First of all understand that I had a Haven suite, which can dramatically alter your opinion of the ship. I've been cruising for 19 years at I'm more interested in relaxation than a crazy pool deck. I've also sailed on Royal Oasis class boats, which hold slightly less passengers/ton (35.7 vs. 36.9), but are admittedly much larger (225K GT vs. 146K GT). I've sailed the NCL Epic, so I was already aware of the types of amenities the Getaway would have.

For the record (since there are some critical points below) I will definitely sail NCL again (even bought 2 future cruise credits). The Haven experience is unmatched for a mass market line, and they have some itineraries (Hawaii, some Alaska) that are unmatched.

The Getaway is a beautiful ship, no issues there. Clean design that isn't overly modern. Not including the food served on deck 15, everything you want is on "678 Ocean Place", which is obviously decks 6-8. These decks are open near midship, with a 2 story staircase connecting them. Beautiful area, but not as grandeur as the many story atriums that you may be used to. While the decks are nice, and filled with very nice bars and restaurants, there isn't as big of a wow factor (in my opinion) when compared to other ship designs. The waterfront area is nice, but since it was August I think many avoided it (very hot and humid and often windy, which doesn't work with many peoples choice of evening clothes/hair). Read more