We were a little nervous about the Epic after reading some negative reviews...but that was not our experience at all. It is a big ship so we put in some steps every day, but it never felt crowded. The entire staff was great, there was a single disappointing meal...but everything else was perfect. We found the staff - waiters, bartenders, stewards, everyone we met - to be very friendly and welcoming. It is a very port intensive cruise so it made for a more active trip instead of a relaxing one...but incredibly enjoyable.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Really fast and easy - plenty of agents and people directing you to the right place.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We ate at 3 of the specialty restaurants, Cagneys - awesome steakhouse, Teppanyaki - really good and fun hibachi, and La Cucina - which is a hidden gem. Downstairs from the Buffet, the food, the service, and the atmosphere is amazing. Buffet was quite good - we had a couple breakfasts there and a dinner along with too many snacks during the day and evening! We had several breakfasts and a couple dinners at Taste, food and service were excellent. Only disappointment was a dinner in the Manhattan room - service was stiff and food was mediocre. Overall outside of that everyone was very friendly and welcoming.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The pool at Spice H2O was small but very nice - never had a problem getting a chaise. The rock wall was fun, also enjoyed some Karaoke, and the musical entertainment. This is a port intensive cruise so only a single sea day to spend on the ship.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Priscilla and Burn the Floor were both truly awesome...the performers are amazing. We also enjoyed the dinner show at the Cirque which was delicious and very entertaining.
Children's Programs
No kids
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Everyone was great. We had seen other reviews about long waits at bars and restaurants...that was not our experience. First night at the sail away the pool bar was really busy which is to be expected. Our room steward took great care of us, and we found everyone to be helpful and friendly.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
We really did not feel like we were traveling with 4,000 new friends - that says a lot about the ship design, it never felt crowded. After a show, and after the muster drill there is a line for the elevators, but most of the time it was not bad. Ship was clean and well maintained. The theatre was very nice and big, the nightclub lounges would fill up before the show starts, so arrive a bit early for the Beatles and Howl at the Moon.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a port side balcony cabin which was very nice. Tons of storage which was nice. The bathroom arrangement is a bit odd - but really quite functional and we found it really helped us get ready more quickly in the morning. The cabin is a little tight...a few more inches of space would have been nice, but we really enjoyed the cabin. Coffee on the balcony in the early mornings was great.
Ship tip
It's a big ship so there is quite a bit of walking...so don't feel guilty about ordering dessert.
We had 2 days before the cruise and 1 day after in Barcelona, and could have spent another week. We truly fell in love with Barcelona. Spent a morning at Park Guell, an afternoon at Sagrada Familia, an afternoon enjoying the beaches, and walked lots and lots of blocks. We found it to be a very clean, very beautiful, and very friendly city.
We did a tour to Pompeii in the afternoon which was great. Walked around Naples in the morning - some pretty cool things to see, but was a bit dirty and did not find it as friendly as the other stops.
We hired a private driver here which allowed us to pack a ton into a single day. So many amazing sights to see, tough to see it all in a day. Enjoyed an incredible lunch here (at the suggestion of our driver).
We took the bus to Monaco and spent most of the day in Monaco - saw the changing of the palace guard, visited Monte Carlo, and walked all around town. A really cool town.
We waked around town on our own for a bit, then explored some secluded beaches which were beautiful. It is a really long walk from the ship to the end of the pier so be prepared for that.
Exactly our experience. I read so many bad reviews that I was nervous about our trip this past April. We took some first timers and was really worried they would not enjoy themselves. They loved it and it was our favorite cruise of the 10 or so we've done.
Been on the Epic twice...once for a 7 day, the other for 12 days. Love the ship. I travel solo, so the solo meeting and lounge are the BEST.
Definitely recommend this ship.....especially as a solo.
We have done the epic twice and can agree with every word you say on both times we had such a wonderful time we have 23 days to go until we sail on the getaway so exited happy cruising fellow floaters 👌🏻
Thanks for publishing your review. I’m doing the same itinerary on the Epic in September 2020. It’ll be my first NCL cruise, and I’m really looking forward to it. Like you, I had read some bad reviews, but I’m glad to hear you had a great experience.
We have sailed on the Epic 2 times and had great experiences on both occasions. We love NCL and go out on the Escape on Nov 30th to Western Caribbean. We can’t wait. So glad you hav a wonderful experience.
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