My second day aboard Norwegian Getaway was a slightly more leisurely one. I had the majority of the day to do as I pleased and for me that meant more exploring and more food! 😉

My first stop was an area I can only describe as a second atrium and what an atrium it was! The highlight being the amazing chandelier that hung right in the centre and changed colour as the day went on. On one level you had several bars and small restaurants including the innovative Ice Bar. You also had a huge casino area and when I say huge I mean huge! It went off in every direction and they had just about every card game imaginable available for you to try your luck. At the bottom you would find the Comedy Club and the intimately beautiful Le Bistro which really did feel like an authentic French Bistro. This space was breath-taking, by far one of the most visually attractive areas onboard.

I decided to try lunch in the buffet, the Garden Café but soon after I walked in I realised this was not going to be an easy task. There were so many dishes to choose from it was almost impossible! I finally decided on the chicken parmesan which was very nice, the beef and vegetable stir fry which too was tasty and I also snuck in half a chicken Panini. Let me point out that I skipped breakfast and I wanted to eat everything in sight so the fact I only went with three options makes me believe I done very well! Oh I also grabbed a slice of garlic bread too which was delicious. All the food looked fresh and the various breads were very tempting. The dessert station was something else and for those of you who love ice cream it too was available along with a selection of toppings and sauces. Basically it had everything you could ever want to eat! Even the choice of 3 different burgers that were only cooked two or three at a time in order to ensure the one you selected was fresh and juicy.

After filling my tummy it was time to do a little more exploring before I made my way to the theatre for a talk from Norwegian Cruise Line President and CEO, Kevin Sheehan. The talk was very good and at the end he was even presented drawings for a brand new ship by a young boy in the audience. I managed to record 10-minutes of the talk, you can watch it in the video below.

I left the theatre and decided it was time. I had resisted the temptation for a whole 24-hours and now I had to make my way to Carlo’s Bake Shop! I said before I even joined the ship, months before in fact, that I was desperate to try a Cannoli so that’s exactly what I went for. I went with the chocolate Cannoli and it was pretty good! I didn’t know what to expect and I wasn’t disappointed so I guess the taste buds gave that one a thumbs up! All the cakes looked so nice, but I forced myself to have one and only one. I did walk past one passenger later that evening who was eating a chocolate cake and I took it from the noises he was making that he was enjoying it!

Tonight we would dine at the Illusionarium whilst taking in the magic show! I was quite excited about this to be honest. I don’t take much notice of any onboard entertainment because it’s usually the same thing time after time, but this was going to be something entirely different and I couldn’t wait. The whole experience from start to finish was mesmerising, you really were drawn into it. The short walk from the entrance into the venue was full of quirky little trinkets, posters and other interesting bits and pieces. The kinds of things that would let your mind start wandering with imagination before the show even began. It got you in the mood put it that way.

Once inside we were shown to our table, I can’t recall exactly how many tables there were as it was dark but they all seemed to be placed well enough so you could see exactly what was going on. We were lucky to be right at the very front – stage-side. We were served our starters and then the show began. I need to be careful now or I am going to run off into several directions it was THAT good! The effects were awesome and the first magician to delight us was just……WOW! You sit at home watching these tricks performed on TV and you always wonder how it’s done. There must be a mirror or something, there has to be a trick of the eye! Well let me tell you, he put the girl in the box right in front of my eyes. It was never covered with a curtain, we could see everything the whole time and I could clearly see his legs and feet below the trolley upon which the box was sitting. He tapped the sides, then folded the box up and she was gone! Where did she go? Everyone in that room was impressed! I think I sat with my mouth open the entire time. PLEASE if you are onboard Norwegian Getaway at any time GO AND SEE THIS SHOW!! You won’t regret it. There is a cover charge per person and you really need to book but trust me it is worth every cent! I think in all there were 5 illusionists and it lasted about an hour and a half. There was a story throughout it’s not just a bunch of magic tricks. The menu was set, there was no choice. The starter was a nice salad with fresh greens and Mozzarella. The main was a surf and turf with broccoli and baked potato and dessert was a trio of three, one of which I think was a small Red Velvet cupcake but it was too dark to be sure and you were banned from taking photographs.

I have to say my first experience of Norwegian Cruise Line has left me with very fond memories. I really fell for that ship. Although she doesn’t offer the type of chill time I tend to like I.e. a quiet spot just looking out across the ocean (I didn’t find anywhere I could do this) and her lifeboat placement got on my nerves in all she was AWESOME! She really was!

I can’t wait to get back onboard another NCL vessel and experience just what it means to Cruise Like a Norwegian! It’s a state of mind and I like the state of mind it put me in! 😉

You can view the full Norwegian Getaway photo album on the CruiseMiss Facebook page.

Author: Danielle