Norwegian Epic Cruise Reviews - Reviews

Overall, we enjoyed the destinations.  NCL did not honor the meal package that was part of the purchase.  We also paid $359 for unlimited internet that didn't work for much of the trip.  Both of these issues were brought to the attention of NCL and we were told there was nothing that could be done. NCL claims that is responsible for the meal issue and that you shouldn't expect working Internet as the satellite is 22,525 miles away and is not dependable (they should tell you this when they sell it to you).

Shows are very poor for 12 night cruise. The overall this ship doesn't make you too happy. It designed mostly to get money from you as much as possible. 

We have sailed on five different Norwegian ships as well as many other cruise lines. All The crew members on the Epic were the best of the best. The concierge ( Elvina De Menezes) was the best we have ever experienced. She went way above and beyond what we expected. The Haven Suites along with all the perks made our cruise very enjoyable. We ate at a different specialty restaurant each night and loved each meal.

A friend and I sailed on the February 14 cruise to Canary Islands.  We were thrilled with our single studio cabins!  Finally, somebody is taking note of the single person who wants to travel, have privacy, and not pay double!! 

The ship was huge, but the signage good and we found our way quite easily. We especially liked the "quiet" area on  deck 18 for reading and sunning.

The food was very good....the Noodle Bar is the best in my opinion, next to Taste and then the specialty restaurants Le Bistro and Cagneys.  We noticed that the wait staff at the speciality restaurants was a bit haughty. In fact, we returned to the Bistro the last night and I specifically asked not to be assigned to a particular waiter's table...she was that bad!

The ports were just ok...That probably had more to do with the ugly, cold, rainy weather we encountered in the Canary Islands than anything else. The Moroccan tour we took was booked through the ship,.....it was fine, except for the obligatory stops at the rug shop, "spice market," and tea house.  Furthermore, our guide had a photographer along who took pictures and then tried to sell them to us on the bus on the way back!  As a result of that tour, we canceled all of our other booked tours and saw the ports on our own via Hop On/Hop Off bus. The tour situation is not good....they are much too expensive for what you get...A Hop On/Hop Off kiosk on the ship would be appreciated.

I wish that Norwegian would do more lectures on the ports we are approaching. Also, would appreciate more and better information on how far the city is from the dock, etc.  We are basically stopped at a pier and it is each for his own. I would appreciate prior information.

This was the third Norwegian cruise my friend and I have taken in the past three  years.....we return mostly because of the single cabin situation, and the family suite situation on the older ships. We also love the fact we can eat any where we want and we don't have to take an elaborate wardrobe!

All and all, a lovely, relaxing cruise.  We met people mostly from Europe.

We did enjoy our cruise but felt we had too many days at sea where NCL works hard to sell you more stuff. Food was ok except at the upscale restaurants where it was very good. Probably worth the splurge, especially the Brazilian steakhouse, Moderno. We had an excellent meal there and great service. We also loved the Cirque De Soleil show. It was incredible to be so near the performers. My husband was included in the clown show so that was fun. We recommend sitting on the main floor rather than up above in the balcony as it made us feel we were actually part of the entertainment. All of the entertainment was first class so that was a real plus. The ports were all very interesting too and we did several shore excursions which were great.

Now for the bad stuff. The state rooms are very small. Weird bathroom configurations with a pod for the toilet and another for the shower. Barely enough room in the toilet pod and it was sort of see through and not sound proof. Crowded public spaces, especially the restaurants. We always ate fairly early so didn't have too many issues but there was a long line each time we were leaving. Not a fun way to spend your vacation time. You also had to make sure you booked all of the entertainment ahead of time to be able to get into even the free shows. Service was just ok. We were in a group of six and something was always not correct with our dinners. It always got fixed but slowly. I personally would not travel on this ship again. Too big and crowded feeling and I don't like the feel of being held hostage on a traveling Las Vegas for that many days.

Excellent cruise itinerary.  NCL's Free Style cruising is very good.  Flexible dining options and casual as you choose.  The Epic is a very large ship more like a floating hotel than a grand ocean liner.  It has no open sundeck that circles the ship.  The design is more cut up, but that helps disperse the 4000+ passengers and makes it feel less crowded.  The stateroom was excellent.  Service staff is good and food is good but not "exceptional".  Overall a very good package.

While the ship was well appointed it lacked the necessary staff to properly handle the number of passengers.  In addition common spaces in lounges and bars were insufficient, despite their number, to accommodate the crowds especially in the after dinner hours.   Dining experience in the dining room was good for those of us who made our reservations in advance.  Portions were larger then those on other cruise lines although many choices were repeated.   The Garden Cafe was overcrowded and it was extremely difficult to find seating.  Entertainment was good but the variety of shows was limited.  This was our second sailing on Norwegian Cruise and doubt we would ever return again.

We had such a good time. The food in the specialty restaurants was amazing. The weather was really cold for these Floridians so we didn't stay outside much. The only negative thing we could find was the bathroom layout. Didn't like it at all!

This is only hotel, nice and big but only hotel.Boring time , two weeks is to short but three weeks was to long. Garden food court was very clean  and good.The rest of the ship had nothing to offer for the three weeks , boring lazy time.

Not a great cruise, I think the service isn't as good because of the prepd gratuities.

Will be going back to Princess for my next cruise. Did meet some amazing people though so wasn't all bad.

Entertainment was exceptional and the best we have experienced on any ship!!!!!

We ordered an interior room as we have done on other cruise ships, but found our room very stylish but very limited in storage, utility, comfort. Our beds were tiny and not comfortable and I had backache each morning. We noticed other rooms were very much nicer and larger and we wish we would have known that. Again we were next to area the was a work area for the crew and also the large medical center. We had to remove towels and their supplies to make room for our simplest basic things. Tiny sink was in the small room counter & not in the bathroom. Bathroom was divided with shower in one compartment & toilet in another.  Ship was too large and crowded with 4100 passengers and 1750+ crew.We heard comments from different people that said they would not go on the Epic again. They all commented the size was too big.  Many times in the Garden Buffet it was very hard to get a table and going outside was too cold to eat there most days.  Foods was either very good and sometimes very salty.  Staff was friendly and helpful. It is beautiful  ship and well organized.  They were able to move people on and off rapidly.  Tours were organized well and interesting even though expensive.  This is the second time on NCL and both times people had respiratory dry coughs & Norovirus.  Its possible we would use NCL again if it were a itinerary that contained locations we hadn't visit before.

The cruise was excellent. The staff in terms of friendliness and attentiveness is second to none. The ship was immaculately clean. The ports were interesting (much better then the Caribbean) and the weather was in the sixties.

The ship itself was built without much thought or planning:

In the Beatle showroom there are oversized chairs for 25-30 with the other 170 people standing

The showroom seats 650 on a ship with over 4000 passengers.

The main lobby seating is totally inadequate for the events. Sit on floor or stand.

And, of course there is no bathrooms in the stateroom. There is a cubicle for washing, there is a cubicle for shower and there is a cubicle toilet.

     The food was good, better then average in the main dining rooms. The specialty menu's are to limited and needs to have some change or variation.

     The shows were very good; the Circus show was fabulous, Priscilla was excellent, as was  Burn the Floor.

Wait service in the free main dining rooms was atrocious. Wound up serving ourselves every day for almost every meal up at the Garden Café on Deck 15. Food & service there was great. Atrium & Epic Theatre are both very small. Very surprising for the size of this ship. You need to make reservations ahead of time to see the different shows each night. Inconvenient. Plus if you've already seen all the shows, there could be nights you don't see any entertainment since it's a duplicate. Especially if you're doing a back to back itinerary. If there are any free promotions & you are doing a back to back itinerary that lasts longer than 15 days, ask them what the added cruise cost would be to book the segments separately. That way you'll still get the promotion. Even upon inquiry before hand we were not offered this option & lost getting some pretty substantial freebies! We found out after the fact by the Future Cruise Team that option should have been made available to us by their Cruise Agents when we called to inquire about it. Frustrating! The TV channels are awful. Basically you see soccer, MSNBC, BBC & the same movies over & over again. And they cancelled a shore excursion without giving us any notice. We were given the tickets for the excursion in our packet but on happenstance we noticed on our onboard account you can look at from your TV a Shore Excursion Credit. When we inquired as to what that was they said "Oh yes, that shore excursion was cancelled. Would you like to book something different?"  I'm glad I didn't show up for the original one with nothing else planned. I would have been LIVID!!! Also they got rid of the Blue Man Group show & replaced it with some production Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Let's just say it's NOT family friendly & the acting was so-so. Disclaimer-They DO warn you if you're easily offended you shouldn't see the show. Then why are you having a show at 7:00pm & 9:00pm? Aren't "offensive" & "adult only" shows on at 11:00pm & later on cruise ships?!  I could have not gone & wouldn't have missed a thing. The Cirque Dreams show was very good though. But get the Premium Seats & get there very early to get a good spot! It seems NCL is creating two classes of people on this ship. The Haven Suite guests & the other people. There are sections only the Haven guests can go to including pools, restaurants & sectioned off places in the Epic Theatre. I understand Royal & Celebrity cruises also has special events & smaller lounges for their higher paying guests too but it's not as divisionary there. They still have to eat with "the little people". I did get a good price deal on this cruise & thoroughly enjoyed all the locations I was able to see but will think long & hard before I take another cruise with NCL. I'll look to see if another cruise line has the same or close itinerary in the same price range. I'm willing to pay a bit more for MUCH better food quality, entertainment & service.

Food overall was less than satisfactory...Seven dinners @ the specialty restaurants helped bail out "food deficiencies"...Entertainment was fabulous...Shows were better & longer than on most ships...The combination of cruise critic shore excursions when added to 21 straight rainless days also enhanced our cruise...In addition, the stylings of Ian West, @ Shakers piano bar helped mellow out the evenings. Being w/the Weisbergs, lifelong friends, also made this trip more memorable.

Excellent Entertainment

Liked Studio/Dining Options

Best Dining Service @ Taste/liked the Irish Pub/food

Best Service/Friendly staffs were the Hostess' at the various restaurants

Inconsistant Service throughout ship/same w/taste of food

Epic is simply larger/more expansive, but nothing unusual/different

Some venues could not accommodate passengers for such a large ship

Better services for hard of hearing, i.e. closed captioning for movies/TV

Insufficient Port Information; has postings at guest services and atrium screen, but would be nice to have PRINTED information, including getting around the port city, etc.

Overall, an excellent cruise. The Norwegian Epic, crew, food and ocean view balcony were fabulous.  We had free dining and drink cards which allowed my wife and I access to all specialty restaurants and drinks throughout the ship. The crew were always friendly and helpful. There were several excellent specialty restaurants and numerous cocktail bars to serve our needs. We took shore excursions at all ports and they were all quality.  Our ship couldn't stop at the port for the Rome visit due to rough weather and the Captain's concern over possible damage to the ship while docking. This added another day at sea (nine days total) which gave us time to read or enjoy the many activities on the ship.

They now charge a fee for room service ......They need to change that !     It will make a difference if I use them again .

Not enough seating for events or eating .

Show cast talented ! Really enjoyed the shows !

The price got our attention for this cruise since it was such a good deal. If we had paid more, we would have not been pleased.

The Epic is a HUGE ship that seems to be not well thought out given the number of guests that it carries.

The positives:

     - The decor and cleanliness of the ship are excellent

     - The cabin was very comfortable (large balcony - deck 9) 

     - The food and service were generally not bad

     - The ports of call were great and were an excellent experience for us

The negatives:

     - Entertainment required reservations but were quickly filled up

     - The desserts and the coffee were not up to par

     - The "Ultimate Beverage Package" did not cover many things 

        such as specialty coffee, fresh-squeezed juice or bottled water

     - The O'Sheehan's restaurant was a big disappointment - poor service and

        low quality food (the prime rib was the exception - it was great)

     - Nearly every port required a "transfer" to get to the city or attractions

     - Shore excursions seemed very over-priced

       (booked tours from non-NCL sources except for one)

Overall, we will continue to cruise with NCL, but not on the Epic or similarly over-sized ships.

The NCL Epic ship is attractive after its recent facelift. However, unfortunately, the overwhelming memory of the ship is a very negative one. The bathroom situation is utterly unacceptable. The toilet and shower are individually enclosed with a glass wall and door. You step out of both into the small room foyer entrance. There is no bathroom per se. Each component is separate. The sink is "in" the room itself.  Even though there is a cloth curtain, essentially there is zero privacy to use the toilet and shower.  This is uncomfortable and awkward if one is traveling with a friend as I was. But I was also traveling with a couple who has been together for years and they, too, were very upset about the bathroom (or lack thereof) in their room. The room also was tight due to the presence of a  large curved couch which I assume would have served as a third bed had one been needed. It was in the way and proved to make the room much too tight for 2 adult women to share, especially when one was blow drying hair or applying makeup at the small vanity area. The shows were good, especially the Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Beatles shows. The food in the specialty restaurants was very good, especially Cagnys Steakhouse. The rest of the food options were all good, standard cruise ship fare. The onboard entertainment offerings were barely satisfactory. With so much time at sea, including 3 straight days, there should have been more fun (free) options which would not have required payment. Thw lack of options drove me to spend about $500 in spa services. I understand the passenger language barrier challenges, but would have appreciated more games or entertainment options than pay-in bingo, blackjack and poker tournaments, moreover when  bingo cards were pricy at $39-59. We were unable to make our stop at Tangier due to weather, which was not NCL's fault, but many passengers were inconvenienced and no extra onboard perk was offered in exchange. The demographic was older folks, few children and virtually no 30-somethings. The passengers were mostly Russian and Asians. In short, the ship was nice, the shows and food was good, the at sea entertainment was lacking, the cabins too small even though we had a balcony, but the bathroom situation was horrible and cast a pall on the trip. I would not recommend the NCL Epic for this reason.

I did not enjoy this cruise.  The Epic is a poorly designed ship.  I admire NCL's attempt to think outside of the box, and certain features were well-designed.  For instance, I liked the open atrium area, along with the "lookout" point over it from the Irish pub, as well as the waterslides.  The flip side is that there is very little space on the upper decks for passengers.  My favorite parts of a ship are usually the outside decks on the bow and stern, but on Epic, these are not available.  Most of the bow is reserved for "Haven" customers (with the exception of the fully-enclosed buffet area), and the stern is blocked by a giant movie screen.  Other puzzling elements are the two-story window looking over the stern in Manhattan dining room, the bathrooms overlooking the water on the pool deck, and the insufficient number of elevators (8) for a ship holding 4000 people.

Other than the design of the ship, I give the crew credit for trying to manage the ship at full capacity, though the hostesses at the main dining rooms require a serious attitude adjustment.  Even then, many crew members (e.g., bartenders) seemed listless and disinterested in serving passengers. Few crew members seemed interested in doing more than the minimum amount of work.  "Average" was the best we could expect, though I recognize they aren't used to dealing with ships at full capacity.

This is my third cruise with NCL, so I know they can do better; otherwise, it would definitely be my last NCL cruise.