So, I am fortunate enough to have been invited to the big pre-inaugural festivities aboard the brand new Norwegian Getaway! Yay, me~!
This will be a two night cruise to nowhere from Manhattan Cruise Terminal, before the ship becomes a hotel during Super Bowl week, and then heads south to Miami for another pre-inaugural event and then begins her regular Miami 7 day itineraries on the 8th of February.
Now, the Getaway is a sister ship to the hugely successful Breakaway that launched last May. Which I dutifully reported here, as I was on the pre inaugural and the first Bermuda 7 day sailing. As such, it is nearly identical. Some of the new venues are radical departures, and some just reflect the Getaway's shot at being "Miami's ship", instead of "New York's ship".
So, instead of a whole series on the various venues, I am just going to go over the differences.
And, here goes:
First off, I have heard from my sources that several of the menus are being tweaked to reflect a more South Florida/Caribbean/Latin sensibility. No hot dog carts, like Breakaway. But there will be another iteration of Carlo's Bake Shop for your cannoli and pastry needs. And Geoffrey Zakarian will be re-creating Ocean Blue (and the takeaway window will still have Lobster Rolls).
The Manhattan Room, first on the EPIC and then on the Breakaway, is virtually identical on Getaway, but it's now called the Tropicana Room. The décor is changed slightly, to harken back to the days of the Fontainebleu, rather than a Manhattan Dinner Club.
Fat Cat's Blues and Jazz Club is becoming "The Grammy Experience". As part of Norwegians partnership with the Grammys, it will be a Grammy Museum during the day, and at night it will be The Grammy Experience, a blues and jazz club, still, but featuring Grammy winning and nominated musicians. I gather they will rotate the entertainment more often than Fat Cats. But, yeah...that should continue be a kickass venue for good music late at night.
And probably the biggest change, in fact a radical departure, is in the room that on Breakaway is the Cirque Dinner and Dreams. On Getaway this will be The Illusionarium. I will just quote Norwegians words in describing this: .
"Come and witness the magical mysteries of the Illusionarium. Built in the late 1800s by the brilliant Professor Vernon Royce, the Illusionarium and its mesmerizing design is a place of amazement and wonder. Once inside, you'll enjoy a remarkable entertainment and dining experience while you're transported to a fantasy world like no other. Along the way, you'll meet a cast of interesting characters and witness world-class magicians, illusionists and mentalists making this a memorable – and magical – experience for all."
I, for one, am pretty stoked. The whole Cirque thing kinda missed the mark for me. But Magic and Mentalists? Love.It!
Other changes: The Uptown Bar and Grill will become the Flamingo Bar and Grill. The Martini Bar is now Sugar Cane Mojito Bar. And of course, the aforementioned menu tweaks.
So, yeah...that is most of what is "different" between Getaway and her predecessor, the Breakaway.
I am dying to get on board and see it all for myself. And, of course, report it all back to you, live, as it happens.
I have my plane tickets in hand, a list of friends that will be accompanying me, and I am READY TO GO!
Oh, and, lest I forget, I have group space blocked on the Getaway from Miami, pretty much all summer, with exclusive pricing and amenities. So, call me at 760.265.3687, or contact any of HOLMAN TRAVEL's agents. You can find them all on Facebook at our special Norwegian's Getaway Page. Or if you'd rather try the Mexican Riviera this summer... look at Norwegian's Love Mexico.
Later, dudes and dudettes!
