This was our first cruise since our honeymoon 20 years ago. This was for our anniversary and well worth the wait. We did put down a cruise-next deposit so we'll be back on NCL in the future! The Escape is a great ship with a lot to do. The ship did not seem overly crowded when we went. There were still chairs available on the top decks mid to late morning.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We were lucky to win an upgrade bid to the Haven. We had priority boarding that made things so much easier and faster.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We didn't end up in any of the main dining rooms. We had three nights of specialty restaurants - Cagney's, Tappenyaki, and Moderno. All were very good. The buffet was good too for a quick meal or snack. There are plenty of bars to use the ultimate drink package.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We finally made it to the ropes course and water slides. They were very fun. They pack a lot into limited space on the ship. We didn't gamble much, but the casino had a number of tables and other machines to play.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The For The Record - The Brat Pack show was great. It was all 80's music and scenes based on 80's movies that we are all too familiar with. The After Midnight show was not our style, but the entertainment value of the show was still very good.
Children's Programs
We do not have children.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
We were lucky to be in the Haven. Our bartenders and concierge were amazing! The butler and room steward were spot on as well. Other areas of the ship had very friendly staff as well. We're home now and already miss the excellent service and pampering.
We can only think of one instance where the waiter didn't come back enough to check on us at dinner.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Of course, it took a little bit to get accustomed to the layout of the ship, but most everything you needed was on decks 6, 7 or 8 and then the upper decks 16 and 17. Elevators could be a little faster, but they weren't horrible. If we had to go up or down a couple decks, we jus took the stairs.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin was well maintained. The steward was there at least 2 to 3 times a day. It was a Haven room so it was a bit larger than others. We were at the end of the Haven rooms, so we lucked out with a larger balcony too. There did seem like there was enough storage space. The only drawback of probably most rooms is limited electrical outlets.
Ship tip
If you are only going up or down a deck or two, take the stairs. Don't wait for the elevators.
We didn't stay in Falmouth long. We took an excursion to swim with the dolphins and climb Dunn's River falls. Both were experiences were great! We weren't a fan of Jamaica when we visited Ocho Rios in the past, but this trip raised our opinion.
Georgetown is a tender port so we had to deal with a lot of people on the small boat transfers. We took a quick Taste of Cayman excursion to a distillery, rum cake outlet, and brewery. Nice, quick excursion to get off the ship and pickup rum cakes.
The port is fine once you find your way through the maze of shops right at the port on your way out of town. We booked an excursion through an independent vendor. We went on a discover SCUBA trip. The local dive shop, Gypseadivers, was amazing. We would go back to Costa Maya just for that!
We did the self-assist walk off disembarkation. Even though we had a priority elevator from the Haven, there weren't that many people in line at customs anyway. Quick and efficient.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
