NCL EPIC TA Oct. 21st, 2012

[Single Cruiser]

Jay!

 

So sad you couldn't join us but sounds like the reasons are good for you!

 

Could always join us Next May onboard Breakaway from Southampton to New York!

[Seadragon555]

Guys...sad news. I won't be cruising after all. Some pretty amazing stuff has happened in my life which means that I just can't spare the time to frolic across the ocean for two weeks :)

 

I am really sad that I won't be joining you but it's been awesome chatting and laughing at the comments on this post. I hope that I (we) can make it across on the 2013 crossing.

 

Seadragon has kept up to date with my adventures and if you want to know why I won't be there just buy him a drink and he'll fill you in. Won't you John?? :D

 

Jay: Only if you provide pictures will I tell the "full truth!!" :eek: Of course, I do have that one major flaw that we have discussed: I know I have the right to remain silent....I just don't have the ability. So pictures or not I am sure I will tell someone(s) all of the spectacular details! Enjoy your "new" adventure....it was worth the waiting. We will definitely miss you on Deck 17!!!

 

John (& Ben)

[Single Cruiser]

Still think he's Selfish and really should have brought his new partner in crime along to share with us all! :D

 

I mean now where am I going to stuff my dollar bills ?? :eek:

[Seadragon555]

Still think he's Selfish and really should have brought his new partner in crime along to share with us all! :D

 

I mean now where am I going to stuff my dollar bills ?? :eek:

 

Well, we still have a "struggling" 6'5" Canadian that was willing to have dollar bills stuffed to help his bar bill....so there is still hope, Craig! Besides, if James & his new partner had actually sailed we would have been facing (1) never seeing them out of their cabin, or (2) so many people on Deck 17 looking that the ship would have been greatly top-heavy!! Of course, Normadicbacchus would be at the bottom of the stairs to Deck 17 selling tickets...again, to cover his bar bill. :rolleyes: But I digress... It is still going to be a great voyage...and it is getting closer with each passing day. Maybe we will see the "gorgeous duo" on another sailing!!

 

John & Ben

[Stronglad]

Jay: Only if you provide pictures will I tell the "full truth!!" :eek: Of course, I do have that one major flaw that we have discussed: I know I have the right to remain silent....I just don't have the ability. So pictures or not I am sure I will tell someone(s) all of the spectacular details! Enjoy your "new" adventure....it was worth the waiting. We will definitely miss you on Deck 17!!!

 

John (& Ben)

 

Yeah well we all know what sort of "pictures" you want John. Jon the nomad its looking like you're going to have to take one for the team here. I'm sure you'll do a great job!

[Seadragon555]

Yeah well we all know what sort of "pictures" you want John. Jon the nomad its looking like you're going to have to take one for the team here. I'm sure you'll do a great job!

 

Jay: Pictures in tuxedos would be very nice!! :rolleyes: Otherwise, any old special pictures you would want to share would be fine, too! :) I sure most of us want to see what we will be missing.....

 

You Brits certainly know how to put on a show for Olympics...nicely done!

 

John (& Ben)

[Stronglad]

Tuxedo??? I wouldn't know where to start. You've seen how I tie a tie... Good show eh? Loved the bit with the Queen jumping out of the chopper!

[Single Cruiser]

With the current bargains in prices I thought Jay might have treated his new partner! It's only a few hundred more for two in a balcony with the current £300 off offer I used than the cost of one in a Studio!! :eek:

 

I see someone had posted the dailies from the Eastbound Transatlantic this year.

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/103551865655915491364/EpicTransatlanticApril2012?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMjgw5inyqmKIw&feat=directlink#

 

 

and that also they still clash the solo gatherings with the FOD LGBT gatherings :mad: so a decision will have to be made.

 

The solo gathering tends to meet first night and then arrange a dinner for all the following night starting at the meet so I'd miss the first two FOD meetings..

[Stronglad]

Craig if only life were that easy believe me I'd be there. :(

[Seadragon555]

Tuxedo??? I wouldn't know where to start. You've seen how I tie a tie... Good show eh? Loved the bit with the Queen jumping out of the chopper!

 

Jay: Something tells me that Mark would be willing to help you with a tux and tie....plus, something else tells me that both of you would fill a tux as well as...& possibly even better than...Daniel Craig did!! Oh, my.....

 

We are going to miss both of you on this cruise. Maybe at the FOD Parties we could have 2 empty chairs and 2 Pints sitting on the table in your honors. Of course, Nomadicbacchus would drink the Pints and use the 2 chairs to stretch out his 6'5" frame....right, Jon? These young whipper-snappers just don't understand tradition....:cool:

 

John (& Ben)

[Single Cruiser]

Jay: Something tells me that Mark would be willing to help you with a tux and tie....plus, something else tells me that both of you would fill a tux as well as...& possibly even better than...Daniel Craig did!! Oh, my.....

 

We are going to miss both of you on this cruise. Maybe at the FOD Parties we could have 2 empty chairs and 2 Pints sitting on the table in your honors. Of course, Nomadicbacchus would drink the Pints and use the 2 chairs to stretch out his 6'5" frame....right, Jon? These young whipper-snappers just don't understand tradition....:cool:

 

John (& Ben)

 

I want to see a pic now ;) . As for empty chairs and pints, the FOD is held at Shakers - the Martini bar so no pints unless you nip next door to Maltings. I'm sure there are better venues, as it's on the side of the busy walkway it's also very popular with the other pax for pre-dinner drinks.

 

I've just read on the main roll call that we have to enter US immigration at St Thomas on 31st Oct with NCL tour pax queuing from 6:30! So guess that night will be my liver-saving alcohol free early night lol . Well you have to have at least one alcohol free day a week!

[Single Cruiser]

So is it just that everyone else is being quiet or is their only a handful of us left who have made it through to final payment?

 

John and Ben

Jon (our young and innocent graduate from Canada)

Hoco (our techno loving - oops no not loving) fellow Brit

Pack and Paddle (Kevin and Buddy) from Argentina

Flyguy13

Twotogether7

[twotogether7]

We are still here....Haven't paid yet, but that wil happen this week. Counting the days to this much needed vacation for both of us.

[CanCruzer]

Hi, I have decided to cancel my cruise because of the reviews that I have read about the Epic. (1) the noise (loud Techno Music) is said to be so bad that you have to shout to be heard in some areas and one guy seriously asked NCL in his review to "turn down the decibels" (2) I have an issue with tobacco smoke and I have read some very disturbing reviews about the casino and the fact that it is in the main atrium of the ship and you can't avoid it as it goes from port to starboard windows in other words it's not shut off and you have to pass through it to get to some of the other places on board.

It means that I loose about $1,000 (US) deposit but a small price to pay against being unhappy on holiday. I hope you guys have a great sailing and take care.

 

I've been on the Epic (this past Feb, 2012). I don't like smoke or noise and had no troubles with either. While the Epic isn't my favourite ship, this cruise looks great and I'm seriously considering it. I'd be going solo and that would be the first time for that, so I haven't decided yet.

[CanCruzer]

Hey Everyone,

 

In my experience NCL aways has an FOD meeting every evening at 7:30.

 

I've been on several NCL cruises. They always have FOD gatherings. I find many gay folks like earlier meet-for-cocktails-gatherings and then those interested can go for dinner together. If the FODs are at 7:30 and anyone wants them earlier, they will change the time.

[CanCruzer]

So, unlike traditional cruising where they have allocated seating/tables/dining times it's all freestyle.

 

So you can eat on your own or with others in any of the main restuarants or Buffet.

 

I met some people in the solos meeting and had probably a couple of meals with them plus one night there is a solos dinner where about 14 of us went to Taste.

 

I'm not a big fan of the drawn out eating process (taking up nearly 2hrs) but it was useful to meet others. I'm just as happy eating in the buffet or in O'Sheehans, there is so much ents on around the ship that eating late often meant missing some ents.

 

So musts are:

 

• Blue Man one night
  
• Legends one night
  
• Howl at the Moon - at least one night
  
• Slam Allen - at least one night
  
• Cirque Dreams - one night
  
• White outfit for the white hot deck party!!
  

They stopped the adults night this year but we didn't have the loveable Camp as kitch Cruise Director Andy!!

 

I fully agree with the "must do" list above. I'd add the martini tastings are fun :)

[hoco]

So is it just that everyone else is being quiet or is their only a handful of us left who have made it through to final payment?

 

John and Ben

Jon (our young and innocent graduate from Canada)

Hoco (our techno loving - oops no not loving) fellow Brit

Pack and Paddle (Kevin and Buddy) from Argentina

Flyguy13

Twotogether7

 

I will pay the balance this week so all will be set. Only yesterday I purchased my rail ticket to get to London the day before my flight to Barcelona so it now has a feeling of getting very close ..... and can't wait to dance the night away to Techno ..... Erm NOT! Looking forward to the rest of it though.

[Single Cruiser]

I've been on several NCL cruises. They always have FOD gatherings. I find many gay folks like earlier meet-for-cocktails-gatherings and then those interested can go for dinner together. If the FODs are at 7:30 and anyone wants them earlier, they will change the time.

 

The solo meetings in the studios living room tended to be 5:30-6:30 and the FOD (which is not hosted, just a date in the dailies) tended to be 6:00-7:00. When I tried to attend both it appeared most had moved on from Shakers to another venue or dinner.

[Seadragon555]

So is it just that everyone else is being quiet or is their only a handful of us left who have made it through to final payment?

 

John and Ben

Jon (our young and innocent graduate from Canada)

Hoco (our techno loving - oops no not loving) fellow Brit

Pack and Paddle (Kevin and Buddy) from Argentina

Flyguy13

Twotogether7

 

Craig: John & Ben are still in...final payment will be made tomorrow but everything is arranged for flights from & to Des Moines via Ft. Lauderdale (taxi to Miami), staying over in Miami, flight to Barcelona, 2 nights in Barcelona, and then boarding the Epic.

 

I am already missing Jay on this cruise but he definitely has a good reason for not going!! :D We all should be so lucky...

 

John (& Ben)

[nomadicbacchus]

Im in too!! :D Made my final payment a couple days ago, but never upgraded to the balcony I wanted. I'm thinking i'll wait until sailing, and hopefully theyll still have balcony cabins left. I've heard these sailings are frequently under capacity. Maybe ill even get a call from one of the rare and elusive "upgrade fairies". :D

[Seadragon555]

Im in too!! :D Made my final payment a couple days ago, but never upgraded to the balcony I wanted. I'm thinking i'll wait until sailing, and hopefully theyll still have balcony cabins left. I've heard these sailings are frequently under capacity. Maybe ill even get a call from one of the rare and elusive "upgrade fairies". :D

 

Jon: I hate to tell you this but you would have a better chance of getting invited to stay with some hunk in the penthouse than meeting the upgrade fairy!! Sorry, man.....

 

John (& Ben)

[Seadragon555]

Final payment has been made so everything is all set to go for the cruise. Haven't made any reservations for restaurant, entertainment, or Ice Bar yet but that will be done soon. We are both SO looking forward to this trip...even if Jay is not on the cruise. I will leave it to your imagination as to what they are doing this weekend....sigh..... :)

 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend...the heat wave here finally broke this weekend so instead of being 100 or higher it reached 81 degrees today...so nice.

 

Nomad: Have you decided how you are going to do your "sheet-outfit" for the White Party?

 

John & Ben

[Single Cruiser]

Hi John & Ben.

 

You can't book any ents or dining until 45 days before so you have about 30 days to go.

 

I'm fairly sure the ice bar was only bookable when onboard but your speciality restaurants and ents will be 45 days before which is what 6th Sept :D

 

I've got my cabin allocated, they've given me a balcony on deck 13 just under the Spa, would have preferred foreward but hey it's several grades higher than the bx I booked :D

 

Yep still gutted Jays not coming, hopefully there will be others to talk footy/rugby etc with.. Lol.

 

For those solos / in studios are you going to go to the studio solo meeting or the FOD meeting the first night? I've always found the solo gathering useful or dinner mates / drinking partners etc..

 

Well that's it for another weekend, night, night.. :D

[Prada Cowboy]

Hey Guys!

I am debating with myself to take this cruise instead of flying over to the USA! Just looked up the fares and it doesn't look to bad. The time frame fits to my obligations in the Riviera Maya (Cancun) a couple of days later after our MIA arrival. Have been on the EPIC before and loved this ship.

 

Hope to know more soon!

[Snowchimp]

Hi Guys, My partner and I have just booked ourselves on this cruise (after a stressful week of incompetence at the Travel Agent, we have eventually got our cabin sorted!)

 

Done a couple of TA before on RCL, but after doing NCL Jade at Easter and loving the casualness of it, looking forward to 13 nights to relax this time, and only 2 ports to book excursions for.

 

Hope we can all meet up, always met such great folks on these cruises, it's a shame to have to leave.

 

And so far we seem to be the only guys form the UK, anyone else out there?

 

J