Norwegian Epic
Fodor’s Expert Review
Ship Overview
Med...nsatlantic
Rom...d Tel Aviv
Epic made her debut in 2010 with many innovations on board – solo Studio staterooms, an ice bar and bowling lanes just to name a few. Curved staterooms with a controversial bathroom layout created a stir. Oceanview staterooms were eliminated on this ship, but Epic introduced The Haven, the private resort within a resort area.Read More
A refurbishment in 2020 transformed The Haven into a modern and bright area. The entire area including the proprietary dining rooms and bars received a refresh. With new neutral wall treatments, upholstery and even new dinnerware, The Haven updates resulted in a contemporary, modern and more elegant space. Other parts of the ship received new carpeting and other updates. These updates have freshened the look of Epic.
With plenty of activities for guests of all ages, Epic is ideal for families. Children have access to the dedicated clubs and adults will find solitude in the adult-only Spice H2O area.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
What to expect on board
Staterooms & Cabins
NCL Epic offers a variety of cabins ranging from the small Studio cabins (100 square feet) for solo travelers to the Deluxe Owners Suite at 852 square feet, in The Haven. Haven suites allow use of the exclusive Haven area, but may not always be physically located within this enclave. Haven guests receive butler and concierge service.
Oceanview cabins are not found on Epic. Spa cabins include admission to Mandara spa and use of the thermal suite area. Of particular note, the Club Balcony Suites are not really suites, but do come with some extra perks like early pre-booking of onboard entertainment and dining, complimentary treats delivered to the stateroom, a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine, and a choice of one valet laundry or pressing service.
Connecting staterooms facilitate placement for large families and groups that prefer staying together.
Throughout the ship, a variety of cabins accommodate those needing accessible staterooms. Book early is recommended for the best selection of one of the 44 accessible staterooms. NCL offers an Access Desk for those with special needs including not only assistance with mobility needs, but also with dietary needs. Guests or travel advisors may contact them prior to cruising via 866-584-9756 or [email protected].
Food & Drink
Complimentary restaurant options consist of three main dining rooms – Manhattan, Taste and Savor. For a fee, there are several specialty restaurants. Moderno is a Brazilian Churrascaria with multi-courses of freshly carved meats served at the table, and Teppanyaki, a Japanese hibachi restaurant, puts on a show with several guests seated around a chef who performs while prepping and cooking. For more elegant dining, Le Bistro focuses on French cuisine, while La Cucina serves Italian food. Cagney’s, the steak house, needs no explanation and Wasabi serves sushi and yakitori. The specialty restaurants are à la carte, except for Moderno and Teppanyaki, which charge a fixed price.
First introduced on Epic, O’Sheehan’s is a complimentary 24-hour pub style diner. Other complimentary options include Shanghai with its Asian fusion menu.
Individual stations in the Garden Café disperse guests throughout the area preventing lines and waiting. Outside of Garden Café, the Great Outdoors provides outdoor seating and select food items served buffet style.
Multiple bars exist throughout the ship. Epic has lively bars like Shaker’s Martini bar and Maltings Sports Bar. Open air bars surround the pool areas and outdoor decks. One of the most interesting bars is the Ice Bar, where the entry fee includes two complimentary drinks. Guests don insulated capes before venturing into this cool spot. Events, like martini, wine or whiskey tastings, take place at the bars throughout the ship.
NCL includes a beverage and dining package in certain fare classes. It’s possible to upgrade the beverage package to one that includes more options.
Entertainment
Norwegian Epic offers a great variety of shows. Broadway shows, dancing spectaculars, and tribute bands entertain guests. Dueling pianos engage guests in a sing-along atmosphere. Spiegel Tent theater is an in-the-round venue that features acrobatic style shows with dinner. Comedy shows, trivia, and game shows happen frequently. For gamblers, there is a casino.
Outdoors, there are water parks, rock-climbing walls, sports courts, swimming pools and hot tubs. There’s no lack of entertainment options.
Spa & Fitness
Pulse Fitness is one of the largest such facilities at sea. With plenty of machines, free weights and space for classes, Pulse Fitness is an outstanding gym. With both free and fee-based fitness classes, there is something to suit the needs of all guests. Personal trainers are available for a fee.
Mandara Spa offers a variety of services including acupuncture and medi-spa services. The spa is pleasant with treatment rooms, a beauty salon and a thermal spa area. Guests not staying in a Spa category cabin will need to pay an additional charge to make use of the thermal spa area. Passes can be purchased for the entire cruise or just by the day, although the area is capacity controlled.
Key cruising tips
Health & Safety
As of September 2022, fully vaccinated travelers will not have to test prior to boarding. Passengers who are unvaccinated will need to present a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 72 hours of boarding the ship. Children under 12, however, have no testing or vaccination requirement.
Local regulations may override NCL’s requirements.
Policies change frequently, so guests are advised to keep up with current protocols on a particular sailing. Certain ports of call may have specific health requirements, which should be confirmed by the individual passenger.
Dress Code
The dress code is decidedly casual with some restrictions in the main dining room and upscale specialty restaurants. For example, tanks tops, flip-flops and worn out clothes are not permitted. Smart casual is the name of the game in these restaurants. Cruisers always have the option of dressing up or not and for some, a cruise is the perfect time to dress-up. The full gamut of appropriate styles will be seen in the more formal dining rooms on the ship. Norwegian’s Night Out is one of the optional nights for dressing up and the White Party is another popular event to wear all white – or not! Freestyle reigns on NCL.
Junior Cruisers
NCL offers age-based programs for children from 5 to 17 years of age. Splash Academy takes kids 5-12 years of age, while Entourage is the program for 13-17 year olds. A variety of age-appropriate activities are planned. Parents are advised to sign up their children when they board. The kids engage in a variety of activities in the dedicated program areas and throughout the ship.
Service
The service is good, but sometimes can be slow in the main dining rooms. The crew are engaged and committed to guest satisfaction.
Tipping
Gratuities for the hard-working staff are added on to the cost of the cruise. Some guests tip extra to crew who have gone over and above their duties.