Smitheroo

how does wearing a jacket and tie make you look like a stuffed penguin? There were only 2 young men at our table with tuxes. They actually looked out of place. Maybe in the higher level accommodations you might see more tuxes on the men but where I was I saw mostly jackets and ties on the men at dinner and night locations and like you point out, you can jazz it up with colors. No one has to look like a penguin unless it is a special Penguin night. I dont remember any. I personally think that tuxes are a little foolish looking. But jackets and ties with a nice shirt look classy.

I just booked a solo balcony and got the air fare

p.s. I love Mr Washy Washy

The enrichment lectures I listened too were Bill Miller and his love of ships, someone from the British government, an actress -forget which one- talking about how to get your book published.

A jacket and tie is not "black tie". A lot of people have to wear jacket and tie every day to work, its considered civilized dress for the job. So sad, guys look so great dressed up. Good thing there is something for everyone.

Turns out the final price was $209 too much because the cruise rep added travel protection. I get my own so I called to remove it.

but they will only sell it to a solo passenger

I sailed on the QM2 in January 2013. I wouldnt say that NCL or QM2 was better or worse than each other but they are definitely different. As far as the dress code goes, I cant speak for the men but the women's dress code was very easy to abide by. Ie. I, a woman in my 60's at the time, wore a black velvet long skirt several of the evenings. I would change it by wearing a different glitzy top. Very easy. Add a pashima for a different look. I wore dressy sandals. I think I also had black velvet pants and did the same. Very easy. You could wear the same bottom every night with different tops and scarves and fit right in. Some women do dress more formal, especially in the equivalent of the Haven. For guys that detest putting on a jacket and tie you would probably not be happy on the QM2. Beautiful ball room if you like to dance. I think I read no other line has a ballroom like it. The standard entertainment was okay but they also had lectures. I think they called it Cunard Insights? Very interesting topics. One was by Bill Miller who grew up in Hoboken, NJ across from the NY docks and has become an expert on ships. I saw 3 good movies. There was also classes like water color you could pay to take. Line dancing classes. I remember a fashion show. I agree the drink package was expensive. You only had to sit at the same table every night for dinner. The other meals were open seating plus the buffet. One thing I did not like was having a set time to get to dinner if you did go to the main dining room. One afternoon I took a nap and slept through dinner. I like freestyle dining a lot. The main dining room was elegant, with a grand staircase. dont think there was anything like laser tag or miniature golf. Or Mr Washy Washy

I hope you wont complain when all those working behind the scenes quit when they realize its not worth it. I suspect people who think this way get a thrill out of giving out money When its a pool you dont see who gets it so there is no feedback.

The wine I had on the Joy was ok. I usually only get merlot. No complaints. We moved on to Black Russians after a few

Sure glad I'm not fussy about my wine. Not talking about the stuff on the lowest shelf but wines $10-$20 a bottle. Taste fine to me. And after the first glass I dont even notice how it tastes

I just did. I'm always amazed at how smoothly it goes after all the dithering I go through before I make the call. I reserved solo balcony #10292 I chose that over the two cabins on 14 recommended in an earlier comment (the ones with the slanted balconies) because those are not part of the available solo balcony cabins without an xtra charge. I checked deck 9 and deck 11 and dont think there is anything above and below that might be a problem. I think it states that 10 is where the kids activities are but I dont think that's a problem late at night. The airfare (only want it from Rome to Boston , I will make my own way to Cape Canaveral) is $322 which seems like a good deal to me from what I've seen. I removed beverage package gratuities and also specialty dining because I am alone. Would never drink that much alone and the main dining rooms are fine for me. The specialty dining gratuity is minor but since main dining room is fine, eliminating the specialty dining eliminated choices to be made. I'm not a foodie although I do like to eat. Final price $1677.97 (using a $500 CruiseFirst certificate) and final payment not due until 12/9 I think. And of course the service charges. Originally I wanted to take a few days at the end to see Sicily (personal reason why Sicily) but I would need more than 2 days deviation to do that. I can have 2 days so will check out Rome. The alternative is to pay my own air fare but $322 seems too good to pass up.

I notice 14149 and 14151 have what looks like angled balconies. I looked at a picture of the outside of the Epic and it looks like sections jut out towards the back and these cabins would be in the part that comes out from the main wall of the ship. Wondering if that's good or bad. I am thinking since these two cabins are surrounded by fitness/spa/ salon etc it would probably not be noisy late at night. I'd like to check all the options but trying to use the website is torture.

thank you, didnt think of how big the pie is

Thank you, I was unaware that the category gave the solo traveler access to the studio lounge.

Thank you. Your example is along the lines of my thinking. The only thing I dont agree with is that the room steward gets most of the service charge. I understood it to be divided up between the regular wait staff (not specialty dining) as well as people "behind the scenes" and the cabin staff. That's a lot of dividing. I really dont want to be worrying about whether someone is going to come into my cabin to clean while I am there. I put out the do not disturb sign but also tell them either in a note or verbally what kind of service I prefer (which is dont worry about the bed just the towels and trash)

thinking back , I first sailed at the age of 16 in 1966. I dont have any receipts to fall back on (What 16 yr would) I wish I did though, they would be interesting. Keeping in mind what salaries were in those days ($10,000 a year was considered a very good salary for an average worker) I dont think the fares were a lot cheaper. And what did you get for that fare? Well, on the original Queen Mary in 1966 tourist class you got a cabin for 4 people with bunk beds (and if you of the same gender you were often bunked with others you didnt know of the same gender). I think the single supplement may have replaced this practice. We were on Deck C. Could hardly turn in the cabin without bumping into the other people. i have no idea where we stored our suitcases as i only remember 1 small closet. A tiny sink between the bunk beds (and I actually think I remember a chamber pot beneath it) with the bathroom down the hall. Dining rooms and food were probably the best part of the deal, not much difference there that I can see but especially with NCL's freestyle cruising, much fewer choices. Main dining room for tourist class, assigned to a table with other passengers. You did get to choose the seating. Many of us today would consider it an honor to sail on the original Queen Mary but in 1966 it was just an old ship ready to retire. For me it is a memory of a wonderful experience which I didnt recognize as a teenager. (I especially loved the crew, also much different than crews today. Mostly young British males. Not necessarily better, but different) Fortunately my mother did as she knew routine transatlantic travel by ship was on its way out. Partly due to cost, partly due to lifestyle changes.

I'm betting you are a solo traveler. $800 for a mini suite 7 day cruise for more than 1 person, I doubt it. If I'm wrong then maybe the solo travelers should start to complain. At least NCL does recognize them.

I understand what you are saying and have noticed there are a lot of people on this forum who have way more money than I do. Multiple cruises per year, often with at least 1 other person or even a group Never mind the Haven with a butler. Not everyone is in that category and ships have more than luxury accommodations for a reason. They are also a business and have a knack for figuring out what people are willing to pay. So, I expect that a cruiseline will provide a wide range of accommodations to fit all budgets or else advertise as a luxury cruiseline. I expect when the price goes up that doesnt mean service goes down. or entertainment eliminated. I expect ease in booking which means a website that works. I dont know if this is an adequate answer or not but if its just a case you are questioning why prices increase then I'm with your wife in saying they increase everywhere. If you are able to afford the increases and still travel, be grateful.

I would like to piggy back my tipping question onto this thread. The topic came up in a unrelated thread and I was sure a couple of people were going to lose it. Volatile subject. For those people who like to tip *extra*, in addition to the service charge they have paid NCL, what are some guidelines. Please dont say it is an individual decision based on how you perceive the service to be. Tell me what you decide and why. If you were 1 person (not a family or group which generates a lot more mess) in an inside cabin or perhaps oceanview/balcony (not spa or haven categories) what would you tip xtra if you chose to do so.? I see some really high xtra tipping going on and not just in the Haven. In the past $3-4/ person/per day seemed to have been the amount for people traveling in modest accommodations. This is what I did on my first cruise in 2013. I told the room steward not to make my bed (just me in the inside guaranteed cabin which was more than adequate) , I could pull a comforter up.I Just please make sure I have clean/dry towels and trash emptied. I didnt do this for any reason other than I know he had enough to do. I dont ask for any extra services. I gave him $25 at the end of the voyage (I also paid the service charge which on Cunard was not a hassle to remove which I would never do anyway)The participants of this Cruise Critic forum then advised $3-4 /day for an "extra" tip if extra requests and services werent made. It is now 13 years later. I want to show my appreciation mainly for the fact that people are willing to do these jobs like room steward (which is not glamourous at all). I'm also budget concscious as i dont have a lot of disposable cash to disperse without consideration. Its just the room staff I am concerned about. Too many wait staff in the dining rooms and I never expect anything more from them than to take my order and bring me my food. No substitutions, that sort of thing. Any guidelines? Not to bribe for better service, just a simple thank you for doing what they do with a smile. I'm not sure of what they really get from the service charge pool. If you feel the same way and tip with the idea they get very little out of the service charge pool, that would be helpful information.

Someone asked what was there not to like about the strange bathroom set up. Well, I dont like to brush my teeth or even apply make up in front of my travel partner who happens to be an unrelated male. (my son in law) This hasnt come up yet because we havnt been on the Epic together but it doesnt appeal. I always think there should always be a sink wherever there is a toilet. I know some hotels are set up with the sink outside the bathroom. Put a sink in with the toilet 'room" and the set up would not be nearly as weird although certainly not elegant

Still a frustrating experience. I cleared my cache, no effect. It seems you are allowed one pass and if you go back to recheck it goes into a frenzy, with the dots dancing forever. Then you see something is happening and when you check your selection you must click on the orange box which now says "Keep This" which goes nowhere when you do. How do they expect to sell cruises if people cant explore various options before calling.

Check the website, try to reserve a balcony cabin, be sure to change 2 guests to 1 guest (upper left corner) and you will see all kinds of balcony choices on the Epic. Aft balcony (most expensive), Family Balcony, Large Balcony, Balcony, Solo Balcony. It is described as suitable for 1 person. If you dont reduce the number of guests to 1, it will say "not available" much like studios do.

Is there anything specific you have to do to give a live review of a cruise? I am leaving Saturday for Seattle for the Encore 10/22-29 to Alaska. I'll be sure to comment on it after some of the lively discussions on recent Alaskan cruises but I'm wonder if there is anything special about writing a live review. Being a newbie though I might not get to areas others are interested in. Well, it'll just be a what's the weather like review I guess