Not a last minute deal, but a great chance at sailing across
the Atlantic on the world’s third largest cruise ship. As far as gross tonnage
is concerned, Norwegian Epic is behind only the Royal Caribbean twins, Allure
of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas. In April, 2014, Epic repositions from the
Caribbean to the Mediterranean. You can be on that cruise for as low as $499
per person!
The Cruise
On Sunday, April 27, 2014, Norwegian Epic leaves her winter
home in Miami, Florida to make the eleven night journey to Barcelona, Spain.
Epic arrives in Barcelona at 5am on Thursday, May 8, making just one port call
along the way.
Her one stop? Funchal, a city on the Portuguese island of
Madeira. Epic stops at Funchal on Monday, May 5 from 10am to 6pm. Funchal is
the largest city in the Maderan Archipelago of Portugal with a population
around 112,000.
In May, the average day time high on Madeira is around 22
celcius, or 71 fahrenheit. Tourism is fast becoming the island’s biggest
industry. The port of Madeira now only handles cruise ships and ferry boats.
All industrial shipping traffic has been moved to a different port around 20
kilometres away. For soccer fans, Funchal is the birth place of Cristiano
Ronaldo, star of Real Madrid and the Portugal national team.
The Price
An interior stateroom, located on deck 11, for this cruise can
be had for as low as $499 per person. The ‘normal’ rate for one of these rooms
is around $899. Additional government fees and taxes are considerably less than
a Caribbean or Mediterranean cruise at just $63.88 per person. This all means
that an interior stateroom for two can right now be had for as low as
$1,125.76, taxes included.
Norwegian Cruise Line has recently sweetened the deal on
their cruises, offering an additional coupon book with each cruise booked
before April, 2014. The coupon book offers up to $300 in onboard savings (not
on the price of the cruise..).
The Ship
Norwegian Epic is a destination in itself. The flagship of
Norwegian Cruise Line is the third heaviest cruise ship on the high seas,
behind Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas from Royal Caribbean.
Built by STX France (Chantiers de l’Atlantique at
Saint-Nazaire, France), Epic entered service in 2010. She was to have a twin
sister but the second ship was cancelled in 2008. Epic has a gross tonnage of
155,873 and is 329 metres or 1,081 feet long. She is just 14th in
the world when it comes to length.
Passenger capacity is 4,100 with a crew of 1,753. There are
19 decks on the ship with 15 accessible to passengers. With just one port call
over eleven nights, Norwegian Epic has to have endless entertainment, and it
does. Highlights on the ship include rock climbing, 10 pin bowling, the biggest
spa at sea, an aqua park and live entertainment featuring the Blue Man Group at
the head of the list.
The Small Print
·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.
·Prices are in Canadian dollars.
·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!
·Also not included are gratuities.
·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.
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