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Cruising the Mediterranean Sea on Norwegian Epic!

by Nadeen
July 11, 2016
A A

Cruising the Mediterranean Sea had been on my bucket list for quite some time. I was thrilled to finally do this cruise last fall when the weather was perfect in the Mediterranean! We sailed on the ship Norwegian Epic of Norwegian Cruise Line for 7 days from Barcelona visiting several cities in Italy to the French Riviera back to Spain at Palma de Mallorca and ending back in Barcelona. I have written about many of the cities and countries I visited including Monaco, Nice, Pompeii, and Sorrento! I plan to write about several more so stay tuned. However, I wanted to share my review of this massive ship with my readers. This was my second Norwegian cruise having sailed on Norwegian Pearl through the Caribbean. Below are my thoughts on Norwegian Epic:

The Room-first impression: Big. Spacious! This was the biggest room I have been in out of 6 cruises including on Norwegian Pearl and an interior cabin on Oasis of the Seas.  We had an over sized balcony in our room due to the location on an angle of the ship. There were high walls on either side of the balcony which were perfect for privacy. The balcony was also decked out with two chairs and table but was so large that we added a lounge chair (thanks to our wonderful cabin steward).

Enjoying the view of the Mediterranean Sea on the cruise ship Norwegian Epic!
Enjoying the view from our over-sized balcony!

It turns out our cruise travel agent booked a handicap room which explained the larger size and some other aspects of the room including the low sink. The sink was small and located outside of the bathroom. With a long handle across the middle you had to use it on cold in order to have access to the faucet or risk getting water all over the sink area and floor. Also, there were no outlets by the sink which had the only mirror in the room. This made it tough for my fiance to shave or for me to use my curling iron! The lighting in the room was also a bit dim which did not help either of these tasks.

Take a cruise on Norwegian Epic! Our room on the Norwegian Epic cruise ship (the cabin steward did a better job making up the bed than I did in this pic!)
Our room on the Norwegian Epic cruise ship (the cabin steward did a better job making up the bed than I did in this pic!)

The shower and toilet are both in 1 room with a curtain separation. I prefer cruise showers with doors since the curtain sticks to you. Also, even with 2 drains in the area the water built up which made the floor wet even by the toilet. Very odd design.

Bathroom on Norwegian Epic cruise ship.
Bathroom on Norwegian Epic cruise ship.

But there were many things I enjoyed including 1) coffee and tea maker in the room 2) large flat screen TV 3) 2 huge closets with shelves. 4) a lot of drawers 5) outside the door had an apparatus with different alert options-make room, turn down service, do not disturb. 6) our cabin steward gave us a tour of the room on our arrival and this great service continued during the cruise. 7) a safe  8)bin for old towels. 9) very comfortable and large bed with fluffy pillows 10) the nightly cruise towel animal! If you are looking for an exclusive and luxurious area to stay on the ship inquire about “The Haven”. I also like the fact they have studios for single travelers which is hard to find on most cruise ships.

Cruise towel origami! A bunny in my room on Norwegian Epic!
One of many cruise towel animals in our room! A bunny!

The Ship: The best part of cruising is waking up every morning to beautiful scenery in a new port. But on this cruise you didn’t have to wait until you were sailing into or away from a port to enjoy scenery. While cruising through the Mediterranean Sea we passed mountains and boats and all while enjoying smooth sailing on the crystal blue waters. This was my first time with a balcony room and I highly recommend it. It is so relaxing to sit or lay on your balcony listening to the water and taking in the views.

Amazing views while cruising the Mediterranean Sea on Norwegian Epic
Amazing views while cruising the Mediterranean Sea on Norwegian Epic

In terms of the ship itself, although it is one of the largest ships at sea, getting around was easy for the most part. However, we did not enjoy that the casino was on a main floor in the center and allowed for smoking. There were other areas we never came across until the end of the ship such as the indoor nightclub and the outdoor sports deck. Therefore, I suggest checking a map of the ship at the onset! Most of the main restaurants, shops, and guest services were between three floors in the center of the ship. Some of the cool features of this ship included large digital touch screens which allowed you to make restaurant and show reservations. I definitely recommend this for the most popular venues. Wifi was available but a bit pricey so I did not purchase it but they did have a computer station on the ship. There was of course a gym with exercise machines overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, a full service spa, a barber shop, and “The Haven” which was an exclusive area for those wanting to spend more to get more. The main outdoor deck area had pools, hot tubs and a large kids zone with water slides!

Pool deck with water slides on Norwegian Epic cruise ship.
Pool deck with water slides on Norwegian Epic cruise ship.

Norwegian has also partnered with Nickelodeon to have these characters in shows and activities with children on the ship.  For adults that wish for some privacy and quiet time there were several adult areas on the ship including the H2O deck with hot tubs, amphitheater style seating, a tapas bar and a large screen TV showing movies all day. The pool area also had rock climbing walls and I attempted this for the first time! It was scary but happy to say I climbed up to the top and back down with the help of the cruise staff and my fiance’s encouragement. Enjoy his entertaining commentary in this video from my Youtube channel. 🙂

The Food: Ahh the food. The dreaded buffet. This is what people imagine on most cruise ships at the buffet-people in long lines grabbing at food, fighting over food tongs, pushing and shoving and even slobbering over the food. Well, I hate to admit to but this is pretty accurate although I have never seen slobbering ;-). The staff on Norwegian Epic did a great job of keeping the areas clean and there are multiple stations in the buffet area serving the same food and desserts and drinks which meant shorter lines. Expect a different theme every night such as seafood, Italian and Asian. Norwegian cruise line is known for “freestyle dining”. This means no fixed dining times or preassigned seating that many people are used to on other cruise lines. You are able to dress casual or dress up and dine in any of the restaurants on the ship during the times they are open. However, be aware there may be a wait at the more popular free restaurants during prime eating time and it is wise to make reservations at the specialty restaurants.

Peking Ducks at the Asian themed buffet on Norwegian Epic.
Peking Ducks at the Asian themed buffet on Norwegian Epic.

We preferred dining in the restaurants around the ship since you were seated at your own table with servers. Some had no charge while the specialty restaurants such as the Italian restaurant and steakhouse ranged from $15 to $40 per person. This is still much cheaper than a meal at a similar restaurant on land! We saved the best for last-Cagney’s Steakhouse! It is modeled after a Chicago steakhouse and was very authentic. The food was outrageous as in that good!

Enjoying fine dining at Cagney's Steakhouse on Norwegian Epic cruise ship!
Enjoying fine dining at Cagney’s Steakhouse on Norwegian Epic cruise ship!

If you feel you will eat at many of the specialty restaurants it is worth it to buy a dinner package. There are also drink packages for soda and alcohol. There is a pub open 24 hours which is very convenient and one of my favorite things about a cruise-24 hour room service. On this ship there was a charge for room service between 12 am to 5 am. Most items were free but the large personal pizzas had a charge of $5. So delicious and so worth it!  For fans of “The Cake Boss” there is Carlo’s Bakery on the ship. However, since these items were not free-I didn’t try any. Lol

The Service and Entertainment: You will not get bored on this ship. The entertainment for all ages is constant and everywhere. Expect to see line dancing with a DJ or live band in the pool area or the staff juggling or leading an exercise class. Every night you will receive the cruise ship’s on-board schedule so you can plan your day.

Cast members from the dinner show Cirque Dreams on Norwegian Epic cruise ship
Cast members from the dinner show Cirque Dreams on Norwegian Epic cruise ship

Some of the highlights on this ship include The Blue Man group show-yes the same one from Las Vegas and a dinner show called “Cirque Dreams”-not the Vegas Cirque du Soleil. There was also “Legends in Concert” and a “Howl at the Moon” piano bar. We also saw an entertaining Dreamgirls act. Look for a jazz club, an ice bar, a nightclub and the outdoor H2O deck which held parties at night under the stars. On the H2O deck we enjoyed the live Latin band with dancing as well as the “white hot party”. The Norwegian cruise line offers bowling alleys on many of their ships. On this ship they were located in the “Bliss Ultra Lounge” which is the indoor nightclub as well as next to the 24 hour Pub. Not all of these activities are free. For instance there is a cover charge for the ice bar, bowling and the Cirque show.

The bowling alley in Bliss Ultra Lounge on Norwegian Epic cruise ship
The bowling alley in Bliss Ultra Lounge on Norwegian Epic cruise ship

Tours/Excursions and the Service: Most cruise goers know that cruise excursions- which are tours of a port-are a crucial part of any cruise experience. There were a variety of excursions to choose from in each port and I found them to be very organized-pricey but organized. The tour guides were from the city or country we were visiting and I found ours to be friendly and informative… well except for the slightly snooty tour guide in Cote d Azur (The French Riviera). But, I have been to France so…;-)  The International staff of the Norwegian Epic cruise ship were courteous, friendly and helpful. There were the usual cheery cruise directors and assistant cruise directors that popped up everywhere! We kept wondering when they slept!

Norwegian Cruise ship staff member juggling on the pool deck
Norwegian Cruise ship staff member juggling on the pool deck

Overall, based on Cruise Critic ratings, I would give this ship 4/5. I am taking points off for the bathroom design and poor lighting in the room, the layout of the ship with the smoking casino area in the middle of the ship and some areas like the sports deck being hard to find.

The outdoor sports deck on Norwegian Epic cruise ship.
The outdoor sports deck on Norwegian Epic cruise ship.

Also, the food was not memorable in the free dining areas and there were many areas and food places that surprised me with costs such as the ice bar, the bowling alleys and Carlo’s Bake Shop. However, I loved my experience on this ship and would cruise again on Norwegian Epic! AND if you love to party-Norwegians know how to party! Check out this video!

 

For more information on Norwegian Cruise line visit their website. And I definitely recommend my cruise travel agent Al Richman of Cruise One!

AND as a bonus… if you are planning a cruise you will need tips and tricks to get the most out of your experience. You are in luck! I wrote a guest post on Kids Are A Trip entitled “10 Things To Know Before You Book A Cruise”.

Have you been on a cruise?? If so, to where and on what ship/cruise line? Share your thoughts with us!  Before you leave be sure to read about two other cruise lines featured on this website including a Disney cruise to Alaska and Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas through the Caribbean. Enjoy!

N.S.W.

The Norwegian Epic cruise ship docked at the Port of Cannes in the French Riviera!
The Norwegian Epic cruise ship docked at the Port of Cannes in the French Riviera!

 

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Tags: cruisescruisingmediterranean cruisenorwegian epicTravel
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Nadeen

Nadeen

Dr. Nadeen White is a "Blogger by Day, Physician by Night". She is an award-winning travel blogger, Amazon bestselling author and speaker. The Sophisticated Life Blog covers affordable luxury travel, culinary travel and wine. Her domestic and international travel guides gets people to the destinations of their dreams. So, if you are living the sophisticated life or desire to do so, this is the blog for you!

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Comments 39

  1. Parrish says:
    9 years ago

    Great review! I’m ready to set sail after reading it.

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Thank you Parrish! I am looking forward to us planning our next cruise!

  2. AmAnda says:
    9 years ago

    great review! I’ve never been on a cruise, but I hope when my baby weans to go!!

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Thank you for reading and commenting Amanda! I am sure when you go you will have a blast!

  3. Shirley Wood says:
    9 years ago

    Great pictures! I felt like I could easily make a decision to take this cruise after reading your review. I totally agree with you about that shower curtain issue! Pinned to my Places board. Looks like you guys had a great time!

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Thank you Shirley!

  4. Kimberly Bolden says:
    9 years ago

    The rock climbing wall looks epic. That will be something that I will love to do. I have Norwegian hosts some of the best cruises. I have never been on one and will love to book one in the near future. I may have to take you up on your recommendation. Seems like you and your boo had much fun on the Meditteranean.

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Thank you Kimberly! We absolutely did! These cruise ships keep developing newer and better things to do on board like the rock climbing!

  5. Leigh Powell Hines says:
    9 years ago

    Hmmm. I wonder if your shower was different because of the handicap thing. I enjoyed reading your views on the cruise line. I will say that I don’t the buffets would be for me, and I would rather dine in restaurants, too.

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Leigh that is a very good point about the shower! We didn’t see inside other rooms so I wasn’t able to compare. The buffets are quick and easy but we also preferred dining in the restaurants.

  6. Alli Smith says:
    9 years ago

    I’m not normally a fan of cruises. I need wide open spaces so I normally just fly to the location I want to visit. However, I would HAPPILY cruise the Mediterranean any day! Wish I was there. 🙂 Love the pics. Looks like loads of fun.

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      yes Alli I agree it is nice to spend set time in one place. I also enjoy that. But cruises are such a great value these days and you get to see many cities or countries at once. Thank you for reading and commenting!

  7. Reginia Cordell says:
    9 years ago

    Nadeen,

    I love Norwegian Cruise line. I’ve sailed with them a few times before and I love the free styling options. I’ve wanted to take this very cruise as well; 2015 just may be time to book it.

    Loved seeing this post today.

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Reginia I am so glad you enjoyed it! If you are familiar with and love Norwegian then this cruise is perfect for you!

  8. Rese says:
    9 years ago

    I’ve had a Mediterranean cruise on my list for a while and this makes we want to book now! That room is massive and the amenities seem amazing. I might be booking sooner rather than later. Thanks for sharing!

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Rese I am so glad you enjoyed it! I hope you book your cruise! Let me know!

  9. Siobhan (BeFree Project) says:
    9 years ago

    Awesome post! I’ve been on a cruise once and I’m itching to go on another one. It looks like you had a ton of fun! I’m adding a Mediterranean Cruise to my bucket list. Thanks for sharing!

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Siobhan I am so glad this post has inspired you! Go for it!

  10. Adanna says:
    9 years ago

    This is a really wonderful review and I’m going to keep Your experience in mind when I get around to taking Mediterranean cruise. The balcony room definitely seems as the way to go as I’m a sucker for nice views. Thanks so much for sharing so much good details.

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Adanna your welcome! There were so many families and children and all ages on this ship so it is perfect for you! Definitely get a balcony room!

  11. MJ says:
    9 years ago

    How beautiful is this. The view speaks to my heart however I doubt I will ever take a cruise. Fear of the deep water and the ship itself has my stomach in knots just thinking about it.

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      MJ awww I know some people that feel the same., Maybe one day you will try even a 2 day cruise-they have many of these in Florida- and see how you feel.

  12. Al Richman says:
    9 years ago

    It was a nice surprise to be mentioned by Nadeen and very much appreciated. One of the benefits of what I do is helping others create lifelong memories and in this one it turned out better than I knew originally. I knew something she did not prior to her departing on the cruise and surprised she didn’t mention that event so I won’t either.

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Hi Al! Thank you for reading and commenting! You did an excellent job in managing this trip for us! I can’t wait for my next cruise!

  13. Christine @MomsNCharge says:
    9 years ago

    My husband and I sent on our very first cruise last summer and we had an amazing time! We cruised on Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas, and can’t wait to do it again! This cruise looks really awesome! You had me at the bowling alley! LOL I’m definitely taking notes for our next cruise so thanks for sharing!

    • nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Christine-I am so glad your family enjoyed cruising! It is so cost effective. I am sure you will enjoy a Mediterranean cruise as well!

  14. Holly says:
    9 years ago

    Wow that looks amazing! The room looked like a great size as well. I am def a Buddy fan so to know that their is a Carlos Bakery on board is awesome. That man is doing his thing. I have sadly never been to an actual location…that is actually super sad…but I did have the pleasure of working on one of his shows. Yum! I will have to look into this one day soon. Thanks for sharing!

    • Nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Holly that must have been a great experience! I have never met or been to one of his bakeries either but loved the show and I am from NJ!

  15. Caroline Topperman says:
    9 years ago

    Awesome recap!!!! I’ve never been on a cruise ship and this was really fantastic.
    xo
    styleontheside.com

    • Nadeen says:
      9 years ago

      Thank you Caroline! I love to cruise! Hopefully you will try it one day!

  16. Colette says:
    8 years ago

    Sounds great, just doing some research for a possible booking on the Epuc for January 2016 and wondered what the weather and sea conditions were like for you in January on the same itinery. Nervous of rough seas and seasickness as I have never cruised in the winter months in Europe.

    • NADEEN WHITE says:
      8 years ago

      Hi Colette: We actually did this cruise in September and the water was beautiful and the seas were calm. You may want to check cruisecritic.com to see if their are any reviews for sailing this route in January. Enjoy!

  17. Khourshem says:
    6 years ago

    We have taken many cruises over the years, and we always bring candy with us to give to the staff. It is amazing this little act of kindness brings a smile to their faces. Be friend with them and they will serve you well.

    • Nadeen says:
      6 years ago

      Thats a great idea! They do work hard and deserve it!

  18. Workship Solution says:
    5 years ago

    Very Good view of the cruise ship. After seeing your post I took the decision to go on this ship. Thank you very much for sharing!

    • Nadeen says:
      5 years ago

      I hope you had a great time!

  19. Hamza says:
    4 years ago

    As always great article Nadeen! you beautifully explained the luxurious lifestyle of travelling on a Norwegian Cruise. 😀

  20. Hamza says:
    4 years ago

    As always great article Nadeen! you beautifully explained the luxurious lifestyle of travelling on a Norwegian Cruise which would inspire anyone to travel through it 😀

    • Nadeen says:
      4 years ago

      I am glad you enjoyed it!

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  • This past week I was in @gotolouisville for the first time to attend @nomadnessfest 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 It was amazing!! I don’t know how to sum it up in 1 post so here is a photo & video dump of Day #1! 

The first pic is the day of the actual festival on Saturday. I spoke on the “isms of travel” panel representing ageism. I think it went very well! 

But before that day there was an industry day for content creators/influencers to meet with travel brands and we also had a full day of tours with Louisville tourism focusing on historical Black sites in the city-more on that in the next post 👊🏽

The pics here shows some of excitement from industry day. I enjoyed meeting with travel brands and reconnecting with so many travel friends I had not seen in years pre covid years! It was all love in these rooms!! 

Then @evierobbie and @nomadnesstribe team surprised us with luggage from Black woman-owned brand @wndr_ln so cool 😎 

After industry day we had lunch then a few of us headed to @evanwilliamsbourbon for a tasting. Thank you to @heavenhilldistillery for that. It was awesome! 

THEN there was an evening event where @chubbydiaries of @natgeotravel was interviewed by THE Kevin Frazier of @entertainmenttonight what an inspiring talk at a beautiful venue @21clouisville 

Yes I did more that day…lol Thank you to @charlottesgotalot team for inviting us to dinner @brendonscatch23 It was great meeting with other creators & entrepreneurs 🫶🏽

This was Day #1!!! More to come!!! Have you been to Nomadnessfest? Were you at this one? 

#nomadnessfest #nomadnessfest33 #nomadnesstribe #louisvilleky #louisvillelove #louisvillelocal #travelinfluencers #blacktravelblogger #blacktravelfeed #blacktravelgram
  • ***SAVE & SHARE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL! 
How many of these things do you do on a regular basis when you are taking off 🛫 on an international trip?

After the Maui and Morocco natural disasters I started thinking more about these things especially since I visited both places this year. I started to let some of these action items slip! 

In case you missed my LIVE broadcast of “How to Prepare for Natural Disasters While Traveling” you can still catch it on my YouTube channel The Sophisticated Life. But these are some of the highlights! 
https://youtu.be/0hK0LseyX9E?si=B-MCsaQc3Xm_wRM2

And let me tell you about the last one——we are already seeing Flu in our hospital and COVID is NOT going anywhere! So protect yourself! Wear your masks 😷 and please get vaccinated! 

#naturaldisasters #naturaldisastersurvival #traveltips101 #traveladvice #travelguides #travelbloggervibes #travelexperts #travelblogs #blacktravelblog #moroccoearthquake #mauifires
  • These memes have been cracking me up all week! 😂😂 
Ever since my husband @parrishu70 and I met a couple in Champagne France 🇫🇷 with the most intense, printed color coded itinerary that even included times for naps 😴 -I kid you not-we have used their terminology of “trips” vs “vacations”. 

TRIPS: usually go go go. You are in a city or place for a limited time so you want to see it all. These are tours and reservations and an itinerary. IE our group trip to Morocco. 5 cities in 9 days! Things have to be organized, you may pack outfits based on activities that are planned and you may be tired when you get back. Hence the term “I need a vacation from my vacation”. 

VACATION: more relaxed. Go with the flow vs reservations and tours. Sleeping in in the mornings. Strolling around locations and popping into places. Relaxing on a beach all day for days at a time. Room service. Being lazy in a comfy bed. Going on a cruise. 

Now it is possible to have a mix of these 2! Over the years I have learned a lot from my husband and since he prefers vacations, even if we visit cities, I make sure we have time to relax and stroll around. AND as I have gotten older I definitely need to recharge with vacations. I do feel energized on trips thou lol. 

How about you? What’s your favorite? 

#tripvsvacation #funnymemes4ya #husbandmemes #couplestravel #couplesvacation #couplesgoal #blackcouplestravel #blackcouplestraveltoo #blacklovematters #blacklovecouples #theofficememes
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I am already planning my winter 🥶 escapes. And I live in Atlanta!! My skin gets dry, my hands and feet stay cold and I miss feeling the sun 🌞 on my skin!! Maybe it’s my island 🏝️ 🇯🇲 roots lol 

So which one are you? Summer? Fall? Or are you a winter or spring person? 

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  • My heart is heavy today. I am incredibly sad as I read reports and see the news about the earthquake in Morocco and the effects in Marrakech. 😔😔

As many of you know I traveled with 16 other adventurers for 9 days thru 5 cities in Morocco 🇲🇦 just 3 months ago!!! 

We met so many incredible people. Of course after being on the road that long together we felt close to our guides and drivers. I even had a meeting with two of the team members yesterday while they were in Marrakech and the earthquake happened a few hours later. 

My mind quickly went to them and all the people in my pictures wondering and hoping that they were safe. So far they are. But the death toll is over 1,000 and homes are crumbling. It’s a disaster. 

As a physician this also made me wonder—-are you prepared to handle a natural disaster while traveling? Do you know what to do? Do you have things in order before you go on vacation? Let’s talk about it tomorrow evening LIVE here on Instagram and Facebook at 5pm PT and 8 pm ET. You can share your thoughts on the Maui fires as well. My husband and I were in Maui in April and I’m still trying to comprehend that places we visited are gone. People have lost so much the past few months. Please stay safe. But let’s also get prepared! 

Sound off in the comments with any questions you would like answered tomorrow night! 

Swipe left to see pics from cities all over Morocco 🇲🇦 the people make the place ❤️

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  • Do you have a favorite spa in your city 🌆 that you go to regularly?
I do but recently I tried a new one and it was VERY RELAXING! 

I have been to @stregisatl several times over the years but this was my first time using the spa. I had their version of an aromatherapy massage with hot stone add on. 

A few things I truly enjoyed..
1) the changing rooms and relaxation areas were spacious. There was even a “blush room” if you wanted to change in private. 
2) clean showers, saunas and steam rooms (the steam was too hot so I couldn’t stay in there 😣)
3) after my treatment I was offered Prosecco OR at St.Germaine spritzer! I went for the spritzer and it was pretty and refreshing 😋
4) the cool rags and cucumber slices-I took advantage of everything! Lol but it did help my headache 
5) it was not crowded-I always make weekday appointments for the spa. 
6) I was offered macarons and chocolates! I think this was a first for me. I received my own little tray and they were delicious! 
7) The St.Regis does Champagne 🍾sabrage every evening at 6pm. So I ended my spa day with a glass of Champagne 🥂!

The only down side is you have to be a hotel guest to use the pool. I brought my bathing suit ready to relax there and have a late lunch but nope. 

Have you been to this spa or a StRegis spa near you?

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