NCL Escape Specialty Dining

[ronandannette]

We were disappointed with Teppanyaki only because we were seated with people with Celiac Disease. Two of them, six of us. The entire meal ended up being very bland, overcooked, dry and looooong. They cooked everything all first with no seasoning at all so the GF people got their entire meal at once no soy sauce anywhere on the grill and the chef only had to do one show. After they cooked the entire meal with no seasoning with our stuff on the side they then seasoned the everything and cooked it more. It was bland because nothing absorbed any flavor I guess or they cut down on our seasoning. I was disappointed that NCL would say they could handle GF at Teppanyaki and have it end up affecting the dining experience of the 6 other people but whatever @@

Moderno we liked, it's a ton of food. Bear in mind, at least on the Breakaway, Moderno has themed lunch buffets. Check out the daily schedule to see what they are offering every day. We went for the Indian Buffet and it was amazing!! Cagneys is great but their sides seem to be getting smaller and smaller....

I do believe I might have quietly and politely discussed this with Guest Services and asked for my money back.

 

[maxaroni]

Thanks for asking these questions... we just booked this cruise for the fall. When are you going?

My friend went on this cruise in May and loved it. Had a wonderful time onboard, and loved Bermuda.
We’ve flown to Bermuda, giving us a lot of time to explore the island. I gave her things to put on her do not miss list.

 

[Sabeking]

My friend went on this cruise in May and loved it. Had a wonderful time onboard, and loved Bermuda.
We’ve flown to Bermuda, giving us a lot of time to explore the island. I gave her things to put on her do not miss list.

Can you share the list??

 

[RedSox68]

Thanks for asking these questions... we just booked this cruise for the fall. When are you going?

We sail in September -- for our 40th -- and with our maid-of-honor and her husband. We did Bermuda on the Breakaway and loved both Bermuda and the ship. Hoping to have as good a time on Escape. Suggestion: don't miss at least one breakfast and one lunch/dinner at O'Sheehan's -- great food and fun experience. If you can, try to save some time to visit the Fort right at the port.

 

[Sabeking]

We sail in September -- for our 40th -- and with our maid-of-honor and her husband. We did Bermuda on the Breakaway and loved both Bermuda and the ship. Hoping to have as good a time on Escape. Suggestion: don't miss at least one breakfast and one lunch/dinner at O'Sheehan's -- great food and fun experience. If you can, try to save some time to visit the Fort right at the port.

What fun, congratulations!!! We are sailing in October. I will definitely take your suggestions!

 

[maxaroni]

Can you share the list??

A quick list of things:

If you are going to eat off the ship and at the Dockyard, try Frog and Onion. It’s a English pub style restaurant. Also, BoneFish (not connected to US chain),

If out and about, try Rum Swizzle Inn or just try a rum swizzle, one of the drinks of Bermuda.

Take a tour of the island. My friend took a bus tour, we took a private tour for 5 hours. What we liked about a private tour is that we could gear it towards what we wanted to see, stop where we wanted and take as much or as little time somewhere.

Some of our favorite sights: Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, Somerset Bridge (smallest draw bridge in the world), Hamilton, Saint Georges. You can take a ferry from the Dockyard to Hamilton.

I have been to Bermuda staying twice at the Hamilton Princess, once @ Elbow Beach, once @ Sonesta Beach (no longer there) and once @ Cambridge Beaches. On our last trip during our tour, we went back and saw the Hamilton Princess and Elbow Beach, having a drink there. Three of our trips we rented the mopeds which we had fun doing. One trip was college week, so didn’t rent mopeds then and our last trip was a family trip with my dad, 80 at the time, as a trip remembering my mom as it was one of her favorite places.

Personally, we didn’t think the shopping in Hamilton was very good. They used to have a couple of really nice department type stores, they are no longer there. Since your time is limited, you won’t be missing a lot. Lots of neat shops in the Dockyard to explore. Enjoyed that and it’s right there at the ship.

St Georges is historical and interesting to walk around. Some ships used to dock there, as well as Hamilton. Ships can no longer dock at these two ports due to ships getting so big.

For a short stay, I wouldn’t go to the crystal caves, aquarium, or botanical gardens. Of the 3, I would go the the botanical gardens to see tropical things but only if you really are looking for things to do. From what I remember, back in the day, ships would leave NY on Saturdays, arrive in Bermuda Monday morning and leave Thursday afternoons.....3 nights in Bermuda. Now, it seems to be 2 nights. So, not a lot of time.

Horseshoe Bay is a nice beach, am sure there are others but we always went to the hotels beach.

The Naval Dockyard museum is also interesting.

Just some random ideas....

Enjoy!

 

[marybet]

I have sailed other NCL ships, we had a package that allowed us to eat in the specialty restaurants every night. I think your choices are excellent, we liked Teppanyaki better than Moderno but Moderno is better than the Italian restaurant. We ate in the MDR for lunch and it was quite good, their food has improved since the first time we sailed with them. Have a wonderful cruise.

 

[RedSox68]

I have sailed other NCL ships, we had a package that allowed us to eat in the specialty restaurants every night. I think your choices are excellent, we liked Teppanyaki better than Moderno but Moderno is better than the Italian restaurant. We ate in the MDR for lunch and it was quite good, their food has improved since the first time we sailed with them. Have a wonderful cruise.

Thanks much -- we plan to have a wonderful time and hope to see as much as we can. Maxaroni, thanks for the list of tips.

 

[rlk]

I have sailed other NCL ships, we had a package that allowed us to eat in the specialty restaurants every night. I think your choices are excellent, we liked Teppanyaki better than Moderno but Moderno is better than the Italian restaurant. We ate in the MDR for lunch and it was quite good, their food has improved since the first time we sailed with them. Have a wonderful cruise.

We tried the Italian restaurant once. It was the only disappointing meal we've had on NCL, including the MDRs.

 

[Sabeking]

A quick list of things:

If you are going to eat off the ship and at the Dockyard, try Frog and Onion. It’s a English pub style restaurant. Also, BoneFish (not connected to US chain),

If out and about, try Rum Swizzle Inn or just try a rum swizzle, one of the drinks of Bermuda.

Take a tour of the island. My friend took a bus tour, we took a private tour for 5 hours. What we liked about a private tour is that we could gear it towards what we wanted to see, stop where we wanted and take as much or as little time somewhere.

Some of our favorite sights: Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, Somerset Bridge (smallest draw bridge in the world), Hamilton, Saint Georges. You can take a ferry from the Dockyard to Hamilton.

I have been to Bermuda staying twice at the Hamilton Princess, once @ Elbow Beach, once @ Sonesta Beach (no longer there) and once @ Cambridge Beaches. On our last trip during our tour, we went back and saw the Hamilton Princess and Elbow Beach, having a drink there. Three of our trips we rented the mopeds which we had fun doing. One trip was college week, so didn’t rent mopeds then and our last trip was a family trip with my dad, 80 at the time, as a trip remembering my mom as it was one of her favorite places.

Personally, we didn’t think the shopping in Hamilton was very good. They used to have a couple of really nice department type stores, they are no longer there. Since your time is limited, you won’t be missing a lot. Lots of neat shops in the Dockyard to explore. Enjoyed that and it’s right there at the ship.

St Georges is historical and interesting to walk around. Some ships used to dock there, as well as Hamilton. Ships can no longer dock at these two ports due to ships getting so big.

For a short stay, I wouldn’t go to the crystal caves, aquarium, or botanical gardens. Of the 3, I would go the the botanical gardens to see tropical things but only if you really are looking for things to do. From what I remember, back in the day, ships would leave NY on Saturdays, arrive in Bermuda Monday morning and leave Thursday afternoons.....3 nights in Bermuda. Now, it seems to be 2 nights. So, not a lot of time.

Horseshoe Bay is a nice beach, am sure there are others but we always went to the hotels beach.

The Naval Dockyard museum is also interesting.

Just some random ideas....

Enjoy!

Thank you for the detailed reply!

 

[RedSox68]

Take a tour of the island. My friend took a bus tour, we took a private tour for 5 hours. What we liked about a private tour is that we could gear it towards what we wanted to see, stop where we wanted and take as much or as little time somewhere.

Some of our favorite sights: Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, Somerset Bridge (smallest draw bridge in the world), Hamilton, Saint Georges. You can take a ferry from the Dockyard to Hamilton.

The Naval Dockyard museum is also interesting. Enjoy!

Unfortunately, I can't recommend the private tour we booked in Bermuda. She came highly recommended by a friend, but was a nasty and rude woman who made it quite obvious she was mad she still had to give us the tour when another couple had cancelled. She didn't stop at any of the forts we wanted and cut the tour short. We felt like we had truly wasted one of our days. You'd probably have a much better time with a ship's excursion or a group tour.

This time we are simply getting off the ship and doing each day on our own -- making sure to visit the five recommended forts and other historic sites. Really want to go to Flatts Village. Anyone done the aquarium? We were told not to bother with the caves as they are slippery and small.

Anyone visiting Hamilton should have lunch at Somers Cafe. It's inside a department store. Very tiny and seating in and out, but the sandwiches and homemade iced tea are fabulous on a hot day after touring.

 

[maxaroni]

Unfortunately, I can't recommend the private tour we booked in Bermuda. She came highly recommended by a friend, but was a nasty and rude woman who made it quite obvious she was mad she still had to give us the tour when another couple had cancelled. She didn't stop at any of the forts we wanted and cut the tour short. We felt like we had truly wasted one of our days. You'd probably have a much better time with a ship's excursion or a group tour.

This time we are simply getting off the ship and doing each day on our own -- making sure to visit the five recommended forts and other historic sites. Really want to go to Flatts Village. Anyone done the aquarium? We were told not to bother with the caves as they are slippery and small.

Anyone visiting Hamilton should have lunch at Somers Cafe. It's inside a department store. Very tiny and seating in and out, but the sandwiches and homemade iced tea are fabulous on a hot day after touring.

That’s a shame. We’ve dont this twice and had excellent experiences ourselves. Both of ours were taxi driviers, not through a company. Taxi drivers making a good amount of money for the 5 hours. We could make it shorter or longer, we just happened to do 5 hours. Both times we were able to make the tour what we wanted. It was no set agenda, just his thoughts of what to see, what we wanted to see or a mix of everything. If we were passing something and wanted to stop, we could. We discussed a general idea of what we were looking for and what he thought. Then stopped for as long as we wanted or needed. If, towards the end of the 5 hours, we wanted to extend it, he was fine with that.

 

[RedSox68]

That’s a shame. We’ve dont this twice and had excellent experiences ourselves. Both of ours were taxi driviers, not through a company. Taxi drivers making a good amount of money for the 5 hours. We could make it shorter or longer, we just happened to do 5 hours. Both times we were able to make the tour what we wanted. It was no set agenda, just his thoughts of what to see, what we wanted to see or a mix of everything. If we were passing something and wanted to stop, we could. We discussed a general idea of what we were looking for and what he thought. Then stopped for as long as we wanted or needed. If, towards the end of the 5 hours, we wanted to extend it, he was fine with that.

Wonderful idea. Would you mind if I ask what he charged?

 

[maxaroni]

Wonderful idea. Would you mind if I ask what he charged?

It wasn’t inexpensive....4 people $350-$450 for the 5 hours. I can’t recall exactly what it was. But, for us, we felt it was well worth it.

 

[RedSox68]

It wasn’t inexpensive....4 people $350-$450 for the 5 hours. I can’t recall exactly what it was. But, for us, we felt it was well worth it.

Thanks