NCL Escape questions! (Mixed)

[Cariot]

Hey everyone, I'm about to set sail and I've been bursting with questions (super inquisitive). If anyone could answer or all of these (my god..), that would be greatly appreciated! I'm sure I asked enough for a FAQ ( : 

 

Hopefully these questions will help future cruisers who stumble across this thread

 

Escape Questions

1. Who is the current Cruise director for July?
2. Is there a way to get more than one towel per guest for free (but all returned by the end of the day)?
3. What happens if you miss your specialty dining reservation? Are you charged a small fee?
4. What type of guest game shows/contests are there (such as Mr. Sexy legs) 
5. What water is used in the Grotto (Chlorine, Salt, etc)?
6. Odd, question and probably hard to answer but asked with good reason (for people who poor immune responses) How often is the pool cleaned?
7. Do the Sofa cushions in the balcony rooms get deep cleaned/sanitized every week when a new set of guests arrive? 
8. If you ask for your refrigerator contents to be removed, do you ask your steward directly, or do you need to call someone? Are you often given a hard time for this?

Personal questions:

1. What was your best use of free On-Board credit and why?
2. Where is the best place to disembark from to watch the views of the statue of liberty, etc?
3. Has anyone ever dined at a restaurant in Bermuda (such as Marcus, Devil's Isle, etc)
4. What is something you would not pay for again!

[Cariot]

Also, don't feel the need to answer all of these questions! 1 or 2 would be enough 😅

[AK Dreaming]

You can get as many towels as you want on the pool deck.  I was behind a guy in a couple weeks ago that got 10?

Yes, get are supposed to get charged a fee if you miss your reservation, but you can cancel up to 24 hours before.

I always ask my cabin steward first time I see him/her and usually done before I get luggage. Never a hard time.

Depending on the trip or weather, OBC is great for Spa, thermal suites, dining, or if needed internet.

This will be debated I'm sure, but I don't think I would do the Haven again.  

Also, you didn't ask about food or dining. But Food Republic on the Escape is really good.

Have a great time!  I did that cruise out of NY in April to Bermuda.  It was lovely.

[Cariot]

2 hours ago, AK Dreaming said:

You can get as many towels as you want on the pool deck.  I was behind a guy in a couple weeks ago that got 10?

Yes, get are supposed to get charged a fee if you miss your reservation, but you can cancel up to 24 hours before.

I always ask my cabin steward first time I see him/her and usually done before I get luggage. Never a hard time.

Depending on the trip or weather, OBC is great for Spa, thermal suites, dining, or if needed internet.

This will be debated I'm sure, but I don't think I would do the Haven again.  

Also, you didn't ask about food or dining. But Food Republic on the Escape is really good.

Have a great time!  I did that cruise out of NY in April to Bermuda.  It was lovely.

 

Ohh what did you order from Food Republic? We're looking to go there. And do you remeber who your cruise director was in April? 

[AK Dreaming]

13 minutes ago, Cariot said:

 

Ohh what did you order from Food Republic? We're looking to go there. And do you remeber who your cruise director was in April? 

I've tried a little bit of everything.  Small plates and we share.  I think the Tuna pizza was my favorite.  

I honestly have no idea who the cruise director was.  I've always been curious was to why people care as I never really have any dealings with them.  They make the announcements and other than that I never see them.

[jasperess]

We ate at Marcus' at the Hamilton Princess in Bermuda for lunch and it was lovely.  The surprise winner in the food category was the ramen (!!), but the deviled eggs were also amazing.  I would highly recommend that restaurant.  The drinks and food were both very good. 

[mking8288]

Bermudian has a very high standard of living = prices, $1 USD = $1 Bermuda Dollar.  Be prepared for high (very high) prices on basic/fine dining in town - prices are comparable to NYC, San Fran or Los Angeles for lunch for a simple meal, and, definitely expensive when compared to even up-charged Specialty Dining onboard the ship ... keep in mind aside from local seafood caught, everything else are imported, flown in and shipped in ... bottled water sourced from New York.  Menu prices are posted outside, check & look at them before walking in ... unless they are seasonally or market priced, accordingly.  We loved Bermuda & had nice lunches in downtown Hamilton, good food & friendly services, etc. with a smile. 

 

CD apparently is Alvin, nice guy - had him twice on the Escape & also on the Breakaway when he was still ACD - a great team that works with him together.  However, that's not a determining factor for us, as noted above (really don't care or book a cruise because xyz is/not) ... far too many cruisers for him to recall & remember most of us - but, do mention you are active with CC & do attend (if there is one organized) the Meet & Greet, as they do an excellent job hosting the M&M in the District Brew House.  

 

No penalty for dining reservation no-shows, specialty or MDR, but all held for 15 minutes max and will be released automatically to walk-ups, as a courtesy - best to cancel if your plans changed, although the reservation desk onboard sometimes appeared to not care if you don't.  Reasons: there aren't enough servers around to staff and cover all the tables at all the venues on any given sailings = thus, empty tables & unmanned stations or sections.  

 

The main pools are drained nighly & cleaned, more often as necessary if contaminated - then refilled as I've watched them closed it down & cover up with nettings.  Assumed the same for the hot tubs ... But, as a general rule, especially if one's biomed-body defense is weakened, please - stay away & avoid those giant shared bath "tubs" unless you take your dips first thing in the morning, pre-dawn hours before the chair hogs begin showing up, just IMHO.  

[alwalaska]

Personal #3 - I've been to the Swizzle Inn both on a cruise trip (very crowded) and on a non-cruise day (much calmer) and enjoyed the food and fun atmosphere both times.

 

While working in Hamilton, I had dinner at Portofino and absolutely loved it.  Great service, great food, but pricey.   For fast food  in Hamilton, Mr Chicken meets the requirements of quick but yummy.  No ambiance, but I went there on our first cruise and went back when working there. 

 

#3 Escape - like someone else said, no charge for main dining missed reservations, but our reservations on the Pride of America and other ships we were previously on at specialty restaurants said we would be charged the full price as a no show.  I would double check the fine print. 

[Cariot]

8 hours ago, AK Dreaming said:

I honestly have no idea who the cruise director was.  I've always been curious was to why people care as I never really have any dealings with them.  They make the announcements and other than that I never see them.

The Cruise director hosts the majority of the events and is the main 'personality' of the ship. They can really elevate the entertainment. In 2017 we had Daniel "Dan Dan" Cuasito on the Breakaway. This man was a delight. His commentary was spot on and after he belted out 'Time to say goodbye' by Andrea Bocelli, that blew me away. The audience was in complete shock, that performance was one of the highlights of the ship and completely unexpected. He was really top tier and I'm usually hard to impress. I guess once you have someone as vivid, witty and funny as Dan Dan, you look forward to a good host. 

[Cariot]

Are there sale tax at the restaurants in Bermuda? 

 

5 hours ago, jasperess said:

We ate at Marcus' at the Hamilton Princess in Bermuda for lunch and it was lovely. 

 

Did you think it was worth the expense of dining there if you're a big foodie? My partner and I usually explore a lot of NYC and LA restaurants and actually have heard of Chef Marcus Samuelsson prior. We've been wanting to try his Hot Honey Yardbird at Red Rooster, but not sure if we should save the trip for home in NY or give his place in Bermuda a shot. I think we were mainly looking to try those Fish Chowder Bites and the like.

 

My partner really wants to try the best Fish Chowder the island has to offer, we're not exactly sure where that is, so if anyone has suggestions, please feel free to share! (Or any place that has local, fresh fish in general and not imported). 

[jasperess]

On 7/17/2019 at 11:00 PM, Cariot said:

Are there sale tax at the restaurants in Bermuda? 

 

 

Did you think it was worth the expense of dining there if you're a big foodie? My partner and I usually explore a lot of NYC and LA restaurants and actually have heard of Chef Marcus Samuelsson prior. We've been wanting to try his Hot Honey Yardbird at Red Rooster, but not sure if we should save the trip for home in NY or give his place in Bermuda a shot. I think we were mainly looking to try those Fish Chowder Bites and the like.

 

My partner really wants to try the best Fish Chowder the island has to offer, we're not exactly sure where that is, so if anyone has suggestions, please feel free to share! (Or any place that has local, fresh fish in general and not imported). 

 

So I guess the only thing I can say is we are also foodies (not gourmets, an important distinction) and reiterate we felt Marcus' was definitely worth it.  I was aware of Marcus Samuelsson's reputation prior to eating there, which is why we went to the restaurant in the first place.  We went for lunch, and the prices were comparable to similar establishments and it ended up being the best food we had in Bermuda.  

 

I don't remember if there is sales tax at the restaurants in Bermuda, unfortunately.