Review of the 8/21 sailing. Positives. Negatives. Things to consider.

[vince b]

We’ve just returned from the 8/21 – 8/28 Western Caribbean sailing on the Epic. We are a family of four, parents early 40s, kids 12 and 8. This was our 7th cruise in the last four years: Two HAL, two QM2, and most recently, two on the Celebrity Solstice. Much has been written about the Epic, so I’ll keep to the aspects of our trip, and the ship, that stood out the most, rather than give a blow-by-blow account.

 

We were in an aft penthouse, connecting to an aft balcony. Both rooms were nicely appointed. Both were small. The aft balcony was fine for the kids. They had the beds by the balcony door. And the bathroom set up was not an issue at all for them.

 

The aft penthouse bathroom was a significant issue for us, though. In these suites, the bed is smack dab in the center of the room. And that puts the head of the bed no more than four feet from the toilet. The door to the toilet offers no sound insulation whatsoever. You really are right there next to the bed doing your business, and the flushes are so loud you can’t help but wake up anyone sleeping in the room. This is a major design flaw, and would keep us from sailing again in, or recommending, an aft penthouse. We kept wondering how a designer could have thought this up. It really is a head scratcher.

 

One nice touch in the aft penthouse is the coffee maker. It’s an upgrade from the machine in the aft balcony, and really makes a pretty decent cup of coffee or espresso. We also had individual shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion in the penthouse. The kids just had the dispensers in their room. Our sheets and bedding were nicer as well. And the bed is quite comfortable. The room has a somewhat cheesy Asian motif, but that was a non-issue.

 

There’s been a lot of talk about access to the Courtyard and suite perks for non-suite guests. I can say that from the moment we arrived in our suite, we were absolutely encouraged to bring the kids to the Courtyard, Epic Club, and to have them partake in priority seating, etc. They were treated wonderfully by all the staff. Priority seating, by the way, is a nice plus. You arrive in the Epic Club concierge lounge about 45 minutes before the show and they make sure you are the first ones in the venue. We had great seats for BMG, Cirque, and the Murder Mystery.

 

As for the Courtyard complex, the Epic Club is wonderful. We had most breakfasts there, and several dinners, including the lobster one night and it was the best I’ve had at sea. The servers are super nice, and really go out of their way to get to know you. The atmosphere, service and food reminded us of dinner in the Queen’s Grill on QM2. Very nice indeed.

 

The Courtyard pool is another story. The space itself is fully enclosed, so your only view is up to the sky. When we’re on a ship we like to enjoy the ocean views. Sitting in the pool area, we felt like we could have been anywhere. There was no connection to the sea at all. The pool itself was nice, and clean, although it got quite hot. But by comparison to the main pools, it was a delight. Those pools, as we all know, are very small. They get very crowded, and by the early afternoon the water actually turns a milky white color from all the lotions on all the people. On most days I would categorize the main pool area as a madhouse.

 

The entertainment on the ship was a definite stand-out. We had never seen BMG before, and we loved the show. It was by far the best production we’ve seen at sea. We also saw the Cirque show, and were disappointed by it. It was long, with a lot of useless dialogue. The physical performances were impressive, particularly the “sisters” who did various feats suspended from the ceiling. If you skipped this show you would not be missing anything.

 

The Second City troupe was another highlight. We saw the Murder Mystery lunch, and several of the improv shows. All were funny and creative. I found myself looking forward to seeing them each day.

 

In terms of food, O’Sheeheans was a hit. It’s a good set up, with plenty of seating, and good food at any time of day. The have a decent draft beer selection too. The only drawback is that you have very little sense of being at sea when there. There are some windows on the side opposite the bowling lanes, but that’s it. Not a nautical experience, but then again it wasn’t trying to be. And this is a theme that I’d say resonates throughout the ship. There are very few indoor places that afford a nice view of the sea. This is not the case on other ships we’ve sailed.

 

One observation I’ve not seem written here before is the lack of artwork and fresh flowers throughout the ship. On HAL, Cunard and Celebrity there is nice artwork in the stairwells and other public spaces, as well as fresh floral arrangements throughout the ship. Not so on Epic. This isn’t a big deal, but worth mentioning in terms of the overall experience.

 

One issue that was a very big deal for us, though, and the reason we would never sail on Epic again, was the smoke. This was by far the smokiest ship we have sailed, which is saying something, because the QM2 is a smoky ship in certain areas. On Epic, the smoke was everywhere. We had very few onboard experiences that were not tainted by smoke. The casino is essentially the entire 6th deck, and folks are smoking everywhere. There is not one blackjack table that is smoke free (or at least not one $5 table, I should say). Leave the Manhattan Room or aft elevators on that deck and you are greeted by a wall of smoke. The pool bar, Spice H2O, and outdoor eating space aft of the garden café are all smoky venues. Even the pool area in the Courtyard is a smoker’s haven. It’s a small space, and smoking is allowed throughout. Sit there for a few minutes and you are bound to have smoke in your nostrils. On our aft balcony we were always smelling smoke from left, right, below or above, including more than a few whiffs of weed. I won’t editorialize too much on the smoke, but I will say that it’s unfortunate the smoking policy is the way it is. The way smoking is handled on Solstice, IMO, is far superior. No smoking in rooms, balconies, all indoor spaces, and many outdoor areas. Smokers had their places to smoke, and never seemed off-put. And the non-smokers – or at least us – were very pleased not to have to be subject to smoke throughout the ship.

 

A last word on smoking. If you are at all sensitive to smoke, think long and hard about sailing on Epic. At least on our cruise, the smoke was unavoidable.

 

In conclusion, Epic is certainly a unique ship. Most of the entertainment, meals, and service we experienced were hits. We had a nice vacation, spent some great quality time together as a family, and met some very nice people. The ship has a few glaring misses for us, but it sure seemed like a lot of passengers were having a great time. All things considered, though, we wouldn’t sail Epic, or NCL, again.

 

Thanks for reading. I’d be glad to answer any questions about the ship, or our experience on her.

[sapsucker]

We are on the 13th deck and would like to know where you were. I appreciate your review.

[sjbdtz]

The casino is essentially the entire 6th deck, and folks are smoking everywhere. There is not one blackjack table that is smoke free (or at least not one $5 table, I should say).

 

 

1. The casino takes no more than 1/3 of the 6th deck. In fact it's probably closer to 1/4 of the deck.

 

The 6th deck includes the EPIC Theatre, Headliners, Spiegel Tent...it also includes O'Sheehan's, Fat Cats, Cagneys, Moderno, Cascades Bar, and Shanghai's Chinese Restaurant.

http://epic.ncl.com/the-ship/deck-plans/ (select Deck 6, and use the slider on the left to look through the deck.

 

 

2. There's a whole non-smoking section to the casino. Often it is closed by default, but they will happily open a non-smoking table upon request.

[vince b]

We are on the 13th deck and would like to know where you were. I appreciate your review.

 

Sapsucker - We were in 11321 connecting to 11319. They are right in the middle of the ship. The balconies are very private, and have a super view of the wake.

[vince b]

1. The casino takes no more than 1/3 of the 6th deck. In fact it's probably closer to 1/4 of the deck.

 

The 6th deck includes the EPIC Theatre, Headliners, Spiegel Tent...it also includes O'Sheehan's, Fat Cats, Cagneys, Moderno, Cascades Bar, and Shanghai's Chinese Restaurant.

http://epic.ncl.com/the-ship/deck-plans/ (select Deck 6, and use the slider on the left to look through the deck.

 

 

2. There's a whole non-smoking section to the casino. Often it is closed by default, but they will happily open a non-smoking table upon request.

 

Yes, the 6th deck includes all of those venues, but to get to them, you must walk through the casino. Except for O'Sheehans, they are all on the edges of the hallway, which itself is narrow.

 

Cascades bar is a perfect example of what's wrong with that deck. It sits right at the entrance to the Manhattan Room, and every time we walked by it, day or night, it was very smoky. There are gaming machines built into the bar, and people sit there and play and smoke. Also, people finish their meal in the Manhattan Room and step to that bar to light up. And since the aft elevators are right there too, it's often a crowded and smoky area. At least on our trip it was.

 

In O'Sheehans, though, we did not notice smoke, and we spent a lot of time there. We also spent a lot of time in headliners and that was not smoky either, since there was no smoking allowed inside the venue. The problem was really with the smoke along that main hallway where there was gambling.

[orangegrove]

Yes, the 6th deck includes all of those venues, but to get to them, you must walk through the casino. Except for O'Sheehans, they are all on the edges of the hallway, which itself is narrow.

 

Cascades bar is a perfect example of what's wrong with that deck. It sits right at the entrance to the Manhattan Room, and every time we walked by it, day or night, it was very smoky. There are gaming machines built into the bar, and people sit there and play and smoke. Also, people finish their meal in the Manhattan Room and step to that bar to light up. And since the aft elevators are right there too, it's often a crowded and smoky area. At least on our trip it was.

 

In O'Sheehans, though, we did not notice smoke, and we spent a lot of time there. We also spent a lot of time in headliners and that was not smoky either, since there was no smoking allowed inside the venue. The problem was really with the smoke along that main hallway where there was gambling.

 

I think it depends on the cruise. When we cruised there may have been 2 or 3 people at the Cascades bar at any one time. Our cabin was aft and we mostly used those elevators. We did notice that there were more gamblers and smokers on our Eastern trip than the Western. I also agree that I do not like that you have to use the casino area to get to several places on the ship that are frequently used. I am a non smoker and do not like the smell of smoke.

 

We also enjoyed O'Sheehan's, very comfortable and fun place. (except for the air hockey table! :mad:)

[coffeebean]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, I thought all NCL ships have a policy of no smoking in all the public indoor spaces with the exception of the casinos. That means all bars too. Why has Epic adopted a different smoking policy?

[vince b]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, I thought all NCL ships have a policy of no smoking in all the public indoor spaces with the exception of the casinos. That means all bars too. Why has Epic adopted a different smoking policy?

 

The problem on Epic is that the casino takes up a big chunk of the 6th deck, with gaming tables in the middle of an already narrow hallway. So you often have little choice but to walk through a smoky area to get to a smoke free destination. The bar right in front of the Manhattan Room is actually a gaming center, so they skirt the no smoking issue there since it's technically part of the casino. It's poor positioning too, since you must pass thru the area to get into the Manhattan room or use the aft elevators.

[bcakes]

Thanks for the review. On a selfish note, I hope you'll fill in the survey that NCL emails post-cruise and include your comments about the smoking policy. It sounds like they are allowing smoking in areas that really aren't conducive to it (i.e. the enclosed Courtyard area) and I'm definitely not looking forward to having a hacking cough and smelling like an ashtray. If enough people complain, maybe they will consider revising the policy.

[eroller]

Thanks for the review. Lots of great pointers in there.

 

Ernie

[vince b]

Thanks for the review. On a selfish note, I hope you'll fill in the survey that NCL emails post-cruise and include your comments about the smoking policy. It sounds like they are allowing smoking in areas that really aren't conducive to it (i.e. the enclosed Courtyard area) and I'm definitely not looking forward to having a hacking cough and smelling like an ashtray. If enough people complain, maybe they will consider revising the policy.

 

I did complete the form and mentioned our displeasure with the policy. But there were enough people on the ship seemingly not bothered by the smoke that I doubt anything will be done. To allow such widespread smoking (in cabins, on balconies, in the Courtyard pools area) was a conscious decision on NCL's part, and I'm sure they were prepared for some push back.

[Pigbelk]

:eek:

We’ve just returned from the 8/21 – 8/28 Western Caribbean sailing on the Epic. We are a family of four, parents early 40s, kids 12 and 8. This was our 7th cruise in the last four years: Two HAL, two QM2, and most recently, two on the Celebrity Solstice. Much has been written about the Epic, so I’ll keep to the aspects of our trip, and the ship, that stood out the most, rather than give a blow-by-blow account.

 

We were in an aft penthouse, connecting to an aft balcony. Both rooms were nicely appointed. Both were small. The aft balcony was fine for the kids. They had the beds by the balcony door. And the bathroom set up was not an issue at all for them.

 

The aft penthouse bathroom was a significant issue for us, though. In these suites, the bed is smack dab in the center of the room. And that puts the head of the bed no more than four feet from the toilet. The door to the toilet offers no sound insulation whatsoever. You really are right there next to the bed doing your business, and the flushes are so loud you can’t help but wake up anyone sleeping in the room. This is a major design flaw, and would keep us from sailing again in, or recommending, an aft penthouse. We kept wondering how a designer could have thought this up. It really is a head scratcher.

 

One nice touch in the aft penthouse is the coffee maker. It’s an upgrade from the machine in the aft balcony, and really makes a pretty decent cup of coffee or espresso. We also had individual shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion in the penthouse. The kids just had the dispensers in their room. Our sheets and bedding were nicer as well. And the bed is quite comfortable. The room has a somewhat cheesy Asian motif, but that was a non-issue.

 

There’s been a lot of talk about access to the Courtyard and suite perks for non-suite guests. I can say that from the moment we arrived in our suite, we were absolutely encouraged to bring the kids to the Courtyard, Epic Club, and to have them partake in priority seating, etc. They were treated wonderfully by all the staff. Priority seating, by the way, is a nice plus. You arrive in the Epic Club concierge lounge about 45 minutes before the show and they make sure you are the first ones in the venue. We had great seats for BMG, Cirque, and the Murder Mystery.

 

As for the Courtyard complex, the Epic Club is wonderful. We had most breakfasts there, and several dinners, including the lobster one night and it was the best I’ve had at sea. The servers are super nice, and really go out of their way to get to know you. The atmosphere, service and food reminded us of dinner in the Queen’s Grill on QM2. Very nice indeed.

 

The Courtyard pool is another story. The space itself is fully enclosed, so your only view is up to the sky. When we’re on a ship we like to enjoy the ocean views. Sitting in the pool area, we felt like we could have been anywhere. There was no connection to the sea at all. The pool itself was nice, and clean, although it got quite hot. But by comparison to the main pools, it was a delight. Those pools, as we all know, are very small. They get very crowded, and by the early afternoon the water actually turns a milky white color from all the lotions on all the people. On most days I would categorize the main pool area as a madhouse.

 

The entertainment on the ship was a definite stand-out. We had never seen BMG before, and we loved the show. It was by far the best production we’ve seen at sea. We also saw the Cirque show, and were disappointed by it. It was long, with a lot of useless dialogue. The physical performances were impressive, particularly the “sisters” who did various feats suspended from the ceiling. If you skipped this show you would not be missing anything.

 

The Second City troupe was another highlight. We saw the Murder Mystery lunch, and several of the improv shows. All were funny and creative. I found myself looking forward to seeing them each day.

 

In terms of food, O’Sheeheans was a hit. It’s a good set up, with plenty of seating, and good food at any time of day. The have a decent draft beer selection too. The only drawback is that you have very little sense of being at sea when there. There are some windows on the side opposite the bowling lanes, but that’s it. Not a nautical experience, but then again it wasn’t trying to be. And this is a theme that I’d say resonates throughout the ship. There are very few indoor places that afford a nice view of the sea. This is not the case on other ships we’ve sailed.

 

One observation I’ve not seem written here before is the lack of artwork and fresh flowers throughout the ship. On HAL, Cunard and Celebrity there is nice artwork in the stairwells and other public spaces, as well as fresh floral arrangements throughout the ship. Not so on Epic. This isn’t a big deal, but worth mentioning in terms of the overall experience.

 

One issue that was a very big deal for us, though, and the reason we would never sail on Epic again, was the smoke. This was by far the smokiest ship we have sailed, which is saying something, because the QM2 is a smoky ship in certain areas. On Epic, the smoke was everywhere. We had very few onboard experiences that were not tainted by smoke. The casino is essentially the entire 6th deck, and folks are smoking everywhere. There is not one blackjack table that is smoke free (or at least not one $5 table, I should say). Leave the Manhattan Room or aft elevators on that deck and you are greeted by a wall of smoke. The pool bar, Spice H2O, and outdoor eating space aft of the garden café are all smoky venues. Even the pool area in the Courtyard is a smoker’s haven. It’s a small space, and smoking is allowed throughout. Sit there for a few minutes and you are bound to have smoke in your nostrils. On our aft balcony we were always smelling smoke from left, right, below or above, including more than a few whiffs of weed. I won’t editorialize too much on the smoke, but I will say that it’s unfortunate the smoking policy is the way it is. The way smoking is handled on Solstice, IMO, is far superior. No smoking in rooms, balconies, all indoor spaces, and many outdoor areas. Smokers had their places to smoke, and never seemed off-put. And the non-smokers – or at least us – were very pleased not to have to be subject to smoke throughout the ship.

 

A last word on smoking. If you are at all sensitive to smoke, think long and hard about sailing on Epic. At least on our cruise, the smoke was unavoidable.

 

In conclusion, Epic is certainly a unique ship. Most of the entertainment, meals, and service we experienced were hits. We had a nice vacation, spent some great quality time together as a family, and met some very nice people. The ship has a few glaring misses for us, but it sure seemed like a lot of passengers were having a great time. All things considered, though, we wouldn’t sail Epic, or NCL, again.

 

Thanks for reading. I’d be glad to answer any questions about the ship, or our experience on her.

My wife, 2 year old daughter and myself are booked and paid in full for a double back to back eastern/western caribbean cruise on NCL's Epic. I wish i didn't have so much to lose seeing i paid in full for both the cruise and the airfare to Miami from Boston roundtrip. I wish i could get my money back. I don't even want to go anymore. Maybe I will just hibernate in my room or on the balcony and order room service in order to avoid being aggrevated by all the negativity I will be expecting to see upon immediately boarding the vessel. What a disappointment. I am cruising on the 2 week repo on the NCL Spirit just 1 month before the Epic and the horror stories and bad reviews are just as bad, if not worse. Live and learn and just try to make the best of it my wife tells me. I guess we will have the opportunity to judge for ourselves and hopefully we can do it with an open mind after reading all this. :eek:

[2010_cruisers]

Pigbelk

Cool Cruiser

 

********** I heard COPSTA ia very-smokers friendly also...n would never book with them.

 

** You may want to try the RCL Oasis of the sea, instead. Just a thought. PS I am still going on the epic.....but I am not goung with family....anyway., good luck.

[david_sobe]

:eek:

My wife, 2 year old daughter and myself are booked and paid in full for a double back to back eastern/western caribbean cruise on NCL's Epic. I wish i didn't have so much to lose seeing i paid in full for both the cruise and the airfare to Miami from Boston roundtrip. I wish i could get my money back. I don't even want to go anymore. Maybe I will just hibernate in my room or on the balcony and order room service in order to avoid being aggrevated by all the negativity I will be expecting to see upon immediately boarding the vessel. What a disappointment. I am cruising on the 2 week repo on the NCL Spirit just 1 month before the Epic and the horror stories and bad reviews are just as bad, if not worse. Live and learn and just try to make the best of it my wife tells me. I guess we will have the opportunity to judge for ourselves and hopefully we can do it with an open mind after reading all this. :eek:

I think you are being a little dramatic

I read cruise reviews all the time and have never read a "horror" story of the Epic. Some people state what issues bothered them on the cruise. In most cases, these concerns are exactly the same as other cruises i.e. the pool area is crowded, the extra expenses, etc.

We work so hard to pay for a cruise that is usually far away. You sound devastated instead of being excited on going on a back to back cruise on the newest cruise ship in the world? You will have a great time.

[Pigbelk]

I think you are being a little dramatic

I read cruise reviews all the time and have never read a "horror" story of the Epic. Some people state what issues bothered them on the cruise. In most cases, these concerns are exactly the same as other cruises i.e. the pool area is crowded, the extra expenses, etc.

We work so hard to pay for a cruise that is usually far away. You sound devastated instead of being excited on going on a back to back cruise on the newest cruise ship in the world? You will have a great time.

:eek: Dramatic? No just extremely concerned! I gave this company a substantial amount of honest, hard earned money. I want what I pay for and no more. I don't like false representation and poor public relations and a no care attitude. If in fact it is true as what peoples experiences have been already on this brand new ship, then they can expect to be floating around the caribbean empty in the very near future or slashing cabin prices and giving away a lot of OBC in order to get people to use them as a cruise line. It's time for them to save face and rectify any and all legitimate concerns. Just saying... :eek:

[orangegrove]

:eek:

My wife, 2 year old daughter and myself are booked and paid in full for a double back to back eastern/western caribbean cruise on NCL's Epic. I wish i didn't have so much to lose seeing i paid in full for both the cruise and the airfare to Miami from Boston roundtrip. I wish i could get my money back. I don't even want to go anymore. Maybe I will just hibernate in my room or on the balcony and order room service in order to avoid being aggrevated by all the negativity I will be expecting to see upon immediately boarding the vessel. What a disappointment. I am cruising on the 2 week repo on the NCL Spirit just 1 month before the Epic and the horror stories and bad reviews are just as bad, if not worse. Live and learn and just try to make the best of it my wife tells me. I guess we will have the opportunity to judge for ourselves and hopefully we can do it with an open mind after reading all this. :eek:

 

I truly wouldn't worry so much. I really don't like smoke and it was not an issue for me walking quickly through the casino. If you want to avoid it altogether, take the forward elevators or use the aft stairs.

 

We did a b2b also...we had a blast even when one port was cancelled.

[Pigbelk]

I truly wouldn't worry so much. I really don't like smoke and it was not an issue for me walking quickly through the casino. If you want to avoid it altogether, take the forward elevators or use the aft stairs.

 

We did a b2b also...we had a blast even when one port was cancelled.

Hello Orangegrove, and yes I read your thorough and very detailed 2 week review and enjoyed it immensly, but those kind of reviews are few and far between the negative ones. I am booked, I have paid, I will go, and I will have a great time no matter what the circumstances. I will be my own judge and use my best judgement as far as what to do and when. Afterall it's FREESTYLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:

[sdmike]

... but those kind of reviews are few and far between the negative ones.

 

Really?

 

There were some bad reviews of the TA due to the ship not being totally done, and people expecting more pomp and circumstance than they got. There are also lots of negative posts from people that never set foot on the ship. I think you will find most reviews over the last month to be positive, not the other way around. Sure there are folks that pointed out some issues and areas for possible improvement, but overall it's been positive. Go read the review today from Intrepid Guy, for example

[intrepid_guy]

:eek:

avoid being aggrevated by all the negativity I will be expecting to see upon immediately boarding the vessel. What a disappointment.

 

I dont even understand where you are getting this from. I think you need to read more recent reviews, you must be reading old ones. The biggest thing you can do is to have a good attitude when you get there, a bad attitude or bad expectations lead to a bad time. Just have fun! It is hard not to.

 

~Intrepid <-- had a blast

[vince b]

:eek:

My wife, 2 year old daughter and myself are booked and paid in full for a double back to back eastern/western caribbean cruise on NCL's Epic. I wish i didn't have so much to lose seeing i paid in full for both the cruise and the airfare to Miami from Boston roundtrip. I wish i could get my money back. I don't even want to go anymore. Maybe I will just hibernate in my room or on the balcony and order room service in order to avoid being aggrevated by all the negativity I will be expecting to see upon immediately boarding the vessel. What a disappointment. I am cruising on the 2 week repo on the NCL Spirit just 1 month before the Epic and the horror stories and bad reviews are just as bad, if not worse. Live and learn and just try to make the best of it my wife tells me. I guess we will have the opportunity to judge for ourselves and hopefully we can do it with an open mind after reading all this. :eek:

 

While there have been negative reviews, including parts of mine, there have been glowing reviews as well. Does the ship have problems? From my perspective, absolutely. But does that mean you will have a rotten trip - absolutely not!

 

We hated the smoke situation, and the bathroom set up in our aft penthouse, and a few other things. But we didn't let those ruin our trip. We had a great time together, and as I sit here back at my office I miss it. Knowing what you do from the reviews, you can plan accordingly, and look should forward to making memories that will last a lifetime.

[sh0rty470]

:eek:

My wife, 2 year old daughter and myself are booked and paid in full for a double back to back eastern/western caribbean cruise on NCL's Epic. I wish i didn't have so much to lose seeing i paid in full for both the cruise and the airfare to Miami from Boston roundtrip. I wish i could get my money back. I don't even want to go anymore. Maybe I will just hibernate in my room or on the balcony and order room service in order to avoid being aggrevated by all the negativity I will be expecting to see upon immediately boarding the vessel. What a disappointment. I am cruising on the 2 week repo on the NCL Spirit just 1 month before the Epic and the horror stories and bad reviews are just as bad, if not worse. Live and learn and just try to make the best of it my wife tells me. I guess we will have the opportunity to judge for ourselves and hopefully we can do it with an open mind after reading all this. :eek:

 

Why would you be losing money, unless its just on your plane tickets..

Norwegian Cruise Line Cancellation and Refund Policy

The following policies shall apply to any and all Norwegian Cruise Line cancellations. You must submit your cancellation in writing to your travel agent and we will then notify Norwegian Cruise Line. Depending upon when the cruise is canceled, a cancellation charge may apply. We highly recommend Travel Insurance to protect yourself from penalties assessed for canceling due to medical reasons for yourself or family members.

for Cruises that are 7 Days or Less:

Cancellation Charge Per Guest Up to 80 days prior to departure = No Penalty

[AustinOO]

:eek:

My wife, 2 year old daughter and myself are booked and paid in full for a double back to back eastern/western caribbean cruise on NCL's Epic. I wish i didn't have so much to lose seeing i paid in full for both the cruise and the airfare to Miami from Boston roundtrip. I wish i could get my money back. I don't even want to go anymore. Maybe I will just hibernate in my room or on the balcony and order room service in order to avoid being aggrevated by all the negativity I will be expecting to see upon immediately boarding the vessel. What a disappointment. I am cruising on the 2 week repo on the NCL Spirit just 1 month before the Epic and the horror stories and bad reviews are just as bad, if not worse. Live and learn and just try to make the best of it my wife tells me. I guess we will have the opportunity to judge for ourselves and hopefully we can do it with an open mind after reading all this. :eek:

 

If you don't want a bunch of negativity, why hang out reading and emphasizing bad reviews on CC? I learned a long time ago that I needed to chill on reading movie reviews at certain places online. Movies I probably would have just enjoyed started to get tainted for me before I even gave them a chance.

 

Remember a couple things:

1) People are much more likely to post a negative experience than a positive one. Many will go out of their way to complain but few put extra effort in to praise.

2) It is easy to dwell on the negative and if someone had a bad experience on the cruise; especially early on, they might dwell on it and allow it to overshadow the positives.

3) Other stuff. :P

 

I do not mean to disparage the negative reviews. If I experience noteworthy negatives, I'll post about them. I'm generally pretty optimistic but I do have my buttons; and those buttons might be different than the buttons of someone else.

 

/shrug; you've paid now, so chill, relax, keep perspective, and have fun.

[k9sar]

In a nutshell... your cruise will be as fun or as disappointing as you make it. ALL of the items that have been complained about have also had positive comments as well. There are as many opinions as there are cruisers (and then even a few more). It was easy for my family to avoid the smoke even when my mother and I wanted to go feed the casino-Gods some dollars. Not everyone in the casino smokes and we easily found times and areas where there were no chimneys puffing away. Anyway... if you enter with a crappy attitude, you can expect to not have fun... and you won (cause you won't let yourself). Like I told my teenaged son.... just roll with it, find the positive in the situations and find a way to avoid the negatives. He had a BLAST!

[coffeebean]

The problem on Epic is that the casino takes up a big chunk of the 6th deck, with gaming tables in the middle of an already narrow hallway. So you often have little choice but to walk through a smoky area to get to a smoke free destination. The bar right in front of the Manhattan Room is actually a gaming center, so they skirt the no smoking issue there since it's technically part of the casino. It's poor positioning too, since you must pass thru the area to get into the Manhattan room or use the aft elevators.

Essentially, what you are saying is Epic also adheres to the smoking policy which is in effect on all NCL ships....no smoking in all public indoor spaces with the exception of the casino. Thanks for the heads up.

[Adkmom]

:eek:

My wife, 2 year old daughter and myself are booked and paid in full for a double back to back eastern/western caribbean cruise on NCL's Epic. I wish i didn't have so much to lose seeing i paid in full for both the cruise and the airfare to Miami from Boston roundtrip. I wish i could get my money back. I don't even want to go anymore. Maybe I will just hibernate in my room or on the balcony and order room service in order to avoid being aggrevated by all the negativity I will be expecting to see upon immediately boarding the vessel. What a disappointment. I am cruising on the 2 week repo on the NCL Spirit just 1 month before the Epic and the horror stories and bad reviews are just as bad, if not worse. Live and learn and just try to make the best of it my wife tells me. I guess we will have the opportunity to judge for ourselves and hopefully we can do it with an open mind after reading all this. :eek:

 

Reviews are just reviews they do not always focus on the positive. I gave a pretty bad review of the NCL Sky a year ago for our Christmas Cruise but we still had a great time. There were just some big issues I thought NCL should have been able to handle differently than they did. No matter how bad the ship or the staff a cruise is a great thing one of the best possible vacations in my opinion. NCL does a very good job for the most part. There will be many great spot and great things about the Epic there may be some you do not like and will write negative things about . Over all if you go on board expecting a good time with ok service and decent food and look for the fun spot and the great people you will have a wonderful vacation. If you are looking for the bad then you will be grumpy. Some of my best times ever have been on cruises with issues. I have lifelong friends from NCL cruises and amazing once in a lifetime memories. The reivews just prepare you in advance for the possible problems so you can look at the positive and have a great time anyway.