RCI Freedom of the Seas or NCL Escape?

Hi! We are planning a Feb cruise (Eastern Caribbean) and trying to decide between two options:

Escape

7 day out of Miami

Nassau

St. Thomas

Tortola

$600 less, plus we have a $500 credit, so $1100 less

includes alcohol and specialty dining

balcony cabins

Freedom of the seas

8 day out of Fort Lauderdale

Labadee

San Jaun

St. Marten

St. Kitts

does not include alcohol

balcony cabins

We have four adults and three kids (12,10,7). We went on the getaway last year and loved it. The kids loved playing soccer and doing the rope course, rock climbing, swimming/waterslides, the funny shows, and exploring the ship/eating.

Any advice or insight on what the major differences are?

Cross-posted on NCL forum...

Hi! We are planning a Feb cruise (Eastern Caribbean) and trying to decide between two options:

 

 

 

Escape

 

7 day out of Miami

 

Nassau

 

St. Thomas

 

Tortola

 

$600 less, plus we have a $500 credit, so $1100 less

 

includes alcohol and specialty dining

 

balcony cabins

 

 

 

Freedom of the seas

 

8 day out of Fort Lauderdale

 

Labadee

 

San Jaun

 

St. Marten

 

St. Kitts

 

does not include alcohol

 

balcony cabins

 

 

 

We have four adults and three kids (12,10,7). We went on the getaway last year and loved it. The kids loved playing soccer and doing the rope course, rock climbing, swimming/waterslides, the funny shows, and exploring the ship/eating.

 

 

 

Any advice or insight on what the major differences are?

 

 

 

Cross-posted on NCL forum...

If the Freedom option you are comparing leaves on the 17th of Feb, then we will be on that one as well!

We had a similar decision to make, but we were comparing this Freedom 8-night to a 7-night Oasis that does almost the same itinerary as your NCL option (exception being St. Maarten vs. Tortola).

In the end we went with Freedom for these reasons:

- extra 8th night

- ports (hate Nassau so to me only 2 "real" ports)

- ports that aren't part of the "typical" east/west Carib. ports (San Juan & St. Kitts)

Good luck deciding. My vote would be Freedom, but I'm biased since we have sailed her 2x and will be sailing her again in a couple weeks and February... :-)

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I would chose the Escape if you are choosing for the ship and activities. My family has been on both and I can tell you my kids hands down tell you NCL Escape and Getaway are their favorite ships. However, if you are choosing for ports I would chose RCCL. We have been on both and either way you can't go wrong you are on vacation on a cruise ship. Have fun!

Escape is almost identical to Getaway - Escape's rope course is slightly larger and the pool deck is better than Getaway. Also a few small differences in restaurants - Bayamo/Pinchos instead of Raw Bar/Noodle Bar and Escape has Food Republic. I'd give the edge to Escape for food (esp w/ dining pkg) and night life.

Freedom has a much better lido deck but no water slides. I'd give the edge on entertainment, pool deck, and ship layout to Freedom. 8 nights is a plus, but given how much cheaper Escape is PLUS drink/dining package, I personally would lean Escape. We've sailed both and you can't really go wrong with either.

An earlier thread that may be helpful:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2312578

I haven't been on Freedom but I've been on Liberty which is pretty much the same ship. I went on Escape last thanksgiving week. My kids are younger (oldest 7, youngest 3) but have been on both and my 7 yr old LOVED the Escape slides, definitely something they will miss if we choose RCI for our next family cruise. But I wouldn't choose just based on that. Since you have been on Getaway which is somewhat similar and haven't been on RCI yet (based on signature, let me know if I'm wrong!) I'd say go with Freedom. I'm all about trying different lines/ships. But you can't go wrong with either. :)

Check out my escape review link below too if you are leaning towards that.

I'm not a huge fan of the freedom class ships. To me they just seem like an overcrowded version of the voyager class. If price isn't playing into it, I would go on Escape.

I would say Freedom has the edge due to two big factors for me. I haven't been on Freedom, but Liberty was one of my favorite ships so far (pre monstrous slides).

I did not like the ship layout on Escape. The pool and outdoor areas were so claustropohic . Just a really bad design compared to other ships I've been on. While Freedom won't have all of the 'stuff' to do outside, it's a much more comfortable layout.

As far as ports as concerned, Nassau is Nassau. There still isn't a lot to do in Tortola either. Very pretty scenery though. We did The Baths tour that is extremely popular and were left a little underwhelmed based on the reviews it gets.

I would love to do that 8 day itinerary myself but it is expensive, especially with no drinks or dining included. We already booked on Celebrity for considerably less than RCL; with way more perks. To get a comparable deal we were looking at nearly $1500 more with the loss of $400OBC on top of that.

Escape is almost identical to Getaway - Escape's rope course is slightly larger and the pool deck is better than Getaway. Also a few small differences in restaurants - Bayamo/Pinchos instead of Raw Bar/Noodle Bar and Escape has Food Republic. I'd give the edge to Escape for food (esp w/ dining pkg) and night life.

 

Freedom has a much better lido deck but no water slides. I'd give the edge on entertainment, pool deck, and ship layout to Freedom. 8 nights is a plus, but given how much cheaper Escape is PLUS drink/dining package, I personally would lean Escape. We've sailed both and you can't really go wrong with either.

I agree 100% with Mike. Plus if you're a craft beer drinker, don't forget the brewery on the Escape. That place was awesome. However, Freedom IMO is still a nicer ship with a much better layout. The Escape is very chopped up with a terrible pool area because the slides and ropes coarse take up so much space, but both are over all great ships. You can't go wrong.

Did both ships fairly recently (Freedom a year ago, Escape this spring).

With what you laid out I would do Escape without a question.

Freedom has a better pool deck and I would give it the entertainment nod as well but Escape definitely has the activities down.

Extra night for Freedom along with better port options but the pricing isn't even close if you are coming out cheaper on Escape and have alcohol and dining packages.

We have never done NCL and we LOVE the Freedom but that price difference is substantial. If you already know you will be happy with NCL that pricing would make the decision for me. Sounds like a great deal with NCL.

We are booked on the Freedom for 2018 for the 6 & 8 day. Comparing ports I prefer the Itinerary for the Freedom. I can't speak for the NCL as we have never cruised with them.

We have done freedom 2x and Escape 1x and Getaway 1x. We think of NCL as a la carte you always have a lower price but you need to add the specialty dinning in because the MDR is just not great and I am far from being a foodie.

IMO the free dinning is much better on Freedom the pay dinning options are amazing on Escape. Food republic is soooo good.

Ship amenities: your kids and the adults will love Escapes water slides and ropes course it is wonderful so much fun. Gets hot up there have water waiting for when you come down.

Here is the rub, Escape was the most crowded ship we have ever been on. We where in The Haven and it was amazing but when we left the Haven the ship had so many people everywhere. My DH and kids could not find a space to just lay down their towels when they wanted to ride the slides. That was annoying. I tried to not leave the Haven for anything other than islands and entertainment.

The kids could not have carried how busy/crowded the ship was they always had something to do someplace to go ect. Teen club was great. They where younger on Freedom so its kind of apples and Oranges.

Entertainment: I would give a nod to Freedom on that, Escapes was good but Freedoms was great. Loved all the live comedy and Howl at the moon on Escape.

If your looking for night life I think Escape will win on that one. Defiantly a party ship not in a bad way but lots of people enjoying themselves.

Maybe that's all as clear as mud but it sort of depends on what matters to you.

I sailed IOS and Getaway - both sister ships of the cruises you are considering. My wife and I found the service, food and ship amenities comparable between both ships. Both have their pluses and minuses. The big negative of Escape\Getaway\Breakaway for us was the pool area is very small for the amount of people. However the trade off is that the ship has a rope course and slides - there is actually more "outside" activities to do for kids on NCL breakaway class then Freedom class. And while I agree the layout is better on RCL's freedom class it would not be enough to sway me from choosing Escape for less money with beverage and Specialty dining included.

You cannot go wrong with either ship - we loved both IOS and Getaway but if I was in your shoes I would choose the Escape as its a better value IMHO.

Thanks to everyone who responded - that was very helpful!

It was a tough decision, but we went with the Escape. It was the beverage package and the ropes course (their favorite part about the Getaway) that swayed us in the end - my in laws are joining us and they won't buy the beverage package if it's not included, but then they will complain about the price of drinks all week. With it included, I maintain my sanity :-)

Thanks to everyone who responded - that was very helpful!

 

It was a tough decision, but we went with the Escape. It was the beverage package and the ropes course (their favorite part about the Getaway) that swayed us in the end - my in laws are joining us and they won't buy the beverage package if it's not included, but then they will complain about the price of drinks all week. With it included, I maintain my sanity :-)

Great decision IMHO. Pinnacle on RCI but we like Escape much better than Freedom (as senior citizens) even without the UBP. The drinks are $11.50 each but you will still pay less than the Package unless you drink more than 6 per day/night each. Did three B2Bs on Escape recently and spent a lot of time with the "Chocolate Cowboy" at "5 O'clock Somewhere" and Bong at "Sugar Cane". Never came close to paying the amount that we would have if we had booked a cabin at the price to get the (so called) free UBP or if we had bought the UBP for $79 per person per day.

We think the food in the MDR is much better than with any Royal ship. And don't miss out on the Prime Rib and Baby Back Spare Ribs in O'Sheehan's

We really liked Sugar Cane on the Getaway - can't wait to go back on the Escape!

We like both NCL and RCI. $1,100 plus drink package gives Escape a big advantage. The extra day and itinerary play into the Freedom's favor.

Happy cruising, whichever you choose!

Get a raspberry mojito from sugarcane.....loved it

Try food republic it costs extra but its so worth it. The First night it was empty but by the end of the week its crazy packed. Also open for lunch most days not embarkation or St Thomas but other days.

Dollars and cents seems to make the NCL cruise worth it.

For what its worth, I've heard St. Kitts is absolutely incredible.

I am on Escape right bow after Freedom and several royal cruises. Go with escape. I will be writing a lengthy comparison review and the "loyal to royal" crowd is not going to like it.

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I am on Escape right bow after Freedom and several royal cruises. Go with escape. I will be writing a lengthy comparison review and the "loyal to royal" crowd is not going to like it.

 

 

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Please post a link to your review to this thread. I would be interested to read it...

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Please post a link to your review to this thread. I would be interested to read it...

 

 

 

 

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Link to Comparison review:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=51383942&posted=1#post51383942