My biggest concern before I went on Norwegian Epic was that I would come off Norwegian Cruise Line’s new monster cruise ship disappointed it didn’t live up to the hype.
Unless you were on Mars for the past couple of years you can’t have missed the constant announcements proclaiming the next new thing to feature on the ship.
I was wowed by the water slide you scoot down in an inner tube, but that was eclipsed by the Ice Bar, which paled when news broke they had signed up the Blue Man Group and Legends in Concert, promising very different entertainment from the usual rather staid cruise ship fare.
I can’t count the number of times I have been asked since coming off the ship, “So what did you honestly think of Norwegian Epic”?
Honestly, I think NCL has done a great job, coming out with a fun ship that will appeal to different types of people.
Families will appreciate the fun things to do and casual dining options. Young couples can have a relaxing resort-style holiday with no one dictating what they should wear or when they can eat. And lone travellers can take one of those 128 single cabins with no supplement.
The single Studio cabins are all inside and very small, but it’s a small price to pay against the normal 100% supplements.
What will bind all these types is that they want a lively, noisy holiday that just happens to be at sea. There are no quiet areas on this ship – if clients want a traditional cruise, do not put them on Epic.
I loved the Ice Bar, which is freezing cold but holds so few people that it becomes a great social event, and the water slides were great fun. The Noodle Bar served the best food in my book – steaming hot and full of taste – and the burgers in O’Sheehan’s weren’t bad either.
There are plenty of things not to my taste. The New Wave cabins have separate toilet and shower cubicles, both with opaque glass doors. Fine if you’re cruising alone; too public if you’re sharing, even with the curtain drawn. And the sink is in the bedroom, which I’m not convinced is very clever given the problems cruise ships have with norovirus.
I found the Blue Man Group’s antics tedious, and while I enjoyed the acrobatics in the Cirque Dreams and Dinner show, the non-stop high-pitched faux French banter that went with it grated very quickly. I give NCL full marks for daring to be different but suspect both shows will appeal more to a US audience.
NCL also has to get to grips with operating a big ship – Epic has room for 4,100 passengers, or 4,800 when full.
That includes making sure everyone gets to enjoy the various dining venues and entertainment without having to pre-book, which would negate the whole idea of a casual cruise, and managing queues on turnaround days and in ports. Disembarkation was desperately slow in Southampton and there were only 2,500 passengers on board
President and chief operating officer Roberto Martinoli told me they will be slowly building up to full capacity over about three months so they can cope with the numbers. No doubt revenue will be hit, but it’s a sound idea.
- See photos of Norwegian Epic on travelhub