I would love to give the Escape a more positive review as the service was outstanding. For a new ship, the design is simply horrid. You can not walk through the main atrium area on 3 floors without being subjected to the awful smell of stale cigarette smoke. My kids begged not to walk through there and my wife and I couldn't enjoy many bars and restaurants in that area of the ship, because of the smell. For the life of me, I can't see what NCL was thinking with the layout of this ship. If you don't mind cigarette smoke, this is the ship for you!

The ropes course and slides were fun for everyone. Getting on and off the ship was a breeze. The buffet workers keep the area cleaner than any of the 20+ cruises I have been on! The shows were not very good at all and there was an upcharge for 11 of the 16 dining options. I can see offering a few upgraded dining options, but who wants to cruise for an additional $25 per person at most venues?