The pluses on Escape, for us were the quality of the food and the many food and bar options. We loved the brewery, Brazilian steak house, mojito bar, Margaritaville, the waterfront area, the outdoor dining seating areas. We also loved the bump-out balcony which gave us a lot of extra viewing area. Bermuda is beautiful, but expensive, so it was nice to have our floating hotel to go back to for rest and food. The minuses on Escape, for us, were largely aspects that we compared to RC Anthem, the only other mega-ship we have sailed on. Unlike the Anthem, Escape felt very crowded all the time. There were too many bars/music and game venues plopped in the middle of the traffic areas and the pools were way too small. The Solarium on RC Anthem simply blows Escape away. If you want a real adult area with pool, hot tubs, bar and restaurant and no kids, the Anthem cannot be beat. On Escape, smoking is permitted in the casino, which takes up almost the entire core of the ship. Because the casino is open to the other floors, the second-hand smoke was a huge problem for someone like me who has asthma. For this reason alone I would probably not go on this ship again.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
It was good, but we got their early and were given a high group number, meaning we were some of the last people allowed to board. Others who arrived way after us were on board long before we were, and they were able to books shows that were then sold out by the time we got on.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
All the food on this ship was wonderful! Breads and baked goods were excellent. Buffet was a little lacking in variety but the quality was very good.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Everything felt very crowded on this ship. We did mini golf, which had no real theme (could have been much more creative) and a few water slides. There wasn't really much else to do. Pools were way too small for the number of people on this ship. The grotto in H2O was ok, but not a place you could stay in for long. There was no policing of the adult-only areas (H20, hot tubs), so there were always kids and noise where there should not have been. And very entitled parents who felt their kids should be the exception to the rule.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
The Choir of Man was excellent! After Midnight was very good, but not really our taste in music. The piano player in the brewery was awful; could not hit a clear note. Dueling pianos was very entertaining, but more of a comedy show than a serious musical performance. Comedians were just ok, not that funny. The magician was no so great.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Service was good overall, but not exceptional. We had an issue at the French restaurant when my husband wore shorts and we were made to sit in the outside dining area. This was fine with us, except for the excessive smoke from the casino. But then they allowed 2 other people with shorts on to dine inside. One man with a bandage on his ankle (we were told this qualified as a "handicap") and another who was a boy around 12 (were were told the dress code did not apply to children). The matre'd did make good and comp our food and gave us a free meal the following night, including a bottle of wine.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
The ship design was just ok. We really liked RC Anthem much better because the center core with all the shops really felt like a main street. The core of Escape felt very chopped up and there were bars in the center of things where too many people would congregate and block traffic. The waterfront area was really nice and peaceful, as was the adults area up on deck 18. Liked the outdoor showers there. We also loved the outdoor seating at the restaurants. The ship was very clean, except for our balcony, which had long black hairs all over it.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The cabin was nice, with ample room for all our belongings. The carpet seemed worn, which was surprising for a ship only 4 years old. Wish they would put vinyl floors in like some hotels are now doing. We had a bumped out balcony, which was awesome! No extra cost but worth booking if you can. But, be advised, the floor plan showed that our bed would be by the sliding balcony doors; it was not.
Ship tip
Book specialty restaurants! They were excellent, especially the Brazilian Steak House. There is an adults area on, I believe, deck 18. We did not know about it until our last day on the ship. It was very clean and uncrowded. Don't be afraid to leave from NYC. We parked in a garage several blocks away and they dropped us off in our own car. When we got back you could call them to pick you up, but we just walked. It was very easy since the ship was departing on a weekend. Make sure you are outside when leaving NYC; the views are spectacular!
The scenery was amazing and you get a view of NYC that you will never get anywhere else. It was thrilling to have all of Manhattan sliding by our balcony.
Love, loved, loved this port! Clean, historic and many things to do right there for both kids and adults. The free NCL water shuttle to St. Charles was fast and a great perk. We rented scooters and went to a nature preserve at the far end of the island. Had the most beautiful beaches almost to ourselves on a day when there were two big ships in port. Absolutely spectacular! A word of caution: we are experienced motorcyclists and brought our own helmets for safety. I would hesitate to rent a scooter if you have never ridden before. The traffic is crazy and it could be a bit scary. They have these cute electric two-seater cars that you can rent, which is a safer option for non-moto people.
We did self-disembarkation, and were off the ship in half an hour. Unlike on RC where you had to sit in a designated area until your color was called, on Escape were were able to choose a time slot of our choice the day before, and got off right on time.
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