TheJellyBeans.net
We had a great time sailing aboard the Norweigan Escape in March of 2019.
If you follow these ten tips, you’ll likely enjoy sailing on her as much as we did.
Our first tip is to make dining and entertainment reservations prior to your cruise on the Escape.
NCL typically begins accepting reservations through their website 90 to 120 days prior
to your sailing date.
Popular venues and times book up quickly, so we made reservations in advance and then
adjusted them -- if needed -- once we were on board.
Our second tip is to be aware that advance reservations are not always available.
For example, on our sailing, the complimentary Choir of Man show and Supper Club shows could
only be booked on board the Escape.
Thankfully, we got the times and dates we wanted by booking immediately after we boarded
using the self-service kiosks located throughout the ship.
We recommend using kiosks near the elevators so you can easily go to a different floor
if there is a line.
It should be noted that we were not able to make electronic reservations for the popular
and complimentary Escape Room experience.
Instead, we had to stand in line and sign up on a paper sheet at the Show Reservation
Desk, which was located at the Supper Club and then the Box Office during our embarkation day.
Our third tip is to eat lunch at Savor, Taste, or O’Sheehan’s on embarkation day to avoid
the frenzied crowds of new cruisers trying to navigate the unfamiliar layout -- and each
other -- at the Garden Cafe Buffet.
All three Escape restaurants offer complimentary lunch with table service.
Our fourth tip is to check the food stations and seating areas in the back of the Escape’s
Garden Cafe Buffet to increase your chances of finding short lines and available tables.
Throughout our cruise -- for breakfast, lunch, and dinner -- we found that the front area
of the buffet tended to be the most crowded.
For even more seating, we often found tables available outside the Forward area of the
buffet -- under the water slides on both sides of the ship.
Our fifth tip is to check out the complimentary breakfast buffet at Margaritaville
on Deck 17 of the Escape.
Although there were fewer food options compared to the Garden Cafe buffet, the restaurant
was practically empty of other guests throughout our cruise, especially on port days.
Our sixth tip is to be aware that not all elevators go to all decks on the Escape.
This is most noticeable with the Forward group of elevators, where some go up to deck 17,
another goes to deck 18, and another goes to deck 19.
And there didn’t seem to be an obvious way to specifically call the deck 18 or deck 19
elevators!
Another quirk of the Forward group of elevators is that the front buttons only call the front
four elevators and the back buttons only call the back four elevators.
This means you’ll need to push both buttons if you want call all 8 elevators.
Our seventh tip is to arrive early for activities scheduled in the Escape’s Atrium if you
want a better chance of getting a seat.
Most of the activities held in the Atrium were very popular during our cruise, so finding
a seat was a bit of a challenge, especially during inclement weather.
And if you’re unable to find a seat, be sure to check out O’Sheehan’s on Deck
7, which has some barstool seating overlooking the atrium.
Our eighth tip is check out the Escape’s Waterfront area on Deck 8 if you want some
quiet time during the day.
There were many areas to sit and relax in the shade during our cruise even on days at sea.
Also, the loop around the Waterfront offers great views and is a nice alternative to walking
around the more-crowded jogging track.
Our ninth tip is to do the Escape’s Ropes Course as soon as you have the opportunity
if it’s part of your vacation to-do list.
Rain and high winds caused the closure of sections of the course -- and even the entire
course -- several times during our cruise.
This resulted in the course only being fully open for a few hours on those days.
Because the Ropes Course is very popular, the closures started to add up and guests
ended up waiting longer in line as the cruise continued.
Our tenth tip is to take advantage of all the signage and directional information the
Escape has available to avoid getting lost.
For example, the large, glass displays near the elevators are helpful for getting your
bearings, with one sign displaying destinations by deck and the other displaying destinations
by category.
Both have a deck map at the top.
Also, the self-service kiosks provide a ton of information, including the “Map It”
option for venues, which provides mapped, step-by-step directions from your current location.
And, when looking for a restroom, you’ll find both restroom signs and signage that
points the way to the closest restroom when one is not nearby.
And, finally, pay attention to the fish swimming on the carpets in the hallways they’re swimming
toward the front of the ship.