Gave Epic a try...never again.

[Chris2018]

sounds like your issue was not with NCL or the Epic, but poor selection of vacation week.

 

Right, this has nothing to do with NCL or the Epic!

 

 

The OP clearly stated that the room had strange noises which disturbed her at night. The service was also poor. There was a fight on board in which the NCL employees did nothing. The Epic is also poorly designed with small rooms.

 

So yeah, I don't think it's just a "poor selection of vacation week".

[bbryan5]

Going on a cruise during spring break, and complaining that there's too many spring breakers on the cruise, is like vacationing in Mexico, and complaining there are too many Mexicans there.

[Rhea58]

Sorry for your experience. I was on the epic out of Barcelona last fall and did

not encounter any problems.

 

However, what I will state is the Epic cabin layout. What were they thinking of having the toilet

with a non-sealing door? If 2 people are in the cabin & one has any gastro problems, it can be

heard easily. The designer was definitely asleep at the switch!!!!!

[david_sobe]

Also, Spice H2O and the pool deck are way better than on the Breakaway class of ships. There are definitely good things about this ship.

 

The list is longer than that besides the Haven and Spice being bigger and better on Epic

Spa

Gym

Bliss

All bigger and better than anything on the Breakaway style ships

I also don't care for the open restaurants like La Cucina and the Asian restaurant. I like on Epic how they are enclosed and like a real restaurant without the noise or smoke open to the ship creations on Breakaway class ships.

[BNBR]

None of the modern mega ships have midship elevators. Look at the deck plans of every cruise line's mega ship and you will see only forward and aft elevators. There is so much important real estate on these mega ships that can not be interrupted by elevators or stairs.

 

I always thought this was a strange complaint. But people are entitled to their opinions. It's a ship, it's not that big. I never even noticed a lack of midship elevators on any ship. I thought Escape was generally perfectly fine with elevators. Rarely had to wait excessively.

[mjkacmom]

Right, this has nothing to do with NCL or the Epic!

 

 

The OP clearly stated that the room had strange noises which disturbed her at night. The service was also poor. There was a fight on board in which the NCL employees did nothing. The Epic is also poorly designed with small rooms.

 

So yeah, I don't think it's just a "poor selection of vacation week".

The service was most likely perceived as poor being if the large number of passengers, the fight was because of the passengers, cabins tend to have strange noises because the ship is moving, plus many cabins border noisy areas on any ship, and every cruise ship cabin I’ve been on has been small.

[April42749]

The best week to cruise is the one that includes Labor Day.

 

Very few parents would take a kid out just when the scholastic year is starting and the college students are "in college".

 

We have gone to Canada just about every year during that week....and there's rarely a kid in sight.

[adjensen]

I thought Escape was generally perfectly fine with elevators. Rarely had to wait excessively.

 

My experience with the Escape was the opposite -- on the Epic and Getaway, we never had issues with the elevators, but on the Escape last month, they were noticeably slow. My wife takes the stairs, while I need to use the elevator and going from Deck 10 to 16, I was the first one to the 16 a grand total of one time, the whole week. A couple of times, it took almost five minutes, as elevator after elevator going up either passed 10 or stopped, only to reveal that it was jam packed.

 

I don't know what to attribute that to, but that was our experience.

[sail_ORN]

Sorry your trip was so bad! I would have been upset, also.

 

Note to self...Never cruise from Florida during March.

[hate2shop]

Sorry your trip was so bad! I would have been upset, also.

 

Note to self...Never cruise from Florida during March.

 

On a less than 7 day cruise. I really think the majority of problems are on the shorter cruises. We cruise all the time during Spring Break with our kids and see lots of families.

[dexddd]

None of the modern mega ships have midship elevators. Look at the deck plans of every cruise line's mega ship and you will see only forward and aft elevators. There is so much important real estate on these mega ships that can not be interrupted by elevators or stairs.

 

MSC Divinia has 4 sets of elevators and the Seaside has like 7 if you include the one at the aft.

[Oldgoat61]

I have read several reviews about the Epic, and that is why I avoid it. BUT, you might consider a longer cruise (11+) days. I rarely look at 7 day cruises, and have never had the experience you had, whether college kids, or young kids. Also, try one the Jewel class ships.....service is almost always excellent.

[david_sobe]

Its funny because they keep announcing these new Breakaway class ships porting here in Miami. I keep hoping the Epic comes back to Miami along with a Jewel class ship. While the newer ships are nice, I don't care for the Breakaway style ships. Epic has some flaws people don't care about. However, Epic lets you spread out. I just notice everything is smaller and more crammed on the Breakaway class. The restaurant tables are closer together, the restaurants are smaller, spa smaller, gym smaller, nightclub smaller, etc. So while the other ships are "newer", I still like the space Epic has to offer. The studio lounge cabins and Haven are so much better on Epic.

[asubaru]

I agree with you, in addition to your previous comments, about the best Spice, Haven and spa.

 

It's like NCL took some of the most popular areas of the Epic and downsized them on BA class ships. If I was a "pool" person, I wouldn't likely sail any of the BA class ships. I was shocked how small the pool/deck areas were on the Escape. I don't understand the downsizing they did of that, the Haven areas and the atrium, in particular. Any events held in the pool area or the atrium were ridiculously jammed and couldn't get near the action. (I am only basing this on 2 sailings) Of course, I could camp out there an hour or two prior, so my bad. I don't think they shrunk Spice as much, but Epic's is my favorite.

 

If they would take the good areas of Epic, add the waterfront stuff of the BA's, and use the design of the BA's aft cabins I think it would be an almost perfect ship!

 

 

 

Its funny because they keep announcing these new Breakaway class ships porting here in Miami. I keep hoping the Epic comes back to Miami along with a Jewel class ship. While the newer ships are nice, I don't care for the Breakaway style ships. Epic has some flaws people don't care about. However, Epic lets you spread out. I just notice everything is smaller and more crammed on the Breakaway class. The restaurant tables are closer together, the restaurants are smaller, spa smaller, gym smaller, nightclub smaller, etc. So while the other ships are "newer", I still like the space Epic has to offer. The studio lounge cabins and Haven are so much better on Epic.

[smeck]

I was on the same cruise and find your review dead on. Most of my meals were cold and the spell of vomit made for a great cruise.

[escentialssoycandles]

You know, I recently booked the Epic for the first week of March 2020 on her second to last sailing from San Juan, PR (her winter home port that season) and the last few reviews have left me quite worried about having done that. Especially since this would be a surprise cruise for DW as a birthday present. Sure, we'd be making 5 port calls in 7 days and have a balcony. But if being on the ship is going to be such an inconvenience (rowdy crowd, mehh food, "whatever" service and overall sense of "don't care" by the crew, I might have to change over to RCL's Freedom of the Seas for a few bucks less. I'd be losing $100 OBC and specialty dining package, though. I'm really hoping I read better reviews in the coming months. Amd yes.... I know reviews are that person's opinion but lately a lot of people's opinion have been similar.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Forums mobile app

 

I don't think we have anything to worry about sailing out of San Juan. The Florida cruises are a bit different

[BNBR]

I don't think we have anything to worry about sailing out of San Juan. The Florida cruises are a bit different

 

I also don't read into complaints about service. All cruise ships have great service. A few mishaps doesn't mean a specific ship is a disaster. Consider the crew rotates in and out on contracts constantly as well.

[kearney]

My husband has limited mobility due to torn quad muscle that never recovered properly from surgery. On the Celebrity Solstice class ships we have booked cabins near the rear elevator... which lines up with dining room. and main part of the ship... making it a bit easier. Believe it or not... the Oasis class ... which is huge... I found that again a cabin near the aft elevators was great... dining room, diamond lounge, bars generally line up. Also easy access to Boardwalk and Central Park. It is more midship elevator than some... There are a signifiant number of cabins further aft than the elevator. Now going to the theater on either type ship... is a distance... but if you can focus on the key activities... that aft elevator location was best for us. Also, we did not go to all shows

 

 

Originally posted by Andersoncd

If you have experienced France and the way the French design things, then you have an idea of how the Epic has very small staterooms and public spaces. We too found the EPIC to be below average when compared to other ships. I have never walked so much in my life on vacation as I did on this ship.

Having no midship elevators is a big drawback

.