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Norwegian Getaway Review

4.5 / 5.0
3,140 reviews
Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Getaway Cabins
Norwegian Getaway Dining
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Editor Rating
4.5
Very Good
Brittany Chrusciel
Cruise Critic Contributor

Getaway simply oozes Miami, and that's exactly what Norwegian Cruise Line was going for when it built the ship. It starts with the hull, with art designed by Miami artist David "LEBO" Le Batard. It's impossible to miss the painting, which features a mermaid and pelicans and employs the colors of the sea. Inside, the overall color palate successfully melds bright purples and turquoises with more muted browns and gleaming silvers. Even the public spaces feel like Miami. Passengers can grab a variety of signature cocktails at Sugarcane Mojito Bar and eat rice and beans and other Latin-inspired cuisine at the Flamingo Grill. Then there's The Waterfront, an outdoor space that encircles Deck 8, where passengers can sip drinks or dine alfresco. While the innovation debuted on twin sister Norwegian Breakaway, it just really works on Getaway, which sails year-round from Miami, where the weather is always ideal for spending time enjoying dinner, drinks and uninterrupted ocean views.

Pros

Getaway makes the most of outdoor spaces like the Waterfront with its South Beach vibe.

Cons

Fees add up for wow-factor experiences, such as upscale restaurants and dinner theater.

Bottom Line

Getaway offers an abundance of dining and entertainment options with a Miami flair.

About

Passengers: 4,028
Crew: 1,595
Passenger to Crew: 2.53:1
Launched: January 2014
Shore Excursions: 1252

Getaway scores huge points for entertainment options with 28 restaurants, more than a dozen bars, Broadway-caliber theater and a large sports complex that boasts a ropes course, climbing wall and zip line. Passengers on Getaway would have to go out of their way to squeeze in everything. It's almost impossible to be bored. Highlights include Howl at the Moon, an outrageous sing-along dueling piano show; musical "Million Dollar Quartet"; dinner theater production The Illusionarium; and five multistory waterslides, including the scream-inducing Free Fall.

The ship was built for socializing, with most of the action taking place around 678 Ocean Place, the three-deck open space around which many of Getaway's bars are located. Have dinner in Le Bistro on Deck 6, catch a Second City improv comedy show across the way at Headliners, and then climb the stairs to hit the Casino on Deck 7 before finishing the night at Sugarcane Mojito Bar on Deck 8 without missing a beat. The area is packed with activities, which also means it's packed with people. The casino encircles the area on Deck 7, and smoke drifts to restaurants and clubs on the decks above and below. It also leads to some bottlenecking as passengers make their way through. Adding to the chaos is Norwegian's Freestyle dining concept which, while much-adored on the line's smaller ships, can seem onerous on a ship of more than 4,000. A vacation on Getaway requires planning ahead to get seats in the venues that you want.

It also can make avoiding the crowds somewhat of a challenge, though it's entirely possible. Set off from the rest of the ship, the Vibe Beach Club and the Thermal Suite spa lounge provide sanctuary, but you'll pay for the privilege. Of course, luxe-lovers can head off the crowds before boarding by booking a room in the Haven, Norwegian's ship-within-a-ship enclave, which has a small pool, restaurant and lounge exclusively for Haven suite residents.

Generally, cabins are comfortable though snug, with balconies that are small, even at the suite level. Still, Getaway is a perfect option for passengers who consider the ship to be the destination. Options for entertainment are plentiful, and outdoor spaces work in harmony with the Miami theme and Caribbean sunshine.

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<em>Editor's Note: As of May 2017 Norwegian Getaway will be based in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the summer.</em>

Inclusions

Included with your cruise fare:

  • Meals in three main dining rooms, O’Sheehan’s pub, the Garden Cafe buffet and at Shanghai’s; continental breakfast room service
  • Most entertainment, including all main theater shows
  • Most daily activities, except those noted otherwise
  • Fitness center (excluding fitness classes and training sessions)
  • Use of the sports complex, water slides and water park, ropes course, basketball course, mini-golf
  • Splash Academy Kids Program

Not included with your cruise fare:

  • Daily service charge ($15 per person, per day for standard staterooms; $18 per person, per day for The Haven, Concierge-level cabins and all suite passengers)
  • $9.95 room service fee (waived for suites and continental breakfast orders)
  • Drinks except water, tea (including iced tea), coffee and select juices from the buffet
  • Most specialty dining
  • Automatic gratuities of 20 percent on all beverage, spa and salon purchases, as well as on specialty dining reservations
  • Spa, salon and barber services
  • Most fitness center classes
  • Access to the spa's thermal suite
  • Activities including, but not limited to, alcohol tastings, select arts and crafts classes, bingo and gameshows like Deal or No Deal
  • the Cirque Dreams dinner theater
  • After-hours programs at the Splash Academy kids clubs
  • Internet access and packages
  • Shore excursions
  • Artwork and photos

Fellow Passengers

Norwegian Getaway blends a lot of adult spaces with kid-friendly activities, so passengers are a mix of couples, families -- both nuclear and multigenerational -- and groups of friends. Getaway's Miami homeport and vibe make it a solid draw for South Florida residents, but its seven-night itineraries lure passengers from all over.

Norwegian Getaway Dress Code

Daytime:With its Freestyle dining program, Norwegian broke cruising's formal night tradition years ago, and the casual concept has only gained in popularity with casual clothing the norm during the day.

Evening:While passengers are encouraged to "dress up" (meaning suits for men and cocktail dresses for women) one night, now called Norwegian's Night Out, only a fraction of people do. On this Miami-based ship, women should be fine with sundresses, skirts or nice pants with blouses most evenings, while men can get by with khakis or linen pants and collared shirts. Note that some of the nicer restaurants, such as Le Bistro and Cagney's, do require men to wear slacks; you'll see few shorts at an event such as the Chef's Table.

Not permitted: Tank tops and baseball caps are prohibited in the main dining rooms. Shoes must be worn in all dining venues at all times.

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More about Norwegian Getaway

Where does Norwegian Getaway sail from?

Norwegian Getaway departs from Southampton, Southampton, Port Canaveral, Piraeus, Piraeus, Laviron, Rome, Civitavecchia, Lisbon, Venice, Istanbul, Haifa, New Orleans, and Barcelona

How much does it cost to go on Norwegian Getaway?

Cruises on Norwegian Getaway start from $529 per person.

Is Norwegian Getaway a good ship to cruise on?

Norwegian Getaway won 6 awards over the years.
Norwegian Getaway Cruiser Reviews

The Getaway we needed!

We just returned from a fabulous cruise on the Norwegian Getaway after several years since our last one. This will go down as one of our favorite cruises!Read More
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Cruisenmike711

6-10 Cruises

Age 40s

my experience

On Norwegian Getaway cruise I was for the first time. My friends invited me from September 12 till September 22 2022. It was not bad.Read More
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ktdom

2-5 Cruises

Age 40s

Nice cruise, but not as good it has been

We had been on the Getaway 2 other times and were looking forward to this one.Read More
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rpiwonka

10+ Cruises

Age 70s

Disappointing First Cruise on the Norwegian Getaway!

In this case the Getaway had ran out of the model before the previous cruise. We asked at Guest Services if we could order and pay for a replica of the Getaway and they could ship it to us?Read More
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ForeverCruisersJ&D

10+ Cruises

Age 70s

Norwegian Cruise Line Fleet
Norwegian Sky
2,088 reviews
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