Norwegian Escape Sept. 23-30 Miami Eastern Caribbean

[prince1099]

How did you guys like this cruise, compared to your other NCL or other cruise line experiences?

 

 

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[prince1099]

My experience was very bad., and for the first time in my cruise history, I was contemplating to ask for part of the "mandatory" tipping back, which of course was denied by the Front Desk... This charge, masquerading as Tipping, is actually going to NCL corporate, to pay for Employee "Social Programs" at their discretion... So, not really a Tip to show your appreciation

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

My experience was very bad.

What issues did you have?

[prince1099]

The ship was too big, and NCL uses it to cram people on it, reduce the number of venues and things to do, and just commercialize the cruise experience to make it feel like a Walmart trip... You are processed through this cruise, like a number...

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

The ship was too big, and NCL uses it to cram people on it, reduce the number of venues and things to do, and just commercialize the cruise experience to make it feel like a Walmart trip... You are processed through this cruise, like a number...

 

 

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Thanks, sorry you had a bad experience. I don't sail on the bigger ships, too many people, but love the size of the jewel class ships.

[chester23]

it was mostly good.... there were some negatives however....

 

- unnecessarily close free activities (mini-golf/ping-pong) at 10pm. Carnivals are open later.

- despite advertising the biggest ropes course... they would never open the entire course. Significant portions were closed throughout the entire trip.

- "washy washy"... people harassing you with spray bottles, even though sinks are easily available.

- the main show (Brat Pack) was trashy and boring

[ColinIllinois]

The ship was too big, and NCL uses it to cram people on it, reduce the number of venues and things to do, and just commercialize the cruise experience to make it feel like a Walmart trip... You are processed through this cruise, like a number...

 

 

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But what issues did you have that would cause you to want to reduce the DSC?

[prince1099]

Other ships still manage to give you that personal feeling, to make you feel special and welcome, but this ship is a commercial disaster. They even manage to screw up the food, which is supposed to be the best part of a cruise. The garden cafe' the main cantine on the ship had 2-3 items you cannot screw up, like pizza or chicken... the rest was made from commercial grade mixing powders, even the chocolate raspberry mousse cake or torte was made from powder, just like all the pre-mix "ice cream" everything was artificial. Nothing real up there. All of the Fruit on the entire ship (charge restaurants included) was not ripe to eat yet, and came out of an optimistic cooler, that waited for the fruit to ripen. All cuts were hard, bland, watery and tasteless... like if you would eat melon, cantaloupe and pineapple pieces that needed to get ripe first.

 

 

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[prince1099]

Most of the staff was tired and overworked, spread thin and acted like robots in a trance. They closed access to restaurants early and opened them late. Up to 30 minutes time difference, then on the plan. For example, they kept closing o'sheehans for breakfast early, and sent everyone to The Garden Cafe' because they "had to get ready for lunch now".... and refused to accept any more people for breakfast. I was so surprised, that I pulled out my phone and recorded this practice... wow,! We were treated like cattle on this ship.

 

 

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[chester23]

Other ships still manage to give you that personal feeling, to make you feel special and welcome, but this ship is a commercial disaster.....

 

garden cafe has good food as long as you avoid the deserts.... the desert in the actual restaurants was quite good...

[prince1099]

I have had the whole experience on this trip, that was unthinkable on my other trips: rude waiters, or forgetful Wait staff in the Restaurants, wrong charges on my statement, I thought to myself... wow, what an unlucky cruise I am on... the only good part was my Catamaran trip on Roatan'

 

 

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[prince1099]

Thanks, sorry you had a bad experience. I don't sail on the bigger ships, too many people, but love the size of the jewel class ships.

 

 

 

I agree., I also had a great time on the independence class ships, less people and enough good experiences... but this Escape was just a factory. Somebody is an excellent planner at NCL... just forgot about the human factor....

 

 

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[prince1099]

How did you guys like this cruise, compared to your other NCL or other cruise line experiences?

 

 

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Since they have a new expert on board, at NCL an expert on cost cutting, it rippled all the way down to the food on board the Escape. I have never seen cleverly disguised food like this before... For example, the shrimp was sliced horizontally into two pieces, and the halves were used for a shrimp dish, on top of a potato stack (in all the main dining rooms) ... looked like fake food, like the faked shrimp on Airport sushi stands...(Placebo Sushi)

Also, you could order Prime Rib medium rare and make a bet on the table, that it would always arrive done....

-

 

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

Since they have a new expert on board, at NCL an expert on cost cutting

Who is this new expert onboard?

[prince1099]

My experience was very bad., and for the first time in my cruise history, I was contemplating to ask for part of the "mandatory" tipping back, which of course was denied by the Front Desk... This charge, masquerading as Tipping, is actually going to NCL corporate, to pay for Employee "Social Programs" at their discretion... So, not really a Tip to show your appreciation

 

 

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So I ended up over tipping my own personal heroes that made me smile

 

 

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[prince1099]

Who is this new expert onboard?

 

 

 

The CEO or the CFO,

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

The CEO or the CFO,

 

 

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I guess I haven't really noticed any changes in food quality or services since there was the change in management in 2015. I only eat dinners in the specialty restaurants, but eat breakfast and lunch in either the buffet or suite restaurant.

 

Wondering what other lines do you cruise on?

[prince1099]

I guess I haven't really noticed any changes in food quality or services since there was the change in management in 2015. I only eat dinners in the specialty restaurants, but eat breakfast and lunch in either the buffet or suite restaurant.

 

 

 

Wondering what other lines do you cruise on?

 

 

 

That long ago? 2015? I just heard that as an answer, when I was complaining to the manager at the Savor, and he told me that they had to cut back with all of the resources, and that the poor kitchen staff had to make due with the cost cutting... no Surf&Turf, no Lobster nights, etc... because of the new management experts in economics....

So I also went to Teppanyaki, Food Republic, etc.. but the food was def. not of the same quality as outside... but better than anything on the prepaid "complimentary" Menus....

( How dare do. they call that "complimentary" when you actually already prepaid for that?).

 

 

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[prince1099]

I guess I haven't really noticed any changes in food quality or services since there was the change in management in 2015. I only eat dinners in the specialty restaurants, but eat breakfast and lunch in either the buffet or suite restaurant.

 

 

 

Wondering what other lines do you cruise on?

 

 

 

I have most of my lines listed in my profile, I guess that's what people do on here

 

 

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[NLH Arizona]

( How dare do. they call that "complimentary" when you actually already prepaid for that?).

 

Every cruise line I know calls the no additional charge/included in fare restaurants as complimentary, because it is an easy way to get the message across that they don't have to pay extra for it to the passengers.

 

What other cruise lines do you sail on? Sorry I don't see the profiles, because some just get so long.

[jchill]

I think everyone has different tastes etc. I was on Escape in March and going again on 2.5 weeks!!!

 

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[prince1099]

They could just name it correctly "included" which would be more appropriate, I cruised on HAL, RC, Princess, Pullmanturs, and MSC before....

 

 

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[riclop]

All they care about is the bottom line $$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[TNcruising02]

I'm sorry your experience was not good. I was on this cruise and my husband and I had a wonderful time. It was on par with all of our other cruises. There were things we liked a lot and things that we missed from other ships. All in all, everything was fine.

 

We had fun watching the shows and liked The Brat Pack. We liked all of the game shows in the Atrium area, but thought there needed to be more seating because if you didn't show up early, it was hard to get a seat. Some of their shows really needed to be in a larger area like a theater.

 

We liked that there was always a place to sit in the shade and we never had to get up early to find a chair. The chairs by the pools fill up, but we like to relax in the shade.

 

We were disappointed that the comedy shows were repeats and missed the ones we see on Carnival where the comedians often have many different shows so we can watch them all week. We had actually seen one of the comedians on another line.

 

The food in the buffet at dinner was not as good as either Carnival's or RCL's dinner buffet. The breakfast buffet was always good and the lunch had a good variety. The food in the main dining room was delicious.

 

Our room was wonderful. We had a mini suite balcony room and the bathroom was the best we have ever had on a cruise ship. It had a full size shower with a rain shower head and two additional sprayers. It had a double sink. The room itself was nice with a couch, desk, closet, closet shelves, and bed. The balcony was average sized.

 

We really liked the cruise director. He was funny, entertaining, and had a lot of energy. Getting on the ship was easy. When it came time to walk off of the ship, we took our luggage to deck 7 at 7:00 am and stood in line. Once they opened up the line to getting off of the ship, the process was the fastest we had ever gotten off of a ship.

 

The frozen drinks seemed to have very little alcohol, but the other drinks were strong. The drink service was not as good as my other cruises and I think it could be because they have the free drink package special, so they aren't as aggressive in bringing drinks around or taking drink orders.

 

I would have preferred an internet package with unlimited minutes, because I have to log in to work every day. Even though I got the internet package as one of my perks, I had to purchase an additional package. But I guess it was fine because I got the first package as a perk.

 

I ate at O'Sheehan's one night and it was good. I wanted to go to the dance parties, but I was too tired at the end of the night. All in all, it was a great cruise and met my expectations.

[Still Dreaming]

I'm sorry your experience was not good. I was on this cruise and my husband and I had a wonderful time. It was on par with all of our other cruises. There were things we liked a lot and things that we missed from other ships. All in all, everything was fine.

 

We had fun watching the shows and liked The Brat Pack. We liked all of the game shows in the Atrium area, but thought there needed to be more seating because if you didn't show up early, it was hard to get a seat. Some of their shows really needed to be in a larger area like a theater.

 

We liked that there was always a place to sit in the shade and we never had to get up early to find a chair. The chairs by the pools fill up, but we like to relax in the shade.

 

We were disappointed that the comedy shows were repeats and missed the ones we see on Carnival where the comedians often have many different shows so we can watch them all week. We had actually seen one of the comedians on another line.

 

The food in the buffet at dinner was not as good as either Carnival's or RCL's dinner buffet. The breakfast buffet was always good and the lunch had a good variety. The food in the main dining room was delicious.

 

Our room was wonderful. We had a mini suite balcony room and the bathroom was the best we have ever had on a cruise ship. It had a full size shower with a rain shower head and two additional sprayers. It had a double sink. The room itself was nice with a couch, desk, closet, closet shelves, and bed. The balcony was average sized.

 

We really liked the cruise director. He was funny, entertaining, and had a lot of energy. Getting on the ship was easy. When it came time to walk off of the ship, we took our luggage to deck 7 at 7:00 am and stood in line. Once they opened up the line to getting off of the ship, the process was the fastest we had ever gotten off of a ship.

 

The frozen drinks seemed to have very little alcohol, but the other drinks were strong. The drink service was not as good as my other cruises and I think it could be because they have the free drink package special, so they aren't as aggressive in bringing drinks around or taking drink orders.

 

I would have preferred an internet package with unlimited minutes, because I have to log in to work every day. Even though I got the internet package as one of my perks, I had to purchase an additional package. But I guess it was fine because I got the first package as a perk.

 

I ate at O'Sheehan's one night and it was good. I wanted to go to the dance parties, but I was too tired at the end of the night. All in all, it was a great cruise and met my expectations.

 

Thank you for your take on this cruise!