I really enjoyed almost all of the food on the Getaway. I just got off the 10 day cruise after yours. Fewer than 1200 passengers! Liked the buffet a lot, always had good hot food. Le Bistro was wonderful. Loved O’Sheehan’s but didn’t like Shanghai’s that much; it was just ok. I really enjoyed both MDRs too. Great food, all around. I haven’t been on Royal yet. Next cruise!
Hello. Thank you for this video! It's very helpful. I will be sailing on this ship Saturday so I appreciate the tips and recommendations greatly. At the 6:18 mark there is a steak with fries. Did you get this from the Tropicana room? TIA!🙂
Do you know if they have plant based/vegan meals other than finding stuff at buffet? Getting nervous for my upcoming trip that I can’t eat in all these places😢
Hi Michelle. I find NCL to be the most accommodating with allergies and preferences. The buffet has a lot of Indian food daily which tend to be plant and veg based. You can certainly ask for vegan options. In my opinion you are probably best off going to the dining room on day one and letting them know and they will make sure you have options each day
We sailed on the Gateway Oct 2021 food was fine fast forward to Jan 2023 food in dining room, Garden Cafe and Specialty Resturant was all substandard , cold or served wrong meal. Either staff was not trained, under staffed or poorly managed.
Yes it was very disappointing as we have sailed many times on NCL and we encouraged new cruisers to join us on this cruise as well as another NCL cruise in June 2023
This was a great video! I'll be doing a 13-day transatlantic (with *7* sea days 😵💫) in October, with free at sea plus and the 2 platinum dining vouchers so obviously I'll be able to try everything but I need to figure out what I'll want to have more than once! With all of those sea days I'm sure I'll be having breakfast and lunch in the mains quite a lot, and I'll probably even end up having room service (which I never do). Did you have any room service at all on this sailing? Most of my NCL cruises have been full ship charter music cruises, which are A. on the smaller ships, and B. have very scaled back dining... between the more limited options and trying to work with busy show schedules I normally eat in Le Bistro (definitely my favorite), once or twice in O'Sheehans (usually late night), and the buffet for the rest. The Indian food is always my buffet go-to if I have time to sit down. I 100% agree on La Cucina! I remember it being offered as a free lunch option (with a limited menu) on sea days a long time ago, and that never made me want to pay for it. I don't know that I ever have, and I'd pick the main dining room every time. NCL's pizza is terrible as well. They've changed it to the new Onda by Scarpetta on the newer ships so I hope the offer ones get it in the next refurb cycle.
I definitely prefer NCL but I am also past the point where drinking and deck parties are my cup of tea. If you enjoy parties and a more exuberant crowd carnival will be the way to go
@@ByteSizeCruises. Thank you so much!! I am looking for that balance of a good time, and relaxation, but not the non stop party lifestyle. As long as the food is good, shows and entertainment are good, I’m good. I’m sure they do some entertainment on the pool deck… not just party hard crowd. Thanks for the great feedback!!
Question… have you done the carnival Mardi Gras, and if so compared to it, would the Getaway be better? Or is there any comparison between carnival and Norwegian…. First time cruiser here. Thanks for any info
Hi. Thx for watching. So totally different vibes. NCL is going to be way more laid back than carnival. Not in a bad way just not as wild and crazy. Carnival is going to be much more of a party and fun environment. The Marie gras is an awesome new ship. These are really going to depend on what you prefer. More of a relax vibe or party vibe.
I did an Alaska sailing on the Encore back in October. Not sure what it is about Alaska voyages, but I feel like cruise lines tend to dial the quality way back versus warmer destinations. That notwithstanding, I was really impressed with NCL’s buffet spread. I’m big on buffets, so that was my jam all week. I did have dinner in the MDR two different evenings, and was not at all impressed. The menu was small, and the food quality was very mediocre. The observation lounge was a spectacular place to enjoy breakfast, as they had buffet stations around the inside circumference of the venue where you could get light breakfast offerings. Being a solo cruiser, I stayed in the Studio neighborhood, where solo guests had our own lounge, complete with a small buffet. Excellent touch. Yes, I would agree, I like Royal’s “Chops” just a little bit better than Cagney’s. As for NCL’s French restaurant, I prefer Royal’s 150 Central Park. The waitress was absolutely pushing food on me like it was going out of style. Plus I liked the menu better. The Bake Shop was closed the week I was on the Encore. Took me 3 whole days to locate it. It’s such a tiny shop I kept missing it. Didn’t look like anything I would be impressed with. Back to NCL’s buffet: the one thing I kept seeing was the pretzel rolls, which were fantastic. I agree with you about the Indian portion of the buffet. The aroma coming from that place was intoxicating, and the food was completely delicious. Don’t think I ever had a bad meal on Royal, but I think you’re right that NCL and Royal are pretty similar. Did an Alaska voyage with Princess last year, and the food scene was horrifying. Lobster night concluded with dozens of guests charging over to guest services to complain about how ghastly everything tasted. Nothing was fresh. Everything tasted like it had been in frozen storage for more than a year. Conversely (I know you didn’t ask, but I love to talk about cruise food!) I took another cruise with Princess - this time, to Cabo San Lucas - and the food was spectacular. In fact, I think it even beat Royal, IMHO. We were on the Discovery Princess (their newest ship). Holy cow, the food was phenomenal. From their Italian restaurant to the buffet to the steakhouse… all of it blew my mind. Way better than my first experience with Princess.
Usually, there is some place on the ship to fill your water bottles. On the Getaway, is this in the dining room with the buffets, or do they have them in multiple locations? I haven't been on this ship or a cruise since the pandemic.
NCL has declined much since we started cruising in 2013. We just finished a 14 day Carribean cruise 2 weeks ago. Gone are the entertainment options. There used to be singers in most lounges. No more. Pool deck entertainment is almost non-existent. Importantly the buffet now closes at 9:30. If u go to a late show you're screwed for food. O'Sheehans is open 24/7 but the food is substandard. The specialty restaurants suck. They've substituted much cheaper cuts of filet mignon. Now they're tough and less juicy. I left my filet half. The manager of a specialty restaurant silently confirmed they have substituted lesser quality beef. Because we have status as frequent cruises, we get chocolate covered strawberries in our stateroom upon arrival. They suck! They are tiny and mushy. NCL is only ordinary. Buyer beware.
I think it’s really hit or miss based on individual sailings. We were on Escape a few weeks ago and the food was incredible. We were on Joy in August and it was just ok. All cruise lines have cut costs since the pandemic which is sad but there are still amazing options out there.
i think the food has gone downhill since your review. here is a list of items that are not as described. these are items i have eaten: maple syrup is actually 'breakfast' syrup and is horrible, hollandaise sauce is from a powder, and was cold and bad tasting, whipped cream is not cream, it is some kind of sugary oil based product, pork sausage was just a horrible mess that was like mushy sawdust, honey is clearly fake probably sourced from china, creme brulee was horrible, it was not like a custard, but more like an over-whipped powder based something, cream for coffee is not cream, it was coffee mate, wings in the bar were baked and not deep fried, the skin was like rubber. You can't make up for quality with quantity (or maybe you can). i didn't starve, but i was disappointed. the cruise line is clearly cost cutting and they have gone way beyond what they need to do. it would be maybe cost them $10 more a week to fix this compared to paying about $200 per person per day for this cruise.
I like your reviews, you appear to be honest and non bias. Thanks for the the review, sure appreciate it.
Thank you so much!!!
Your Honesty is very helpful. THANK YOU. and. You are waY cute
Perfect video !!! Loved it ! Going on the getaway ! And i know where i need to go for speciality dinning
Thanks so much!!
I agree with you about la cucina.
It’s sad. We will be trying it on joy next week. Fingers crossed
I really enjoyed almost all of the food on the Getaway. I just got off the 10 day cruise after yours. Fewer than 1200 passengers!
Liked the buffet a lot, always had good hot food. Le Bistro was wonderful. Loved O’Sheehan’s but didn’t like Shanghai’s that much; it was just ok. I really enjoyed both MDRs too. Great food, all around.
I haven’t been on Royal yet. Next cruise!
About to go on my first cruise, and enjoyed the info.
Hope you have a great time!!
Thank you for the great video, very informative. One question, is it worthwhile to buy the SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE on Getaway?
I would say yes. At least a few. The restaurants are great
Hello. Thank you for this video! It's very helpful. I will be sailing on this ship Saturday so I appreciate the tips and recommendations greatly. At the 6:18 mark there is a steak with fries. Did you get this from the Tropicana room? TIA!🙂
Hi Thank you for watching. Yes indeed. That is from the Tropicana Room.
@@ByteSizeCruises It looks amazing. Cant wait to get mine.
Do you know if they have plant based/vegan meals other than finding stuff at buffet? Getting nervous for my upcoming trip that I can’t eat in all these places😢
Hi Michelle. I find NCL to be the most accommodating with allergies and preferences. The buffet has a lot of Indian food daily which tend to be plant and veg based. You can certainly ask for vegan options. In my opinion you are probably best off going to the dining room on day one and letting them know and they will make sure you have options each day
Awesome, thanks for the reply!
The buffet on the Getaway is really good….
Woohoo!
We sailed on the Gateway Oct 2021 food was fine fast forward to Jan 2023 food in dining room, Garden Cafe and Specialty Resturant was all substandard , cold or served wrong meal. Either staff was not trained, under staffed or poorly managed.
That’s sad
Yes it was very disappointing as we have sailed many times on NCL and we encouraged new cruisers to join us on this cruise as well as another NCL cruise in June 2023
This was a great video! I'll be doing a 13-day transatlantic (with *7* sea days 😵💫) in October, with free at sea plus and the 2 platinum dining vouchers so obviously I'll be able to try everything but I need to figure out what I'll want to have more than once! With all of those sea days I'm sure I'll be having breakfast and lunch in the mains quite a lot, and I'll probably even end up having room service (which I never do). Did you have any room service at all on this sailing?
Most of my NCL cruises have been full ship charter music cruises, which are A. on the smaller ships, and B. have very scaled back dining... between the more limited options and trying to work with busy show schedules I normally eat in Le Bistro (definitely my favorite), once or twice in O'Sheehans (usually late night), and the buffet for the rest. The Indian food is always my buffet go-to if I have time to sit down.
I 100% agree on La Cucina! I remember it being offered as a free lunch option (with a limited menu) on sea days a long time ago, and that never made me want to pay for it. I don't know that I ever have, and I'd pick the main dining room every time. NCL's pizza is terrible as well. They've changed it to the new Onda by Scarpetta on the newer ships so I hope the offer ones get it in the next refurb cycle.
Thx so much for watching. Yep room service pretty standard
If you had to compare carnival or in particular the Mardi Gras, to the getaway, which would you prefer?
I definitely prefer NCL but I am also past the point where drinking and deck parties are my cup of tea. If you enjoy parties and a more exuberant crowd carnival will be the way to go
@@ByteSizeCruises. Thank you so much!! I am looking for that balance of a good time, and relaxation, but not the non stop party lifestyle. As long as the food is good, shows and entertainment are good, I’m good.
I’m sure they do some entertainment on the pool deck… not just party hard crowd.
Thanks for the great feedback!!
Our pleasure. Happy to help with any questions
Question… have you done the carnival Mardi Gras, and if so compared to it, would the Getaway be better? Or is there any comparison between carnival and Norwegian…. First time cruiser here. Thanks for any info
Hi. Thx for watching. So totally different vibes. NCL is going to be way more laid back than carnival. Not in a bad way just not as wild and crazy. Carnival is going to be much more of a party and fun environment. The Marie gras is an awesome new ship. These are really going to depend on what you prefer. More of a relax vibe or party vibe.
Would you please advise if regular coffee is available at complementary restaurants?
Yes. It absolutely is
Eat the Spaghetti at the Buffet! Great!
Yesss
Do we have to tip for sit-down complimentary dining?
Nope. This is what your daily gratuities go towards
Thanks for video but what was in indian food menu ?
Changes daily. They have all kinds of curry. Paneer. Kofta etc
@@ByteSizeCruises thank you so much.. we are vegetarian and didn’t know there is indian food also .. we are sailing in few weeks .. thanks again
Of course. You will be great. Most of the chefs are Indian so you will love ot
I did an Alaska sailing on the Encore back in October. Not sure what it is about Alaska voyages, but I feel like cruise lines tend to dial the quality way back versus warmer destinations. That notwithstanding, I was really impressed with NCL’s buffet spread. I’m big on buffets, so that was my jam all week. I did have dinner in the MDR two different evenings, and was not at all impressed. The menu was small, and the food quality was very mediocre. The observation lounge was a spectacular place to enjoy breakfast, as they had buffet stations around the inside circumference of the venue where you could get light breakfast offerings. Being a solo cruiser, I stayed in the Studio neighborhood, where solo guests had our own lounge, complete with a small buffet. Excellent touch. Yes, I would agree, I like Royal’s “Chops” just a little bit better than Cagney’s. As for NCL’s French restaurant, I prefer Royal’s 150 Central Park. The waitress was absolutely pushing food on me like it was going out of style. Plus I liked the menu better. The Bake Shop was closed the week I was on the Encore. Took me 3 whole days to locate it. It’s such a tiny shop I kept missing it. Didn’t look like anything I would be impressed with. Back to NCL’s buffet: the one thing I kept seeing was the pretzel rolls, which were fantastic. I agree with you about the Indian portion of the buffet. The aroma coming from that place was intoxicating, and the food was completely delicious. Don’t think I ever had a bad meal on Royal, but I think you’re right that NCL and Royal are pretty similar. Did an Alaska voyage with Princess last year, and the food scene was horrifying. Lobster night concluded with dozens of guests charging over to guest services to complain about how ghastly everything tasted. Nothing was fresh. Everything tasted like it had been in frozen storage for more than a year. Conversely (I know you didn’t ask, but I love to talk about cruise food!) I took another cruise with Princess - this time, to Cabo San Lucas - and the food was spectacular. In fact, I think it even beat Royal, IMHO. We were on the Discovery Princess (their newest ship). Holy cow, the food was phenomenal. From their Italian restaurant to the buffet to the steakhouse… all of it blew my mind. Way better than my first experience with Princess.
Great review here!
And thank you!
What is your opinion about the water package?
It’s not bad if you really want to get bottles of water. It’s delivered to your room so you have them and it’s convenient!
Usually, there is some place on the ship to fill your water bottles. On the Getaway, is this in the dining room with the buffets, or do they have them in multiple locations? I haven't been on this ship or a cruise since the pandemic.
NCL has declined much since we started cruising in 2013. We just finished a 14 day Carribean cruise 2 weeks ago. Gone are the entertainment options. There used to be singers in most lounges. No more. Pool deck entertainment is almost non-existent. Importantly the buffet now closes at 9:30. If u go to a late show you're screwed for food. O'Sheehans is open 24/7 but the food is substandard. The specialty restaurants suck. They've substituted much cheaper cuts of filet mignon. Now they're tough and less juicy. I left my filet half. The manager of a specialty restaurant silently confirmed they have substituted lesser quality beef. Because we have status as frequent cruises, we get chocolate covered strawberries in our stateroom upon arrival. They suck! They are tiny and mushy. NCL is only ordinary. Buyer beware.
I think it’s really hit or miss based on individual sailings. We were on Escape a few weeks ago and the food was incredible. We were on Joy in August and it was just ok. All cruise lines have cut costs since the pandemic which is sad but there are still amazing options out there.
Is everything shown included?
No. In the video if I say specialty there is an additional cost. If we say complimentary it is included in your cruise fare
i think the food has gone downhill since your review. here is a list of items that are not as described. these are items i have eaten:
maple syrup is actually 'breakfast' syrup and is horrible,
hollandaise sauce is from a powder, and was cold and bad tasting,
whipped cream is not cream, it is some kind of sugary oil based product,
pork sausage was just a horrible mess that was like mushy sawdust,
honey is clearly fake probably sourced from china,
creme brulee was horrible, it was not like a custard, but more like an over-whipped powder based something,
cream for coffee is not cream, it was coffee mate,
wings in the bar were baked and not deep fried, the skin was like rubber.
You can't make up for quality with quantity (or maybe you can). i didn't starve, but i was disappointed. the cruise line is clearly cost cutting and they have gone way beyond what they need to do. it would be maybe cost them $10 more a week to fix this compared to paying about $200 per person per day for this cruise.
That’s sad to hear
@@ByteSizeCruises not too sad. i didn't go for the food, i went for the itinerary, which was amazing (greek-italy 11 day on breakaway)
@@overinvested thats def a great one!
Ghetto ship.