Bonobochick

52 minutes ago, Fast_Camaro said:

Hi y’all. We’re going on the Escape February 1-8 2020 out of Miami. This will be our 4th cruise. 
 

We travel quite a bit. Been almost everywhere in Caribbean. My question to you - have you done a cruise with no excursions at all??

 

The wife and I just want to hit the beach, drink foo foo drinks and relax. Also bask in the warm weather since I personally hate the cold. Walking around town/window shopping too. 
 

So, anyone just did not do excursions??

I've been doing my own thing for a while now, at least with Bermuda, Bahamas and Southern Caribbean cruises. It's easy as cabs will be waiting at ports to take folks to wherever they want to go, if you're not within walking distance. I just got off the Bliss last week and did my own thing for every port except Antigua where I did a NCL excursion. (My own thing was basically going to a previously researched beach on my own and relaxing all day before heading back). 

I noticed on the Bliss a few days ago when I was at Cagney's that they now charge for steak sauce. It is only $3 but when did that start? I was at Cagney's on Escape in June and don't recall that sauce fee. (I got off a 12 day cruise this morning) 

3 hours ago, david_sobe said:

I think Cagneys is a nice upscale steakhouse.  I think some quality appetizers are missed IMHO.

I miss the Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleon they used to serve, esp since my shellfish allergy limits the appetizers I can enjoy. 

I've been on the ship 5 times now and I've actually found it spacious for the most part.

To me, the most crowded & stifling areas remain the pool area and the atrium.

Yes, a few weeks ago on the Escape... and no regarding value. I used my platinum voucher for the meal.

I think the salad bar is pretty good as well as the pineapple but the meats can be very hit or miss. 

4 minutes ago, Shidah said:

They use facial recognition all the time at NY, started about 5 weeks ago.  They were  using it two weeks ago when we got off the Escape.  Really speeds things up through customs.

If it was just 5 weeks ago, it wasn't all the time with cruises. I remarked upon it as it my first experience with them using it and I was on the Escape in June when it was still the old way of standing in line for an agent to check documents. I didn't notice if it sped things up but after the awful experience just getting off the ship, I was just happy to be almost free. 

3 hours ago, shof515 said:

The escape left bermuda on friday afternoon, Dorian was in the escape path back to NY so the escape sailed at a slower speed to avoid the storm.

We also sailed west towards the Carolinas for a while on Friday then went northwest instead of sailing back directly northwest as usual. Friday night and some of Saturday morning was rocky but not as bad as I thought it would be. I had a worse night on the Gem last November. But when I got back on the ship Friday, there was a letter waiting that we were going to arrive late today due to Dorian and they were giving folks 60 minutes comp wifi if needed to change flights or other travel plans (if they weren't NCL free flights, to which those folks had to go to guest services to have them modify)

3 hours ago, Onealpha said:

 

Yes, at pier waiting in line.  They don’t have enough people to answer questions.  The line is out the door.  The intercom keeps giving instructions that nobody understands and there is nobody to ask for clarification.  They are sending people with orange cards to peor 90.  We received no cards when we checked our bags and checked in online earlier in the week.  Even decks except for deck 5 register in front.  Odd in the back.  Nobody to ask. Just chaos. 

I was on the 9/1 Bermuda cruise that arrived at 2p today and it was an absolute mess to get off the ship so I can imagine how awful to be getting on the ship today. Took about 2 hours to get off then go through customs and I was in the second self-assist color tag group (orange). NCL locked some of elevators from I overheard so many were lugging suitcases down the stairs. Once on  Deck 7, the line went all the way from midship elevators through the casino then weaving through the manhattan room then out the aft door down the gangway around the building to get on the escalators then finally freedom from the ship to face chaos from cars and taxis. They also were using facial recognition in customs in the place of agents (there a few agents still for anyone flagged).

There was almost no one managing the crowd, esp on the stairs, and it was super congested also due folks ignoring the color tags called and NCL not enforcing it. It was a travesty.

Good luck to those leaving on the Escape today.

1 hour ago, Son of a son of a ... said:

I suspect that NCL is trying to cater to a larger audience.  If you want sun, then go on another of its ships or pay for the Vibe.  If you want karts and laser tag, then go on Encore.  

I'll be  curious to see how the NYC to Bermuda cruises shake out next summer. Folks seem to love Escape and I don't think Encore will be as beloved, esp without Spice H20 and its nightly parties. But we'll see. 

I've mostly had good luck with sailaway room assignments. My best story is getting a Spa Balcony on the Escape from a sailaway. 

So that is like 90 minutes to 2 hours in Vieux Montreal? It is doable but you wouldn't really be lingering anywhere on the tour to soak up the ambiance. 

3 hours ago, sassyshar said:

Had a very disappointing NCL tour in Grenada and spoke to Shore Excursion desk with specifics as to why it wasn't what was expected, spoke calmly and made no demands.  Received half of the price of excursion credited back to my account.  Every experience with NCL will be different.  I hope you get some satisfaction from NCL 

I did this for a poorly run shore excursion in Ocho Rios. As soon as I got back onboard, I wrote a lengthy letter about the issues and dropped it in the shore excursions desk slot. I got a call from the shore ex manager the next day apologizing and a partial refund. 

I am well under 60 and enjoyed After Midnight. I found the music and dance routines very captivating. 

Choir of Man is fun. I was late to the second showing the final night of my last cruise so I missed about 20 minutes of it. CoM is pretty straightforward & entertaining with a thin plot but enjoyable performances. 

Then again, my fave show is still Priscilla on Epic. 😎

When I was in Bermuda last month, it rained all of Thursday and a bit Friday morning. I decided to go in to Hamilton for some shopping since I couldn't hit the beach. The ferry was relatively full so I think many decided to use the day to do stuff in Hamilton. 

I stayed over the theatre on the Gem once in a balcony and while I was usually out during the shows, I did hear very clearly one night very late a crew event through the floor where they were calling numbers for some sort of raffle. It wasn't fun for me. Other than that, it was fine.

On 7/1/2019 at 9:20 PM, bjtravelnews said:

We got off the Escape two Sundays ago.  It was the fastest and easiest walk off we ever experienced.  Yes, there was a line on deck 7, but it moved very quickly.  We stayed on deck 6 until our color group was called, so only had to go up one flight of stairs.  Was very surprised that the atrium bar and Starbucks cafe were open that morning (and yes - lots of people were having their last drinks that morning!)

I was on the cruise ending June 23rd and the disembarkation was not a nightmare for once (out of 16 cruises) because they finally color coded people doing walk offs with their own luggage so everyone wasn't trying to get off at the same time. I was thrilled as my Escape cruise in early May took a long time to get off the ship with a wrap around line plus the cabs were terrible that morning. 

Anywho, it helped immensely as there were 3 different color groups for people walking off with their luggage done with 30 minute blocks for each color. The other colors followed for people picking up their luggage in the terminal, starting with Platinum / Platinum Plus, so everyone was staggered. 

It is still a crapshoot regarding getting on an elevator with luggage in a timely fashion in the morning but actually getting off the ship without a wrap around line was great. 

I like Escape best. Other than the pool area, it doesn't feel as crowded. I did like the Getaway when I was on it a few years ago cause of The Flamingo Grill. Breakaway is fine but my worst cruise was on the Breakaway, so that diminishes it somewhat for me but it isn't bad. 

😶

Yeet. 

25 minutes ago, JenTX4NYC said:

Did the prices only go up in Carney’s and Le Bistro, or the other restaurants too?

There is another thread on here about an increase at Moderno

30 minutes ago, PortFees45 said:

Did anyone pay a la carte for specialty dining? I assumed the vast, vast majority of diners has SDP or Platinum. 

I had a sailaway cabin for my last cruise so I paid a la carte for a lunch at Food Republic. I have SDP on my upcoming cruise, though. Otherwise I am all about vouchers and MDR for meals. 

2 hours ago, Birdie And Sue said:

Without notice / quickly,  brought to you by the department of redundancy department.

False. Things can change quickly with notice... or without. But I would rather discuss the actual topic. 

Wow. They must be crazy. 🤨 I was just on the Escape 2 weeks ago with the $25 limit and average pricing. How quickly and without notice things change with NCL.

Outside of using my Platinum vouchers or if I happen to have the SDP perk, I will be dining at MDR or OSheehans. Or even the buffet. This is just OTT greedy so I will be keeping my wallet closed regarding NCL specialty restaurants and save my money for many of NYC's fine steakhouses and French restaurants. 

23 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Big question, still complimentary for Platinum as a free meal ? Or, an upcharge ... for one's convenience 🤫

Yes. I was on the 6/16 Escape cruise & Moderno or La Cucina was still an option for one of the platinum vouchers. 

6 hours ago, Wedgie23 said:

What does FOMO mean?

7 hours ago, PortFees45 said:

Fear of missing out. 

6 hours ago, david_sobe said:

Oh BTW, there is no appetizer that interests me so I will order 2 sides.  The sides cost as much as the appetizer.  If this is not allowed, I will make a scene 😲

Cagney's got rid of the one appetizer I enjoy (Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleon) and many of the others I can't eat due to a shellfish allergy so I think I will do as you and get 2 sides. 

On 2/8/2019 at 11:32 PM, hladygirl said:

What about the prices for insides to minisuites? They have gone up so much that I can not believe. The last 14 night cruise in a a balcony cost us $5,000 for two. The one before that 2 years ago cost us $2,200. Sorry but this increase is too much too fast. Looking at other cruise lines even though we are platininum with Ncl. May not find anything better priced but am now shopping. We never cruised anything but NCL.

This is where I am. 😶 I've only sailed NCL and I'm platinum so I appreciate the perks that come with that status level. Looking at Bermuda cruises in June, they're running about $1800 with taxes (and not including perk gratuities) for a studio. I'll hold out to see if they fire sale the week I want close to the sailing date but I'm making alternate plans already, which includes checking out other cruise lines Bermuda prices.