The Epic IS Epic

Sunday, February 09, 2014
Miami, Florida, United States
Up. At 'em.

8.3 miles. Shower. Took the 11:00am Shuttle to The Epic. Check in was fast; after a 15 minute delay in the Port Miami boarding lounge, my group was called to board the Epic. I took the elevator (the only time I will do that) to Deck 12 but the cabin wasn't ready yet. I knew that because the private hallway that leads to the Studio Cabins had a sign saying so. I schlepped my carry-on bag up as high as I could go to Spice H2O Bar on Deck 16 Aft for a Bud Light Platinum and some sun. At 12:30, I tried the cabin again and it was ready.

The Studio cabins are very cool. The bed for one could easily sleep two. The shower and sink are part and parcel of the room. The desk is tiny and blocked by a narrow shelf but, no matter. There is more closet space than I imagined there would be but slightly less drawer/shelf space than I imagined. The commode is behind a door but the rest of the place is open. My cabin (12562) is a connecting cabin to 12560 and sound from my neighbor could be a problem. We will see. My initial reaction to the cabin is very positive what with the funky indirect lighting and one-way window into the corridor. I will keep that closed as it seems a bit creepy to me.

The web site cruisecritic.com is one that I sometimes consult for cruise news. It has a "Roll Call" feature where one can choose the cruise one is taking and join in a group with others who will be on the same cruise. On the Pearl, there were 25 people and one person who took the lead as organizer. It was fine. On the Epic, there are 125 people and two guys, John and Scott, who are over the top amazing.

For today, as an example, they organized an informal group lunch in O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill on Deck 6 Mid. About 30 people showed up. I met Patrick from Chicago whose brogue let me know he is Irish. It turns out that his people hail from County Clare, 8 miles from the village of Killkee from where the Russell’s come. He knows a bunch of Russells and says they are great footballers. I shall have fun with Patrick but I will be unable to match him beer for beer.

The Mandatory Life Boat Drill was scheduled for 3:30 and was like every other one I have attended. I did meet a few other solo travelers there, among them Nicholas who works for Apple who booked his Studio last week for an amazing $600 for the week. He is also a cruisecritic.com person so after the drill we headed back up to Spice H20 where John and Scott had organized a sailaway gathering. Wow. There are a lot of cruisecritic folks aboard. Nametags made the gathering easier.

At 5:00, Norwegian hosted a solo travelers’ social in the Studio Lounge which is down the hall and down a private staircase from 10562. About fifty solos were there. The Lounge has a bar, plenty of seating and a friendly vibe. A Norwegian crew member took bookings for a group dinner at 5:45 but that is too early for me. Some of the rest of us decided to meet back in the lounge at 8:00 to go to dinner at a place yet to be determined.

In other words, this is a cruise where, if I am alone, it will be by my choice.

I headed back to Spice H20 for some more camaraderie and then back to 12562 to unpack and get settled in and write this before the 8:00 meet time.

Blue Man Group has two shows tonight (7:00 and 9:00). At Fat Cats, there is Music with The Manhattan Band at 6:15 and Music with El Sol Duo at 9:00. Maltings has Guitar Music with Jim Capik from 7:00 until 11:00. Ballroom Music is in Bliss Lounge, Piano & Vocals with Jay Chalmers is happening at Shakers at 9:00 and Howl at the Moon (a dueling piano act) is in Headliners from 9:00 until 1:00am. Oh, and the Dance Through the Decades Party is at Spice H20 at 10:00 conflicting with Karaoke at Bliss at the same time. This is but a partial listing of what’s on offer tonight. The Epic is a happenin’ place. Everyone I saw is smiling and that includes me.

As I explored—only a bit because I ran out of time—I saw 30 treadmills in the Pulse Fitness Center, a rock climbing wall, a trampoline/bungee combination thing, a gigantic waterslide, several Jacuzzis on two decks, two pools, a kids’ pool, a giant outdoor movie screen, and a bunch of other stuff. There is a teen program called “Entourage” which has lots of “Keep Out” signs for adults, there is a “Splash Academy” for kids, including a Late Night Splash Academy to free up parents of kids which runs from 10:30 until 1:30am. Of course, there is a very large and nice looking casino, a video arcade, a bowling alley, a shopping “mall” and a fancy Mandara Spa & Salon. I’d have to say that my first impression is that if you want it, they’ve got it. For my grandson, Miles, if he were here, there is the Guppies Playroom, a hosted activities program for cruisers 6 months to 3 years old and their parents offering interactive painting, storytelling, sensory play and “more.”

Tonight’s highlight? The over-the-top fun at Headliners where Howl at the Moon dueling pianos captured everyone who walked by, drawing them in with the music and then keeping them there with raucus and wonderful old fashioned entertainment. I had a ball, laughing, singing and people watching. At the moon, I well howled.

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