Overall this has been my favorite Norwegian cruise so far! Great food...great entertainment...Great times! Can’t wait to plan my next one!
Embarkation
4 out of 5
It probably took 15-20 minutes to get on the ship, but it took at least an hour and a half to two hours to get in our room and get our luggage.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
I was not crazy about the buffet, but I’m not a huge fan of buffets anyway. The layout was mazelike and it was difficult to find seating. There weren’t too many selections. We did the Specialty Dining as a perk and I really enjoyed the French restaurant and the salad bar at the Brazilian restaurant. The steakhouse didn’t impress me at all. The main dining room was delicious every night and we always were seated promptly and had great service. The pub on the ship was great for late night snacks. We had the Ultimate Drink Package, so no complaints there. We definitely got our money’s worth and the bartenders were always available. Bartenders seemed to be scarce on the Epic, which we sailed prior to this.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We enjoyed the slides (especially my son), the rock climbing wall, pool and ropes course. My husband even walked the plank. There was plenty to do!
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The entertainment was phenomenal! We saw Burn the Floor, Million Dollar Quartet, Cirque Steam and Dreams, The Sweet Beat Band at Fat Cats, attended the Glow Party and the Farewell Show and went to lots of games and activities in the Atrium. The bands on the pool deck were great!
Children's Programs
He wouldn’t attend. He wanted to hang out with us.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
We had a polite steward who was very good with our son. Some of the bartenders were snobby and would correct your drink order and say “we call a rum and diet a ...... in Brazil”. Something I couldn’t pronounce. I wasn’t looking for a lesson. I just wanted a drink. And several of them did this and it was in a condescending manner, not trying to be friendly. The waitress in the French restaurant corrected our pronunciation several times and we were exhausted that day and she wasn’t even French. Little things like that are a turn off. There were more rude employees on this ship than on previous cruises.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
The design was amazing. Epic seemed to be a nightmare to navigate and I stayed lost a lot. I loved the layout of the ship and you rarely waited on elevators. The public bathrooms were not kept clean, but all other public areas were.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
I loved the larger bathroom and shower. I wish I had one at home. The room was always clean and well kept. My son enjoyed the bunk bed that was hidden in the ceiling. The linens were so soft and the pillows were just right. I was worried about comfort because I’m recovering from a broken collarbone and I had no issues. My feet also did not hang over the end of the bed. I am 5’10” and that is usually a problem. We had ample storage. We had a great view with no obstruction.
Ship tip
Enjoy exploring the ship in the mornings when at port. Don’t rush getting off. Enjoy having the slides to yourself or a nice sit down breakfast in the MDR.
This is Norwegian’s Island. They have a neat animal exhibit, a nice pool and a very crowded beach. Check it out, take some pictures and then get back on the ship where everything is already paid for.
We waited until about 8:30 and carried our own luggage off. We were off the ship and through customs in 15 minutes. The only thing I didn’t like was walking through the casino where it smelled like smoke from the night before.
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