Rare Sugar Magnolia Posted October 12, 2023 #676 Share Posted October 12, 2023 40 minutes ago, graphicguy said: Have to share this while it’s still fresh Went to the shop to get some way overpriced aspirin for the painful blister. Go to the cashier and there’s a lady choosing between about a dozen $2 charms. After 5 mins of watching this, I ask the cashiers if I can just pay for the aspirin while she’s busy choosing. He says he already started ringing her up. She states she’s almost done. 5 deep at the counter and another 5 minutes. I put the aspirin on the nearest counter and decide my pain is more tolerable than that whole scene! Funny not funny...am sure you needed something stronger than aspirin after that scene. How did we miss painkillers on your packing list? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare schmoopie17 Posted October 12, 2023 #677 Share Posted October 12, 2023 2 hours ago, graphicguy said: A few warts here and there And a giant blister. Does the ship have a dermatologist? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mking8288 Posted October 12, 2023 #678 Share Posted October 12, 2023 (edited) 2 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said: Funny not funny...am sure you needed something stronger than aspirin after that scene. How did we miss painkillers on your packing list? LOL ... @graphicguy Dan, too bad as you could've speed dial me on #611 had we been on the sailing together and I would've "dispense" them, at no charge, from our stockpile to you. Hope your feet is feeling better and if not, see that friendly bartender at Haven for liquid infusion 😊 😆 😉 Seriously, I don't recall if the Epic's medical center has the coin-operated DIY self-service machine for OTC meds, usually no lines & no wait, as long as they are stocking them in the inventory. Edited October 12, 2023 by mking8288 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #679 Share Posted October 13, 2023 And….we’re docked back in Marseille! Have some traveling to do as I’m meeting family back in Italy for more festivities. So, posts might be sparse, But I promise to make more. Not quite ready to get off the ship. But, the announcements of “luggage tag colors” are a constant reminder I have to leave!!! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #680 Share Posted October 13, 2023 au revoir… 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #681 Share Posted October 13, 2023 UBER line is WAY shorter than the taxi line…. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #682 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Was able to check into my hotel early. I am near MRS for my flight (back to) Rome tomorrow. I go from one extreme to the other. My stay for the night…. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #683 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Will take as train from ROME to CORTONA to meet up with my family for another couple of weeks. So, feeling sort of homeless right now. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #684 Share Posted October 13, 2023 While I have time, let me see if I can put some thoughts down about the cruise while they’re fresh…. SHIP… I mentioned I had sailed on the EPIC when she was relatively new over a decade ago. Loved her then. Love her now. In all frankness, I don’t see where she’s had much wear. Some have reported rust and worn carpets. Didn’t see any of that, and I was ALL OVER the ship. I did spend a considerable amount of time in the Haven, but spent as much, or more, roaming the rest of the ship. In brief, she’s in great shape. This is a big ship. 4,200+ guests. 1,700-2,000 crew. It was NCL’s first “Mega-Ship”! Easy to navigate. ENTERTAINMENT…. Small pools…some kids water park features. A rock wall, that doesn’t look like it’s in use, and hasn’t been for a while. Water slides that are fun, although I don’t base a ship on its slides. Casino…exactly what you’d expect….lots of machines, good amount of table games. Shockingly little cigarette smell. Much better ventilated than the Away ships. They must have found a system that controls the smoke smell. Certainly there was no smoke that carried to other decks (like you’ll also find on the Away ships). Played table games only, and that was only Hold’Em cash games. Typical players for Hold’Em…You have the drunks, the stupid, those who try to look the part, but can’t play the part. Then, you have me. The guy who’s been playing for a while and can do well against the drunk, stupid and pretenders, but has a more difficult time against those who know what they’re doing. I have more fun playing against the latter. The former? I feel like I’m baby sitting them. I broke even. Poor odds for BlackJack. So, didn’t play. Also didn’t play any tournaments. Hold’Em tournaments offered rebuys. In brief, if you’ve got the money, you can keep rebuying to replenish your stack. But, by the time you do that, your winnings (if any) is pretty skinny. That said, we were in port A LOT and overnight so there was less time to play. Could be a blessing or a curse. In any event, I didn’t lose anything. SHOWS… Saw Burn the Floor. Don’t know how I’ve missed it over all these years. It was great and received a “Standing O”, deservedly so. Also saw VOCE…equally good and fits into NCL’s recent smaller, yet high quality shows. There were solo artists playing around the ship. All good. Atrium had the typical movies, trivia, etc. Always something happening there. I know there was a RAT PACK show I missed. Caught 2 Beatles shows (early Beatles and Sgt Peppers). In Cavern club…..Both were great. Yes, they are so good, get there early to get a seat. Seen some hand wringing about NCL entertainment changing. Kind of expected as these shows have a shelf life. Via contracts finishing, newly developed shows, etc, some of the shows are going away. Glad I was able to see most of them. But, just like Blue Man Group, Rock of Ages, etc, they all have to end sometime. Anxious to see what comes next. FOOD… Taste and Manhattan Room for MDRs. Manhattan Room has entertainment. Did not dine in either, so can’t comment. HAVEN restaurant was uniformly great, from service, to the food, to the presentation. Limited choices, but I didn’t eat there every day, either. That’s expected. Favorite free venue was Noodles. Sit at the bar where the chefs are preparing your food. That’s a show in and of itself. Udon noodles, potstickers, fried rice, etc…made and served fresh. Popular place so expect a wait. Specialty Dining….ate at… WASABI…..good sushi..enjoyed it Moderna Churrascaria…good…better than I expected. Salad bar is the star, but even the flank steak was tender and flavorful. Cagneys….always good service, always good steaks, what’s more to say LaCucina….this was the surprise to me. I had heard this was mediocre. I have been eating in authentic restaurants the entire cruise. This ain’t that. But, it’s way better than the other comparisons I read about like Olive Garden. Liked it, a lot. HAven Restaurant was really good. Surf and turf, to seafood, to prime rib….all of it uniformly as good as anything on any ship in any restaurant. O’Sheehans was the forefather of “The Local” on later ships. Hungry at 3:00 p.m. or 1:00 a.m.? This is where you go. It’s bar food…good bar food….wings, burgers, etc. Sometimes it’s also a good alternative to the Buffet or even an MDR. I even liked it for breakfast sometimes. Coming up…..ports and excursions as well as Haven…… 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lepidoptera Posted October 13, 2023 #685 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Thank you for your review! Really enjoyed following along with you, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsn55 Posted October 13, 2023 #686 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Can't thank you enough for the wonderful posts! I board EPIC in Marseille on Monday 10/16, so I was surprised that your cruise 'ended so early'. Doubtful that the ol' girl will just relax for the weekend, so probably off for a quick jaunt somewhere. Can't wait to read your 'final' review and pick up all the good tips. Enjoy Italy, tough not to enjoy Italy! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Sugar Magnolia Posted October 13, 2023 #687 Share Posted October 13, 2023 2 hours ago, graphicguy said: Will take as train from ROME to CORTONA to meet up with my family for another couple of weeks. So, feeling sort of homeless right now. Perhaps you can join us on the Getaway transatlantic on your return to the States. Though Haven is sold out, you can book a club balcony suite for a pittance. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #688 Share Posted October 13, 2023 33 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said: Perhaps you can join us on the Getaway transatlantic on your return to the States. Though Haven is sold out, you can book a club balcony suite for a pittance. Temptress!!!!!!! LOL! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #689 Share Posted October 13, 2023 1 hour ago, jsn55 said: Can't thank you enough for the wonderful posts! I board EPIC in Marseille on Monday 10/16, so I was surprised that your cruise 'ended so early'. Doubtful that the ol' girl will just relax for the weekend, so probably off for a quick jaunt somewhere. Can't wait to read your 'final' review and pick up all the good tips. Enjoy Italy, tough not to enjoy Italy! My pleasure! There are only 700 Rugby fans and promoters boarding today. You should be boarding after an abbreviated cruise that is sparsely populated! Can’t wait to hear about your journey! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DCGuy64 Posted October 13, 2023 #690 Share Posted October 13, 2023 3 hours ago, graphicguy said: Will take as train from ROME to CORTONA to meet up with my family for another couple of weeks. So, feeling sort of homeless right now. That is awesome! I wish we had time to spend a week or two in Italy after our cruise, but that'll have to wait. I'm saving up vacation time for a 60th birthday trip to France next year. Have a lovely time in Cortona. Feel free to post anything about your trip, even if it isn't technically the cruise part. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #691 Share Posted October 13, 2023 20 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said: That is awesome! I wish we had time to spend a week or two in Italy after our cruise, but that'll have to wait. I'm saving up vacation time for a 60th birthday trip to France next year. Have a lovely time in Cortona. Feel free to post anything about your trip, even if it isn't technically the cruise part. OK….Just had lunch at a French Deli. It’s run by two older sisters. One does the cooking, the other the cleanup and “waitressing”. They spoke no English. I speak little of my long forgotten French I took in college. I pointed to a picture on their menu. It was a simple salad with salmon. Not knowing anything to get to drink, I ordered a Coke. They refused to serve me a coke with Salmon. It was white wine or sparkling water. No soft drinks though. They ended up giving me a piece of apple pie because they said it was the last piece. I LOVE IT! IMG_1652.heic 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DCGuy64 Posted October 13, 2023 #692 Share Posted October 13, 2023 47 minutes ago, graphicguy said: They refused to serve me a coke with Salmon. It was white wine or sparkling water. LOL, bravo. It warms my heart to know that French people still think highly enough of their cuisine that they won't even allow someone to sully a beautiful piece of fish by pairing it with a lowly soft drink. (No disrespect to you, BTW, I have very often been known to eat dozens of delicious Italian dishes washed down with Coke!) I'm curious (if you know) what kinds of coffee they've been serving you. I'm a big fan of Illy and Lavazza, but I often see Kimbo, Segafredo and others while in Italy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #693 Share Posted October 13, 2023 5 hours ago, DCGuy64 said: LOL, bravo. It warms my heart to know that French people still think highly enough of their cuisine that they won't even allow someone to sully a beautiful piece of fish by pairing it with a lowly soft drink. (No disrespect to you, BTW, I have very often been known to eat dozens of delicious Italian dishes washed down with Coke!) I'm curious (if you know) what kinds of coffee they've been serving you. I'm a big fan of Illy and Lavazza, but I often see Kimbo, Segafredo and others while in Italy. Never asked. The coffee’s (actually espressos) have been universally excellent, regardless of country! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare DCGuy64 Posted October 13, 2023 #694 Share Posted October 13, 2023 5 minutes ago, graphicguy said: Never asked. The coffee’s (actually espressos) have been universally excellent, regardless of country! How was the brew on board the Epic? When we sailed her, I lowered myself to drink the Melitta swill (the coffee itself isn't bad, BTW, I've made it at home and it was fine, but somehow it was bitter on the Epic). And I don't drink Charbucks.... 😞 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesea777 Posted October 13, 2023 #695 Share Posted October 13, 2023 34 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said: And I don't drink Charbucks.... 😞 Best quote of the day! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsn55 Posted October 13, 2023 #696 Share Posted October 13, 2023 6 hours ago, graphicguy said: OK….Just had lunch at a French Deli. It’s run by two older sisters. One does the cooking, the other the cleanup and “waitressing”. They spoke no English. I speak little of my long forgotten French I took in college. I pointed to a picture on their menu. It was a simple salad with salmon. Not knowing anything to get to drink, I ordered a Coke. They refused to serve me a coke with Salmon. It was white wine or sparkling water. No soft drinks though. They ended up giving me a piece of apple pie because they said it was the last piece. I LOVE IT! IMG_1652.heic 1.39 MB · 1 download OMG, Coke with lunch ... they must have been stunned! "un carafe d'oo" is what you wanted, unless you like designer water. You've given me my laugh for today!! French 'apple pie' is really something; after pain chocolate, the first thing I will have in France. Tomorrow!! 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsn55 Posted October 13, 2023 #697 Share Posted October 13, 2023 7 minutes ago, jsn55 said: OMG, Coke with lunch ... they must have been stunned! "un carafe d'oo" is what you wanted, unless you like designer water. You've given me my laugh for today!! French 'apple pie' is really something; after pain chocolate, the first thing I will have in France. Tomorrow!! I'm in London for a couple of nights, flying to Marseille tomorrow. Ordered a glass of ice water with my lunch today and got a big glass full of water ... with 4 tiny ice cubes! I had forgotten how things are in Europe when it comes to ice! I've learned in hotels without ice machines to ask the bar for an 'ice bucket' of ice so I have enough for the afternoon and evening. The Europeans think we're all nuts about ice. And before I forget, if anyone needs a hotel at Heathrow, Terminal 4 Premier In is just a terrific place. "My" Hilton is just up the skybridge, but Premier is excellent, at half the price all the way around. I often get fab deals on hotel rooms with cash/points, but then am clobbered with $35 pieces of John Dory sole for dinner ... alacarte! I'll never forget that meal at LHR T4 Hilton; John Dory sole is my favorite in the world ... reading the menu, I just threw up my hands and ordered two sides and dessert too. .Premier really knows how to run a hotel. My room is under a hundred bucks, and an enormous chicken cobb salad today at Premier (with ice water!) was less than $13. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #698 Share Posted October 13, 2023 My hotels….both in Marseille are really “skimpy”. This one I’m in now…Hotel B&B Hotel Marseille Aéroport St Victoret, again, no wash cloths. A small towel (as in ONE)….$186/nite because it’s close to the airport. Thd one saving grace, it was close to this museum, which I thought was cool. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare graphicguy Posted October 13, 2023 Author #699 Share Posted October 13, 2023 2 hours ago, DCGuy64 said: How was the brew on board the Epic? When we sailed her, I lowered myself to drink the Melitta swill (the coffee itself isn't bad, BTW, I've made it at home and it was fine, but somehow it was bitter on the Epic). And I don't drink Charbucks.... 😞 I drank mostly the French Press coffee in the Haven. That was good. Surprisingly, the Nespresso machines in the cabin also made good coffee. I avoid the coffee in the Garden Cafe! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellenw Posted October 14, 2023 #700 Share Posted October 14, 2023 5 hours ago, jsn55 said: I'm in London for a couple of nights, flying to Marseille tomorrow. Ordered a glass of ice water with my lunch today and got a big glass full of water ... with 4 tiny ice cubes! I had forgotten how things are in Europe when it comes to ice! I've learned in hotels without ice machines to ask the bar for an 'ice bucket' of ice so I have enough for the afternoon and evening. The Europeans think we're all nuts about ice. We were in Oslo last summer, at a bar in the train station. We asked for ice water (in addition to our beers), and got a glass of cold water, no ice. When asking for lots of ice in the water, the bartender said "oh, you want American ice water". It was a fun exchange. I've asked for American ice water in several cities overseas. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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