kmcdonald

This is my 2 cents!

NCL - better in price IF you want the drink package and specialty dining

NCL - better in that it is free style dining.  My husband only had to wear long pants one night in the Ocean Blue

NCL - on the AWAY class ships, the Waterfront was so awesome!  Loved it, nothing like that on Carnival ships.

NCL - entertainment in the main theater was very good.

NCL - drink package was unlimited (down side they don't include bottled water)

NCL - O'Sheehan's, an Irish Pub that is open 24/7 with food available all hours (not just pizza like Carnival).  And good food like wings, nachos, burgers, Reuben, fish & chips, Shepard pie etc.

NCL - We love the Hibachi restaurant, although I think Carnival is adding them to the newer ships

NCL - Really liked that you didn't have to sign a receipt for each drink you got, they just swiped your card

Carnival - main dining room food was better

Carnival - deserts were much, much better

Carnival - comedy shows were much superior than NCL

Carnival - balconies were larger

Carnival - drink package included spiked milk shakes, bottled water, Gatorade, specialty coffee etc.

Carnival - inside cabins are much larger than NCL

Carnival - Love, love the Havana Cabana cabins on the Vista and Horizon (never tried Haven on NCL but Haven is much more expensive

21 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

I am sailing on the Escape in 83 days. I am also unable to book any entertainment and when I try to book any specialty restaurants at any time for any day, it only lets me choose a party size of one. I sincerely doubt all of the online booking inventory has filled up on this sailing since at least 50% of the staterooms are still unsold. So I don't know what is going on.

So,  it's not just me!  I tried to book by dining as well and it will only  let me book for one person.  I wasn't really worried about that since I know I can go straight to the specialty dining when I board and make my reservations, as they save 60% for booking on-board.   But the first time we sailed the Breakaway, we didn't know we had to book main theater shows in advanced and they were all booked when we tried on-board.  

I'm on My Vacation Summary online and can't seem to be able to make reservations for any entertainment.  When I was on the Breakaway for the last three years, it let me go on and reserve my Rock of Ages, Burn the Floor etc.  When looking at entertainment options on the Escape, the After Midnight and For The Record: The Brat Pack, Levity  Entertainment Group  it says "Reservations are not offered".  On the Breakaway, only the Headliners Comedy Club had you reserve once on board.  Has the system changed?  or is this just the way Escape does it?

Escape the Big Top and The Choir of Man says "Please book on board".   The only entertainment it will allow me to book in advance is Wine Lovers The Musical, which I am not interested in.

Did NCL change the reservation system for shows fleet wide?