Mother daughter ESCAPE (review) - March 11-18

[drneal]

 

I do believe Marcos, the bartender was trying to kill me. Damn tips! At one point I heard someone ask for a "not too strong" drink and wondered why anyone would do that. Now I know!!

 

Enjoying the review.

Marcos was our cruise hero...heavy on the alcohol, light on the juice

[claireruth]

We were on the same cruise and also are having major withdrawals!! Cruise life > real life!!!

[dshefter]

I must say we’re still coming to terms with the fact that we’re no longer enjoying our little piece of paradise, constantly playing that “this time last week we were…” game! The fact that it’s cold, rainy, snow still on the ground and we’re back at work is not helping! Sooo, back to happy thoughts!

 

Our check-in time was 10:30 – 11. We arrived at the port around 11:30. A quick walk through security (daughter had to dump the water from her bottle), our longest wait was about 10 minutes to get our key cards. Quick and easy. We were told to go upstairs for our boarding number. As we’re walking upstairs, mindlessly following the people in front of us, I realize the place is empty and we’re walking on the ship. It was before noon and we were on the ship! Woohoo!

 

First stop Headliners to change a ressie. There was a sign on the door saying Vibe was sold out. No surprise as our sailing was sold out and it was noon. While it sounds like everything I live, not for me this trip and it was just dd and I. Easily changed our Bistro reservation. I asked about booking the Escape the Big Top, the new Escape room. Well, it’s very difficult explaining an ‘escape’ room while on the “Escape” ship without it simply sounding like a room on the Escape. So, they had no idea and sent us to the front desk. Same thing. So, after two failed attempts, what else to do?Cocktail time!

 

I took the sage advice of JW and Jerome and Doug (again, pattern forming here) and brought a stack of ones. Having put myself through school as a server, this was a no brainer to me, and I was so surprised by how few people did tip and how far it got us. DD’s card apparently entitled her to soda – not juice or fun stuff, soda. While it says we can get two drinks at a time on our Unlimited Beverage Plan (UBP), I saw several bartenders refusing to give people two different types of drinks. My point is with tips, my kid had her fill of amazing (booze-less) concoctions, often prettier than my drinks. We might both be suffering mild withdrawals now.

 

So, key card and ones in hand, it was off to the Atrium Bar.He was there in a flash, grabbed my card and money, threw my card back at me, never rang it in and winked, guessing meaning he saved me the taxes, which was sweet of him. Got my first of many mojitos, Nicole her first of many juice concoctions and we were off to Savor for lunch. This may have been one of the best meals. Now, the excitement, breakfast booze and all may have impacted, but the popcorn shrimp and Cajun grilled grouper were perfect! Nic had fried chicken which was good too.

 

Then it was off to explore but they announced our cabins were ready. We had 13884 – aft balcony which I chose because it looked like it was across from a wall. Well, it had an employee hallway right across from it –more on this later. Cabin was fine, exactly as expected from all the reviews.Smaller than DCL and I missed the split bathrooms, but we were totally fine. Didn’tsee our steward, so left him a note with a few requests (empty mini bar, ice, robes,more towels – pet peeve when they just leave 2!) and a tip. We always tip more at the end, so figured why not leave some at the start? He was fantastic throughout the trip, though I have no doubt that he would have been without that initial tip too. He was just lovely.

 

Then it was off to explore the ship! Honestly we were still getting turned around on the last day! It is truly amazing, huge, beautiful. And confusing. Or that could be the early day mojitos.

 

Dinner that night was at Cagney’s – we also had the dining package. Everything was so good except it was at 7 pm and I think we were still full from lunch! The jumbo shrimp cocktail and crab cake starters were great;both had filets, which were tender and perfectly cooked. Despite not being starving we had to have several sides and desserts, so we waddled out of there.

 

Popped into the duelling pianos for a while, then it was off to the kids club for dd and to the casino for me, convinced I was going to win big. I go to Vegas a few times a year and don’t usually play other places, but thought I’d try. Well, no jackpot for me. Shocking I know. I think I left up $40, which actually is shocking for me.

 

This was the perfect first day of our vacation!

 

We are in 13910 for our Thanksgiving cruise. Was curious what you thought of the Aft balconies. We loved our Aft balcony on the Carnival Dream.

[dshefter]

Following your thread. We are sailing on the Escape this Thanksgiving. Was wondering about the reviews of the Teen Club. Our daughter will be 14 and is excited to finally be able to enjoy the Teen Club. Being that our cruise is over a holiday, I am sure there will be a ton of kids aboard. How early do you need to get onboard for Vibe passes? We are trying to get there around 9:30 a.m.

 

Thanks for all of your information.

[jojoey]

We were on the same cruise and also are having major withdrawals!! Cruise life > real life!!!

 

I so agree! I'm so not adapting well to being back - the cold, the lack of mojitos, twice daily room cleaning, endless food and fun... Sigh.

[jojoey]

We are in 13910 for our Thanksgiving cruise. Was curious what you thought of the Aft balconies. We loved our Aft balcony on the Carnival Dream.

 

Nice! I see you have an aft facing balcony which is the best! I really loved deck 13. Buffet and sun decks were super convenient, and the restaurants and bars were just a few flights down. And the aft location was ideal for us. You'll love it - late night cocktails and cookies from the buffet on your big deck!

[jojoey]

Following your thread. We are sailing on the Escape this Thanksgiving. Was wondering about the reviews of the Teen Club. Our daughter will be 14 and is excited to finally be able to enjoy the Teen Club. Being that our cruise is over a holiday, I am sure there will be a ton of kids aboard. How early do you need to get onboard for Vibe passes? We are trying to get there around 9:30 a.m.

 

Thanks for all of your information.

 

By daughter loved this teen club. We've done several Disney cruises and she really loved their clubs, and two years ago she was totally disappointed in the one on the NCL Star. She said this one was way better than Disney, with fantastic activities. She said this time most kids were 13-15, which is perfect for your daughter, and it seemed they grouped by age, as she hung with other 16 and 17 year olds.

 

We got on the ship before noon and Vibe was sold out, but remember our cruise was sold out too. It seems 9:30 is the time to be there, so hopefully you'll be ok! I wasn't going for it because my daughter only did the club in the evenings. And if you don't luck out, don't despair, there's still Spice H20 for adults, which always seemed to have seats, though definitely not as exclusive as Vibe!

[easyboy]

Following your review.

[dshefter]

By daughter loved this teen club. We've done

several Disney cruises and she really loved their clubs, and two years ago she was totally disappointed in the one on the NCL Star. She said this one was way better than Disney, with fantastic activities. She said this time most kids were 13-15, which is perfect for your daughter, and it seemed they

grouped by age, as she hung with other 16 and 17 year olds.

 

We got on the ship before noon and Vibe was sold out, but remember our cruise was sold out too. It seems 9:30 is the time to be there, so hopefully you'll be ok! I wasn't going for it because my daughter only did the club in the evenings. And if you don't luck out, don't despair, there's still Spice H20 for adults, which always seemed to have seats, though definitely not as exclusive as Vibe!

 

Thanks for your insight. Not going to fret if we don't get Vibe passes. Glad to hear the Aft balconies are nice.

[jojoey]

Sea day #2 was hot and cloudy, as was my head. Thank you again bartender Marcos - as Drneal said "heavy on the alcohol, light on the juice".

 

DD did the ropes course today, thankfully with kids she met at the teen club. They went early enough (around 11 am) and it took around 45 minutes to get through the line. It was crazy windy up there. I literally could not watch when she was out on the plank. If you do dare to it, it will definitely be calmer (read easier) if you're in port than at sea in the winds. And if you do it, be sure to pull the cord to get a great picture. Brave people in the know did some awesome poses!

 

Because of timing we did the buffet for breakie and lunch - both fine. Came back to the room to two plates of chocolate covered strawberries courtesy of the Hospitality Director Jovo. Very nice.

 

We made good use of the ping pong tables this trip which was fun.

 

Dinner at La Cuccina was good. Not as great as I remembered from the Star, but the chocolate tart was amazing so that made it all worthwhile. My sea bass was ok - served with skin, which is kind of gross to me, and once peeled off, the fish was thin and dry. Nicole's gnocchi was sticky, almost gooey, but thankfully she ordered parmesan fries, so we were happy. I never said we were classy!

 

Walked around and Alex was starting salsa lessons. We're in! He's so awesome! They were fun, but we bailed as soon as he wanted us to partner up and put our steps into play. Nicole was off to her club and I went and got a mojito and chilled. Perfect!

 

Oh, forgot to mention. Took the advice of JW and Jerome as well as an officer at the CC Meet and Greet to deal with issues and get them resolved. I mentioned earlier our room was across from the staff entrance. Well, that door SLAMMED many many times a day and our room literally shook. Plus crew tended to gather outside chatting, which is quite loud and we could hear every word. So I called the head of housekeeping (we were given a card with their names and #s at the M&G). I expected to leave a message but he answered right away. What?! Who answers their phone? I told him noone was doing anything wrong, but if they just held the door instead of letting it slam, and maybe chatted inside rather than at my door it would be most appreciated. Coming back that night I was walking behind a crew member, and sure enough, he went through and didn't hold the door. BUT - no slam! They fixed it so it closed slowly and quietly! Situation fixed!! Peace was restored in our little world and it probably took a 5 minute repair. Lesson learned to deal with issues as they arise, as that would have ended up being a major annoyance, as it woke us up with a start! Fantastic service!

[jasmine_roth]

We have been on 4 NCL Cruises and we were on the ship the same week. By far the best crew and staff NCL has right now hands down!

[momofmatt]

Great review. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of the cruise. Glad you enjoyed the 13th deck. I will be on the 13th deck on July 22nd. This will be my first NCL cruise and my BF first ever cruise.

[jojoey]

St Thomas Day

 

We had no excursions booked had a slow morning. Tried sit down breakfast at Savor and loved it! Before it was done we were planning our next visit, yet sadly never made it. Started with a basket of pastries, I had the eggs benny on biscuits and Nicole had an omelet. She also had a yogourt parfait. All was delish and so quiet compared to the buffet!

 

Walked off the ship and veered left - decided to keep the shops nearest the ship for the way back. A short walk on the left there's a new "mall" with some shops. The boardwalk went through there and we walked along the water about 20 minutes into town. Enjoyed the open air market and then shopped through the town.

 

An almost full cab stopped saying he was leaving for Magen's Bay, so we went for it. What a great decision! We were totally unprepared - we did have bathing suits on, but no towels or anything. We had thought we'd walk and shop and then do the gondola but this turned out to be a much better plan. Cab was $8 each (they're gov't regulated standard pricing) and the ride was amazing. He stopped at a lookout for pictures and told us the story of the island. Worth every cent and then some! I wouldn't recommend paying for a ride home in advance - the cabs are lined up to take you and it seems easier to hop in the next one rather than wait and try to locate your driver.

 

The beach was awesome! Yes it was busy, but mostly right where the chairs were being rented near the food and drink. We walked down a ways and it was quiet and perfect! So fun! After spending too much time in less than stellar lakes around here, we never thought we were beach people. Who knew?! We had a blast and if (when) we do this again, I wouldn't change a thing about this day, except bring towels. But you can rent them!

 

As an aside, after breaking her phone screen twice, I got my daughter the Lifeproof phone case. It's amazing! The underwater pictures are incredible. Highly recommend.

 

At breakfast, we made dinner ressies for that night, so no wait. Food and service were great.

 

Next up - Tortola.

[FitchburgWIFamily]

Doing this cruise in May with my 21 yo niece. Loving your review!

[jojoey]

We have been on 4 NCL Cruises and we were on the ship the same week. By far the best crew and staff NCL has right now hands down!

 

Are you suffering the same withdrawals? This morning I keep thinking back to two weeks ago when we were boarding...

[jojoey]

Great review. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of the cruise. Glad you enjoyed the 13th deck. I will be on the 13th deck on July 22nd. This will be my first NCL cruise and my BF first ever cruise.

 

So exciting! I think you and your bf will love it! And I've said it before - I think deck 13 is ideal!

[jojoey]

Doing this cruise in May with my 21 yo niece. Loving your review!

 

Thanks Holly! You and your niece will have a blast! They have meet ups for her age group as well, and she's old enough to enjoy all the other parties etc., so it'll be ideal!

[PhillyTravelBug]

Following your review. After doing the Getaway last year, I want to try the Escape.

[Direland]

I'm really enjoying your reviews. I am travelling on the Escape May 6th with 9 family members. I can't wait!!!

 

 

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[canadadreamer]

Looking forward to the rest of your reveiw

[lttlsparklz]

Great review. Looking forward to hearing about the rest of the cruise. Glad you enjoyed the 13th deck. I will be on the 13th deck on July 22nd. This will be my first NCL cruise and my BF first ever cruise.

 

We are booked for the 22 too- two rooms on the 15th floor. This is my third NCL cruise, and while my first impression was lacking, I've since been converted. I'm excited to try this mega-ship...we have three kids between our 2 rooms, so that was our main priority in booking this one.

[jojoey]

I'm really enjoying your reviews. I am travelling on the Escape May 6th with 9 family members. I can't wait!!!

 

 

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Thanks Direland! The only thing I'd say with nine of you is to make dinner reservations whenever you can. Even Taste and Savor took ressies for same day when they were open during breakfast and lunch, which made for no waiting at all!

[AIH2017]

The hubs and I are booked on this as well July 15th and are staying on the 13th floor too! We have a group of 22 friends and family (celebrating our 25th anniversary and my sis's 25th as well) and most are on 13. Following with keen anticipation!!!

[jojoey]

The next day was Tortola. We had booked through NCL the tour of the baths at Virgin Gorda. We had to meet at 8 am (!!) in the theatre, then it was a quick walk off the ship to the boat tour. The boat ride was 40 minutes. We got one of the few seats up top outside, which was really nice.

 

Once docked, it was a 20 minute open air bus ride to the baths. I actually think ours was an old pick up truck with benches in the back, but it got us there! Here we were given a quick debrief, basically pointing us in the direction to go and telling us the time to be back. It was an easy hike downhill, with some pretty cool cacti and a few lizards/ geckos along the way. At the bottom, there was a beautiful small beach. Many snorkellers around here and we hung out on the huge rocks and in the water.

 

A bit more of a walk got us to the baths. Suddenly, we were in a line up that wasn't moving much. Luckily we ended up in the shade, and the guy in front of us was smart enough to hang back so we never got stuck in the line in one of the tight spots. After about 30 minutes or so the line up opened up and it was fine. Some of the climbs were a bit tight and steep. Totally fine for us, but I always wonder how my almost 80 year old parents would do. One of the ladders down with only a railing on one side might have been a challenge for my mom. It was beautiful and we were both glad to have done it. After we went through we hung at another beautiful beach for a bit before the hike back.

 

Highly recommend water shoes for this one. Back at the top, there's a rum punch, or just punch, awaiting and it's back to the boat. If you have time, be sure to go check out the restaurant - the balcony is beautiful and is built around a pool. Once back at the ship, there were a few shops but I really wanted to find the Sunny Caribbee Spice Shop. A security guard pointed us in the direction and we were off. It was a good 10 minute walk and totally worth it - thanks again for the recommendation JW and Jerome! Cutest shop ever! They had an art gallery, island-made crafts and tons of fabulous spices and teas. Loved their packaging and bought lots of good stuff! Go! Just across the street from it is a small market. Good for island stuff I guess - you know, the standard kind but just a few stalls.

 

We were SO hungry at this point and were psyched to east at Taste/Savor for lunch again. Well, they had closed just before we got there. Too tired for the buffet, so we went to O'Sheahans. Was really good, plus they started 80s music trivia, so it was entertaining too.

 

Back at the room we had Bulgari soaps and shampoos, Haven slippers etc., and not sure why. The complaint? The CC Meet & Greet? No idea. Maybe it was just because.

 

Dinner at the Manhattan Room was fine, nothing spectacular food-wise, but fine. Loved the music and dancing though.

 

Next up, Le Bistro, Nassau and Escape the Big Top. I'm off to Vancouver for a few days so it might be few days in coming.

[Direland]

Great review again!!! Can't wait to read the next instalment.

 

 

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