My Escape Review from a Royal Loyalist

[DivingPrincessE]

Just got off today as well..no problem with with embarkation or debarkation but can see problem if most people boarded thru terminal B which is the first one you come across with. I got the message and reprinted travel docs and went to C.

 

Wish we could have gone in through C, as that is where we parked and I walked by and saw there was no line :(

 

But unfortunately our Docs said "B"

 

I even said as we were in line for a long long time, that it made no sense. It was split by even decks and odd decks, so logically it should be half in B and half in C. Based on the lack of any line in C and the overwhelmingly long lines in B, it felt more like 90%, 10% split.

[Tura Lura]

Wow. The Cotton Club was a hugely famous club - everyone from Lena Horne to Judy Garland played there. Francis Ford Coppola made a film about it, so there was a movie, though not the same as the musical. It's a real place but if you need a reference it was featured in the movie Ants. And Cotton Club was recently on Broadway, After Midnight still is on Broadway.

 

 

And comedians who make socially relevant jokes. Shocking.

 

So you're saying the cruise was too "black" for you?

[NLH Arizona]

As to the shows...I didn't know a single song from Cotton Club, and only a couple from Million Dollar Quartet. I found the shows extremely boring as a result. I'm not sure if you're unaware...both Hairspray and Mama Mia were made into movies in the 2000s...so most young people are familiar with them. Not to mention they are or were both on Broadway pretty recently.

 

Unless you know a little history about the Cotton Club, you probably wouldn't know any of the songs. The Cotton Club was a whites only club in New York from 1923 to 1935 and again between 1936 to 1940. Some of the great black entertainers of those days played there: Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Lena Horn just to name a few. It is part of musical history and you might have heard of some of the incredible entertainers who played there. Edited November 16, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[AdGuyMG]

Wish we could have gone in through C, as that is where we parked and I walked by and saw there was no line :(

 

But unfortunately our Docs said "B"

 

I even said as we were in line for a long long time, that it made no sense. It was split by even decks and odd decks, so logically it should be half in B and half in C. Based on the lack of any line in C and the overwhelmingly long lines in B, it felt more like 90%, 10% split.

 

And 30 to 45 minutes later in the day it could have gone the other way based on who was showing up when.

[perditax]

Wow. The Cotton Club was a hugely famous club - everyone from Lena Horne to Judy Garland played there. Francis Ford Coppola made a film about it, so there was a movie, though not the same as the musical. It's a real place but if you need a reference it was featured in the movie Ants. And Cotton Club was recently on Broadway, After Midnight still is on Broadway.

 

 

 

 

 

And comedians who make socially relevant jokes. Shocking.

 

 

 

So you're saying the cruise was too "black" for you?

 

 

Hey, it "impacted" "their" cruise!

 

/sarcasm

[DivingPrincessE]

Wow. The Cotton Club was a hugely famous club - everyone from Lena Horne to Judy Garland played there. Francis Ford Coppola made a film about it, so there was a movie, though not the same as the musical. It's a real place but if you need a reference it was featured in the movie Ants. And Cotton Club was recently on Broadway, After Midnight still is on Broadway.

 

 

And comedians who make socially relevant jokes. Shocking.

 

So you're saying the cruise was too "black" for you?

 

Unless you know a little history about the Cotton Club, you probably wouldn't know any of the songs. The Cotton Club was a whites only club in New York from 1923 to 1935 and again between 1936 to 1940. Some of the great black entertainers of those days played there: Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Lena Horn just to name a few. It is part of musical history and you might have heard of some of the incredible entertainers who played there.

 

I had never heard of it, and when I saw the name I think my reaction was like this ---->:eek::eek:<---- Then wondering if I was on candid camera. I have since told four people (also under age 35) the name of the show and they all had the same reaction I did.

 

I've seen a lot of Broadway shows, and I had never heard of those two. I believe you that they are on there, but I had never heard those names. I don't think they are among the more well known such as Royal's Chicago, Hairspray, and Mamma Mia...and even the dreaded Cats.

[Tura Lura]

Hey, it "impacted" "their" cruise!

 

/sarcasm

 

The horror!

[DivingPrincessE]

Hey, it "impacted" "their" cruise!

 

/sarcasm

 

LOL. First we are questioned about why we even mentioned it. They we say why we mentioned it, and you all don't like that either.

 

Although if it was a comedian pointing out cultural differences, everyone would be cracking up (as people were when the Comedian was poking fun at his own race).

 

Oh society is so precious. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[maywell]

Hey, it "impacted" "their" cruise!

 

/sarcasm

 

Jazz music and/or comedy show that one can simply walk right out the door. On a ship playing Pit Bull and Rhianna songs. k......

[DivingPrincessE]

Jazz music and/or comedy show that one can simply walk right out the door. On a ship playing Pit Bull and Rhianna songs. k......

 

We walked out of the musicals towards the end. We aren't rude, so wouldn't walk about of small intimate comedy show while sitting in the second row. It's very disruptive to the show and could negatively impact other people's enjoyment of the show. Plus walk out to do what? Sit in the room and watch one of our 14 channels? May as well stay through the -meh- show.

 

Though if we were sitting by a door, we probably wouldn't have walked out on the cop basher.

 

He also made a joke about looking Arab and pretending to blow up a plane after screaming Alahu Akhbar...about 3 hours after the Paris coordinated attacks and while hostages were still being held in the concert hall. Classy...

Edited November 16, 2015 by DivingPrincessE

[DGP1111]

Unless you know a little history about the Cotton Club, you probably wouldn't know any of the songs. The Cotton Club was a whites only club in New York from 1923 to 1935 and again between 1936 to 1940. Some of the great black entertainers of those days played there: Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Lena Horn just to name a few. It is part of musical history and you might have heard of some of the incredible entertainers who played there.

 

NLH: If you get a chance to experience 'After Midnight' on Norwegian Escape, I think you'll be very happy with the way that history is presented on this abridged version of the show for the ship.

 

I entered the theatre thinking, "Oh, I hope they really get this right", and did they ever!!!

 

With one small exception (she somehow missed the pitch cue, but recovered), the vocals were near perfect throughout.

 

The live jazz band has only been doing these charts for their rehearsal in Tampa, and then a few performances onboard, and they tore up (in a good way) several parts. "Daybreak Express" is difficult, and was quite spot-on. :) "Cotton Club Stomp" is always fun, yet they ramped it up a notch.

The pianist, sporting his tux and dreadlocks, also serves as conductor, and he is magnificent. Trombonist has some serious chops.

 

Duke would/should be proud of their efforts. :)

 

.

Edited November 16, 2015 by DGP1111

[SuiteCruiser]

The problem this week is not necessarily that they were short-staffed, but instead that they were absolutely exhausted.

 

Normally, once per week there's a passenger turn-over. They disembark, turn the cabins over, and embark new passengers.

 

This week, they had to awaken at 3 a.m. for Customs & Immigration because it was the first time the ship was in the US.

 

Then they had to disembark passengers, and turn the cabins around - not just standard, but in preparation for VIPs for 1 night.

 

Then they had to disembark the VIPs, and turn the cabins around again for another group for 3 days.

 

 

Many 3 day trips have a tendency to be booze-cruises, which is probably more straining on bar-servers & waitstaff.

 

 

Put all of that together, and you'd have an exhausted crew. Doing 3 times in one week, what they normally do once / week is draining.

 

 

 

Stephen

 

.

 

I would agree, except that I was told they had an overnight in Miami. Arrived Sunday, dumped us all off, and no one other than the Miami office staff boarded until Monday. Most of the staff were all so incredibly excited to have some real time off.

Edited November 16, 2015 by SuiteCruiser

[NLH Arizona]

NLH: If you get a chance to experience 'After Midnight' on Norwegian Escape, I think you'll be very happy with the way that history is presented on this abridged version of the show for the ship.

 

I entered the theatre thinking, "Oh, I hope they really get this right", and did they ever!!!

 

With one small exception (she somehow missed the pitch cue, but recovered), the vocals were near perfect throughout.

 

The live jazz band has only been doing these charts for their rehearsal in Tampa, and then a few performances onboard, and they tore up (in a good way) several parts. "Daybreak Express" is difficult, and was quite spot-on. :) "Cotton Club Stomp" is always fun, yet they ramped it up a notch.

The pianist, sporting his tux and dreadlocks, also serves as conductor, and he is magnificent. Trombonist has some serious chops.

 

Duke would/should be proud of their efforts. :)

 

.

Thanks for the tip, if I'm ever on the Escape, I'll be happy to check it out. My work background is in the music industry, so I love the old, the new and everything in between.

[Tura Lura]

Thank you for posting tiffygirl! Exactly.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Tura Lura

[lastminutemama]

To give benefit of the doubt...

OP, what does urban mean?

[Tura Lura]

To give benefit of the doubt...

OP, what does urban mean?

 

Seriously? Asked and answered.

[KiwiFunCruiser]

Fabulous, Tiffygirl:D

[JJInc]

As for the urban comment, there was a group of 800 "urban" people onboard from a travel club who were really having a good time.

 

 

QUOTE=DivingPrincessE;48292455]

 

Also, if we had gotten on the cruise and noticed it was 80% Irish people, and the music was all Irish folk music, and the dancing was all Riverdance. We would have mentioned that in a review, too.

 

Stop being so easily offended people.

 

Actually the only person that seems to be offended is you. I'm still trying to figure out your math skills, since you used the 80% Irish people comparison are you also claiming this cruise was 80% URBAN? 800 Urban people out of a possible sold out 4200 passenger cruise????:rolleyes:

[newmexicoNita]

Obviously the OP wasn't impressed with The Escape. She/he didn't take into effect this ship is new, the crew has been working very hard and probably are tired and new ships always have glitches. It appears she/he is better suited for sailing RCI. That is why we have so many choices.

 

As for the urban comment I hope she didn't mean it the was it sounded.

[LrgPizza]

People keep referring to a show called "The Cotton Club" on Escape. Really? Are they referring to After Midnight? I was on that ship 10 days and never saw a show called The Cotton Club.

 

By the way, After Midnight is fabulous with some of the most amazing talent you'll ever find at sea. Check it out.

[punkincc]

People keep referring to a show called "The Cotton Club" on Escape. Really? Are they referring to After Midnight? I was on that ship 10 days and never saw a show called The Cotton Club.

 

By the way, After Midnight is fabulous with some of the most amazing talent you'll ever find at sea. Check it out.

 

It is referenced in the ship's advertising on the show. Tony Award winning musical which brings the Cotton Club to life..... That sort of thing. After Midnight is all about the Cotton Club.

Edited November 16, 2015 by punkincc

[maywell]

It is referenced in the ship's advertising on the show. Tony Award winning musical which brings the Cotton Club to life..... That sort of thing. After Midnight is all about the Cotton Club.

So why can't people just call it "After Midnight" since that's the actual real name of the show? How hard is that to do? [emoji845]

 

Sent from my SM-N910T3 using Tapatalk

[Debde]

OK-I can not seem to find it or have missed it with my reading::o

 

OP-Did you do the sampler cruise???

Reason I ask is, first, you've sailed a lot with Royal, as have I and I am trying NCL for the first time.

 

Most know, no matter what line, if it be a brand new ship and the short cruise-those are tough to get a good read on.

[LrgPizza]

It is referenced in the ship's advertising on the show. Tony Award winning musical which brings the Cotton Club to life..... That sort of thing. After Midnight is all about the Cotton Club.

I'm aware. As I said, I've seen it and it's fabulous. My point is that several people are saying that's the name of the show. It is not.

[Tura Lura]

Besides anything else in this thread, find it very odd that not knowing the songs made her bored. I mean, most musicals, not on cruise ships, are original songs so no one knows the words when they see it for the first time. They aren't singalongs, they're musicals. Cruise ships tend to book shows that have "cover tunes" like Mamma Mia, Rock of Ages, or Priscilla, so that there's that familiarity, but that's not what makes a good show. If you like Les Miz or Fun Home, hell West Side Story when it opened... original music. Though i would hope most folks know the music in After Midnight as well...