NCL Escape Tips and Tricks

[mdsgu]

Can anyone offer any tips/tricks to make our cruise aboard the Escape more fun? We have 8 people in our group (ages 6-83), including 2 active kids and a couple of people with somewhat limited mobility. We've all cruised before (NCL, RC, CCL), but always on the look out for new ideas and tips!

Edited January 6, 2017 by mdsgu

[FamilyBoatTrip]

I have the same question. Looking forward to answers

 

 

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[OneWord]

Food

[OneWord]

Republic

[BirdTravels]

The Manhattan Room has a large section of tables for groups. Eat dinner together (early) nightly and then go, as a group, to the evening shows. Now,,, the main theater is at the opposite end of a LARGE ship, so allow time to slowly walk/roll to the theater.

 

If you are going to specialty restaurants, be ready to book exactly 90 days (12 midnight US Eastern Time) (100 days for Havens guest). Getting large group reservations in specialty restaurants can be challenging.

[LakeWobegon]

Remember to bring your tennis shoes for the ropes course. Or shoes that enclose your entire foot. At least they were needed for our March cruise last year. I forgot and had to do it in my dress shoes with white socks. Looked funny but it worked. : )

[Carolina Girl 99]

Somewhere in the forums, there is a HUGE post/review of Escape with loads of pictures by user CruisingWithGambee. You can even read just the review without all of the Cruise Critic user posts at cruisewithgambee.com

[FreestyleNovice]

Agreeing on the Gambee tip, that guy is one reviewer. :)

 

Did OP cruise on any of the newer NCL ships? Ropes course, water slides, etc?

[ljrfrm]

Just a few thoughts - I could probably go on all day, LOL.....

 

On embarkation day, we went to go eat at Taste or Savor. Someone out front told us that both restaurants were full and we'd have to wait. We went up to the hostess anyways and were seated right away. SO, if someone tells you that - check with the hostess before you walk away!

 

Go to the free shows in the supper club - there are several that are good! They usually offer them at 6:00 or 9:15. The 6:00 shows include dinner. If that time works better for you, just tell them you don't want to eat. They will put something in front of you to let the waiters know you don't want food - and they won't bother you at all.

 

If there are no chairs in the Atrium during the game shows, we found that we could sit in the back on the window ledge and still see fairly well. One night we even pulled a table over to use while sitting there. We were able to get prime chairs if we showed up about 1 hour before (which usually worked fine since they would have other music or something going)

 

Do not wear a tankini on the drop slide without tucking it in!! Otherwise, you risk the walk of shame after getting stuck.

 

On the ropes course, you can't wear anything sleeveless - they will make you go change!!

 

If there are just two of you, check out Table #79 or #124 in the Manhattan Dining Room.

 

 

- I'm sure I'll think of more!

[MandyMommyof2]

I'm following as we sail on the Escape this summer! Loved Gambee's reviews. Tons of photos and information. Got it all wrote down :D The slides are the same as the Getaway. No jewelry ( this includes simple wedding bands and stud earrings) and no metal/plastic pieces visible to go down.

[L1211]

The Manhattan Room has a large section of tables for groups. Eat dinner together (early) nightly and then go, as a group, to the evening shows. Now,,, the main theater is at the opposite end of a LARGE ship, so allow time to slowly walk/roll to the theater.

 

If you are going to specialty restaurants, be ready to book exactly 90 days (12 midnight US Eastern Time) (100 days for Havens guest). Getting large group reservations in specialty restaurants can be challenging.

 

I have a tip for you - the poster is correct, the online offering for specialty restaurants and shows book up very early and I'm not the best of planners - finding only 5:30 and 8:30 on reservations available when i go to pre-book. But, the only offering online is only about 30% of availability. You can book your reservations from the terminal - download the NCL app and connect to the ship's wifi from the terminal. Pull up the restaurants of interest and you will find ALL times available that were not available online. I had my week planned then got exactly the reservations times I wanted just before boarding!

[ljrfrm]

One more thing I forgot to add - the Manhattan hostess told me that historically the 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm time is their busiest. So if you don't have a reservation, you are better working around that time.

[Coreysgrl06]

Just curious about the drop slide...Someone said tuck in your tankini so im wondering what's the suggested attire. Would a tankini cause you to be exposed? Does the same apply to the other slides?

[Cuizer2]

Can anyone offer any tips/tricks to make our cruise aboard the Escape more fun? We have 8 people in our group (ages 6-83), including 2 active kids and a couple of people with somewhat limited mobility. We've all cruised before (NCL, RC, CCL), but always on the look out for new ideas and tips!

 

I had to chuckle at your thread title. Nothing wrong with it. But someone else, who was also looking for ideas, used a similar thread title (it didn't have the word "tricks" in it). One of the replies was, if you can't afford to tip you can't afford to cruise.

 

I have spent 32 days on NCL ships. However, they are all the same class (Star in 2005, Jade in 2008, and Pearl one month ago). So I am not really familiar with the Getaway and Escape.

 

You say you have cruised before. Have you cruises on NCL before? One of the things NCL tries to do (or at least used to do) is even out when people choose to eat by offering the specialty restaurants (except Cagney's which is the steakhouse) at half price at unpopular times. This was done on the Star in October 2005 and on the Jade in February 2008. However, I did not notice it on the Pearl last month. If you are willing to eat at the at the unpopular time, given the size of your group, you could save a lot. If offered, the information appears in the Freestyle Daily.

 

Another thought is, you can take the kids to the buffet early, then take them to the kid's club after they eat, and then the adults can have a more peaceful dinner.

 

Given the age and activity ranges you have, it will be hard to find activities that all will enjoy (besides eating dessert). When I am dealing with a group of people with varying interests, I say the day time is for each to do what they want and then dinner time everyone gets together and shares their stories.

[ljrfrm]

Just curious about the drop slide...Someone said tuck in your tankini so im wondering what's the suggested attire. Would a tankini cause you to be exposed? Does the same apply to the other slides?

 

The reason I said "tuck in the tankini" is because I got stuck on the slide. When the NCL guy came to get me (when you don't make it and get stuck, there's a trap door they come to open to let you out) he told me that most likely it was my tankini that slowed me down (by catching air).

 

I had no problems on the other slides with the tankini. It was just the drop slide, when the tankini evidently slowed me down enough that I didn't make it over the hump.

Edited January 7, 2017 by ljrfrm

[LakeWobegon]

I second the terminal trick. If you are not getting the Wi-Fi in the terminal, walk over the windows right next to the ship and you should get at least a bar or two. It may be slow but you'll be able to book everything before you get on board and not have to worry about it.

[cleanandsober88]

Guess my comment is better late than never. In reference to the Tankini. By the way I'm a male therefore had to look up the definition. If your concerned, on the Getaway they had boards that strap to your back as I wore one with my t-shirt. Helped me go down the drop slides lightning fast. :)

[dexddd]

The reason I said "tuck in the tankini" is because I got stuck on the slide. When the NCL guy came to get me (when you don't make it and get stuck, there's a trap door they come to open to let you out) he told me that most likely it was my tankini that slowed me down (by catching air).

 

I had no problems on the other slides with the tankini. It was just the drop slide, when the tankini evidently slowed me down enough that I didn't make it over the hump.

 

Our DD got stuck on the BA drop slide with a tankini. Next time they gave her a back board dealy and the next day she switched suits. Not sure if they have the boards on the Escape.

[dexddd]

I had to chuckle at your thread title. Nothing wrong with it. But someone else, who was also looking for ideas, used a similar thread title (it didn't have the word "tricks" in it). One of the replies was, if you can't afford to tip you can't afford to cruise.

 

I have spent 32 days on NCL ships. However, they are all the same class (Star in 2005, Jade in 2008, and Pearl one month ago). So I am not really familiar with the Getaway and Escape.

 

You say you have cruised before. Have you cruises on NCL before? One of the things NCL tries to do (or at least used to do) is even out when people choose to eat by offering the specialty restaurants (except Cagney's which is the steakhouse) at half price at unpopular times. This was done on the Star in October 2005 and on the Jade in February 2008. However, I did not notice it on the Pearl last month. If you are willing to eat at the at the unpopular time, given the size of your group, you could save a lot. If offered, the information appears in the Freestyle Daily.

 

Another thought is, you can take the kids to the buffet early, then take them to the kid's club after they eat, and then the adults can have a more peaceful dinner.

 

Given the age and activity ranges you have, it will be hard to find activities that all will enjoy (besides eating dessert). When I am dealing with a group of people with varying interests, I say the day time is for each to do what they want and then dinner time everyone gets together and shares their stories.

 

As far as NCL class, the Star is part of the "Dawn" class and the others are "Jewel" class technically speaking. They are very similar though.

[calgaryhhr]

If you don't want to hang out at the crowded main pool/hot tubs there are a couple of hot tubs on the forward part of deck 19 that were mostly empty when we sailed on the Escape.

[blackwing]

The Waterfront (deck 8) is typically uncrowded in the mornings and afternoons. It has lots of comfortable couches that aren't part of the restaurants. It's a great place to relax and read a book.