LIVE from the most hated ship in the NCL fleet, Epic, March 26-April 2

[spenecer]

Day 6, Drink #4 - The Blue Hawaiian

 

The Atrium Bar has a blender and can make the Blue Hawaiian. 

[spenecer]

Lemon Drop Martini with Norwegian Cruise Line 66 Gin

 

I like my Lemon Drop Martinis with Gin and NCL 66 is a very tasty gin. Thanks for the recommendation. 
 

 

[Moonglo]

40 minutes ago, spenecer said:

Lemon Drop Martini with Norwegian Cruise Line 66 Gin

 

I like my Lemon Drop Martinis with Gin and NCL 66 is a very tasty gin. Thanks for the recommendation. 
 

 

looks delish........when we were on Epic from 2/19-2/26 aside from Martini's, Mojitos etc....I acquired a fondness for the Aperol Spritz which I had seen another woman sipping on. I enjoyed its light and refreshing qualities.  I'm enjoying your review immensely......

[Seas2mountains]

1 hour ago, spenecer said:

Lemon Drop Martini with Norwegian Cruise Line 66 Gin

 

I like my Lemon Drop Martinis with Gin and NCL 66 is a very tasty gin. Thanks for the recommendation. 
 

 

I’m so glad you got a chance to try it and liked it!  My husband does not typically drink gin but he had several gin drink with the ‘66 Gin by Norwegian on a cruise a few weeks ago. I thought it was really tasty, too. 

[spenecer]

I wanted a Jackhammer but the Waves Pool Bar didn’t have all the items to make it. So, then I asked for a drink with two colors but somehow that ended up as two drinks (which I’ve had already): Mango Meltdown and Blue Hawaiian

 

Tonight is the GLOW Party!

[spenecer]

 

Here is the Freestyle Daily for Day 7 as a PDF.

 

 

Freestyle Daily 7.pdf

[spenecer]

In checking my onboard account via the app yesterday, I noticed that each passenger in my cabin was refunded $1.84 and $19.28 as refundable onboard credit. I assume this was for St. Lucia. I did not have to ask for the refund. It showed up. I, of course, spent mine on a deep tissue massage at the spa. This was much better than my first massage but I did not tip twice. 
 

The Wi-Fi is zipping along this morning while everyone is still asleep. 

[spenecer]

Day 7, St. Kitts

 

I have been walking down 7 flights every morning to Deck 5 to visit the Starbucks. This takes me past the Art Gallery. Today, there was a new sculpture by the elevators as I walked past. 
 

I’m clearly messing with the ability of the Starbucks crew members to remember my favorite drink. This morning I asked for a Grande Caramel Macchiato in a Venti cup with extra whip cream. 
 

I’ve been having trouble with the Venti lids while on this ship. I keep dribbling coffee all over myself. This way, I have more room the most important part aside from the coffee, the whipped cream. 
 

I noticed that Taste was open and I can see St. Kitts from the window next to my table. 
 

I don’t know why Cruise Critic keeps insisting on flipping the photo upside down but Taste clearly understands the importance of bacon in the morning and had a salmon bagel (!!!)

Edited April 1, 2023 by spenecer
Photo is upside down

[spenecer]

Day 7

 

I was hoping to have breakfast at Taste and then go up to the windy Deck 15 to watch sail-in but it looks like we arrived early at 7:30 AM.  The Epic has stopped moving though it feels like the engines are still on. 

[momofmab]

On 3/29/2023 at 1:11 PM, catgirl411 said:

My biggest beef with the onboard spas is the constant up selling. Their services are very nice generally but they always want to sell you products. My local spa at home doesn’t do that and it makes for a more relaxed experience.

 

On 3/29/2023 at 3:06 PM, Fifi1910 said:

I love the spa but every time I get a treatment they try and sell me Botox or fillers. Every time I come away depressed about how I look. I didn’t think I looked that bad for an old bird 🤣🤣. At a captains party in the Haven on my last cruise I told the Spa manager that it wasn’t good that they were doing this whilst someone’s trying to have a relaxing treatment, he thought it was funny. It certainly puts me off. 

Same!  On my last cruise, the smooth-faced facialist asked me how old I was and then proceeded to claim she was the same age (yeah, and I bet she had oceanfront property in Arizona to sell me as well!)  She went into the song & dance about how dry my face was and brushed off the fact that I was actually using the spa products at home, and had brought travel sizes on the cruise (how could my skin be this bad if I'm using Elemis on a daily basis?  She claimed I wasn't using it right.)

 

After the facial, she plopped down $400 worth of Elemis for me to buy and made a Med Spa appointment for me for some Botox (No, and NO!)  Elemis, which I do use, was having at 30% sale online so anything I may have wanted to buy, I could go back to my stateroom and order online.

Edited April 1, 2023 by momofmab

[spenecer]

I can see sun on St. Kitts but it currently drizzling on the top deck of the Epic. 

[scott8815]

Spencer, Do you (or your daughter) dance?   If so how is the DJ?   I was on the Epic last year and found the DJ very annoying.  He showed up late, play premixed overmixed EDM (Electronic Dance Music).   I'm hoping the DJ on my summer Alaska cruise is netter.

[scott8815]

How was the glow party?   It is good to see that they moved it from the H2O area to the pool.   Is the smokestack soot still a problem in the H2O area?   

Great posts, by the way.  They are getting me excited for my summer cruise to Alaska.   I, being originally from California, am a warm weather guy.   However, I'm running out of Mexican and Caribbean places to cruise to.

Edited April 1, 2023 by scott8815
typos

[spenecer]

Day 7, Drink #2 - Glacier Blue (on tap at O’Sheehans)

 

[spenecer]

3 hours ago, scott8815 said:

Spencer, Do you (or your daughter) dance?   If so how is the DJ?   I was on the Epic last year and found the DJ very annoying.  He showed up late, play premixed overmixed EDM (Electronic Dance Music).   I'm hoping the DJ on my summer Alaska cruise is netter.

 

For the Glow Party, they played Party Music related to dancing (mostly more recent stuff because the DJ put on Smells like Teen Spirit by Nirvana and all the teenagers just stood there looking extremely confused) and the cruise director and his team led the dancing.  I danced. My daughter did not. 
 

The Epic used DJ JOBOY on the Pool Deck and he was DJing on the Pool Deck for the hour prior to the GLOW Party and he simply continued choosing the music while the Cruise Staff led the dancing. 

Edited April 1, 2023 by spenecer

[spenecer]

Best of St. Kitts with Fairview Great House (Booked through NCL website)

 

I looked at so many different excursions for St. Kitts that I spent the majority of the tour thinking that I was on a different tour. We met the tour at the end of the pier. We were divided into groups of ~15 and loaded onto an air conditioned mini-bus. The driver was also our tour guide. He drove us through Basseterre with commentary of the buildings, some historical facts and terrible Dad jokes (by definition all Dad jokes are terrible).  We then headed up the coast of St. Kitts to our first stop, Fairview Great House (30 minutes).  The guide let us out of the bud but did not guide us around the site. This was wander on your own time. We then drove with more information on the island education system, history, and dad jokes to our second stop, Romney Manor (30 minutes).  We saw the Petroglyphs and Wingfield Estate on the way, but did not stop. Sometimes, the driver would stop the bus to point out an item but mostly he told us which direction look (hey guys, look to your right).  We then continued up the coast and ascended the Hill to Brimstone Fortress, 45 minutes. I learned a lot about fruit trees and St. Kitts history (and yes Dad jokes) on the way. The driver then brought us back to the pier along a different route so that we saw some different sights, heard different history, and had to go around two car accidents (and more Dad jokes). I’m glad I didn’t have to drive. 
 

Things I saw: Goats, Chickens, Horses, Cows, Horses. 

Things that I did not see: Wild Green Monkeys (just a sign saying, prepare for the next invasion)

 

It did rain on and off at Brimstone Fortress.  The stones are slick and many places were steep. While the rest of the tour was doable for someone with mobility issues, Brimstone Fortress definitely required careful walking. The mini-bus carried a walker and the driver even stopped to check and see if a woman determinedly walking up the road to Brimstone Fortress needed a ride.  There was one older gentleman who had mobility issues, he did not get out at Brimstone Fortress but stayed on the bus which the driver kept running (so air-conditioned).

 

We had a family of five on our tour and they thought it was a good tour. 

Edited April 1, 2023 by spenecer

[spenecer]

I won dog trivia with 16 correct dog breeds. I won a clear bag. 

[vswan]

I absolutely love your review. I just discovered it this morning and have been having trouble getting anything else done and keep returning to my computer to read more. You made me laugh out loud a number of times — admitting you were drunk when you lost your money, the baby shampoo episode...

 

I am cruising this summer with my 14 yr old grandson. Just the two of us for the first time. Wondering how it has been for your daughter other than the seasickness. Has she found others to hang out with? Is she enjoying herself? Did she find any activities onboard that she liked? I think my grandson would try the toilet slide just to say he did it...

[spenecer]

4 hours ago, scott8815 said:

Is the smokestack soot still a problem in the H2O area?   

I’m not doing Spice H2O since my daughter is too young but the smokestack is still dropping rusty water down on Spice and the rock climbing wall. I’ve walked through the area and come away with brown spots on my ankles and shins.
 

It really depends on the direction the wind is blowing. During the day yesterday, the wind was blowing sideways across the ship (port to starboard) so I walked on the port side and was fine. 

[spenecer]

17 minutes ago, vswan said:

 

 

I am cruising this summer with my 14 yr old grandson. Just the two of us for the first time. Wondering how it has been for your daughter other than the seasickness. Has she found others to hang out with? Is she enjoying herself? Did she find any activities onboard that she liked? I think my grandson would try the toilet slide just to say he did it...

My daughter didn’t want to meet anyone her age but there are posses of teenagers going around the ship. I did arrange for her to meet up with some girls her age but she didn’t want to participate. We watched Karaoke, we made balloon animals (which was actually a splash academy event for little kids) and we made origami cranes. 

[vswan]

5 minutes ago, spenecer said:

My daughter didn’t want to meet anyone her age but there are posses of teenagers going around the ship. I did arrange for her to meet up with some girls her age but she didn’t want to participate. We watched Karaoke, we made balloon animals (which was actually a splash academy event for little kids) and we made origami cranes. 

I've told my grandson that he had to agree to go to the kids club the first night to meet people. If he hated it, he didn't need to go back and he agreed to go. We are going to Alaska, so figure we will be busy watching for whales and seeing the sights, can't see him making cranes although he would probably get a kick out of the balloon animals.

[spenecer]

13 minutes ago, vswan said:

I've told my grandson that he had to agree to go to the kids club the first night to meet people. If he hated it, he didn't need to go back and he agreed to go. We are going to Alaska, so figure we will be busy watching for whales and seeing the sights, can't see him making cranes although he would probably get a kick out of the balloon animals.

I offered the teen club multiple times to my daughter but at 16, I am definitely in a ‘lead a teen to water but I can’t make her drink’ scenario. She did really like the excursions and we had many early morning excursions so she couldn’t sleep in. She chose to go to bed at a reasonable hour (with no encouragement from me) for the excursions instead of staying up late doing the teen things. Some of them didn’t even start until 10pm. 

[spenecer]

Day 7, Drink #3 - Talisker 12 year

 

We are at Cagney’s for dinner. I’m very afraid of spilling a red wine on myself because I wore white. So, I got a whisky neat. The Talisker has a nice smokey flavor. 

 

Drink #4 - Prosecco

 

I prefer red wine with steak but I chose the Prosecco as a substitute to protect my white dress from accidents. 

[spenecer]

Day 7, Drink #5 - Sidecar

 

[spenecer]

My daughter did find a #cruisingduck on the stairs a few days ago. We re-hid it for someone else to find and share the joy.