Just got on the epic!

[Rhea98]

Do you know if self-assist still get colored luggage tags or are they only for those leaving their luggage outside the cabin the night before?

Unless it's changed, no tags for self-disembarkation when we arrived at Port Canaveral from Barcelona (or on any other NCL cruise we've taken since 2010). Further, people who were trying to disembark before tagged luggage times, but had no luggage with them, were stopped.

But, as we all know, "things" change.

 

Nexus 9

[BoozeCruiser83]

I am also Insulin dependant diabetic and no if you have to wait until later you are shovelling more food in inbetween.

 

I think we have made a mistake with this cruise as we are going with my sister and Partner who are new to cruising.. I find some of the things, upsells, all this pre booking malarky alien to usual cruising.

 

i want to get into Cagneys on day 2 of the cruise as it is my Husbands birthday. It is like living on a knife edge waiting to book. As for waiting in line to see if you can get in a show, well forget that.

 

The drinks package not covering water and soda !! and not being able to bring any on whats that all about other than money making.

 

We are booked now so I will go along and hopefully have a good time. I should have done more research.

 

i dont want my sister coming away thinking never again

 

 

Make reservations when u get on the ship. I looked at app and messed around on the first day and most if not all time slots were still available. I've heard that they only let so much book in advance. The only days the specialty restaurants seemed busy were the last 2 nights.

 

For the shows, book the first couple of nights comedy/etc on the touch screens as soon as you get on the ship then go to the box office when it opens to confirm the rest of the weeks. They will even give u a slip with the shows you booked highlighted so u don't forget later in the week! If you can, book Priscilla and burn the floor now online then work the other shows in around them as they are both NOT TO BE MISSED.

 

The only time I felt the crowds was when the big shows let out. The pool deck was just as crowded as other ships on sea days but it didn't seem any worse then the smaller ships.

 

And the drink package does include soda. No bottled water but there are water bubblers set up around the bars and the water is fine.

 

 

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[Thrilled2012]

Make reservations when u get on the ship. I looked at app and messed around on the first day and most if not all time slots were still available. I've heard that they only let so much book in advance. The only days the specialty restaurants seemed busy were the last 2 nights.

 

For the shows, book the first couple of nights comedy/etc on the touch screens as soon as you get on the ship then go to the box office when it opens to confirm the rest of the weeks. They will even give u a slip with the shows you booked highlighted so u don't forget later in the week! If you can, book Priscilla and burn the floor now online then work the other shows in around them as they are both NOT TO BE MISSED.

 

The only time I felt the crowds was when the big shows let out. The pool deck was just as crowded as other ships on sea days but it didn't seem any worse then the smaller ships.

 

 

And the drink package does include soda. No bottled water but there are water bubblers set up around the bars and the water is fine.

 

 

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I couldn't agree more. I was going to make those points but after scrolling down I noticed that you said everything that I was going to say :D

[Ned11]

Thanks for your review Blackburnrovers we live in Morecambe now but lived in rishton for 50 years so very near to rovers

 

 

 

I live in Heysham. Close to Blackburn too. [emoji4]

 

 

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[Dei3Nascar8]

I don't sail on the Epic until December but I am interested in these updates.

 

We are sailing in December as well, the week before Christmas.

[lawnbowler48]

Just want to let Chief Cruiser know that our last trip on the Epic we were a party of eight and I went to the booking desk the second day and was able to get a couple of reservations within a half hour of the time we wanted for the resteraunts we wanted. I am quite sure if you talk to them and explain you will have no problem as they do try and accommodate

[LMKakaThing2]

How long after docking did self-assist debarkation begin? Do you know if self-assist still get colored luggage tags or are they only for those leaving their luggage outside the cabin the night before?

 

 

 

I just got off this cruise yesterday as well. We were docked by 5:30 and self assist started around 6:45. They didn't make an announcement though until several minutes later. They showed it on some of the small screens around the ship but not the large screen in the atrium.

 

We had been waiting near O'Sheehan's for an announcement and nothing came until we were getting ready to walk off the ship, but it was on the tv's stating easy walk off had already begun.

 

I would start paying attention to the small screens throughout the ship starting around 6:30 for easy walk off updates.

 

 

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[LMKakaThing2]

I also boarded the Epic on the 14th and had a different boarding experience than Remedy. Granted, we arrived to the port much earlier...a little after 9am [emoji33]. Definitely wasn't our intention since we had to get gas and breakfast and we even missed our turn getting off of A1A. We left our hotel sometime after 8:30.

 

I knew we would be waiting in the terminal but was hoping boarding would actually start earlier than they stated in their voicemails. I was checked in by 10am and around 11:45 they started the boarding process. I had snagged the first boarding group for general boarding and was sitting on O'Sheehan's by 12:15.

 

Considering the terminal was overflowing with passengers, I was surprised I was on in about 30 minutes after boarding began. The only issue was that staterooms weren't ready until almost 3pm and we only received one update around 1:30 stating they were still working on them.

 

We had a few minor issues with our room when we were finally allowed to enter it. We had no bathroom curtain and was informed it was being "washed" and the previous cruisers had ripped the light out of the ceiling above the beds. When we returned after sail away, both had been taken care of.

 

 

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[Chief Cruiser]

Just want to let Chief Cruiser know that our last trip on the Epic we were a party of eight and I went to the booking desk the second day and was able to get a couple of reservations within a half hour of the time we wanted for the resteraunts we wanted. I am quite sure if you talk to them and explain you will have no problem as they do try and accommodate

 

Thanks so much for the info. I will make adjustments and tweak once onboard. Do you have to make reservations for the comedy shows and other venues such as the Beatles' cover band, Karaoke, etc???

[jaxw17]

I live in Heysham. Close to Blackburn too. [emoji4]

 

 

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I live off Oxcliffe Road small world

[Ned11]

I live off Oxcliffe Road small world

 

 

 

So do I! Ha ha ha. Definitely a small world. [emoji4]

 

 

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[BLACKBURNROVERS]

I live in Heysham. Close to Blackburn too. [emoji4]

 

 

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Were either you or jaxw17 at the big game at the Globe Arena today?

Edited January 23, 2017 by BLACKBURNROVERS

[Ned11]

Were either you or jaxw17 at the big game at the Globe Arena today?

 

 

 

What game was that? I know they were meant to be playing down south at the weekend but was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

I'll be honest, I'm a Liverpool fan! I know, I know, boo, hiss! [emoji23]

 

 

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[BLACKBURNROVERS]

What game was that?

 

Premier League Cup game between Burnley and Blackburn Rovers

[Ned11]

Premier League Cup game between Burnley and Blackburn Rovers

 

 

 

Ahhh, no. Not been to the Globe unless there is a function on.

 

 

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[coaster]

The more research I do, the more the "not so much freedom at sea" is becoming more and more of a reality as you have stated. I am kinda a numbers guy and when I see such limited seating capacity in the venues, along with the standard occupancy - which is based on double occupancy numbers and can far exceed the baseline, booking becomes a virtual shoving match to get in line first. If you don't, then you are just crap out of luck.

 

Sorry you didn't get to experience NCL in their golden years in the 90's. No reservations or overcrowding anywhere. Ships carried 600 to 2000 passengers max. No lines anywhere. Others will always like the current mega-ships with all those extra tariff restaurants and ice bars thrown in for good measure.

Edited January 23, 2017 by coaster

[sweetjem]

From parking to ship took an entire 30 minutes. Long lines at elevators but all in all smooth so far

 

 

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Remedy69 can you tell me what kind of room you had?

[Chief Cruiser]

Sorry you didn't get to experience NCL in their golden years in the 90's. No reservations or overcrowding anywhere. Ships carried 600 to 2000 passengers max. No lines anywhere. Others will always like the current mega-ships with all those extra tariff restaurants and ice bars thrown in for good measure.

 

Thanks for the thought and a quick trip down memory lane! I have been mostly a Carnival cruiser for the past 16 or so years and they, as others, have made changes down through the years that were both positive and negative from my viewpoint. The world is a much different place from that point and time as well and it is incumbent upon businesses to make changes to keep up with the changing demands - I get that. BUT, as I've come to realize as I grow older, there's something to be said for the "good ole days". While at the time, they may not have seemed so good, but now looking back, they weren't all that bad either! My, my, how things have changed.:eek: Then again, so has my affection for the Serenity Prayer!!!! :) LOL

[jaxw17]

So do I! Ha ha ha. Definitely a small world. [emoji4]

 

 

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Stud Farm Park Homes

[jaxw17]

Were either you or jaxw17 at the big game at the Globe Arena today?

 

only been to one football match in my life and that was when we moved here a couple of years ago it was The Shrimps v Accrington Stanley. The most exciting thing that happened was a players shorts fell down. I dont think I will be rushing back

[BoozeCruiser83]

Remedy69 can you tell me what kind of room you had?

 

 

We had an inside cabin on deck 9. Cozy but lots of storage space. The odd bathroom setup was weird but didn't bother us.

 

Also to answer someone else's earlier questions, you needed reservations for the main comedy and epic theatre shows but not the karaoke, Beatles or game shows.

 

 

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[Chief Cruiser]

We had an inside cabin on deck 9. Cozy but lots of storage space. The odd bathroom setup was weird but didn't bother us.

 

Also to answer someone else's earlier questions, you needed reservations for the main comedy and epic theatre shows but not the karaoke, Beatles or game shows.

 

 

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Thanks so much for the info!