Norwegian Getaway Review
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We recently completed a seven night cruise on the Norwegian Getaway. We average one cruise a year and are a family of five, two adults and three teenage children. We shared a family room on the 5th floor. Traveling with us as well were my mother and step-father, in the interior room across the hall from us, and my sister, her husband and her three younger children ages 2-7, in the family room next to ours. All together this was a party of 12. Those of us in the family room loved our rooms. Sadly, that is the most complimentary thing I can say about the cruise.
The Food - The food was not that great. It would seem that finding good food on a cruise is not like it once was. Too often, it seems like they are ordering food they can simply slice and serve in mass and compromising on the quality. I hope the emphasis is not to push people to the specialty dining, as I have read other reviews that stated they didn't feel the food there was any better. The curry foods were good and the best dessert was the Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Bar served on chocolate lovers night. Otherwise the go to favorite among our group was the Chocolate Volcano. We often tried other desserts only to be disappointed. We did the same thing on Carnival a few years ago, eating their Molten Lava Cake almost every night. These two desserts are almost identical. Believe me with 12 in our group we tried all the menu options. It's not good when you send it back and get the same thing every night. Very boring and not what I look forward to in dining on a cruise ship.
The Service - Service was the WORST I have EVER had. Upon arriving our first night at the Tropicana, we were told we had a reservation for two not 12 and that often online things can get messed up. We understood about free style dining and that we were a large group and had taken the time to book reservations on-line prior to cruising. However, when we arrived on board at the Tropicana, they said it was made for 2. It took some time and effort on their part to find us a table for 12. Our party would only dine together as a party of 12 twice. After that we were seated at two tables for six next to each other. We traded grandparents each night so different grandchildren could sit with their grandparents and tell them about their day.
Cabin Review
Family Oceanview Stateroom with Large Picture Window
The cabin was wonderful. Even with five adult sized people in the room, we never experienced any issues with the space. I will say the closet on the side for the children was smaller than the one on our side, even though it was supposed to hold 3 people's clothing and ours only two, so we did put one kid's clothing in our closet. There is a curtain that pulls across to separate the kid and parent sections making changing in the room easy. The bathroom has a tub with doors that enclose it. That was a first for us and a welcome change from the usually tiny showers.
Port Reviews
Ocho Rios
Blue Hole was a wonderful experience. I would not recommend it for small children or the unadventurous. It involves lots of jumping off of high places. If these things don't bother you and you like a little thrill, Blue Hole is just the place. You don't just get to look at the water, but you get to play in it. I would recommend a one piece bathing suit and water shoes. Be prepared to tip your guide/guides well. They provide a wonderful service and are not paid by Blue Hole itself. So be prepared that this is an additional expense.
Great Stirrup Cay
The island was lovely and laid out very well. Not a ton of activities on the island, but it is beautiful.
Grand Cayman (Georgetown)
Did some shopping in Grand Cayman.