Escape 3 Day Bahamas 11/11/15 - 11/14/15

[outtoseacruise]

The Escape is awesome and has some great things to offer everyone. I tried to get as much during the 3 Days but I also left some things for when I return later. I will also be uploading the Freestyle Daily next week when I am back at my office and have access to my scanner.

 

To start off with the 2 WINS for this ship are Million Dollar Quartet which I feel is probably the BEST Show at sea. The other win is Food Republic where the food is incredible and the service is awesome. I will get more into each of these later in the review.

 

The Big MISSES on Escape are going to be After Midnight and the onboard Internet. As far as the internet goes let me vent real quick and get it out. It is 2015 and to put a new ship our without the speeds available on some other cruise lines is a real failure and whoever heads up the IT Department at NCL on the ships should be sent packing. I thought it was worse than Getaway and that was pretty bad. To charge a price for the Internet and you can't even download an email is a total miss. OK that was my vent on the internet.

Edited November 17, 2015 by outtoseacruise

[NLH Arizona]

The Escape is awesome and has some great things to offer everyone. I tried to get as much during the 3 Days but I also left some things for when I return later. I will also be uploading the Freestyle Daily next week when I am back at my office and have access to my scanner.

 

To start off with the 2 WINS for this ship are Million Dollar Quartet which I feel is probably the BEST Show at sea. The other win is Food Republic where the food is incredible and the service is awesome. I will get more into each of these later in the review.

 

The Big MISSES on Escape are going to be After Midnight and the onboard Internet. As far as the internet goes let me vent real quick and get it out. It is 2015 and to put a new ship our without the speeds available on some other cruise lines is a real failure and whoever heads up the IT Department at NCL on the ships should be sent packing. I thought it was worse than Getaway and that was pretty bad. To charge a price for the Internet and you can't even download an email is a total miss. OK that was my vent on the internet.

Have to say, I totally agree that the Million Dollar Quartet is awesome, saw it in Las Vegas, and that the internet on cruise ships sucks!!!

 

Why did you think After Midnight was a miss?

[torgotom]

T

The Big MISSES on Escape are going to be After Midnight and the onboard Internet.

 

I agree the internet was an embarrassment but i really enjoyed After Midnight. Huge fan of the Cotton Club movie. Just curious, what is it that disappointed you?

[outtoseacruise]

Just didn't get into After Midnight and I wasn't the only one last Wednesday. I would say probably 15%-20% walked out in the first 20 minutes. Even my friend who is Loyal To Norwegian wasn't impressed. His comment was "It won't last".

 

Torgotom, The internet was a total disaster. Couldn't even get 1 mbps for a download. The technology is there and when you are spending approximately $920 Million to build a state of the art ship and you nickle and dime it when it comes to the internet that is incompetence on the part of someone???? If you look at Allure that just came out of drydock with the new "Voom" (O3B) which I am able to get a 24.34 mbps download and a 12.61 mbps upload on. I can also have 2 different IP Phone Apps on my cell on and make clear calls to and from my office. From what I have experienced on Allure the internet is almost as good as my Brighthouse at home.

[ashdquick]

Hi Everyone.

 

I apologize in advance if this question has already been asked. I didn't see it already but I could have missed it.

 

Can anyone tell me if there are height requirements for the slides? I am interested in knowing about the yellow kids slide and the blue slide. I am not so concerned with the racer slides (where the bottom drops out). My son wants to ride the yellow and blue but wasn't sure if there was a height requirement.

 

TIA!

[eroller]

The Big MISSES on Escape are going to be After Midnight and the onboard Internet. As far as the internet goes let me vent real quick and get it out. It is 2015 and to put a new ship our without the speeds available on some other cruise lines is a real failure and whoever heads up the IT Department at NCL on the ships should be sent packing. I thought it was worse than Getaway and that was pretty bad. To charge a price for the Internet and you can't even download an email is a total miss. OK that was my vent on the internet.

 

 

 

I loved After Midnight! One of the best shows I've seen on a cruise ship. On the other hand I didn't care for Million Dollar Quartet. Great story and production value but the music wasn't my thing. It was somewhat of a yawn for me and dragged on too long IMO. Many people agreed with me on that one.

 

Totally agree about the Internet. It was the worst of any ship I've sailed since internet was first introduced on ships. NCL should be ashamed to charge for it. Unfortunately internet doesn't seem to be a priority for NCL although it should be. Lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival are introducing much faster internet with far better pricing plans. NCL needs to get with the program. Many people rely on the internet for business needs (and otherwise) even on vacation. It's become a necessity for many.

Edited November 17, 2015 by eroller

[outtoseacruise]

Day 1 (Wednesday 11/11/15) Miami

 

After boarding the ship I grabbed a quick bite to eat in the Garden Cafe. The new design of the Garden Cafe was very nice and I thing a step up from where it has been on other NCL Ships. When the lifeboat drill was over it was off to Sugarcane where we found "Bond" (from Getaway) at the bar mixing the drinks and doing what he does best, entertaining the guests at the bar with his sense of humor.

 

For dinner we went to Savor and then it was off to the show. Like I said when I started After Midnight was a big disappointment for me and from the number of people that got up and left in the first 20 minutes I think others felt the same way. It was putting me to sleep.

 

 

When the show was over it was off to 5 o'Clock Somewhere where we ran into another favorite bartender "Cowboy" from Getaway.

[outtoseacruise]

I loved After Midnight! One of the best shows I've seen on a cruise ship. On the other hand I didn't care for Million Dollar Quartet. Great story and production value but the music wasn't my thing. It was somewhat of a yawn for me and dragged on too long IMO. Many people agreed with me on that one.

 

Totally agree about the Internet. It was the worst of any ship I've sailed since internet was first introduced on ships. NCL should be ashamed to charge for it. Unfortunately internet doesn't seem to be a priority for NCL although it should be. Lines like Royal Caribbean and Carnival are introducing much faster internet with far better pricing plans. NCL needs to get with the program. Many people rely on the internet for business needs (and otherwise) even on vacation. It's become a necessity for many.

 

eroller, It may just come down to each persons taste which is fair since different people like different things?

 

When you compare the internet to Allure where I got 2 Devices with unlimited broadband access for $97.45 (after Diamond Plus Discount) for the week NCL needs to do something. Someone needs to be held accountable for spending probably a lot on the network on the Escape that is obsolete technology.

[outtoseacruise]

Day 2 (Thursday 11/12/15) Nassau

After sleeping in I got myself motivated and when I saw the Breakaway next to us I knew I had to get off the ship and get a picture of the 2 Sisters together for the first time. I also needed to walk into town and get my Quad Shot at Starbucks.

 

 

 

[outtoseacruise]

Once I got back from Starbucks in Nassau I decided to just relax and enjoy the ship. After a few drinks at Sugarcane it was off to the Escape Theater to see Million Dollar Quartet which I thought was probably the best show at sea. It just barely beats out Mama Mia in my opinion.

 

 

 

 

[outtoseacruise]

 

 

 

[outtoseacruise]

 

 

 

[NLH Arizona]

Thanks for the pictures of both After Midnight and the Million Dollar Quartet.

 

I think that some may not like After Midnight because they are either not aware of the songs or just don't like that type of music, because everyone's musical tastes are different.

[outtoseacruise]

 

 

 

[outtoseacruise]

 

 

 

[outtoseacruise]

[outtoseacruise]

After Million Dollar Quartet it was off to dinner at Food Republic which I feel is one of the best places to eat on Escape.

 

 

 

[outtoseacruise]

Here are 2 of the Menu Screens from Food Republic (I thought I got more but it looks like I missed a few on the screen rotation)

 

 

[outtoseacruise]

Day 3 (Friday 11/13/15) Sea Day

 

I pretty much just sat back and relaxed on the final day. I started the day out with Breakfast at Savor, Lunch at Garden Cafe, & Dinner at Savor.

[torgotom]

STUNNING photography OP!! Thanks for posting!

Edited November 17, 2015 by torgotom
did not intend to share personal info!!

[outtoseacruise]

Cabin # 13453

 

 

 

[dolita22]

Thanks for the review! Your pictures are excellent!

 

We were on the same sailing and saw Million Dollar Quartet. My DH enjoyed it way more than I thought he would.

 

I've heard mixed reviews on After Midnight, but am looking forward to seeing it when we sail the Escape again in January!

[outtoseacruise]

One of the other disappointments was Margaritaville. I wanted to eat there and try it out but I refuse to be handed a beeper and be told that it is a 2-3 hour long wait. Outside of the signs that say Margaritaville it is nothing like the one I go in at City Walk in Orlando. No music and really not much theme besides signs. It is where you would normally get your burgers on Getaway and Breakaway on the deck above the Garden Cafe. It is also open only from 12-5????? Why not open until 10 or midnight??? Why not have a pay Margaritaville theme party??? Needs more work? Maybe they need to charge a fee to keep the wait down? I don't mind paying if that cuts the wait down???

 

 

[outtoseacruise]

 

 

[outtoseacruise]

I almost forgot about the kids splash area. This is a big improvement from Getaway. My 2 girls would love this. They did an awesome job at making something the kids will like.