Pros and Cons of Epic over Escape, considering the Haven

Hello-

Starting to lurk and read posts as I am really thinking of booking our first NCL cruise. My first major decision is the Epic out of PC or the Escape out of Miami. We are doing a Haven cabin. Travel party will be me, my hubby, and our 4-yr old daughter. Any thoughts or advice or things for us to consider? This will be my daughter's 1st cruise, but we have gone on 5 prior cruises.

Thank you so much!

I was on Epic in January, Escape last month. If I had to choose between the two I'd go Escape simply because I prefer Miami over PC. With a 4 year old I wouldn't want to do that drive/ride between MCO and PC. Both ships are awesome though!

I haven't been on the Escape but I have been on the Breakaway and I know the differences between the Escape and the Breakaway.

I think that the Haven club location is much better on the Epic, overlooking the pooldeck.

POSH is included on the Epic and VIBE is not included on the Escape.

I think that the courtyard is better on the Epic. The Breakaway has the retractable roof over the courtyard and that's great but they don't have that on the Escape.

My opinion is that the Epic is better than the Escape but not by much so I should book the Escape because I prefer POM instead of PC, if the itinerary is the same.

I think that the courtyard is better on the Epic. The Breakaway has the retractable roof over the courtyard and that's great but they don't have that on the Escape.

 

Escape Haven courtyard does in fact have a retractable roof:

What are you looking for in the Haven and what category of cabin are you sailing?

We've sailed in H4s (2-bedrooms) on both ships. We preferred the cabin on the Escape. The layout difference made the living area seem much larger.

If you are never going to leave the Haven, sail the Epic. There is a courtyard open to all. Posh is adults-only and we loved it. As mentioned, it opens up to the pool deck and is a quick ride down in a private elevator to the buffet for snacks (or ice cream!). The restaurant is much larger on the Epic and the lounge is fun, too. Probably one of my favorite areas in the Haven is the Courtyard Grill, which is inside, but the sides are open-air with slats. So even if the weather is bad, you can not be completely indoors. The Epic Haven also has its own private gym. While small, it is convenient.

For a whole-ship preference, we prefer the Escape. We loved the roof over the Haven courtyard. We also loved the Waterfront and the unique bars.

While we debated between the Epic and the Escape for our 2018 cruise, it came down to a few factors for us:

1. The layout of the cabins on the Escape worked much better for three adults.

2. We truly had no desire to fly into Orlando (kids on planes and the drive to port).

3. We feel we still have a lot to explore on the Escape (we've been on the Epic twice).

4. And, let's be honest, the wine bar and District Brewhouse on the Escape.

Let me know if you have any specific questions!

Both are fun ships with great entertainment, restaurants, bars and kids activities. The Epic lacks in good ocean views from public areas while the Escape has The Waterfront. In my opinion, the PC/Nassau itinerary is the worst one that NCL offers. POM is much easier to get to from the airport than PC.

Summary: Escape out of POM but to be honest you can't go wrong with either.

Escape Haven courtyard does in fact have a retractable roof:

 

Thanks. Is it the Getaway which doesn't have the retractable roof?

Thanks. Is it the Getaway which doesn't have the retractable roof?

Yes...no roof on the Getaway.

Hello-

Starting to lurk and read posts as I am really thinking of booking our first NCL cruise. My first major decision is the Epic out of PC or the Escape out of Miami. We are doing a Haven cabin. Travel party will be me, my hubby, and our 4-yr old daughter. Any thoughts or advice or things for us to consider? This will be my daughter's 1st cruise, but we have gone on 5 prior cruises.

Thank you so much!

I would say "None of the Above" because as a ship the Epic sucks, but the Escape's upcoming itinerary is some serious suckage.

I would say "None of the Above" because as a ship the Epic sucks, but the Escape's upcoming itinerary is some serious suckage.

Which kind of suite did you have on the Epic and who was the concierge?

Why did you thought it sucked? Did something special happened to you or was it just an overall experience?

Which kind of suite did you have on the Epic and who was the concierge?

 

Why did you thought it sucked? Did something special happened to you or was it just an overall experience?

I don't do suites. Those are for pretentious people. I prefer steerage.

Without question, the Epic has serious design flaws that turns more than half of the guests off. That is a bad thing in business and the reason why NCL has a hard time filling the ship on a regular basis unless it's heavily discounted the last 30 days prior to sailing. Also, the suckage is the reason there is only one of them and NCL completely moved away from it's design. The reality is that the Epic was a huge mistake.

I don't do suites. Those are for pretentious people. I prefer steerage.

 

 

 

Without question, the Epic has serious design flaws that turns more than half of the guests off. That is a bad thing in business and the reason why NCL has a hard time filling the ship on a regular basis unless it's heavily discounted the last 30 days prior to sailing. Also, the suckage is the reason there is only one of them and NCL completely moved away from it's design. The reality is that the Epic was a huge mistake.

So, to quote The Wizard of Oz: That is a horse of a different color. You would definately have a different opinion of Epic had you been in a suite, especially if that suite was located in The Haven. But, by your own admission you might rather walk the plank.

I prefer kind pretentious folks in suites to those in steerage who proclaim to make assumptions about things and people they really know nothing about.

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So, to quote The Wizard of Oz: That is a horse of a different color. You would definately have a different opinion of Epic had you been in a suite, especially if that suite was located in The Haven. But, by your own admission you might rather walk the plank.

 

I prefer kind pretentious folks in suites to those in steerage who proclaim to make assumptions about things and people they really know nothing about.

 

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I prefer the unwashed Irish Folks down in steerage because we have hootenannies, dance, drink beer and have a lot of fun while the snooty, pretentious people in the suites get all worked up if they don't have the right toiletries.

Since I am a highly valued guest with NCL, I know many of the hotel directors and I always get invited up to the Haven for the cocktail parties. It's always fun when I walk into the Haven and the Hotel Director and others greet me by name. If it weren't for the free booze, though, I wouldn't bother to even be around such self-absorbed people.

What a hoot. I am half Irish. And damn proud of it. If you met me on the street you would think I was in steerage.

I do hang out with many friends and family who do not cruise in suites. We always have a blast no matter where we land. I like to think my parents raised me to not judge people and interact with folks in every situation and as individuals before making judgements.

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What a hoot. I am half Irish. And damn proud of it. If you met me on the street you would think I was in steerage.

 

I do hang out with many friends and family who do not cruise in suites. We always have a blast no matter where we land. I like to think my parents raised me to not judge people and interact with folks in every situation and as individuals before making judgements.

 

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It wasn't I that made such a snooty judgement, yet you are judging me. I guess some people speak with fork-ed tongue.

Deleted.

Found this thread on my search for the retractable roof question. Wow, some people are insane. Sounds like jealousy to me [emoji848]

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I am scheduled to sail the Epic in August for the first time so I cannot comment on the Epic. But as for the the Escape I did not like it as much as the Haven on the Getaway or Breakaway. I thought the Escape Haven was bigger just to be bigger and added nothing to the ship. I felt that way about the entire ship. I much preferred the Getaway and Breakaway to the Escape both in the Haven and outside the Haven. With that said, I am sure you will love your cruise either way.

I've sailed in the Haven on both the Epic and the Escape. I can compare Apples to Apples.

The ship experience is better on the Escape but hands down the Haven experience is better on the Epic. Way, way, way better Haven on the Epic.

I think you can read reviews about the differences in the basics of the ship. I think the outdoor dining options on the Escape and Food Republic are the main reasons I like the Escape ship better. But then there is the issue of the Haven and the Escape loses there by a lot.

I have no idea, this might be something to look up for you, but the amount of people they squeeze into the same Haven space on the Escape is really much higher than on the Epic. You feel crowded in the Haven on the Escape. There is exactly 1 bar for the Haven on the Escape and again I did say they have way more people sharing this one bar. The Epic Haven has 3 bars for less people. (The sundeck bar, the bar off the courtyard and the lobby bar) The Escape has exactly 1 bar located in the busy Haven Lobby.

The Haven sundeck on the Escape is tiny. Like ridiculously tiny for the amount of Haven guests. There are maybe 20 loungers up there and the smoking area is right there as well so you're in this tiny area right next to active smokers. There is no bar on this tiny sundeck and the pool bar service guys have to take your order and then go 2 floors down to the Haven lobby bar to get the drinks made. It makes for slow drink service and then it makes for the Haven lobby bar wait to be longish at times. I've cruised the Haven on many NCL ships and only on the Escape is there a very active chair hog situation. Because there are so few outdoor seats. The Epic has a lovely outdoor deck with huge bar, lots of areas for sun or shade, multiple levels of sundeck space......its very, very nice. The Escape Haven sundeck.......sucks.

As far as the courtyard and the pictures people have posted on this thread....... Its deceiving. First remember they are packing in way more Haven guests on the Escape. Then the structure you see there is all glass and metal. Even a little noise bounces around that courtyard of glass and metal making it really noisy with only a few well mannered kids! (I have teens so very accustomed to kid noise and not overly sensitive) On our cruise in calm seas, that sundeck roof was open only 1 day I remember. It's very sensitive to wind speed and all that and not left open as that picture shows. Mainly it's closed and loud, loud, loud.

Pretty much everything about the Epic Haven outscores the Escape. We have teenagers and they did love the waterslide on the Escape and the ropes course on the main pool deck. But after about 1.5 hours of those activities even my teens wanted nothing to do with the extremely over crowded main pool deck. Both the Escape and the Epic have a real problem on the main pool deck with enough space and loungers. Of course that is almost always an issue but it is extremely an issue on these two ships. NCL has maxed out, completely maxed out the amount of things they are putting out on the pool decks taking up valuable sun deck space.

If you are sure you are going with the haven, I cannot vote strongly enough for you to choose the Epic. You won't be sorry.

I've sailed in the Haven on both the Epic and the Escape. I can compare Apples to Apples.

 

The ship experience is better on the Escape but hands down the Haven experience is better on the Epic. Way, way, way better Haven on the Epic.

 

I think you can read reviews about the differences in the basics of the ship. I think the outdoor dining options on the Escape and Food Republic are the main reasons I like the Escape ship better. But then there is the issue of the Haven and the Escape loses there by a lot.

 

I have no idea, this might be something to look up for you, but the amount of people they squeeze into the same Haven space on the Escape is really much higher than on the Epic. You feel crowded in the Haven on the Escape. There is exactly 1 bar for the Haven on the Escape and again I did say they have way more people sharing this one bar. The Epic Haven has 3 bars for less people. (The sundeck bar, the bar off the courtyard and the lobby bar) The Escape has exactly 1 bar located in the busy Haven Lobby.

 

The Haven sundeck on the Escape is tiny. Like ridiculously tiny for the amount of Haven guests. There are maybe 20 loungers up there and the smoking area is right there as well so you're in this tiny area right next to active smokers. There is no bar on this tiny sundeck and the pool bar service guys have to take your order and then go 2 floors down to the Haven lobby bar to get the drinks made. It makes for slow drink service and then it makes for the Haven lobby bar wait to be longish at times. I've cruised the Haven on many NCL ships and only on the Escape is there a very active chair hog situation. Because there are so few outdoor seats. The Epic has a lovely outdoor deck with huge bar, lots of areas for sun or shade, multiple levels of sundeck space......its very, very nice. The Escape Haven sundeck.......sucks.

 

As far as the courtyard and the pictures people have posted on this thread....... Its deceiving. First remember they are packing in way more Haven guests on the Escape. Then the structure you see there is all glass and metal. Even a little noise bounces around that courtyard of glass and metal making it really noisy with only a few well mannered kids! (I have teens so very accustomed to kid noise and not overly sensitive) On our cruise in calm seas, that sundeck roof was open only 1 day I remember. It's very sensitive to wind speed and all that and not left open as that picture shows. Mainly it's closed and loud, loud, loud.

 

Pretty much everything about the Epic Haven outscores the Escape. We have teenagers and they did love the waterslide on the Escape and the ropes course on the main pool deck. But after about 1.5 hours of those activities even my teens wanted nothing to do with the extremely over crowded main pool deck. Both the Escape and the Epic have a real problem on the main pool deck with enough space and loungers. Of course that is almost always an issue but it is extremely an issue on these two ships. NCL has maxed out, completely maxed out the amount of things they are putting out on the pool decks taking up valuable sun deck space.

 

If you are sure you are going with the haven, I cannot vote strongly enough for you to choose the Epic. You won't be sorry.

I got off the Epic in March and I agree with you. The Epic Haven is truly wonderful. I swore "no megaships" but after two Jade cancellations by NCL we reluctantly agreed to Epic. Cannot say how much we loved it. Being in the Owner's Suite was icing on a very scrumptious cake!

Good to know about Escape. As Haven is important to us.

Thanks for such a detailed post. Much appreciated.

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I don't do suites. Those are for pretentious people. I prefer steerage.

 

 

 

Without question, the Epic has serious design flaws that turns more than half of the guests off. That is a bad thing in business and the reason why NCL has a hard time filling the ship on a regular basis unless it's heavily discounted the last 30 days prior to sailing. Also, the suckage is the reason there is only one of them and NCL completely moved away from it's design. The reality is that the Epic was a huge mistake.

The Epic is a fantastic ship in mine and many thousands of others opinion. It's also nearly always been full when we have sailed on it. Pretentious? Give me them over folk like you any day.

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