Semi/Live: an "Epic" TA, 15 nights NY to Barcelona 04/22/23 - 05/07/23

[mking8288]

Here we go – almost time to cruise again, T minus 2 days to embarkation … approaching the 48 hours mark soon for "mking8288's" sunset cruise this Saturday.  All systems go, final preparations under way ... prepaying and scheduling bill payments ahead, travel notices to cc & banks submitted, postal mail on hold for almost 3 weeks, etc.  

 

Come along and follow virtually – this is running parallel to another Live(ish) Epic Transatlantic April 22-May 7 by Clay, another CC’er active on the busy roll call – please feel free to read both … others onboard the TA are welcomed to post and comments, please be kind, considerate & respectful, agree to disagree and try not to hijack or go way off-topics, consistent with rules set forth by CruiseCritic, thanks in advance.  We will do our best to make it fun, informative, interesting ... motto: go with the flow, bring humor and pack patience, be nice to others and sit back, let's roll with the changes - think positive and have a backup plan.  

The other Live(ish) link - https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2931073-liveish-epic-transatlantic-april-22-may-7/

 

 

Our second cruise in 2023 on NCL, this is going to be an “Epic” Transatlantic, 15 nights from New York to Barcelona, Spain via Bermuda, Azores / Portugal with several stops.  Post cruise – we have 2 half-day semi-private tours booked in Barcelona, then, we fly home on TAP-Portugal with a 3 hour layover at Lisbon, Portugal.  Best efforts will be to make this fun, informative and lots of pictures & descriptive info, and less subjective chats about it all … satellite WiFi onboard “cooperating” while at sea.  Hopefully, WiFi - satellite (EMC as the ISP onboard, Starlink not expected for a while) and cellular (T-Mobile/Google Fi Wireless's global "roaming" partners) will keep us mostly connected ... if we lost our signal while at sea & go silent, bear with us and take a break, feel free to speculate as to what happened & where we are.  Track & hunt us down on various sites like Marinetraffic, CruiseMapper and ship's livecam or webcams, etc.  "Windy" app will be one of the tools used to help us look ahead in our Atlantic crossing as we are going to be on the northern route - going to be checking our live ship Nav Channel (#11) for info, stats, routes & other indicators ... Epic has a (Deck 13 Fwd, starboard) Bridge Viewing Room, as long as it is open ... maybe I will take a short walk up/down our corridor to do a brief, live "stream" to report from there.  

 

CC friends of ours just disembarked from their 16 days/nights westbound TA on Tuesday, and they tested out & use KnowRoaming eSim (Europe variant) on their device (must be carrier unlocked & eSim compatible, either Android or iOS)  5 GB of data that's good for 30 days for $22 USD.  Good feedback, good speed and no issues at all, "superior" to ship's satellite WiFi as expected ... they used their 300 free FAS minutes x 2 only; and, it worked for them on most days using their newest/upgraded iPhone 14 ProMax and WhatsApp with us - in ports and while at sea.  Unnecessary to spend extra for the unlimited streaming option, unless ... YMMV, of course.  

KnowRoaming eSim's link - as FYI only, not an endorsement of the product, etc. - 

https://knowroaming.com/

 

Edited April 20, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Bags are 98% packed & ready to go, except for last minute items – we are each taking a Euro-sized carry-on, smaller to assure that we don’t overload on our homebound flight (22 lbs. limit) plus a checked 24” spinner (easier to not exceed 44 lbs or 23 kg.)  Making good use of (compression) packing cubes with our luggage, repacking to take out items we can leave behind - easier to get around and access onboard laundry services via NCL.  Flight arranged on our own, not using NCL’s Air and the entire package competitively, fully insured by third party for trip, travel & medical, etc.

 

Packing a Lenovo touchscreen Chromebook w latest OS, 4GB/64GB internal plus 128GB external USB drive, HDMI output instead of Sony Viao Windows 10 Pro notebook PC (lighter vs. heavy) – wireless Bluetooth mouse * noise-cancelling earbuds, extra pair of wired headset w USB port-adapter, and a 10,000 mAH Xiaomi battery bank.  Google Pixel 7 Pro (5G) running pure Android 13 with VPN – dual/eSim enabled, Pixel 4a 5G with Google One dual/eSim enabled.  iPad Mini 5 and iPhone SE 2020 w iOS 16.4.1 for iMessages & WhatsApp.  Of course, assorted USB cables, connectors & adapters, 2 short 110 volts outlet adapters and 220-110v adapters for dual voltage device charging – and, the latest, two (2x) USB 3.0 10 ft. braided & shielded extension cables for that extra reach & daily chained together if needed to the balcony.  Mrs. “M” has my “old” Galaxy S22 Plus w 256GB storage and on her separate Google Fi Wireless line. 

 

Staying in Barcelona post-cruise, making sure we have extra 220 volts outlet adapter for our gadget - will be using the same / similar setup in our balcony stateroom.  We have a good inventory or supply of Covid home testing kits, not yet expiring ... free from our insurance and valid thru 2024, going to pack some along just in case for peace of mind.  Of course, basic health items including 3-ply masks and KN95 and KF94 grade respiratory masks, and hand sanitizers - just in case as we don't want to spent time somewhere looking for them, if & hopefully not needed at all.  

 

Last but not least, gotta have my caffeine fix in the morning and prefer a strong brew, Starbucks is cool but too watery & diluted for my taste, bring some from home - get us the 1 cup hot water/coffee brewer - setup daily stocked and we are good.  Will make a trip to the buffet for extras if warranted.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighting these tech toys, oops, gadgets by themselves - adding up close to 8+ lbs, not shown are the cables, connectors, adapters, jacks and other "accessory" items - keeping them in those Eagle Creek pouches for quick & easy access, and in storing them safely ... most will be part of the carry-on.  If necessary, toss into the Scott-e-Vest alike with big pockets, should the airline be gate-checking passengers for excess weight of their personal & carry-on bags.  

 

Edited April 20, 2023 by mking8288

[www3traveler]

In your many cruises have you ever met Captain Rune Myre from Norway?  He is the current Captain on The Epic.  He will be heading home on vacation when you reach Barcelona.

Have a wonderful cruise.

 

 

[smillerholmes]

The Epic gets a bad rap.  I have done two TA's on her and I think she is "unique", but I always have a good time.  Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the ship.

 

 

[mking8288]

32 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

 ... Captain Rune Myre from Norway?  ... on The Epic.  He will be heading home on vacation when you reach Barcelona.  Have a wonderful cruise.

No, we haven't or at least don't recall, memory isn't as good with age, LOL - perhaps from a while back.  Assumed he has a long history with NCL, we did have Norweigan captains in the Dawn, Jewel, Star days then and quite possibly sailed under his command.  

 

CC friends that just got off the Sun's TA told us that George Kassis from Ottawa should be CruiseNext Manager onboard.  Going to stop by to extend warm wishes for them, maybe I'll skip ahead indirectly while booking the BTS tour and Dine With Officers with an inside connection ... just kidding.  Thanks & we plan to relax and enjoy - seemed like sea days should be good enough to sit out on the larger (??) balcony of ours to catch up on reading eBooks.  Might be a little choppy but we'll do fine - stay tuned.  

 

12 minutes ago, smillerholmes said:

The Epic gets a bad rap.  I have done two TA's on her and I think she is "unique", but I always have a good time.  Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the ship.

Sure thing and that's another "excuse" to pick this TA vs. other eastbound NCL ships out of NCL this time of the year, including the Gem.  It's the "oldest" mega ship in the fleet and over 10 years old, some saying it's overdue for a major overhaul (again) but the unique feature, including the bathroom/shower setup - seem acceptable with our SIL in tow and for a long ride.  

 

BTW, just wanted to alert you that the SUN now has bedside USB ports to use ... it's new & our friends were happy with that option/addition, and, they know a thing or two about cyber security.  Don't believe the Epic has them now - love to leave behind 2 x 10' and 6' USB extensions, saving a few ounces of luggage weight.  

[www3traveler]

According to a note I got from George about 10 days ago, he boards the Bliss on the 29th.

[All-ready2cruise]

Have a wonderful cruise, MKing8288, (Henry), I love TA's.  DH hated the Epic but I have a strong desire to reboard her sometime soon.  I'll be following. 

[mking8288]

@www3traveler thanks, I will tell them as they got friends working on different ships. 

 

Oops, duplicated picture of the eBags Mother Lode Junior 19" expandable & convertible carry-on backpack, easy to overload it when TAP-Portugal limits cabin carry-on to 24 lbs max but allow bag sized to 22 x 14 x 9 - our return flight from Barcelona via Lisbon, Spain. 

 

With our spacious 24" spinners and packing tubes, there's plenty of room inside for extra gears before tipping the portable scale at 40 lbs - leaving room for lightweight souvenirs only.  

 

 

Dieting until we get onboard.  Earlier this week, we had a big seafood feast for lunch including 3 whole lobsters, the works at nearby City Island, Bronx NY - too far for visitors to get there & back, popular & well known among locals - the Lobster House. With 2 pitchers of soda, 20%+ tips & valet parking, and free chocolate ice cream cake for dessert, total came to less than $60 p/p for 6 of us. Much more than what one can find & get onboard from Specialty Dining - hence on the ship, paying extra crazy upcharge isn't for us.  I know, comparing apples vs. oranges & tangerines. 

 

Gourmet dining and what's important onboard ... our views are a little biased.  Gotta watch our calories & stay away from too much sweets, lol.  DW going for sugar-free items, oh mine.  

 

 

 

 

P.S.  The prime rib barely get a passing grade, but someone in our party enjoy beef steak ... so, IMHO - not in a local seafood restaurant.  But, you get the idea & same principles at sea, "fresh" seafood on a cruise, haha - wishful thinking.  

Edited April 21, 2023 by mking8288

[meatball_nyc]

Bon Voyage, mking. Safe travels, and fair seas to you and yours. Enjoy!

Looking forward to future reports. 

 

 

[dexddd]

Have a great time!

 

Glad your live isn't a month in advance like several others here.

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

Have a great time!

 

Glad your live isn't a month in advance like several others here.

 

 

Awwww, that's meeeee you're talking about. 🤗 Hehe, yea I hate myself for starting them up so early too!

 

@mking8288, I want to do a Trans-Atlantic sometime in my life, so will be following along on how this one goes! I can get a taste of NCL's Trans-Atlantics. Let's just say, I'm not so enamored with the Cunard Trans-Atlantic reports I sometimes follow. Have a safe, enjoyable journey! Looking forward to the next couple of weeks, thanks to you!

[amygutman]

So excited to be following along on this and the other Epic thread for the TAs. We will be on the Epic next November for a TA and incredibly excited for this bucket list trip.
 

Thank you in advance for all of the information especially in regards to the electronics as we always struggle with what to pack. your posts are always wonderful. Details and thundering and thank you in advance for sharing with the CC crew.

 

Warmest, Amy

[disneylover89]

Following along, have a wonderful cruise and safe travels!

[tsahall01]

16 hours ago, mking8288 said:

If necessary, toss into the Scott-e-Vest alike with big pockets, should the airline be gate-checking passengers for excess weight of their personal & carry-on bags

We always pack/wear our Scott-e-Vest for our trips.  They are a life saver for places like Rome and Barcelona where pickpockets are everywhere.  We have never had a problem--close calls, but all my money and electronics were in zippered inside pockets, so they got nothing (escalators in the train station in Barcelona to go to Montserrat).  They are pricey, but I won't travel without them!  They can become HEAVY with lots of things in the pockets, LOL!!  Our cousin once almost packed his entire backpack into his Scott-e-vest!

 

Have a wonderful, safe cruise!

Edited April 21, 2023 by tsahall01

[mking8288]

Tee minus One, almost ... 24 hours from now, we should be inside Pier 88, MCT and "live"

Anyone wanted to book, pack and cruise last minute on short notice, Insides staterooms still available - even at SailAway rates with solo pricing, nice deals if you can do it  😄 😆 😎 

 

 

Framework for this trip - extra bonus info & what's ahead - 

Finally, doing our first TA, eastbound on northern route across the Atlantic ... possible b/c we no longer have to worry about vacation time and taking extra days off, early retirement bonus (however, held back b/c of the 2020 global pandemic, which isn't going away entirely.)  Just sailed the Getaway in January to the Caribbean & booked the Prima, end of April, but cancelled-postponed.  Came across the Epic’s itinerary 2 months ago … instead of joining friends on their just completed Sun TA, Lisbon to NY/Miami, 16/19 nights at 90% (DO) occupancies.  [They disembarked 3 days ago (along with 600 in NY while 200 joined as new pax) … thanks, M & A with extra info/advice & tips, etc. ]

 

A big CC roll call and we plan to attend, Meet & Greet at Cagney's on Day 2 (sea day - en route to Bermuda) being organized & run by other CC vets, in good hands.  Most are from out of town/flying international to join this cruise.  Crew rotations expected again in NY upon arrival, vacations & returning ones - hopefully, a good team.  We have tailored expectations, reading many of the reviews across the cruise industry and those of NCL ... heck, the grass isn't necessary greener or nicer elsewhere.  

 

What's different and expected - onboard, housekeeping services 1 x daily (was still 2x daily on the Getaway 2.5 months ago)  Going to request the hot water/coffee maker, brew our own daily - DW and her sister prefer hot / warm water.  

 

Pier 88, Manhattan Cruise Terminal (free WiFi enabled & available) in NY is a short ride away for us … local car service arranged this time (30 minutes trip on weekends via toll bridge) and about $10 less than Carmel's price.  Taxi, car service, Uber/Lyft prices have all gone up since the beginning of 2023, by 20% on average ... more fare hikes coming soon.  Online check-in ***** completed at 21 days out, passports & travel documents checked, meds & OTC/personal kits packed & stocked, postal mail delivery on hold, and, our house plant’s watering system ready again (no pets to worry about, LOL).  

 

Pier check-in: selected earliest available time of 10:30 to 11 am. (Epic scheduled arrival listed as 8:30 – coming from Amber Cove, DR) and sunset sailaway @ 7:30 pm.  If all goes smoothly, hope to be onboard around/before noon for a nice sit-down lunch and for staterooms will be ready by early/mid  afternoon.  Dinner on the Hudson (River) at Taste, reservation at 5:30 pm – finish just in time as the ship head down toward Statue of Liberty.  

 

Epic sailing close to full - expecting this TA to be near 95 to 100% double occupancy, actual numbers to come later – probably not as “crowded” as there seemed to be a good # of solo cruiser, reflected not scientifically in the roll call.  Last minute deals on Insides were nice, especially combined with CruiseNext Doubleup offers and Latitude double points bonus, etc. – plus we have a $250 non-refundable NCLH shareholders OBC to use (not a problem, trust me.)  

 

Cabin upgrades, bids, etc. - Nope.  Unlike other cruises, we chose not to bid on anything offered … and, seemed like most higher categories were sold out & no longer available weeks ago.  

Researched, selected & booked a specific Family Balcony (B4) directly, Deck 13 Fwd/Mid – just a few steps from the elevators & stairs, convenient access to the buffet (Garden Café) and O’Sheehan’s (The Local) several decks below, walkable for us.  Ours supposed to be bigger than usual/average (think, small ... the standard ones on the Escape) – will find out & post pictures.  3 of us traveling, not worried about the bath/shower’s “unique” design/layout, “better” for us as each of us can be doing something – sister-in-law spend lots of time daily as a matter of routine in the loo, at least one of us can shower or wash up.  Read the negative reviews and feedbacks, we know & hopefully cope.  Shorter bed/mattress & sofa - checked.  

 

Thus far, haven't really read or heard anyone on the large roll call that nicer bids were accepted or successful, certainly not Haven or even spa balcony bids that I heard of ...  Read chatters about live bidding.  

 

*****  There was a slight problem, Day 3 from embarkation - our previously completed online check-in status at 100% was gone, instead frozen at 96% (85% for pax #3 b/c her Contact Info/update was showing as incomplete or missing ... huh.)  WTH.  Luckily, we're already saved eDocs to PDF & smartphone, printed out eLuggage tags & paper copy of our eDoc to show port security in order to be allowed in, as the digital version also disappeared.  Both online and the app showed that online check-in being within 72 hours, and edit/change not permitted, has to go to the pier/cruise terminal to complete the check-in, etc.  Luckily, by the afternoon of Day 2 and without calling into NCL's Help or I.T. help desk, the "problem" self-repaired and is gone, OLCI is back up to 100% and everything is okay, again.  OMG, we can access eDocs again and print out a dozen eLuggage tags again, if we needed to.  Gotta love NCL for being consistently inconsistent, especially on weekends - go ahead, make my/our day ahead and prove us wrong.   

[room with a view]

Have a fantastic cruise - looking forward to your "live " blog from the Epic.

[mking8288]

I'm back - Epic is on her way, tracked by Cruisemapper sailing north about 150 miles east of Elizabeth City, VA at 21 knots, running close to top / full speed with a good & favorable tailwind.  ETA around/after 6 am, EDT into NYC per Marinetraffic.  

 

Pre-cruise, we declined group gathering to avoid catching or bringing anything unwanted & undesired onboard.  Still has to eat, had a nice Shabu Shabu (AYCE) lunch in nearby Flushing, Queens - variety & tons of good Asian food here.  There are a # of 4 stars major hotel chains here including the Sheraton, Four Points, Hyatt Place, Ramada and the Renaissance - all of them with free airport shuttles to/from LGA (but, not JFK)  Prices are competitive & reasonable vis-a-vis midtown Manhattan / Times Square, depending on one's plan & sightseeing needs, or just looking for a good night sleep flying in early.  Easy to reach Carmel, Dial 7 or local car services, and, of course - plenty of Uber & Lyft circulating and less than 10 minutes to popular pick-up along/near Main Street.  

 

This is far more fun than onboard Teppanyaki - red/meat, seafood, etc. are extra, priced a la carte but all for few dollars (vs. those "sides" at Cagney's)   2 hours of complimentary underground parking in the mixed-use complex known as Queens Crossings, 1.5 block from the #7 subway line & LIRR station on the next corner.  Typical costs per person, including what you see here, taxes & tips, etc. all inclusive ... $30 to $40 p/p excluding any sake wine or other bar/alcohol items ... not bad for NYC vs. NCL.  Downside, the place can be noisy & loud b/c it can get crazy crowded on weekends - you need to do your own singing (not exactly "encouraged") and dancing fork & knife show.  Soft ice-cream included ... Google is your friend to finding this place, on 38th Avenue and there is a walk-in City MD around the corner, where they still do PCR testing if required again, hopefully not. 

 

 

 

Hence, you are rest assured that we will be skipping at least one SD option - guess which one ...  Yes, starts with the capital letter "T"  Against this, we'll visit Shanghai Restaurant and Shanghai Noodles onboard the Epic, see - eat - compare, although we have a pretty solid base and idea of what it served and how we'll likely rank them.  

 

 

 

 

[Clay Clayton]

Hmm, semi live versus live-ish….is there really a difference?😂

[mking8288]

6 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Hmm, semi live versus live-ish….is there really a difference?😂

Errrr, good question - we got about 26 or 27 hours to figure this out while "live" with land cellular signal.  Oh, wait, you will get up ultra early to catch your pre-dawn flight ... I'll probably take a peek at Cruisemapper to see where's the Epic & whether it's going to be docking by 7'ish at Pier 88.  

 

Just hope that USCG or other regulators aren't doing to do an inspection before the crossing - as that will delay boarding for all, including Haven until ship is cleared & way past zero count.  

 

Ah, got it - you lead port side from your AFT balcony end and we do starboard side forward, especially when we are on the lookout for pier runners - hopefully, none & not leaving anyone behind in Dockyard, Porta Delgada, Funchal, etc.  How's that sound.  

 

Have a great flight coming into JFK and meet up with v.t. from Spain to ride the AirTrain - E subway to Pier 88.  That's worth covering on your end as part of the trip report and post that on the East Coast sub-forum, add your impression if using OMNY tap-n-pay/go payment method.  

[mking8288]

Jumping ahead, post-cruise, we will stay in Barcelona for 2 days.  Booked our own, one way air arrangement on TAP Air Portugal and was going stay at a Marriott property in town using points, but too far from the action. Online search & TripAdvisors research done, booked the H10 Casanova, about 6 blocks walk from La Rambla in the L'Eixample neighborhood. 

 

Hola, going to make use of Live Google Translate on the Pixel 7 Pro & Samsung Galaxy S22+ 

 

We locked in a nice discount hotel only rate, breakfast elsewhere on our own - quotes rate now is about $130 Euro higher for 2 nights. 

 

 

TAP Portugal allows for a free stopover in Libson, at no extra charge for up to 10 days ... sometime that we'll definitely consider and make plans for, especially if we sail from NY or the East Coast & disembark on the other side of the Atlantic ... and find a routing thru LIS - their hub/base with a land trip/stay.  We were looking at flight options on Lufthansa via Frankfurt ... at higher coach fare options.  Something to consider ahead, I think - more on our A330-900 flight to JFK later on ... not one of those newer 737 series.  

 

Edited April 21, 2023 by mking8288

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

 

Just hope that USCG or other regulators aren't doing to do an inspection before the crossing - as that will delay boarding for all, including Haven until ship is cleared & way past zero count.  

 

Have a great flight coming into JFK and meet up with v.t. from Spain to ride the AirTrain - E subway to Pier 88.  That's worth covering on your end as part of the trip report and post that on the East Coast sub-forum, add your impression if using OMNY tap-n-pay/go payment method.  

Hopefully since Epic isn’t coming in from Europe that won’t be a problem unlike when we arrived on Dawn in 2018 and they did a top to bottom inspection delaying everyone doing a b2b like us as well as the embarking passengers.  Similar issue when Sun arrived in Port Canaveral after a TA. We sat in the departure hall for hours. 
 

Due to her late arrival v.T. decided she wanted to sleep in rather than meet us at 9am or so.  Therefore she is going to take a taxi to the ship. 

[Clay Clayton]

51 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

 

 

TAP Portugal allows for a free stopover in Libson, at no extra charge for up to 10 days ... sometime that we'll definitely consider and make plans for, especially if we sail from NY or the East Coast & disembark on the other side of the Atlantic ... and find a routing thru LIS - their hub/base with a land trip/stay.  We were looking at flight options on Lufthansa via Frankfurt ... at higher coach fare options.  Something to consider ahead, I think - more on our A330-900 flight to JFK later on ... not one of those newer 737 series.  

 

The TAP stopover is a great program. I’m the Before Times you could stopover in Lisbon or Porto.  We flew them in Biz and had great flights.  

[mking8288]

47 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

... Due to her late arrival v.T. decided she wanted to sleep in rather than meet us at 9am or so.  Therefore she is going to take a taxi to the ship. 

Make sense for her, moderately jet-lagged flying over, to get an extra hour or two of sleep than to hustle or run to meet up & deal with the AirTrain & subway, etc.  penny wise but pound.  On a domestic short hop, it's different & much easier.  

 

If you can reach her via email, assuming she can get WiFi - advise/suggest that she book the trip on Carmel (or Dial 7) for a flat rate/fixed price quote - taxi from the hotel directly to Pier 88 will be metered, unlike doing the trip from JFK terminal ...  Again, a hassle to do hotel shuttle back to JFK and hail a taxi - reasons being that the main highway (Rt. 678 Van Wyck Expwy nearby has major weekend construction for roadway widening, probably shutting down 1 of 3 travel lanes - going to be gridlocked, hate to watch the $$ fare meter running & not going nowhere ... can freak out oversea visitors)  

 

When the Sun reached NY this Tuesday on her TA, all 1,700 pax (and crew ??) had to disembark and do CBP face-to-face, fortunately, was smooth & quick - we're caught once coming back from Canada when the system nearly froze. Hellish for those waiting to board, another time with noro - boarding didn't begin until 12:30 pm & that was super late for NY's routines.  

Edited April 22, 2023 by mking8288

[mking8288]

11 hours ago, amygutman said:

... Thank you in advance for all of the information especially in regards to the electronics as we always struggle with what to pack. your posts are always wonderful ... Warmest, Amy

Amy - you (and, all others on CC) are most welcomed.  Addressing the tech aspects of being on a cruise is both challenging and fun, always exploring what's better, different and practical - while packing light, those toys ... gadgets can get quite heavy, temptation is to bring most of them - NOT.  

 

I am leaving my Sony Viao NB PC behind and going to make this TA trip work with a lighter Chromebook, counting on Google One & cloud storage for access and to bail me out if needed ... with redundant storage on Samsung's and MS cloud server, actually some on AWS (that's Amazon for those not tech inclined)  This is my newer Lenovo CB, 4/64GB internal with USB 3.0 and HDMI - paired up with Anker 7-in-1 USB-C Hub, thus extra ports for everything else ... add in a 128 GB mSD card and another 128 GB USB flash drive - that's good for 7 to 10 hours online use before needing a quick charge.  Xiaomi 10,000 usb battery bank on standby, off-the-grid to recharge 2 smartphone, iPad mini 5 and noise-cancel wireless earbuds.  

 

Google Pixel 7 Pro - without carrier or "all" the extra OEM bloatware loaded) is now my primary, going to make use of its 10x & higher digital zoom, takes better picture (IMHO) than the Samsung Galaxy S22+ that DW and I have.  S22+ function as a  remote desktop, USB-C to HDMI output for 1080p if we wish to stream video or live content.  Zoom - checked & covered.  Paired with the Pixel 7 Pro, I can browse/reply & do work on the Chromebook with its larger touchscreen, Voice, Messages & WhatsApp - over default VPN included.  That's as good as many remote WFH setup, if not better & nicer - happily retired here, however but staying afloat with the latest AI stuff too.  Just playing this week with Google Home's newest, not Nest cams but a different established & supported brand of sec video cams, streaming 3+ cams live depending on the quality of the cyber connection ... not expected to work over satellite at sea.  We will find out in a day or so.  

 

 

 

Making a difference for the TA, well - we got more options & choices onboard - much rather catch 2 or 3 good shows in the main theater, if and but ...  Hopefully, won't fall asleep next week - watching Burn The Floor for the 3rd time within the past year, no Priscilla and not expecting anything other than movies, maybe just comedies or solo / duet singers on the big stage.  Got our chosen contents downloaded, plus the iPad & iPhone combo since not all the extended families are on Androids, got to have iOS - besides, can't "ignore" free iMessages at sea, right. 

 

Below - Pixel 7P accessing the mSD memory card via the USB-C Dongle, play video & output via HDMI to a bigger screen, and listen privately with earbuds ... sitting on the balcony with a tall cup of chilled lattee or iced coffee, and snacks.  That's happiness at seas - and, maybe, might even go for room services with a delivery charge, etc.   Set-up allows reading off my SSD standalone drives, retired from older laptops & re-purposes for offline backup.  

 

In terms of our voice, text/messaging, WiFi and VoIP calling, “unlimited” 5G, 4G LTE data access, we are well covered while traveling abroad … with additional “plan B” and plan C backup on the go for emergencies, if needed.  Onboard the Epic, subject to limitations of NCL's ISP/satellite provider - still EMC.  Was hoping that Starlink's rollout would reach the Epic, not likely from what I've seen or read - oh, well - might be just semi-live only until we reach the ports along the route.

 

Google Fi Wireless coverage, including 5G and 4G LTE data access in over 200+ countries, unlimited voice & free texting/SMS – up to 50GB data monthly, hotspot & tethering … that’s our backbone once in range & connected to land cellular signals or towers.   Whenever you see us docking somewhere - we should be able to stay "live" unless there are unusual or exceptional reasons for us to not connect to a land tower.  Frequently traveling & cruising, Fi’s data option is a must to consider. 

 

I think I've covered a good range of background & related subjects, before we close the doors behind us and head to Pier 88 to get checked in.  Epic is the "oldest" mega ship in the fleet, launched in 2010 and we are sailing her "prepared" on what to expect, and not to - let's see how things go after we get onboard.  

 

[mking8288]

It's 10 pm - do you / we know where our ship is at ...

 

Just checked, they got all engines running full speed ahead at 21 knots, still way offshore from Maryland/Delaware, yet to cross into NJ on that final stretch into NY Lower Bay - typically, that's another 6 to 8+ hours before docking at MCT / Pier 88   It also depends on harbor traffic, going to tune to Marine radio traffics on my scanner app, to hear if there's anything out of the ordinary.

 

Hopefully, she can dock around 7 a.m. and not much later than 8 a.m. and USCG or local officials aren't going to do a scheduled or unannounced inspection to slow everyone down before embarkation, scheduled for 12 noon.  Our plan is to be there by 10:30 am and get thru security to check-in.  

 

Being Sapphires do not mean much, I'm afraid - lately (on our last 2, 3 cruises out of NYC) too many Platinums & Sapphires embarkation, lounge/roped off waiting area filled up quickly and ... once they started announcing, half of those in the terminal begin rushing for Door C out for the 2 gangways.  

 

For those not familiar with the Epic TA itinerary & scheduled ports - see below - there is always a possibility of the ship skipping a port or two, due to weather, safety or other emergencies.  If and when we know, rest assured CC "addicts" hanging out here will be among the first to read about it & know.  

 

 

We will (should) be on Deck 13 Fwd/Mid starboard side - as picture here, as I am doubtful we can get a good close-up exterior picture before we set sail from NY.