Crowds on Getaway?

[untailored bostonian]

We cruise this fall on the Getaway. After looking at the deck plans, and with 4,000 passengers, I thought there was limited space. How crowded are the pool and other deck spaces?

[VideoTech]

We cruise this fall on the Getaway. After looking at the deck plans, and with 4,000 passengers, I thought there was limited space. How crowded are the pool and other deck spaces?

 

I can't answer directly for the Getaway, but have sailed on the Escape which is of the same class and has the same deck plans.

 

Crowding is a problem with this class of ship, particularly the pool decks areas on sunny sea days. The pool decks are small, and broken up by bars and other features, and I was shocked at how crowded they become. Deck chairs were pressed into every available corner, and there's at most a one lane walk through them all.

 

On the other hand, the deck which contains the Waterfront bars and restaurants seemed often to be almost empty during the day. So if you don't need to be by the pool, head for the Waterfront. It has the added advantage of not having constant blaring music as well.

 

The interior public decks seemed about average as far a crowding was concerned.

[IdRatherBCruising2]

Untailored,

 

We cruised on the Getaway about 2 weeks ago and the ship was sold out. When that ship is sold out you can really tell the difference. There wasn't one day we could get a seat anywhere near the pool. As a matter of fact, there was a day or two that it was hard to find any sort of deck chair. The buffets were a madhouse as well. We've sailed on this ship when it wasn't at capacity and it felt like a totally different cruise.

 

Hope this helps!

[ClevelandCruisin]

I didn't find it ever that busy I couldn't get around the ship.

 

Any ship with 4000+ passengers will be hard to get in the pool on sea days. The deck is huge though.

[PorkChopKid]

We cruised aboard GETAWAY for the first time in early March and the ship felt crowded to us. We were told there were 4,500 passengers aboard that week. We do NOT care for the pool area because of the noise but every time we walked by there were no seats to be found. The pool seemed small for the size ship. Public spaces were also tight and seemed crowded. Especially the atrium when there was an event. In fact, there were a couple events we like to attend but the atrium was just to noisy and packed. As someone mentioned, "The Waterfront" was about the nicest place to be if all you want it to kick back and relax in a quiet place. We always enjoy a cruise but Getaway isn't a favorite. FWIW, our big ship favorites are CCL Breeze, RCCL Anthem, and NCL Epic.

Anyway, move to the 1 minute position to see what the pool area looked like on a very windy last sea day (pool was closed and drained)... NCL Getaway

Basically, IMHO, the designers packed a lot of revenue producing things into the space. (bars, etc)

Here is our webpage covering the cruise... Getaway Cruise

[Sissaaaaaa]

We cruise this fall on the Getaway. After looking at the deck plans, and with 4,000 passengers, I thought there was limited space. How crowded are the pool and other deck spaces?

 

 

Getaway is a poorly laid out ship. The interior spaces feel very narrow and cramped. I never would have picked a second cruise on her, but the itinerary has ports we haven't been to. That is the only reason we are sailing her again. Edited - that was during spring break. This time we will be sailing in May, and I truly hope it is a different experience crowd wise.

[Sissaaaaaa]

I can't answer directly for the Getaway, but have sailed on the Escape which is of the same class and has the same deck plans.

 

Crowding is a problem with this class of ship, particularly the pool decks areas on sunny sea days. The pool decks are small, and broken up by bars and other features, and I was shocked at how crowded they become. Deck chairs were pressed into every available corner, and there's at most a one lane walk through them all.

 

On the other hand, the deck which contains the Waterfront bars and restaurants seemed often to be almost empty during the day. So if you don't need to be by the pool, head for the Waterfront. It has the added advantage of not having constant blaring music as well.

 

The interior public decks seemed about average as far a crowding was concerned.

 

 

The Escape is not the same layout. The Escape has a much better layout, with wider interior public areas.

[rbrugler]

How do you find out if your cruise is sold out?

[Sissaaaaaa]

I just want to add to my prior post - it really is all subjective. My parents have been on the Getaway and the Escape, and they prefer the Getaway. Just wanted to point that out :)

[reaperman]

I sail the getaway in a week for the first time. A lot of people say the pool area isn't large enough. After looking over the ships details. The "Haven" seems to take up a lot of top deck area that would normally be open to all cruisers on most other ships. I may be incorrect, but from the pictures I have saw the haven looks to occupy over a 1/4 or more of total top deck space. I've never been on a ship where any top deck has been limited. I'm hoping I wrong. To me the top deck on any ship should be open to all, my opinion.

[Laszlo]

We cruise this fall on the Getaway. After looking at the deck plans, and with 4,000 passengers, I thought there was limited space. How crowded are the pool and other deck spaces?

 

 

They will be very crowded on sea days. Skip to the end of my video to see what the pool deck is like......

[Laszlo]

I sail the getaway in a week for the first time. A lot of people say the pool area isn't large enough. After looking over the ships details. The "Haven" seems to take up a lot of top deck area that would normally be open to all cruisers on most other ships. I may be incorrect, but from the pictures I have saw the haven looks to occupy over a 1/4 or more of total top deck space. I've never been on a ship where any top deck has been limited. I'm hoping I wrong. To me the top deck on any ship should be open to all, my opinion.

 

 

Yes, the top deck is limited by the Haven and Vibe. If you want to escape the crowds arrive to the port early to get in line to get a Vibe pass. See video......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXeroHJikWI

[Two Wheels Only]

The "Haven" seems to take up a lot of top deck area that would normally be open to all cruisers on most other ships. I may be incorrect, but from the pictures I have saw the haven looks to occupy over a 1/4 or more of total top deck space.

The Haven sundeck is only the starboard corner front. VIBE is also on the starboard side behind the Haven sundeck. The entire port side/center front is open to the public.

 

 

 

You can see the white wall that separates VIBE from the Haven.

 

To me the top deck on any ship should be open to all, my opinion.

Then what sundeck area would the Haven have? There is also deck 18 forward-ish that is open to all.

 

(That's Breakaway but same layout)

Edited March 25, 2017 by Two Wheels Only

[untailored bostonian]

[...]

Crowding is a problem with this class of ship, particularly the pool decks areas on sunny sea days. The pool decks are small, and broken up by bars and other features, and I was shocked at how crowded they become. Deck chairs were pressed into every available corner, and there's at most a one lane walk through them all. .

 

As I looked at the deck plans it seem that the space afforded the Haven cabins reduced the overall deck size. This is a TA cruise and I hope we can find some deck space to enjoy the ocean views.

[untailored bostonian]

Getaway is a poorly laid out ship. The interior spaces feel very narrow and cramped. I never would have picked a second cruise on her, but the itinerary has ports we haven't been to. That is the only reason we are sailing her again. Edited - that was during spring break. This time we will be sailing in May, and I truly hope it is a different experience crowd wise.

 

We are doing the TA this October. We have a balcony, so if the crowds get to me I know where to go.

[untailored bostonian]

They will be very crowded on sea days. Skip to the end of my video to see what the pool deck is like......

 

Would you recommend the Vibe? I read that it is first come first seated too, and that it gets crowded too.

[untailored bostonian]

[...] The "Haven" seems to take up a lot of top deck area that would normally be open to all cruisers on most other ships.[...]

 

My thoughts too.

[untailored bostonian]

How do you find out if your cruise is sold out?

 

I was looking for such a place too. We booked guaranteed balcony and was curious as to how full up the TA would be. At the price they first listed this cruise I expect it to be very full.

[atcjj]

been on escape, pool deck crowded. same class ship . have done 2 epic t/a much nicer only about 70% full. doing the getaway baltic and transatlantic oct 2017. hope not full also.

[BirdTravels]

How do you find out if your cruise is sold out?

When it is no longer displayed as a cruise available to book.

 

We were on the Breakaway over Memorial Day. The ship's capacity is 3963. There were 4764 passengers on board that week (average age 42.6 years old). The public areas were "busy" but it didn't bother us.

[BirdTravels]

The "Haven" seems to take up a lot of top deck area that would normally be open to all cruisers on most other ships. I may be incorrect, but from the pictures I have saw the haven looks to occupy over a 1/4 or more of total top deck space.

 

 

The Havens has a small foot print. The red outline shows the Havens footprint. And there is public sundeck seating along the port side. Every ship reserves top deck space for its suites guests.

 

We're just off the Breakaway and having a private sundeck in the Havens was with every penny.

 

 

 

 

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[CruisingUS]

The Havens has a small foot print. The red outline shows the Havens footprint. And there is public sundeck seating along the port side. Every ship reserves top deck space for its suites guests.

 

We're just off the Breakaway and having a private sundeck in the Havens was with every penny.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

So are you saying that the areas that are not red on the top deck is open to everyone who isn't in a suite? Or are the reserved for the suite first and then everyone gets whatever is left over?

[BirdTravels]

So are you saying that the areas that are not red on the top deck is open to everyone who isn't in a suite? Or are the reserved for the suite first and then everyone gets whatever is left over?

Nonred available to everyone. Red is reserved for suites.

[CruisingUS]

Nonred available to everyone. Red is reserved for suites.

Thanks. For the record, I like mixing into the loud part of the ship as it is just a part of the fun cruise exp for me. It is lively.

 

 

It is nice to know where to go if I cannot find a spot if everything else is full.

[Aquahound]

The Escape is not the same layout. The Escape has a much better layout, with wider interior public areas.

 

Escape was by far the most crowded ship I have ever been on. You're saying Getaway is even worse?

 

I loved the ship but hated how crowded it was.