I experienced an exquisite taste of the ultimate holiday escape on board the magnificent Norwegian Epic Cruise Ship from June 5 to 8, 2016 and wrote this travel
feature for 50 Connect.
This is a first. I’ve never been on a luxury cruise before so I figure it's time to discover what devotees rave about!
I don’t know what to expect, other than cliché images of languid bodies lazing on
a sun-drenched deck.
So with a surprising assault to the senses we step out of
the hushed lift onto Deck 15 into a full-on salsa dance party with joyful music
pumping and people jumping, their tanned arms and legs glistening in the
sunshine as dazzling as their smiles!
Animated guests are chatting by the busy bar or sprawled on
sun loungers flaunting flamboyant flesh with inhibitions flung into the high
seas. Children are splashing in clear blue pools and zooming down water slides,
squealing with delight! So this is cruising; utter devotion to pleasure, non-stop
entertainment, pure hedonism!
How did this happen? On an ordinary, grey Sunday afternoon I
am transported from Heathrow to Barcelona Port to board the Norwegian Epic for
a cruise around the Mediterranean and glimpse into another world - a floating
world of endless delights. When I meet up with my group of fellow journalists
and bloggers, we’re given a guided tour, exploring the magnificent ship.
I am elated by the vibrant, frenetic scene swarming with
excited, seasoned cruisers – people of all shapes and sizes, ages and
nationalities happily rubbing shoulders in this unique international community.
Inter-generational family holidays are popular with
grandparents, parents and kids enjoying a vast range of activities. The
unstructured “Free and Flexible” concept has created this relaxed atmosphere
with guests free to choose whatever activities they fancy, everything from rock
climbing to sushi making! And guests can eat and drink whenever they like!
As Valentina, our Italian guide and Sarah, our London PR
girl, show us around the 19 decks of this floating city, I am awe struck by the
scale and splendour of the ship but strangely I quickly feel at home! The décor
is opulent but also warm and homey, impressive and tasteful, not glitzy and
kitsch.
We glide past the art gallery through the surreal Casino
lounge on Deck 6 and marvel at the funky bowling alley and discover the heart
of the lavish entertainment area; the plush Epic Theatre, the magical Siegel Tent,
the Headliner’s Comedy Club and the groovy new Cavern Club, styled on the
famous Liverpool club that launched the Beatles.
These elegant venues are surrounded by an array of exotic
bars and restaurants; the Sake Bar, the Bliss Ultra Lounge, Malting’s Whiskey
Bar and the exhilarating Ice Bar to name just a few. Fine dining restaurants
include The Manhattan Room, Le Bistro for gourmet French cuisine, the Shanghai
Asian Restaurant and La Cucina. Food lovers are in heaven!
But if your taste buds prefer plainer fare and plenty of it,
you can eat delicious, fresh food non-stop all day from the eye-popping Garden
Café buffet! Most of the restaurants and bars are all inclusive so it’s
tempting to eat and drink to excess! Despite this freedom to indulge, I see no
evidence of guests behaving badly!
My mind is racing! How is all this possible? I am trying to imagine
the logistics of carrying food supplies to feed the hungry hoards and water to
service the cabins with daily hot showers.
The secrets are hidden in the hull! Massive tanks carry
tonnes of water and armies of workers service the guests every whim by racing
along a super highway below deck.
This magnificent cruise ship is like a gigantic, graceful
swan floating along serenely while the frantic work of paddling goes on beneath
the surface.
The mighty Norwegian Epic has a capacity for 4100 guests
with a crew of 1724 dedicated workers (with 865 staff just on food).
The gross tonnage is 155,873 and the overall length is 1,081
feet, as long as the Eiffel Tower is high! I realise just how long the corridors
are when I get lost returning to my cabin!
My stateroom cabin is as spacious as a hotel room with a double
bed and private balcony view of the ocean and distant landscape of the
Mediterranean coastline. My concierge is cheerful and friendly and his
housekeeping is impeccable. There are
2,114 guest staterooms; over half have balconies
while the others are suites, villas and studios and 42 rooms are wheelchair accessible.
Epic was the flagship for many years, the pride of Norwegian Cruise Line, but she has recently
been surpassed by the dazzling new Escape. And the Norwegian Joy will be
launched in 2017.
The impressive fleet of 14 premium contemporary ships offers
cruises everywhere from Alaska, the Caribbean and Europe to South America and
New Zealand.
I wonder how many
of these incredible “floating cities” cruise the world’s oceans and Google
tells me there are 230 cruise ships currently operating and another 44 scheduled to come
online in the next few years.
On Sunday evening we are treated to the spectacular dinner
show, Cirque Dreams in the mysterious Spiegel Tent. Sitting high up we get a
bird’s eye view of the thrilling aerial acrobatics with talented performers
doing extraordinary contortions! Such feats of flexibility and strength have us
gasping in disbelief! Intricate juggling acts, human balancing acts, skating
duets, magical costume changes, risqué burlesque and humorous skits provide a
feast of mind-boggling entertainment!
After the show I am happy to wander off to my cabin, full to
the brim with sensory stimulation, while my younger colleagues head for one of
the many enticing bars for an exotic nightcap.
On Monday morning I start the day with a yoga class with Thomas,
the Dutch instructor, and a group of Asian ladies. The Pulse Fitness Centre is
immaculate! Having worked up an appetite, I join Jenny, a newspaper journalist
from Aberdeen, for a gourmet breakfast in the Taste café.
Mid-morning is free time and the sun is blazing through a
vivid blue sky so the only place to be is on deck in my swimmers, laying
horizontal where I experience the “worries” and “problems” unique to cruising!
Being spoilt for choice, I feel an anxiety creeping over me; the 21st
century affliction known as FOMO – Fear Of Missing Out! What else could I be
doing? The Salsa class perhaps? This is definitely a “First World problem” of
our consumptive society, not suffered by the countless millions living in
poverty and deprivation.
There are a few more challenges to deal with; claiming my ideal
spot on a sun lounger amongst the human blanket covering the deck and once
settled all I have to worry about is: “How’s my tan coming along?” Yes, this
cruising experience is the great escape from life’s pressures and stresses!
Lying in the gentle sun, feeling the breeze caress my cheeks,
watching the open ocean roll past, I listen to the hum of the engine, snippets
of unknown languages and the upbeat music wafting across the crowded deck.
Adults and kids swish down the curly water slide, giggling
and posing for snaps as they land with splash! For now, these playful
pleasure-seekers are carefree with mundane life a distance memory!
On Monday afternoon our group is invited to a Behind the
Scenes tour. Part of me doesn’t want to spoil the magical illusion of
effortless perfection above deck by witnessing the reality of the hard work down
below. But my curiosity wins!
Our charming Peruvian hostess gives a talk and slide show
about the history of The Norwegian Way and it is surprising to learn that such
a massive, complex company started out as a modest family business in 1924 and
grew through the decades into the phenomenon it is today.
The mega-class Epic was built in France by an army of
engineers and skilled workers and completed in 2010 at a cost of $US1.2
billion.
We’re shown around back stage of the grand Epic Theatre and
sneak a look at the tiny dressing rooms the performers squeeze into amongst the
racks of extravagant costumes.
And then we venture deep below deck to the “Highway 99” of
human traffic that rushes from one end of the ship to the other delivering food
and supplies to the pampered guests above. We are allowed to sneak a look at
the massive galley of stoves and steel benches with the chefs and waiters enjoying
a momentary lull before the dinner frenzy. There’s even a full-scale bakery
producing fresh bread and cakes daily!
I try to imagine the unusual lifestyle of cruise ship
workers who spend up to six to nine months at sea before having a break on land
with their families and friends. There are plenty of social activities for the
crew and continual training sessions.
After the tour we meet four performers from the glamorous
shows for a Q&A chat. The talented dancers and singers from around the
world are clearly devoted to their art and strive for excellence, rehearsing
and refining techniques before every show.
Next we visit the Splash Academy especially for kids! Clubs
are divided into age groups, catering for toddlers from three to teenagers of
17, offering an exciting range of activities from crafts and sports to dress-up
parties based on nautical themes. So whenever parents want to enjoy some
grown-up activities, they can enrol their kids in supervised sessions, knowing
they are having loads of fun!
Monday night some of our group opts for Japanese Teppanyaki
while others choose to dine in French style at Le Bistro. I am delighted by my superb
three-course vegetarian meal, which is just as artistically presented as the
succulent meat and seafood dishes.
Burn The Floor showcases every style of dancing from aristocratic
waltzes and ballroom extravaganza to punk rock and seductive Latin moves! The
show is enthralling!
On Tuesday I wake up to a vision of Naples. The landmark
Castel dell’Ovo looms over the Italian coastal city of pretty peach-coloured
hillside buildings under the shadow of Mount
Vesuvius. What a picture! Today I get to tick my Bucket List!
Guests can
choose from five shore excursions: Capri, Sorrento and Pompeii; the Amalfi
Coast and Pompeii; the Ruins of Herculaneum; Walking through Naples, Pizza and
Secret Tunnels or Sorrento and Naples
Sightseeing with Pizza Tasting! Wow!
I opt for a walking tour of Naples. Our charming Italian
guide, dapper in mint green trousers, declares: “I love you, I love you, I love
you” through our headsets and swears the sun “smiles” here for 340 days of the
year!
He leads us through bustling narrow laneways famous for
stringing laundry overhead between the high rise apartments and explains that
in these close communities neighbours know each other’s business, overhearing
domestic arguments and sharing all their troubles and delights! “Nothing is hidden.
There are no secrets in Naples!”
Our cheeky guide tells us the locals have four cups of
strong espresso a day, which is considered “Napoli Viagra” and he recommends
the famous “sfogliatella” lemon ricotta pastry
with an espresso to kick start the day. I can not resist and yes, it is
sublime!
Volunteer tour guide, Faviona is eloquent, passionate and
entertaining as she regales us with stories and quirky facts as we navigate the
chilly underground tunnels of Naples! What started out as quarries for the rock
to build the city in ancient times, evolved into an elaborate aqueduct system
before being used as extensive bomb shelters for families in World War Two. The
remains of beds, utensils and poignant photos capture the misery of waiting out
the war underground.
A gigantic Margarita Pizza in an authentic Napoli Pizzeria with
beautiful hand painted ceramic tables and… yes, more espresso and irresistible pastry
push my low-carb diet into the zone of No Return! I blame Italy for such
indulgence!
Back on the ship, we explore the inner sanctum of the
exclusive Haven where guests enjoy luxurious secluded lounges and Deck 17 all
to themselves while
solo travellers can meet each other in their private club
lounge.
Late afternoon I experience the bliss of the thermal pools
and saunas and I’m so relaxed I drift back to my cabin to change for dinner at
the savvy Manhattan Room.
What a sensational experience! I’ve tasted just three nights
of euphoric cruising and I now understand why people see these vibrant floating
playgrounds as a home away from home and get hooked on repeat cruises. Some
even say it’s the only way to travel!
Miraculously these
heavenly fly-cruises are affordable. Prices for seven nights start from just
£599 per person!
