NCL Escape

[time2cruise1]

 

The idea that ships with "overhanging lifeboats" can't transit the canal is fallacy. If there are any obstructions that block the view from the bridge, assuming they clear the sides and other nearby structures of the locks, they can pass through. I believe this has been done for other cruise ships in the past.

 

The issue is not the overhanging lifeboats with the current locks. Dawn/Jewel clas ships have maybe 2 feet of clearance on each side with 106 ft beam. The Breakaway's beam is 130 ft. It would not fit even without lifeboats.

Edited December 9, 2013 by time2cruise1

[barnacle_boy]

If you read my other post earlier in the thread, I discussed the issue of Panama Canal transits. By 2015 the new locks will be operational and they are more than large enough to accommodate all the ships in NCL's fleet. The real concern will be clearance under the Bridge of the Americas. Off the top of my head (I'll refer to my notes when I get home) I think Breakaway has an air draft low enough to fit, but Escape, with its extra decks, may not.

[barnacle_boy]

Dug up my notes and Breakaway has an air draft of 179ft, sufficient to pass under the bridge. It seems unlikely that Escape, with her two extra decks in height, will be able to fit without some serious adaptation. No Panama Canal for her.

[CruisinMaterial]

I don't think NCL's investment in a private area in the Western Caribbean is for any other purpose but to welcome one of their new builds. If Epic goes to Europe then the lure would be to have the new private island up and running for Escape's arrival and use that as a selling point to bolster the Western Caribbean itineraries. When I look at it more and more I'm almost willing to bet that's what NCL is up to. Escape will sail the Western Caribbean or Getaway will be flipped to Western and Escape will take the Eastern.

 

I think Epic's days in the US are numbered. :(

[shelly11]

I wish one of these new ships would go somewhere new.....like South America. I want to go there one day and would love to be able to stick with NCL to do so.

[CruisinMaterial]

I wish one of these new ships would go somewhere new.....like South America. I want to go there one day and would love to be able to stick with NCL to do so.

 

For NCL to break back into a market or explore a new one sending a large ship there would make it very hard for them to fill. I agree it would be nice to see a new one go somewhere exotic but I think it's going to be the smaller, older ones breaking into a new market. If anything the UK market might get a flashy new NCL ship but South America, Asia and Australia will likely never see one. :(

 

I agree NCL does need to do something with their cruise itinerary portfolio to keep their loyal customers around.

[jmele999]

I don't think NCL's investment in a private area in the Western Caribbean is for any other purpose but to welcome one of their new builds. If Epic goes to Europe then the lure would be to have the new private island up and running for Escape's arrival and use that as a selling point to bolster the Western Caribbean itineraries. When I look at it more and more I'm almost willing to bet that's what NCL is up to. Escape will sail the Western Caribbean or Getaway will be flipped to Western and Escape will take the Eastern.

 

I think Epic's days in the US are numbered. :(

 

I was thinking the same thing when NCL announced that they were going to have another private island off the coast of Belize. However, how many times can somebody go to the western Caribbean (belize, Cozumel, Costa Maya). I can understand that financially it makes sense. However, I think that some of us are getting tired of the same itineraries.

 

I think that over time NCL will have two tiers of Ships: Mega ships doing the western Caribbean and other smaller ship doing more interesting itineraries. The mega ships will be used to generate revenue as people will cruise for the ship and not the ports. The smaller ships will be doing longer cruises to exotic locations. However, this represents a problem to those who cannot take more than one week vacation at a time.

 

NCL - have you thought about having more 8 -9 day cruises? They can easily depart on a Saturday and return on the following Sunday. From Monday to Friday, the ship can be used for 5 days cruises. As a suggestion, what about the following itinerary:

 

Saturday - Miami

Sunday - at sea

Monday - at sea

Tuesday - Tortola

Wednesday - St. Johns

Thursday - at sea

Friday - Grand Cayman

Saturday - at sea

Sunday - Miami

 

You can easily change the schedule by visiting different islands (St. Kitts, St. thomas, Tortola, St. Johns, St. Marteen, Barbaros).

Edited December 12, 2013 by jmele999

[CruisinMaterial]

If I'm going to the Caribbean I prefer to go to the Western versus the Eastern Caribbean. The Eastern is very commercialized whereas the Western you can go to a beach close by and not have it be spoiled by too much craziness. Belize is the least enjoyable port for me in the Western Caribbean because of it's tendering process and the port itself doesn't look too good.

 

I think the older ships are destined to globe trot when NCL can find a deployment which works for them and is cost - effective. Of course now that the line has investors, it is even harder for them to venture into something new without being held accountable for their actions if it doesn't work out. It could be why they're staying with what they know so much but it could become a detriment soon. Celebrity and RCCL are branching out into several markets I would love to go to.

[insidecabin]

Europe in the winter is a nightmare for cruise lines to make money.

 

a destination ship might work if they beef up the offerings inside, avoid Spanish tax and get better weather.

 

the Jade and Spirit are struggling to get decent prices.

 

one uk cruise line has 3 ships doing the eclipse in 2015 sold out 2 in days thats how to make money find a new draw.

[GORDONCHICK]

If I'm going to the Caribbean I prefer to go to the Western versus the Eastern Caribbean. The Eastern is very commercialized whereas the Western you can go to a beach close by and not have it be spoiled by too much craziness. Belize is the least enjoyable port for me in the Western Caribbean because of it's tendering process and the port itself doesn't look too good.

 

Belize is one of our favorite ports - will be there on Christmas day, and this will be our 4th time there. Many people love Belize the way it is - before NCL adds the private development there.

[shelly11]

For NCL to break back into a market or explore a new one sending a large ship there would make it very hard for them to fill. I agree it would be nice to see a new one go somewhere exotic but I think it's going to be the smaller, older ones breaking into a new market. If anything the UK market might get a flashy new NCL ship but South America, Asia and Australia will likely never see one. :(

 

I agree NCL does need to do something with their cruise itinerary portfolio to keep their loyal customers around.

 

 

I'll take a smaller ship in a new place too!

[david_sobe]

Does anyone have information how the Breakaway Plus ships will be different? All I have read is that they will be 10% larger than the Breakaway class. If this just means more cabins, I wont be that impressed.

I would like to see an entirely new design which I am afraid wont happen.

[GORDONCHICK]

Does anyone have information how the Breakaway Plus ships will be different? All I have read is that they will be 10% larger than the Breakaway class. If this just means more cabins, I wont be that impressed.

I would like to see an entirely new design which I am afraid wont happen.

If it were going to be a completely new design, the class wouldn't be called Breakaway Plus - it would have it's own name. Basically, it will be Breakaway/Getaway with some modifications.

[CruisinMaterial]

Belize is one of our favorite ports - will be there on Christmas day, and this will be our 4th time there. Many people love Belize the way it is - before NCL adds the private development there.

 

Going into the jungle in Belize and the cave tubing are wonderful excursions but I'm talking about Belize City and the current port tendering area. It could use a huge sprucing up. The current port area was more run down on this latest trip (October of this year) then I'd ever seen it in my previous three visits.

 

Once you get outside the Belize City, the rest of the country is very beautiful. Going to Lamanai is almost like being Indiana Jones, especially after it rains! :)

[CruisinMaterial]

Does anyone have information how the Breakaway Plus ships will be different? All I have read is that they will be 10% larger than the Breakaway class. If this just means more cabins, I wont be that impressed.

I would like to see an entirely new design which I am afraid wont happen.

 

Breakaway largely copied the Norwegian Epic and modified some areas to make it more sea viewable. The Breakaway Plus will mirror the Breakaway with some additional capacity for some venues but just with more passengers. I don't predict any big overwhelming changes for Breakaway Plus except if it generates revenue and that will be entirely based on how Breakaway performed. Breakaway had a lot of wasted space in some areas (near the Breakaway theater) and other areas (Bliss Lounge) were cramped. I'm hoping they work this out for the new Plus class but I am not holding my breath. I would expect a Bacardi Bar next to the Svedka Ice Bar which is located next to Buddy's Cake Shop across from Zakarian's Ocean Blue which is next to Paula Dean's Country Style Kitchen which is next to Olive Garden's Italian Restaurant. With all these 'partnerships' soon we're going to be sailing on a floating advertisement... I can't wait for the hull art to be auctioned to the highest bidder. It seems to be headed that way.

[Zena2005]

I agree! I would like to see some new ports on the eastern caribbean especially with a new ship! How many time can you visit St. Martin, St. Thomas and Nassau? Skip Nassau altogether...Whats wrong with the Dominican or Puerto Rico? St Lucia? Hope you are listening NCL!

[Zena2005]

I am guessing that is very unlikely; certainly not a brand new ship. Regardless, I just hope NCL adds some new ports.

 

I agree! I would like to see some new ports on the eastern caribbean especially with a new ship! How many time can you visit St. Martin, St. Thomas and Nassau? Skip Nassau altogether...Whats wrong with the Dominican or Puerto Rico? St Lucia? Hope you are listening NCL!

[barnacle_boy]

Does anyone have information how the Breakaway Plus ships will be different? All I have read is that they will be 10% larger than the Breakaway class. If this just means more cabins, I wont be that impressed.

I would like to see an entirely new design which I am afraid wont happen.

 

I'm afraid that most of the extra space is going to go towards adding more cabins. Here's a link to a digital rendering of the Breakaway Plus design from Meyer Werft, the shipyard that's going to build her. She will have the same length and beam as Breakaway, with the increase in GT coming from the addition of two extra decks (another deck of regular cabins and another deck for the Haven complex). They might move around and increase the capacity of public spaces, but it doesn't look they're going to add another deck solely for entertainment or dining venues.

 

http://www.meyerwerft.de/media/08_medien/pressefotos/Norwegian_Breakaway_plus.jpg

[Cruisercl]

I agree! I would like to see some new ports on the eastern caribbean especially with a new ship! How many time can you visit St. Martin, St. Thomas and Nassau? Skip Nassau altogether...Whats wrong with the Dominican or Puerto Rico? St Lucia? Hope you are listening NCL!

 

 

I'd like to see Turks & Caicos (sp?) added. :)

[time2cruise1]

I think we all want expanded ports but don't expect the Escape to visit them. There are limited ports that can handle a ship of that size. Look to the investment Bermuda had to make to be able to dock the Breakaway.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[time2cruise1]

Norwegian Cruise Line would base Norwegian Escape year-round at PortMiami starting in late 2015 and receive a $3m cash advance for marketing the ship, according to Miami Today, citing a Miami-Dade County Commission vote.

 

http://www.seatrade-insider.com/news/news-headlines/report-anticipates-norwegian-escape-year-round-at-portmiami.html

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

Edited December 19, 2013 by time2cruise1

[mugtech]

Sounds like with two new ships based in Miami that at least one, perhaps two older ships will have new home ports. Perhaps some brand new itineraries in 2015.

[time2cruise1]

Sounds like with two new ships based in Miami that at least one, perhaps two older ships will have new home ports. Perhaps some brand new itineraries in 2015.

 

 

Epic should go for sure. Where who knows.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[BabsinTX]

How about a 2 ship back-to-back?

 

Run Escape from SanFran to Hawaii, for a transfer to POA.

Pickup the people from last week's POA & return them home to SanFran.

 

That would be fun. Casino on the way there, islands, then casino back. :)

 

Stephen

 

Yes, please! Someone has mentioned that the Escape would be too big (compared to POA)...but another ship could make this run. My husband and I would be on the first one!!

[time2cruise1]

Yes, please! Someone has mentioned that the Escape would be too big (compared to POA)...but another ship could make this run. My husband and I would be on the first one!!

 

 

With the only ship able to sail between the islands and not touch a foreign port there is no way they are investing in the fuel to cruise from the west cost.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim