Just off Epic Med Cruise

[Let'sCruise]

Just returned from my first NCL cruise on the Epic to the Mediterranean. I am willing to answer any questions. My traveling companion and I spent a day before the cruise in Barcelona as well as a day after. We did some ship tours and a private tour as well as some do on our own.

Overall I would rate the cruise as a C. I did not like our large balcony cabin, (loved the balcony). There was no privacy for personal hygiene. The food was average- some things very good, some not so good. We did not eat in the fee restaurants, preferring to eat in ports. We enjoyed some of the entertainment.

I will try to answer questions honestly.

[mistyraj]

Hello

 

Glad you enjoyed your holiday and thank you for answering questions!

 

Did you find any good places to eat at in Barcelona that weren't overpriced?

[Let'sCruise]

If you are looking for tapas there are plenty of cervecerias everywhere. It will depend on where you are going to be. We had dinner (very early Spanish style) on our first night near the cathedral. There was a place on the square that had rather expensive prices; down the street a little bit and the prices were much less. The menus are outside the restaurants, and Spain requires a menu of the day which is usually a good deal. Also you generally pay a bit more outside than inside. The outside allows smoking; the inside does not.

Near the Ramblas and Barri Gotic prices will be higher due to the tourism. We stayed near Plaça Espanya on our return and more locals were eating there and the prices were less. At the top of Arenas shopping center (former bullring) there are restaurants overlooking the city that were pricey but the view is magnificent. If not to eat, go for the view.

Will you be staying in Barcelona or just a port day? If so, what section of the city?

[mistyraj]

We will be staying there close to Paralel metro stop

[flapbreaker]

So cruise was average. What about the ports? Did you enjoy them?

[hlsess]

What did you not like in the Epic? Too big? We go in 4 weeks. Do have a few specialty restaurants booked...

[Let'sCruise]

The ports were great. We had tours booked for Rome, Naples (Capri, Sorrento and Pompei) and Cannes (Monaco, Eze) and did Pisa, Mallorca and Barcelona on our own.

There was very limited window or open air space on the ship - only the pool deck and the aft in H2O. Deck 5 had the jogging track (about 100 yards long- more of a dash) and had the lifeboats blocking any view, no seating area. Because we were heavy in ports and in the autumn with early sunsets, the pool decks were not very crowded.

While the Epic is the largest ship I have sailed on, I did not mind the size of the ship although it is a long walk to the elevators and there are no steps mid-ship either. It was a good way to burn off calories. The ship was at capacity but crowd flow worked well except when everyone was embarking after a port day and you had to wait rather long for the elevators.

I enjoy privacy when using the bathroom facilities and showering and the layout of the double balcony cabin did not afford any privacy. The doors to both the toilet and the shower are lightly frosted fiberglass. (You can see through them.) The toilet was right next to my pillow with just the fiberglass and a curtain between us. No need to say any more. You will know all your cabin mate's habits very well.

Perhaps if I had been traveling with my husband I would not have minded so much but I still would not have gotten much sleep.

[Susieqq52]

Just wondered if Carlo's Cake shop cakes were on sale in Atrium Cafe on your cruise? We were on the Southampton to Barcelona cruise recently and they did not have any. I didn't know if they had stopped selling them altogether or if they just didn't have them on this particular cruise. I have enjoyed treating myself to one on previous cruises on Epic.

[cc_rider]

Did you use the internet on the ship? Is it as slow as some people report?

[CHAPTOWN]

Hey! Thanks for the info. We are headed out in May, my first time on NCL and in Europe. We are also staying a day before and a day after in Barcelona. Any logistical tips? Did you use the metro much? How is it getting from the airport to the city, same with from the hotel to the port? Im a veteran cruiser but a Euro noob and being in a foreign country with a language gap (I speak a little Spanish) make me a bit anxious. Thanks again!

[hawkeyetlse]

I enjoy privacy when using the bathroom facilities and showering and the layout of the double balcony cabin did not afford any privacy. The doors to both the toilet and the shower are lightly frosted fiberglass. (You can see through them.) The toilet was right next to my pillow with just the fiberglass and a curtain between us. No need to say any more. You will know all your cabin mate's habits very well.

There are many long threads about the Epic bathrooms (or lack thereof) and the inhabitual set-up makes many people uncomfortable. One piece of advice is to make sure to pick a room where the bed is next to the balcony and not next to the toilet/shower (you can tell by the shape of the room on the deck plan, at least for balconies).

[DREAMGIRL2012]

Hey! Thanks for the info. We are headed out in May, my first time on NCL and in Europe. We are also staying a day before and a day after in Barcelona. Any logistical tips? Did you use the metro much? How is it getting from the airport to the city, same with from the hotel to the port? Im a veteran cruiser but a Euro noob and being in a foreign country with a language gap (I speak a little Spanish) make me a bit anxious. Thanks again!

 

We sailed on the Epic in September and stayed in Barcelona 2 days pre-cruise. Almost everyone spoke English and we didn't have any issues. Loved Barcelona. Book things in a Barcelona in advance to assure a good vacation. Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell are great but need to be booked in advance or wait in long lines. We used the bus, metro and taxis and found them very easy.