ts2wart

Can anyone tell me how to prepay the gratuities?  I am already booked and thought it would have been an option at check out but it wasn't.  And I don't see it anywhere?

Maybe I need to call?  Thanks in advance.

I just got off the Elation on 3/2. I did not find any sushi anywhere. There was however, an ahi tuna appetizer option in the Imagination Dining Room which was very good. I enjoyed the entire cruise, the boat is a bit outdated but I didn't mind. The staff is fantastic, the food outstanding and overall just a great vacation. I hope you enjoy it!!

Thanks everybody, that is good advice and suggestions. After thinking about it, I don't want to wait on a shuttle to fill up so will check into Uber from airport to port and then possibly share a cab on return trip.

What is your preference? I am a solo traveller so my thought is that it might be cheaper for me to use the Carnival Shuttle....it runs $40 for round trip. Whereas a taxi runs $30-$40 each way. Any thoughts? Thx!:)

Taking my second solo cruise on the Elation coming up. I've seen a lot of good info about the ship itself and shore excursion. I'm really looking forward to Half Moon Cay, it really sounds nice. Am open to hearing your must do's! I cruised on the Triumph to Mexico last November and NCL last April so I'm not totally new to cruising but any info is always helpful. Thanks in advance.

Hi, I will be sailing on the Triumph on November 7 and hope you all can answer some of my questions. I am sure these are repeated somewhere in all of these posts but some of the answers are from several years ago and hoping someone has more recent information. I will be travelling solo and this is my second cruise. My first was in April on NCL Escape. I really enjoyed it but wanted a different boat/experience this time.

My first question is your thoughts on the Carnival Shuttle from the New Orleans airport to port. Cost? Do you have to wait for the bus to fill up and I assume that can take some time. How is that compared to a taxi as far as price? I won't be in a huge hurry as my flight arrives early.

My second question is about the dining times. I am in the My Time (I think that's what it's called) and on my boarding documents it refers to 8:15. Does that mean I can eat anytime before 8:15 or I can only eat at 8:15?

Also, I was late to book as I can up with the idea last minute so my room selection was limited, which is ok with me since I don't plan to be in it much. But any idea how you can go about getting an upgrade either before or at boarding? Not sure how this works and it's not a deal breaker, just something i am considering. Solo travellers sometimes don't get much choice unless rooms are still available.

So thanks in advance.....apologize for the repeats if you've read these questions a million times. :)

The solo host scheduled meetings every day at 6 pm. Passing by I would see them and hear them talking about where they would like to go eat, things they did during the day, and figuring out who to go on excursions with and where. It's an excellent service for single cruisers and in the future if I cruise solo, I would definately take advantage of this. There was a white board in the lounge you could leave messages for others on if you wanted company for dinner or had a question or were looking for someone to hang out with. It's really nice and the Escape has put a lot of thought into making their solo travellers feel included.

Hi Folks, my first cruise on the Escape was everything I had hoped and MORE! Everything you all discussed was right on target. I travelled with my sister and her boyfriend. They had a balcony room and I had a studio room. I really like it, it was roomy, plenty of space, the set up was thought out and appropriate and just enough for as little as I was there. The studio lounge was quite nice and the pastries in the morning and cookies and cake in the afternoon were a nice touch.

Restaurants: we only at at the buffet twice. It was good. It's quite large so I didn't feel like we were waiting to get to anything for very long. The Manhattan Room was our favorite. The food was amazing and changed every day. The menu is the same here as it is at Taste and Savor so don't feel like you are missing out on anything. Really, I can't say enough about how good the food was. And I can be picky. Great seafood selections and on the last night I had lobster and filet (at an upcharge) and it was fantastic.

Motion: as a first time cruiser I was afraid of getting seasick. I brought Dramamine, patches and Seabands. Didn't need any of that. We had an evening or two where there was slight motion but nothing that made any of us ill. It was very subtle.

Pool: very small for the overall size of the ship. Too crowded for us so we spent our days at the SpiceH2O area which was quieter. It had hot tubs and the grotto that you could cool off in so I really didn't miss the pool. The pool was a circus every day so if you aren't up for a crowd and a lot of noise, avoid it. You'll be glad you did.

Casino: I noticed a fair amount of smoke but this has been the case in every casino I have ever been in. Others have indicated the smoke smell was overwhelming, I did not find this to be the case. I did win a little bit of money so it was worth checking out in my opinion.

Shows: we didn't catch any of the shows as we were there with a group following a band who were also on board. As such, we watched them perform most times. Those that I spoke to though said they thought they were decent.

Cabin Stewards: mine was Shenel, she was excellent. She kept my room in perfect order. Always left me a towel animal in the evening and a mint. She was very sweet and personable. The last night she left me a tray with small pastries and treats which I thought was going the extra mile. I tipped her additional as a result because I thought her service was top of the line.

Bartenders: so much fun! Some were not as outgoing but most were really cheerful and happy and would engage in conversation. Clarence at the Five O'Clock Somewhere bar was a hoot! The bartenders at Sugarcane were fun also and made excellent flavored mojitos. You must try the drink of the day, every day, you won't be disappointed! The Miami Vice was my favorite. A coconutty frozen concoction that was so refreshing in that hot sun! The mango meltdown was also a fave! Try them all!

Cruise Director: Silas Cook. Wow, what a nice guy! Always updating on the day's happenings, important information, and where and what was going on. Super friendly! I can't say enough about the entire cruise staff....it can't be an easy job being on that boat for months at a time. Regardless of the pay, that's a tough job!

Days at Port: St. Thomas, we got a cab to Hull Bay Hideaway to see the band we followed. They beach was nice, not great, but nice. Was a good day overall. In Tortola we went to the Virgin Gorda Baths. It was really interesting and beautiful. Navigating through the rock formations was fun and we thought it was something different than just a day at the beach. It is mid level intensity as far as physically demanding so if you have difficulty walking or maneuvering through small spaces, this may not be the trip for you. But they also had a pool, restaurant and gift shops if you wanted to go with others but didn't want to do the hard stuff. In Nassau, we did the Seahorse Snorkel trip. A catamaran picked a bunch of us up and took us about 20 minutes out, dropped anchor and told us to get snorkeling. It was amazing! We saw some beautiful fish and coral formations and I got to use my new underwater camera which came in handy. We stayed out about an hour and then headed back to the port. The captain pointed out houses along the way that belonged to famous people and different points of interests while we had rum punch. It was an inexpensive half a day trip which I do recommend. All the port days, we did half day excursions so we would have time for shopping and exploring in each town either before or after. This worked out well and we got some t shirts, hats, and other souvenirs. In Tortola, I do suggest going to Sunny Caribee, the spice shop, they have some wonderful and different things such as hot sauces, jerk seasonings, and hibiscus tea leaves.

Embarkation/Disembarkation: lots of people but it is organized well for the number of folks. Be patient, wait your turn and you will be fine. No one is leaving without you and everyone is going the same direction so just follow instructions and you'll get where you're going.

All in all, I truly enjoyed our cruise...everything about it was 5 star! I was ready for a vacation and it didn't disappoint! A vacation is what you make of it and you always hear different views but we really enjoyed the Escape and would definately go on another cruise with them.

If you are due to travel on the Escape in the coming months, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!!

Hi Folks, my first cruise on the Escape was everything I had hoped and MORE! Everything you all discussed was right on target. I travelled with my sister and her boyfriend. They had a balcony room and I had a studio room. I really like it, it was roomy, plenty of space, the set up was thought out and appropriate and just enough for as little as I was there. The studio lounge was quite nice and the pastries in the morning and cookies and cake in the afternoon were a nice touch.

Restaurants: we only at at the buffet twice. It was good. It's quite large so I didn't feel like we were waiting to get to anything for very long. The Manhattan Room was our favorite. The food was amazing and changed every day. The menu is the same here as it is at Taste and Savor so don't feel like you are missing out on anything. Really, I can't say enough about how good the food was. And I can be picky. Great seafood selections and on the last night I had lobster and filet (at an upcharge) and it was fantastic.

Motion: as a first time cruiser I was afraid of getting seasick. I brought Dramamine, patches and Seabands. Didn't need any of that. We had an evening or two where there was slight motion but nothing that made any of us ill. It was very subtle.

Pool: very small for the overall size of the ship. Too crowded for us so we spent our days at the SpiceH2O area which was quieter. It had hot tubs and the grotto that you could cool off in so I really didn't miss the pool. The pool was a circus every day so if you aren't up for a crowd and a lot of noise, avoid it. You'll be glad you did.

Casino: I noticed a fair amount of smoke but this has been the case in every casino I have ever been in. Others have indicated the smoke smell was overwhelming, I did not find this to be the case. I did win a little bit of money so it was worth checking out in my opinion.

Shows: we didn't catch any of the shows as we were there with a group following a band who were also on board. As such, we watched them perform most times. Those that I spoke to though said they thought they were decent.

Cabin Stewards: mine was Shenel, she was excellent. She kept my room in perfect order. Always left me a towel animal in the evening and a mint. She was very sweet and personable. The last night she left me a tray with small pastries and treats which I thought was going the extra mile. I tipped her additional as a result because I thought her service was top of the line.

Bartenders: so much fun! Some were not as outgoing but most were really cheerful and happy and would engage in conversation. Clarence at the Five O'Clock Somewhere bar was a hoot! The bartenders at Sugarcane were fun also and made excellent flavored mojitos. You must try the drink of the day, every day, you won't be disappointed! The Miami Vice was my favorite. A coconutty frozen concoction that was so refreshing in that hot sun! The mango meltdown was also a fave! Try them all!

Cruise Director: Silas Cook. Wow, what a nice guy! Always updating on the day's happenings, important information, and where and what was going on. Super friendly! I can't say enough about the entire cruise staff....it can't be an easy job being on that boat for months at a time. Regardless of the pay, that's a tough job!

Days at Port: St. Thomas, we got a cab to Hull Bay Hideaway to see the band we followed. They beach was nice, not great, but nice. Was a good day overall. In Tortola we went to the Virgin Gorda Baths. It was really interesting and beautiful. Navigating through the rock formations was fun and we thought it was something different than just a day at the beach. It is mid level intensity as far as physically demanding so if you have difficulty walking or maneuvering through small spaces, this may not be the trip for you. But they also had a pool, restaurant and gift shops if you wanted to go with others but didn't want to do the hard stuff. In Nassau, we did the Seahorse Snorkel trip. A catamaran picked a bunch of us up and took us about 20 minutes out, dropped anchor and told us to get snorkeling. It was amazing! We saw some beautiful fish and coral formations and I got to use my new underwater camera which came in handy. We stayed out about an hour and then headed back to the port. The captain pointed out houses along the way that belonged to famous people and different points of interests while we had rum punch. It was an inexpensive half a day trip which I do recommend. All the port days, we did half day excursions so we would have time for shopping and exploring in each town either before or after. This worked out well and we got some t shirts, hats, and other souvenirs. In Tortola, I do suggest going to Sunny Caribee, the spice shop, they have some wonderful and different things such as hot sauces, jerk seasonings, and hibiscus tea leaves.

Embarkation/Disembarkation: lots of people but it is organized well for the number of folks. Be patient, wait your turn and you will be fine. No one is leaving without you and everyone is going the same direction so just follow instructions and you'll get where you're going.

All in all, I truly enjoyed our cruise...everything about it was 5 star! I was ready for a vacation and it didn't disappoint! A vacation is what you make of it and you always hear different views but we really enjoyed the Escape and would definately go on another cruise with them.

If you are due to travel on the Escape in the coming months, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!!

Really fantastic review! Thank you for taking the time to do it. I enjoyed it very much! Great pics, good detail and sounds like it was a wonderful time. I leave on the Escape on Saturday for my first cruise ever and I appreciate all of your information!

I'll be a solo traveler on the Escape on 4/23. I enjoyed your review! Thanks, it was great!

Good review, thanks! I'm cruising this ship on April 23 and cannot wait!

Calling on my cruise critics for help again. Cruising on the Escape on April 23, fly into Fort Lauderdale in Apr 22. SAS Shuttle doesnt take reservations after 3 pm and my flight gets in at 6:10 pm. What shuttle service(s) have you used that you would recommend? Thanks in advance!