NCL Escape with kids on Dec 3, will we enjoy it? (With Disney Comparison)

[ljrfrm]

We were on this same cruise, and it's great to read another perspective. I just had to comment about the Sheridan's drink. We also tried it, and it was SO good. We've been looking for it and so far, only found it online, sold in England. I really wanted to buy it, but I wasn't checking in my luggage flying home so I knew I couldn't get it through security. Next time I will buy it for sure - SO good.

[aneshka]

We were on this same cruise, and it's great to read another perspective. I just had to comment about the Sheridan's drink. We also tried it, and it was SO good. We've been looking for it and so far, only found it online, sold in England. I really wanted to buy it, but I wasn't checking in my luggage flying home so I knew I couldn't get it through security. Next time I will buy it for sure - SO good.

 

Yes! It was soo good. I searched online too and it can be found at UK websites or maybe Duty Free shops at the airport. I don't have any trips via plane for the next 11 months. :(

 

I liked shopping at their gift shops :D the jewelries were really cute and affordable.

[Cafedumonde]

Great review! We are also Dcl cruisers trying ncl for the first time (leaving this weekend). We just felt like fools paying dcl prices on our last cruise. In some instances they have almost doubled in a matter of a few years. Our kids are just as excited about the upcoming ncl cruise as they are about dcl. lol. Wish we would have known that a few years ago.

[aneshka]

Finally got hold of my DHs pictures.

 

Miami

 

Mini Golf

 

I think this is the Spice H20 area, not sure never made it there. DH was taking photos while I was with the kids :D

 

Ropes Course/Plank (this was open the 1st day and close for the next 2 sea days)

 

Tyler the CD and his assistant dancing the night away! They were throwing some shirts but I wasn't lucky.

 

Escape (Escape) Boats at night (get it?)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v420/aneshka/NCL%20Cruise/15385350_10155594093566562_2731181428068252307_o.jpg

Edited December 13, 2016 by aneshka

[aneshka]

Great review! We are also Dcl cruisers trying ncl for the first time (leaving this weekend). We just felt like fools paying dcl prices on our last cruise. In some instances they have almost doubled in a matter of a few years. Our kids are just as excited about the upcoming ncl cruise as they are about dcl. lol. Wish we would have known that a few years ago.

 

My kids enjoyed the cruise just as they did with Disney! My son declared that he likes the freestyle better. Your kids will have fun too!

Edited December 13, 2016 by aneshka

[easyboy]

No doubt your kids will also love ships other than Disney. Following.

[aneshka]

The two sea days were a blur to me. We made it to Savor for lunch and it was good! My daughter loved the Aqua Racer and would do to it again and again and again. It was too windy so I had to carry the "tube" for her and then go quickly down to pick her up and go back up. Repeat 10x! Never had any problems reaching 10k steps. I should have joined a Fitbit challenge.

 

 

IN the afternoon there would be a live band and it was a good time to pass time and relax while the kids are swimming, have a cocktail or two. Ahhh.. this is life!

 

There was never any problem getting seats, maybe there weren't a lot of chair huggers in this cruise but I can always see a vacant chair or two near the pool.

 

 

 

 

Drop them off at the kids club every night. There is always a theme, 2nd night was "Hollywood Fashion" and 3rd night "Spy". They all loved it!

 

We'd usually try to make it to the show at the Escape theater. I hate that the kids club opens at 7:00 and the shows starts at 7! The late night shows starts at 10:00 and Kids Club closes at 10:30. There is no way to watch a show and not get late or pay for kids dinner/late night zone. We were always trying to catch the shows in the evening because we have to drop the kids first. Uggh! We didn't reserve any shows but we were always able to get in.

 

The atrium always has something fun going on! WE watched "Newlyweds or Not" and had the best time! Also watched a show comedy show at Headliners which was also good.

 

Day #3, we tried food republic for lunch and the dishes we tried were all good except for the teriyaki chicken. The lemongrass taste was too strong. DH was happy to see Ramen in the menu!

Edited December 15, 2016 by aneshka

[aneshka]

Finally Laaaannnnddd! A break from all the rocking. I must say than I can feel the rocking more here than in Disney Fantasy even though Escape is a bigger ship.

 

St Thomas is beautiful! Lush green scenery, calm waters and the perfect weather.

 

 

 

We had a quick breakfast and then headed out. I had a lot of "Mommy it is sooo hot!".

 

....off we go to Coral World.

 

I wish this was our taxi but we got a van and it was hot inside. Taxi was $9 each, it was late when I realize you can negotiate the price if you have smaller kids.

 

Paid the entrance fee ..and is that an Iguana in front of me? Wait there is another one a few distance from me too. Iguanas everywhere!

 

We had fun touching the sea cucumber and starfish. DD (6) refused to touch the sea urchin. Sorry we didn't have much pictures at Coral World.

We then went to feed a sting ray and watched a live seal doing tricks. The seal was a cool experience, it's not the usual seal in some pool. The seal comes to the mini aquarium and you get to see him up close and personal.

 

WE headed out to their Undersea Observatory Tower and it was a great experience too. Kids wanted to swim NOW, no Mommy we can't wait. Can we go swimming now? Pretty please? It is so hot!

 

 

We chose Coral World because Coki Beach is just nearby. Rented a lifejacket ($5) and beach chair ($5). My DD first learned to snorkel here, if you go near the rocks there are a lot of fishes within reach. We all agreed that this was the best beach for snorkeling that we have ever tried. It wasn't deep so my daughter was comfy in swimming and finding some colorful fishes.

 

 

MINI RANT:

We forgot our darn towel so we had to buy one from the gift shop. I wish they would put it out like Disney does. Disney never instilled towel fear on us. Lost one? You "might" pay for it. There is always that info when you do a towel exchange. So scared was I that when our room steward didn't return our blue towels, I told guest services that no I didn't lose the towels, it never came back to us.

Edited December 15, 2016 by aneshka

[Grumpy'sGurl]

Loving your review so far! We too are dcl trying ncl for the first time in march. The towel thing is weird.. Should we bring our own? We will have a gaggle of teenagers with us.

[easyboy]

Enjoying your review and nice pictures.

[Chigirlcruzin]

We just got off the Breakaway 7-night Bahamas with our DD5 and DS7. We've done two Disney cruises in the past and LOVED them, but it's so expensive so we decided to give NCL a try this time. I'll admit I kept my expectations lowered compared to Disney, but I was wonderfully surprised to find out that with only a few exceptions, we actually loved NCL MORE than Disney!!! No line is perfect, of course, and I wouldn't pass on a Disney if it fell into my lap, but we will DEFINITELY be cruising NCL again as a family and at the end of the trip we agreed that the value add on Disney just wasn't worth the price difference. They definitely are two different vacations but you'll find lots to love on NCL. Have a great trip! :D

 

 

 

I was on the 11/26 sailing of the Escape. I met a lovely family on my flight down; we were on the same flight home, too. They had kids 6 and 8, had previously done one Disney cruise but the Escape cruise was 1/3 the cost of Disney! They enjoyed NCL more! Said the extra cost on Disney was not worth it. They enjoyed it so much that they booked another NCL cruise when our flight home got delayed!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[aneshka]

Loving your review so far! We too are dcl trying ncl for the first time in march. The towel thing is weird.. Should we bring our own? We will have a gaggle of teenagers with us.

 

Towels shouldn't be a problem, they will be at your stateroom or you can request towels near the pools. Just make sure you return them if you got them from the pool area.

 

I got spoiled by Disney, towels were abundant in the gangway.

[aneshka]

DD(6) didn't want to stop snorkeling but it was past lunch time and there were still a lot of things we wanted to do.

 

Rode a taxi back to the ship, took a quick shower and back to the Port. We wanted to do the SkyRide to view the grandiose of St Thomas. Tickets were cheaper buying direct ($25) vs the ship ($29).

 

 

 

The view was worth it!. Of course I had to try their bushwhacker. We didn't stay long here, an hour at most.

 

..and off to shopping we go. Goods here are so much cheaper than the other two ports. So if you must do souvenir shopping do it here!

 

After dinner we dropped the kids at Kids Club and we were told that they would be holding a parade at 9:00. We had reservations for After Midnight but we were late again and decided to just walk around the ship. There is always something going on at the Atrium every night and we enjoyed all the activities/shows that are there.

[SuiteTraveler]

I'm really glad you enjoyed this ship! Some other ships you should definitely consider are the Oasis class on RCCL - which are direct competitors of the NCL ships. They are different though with spectacular family oriented shows, some adult shows and different things to do like flow riders and zip lining and a carousel. The newest Oasis class ship, Harmony has the tallest waterslide at sea - check them out - very different and yet similar enough to DCL and NCL that I think you would like them, too for something different. RCCL's newest ships, which are called Quantum class are also very nice. The Freedom and Voyager class ships are also worth considering as these can be much cheaper than the Oasis and Quantum class yet have many of the same features. Another line you might enjoy - Carnival - specifically the Magic, Breeze and Vista (not so much the older ships.) We try different ships and different lines all the time. Carnival, Disney, NCL, and RCCL are the most family oriented cruise lines and best when you have grade school through high school aged kids. On NCL, I would recommend Getaway, Magic, Epic and Breakaway, as well as Escape. These are the direct competitors to RCCL's Oasis class ships.