EPIC October dry dock

[CDN_Cruise_Fam]

We are on Epic in March 2016. Just recevied this from NCL:

 

"We are always looking at new ways to further enhance the onboard experience and bring new ideas to our guests. After several successful years, Norwegian's agreement with Nickelodeon to provide premier Nick-themed entertainment aboard select ships concludes at the end of 2015, and so these experiences will not appear on Norwegian Epic as of October 2015.

 

As we continue making significant investments to further elevate our family programming and entertainment, such as our new Guppies Nursery and expanded sports deck on Norwegian, our family offerings will continue getting even better."

 

It looks like dry dock will also be used to de-Nickelodeonize the ship. Bye bye Dora!

[vulcan1971]

We are on Epic in March 2016. Just recevied this from NCL:

 

 

 

"We are always looking at new ways to further enhance the onboard experience and bring new ideas to our guests. After several successful years, Norwegian's agreement with Nickelodeon to provide premier Nick-themed entertainment aboard select ships concludes at the end of 2015, and so these experiences will not appear on Norwegian Epic as of October 2015.

 

 

 

As we continue making significant investments to further elevate our family programming and entertainment, such as our new Guppies Nursery and expanded sports deck on Norwegian, our family offerings will continue getting even better."

 

 

 

It looks like dry dock will also be used to de-Nickelodeonize the ship. Bye bye Dora!

 

 

I received the same e-mail and figured the EPIC dry dock will help to bring about all the new entertainment offerings yet to be released.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus on the T-Mobile 4G LTE Network using Tapatalk Pro

[AandBmom]

The nick stuff was hardly visible anyway but the bit that was, was great . They need ro do s lot more than that to improve that ship. Hopefully the toss out all the stained towels and do something to make it a happier work environment for the staff.

[BirdTravels]

They extended the dry dock from 2wks to 3wks to repair the current engine/prop issues that are reducing her top speed for the summer season but can only be repaired in dry dock.

 

So for inside she has an extra week but unless contractors etc have been extended it will probably be a weeks partying for the crew, similar to what they did on Allure of the seas with her dry dock last year.

 

If they have managed to arrange extra refurb at short notice I'm sure they'll use the extra week.

 

The key part is renewing her safety and marine certificates, inspecting, repairing and repainting her hull. Probably a good clean flush of water systems and tanks etc..

 

 

The ship's crew actually play a big part in dry dock renovations. It's not a paid vacation to party. Everything from painting to replacing carpets to replacing furnishing. Consider referbing a restaurant with dozens of tables and hundreds of [heavy] chairs that need to be moved. And hundreds of sq ft of carpeting. It won't be the ship building contractors from Germany doing that. It's a lot harder work that serving passengers. That being said, the crew does get a lot more "scheduled" time off work to go "ashore".

 

NCL started notifying passengers of the 1 week extension to the dry dock in early March 2015, moving the repositioning voyage from Southampton to Barcelona to October 18, 2015 and cancelling the first Mediterranean cruise.

 

With regard to Blue Man, they signed a 5-year contract with NCL for the Epic. That 5-year contract is up and not renewed. During the dry dock, the staging for Blue Man will be removed and replaced with Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical. Similarly, Legends in Concert will be replaced with a Burn The Floor-like Latin dance show.

 

 

Past Cruises

June 2015 Norwegian Jewel

May 2015 Norwegian Sky

Apr 2015 Norwegian Getaway

Nov 2014 Norwegian Epic

Aug 2014 Norwegian Breakaway

Jun 2014 Norwegian Sky

Feb 2014 Norwegian Getaway

Oct 2013 Norwegian Breakaway

Mar 2013 Norwegian Star

Sep 2012 Norwegian Epic

Mar 2012 Norwegian Epic

Oct 2011 Norwegian Epic

Apr 2009 Queen Victoria

Aug 2007 Sapphire Princess

Jul 2006 Queen Mary 2

Jul 2005 Queen Mary 2

Mar 2003 Queen Elizabeth 2

Sep 1999 Queen Elizabeth 2

Sep 1996 Queen Elizabeth 2

Oct 1992 Queen Elizabeth 2

[Single Cruiser]

The ship's crew actually play a big part in dry dock renovations. It's not a paid vacation to party. Everything from painting to replacing carpets to replacing furnishing. Consider referbing a restaurant with dozens of tables and hundreds of [heavy] chairs that need to be moved. And hundreds of sq ft of carpeting. It won't be the ship building contractors from Germany doing that. It's a lot harder work that serving passengers. That being said, the crew does get a lot more "scheduled" time off work to go "ashore".

 

 

 

 

Past Cruises

 

June 2015 Norwegian Jewel

 

May 2015 Norwegian Sky

 

Apr 2015 Norwegian Getaway

 

Nov 2014 Norwegian Epic

 

Aug 2014 Norwegian Breakaway

 

Jun 2014 Norwegian Sky

 

Feb 2014 Norwegian Getaway

 

Oct 2013 Norwegian Breakaway

 

Mar 2013 Norwegian Star

 

Sep 2012 Norwegian Epic

 

Mar 2012 Norwegian Epic

 

Oct 2011 Norwegian Epic

 

Apr 2009 Queen Victoria

 

Aug 2007 Sapphire Princess

 

Jul 2006 Queen Mary 2

 

Jul 2005 Queen Mary 2

 

Mar 2003 Queen Elizabeth 2

 

Sep 1999 Queen Elizabeth 2

 

Sep 1996 Queen Elizabeth 2

 

Oct 1992 Queen Elizabeth 2

 

 

I'm fully aware of the crew involvement. My point was the activities they were scheduled to be involved in wouldn't have allowed for the unplanned extended week of the dry dock.

 

Having just been on Allure of the Seas after dry dock the crew had a sponsored event (street party) paid for by one of the alcohol brands. Presumably they'll remember that if a customer asks for a Vodka drink! :)

 

Also she is dry docking in France not Germany. Epic was built in France whereas the newer NCL ships have all been Meyer Werft in Germany.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Single Cruiser

[Son of a son of a ...]

The ship's crew actually play a big part in dry dock renovations. It's not a paid vacation to party. Everything from painting to replacing carpets to replacing furnishing. Consider referbing a restaurant with dozens of tables and hundreds of [heavy] chairs that need to be moved. And hundreds of sq ft of carpeting. It won't be the ship building contractors from Germany doing that. It's a lot harder work that serving passengers. That being said, the crew does get a lot more "scheduled" time off work to go "ashore".

 

NCL started notifying passengers of the 1 week extension to the dry dock in early March 2015, moving the repositioning voyage from Southampton to Barcelona to October 18, 2015 and cancelling the first Mediterranean cruise.

 

With regard to Blue Man, they signed a 5-year contract with NCL for the Epic. That 5-year contract is up and not renewed. During the dry dock, the staging for Blue Man will be removed and replaced with Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical. Similarly, Legends in Concert will be replaced with a Burn The Floor-like Latin dance show.

 

 

Past Cruises

June 2015 Norwegian Jewel

May 2015 Norwegian Sky

Apr 2015 Norwegian Getaway

Nov 2014 Norwegian Epic

Aug 2014 Norwegian Breakaway

Jun 2014 Norwegian Sky

Feb 2014 Norwegian Getaway

Oct 2013 Norwegian Breakaway

Mar 2013 Norwegian Star

Sep 2012 Norwegian Epic

Mar 2012 Norwegian Epic

Oct 2011 Norwegian Epic

Apr 2009 Queen Victoria

Aug 2007 Sapphire Princess

Jul 2006 Queen Mary 2

Jul 2005 Queen Mary 2

Mar 2003 Queen Elizabeth 2

Sep 1999 Queen Elizabeth 2

Sep 1996 Queen Elizabeth 2

Oct 1992 Queen Elizabeth 2

 

You need to distinguish between the type of crew. The crew related to the ship's operation will be busy with maintenance and ongoing OP's. The crew related to guest services will be furloughed unless there is work for them during dry dock ... no DSC from the contractors. The "performers" tend to vacation while the ship is dry docked. I spoke with a bartender about the Carnival Victory's dry dock earlier this year and he said that he stayed on as a fire watcher, which was a necessary job, but very, very boring.

[BirdTravels]

You need to distinguish between the type of crew. The crew related to the ship's operation will be busy with maintenance and ongoing OP's. The crew related to guest services will be furloughed unless there is work for them during dry dock ... no DSC from the contractors. The "performers" tend to vacation while the ship is dry docked. I spoke with a bartender about the Carnival Victory's dry dock earlier this year and he said that he stayed on as a fire watcher, which was a necessary job, but very, very boring.

 

A lot of the "guest service" crew are actively involved in ship refurbishments during dry docks. Your bartender may have been a fire watcher, others (bar staff, restaurant staff, housekeeping staff) work on painting, carpeting, cleaning, changing out/moving furnishing throughout the ship.

 

Past Cruises

June 2015 Norwegian Jewel

May 2015 Norwegian Sky

Apr 2015 Norwegian Getaway

Nov 2014 Norwegian Epic

Aug 2014 Norwegian Breakaway

Jun 2014 Norwegian Sky

Feb 2014 Norwegian Getaway

Oct 2013 Norwegian Breakaway

Mar 2013 Norwegian Star

Sep 2012 Norwegian Epic

Mar 2012 Norwegian Epic

Oct 2011 Norwegian Epic

Apr 2009 Queen Victoria

Aug 2007 Sapphire Princess

Jul 2006 Queen Mary 2

Jul 2005 Queen Mary 2

Mar 2003 Queen Elizabeth 2

Sep 1999 Queen Elizabeth 2

Sep 1996 Queen Elizabeth 2

Oct 1992 Queen Elizabeth 2

[BirdTravels]

NCL is notifying guests that they are extending the Norwegian Epic's dry dock by 1 day. This is after they extended the dry dock period by 7 days back in March. 1.5 months before the start of dry dock and they still don't have a finalized schedule.

 

"Norwegian Epic was scheduled for routine maintenance and upgrades that were to be completed by October 18, 2015. Norwegian Epic's dry dock has been extended by one day and, as a result, the 7-Night Iberian Peninsula sailing from Southampton that was scheduled to begin on October 18, 2015 will now change to a 6-Night Iberian Peninsula sailing from Southampton beginning on October 19, 2015. We sincerely apologize for this change and would like to thank you and your guests for your understanding."

 

 

June 2015 Norwegian Jewel

May 2015 Norwegian Sky

Apr 2015 Norwegian Getaway

Nov 2014 Norwegian Epic

Aug 2014 Norwegian Breakaway

Jun 2014 Norwegian Sky

Feb 2014 Norwegian Getaway

Oct 2013 Norwegian Breakaway

Mar 2013 Norwegian Star

Sep 2012 Norwegian Epic

Mar 2012 Norwegian Epic

Oct 2011 Norwegian Epic

Apr 2009 Queen Victoria

Aug 2007 Sapphire Princess

Jul 2006 Queen Mary 2

Jul 2005 Queen Mary 2

Mar 2003 Queen Elizabeth 2

Sep 1999 Queen Elizabeth 2

Sep 1996 Queen Elizabeth 2

Oct 1992 Queen Elizabeth 2

[HudandPug]

Input appreciated on the roll call for this sailing if anyone would like to join

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=47410108&posted=1#post47410108

 

:)