The Escape Plan

Dec 10–18, 2026 — Dec 10 is the travel day · Norwegian Escape sails Dec 11–18, round-trip from Port Canaveral · 4 ports · 2 sea days · 4 travelers

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Norwegian Escape sailing at sea, showing the Guy Harvey sea-creature hull art on the bow
Norwegian Escape at sea, with the bow artwork by marine artist Guy Harvey. NCL press photo, via SatelliteToday

Four islands in seven days, with Port Canaveral on either end.

This is your trip on paper, checked against sources instead of guesses: Dec 10–18, 2026, with Dec 10 as your travel day to Orlando and the Dec 11–18, 2026 sailing of Norwegian Escape, eastern Caribbean, round-trip from Port Canaveral. The four of you fly into Orlando together, spend a night near Disney Springs, then sail — Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Norwegian's freshly rebuilt private island, Great Stirrup Cay. Below: the voyage chart, the day-by-day log, the ship, the bars, rums & cocktails section, the crew manifest, and the packing ledger.

Port Canaveral—— Puerto Plata—— St. Thomas—— Tortola—— Great Stirrup Cay—— Port Canaveral (schematic — see the chart below for the real thing)
Stop by stop

The voyage chart

Seven nights, about 1,400 nautical miles round-trip, across five stops. Pick a pin or a station to see its port day — the stations link out to maps for closer looks.

Drag and zoom the chart; select a numbered pin to jump to its station.

  1. 1

    Port Canaveral, Florida

    Days 1–2, 8  ·  departs Fri 4:00 PM · back Fri 7:00 AM

    Open in maps
  2. 2

    Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

    Day 3 · Sun Dec 13  ·  9:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Taíno Bay

    Open in maps
  3. 3

    St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

    Day 4 · Mon Dec 14  ·  11:00 AM – 7:00 PM · Charlotte Amalie

    Open in maps
  4. 4

    Tortola, British Virgin Islands

    Day 5 · Tue Dec 15  ·  6:45 AM – 2:00 PM · Road Town

    Open in maps
  5. 5

    Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas

    Day 7 · Thu Dec 17  ·  10:00 AM – 6:00 PM · NCL private island

    Open in maps

On ship port times. The arrival/departure windows above come from the scheduled Dec 11, 2026 sailing. Times can shift with weather or operations — always go by the Freestyle Daily slipped under your stateroom door each evening and the NCL app's all-aboard times.

Dec 10 – Dec 18

The day log

Nine entries, start to finish. Flight numbers, port times, excursion details, and the one or two decisions still on the table.

Day 0travel

Wheels up to Orlando

All four of you fly together out of Detroit on Delta 1747, touching down at Orlando just before 1 PM — well ahead of the evening. The night is at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, in the Disney Springs area, which puts you close to dinner options and gives the group the morning of Dec 11 entirely unhurried: Port Canaveral is roughly 45–60 minutes from MCO by car, and the ship doesn't sail until 4 PM.

Since this is a plain domestic flight the morning routine is simple: boarding passes saved offline, confirmations handy, and seats already assigned in Delta Comfort row 19 — Eric 19A, Nichole 19C, Emma 19D, Nathan 19F.

Dec 10 · the tiki night

Trader Sam's Grog Grotto — Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

The evening of Day 0 gets the real tiki bar: Disney's over-the-top tiki lounge at the Polynesian, where ordering a Nautilus or a Krakatoa Punch turns into a cast-member show in the room. It's walk-up only — no reservations exist — but there's a digital Walk-Up Waitlist in the My Disney Experience app: join it only when physically at the Polynesian, and expect the list to fill on busy nights (wdwmagic.com, Dec 2025). The Grotto goes 21+ after 8 PM; the open-air Tiki Terrace outside stays all-ages all night and looks across Seven Seas Lagoon — Magic Kingdom fireworks if the timing lines up.

  • How the night runs: check in at the Hilton and settle — then rideshare to the Polynesian by ~3–4 PM (about 20–30 min), join the waitlist the moment you step in, and take dinner or a Terrace drink while you wait. Grog Grotto hours are 11 AM–midnight daily; Terrace 11 AM–11 PM.
  • It's a Thursday night in December — off-season and midweek is usually calmer than the weekend crush, when waits can still run hours.
  • About fifty seats inside, so this is a party-of-four affair — no plus-ones.

Trader Sam's on disneyworld.disney.go.com ↗

Disney Springs at night in Orlando, with lit-up boardwalk-style storefronts
Disney Springs at night — you're staying nearby on Dec 10. Tripster photo

Live flight status isn't included here — a static page can't track real gates and delays. Check Delta's app the morning of Dec 10 for terminal and gate info.

Day 1board

Board Norwegian Escape Depart 4:00 PM

Embarkation day. Check the terminal transfer in the morning, then head to the Norwegian terminal at Port Canaveral. Your cabins — 13842 (Eric & Nichole) and 13848 (Emma & Nathan) — sit on Deck 13, two staterooms on the same deck, so splitting up and regrouping is easy.

Do the unglamorous things first: complete iMuster (NCL app or stateroom TV, then check in at your assigned muster station), confirm both bags arrived at the cabins, then walk the ship — muster station, Guest Services, 678 Ocean Place, the Garden Café — while it's still quiet. Aim to pick the week's specialty-dinner nights and show plans on Day 1 — NCL ended pre-cruise show bookings in April 2026, so the popular evenings fill from the line, not the app (pre-sail checklist ↓).

  • Sailaway is the show of the day — be on the Waterfront promenade or Spice H2O by a bit before 4.
  • No cruise-terminal parking to arrange — no car is being left at Port Canaveral, so drop-off at the terminal and straight to check-in.
  • Print or affix the NCL bag tags before leaving the hotel (cabins 13842 & 13848).
Day 2at sea

Sea day, sailing south heading for Puerto Plata

The first full day at sea is spent cruising toward the Dominican Republic — and it's the week's decompression day before the port rush. The ship is biggest when it's between islands: claim a lounger early if you want one poolside, since the decks fill on sea days.

  • Shows: The Choir of Man is Escape's headline musical — a rowdy English pub show with the audience pulled in. Pre-cruise show bookings were discontinued in April 2026, so line up early; the same goes for Headliners Comedy Club, below decks on 6.
  • Thrills: the three-story Ropes Course (decks 18–20), the Waterfront promenade, the Sports Deck on 19.
  • Slow lanes: Spice H2O (adults-only, deck 17) for a late-afternoon set, Mandara Spa sea-day slots, or the Thermal Suite for a quiet hour.
  • Pace yourselves: Puerto Plata is an early-ish 9 AM arrival, and the excursion decision (see Day 3) is still open.
Day 3port

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Dock at Taíno Bay, the resort-style cruise complex right at the pier — pools, a lazy river, shops, and bars before you ever leave the gate. It's the first port of the week and a short one (7 hours), so plans matter more than pace.

Not yet booked — decision open

Mountain safari + rum tasting

The plan so far: skip the Damajagua waterfalls and do a mountain safari with rum tasting instead. Settle on the operator before the trip (NCL's excursion desk or a well-reviewed independent) and agree on timing — departure is 4:00 PM sharp, with all-aboard earlier per the NCL app.

Fallback: Taíno Bay alone eats a happy morning; Pico Isabel de Torres cable car and Fortaleza San Felipe cover city time if you stay ashore.
  • Currency: Dominican peso — but USD is widely accepted all through Taíno Bay. Bring small bills.
  • Language: Spanish at the port; English gets you everywhere at Taíno Bay.
  • Independent taxis outside the port gate are typically cheaper than ship tours for a city loop — fix the price before you ride.
The game plan · Day 3

What fits in 9 AM–4 PM

9:00 AM – ~1:00 PM
Mountain safari + rum tasting. Off early, straight to the operator — and get the arranged return time in writing when you book; departure is 4 PM, with all-aboard earlier per the NCL app, and this is the excursion with the least slack.
~1:00 – 3:00 PM
Taíno Bay at arm's length. The lazy river and pools sit steps from the pier, so lunch + a cool-down asks nothing of the schedule. If you skip the safari, this is the Pico Isabel de Torres cable car or Fortaleza San Felipe slot.
By all-aboard
Back through port security. Be aboard at the NCL app's published all-aboard time (well before the 4 PM departure) — the first port day is the wrong place to learn the lesson.

Anchored on the safari actually being booked — that decision is still open (see the pre-sail checklist ↓). The complex alone covers a happy morning if it isn't.

The lazy river and pool deck at Taíno Bay cruise port in Puerto Plata, with a cruise ship docked behind
The lazy river at Taíno Bay — the resort complex sits steps from where Escape docks. Cruise Critic / Jorge Oliver
Day 4port

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

The longest port day of the week. Escape docks late morning at Charlotte Amalie and stays until 7 PM — hours of daylight plus a real evening in town if you want it. Being a U.S. territory, there's no currency swap and no passport dance; it's a relaxed day by design.

Booked & paid · 4 guests

Turtles & Tacos Catamaran Sail and Snorkel

NCL's Red Collection, about 3 hours. Luxury catamaran out to the turtle grounds — snorkel with green sea turtles over the seagrass beds, then a chef-curated taco lunch aboard, with an open bar (soft drinks, beer, wine). Check the excursion ticket for the exact meeting point; the marina is roughly a 10–15 minute walk from the ship.

Wear swim gear under your clothes · bring reef-safe sunscreen, a towel, and a rash guard if you burn.

View the excursion on ncl.com ↗

  • The 7 PM departure leaves room after the catamaran for Charlotte Amalie shopping or a Magens Bay beach stop.
  • USVI is duty-free territory — liquor and jewelry prices are the whole point if you're shopping.
The game plan · Day 4

11 AM–7 PM — the marathon day

Morning
The ship is yours. You don't arrive until 11 — pool, spa slots, or a lazy Garden Café breakfast, since no excursion owns your morning.
11:00 AM – ~1:00 PM
Off the ship, into town. Lunch and Charlotte Amalie: the Lost Turtle at Royal Dane Mall or Rum Island Pub on the Dronningens Gade waterfront for a Bushwacker reconnaissance round.
Afternoon
Turtles & Tacos. The ~3-hour Red Collection sail fits anywhere in the 8-hour window — build the day around the meeting time once the excursion ticket lands. The marina is only ~10–15 min on foot from the ship.
Post-sail
Mountain Top or duty-free. With hours to spare after the catamaran either way: a taxi run up to Mountain Top for the banana daiquiri (~2,100 ft up), or a waterfront shopping loop with the duty-free liquor run — Cruzan is distilled across the water in St. Croix, poured everywhere here.
6:30 PM
Back aboard. Build in real margin before the 7 PM departure — check the NCL app for the published all-aboard time and beat it; this day is long enough either way.
Aerial view of Charlotte Amalie harbor in St. Thomas with cruise ships docked and sailboats anchored
Charlotte Amalie harbor from above — Escape docks here for St. Thomas day. Visit The USA
Day 5port

Tortola, British Virgin Islands 6:45 AM – 2:00 PM

The tightest day of the week: earliest arrival, earliest all-aboard. Escape ties up at Road Town's Tortola Pier Park before 7 AM; you're off the catamaran pier by 9. The 2:00 PM departure means everything runs on the excursion's clock, and it does — this one's timed to have you back with room to spare.

Booked & paid · 4 guests

Escape to Jost Van Dyke

4½ hours aboard the motorized catamaran Rebel Yell. A 45–50 minute scenic ride out through the archipelago to White Bay, beach time on one of the BVI's best stretches of sand, a stop at the world-famous Soggy Dollar Bar — home of the Painkiller cocktail — and rum punch on the ride home. See Bars, rums & cocktails ↓ for the Painkiller's origin story.

Must be able to swim: the cat noses onto the beach at White Bay — no dock. Small bags only; crew helps them ashore. Departs ~9:00 AM.

View the excursion on ncl.com ↗

  • When you're back, Tortola Pier Park's shops and Crafts Alive Village sit right at the dock — Pusser's and Sunny Caribbee spice blends if anyone wants a souvenir.
  • Currency is US dollars in the BVI (official), so cash planning stays simple.
The game plan · Day 5

6:45 AM–2 PM — the shortest day

6:45 – 8:30 AM
Up with the sun. Early breakfast on the ship, then off for the Jost Van Dyke excursion check-in — departure is ~9 AM; believe the ticket, not this card, for the meeting time.
~9:00 AM – ~1:30 PM
Escape to Jost Van Dyke. The Rebel Yell rides out, White Bay, the Soggy Dollar Bar's Painkiller (#2, #3, or #4), rum punch on the way home. Don't overload this one — it's the day's whole center of gravity.
~1:30 – 1:55 PM
One shore thing. That's the whole remaining budget — 25 minutes: the pier-side Pusser's Road Town Pub (walking distance from the cruise pier) for a single quick one, or Crafts Alive Village at Tortola Pier Park. 2:00 PM is the departure, so be aboard at the app's published all-aboard time with margin.

About Callwood: the distillery is open 8 AM–5 PM on a Tuesday, tours are ~30 minutes and cash-only (Tripadvisor, 2026), and it's ~7 minutes by taxi each way from Road Town — but the arithmetic doesn't fit around the booked excursion (9 AM – ~1:30 PM) and the 2:00 PM departure. To do Callwood properly you'd forgo Jost Van Dyke entirely: taxi at the 8 AM opening, tour + tasting + bottles, back to Road Town for Pusser's by ~11:30. Check the excursion ticket's cancellation deadline first if that trade appeals.

Aerial view of White Bay on Jost Van Dyke with white sand, anchored catamarans, and palm-fringed beach
White Bay, Jost Van Dyke — where the Rebel Yell noses ashore for your Tortola-day beach stop. Nautilus Yachting
Day 6at sea

Sea day, heading north bound for Great Stirrup Cay

The second sea day points home-bound — north toward the Bahamas and tomorrow's private-island stop. Use this one as a reset: pool morning, spa afternoon, and an unhurried dinner after three straight port days.

  • Pack the beach bag tonight — swimsuits, sunscreen, water shoes, towels from the ship — so cabana day isn't a scramble.
  • If anyone wants the Great Tides Waterpark, check the NCL app for remaining day passes tonight (it's a separate paid pass).
  • Check myNCL for your assigned lagoon cabana number; head over soon after you're ashore tomorrow.
Day 7port

Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

NCL's own island — and it's changed. A brand-new dual-berth pier means Escape docks and you walk straight off; the old tendering days are gone. Beyond that, nearly six acres of the island is now the Great Tides Waterpark, which opened to guests on September 4, 2026 — 19 slides around the 170-foot Tidal Tower, an 800-foot Wandering River, cliff jumps at Cliffside Cove, and Splash Cay for kids. It's a separate paid day pass (bookable in myNCL), not included with the cruise.

Booked & paid · 4 guests

Great Life Lagoon Cabana

Shaded cabana right at the Great Life Lagoon — up to 8 guests, small fridge, bar service — with sparkling wine, a fruit basket, and chips & salsa. Check myNCL for the assigned number and claim it soon after you land.

Complimentary dining island-wide (taco bars, grill). Bring a beach towel from the ship — general beach areas don't supply them.
  • Lighthouse Beach and Infinity Beach cover the white-sand side if the lagoon pool feels busy.
  • Snorkeling, kayaks, and WaveRunner rentals run from the island's activity desks.
The game plan · Day 7

10 AM–6 PM — the cabana day

10:00 AM
Walk off. The new dual-berth pier means no tenders — straight to the Great Life Lagoon cabana. Check myNCL for your assigned number and claim it before it claims itself.
10:30 AM – 1:00 PM
The lagoon morning. Shaded cabana, fridge, bar service, sparkling wine and the fruit basket — this is the day when nothing has to happen.
1:00 – 2:30 PM
Island lunch, on the house. Jumbey Beach Grill and the food trucks are all complimentary — and the beverage package works island-wide, so beach drinks aren't a split-the-tab affair.
2:30 – 4:30 PM
Slow afternoon. Lagoon again, Lighthouse Beach or Infinity Beach — or the Great Tides Waterpark with day passes booked in myNCL if anyone's feeling the 19-slide life.
5:00 – 5:30 PM
Back aboard. Settle in before the 6 PM departure — comfortably ahead of the published all-aboard. The week's last sunset starts from here.
Aerial photograph of Great Stirrup Cay with turquoise water, white sand, and a cruise ship off the island
Great Stirrup Cay from above. Crew Center
NCL preview rendering of the Great Tides Waterpark at Great Stirrup Cay showing slides, the tidal tower, and pools
Great Tides Waterpark — NCL's preview of the 19-slide addition, opened Sept 2026. NCL press rendering
Day 8home

Back in Port Canaveral — fly home Arrive 7:00 AM

Disembarkation day, typically starting around 7–8 AM. Self-assist (carry your own bags down) is the earliest way off; zone-based follows. Set luggage out the night before on your assigned zone tag (usually by ~11 PM), and check the Daily for the exact procedure.

Then it's the mirror of Day 0: back to Orlando, and Delta 1776 home to Detroit. With a 4 PM departure you have a comfortable buffer — but keep an eye on how disembarkation runs, since it's the only step with real variability.

Home for seven nights

Norwegian Escape

Breakaway Plus class — the first of her class, in service since 2015, hull art by Guy Harvey, and somewhere north of 4,200 fellow guests. She's due for drydock maintenance in late 2026, ahead of your sailing, so public spaces arrive fresher than the guidebooks describe. Venue lineups can shift with that work — confirm the dining and show lineup in the Freestyle Daily once aboard.

164,998 GTGross tonnage
1,069 ftLength overall
20Decks · 16 guest-accessible
4,266Guests · double occupancy
~1,733Crew
23 knService speed

▸ Included — where you'll eat without a cover charge

  • Deck 6
    SavorMain dining · classic favorites with a few curveballs
  • Deck 6
    TasteMain dining · sister room, daily-changing menu
  • Deck 7
    The Manhattan RoomArt Deco supper-club feel · breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Deck 7
    O'Sheehan's Bar & GrillThe 24-hour pub · reubens, wings, fish & chips — your 2 AM option
  • Deck 16
    Garden CaféThe main buffet · indoor & outdoor seating
  • Deck 17
    American DinerPoolside 50s diner · burgers, shakes, classic-car décor

▸ Cover charge — the specialty dinners worth booking early

  • Deck 8
    Cagney's SteakhousePremium Black Angus · the classic special-night pick
  • Deck 6
    TeppanyakiShared hibachi tables · dinner and a show; books out fast
  • Deck 6
    Le BistroFrench · escargot, coq au vin
  • Deck 8
    La CucinaItalian · carbonara through affogato
  • Deck 8
    Food RepublicAsian-Latin small plates, built for sharing
  • Deck 8
    Pincho Tapas BarTapas + drinks on 678 Ocean Place

In your lane: with the love of tacos, tiki, and a good bar lineup — Food Republic, Sugarcane Mojito Bar, and the District Brew House are the natural first stops on 678 Ocean Place — the full Sugarcane menu lives in Bars, rums & cocktails ↓. Everything on NCL is freestyle: no fixed seating, eat when and with whom you like. Eric's note: ask for Edwin and Sophia, the bartenders from the May sailing (personal note — not verified ship info).

Onboard life, beyond dining

  • Deck 8
    Syd Norman's Pour House presents RumoursFleetwood Mac tribute — the rock-house band plays the Rumours album end to end ~Dec 2025 show clip, YouTube (Eric's note: saw both shows on the May sailing — loved Rumours, found Choir of Man a little boring)
  • Deck 6
    The Choir of ManEscape's headline musical — high-energy British-pub show, live percussion, audience pulled onstage. Reserve it.
  • Deck 6
    Headliners Comedy ClubStand-up through the week · first come, first seated
  • Deck 7
    Escape CasinoSlots & tables whenever the ship's clear of port
  • Deck 16–20
    Aqua Park & Ropes Course5 waterslides incl. the Free Fall drop; three-story ropes course with the plank walk over the ship's side
  • Deck 17
    Spice H2OAdults-only open-air lounge at the stern — the sunset spot
  • Deck 19
    Vibe Beach Club18+ retreat with its own pool · day passes available
  • Deck 16
    Mandara Spa & SalonBook sea-day treatments early; Thermal Suite add-on with snow room
Full deck ledger — what's on every guest deck
DeckNameHighlights
20Sun DeckFree Fall & Aqua Racer slides · Ropes Course top
19Vibe & SportsVibe Beach Club (18+) · basketball · bocce · Ropes Course mid
18The HavenHaven complex (suites only) · mini golf · Ropes Course entry
17Haven LoungeAmerican Diner · Spice H2O (adults only) · arcade · Entourage (teens)
16Pool & SpaGarden Café · Aqua Park · main pools & whirlpools · Pulse Fitness · Mandara Spa · Waves Pool Bar
15StateroomsStaterooms · bridge
14StateroomsStaterooms
13Staterooms ★Staterooms · Medical Center — your cabins are here
12StateroomsStaterooms · studios (solo travelers)
11StateroomsStaterooms · studios · Studio Lounge
10StateroomsStaterooms · studios
9StateroomsStaterooms
8678 Ocean PlaceCagney's · Food Republic · La Cucina · Pincho Tapas · District Brew House · Sugarcane Mojito Bar · The Waterfront promenade
7Manhattan RoomThe Manhattan Room · O'Sheehan's (24 hr) · Escape Casino · Skyline Bar
6Savor & TasteSavor · Taste · Le Bistro · Teppanyaki · Escape Theater · Headliners Comedy Club · Atrium Café · Mixx Bar · The Supper Club
5Kids' deckSplash Academy (3–12) · Guppies (6 mo–3 yr, with parents)

Simplified reference; venue names can change with the late-2026 refresh. Full official layouts: CruiseMapper's Norwegian Escape deck plans ↗

Ship to shore

Bars, rums & cocktails

The drink side of the voyage, researched port by port: the Sugarcane Mojito Bar's full menu, how the beverage package actually works in 2026, the cocktail to order at each stop, and the rums worth a place in the foldable duffel. Every claim carries its source and date — where the sources conflict or stay silent, it says so.

First things first: it's not "Free at Sea" anymore. Effective January 1, 2025, NCL replaced Free at Sea with More at Sea (eatsleepcruise.com, ~Oct 15, 2025), and in 2026 the liquor offer is the Unlimited Open Bar Package (icruise.com, Sep 2026). "Free at Sea Plus" survives only as a paid upgrade tier, roughly $49.99/day (thetravel.com, Sep 27, 2026).

The package, as it actually works

▸ What's in the glass — included

  • Cocktails, spirits, draft & bottled beer, wine by the glass, soft drinks, juices, and mocktails
  • Top-shelf pours among the included brands — Grey Goose, Casamigos, and Woodford Reserve are named by the package guides
  • Two drinks per order
  • 20% off bottles of wine and champagne
  • Guests 1–8 in a stateroom get the package; if guests 1 or 2 are under 21, they get the soda package instead

tastyitinerary.com (~Nov 4, 2025); icruise.com blog (crawled Sep 2026).

▸ Not on the tab — excluded

  • Bottled water (still & sparkling), minibar items, and energy drinks
  • Specialty coffee and Starbucks — Starbucks drinks need a separate Starbucks package (shinecruise.com, ~Aug 29, 2026)
  • The Connoisseur's Collection — high-end specialty spirits
  • Room-service drinks

tastyitinerary.com (~Nov 4, 2025); icruise.com blog (crawled Sep 2026); newsbreak/Tanner Callais guide (~May 2026).

The math. More at Sea runs $30/person/day on 1–7-night sailings (yours is 7 nights), $27 on 8–11-nighters, $23 on 12+ nights — gratuities included, no added service charge (tastyitinerary.com, ~Nov 4, 2025; seatrade-cruise.com, Oct 13, 2025). Bought standalone without the promo, the Unlimited Open Bar is $109/person/day + 20% service (icruise.com blog, crawled Sep 2026).

A genuine uncertainty: the per-drink cap. A late-2025 guide describes a $15/drink cap with the difference owed on pricier drinks (tastyitinerary.com, ~Nov 4, 2025), but two 2026 sources say the cap has been removed — "pretty much every drink on the ship except the Connoisseur's Collection" (Tanner Callais guide, newsbreak, ~May 1, 2026) and "the previous $15 USD cap has been removed" (icruise.com, Sep 2026). NCL has worded this inconsistently over time; the most recent evidence says no cap — worth a glance at the NCL app or Guest Services once aboard.

Sugarcane Mojito Bar — the full menu

Deck 8, The Waterfront. The most detailed named menu available comes from norwegiancruiselineblog.com's Sugarcane page (page updated ~Jan 25, 2025), which lists Escape among the ships with the bar (norwegiancruiselineblog.com, ~Jan 25, 2025). Judging by 2025–26 passenger videos — NowGoSeeIt reviews of Getaway and Jade show variants like Spiced Rum Mojito and Coco Loco Mojito — the menu evolves, so treat this as current-ish rather than gospel. At Escape's launch, NCL pitched the bar as "more than 10 different mojitos and rum-based cocktails," with mojito flights (breakingtravelnews.com, ~2015).

The mojito menu

DrinkIn it
Classicrum, fresh mint, fresh lime wedges, simple syrup, club soda
Spicy Passionspiced rum, chile liqueur, simple syrup, fresh lime, passion fruit liqueur, club soda
Pineapple Coconutcoconut rum, fresh lime, pineapple purée, sugarcane syrup, club soda
Jalapeño Cucumberrum, simple syrup, fresh jalapeño, fresh lime juice, fresh cucumber juice, club soda
Raspberry Guavaspiced rum, fresh raspberries, guava purée, fresh mint, sugarcane syrup, club soda
Cocococonut rum, sugarcane syrup, mint bitters, coconut water
Beyond mojitos
Floriditarum, grapefruit, maraschino, lime, simple syrup, lime wheel
Saturn Landing tiki glassgin, Velvet Falernum, orgeat, passion fruit liqueur, fresh lime
Wiki Rum Punch tiki glassrum, passion fruit liqueur, simple syrup, Angostura bitters, pineapple & lime

The Mojito Flight samples all six signatures; souvenir mugs add $6 on select drinks. Exact per-drink prices aren't published with this menu — unverified.

From the Ship section ↑ — Eric's note: ask for Edwin and Sophia, the bartenders from the May sailing.

What to drink at each port

Puerto Plata, DR Day 3 · Dec 13

Mamajuana

The DR's signature pour: rum, red wine, and honey steeped with native tree bark and herbs. Nicknamed "Dominican Viagra" for its reputed medicinal and aphrodisiac powers; sold in bars and as gift bottles of the dry mix. Caribbean Journal traces its roots back 800+ years. (getyourguide.com, 2026; puntacanatourstore; Caribbean Journal, 2020)

Brugal & Barceló

The flagship DR rums — and Brugal is actually distilled in Puerto Plata (the Brugal tour sits ~40 min west of town). Brugal Siglo de Oro on the rocks is the move; Brugal blanco for mixing. Also worth a look: Ron Macorix. (puntacanatourstore; YouTube Puerto Plata guide, Sep 23, 2026)

Santo Libre

Rum, lemon-lime soda (Sprite), and lime over ice — the Dominican answer to the Cuba Libre. (puntacanatourstore; onmilwaukee.com, 2009 — current per 2026 sources)

Presidente

The iconic Dominican pilsner (5%), served bien fría — a properly frosted bottle is vestida de novia. Bohemia Especial and Quisqueya are the alternates. (gcstarpuntacana.com, Sep 2016; puntacanatourstore)

St. Thomas, USVI Day 4 · Dec 14

Bushwacker

Invented here — spring 1975, at the Ship's Store/Sapphire Pub in Sapphire Village: dark rum, Kahlúa, dark crème de cacao, cream of coconut, and milk blended with ice, in a hurricane glass with a maraschino cherry. Order one at the Sapphire Beach Bar or the Paradise Point bar in Charlotte Amalie, or Bushwackers at Crown Bay Center near the cruise docks. (Wikipedia, ~Jul 10, 2026; Caribbean Journal, May 2, 2020)

Mountain Top banana daiquiri

The famous bar ~2,100 ft up: a banana daiquiri made with fresh bananas and Cruzan rum. Cruzan is distilled across the water in Frederiksted, St. Croix, but it's the USVI's signature rum, poured everywhere. (Caribbean Journal, Oct 2014; marinalife.com)

Painkiller

Served widely across the USVI — and you'll taste its birthplace version on Tortola day (Day 5). (Tasting Table, 2022)

Rum bars in Charlotte Amalie

The Lost Turtle (Royal Dane Mall — rum punch, Painkiller, rum flights) and Rum Island Pub (Dronningens Gade waterfront). (thelostturtle.com; rumisland.pub)

Tortola, BVI Day 5 · Dec 15

The Painkiller's origin

Born in the 1970s at the tiny, 6–8-seat Soggy Dollar Bar on White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, by owner Daphne Henderson — named for boaters swimming ashore with wet dollars, since there's no dock. Pusser's founder Charles Tobias (a Tortola resident) reverse-engineered it: 4 parts pineapple juice, 1 part orange juice, 1 part cream of coconut, Pusser's rum, fresh grated nutmeg. Order by ounces of rum — a #2, #3, or #4. The original used Cruzan; Pusser's trademarked the name and recipe in 1989. This is the bar your Day 5 excursion visits. (pussersrum.com, ~Jun 3, 2026; Wikipedia, Sep 26, 2026)

Pusser's Road Town Pub

Waterfront Drive, walking distance from the cruise pier — a local institution: signature Painkiller on the menu, and the Company Store sells the rum and Pusser's rum cakes. Pusser's is the original Royal Navy rum, a blend of five West Indies rums. (travelagentcentral.com; pussers.com)

Callwood Rum Distillery

Cane Garden Bay — ~7-min taxi from Road Town (~$20–25), ~30-minute tours. Founded late 1800s by Richard Callwood (originally Arundel Estate), four generations running it; cane-juice pot-still methods in the original stone-and-wood buildings, billed as the oldest continuously operating pot distillery in the Caribbean. Small-batch and not exported: if you want a bottle, buy it there. Cane Garden Bay's beach bars also do rum tastings. (evendo.com, crawled Jul 2026; seafarersailing.co.uk, Sep 2026)
Honest hedge: marinalife.com (2018) dates the founding to ~1600 — the date is genuinely disputed.

Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas Day 7 · Dec 17

The island bars

Bacardi Bar (the main one, with shaded seating), Patron Bar, and Bertram's Bar — cocktails and frozen drinks; without a package, drinks go to your key card. All food island-wide is complimentary (Jumbey Beach Grill open-air buffet; food trucks and stalls); water, iced tea, and juice are free. (meganywhere.com, ~Jun 17, 2026)

Your package works on the island

After an announced island exclusion (from Mar 1, 2026, with a separate island package planned), NCL reversed itself in March 2026: More at Sea and Free at Sea beverage packages extend to the island "indefinitely" — confirmed as recently as Sep 14, 2026, via an NCL letter cited by Cruise Hive. Expect the package to work ship-to-shore for this sailing. (Cruise Critic, ~Mar 23, 2026; cruiseradio.net, ~Apr 2026; cruisehive.com, Sep 14, 2026)

Bahamian classics

The Goombay Smash — dark ("dirty") rum, coconut rum (Ricardo), apricot brandy, pineapple juice — was created by Emily Cooper ("Miss Emily") at the Blue Bee Bar in New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, in the 1960s; the original recipe stays secret. Green Turtle Cay is Abaco, not a stop on this sailing, but know the origin story. Also on the Bahamian card: Bahama Mama (rum, coconut rum, lime, orange & pineapple juice, grenadine), Yellow Bird (white rum, brandy, banana liqueur, orange juice), Nassau Royale liqueur (neat or in coffee), and Kalik — the Bahamas' most popular beer, brewed by Commonwealth Brewery in Nassau; light and wheaty. (caribjournal.com, Apr 19, 2022; diffordsguide.com; Wikipedia, ~Jul 2026; gourmetpedia; studycountry.com, 2026)
Hedge: Bahama Mama's spot on the current island bar menu specifically is unverified — ask at the bar.

The bottle list — rums to hunt down

One port, one bottle (or three) — foldable-duffel territory. What's where:

Rums worth bringing home

Brugal — Puerto Plata

Siglo de Oro for sipping neat; blanco for mixing. The Puerto Plata native.

Barceló — Dominican Republic

The other flagship Dominican rum.

Ron Macorix — Dominican Republic

The third DR name on the shelf.

Cruzan — St. Thomas · duty-free

The USVI's signature rum (distilled on St. Croix).

Pusser's — Road Town, Tortola

The Royal Navy rum (a blend of five West Indies rums); rum cakes too, at the Company Store.

Callwood — Tortola, on site only

Small-batch and not exported — what's on sale at the distillery is all that exists.

Ricardo — Bahamas

Coconut Ricardo is the #1 flavored spirit in the Bahamas — the coconut rum in a proper Goombay Smash. (studycountry.com, 2026)

John Watling's — Nassau; background only

The "Spirit of the Bahamas" small-batch rum; free tours at the 1789 Buena Vista Estate. Nassau isn't on this sailing — know the name, don't chase it. (tripadvisor, 2026 reviews; johnwatlings.com)

How much rum actually comes home. The standard U.S. duty-free lane is just 1 liter per adult — but because this itinerary calls at a U.S. insular possession, the higher USVI allowance applies: each adult can bring back up to 5 liters duty-free (at least 4 of them bought in the USVI, at least 1 of them a product of the USVI — Cruzan ticks both boxes) inside a $1,600-per-person goods exemption. That's up to 20 liters — roughly 26 bottles — across the four of you: the entire list above, with room to spare. Above the allowance, the overage owes a flat 1.5% duty plus IRS taxes. (U.S. Customs & Border Protection, duty-free exemptions)

The ship-side half of it: NCL collects all alcohol bought ashore at the gangway and hands it back on the final night or disembarkation morning — so those bottles ride home in the checked foldable duffel, never the carry-on. (NCL alcohol policy FAQ, crawled Sep 2026)

Elsewhere on the ship

There's no dedicated tiki bar on Escape, per current deck plans — Sugarcane's tiki-glass Saturn Landing and Wiki Rum Punch are the closest tiki pours on board (deck plans via cruisedeckplans.com, PDF ©2018; oceanworldtravel.com, Sep 2026).

Other bar stops on the ship

  • Deck 8
    Sugarcane Mojito BarThe main event — full menu above. Eric's note: ask for Edwin and Sophia.
  • Deck 17
    Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville at Sea + 5 o'Clock Somewhere BarFrozen tropical drinks and margaritas, Caribbean-casual.
  • Deck 17
    Spice H2OAdults-only open-air lounge at the stern; tropical cocktails. (One recent Getaway review even logged a "Croissant Mai Tai" there — panned 0/5 by that reviewer. Aim higher.)
  • Deck 8
    The District Brew House50+ bottled beers, 24 drafts including Wynwood Brewing — plus specialty cocktails from Bar Lab. (oceanworldtravel.com, Sep 2026)
  • Various
    Mixx Bar · Skyline Bar · The Cellars · Tobacco Road · HumidorMixx and Skyline for cocktails generally; The Cellars (wine bar), Tobacco Road (liquor bar), and the Humidor (cigar lounge) for the specialists.

Still uncharted. Sugarcane drink prices weren't published with the menu, and the ~Jan 2025 menu may have evolved by December (passenger videos show fleet variants). There is no single named "signature Tortola cocktail" beyond the Painkiller route. And NCL's $15 drink-cap history genuinely contradicts itself across sources — the latest evidence says the cap is gone. One more caveat: the current Great Stirrup Cay island bar list isn't published, so Bahama Mama hopes should be confirmed at the bar.

Who's sailing

The manifest

Four travelers, two staterooms on one deck — and the safety numbers compiled for the group.

Eric & Nichole

Cabin
13842 · Deck 13
Conf.
65752849
Outbound
DL 1747 · Seats 19A / 19C
Return
DL 1776 · Seats 15A / 15C

Emma & Nathan

Cabin
13848 · Deck 13
Conf.
65752933
Outbound
DL 1747 · Seats 19D / 19F
Return
DL 1776 · Seats 15D / 15F

Safety & contact numbers

NCL Guest Services
(305) 436-4000 · (866) 625-1164
Reach the ship (US/CA)
(833) 810-7963
Reach the ship (Intl)
+1 (321) 953-9006
Shore Excursion Desk
+1 (866) 625-1167
Flight Assist Hotline (24/7)
1-800-456-7179
US Embassy, Santo Domingo
(809) 567-7775
US State Dept. (from abroad)
+1-202-501-4444
US State Dept. (US/Canada)
+1-888-407-4747
Emergency — Dom. Republic
911
Emergency — BVI / USVI
999 or 911 · 911

Numbers from your compiled prep notes. St. Thomas is a U.S. territory — domestic emergency services and dollar spending, no embassy needed. This is a closed-loop cruise out of Port Canaveral: U.S. citizens can cruise on a birth certificate + government photo ID under WHTI rules, but a passport is the smarter call at the foreign stops (Tortola, Puerto Plata).

Before you leave

The packing ledger

Three bags, really: everything lands in one of these. December in the eastern Caribbean means warm days, mild evenings, and breezy open-deck nights — pack for summer with layers for the ship's air conditioning and the December wind on deck.

The pre-sail checklist

The dated items, in order — from now until the bags are packed.

Carry-on — boarding day

  • Passports + boarding docs + credit card + small cash
  • Medications (never checked) + Bonine/Dramamine
  • Swimsuit, sandals, change of clothes — you're boarding at 4 PM but bags can lag
  • Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, rash guard
  • Phone, battery pack, charging cable, AirPods
  • Kindle, water bottle, electrolyte packets
  • Hand sanitizer, basic toiletries, pen
  • Small sling bag for off-ship days

Port-day sling — the grab list

  • Ship cards on lanyards + photo ID/passport
  • Wallet + cash stash in small bills
  • Reef-safe sunscreen + stick (required for the turtle snorkel)
  • Ball cap, sunglasses + strap, lip balm
  • Waterproof phone pouch + camera
  • Water bottle, towel, flip flops/water shoes
  • Cooling towel / handkerchief
  • Bug repellent, Purell wipes, first aid basics
  • Dramamine — catamaran days
  • Reusable shopping bag (souvenir discipline)

Full kit

  • Clothing: shorts, shirts, swimsuits ×3, sleepwear, dress clothes for specialty dining, workout clothes, layers for AC
  • Footwear: flip flops ×2, sandals, water shoes, tennis shoes
  • Sun & sea: reef-safe sunscreen, snorkel gear, GoPro, tumblers
  • Glasses: sunglasses ×2, reading glasses, spare glasses
  • Electronics: phone/tablet/Kindle, headphones, battery packs, travel adapter
  • Toiletries, contact supplies, deodorant, razor
  • DEET/picaridin repellent, after-bite lotion
  • Umbrella, travel pillow, packing cubes, Ziplocs
  • Foldable duffel for the flight home — second bag for bottles, coffee, souvenirs
  • Snacks + a book

Still open: the Puerto Plata excursion choice. The Dec 10 stay is settled — the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista near Disney Springs (DL 1747 lands at 12:57 PM, so an early-afternoon check-in works).

What to buy, by port

Puerto Plata

Larimar jewelry (found only in the DR), Café Santo Domingo coffee, Cacaoteca Dominican chocolate, amber — ask for an authenticity certificate.

St. Thomas

Cruzan Rum (distilled on St. Croix) + duty-free liquor and jewelry — the island's whole pitch.

Tortola

Pusser's Rum, Sunny Caribbee spice blends & hot sauce, handmade jewelry from Crafts Alive Village at the pier.

Great Stirrup Cay

A gift shop and straw market on the island — but it's mainly a beach day. Photos at the cabana beat bought souvenirs.

Money & weather, simply

Cash

USD is the currency or is widely accepted at every stop this trip. Carry small bills anyway — roadside drinks, taxi loops, Soggy Dollar.

December seas

The first of the region's driest months, with the chance of a quick shower any afternoon and pleasantly cool evenings on deck. Check the Freestyle Daily for the ship's forecast each morning.

Pacing

Two sea days built in are the point — protect energy before Tortola (your earliest morning) and Great Stirrup Cay. Sailaways, especially Port Canaveral, deserve your full attention.

Receipts

Verified, as of Sep 30, 2026

The trip facts on this page were verified against these sources on September 30, 2026 (flight numbers, seats, cabins, confirmation numbers, and safety numbers come from your own booking notes). Ports, times, excursion details, ship specs, waterpark/pier facts, and the whole drinks guide — bars, rums, and cocktails, port by port — were each cross-checked rather than filled in from memory.

A note on living data. Cruiselines adjust port times, excursion offerings, and dining lineups after publishing. What's on this page was true when checked; once you're sailing, the Freestyle Daily and the NCL app are the authority.