Epic Feb. 11- Feb. 18, 2017: Young at Heart with Older Handicapped Bodies

[Delta Dear]

Background;We are Jane, (74) and Morgan, (78) who took our first cruise in 2007 and thismarks our 8th cruise since. We live in the state of Delaware which means if we have to fly to a port we must drive 2 hours to either Baltimore, MD or Philadelphia, PA since DE has no commercial airports.

 

Since the Epic leaves from Port Canaveral, FL, we decided to take the Amtrak Autotrain which runs from near Washington, D.C. to Sanford, FL which is near Orlando and only 45 miles from Port Canaveral. Once again, a two hour drive to Lorton,VA to get the Autotrain. The Autotrain does not make any passenger stops. It makes one stop overnight to change crews. '

We drove to Lorton, VA where we spent the night at a Comfort Inn in Lorton, VA so as not to miss our train. The hotel seemed to be filled with, “Snow Birds,senior citizens who go to FL for the winter !

 

We had dinner with friends from the area at Glory something. Good meal, and good time. We arrived at the station near noon, stepped out at the terminal with the small suitcase of medications and a change of clothes, two throws in case the train was chilly, some bottled water and a few snack items.Our van was then driven to be loaded in the Autotrain cars. I stood in a line behind 2 other people to check in, and that was it. The train departs at 4:00PM and is scheduled to arrive in Sanford the next morning at 9:00.

 

Since we have mobility issues, our dinner and breakfast were served to us at our seats because the dining car is on the upper deck of the train. Sure enough, several of the other 12 people on our train car had stayed at the Comfort Inn, too. We had plenty of leg room in the handicapped seating because instead of facing two other seats, there was a fixture in that space that could be used to secure a wheelchair or scooter. They do have sleeper cars, but believe me when I tell you, neither of us was about to sleep bunk bed style.

 

The train ride was interesting as we traveled through Richmond, VA. Savannah,GA, Charleston, SC and Jacksonville,FL. Although we didn’t sleep much, it was an enjoyable experience. So much easier than going through airport security, lines, crowded gate areas, retrieving luggage, renting a vehicle,then finally leaving an airport exhausted. Our van was unloaded, with all of the luggage we’d packed in it at home, I jumped in the driver’s seat and off we went.

 

We spent on night in the Country Inn and Suites in Port Canaveral, had dinner near the hotel, made a stop at Walgreens for lotion, had a good night’s sleep, a decent free breakfast at the hotel, then waited for the hotel shuttle to take us to our ship.

 

Smooth sailing so far, but wait ! The dream is about to end. My cruise nickname is Calamity Jane and I am about to live up to it. The waiting room for the shuttle was packed. Our driver announced that the Epic had been 90 minutes late arriving and that traffic getting to the ship was horribly backed up . He predicted that what was just a few miles away would probably result inus being on the shuttle for an hour or more. Ok, what can you do? Shuttle loaded and off we went about 1:00 instead of 12:00.

 

He was right, it was a nightmare at the NCL Epic terminal. We saw two ambulances leaving the area as well as several police cars. We later learned from a passenger ahead of us in a line that there had been a fatality on the ship ; a young manhad died of alcohol poisoning and that his girlfriend had been taken off in handcuffs. Very sad IF that was true.

.

Getting to the check in line took a long time. There were long lines outside as people waited to enter the building. As mobility challenged passengers, we took the elevator rather than the escalator to reach security. The line there was extremely long also. We had requested wheel chair assistance for both embarkation and debarkation, but we had to walk and stand in lines before we reached a place where wheelchairs were available.If we had not had a rolling walker with a seat, I don’t know how my husband would have made it. As it was, he was overheating and tired due to the heat and effort of walking. The scooter I rented for him from Special Needs at Sea would be waiting for him in the cabin.

We finally went through security, then, had to wait another 20 minutes or more for the wheel chair assist. We arrived in our cabin, 10275 about 2:30.Our cabin was a handicapped one which was HUGE! So was the balcony. Yay, we were on board. Let’s get the safety drill over with and sailaway.

 

This cruise was a family one arranged by our sister-in-law, Nancy to celebrate her sister, Diane’s 60th birthday. Wouldn’t you know that while we were going to our cabin, we ran right into Morgan’s brother, Howard, and some of the other 29 who were part of the celebration group. Most of them are from Texas with a few from Pittsburgh. With 4,400 passengers aboard, it was perfect we found each other so easily.

 

After the safety drill, we retreated to the Garden Café, (buffet on Deck 15,) to grab a quick bite to eat but I think we missed lunch and it was too early for dinner. We later ate wings, salad and apple pie at the Irish Pub. That location became a favorite hang out spot. We had several meals there during the week.

 

I wore sandals for the first time since last summer and my feet and legs were killing me. I’d just completed two months of PT for stained hamstrings, so I quickly realized what I knees already knew, sandals do not offer enough support for the walking you do on a ship. When Morgan suggested I take the rollator to use, I had a bit of an attitude, “I don’t need that, I can just use a cane.” Let me tell you, I am SO glad I had the rollator. Morgan has already said that the next time we cruise he will insist that we rent two scooters. He’s right. I hate to admit it, but these old knees are no longer 35 years old.

 

That first night we set up our two C Pap machines without difficulty because the outlet is on the same side of the bed. Hooray, no need for duct tape to cover a cord running from across the room. (Carnival, are you listening?) Every night we slept like babies with the gentle waves that provide that heavenly gentle movement. That is one thing I LOVE about cruising. End of Embarkation Day.

 

SEVERAL GENERAL OBSERVATIONS;

Epic is a beautiful ship.

 

Staff was friendly and especially sensitive and helpful to physically challenged passengers

 

Balcony seemed more private than those on Carnival because of solid walls with a door between balconies.

 

P.S. to Embarkation Day; Once through security, a man nearby was looking around trying to find his wife. “She was JUST here, now where IS she ?”he said. His wife suddenly appeared with a cane in hand. It seems I had picked up her cane by mistake when we put the items on the screening belt. OOPS. Her husband’s C Pap machine bag looked just like ours so I suggested he check to make sure he had the correct bag. He did.

 

By the end of the evening we both noticed our feet were extremely swollen. I imagine our long train ride, limited fluid intake and being seated so much, sodium in foods contributed to the problem. Each night we noticed the swelling. After a few days back home where we elevated our feet and drank more water, the swelling went down.

 

We were so tired that first night, I was setting up our C Pap machines and in doing so first I accidently hit the button on the phone that signals an emergency. I had a call immediately to see if there was a problem. Five minutes later, I accidentally hit the red button on the wall behind the night table that was the emergency button. Call #2. I decided I’d better turn on my machine and go to sleep before they threatened to charge me for false emergency calls.

[Tutontow]

Following. It seems like once you finally get on the ship it is mostly good. I am taking my patience pills. I will be on her in seven days.

[travelgma]

Love the way you write. I am anxious to hear the rest of your review.

[Delta Dear]

I really should have described us as, "Mobility challenged," instead of handicapped, but that wouldn't fit in the title. My husband has circulation issues in his legs and can only walk limited distances before his leg cramps. I have knee/hamstring issues so though I can walk, those conditions bother me as the day goes on.

Now for more of the report; By the way, yes, once onboard we had a good time. Perhaps, our 'good time,' is tame compared to someone else's idea of a good time, but that's the way life is ! Whatever floats your boat as they used to say back in the day.

[Delta Dear]

EPIC Day 1: A Day at Sea. We slept so well that we missed the breakfast service at the various venues for breakfast that day. NOTE: Some hours overlap, some are offered daily. Check the night before for possible places to eat. We went to Taste when they opened at 12:00 for lunch. We had a nice seat with a window view of the sea. Lovely lunch; The chicken nachos for an appetizer, shrimp with pasta and key lime parfait were all good. Morgan had an Asian soup, fish and chips and the parfait. We spent the day wandering around the ship, people watching and family time in the Garden Café.

 

I have a new camera and had intended to take a lot of photos on the ship. When we stepped into the elevator that morning, my lens cover cap fell off. I thought I secured it, but within a minute or two it fell off again. I went to the Photo Shop onboard but they did not carry any kind of security cord or strap. The crew member working there gave me some lightweight duct tape to hold the cover on, but the cover kept flipping in front of the lens when I started taking pictures that I did not take nearly as many as I had hoped. I purchased straps for my cover as soon as I got home. I will post a few photos later in the review, though.

 

Dinner that night was in Cagney’s Steakhouse. We had the three Specialty Restaurant package with our booking. I had a crab cake which was good, lobster bisque which was so salty I did not eat it, a porterhouse steak and some kind of crème brule for dessert. Morgan had fried pork belly, eh, NY Strip steak, and the same raspberry crème brule. We had sides of creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin, I think.

 

Frankly, we were both disappointed in the dinner. The food was ok, but not what we would consider of quality even equal to or above that of Texas Steakhouse at home. Some of our family members ate there later the same night and they expressed their disappointment about the experience as well. The service was very good, but the food was lacking. In all fairness, though, Morgan made a quick trip to the men's room just before the steaks were to be served. The wait person told me that the steaks were ready and were being held for a few minutes until my husband returned so that could have accounted for the overall satisfaction with our steaks. I'm not sure what our family members were referring to when they said they were disappointed in their meals.

 

We had tickets for Burn the Floor Show that night, but Morgan’s feet were bothering him and we were both tired so we called it an early night.

 

EPIC Day2 Sea Day; We decided to use room service for breakfast rather than rush to get to one of the venues by 11:00. There was a $7.95 service charge since we ordered hot food, but it was worth it for the convenience. We both had omelets, juice, muffins and fruit. It wasn’t bad. Morgan discovered the coffee from room service was SO STRONG, he couldn’t drink it.

 

We spent time on the balcony with our still swollen feet propped up on the small tables that were there. The balcony was quite large; 2 chairs, 2 chaise lounges and 2 tables. There was still plenty of room to move around.

 

Lunch on Day 2 was an adventure. We decided to try Spice H2O which we did not realize was above Deck 15. When we saw the steps on either side, we knew that was not going to work for us; Morgan on his scooter and me with the rollator. We did see a crew member and did ask if there was access to Spice H2O for those who could not use the stairs. He took us to an elevator that reminded us of a freight elevator from an old movie. He instructed us how to use it but when we got in, it said, “Overloaded, “ so Morgan went up first, then sent it back down to me. I was very slow, but we got to the top to discover that Spice H2O was just an outdoor grill with hot dogs,hamburgers, nachos and such. It was fine, though. We enjoyed our lunch, had a good laugh about the elevator, and knew that would be our only meal there for the duration of the cruise.

 

We wandered around the ship for a little while before going back to the cabin to dress for dinner at Le Bistro. When we arrived at 7:15, I gave the hostess my name; 7:15 reservation. The hostess looked at her computer for a few minutes, then smiled and said, “Mrs. Little, your reservation is for Wednesday at 7:15 ( oops, it was only Monday.) Fortunately, she said she could seat us right away if we wished to stay. Ok,Calamity you did remember you had back to back specialty reservations, but they were for Wed. and Thurs. not Sunday and Monday.

 

The ambiance was lovely, what you would expect from a French themed restaurant, but once again we were disappointed with the meal. Morgan had mussels as an appetizer, and veal medallions as a main course. He asked to have food with no salt added because of his swelling; therefore, he did not have mashed potatoes or sauce. I had the veal with the items he missed. That was the meal with some vegetable, I’m sure but don’t remember. BUT, the dessert,

 

OH MY, THE DESSERT was the best dessert we’ve had in years. There were four mini pastry puffs filled with vanilla ice cream. The dessert servers brought each of us our plate, then they proceeded to simultaneously pour the most delicious hot fudge sauce you have ever had. It was sinfully good. The chocolate was a dark, rich chocolate that just embraced your mouth when you ate it. Ah, pure heaven!

After dinner we stopped and enjoyed the group playing in the atrium, then eventually called it a night and went to our cabin to go to bed.

[cincicruisers]

I am enjoying your review. Would you have any pictures of the cabin/balcony?

[Delta Dear]

Epic Cruise, Feb. 14thDay 3, St. Thomas Day

As were waking up at 7:30, we were just approaching St. Thomas. We docked around 8:00. We had already decided that we would not be leaving the ship on this cruise. We would have been able to take the scooter off, but not knowing how sidewalks, and curbs are in the area, we did not to attempt it.

 

We went to O’Sheehan’s Pub for a very nice breakfast. We had juice, 2 eggs,and pastries. We decided to each order aside of bacon. OH, MY SOUL. When the server came with the bacon, there must have been a dozen slices of bacon on EACH plate. YIKES !!! I just recently read that there was a bacon shortage somewhere in the world. I had to chuckle thinking about how Carnival is famous for being very conservative on the bacon serving size. (The Bacon Police, as the Carnival servers are called.) We said that was WAY too much, so we sent one plate back.

 

We spent several hours on the outside deck of the Garden Café. A couple we’d met near Spice H20 joined us. We sat and talked to them for over two hours. That’s one thing I love about cruising. You find friendly people whom you continue to run into during the week. We probably had something light that afternoon because we had a birthday dinner to go to at 5:30 in Taste. One thing Morgan enjoyed from the bar by the pool was the fruit smoothies, I love cruise ship lemonade.

 

The ship had a few decorations around the ship for Valentine’s Day. Quite a few people going into the Manhattan Dining Room and Taste Dining Room for dinner that night seemed to be dressed up perhaps for photo ops later in the evening.

 

There were 29 family and friends who were in the group celebrating Diane’s 60th birthday. Her sister, Nancy, who organized the cruise, had arranged for us to be seated together in the Taste Restaurant. Nancy asked all of us to wear something red for the evening. Diane is a member, as am I , of Delta SigmaTheta Sorority, Inc. whose colors are crimson and crean so red for Delta and for Valentine’s Day was right in order. The group looked very festive to those in the dining room and those looking down from Deck 6 into the dining room.

 

The birthday cake that was served was beautiful and delicious. Diane and the others danced and partied until 3:00 AM up on Deck 16 afterward dinner. Morgan’s feet were bothering him, my legs were bothering me, so back to the cabin for the oldsters. We enjoyed hearing about their late night partying.

 

Note: Finding something to order in Taste was difficult. The regular selections just didn’t sound good for one reason or another. I was not interested in paying the up charge for steak or lobster, either. I ended up ordering boring rotisserie chicken, which was too salty. The menu for Taste and Manhattan are the same nightly since each is considered a ,’main dining room.’ The other nights we were free, after surveying their nightly menus, we never went to either.

 

Weds., Feb. 15, DAY 5 : Tortola; Once again, we stayed on the ship. We had fruit and pastries from room service. (There is no service charge for a continental breakfast.) Morgan used the coffee maker that is in the cabin for his coffee. He had learned his lesson about room service coffee.

 

We enjoy the ship on port days.This was another day of wandering around, relaxing in the Garden Café. We had lunch today at O’Sheehan’s, and later we tried the Asian Restaurant for dinner. There we had egg drop soup, salt and pepper calamari minus the salt, combination fried rice and noodles with chicken and shrimp. Everything was delicious. Seating and service were both pretty quick even though they seemed to be very busy.

 

Another good day, another early bedtime.

[Delta Dear]

Thurs. Feb. 16, DAY6 Sea Day; .

 

Breakfast was in the Garden Café.I will mention it later as well, but the crew is very sensitive to the needs of mobility challenged passengers. Each time we were there, a crew member would ask if I needed help. I had planned to use the seat of the rollator as a tray to carry food to our table. The crew never let me do that. They insisted on getting whatever we wanted or needed. I suspect it is safer for everyone. No spills, no slips, no falls. We had planned on omelets that day. The crew member who helped asked what we wanted on our omelets, what other things we wanted and basically became our personal server. It was nice.

Later in the day we had a light lunch because dinner tonight is the last of our specialty restaurants; Moderno,the Brazilian steakhouse.

 

This meal and restaurant ended up being our favorite specialty meal. The salad bar was exactly what I’d read about on here; absolutely amazing. I will pass on the warning; Do NOT fill up on the salad. The carvers appeared at the table with the meats. Each was very good, not dried out, not too salty, just right. The meal was delicious, satisfying and delicious. We had a light dessert, I think, or maybe we skipped dessert because we were too full.

I think we stopped by the Atrium to listen to some music, then to the cabin and bed.

 

Fri. Feb. 17, DAY 7: Grand Stirrup Cay; Yup, you guessed it. Once again we stayed on the ship. Since we both had, “sets of wheels,” tendering was not for us. We don’t mind missing the ports. At this point in our lives, we cruise to relax, ports are no longer the priority. We enjoy being away from the cold, the phone, the computer, the TV to some extent. Mr. Remote missed the TV. Speaking of the TV, NCL has the worst selection of TV ever. They had NO regular network programing, NBC, ABC, and CBS were not carried. Those carried were; CNN International, MSNBC, FOX, BBC and several small networks. It was dreadful.

 

We enjoyed time on our balcony and time in the Great Outdoors Garden Café watching the tenders come and go. I spent sometime packing since we had tickets to Burn the Floor this evening at 9:00. Packing is such sweet sorrow. It only reminds you that the end of the week is closing in on you.

 

We always take a pop up hamper with us so one suitcase is dedicated to that hamper filled with dirty clothes. It makes live easy when we arrive home because that hamper goes straight to the laundry room. For the first time, we used packing cubes.They were very convenient because they went directly in the drawers and on the closet shelf once we hit the cabin, and the almost empty cubes went into the suitcase in tact so unpacking at home was simplified as well.

 

By the time I get to Day 7, my note taking has taken a dive. Pun intended. I have no idea what or where we ate and by now, who cares, right? We did go to Burn the Floor, stayed about 15 min and decided it was not for us. It was too loud and did not capture our entertainment appetite at all. I had reserved tickets for the Priscella show, but we weren't interested in the story line even though costumes and music had rave reviews. The duo piano venue was always packed so we never were able to fit in there. We did go to the Cavern one evening for a short time. Entertainment in the Atrium wasn't bad whenever we stopped through there. I would have enjoyed more musical variety and show variety, but it didn't make or break our good time. We missed Bliss and also the Comedy Shows so I can't comment on those.

[Delta Dear]

Feb. 18, Disembarkation Day; Suitcases were picked up during the night which left us with a carry on containing medicines, toiletries, etc. and essentials for a two night stay in Orlando. We had two C Pap machines and one other tote bag with some assorted, ‘who knows what.’

 

The seat of the rollator became a luggage carrier. We gathered everything and headed for the Garden Café, but were running later than we hoped so we opted for some fig newtons in our snack bag. Onward to the Bliss Lounge which had been designated for those needing wheel chair assistance off of the ship. We were able to leave the rental scooter there instead of leaving in the cabin as directed. The system they had working was very efficient and did not involve much of a wait.

 

I learned a valuable and painful lesson during disembarkation; get a porter for your luggage before you reach the exit. The crew member who was pushing my husband retrieved our suitcases. He and the crew member pushing me handled one suitcase each. That was fine until they got to the door of the terminal. It was then I realized that we were on our own to get to the area where the hotel shuttles were picking up passengers. It was at the far end of where we were standing. We struggled a bit when I realized my husband would never be able to walk that distance pushing luggage especially while using the rollator.

 

I went ahead and found a porter who was returning into the terminal building. I flagged him down and asked him to please go to the aid of the gentleman way behind me. Thank goodness the porter loaded everything on his cart and took us to the area of the hotel shuttles. Next time I will engage a porter inside the terminal where the luggage is placed.

 

There was supposed to be a rocket launch that day at Cape Canaveral which made the normal traffic jams even worse. The launch was scrapped for some reason,however.

 

Once back to our vehicle at the Country Inn and Suites, we had breakfast at Zachary’s nearby and drove to Orlando for a two day stay so we could see our granddaughter who is a college student in Orlando. Two days later, back to Stanford for the Autotrain back to Lorton, VA and home. We enjoyed the experiences of the trip.

 

Stay tuned for some more general impressions and opinions. Meanwhile, Photobucket is not being very nice to me tonight. I will work through it tomorrow in order to post a few photos.

Feel free to ask questions that I may be able to answer.

[Delta Dear]

I am enjoying your review. Would you have any pictures of the cabin/balcony?

 

I do have a few which I have not been successful at uploading to Photobucket in order to post. I'll keep trying.

[Delta Dear]

Following. It seems like once you finally get on the ship it is mostly good. I am taking my patience pills. I will be on her in seven days.

 

 

Enjoy, enjoy. I'm sure the circumstances of the day were the reason for our long wait. No matter what, once onboard it's VACATION TIME. Let us know how you like it. We did enjoy it.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Jane,

 

I so enjoyed your review. After you and Morgan got settled it seemed all was right with the world for you to enjoy your cruise. My DH and i are blessed with still being mobile in our 60's/70's so we still roam around though one cruise we took way before retirement we enjoyed like you just staying on the ship except for two out of the four ports. I am looking forward to your pictures.

 

Linda

[Delta Dear]

Love the way you write. I am anxious to hear the rest of your review.

 

Thank you. I'm glad you are enjoying it. I love sharing our experiences. This review is considerably shorter than some of my previous ones because in the course of the past eight years of cruising, the bodies have slowed down a bit. LOL. It is what it is, but our minds and spirits are still the same. Go, have fun, enjoy, even if there are different challenges to work around. Life is too short to sit and think about what you wish you had done.

[easyboy]

Enjoyed your well-written review.

[cbtravel1]

Great review!

[Delta Dear]

Enjoyed your well-written review.

 

Great review!

 

Thank you very much. Everything I know about cruising I learned on Cruise Critic so I try to pay it back by writing reviews. Doing so helps me to replay those memories over and over again. Glad you've enjoyed the journey with me.

[Delta Dear]

I wish I had been able to show the width and depth of the cabin a little bit more in my photos. If you look at the one with Morgan sitting on the bed, you can get a sense of the area between the bed and the wall with cabinets and drawers.

The photo of the, "Parking lot for vehicles," gives another sense of space. That area was in front of the desk, mirror, vanity etc. between the bed and the bathroom. We could safely move around the cabin even with such large equipment.

If you look at the deck plans for Epic, Cabin 10275, it appears to be the largest one on the floor. We loved it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Delta Dear]

Just a few more photos. My frustration with my camera situation meant I did not take many photos which I really regret. Guess that means we need to re-do this cruise !

Several times in past years, Morgan has come back and said, "I think I'm through with cruising. I don't want to cruise anymore." Each time I have booked cruises and told him about them after the fact. This time he came back and is talking about, "The next time..... etc." Sounds good to me !

More general comments later today.

[PlayCousin]

Glad you all enjoyed your cruise. I have to admit that I laughed out loud at the reservation snafu. Hilarious.

[Delta Dear]

Glad you all enjoyed your cruise. I have to admit that I laughed out loud at the reservation snafu. Hilarious.

 

I'm sure my facial expression was priceless. I did NOT glance over at Morgan whose expression was probably priceless, too. After being married to me for almost 49 years, he never knows what to expect. LOL

[Delta Dear]

Now for a few observations;

 

NCL Epic is a nice ship, but I missed open areas where you could see the water, it was too enclosed.

 

I was surprisingly pleased with the Free Style Dining. You do have to read the Daily because not all venues are open every day.

 

The food was generally very good.

 

The Garden Café was ok, but buffet food is buffet food. We did enjoy the hard ice cream as well as the self-serve soft ice cream.

 

The attention to those with physical challenges was very welcomed. The cabin door automatically opened when you put your card in the slot so anyone in a wheel chair or scooter could easily enter. There was a button in the room that activated the door so that the person in a wheel chair could easily exit without having to struggle to get the door open.

 

There are conveniently located, “Family and handicapped,” rest rooms on the public decks. They were large enough to accommodate the scooter/walker/stroller/whatever a family or challenged person might have.

 

We found the crew to be very friendly.

 

Elevator service was as expected with that many passengers. Since we had two sets of wheels, sometimes we had to wait for an elevator with space for us. Other passengers were courteous and helpful most of the time.

 

We loved the space and storage space in our cabin, 10275. Our steward was excellent.

The frosted bathroom door was different but not a problem.

 

The most difficult experience was embarkation.

 

We would consider NCL again and the Epic again.

 

MEN ON WHEELS

 

Maybe it’s the genes, but men do love their wheels; Hot Wheels, bikes, cars, trucks, riding mowers, you name it,they love it.

 

If you are on a cruise with us and Morgan is driving a scooter, watch your toes!!! Although he didn’t run over any toes nor knock anyone down, I had several nervous moments for my well-being and that of those around us. LOL, especially as he backed in or out of elevators. WHOA, look out !!! I tried to guide him with words like, “Straighten up. Slow down. STOP !” He didn’t do too badly, but he did bump into me once in an elevator.

 

The moment I had to step out into the deck walkway was the last night of the cruise when he went into the duty free liquor store to make several purchases. I could just envision him backing that scooter into the many display areas of bottles of booze. I could hear the sound of glass crashing to the floor. I was a wreck so it was best for me to disappear because if he had knocked something over, I would have fled to the nearest elevator and pretended I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t see a sign that said, “If you break it, you buy it,” but I wondered what would have happened if he had knocked a display over. All’s well that ends well. He eventually came out with his box of booze, leaving the displays just as they had been when he entered.

 

NCL vs. Carnival

As you see from my cruise history, six of our seven cruises have been on Carnival. We love the vibe of Carnival and have enjoyed each experience. I was prepared not to like NCL.

 

I wanted my singing waiters at dinner. I wanted my familiar shops, I wanted my sign and sail card perks and I wanted my special drink, the Chocolate Mocha Getaway.

 

To my surprise, I enjoyed the Free Style Dining because there was no pressure to be anywhere at any specific time. I also enjoyed the variety of venues. I still missed the singing waiters, though.

 

I am not much of a drinker soother than a glass of wine or two, I didn’t have a drink on the Epic. I could have had a Mudslide made with rum instead of vodka, but it was not going to be quite the same as my favorite; Chocolate Mocha Getaway a la Carnival.

 

 

 

Each time we have sailed on Carnival we have had wheel chair assist as soon as we arrived at the door of the terminal. Having to wait in line and go through security, then having to wait for chairs was somewhat of a hassle for us. We managed, but would have preferred not to have had that situation.

 

Final Thoughts; This was a wonderful trip from start to finish. Anytime you can spend with family and friends is what life and love are all about.

 

That was the most time Morgan and his brother had spent together in years. We had a chance to meet and enjoy his extended family and friends. We were able to see our granddaughter in her college environment and witness how she is maturing and growing. She is doing beautifully so far from home for the first time. Her college experience is expanding her horizons beyond just what is in the text books.

 

Here's a fun photo for those of you from certain parts of the country who will relate. When we exited to go to our hotel in Orlando, look what was right across the street. YES, a beloved WAWA.

 

 

I know those in the some parts of the country are thinking, “What is WAWA and why is that so exciting ?” Those of us in this part of the country know Wawa is the best convenience store there is: Good coffee, good pastries, and yummy subs on the run. Fill up on gas while you are there.

 

Traveling to the get to the port was perfect. The Autotrain was a win-win for us. Very convenient, hassle free, and loved having our own vehicle. It had been years since we'd ridden the rails so there were some happy flashbacks.

 

This is the end of the line. Until next time, ‘Happy Sails to YOU.’ Enjoy whatever cruises are on your horizon. Who knows, maybe we’ll see each other on one of them.

 

Calamity Jane and Captain Morgan(his cruise name.)

 

[In Toronto]

Really enjoyed your review. Thank you!

 

Ellen

[Tutontow]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write a report. You two are truly an inspiration. No doubt I will be moving at a slower pace in a decade or so. Although you have a speed bump to deal with you and "Morgan" deal with it and still enjoy life rather than sit on the sidelines. As a retired firefighter I can tell you every moment you get to spend with loved ones should be cherished. Thanks again and happy sailing in the future.

[tgirl25]

Background;We are Jane, (74) and Morgan, (78) who took our first cruise in 2007 and thismarks our 8th cruise since. We live in the state of Delaware which means if we have to fly to a port we must drive 2 hours to either Baltimore, MD or Philadelphia, PA since DE has no commercial airports.

 

Since the Epic leaves from Port Canaveral, FL, we decided to take the Amtrak Autotrain which runs from near Washington, D.C. to Sanford, FL which is near Orlando and only 45 miles from Port Canaveral. Once again, a two hour drive to Lorton,VA to get the Autotrain. The Autotrain does not make any passenger stops. It makes one stop overnight to change crews. '

We drove to Lorton, VA where we spent the night at a Comfort Inn in Lorton, VA so as not to miss our train. The hotel seemed to be filled with, “Snow Birds,senior citizens who go to FL for the winter !

 

We had dinner with friends from the area at Glory something. Good meal, and good time. We arrived at the station near noon, stepped out at the terminal with the small suitcase of medications and a change of clothes, two throws in case the train was chilly, some bottled water and a few snack items.Our van was then driven to be loaded in the Autotrain cars. I stood in a line behind 2 other people to check in, and that was it. The train departs at 4:00PM and is scheduled to arrive in Sanford the next morning at 9:00.

 

Since we have mobility issues, our dinner and breakfast were served to us at our seats because the dining car is on the upper deck of the train. Sure enough, several of the other 12 people on our train car had stayed at the Comfort Inn, too. We had plenty of leg room in the handicapped seating because instead of facing two other seats, there was a fixture in that space that could be used to secure a wheelchair or scooter. They do have sleeper cars, but believe me when I tell you, neither of us was about to sleep bunk bed style.

 

The train ride was interesting as we traveled through Richmond, VA. Savannah,GA, Charleston, SC and Jacksonville,FL. Although we didn’t sleep much, it was an enjoyable experience. So much easier than going through airport security, lines, crowded gate areas, retrieving luggage, renting a vehicle,then finally leaving an airport exhausted. Our van was unloaded, with all of the luggage we’d packed in it at home, I jumped in the driver’s seat and off we went.

 

We spent on night in the Country Inn and Suites in Port Canaveral, had dinner near the hotel, made a stop at Walgreens for lotion, had a good night’s sleep, a decent free breakfast at the hotel, then waited for the hotel shuttle to take us to our ship.

 

Smooth sailing so far, but wait ! The dream is about to end. My cruise nickname is Calamity Jane and I am about to live up to it. The waiting room for the shuttle was packed. Our driver announced that the Epic had been 90 minutes late arriving and that traffic getting to the ship was horribly backed up . He predicted that what was just a few miles away would probably result inus being on the shuttle for an hour or more. Ok, what can you do? Shuttle loaded and off we went about 1:00 instead of 12:00.

 

He was right, it was a nightmare at the NCL Epic terminal. We saw two ambulances leaving the area as well as several police cars. We later learned from a passenger ahead of us in a line that there had been a fatality on the ship ; a young manhad died of alcohol poisoning and that his girlfriend had been taken off in handcuffs. Very sad IF that was true.

.

Getting to the check in line took a long time. There were long lines outside as people waited to enter the building. As mobility challenged passengers, we took the elevator rather than the escalator to reach security. The line there was extremely long also. We had requested wheel chair assistance for both embarkation and debarkation, but we had to walk and stand in lines before we reached a place where wheelchairs were available.If we had not had a rolling walker with a seat, I don’t know how my husband would have made it. As it was, he was overheating and tired due to the heat and effort of walking. The scooter I rented for him from Special Needs at Sea would be waiting for him in the cabin.

We finally went through security, then, had to wait another 20 minutes or more for the wheel chair assist. We arrived in our cabin, 10275 about 2:30.Our cabin was a handicapped one which was HUGE! So was the balcony. Yay, we were on board. Let’s get the safety drill over with and sailaway.

 

This cruise was a family one arranged by our sister-in-law, Nancy to celebrate her sister, Diane’s 60th birthday. Wouldn’t you know that while we were going to our cabin, we ran right into Morgan’s brother, Howard, and some of the other 29 who were part of the celebration group. Most of them are from Texas with a few from Pittsburgh. With 4,400 passengers aboard, it was perfect we found each other so easily.

 

After the safety drill, we retreated to the Garden Café, (buffet on Deck 15,) to grab a quick bite to eat but I think we missed lunch and it was too early for dinner. We later ate wings, salad and apple pie at the Irish Pub. That location became a favorite hang out spot. We had several meals there during the week.

 

I wore sandals for the first time since last summer and my feet and legs were killing me. I’d just completed two months of PT for stained hamstrings, so I quickly realized what I knees already knew, sandals do not offer enough support for the walking you do on a ship. When Morgan suggested I take the rollator to use, I had a bit of an attitude, “I don’t need that, I can just use a cane.” Let me tell you, I am SO glad I had the rollator. Morgan has already said that the next time we cruise he will insist that we rent two scooters. He’s right. I hate to admit it, but these old knees are no longer 35 years old.

 

That first night we set up our two C Pap machines without difficulty because the outlet is on the same side of the bed. Hooray, no need for duct tape to cover a cord running from across the room. (Carnival, are you listening?) Every night we slept like babies with the gentle waves that provide that heavenly gentle movement. That is one thing I LOVE about cruising. End of Embarkation Day.

 

SEVERAL GENERAL OBSERVATIONS;

Epic is a beautiful ship.

 

Staff was friendly and especially sensitive and helpful to physically challenged passengers

 

Balcony seemed more private than those on Carnival because of solid walls with a door between balconies.

 

P.S. to Embarkation Day; Once through security, a man nearby was looking around trying to find his wife. “She was JUST here, now where IS she ?”he said. His wife suddenly appeared with a cane in hand. It seems I had picked up her cane by mistake when we put the items on the screening belt. OOPS. Her husband’s C Pap machine bag looked just like ours so I suggested he check to make sure he had the correct bag. He did.

 

By the end of the evening we both noticed our feet were extremely swollen. I imagine our long train ride, limited fluid intake and being seated so much, sodium in foods contributed to the problem. Each night we noticed the swelling. After a few days back home where we elevated our feet and drank more water, the swelling went down.

 

We were so tired that first night, I was setting up our C Pap machines and in doing so first I accidently hit the button on the phone that signals an emergency. I had a call immediately to see if there was a problem. Five minutes later, I accidentally hit the red button on the wall behind the night table that was the emergency button. Call #2. I decided I’d better turn on my machine and go to sleep before they threatened to charge me for false emergency calls.

 

I was on the cruise before yours, the 4th-11th and according to the ships minutes there was a young lady 20yrs that died of suspicious circumstances in her room on deck 13. They had taped up the door and had a guard on it 24/7 since at one point a small group of us were talking to a man just a few doors down. Really sad but didn't know what had happened, just that someone had passed.

 

Glad you made it safe, looking forward to reading the rest

[Delta Dear]

Oh, wow. Someone did say there was a fatality. How very sad to have your 20 year old go on a cruise and not return.

 

 

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