Norwegian Escape Cruise Review 7 Day Eastern Caribbean

Table Of Content

• NCL's 2025-2026 cruises: Antarctic itineraries, Breakaway-Plus ships, new ports
• Norwegian Escape Itineraries
• NCL cancels 4 voyages on Norwegian Escape ship due to unplanned drydock
• Norwegian Escape Cruise Ship: Overview and Venues
• Universal ticket offer: Florida resident 2-day passes good for 4 days
• Review of Norwegian Escape

We saw lots of inspectors fining tourists for not validating their ticket here. There was lots of taxi drivers vying for business, but we just walked on by and took the elevator from the port into the heart of the city – all for €1 each way. There is plenty of shopping and sightseeing to do in Valletta and tons of photo opportunities. I had read that the hop on hop off buses meet the cruise liners, and true to their word they were there. We chose the simple option of heading straight to the Acropolis, and we had view of the Parthenon temple on approach.

NCL's 2025-2026 cruises: Antarctic itineraries, Breakaway-Plus ships, new ports

Running on no caffeine, we skipped the elevators and climbed the few decks up to get some iced caramel lattes at the Atrium Cafe. We were not alone as this was the longest line we encountered for coffee thus far. Debating what we should do next, we opted for lunch again at Margaritaville. In hindsight, doing lunch at O’Sheehan’s probably would have been the smarter option as we never made it back there to sample more of the venue’s enticing menu. After grabbing some photos, we browsed the few shops that were open as the port is current undergoing some updating and expansion.

Norwegian Escape Itineraries

The Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line - Cruise Critic

The Haven on Norwegian Cruise Line.

Posted: Wed, 26 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Timing was perfect as we got out of the restaurant just in time to walk across the way to Headliner’s Comedy Club for tonight’s Howl at the Moon dueling piano show. Even though the show had just started, it was tough to find seats, so we were stuck towards the back of the club. The show plays several days during the week, alternating with the comedy shows, and features the same three performers who rotate in and out. The piano players feed off the crowd, asking for the audience’s requests and participation.

NCL cancels 4 voyages on Norwegian Escape ship due to unplanned drydock

Plus, our Main Dining Rooms offer a menu that changes daily, Chef's Signature Dishes and carefully selected wine recommendations, guaranteeing a different culinary adventure with every visit. Ship's Inaugural Cruise (maiden voyage) started on October 29, 2015. The 11-day Transatlantic crossing was from the UK to Florida (Southampton to Miami). On March 1, 2016, NCL announced that Escape's scheduled departure time from homeport Miami will be changed - from 4 pm to 7 pm (3 hours later).

There is also a waterfront area – that is the quiet zone which is perfect for reading and relaxing. Norwegian Cruise Line is known for having some of the most high-quality theatrical performances at sea. When you’re aboard your Norwegian Escape cruise, you’ll enjoy shows at the two-deck Escape Theater, as well as several other venues. You’ll want to make reservations for the shows, but attendance is free. The AquaPark includes lots of fun activities, with four different water slides, including the free fall slides, a kids water park, a pool and a poolside movie screen.

If travelling alone there is a meeting room for solo travellers to meet up and make new friends. While having a drink on the walkway one evening we sat beside three ladies who had all met in the solo lounge – one English, one Australian and one American. You would never have guessed that they did not know each other before the cruise, all had one goal in life and that was to enjoy themselves. The live shows can book up very quickly so I advise booking them as early as possible too. Not everyone was a first time cruiser and were more prepared than I was.

The test for re-entry to the US was removed the week before we sailed, but not in time for the ship to fill up. Christine outlines her reasons for choosing Norwegian, the booking process, her thoughts on the food and facilities on board, and her fabulous port stops. As a former travel agent, Christine also shares her top tips for getting cabin upgrades, airport transfers and what to do in port stops. If you’re traveling with kids, you won’t have to worry about keeping them entertained whatsoever. Norwegian Escape has plenty of kids activities and fun kids programming via Splash Academy that parents can feel good about.

Review of Norwegian Escape

I hope you enjoyed my review of Norwegian Escape and it will help you plan a cruise holiday soon. A lot of people booked the Mt Etna tour, but it is a long drive there and back so take that into account if you are considering it. We decided to return to the ship early and take advantage of a quieter pool deck. Messina, Sicily was our next stop and once again we decided to disembark and ramble on our own. The ship docked right in the town so there was no need to book taxis or take trains anywhere. All the usual high street brands are in Messina, along with top designer shops and Italian souvenirs.

Is there other places that serve food by the pool besides the buffet

While it’s mostly a chill space during the day, it becomes a party hub at night, with music, dancing and drinks awaiting your entourage. I made arrangements with the staff member to meet her later in the day to get pictures of the restaurant as we did not want to disturb those Haven cruisers who were still having breakfast. Done packing up what we could by around 11am, we headed out and about on the ship, making a quick stop off at the photo gallery to purchase only one photo this cruise. Next we made our way out on the Waterfront, just in time for sail-in and some great up close shots of the lighthouse. Finishing up right on time, we met the crew member near guest services for a tour of the Thermal Suite and Haven area.

We docked right in the centre of the city and disembarked after breakfast. Everywhere we turned there was a photo opportunity, but after a spot of shopping we headed back to the ship to enjoy the sunset on board. There is an adults-only area called Spice H20 where adults can chill out during the day, and there are themed parties at night time.

As one comedian commented later that night, the port will be beautiful once it is finished. I did find one store that was selling Tortola rum, so I picked up a few bottles as gifts (including one for myself). The Princess began venturing into town as she was intent on finding an ornament to buy for our vacation tree. The cruise director’s staff was also there welcoming passengers back onboard. Having spent a full day in the sun, a second round of coffees from the Atrium Café was in order. The lattes were definitely better than we remember from our previous cruise, and the costs comparable to other cruise lines.

As we were leaving breakfast, we stumbled upon the $10 t-shirt sale that was just beginning at the outdoor Marketplace on deck 16, right near the pool. The $10 t-shirt sale is one sale that we normally try to catch on a cruise as I am a sucker for a good cruise t-shirt. This time around, the sale was pretty organized and they actually had shirts in my size, so we grabbed a few before they were all sold out. Securing our seats with towels and towel clips, we headed to the Garden Café for breakfast.

There are also a few ornate buildings that warrant a photo or two, but nothing outstanding. We arrived into Valletta at 5.40am as the dawn broke and it was a real treat. We set our alarm so as not to miss the arrival, and wow it was worth the early start. We sat on our balcony and enjoyed getting closer and closer to this this ancient city.

From top to bottom and from bow to stern, Norwegian Escape has enough onboard activities to fill every minute of your cruise. Splash around at Aqua Park with Free Fall - the fastest waterslides at sea. Or visit our multi-level Sports Complex and walk The Plank, which extends 8 feet over the side of the ship.

Complimentary dining rooms include the elegant Manhattan Room and the more intimate Taste and Savor – all of them offer the same menu. But if you really want to treat yourself, the for-fee restaurants—most of which are à la carte— can be worth the splurge. I have already talked about my favorite specialty restaurants earlier, note that Moderno (Churrascaria) and Teppanyaki (Japanese) are a $39 cover charge. If you want to see one of the big-name shows on Norwegian, but the tickets are sold out, get in line prior to showtime, cruise ship staff will let you in if seats are available.

Never one to miss a photo opportunity, we snapped some pictures of the colorful hull of this ship, even though the chances of us sailing on this German line are pretty slim. Getting off the ship in St. Thomas was a breeze, a small line that moved very quickly. Julie, the cruise director, was greeting guests as they exited, which I thought was a nice touch. Of course, on the pier, there were photo opportunities so we did stop for a few pictures. But without a digital package offering, none of these pictures made it home with us. The instructions for our shore excursion were to meet our guide “immediately outside of the gate”.