Comparison of Epic and RCCL's Oasis

[coffeebean]

DH and I cruised on NCL’s Epic two months ago and are just off RCCL’s Oasis. I would like to compare these two ships as I and my DH experienced them. Before I start, I would like to say we had a wonderful time on both ships.

 

Embarkation and disembarkation – both ships excel at moving people very quickly through these processes. We did express walk off on both ships and our experience was the same….very fast and efficient.

 

Cabin – I will compare the standard balcony cabins on these two ships. Epic has received so much negative feed back from folks claiming the cabin is very confined and many do not like the separate components of the bathroom. Personally, I loved NCL’s standard balcony cabin, the layout, the décor, the roomy shower stall, the unique lighting and abundant places for storage. Oasis has a similar “wave” design as Epic with an angled wall on one side of the cabin. This angled wall design is accomplishing the same thing as Epic’s wave design…allowing for more cabins and more passengers in the space the ship provides. Oasis does offer a bit more square footage with their design and does include a small table in the cabin which Epic does not have room for. Oasis has less storage than Epic. Both ships alternate the location of the bed every other cabin with their wave and angled walls. On Epic it is better to have the bed closer to the sliding glass door and the same holds true for the Oasis. We had our bed closer to the closet on the Oasis and that made a very tight area for accessing the closet. On Epic, the bed closer to the entry door, makes it difficult for two people to walk around the bed at the same time. The same is true for navigating around the bed on Oasis and it doesn’t matter which location the bed is in…the space is very tight at the end of the bed.

 

One improvement RCCL’s Oasis has over the Voyager and Freedom class ships is the inclusion of a small corner in the shower stall. Rather than a very small round shower with very little room to maneuver, Oasis has one actual corner in the configuration. In this corner, is a very strategically placed bar, close to the floor, to prop your leg on. It’s a nice addition to the space so ladies can easily shave their legs. Epic’s shower still is nicer and roomier, however.

 

Epic and Oasis have nice lighting in their cabins….Epic with the beautiful oval lighting in the ceiling of the main cabin and Oasis with two wall hangings that are lit. Both offer a very nice warm cozy feel. Oasis does beat Epic with the addition of a night light which glows continuously in the bathroom. The glow of the light is just perfect for those middle of the night trips to the bathroom.

 

The size of the balconies on both ships are very similar. Both ships have a deeper balcony than standard balconies I’ve seen on other ships. The Oasis ship design does not offer aft facing balconies which are our favorite location on a ship. Our Oasis starboard side balcony can not compare with our favorite view of the churning wake we had had on Epic. The back of Epic is not tiered so we had total privacy on our aft balcony which was wonderful.

 

Entertainment – After seeing the entertainment choices Epic has to offer (Blue Man Group, Legends in Concert, Cirque Dreams, to name the three top shows), I was fully expecting the Oasis to come up short in the entertainment department.

We loved the shows on Epic and considered it the best we have ever seen at sea in 30 cruises ….until Oasis.

 

DH and I have seen “Hairspray” on Broadway with the original Broadway cast so we weren’t expecting too much from the Oasis show. We were so impressed with the Oasis production and cast, we were surprised it compares to a Broadway production and is certainly a must see. The two main cast members (Tracy and her Mom, Edna) appeared to be seasoned professionals and are just as talented as Broadway performers. I actually liked Brian’s “Edna” better than Harvey Fierstein’s. Besides having a great voice, Brian’s Edna was very lovable. Both of these performers did a Broadway cabaret show later in the week and we got to see them perform without the costumes and make up. That was a very enjoyable show.

 

The other shows on Oasis offers are “Oasis of Dreams”, the diving and water show with acrobatics and synchronized swimmers in the Aqua Park, “Come Fly With Me”, a production show which features acrobats, flyers, singers and dancers, and the ice show which has always been some of the best entertainment at sea. I didn’t think I’d be saying this but Oasis wins on entertainment.

 

Adults only area (Epic’s Spice H20 and Oasis’s Solarium) – Oasis blows Epic out of the water on this one….NO COMPARISON. Oasis has taken their adults only solarium to the next level and is without a doubt, the best adults only solarium in the RCCL fleet. This space on Oasis is just that….an oasis. There are shaded areas and sunny areas with padded loungers that are very comfortable. Oasis has cabana shells to lounge on, partial shelter above from inclement weather and has a feeling of pure pampering that we did not get on Epic. Epic’s Spice H2O was a disappointment when we were on the ship. It is quite bland with no loungers in the shade. There are two small hot tubs without any type of canopy so they are not shaded either. After seeing what Oasis offers for their adults only solarium, NCL should make some effort to improve Spice H2O.

 

Pool Deck- Epic has the water slides which attract kids and adults. Oasis has the H2O zone for the kids. Epic wins on this one for offering a fun time for adults of all ages in addition to the kids. Oasis, however, has two flow riders which is enjoyed by kids and adults but was limiting for me because I would not even attempt to try the flow rider.

 

Casino – Epic falls flat with the design and flow of traffic through the casino. Smoking is allowed in all of the casino on Epic and is a sore spot with many who have to venture through the casino to go from forward to aft or to go to the venues located on the same deck, all within the casino. This is a bad design.

 

The Oasis Casino is separate from other venues and traffic areas. Even better, one half is designated non smoking. The non smoking side actually has no smoke odor that DH or I could detect even though the other side of the casino allows smoking. It is amazing how fresh the air is on the non smoking side. I certainly wish NCL would adopt this policy in Epic’s casino. I really am an NCL fan and would love to cruise on Epic again.

 

Dining – We dined in the main dining room on Oasis a couple of nights with their My Time Dining option. We have dined in the main dining room on NCL ships on previous cruises but decided not to on Epic. I will not compare the main dining rooms for this reason but will focus on the specialty restaurants…

 

Cagney’s on Epic and Chops on Oasis are very comparable with food and service...both are excellent. Epic has the Argentinian steakhouse which Oasis is lacking and that is a big plus for Epic. Le Bistro is one of our favorites in NCL’s fleet and Epic did not disappoint. There is no restaurant on Oasis that compares to Epic’s Le Bistro but then there is no restaurant on Epic that compares to 150 Central Park on Oasis. To put things in perspective, 150 Central Park on Oasis is $35 pp and Le Bistro is $20 pp on Epic.

 

The dining experience in 150 Central Park is upscale and I highly recommend this exquisite dining experience. Offering a six course, prix fix menu, the food was superb (the soup course was amazing), the ambiance was delightful, service was impeccable with all the offerings explained by the waiter and the chef greeted all the guests at their tables. This was a very special evening for us.

 

Epic’s buffet is the best we have experienced in our 30 cruises. There is plenty of seating and we never had a problem finding a place to sit, even during peak times. Oasis offers a good buffet but does not have nearly as many seats as Epic. Oasis does have other included dining venues and was designed for these venues to take the crowds away from the buffet. We were told by one of the officers, it is not working out the way they had hoped and at times, the Oasis buffet is very crowded. We were surprised to find that Oasis does not have omelets stations for breakfast. Epic has several omelets stations with very little wait time for made to order omeletes.

 

The 24 hour eatery on Epic is O’Sheehan’s which offers really good comfort food such as chicken wings, chicken pot pie, meatloaf, hamburgers, hot dogs French fries, warm apple crumble and ice cream sundae just to name a few items on the menu. Oasis has Café Promenade which we have always enjoyed on their Voyager and Freedom class ships. To compare these two venues, Epic comes out ahead simply because they offer hot breakfast and hot pub type food 24 hours a day.

 

Italian restaurants on both ships were very good and both are comparable. I did not dine in the Asian restaurant on Oasis so can not compare the Asian restaurants.

 

FitnessCenter – Both ships have very large fitness centers although Oasis does have more treadmills than Epic. Both ships have Life Fitness machines and are comparable for their equipment. Epic comes out ahead, however, with the simple addition of ice cold wet towels offered for use after your workout. The towels are self serve and are kept in refrigerators. Oasis does not offer the cold wet towels and I verified that with a crew member.

 

Interactive TV - Both Epic and Oasis offer interactive TV which are comparable systems and work really well. Oasis has interactive location finder monitors which makes it extremely easy to navigate around this immense ship. We were very impressed with this system and it is very user friendly.

 

Final Thoughts - Epic is a lovely ship with many beautiful spaces and we did enjoy this ship very much, especially NCL’s Freestyle concept. Oasis, on the other hand, offers a WOW factor that we have not experienced on any other ship. The Oasis neighborhoods such as Central Park, The Boardwalk and the Royal Promenade are hard to beat.

[sdmike]

What a well thought out and explained view of the two ships. I find it interesting too about the entertainment on Oasis being as good as, if not better than, the Epic. I think I prefer the variety of the venues on the Epic more than how the RCI ships do it (added to the fact I abhor ice shows..lol), but very, very interesting to hear about the rest. Thanks for sharing this view!

[Gypsea]

wait until you see the Allure. Somehow she is even grander. I always think the new ships are too big but then I am on them for a little while and suddenly I'm fine. I adjust quickly and thoroughly enjoy these small cities. To me they are my destination. The ports are bonuses.

 

I love all the diversions, activities and entertainment of both lines but the price point is completely different. I love NCL and selling it because it is affordable for families. It is the only line that gives you a really good deal for the third and fourth passenger. I sailed several ships in this line before I started selling travel. Before long I had other opportunities and sailed all the other mass market lines but I booked my next vacation on the Gem. Yes, part of this is because it's here in the northeast (so is RC) but a bigger part is that I can afford to sail ten nights for a fabulous price when I should be working. January is BIG in the biz.

 

Sail on sailors!

 

Rita

[coffeebean]

What a well thought out and explained view of the two ships. I find it interesting too about the entertainment on Oasis being as good as, if not better than, the Epic. I think I prefer the variety of the venues on the Epic more than how the RCI ships do it (added to the fact I abhor ice shows..lol), but very, very interesting to hear about the rest. Thanks for sharing this view!

Hi Mike...

Actually, Oasis has different entertainment venues just like Epic with a comedy club, jazz club, studio B for the ice shows, Aqua Park for the diving show and of coarse, the main showroom. Both the comedy club and the jazz club are very small intimate venues just as Epic has.

 

The comedy club had two comedians doing one show with an MC who is part of the Hairspray cast. The comedians gave an adults only show with every performance and they were excellent.

 

The two performers who played Tracey and Edna in "Hairspray" gave their cabaret show in the Jazz on 4 venue....very intimate. I was surprised to see the singer/actress who played Tracy was from Britain. (She certainly can do a fantastic American accent!!!)

 

Epic and Oasis are very similar, if not exactly the same, in many of the functional aspects of the ship. I guess the new technology has a major influence. Oasis also has monitors throughout the ship to display wait times for all their many dining venues...something NCL has been doing since Dawn and Star.

[coffeebean]

Just thought of something I didn't include in my original post about comparing Epic and Oasis...

 

We attended the Cruise Critic Meet and Greet on Epic and Oasis. Our previous experience with Meet and Greets on NCL ships have always included the Cruise Director and Hotel Director. They hand out a card with all the officers direct phone numbers on them. On Epic, the Cruise Director, Entertainment Director (Epic has two positions) and Hotel Director attended out Meet and Greet. The CD hosted the function and the officers mingled with the guests before and after wards. The CD handed out the cards with the officer's direct phone numbers on them and made sure all of us who attended were completely satisfied with their product. They made is very plain to us that they preferred to know of any problems while we were on board rather than hearing about problems on Cruise Critic. The CD said they do read Cruise Critic. Kudos to Epic.

 

Oasis, on the other hand, had a Cruise Director staff member host the Meet and Mingle. He is the only one of the crew staff to show up....no officers. We were very disappointed the way the Oasis Meet and Mingle was handled for Cruise Critic. They did do a raffle and handed out some little prizes. I was one of the winners of a magnetic paper with an erasable marker to hang on our steel door. (Must admit, it is a great way to communicate with with traveling companions when you go separate ways on a cruise ship.)

 

I like the fact that Oasis gave out little prizes but I prefer Epic and NCL's effort for providing a much better communication between the ship officers and their most valuable assets...their Cruise Critic passengers.

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

Thanks CoffeeBean!

 

I was wondering how the two would compare!

Glad you had a nice time on both new ships!

 

Like you, we certainly want to try the Oasis and Allure, too.

 

I've never had a bad time on a cruise, and look forward to trying

every new ship that comes along.

 

I appreciate you comparing the two ships so candidly!

 

:)

[lusitanica]

CoffeeBean, I see many good points in your comparison (thank you) except for the cabins part which is misleading.

Epic "wave" design is as close to Oasis as a donkey to an elefant.

You skip the principle difference: Epic cabins do not provide living space while Oasis do.

 

 

 

Oasis cabins are standard vs substandard on Epic.

 

My next cruise will be on Allure.

I have done my home work already: (for an experienced cruiser) it's not necessary to sail on Allure to say that Epic won't hold a candle to Oasis class in any aspect (including "freestyle cruising").

 

A couple of things to see yet: how free is freestyle on Allure and value for money question.

 

Happy cruising.

[stormcastle]

On NCL, formal nights are optional. Does RC have required or optional formal nights?

[coffeebean]

CoffeeBean, I see many good points in your comparison (thank you) except for the cabins part which is misleading.

Epic "wave" design is as close to Oasis as a donkey to an elephant.

You skip the principle difference: Epic cabins do not provide living space while Oasis do.

 

 

 

Oasis cabins are standard vs substandard on Epic.

 

My next cruise will be on Allure.

I have done my home work already: (for an experienced cruiser) it's not necessary to sail on Allure to say that Epic won't hold a candle to Oasis class in any aspect (including "freestyle cruising").

 

A couple of things to see yet: how free is freestyle on Allure and value for money question.

 

Happy cruising.

Sorry if I was misleading about the standard balcony cabins. Yes, Oasis does have more room and I did say that in my comparison. I also said in my comparison that Oasis has a small table and Epic does not because there is no room for a small table on Epic. The Oasis cabin, however, is tight at the foot of the bed with only about 18" of space between the end of the bed and the wall. Even though this area is tight, DH and I made that small space work very well.

 

I will reiterate that Epic is much better when it comes to storage space. I did find Oasis a bit of a challenge to find places to put things. On Epic...we had plenty of space left over.

[coffeebean]

On NCL, formal nights are optional. Does RC have required or optional formal nights?

Dress code on RCCL is "suggested" and not mandatory. I was a bit surprised, actually, to see a guy in shorts and flip flops dining in 150 Central Park. That is a more upscale restaurant than NCL's Le Bistro.

[rok233]

I'm not sure why you would compare the EPIC to Oasis/Allure???

 

Shouldn't the comparisons be made between the Freedom/ Liberty to the EPIC? They are very close in size and price. The Oasis/Allure is a MUCH larger and more expensive ship than the EPIC so i'm not sure why they would be expected to be classed together. IMHO, it would make much more sense to compare the Freedom/Liberty to the EPIC.

 

It's like comparing Carnival Valor to the EPIC. I loved my Carnival cruise but you just can't compare Carnival Valor to Norwegian EPIC. They are two completely different class of ships.

[rok233]

BTW, I thought it was a great breakdown of the ships. I just don't think the two should be compared.:)

[sdmike]

Oasis cabins are standard vs substandard on Epic.

 

There you go again, stating your opinion as fact. The Epic rooms are not "substandard". They are different. They chose to have more storage and less of what you call "living space" where a table would go. This may make them better or worse depending on what's important to the individual cruiser. While I like having a table, for 4 in a room the amount of storage is more important to my family. Keep in mind we all come at these things with different needs and perspectives, in the same way you hate the split bathroom and we loved it. Our needs are different than yours.

[kerrytens]

Thanks Coffeebean for taking the time to do the comparison for us. I'll probably be looking at the Oasis class of ships for my next cruise (unless Santa tells the lottery fairy to bestow some fine gift on me;)).

[kerrytens]

There you go again, stating your opinion as fact. The Epic rooms are not "substandard". They are different. They chose to have more storage and less of what you call "living space" where a table would go. This may make them better or worse depending on what's important to the individual cruiser. While I like having a table, for 4 in a room the amount of storage is more important to my family. Keep in mind we all come at these things with different needs and perspectives, in the same way you hate the split bathroom and we loved it. Our needs are different than yours.

Well said Mike - everyone is different (thank goodness) and we all have our own likes/dislikes. I have looked at every photo posted here and I'll continue to do so. I can't imagine much will surprise me the day I open my cabin door - not even the lack of a coffee table:D

[guyver]

CoffeeBean, I see many good points in your comparison (thank you) except for the cabins part which is misleading.

Epic "wave" design is as close to Oasis as a donkey to an elefant.

You skip the principle difference: Epic cabins do not provide living space while Oasis do.

 

 

 

Oasis cabins are standard vs substandard on Epic.

 

My next cruise will be on Allure.

I have done my home work already: (for an experienced cruiser) it's not necessary to sail on Allure to say that Epic won't hold a candle to Oasis class in any aspect (including "freestyle cruising").

 

A couple of things to see yet: how free is freestyle on Allure and value for money question.

 

Happy cruising.

 

You certainly are a persistent fellow.

[coffeebean]

I'm not sure why you would compare the EPIC to Oasis/Allure???

 

Shouldn't the comparisons be made between the Freedom/ Liberty to the EPIC? They are very close in size and price. The Oasis/Allure is a MUCH larger and more expensive ship than the EPIC so i'm not sure why they would be expected to be classed together. IMHO, it would make much more sense to compare the Freedom/Liberty to the EPIC.

 

It's like comparing Carnival Valor to the EPIC. I loved my Carnival cruise but you just can't compare Carnival Valor to Norwegian EPIC. They are two completely different class of ships.

NCL's Epic and Oasis/Allure have more in common than all other ships. Entertainment has been taken to another level on both of these class ships. Show and dining reservations can be done online for Epic and Oasis/Allure. No other ships are doing that....yet. The experience on board both of these class ships is very different from all other cruise ships I have been on. Oasis/Allure can only be compared to Epic and Epic to Oasis/Allure, IMHO.

 

Oasis/Allure and Epic do not offer the traditional cruise experience. That is why I was compelled to compare these two class ships.

[coffeebean]

There you go again, stating your opinion as fact. The Epic rooms are not "substandard". They are different. They chose to have more storage and less of what you call "living space" where a table would go. This may make them better or worse depending on what's important to the individual cruiser. While I like having a table, for 4 in a room the amount of storage is more important to my family. Keep in mind we all come at these things with different needs and perspectives, in the same way you hate the split bathroom and we loved it. Our needs are different than yours.

I agree with you, Mike. I much preferred the storage on Epic to the additional living space on Oasis. We did not use the table...never do when there is one in the room. We don't even sit on the couch to watch TV. That is just our needs, however, and I realize there are those folks who prefer more room and a table which Oasis offers rather than ample storage space that Epic offers.

[sdmike]

I agree with you, Mike. I much preferred the storage on Epic to the additional living space on Oasis. We did not use the table...never do when there is one in the room. We don't even sit on the couch to watch TV. That is just our needs, however, and I realize there are those folks who prefer more room and a table which Oasis offers rather than ample storage space that Epic offers.

 

Usually the table is what I whack my shins on :) If I'm sitting in my room it's generally on the bed (I love a good nap. lol)

[jarz85]

 

Oasis cabins are standard vs substandard on Epic.

 

My next cruise will be on Allure.

 

There you go again, stating your opinion as fact. The Epic rooms are not "substandard". They are different. They chose to have more storage and less of what you call "living space" where a table would go. This may make them better or worse depending on what's important to the individual cruiser. While I like having a table, for 4 in a room the amount of storage is more important to my family. Keep in mind we all come at these things with different needs and perspectives, in the same way you hate the split bathroom and we loved it. Our needs are different than yours.

 

You certainly are a persistent fellow.

 

 

Cant wait for lusitanicas review on the Allure......................

[michigan tim]

I'm not sure why you would compare the EPIC to Oasis/Allure???

 

Shouldn't the comparisons be made between the Freedom/ Liberty to the EPIC? They are very close in size and price. The Oasis/Allure is a MUCH larger and more expensive ship than the EPIC so i'm not sure why they would be expected to be classed together. IMHO, it would make much more sense to compare the Freedom/Liberty to the EPIC.

 

It's like comparing Carnival Valor to the EPIC. I loved my Carnival cruise but you just can't compare Carnival Valor to Norwegian EPIC. They are two completely different class of ships.

 

??? The OP compared the Epic and Oasis because those are the ships that were sailed. Thank you OP for an objective, well thought out comparison.

[coffeebean]

??? The OP compared the Epic and Oasis because those are the ships that were sailed. Thank you OP for an objective, well thought out comparison.

I have cruised on Liberty OTS which I know is closer in size to Epic. The cruise experience on Epic, however, is more like the cruise experience on Oasis with most of the emphasis on the way the entertainment and dining is handled.

[kerrytens]

Usually the table is what I whack my shins on :) If I'm sitting in my room it's generally on the bed (I love a good nap. lol)

Mine usually gets shoved out onto the balcony:D

[jmcdon7230]

Isn't the table usually used for the room service tray? How is that handled on the Epic?

[sdmike]

Isn't the table usually used for the room service tray? How is that handled on the Epic?

 

Probably a challenge on the Epic. Since I've not ordered room service before I don't know how big of a deal this is. The table on the balcony isn't really sized for a big tray either.