1.25.2014

24 hours to NORWEGIAN GETAWAY

Okay...more than that to the ship...but 24 hours til my plane leaves LAX.  Looks like the weather will hold, airport wise...no particular snow in the 'cast.  Just COLD!!!

So, there won't be a lot of lounging around the pool, as the high in New York will be around 30 on Monday, and 18 on  Tuesday.  Those are Fahrenheit, if you're wondering.

Not to worry, I have a very full schedule indoors.  Meeting some people at 1pm for lunch at Savor, spend the afternoon touring the ship (mostly finding where she is different from Breakaway), and then dinner at La Cucina at 8 with friends.  Major coup there, since you can't really make restaurant reservations prior to boarding.  It's good to be family!

And then Tuesday is a complete day of meetings, seminars, and presentations...from 9am til about 4.  I just received,  yesterday, an invitation to see the dinner/show at ILLUSIONARIUM.  Something totally new in the cruise industry.  The Spiegel Tent on EPIC and Breakaway has been turned into something completely different on Getaway.  As they put it:
"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."

Produced completely in-house (breaking the recent Norwegian mold of alliances with outside companies for entertainment), Illusionarium is the brainchild of Norwegian regular, stage magician Jeff Hobson.  I've seen his stage shows, and also a fun close in show he did in the Studio Lounge on Epic.  So, we'll see just what he has come up with here.  I am looking forward to it.

After that an invitation only Cocktail Party in Bliss at 7 and a comedy performance by Levity Entertainment (replacing Second City, I am not sure I like that, but I will give it a try) at 8pm.

Then, who knows...party on til the wee hours, I  suppose, since they'll be kicking us off at 10am on Wednesday.

So, hang on, it won't be long til I'll be posting here and at facebook.com/DaveHolman and tweeting @HolmanTravel, and all that jazz.

LATER!