Epic Adult Vacation Review

[Viva_la_Vida]

Loving it! Thanks for taking the time to be so helpful! :)

[marciemi]

Shay - enjoying your review which I'm reading rather than making progress on my own! :p Thanks for the Superman pic - we went to Cirque that first night and I ran out to the restroom before I started and told my DH I'd seen a guy in a Superman costume. He insisted I must have seen one of the Cirque performers (some of whom were wearing something similar) and I was starting to doubt myself - glad to know I hadn't imagined it! Just wanted to add my thoughts to yours below for those who aren't following my review too:

 

1. Same as you - we'd read about and were kind of dreading rude/disinterested staff and just didn't find it. Of course a good number of people who just did their jobs but I don't need staff being overly friendly so this was fine with me. No one was ever rude or refused to get out of my way in a hallway (big complaint I'd read, although I'd probably step aside naturally too!) and our servers and steward were always friendly.

 

2. Also never felt crowded other than getting off in Cozumel - since we'd arrived so lot there were a lot of people lined up. We just went back to our cabin since we weren't in any hurry and came back 30 minutes later to avoid the crowd. And the last morning, but we also delayed getting off as I think a lot of people were doing and once the line started moving it was quick.

 

3. Also directionally challenged :D and there was so little motion on the ship that aft/forward were confusing but it really didn't seem different or more challenging than any other ship I've been on.

 

4. We also didn't feel the ship was that "big" but agree of course it would be different if you were mobility impaired. While we enjoyed it, I did tell my parents (who are in the 80 range and dad especially can't walk far at all) that due to the cabin size (small) and ship size (big) that there was no way this would work for them without a handicapped cabin and wheelchair (and probably a room near an elevator).

 

5. I agree - haven't done a "freestyle" line or dining before and kind of found it funny that I had to plan everything in advance (meals, shows) for freestyle while I never really did on any other ship. But we're type A people who prefer to know what we're doing in advance so it worked for us but I really don't think it fits their advertising! That said, we didn't have trouble on the ship changing things around - I don't think other than Cirque the first night that we ever did anything at the time we'd planned before embarking - they always accommodated us either in advance for a change or just told us to come at the time we wanted (usually earlier in the evening than we'd planned for dinners) and always seated us immediately.

 

Looking forward to more!

 

Before I go to bed for the night, I thought I would touch on a few things I read in some reviews.

 

1. The staff on the ship are rude / disinterested / lack luster / ect.

 

For the most part this was not our experience. Yes we had the one server at O'Sheehan's that clearly was not happy but besides that we were very pleased with the service we received. I should say that there were times that initially some of the staff felt a bit reserved but typically when we looked them in the eyes and greeted them with a smile, that reserve would melt away. In general the crew was not a exuberant as the staff on the Jewel however this crew was just a lovely. For some reason it just took a bit more effort to draw out a more friendly type of service from some.

 

2. The ship is crowded with too many people.

 

Once again, this was not our experience beyond the first night. The first evening I think a lot of people hadn't explored the ship much so they stuck to the common areas on levels 6 and 7 which made it feel crowded. After that, we rarely felt crowded unless we ventured into the buffet during peak times.

 

3. This ship is difficult to navigate.

 

This is true, somewhat. Getting down to the 5th floor was a choke point and the design really seemed to keep people on the casino floor. Certain elevators only went to some floors and I was consistently turned around, not able to figure out if I was moving aft or forward. Some of this can be attributed to the fact that I am directionally challenged.

 

4. The ship is too big. I have to walk for miles to get anywhere.

 

Meh - this is subjective. We didn't feel that the ship was that long but it did feel considerably wider than previous ships we were on. It was never a hardship for us to walk forward to the Garden Cafe even though our cabin was aft. ETA I can so how those with difficulties getting around would have a hard time.

 

5. With all the reservations you have to make the "freestyle" concept is applicable.

 

I'm on the fence about this one. My husband pointed out the wisdom of the reservations for the shows. Since space is limited it makes sense to have the reservation system. It keeps away the large groups of people that crowd into a small space trying to get into a show. Every show we went to had open seats 10 minutes before show time so people were still able to spontaneously go to a show without dealing with the large crowds. Besides the first night, we never saw a large line for anything. It does require a bit more forethought.

 

That is all for tonight. I'll be back tomorrow for day 2 and a few other thoughts about the ship. Namely the bathrooms and balcony smoking. Dun dun dun!!

[wrcjr98]

Thank you for taking the time to post a review! The picture of Cassie waiting for you - awe!!!

Looking forward to hearing much more!

My husband had asked me if the Blue Man Group show has an upcharge, or, if it is included in the cruise fare?

[Tammy296]

Nice review so far! Waiting anxiously for more!

[kenlyn]

Thank you for taking the time to post a review! The picture of Cassie waiting for you - awe!!!

Looking forward to hearing much more!

My husband had asked me if the Blue Man Group show has an upcharge, or, if it is included in the cruise fare?

 

Blue Man was free, the Cirque show had an up charge but included nice dinner!

[Cruisercl]

Hi fellow Epic cruisers!

 

FYI.

 

I was a solo cruiser on the Epic for the NYE week staying in a studio cabin; on our cruise, the guy in the Superman costume (same guy as in your picture) was Jovan the solo lounge group coordinator. He wore other outfits/costumes too......very friendly gentleman. :D

Not sure if that was also true for your cruise. :p

 

Had a great time; loved the Epic!

Edited February 24, 2015 by Cruisercl

[Shayhooper]

Loving it! Thanks for taking the time to be so helpful! :)

 

Thank you! Got busy the past few days but will get back to the review tomorrow.

[Shayhooper]

Shay - enjoying your review which I'm reading rather than making progress on my own! :p Thanks for the Superman pic - we went to Cirque that first night and I ran out to the restroom before I started and told my DH I'd seen a guy in a Superman costume. He insisted I must have seen one of the Cirque performers (some of whom were wearing something similar) and I was starting to doubt myself - glad to know I hadn't imagined it! Just wanted to add my thoughts to yours below for those who aren't following my review too:

 

1. Same as you - we'd read about and were kind of dreading rude/disinterested staff and just didn't find it. Of course a good number of people who just did their jobs but I don't need staff being overly friendly so this was fine with me. No one was ever rude or refused to get out of my way in a hallway (big complaint I'd read, although I'd probably step aside naturally too!) and our servers and steward were always friendly.

 

2. Also never felt crowded other than getting off in Cozumel - since we'd arrived so lot there were a lot of people lined up. We just went back to our cabin since we weren't in any hurry and came back 30 minutes later to avoid the crowd. And the last morning, but we also delayed getting off as I think a lot of people were doing and once the line started moving it was quick.

 

3. Also directionally challenged :D and there was so little motion on the ship that aft/forward were confusing but it really didn't seem different or more challenging than any other ship I've been on.

 

4. We also didn't feel the ship was that "big" but agree of course it would be different if you were mobility impaired. While we enjoyed it, I did tell my parents (who are in the 80 range and dad especially can't walk far at all) that due to the cabin size (small) and ship size (big) that there was no way this would work for them without a handicapped cabin and wheelchair (and probably a room near an elevator).

 

5. I agree - haven't done a "freestyle" line or dining before and kind of found it funny that I had to plan everything in advance (meals, shows) for freestyle while I never really did on any other ship. But we're type A people who prefer to know what we're doing in advance so it worked for us but I really don't think it fits their advertising! That said, we didn't have trouble on the ship changing things around - I don't think other than Cirque the first night that we ever did anything at the time we'd planned before embarking - they always accommodated us either in advance for a change or just told us to come at the time we wanted (usually earlier in the evening than we'd planned for dinners) and always seated us immediately.

 

Looking forward to more!

 

I haven't caught up on your review but I did post on it. Packers fans - sigh. :D

 

I think the crew on each ship has it's own vibe and on this one it is a bit more reserved. Each individual facet was a bit different though. The bar staff was always upbeat. The stewards were always cheery. Restaurant servers appeared more quiet. Everyone was always appropriate and at times almost too deferential. For example I was behind a few staff members in line at one of the buffets. As soon as they saw me the moved out of line so I could go first and there was nothing I could do to convince them to stay in front of me. I did notice that the crew all made extra efforts to engage the young children on board so perhaps the difference I noticed was because I was not traveling with an adorable young child.

 

I can't comment on the crowds at Cozumel. You will understand when I get there but it is a bit of a sore spot with me. Nothing to do with NCL or the port. This is 100% hubby.

 

The ship was always very steady with very little motion which now that you mention it may have contributed. I had looked forward to seeing the "fish" in the carpet to help guide you but the carpet must have been replaced. Luckily Brian has a keen sense of direction so I simply followed him. :)

 

I've been working on my fitness so I wear a jawbone which tracks my steps. I tracked my steps from the front of the ship to my room which was aft and it came to approximately 400 steps. For a healthy (ish) 42 year old woman it was very reasonable. Even taking a few flights of stairs didn't feel difficult. For someone not accustomed to walking much it could feel unenjoyable.

 

Once Brian pointed out the wisdom of the reservation system I grew to appreciate it. It eliminates large crowds of people lining up outside of any given restaurant or show enduring long waits which inevitably leads to people getting annoyed, restless, and unhappy. It ensured that everyone actually got a table or seat quickly. Given the choice, I believe most people would rather make a reservation than wait in line for up to an hour. Overall a much more relaxing solution.

 

GO PATRIOTS! :D

[Shayhooper]

Thank you for taking the time to post a review! The picture of Cassie waiting for you - awe!!!

Looking forward to hearing much more!

My husband had asked me if the Blue Man Group show has an upcharge, or, if it is included in the cruise fare?

 

I spent so much time worrying if my daughter was going to miss us and if my son was going to be OK taking care of everything. I didn't even think about the dog. It definitely pulled on the heartstrings a bit.

 

BMG was included in the base cruise price. It is so disappointing that they won't be there much longer because that show was incredible. Just imagine what the Vegas price to BMG is? Or Second City in Chicago? Those two acts alone made Epic such a wonderful value.

[Shayhooper]

Nice review so far! Waiting anxiously for more!

Thank you! If I get ambitious tonight I might post about the bathrooms. No promises though..... it is late.

[Shayhooper]

Blue Man was free, the Cirque show had an up charge but included nice dinner!

 

The dinner was surprisingly nice. After all the complaints I heard about it I expected less but was pleased. With the meal......

[Shayhooper]

Hi fellow Epic cruisers!

 

FYI.

 

I was a solo cruiser on the Epic for the NYE week staying in a studio cabin; on our cruise, the guy in the Superman costume (same guy as in your picture) was Jovan the solo lounge group coordinator. He wore other outfits/costumes too......very friendly gentleman. :D

Not sure if that was also true for your cruise. :p

 

Had a great time; loved the Epic!

 

Ah!! Yes, I knew his name was Jovan but couldn't ever figure out what his role was. What other costumes did he wear?

He was a great sport.

[Shayhooper]

Before I get into the sea days, which will have to happen tomorrow, I do want to talk about the biggest issue that comes up with Epic specifically and the largest controversy to hit the cruise industry in the past year. Yup - bathrooms and balcony smoking.

 

First - the cabin bathrooms on the Epic. Anyone that has done some research on this ship should already know that the bathroom configuration is unique. Some find it offensive, others don't mind, and some love it. For those that don't know, this ship has the bathroom situated at the front of the cabin with the shower, toilet, and sink all separate entities. The shower and toilet are separate compartments each individually encased with sliding frosted glass doors on opposite sides with the sink vanity off the the side. The largest concerns seem to be that this configuration offers little privacy since your outline can been seen through the frosted glass and that the compartments do little to contain the smells and sounds associated with using the toilet. Since I have been married to my traveling companion neither was a large concern for me but the latter was enough reason for me to choose a balcony cabin for this cruise.

 

For those concerned with modesty, the rooms are equipped with a curtain that can be pulled across the room effectively blocking any view of the activities in either the shower or toilet. Of course the curtain does not do anything to block noise, but the flimsy doors found on most traditional cabin bathrooms in my experience did little to mitigate those noises either.

 

So that brings us to smells. It is a valid concern since there isn't any sort of ventilation that most bathrooms have but it honestly is an issue with all cruise ship cabin water closets. Another poster flippantly posted the solution to this problem and I wish I could remember who it was so I could properly give him or her the credit.

 

 

Yes. Poo-Pourri - Spritz the bowl before you go and no one else will ever know. And to quote the person who originally posted about it - You're welcome! Seriously though, this stuff was awesome. We kept ours on the spare toilet paper roll, were diligent about using it, and never experienced an unpleasant moment. The bottle I bought for the cruise is currently residing in the common bathroom at home and I am seriously considering buying one for the office I share with all guys.

 

 

With that issue aside, I was just fine with the configuration. While enclosed in the loo, perhaps I am the only one that felt like a fat cash deposit about to be sucked up into the tube from the drive thru at the bank but that just made me giggle. The shower with the door instead of curtain (or open air concept) was nice. Water pressure was nice, temperature was predictable once you figured out the controls and everything was clean. In particular I appreciated the extra large cup that held my large conditioner container. My only complaint is that the shower was not quite large enough to accommodate those who, ahem, wanted to conserve water by showering together.

 

On to balcony smoking, or perhaps smoking in general on the ship since balcony smoking is not allowed. To be honest I am not sure if I booked our balcony cabin before or after the smoking on the balcony ban came through but regardless it didn't bother me. I smoke mostly when I drink and since Brian does not smoke it is always done outside. While on the Jewel I did enjoy the occasional cigarette on our balcony but it was only done when I didn't see others on their balconies.

 

As a more casual smoker, I can relate to those who really are bothered by the smell of cigarette smoke. In general I dislike the smell of it and it bothers me when I am subjected to it in common areas. It made sense to me that smoking would be confined to a few common areas and for the record I fully support the ban on cabin balconies.

 

There were still several areas where smoking was allowed which ended up being the places where I met the most entertaining people. My only complaint is that those areas are not well advertised. For the record they are, as best as I can recall: Deck 7 Starboard (good luck finding a way to it), deck 15 port forward by the bar, Spice H20 starboard (I think), the casino in certain places, and the humidor. It would be helpful if NCL published in the dailies where it is appropriate to smoke. I never once saw anyone smoking on a balcony and was pleased that the policy was adhered to.

 

Next - Sea Day

[baxter44]

I just ordered a bottle of Poo-Pourri!! What a great tip! I'm cruising with my boyfriend and though we've been together for years, we don't live together and thus, the bathroom comfort level is not like the married couples!! Thanks for sharing that important info :)

[igolfleft]

thank you for posting.. we are heading out on the 1st and noticed by your pictures that you did Dunn's River and Blue Hole is that true?? If so what service did you use and how much was it?? Would you recommend using them again?

[Cruisin' Along]

I'm enjoying your TR. Haven't yet cruised NCL but we are considering it. I appreciate reading both the good and bad in TRs!

[galliegirlie]

can't wait for more. Especially postings of the dailies.

 

Were you still going to send copies of the dailies to all those who posted their email addresses on the other thread? I will on the Epic at the end of March, and would love to be able to do some head start night time planning by viewing the dailies ahead of time.

[lbrandon]

Can you tell me which nights Howl at the Moon was scheduled? We're trying to pre-book shows but want to schedule them around Howl at the Moon nights since that was our favorite evening entertainment the last time we were on Epic.

[marciemi]

Hey all - I just posted all the dailies from that cruise as a separate thread for anyone who wants them. If you want anything specific I didn't post (ie shopping specials or something like that), let me know. Link to thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2174108

[ilovetotravel1977]

I posted this in the Dailies link above as well...

 

In the Day 1 entry, just above "A Night to Remember", at 5:45pm-8pm it says get your souvenir charm at the port shopping desk.

 

Does anyone know what the charm is?

[marciemi]

thank you for posting.. we are heading out on the 1st and noticed by your pictures that you did Dunn's River and Blue Hole is that true?? If so what service did you use and how much was it?? Would you recommend using them again?

 

Not the OP and I think I posted the link to my review but I still haven't gotten to the ports on mine. We did Blue Hole on our cruise - it was set up through another CC'er (AandBMom or something like that) on our thread and we just tagged along. It was through Liberty Tours - DH & I tried to contact them separately but they told us $150 for the 2 of us for a private tour (maybe that's the minimum?). She had 8 people already so was able to add the two of us and with 10 people it was $30pp so we only paid $60 total. We then tipped the guides at Blue Hole ($20 I think) and the driver from Liberty at the end (another $10 maybe?). We left first thing in the morning and went right there - it was a really good time. After, we stopped at a place for some shopping while we waited for Scotchies to open for lunch (which was pay on your own - think we paid about $15 total for chicken, wings & sodas). I have a ton of pics but don't want to derail this trip report but wanted to answer you before you leave so feel free to ask if you have any specific questions.

Edited February 27, 2015 by marciemi

[scopewest]

Enjoying your review, thanks for posting.

[marciemi]

thank you for posting.. we are heading out on the 1st and noticed by your pictures that you did Dunn's River and Blue Hole is that true?? If so what service did you use and how much was it?? Would you recommend using them again?

 

Just sharing the link to my pics that I finally got up:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=45766047&postcount=70

[Shayhooper]

thank you for posting.. we are heading out on the 1st and noticed by your pictures that you did Dunn's River and Blue Hole is that true?? If so what service did you use and how much was it?? Would you recommend using them again?

 

We used Peat Taylor Tours and would not hesitate to use them again. Their website was easily navigated, prices were reasonable, and they responded quickly via email when we had questions. We did Blue Hole and was supposed to do the river tubing as well but ended up skipping that portion. Blue Hole is definitely something to do if you want a similar experience to Dunn's River Falls but not the crowd.

[Shayhooper]

I'm enjoying your TR. Haven't yet cruised NCL but we are considering it. I appreciate reading both the good and bad in TRs!

 

Thank you! All vacations have a few bumps and no cruise line is perfect. My experience with cruising thus far has been with Carnival and NCL but my preference is NCL.