Just back from Escape (UDP, Gluten Free, boat movement, etc)

[kajasmin]

Hi guys! I'm back from the escape.... wanted to quickly address a few issues that I had concerns over in case others wondered.

 

- Gluten free---eating in the main dining room for breakfast was good or an omelet at the buffet, lunch was a bit more difficult- but they did have chicken grilled I ate everyday--almost all of their meat was marinaded with some sort of soy. But the chefs were very knowledgeable and helped. We ate in specialty restaurants every night- dinner was good, but they would do very little in the way of changing things so I could have them. On Carnival they would change stuff a lot more, there was very very limited desert choices.

 

-UDP from January booking was honored and well worth it. We saved a ton of money.

 

-This was the rockiest boat I have ever been on (its my 6th cruise). On Thanksgiving even the hostess at Moderno was having to hold on to a bar to not fall. The boat would creak and groan and I thought it was going to fall apart. Our room had some sort of issue with the balcony framing that could not be fixed and when the waves were high we could not sleep. They did put us in another room to sleep that night. It was a hassle but better than the alternative. I did hear we were going in 77mph gusts of wind, however, I've been on a Disney boat with that strong of wind and you could barely tell... I honestly don't think I'd go on this boat again... from the time we set sail it was rocky, definitely don't go if you get motion sickness.

 

The staff and crew were excellent. Million Dollar Quartet was FABULOUS.

[funat55]

Thank you for the information posted. I heard it was raining in Miami. How was the weather at the ports that you visited?

[BlissfullinFL]

I was on the cruise too. Thursday was scary. My boyfriend was sick, but I was fine. It was definitely rockin and rollin.

 

Staff was mostly excellent tho and food mostly great. Some hits and some misses, but better than average I think for a ship.

 

Weather great in virgin islands. Crazy windy in Nassau.

[Loonbeam]

Something we learned very quickly about mega ships and their box shapes. It's not just wind speed, its direction. If the wind is coming broadside to those big towering decks, you get some serious motion that nothing will adjust.

 

 

 

Hi guys! I'm back from the escape.... wanted to quickly address a few issues that I had concerns over in case others wondered.

 

- Gluten free---eating in the main dining room for breakfast was good or an omelet at the buffet, lunch was a bit more difficult- but they did have chicken grilled I ate everyday--almost all of their meat was marinaded with some sort of soy. But the chefs were very knowledgeable and helped. We ate in specialty restaurants every night- dinner was good, but they would do very little in the way of changing things so I could have them. On Carnival they would change stuff a lot more, there was very very limited desert choices.

 

-UDP from January booking was honored and well worth it. We saved a ton of money.

 

-This was the rockiest boat I have ever been on (its my 6th cruise). On Thanksgiving even the hostess at Moderno was having to hold on to a bar to not fall. The boat would creak and groan and I thought it was going to fall apart. Our room had some sort of issue with the balcony framing that could not be fixed and when the waves were high we could not sleep. They did put us in another room to sleep that night. It was a hassle but better than the alternative. I did hear we were going in 77mph gusts of wind, however, I've been on a Disney boat with that strong of wind and you could barely tell... I honestly don't think I'd go on this boat again... from the time we set sail it was rocky, definitely don't go if you get motion sickness.

 

The staff and crew were excellent. Million Dollar Quartet was FABULOUS.

[chengkp75]

As I posted on another thread about the Escape's motion, making comparisons between two ships based on limited exposure (a couple cruises) is pretty meaningless. Unless you can experience the two ship actually sailing in the same weather, at the same speed and course, at the same location, the sheer number of variables involved in ship's motion makes comparisons meaningless. You could use the stability computer models used to design the ships to predict how each ship would react in identical situations, but this would take the personal interpretation of "rocky ride" out of the equation.

 

As loonbeam says, its not only wind speed, but direction, and throw in water depth, current, wave height and direction, and ship's speed and course. The Captain must make a choice, balancing the course needed to make the next port with the wind and more importantly the wave direction, balancing the correct course with the motion, and taking the seas in a way to minimize motion and keep to course. If he goes too far into taking the seas directly on the bow to minimize rolling (but increasing pitching) at the sacrifice of course, then later on in the night, he may have to take the seas broadside on a new course to make it to port.

 

Wind speed and direction really doesn't have much to do with rolling (or rocking), except as it builds waves and swells. Wind, even gusting wind, is pretty constant, and will result in "wind heel" where the ship tilts over to one side for a long time, but this will not necessarily result in rolling.

 

Wave and swell formation, which is caused by wind, will depend on the water depth, the area around (whether islands make a channel, or in the open ocean for hundreds of miles), how long the wind has been blowing, and where the wind is blowing from.

[Lily815]

Thanks for the review!

[funat55]

I was on the cruise too. Thursday was scary. My boyfriend was sick, but I was fine. It was definitely rockin and rollin.

 

Staff was mostly excellent tho and food mostly great. Some hits and some misses, but better than average I think for a ship.

 

Weather great in virgin islands. Crazy windy in Nassau.

 

How was Tortola? It is the one stop I have never been too.

[Lsssss]

I have to agree, I was on the Escape on the first seven day sailing and it was the most motion I have ever felt. I've been on 18 cruises. I've been through rougher weather. It made me wonder about the ship and if it was built differently in terms of stabilization. Glad I'm not the only one...other than that we loved it though.

[2ManyCruises]

That was a pretty rough storm Thursday night. Did anyone go out to the deck and see it? We did and got a little nervous. Any ship at sea in that storm I'm sure was rocking and rolling.

[xcell]

Good to hear about the UDP - we booked it a while back where everyone in the cabin gets it...1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th passengers. Were you able to order anything...

 

As per the rocky, I had the opposite... Disney Dream I was walking like I was drunk with how rocky it was but I will let you know how I fair on the Escape..

[familycruzer]

Did you contact the ship prior to the cruise to discuss your special gluten free restrictions?

 

 

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[rdmadm12]

We were also on this one and felt the same about the boat movement. Someone on board suggested we were going too fast to use the stabilizers. We left Miami late and had to make up time and then left Tortola about an hour and a half late and he was going top speed to get to Nassau (along with that wicked storm). You could tell when we left Nassau for Miami that they were using the stabilizers because we were going at a much slower speed and there was far less movement. All I know is that I am still rocking 2 days later on land!

[majorwibi]

Hi guys! I'm back from the escape.... wanted to quickly address a few issues that I had concerns over in case others wondered.

 

- Gluten free---eating in the main dining room for breakfast was good or an omelet at the buffet, lunch was a bit more difficult- but they did have chicken grilled I ate everyday--almost all of their meat was marinaded with some sort of soy. But the chefs were very knowledgeable and helped. We ate in specialty restaurants every night- dinner was good, but they would do very little in the way of changing things so I could have them. On Carnival they would change stuff a lot more, there was very very limited desert choices.

 

Did you talk to NCL before your cruise about being GF? Did you follow the process they laid out for you in the email from accessdesk@ncl.com?

 

Other than deserts I had no issues with getting what I wanted for breakfast, lunch and dinner as long as I planned ahead (ie ordered for the next day). Your account is a dramatic divergence from what I experienced on the Escape TA less than a month ago.

[mjkacmom]

Did you talk to NCL before your cruise about being GF? Did you follow the process they laid out for you in the email from accessdesk@ncl.com?

 

Other than deserts I had no issues with getting what I wanted for breakfast, lunch and dinner as long as I planned ahead (ie ordered for the next day). Your account is a dramatic divergence from what I experienced on the Escape TA less than a month ago.

 

We had a great experience with gluten free, but found the specialty restaurants much less accommodating than the MDRs. Dd12 could order practically anything the night before, but for LeBistro and Moderno, they just let her know what on the menu was gluten free. They wouldn't speak with us ahead of time. It all worked out, she likes steak.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

I already mentioned this on the Thanksgiving Roll call thread.....

 

Thurs nite was worst rocking & rolling thru that storm I have ever felt on a cruise.

 

I did ALOT of praying that night. We had on balcony Deck 9 Midship.

I usually choose mid-ship for less motion.

Didn't matter Thurs. night.:mad:

 

I couldn't sleep because it was scary!!! VERY Annoyed that it seemed

the Captain was more interested in getting us to Nassau on time....

than giving a crap about what we were going thru.

 

Even when I tried to lay down, felt like I was going to roll out of bed.

 

There was so much STRONG Gale force wind, howling, motion and more thunder and lightening than I've ever seen on a cruise. Ever!

 

YES, the ship was Creaking alot and I also was scared we were going to

tip over, or it was going to fall apart.

 

Thank god we lived. Frankly, I could care less if we saw Nassau.

Been there, done that.

I would have Rather gone Another route, or go Slower, or go AROUND the storm..... than haul ass to get to Nassau. Was NOT happy Thurs. night.:mad:

 

Other than that.............. good times.:cool:

[Tbucs19]

We were on deck 9 also and couldn't agree more calluvs.

[chengkp75]

We were also on this one and felt the same about the boat movement. Someone on board suggested we were going too fast to use the stabilizers. We left Miami late and had to make up time and then left Tortola about an hour and a half late and he was going top speed to get to Nassau (along with that wicked storm). You could tell when we left Nassau for Miami that they were using the stabilizers because we were going at a much slower speed and there was far less movement. All I know is that I am still rocking 2 days later on land!

 

There is no such thing as going too fast for the stabilizers. The stabilizers act like airplane wings, and use the water flow over the airfoil shape of the stabilizers just like an airplane wing uses the airflow. The faster you go, the more effect the stabilizers have. Conversely, the slower you go, the less effect the stabilizers will have, and are generally designed to self-stow when the ship gets below 5-6 knots, to prevent the bridge crew from forgetting to retract them when docking, with resultant snapping off of the fin against the dock (it's happened before).

 

One factor affecting ship motion is the relationship between the ship's speed, and the period of the waves (the time between crests). At certain combinations of wave period and ship speed, you will get a "harmonic" effect whereby the motion is greatly increased, and with a slight adjustment of speed, the motion can possibly be greatly reduced.

 

A few years ago, I was on the Dawn doing a New England/Canada cruise, and we left NYC just after a tropical storm. The seas were such that my in-laws in a cabin on deck 4 had solid green water over their porthole.

 

Perhaps some folks could try to describe "rocky" or "rocking and rolling" from their perspective, because I feel it is vastly different than mine. On the other thread about the Escape's motion, this is what I said in respect to the Breakaway:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48389527&postcount=34

 

maybe that could be used as a starting point for descriptions of motion.

 

To me, "rocky" implies the pitching (bow up/bow down) motion, and the "staggering" the ship experiences when heading into seas. This has very little to do with stability or with stabilizers, and is a function of the bow design.

 

"Rolling" is what I describe in the post linked above. "Heeling" is when the ship leans to one side for a long time, and again, this is more wind than sea affects.

[LrgPizza]

....

 

I always enjoy your insight. You are an asset to this forum.

[motleyfan]

Hi guys! I'm back from the escape.... wanted to quickly address a few issues that I had concerns over in case others wondered.

 

- Gluten free---eating in the main dining room for breakfast was good or an omelet at the buffet, lunch was a bit more difficult- but they did have chicken grilled I ate everyday--almost all of their meat was marinaded with some sort of soy. But the chefs were very knowledgeable and helped. We ate in specialty restaurants every night- dinner was good, but they would do very little in the way of changing things so I could have them. On Carnival they would change stuff a lot more, there was very very limited desert choices.

 

-UDP from January booking was honored and well worth it. We saved a ton of money.

 

-This was the rockiest boat I have ever been on (its my 6th cruise). On Thanksgiving even the hostess at Moderno was having to hold on to a bar to not fall. The boat would creak and groan and I thought it was going to fall apart. Our room had some sort of issue with the balcony framing that could not be fixed and when the waves were high we could not sleep. They did put us in another room to sleep that night. It was a hassle but better than the alternative. I did hear we were going in 77mph gusts of wind, however, I've been on a Disney boat with that strong of wind and you could barely tell... I honestly don't think I'd go on this boat again... from the time we set sail it was rocky, definitely don't go if you get motion sickness.

 

The staff and crew were excellent. Million Dollar Quartet was FABULOUS.

 

That's the thing with Norwegian their Productions really shine. That's odd about the motion because I do have motion sickness and it never bothered me once on the ship

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

We were on deck 17 and it was rocking, but we definitely weren't afraid. There was a magnificent sunrise and then came the rain and storm. TV Navigation said 8' seas but it looked more like 12+. My grandson had an upset stomach but took a Bonine and slept it off. We were fine by around 3:00 pm.

 

We were on a cruise in New Zealand a couple of years ago and the wind was so strong we were doing negative 3 knots trying to get across Cook Strait to the Tasman Sea. Now THAT was scary. And we have been in 30' seas near Haines Alaska and couldn't get up the canal to Skagway. Stayed in bed to ride that one out.

[rg24601]

That's the thing with Norwegian their Productions really shine. That's odd about the motion because I do have motion sickness and it never bothered me once on the ship

 

Then you probably don't have true motion sickness, you just think you do.

 

Getting sick in a car or plane does not mean one will get sick on a ship and vice-versa.

[soccersharon]

Something we learned very quickly about mega ships and their box shapes. It's not just wind speed, its direction. If the wind is coming broadside to those big towering decks, you get some serious motion that nothing will adjust.

 

 

Absolutely. I actually had seasickness on the Epic. Felt as though the stabilizers were not deployed.

[sjbdtz]

Absolutely. I actually had seasickness on the Epic. Felt as though the stabilizers were not deployed.

 

 

The stabilizers wouldn't help many types of motion. The same way airplane wings don't stop turbulence.

 

 

I've sailed EPIC 3 separate times, and never felt seasick. That said, if you do.... go & look at the horizon.

 

The primary issue with motion sickness is a disagreement between your eyes, and your inner ear. Your inner ear senses when you are encountering motion. But if your eyes say....look, I'm looking around, and nothing is moving (because everything is moving the same, relative to everything else), then you feel nauseated.

 

 

 

.

[kajasmin]

How was Tortola? It is the one stop I have never been too.

 

Good but we went to Virgin Gorda to the Baths. It was a bit crowded but beautiful.

[kajasmin]

Good to hear about the UDP - we booked it a while back where everyone in the cabin gets it...1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th passengers. Were you able to order anything...

 

As per the rocky, I had the opposite... Disney Dream I was walking like I was drunk with how rocky it was but I will let you know how I fair on the Escape..

 

Yes, we got all 4 passengers too. We ordered whatever we wanted. The last night we had a not pleasing desert at the La Cucina so we went and ordered two creme brulees from the Bistro to go :)