EPIC ship from BCN and Rome?

[texsnow]

I am so confused but the summer sailings of the NCL Epic. One date leaves BCN, the other date leaves Rome. Isn't this a madhouse of confusion as far as people and activities with half people leaving one day and boarding during same sailing?? Opinions please??

[KeithJenner]

The Epic has been doing this during the Summer for many years, basically since it was launched.

 

No, it isn't a major problem. Originally, the vast majority of passengers boarded in Barcelona, and people who embarked in Rome reported some issues, but over the years these do seem to have become less of an issue, probably as a result both of NCL learning lessons and the proportion of people boarding in Rome increasing.

 

There are of course still some problems. For example, the ship closes down for Muster in Barcelona, which means that people who boarded in Rome who are onboard at that time are very disrupted at that time even though they don't have to attend, but basically it seems to not be a major problem.

 

For example, I have done that itinerary four times, always from Barcelona. If I hadn't know beforehand about the dual boarding then I can't think of any reason why I would ever have found out about it when onboard, other than seeing luggage left out the night before Rome. That probably isn't the case for people who board in Rome, but it indicates that it isn't that confused.

[kochleffel]

I boarded at Rome (Civitavecchia) about a year ago. One interesting thing on Cruise Critic is that every sailing has three overlapping roll calls, so I also participated in those for the two Barcelona embarkations that were before and after mine from Rome. The Barcelona roll calls tend to be more active since there are more passengers embarking from Barcelona. The one for the sailing before my Rome departure was the first of the season and had an especially active roll call, probably because it followed a transatlantic sailing with many B2B passengers.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, texsnow said:

I am so confused but the summer sailings of the NCL Epic. One date leaves BCN, the other date leaves Rome. Isn't this a madhouse of confusion as far as people and activities with half people leaving one day and boarding during same sailing?? Opinions please??

Barcelona is the primary embarkation port.  The ship’s programming is aligned to BCN. NCL devotes more inventory to that port, so if room selection is limited from Rome, the rooms are scheduled for the BCN-BCN route. And may sail empty from Rome. 

[CruisinMaterial]

2 hours ago, texsnow said:

I am so confused but the summer sailings of the NCL Epic. One date leaves BCN, the other date leaves Rome. Isn't this a madhouse of confusion as far as people and activities with half people leaving one day and boarding during same sailing?? Opinions please??

It appears more than half the ship embarks in BCN as the primary embark port. There's maybe 1/4 of the ship that will embark in Rome - if that. Getting on mid-cruise is kind of interesting since you're starting on Day 4 but events you missed on Day 1 will just be done once the ship hits BCN and resets. I'm looking forward to trying out the mid-cruise getting on this go-round on the Epic. 😎

[falkensmaze]

We have done both, the bonus in Rome is super quick embarkation and the room is ready early as crew have fewer romms to turnover and luggage is delivered much sooner. i recon 20% board in Rome so when you get on board most people are off doing Rome stuff! and you have a quiet ship to explore. 

[Doon3557]

This confuses me too! 🤣

I'm booked for 7 nights out of Rome departing July 8 2020. 

My itinery shows Barcelona port is July 12. 

Will people already be on the ship when I get on in Rome, or do they embark on July 12? .....or both?? 🤷‍♀️

[KeithJenner]

14 minutes ago, Doon3557 said:

This confuses me too! 🤣

I'm booked for 7 nights out of Rome departing July 8 2020. 

My itinery shows Barcelona port is July 12. 

Will people already be on the ship when I get on in Rome, or do they embark on July 12? .....or both?? 🤷‍♀️

Both.

 

Each week, people embark in Barcelona and leave 7 days later in Barcelona. Meanwhile, each week, people embark in Rome and leave 7 days later in Rome.

 

For you, as you embark in Barcelona, it makes absolutely no difference. I'm sure that many people do the Barcelona round trip without realising that there is another option available. The main impact is a few things in the freestyle daily referring to Rome embarkation, bags out in the corridors the night before and the occasional confused conversation with other passengers who didn't realise that not everyone got on in Rome.

[Doon3557]

7 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

Both.

 

Each week, people embark in Barcelona and leave 7 days later in Barcelona. Meanwhile, each week, people embark in Rome and leave 7 days later in Rome.

 

For you, as you embark in Barcelona, it makes absolutely no difference. I'm sure that many people do the Barcelona round trip without realising that there is another option available. The main impact is a few things in the freestyle daily referring to Rome embarkation, bags out in the corridors the night before and the occasional confused conversation with other passengers who didn't realise that not everyone got on in Rome.

Thank you.  Although just to clarify, I embark in Rome.  Happy now though to know that I won't be having that confusing convo with anyone who was already on from Barcelona! 😂😂

 

[amelia3171]

I've only sailed from Barcelona but there did not seem to be any confusion at all.

 

The only difference from a cruise with one embarkation port is that the Dailies only show the day of the week and not which day of the cruise is it, so Wednesday Rome, not Day 1 or Day 4.

 

 

[KeithJenner]

2 minutes ago, Doon3557 said:

Thank you.  Although just to clarify, I embark in Rome.  Happy now though to know that I won't be having that confusing convo with anyone who was already on from Barcelona! 😂😂

 

Sorry, I totally misread that part.

 

In that case, you will see some differences. For example, on your first day, the freestyle daily will say it is day 4, and when you are in Barcelona there will be the Muster Drill, which you would certainly notice if you are onboard at the time. I'd imagine that almost all Rome boarders do realise there is a difference.

 

The confusing conversations are much more likely, as there is a chance that people who boarded in Barcelona won't realise that you could have boarded in Rome. For fun, make sure you ask everyone you talk to what they are planning on doing in Naples.

[Doon3557]

It's certainly a little different.  Never been on a cruise that had multiple embarking ports.  I'll just be very happy to be on there & going round.   Only 319 days to go!!  🎉🎉

[cottagers2000]

32 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

 

 

 For example, on your first day, the freestyle daily will say it is day 4

Sorry Keith, but that is no longer the case. The daily's used to show DAY 1, etc, which was quite confusing if you had happened to join the cruise half way round, e.g. I boarded in Jamaica when the ship had sailed from Miami. 

The daily's now  (certainly on the Epic sailing from Barcelona and Civitavecchia) simply show the day and the date.

[KeithJenner]

2 minutes ago, cottagers2000 said:

Sorry Keith, but that is no longer the case. The daily's used to show DAY 1, etc, which was quite confusing if you had happened to join the cruise half way round, e.g. I boarded in Jamaica when the ship had sailed from Miami. 

The daily's now  (certainly on the Epic sailing from Barcelona and Civitavecchia) simply show the day and the date.

Thanks, looks like they have changed that since I last did the itinerary. I'm sure that does help.

[ollienbertsmum]

I have done the Epic cruise 3 times (and I will do it again, I love it).  There is absolutely no confusion.  Sometimes the prices are a little different, but that is due to supply and demand I suppose.  

 

I have been on a ship that has had Barcelona/Malta embarkation and Barcelona/Marseilles.  Once you know the situation there is no confusion.  

 

A story:  During the Iceland Volcano crisis when flights closed down, many students from Gibraltar were trying to find their way back to university.  I managed to get my daughter on the PandO Ventura on its way beck to Southampton.  Typical 19 yr old rather than appreciating cruising to University she moaned about the food.  It was surely better than Monarch who should have been taking her.  Unfortunately they will not use Gibraltar as a regular embarkation port which is a pity because Gibraltarians love to cruise.