Western Mediterranean Cruise on the Norwegian Epic
General
Norwegian Cruise Line is undoubtedly one of the most successful cruise lines for families. It is a dynamic company with a fleet of ships, most of which feature attractive and unique amenities. It was the first company to introduce "FREESTYLE CRUISING", where you dine whenever and wherever you want, with whoever you want, and there are no "formal nights" requiring formal attire.
The ship "Norwegian Epic" was built in 2010 and was the first of the company's ships to feature an advanced water park alongside other cool sports and entertainment facilities.
This is a 155,800-ton ship with 4,100 passengers (at double occupancy) and over 1,700 crew members. The Epic underwent extensive refurbishment in 2015, and since then, she sails every summer from late April to early November on the most popular itinerary in the Western Mediterranean: a one-week round-trip route starting in Rome or Barcelona, including five additional ports in France, Italy, and Spain in addition to the departure port.
Description of Attractions, Entertainment, Food, and Drink on the Ship
The highlight of the ship for kids is the onboard water park, which includes water slides, featuring a slide called:
EPIC PLUNGE, a 4-story-high slide shaped like a giant centrifuge where you slide on tubes and get "flushed" out at the end. For younger kids, there is a splash zone and fountains full of interactive features.
A cool and unique attraction on the Epic is SplashGolf – mini-golf combined with water.
The ship also features a rock climbing wall, a full-size basketball court, jogging tracks, bowling, and other sports facilities. Naturally, it features a huge, well-equipped fitness center and a casino.
The cruise line offers a rich activity program for kids called Splash Academy, as well as a diverse selection of shows and social games for adults, with an emphasis on competitive games. If you are competitive and active – this is the cruise line for you!
For teenagers, there is a dedicated club just for them called Entourage, featuring video games, movies, music, sports, and art.
The cruise line organizes numerous activities and poolside parties designed for the entire family.
The variety of evening entertainment is highly impressive. Not just independent Broadway and Las Vegas style productions like on most cruise lines, but also hit productions imported directly from Broadway itself.
The ship features a huge theater named Epic Theater with 630 seats.
Headliners Comedy Club, and a Beatles tribute club with typical Liverpool styling called The Cavern Club.
A large and impressive dance club called Bliss Ultra Lounge, along with a variety of other small and intimate lounges.
A modern adults-only complex is Spice H2O, active both day and night. It was designed and inspired by the famous beach parties of Ibiza. It features a pool that transforms into a stage in the evening, a giant cinema screen, a dining venue, and lounge chairs and hammocks.
The ship features 5 complimentary dining venues and 7 specialty dining restaurants for an extra charge, in addition to coffee shops and snack bars for light bites.
The main dining rooms are named The Manhattan Room and Taste, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Besides the sit-down restaurants, you'll also find buffet-style venues serving all cuisines: salads, pizzas, meats, pastas, seafood, fish, and of course – a wide variety of desserts. Another great complimentary option is Shanghai’s – an Asian fusion restaurant that includes a noodle bar.
And for late-night cravings or irregular hours, O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill is a classic diner offering burgers and prime rib alongside salads and side dishes, open 24 hours a day.
Most specialty restaurants are included in the "Dining Package," which is one of the best perks you can receive when booking your cruise.
The best of them all is the excellent Brazilian steakhouse Moderno Churrascaria, beloved by meat lovers. Highly recommended is Teppanyaki, a Japanese hibachi restaurant where the chef prepares the meal right in front of the diners' eyes with plenty of tricks and showmanship. Dining here is a multi-sensory experience.
Additionally, there is a French restaurant "Le Bistro", Italian "La Cucina", a Japanese sushi restaurant named Wasabi, and a very popular steakhouse named Cagney's Steakhouse.
The most experiential dining venue of all (not included in packages, but a must-visit!) is essentially a "dinner show" held at the Spiegel Tent – a huge circus-tent-style dining venue hosting circus and acrobatic performances during an elaborate multi-course meal.
The Norwegian Epic also features numerous bars. Alcohol enthusiasts will rejoice here, especially thanks to the extended beverage package provided as one of the booking promotions.
A particularly cool bar is the Skyy® Vodka Ice Bar, inspired by Scandinavian ice hotels and made entirely of ice!
Stateroom Types:
The Epic features a large selection of suites in varying sizes, ranging from Mini-Suites to two-bedroom Villas with a living room, various types of Penthouses, Spa Suites, and more.
Alongside the large suites, the ship also offers Studio staterooms designed for solo travelers. These rooms are smaller but equipped with everything you need. The solo rooms are clustered in a dedicated area of the ship and feature a private shared lounge exclusively for solo guests.
Naturally, most cabins on the ship are Balcony staterooms, including more spacious family balcony staterooms. However, there are also inside cabins for those looking to save money and who don't plan to spend much time in the cabin when there is so much to see and do throughout the ship.
Cruise Itinerary:
The cruise described here departs from and returns to Civitavecchia, near Rome, and includes five different ports and one full day at sea. It is also possible to begin and end the cruise in Barcelona.
♦ Departure from Civitavecchia Port
Transfers and Tours Tailored for Cruise Passengers in Rome:
These are tours designed for cruise passengers. They depart and return to the port. Keep in mind that the port is about 80 km away from the city of Rome.
Guided Tours from Civitavecchia Port
♦ Tour of Orvieto and Civita:
Best Of Civitavecchia Shore Tour: Orvieto & Civita Di Bagnoregio Tour A 7-9 hour tour departing from the cruise pier and reaching two impressive ancient cities: Orvieto and Civita, both of which have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites.
♦ Private Tour with a Dedicated Driver to Rome from the Port for Cruise Passengers:
Civitavecchia Port: 9 Hours Luxury Private Full-Day Shore excursion of Rome
Pickup and drop-off at the port, tailored for cruise ship passengers. A tour of Rome's famous attractions with a private driver.
♦ Private Transfer from Rome Airport to Hotel or Vice Versa:
Rome Airport Transfer - ONE WAY
Private Transfers and Tours from Civitavecchia Port
You can also arrive by train, but keep in mind a ride of about an hour and a half, followed by a roughly 15-minute walk to the port itself with your luggage. Alternatively, you can take a taxi from the train station to the port, though it can sometimes be difficult to catch a cab for such a short distance. The port is located about an hour's drive from the airport area and about an hour and a half from the city center.
For those traveling before or after in Italy with a rental car, the most convenient option is to rent (or return) the car at a rental station of one of the major car companies located in central Civitavecchia, near which there is a free shuttle to the ship.
♦ Livorno
The port of Livorno is located at the western edge of the Old Town and is one of the largest in the Mediterranean. In addition to cruise ships, it also operates car ferries to various islands in the Tuscan Archipelago, as well as Sardinia and Corsica.
The city of Livorno is an industrial port city. As such, it is pleasant for a brief stroll, mainly among its old buildings and market, but it is not a destination for a long or extraordinary visit. Therefore, it is recommended for cruise visitors to use the port as a starting point for more rewarding day trips in the region to Pisa or Florence.
Booking a cruise-customized tour in Livorno from the reliable Viator website:
Guided tour to Pisa and Florence with port pickup:
Livorno Shore Excursion:
Florence & Pisa with Accademia and Tower
Includes port pickup and drop-off, lasts about 9 hours.
♦ Cannes
A charming and luxurious city on the French Riviera, famous for its annual film festival. It is lovely to wander independently through the alleys of Cannes, visit the market, explore the streets lined with designer boutiques, and stroll along the seaside promenade.
For those looking to experience and see more, it is recommended to take an excursion to Monte Carlo and the charming mountain village known for its perfume factories, Èze. The drive to Monte Carlo is scenic and impressive, and Monaco, the capital of Monte Carlo, is packed with attractions and highly impressive. The tour also includes a short visit to the must-see sights of Cannes itself.
Guided tours on the Riviera with port pickup:
♦ Palma de Mallorca
The island of Mallorca is the largest among the Balearic Islands, located east of Spain. The city of Palma de Mallorca is the island's capital. The city is best known for its beaches, which made it a popular destination for sun-and-sea getaways, but year-round it offers breathtaking views, cultural and artistic monuments, alongside other interesting attractions.
♦ Barcelona
Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia and the city of art, culture, food, and shopping. The city attracts around 58 million tourists each year, and millions can't be wrong... Barcelona is a charming port city with endless things to see and do in and around it. No one can remain indifferent to what Barcelona has to offer – sports, great food, markets, shopping, art, architecture, culture, and nightlife. Just ask and you shall receive!
Extensive information about the port and city, including recommended tours for cruise passengers, can be found in my article: Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona
♦ A Fun Day at Sea Onboard the Ship and Its Amenities
A full day to enjoy the ship's many amenities, activities, and attractions. Honestly, most passengers would love an extra sea day and sometimes choose to skip touring one or more ports (if it were up to the kids, they'd stay solely on this fantastic ship).
♦ Naples
The famous saying goes: "See Naples and die." Of course, in one day, you cannot fully experience this huge city—the third largest in Italy and the largest in southern Italy—but with proper planning, you can definitely get a wonderful "taste" of it.
You can take a self-guided tour of the city center: Piazza del Plebiscito, considered the most impressive square in the city, home to the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) and the Basilica of San Francesco di Paola. Next, visit the adjacent Piazza Trieste e Trento, where the Teatro San Carlo opera house and Church of San Ferdinando are located. From there, continue to Galleria Umberto I, an upscale glass-roofed shopping gallery filled with statues and luxury shops. Between the two main squares, it's worth walking along the Via Chiaia pedestrian street. Next, continue toward the port area of Naples. The best area to visit there is Borgo Marinaro, a lovely fishing harbor. From there, proceed to Via Caracciolo, which overlooks wonderful bay views. The best panoramic view of the city can be enjoyed from Castel Sant'Elmo fortress.
♦ If you want to see more and gain added value, taking a Segway or electric scooter tour in the city is highly recommended:
Amalfi Coast:
The Island of Capri:
History and antiquity enthusiasts must not miss a visit to Pompeii, an ancient Roman city famous for its preservation following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The eruption destroyed several cities in the Bay of Naples, among them Pompeii. The residents were caught by surprise and were unprepared.
Although the eruption was preceded by earthquakes and minor tremors, most residents still chose to remain in their homes. Due to the eruption, the manner of Pompeii's destruction, and its sudden abandonment, most of its buildings and streets were remarkably preserved. The ash clouds and dust surges that covered the entire bay preserved the structures, and portions of them still stand today. Visitors to Pompeii, even today, get the feeling of an ancient city where time stood still. Found among the streets were residential homes, public buildings, workshops, shops, bathhouses, theaters, and even a brothel.