Norwegian EPIC Entertainment

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Hello everyone !

 

 

In light of my upcoming cruise on the Epic, I just wanted to inquire on the set up with entertainment. I do understand that there are numerous events happening every night, and the theater shows a sole show, the Blue Man Group rather than the traditional changing program. Nonetheless, is there anything on the Epic which resembles the normal NCL, or any mass cruise entertainment program when it comes to the shows?

 

For example, is there a welcome aboard show, or a farewell show ?

 

 

I am quite the traditionalist in terms of ship entertainment, so trying the Epic is something very different for me, and considering for the first time I've convinced family to join, I hope it is a great week !

 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I hope it is not overly resorty in terms of feel, I don't want a floating MGM Grand minus the casino in terms of service as well, if you know what I mean ? I guess i'm asking if the ship does retain a cruise-esque program, and feel.

 

I hope I made myself clear, if not, please do tell me :)

 

Thank you everyone !

[GigCrusier]

Hello everyone !

 

 

In light of my upcoming cruise on the Epic, I just wanted to inquire on the set up with entertainment. I do understand that there are numerous events happening every night, and the theater shows a sole show, the Blue Man Group rather than the traditional changing program. Nonetheless, is there anything on the Epic which resembles the normal NCL, or any mass cruise entertainment program when it comes to the shows?

 

For example, is there a welcome aboard show, or a farewell show ?

 

 

I am quite the traditionalist in terms of ship entertainment, so trying the Epic is something very different for me, and considering for the first time I've convinced family to join, I hope it is a great week !

 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I hope it is not overly resorty in terms of feel, I don't want a floating MGM Grand minus the casino in terms of service as well, if you know what I mean ? I guess i'm asking if the ship does retain a cruise-esque program, and feel.

 

I hope I made myself clear, if not, please do tell me :)

 

Thank you everyone !

Great Question... I look forward to an answer from someone who has sailed the EPIC. Mike usually has good objective and what appear as accurate and factual accounts of the Epic.

[iceman2a]

Hello everyone !

 

 

In light of my upcoming cruise on the Epic, I just wanted to inquire on the set up with entertainment. I do understand that there are numerous events happening every night, and the theater shows a sole show, the Blue Man Group rather than the traditional changing program. Nonetheless, is there anything on the Epic which resembles the normal NCL, or any mass cruise entertainment program when it comes to the shows?

 

For example, is there a welcome aboard show, or a farewell show ?

No, No

 

I am quite the traditionalist in terms of ship entertainment, so trying the Epic is something very different for me, and considering for the first time I've convinced family to join, I hope it is a great week !

 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I hope it is not overly resorty in terms of feel, I don't want a floating MGM Grand minus the casino in terms of service as well, if you know what I mean ? I guess i'm asking if the ship does retain a cruise-esque program, and feel.

 

I hope I made myself clear, if not, please do tell me :)

 

Thank you everyone !

 

I think that what you are hoping it's not, is exactly what it is!

I don't know what you mean by "resorty" but by no means is it a "traditional" type cruise.

You can still have a "traditional" type cruise experience but I think the entertainment is far better than any cruise I have taken.

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

I think that what you are hoping it's not, is exactly what it is!

I don't know what you mean by "resorty" but by no means is it a "traditional" type cruise.

You can still have a "traditional" type cruise experience but I think the entertainment is far better than any cruise I have taken.

 

By not being 'resorty' I mean with the activities, entertainment, that people have become used to on cruises :)

 

Thanks for the reply ! I'm still looking forward to trying something new, nonetheless.

[marcopaulo]

I sailed the Epic on October 30th and was disappointed with the entertainment. Let me first say we did not do the circus show, we have seen these types of shows many times and it wasn't worth the money in my opinion. We booked the BMG for the first night and it was entertaining, but not what I expected. We basically had nothing to do Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights until we had Legends scheduled for Wednesday. Legends was also very good. Nothing to do Thursday or Friday night. We did see the SLime Time show on Friday afternoon, but unless you get picked to go on stage, not much fun for the kids. There are plenty of bands/music playing and the Second City comedy show, but we travelled with kids and just sitting in a bar listening to music doesn't do it for them. They weren't interested in Second City, we seen this show many times on NCL, and even though it's different every time, not into improv.

We like the Vegas style shows, magicians/comedians (not improv). We like knowing after dinner every night we are seeing a show. You are not going to get this on Epic.

[Why Knot Me]

It is not your typical cruise with entertainment but we LOVED it as we were sort of worn out from the typical entertainment... so much so that we don't care if we ever see the typical cruise entertainment again. The Epic gave us something new and completely different. We saw Legends, BMG and Cirque. We loved BMG, Cirque was good after the first 5-10 minutes and Legends just didn't do anything for us. There are so many other types of entertainment too, from Second City to Howl at the Moon, small vocal and instrumental groups too. We always had something to do.

 

Then the food and restaurant venues... fantastic to have the Manhattan Room which again is not a typical cruise venue, but you have Taste for that. Loved Moderno, Cagneys and LeBistro.

 

The pool deck when we used it was great. We were on the TA so the weather did not cooperate for that.

 

We loved the Epic, that we booked her again for this January.

[PokerDave]

I sailed the Epic on October 30th and was disappointed with the entertainment. Let me first say we did not do the circus show, we have seen these types of shows many times and it wasn't worth the money in my opinion. We booked the BMG for the first night and it was entertaining, but not what I expected. We basically had nothing to do Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights until we had Legends scheduled for Wednesday. Legends was also very good. Nothing to do Thursday or Friday night. We did see the SLime Time show on Friday afternoon, but unless you get picked to go on stage, not much fun for the kids. There are plenty of bands/music playing and the Second City comedy show, but we travelled with kids and just sitting in a bar listening to music doesn't do it for them. They weren't interested in Second City, we seen this show many times on NCL, and even though it's different every time, not into improv.

We like the Vegas style shows, magicians/comedians (not improv). We like knowing after dinner every night we are seeing a show. You are not going to get this on Epic.

 

I am going to get this on this Epic ( other than the Vegas style part ).

 

Blue Man Group one night,

Cirque one night,

Legends one night,

Second City one night,

Howl at the Moon one night,

Comedian/Magician one night,

Fat Cats one night.

 

Seven nights and none with nothing to do... I'll give you the kids may not like/want to do all that. But they even liked less of the traditional cruise shows... The vegas style singing/dancing shows in particular have been a dud for our family. Not horrible, just not very good...

 

The epic entertainment is different and undoubtedly there will be many like yourself who would prefer the traditional entertainment. But I wouldn't categorize it as there being several nights of nothing to do ( you listed 5 nights of nothing to do )... I've skipped lots of shows on a traditional ship but wouldn't say there was nothing to do, just some stuff that wasn't for me... I'm surprised you missed the comedian/magician as many have given him high marks and this is one of those things that is usually one of the shows on a traditional cruise...

[silkhair1]

I am not sure what to think either. My kids do not like many of the shows on other ships, so this will be interesting to see how it goes for us!

[sdmike]

To the OP...

 

This is not a traditional cruise ship when it comes to entertainment. The main theater holds less than 1,000 people, which is decidedly small for a ship that carries over 4,000 passengers. This provides great viewing for the shows that are in there, even from the back. There are not any traditional shows that you refer to, like the welcome aboard and goodbye shows typically performed by the staff, and a more "broadway-like" show each evening. What the Epic DOES have in spades is variety. As Dave posted above, there are major entertainment acts performing each night. There are also "minor" acts and other entertainment, like watching games or movies on the giant screen in the Atrium, pianists and other performers throughout the ship, and more traditional "to do" things like Bingo if that's what you're into. The "main" shows in the theater are Blue Man, Legends and the magician du jour. They also have other events there, like Nick's Slime Time Live. Fat Cats is home to a blues band that plays several times during the week, plus Second City shows and other performers. Other venues have some variety as well. Depends on the day/night what's going on.

 

If you prefer the two dinner seatings, two shows type of approach you're going to have to change your point of view going into the Epic. It's more like visiting a small resort city with 20 restaurants and a dozen clubs than it is a traditional cruise ship. If you are game for the experience, it can be great fun.

[sdmike]

Great Question... I look forward to an answer from someone who has sailed the EPIC. Mike usually has good objective and what appear as accurate and factual accounts of the Epic.

 

Thanks. I try. :)

[coka]

Hi Bahrain Not Dubai,

Although the evening show options are different than the traditional, such as Cirque Dreams, Blue Man Group, Legends, Howl At the Moon, Second City Comedy Troupe, Nickelodean At Sea, you DO still have some of the traditional forms of entertainment onboard throughout the days and evenings including:

 

Karaoke hours, some including family karaoke

Comedy magician

Shuffleboard

Giant Chess

Trivia

Bingo

ARts and Crafts

Family Pizza Making

Youth sports free play

Family Dodge Ball

Dance Classes

Port and shopping talks

casino tournaments

Ping Pong

Exercise Classes

Gemstone seminars

Family Pictionary

Fab Abs

Tai Chi

 

pool games

 

The Epic does have lounges with quieter acts/solo or duo singers such as:

Guitar Man Wesley John

Piano Melodies with Ron Brown

Piano Man Bernie Martini

Apollo Duo Singers

 

Theme Nights put on by the cruise staff

 

Theme night in the casino

Movies on the big screens

Nintendo on the big screens

 

Newlywed Game Show

Murder Mystery

Quest

Toga Party

55 To Stay Alive

 

Art Auctions

 

Gibson Check In and Rock Out

 

Martini/Wine/Margarita Clinics/pub crawls as found on other ships

 

I hope this helps.

 

coka

[sdmike]

Great post, Coka! Add Fabba and the White Hot Party as well. :)