NCL Epic 29 November 2015 Barcelona, Morocco, Canary Islands.

[samshltn]

We've just paid our deposits on this cruise, with five hours to go before 2015! (UK time!)

 

I'm looking forward to getting to know you all.

 

So... who else is on this?

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey There!

 

I saw you post in the regular roll call section and had wondered… now I finally had time to search this side of the forum and found your thread! I’ve put a deposit down as well. It’s a reunion cruise with some other people I met on the Norwegian Breakaway last year. It’s also a completely new itinerary for me which is what I’ve restricted myself too. Only go to new places!

 

Have you started to look at shore tours? It seems like everyone in the other roll call is going crazy with that talk. I haven’t had time to research yet. :cool:

 

 

The prices were super cheap. I was surprised! :)

[samshltn]

I've only just seen this... sorry!

 

We're loyal NCL cruisers, very much looking forward to this one. Where are you from?

[CruisinMaterial]

No need for apologies. I went searching before I posted, a rarity on these boards!! :) I found your thread and decided to dust it off!

 

I'm from Massachusetts, United States. Where are you from?

 

Have you booked any excursions? The other roll call seems active with people talking about tours but I haven't even researched the ports yet! :eek:

[CruisinMaterial]

Seems like the cruise is starting to get some more bookings... any new family on the ship? :)

[CruisinMaterial]

Anyone new? :D

[movie buff]

My partner and I are booked on this one. We are from the San Francisco Bay Area. Flying in two nights prior to the cruise. Then after the cruise flying to Lisbon to leave on a 11 night transatlantic to Miami. Hope to see you aboard.

[CruisinMaterial]

My partner and I are booked on this one. We are from the San Francisco Bay Area. Flying in two nights prior to the cruise. Then after the cruise flying to Lisbon to leave on a 11 night transatlantic to Miami. Hope to see you aboard.

 

Hello and welcome guys!

 

I am beyond jealous of that travel itinerary of yours. I fly into Barcelona arriving the day prior to sailing and then fly home the day we arrive back to Barcelona. I love that city but due to work I have to get back. A trans-Atlantic crossing is fun, if you're doing the Southern route.

 

Lots of active solos in the regular roll call thread but not sure how many GLBT folks are going to be on the sailing. The Shaker's Martini Bar will hopefully be hopping! Feel free to poke back in and help pass the time! :D

 

Welcome aboard!

[xlairways]

Hi,

Great to see some more people on here. Keep forgetting to check back on this thread.

 

It going to be a fun cruise. We are both from London (Samshltn who started and I).

We have cruised from Miami before, but not closer to home in Europe.

 

Think we are going to just explore most ports as the main stuff to see in the canaries is near the port. But we did book the Gibraltar excursion as it will be fun to see England in the sun haha

 

I'm Looking forward to meeting you all.

 

Dominic

[CruisinMaterial]

Hi Dominic,

 

It seems like we’re going to have a little group going for the GLBT gathering on our cruise. The solos are going to have a large gathering as well since they’ve already been so active on the regular roll call. The studio cabins are sold out now which is saying a lot because the Epic has the most out of all the ships with studio cabins. :D

 

 

I’m hoping for sunny and warm weather myself. However, I had looked a few months back at the average high temp in these places and wonder if I’m going to need to pack heavier clothing items. We will not be in the thick of winter yet over here in New England so the chill might get to me! When I sail in January I’m usually good with 60s for a high temp. (Sorry don’t know the conversion to Celsius!) :cool:

 

 

 

It seems like almost everyone on the other roll call is going off on their own with tours. I tend not to do that in places I’ve never been to before. I definitely will not be doing that in Morocco! Gibraltar might be a nice place to visit but I heard there are some requirements on tourists to get there. I need to focus and look at what NCL is offering and just how close things are. I used to go to Barnes and Noble and sit in the book store and read the books on these places but apparently I’m old school and B and N is closing up shop!

 

I just wish time would go by rather quickly. While I love the summer, this year work gave far too many people time off in the same weeks and I feel like a chicken with my head cut off! :eek::eek:

[Dorothy's Friend]

Hi Guys!

 

Just letting you know that I am booked on this cruise too .......... and have been since this new itinerary was published. I do not know why I have not searched for a thread before. I am booked in a Studio although I am traveling with a good friend of mine Carlos from Chile and another German friend Eric.

 

NCL is my favourite cruise line and the Epic my favourite ship, even if it is not the most attractive cruise ship externally. I have done a few trips on it now, the TransAtlantics are particularly good fun but of course they have stopped for now.

 

I will be flying up to Barcelona from Alicante the day before the cruise starts and staying overnight in the TRYP Apolo close to the port.

 

Looking forward to meeting you all

 

Kevin

[CruisinMaterial]

Kevin!

 

I thought your user name looked familiar! You were on the Norwegian Breakaway Trans-Atlantic crossing? :D I was on that one too! What a fun time that was! :)

 

This will be my second time on the Epic but unlike the Breakaway class, they did the Epic right. I love the Bliss on Epic and can't stand it on the Breakaway-class. Spice H2O was bigger on Epic too. Not sure what the weather will be like topside at night to be out there but it should be a ton of fun! :)

 

I'm flying in the day prior and staying close to the Sagrada Familia. I'm also in the studios! I'm also sailing with a few girls I met on the Breakaway Bermuda run last year. We're doing it as a reunion! One is from Maryland USA and the other from the UK! The studios are SOLD OUT!!! Make sure to do the studio gathering as well as the GLBT one at least the first night!

 

We're growing!!

 

ALL - Has anyone started to look at shore tours for the rest of the ports? I've got something for Funchal but nothing else planned. Started to re-look at them now but we've still got time!

[BearlyRob]

this looks very tempting. I have a free cruise certificate from a Las Vegas casino, and it includes a Balcony cabin on certain voyages including Barcelona. maybe I should splurge ... :)

[CruisinMaterial]

this looks very tempting. I have a free cruise certificate from a Las Vegas casino, and it includes a Balcony cabin on certain voyages including Barcelona. maybe I should splurge ... :)

 

It is quite the itinerary and it is just after Thanksgiving and between Christmas so while people in the US are out at stores killing each other for the latest hot gifts, we're going to be sailing the warm waters of the Canary Islands! :) Join on in! The more the merrier! :D

[Dorothy's Friend]

Kevin!

 

I thought your user name looked familiar! You were on the Norwegian Breakaway Trans-Atlantic crossing? :D I was on that one too! What a fun time that was! :)

 

This will be my second time on the Epic but unlike the Breakaway class, they did the Epic right. I love the Bliss on Epic and can't stand it on the Breakaway-class. Spice H2O was bigger on Epic too. Not sure what the weather will be like topside at night to be out there but it should be a ton of fun! :)

 

I'm flying in the day prior and staying close to the Sagrada Familia. I'm also in the studios! I'm also sailing with a few girls I met on the Breakaway Bermuda run last year. We're doing it as a reunion! One is from Maryland USA and the other from the UK! The studios are SOLD OUT!!! Make sure to do the studio gathering as well as the GLBT one at least the first night!

 

We're growing!!

 

ALL - Has anyone started to look at shore tours for the rest of the ports? I've got something for Funchal but nothing else planned. Started to re-look at them now but we've still got time!

 

It will be good to meet up again. And all you say about Bliss and H20 on the Breakaway compared to the Epic i totally agree with. Such a shame.

 

With regards to the weather at that time of year, probably it will be too cool, windy and cloudy within the Med. for what I call 'Deck 18.5' naked sunbathing but once down in the Canaries it should be better with a bit of luck. I always pay for the Spa on the Epic which I always find fun!;):o

 

Kevin

[CruisinMaterial]

It will be good to meet up again. And all you say about Bliss and H20 on the Breakaway compared to the Epic i totally agree with. Such a shame.

 

With regards to the weather at that time of year' date=' probably it will be too cool, windy and cloudy within the Med. for what I call 'Deck 18.5' naked sunbathing but once down in the Canaries it should be better with a bit of luck. I always pay for the Spa on the Epic which I always find fun!;):o

 

Kevin[/color']

 

I'm expecting the Med to be cool which is why I'm packing heavier clothing items for this trip than I usually do. The Bahamas in January were quite chilly as well! :eek: This global climate change is definitely sending things for a loop! There's also the micro-climates on some of the islands. Have to plan ahead for those too!

 

I've never done the spa on any of the ships. The older ones, like the Jewel-class have a sauna available right off the gym so I will go in those on occasion but not too frequently! I keep hearing about hot stone loungers looking at the ocean. Do you know what the spa passes cost? Everything is in a state of flux at NCL lately. The gratuities just went up again... a la carte pricing in the restaurants which will miss our sailing - thank goodness! :cool:

 

Where is everyone else? We're becoming one big happy family now! :)

[Dorothy's Friend]

I'm expecting the Med to be cool which is why I'm packing heavier clothing items for this trip than I usually do. The Bahamas in January were quite chilly as well! :eek: This global climate change is definitely sending things for a loop! There's also the micro-climates on some of the islands. Have to plan ahead for those too!

 

I've never done the spa on any of the ships. The older ones, like the Jewel-class have a sauna available right off the gym so I will go in those on occasion but not too frequently! I keep hearing about hot stone loungers looking at the ocean. Do you know what the spa passes cost? Everything is in a state of flux at NCL lately. The gratuities just went up again... a la carte pricing in the restaurants which will miss our sailing - thank goodness! :cool:

 

Where is everyone else? We're becoming one big happy family now! :)

 

Yes! Where is everyone?

 

I cannot give you a price for the Spa Pass because they change with every voyage depending on how many sea days there are compared with port days. However, one thing I can tell you is it is not cheap!:( I do get my money's worth on the Epic though as I am hardly out of it especially on sea days. There are two co-ed saunas in the main Spa area plus a co-ed steam room. In the male changing area there is a steam room plus a small (very) sauna. The views from the saunas in the main area is wonderful. There are plenty of heated tile loungers with views out the aft of the ship as well as the water massage facility.

 

I am doing the Norwegian Jade Atlantic crossing at the end of October (very cheap) and I have been told that in addition to the sauna & steam rooms there is a jacuzzi in the male changing area too.;)

[xlairways]

We are both looking forward to trying the spa on the epic. We have never used the spa before on NCL. The price of a spa mini dropped to about £100 more each than we paid initaily for our balcony cabin, so could not say no.

[Dorothy's Friend]

Sounds like you got a bargain!:) See you there!;)

 

Kevin

[CruisinMaterial]

Kevin - The Jade is the Jewel class and you're right there is a jacuzzi in the men's spa section. The one and only time I did a spa on a cruise was on the Norwegian Jewel and it was amazing... got the full treatment for 90 minutes at a cheap discount because we were a group sailing. The spa was open super late just for us too. :D

 

The Norwegian Jade is coming home to America where she started and where she will never be allowed to fly an American flag ever again. :( I hope they know what they're doing because if something goes south for the Pride of America, there's no other ship that can stand in because of the way the laws were written. The Jade will be an awesome ship to sail on though! :) I'm envious of your cruise schedule!! I've only down two this year and almost back to back but haven't been able to step on a ship since then and that was January so I'm way over due!

 

xlairways - Sounds like a great upgrade. The price I got a studio cabin for was a steal. I'm not about to re-price to get the UBP or UDP!

 

I hope we all can get together outside the spa at the GLBT meetings perhaps! I promise I won't bring my straight lady friends but true story... one was asked when they did come with me to a meeting if they were transgender. I've never spit out good quality alcohol before but I nearly choked! :eek::D Ah the memories of the Norwegian Breakaway sailing to Bermuda... many more to be shared over cocktails!

[Dorothy's Friend]

Kevin -

 

I hope we all can get together outside the spa at the GLBT meetings perhaps! I promise I won't bring my straight lady friends but true story... one was asked when they did come with me to a meeting if they were transgender. I've never spit out good quality alcohol before but I nearly choked! :eek::D Ah the memories of the Norwegian Breakaway sailing to Bermuda... many more to be shared over cocktails!

 

Great story ;):)

[CruisinMaterial]

You're going to be in the studios, right Kevin? You'll probably see the two girls who I met on the Breakaway sailing at the solo studio lounge gathering if you attend! :)

 

The studios are SOLD OUT for our voyage! Yay for single people! :D

 

Can you tell I'm in need of a vacation now... not sure how I'm going to wait until November / December! :(

[CruisinMaterial]

Ok, I had no idea what Priscilla Queen of the Desert was until I talked to my friend saying this was the on-ship entertainment replacing Blue Man Group. He (gay) seemed stunned I did not know. I just watched some You Tube videos of the cast and now I'm SUPER excited for this cruise! Wow! What a production this is going to be and far, far, FAR better than Blue Man Group! :D

 

I may just never get off the ship with all this fantastic entertainment! Woohoo! I can't wait!! :D

[Dorothy's Friend]

Ok, I had no idea what Priscilla Queen of the Desert was until I talked to my friend saying this was the on-ship entertainment replacing Blue Man Group. He (gay) seemed stunned I did not know. I just watched some You Tube videos of the cast and now I'm SUPER excited for this cruise! Wow! What a production this is going to be and far, far, FAR better than Blue Man Group! :D

 

I may just never get off the ship with all this fantastic entertainment! Woohoo! I can't wait!! :D

 

You mean to say you have never seen the film 'Priscilla Queen of the Dessert'? You do surprise me. Very low budget but very entertaining. I too am looking forward to seeing the on board show, we should be able to book our seats soon online.:)

[CruisinMaterial]

You mean to say you have never seen the film 'Priscilla Queen of the Dessert'? You do surprise me. Very low budget but very entertaining. I too am looking forward to seeing the on board show' date=' we should be able to book our seats soon online.[/color']:)

 

I actually caught the film this weekend too. There was a Broadway production show about Priscilla Queen of the Desert. On YouTube there's some videos of the final show they did on Broadway before it closed. There's also a performance on the TV show - The View with Whoopi introducing them.

 

If my gay card could have been revoked by my friends, it would have been a long time ago. I'm not big into entertainment. I love music and like to dance. Music I know the songs and can recognize them with the first few seconds of them dropping. Movies and TV shows I'm not very knowledgeable. I only saw the Birdcage recently too... I digress... lol :o

 

We should be able to book our entertainment soon! I'm excited for that. If the show is super good, I may try and see it again but I'm guessing it will only run on a few nights of the cruise at the beginning or end and then they dismantle the set for Burn the Floor's production. I'm also thinking there's going to be another entertainer in there at some point too because they're not going to run the shows 5 days apiece. The cast will get cranky! :eek: