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

[AK Dreaming]

One more thing.  Bid on a balcony if you can.  It's fine in an inside but the peace you get sitting on your own balcony watching the beautiful scenery is worth every penny.

[Carnvale]

look who I found Spencer!!!! lol

 

I did the Epic inaugural and one other time. this will make 3 times. of all the ships it was strange the balcony and inside rooms but hey sometimes change is good. 

I love the circus tent dinner it was amazing but I don't seem to see it anymore. maybe it was removed when they renovated it.

I am hoping my cabin Stewart will clean my room daily. this is ridiculous that they don't clean rooms every day anymore. you would think for sanitary reasons like covid they would learn something. our rooms where we go in and out should be even cleaner. 

if you don't do well in small spaces like me its a hard ship to like. I didn't like the Gem either. that being said your not home so relax and enjoy it. 

[spenecer]

2 hours ago, AK Dreaming said:

One more thing.  Bid on a balcony if you can.  It's fine in an inside but the peace you get sitting on your own balcony watching the beautiful scenery is worth every penny.

After I paid in full in November, I put in minimum bids for all the available upgrades. I haven’t heard anything, so I’m assuming that I didn’t win an upgrade.  

[debenson0723]

1 hour ago, Carnvale said:

I am hoping my cabin Stewart will clean my room daily. this is ridiculous that they don't clean rooms every day anymore. you would think for sanitary reasons like covid they would learn something. our rooms where we go in and out should be even cleaner. 

 

Your room steward will clean your room daily...it is the twice a day cleaning/turn down that was cut back. 

[Happycrafter123]

42 minutes ago, spenecer said:

After I paid in full in November, I put in minimum bids for all the available upgrades. I haven’t heard anything, so I’m assuming that I didn’t win an upgrade.  

Sometimes bid notifications are as late as the day before the cruise starts.  However I do know most ships are full right now with spring break, but there is always hope right to the end!

[Sydneyberlin]

I have said this before and say it again: I still don’t understand what’s all the negativity about when it comes to the Epic. We rather liked the bathroom set up (separate toilet is always awesome as you can, well, avoid the stinks while taking a shower) and I wouldn’t be with my partner if I could not stand the sight of him naked (or anything else about him, really). I’d also rather shoot myself than sharing a stateroom with my parents so maybe that’s part of it.

 

And otherwise- a great ship and we loved the bowl water slide which is great on land but even greater at sea! As a gay couple from Australia, Prescilla was the cherry on top of the cake and we’re super sad to see it gone but we’d still book this ship again in a heartbeat. Actually, we already have, for a Greek Islands cruise in 2024. Can’t wait to enjoy her again!

[spenecer]

T-5

 

My daughter has tests in math and physics this week because her teachers enjoy a bit of academic torture before spring break but instead of studying for her tests, she packed us for the cruise.  I'm not very good at putting things in a suitcase in an orderly fashion so she packed us.  This was also a chance to (re-)discover the entire new wardrobe that she wheedled out of me for the cruise.  When I looked up cruise casual, I discovered that we needed to wear long pants to dinner.  My daughter wears exclusively leggings which she decided were 'too ratty' for the cruise, so I had to get her new pants and then because she had new pants, she needed new tops, and it would be cold, so she needed a new coverup and really, mom, if we are going to get white dresses for the Glow Party, then maybe another dress and mom, your new dress is nice and it fits me so maybe let me borrow it during the cruise...and a few hundred dollars later, she had several new dresses, new shoes, a new purse, new tops, new skirts, new shorts, a photo printer, and one pair of new pants.  No, I have no idea how she worked the new photo printer in.  Wait, I remember now, she is going to journal our vacation and she wants to be able to put pictures in her journal.  I also have some new clothes, which she is going to borrow so we can pack less.  Sharing is caring.

 

I also printed out my e-docs and my luggage tags.  And I saved the pdf to a file on my phone (because I'm trying to over-prepare to compensate for that extensive new wardrobe).  NCL did not send me an email or mail me my luggage tags, but I have a wi-fi printer that eventually disgorged a legible copy after I cleaned the print head. Upon reading my e-docs, I discovered that boarding begins at 12:00pm and occurs at the Pan American Pier.  Actually, I knew this from reading Cruise Critic, but given all the confusion over the two pier locations on San Juan and when boarding begins, I found it comforting that NCL writes it plainly on the e-docs.

 

I did my online check-in several weeks ago which was very fast as I didn't have to watch the e-muster video.  At the time, I picked the 12:30 check-in to miss the initial rush and to not force my daughter to have to get up early, because she's already suffering by flying to a tropical island with me. I have been sneakily watching the Epic Bridge Camera (https://www.cruisingearth.com/ship-webcams/norwegian-cruise-line/norwegian-epic/) on Sundays and I've noticed that the traffic is pretty light by 12:30, so I'm hoping it won't take very long to check-in and embark.  I had considered waiting until later to embark and doing additional sightseeing in Old San Juan, but I thought it might behoove me to feed the teenager 'acceptable food'.  I am greatly excited to try Puerto Rican food, but my daughter is not, so I exchanged my gastronomic delight for her gastronomic delight.  Only 5 more days until I find out if this is good planning or bad planning.

[Metsbill]

I loved the Epic.  The Epic Beatles were great.  I liked the separate toilet

I enjoyed it much more than the getaway.

 

I did not like how hot the pools were, but i think it was just because of Italy in July.

 

My ship had 2 different embarkments (rome and barcelona), so getting on in rome, some shows were booked for a few nights

 

but those are minor complaints

Edited March 22, 2023 by Metsbill

[spenecer]

T-3

 

Today, I received an email from NCL telling me to (re-)watch an important safety video from my online check-in but I’ve never seen the video because it was not part of my online check-in 18 days ago. So, I watched the video. It was a minute and a half long!  I was like, that’s it?  Whoa. Also, this video only has 47K views for something so important. Scary, eh?  I wonder if this means I won’t have in-person muster and I will only have to go to my assembly station to have my card scanned?  Three days until I find out. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by spenecer

[blueslily]

I love the Epic! Have a great cruise. I love your writing style as well. 

[RNRcruisers]

Haha, you are hilarious! Have a great cruise!

 

[spenecer]

T-2

 

NCL Air also inspires extreme hate and discontent no matter which ship you are on, but when you sail the Epic, air failure somehow ends up the ship’s fault.  I bought the air BOGO because when I priced flights from Chicago to San Juan, it was around $1000 round trip per person. At checkout, NCL was asking ~$550 to book my air tickets for O’Hare and ~$700 for Midway (yes, I could price both on the website) with only 1 stop (maybe).  I felt like the potential savings of $1500 was too good to pass up.  I’m in Chicago. I’m 15 minutes from either airport and my chances of a direct flights are better than 50:50.  
 

So, today I checked in for my Direct (yes yes yes) flight from O’Hare to San Juan. We are flying a day early and hoping to see a little of Old San Juan. I also used my savings to upgrade our seats so I’m hoping for a very comfortable flight. 
 

The flight back is a one stop, pausing at Dulles, and leaving late so we have time for some more sight-seeing on the backend.  So, I got the exact 50:50 breakdown. One direct flight and one non-direct. Woot! Woot!  Probability for the win.

 

My daughter is totally taking this opportunity to not go to school on Monday so that she can recover from arriving at O’Hare at 11pm. Winning all around. 

[spenecer]

T-1

 

We are on our way to O’Hare in the rain. My posts will probably get shorter as I am now reduced to typing with my thumbs. 
 

We are in a Lyft because the spouse refused to get up at Oh God in the morning to drive us. I couldn’t sleep last night (anxiety over I’m sure I forgot to pack something necessary or missing our flight) and woke up over an hour early. 

[spenecer]

T-1

 

Security was 10 minutes at 6AM in the morning. We don’t even have TSA Pre-check. We were sniffed by a dog. Woof!

[Oakman58]

Have a great trip.

[spenecer]

T-1 

 

I’m so glad I bought the BOGO and used the savings to upgrade our seats. Our flight is sold out (big surprise with Spring Break this week…Not)! O’Hare is busy but not packed this early in the morning. There are lots of high school students lugging instruments or who look very athletic.

 

I love flying in the morning. The delays haven’t started yet so you are more likely to leave on time. And we are boarding on time! Score!

[www3traveler]

Can not wait to hear about your adventure.

Enjoy this special time with your daughter and the cruise.

[Zippeedee]

I haven’t seen anyone else mention this, so maybe they have changed since I was on the Epic. The beds pull out from under the headboard. That makes them much more comfortable to sleep on. Just push them back ( or ask your steward) to make more space during the day.

[quercus alba]

On 3/20/2023 at 8:03 AM, spenecer said:

To give you some idea of the level of teen grumpiness I am already receiving, I have mentioned all these items.  Climbing wall (hard no, she is scared of heights and has refused climbing walls at every Outdoor Ed and Olympic Day event since elementary school).  Toilet Bowl Slide (no, that looks stupid mom, you cannot take a photo of me on the slide). Teen Club (no, teen boys are stupid).  I have arranged to meet up with some parents who are also bringing teen girls outside of the club, so hopefully she will be willing to interact with these girls.  She claims she is only coming on the cruise to spend time with me so that I won't be lonely.

Two posts in and I am already in love with her...if high profile lawyer Husband isn't available and Mrs.Q finally gets fed up, well, I'm available to cruise with this lady--just for the attitude!

 

(Cruised Epic twice, including once on similar itin to yours. Reviews below. Have my beefs with her, but the bathrooms aren't it.)

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by quercus alba

[spenecer]

T-1

 

We landed in Luis Munoz and caught a ride from a guy holding  a sign that said ‘Taxi’.  The published flat rate from the airport to Old San Juan is $21 but we paid $30 and after we wended the tiny, tight roads over the cobbles to our boutique hotel, I thought $30 was a good deal. I do not ever want to drive in Old San Juan. They will never film a car chase on these streets, that’s for sure. 
 

I have an afternoon of tourism (forts! So many forts!) and what appears to be the most popular ice cream joint to serve tourists and locals, Anita, La Mamma de Gelato.  We have been in line at least 30 minutes and you know the longer you wait in line, the better something tastes. 
 

 

 

[spenecer]

And if you are wondering if we just had ice cream for dinner, yes, yes we did and it was delicious. 

[chrisdar1]

We'll be boarding on April 2nd as you are disembarking the ship...  Will definitely be following your adventures this week!  

Hope you and your daughter have a blast!

[MoCruiseFan]

Wow what a diatribe, I gave up after about ½ of yoru rambling.  BTW good job, way to plan ruiining your own crusie before it even started

 

[MoCruiseFan]

BTW the Epic is a fine ship...  We really enjoyed being on her twice.

Edited March 26, 2023 by MoCruiseFan

[quercus alba]

1 hour ago, MoCruiseFan said:

Wow what a diatribe, I gave up after about ½ of yoru rambling.  BTW good job, way to plan ruiining your own crusie before it even started

 

I think you may need to run an update on your sarcasm detection software.