Norwegian Escape Cruise Reviews - Reviews

I find it interesting that people write negatives about the dining on the Escape because you  don't sit with strangers at certain dining hours. I love Freestyle, you can go early or late. The Specialty Restaurants are great. Cagneys is a top notch steak house. We ate there 3 times during the week. All of the others were equally good. It is well worth the dining package.

The ship holds 4000 people, but we never felt cramped. On 2 occasions I was the only person in the pool! The entertainment is top notch, as is the casino.

Have gone many time and will definitely stick with NCL.

Wish they would skip Nassau as a port. It is dirty and the people are not overly friendly. You walk on crumbling sidewalks and the cars practically run you down. The "straw market" is indoors with the sellers all hasseling you to look at their stuff.

Would it be possible to make a 11:30 AM flight out of Miami International the morning we arrive back at port on the NCL ESCAPE ? Just wondering before I book my flights, ALSO do you prefer Miami or Fort Lauderdale airports to fly in and out of,We will be arriving the day before the cruise but needing to leave the day we arrive back from cruise

Alot of changes that are not customary to NCL. All menus were the same staff was very unorganized and slow.   ship was very unstable compared to the Getaway  common areas need enlargd to accommodate the increased number of people  

This was my first and last Norwegian cruise. Like most of the reviews I found that the service was poor, food quality was poor, and public spaces were inadequate. The ship seemed understaffed and the staff was very unfriendly. It seemed that the rooms were never made up before 1pm or 2pm and the turn down was never done before 8pm or 9pm. The food was very poor, everyone felt sick after eating the whole week. The pool areas were too small for the amount of people on board. The areas used for holding parties and game shows were too small for the amount of people. The shows on board were somewhat okay, the after midnight show was awful and I do not recommend, The Million Dollar Quartet and The Brat pack shows were great. There were just too many disappointments list, as mentioned I will never book another Norwegian cruise based on this experience, they have along way to go to compete with other cruise lines. I would highly recommend checking out Royal Caribbean when looking for cruise vacation.  

This was my first cruise, and after the trip I'd say it didn't live up to the hype.  Other than the ship being new and beautiful I wasn't impressed with the service, food, or availability of entertainment.

Ship:

The ship itself is pretty amazing.  Everything is shiny and new and is top notch on style and quality.  Bathrooms were pretty small in terms of how many people could use them at once (leading to waiting or heading back to the room) and placement wasn't always ideal (sometimes a far walk to find one).  Most things are relatively easy to find but there were a few that you had to walk around before finding.

Pool:

Pool was always packed and finding a chair took some time.  There was always music or activities at the pool which made things interesting and fun.  Pool bars are always packed so head to the bar prior to finishing your drink.  Supposedly they put pool towels in your room but we never had any, had to check towels in/out every day which was slightly annoying.

Room:

Had an interior stateroom and it was nice.  The bed took up pretty much all the room, but being in bed is 95% of the time spent in the room.  Bathroom was adequate and shower had great water pressure.  We didn't get any towel animals in our room until we asked about it on day 5.  Seems trivial but what's the deal?

Dining:

The buffet was always packed (like everything else) and sometimes it took two trips around the room to find an adequate table.  Selection was good but food was nothing special, typical buffet style food.  There was a seafood night the second night which we had no idea about until after it was over.  Would have loved to enjoyed the seafood buffet and was highly upset it was better posted or announced.

the main dining rooms were very nice, but the service was poor.  Always waiting extended times for drink, placing orders, and even bread/butter.  On one day we waiting about 15-20 minutes for our waiter just to place a drink order (gave us water and disappeared).  Menu was decent but the "special" every day was some form of steak.  would have loved to see more seafood options on the menu.  I was told from others that cruised before that things like lobster were offered as part of the dining experience, but this was extra.  $20 isn't a horrible price for 1 and a half pounds of lobster, but it isn't great either.  Portions were small so had to order multiple items to get a good fill.

Drinks:

Drink were well mixed most of the time, I recommend finding a bartender that makes drinks to your liking and sticking with that guy/girl.  The pourhouse was very nice and had a great selection of beers, even got to watch some football while on board here!  Places like the wine bar and mojito bar aren't included in the drink package, and also don't honor the price minus $15 as stated in the drink package.  I believe the mojito bar was 20% off the price if you have the drink package, so expect to pay $10 or so for a mojito.

Shows:

The shows in the atrium were excellent.  They were very entertaining and funny, but good luck getting a seat.  We showed up an hour early to the show we wanted to see and couldn't get a seat.  Caught one of the comedy shows and it was funny.  The duelling piano bar is a lot of fun, but you hear the same songs being played night after night.  The piano team were great entertainment though.

Excursions:

We booked an shopping and beach excursion for St. Thomas and stood outside the ship for an hour before finding out the beach was closed and excursion cancelled.  You don't get that much time in port, so this sucked.  Ended up booking the Kon Tiki party boat which was a lot of fun, but alcohol is extra!  Took this to honeymoon beach which was so pretty, an hour or so there just wasn't enough.

Dolphin experience in Tortola was amazing.  Had a great time and they were extremely helpful with planning a proposal to my now fiance.  Even without this it was a blast and highly recommended.

Nassau was okay, wasn't too impressed.  Rented a scooter to cruise around the island which was nice so we could see what we wanted and stop where we wanted.

Staff:

Overall okay.  They don't go out of their way to make your trip extra enjoyable.  As mentioned in the dining rooms service is not great.  Bartenders are attentive for the amount of drinks they serve but don't expect extra hospitality.  Pool and main areas have 1 or 2 waiters walking around at a given time.  Only one seemed good (nannete who server the pool and atrium) and she was great!  If they were all that good it would have been a better experience.

Final thoughts:

As the title says, good but not great.  Since this was my first cruise I don't have a lot to compare to, but from the other experienced cruisers I know this cruise fell short.

We enjoyed the great food onboard and other activities such as water slides, put-put golf etc. Kids enjoyed the Splash Academy and that made us enjoy our time on the cruise.

Group of 15 with the following demographic: 28-45 Years of Age Multiple Ethnicities  Straight & Gay

Let's start with the positive, the ship is beautiful with all details accounted for down to the salt and pepper shakers at the restaurants.  Also, the water slides where very nice and lots of fun when they were open.  The adventure course was pretty cool too.

Night Life: THERE IS NOT ONE INDOOR CLUB!  They have an open sun deck in the back of the ship that is only open weather permitting.  It's windy and interesting the first night but you get over it pretty quickly.  Then there's the Skyline...the second in line "club wise".  Fully open smack next to the casino...feels like part of the casino.  The bartenders were literally ALL very rude and just not happy to be there.  There was only one bartender that is usually in the pool bar and would go to the Skyline to back up that was super nice and full of energy.  He was always happy, dancing, and made excellent drinks.  His name is Clarense Bennett from Honduras and the only one that would always wear a straw hat.  Then the worst part, since the Skyline is so open, the teenagers would constantly crash the half ass party (we did the best we could with the so so music).  All of them in mass groups doing the nae nae and cupid shuffle amidst the drunken old men.  Super inappropriate and unsupervised.  Many times my drinks would disappear and while I thought the bartender was just cleaning the bar too fast, I saw one of the young ones with sheer talent stealing one of my friends drink...pure stealth.  Only the last night after a complaint did the security guard go in and kick them out.

The Service:  For some reason the person in charge of my stateroom was all attitude with mediocre cleaning.  I called daily for proper cleaning and one day the guy gave me his schedule and basically insinuated with his tone he would come and make up the room as a favor.  The housekeeping manager was very nice and the last couple of days everything was up to par.  The couple a few doors down with a different person had a good experience and I haven't asked the rest of the group so maybe it was just mine.

The Spa: It was nice...nice but after sailing in the NCL EPIC, I was expecting the same or more.  The pool was smaller and the overall set up was not as impressive.  The snow room was super cool, that was my best memory from the space.  The attendants in the front can use a training on proper "spa" service...again, the ladies at the EPIC were also very nice and professional.

The Gym: You have everything you need but very tight..although the ship is bigger, the gym is smaller than the one in the EPIC.  The view from the cardio area, very nice as usual.  Brace yourself to bump sweaty arms in the weights area.

The Restaurants: The only 2 restaurants that I can say were excellent and worth the expense were Food Republic and Le Bistro in second place.  The rest were OK, noting to die for.

The H2O Sundeck Area: Light and low low music...good place to get sun while taking a nap.

The Main Pool Area: I like my pool area with a DJ and drinks.  Most of the time there was a live singer with unbrushed hair.  I consider the pool to be small for the size of the ship and there are not enough Jacuzzis.  Speaking of jacuzzis, full of children all day.  Packs of 10 snorkeling under the bubbles....for hours.  Children EVERYWHERE except their kiddie area.  Thank goodness for the area upstairs that's enclosed.  I don't remember the name but you have to pay extra to be allowed in and it's adults only.  I recommend the drink Pain Killer!

In conclusion, if you're looking for a fun lively ship with a night life and modern music, this is not it.  This ship is meant to relax, gain 10 pounds (all you can do is eat) and play bingo.  I kissed the floor when I finally got off the ship (so was my entire group).  After this experience I don't want to think of a cruise but when I do, my eyes are shifting over to another line...my heart can't bear another ESCAPE experience.  

Let me start with my only negative "constructive" comment.  The Internet is BAD.  Do not take free internet if offered as part of a choice of amenities.  Take any other choice.

OK - Food is best of BIG ships.  Go to the Food Republic - simply outstanding.  Far better than a similar concept on Celebrity ships called "Qzine".  Food in the "included" restaurants is very good for this class and size of ship.  Public spaces are great - brand new ship and water slides are amazing.  Norwegian continues with theme of having both inside and outside seating in their specialty restaurants.  And - if you can afford to stay in "The Haven" - GO FOR IT" - best suite service for big ships.

I spent the entire week on board the brand new Escape for our National Conference. The ship is beautiful and I can say that Norwegian has hit another home run with a great product!  The only major issue that I had was Wifi.  I bought the unlimited package and it rarely worked.  They were aware of this issue and I am sure that they are taking steps to resolve it.  

After two cruises on the Getaway we expected this ship to be as good or better. It was a number of things that contribute to the low rating. To start the luggage took over six hours to be delivered to our room, the food at the buffet was very average throughout the entire trip and not what you would expect from NCL, the entertainment just average as well. Headliners was good, the band in the 5 o'clock somewhere bar had no business being allowed to perform and the Million Dollar Quartet was cancelled.  We were bumped from food reservations 4 times and reassigned 3 shows due to special functions that NCL chose to accommodated a large group of travel agents at the expense of the other guests. I personally had never heard anyone say they couldn't wait for the cruise to be over until this cruise. I really hope NCL realizes what a disappointment the Escape is and fixes the issues.     

dissapointed with this ship, very disorganized,  lack of public rooms,  terrible theater,  had black walls and not decoration at all.   but needed to be used during popular programs and wasn't,  instead we were crowded into the atrium with lack of seating .    Buffet was better than most with plenty of tables,   Lack of information given on daily planner and many good programs that we were not told about at all.

I had the pleasure of going on the NCL Escape Inaugural cruise on November 9th, 2015.

The live entertainment was great!  If you go, make sure you see the Million Dollar Quartet!   The cast had so much talent, and it's one of the best shows I've seen.

I also went to the For the Record:  The Brat Pack, Live at the Supper Club.  The entertainment was great, but the food at The Supper Club left a lot to be desired.  Let's just say, the food at The Supper Club didn't match up with the great entertainment.  The food was very dry and not a lot of flavor -- and it was Seafood!  Not fun eating dry Seafood.

The activities on board were a lot of fun, from the Obstacle Ropes course to the water slides / water park - tons of fun.  They also have a bowling alley and miniature golf.  There is plenty to do on this ship for the entire family!!!

The bathroom in the balcony room I stayed in was nice and large.  Definitely more spacious than a few other cruise lines I have been on.  It was nice to be able to not just take your shower, but you had more than enough room in the bathroom to actually get ready for the evening without feeling too cramped.  The shower was nice and large, there was a long counter next to the sink - where you can spread out your toiletries.  The beds, sheets, pillows, comforter - were heaven to sleep on!

This ship is incredibly huge!  I wasn't able to make it around the entire ship (I kept getting lost or sidetracked with something else I wanted to check out.)

All in all, I think this is a great ship, great entertainment, plenty to do --  the only downfall was the food, in my opinion.  The food is the reason I took off one star.

Lastly, I just wanted to throw in that NCL did an outstanding job with their Christening Ceremony, where Pitbull performed for the guests!!

Beautiful new ship and fun to explore. Crew very well trained for being new and extremely kind and helpful. Food in complimentary restaurants was great . On board entertainment was superior. Really enjoyed it.

I was recently on the NCL ESCAPE - THIS SHIP IS AMAZING. The food was great especially the seafood extravaganza. The shows were also a hit. The slides are definitely better than the Getaway. Embarkation needs to be a little better but for the first cruise iit was to be expected

This ship is everything you could want in a cruise ship.  The ship is very large without making you feel you are on a large ship, the way the ship is laid out you have everything you need on a few easily accessible decks.  The restaurants that are included in your price are plentiful and the menu changes enough that you won't get tired of the food, and I can only speak about one of the specialty restaurants which was Teppanyaki and the food, service, and show were awe inspiring. This ship has so many things to do that no one could ever be bored for even one second.  There are too many things to mention such as the ropes course, mini golf, water park with some of the best water slides at sea, they had many open decks to worship the almighty sun and get that make you friends back home jealous tan.  The gym and the spa were beautiful with many different machines to pump you up in the gym and to relax your soul in the spa including a first at sea Snow Room with there is real snow falling. Making reservations for the Broadway shows, comedy club, or the restaurants was a breeze with the touch screen access points all over the ship allowing you to customize your vacation any way you want with the NCL famous Freestyle cruising experience.  There is much more I could say about this ship but all in all it is going to be a ship that all other cruise lines will strive to come close to and most won't be able to.  Do yourself a favor and book this cruise ship for your next family cruise because there is something for everyone and your family will thank you.

The Norwegian Escape is a beautiful ship!  This is a great ship for anyone looking to travel on one of the top 5 largest cruise ships, whether you're traveling as a couple, with family or friends, or even looking to get away by yourself.  

The Escape offers a great array of food options.  The complimentary dining in the Manhattan room was wonderful!  The ship also offers complimentary dining in both Taste and Savor which offer the same menu at the Manhattan.  If you are looking for a more upscale dining experience, Norwegian brought back many of their favorites, such as Cagney's Steakhouse, Le Bistro, Teppanyaki, La Cucina, and Moderno.  They have also introduced several new restaurants on this ship such as Bayamo by Jose Garces. Food Republic, and Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville at Sea to name a few.  I was able to have lunch at Margaritaville and they offered a great array of seafood, sandwiches, burgers, and salads.

The Mandara Spa onboard the Escape is one of the largest I've seen on any ship and offers some very unique spa experiences such as their Snow Room & Salt Room experiences.  The Hydrotherapy Courtyard on this ship is a great place to spend your time on this ship if you are looking to relax and pamper yourself.  Daily and Cruise passes are available to purchase (check with the spa for pricing) and gives you access to the Thermal Suite and Hydroptherapy pool.  The courtyard also has heated tile loungers positioned with a perfect view of the ocean to relax on.

If you're looking for a more active experience on the ship, you'll want to visit Deck 16 where you can experience the Aqua Park which offers side-by-side Free Fall slides, the fastest waterslides at sea.  Grab an inner tube and race through the twists and turns of their many waterslides onboard the ship.  If you want to challenge yourself then head up to decks 18 and 19 where you must try the three story high ropes course which includes 3 ziplines and gives you the opportunity to walk the plank which extends 8 feet over the side of the ship!  The Sports Complex also has a full sized basketball court, 9-hole mini golf course and bocce ball.

The Entertainment on board the ship is also great!  The Million Dollar Quartet is one show you won't want to miss.  It's 1 1/2 hours long so make reservations for the early show if think you'll have trouble staying awake for the late show.  The comedy show at the Headliners Comedy Club was also great!  The Escape has also introduced their all-new Supper Club cabaret show that includes dinner ($29.95 per person cover charge).  The venue can only accommodate 150 people and reservations open up 120 prior to sailing so don't wait to book this if you want to see it!

The Escape offers a wider variety of staterooms to choose from on the ship.  This ship does offer their studio staterooms which are designed for solo travelers.  I thought the lighting in these rooms was really fun!  Most of the furnishing in these rooms are all white and the lighting can be changed from blue to red to green, and so on.  Fun!  The bathrooms in all of the cabins are nice.  I liked the fact that the shower has a glass door (frosted for privacy) and does provide room to move around.  The one thing I didn't like is that the rooms are designed to be energy efficient.  In order for the lights and power to work in your room, you have to insert your card into a slot when you enter your cabin.  If you leave your cabin and want to leave something to charge, such as your phone or other electronics, then it won't charge unless you leave a card in the slot.

There are so many other things this ship offers that I wasn't able to touch on, but highly recommend it to everyone looking to escape on a wonderful cruise vacation! 

It was my 4th trip on NCL cruise lines!The breakaway plus type of ship had some really neat features and a brewery room with countless beers on tap,new jacuzzis and water slides and also a margaritaville on board .It was very similar to the Breakaway and Getaway ships but I do enjoy these bigger ships more than I do the small ships !Just a lot more of everything plus some.Highly recommend doing a few nights specialty restarants as the free sit down dinner is OK but can't complain when it's free :) Staff was very friendly and will do NCL many more times !! 

Overall this was a great ship! I loved the layout and the food in the Manhattan room was wonderful! If you get the chance to eat at the Teppanyaki I would definitely recommend an earlier reservation as the full experience takes around 2 hours, and be sure to order the Lychee Martini! Also, one of the best places to sun on the ship is forward on deck 18 right above the bridge - great views and barely anyone there!

This was my first experience on NCL.  I found the ship itself to be very elegant in it's decor.  We had an interior cabin and found the space to be small, but with a warm feel to the room.  There were no outlets in the bathroom, also the outlets by the vanity did not accommodate my blow dryer.  We did bring along a power strip which I highly recommend so multiple batteries can be charged at one time.  We also brought along a hotel key card as the lights in the room are activated by a key card being in the slot inside the stateroom.  This way we could charge our electronics without leaving our room key when we left the room.  I would highly recommend making dinner reservations each night as this will expedite your experience.  If you have not done this prior to the cruise you can do it on the TV in your stateroom or with the dinning desk.  Loved the H20 Spice area for adults as well as the other sports deck activities.   The tube water slides where you ride on a tube were the best.  The guys in Howl at the Moon really interacted with the guests and had everyone engaged.  If you go see Million Dollar Quartet do not leave until the house lights come on, everyone thought the show was over and started leaving before the finally.  We enjoyed an evening drink at the 5 O'clock somewhere bar which was located outside and had some comfy chairs to sit in.

The Norwegian Escape was beautiful. The best part of the cruise was the service and food.The buffet for lunch had lobster, crab legs, oysters and type of seafood you wanted and it was fresh. Manhattan dining room service was great and the food was outstanding! I would recommend this ship to everyone, singles, couples and families.

Rooms were a little smaller then Norwegian Breakaway, but they made it up with the balcony.

And not having a set time for dinner is perfect and never waited long at all.