supposedly we're going to get hit with the snowstorm sweeping the nation! Here's what it looks like:

 

 

I live in the middle of nowhere right on that blue/red line. I'm hoping we stray completely into the red. 14 inches would be a perfect pre-Christmas gift, especially if it hangs around to make a white Christmas. 

 

Alas, I'm supposed to go to my husband's office Christmas party tonight. I don't think I'll make it given the snow about to barrel down on us. That means a quiet night alone with the pups. I won't mind that a lot. 🙂 Also, the party is supposed to end at 11 PM. I should be asleep for two hours by then! 

 

I'm really getting antsy for the cruise, so I pretty much talk constantly about it. I've been having dreams of laying on those nice thermal loungers. 

 

Today wasn't a great NCLH news day. I'm hoping for the company to come out of the pandemic riding high, but laying off 9% of their shoreside employees isn't exactly a good sign. Will layoffs be the way NCLH gets to profitability in 2023 as Frankie boy has promised? That doesn't bode well. I'm going to have the husband email our PCC to see if she's still employed.

 

Here's an article on the layoffs, if you're interested: https://www.cruisehive.com/norwegian-announces-9-staff-cuts-and-leadership-changes/90412

 

Now, for more uhhhh....entertaining thoughts.

 

I've reviewed our specialty dining reservations and have to say we're in for a very steak heavy cruise. We're starting off with the artistry and songs of Teppanyaki and those Asian influences. We'll end our specialty dining with the South American gauchos of Brasil bringing us skewers of meat. I know I always remember the cheesy rolls at Texas de Brasil, so we'll see how Moderno's compare. Mmm, now I'm hungry and I've already eaten my lunch. 

 

To be fair, it's possible we'll change at least one of the dining reservations to La Cucina. I do enjoy their spaghetti carbonara and lasagna. There are just too many choices and decisions for vacation! 

[TenForward]

Following...  I'll be on this same cruise with DH and friends.  It's almost here! 

[Aldeya]

On 12/13/2022 at 10:41 AM, cruiseny4life said:

I

 

 

 

 

 

We've decided we'll try the Hampton Inn Ridgefield Park, with their free parking and shuttle to/from the pier. T

Thank you for starting your review, I really enjoyed your 2 previous reviews of Getaway and will follow this one as well.

 

I'm interested in staying at the hotel you mentioned before our cruise. I checked their website but it doesn't mention shuttle to/from pier. 

Can you confirm that it's available? It would be very convenient to have transportation arranged by the hotel.

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, Aldeya said:

Thank you for starting your review, I really enjoyed your 2 previous reviews of Getaway and will follow this one as well.

 

I'm interested in staying at the hotel you mentioned before our cruise. I checked their website but it doesn't mention shuttle to/from pier. 

Can you confirm that it's available? It would be very convenient to have transportation arranged by the hotel.

Good morning and welcome aboard! Also, thanks for the very kind words. I do these, then wonder if anyone actually cares. Haha! I guess that's my ego speaking. 

 

Anyway, the website is totally silent on this package. Hotels.com is too. I found out about it at this website https://cruisefever.net/hotels-manhattan-cruise-terminal/ when searching for parking near the pier. I'm cheap and don't want to spend $40/night on parking which is why we always went with other parking garages within walking distance of the pier/terminal/port. I never actually know what I should call the place. I know it's called a "terminal," but that sounds so....non-vacation like. 

 

Anyhow, I called around to a few of the hotels that the website claims offers a shuttle/parking for cruises that embark from Manhattan. BTW, scroll halfway down the page to find these. For all these packages, it seems you must call the property and book directly with them. Don't they know Millennials abhor making phone calls? Heck, my boss asked me to make twelve phone calls on Monday. I may get around to them today. 

 

Courtyard by Marriott: Cost was $599 for all the perks: breakfast, shuttle to/from

 

Hilton Garden Inn: The person I spoke to said they no longer offer this package. 

 

Hampton Inn Ridgefield Park: $331.27 is what we're paying for our hotel. This includes parking (up to 12 days, it's not unlimited like the website above says), free breakfast, and a shuttle to/from the port. 

 

On the phone, the person I spoke with said we have to let them know what time we want to be at the pier on Saturday morning, and what time to be picked up when we get back. Sounds easy. The reviews online are mixed. I don't really care, but I know my husband will be upset if we have to wait a long time upon our return. It's not that I don't want to get home, but it's a fairly short 4.5'ish hour drive. 

[cruiseny4life]

14 hours ago, TenForward said:

Following...  I'll be on this same cruise with DH and friends.  It's almost here! 

It still feels so far away!! I know it's not. I suppose once next week hits, the holidays will make the time cruuuuuuise by!! See what I did there? Hehe! I'm so.....not punny. 🤥

[cruiseny4life]

If anyone cared (I know you sooooo do), I didn't make it to the holiday party last night. The storm was really quite a letdown, but that didn't prevent the authorities from closing my road home. Did I mention they didn't tell anyone we drove three miles up the road. So, back down through Utica I went to a different road. My normal thirty minute commute became two hours due to the closed road and drivers going thirty miles an hour...when I finally made it around these folks, I could do fifty easy peasy. 

 

We only received about five inches of the promised snow which also means I'm in the office today, rather than working from my nice, snug and comfy home. 

 

Here's the finished shovel project last night. 

 

 

I have three issues with this storm:

 

1. We didn't (and I don't think will) receive anywhere near 14 inches of snow which is really, really, really depressing. 

2. I had to drive to work today and suffer being in the office. Who actually wants that, right? 

3. Pretty sure the high temps (above 32) and rain are going to ensure this snow does not stick around through Christmas which is also very depressing. 

 

It's a ho-hum kind of day. 😨

[Aldeya]

19 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Good morning and welcome aboard! Also, thanks for the very kind words. I do these, then wonder if anyone actually cares. Haha! I guess that's my ego speaking. 

 

Anyway, the website is totally silent on this package. Hotels.com is too. I found out about it at this website https://cruisefever.net/hotels-manhattan-cruise-terminal/ when searching for parking near the pier. I'm cheap and don't want to spend $40/night on parking which is why we always went with other parking garages within walking distance of the pier/terminal/port. I never actually know what I should call the place. I know it's called a "terminal," but that sounds so....non-vacation like. 

 

Anyhow, I called around to a few of the hotels that the website claims offers a shuttle/parking for cruises that embark from Manhattan. BTW, scroll halfway down the page to find these. For all these packages, it seems you must call the property and book directly with them. Don't they know Millennials abhor making phone calls? Heck, my boss asked me to make twelve phone calls on Monday. I may get around to them today. 

 

Courtyard by Marriott: Cost was $599 for all the perks: breakfast, shuttle to/from

 

Hilton Garden Inn: The person I spoke to said they no longer offer this package. 

 

Hampton Inn Ridgefield Park: $331.27 is what we're paying for our hotel. This includes parking (up to 12 days, it's not unlimited like the website above says), free breakfast, and a shuttle to/from the port. 

 

On the phone, the person I spoke with said we have to let them know what time we want to be at the pier on Saturday morning, and what time to be picked up when we get back. Sounds easy. The reviews online are mixed. I don't really care, but I know my husband will be upset if we have to wait a long time upon our return. It's not that I don't want to get home, but it's a fairly short 4.5'ish hour drive. 

Thank you so much for all the details!