Norwegian Escape..Please advise!

I am looking at booking this ship on either an Eastern or Western Caribbean.

The size is a little intimidating!!!!!

Are the pools/slides/activities a lot more crowded than smaller ships? Does it feel overwhelming when getting around?

We are looking at an aft balcony on deck 14.

Any info and advise would be appreciated!

Very minimal lines for the waterslides. I don't know if it was just our week, but the ones that drop you down...those were barely used. I never saw more than 15 in line for the tube one.

It was my first time on NCL, but I have taken probably 15+ cruises on other lines. I really don't think they have the outside deck space necessary to accommodate that many people. The chair hogging was unlike anything I have seen. I don't need to be by the action and usually I can find a seat somewhere in the sun, on upper decks. It seemed impossible on this ship unless you marked your territory very early. We did see the chair police out at 845 am on the last sea day, marking chairs with the time so they could try to create space.

I don't think it would stop me from sailing on it again, but it does change the way I do business on a ship.

I've been on the ship twice now. Both times it was not nearly as overwhelming at the huge RCL ships. It never felt super crowded.

yes and yes....the pool and deck space is ridiculously small. I wouldn't sail the Escape if this area was important to me.

There are plenty of other areas for sunning in other areas of the ship such as Spice and the upper decks.

 

Are the pools/slides/activities a lot more crowded than smaller ships? Does it feel overwhelming when getting around?

 

!

Ditto. I hate crowds and am most impatient with lines or waiting around for anything really. My family always gives me a hard time about it. I never found the Escape (during Easter week) to be a problem last year. I loved it. The only times I noticed it was crowded was during primetime at the main pool and they were doing funny contests or the white hot party or whatever you call it up top. Neither one was for me so I avoided them like the plague. We went to the white hot party for like 5 minutes because my wife wanted to see it and she said, "the look on your face was priceless," I could just tell how badly you wanted to leave. lol

Thanks for the response! I currently have a cruise booked on the Pearl, 6/25-7/2. Travel party is myself and my (will be) 7 year old. The more I look at the Pearl, the less I think that my son will enjoy it. I know that he would love the Alaska excursions, but every time he sees a commercial of a cruise ship with slides, he asks to go.

I also considered the Breakaway..I would just rather sail out of Miami so we can combine it with a SoFla vacay.

Does this change anyone's opinion? Neither one of us are a fan of crowds and waiting in long lines

The waterslide lines were never an issue for us. The first day it was nuts because everyone was trying to ride them right away. After that, get there right away in the morning and you could ride them a good 10 times before a line started to form and even then, not bad. The kids pool was also not bad at all at any time. I even found myself swimming in it without looking creepy and having a drink with my feet dangling in the water while watching the kids. If you are hypersensitive (like me), the Escape may bother you, but I was fine with it. In fact, I loved it which is why we are going again next month.

Get an aft balcony on deck 9 or 12.. They are larger. I was in 12910 in October 2016 and I am going to

be in the same room September 30...

The waterslide lines were never an issue for us. The first day it was nuts because everyone was trying to ride them right away. After that, get there right away in the morning and you could ride them a good 10 times before a line started to form and even then, not bad. The kids pool was also not bad at all at any time. I even found myself swimming in it without looking creepy and having a drink with my feet dangling in the water while watching the kids. If you are hypersensitive (like me), the Escape may bother you, but I was fine with it. In fact, I loved it which is why we are going again next month.

Oh thank you! This makes me feel a lot better. They are such different trips, I need to make a decision. I'm leaning Western if we do the Escape. Have you been to Harvest Caye?

Get an aft balcony on deck 9 or 12.. They are larger. I was in 12910 in October 2016 and I am going to

be in the same room September 30...

Good to know! Thank you!

Oh thank you! This makes me feel a lot better. They are such different trips, I need to make a decision. I'm leaning Western if we do the Escape. Have you been to Harvest Caye?

Haven't been to Harvest Caye yet, but did both Eastern and Western on the Getaway and I loved the Western .... Little French Key in Roatan and Blue Kay in Costa Maya were gorgeous and so much fun! In Cozumel, we did an NCL excursion and snorkeled with the Rays and my 7-yr old loved it! It was his best cruise yet and we've been on the Oasis of the Seas with him too. My three boys loved the slides and the kids club, the ropes course and mini golf -- they actually didn't even swim that much.

Thanks all! I just booked it and cancelled the Pearl. I'm worried about the size so ended up just getting a mid ship balcony deck 15. Room 15242. Hopefully I chose wisely!

Get an aft balcony on deck 9 or 12.. They are larger. I was in 12910 in October 2016 and I am going to

be in the same room September 30...

Wow, that's the best news I've heard all day! I'm in the exact same room on the Escape on October 28th!

Thanks all! I just booked it and cancelled the Pearl. I'm worried about the size so ended up just getting a mid ship balcony deck 15. Room 15242. Hopefully I chose wisely!

Congrats! Enjoy your cruise. We have been on the Escape twice and are within a few days of booking her for the 3rd time going to the Western Carib. There will be a lot of kids in the Splash Academy for your 7 year old. Great ship!

Congrats! Enjoy your cruise. We have been on the Escape twice and are within a few days of booking her for the 3rd time going to the Western Carib. There will be a lot of kids in the Splash Academy for your 7 year old. Great ship!

Thanks! We're going 6/24-7/1. I've never done a Caribbean cruise in the summer before.. I picked that week specifically for Alaska. Oh well lol

I'm looking forward to it!

Wow, that's the best news I've heard all day! I'm in the exact same room on the Escape on October 28th!

The balcony will have 2 chairs, 2 loungers, and a small table.. We actually have 12908 next door also. Our room steward offered to open the partition between last time ...

The balcony will have 2 chairs, 2 loungers, and a small table.. We actually have 12908 next door also. Our room steward offered to open the partition between last time ...

That sounds like the aft balcony we had on the Getaway, room 10914. Why are the aft balconies larger on the Escape's 9th and 12th decks? Wouldn't they be the same size on decks 10 and 11?

The balcony will have 2 chairs, 2 loungers, and a small table.. We actually have 12908 next door also. Our room steward offered to open the partition between last time ...

that is good to know we are in 12910 and 12912(accessible) now we have an idea as to the size of the balcony it will make for nice evening seating to relax.

Best Balcony Cabins on the ship are the deck 8, in the middle of all the action, the Secret Mini Suites with EXTRA HUUUUUUGE Large Balconies. Here is the video:

When the pools are crowded, the kids are in the Kids Clubs, Mommie and Daddy have a restful respite as they lay on two chaise lounges, room service luncheon on an outdoor dining table, and the best part, there are three bars just a few steps down the hall, all this in the secret world of the 8th floor Mini Suite Secret Cabins.

Our third time on The Escape in 9 months will be this March 25th, and the completion of The Trilogy of The JW and Jerome's Adventures on The Norwegian Escape and we are again, in the Secret Cabins with the HUUUUUUUGGGE Balconies.

That sounds like the aft balcony we had on the Getaway, room 10914. Why are the aft balconies larger on the Escape's 9th and 12th decks? Wouldn't they be the same size on decks 10 and 11?

Not sure why they are different, they just are...deck 13 is the smallest. Check out the reviews on the Escape aft facing balconies on cruise critic .... in my opinion, aft is the best... the large balconies on deck 8 can be seen by cabins above...

The balcony will have 2 chairs, 2 loungers, and a small table.. We actually have 12908 next door also. Our room steward offered to open the partition between last time ...

This is excellent news, as my husband and I will be in 12908 while my sister and her husband will be in 12910. We were unsure if they could open the partition, so I'm glad to hear they can.

Wow!

The ship is the worst designed ship in NCL's fleet!

They will charge you for bottled water not included in the beverage package. You can't bring water on the ship. I did anyway in a small suitcase. NCL is very top down management. They haven't changed in years. We were on the epic out of Barcelona last summer. The crew is mainly Philepino they seem to have a monopoly on things on the ship. The food was so so. NCL is the only ship line that is crapy with the buffet food and regular restaurants that's because they want you to book the specialty restaurants . Oh the bathrooms in the rooms lol. There is a door to your toilet but the shower and sink are exposed in your room....YES I SAID THE SHOWER IS EXPOSED IN YOU CABIN! The only thing keeping your shower private is a pull a cross curtain by the entry door. If someone opens the entry door while you are stepping out of the glass door semi circle shower your exposed in all you glory. This ship is not designed well. NCL will admit to that.

Some of the service employees were rude. At least five of them. The room was not totally clean. There was a hair under the fitted sheet you could actually see through the sheet. The trash can had not been wiped out. The deck on the balcony had what seemed like dirty grime on it and there was more hair.

You can request your gratuities be refunded to you asI did.

You have to go to the front desk. They will give you a form and tell you you have fax it in after the cruise. Don't worry they will refund your credit card. If they give you the run around demand the refund form.

Bonvoyage

As my very wise boss once said, not every message or post is worth responding to. But I did find it amusing at least.

You can pay a little extra at the front desk and get entry to the beach club which is for adults only. It has its own bar and staff.

YOU HAVE TO PURCHASE THIS OPTION AS SOON AS U GET ON THE SHIP BECAUSE SPACE IS LIMITED.

Bonvoyage :cool:

Hey lake w it's the truth!:cool: