Hull Art Norwegian Escape

Norwegian Escape Hull (more pics)

 Attention Artists

What Would You Do

With Cruise Ship's Hull

For Your Canvas

While some ships have plain hulls, Norwegian's ships start with a blank canvas and come to life thanks to the creative artists that are selected.  Guy Harvey, well known marine artist and conservationist was selected to create the hull art for Norwegian Escape, the latest ship in the fleet.  It was put in service in 2015 and we were fortunate to be there for our National Conference when she began sailing out of Miami.

In the following article, published by Park West Gallery, Guy Harvey tells about what it was like to see his artwork come to life in the shipbuilders yard.  Watch the video to see the ship's art come to life with Guy Harvey describing the process.

Norwegian Escape's Hull Art - Guy Harvey

More Guy Harvey Art Onboard Escape 

click images to enlarge

Norwegian Escape's hull isn't the only place you can enjoy Guy Harvey's marine artwork while on the ship.   The ship's art gallery features at least one of his paintings.  Shown here is one right by the atrium staircase.

Inside the shops you can also purchase art which you can take home to enjoy long after your voyage.  Whether it's a piece of clothing that you can enjoy, a bag, or other souvenirs, your purchase will also contribute to Guy's conservation efforts.

Click (here) or Image to the left for more stories and photos from our conference cruise on Norwegian Escape.   Check out this brand new ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

Escape to Garden Cafe

Norwegian Escape

Casual Dining

Norwegian Escape complimentary dining options include three main dining rooms, a help-yourself buffet and a variety of casual cafés, grills and on-the-go choices. Plus, the Main Dining Rooms offer a menu that changes daily.

We selected the Garden Cafe for our welcome aboard lunch.  There were other dining options open, but since we had our first general session meeting about an hour after boarding, we wanted something quick.

Garden Cafe is located on Deck 16 aft.   There are many different stations from which you can choose your favorites or try something new. 

Breakfast  Buffet

Most mornings you'd find us in the Garden Cafe before our first general session.   Selections in the ready-made category included eggs, waffles, pancakes, cereal, bacon and sausage.  You could have an omelet made to order if you liked.  Check out our photo album for some more pictures.  Escape - Garden Cafe

Help Yourself

You don't have to wait for someone to server you coffee, juice, ice tea, or water unless you wanted to wait.  Central to each group of tables were silverware wrapped in napkins along with some condiments.   There was a selection of condiments on the buffet station as well, including my favorite HP Sauce.

We always love the baked bread and Norwegian Escape's Bakery didn't disappoint with a nice selection at each meal.   You could also grab a piece of fruit or two for your meal or later in the day.

Walk Around the Buffet

Some common phrases heard in the Garden Cafe:   "Where did you get that?"  "I didn't see that." 

There is a tendency to grab a plate and start filling it up at the first buffet station you see.  I see that behavior on all cruises, and am guilty of it as well at times.   My suggestion to you is before digging into the selections, walk around and get an idea of your options.   Then go back and start filling up your plate.

The picture above is a good example for why you might want to do that.   Near the entrances of the buffet you'll find a soft-serve ice cream machine.   You might be tempted to have that for dessert and if that is something you like, you won't be disappointed.  But, if you walk a little further, you'll find one of the crew serving dishes of ice cream from the selections of the day.    It's like going to your favorite ice cream parlor back home.  You can make your own sundae if you like as well.

Review of Garden Cafe

There was a decent selection of food at each meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).   We were a little disappointed with some of the items, however.   The scrambled eggs weren't cooked to our liking, perhaps because they needed to stay under the lights for extended period of time.  We like crispy bacon, which wasn't always available.  Overall, we were happy with the variety and quality of the food.  Food is so subjective, but we think most people would find something they would like to eat.

The dining room itself is a bit hard to navigate at times - especially in prime times.   There are some wooden barriers that in our opinion should be removed.   They block the natural flow of traffic.  On the positive side there are a number of different seating arrangements, ranging from handicap accessible tables, to high-top tables, which could accommodate any size group.

Norwegian Cruise Line is well known for Freestyle Dining.  

Click (here) or Image to the left for more stories and photos from our conference cruise on Norwegian Escape.   Check out this brand new ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

2015 in Review

As the year draws to a close, we'll take a look at some of the headlines from the past year.  2015 was a relatively quiet year in the news media, at least for the major cruise lines.  There were some bumps and incidents aboard ships, but nothing compared to some of the recent years.

The cruise lines added capacity, but at the same time explored new markets, like China, which helped to stabilize pricing, which was a goal for the industry.   Now more than ever it is important for passengers to plan ahead so that they can take advantage of lead-in pricing.   The lines have vowed not to do "fire sale" pricing close in to the sailing date.  

Learn More about Anthem of the Seas on our Microsite (Click Image)

 "First New Cruise Ship
for 2015"

Honors went to Royal Caribbean International as it took delivery of the second ship in the Quantum-class, Anthem of the Seas.

Anthem of the Seas Conveyance

A New Anthem for New York

Anthem of the Seas features all the spectacular innovations of her sister ship Quantum of the Seas, including North Star, SeaPlex, and circus school complete with flying trapeze. Offering a rich mix of cabin options for couples, families, spa enthusiasts, and solo travelers, accommodations range from luxurious suites to single studios - many with balconies - and interior cabins with virtual views. Relaxation and activities choices abound, and with more bars, dining and entertainment options than can be experienced in a week, this dazzling ship delivers a true resort experience and a blast of a cruise!

"Most Anticipated New Ship for 2015"

“It is our view that in the race to build bigger ships, many cruise lines have lost sight of the destinations to which they sail,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises (May, 2013). “With our new ocean cruises, we are applying the same principles behind our award-winning river cruises to our itinerary and ship design; privileged-access excursions; and onboard experiences to make destinations the true focus.”

Introducing Viking Oceans

With those words above, a new vision was revealed along with the birth of a new cruise line, the first since Disney Cruise Line announced Dis.ney Magic over 17 years ago.  In her debut season Viking Star was awarded with the cruise industry’s highest honors, including being named Best New Ocean Ship and receiving a 5-star rating by the editors of Cruise Critic, receiving the highest rating in the mid-size ship category in Berlitz Cruising & Cruise Ships 2016, and being heralded by CNN as the “world’s best new cruise ship.”  Two additional ships, Viking Sky and Viking Sea, will be delivered in 2016.

A Cruise Line is Born
Introducing Viking Star

Costa Concordia Captain Sentenced 

As these new ships were preparing to enter service, one ship that had been front and center in the industry news for more than 2 years, had one final appearance in the media as litigation completed.  In February, the Italian court passed sentence on Captain Schetino - this video discusses the ruling.  Costa Concordia which had made its final voyage in 2014 as it was towed to Genoa, Italy to be scrapped, now fades into history.  More info: Captain Schettino Prison Sentence Set

Final Entry for 2015 - Norwegian Escape

View Itineraries          Click to Learn More about Norwegian Escape

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for their innovation and the new Norwegian Escape, which debuts this November is no exception.  Cruise Like a Norwegian - Escape Starting November

Norwegian Escape homeports in Miami and sails to the Caribbean year-round.  We've just attended our National Conference on the initial sailing from Miami and are posting articles and pictures in our digital diary.  Well-known maritime artist Guy Harvey designed the hull artwork for the new ship.   There are a number of new dining options introduced on the Norwegian Escape including the first-ever Margaritaville at Sea.

Click (here) or Image to the left for more stories and photos from our conference cruise on Norwegian Escape.   Check out this brand new ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

Industry Changes

Probably the biggest news is in response to passenger demand for improved communications at sea.   Carnival Corporation announced a fleet-wide initiative with new flat-fee offerings and improved bandwidth to meet passenger desires to stay connected to social media while at sea.   Other lines have also followed suit, but not to the same extent.   Keep your eye on this initiative across the industry.

As cruise prices stabilized, many lines have been looking to onboard expenditures as a means to increase revenue.   Items that had once been included, like room service, have started to see additional charges for example.   Some passengers aren't happy with the new trend to "nickle-and-dime" them and may look to cruise lines that have less optional charges.   Luxury lines are becoming an even better value since you know your cost of the entire trip up front.

It will be interesting to see how new players, such as Viking Oceans, impacts the industry as they grow their fleets.  They are bucking the tide to go big and instead opting for smaller ships and more emphasis on the destinations.  Of course, the river cruise industry is booming as the demand soars for this method of exploring the globe.

Food Republic a Fun Dining Experience

Norwegian Escape Dining Innovations 

When Norwegian Cruise Line planned the Escape's dining venues, they teamed up with some of the local Florida talent. Food Republic introduces the concept of "Global Fusion" to the Norwegian Freestyle Dining choices. It is the creation of Pubbelly Boys, the culinary team who have reinvented the South Beach dining scene.

The menu consists of small portions which you can share with others dining with you.   That way, you can taste food from all over the globe or just pick your favorites.   You order from the a la carte menu which is presented on a tablet.   Once you have your "shopping cart" of food selections, you complete your order by charging to your cabin.  Food is delivered as it is prepared.  

 

Here are the favorites we selected on one visit (we liked the food so much we went back another time).   Pictured from left to right and top to bottom are Pork Belly & Scallions with Spicy su-shoyu dipping sauce; Pub Sliders with Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and 1000 island sauce; and Chicken Teriyaki with Ginger, sesame seeds, and scallions.

We sat at one of the counters where were able to watch the chefs prepare some of the sushi dishes. Service was prompt, the food was some of the best on the cruise, and well worth the service charge.

We highly recommend trying Food Republic during your Norwegian Escape cruise.  We are certain this will become one of the passengers' favorites and will find its way onto more ships in the fleet.  Norwegian Cruise line has hit a home run with this dining option.  Food Republic (photo album)

Norwegian Escape

View Itineraries          Click to Learn More about Norwegian Escape

Click (here) or Image to the left for more stories and photos from our conference cruise on Norwegian Escape.   Check out this brand new ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

Margaritaville at Sea

Escape to
Jimmy Buffet's
Restaurant

When Norwegian Escape debuted out of Miami in November, 2015, we were there. One of the highlights we had been anticipating was the first ever Margaritaville at Sea Restaurant. We'll tell you about our experience during that inaugural sailing and also what to expect now when you sail on Norwegian Escape.

Margaritaville at Sea Menu

Cheeseburger in Paradise

If you've eaten at Margaritaville in the states or one of the tropical islands, you are most likely familiar with their menu.  The famous "Cheeseburger in Paradise" is still the headliner on the Norwegian Escape.   For finishing touches, you have to end with a piece of Key Lime Pie.

Our Experience

We were attending our National Conference on Norwegian Escape, which meant that our "free time" on sea days was lunch between morning general sessions and the afternoon breakout sessions.   Needless to say, we didn't have a lot of time for lunch.

Several of the agents in our group decided to try to sit together one lunch. When arriving at the restaurant, we discovered that there was a wait.   Not unexpected due to the popularity of this new dining venue, but unfortunately, we didn't have the luxury of time.   We decided to wait afterall which meant we'd be late to our next session.    We had to experience this dining venue.

When checking in at the restaurant, you are given a pager for your group.  You can roam pretty much anywhere on the ship, so you don't have to stay there waiting to be called.   We actually dined there twice during the cruise and both times we had to wait more than 45 minutes.

Margaritaville at Sea  album

 "Solving" the Problem

Since Margaritaville is only open a limited number of hours each day (for lunch) we had opted to wait.  Many people went away disappointed because they didn't have the time.

Norwegian Cruise Line has since "solved" this problem.   Perhaps you are thinking that they extended the hours or increased staff.  You would be wrong.   They decided that they would now charge for dining instead of making it a free option.   If you click on the menu above, you'll see the revised menu with a la carte pricing.  You'll have to decide for yourself whether it is worth having your Cheeseburger, Fries, and Key Lime Pie at Margaritaville or picking a cheaper alternative.

We are disappointed that Norwegian selected this method to "solve" the long wait time problem.   In fact, we aren't alone in the disappointment passengers are expressing having sailed on this otherwise beautiful new ship.   One passenger told us that they were cancelling the three cruises they had booked because they "were not happy with the direction NCL was going.  They are nickel-and-diming passengers" he concluded.  Only time will tell if freestyle dining on Norwegian Escape remains in its current form.

Click (here) or Image to the left for more stories and photos from our conference cruise on Norwegian Escape.   Check out this brand new ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

Norwegian Escape Two Icons

 Guy Harvey & Jimmy Buffet

When Norwegian Cruise Line announced the new ship build, Norwegian Escape, they also announced new business relationships with two icons who are well known in their respective fields.

While some ships have plain hulls, Norwegian's ships start with a blank canvas and come to life thanks to the creative artists that are selected.  Guy Harvey, well known marine artist and conservationist was selected to create the hull art.

In the following article, published earlier this year, Guy Harvey tells about what it was like to see his artwork come to life in the shipbuilders yard.

Norwegian Escape's Hull Art - Guy Harvey

Another First at Sea

Norwegian Cruise Line is well known for their innovation with things like Freestyle Dining and Freestyle Cruising.  When announcing the Norwegian Escape, they revealed another partnership, with Jimmy Buffet. 

Norwegian Escape's Freestyle Dining venues include the first ever Margaritaville at Sea.  There's also a 5 O'clock Somewhere Bar onboard to complete the entire tropical atmosphere well known among Jimmy Buffet fans.

If you've been to one of Jimmy Buffet's restaurants on land, you'll recognize the menu - complete with the signature hamburgers & key lime pie.   Watch for more posts ....


Photo Albums:   Norwegian Escape Hull       Margaritaville at Sea

Click (here) or Image to the left for more stories and photos from our conference cruise on Norwegian Escape.   Check out this brand new ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

Norwegian Escape Embarkation

Welcome Aboard

Norwegian Escape

November 14th we checked out of Key Biscayne Marriott Hotel and boarded the shuttle, our conference committee had arranged, to take us to Port of Miami.  The ride there is so much nicer since Miami built the tunnel that connects to the pier.   It didn't take long before we got our first glimpse of Norwegian Escape.

There was quite a bit of traffic at the pier already, so our driver couldn't get us close to the terminal entrance.   We were met by porters who took our checked luggage and we then had a short walk to the entrance.

Group Boarding

Due to the size of our group, and since we had our opening session early in the afternoon, Norwegian Cruise Line had arranged a separate embarkation area for our group.   After going through security, we checked in at the counter, got our cabin keys and proceeded to a waiting room until our group was called. 

Shortly after that we had our welcome aboard picture taken and proceeded up the gangway to the ship.   Cabins were still being prepared, but we dropped our carry-on bags in our cabin and headed off for some lunch.   We decided to head for the buffet because it would be fastest.

Embarkation seemed to be organized for the rest of the passengers as well.   That's nice to know since there are a few thousand of your new best friends all anxiously waiting to get onboard the ship.

Click (here) or Image to the left for more stories and photos from our conference cruise on Norwegian Escape.   Check out this brand new ship from Norwegian Cruise Line.

If you have specific questions about the ship, the itinerary, or cruising in general, we'd love to hear from you.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc
 

Love That New Ship Smell - Meet Norwegian Escape

NORWEGIAN ESCAPE - NOV. 14-21, 2015

7 NIGHT CARIBBEAN (R/T MIAMI)

This year's National Conference was held onbord the first revenue sailing of Norwegian Escape from its homeport of Miami, Florida. Ports visited were St. Thomas, USVI, Tortola, BVI, and Nassau, Bahamas. There were more than 800 people in our group. This post serves as an anchor for our mini-series of posts about the conference and the new ship.Please come back often for updates.

The images above highlights our first 24 hours in Miami. We flew from Chicago to Miami, where we had a pre-cruise conference reception at Key Biscayne Marriott Hotel. The next morning we transferred by shuttle bus to the pier, where we got our first glimpse of Norwegian Escape.

Norwegian Escape

View Itineraries          Click to Learn More about Norwegian Escape

 Ship Review

1

Conference

Pack For a Purpose
National Conference 2015

2

Ship

Norwegian Escape Embarkation
Norwegian Escape Two Icons

Norwegian Escape Hull
Escape Mini-Suite
Escape Haven Cabin
Escape Video Arcade

3

Dining

Margaritaville at Sea
Food Republic a Fun Dining Experience
Escape to Garden Cafe
 

Food Republic
Margaritaville at Sea
Escape - Garden Cafe

4

Ports

Dreams Sugar Bay

5

Entertainment

6

Travel 

From Cruise to Winter in One Day

From Cruise to Winter in One Day

Norwegian Escape Back in Homeport

Cruises Inc., and CruiseOne held their 2015 National Conference onboard the brand new Norwegian Escape from November 14-21, 2015.    We were among the more than 800 people in that group that were lucky to be sailing this new ship for the first 7 Night Caribbean voyage from Miami. 

It was a gorgeous day in Miami as we awoke to the view above, as seen from our mini-suite balcony. Checking the weather forecast back home in Chicago, we learned about a major Winter Storm that was already in progress.    It would make for a very long day, but for now, we enjoyed the view.

 Settling in at MIA Airport

We selected one of the last disembarkation groups from the Escape, which still meant we were off the ship before 10 AM and at the airport about 15 minutes later.   We had a 3:20 PM flight so we had decided to camp out at American Airlines Admirals Club.   That would be the best decision we made that morning.

We kept monitoring our flight and it was still on time, which surprised us since the snow was falling at the rate of an inch an hour back home.  Eventually the flight would be cancelled and we'd need to be re-booked.   Four agents in the Admirals Club worked on getting us re-booked.   Finally, they were able to reroute us via Orlando.  The only problem was that we had to leave right away and race to the gate.  They called for a ride to the gate and we made it in time.    There were many more delays before we'd ultimately get off the flight in Chicago, including just short of 3 hours on the tarmac waiting for a gate.

click images to enlarge

Winter Accommodations ORD

This was the scene at O'Hare International Airport at about 12:30 AM.   We considered ourselves lucky to be at our final destination and not having to spend time at the airport.

We still had another long line to go through - since our flight was cancelled, our luggage wasn't on our re-booked flights.   It took about 30 minutes or so to get an agent to track down our bag, but after that it was off to get our car from off-airport parking and then finally drive home.

The Morning After

We dug our way into the driveway at 2:30 AM - not exactly the way we wanted to end our fantastic cruise.   Finally, 12 hours after getting on a plane in Miami, we were in our house and ready for bed.

The next morning the sun was out and shining brightly on the 12 inches of snow that had fallen the day before.  You can see that it had been a chore digging our way into the driveway, especially in the dark of the night.

We were happy that this winter storm was after our cruise and not when we were flying to Florida.   This was a significant amount of snow this early in the season.   You never know, which is why we build in buffer time for flights to the cruise port and always travel with travel insurance.   There were several potential insurance claims that fortunately we didn't have to make.   Insurance would have covered trip delay, lost luggage, and even a hotel room if we had gotten stranded.   

Watch for more posts about our cruise as well as photos on our Norwegian Escape Shutterfly Page.

#FriFotos is Back !! this Friday

This Friday #FriFotos returns to Twitter hosted by @_frifotos .  A new theme is featured each week plus #PhotoHour Friday 7pm GMT for photographers to discuss & connect. The theme for the first week is #Winter so we thought this would be a fitting story to share about the theme.

#Winter travel can be challenging, but getting away to somewhere warm is worth it. Just be sure to plan for delays and insure your trip so that it can be worry free.

 
If you like Travel & Photography join us online:

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc 

Pack For a Purpose

CONNECTING WITH CHILDREN OF THE BAHAMAS

Our final port of call during our 2015 National Conference cruise on Norwegian Escape was at Nassau, Bahamas.  We were among the more than 75 Independent Cruise and Vacation Specialists who partnered with the Sandals Foundation, the non-profit arm of Sandals Resorts International, to donate school supplies to Bahamian children as part of Pack for a Purpose®. 

Conference attendees that participated in this fundraiser donated almost 600 pounds of school supplies to underprivileged children in the Bahamas. What a great way to bring  the "Connect" conference theme to life.

The mission of Pack for a Purpose is to positively impact communities around the world by assisting travelers who want to take meaningful contributions to the destinations they visit through five different initiatives including education, health, child welfare, animal welfare and socioeconomic development. The education initiative supports more than 520 education projects around the world including schools, after-school programs and libraries. 

Since 2011, The Sandals Foundation has been a partner with Pack for a Purpose in the Caribbean to positively impact local communities by assisting visitors who want to take much needed school supplies to support educational initiatives in the region.  Visitors are encouraged to pack up to five pounds of needed supplies in their suitcases, such as school supplies, medical supplies, sports equipment, etc., to meet the needs of people in nearby underdeveloped regions.

Please consider participating in Pack for a Purpose as you travel to areas with PfaP partnerships.  The website is www.PackforaPurpose.org. 

Happy Thanksgiving 2015

HAPPY
THANKSGIVING

Norwegian Escape in St. Thomas USVI

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is here already. Where did 2015 go? As has become my tradition, I'd like to share with you some of the things that I'm thankful for and highlight some of my adventures this year.

I hope that you, your family, and friends have plenty to be thankful for this holiday season. I know that I have plenty of things to be thankful for, including my health, family, and friends and the ability to share my love of cruising with all of you. I’m grateful that I’ve been able to explore new worlds with family and friends again this year.

While this has been another tough economic year, it appears that the cruise industry has weathered the storm once again.

The value of cruising has never been stronger. Even in these tough times, more and more families have taken to the seas.  Indications are that the record discounts offered the past two years will be coming to an end.  In the meantime those discounts have made cruising an even better value, and consequently we have seen a surge in first-time cruisers.

Thankful for ... 
Sailing on Brand New Ships

Cruises Inc. and Cruise One held the 2015 National Conference on Norwegian Escape which just started its inaugural season sailing to the Eastern Caribbean from Miami. This state of the art ship is conservation minded including the amazing hull art work of Guy Harvey.

Once again our conference was held in November and we had the opportunity to thank our veteran members.  Thank you to all who have served in our armed forces.

We wonder what the Pilgrims, who came to the New World in Tall Ships, would think about the Norwegian Escape.Their ships measured 110 feet, held 150 passengers at most, and took months to cross the Atlantic.  The Escape is more than 10 times that length (1098 feet), holds almost 4248 passengers and 1731 crew, and took just a couple weeks to cross the Atlantic.

Thank you for making our blog column a part of your lives in 2015.   I hope that the information we share helps you to dream about future cruises of your own. I'd be honored to help you plan those trips. I have the best job in the world - helping make dreams come true. For that, I'm truly thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

National Conference 2015

Cruises Inc. & CruiseOne National Conference was held onboard the brand new Norwegian Escape, which is based in Miami starting this month.  Here was our view from our 31st story hotel room at Marriott Key Biscayne Miami.  We had a welcome cocktail party at the hotel on Friday November 13th.  The rain waited until we were done with our party

Port Miami welcomed the Norwegian Escape into its new home port early Saturday morning.  One of our fellow agents captured these images early in the morning.

Norwegian Escape looks beautiful all lit up in Miami, but she looks even more amazing in full sunlight.  The hull art was designed by Guy Harvey, who sailed with us on our cruise.  He hopes that his art will bring awareness to conservation efforts so that generations to come can enjoy the sea.

Cruise Like a Norwegian - Escape Starting November

What's New From Norwegian Cruise Line
 

Norwegian Cruise Line is known for their innovation and the new Norwegian Escape, which debuts this November will be no exception.

Norwegian Escape will homeport in Miami and sail to the Caribbean year-round.  We've just attended a local unveiling of some of the new features onboard this fabulous new ship.   Watch this video to learn more about what awaits you when you step onboard to Cruise Like a Norwegian.





Some Highlights on Norwegian Escape 
  

Bayamo Pincho 
Tapas Bar (Jose Garces)

The District Brew House (Bar Lab / Wynwood Brewing)

 678 Ocean Place

The Cellars 
(Michael Mondavi wine bar)

Tobacco Road

Food Republic
(Pubbelly Boys)
(click on images to enlarge)

 Margaritaville & 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar 

(Jimmy Buffett)

Teenage Mutant Ninja
 Turtles Mini-Golf

Snow Room

Aqua Park

Sports Complex 
- Ropes Course


This Breakaway Plus class ship will have many innovations as you can see from these images (courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line). We hope you enjoyed these artist renderings of some of the attractions that will be found on the new Norwegian Escape.  Our 2015 National Conference is being held on this new ship.  We will be among the first people to sail out of Miami.

>>> Learn More about Norwegian Escape