The following are some useful Information you need to know about the Norwegian Escape:
Disabled Facilities
General Accessibility Information:
- Information provided prior to booking will indicate the suitability of the holiday for individuals with reduced mobility.
- Individual capabilities and requirements vary; guests with disabilities are encouraged to provide full details before booking.
- Guests with significant mobility impairments should travel with a companion for assistance.
- Assistance provided by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) may not be part of the contracted services unless specified otherwise in writing or required by legal regulations.
Wheelchair Accessible Staterooms:
- Limited wheelchair-accessible staterooms with specific amenities are available per ship.
- Guests using wheelchairs must bring collapsible ones or contact Scooteround for delivery to the ship.
- Wheelchairs and scooters must be stored in staterooms.
- Certain activities or shore excursions may not be accessible for wheelchair users in tender ports.
- NCL has specific guidelines for the types of wheelchairs allowed on board.
Accessibility for Hearing-/Vision-Impaired Guests:
- Limited staterooms equipped with vibrating alarm clocks and flashing light systems.
- Registered guide dogs are allowed on all NCL ships (subject to restrictions).
Oxygen Requirements:
- Guests requiring oxygen must bring their own.
- Special Needs at Sea is the authorized company to deliver oxygen to NCL ships.
Medical Conditions and Special Treatments:
- Any medical conditions requiring special treatment must be reported at the time of booking.
- Medical declaration and liability forms may be required for certain conditions.
- NCL reserves the right to refuse passage to guests whose condition jeopardizes safety or requires care beyond what NCL can provide.
Dietary Requirements:
- Refrigerators for insulin storage are available in all staterooms except Studios.
- Low-calorie, sugar-free, fat-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, sodium-free, Kosher, and dairy-free dietary options are available upon request at least two months before the cruise.
Special Dietary Requirements
- When booking, notify Norwegian Cruise Line or Cruisebooking.com about any food allergies or dietary requirements, such as the need for Kosher meals or gluten-free options.
- Requests for special dietary products require 30 days' notice before sailing to ensure fulfillment.
- We cannot guarantee Kosher Meal requests made within 30 days of the sail date.
- To ensure the safety of all guests, food items requiring preparation by the ship's staff or items needing cold storage in our kitchen facilities are not allowed to be brought aboard.
Alcohol and Beverage Policy
- Guests must be 21 years or older to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages on itineraries involving ports in the USA, Canada, or China.
- Premium All-inclusive packages include alcoholic beverages only for guests 21 years and older.
- For all other itineraries, the age requirement is 18 or above, except for citizens of the USA, Canada, or China.
- On cruises with ports in the USA, Canada, or China (excluding Alaska and Hawaii), guests aged 18-20 can consume wine and beer with parental consent.
- Parental consent requires completion of the Young Adult Alcoholic Beverage Waiver form, available at the Guest Services Desk during embarkation.
Smoking Policy
Indoor Public Areas:
- Smoke-free except for designated cigar lounges and the casino.
Cigar Lounge:
- Permits cigar smoking only.
- Prohibits cigarettes, pipes, electronic cigarettes, and vapor-smoking devices.
Casino:
- Designated smoking room on Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy, and Norwegian Encore.
- Active casino players may smoke cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and vapor-smoking devices during gaming hours on other ships.
Staterooms:
- Prohibits smoking in staterooms and balconies.
- USD 250 cleaning charge for smoking inside.
- Additional charges for damage caused by cigarette burns.
Outdoor Areas:
- No smoking near food venues, jogging track, outdoor sports venues, children's pool areas, Vibe Beach Club, Posh Beach Club, or The Waterfront.
The Haven:
- No smoking in The Haven courtyard area.
- Smoking is allowed on certain ships in the Haven Sun Deck area.
Norwegian Escape:
- Designated smoking areas on deck 16 mid-ship (limited area) and Spice H2O, starboard side.
Dress Code
Attire Options:
- Resort casual or formal attire are both acceptable.
- "Dress-Up or Not Night" offers flexibility for personal style choices.
Cruise Casual:
- Suitable for daytime, buffets, and most specialty restaurants.
- Women can wear summer dresses, skirts, pants, shorts, jeans, and tops.
- Men can opt for khakis, jeans, shorts, and casual shirts.
- Swimwear is allowed in specific areas with proper attire.
- A sweater is recommended due to chilly air conditioning.
- Kids 12 and below can wear comfortable shorts in all restaurants.
- Tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors, and overly faded or torn jeans are not permitted in main dining areas.
All Decked-out:
- Smart casual attire for formal dining and upscale specialty restaurants.
- Women can wear slacks, jeans, dresses, skirts, and tops.
- Men should wear jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes.
Ready for Adventure:
- Consider shore excursion activities when packing.
- Comfy walking shoes are recommended.
- Closed-toed shoes are advised for both kids and adults.
Special Events:
- "Norwegian's Night Out" offers cocktails, fine dining, and entertainment.
- "White Hot Party" suggests packing an all-white ensemble for this iconic event.
Sail & Sustain
- Norwegian Cruise Line remains committed to preserving oceans and protecting the environment, communities, and people crucial to its voyages.
- Sustainability is not just a buzzword at Norwegian Cruise Line. It's a fundamental part of our operations, ensuring a superior guest experience at every turn. The company acknowledges the significance of environmental preservation for both its industry and the planet.
- Its Safety, Security, Health, and Environmental Protection policy underscores its dedication to safe, secure, and eco-sensitive operations.
- Core company values prioritize ocean preservation and environmental protection, which are reflected in daily operational goals.
- Objectives include preventing pollution accidents, minimizing environmental impact, and adhering to waste disposal regulations.
- Material recycling and reuse are integral practices aligned with ISO 14001 certification objectives and targets.
- Norwegian Cruise Line implements innovative environmental policies and technologies across its fleet.
- Compliance with international, national, and local regulations, including MARPOL, USCG, and EPA standards, is consistently met or exceeded.
- Accreditation to the ISO 14001 standard acknowledges effective environmental management systems, enhancing both environmental responsibility and operational efficiency.
Water Conservation & Management
Water Production Onboard:
- Water onboard is used for various purposes, including guest and crew stateroom amenities, galleys, laundry, pools, whirlpools, spas, and public space cleaning.
- Efforts have been directed towards increasing water production onboard using sophisticated plants that utilize seawater. This reduces the need for freshwater bunkering, especially in regions where fresh water is scarce.
Water Production Methods:
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology is employed to produce fresh and technical water from seawater, utilizing high-pressure pumps and advanced water filters and treatment components.
- Evaporators produce fresh water from seawater by utilizing heat sources such as Exhaust Gas Boilers, Oil-Fired Boilers, or Waste Heat recovered from the main engine's high-temperature cooling system.
- Bunkered Water, acquired in port, is used as potable water onboard.
Wastewater Treatment Systems:
- Norwegian Cruise Line's ships are supplied with Advanced Wastewater Purification systems (AWPs) to treat wastewater onboard, ensuring that effluent meets or exceeds international regulations and municipal standards.
- The latest ships are equipped with leading AWP technology that meets stringent Baltic Standards. To maintain compliance, quarterly third-party and weekly environmental officer water quality tests are conducted.
Bilge Water Management:
- Wastewater collected in machinery and engine spaces, known as bilge water, is stored onboard and discharged only after meeting international, national, and company regulations.
- Automatic stopping devices and oil content meters ensure compliance by analyzing and recording bilge water oil content. If requirements are not met, discharge is halted, and water is recirculated until standards are achieved. An approved vendor landed the remaining bilge water ashore.
Ballast Water Treatment:
- Ballasting operations stabilize ships for safe and comfortable operation, with ocean water-filling ballast tanks to ensure trim, stability, and structural integrity.
- Treating ballast water before discharge removes tiny organisms picked up during transit, safeguarding local ecosystems and preventing the transfer of non-native or invasive species to new areas.
Waste Mitigation
- Norwegian ships operate in sensitive areas globally, emphasizing leadership by example in stewardship efforts.
- A zero-tolerance policy is enforced against any items being thrown overboard, with guests, crew, and shoreside employees urged to report environmental incidents through the environmental hotline.
- Implementation of a progressive waste management program aims to reduce environmental impact, pollution, and landfill use while conserving resources and energy and lowering fuel consumption.
- Waste reduction is achieved through reuse and recycling, with clear benchmarks set for waste minimization.
- Over the past decade, Norwegian has increasingly utilized recycling programs and partnerships, such as the 2010 collaboration with Waste Management for a Live Load offload operation, reducing waste offload time, truck on-site time, port congestion, transportation costs, and pier-side container usage.
- Employees, both shoreside and shipboard, engage in initiatives like food and clothing drives, beach clean-ups, and community clean-ups.
- Options for recycling and donating technical equipment and hotel furniture are explored during ship refurbishments.
Fuel & Energy Efficiency
Climate Change Mitigation Efforts:
- Recognizing climate change as a significant global challenge with far-reaching effects for current and future generations.
- Commitment from leaders in the cruise industry to play a role in mitigating actions that contribute to climate change.
- Readiness to explore and implement new opportunities for sustainability and emission reduction as the fleet expands.
Emission Reduction Technologies:
- Utilization of Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) to decrease sulfur oxide and particulate matter emissions by up to 99%.
- Installation of EGCS technology on specific ships within the fleet as of December 2020.
- Explanation of how EGCS technology functions to scrub emissions before release from the ship's stack.
Port Operations and Emission Reduction:
- Description of cruise ships generating power in port, like a hotel setup.
- Explanation of Cold-Ironing technology, allowing ships to connect to onshore electrical grids to reduce emissions while docked.
- Percentage of ports equipped with Cold-Ironing technology and list of ships with this capability as of December 2020.
Energy Efficiency Measures:
- Data from all ships will be collected to identify major energy consumers and establish key performance indicators for efficiency improvements.
- Focus on optimizing operations and reducing consumption by targeting major energy consumers.
- Overview of Shipboard Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) aimed at improving energy efficiency through various measures.
Wasted Heat Recovery (WHR) Program:
- Description of WHR program: It recovers heat from engines and utilizes it to improve water production and save fuel.
- Highlighting WHR as a successful energy-saving initiative implemented on cruise ships.
Accessibility
- Norwegian is dedicated to making Freestyle cruising accessible to all guests, ensuring everyone can enjoy the fun and excitement.
- Guests with special requirements can contact us at +1 (866) 622-3344.
- Norwegian's Access Desk, staffed by Access Coordinators, works to meet the needs of guests with special requirements, enhancing safety and accessibility during the cruise.
- Access Coordinators at the Access Desk engage with guests to understand their needs and expectations for the cruising experience.
- Guests or their travel agents can contact Norwegian to communicate special accommodation requirements through a Special Accommodation Requirements Information form available from the Access Desk.
- To ensure a tailored and enjoyable cruise experience, guests can contact us via phone +1 (866) 622-3344 or email support@cruisebooking.com.
Service Charges
- A discretionary service charge is automatically added to guests' shipboard accounts for all staterooms.
- The service charge amounts vary based on the type of stateroom: $16 per guest per day for Studios, Inside, Oceanview, and Balcony Staterooms; $18 per guest per day for Club Balcony Suites; and $20 per guest per day for Suites, The Haven Suites, and Concierge staterooms.
- The service charge is shared among various staff members, including restaurant staff, stateroom stewards, and behind-the-scenes staff, who enhance the overall cruise experience.
- Guests have the option to pre-pay the service charges before their cruise.
- If guests have concerns about the service received during the cruise, they are encouraged to inform the on-board Guest Services Desk staff promptly for timely resolution. If issues cannot be resolved, adjustments to the service charge can be made on board.
- Refunds for pre-paid service charges are not available on board. Guests must apply for refunds, if applicable, after returning home by contacting the Guest Relations department.
- Certain staff positions, such as concierge, butler, youth program staff, and beverage service, provide individualized service and are not covered by the overall service charge. Guests are encouraged to acknowledge good service from these staff members with appropriate gratuities.
- Additionally, a 20% gratuity and spa service charge are added for all spa and salon services and a 20% gratuity and beverage service charge are added for all beverage purchases; a 20% gratuity and specialty service charge are added to all specialty restaurant dining and entertainment-based dining (e.g., Cirque Dreams® and Dinner). This does not apply to Free at Sea dining and drinks packages.
Medical Facilities
- Each ship is equipped with a physician and nurse available to offer medical care and services at standard rates.
- The ships maintain a stock of commonly used medications, which the onboard doctor can prescribe.
Wi-Fi & Internet Access
- Norwegian ships feature 24-hour Internet Cafés for passenger use.
- For detailed information about rates and services, check their official site.
- Wireless internet, also referred to as Wi-Fi, is accessible across Norwegian's entire fleet.
- Passengers can use their compatible mobile phones to stay connected at sea, with international roaming charges applied to their home account. Final rates are determined by the service provider and not Norwegian Cruise Line. For additional details, passengers are encouraged to contact their provider directly.
Services
- Norwegian ships feature 24-hour Internet Cafés for passenger use.
- For detailed information about rates and services, check their official site.
- Wireless internet, also referred to as Wi-Fi, is accessible across Norwegian's entire fleet.
- Passengers can use their compatible mobile phones to stay connected at sea, with international roaming charges applied to their home account. Final rates are determined by the service provider and not Norwegian Cruise Line. For additional details, passengers are encouraged to contact their provider directly.
Age Restrictions
- Infants on Norwegian Cruise Line vessels must be at least six months old at the time of embarkation. For voyages with three or more consecutive days at sea, newborns must be at least 12 months old.
- Specific regulations apply to minors, defined as individuals under 18 years old at embarkation, and young adults, between 18 and 20 years old.
- On itineraries, including ports in the USA, Canada, or China, guests under 21 must be accompanied by someone 21 or older in the same or connecting stateroom.
- For other cruises, guests under 18 (excluding US, Canadian, or Chinese citizens) need supervision, with exceptions outlined in the policy.
- Guests under 18 traveling without a parent or legal guardian must submit a Parent/Guardian Release Form at check-in authorizing travel and medical treatment.
- Single parents traveling with children under 18 to Canadian ports must provide a notarized letter of approval from the absent parent.
- Married couples under 21 can share a stateroom with proof of marriage.
- Children under 16 can't use the fitness center, and the Casino and Thermal Spa have an age limit of 18.
- Certain bars and lounges on specific ships are restricted to adults 18 and over.
- Lifeguards monitor family pools, but adult supervision for children under 12 is strongly recommended.
- Parents or accompanying adults must not leave children unattended on board while going ashore for safety reasons.
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