9/22-9/29 Escape Trip to Canada/New England

[InfrequentPNWCruiser]

We had booked this cruise literally a week after the last one in 2018 and been looking forward to it for a while as we've never been to the east coast. We came in on Thursday from PDX and stayed in Newark at the ex-Hilton (now Doubletree) Newark Penn Station as we needed two hotel rooms and NYC at this time was bit too expensive. However, in hindsight, the time and experience traveling via PATH and NJ Transit were pretty overwhelming for some of the family (one of the trips was ill-timed in the middle of the outbound Friday commute in the humid bowels of NY Penn Station), so I'd just buckle up and stay in Manhattan with the extra costs and avoid the hassle on any future visits.

 

I had made a reservation with the Dial 7 limo service to take us the Manhattan Cruise Terminal which arrived on time and only took about 30 min for the trip and we got to MCT around 10:20 AM. It took about another 15 minutes to move the last block because of all of the departing passengers on the previous cruise. The bags went out of the trunk and onto the porter's cart in about 30 seconds and we were in the short Latitudes check-in line in just a few minutes. Check-in was very smooth, got boarding group #11 and found a seat at 10:45. Boarding was announced at around 11:00 and we were on board, in the Taste MDR by 11:30 or so. This was light years faster than what we experienced in San Pedro (LA).  Cabins were ready just after 1 PM and luggage showed up a couple hours later.

 

We had a balcony and a studio on deck 12 which was just perfect as its about halfway between the public decks on 16-17 and 6-7-8. Anything more than 4-5 decks is really too much to hike although I could do more especially as it always seemed that I'd go down 6 decks then have to go back up in short order. Both rooms were perfectly fine in size and for storage needs. The elevators were busy the first few days, but it seemed that they were easier to use later in the cruise, maybe cause more tended not to use them if you didn't have to. Anything less than a few decks you could easily beat via the stairs. The ship is well laid-out but it took a few days to keep what was forward or aft straight (had to keep checking the deck plans in the app). I do miss a full wrap-around promenade deck but the lifeboat deck (7)  was ok if you didn't mind cutting through the stair lobbies. Virtually no kids on this cruise, never saw anyone on the water slides or in the main pool (kids pool was closed) but the hot tubs were used a lot. No problem finding loungers just about anywhere (pool deck, Spice, etc) anytime.

 

The NCL app installed fine but we never got the message service to work (I had my charge removed as it kept crashing) . One cabin had the internet package which worked just fine throughout the cruise. I had problems trying to reserve anything through the TV in the cabin - you would pick something but you could never get it to confirm (this was because it was sold out even though it appeared that it wasn't). Managed to lock everything up once and needed a connection reset. By Monday evening , everything reservable was sold out (Theater, Headliners, Supper club, etc) so we had to live off events in the bars and the Atrium which worked out just fine in all regards.

 

MDR service was prompt, not rushed and excellent all around and the food was very good although by the end of the all of the good eats were wearing on us. Le Bistro was excellent as always (ate here twice) but La Cucina was a disappointment. I had pizza which was ok , but the wild mushroom risotto was pretty inedible. We had the SDP but the studio traveler did not, but they only had to pay for one entree once and everything else was fit onto ours - so we tipped extra when this occurred - it sounded like this was normal procedure with a 3rd). Also ate at Food Republic for a lunch for variety which was also good. The buffet could be a madhouse at times , so we tended to go early or late night, use the Margaritaville overflow buffet , or used the regular or free breakfast room service (did this a couple times for the free OJ to mix with the Latitudes bubbly). Also used the free service on disembarkation day to avoid the assumed crowded buffet which worked out great. Bar service was frequent although we only had 7 drinks total - everything I bought was on shore or the beer flights in the private complementary District Brewhouse Saturday NCL function that they invited everyone from the Monday CC Meet & Greet to (got to talk with the ship's officers again here also). The M&G and slot pull was very well attended and chocolate covered strawberries as a thank you showed up later to one room and canapes/macarons to the other. All of the staff were very friendly from stewards to officers which just made the whole experience that much better. This NCL Escape crew is leagues above our past NCL cruise - and makes this ship tops in our book.

 

We took shore excursions in most ports as we had double credits although all ports were very walkable. I took a couple hours to tour Portland via foot including a most excellent lobster roll at Highroller Lobster Co. We visited Acadia NP and ate lunch at the West St Cafe - an excellent choice and not busy versus other venues. At Saint John we did our own thing and toured around visiting local sites, the City Market , the Gravy Train Poutinere ...Halifax was also a walk-around after one tour was cancelled to the Maritime Museum, the Citadel and the Public Gardens.

 

Disembarkation was also smooth - we had NCL transfers and our group was called early at 9:15 and were were on the bus at 10:15 . Finding the right bus in the slow moving queues at the MCT exit was probably the worst part but it was efficient. We still had to cool our heels at EWR for a few hours before our flight home. All in all a most excellent time was had!

[InfrequentPNWCruiser]

I also want to note that many staff went out of their way to give excellent service to us - from MDR and specialty venue waitstaff to our room steward. I had obtained a good number of $5 bills that we used to give extra tips for service like this. On the laundry bag special day (Wednesday) we somehow managed to flip the do not disturb switch on versus the make -up room before we went out. I got back at 2 pm and changed it but feared that we'd probably get charged extra for the laundry as it had to be in by 3 pm and it was after 2 pm . Our steward got the laundry back the same evening when we got back from dinner 4 hrs later  - and it was still just for $20. Not sure how that happened as it wasn't supposed to be back until Friday but maybe there wasn't much demand...

[bonvoyagie]

Glad your cruise is going well so far - looking forward to the rest of the trip. Did you use Alaska Airlines for your travels? 

[InfrequentPNWCruiser]

7 minutes ago, bonvoyagie said:

Glad your cruise is going well so far - looking forward to the rest of the trip. Did you use Alaska Airlines for your travels? 

We got back on Sunday and used Alaska Airlines (Premium Class - as this 5+ hr flight is too long for a 737-based standard economy seat ) as its our preferred airline. We used a combination of regular, discounted companion certificate, and award miles for the three of us to make the costs reasonable.

[newmexicoNita]

so far it sounds like you had a great trip. One of my favorite cruise itineraries happens to be NE and Canada. We are ending our cruising days in 2 weeks so will not get to do it "just one more time" 

[bonvoyagie]

I asked about your flight because I like Alaska Airlines and used them for our 2016 NE cruise out of Boston and already have our first class tickets for our return from Newark in Feb. It sounds like you used the NCL transfer - we also have that. We are scheduled to arrive in NYC around 10:00 - not sure when you arrived - but did you have ample time to get to the airport and through security.

[InfrequentPNWCruiser]

Yes we used the NCL transfers from the port to EWR . The bus only had about 20 people on it as most were using the other airports. The ship docked at 7 AM , and we were out on the street just after 10. We got to the airport around 11, so we had about hour to wait in the airport even before we could check in and about 15 min after that before the agents arrived. The flight to Portland is the first outbound of the day at 4 PM. Once we checked-in we waited in Tony Roma's for a leisurely lunch until 2 PM, took about 10 min to get through security and still had about 90 minutes before boarding. As it was, this time got stretched a bit as the jetway had an issue and couldn't be extended for the 3 PM inbound delaying deplaning by 30 min...So if you allow at least 90 min to get to the gate from the time you arrive at the desk, it should be fine.