An Epic Adventure, Pt 2

At Sea

Continuing our day-by-day look at a typical voyage in the life of Norwegian Cruise Line’s wonderful Norwegian Epic by World of Cruising editor Simon Veness

Our first full day is a day at sea – the perfect way to start any cruise. It is a chance to slow down, get in rhythm with the ship and really explore your maritime home for the next 6/7 days. Last night was also a great introduction to what Epic does, fairly epically. Entertainment. And food. Great food.

Let’s start with the former. It is pretty clear when you have headline acts like Blue Man Group and Legends Live In Concert (in place of the usual variety and musical song-and-dance shows in the main theatre) that you have moved into a different area of cruise entertainment. This is not your usual feather-and-furs variety of middling acts – it is an all-out attempt to be big, bold and, above-all, quality conscious.

Just one quick tour of the ship at night is perfect testament to that. Even the main dining room, The Manhattan Room, has live music, and you can hardly go a few steps without encountering something new. Our choice last night was Fat Cats Jazz Club – a Chicago style live music nightspot, on this cruise featuring Charlie Love and the Silky Smooth Band, an impressive five-piece who belted out classic Motown, blues and soul hits from the 1960s and 70s with enormous gusto and style.

It grabs you immediately and won’t let go – you WILL be entertained, and probably seriously impressed along the way.

Dinner was also a fabulous introduction to the ship’s multi-faceted dining options. True, there is a supplemental charge for many of them (although there are still four free-to-eat, dine-anytime-you-like options, including the two main dining rooms) and it is advisable to book at least a few hours in advance. With Norwegian’s excellent online system, you can even book up as soon as your cruise is confirmed and, for the likes of the six five-star restaurants, that is highly advisable.

This is, of course, the home of Freestyle cruising, the modern cruise ethos of do what you want, when you want, with whom you want. Set dining times with the same dinner companions are a thing of the past here, which obviously takes away from cruise tradition but is an undoubted hit with the majority of cruise newcomers.

We opted for the Italian charms of La Cucina, tucked away in a forward eyrie (and accessible only from the Garden Café on Deck 15) and with a truly beautiful aspect at sunset. The faux library styling is vaguely reminiscent of being aboard the Captain’s quarters of a 19^th century galleon and sitting down with a glass of wine to watch the sun slowly dapple the rear horizon in pale pink and orange was one of those timeless moments that all good holidays should produce.

The meal itself was wonderful – a plate of anti-pasti, fagioli and pasta soup, tomato and mozzarella salad, classic osso buco and a succulent pork saltimbocca, followed by a panna cotta sampler plate of lemon, chocolate and amaretto delights.

At a cost of $10 per person, we felt we ate like royalty and were wonderfully served by our Nicaraguan waitress Odesa and her team. Nicaragua? Yes, absolutely. Our cabin steward is also from that Central American country and their happy-but-efficient disposition is infectious to be around.

Yes, our first full evening aboard was a resounding success. And now we get to chill out for the day…

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The Arctic Circle with Hurtigruten

Continuing Steve Newman's 'live' blog on the classic Norwegian coastal cruise with Hurtigruten: 

Well, what a fabulous walk around Trondheim yesterday. The amazing cathedral and the old wooden houses of the old town; the vivid colours of the warehouses now converted into restaurants or studios along the river. Bit of a skating rink with the snow but that just added to the fun! 

Loads of Norwegian school childen got on the ship this morning and they are all desperate to practice their English!

Today we are going to cross the Arctic Circle, marked by a globe on a small islet  near Nesna, and now we're getting into serious Northern Lights country! After a stop at Bodo, we're striking out deep into the Arctic ocean to the Lofoten Islands.

We are due to arrive at Stamsund about 7pm and are then off to a real Viking feast ashore. When we leave the islands, we navigate through the narrow Raftsund Strait and the Troifiord, where we are going to get traditional fishcakes on deck!

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

An Epic Adventure, Pt 1

Embarkation Day

Starting our day-by-day look at a typical voyage in the life of Norwegian Cruise Line’s wonderful Norwegian Epic by World of Cruising editor Simon Veness

OK, so it is the less-than-enticing Port of Miami on a typical Saturday, with four mega-ships all embarking passengers at once and you don’t expect too much of its limited facilities.

The colossal 150,000-ton, 4,000-passenger Epic is the biggest thing in port and, arriving at around 12.30, by car, you have to be ready for a long, slow boarding process.

So imagine our surprise when we were parked, unloaded, luggage taken off us, through security and embarked in the space of 30 minutes. Yes, there were a lot of people in the queue but, either Norwegian have a secret hold on the space-time continuum or they are uncommonly smooth at processing that number of eager Caribbean-going folks.

It is a predominantly young, family-orientated crowd, all drawn by the amazing array of facilities and entertainment aboard this ground-breaking vessel that is now two years old but still looks like it is fresh from the shipyard.

And, for all the fact it is 1,000ft long and more than 140ft wide (that’s a LOT of ship, even by today’s standards), it is surprisingly easy to navigate. Our standard balcony cabin is on Deck 10 aft; we go up 5 decks to the lido deck and all the facilities there, including the sensational Aqua Park water facilities, three outdoor bars and the excellent Garden Café buffet restaurant; and we go down 3 decks for the rest of the amenities, which include another 11 dining options, the huge casino, Epic Theater (home of the iconic Blue Man Group) and another 12 bar choices.

There’s no shortage of things to do or places to investigate, but the ease with which you can ‘do it all’ is quite remarkable.

The typical raucous Sailaway Party on deck gets things going and we are off for seven days of Caribbean sun and fun, Norwegian style. Tonight, we’re dining at the Italian-style La Cucina, as part of our bid to eat in as many different locations as possible and report back accordingly.

We are immediately fans of the Garden Café, which has a beautifully elegant forward area, looking out over the bow, surrounded by faux rose bushes and with a surprisingly relaxing vibe for a busy buffet area.

Already, the word ‘surprising’ is coming close to the top of our vocabulary. We’ll have more, soon…

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Day 2 Of Our Hurtigruten Cruise

Continuing Steve Newman's 'live' blog on the classic Norwegian coastal cruise with Hurtigruten: 

Well, here we are on the second day of our cruise along the Norwegian coast with Huirtigruten's MS Finnmarken. 

Today we're calling at Trondheim with its magnificent cathedral. If it looks familiar it's because it was built by English stonemasons and has strong architectural similarities to Lincoln Cathedral.

Although there is so much to see, watching people getting on and off the ship on its 'taxi' route, collecting cargo, etc, it's the way the landscape slowly unfolds around you as you sail ever northwards that sticks in your memory.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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Departing Bergen with Hurtigruten

Starting Steve Newman's 'live' blog on the classic Norwegian coastal cruise with Hurtigruten:

Well here are departing Bergen on the MS Finnmarken, our home for the next five days. Bergen is an amazing city  and every time I come here I love it.

We shall be cruising up the Norwegian Coast on the Hurtigruten "Taxi" route, calling in at various ports with people getting on and off and cargo being loaded and unloaded.  Often called "The most beautiful cruise in the world," I can easily see why. I've done this before and am really looking forward to it again - especially if we see the Northern Lights further north!

Later today we're calling in at Alesund, a town renowned for its unique Art Nouveau architecture.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's leading adventure-cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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Asia Cruising From Just £59 Per Day

The bargain fare offers continue to come in thick and fast this month. Here's another, that offers a grand Asia voyage from just £59 per person, per day:

Join Voyages of Discovery’s MV Discovery for a 17-day 'Tales of India and Arabia' cruise from £999 per person (based on two people sharing an inside cabin). Discover the fusion of religion and culture in Mumbai, visit the birthplace of Ghandhi ‘The Father of the Nation’ in Porbandar and follow the Frankincense Trail.

The price includes return flights from London, transfers and the 17-day voyage departing from Mumbai (overnight) and calling at Porbandar, Muscat (Oman, overnight), Salalah (Oman), Sharm-el-Sheikh (Egypt), Aqaba (Jordan) and the final port of Safaga (Egypt, overnight). Based on a March 19 departure. Price includes all meals, entertainment and gratuities on board and all relevant cruise taxes/fees, plus onboard lectures from a team of renowned Guest Speakers.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Grand Voyages From Regent Seven Seas

Luxury line Regent Seven Seas has launched a new brochure of grand voyages from October 2012 through to June 2013, boasting an impressive series of sailings ranging from 7 to 143 nights. 

The in-depth discovery cruises range from the Far East, Australasia and the Mediterranean to South America and the Amazon River, with unique itineraries visiting popular, exotic and culturally diverse destinations,. such as Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Hobart in Tasmania and Antofagasta in Chile.

Overnight stays are also offered in more than 25 major ports, like Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Shanghai, Osaka, Taipei, Mumbai, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, giving guests a more enriching destination experience ashore. The 'Luxury Goes Exploring' brochure also includes a pull-out booklet that brings to life the scale of adventures and experiences available as part of the line’s free shore excursion programme. 

Many cruises within the Grand Voyages collection offer more than 40 free excursions, all of which are featured online and can be reserved up to 180 days before departure. From three-hour escapades to full-day exploration, there is an abundance of choice. 

Other added value highlights include exclusive amenities for guests who choose a sailing longer than 50 nights (72 nights on Grand South America), such as return Business Class flights, a special pre-cruise overnight gala dinner, exclusive events, free visas, internet and more. There are also preferential fares for guests who combine cruises.

Example Fares: Mumbai to Auckland, December 1, 39 nights, from £14,013 per person; and Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, February 13, 2013, 12 nights from £6,379 per person. All Regent voyages include all-suite accommodations, free return flights and transfers, free unlimited shore excursions, fine dining, premium spirits and wines, pre-cruise overnight stay (on all 2013 departures) all taxes and much more.

For booking details, be sure to check out this link with the UK's luxury cruise specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.