The Epic! I didn't hate it! But...

[bostongal965]

...I didn't love it either. It had some real positives: the food, the entertainment, and some of the staff. It also had some negatives: the size, the disconnect from the ocean, and sadly, some of the staff.

 

This is just going to be some observations - not a long trip report with pictures (for that I say check out Mitsugirly, Timsierramist, and Oakman58 - their detailed reports and pictures were instrumental in my knowing the ship inside and out before I ever stepped on board! I'm just hoping to pay it forward a little - thanks to Cruise Critic, I knew all about the bridge viewing room (go forward on 13, starboard), the "secret" staircase (aft deck 8 - 13 port, and aft 8 -14 starboard), and the sundeck with the comfy loungers (looking forward from the pool deck take the elevator on the right to 18, and then walk forward to the front). On day 1 I took my husband on a little tour, and he was amazed, lol.

 

Here's my contribution to Epic CC information: after a day or so, I realized that the floors were color-coded for port and starboard! The port is red and starboard is blue - the room numbers, carpets, stairwell panels, and elevator lights all follow this pattern! If only we still had the fish to tell forward from aft, I would've been all set.

 

About us: We're in our early 50s, and this was our 8th cruise, 7th on NCL. We've sailed on the Sun, Sky, Dawn, and Getaway, and we've stayed in balconies, oceanview, and insides (as well as seeing the inside rooms on the Dawn and Sun that my adult children stayed in). We're pretty laid back, and this cruise was all about relaxation. I'm a teacher, so I am limited in when I can sail - though I live in GA now, I know this is a school break week up north, and I saw more Patriots jerseys on this ship than I would in a game at Foxboro!

 

Gold status: We were sailing gold for the second (and last - next time we're platinum, woohoo) time. At Canaveral we had a separate security line (I think with Haven and Platinums), and then the check-in lines were separated by multiple categories: Haven, CAS, Platinum and Platinum Plus all had separate lines, and I think Silver and Bronze were together, and then everyone else. Once they were boarding, they called in this order: Haven, Platinum +, Platinum, Gold, guests who need assistance, CAS, Silver, Bronze, and then the newbies.

 

We had our tri-fold card in our room outlining the benefits. We had two (one each) one liter bottles of water in our room. Our steward brought the sparkling wine later (we ended up giving it to him - we never had a chance to drink it with the drink package). There was a sign at the Latitudes desk with the date and time of the party (we didn't go). For tendering, we received a call from the Latitudes representative with instructions on what to do. We didn't use any of the other perks this time.

 

The spa: I bought a spa pass online, and it was worth every penny. On the ship they were asking $246. I thought I'd be waiting for the heated tile loungers, but the hot commodity was the soft loungers on the balcony. Those were hard to get, though I did get lucky a couple times. Not a lot of saving with towels or personal items, so that was good. The view from the sauna was wonderful. As far as the other amenities, they had oranges, orange- and lemon-infused ice water, and hot water for tea (Lipton Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Mint, and an herbal I can't remember).

 

For the smokers: I don't smoke but DH does, so here's where you can smoke: Spice H2O, port-side near the bar on the main pool deck, in the cigar lounge on 7 (go through Shakers), and in some areas of the casino.

 

The room: Tiniest inside I've seen so far!! Thanks to CC, I knew to put a spare card in to keep the lights on, that the switch for the vanity lights is under the mirror, and that you could shut off the phone light by tapping the light bulb icon on the screen. There is a an outlet strip under the desk area. There is a writing table type thing that pops out from on top of the draws. There is a little basket under the sink - we were confused because it looks like an ice chest on the inside - turns out it's for towels! I learned that fun fact from a little laminated card that was on the shelf by the outlet strip.

 

The separate arrangement wasn't so bad - I thought it was nice to be able to be at the sink while my husband was in the shower. However, the sink was kind of low and weird. The glass door on the toilet ("like pooping in a phone booth" I saw in another review - cracked me up) was a little weird. DH and I have been married 30 years, but there are still some mysteries we like to keep to ourselves. The most annoying thing was that there was very little floor space or places to put stuff - I ended up putting the stool in the closet, and placing things on top of it. Storage for things you wanted to put away was decent. Our steward was excellent - we left him our champagne, a tip, and a vacation hero card!

 

The food: So good for the most part! We only ate in the complementary restaurants. We ate breakfast (2x) and lunch (3x) in Taste - the crabcake stuffed potato skins and grouper sandwiches were amazing. We ate in the Manhattan room for dinner twice. Tuesday's menu had the amazing Maui red onion soup and skirt steak with chimichurri that I loved on the Getaway. There was also a chocolate lave cake for dessert that was amazing. We went to Shanghai twice - very pleasantly surprised by both the food and service. The 5 spice chocolate cake and tapioca deserts were delicious. We also ate several times in O'Sheehans, breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had terrific service in all locations with one exception. The first night we ate dinner in O'Sheehan's, we had service so bad (I had to get my own drinks at one point), that I wrote a comment card to complain - a rarity for me. It just wasn't up to NCL standards.

 

The drink package: We were charged taxes in Port Canaveral - the bartenders made it a point to let us know as we ordered. Even though we knew this already (from CC and our trip on the Getaway last year), I'm sure many didn't. We were also warned before ordering coffee at the atrium bar that specialty coffees weren't included (again we knew, but they seem to be trying to keep folks informed). While we had very little trouble getting drinks, we definitely noticed fewer bar staff on the pool decks and in the bars taking orders - we went to the bars ourselves 95% of the time. The two pool bars are not big enough to support a ship of this size, and Spice H2O had two of the least friendly bartenders I've ever seen on an NCL ship (they were manning the Bacardi bar on Great Stirrup Cay and they weren't any better there). The pre-mixed drinks are not my favorite.

 

The ports: We didn't get off in Cozumel or Jamaica. We went to Royal Palms on Grand Cayman - great beach day and tendering was a piece of cake. Tendering for GSC was not a piece of cake - the winds were causing huge problems delaying tendering for a couple hours. We went over around 12:30 and stayed til about 3:00. The Abaco Taco bar was quite tasty. We walked around some - they've done a ton of work. I was hoping to find the nature trail that goes to lighthouse, but I never did. Lots of people were in the water, though I found it a little cool for my taste.

 

The entertainment: Epic really shines here! We loved the Epic Beatles, Priscilla, and Howl at the Moon. The live musicians (Manhattan Band, Mac N Cheese, Zoe, and the pool band whose name I didn't catch) were all really good. The comedians and magician were decent enough, but not as good as everything else. We didn't see Burn the Floor - we saw it on the Getaway, and were up for seeing it again, but opted to watch Star Trek Beyond out on the big screen in Spice H2O - well worth it!!

Disembarkation: This is where being in Haven is a huge difference to those of us in steerage, haha. I read the review from a Haven guest who said the fog delay wasn't that big of a deal. Well, things were a little different for the rest of us (though some people should've paid attention and followed directions, IMO). When we heard about the delay, we got our bags ready, told our steward what we were doing, and went to Taste for a nice sit-down breakfast - we weren't even in the port yet. Others decided to line up - they ended up being in a line for over three hours! After breakfast, we grabbed our bags and went to deck seven, which was a zoo. There was no organization to the line, people couldn't get to the end, and so people ended up standing wherever - which of course made the people who had been there for hours upset. It took a while to clear customs, but once we did, the line moved pretty quickly. It was funny; every time the captain or cruise director would refer to "easy walk-off" the crowd would burst into laughter - nervous, aggravated laughter.

 

Final thoughts: with a few exceptions, the staff didn't seem as happy and engaging as we've experienced in the past. They were still very professional, with the exception of the barstaff mentioned above. The ship is too big for my taste, and areas seemed very broken up.

 

The pools were VERY small for a ship of this size. I liked the arrangement of Spice H2O better on the Getaway. The Epic Plunge was fun, but I liked the fast blue and green slide on the Getaway better. If you go on the Plunge, be sure to pick up your tube at the bottom first!

 

On a positive note, I like what they did with the casino and smoking areas - some of the casino is non-smoking, and it really helps keep the smell down.

 

I really missed having a real promenade deck - especially with an inside room. While I wouldn't avoid the Epic, I would probably only sail on her if I really liked the itinerary. I would also book a balcony so I could have somewhere to connect with the sea and have a quiet place away from the crowds. This is a ship where being in the Haven probably makes a huge difference in experience.

 

So it was a decent cruise - and definitely better than a week at work or in the winter cold. I'm a teacher so I'll give it a grade: B+

[Crzy4my2]

...I didn't love it either. It had some real positives: the food, the entertainment, and some of the staff. It also had some negatives: the size, the disconnect from the ocean, and sadly, some of the staff.

 

This is just going to be some observations - not a long trip report with pictures (for that I say check out Mitsugirly, Timsierramist, and Oakman58 - their detailed reports and pictures were instrumental in my knowing the ship inside and out before I ever stepped on board! I'm just hoping to pay it forward a little - thanks to Cruise Critic, I knew all about the bridge viewing room (go forward on 13, starboard), the "secret" staircase (aft deck 8 - 13 port, and aft 8 -14 starboard), and the sundeck with the comfy loungers (looking forward from the pool deck take the elevator on the right to 18, and then walk forward to the front). On day 1 I took my husband on a little tour, and he was amazed, lol.

 

Here's my contribution to Epic CC information: after a day or so, I realized that the floors were color-coded for port and starboard! The port is red and starboard is blue - the room numbers, carpets, stairwell panels, and elevator lights all follow this pattern! If only we still had the fish to tell forward from aft, I would've been all set.

 

About us: We're in our early 50s, and this was our 8th cruise, 7th on NCL. We've sailed on the Sun, Sky, Dawn, and Getaway, and we've stayed in balconies, oceanview, and insides (as well as seeing the inside rooms on the Dawn and Sun that my adult children stayed in). We're pretty laid back, and this cruise was all about relaxation. I'm a teacher, so I am limited in when I can sail - though I live in GA now, I know this is a school break week up north, and I saw more Patriots jerseys on this ship than I would in a game at Foxboro!

 

Gold status: We were sailing gold for the second (and last - next time we're platinum, woohoo) time. At Canaveral we had a separate security line (I think with Haven and Platinums), and then the check-in lines were separated by multiple categories: Haven, CAS, Platinum and Platinum Plus all had separate lines, and I think Silver and Bronze were together, and then everyone else. Once they were boarding, they called in this order: Haven, Platinum +, Platinum, Gold, guests who need assistance, CAS, Silver, Bronze, and then the newbies.

 

We had our tri-fold card in our room outlining the benefits. We had two (one each) one liter bottles of water in our room. Our steward brought the sparkling wine later (we ended up giving it to him - we never had a chance to drink it with the drink package). There was a sign at the Latitudes desk with the date and time of the party (we didn't go). For tendering, we received a call from the Latitudes representative with instructions on what to do. We didn't use any of the other perks this time.

 

The spa: I bought a spa pass online, and it was worth every penny. On the ship they were asking $246. I thought I'd be waiting for the heated tile loungers, but the hot commodity was the soft loungers on the balcony. Those were hard to get, though I did get lucky a couple times. Not a lot of saving with towels or personal items, so that was good. The view from the sauna was wonderful. As far as the other amenities, they had oranges, orange- and lemon-infused ice water, and hot water for tea (Lipton Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Mint, and an herbal I can't remember).

 

For the smokers: I don't smoke but DH does, so here's where you can smoke: Spice H2O, port-side near the bar on the main pool deck, in the cigar lounge on 7 (go through Shakers), and in some areas of the casino.

 

The room: Tiniest inside I've seen so far!! Thanks to CC, I knew to put a spare card in to keep the lights on, that the switch for the vanity lights is under the mirror, and that you could shut off the phone light by tapping the light bulb icon on the screen. There is a an outlet strip under the desk area. There is a writing table type thing that pops out from on top of the draws. There is a little basket under the sink - we were confused because it looks like an ice chest on the inside - turns out it's for towels! I learned that fun fact from a little laminated card that was on the shelf by the outlet strip.

 

The separate arrangement wasn't so bad - I thought it was nice to be able to be at the sink while my husband was in the shower. However, the sink was kind of low and weird. The glass door on the toilet ("like pooping in a phone booth" I saw in another review - cracked me up) was a little weird. DH and I have been married 30 years, but there are still some mysteries we like to keep to ourselves. The most annoying thing was that there was very little floor space or places to put stuff - I ended up putting the stool in the closet, and placing things on top of it. Storage for things you wanted to put away was decent. Our steward was excellent - we left him our champagne, a tip, and a vacation hero card!

 

The food: So good for the most part! We only ate in the complementary restaurants. We ate breakfast (2x) and lunch (3x) in Taste - the crabcake stuffed potato skins and grouper sandwiches were amazing. We ate in the Manhattan room for dinner twice. Tuesday's menu had the amazing Maui red onion soup and skirt steak with chimichurri that I loved on the Getaway. There was also a chocolate lave cake for dessert that was amazing. We went to Shanghai twice - very pleasantly surprised by both the food and service. The 5 spice chocolate cake and tapioca deserts were delicious. We also ate several times in O'Sheehans, breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had terrific service in all locations with one exception. The first night we ate dinner in O'Sheehan's, we had service so bad (I had to get my own drinks at one point), that I wrote a comment card to complain - a rarity for me. It just wasn't up to NCL standards.

 

The drink package: We were charged taxes in Port Canaveral - the bartenders made it a point to let us know as we ordered. Even though we knew this already (from CC and our trip on the Getaway last year), I'm sure many didn't. We were also warned before ordering coffee at the atrium bar that specialty coffees weren't included (again we knew, but they seem to be trying to keep folks informed). While we had very little trouble getting drinks, we definitely noticed fewer bar staff on the pool decks and in the bars taking orders - we went to the bars ourselves 95% of the time. The two pool bars are not big enough to support a ship of this size, and Spice H2O had two of the least friendly bartenders I've ever seen on an NCL ship (they were manning the Bacardi bar on Great Stirrup Cay and they weren't any better there). The pre-mixed drinks are not my favorite.

 

The ports: We didn't get off in Cozumel or Jamaica. We went to Royal Palms on Grand Cayman - great beach day and tendering was a piece of cake. Tendering for GSC was not a piece of cake - the winds were causing huge problems delaying tendering for a couple hours. We went over around 12:30 and stayed til about 3:00. The Abaco Taco bar was quite tasty. We walked around some - they've done a ton of work. I was hoping to find the nature trail that goes to lighthouse, but I never did. Lots of people were in the water, though I found it a little cool for my taste.

 

The entertainment: Epic really shines here! We loved the Epic Beatles, Priscilla, and Howl at the Moon. The live musicians (Manhattan Band, Mac N Cheese, Zoe, and the pool band whose name I didn't catch) were all really good. The comedians and magician were decent enough, but not as good as everything else. We didn't see Burn the Floor - we saw it on the Getaway, and were up for seeing it again, but opted to watch Star Trek Beyond out on the big screen in Spice H2O - well worth it!!

Disembarkation: This is where being in Haven is a huge difference to those of us in steerage, haha. I read the review from a Haven guest who said the fog delay wasn't that big of a deal. Well, things were a little different for the rest of us (though some people should've paid attention and followed directions, IMO). When we heard about the delay, we got our bags ready, told our steward what we were doing, and went to Taste for a nice sit-down breakfast - we weren't even in the port yet. Others decided to line up - they ended up being in a line for over three hours! After breakfast, we grabbed our bags and went to deck seven, which was a zoo. There was no organization to the line, people couldn't get to the end, and so people ended up standing wherever - which of course made the people who had been there for hours upset. It took a while to clear customs, but once we did, the line moved pretty quickly. It was funny; every time the captain or cruise director would refer to "easy walk-off" the crowd would burst into laughter - nervous, aggravated laughter.

 

Final thoughts: with a few exceptions, the staff didn't seem as happy and engaging as we've experienced in the past. They were still very professional, with the exception of the barstaff mentioned above. The ship is too big for my taste, and areas seemed very broken up.

 

The pools were VERY small for a ship of this size. I liked the arrangement of Spice H2O better on the Getaway. The Epic Plunge was fun, but I liked the fast blue and green slide on the Getaway better. If you go on the Plunge, be sure to pick up your tube at the bottom first!

 

On a positive note, I like what they did with the casino and smoking areas - some of the casino is non-smoking, and it really helps keep the smell down.

 

I really missed having a real promenade deck - especially with an inside room. While I wouldn't avoid the Epic, I would probably only sail on her if I really liked the itinerary. I would also book a balcony so I could have somewhere to connect with the sea and have a quiet place away from the crowds. This is a ship where being in the Haven probably makes a huge difference in experience.

 

So it was a decent cruise - and definitely better than a week at work or in the winter cold. I'm a teacher so I'll give it a grade: B+

 

 

We were on the same cruise as you..My kids Loved Mac and Cheese. We loved listening to them on the comfy chairs in the Atrium. My kids would get frozen non alcoholic drinks and some cupcakes and we would listen to them.

Disembarkation was a nightmare. I swear they turned the AC off which was tough with everyone on Deck 7.

[bostongal965]

Gotta give a shout out to the atrium bar staff - they were great, whether we were getting specialty coffee or drinks.

 

We liked to sit at the bar in O'Sheehan's that overlooked the atrium - great spot!

[Faw1001]

[quote name='bostongal965;52402436

 

For the smokers: I don't smoke but DH does' date=' so here's where you can smoke: Spice H2O, port-side near the bar on the main pool deck, in the cigar lounge on 7 (go through Shakers), and in some areas of the casino.

 

[/quote']

 

Thank you for all the great tips! In regards to smoking, are you allowed to smoke in the casino if you are not gambling? Also, is it true you can't smoke on balconies on NCL ships? My partner and I vape so not the same as smoking and it seems a bit strict considering we can't do any damage or set fire to anything with e-cigarettes :confused:

[BLACKBURNROVERS]

Also, is it true you can't smoke on balconies on NCL ships? My partner and I vape so not the same as smoking and it seems a bit strict considering we can't do any damage or set fire to anything with e-cigarettes :confused:

Yes it is true. Using those e-cigarettes can be misconstrued as smoking an actual cigarette and hence the reason for the ban.

[Huntingdon1701]

Thanks for the balanced review. How does the Spa compare to the Getaway, in size, view etc?

[Robin1961]

Great report,

 

I was wondering about the " writing table type thing that pops out from on top of the draws. where is this located?

any pictures of this?

Robin & Angel

[Oakman58]

That was an excellent and well written review bostongal965, I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on CC. I too miss the little swimming fish in the floor carpet. When I was on the Epic I was always heading in the wrong direction.

[BensonFan711]

I was on the Epic for New Years, and it just wasn't up to NCL's standards. I can't stand the "premium" choices on the MDR menu (corporate decision, not ship, but still left a bad taste in my mouth). We had TERRIBLE crew experiences, mainly from the wait staff. Our room steward and the assistant cruise director, Mandy, were fabulous.

 

I HATED the layout of the casino, as it overlooked Taste. I smoke, my parents, who I was traveling with are militant non-smokers. Like, they can't stand it at all, and people would smoke near the railing that overlooks the restaurant. Ugh! That was disgusting even to me!! I much prefer layouts like the Dawn or Gem where the casino is FAR away from any food venue. At least on the Getaway, Taste and Savor were closed off enough and far enough away from the casino that there was no smoke draft.

 

Mind you, I'm of the mindset that smokers should have designated areas, I just believe whole-heartedly that those designated areas should be AWAY from food!!

[cb at sea]

Just vape IN the cabin....it has no odor, so no one will know.

[jaxw17]

Just vape IN the cabin....it has no odor, so no one will know.

 

 

It does have a smell, terrible one. And it produces so much smoke / vapour

[bostongal965]

Thank you for all the great tips! In regards to smoking, are you allowed to smoke in the casino if you are not gambling? Also, is it true you can't smoke on balconies on NCL ships? My partner and I vape so not the same as smoking and it seems a bit strict considering we can't do any damage or set fire to anything with e-cigarettes :confused:

 

No smoking on the balconies - they enacted that a couple years ago. As far as the casino goes, I think you are supposed to be gambling, and my husband threw a little money into a slot machine the first couple times, but by the end of the week he wasn't. There were a ton of vapers in the pool deck smoking area - I'm sure you won't be alone!

[bostongal965]

Thanks for the balanced review. How does the Spa compare to the Getaway, in size, view etc?

 

 

The Getaway spa seemed bigger in area. The thalassotherapy pools were very similar - they both had the section where you lay down, the section where the bubble come up from the floor, and the giant faucet that beats on your back. The Epic has three of the faucets, and two were more focused jets - felt great. The Getaway only has one wider one. The Epic had areas in the pool, big enough for one, where you could stand and have your lower body massaged by multiple jets. The Getaway ones were just in a flat wall, and you had to turn them on (button was on the side). Both had a traditional jacuzzi attached.

 

The Getaway had about twice as many tile loungers, but no outside balcony. The Getaway also had a co-ed sauna, sanarium, steam room, and salt bath. I don't remember if the locker rooms had single-sex steam and sauna. The Epic does not have a salt bath. It has a co-ed steam, sauna, and sanarium, and the sauna and sanarium had wonderful views. The sauna in the ladies' locker room also had a view, but the steam room did not.

 

There are great youtube videos of both!

[bostongal965]

Great report,

 

I was wondering about the " writing table type thing that pops out from on top of the draws. where is this located?

any pictures of this?

Robin & Angel

 

 

No picture, sorry, but if you go to the NCL Epic's webpage, and do the 360 degree tour of the inside cabin, you can see where it is just above the top drawer on the desk/sink/vanity area (right above the stool) - it came out about as far as the stool sticks out. We ended up sticking the stool in the closet so it would be out of the way.

[bostongal965]

That was an excellent and well written review bostongal965, I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on CC. I too miss the little swimming fish in the floor carpet. When I was on the Epic I was always heading in the wrong direction.

 

 

Thank you, and likewise! I loved your review. We were always going in the wrong direction - I figure we walked off a lot of calories from all the delicious eats :D

[bostongal965]

I was on the Epic for New Years, and it just wasn't up to NCL's standards. I can't stand the "premium" choices on the MDR menu (corporate decision, not ship, but still left a bad taste in my mouth). We had TERRIBLE crew experiences, mainly from the wait staff. Our room steward and the assistant cruise director, Mandy, were fabulous.

 

I HATED the layout of the casino, as it overlooked Taste. I smoke, my parents, who I was traveling with are militant non-smokers. Like, they can't stand it at all, and people would smoke near the railing that overlooks the restaurant. Ugh! That was disgusting even to me!! I much prefer layouts like the Dawn or Gem where the casino is FAR away from any food venue. At least on the Getaway, Taste and Savor were closed off enough and far enough away from the casino that there was no smoke draft.

 

Mind you, I'm of the mindset that smokers should have designated areas, I just believe whole-heartedly that those designated areas should be AWAY from food!!

 

Seemed to me that they made the smokers smoke away from that area over Taste - I was on the Getaway last year, and as much as I enjoyed that ship, I thought the smoke smell in the Le Bistro area was awful. It didn't seem nearly as bad on the Epic. My husband said they had to move into the deeper areas on either side in order to smoke. I didn't go with him, or I could give a better description.

[Robin1961]

No picture, sorry, but if you go to the NCL Epic's webpage, and do the 360 degree tour of the inside cabin, you can see where it is just above the top drawer on the desk/sink/vanity area (right above the stool) - it came out about as far as the stool sticks out. We ended up sticking the stool in the closet so it would be out of the way.

 

 

 

thank you for the reply!

[Faw1001]

It does have a smell, terrible one. And it produces so much smoke / vapour

 

 

Not trying to start an argument here but my e-cigarette juice is cheesecake. It smells like cheesecake and can only be smelt for moments after vaping. My sister who HATES the smell on smokers lets me vape in her car and house. I wouldn't vape in the cabin but I don't see why there is an issue with vaping on the balcony where noone else would even see it.

[easyboy]

...I didn't love it either. It had some real positives: the food, the entertainment, and some of the staff. It also had some negatives: the size, the disconnect from the ocean, and sadly, some of the staff.

 

Final thoughts: with a few exceptions, the staff didn't seem as happy and engaging as we've experienced in the past. They were still very professional, with the exception of the barstaff mentioned above. The ship is too big for my taste, and areas seemed very broken up.

 

The pools were VERY small for a ship of this size. I liked the arrangement of Spice H2O better on the Getaway. The Epic Plunge was fun, but I liked the fast blue and green slide on the Getaway better. If you go on the Plunge, be sure to pick up your tube at the bottom first!

 

On a positive note, I like what they did with the casino and smoking areas - some of the casino is non-smoking, and it really helps keep the smell down.

 

I really missed having a real promenade deck - especially with an inside room. While I wouldn't avoid the Epic, I would probably only sail on her if I really liked the itinerary. I would also book a balcony so I could have somewhere to connect with the sea and have a quiet place away from the crowds. This is a ship where being in the Haven probably makes a huge difference in experience.

 

So it was a decent cruise - and definitely better than a week at work or in the winter cold. I'm a teacher so I'll give it a grade: B+

 

 

Glad that the negatives didn't really spoil your cruise. Thank you for your objective review.

[Kova15]

Great review. I appreciate the good and the bad you experienced. Going on the Epic in a few weeks- First time on NCL and a little nervous about the Epic.

[Robin1961]

Great review. I appreciate the good and the bad you experienced. Going on the Epic in a few weeks- First time on NCL and a little nervous about the Epic.

 

 

us too!

 

we are going on the EBTA April 1st, 1st time on Norwegian...

Hope all goes well

 

Robin & Angel

[Roharmi]

I think we had the same waiter in O'Sheehans. We watched three couples come in after us and get their orders well before us. This was the only bad experience that we had with waitstaff.

 

I never saw any staff hassle a smoker for not gambling so I can only assume they don't care much. I did on many occasions see them shooing people away from the taste overlook. At least they made the effort.

 

For me the ship was way to dark, it already has a darker decor and the soft lighting makes it worse. They need to invest in some brighter lighting.

 

My only real complaint on the cruise was the horrible lack of planning on NCL's part for GSC. Two tenders for a ship with over 4500 people on it?!? We sat in the theater and I was amazed at the line. I asked one of the staff why there was such a holdup and that was when I learned of the tender situation. We grabbed our stuff and just went to the pool.I am a really laid back person but that set me off. I paid a lot of money for this trip and couldn't even get off the ship.

 

I also do not like the bathroom situation on the wavy rooms. I had to go visit the balcony when my wife was in there and vice versa.

 

The inside cabins (at least those I saw on deck 13) had a much better layout and a private bath. I've already booked one for the next cruise. Every time we get a balcony we barely use it. No need to spend extra for something that doesn't get used much.

 

Best line from the cruise......

They have John Wayne toilet paper here.

John Wayne?

Yes, its rough, gritty and it don't take sh*t off no one.

 

Overall my wife and I really enjoyed the trip and Norwegian. She was even picked for Deal or No Deal and of course blamed me for her stellar $1 win after she turned down $198. :-P

[bostongal965]

Glad that the negatives didn't really spoil your cruise. Thank you for your objective review.

 

Thanks! It didn't spoil it at all - just observations I made through the week, some good, some not so good. It's not a horrible ship - it has some really nice features and decor. The recent refurb made it feel really fresh. My husband said that if this had been our first cruise and we had nothing to compare it to, we probably would've been raving about it!

 

I think I prefer the smaller ships in general, and I definitely prefer the -away class to the Epic - I'd love to split the difference and sail one of the Gem class - only class I haven't tried yet.

Edited March 2, 2017 by bostongal965

[bostongal965]

Great review. I appreciate the good and the bad you experienced. Going on the Epic in a few weeks- First time on NCL and a little nervous about the Epic.

 

us too!

 

we are going on the EBTA April 1st, 1st time on Norwegian...

Hope all goes well

 

Robin & Angel

 

Don't be too nervous - we still had a great cruise! It's a very pretty ship, just a strange design in places. The food and entertainment were top notch. It has some cool little features, like the bridge-viewing room, that other ships don't have.

 

We had a lot of luck by trying to time things a little outside of peak times. We also made reservations prior to the cruise for shows and dining, and the comedy shows once we got on the ship. We spent the day on the ship in port a couple times, and that allowed us to really enjoy the pool deck. If you're in decent shape, we never took elevators down, and used the stairs if we were only going up a deck or two - that helped us navigate the elevator issue.

 

We saw lots of people having a great time - I'm sure you will, too!

[bostongal965]

I think we had the same waiter in O'Sheehans. We watched three couples come in after us and get their orders well before us. This was the only bad experience that we had with waitstaff.

 

I never saw any staff hassle a smoker for not gambling so I can only assume they don't care much. I did on many occasions see them shooing people away from the taste overlook. At least they made the effort.

 

For me the ship was way to dark, it already has a darker decor and the soft lighting makes it worse. They need to invest in some brighter lighting.

 

My only real complaint on the cruise was the horrible lack of planning on NCL's part for GSC. Two tenders for a ship with over 4500 people on it?!? We sat in the theater and I was amazed at the line. I asked one of the staff why there was such a holdup and that was when I learned of the tender situation. We grabbed our stuff and just went to the pool.I am a really laid back person but that set me off. I paid a lot of money for this trip and couldn't even get off the ship.

 

I also do not like the bathroom situation on the wavy rooms. I had to go visit the balcony when my wife was in there and vice versa.

 

The inside cabins (at least those I saw on deck 13) had a much better layout and a private bath. I've already booked one for the next cruise. Every time we get a balcony we barely use it. No need to spend extra for something that doesn't get used much.

 

Best line from the cruise......

They have John Wayne toilet paper here.

John Wayne?

Yes, its rough, gritty and it don't take sh*t off no one.

 

Overall my wife and I really enjoyed the trip and Norwegian. She was even picked for Deal or No Deal and of course blamed me for her stellar $1 win after she turned down $198. :-P

 

 

I don't know what the deal was with the waitstaff in O'Sheehan's was the night we went. I know the waiter who was supposed to be ours was busy with a table of 8 that had him running. Another waiter came over to tell us that he wasn't our waiter (LOL on that one). Then about 5 minutes later he took pity on us and took our order (still nothing from our assigned server). About 5 minutes after that, another couple was seated next to us. A few minutes after that, "our" waiter came by both tables to drop off silver ware & napkins, but no greeting, no apology, no conversation. This was the point where I decided to walk over to the bar and get my husband and me our drinks! I got the drinks and a few minutes after that our food was served (by a third server): apps and entrees at the same time. :mad: Still nothing from the guy who was supposed to be our waiter. That was kind of the last straw - I grabbed a comment card and filled it out - I wasn't looking for anything; my thinking was that it wouldn't get better if they weren't informed of the problem. We ate three more meals there, two lunches and a breakfast, and service was fine.

 

I will add that at Guest Services on the last day, my husband overheard someone trying to remove the DSC. They were told that since they hadn't recorded any complaints, that they wouldn't remove the DSC. That was the first time I'd heard of that happening.

 

The ship was a little dark - I agree. I liked the mood lighting in the cabin, but sometimes I needed a little more - I'm getting older, and the dailies had some mighty tiny writing. :D:D:D

 

 

GSC was frustrating. As gold, we were supposed to have priority tendering - that was great for Grand Cayman, not so much for GSC. We were sent to the theater, too. We left around 11:00 (after watching the Katy Perry trailer one too many times, haha) and went up on deck. The lack of information was really the worst - because then the rumors were starting! I think they could've done a much better job of keeping people informed. I felt really bad for the folks who shelled out the big bucks for a day in the cabanas. We ended up waiting for open tendering - seemed like the wind settled down by then - and went over for a couple hours - it was nice.

 

Hahaha on the line about the toilet paper!! It was some harsh stuff, I agree. I'd be afraid that something more...luxurious...might clog up the works!

 

We saw your wife playing Deal or No Deal!! Oh, that was rough. I like how they do it - I'm planning on trying it next time (it was the first time I watched the game).

 

We really enjoyed it overall - I just think the Epic isn't my favorite. I would totally sail her again if I really liked the itinerary (I'd probably go back to a balcony, though, unless it was really port intensive).