epic questinos and western med cruise

[Single Cruiser]

I'm finding the problem with Rome is that it's a fair distance from the port. Rome in Limo looks great, but only if you're part of a group. The most economical option appears to be the train and touring on your own.

 

Yep I think the main thing is to try and get yourself in a group of 6 or 8 and then it's simple as the romeinlimo tours cost in a lot cheaper thn NCL.

 

One year I went with folks, sister and her kids and it was great doing private excursions, being able to leave bags and bottles of water in an air conditioned mini van and just get out with cmeras etc at each stop..

[Single Cruiser]

yeah would prob do that :) sorry lots of questions guys i appreiciate the help

also when your sailling away departing ports, does everyone go on deck? and how much would a vodka coke be? is there anywhere online to view the prices?

 

I think someone has already answered the Vodka price question. And yes if you are sailing Epic then there is Spanish VAT to add on. Again just work on total price being around double what you pay at a bar at home.

 

You'll be too old for the teens club which is around 13-18. But would imagine there would be a few teens your sort of age onboard in Sept in the early weeks before they head back to uni.

 

As for sail away parties bit hit and miss on Epic so dont expect P&O style sail aways. The main reason for this is the late departure times from port. If it was 5-6 you'd have people still on deck. But by 7PM you have some people getting ready for dinner or eating (A lot of Americans eat early), some in queues for say Cirque dreams etc.

 

Out of the two times I've been on there was only really one party and that was when we left Marseille mid afternoon.

As an example this was top deck when we left Rome at about 7:30

 

Also don't forget unlike P&O which tends to be near 100% UK, Epic in the med is around 40% American, 30% UK, 20% European (Mainly Spanish, Italian and German) and 10% rest of world

[phil2]

Yes p and o did a sailaway party each night leaving port. Idont mind it beig mixed thats fine. :) so whats this spanish vat on top aswell? And i agree with a earlier poster a limo to rome is great in a group but wjere not and the train sounds a hassle and i would want to be back in plenty lf time.

[Single Cruiser]

Yes p and o did a sailaway party each night leaving port. Idont mind it beig mixed thats fine. :) so whats this spanish vat on top aswell? And i agree with a earlier poster a limo to rome is great in a group but wjere not and the train sounds a hassle and i would want to be back in plenty lf time.

 

Just like VAT at home. Spain add VAT because for tax purposes Epics home port is Spain and is closed euro loop. If they stopped at say Gibraltar or Egypt/Tunisia then it would only be payable when in port, instead it's the whole cruise. It's not just NCL but most other cruise lines as well that home port in Europe.

[phil2]

So even when docking in italy and france? Is it worth ther balcony cabins as its mot much more and looks much bigger

[meltingmoments]

Yes all drinks are plus 15%. However when you book make sure you get onboard credit. I then use that to offset the tips, simple!

 

On the first day/night in bars I will frequent I always tip extra. It's amazing how service changes and spirit pours increase, and you might even get a few free drinks :eek::cool:

 

Craig, may I chip in here with a question, if you don't mind?

You say to make sure you get onboard credit when you book, can you tell me how you do this? Thanks!! :)

[Single Cruiser]

Craig, may I chip in here with a question, if you don't mind?

You say to make sure you get onboard credit when you book, can you tell me how you do this? Thanks!! :)

 

Haggle with them or your TA when booking, that's one disadvantage of doing it all online. I normally do that and then get a reference and ring my agent or personal cruise consultant.

 

So say something like "Yes, like the price but OBC will clinch the deal." when you are ready to book.

[Single Cruiser]

So even when docking in italy and france? Is it worth ther balcony cabins as its mot much more and looks much bigger

For the entire duration of your trip.

 

Balcony cabins aren't too much bigger, so you'll be sharing with your folks? In which case 3 in a cabin the balcony will give some separation / space away from the main room.

[meltingmoments]

Haggle with them or your TA when booking, that's one disadvantage of doing it all online. I normally do that and then get a reference and ring my agent or personal cruise consultant.

 

So say something like "Yes, like the price but OBC will clinch the deal." when you are ready to book.

 

Then therein lies my problem......I booked online!!:(

 

Never mind.......maybe next time!!! ( As this is only our 2nd cruise!! )

 

In the meantime.......I may take a piece of your ( great ) advice.......and tip the bar staff well on the first night !! ;)

( and maybe smile sweetly?? ) You never know!!;)

[R4dders]

The Rome on your own tour is $99 through ncl which takes you from the ship and drops you by the colosseum (this is basically a transfer from the ship to Rome) The Florence and Pisa on your own is slightly more expensive iirc which goes to the leaning tower of Pisa for about 45 minutes and then on to Florence where you will be there for about 4-5 hours before catching the coach back.

[meltingmoments]

The Rome on your own tour is $99 through ncl which takes you from the ship and drops you by the colosseum (this is basically a transfer from the ship to Rome) The Florence and Pisa on your own is slightly more expensive iirc which goes to the leaning tower of Pisa for about 45 minutes and then on to Florence where you will be there for about 4-5 hours before catching the coach back.

 

This is useful to know, thank-you! The Colosseum is where we will be heading as we are in Rome on the Feast of The Assumption.......a Holy Day and a public holiday!!! Neither The Vatican, nor the Sistine Chapel are open on that day!!

 

This good Catholic girl didn't do her research very well before she booked!!! :o

[phil2]

I don want a tour of florence and pisa i just wat to get basically took there and then go around ourself is there an option for that and in provence and how much

[R4dders]

I don want a tour of florence and pisa i just wat to get basically took there and then go around ourself is there an option for that and in provence and how much

 

The tour i was talking about is on your own to Florence and pisa they just drop you off and you meet at a certain time no tour guide it's just a glorified lift to the destinations it's pretty expensive for what it is

 

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[phil2]

Sounds it i only want to go to one though, either florence or pisa not both.

[R4dders]

If you've got an iphone or an android phone you can get the ship mate app for ncl it will give you all the info for ncl excursions and costs and other info about the ship

 

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[R4dders]

Sounds it i only want to go to one though, either florence or pisa not both.

 

Tbh not alot in pisa other than the tower that's why they do both in the same 'tour' Florence is nice amazing architecture

 

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[Single Cruiser]

Then therein lies my problem......I booked online!!:(

 

Never mind.......maybe next time!!! ( As this is only our 2nd cruise!! )

 

In the meantime.......I may take a piece of your ( great ) advice.......and tip the bar staff well on the first night !! ;)

( and maybe smile sweetly?? ) You never know!!;)

 

Their name is on the receipt you sign, how many people say thanks, I always say thank you "insert name". Never failed across cruise lines and years.

[meltingmoments]

Their name is on the receipt you sign, how many people say thanks, I always say thank you "insert name". Never failed across cruise lines and years.

 

Good advice!!

 

It doesn't take a moment to say * thank-you * :)

 

I'll let you know how we get on!!:)

[phil2]

yes already have ship mate ill look on there, stuck on p and o at min. how much spends do you think ill need family of 3 for the week.

[Single Cruiser]

yes already have ship mate ill look on there, stuck on p and o at min. how much spends do you think ill need family of 3 for the week.

 

That's a "how long is a piece of string" question Im afraid. All depends on how much you drink, if you want to eat at the pay restaurants, see cirque dreams, access the Internet, what excursions etc..

 

If you pay cash they usually ask for $100 pp per day in advance and then refund any left at end if the cruise.

 

This April my bar tab was around £400

[Ursine]

The Rome on your own tour is $99 through ncl which takes you from the ship and drops you by the colosseum (this is basically a transfer from the ship to Rome) The Florence and Pisa on your own is slightly more expensive iirc which goes to the leaning tower of Pisa for about 45 minutes and then on to Florence where you will be there for about 4-5 hours before catching the coach back.

 

Just chiming in to say this may not be consistent. When we did the Rome on your own in 2011, they dropped us at the Piazza del Popolo and then helped everyone use the Metro to get where they wanted to go (in our case, the Colosseum). Perhaps now they always drop you at the Colosseum?

 

OP, we did NCL's Florence and Pisa on your own as well. It was $145 per person, with about 4 hours in Florence to explore on your own and then 1.5 hours or so in Pisa (which really didn't need that much time). Just Florence on your own (through NCL) was about $125 per person and you get about 5 hours to spend in Florence. These tours are expensive, but we liked not having to worry about coordinating with strangers to save money on a private tour as well as the security of knowing that we'd be back to the boat on time. Many others prefer private tours, YMMV.

[See_again]

We have been on the EPIC two weeks ago and the price of Pisa & Florence on your own tour was 129 $ per person. we stayed 1 h in Pisa and nearly 4 h in Firenze

[ontheweb]

Just chiming in to say this may not be consistent. When we did the Rome on your own in 2011, they dropped us at the Piazza del Popolo and then helped everyone use the Metro to get where they wanted to go (in our case, the Colosseum). Perhaps now they always drop you at the Colosseum?

 

OP, we did NCL's Florence and Pisa on your own as well. It was $145 per person, with about 4 hours in Florence to explore on your own and then 1.5 hours or so in Pisa (which really didn't need that much time). Just Florence on your own (through NCL) was about $125 per person and you get about 5 hours to spend in Florence. These tours are expensive, but we liked not having to worry about coordinating with strangers to save money on a private tour as well as the security of knowing that we'd be back to the boat on time. Many others prefer private tours, YMMV.

 

We have booked the Florence on your own from NCL for our cruise in August. It was $99, not $125. I'm counting it as our one splurge for this upcoming cruise. I realize there is a train for much less money, but 10 years ago on our first cruise, I royally screwed up. I got us on the train going the wrong way! Luckily my wife realized what had happened, and we got off and eventually got a train in the proper direction. We never did see Florence, though we did end up having time to visit Pisa.

 

This time my DW, who is the world's best elementary art teacher, will get to see the museums she wants to see in Florence. In fact she has already bought timed tickets to the Uffizzi and Acadame.

[Ursine]

We have booked the Florence on your own from NCL for our cruise in August. It was $99, not $125. I'm counting it as our one splurge for this upcoming cruise. I realize there is a train for much less money, but 10 years ago on our first cruise, I royally screwed up. I got us on the train going the wrong way! Luckily my wife realized what had happened, and we got off and eventually got a train in the proper direction. We never did see Florence, though we did end up having time to visit Pisa.

 

This time my DW, who is the world's best elementary art teacher, will get to see the museums she wants to see in Florence. In fact she has already bought timed tickets to the Uffizzi and Acadame.

 

Looks like the prices have come down since we went, what a nice change! We definitely appreciated being able to just get on the bus and have someone drive us. I'm sure you'll both have a great time in Florence! Enjoy your trip! :D