Great Cruise

Item: Norwegian Escape
Rating: 4.5
Author: JoeDoc359

Norwegian Escape Cruise Review

JoeDoc359

Contributor Level: Second Mate

129 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Reviews: 5

Helpful Votes: 112

Overall rating:

4.5 out of 5

7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip)

Sail date: June 11, 2023

Ship: Norwegian Escape

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 15154

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 11 months ago

Review summary

My wife and I took this cruise to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We had a great time on a great ship.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

We had a fairly late flight from Philadelphia to Fort Lauderdale on the day of the cruise. It was my own fault as I know better than to fly in the day of embarkation. Anyway, we landed in FLL a little after 1pm. There was a storm at the airport, and we waited over one hour for the baggage operation to resume. We finally got our bags, and the NCL shuttle took us and about 30 others to the ship. I was thankful I took advantage of the NCL air promo. None of this was their fault. By the time we got to the ship, almost everyone else was already aboard. The terminal was empty, and we breezed right though and onto the ship. I've boarded late for my last two cruises, and I have to say boarding late is way less stressful than dealing with the crowds in the morning.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

I'm not a foodie. I liked the food they served and found the service pretty good. There were a few instances where I wished service was faster, but in general, I was pleased. There were plenty of options to choose from in the buffet

American Diner

5 out of 5

This was my breakfast and coffee spot each morning. They serve a basic menu of eggs, sausage, bacon, cereal, and pastries. It does not open until 0900.What I would do is get food in the buffet and bring my plate up to the American Diner. It was pretty empty before 0900 every day. If I ate after 0900,I would just get my meal there.It is a great place to enjoy breakfast with great views and away from the congestion of the buffet.I never ate there other than breakfast.

Bayamo by Ocean Blue

5 out of 5

I don't enjoy seafood, but my wife does, so I used one of my two dining package meals here. The service was fantastic. I tried the crab cake as an appetizer and liked it. My wife confirmed it was a good tasting crab cake. I could not go full send on Seafood, so I got the steak for my main course. It was awesome and cooked to perfection.She had a great meal and experience as well. We were both very full after a tasty desert, too.I've never been to this restaurant on previous cruises, but I am glad I went on this cruise.

La Cucina

5 out of 5

I love Italian food and this place did not disappoint. The food was excellent with service to match. I had a lasagna appetizer and herb crusted chicken as the main course. Everything was great. Throw in a desert, and you will not be disappointed.

Tobacco Road Liquor Bar

5 out of 5

My favorite Maltings bartender from a cruise on the Breakaway was in Tabacco Road on this cruise. Ricardo is his name, and he is the best. I've found on most cruises, my favorite bartender is the one in the Whiskey Bar. 😄

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

I had a Vibe pass, so I didn't spend much time at the main pool. The Waterslides were fun. I never got around to the ropes course, but I've done it on a previous Escape cruise. It is really fun.

Vibe Beach Club

5 out of 5

This was my first cruise with a Vibe pass. It was worth the extra cost. The area is up high in the bow of the ship and well away from the chaos of the pool deck.There were plenty of lounge chairs and umbrellas, a hot tub, sun beds, an area with four lounges under misting heads, a shower for cooling off, restrooms, and a bar.The staff were great. They greeted us on entry and brought towels to us, and set up the umbrella. Then they would arrive with a pitcher of ice water. They would take a drink order, and he back quickly.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

I thought Choir of Man was great. The Uptown Boys were OK, but not great. The cruise director, Jack Gow, was the best cruise director I've ever had. He was always on 100%. I'd see him everywhere, even if there were no events in the area. While in line for Guest Services, I saw him going through lost and found to help a guest find a lost phone.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

I had a great experience with the service and staff. They work hard, but they always take the time to say hello. They appeared happy, and I think that reflected in their performance.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

I found the ship to be very clean. Keeping a vessel that spends all is time at sea is a big task. It appears that they are keeping up with maintenance. I like the design and layout of the Breakaway Plus Class.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

I liked my cabin. I did not like that it was under the ping point table on Deck 16. That's on me, I made a Rookie mistake of not looking at what was above me before booking. I wanted a Spa Balcony, which meant Deck 15, so I figured that any Deck 15 cabin would have to deal with the noise from Deck 16.

Ship tip

Get a cabin on Deck 9, 10, or 11 if you want to be close to the action of 678 Place.

Thumbs up

Disembarkation

3 out of 5

Disembarking went well until outside of the terminal. We waited until the last group to disembark. I figured the crowds would be gone, but I was wrong. But, the line moved quickly, so it wasn't a problem. Outside the terminal was chaos. The area wasn't very efficient for receiving and disembarking passengers at the same time. The Taxi/Uber/Lift area was very congested with passengers and vehicles. .

Traveler Photos

8 Comments

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