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Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Epic

Cruise Review

July 30, 2011 By Anonymous 3 Comments (add your own)

This review is organized into 52 pages

Next: Page 1

Introduction

Unveiled in 2010, the Norwegian Epic is Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest and by far largest cruise ship (it’s more than 60% larger than any other Norwegian vessel). Bigger than all but a handful of Royal Caribbean ships, it offers an extensive array of restaurants, bars, showrooms and other activity areas, including a massive water play area with some of the largest water slides at sea, a rappelling wall (the first at sea), a large rock climbing wall and several bowling alleys.

Taking a page from the playbook of Las Vegas’ top resorts, Norwegian also has loaded the Norwegian Epic with big-name entertainment, including such well-known icons of Las Vegas as the Blue Man Group and Legends in Concert. Chicago’s famed Second City comedy troupe also has a permanent show on the ship, and the vessel offers an elaborate circus show created by theatrical impresario Neil Goldberg’s Cirque Productions in what’s billed as the first “big top” at sea.

Built with a squarish block of cabins at the forward part of its top, Epic has an unusual appearance, not at all like an old-fashioned cruise ship. This area contains The Haven, a private enclave that has its own pool area, restaurant, bar and concierge. Epic also has an unusual complex of 128 single-occupancy cabins called the Studios that includes a private lounge where singles can meet and mingle. All told, the ship accommodates 4,100 passengers at double occupancy (with room for more if every pull-down bunk and pull-out sofa in every cabin is occupied).

Gene's Opinion on the Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Epic is a big, lively ship that will appeal to a wide range of vacationers. Families, in particular, will appreciate the vessel’s large deck-top water slides, extensive children’s play areas and family-friendly shows (my own kids howled with delight at the slapstick Blue Man Group production in the ship’s main theater). Nightlife-seeking vacationers will love its wide array of clubs and bars that stay open late (music lovers shouldn’t miss Fat Cats jazz and blues lounge, particularly if the crowd-pleasing Slam Allen is in the house). And cruising newcomers who are fearful of an overly structured experience — the kind where passengers are assigned to a particular restaurant table at a particular time each night for dinner — will enjoy Norwegian’s industry-changing focus on eat-when-you-want, where-you-want “freestyle” dining. This is taken to an extreme on the ship with more than a dozen restaurants (while diverse, the cuisines offered, alas, are sometimes spotty in their execution, as the reviewer we had on the ship has noted within this review).

If Epic has a major flaw, it’s in the design of its standard ocean-view and balcony cabins, which have been widely criticized for poor lighting, oddly broken-up bathrooms and other deficiencies. That said, Epic also boasts rare and wonderfully designed single-occupancy cabins, perfect for solo travelers looking for a big, mass-market ship. And Epic’s exclusive “ship-within-a-ship” complex of suites called The Haven is perfectly tailored for someone who can afford luxury but, for whatever reason (traveling with kids; prefers lively vessels), wants to be on a mega-ship.

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This review is organized into 8 sections
Section 1 Cabins There are a variety of cabin types on the Epic, including Studio cabins for singles. Read More...	Section 2 Dining Nowegian Epic offers one of the most diverse arrays of eateries at sea. Read More...	Section 3 Pools & Decks Plenty of places to lay in the sun and dive in cool water. Read More...
Section 4 Recreation Plenty of places to relax or get fit Read More...	Section 5 Nightlife & Shows The Blue Man Group plays several times a week. Read More...	Section 6 Service & Staff We found the staff on the Epic to be very friendly, more attentive, in fact, than the staff we met on a recent cruise on the Norwegian Dawn. Read More...
Section 7 Conclusion Read our final conclusion of the Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Epic. Read More...	Section 8 Comments Read what people are saying about the Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Epic. Add your comments...