I couldn't ESCAPE the ESCAPE fast enough NO more NCL
Norwegian Escape Cruise Review to Caribbean - Eastern
7 Night Eastern Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip)
Sail date: July 02, 2023
Ship: Norwegian Escape
Cabin type: Balcony
Cabin number: 8154
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 11 months ago
Review summary
Truly one of the worst cruises I have ever been on, I have been on 18-20 cruises over the last 25 years and have sailed on multiple cruise lines and NCL used to be my favorite.....but COVID and Corporate greed have changed everything about this cruise line. EVERYTHING, and I mean everything was lesser or scaled back. Start with embarkation, you have a time, get to the terminal and at 1130 in the morning all of previous passengers are still standing around waiting for buses to get out of there. After that confusion, still 1 HR to get onboard this ship. And that was the good part of the cruise. OVERcrowded, never could get an elevator on board, Room stewards now only come once a day, well mine didnt even come once a day, had to call to get towels a couple of days. No water pressure and scalding hot water only, could not even rinse mouth from brushing teeth for fear or burns. Reported it once and never responded to at all. No turndown, no animals, no ice, no nothing. Dining rooms served room tempature to cold food EVERY night, I understand you get a bad meal here or there but not on this ship. Everything tasted and seemed like it was made hours before. Buffet as an option??? No way, cold hamburgers and hot dogs and the same dry piece of meat at the carving station for a whole week No Variety at all. As for the bar wait staff.....forgeddddabout it. You have to get your own drinks this whole cruise, they charge me $200 per person bar staff gratuities for the drink package and come to find out I am the bar staff. Where's my $200 back NCL. Now lets address their Fun Island Stirrup Cay. Ok its JULY in the Caribbean and its 90 degress with 80% humidity and Norwegian Cruise Line doesnt even have enough chairs or shade for the passengers on THEIR ship. Absolutely unforgiveable. Disembarkation was just as bad and if you booked your AIR thru them you know you have a problem. Absolutely bottom of the barrel last minute flights, 2 of our traveling party got home at 5am because all they book is the cheap 8pm flights out of Fort Lauderdale so if you have any delays your are going to sleep overnight in the airport. After contacting my rep for NCL they didnt even really apologize let alone offer any compensation or future vouchers or what have you. I am going elsewhere, it has to be better.Embarkation
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Teppanyaki
Cooks were great, a lot of fun, worth the price.
O'Sheehan's Bar and Grill
Fantastic food and service here, best venue on the ship for food
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship tip
Way to big and busy for the amount of employees
Ports of call
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Great Stirrup Cay (Cruise Line Private Island), Bahamas