An Escape review including The Haven.

Haven review on the Escape

I wanted to provide not only a Haven review but also some thoughts about the ship and the overall cruise itself. First, this review is being written by someone that is pretty adverse to large ships and in fact, the last 10 years we have focused on much smaller ships that have a passenger count from 130 to 500. It seems like the older we get the more crowd adverse we have become so the smaller ships became much more appealing. In addition, it allowed us to form some great relationships with people that we still chat with today. What convinced us to take this cruise was the concept the Haven promised. Separate pool, separate restaurant, separate bar, and separate sunning area. In addition, we used the lounge area to find a quiet place to read your book and have a glass of wine. All of this coupled with access to the speciality dining and the bigger and better shows made for a nice combination. We found ourselves truly enjoying the Haven experience and would recommend it highly if you want to go down the path of a bigger ship.

Embarkation

We arrived at the port around 11:00am and checked into the priority desk and then waited for a little while. We were then escorted to another waiting area that was completely full which was a little frustrating but fortunately we were lined up to start the trek towards the ship and ultimately the Haven Lounge. So, we were in the lounge around 11:30 making the whole process pretty painless. Once in the lounge, we were given an introduction and told the rooms were ready so we could drop off our carry on luggage.

Our biggest regret was now revealing itself in that we booked a forward penthouse suite on Deck 12 and the Haven is on Deck 17. While the penthouse suite is truly a treat and we truly enjoyed the extra room and amenities, we regret we did not have a room in the actual Haven area. Next time, we would get a room in the Haven area even if it is a smaller room. Lesson learned.

We made it to our room, dropped off our stuff and then proceeded to explore a bit. That was a little difficult because the bulk of the passengers were now boarding and it was a little crazy so we decided to have lunch at the Haven. Their lunches the entire week were superb. While the menu did not change we continued to try different entrees and they were quite good.

Mid-afternoon we make it to our meeting area for the Muster drill which was at O’Sheehan’s. WOW, the crowd was a little daunting and if you were truly trying to learn about how to see the process of getting on your life preserver, it was difficult due to the very, very large crowds. Shortly after this craziness we found ourselves checking out the Waterfront and found the outdoor bar at The Cellars. It made for a nice spot to quietly have a glass of wine and to watch the sail-away.

The Escape

The ship itself is truly beautiful and the crew is constantly cleaning and attending to it. In addition, the crew is extremely friendly and exceptional in every respect. Not really any complaints at all with the overall product but I did have the Haven access which made a huge difference. Like many have already stated, the one area that I thought was a poor design was the main pool area. While I did not have to actually fight those crowds, you still have to walk through the upper deck area above the pool that is lined with lounge chairs and it is truly jammed. So jammed that you can have two people walk through the area should to shoulder. You have to go single file and then work with the oncoming pedestrian traffic. One pool with this many people was not a good design. They should have put a smaller adult only pool at Spice H20 and that would have provided some relief.

The Food

I can only comment on the specialty dining restaurants and the Haven restaurant because we had the UDP package. While the food was really good for the most part (1 exception) I do have a frustration that I wish the cruise line would consider. When we cruise we focus on lines that have a dress code that is “casual” in lieu of bringing on a tux or a suit. That fits me because I have to wear a suit everyday during the work week. So I bring “resort casual” which consists of a nice pair of pants and either a collared golf shirt, a casual dress shirt, or a Tommy Bahama type of shirt. Personally, I think if you go to a speciality restaurant it should be required for men to wear long pants and a collared shirt. There were many times, we saw casual that consisted of shorts and a tee shirt. In my opinion, if you want to dress like that for dinner you should dine at the buffet. I am a huge fan of shorts and wear them a good portion of the year but when I go to a nice restaurant (like the speciality restaurants) I do wear long pants and a collared shirt.

A quick review on the restaurants we attended:

Cagney’s- We thought this was quite good and I think it compared to some good mainland steakhouses.

Le Bistro- This restaurant was extremely good. The food was fantastic and the service was exceptional.

Teppanyaki- I went into this restaurant with low expectations because the food at this type of venue is OK but typically not a WOW experience. I must tell you, the food was extremely good and the guys doing the cooking are very entertaining.

The Haven Restaurant- My only regret is that I only ate there 1 time for dinner! We did have breakfast there almost every day and had a few lunches there. This food was extremely good and the service was extraordinary. The only thing they need to work on is their speed of service. We found ourselves ordering an appetizer because we learned that the entree took awhile to find our table.

Bayamo’s- This is the only restaurant that we paid for and unfortunately it was not only bad it was quite bad. The appetizer was bad, the entree was exceptionally bad, and the desert was not good. Very, very disappointing and we had the chance to compare notes with others and they had the same impression. The Mojito Bar right outside of the restaurant is very good but the restaurant itself is very disappointing.

O’Sheehan’s- Great place for lunch. Good burgers, good Rueben’s, and I had a Shephard’s pie that was pretty darned good.

Entertainment

After Midnight- Good but pretty long and if you go to a late show, we found it challenging to hang in there to the end.

The Million Dollar Quartet- Do NOT miss this one. My only regret is that I did not do a repeat performance. The talent that this show provides is exceptional and the singer that portrays Jerry Lee Lewis is a gifted performer and one that should not be missed.

Headliners Comedy Club- Very good. Make sure you see the Wednesday night performance where all 3 perform. In addition, the late night session is also very good.

Excursions

St. Thomas- We are creatures of habit and we continue to go back to Megan’s bay and have for the last 5-6 times we have been to St. Thomas. Crowded, yes, but there were 6 cruise ships in town that day so I suspect everything was crowded.

Tortola- We have been here before and my desire was to take the excursion that went to Jost Van Dyke but it was sold out by the time we boarded. Very bummed! We then took an excursion that was on RIB’s(Rigid Inflatable Boats) that went around the island and stopped at Jost Van Dyke which is what I truly wanted to do. A word of caution, this excursion will beat the heck of you so be aware. So, the excursion was too long, the seats in the boat were pretty uncomfortable, and it cost $179 per person. Other than that, a good excursion!! :) FYI, my wife is still experiencing some physical discomfort in her back and neck from the beating we took on that excursion.

Nassau- Our intent was to essentially stay on the boat because this island is not our favorite. We did get off for a short walk in order to buy the grandkids some trinkets. We went to the straw market and realized why we don’t like this island. We then came back to the ship and did the water tubes on the ship and that was a hoot!!

Debarkation

This went extremely well and upon departing we found a porter went through the customs line and found our way to a taxi and to the airport. Very easy in Miami compared to Fort Lauderdale.

As mentioned, I thought the ship was very nice in most respects. In addition to the overcrowded pool situation, a couple of other areas were a little frustrating. The casino location and the resulting smoke that emanated from this area made it brutal to pass by and not feel like you had just lit up a pack of cigarettes on your own. The ship badly needs some additional venting because the casino area is in the middle of the ship and the smoke is truly bad for us non-smokers. The other area that I attribute to poor design is the atrium area. They tend to have a lot of activities there and it gets very clogged up with people if you are just trying to pass by.

In closing, we did have a great time on the ship but the Haven was truly an oasis in a sea of people. As previously mentioned, we have become accustomed to a much smaller ship by our choice and the Haven provided that small ship within a big ship so we were able to enjoy the benefits of the large ship while able to find a nice place to escape the crowds. In the event you are considering the Haven, I would highly recommend getting your cabin in the Haven area not outside of it. So, would we sail a big ship again?? I think we would but we would make sure we chose the Haven for the benefits it provides.

Great review, thank you!

Harriet

Thanks for your well written review! You should post this on the reviews section of CC if you haven't already.

We're much like you when it comes to cruising: we prefer the smaller ships with lower passenger loads. However, we have an upcoming cruise booked on the Escape, and we're looking forward to experiencing the new ship and the Haven, which we have enjoyed before on the Epic.

We have an aft Haven penthouse booked. We're aware that we will be a long walk to the Haven proper, but having sailed in the Haven proper on the Epic, we decided that we'd like a bigger cabin even if it wasn't in the Haven complex. We looked at the forward Haven Penthouses, but much preferred the layout of the aft cabins and particularly their HUGE balconies. That balcony will be our "Haven" for much of the cruise.

Thanks again for your review.

Haven review on the Escape

 

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Thanks for the review. If you like this concept MSC has a similar thing called the Yacht Club.

Oh gosh that was horrible you had to deal with those people wearing shorts in those very high class eating areas. Shame on those people.

Oh gosh that was horrible you had to deal with those people wearing shorts in those very high class eating areas. Shame on those people.

It's called acting civilized. You want to dress like pig, fine. Just don't expect people to like it.

Great review!

We enjoyed Bayamo the best of our specialty dinners. Ceviche appetizers were the best, and service was excellent!

Our least favorite meal was surprisingly at Cagney's. The sides were served about 10 minutes before our surf and turf entrees, which I could have lived with, but the entrees showed up cold! They must have been left behind or gone to another table? Service was slow and we left before dessert.

The Manhattan room actually was better than Cagney's. Excellent service, food, and live entertainment!

Thank you. Your review was to the point and lacking personal detail that is not needed! We are booked in Havens on deck 16 early February. Much appreciate your insight.

Thank You for your review. Looking forward to our first Haven experience in June.

What time is the Wed comedy show? Its in the main theater right?

Totally agree with OP on dress for speciality restaurants. It's not asking too much!

Nice review! Can't wait until October for our cruise.

I have another question. Do you know what day they have the Captains reception?

I don't really care what others wear to dinner.

HOWEVER, NCL does state that "cruise casual" is not the same as "smart casual".

Cruise casual (in the buffet and in most specialty restaurants) = "Khakis, jeans, shorts and casual shirts are fine for men."

Smart casual (in our more formal dining room or in our more upscale specialty restaurants) = "jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes."

So, I guess it comes down to which restaurants are more formal/upscale. Those people in shorts may not have been doing anything "wrong".

Dear Lord wearing short while on vacation is not dressing like a pig :eek:

Why get so concerned what others are wearing. Relax and enjoy your cruise without worrying about what others are doing, wearing, or ordering them to the buffet.

Just imagine if someone came to you and called you a stiff and were offended you were on a Caribbean vacation and loosen up some. It would be uncalled for. You know if you wear a suit in Key West you will get yelled at in the street.

First world problems

:)

I have another question. Do you know what day they have the Captains reception?

On my Escape cruise in November it was our first sea day evening (which to my recollection was the second night).

Tracy

Great review, Brownie!

On the transatlantic I was also in a Haven suite on deck 12 forward. For the duration of the cruise, I felt very removed from the Haven proper and wouldn't choose that suite again. Also it was a very loooooooong walk from the elevator to my cabin. It was like the corridor that wouldn't end lol.

Did you have an opportunity to meet the Haven bartender, Mark McArthur? We just loved him. An expert cocktail craftsman.

Tracy

I had dinner in the Haven twice and did not notice what people were wearing. I really dont understand why this bothers some people.

Thanks for posting the review! I have a question about children in the Haven. We are booked for January of 2017 and traveling with at least 2 other families that also have children. We've all booked Haven. How many kids (if any at all) did you see in the Haven area of the ship?

It's called acting civilized. You want to dress like pig, fine. Just don't expect people to like it.

Lol, acting civilized?? You live in Okemos, MI where 50% of the people live in mobile homes. Nothing wrong with that but you sure are judg·men·tal when it comes to calling people pigs! I guess when people don't get out much to nice places on land they expect more "civilized" people on a ship while on vacationing on a boat? Stop it!

I don't wear shorts during dinner, nor does anyone in my group but we sure don't worry about others who do!

Peace be with you....

I am on the escape right now and Echo your restaurant review. Bayamo had a great salad and awful entree - almost inedible. Pinchos, teppanyaki, food republic and cagneys were very very good. Agree that cagneys was on par with better steakhouses I've been to.

A quick question. I have read in other reviews and posts that there seemed to be an abnormal amount of rocking/listing of the ship due to a possible inoperative stabilizer? Did you experience any unusual rocking more than normal?

AS for the opinions of dress attire, it is a matter of respect and how you were raised. I was taught to dress according to the location & situation that you are in. I would not wear shorts for a job interview, nor would I wear shorts into a nice restaurant. If you want to wear shorts into a nice restaurant, then do so, but accept the ridicule that comes along with the appearance that you are presenting. Everyone is open to their own opinion and are sometimes judged by their 1st appearance.

Interesting observation regarding regretting your choice for a FWD Penthouse Suite, and wishing you had booked a suite inside the Haven itself. I had struggled with choosing myself, going between the FWD penthouse, a Spa Suite and a Courtyard Penthouse. I finally decided on the FWD Penthouse because I was worried about noise from the Haven pool area, and I like the extra space. The Courtyard Penthouse Suites look like regular cabins to me. With what one pays to stay in the Haven I wanted the bigger room (The owners suites are way out of my price point).

Regarding shorts on men. I thought only Le Bistro required long pants on men, and one of the main dining rooms on dress up or not night (If they even still call it that). My husband wears a tie to work 5-6 days a week, and if he wants to wear shorts in the Caribbean, then he can with my blessing. However, if there is a dress code for a particular restaurant, then we will respect it.

Great review. Thank you so much for the info. Helpful for our Easter week cruise on Escape. I too "dress up" at work every day and also enjoy wearing shorts/t-shirts and jeans/sweatshirts at home. I agree, I'd like it if people would follow the rules or in this case dress code set forth. But I also think back to Steve Wynn when he loosened the dress code at the Mirage to allow short and t-shirts in Vegas because as he noted, there are a lot of millionaires walking around this town in shorts and t-shirts! BTW, I'll be dressing up a bit for dinner and wearing my shorts and t-shirt everywhere else!

Thanks for your review. We are looking forward to our haven suite next week....YIKES!

We are traveling with another family who also has 3 children. We sailed the haven suite on ncl epic and there were plenty of kids in the area. I think all the kids were respectful and did well. Hopefully we didn't disturb anyone's cruise.

Thank You for your review. Looking forward to our first Haven experience in June.

 

What time is the Wed comedy show? Its in the main theater right?

If I recall, it was 9:00pm. It only lasted about 45 minutes but you got to see all 3 comedians.

Great review, Brownie!

 

On the transatlantic I was also in a Haven suite on deck 12 forward. For the duration of the cruise, I felt very removed from the Haven proper and wouldn't choose that suite again. Also it was a very loooooooong walk from the elevator to my cabin. It was like the corridor that wouldn't end lol.

 

Did you have an opportunity to meet the Haven bartender, Mark McArthur? We just loved him. An expert cocktail craftsman.

 

Tracy

We were on the Escape in December. Mark and Branko at the Haven bar were great bartenders! Crafted amazing cocktails and were very knowledgable with a lot of personality. The bar was a popular place to hang out, with a lot of comraderie among the patrons.