Just back, Epic western med, 6/1-6/8 review in parts

[Froufie]

We started the day at the garden cafe (like every day). It is usually crazy busy and tables are at a premium. Important tip here - get your food in the cafe and head to the stairs at the far end, La Cucina. There are plenty of tables (by the window) and it is quiet! There is a buffet here and coffee. We liked the selections from upstairs and just went down stairs to eat.

 

Thanks for the great info on the Epic - will be cruising her in a few months.

 

Just wanted to confirm information above - is there a buffet in La Cucina as well as upstairs in the garden cafe? As mentioned I understand it is less crowded there and you can bring your food down from the garden cafe buffet - but I would be interested in know if there is a breakfast buffet down there as well and if so what kinds of items they had there? thanks! :)

[flarad]

During breakfast they served a limited number of items. They had coffee, tea, beverages, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, hard boiled eggs, some small pastries, fruit and yoghurt. They had servers who wandered around helping with almost no passengers using the area. At lunch there was no service in La Cucina you had to walk up and down with food.

 

 

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[Froufie]

During breakfast they served a limited number of items. They had coffee, tea, beverages, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, hard boiled eggs, some small pastries, fruit and yoghurt. They had servers who wandered around helping with almost no passengers using the area. At lunch there was no service in La Cucina you had to walk up and down with food.

 

 

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That's great news - as I hate those crowded buffets at breakfast - sounds like a good alternative (altho I do so love my porridge - I may have to do without? :))

Edited July 14, 2014 by Froufie

[flarad]

I'm not sure about the lack of porridge :) I don't eat it and can't remember.

 

 

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[Gillybeanie]

I am doing this cruise in August with my 77 year old Mother who is waiting for a hip replacement operation. She can walk reasonably ok for short-ish distances, but then she is in lot of pain.

 

I was wondering how suitable you think the ships excursions would be for her? Is there a lot of walking involved in them all? I am considering hiring a folding wheelchair for her but wouldn't mind your opinion of how easy it would be for me to push her on these trips? Bearing in mind the August heat, and I have no idea if there will be steep and uneven ground involved? Any insight you can give me would be really appreciated? Thanks.

 

Gillian x

[flarad]

Gillian, I would choose excursions that show handicap accessible and are shorter than others. In looking back, in barcelona you could easily grab a cab to whatever you want to see and then Grab a cab to the next place, we had a great time just riding the hop on hop off bus there and it requires no physical exertion. In naples, we did Pompeii. I would not recommend that at all. It is very uneven and lots of walking, you could check with the ship about a wheel chair tour. There are some food and tasting tours that are probably good for her. Rome, wow that's a long day. I do remember that there are some tours to smaller villages and sites that would be good. Look for tours that say light activity level. There is also a great sounding golf cart tour that you can find on tripadvisor, you might check romeinlimo for a tour more tailored to your needs. DO NOT book a bus tour in Rome. They have a hard time finding places to park and we must have walked five plus miles that day. In Livorno we did Pisa and a Tuscany tour. The wine tour would be fine but Pisa requires a lot of walking. If you do a private tour from tripadvisor, the small cars get much closer than the buses. We loved our bus but again, lots of walking. I don't know what Florence offers. Our little train tour In Cannes would probably be good. There is an opportunity to shop and walk but you wouldn't have to. You could sit and have a coffee. The tour we did In Palma, overview and winery would be perfect too. Not much walking. Scenery, wine... In both Cannes and Palma the town is close to the port so you could just make your way in on Your own. I remember there are also lots of low activity tours in both places as well. I would recommend you post this question on the ports boards especially for Italy and see what you get. Acknowledge. Also, if you check your roll call there may be people,who have booked shared tours that are less strenuous. I'd love to hear what you choose. I'm sure you'll find plenty as there are just so many offerings.

 

 

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[jdvmd]

Thanks for sharing your great review!

[Gillybeanie]

Also, if you check your roll call there may be people,who have booked shared tours that are less strenuous. I'd love to hear what you choose. I'm sure you'll find plenty as there are just so many offerings.

 

Many thanks for all the info, much appreciated. The roll call on here is TINY!! Only seem to be around 10 people on it, which is disappointing, as the last time I cruised there were over 200 people. Might be forced into taking the ships tours unless more people join the roll call last minute.

 

Gillian x

[dizneydawn]

Hello, thank you for your review!

 

we are considering a future cruise on the Epic. I have been looking at balconys vs mini, suites I often soak in my tub and I am wondering if a small adult could get in the tub of a mini suite?

It is so hard to tell from pictures!

Thanks for any help!

[flarad]

Many thanks for all the info, much appreciated. The roll call on here is TINY!! Only seem to be around 10 people on it, which is disappointing, as the last time I cruised there were over 200 people. Might be forced into taking the ships tours unless more people join the roll call last minute.

 

 

 

Gillian x

 

 

Our roll all was not very very active either. I think it's the European itinerary. You could check the roll call of those who board in Rome before and after you. You will be sharing some ports with each of them. Barcelona boards Sunday, Rome boards Wednesday. There are not nearly as many of them but it's an option. We are not generally ships tour people but we liked all of ours and it was nice to be able to pay ahead and not worry about carrying so many euros.

One more thought, you could try the shoretrips or viator websites. Both get decent reviews. Good luck!

 

 

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[flarad]

Hello, thank you for your review!

 

we are considering a future cruise on the Epic. I have been looking at balconys vs mini, suites I often soak in my tub and I am wondering if a small adult could get in the tub of a mini suite?

It is so hard to tell from pictures!

Thanks for any help!

 

 

I actually had to look back at my pictures to check to be sure. Below is a panorama that shows the tub on the left. It is quite large, in fact some people have complained it's hard to get in and out of. I didn't find it to be so. It is probably the best tub/shower we've ever had on a cruise. In fact, once I stopped laughing at the bathroom design, we loved our minisuite, the balcony was larger than we anticipated. The room has more storage than you will ever need. It's kind of amazing! You might try to get a room with the bed next to the balcony. It gives you more room for getting dressed.

 

 

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[flarad]

That's really blurry let's try this one.

 

 

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[Zhane's mum]

That's great news - as I hate those crowded buffets at breakfast - sounds like a good alternative (altho I do so love my porridge - I may have to do without? :))

 

No need to go without just get your porridge from the main buffet and carry it down to la cucina :)

[dizneydawn]

Thank you!

[lawnbowler48]

Thanks for a wonderful review. We have been thinking of booking this cruise and you have made up my mind. We had done the Med cruise earlier but not on the Epic. Great tips especially about paying in advance.

[ghockley1981]

thanks for the review, nice to read you had a good time

[PathfinderEss]

Enjoyed your review and photo's.