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

[CruisinMaterial]

Bon Voyage to you Kevin! :)

 

I just got back from a slipped in trip to Groove Cruise Los Angeles. Boy is this cruise going to seem so mellow in comparison! Hope you have a great trip with good weather. Ours was great. A hurricane to the south of us but only gave us minor swells - nothing major!

 

The time lapse video is amazing... just spinning around testing her new thrusters out too. She's going to be so new! I'm excited for Priscilla. The last ship theater I was in didn't have any actual shows, only awesome DJs and production of LED panels, lasers and intelligent lighting!! What an awesome experience!

 

Ah... post cruise blues stink! :(

[clgaryguy]

Hello all, my partner and I are on this cruise...looking forward to it..we were just on the Escape and had a great time.

 

Victor

Edited October 31, 2015 by clgaryguy

[Mikki72]

Me and other half are doing this cruise plus the week before (22-29 West Med) so really looking forward to it! We've done quite a few other cruises this year (this will be the 9th one since January) but it's been a couple of years that we haven't been on the Epic. Hopefully Bliss will be busy to take over the dancefloor! :cool:

[CruisinMaterial]

Hello all, my partner and I are on this cruise...looking forward to it..we were just on the Escape and had a great time.

 

Victor

 

Welcome Victor! There's already a bunch of the GLBT folks on this cruise! Some have signed up for another website that's completely dedicated to the GLBT cruise world. I can't mention it here but if you google it (Meet Me ....) you'll find it!

 

What were your impressions of the Norwegian Escape? It seemed silly they built a ship without a dedicated inside disco (not Spice H2O). There also seems to be a poorly placed pole in the men's bathroom somewhere on the ship. I am hoping the Bliss Lounge re-do on the Epic is amazing!

 

Welcome aboard sailors! :)

[CruisinMaterial]

Me and other half are doing this cruise plus the week before (22-29 West Med) so really looking forward to it! We've done quite a few other cruises this year (this will be the 9th one since January) but it's been a couple of years that we haven't been on the Epic. Hopefully Bliss will be busy to take over the dancefloor! :cool:

 

Welcome! You guys are going to be an expert on the re-do by the time we all get on the ship! I'm envious of your travel schedule for cruising this year. I've done mostly short haul cruises this year with 3 and 4 day voyages. This cruise is going to be the longest one at 10 days! I'm more than ready for a long, relaxing vacation! :D

 

Nights when there's a sea day the next day you can expect me to be out at Bliss. What I do hope for is an amazing DJ. All the amazing ones I know have been sucked to the new ships. A DJ who plays hip hop all night makes me... :mad:. LOL!

 

Glad there will be some company out there on the dance floor! :)

[CruisinMaterial]

We're on page 2 this close to sailing? Hmmm... c'mon guys! We should be getting EXCITED! All I hear is crickets! :p

[Whiskey Tango Foxtrot]

Hey Jake,

 

What are you wearing? LOL... Had to say that. Was on a cruise with you a few years ago. Hope all is well. Just popping in here. :)

[clgaryguy]

Welcome Victor! There's already a bunch of the GLBT folks on this cruise! Some have signed up for another website that's completely dedicated to the GLBT cruise world. I can't mention it here but if you google it (Meet Me ....) you'll find it!

 

What were your impressions of the Norwegian Escape? It seemed silly they built a ship without a dedicated inside disco (not Spice H2O). There also seems to be a poorly placed pole in the men's bathroom somewhere on the ship. I am hoping the Bliss Lounge re-do on the Epic is amazing!

 

Welcome aboard sailors! :)

 

 

Thank you for the welcome. We are looking forward to the 29th! The Escape was nice.. But the placement of the restaurants and bars seem so compacted. Pascal and I agreed that we like the Epic better. But really does it matter? We never really had a horrible experience.

 

Not sure if you know there is a meet and greet in the Bliss on the 30th at 11:00 from another group in Cruise Critic. Somewhat active. I will check out your suggestion too!

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Jake,

 

What are you wearing? LOL... Had to say that. Was on a cruise with you a few years ago. Hope all is well. Just popping in here. :)

 

Hey! Yes! I remember sailing together! Life is going grand... still cruising and getting new experiences along the way! How's your cruise schedule going? :)

[CruisinMaterial]

Thank you for the welcome. We are looking forward to the 29th! The Escape was nice.. But the placement of the restaurants and bars seem so compacted. Pascal and I agreed that we like the Epic better. But really does it matter? We never really had a horrible experience.

 

Not sure if you know there is a meet and greet in the Bliss on the 30th at 11:00 from another group in Cruise Critic. Somewhat active. I will check out your suggestion too!

 

Hi Victor,

 

This cruise is by far the most complicated for planning I've ever done. I used to do shore excursions exclusively with the cruise line but when FDR came on with NCL, he jacked up the mark up to where now it's hideous to even thing of doing shore excursions with the ship. So between independent tours, Cruise Critic gatherings (there's the meet and greet and the birthday party) and the dinners... it's hard to keep it all straight! I will be at the Meet & Greet, solos gatherings, GLBT nightly gatherings and hopefully be able to find time to eat in there! :D

 

As for the ship, I'm looking forward to seeing the new changes they've made to her. Bliss looks different from everything I've seen. That pooping dog outside the Cavern Club makes for some interesting photo ops too! :eek::rolleyes: All in all I can't wait to get away! I've got 2.5 weeks left until I fly out but it seems like it's taking forever! Have to do the holiday shopping before I leave because when I get back work will be INSANE!

 

Happy Monday!

[CruisinMaterial]

:D 10 days! :D

Edited November 17, 2015 by CruisinMaterial

[Dorothy's Friend]

Back in the UK after my 16 night Norwegian Jade Atlantic crossing, my new favourite cruise of all time. Just enough time to launder the clothes, fly to my Spanish home, re-pack the bag and fly to Barcelona for this cruise.

 

It is all go isn't it?:rolleyes:

[clgaryguy]

I hope so! Super pumped for the trip... We changed our flight to arrive a day before. Didn't want to take the risk with being fogged-in in Amsterdam! Looking forward to it!

[CruisinMaterial]

I hope so! Super pumped for the trip... We changed our flight to arrive a day before. Didn't want to take the risk with being fogged-in in Amsterdam! Looking forward to it!

 

Fogged in? :eek: Please give me more info! My flight was supposed to go through France but the late flight out of Boston was cancelled. The next latest flight (as I have to work the day after Thanksgiving) was on KLM which was code-shared with the company I booked with. I am now connecting through Amsterdam. Could I be delayed? :cool:

 

Either way, I'm flying in the day before so if you're on KLM out of Amsterdam to Barcelona then we may be on the same flight! :)

[CruisinMaterial]

Back in the UK after my 16 night Norwegian Jade Atlantic crossing' date=' my new favourite cruise of all time. Just enough time to launder the clothes, fly to my Spanish home, re-pack the bag and fly to Barcelona for this cruise.

 

It is all go isn't it?:rolleyes:[/quote']

 

Wish I just did a Trans-Atlantic and not a three day party cruise! Not sure I could handle that long at sea but I could use a nice break away from the New England cold!

 

I have 9 days until the flight out! :D Single digit excitement dance begins now!!! :o:D

[Dorothy's Friend]

Wish I just did a Trans-Atlantic and not a three day party cruise! Not sure I could handle that long at sea but I could use a nice break away from the New England cold!

 

:o:D

 

I love the sea days, the more the better. And I was never short of things to do. If you can, take a look at my photo album.https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10208053303953961.1073741879.1340082913&type=1&l=4f10a610fb

[clgaryguy]

Fogged in? :eek: Please give me more info! My flight was supposed to go through France but the late flight out of Boston was cancelled. The next latest flight (as I have to work the day after Thanksgiving) was on KLM which was code-shared with the company I booked with. I am now connecting through Amsterdam. Could I be delayed? :cool:

 

Either way, I'm flying in the day before so if you're on KLM out of Amsterdam to Barcelona then we may be on the same flight! :)

 

 

In Amsterdam, around this time of the year, fog can be really bad. The chances are small but it can happen. There are a few flights with Klm that day... I think we are on the 10:20 flight or around that time.

[CruisinMaterial]

In Amsterdam, around this time of the year, fog can be really bad. The chances are small but it can happen. There are a few flights with Klm that day... I think we are on the 10:20 flight or around that time.

 

I'm on the same flight as you on 11/28 then if that's your flight! I'm super tall but if you're in coach, look for the guy who will be folded like a pretzel! :D

[clgaryguy]

Sounds like you won't be hard to miss! Only a week to go!!!!

[CruisinMaterial]

Sounds like you won't be hard to miss! Only a week to go!!!!

 

Well my carry-on bag is one of the Atlantis duffel bags they give away as swag for booking their cruises so if the height doesn't work, the bag surely does! LOL! :D It's a subtle way of saying... queen coming... move out of the way! LOL! Just kidding! I'm hardly like that... can't wait... it's Monday and I'm working everyday including Friday (minus US Thanksgiving)! :eek:

 

Let's do this people!! :)

[Dorothy's Friend]

I have two friends on the Epic currently and they are telling me standards have dropped. Poor restaurant and bar service, particularly in Shakers. However, more importantly, the show times in the theatre have been changed. They received a letter in their cabin on arrival informing them one of their booked show times for later in the cruise had been brought forward but nothing about the show they had booked for this evening and unfortunately they had not checked the Freestyle Daily. When they got to the theatre they were 10 minutes too late and of course were refused entry. It seems several other passengers had been affected in the same way.

 

So, for anyone who has pre-booked the theatre shows it is best that you check the Freestyle Daily to confirm the performance start time just in case they have changed and you have not been informed by letter.

[CruisinMaterial]

Kevin - I find this news disheartening. :( I only truly care about the service in the dining venues. Bar service is a dime a dozen and I don't drink much anyway so it'll just help keep my bar tab lower. I'm not sure if everyone else here has the UBP but I don't and NCL's drink prices have gotten way out of control as of late. Fine by me if the service sucks, I just won't order! :D

 

The real thing that I will watch out for is the shows. I'm not missing Priscilla! No way, no how! I even have it booked twice so I don't miss it and can see it again if I want to! Shhh.... don't tell anyone! The second time is a late booking though. I will be sure to tell the girls! I'm still working on getting them to come along to the FOD! :D

 

Overall, I'm not going to let anyone spoil this relaxing vacation! I'm going to relax and enjoy it. It's vacation so leisurely pace is the way of it but keep me in the dining room for two hours for dinner and I'll be talking to the maitre d for sure! :mad:

 

On a positive note... only 2 more work days remain (not inclusive of today)! :D

 

Happy Tiara Tuesday folks!

[Dorothy's Friend]

Kevin - I find this news disheartening. :( I only truly care about the service in the dining venues. Bar service is a dime a dozen and I don't drink much anyway so it'll just help keep my bar tab lower. I'm not sure if everyone else here has the UBP but I don't and NCL's drink prices have gotten way out of control as of late. Fine by me if the service sucks, I just won't order! :D

 

The real thing that I will watch out for is the shows. I'm not missing Priscilla! No way, no how! I even have it booked twice so I don't miss it and can see it again if I want to! Shhh.... don't tell anyone! The second time is a late booking though. I will be sure to tell the girls! I'm still working on getting them to come along to the FOD! :D

 

Overall, I'm not going to let anyone spoil this relaxing vacation! I'm going to relax and enjoy it. It's vacation so leisurely pace is the way of it but keep me in the dining room for two hours for dinner and I'll be talking to the maitre d for sure! :mad:

 

On a positive note... only 2 more work days remain (not inclusive of today)! :D

 

Happy Tiara Tuesday folks!

 

My friends aboard the Epic have been maintaining contact with me, several times a day in fact. Even FaceTime has been working well. Today I had a long conversation with one of them and asked about the degrading of the service in the bars, particularly Shakers, and restaurants. I was told that since their first report service in the bars and restaurants has improved. Waiter service in Shakers was a bit hit & miss still but getting a drink from the bar was much better. The FOD meeting was only popular on the first night, since then virtually no FODs have turned up. The service in the Manhattan Room is far better than in Taste.

 

I too do not have the Ultimate Drinks Package but my friends on this cruise do;)

[CruisinMaterial]

My friends aboard the Epic have been maintaining contact with me' date=' several times a day in fact. Even FaceTime has been working well. Today I had a long conversation with one of them and asked about the degrading of the service in the bars, particularly Shakers, and restaurants. I was told that since their first report service in the bars and restaurants has improved. Waiter service in Shakers was a bit hit & miss still but getting a drink from the bar was much better. The FOD meeting was only popular on the first night, since then virtually no FODs have turned up. The service in the Manhattan Room is far better than in Taste.

 

I too do not have the Ultimate Drinks Package but my friends on this cruise do;)[/quote']

 

Usually by the third night the FOD fizzles. The first night is hit and miss because people are tired from traveling and unpacking and hungry. The second night is usually the most attended night and then from there onward it drops throughout the rest of the cruise. Lots of people cruising by but no one stopping. :eek::cool:

 

I only dine in the Manhattan Room. I like the elegance of it. It reminds me of the old steam liners where there was a dance floor with a live band playing while the dinner was being served. It's the way cruising SHOULD be! I do the Taste restaurant for lunch on sea days. Have to have my lunch strip steak! I won't be able to look a cow in the face after this cruise. :D

 

Glad service levels are improving. With the Escape launch I'm sure they pulled more of their trained staff to that ship from the Epic as she was close-by. Now there's a lot of newbies on the Epic and they have to get up to speed. Cruise lines are building so many new ships so fast but they're not keeping up on the crew training well and it's causing service issues across the industry. Just wait until they run out of talent pool and have to start increasing the wages they pay the crew (and they deserve)!

[CruisinMaterial]

Hey Guys!

 

This is my last check-in! Safe travels to the Norwegian Epic and see you on the ship at the FOD, if not before on the plane! :) The time has finally come!

 

:D PARTY TIME! :D