Escape 12/18-12/23 cruise review (with some pictures

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Fresh off the Escape on 12/23 from Cozumel and Costa Maya. I will reply in parts to this. Any others on this cruise, feel free to post your thoughts and insight as well. I am starting with some basic information.

 

I arrived to my parking lot at 945am, gates opened at 10am, on shuttle by 1010am, at port at 1020am. I was through testing tents and approved with negative test at 11:05am (30 minutes to wait for my test).  You really need to pay attention to the screen. The numbers are usually your initials followed by your birthdate Mon/Day. The numbers do not scroll but they are constantly deleting and adding numbers as people move through, so the lines tend to jump around a bit. Sometimes numbers get deleted by mistake, hence the announcement every 30 minutes or so regarding not seeing your number. 

 

Once in the terminal, the check in process was very smooth. There were around agent windows open. There was no line when I got up there at 11:10am. The agent told me the lines really get busy around 1pm. So take that as you wish to help you on your check in.

 

Buffet and 2 of the 3 main dining rooms are open for food. EVERYONE hits the buffet. Taste and Savor on deck 6 are open. They are across the hall from each other. One of them may be closed, depending on crowd level, just FYI.

 

For first timers, you will be paying local sales tax while in any port for any drinks you get even if you have the package. That is local laws, so just don't be shocked if you see a bunch of small under $1 charges on your folio.

 

The atrium is where a ton of the action, music, trivia, game shows, and more is at!  It's open to the floor above it which is O'Sheehans Bar and Grille. This is the bar that stays open very late. I went to bed around 2-3am most nights and it was still hopping in there when I would pass through.

 

Overall, the food was great!  The wait staff, bartending staff, and all the other staff I encountered were simply amazing! Even when you could tell them were overwhelmed, they handled it perfectly and professionally. I talked with a few of them and they were ecstatic to be back to work. Please take care of these folks! Even a dollar or two goes a long way. (I bring an extra $40 or so in ones for bartenders for this reason). 

 

More parts coming soon as I write them.

[Sixtytwo]

Great pics! Thanks!

[TNcruising02]

That check in process sounds fairly quick.  Nice pictures!!

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Just dropping in to post some more pictures before I get back to my drink. 🍻🎄

[TNcruising02]

Thanks for posting more pics!  Did the ship seem crowded?

Edited December 25, 2021 by TNcruising02

[jimbri]

Great photos

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Pictures from the Cozumel Bar Hop on the east side of the island. There was about 14 or so of us on tour, a few of them were FO HOs (former hoppers). I would definitely do this again!  There was one guy with the exact same name as me on this tour and it was his 15th or something time doing it. He was a cool dude too!  This was an amazing time! 4 unique bars (out of the 9 on that side), all 4 were great in their own way. Amazing food and drinks!

 

Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄🎁

[TNcruising02]

That looks like a fun excursion!

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Time for another update. Got off the ship in Costa Maya and did a Mayan ruins tour.  This was a great time. Takes about an hour each way to the site then 2.5 or so hours there which is a perfect amount of time. The ruins are amazing. Climbing them is pretty scary but exhilarating. There are 2 you can climb to get to ones on a higher hill.  The port is pretty decent. Lots of little shops, several bars and restaurants, a large pool with a beach setting around it, then a smaller pool near the dolphin swim adventure.

 

I can't believe how clear that water is in Costa Maya!!!

 

 

[TNcruising02]

That looks like a fun excursion. I hope to do see the ruins someday. The water does look very clear.

[Kfamilycruise]

We were on this sailing too. It was a great time. We had an issue at check in as my FIL didn't bring his passport (last time he sailed on closed loop you only needed driver's license) and after waiting 4 hours, we just got his suitcase once we were on the ship and brought it back afterward. Other than that, could definitely tell reduced capacity -- it didn't seem like masks were being enforced all of the time, but I definitely saw someone being admonished once or twice. 

 

Wearing a mask didn't diminish my experience at all. It was great. I hope we'll be able to go on our April one. Glad you had a good time too!

[wmillcpa]

We were on this cruise as well.  Overall, I would say that it was a really good one, primarily made so by the exceptional staff.  There were plenty of minor little operational issues, with the NCL App, Ropes course closed, door keys and things like that, but overall the super attentive staff more than made up for it.

 

We enjoyed the food and entertainment as well.

 

Wearing a mask didn't really seem to take away from things.

[pbenjamin]

1 hour ago, wmillcpa said:

We were on this cruise as well.  Overall, I would say that it was a really good one, primarily made so by the exceptional staff.  There were plenty of minor little operational issues, with the NCL App, Ropes course closed, door keys and things like that, but overall the super attentive staff more than made up for it.

 

We enjoyed the food and entertainment as well.

 

Wearing a mask didn't really seem to take away from things.

 

Door keys?

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9 minutes ago, pbenjamin said:

 

Door keys?

You would routinely have to scan your card 2 or 3 times sometimes for the door to recognize the key if that's what the poster is talking about. I would get a quick flashing green but the lock wouldn't unlock. Then try again and slow flash and a click of the lock. Not a major inconvenience by far. No biggie for me.

[wmillcpa]

Minor thing, like we had two staterooms and went to guest services to get a "spare" key for each party.  When we did that, all the previous keys were deactivated and we had to wait in line again for new ones.  The new ones worked, but the original ones didn't.   Like I said, small operational issues, but nothing serious. 

[jmk22]

I saw the picture of your stateroom.  What stateroom were you in?

[JasmineS]

Looks like you had a fun trip!   Question, did you use laundry services?  Do they offer a per bag rate of wash and fold?  Price?   Thanks.