MITSUGIRLYS EPIC CRUISE--2nd time around-1st from Port Canaveral

[pghsteelerfan]

Glad to hear I was able to give you a laugh or two.

 

I was really concerned on whether or not I would personally be able to do a dive and clear my ears myself. When I jump off a diving board at the local pool and go down any depth, my ears kill me. If I'm snorkeling and I dive down any deeper than around 6-8 foot...ouch! They never pop. So I had my doubts...but absolutely no problem with me. I didn't even realize they were popping and completely forgot about it.

 

I know what you mean about cruising out of Baltimore on the Pride. We really loved the Pride and Baltimore, but man that cruise was probably the most expensive cruise to date. I thought it was just because it was Spring Break...but maybe that's not the case?

 

Probably more than a laugh or two...several times. :D I've noticed the ear pressure/pain more in pools in a diving area, so since you've noticed that, maybe that's normal (???). In a pool when diving or even swimming to the bottom, it's usually fast instead of the slower descent like scuba diving. Believe it or not, our Liberty cruise in September 2015 was the first time I actually "free dove" while snorkeling. A few times in St. Lucia (maybe 6 to 8 feet, looking to see if I could find that octopus or eel in the rocks) and St. Kitts, and no issues. Was also wondering if there is a difference of salt water vs. pool water (???). I could always give it a try and see. But from your pictures it just looked so cool being down deep with everything. I am so tempted to paint one of our spare bedrooms in an undersea theme...just love it. And the way you describe Sakari is exactly how I was as a kid, except my love was the big cats and horses (and any book/movie/TV show with them), water, and anything beach/ocean of course. And the drawings...my thing was horses. I could entertain myself for hours drawing horses. It got to the point that I had classmates in grade school asking me to draw them horses all the time. LOL!!! Sakari's dinosaur drawings are spectacular!!!

 

Forgot to add, I spotted a sea biscuit (puffy sand dollar) in your Junkanoo Beach snorkeling pictures. The ones were they little fish thought they were "hiding" under that piece of whatever. It looked dead, so I'd have snatched that and brought it back. :p I stepped on one on the Atlantis (Nassau) lagoon several years ago that was alive. When I picked it up to see it, it was covered in a greenish/brown fuzz.

 

Pride out of Baltimore...not 100% positive but someone explained to me that it was more expensive in the summer because of the lengthy transit of the Chesapeake Bay. They are required to burn a better grade of gas while in US territorial waters (EPA rules) so it costs more for those cruises. In the fall/winter months, because it is usually colder on the first and last days, the Pride cruise out of Baltimore is cheaper. We've only looked at cruises in July/August, so never saw the prices for fall/winter. And I'm sure it's more expensive in March/April because it's Spring Break. Since it leaves from Baltimore, I'd rather do that in the summer (July/August) when it's warmer. It can get darned cold on the Chesapeake and even in May it's been cold. We've been to the Ocean City, MD, SpringFest (good bands, food, drinks) in May and only one out of four times we were there for that was warm enough to be on the beach. Brrrr!!! :eek:

Edited December 4, 2016 by pghsteelerfan

[Stinger-pr]

Oh my gosh, you crack me up about the camera and hoping it won't come on one day. That whole story had me cracking up. :p

 

When you post your pictures of snorkeling at Coki, please give me the link. I would love to see them.

 

So wait, you went to Coki and to Sapphire Beach? All in the same day? By Cruise ship? I would absolutely LOVE to head back to St Lucia and Jalouise beach to scuba dive. That place was absolutely amazing and at least I know they scuba there for sure since we watched them go out and that's where Sakari first decided she would become a scuba diver.

 

Yes, we went to both beaches. I rented a car on my last two cruise trips to St. Thomas. We spent about two hours at each place. We went, got our gear and headed for the water soon after arriving and we basically stayed out out of the water just to dry up enough as to wet the seats and stink up the car on our way from one place to another. We went to both beaches, went to Skyline drive lookout point (where you see all of Charlotte Amalie from above) and then to Drake's seat (view of the northern islands and Meagan's bay. Then we spent about 45 minutes in town and where back at the ship just in time. First time I went I managed the time better and got to the ship with lots of time to spare.

[pghsteelerfan]

Yes, we went to both beaches. I rented a car on my last two cruise trips to St. Thomas. We spent about two hours at each place. We went, got our gear and headed for the water soon after arriving and we basically stayed out out of the water just to dry up enough as to wet the seats and stink up the car on our way from one place to another. We went to both beaches, went to Skyline drive lookout point (where you see all of Charlotte Amalie from above) and then to Drake's seat (view of the northern islands and Meagan's bay. Then we spent about 45 minutes in town and where back at the ship just in time. First time I went I managed the time better and got to the ship with lots of time to spare.

 

Hey there! Will you be doing another review of your Fascination cruise? I sure hope so. :D

 

Sorry for the hijack Kim. :o

[Stinger-pr]

Hey there! Will you be doing another review of your Fascination cruise? I sure hope so. :D

 

Sorry for the hijack Kim. :o

I'm actually working on it now (finally!!). If all goes well I'll be posting day one later tonight, early tomorrow.

[mkmaj]

Thank you! I will look into Balmoral so I can possibly repay the recap favor for you!

 

I'm in the Cleveland area. Like you, I had worked at a hospital for a long time prior to getting my nursing degree. Although I loved my unit and job I just didn't know if I'd be able to overcome the role (tech/us) that everyone thought of me as so I went off the boards when I graduated. I went into the OR at the hospital and then to a surgery center for the "big" system up here.

 

What did you wind up doing? Did you stay in your ER or move?

 

Sent from my SM-N900V using Forums mobile app

[spencercoop]

No, they made a lot of changes, I assume because the Epic was originally so controversial. The Captain and Chief Engineer were talking about the Divina during their technical talk onboard. That's really all they said, the hull was sold and redesigned as the Divina. It was cool to see them docked side by side in Nassau.

 

The second Epic class cruise ship was cancelled well before they started building it. They cancelled it in 2008 when it was still in the prep stages.

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20110708210614/http://cruisebusiness.com/cbr_old/news.php?u=20081218161224

 

The planned second vessel, currently only in the preparatory stages, will not be built. Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed. "With this agreement, we can all focus on completing the new vessel successfully," said Kevin Sheehan, NCL's president and CEO. "We are looking forward to the arrival of our much-anticipated F3 ship as it represents a major step forward for NCL in terms of ship size, design and innovation."

[spencercoop]

 

My next cruise won't be until Spring Break for Sakari next April. It's going to be a LONG 4 months. :p I'm trying to decide, but I'm thinking of booking the Conquest out of FLL to: Aruba, Curacao, Grand Turk, and La Romana. That will be 4 port days and 3 new ports for us!

 

I've been looking at that itinerary for a while as well. I really want to visit Curacao. It seems like an awesome set of ports for an 8 day cruise.

[perfect match]

Thanks for another great review, Kim! I always enjoy going along with you and your family on your adventures. :D Between your great pictures and descriptions, I really do feel like I'm right there with you. I will be watching come spring to see where your next adventure will take you, and I'm sure I'll tag along for the ride.

[riddle]

Thanks Kim for the fabulous, fantastic review. You really should put together a travelogue.

 

My DH and I love the Epic but unfortunately he does not love cruising as much as I do. I can only get hiim on one cruise a year and I generally take about four (especially now that I am retired (or I was until I got called back to help out at my old job).

 

We did the transatlantic just before you on the Epic. Had originally planned it with a friend but she had to cancel. That seems to happen to me a lot. Booked through CAS so no single supplement and there were tons of solos on that cruise. Doubt you would like a transatlantic because of so few port days but it was a wonderful time for me to decompress. I did not join as many social activities as I originally planned, just did not seem to have the energy.

 

My DH and I are on the Epic in February for our 43rd anniversary. I hope Port Canaveral has it together by then. Also we will drive in from Cincinnati as my DH will not fly (this is a new thing as well as he has flown all over his entire life). I don't mind the drive since I won't have to go right back to work.

 

My DD and her family our my main travelling companions but she starts a new job tomorrow so her vacation time will be limited for a while. I will really miss that. The kids are almost 4 and 5 1-2 but they love it. I actually "lost" my 5 year granddaughter on the Breakaway in August and it was a terrible experience. My daughter was in the room with a bad headache and I had the kids at the kids splash area. My granddaughter is used to doing the slides with her parents and so I let her go on the slide. What we misconnected on was which slide she was going on and since I never saw her come down I freaked out. With my 3 year old grandson in hand I flagged down one of those security people by the pools but it was still 1/2 hour till we found her. She came down the different slide and did not see me so she found a security guard and a couple who took her to guest services. Suffice it to say I almost had a heart attack and they went to get my daughter from our room and she was freaking out because they would not tell her what happened. It was a real mess and not handled well but worked out fine in the end. It actually was the Beverage Manager who made things happen very quickly and got everything coordinated.

 

Anyway, I am looking at next cruises with my sights set on ones I could not do while I was working. I want to do Alaska (might wait for '18 and the new ship) and want to do the Panama Canal. I have just seen many of the Caribbean ports so many times that I want something different.

 

Another gray day in Ohio, and I so wish for some sun at least. Looking forward to your next review. Even though you had "family" issues on this one looks like your DH is very laid back. Some family vacations work for us and some just don't. You are doing well with so many of them being successful.

[BugsyCruiser]

I really enjoyed your review. It's because of yours, Don's, and Gambee's reviews that I have finally taken the "plunge" and booked Escape for October 14th next year ☺

 

Sent from Samsung Galaxy Note 5 using Tapatalk

[Arzeena]

What a fantastic review Kim! And the pictures are just AMAAAAAAAZING!

Too bad the review had to end:(

[Laszlo]

Yes, I have an iphone. I have never tried this time lapse feature before. How do you stabilize the phone when you take the pictures? I can't imagine trying to put my phone on the balcony rail to take them. I would be too afraid that I would have an accident. With my cameras, I always have the wrist strap on tight so no accidents.

 

Man your video was really super cool. How long were you there taking that? I seen to have so many issues with my phone and not much memory, so I'm constantly deleting pictures and taking the other pictures from the phone to my computer so that I can make room for more. I'm not sure what's going on with my phone. I have had problems for over a year now. (And when I say my phone tells me it runs out of room, I'm talking like only having 50 pictures or less on it). :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, I did not like that first one...oh my talk about dizzy. lol

 

 

The second one was AMAZING and I loved it.

 

The third was kinda cool and almost funny. lol

 

So, do you start and stop this on your own? I'm definitely going to have to try this.

 

 

I used a suction cup iPhone mount with a 2 foot flexible extension for the videos from the balcony, from the dock I actually held if for 15 minutes. Looks like have a pretty steady hand LOL.

 

As far as stopping and starting I just hit start and stop, I'll edit it out at the end. I have a 32GB phone however I upload lots of stuff to the cloud or my MBP then delete them. In Alaska I shot 2500 with my good camera and trashed about 40% of them

[tgirl25]

Looking forward to your final thoughts and recap, still wondering if Epic holds that favorite spot for you or not as well(thinking it might have back slid a little)... I will be on her in Feb and really looking forward to it

[1lovehols]

Another fab review. Thank you for sharing.

[JinxyB]

Awesome review-thank you again for all the hard work! I'd be pissed too if the ship stopped in Nassau instead of GSC (I hate Nassau). I don't know if you guys have done this in the past, but for a cheap beach day in Nassau you can take a cab over to Paradise Island and hang out there at the public beach-it is much nicer than Junkanoo. You don't have to rent a chair and you don't have to buy a thing from the million vendors that are milling around. The water was nice, but I don't know about the snorkeling. Cab fare was $4-5 a person, if I recall. I have also done Balmoral island on a Carnival excursion and the place was gorgeous, but a rip off. When I went, I had my son who was 4 at the time, and they had a calm lagoon with beautiful water. Beyond that, the pool area had some sort of poop smeared all around the deck and it stunk really bad. The bar was a rip off-they charged like $10 for a can of cheap beer. Food was expensive and we just packed snacks from the ship. I'm glad I experienced it, but I won't go again. We have been to Nassau so many times I just either stay on the ship or head to Junkanoo or Paradise Island for a cheap beach day.

[SquishTheWhale]

Oh I'm so sad your review is over! I hope you take that cruise to Aruba etc that you're thinking about as I'm interested in that itinerary and would love to see your review of it. I was also loving the impromptu meeting of the Epic and the Escape and the pics! It sounds like you are very excited about going on the Escape (me too!) and maybe you won't be cancelling your trip on her after all.

 

Thank you for the lovely informative review and all the wonderful pictures.

[mitsugirly]

Thank you for your review! I enjoyed all the beautiful pictures from your scuba dive and now may have to try it myself if I can get my hubby to go also!

 

Thanks so much and glad you enjoyed it. Yes, definitely try the scuba. It's an awesome experience.

 

Your review was fantastic as usual!

 

Wanna know why you saw so many Barracuda in Nassau? Because they think Mermaids are yummy.

 

 

Thanks Joann. Oh gosh, I'm not telling Sakari that. ;)

 

 

Probably more than a laugh or two...several times. I've noticed the ear pressure/pain more in pools in a diving area, so since you've noticed that, maybe that's normal (???). In a pool when diving or even swimming to the bottom, it's usually fast instead of the slower descent like scuba diving. Believe it or not, our Liberty cruise in September 2015 was the first time I actually "free dove" while snorkeling. A few times in St. Lucia (maybe 6 to 8 feet, looking to see if I could find that octopus or eel in the rocks) and St. Kitts, and no issues. Was also wondering if there is a difference of salt water vs. pool water (???). I could always give it a try and see. But from your pictures it just looked so cool being down deep with everything. I am so tempted to paint one of our spare bedrooms in an undersea theme...just love it. And the way you describe Sakari is exactly how I was as a kid, except my love was the big cats and horses (and any book/movie/TV show with them), water, and anything beach/ocean of course. And the drawings...my thing was horses. I could entertain myself for hours drawing horses. It got to the point that I had classmates in grade school asking me to draw them horses all the time. LOL!!! Sakari's dinosaur drawings are spectacular!!!

 

Forgot to add, I spotted a sea biscuit (puffy sand dollar) in your Junkanoo Beach snorkeling pictures. The ones were they little fish thought they were "hiding" under that piece of whatever. It looked dead, so I'd have snatched that and brought it back. I stepped on one on the Atlantis (Nassau) lagoon several years ago that was alive. When I picked it up to see it, it was covered in a greenish/brown fuzz.

 

Pride out of Baltimore...not 100% positive but someone explained to me that it was more expensive in the summer because of the lengthy transit of the Chesapeake Bay. They are required to burn a better grade of gas while in US territorial waters (EPA rules) so it costs more for those cruises. In the fall/winter months, because it is usually colder on the first and last days, the Pride cruise out of Baltimore is cheaper. We've only looked at cruises in July/August, so never saw the prices for fall/winter. And I'm sure it's more expensive in March/April because it's Spring Break. Since it leaves from Baltimore, I'd rather do that in the summer (July/August) when it's warmer. It can get darned cold on the Chesapeake and even in May it's been cold. We've been to the Ocean City, MD, SpringFest (good bands, food, drinks) in May and only one out of four times we were there for that was warm enough to be on the beach. Brrrr!!!

 

You make a good point about when diving in a pool it's a fast decent and that's probably why.

 

I have a problem diving in the ocean...I can't stay down but a few seconds and I float back to the top. I don't know how Sakari stays down so long swimming.

 

I have been contemplating doing Sakari's bedroom or playroom and her bathroom in a "sea" theme and mermaids. I think she would love that. But, I have been waiting for Kolin to move out (12 days and counting) before doing anything.

 

Sakari is having some issues in school with several kids teasing her about her "drawing" ability. They keep being mean and saying "stop showing off" and other things. It's starting to irritate me to know end because Sakari is starting to pull back in art class because of it. She says she turns sideways and covers her papers so they can't see and I've noticed a change in her work from school. Ugh

 

I didn't see the sea biscuit at the time, but I think I might see it now. Is it toward the top at the corner of the "thing"?

 

Oh yes, I remember someone mentioning the fuel and cost had something to do with cruising out of Baltimore. I probably won't do that again since it was so expensive and SO COLD during Spring Break. I'm not into cruising away in cold weather. LOL

 

Yes, we went to both beaches. I rented a car on my last two cruise trips to St. Thomas. We spent about two hours at each place. We went, got our gear and headed for the water soon after arriving and we basically stayed out out of the water just to dry up enough as to wet the seats and stink up the car on our way from one place to another. We went to both beaches, went to Skyline drive lookout point (where you see all of Charlotte Amalie from above) and then to Drake's seat (view of the northern islands and Meagan's bay. Then we spent about 45 minutes in town and where back at the ship just in time. First time I went I managed the time better and got to the ship with lots of time to spare.

 

You have guts. I don't think I could ever rent a car and just drive on those roads not knowing where I'm going. The only reason I did it in PR is because if I got lost, I had days to figure it out. :p

 

 

Thank you! I will look into Balmoral so I can possibly repay the recap favor for you!

 

I'm in the Cleveland area. Like you, I had worked at a hospital for a long time prior to getting my nursing degree. Although I loved my unit and job I just didn't know if I'd be able to overcome the role (tech/us) that everyone thought of me as so I went off the boards when I graduated. I went into the OR at the hospital and then to a surgery center for the "big" system up here.

 

What did you wind up doing? Did you stay in your ER or move?

 

Definitely let me know what you think of Balmoral if you go. I'm definitely interested in it.

 

I so wanted to continue to work in the ER that I was in (4 years) and had worked for the hospital since 1984 and then right before I graduated, they decided to make it a rule that they would not hire RN's unless they had their BSN, so that counted me out (even though the rest of the hospital will hire you and gives you 5 (I think) years to complete it. I tried...get this, about 5 local hospitals, 3 outlying hospitals and 57 applications...and never got ONE phone call....ever! So much for dedicating my life to this hospital and having all that experience in the ER. I got mad and quite and decided to become a private home health nurse. Best thing I have ever done! I work 2-3 hours a day, pick my own schedule, pick my "area", pick my patients, make 3x the amount working for the hospital. I love chronic care and getting to know my patients. They are like family to me and it's the best ever! (Although I do admit that I sometimes miss the traumas and fast pace of the ER, just not the people or the "clicks").

 

The second Epic class cruise ship was cancelled well before they started building it. They cancelled it in 2008 when it was still in the prep stages.

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20110708...20081218161224

 

Thanks for the info and the link coop. That's what I was thinking (back when it was going on), that they cancelled before building.

 

I've been looking at that itinerary for a while as well. I really want to visit Curacao. It seems like an awesome set of ports for an 8 day cruise.

 

Exactly...3 new ports for me and going to Aruba and Curacao...can't beat that (and the price is pretty good). I have my heart set on it and that's probably what I will book myself.

 

I just found out last night....I can actually cruise for free, buying gift cards using my Southwest points. I'm STOKED! I wish I would have found out about this before now. :p

 

 

Thanks for another great review, Kim! I always enjoy going along with you and your family on your adventures. Between your great pictures and descriptions, I really do feel like I'm right there with you. I will be watching come spring to see where your next adventure will take you, and I'm sure I'll tag along for the ride.

 

Thanks so much Nancy. Glad you enjoyed the review and wish you were actually there. :) I love getting to know the people I talk to on here all the time.

 

Thanks Kim for the fabulous, fantastic review. You really should put together a travelogue.

 

My DH and I love the Epic but unfortunately he does not love cruising as much as I do. I can only get hiim on one cruise a year and I generally take about four (especially now that I am retired (or I was until I got called back to help out at my old job).

 

We did the transatlantic just before you on the Epic. Had originally planned it with a friend but she had to cancel. That seems to happen to me a lot. Booked through CAS so no single supplement and there were tons of solos on that cruise. Doubt you would like a transatlantic because of so few port days but it was a wonderful time for me to decompress. I did not join as many social activities as I originally planned, just did not seem to have the energy.

 

My DH and I are on the Epic in February for our 43rd anniversary. I hope Port Canaveral has it together by then. Also we will drive in from Cincinnati as my DH will not fly (this is a new thing as well as he has flown all over his entire life). I don't mind the drive since I won't have to go right back to work.

 

My DD and her family our my main travelling companions but she starts a new job tomorrow so her vacation time will be limited for a while. I will really miss that. The kids are almost 4 and 5 1-2 but they love it. I actually "lost" my 5 year granddaughter on the Breakaway in August and it was a terrible experience. My daughter was in the room with a bad headache and I had the kids at the kids splash area. My granddaughter is used to doing the slides with her parents and so I let her go on the slide. What we misconnected on was which slide she was going on and since I never saw her come down I freaked out. With my 3 year old grandson in hand I flagged down one of those security people by the pools but it was still 1/2 hour till we found her. She came down the different slide and did not see me so she found a security guard and a couple who took her to guest services. Suffice it to say I almost had a heart attack and they went to get my daughter from our room and she was freaking out because they would not tell her what happened. It was a real mess and not handled well but worked out fine in the end. It actually was the Beverage Manager who made things happen very quickly and got everything coordinated.

 

Anyway, I am looking at next cruises with my sights set on ones I could not do while I was working. I want to do Alaska (might wait for '18 and the new ship) and want to do the Panama Canal. I have just seen many of the Caribbean ports so many times that I want something different.

 

Another gray day in Ohio, and I so wish for some sun at least. Looking forward to your next review. Even though you had "family" issues on this one looks like your DH is very laid back. Some family vacations work for us and some just don't. You are doing well with so many of them being successful.

 

I did start working on a website, but it's so time consuming and hard to do with school. It's also hard to determine HOW to do it, because I have to copy and paste from my reviews here...which don't make sense in some things because I can't stop and put a picture in each thing. It's weird. Maybe some day I'll finish it. But I travel too much to keep up. LOL

 

I hope you have a wonderful time on the Epic next year. She's a beauty, I don't care what anyone says about her "hat". :p

 

I would definitely freak out if I lost Sakari on the ship. I always have her by my side or close by with my eyes on her. I was a "little" more relaxes this cruise because there was so many of us on it and someone was always watching.

 

Today is icky. I attempted to Christmas shop and then it started raining and I gave up. I have gotten to the point I just don't enjoy shopping anymore.

 

 

I really enjoyed your review. It's because of yours, Don's, and Gambee's reviews that I have finally taken the "plunge" and booked Escape for October 14th next year

 

You are the second person to mention Don...is this 1111? I didn't realize he did reviews and I'll have to look it up now that I'm done with mine.

 

Man, everyone is booking October 14th. I think I need to change mine!

 

 

What a fantastic review Kim! And the pictures are just AMAAAAAAAZING!

Too bad the review had to end

 

Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

 

I used a suction cup iPhone mount with a 2 foot flexible extension for the videos from the balcony, from the dock I actually held if for 15 minutes. Looks like have a pretty steady hand LOL.

 

As far as stopping and starting I just hit start and stop, I'll edit it out at the end. I have a 32GB phone however I upload lots of stuff to the cloud or my MBP then delete them. In Alaska I shot 2500 with my good camera and trashed about 40% of them

 

Thanks for the info. I'll have to check into this and give it all a try...15 minutes is a long time when you are holding something. Yikes. I barely loaded anything on my icloud and it said full to buy more. Ehh

 

Looking forward to your final thoughts and recap, still wondering if Epic holds that favorite spot for you or not as well(thinking it might have back slid a little)... I will be on her in Feb and really looking forward to it

 

 

Yea, I should probably get on this huh lol

 

 

Another fab review. Thank you for sharing.

 

Thanks so much!

 

 

Awesome review-thank you again for all the hard work! I'd be pissed too if the ship stopped in Nassau instead of GSC (I hate Nassau). I don't know if you guys have done this in the past, but for a cheap beach day in Nassau you can take a cab over to Paradise Island and hang out there at the public beach-it is much nicer than Junkanoo. You don't have to rent a chair and you don't have to buy a thing from the million vendors that are milling around. The water was nice, but I don't know about the snorkeling. Cab fare was $4-5 a person, if I recall. I have also done Balmoral island on a Carnival excursion and the place was gorgeous, but a rip off. When I went, I had my son who was 4 at the time, and they had a calm lagoon with beautiful water. Beyond that, the pool area had some sort of poop smeared all around the deck and it stunk really bad. The bar was a rip off-they charged like $10 for a can of cheap beer. Food was expensive and we just packed snacks from the ship. I'm glad I experienced it, but I won't go again. We have been to Nassau so many times I just either stay on the ship or head to Junkanoo or Paradise Island for a cheap beach day.

 

Thanks for the info on Paradise. I have never been over there (other than passing by and stopping to pick up people on the ferry) and didn't even realize that there was a beach there. I'll definitely have to check it out if I go back.

 

Balmoral sounds wonderful and I will just have to go prepared for the high prices. That seems to be the negativity toward this place with everyone. But as long as I know, I'll be ok.

 

Oh I'm so sad your review is over! I hope you take that cruise to Aruba etc that you're thinking about as I'm interested in that itinerary and would love to see your review of it. I was also loving the impromptu meeting of the Epic and the Escape and the pics! It sounds like you are very excited about going on the Escape (me too!) and maybe you won't be cancelling your trip on her after all.

 

Thank you for the lovely informative review and all the wonderful pictures.

 

Thanks for the awesome comments during the review. Glad you enjoyed it. I'm almost positive I'll be doing the Aruba cruise. It's just something I have always wanted to do (although I was hoping to do the ABC islands, but I guess we'll have to try for the "B" island another time).

 

I'm seriously thinking about changing my cruising date for this Escape cruise. I like the sounds of doing the 4 ports (even though we have done them so many times before) instead and I love those ports.

[BugsyCruiser]

Well come on and join us on October 14th then! :D ;)

[SuiteTraveler]

Of course there is Discover Scuba in Belize! The Belize Barrier Reef is considered second only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef for great Scuba diving and snorkeling!

 

Take a look at this world famous dive resort and all it has to offer!

 

http://www.hamanasi.com

 

Prices from $462 per night double occupancy - include dining for $85pp per day so almost equivalent to a cruise cost wise.

 

But that's only one dive resort. There are many, many more in this area due to the fact that this is one of the best places to dive in the world:

http://offthewallbelize.com/activities.html

http://blackbirdresort.com

http://ramons.com

http://www.turnefferesort.com/diving/

http://www.tranquilitybayresort.com/activities.html

http://costablu.sandypointresorts.com

 

But this is only a tiny list of all that is there!

 

Here's a lot more information about how great the scuba (and snorkeling) is in Belize:

http://scubadivingbelize.com

[retiring soon]

Hi all!

 

Kim ~ I sure hope you do change to the Oct 14th Escape cruise as we have a great roll call with lots of fun activities planned courtesy of BugsyCruiser.:D I'm sailing solo again in a studio.

 

I'll look forward to your Conquest review as that 's the ship I'm sailing on the day after the Escape.

 

I've been to Aruba & Curacao a couple of times & the 1st time in Aruba, which btw has beautiful beaches, I did a half sub excursion. Here we were looking out the windows & scuba divers went by. There's a sunken ship there which is kind of interesting.

Aruba also has turquoise blue lizards which I only saw on a CC member's pictures, just beautiful!

 

So sorry your review has come to an end, it was amazing as usual! Now I'll have to find some others to read. I think Radio was on Escape while I was on Vista, or maybe I should actually do something other than sit at this machine!!:o

 

Take care, best wishes to you & yours.

 

~ Jo ~ :)

[SuiteTraveler]

Cute and inexpensive tabi socks here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Womens-TABI-YOGA-Flip-Flop-Sandal-Split-Toe-Ninja-Socks-Japanese-Style-AWESOME-/262534153204?var=&hash=item3d204143f4:m:mqh5GJX18-h7Dak8xoq4Kug

[njmomof2]

Kim, really enjoyed reading this newest trip report and I'm thrilled that Sakari enjoyed scuba so much. I'm sorry to hear that she's dealing with some negativity in school regarding her art work. Little kids can be incredibly mean, and frankly, maybe a word with the art teacher might be necessary to get this little beasts to shut up.

 

Can I ask you a question about Southwest? We're flying them home from our April trip from FLL and as of now, I don't have early bird purchased. Mom has some mobility challenges (no wheelchair, but she has a cane and needs a bit more time to get on the plane, down the aisle and into a seat) and I'd heard that people needing some assistance are called either first or close to the front of boarding. You said that after the A group, they called for families with little kids. Did you notice them calling for people needing some extra time/assistance?

 

I don't think FLL will be as much of a madhouse as MCO, but it is Spring Break week so it's a possibility.

 

We're booked on Celebrity Silhouette for April 16th, but found out last week that my ex lost his job. He's supposed to have my younger son for Christmas and April break (older one is in college), but whether he's going to get a new job quickly and whether they will allow him vacation during one of the busiest weeks of the year is unknown. So just in case, I booked the Allure for the three of us in case I need to change. The boy would not enjoy Celebrity, as he's a flowrider junkie and loves the rock wall and ice skating as well.

 

Thanks for the wonderful report and any info on SW.

[mitsugirly]

Well come on and join us on October 14th then!

 

I'm seriously thinking about it. I just ask my TA to cancel my October 21st cruise. I honestly don't want to "re-do" the cruise I just took. There's just not enough port days for me.

 

Of course there is Discover Scuba in Belize! The Belize Barrier Reef is considered second only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef for great Scuba diving and snorkeling!

 

Take a look at this world famous dive resort and all it has to offer!

 

http://www.hamanasi.com

 

Prices from $462 per night double occupancy - include dining for $85pp per day so almost equivalent to a cruise cost wise.

 

But that's only one dive resort. There are many, many more in this area due to the fact that this is one of the best places to dive in the world:

http://offthewallbelize.com/activities.html

http://blackbirdresort.com

http://ramons.com

http://www.turnefferesort.com/diving/

http://www.tranquilitybayresort.com/activities.html

http://costablu.sandypointresorts.com

 

But this is only a tiny list of all that is there!

 

Here's a lot more information about how great the scuba (and snorkeling) is in Belize:

http://scubadivingbelize.com

 

Thanks for the information but we wouldn't be staying there and just looking for a Discover Scuba to do when in port. The other thing is...NCL is going to Harvest Caye now and rumor has it that there's no way off the island unless you book a ship excursion. Others seem to think they will not get services, such as a ferry, to take people over to Belize City in order to keep people within the ship compound and keep money in their pockets. If that's the case, I don't imagine I will be doing scuba in Belize. :(

 

 

Hi all!

 

Kim ~ I sure hope you do change to the Oct 14th Escape cruise as we have a great roll call with lots of fun activities planned courtesy of BugsyCruiser. I'm sailing solo again in a studio.

 

I'll look forward to your Conquest review as that 's the ship I'm sailing on the day after the Escape.

 

I've been to Aruba & Curacao a couple of times & the 1st time in Aruba, which btw has beautiful beaches, I did a half sub excursion. Here we were looking out the windows & scuba divers went by. There's a sunken ship there which is kind of interesting.

Aruba also has turquoise blue lizards which I only saw on a CC member's pictures, just beautiful!

 

So sorry your review has come to an end, it was amazing as usual! Now I'll have to find some others to read. I think Radio was on Escape while I was on Vista, or maybe I should actually do something other than sit at this machine!!

 

 

Take care, best wishes to you & yours.

 

I ask my TA to cancel my Oct 21st cruise. So, we'll see. I really don't want to do that route again any time soon and only 3 ports is just not want I want.

 

I wonder which place is the best to scuba...Aruba or Curacao? Any suggestions for a beach? I will be starting some research on them soon.

 

The blue lizards sound amazing. I had to look up pictures of them online. WOW! Sakari would love that.

 

Cute and inexpensive tabi socks here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Womens-TABI-...-h7Dak8xoq4Kug

 

Sweet Suite....I just bought the ones with the whale on them. This is going to be fun watching her opening it. :D

 

 

Kim, really enjoyed reading this newest trip report and I'm thrilled that Sakari enjoyed scuba so much. I'm sorry to hear that she's dealing with some negativity in school regarding her art work. Little kids can be incredibly mean, and frankly, maybe a word with the art teacher might be necessary to get this little beasts to shut up.

 

Can I ask you a question about Southwest? We're flying them home from our April trip from FLL and as of now, I don't have early bird purchased. Mom has some mobility challenges (no wheelchair, but she has a cane and needs a bit more time to get on the plane, down the aisle and into a seat) and I'd heard that people needing some assistance are called either first or close to the front of boarding. You said that after the A group, they called for families with little kids. Did you notice them calling for people needing some extra time/assistance?

 

I don't think FLL will be as much of a madhouse as MCO, but it is Spring Break week so it's a possibility.

 

We're booked on Celebrity Silhouette for April 16th, but found out last week that my ex lost his job. He's supposed to have my younger son for Christmas and April break (older one is in college), but whether he's going to get a new job quickly and whether they will allow him vacation during one of the busiest weeks of the year is unknown. So just in case, I booked the Allure for the three of us in case I need to change. The boy would not enjoy Celebrity, as he's a flowrider junkie and loves the rock wall and ice skating as well.

 

Thanks for the wonderful report and any info on SW.

 

 

Sakari has been dealing with some (what I would call) bullying at school from a few select girls (who one happens to be in the art class and teasing her). Our August cruise out of San Juan, I purchased 2 really pretty fans that were sewn with a design and Sakari took them to school and one of the girls took it from her. It took over 2 months to get it returned and it was broken. Then the art thing. Then there's a recess thing as well and also classroom issues...same 2 girls each time. (There's something going on with that school with kids starting with the name "Isa" because it's an Isabelle and Isabella LOL). I'm getting a little "ticked" about it and was going to discuss it with her teachers at parent-teach conference...but that was going on when we were on this past cruise. We can't seem to get our days together for a good time to meet. :(

 

Usually if they are in a wheelchair, they allow them to board FIRST. Then business select, then the A class, then families with children under 6, then B class, then C. They give them plenty of time to get situated prior to others getting on. If she has mobility problems, I would put her in a wheelchair and roll her down to get on the plane. It would just be more safer, less stress, and she would have plenty of time to get situated before the madhouse of others get on. Going down the hall to get on the plane can be a safety risk for those with mobility issues. Being the nurse that I am, I'm always about falls risk and preventing that. Put her in a wheelchair for transfer down to the plane!

 

Oasis, lucky you (and your son). Can't give up the flowrider for Celebrity. I would have to agree with him. :p

 

 

 

 

So I have been battling a terrible cough since returning from the cruise, which resulted in laryngitis last weekend for 2 days. I got my voice back, but the cough and sinuses persisted. It has gotten so bad that when I cough, the entire left side of my face and skull hurts to bad.

 

Went to the doctor today and was diagnosed with severe bronchitis, sinusitis and she said both of my ears are completely full of fluid and she thinks I may have pneumonia. Of course the first thing I wanted to know was it related to scuba diving (since I have 2 others in the house that had issues with their ears after diving).

 

They gave me a shot, antibiotics, steroids, and told me to return Friday. If I'm not better, they will do an xray to confirm pneumonia. This will be the second time I have come home with some respiratory illness from a cruise. PEOPLE WASH YOUR HANDS AND COVER YOUR MOUTHS when cruising. I don't want your junk!

 

This is very odd for me because working in the hospital for over 30 years and around super sick people all the time, my immunity is VERY high and I hardly ever get sick. The last 2 years...I have now had bronchitis twice and norovirus once. Cruising is killing me I tell ya! :p

[julie3fan]

Kim, I hope you don't mind me asking, because I don't want to go back thru your entire review. Did you go to either Burn the Floor or Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and if so, how long was each show? I'll be able to make my reservations in a few weeks and want to time things as best I can. TIA.

[Buccaneergirl]

Kim,

 

Great review! Have been enjoying it so much! Dh and I were also on the

Nov. 12 Epic cruise and we both also got sick with the horrible cough, low grade fever and cold.

Dh started having symptoms on Wednesday of the cruise and ended up at the doctor the Monday after the cruise. He had a sinus infection and eye infection.

I caught it from him and started having symptoms the Saturday after Thanksgiving and am still battling the cough, but thankfully never had to get antibiotics.

Take care of yourself and try and rest.