Semi-limited Live: Escape to W. Caribbean 14 days Jan 6, 2019

[dexddd]

Welcome home!

By now you should be home and unpacking.

 

Sounds like you had a good time.  You buy any cruisenext to sail GA when it comes up your way?

[iloveislands24]

Thanks so much for sharing your cruise in so much detail! We are taking a cruise on the Escape for the first time in early March, cannot wait!

[mking8288]

3 hours ago, dexddd said:

Welcome home!   By now you should be home and unpacking.  Sounds like you had a good time.  You buy any cruisenext to sail GA when it comes up your way? 

 

Thank you & all.  Yellow taxi dropped us off curbside just before 10 AM - fare with East River toll & tip came to $60, actually a little less than our typical flat rate with Carmel.  Had to wait a little longer to get off the FWD gangway, even some folks up in Haven (non-Express Self Walk-Off) were held up ahead somewhat - the porter that took our bags upstairs to the Taxi Stand said unloading bags off the ship in the morning took longer than usual, whatever.  

 

I literally used up & carefully rationed over the last 4 days, all of our 330 WiFi minutes, including overheads - satellite WiFi speed was actually pretty good, IMHO ... I'll get into that later (maybe separately, @graphicguy & others interested in knowing how it worked for me & the tricks for it ... )  With Google (Project) Fi covering us in 5 different ports billed as home rates, final cellular data charges on 2 devices - newer iPads/iPhones are now supported - for our 2 weeks come to about $25 additional, on top of Mrs. M's typical regular monthly charges, for about 2 GB data.  

 

We managed to get a 2nd. load of complimentary laundry earlier in the 2nd. week, came back just in time to repack - so minimal to be done at home, except some hand-wash items.  For non-Platinum members, the all-you-can-stuff a bag laundry "Special" for $19.95 was offered twice during our 14 days, paper bags used but it worked fine using a "liner" (typical hotel plastic laundry ones ... or ask for a clean pillow case).  

 

Overall, we had a good time ... very good time as a whole, nothing is perfect and most of the crew tried & worked hard.  One has to appreciate and take into consideration of their extra efforts to deal with the reported cases of acute viruses onboard.  Poor Chaddy looked like she just got off a red-eye flight & barely slept, with a crazy embarkation day facing them all.  

 

We aren't into all sorts of comedy shows on the Escape so that limited our options on sea days, but the atrium singers & games were good - crew members set up as many extra chairs as they could.  *** If some of the reserved (walk-up, space availabe basis ??) comedy shows came with a free dinner, it wasn't "advertised" and a best-kept secret, and, clearly all booked/sold out already by the time I learned about & started looking.  

 

We had almost perfect weather for 2 weeks, except for the rain & downpour @Costa Maya, and, yesterday - last Sea Day once we're north of the Georgia & Carolinas, crossing the fronts - clouds, wind & chilly temperature ... so all the chair hogs on the upper decks virtually disappeared, except for a few in the hot tubs.  They hogged up the buffet & atrium lobby instead, as the small library/card room was also closed.  We retreated at times into our cabin & hooked up HDMI to catch up on pre-recorded media, but resisted the urge to call for Room Service, except twice for breakfast to sleep in late.  

 

We're a little disappointed missing GSC again but I had a hunch that it was going to be a "Fun Day at Sea" when we're still at Port Canaveral & when we saw the RCL ship port-side next to us started leaving, we just knew it.  Harvest Caye was a nice stopover & I will write up a little more shortly.  

 

CruiseNext - affirmative, as we are running out so purchased them again, although one of my BIL has extras, should we need them in a hurry for a last minute booking ... a good possibility that we might be looking at 3 more cruises this year, and, to check out different ships & ports, now that we are in a good position to do it.  Our dearest SIL is hanging tough & stable, but progressively ... so that's something we are mindful of, being a closed knit extended clan.  

 

Next mission, transfer & organize several hundred photos taken (some on Mrs. M's smartphone) and group/upload some of them for sharing ... thinking of putting 14 sets of MDR dining menus on its own thread/post - instead of amending it here ??  Thoughts & ideas - make it easier for folks to scroll & find them ... until NCL roll out their 2019 changes.  

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2019 by mking8288

[bob brown]

Very nicely done...thanks for taking us along.  I feel like I have been on two cruises at the same time....👍

Edited January 21, 2019 by bob brown

[dexddd]

Hopefully you got some sleep after spending hours stuffing the mattress with Mrs. M's casino spoils.

 

You'll need to take some out as NCL raised booze prices and more items out of range, for your convienience, of course as you were sailing.

[Arzeena]

Enjoyed your picture review.  Will keep me entertained till the next cruise!

And it was a great pleasure meeting you and Mrs M. I hope Charry is spending a couple of days at the spa detoxing from this cruise! She really deserves it!

 

[Arzeena]

8 hours ago, bob brown said:

Very nicely done...thanks for taking us along.  I feel like I have been on two cruises at the same time....👍

 

Hi Bob,

hope you are enjoying your world cruise!

[graphicguy]

Thanks so much @mking8288

 

Thoroughly enjoyed your picture review.  Once again, sounds like you had a wonderful time.

 

I’m still looking end of Feb, 2019 to book the Escape.  Your review is pushing me a little harder (as well as the 5º temps I woke up to this morning).

 

Hope you made it home without any hiccups. 

 

Again, thanks!

[FLAHAM]

I was on this cruise and would like to add a couple of comments that I hope readers of this interesting thread will find useful:

 

1.  I felt that the entire staff did their best to protect passengers from Norovirus; that their efforts were not overly intrusive; and that passengers appreciated them. 

 

2.  On the Breakaway's transatlantic crossing this past fall, a constant complaint was the lack of Atrium seating for popular events.  I thought that the sixty or so folding (but still reasonably comfortable) chairs set out by the crew for these events on the Escape did not eliminate this issue, but did help a good deal. 

 

3.  I enjoyed both the filet and the ribeye at Cagney's. 

 

4.  At Bayamo ($10 upcharge), I was told both times that the grilled cold water lobster tail had more meat than the whole steamed cold water lobster.  Having ordered both, I agree (but it is close).  Bear in mind that both are previously frozen and not up to the standard of a decent Northeast lobster house  The lobster tail comes covered with bok choy and other vegetables in a soy sauce glaze, which is decent but dilutes the "lobster" flavor (melted butter is also provided).  My dinner companion liked the sea scallops. 

 

5.  As per my past experiences on other NCL ships, I felt that the salad bar at Moderno's excelled, while the meats did not. 

 

6.  OP clearly enjoyed O'Sheehans (which always seemed to me to have enthusiastic crowds).  I was not as pleased.  I found the nachos appetixer and reuben sandwich decent (particularly when other venues were closed).  However, I found the wings to be so-so, and the ribs, shepherd's pie and fried seafood to be only minimally acceptable. 

 

7.  I enjoyed lunches in the MDRS (and I consider the option of a sharing table as a bonus).  Alas, these are closed on port days. 

 

8.  Highlights of the buffet for me included piles of cold shrimp and mussels waiting for cocktail sauce on seafood night; A whole Peking duck carving station on Asian night, and a whole (snout to tail) large hog carving station one evening.

 

9.  I am a duplicate (competitive) bridge player.  NCL's high-sea-day transatlantic crossings have very nice daily organized bridge programs.  This cruise did not have an organized program, but ad hoc bridge games were almost always available.  In addition, I saw groups playing various card games as well as mah jong. 

 

10.  Margaritaville always seemed so empty I am surprised I didn't see tumbleweed blowing through it.

 

I greatly enjoyed my vacation on the Escape and am reasonably certain that readers planning travel on the Escape in the near future will be pleased with their cruises.

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by FLAHAM

[mking8288]

35 minutes ago, Arzeena said:

Enjoyed your picture review.  Will keep me entertained till the next cruise!

 

Thanks, I trust RJ and you; and, everyone else had a safe trip getting home and warm inside today ...  It's about 5 degree here & wind chill, below 25 feel, could use another vacation, lucky Charlie posted earlier on the 20th Roll Call. 

 

We're home by 10 am yesterday - took a taxi instead of booking Carmel on the App, then to take our luggage across 12th Avenue with the weather.  

 

Going to re-post a handful of pix from the M&G, Slot Pull & Cabin Crawl - sort the rest of them in higher resolution on the Roll Call link for everyone & you.  @GeneLady mentioned it as she travel solo. 

 

 

[mking8288]

As promised, while CC's popular sub-forums, including NCL was down for much of Monday - SQL 500 & 504 errors (issues with AWS CloudFront server ... nothing wrong with us / end user's broadband connections, hardware & browser configurations, etc.)  CC admin/host aware of this - see link - uploads done offline.  And. 

 

Here it is, took a little bit of time to sort, compose & format - done, all 14 days of MDR menus for Dinner from our Escape cruise (Jan 2019) - I did not capture all of the dessert menus on some nights, and we dined @ LeBistro & Moderno on 2 different nights ... no pix.   

 

MDR are open for lunch, except on port days - using the one and only, same menu ... but, they did manage to come up with one (1) daily special, ask your server (waiter / asst. waiter about it ... and, in my opinion - take a chance, it is something different & you are probably "tired" of the same old choices/items after day 4 or 5 )  For MDR breakfast, on the left side of the menu - a section has, usually up to 3 daily "specials" - go for those if you see something you like, we did.  You can always order something else if ... 

 

O'Sheehans and the Garden Cafe (Buffet) has nightly specials and it was listed in the Freestyle Dailies - and, the "Washy Washy" teams are going around "promoting them" near Taste & Savor on a regular basis, if you happened to walk by - feel free to check them out as well.  

 

The next 2 posts will be strictly Dining Menus & Pix - please, try "not" to quote that post - refer to this or other posts instead, it will just tied or hog up things and make it difficult for the rest to read.  

 

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

NCL Escape Dining Menus (that "should" be good / applicable to the rest of the ships in the fleet ... as a general guide, until changes are made for 2019) - these are zoomable.  Of course, disclaimer of YMMV and ships sailing in different regions and/or parts of the world could have local variants.

 

Jan - 2019 - Part 1 of 2

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

NCL Escape Dining Menus - 

Jan 2019 - Part 2 of 2

 

(A friendly reminder to try not to "quote" these 2 posts with menus, as it is graphics-intensive, thanks) 

 

Edited January 22, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

I do want to salute the Escape officers & crew for working hard, often going above & beyond. We recognized some of the new junior crews from 2 months ago and they surely made lots of progress.  Vacation Hero cards were filled out ...

 

Here's a snapshot of their life living for months on the ship together ... less anyone got issues with the sizes of the guests accommodation.  That's Alvin, CD's single room below deck.  

 

It's a relief as it seemed they now contained the Norovirus from getting worst, as by Day 7, I sensed & saw subtle signs that something was up, before the official announcement & letter in the cabins by evening. 

 

I do feel, that they should issue future notices in several other key languages spoken by the guests, to better inform & educate everyone on the serious nature and risks.  

[OceanBlueWaters]

Super enjoyed your review!  Sorry you had to come back to nasty weather.  Yup, it has been sub-zero here the past few days. Yay!

Can you tell me where you can find a cab when exiting?  All the Yellow cabs dismissed me when they heard I was a mere fare to Port Authority.  "Black Cabs" were ferocious.

Welcome back and look forward to lurking on your next adventure.  LOL! 🙂

[mking8288]

Fun moments at the CruiseCritic Meet & Mingle with some of ship's senior officers.  Also, pictures from the Slot Pull & Cabin Crawl to cure our funny post-cruise syndrome. 

 

I wasn' sure that some of us would get to peek inside Haven upstairs but sure enough, our fellow CC'ers came thru - (on behalf of Arzeena) thank you & I am sure everyone that came enjoyed the extra hospitality ... and, we likely didn't disturb other guests of their enjoyment.  Kudos to Linda, Michael, Jon & Macy, and Mindy for the AFT view on the extended balcony.  

 

Edited January 23, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

For The Record: #The Brat Pack has been replaced this week with Choir of Man.  It turned out we saw one of their last shows on the Escape. 

 

Expect to hear more about the changes from the current sailing, for better or worst - and, the communications along with it (or, lack thereof ... out of Miami's HQ) 

Edited January 23, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

On this 14 days sailing, the itinerary called for visiting both private islands runned/owned/managed by NCL.  We missed GSC again, just like last April (on the Gem & the year beforre, on the Breakaway ... ) but Harvest Caye was easy, just a long pier with a covererd walk path ... and, golf carts available for guests with special/accessible needs.  (Although, I can say, it appeared to us that some of them can manage the 1/4 mile walk under the shades and weather was nice, beautiful & very comfortable when we docked there)

 

George Town, Cayman Islands was a tender port - we opted NOT to rush ashore with our priority status, and still find the process fairly smooth & organized - 2 double decker boats with a capacity of 250 passengers were used for the short 5 minutes transfer to go ashore, it was quick - getting onto and off the boat took more time.  Just make sure to hold on to the railings and watch your foot steps.  

 

Here are better pix of what it was like ...

A number of stores, shops & places near the pier displayed signs of open/free WiFi for visitors (as desired).  We never needed to use it - Google (Project) Fi got us covered on all the ports & ashore, inexpensively & VPN secured - used 2 devices mostly, but at times, had our dual-sim smartphone enabled as a MiFi hotspot/router ... sitting on the balcony.  Coverage by T-Mobile/AT&T/USCC's int'l roaming partners in 170 countries, mostly 4G-LTE.  Anyone that cruise seasonally & travel should look into this option - and, it now support newer iPhones, no longer restricted to select Androids or Nexus devices.  

 

Our data costs - this time - came to, roughly about $25 USD for the 5 days at various non-US ports, used about 2.5 GB worth (all those compressed pix & uploads, still consumed bandwidth) of data, which we also used for VoIP (WiFi) calling ... something that is now largely blocked onboard the ship's satellite WiFi, unless you upgraded to the premium/unlimited streaming plan, even when discounted as it is a longer cruise, to $25 a day - still meant, you still need to have an international plan ashore.  

 

P.S.  I will come back to this as a final tech/gadgets wrap up on my thoughts & suggestions, and what one should take into consideration, to stay connected as a matter of personal choice.  

Edited January 23, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Lots of easy options & choices in GT, organized and popular.  Just do your research ... Our tour went to HELL and stopped at Devil's Hangout, and came back.  

 

KFC & Pizza Huts, among others, are popular ... doubtful that anyone wish to make a stop there.   

 

Edited January 23, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Pix (re-posting) from Ocho Rios, Jamaica 

 

Edited January 23, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Here are some of the hi-resolution sunset & sunrise images, feel free to use them as wallpapers.

[mking8288]

Relax, the ship isn't going to T-bone us ... everything under control, they are steering sideway, very slowly. 

 

Besides, Mrs. M is super calm, busy on her smartphone, on the balcony.  It's all good.  

Edited January 23, 2019 by mking8288

[Arzeena]

Saw the Symphony docking at CM and felt it was almost touching us!
Fantastic pictures! Longing to go back! I too have the post cruise blues and am wondering why Mucha has not come in to make the bed yet???

 

Heard from a CC member who got sick, that NCL did not handle them well during that period. Do not know any details. In CZ another one also mentioned about the handling and lack of service in terms of food and water provided during quarantine. Again do not know all details, just relating what was told.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Arzeena

[mking8288]

On 1/22/2019 at 12:56 AM, FLAHAM said:

I was on this cruise and would like to add a couple of comments ... 

 

1.  I felt that the entire staff did their best to protect passengers from Norovirus; ... not overly intrusive;  ... (almost all) passengers appreciated them. 

2.  ... lack of Atrium seating for popular events ... folding (but still reasonably comfortable) chairs set out did not eliminate ... but did help a good deal. 

3.  Cagney's

4.  Bayamo

5.  As per my past experiences ... salad bar at Moderno's excelled, while the meats did not. 

6.  OP (clearly) enjoyed O'Sheehans ... found the wings to be so-so, and the ribs, shepherd's pie and fried seafood to be ... 

7.  ... lunches in the MDRS  .... closed on port days. 

8.  Highlights of the buffet ... piles of cold shrimp and mussels waiting for cocktail sauce on seafood night; ... Peking duck carving station on Asian night, and a whole ... hog carving.

9.  ... This cruise did not have an organized program, but ad hoc bridge games were almost always available ... groups playing various card games as well as mah jong. 

10.  Margaritaville always seemed so empty ... 

 

I greatly enjoyed my vacation ... certain that readers planning travel on the Escape in the near future will be pleased ...

 

Thanks for joining me with those informative comments, we too enjoyed our 2 weeks onboard the Escape, for a 2nd. time and it went quickly, before we really wanted to ... just knew it when our 2nd. week's free laundry came back in a basket, time to start repacking.  DW "promised" to reduce her wardrobe & downsize it back to a 22" expandable rollerboard, next time ... when we book another cruise of 10+ days, easier for disembarkation.  

 

You just helped others & me on this cruise in summarizing a few of my thoughts and comments, as "edited" above.  Let me "merge" it with those of ours.

 

With the acute virus symptoms being reported & acknowledged, suggestions made to my NCL contact person onboard was to - consider, with corporate approval - to put out those key messages & (daily) announcements throughout the remainder of the cruise in several other "foreign" languages (as spoken/heard, based on the passenger's profile, as they know (i.e. Mandarin/Chinese, French, etc.) 

 

We stayed on Deck 13 Fwd and walked by the medical center routinely, and, saw what I considered busier foot traffic than usual - and it wasn't those 2 or 3 Code Alpha paging early on ... the empty buffet tables cleared of everything in the late evening was a subtle signal to me, that stricter measures were rolling out.  DW then saw the public restroom doors being popped open  ... crew members going around with buckets, spray solutions, wiping cloth & the smell of bleach (wiping the stateroom's door on both sides & the corridor walls, etc.)

 

Atrium seating, I agreed that the extra chairs helped ... perhaps they need to do a more semi-permanent seating re-configuration, folks moving various loungers, chairs & folding ones in zig zag fashion - maybe something NCL will do at the ship's first drydock, to expand its capacity to handle a bigger crowd.  

 

Food opinions are highly personal & subjective in nature, we dined twice on the Escape's Moderno & compared to earlier days, salad bar was nice but I believed they cut back even more this time ... not a deal breaker as ours being complimentary.  The variety of different cuts of meat were fine, more than sufficient for our preference (we ate a bit more fish ... could live on salmon all week long) & good enough, better than the ones served in the MDR, in our opinions only.  

 

We dined in LeBistro and the beef cut I had, was good ... I know others are disappointed with some of the changes.  It is what it is, not a blindfolded cheerleader of NCL.  We tried to check out Food Republic on sea days, but it was closed for lunch - despite what the FS Daily said, oh well - to see what it's all about.  Margaritaville just looked depressing with the empty tables & chairs, and a handful of people eating there ... one of the last places that we would go to, even on dry land. 

 

We ate a few times in O'Sheehan's - sometimes, for convenience & a change of pace/venue, itself also being closer to our FWD stateroom's elevators & stairs - for breakfast, lunch & as quick bites for comfort food.  Never did dinner or tried out their "Specials" - maybe, next time ... although DW isn't into fried dishes, Seafood Basket is "out" for her.  

 

We did do a late evening walking "free" tour of the GC for the seafood, saw lots of chilled shrimps & musseles, unlimited AYCE - must've been packed during prime time.  Maybe, we will skip the MDR next time.  

 

MDR works for us for dinner but the shortcomings for us ... the "same" Lunch Menu daily all week long, when it was opened for 90+ minutes, with the exception of one (1) Daily Special.  With the long lines for walk-up passengers without reservation for dinner & being discovered by many for lunches, the wait at times can be easily 30+ minutes.  I can understand asking folks to consider sharing a table ... However, not everyone wished to do it and we didn't - made our advanced reservations ahead & not expected to be herded into sharing a table

 

In the pursuit of a perfect cruise vacation experience, this one has to be one of the closest one in our 20+ years.  This, like others, wasn't a perfect one but no matter what, it is how we, each of us, make the best out of it.  When it rain and you are caught outside in a downpour, dance along & run - it is surely better than being at work ... and, worst, not getting paid but must report to work - like those CBP officers at Pier 88.  He smiled when we thank him for his services.  

Edited January 23, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

12 hours ago, OceanBlueWaters said:

Super enjoyed ... Sorry you had to come back to nasty weather ... 

Can you tell me where you can find a cab when exiting?  ... a mere fare to Port Authority.  "Black Cabs" were ferocious.

Welcome back and look forward to lurking on your next adventure.  LOL! 🙂

 

Thank you, exactly why DW and I executed our vacation plan this time - in early January, to avoid the cold winter blues for at least 2 weeks.  As long as I don't need to fire up the snowblower and take out the shovels to do the stairs & clear the sideway and long driveway ... I am happy.  Yulp, forecast for next 36 hours isn't pretty nor sunny, but we can survive heavy rain in late January and I am ready for another entertaining forecast by the groundhogs. 

 

The trick for getting into a taxi is to get the driver to load the luggage first, jump into the taxi next, THEN, tell the driver where to take you ...  Whether it's going across town and/or a short run to PABT or NYPenn.  Plus, hand the driver an oversized cash tip first once the doors closed, always help, from what I know.  

 

We got off the gangway around 8:45 and were inside the terminal, took another 15-20 minutes to get thru (rather quickly) & asked our porter, he took us upstairs ("arrival" or embarkaton dropoff) where there is (nowadays) an official Taxi Stand, with a long row of taxis waiting for a fare ... most of them expecting to go to the airports, but not always. 

 

For you, I would suggest going across 12th Avenue to the Taxi Stand on the north/uptown side, and cruising taxis will not necessary be sitting there for an extended period & counting on a longer trip to the airports or outer borough.  If there are more than one ship docking, port security are known to block the use of lining up for a taxi upstairs.  

 

Checking timestamping on the smartphone, we're inside the yellow NYC taxi @ 9:21 and on our way back to N.E. Queens - worked for us - he zipped up the West Side Hwy, took the 96th Street exit, crosstown via Central Park west to east, up the FDR Drive & across the RFK (Triboro) Bridge toward LGA Airport, passed it - and, 10 more minutes later, we're dropped off curbside in front of our house - it is one of the shorter route vs. using I-95 into the Bronx & then back to Queens, a little longer than the QMT tolled route.  With EZ-Pass toll added, it came to $47.50 in total (thus, same ride for others going to LGA for airline flight departure would come to about $40 or less, roughly - about the same as using Carmel or Dial 7, I dunno about Uber or Lyft ... especially in that wet & messy weather of ours) ... rounded up nicely the cash tip for him, as he took all our bags & placed them on the steps on the front porch.  

 

Yes, until our next "trip" - I will be following others & sit back ... in search of a deal and to see where we are going; and, share our journey with everyone.

 

Now, memo to CC - please, get your I.T. acts together & fix the website glitches, it's no longer amusing to see those 500 and 504 errors.  NCL's own website is problematic at times already.  Really & seriously - hats on as a "critic"