Norwegian Escape Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Here are the things which I really liked about cruising with NCL:

1) I found the staff very friendly and helpful

2) The free beverage package is actually FREE--on Celebrity we were limited to 6 drinks per person.  You just can't beat this deal.  I am not even certain how they make money on this program because you call any drink under $15 and it is included. 

3) I enjoyed the dinners at Manhatten. It is nice atmosphere and comes off like fine dining with white table clothes and entertainment.  I thought the food quality and service were very good as well.  The other two choices, Taste and Savor,  I for reason didn't enjoy as much. I guess the food is the same, but it was just more enjoyable at Manhatten. 

4) Speciality dining --Tapanyaki was outstanding.  You get a ton of food for the money.  The chefs were all really good show men and the food was high quality.  The steakhouse I also enjoyed.  The food was really good and we had very good service.  The french restaurant I would skip and here is why: A) the food took a long time to come out B) the bread was marginal (something I think a french restaurant should be good at)  C) the servers were very nice, but they lacked the professionalism of fine dining.  My wine glass went empty for a long time and when it was finally served, the waiter said "and here is your Sauvignon Blank"  D) the food itself wasn't worth the money extra paid for 

5) I enjoyed the breakfast selections, but lunch was another story.  I found it surprising that they did not offer rice everyday (given the Asian travelers). I also would have enjoyed a better all around selection at lunch time.  We ended up eating at Taste or Savor which has the same lunch menu all week long. 

6) the blow dryers...although balcony staterooms do not have robes.  I had to ask my steward to get me one. 

7) the showers seem a tad bit larger then other ships. 

All in all, I enjoyed NCL.  We had a so so experience on the Epic a couple of years ago, but they seem to have worked out the issues.  Celebrity is still my favorite because the staterooms are nicer, the food is slightly better, they have afternoon sushi, and the other guests are my demographic (mid aged, couples, experienced cruisers).   The other reason I like Celebrity is the layout of the ship.  The Escape is very cut up and has many dead ends.  The walking track is joke--it is a very small circle and it is on the main deck for sunbathing, which means by 9:30am, it is impassable for anyone to get through. Deck 8 was the hidden gem on Escape.  It has bars and cafes with outside seating and was never crowded. 

too many people at pools, walking path too crowded, took 4 trys to get error on bill taken off

Really enjoyed this ship.  I am an avid cruiser and love the new ship! State of the art amenities but pricey to use the spa.  I recommend this cruise to anyone.  Must try Food Republic specialty restaurant.  Food was amazing.  The staff is also wonderful!

The entertainment and waterpark was really geared to younger people. All chairs on the pool decks were unavailable because towels were left on chairs to reserve even though no one was there.

The food was excellent in all resturants. The staff was friendly.

Too many people on this huge boat. I would prefer a smaller boat, less people.

We had a balcony room and it was very nicely appointed.

The food was great, the complimentary dining opportunities were great. We also had a drink package which was great but unfortunately they ran out of our preferred selections of beer on Wednesday and Thursday. Not so good.

Also people grab the deck chairs very early and keep them reserved whether they are actually using or not.

Long time Royal cruiser, with some cruises on Disney and Carnival.  For the price, decided to try NCL due to their excellent reviews.  NCL does offer a lot of dining choices, but they also charge for many restaurants, some that should be free/included.  Only 2 pools for guests, which doesn't equal a lot of pool space for a full boat, on 3 sea days.  Some shows were good, some not, to each their own.  Rooms were nice, just not as big as Royal.  Restaurant service Fair, but not as attentive as someone truly earning their gratuity as on other ships.  Short beds.  Over 6', expect to hang off the end.  Would choose NCL again, but not as our first choice.     

The staff and the food was terrific.  We booked this cruise because we wanted to experience a Norwegian megaship.  We have been on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and thoroughly enjoyed it so we wanted to see what the Norwegian Escape was like.  The escape has about the same amount of public space as the Jade but has an additional 2,000 people so everything was overcrowded.  There was a wait time for the dining room.  You could not get near the pool area and the activities such as the Newlywed Game, usually held in the theater, were held in the Atrium which was so crowded that you couldn't enjoy them.  It was standing room only unless you went at least a half hour early to get a seat and wait.  The theater was very small and reservations were required otherwise you couldn't get in.  We had a good time because we had a suite and could spend time on the balcony.  We thoroughly enjoyed the specialty restaurants with seating outside on the boardwalk.  The casino is very spacious located on deck 8 and very open.  That was one area that did not have lines.  We are not gamblers and did not like the smell of smoke that permeated to several other floors.

We had a great trip. Food was good but I was bummed that all of the seafood cost extra. Service was ok; it seemed we either had great service or terrible service. Our room was nice and our room steward was awesome and got us anything we needed whether an extra blanket or towels. The shows were great and so were the extra games that the staff put on throughout the week.

I would recommend the trip. There is a lot to do on the boat.  St. Thomas and Tortola are nice to visit. The food and drinks were very good. So was the service. But be prepared to pay for extras like the adult deck, specialty dining, room service, etc.  And don't count on getting a lounge chair on deck. 

Best weather during winter time.  We felt relaxed during this 7 day cruise.  This ship is big with so many people and the top decks were very crowded during the days. Food was okay but not as good as other Norwegian cruise we had taken.  We didn't take any ship organized shore excursions and enjoyed the free time at all three ports.

My sister and I finally took the getaway (without husbands) we had been discussing for years and let NCL entertain us. We thoroughly enjoyed our time together and the whole experience. It was the first NCL cruise for both of us, but not the first cruise for either of us.  We would both seek out NCL on a future cruise.  The food and entertainment were beyond our expectations. There were plenty of choices and the daily schedules allowed us to have our nice dinner and attend quality entertainment.  There were also a lot of ways to upgrade (spend more $$) your experience with special restaurants, casino activity, bingo, lotteries, art auctions, raffles, etc ---none of which we did, and we still had a fabulous time and never felt deprived or underserved.

We flew into Miami the day before disembarkation and stayed downtown. No issues with walking out of the hotel and catching a taxi to the port the next morning.  Once embarkation started (security lines opened) up everything went pretty smooth. We checked in via the Haven area due to our room category. The only thing we didn't like is that although we were escorted up to the terminal we were "put in a corner" for holding (for about an hour) before boarding the ship.  Once on the ship we at lunch at Margaritaville and checked out the ship.  Main pool - seemed a bit crowded for our liking most of the day.  So we would go the Haven or Thermal Spa to relax.  Thermal Spa - Amazing, enabled us to relax in the therapy pool and the various salt bath, sauna, snow and steam rooms.  Haven Area - We were always greeted by the Concierge with a smile. The restaurant was amazing, always happy staff. The Bar staff was also equally nice and personable. The only real complaint we had was the hot tub in the Haven area (top deck) it didn't circulate the water so it was like sitting in a bath tub. Also, the other two hot tubs on deck 17 the timers shut off every five minutes.  Entertainment was impeccable - The Brat Pack was our favorite show. Although we did enjoy several comedians and the Howl At the Moon (dueling pianos).  Port and Shore excursions were excellent at St Thomas and Tortola. Nassau we won't get off the ship the next time. Nassau has become way to commercialized for our liking in the past two years - e.g. $8 for a beer with 18% tax included.  We are already planning our next cruise with NCL. Thanks for an amazing time :-) 

We were delayed on our first flight due to ice. Once we arrived in ATL, I called Norwegian and was told that as long as we were at the port by 4pm, we could board. This was a lie. We were there at 345p. Therefore, we had to stay 2 nights in Miami, fly to St Thomas, and then another stay in St. Thomas before we were able to meet the ship. It is VERY costly to feed and board 8 people when you were prepared to be on a cruise ship. You know who at Norwegian cared that all of this happened to us? None of them. Once we were aboard the ship, it was beautiful with a great crew. But, we had different options had we known at 842a in ATL that we would not be allowed to board after a certain time. Definitely not impressed by NCL's customer service!!

We had a great time on this past cruise. It was an anniversary trip for myself and spouse and also with my brother and his wife. Service was excellent. Would go again.

We were looking for a relaxing way to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary and found it.  We are very familiar with the cruise and ports and wanted to revisit some of our favorite ports and got just what we were looking for.  Enjoyed the Haven and had our first experience with an Aft Facing Penthouse - well worth the money!  Quiet and a great balcony.  Service and amenities were extremely good, food choices on the Escape were at least as good (if not better) than our previous cruises.

Very good vessel

Excellent entertainment organization and activities 

Room keeper (PUTU) attitude and service was excellent

Entertainment exceeded my expectations

Very good restaurants

The Escape is too big, too crowded, amenities are the same as a small ship but yet with twice the amount of people.

Staff: they became stressed and unpleasant, I don't blame them! Will not do it again!

Activities: the Spa costs an arm and a leg, the zip line was closed, my kids could not get on (one of the main reasons I booked that ship!)

Price: everything has supplements! Everywhere you go, everything you do you have to be careful to not incur extra cost, its like walking on a mine land!

Food: could not find a piece of smoked salmon anywhere! On my last cruise, I enjoyed it so much and was looking forward to it. It's the small things...

I tried to cancel a show (($35 a person!) that my daughter booked by accident (mine land!) and it took me to speak to staff three times to get it done!

Security: my kid was able to play at the casino, he is 17!! not acceptable!

Disappointing!

We love NCL first of all. Very classy in all respects. Food is superior, cabins are always neat and clean. The crew of workers are top notch.  The beds are so comfortable.

We found a bar we loved..Tobacco Road.  The staff there were incredible.  Bartender, Henry Go is the classiest , friendliest, nicest man on the ship.  Beautiful bar!!  Our steward for our room was very good also.  Everyone is friendly.  This was one of our most enjoyable cruises.

We went for our cruise in early January 2017 and no matter what time of year, you can't predict the weather.  Unfortunately, the weather was tough, high seas and rains the entire time we were at sea.  Each day in port we had some sun, but a number of shore excursions were cancelled due to high swells, etc.  That's the risk you take!

Having put the not so positive part of our cruise out there, the rest was the best!  We were fortunate to stay in a Haven cabin, 9318, an AFT Balcony, 2 room suite with all Haven amenities.  We've chosen this cabin on other NCL ships and will continue to do so each time.  The balcony is the best, better than any at the front of the ship.  While you have to walk in the morning to get to the Haven for breakfast or the private pool, sun deck, etc., it's worth it - the cabin is amazing.  Our butler Narcisso was once again wonderful (we had him a year ago on the Getaway) and the attentiveness to our needs was unlike anything we could have asked for.  The crew was great, I don't know what the cruise director, Tyler, was on - he was constantly 'high' with excitement and emotion.  The food in the specialty restaurants was worth the price for the most part.  LeBistro was less than desirable this trip - Cagney's, Teppanyaki and Moderno all remain top notch.  We met a ton of people and had a great party for 20 on our balcony the evening as we were leaving Nassau. Great people that we're already scheduling future cruises and gatherings!  We went to more shows this time than in the past; can't imagine why we haven't done this sooner.  Can definitely tell it's a new ship - no issues whatsoever. 

If the weather gods could have calmed the seas, it would have been a perfect trip!

The best part of the cruise was the specialty restaurants. We dined French Bistro and Cagney's Steak twice each and once each at Moderno Brazilian, Teppanyaki Japanese, and Cucino Italian and enjoyed each venue. We also liked Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville up on deck 17. Burgers and margaritas excellent. The balcony room was spacious enough, the king bed was comfortable, and the bathroom was big. This was a New Year's Eve Cruise and there were lots of kids of all ages on the ship but no problem.. Embarkation was very quick; disembarkation somewhat slower due to passing through Customs. The ship moved through the Caribbean very smoothly, and there was hardly any feeling of motion. Theater shows were high energy but too long. One of the shows was 1 hr, 35 minutes long! Things that could be improved are: 1) the safety drill took too long (we have cruised other lines and they handle this much better); 2)don't allow guests to put food plates in the corridor;3) need to have some sort of enrichment lectures on daily activities. The iConcierge app was useful to tie our cell phones together. The casino is the best we've seen on a ship. Big and lots of good slots. Bingo is fun but getting too expensive for just 3 games. We had the beverage and dining packages and used them to the fullest.