Norwegian Getaway

Norwegian Getaway - Western Caribbean

December

Pros: Lots to do on the ship, entertainment offerings, solo meetups

Cons: Certain venues fill up fast, most of the food was good but no nothing special

Recommended: Yes

I overall enjoyed my time on this ship. All of the staff was super friendly, engaging and helpful. I especially liked the solos director this week, Matias. During our daily solo meetings he had activities planned, helped us with main dining reservations and show reservations if we wanted to go as a group. Very appreciative of him and his efforts. It was a great solo group this trip. I stayed in a solo studio cabin. Not very big but just the right size and was very well put together. Lots of storage but no drawers but the packing cubes I brought made a good substitute for drawers. The solo studio lounge was a great place to meet up with friends or get something to drink, very nice space. My cabin was kept clean and I always had plenty of towels and the like. The food was good but nothing really special. My favorite meals were from Cagneys and Shanghai's Noodle bar. Lots of great entertainment on the ship, there was so much to do. I really loved the Million Dollar Quartet and the shows from Syd Norman's. Several venues fill up fast and it can be challenging to find a seat. Other than that I really didnt have any other issues while on board. I really enjoyed sailing out of New Orleans, the embarkation and disembarkation went smoothly. Something to keep in mind is that while sailing from New Orleans you will be charged additional tax on things like drinks until you're in international waters. The port stops were great and a lot of fun. Harvest Caye was especially nice being thats its Norwegians private island, so it was less crowed and a very beautiful place to visit. I definitely would sail on this same ship and itinerary again. Overall a great experience and looking forward to more.

Great adventure

September

Pros: hospitality, friendly staff, great service, cleanliness

Cons: buffet food

Recommended: Yes

Thankful that we were able to spend 10 days on this cruise line. Had a pleasant experience. The only con was the buffet food quality was not great. Glad that we were in the Haven and had better options for dining.

Great time in the Haven.

May

Pros: Being in the Haven …Service, pampering, it was amazing

Cons: Itinerary- we arrived to ports early , and had to be back on the ship early

Recommended: No

Great ship for a solo traveler

August

Pros: solo studios for one person, private entrance with lounge

Cons: only one pool-not enough for over 4500 guests on sea days

Recommended: Yes

I sailed solo in a solo studio. The private entrance was perfect, the cabin very quiet. Hallway noise non-existent. Plenty of room in the cabin and easy access to the rest of the ship. Food was OK- they still use linens on the table which I like (Carnival does not). Le Bistro was best meal on my cruise. I dd not use the cafe (buffet). Taste/Savor were the freestyle restaurants. Food was OK, presentation nice- Cruise staff members went above and beyond. Always smiles on their faces. Easy to find help if needed. Shows were excellent. The "Not so Newlywed Show" was a refreshing change from the standard shows cruise ships have. Deal or No Deal game was engaging. Shop for items like clothing, towels etc was not open at all. Cocktail bars were all open and well stocked. The HOWL AT THE MOON show (every night) was the highlight of my cruise.

Getaway is a fun ship!

July

Pros: Food was wonderful - shows were great! Water slides fun for all ages

Cons: Noisy below the 6th floor.

Recommended: Yes

We thoroughly enjoyed the Getaway. The food was amazing -- Favorite restaurants were the Tropicana, Taste and Cagney's Steakhouse. The shows were great! Though we were disappointed a bit that we didn't get to stop at St. Thomas, we had plenty of fun on the ship during sea days. Water slides were fun for all ages and we enjoyed the Adult only 'Spice H20 section'. It was quieter without all the noise and crowd from the main pool. We enjoyed the Art auction and I bought my first piece of collector's art. We also enjoyed the shops at Amber Cove and the waterfall excursion. The cycling excursion in Old San Juan was fun too. I doubt I'd want to go back to San Juan.

Norwegian Getaway cruise

May

Pros: Very clean, good food, very friendly staff, decent excursions, good entertainment

Cons: Communication about logging onto wi-fi was incomplete.

Recommended: Yes

This cruise ship was very clean, and had a very friendly staff to assist passengers. The only negative thing we encountered was the free wi-fi logon instructions which were not very clear. It turns out there were two different instructions to sign on; one in our room, and later to find out, a different set of instructions that we got from guest services.

My first and last NCL Cruise

November

Pros: GREAT Staff

Cons: Comparing it to other cruises, it really felt bla. Just didn't have the pizazz

Recommended: No

The crew and staff were some of the best. I really prefer having a Main Dining Room instead of the Freestyle dining. Food was ok, but some was not.

Getaway - Customer Service Dining Reservation

November

Pros: Ship staff were all very attentive. Food was GREAT.

Cons: Access to premeium dining times were limited. Advanced reservations for a group were difficult.

Recommended: No

Our dining reservations were a total disappointment, an I used the Customer Service Call Center! We were traveling as 3 separate staterooms; total 6 people. The first attempt at reservations, we were booked at three separate times as parties of 2 each. I was told groupings of 6 were already difficult to find/book. This was yes, 2 weeks after the ability to book dining reservations. We worked with the on line reservations long enough to finally accomplish some tables for 6 at very late hours. 4 weeks before the cruise, I did get a knowledgeable reservation agent who was able to quickly advise which premium restaurants had availabilities for 6. We were also never told nor was in literature that the complimentary restaurants could be have reservations made in advance. This part of the cruise experience was very unsatisfying, confusing and frustrating.

One of our best vacations in recents years

June

Pros: The Haven on this ship was wonderful and the staff was great the waitress and waiters in the private Haven restaurant even the bartenders fantastic only person who fell short was our butler Robert. We loved the separate restaurant and lounge and bar area in the Haven area.

Cons: We love the lock and secure floors of the Haven and sometimes the door was not kept locked and closed on the 16 th floor .

Recommended: Yes

We keep returning to Norwegian because of Haven accommodations. We loved how the private restaurant and bar is now secure within the Haven and also having the two private concierge within the Haven is the best. Also the private decks and private pools for Haven guests only is another great quality we enjoy of the havens. We stayed in a Family Villa this time and we enjoyed it , we have stayed in the much larger Garden Villa which was very nice the only thing I could say we were disappointed in was our butler this time but everything else was great. One comment is we are hoping on future ships the Haven area and amount of cabins stay to a certain size and does not get to be to many cabins and too many people using the Haven cabins because then it may lose its VIP standard and quality of value!

NCL Getaway

February

Pros: Attention to detail. Activities for all ages, food and beverages.

Cons: Pre book you excursions, onboard the double the price.

Recommended: No

Cruise Like a Norwegian

February

Pros: Service and attention by crew and officers.

Cons: The number of passengers. I will stay with the smaller ships in the fleet.

Recommended: Yes

This is my third cruise on a Norwegian ship, and once again it was a wonderful experience. The officers and crew were very competent, professional and friendly. The food and entertainment on the ship were excellent, and the shore excursions so interesting and beautiful. I plan to travel with Norwegian again.

Getaway

February

Pros: Staff

Cons: Food

Recommended: Yes

This was our first cruise, we enjoyed everything. The staff is phenomenal and are there to assist you for any question. We booked an excursion and decided to change to a different one and they changed it with no questions and no issue. The rooms were very clean, our steward consistently made sure we had everything we needed. The food was good and there was quite the variety, but in the complimentary dining area it’s the same variety all week, which got tiring. Overall though it was good food and the dinner upgrades were a very nice change.

Western Caribbean Cruise

January

Pros: Good sized balcony room. Excellent specialty restaurant food. Despite 3800+ guests movement around main areas was not that bad.

Cons: Small balcony deck. Crowded around pools and in Atrium for seating during music/games.

Recommended: Yes

Onboard shows were excellent - Quartet, Cirque dinner show. Favorite hangout - Margaritaville bar/grill. Plenty of seating and great food.

Norwegian expectations

December

Pros: Excellent entertainment. Excellent specialty restaurants. Looks great for children but we did not use those facilities.

Cons: Upper deck buffet mediocre. Drinks package did not include water or specialty coffee.

Recommended: Yes

No real complaints. Compared to our favorite cruise line it only delivered better in the entertainment and specialty restaurants. We often encountered staff whose English was limited.

Birthday Cruise

November

Pros: LOVED the dinning options and the entertainment options! There was always something happening on the ship.

Cons: Should have purchased more speciality dinning before the cruise. I had no idea how wonderful the restaurants would be.

Recommended: Yes

NCL has spoiled me. I am quite sure that I will never cruise with another line again. Everything was amazing!

A very BIG ship

April

Pros: Food was good in the 3 free dining rooms . Rood in the Garden cafe was good too.

Cons: Only one adult pool for 3900 passengers. Too many smoking areas. All rooms even balcony rooms are small. One quiet area to read and it is small. The whole ship is geared to drinking

Recommended: No

The ship is nice since it is new and the crew is eager to please . You can small smoke in many common areas of the ship. Smoke from the casino area drifts down to the floor below thru an open area and the out door area for smoking is not closed off by a door so even outside you are smelling smoke

Cruise Director and assistant

April

Pros: All

Cons: None

Recommended: Yes

Loved Silos the cruise Director and his assistant Ferdie they make a great team. Both were very friendly, sociable and funny all great qualities. This was my first cruise I would definitely cruise again.

Big ship but crowded

December

Pros: Lots of activities

Cons: Crowded

Recommended: No

Big ship with many activities. Splash academy was well run for kids. Crowded at most activities. Poor embarkation and disembarkation process. Restaurant staff at non additional pay restaurants were poor with exception of O'Sheehans. Overpriced excursions for what you receive. Beach is not well kept in Costa Maya.

Great Getaway

November

Pros: The entertainment was great, especially Million Dollar Quartet. The ship is new, and looked. The speciality restaurants were excellent. We ate at Moderno, La Cuchina and Le Bistro.

Cons: The mini-suites are smaller than the mini-suite we had on Royal Caribbean, both the room and the balcony. Though the food was excellent, we missed the set dining experience.

Recommended: Yes

The flipping of two ports, Cozumel and Costa Maya, definitely affected our cruise. Harvest Caye is lovely, but we had to be back on the ship by 2:30, which seriously cut our time down there. We loved our Kohunlich tour. We were a fairly small group and the only group there. It was worth the 2 hour bus trip each way to get away from the crowds when exploring the site. Don't really regret Xcaret as the place is great, but we were delayed off the boat, which again cut our time at a port.

Carribean Getaway

November

Pros: Awesome food. Great entertainment, Amazing staff!!!!!!

Cons: Electrical problems in room and AC problems in room. Problems with ship card.

Recommended: Yes

Loved the staff. The ship was super clean. Food was amazing.

SUPERB

October

Pros: CREW-SHIP-FOOD-

Cons: NONE

Recommended: Yes

All Aboard The Get-A-Way...For the Experience of Your Life...

Amazing Vacation

September

Pros: Ship, service, staterooms, entertainment, onboard activities, spa, food.

Cons: NONE!!!

Recommended: Yes

We decided to give Norwegian Cruise lines a try, and it turned out to be FANTASTIC. We were very impressed with the ship, restaurants, bars and entertainment. The service was impeccable. We stayed in the Haven, which was a beautiful area, however, we truly enjoyed all of the other restaurants and bars just as well. So much momentum on the ship. The daily activities were fun and the ship never once felt crowded. Even their Art gallery on board was superb! We found NCL to be a perfect fit for families, couples or singles. Something for everyone on board. Amazing energy and momentum on the ship. Couldn't have asked for a better vacation!

Family 3rd year cruising

September

Pros: Fun Fun Fun every day

Cons: N/A

Recommended: Yes

This is our 3rd year cruising and our 2nd year on the same ship the Getaway. We had a blast! Our family is a group of 12, bar tenders reconize our family from previous year and also de Latin Express Band reconize us. We had an amazing experience on all the Ports we stop. It was affortable and very fun. I recomend the ship and the ports.

N.C.L. GETAWAY 2016

June

Pros: Excellent food, music, shows, and service.

Cons: Balcony too small, can barely fit two average sized people. Minimum storage space in cabin.

Recommended: Yes

In the area of the room that people typically use for a desk, or make up mirror, there are no drawers to store anything. Also, there is no chair there sit on, only a short hard storage box. Rooms are not designed well and need improvement. Only 10" between bed and clothing closet. Clothing closet is half the size of closets on other ships.

Had a great time!

June

Pros: Loved the ship the food and the service

Cons: The "family" pool is way to small.

Recommended: Yes

I loved this beautiful ship very friendly staff and my daughter loved the child care center. I didn't plan to use it but she kept asking to go back! The food was delicious. We were unable to really enjoy swimming with my kids due to the size of the only pool the kids could swim in. There were also teens and others crammed into the pool playing Marco polo or football.

Norwegian Getaway - Western Caribbean

May

Pros: Freestyle Dining, Activities, and Staff

Cons: Supplemental charges for lobster at free dining rooms

Recommended: Yes

The tendering for Belize City was not expected.

Amazing Excursions, Amazing Ship, Poor Customer Service

May

Pros: Beach Excursions, Spa & Thermal Spa, Casino Staff, Restaurant Selection (mostly)

Cons: Undercommunication of Itinerary Change, La Cucina Restaurant food

Recommended: Yes

The cruise overall was spectacular and would have received 5 stars from me had the Excursions and Guest Services Staff, including the check-in Terminal staff, actually communicated the change in our itinerary. When we got on board, we booked Spa services for the week, which is imperative since the appointments can go quickly, and, upon receiving the Day 3 overview, realized that not only were we headed for a different port than the cruise had advertised, but that one of our excursions had changed from 12:30pm to 8:10am. This complicated our spa appointments and so I decided to go to the excursions/guest services desk to inquire. I was then told that everyone on board was aware of the change and had been told when they checked in. I disagreed since I, nor my traveling companion, had not been told. No e-mail, no change of itinerary delivered to the room, no announcement of the change at the safety briefing on Day One. Rather than giving me options or credits or compensation of any kind (okay, yes, I was fishing for something), rather than even giving me understanding, the client services desk decided to have the Terminal Admiral come out to let me know that I was a liar - everyone who checked in was given the itinerary change, she said. Ultimately, everything worked out; however, I was very disappointed that NCL couldn't use every means possible (they love to e-mail me all kinds of junk mail, duh) to inform me of the change until the night before. If you go on this cruise, just avoid the Italian food at La Cucina - the free options are tastier. Definitely get the Thermal Spa pass as it is so rejuvenating after excursions in the afternoons. The staff at the casino was so engaging and fun, if you do casino. On the whole, this is a great trip, and I would do it again!

May 22 2016 cruise on the Getaway

May

Pros: Great food in every restaurant whether complimentary or for an additional fee. The ship was beautiful and the staff extremely helpful.Great ship for families

Cons: Since we were sailing without children we found the pool for adults only to be too small

Recommended: Yes

The ultimate beverage plan the we had as part of our package was a blessing. We were able to enjoy ourselves without feeling we were being taken advantage of with excessively high alcohol prices. We had an early return flight (11 a.m.) out of Fort Lauderdale and made it with ease. Be prepared to spend $3 for a bottle of water since it is not covered in the beverage package. Take advantage of excursions in Honduras, Belize and Costa Maya as there is nothing worth seeing by foot.

A Wonderful Time

April

Pros: Very clean, Staff very friendly, courteous and attentive. Food, Drinks, Shows were awesome.

Cons: My wife and I could not find anything we didn't like about the Ship

Recommended: Yes

This was our first cruise, but not our last. We had a great time everything was perfect as far as we were concerned. The staff was always helpful and made you feel at home all the time ( I don't think the gentleman (Mauriceo) who took care of our cabin ever slept !. The food was great, anytime of the day or night. Unfortunately we were disappointed we didn't get to make one of our stops because of bad weather but we know the captain made the correct decision because the ocean was quite rough but, there were enough activities happening on the ship that kept us busy. We can't wait to start looking to book our next cruise.

Wonderfully Fun

April

Pros: Everything

Cons: None

Recommended: Yes

This was the best cruise ship we have been on. Even though it is a large ship, we felt the privacy of the haven was worth the extra cost. Very few residents of The Haven used the facilities since the ship had so much to do and be a part of. This newer ship had redesigned cabins for convenience. The most botable features were: great lighting, comfortable beds, upscale good options, cleanliness priory with hand washing areas added near buffet areas, extra floors include rope climbing course, larger water slides and separate pool areas for kids and adults. Newer ship incorporates an upgrade in everything. Truly the best!!

Norwegian Getaway

March

Pros: The Crew was awesome, Food, Entertainment, The ship is clean at all times

Cons: Due to bad weather, we didn't stop in the Bahamas.

Recommended: Yes

I was really impressed with the Norwegian Getaway. The crew was awesome. They provided top notch customer service. The food was cooked to perfection. My husband and I enjoyed the entertainment and excursions. We can't wait to cruise with Norwegian again.

Lin Kalomeris

October

Pros: WE Love the Haven, Private, good staff and good food

Cons: noisy slamming outside iron door, constantaly middle of night

Recommended: Yes

Having our private pool and restaurant was extra special, feel like the spa should be included in the price

Great Family Getaway

August

Pros: activities for all ages

Cons: somewhat confusing to find our way around to entertainments

Recommended: Yes

Fantastic Ship

July

Pros: Very new which made it very clean, the piano bar was TONS of fun, tons of stuff for the children to do, always something going on, a lot of different places to eat and a great variety, very friendly staff, the ultimate beverage package was the best decision!

Cons: The shows weren't as good as some of the other cruise lines, some of the specialty restaurants charge a cover but then you end up eating the exact same food in a free restaurant later on, the $12.95 fee per day per person seemed a little excessive for our room to be serviced.

Recommended: Yes

One of the best cruising experiences I have ever had, the ship is so clean and the staff make everything feel like a party (even just getting off the boat in port). It will be hard to cruise with any other company after this. We are now spoiled!

Quality family time on NCL Getaway

June

Pros: entertainment, clean, beverage package, spa cabins, plenty to do for any mood

Cons: pools are small, yoga, Splash Academy, ports in general (not much time, overpriced)

Recommended: Yes

Definitely shop the ship when you select a cruise. We are glad we did. We are from Carlsbad, CA, early 40's, fit, traveled with sons, 9 and 11 years old. The ports are a non event and don't make a difference since most time spent is on the ship. Loved the newness, freestyle casual cruising concept. Fabulous waters slides, ropes course, entertainment, etc. The spa facility (included access with our spa mini suite cabin) was remarkable and made for a great escape to get away from everything. We booked several cover charge restaurants months in advance, which was a great idea. Ocean Blue and Tepanyaki were our favorites. Cagney's was disappointing - the steaks were good but apps, desserts and sides were not so good. My boys tried the Spash Academy option and my boys did not dig it. They were happier doing their own thing. Yoga class (ultra beginner level, cold and in the weight room) was terrible. The ship was clean and quite sanitary. We have some germ-phobia about public hygiene and it was nice to see the effort by the staff to keep the ship and passengers hands sanitized. Fun people watching (a cross section of people and accents). Overall we had great quality family time, husband and wife time and it was nice to be able to relax.

over crowded

May

Pros: Great food

Cons: 4,700 passengers

Recommended: No

Too many passengers with even smaller than usual public areas. Small theater and pool area. No seating at pool or any activities that weren't reservation required. Casino in mid ship and open area near so you could smell cigarette smoke three floors up. By the end of cruise, passengers were rude from all of us having to fight for space.

Almost perfect

May

Pros: Service, amenities, ambiance, smooth sailing

Cons: No shuttle at ship-side; mishandled luggage at departure

Recommended: Yes

We were an elderly couple who could not carry much nor walk very far. The ship seemed designed for active people who enjoy loud music and audience participation. We enjoyed the perks associated with berthing in the Haven, even at a high cost. However, the various VIP invitations we got did not amount to much, and some of the unsolicited food delivered to our stateroom went untouched or discarded. We would have preferred a buffet style for snacks and drinks at our leisure.

Getaway Review

May

Pros:

Cons:

Recommended: Yes

The ship was beautiful and new. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The food was outstanding in the specialty restaurants. Some of the food in the buffet could have been a little better.

Nice boat... food was meh

April

Pros: Water slides, huge boat, ropes course

Cons: Food, lots of added fees, overpriced drinks

Recommended: Yes

Beer should never cost $6, especially cheap beer. Nine restaurants to chose from, but 6 at an added cost (up to $40 per person per night). Boat was awesome, especially the slides, ropes course and sports area. Food was okay, but not great, sometimes not even hot. Of the "complimentary" restaurants, the menus didn't change much. The coffee, even in the "coffee shop" left much to be desired. The ports were as they usually are so we had a great time off of the boat. The deck areas for laying out and getting some sun were actually really nice and well organized. Outdoor bars were a nice touch on decks 7 and 8. Plan for drinks to be $8-$12. If you drink more than 5 drinks a day, get the package!

Spring break 2015

April

Pros: Super family friendly: Great ropes course and 5 fun water slides.

Cons: Not enough kid friendly pools.

Recommended: Yes

Our first cruise but once of best family vacations ever!

A Very Happy Boat

March

Pros: The staff was the best. Great layout. Fabulous shows

Cons: Gym too small. Food could be better

Recommended: Yes

This is one of the best cruises we have taken. The ship did not feel crowded even with the number of passengers. The staff was amazing. It was extremely organized. No long lines anywhere. The garden buffet was one of the better buffets we have seen. Nice selection for breakfast and lunch. We tried Ocean Blue a specialty restaurant . The difference in the taste of the food was too extreme. It went from mild fish to burnt brocoli with a strong vinegar taste. Overall this ship gets an A plus. I wish they would take away Nassau and add a different port of call.

7-Day Eastern Caribbean Cruise

March

Pros: Excellent ship, one year old. Top-notch captain and crew.

Cons: Sint Maarten not that great a destination.

Recommended: Yes

Ship had to maneuver to avoid sailboat leaving Miami, scraped a channel buoy with the port side propeller pod. Turned around and docked again so divers could look for damage. Just scratched the paint, but there was an 8-hour delay. Captain Rune handled the situation well and kept passengers informed. Ship arrived late at Sint Maarten but made up time and the rest of the cruise was on schedule.

Amazing Caribbean cruise

March

Pros: NCL dinning had so much variety and times & places to choose from;the number of fun activities to attend were never ending; the gym was clean and had many machines for exercise; the shore excursions were really fun and reasonable

Cons: You had to walk through the casino to get to he main places of activity on the ship, and the smoke in the casino was unpleasant to experience, even for a brief time. It would be better to have all inside public places be non smoking.

Recommended: Yes

I have been on two other cruise lines and my experience cruising with NCL was the best of all! The ship and the staff, dining, activities, etc were exceptional.

First Rate

December

Pros: Food was excellent, service was perfect, ship was stunning

Cons: lots of people but so much space it didn't really bother us

Recommended: Yes

This ship exceeded our expectations. Being brand new everything was stunning; high quality and luxe without being over the top. Decor was tasteful and timeless and classy. Stateroom (outside balcony) had plenty of storage and perks; the bathroom was also spacious. The waitstaff from cabin steward to waitstaff to front desk - all polished professionals with great attitude. We saw all the shows and enjoyed them all. We were worried about being in a boat with nearly 4000 passengers but somehow the ship absorbed the crowds - the pool area was always crowded but being without young kids we were happy up in the bow in the "no kids" section or on upper sunning area. We ate at 3 of the specialty restaurants but truly didn't need to - the dining rooms menus were all superb.

A fantastic first cruise

October

Pros: Brand new vessel; beautifully maintained premises, including cabins; very good on-board service; plenty of things to do; great variety of food

Cons: Too many things are chargeable although this is off set by benefits you obtain - for example after spending a few hundred dollars in the casino and generating coresponding pints one is eligible for free alcoholic drinks in the casino for the duration of the trip. If onle they would be more transparent about it I would have benefited from this more than I in fact did.

Recommended: Yes

Enjoyable

October

Pros: Service, food, specialty restaurants, entertainment

Cons: Ports

Recommended: Yes

This ship has a lot to do. Hardly ever run into a crowd for the size of the ship. Everything is always spotless. Never a rude or negative crew member. They always speak, not like a lot of the guest. I booked my cruise because of the ship not the ports. If you don't have a great time then you should not be cruising at all.

Perfect

July

Pros: Freestyle dining, quality entertainment, technology onboard

Cons: None

Recommended: No

Great ship!

June

Pros: The crew is awesome...so nice, helpful and fun. Clean boat and great entertainment!!

Cons: Only one adult pool...small and always crowded!

Recommended: Yes

Had a wonderful time. This is a terrific boat...the crew was wonderful, the accommodations were very clean and comfortable. There is a nice variety of bars and restaurants to choose from too. All different types of dancing and entertainment each night on board was so much fun! Loved musicals--Legally Blonde and Wine Musicals for Lovers; dueling pianos; Burn the Floor...all awesome!!! Embarkation and disembarkation were surprisingly smooth, easy and did not take too long--thank you for that!! Only downsides (and are relatively minor):1) no water in the room or access to water bottles...you had to call for it to be sent to your room if you wanted it (pitchers complimentary, bottles were a fee). We were a family of six so it was not convenient to run to bars to ask for 6 cups of water any time we wanted some. Ordering it was a pain as room service is busy and we often had to wait a little while. 2) Mini frig was an honor bar and was expensive. We had an unlimited beverage package so we felt as if the mini frig should be included too. 3) There is only one adult pool (unless you were in The Haven) and it was small and MOBBED. Getting seating anywhere near the pool was a challenge. This was the biggest downside for us. 4) Shopping was closed on days in port. Not a big deal, but was looking forward to perusing without any crowds. (Many guests are rude and pushy unfortunately, though that's not Norwegian's fault!) 5) Wish there was a private island. We do not like Nassau. The ports will be what determine whether we do another Norwegian cruise again, since we have cruised frequently.

The only miss was the food!!!!!!

July

Pros: Entertainment and staff

Cons: Food was not up to expectations

Recommended: No

the haven

June

Pros:

Cons: Cigar bar should have been extended to outside bar. Need a second poker table open at night.

Recommended: No

Getaway

June

Pros: Lots to do on the ship: 5 water slides, ropes course, rock climbing wall, miniature golf, basketball court, pools, free movies at the pool and in staterooms

Cons: Food- totally hit or miss in terms of quality and taste, dining staff was not well informed about the dishes they were serving. "Free-style dining" was very challenging if you have any special food requirements or allergies. Buffet food was usually cold. Also had to pay for some shows

Recommended: Yes

New ship, clean with lots to do onboard. The food was either amazing or horrible, but no in between. The ropes course and free-fall slides were very fun for kids and adults! Highly recommend snorkeling at the US Virgin Islands!!! Amazing experience- saw sea turtles, stingrays, schools of fish, and a barracuda! Best excursion ever. Local public beach at the Bahamas was covered in broken glass and trash, so I highly recommend water shoes. The water was very clear so you could avoid the colored, superficial pieces. Atlantis or an excursion to another beach is recommended. The Everglades airboat excursion in Miami is fun, but most of the birds have migrated north by June. The water level was 2.5 ft below normal so many of the alligators had migrated to deeper waters. We still saw glimpses of about 10 smaller gators. From the Miami airport, if you have time, the local bus route 150-Flier goes straight to Miami South Beach which was awesome! Round trip cost ~$5 vs. $60-70 round trip by taxi. The Embassy Suite Hotel had an airport shuttle and another shuttle that works a 3 mile radius around the hotel. They were so nice and helpful, offered cold water bottles for our beach days, and even dropped off my husband and I for dinner then we called so they could come pick us up. Breakfast at the hotel was also fantastic! Overall, great cruise and Miami experience. I would not recommend this cruise for anyone with food allergies or specific dietary needs due to poor communication between servers, restaurant managers, cooks, and staff.

Pop's Review

May

Pros: Great value for the money!

Cons: No cons

Recommended: Yes

Beautiful Ship, Excellence Entertainment, Great Food, Great Service.

If you can get away on the Getaway I recommend you find a way to get away!

May

Pros:

Cons:

Recommended: Yes

Norwegian Getaway

April

Pros: Beautiful ship. Good comedy entertainers. Appreciate the studio cabin availability.

Cons: Main dinning room wait staff was disappointing - not professional. Children were distracting and uncontrolled.

Recommended: No

Becoming like a Carnival ship - catering to a young, loud, rowdy crowd. There was not one entertainment area that mature passengers could dance to soft music. All entertainment music was excessively loud. Specialty restaurants were good, but overpriced.

Review of NCL "GETAWAY"

March

Pros: room design and space, water slides, rope course, buffet had many stations great variety, our grandsons loved the self-serve soft ice cream

Cons: food (Cagneys), ship seemed/felt crowed (much more than Oasis of the Seas.

Recommended: Yes

NCL outdid themselves with the design of this new ship. Truly, outstanding stateroom design. Only ship we have ever been on which has enough storage, shelf, hanger, drawer space. Four to a room and we did not use all provided for us. Bed was comfortable and large king. Bath had plenty of space for all travel items, body shower, rain shower head, glass sliding doors with plenty of space. As all NCL's we have been on, food was very average. We went to one specialty restaurant , Cagneys, and would definitely NOT recommend it. Poor presentation, poor to bad service. Entertainment was below par for NCL, small theater for such a large ship.

Eastern Caribbean Cruise

March

Pros: Freestyle Option

Cons: NCL website was difficult to use/website was down a lot and hard to find basic information

Recommended: No

The Honest review… the good and not so good. But we will never go back on this ship.

March

Pros: Good food, clean ship and nice ports of call

Cons: Extra $$ for everything from food to shows. No extra special treatment for Haven guests. Way too crowded for space that is available.

Recommended: No