BirdTravels on the Inaugural Voyage of the Encore to the Eastern Caribbean

[Sand and Seas]

Thanks again BirdTravels!   

I've written two pages of notes from this fabulous post to prepare for our January Encore😊

[cruiseman90]

9 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Good Morning Miami!

 

Well, that’s a wrap. Thank you for joining the Bird on the Inaugural voyage of the Norwegian Encore to the Eastern Caribbean. We traveled 2072 miles round trip from Miami to San Juan, St Thomas, and Tortola. It’s been a blast and we hope that our live post has helped answer the most frequently asked questions here on Cruise Critic. 

Disembarkation Metrics

 

Self walk-off started before 7:15. 
 

We left our stateroom at 8:10.

 

We we’re on the curb by 8:30. 

Uber 8:35-8:49 to MIA

 

Checked bags are the counter and at the gate by 9:10 at MIA (using priority checkin and pre-check). 

 

Note: there is no Uber zone at the port and the terminal is very chaotic with police moving cars before you have time to get to them. We would strongly recommend NOT using Uber and just taking a flat rate taxi to the airport. 
 

Was Customs still doing that annoying facial recognition experiment? We all had to do it when I went on the Breakaway back in June and half the guests had to do a secondary inspection since those things were so buggy. 

[bigjohnwvu]

Thank you, again. for your wonderful review.  Your time and effort will make my January 12 sailing more complete.

[dshefter]

58 minutes ago, bigjohnwvu said:

Thank you, again. for your wonderful review.  Your time and effort will make my January 12 sailing more complete.

 

[dshefter]

 Thank you for the complete review and the photos. Makes more than ready for our Jan. 19 cruise. Interesting about the Uber situation. Didn't encounter such a problem two years ago when we disembarked from the Escape on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend.

[CruisingSince1982]

On 11/27/2019 at 3:12 PM, BirdTravels said:

So,,,, if there is no Moderno On the ship. And if there is no La Cucina on the ship. Do you suggest We give up the dinner?
 

We think that Lobos is one of the best restaurants NCL has. 

 

Trading an Italian restaurant for an Italian restaurant is not incomprehensible.  A mexican for an italian is. 

[CruisingSince1982]

On 11/27/2019 at 4:58 PM, bluesea777 said:

 

Pourquoi? Perche?

 

Onda is more upscale than La Cucina and has different menu. Therefore Onda is out as is Moderno. The two alternatives: Q and Los Lobos are fine.

 

If you still want to use your Plat dinner in either La Cucina or Moderno, then Encore is not the ship for you.

 

 

LOL

 

[rd4sun]

On 12/1/2019 at 8:04 AM, BirdTravels said:

Good Morning Miami!

 

Well, that’s a wrap. Thank you for joining the Bird on the Inaugural voyage of the Norwegian Encore to the Eastern Caribbean. We traveled 2072 miles round trip from Miami to San Juan, St Thomas, and Tortola. It’s been a blast and we hope that our live post has helped answer the most frequently asked questions here on Cruise Critic. 

Disembarkation Metrics

 

Self walk-off started before 7:15. 
 

We left our stateroom at 8:10.

 

We we’re on the curb by 8:30. 

Uber 8:35-8:49 to MIA

 

Checked bags are the counter and at the gate by 9:10 at MIA (using priority checkin and pre-check). 

 

Note: there is no Uber zone at the port and the terminal is very chaotic with police moving cars before you have time to get to them. We would strongly recommend NOT using Uber and just taking a flat rate taxi to the airport. 
 

Bird - Great report!  Really helps for our upcoming 2/23 trip on the Encore!   One question....we are doing self assist walk-off and currently have an 8:40am flight out of MIA.  Can we make it if we're up and in line by say 6:30am?

[CaribbeanAmphibian]

@BirdTravels Since both Laser Tag and the Go-Karts require reservations what were the time frames they were running?  Was it all the time every day or limited times each day?

Thanks for the review, this is getting me ready for my February cruise.

[BirdTravels]

19 minutes ago, CaribbeanAmphibian said:

@BirdTravels Since both Laser Tag and the Go-Karts require reservations what were the time frames they were running?  Was it all the time every day or limited times each day?

Thanks for the review, this is getting me ready for my February cruise.

Check out the times on the Freestyle daily. Times vary by where the ship is. Note that the go karts has times they were running doubles (parent and kid) and more times they were running solos. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, rd4sun said:

Bird - Great report!  Really helps for our upcoming 2/23 trip on the Encore!   One question....we are doing self assist walk-off and currently have an 8:40am flight out of MIA.  Can we make it if we're up and in line by say 6:30am?

I would not book a flight that early.
 

In our example, it was one hour room to gate, but we had checkin priority and TSA precheck. 

 

3000 people will have the same idea. I would be in line a lot earlier than 6:30. Walkoff starts between 7:00 and 7:15 and there will be a very long line. The specific issue with lines is that there are only a limited number of officers at customs. So that is the bottle neck n

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, CruisingSince1982 said:

 

Trading an Italian restaurant for an Italian restaurant is not incomprehensible.  A mexican for an italian is. 

Like I said, Los Lobos is one of the best restaurants on the ship. Cucina on most ships, not so much. 

[CruisingSince1982]

Just now, BirdTravels said:

Like I said, Los Lobos is one of the best restaurants on the ship. Cucina on most ships, not so much. 

 

I'm sure we will try it at some point on our cruise. 

[snorklinbarb]

You have literally whet our appetite for Encore in January!  Thanks for posting the menus and all your insights plus great photos of just about everything!  Takes a lot of time and your live reviews are so helpful and enjoyable!

 

Haven't been to Miami terminal in a while.  Is the new building open?  

 

Sid is reporting there was no check-in line for Platinum.  Don't know if it would make a difference that we are Platinum Plus, but may I ask your experience?  He said it was very chaotic and no reps seemed to know.  

 

How was the Cavern Club & music?

 

Thanks again!

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, snorklinbarb said:

You have literally whet our appetite for Encore in January!  Thanks for posting the menus and all your insights plus great photos of just about everything!  Takes a lot of time and your live reviews are so helpful and enjoyable!

 

Haven't been to Miami terminal in a while.  Is the new building open?  

 

Sid is reporting there was no check-in line for Platinum.  Don't know if it would make a difference that we are Platinum Plus, but may I ask your experience?  He said it was very chaotic and no reps seemed to know.  

 

How was the Cavern Club & music?

 

Thanks again!

The second from right is the Platinum Plus Line

 

 

The new (someday) terminal is still under construction. 

[measlesmom]

In St Thomas, what Pier does the Encore dock at?

thank you

[Cruisercl]

Hi BirdTravels,

This.is.fantastic!

Thank you so much.😊

You Rock!

[snorklinbarb]

The turkey pot pie has come and gone over the years.  If not too soupy, it can be really good.

I know everyone says this when a favorite item is removed, but no more shepherd's pie?

 

Or I'm thinking the "Blue Plate Specials" could be the really old rotation of Irish stew, bangers & mash and shepherd's pie?  If not, did you happen to notice any of the specials?

 

[BirdTravels]

8 hours ago, snorklinbarb said:

The turkey pot pie has come and gone over the years.  If not too soupy, it can be really good.

I know everyone says this when a favorite item is removed, but no more shepherd's pie?

 

Or I'm thinking the "Blue Plate Specials" could be the really old rotation of Irish stew, bangers & mash and shepherd's pie?  If not, did you happen to notice any of the specials?

 

There is a yummy turkey Cottage pie in the main dining room. 
 

[BirdTravels]

11 hours ago, measlesmom said:

In St Thomas, what Pier does the Encore dock at?

thank you

Havenaight

[jamesboat]

Thank you for the great review

[bluesea777]

On 12/3/2019 at 2:16 PM, snorklinbarb said:

The turkey pot pie has come and gone over the years.  If not too soupy, it can be really good.

I know everyone says this when a favorite item is removed, but no more shepherd's pie?

 

Or I'm thinking the "Blue Plate Specials" could be the really old rotation of Irish stew, bangers & mash and shepherd's pie?  If not, did you happen to notice any of the specials?

 

 

On the Encore TA we had Spaghetti Bolognese one day for lunch - for the first time (I mean Spaghetti Bol.) and it was very good and tasty.

[joejoe 59]

On 11/25/2019 at 10:49 AM, BirdTravels said:

MDR Night 1

 

Great info thank you.

I'm really happy to see so many gluten free options on the menu, eases my mind for our cruises next year. 

[wallaceralphl]

On 12/2/2019 at 9:52 AM, dshefter said:

 

Jan 12th? You doing a B2B? 😉

[wallaceralphl]

On 12/3/2019 at 9:34 PM, BirdTravels said:

Havenaight

Havensight.... (slight slip of the finger)