FAM Report By Helene Baillargeon

Norwegian Gateway – Dec 6^th to Dec 13^th, 2014

We flew Southwest very early in on Friday morning, (in case of snow, I wanted to get there a day prior) we were ready to be picked up at 10:30am from the airport by the Rodeway Inn and Suites in Ft. Lauderdale.  I have done groups at that hotel and have put many clients there but it was my first time staying there.  The hotel is old and dated but super clean.  They gave us a Jacuzzi room on the first floor of one of the outside building.  The hotel doesn’t have elevators but they do have a heated pool!  The hotel also comes with a Continental Breakfast, again perfect for us before heading out to Miami.  It certainly was not the Taj Mahal but it was perfect for what we needed.  It has a pub in the hotel where we had a great lunch.

I got to meet Nadine from the group department at the hotel, I have spoken to her quite a few times as I have done groups there and it was so nice to put a face to the name.

The hospitality I receive there was second to none, they are all very pleasant and professional.

On Friday night, we met friends in Ft. Lauderdale, they picked us up at the hotel and we headed for a pub crawl and dinner.  We had a great night!

The next day,  Dec. 6^th, we had bought transfers from Ride SAS and they came to pick us up at our hotel at 11a.  Again, very professional, they called me about 15 minutes prior to picking us up to let me know that they were on their way.

They had a van full of passengers heading for the Getaway in Miami.  They dropped us off and we checked in and then were held in a huge room waiting to board.  The room was very comfortable, there were vending machines, everyone was seated and of course there were also restrooms available.    We were the 3rd group to board.  I saw people holding 15……. So as you can see, they let a few in at the time to make it easier all around.

We boarded on deck 7, but I saw that there was a restaurant on Deck 6, called Taste.  We went there for lunch as I wanted to avoid the buffet, which is usually so crowded and hard to get a table sometimes.  Taste was perfect and not busy at all.  The service was great and we had a great lunch.

They made the announcement that our cabins were ready around 1:30pm.  We headed to our cabin we had a balcony cabin 9824 on Deck 9.  We met our Cabin Stewart, a very nice guy.  Our balcony cabin was a good size, the bathroom had a large shower and the amenities were liquid hand soap by the sink, in the shower you had your shower get and shampoo.  So please remember to bring your own bar of soap, hair conditioner and lotion.  The balcony was extremely small barely fitting 2 chairs and a small table.  All balconies are now smoke free as of Nov. 1^st, so remember to let your clients know if you have smokers.  It’s something new with NCL.

We went around the ship to familiarize ourselves with the ship  – just remember 6-7-8 Ocean Place, this is where everything is happening inside the ship.  They have restaurants and bars where you can eat inside / outside and designated places and 1 bar for smokers.  The ship is very nice.  We had the muster.  Like most ship now, you gathered at your muster station and no need to put on your life vest, they just go through the drill.  It is a much better way than the old muster’s cruise line use to have.  We headed backup and we saw the ship sail away!

We came back to our cabin and unpacked and showered for dinner.  We had a lite dinner at Taste on Deck 6.  It was perfect!  Kathy held a cocktail party at Spice H2O.  It’s the adult only outside place on Deck 16^th   , they have a huge movie screen and they were showing all different destinations, it was well done and we got to met our fellow travel partners.

Then stop in the shop and bought liquor, they were running a special.  Every night, they have different items, that they ran special on….. worth checking.

Then a stop at the Casino where I tried real hard to make our fame and fortune but it didn’t work!  L

Before we knew it, it was 1:30am and of course Norm was hungry so we went to O’Sheehan for a bite to eat.  Again full table service, the food was good.

Every time you go eat at any restaurants on NCL, they swiped your Seapass.  At first I thought it was funny, it’s not like you can come in from anywhere other than being on board, but they do that, I’m sure so that they can see where people eat and also they can address you by your first names at the table.  A nice little added personal touch!

Sunday, Dec. 7^th – I made reservation for our shows and booked our specialty dinners from our TV in our cabin.

We had breakfast at O’Sheehan, a waited on breakfast cook to order!  We decided to eat our breakfast there every day.  It was a pub and the service and food was good.

We then headed for the pool but it was a cloudy / cool day.  We sat by the adult only pool, the Wave bar and listened to Caribbean music.

We made a show reservation for “Burn the Floor” and after the show had dinner reservation at La Cucina, Italian restaurant, the food and service was very good.

Then listen to Groove International in the Atrium.  Also very good!  Every night there was entertainment in the Atrium.  The entertainment was always good.

Monday, Dec. 8^th.  We started with a seminar from 9a to 12noon.  They talked about their ship, doing groups etc……… I was with a lot of Cruise Brothers agents, so the seminar was very different, as those people are not really agents and the things they brought up made your head spin. I guess it’s one of Kathy’s top account over 3 million a year – 1800 agents so, she had to cater to them.

After leaving the seminar, I went to see Vibes, adult only quiet place.  Jacuzzi only with nice beds.  There is a bar and you can order lunch too.   Kathy paid $70.00 to have access to it and she was kind enough to bring me to see it.

That night we ate in Tropicana for dinner, the food was always good but nothing spectacular.  Service was good.

On Monday night they had a Tribute to Bob Marley, great show!

Tuesday, Dec. 9^th we were in St-Martin, we went off the ship but only stay at the pier to pick up a few gifts to take back home.  You can ferry for $7.00 roundtrip to take you to the shipping district in Philipsburg on the Dutch’s side of the island.  We hurried back on board to enjoy the pool and Jacuzzi so we could enjoy the quit.  It was wonderful.

On Wednesday, Dec. 10^th, We were in St-Thomas, we went and toured more of the ship, where you can walk the plank, rock climbing, zip line and mini golf.  There are also water slides for children of all ages! J  Lot’s of additional fun to keep everyone entertained and occupied.

That night we had dinner at Le Bistro at 9:15p.  Long pants are required and I saw people being turned away that were wearing short.  The food was delicious.

Thursday, Dec. 11, Seminar from 9a to 12 noon:  again, Cruise Brother’s agents took over the seminar with questions, questions, questions and wouldn’t drop it!  We all have to learn but most of those agents are in it as they have retired and are looking for travel benefits.  Wow, they have so much to learn, no wonder people that book with them have a bad taste in their mouth for a Travel Agent!  I felt badly Kathy.

We had a group dinner at Tropicana, we had nice table mates and it was very enjoyable.

That night, I saw Legally Blonde, great show!  I had seen it before and NCL did a great job with it!

Friday, Dec 12^th, our last night already.  We had a great day by the pool and saw a comedy show that night.  The comedians were very funny, they did a great show.

The drill was the same, packing, luggage out by 11p, ready for the debarkation the following day.

On Saturday, we had breakfast one last time at O’ Sheehan and left the ship by 10a.  The debarkation went very smoothly and Ride SAS were out there waiting for us.  We waiting for 11 other passengers but we had a late flight, so we didn’t care!

Southwest damaged my luggage on the way back and they wanted to give $50.00 for the luggage.  I paid $200.00 so I refused and brought it back the next day and they had it fix and it came back to me 2 weeks later.  It looks great hopefully it holds up now as the bag was buckled on the side.  We’ll see!

All and all, NCL Gateway was very good.  The ship is beautiful and gives you a lot of options for restaurants, entertainment…. Etc..  The drinks were expensive $8.20 per drink but again you are a captive audience so they got you!

I will be going on the Gem 1/21/15 with a group, I know the ship won’t compare to the Gateway but I’m looking forward to that cruise as well.

If you have any questions, about the ship don’t hesitate to call me or email.

Sincerely submitted,

Helene Baillargeon Travel consultant

FAm Report by Robin Paul

Allure of the Seas/Checca Lodge Islamorada, FL

I went to Florida a few days before my cruise and stayed in the keys. I went to Islamorada and stayed at the Cheeca Lodge. This is a 5 star full service Resort Hotel .My stay was for 4 nights and while I was there I did a site inspection. I stayed in a 1 bedroom suite w/ a full kitchen. The suite was immaculate. The design style was Tommy Bahama, rich cherry wood furniture and tones of beige and green. (Pictures of palm trees and parrots everywhere). The kitchen was state of the art w/ stainless steel appliances and brand new granite countertops. There was complementary coffee and tea issued daily. The suite had a wonderful screened in balcony and the view was of the adult only pool and spa. All of the suites are resort vies and pool view. This resort is right on the water and had ocean front bungalows with Jacuzzis on the deck and privacy curtains. Here are some of the specs. The resort has: 214 rooms 1 Family pool 1 Adult only pool 3 first class on site restaurants Jack Nicklaus designed 9 hole par 3 golf course Unlimited use of fishing equipment, sea kayaks, bicycles, and tennis equipment Camp Cheeca program for children Amazing spa and fitness studio Oceanfront Tiki bar Full service water sport facility This was a wonderful resort with some of the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen. If you’re looking for a beautiful 5 star resort in the keys, the Cheeca Lodge won’t disappoint. Before I start to talk about the “Allure of the Seas”, I would like to share my thoughts before the cruise with you. About 3 days before the cruise, I thought “What the heck are you doing? There are 5400 people on this ship; I’m going to be around nothing but crowds of senior citizens and small children. I’m going to be in lines for 8 days. What was I thinking???” I couldn’t have been more wrong… Embarking on the ship was smooth, no crowds no lines. The dining venues were all spread out and there were never any lines or crowds no waiting. I dined at 3 specialty restaurants, all were amazing. The service was impeccable. Advanced reservations were not necessary. The main dining room was run very professionally. The service and food were very good. I did 3 shore excursions, and once again disembarkation and embarkation were not an issue. There were 3 days at sea,. I thought the pool area was going to be a nightmare., once again I was proven wrong.. There were plenty of lounge chairs and beach towels, the wait staff was constantly coming around. There is an adult only area called “ The Solarium”. This is an area where adults can kick back and lay in the sun, go into a hot tub or just play cards around one of the many comfy tables and chairs. .This area is large and very spread out., and well monitored,. Royal Caribbean makes sure that the solarium is adults only. The shows were amazing,. There was a broadway production of “ Chicago”, WONDERFUL !!! I saw a comedy show and laughed for two hours. You do need to make advanced reservations for the shows, they do sell out. I had a junior suite and the balcony was 80 square feet. There was plenty of room in the cabin. The cabin steward was great and remembered everyone’s name. . This 225,282 ton, 5400 passenger ship was amazing. This was my first Royal Caribbean cruise ( I’ve been on Holland America, Disney and Celebrity).This was the best cruise I’ve been on.. Beautiful boat, lots of fun things to do for all ages. Please contact me if you have any questions. Robin Paul

FAM REPORT – Kris Levy, East Greenwich

NCL Getaway – St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Bahamas October 25-November 1, 2014

I was eager to travel this NCL cruse since the Getaway, headquartered out of Miami, is a brand new vessel and it became immediately clear that it was a great choice as everything from the rooms to the decks to the lounges and all the restaurants were sparkling new

We flew into Miami and stayed at the Westin in Hollywood. Very nice hotel, pool area and very enjoyable pool bar. The weather was terrible on that day so we took a short drive top the Adventura Mall – incredible if you are into shopping that area. The mall was simply endless with 80% of the shops being very high end.

The ship:

Like I said, all brand new. Stateroom was a pretty typical layout, not huge but comfortable. WiFi is available in packages sold in minutes. A bit expensive but in case one needs to stay in touch daily, it’s very convenient. The WiFi is accessible throughout the vessel.

The Getaway is very children and young adults friendly. Plenty of things to keep kids and teens busy. There were not a lot on board since we traveled during school dates. The ship has a kids nursery and playschool, a young adult area with teen events, an arcade area and bowling lanes. Plus the pools, water slides, rock climbing walls, and a rip line area – also fun for the adults. One upper deck is devoted to aerobics, basketball, shuffle board, etc. Nickelodeon character party, circus workshop were also featured.

Basically only two negatives that we all shared as being in agreement with – #1 was that the balconies were unusually shallow. Literally unable to walk by someone if they were sitting on their balcony chair. Only one swimming pool was the other somewhat negative thing we found.

Night entertainment was phenomenal. And that’s coming from a couple that is not 100% cruse show oriented. A dinner magic show was out first night – The Illusionarium. Amazing!. Howl at the Moon Dueling Pianos was great. But the best was Burn the Floor which we saw twice – a Latin/Cuban music and dance presentation that I rated an A+++ [get a front row seat and enjoy]. The show makes Dancing With The Stars look like a rookie presentation. The Grammy Experience features music and memorabilia of past Grammy winning shows. The ship presented a Newlywed Game, live comedy, a Mr. Sexy Legs competition, a 70’s Disco night, Deal or No Deal, Jeopardy and a Michael Jackson tribute night. Plus a Fiesta Latina latin dance night and a Jazz evening at the Grammy Experience. Legally Blonde, the Musical was presented and the evening of day 4 the ship had an 80’s Party with fireworks.

Day entertainment. Too many bars to speak of [all the bars offered a special daily drink each day], music everywhere, all the time. A great reggae band at poolside. Very comfortable library and card game room. Dan took a $90.00 Behind the Scenes tour of the vessel – backstage from the shows, the main galleys, the laundry area, the environmental area, recycling and water treatment] and best of all – the bridge! It’s very seldom, due to security concerns that passengers are allowed on the bridge but that’s where his tour ended and where the most time was spent. It was really a worthwhile expense to him. Shopping and casino were pretty typical. We did take advantage of some very low prices on high end vodka that they were offering. The standard bingo, trivia contest, etc. were also presented.

Dining. We took a specialty restaurant dining package that allowed us access to any of the specialty restaurants. As a result we did not experience any of the main dining rooms but I did inspect them at off hours and took a look at the daily menus which appeared excellent. The dining areas were beautiful. But I must say, for the price of $—- that we paid for the specialty restaurant package, it is highly recommended. They include Cagney’s Steakhouse, La Cucina Italian, Le Bistro French, Moderno Brazilian Churrascaria, Ocean Blue seafood, Tepanyaki Japanese hibachi, Raw Bar and Wasabi Sushi Bar [great for lunch]. We dined at Le Bistro twice. Cagney’s was outstanding as was the Brazilian steakhouse. We did Tepanyaki our first night with friends. Very good, but kind of typical hibachi. Breakfast was at the main buffet area that also serves buffet lunch but we preferred a quitter area – also breakfast and lunch called Flamingo Bar & Grill. We also had lunch twice and watched the Pats on Sunday at O’Sheehan’s Pub. We were invited to a “meet the crew” cocktail party where drinks and hors d’ouvres were served and where we had the chance to mingle with other guests and talk to the Captain, 1^st and 2^nd Officers, Hotel Director and Cruise Director [and some of the entertainers].

Itinerary:

Day 1. – sail from Miami

Day 2. – sea day

Day 3. – sea day

Day 4. – St. Maarten

Day 5. – St. Thomas, USVI

Day 6. – sea day

Day 7. – Nassau, Bahamas

Day 8. – Disembarkation