Norwegian Getaway Review

Be prepared for frustration

Review for the Baltic Sea Cruise on Norwegian Getaway
User Avatar
jamartin
6-10 Cruises • Age 60s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: May 2019
Cabin: Mid-Ship Mini-Suite with Balcony

We choose this cruise for the itinerary, so when two of our eight ports were cancelled (one due to NCL inefficiency leaving Copenhagen and the other because of safety concerns getting into Invergordon), it was a big disappointment. A $50 credit per cabin didn't compensate for the loss of 1/4 of our itinerary.

Two additional stops were cut short because of delays with the tenders -- we waited two hours to get off the ship at Geiranger, two and a half at Edinburgh. Lines to return to ship were horrendous. Port security in Edinburgh said they'd never seen anything like the inefficiency of our NCL crew -- hundreds of people lined up in the rain to return to ship, an empty tender at the dock, and no one making a move to start loading. As the hours went by, port officials ended up supplying extra tenders and staff to get us back to the Getaway. They were probably afraid we'd be there all night if they didn't do something.

You can expect lines for dinner, too, even with reservations. I don't think freestyle dining is working out well. Without assigned tables, each party has to be shown individually to their seats, making for long lines at normal dining hours. If you don't make reservations ahead of time, you'll wait even longer. If you want to eat late, it's not as bad.

Cabin Review

Mid-Ship Mini-Suite with Balcony

Cabin MB

Nice cabin, tiny balcony, spacious bathroom. Hard to control water temperature at the sink, but the shower was great.

Port Reviews

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is a beautiful, friendly city. The canal tour in the Nyhavn district is well worth your time.

When debarking we took a cab to the airport (about $60 for three of us). We'd used city buses for embarkation day, but it required three connections and still dropped us a ways from the terminal, so we opted for more expensive transport on our way out.

Flam

We rented a car right at the pier and enjoyed a leisurely drive to some spectacular views of the fjord.

Bergen

We just got around the city on our own. The old district was unexciting until we started going through the narrow alleys behind the facade, where it became much more charming and "authentic." Lots of cute little shops in the area. The funicular takes you to some nice views.

Geiranger

Too little time on shore because of the slow tender process. The 2 and 1/2 hour hike to a waterfall was the most we dared to undertake, and that was pushing it. But it's beyond gorgeous, even from the pier. Well worth having on your itinerary.

Akureyri

Rented a car again, which gave us the freedom to see some of the amazing countryside. Iceland is ridiculously gorgeous, with amazing waterfalls and canyons appearing seemingly from nowhere. Godafoss is especially beautiful.

Reykjavik

Had a rental car again, and work an overnight stay we were able to cover a lot of ground. Hraunfosser was spectacular - we covered a northerly route the first day, hitting the Golden Circle highlights. We got up at 4 AM the next day to make sure we had ample time for a drive to Fjadrargljufur Canyon, which is well worth the lost sleep. It has just opened for the season the day before, and words can't do it justice.

Edinburgh (South Queensferry)

Charming, scenic city. Took an Uber to the train station to buy Hop on Hop off bus tickets. We made the full round, listening to an audio tour, then started round again, this time getting off by Greyfriars Church (had a tasty lunch at The Elephant House), Calton Hill, and the National Gallery. Took another Uber back to the port for the hours-long lineup in the rain to get a tender back to the ship. Our experience in Edinburgh was definitely colored by NCL inefficiency. (We were two and a half hours on board that morning waiting for our tender number to be called, and we were only in tender group 8!)

2 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a Norwegian Getaway Cruise from $328

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.