Sparkles87

The main issue with Civitavecchia is that its both a Disembarkation day and a port day for those embarking in Barcelona. So  you have many more people heading off on excursions that people disembarking. The ship normally takes on 30% of passengers at Civitavecchia and the remaining 70% at Barcelona.

With easy walk-off the main issue is getting an empty lift to get in with your suitcase - by no means an easy task. My tip, if you can carry your suitcase drag it down the stairs and you will get off faster.

I haven't done the Rome round trip before but you should reasonably expect to be able to get off the ship from 6.30am once they have docked and set up the gangways etc...

The distance to the Train Station in Civitavecchia is walk-able, about 20-25 minutes as the google street view man walks. The main issue with walking through the port is that its a busy working port with lots of vehicles going around and the port authorities don't really like passengers walking through it. Having said that I have seen many passengers walking to/from the ship so I can't imagine you would have issue.

Yes they have shower gel in the showers. I always take my own shampoo/conditioner as its my personal preference but i'm pretty sure they have some generic stuff in the showers.

They have 3 separate frosted glass showers cubicles. You can tell their is someone in there but you can't make out anything specific 😉

There is a section under the main menu on the Discussion Boards called Roll Calls. All you have to do is select NCL, Select the Ship or click the link that says find your roll call and fill out the details for your cruise.

Here is the link to your roll call though :)

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2528234-norwegian-epic-roll-call-july-3-2019/

The Premium Beverage Package and Ultimate Beverage package are the same thing..... they just like call it premium when its part of the premium all inclusive package.

You will get your laundry deal half way through your cruise, likely at Palma or Barcelona.

Having done a couple of beach excursions solo, i always take the bare minimum out with me.

I have always tended to do ship excursions so i atleast get to know who im with and get a sense of who i can trust with my valuables should i want to go for a swim.

My first go at a beach excursion solo was at Abi Beach St Thomas (from a Pirate Ship excursion!). The beach at loungers... i found a secluded one i was happy with then hid my valuables (smartphone, shipcard and my $150) at the very bottom of my beach bag underneath everything else including my clothes. Then wrapped my bag strap around the lounger leg. It never moved the whole time... though i had line of sight and checked it was there every so often.

The second was a Jost Van Dyke excursion from Tortola... a very small group excursion of 20 people. No loungers on the beach. Again, i hid my stuff at the bottom of my bag and just abandoned it on the beach. Peolple were ha ing too much fun to care about each others posessions.

I dont think you have to worry in terms of your fellow cruisers. More so from members of the public... which is why if i was at a busy beach in Europe i may be more cautious.

On 5/1/2019 at 7:06 PM, Crzicriter said:

8. Having a non threatening allergy to seafood but having to have every meal monitored by a manager.. Had to wait for almost an hour for a ham and egg sandwich in the MDR for breakfast. We were the only table seated in the Section.

I am only going to respond to this specific part of your post, as I think the others have been failry well rseponded to.

I have cruised on the Epic many times, including back to back on a couple of cruises. Im also a Platinum Latitudes member and have done the behind the scenes tour so have an understanding of how things work back stage 😉

I dont have a food allergy but have cruised with someone who had a bad dairy allergy. The ship has a dedicated 'special dietary requirements' waiter, whose sole purpose is to tend to the needs of those with allergies etc... The second we walked into the MDR, there he was! Confirming your special order in line with your specific requirements and giving you the next day's menu so you he can get your special order prepped for the next day. I have never seen such dedicated service anywhere for special dietary requirements and it made me feel comforted that they take it so seriously when a lot of shore-side restaurants and cafe's treat it with such disregard.

In terms of the inner workings back stage. They have a special prep areas for dietary requirements, but with so many diffierent types of food allergies they like to have things pre-ordered so prep is made easier and they have time to steralize the stations and utensils in-between. SO when ad-hoc requests come in, that means finishing what they are doing, steralizing the station then preparing your order. You also have to remember that the ship has more or less one massive galley where all the food is prepared for all MDRs and some speciality restaurants too, so making sure the galley area is cleared of anything that may affect your allergy is going to be a challenge with so much going on - at any one time they have hundreds of different grade chefs working simultaneously on different things. So, making one sandwich to the specifications of your dietary requirements isn't quite as straightforward as grabbing the ham, eggs and bread from the kitchen cupdoard as you would at home.

What would be the earliest time we could board?

11.30am..... but you would have to be in boarding group 1 to get that time slot so you would need to be at port and checked in by 9.30/10am

Question: does late all aboard time also mean that there isn’t a super early disembark time? I mean I know they have to turn over the rooms, but I’m used to the “get off before 9am” idea and would love not to be so rushed getting off in Barcelona.

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Boarding deadline for newly embarking guests is 4pm.... that way you are all aboard for Muster Drill.

Last year i arrived at the port around 1.30pm... and it was packed - Ive actually never seen it so busy (i normally try to get to the port and checked in early when its quieter)

I got checked in somewhere between 2 and 2.30 and the queue behind me was still huge! So i would definately say peak time was between 12pm and 3pm.

However, at the end of the day as long as you are there and in the queue to be checked in by 3pm i dont think you will have an issue.

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9am is the last disembark time on Epic in Barcelona.

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I've done this cruise a number of times.... I always fly in the day of.. nothing to worry about there, lots of folks from the UK do - including everyone doing an NCL fly-cruise ☺

Rule of thumb on Barcelona airport...

* Factor in an hour from your flights landing time to get through the airport - Passport Control is usually a breeze but you can wait a while on luggage - an hour in total should cover it (including a comfort break!).

* Taxis at the airport are fairly frequent and i've never seen the queue larger that 3-5 waiting. The drive to the port should take 20 minutes - they drive pretty fast over in Barca 😊 But factor in 30minutes for traffic.

So in short i would say you are spot on with your estimate... you should be at the port for 2.30pm. Check in can be fairly busy at that time so it may take you an hour or so to get checked in and onboard.

I wish you speedy luggage delivery 😉

**last year my suitcase was the very last to come out on the carousel.... they literally switched it off because it was the last one!!! Haha..... Typical! 🙄 Mind you, the first time i traveled to Barca my suitcase was first out.... baggage carousels = the're savage but they never discriminate... its all a lottery!

Enjoy 😊

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I have an ongoing love-affair with Epic so this might be a long list... :D

I can only truly compare her with Breakaway... but she won hands down!

Starting from the top...

• Deck 18 - quiet sundeck.... right at the very front of the ship (go up the lift on the right-hand side from a mid-ship perspective) They have the fancy haven loungers - i great place to go on sea day for some RnR.
  
• Dec 16 - above pool deck - i love grabbing a lounger here on sea days.... lay back and watch uninterrupted views of the ocean whilst also being in the hustle bustle of pool deck on sea day - best of both worlds!
  
• The waves bar - deck 15.... my favourite thing to do is park at the bar here and watch the world go by.
  
• The Epic Plunge (bowl slide) .... its Epic-ly fun
  
• SPice H2O.... great place during the day, even greater at night.... the best party on-board you will find it there!
  
• The Garden Cafe - yes its hectic but if you can navigate through the crowds and grab your food - sneak downstairs to La Cucina where you can sit and eat a more peaceful breakfast in the mornings and hide from the crowds.
  
• Deck 14 - The Spa - whether its the Thermal Suite of a treatment this is my happy place during daylight hours!
  
• Shakers Martini Bar - the best cocktails can be found here.... chocolate martini's, French 75's, Cosmo's, Lavender Patches..... this is my early evening happy place... where better to get the party started!
  
• Shanghai's - whether its the noodle bar or the restaurant you will have the most amazing Asian meal in this complimentary dining spot. My tips: if you are a small group go to the noodle bar... the pot stickers are amazing. Skip desert and sneak back up to the buffet if you are in need of a sweet treat!
  
• The Atrium Bar - great cocktails, great people watching place, great for watching the crazy game shows too
  
• Headliners - the home of Howl at the Moon.... I love Howl a great way to spend an evening. Other entertainments are available
  
• Manhattan Room - I love eating in Manhattan... especially when the band is playing or Burn the Floor are doing a mini show
  
• Taste -is the other MDR and is also really good.
  
• Bliss - this is my evening happy place - Karaoke, and land of late night parties..... late night dancing and the best bartenders who will make you the most amazing shots!!!!!
  

I'm not going to lie - i have probably missed a ton of things off this list... but i think you get the idea :D

I for one LOVE Epic...... she will always be my first cruising love! I have sailed on her 4 times and have my 2nd B2B booked for this summer 😊

Epic seems to be the Marmite ship of the fleet - you either love her or you hate her. And in the words of T Swift.... haters gonna hate- and they sure do like to shout about it.

Most bad reviews - I take them with a very large pinch of salt and most of the complaints are personal preference. The bad reveiws always increase substantially when Epic is back in the USA and decrease again when she is back in Europe... Make of that what you will ☺

Its no secret that there were issues with the ships design when it was first built... generic layout issues that NCL didnt bond with... which is why they scrapped the Epic Class ships, ditched the French Ship Building Company, and went straight to Meyer Werft and started on the Breakaway Class ships.

In temrs of the Epic itself... here is my 2 cents FWIW:

I have yet to meet a rude crew member... everyone seems to go out of their way to please you and make you smile. I have never had an issue with uncleanliness.... in fact i think if you stood still long enough you might find they start to clean you too! Lol

The entertainment is outstanding - Howl is my absolute favourite! The food is delicious! I've yet to sample a cocktail i didn't fall in love with - hello chocolate martini and a lavender patch is delicious too.

The spa is worth every penny. The water slides are Epic! 😉 Yes the pool can get crazy and there are chair hogs around.... but show me another ship or even hotel on land that doesnt have these issues? - If you get up and about early enough you wont have an issue... if you wait til Midday you will struggle to find an empty chair.

I personally love the layout... it flowed better for me than the Breakaway did. I cant comment on the Cabins - as a solo pax i have only stayed in the studios.

In terms of long waits... you may notice it more on the Sea day but I have never had a particularily long wait for anything. The buffet can get a little crazy around peak times... but if you know certain tricks you can work around it.

Your Cruise is what YOU make of it. You are the only person that will determine how much you enjoy your experience not anyone else. Go with an open mind, forget the haters and enjoy an Epic Cruise... 😊

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Well if you are going on Epic you will have an amazing time. She's my favourite! Going solo on Epic for a 4th time this June!

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My first cruise will be this spring, on NCL booked into a studio cabin. I have two fears, one neurotic and the other, sadly, likely to be real. Both pertain to the studio lounge. I'm a 60-something man.

 

The neurotic one: I suspect that most studios will be occupied by much younger travelers (the women know, close to my age and who might go on a cruise, would all want more luxurious accommodations). My fear is that, if I visit the studio lounger, younger passengers will resent my presence.

 

The likely-real one: I suspect even more strongly that if I were to enter the studio lounge while a woman was alone there, she would immediately get up and leave, because it's too secluded to risk being alone with a strange man. (Am I calling myself strange? I suppose so.) I don't expect to spend much time there, but it's reputed to have the best free coffee on the ship. Maybe I should say as I walk in, "Just getting coffee," grab it, and leave. I would probably take the coffee somewhere else to drink anyway.

 

Anyone have relevant experience?

I am a 30yo woman who has been on 4 solo cruises on NCL in the solo studios. Here is my experience for what its worth...

1. Solo studios attract a very wide range of ages. From 24 year olds to 82 year olds..... i know i met both of these people on various cruises. Also there is generally a even range of males and females too.... you certainly wont be the only guy there.

Of my various solo cruises i have befriended people of various ages....including a lovely 82yo lady who had some amazing stories, a 62yo grandmother who partied with me til 1am and a lovely gent in his 60s i believe (though his age never came up). The latter was like you, very concious of the fact that he was an older gentleman with a fair few younger females - he was polite and spoke to us and even though he wanted to go dancing etc would stay away from us for fear of being mis-construed as creepy. Needless to say by the end of the cruise he lightened up and realised that he had nothing to fear and we were all more than happy for him to hang with us, dance with us and have as much fun as we were.

2. No women are going to leave just because you are in the solo lounge. During the daytimes its generally quiet and livens up at the solo gathering daily. The solo host will do introductions and organise you all for dinner and other activities.... join in - even if its just for dinner... you might even make a friend or 20!

Nobody is going to assume you are some creepy old guy just because you are in the solo studios.... and you certainly wont be the oldest person there. I have found the solo groups to be very accepting of all people. Go with an open mind and you will get along fine. You are going to have a spectacular cruise - enjoy it!

Which ship will you be cruising on?

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Hi all. First time NCL cruiser here booked for studio cabin on Epic out of Barcelona in August.

 

Hoping to get answers to a few questions please

 

With no special boarding priority what time should I be looking to arrive at the port in Barcelona?

 

On some other lines, if they clear customs early at a tender port they sometimes allow you to board up until original tender start time without a reservation/ticket. Do they do this on NCL or do they just bring first reservation forward?

 

Interested in going to Cinque Terre from Livorno but not on a ships tour. Obviously hoping to be able to join a group from CC roll call but in the event this is not possible, has anyone ever done by public transport?

 

Same thing with Amalfi and\or Positano out of Naples - any suggestions.

 

Has anyone used bags and go to manage their luggage in Barcelona? Specifically looking to get it picked up from the hotel and taken to ship so I can do some sightseeing day of departure. Do I collect it and hand over to porters or is it delivered to porters for me so next I would see it would be in room?

 

Yes, I am a planner but I know lots of you are too so looking forward to your advice!

1. You can pretty much get to the port anytime you wish... though personally i like to get there earlier - 10.30/11am... check in Qs are way shorter and you normally get on the ship quite quickly. By about midday the check in Qs are long, any later and they get ridiculously long... and it will likely take you ages to get checked in... in my experience anyway. We'll see on my next Epic cruise if my theory is 100% accurate (i've done 10am, 9.30am and 2pm - which was not good! This year shoild be about 12) 😊

2. No customs to clear in Europe.... welcome to the EU. They dock, get the all clear from the Harbour Master and you are good to go. With Tenders they have one group who have booked tenders to shore and another Q for those who are on standby for tender. I never book and always get off the ship fairly quickly... the later you leave it, the longer you may wait.

3. DIY shore excursions usually get going by about April... check out your Roll Call to see what people have already booked. Italy Tour Sharing is a good site to check - they list all their booked excursions on their for any Epic cruisers to join, check Rome in Limo too. Ive never done Public Transport from Civitavecchia but as i understand it the train station is a bit of a walk from the port. You may find more helpful info on the Italy Port of Call boards.

4. Same as above.... though if you want to do Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento.... you will likely have your pick of DIY excursions as its a popular one, or set up your own you wont have any trouble getting companions but sign up.to your roll call to drum up business if you do! Check the sites i already mentioned for excursions already set up but like i saidaround March/April they will probably start being booked.

5. Im sorry I cant help you with this one. But in my experience you have to hand your luggage to the porters. Hopefully someone else may be able to help you here.

I have done this Epic Cruise 3 times before as a solo.... and a 4th this year so any quesrions feel free to ask.... you will get a plethora of info on here.

Oh and take any bad reveiws on here with a large pinch of salt.... during Epics winter months reviews always hit a downward spiral. You will have an amazing time!

Oh and im a crazy planner too... you are not alone 😉

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The receptionists are very nice and can help you choose the right treatment for you based on what you want... ie. Relaxation, water retension, muscle aches etc...

No you dont get access to the thermal suite with a treatment - you have to buy the pass for that (well worth it imho)

As for the upsell... ive never had an issue. I listen to what advice they have and kindly decline the products. I use most of them at home anyway so my answer is either 1. I have that at home already, now i know whats its for (yay!) 2. I can get that cheaper at home or 3. I will think about it and may come back for it later - can you write it down for me.

Ive never found them pushy at all, they always seem perfectly nice and understanding when i say not right now thanks.

Enjoy the spa!!!!! 😊

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Thanks for sharing! I would like to try it at least once but I'm so nervous. I'll be 28 this December and I look really young as well. I guess that leads in to my insecurity going alone. I may get the stares and the "What are you doing looks". Who knows one day I would like to take the risk!

I felt like that at first. I was 26 when i did my first solo cruise and I also look young for my age.... Im 30 now and I still get ID'd when buying alchohol! 😂

My first time I completely panicked about the thought of people looking at me funny - like 'who is that loser, going on holiday on her own' kind of thing, especially when eating. But what i found was that nobody stared, nobody looked at me funny and in fact I found that people were very accepting, extremely friendly and thought i was incredibly brave for doing it on my own.

My first cruise was on a Thomson ship... much smaller than ships like NCL epic etc.... and i found that i was almost immediately adopted by the cruise director staff and the bar staff (i sat at the bar most nights).... and through them i got to know so many people, including other solos and couples (and subsequently I was adopted by them too!).

Its an amazing experience, you just have to find a ship that is right for you and you wouod no doubt have an amazing first solo cruise!

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BA to Bermuda..... Oh hell yes its worth it!

The thermal suite on BA is amazing....

The therapy pool is great, it has a big sauna and steam room, plus a salt room and a tropical shower thingy... they also have way more heated tile loungers than most suites... and an amazing view too!

Its nice an quiet in the morning - a great way to wake yourself up gradually! ;p

Enjoy!

Age is just a number baby! ;p

I took my first solo cruise when I was 25..... loved every minute of it! And never looked back.... I've done one a year for the last 5 years, with another booked for next year! (NCL Epic Med - 10th June B2B to the 24th June, if your interested ;) - Awesome early booking perks at the moment!)

Before my first cruise I was exactly the same.... I really wanted to holiday but none of my friends could afford to.... but I picked a cruise line I liked the look of and went for it. The second I got home again I looked for my next (that's when I found NCL! and fell in love...) :hearteyes: ** I have a link to my second solo cruise in my signature if you want to check it out... I was 26 at the time.

I have met many solo cruisers of all ages.... from a 24 year old that i became great friends with this year to an 80 year old who was amazing!....

If you find the right cruise line for you.... and you can afford it.... go for it - you wont regret it! I didn't :)

The Thermal Suite is part of a ships spa facilities.... usually including hydro-therapy pools with a variety of jets etc, hot tubs, heated tile loungers, sauna's, steam rooms etc...

** Spa treatments are an additional cost.

You haven't mentioned which ship so I can't comment on actual features (each ship has slightly different facilities and I am unsure of some of the older NCL ships facilities)...

IMO, if you are sailing on a newer ship - Epic Class or above - then yes it is 100% worth it. It's an amazing place to relax and revitalise those aching muscles from port excursions (or dancing!).

Thank you [emoji8]

Missing our cruise, our fun and the cocktails terribly!

 

 

 

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Hmmmmm I recognize those hands.... and coctails 😉

Fab review! I really should get mine started before i forget everything!

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Great Review Caz!

You've just reminded me that I need to get mine started! ;p

Hoping you will continue your eaves-dropping on your next solo adventure - you never know who you'll end up meeting! :D

'Your Solo Airplane Buddy' Sparkles x