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Epic review 2/23 - 3/2

cayugashue

By cayugashue,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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cayugashue

cayugashue

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My husband, myself and 2 friends went on the Epic 2/23. We had an awesome time! I really can't say enough great things about the experience. Sure, there were some negatives, but nothing to get upset about or ruin my good time. This was my 5th cruise, 2nd with NCL.

 

Embarkation was as easy as it gets. Started boarding around 11:45. We were greeted with music, balloons and dancing crew members. Very festive. Most crew were encountered during the first few hours said "welcome aboard". Really made me feel welcome. Cabins were ready around 1:00 and luggage was delivered around 3:00. NCL really has this whole piece down to a science.

 

Jerico was our room steward and he was wonderful. First time we saw him he addressed my husband and I by our first names. He kept our cabin in very good order.

 

Speaking of cabins, okay, here goes a negative. We booked BA large balcony cabins, ours was 9027. It was a really good location and the large balcony was great. The cabin was small, and for me, the wave design made the space feel even smaller. The split bathroom design didn't bother me, although I do prefer a traditional set up. My husband was not a fan. With that said, I know from experience NCL cabins tend to be smaller and from research and reviews knew about the bathroom design, so none of that was a surprise nor did it ruin our cruise experience. I would advise, research and get a cabin with the bed by the balcony. It makes the room feel larger and navigating around easier.

 

We did purchase the Ultimate Beverage Package. The best part of the UBP is knowing what your bill will be at the end of the cruise. Everything we ordered we were served. Only question was my husband ordered a coffee with Bailey's and was told it wasn't included. But if he ordered coffee with Bailey's on the side, it was. So Bailey's on the side, it was!

 

I can't say enough good things about the crew. NCL should be very proud of their crew. Most crew members were professional, friendly and helpful. Some were more reserved than others, but none were rude. Special shout out to Jerico (room steward), Clarence (bartender at Waves Pool Bar) and Rohit (beverage server at Maltings). Don't miss the bar tenders at Waves Pool Bar. These guys are a show! Great bartenders, funny and attentive. Clarence was a hoot, dancing around with bottles of booze and trays of drinks on his head.

 

Always a good time on deck 15 in the main pool area. I'm not a sun person, but always found some shade to sit in and enjoy the entertainment of the moment and to people watch. Spice H2O was a good bet and was a little quieter. I love sitting aft with glass of wine, watching the wake...

 

FOOD! LOVED IT!

Breakfast: we would start out with making coffee in our cabin to enjoy on our balcony. I really like having coffee makers in the cabins, I'm one who has to have coffee right after my eyes sort of open. Most days we would eat at the Garden Cafe. Selections were great. Hot foods were hot, cold were cold and the selection amazing. I was a fan of the turkey sausage! There a a few stations offering eggs and omletts cooked to order. So if one station is busy, walk around to the next one. Never really had a problem finding a seat, but we were there early. A couple of days we ate at O'Sheehans, and enjoyed it very much. While the selection was limited, it was good (and hot).

 

Lunch: Again, ate mostly at the buffets (Garden Cafe and pool side). Burgers were good and green salad options were cold and crisp. Mid afternoon offerings poolside were good. Burgers, dogs, and a sandwich of the day. Try the muffaletta, it was really good. Ate at Tastings a couple of times, it was a nice change of pace to be waited on. Selections were good, offering sandwich type things as well as hot entrees. Also ate at O'Sheehans for lunch. They offer a more limited menu, but things you can't get anywhere else and it is good. For whatever reason, the hotdogs here are better than anywhere else on the ship. I think it is the buttered/grilled roll.

 

Dinner: Ate at MDR (Manhattan) a couple of times. Some of the reviews have said this place is crowded, noisy and slow. Yes to all 3, but not, in my opinion a problem. It is crowded, so the service is a little slow. But we didn't have anywhere to go and enjoyed the music. Noisy? I guess so, but that is to be expected when the dining room is full and a band is playing. Food selections were good and quality very good.

Cagney's: ate at Cagney's the first night. I had the shrimp cocktail, chopped salad, petite filet, Cagney fries and raspberry creme brulee. All very tasty! I thought the fries were a little soggy, I thought they would be more like the garlic fries on Princess's steak house.

Moderno: Wow, wow and wow. Go easy on the salad bar, although it won't be easy. Meats were really good and boy, did they keep them coming! All meats that I tried were great. I was a little hesitant to try the fried bananas, but they were good!

La Cucina: this was probably my favorite meal. We had to wait a few minutes for a table, but that was okay as they granted our request for a window seat. I had the fried calamari, which was crispy and tender. For my entree I had the chicken parm, very good choice. The lemon ricotta cheesecake was okay, not as good as my grandmothers.

Teppanyaki: okay, maybe this was my favorite! The experience starts with an explanation of what is to come. We had soup/salad and both were tasty. All entrees are served with fried rice, which was really good. I had the shrimp and fillet. Wow. I don't think I've ever had better shrimp. Very tender and flavorful. The steak was tender as well. I didn't care for the green tea dessert, but that was just me.

 

Casino: I got more money back than I "donated". I played slots and tried my hand at roulette for the first time. If I would only learn to walk away while ahead... :) I read many reviews where smoke was an issue for the poster. I am VERY smoke sensitive and I can honestly say I was never bothered by it. One time, while sitting at the roulette table, a gentleman next to me was smoking and when I asked him if would move his ashtray to his other side, he did so with a smile. I didn't experience any casino smoke "wafting" to decks 5 or 7 (casino is on deck 6).

 

Ports:

St Maarten: we did the Mirabella snorkeling excursion. We origianlly booked the 1:15 tour and were confirmed. When they say "check your tickets for exact times as they can change", they mean it. We checked our tickets at 7:50 the day of to discover we were booked for the 8:15 tour! Totally our fault, but be warned, do double check your excursion times. Tour was okay. Boat was nice and clean, crew was awesome. Served juice as we were boarding, nice touch. Later they served snacks, sandwiches and an open bar. I felt the boat was REALLY crowed, they didn't have enough snorkeling equipment to go around. The tried to fit my husband with a child size life vest, didn't work out. I switched with him. It was REALLY windy the day of our excursion, (not the fault of the crew!), but the ride was pretty smooth. We stopped twice. Once to snorkel, once to swim. The water was really rough, so I didn't stay in long, which means I didn't see fish. But others who were in for longer didn't see fish either. The swim spot was really pretty, again current was strong so I stayed on the boat. The views were just breathtaking. We even saw some sea turtles. The crew did a great job of narrating and telling jokes.

St Thomas: did a lot of shopping, stayed with the stores at port. It has been a year since I was here last and the amount of stores has grown. We took the arial ride, had a beverage and enjoyed the sights. This is my 4th time to this view, and I never tire of it. A good place to visit for a quick snack and a beverage is Mojo's, located near the base of the arial ride. It is an outdoor spot, with a thatch roof and swings around the bar. Good service, and the smoked chicken is crazy good!

Nassau: my first time at Nassau and I won't go out of my way to visit again. I found it to be a dirty dump. I think when the port was first built, it was probably fine for one or two ships. But with 5-6 ships in port it was WAY too crowded. If I'm ever in the port of Nassau again, I won't get off the ship.

 

Debarkation: A sad day... :( We had breakfast at O'Sheehans, it was not crowded at all. We choose lime luggage tags to "maximize our stay" and was 2nd to last to have our tag called. Customs was easy and we found our luggage without too much trouble.

 

Would I choose the Epic again? Yes. My experince was all good. There are a couple of negatives, like the cabin layout and I did miss a promenade deck. None of the negatives would keep me from sailing on a mega ship again, I might just try a smaller one next time for "variety".

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cayugashue

cayugashue

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Thanks for the review. I'm leaving in 5 days, so I am super-excited. One thing that I gleaned from your comments is the quality of the poolside buffet. I will have to try it.

 

I really enjoyed the poolside buffet! Everyday they offered the "standard fare" as well as items of the day. Also, don't miss the softserve ice cream located next to the buffet line on the left!

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cayugashue

cayugashue

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OOPS forgot to mention... When in the Garden Cafe and you exit (you wil be heading towards the pool area), don't take the main exit. Go to the right, past the dessert stations, not only is there additional seating, but MORE food selections such as sausages and other fare. This may have been on the left exit as well, I just never made it to that side! :)Something we enjoyed having is a late afternoon snack. We didn't eat dinner until 8, so around 5 I'd go to the Garden Cafe and fix a cheese, meat, fruit and cracker/bread platter. When entering the Garden Cafe, the fixings are on your left. Sat either by the pool or on our balcony with our snacks and a glass of wine. Very nice!

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xodezi

xodezi

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OOPS forgot to mention... When in the Garden Cafe and you exit (you wil be heading towards the pool area), don't take the main exit. Go to the right, past the dessert stations, not only is there additional seating, but MORE food selections such as sausages and other fare. This may have been on the left exit as well, I just never made it to that side! :)Something we enjoyed having is a late afternoon snack. We didn't eat dinner until 8, so around 5 I'd go to the Garden Cafe and fix a cheese, meat, fruit and cracker/bread platter. When entering the Garden Cafe, the fixings are on your left. Sat either by the pool or on our balcony with our snacks and a glass of wine. Very nice!

 

thanks so much for this tip! this sounds DIVINE!

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cayugashue

cayugashue

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Good review! Thanks! Are the muffalettas at the buffet? I love muffalettas:D.

 

I didn't see muffalettas everyday, but when I had them they were at the Garden Cafe and Poolside Buffet. But everyday they had a "sandwich of the day" which was good. The tuna sandwich was good and I'm pretty picky about tuna.

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meltingmoments

meltingmoments

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I didn't see muffalettas everyday, but when I had them they were at the Garden Cafe and Poolside Buffet. But everyday they had a "sandwich of the day" which was good. The tuna sandwich was good and I'm pretty picky about tuna.

 

Oh my!!! I'm showing my ignorance here! :o

 

Could someone PLEASE explain * muffalettas * to a curious Brit!! ;)

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cayugashue

cayugashue

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Oh my!!! I'm showing my ignorance here! :o

 

Could someone PLEASE explain * muffalettas * to a curious Brit!! ;)

 

A muffaletta is a sandwich, prepare on a large, round bread. (or sub type sandwich) The sandwich contains a marinated olive spread, roasted peppers, meats such as salami, hot ham, mortadella and swiss and/or provalone cheese. The muffaletta originated in the French Quarter of New Orleans Louisiana.

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meltingmoments

meltingmoments

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A muffaletta is a sandwich, prepare on a large, round bread. (or sub type sandwich) The sandwich contains a marinated olive spread, roasted peppers, meats such as salami, hot ham, mortadella and swiss and/or provalone cheese. The muffaletta originated in the French Quarter of New Orleans Louisiana.

 

:) Thank-you so much!!

I remember eating one.....or two....or three....in the Garden Cafe now on OUR Epic trip! Nice to be able to put a name to them................and thanks for making my mouth water !! ;)

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LISRAREF

LISRAREF

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One thing that seems to be hit or miss between everyone is if the ship was overcrowded, especially public areas. How did you find the main areas of the ship... Restaurants? Pool Deck? Bars? Glad to hear you loved it! I am booked for the caribbean in January on Epic... So Excited!

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