JW and Jerome's Adventure on The Norwegian Escape

[cruiseguys2009]

Yeah, completely untrue. He said they even used security video and were able to identify her, but he insisted that he didn't want the ship to take action against the passenger. He said, "She must have felt that for some reason she needed my hat more than I did." He's a bigger person than I am. I'd have thrown the dumb bitch overboard.

 

My husband corrected me on a couple details of the story. She had grabbed it off his head and put it on hers. He asked for it back, and she refused, so another member of her party took it from her and set it on the bar. Clarence was mixing a drink at the time, and the same woman then grabbed it off the bar and ran with it. That was the last he saw it.

 

WOW, just wow.

[bluesea777]

Here are the pics I took of Clarense with his famous straw hat during the Esacpe TA last Oct.

Edited June 29, 2016 by bluesea777

[heatherdw]

The husband and I are booked for the July 23rd sailing. Can't wait! [emoji2]

[macbest]

One of the most enjoyable reviews I have ever read and I have been on these boards for years! You are a truly gifted writer. Having never met you, I can pick up the tone of your voice throughout much of this. Keep it coming. Catching up on your antics is so much better than working!

[disneygirl]

Can I just say, that I am totally in love with you both already!!!! I LOVE your Adventures and can't wait to hear more. We are cruising NCL Aug. 20th....but on the GEM :(

I am sad because I know we would become kindred spirits. I myself have worked in Customer Service and I also look at how OTHERS are treated. It is not about me, I understand. Looking forward to more details and pictures too! I believe this cruise for us will be #36 in total.

[CruisinHarvey]

OK JW, you convinced us. Just booked for august 20th. Not going to attempt Vibe passes though. We'll see you at the 5 O'clock Somewhere Bar with the chocolate cowboy. You'll know us, by the hat my wife has on. Not what you may think. More to come......

[jeno]

The Mini Suite deck 8 cabins were spectacular and are the little secret on The Norwegian Escape, Breakaway and Getaway. The extra large balcony is 225 square feet, the same size as the living space in the Mini-Suite before adding the bathroom and closet. Ah-May-Zing. We love the sound of the waves and it was beautiful on the balcony day or night.

 

 

Are there any larger balconies you know of that aren't mini suites?

 

 

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[LrgPizza]

Are there any larger balconies you know of that aren't mini suites?

 

 

Most large balcony cabins are not minisuites, and most minisuites have standard sized balconies. Look for aft cabins or large balcony cabins on NCL.

 

 

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[cruiseguys2009]

Are there any larger balconies you know of that aren't mini suites?

 

 

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The largest balconies of all, on the Norwegian Escape are the Aft Cabin Extra Large Balcony (Every deck) and the two special Mini Suites (Only 2 located on Deck 10). To give you an example, yesterday these Aft Mini Suites were not sold out, but today they are. When I checked yesterday, they were $3,100 per person including two promo packages. That is a hefty price to pay when a Haven Penthouse is about $200 more per day and comes with a Butler. However, real estate costs.

 

There are Mini-Suites on Deck 9 forward that have larger balconies and come with a full size table, two chairs and one chaise lounger. These are located just above the Secret Mini's on Deck 8, like the one we had on this review (8120) or on our recap August 20th (8122). Otherwise, the balcony sizes will pretty much be the same.

 

The only cabins I personally do not care for, are those balcony cabins and Mini Suites on Deck 15. The entire deck is located under an overhang and it is very dark all day, and there is some resonate noise coming from above (pool deck chairs, cleaning etc) in certain cabins that I have read about on here. Although, some folks love these because they are out of the sun, but as you can see, we want the full sun experience with our Mini Suites on Deck 8.

Edited June 29, 2016 by cruiseguys2009

[keeponcruising]

JW, my mouth has been watering since you described the creation of your dry martini, so tonight, I had to make one at home for myself. I didn't quite get the Dorothy Hammil ice skating rink, but I do have to say it is pretty darn good. YUM

[cruizinwithkids]

The only cabins I personally do not care for, are those balcony cabins and Mini Suites on Deck 15. The entire deck is located under an overhang and it is very dark all day, and there is some resonate noise coming from above (pool deck chairs, cleaning etc) in certain cabins that I have read about on here. Although, some folks love these because they are out of the sun, but as you can see, we want the full sun experience with our Mini Suites on Deck 8.

 

I just made my fourth change to book one of the spa rooms on deck 15. I love the idea of no sun. Gotta love my Irish complex. LOL

 

I am driving my PCC nuts, but he's used to me. :D

Edited June 29, 2016 by cruizinwithkids

[Debowah]

I have been thoroughly enjoying your witty and insightful review, JW. Have been waiting to book Escape for the Aug 20 sailing, today was the day! Great Promos, Pre-Paid gratuities and the prospect of sailing with you clinched it for us. Please keep telling us your fabulous story.

[cruiseguys2009]

I have been thoroughly enjoying your witty and insightful review, JW. Have been waiting to book Escape for the Aug 20 sailing, today was the day! Great Promos, Pre-Paid gratuities and the prospect of sailing with you clinched it for us. Please keep telling us your fabulous story.

 

 

Yay! Love it.

[cruiseguys2009]

My apologies. Tonight's episode or chapter will be slightly delayed. I had several meetings at work that ran late and I was unable to complete it. I will have it published in time for lunch break at your office tomorrow morning.

[Heronymous]

We too will be there at 9:30, that is if I can get out of the house on time this next trip and don't delay us because I have to Tinkle!

 

You should have no issues getting VIBE passes if you are at the terminal by 10AM and in one of the first groups. Not everyone is into spending an extra hundred bucks a person for VIBE. But if you have the drink package and enjoy a private atmosphere where you could curl up with a cocktail and a good book or perhaps enjoy other's company at the bar, VIBE is perfect!

 

By the way, congratulations on your wedding. Is it going to be a boy-girl, boy-boy, or girl-girl wedding? Pick one! We know of a boy-boy wedding on our cruise as well, just wondering if it was you two.

 

Looking forward to meeting you, and be prepared as we can get into some antics in VIBE.

 

 

 

That's good to know, thanks! And thanks for the congrats, and congrats to your friends! We're boy / girl, and getting married on the 21st at sea, not sure of the time yet though. We got the alcohol package so we're going to do our best to get into the vibe. Can't wait to meet you both!

-Keith and Samantha

 

 

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[lostone65]

Just an FYI to everyone, here is our upcoming cruise schedule confirmed so far:

 

August 20, 2016: 8 Night Norwegian ESCAPE, Recap sailing

October 27, 2016: 10 Night Royal Princess Halloween Cruise

December 31, 2016: 7 Night Carnival Conquest New Years Eve

 

I know that we will be scheduled for a Norwegian sailing in February or March, and I also want to go on the Norwegian Sky somewhere in there too , for a three/four day booze cruz.

 

Any suggestions? Who is sailing in February/March? You know that I have to get to Golden Level in the Casino by March 31st.

 

 

We are on the February 18th Escape sailing. Your review is getting me very excited for it to arrive!

[TrixieBel]

Hey Disneygirl - we are on the Gem on the 20th too. We'll have to meet up for a drink to commiserate over being on the "wrong" ship... [emoji898][emoji483][emoji3]

 

 

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[disneygirl]

Hey Disneygirl - we are on the Gem on the 20th too. We'll have to meet up for a drink to commiserate over being on the "wrong" ship... [emoji898][emoji483][emoji3]

 

 

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Yes TrixieBel!! We must do that and see what kind of Adventures we can run into!!!

Getting excited!

[cruiseguys2009]

Taste

 

Our first night's dinner, we reserved Taste 8:30PM.

 

Because we booked 11 days out from sailing and confirmed 4 days out, there were no dining reservations in specialty restaurants available online, however, I was able to book reservations for Le Bistro, La Cuchina and Moderno that first day, as I wrote earlier, while waiting in line for our VIBE tickets.

 

I was pleasantly surprised at the level of service, the casual elegant ambiance, the quality of the food and the menu selection of Taste on the first night. Yes, I know that gone is Lobster, Filet Mignon, etc, but the menu's in these alternate complimentary dining rooms were perfectly acceptable and all the dishes we had were wonderful.

 

We greeted the Hostess, and she swiped our card and turned us over to someone else to seat us. We were given a wonderful table by the window, however, all seats in Taste or Savor are good seats. A window is nice at night but not necessary, as there is really nothing to see out there. Taste was not crowded, but remember, Norwegian Escape does an excellent job of filtering folks to venues all over the ship. Tonight, though, O'Sheehan's was the place to be and was completely packed, (more like overrun) with a huge line, for the advertised All-You-Can-Eat (More like devour) Prime Rib. Oh my Gawd. It's like these folks were scared they were going to miss out. Yikes.

 

So Jerome and I were seated, they exchanged our white linen napkins for black linen, as we were wearing black pants, which is a very and nice old fashioned touch of changing out to black so not to get any white lint from the white linen on my pants. Classic.

 

Since several of us were seated all at once in our area, our Head Waiter and Alternate were busy greeting, servicing and also were at various stages and levels of service. Our congenial bus person poured our water, also offering bottled water as well. We still love a (usually Indonesian) Crew member's sincere vocalization of singing in the American way "Thank you!" or "You're Welcome!" The Head Waiter arrived, greeted us and we ordered cocktails and also I ordered a glass of wine for dinner.

 

The menu, as I said, was very good. Great selections and also, at first glance, I thought for a minute that I was in the wrong place and this was a "Pay" restaurant, because when I opened the menu, my eyes automatically looked on the right side and that is where was listed all the "Specialty Selections" for $$$. So actually it was not necessary to eat IN Cagney's, because the main selections were available daily at Taste, Savor or Manhattan for a'la carte pricing.

 

It is a little confusing, but I understood it after a couple of seconds. However, that being said, the gentleman and lady who were seated next to us certainly did not. The man was fast becoming incensed, he was huffing and puffing, having only glanced at the menu, not understanding that the pay items were optional, and was starting to get up to leave.

 

Our Alternate server, Rica from Grenada, sprang into action, calming the gentleman down, reassuring the lady he was with, that "This is my home." "Please let me explain the menu to you." To which Rica began to explain, line by line, each item that was available and what her suggestions were and asked what their likes and dislikes were. She went on to explain the "For Pay" Specialty Selections. I watched with utter glee and fascination that this Crew Member "Gets" it. I was completely impressed that Norwegian felt wise to empower it's crew to go above and beyond for each Guest in each situation. Rica truly cared about her Guest and the cruise. She was well informed and educated on the menu presentation. She was certainly a caring professional. The Guest, being "Wow'd" was very happy, and had not Rica been in-tuned to her Guest's emotions and surroundings, this would most definitely escalated probably to Guest Relations and The F&B Director, something in our business we all try to avoid, if at all possible.

 

Quality performance by a Crew member is obviously a goal which also is a number one priority on this cruise. I witnessed so much genuine caring for the Guest and also for each other Crew member. This was the beginning of watching dozens of Crew members go above and beyond for their Guest. Taking ownership of their respective Guest's satisfaction. Plus, the "working together as a Team" was obvious, and the constant communication between the Staff, Supervisors, Hosts, Management and The Guest was extraordinary.

 

This, I am sure, comes from the top. Sean, the Hotel Manager as well as Martin, the F&B Manager are well seasoned Officers, who have the task of training the Crew in an exceptional manner, insuring the culture of Norwegian's Guest Relations is met 100% of the time. It was not met at all for us on The EPIC, again for sure, but I was fast becoming reassured that this ship is different. We were in a whole new kind of energetic service ambiance that was unfamiliar to me, ever, on our past Norwegian sailings, except our previous experiences in The Haven.

 

Our dinner was superb. Our Service exceptional and exceeded our standards. The food was hot, presented well, and portioned correctly. Every first night's dinner on a ship, regardless of which venue we eat at, sets the tone for the whole cruise. So, tonight, I felt that in Taste, at what I thought was one of the best experiences we have ever had at dinner on Norwegian, I said to Jerome, "Okay NCL, top that!" I fully expected the experiences yet to come, either to meet what we just had, or go completely downhill like on previous sailings. "We'll see" said Jerome, "We'll see, we have been down this road before."

 

One thing I do miss, though, are the Table Crumber's (or scrapers) that the servers would carry and manicure/clean up the table after each course, removing salt, pepper, bread crumbs from the tablecloth. I would suspect that they may no longer be issued Crumber's as part of their Uniform, because in no Tableclothed restaurant we dined in, even the Specialty Le Bistro, were they ever utilized at our table. But then I could be incorrect, perhaps they have been eliminated as an old fashioned "Step of Service" now discarded. Or perhaps our service staff forgot to use them. I still use Crumber's in my Hotels. To me, it just is another "Dot" that connects and raises the level of service one more notch. One of those little unconscious surprises to a Guest, that perhaps is not necessary, but creates a truly fabulous elevated dining experience. It is not a deal breaker for me that they were not used, but disappointed that this tradition had perhaps gone by the wayside.

 

Excellent Service costs absolutely nothing to a company, except an ounce of good corporate cultural training and the true desire by an individual to care about a Guest and their satisfaction. Providing a Consistent Genuine Experience, one well recognized as unique, as perfect as possible, and caring, is where putting People ahead of Profits certainly makes for incredible corporate revenue generation. It is after all, why folks continue to come back, time and time again to various Restaurants, Hotels, Cruise Lines, Car Dealerships, Airlines and anything else we spend our hard earned money on, that would give me a valuable, memorable and remarkable experience.

 

Our continued Guest Service on the Norwegian Escape was no fluke, as it became more and more evident each passing day, not only to us, but as we observed emphatically happening to others.

 

Now, I have had my Cappuccino with Baileys, it's time to hit the Casino for the first night. I can't wait to see the Casino Host, Christina Bica. I hope she remembers me and I remember what she looks like! :o

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2016 by cruiseguys2009

[LrgPizza]

I saw a crumb scraper on Escape! Just one night our server in the Manhattan Room had one. I was delighted. (I actually have one at home that a server on DCL gave me, after seeing me the entire cruise light up at it's use!) Maybe some of the servers simply have their own? I don't know. Like you, we never saw one at any other meal, just that one time.

[CruisinHarvey]

They used them multiple times at our dinner in Cagney's, Maybe we're just messy????

[cruiseguys2009]

I saw a crumb scraper on Escape! Just one night our server in the Manhattan Room had one. I was delighted. (I actually have one at home that a server on DCL gave me, after seeing me the entire cruise light up at it's use!) Maybe some of the servers simply have their own? I don't know. Like you, we never saw one at any other meal, just that one time.

 

They used them multiple times at our dinner in Cagney's, Maybe we're just messy????

 

 

See, so I wasn't crazy. I knew that, most likely, just as I have the non usage issue at my properties, the use of a Crumb Scraper somehow becomes an "Option" to the server rather than the "Requirement". Sometimes, we folk in the F&B industry need to place more emphasis on, and be reminded that, it's the Little Things that add up to the big picture. Again, not a deal breaker, but really, really, really nice to have this service performed. I would not have mentioned anything had I seen a server crumb another Guest's table, but nope.

[buckeye rob]

Maybe this is why I stay at Marriott properties a lot.:) Actually staying at Miami Biscayne Bay Friday evening with a side jaunt to Smith & Wollensky ! Regards Gerry

See, so I wasn't crazy. I knew that, most likely, just as I have the non usage issue at my properties, the use of a Crumb Scraper somehow becomes an "Option" to the server rather than the "Requirement". Sometimes, we folk in the F&B industry need to place more emphasis on, and be reminded that, it's the Little Things that add up to the big picture. Again, not a deal breaker, but really, really, really nice to have this service performed. I would not have mentioned anything had I seen a server crumb another Guest's table, but nope.

Edited June 30, 2016 by buckeye rob

[cruiseguys2009]

Maybe this is why I stay at Marriott properties a lot.:) Actually staying at Miami Biscayne Bay Friday evening with a side jaunt to Smith & Wollensky ! Regards Gerry

 

 

Thank you Gerry. That means a whole lot to us who work with Marriott. We are now over One Million Hotel Rooms Strong, Worldwide (Without the Starwood merger) and whether it be Marriott Corporate Hotel or a Franchise Property we all must abide by the JW Marriott Standards and Rules of Management:

 

This is a real treat for me to post as I live, breathe and BELIEVE in these Standards every day.

 

 

1. Challenge your team to do better and do it often.
   
2. Take good care of your associates, and they’ll take good care of your customers, and they’ll come back.
   
3. Celebrate your peoples’ success, not your own.
   
4. Know what you’re good at and keep improving.
   
5. Do it and do it now. Err on the side of taking action.
   
6. Communicate by listening to your customers, associates and competitors.
   
7. See and be seen. Get out of your office, walk the talk, make yourself visible and accessible.
   
8. Success is always in the details.
   
9. It’s more important to hire people with the right qualities than with specific experience.
   
10. Customer needs may vary, but their bias for quality never does.
    
11. Always hire people who are smarter than you are.
    
12. View every problem as an opportunity to grow.
    

[buckeye rob]

You are most welcome. (notice I didn't say "no problem"). 2,5,9, & 11 hit very strongly to me. Also, "it's not the customer's fault you are having a bad day". Own a business that's been in our family since 1927. Love your passion yet realistic view on your profession. Trying to help with your Marriott stock options.:) Stayed at a Norfolk property Friday and staying at the Marriott Cincinnati airport Thursday night before our Friday flight to Miami. Regards, Gerry

Thank you Gerry. That means a whole lot to us who work with Marriott. We are now over One Million Hotel Rooms Strong, Worldwide (Without the Starwood merger) and whether it be Marriott Corporate Hotel or a Franchise Property we all must abide by the JW Marriott Standards and Rules of Management:

 

This is a real treat for me to post as I live, breathe and BELIEVE in these Standards every day.

 

 

1. Challenge your team to do better and do it often.
   
2. Take good care of your associates, and they’ll take good care of your customers, and they’ll come back.
   
3. Celebrate your peoples’ success, not your own.
   
4. Know what you’re good at and keep improving.
   
5. Do it and do it now. Err on the side of taking action.
   
6. Communicate by listening to your customers, associates and competitors.
   
7. See and be seen. Get out of your office, walk the talk, make yourself visible and accessible.
   
8. Success is always in the details.
   
9. It’s more important to hire people with the right qualities than with specific experience.
   
10. Customer needs may vary, but their bias for quality never does.
    
11. Always hire people who are smarter than you are.
    
12. View every problem as an opportunity to grow.
    

Edited June 30, 2016 by buckeye rob