Escape Review Oct 8-15

[witherbark]

Before our trip I haunted these boards and read every review I could find on the Escape. I want to return the favor to anyone who is in the same boat (ha - see what I did there?) that I was. Please note that all opinions are just that. This is simply my take on my vacation. I'm sure others on the same sailing had vastly different experiences.

 

I apologize in advance for being both long-winded and boring. For those wanting only the short version: we had a great time.

 

Background:

A bit about your hosts: DH (dear husband) and I have done three cruises together so far. A transatlantic on the Disney Magic (amazing), a 4-day on the Disney Dream (just okay, but tempered by the fact that it was DH’s R&R in the middle of a deployment), and the NCL Getaway (actually the most fun we’ve had on excursions). So when I found a deal on the NCL Escape with “free” beverage plan and dining plan that was perfect for our schedule, we were sold. Despite knowing (knowing!) that the price would drop the second we hit the 90 day mark, I went ahead and paid. We have a non-connecting balcony on Deck 12. I’m hoping for a change, but we shall see. Last time when the prices dropped I was able to move us to a mini suite for no extra cost. I’m also totally planning on spa passes.

 

90 days out I pre-booked us for Cagney’s, La Cucina, and Teppanyaki. Also tickets for the Brat Pack. I’m a little worried by reports that you can only book one comedy show while on board, we love the comedy shows and went to see multiple ones while on the Getaway. That and Howl at the Moon were some of our favorite activities.

 

Pre-Cruise 1:

Well, life has a funny way of happening, doesn’t it? Just a few weeks before we sailed, I found out that my company was shutting down my division, and I would be out of a job. Luckily, I will have severance. So I did what any responsible adult would do. 12 days before the cruise I called up NCL and upgraded us to a Haven aft penthouse for a great upsell price. If we’re going to go out, let’s go out big, I say.

 

I was initially going to keep it a secret, but then I couldn’t help myself and told DH. It was a little anticlimactic, since he didn’t know what the Haven was. I should have waited and surprised him. D’oh.

 

Me: I upgraded us to an aft penthouse in the Haven.

DH: What’s the Haven? And by “aft” do you mean stern? Because aft could mean in the water.

Me: I’m fairly certain we aren’t in the water.

[witherbark]

Pre-Cruise 2:

The Wednesday before the cruise I got the news that I was fired. And Hurricane Matthew was gaining steam all week, set to rip into Florida on the day we were heading into town. So it was definitely shaping up to be an interesting week.

 

Actually, I should have been prepared for this. We do not have great pre-vacation karma. The day before we left for a transatlantic cruise, my DH was hit by a truck while he was on his motorcycle and spent the night in the hospital. Ten days before a Disney vacation, I fell and broke my arm in 6 places. The night before I drove to Philadelphia for a transatlantic flight to Greece, my car battery died and left me stranded.

 

So this felt like par for the course. Anyway, all of my Maryland friends were freaking out, advising us not to go, and generally panicking. Cruise Critic and other impacted social media sites were blowing up. I talked to my mother in Orlando (native Floridian) and she said “eh, I bought some granola bars in case we lose power.”

 

Southwest opened up for free changes for our dates of travel, so I re-routed us into Atlanta and rented a car (Nissan Rogue, decent ride). I was first going to go into Tampa instead of FLL, but then it looked like Tampa was going to be in the cone of the hurricane. As it ended up, we would have been fine flying into Tampa – but there were a couple of cancellations of Tampa flights that I noticed on Friday when we left.

 

Friday morning we packed up and made the grueling 15-minute trip to BWI. We parked in long-term parking and as I was putting a note on my phone as to our exact location, DH told me he would remember and not to worry about it. Go ahead and ask me if the following Saturday we were on the airport shuttle having a discussion about where the car was parked. We left at about 8AM and landed in Atlanta at around 10. By 11 we had our rental SUV and were headed to Tampa to have dinner with my grandmother. We hit a little rain and almost no traffic on 75 South, although we did see quite a few power trucks headed south. I had been in contact with my mother in Orlando all day, and she said they had only lost power for about 8 hours and everything was fine. So I had high hopes that everything was going to go smoothly.

 

After dinner with my grandmother in Tampa, we decided to press on to Miami. We called ahead to the Intercontinental to tell them we would be doing late check-in and arrived there at about 1AM. A little weird check in with a front desk person who seemed more interested in a personal conversation than helping us, but eventually we made it to our room that had a great view of the cruise ships. We were soon in bed and out like lights!

 

The pre-cruise plan had been to get to Miami early on Friday and enjoy the amenities of the hotel. Ah well, next time.

[witherbark]

Day 1: Embarkation:

We took our time getting up and ready the next morning. Well, DH took his time and then sat around playing Words with Friends while I practically bounced off the walls. Cruise! The Haven! Let’s get going!! Eventually we made our way out at about 10:30 to drop off the rental car at the Miami Airport (I tried to change the drop-off to the port, but it was expensive). A short $27 cab ride later we were at the port! DH paid the taxi while I handed our bags to a porter. We jumped in a short line to show our passports and cruise documents. The person checking told us to go through security, then take our first left to Haven.

 

First impressions of our first Haven experience? Very nice. We filled out our health forms while seated in a tiny waiting room. DH grabbed a cookie and we had our pictures taken very quickly. The escort came and took just our party up to the ship. We were handed off to another guide upstairs and led up the gangway and then to the special elevator. Then we had our picture in front of the ship backdrop and into the Haven.

 

Unlike what I’ve been told, no one handed us a drink or sliders (although I saw others with them, so they were somewhere). I would have asked for them if it was important, but it wasn’t. Adrian welcomed us and gave us the Haven speech and told us that Margaritaville was complimentary for lunch and Food Republic was half priced for dinner. He also told us we were welcome to go to our suites to put down our hand luggage. We grabbed the Daily and took a quick look around, then headed aft toward our room (10914).

 

We decided on Margartaville for lunch, as it was free and we likely wouldn’t come back to pay for it. But first we went to the room to drop off my big bag. This was sort of a mistake – our wonderful cabin steward Jeffrey was still there putting some last minute touches on. I say a mistake both because we ended up in his way, and because I sort of wanted our first time in the cabin to be a “wow” experience. I feel that Jeffrey must have felt how I do when a guest shows up early and the house isn’t just so yet.

Back upstairs to Margaritaville. I had the fish tacos and DH had chicken fajitas. We each had a margarita. Good food, but probably not worth paying extra for. It seems as though everyone around us had the nachos, so maybe we should have tried those.

 

After lunch we began our explorations. Spice H20 looked good and I wanted to try the grotto, but never made it back there. We got our bearings around the ship, finding most of the amenities on Decks 6,7, and 8 just like the Getaway. A decent library with games and books – I did make it back here.

 

As I waited for DH on Deck 6 near the Supper Club, a youngish couple walked by and the man asked “what’s so super about it?” Sigh.

 

After exploring we headed back to our room and did have a “wow” moment. We had a small living area with a couch (actually comfortable), large television, dining table, and coffee machine. We also had a ridiculously large balcony. The bedroom had a king-sized bed and another television. The small bathroom was perfect as a powder room. The larger bathroom was nice, with double sinks, a bathtub, shower with lots of jets, and toilet room. It was a little odd that just a thick curtain separated it from the bedroom, but it wasn’t a big deal with just the two of us.

 

We also had a fresh floral display, a bottle of champagne, and a liter of water waiting for us. Neither of the latter were in ice, which I thought odd but probably due to interrupting Jeffrey. Our butler, Mansur, arrived to orient us and welcome us. He asked which tea I preferred so that he could provide it, which was nice. We also had a card inviting us to the Captain’s cocktail reception in the Haven the next night.

 

No luggage yet, so we headed up to the Haven for a drink. We sat in the covered courtyard and a female manager was making her way around, introducing herself. DH spilled his drink. Completely unrelated, I’m sure, the manager asked us what room we were in and, when I told her, asked if we had friends in the Haven. I’m pretty sure she didn’t understand that our room was Haven even if we weren’t technically “in” the Haven. I guess we just look like we don’t belong?

 

We made The District our next spot and both totally felt at home in this brewpub atmosphere, plus the wait staff was just wonderful.

 

Back to the room, and this time we had luggage. I unpacked us both while DH, as soon as I told him movies were free, started Central Intelligence. We ended up watching six movies over the course of the week and I read four books. We might not have partaken of a ton of activities, but we did relax!

 

There is so much room to store stuff in the aft penthouse. Plenty of hangars, shelves, and room for every little thing. Unpacking was no problem since we each had our own closet.

 

We had our lifeboat drill in the Manhattan Room. I was looking forward to dinner here, but we actually never made it back. If you sense a trend, that’s because we ended up so rarely leaving the Haven. Anyway, we bonded with those seated near us over the obnoxious behavior of a group traveling for some work rewards trip. They had obviously already indulged in the drinks package.

 

We held back a bit on leaving the Manhattan Room for the crowds to die down, then took the stairs up to our room. Escape has a late sail-away now, so we enjoyed our bottle of champagne on the balcony while we sailed out of Miami. It was gorgeous! One of my favorite memories from the trip.

 

Eventually we made our way to the Haven for dinner. DH had a Caesar salad and a fillet and I had a beet salad and the mushroom ravioli. We each had a glass of wine. Great service and a relaxing atmosphere. For dessert DH had the chocolate cake and I had the pistachio chocolate bar. I love pistachio, but this had a weird texture. I found it odd that the charged for a cup of tea after dinner, but then they never actually charged me (and it was only $2 regardless), so I don’t know?

 

We spent an hour or so at Howl at the Moon and had another drink, then back to our amazing cabin.

[witherbark]

Day 2: Sea Day

Day 2 was our first sea day! I was up a little before 8 to let Mansur in with our continental breakfast. I then had tea and croissants on the balcony while DH slept in a little. We went up to the Haven sundeck for a bit before the 11 AM CC gathering. DH left for the gym and we made plans to meet in Cagney’s.

 

The CC meet in Cagney’s was my first, and very nice. There was coffee, tea, and water and also lots of little treats. Many staff and officers were around and there was a little officer talk. We did meet the family in the other deck 9 aft penthouse, which was nice!

 

After this we decided to go in search of some lunch and ended up at the Garden Café. Not a huge selection for non-meat eaters, but what I had I liked. They actually did a very nice job with broccoli. DH ended up with a combination breakfast/lunch, which worked for him. We never had a problem finding a table at the Garden Café and there was always plenty of food, it just always felt a little chaotic.

 

I changed for the pool and ended up at the indoor Haven deck, then the outdoor one. DH joined me and we had a couple of drinks.

 

Eventually we ended up back in the room. I finished my book on the balcony and DH watched another movie. We had treats from Mansur and also went to the Garden Café for afternoon snacks. We never made it back for these, but I really enjoyed the offerings (quiche, cheese, scones). I thought it was a very nice touch.

 

Tonight was the Captain’s Reception in the Haven. We had Teppanyaki reservations at the same time, which the concierge had no trouble moving back by 45 minutes. Unlike the CC gathering, here the officers don’t have a speech, they just mingle. It was very nice and civilized. DH met another Army vet, so of course they got on like a house on fire. We saw him several times over the week and always had a nice quick chat. After some chatting and a drink, we made our way down to Teppanyaki exactly on time. Love the show and there is certainly more than enough food! DH had steak and shrimp and I had tofu. We have an amazing hibachi and sushi restaurant near us, so the food didn’t match that, but it was very good and fun and a great way to have dinner with other people as well.

 

We were going to the 11PM adult comedy show but we were too exhausted! Instead we watched a bit of another movie and then off to bed.

[witherbark]

Day 3: Sea Day

After sleeping in we went to the Garden Café for breakfast. A bit chaotic, but plenty of food. We chatted with a nice man who was alone and I noticed that he was reading a book I had recently finished.

 

Then to the Haven outdoor deck, where we found our favorite double lounger in the shade. I stayed put with my book and a drink, while DH made the rounds of hot tub, gym, and an officer’s talk in the atrium. I tried a bloody mary because I had never had one (thanks UBP!) but not for me! I chatted with the couple next to us and was completely unsurprised to find them the second DVC members we had spoken with – seems DVC and Haven are pretty common.

 

Eventually I peeled myself off the lounger and made it to the library to pick up a couple of new books ( was already done with 2 of the 3 I brought). I enjoyed a drink and our afternoon treats on our balcony, then watched another movie. DH was off exploring but eventually joined me, then we had a drink or two in the Haven before going to dinner at La Cucina. We ate outside on the Waterfront and enjoyed it very much. I had the caprese salad ( I doctored it with pepper and balsamic, but it was very good) and spinach ravioli while DH had a salad and the lamb. The best part was listening to the table behind us complain (to some fairly senior people) about everything under the sun with regard to food.

 

I’m sure I had dessert but I don’t recall it, and then the 9PM comedy show. Very funny if not quite as uproarious as others we’ve seen. After that another relaxing evening in our cabin.

[riclop]

Thanks for the review.

[easyboy]

Enjoying your review.

[Sand and Seas]

I'm enjoying your style of review.....thanks for sharing with us!

[StlGal]

Thank you for your review! DH and I are also staying in a PH bedroom aft. Do you have pictures? What did you like most about the room? Least?

[witherbark]

I'll try to figure out how to post pictures, StlGal. Overall, we loved the room. It was a little odd that the main bath had only a curtain instead of a door, and you did need to be a bit of a contortionist to see inside of the safe. Other than that, we had nothing to complain about (and those aren't really complaints!).

[Samstress]

What a wonderful review.....I am following along:)

[NLH Arizona]

Enjoying your review. You are neither long-winded or boring!

[Two Wheels Only]

Completely unrelated, I’m sure, the manager asked us what room we were in and, when I told her, asked if we had friends in the Haven. I’m pretty sure she didn’t understand that our room was Haven even if we weren’t technically “in” the Haven. I guess we just look like we don’t belong?

I'm sure that she knew that the H6 room was a Haven room. The staff get to know which guests are Haven and which aren't so that if it happens later in the week, they know who shouldn't be there.

[witherbark]

Day 4: Land Ho

Our first port of call is St. Thomas. We began our morning with breakfast in the Haven – so much better than the crazy café! I had eggs (they did mess up my order, giving me scrambled instead of over easy – vacation ruined!), grits, and toast and DH had an omelet and fruit. We chatted with some fellow passengers, then returned to the cabin to get ready. We didn’t need to be at our SUP lesson until 12.

 

We disembarked at about 10:30 with no trouble and caught a taxi. It had rained overnight and the skies still looked threatening, but right now it was sunny. We got a taxi in the somewhat chaotic taxi area with two staff members also heading to the Marriott. The driver was irritated when he dropped us at the beach access when we had both obviously said the main check-in and told us we had to be specific. Umm, you were the one who bundled us into the taxi and didn’t listen to us.

 

Anyway, eventually we were dropped off at the main desk at the Marriott and quickly found the Adventure Center desk. They were friendly and helpful and gave us directions for either walking or riding to the correct spot. We chose walking. The resort seems nice, although maybe a little older and a tad run-down. They had plenty of giant iguanas.

 

Just a note, for this excursion (I arranged it myself, not through the ship), there is no designated area to leave your things. I had a travel safe that I hooked to a beach chair with our phones and some cash in it and it was perfectly fine.

 

We made it down to the correct beach area and had a ten minute rainstorm that we waited out under an umbrella. We met our guide, who was wonderful and so kind. There was one other couple on the trip with us. Our guide (Katy, I think) got us launched on our paddleboards and had us practice paddling, turning, and other maneuvers while kneeling. Then we paddled to a quieter area out of the waves while we practiced standing up. I was the only one who never made it up! Meanwhile, my husband learned how to do a headstand on a paddleboard. I bet you can guess which of us is the athletic one in this relationship.

 

We had great weather while on our lesson, although the surf was a little rough from the hurricane. We had about 15 minutes of free time after our lesson to practice or just paddle around. After returning our paddleboards we walked back to the main area. I thought I had read that an Adventure Center lesson came with use of the pool, but the woman guarding the pool said no and then, unsatisfied that we would obey and go to the beach, basically stalked us to the steps to the beach. DH spent a few minutes swimming at the public beach and then we headed back up the massive stairs, trying not to step on the iguanas who were disinclined to move, to grab a taxi at the main desk.

 

It started to pour on our way back to the pier. The driver let us out near the Carnival end so we had a walk back to the Escape, and I wanted to hit the Alex and Ani shop to get a bracelet with the St. Thomas charm. It was a long walk in the pouring rain, stepping into a lot of puddles. DH gamely came with me, even when I told him he could go back to the ship. The transaction took about 5 minutes and then, wet and tired but happy, we made it back to the ship. My travel safe did confuse the staff member manning the x-ray machine. I just opened it up and showed him what it was.

 

We were both in dire need of hot showers, so our cabin was our first stop. DH was done first and headed up to the Café for lunch. I followed soon after, although I didn’t run into him. After a bite I went to the Haven bar for a drink and chatted with some fellow passengers there. Eventually DH found me and we went to the District to play some Roll for It before dinner. The District is a great place to enjoy a drink, watch a sporting event, or play your own game.

 

Dinner was in Savor. No reservations, but we were seated immediately. I had a mushroom appetizer (meh), salad (good), and a vegetable lasagna which was better than I expected. DH had the turkey dinner and really liked the dressing. I ended with the lava cake, which was very good.

 

We were going to go to Howl at the Moon, but it had just started and was absolutely packed. Instead we relaxed in the room for a while – probably we watched part of another movie – and then we went to the theater for Brat Pack. A very fun show, and the theater wasn’t full at all. We had a drink and watched the scratch-off antics before the show began. Talented singers and dancers and of course the 80s is right up our alley. Like all NCL shows, I felt this one went on a bit too long. They could easily cut 15-20 minutes. It was late after the show, so time for bed.

[witherbark]

Two Wheels Only, I'm certain if I had given her an actual cabin number, she would have known it was Haven. I'm fairly certain I wasn't that specific, because I was still in my first-day fog and didn't realize why she was asking.

[witherbark]

Day 5: Tortola

We have been traveling very slowly, since Tortola is so close to St. Thomas. Luckily the weather is very clear, no rain on the horizon. But so hot! No real rush this morning, but we were aiming for disembarking around 9AM since our day here is short.

 

Haven for breakfast. This time I had perfectly poached eggs on an English muffing (I asked for the eggs benedict without ham or hollandaise sauce, and they had no problem with that). DH had an omelet.

 

Back to the cabin to put our bag together and then we made our way off the ship with no line or issue at all. We walked to the taxi area and were assigned a taxi bus heading where we wanted to go – Cane Garden Bay. Well, we tried to at least. Our bus broke down on one of those terrifying hills! We were probably only stranded about 20 minutes before another bus rescued us. So we had a little adventure.

 

The beach was nice, although crowded. I guess I was expecting fewer people since we were the only ship in port. We got two chairs and an umbrella for $15, and we had brought our own water and snacks. We chatted a bit with the folks in neighboring chairs, DH went for a swim, and we just spent a relaxing couple of hours. It was okay, not great and next time I’d chose something else. The waves were crashing and I did hear that some excursions were cancelled.

 

Around 12:30 we had no trouble finding a bus going back to the port, and this time we made it with no trouble! We had a fun day and it certainly wasn’t expensive, so it was fine. Next time I’d do a different excursion or stay on the ship.

 

After showers I decamped to the Haven bar with my book and had a drink and a snack. After an hour or so, I returned to the room and sat on the balcony. Eventually I ordered a cheese plate – my first call to the butler – and enjoyed that on the balcony. Mansur rang the bell but I didn’t hear him since I was outside, so he just popped his head out to ask if I wanted my snack on the outside table or the inside one. Why can’t I have a butler in real life? (oh, right, because I’m unemployed).

 

While I was doing all of that, DH had a nap and then took his own book to the District.

 

Around sunset we met on the balcony and I may have had a short nap. Dinner was in the Haven. Dh had a salad and the duck, and I had salad and steamed veggies and a baked potato. And then that amazing hazelnut mousse for dessert.

 

We ended dinner with a drink at the Haven bar before going down to the theater for the comedy show. Very funny. I had considered Howl at the Moon or the late comedy show, but DH was beat so we went back to the room for a bit of a movie before bed.

 

The ship had really started to move, which was enough to wake me up several times during the night.

[witherbark]

Day 6: Sea Day

Our last sea day! It’s gone by so quickly. As usual, we went to Haven for breakfast where things were more quiet and civilized. I think today we ate outside. I had my usual poached eggs and DH had waffles. I should have grabbed a bite of that!

 

We retired to the sun deck where I made sure that lounge chair – we liked the double ones in the back row – didn’t move off the deck. I made the rounds of chair, hot tub, and having a beverage. Eventually I made it back to the cabin and had the snacks Mansur had left. The ship was really moving today and I heard from several people that at least one member of their party was feeling it and in the room.

 

DH went to the veteran get-together and caught part of Deal or No Deal. I also hit the shops for my treasures (2 for 1 tshirts and a magnet. I’m a big spender). At some point we met back in the cabin and watched Finding Dory before going to the District for beverages and some Roll for It. We got pulled into a team for the Abba music quiz as well.

 

Dinner was at Cagney’s tonight. I don’t think tonight was the formal or not night, but certainly I saw many more people dressed up in Cagney’s than I saw elsewhere. Dinner was great and so was the service. I had two starters, a beet salad and a tomato salad (that DH helped me finish). He had a filet mignon and baked potato. I had the sea bass and broccoli (very good), asparagus, and mashed potatoes. I don’t remember dessert, but I know I had it. Because I never refuse dessert.

 

We finally made it to the 11PM adult comedy show. It was very funny, and we sat near some very fun ladies. It was a great night and end to our last sea day.

[witherbark]

Day 7: Nassau

As usual, we had breakfast in Haven. The captain announced we’d be arriving about an hour early. I packed our day bag and DH spent some time in the hot tub. We enjoyed watching our ship arrive in port from the top deck, very fun. We even caught an unexpected, um, show from the Aida ship docked next door.

 

This seemed like a good day to use priority disembarkation, since we arrived at around 11 AM and everyone would want to get off the ship at around the same time. We hung out in the Haven bar/reception area for all of 5 minutes before being escorted to the crew elevators and off the ship.

We walked over to the Hilton, where I had read that you could get a day pass. The staff was excellent and very familiar with the process, unlike the Melia staff two years ago who acted like they resented the day pass. A bar staff person grabbed us immediately to let him know when we wanted to order and gave us our towels. We staked out a shady spot underneath a tree – no umbrellas and not a ton of shade here. It was very nice with a great view of the ships and very warm water. The swimming area was pretty small, and there were a ton of bees. I think they might have been stirred up by the hurricanes?

 

The food was good (hot dog and fish sandwich) but, again, fighting the bees and the wind. After a few hours we settled our tab (the bartender insisted on sending us on our way with bottled water since we hadn’t used our full credit) and we headed back to the ship.

 

I bought some post cards on the way – I’ve never tried so hard to give someone money but the staff people seemed disinterested in commerce.

Finally back on the ship! I stopped for a beverage and the bartender gave me 2 – not sure why? Hot showers for both of us and I began to pack up.

I returned my library books and we met in District for some Roll for It and another trivia game. Afterwards we had dinner in the Haven. For me it was a mirror of our first night, but with that great mousse dessert.

 

We thought about several evening options, but in the end had a nightcap in the Haven bar and then retired to our balcony for one final evening. Sad to set the alarm clock for so early the next morning!

[witherbark]

Day 8: Miami/Disembarkation

We would have been up without the alarm from the noise of us docking. I did get some great pictures of Miami and the ships in port with us this morning. DH called someone at a quarter to 7, and I reminded him that it was Saturday. He reminded me he was calling one of his soldiers who was working the christening of a new boat in Baltimore harbor, and that he would definitely be awake.

 

Once we had our things together, we headed up to Haven for breakfast. Things were there most chaotic this morning, but it was still Haven so not that bad. The Captain was having breakfast, and while he had a few “good mornings”, not nearly as many as when the favorite bartender walked through the dining room. We have our priorities, after all.

 

We were so sad to leave the Escape and the Haven, but really appreciated priority disembarkation. We walked off the ship after a leisurely breakfast and found our ride, grabbing the last 2 seats in the van. We were at FLL in such good time we were too early to drop off our baggage. Unlike last time when the security line stretched into the hallway and almost the next terminal, the security line took maybe 10 minutes and we had over an hour to sit in the terminal. We read, took turns using the bathroom and walking around. We left about 40 minutes late due to waiting on luggage, but otherwise had an uneventful ride home. We used our Southwest drink tickets, picked up our car at the long-term lot, and returned to three very disgruntled cats.

 

Last thoughts coming up!

[JerseyMom]

Really enjoyed your review.

 

Very sorry to hear about your job. But you have such a great attitude. You definitely take the lemons life gives you and make lemonade.

[witherbark]

Final Thoughts:

1: Norwegian Vs. Other Lines

I’ve only traveled on NCL and Disney. NCL provides a more adult experience and more big ship amenities, like bars and night clubs that actually have people in them and ropes courses. I like the spa and the adult-only area on Disney. But for right now, I think NCL wins for a 7 day cruise and DCL probably still wins for a longer voyage.

 

2. Cabins

We’ve sailed in a mini-suite and an aft penthouse on NCL. The aft penthouse wins hands-down as far as spaciousness, balcony, and other amenities. The mini-suite was great and we really enjoyed the upgraded bathroom. I’d sail in a mini-suite again with either/and Vibe passes and spa passes.

 

3. Restaurants

I found the food really good on NCL. Perhaps not as good as land-based restaurants except for Cagney’s and the Haven restaurant. But certainly there was always something to eat and it was decent. I thought the Garden Café was chaotic at breakfast and lunch, but I really enjoyed their late afternoon offerings. I think their lunch vegetarian offerings were especially weak. I don’t know if there were complimentary “fast food” style offerings on the pool deck. We never tried Food Republic or O’Sheehan’s. I did try the latter on the Getaway and was unimpressed. Similarly, we were underwhelmed by Margaritaville and would not eat there if it was not complimentary.

 

4. Bars

We spent the most time in the Haven bar and thoroughly enjoyed the bartenders, the atmosphere, and our fellow guests. We also frequented the District and thought the staff there was top notch, the selection great, and the overall atmosphere was fantastic. I only wish we had more time to hang out there. I saw the outdoor bar outside of Tobacco Road and the Mojito bar, both of which are much discussed on CC, but never had occasion to stop. I did use the Atrium bar, fine, if I was ignored for a bit. We also utilized the Howl at the Moon bar, which vacillated between needing both cards and not needing both cards, and the Tobacco Road bar, which I thought had excellent service and a more calm crowd. I never felt that service was slow due to the UBP, nor did I feel that the bartenders were short or frustrated.

 

5. Staff

Most if not all interactions we had with staff were excellent, in or out of the Haven. I’ve read some reports of massive differences in staff interactions, but I never experienced them. All of the restaurant staff was polite, helpful, and seemed truly dedicated to giving good customer service. Certainly the staff at Savor wasn’t as polished as that of Cagney’s or the Haven, but that is to be expected. Likewise, except for the rather indifferent service at the Atrium bar, all bar staff seemed engaged and helpful. I found the staff at Guest Services, ironically, probably less helpful and knowledgeable than other staff. Although that might be down to them being overwhelmed. It goes without saying that Adrian and his fellow concierge staff in Haven were exceptional. Our cabin steward, Jeffrey, was remarkable. He, the Haven bar staff, our butler, and District staff received “Vacation Hero” cards from us.

 

6. Entertainment

I think the entertainment on board is top notch. We experienced Howl at the Moon, the comedy acts, and Brat Pack. I’m sure the other shows were great, they just aren’t a genre that appeals to us. I like that there is a wide variety of entertainment. Perhaps due to being in Haven, we participated in fewer experiences on the Escape. We missed the Newlywed game, some quiz shows, and the 80s party, all of which we did on Getaway. That didn’t make this cruise less enjoyable, it just made it different.

 

7. Excursions

We no longer do ship-sponsored excursions, for the most part. The SUP lesson was our most enjoyable time, just as the 5K we did on the Getaway was our most enjoyable. Clearly we prefer active excursions. DH mentioned a preference for more resort days and fewer public beaches for next time.

 

8. Shopping/Other Amenities

I’m not much of a shopper, but I’m always slightly disappointed in NCL’s offerings. I think DCL does a much better job for shopping. This time I did pick up 2 t-shirts on a great sale and a keychain, a shot glass, and some postcards. I also bought a memory card for my camera (which I forgot) and DH picked up a razor (which he forgot). I really appreciated the library on this ship. On the Getaway it had fewer books and the hours were often wrong/staff was a no-show. This had a larger selection and the staff was present each time I went.

 

9. Haven

For us, this is the perfect blend of having big ship amenities and options and having a quiet place to call home. We spend a lot of time in our cabin, so having the additional space and the large balcony is a huge plus for us. As were the free movies and the provided snacks, which usually meant we could skip lunch. Little things like making a cup of tea while reading the Daily made a huge difference for us. And despite there only being two of us, having two bathrooms was very convenient.

 

The bar and quiet atmosphere of the lounge was perfect for me. On the Getaway, I often felt like there wasn’t a single place to sit quietly with a drink and book except for my own balcony. I think they addressed this on the Escape, as I could sit in the Haven lounge, District, or my own balcony and enjoy peace and quiet. It was also wonderful to have plenty of loungers and not need to worry about grabbing a spot at 8AM and guarding it all day.

 

DH has asked to not sail without the Haven again, so that is that. I’d love to always do an upgrade rather than an original booking, but that will depend on timing. I think we are reaching that point in the time/money continuum where it may be worth it to secure the cabin we prefer. In other words, our time is becoming more valuable. Right now we aren’t at a place where we can travel 3-4 times a year, we are lucky to get away twice with the delightful vagaries of the armed services. So I’d rather pay up front and be sure of having the experience we prefer.

 

10. Décor

I know some people adore the way the ship is decorated, and I’m glad for them. I find it mostly tacky (that chandelier! The supper club, evidently decorated in early bordello!). I preferred the tans and creams of the Haven and the (fake) wood and leather couches in District. I did not find the theater seating noticeably uncomfortable, although the seating in Headliners seemed designed to discourage lingering. I’m short, so I found myself regularly perched on the edge of the booth at the restaurants.

 

11. Summary

I definitely see us sailing NCL again. Right now, they are offering a product that meets our needs with a crowd of similarly-aged passengers. I would love to try Viking Sea (no kids! Great pools and spas!), but right now DH enjoys the active parts of the big ships too much. After the Getaway I was really pulling for Viking, but if we can sail on Escape again in Haven, I would be on board (ha!) for that.

 

Thank you so much to everyone who has read this far! I’m thrilled to mention that I begin my new job just after Thanksgiving. Knowing what I know now, I’m doubly glad I upgraded us and so grateful I took a leap of faith.

 

Fair winds and following seas,

[cincicruisers]

Excellent review. Thanks for taking the time to share with us.

[Coreysgrl06]

Really enjoyed reading your review!

[copycat8]

What a great review. We are new to Norwegian, so any information is appreciated. We are sailing on the Escape in January and doing the same stops. Couple questions if you don't mind. Is there comedy every night? I LOVE comedy. Is it packed, get there early, book? Sailed with Carnival last year and spent every evening in the comedy club. Is the Brat Pack a dinner show? It's kind of unclear in the reservation system (I'm probably reading it wrong). I also like staying active and am interested in doing some non-ship run excursion. Is there any good snorkeling near the ports? Any other fun things you've done in these ports? I'm also looking to scuba dive while away if you have any info on that. Any tips or suggestions appreciated. Of the "no extra charge" restaurants, which were your favorites? Thanks again for all the great info. Good luck with the new job. Diana

[easyboy]

What an interesting review! Starting off with a job loss, then ending with a new job. Your cruise experience on a suite may have been the lucky charm.

Thanks for your review.