Escape TA: Likes, Dislikes and Random Thoughts

[hpecorari]

Harriet, I totally agree! When there is something in the Atrium that I want to see or participate in, I literally have to arrive one hour in advance in order to get a seat and will usually bring a book to read while I wait for the event. Talk about poor planning.

Tracy

 

Tracy

 

And isn't that a bit much....having to arrive an hour early, every night basically, since there have a show there usually every night - just to get a seat (which is a hard folding chair) to enjoy a show. That's 7 hours on my cruise 'wasted' just sitting and waiting for a show to start that lasts about 45 min. or so long. That's really the one thing I really *hate* about these ships, Epic, Breakaway, Getaway, and now Escape.

 

Harriet

[asubaru]

Thanks for your response and the info!

 

I hope the casino issues get sorted out before your return and you have good luck.

 

 

 

 

I'm a slot player and normally only play the QuickHit machines. But the bank of them on Escape were way in the back of the casino and they were having sound issues in that entire area. None of the machines made any noise, so it was kind of strange to play without all the "belles and whistles" happening.

 

I ended up playing a Triple Stars machine when I did play. There are lots of Video Poker machines on board and I cannot speak to the table games.

 

Casino Staff: Mgr - Ian Spencer

Exec Host - Christina Bica

Hosts - Christina Masgo and Rex Aguirre

 

The casino hosted an invitational party just after sailaway which was fun. We sailed at 5:00 p.m. but oddly the casino wasn't allowed to open until 11:30 p.m. Apparently it took us that long to gt into international waters.

 

I'll report back with any updates when I return on the 21st.

 

Tracy

[Casino Comp Chick]

Great revoew as always!

[dexddd]

Anybody have any more details on the new revised Haven menus?

[LMaxwell]

Anybody have any more details on the new revised Haven menus?

 

They are on the Cruise Critic Facebook page

 

 

Towards the bottom of the photo set

[Coastalbreezes]

Anybody have any more details on the new revised Haven menus?

 

At lunch I tried the Ahi tuna Nicoise salad and it was amazing as was the rack of lamb at dinner. Much better than Le Bistro.

 

The one new item on the breakfast menu are huevos rancheros and they also returned the chilled soup of the day to the lunch menu.

 

French dip sandwich is now served on a ciabbata roll without the onions and it's no longer that dried out beef. Was super tender.

 

 

Tracy

[dexddd]

They are on the Cruise Critic Facebook page

 

 

Towards the bottom of the photo set

 

At lunch I tried the Ahi tuna Nicoise salad and it was amazing as was the rack of lamb at dinner. Much better than Le Bistro.

 

The one new item on the breakfast menu are huevos rancheros and they also returned the chilled soup of the day to the lunch menu.

 

French dip sandwich is now served on a ciabbata roll without the onions and it's no longer that dried out beef. Was super tender.

 

 

Tracy

 

Thanks.

 

It does look like an improvement IMO. I hear you about the roast beef, I like a good roast beef sandwich but the one for lunch was too small and extremely salty.

[Nalagh]

We had a privately arranged martini tasting with our cruise critic group ( which was a lot of fun!), but no others on the TA. That will likely change on the upcoming cruises would be my guess.

Tracy

 

Great review! I am happy to read that you had a lot fun at the martini tasting.

 

Cherie

[TheManitoban]

Interesting about the casino being empty due to no smoking. We have said that would happen but the non smokers insist that they will put an extra $20 in the machines so it will work out lol. Thanks for proving what I have been saying.

 

 

Geri

 

Not proving anything. NCL needs to stay strong. They might see a downturn initially but that tells you that a lot of non-smokers who like to gamble have been chased away by the oppresive smoke.

 

I live in a smoke free city. We have casinos. They were still packed after the smoking ban. People adapt. Smoking is disgusting and will kill you and those around you. Not an insult, just a fact, Smokers should invite any and all efforts to curb smoking unless they want other people to get sick and die too.

[boopsahoy]

Not proving anything. NCL needs to stay strong. They might see a downturn initially but that tells you that a lot of non-smokers who like to gamble have been chased away by the oppresive smoke.

 

I live in a smoke free city. We have casinos. They were still packed after the smoking ban. People adapt. Smoking is disgusting and will kill you and those around you. Not an insult, just a fact, Smokers should invite any and all efforts to curb smoking unless they want other people to get sick and die too.

 

I don't think that is correct. Atlantic City opened a brand new beautiful Casino-all no smoking...within 2 years it went bankrupt.

[LMaxwell]

I don't think that is correct. Atlantic City opened a brand new beautiful Casino-all no smoking...within 2 years it went bankrupt.

 

Look at what surrounds the casinos in Atlantic City; complete and total SLUMS. Also, Revel was a bad deal from the start. the main investors backed out (Because AC is disgusting) and the state stepped in and robbed all of its own employees pensions even when the business plan said "this place won't work". Atlantic City, at best, gets second or third rate entertainment and has nothing to offer outside of the hotels.

 

By the way, MANY other casinos in AC closed in the past few years and they allowed smoking.

 

So the problem wasn't smoking versus non, it was that Atlantic City is a garbage dump with an ocean view and now other states have legalized gambling so there is no reason, or incentive, to travel to Atlantic City.

[hpecorari]

Look at what surrounds the casinos in Atlantic City; complete and total SLUMS. Also, Revel was a bad deal from the start. the main investors backed out (Because AC is disgusting) and the state stepped in and robbed all of its own employees pensions even when the business plan said "this place won't work". Atlantic City, at best, gets second or third rate entertainment and has nothing to offer outside of the hotels.

 

By the way, MANY other casinos in AC closed in the past few years and they allowed smoking.

 

So the problem wasn't smoking versus non, it was that Atlantic City is a garbage dump with an ocean view and now other states have legalized gambling so there is no reason, or incentive, to travel to Atlantic City.

 

Revel is another story in and of itself and I do believe the no smoking policy is what was the beginning of the end there. However, I believe a reason for so many of the other casinos closing is due to the economy that is picking up now but was down for quite a while as well as the fact that the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware legalized gambling so there are many Casinos here with tables, slots, entertainment, restaurants, etc. The majority of those in PA and DE no longer need to go to AC.

 

Harriet

[SuiteCruiser]

I don't think that is correct. Atlantic City opened a brand new beautiful Casino-all no smoking...within 2 years it went bankrupt.

 

That's one casino, if all of Atlantic City went smoke free, people would adapt. All of our casinos are smoke free and doing just fine.

 

I'm a non-smoker, but not an anti-smoker, people choose for themselves, but the AC casino didn't work, the same way the smoke-free CCL ship didn't work. Even non smokers have friends who smoke, and if there's a smoking option, they'll go there.

[Casino Comp Chick]

That's one casino, if all of Atlantic City went smoke free, people would adapt. All of our casinos are smoke free and doing just fine.

 

I'm a non-smoker, but not an anti-smoker, people choose for themselves, but the AC casino didn't work, the same way the smoke-free CCL ship didn't work. Even non smokers have friends who smoke, and if there's a smoking option, they'll go there.

 

I cannot agree with you on this one, if Atlantic city went smoke free I would 100% stop going. It takes me almost 3 hours to get to AC but only 15-20 minutes to get to Yonkers Raceway, I never go to Yonkers because I cannot smoke.

[Coastalbreezes]

Great review! I am happy to read that you had a lot fun at the martini tasting.

 

Cherie

 

Cherie, it was one of the highlights of the cruise. Definitely a lively group!

 

Tracy

[boopsahoy]

I cannot agree with you on this one, if Atlantic city went smoke free I would 100% stop going. It takes me almost 3 hours to get to AC but only 15-20 minutes to get to Yonkers Raceway, I never go to Yonkers because I cannot smoke.

 

I am 15 minutes from Resort World and 2 1/2 from AC-I never go to Resorts World because of the no smoking.