The Ma'am's '8 Days a Week' Epic Review with pictures

[medicalma'am]

Thanks jelo7, I love doing them!

[medicalma'am]

While on the bus we also spotted this fellow on the left. Our driver knew him from school years ago. He had see him recently and found out that he had deserted from the army.

 

 

No wonder he didn't want his picture taken.

 

 

The Fort wasn't much to see and we had little time to explore it.

 

 

View from the fort

 

 

Five ships in port and a la crosse field below the fort

 

 

Near the airport are new resorts being built. Atlantis has recently been sold and is much farther from the airport. It seems investors feel this area will boom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 16, 2014 by medicalma'am

[medicalma'am]

Bob Marley's widow has turned their home into a spa.

 

 

We saw some millionaire's homes

 

 

In general, Nassau felt very crowded to me. If you have a lot of money I suppose you can build your own paradise.

 

 

We went to a beach and were able to get some pictures. We were only there for about 15 minutes.

 

 

The beach was very clean

 

 

This was some kind of local pea or bean that they eat. We had a horticulturist on our bus and the driver was trying to stump him about all the trees and plants we saw. He showed us so many of the native plants and trees.

 

 

 

[medicalma'am]

We went to John Waltings Rum Distillery.

 

 

It of course used to be a sugar plantation.

 

 

 

A well. there was a big cage covering it, but still scary to look down into it.

 

 

Banana tree bloom and fruit

 

 

We got to go in and see the operation. If you have visited distilleries in Kentucky, you have seen more. This was VERY small.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next he drove us into Atlantis. I was getting worries about the time as we had 6:15 reservations at Le Bistro for our last evening meal on board. It was about 5:00 now and our tour was supposed to be over by then. I guess he thought he was really giving us our money's worth. He asked and some of the others told him we had to be on board by 6:30.

[medicalma'am]

More of the operation.

 

 

This is where the magic happens

 

 

There is a hole in this barrel and they asked for a volunteer, and DH did. He had to stick his nose in the barrel while we counted for ten seconds. The challenge was to last for that long and he did!

 

 

They have three types of rum. The darker, the more expensive.

 

 

Bottles waiting for labels

 

 

In their gift shop they have them for sale and you can also taste them. It was tougher getting a taste of the dark, had to ask. They wanted to give you the lightest but buy the darkest at $55.00 a bottle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[medicalma'am]

Now on to Atlantis. This was taken from the top of the bridge. I was hoping this would be a quick tour and it was. We didn't even get out of the bus.

 

 

Another one

 

 

There were dolphins here but I didn't catch one jumping out of the water.

 

 

He was heading to some kind of show or function and stopped to pose for us.

 

 

This is the fountain in front of one of the hotels

 

 

 

 

 

[medicalma'am]

We made it back and rushed to our cabins. We got there at 5:45! We took the fastest showers in history and I was ready to meet in the hallway at 6:05! Didn't bother with makeup this last night.

 

We got to Le Bistro and I shared our story of trying to get there is time. He said that they could let us come later if I wanted. Well, no, we were already there. I told him that we had made the reservation for 6:15 because that morning we were told that was all that was available until 8:30. We had not wanted to eat that late because we knew it was packing night. :( He said that Oh yes, they could always accommodate us. Well, that would have been nice to know that morning. Is this one of those situations when we should have used the numbers on the card they gave us in the CC M&G? I just go along with the flow and don't make waves or push for my way. It just never occurred to me to do that. Live and learn...

 

I remembered my camera

 

Screenma'am's appetizer. I have had this before and loved it. Les Quatres Coronets something

 

 

I had the escargot, DH had the ceasar salad and I don't remember what Bullit had.

 

 

I think we all had the filet. It is perfection, why have anything else!

 

I had the chocolate Napoleon, that never disappoints, and the Lavazza French press coffee.

 

 

We watched the tables the whole time we were there. It was quite empty when we arrived and appeared as if they could have accommodated us at any time. We left at 8:40 and by then it was almost full. I left there full, but in a matter of minutes I was miserably full. I actually had to lie down for an hour before I could even start packing.

 

We went to buy our photos for the week on our way back to our cabins also.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Your photos are fabulous! I love that horse fountain. DH and I always look at things like that and ask each other "How can they afford that???" (tee hee;).)

[medicalma'am]

We had our bags in the hallway by 11:30 and I was quickly fast asleep.

 

 

I awoke early at 5:30 to see that we were coming into Miami. We had already turned in the basin DH said. Wish he has woken me for that. This is an area they had set up for the marathon that day.

 

 

All too soon we were back.

 

 

I showered and organized my carry on bag. I had packed so that I would not have to bring anything but it into a hotel on Sunday night. We met and went to the Garden Cafe for breakfast. We got our things, said good bye to Richard our fantastic steward, and waited on the pool deck until our color tag was called. Did a last check of our cabin.

 

 

We went to get our bags and they have the poles of the building conveniently painted the color of your luggage tags!

 

 

We easily went through customs and made our way to the parking garage. We pushed, crammed, and shoved all those bags back into my car and headed off. We wanted to go to the Holiday Inn Downtown to get a receipt for the hotel we missed staying in on the way down a week ago but the marathon had everything blocked. We just called and had them email it to us, and we received it in minutes.

 

It was raining

 

 

We headed north and soon got out of the rain and had good weather all the way home. We stopped in Pensacola for the night and ordered pizza from a local place. This was the LARGEST pizza I have ever seen!!! That is a regular sized paper plate! Can you just imagine how big the whole thing looked!!!!!

 

 

We dropped Screenma'am and Bullit in Houston Monday evening and arrived home at 8:40 that night. I was again very tired from two days in the car, which was not part of our original plan. I had Monday off already and had to work on Tuesday at 2 p.m. I really wanted to call in and take another vacation day, but when my boss texted me that she had been dancing in the halls and singing "Robin's coming back, Robin's coming back!" I didn't have the heart to. I know how she feels....she has been off the last week and checking her email from home and emailing me with little things to do. I texted her last night and told her that I had a nightmare...that it was Monday and she called to say that she was taking another day.......Noooooooooooo

 

 

 

 

 

 

[medicalma'am]

Thank you JuneauwhatImean, I just got it before the cruise and am still learning to use it. I wish I had gotten it weeks before I did and become an expert at all the things it can do. My pictures will be MUCH better in the future. ;)

[Kristi1357]

Thank you so much or taking the time to post your review! I loved it, and am now more excited than ever for our Epic cruise next week. :D

[medicalma'am]

So, the Epic felt like home by the time the cruise was over. I would love to book a Haven suite in the future.

 

I LOVED the extra day. It really seemed to make a difference. Halfway through the cruise it seemed that we still had most of the trip ahead of us.

 

The slides are fabulous! I wouldn't mind a TA on the Epic. Not many more of those though since she is going to Europe full time in the future.

 

Don't miss Bart Walker Band if he books next year!!! He was the best. Do check out what nights he is playing because it was not every night. Check him out on itunes. I have downloaded his album "Who I Am". Loved all the entertainment choices in general, just arrive early if there is something you really want to see!

 

The ship just seemed very crowded the first day. And those ceilings being low was something I got used to also. We had to wait for elevators for long times usually. This is not something we do, but I was having problems with that knee! I am in physical therapy now for it.

 

We did not eat in Moderno or Cagney's, but I wouldn't hesitate to do their new ultimate restaurant package and avoid Taste and Manhattan, which just seemed very loud to me. I like a quite dining venue. I like to linger and visit during a meal. Chef's Table is something I hope to repeat in the future also.

 

I will probably take my own wine on board in the future and pay the corkage fee. After doing the wine tastings, I am comfortable ordering from NCL's wine list though.

 

I feel like I need to do this itinerary again because I know what I would do on each stop now. DH says he needs a break from the Caribbean. Maybe I can talk another Ma'am into it some day. ;)

 

I AM PLATINUM NOW!!!! Woo Hoo! Too bad my next cruise is a year and a half away. :(

 

Well, this takes up so much of my time......Whatever will I do with myself now? I got Sandra Brown's newest book to reward myself at the end of this review. I guess I get to read now!

[medicalma'am]

Kristi, thank you and you will hopefully love this ship! You will be on her my birthday week. Have a great cruise.

[Willowmina]

Thank you for your amazingly informative review!!!

[kerrytens]

So' date=' the Epic felt like home by the time the cruise was over. I would love to book a Haven suite in the future. [/size']

 

 

The slides are fabulous! I wouldn't mind a TA on the Epic. Not many more of those though since she is going to Europe full time in the future.

 

I AM PLATINUM NOW!!!! Woo Hoo! Too bad my next cruise is a year and a half away. :(

 

Epic definitely feels like my cruising home. I can't put my finger on it but I love this ship. As for the TA, join me:D:D:D 14 lovely days!

 

Congrats on the Platinum status ... I'm getting there myself (all on the Epic, it seems. lol)

 

Again, thank you so much for the great review. I only wished that we had had more time onboard to get to know one another. Perhaps one day!

[firsttimeVA]

Great review I have been hooked since day 1. We can't wait for our trip in 2 weeks!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[agc291]

Near the airport are new resorts being built. Atlantis has recently been sold and is much farther from the airport. It seems investors feel this area will boom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Just read about this Baha Mar place on travel & leisures site. Apparently it is going to cost 1.5 Billion but will employ 8000 Bahamians and bring a lot more to their economy.

 

Love your review- I have been peeping NCL & RCCL reviews to see who we should sail with next. So far it seem NCL fits our interests. Love this itin as well.

Edited February 17, 2014 by agc291

[Planmaam]

Well, I'd love to be the Ma'am to do that itinerary with you again. Sure do wish I could have joined you on this one. You know I want to be Platinum also before our next cruise in 19 months!

 

So loved living it vicariously through your review, though!

[Millipilli]

Thank you for a great review. Makes me consider the Epic for a possible future med cruise:)

[WWLL]

Thanks for wonderful review. I spent two days reading from start to finish.

 

I will be on a trans-Atlantic on the Epic come October, in a studio.

[willoughbee]

Thank you, thank you for the wonderful review. We leave in 20 days on the Epic. Can't wait. Loved the picture of the Plunge. Makes me think I can do that. We have signed up for the UDP. We loved Le Bistro on the Sun. Thanks again. Hope next time you don't have to drive to the port.:):)

[redjellybean]

This is the closed off relaxation room. It has very comfortable chairs' date=' some of which were over-sized.

 

 

There is a balcony off the wet area that we sat on for a time. It has that aft view and sound that we have enjoyed from our aft balcony and suite cabins in the past. The aft is our favorite cabin on a Norwegian ship!

 

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Looking into the wet area from the balcony

 

 

We sat and talked about whether we wanted to do the Spa Pass this cruise like we usually do. They had told us that there were 11 passes left for the week when we came in. We knew that there were 4 ports and 3 sea days. We also knew that there were so many other things to do on this ship. We finally decided that we had our balconies to enjoy, the pool and slides, and the quiet adult area (Spice H2O) and that we would not use the Spa enough to warrent the $199.00 for the week. That decided, we headed out.

 

Part of that winding double Z hallway leading to and from he female area.

 

 

Back in our cabins we unpacked, took care of some reservations on the interactive TV, and and checked out the iConcierge for our phones. We checked into it at the information desk but were still confused as to whether you could use the app on you smart phone to talk to each other during the cruise without any charges. Before we left home the info I got online indicated that we could do that for a one-time "nominal fee". But now we were being told that there would be a charge each call and we had to be logged into the wireless on the ship.

 

I think that NCL might want to put more information 'out there' about the app and just what you CAN do with it once on board. I am curious if anyone else has used this service and just what it can do. It seemed that we just kept getting conflicting info each time we inquired about it. They need a 'tech support' person on board if they are going to have these services (tech support for dummies?) :o

 

 

 

[/quote

I found that almost no one knew anything on the ship. Had to ask several people in order to pick the right answer...I usually picked the wrong one:)

[redjellybean]

Thank you so much for your review! I just planned a last minute trip on the Epic in two weeks so it is really helping me get a feel for it. I've been on the Pearl, Jewel, Jade, and PoAm, but this ship is very different.

 

I do have one question - was the $199 for both of you for the spa? I was planning on $119 (since it is just me this trip) and will be really bummed if it's gone up to $199.

 

l.A.S.T.

 

7 day = 119.00

[redjellybean]

Sea Day #2

 

It was another lazy morning on my balcony with more of those chocolate strawberries and coffee. The coffee in the room is not my favorite. I have decided the next time I sail NOT in a suite' date=' I will bring my tiny French press and my own coffee to make and just use the machine to heat the water.

 

 

DH went to Taste for breakfast early without me, as I just could not face food until lunch time. My tummy was on overload. I took my Freestyle Daily onto the balcony with my coffee and highlighter to see what I wanted to do for the day. I also read my book.

 

I had asked our room steward if we could have a lounger for our balcony the first day. He said that none were available just then but he would inquire about it. The balcony was just so large! I could see that it would accommodate a lounger easily and I knew that it would be so much more comfortable than the regular chairs, and I was spending a lot of time out there due to not having the Spa Pass.

 

I showered and dressed and we all met in the hallway for lunch. I believe we went to the Garden Cafe because we wanted to go to the wine tasting again and had a time limit. They were always held at 1:00 p.m.

 

Lunch was great, as usual, and we had no trouble finding seating. Two of the four of us would find a table (OK, it was always the guys) while the rest would get our food. Then one of the guys would get their food and invariably run across the ladies to tell us where the table was. It was this day that we sat in the back (front of the ship) and discovered the REAL entrance to La Cucina.

 

I wanted to do another wine tasting, which was in Moderno again. It was an "Old World - New World" tasting. We again had Pepeto as our Sommelier. We sat at a table with a delightful couple who were on the Epic for the first of two weeks. He was German and she was Italian. They both spoke impeccable English and worked in Canada. We had a wonderful time and stayed and visited with them for long after the tasting was over.

 

After this we went to our cabins and I talked DH into putting on our suits and trying out the slides. WOW! How awesome! I was disappointed that the Epic plunge was not open, but we enjoyed the other two so much. We found a place in the shade and just relaxed. Then they started playing live music. I really enjoyed the Flashdance and Footloose era of music and the place was "jumping", to use a term from the 40's! The hot tub was not too crowded and just the right temperature.

 

We went back to the cabin to get ready for the Blue Man Group, which was at 7 p.m. We arrived, got great seats and ordered drinks. The show was amazing. We had never seen them before and it was over all too soon. We went to Manhattan for dinner. Manhattan has low ceilings like much of the ship and was LOUD. We were close to the center part where entertainment was going on, maybe two tables away. We could not see well at all. This place was not designed for the viewing as there are poles, curtains, and half walls to block the view. Our service was great from Adrianna I believe. She was attentive and never made us feel like she was rushed.

 

After dinner we again went to Fat Cats to hear Bart Walker Band, then to Headliners to watch Second City. I must say that the Second City, which was improv tonight, was a really short show. The tables there are situated so that everyone has a good view and the heights of the chairs are progressively taller for that reason.

 

We wandered into the fitness center. It is the largest at sea and I cannot imagine that it gets crowded. But I would never know as this was the only time I stepped foot in it the whole cruise!

 

 

 

It is HUGE.

 

 

Back to our cabins where I enjoyed time on the.......wait ........what do I see on my balcony?

 

 

Not one but two!!!!!

 

 

 

Oh my, our steward really outdid himself! His reward just went up a couple of notches!!! We turned in between midnight and one.

 

 

i asked for the same thing and my steward said they would not fit! This is the only thing I wanted all during the whole cruise. I am so unhappy that I gave him so much money!

[redjellybean]

We got back to the ship and were early enough for lunch in Garden Cafe. We sunned and played on the slides until 3 and headed to our cabins to rest.

 

We showered' date=' changed and rested. I watched a fuel barge unhook from us and pull away. I was reading on the balcony and found myself just looking out at the view more than reading.

 

We got ready and had dinner in Taste. We went to O'Sheehan's for a drink and headed to Legends show. First was Elvis, then Katie Perry. They were OK, and just so so. Then came Stephen Tyler! Wow, what a show! He could have fooled me any day. His voice, talk, moves and looks were dead on. After the show you could have your picture taken with them. Thank goodness I bought a picture because DH kind of missed this one!

 

 

After the show we dropped into Fat Cats to hear Bart Walker, Christopher Alexander and George Simon play a couple of sets.

 

 

To our cabins at midnight and to bed for an early day in St. Kitts. What a great day.

 

 

You are awesome at reviews!!!