Steerage on Getaway - Will we feel like 3rd Class Travelers?

[Lovex4]

This spring our family is traveling on the Getaway in a series of deck 5 oceanview cabins. We have sailed many times on smaller ships in oceanview cabins and had wonderful times. After all, we are usually only in the cabin to sleep. On the smaller ships of Norwegian and RCL it seems as everyone is the same other than in cabin selection. There are no segregated areas of the ships.

 

However on the Getaway, with it's Haven and Vibe (which we will not use) will we feel like 3rd class passengers? By that I mean with large sections of the ship "off limits" does the ship "feel" like it has different classes of travelers as in the sailings of early last century? I hope my questions make sense.

[TSUmom]

Remember there will be many other cruisers sailing in the same category as you with the majority on the ship not staying in the Haven. I have never felt like a 3rd class passenger in the past and am just happy to be on a cruise. That being said I will be staying in my first PH in April but only because it was such an awesome deal - If not for that deal I would be in whatever cabin I could afford. Just enjoy your cruise and have fun travelling with family!

[Demonyte]

However on the Getaway, with it's Haven and Vibe (which we will not use) will we feel like 3rd class passengers? By that I mean with large sections of the ship "off limits" does the ship "feel" like it has different classes of travelers as in the sailings of early last century? I hope my questions make sense.

 

No, you will definitely not feel any more like 3rd class passenger than on other ships that have suites, extra perks for suite passengers etc. For example normally non-Haven passengers will not even notice that Haven is there, no matter what the ship. Overall those areas are just a portition of outside decks and majority of outside space is still available for everyone regardless of their cabin class.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Demonyte

[KeithJenner]

The great thing about Vibe and the Haven is that they are almost invisible to people who aren't using them. I have no idea where the entrance to Vibe/Posh is on the Epic, Breakaway or Getaway. I only know where the Haven entrances are because they had an open house on the Getaway One nighter.

 

I wouldn't be surprised to find that the majority of cruisers aren't even aware they are there.

 

I've travelled in Oceanviews, Mini Suites and an Owners Suite and I can honestly say that outside my cabin I have always been treated equally well whatever cabin I am in.

 

By the way, I was in a deck 5 Oceanview on the Breakaway. Great place to be.

Edited February 28, 2014 by KeithJenner

[cruisebear84]

You won't notice. Only time on the Breakaway I even noticed it was embarkation day, because there was one elevator cleared for just Haven guests. You will never notice it or think about it unless you're trying to!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[NLH Arizona]

If you go on the cruise thinking you will be a 3rd class passenger, then you will probably feel that way for the cruise. BTW, you won't even notice The Haven area or other areas where you won't be able to go, as there is way too much to do on the ship to even notice where you can't go.

[HazyDavy]

We actually had this happen with us when we were being escorted onto the Epic. The front elevators were very crowded with many people waiting. The butler cleared out the elevator and escorted us up to the Haven. People waiting were not pleased. Also there were times we were escorted into the show rooms while people were waiting outside on line. Sometimes this was via a back entrance, sometimes not.

 

Sometimes also, restaurant reservations, choice tables, show reservations that may not be available to non suite guests are available to suite guests.

 

So there is some of that.

 

The vast majority of passengers are non suite guests. Most of the preferences are out of sight, so unless you happen to be waiting for an elevator at the wrong time, you'll probably never be aware of any impact.

[meatball_nyc]

*note to self*

use aft stairs.

 

 

 

 

~Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

[garnet115]

The great thing about Vibe and the Haven is that they are almost invisible to people who aren't using them.

I wouldn't be surprised to find that the majority of cruisers aren't even aware they are there.

 

 

This. It is not "large areas" that are marked off limits. It is fairly small, discrete areas. Only times that I think it would be in your face is if you wanted seats in the roped off section of the theater or on embarkation when one elevaor is blocked. Most of the ships facilities - pools, sports complex, MDRs, specialty dining, entertainment, etc. - are outside of the Haven and are equally accessible to all passengers. You will not feel third class unless you make yourself hyper aware and are looking for reasons to feel third class. By and large, if you just let yourself have a good time it will never be an issue.

[johnsak123]

I think you will only feel that way if you allow yourself to feel that way. Just because you are not allowed to enter an area does not mean you are a 3rd class citizen.

I don't thin NCL ever makes you feel more or less than others

Just relax and enjoy.

Just because someone is in the private area you cant get into doesn't mean they are having more fun than you

[Lovex4]

Thanks for all the great responses. You have helped a lot.

 

I have never felt like a 3rd class passenger on any crusie ship but have not sailed on one as big as Getaway before nor have I ever noticed "reserved areas". With such hype on the Haven and Vibe it just seemed as if these areas were large and everyone else would be crowded around a small pool area. I am glad to know that is not the case and we are looking forward to a great cruise! Thanks again.

[garnet115]

Thanks for all the great responses. You have helped a lot.

 

I have never felt like a 3rd class passenger on any crusie ship but have not sailed on one as big as Getaway before nor have I ever noticed "reserved areas". With such hype on the Haven and Vibe it just seemed as if these areas were large and everyone else would be crowded around a small pool area. I am glad to know that is not the case and we are looking forward to a great cruise! Thanks again.

 

You may feel that areas are crowded (after all it is a 4000+ passenger ship) and that the pool areas are smaller, but it will have nothing to do with Haven/Vibe. I recently stayed in a Haven suite and a month prior stayed in a studio cabin. Overall, my onboard experiences did not vary widely based on these extreme opposite cabin locations. Relax and enjoy! :)

[GUEST080219]

On my cruise on the getaway they roped off a few rows on the side of the theatre for suite guests. But I never felt as a 3rd class passenger as those were not even close to the best seats in the house.

[SissasMomE]

This spring our family is traveling on the Getaway in a series of deck 5 oceanview cabins. We have sailed many times on smaller ships in oceanview cabins and had wonderful times. After all, we are usually only in the cabin to sleep. On the smaller ships of Norwegian and RCL it seems as everyone is the same other than in cabin selection. There are no segregated areas of the ships.

 

However on the Getaway, with it's Haven and Vibe (which we will not use) will we feel like 3rd class passengers? By that I mean with large sections of the ship "off limits" does the ship "feel" like it has different classes of travelers as in the sailings of early last century? I hope my questions make sense.

 

LOL not at all. There is no separation on the ship. If you want to purchase Vibe passes, you can. Spice is just as nice (better, IMO ... Vibe doesn't even have a pool or waterfall to cool off in).

[SissasMomE]

On my cruise on the getaway they roped off a few rows on the side of the theatre for suite guests. But I never felt as a 3rd class passenger as those were not even close to the best seats in the house.

 

No, they never are. You get much better seats on your own.

[SissasMomE]

Thanks for all the great responses. You have helped a lot.

 

I have never felt like a 3rd class passenger on any crusie ship but have not sailed on one as big as Getaway before nor have I ever noticed "reserved areas". With such hype on the Haven and Vibe it just seemed as if these areas were large and everyone else would be crowded around a small pool area. I am glad to know that is not the case and we are looking forward to a great cruise! Thanks again.

 

Quite the opposite. They are so small that it is hard to justify the cost. It's not at all like going to Sandals and staying in a suite with a butler.

[SissasMomE]

This. So true. Usually everywhere too not just on a ship. Richest man I ever knew still drove a late 80's F150 until he passed away.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Exactly. You will almost never hear anyone with a real amount of money bragging about it. Most are frugal. There are certain things you just don't talk or brag about!

Edited February 28, 2014 by SissasMomE

[youngestof9]

No way! I sailed Breakaway in a balcony and although we did purchase vibe because we were sailing without our kids and in a group of 10 and wanted a good place to meet, it was more because it was easy to find each other and have a great bartender, not to feel exclusive.

 

You'll be absolutely fine - I've met the best people on my NCL sailings. You'll find entitlement folks everywhere, but nobody has a sign around their neck what room they're sleeping in. Hell, these days, I'm so anxious to get on a ship, I'll sleep on the bathroom floor in someone's room if I have to (anyone have room?? LOL)

 

Have a great time!!!

[meatball_nyc]

I might have a sofa if my other son (21) doesn't want to join us!!

 

But seriously, I treat everyone the same. You respect me, I respect you.

 

But, if some is going to be rude to me, then I don't care if you are the Queen of England or a bum on the street, you'd better watch out!

 

Happy Sailing :D

 

 

 

~Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

[meggie711]

Only one NCL cruise under my belt so far, and I can tell you that I was treated like royalty on our cruise! We had a balcony, not a fancy, exclusive one by any means. We noted the entire trip about how well we were treated. Doesn't cost extra on NCL. ;)

Sidenote, this is the first time I've heard passengers referred to as 3rd class...?

[CharlesOK]

Sorry to be a spoil sport, but third class is standing on the dock thinking some day I will get to go for a ride on one of those big ships. Every passenger on a cruise ship is a privileged person. Not one of us is emigrating anywhere, with notable exceptions we will all get off at the same time, and go back to whatever "Good life" that has made it possible for us to go along. I understand privilege better than most as I served 20 years as an enlisted man. Anyone riding in the "Haven" or any other place on the ship is a PAYING passenger, some can afford more, some less, but all paid what they could afford or were willing to pay. Paying a larger sum of money does not make anyone better than any other person on board. The only one who can make you feel "third-class" is YOU. Enjoy your cruise and plan for another.

[Tommyg74]

It only matters how you feel, you will come across people on any ship and any cruise line that will try to make you feel like lesser of a person, they might be in the owners suite, they might be in a balcony, the haven, or maybe just have been on a hundred cruises and have status that they think they earned. Those people are far and few, when I know they think they are better, I enjoy being around them and bring them back to reality.

[HomerGuy]

I'm no expert cruiser, having only taken one NCL cruise before, but I wouldn't worry about feeling like a 3rd class passenger either.

 

One of the items that you have to remember is that a forum such as this attracts people that are hardcore, frequent cruisers. That has a lot of advantages because you can plug in to their vast experiences. However, one of the negatives of attracting such a focused group is that they can also be more particular because they have so much experience under their belt.

 

There is so much talk of Suites, Penthouses, Bulters, Haven, Posh, etc on these boards. Many people insist that is it the only way they will ever travel. And there is nothing wrong with that. Freedom of choice is a wonderful thing. However, look at the numbers and I will use an example of the Vibe pass. It is available to 200 people (guesstimate on my part) on the ship. That is a miniscule fraction of the total passengers. Because this board attracts people that are cruise experts, you are more likely to hear from the 200 people that scored Vibe passes than the other 4,200 people that didn't. Because those 200 people are hardcore frequent cruisers and are therefore more likely to be on a web forum for cruise discussions. The vast majority of the passengers don't cruise in a suite or the Haven and they still have a wonderful time. But we just don't hear from them as often because the vast majority are not hardcore cruisers that spend part of their free time discussing cruises on the internet.

[Dorhead1230]

Regardless of your cabin type, you're spending several days (or weeks!) without cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, commuting, working, scheduling, or, for the most part, experiencing reality of any kind ;). There's nothing third-class about that. Ever :D.

[2boyzmom]

Just off the Haven on Epic- service not as grand as you think- looking into booking 2 oceanview cabins on deck 5 Getaway for a lot less money :)

Edited April 24, 2014 by 2boyzmom