Caribbean Cruise Day 1

Miami Florida- Atlantic Ocean
November 19th 2016




We made it through customs and soon we were on the ship. First stop was our little not so exciting state room.

 Can I say I was so excited to see the Birthday decorations? WOW!!! after my amazement with this added touch! Thank you hubby! I was soon looking in disbelief at the ROOM....Hey where are the boys suppose to sleep? Nope there is no pull out bed...so hidden room....only the bathroom. Maybe it's next door??? Nope that is a different room. Hun? They must have made a mistake....so before Mark could make a ruckus....(we saw the 80's bratpack show while we were on board) I asked the tending. Well (and I am so mad I didnt take a picture) The beds are in the ceiling!!! CAN YOU DEAL???? WOW MIND BLOWN!!! It was a little surprising and TIGHT all week...but great fun. Sort of like sleeping in a bunk house. The boys seemed to be comfortable, and other then the adults snoring...they slept just fine.
Now that we got that straight we were onto the next AWESOME thing.... Not only was my room decorated BUT I got CAKE!!!!

 I am so thinking that every CRUISE should be on my Birthday!!!
All settled with our things, we decided it was time to hit up some lunch and take in the scenery.
The Norwegian Escape (The lines largest some 4,500+ staff occupancy) is built and has a very similar layout to the Breakaway we sailed on last year. It has all the same restaurants, including and our first stop the buffet. We had not had lunch yet, and ready to STUFF our faces. The ship was not scheduled to sail until 7pm that evening so we had plenty of time to check it all out.

 View from the buffet. After a nice meal...on to the all inclusive DRINKS!!! Yep! We had a free drink package added to our package. I decided early that I was going to JUMP on this bonus.

 One little thing to note for future cruises.....I thought that tip was included (there is a daily fee added to your room each day per person that covers gratuity/fees for room etc.) Ours was $13.50 per day per person. I did not realize that this was NOT for tips to the bar tenders. So for the future!!! TIP your bar tender. Also while in HOME port...although the beverage is FREE!!! there is tax on each drink. Want to save some money and get drinks quick. Don't drink till you leave port and tip your bar tender. SORRY I LEARNED TO LATE!!! Its also a good idea to tip your waiters/staff at the sit down dining,...or anyone for that matter.
Before we left for the cruise I had heard negative reviews specifically regarding the staff. Well maybe they were mad because everyone thought the tip was included like me and no one was tipping. At any rate I never had a problem with the staff everyone seemed friendly to me and our room fella was AWESOME!!! He would always say Hello Wendy...Hello Mark! He knew our names but I cannot recall his. He also dealt with the messiest room ever....not to mention it smelled of teen aged boys. Gavin is a mess and every day there were clothing from one end of that small room to the other, and every day the room was nice and neat...sometimes he even folded those cloths for us. WOW!!

While still in port, my mother in law suggested we book a spa day. I couldn't wait as I had seen the video on youtube on their INCREDIBLE spa room. We headed to the front of the ship and I took the tour, YOU CAN GET ANY BEAUTY TREATMENT EVER IMAGINED ON THIS SHIP!!! AND OH HOW LOVELY IS THIS?

 I  was all set to book a massage or something so I could enjoys these added features. (not included in your booking). I am soooo cheep....I really would have enjoyed a massage, but I assumed that with the massage came the SPA package. IT DOES NOT!!!!!! So after the $175- deep tissue massage I was planning on getting. (YEP THATS RIGHT ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS) I would still have to pay an additional $55- for three hours of the spa. Oh yeah and you cannot book just the spa for $55- it must be in combination with a massage or you can pay some several hundred dollars for just the spa package only. OK...so in hindsight and after spending at least that in the casino later...(I SO AM A LOOSER) I SOOO WISH I HAD DONE IT!!!! Next Cruise...I am booking this and I do not care how much it costs!!!!

 Check out a youtube video on the Escape spa!!! It is absolutely AMAZING!!!

I should note that while I had made a promise to myself to work out everyday on the cruise. I did not once make it back down to this area of the ship the entire trip (The gym was located outside the spa). ALL VICES CAME OUT THIS WEEK!!!! Excessive food, lots and lots of alcohol and TONS OF GAMBLING!!!! Yes I was riding the tailcoat of SIN!!!! (Cant wait for the next ride.)

We did the musket drills (as required) and learned about what we needed to do in an emergency. We even had a talking to about Android S7 phone (They might explode apparently). Found with one would be BIG TROUBLE!!!
I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I did last cruise. The layout is so similar that I really didn't want to take much of the same things. No pictures of the drill. Plus this time we couldn't even see the instructor and I have no idea WHAT was being said over the speaker. Thank God we didn't have an emergency.  

The ship finally set sail just about sunset. Here is Miami at dusk!!!

 BEAUTIFUL!!!!

We enjoyed the evening with drinks, dinner and relaxation.

 The lovey center piece. (The Breakaway has the same style.) Below I am not sure what this is (Rhino) but I had to guess the weight, I was sooooo off.

 Dinner in either Savor or Taste (I cannot remember) Both serve the same things and are opposite the other.

 I had steak and it was delish!!!!! one of my favorite meals.

 Desert,.. (I HAD LOTS OF DESERT) was LAVA CAKE!

After dinner the GAMES began in the Casino at Sea!!!! and look! Apparently everyone knows its my Birthday!

The rest of the night the ship sailed into the dark sea lulling us all into a deep sleep!!! Great end to an amazing day and an incredible Birthday!!!!
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