Escape Inaugural, Hamburg to S-Hampton, photos, menus, & stuff, part 1&2

[Carnac767]

Okay, so I started this, gooned up some of the photos, so let's start over. We've been loyal fans of the Norwegian's Jewel Class and never thought we'd be interested in one of their newer mega-ships. I'd spent enough time cruising with 6000 of my closest friends in the Navy and never wanted to do that again. But never underestimate the power of advertising and YouTube. After seeing some promos for Escape and reading some positive reviews on both -Aways, we thought we'd try a small dose of the really big ship. Besides, it would be cool to be one of the first customers ever to sail aboard a new ship. So we booked the two-night inaugural sailing of Escape from Hamburg to Southampton. Then we decided to splurge even more and stay on for the Southampton overnighter, making it a three-night cruise. We booked cabin 17122, a penthouse in the Haven, and stayed in it all three nights. We've stayed in penthouses on the Jewel Class before, but never in the Haven, so we were also looking forward to that experience.

 

First order of business, of course, was to get across the pond. We had to squeeze this trip in around my work schedule, so we didn't have the luxury of arriving in Germany several days early. Instead, we bounced our way up to Newark on a puddle-jumper two days before the cruise, connecting with United 74 to Hamburg, which got us in the day before the October 25th sailing.

 

Through the roll call we'd learned that many cruisers were staying in the Hotel Hafen, which we also opted to do. An aside here, this was the most active roll call group we've ever been associated with and numerous activities were planned, even though it was a short cruise.

 

We blocked in at Hamburg around seven, waited a few days for my wife's bag (not really--it just seemed that long), and then shared a cab with one of our roll callers who'd been on the flight with us and was also staying at the Hafen. Total cab fare was about 30 euros.

 

Welcome to Hamburg

 

The Hafen has a new side and an old side. Quaint is the best way to describe it. We were told our room wasn't ready, but would be no later than three. Yay, just what you want to hear when you've been up all night.

The Hafen Hamburg, front entrance

 

View of the Elbe from the back of the hotel

 

 

They offered us breakfast for 20 Euros each. We passed on that and decided to do a little sightseeing. Just a short walk from the hotel, down the street to the left, we found a little plaza with a couple of bakeries. The first, Dat Backhaus, offered a gourmet breakfast for about seven Euros each. This included a choice of five deli items, such as cheese, ham, salami, and such, three bread rolls (each the size of a loaf of bread), scrambled eggs and bacon, coffee and fruit juice.

 

Who needs to wait to get on the ship to start overeating?

 

Oh, so you want to know what the late October weather was in Hamburg. I'm glad you asked. It was windy, overcast, occasional spitting rain, and accidentally sunny, with the temperature in the low 50s (about 10-11 celsius).

 

We went back to the hotel after the massive breakfast to get some suggestions about what we ought to see. Kristen, a very helpful receptionist at the front desk, pulled out a map and pointed out some highlights. She also recommended the Miniature Wonderland and was able to check the wait time for it (about an hour). We could get our tickets there at the hotel. Then she casually mentioned that she did have a room available. So that ended the sightseeing discussions. Miniature Wonderland would have to wait until after nap time.

 

Our room was in the old section, on the side facing the waterfront. This is supposed to be the noisy side but the noise really wasn't much of a factor. It's definitely the most scenic view the hotel has to offer. The layout of the hotel is a bit odd, as the elevator stops at landings between floors. For instance, if you're on the third floor, you have a choice of stopping between floors 3 and 4 or 2 and 3. Unless you like lugging your bags uphill, stop at the higher floor and walk down.

 

The room was small but it was clean and comfortable, and that's all we needed. After about a three-hour sleep, we were back roaming about along Elbpromenade, which parallels the North Elbe River. It was a Saturday and there were a lot of people out and about. We walked down to the area where the Opera House is located, just for something to do. We didn't have a lot of time to wander, as there was a roll call cocktail party scheduled for six pm in the Tower Bar of the Hafen.

 

Continued below

[fabnfortysomething]

we discovered it too late as we had already lugged our suitcases between the stair levels but there is another elevator which comes out at correct levels!

 

was great to meet you and now have finished my own review looking forward to reading your view of the trip

[Carnac767]

Hamburg's Opera House. Lots of people said we should see it, so here we are, seeing it.

 

Local color along the Elbe. This is the bubbly part of Hamburg.

 

I'm sure I'll overlook some of the contributors to our hugely successful roll-call. Among the key players were Cherie (Nalagh), Anita (TrumpyNor), Kyle, and Kate. I have a hard enough time remembering my children's names, so if I goof up some of the names, please correct me. We were scheduled to get together at six the night before the cruise at the Hafen's Tower Bar. We got there right at six and the place was mobbed. Several events were going on, but it appears ours had fallen through the cracks. We ran into Wendy (GolfMom321), who'd we'd shared the cab with, and her sister, and decided to head to Willi's Bierstube and Bar, on the ground floor of the hotel by reception. Willi's is a quaint nautical themed pub and a nice refuge compared to the chaos in the Tower Bar.

 

Willi's Bierstube

 

At seven we rendezvoused at the Hafen's Port Restaurant. A gourmet dinner had been arranged for our roll call, an event that was months in the planning. The dinner would be a chef's surprise, and we had a choice of either a three or four course meal of meat, fish, or vegetarian. The restaurant had reserved a large room for us at the back of the hotel, and our organizers had set up a seating chart for us. Sarah and I were seated with Kierstan (Coffee Goddess), from Vegas, baby; Chris and Marie from Toronto, eh; and Dave, from London.

 

Anita and Cherie greet the roll call and raise a toast

 

The first course: Black ravioli, kumquats, salad, and I forget what the white stuff was.

[Carnac767]

Second course, a butter soup, with giant prawn. Yes, I realize giant prawn (or jumbo shrimp) is an oxymoron. The soup was only included with the four-course option. It was very good.

 

Steak was provided for us carnivores. The chef did an outstanding job.

 

DW's main: Monk fish in curry sauce. Two thumbs up.

 

Bodacious dessert, and lucky me, Marie gave me her chocolate.

[Carnac767]

It was around nine or so by the time we'd finished eating. One of the local residents in our roll call had volunteered to take us on a walking tour of the city, but he had to do a double shift, so Kyle (KyleNYC) offered to lead our merry band on an excursion through Hamburg's famous (or infamous) adult entertainment section. I knew of the Reeperbahn from my days in the Navy, and it's pretty much like certain parts of any port city. Hamburg has the distinction of being the city were the Beatles first performed. John Lennon said they came to Hamburg as boys and left as men. You may draw your own conclusions. So we walked around a bit, had a few beers, took a few snaps, and then adjourned to Kyle's hotel to enjoy some drinks and the view from his top floor bar. It's hard to pick out any photos from the Reeperbahn that won't offend somebody. I think these are tame, but if one is professionally offended, please avert your eyes.

 

We had some beers here

 

And here

 

NCL ad on the Reeperbahn. It roughly translate as Escape the Crappy Weather.

 

What luck, more beer

 

Down this street is where the Beatles first played. I didn't feel like fighting the crowd to get any closer

[cmdchiefthom]

Having lived in Germany for several years, I am so enjoying your photos, keep them coming bitte.

[CoffeeGoddess]

Hooray another review! It was nice meeting you as well and I look forward to seeing your impressions of the ship. :)

[Carnac767]

Okay, so you're wondering if we ever went on a cruise. We met Chris and Marie in the lobby at eleven and shared a cab over to the Steinwerder Port. It took about twenty minutes or so, and cost a total of about 28 Euros. Here was our first sight of the beautiful new ship.

 

NCL Escape, Hamburg

 

Steinwerder Port, Chris and I helping unload the cab

 

 

Woo Hoo, we're here

 

It took us about ten minutes to check in and then a member of the housekeeping staff took Sarah's bag and escorted aboard and up the Haven. We did meet our concierge, Adrian Bica, during check in, but we had almost zero interaction with him while we on board.

 

No porters were provided for this cruise, so it was walk-on, walk-off for everyone. This proved to be a hardship for some of the cruisers, because they were staying on the ship right through the Trans-Atlantic to Miami. Obviously, they were traveling with more than just a carry-on bag. It was a struggle for many to drag big bags aboard. I understand that this was a Port of Hamburg decision, not NCL's.

 

Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play? My first impression of the ship was pure awe. She's gorgeous. I felt like a rube visiting New York City for the first time, and I've been on really big ships, with jet fighters and stuff. And she really did have that NEW SHIP smell.

 

Welcome to the Haven, Deck 17 Forward

 

Home, Sweet Home

[deladypilot]

Keep it coming. Enjoying everything so far

[Carnac767]

Cabin 17122, an H5 Penthouse. As I've already mentioned, we've cruised in suites but this was our first time in the Haven. Of course, on the Away and Escape Class, all suites are Haven suites, no matter where on the ship they might be located.

 

The Welcome Aboard Bubbly, always appreciated.

 

 

 

Coffee maker with pods. Tea bags are provided but the coffee machine doesn't get the water hot enough, so this is a fail.

 

Opposite wall from the bed, HD TV (some weird brand I've never heard of, SOLE, I think.) There are a few storage drawers underneath. There is not really much storage in this particular cabin, but it's okay for a short cruise. I went through several remotes just trying to get the TV to work. The remote must be pointed directly at the lower left corner of the TV and you need to be within three feet of the television. So much for chillin' on the bed and channel surfing, not that there's much to surf. But you never know when something exciting might be happening on the bow camera.

[Carnac767]

 

Two hanging closets on opposite sides of the short hallway to the head. The one on the right has the safe. Two really, really nice Haven bathrobes and two pair of slippers were also provided.

 

 

On the nightstand. Notice the Apple lightning connector. I had to take my 6 plus out of its case to use it, but it was worth it. The clock automatically adjusts to whatever time is on your iPhone.

 

Speaking of time, we switched to UK time on the first night of the cruise. And iPhone segues to internet. Pre-cruise, the NCL site was offering unlimited internet for two days for $42. If you bought it on the ship, it was $59. Or you could be a genius and buy 250 minutes for $100. I am kidding, obviously. I just opted for pay as you go because I really didn't need much connectivity. It was 95 cents a minutes, plus the obligatory rip-off start-up fee of $3.95.

 

The Head, I mean the bathroom for all you landlubbers

 

Big double-vanity sink

 

I see this question come up all the time on the boards, so here's what you get in the Haven for shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.

 

I'm taking a break. Wrestling with the weirdness of Photobucket is wearing me out. More later.

[MrsPhoenix91]

 

Coffee maker with pods. Tea bags are provided but the coffee machine doesn't get the water hot enough, so this is a fail.

 

 

Opposite wall from the bed, HD TV (some weird brand I've never heard of, SOLE, I think.)

 

 

Thank you for the pictures. I see that this coffee maker is a Nespresso...I wonder if NCL is switching from the Lavazza brand to Nespresso fleet-wide.

 

Also, Sole is supposedly a common brand of LED TVs used in the restaurant and cruise industry (so "they" say :p).

[FerrySteff]

Thank you for the pictures. I see that this coffee maker is a Nespresso...I wonder if NCL is switching from the Lavazza brand to Nespresso fleet-wide.

 

Also, Sole is supposedly a common brand of LED TVs used in the restaurant and cruise industry (so "they" say :p).

 

 

Have seen pictures of the refurbished EPIC and they changed here to Nespresso as well.

[MrsPhoenix91]

Have seen pictures of the refurbished EPIC and they changed here to Nespresso as well.

I wonder if that will be true for the Sky...

[Carnac767]

The Welcome fruit basket and the afternoon canapes, or as I once heard it pronounced on the Jade, "Can of Peas."

 

Our butler, Marivic Asuncion, from the PI. She was terrific.

 

Lunch time. The Haven Dining Room is on Deck 18 of the Haven can be reached by stairs from the Haven Reception area or via elevator. The food and service here was great. All of the wait staff here were friendly and personable, and bent over backwards to accommodate us. They were genuinely excited to be assigned to a new ship. The crews love the Aways and Escape because they each get their own cabin, which is a very big deal to them. The Assistant Maitre 'D, who was in charge of the restaurant and who's name I unfortunately can't remember, tried to meet each guest upon arrival. If not, he always stopped by the table to chat and see if anything could be improved upon. I'm sure my wife remembers his name, and I'll post it later.

 

Haven Restaurant Lunch Menu. These were taken with my iPhone, but they're readable. This is a new menu, just implemented for Escape, or so I was told. Today I had the lobster bisque (very good), the brie burger (also very good), and banana cream pie tartlet (of course, it was good.) DW just had a Cobb salad, which was smaller than she thought it would be and wasn't in the traditional presentation of a Cobb salad. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures. She said it was fine but still a work in progress. For dessert she had the berries and mangoes in Grand Marnier sauce, which she loved.

 

Haven Dining Room. Adrien, our assistant server accidentally brought my wife spice tea after the meal, instead of the black tea she'd asked for. It was no big deal, but poor Adrien acted as if he'd committed the crime of the century. What's funny is that he was our server for every meal in the Haven and the first thing he'd say to us was, "black tea, coming right up." As soon as Sarah finished her main course, two pots of black tea would arrive on the table. In the middle of the back wall in the photo you can see where breakfast buffet items are available in the morning.

[Carnac767]

Another angle of the Haven Restaurant. The restaurant reception area can be seen in the background.

 

Haven Reception area and Concierge Desk on Deck 17.

 

Haven Bar, which has representative drink menus from the bars around the ship

 

Haven pool area. There are hot tubs and showers on either side. The hot tubs were more properly warm tubs. I'd like them to be much hotter. The pool water a tad chilly, but I'm from the south. Just past the door at the end, on the right, is the entrance to the sauna. We tried it on the first night but it wasn't very hot, only about 100 degrees F or around 42C. I found one of the night stewards and he cranked it up for us.

 

 

 

Retractable roof of the Haven Pool

[murfette]

No shrimp cocktail in the haven?? Please say it ain't so.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Carnac767]

No shrimp cocktail in the haven?? Please say it ain't so.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Patience, grasshopper. That's the lunch menu.

[Carnac767]

 

Looking forward toward the Haven reception area and bar from the pool. Restaurant is one deck up on the left.

 

Hot tub on the Haven Sun Deck, Deck 19

 

Looking north from Deck 19 toward Hamburg

 

Haven sun deck

 

[Carnac767]

The bad thing about a mega-ship is lots of people. The good thing is that she's big enough to have lots of varied entertainment and recreation venues to spread everybody out. As soon as you exit the Haven you'll find ping pong tables. Then there are the water slides, two swimming pools, hot tubs, the ropes course, a putt-putt golf course and basketball/tennis court. If one can't find something to do on this ship, seek medical attention. Something is seriously wrong.

 

It's a short walk from the Haven to the water slides. The two top slides, where you fall out the bottom, weren't in operation but the other slides were.

 

 

 

 

 

No problem with chair hogs on this cruise but one can see future problems here on warm weather cruises. The sun deck area is huge but there are going to be a lot of people covering that area. The two pools aren't that much bigger than the pools on the Jewel Class.

[Carnac767]

Walking the plank on the ropes course

Jimmy Buffett-themed restaurant on Deck 17 aft, starboard side, just prior to Spice H2O. I didn't eat here, so I can't review it. Well, I ate every meal but one in the Haven Restaurant.

 

Amen

 

[Carnac767]

 

Deck 17, at the stern

 

The Big Boss, Capt Evans Hoyt

 

 

 

 

[Carnac767]

 

DW absolutely loves using the spa when we cruise and always gets a spa pass. However, a daily spa on Escape was $44. I don't think so. But the spa did look nice.

 

 

 

 

She loves, loves, loves the heated tile chair.

[Carnac767]

Decks 6, 7, 8 is where most of the eating, drinking, gambling, and shopping occurs. The outside area on Deck 8 is the Waterfront.

 

To move up and down the ship you have two options. You can be adventurous and use the stairs. There are two large stair cases aboard the ship, one forward and one aft. That's a good way to work off that second dessert. But there are a LOT of decks, so that's a lot of steps to climb. The option most opt for, obviously, is the lifts/elevators. There are two large banks of elevators, located adjacent to the main stairs. I believe there were eight elevators at each location. Normally this is sufficient to meet the demand. There were times, however, when the elevator lobby on certain decks was mobbed. The prime offender was Deck Seven forward, where the theater is located. You want to avoid this area when a show lets out, unless you like the feeling of being in Times Square on New Year's Eve.

 

So anyway, our first stop on the Waterfront was the District Brew House, one of the new bars I'd really been looking forward to experiencing. It's on Deck 8 on the port side, about midship. A large number of beers were featured, including some Miami craft beers. It was a nice place to enjoy a couple of pints and take a break from the ship crawl.

 

Interior shot of the Brew House

 

Inside the Brew House

 

Outdoor dining on the Waterfront. I believe this was La Cuchina

 

Outdoors of Cellars, the wine bar

[MrsPhoenix91]

Carnac, thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to review the Escape and post all of these luscious pictures!