July 2024. Steve and I are cruising on the Norwegian Getaway, a Breakaway class ship by Norwegian Cruise Line or NCL. Interestingly, our stay on board happened shortly after the Getaway paid a visit to the dry dock for some refurbishments. The route? Piraeus, which is the port of Athens in Greece; followed by Mykonos; two days in Istanbul in Turkey or Türkiye; then Kusadasi or Kuşadası for Ephesus; Rhodes; Santorini (Thira or Thera) and back to Piraeus. Oddly enough, the itinerary offered no sea days. 

A cruise is more than a hotel on the water, it’s a resort, offering numerous activities. You’re free to participate or not. From ship to ship the level of ‘restortness’ varies. Being relatively small, the Norwegian Getaway has many options, but bigger ships have more on offer.

Pulse Fitness Centre

“But, you’re on vacation!” So? I do like to work out in my spare time, also when travelling. Yes, I go to hotel gyms and thus the gym on board the ship. Open from 6 AM until 10 PM, the Pulse Fitness Centre gym had broad operating hours. 24/7 is nicer but fine. 

Located near the Mandara Spa, the gym is large, wit a cardio room, a weight machines and free weights area and to classrooms. 

The gym is well equipped. At 6 AM, it was quite crowded, I certainly wasn’t the only early bird. Going early is the least intrusive to your day. During the day the gym was sometimes practically empty. Before dinner time, it was popular again.

Other sports

Obviously there are plenty of sporty options

• Pingpong or table tennis.
• Shuffleboard.
• Giant chess set.
• Multisports field including basketball. 
• Climbing wall.
• Robes course.
• Mini golf.
• Bowling.
• Spider web.
• 200-metre jogging track.
• Games arcade.
• The Card Room for board and card games. 

Water sports 

Besides two outdoor main pools, there’s a kids’ aqua park. Whirlpools or jacuzzis are said to be adults-only, but in reality it isn’t. For peace and quiet, go to the Mandara Spa which I described previously. 

The main pools were very crowded, unless in the early morning or when most people are on excursion. But people use the pool until very late. After dinner, it becomes a hot spot for flirting and for teen boys to show off to the girls (and other boys?). 

The Whip and Free Fall are twi water slides. I’m not sure what the operating hours are. I didn’t try them. 

Entertainment venues

The Getaway Theatre is the main and large auditorium for shows and presentations. It’s also used as meeting point for shore excursions.

The Illusionarium is a smaller venues and makes you think of American circuses and freak shows. Think of ‘Carnivale‘, the tv show from quite a few years back.

Headliners Comedy Club and Syd Norman’s Poor House are there for smaller shows. We visited neither. Well, we did have drinks at Syd Norman’s outside on The Waterfront. 

We did also not visit the Bliss Ultra Lounge (the night club) and the Getaway Casino.

Public areas

Obviously, the ship has many ‘commons’ or public areas. The Waterfront, circumnavigating the ship on deck 8 for instance creates outside drinking and dining spots. 

678 Ocean Place spans three decks – 6, 7 and 8 and is the focal point of the ship with lots of activities, game shows, screenings. On deck 6, the Atrium is the ‘reception’ or ‘lobby’ of the Norwegian Getaway, where it is the most ‘hotel’. Guest Services and Shore Excursions are there. 

Of course the many sun decks are also common spaces. 

The Haven

The Haven is the VIP ‘ship within a ship’ section so we haven’t been there. Or have we? I had a sneak peek one morning.

Freestyle Daily

The Freestyle Daily is the ship’s newsletters. It lists all activtities and provides important information such as operating hours for bars and restaurants, but also the time you can go ashore and at what time you must be back. The ship doesn’t wait 

Shows and entertainment

On cruises you can sign up for classes and workshops, watch a movie screening, participate in or attend a game show, trivia quiz games etc.

And of course there are performances. Big and small(er) productions. Comedy, concerts, stand-up, piano duels… 

Million Dollar Quartet

The headline show was the Broadway production ‘Million Dollar Quartet‘. It’s a jukebox musical with a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. It dramatizes the Million Dollar Quartet recording session of 4 December 1956, among early rock and roll/country stars who recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, which are Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, and newcomer Jerry Lee Lewis. The musical opened on Broadway in 2010, after several tryouts and regional productions, and spawned a 2011 West End production. 

The musical is shown in the Getaway Theatre and is a hit. Although I has sometimes difficulties understanding their accent. 

Broadway Unplugged

The main cast and the understudies of ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ bring ‘Broadway Unplugged‘, where they sing unplugged versions of musical evergreens. Each time, they sing a tune in an other genre than the original, which lead to interesting results. 

This show is presented in the Illusionarium.

Rob West

The third show we saw was a show by musical actor Rob West or Robert Oliver West in full. Hed did his best in a big auditorium filled with void. It was the last night, and most people were packing.

So?

The Norwegian Getaway has loads of entertainment options. I didn’t mention the kids and teens programmes as they are not applicable for us. I also didn’t mention the shops. There are shops, obviously. 

I’m sure I’m forgetting areas. There is so much, and we had so little time. 

There’s much to do and see… or not. 

2024 Athens – Mykonos – Istanbul – Kusadasi – Rhodes – Santorini – Athens Cruise on the Norwegian Getaway

1. Flying Airbus A320neo with Aegean Airlines from Brussels to Athens return.
2. REVIEW | Athenarum Portus Life & Style Hotel in Piraeus.
3. GREECE | A modest exploration of Piraeus.
4. NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE | Before you sail, online check-in and Embarkation Day.
5. GREECE | Mykonos ft Archaeological Museum, the Windmills and massive crowds.
6. NORWEGIAN GETAWAY | Balcony Stateroom with included access to the Thermal Spa.
7. ISTANBUL | Beylerbeyi Palace – Blue Mosque – Grand Bazaar.