Suggestions for lunch on Embarkation day aboard Escape

[smilz]

Sailing on Escape on Sunday!!! Been so busy with work and celebrations etc that I haven't done my usual "homework". Can you share where you had lunch on embarkation day and how it was? Is there a menu anywhere for Taste or Savor? (we don't usually do dining room on NCL but looking to change things up a bit. Looking forward to your suggestions!

[BirdTravels]

6 minutes ago, smilz said:

Sailing on Escape on Sunday!!! Been so busy with work and celebrations etc that I haven't done my usual "homework". Can you share where you had lunch on embarkation day and how it was? Is there a menu anywhere for Taste or Savor? (we don't usually do dining room on NCL but looking to change things up a bit. Looking forward to your suggestions!

Have  a great cruise.

 

Lunch is served at Taste, Savor, Garden Cafe buffet, O'Sheehan's and Margaritaville (extra charge). Both Taste and Savor are open. And that is where we go for embarkation day lunch. 

 

We were on the Escape in April. Post #5 has the menu from Taste/Savor. Check out the entire thread for menus and tips. 

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2019 by BirdTravels

[FLAHAM]

In my experience, only one of the MDRs is open for lunch on embarkation day. 

[smilz]

10 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Have  a great cruise.

 

Lunch is served at Taste, Savor, Garden Cafe buffet, O'Sheehan's and Margaritaville (extra charge). Both Taste and Savor are open. And that is where we go for embarkation day lunch. 

 

We were on the Escape in April. Post #5 has the menu from Taste/Savor. Check out the entire thread for menus and tips. 

 

 

 

Thank you!

[PistolPete13]

I made a beeline straight to O'Sheehan's.  There's a little more room around the tables if you have some carry on bags with you so they won't be in everyone's way.  I took the advice here and stayed away from the buffet!

[HowardK]

9 minutes ago, PistolPete13 said:

I made a beeline straight to O'Sheehan's.  There's a little more room around the tables if you have some carry on bags with you so they won't be in everyone's way.  I took the advice here and stayed away from the buffet!

Good call- I always do that - many people don't know its open

[Kmstrefelder]

We had lunch on embarkation day at Savor. It was a great idea because we were able to enjoy a quite and relaxed lunch.

[zqvol]

IMO  Taste or Savor (whichever ONE is  open (they will not both  be open)) is the place  to  go.

[roxette]

24 minutes ago, zqvol said:

IMO  Taste or Savor (whichever ONE is  open (they will not both  be open)) is the place  to  go.

On The Breakaway plus ships both are usually open on embarkation day. 

[JamieLogical]

My tradition is always to do lunch at O'sheehan's (or The Local) on embarkation day. On the Escape out of NYC, O'sheehan's opens at 11:30.

[DuckTollerFans]

1 hour ago, zqvol said:

IMO  Taste or Savor (whichever ONE is  open (they will not both  be open)) is the place  to  go.

On our recent cruise (6/2) both were open and keeping very busy.  We had lunch at one of them though without my notes I'm not sure which one.  I had the Cajun mahi mahi on a pretzel bun.

[allygory]

Everyone warned me to avoid the buffet on Embarkation day.  We ended up chilling out in the shady part of the pool deck for the first half of lunchtime and then ended up going into the buffet, and we had no problems finding seats, and it wasn't the madhouse that was promised (thought definitely more crowded than on other days)

[AKR2011]

My tradition is to always go to the MDR on Embarkation day for a nice lunch. When we did The Escape, we grabbed our drinks from the bar right outside and headed into Savor. The wait staff was awesome and I continued going there each breakfast and a few lunches. The staff got to know me well and that first lunch really put us in vacation mode. The husband and I took turns getting drinks from the bar and had a nice leisurely afternoon before the muster and sailaway. I have never had a bad lunch at the MDR on any ship, although the menu does not change. It's always super yummy and there's plenty to choose from.

[mking8288]

Embarkation on the Escape out of NYC is easy, using Fwd & Aft gangways - stepping off and onto Deck 7 ... unless mobility is an issue, walk down one flight of stairs onto Deck 6 AFT - entrances for both Taste & Savor are within 25 ft. of each other on the opposite, super easy to see which one has a shorter line to wait or queue up.  Both of them are open for embarkation lunch and served the same, exact, identifcal menu every day of the week.  

 

Sit back, relax & enjoy being pampered at a leisurely pace.  Staterooms are generally available and ready about 1 pm to 1:30 pm.  While waiting for embarkation to begin inside the pier, ask and look for Day 1's Freestyle Dailies - it will list opening & closing time for the MDR, OSH and the madhouse buffet (watch out for swinging oversized carry-on backpacks & large rollerboards & heavy carry-on spinners, especially when cruisers are trying to balance their food & beverage racing for an open table ... ) 

[Son of a son of a ...]

21 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Embarkation on the Escape out of NYC is easy, using Fwd & Aft gangways - stepping off and onto Deck 7 ... unless mobility is an issue, walk down one flight of stairs onto Deck 6 AFT - entrances for both Taste & Savor are within 25 ft. of each other on the opposite, super easy to see which one has a shorter line to wait or queue up.  Both of them are open for embarkation lunch and served the same, exact, identifcal menu every day of the week.  

 

Sit back, relax & enjoy being pampered at a leisurely pace.  Staterooms are generally available and ready about 1 pm to 1:30 pm.  While waiting for embarkation to begin inside the pier, ask and look for Day 1's Freestyle Dailies - it will list opening & closing time for the MDR, OSH and the madhouse buffet (watch out for swinging oversized carry-on backpacks & large rollerboards & heavy carry-on spinners, especially when cruisers are trying to balance their food & beverage racing for an open table ... ) 

 

Is Headliners where you book shows?  If so, where is it relative to the gangways?  Many thanks

[smilz]

On 6/20/2019 at 5:20 PM, mking8288 said:

Embarkation on the Escape out of NYC is easy, using Fwd & Aft gangways - stepping off and onto Deck 7 ... unless mobility is an issue, walk down one flight of stairs onto Deck 6 AFT - entrances for both Taste & Savor are within 25 ft. of each other on the opposite, super easy to see which one has a shorter line to wait or queue up.  Both of them are open for embarkation lunch and served the same, exact, identifcal menu every day of the week.  

 

Sit back, relax & enjoy being pampered at a leisurely pace.  Staterooms are generally available and ready about 1 pm to 1:30 pm.  While waiting for embarkation to begin inside the pier, ask and look for Day 1's Freestyle Dailies - it will list opening & closing time for the MDR, OSH and the madhouse buffet (watch out for swinging oversized carry-on backpacks & large rollerboards & heavy carry-on spinners, especially when cruisers are trying to balance their food & beverage racing for an open table ... ) 

Sounds like a good plan! Usually do O'Sheehans but I think DR is my choice this time. 

[mking8288]

@Son of a son of a ... - we've already seen & pre-booked our main shows, best to check the "current" Freestyle Dailies for Day 1, while at the pier/waiting to board, to see where ... 

 

It could be the Headliner's Lounge, which would be 1 deck below embarkation (Deck 6 Mid) across from LeBistro, below the casino's spiral staircases (actually, that's where we entered the ship's interior, cutting via a crew passage from the Waterfront).  

 

Depending on your boarding time, elevators can be jammed full - some of them "hijacked by Haven staff for exclusive use of their ship within a ship guests, " ... not to mention lots of jumbo-sized rollerboards & spinners taken as carry-on luggage.  We usually do the stairs, one flight down is easy.  

 

Insider's bonus tips - if you haven't connected to ship's free WiFi inTRAnet waiting inside jammed Pier 88 (where they usually set up a mobile/laptop kiosk to book specialty dining reservations ... or shop NY souvenirs with the newly authorized pier vendors, at typical tourist prices) ... do it while waiting for your sit-down lunch inside Taste or Savor, connect and activate and book whatever.  Usually a good & wide choice of open time/days for LeBistro, Moderno & even Cagney and Tappanyaki.  

 

As always, YMMV - these are just generalized guide from experience.  

[elwood_98034]

I would seek out the Three Cheese Ziti from the MDR. It comes highly recommended.

But for the love of God don't ask for it in the Haven. 

[OceanBlueWaters]

Go straight to the Atrium Bar.  Relax there while the feeding frenzy encompasses the ship. My tradition and JMO. Enjoy your cruise! 

[smilz]

11 hours ago, OceanBlueWaters said:

Go straight to the Atrium Bar.  Relax there while the feeding frenzy encompasses the ship. My tradition and JMO. Enjoy your cruise! 

Great idea!!!

[ColeThornton]

12 hours ago, elwood_98034 said:

I would seek out the Three Cheese Ziti from the MDR. It comes highly recommended.

But for the love of God don't ask for it in the Haven. 

 

Okay, the ziti jokes have run the course.  New material needed.