A decko Med
ness and punch of vodka to make the perfect drink. A cocktail (or three) later and we were ready for dinner at one of the six speciality restaurants on board ranging from the French Bistro to the Brazilian steakhouse Moderno.
These have to be booked and charge various supplements from about £18pp.
We opted for the Japanese Teppanyaki – a highly entertaining culinary cabaret. Our chef worked away on the grill in front of us juggling knives and eggs and using his cooking tools as drumsticks while also finding time to cook our dinner!
Then it was time to head to the theatre for Priscilla Queen of the Desert, a lively musical adaptation of the 1994 film with riotous comedy, outrageous outfits and a happy ending which put a smile on everyone’s face – the perfect ending to our sea adventure.
My four-day “taster” experience had been the perfect way to introduce this newbie to the joys of cruising.
On board everything is priced in US dollars. It’s a cashless system with purchases charged to your cabin key card, which is guaranteed by a credit card.
Pack a carry on day bag for your first afternoon on board as your luggage may not get to your cabin until early evening depending on what time you board.
A four-night flycruise from Rome to Barcelona on Norwegian Epic sailing on October 26 starts at £911pp for two sharing an inside cabin. It includes flights from Heathrow and calls at Livorno for Florence and Pisa, Cannes and Marseille for Aix-en-Provence. ncl.co.uk, 0333 241 2319
Book before June 30 to take advantage of Norwegian’s Free at Sea package - choose from a speciality dining package at the signature restaurants, an unlimited drinks package, 250 minutes of wifi or US $100 to spend on board.