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Escape - Newbie to NCL - Questions/Questions/Questions


debnrick
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17th cruise - first one on Norwegian (Escape sailing 5/5/19 out of NYC) Here goes my list of questions:

 

1) where is the outdoor smoking section?

2) with the freestyle dining, do you have a choice of actual dining rooms?

3) are the stateroom walls metal? (like to hang magnets up to hold misc information)

4) can you get chocolate milk at the buffet and/or with room service?

5) are the tv's interactive? (meaning show your account - order room service - ships current location, book reservations for dinner/shows, etc)

6) we have 3-meal speciality package ... are all restaurants included in this? can you order as much as you want?

7) strange question I know but is the Escape considered an 'elegant' ship? The Anthem of the Seas w/RCCL is really an "elegant" ship in my opinion .. marble/glass ... everything high end

8) do the waiters sing/dance during dinner?

9) do you have to pay to visit the spa?

10) what is the "vibe" pass? I am confused on this one

11) can you still gamble in the casino while the ship is docked for 3 days in Bermuda?

12) what is closed while docked 3 days in Bermuda?

13) anywhere on board for milkshakes? approx cost? included in UDP?

14) I understand there are no speciality coffee included in UDP .. is there a place to purchase these onboard and an approx cost for these type drinks?

15) can you get drinks in Margharitaville using your UDP?

16) for the shows, do you make reservations ahead of time or just show up? if so, do the reservations reserve a specific seat or just admittance to the show?

 

THAT'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS I KNOW BUT I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS .. HAPPY SAILING:):D:D :cool::cool:

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17th cruise - first one on Norwegian (Escape sailing 5/5/19 out of NYC) Here goes my list of questions:

 

1) where is the outdoor smoking section?

2) with the freestyle dining, do you have a choice of actual dining rooms? Yes, any restaurant any time!

3) are the stateroom walls metal? (like to hang magnets up to hold misc information)

4) can you get chocolate milk at the buffet and/or with room service? Yes at the buffet, yes on room service HOWEVER room service incurs a $7.95 fee per delivery (except for very basic breakfast til 10 am)

5) are the tv's interactive? (meaning show your account - order room service - ships current location, book reservations for dinner/shows, etc) Yes

6) we have 3-meal speciality package ... are all restaurants included in this? can you order as much as you want? For the a la carte restaurants it says in the T&C that you can have one main course and as many appitizers and sides as you want this does however vary from server to server, so check first. There is an upcharge for one of the restaurants but not sure which one. The other flat rate restaurants are indeed all that comes with the meal.

7) strange question I know but is the Escape considered an 'elegant' ship? The Anthem of the Seas w/RCCL is really an "elegant" ship in my opinion .. marble/glass ... everything high end

8) do the waiters sing/dance during dinner? Thankfullly NO!

9) do you have to pay to visit the spa? Yes, spa passes are available for the week, rare that daily passes are offered but you might get lucky. The gym is free except for some classes.

10) what is the "vibe" pass? I am confused on this one

11) can you still gamble in the casino while the ship is docked for 3 days in Bermuda?

12) what is closed while docked 3 days in Bermuda?

13) anywhere on board for milkshakes? approx cost? included in UDP?

14) I understand there are no speciality coffee included in UDP .. is there a place to purchase these onboard and an approx cost for these type drinks? The Atrium Cafe serves Starbucks coffees.

15) can you get drinks in Margharitaville using your UDP?

16) for the shows, do you make reservations ahead of time or just show up? if so, do the reservations reserve a specific seat or just admittance to the show?

 

THAT'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS I KNOW BUT I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS .. HAPPY SAILING:):D:D :cool::cool:

 

See above

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17th cruise - first one on Norwegian (Escape sailing 5/5/19 out of NYC) Here goes my list of questions:

 

1) where is the outdoor smoking section? There is a cigar bar.

2) with the freestyle dining, do you have a choice of actual dining rooms? There's the MDR, Savor and Taste.

3) are the stateroom walls metal? (like to hang magnets up to hold misc information) Probably on the door/mirror?

4) can you get chocolate milk at the buffet and/or with room service? Yes, in the Garden Cafe. You can get chocolate milk carton or make your own hot chocolate milk.

5) are the tv's interactive? (meaning show your account - order room service - ships current location, book reservations for dinner/shows, etc) Yes

6) we have 3-meal specialty package ... are all restaurants included in this? can you order as much as you want? You reserve for the 3 meal at any specialty restaurants - Food Republic, Cagney's, etc. It is just that get 1 entree and with the app., and sides - it depends on the restaurants. Most sides are up to 2.

7) strange question I know but is the Escape considered an 'elegant' ship? The Anthem of the Seas w/RCCL is really an "elegant" ship in my opinion .. marble/glass ... everything high end - No Answer, never been on the Anthem of the Seas.

8) do the waiters sing/dance during dinner? - No, unless you want them to sing like a happy birthday if you are celebrating a birthday.

9) do you have to pay to visit the spa? - Yes, you need to purchase a spa package.

10) what is the "vibe" pass? I am confused on this one - A pass for the vibe, a outdoor area with chairs and swimming people for limited amount of people. You need to buy the pass once you get on board as those passes are limited. Therefore, most cruisers that wanted the Vibe pass, they rush to get them once on board.

11) can you still gamble in the casino while the ship is docked for 3 days in Bermuda? Yes, in the evenings.

12) what is closed while docked 3 days in Bermuda?

13) anywhere on board for milkshakes? approx cost? included in UDP?

14) I understand there are no specialty coffee included in UDP .. is there a place to purchase these onboard and an approx cost for these type drinks? At the Atrium Bar on deck 6.

15) can you get drinks in Margharitaville using your UDP?

16) for the shows, do you make reservations ahead of time or just show up? if so, do the reservations reserve a specific seat or just admittance to the show? - Make reservations ahead of time, and the reservation is just admittance to the show.

 

THAT'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS I KNOW BUT I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS .. HAPPY SAILING:):D:D :cool::cool:

 

I put my answers in bolded purple.

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17th cruise - first one on Norwegian (Escape sailing 5/5/19 out of NYC) Here goes my list of questions:

 

1) where is the outdoor smoking section?

2) with the freestyle dining, do you have a choice of actual dining rooms?

 

7) strange question I know but is the Escape considered an 'elegant' ship? The Anthem of the Seas w/RCCL is really an "elegant" ship in my opinion .. marble/glass ... everything high end

8) do the waiters sing/dance during dinner?

 

10) what is the "vibe" pass? I am confused on this one

 

15) can you get drinks in Margharitaville using your UDP?

16) for the shows, do you make reservations ahead of time or just show up? if so, do the reservations reserve a specific seat or just admittance to the show?

 

1) Four smoking areas (as of April 2018).

 

Deck 17 at the rear of the ship, in Spice H2O area, near the bar there are 3 high-top tables with 4 chairs each and a row of 6 padded low chairs in 3 pairs facing each other. You cannot actually smoke at the bar, but you'll be about 10 feet away. If it's raining, none of these seats are covered in any way.

 

Deck 17 at the middle of the ship, the second floor of the Waves pool bar has (4 high-top tables with 4 chairs each) plus (4 high-top tables with 2 seats each) on the side of the bar so your smoke blows directly into the jogging track. There are also about a dozen smoking seats along the railing, looking down into the pool area below. If it's raining, only the 2 seat high-top tables have any protection (8 seats total).

 

[iNSIDE] Deck 8, 'The Humidor' near Tobacco Road is a small cigar area. This is your rainstorm option, and it's poorly ventilated, so you can just walk in and get as much second-hand smoke as you'd like.

 

[iNSIDE] Deck 7, the casino allows smoking in about 30% of the square footage and has air scrubbers that are partially effective.

 

2) You have a choice of three 'Main Dining Rooms'. The Manhattan Room is a nicer space and has a little bit stricter dress code (that may not be super-strictly enforced). Taste and Savor are almost twins and across the hall from each other. All three rooms have the same menu and food. You can choose one at random. The worst wait I've ever experienced was walking up to the Manhattan Room at 7:30 PM with a party of 10 people and no reservations. We waited almost 9 whole minutes on comfortable couches for a table. No reservations seating was close to instant every other time. No complaints at all from me.

 

7) It's certainly not an ugly ship. There are actually a few spaces on Escape that remind me of a Celebrity Solstice-Class ship.

 

8) Thankfully, I have never seen a waiter sing or dance on any NCL ship. Perhaps a quick 'Happy Birthday'.

 

10) Find a set of deck plans for the Escape. Go to Deck 19. Find the area marked 'Vibe Beach Club'. It's a sundeck with locked doors. About 100 people are allowed into the area per trip. If you're one of those people, you are pretty much guaranteed a sun lounger at any time, and they're nicer than the loungers available to commoners. You also get a hot tub that's usually empty and your own bar. It's about $100 to join this little private club and tickets sell out quickly.

 

15) Yes. You can sneak into Margaritaville and get a drink on the UBP. I wasn't impressed by the drinks, so I didn't go there a third time. The hours are also a little weird -- I believe they're open from 'lunch' to 4 PM.

 

16) You can do either, but with reservations you'll get first choice of seats. Standby is a line and you'll get the seats that are left over with 5-10 minutes until the show starts. No, reservations do not assign you a seat. I'm not a huge fan of this system because it seems to conflict with the Freestyle theme. Having said that, I've never missed a main theatre show from the standby line. I have been turned away (once) from a comedy show because it filled up and I was too far back in line.

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The Manhattan Room is a nicer space and has a little bit stricter dress code (that may not be super-strictly enforced).

On Escape, all 3 MDRs are cruise casual. Shorts are allowed in every Escape restaurant except for LeBistro and Bayamo and even then, you might be allowed to wear shorts depending on where you are seated.

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I am going to do a review this weekend of our NYC to Bermuda trip

 

For now

I bought a single day spa pass...$68. Worth every penny :cool:

Go to YouTube and look up the Escape spa

:) In my review I will do a step by step how we got a vibe pass from NYC

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17th cruise - first one on Norwegian (Escape sailing 5/5/19 out of NYC) Here goes my list of questions:

 

1) where is the outdoor smoking section?

2) with the freestyle dining, do you have a choice of actual dining rooms?

3) are the stateroom walls metal? (like to hang magnets up to hold misc information)

4) can you get chocolate milk at the buffet and/or with room service?

5) are the tv's interactive? (meaning show your account - order room service - ships current location, book reservations for dinner/shows, etc)

6) we have 3-meal speciality package ... are all restaurants included in this? can you order as much as you want?

7) strange question I know but is the Escape considered an 'elegant' ship? The Anthem of the Seas w/RCCL is really an "elegant" ship in my opinion .. marble/glass ... everything high end

8) do the waiters sing/dance during dinner?

9) do you have to pay to visit the spa?

10) what is the "vibe" pass? I am confused on this one

11) can you still gamble in the casino while the ship is docked for 3 days in Bermuda?

12) what is closed while docked 3 days in Bermuda?

13) anywhere on board for milkshakes? approx cost? included in UDP?

14) I understand there are no speciality coffee included in UDP .. is there a place to purchase these onboard and an approx cost for these type drinks?

15) can you get drinks in Margharitaville using your UDP?

16) for the shows, do you make reservations ahead of time or just show up? if so, do the reservations reserve a specific seat or just admittance to the show?

 

THAT'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS I KNOW BUT I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS .. HAPPY SAILING:):D:D :cool::cool:

 

1) Not sure. I don't smoke

2) Freestyle is really just freestyle. You won't have same waiter every night, you have no set dining time, and you can eat really when ever you want and have no wait to just a minimum wait. NCL really has this down to a science.

3) Not sure.

4)I do remember their being milk dispensers at the buffet.. there might have been chocolate too.

5)Yes, you can see an itemized list of the things you have purchased on board if there is a charge to your on board account. You can order room service and book shows as well.

6) The UDP, unless they have changed it since I was on Escape in August of 2017, is a 3 course meal. Appetizer, Main, and Desert. It's a lot of food and the portions are american sized. On escape, there are a few pretty inexpensive a la carte restaurants that are not included. They are really not included because they are mostly 5 dollar plates. Go have lunch at Pincho Tapas Bar as well as Food Republic on a sea day. They are 5 to 15 dollars per person depending on how hungry you are and the food is excellent.

7) I was very happy with the fit and finish of the ship. It didn't feel or look like corners were cut. It's NCL so there is no dress code, but different areas of the ship will have a different feel. The pool deck is a party, the waterfront is pretty quiet and there is always a place to sit.

8) Yes, for breakfest in the taste and savor to be sure.

9) Yes, and it's not really a deal. Expect to see land-lover prices.

10) Vibe is a section on the top decks that has nicer deck chairs and it's own hot tub. If you want to sun bathe but maybe want a little nicer atmosphere that the pool area, it might be worth it to you. As mentioned previously, they are only sold on board so if you want it, get it right away.

11) I don't gamble so I don't know.. ok that is not true. I indulge in one bingo game per cruise lol.

12) Never been to Bermuda on escape.

13)One of the more popular drinks in the UDP is a mudslide. It's a boozy milkshake and very popular during theater shows.

14) Atrium. Expect starbucks prices. I think it's actually starbucks coffee too.

15) Yep!

16) You can just show up, but it's always best to play a head of time. You will find touch screens through out the ship that can scan your card, and from there you can make reservations as well. Unless you are going to the ... illusionarium?? it's open seating in the main theater.

 

This is your first NCL cruise so I can give you a few tips to make sure you make the most of it. NCL is all about freestyle, but for the shows and specialty dining, shows in particular, you might want to book a day or two in advance. IF the specialty restaurant you want to go to is all booked up, it never hurts to go up to the host and ask nicely if they can fit you in. They will try to make an effort to see what they can do and dinners who eat there tip there so. While it is reservation, it seems like they hold a few tables for walk ups anyway. The French Restaurant and Cagney's are very popular. Sugarcane Mojito bar is the reason I come back to NCL.. If you like Mojitos you are on the right boat.

Edited by nehalem2018
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