debenson0723

You both need to be posting on the Epic Roll Calls forum https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/446-norwegian-epic-roll-calls/

If you are dining solo, it never hurts to stop by the podium of a specialty restaurant and ask if you can be seated. It has worked for me a few times so you never know. Enjoy your evening!

Never heard of Trinity reservations. One more tip before you leave home...make sure you have a phone number for every vendor you are using...airline, hotel (direct number), car rental agency (the actual location). Keep these in your phone for easy access in case there is a problem somewhere down the line. You will be ahead of the people who are scrambling to find this information last minute.

Your screen shot doesn't make any sense but it is a glitch in their app. Has happened a few times with regards to shows and other things on board, No charge for shows, nothing to worry about,.

Port of Los Angeles (San Pedro) also has the drink tax.

What time does the port schedule (or NCL) show the prior cruise arriving in NYC? I have been on cruises with a late departure time (in Miami) but the ship was there in the morning and we boarded at the usual times (around noon). If the ship truly does arrive in the late morning/early afternoon, I would do as suggested and take a car service to a luggage storage facility (have used one on 8th Ave and 42nd street via bounce), drop off your stuff and enjoy some time in NYC. Pick up your luggage after 4 and walk over to the port.

Great post! I am a solo female traveler and have done both land and cruise vacations (and combinations) in Europe multiple times. I will typically travel to another country prior to embarking on the cruise portion but do love to unpack once and see multiple countries after that. And then I sometimes travel to another country after getting off the ship (example: prior to my Baltic cruise I spent time in London and 4 days in Germany, then got on the ship for 9 days, disembarking in CPH, where I spent a full day before flying to Norway). Last night I found a 4 day cruise on the Escape for next year that I think is perfect for me...I will spend a day or two in Barcelona pre-cruise, then board the ship (it has an overnight in Florence, where I will get a hotel rather than head back to port) and ends in Rome, where I will stay another few days. The price of the cruise is less than what I would pay for 4 nights hotel in Europe, plus I will have meals included and my transportation from Spain to Italy. I feel like I am getting the best of both worlds.

I have heard that about 3rd party reservations but I have used booking.com for rooms all over the world and never had a negative experience. Of course it goes without saying that you should always double check any reservations (air, hotel, car) no later than 30 days before departure and then I recheck a week out. I have 'status' with most sites so that might help also. I book everything online myself and keep all confirmations in a folder on my phone and on my laptop for easy access, And I am of 'retirement age' so no excuse about lack of technology expertise...if I can do it, anyone can.

The Bliss is my favorite NCL ship also. As far as Los Lobos, it is all going to depend on who's in the kitchen. It was fabulous on Prima (ate there twice); not so much on the Bliss and Encore.

On the Encore, on sea days, an MDR is open (sometimes both depending on how many on board), The Local, the Buffet and there is a light lunch available in the Observation Lounge. American Diner is open for a fee and I have seen Food Republic both open and closed for lunch (again with a fee). On port days the only options are the buffet, the Observation Lounge and The Local.

Look in the app or on the website for the particular shows on your cruise. I have never found it impossible to get into a show, reservation or not. You can book them once you get onboard the Escape at the kiosks near the elevators, at the box office or on embarkation day there is usually a venue to book comedy shows, howl at the moon, etc. There is also a standby line for the main shows that will let you in 10 minutes prior to the show starting. Others will tell you different but this has been my personal experience on multiple NCL cruises,

There were multiple sinks at either entrance of the buffet and also the middle section you could enter from off the elevators. Also hand sanitizers on the walls and on a few columns spaced out in the buffet.

This was my experience on the Joy in February also. I did it almost every night.

No flip flops in the Thermal Suite that I recall but I take a pair of the $2 Old Navy ones and leave them on the ship when I depart. Don't take up much room and gives me a tiny bit of space on the way home.

This is where I stayed and it was fabulous. Even though I was alone, I splurged on a large corner room with a view. Great to walk everywhere. Very easy to/from port and then to airport.

You state that you bring goodies in sealed bags...the OP is asking about UNsealed food from the plane. I was imagining a sandwich or something like that, which they wanted for the ride home 7 days later. As far as snacks, I do not take any snacks onboard the ship, sealed or unsealed. There is plenty to eat on the ship and if I want something for my room, I get cookies, pretzel sticks and cheese or yogurt from the buffet and eat it later. I did purchase a sandwich once from a favorite restaurant at a port stop in San Francisco, thinking I would take it back on the ship and enjoy on my balcony. Nope...security saw the bag and would not let me bring onboard. So I walked off and ate it on the grassy area near where the ship was docked. No way was I going to toss it out!

Epic has 2 embarkation ports in the Med. You can get on in Rome or in Barcelona. So you will see guests embark and debark at either of those ports.

I am a solo female traveler and felt very safe in CPH. My cruise ended there and I booked a hotel in the Nyhaven area. Took a cab from the port to the hotel for 2 nights, then to the airport the 3rd morning for a flight to Norway. All very easy; walked to most of the sights and restaurants. No need to be nervous, just follow your instincts.

So in this scenario, you should have booked Moderno first and then one of the other two. And yes, if you call, they can fix this and book any others you want.

We were going to do one of these tours in Mykonos to use up some OBC but were told it was sold out. So we found a self-led walking tour online and used that to explore the area. Imagine our surprise when at almost every stop we made, there was the ship sponsored selfie tour. Basically we got the same tour without the cost. If you get a chance, go to Katarina's bar and try to get a seat at the back on the (tiny) balcony. It was a glorious time and one of the highlights of our cruise (of which there were many).

I was on the Joy in February with 4300 others (and many kids, especially teens). The Observation Lounge is typically the first place I go on the ship to grab my first cocktail and a small snack before heading to the MDR for my real lunch. Sometimes people don't even find this wonderful space until day 3 or 4. I was in there every day on the Joy and there was always plenty of seating. They have waiters that walk around getting cocktails so you don't even have to get up and lose your couch. You might not always get the seats in the front (and I sometimes find those areas too hot depending on time of day) but you will find a place to sit and relax. And if you enjoy Starbucks, there is one in the Observation Lounge on the Joy, in addition to the one in the Atrium. Enjoy your cruise.

I really enjoy time in the Observation Lounge and they have the larger version on the Joy (vs. the smaller one on the Prima). Added bonus is there is a Starbucks in the OL on the Joy, if you enjoy that. I am a Thermal Suite person so was concerned I would miss it but I managed. It will really depend on the itinerary you take (mine was warm weather so the Waterfront was a nice quiet place to sit also). There really wasn't anything I didn't like about the Joy, other than the fact that there were 4300 people onboard, which is the most I have sailed with since September 2021...that was a bit of an adjustment but I will take it to be on a ship.

Are you trying to do it online or in the app? If so, then give NCL a call instead. Much easier to book the times you want with a person (and I know some people experience long waits but I have never been on hold longer than 10 minutes anytime I call). Enjoy your cruise!

The one I would skip would be Q, not because it's necessarily bad but just way too much food, followed closely by LaCucina (only had a good meal there once and that was on the Jade). We do enjoy Food Republic and sometimes pay out of pocket for lunch. I have also gone to Q and just gotten an app and dessert (plus the Spicy Peach Margarita...a favorite) and paid out of pocket there...no need to waste a free meal. Enjoy your cruise!

I was on the Bliss Pacific Coastal back in 2019 (seems like so long ago now) where we arrived in Vancouver, spent the night on the ship in port and disembarked the next day. A few of the crew were telling me that the Captain and Senior Officers throw them a few nice crew party and its a great way to recharge overnight on the way to Seattle and get prepared for the Alaska season. And as mentioned above, the rooms are ready to go as soon as the passengers board (usually by 11am).