The King's Birthday Cruise: New Orleans Pre-Cruise Adventures

The King's Birthday Cruise: New Orleans Pre-Cruise Adventures

Every great cruise starts with a little pre-sail magic—and for The King’s Birthday Cruise on the Norwegian Getaway, we made sure to kick things off in style with a few extra days in one of our favorite cities: New Orleans. This trip was extra special as we were celebrating Scott’s birthday and finally checking Norwegian Cruise Line off our list!

We headed down to the Big Easy three days early, because if you’re cruising out of NOLA, why not soak in the city’s charm beforehand? Our journey began bright and early—like 4 AM early—but the excitement was already flowing.

As we pulled up in our car service, we met our travel buddy Mary Jo Spack (who many of you know and love). We were staying at the Royal Sonesta on Bourbon Street—a first for us, even though we’ve visited New Orleans many times. We’ve stayed in several different hotels over the years, but the Royal Sonesta had always been on our list. When we arrived, our room was ready, but early check-in came with a $50 price tag. Honestly, after such an early wake-up, we gladly paid it. Mary Jo’s room wasn’t ready yet, so we invited her to stash her luggage in our room while we got settled. (You can check out our room tour on YouTube—just search our channel!)

Once we freshened up, it was time to explore. Our first stop? Jackson Square, where we’ve had some unforgettable meals in the past. This time we landed at Monty’s on the Square (formerly Monty's on Main), a tried-and-true favorite. Their food never disappoints—delicious, reasonably priced, and full of that NOLA flavor we crave.

With full bellies, we wandered through Jackson Square and browsed some of the local shops. Mary Jo was drawn to one of the tarot readers in the square, so while she had her fortune read, Scott and I explored a few quirky stores nearby.

Later, we made our way back to the hotel to check if Mary Jo’s room was ready (spoiler: it was!). Bags dropped, it was time to hit the streets again and soak in more of that Bourbon Street energy. We poked into a few more shops, enjoyed the lively atmosphere, and then—naturally—needed a refreshment break.

Enter: Bourbon Street Pub, where we relaxed with a couple of vodka cranberries and enjoyed the warm New Orleans air and/or ginger ale and cranberry.  From there, we strolled over to one of the most colorfully named spots in the French Quarter: Touchdown Jesus – The Worst Sports Bar in the World (their words, not ours!). They had March Madness games on, and since the Tennessee Vols were playing, we grabbed a few drinks and settled in for a bit.

Dinner that night was an easy choice: Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar, a go-to restaurant for us. The menu? Pure Louisiana soul. Po'boys, red beans and rice, gumbo, raw and chargrilled oysters—our Southern food-loving hearts were in heaven.

After dinner, we made our way back to the hotel for an early night. After all, we had been up since 4 AM, and the real adventure—the cruise itself—had yet to begin.

Friday, March 21, 2025 – Day Two in the Big Easy, and things were just heating up!

The morning started off slow and sweet—one of the perks of being Virtuoso guests at the Royal Sonesta is a daily $10 hotel credit. Mary Jo and Sean happily used theirs on some coffee at PJ’s Coffee to ease into the day.

Soon enough, Scott was up and ready to hit the town, and with the sun beaming down over the French Quarter, we set off to explore again. But instead of wandering right away, we headed to The Ruby Slipper on Canal Street for brunch. The place was buzzing, and since there was a wait, we grabbed seats at the bar.

That’s when things got funny.

The bartender came over and, out of nowhere, asked us if we were wrestlers. We laughed and said no, totally caught off guard. But then she leaned in and said, “Are you sure you're not?” Apparently, two guys sitting across the bar had been asking her the same question and were convinced we were.

Unbeknownst to us, Mary Jo—sitting behind Scott—was nodding and mouthing, “Yes, they are.” 

Whether we convinced anyone or not, we may never know. But hey, maybe our secret wrestling careers are still flying under the radar. LMAO!  

We were eagerly awaiting the arrival of our friends Rochet and Callie—many of you know and love them! They rolled into town around 1:30 PM, and where else would we be but Bourbon Street Pub? Naturally, we told them to come find us there. It’s one of our favorite bars in the Quarter—always lively, always welcoming, and always serving up strong drinks (or a Sprite for Mary Jo!).

Once we were all reunited, it was time to introduce Rochet and Callie to some essential NOLA traditions. First stop: Pat O’Brien’s for a round of Hurricanes. If you haven’t had one in New Orleans, have you really been to New Orleans?

A few drinks (okay, maybe more than a few) later, we wandered back to the hotel to relax before our evening plans. We had a special night lined up with dinner and a burlesque show right in the hotel at 9 PM—but first, dinner at one of Scott’s absolute favorites: Acme Oyster House.

Located just across from Felix’s, Acme always has a line, and for good reason—the food is outstanding. Thankfully, we only waited about 15 minutes before being seated. Scott and I ordered a pitcher of beer, and then it was oyster heaven: a dozen raw, a dozen chargrilled, and of course, four oyster shots—because when in New Orleans, you have to do an oyster shot!

Dinner was a delicious blur of New Orleans staples: gumbo, red beans and rice, po’boys, shrimp, oysters—you name it, we ordered it. Great food, great company, and plenty of laughs.

After dinner, we headed back to the Royal Sonesta for the burlesque show, and WOW—it did not disappoint. A full hour of sultry fun with three talented burlesque dancers and a live band. It was a blast and the perfect way to kick off the night.

But wait—there’s more.

We ventured to the bar next door and let’s just say... the lemon drop shots were flowing. I’m not sure how many citrus servings we had that night, but I think we got our weekly dose of Vitamin C as Mary Jo drank her Sprite, can you not tell how happy she is, lol. 

We danced the night away until at least 1 AM, laughing, toasting, and enjoying every moment together. Eventually, we made our way back to the hotel to rest up for the next day—and, of course, the main event: the cruise on the Norwegian Getaway.

Saturday, March 22, 2025 – Our last full day in New Orleans before boarding the Norwegian Getaway, and we were set on soaking up every last bit of that Crescent City magic!

After a night filled with multiple venues and dancing, we let ourselves sleep in just a little—no regrets, just needed to rehydrate and rally for the day ahead. The birthday cruise was right around the corner, but first, we had one more NOLA adventure to enjoy.

Mary Jo and Sean kicked things off with their daily $10 Virtuoso coffee fix at the Royal Sonesta, while Scott was getting ready upstairs and Rochet and Callie were still catching some Zs. Feeling the beignet calling, Mary Jo and Sean wandered across the street to Café Beignet for a little powdered sugar indulgence.

The jazz music playing nearby set the perfect mood as we enjoyed those pillowy, sugary treats—and Mary Jo even picked up a chocolate milk for Scott to go with his beignet. (Now that’s love.)

While Mary Jo headed off to Marie Laveau’s for a reading, Scott and I strolled back to the hotel to wait for Rochet and Callie to join us.

New Orleans always finds a way to make even the simplest moments feel magical—and this final day was no exception.

By mid-morning, the group was all together and back at it. We wandered into shops, sipped on drinks, and took in the street performers around Jackson Square. There was no strict agenda—just enjoying every last bit of the city’s charm with good friends.

Lunch brought us right back to one of our favorite spots: Monty’s on the Square (or as we like to call it, Monty’s on Main). This place is just that good we had to go twice! It hits the spot whether you’re craving a savory Creole breakfast or a hearty lunch. Sean went the breakfast route (because breakfast food is good any time of day!), while the rest of the crew opted for lunch items. Of course, mimosas were flowing all around—because it’s not brunch without a little bubbly, right?

After lunch, we continued our casual stroll through the French Quarter. We meandered through shops, caught some local street performers, and just enjoyed the slower pace of a Saturday afternoon in NOLA. Eventually, we made our way back to the Royal Sonesta to rest, regroup, and start packing a few things up so we wouldn’t feel rushed the next morning when it was time to head to the cruise terminal.

That evening, Mary Jo decided to have a relaxing night in, which meant Rochet, Callie, Scott, and I were ready for one more Bourbon Street night. Naturally, as Rochet and Callie were not with us the first night, we returned to Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar, because when you know something is good, you go back. This time, we went to their Bourbon street location and grabbed a table on the second-floor balcony overlooking Bourbon Street—the view, the people-watching, and the vibe were absolute perfection.

We went all-in on the Cajun and Creole dishes once again—gumbo, oysters, po’boys, and more. And yes, we ate way too much, but zero regrets. It was our final night in New Orleans, and we made sure it was memorable.

After dinner, we wandered Bourbon Street one last time—stopping into a couple bars, taking in the nightlife, and toasting to what had already been an amazing pre-cruise adventure.

Tomorrow we board the Norwegian Getaway and The King’s Birthday Cruise officially begins. The vibe is high, the bags are (mostly) packed, and we’re ready to celebrate Scott in style—cruise style!

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Embarkation Day finally arrived, and with it came the usual cruise day buzz—organized chaos, excitement, and a sea of Spring Breakers. And when I say kids everywhere, I mean everywhere. It's Spring Break season, after all, and it felt like every family in the South was boarding this ship.

Thankfully, thanks to NCL, some of our group had been gifted Priority Embarkation, which came with its own separate line, as well as lots of other extras. That made all the difference. Check-in was a breeze, and we were onboard the Norwegian Getaway in under three minutes—seriously, NCL nailed this part.

Our first stop? The restaurant reservations desk, of course. We wanted to make sure we had our dining plans secured for the week. Rochet and Callie decided to head straight to their stateroom and then relax at the pool, while Mary Jo, Scott, and I went to Savor, one of the complimentary main dining venues, for lunch.

Now, here’s where we hit our first snag. Lunch was a little delayed—not because of the restaurant itself, but due to logistics. The ship had been delayed getting into port that morning, so instead of keeping guests waiting outside, they were allowed to board early. As a result, some areas of the ship weren’t quite ready, and food service on our floor was backed up. But hey, we were sitting down in A/C, sipping water, and just excited to be onboard—so we didn’t mind too much.  In fact, we thought it was done very well.  Much better to let us board, sit in comfort, and explain that the food service will be delayed while they await an inspection, then to make us sit outside in an ever building line of spring break families.

Earlier, we had purchased passes for The Vibe Beach Club, Norwegian’s adult-only sun deck. At first glance, it seemed like a solid investment—quiet, serene, no kiddos. But more on that in a future post (spoiler alert: vibes can shift!). If you are ever going to travel on spring break moving forward, I would endorse getting a room in the Haven–that is NCL’s “ship within a ship” concept.  It will matter.

Thereafter, we made our way to the sail away party on Deck 15, which was high-energy and filled with great music—but also filled with so. many. kids. Again, we expected a crowd, but the sheer number of children onboard really set the tone for what kind of cruise this would be. Still, nothing a mojito couldn’t fix.

Speaking of mojitos, Scott and I made our way to Sugarcane Mojito Bar, which was the designated LGBTQ+ meetup location on embarkation day. Turns out there was a small bear group onboard (woof!) and they were gathering there too—small world, big fun. It was nice to meet some fellow queer cruisers and settle into vacation mode properly.

For dinner, we chose the Manhattan Room, one of the ship’s main dining rooms. It’s one of those “no reservation needed” spots, but you may have to wait if it’s busy. They quoted us a 20-minute wait, but we were seated in under 7. Mary Jo joined us, and we were lucky to have Bryce, a sweet server who informed us it was his very first day of his first contract with Norwegian. Bless him—he did an amazing job!

Dinner was solid—classic cruise fare. The menu has daily staples and rotating specials. Nothing five-star, but definitely tasty and satisfying. We all left happy and full.

When Scott and I returned to our stateroom, we were greeted with such a thoughtful surprise—a bottle of red wine, a bottle of white, a bottle of sparkling wine, a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries, and a beautifully wrapped birthday cake for Scott. All sent by Stephanie, my amazing BDM from Norwegian Cruise Line. Talk about starting the trip off right!

Oh—and one quick pro tip: water is not free on board unless you’re at a dining venue or filling your bottle from the buffet or designated drink stations. You can order cans of water to your room, but they aren’t cheap. My suggestion? Bring a refillable water bottle or tumbler and fill up throughout the day. Especially handy if you want water or soda in your room at night without the added cost.

A day that began with chaos ended with celebration, sweetness, and a little sparkle. We’re onboard, we’re ready, and The King’s Birthday Cruise is officially underway!

Monday, March 24, 2025 – Day at Sea

Today was our first full day at sea, and while many were lounging and soaking in the sun, we were still doing a little bit of work—because hey, when you’re part of The Connected Traveler Family, you’re always making vacation dreams come true! We had a few bookings to take care of this morning, so we knocked that out first thing.

With the ship at full capacity (Spring Break crowds were no joke), everywhere was packed. But we still managed to find our groove. For lunch, we headed to O’Sheehan’s, Norwegian’s version of a sports bar-style restaurant. The food hit the spot—nothing fancy, but solid comfort food and quick service.

After walking around the ship a bit, we decided it was Vibe time. If you’ve never done The Vibe, it’s Norwegian’s adults-only sun deck with loungers, hot tubs, its own bar, and a quiet vibe (pun intended). We were living for that relaxing hot tub moment, cocktail in hand. Highly recommend if you’re sailing and want a kid-free space.

Later that evening, Mary Jo, Scott, and I checked out one of the ship’s featured shows: The Broadway Cabaret, Rock Edition. Now… we had high hopes. But this one? Oof. Not it.

Instead of a traditional cabaret with powerful Broadway hits, it was a mash-up of Broadway numbers with random rock/pop songs, and not in a good way. Add in some awkward banter between the three performers and we were ready to tap out early. They closed with a mini-set of songs from Rocky Horror Picture Show, which felt completely out of place. We gave it a 3 out of 10 stars, and that was being generous because they did throw in a song from Wicked and Frozen.

They totally missed the opportunity to spotlight amazing Broadway shows like Rent, Hamilton, Six, Dear Evan Hansen, and more. Total letdown for Scott.  Sean doesn’t know half the broadway scores anyway. Lol.

That said, we have seen performances from other ships, including the Vista.  They have some outstanding performers and cand do full Broadway shows like Jersey Boys.  The Jersey Boys performers are some of the best we have ever seen.  This ship, the Getaway, just didn’t seem to have the same level of performers. 

After that, we needed something to lift our spirits, so we headed to Manhattan, one of the ship’s main dining rooms, for dinner. And just like the first night—it did not disappoint. Classic comfort food, great service, and no reservation needed (though a short wait is possible during peak times).

After dinner, we had a sweet tooth, so we swung by Dolce Gelato for a scoop—but it had already closed at 9 pm. One thing we noticed all week: some of the store and restaurant hours were challenging.  Why close a gelato shop right after dinner hours?

Back in the room, Scott and I tried to order room service around 11 pm. It was a disaster. I called eight times and got rerouted through the phone system every time with no answer. Eventually we got through and placed the order—but it took about 40 minutes to arrive, and when it did, the food was cold. On top of that, they charge a delivery fee and any drinks like soda or water are extra.  

Let’s just say—if you’re cruising on this ship, bring your refillable cups, skip the late-night room service, and plan ahead for food cravings. Live and learn!

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 – Costa Maya

Today we docked in Costa Maya, but having been here so many times before, we decided to stay on the ship and really enjoy all it had to offer—especially while so many others were off exploring. Bonus: we didn’t even get to the port until around 11am, so it was a slow, relaxed start to the day.

For lunch, we went back to O’Sheehan’s after our great experience earlier in the cruise. Unfortunately, today was the complete opposite. The service was terrible—slow, inattentive, and disorganized. Definitely a swing and a miss this time around. It happens, but disappointing nonetheless.

After lunch, we made a beeline for The Vibe, where the day was saved thanks to some hot tub time, loungers in the sun, and the peace that only a kid-free zone can provide. Honestly, Vibe has been our go-to sanctuary on this cruise.

In the afternoon, we had manicure and pedicure appointments at 3:30 pm. We try to visit the spa on every ship to compare experiences. While many cruise lines contract out their spa services to the same company, the staff and vibe can vary wildly, so we always like to get a feel for each one. We’ll share our full thoughts on the spa later in the trip once we’ve tried a few more things.

For dinner, we returned to Manhattan, our favorite main dining room on the ship. It’s been consistently good for most of us, though Scott tried the Mixed Grill tonight and wasn’t a fan. Interestingly, Rochet had the same dish and loved it, so clearly a reminder that everyone’s palate is different.

Post-dinner, we made our way up to Sugarcane, where we caught some live music and great vibes to wind down the evening. Afterwards, we decided to check out Spice H2O for their 80’s Night, which was advertised as an adults-only party.

Well… not so much.

There were kids everywhere, including 8- to 12-year-olds hanging at the bar with their parents. The dance floor, which we hoped would be full of neon-clad adults reliving the glory days, was instead overrun with kids dancing to music they probably didn’t recognize. Not the vibe we were hoping for.

Needless to say, we called it a night and headed back to the room. Hoping tomorrow brings more grown-up fun and better follow-through on the "adults-only" promises.  We did report this to Guest Services.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 – Harvest Caye, Belize – The King's Birthday

Today was The King's Birthday—aka Scott’s special day! And what better way to celebrate than a full day of tropical relaxation at Harvest Caye, Belize, our port of call.

We got off the ship early since I had reserved a pool cabana in advance as a birthday treat for Scott. Check-in was super easy, and because we were among the first to arrive, we were given the option to choose any cabana we wanted. Naturally, we picked Cabana #1—prime location near the pool, bar, and beach.

We were told when we booked that no kids would be in the cabana area. But sure enough, just two cabanas down… kids. Now, let me say—we’re not anti-kid, but if you advertise an adults-only space, it should be enforced. It’s about managing expectations.

That said, we really enjoyed the cabana itself. We had our own dedicated server, and were able to order drinks and food right from our loungers. The menu had all your beach bar staples—burgers, chicken, ceviche, and more—and it was surprisingly tasty.

Pro Tip: Be sure to bring cash or a credit card with you when visiting Harvest Caye. Your onboard ship account does not carry over, and the servers on the island are not part of the ship’s crew, so if you want to tip your server directly, bring cash—otherwise, tips are pooled.

We stayed on the island until about 4pm, soaking up the sun and enjoying every minute.

That night, we dressed up and headed to Cagney’s, the ship’s steakhouse, for a birthday dinner celebration. This recommendation came from Stephanie, my amazing BDM at Norwegian Cruise Line, and as usual—she nailed it.

The food? Incredible. From start to finish, everything was perfectly cooked and seasoned. And the cherry on top—they surprised Scott with a birthday cake and a serenade from the staff. It was the perfect way to cap off his special day.

Thursday, March 27, 2025 – Roatán, Honduras 

Roatán greeted us with sunshine and a full day of adventure ahead. Scott, Mary Jo, and I booked the Monkey, Sloth Adventure with Horseback Riding, while Rochet and Callie chose a private guide for the monkey and sloth part followed by snorkeling.

Finding our excursion meeting point was a bit chaotic—three ships in port (ours, a Royal, and a Carnival ship) meant a lot of foot traffic and confusion. But eventually, we found our bus and were whisked away.

Monkey & Sloth Adventure

Our first stop: the animal sanctuary. And let me tell you—it was an absolute blast!

We started with the guinea pigs, and Mary Jo nearly smuggled a 4-day-old baby home in her bag—it was that cute.

Then came the sloths, and we were lucky! The laws in Roatán have changed, and holding sloths is now prohibited, but we were one of the last groups that would be allowed to hold the sloth—we got to hold and take photos with them. It was magical.

Next up, the macaws—vibrant, chatty, and quite photogenic. And then, the monkeys. These little guys were all over us, jumping from head to shoulder to arm. The trainers gave us Cheerios to feed them, and they were all in. It was like being in the middle of a jungle circus—so. much. Fun.

Horseback Riding by the Ocean

After the animal adventures, we hopped back on the bus for a 20-minute ride to the horseback riding area. Some folks on the bus went snorkeling—we were there to ride.

We had about 15–20 minutes to kill, so naturally: cocktails by the ocean.

Then it was time to mount up.

• Scott rode a horse named Tequila
  
  
• Mary Jo had Allison (though she thought it should’ve been Al, haha)
  
  
• Sean got Boujie—I felt seen.
  
  

We trotted through a fenced trail that opened up to a beachfront ride, where they even paused to take our photos. And yes—we actually rode in the ocean. It was unreal.

The entire ride was about 30 minutes—just enough for Scott, but Mary Jo and Sean would’ve loved an extra 15 minutes or so.

Lunch Missed the Mark

After the ride, we were served a group lunch with three options:

1. Grilled shrimp
   
   
2. Fried snapper
   
   
3. Island fried chicken
   Each came with salad, beans and rice, and plantains.
   
   

Unfortunately, the food was very bland, and the drink options were disappointing.

• They were out of local beer,
  
  
• Had only one Michelob Ultra (which Sean got),
  
  
• And no empanadas, even though they were on the menu.
  
  

Drinks ran about $4 for beer or daiquiris, and $3 for soda.  The bland lunch was included.

Now here’s a moment of kindness that stood out: we casually mentioned to our driver that we wanted to try the local beer but couldn’t. He waved us over to the bus a few minutes later—he had gone out and bought us four local beers. What a guy! We sipped them in the cool bus while everyone else wrapped up their lunch. Sean’s beer was about 8.9% ABV, while Scott’s was a lighter 4.8%, but hey—we downed both before heading back.

Back to the Ship – And Trouble in The Vibe

Once back on board, we headed to The Vibe to unwind in the hot tub. Now, The Vibe is supposed to be adults-only and requires special card access.

But what did we find?
A 14-year-old kid chatting it up in the neighboring hot tub, talking about school and soccer. He was hanging with a woman (his mom?) and a man (dad or uncle?), who kept buying drinks and handing them to the kid. Staff didn’t catch on, but we did report it—because again, if you advertise no kids, enforce it. It's not about hating kids—it’s about expectations.

This soured the vibe (no pun intended), and we decided to cool off and head to Sugarcane for the 6pm LGBTQ+ meetup.

Dinner tonight was back at Manhattan’s, and the food was solid, as always.

Then we hit the comedy show with Rochet, Callie, Scott, and myself, while Mary Jo headed to bed. Doors open 30 minutes early, so we grabbed seats and ordered a round of cocktails.

There were two comedians—and both were lukewarm at best.

The headliner, Sean Corvelle, was especially disappointing. He didn’t seem to have a routine, just tossed out random ideas to see what stuck. His style leaned more vulgar than funny, and not in a clever way. Scott nearly walked out.

We stuck it out, but after that, we were done for the night.  Others tried to go to the adults only night club scene, but it ended up having teenagers. We realize this was a spring break cruise, but ….. It was advertised as adults only.

Friday, March 28, 2025 – Cozumel, Mexico

After several visits to Cozumel over the years, we weren’t planning anything extravagant for our port stop on Friday, March 28. Sometimes, it’s just nice to get off the ship, stretch your legs, and explore the port area — and that’s exactly what we did. A little browsing, a little walking, and then back on board for what we hoped would be a relaxing lunch.

We decided to give the Garden Café buffet a try, but that turned out to be more of an adventure than we anticipated. Kids were everywhere, which we expected. What we didn’t expect were the adults behaving worse than the kids. People blocked aisles, cut in line, and treated the buffet like it was a competitive sport. At one point, a woman actually stuck her head under the plastic sneeze guard to grab food. The staff acted quickly and tossed everything from that section, but it was hard to un-see that moment. Honestly, it made us lose our appetite.

That said, the staff was doing everything right!  When they saw that women’s behavior, they immediately took action.  They also tried to manage the flow of guests, reminded them to wash their hands, and to sanitize.

Looking for a more peaceful vibe, we headed to the pool deck. Unfortunately, the scene there wasn’t much better. Although Norwegian designates one of the four hot tubs as adults-only, that rule didn’t seem to matter. It was constantly full of kids aged 10 to 14, splashing around while parents looked on — or worse, encouraged it. We understand kids are on vacation too, but when cruise lines advertise designated adult spaces, they should be enforced.

Thankfully, The Vibe saved the day. This adult-only sanctuary had become our go-to for escaping the crowds, finding some shade, and enjoying actual relaxation. We spent the rest of the afternoon unwinding there before getting ready for the evening.

At 6 pm, as we do every day, we made our way to the LGBTQ+ meetup at Sugarcane’s. These daily meetups have been one of our favorite aspects of this cruise. They’re a great chance to connect, laugh, share stories, and feel part of a welcoming community onboard.

Dinner that evening was another recommendation from our incredible Norwegian BDM, Stephanie — Teppanyaki. The food was delicious, the showmanship from the chefs was top-notch, and we left the table stuffed and smiling. After a day filled with buffet madness and pool deck chaos, it was the perfect way to end the evening on a high note.

Saturday, March 29, 2025, brought with it a moody, overcast sky and our final day at sea aboard Norwegian. With the weather not exactly inviting us to the pool deck, Scott, Mary Jo, and I opted for a different kind of morning escape — the Park West VIP Art Auction.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Park West event without complimentary champagne to get things started. While Scott and I didn’t find anything that really caught our eye, Mary Jo spotted a few pieces she liked and had the team provide quotes for her to consider.

After the auction, we made our way to O’Sheehan’s for lunch. Thankfully, both the food and service were back to what we had experienced earlier in the week — solid, casual fare and friendly staff. With our appetites satisfied, we returned to the auction, and this time Mary Jo made a few purchases to add to her growing collection.

While we were relaxing, Scott decided to double-check our onboard account — and it’s a good thing he did. We discovered several billing errors that required some investigation.

First up was the daily service charge — $20 per person, per day. Since we had been personally tipping our favorite bartenders and servers throughout the cruise, we had these charges removed at the front desk without issue. On NCL, it is very rare for gratuities to be included in your fare.  You will be charged them daily unless you decide to take them off.  We had never taken them off before, but we did this time as we were making sure to tip much better and to tip those that were providing above board service to us daily.

But then came the bigger surprise — the spa bill.  Let’s just say things took a turn.

We had booked a 75-minute manicure and pedicure, advertised at $119 per person. With a $50 spa credit applied and an optional $20 charge for shellac polish, we expected the final bill to be clear and straightforward. Instead, it came out to $186 per person. When we questioned the additional $40 charge, not even the Assistant Spa Manager could explain for what it was.  She went so far as to pull our paperwork from the beginning of the cruise to review it.

Now, we know that Norwegian adds a 20% service fee to spa services, and we’re happy to pay for quality. But when even the spa staff can’t tell you what you’re being charged for, that’s a major red flag. Scott wasn’t having it — and rightfully so. It’s frustrating to feel like you’re being taken advantage of, especially when you're on vacation.

Needless to say, our advice? Avoid the spa on Norwegian Cruise Line. It’s overpriced, unclear, and left us with a bad impression.  Seriously, the spa was priced higher than several luxury lines with the same exact contracted out service supplier.

As if the day needed more tech woes, the internet was unreliable at best — cutting in and out constantly, making it nearly impossible to stay connected or get work done.

As our cruise began winding down, we started reflecting on the highs, the lows, and everything in between. One thing we noticed throughout the week — there are no official theme nights on this sailing. While some families or friend groups took it upon themselves to create their own themed outfits and fun, there were no cruise-wide events or themed dress-up nights to participate in. There is normally a dress white night, but we didn’t see anything clueing us in to this and there was certainly no build up to anything. Depending on your vibe, that could be a blessing or a miss — for us, it felt like a missed opportunity to amp up the fun.

For our final dinner on board, we originally planned to enjoy a meal at Manhattan Room, one of the main dining venues. However, with a 35-minute wait, Mary Jo, Scott, and I made a quick pivot and headed to the Garden Café buffet instead.

Surprisingly, the buffet was nearly empty. It seemed like most passengers had decided to do their “last night fancy dinner” in the main dining rooms. Lucky us — we walked right up and were seated in seconds.

Each evening, the buffet rotates its food offerings around a different culinary theme, and tonight’s was Grill Night. The selections didn’t disappoint: grilled steaks, shrimp, fish, and even a carving station serving up tender brisket. Everything was hot, flavorful, and satisfying — a nice, low-key way to close out our dining experiences on board.

After dinner, we made our way back to the cabin to prep for disembarkation. As usual, luggage needed to be placed in the hallway between 7 and 10 p.m. We got lucky — just as we were wheeling our bags into the corridor, the crew was coming through, and they took our luggage right then and there.

We had originally planned to catch one last show at 9 p.m., but after discovering it featured the same cast as the Broadway Rock Show (which, let’s just say, didn’t win us over), we decided to skip it. Instead, we opted to stay in, relax, and enjoy one last peaceful night in our cabin, taking in the quiet hum of the ocean and soaking up a few final moments at sea.

Sunday, March 30, after a full week aboard the Norwegian Getaway, the time had come to say farewell to life at sea. Disembarkation day is never anyone’s favorite, but we tried to make it as smooth (and enjoyable) as possible.

We met up with Mary Jo at 8:15 a.m. and made our way downstairs to exit the ship. As expected, the elevators were packed, but we made it down and off the ship in about 10 minutes — surprisingly efficient. Our driver wasn’t quite there yet, which is always a gamble on disembarkation day.  We departed the ship earlier than we had told the driver we would.  The driver thankfully was arriving early.  So, we had a very short wait (less than ten minutes), we spotted Rochet and Callie, met up with our driver, and headed straight for the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans.

While the others had evening flights out, we were staying overnight and had a Virtuoso reservation for the Ritz Carlton.  As it was a Virtuoso reservation, they gave us an early check-in, upgraded our room to the club level, gave us club lounge access with free drinks, snacks, breakfast, and other food available all day, and $100 of food and beverage credit to spend at the hotel.  We were able to check in immediately, drop off our luggage, and had everyone else’s baggage held at the front desk.  

The Ritz also had a chef making fresh beignets in the lobby.  Accordingly, we took several to go and brought them out to the rest of our crew who were waiting for us in the car!  With everyone carbo-loading, our driver took us to another NOLA notable area:  Frenchmen street where we we had scheduled one last celebratory event: drag brunch at Marigny Brasserie.

The restaurant doesn’t open until noon.  Arriving at ten am, we spent our time wandering the streets and exploring the Farmers Market — a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning in New Orleans. When the doors opened, we were escorted to our table, where we were met with a limited brunch menu but large portions and delicious dishes.

The drag show was high-energy and fun. The queens performed for about 30 minutes, took a quick intermission, and then delivered another round of entertainment. Audience participation was encouraged, and if you didn’t have dollar bills on hand, no worries — the restaurant staff came around offering change so everyone could tip their performers properly. It was such a lively and joyful way to wrap up the group portion of the trip.

After brunch, we headed back to the Ritz-Carlton where we brought everyone up to the concierge level for snacks, drinks, and a final round of goodbyes. After heartfelt hugs and thank-yous, we escorted everyone down to ensure they made it safely into their Ubers for the airport. Just like that, the group was off, and it was down to Scott and me for one last night in the Big Easy.

We weren’t done yet, though. That evening, we headed to Bourbon Pub for another drag show (because why not?) — which kicked off around 8 p.m. The performers were fantastic, but during intermission we decided to hop across the street to Oz, where several queens from brunch were performing again. It was the perfect way to wrap up our final night in New Orleans — surrounded by laughter, music, and a lively atmosphere only the French Quarter can provide.

The next morning, we woke up ready to travel. With a 3 p.m. flight, we didn’t have to rush, which made checkout stress-free. However, check-in at the airport was anything but easy. The Southwest counter was chaotic — sending us through multiple lines just to check our luggage and get Scott’s preboarding tag. It felt like a bit of a maze and a waste of time.

Once we finally made it to the gate, we were hungry and headed for Emeril’s Restaurant in the terminal. A sign clearly said “Seat Yourself,” so we took a four-top since we had quite a bit of carry-on luggage and Sean needed to work on his laptop.  Unfortunately, the waitress was having none of it. She insisted that the table was for three or four people only, despite there being plenty of open tables and our obvious need for space. We would have understood if there was a wait for tables or if they were busy, but they simply were not.  We weren’t about to argue — we just left and gave our business to another spot in the airport that was more welcoming.

From there, the rest of the journey was smooth. We made it back to Nashville with no delays and plenty of memories.

Another adventure officially in the books.

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