ludalex

Well, that's good to know. Do you mean that they didn't restock the food for those who came to eat after 9 am?

Thanks for the tips -- will definitely look into these. And perhaps we'll meet on the ship! BTW, I am quite disappointed by what you wrote about the food. We were on two other NCL cruises over the past 8 months, both coincidentally on the Epic: one in the Mediterranean, the other, a Transatlantic. We had no problem with the food overall. There were issues here and there, but on the whole, we could always find the right dishes, particularly at the Garden Cafe and the MDR. On the other hand, over the past couple of months, I have noticed a lot of comments on NCL-related social media which echo what you wrote. Hope to get lucky over those two weeks in August!

Hello Yvonne, I have read your full account of the trip -- very entertaining. Sorry about the Canucks, but I am a lifelong Leafs fan, so my sympathy is VERY limited! I do have a question. My wife and I are taking the same back-to back 'Jewel' Alaska cruise as you just did in late summer: Aug. 19 to Sept. 2. It might even be the one you'll be taking. We are interested in Endicott Arm/Dawes Glacier, but I can't figure out whether or not the Jewel goes there. My understanding is that it's on the way to Juneau out of Vancouver, but does the ship actually end up there? Anything that you know about it would be helpful. Thanks! Alex

Can’t speak about those other cover bands, but I know the Beatles material well, and these guys are good. They don’t look like them much, but they can all sing, the music sounds right, and while there are false notes from time to time, they do well as a group. I have attached an example — I hope it gets through. IMG_5067.mov

Interesting you said that about the Beatles cover band. I thought the one on the Epic was terrific. And in the end, we are going back on it: April 7-19 from Orlando to Rome. The main reason is that the weather should be better in April, especially with this more southern itinerary. We want to make use of the balcony. And the price was excellent. But I agree: either way, you need to bring bring stuff to entertain yourself. Nothing wrong with books.

In the end, we actually decided to take a different TA -- April 7-19 on the Epic (again). The weather should be better, so the balcony will be of more use. And there are some ports along the way -- that appeals more. One of these days, we'll try the Joy. Thanks!

Thanks very much for these tips. After all the previous info and advice, we have adjusted our Transatlantic plans to the Epic (again): Orlando to Rome on April 7-19. The weather is going to be better than in February, and the price was very attractive. We didn't particularly want to go back on the Epic just 6 months later, but we're fine with it. We know what to expect, and there will be a couple of ports along the way. We are looking forward to it!

Thanks, we were just on it in October and agree with you. There are some minuses, but mostly it's a perfectly good ship. That's why we are seriously considering it. I am wondering about the weather during that period on that itinerary. They do have Starlink, but I just used the free limited Wifi, so I have no idea how well full access would have worked. Would love to hear from someone who has used it on the Epic.

Hi again everyone, I am extremely appreciative of all the messages. They made us think, and we aren't going to take this cruise for several reasons. The main ones are the season (too cold) and the fact that it will be just coming out of the dry dock. However, we are very seriously considering another Transatlancic one: April 7-19 on the Epic from Orlando to Rome with just two stops -- in Gibraltar and Alicante. We were just on the Epic and quite liked the ship + it seems that April that far south should provide decent weather. If anyone has any thoughts about this one, I would love to hear from you. Especially in comparison with the February 'Joy' option. Thanks again!!! Alex

That's a very encouraging post! We are still thinking about it. You are right that there is little relaxing about planning out and acting out those days in ports. On the other hand, they do of course bring excitement. In some ways, my biggest concern is the wife and being cut off from the world for a long time -- it has to do with having a very practical, personal responsibility. And I agree with you about 'Howl at the Moon.' I was just on the Epic Med cruise, and they were a very entertaining way to pass the time. Well, we haven't decided yet -- maybe we'll meet there!

You look like a Sabres fan. I am a Leafs fan — i am past drinking! 🤪

Thanks so much, everyone -- very helpful. What exactly is a thermal suite? Is that some sort of SPA pass geared for the winter? We haven't decided yet, and I'll do some more homework about the Joy's status after its dry dock. But I am leaning towards @Russiamomm advice about trying some other option as our first TA -- both, in terms of the season and of having no ports at all. Unless someone wants to talk me into trying it!😃 I do like what the Joy has to offer. And I'll definitely check out @BirdTravels post about the Joy.

Hi everyone, Just wondering if any of the experts could provide some advice/knowledge to someone who has never done a Transatlantic cruise. We are considering the one from Southampton to Miami in February on the Joy, but have some concerns: - there are no ports -- it's just 10 days at sea. How difficult is that for people who have never had more than one sea day? Is boredom likely? - how bad could the weather be at that time of year on the itinerary from the point of view of sea-sickness? (I assume it moves diagonally south towards Florida.) - also in terms of the weather, how likely is it that we could go outside, on the balcony, etc., i.e. how cold is it? At what point does it get a lot warmer? - what's NCL Joy like in terms of entertainment and stuff to do? (I notice they have the Beatles cover band, which would be great!) - what should we expect from unlimited WiFi package if we get it -- is streaming realistic? I think Norwegian is using Starlink, and I was recently on the Epic in the Mediterranean. We had a small amount of data, and the coverage wasn't bad but somewhat sporadic. -finally, I saw something about the Joy undergoing "revitalization" and that some cruises around that time would be cancelled, but NCL has this particular one in their schedule on the site. Does anyone know more? Anyway, I would be very grateful to anyone who could answer some or all of these questions! So thanks in advance, Alex