For reference, I’ve sailed Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and now Norwegian Cruise Line. Honestly, a cruise is what you make it. I’ve never been on one that isn’t enjoyable, and each of them have fit exactly what we needed during that season of life with the right expectations going in.

Carnival Cruise Line was first—back when I graduated nursing school. We tucked ourselves away in a tiny, dark inside cabin on Deck 2 and honestly? We still had the best time.

The next year, my mom and I did a girls trip with an oceanview room, and a few years later we upgraded to a suite for an anniversary trip.

Looking back, I think that’s part of why I love cruising so much. Every sailing has kind of reflected a different season of life for us.

Then came Royal Caribbean International when we felt like we needed an upgrade. A balcony room and front-row experience on what was, at the time, the biggest ship at sea.

Celebrity Cruises came along when we wanted something more elevated—quieter, more relaxed, away from kids and partiers, with a quaint but classy inside room close to all the happenings.

As a travel advisor, Norwegian Cruise Line was naturally my next go-to since it’s such a popular seller with strong “Free at Sea” inclusions.

So when I found a great price on a balcony room aboard Norwegian Getaway for a quick weekend getaway, I snagged it.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s “Free at Sea” Benefits

I went ahead and took full advantage of the “Free at Sea” offerings:

• Basic drink package
• Specialty dining for 2
• Free WiFi
• $50 shore excursion credit in each port

• 

As a travel advisor, I also got spoiled a little so I’d have more experience to share with y’all!

NCL sent chocolate covered strawberries & a bottle of wine, a 12 pack of water bottles, provided priority tender access, priority disembarkation, and more.

I will say, their efforts to provide the most comprehensive experience was much appreciated.

Embarkation Day on Norwegian Getaway

Embarkation day was EASY.

We walked right onto Norwegian Getaway.

Unfortunately, rooms weren’t ready until 2 PM, but that gave us time to check out the ship.

And let me tell you right now: SKIP 👏🏼 THE 👏🏼 BUFFET 👏🏼 on embarkation day!

It was insanely crowded.

Instead, we stopped in at the American Diner. We had the burger & BBQ sliders. This is a complimentary dining location and honestly met expectations perfectly for embarkation day food.

Sail away happened right on time and we were off to the Bahamas!

With such a last-minute booking, our dinner reservations at Moderno Churrascaria, the Brazilian steakhouse, weren’t until 9:15 PM. So we snacked and rested up from our travel day.

We liked the steakhouse overall. The selection was decent and Michael especially enjoyed the lamb. This is what we chose to use our specialty dining credit on.

We both agreed that had we paid full price ($50 per person, plus taxes and a tip), we probably would’ve been disappointed. But for roughly half that with the dining credit, we were pleased.

Nassau, Bahamas

Day 2 brought us to Nassau.

We had intentions to ferry over to Paradise Island, check out Atlantis, and enjoy Cabbage Beach, but turns out we forgot to get extra cash, couldn’t figure out the ATM situation, and NOBODY accepted credit cards for transportation 🤦🏼‍♀️

So instead of letting it ruin the day, we chose to make the best of it and walked to the Queen’s Staircase instead.

Honestly, it ended up being a really nice experience and one that actually immersed us more into the culture and history of the city.

Nassau also had a pretty stacked port day with Disney Wish, Allure of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Carnival Fantasy, and MSC Seaside all in port with us. Definitely a fun day for ship spotting if you’re a cruise person like me.

I completely crashed that afternoon, missed sail away and dinner 🤪 leaving us to fend for ourselves at 9:30 PM.

And honestly? My biggest complaint about Norwegian Getaway was the food.

More specifically, the lack of late-night food options.

At 9:30 PM, the only thing left open was O’Sheehan’s and their not-so-great hot dogs & wings. No 24-hour pizza or soft serve 😭

We also checked out the casino. But we're not gamblers, so $13 lost and we were on our way OUT!

Our balcony, on the other hand, was absolutely worth the splurge. After that 7 😳🙄 hour nap, we spent the evening enjoying the sound of the ocean and having late-night talks out on the balcony. Honestly, one of my favorite moments of the trip.

Great Stirrup Cay

Day 3 was spent at Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s private island.

And honestly? I loved it.

GSC is an EASY rot-on-the-beach or full pool party kind of day. We rented beach chairs with a clam shell cover, enjoyed our drink package (yes, it works on the island!!), and ate complimentary lunch provided by the ship.

Currently, Great Stirrup Cay is still a tender port, but they’re in the process of building a pier, which will be SUCH a nice improvement moving forward.

GSC is beautiful, picturesque, and just… easy.

While I absolutely love experiencing new countries and cultures, I also LOVE a private island that lets me roast in the sun and eat to my heart’s content.

We tendered back early and, shockingly, napped again.

But this time, we made it to dinner in the main dining room!

We ended up ordering the steak & lobster upcharge option and it absolutely DID NOT disappoint. We were genuinely impressed and honestly would’ve paid full price for that meal.

Disembarkation on Norwegian Getaway

Disembarkation was one of the smoothest cruise exits we’ve had.

We chose to carry our own luggage off the ship and left our cabin around 7:30 AM. From there, everything moved quickly and efficiently.

We were off Norwegian Getaway, through customs, and calling an Uber before 8:15 AM.

My Honest Review of Norwegian Getaway

Overall, it was such a great weekend and we did exactly what we went to do—rest, relax, and experience Norwegian Cruise Line so I can help my clients travel confidently.

The ship itself, Norwegian Getaway, was not my personal favorite.

It is newer—built in 2014—and very well kept and clean. I just didn’t love the layout. It felt difficult to fully grasp in the few short days we spent onboard.

Our room, bathroom, & balcony were nice—again, not my favorite layout with the closet space being right beside the bed, but overall comfy & clean.

The pool deck felt very small, and the adults-only deck that came at an upcharge occupied some of the best views onboard. We really enjoyed the Waterfront on Deck 8 though and found ourselves spending quite a bit of time there.

The food was a disappointment for me. The buffet was fine—nothing spectacular, but not bad either. Selection felt somewhat limited though. The main dining room and specialty restaurant we chose were definitely better, though still with room for improvement.

I was very disappointed in the lack of late-night food options.

The overall vibe onboard was fun and there were plenty of activities happening at all times. We’re not huge partiers nor do we typically get heavily involved in activities, but the list of things to do felt endless.

We also absolutely felt the “Free at Sea” basic drink package was worth it for us. We aren’t big drinkers, but the cost per day made sense—especially with Great Stirrup Cay being included.

One thing that surprised me: we never even met our room steward. I found that a little odd. They did a great job, but I’m used to stewards introducing themselves early on and making a point to check if we needed anything throughout the sailing—that didn’t happen.

Norwegian Cruise Line is also very well known for its “Freestyle Cruising,” which basically means less structure and more flexibility. No assigned dining times, no required formal nights, and generally more freedom to do what you want, when you want.

And honestly? I LOVE that concept in theory.

But in practice, it sometimes felt a little chaotic to me.

Dining areas often felt crowded and somewhat disorganized, reservations became more important than I expected, and overall there was less of that smooth “flow” I’ve experienced on some other cruise lines. Nothing necessarily felt badly managed—it just lacked some of the structure that naturally keeps crowds and schedules feeling more balanced.

Some people will absolutely LOVE that flexibility, especially travelers who don’t want rigid schedules while on vacation.

For me personally, I think I prefer just a little more structure mixed in.

Would I sail Norwegian Cruise Line again? Absolutely.

Would it be my personal first pick? Probably not (but I'm trying out the Luna in April 🤪)

But was it relaxing, fun, worthwhile, and exactly what we needed for a quick getaway? For sure!

Who I Think Norwegian Cruise Line Is Best For

After sailing Norwegian Cruise Line, I can absolutely see why so many people love it.

I think NCL is best for travelers who:

• want flexibility instead of rigid schedules
• enjoy a lively atmosphere with lots happening
• value included perks like drinks, WiFi, and specialty dining
• want a more casual cruise experience
• are looking for a good overall value

Personally, I think travelers who prefer a more structured, polished, or elevated experience may lean more toward other cruise lines.

And if late-night pizza is important to you… just know what you’re walking into 😅