My Epic 3/16 Review

[lambchoplady]

I started this review yesterday. It was about 90% complete, when magically it disappeared! Undaunted, I'm trying again . . .

 

First of all, I want to say that it was a great cruise! I chose this cruise for the ship, not the itinerary. Unlike cruzncurt, I actually liked the ship, except for the decor in Taste (the MDR). And, before I go any further, I have to say that my cruising experience is limited - three cruises, all on NCL.

 

The Staff (A+)

From the time that we first stepped on the ship, the staff was friendly, welcoming and visible. Our cabin steward introduced himself immmediately on our arrival and was always there when needed. The waitstaff were prompt, friendly, and knowledgable. And the bartender in the Atrium cafe created a special drink for me (passion fruit liquer, orange juice, and club soda) - very refreshing! I was also impressed with guest services - they were adequately staffed so that you rarely had to wait more than a minute to be assisted.

 

The Ship (A)

The Epic was all that I expected it to be - big, modern, and exciting! It was hard to believe that there were 4100 other people on board. We rarely saw crowds. Even the embarkation process was efficient, but I do miss the welcome glass of champagne that I received on previous cruises.

 

My biggest problem was my own sense of direction. I could never tell whether I was headed fore or aft. Consequently, I did a lot of unnecessary walking. I sure miss the fish (dolphins?) on the Pearl that always pointed to the bow.

 

We had an aft balcony which we loved. I had read the warnings about the noise generated by the thrusters so I wasn't surprised when it woke me up on port days. I'm a light sleeper, so I'm used to being woken up by strange noises. (It actually reminded me of the trash pickup trucks at home which regularly wake me at 7:15 AM on Tuesday and Friday). The frosted glass on the toilet & shower stalls wasn't an issue either. I was thrilled with the space in the toilet stall after the cramped area on the Pearl.

 

The cabin layout was pleasantly funky. We had the layout where the bed was near the balcony. There was plenty of storage space and just enough room to move around. However, I am glad that there were only two of us in the room. If I had a third person, I would definitely upgrade to a mini-suite.

 

The Entertainment (A)

One of the main reasons I chose the Epic was the variety of entertainment. There was certainly a wide variety of choices. We started at Fat Cats with Charlie Love. He did a lot of 60's songs, so we felt right at home.

 

Cirque Dreams was fantastic! it's a great combination of acrobatics, comedy, magic, and artistry, performed in a theater-in-the-round style. We had premium floor seats which i highly recommend. The food was OK.

 

I have to admit that I fail to see the fascination with the Blue Man Group. To me, it's a bunch of men acting like noisy, messy 10 year olds. I'd seen it 15 years ago in Boston, so I knew what to expect. The performers did a good job and it was enjoyable, despite my lack of appreciation for the art form.

 

Legends in Concert was also great. The Jimmy Buffet impersonator was right on playing parrothead favorites starting with Cheeseburger In Paradise and ending with Margharitaville. FUN! The Donna Summers impersonator had the voice down but physically didn't match. The Michael Jackson guy was also great and really mastered the dancing as well as the vocal aspects.

 

We went to the 9:15 (PG) performance of Second City. It was funny and well-done - much like watching SNL.

 

I'm going to include Chef's Table here under entertainment because it was an evening's entertainment and because my rating of the event matches my overall rating for Entertainment and not my overall rating for Dining. There were two Chef's Table seating. We chose Thursday, our last sea day. The food was exquisite - creative, tasty, and well-plated. I tried several new things and really enjoyed the affair. My only complaint was the quantity - too many courses! I just can't eat that much. Each course was paired with a delicious, plentiful wine. It really was a fun time.

 

The Dining ©

This was my biggest surprise and my biggest disappointment! As I stated above, I have limited cruising experience, but my last cruise was on the Pearl which earned an A rating in my mind.

 

Before I go any further, I want to point out that my disappointment has nothing to with the food servers or the preparation. The servers were great and the food was prepared as described, served promptly and nicely presented. Everything was edible and I, a picky eater, always found something to eat even if it was a salad and 2 starters.

 

My issue is with the menus. They are bland, boring and repetitive. I am not a buffet person. I don't frequent buffet restaurants on land and avoid them if at all possible at sea. On previous cruises, I almost always had breakfast and lunch in the MDR - each day was different and exciting. I loved the chilled soups and the variety of offerings. On the Epic, the breakfast and lunch menus were practically the same e.v.e.r.y day. The dinner menus were moderately better but at least 50% was the same e.v.e.r.y day. O'Sheehans was the same e.v.e.r.y day.

 

I think you get my point, but here's another example - at lunch, you have a choice of 2 soups (chicken noodle and corn chowder). The choices don't vary! Is a "soup of the day" too much to ask?

 

So, NCL if you are reading, please bring back your old approach to menu planning (and chilled soups would be nice :) )! I'm sad to say that dinner at a typical chain restaurant seems exciting after the Epic MDR.

 

One thing that I discovered and am surprised that I hadn't heard about on CC, was the milk chocolate mousse available in the MDR at lunch - absolutely one of the best desserts ever!

 

One other minor complaint - the alternate MDR, the Manhattan Room, has a nice supper club atmosphere, with a pleasant singer and band. On our first visit, we were seated near the band and the dance floor and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. On our second visit, we were seated in a corner where we could not even hear the band. Speakers are needed so that everyone can enjoy the same experience.

 

Overall (B+)

Would I sail the Epic again? Yes, on a different itinerary. My only concern is the dining experience. I fear that it is not unique to the Epic, but rather is fleet-wide. I'd love to do a TA/Panama Canal trip, but I want the old menus back!

 

I also want to thank the staff who helped make our M&G a success. Several of the senior officers were present and we were each provided with a printed card containing their contact information.

[meltingmoments]

Isn't technology a pain? Well done for persevering and writing your review again! :)

 

Thanks for sharing a well-written and balanced review. Glad to hear you enjoyed the Epic.

 

I see Charlie Love is still on board and not Slam Allen.....we enjoyed a good few nights in Fat Cats listening to him! Were Twice as Nice still on in the Atrium?

[david_sobe]

Welcome back and thanks for the review!

I sort of agree with some that say with all the upcharge restaurants that the MDR food and menus are suffering a bit. We pay for lots of upcharge restaurants and except for the filet or sushi, most meals were the quality of the MDR of years ago.

I think even land restaurants are suffering too. The cost of food is so expensive that everyone is cutting back on land or sea.

[cruzincurt]

Thanks for your balanced review. If you had sailed on some other fleets and ships you might have a different opinion on some of the aspects. As you said, the staff was exceptional. The lack of variety of the menu and quality of the food is not their fault. I really did appreciate not having a request for ordering drinks constantly badgering us and also the lack of photographers in our face.

[lambchoplady]

Isn't technology a pain? Well done for persevering and writing your review again! :)

 

Thanks for sharing a well-written and balanced review. Glad to hear you enjoyed the Epic.

 

I see Charlie Love is still on board and not Slam Allen.....we enjoyed a good few nights in Fat Cats listening to him! Were Twice as Nice still on in the Atrium?

 

No, I didn't see Twice As Nice in the Atrium. Mexacali Duo was performing there.

[lambchoplady]

I want to add that there were not many children or spring breakers onboard, and that those that were on the cruise were very well-behaved.

[SMSACE6]

Thanks for your review! I appreciate every single one of them, as I await my cruise in November. Thanks again, sounds all good to me, and as for the food, I have seen the menus, and yes I do find them a little limiting in the MDR, especially if you dont eat much meat, but I know that I will be ok with what is there. thanks again.:)

[Winewench1]

thank you for your review .. we are going on our first NCL cruise on the Epic in Nov and are really looking forward to this big ship

[genealogyfan]

Going in less then 2 weeks, glad to hear about the entertainment

[chipq]

Very nicely laid out. Thanks for sharing.

 

http://luv2cruise.blogspot.com

[jbpinkie]

Going in less then 2 weeks, glad to hear about the entertainment

 

Ditto from me!!! Thanks

[lambchoplady]

Thanks for your review! I appreciate every single one of them, as I await my cruise in November. Thanks again, sounds all good to me, and as for the food, I have seen the menus, and yes I do find them a little limiting in the MDR, especially if you dont eat much meat, but I know that I will be ok with what is there. thanks again.:)

You are right - I am not a big meat eater so that was part of my problem. I recommend the Grilled Shrimp Caesar salad for lunch. If you ask, they will add some avocado. I had that 3 times!

[lordchaos]

i generally agree with all your points, Lois. it was nice to meet you at the CC function. (Paul & Lisa from NY). yes, the lunch and dinner MDR menus were very repetative, and that was surprising. service in TASTE i thought was so slow, even when not busy.( and yes, that chocolate mousse was fantastic). the entertainment was great. ( i thought Legends was just ok, the rest very good). same as you, we did this one for the ship and not the itinerary, as the EPIC certainly has a different feel to it. i thought the staff overall were great. and you are not the only one, i spent the whole week never knowing if i was going to the front of the ship or the back. ( i miss the fish or dolphins from the Gem, showing me which way i am going). EPIC is very nice on the inside(Las Vegas contemporay modern hotel feel to it). we would sail her again. i also thought dinner choices in the buffet(which i went up to a few times to see what they were offering), were not all that great. had very good dinners in the manhattan room. hope to talk to you soon.

[lambchoplady]

i generally agree with all your points, Lois. it was nice to meet you at the CC function. (Paul & Lisa from NY). yes, the lunch and dinner MDR menus were very repetative, and that was surprising. service in TASTE i thought was so slow, even when not busy.( and yes, that chocolate mousse was fantastic). the entertainment was great. ( i thought Legends was just ok, the rest very good). same as you, we did this one for the ship and not the itinerary, as the EPIC certainly has a different feel to it. i thought the staff overall were great. and you are not the only one, i spent the whole week never knowing if i was going to the front of the ship or the back. ( i miss the fish or dolphins from the Gem, showing me which way i am going). EPIC is very nice on the inside(Las Vegas contemporay modern hotel feel to it). we would sail her again. i also thought dinner choices in the buffet(which i went up to a few times to see what they were offering), were not all that great. had very good dinners in the manhattan room. hope to talk to you soon.

 

Maybe you need to be a Jimmy Buffet fan to really enjoy Legends! :)

[mom2tcdx2]

What is interesting is I have only sailed on the Pearl and the Star and both were in 2010. My impression of the dining room was the same then as yours is now. There was no variety - all items were the same, and only like 3 items seemed to be different. Where on other lines I am used to each night's menu being different and only a few items on the always available. This to me was their push to get you to go to the specialty dining to be able to get something different. I also found their choices to be pretty unappealing - at least me to they were.

 

I am hoping our sailing on the Breakaway will be a little different, as we are only budgeting to do the specialty dining 3 out of our 7 nights. Maybe I will find a little variety in the buffet, though I prefer the atmosphere of the dining room.

[lordchaos]

Maybe you need to be a Jimmy Buffet fan to really enjoy Legends! :)

 

yea, not so much of a Jimmy Buffet fan, but my wife enjoyed it. i was hoping for Elvis or the Rod Stewart impersonator. i heard them say they rotate the performers every 4 months. i guess luck of the draw.

[lordchaos]

What is interesting is I have only sailed on the Pearl and the Star and both were in 2010. My impression of the dining room was the same then as yours is now. There was no variety - all items were the same, and only like 3 items seemed to be different. Where on other lines I am used to each night's menu being different and only a few items on the always available. This to me was their push to get you to go to the specialty dining to be able to get something different. I also found their choices to be pretty unappealing - at least me to they were.

 

I am hoping our sailing on the Breakaway will be a little different, as we are only budgeting to do the specialty dining 3 out of our 7 nights. Maybe I will find a little variety in the buffet, though I prefer the atmosphere of the dining room.

 

that is the same thing my wife said- she thought the menu didnt change so it would push people to try the specialty restaurants. the variety in the MDR was lacking, but yes, of course, i prefer it instead of the buffet. we tried the buffet one night and were not crazy about it. luckily we were able to do a few of the specialty with the dinner package through NCL where they give you Le Bistro, Cagneys and La Cucina for something like $54.00 pp(not sure if i am exact on the price, but you save some money this way as opposed to paying the 3 of them separately).

[lambchoplady]

What is interesting is I have only sailed on the Pearl and the Star and both were in 2010. My impression of the dining room was the same then as yours is now. There was no variety - all items were the same, and only like 3 items seemed to be different. Where on other lines I am used to each night's menu being different and only a few items on the always available. This to me was their push to get you to go to the specialty dining to be able to get something different. I also found their choices to be pretty unappealing - at least me to they were.

 

I am hoping our sailing on the Breakaway will be a little different, as we are only budgeting to do the specialty dining 3 out of our 7 nights. Maybe I will find a little variety in the buffet, though I prefer the atmosphere of the dining room.

My previous cruise was on the Pearl in 2008. I think it was shortly after that time that they changed the menus, which would explain why your 2010 experience matched my recent cruise. Unfortunately, that doesn't give me much hope that they will change back to th old way.

[jpm168]

I think I'm still having nightmares of the watermelon, pineapple, honeydew and cantaloupe

[jdvmd]

Thanks so much for your comments on the Epic! Glad you had an enjoyable time!

[USAFwife79]

Thank you so much for your review, I enjoyed reading it as I am waiting to sail on Epic in just 2 1/2 weeks. I do have a couple questions. First, how was the top decks (pool area, POSH if you used it, sun decks, etc.)? Second, what did you think of the ports? Is Nassau worth getting off the boat for?

 

Thanks again for writing your review, I appreciated reading it. :):D

[lambchoplady]

Thank you so much for your review, I enjoyed reading it as I am waiting to sail on Epic in just 2 1/2 weeks. I do have a couple questions. First, how was the top decks (pool area, POSH if you used it, sun decks, etc.)? Second, what did you think of the ports? Is Nassau worth getting off the boat for?

 

Thanks again for writing your review, I appreciated reading it. :):D

 

The pool decks were crowded on the first two sea days, but calmed down after that. I didn't use any of the other facilities.

 

The ports - I didn't address this in my review because I have mixed feelings about what we, as travelers are doing to the ports where we land.

 

I had never been to St Maarten, so I wanted to see it, especially Maho Beach. I left with a bit of a bad feeling - we've turned it into a tropical New York with all the traffic and congestion!

 

I had been fortunate enough to spend time in the 70's on a chartered sailboat in the Caribbean. I had already spent some time in St. Thomas and stayed at Caneel Bay on St. John's for a few days, so I didn't want to destroy that memory. We did go up the tram at Paradise Point and had lunch up there.

 

I had been to Nassau 18 months ago for a week, so I got off the ship long enough to take a picture then got back on for a quiet day. Again, I chose the cruise for the ship, not the itinerary.

[USAFwife79]

Thanks for the info, it helped! And thanks for replying so quickly too! :D

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[cruzn4abruzn]

Great review Lois! I agree with most of what you wrote.

 

As for St. Thomas, we decided to take the tram to "paradise point" and let me just say the only thing paradise about it is the view. there is no longer a restaurant, the animals/birds have been removed, the area up there is so badly run down and all there is a bar to serve drinks and a few tiny little shops to buy jewelry and the usual stuff. i cannot believe that we spent $21 EACH to take that tram to the top. $42 and trust me, it's not worth it. I was so sadly disappointed. I waited years to go up to the top only because we had other excursions booked. Back then it was only about $10 and had the restaurant and birds. I heard from someone in a shop in port that it switched owners so thats why.:(