Donald BucoloAfter months of planning our Norwegian Escape cruise, the seven days spent in the sunny Eastern Caribbean have already come and gone. Exploring the ship for an entire week, we got to know this 160K gross ton ship rather well. If you have plans to sail on Norwegian Escape soon, be one of the most informed cruisers on the ship with our Top 25 Norwegian Escape Secrets.
Top 25 Norwegian Escape Secrets
Tips for Planning a Norwegian Escape Cruise
Pre-sailing Reservations
Before you even step foot on the ship, one of the most important Norwegian Escape Secrets is to pre-book at least some of your entertainment and dining using your My NCL account. Ninety days prior to sailing, this online portal is available to book dinner at 9 of the venues.
In addition, you can use NCL.com to reserve the two complimentary Broadway shows. If you wait until you are onboard, you may miss out on your preferred times. Both dinner and the shows fill up quickly during the first few days of the cruise.
Specialty Dining Packages
Most specialty dining venues on this ship are a la carte. So, one of our Norwegian Escape Secrets is to purchase a Norwegian Cruise Line specialty dining plan. With this plan, you can order virtually as much as you want. Of note, this dining package is not valid at The Food Republic, and there is an additional upcharge for Bayamo and Pincho Tapas Bar.
All New Cruise Norwegian App
Save time, and a tree, and use the Cruise Norwegian app for your smartphone. This app gives you access to the daily planner listing all of the activities, show times, and dining information at no additional cost.
You can also review your account activity and make reservations- which can also be done on the television in your stateroom. We found this to be very useful as it was often difficult to find extra copies of the print version of the Freestyle Daily.
Reserve a Drink Package
Admittedly, of the Norwegian Escape Secrets, this one may not be for all cruisers. But, if you plan on consuming alcohol during your vacation, you should consider a drink package. When looking to book your vacation, try to take advantage of one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s promotions that provides a free drink package.
Then, you will not have to worry about the bar bill at the end of your cruise. Your only question will be, “Which margarita should I try next?”. Of note, unlike some other cruise lines, Norwegian’s premium drink package does not include bottled water or specialty coffees.
Related Post: Complete Guide to Norwegian Cruise Line Drink Packages
Take Advantage of the First Few Sea Days
It is not your imagination, the ship does get busier as the cruise progresses. Regardless of the itinerary, lines and waits will be longer towards the end of the cruise for signature attractions. So, use the first full sea days to do things like the rope course and waterslides, eat at Margaritaville, or play mini-golf. Whatever it is you want to do try to do it early on in the cruise.
Entertainment Tips On Norwegian Escape
Attend the Spice H2O Parties
At night, the Spice H2O pool area becomes a night club complete with strobe lights and a DJ. With our Norwegian Escape Secrets, you will be prepared for the themed parties hosted in Spice H2O during your cruise. Dance parties include the 80’s night featuring plenty of music from the decade of big hair and stretch pants and the Glow Party. So, be sure to pack a white or neon outfit and a few glow sticks to rock out at this party under the black lights.
Don’t Miss the Atrium Entertainment
Besides Broadway shows and live music, the Norwegian Escape offers additional game shows, trivia, demonstrations, and classes. Many of these entertainment options occur in the atrium on deck 6. If one of these shows or classes peaks your interest, get to the Atrium early. If you don’t plan on participating, “balcony seats” on deck 7 at O’Sheehan’s is another great vantage point!
Take a Selfie on The Waterfront
Make your friends at home jealous with an onboard selfie. There are selfie kiosks found on deck eight. One is located in front of 5 o’clock Somewhere Bar. There is also a station on deck seven near O’Sheehan’s Pub. For free, you can take your photo live from Norwegian Escape and post it to social media or email it to yourself.
T-Shirt Sale on the Last Sea Day
There are sales all cruise long for those who want to buy jewelry, liquor, and other duty-free items. Personally, we do not go on cruises to shop. Still, we always look forward to the $10 t-shirt sale. This happens on the last sea day, which was day 6 for us. The sale occurs at the Marketplace, an outdoor area on deck 16 mid-ship. Get there right when it starts for the best selection. Do know that the shirts are organized by size not style.
Making Comedy Show Reservations
For Norwegian Escape, you can pre-book the two main theater shows- After Midnight and For the Record: The Brat Pack- 90 days prior to departure. However, there are also two different comedians, and their shows can only be reserved once you are onboard.
The Headliners Comedy Club is a small venue, and shows sell out quickly, so we suggest booking the shows on embarkation day. If you don’t get reservations, you will have to wait in the standby line the day of the show. Note, the 11 pm shows are adult only.
Norwegian Escape Dining Secrets
Grab O’Sheehan’s To Go
Food is available 24/7 at O’Sheehan’s Pub. It is a great spot for both an early morning breakfast, as well as the late night munchies. If you do not feel like a sit-down meal, one of our best Norwegian Escape Secrets is to get your food to-go.
On a few mornings, I went downstairs to order a “bakery basket” so we could dine in our room while getting ready for the day. We saw plenty of people throughout the cruise getting all types of food, at all hours of the day, to go.
Snacks on the Pool Deck
There are food options everywhere on this ship, sometimes in the most unexpected places. On Deck 16, adjacent to the Waves pool bar and the Marketplace, you can often find some snacks on sea days. Why waste your time walking all the way to the Garden Café if all you want is a little bite to eat.
All the Main Dining Room Menus are the Same
The ship has three main dining rooms which serve complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All three of the dining rooms serve the same exact menus. The breakfast and lunch menus are the same throughout the duration of your cruise. For dinner, the menu changes nightly. We recommend dining in the Manhattan Room for the décor and atmosphere, as well as live music.
Dress Up Or Not Night
Norwegians like to freestyle, but even those laid back cruisers have one night to get fancy if they choose. During our cruise, Day 2, the first full sea day, was Norwegian’s Dress Up or Not Night. For this “formal night”, there were some ties, sport coats, and cocktail dresses. There were seven photo studios spread out on decks 8 and 6 which opened at 5:30 pm. For those who do like to take pictures, casual portrait studios were also available most nights of the cruise.
Restaurant Reservations Anywhere
Don’t wait in that long line at the most popular restaurant to make reservations. A maître d at any restaurant can reserve a table for any restaurant if space is available. We made a time change to one of our pre-arranged dining reservations with the hostess at O’Sheehan’s.
The Chill Bar is Included in the Drink Package
If you want to experience the Margaritaville at Sea but not pay for food, then this might be your favorite of our Norwegian Escape Secrets- grab a stool at the Chill Bar located inside Margaritaville. Here, you can order drinks without purchasing any food, and you don’t even have to wait to be seated- just walk in! The signature margaritas and boat drinks served in Margaritaville can be purchased at the bar and are included in the Beverage Package (minus the souvenir cup).
Secure Garden Café Seating
When you get off the elevator on deck 16 aft, you are surrounded by the Garden Café. Head towards the back and you should be able to find a seat pretty easily, usually even a booth. Don’t worry, all of the food stations serve primarily the same foods, so you will not be missing anything by sitting in the back, except the crowds.
Try all the Signature Cocktails
Not all bars are created equal. While many of the bars and lounges on Norwegian Escape serve the same drink menu, a few venues have signature cocktails. Among the bars with their own menus are Tobacco Road, 5 O’Clock Somewhere, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, and the Chill Bar at Margaritaville. You can still get drinks from the standard menu at these locations, but why not try out some of the signature drinks- many of them were quite tasty.
Maneuvering the Decks on Norwegian Escape
Fish Swim Forward
Don’t get lost when walking back to your stateroom with this Norwegian Escape Secret- the fish on the hallway carpets always swim forward. Of course, they won’t remember your stateroom number, or if you are on the starboard or port side of the ship, but at least it’s an easy trick to figure out if you are heading forward or aft once you exit the elevators.
Getting a Lounge Chair
Getting a prime deck chair on sea days on Norwegian Escape does take some work. If you are an early bird, you will witness people claiming deck chairs before the sun comes up! If you do not want to be a chair hog or wake up at the crack of dawn, there are still opportunities for you to enjoy a day in the sun.
We were able to get lounge chairs before 9:30am in Spice H20 (adults only) and even a bit later on Deck 19 forward. There are bars and hot tubs in both locations. However, you will have to walk a little distance if you want to use a pool.
Mornings on the Waterfront
Space is limited on the deck 17 jogging track. So, if you are looking to just take a morning stroll, we suggest the Waterfront on deck 8. An early morning walk around this larger and mostly wide open space is the perfect way to start your day. As an added bonus, coffee and tea stations are set up so you can enjoy a light breakfast, after doing your workout.
Securing Vibe Beach Passes
On Deck 18 forward is the Vibe Beach Club. This exclusive area of the ship is open to all adults who purchase a pass. As of our sailing, a pass costs $100 per person for the week. You can reserve a pass once onboard the ship. But, if you just want to check out the area, you can inquire at Guest Services about a day pass. We were told that a day pass could be purchased for $25. This allows you access to this private area complete with a lounge chair, an umbrella, and a private bar for the day.
Thermal Spa Day Passes
Similarly, you can also get a day pass at the Thermal Spa on select sea days if you do not want to purchase the weeklong pass. These day passes are available for $54 (at the time of our sailing). If you do get a pass, you should experience the snow cave, a room kept at 14 degrees with actual snow, which is said to promote circulation and improve the immune system.
Know the Ropes Course Restrictions
If you want to experience the rope course, be prepared. There is a weight restriction of 300lbs. Also, you are only allowed to use a wearable camera and have nothing in your pockets. For clothing, you need to have a shirt with sleeves, and you must wear closed toe/closed heel shoes.
Be mindful that the entire course may not be open on windy sea days, so another one of our Norwegian Escape Secrets is to try the ropes course on a port day. Normally, the ropes course opens a little before sail away.
Maneuvering the Aqua Park
Sometimes you do need to read the fine print. For Aqua Racer tube ride, make sure you line up in the proper place to grab a tube. Actually, you enter on the port side to wait for a tube. For this ride, GoPro cameras are allowed, so you can capture the entire ride down.
For the Aqua Loop racing slides, no jewelry of any kind is permitted- this includes wedding rings and watches. These regulations are strictly enforced by cruise staff. You will be turned away if you are wearing any of these prohibited items. So, be sure to remove them before heading up the stairs to wait in line.
We Need More Norwegian Escape Secrets!
If you have sailed on this ship, we would love to hear some of your Norwegian Escape Secrets. Drop us an anchor below to let us know some of your insider tips after sailing on this impressive new ship.
86 comments
Suzette Bayley
Hi .. going on our first cruise on the NCL Escape on Dec. 7th .. it departs at 4pm what is the earliest we can board ? The hotel has a morning shuttle to the port .. if we get there in the morning can we board ?
Domenic O'Neill
Hi, are the ropes courses open on port days on the Escape? We are going on a trip and the one port we are thinking about staying on board for awhile to do the ropes course etc.
Kendall
Do the two comedians do the same acts repeatedly? So each one does a family friendly act and an adults act?
Kendall
Great tips! Is the waterfront open all the time for anyone? Could we bring our breakfast over there? Or are those tables reserved for specific restaurants?
Jaclyn Riel
We are getting married on the escape this summer! 20 of our friends and family are joining us. We are gettin married at sea on the 3rd day and booked the momento waterfront area for ceremony and prime meridian for reception. Any good tips or suggestions?
DB
Hi Jaclyn, congrats on your upcoming nuptials. The ship is a great place to get married. Your setup on the Waterfront sounds perfect. Let us know if you have any specific questions. Happy Sailing.
Carol
Have cruised Celebrity before and found the storage space to be comfortable. Going o the Escape over XMAS this year. Wondering about the storage space in the ocean front cabins?
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Carol, great question. We found the storage on NCL Escape to be average for our balcony cabin. The room did not have as much cabinet storage or closet storage as similar rooms we have seen on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean ships. We would assume the ocean view cabins would be in a similar situation, but we have not seen one of those rooms in person. Do let us know how you make out with your cruise. So jealous you get to sail on Escape during the holidays! Happy cruising.
Gina Cox
Going on the Escape for our 2nd time on December 10th sailing. Can’t wait!! Thank you for all of the tips!!
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Have a great cruise Gina. We are very jealous that you get to sail on her again. Appreciate the comment and make sure you put all these tips to good use!! Happy sailing. Let us know all about your trip when you come back.
Bill and Fran
Greetings and congrats on the very informative site. We’re sailing in a few months on the Escape Western Caribbean. My question is about the NCL App which sounds very helpful – can I use the app on my cell phone without buying time on the Escape’s wireless network or incurring roaming charges on my phone? Many thanks!
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Bill and Fran. Thanks for the kind words. We are glad you have found the site useful. Yes, you can use the app without being connected to the NCL wireless. It works on the intranet. Let us know if you have other questions. Happy sailing.
Elizabeth S
Question – how do you get a dinner seating on the Watertfront area? We have our restaurant reservations already booked for our December cruise. Do we just walk up and tell them that’s where we’d like to sit?
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Elizabeth, great question. Yes, essentially when you go to dinner ask to be seated on the Waterfront. We were lucky that there was no wait to be seated outside. It is first come, first serve. Let us know how you make out. Happy Cruising.
Stacey
Hey we have a dinner package for 3 meals. Can you recommend some of the top choices? Also I found out after I booked that kids are not allowed in the main pool? I’m not going to lie, this would of been a game changer. My kids are 13 and 16 so a kiddie pool isn’t really going to be their thing.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Stacey, thanks for reaching out. Great questions. Your 13 and 16 year old would be fine in the main pool. The pools on NCL Escape are small, and the “kids pool” is for very young children. For the specialty dining, if you are a fan of steak, then you have to try Cagney’s Steakhouse. If steak is not your thing, La Cucina was one of our favorite dinners onboard and we ate on the Waterfront for an even better experience. Our other picks would be Moderno and Teppanyaki. While not part of the dining package, Food Republic has some of the best food on the ship, and getting tapas there one evening is highly suggested. Please let us know how you make out and what you thought of the ship.
Samantha R.
I have a couple of questions.
I was new to cruising on our trip last year on the Getaway, we were upsold to port side rooms for $400 more because we were told those rooms are on the side that ports and we would have all these crazy good views. Guess who actually got to look at nothing but ocean all week from our more expensive side of the ship! We have a second cruise booked, this time on the Escape for Feb ’17 on it’s usual route (St Martin, Tortola, Bahamas)… anyone who’s done this trek have any insight into which side of the ship may actually have a better view?
Also wondering about great places to view when we are coming into port. A few days we arrive late (excursions start at noon), how much earlier should we plan to be up on deck if we want to watch the docking procedure, and where would be a good place to watch from? On the Getaway it seemed that there was no outside access to the front of the ship unless you were in the Haven area.
We attended the Imaginarium dinner on the Getaway, and I have not yet found info on the dinner theater offered on the Escape (onboard activities aren’t up for another 6 weeks or so). Did anyone go to one of these on the Escape?
Last question, a few nights when we were in our room late at night I wanted to watch a movie and the same two played all week on tv. I’ve read that some people on other NCL ships were able to unplug the HDMI from the back of the tv with the ship loop on it, and plug in an hdmi for their laptop. Has anyone had success with this?
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Samantha, Thanks for reading and all of the questions. The view question is a bit tricky as it really depends on the island and what other ships are docked at port. A ship as big as Escape will tend to “back-in” to port. We were on the Starboard side and got a view of the port (which wasn’t much to look at) in St. Thomas. The way Nassau is setup, you really don’t have a good view either way. We suggest heading down to outer decks to watch the sail-in to Nassau to get pictures of Atlantis and the lighthouse. In Tortola, we had views of the harbor which were really nice. Watching the sail in is nice from the Waterfront. You are correct, the front top decks are the Haven, but you can still get decent views of sail-in from the middle of the ship. Most approaches take about an hour, and you can usually spot land a little bit before that. The dinner show in Supper Club has changed since we went, so has the dinner. We would suggest going more so for the entertainment, than the food. We really enjoyed the Brat Pack (our show in the Supper Club), which is now a main theater show. We are not sure what the new show is in the Supper Club now. While we have never tried the HDMI switch on the TV, if you can access it, I don’t see why if you had an HDMI out cord that you couldn’t plug a device into the television, such as a computer or tablet, to watch movies. Let us know if you have any other questions. Happy sailing. We loved Escape, and think you will too.
Misty Wood
Thanks for all the great info! I see you have been on Allure of the Seas. Planning to cruise next month for the first time. Cruise is to Eastern Caribbean. Escape is $500 cheaper than Allure for the same room type and almost identical itinerary…….which should we choose??? I figure I can’t go wrong with either but wondering if Allure is worth $500 more. Thanks 🙂
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Misty, Thanks for reading. Not sure if you already made plans yet? This is a really interesting dilemma. Since you have never cruised before, it is tough to know what type of “style” of cruising you prefer. We liked both ships, but they are different vibes. Norwegian is more laid back. There are variety of restaurants, many cost more once onboard, and there is less planning involved. Allure of the Seas is more of a “traditional cruise”. Allure is bigger, with a few more amenities, but Escape has plenty to do too. The wife and I are torn as we each have a vote for one ship. How do you handle crowds? Are you a planner? Both ships have some shows you need to reserve, and given the last minute booking, showtimes might not be optimal. Also, does the Escape room come with the drink package? If so, that would be a game changer when it comes to price. Let us know what you decide.
Linda Albanese
Hi, can you please tell me what times the shows are each evening and if there is one show or an earlier and later show? Thank you, Linda
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Linda. Great question. The short answer is yes. For the main theater, there are two production shows. They are usually shown on two separate nights. Each night, there is a early and a late showtime. The shows and days differ depending on your cruise itinerary. The comedy club on several nights often has three shows, 7pm, 9pm, and 11pm (adults only). There are two comedians who rotate through so you can see them at all three time slots. The same club also doubles as the Howl at the Moon dueling piano bar. That usually starts around 8 or 9 and goes until late. We have all of the daily schedules from our Eastern Caribbean cruise so you can get a sense of all the entertainment on board the ship. https://eatsleepcruise.com/norwegian-escape-daily-schedule/. Have a great cruise. Thanks for reading and the comment.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Linda. Great question. The short answer is yes. For the main theater, there are two production shows. They are usually shown on two separate nights. Each night, there is a early and a late showtime. The shows and days differ depending on your cruise itinerary. The comedy club on several nights often has three shows, 7pm, 9pm, and 11pm (adults only). There are two comedians who rotate through so you can see them at all three time slots. The same club also doubles as the Howl at the Moon dueling piano bar. That usually starts around 8 or 9 and goes until late. We have all of the daily schedules from our Eastern Caribbean cruise so you can get a sense of all the entertainment on board the ship. https://eatsleepcruise.com/norwegian-escape-daily-schedule/. Have a great cruise. Thanks for reading and the comment.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Linda. Great question. The short answer is yes. For the main theater, there are two production shows. They are usually shown on two separate nights. Each night, there is a early and a late showtime. The shows and days differ depending on your cruise itinerary. The comedy club on several nights often has three shows, 7pm, 9pm, and 11pm (adults only). There are two comedians who rotate through so you can see them at all three time slots. The same club also doubles as the Howl at the Moon dueling piano bar. That usually starts around 8 or 9 and goes until late. We have all of the daily schedules from our Eastern Caribbean cruise so you can get a sense of all the entertainment on board the ship. https://eatsleepcruise.com/norwegian-escape-daily-schedule/. Have a great cruise. Thanks for reading and the comment.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Linda, Thanks for reading and the question. The showtimes depend on your itinerary. Here is the list of show times for our sailing on the Eastern Caribbean earlier this year. They may have changed slightly as they have rearranged the shows in the main theater:
After Midnight Day 2 and 6 (early and late show)
Brat Pack Day 3 and 4 (Early and late show)
Comedy Club Day 1, 3, and 6 (7pm, 9pm, 11pm) – note two different comedians, and they rotate when they headline.
Dueling Pianos – Day 2, 4, 5 and 7 – show starts around 8/9 and goes til late.
Here is a link to the daily activity sheets that goes over all the entertainment https://eatsleepcruise.com/norwegian-escape-daily-schedule/
When do you sail?
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Linda, Thanks for reading and the question. The showtimes depend on your itinerary. Here is the list of show times for our sailing on the Eastern Caribbean earlier this year. They may have changed slightly as they have rearranged the shows in the main theater:
After Midnight Day 2 and 6 (early and late show)
Brat Pack Day 3 and 4 (Early and late show)
Comedy Club Day 1, 3, and 6 (7pm, 9pm, 11pm) – note two different comedians, and they rotate when they headline.
Dueling Pianos – Day 2, 4, 5 and 7 – show starts around 8/9 and goes til late.
Here is a link to the daily activity sheets that goes over all the entertainment https://eatsleepcruise.com/norwegian-escape-daily-schedule/
When do you sail?
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Linda, Thanks for reading and the question. The showtimes depend on your itinerary. Here is the list of show times for our sailing on the Eastern Caribbean earlier this year. They may have changed slightly as they have rearranged the shows in the main theater:
After Midnight Day 2 and 6 (early and late show)
Brat Pack Day 3 and 4 (Early and late show)
Comedy Club Day 1, 3, and 6 (7pm, 9pm, 11pm) – note two different comedians, and they rotate when they headline.
Dueling Pianos – Day 2, 4, 5 and 7 – show starts around 8/9 and goes til late.
Here is a link to the daily activity sheets that goes over all the entertainment https://eatsleepcruise.com/norwegian-escape-daily-schedule/
When do you sail?
Jeff
Do they have discount laundry/ dry cleaning days . We are on a 14 day cruise.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Jeff, great question. Are you doing a back-to-back cruise or is the itinerary a 14 day round-trip? We ask as the special will probably be different if it is a true two week cruise. On our cruise, there was a mid-cruise special on laundry, but unfortunately we did not keep the flyer. It was not advertised in the Daily Activities. However, it was a pretty typical deal like get all the clothes you can fit in the bag cleaned and folded for one set price. For longer cruises, we suspect they will probably run more frequent deals. Do report back and let us know after your trip. We are sure other cruisers would also like to know about laundry specials on longer cruises. Happy Sailing. Thanks for reading.
Christine
I am traveling with my 2 daughters. One is 21 but the other is 19…how can they experience the night life together?
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Christine, So sorry for the delay answering your question. Many venues do not openly card people. So, your daughters maybe able to hangout at many “adult” venues with no problems. NCL allows those over 18 to consume beer and wine with parental consent, so your younger daughter will be allowed into most bars even if you do not okay her to drink. Not sure if you are happy about that! Let us know what happens. When is your cruise? Thanks for reading and the great question.
dana.renee.helton@gmail.com
We are debating on purchasing the drink package, however, we don’t have a room that has the special options that come with a “free” drink package. We aren’t big drinkers and if I’ve calculated right we would have to drink about 16 drinks a day! Did I calculate that right?
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Dana, Thanks for reading and the question. I believe you answered your inquiry. If you are not big drinkers, the NCL drink package is not for you. Currently, the costs of the package is $79 a day. Most cocktails are around $12, so that would mean you have to average 7 cocktails a day to break even. The package does not include specialty coffee or bottled water, so you need to be a consistent alcohol drinker to get your money’s worth. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Steve Co
.Do you know if NCL does anything special for military veterans such has free room upgrades… Thank you
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Steve, all cruise companies claim to offer military personnel special discounts. What those are and how special they really are you would need to call and ask. Usually, the discounts are pre-cruise and are honestly probably some onboard credit. If you do call to find out, please let us know. Appreciate the question and thanks for reading.
tony kantola
which restaurants can you eat outside for the dinner dinning
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Tony. Great question. We have a full review of the Waterfront which includes the restaurants with al fresco dining. On Norwegian Escape those restaurants are La Cucina, Moderno, and Cagney’s Steakhouse. Food Republic has covered seating with a large windows so it is not technically outside, but provides great views. When is your next cruise? Thanks for reading.
Daniel
Hi! Great blog and tips! My wife and I are taking our honeymoon cruise on Escape May 28th. I was wondering if the $10 T-shirt sale includes the customized Guy Harvey shirts for the cruise ship? Thanks for your help! These tips have been great.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Daniel, Congrats on getting married! NCL Escape will be a great Honeymoon. The Guy Harvey shirts are not part of the $10 sale. There is a small Guy Harvey section in the gift shop with all of his signature apparel and art. Can’t wait to hear all about your cruise when you get back. Thanks for the comment.
Barbara
Are you able to buy a Vibe pass if you are in a mini suite? How difficult are they to get? We board between 10:30 and 11 not sure there will be any passes left when we board.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Barbara, Great question. Anyone can try to get Vibe passes, it doesn’t matter your cabin type. The earlier the better on the first day to try and get the passes. We suggest going straight to guest services to get them as soon as you board.
Steven
Where do you get the vibe beach passes once on board?
I have heard both guest services and at Headliners.
Do you know which is accurate?
Thanks
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Steven,
Sorry for the delay. Guest Services is your best bet. We have heard that Headliners does have them, but can not 100% verify that information. If you get there early, you should be fine.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Steven,
Sorry for the delay. Guest Services is your best bet. We have heard that Headliners does have them, but can not 100% verify that information.
SD Joe Joe
Would love to know if when you reserve dinner reservations and show reservations if you choose seats?
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Joe. Thanks for reading. Great question. For the shows, you do not get to choose seats. The theater opens about 45 minutes before the show, and seating is first come, first serve. We recommend making pre-cruise reservations and getting to the theater no later than 20 minutes before the show. For dinner, you can reserve a table for certain number of guest, say you are traveling with family or friends you can select a table size of up to 8 (I believe that is the max, but you may want to check with NCL). When you get to the restaurant you can try and request a certain section, say outside on the Waterfront, but there is no guarantee of getting your preferred seating area. Let us know if you have any other questions. Have a great cruise.
April
Hi. Hoping you can help. Planning a last minute cruise on NCL Escape in May 2016. When I went online all the restaurants were booked up for dining reservations. We have the speciality dining package. I called NCL and was told that they only release 50% of resv in advance and the other 50% on day of cruise – guranteed me that we would be able to get resv we want on sail day. Wondering what your thoughts are on this. True? False? Risky? Thanks!
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi April. Great question. We have heard the same thing about capping pre-cruise reservations; although we do not know if that is true. We would recommend trying to make reservations once onboard Day 1. We found that there was availability for many restaurants on the first day. Lines will be long, so trying to reserve restaurants on your stateroom television or NCL app may save time. Times may not be the greatest, but you should be able to find something. If you want to be more flexible, throughout the cruise you will see electronic displays that show restaurant wait times. When I looked at those boards often there were short waits at most restaurants. Most popular, and hence busiest, on our cruise were Le Bistro and Cagney’s Steakhouse. Hope this helps.
Judy
Great review and love all the secret tips.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Thanks Judy. We are glad you found the tips useful. When are you sailing on NCL Escape? Happy cruising.
Jackie D
Thanks so much for the wonderful tips! We are going on our very first cruise on the Escape in April so it’s a learning curve for us.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
You are very welcome Jackie D. You will have a great time on Escape. She was our 10th cruise together and one of our favorite ships! If you have any questions, feel free to email us. Have a great cruise! Thanks for reading and the kind words!
Patricia La Croix
Do they have a covers pool I will be going to Europe in November and it should be temps in the sixties
Nuno Ribeiro
Very nice tips! Thanks. I was on Epic and it was great too.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Thanks Nuno for the comment. Appreciate the feedback. Epic looks like a great ship. We are debating trying to get on her while she is in Miami next year. Did you sail on her in Europe or the Caribbean?
Nicole
Counting the days and il be relaxing on the Norwegian Escape Cruise ! This is are first time hubby and I can’t wait ! Thanks for all the great tips ! 🙂
Jeff
Getting on the escape this Sat 2/6/16….hoping to get vibe passes…
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
You are welcome Nicole. Appreciate you reading and leaving a comment. Have a great time on the cruise. We had not sailed on NCL in 8 years, but we are very glad we picked the Norwegian Escape as we had a blast. Glad you found the tips useful. Happy sailing!
Carmen
I didn´t see the two Selfie Stations you´ve mentioned. But we found one in the Brew House (maybe that´s moved now).
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Carmen…The Selfie Stations may be new-only one was working during our cruise. We saw the second one up and running on disembarkation. The photo both is still in the District Brew House. It cost $5 and they put your photo strip up near the entrance of the lounge and you get to keep the other strip. At least, that is what is advertised as we did not use the photo both. There is so much to do and see on this ship that you need two week long cruises to experience it all! Thanks for reading.
Cheryl ameling
In the morning, there are comfy chairs outside Cagney’s…great for reading …our best spot after breakfast..
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Great secret Cheryl. Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a nice quiet spot away from the crowd. Happy cruising!
alan Miller
Do these ships (Escape )have pools no pictures of the pools we are going for our first cruse in January and are looking forward to lounging around the pool.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Alan, Thanks for the question. Yes, there are two public pools. The adult pool and a smaller “family pool” on deck 16. You can see photos of the pools here https://eatsleepcruise.com/2016/01/norwegian-escape-photo-tour-review/ Let me know if you have any other questions.
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Alan, Thanks for the question. Yes, there are two public pools. The adult pool and a smaller “family pool” on deck 16. You can see photos of the pools here https://eatsleepcruise.com/2016/01/norwegian-escape-photo-tour-review/ Let me know if you have any other questions.
Patricia La Croix
Are there any covered pools I will be going to Europe in November and it should be in the sixties was hoping there was a covered pool
DB and The Princess (@EatSleepCruise)
Hi Alan, Thanks for the question. Yes, there are two public pools. The adult pool and a smaller “family pool” on deck 16. You can see photos of the pools here https://eatsleepcruise.com/2016/01/norwegian-escape-photo-tour-review/ Let me know if you have any other questions.