Escape "LISTING" cruise 3-3-19

[graphicguy]

Get lost?  Head to any deck's elevators to find a map.....

[graphicguy]

Mentioned I hung out a lot at Tobacco Road....another of my favorite bartenders mixing two drinks simultaneously......he also made a MEAN Old Fashioned.....

[graphicguy]

After the "listing" activity on the first night...I needed to catch up on entertainment.  I never booked anything.  I just wandered around until I saw something I liked.  Not sure why, but I watched dance lessons with some strange fascination.  Then, later that night.....Dueling Pianos.  They actually had 3 players.  The female was incredible.  I saw her play the piano, the guitar, the bass and the drums....all in one set.  

 

Saw these guys late.  So, the crowd was really into it, and the performers fed off the crowd.  Great time!

[graphicguy]

First specialty restaurant I ate at was Cagney's.  Ended up eating their twice it was so good.......

[graphicguy]

Ate another night in Moderno.......salad bar (actually a meal in itself) is the star here.  Meats were fine, just not as good as Cagney's (where I had prime rib and a filet).......

[All-ready2cruise]

That buffet looks huge. I've done Moderno a few times but I'm not a huge meat eater; however, I love the offering at the buffet and of coure the grilled pineapple. 

[Jenner9]

29 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Mentioned I hung out a lot at Tobacco Road....another of my favorite bartenders mixing two drinks simultaneously......he also made a MEAN Old Fashioned.....

WHAT? A bartender on a cruise ship that knows how to make and Old Fashion? Usually unheard of outside of my little corner of WI!

[FitchburgWIFamily]

32 minutes ago, Jenner9 said:

WHAT? A bartender on a cruise ship that knows how to make and Old Fashion? Usually unheard of outside of my little corner of WI!

This might need clarification.

In WI, an Old Fashioned is made with Brandy.  And they are delicious.

I have yet to find a bottle of Brandy on an NCL ship.

Outside of WI, they make and Old Fashioned with Whiskey.  Or Rye.  And they are NOT delicious.

 

Edited March 18, 2019 by FitchburgWIFamily

[Oakman58]

1 hour ago, FitchburgWIFamily said:

This might need clarification.

In WI, an Old Fashioned is made with Brandy.  And they are delicious.

I have yet to find a bottle of Brandy on an NCL ship.

Outside of WI, they make and Old Fashioned with Whiskey.  Or Rye.  And they are NOT delicious.

 

 

Totally agree.

[Jenner9]

3 hours ago, FitchburgWIFamily said:

This might need clarification.

In WI, an Old Fashioned is made with Brandy.  And they are delicious.

I have yet to find a bottle of Brandy on an NCL ship.

Outside of WI, they make and Old Fashioned with Whiskey.  Or Rye.  And they are NOT delicious.

 

Ah, but not everyone drinks a brandy old fashion. I drink Southern Comfort Old Fashion sweet! Yum!

[Von & John]

3 hours ago, FitchburgWIFamily said:

This might need clarification.

In WI, an Old Fashioned is made with Brandy.  And they are delicious.

I have yet to find a bottle of Brandy on an NCL ship.

Outside of WI, they make and Old Fashioned with Whiskey.  Or Rye.  And they are NOT delicious.

 

 

And you order them at a "Supper Club"

[PTC DAWG]

3 hours ago, FitchburgWIFamily said:

This might need clarification.

In WI, an Old Fashioned is made with Brandy.  And they are delicious.

I have yet to find a bottle of Brandy on an NCL ship.

Outside of WI, they make and Old Fashioned with Whiskey.  Or Rye.  And they are NOT delicious.

 

I beg to differ....

[graphicguy]

After leaving Canaveral, it was announced we would be missing Great Stirrup Cay because of the difficulty to tender.  The waters were still a bit choppy, so I’m assuming that was the reason.  This is the 2nd time on a cruise where we missed GSC.

 

But, we would be headed directly to Nassau and spend the night.  I kind of like that if it’s on a Bermuda cruise.  There’s no reason to rush around to get back on the ship if you’re docked over night.

 

While I’ve never had any issues in Nassau, others have warned me about wandering around downtown after dark.

 

Given I didn’t disembark in Canaveral, and would be missing GSC, I did indeed disembark for Nassau.  I had not used two $50 excursion credits....one each for Canaveral and the “missed” GSC excursion.  I’ve seen Nassau, many times.  But, may as well use the credit.  

 

I disembarked, found a couple of “tours” that people were milling around waiting for, and talked to one of the leaders asking if they’d take a “walk up”.  Sure!  Doing the bus tour that was about 3 hours.  I’ve done that one before, too.  And, always found the time stopped at any one place along the tour to be a bit stingy.  They spent an hour or so at the RUM factory (seen it several times, but only 15 minutes at the white sand beach with the “tiki bars” overlooking the blue water.

 

I think it squeaked under the $50 excursion limit, so I wasn’t out any Washingtons, no harm-no foul.

[graphicguy]

At least the weather was finally warm enough for me to wear shorts.....

[graphicguy]

My feeble attempt at humor, as we were walking to the tour bus, I saw this and mentioned to a few of the tour participants.....”I guess this means a ‘soft caress’ is out of the question”.  I chuckled.  No one else did!

[graphicguy]

Around the docks in Nassau.....someone in the other “list” thread mentioned they were on the Sky docked the same time the Escape was docked......maybe @dexddd?

Edited March 19, 2019 by graphicguy

[mking8288]

I'm surprised that upon leaving PC at night, that the Capt. would announced that they won't be going to GSC at all and heading straight for Nassua.  We've missed it twice, if not 3X in recent years and in every instance, no official words until the morning of & the ship passed close enough to see shorelines ... stopping one time to drop anchor first, but didn't on the other time.  I just knew, with the north wind blowing, that we ain't going ashore and we slept in late, did a late O'Sheehan breakfast.  

 

Just read news on RCL's CocaCay, grand re-opening with all their enhancement in 2 months, apparently including their new island pier - something that NCL couldn't do.  

 

I don't think it was Dexddd at Nassau - he's packing to get ready for MSC this weekend, going to "shadow" him, LOL. Just saw the prices next month for the Getaway T/A - 12 nights, dirt cheap last minute prices, especially SailAway ... very tempting, now that we are "free" of near term worries.  Thanks for the kind words, don't want to go OT again. 

[dexddd]

2 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Around the docks in Nassau.....someone in the other “list” thread mentioned they were on the Sky docked the same time the Escape was docked......maybe @dexddd?

 

3/29 we'll be there on MSC Seaside.

 

When we did that route on BA in 2016 we planned on same thing - stayed on in PC, planned to do beach with kids at GSC, missed it, went to Nassau at 6 pm.  Didn't plan to get off but we went for a walk in the mostly closed downtown while it was dark and had a crazy lady trying to sell us many things as we walked back to the ship.  Been to Nassau way too many times and will be staying on ship next week.

[dexddd]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

I'm surprised that upon leaving PC at night, that the Capt. would announced that they won't be going to GSC at all and heading straight for Nassua.  We've missed it twice, if not 3X in recent years and in every instance, no official words until the morning of & the ship passed close enough to see shorelines ... stopping one time to drop anchor first, but didn't on the other time.  I just knew, with the north wind blowing, that we ain't going ashore and we slept in late, did a late O'Sheehan breakfast.  

 

Just read news on RCL's CocaCay, grand re-opening with all their enhancement in 2 months, apparently including their new island pier - something that NCL couldn't do.  

 

I don't think it was Dexddd at Nassau - he's packing to get ready for MSC this weekend, going to "shadow" him, LOL. Just saw the prices next month for the Getaway T/A - 12 nights, dirt cheap last minute prices, especially SailAway ... very tempting, now that we are "free" of near term worries.  Thanks for the kind words, don't want to go OT again. 

 

Right, we fly out Friday and board Saturday.

[Laszlo]

2 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Just read news on RCL's CocaCay, grand re-opening with all their enhancement in 2 months, apparently including their new island pier - something that NCL couldn't do

I would do a RCL cruise just to go to Coco Cay Lol. From the photos it looks a lot nicer than GSC.....I want to do that water slide!

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

 

Right, we fly out Friday and board Saturday.

Sorry @dexdd!  I thought it was you who was docked on the Sky when we were there.  I did the MSC Divina a couple of years, ago.  Great ship.  Will look for your adventures on the Seaside, as I'm curious about it.

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, Laszlo said:

I would do a RCL cruise just to go to Coco Cay Lol. From the photos it looks a lot nicer than GSC.....I want to do that water slide!

I agree.  RCCL Coco Cay is much better than GSC.  I think NCL will get there with GSC.  They aren't close right now, though.

[graphicguy]

Nassau fishing boats....downtown Nassau.....Atlantis (all part of the same tour)....

 

 

[graphicguy]

Atlantis....Nassau fort.....

[graphicguy]

On 3/18/2019 at 5:23 PM, All-ready2cruise said:

That buffet looks huge. I've done Moderno a few times but I'm not a huge meat eater; however, I love the offering at the buffet and of coure the grilled pineapple. 

It’s a big “salad buffet”...good, too.....certainly much bigger than the one I enjoyed on the GEM last year.