​After a short winter break and a previous tour of Italy, we went back on an NCL ship. This time the Norwegian Escape, the largest ship in the NCL fleet in terms of passenger numbers, was supposed to take us to the Eastern Mediterranean and again in a Haven cabin: a Haven Spa Suite. Hot tub with sea view in room. The already familiar champagne reception and personal care from the butler. You can really get used to this life.

On this trip too, we decided to take full advantage of the amenities of the Haven area and stayed on board in this port. The Haven sundeck is much larger on the Escape and has its own whirlpool. Unfortunately, in contrast to that on the Epic, the service on the pool deck was a bit overwhelming and so we were given free access to the exclusive Vibe Beach Club, which is directly connected to the Haven area and is a surcharge-free retreat for non-Haven guests excluding children under 16.

​After the excavations of Pompei were on the agenda on the last cruise, this time we explored the city of Naples itself. The harbor is right in the center of the old town and so you can easily reach all the squares and alleys you see here on foot want. After a good three-hour walk through the city center, we went hungry to lunch at the Haven Restaurant. Here your every wish is met, regardless of whether it is a special sauce from one of the other restaurants on board that you want with your burger or whether it is a dessert from the buffet. It is prepared and served as desired.

​Dubrovnik, famous for its 13th-century city walls and rich history, is a must-see once in a lifetime. Reachable from the port in just a few minutes by Uber or taxi, the old town impresses with cobblestone streets, baroque palaces and Gothic churches. The highlight of the day is a walk along the city walls, which you have to pay for on site and is not exactly cheap. It can get quite hot here at lunchtime. After this wonderful city tour, we went back and followed tradition and treated ourselves to the Haven Restaurant.

​This stop was inserted instead of the Montenegrin port city of Kotor. Even from the ship you could see that this was an emergency solution because we docked in an industrial port without any tourist infrastructure. We therefore decided to stay on the ship again and enjoy the advantages of the haven.

​Arrived in Messina, our route took us through the city past parks, shops and local artists. With a little perseverance you can reach a small hill in the city, from the top of which you have a wonderful view of the sea, the harbor and the city. There is also a church on the hill, which you can visit for a small fee. However, after a few hours we were finished with our exploration tour and made our way back to the ship to let ourselves be pampered, as we have done so often on this trip.

​The last day was used again to really indulge in luxury. For breakfast, freshly squeezed orange juice, sparkling wine, Starbucks coffee, avocado toast, French toast, freshly sliced ​​fruit and much more. Followed by a little tour of the courtyard to see what's going on here. Fresh towels are always available on the loungers on the sun deck, so we just had to grab our bathing suits to enjoy the last day at sea. The whirlpools with panoramic views deserve special mention here. The service in the Vibe Beach Club is also impressive and the actual surcharge is definitely worth it on a trip where you spend a lot of time on board. This luxurious stay on the Norwegian Escape ended with many new impressions and a few more kilos on the ribs.