Just back from ESCAPE Jan 6

We just returned from an awesome adventure on the NCL Escape. I really enjoyed everyone's reviews earlier so I thought I would add a few tips. We had mid-ship mini suite. Cabin 10800. We loved the location (two floors down to 5 o'clock somewhere and the district). The bed was closest to the balcony and the couch/bunks closest to the closet.

Our weather wasn't the greatest. The first sea day was brutal for ship movement. Thank goodness for Bonine and Sea bands. There was some rain and cold days too.

Our favorite spaces were

- 5 o'clock somewhere bar on the waterfront. It's such a pretty spot and was often very quiet. The chocolate cowboy is just as good as everyone reports. Seriously! He was heading off the ship for a little vacation himself yesterday(not sure for how long).

- Food Republic - amazing service and food. Loved the corn truffle braised beef short rib. Husband loved the sushi

- The District - a Beer drinkers paradise

- Sugar Cane Mojito Bar - incredibly tasty drinks but strong. really strong.

- Teppanyaki - we had two teenagers with us who had never done this style of dining. We all loved it and the food was amaze balls.

- Cagney's - wow - really good. We ate on the waterfront (not to be missed). Loved all the sides including the brussel sprouts, potatoes au gratin, all of them really. Kids loved the fries.

- water slides on the ship

The dining was overall amazing. We ate at Taste, Savour, the Manhattan Room, the buffet, and three specialty restaurants (mentioned above plus La Cucina).

In ports:

- we had a private excursion with Patrice Bailey in Jamaica. We had originally planned to do Dunn's River Falls and the Blue Hole BUT the blue holey was actually a brown hole because of all the rain, so we just did the falls. The tour was fantastic and affordable. At then end we were dropped at Margaritaville. My husband got food poising from the chili nacho sauce there (we know because it was the only thing he ate that the four of us hadn't). He was really, really sick.

- we took a taxi to Seven Mile Beach in Cayman, which was great. Beautiful beach. We were dropped at the Royal Palms, which charged $2 admission. It was worth it.

- we loved the private island, Great Stirrup Cay. They work so hard to make sure you have a great time.

- We booked a room at the Comfort Inn and Suites Paradise Island strictly to get passes for Atlantis for the four of us. Atlantis was unbelievable. A must do if you have teenagers. Expensive but worth it.

I had asked in a previous post about draught beer. There is no bud light/coors light/miller lite on draught aboard. Amstel Light was on tap in a couple places but it wasn't that great. The only other light beers were Presidente at The Distrist or Landshark at the 5 o'clock Somewhere bar.

Only complaint was the automatic soap dispensers in the public washrooms, they took forever to get soap out. You'd have to wave your hand under for a long time (sometimes over one minute). I can imagine many would just give up...kinda gross.

Hope that helps or gets you excited! I hope you enjoy the Escape as much as we did!

Thanks very much! The Escape is our favorite ship!

Thanks for the review. Can't wait to get on in 6 days!

Thank you for posting your thoughts - we are going on the Escape in March and reading reviews is really helpful.

Sorry that your weather was not ideal. I had been debating about bringing medicine / sea bands, but I think this confirms that I will (better to be safe than miserable). And sounds like I should bring hand sanitizer!

Only complaint was the automatic soap dispensers in the public washrooms, they took forever to get soap out. You'd have to wave your hand under for a long time (sometimes over one minute). I can imagine many would just give up...kinda gross.

I noticed the same thing last a couple of months ago on the Escape. Many soap dispensers did not work at all.

Appreciate your feedback.

I noticed the same thing last a couple of months ago on the Escape. Many soap dispensers did not work at all.

Are there at least plenty of sanitizing stations around?

There are many hand sanitizer stations around (they really were everywhere).

Great review! The blue hole was brown the day we were there too. I wonder how often it isn't blue? We still did it, but were limited to the bottom two jumps and the swing. The upper area was completely closed due to the amount and velocity of the water. It does take away from the experience when you are swimming in a mud hole!

Thank you for your review. I will be on the Escape in three weeks.

Thank you for your report.

Keith

Thank you for the review.

We have been on the Escape some months ago. We enjoyed it very much and had a wonderfull week.

Less than two weeks to go ... thanks for your review.

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Thank you for the review, glad to see that you had a great time! Cant wait to go back on the Escape in a couple of weeks!

Thanks for your comments! I had to laugh about the soap dispensers as they drove me nuts! A lot of elderly people had issues because they couldn't see where to wave their hands. Little kids couldn't figure it out. I always had to look under and then would get it to work but very annoying.

Thanks for the taste of Escape!

Thank you for the review, glad to see that you had a great time! Cant wait to go back on the Escape in a couple of weeks!

I see we'll miss you by a month on the Bliss in 2019. We are going Jan.

Enjoy the "Escape" again. It's definitely a ship we'd sail again.

How much does Atlantis access cost vs the booking of the room, which sounds like a good idea...just a couple here, Sailing on 4/7/18

Hi!

I forgot to mention Howl at the Moon was incredible!!! Loved it! The comedians were fantastic too! Make sure to book the comedians as soon as you get on the ship.

For Atlantis. Our cost at the Comfort Inn was $412.60 for 3 adults and one child. ($274 + 138.60 tax). It's pricey but worth it. NCL does excursions to Atlantis. I can't remember the cost. I know for the four of us it was quite a bit cheaper to go this route.