Questions about NCL/Escape

[WindinmySails]

Hello!

It has been a long time since I have been on a cruise and I have a few questions about my up coming Escape cruise July 2. I will be traveling with my elderly parents. My dad is currently going through cancer treatments; he is 83, Mom is 79. So please keep that in mind as they are not as mobile as they used to be. What does the muster drill for elderly look like? On RCL we would meet out on the decks with life jackets on, is it the same on NCL?

 

I heard that shows and restaurants fill up quickly. So must one make reservations for shows and dining how to go about...done before hand or on the ship? We are on a limited budget, so would prefer to not pay extra for anything if we could.

 

So that brings me to upcharges for things such as lobster and room service. Some have stated that room service is only charged for if a hot meal is involved, not just coffee. Of course I would tip.

 

I have also read that they "nickel and dime" you to death, is this true and how to avoid this?

 

How early to embark on ship with 7:00 pm departure...how early can we get on the ship? We will be driving from the Sarasota area. We are not sure if it would be cheaper to do a rental car or pay for parking at the dock.

 

What is included in the unlimited beverage package...we purchased some, do they add an additional charge for the "free" beverages after you've paid for the package? Does the beverage package include all venues on the ship? I have read from others that there are other charges in addition to the beverage package.

 

I've only sailed on Royal....differences? I am pretty open minded and just love cursing in general. :)

 

My mom would love to go to the casino a night or two. Do we avoid fees for gambling if you take cash only?

Any other "insider tips" would be so appreciated. I know that traveling with elderly parents will bring a whole new spin to cruising, but I am just so happy to be going.

Thanks in advance!

[KeithJenner]

Muster drill is in an inside venue. No life jackets required.

 

You can reserve shows and restaurants online from 90 days out. In my experience there is no need to book the included restaurants for a group your size. It's worth reserving any shows you want. Some shows are only available to book onboard.

 

The only free room service is for continental breakfast. I've never used it, and may be wrong, but think this means that coffee would be free during breakfast time but chargeable outside that.

 

To avoid being nickel and dimed, just don't buy anything. Nobody forces you to.

 

You can board any time after about midday. The earlier the better in my opinion.

 

The UBP includes drinks under $15. You pay the extra above that amount. It excludes speciality coffees (lattes etc from the coffee bar and espressos etc in dining rooms), bottles of time, bottles of water and things like fresh fruit juice. It does cover most things though. I imagine the extra charges you have heard about are the service charge which will have been added to your purchase price.

[blackwing]

The muster drill is very low key. On NCL you don't have to wear your lifejacket or stand by the lifeboats. You go to your assigned muster station. They check you in with your keycards. You sit there while somebody talks. That's it. 10 minutes.

 

It is always advisable to have reservations for the shows, but for the shows in the main theatre, they aren't necessary. Just show up. For shows in the comedy club you may have to wait in line if you don't have reservations. Howl at the Moon doesn't take any reservations, just show up.

 

If you don't want to be nickel and dimed, then don't. There's nothing that says you have to pay for specialty dining. The free main dining rooms are fantastic. If you don't want to pay the upcharge for lobster, then don't.

 

When you complete your cruise documentation on myNCL, you are asked to pick a boarding time. That said, it seems you can just show up whenever you want. You could probably be on board by 11:30 if you are in the first group.

 

Beverage package includes any drinks up to $15. If you want a drink beyond $15, you pay the difference.

[sanger727]

I don't agree with all the 'nickel and dime' remarks... As long as u know what to expect there should be any surprises. You can eat all day long, do activities and see shows all for free. I believe that to avoid any fees in the casino you just bring cash rather than using an atm or charging to ur sea pass.

 

Believe the ubp covers anything at any venue up to $15... W some exclusions like specialty coffees, bottled water, buckets of beer, etc... The terms and conditions are easy enough to find on the website so there shouldn't be any surprises.

 

While there are plenty of opportunities to spend money all day long, there are also many things that are free. I don't think you will find the experience much different from Royal overall.

 

 

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[2ManyCruises]

You'll have a great time with your parents. I took my parents on NCL last year. My dad is 85 mom 80. What they loved was the relaxed atmosphere. No set time or location for dining. They loved the variety of entertainment and waterfront. Dad loved the fact that he did not have to put on a suit. It was on the Getaway the sister ship. They've sailed all the major criuselines and said this one ranks at the top.

 

We've sailed the Escape twice (not with parents) and had a fantastic cruise.

Enjoy.

[littlemeagain]

We sailed on the Escape 5/21-5/28. There was a coffee maker in our cabin and our cabin steward kept our coffee and creamers stocked all week. It was great to have fresh coffee on the balcony each morning!

 

Enjoy!!!

[WindinmySails]

Great ideas so far. I agree, if you don't want to spend money, you don't have to..that is what I do on land. :)

Up to $15 on a drink sounds reasonable as well. I typically go for a glass of wine, or maybe a mojito. Not a huge drinker.

I do know that planning makes all things better. Thanks all for the great comments!

[BirdTravels]

What does the muster drill for elderly look like? On RCL we would meet out on the decks with life jackets on, is it the same on NCL?

You muster in restaurants and theater. PLEASE go down 45 minutes early (i.e. 3:45 pm) so you can get a seat. No life jackets. Relax. Chat. No drinks. No cell phones.

 

I heard that shows and restaurants fill up quickly. So must one make reservations for shows and dining how to go about...done before hand or on the ship? We are on a limited budget, so would prefer to not pay extra for anything if we could.

Show reservations opened on April 3 online (90 days before sailing). You can try book online. If they are sold out, as soon as you get on board, use the touch screens in the public areas to book the shows you want. After Midnight in the theater. For the Record in the theater. There is probably a complimentary dinner show in the Supper Club most nights. Comedy show in Headliners (early shows are family oriented, late shows are adult oriented).

 

So that brings me to upcharges for things such as lobster and room service. Some have stated that room service is only charged for if a hot meal is involved, not just coffee. Of course I would tip.

Complimentary continental breakfast can be ordered as room service. Hot breakfast an ALL other meals (hot or cold) have a $7.95 delivery charge. The Main Dining Rooms (MDR) have excellent free food. No need to order lobster.

 

I have also read that they "nickel and dime" you to death, is this true and how to avoid this?

Totally false and inaccurate.

 

How early to embark on ship with 7:00 pm departure...how early can we get on the ship? We will be driving from the Sarasota area. We are not sure if it would be cheaper to do a rental car or pay for parking at the dock.

Boarding starts at 11:30 am. You can check-in and board any time (regardless of what your eDocs say). Do your homework on parking charges. $20 per night to park.

 

What is included in the unlimited beverage package...we purchased some, do they add an additional charge for the "free" beverages after you've paid for the package? Does the beverage package include all venues on the ship? I have read from others that there are other charges in addition to the beverage package.

False. No additional charges. You can order drinks up to $15 per drink. It is really hard to order something that costs over $15. If you do, you would pay the difference in price. Stay with drinks under $15 and there are no additional charges.

 

 

My mom would love to go to the casino a night or two. Do we avoid fees for gambling if you take cash only?

There are no fees for gambling. Just show up with your cash and play slot machines or table games. The Escape has the largest casino in the fleet. If you do cash advances on your room, you get charged 3%. If you use the ATM machine, there is a $5.99 service charge.

 

Any other "insider tips" would be so appreciated. I know that traveling with elderly parents will bring a whole new spin to cruising, but I am just so happy to be going.

The Escape is a great ship. Spend time on the Waterfront during the day. It is a nice place to sit and relax. We used the dining tables to sit and read/write.

 

Eat dinner in the Manhattan Room MDR for some entertainment and great food.

 

Show up early for shows to get good seats for your parents.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Enjoy the Escape. We have sailed on her twice (most recently last month).

Edited June 15, 2016 by BirdTravels

[karenpstok]

i booked my shows as soon as i got on the ship on the big touch screens by the elevators. By late afternoon on the first day they were all gone so just do it once you get onboard, it only takes a minute. Have a great time. I was just on the escape and going again for halloween and in december. Loved it!!

[JMsquared]

Be sure that your cabin is near the elevators, whether front or aft, that will help you a ton! We had the UBP, but noted that many wines by the glass were $10 or less! In hindsight, I definitely would've taken the dining package over the drink package since we only like a glass with dinner (maybe 2) and the taxes are approx $80pp just for the package -- that's 8 glasses of wine right there! Plus the dining allows you to try as many appetizers, main courses and deserts included.

 

If your parents aren't terribly mobile, you may want to look into the scooter availability. We took my 75-year old mom and she is pretty mobile and had a blast but her feet/ankles were tired by the end of each day. BTW--lot's of free stuff to do and my mom loved those game shows like Newlywed game, Dancing with the Stars etc. Your parents will also love the a capella group and the other shows offered--all free.

 

Enjoy!

[NCLfamily]

The 'nickel and dime' crap is exactly that. You can easily pay for your cruise and DSC and have a zero balance after a fantastic holiday.

 

 

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