LIVE from the most hated ship in the NCL fleet, Epic, March 26-April 2

[redmomof4]

Enjoying your updates!!

[Uff da]

5 hours ago, spenecer said:

Ginger ale by itself didn’t do much but the drugs dispensed by Guest Services worked. 

I'm glad she's better and out and about now. Please remind her she is never going to see these people again so it's okay to let loose and have fun. Nobody has to know! 😉

[Amberle3]

On 3/26/2023 at 11:03 PM, spenecer said:

With Sailaway, I did not look at Spice H2O this evening but from what I’ve seen on the internet, the pool in Spice H2O gets covered in the evening to become a dance floor or stage or maybe just to keep the black soot  from the smokestacks out of the water. 

Well balls.  Okay so that's another cruise where I won't be spending any time in a pool/hot tub.

[spenecer]

Day 3

 

Speed- 8 Mbps Down / 2.4 Mbps Up

 

The Freestyle Daily was once again delivered to the outside of our cabin and when the app updated (between drinks #7 and #8), I couldn’t figure out how to save it as PDF. After a good night’s rest, here it is.

Freestyle Daily 3.pdf

[spenecer]

This One’s for You, Review with two thumbs

 

Oliver wants his mum to know that he isn’t working in a grocery store so that why this awful photo is included. Otherwise, we aren’t supposed to include photos of the performances. Maybe I will get away with it because the Epic’s GM is changing today. 

 

The three singers in the Elton John Tribute group can really sing. They have great pipes. Their act could use a little work, especially when compared to the Epic Beatles from the night before. The transitions from song to song are rough and could use a rewrite. Oliver has excellent showmanship and they should probably use that to their advantage. The show was also very short at only 35 minutes. 

[spenecer]

16 hours ago, amygutman said:

Did you love it?

Oh Man...you just made me so happy by affiliation 🥰

It was decent but made with ginger ale. It would have been a lot better with ginger beer. 

[spenecer]

Day 3

 

Drink #1 and #2 are a Venti Caramel Macchiato and a Grande Vanilla Bean Frappuccino 

 

 

I’ve headed to the Buffet for the breakfast of champions, bacon, after my morning Starbucks run. 
 

Today is Aruba and this was the first excursion that I booked for us through NCL because after our excursion credits, it was free. For $49, we are getting on the Kukoo Kunuku bus and shaking some maracas. This is sure to mortify my daughter. The tour is described as going to Casibari Rock Formations and then the beach. I wanted to see natural sights and my daughter wanted beach so 4 hours of a little something for both of us. And maracas. If we get maracas, I’m shaking them.

[spenecer]

I finished my bacon, ahem breakfast, and went to the sun deck above the pool for an unclouded view of the sail in. It turns out, the secret sun deck on 18 (my first choice) is closed from 6pm to 9am so I couldn’t go there. 
 

I got to see our ride for today pull into the parking lot. 

[brookie848]

10 hours ago, maggieq said:

I swear by Bonine. Pretty cheap and does the job. Take it starting the day/evening before cruising.  

I agree with this. I tried a lot of things before taking generic bonine on my last cruise. It was my first cruise (after seven previous ones) where I didn't wish for death because of sea sickness.

 

Bonus points for being able to take it with alcohol and it not making me sleepy.

[Miss_Mono]

4 hours ago, spenecer said:

I finished my bacon, ahem breakfast, and went to the sun deck above the pool for an unclouded view of the sail in. It turns out, the secret sun deck on 18 (my first choice) is closed from 6pm to 9am so I couldn’t go there. 
 

I got to see our ride for today pull into the parking lot. 

Hope you get Shania! 

[Miss_Mono]

On 3/26/2023 at 11:08 PM, spenecer said:

Speed: 6 Mbps Down / 1.1 Mbps Up

 

Clearly, the internet is faster at 11PM when most of us are too drunk to be typing with our thumbs. Thank goodness for autocorrect. Here are the pages for the Day 2 Freestyle Daily.

 

 

I'm reading along your review! We got off the ship right before you sailed and I wish I stayed! Enjoy your cruise! Against all negative reviews, we had a fantastic time on the Epic and only one complaint...very small one...don't get the red snapper in Taste...just eh. 

[spenecer]

1 hour ago, Miss_Mono said:

Hope you get Shania! 

We got Carlos.

[spenecer]

I’m sad to report that it looks like $70 was stolen out of my purse while it was in my stateroom so I will be able to do a review of the security process following a missing item report. NCL is preparing to search the room. 

[vacation44]

1 minute ago, spenecer said:

I’m sad to report that it looks like $70 was stolen out of my purse while it was in my stateroom so I will be able to do a review of the security process following a missing item report. NCL is preparing to search the room. 

Sad to read this.  

 

[spenecer]

29 minutes ago, spenecer said:

I’m sad to report that it looks like $70 was stolen out of my purse while it was in my stateroom so I will be able to do a review of the security process following a missing item report. NCL is preparing to search the room. 

No, I’m an idiot and my daughter found the money in my carryon. I am blaming the martini. I must have moved the money when we unpacked but I don’t remember moving it. 
 

If you report a missing item, you have to make an official statement, describing the items.  Then NCL searches your cabin to make sure the item is really missing.  If you find your missing item, you have to write another statement.  I wrote that I was drunk and mistaken. 

[catgirl411]

3 minutes ago, spenecer said:

No, I’m an idiot and my daughter found the money in my carryon. I am blaming the martini. I must have moved the money when we unpacked but I don’t remember moving it. 
 

If you report a missing item, you have to make an official statement, describing the items.  Then NCL searches your cabin to make sure the item is really missing.  If you find your missing item, you have to write another statement.  I wrote that I was drunk and mistaken. 

It’s not foolproof but we always keep our valuables in the room safe. Then you know where everything is supposed to be.

[spenecer]

17 minutes ago, catgirl411 said:

It’s not foolproof but we always keep our valuables in the room safe. Then you know where everything is supposed to be.

I couldn’t figure out how to work the safe on Sunday when we boarded but the instructions seem really clear now. We haven’t eaten yet so buffet first before it closes but maybe I will use the safe afterwards (before I start drinking for the day).

[Pat.D]

18 minutes ago, catgirl411 said:

It’s not foolproof but we always keep our valuables in the room safe. Then you know where everything is supposed to be.

 

I also keep valuables and important stuff in my safe, but not because I do not trust the stateroom attendants... as a matter of fact I trust them more than anyone on the ship. 

 

My mistrust is for fellow passengers who may be less than honest.  Often when cleaning staterooms, the attendants have your door opened and are always super busy so they may not notice a passer-by with sticky fingers nabbing an ipad or wallet while they are occupied cleaning the bathroom or your balcony or getting supplies from the depot.

 

[ggTexasGal]

32 minutes ago, spenecer said:

No, I’m an idiot and my daughter found the money in my carryon. I am blaming the martini. I must have moved the money when we unpacked but I don’t remember moving it. 
 

If you report a missing item, you have to make an official statement, describing the items.  Then NCL searches your cabin to make sure the item is really missing.  If you find your missing item, you have to write another statement.  I wrote that I was drunk and mistaken. 

Thankfully, all is well that ends well!

[Pat.D]

6 minutes ago, spenecer said:

before I start drinking for the day

 

Words to live by! 🙂

Humble request, if you go to the Howl At The Moon Dueling Pianos at some point, would it be possible to snap a photo of the performers?  I'm curious to see who is on (they rotate in and out every few weeks).

Howl At The Moon is my favourite place on all the NCL ships that have that show, I'm usually there from around 22:00 until closing when they perform.

[spenecer]

Day 3, Drink #3 - Mango Madness

 

I’m not sure this is alcoholic. I can’t taste any alcohol. 
 

 

[Oceansaway17]

1 hour ago, spenecer said:

No, I’m an idiot and my daughter found the money in my carryon. I am blaming the martini. I must have moved the money when we unpacked but I don’t remember moving it. 
 

If you report a missing item, you have to make an official statement, describing the items.  Then NCL searches your cabin to make sure the item is really missing.  If you find your missing item, you have to write another statement.  I wrote that I was drunk and mistaken. 

well at least you are honest and probably provided a laugh.

I would be interested in knowing how the room steward is towards you now that you raised a flag even if it turned out to be wrong.  

Gotta really make sure before reporting something as it could affect the steward's review.

[Pat.D]

31 minutes ago, spenecer said:

Mango Madness

 

Yummy!!!!  My favourite poolside/sun deck drink!  

 

[GALSews]

35 minutes ago, spenecer said:

Day 3, Drink #3 - Mango Madness

 

I’m not sure this is alcoholic. I can’t taste any alcohol. 
 

 

I decided to prep a list of what I might try. This looks right up my alley, especially if it lacks the booze.

[spenecer]

Day 3

 

Kukoo Island Tour and Beach Getaway on Aruba

 

We made two mistakes today which led to the mistake in the previous posts. 
 

Mistake #1, I did not bring cash. Mistake #2, One of us assumed there would be water provided by the excursion. The other one assumed we could buy water with a credit card. 

I bought the excursion on the NCL website in December.  At the time, there was only one time slot offered, 8:30.  The excursion is listed at $49 and after our excursion credits of $50/person (with Free at Sea Plus)…free.

 

We picked up towels from NCL as we left the ship. The towels were being given out on the pier and we returned the towels when we got back on the ship. We had to give our cabin number at both towel checkout and checkin but there was no card swipe. 
 

NCL had crew members directing to shore excursions and when we reached the busses, there was not just one Kukoo Kunuko bus, but three busses. We were wristbanded and directed onto the first bus. There were maracas on the window and I totally shook one. 

We were warned that it was windy and not to stick anything out of the side off the bus or we would lose it. 
 

Their island portion of the tour consisted of two stops, the Casibari Rock Formations (for 20 minutes) and the Chapel in the Middle of Nowhere (Alto Vista Chapel for 10 minutes.  We were taken to Eagle Beach which was a white sand beach with no vendors hawking wares and the only food vendor opened at 11AM. We got to the beach at 10AM. The beach portion was 2 hours.  
 

The first two stops were cash-only and we soon became rather hot and thirsty. I checked with the bus driver to see if the stand accepted credit cards (yes) before he left to pick up people who had signed up for later tour time slots. So, at 11AM, I got in line at the vendor and stood in 40 minutes only to find out that the only credit card that I had on me, Discover, was not accepted (Mastercard and Visa, only).  They did take Apple Pay but not Apple Pay connected to Discover. I almost cried as my daughter was very crabby about the entire outing.  A nice gentleman in line behind me took pity on me (it was a super slow line) and bought me a $3 bottle of water. So, we hydrated and when the bus came back at 12:15pm, we discovered that there was ice cold water on the bus. But, the upshot is I thought I should check my cash when I got back to the ship to be better prepared for this afternoon or tomorrow. And we know how that went down. I love credit cards and Apple Pay.  I rarely carry cash with me and I’m obviously terrible at keeping track of it. 
 

Additional thoughts:  The water was cold!  There aren’t a lot of waves. I enjoyed the excursion but I think it should be marketed as Beach Plus (we go to the beach plus we stop at some places on the way) as there was a passenger on the bus who complained that she had signed up for the island part which was only 1/5th of the excursion time. But she also asked about the water which I had forgotten about  so we had cold water service before driving back.