Experience Europe the 'Freestyle' Way!

Video is courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Be sure to book your next cruisetacular adventure to Europe with Norwegian Cruise Line! This summer Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Sun, and my personal favorite, Norwegian Epic will be taking vacation-goers around to see Europe's finest! These three innovative vessels bring a refreshing approach to cruising and have earned a number of awards and accolades since their respective debuts. Here's one great benefit to sailing Europe with NCL: if you book Norwegian Epic, you can garner as much as $300.00 in on-board spending money (limited time offer)! Now that's a deal for sure!

Having sailed two of these ships (Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Sun), you're bound to have nothing but a cruisetastic time! If you're traveling alone, no worries, Norwegian Epic will welcome you with open arms into one of her state-of-the-art studio staterooms! You want to bring your kids, you say? Well Norwegian Epic will be having a special Nickelodeon 'All-Access' sailing on July 24, 2011 departing from Barcelona, Spain! The whole family is bound to have a cruiserific getaway indeed!

These ships are some of the best in the industry, and are sure to be true crowd pleasers with you and your loved ones! So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags, book your cabins, and immerse yourself with the breath-taking treasures of the eastern hemisphere today! Your ship awaits, bon voyage!

The Ocean Escape 2010 Award Winners

Norwegian Epic was voted as Cruise Ship of the Year for 2010.
Photo Credit: Cruise Man 3000



Since The Ocean Escape Blog was created, in June 2010, there have been two monthly cruise award winners. Every month there is a new cruise line and cruise ship of the month. What's the purpose of these awards? Check out my previous blog post, Why Have a Cruise Line and Cruise Ship of the Month? We have 7 new cruise ships coming out in 2011, check back throughout the year to see if any of them win awards with The Ocean Escape!

Here's a recap of 2010's Cruisetacular award winners...
Month                Cruise Ship                         Cruise Line
July 2010:       Caribbean Princess          Norwegian Cruise Line
Aug. 2010:     Norwegian Epic                Disney Cruise Line
Sept. 2010:    Navigator of the Seas       Princess Cruises
Oct. 2010:     MSC Poesia                      Celebrity Cruises
Nov. 2010:    m/s Oosterdam                  Cunard Line
Dec. 2010:    Celebrity Solstice               Holland America Line

10 Reasons to cruise through the Holidays...

These 10 reasons to cruise, during the holidays, are from Norwegian Cruise Line. Maybe you too can form your own list after you take a cruise during the holidays. Look what NCL had to say...

1. Holiday shopping, without the holiday parking!
2. There's no way you can ruin the turkey!
3. Santa loves to cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line!
4. There's no assembly or batteries required!
5. It's hard to wreck the house when you're partying on a cruise ship.
6. It's a world away from your kitchen!
7. Swimsuits are more fun than reindeer sweaters!
8. Snow angels or sand angels- it's a no brainer!
9. Your neighbors can't hear you caroling out here [on the high seas]!
10. Why hang light when you can hang under stars?

Now you get out there, on the high seas, and form your 10 reasons to cruise during the holidays; your ship awaits, bon voyage!

Enjoying St. Maarten w/ Cruise Man 3000

Why the cruise awards?

Norwegian Epic (The first cruise ship award winner)
Photo Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line

Many of you may wonder why I post a cruise line and cruise ship of the month award winner every month. Well, I started giving these honors in July 2010, and I do it for solely one purpose: exposure. Many cruisers, like my close friends, cruise one cruise line or a particular ship and will not try another cruise line.

There are many great cruise lines and ships that have a plethora of things to offer for your enjoyment. When you just stick with what you know, you are limiting yourself and not allowing yourself to fully enjoy other great cruises within the industry, in a way.

So I highlight two award winners (cruise ship and cruise line of the month) every month, in order to give you some more options when trying to plan your next cruise vacation. Originally, I was a 'Carnivalholic' and would only cruise with Carnival Cruise Line. Hard to believe since I am now a 'Freestyle Fanatic' glued to  Norwegian Cruise Line. What cruise line will convert you, or which line will you now love more? Keep tabs on these award winners, and see what interesting things they have to offer that can help make your next cruisetacular adventure all the more enjoyable!

I just don't give awards to anyone, they are earned for a reason. Get ready to set sail on one of today's innovative ocean going vessels! If you don't like it, at least you tried it, right?  Your ship awaits, 'Bon Voyage!'

Bowling on the Norwegian Epic

Spice H20, The Adult Only Zone on the Norwegian Epic

My Top 10 Moments on the Norwegian Epic!



Norwegian Epic's hull up close in St. Maarten
Photo Credit: Nahshon "Cruise Man 3000" Ford

 #1 Meeting cool people, gaining a little weight, getting a tad darker, and truly realxing the "Freestyle Way!"

#2 Meeting Silas Cook (Epic's Cruise Director). We had great convos the entire week! A great person, cool guy, and awesome addition to the Norwegian Epic!

#3 Seeing the #BlueManGroup live and getting to meet them afterwards! Awesome show, twinkies, jello, toliet paper, and all!

#4 Seeing 2nd City perform live in #HeadlinersComedyClub! They've got "Whose Line..." beat by miles!

#5 Meeting the Captn and having him sign my newly purchased cruise ship model! What a treat!

#6 Catching up with some cool Nick characters at #SlimeTimeLive by the pool (Dora Waved at me)!

#7 Eating Green Tea Ice Cream and Blueberry Crepes in the Garden Cafe' while leaving St. Thomas

#8 Climbing the rock wall and going down the rapelling wall while sailing into #Nassau!

#9 Finding awesome Buffalo Wings in the casino! What a treat!

#10 Having @NCLFreestyle hold the transfer bus for me because my flight was delayed! #WorldClassService

I also enjoyed going into the 17 degree Ice Bar! That was really "cool!"

Getting Around On The Norwegian Epic

Mega Cruise Ship, Mega Crowds.

Look What The Carnival Destiny Started

Welcome To the Norwegian Epic!

The Norwegian Epic Ice Bar

The Norwegian Epic's Sports Complex

Taste Dining Room, The Norwegian Epic

The Norwegian Epic, A Voyage With Cruise Man 3000

Welcome to Nassau!

The Studio and You! Cruising Solo on the Norwegian Epic

Why Not Try A New Cruise Line?

I am looking forward to trying Holland America Line.
Here is one of their Vista-Class vessels docked in the Caribbean.
Photo Credit: Rachel Sawyer 

Sometimes when cruisers experience their first cruise they think, "That's it, there is no other cruise line that is perfect for me!" I said this same exact statement after my first cruise, but how would I know that Carnival was the best if I hadn't cruised with any other lines? My first cruise was with Carnival Cruise Line, on Carnival Imagination. I knew that Carnival was the best cruise line and no one else could compare--that was until I tried other cruise lines.

I first branched out and tried Norwegian Cruise Line, sailing Norwegian Spirit, and I absolutely loved it (I am now hooked onto NCL)! Each cruise line has their own distinct flare and caters to an array of passengers. It is okay to have your favorites, we all do, but don't be afraid to try another great cruise line.

To date, Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line are my personal favorites but that could change when I begin branch out to even more cruise lines; just as I first did a couple years ago. Don't try one ship in another cruise line's fleet, try multiple to get a true feel for what that cruise line has to offer.

A friend of mine just got back from Holland America Line and she said, "It's not your grandparents cruise line." I think I have a new cruise line to try, and so should you! Do a little research, and get out on the high seas to experience the ocean-going flare each ship wants you to fall in love with! Your ship awaits, bon voyage!

Cruise Ships Now Going Green?

Viking Line depiction of the green cruise ship as of October 2010
Photo Credit:  Mercator Media 2010

Yes! The day has finally come, cruise ships are now going green! The ship is not expected to begin being built until the fall of 2011, and not debut until sometime in 2013.

This may spark a new generation of cruise ships to begin being built throughout the cruise line industry. Viking Line will be the owner of this vessel  that is anticipated to be built by STX in Finland.

The STX yard in France built the Norwegian Epic (Norwegian Cruise Line), and the STX yard in Finland built Oasis and Allure of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International).  Click This Link Below for the entire story!

Green Cruise Ship To Be Issued In 2013