Wonderful Mediterranean Cruise
Norwegian Epic Cruise Review to Europe - Western Mediterranean
Contributor Level:
Purser
Cruises: 2-3 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 43
7 Night Western Mediterranean (Barcelona Roundtrip)
Sail date: July 21, 2019
Ship: Norwegian Epic
Cabin type: Balcony
Traveled as: Family (older children)
Reviewed: 5 years ago
Review summary
We absolutely enjoyed our cruise. I'd like to check out Norwegian's newer ships as well. This was my third cruise, I think I still prefer Royal Caribbean's bigger and more modern ships as they offer more restaurant choices and more activities. Mediterranean is a part of the world that I'd like to visit again.Embarkation
It was a little bit confusing as there was no clear signs as where exactly to drop off our luggage. We lined up to check in with our big back packs on, but apparently it was too late if we wanted to have our luggage checked in.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
Manhattan & Taste were two restaurants that served sit down dinner and they offered same menu. I was very impressed with the Crab Cake that I ordered on the 1st night. You can feel the real crab meat e.g. texture and flavour. They put appetizers, salad and soups under the same category of Starters on the menu, I thought it was a bit tricky. We were wondering if this meant that we could only order one thing. But I always ordered an appetizer and a salad or soup.
We tried Shanghai & Noodle Bar one night, and it was very disappointing. It's basically American style Chinese food, not authentic at all. I ordered a spicy dish but it was so sweet. I'm originally from Shanghai and moved to Toronto, Canada 24 years ago in my early 20's. I definitely know what real Chinese foods are, believe me. But if you are used to American Chinese food, you might like it.
Garden Cafe on top deck offers buffet lunch & dinner. Nothing extraordinary, average I guess.
There are a few specialty restaurants but you have to pay extra. You can also buy the meal package depending on your preferences.
Onboard Activities
Entertainment
Children's Programs
My 14-year old son really enjoyed the Teen Club. It is aimed for kids 13-17. He met some kids there and they hung out most of the time when we were on ship. These kids were all from different countries and it made their communication more interesting. The ship provided different activities for them each day.
I wish I knew this earlier as I got the onboard daily newsletter on the last night suggesting a tip for the staff in childrens' program. Not all passengers used this service so the staff there wouldn't get a share of gratuities charged automatically from passengers accounts. Make sure you have some cash prepared on side for this service. It's not mandatory but a nice way to show your appreciation.
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
It is a 4-star ship and I think it shows that. No problem with cleanliness. The casino is in the middle of the open area and I think this might not be the best design for people with small children.
Cabin / Stateroom
The cabin is comfortable and clean enough. We enjoyed our balcony very much. Not long after we left Barcelona on the first day, there were tons of dolphins following the ship and they kept jumping out of the water creating such an exciting experience!
Ship tip
Elevator service can be slow on the ship. We walked up & down the stairs a lot. If you do need to take the elevator, avoid the peak time.
Thumbs up
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Ports of call
We arrived in Barcelona a few days earlier to see the city so we had more time to explore it. Such an interesting place! The Gothic Quarter is a neighborhood you must visit. Picasso's Museum is close to it. The waterfront is beautiful. You will get this amazing panaramic view of the city from Catalonia National Art Museum next to Plaça d'espanya. We also visited Gaudi's Casa Batllo which is located in a quite central area. Beautifully designed. His other design, La Sagrada Familia, the Basilica that has been under construction forever, is of course another site that you shouldn't miss.
We took the excursion to Pompeii and Sorrento. What a beautiful place of Sorrento! I'd like to come back here and explore more of the region like Almafi Coast and the island of Capri. There are lots of lemon products in Sorrento: lemon cello, lemon candies, lemon soap.
If your cruise is in summer, make sure you have sun protection not just the sunscreen lotion. In Pompeii where there are just ruins, it's hard to find a shaded area. When the temperature is 37 degrees Celsius, you'll want to have a hat to block the direct sunlight. Take a bottle of water with you at all time.
We took the excursion to Rome and it is a live museum by itself! The pier is 90-minute drive from the city. Upon arrival to the city, we did the Hop on Hop off bus tour. We'll have to come back to do a more thorough visit. The sense of history, art, culture is everywhere! The city is amazing!
You will have enough time to walk around Cannes after the half day excursion to Nice. Both places are part of the beautiful French Riviera. Henri Matisse moved to Nice in 1917 till he passed away in 1954. There was a reason why he loved Nice so much and he painted quite a lot of Nice's beach/water.
Disembarkation
We took our time to have our breakfast then left the ship. It was much better than embarkation. The wait for the cab was not bad. The pier is not too far from the airport so it's totally ok if you book your return flight around noon or early afternoon.