Tag: #norwegianepic

Final Day transatlantic cruise NCL Epic

21 April 2018

The last day of my 15 day transatlantic cruise is a sea day and sadly has come to an end.

However, Firstly I woke at 7:30am to watch my NRL game to find out that it would be televised live on the ship at 9:30am so I was able to get another 2 hours sleep. Unfortunately my Wests Tigers were beaten in the last minute to Newcastle Knights.

This disappointed me for a short time as I quickly remembered I needed to get in an enjoy my last day of this cruise where I visited lovely parts of the world and had fun onboard the Norwegian Epic.

One fun game played onboard was LRC (left right centre) it was the best $3 spent on each sea day. With the opportunity to win up to $200 and socialising with fun people. When we were down to me and another person fighting for the pot I had sweaty hands and felt a lot of pressure especially with 50 people chanting my name. Unfortunately I did not win the money but felt the love of many people.

Last dinner at the Manhattan room with Sarah Stu and Denny.

Final night of dancing with these friends.

Wonderful friends were made on this cruise. Luckily many will be getting off in Barcelona tomorrow so we can wean ourselves off the separation.

Malaga Spain

20 April 2018

Day 13 of this wonderful cruise took us to Malaga, Spain. Sheryl, Grant, Sylvia, Kim and I paid a taxi driver 80EUR for a two (2) hour tour of the city. Our taxi driver (tour guide) Jose Luis took us to the Castillo Gibralfaro de Malaga (Gibralfaro Castle in Malaga)

The Basilica Real y Santuario de Santa Maria de la Victoria has a crypt which is described as the scariest. What do you think?

Then upstairs there is “Heaven”

The museum has interesting artifacts including a velvet cloak hand stitched with silver thread.

Alcazaba of Malaga (sounds like something out of Harry Potter) is a foryress palace in the middle of Malaga.

A must do is have a drink and feed at El Pimpi, the oldest tapas bar in Malaga and owned by Antonio Banderas.

French contemporary art museum Pompidou Malaga

Dinner with these funsters Stu, Danny and Sarah.

After dancing in the Bliss every night could not pass up a snack at O’Sheehan’s. I worked up an appetite dancing as always at the Glow party. Then a quick snack with Alex at 4:00am because I had to be up for the Wests Tigers v Newcastle Knights NRL match at 7:30am.

Gibraltar UK

19 April 2018

I was excited about exploring the Rock of Gibraltar. I was looking forward to getting a photo of African coast from the top of the rock. I walked into town to get the cable car to the top of the rock hoping that by the time I got to town the walk would warm me up. It was so cold, windy and cloudy and I was inappropriately dressed so I returned to the ship to change clothing. With warmer clothes and 1.5 hours later I found the cable car queue was so long I was concerned I would not get back to the ship in time before sailaway. I explored the town instead. I find it very interesting that this is a British colony and the first language is Spanish. The currency accepted in all the stores is USD, EUR and Pounds.

The Trafalgar Cemetery is a tranquil spot.

The red telephone boxes are a novelty. You can see how cold I was here.

Have a giggle with one of my accent misunderstandings. Every time I say I am going to party many Americans think I am saying I am going to the potty.

Once back at the ship in the sheltered area of the Spice H2O deck you can see the temperature was quite different.

Sea day

18 April 2018

I had a day relaxing by the pool. There are all nationalities on this ship and I love all of the accents, mostly the American which remind me I am on an adventure like no other. I continually thank the universe that I have these amazing experiences. I know how I am doing this but at the same time full of amazement that I am.

These people live a reality that is a culture of travel and meeting and learning from diverse people. Other than retirees there are several people aged from 40 who have sold everything and are “homeless” exploring the world. Many have worked very hard and would have been classified as workaholics but decided to let work go and now enjoy life.

This evening I succeeded in getting front row seats for Piscilla Queen of the Desert. I approached the Cruise Director and told him of my connections to Kings Cross, Les Girls, Mitzi and Carlotta.

But first dinner with these lovely ladies. Julia BJ and Dorothea.

Then we had after show drinks with the cast.

Cadiz Spain

17 April 2018

11am I disembarked to explore this island. The food is so cheap and the delicious smells drew me to the best paella I have ever had and the cost was 3EURO. I would love if I could find such fresh good food to takeaway in the USA. Of course it is available in little Havana in Miami.

I walked aound with Maf and Meredith trying to capture some of the beauty in photos.

Bollards everywhere.

Maf and I showed some children who were in the school playground how a couple of gringos move.

gringos dancing

Of course ended the night dancing.

Norwegian Epic Bermuda UK

10 April 2018
Enjoyed a taxi tour of this colonial island with solo travellers Sarah, Sandy, Danny, Stu, Michael and Kim from USA.

Weather was windy and overcast but the company fun. Stopped at St George.

Had a walk around Hamilton.

Would have liked to swim here in Tobacco Bay but too cold.

Seven (7) golf courses on this island.

The rooves of the houses are quite an interesting design and made of cement which seems to give them extra protection from the numerous hurricanes this island experiences.

We could not go past this place the Boner Bar but unfortunately didn’t get to experience their menu item a “frozen boner”.

Back on the ship enjoyed watching Sarah being part of the show The Hypnotist and ended the night like every night in the nightclub Bliss. One disappointment is that the go go cages I danced in on my previous Epic cruise have been replaced with mirrors 😉

Beautiful message left on the nightclub table.

Thank you Sarah xx

The people I am connecting with every day confirms that everyone we meet pass through our lives for a reason and not a coincidence. The 6 degrees of separation notion needs to be reviewed. I love that on a ship of over 4000 people in the middle of the Atlantic you meet people from the same town or people with only one degree of separation.

Norwegian Epic

7 April 2018
I am off to Barcelona on a Transatlantic cruise! This was not planned but I got such a great deal I could not go. I love the Norwegian Epic and this is the last cruise I could do on her from the USA as she repositions to Europe for their summer.

I have discovered I am a silver member of Norwegian Cruise Line Latitudes club. I got priority embarking no waiting in lines. A free bottle of champagne and some extra internet minutes.

This is only my 4th cruise with NCL and I get perks!!. I have been on 10 P&O cruises and get nothing. I am in the studio cabins and this cruise has only 80 children out of 4800 passengers. The majority are over 50 but the first night in the nightclub was amazing. I had 2 wonderful dance partners!! I don’t need anything else. The DJs on NCL could teach P&O cruise DJs how to keep the passengers happy. Every NCL cruise I have been on the DJs know or play what the passengers love.

The people I have met so far are wonderful interesting and all retired from USA, Canada,France, Britain, Spain and Aussies from Melbourne and Brisbane. Including investors, gold mining office manager, French professor, teacher, travel agents, accident investigator, army, emergency nurse and mission chaplain. Such diverse occupations.

I have learnt to play a gambling game left/right/centre. Lots of fun and a very social game with an investment of $3 and prize of $100. Day 3 tomorrow and with our first stop in Bermuda.