big al
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Posts posted by big al
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Hi guys & gals...I am considering a cruise on either the Beyond or Ascent..as a self admitted beer snob, I was wondering if anybody knew what DRAFT beers were on these ships? I suspect the Craft Social Bar has the best selection? I don't expect 28 draft beers like I just had on the NCL Escape in the District Brew House ( just got off yesterday..), but 4-5 would be fine ( please no Heineken or Bud Light!!..)...thanks!!
Big Al
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Hi all- we are going on the Escape this Saturday, the 9th...we have a club balcony..2 questions here: ..1) Do you need an expired card/ old store card for the A/C to work? Or does the cabin steward provide one?..and 2) Is there shampoo & conditioner in the showers. or maybe just one of these? Thanks!!
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On 11/30/2023 at 9:27 AM, D_And_K_gocruising said:
We board Saturday!! Started heading south from Ohio this am…
Us too!!!
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On 11/29/2023 at 8:16 AM, CAKEisgood said:
Dinner last night was at Le Bistro last night. It was amazing. We have dined at Le Bistro on all of our Norwegian sailings and this was by far the best. The Chef came out often to check on guests to make sure they were enjoying the food. The Som was very attentive and recommended a nice Rose from Sixth Sense winery to pair with the coq au vin. The coq au vin was fabulous. I also had the onion soup and endive salad paired with the 66 Prosecco. Delicious.
Dessert was a custard with meringue and raspberry on top. Sooooo goood.On the Joy we dined outside over looking the sunset & sea in Le Bistro..always a fav....it was marvelous! I had the escargots ( always have that at Le Bistro!! ), Dover Sole was fantastic...I knew it is not on the Waterfront on the Escape, but that's alright!!
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On 11/27/2023 at 12:35 PM, CAKEisgood said:
Hello. The Freestyle Daily is placed on top of our cabin number each evening. It arrives around 7 pm. It is also located at guest services.
Also at Guest Services is a spot to make restaurant reservations and to review the menus from all the different restaurants. We did not have dinner reservations at La Cucina last night, but I walked up to the hostess around 7pm and asked for an 8pm seating with no problem. MDRs don’t require reservations. Cagney’s and Le Bistro might be more difficult to get a reservation same day.
Great review & thanks for posting all this..we leave next Sat, 12/9..first time on Escape..been on the Encore, Joy & Getaway lately..so glad you posted the info about dinner reservations because I made all mine in August, but somehow, they never registered, so an NCL rep told me "no problem" that only about 30% of dining on line can be reserved, so I can go to Guest Services as soon as we get on board ( 4 of us..) & book what we want..I hope it works!
Big Al
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Hi all..my DW & I are planning to cruise the Disney Wish next April ( late to avoid Spring Breakers, lol..) or early May on a 4 nighter..a few questions here..1) I have seen several videos of the dining venues and didn't see any tables for 2..my wife & I prefer dining alone at table for 2..are there any on the Wish? Yes, I know tables for 2 are NOT guaranteed, just requested ( we have been on 45 total cruises, this would be our 3rd on Disney..)....2) What times available for dining? Is it still 5:45 & 8 pm?....3) What times are the main theater shows? I would guess maybe 7 & 9 pm? ....3) I remember purchasing a large beer glass that must be 24 ounces or more ( maybe 20 oz..) and they said if you buy the glass, you could have it filled for the same price as a 12 or 16 oz glass and carry it with you around the ship..good deal, though I thought carrying this huge beer glass was a little inconvenient ...
4) I have read some people say that Castaway Cay is becoming "run down" and needs some refurbishment..we went to the adult Serenity Beach always..opinions? Thanks for your input..
Big Al
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19 minutes ago, tomk3212 said:
We, literally, just got off Escape this past Sunday after a 7 day cruise to Bermuda. DW & I were in the Uber on the way home & BOTH of us remarked on how well we slept this particular cruise & how comfortable the king-sized bed in our balcony cabin (14296) was! Weird that I should see your post today re: beds on Escape!
Bottom line: our bed on Escape was quite comfortable!!
Great to hear...I ordered a topper just in case a few moments ago..if the bed is OK, I'll just tell the cabin steward to remove it..hope all went well! 😄
Big Al
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Hi guys & gals- my wife & I are going on the NCL Escape in about a month...I had TERRIBLE problems sleeping on the NCL Joy this past April on a 12 night cruise..the cruise was great, but the bed was waaayyyy too hard for me..by the time I asked for a topper for the mattress, they were all gone..I literally got only 1-2 hours of sleep for 12 nights...so, can anybody share their experiences on the Escape now or recently? Thanks...
Also, there is a dinner show in the Supper Club on deck 6 near the Escape Theater..if you've seen the show & eaten there, please give your thoughts on it..I hear you can also just see the show w/ no dinner if you want..thanks!!
Big Al
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I have not been on the Escape, but recently have cruised on the NCL Joy, Encore, & Getaway..all were terrific..that being said, I am also almost Diamond Plus ( 19 cruises) on RCI..I love the Oasis class ships but RCI gives you NO PERKS of any kind included...beverage packages ( NCL has Free at Sea..) average $80-90 PP per day ( $1120-$1260 for 2 people for 7 night cruise!!), NO specialty dining ( NCL gives you 2 ) ,and NO WIFI..plus RCI has NO outdoor dining ( we LOVE the Waterfront on deck 8..), their beers are maybe the worst on the 7 seas ( District Brew House is fantastic if you love beer like me), and the Beatles's show is super too..( RCI to be fair has fantastic entertainment, but no Beatles show..)...
We love both. but RCI has really gotten $$$ and with no perks ( everything must be bought..), we have been going on NCL lately & very happy with them..still need a few quirks fixed, but just dining outside over looking the sea eating Surf & Turf is pretty cool...
Big Al
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We had a Club Balcony on the Encore last Jan '22..it was super! We loved the double vanities ( how nice it was to be able to have BOTH of us brush our hair, or teeth at the same time..) , but the best thing was the shower...OMG, you could've put Hulk Hogan in there! It was the best shower in 45 cruises we've taken...but it again the NCL Joy, which we cruised April '23 for 12 nights..again , super! We have also booked the Escape in Dec and of course, booked a Club Balcony!
Big Al
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3 hours ago, Fleur25 said:
I think I've seen folks posting pictures of new menus with some verbiage about extra charges for lobster tails. 😢
We're on your sailing March 17th! Nice to see fellow traveler on the boards!
For sure I will get at least some lobster in the Crown Grill and Rudi's, both we expect to dine in with our 2 included specialty dining dinners...nice to see you too for our 3/17 cruise!!
Big Al
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Hi all- DW & I are going on a 10 night Enchanted Princess cruise 3/17-3/27/24..a few questions if anybody has done a recent 10 night cruise on her: 1) Are they still doing a lobster tail night, and are they charging more if you want an extra lobster tail?..2) In the past, I found it was usually the 2nd to last night of the cruise..we are in Grand Turk from 1:30 to 7 pm on Mon ( 2nd to last night..last night is at sea..)..this leads me to believe that the "Captain's Dinner " (often called) might be Sunday, 3/23/24 when we are in St. Thomas form 8a- 4 pm..makes more sense to me because of the departure time..what do you think or if anybody has done a similar 10 nighter, please advise...Thanks!
Big Al
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7 minutes ago, omahabob said:
Ka'anapali was mostly unaffected by the fire, except for the southern portions. Most of West Maui, including parts of Lahaina will be open to tourism on Oct 8th, as per a proclamation from the governor. They're actually encouraging tourists to return after that date to lessen the economic impact.
Great news! A bit soon after what I saw on TV, but good for Lahaina!!
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I just looked and the Carnival Sunrise leaves @ 2:30 pm, while we GET in at 1:30 pm..so maybe if "all aboard" is 2 pm ( like normal..), we will miss the craziness...so maybe it will be fine! 😄 😎
Big Al
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So my wife & I will be going on the Enchanted Princess in March '24..we will be stopping in Grand Turk from 1:30 pm to 7 pm..there is a Carnival ship also in port that day..so I guess Princess docks at the Carnival port, right? My wife & I are NOT into a party scene with loud music ( like CoCo Cay )..we prefer a nice beach , pool ( if available), some dining venues close by & bars & restrooms of course...I hear a lot about Jack's Shack or Margaritaville..any thoughts or opinions? BTW, we are seniors around 70 ( don't tell anyone, lol 😆..)..if you think the CCL port is OK, that's cool too..thanks!
Big Al
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On 9/18/2023 at 6:16 PM, Silver Sweethearts said:
Just curious why you are interested in how far the "Maui port" is from Lahaina?
Just for reference..we only know Lahaina, so I was wondering how far it was from the port as far as driving..
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So my DW & I are thinking of doing the Pride Of America Hawaii cruise for our anniversary May 2025..I know it's a long way off & things can change, but I read somewhere on here that NCL is no longer cruising up & down the Napali coast..this for us was a big attraction..I don't do helicopters, so a cruise up & down the Napali coast was what we were thinking...any recent cruisers give some thoughts/ answers on this?
Also for Maui, were were thinking of going to Lahaina ( we were there about 20 yrs ago & loved it..), but obviously that's out now, and maybe for the next several years..how far is the Maui port from Lahaina? Thanks..
Big Al
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Hi all- my wife wants to try the Disney Wish for her b'day next Oct. '24...question: we are seasoned cruisers ( 46 cruises after Dec..), and we always get a table for 2..I thought I read somewhere that you can request this, but there's no guarantee you get it..true? Also, Does Palo still have their famous brunch? We had it on the Dream and till this day, it was the best breakfast we've ever had on a cruise...
Not a dining question, but how's the adult pool area? Looks like one is at the back of the ship...thanks!!
Big Al
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2 hours ago, CDR Benson said:
Amen.
This is exactly the problem I have with the show. The business about how difficult the port is to negotiate or issues with the engineering or problems in taking on stores and/or fuel---that amounts to a busman's holiday for me.
Just as big al said, I want to see what the ship offers. Its restaurants, bars, entertainment venues. A look at some of its levels of staterooms. In other words, what I might enjoy were I to sail on her.
The Good Mrs. Benson and I recently watched the episode about Norwegian Joy, because we sailed on her last year. We saw few familiar places on board her because the chapterplay was so caught up with docking problems, engineering difficulties, supply issues, and pier runners. we saw very little of the things which had made the ship so inviting to us.
We were on the Joy in April for 12 nights..it was great, but you never would know that from seeing the show on the Joy...
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6 hours ago, opa&oma said:
The most attractive perk would be prebooking all the entertainment. Is it possible for all the venues?
As of today, the price difference is only $130pp is that the usual difference?
It is often only like $100-200 more...to me for a bigger shower & 2 vanities instead of one, that's a bargain...if it was $750-1000, that's different..
Big Al
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I find Mighty Cruise Ships very boring & disappointing each time...how many times do we have to see the Captain docking the ship and saying how tricky it is? How many times do we have to see there are people or one couple that are late for boarding and you see the staff talking to each other discussing how long they are going to wait before they leave port? How many times does the ship have engine trouble & we see the engineers discussing what to do? Once I have seen this a few times, I don't need to see 15 minutes of the ship docking at the port..
Instead I wish this show would be a REVIEW of the ship- notice how they don't show all the dining venues, any bars & lounges, nor all the different public spaces?
That's what I would like to see..after 25 or 30 episodes of the same stories ( ship docking, problems with the engines, weather concerns, passengers missing, etc..), wouldn't you like to see THE SHIP, and not all the problems they experience? A friend of mine who has never cruised, watched 3 episodes and said he would now NEVER go on a cruise after watching all the ship's issues..can't blame him..I much prefer watching YouTube videos and see a review of all of the "Mighty Cruise Ship" instead of what they really should call the show - "Mighty Problems on Cruise Ships"...sorry, but this show disappoints me...
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We thought the Club Balcony on the Encore last year and the Joy this past April were worth it by far..the 2 vanities is nice to have- first time ever my wife & I could brush our teeth & fix our hair at the same time, but the shower is the big thing here..you could've put ANDRE THE GIANT in the there!! OMG, it was so spacious and there were several jets that come out and spray you all over ..best shower we've ever had on our 45 cruises..I HATE tight showers..we are booked again in a CB on the Escape in December..go for it!
Big Al
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So my wife & I are planning a Mexican Riviera cruise next year and one of the ports is Ensenada..we are veteran cruisers ( 46 so far), and this is our first time doing the Mexican cruise..we do NOT like going into town and seeing the venders, listening to all the locals asking to see their store, etc..we have had enough of that in Cozumel, Nassau, Jamaica, etc., you probably know the drill..I am looking for a beach club in Ensenada or a tour that includes a beach or beach club...please post if you know any..thanks!
Big Al
The Great Escape - a critical review
in Norwegian Cruise Line
Posted
What a great review of the excursions on the Escape & the food wilmingtech !!!! I was glad to help out regarding the yummy Monte Cristo sandwich in Taste, lol..and YES, I agree the best was at Bennigan's, where I ate it there for 20 years before they folded...BTW, Cheddars has a pretty good one if you have one near you...
Some thoughts & observations: I don't know if anybody else experienced this, but I thought the noises in the cabin were waaayyy too loud..our cabin ( deck 10 near the elevators ) made so many creaky sounds due to the high winds & waves that myself & my SIL had trouble sleeping...my wife can sleep thru a Cat 5 storm ( I hate her for this!! 😉 )
but I am a difficult sleeper...I thought Choir Of Man was sensational, on par with Hairspray & We Will Rock You ( both on RCI), and I thought the 4 guys from the UK Legends group were also very good..didn't think too much of the French magician, although his tricks were pretty good, his comedy not so much..
I thought the crew & staff were very friendly , and I thought Jack, the CD from England was good ( DW thought he was very good looking..)....our 4 dinners in specialty dining were all fabulous except Moderno, which was good, but probably won't eat there again..Bayamo, Cagney's & Le Bistro were all super..MDR food was pretty mediocre, like 95% of all MDR food I've had on my 46 cruises..IMO, Celebrity & Disney had the best MDR food so far..
The District Brew House had great beers and I loved the Abita Amber Ale on draft..and while we are talking about the DBH, I want to thank Crystal & hubby for putting the M & G together..I thought it was terrific and I enjoyed meeting so many of you...
I really missed the Observation Lounge on the Encore & the Joy ( April '23..) that The Escape doesn't have.....we visited that venue almost daily for killer views, relaxing & sipping a coffee.. and I missed the Beatles's shows on both..the bread for dinner was pretty bad we thought and much better on the Joy & Encore...we also thought the ship rocking was a bit much..waves were not that high..maybe 10-15 ft..I had read on other reviews that some thought the Escape had some stabilization issues...did your cabin shake & vibrate 4-5 x during the cruise? Wow, I never felt that on any ship in my 46 cruises...
Those are some of my thoughts & impressions of the Escape & the cruise itself...we may try the NCL Aqua when she comes out in 2025..we are doing the new Celebrity Ascent in Nov. '24 next..everybody have a safe & Happy Holidays time!!
Big Al