Escape, Escape - Two Times the Escape. Live Review B2B NCL Escape, Dec 9-16 & Dec 16-23

[Stealthdog]

A trivia dream team has been formed this cruise.  Eric paired up with @D41.  Mr D41 and my role is to keep those two focused on the questions and not get distracted, while we distract ourselves with drinks.  
 

We got 19/20 in 1980s music, only missing Martha and the Muffins.  It’s time to send Eric back to remedial training. 😂

[Stealthdog]

It is an absolutely beautiful day in Cozumel.  It’s a little windy and the waves are still going strong….otherwise it would be perfect.  
 

We are docked in Punta Langosta by ourselves. We can see two ships docked in another section - a Celebrity ship and what looks like a Royal Caribbean ship, but it’s too far away to tell.

 

We haven’t docked at this particular pier before - it’s nice and feels safe.  It’s multi level mall style. We walked out the mall and to the older shopping district towards the commercial ferry pier. Lots of restaurants and shops to check out.  
 

There is a very lonnnnnnng pier to the ship.  Best pier runner viewing will be waterfront Deck 8, deck 17 near the Haven area, or cabin balconies on the left side of the ship. 

[GuelphCruisers]

On 12/10/2023 at 2:54 PM, Stealthdog said:

One of the perks of the club balcony is the size of the bathroom.  It’s is really nice.  Many other room classes don’t give you much space.  The shower is a tub/shower which may be challenging for taller people. ...

 

 

 

Hi!

We also had a Club Balcony Suite, however ours had a shower only, not tub/shower combination.

Just curious how you were able to get a tub? ..as my DW would have loved to take a bath over a shower.

[GuelphCruisers]

On 12/12/2023 at 5:55 AM, Stealthdog said:

Last Day 2 post - Meet and Mingle.  Special thanks to @GuelphCruisers for organizing it.  The meet and mingle was the best organized and attended I’ve seen on a cruise in the last 5 years!  We had the district brewhouse completely reserved, many of the ship management were there, and it was a great opportunity to meet fellow cruise critic people and put faces to usernames.  If you have an opportunity to attend yours, do it!

Thank you for the kind words. My DW - Crystal is the social one, and takes charge at these events. LOL

We're really happy so many showed up for this event, it was very well attended, and thanks also to the the CD - Jack, and all the officers who showed up. 

[schmoopie17]

15 minutes ago, GuelphCruisers said:

and thanks also to the the CD - Jack

Sounds like Jack is back on the Escape after an extended absence. Cool...

[Stealthdog]

2 hours ago, L1211 said:

This is super helpful!  Trying to decide which card to use (how did I end up here???).  AA citi helps me with hitting exec platinum, also has $200 per cabin.  No dinner.  I will call Amex platinum desk and see what they have to say!  Did you buy outside travel insurance or is the Amex covering that too? Do you bill for travel planning advice???  So helpful!! 

We typically get outside insurance.  I don’t know much about the Amex insurance and what it covers.  Eric tracks all that.  I should probably pay more attention to it.

 

My fee is an alcoholic drink if we ever cross paths. 😁

[schmoopie17]

When getting the filet at Le Bistro, are you able to order it without the fois gras (yucky liver gunk) and avoid the surcharge? I've read varying reports on this subject.

[L1211]

1 minute ago, schmoopie17 said:

When getting the filet at Le Bistro, are you able to order it without the fois gras (yucky liver gunk) and avoid the surcharge? I've read varying reports on this subject.

 

great question!  Would like to take the DD there and the filet is the only think in the menus she’s going to eat.  

[Stealthdog]

4 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

When getting the filet at Le Bistro, are you able to order it without the fois gras (yucky liver gunk) and avoid the surcharge? I've read varying reports on this subject.

Ordering the filet without the fois gras came with no surcharge.  The server at Bistro will ask you when you order.  I’m not a fan of fois gras (agreed, yucky), so had no bill for dinner. 

Edited December 18, 2023 by Stealthdog

[L1211]

6 minutes ago, Stealthdog said:

We typically get outside insurance.  I don’t know much about the Amex insurance and what it covers.  Eric tracks all that.  I should probably pay more attention to it.

 

My fee is an alcoholic drink if we ever cross paths. 😁

You are such a great resource!  So much usable info- makes me rethink my past reviews- ha!  You never know on that drink!!! 

[Stealthdog]

39 minutes ago, GuelphCruisers said:

Hi!

We also had a Club Balcony Suite, however ours had a shower only, not tub/shower combination.

Just curious how you were able to get a tub? ..as my DW would have loved to take a bath over a shower.

I don’t know why mine had a tub and yours didn’t.  Maybe some decks have them and some don’t.  I’d actually prefer not having the tub - we don’t use it and have to climb in to shower.  

[GuelphCruisers]

On 12/13/2023 at 2:04 PM, Stealthdog said:

We walked past the Pour House and it was already full for the show more than 30 minutes before. We were chatting with the NCL entertainment staff monitoring the venue and she said people had been standing in line for 2 hours (immediately after the first show started) and it filled almost immediately after the doors opened. That is crazy to me - like Taylor Swift concert waiting on a cruise ship.  We probably won’t see any of the shows in the Pour House - for us there is too much going on entertainment-wise on the ship to spend that much time in line. 

I have to agree with you.

I got to the venue one night a full hour before the show there wasn't an empty seat.

None of the people in my group wanted to stand that long even before the show started so we left.

Too bad, as I really wanted to see the band at least once.

[GuelphCruisers]

11 minutes ago, Stealthdog said:

Ordering the filet without the fois gras came with no surcharge.  The server at Bistro will ask you when you order.  I’m not a fan of fois gras (agreed, yucky), so had no bill for dinner. 

True. In fact when we were there last week, two in the group ordered without and one ordered with.

When the bill came (we had ordered up-charge wine) it turned out that there were no upcharges at all for the filet, even the one with the fois gras. So bonus!!

8 minutes ago, Stealthdog said:

I don’t know why mine had a tub and yours didn’t.  Maybe some decks have them and some don’t.  I’d actually prefer not having the tub - we don’t use it and have to climb in to shower.  

We would have happily changed cabins with you, had we known! LOL

Edited December 18, 2023 by GuelphCruisers

[Stealthdog]

Day 3 (Cozumel) and back on board.  Like the Eastern ports, with T-Mobile you get coverage in Mexico (in this case free data and call service), so you can go off airplane mode and ship Wi-Fi while in port.  

We spent some time in Spice H2O - not many people on board so it was nice to relax in the hot tubs and loungers.

 

And I finally found something on board that I am good at (besides drinking).  Introducing your NCL Escape Dec 16-23 Bean Bag Toss Game Champion…….😁

[cat shepard]

Have you, or anyone you know tried the ropes course? I do hope you check out the slides, my group is planning a competition when we sail. 😎

[MrsK]

Hi!  I have just started to read your review but have come across your picture that you posted. 

 

I don't know if you will remember but I just wanted to pop in and tell you that we (my husband and myself) enjoyed having dinner at the table next to you in LaCucina on the first cruise and discussing all of our various cruise  and cruise line experiences. 

 

I am enjoying your review a lot so far and really appreciated the bit of time that we spent together.

 

 

[wolft927]

12 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

Have you, or anyone you know tried the ropes course? I do hope you check out the slides, my group is planning a competition when we sail. 😎

So we will be o. The escape in a couple weeks and loved the ropes course on the breakaway! Lots of fun! The slides are awesome too, be beware, make sure you don’t touch the slide when the floor drops and my amazing wife didn’t make it through the loop and had to be taken out through a capsule lol! 

[Stealthdog]

Dinner tonight is La Cucina.  We had the option of sitting inside or outside on the waterfront. I couldn’t resist this view with all aboard in 15 minutes. 🤭

[macewank]

Proud of this group. Only 2 folks weren't on by 630 and they must've gotten on shortly after! No duplicate call outs.

[macewank]

Now we wait to find out why we all just got $15 refundable OBC....

[slavetoabunny]

12 hours ago, macewank said:

Proud of this group. Only 2 folks weren't on by 630 and they must've gotten on shortly after! No duplicate call outs.

We actually ran into those two in the elevator.  I don't know what the issue was,  ut they had just come from the hospital. 

[Stealthdog]

15 hours ago, cat shepard said:

Have you, or anyone you know tried the ropes course? I do hope you check out the slides, my group is planning a competition when we sail. 😎

We haven’t and haven’t come across anyone who has.  We saw people doing it during the first cruise.  Looked really fun.  It’s still something on our list, so it may happen by the end of this week.

 

A group completion sounds like a blast!

[Stealthdog]

15 hours ago, MrsK said:

Hi!  I have just started to read your review but have come across your picture that you posted. 

 

I don't know if you will remember but I just wanted to pop in and tell you that we (my husband and myself) enjoyed having dinner at the table next to you in LaCucina on the first cruise and discussing all of our various cruise  and cruise line experiences. 

 

I am enjoying your review a lot so far and really appreciated the bit of time that we spent together.

 

 

Yes - we remember!  We love having those conversations with avid cruisers because everyone’s perspectives are different we like to hear what other people’s thoughts were on some experiences we haven’t had yet.  It was great meeting you two!

 

Hope the rest of your cruise was awesome (I think our dinner was about halfway in).

[Stealthdog]

17 hours ago, GuelphCruisers said:

I have to agree with you.

I got to the venue one night a full hour before the show there wasn't an empty seat.

None of the people in my group wanted to stand that long even before the show started so we left.

Too bad, as I really wanted to see the band at least once.

We ended up going last night (I’ll post about it today).  What a difference a cruise makes.  It’s interesting seeing the difference between two cruises. It’s like the ship has completely different personalities every cruise.  The more I see, the more I realize that last cruise was one of those Party Cruises I’ve heard and read about.  This cruise is a Family Cruise and has a feel similar to what we are used to on a cruise ship.

[slavetoabunny]

12 hours ago, macewank said:

Now we wait to find out why we all just got $15 refundable OBC....

Port fees for Grand Cayman?