TRANSATLANTIC - which ship - Epic or Star?

Help - Im trying to decide which TA ship into Barcelona in April 2019. I loved my TA this year on Jade and like a midsize ship but the Epic group is already planning great events - entertainment looks amazing so Im torn! Im booked for a 7 day in January on Bliss to see how I like a mega ship but realize i can't wait till then to book my April TA and still get to select my balcony cabin. The Star was just in dry dock for updating so it should be like new. Please, can anyone help me decide?? THANKS

LINDA

SRQ cruiser - cc

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Help - Im trying to decide which TA ship into Barcelona in April 2019. I loved my TA this year on Jade and like a midsize ship but the Epic group is already planning great events - entertainment looks amazing so Im torn! Im booked for a 7 day in January on Bliss to see how I like a mega ship but realize i can't wait till then to book my April TA and still get to select my balcony cabin. The Star was just in dry dock for updating so it should be like new. Please, can anyone help me decide?? THANKS

LINDA

SRQ cruiser - cc

 

 

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I’ve done both and love the better range of activities and places epic had on the transatlantic.

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I’ve done both and love the better range of activities and places epic had on the transatlantic.

 

 

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Thanks so much for reply.

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i love the Star, sailed her 3x and she's just out of dry dock. we much prefer the smaller ships. but Epic is great and it has an awesome bowl slide on the pool deck lol.

i love the Star, sailed her 3x and she's just out of dry dock. we much prefer the smaller ships. but Epic is great and it has an awesome bowl slide on the pool deck lol.

Thank you - have you been on the Epic for a TA? Appreciate your help.

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Help - Im trying to decide which TA ship into Barcelona in April 2019. I loved my TA this year on Jade and like a midsize ship but the Epic group is already planning great events - entertainment looks amazing so Im torn! Im booked for a 7 day in January on Bliss to see how I like a mega ship but realize i can't wait till then to book my April TA and still get to select my balcony cabin. The Star was just in dry dock for updating so it should be like new. Please, can anyone help me decide?? THANKS

LINDA

SRQ cruiser - cc

 

 

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Hi Linda...we've done TA's on both and love them both for their own qualities. Epic is big and has great entertainment, Star had the normal type of cruise ship entertainment. Epic also has those great slides and a two lane bowling alley...I'd have to say for entertainment it would be Epic. Star is delightfully sized and we also loved it but both times it was in a suite and that is just a different experience vs another stateroom, mostly because of the lovely breakfast and lunch arrangement in Cagneys/Moderno and a much larger room.

We are booking out of Barca for the Nov 2019 cruise and chose Epic because it was cheaper for the cabin we wanted, importantly is longer (LOVE TA's) than the Star and also the entertainment factor, back in the day The Blue Man Group ruled and now with the superb Priscilla, if its still on then great but if not another wonderful show will have replaced it...also a shout out to their Cirque experience, it was amazing and worth the added price to see.

Foodwise, Star had the worst buffet I've seen (sorry Star) so no rah rah there, Epic does a good job with the thousands of people pouring through.

Dining rooms were equivalent as I recall.

Star has a great stadium layout of their chairs by the pool and its a great set up, Epic just has gazillions of people BUT you can find plenty of private spots, hidden areas or shady spots, etc...I think both ships have their pluses and minuses and we'd sail either one of them in a second...SUN through the Panama Canal is next, our first time on it so looking forward to it and expecting a Star type of ship and experience.

Enjoy your TA, our favorite cruising!

Thank you so much for the extremely helpful reply.

Enjoy your Panama Canal cruise - I did one last year on Holland America. Loved the cruise but I would have preferred NCL .

I have done transatlantics on both ships. Star is a beautiful ship, and I would sail on her anywhere again, However, I preferred Epic because there was much more to do. especially the entertainment. Broadway show, comedy club, The Cavern with the Epic Beatles, dueling pianos, and more. Also, lots going on during the day.

Thanks so much. I'm going to book Epic!

Everyone has been so helpful.

We have done both and the Epic is our least favorite NCL ship. It always seemed crowded and the pool area is so small and overrun with very loud blaring music it is unusable.

Also, hate the layout of the Epic. Don't care for the split bathrooms at all.

The Star is older and its design doesn't include a sunset bar at the aft of the ship from the buffet. We liked the Sun, Gem and Jade more.

Still, I would go with the Star over the Epic.

I just took the Star TA in April (my first TA and first NCL but 31st cruise overall). She went into dry dock immediately after we arrived.

I really liked the ship, even pre-updates.

I'm currently considering either Star or Epic for April next year. I'd love to see her now that she's had a makeover (especially the Spice H20 area).

I'm a CPA, so those 6 sea days to start the cruise was just what I needed to rest and recharge. I'm not particularly interested in having a lot of things to do on sea days. I prefer to sit and read somewhere relatively quiet (which is a challenge on any cruise ship). I book inside cabins (I sail solo) so have no private balcony on which to sit.

Anyway, the ships sail the same day and do the same itinerary. I did think our port time was a bit short on Star so I'm going to compare the 2 itineraries to see if one ship stays in the ports a little longer than the other.

But, for me, bigger isn't always better. I thought Star had very good entertainment. I did think the casino felt a big sluggish. I don't typically "do" regular buffet meals, so was only in the buffet a few times for breakfast and the occasional Caesar salad for lunch. I had no trouble finding something tasty to eat. I very much liked O'Sheehan's. I really miss the Black-and-Blue burger and a shandy for lunch!

We did the Epic TA last fall and I liked having the extra entertainment options and not having to choose between ship and shore. I'd do the Star for a port intensive cruise and Epic for one with so many sea days.

Following along as we are trying to decide between the two ships as well. Leaning toward the star. Probably won’t use the water slides etc. Enjoy the “free style” and seems you need to book meals, entertainment etc in advance on the Epic. Don’t have to make a decision for a while though so will follow comments on the two ships.

Following along as we are trying to decide between the two ships as well. Leaning toward the star. Probably won’t use the water slides etc. Enjoy the “free style” and seems you need to book meals, entertainment etc in advance on the Epic. Don’t have to make a decision for a while though so will follow comments on the two ships.

I won’t use the slides or pool at all. I think reservations for restaurants are for the specialty restaurants. I booked main dining room times on Jade and Spirit if I wanted a particular time or a group table.

I’m traveling solo and the Epic has a big solo group traveling with lots of planned activities (I can decide later which I want to try).

I guess the big shows have to be pre booked but from what I hear - it’s worth it.

I’m not usually too impressed with the entertainment other than 2 of the performances on the Jade transatlantic and a couple of the piano bars.

I’m sure both ships will be great.

I would prefer the Star. We did transatlantics on the Epic and Jade. Jade was more personable and the service so much better. The Epic was packed and could barely find a place to get a drink that you didn't have to wait.

Not either ship you are asking about, but booked on the April 2019 TA sailing on the Jade from NYC, strictly for the ports and pricing

We've done a TA on the Star and really enjoy the smaller ships. We have avoided the Epic due to the cabin layout and the split bathroom, but this may not be an issue for you if you are cruising solo.

We did the TA on Epic April 2018, loved,loved,loved it. While there are some that hate the mini suite arrangement, we loved it. The cabin had so much storage we didn’t use it all. All the entertainment was superb, especially Priscilla and Cirque. While this is a mega ship we never felt lost in the masses.

You won't even know you're crossing the Atlantic on the Epic since there are very few places on board where you can see the ocean.

I never had an issue with seeing the ocean on epic!!

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IMHO, EPIC.

Why because it is not Star.

We had pretty bad cruise on Star (mainly due to food related issues).

But in general, Epic provides lot more options/activities especially for TA.

Dont get fooled by "recent dry dock" of Star. That was to remove kids slides to install boring H2OSpice. Rest of the ship is usual ho-hum small ship.

I would prefer the Star. We did transatlantics on the Epic and Jade. Jade was more personable and the service so much better. The Epic was packed and could barely find a place to get a drink that you didn't have to wait.

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I've sailed both ships, including the last 2 Epic TA's. I'll be picking up one of them this fall, since I'll already be in Europe, but- I only do TA's when they are on the big discount rack. :) I also, would never make my choices based on an unknown- "solo" group. :)

There are many people who simply hate the Epic, which I can understand. The lack of a mid open deck is significant. The ship does get crowded, complaints about the lines, are popular- waits= for dining, shows, elevators etc etc etc.

I wouldn't book until you try your Jan. cruise.

I've sailed both ships, including the last 2 Epic TA's. I'll be picking up one of them this fall, since I'll already be in Europe, but- I only do TA's when they are on the big discount rack. :) I also, would never make my choices based on an unknown- "solo" group. :)

 

There are many people who simply hate the Epic, which I can understand. The lack of a mid open deck is significant. The ship does get crowded, complaints about the lines, are popular- waits= for dining, shows, elevators etc etc etc.

 

I wouldn't book until you try your Jan. cruise.

if more and more NCL ships o on "not recommended" list then may be it is time to look at competitors

EPIC !!

More things to do, great dining venues, the Garden Café is the best of the NCL fleet.

We have done 2 EPIC TAs and enjoyed both. They went along the southernly route - lots of warm days.

P.S. these were the westbound ones.