EPIC 7-Night Mediterranean Rome Roundtrip - Photo Review!

[windjamming]

I am usually on the RCI boards but came over here to start researching the Breakaway - and what a surprise to find TWO LMM trip reports! What a neat idea to be the "advance scout" for the family on a solo cruise.

 

As always, fantastic review and photos. We'll be in the Mediterranean later in the summer so loving the preview. Looking forward to the rest of your week!

 

Oh and be loud and proud about McDonalds. I spent some time in Europe right after college and enjoyed the familiar menu at the Golden Arches quite a few times.

Edited June 14, 2013 by windjamming

[LittleMissMagic]

I am usually on the RCI boards but came over here to start researching the Breakaway - and what a surprise to find TWO LMM trip reports! What a neat idea to be the "advance scout" for the family on a solo cruise.

 

As always, fantastic review and photos. We'll be in the Mediterranean later in the summer so loving the preview. Looking forward to the rest of your week!

 

Oh and be loud and proud about McDonalds. I spent some time in Europe right after college and enjoyed the familiar menu at the Golden Arches quite a few times.

 

Welcome - I'm glad you found me!! And I hope you have a wonderful Mediterranean cruise!

[NYGirl1002]

I absolutely LOVE your review. You are so funny and cute and I love your pictures.

 

I'm glad the boys went along with you. Everybody looked like they had a great time.

 

I'm going to find some other reviews by you now.

[LittleMissMagic]

Our last day of the cruise was Naples. I booked NCL's Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii tour because we really wanted to climb Mt. Vesuvius. I looked at various independent companies and couldn't find one that did Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii in the same tour.

 

Once again, we were unsure of what to wear. I thought this was going to be a strenuous hike, so I put on athletic shorts and a t-shirt. Then I got into the Epic Theater and saw that no one was dressed like us. NCL should really write a more detailed description and suggestions on what to wear while on the tour. Wardrobe is always an issue for me, apparently.

 

The Epic Theater was the same as before - people were standing at the back, but if you listened to instructions and kept moving forward, you could easily get a seat.

 

Our tour guide was this annoying lady who called us all "my people." We got to Mt. Vesuvius, and while it was fairly uphill, it was a pretty easy path.

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

At the top of the volcano, we were assigned a guide to walk us around and tell us about what we were seeing. I'm guessing you won't be surprised to learn that we didn't really follow him or pay attention.

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

"Hey, you think we can climb up there?"

"Sure - if we couldn't, they'd put a fence around it."

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Yeah.... apparently not. Another guide came by and scolded us in every language he knew. Thinking back, it was a really stupid idea. We could've fallen or caused an avalanche or something.

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

If you've read previous reviews I've written, you might recall that Rachel is a geology minor and likes to have her photo taken looking really excited with rocks.

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Mt. Vesuvius by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

The boys bought tigers made out of volcanic ash.

 

Funny story about those tigers... Alec's had a white mark on it, so he licked his thumb and rubbed it.... and the black came off, revealing the white underneath. "Umm... I don't think this is really made of volcanic ash." :D

 

We realized we had ten minutes to get all the way back down. So we were walking super fast. When we returned our sticks, the guy wanted a tip. Sorry, didn't have any money. Alec did tip him, and the guy gave him a rock. We then waited... and waited... and waited for our bus. It took about half an hour for the bus to get there. We were not happy campers.

 

Finally, the bus arrived, and we headed to Pompeii. When we got there, we were each given vouchers to use on either a free soda or free gelato. The boys bought some food, of course. At least this tour factored in a short break for eating.

 

And then Pompeii -

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pizza oven (so they say) -

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Fast food restaurant (again, so they say) -

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

She gave us a good tour of Pompeii. She was very knowledgeable. I was disappointed that once again, I did not get to see the garden (that was all I really wanted to see!!! I guess this means I'll be hitting up Pompeii a third time).

[LittleMissMagic]

The unfortunate thing about the Mediterranean itinerary was that none of the ports gave me the opportunity to take a good dock photo of the ship.

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

The port of Naples was surprisingly the most developed for tourism. They had a good little indoor port center with shopping areas.

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

[fabnfortysomething]

was wondering where you'd gone for a couple of days=getting addicted to your review

[WWLL]

Victoria

 

Let me join the chorus of praises and thanks for your wonderful reportS.

 

If you want to see gardens and native plants in their Roman condition, please come to the Getty Villa in Los Angeles. The guided garden tour will detail how they have tried to replicate carefully ancient plants and herbs. The regular tour will explain how these villas were used to shock and impress guests.

 

I am booked on the Epic on a transatlantic in Oct 2014.

[kerrytens]

Victoria

 

Let me join the chorus of praises and thanks for your wonderful reportS.

 

I am booked on the Epic on a transatlantic in Oct 2014.

Victoria, please please please excuse the mini hi-jack here (you know I'm a fan of your reviews already!!!)

 

WWLL, have you joined the roll call for the October cruise? We're an active bunch already:D

 

Now back to Victoria's amazing review - loving it as much as I loved your pre-family Epic cruise review and the Princess Panama Canal one. I still need to read more!

[WWLL]

To Miriam

 

Yes.

[LittleMissMagic]

Victoria

 

Let me join the chorus of praises and thanks for your wonderful reportS.

 

If you want to see gardens and native plants in their Roman condition, please come to the Getty Villa in Los Angeles. The guided garden tour will detail how they have tried to replicate carefully ancient plants and herbs. The regular tour will explain how these villas were used to shock and impress guests.

 

I am booked on the Epic on a transatlantic in Oct 2014.

 

Thank you, I'll keep that in mind! It's been several years since I've been to California, and I've actually never been to Los Angeles!

[LittleMissMagic]

The last night on the ship was date night. It was something that we'd been planning to do the entire cruise, but put off until the very end. It was my idea originally, but Rachel and Alec called dibs on Cagney's somehow. So Max and I chose Le Bistro. Mom and Dad went to the Manhattan Room. :D

 

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera for Le Bistro, so I have no food photos for you. When we arrived, they asked us if we wanted to sit in the main room or a room off to the side, which was supposedly quieter. They warned us of the Cirque noise overhead in the main room, but I wanted to sit in the more well-lit area. We did hear several thuds overhead throughout the evening.

 

We had a bottle of wine because my dad had purchased the wine package, and we had one bottle left over. Alec had won a bottle of champagne the night before on the Dating Game Show, and my dad was given a bottle from our bad seats at Teppanyaki. So the spare bottle of the wine package was given to us - yay! I wish I could remember the menu better, but I know that for an appetizer, I had escargot and Max had some sort of dip thing. And then I forget my entrée... perhaps it was steak. But I know that Max did the $10 upcharge for the lobster because he had been wanting it the entire cruise. He was very happy with his lobster - he raved about it, actually (but Max raves about life), and the additional charge didn't phase him at all. For dessert, we got the chocolate fondue which was really good and presented well... really missing my camera.

 

Service at Le Bistro was the best we had in a dining venue all week. They were very attentive to us, and like I said in my solo cruise review, it was the type of service we normally get in the dining room every night on a "traditional" style cruise. That has to be my biggest complaint about Freestyle Cruising - the service in the main dining room is rushed and impersonal because they're trying to get so many guests in and out. Max, however, had never been on a cruise before, so he didn't understand why I was slightly annoyed about having to pay extra for good service.

 

We really enjoyed Le Bistro. The food was wonderful, service was excellent, and it was a romantic little restaurant. The only downfall was the occasional Cirque noise from above. But overall, I think that this restaurant is seriously underrated by guests.

 

Rachel and Alec really enjoyed Cagney's. They said that it was the best steak they had all week (well, it better be!). Mom and Dad had a wonderful evening in the Manhattan Room. They got one of the tables by the window (like I said in my solo TR, I honestly think that view is the best from any restaurant on the ship).

 

After dinner, Max wanted to go hot tubbing. We hadn't been hot tubbing at night before on the ship, and I was surprised that they kept the bar on the pool deck open at night. It was such a wonderful atmosphere on the top deck at night.

 

I did bring my camera for this, since I missed it so much at Le Bistro.

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

And my favorite night shot, which Max will tell you that he took because I let him trip the shutter:

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

[LittleMissMagic]

The next day, we had to be up early for debarkation in Civitavecchia. I've already told several who asked that they really want you off the ship. We were cleared by port officials early, and they wanted guests to start debarking right then. Before 8:00, they were making announcements, requesting that all guests who are debarking today please leave the ship.

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

Not a pretty, sunny day.

 

Pompeii by vshingl, on Flickr

 

I was really sad to leave the ship. We all greatly enjoyed the Epic. And I loved our aft balcony. We all said that we wouldn't mind sailing the Epic again.

[happytrailsandsails]

Thanks so much for your wonderful review. Now I'm even more excited about our Epic cruise on July 12th. We leave for our trip in less than two weeks and all the planning is done. Nothing to do now but tap my fingers and wait (oh, and packing, of course). Which reminds me, how much did you pack for your cruise? We are trying to pack very light so we can take all carry-ons. Is there anything specific that you brought and didn't need or forgot to pack and would have needed?

[LittleMissMagic]

Thanks so much for your wonderful review. Now I'm even more excited about our Epic cruise on July 12th. We leave for our trip in less than two weeks and all the planning is done. Nothing to do now but tap my fingers and wait (oh, and packing, of course). Which reminds me, how much did you pack for your cruise? We are trying to pack very light so we can take all carry-ons. Is there anything specific that you brought and didn't need or forgot to pack and would have needed?

 

Well, I'm the worst person to ask packing advice from because I was carrying around three large bags with a semester's worth of clothing with me. :D So I had a lot of things that I didn't need, and other things I wish I had.

 

I can tell you a few different packing methods of our group and what worked and what didn't.

 

Max was hard-headed and decided to pack in one large suitcase (I told him to bring a rolling carry-on!). Because of this, his bag was scary near the 50-lb mark, and he didn't have room to bring home souvenirs. And even though he had such a heavy bag, he had somehow managed to under-pack, so he had to re-wear a few things. In his defense, he packed the same day he moved out of his apartment.

 

I think Rachel did it best with one checked bag, one rolling carry-on, and a tote bag. She also only packed three pairs of shoes (this is unbelievable for her).

 

I'd suggest packing a rain jacket or umbrella. Rachel and Mom brought theirs, but the boys didn't and had to purchase cheap umbrellas from street vendors.

 

We could have never done a 14-day vacation with only a carry-on, so I really can't give you any advice for that. But good luck with the packing and enjoy your cruise!

[Sarasa]

Thank you for the terrifically informative and funny review!

[PathfinderEss]

Wonderful review and beautiful pictures.