An Epic Solo Adventure (Review of the Norwegian Epic - October 2014)

[LibrarianLizy]

Cruise Day 6 – Cannes (Friday):

 

The rainy weather from the day before followed us in the form of rough seas and I woke up a few times in the night with my stomach rolling with the ship. I can’t imagine what it would have been like at the front or the rear, because I could really feel it moving in my inside cabin buried way in the middle of deck 12. It didn’t make me sick and nothing was banging around like I’ve read about, but even after we docked, I could still feel the ship moving with the waves. I do get seasick and this didn't make me ill, if that gives you any indication as to how much motion I could feel.

 

I didn’t book a shore excursion in Cannes. I had planned on taking the train to Nice after exploring Cannes a bit, but I changed my mind at the last minute. I had already booked my tender time (you have to take a tender into Cannes; it’s not deep enough to dock such big ships) for 9:00 so I got up and had a nice breakfast in the Garden Café (try the waffles!) before heading down to catch my tender.

 

The tendering process was not very organized. No one was checking to see if people were signed up for that time and the line was pretty long. I wondered what the point of signing up for a time even was? It didn’t take very long to get on the tender, but it did take a while to get going because of the slightly rough water. I was glad I had taken a Dramamine early that morning otherwise I would have been greener than grass.

 

Cannes is absolutely beautiful. The weather was super nice and I instantly regretted not bringing my bathing suit when I saw the beach right by the dock. I did make sure to roll up my pants and stick my feet in the water so I could at least say I had been in the Mediterranean. Using Rick Steves’s guidebook for directions, I moseyed my way by the hundreds of yachts and spent several hours just strolling along the main drag looking at all the fancy shops and hotels, and people watching. I briefly considered taking one of the little train tours that kept going by, but decided I wasn’t super interested in anything other than enjoying the atmosphere and the sunshine. I found some wifi at a handy McDonald’s where I was able to get a Coke Lite (with ice!!). After that, I was starting to get hungry, so I decided to make my way back to the ship where I could get a non-touristy lunch. I toyed with the idea of eating in Cannes, but all the restaurants were pretty touristy and I didn’t feel like venturing off the main street alone. Plus, lunch on the ship was free.

 

I ate lunch in O’Sheehan’s where the food was decent but the service sucked. I spent a good chunk of the afternoon sitting up on my favorite sundeck, enjoying the incredible view of Cannes, and the rest of it working on my book that was starting to flow a little bit. I did, of course, hit the thermal suite, later in the afternoon, and had delightful conversations with various people. I managed to snag a heated lounger which I laid on until I realized the ship was started to move, and so I went out to the balcony to watch the sail away. It was so nice, that I completely lost track of time and missed the solo gathering. I stayed in the spa, enjoying the quiet and the luxury of being curled up in a fluffy robe, having a cup of tea on a gorgeous balcony while sailing away from the Côte d'Azur. Tough life, right?

 

Since it was late, I decided to eat at the Garden Café for dinner. I was impressed with the variety of foods, but I couldn’t tell you what I ate so it clearly wasn’t memorable. I do remember it being pretty crowded and that there were a good number of kids running around. The only thing memorable about the food was the desserts; it was some sort of chocolate extravaganza night, so I sampled a few things and then took an éclair back to my room for later. I had a very quiet night, working on my book, and went to bed early, rocked by the gentle movement of the ship.

[LibrarianLizy]

Cruise Day 7 – Palma de Mallorca (Saturday):

 

We weren’t scheduled to dock in Palma until 1:00 and the activities schedule was crowded with things to do on this morning at sea. I had planned on going to a yoga class, but decided I’d rather sleep in a little. That’s the problem with inside cabins; there’s no light at all to disturb you, which is terrific, but it also makes it so hard to wake up in the morning. I ate breakfast again in the Garden Café which was very, very crowded. I ended up sharing a table with a very nice lady who was traveling with her son. She invited me to sit with her after seeing me look around helplessly for a table. I thought that was great and will definitely invite people to sit with me when the buffet is really crowded.

 

I had originally thought I would use this as a beach day, but after my very quiet and completely alone day yesterday, I decided I needed to be around people so I headed the shore excursion desk to see what offerings were available. There was a tour to a winery that promised a tasting and a tour of the island and of the town that was very reasonably priced, so I signed up for that one.

 

I had several hours before I had to head to the meeting place, so I headed up to the sundeck to enjoy our warmest and sunniest day so far. In my previous attempts at sunbathing, I had only lasted an hour or a little more before getting cold or the sun disappearing, so this was a welcome change. There were very few people up there so early so it was quiet, but a little while later a couple of the ladies from the solo cabins joined me and we all passed a very pleasant morning reading and talking. I made plans with one lady to share a cab to the airport the next morning.

 

When I showed up to my excursion meet up, I discovered that two other solos, ladies who I had become “cruise friends” with were also on this tour! I was excited to see familiar faces and I knew that this would be a great excursion simply because I wouldn’t be completely by myself. And I was right; this was my favorite excursion. The winery was so much better than the one in Tuscany, and we had a wonderful tasting of 4 different wines and a locally produced rum. They were very generous with their pours, but luckily they also provided some tasty snacks, all produced locally as well, to help absorb some of that alcohol. I ended up buying this spiced honey that they had drizzled over some crackers and have very much enjoyed having a little taste of Palma at home.

 

After the winery, we took a drive around the island listening to our guide, who was very well informed and spoke excellent English. Our next stop was a castle, up on the highest point in Mallorca, for photos. The view was absolutely superb and I got some amazing shots of the bay, all the yachts docked there, and of the island.

 

Our final destination was Palma itself. Unfortunately, there was a marathon being held the next day and a good chunk of the city was blocked off. Our guide and bus driver tried to find another way through so that we could have some time to explore, but they didn’t have any luck. We did get a little bit of a driving tour of places that this tour didn’t normal go, so that was nice. We were finally able to park and get out, but with only 30 minutes of free time, there wasn’t enough time to really see anything. Plus, the crowd was so thick due to a children’s race that was being run, that we barely had enough time to grab some souvenirs and head back to the bus. Despite the hullaballoo, this was a great excursion, worth much more than I paid. It was a great introduction to Mallorca and now I really want to vacation there and see more of this incredibly beautiful place.

 

There wasn’t much time between returning to the ship and the solo meet up at 6:30, so I didn’t get to spend my final afternoon in the spa. There wasn’t any planned activities for us solos that evening, but there were enough of us gathered together, that our lovely host got us a couple of tables in one of the main dining rooms (I don’t remember which one) for a final farewell dinner. I still had to pack but I didn’t want to leave the group yet, and neither did anyone else. We decided to go back to the solo lounge for a pajama party, have a few drinks, and say our goodbyes, making it an early evening. It was a lovely way to end the evening and the trip.

[SnowshoeCat]

Thanks for the information and wonderful review. I think a Med cruise is moving up on my wishlist.

[LibrarianLizy]

Disembarkation Day – Barcelona (Sunday):

 

My flight wasn’t scheduled to leave until almost noon, but I had arranged to share a cab with someone whose flight left an hour earlier. That wasn’t a big deal and I didn’t mind leaving a little early, so we made plans to meet at 7:45 to leave the ship by 8:00. Naturally, I ran late that morning and didn’t have time for breakfast, but thanks to the lovely solo lounge, I was able to grab a pastry and some coffee that is always available. (In the afternoon they put out cookies for snacking!)

 

I had chosen to do the “easy walk off” which means I got to keep my luggage with me and was free to leave the ship whenever I wanted. This is ideal for anyone who doesn’t have a prearranged transfer to the airport. We left the solo lounge right at 8:00 and I think we were off the ship before 8:10. No joke. It was the fastest, most efficient disembarkation I have ever seen. Since we didn’t leave the EU, there was no customs to clear so we literally walked off the ship, through the terminal, and out to the taxi stand. I had read horror stories about hours-long lines for a taxi, but there were a slew of taxis waiting and maybe 8 or 9 groups in front of us. We were on our way to the airport before 8:30. I was prepared for the worst and got the best; I love when that happens!

 

It ended up that it was a good thing that I got there so early. I quickly learned that Spanish airports make Italian airports look like masters of efficiency. Something was wrong with the computers at the Delta line, so the line was almost out the door to check in. Luckily, a nice woman was walking around explaining the situation and moving people who only needed to drop their bags (like me) to a different line. That line was shorter but still not moving. It also seems that multiple cruise lines were disembarking in Barcelona that morning so there were lots and lots of people. You would think they would be used to this kind of crowd, but no one seemed to be in a hurry and they only had two (out maybe 10) check-in places open, and one bag-drop spot open. There is also no computer kiosk check in, and due to some odd security thing, I had to be given a printed boarding pass instead of using the Delta app on my phone like always. So I ended up having to do a real check in anyway. This was all very complicated because no one seemed to speak very good English yet everyone in line was American. Obviously, this took well over an hour.

 

Security was another experience all together. Just like in the States, you have to remove your shoes, your liquids, your belt, and empty your pockets, but unlike the US, the Barcelona airport requires that you remove all your electronics (not just your laptops) from you bags and place them in the bins to be scanned. Of course there were no signs detailing this (there are signs everywhere in Europe except when you need them) so I ended up having to go back through security with my iPad and phone out and in separate bins from the rest of my stuff. It would have been very helpful if I spoke Spanish, because any and all directions that were being given were in Spanish. I must have looked pretty bewildered because a security guy (the Spanish equivalent of TSA I guess) took pity on this dumb American and explained to me what I needed to do to get through security properly. Once I made it through security and reorganized all my stuff, my gate was easy to find, despite being in some weird international no-man zone where there was only one place to get a snack (talk about a rip off!) and only one bathroom.

 

My flight left on time and I spent the next 8 hours attempting to be comfortable and cursing myself for flying Delta. After a trip through JFK customs using their new computer systems, which are very fancy except I was confused on why I had to get my passport looked at before AND after I collected by bags, I was back in the States and headed back to Atlanta.

 

And so ends my super long description of my amazing cruise. :) I hope this was informative and enjoyable!

 

What questions do you have for me? I’m happy to provide more details on my decision to travel solo, Norwegian, the Epic, or any of my experiences.

[Orlcruz]

Hi LibrarianLizy! Thanks for posting this review - this will make planning my trip much easier!! I have a question about your Delta flight - it sounds like it wasn't a pleasant flight - was it the seats that were uncomfortable? I'm looking at the same flights thru Delta and wondered if upgrading to economy comfort might make it better.

Thanks again!!!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[LibrarianLizy]

Hi LibrarianLizy! Thanks for posting this review - this will make planning my trip much easier!! I have a question about your Delta flight - it sounds like it wasn't a pleasant flight - was it the seats that were uncomfortable? I'm looking at the same flights thru Delta and wondered if upgrading to economy comfort might make it better.

Thanks again!!!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

It was the seats that were uncomfortable. They're very small and exactly the same as the ones you find on domestic flights. The legroom felt the same to me as well. I'm not sure if economy comfort would be better or not. Had there been an aisle or window EC seat open, I would have booked it since it wasn't that much more expensive.

 

I feel like Delta's international flights are exactly the same as their domestic ones, if that tells you anything. My opinion, and what I will do on my next international flight, is that Delta is only worth if they are significantly cheaper or if you're redeeming miles for your flights. I think I'll stick to Delta for domestic and look at non-American airlines when flying overseas.

 

I hope that helps!

Edited December 8, 2014 by LibrarianLizy

[maureencruiser]

Thanks for the review- great fun! :D

[glittergal1]

great review I am sailing May 31st from Barcelona and celebrating my Birthday on June 3rd I quite fancy trying the Ice bar for the experience , did you try this ?

[AV8rix]

I'm a solo but I'm HAL rather than NCL (because I'm a member of HAL's core demographic :( ). Just wanted to compliment you on the most ARTICULATE review that I've ever read -- on this board or anywhere else. What a pleasure!

[Mike1948]

I was on the repositioning of Norwegian Epic from Barcelona to Miami in late October to mid-November.

 

I had a studio cabin. There were several faults will it:

 

The major one was the double bed. As NCL markets studios for singles it does seem pointless to have a double bed. The size of it restricts the amount of storage space in the studio which is at a premium.

 

There are also two very annoying sliding doors. One covers the TV or the wardrobe and the other the wash basin or more storage space. I had maintenance three times trying to make one of the sliding doors work properly but they failed and I ended up having to lift it off its runners completely! Another passenger in a studio had the same problem.

 

Another major annoyance was that the light in the toilet was activated by movement. When I went in there for anything more than about 30 seconds and did not move, the light went out. I had to wave my hands around while sitting on the throne or leave the door open!

 

There is only an uncomfortable stool in the studio to sit on and hardly any desk space.

 

I also found the lights extremely annoying. To try to create an atmosphere they change colour periodically. It takes a while to work out how to make them give a constant white light when you want to read a book in bed.

 

I have been on five cruises before I went on Epic and the cabin was the worst of the lot. I would certainly not relish the prospect of another 14 days in one of them.

 

One thing I did like on Epic was the quality of the food in the buffet.

 

Yet another gripe was the difficulty of finding anywhere where one could sit in peace without being bombarded by music of one form or another. I like music but I don't like having it thrust upon me. Even the library is not immune from this music pollution.

 

 

[HowardK]

Hello I enjoyed reading this thread as I loved the Epic and was considering going from Barcelona or the Southampton to Barcelona sailing.

 

However, being from NJ I will likely just do the Breakaway the third year in a row as I love the ship and going from NYC.

 

I did find with the Breakaway waterfront, it was quiet during the day and a good place to sit and read without much noise and it gave you the feeling of course of being outside which on the Epic was really only possibly by the pool area and Spice H20 (which I like a lot on both ships, but think the Breakaway should have kept the pool like the Epic has)

[LibrarianLizy]

I'm a solo but I'm HAL rather than NCL (because I'm a member of HAL's core demographic :( ). Just wanted to compliment you on the most ARTICULATE review that I've ever read -- on this board or anywhere else. What a pleasure!

 

Thank you! I wanted to give as accurate account as I could so that potential cruisers could get a better idea of what the ship and the experience is really like. I found those reviews to be the most helpful when I was preparing for my cruise.

 

great review I am sailing May 31st from Barcelona and celebrating my Birthday on June 3rd I quite fancy trying the Ice bar for the experience , did you try this ?

 

I did not. I'm not a big vodka drinker so I didn't really see the point. I'm sure it's lots of fun though and probably worth the price since you get two drinks. It might be even more fun when it's warmer outside. I sailed in the fall and the night temps were a little cooler. I didn't want to get bundled up and go into an ice box when I was already a little cold. :D

[LibrarianLizy]

I was on the repositioning of Norwegian Epic from Barcelona to Miami in late October to mid-November.

 

I had a studio cabin. There were several faults will it:

 

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the solo cabins. I loved having a double bed because I hate twin beds. I'm not in college any more and zero desire to recreate that sleeping experience. lol

 

I will say that I do agree with you on the space issue. The cabins are tight with the larger bed, but I would rather have a bigger bed and be a little cramped than the other way around.

 

There are plenty of ways to turn out the lights or put them to all white light. The controls were on the phone. I definitely don't think that should deter anyone from choosing a solo cabin. Once you figure out how they work, it's easy to switch them back to white whenever you want.

Edited January 13, 2015 by LibrarianLizy

[LibrarianLizy]

Hello I enjoyed reading this thread as I loved the Epic and was considering going from Barcelona or the Southampton to Barcelona sailing.

 

However, being from NJ I will likely just do the Breakaway the third year in a row as I love the ship and going from NYC.

 

I did find with the Breakaway waterfront, it was quiet during the day and a good place to sit and read without much noise and it gave you the feeling of course of being outside which on the Epic was really only possibly by the pool area and Spice H20 (which I like a lot on both ships, but think the Breakaway should have kept the pool like the Epic has)

 

I think I would be interested in sailing on the Breakaway. The waterfront sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for your comment!

[iaa]

I really enjoyed your review, too, and have to echo many of your comments. I thought the cabins were adequate and I much prefer a full bed to a twin. The solo gathering is great and the staff really goes out of their way to make you feel welcome.

 

I do think that the Epic is better suited to your itinerary, though. I did a Caribbean cruise, with 3 sea days, which, for me, turned into almost 4 as my Ocho Rios Dunn's excursion had me back in port by 11am. (Since I wasn't too interested in buying pot, there wasn't really anything else to do other than go back to the ship.) I thought the spa was great, but the sundecks just ok. The main issue for me was the "jogging track". I think NCL is definitely making a smart decision by moving the Epic to Europe permanently. I'd probably consider a port-intensive trip on her in the future, but nothing with more than 2 sea days.

Edited January 13, 2015 by iaa

[LibrarianLizy]

I really enjoyed your review, too, and have to echo many of your comments. I thought the cabins were adequate and I much prefer a full bed to a twin. The solo gathering is great and the staff really goes out of their way to make you feel welcome.

 

I do think that the Epic is better suited to your itinerary, though. I did a Caribbean cruise, with 3 sea days, which, for me, turned into almost 4 as my Ocho Rios Dunn's excursion had me back in port by 11am. (Since I wasn't too interested in buying pot, there wasn't really anything else to do other than go back to the ship.) I thought the spa was great, but the sundecks just ok. The main issue for me was the "jogging track". I think NCL is definitely making a smart decision by moving the Epic to Europe permanently. I'd probably consider a port-intensive trip on her in the future, but nothing with more than 2 sea days.

 

 

Thank you for your comment! Unless I was purposefully doing a mostly sea day cruise (like a TA or something), I don't think I would choose a cruise with more than 2 or 2.5 sea days during a 7 day cruise. I like visiting the different ports and seeing the sites and then coming back to a floating hotel that doesn't make me lug my stuff around with me. The Epic has a ton going on but for some reason I don't think it's suited for a lot of sea days. Maybe because it's so crowded? There's lots to do, but I guess there could be more educational or low key activities for those that don't want to samba on the pool deck. Not that there's anything wrong with that but it's not for everyone.

 

I think that's a NCL thing though. I picked the ship because of the solo cabins and the itinerary, not for the activities or the cruise style. I feel like I'm not making sense, but what I'm saying is that I agree with you. I think the Epic is very well suited for Europe. I wish she would said the Eastern Med! I would be booking that cruise in a heartbeat!

[brianz0099]

Wonderful review- thanks for posting! I'll be on the Epic solo on 2/15 and I'm enjoying her reviews. I sailed solo on the Breakaway two summers ago and really liked the boardwalk. Realizing now from your review that it appears the Epic does not have one. Staying in the studios, did you find the lack of sea views too difficult? I've read other Epic reviews where some complained there weren't many places to see the sea. What was your experience? Thanks!

[LibrarianLizy]

Wonderful review- thanks for posting! I'll be on the Epic solo on 2/15 and I'm enjoying her reviews. I sailed solo on the Breakaway two summers ago and really liked the boardwalk. Realizing now from your review that it appears the Epic does not have one. Staying in the studios, did you find the lack of sea views too difficult? I've read other Epic reviews where some complained there weren't many places to see the sea. What was your experience? Thanks!

 

I thought I would have more trouble with an inside cabin that I actually did. We hit some roughish water so I was very glad to be in the middle and away from where things were really rocking. The only bad part about an inside cabin was that it was so dark in the mornings which made it so hard to get up! But that's a problem with all inside cabins, not just the studios.

 

I've only been on 4 cruises in my life, but I don't think the Epic had a huge difference in the number of sea views. I like to be outside on a cruise ship or at least next to a window, so I spent a lot time on the decks (try the sun deck on 18, all the way forward!) and I always tried to get a window seat when I sat at the buffet. That can be difficult but not impossible as long as you go at slightly off times or eat in the smaller buffet by the pool. I also spent some time in the spa, which has nice sea views and up in Spice H2O. The main dinning rooms and specialty restaurants don't have terrific views. I think it's possible to get a good seat near a window, but at night, it's not really worth it. I always had good company at dinner so it never bothered me.

 

I think it just depends on where you like to hang out and how much time you are planning on spending on the ship, as opposed to being ashore. I like being outside, so I didn't feel closed in or like I couldn't see the ocean at all, but I could see how people who stay indoors would say that. I don't remember the bars having good views and of course the casino, shops, and theaters don't have windows. There is definitely not a place other than Spice or the pool/sun decks where you can sit outside and enjoy the sea.

 

I hope that answers your question. Thanks for your comment!

[brianz0099]

Thanks LibrarianLizy-totally answers my question!

[Ginger biscuit]

Really looking forward to going now following your review

[LibrarianLizy]

Really looking forward to going now following your review

 

I'm so glad! I hope you have a great time!

[MimiLuv]

Hello Lizy,

 

I finally found a review that I can relate to. I am 32 proud single female whose closes friends are married and/or can only do one trip a year; which we do each year. I started to take solo trips in addition to the group trip two years ago. It is the most liberating experience I ever had. I try to encourage everyone to try an international solo trip at least once. Even though I have been on 7 cruises, I have never done one solo.

I am do the NCL Breakaway in September and looking forward to it.

Kudos for being young and courageous.

[LibrarianLizy]

Mimi,

 

Thanks for your comment! You're going to love the Breakaway, I think. The solo cabins make solo cruising so much easier. I would have never had the courage to cruise alone if it weren't for the solo cabins and the planned solo activities. I love NCL, but the idea of "freestyle dinning" as a solo made me so nervous! Having planned dinners and ways to meet people made finding people to eat with so easy.

 

I wish they had more ships with solo cabins; I don't really want to cruise the Caribbean solo, but I would love to do the Eastern Med or the Greek Isles. I want to keep cruising with NCL because I'm working my way up their reward chain, but like I said, freestyle dinning makes me nervous when there aren't planned solo outings and dinners. I've heard mixed things about the solo activities on the ships without solo cabins.

 

I hope you have a great time! Post a review so we can read all about it!

Edited February 18, 2015 by LibrarianLizy
color change

[glittergal1]

Hi I have a solo cabin booked on Epic for May around the western Med I booked it because of the solo cabins and lounge and hopefully a great group of solo who I can meet up with for dinner, excursions and activities. My first Solo I cruise on NCL Jade and the solo experience was very much lacking the solo get together was poorly advertised and poorly organised no activities or dinner reservations were organised it was simply meet in a bar at say 6.30 on the first day and the rest is up to you .

[HowardK]

Mimi,

 

Thanks for your comment! You're going to love the Breakaway, I think. The solo cabins make solo cruising so much easier. I would have never had the courage to cruise alone if it weren't for the solo cabins and the planned solo activities. I love NCL, but the idea of "freestyle dinning" as a solo made me so nervous! Having planned dinners and ways to meet people made finding people to eat with so easy.

 

I wish they had more ships with solo cabins; I don't really want to cruise the Caribbean solo, but I would love to do the Eastern Med or the Greek Isles. I want to keep cruising with NCL because I'm working my way up their reward chain, but like I said, freestyle dinning makes me nervous when there aren't planned solo outings and dinners. I've heard mixed things about the solo activities on the ships without solo cabins.

 

I hope you have a great time! Post a review so we can read all about it!

 

Hello, I am thinking of going back on the Breakaway for the third year in a row. I had a great time and it was easy to meet solos and we even incorporated on solos in to our group on the last cruise.

 

I can second what you are saying- I went on the NCL Jewel and although the food was good there was really no structured way of meeting other solos.

 

I am potentially considering the Escape as there are more solo cabins and it would be something different but in particular I love the music venues on the Breakaway