Norwegian Getaway Review
Everything good or bad is related to the ship's size.
Rating by category
Additional details
I travelled on the Norwegian Jade last year for my first ever cruise and loved it so decided to stick with NCL again this year. This itinerary sounded interesting and docked in cities that I had not been to before.
Booking and embarkation
I booked a fly cruise for a group of 10 starting from London to Copenhagen. Three guests were children aged 5, 6 and 9 and there was also one person with mobility issues. We also took a wheelchair with us. Despite several emails, phone calls and filling in the medical form the airline had not been informed of the wheelchair. Thankfully I phoned the day before travel to confirm everything and it was only then I realised that nothing had been sorted. With this type of booking it is also not possible to check in online or manage your flight booking. I think I would chose to book my own flights next time.
Cabin Review
Balcony Stateroom
A really lovely balcony cabin with lots of clever storage. Room did not feel cramped as everything could be put away. A hair dryer was provided (located under the dressing table) as were shampoo, soap and body lotion. Tea and coffee making facilities were also provided. There were plenty of plug sockets (American 2 point). Rooms also have a mini bar and safe. Beds are comfortable and the shower room is good.
Port Reviews
Rostock (Warnemunde)
Warnemunde is a lovely seaside resort. There is a beautiful white sand beach that you can spend the day at although the sea was too cold for me! There are lovely shops and a climb up the lighthouse costing only €3 is fully worth it.
We also took the train to Rostock. A station staff member was on hand to help with tickets. It cost €5.20 for a day ticket for one person but also the same for a group ticket for two adults and three children! From Rostock station we took a tram to Neuer Markt and then walked around this nice little town. There are walking tours which are available but not on the day we were there!
Both Rostock and Warnemunde are great places so I wouldn't bother going into Berlin as it's a couple of hours there and back.
Tallinn
It is easy to walk to the Old Town from the port (about 1 km). All the main sites are here and buses cannot enter so don't be conned into spending €25 to get on the hop on hop off bus. Pick up a map at the port as it is very simple to get around.
It started to rain as we entered the Old town so we took shelter by climbing up a portion of the city wall. Some of the steps are very narrow, dark and precarious with just a rope to hold on to but at only €3 worth it's worth doing. I have been here before and a walking tour is definitely worth it but if you can't, then walk around yourself with a guide book so that you know what you're looking at. The map from the port also has good information. A little half hour mini road "train" round the town is also a nice option especially if you have children. Walking up to the upper part of the town to see the summer palaces (only the outside) and the Russian Orthodox Church is worth it.
The town square has a market and the flower market at the Viru gate is lovely to see. Lots of tourist shops and good restaurants are also around the town.
St. Petersburg
I booked a tour with TJ travel which was excellent. However, everything is St. Petersburg is big which means that you could actually spend a whole day at each site. However, we only spent an hour or so which meant we were running around and were exhausted!
Everything we saw demonstrated the opulence of the Russian royalty. However, very little is original as much of it was either removed or destroyed by the Communists or the Nazis. The palaces do not really show how royalty lived but act more as museums to house different objects such as paintings, dresses, ceramics etc. The churches are very ornate and beautiful but have no seats in them as you must stand during the service.
I loved the fountain gardens at the Peterhoff palace but only saw a fraction of them given the time. The children loved the trick fountains. If I had an extra day I think I'd spend it here.
We actually had some very nice local food in Russia. Beetroot soup followed by beef stroganoff on the first day provided by the TJ travel and stuffed pancakes and potato dumplings on the second day.
Helsinki
I loved Helsinki as the people are so friendly and helpful. The port is still under construction and nothing was opened at the time that we got off the ship so it was difficult to get help. However, if you walk towards the tram stop and get on the tram (6T or 7) it will take you to the Central railway station from where you can walk or take other trams to wherever you want to go. You can buy a day ticket from the tram driver for €9.
You should make your way to the market square which tram 7 does go close to or tram 2 from the railway station. From here you can walk to many of the tourist sites or take other trams but just visiting the markets is great. You can also get the ferry to Suomenlinna fortress from here. The day ticket allows you to travel on the ferry and is cheaper than buying a single or return ticket. Ferries come every 20 minutes and take 15 minutes to get across.
Suomenlinna Island is really worth visiting. The views are beautiful and the fortress is interesting. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and is easily walkable. Guided tours are available but an information leaflet and map still make for a great day. You can walk round the island at a leisurely pace in two hours but you could just as easily spend the whole day there.
There are several churches that you can visit In Helsinki with the church in rock being the most unusual. Churches are generally Lutheran and the style is much plainer with no icons and a great contrast to those seen in St. Petersburg.