Review: Epic Western Med July 8 2012 with photos and details

[anniversay/grad trip]

Siena, continued.

 

On our way back from Siena to the ship, since we had a good 4 hours before sail time, we decided to take the long way back via the city of Cecina. It's a good thing we had time because this is definitely the SLOW way back ;) (3hrs instead of 2 hrs via Florence).

 

But here are some of the nice vistas we got to enjoy while crawling behind a huge truck that was having a really hard time negotiating the small roads and tight turns.

 

 

There were signs along to the way for locally produced wine and olive oil. We didn't stop at any of them, but I think that would have been a great thing to do, all be it luck of the draw on the local quality, but just because it comes from Tuscany would make it above average, right?

 

 

A three random shot along the road, Tuscany is truly beautiful:

 

 

 

 

Unlike what we witnessed in Naples, the people of Tuscany take great pride in their beautiful countryside and local products and the overall wonderfulness of the place. It's really a precious place to visit, and the longer you can stay, the more you'll get out of it, but this is a cruise, gotta move on!

 

Do you happen to remember the road you took from Siena? We would like to take the most scenic route (preferably to Siena) that has the roads you see in the movies (Under the Tuscan Sun comes to mind), with the olive trees growing over the road etc. We have been to Tuscany once before (visited Pisa then went for wine tasting in Lucca) but to be honest alot of what I remember was putting my hands over my eyes, as my Dh drove along very narrow roads that had what looked like 1000ft drops. I white knuckled alot of Tuscany, which I was hoping to avoid this time round. A low road route is what I'm hoping for.

[mcmomny]

Something very important about Naples that I forgot to mention: in Naples you dock right up to a proper cruise terminal (just like in Barcelona). That means that security scanning is done by port employees. They do not care what you bring back to the ship in terms of wine bottles and such. So this would be a very good place to bring back a little alcohol that is not likely to be stored away until the end of the cruise. We brought back two bottles of wine and two bottles of limoncello that I fully intended to turn in at the door and get back at the end of the cruise, but since nobody asked me I kept them in my cabin. See, no need for all those smuggling schemes, just know where to buy the good stuff off the ship to bring it back!

 

NCL didn't check bags as you were getting back on and swiping your card?

[mcmomny]

PS enjoying your review!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I'm so enjoying your review and will continue to check back to read the rest of it. :D I'm not doing this itinerary until October 2013, but still love reading teh reviews in the meantime. I'm sure I'll read it a few times when I get to really planning for the cruise (I have three cruises and a few weeks in Germany to plan before this cruise, so it'll be a while :o).

[Jolimont]

NCL didn't check bags as you were getting back on and swiping your card?

 

No they did not, all bags were scanned in the cruise terminal by port personnel. When we walked on to the ship with our shoulder bag and checked back in with the computer, NCL never asked what was inside the bag and they did NOT scan our bags again.

[Jolimont]

Do you happen to remember the road you took from Siena? We would like to take the most scenic route (preferably to Siena) that has the roads you see in the movies (Under the Tuscan Sun comes to mind), with the olive trees growing over the road etc. We have been to Tuscany once before (visited Pisa then went for wine tasting in Lucca) but to be honest alot of what I remember was putting my hands over my eyes, as my Dh drove along very narrow roads that had what looked like 1000ft drops. I white knuckled alot of Tuscany, which I was hoping to avoid this time round. A low road route is what I'm hoping for.

 

I do not remember what road it was, we just told the GPS to take us back via Cecina and avoid freeways and that's what we got. There may be more scenic routes, I don't know, but we enjoyed that one all the same.

[mcmomny]

No they did not, all bags were scanned in the cruise terminal by port personnel. When we walked on to the ship with our shoulder bag and checked back in with the computer, NCL never asked what was inside the bag and they did NOT scan our bags again.

 

 

Thanks!

 

In Hawaii we had the same thing one day, the port checked us out and scanned our carry ons but when we got on board they looked inside bags before we swipped our cards

 

It's nice to know this but I still might be to0 chicken to try to bring on a bottle of wine, I would be the one who gets caught!

 

Very nice review, thanks!

[sbt518]

Thanks!

 

In Hawaii we had the same thing one day, the port checked us out and scanned our carry ons but when we got on board they looked inside bags before we swipped our cards

 

It's nice to know this but I still might be to0 chicken to try to bring on a bottle of wine, I would be the one who gets caught!

 

Very nice review, thanks!

 

 

But if you get "caught" with the wine you can just have NCL hold it until the end of the cruise for you and there is no big deal.

 

Also, I'm not saying I've done this but sometimes when you walk past the security area to the tables to check your alcohol purchases before going up to your room there is a large crowd of people there and some people may get lost in the shuffle and just go up the elevators to their room and not bother to stop and check their wine. Just saying, it could happen.

[RBPatt]

But if you get "caught" with the wine you can just have NCL hold it until the end of the cruise for you and there is no big deal.

 

In Hawaii we were unaware of the new alcohol policy (this was 5 years ago) and tried to take a bottle of wine in our carryon. We also had a big kitchen knife in the bag (nothing sinister). When they scanned the bag they made us check the wine but ignored the knife.

 

We also had two bottles of wine in our checked luggage. After we sailed or bags never made it to the room. When I called to report them missing they said I had to come to an office in one of the lower decks.

 

When I arrived they had my luggage set aside with the two bottles of wine on a table. I was then lectured by two kids for attempting to smuggle alcohol aboard. I had no problem with their policy, but I didn't like being treated like a drug mule. :eek:

 

The next day a manager dropped by our room with one of our wine bottles and apologized for the way we were treated by the wine n-a-z-i (sorry for the dashes, this editor keeps converitg that word to astericks) that was a was a nice touch and made us feel better.

 

Like you I'm a little concerned about bringing wine in our carryon. Maybe we'll be OK if we put it in our checked bags in Barcelona Any thoughts? It would be nice to have a bottle or two in the room.

 

BTW we're sailing on the Epic on September 2.

[Jolimont]

But if you get "caught" with the wine you can just have NCL hold it until the end of the cruise for you and there is no big deal.

 

Also, I'm not saying I've done this but sometimes when you walk past the security area to the tables to check your alcohol purchases before going up to your room there is a large crowd of people there and some people may get lost in the shuffle and just go up the elevators to their room and not bother to stop and check their wine. Just saying, it could happen.

 

Exactly! In Naples I fully intended to check the wine in until the end of the cruise, I was really surprised NCL security never asked what was in the bag. I also bought wine and olive oil in Siena and checked it in since NCL was doing the security screening and they totally saw the wine. They let me keep the olive oil, funny that, isn't it?!

 

And exactly to your second point too! When there are a lot of people getting back on the ship and around the wine check-in table, who's to say some folks don't get through the cracks? Never did that, I am NOT speaking from experience, but I'm sure it happens.

[Jolimont]

Like you I'm a little concerned about bringing wine in our carryon. Maybe we'll be OK if we put it in our checked bags in Barcelona Any thoughts? It would be nice to have a bottle or two in the room.

 

In Barcelona the ship also docks up against an actual cruise terminal with stores and stuff (yes, booze too) and guess who does the security check-in in Barcelona? Port of Barcelona employees! They don't care if you bring booze or not, especially if you're discreet and don't carry too much. And hey, if NCL security scans your carry-on bags again (but I bet they won't!) tell them you just got some booze and need to check it in and you won't get lectured again. Enjoy the cruise, I wish I was going again myself! :D

[tjones62]

Great information! Two friends and I are booked on this cruise for my birthday. I look forward to even more tips as none in our group has been to the Med before.

[RBPatt]

In Barcelona the ship also docks up against an actual cruise terminal with stores and stuff (yes, booze too) and guess who does the security check-in in Barcelona? Port of Barcelona employees! They don't care if you bring booze or not :D

 

That makes sense. In Hawaii everything was scanned by NCL personnel (even at the port of Honolulu) who were ever vigilant against smugglers....even at the busiest of times.

 

It was a major topic of conversation among the passengers. People were often sharing stories about how there were either caught or "got over" in one way or another. People made a spot of beating the system.

 

I understand their need to increase sales on the ship, the the whole thing seemed pretty silly. But that was 5 years ago. Maybe things have changed.

[mcmomny]

On the Pearl I bought their wine bottles to save a few buck but I didn't like carrying around my bottle and sometimes the wait to go get my bottle from the storage room was annoying so on the POA I just bought by the glass, and for the most part it cost me about the same for a glass of wine as when I go out for a nice dinner!

 

We went to the Wine bar each night during happy hour to have our fill, then had one glass at dinner and all was good!

 

I think it's silly how you can buy their bottles and buckets of beer but then you have to walk around carrying your booze everywhere! Oh well!

[kenrod]

Thank you for your review Jolimont. I am really enjoying it and looking forward to your continuing adventure.

[Jolimont]

Did you climb the tower at Piazza del Campo Jolimont? I've wanted to visit Siena after seeing how beautiful it is in the last Bond film (I don't want to go because of the movie, just saw how amazing it was which put Siena on my bucket list :D ).

 

Yes I did, but it was years ago on my first visit to Siena as a teen, I don't remember much other than the stairs are narrow and the view is fabulous :D. We weren't sure how long it would take (there was a bit of a line, maybe 50 people in line, so we passed this time. It's a great reason to go back to Siena ;)

[Jolimont]

Hey there

I cannot find the roll Call for our ship/date and I have tried can you help me out,,. link or something I would love to join a private tour, especially to Florence! thanks Regina

 

I think maybe tgis is what you're looking for:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1326540&highlight=16

[mqholt]

Here's the direct link to that NCL wine coupon:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A5c1XPMCAAAoo7K.jpg:large