Everything.. ESCAPE (live 29 Oct 2015!)

[$hip$hape]

IMO it's a strategic marketing decision/opportunity/partnership as part of a new cruise terminal building being built in Hamburg, Germany and to attract German customers. NCL stated in their press release quote "Germany is one of their most important markets". The majority of NCL ships are German-built by Meyer Werft so it seems fitting too. They've also sailed several times out of Rotterdam already so it's a smart move to do something different.

 

Here's the translation of the full press release using Google Translate

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.ncl.de%2Fshow_press.php%3Fid%3D859

 

I've never been to Germany so here's to new experiences :)

I like the idea of cruising out of Hamburg.

In the past, airberlin has offered some great one-way rates from NYC.

We flew from NYC to Dusseldorf for the Breakaway's initial cruise from Rotterdam to Southampton.

Took the train from Dusseldorf to Rotterdam.

Note: With airberlin the rates go up as your date nears.

[peg013]

IMO it's a strategic marketing decision/opportunity/partnership as part of a new cruise terminal building being built in Hamburg, Germany and to attract German and European customers. NCL stated in their press release quote ""The European market has played an important role for Norwegian Cruise Line and in particular Germany is one of our most important markets". The majority of NCL ships are German-built by Meyer Werft so it seems fitting too. They've also sailed several new ships out of Rotterdam already so it's a smart move to do something different to attract a new audience.

 

Here's the translation of the full press release using Google Translate

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.news.ncl.de%2Fshow_press.php%3Fid%3D859

 

I've never been to Germany so here's to new experiences :)

 

I'm super excited too. It's actually thanks to Christoph Lemm's post on the site that must remain nameless. I didn't know the booking began tomorrow. I missed that info. Wonder if Nalagh knows?

[big al]

We are booked! We did an angled balcony like we had on Getaway. It worked perfectly for us, and we love being right by the stairs. Unfortunately there were none still available on the port side of the ship, so we are starboard, but we are not cabin- hermits anyway, so it doesn't really matter.

 

Which are the angled balconies and are they any bigger than the smallish 32 SF balconies on most of the ship? Thanks for your info!

 

Big Al

[FreestyleNovice]

peg013 & kylenyc, is the nameless site the one with the lighthouse that scans? I am missing out.. help me lol :D

[kylenyc]

peg013 & kylenyc, is the nameless site the one with the lighthouse that scans? I am missing out.. help me lol :D

You can say the word Facebook. Plus Cruise Critic has a Facebook page. You can not however promote Facebook groups on Cruise Critic which I understand because they detract from having active roll calls here. Anywho, I believe NCL sent the information and press release to their travel agents/partners in Germany which is where Chris and then Peg kindly passed along.

Edited June 16, 2014 by kylenyc

[SissasMomE]

You can say the word Facebook. Plus Cruise Critic has a Facebook page. You can not however promote Facebook groups on Cruise Critic which I understand because they detract from having active roll calls here. Anywho, I believe NCL sent the information and press release to their travel agents/partners in Germany which is where Chris and then Peg kindly passed along.

 

Ugh - thank you. I was just going to post the word Facebook 25 times LOL

[FreestyleNovice]

Ahh.. :) I thought of the German site that scans the sea, which some also seem to commend on CC. But I couldn't figure it out because they don't have a board or something. :o

 

Back on topic: 2nighter on sale on the 18th of June, 199 Euro ($270) for I guess an inside. Half the price of the transatlantic.

 

Oh well, nothing can beat that new ship smell! :D

[peg013]

You can say the word Facebook. Plus Cruise Critic has a Facebook page. You can not however promote Facebook groups on Cruise Critic which I understand because they detract from having active roll calls here. Anywho, I believe NCL sent the information and press release to their travel agents/partners in Germany which is where Chris and then Peg kindly passed along.

 

We can say FB but not the name of the group where it was posted which was not NCL's page hence the "nameless site" which is the ship anyway. ;)

 

Sorry I'm taking after Kelly Ripa with her son that will remain nameless.....

Edited June 16, 2014 by peg013

[cam5212]

*Following*

Can't wait to see her in person on the TA

 

Hey Debbie.

 

Eakmom and I will be on the Escape also...woohoo.

 

Good to see you again. We were on the Epic last year.

This year the Sun to Panama Canal.

See you in 2015.

 

Cam5212

Sherry

[cam5212]

We booked the TA also. Very exciting!

 

 

Sharon,

You are every where!

[djmess]

Hey Debbie.

 

Eakmom and I will be on the Escape also...woohoo.

 

Good to see you again. We were on the Epic last year.

This year the Sun to Panama Canal.

See you in 2015.

 

Cam5212

Sherry

 

Can't wait to see you guys. If you have read this thread, you will see that I haven't been able to travel this year (2014) Been winning a stupid battle against breast cancer. Chemo is done and surgery is scheduled for July 7. 2015 will be a year of celebrating and this Escape TA will be the relaxing part of 2015. So looking forward to it!

[sjbdtz]

Aft penthouse for the TA.... :)

 

 

 

.

[SissasMomE]

Aft penthouse for the TA.... :)

 

 

 

.

 

I really hope we book, Stephen. Would be nice to sail with you again!

[Winston Wolf]

MSC announced two more megaship newbuilds; project Seaside.

 

154.000 BRT, 5300 passengers, 1413 crew, 323 meters x 41 meters, 70 meters high. Will be build at Fincantieri.

 

 

http://shipmonk.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/mscseaside2.jpg

 

http://shipmonk.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/mscseaside3.jpg

 

http://shipmonk.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/mscseaside1.jpg

Image credit: http://shipmonk.co.uk/

 

The ship will feature a seaside promenade, shops and restaurants.

Delivery november 2017. Second one may 2018 and a option on a third.

 

 

Clearly this is Waterfront 2.0, err wait 4.0, see all the space! Will NCL redesign the waterfront?

Probably too late for Escape but Bliss having a small waterfront versus MSC in 2017?

 

OK, that looks really awesome.

[time2cruise1]

OK, that looks really awesome.

 

 

Not so sure. About the same tonnage as Breakaway but 1100 more passengers. 4200 v 5300.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

Edited June 17, 2014 by time2cruise1

[mjm325]

I'm not seeing any waterslides in the rendering... does this mean the Escape might not have them???

[kylenyc]

I'm not seeing any waterslides in the rendering... does this mean the Escape might not have them???

That is a rendering of an MSC ship to be built by STX France and has no connection to the Escape built by Meyer Werft, Germany.

 

A rendering of the Escape is below. NCL has so far announced accommodations and hull art, and perhaps we can assume that the hull configuration will resemble the picture below (very different from the MSC ship). We don't know Escape's top deck amenities yet except that NCL has said they are combining the best of Breakaway/Getaway and adding new features and "interactive experiences".

 

I doubt the MSC design represents a Waterfront 2.0 nor would NCL choose such a design for Escape a few reasons if I put on my armchair executive hat:

The MSC design has basically taken sundeck space and moved to lower decks. This reduces valuable space for balconies and indoor cabins and venues... Less cabins and venues equates to less revenue. The aft pool would also be cast by a gianormous shadow whenever she is heading towards the sun. :p Also as you also noticed, the MSC ship would also have less space for things such as waterslides/sports etc on their sundeck. However cool or new their design potentially is doesn't mean it will be profitable (time will tell) .

 

Edited June 17, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

I take some of what I said back. I looked closer at the other MSC renderings and see now that their midship balconies and the promenade/waterfront actually extend out over the side of the ship :eek:. So I take what I said back except for the shadow that will be cast over the aft pool. :p

Edited June 17, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

Thanks to Craig (Single Cruiser) who just confirmed the 1 Day Southampton Cruise to Nowhere is on October 27.

 

So the itinerary will be this...

 

Oct 23, 2015 - 2-Day Hamburg CTN for travel industry/press (confirmed)

Oct 24, 2015 - At Sea (confirmed)

Oct 25, 2015 - 2-Day Escape from Hamburg to Southampton for customers (confirmed)

Oct 26, 2015 - At Sea (confirmed)

Oct 27, 2015 - 1-Day Southampton CTN for customers (confirmed)

Oct 28, 2015 - 1-Day Southampton CTN for travel industry/press (unofficial, not announced)

Oct 29, 2015 - Nov 8 10-Day Transatlantic Southampton to Miami (confirmed)

[FreestyleNovice]

Anyone any luck with open bookings for the 2nighter? Nothing on NCL.de yet and it IS June 18th now by 24 minutes. ;)

 

The Hamburg departure is great for Andreas Depping, I hope NCL gets him a press card! He does an awesome job photographing the new ships:

 

http://www.cruiseship-gallery.de

[FreestyleNovice]

Thanks to Craig (Single Cruiser) who just confirmed the 1 Day Southampton Cruise to Nowhere is on October 27.

 

So the itinerary will be this...

 

Oct 23, 2015 - 2-Day Hamburg CTN for travel industry/press (confirmed)

Oct 24, 2015 - At Sea (confirmed)

Oct 25, 2015 - 2-Day Escape from Hamburg to Southampton for customers (confirmed)

Oct 26, 2015 - At Sea (confirmed)

Oct 27, 2015 - 1-Day Southampton CTN for customers (confirmed)

Oct 28, 2015 - 1-Day Southampton CTN for travel industry/press (unofficial, not announced)

Oct 29, 2015 - Nov 8 10-Day Transatlantic Southampton to Miami (confirmed)

 

Anthem of the Seas

Cruise Schedule: Southampton, England (24 Oct d1630); Zeebrugge (Bruges), Belgium (25 Oct 0800-1700); Le Havre (Paris), France (26 Oct 0700-2100); Southampton, England (27 Oct a0530)

 

A lot of blue hulls on the 27th, I am not too familiar with Southampton but will those two be next to eachother?

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Help! I'm confused. If the Haven courtyard is two stories high, is the 'pool'/ lounge/restaurant area on Deck 17 or 18? If it's on 17 I guess you would have to walk up two flight of stairs to reach the sundeck? Any educated guesses out there? :confused::confused::confused:

 

Thank you! :cool:

Alison

Edited June 23, 2014 by JuneauWhatIMean

[time2cruise1]

Help! I'm confused. If the Haven courtyard is two stories high, is the 'pool'/ lounge/restaurant area on Deck 17 or 18? If it's on 17 I guess you would have to walk up two flight of stairs to reach the sundeck? Any educated guesses out there? :confused::confused::confused:

 

Thank you! :cool:

Alison

 

 

Pool is on 17, restaurant and lounge on 18.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Thanks, Jim. But how do you know this, if you don't mind my asking?

 

Those white areas on both decks are HUGE for just having a pool on one and the restaurant/lounge on the other. And it seems like the pool area would get too much shade being down so low.

 

Ali

[SissasMomE]

Thanks, Jim. But how do you know this, if you don't mind my asking?

 

Those white areas on both decks are HUGE for just having a pool on one and the restaurant/lounge on the other. And it seems like the pool area would get too much shade being down so low.

 

Ali

 

We booked on Deck 17 as well. I hope he's right!