My Epic 12/14/14 cruise brief review

I had read many good and bad reviews of the Epic, and usually don't pay so much attention to the bad reviews of any ship, so I went on this cruise with great anticipation. We have only ever cruise NCL and have always had a wonderful time. This was also our first time to Cruise at a Latitudes Platinum level and we did enjoy the ship tour and the specialty restaurant vouchers.

I should also add that although we had spectacular weather the first two sea days, it rained every port day. Many excurusions were cancelled and often the pool deck was closed. Many passengers stayed on the ship while in port. 4500 passengers all in the few inside public spaces available was challenging (e.g., no casino, no entertainment, no shops, no pool deck, etc).

I have to admit, however, that the Epic did not feel like a NCL cruise for much of the time. We also were somewhat bored from time to time (more on that below).

Here are my reflections; good and bad:

We had a 9th deck balcony that was covered but looked down on the uncovered 8th deck and then the lifeboats. When we were seated, it was fine. But I did feel bad for those on the 8th deck.

No midship elevator was really horrible. A midship cabin is not the middle of the action (as advertised) as you have to walk forward or aft to an elevator or stairway, and then back to midship to get to the middle of the action.

So, the tip here is be careful as to where you choose your cabin keeping in mind your view, who can view you and your location in terms of elevators.

On board entertainment was good. We did Cirque, Blue Man Group, Legends, and Second City, as well as Howl at the Moon. There were evenings, however, when there was no entertainment that interested us or that we wanted to see again even though we did Second City and Howl several times. We really missed the regular shows on the other cruises. Making reservations was also different and did take time. There were multiple ways to do it, but if you change your mind about something you have to go to the box office to change a reservation. You can't do it yourself through the app or on the TV.

The on board activities were really lacking. We have always taken advantage of the Cruise Director's staff activities such as trivia and silly competitions. It has always been a great way to meet fellow cruisers and we have made some wonderful friends. On this cruise however, there were few such activities. And sometimes they were scheduled at the same time such as two trivias or trivia and shuffleboard. Then, for the rest of the day there was nothing. Also, there were few to no activities scheduled on port days; especiallly problematic because of the weather. While in Jamaica, one of the Cruise Director's staff members held an unplanned three hour trivia in the atrium, however, at the request of the bored and waterlogged passengers. On other ships, even on port days, someone has usually stayed behind and organized various activities throughout the day. We really missed that. So even though the Daily was filled with activities, most seemed to be designed to get you to purchase items or services rather than to entertain.

We used our Platinum dinner vouchers twice at Modernos. Once to try everything and the second time for a delicious steak dinner with much more salad. Those cheese rolls may have become my new reason to cruise.

Generally, what was missing for me on this cruise was that rhythm of a cruise. Sometimes it felt like I might as well have been in downtown Chicago. I never felt really relaxed. I always had to plan. Occasionally, I was bored. I didn't have many opportunities to get to know fellow passengers. There were only a few crew members with whom we developed a familiarity. If this had been my first NCL cruise, I doubt I would have ever cruised again. When our beloved NCL Sun was docked beside us in Cozumel, I wanted to pack my bag and climb aboard.....so I will cruise again because the Epic simply was not the NCL I know and love. And I do hope it's not the future.

I hear you. We felt much the same way. Freestyle shouldn't mean making reservations for dining and entertainment. There were times we didn't feel as though we were on a cruise ship. I would like to try NCL again but on another ship

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I hear you. We felt much the same way. Freestyle shouldn't mean making reservations for dining and entertainment. There were times we didn't feel as though we were on a cruise ship. I would like to try NCL again but on another ship

 

 

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I hope you do give NCL another chance on a smaller ship. We have been huge fans of NCL since our very first cruise, but Epic was not like any other NCL ship we have been on (and not in a good way).

I hope you do give NCL another chance on a smaller ship. We have been huge fans of NCL since our very first cruise, but Epic was not like any other NCL ship we have been on (and not in a good way).

Absolutely! One ship does not a fleet make :)

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Your review now makes me nervous :( This will be our first NCL cruise. Our last cruise on Carnival 3 years ago was fun and now this cruise at more than double the cost..was hoping it to be just as good (if not better). I guess if I go in with no expectations...we should be ok :confused:

Your review now makes me nervous :( This will be our first NCL cruise. Our last cruise on Carnival 3 years ago was fun and now this cruise at more than double the cost..was hoping it to be just as good (if not better). I guess if I go in with no expectations...we should be ok :confused:

You might love it. Many people do. See the thread on the disappointment that the Epic is leaving the Caribbean. There were some aspects that were very good. And if the weather is better, and you can spend time in ports, you may indeed have a wonderful time. Any day at sea is way better than a day at home. :)

Thanks for the review. We'll be going on the Epic on Jan. 11 for the first time.

We're seasoned cruisers and I can tell from all of the reservations for entertainment that this is going to be different than any of the other cruises. Different can be good, bad, or indifferent.

While we love the rhythm of a cruise you mentioned, I think it may be refreshing to have something different. On the contrary, it may not be for us either...we'll find out soon.

Too bad your weather was so bad on port days -- we actually like to hang out on the ship while in port because of the lack of people and we can take advantage of the ship amenities without the crowd. But if they are still on the ship, that will put a damper on things (litterally) ;) Hopefully, we'll have better luck.

We were on the same cruise and also enjoyed the Platinum tour and found the Epic to be unique among the fleet (as expected from everything we had read in advance). We also found the cruise director & staff to be less engaging - which was odd because two of the staff had been on other ships with us and were more fun & engaging in the past.

I agree that the weather was a bit of a bummer - especially in Jamaica! However, we were able to make the best of it and still had a wonderful time in both Cozumel & Grand Cayman. We didn't miss the center stairwell / elevators and always were able to find things to do, but we did notice that the trivia & "game show" opportunities seemed fewer than on other ships. In the end, DH said that the Epic was his "least favorite" NCL ship, but not so bad that he wouldn't consider sailing her again. As a matter of fact, we just booked her this morning for Europe in 2016! :D

In the end, DH said that the Epic was his "least favorite" NCL ship, but not so bad that he wouldn't consider sailing her again. As a matter of fact, we just booked her this morning for Europe in 2016! :D

WoW, you guys really cruise!!!! I agree with your DH. It was clearly my least favorite NCL ship so far. It's really curious why the feel of the ship is so impersonal and not as fun though. We too, saw one of the Cruise Director's staff from our cruise last year. It was just her first week, so maybe she will help in making some changes, who knows, but I sure did long for the Sun when we docked beside her.

It is also curious to me why some people say the Epic is their favorite and have cruised on her multiple times (by choice, LOL), especially since most of the entertainment has not changed from the beginning, it's really hard to see the ocean except from your balcony, and the Caribbean ports have not been all that exciting. We were excited about Blue Man Group and enjoyed the other entertainment, but seeing it time after time? Perhaps they like the casino? Not sure, but we will be looking at a smaller ship for our next cruise.

We were on the same cruise and also enjoyed the Platinum tour and found the Epic to be unique among the fleet (as expected from everything we had read in advance). We also found the cruise director & staff to be less engaging - which was odd because two of the staff had been on other ships with us and were more fun & engaging in the past.

 

I agree that the weather was a bit of a bummer - especially in Jamaica! However, we were able to make the best of it and still had a wonderful time in both Cozumel & Grand Cayman. We didn't miss the center stairwell / elevators and always were able to find things to do, but we did notice that the trivia & "game show" opportunities seemed fewer than on other ships. In the end, DH said that the Epic was his "least favorite" NCL ship, but not so bad that he wouldn't consider sailing her again. As a matter of fact, we just booked her this morning for Europe in 2016! :D

I would still say that the Sun is still my least favorite ship of the NCL fleet. I would definitely book Epic before the Sun if the price was right. I especially don't like Epic's toilet in the cabin. I think that I would book a studio and pay for Posh if I sailed her again and take the Eastern Caribbean.

I would miss my balcony view on Epic :D

I would miss my balcony view on Epic :D

That is a great balcony view!!!! We also enjoyed watching the thunder storms from our balcony; both the distant one earlier in the week and the gale force storm on the Cozumel evening.

That is a great balcony view!!!! We also enjoyed watching the thunder storms from our balcony; both the distant one earlier in the week and the gale force storm on the Cozumel evening.

The lightening was pretty cool to watch. :)

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It is also curious to me why some people say the Epic is their favorite and have cruised on her multiple times (by choice, LOL), especially since most of the entertainment has not changed from the beginning, it's really hard to see the ocean except from your balcony, and the Caribbean ports have not been all that exciting. We were excited about Blue Man Group and enjoyed the other entertainment, but seeing it time after time? Perhaps they like the casino? Not sure, but we will be looking at a smaller ship for our next cruise.

We will be sailing the Epic for the second time in January; my parents will be sailing for a third time the week after us. For us, the Epic holds sentimental meaning. My now-DH and I got engaged while sailing in 2013. All of us wanted to sail once more before she moves to Europe, and my DH and I before we start a family. Plus, there were things on our first sailing that we didn't get a chance to do, so we'd like to check out those things again, in addition to the fun things we enjoyed on our first sailing.

Maybe a bit more of a unique reason than others have for sailing multiple times, but that's what it is for us. :)

I'm glad to hear people still seem to enjoy the Epic for the most part. Glad you had a nice cruise!

Just stating my opinion here. . . we have been on the Epic twice, once in 2012 cruising the Mediterranean and once in Jan 2014 on it's last cruise to the Eastern Caribbean which was 8 nights. Both cruises were amazing and have turned us into NCL cheerleaders, and the only ship we have been on so far was the Epic. Itinerary and weather may have played a huge part in our view of this. I will say, since both cruises were very port intensive, we booked all restaurants and shows ahead of time on line. Whether we were in port for a day or on board on sea days, it was very nice to have our evenings already planned and not have to worry about wait times or availability. We knew every day where we were having dinner and what show or venue we would be attending that night. Nothing to do but enjoy each day and evening with whatever we had already planned.

On the cruise to the Eastern Caribbean a year ago, we were also lucky enough to get posh passes, which was amazing on the sea days. If we had happened to have bad weather during the day, I can see where my opinion may be a little different. We also love to gamble, so on many of the evenings we had the casino to add to our enjoyment.

So I guess all I am trying to say is, it may have been the weather that made this not so great a cruise for you, and not necessarily the Epic itself.

Your review now makes me nervous :( This will be our first NCL cruise. Our last cruise on Carnival 3 years ago was fun and now this cruise at more than double the cost..was hoping it to be just as good (if not better). I guess if I go in with no expectations...we should be ok :confused:

Epic isn't for everybody, but it worked well for me. I spent a lot of time in Spice H2O during the day, and it has fantastic ocean views. I got my beach club experience and felt connected to the sea.I had a studio cabin and loved it. I had the UDP, and loved the choice of restaurants. I loved all the shows. I met a lot of cruise friends and had folks to drink with every night. THAT SAID, Epic requires planning. Book your shows in advance (Cirque, BMG, Legends). Book your specialty restaurants in advance. Once you have those nighttime anchors in place, the rest of the day can proceed as you like. Food. Excursions. Pool games. Trivia. Bowling. Rock climbing. Gym. Spa. There's more to do than you can do in a week. But, if you wait until the night of and you want to make big plans, you will be out of luck.

Plan on having an awesome cruise on Epic. :D

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did the pools/jacuzzis close early if at all? even in the adult areas?

Hi Val, thanks for the review! It sounds like the Epic didn't have the great vibe we had on our Sun cruise with you both; that cruise just clicked somehow so it could be hard to replicate.

From what you described, the Epic might suit us for an Europe port intensive cruise but not a more laid back Caribbean vacation, where the activities are more important. We aren't jacuzzi or gym or pool deck people, so I can see it would make a difference for us too! Thanks for the tip about cabin location as well.

Agree with you about Moderno, we loved it on the Jade and the Sun, and the cheese rolls are good...

Hi Val, thanks for the review! It sounds like the Epic didn't have the great vibe we had on our Sun cruise with you both; that cruise just clicked somehow so it could be hard to replicate.

From what you described, the Epic might suit us for an Europe port intensive cruise but not a more laid back Caribbean vacation, where the activities are more important. We aren't jacuzzi or gym or pool deck people, so I can see it would make a difference for us too! Thanks for the tip about cabin location as well.

Agree with you about Moderno, we loved it on the Jade and the Sun, and the cheese rolls are good...

Hi Pam!!! Yes, for a port intensive cruise, the Epic could be just the ticket! Make sure you at least have a balcony though, because otherwise you may never see the sea. With a more port intensive cruise, evenings may be more for resting than entertainment, as well. Yes, our last Sun cruise would be hard to replicate. but perhaps we can all get together for another one day and try :) , just not on the Epic :D

Are there other shows, or just the ones you can make reservations for?

Are there other shows, or just the ones you can make reservations for?

There's plenty to do that doesn't require a reservation. There are live performers in Fat Cats and Headliners every night. There is a pianist in Shakers and a guitarist in Maltings every night. There's a band that plays in Manhattan Room at certain times during dinner. All the game shows that are a Norwegian signature, which are typically held in the atrium, don't require reservations. You can bowl in Bliss and and O'Sheehans. (These are full-size bowling alleys.) And speaking of Bliss, they have Karaoke. Plenty of entertainment to choose from beyond BMG, Legends and Cirque.

Were you the ones who got engaged at Howl at the Moon to the Lumineers song??

We will be sailing the Epic for the second time in January; my parents will be sailing for a third time the week after us. For us, the Epic holds sentimental meaning. My now-DH and I got engaged while sailing in 2013. All of us wanted to sail once more before she moves to Europe, and my DH and I before we start a family. Plus, there were things on our first sailing that we didn't get a chance to do, so we'd like to check out those things again, in addition to the fun things we enjoyed on our first sailing.

 

Maybe a bit more of a unique reason than others have for sailing multiple times, but that's what it is for us. :)

 

I'm glad to hear people still seem to enjoy the Epic for the most part. Glad you had a nice cruise!

I was on the same cruise as you, and apart from the slightly weird 'insular' layout I loved the Epic. I found that I could be as busy or as relaxed as I wanted to be. I really enjoyed Freestyle dining as it kept me from having that mid-afternoon snack I need on other lines, when early dining is too early but late is too late. I loved all of the entertainment except for Legends, which I wasn't too impressed with. A week on Epic for me wasn't nearly enough time to experience everything as I missed most of the game shows each night.

The rain was brutal while we were docked in Jamaica but it wasn't so bad on the other two port days. I don't understand how the deck can flood so badly though. There were 2-3 inches of water in some parts and they weren't draining at all.

The one other thing I didn't like was the waterslide opening times - they made absolutely NO sense. Some days they would open at 10am and others at 2pm, and it didn't seem to matter if it was a port or sea day. But that tube slide was so much fun!!

We love the spa on the Epic, especially the outside area. It is a great place for a "yucky" outside day.

Based on past shows on the Epic, what times were they held at each night (BMG, Legends)?

Since the entertainment is unconfirmed for the April 5th and 12th sailings on the Epic, would I be safe booking our dinner times at 6:30 or 7:00? Assuming there would be a show at 9:00?

Just back home in Sweden after a back to back on X Eclipse and Epic.

What I liked about Epic: The food. Both buffet, mdr and specialtys are, in my opinion, better than on X.

Bar drinks were great, but in cheap cheap plastic cups. Come on! If I pay $10 a drink, at least give me a "real" plastic glass.

What I didn't like:

The brown color of Epic. So dark. Barely no sea views what so ever. Public restrooms were not half as clean as on X, where there more or less always is a person keeping it clean. Constant announces about bingo and art auctions and such. Even the Captain promoted casino, spa and charge restaurants in his daily speach.

I'll be back on NCL. But not on the Epic. No cruise or ship feel.

Loved Pearl/Jewel/Gem.