Shall I worry? What should I expect?

[TopofWorld]

Hi all again. First time on NCL, found the perfect cruise to celebrate 30 years of marriage (15-day TA from NY on Epic). Price was and still is quite right. However, I keep reading dissatisfied customer comments (especially on customer service, quality of food etc) especially on other sites. Travelled on RCL, Princes and Celebrity ( listed from higher to lowest satisfaction). We are a couple in our early and late fifties, do not drink that much and consider ourselves as foodies. I know it is a general question, but do you really feel that NCL has gone downhill compared to the other mainstream lines (service, entertainment, and food wise)? Is Epic really that old?

P.S searched for alternative cruises but no other cruise offered the interesting ports this one does, at the price we could afford.

 

Thank you all

[Karaboudjan]

I would not worry.  People love to complain.

 

You sound similar to us and we loved our latest NCL cruise earlier this year.

 

I would just prepare to be flexible since all cruise lines are still dealing with things which are not necessarily under their control.

[complawyer]

we're in our mid 70's and have been cruising with ncl since 2010. thelast time we were with a different cruise line was mid 90's on costa cruise line.

 

you need to remember/consider that when trying to accomodate 2-4,000 people someting may go wrong. generally, i have no complaints about any ncl services, food, drinks, entertainment, etc.

 

if you take a deep breath, and appreciate the cabin, the itinerary and the staff you should have a marvelous time

[FLAHAM]

Epic is now 12 years old.  In my opinion, NCL food varies from acceptable to reasonably good, in most cases.  It is not “foodie” quality.  I can get better examples of just about any food item in my small midwestern city.  Nevertheless, I have never gone hungry on an NCL cruise.  I have done three transatlantics on NCL and enjoyed them all.

 

My suggestion:  splurge and hire a private guide in Barcelona.

Edited August 3, 2022 by FLAHAM

[TopofWorld]

Thank you all. You just confirmed that my OCD-loaded brain is acting up.  We are fairly easy going and we do appreciate the crew effort and all. Looking forward to a great cruise. Thank you once again.

[nferr]

I did the same cruise last year, 15 night Epic to Barcelona. I absolutely loved it. Long sea days so relaxing. I went solo, booked a studio, and bid on a balcony which I got. The food was great, when I booked it was five nights specialty included, now it's two unfortunately. But the MDR was very good also, as was the buffet. I loved the ship overall and transatlantic cruise is awesome. Will do again.

[TopofWorld]

2 minutes ago, nferr said:

I did the same cruise last year, 15 night Epic to Barcelona. I absolutely loved it. Long sea days so relaxing. I went solo, booked a studio, and bid on a balcony which I got. The food was great, when I booked it was five nights specialty included, now it's two unfortunately. But the MDR was very good also, as was the buffet. I loved the ship overall and transatlantic cruise is awesome. Will do again.

Believe it or not, your kind comments sealed the deal. No more worrying. Just planning and looking forward to it. Thank you so much 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, TopofWorld said:

Hi all again. First time on NCL, found the perfect cruise to celebrate 30 years of marriage (15-day TA from NY on Epic). Price was and still is quite right. However, I keep reading dissatisfied customer comments (especially on customer service, quality of food etc) especially on other sites. Travelled on RCL, Princes and Celebrity ( listed from higher to lowest satisfaction). We are a couple in our early and late fifties, do not drink that much and consider ourselves as foodies. I know it is a general question, but do you really feel that NCL has gone downhill compared to the other mainstream lines (service, entertainment, and food wise)? Is Epic really that old?

P.S searched for alternative cruises but no other cruise offered the interesting ports this one does, at the price we could afford.

 

Thank you all

We are diamond members on RCL and diamond members on NCL. We sail 2-3 RCL and 2-3 NCL cruises each year. You won't be disappointed. We have also sailed on the Epic 7 times and love the ship. Enjoy!

[JustAPilot]

When you say you are foodies what does that mean? Do you dine in Michelin star restaurants? Epic holds 4,000 guests, the food is good, nothing exceptional nor considered “foodie” type and again my definition of a foodie is Michelin star quality. Luminae on Celebrity is foodie type, NCL does not have that. 

[LadyBerard]

I had the opportunity to sail on the Epic when she did her inaugural crossing from London to NY.  We departed the end of June, and we got into NY July 3rd or 4th.  Weather sucked!  It was lovely in London even on our sail away day, but quickly became terrible.  What I enjoyed about the ship was the live entertainment in the main dining room and service in the martini lounge every evening.  The food was not memorable however.  I used to be a huge fan of NCL food, but my last two cruises to Bermuda (2018/2019), the food in the main dining room left a lot to be desired.

 

That being said, I enjoy Cagney's and really enjoy LeBistro on NCL ships.  So, if you are a foodie, I strongly suggest eating in the specialty restaurants.

 

Of all my cruises, this was my least favorite.  Fortunately, we were with friends who made our cruise more enjoyable.

 

I hope you have a wonderful 30 year anniversary cruise.  Congratulations!!!

[FlGoodShips]

Love the Epic.

Noted that you don't drink alot...neither do we...so save yourself some money and decline "Drink Package". We do it all the time. 

Food is good. You will love your cruise. 

Enjoy and Happy Anniversary.

If you mention its your Anniversary at dinner to maitre d..just might get bottle of wine. That was our experience. And we only drank half and they saved it for the next evening for us.

Again, Enjoy

[JandC_Cruising]

Also, if you can do the Thermal Spa...it is wonderful on the Epic.  Our last time on there we were in the spa at least twice a day on Sea days since it was too windy outside to enjoy.

[Wedgie23]

The food seems to have gone down hill but a lot of that could be due to chefs trying to work around supply chain issues or purposely making simpler things to avoid supply chain issues and might be temporary. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Wedgie23 said:

The food seems to have gone down hill but a lot of that could be due to chefs trying to work around supply chain issues or purposely making simpler things to avoid supply chain issues and might be temporary. 

Have you cruised since the restart just under a year ago (August 7, 2021)?

Edited August 3, 2022 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, JandC_Cruising said:

Also, if you can do the Thermal Spa...it is wonderful on the Epic.  Our last time on there we were in the spa at least twice a day on Sea days since it was too windy outside to enjoy.

Totally agree that the Epic's Thermal Suite is the best in the fleet. 

[Wedgie23]

Just now, BirdTravels said:

Have you cruised since the restart just under a year ago?

Yes I got off the Joy this past Sunday. It was my first cruise since covid, my last one before that was in November 2019 so I'd say a pretty direct bookend of pre and 'post'. Pre it wasn't like every single meal was unbelievable but there were definitely some wows and interesting options to try, this time it kinda just felt like Dennys quality with a quarter of the variety and a lot more, this is just plain bad, which, apart from some undercooked bacon or being extra adventurous in the buffet (my choice), I never would have described NCL food as bad or overall underwhelming before and I'm not a foodie or picky eater.

 

I should preface this with due to how crowded the buffet was and covid I stayed out of there apart from once where I am sure you would find the widest variety. Haven restaurant is notoriously lacking in variety but what was surprising was the lacking of quality. Overcooked tough meats, 'fishy' fish, bland as all get out etc. They seemed to be trying to compensate by massive portions. Meals on this trip felt more like something you needed to have in order to sustain yourself, not something to enjoy like past cruises. Best meal was actually at Taste and it was just one.

[phillygwm]

6 hours ago, TopofWorld said:

We are a couple in our early and late fifties, do not drink that much and consider ourselves as foodies. I know it is a general question, but do you really feel that NCL has gone downhill compared to the other mainstream lines (service, entertainment, and food wise)? Is Epic really that old?

I've found the food, especially in the specialty restaurants, to be good.  Will it be the best steak (or whatever) that you've ever had?  Probably not.  You'll have better food on the more exclusive cruise lines but, of course, you'll pay a lot more.  I did notice on my December cruise that the food wasn't as good as I remembered.  Not outright bad, and better than Denny's IMO, but maybe Outback/Olive Garden quality or slightly better.  As others have stated, I'm willing to chalk it up to sourcing issues or whatever.  However, the service is almost always excellent.  They're also very accommodating to those with food allergies, or people who just don't like a certain ingredient (avoiding mushrooms in a French restaurant isn't easy but the chef was up to the challenge.)

 

As for the Epic, it's been a few years.  It isn't the oldest ship in the fleet and it has its charm, but suffice to say there are no other "Epic Class" ships for a reason.  It doesn't have some of the amenities of the newest ships and certain aspects are a bit baffling but really, it's fine.  It's the reason I started sailing with NCL because it was the first with studio cabins. 

 

If it were a good deal, or if it had the itinerary I wanted, I wouldn't hesitate.

Edited August 4, 2022 by phillygwm

[luvsboozecruises]

2 hours ago, Wedgie23 said:

Yes I got off the Joy this past Sunday. It was my first cruise since covid, my last one before that was in November 2019 so I'd say a pretty direct bookend of pre and 'post'. Pre it wasn't like every single meal was unbelievable but there were definitely some wows and interesting options to try, this time it kinda just felt like Dennys quality with a quarter of the variety and a lot more, this is just plain bad, which, apart from some undercooked bacon or being extra adventurous in the buffet (my choice), I never would have described NCL food as bad or overall underwhelming before and I'm not a foodie or picky eater.

 

I should preface this with due to how crowded the buffet was and covid I stayed out of there apart from once where I am sure you would find the widest variety. Haven restaurant is notoriously lacking in variety but what was surprising was the lacking of quality. Overcooked tough meats, 'fishy' fish, bland as all get out etc. They seemed to be trying to compensate by massive portions. Meals on this trip felt more like something you needed to have in order to sustain yourself, not something to enjoy like past cruises. Best meal was actually at Taste and it was just one.

I also just got off the same cruise as you, did you try the specialty restaurant's, doesn't sound like it, they were great as usual, garden Cafe was crowded  just like any boat at sea,   I always go to the back, always less crowded and seat's are available.. food was fine in the Manhattan restaurant, not a 5 star restaurant but I have no complaints about the joy's food.....

[graphicguy]

Help us help you.  What are you tying to do?  Are you having 2nd thoughts about your cruise?  Call your TA or PCC and find out how to cancel and what (if any) ways to cancel.  30th anniversary is special.  If you don’t believe this cruise fits with your anniversary, find a cruise that aligns better with what you’re looking for.

 

Best of luck and happy anniversary!

[TopofWorld]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Help us help you.  What are you tying to do?  Are you having 2nd thoughts about your cruise?  Call your TA or PCC and find out how to cancel and what (if any) ways to cancel.  30th anniversary is special.  If you don’t believe this cruise fits with your anniversary, find a cruise that aligns better with what you’re looking for.

 

Best of luck and happy anniversary!

Thank you for all the help. Time difference btn Europe and USA makes it difficult to synchronise reading/replying.

Yes, the negative reviews re service, food quality, entertainment made me have 2nd thoughts. Have already talked to my TA who was quite helpful. However, all you guys here helped me realise I was overthinking things and all things considered it will be a great cruise. If a few minor things go  wrong, we will not let it ruin our vacation. New York, cruise, Barcelona and a few ports/cities we would have never visited on our own. What more can we ask for? Thank you all

[alysonofagun]

2 hours ago, TopofWorld said:

If a few minor things go  wrong, we will not let it ruin our vacation. 

 

Yes! This is the mindset!

 

I just got off the Epic last week, 7th time on her including 2 TAs, and sadly I found the food/service in the restaurants the worst its ever been. However, I didn't go exclusively for the food, I still loved not having to cook for myself for a week, I still ate far too much, and it absolutely did not ruin or even dampen my trip! 

 

Life is too short to moan about the minor things on holiday, however, I have found that staff are always willing to put things right if you do have a genuine complaint.

 

Enjoy your cruise and happy anniversary! 

[graphicguy]

5 hours ago, TopofWorld said:

Thank you for all the help. Time difference btn Europe and USA makes it difficult to synchronise reading/replying.

Yes, the negative reviews re service, food quality, entertainment made me have 2nd thoughts. Have already talked to my TA who was quite helpful. However, all you guys here helped me realise I was overthinking things and all things considered it will be a great cruise. If a few minor things go  wrong, we will not let it ruin our vacation. New York, cruise, Barcelona and a few ports/cities we would have never visited on our own. What more can we ask for? Thank you all

Glad we could help.

 

EPIC was my first “real” cruise with NCL. Previously, I had done the NCL Norway, which blew up shortly thereafter.

 

EPIC is a unique ship that was the proving grounds for many of the NCL concepts like “anytime dining”.  They were obviously a hit.

 

Have sailed Celebrity and Royal over the last 12 months, in addition to the NCL Getaway 3 weeks ago.

 

Dining….food was equal to Celebrity (especially the specialty restaurants) and better than Royal (the Windjammer Buffet was actually “sold out” a couple of times when I tried to dine there as they didn’t have enough tables or food to accommodate).

 

Even EPIC’s food at O’Sheehans is good pub food.

 

NCL has long been known to have the best entertainment at sea.  That has not changed.  It’s excellent.

 

All-in-all, if you decide to sail on the EPIC, I’m certain you’ll have a grand time.

[pdmlynek]

16 hours ago, JustAPilot said:

When you say you are foodies what does that mean? Do you dine in Michelin star restaurants? Epic holds 4,000 guests, the food is good, nothing exceptional nor considered “foodie” type and again my definition of a foodie is Michelin star quality. Luminae on Celebrity is foodie type, NCL does not have that. 

This is the correct take.  Similarly, I too do not know what a "foodie" is.  One of my friends calls himself a foodie because he likes his steak done a certain way, while another friend calls himself a foodie because he writes restaurant reviews.

 

If a person is a connoisseur in anything (food, cars, clothing, computers, etc.), expecting connoisseur-worthy experience in a venue serving the general public is foolish.  

 

Cruise ships serve the general public.  Their food has to be just good enough for the general public.  Spending the extra effort needed to provide gourmand-like experience would be wasteful and unrealistic.  

 

 

[ALKID]

You should be more worried about the bathroom setup in the cabin.  It’s quite disgusting.

[cruiseny4life]

45 minutes ago, ALKID said:

You should be more worried about the bathroom setup in the cabin.  It’s quite disgusting.

Those are some fighting words. Care to expand? Is the Epic the ship with no real walls, just glass? I quite enjoy peeping on my husband when he's in there so I'm thinking the bathroom setup (if I'm recalling correctly) would be quite delightful to me. 🙂