Stevio Posted June 10, 2014 #1 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Mini review, like they do on the Thomson forum… (Don’t tell them but I think the I.E. leaves their platinum Dream ship dead in the water) Just got back from the Souks & Sangria cruise & can confirm that the Island Escape is as good as ever. OK it’s a bit of a dated old tub compared to my last NCL cruise & their standard cabins are a touch on the small side, but for a relaxed, really good holiday the IE cannot be beaten. The food is outstanding. As a confirmed ship buffet specialist I can pronounce the I.E. to run about the best buffet at sea. Last year I sailed the Thomson Dream & I reckon that this year on the I.E. the lunch on the first day which ranged from beef & ale pie through to fish via chicken or pork with various veg & chips together with a range of cold meats, cheeses & varied salads, offered more variety in a single lunch menu than the Dream offered up in the whole week. & all that with a fraction of the serving area… As for the desserts, there was a large range of well made cakes, jellies etc, that actually tasted of something compared to the bland fare of the other lines I have sailed. No kidding, lime Jelly that actually tasted of limes… There was ice cream available in at least two flavours every evening, except for trifle night where you could put together a trifle whichever way you wanted it from a huge array of ingredients, & if you wanted ice cream that night they would get it for you. & every night at least one hot pudding with custard as an alternative. Coffee was good consistent and hot, not up to espresso standards but surprisingly better than American ship weak & warm stuff. One last thing about the food… Their very high standard full choice breakfasts include the best & most consistently good fried eggs I have seen anywhere. Ross Roberts, the Cruise Director works his socks off to entertain the punters. Unlike the “cruise directors” of other ships who seem to be managers that sort out the turns & quiz rotas etc’ Ross seems to be there giving it his all throughout the day. A pity he & his troupe of performers have to sing to dance to canned music as they deserve better. The all inclusive drinks were on the whole acceptable, & if your cocktail was a little weak or flat, it would be changed without question & rectified. And I didn’t lose that much in the casino so all in all it was OK. Who am I kidding, it was fantastic. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenny wren Posted June 10, 2014 #2 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Glad you had a good cruise Stevio......I agree with all you say ! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirkNC Posted June 10, 2014 #3 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Thanks for the report! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollythedolly Posted June 11, 2014 #4 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Glad you had a lovely cruise Stevio, great report. We are so glad we went on the IE earlier in the year, we thought it was a great ship and loved everything about her, even the bit of a noisy cabin we had but as we only booked two days before we were due to go we had to have what was given. Can't wait to travel on the old dear again, we thoroughly enjoyed the cruise. Molly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillme Posted June 11, 2014 #5 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Thanks for the great review. SO excited now as we go on the 24th for two weeks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRUISIN LINDA Posted June 12, 2014 #6 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Glad you had a good time Stevio :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekco Posted June 12, 2014 #7 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I gather you like your grub, lol.:D;) Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevio Posted June 13, 2014 Author #8 Share Posted June 13, 2014 I gather you like your grub, lol.:D;) Jan What gave you that impression? :confused: Yeah for a mini review maybe I did go on about the grub a bit... But I keep reading other reviews that say bland, tepid food with no choice, which I definitely did not find to be the case on the IE. For IE food balance on the negative side... I cant abide the Island restaurant set up with your chair constantly being bumped by the person behind with no room to move. & you have to take your own teaspoon to the Beachcomber as they only have those silly plastic stirry sticks that can barely chase a sugar granule around let alone dissolve it. As for the itinerary. I even quite liked Motril... Then again anywhere looks good after a day being chased by beggars in Tangier. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekco Posted June 15, 2014 #9 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I have to agree about the Island Restaurant. We gave up after a couple of days and ate in the Beachcomber, we went in the Island for lunch one day early on and the waiter walked us past smaller empty tables to one of the long ones. There on the end were the two largest people on the ship and the waiter tried to squeeze us two slimliners in next to them. No way would we have been able to get out so off we went never to return. If it's not the passengers bumping your seat it's the waiters. A re-design is badly needed. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenny wren Posted June 15, 2014 #10 Share Posted June 15, 2014 We must have been lucky then Jan....we had all our meals in the Island restaurant and always managed to get out without trouble.....I asked for window seats and that is what we had each mealtime...I'm sure if you'd asked for a small table or one in the middle they would have put you there.....whenever we went to the Beachcomber it was really busy so we went to Island restaurant at opening time and it was nice and quiet...in fact we were thoroughly spoilt by Carlos and his young waiters.....one tip I learnt this time was that if you wanted ice cream and there was none on the counter, just ask a waiter and he will get some for you!!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevio Posted June 16, 2014 Author #11 Share Posted June 16, 2014 We must have been lucky then Jan....we had all our meals in the Island restaurant and always managed to get out without trouble.....I asked for window seats and that is what we had each mealtime...I'm sure if you'd asked for a small table or one in the middle they would have put you there.....whenever we went to the Beachcomber it was really busy so we went to Island restaurant at opening time and it was nice and quiet...in fact we were thoroughly spoilt by Carlos and his young waiters.....one tip I learnt this time was that if you wanted ice cream and there was none on the counter, just ask a waiter and he will get some for you!!:) Must be luck of the draw. We had the Ecko experience of being shown to the window seat of a soon to be full long table in the crowded bit of an otherwise empty restaurant... Must admit though did not think to ask for an empty smaller one. :o Oddly we have always preferred the Beachcomber as it seems less crowded & we hardly ever have to share a table. Good tip to know about asking for things that aren't on display though. This works in the Beachcomber for everything from poached eggs in the morning to ice cream at night. Oh that reminds me if Cruising Linda is reading, I did not see any Marmite on the ship, though wouldn't mind betting they would get you some if asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted June 16, 2014 #12 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Thanks for your review. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRUISIN LINDA Posted June 16, 2014 #13 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Thanks Stevio, but it's the Spirit & Majesty I'm going on :D I shall take my little jar, it has already been on two or three holidays ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekco Posted June 16, 2014 #14 Share Posted June 16, 2014 We must have been lucky then Jan....we had all our meals in the Island restaurant and always managed to get out without trouble.....I asked for window seats and that is what we had each mealtime...I'm sure if you'd asked for a small table or one in the middle they would have put you there.....whenever we went to the Beachcomber it was really busy so we went to Island restaurant at opening time and it was nice and quiet...in fact we were thoroughly spoilt by Carlos and his young waiters.....one tip I learnt this time was that if you wanted ice cream and there was none on the counter, just ask a waiter and he will get some for you!!:) I must be our faces they don't like. We always ask for a small table but they always ignore us, walking us past empty tables to the dreaded long ones. Not to worry we get along ok in the end.:D:D Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M & J Posted June 17, 2014 #15 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Roll on the 24th, expandable trousers ordered :-) can't wait to start the day with breakfast in the sunshine and saying hello to new peeps Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekco Posted June 21, 2014 #16 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Roll on the 24th, expandable trousers ordered :-) can't wait to start the day with breakfast in the sunshine and saying hello to new peeps Sent from my iPad using Forums Not long to go now. Have a great time if I don't catch you before you go.:):) Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M & J Posted June 22, 2014 #17 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Ty, we are so ready for this holiday and knowing how good it will be takes away any worries. Just got the ironing to do today lol. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Rouser Posted June 22, 2014 #18 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Have a good one mike, I know you will ;) only 1 thing missing this year? that old bloke on the sunbed next to you :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M & J Posted June 22, 2014 #19 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Hey RR of all the sun beds on all the ships we....... Ok I have borrowed the line. But ty for making us welcome from the start and because of people like you and the rest of the gang on here and IS, that's why we are going back. Just hope to meet some more nice new shipmates. If your going, say hello, I will be the one on the sun lounger when we embark with a Cuba libra :-) Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Rouser Posted June 22, 2014 #20 Share Posted June 22, 2014 (edited) Thanks Mike you say the kindest things lol, look out for all the modifications on board with all new furnishings etc. looks like they are keeping the old Girl for at least another 4 years and look out for the new Diner Hot Rock Café ;) Ps look out for these >>> You will see a few peoples with them on, just say hi and That Rebel told you to Edited June 22, 2014 by Rebel Rouser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevio Posted August 19, 2014 Author #21 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Going with IE on Souks and Sangria Cruise next week - 26 August. Really quite nervous as have booked all flights and cruise separate. Sounds great though if we can catch the ship!!:) You will have a great time. When I have travelled on NCL cruises the Americans do not seem to understand the idea of package holidays & always book their flights & cruises separately, & they seem to cope OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekco Posted August 19, 2014 #22 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Going with IE on Souks and Sangria Cruise next week - 26 August. Really quite nervous as have booked all flights and cruise separate. Sounds great though if we can catch the ship!!:) You should have no problem getting to the ship IF you manage to get out of the awful Palma airport. It's only about 25 minutes to the port by coach or taxi.:):) Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenny wren Posted August 20, 2014 #23 Share Posted August 20, 2014 She doesn't leave Palma until late in the evening so you have plenty of time to get there...don't miss the deck party as she sails...or before if she's waiting for late flights to arrive....one time we didn't sail until 1 a.m. ish as some flights were delayed...but the deck party still went ahead around 10 ish. Souks and Sangria is a lovely itinerary, we've done it twice now. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekco Posted August 22, 2014 #24 Share Posted August 22, 2014 You are going to have a great time and away from this weird autumn like weather. I wish I was going but I'm sooo busy right now. I have bought a voucher for an afternoon canal trip though. That'll have to do.:D:D Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nogbert Posted August 25, 2014 #25 Share Posted August 25, 2014 leavin on 26th as well , done it all separate Jet 2 from ncl see ya there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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