Semi-Live Getaway 2.0 Jan 16 - Feb 1, 2023 NY - So. Caribbean ... 12 nights ( is it Live, Semi-Live or Limited ?? )

[mking8288]

More pictures of old San Juan 

 

 

Gasoline by the liter, expensive

Edited January 23, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Yet more pix ...San Juan

 

 

 

[Dorhead1230]

3 hours ago, RadioPeri said:

We're in a Deck 9 aft balcony we got lucky to grab about six weeks before the cruise, so I can't help you with Deck 13, unfortunately, but it looks like others have. 🙂

 

I can report that Deck 9 balconies are cavernous, easily fitting two loungers, two chairs, and a table. 

We've been enjoying the balcony at all times during the day and night since sailaway in New York. Was hoping we'd dock in "aft in" in San Juan, as watching the dock is fun, but we have a beautiful view looking out at all the ships and facilities across the harbor. We'll also get a gorgeous sunset, but will be out in port enjoying mojitos at that point, I'm sure!
 

@RadioPeri thanks! Deck 9 is awesome! I can’t remember when it was, but we definitely had one of those on either BA or Escape several years ago…it’s like a dance floor lol. Our cruise is the NY mid-winter break week (no choice…teacher here 👩🏻‍🏫), so we got the aft leftovers by the time we booked haha. Hope you’re having a nice (albeit quick) stop in Puerto Rico!

[mking8288]

Last batch pix ...San Juan by the Sheraton & Walgreens, Starbucks up the block & shops on the cobblestone streets on the left. Very easy to walk around, comfortable shoes a must.

 

**** Good news, I think, it appeared that about 100 newly landed crew members are reporting & joining the Getaway, waiting at the pier to board. Hopefully, this can help alleviate the staffing issues, at least partially.

 

 

[bedfordmom]

Where do you find the $20 bus tour?

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

Getting dark soon, plan B, air conditioned mini.bus tour, $20 per person, 90 minutes to 2 hours. Deal !

 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by bedfordmom
Spelling

[Cruising Lynne]

21 hours ago, mking8288 said:

We were using the Garden Cafe / buffet as our, informal, unofficial lounge for after dinner hangout for coffee since the atrium & other places remained packed. 

 

Promptly at 9:30 pm, the buffet went to shut down mode & roped off to all coming in.  10 to 15 minutes earlier, some of the privileged crew members including Alvin, CD came in to eat their late dinner. 

 

Plan accordingly if you are coming out of a late show & didn't eat earlier. MDR and specialty dining are open until 10 pm only.  O'Sheehan's or Room Services with a fee, for your convenience ...

 

Not happy that they did away with late night snack. We will have to plan ahead and keep some banana bread and cookies in the room for a late snack. Will have to pick up a few things at the buffet in the afternoon. I hope this change does not make it too hard to get into O'Sheehan's or The Local. Maybe they could add pizza to the night time menu? I don't always want wings LOL

[PistolPete13]

17 minutes ago, Cruising Lynne said:

Not happy that they did away with late night snack. We will have to plan ahead and keep some banana bread and cookies in the room for a late snack. Will have to pick up a few things at the buffet in the afternoon. I hope this change does not make it too hard to get into O'Sheehan's or The Local. Maybe they could add pizza to the night time menu? I don't always want wings LOL

Sigh, packing some zip lock bags and plastic utensils now...

I'm good with rolling with the changes but this hits my snack habits hard.

What to do about my late night coffee fix??

Edited January 24, 2023 by PistolPete13

[Cruising Lynne]

3 minutes ago, PistolPete13 said:

Sigh, packing some zip lock bags and plastic utensils now...

I'm good with rolling with the changes but this hits my snack habits hard.

What to do about my late night coffee fix??

This is a good question. I hope they have one of the drink stations open. Maybe the one that is just outside the buffet on some ships?

 

Ask your room steward for a coffee maker so you can make it in your room. They will stock it up when they clean your room.

[mking8288]

The mini.bus / taxi tour are available just outside the fence / gate on the Pier's waterfront, holding up placard ... can't miss them. A good alternative to ship tours here, done it before & will do it again. 

 

An elderly couple, probably from the Getaway, her sandals likely tripped on the cobblestone sidewalk & her head hit the pavement, bleeding but alert, police officer on scene, stitches probably needed. Hope she's okay & after emergency care, able to re-board the ship; and has good insurance.

 

Sorry, folks about the food policies & changes ...just reconfirming what's been shared & reported by other CC'er on other NCL ship's lately.  Creative solutions ... is "problem solving"

 

If there's enough noises, perhaps NCL will backpedal again, as it did so years ago. Don't forget to it inform the newly promoted "room attendant" to empty the mini refrigerator on Day 1.  🤫🤫🤫 Got an idea, consider calling "Special Needs" about your special late night craving "needs" & see what they say.

Edited January 24, 2023 by mking8288

[Red-Sol]

22 minutes ago, PistolPete13 said:

Sigh, packing some zip lock bags and plastic utensils now...

I'm good with rolling with the changes but this hits my snack habits hard.

What to do about my late night coffee fix??

 

If your coffee fix is that you are looking for a boost... caffeine supplements *might* fit the bill...most are better and more mild than drinks like Red Bull...etc.

[PistolPete13]

9 minutes ago, Red-Sol said:

 

If your coffee fix is that you are looking for a boost... caffeine supplements *might* fit the bill...most are better and more mild than drinks like Red Bull...etc.

For me the late night coffee and snacks at the buffet have been the perfect nightcap for me since I started cruising.  Guess I'll need to adjust.  Don't think O'Sheehans as any coffee besides the $$$ Starbucks. 

[Red-Sol]

1 minute ago, PistolPete13 said:

For me the late night coffee and snacks at the buffet have been the perfect nightcap for me since I started cruising.  Guess I'll need to adjust.  Don't think O'Sheehans as any coffee besides the $$$ Starbucks. 

 

Understood Pete...for me it's late night pizza...which  also appears to be gone.

[mking8288]

Polo shirt & shorts worked for me in Tropicana MDR tonight, no problem at all. Not too busy, walk in & got promptly seated at 7:45 returning from our quick tour.  Live piano music played briefly but no mini show on the dance floor 

 

Dinner was good, Red Snapper & Lemon-Pepper Shrimp as our entrees.  All abroad at 9 pm, finishing our dessert now - doesn't look like we are sailing on time, already 9:45 pm.

 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

We are on the move, finished backing out & turning around, heading out ... bye, San Juan

 

[Bonobochick]

1 hour ago, Cruising Lynne said:

Not happy that they did away with late night snack. We will have to plan ahead and keep some banana bread and cookies in the room for a late snack. Will have to pick up a few things at the buffet in the afternoon.

This is what I ended up doing... going to the buffet and picking up some pastry goodies to have in my stateroom each night in case I got the munchies. 🍰 

 

I definitely noticed some cutbacks / changes on the Jan 8th Getaway cruise (I'd also just been on the Getaway in early Sept 2022 so it's not been that long between cruises for me), not enough for me to say sayonara to NCL, but most of the changes I've come across aren't beneficial to passengers. 

[PistolPete13]

Any pier runners in San Juan??

[Dorhead1230]

2 hours ago, PistolPete13 said:

Sigh, packing some zip lock bags and plastic utensils now...

I'm good with rolling with the changes but this hits my snack habits hard.

What to do about my late night coffee fix??

I said to DH last night that I will be packing Ziplocs (which I usually do anyway just to use for this and that) and maybe a few small plastic containers because of this. I thought he’d look at me like I’m nuts but when I said no more later buffet snacks available he was like yup. We’re casino folk and tend to be up late. Sometimes we’ll do a late O’Sheehan’s visit but we don’t always feel like sitting down like that later at night. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[KinLINY]

Thanks Mking8288 for the great shots from today. I’ll be there in May for the day. Booked a 2 1/2 drive with one of my $50 dollar credits. Good to know about the Tropicana. Looks nice, I may try it out. I guess we are neighbors. I’m a lifetime Floral Parker. 

[Happycrafter123]

12 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Breakfast this morning at Taste, round table next to us that seat 6 were shared by 3 different pairs. Happy with my salmon bagel & hash brown potatoes. 

 

Starting to hear coughing & echo from different corners. 

 

 

Are they making people sit with strangers at shared tables in the restaurant?

[mking8288]

Doing my late evening patrol to see what's going on with the buffet as far as getting ice, water and possibly coffee & tea, without calling Room Service, waiting for someone to deliver (and to cash tip, as these changes aren't their ideas ... and I saw that sad look on the waiter's face in Cagney's the other night re: possibility of dessert to go.  No can't do. )

 

No crew at all, DIY and only a few Lipton's tea bags left ... no choice of English tea at night. Pool & hot tub all closed up by 11:15 - everybody somewhere else or in their rooms. 

 

On my way back, saw these left outside in the hallway / corridor.  Not a pretty sight from a fire or life safety standpoint, IMHO. Perhaps, they were granted special waivers to leave them out overnight ... room stewards or attendants are done for their shifts & off duty at 11 pm + 

 

Tomorrow is Basseterre, St. Kitts - 11 am arrival & all abroad 6:15 pm.  Not seeing anything interesting to us with the switched Dominicia stop. 

 

[PistolPete13]

Thanks for the late night walkabout.  I assume the coffee and water stations in the middle photo are still active?

[mking8288]

1 hour ago, PistolPete13 said:

... assume the coffee and water stations in the middle photo are still active?

I believe they are, not sure about adequate supply of cups, sugar, etc. if there are many owls around. 

 

Keep something like us, early morning or late night emergencies.  I should check out how things are at O'Sheehan's late night or after a 9:30 pm show 🙄😳☹️

 

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by mking8288

[Turtles06]

4 hours ago, mking8288 said:

On my way back, saw these left outside in the hallway / corridor.  Not a pretty sight from a fire or life safety standpoint, IMHO.

I can’t believe the ship is allowing anything like what you’ve been showing to remain in the passageways.  They are hazards. 

[bedfordmom]

Thanks for the tip for the $20 buses. Been to San Juan numerous times and generally shop and self tour but those are limited in the evening. 

Also will pack some decaf tea bags and a couple more prepackaged snacks. DH is diabetic and generally pack some for longer day trips but it looks like may need to use them at night. Prepacked trail mixes and energy bars best for him. We generally take an orange back to the room just in case of a blood sugar drop. 

[mking8288]

10 hours ago, PistolPete13 said:

Any pier runners in San Juan??

None that we know of, at least they didn't page anyone over ship's PA system.

10 hours ago, Happycrafter123 said:

Are they making people sit with strangers at shared tables in the restaurant?

Lunch time, they apparently did ask & 3 couples shared a larger round table next to us. 

5 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

... They are hazards. 

Still there this morning in that side corridor with Inside cabins. Joined by housekeeping carts as steward begin to move their carts out.

 

I am going to write a note to the GM.

 

Good morning all.  MDR breakfast getting busy at 9 am. Expected arrival is 11 am but should be sooner as we are about 30 nm from St. Kitts.

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by mking8288