Welcome back to Byte Size Cruises! We are a small travel agency outside of Philadelphia, PA and we specialize in all things cruises. Our goal here is to share all the best and most up to date information about cruising so you can craft the best vacation possible for you. If this sounds interesting to you and you want all the latest and greatest information on the cruise industry, click to subscribe! In this post we are going to review the different entertainment options on the NCL Escape. 

We recently went on a 7-day cruise on the NCL Escape to Canada and New England and we had an amazing time. It was a busy cruise with lots of running around so we didn't get to see every single show the ship had to offer. We will run through the things we did get to see. 

If you're looking for something to do in the morning, head over around 9am to the Atrium for Sudoku and then around 9:30am they will host morning trivia. It's a fun thing to do earlier in the day if you're a morning person as well as an opportunity to meet other passengers on the ship. It's a fun time and a relaxing way to start your day. They do trivia throughout the day as well, not as much as Royal Caribbean, but you'll find it throughout the days on the ship. 

Where the NCL Escape really shines is the abundance of games they have in the Atrium throughout the day and into the evening. It can get crowded; the games are popular. If you're really wanting to participate in a specific game be sure to get there early to grab a seat. 

One of the flaws we have noticed on the Breakaway and Breakaway Plus class ships is that there is not a secondary entertainment space for the games. This leaves only one main space, which can also make it quickly crowded. Beyond that though, we highly recommend the games they do on the NCL Escape. It's not like watching a game show; the ENTIRE audience gets involved. They're fun, engaging, often funny, and overall a really great time. 

Next up, let's review the performers around the ship. Every night in the Atrium they had a different performer either playing music or singing or both. They had a guitar player, duos, blues travelers, and more. There is also a performer every evening in the District Blue House. They'll play piano, etc. up there. On days at sea when it's nice weather, they'll also have performers outside on the pool deck. Overall, there are several opportunities to enjoy live music around the ship every day. 

Next up, BINGO! Everyone loves Bingo, although the price has gone up recently ($50 to play this last time we were on a cruise). There also is the Arcade and O'Sheehans where you'll find darts, skater ball, hoops, air hockey, pool, and more. 

Now, keep in mind, you do have to pay extra for the games, but they aren't nearly as expensive as Bingo and - if you enjoy some friendly competition - are just as fun. 

Another entertainment opportunity on the NCL Escape are the comedians and dueling pianos. They both use the same space and the dueling pianos are by far our favorite. You can tip the musicians to take a song request or even stop playing a song and switch, which makes it really fun. 

Next up, let's talk about the different parties that happen on the ship. There's an 80's party, a GLOW party, sail-away parties from different ports, and more. On this sailing, all of the parties were in the Atrium, and they were generally well attended which made it fun. 

Two more things to mention! We did go to a few shows in the theater and overall they were good. These aren't the Broadway style shows that you'll find on larger ships, but the talent was really good and the shows were entertaining. We really enjoy that NCL does a "Thank You!" to their crew members at the end of the cruise and everyone comes out and dances and sings; it's a fun thing to be a part of to bring your cruise to an end. 

The only disappointing thing regarding entertainment on the NCL Escape was the Price is Right game in the theater. They tie a Bingo element into it and you have to pay to play, which was kind of a bummer. 

Last but not least, we have to talk about Syd Norman's. Syd Norman's Pour House always has a long line to get in and it is the Cavern Club on some other ships where they do the Beetles. It is a very small room (maybe holds 150 people maximum) and normally you have to wait about an hour to get in. However... The performers here are amazing and because it's a small space, everyone gets involved in the singing and dancing. 

Overall, that is our rundown of the entertainment on the NCL Escape! Have you been on this ship? What was your favorite entertainment option? Comment below! We would love to hear from you.