Tasm3n

I'd like to tack on a question to this.  What is the difference between the two?

I also just booked on a Freedom class ship (Liberty of the Seas).  From what I read, we get relatively the same perks as those sailing Sky class on the Oasis class ships.

• Priority embark/disembark
• Access to Concierge lounge (has continental breakfast and a happy hour with booze in the evening plus a concierge available to help with bookings onboard)
• Reserved seating near the pool 
• Reserved seating for shows

I know I'm not listing everything but that is a brief list.

Splash Academy (kids' camp) is a nice feature, but it's not a "set-it-and-forget-it" daycare. They have specific hours, and I think on NCL they expect you to pick up your kids for meals except on port days. They also close at 10pm, unless you pay extra for the late night parties. I believe that is $8/hr per child, which is cheap, if you want to stay out late.

This... the pick up hours are usually around lunch time and dinner time. The club is closed for, I think, a 2 hour stretch each of those times. It can result in rather large lines if you are going to get your kid right before the club closes or drop your kid off right when it opens.

As a result, we found ourselves not using the Kid's club as much as we did on DCL that had no such restrictions. Just something to be mindful of.

If they treat Jedi academy this year as they did during last year's SWDAS, you cannot prebook. During out cruise, we showed up to the theater and sat down. They were pulling kids from the audience (though I've also heard they will pull them from outside if people are waiting to get into the theater too).

They were not taking kids with open toed shoes so make sure the kids are wearing something with a closed toe and not Crocs.

We had to go to 2 sessions before my daughter got picked. She was 7 1/2 at the time and it was the highlight of the entire trip for her. The first time we tried, we were sitting in the middle of the theater. The second time (and ultimately when she got picked), I made sure to have her on an aisle and she was selected pretty quickly. She was dressed as Princess Vader.

Going to be training for a half-marathon when our cruise happens and was hoping to have an alternative place to run as well given all I've read about the running track.

So question, how crowded does the gym get since that seems the only real alternative?

You basically described the same apprehension that we have for our upcoming cruise in January. We also sailed on the Fantasy last time and, like the friends we are traveling with again, have set our expectations super low for this cruise in hopes that we are not disappointed and don't get too crazy with the comparisons. As someone else said, different cruise lines, different products.

I think reading these boards have helped in some ways and hindered in others in comparison to say the disboards. Folks are pretty friendly over there and helpful while here... Well there are some sour grapes muddying the waters so to speak and that has DEFINITELY effected my attitude towards NCL - something I know I need to get over before we go because... CRUISE!!!!

That said, I am very much looking forward to reading your review.

I am specifically curious about the kids club. I read that they are very structured with their programming unlike the Disney club where kids can do whatever they want in the club at whatever time.

Use the search function and put in the words Packing List. You'll probably get 5 hits at least.

Actually I did that before I made my post and got a lot of posts that had 'packing' or 'list' in them and had nothing to do specifically with the Escape.

We are preparing for our trip this coming January and I'm curious what type of things should be on our packing list. We are sailing on the Escape and in the Haven.

I'm assuming things like sunscreen but am curious if there are other little things people have found it's helpful to have once on board.

I received email yesterday with offer to bid on my upcoming cruise in January. Just completed my bid process. How do you know that your bid was considered "low"? I just got another email telling me that my bids were excepted.

The slider told me, at least, what was considered 'low'. If you slid the slider down to the lowest allowed amount, it said "low".

I put in a bid for $400/pp to go from an aft PH (H6) to 2BR (H4) about three weeks ago and have heard nothing back. What I find odd is that my bid was considered "low".....the price difference between the two categories is $1100 total! My bid is only $150/pp less than full price! :eek:

The $750/pp I could put in to go from H4 to H2 also seemed pretty close to full price to me as well and was marked as low. We ended up not going with the bid.

Is pirate night a sea day?

 

I guess your pirate costume could double for Star Wars if you're going as a smuggler. Just change the accessories.

I may or may not have brought a Han Solo dress with me to wear on Pirate night. No one said you couldn't be a space pirate :)

As to Pirate night being at Sea, I don't think so? I can't remember. I'm sorry

um didnt you bring your portable blacklight? the butlers spray each door with invisible ink that easily washes away on the last day of the cruise. F or U

 

Full price

Upsell price

All I see is FU

When in january do you sail? I'm booked on the 21st, wondering if I'll get an email, too!

14th. So the cruise before yours. Friend also sailing Haven got the offer and is also going to ignore it.

Thank you for the pictures and the review! That is the exact room we have booked for our upcoming January cruise.

We are going to go ahead and book a February date to use our OBB and hope that it ends up being a Star Wars cruise like they were this year and the year before.

I would recommend booking as soon as you can even if the Star Wars announcement hasn't been made yet. Once a cruise officially becomes a SWDAS cruise, I've noticed the prices go up quite a bit.

I emailed a list of requests to concierge (nursery, dining etc.) and a good portion was missed or put on the wrong day. Suggest double checking online to make sure it's correct and/or call them to make corrections.

Sage advice. We had a few things wrong with our bookings for our cruise last February including someone else in my extended traveling party being booked for the Princess Tea with my daughter instead of me.

Planning our trip in February. I know we will have a SW day at sea. Will we have a pirate night as well? Thanks in advance!

You will but it will be a tapered down pirate night. Pirate night fireworks don't happen as there are fireworks on the SWDAS. I believe the pirate menu is also something that doesn't happen or at least it did not last year when we cruised at the same time on a Star Wars cruise.

The night is still a ton of fun!

Yup! We paid full fare for our upcoming trip for my family of 6. I am however not a judgmental, holier than thou, uptight, repressed person that takes issue with anybody that works in the "passion" industry. Well I might be if they were a porn star but certainly not somebody that sells toys. @@

 

I'll be wearing my Crocs and Kohl's clothing in the Haven too. I do so hope nobody mistakes me for one of those low paying riff raff folks because I am not wearing Chanel and Louboutin shoes. Should I make up special shirts stating we paid full fare so we're not confused with those other folks????

Every time one of these discussions come up, I end up thinking of this particular scene...

I'll be right there with you in comfort wear in my old navy bought for a $1 on sale flip flops.

I got an offer today for my January cruise. H4 to H2, $750-2k per person option.

Seems a lot to me to upgrade from a 2 bedroom to a slightly bigger 2 bedroom.

16 if I remember correctly. Did you try booking for 10? Or call NCL?

It didn't give me the option online to book for 10. I have not called yet. I figured I'd see if it was possible first before I call.

Recently was able to book our dining for our upcoming cruise but I noticed the most the online system would let me reserve for was a party 8. We are actually a party of 9.

I figured I could just revise those when I get on board to add one more person considering 3 of of our 9 are children under the age of 8.

I remember (or at least think I do) reading somewhere that Teppanyaki (on the Escape) has a max table size of 8. Is this true or do they have a bigger table that might be able to accommodate 6 adults and 3 kids?

We sail on the Pearl in 100 days. I was able to book specialty dining today but not spa passes. Is that normal for the spa not to be available on the same day? We are in our first suite.

Thanks.

Joy

At my 100 days out, spa was available to me though I did not try to book. Maybe it isn't available to book at 100 days out for Haven guests? I know it was showing as available to a friend of mine prior to her 90 day window but when she went to book, it wouldn't let her.

But what is the current dinner show in The Supper Club?

Also curious as we have this reserved for our cruising in January

My mother and niece are flying into FLL while the rest of us are flying into MIA. Our hotel for the night before the cruise is at MIA. I'm looking for recommendations for a good car service to use from FLL to MIA so I can have a car pick up my mom and niece and take them to our hotel.

Service on the Escape was very good, and nearly comparable to Disney.

This is good to hear. Disney's level of service is SO good.