Overall, we enjoyed the cruise (it's difficult to complain about a cruise)... you drink all day, eat until you hate yourself, and relax. This was our first trip traveling with an infant, which was surprisingly easier than we expected. Cruising isn't quite what it used to be and these days you really feel like you're being milked for every penny, though NCL does a great job with all the free benefits. We were able to get free dining for 3 specialty restaurants, $50 off shore excursions, $150 on board credit, 250-minute internet package (not worth paying for), and gratuities paid for. The best part was the free drink package. There were no limitations and the selection was fantastic. It seemed like almost everyone had similar deals to us, which I was really impressed with. Traveling with other cruise lines and receiving similar benefits would probably end up costing you the price of an additional room on board. Again, the food was fantastic and the staff were extremely friendly. Although NCL is not my first choice for a cruise line, it did have one of the best prices and free deals available.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Everything went smoothly. They collected our luggage, we received our cruise cards, and after a short while, were able to embark.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The food was excellent. There was a huge variety and with the dining package, which was included with our booking, we were able to enjoy 3 specialty restaurants. We chose Moderno Churrascaria, Bayamo, and La Cucina. Bayamo was definitely our favorite, though that might be because my wife and I really enjoy seafood. The buffets were fantastic -- probably the largest selection of any cruise line. The dining rooms were alright, but felt confined. We preferred our dining experiences on Royal Caribbean where the seating felt more quiet and intimate and the food quality seemed better.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
It seemed like the onboard activities were considerably less than I remember... or maybe compared to other cruise lines. The most disappointing factor would probably be the pools and jacuzzi. There were only 2 pools on board, which were small and filled with cold water, which wouldn't bother me, had I not been traveling with a child. An inside pool would have been a nice option, though that was designated for spa members only. In addition, the jacuzzis were designated as adult only, though there were always children swimming in them (probably because the pools were so cold).
Entertainment
We were traveling with an infant so we didn't really get to enjoy much of the late night entertainment. My wife and I did go to the GLOW party (I believe that's what it was called). That was really incredible and enjoyable for everyone.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
The staff were always friendly and helpful, though we ran into an issue with room service. Because we were traveling with an infant, we requested to have boiled water brought to our room (for the baby's formula) after they refused to provide us with a teapot in the room. We were given permission to bring water on board, though they insisted that it wouldn't be necessary. Numerous times we received a kettle filled with water that smelled of burned coffee. It was obvious that the pots weren't cleaned thoroughly and were being used to brew coffee. One day, we even received water with black objects floating in the water. We filed a complaint with the head of room service, who reassured us that we would receive new hot water immediately. After several phone calls and complaints, and waiting for over an hour, we never did receive that water. We finally gave up and waited for the buffet to open to get some hot water from the dispenser.
On another note, our cabin steward never made a towel animal for us. Nostalgia ruined.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The ship was very easy to navigate and the crew did an excellent job of keeping the facilities clean. The only design flaw that I could recall was the elevators often being crowded. It often seemed like there weren't enough elevators. This was particularly troublesome because our daughter was in a stroller.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a balcony room with a large bathroom (probably the largest bathroom I've ever had on a cruise). The room was comfortable , clean, and there was plenty of closet space. I can't recall when cruise lines stopped doing it, but the lack of life jackets in the room allow for considerably more space.
Ship tip
It didn't really affect us much, though many people complained about booking tickets to shows being impossible after boarding. Book online before you board the ship.
There aren't a terrible amount of things to do in the port besides shop and go to the private beach. There are a number of excursions available through NCL or private companies as soon as you get off the ship. My wife and I had been here before, and due to the fact that we were traveling with an infant, decided to stay on board for most of our stay.
Thanks for sharing. One of our favorite ships is the ESCAPE and one of our favorite, if not THE favorite, destinations is BERMUDA. Now that they have combined these two.....this will be a perfect cruise for us.
I sailed Escape the week after you. I enjoyed my experience too. It was pretty crowded due to summer school break I guess. NCL dropped towel animals and ice buckets citing environmental consciousness, but I just asked my room steward to make me one, which I displayed all week. It wasn’t a problem. Sailing out of NYC is pretty cool- ship docked beside sky scrapers and sailing past them and the Statue of Liberty.
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