A new vacation standard was met when we went on our first cruise as a family. It was the first time our family has gone on vacation with our youngest and also the first vacation since the whole global crisis started. It took a lot of conversations and figuring out what we wanted to do for a vacation and we ultimately landed on a 5 day cruise to Bermuda through Norwegian cruise line.

Think about it, you don’t have to take any flights, the port of call was NYC so it was somewhat of a quick drive; most restaurants are included and your vacation starts as soon as you step on the ship. The ship we sailed on was called the Getaway— can’t go wrong with that name, and we stayed in the Haven suite at the aft of the ship.

One of the many things we did and continued to do was EAT! NCL is known for their freestyle dinning meaning you can eat whenever and wherever with no set times or preset seating. So we made sure to do just that. The customer service was exemplary as it was every on board and we certainly did not have any bad meals. Now our two boys have severe allergies and all the restaurants were very accommodating. There were even a few times where our server would get food from another restaurant that’s safe for my kids to eat!!

Second, hit the pools. The kids aqua park was great for my 2 year old while the pool next to it was great for our 7 year old. Both does get crowded quickly. Luckily for us, we are early birds, so when we went, the crowd was minimal. They also have 3 water slides but they maybe intimidating for a seven year old. There is also a private pool for the haven guess which was nevercrowed and there was a small wading pool perfect for the kids.

Third, arcade, VR games and bowling! Our kids loved the arcade area, the one VR game, and mini bowling by O’sheehan’s Bar and Grill. If you have kids and you think they will be going to the arcade often, get the arcade package. It’s 25$ per day, and worth it if it’s a frequent default destination. Be careful, the games that have prizes, ticket prizes and VR, will NOT be part of the arcade package, and have their own cost associated. Keep an eye out on your kids as they swipe. The arcade is a decent size on the Getaway, not large so it can feel tight in there when it does get busy.

The fourth thing we liked doing was just walking around the ship. You are in a large cruise ship with so many areas to explore. Walk around on the first day to get familiar with the ship and continue throughout the trip to really explore what it has to offer.

Fifth, now we didn’t utilize the splash academy for our kids but they did have an open house night where the whole family was able to go in and explore the area. Since it covers a large age group, 3-12 years old, there were a lot of different things to do for this wide of a age group. They had a play kitchen sets, drawing activities, a video game station, play stations, and more for the kids to do.

Bonus, the Mandara Spa. Although we didn’t do this as a family, it would of been way too expensive and kids are not allowed. My wife loved her spa experience. Keep in mind, it is a splurge! With that being said, from the moment you step into the spa area to the end of your appointment, you are being catered to!

There were so many more things to do on the ship. The entertainment they had on board were 2 shows— a comedy show, and a band playing nightly in Syd Norman Pour House. They also had a mojito tasting at Sugarcane Mojito Bar, daily entertainment in the atrium, DJ’ed entertainment by the pool and so much more!!

Although we were not able to do a handful of activities and entertainment the whole family had a blast on this vacation. The food was pretty good some great. All the ship workers were very pleasant and amazing in their customer service. There are plenty of things to do on board and complementary entertainment. It really is one of the cheaper ways to go on vacation considering most of the food is free and you are already have a place to stay. We encourage every family to try it out!!