Norwegian Getaway Review: A Weekend Worth Taking, With One More Day Next Time

Choose the Sailing Length for the Pace You Want

Three nights from Miami gave us specialty dinners, two shows, Great Stirrup Cay and a Pearl Island outing from Nassau. It was an excellent short escape, but two port days left limited time to explore the ship. I would happily sail Getaway again, preferably for at least four nights. Compare the balance of sea days and port calls, not just the number of nights, if relaxing on board is a priority.

A Comfortable Cabin, but Check the Balcony

Our Club Balcony Suite was comfortable, with useful storage and enough room for the two of us on a short sailing. The balcony was the compromise: it was only a little deeper than the chairs sitting on it.

If you mainly want fresh air and a view, that may be enough. If leisurely hours on your own balcony are central to the trip, compare the dimensions and layout of the specific cabin before paying for the category. The words “Club Balcony Suite” do not tell you how generous the outdoor space will feel.

Restaurant Choice Is a Reason to Book Getaway

Our dinners at Cagney's Steakhouse, La Cucina and Le Bistro were a highlight. Beyond the three restaurants we tried, Getaway offers enough variety to build a trip around the way you like to eat:

• Included sit-down dining: Taste, Savor and The Manhattan Room, the ship's main dining rooms.
• Included casual choices: the Garden Café buffet, O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill, Shanghai's Noodle Bar and American Diner. The Garden Café also has an open-air section on Deck 15.
• Extra-charge specialty restaurants: Cagney's for steak, La Cucina for Italian food and Le Bistro for French dining, plus Moderno Churrascaria, Ocean Blue, Teppanyaki, Wasabi and The Raw Bar.
• Sweet stops and coffee: The Bake Shop and Dolce Gelato are extra-charge sweet stops. Starbucks also costs extra unless covered by an eligible beverage package.
• Restricted and in-cabin options: The Haven Restaurant is reserved for Haven guests. Room service is available, generally with a delivery charge; check the benefits attached to your booking.

You can mix casual included meals with a few specialty dinners rather than paying extra every time you sit down. Compare any dining package with the restaurants and meals you actually want; coverage, supplements and service times matter more than the headline number of venues. NCL's current included-dining list and specialty-dining guide are useful starting points.

Leave Time for the Shows

Entertainment strengthened the case for Getaway. Syd Norman's Presents: Rumours had talented singers, and Bring Back the 90s was even better in my view. If live music and evening shows are part of your ideal cruise, leave room for them when arranging dinner and shore plans; on a short sailing, you will need to choose.

The Waterfront: A Good Reason to Choose Getaway

Getaway felt spread out, and The Waterfront was a highlight: a Deck 8 promenade with restaurant tables overlooking the sea. It is especially appealing for couples who enjoy dinner with a view and travelers who want outdoor time away from the pool deck.

Outdoor dining includes Cagney's, La Cucina, Moderno Churrascaria and Ocean Blue on The Waterfront, with Dolce Gelato for a sweet stop along the promenade. Sugarcane Mojito Bar and Syd Norman's Pour House add outdoor places for a drink. NCL's current Getaway deck plans show the layout; Le Bistro, Wasabi and The Raw Bar are not Waterfront dining venues.

Ask about outdoor seating, menus and service times for your sailing. Ocean Blue's Waterfront offering may differ from its indoor restaurant, and weather and availability will shape your options.

Great Stirrup Cay: Choose the Day You Want

Great Stirrup Cay added a relaxed beach day to our sailing. Our quieter beach-club setting offered good lagoon snorkeling, a great buffet and attentive waiter service. That is the option I would favor for travelers who want to settle in rather than follow the busiest part of the island.

The main island area had a livelier DJ-and-pool-party atmosphere. Choose the setting that fits your group, and compare any beach-club or cabana charge before assuming every version of the day is included.

Walking easily off the ship and back on again made the day straightforward. The island felt surprisingly expansive, and the new Great Tides Waterpark looked impressive; NCL lists admission separately, so include it in the budget if it interests you.

A practical tip from our visit: cabanas can be wet after rain. Bring a dry bag or another waterproof covering for electronics.

Nassau: Clear Water and a Memorable Snorkel at Pearl Island

Our Nassau stop showed the value of choosing an excursion around your interests. We went to Pearl Island for beach time and snorkeling in fantastically clear water. Five nurse sharks swam by during our snorkel, one of the most memorable moments of the sailing.

Pearl Island is a separate outing from Nassau, with a distinctive lighthouse, beaches and snorkeling excursions. It is a good option to compare if you would rather spend the port day in the water than sightseeing in town. Wildlife encounters are a possibility, not something to promise.

Match the Booking to the Experience You Want

Embarkation and disembarkation were easy for us, but we had NCL's Priority Access. Treat that as context for our experience, not a guarantee that every booking will move at the same pace.

Before choosing a fare, I would compare the full trip: the exact cabin and balcony, any specialty-dining benefits, shore excursions, beach-club or waterpark access, and travel to the departure port. A lively, restaurant-focused Getaway cruise can be excellent value for the right traveler; an attractive base fare alone does not tell you what your preferred version will cost.