The new ship will feature brand experiences from leading providers in the culinary world, as well as Tony Award-winning Broadway musicals and a new dinner show.
Norwegian Cruise Line has announced a host of new partnerships with leaders in the food, beverage, and entertainment industries to deliver innovative brand experiences aboard the Norwegian Escape. During an exclusive event in New York, the company revealed that its largest ship to date, the Norwegian Escape, will feature new culinary experiences, along with two Tony Award-winning musicals and a one-of-a-kind dinner show, beginning with its debut when it sets sail for the first time from its homeport of Miami in November 2015.
Food lovers will be delighted by the latest culinary experiences, led by James Beard Award-winning and Iron Chef Jose Garces and renowned Miami chefs Jose Mendin, Andreas Schreiner, and Sergio Navarro of The Pubbelly Restaurant Group, in addition to two new bars: The District Brewhouse, serving craft beers from Wynwood Brewing Company, and The Cellars, a wine bar from the Michael Mondavi family. Guests can also enjoy three new shows, including the Tony Award-winning Broadway musicals After Midnight and Million Dollar Quartet, along with a new dinner show concept exclusive to the Norwegian Escape, For the Record presents Dear John Hughes, featuring classic film scores in a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art 360° cabaret, paired with dinner.
“With the Norwegian Escape, we are transforming culinary experiences at sea and continuing our legacy of innovation that has revolutionized gastronomy in the cruise industry,” said Drew Madsen, President and Chief Operating Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “We are building on our strong foundation of brand partnerships, such as our partnership with Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, and welcoming new ideas and flavors from award-winning chefs. Norwegian Cruise Line also continues to lead the way in entertainment, with two Tony Award-winning Broadway musicals and a postmodern cabaret brought directly from Los Angeles to the Norwegian Escape.”
New proposals from Jose Garces
James Beard Award-winning chef and Iron Chef Jose Garces will launch two specialty restaurants aboard the Norwegian Escape, his first at sea. Known for his culinary concepts spanning from Philadelphia to Phoenix, Chef Jose Garces brings a Latin-inspired dining experience, featuring everything from classic Mexican dishes to Cuban specialties. His extensive culinary knowledge and passion for cooking made him the perfect candidate to lead the Norwegian Escape's signature dining concepts. Bayamo by Jose Garces will showcase Latin American dishes with Cuban influences in an elegant, open-air setting on The Waterfront. Dishes will feature Latin American flavors with Spanish influences, such as roasted eggplant with tomato rice and a saffron emulsion; charred cod, a black cod with a glazed squid ink coating, saffron, and tomato; and chorizo rice, among others.
Pincho Tapas Bar by Jose Garceswill offer traditional Spanish tapas à la carte in a lively and casual atmosphere. Dishes will be prepared on a griddle at the bar right in front of guests and will feature Spanish specialties such as Spanish omelet, anchovies with pine nuts, and Iberian ham imported from Spain.
The Sugarcane Mojito Bar, a favorite among Norwegian Cruise Line guests, will complete the space and serve as the entrance to Bayamo. Guests looking for a pre-dinner cocktail can relax in a tropical setting, enjoy live Latin music, and choose from more than 10 different mojitos and rum cocktails. They can even opt for a "flight" of mojitos—small samples of various types of mojitos to sample.
Food Republic
The Food Republic, a brand-new concept for Norwegian, will be a modern and upscale food emporium from The Pubbelly Restaurant Group, featuring a diverse culinary offering from around the world to sample and share. At the Food Republic, guests will experience a gastronomic journey through small plates, with flavors ranging from Asia to Central Europe and the Mediterranean, all available à la carte.
Considered some of Miami's most popular chefs, partners Jose Mendin, Andreas Schreiner, and Sergio Navarro have opened six new restaurants in the magical city of Miami over the past three years. With a focus on creating unique flavor combinations and employing precise techniques, Director of Culinary Operations and Founding Partner Jose Mendin has been recognized as a semifinalist in the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef South competition for three consecutive years, in addition to being nominated as People's Best New Chef by Food & Wine.
Open from lunch to dinner, Food Republic's menu features dates with chorizo, smoked bacon, spicy tomato, and a goat cheese cream; Japanese amberjack with lemongrass romesco, charred tomato, and hazelnuts; and Japanese dumplings filled with braised short ribs and black truffle, served with white corn soy sauce, red shiso leaves, and Grana Padano cheese. Food Republic offers guests the freedom and flexibility to choose what they want, when they want, with easy iPad ordering. Simply swipe your key card, and your meal will be prepared to your liking and delivered directly to your table.
The District Brew House
A novel concept aboard a cruise ship, the District Brew House is a modern, urban craft beer lounge, the result of an exclusive partnership with Miami's Wynwood Brewing Company. With its own keg room, 24 beers on tap, and over 50 bottled beers, the District Brew House is sure to be a favorite spot for beer connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. The award-winning Wynwood Brewing Company is known for its flagship beer, La Rubia Blonde Ale, perfect for the warm Caribbean climate. In addition to La Rubia, the District will also serve a brand-new beer from Wynwood Brewing Company, available exclusively on the Norwegian Escape. The District Brew House will also offer a menu of bite-sized dishes to complement the beer and beverage selection, including handcrafted cocktails from Bar Lab's James Beard Award-nominated mixologists, Gabriel Orta and Elad Zvi. Guests who enjoy the wide range of offerings at District will also be entertained with interactive activities and karaoke featuring everyone's favorite songs, as well as a photo booth where guests can add their photograph to the District photo board and leave their mark on this new trendy space.
The Cellars, the Michael Mondavi family wine bar
The Norwegian Escape will also be home to The Cellars, Norwegian's first wine bar, created in partnership with the Michael Mondavi family. Guests of all levels, from novices to seasoned enthusiasts, can enjoy the immersive wine experiences on offer, with a strong emphasis on flavor, learning, and the enjoyment of wine, all complemented by small plates and tapas available à la carte.
The wine list features 35 grape varieties, including the most exclusive selections from Ornellaia in Tuscany and Michael Mondavi's own Napa Valley. The wine bar offers guests an elegant indoor tasting room, as well as an outdoor space with 180-degree ocean views located on The Waterfront, and service provided by a Court of Master Sommeliers certified sommelier.
Carlo's Pastry Shop
While on board, guests can also enjoy the delectable treats of Carlo's Pastry Shop, helmed by Buddy Valastro, star of popular TLC television series such as Cake Boss and Next Great Baker. His signature pastry creations include cannoli, lobster tails, tiramisu, and a variety of Italian cakes, cupcakes, and cookies, all available à la carte for guests with a sweet tooth.
New entertainment offers
Continuing Norwegian's commitment to entertainment excellence, the Norwegian Escape will feature two Tony Award-winning Broadway musicals in its theater, guaranteed to have guests dancing in the hallways. The Tony Award®, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Astaire Award for Best Choreography winner, After Midnight, which recently concluded its Broadway run, is a smash hit show combining the songs of Duke Ellington, a spectacular jazz band, and top-notch dance straight from Broadway. A cast of singers, dancers, and tap dancers will bring the Cotton Club of Harlem to life in a musical phenomenon never before seen at sea.
After a successful run on Broadway and currently touring the U.S. as well as performing in Las Vegas, the musical Million Dollar Quartet will also premiere at the Norwegian Escape's theater. This highly successful show is inspired by the famous recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. On December 4, 1956, these four young musicians met at Sun Records in Memphis for what would become one of the most incredible jam sessions in history. Million Dollar Quartet recreates that legendary night, featuring rock 'n' roll hits such as "Blue Suede Shoes," "Fever," "Great Balls of Fire," "Walk the Line," and more. This exciting musical will transport guests into the recording studio with the four great talents who came together to form a rock 'n' roll band for one unforgettable night.
In a new and exclusive concept aboard the Norwegian Escape, the Supper Club has been reimagined to offer a unique dining and entertainment experience. For the Record is an acclaimed Hollywood night that pays homage to classic film scores from cinematic masters in a one-of-a-kind, modern 360° cabaret. Guests can spend the evening with a brainiac, an athlete, a hopeless case, a princess, and a criminal in a retrospective medley drawn from 1980s coming-of-age movies directed by John Hughes. The audience will laugh, cry, and relive the sounds of classics like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Continuing the successful run that began on the Norwegian Getaway, the Headliners Comedy Club will feature some of America's most renowned comedians, thanks to Norwegian Cruise Line's expanded partnership with Levity Entertainment Group, the world's largest producer of live comedy. Levity employs more than 300 performers a week in the United States and boasts such well-known names as Daniel Tosh, Amy Schumer, and Jeff Dunham, currently the world's most successful touring comedian.
The Norwegian Escape
The Norwegian Escape is currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany and will sail 7-night cruises from its homeport of Miami in the Eastern Caribbean, beginning November 14, 2015. At 164,600 tons and with a capacity for 4,200 passengers, the Norwegian Escape will be the largest ship to date with a year-round homeport in Miami. Its itinerary will visit tropical Caribbean destinations including St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Nassau, Bahamas. The hull design of the Norwegian Escape was created by Guy Harvey, renowned marine wildlife artist and ocean conservation champion.
The Norwegian Escape's dining and entertainment options are inspired by popular land-based venues, such as the first-ever floating Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville and the 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar, an open-air music bar on The Waterfront that will feature live concerts nightly so guests can enjoy tropical rhythms. The Norwegian Escape will also feature Tobacco Road, Miami's oldest and most legendary bar.
The ship will feature the largest adventure course at sea, a three-story sports complex packed with challenges, including two platforms and five Sky Rails with zip lines that will allow guests to soar through the air. The Norwegian Escape's water park will be the largest at sea and will include a new slide called Aqua Racer, while the expansive sports complex will feature a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed mini-golf course. For even more family fun, the Norwegian Escape will have a Nickelodeon-branded children's water park, along with the first dedicated nursery for children ages 6 months to 2 years.
Passengers will enjoy a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere at the Mandara Spa, a serene retreat that will house the largest thermal area at sea, the company's first snow room, 17 heated loungers, a hydrotherapy pool, jacuzzis, a steam room, a sauna, and a salt grotto. In addition to the luxurious spa, adults will have access to two private and exclusive areas: the Vibe Beach Club and Spice H2O,a space featuring an innovative waterfall area for cooling off after a long day in the sun.
Accommodations include The Haven by Norwegian®, the company's signature luxury "ship within a ship" concept; Studios, designed and priced specifically for solo travelers, as well as multiple options for families, multi-age groups, spa enthusiasts, and many more.
