Introduction
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 Sloan'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.
Gene Sloan writes about cruising for USA TODAY, the nation’s top-selling newspaper, and oversees USA TODAY’s online cruise site, The Cruise Log. Sloan’s stories also are distributed by the Gannett News Service to more than 80 other U.S. newspapers with a combined circulation of more than five million, including the Cincinnati Enquirer, The Detroit Free Press, and The Arizona Republic. There are a variety of cabin types on the Epic, including Studio cabins for singles.
On the Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Cruise Line has introduced a new kind of cabin: the Studios. Quite compact at just 100 square feet, these are meant for single travelers, though they do have a king-size bed and can accommodate two people. Of course, the Epic also offers a full range of standard balcony, ocean-view and interior cabins, as well as spa cabins and suites that range from 128 to 322 square feet.
In addition, there are also premiuem spa suites, balcony and deluxe balcony rooms that only can be accessed with a private key-card and offer complimentary access to the Epic Club and Courtyard areas. The rooms are located on decks 16 and 17 (forward), and include a two-bedroom Family Villa, the Courtyard Penthouse, and the Deluxe Owner's Suite. On deck 14, the Spa deck, the Epic has eight spa suites with in-room whirlpools. The Epic also offers New Wave Staterooms with balconies and Family rooms.
Cabin Layout
The Epic’s smallest cabins, marketed to solo travelers.
If you're traveling alone, the Epic's 128 Studio cabins are perfect. Just don't expect too much space. Brilliantly designed to offer everything a cruiser needs in a room in just 100 square feet, the cabins include a king-size bed and all-encompassing wall unit with a built-in desk, storage space and a sink. Sleek and contemporary, the wall unit runs nearly the entire length of the back wall of the room and has shelving units and two sliding doors that conceal more storage space. To the left of the built-in sink are hangers, along with a safe and the life vests. There's also a storage box under the bed that can hold more items, as well as additional space to store your empty luggage during the voyage.
Along the wall unit is a tiny desk, which offers just enough space for the glasses and the ice bucket, and maybe a laptop – but definitely no food tray. There's a bench too, but the space between bed and desk is so small, it does not really fit to sit comfortably. Above the desk is a television that faces the bed.
The designers of the room definitely had some fun with the lighting. In addition to standard lighting, which is well thought out, there is additional "mood lighting" that can be turned on with a few buttons near the bed. As you can see from the photos, this colorful and dramatic lighting can be set to bask the room in such colors as red, night blue or a sunny yellow (the red being the "romance setting," we're told).
Bedroom
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The bedroom is small but functional.
Bathroom
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There is no separation between bedroom and bathroom, though thankfully the toilet is in its own completely closed-off compartment (in contrast to many of the standard cabins on the Epic). The shower stall and and sink are in the room. The shower itself is quite small, with just enough room to turn around in.
Closets & Storage
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Opposite the door is the closet unit, taking up most of the wall. This unit has two sliding doors with hanger and shelves. In the back is a safe and the life vests. Under the bed is a box with more storage space as well as space for the luggage.
Cabin Description
The Owner’s Suites are impressive quarters accompanied by all the trimmings.
We've not yet stayed in this cabin, but here's what the cruise line has to say:
The Villas is the biggest suite complex at sea and includes an array of Suites and Villas on two private decks at the top of the ship. Hidden away and accessible only by private elevator, the secluded Courtyard Area boasts a private pool, two hot tubs, gym, saunas, sundeck, indoor/outdoor dining and a bar/nightclub. And, of course, the butler and concierge are there to cater to your every whim.
• Sleeps up to 4 guests • Separate living room with dining area • Luxurious bathroom with vanity sink, tub and separate shower • Separate bedroom with king-size bed • Exclusive access to Courtyard Area complete with pool, hot tub and lounging area • 8 available
– Norwegian Cruise Line
Cabin Description
Settle your family in to the Haven 2-Bedroom Villa for a luxurious sea journey with loved ones.
We've not yet stayed in this cabin, but here's what the cruise line has to say:
The Villas is the biggest suite complex at sea and includes an array of Suites and Villas on two private decks at the top of the ship. Hidden away and accessible only by private elevator, the secluded Courtyard Area boasts a private pool, two hot tubs, gym, saunas, sundeck, indoor/outdoor dining and a bar/nightclub. And, of course, the butler and concierge are there to cater to your every whim.
• Sleeps up to 6 guests • 46 available • Access to Concierge Lounge • Combined living and dining area • Two luxurious bathrooms with separate shower • Queen-size bed • Additional children’s bedroom • Exclusive access to Courtyard Area • Exclusive access to The Epic Club (dining)
– Norwegian Cruise Line
Cabin Description
The Haven Courtyard Penthouse suites have secluded outdoor areas for your private enjoyment.
We've not yet stayed in this cabin, but here's what the cruise line has to say:
The Villas is the biggest suite complex at sea and includes an array of Suites and Villas on two private decks at the top of the ship. Hidden away and accessible only private elevator, the secluded Courtyard Area boasts a private pool, two hot tubs, gym, saunas, sundeck, indoor/outdoor dining and a bar/nightclub. And, of course, the butler and concierge are there to cater to your every whim.
• Sleeps 2 guests • 6 Courtyard Penthouses available in The Villas complex • 7 Penthouses available on aft decks 10-13* • Access to Concierge Lounge • Luxurious bathroom • Exclusive access to Courtyard Area • Exclusive access to The Epic Club (dining)
– Norwegian Cruise Line
Cabin Description
The Haven Spa Suites come with complimentary pampering packages at the Mandara Spa.
We've not yet stayed in this cabin, but here's what the cruise line has to say:
You can go on a total spa vacation as these accommodations feature soothing décor, entry to the Mandara Spa experience, including complimentary access to the thermal suites the perfect place to unwind either before or after your spa treatments. Here you can indulge in heated tile lounge chairs, saunas, hydrotherapy pool, whirlpools and steam rooms.
• Sleeps 2 guests • Domed ceiling with guest-controlled colored room lighting • Deluxe circular bed • In-suite Hot Tub • Separate shower • 8 available • Exclusive access to Courtyard Area • Exclusive access to The Epic Club • Butler & Concierge service – exclusive to Spa Suite guests only
– Norwegian Cruise Line
Cabin Description
Not quite a haven, Mini-Suites offer a more affordable luxury cruise experience.
We've not yet stayed in this cabin, but here's what the cruise line has to say:
The Mini- Suites feature curved walls and a luxury bath with shower (MB and MD) or tub (MA and MC) and a private balcony with an amazing view. Deck level and location determines the category. Sleeps up to four.
–Norwegian Cruise Line
Cabin Description
A room with a view, and deals at the spa as well.
We've not yet stayed in this cabin, but here's what the cruise line has to say:
“You can go on a total spa vacation as these accommodations feature soothing décor, entry to the Mandara Spa experience, including complimentary access to the thermal suites the perfect place to unwind either before or after your spa treatments. Here you can indulge in heated tile lounge chairs, saunas, hydrotherapy pool, whirlpools and steam rooms.
• Spa Deluxe Balcony sleeps up to 3 guests • Domed ceiling with guest-controlled colored room lighting • 2 lower beds that convert to a queen • Unique curved walls and soothing décor • Luxury bath or separate shower in Spa Deluxe • Separate shower in Spa Balcony • Comfortable sitting area • 21 Spa Deluxe Balcony available • 10 Spa Balcony available”
– Norwegian Cruise Line
Cabin Description
Family Balcony rooms are customizable to consider family size and budget.
We've not yet stayed in this cabin, but here's what the cruise line has to say:
"Freestyle Cruising is all about choice. So we’ve created the most flexible accommodation at sea – with more choices of connecting staterooms than any other cruise line. Norwegian Epic offers this flexibility in every category to keep you connected to your family while still providing plenty of privacy and space. Many of the Family Balcony Staterooms come with two lower beds that convert to a queen, one upper bed and a sofa bed, to sleep four comfortably. Plus, our family deck area is in close proximity to our Kid’s Crew® Zones."
– Norwegian Cruise Line
Cabin Description
Riding the Epic on a budget is a possibility with the Inside staterooms.
We've not yet stayed in this cabin, but here's what the cruise line has to say:
"Our New Wave Staterooms are a leap forward in cruise ship accommodations. The walls have a delightful, contemporary curve. Concealed contour lighting and domed ceilings give the open feel of a skylight. Even the bathroom treatment is totally unique – every area is separate, including the shower and modern vanity top sink. And on Norwegian Epic, all the outside rooms are New Wave Balcony Staterooms. New Wave is the new way to travel in style."
• Sleeps up to 4 guests • 560 available • Two lower beds that convert to a queen • Recessed lighting and domed ceiling"
–Norwegian Cruise Line
Cabins come with a range of amenities depending on their size and price point.
Toiletries
In standard category of cabins the shower has both a shampoo and soap dispenser.
Appliances
Other than a hair dryer the room had no appliances. Note that it's standard on cruise ships to ban irons in cabins due to the risk of fire.
Mini Bar
The ship's 128 Studio cabins are so small there was no room to add a mini bar, but mini bars are standard in other inside cabins as well as ocean-view and balcony cabins. They're stocked with soft drinks, beers, and spirits that come at an extra charge.
Phone and Internet
Like most ships today, the Norwegian Epic offers Internet and phone connections at sea via satellite for an extra charge. The by-the-minute rate for using the Internet is 75 cents, but there are also packages available starting at $16.50 for 30 minutes and $55 for 100 minutes. Note that as on all ships, the Internet connection is relatively slow due to the data transmission over a satellite.
The phones in rooms have a touchscreen with important numbers such as room service, guest service, and housekeeping all preset. Calls outside of the ship are possible but come at a steep extra charge. You'll also find that your cell phone likely will work on the ship, but keep in mind you'll pay a large roaming fee to your service provider for accessing your cell phone at sea (as, again, the signal must go over a satellite).
In-room Entertainment & Services
The televisions in rooms offer about 30 channels but, alas, only ten of these are regular TV channels (many of the rest being stations providing cruise-related information), and there's no movie channel. Passengers can purchase a movie for $9.95, which is a steep price but, we note, still less expensive than on rival Royal Caribbean (where in-room movies are $11.99). One nice feature of the in-room movie system is passengers can save a movie they've purchased to watch later in the day. Nowegian Epic offers one of the most diverse arrays of eateries at sea.
The dining on the Norwegian Cruise Line's Epic and earlier ships such as the Norwegian Dawn (also reviewed by us) have a lot in common. Not only do the ships offer a number of the same restaurants (with some slight name variations), but also the same menus, right down to the daily menu changes of the main dining rooms.
Unfortunately the similarities don't end at names and menus. As on earlier Norwegian ships, many of the restaurants on the Norwegian Epic levy an extra cover charge that, in our opinion, would be justified only if the eateries lived up to the expectations created by the line's marketing. Unfortunately, we found quite a few of the restaurants on Epic to be a disappointment, at least in relationship to the high prices the line is charging for them. If you pay a cover charge of $25 per person plus an automatic gratuity on top of your upfront cruise fare for a cruise ship restaurant, you should expect excellent food. In some cases, however, what we found at Epic's on-board eateries was mediocre.
The Norwegian Epic has two no-extra-charge main restaurants: Manhattan and Taste. Extra-charge specialty restaurants include Teppanyaki (Japanese), Le Bistro (French), Cagney's Steakhouse (steaks), Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian Grill) and La Cucina (Italian). The cover charges range from $10 for La Cucina to $25 for Teppanyaki and Le Bistro. It's all typical of what you'd find back home in a "theme" restaurant: Japanese food prepared in a showy style in front of you, French food in a romantic restaurant, family-style Italian, etc.
Shanghai is the Epic's Chinese restaurant. It offers more pan-Asian cuisine than just Chinese, but we found it to be the only restaurant well worth the $15 cover charge. Wasabi, the sushi bar, had the same problem we found recently at the sushi bar on the Norwegian Dawn during the season: The rolls were too thick and the rice didn't taste good. For at least $3 for a roll on a cruise ship, you should expect a little more.
The ship's main buffet is called Garden Cafe (as on other Norwegian ships) and offers a variety of salads, soups, hot and cold dishes, desserts, ice cream, etc. In general, we find Norwegian offers one of the best buffets of any mass-market cruise line.
The Great Outdoors serves up comfort food, like hot dogs, burgers, and mac & cheese. The same dishes are offered in the Garden Cafe as in the two main restaurants, but the environment is even more casual.
Venue Overview
The largest main dining room offers breakfast and dinner daily.
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Being in the rear of the ship, the Manhattan has a huge, two-story high panoramic window. A live band plays in front of the windows every night. As with the rest of the ship, tables and chairs are made of dark wood, lending a certain elegance. Depending on the meal, the tables are laid with white linen or left plain, with just a small vase on the table. Surrounding the diners are some lovely paintings, the largest hung just at the entrance.
On all cruise days, the Manhattan offers breakfast and dinner, but is never open for lunch.
Breakfast
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As with several NCL ships, breakfast on the Epic is pretty standard fare: eggs and omelets, cereals, breads, and some sides like hash browns. Pancakes, waffles, and French toast are also available. It's nothing special and you get the same at the buffet in the Garden Cafe.
Lunch / Dinner
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Lunch is not served in the Manhattan.
As for Dinner choices, it's the same menu as in the main restaurants on the Norwegian Dawn. The permanent menu offers burgers and other comfort food. But even the daily menu has the same options – salmon tartar, portabello, file mignon, angus burger, New York strip steak, etc.
There's the so-called Chef's Special, normally a specialty of some region, like spaghetti vongole in Italy, but sometimes the choices are questionable (such as Bermudan tacos).
Honestly, all the food we got at the Manhattan and Taste was mediocre at best. One big difference to what we found on a recent voyage on the Norwegian Dawn was the preparation. When we asked for a medium rare steak, we got it. Unfortunately, that's just not enough. The food is bland and tastes like it's been sitting around for a while. Sure, there are a lot of people that need to be fed on a ship like the Epic, and it might take a little while for food to get to the table, but it seems to take too long.
Thankfully, there are some dishes that really delivered, like prosciutto with melon, figs and a balsamic glaze. Finding the good dishes is a matter of luck, though.
If you don't mind bland food and want to dine in a nice environment, don't hesitate to go to Manhattan. Overall, though, we'd recommend spending a little more money and going to one of the specialty restaurants (like La Cucina or Shanghai's). Or just go to the buffet, where you get the same dishes without the wait.
Dessert
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There's not much to say about dessert at Manhattan: strange-tasting pana cotta, a mousse au chocolate that is more pudding than mousse, ice cream, and sherbets. A blueberry cheesecake and strawberry shortcake were items we hadn't seen on earlier Norwegian ships, but also nothing exciting.
The same dishes are served throughout the complimentary restaurants. The best desserts are the cheese plate, with blue cheese, brie and parmesan, and the fruit selection – not much to mess up there.
Venue Overview
The second main restaurant is just a little better, but not by much.
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The second main dining room, Taste, is a lot smaller than the Manhattan Room. The decor is almost the same, with dark wooden chairs and tables covered in white linen, but overall the space is a lot brighter. Only the back of the room is a little different, with white benches and colored windows. Unlike the Manhattan, Taste does not have a stage, but a diner's-level piano plays every night.
Taste looks a bit like someone's living room with its white, padded benches and the multicolored windows. The middle of the room, where the piano is located, is separated by white curtains, which give the room an airy feeling, furthered by the benches with high rests. The s-shaped bench by the piano catches the eye, and can also be seen from deck six.
Dinner service at the Taste starts at 5.30 pm.
Lunch / Dinner
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The Epic offers a lunch menu at Taste, but only on sea days. It's exactly the same as the one we found on a the Norwegian Dawn during a recent voyage. For starters, there are portabello mushrooms or chicken soup, cob salad and shrimp caesar salad. For the mains: spaghetti, fish n' chips, and grilled New York strip steak.
In terms of food, the Epic's main restaurants are a step up from what we found on the Norwegian Dawn, especially when it comes to the presentation and preparation. When we ordered a steak medium rare, we got it medium rare. That's the best we can say, though.
Venue Overview
An extensive buffet with all the same dishes as the main restaurants.
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The Garden Cafe is very big, with six areas where food is offered. The menu is extensive but repetitive, especially during breakfast and lunch, when all six buffets offer the same items. Dinner has a little more variety, especially in the dessert category. The Garden Cafe is located on deck 15. It's always crowded unless it's lunch-time on a port day. You can eat your breakfast inside or take it outside.
The Garden Cafe doesn't just look like a cafeteria, it feels like one – all that's missing are the folding chairs. Walls, floors, and buffets are all white, which makes the place even brighter and more sunny. Tables and chairs are of a dark wood, and along the dividing walls are red, wavy benches. Silverware is already at the table, as well as a tray with ketchup, Tabasco, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Some table islands are separated by rose fences. Fake plants adorn the whole dining area.
Breakfast
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The Garden Cafe opens every day at 6.30 am for breakfast, and offers Eggs Benedict, pancakes, waffles, French toast, a big selection of bread, marmalade, cereals, cold cuts, salads, sausages, boiled eggs, bacon, etc. There's also an egg station, where you can get eggs done to order.
Lunch / Dinner
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Lunch options are more extensive than at breakfast – but only on sea days. On port days the ship is nearly empty and the menu is scaled back accordingly.
Dessert
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Desserts include crepes, fruits, ice creams, puddings, and cakes for dessert.
Venue Overview
Epic’s grill offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner – but it is always the same.
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The Great Outdoors is directly outside the entrance to the Garden Cafe. It's the same breakfast menu as the Garden Cafe.
The Great Outdoors is designed like a beach-side cafe. It has rattan chairs and marble tables with chrome legs. However, the two elevators in front of the grill do manage to disturb the relaxed feeling. On the tables are trays with condiments and silverware. The decor is sparse, but the sun and fresh, salt air make up for it.
Breakfast
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Breakfast at the Great Outdoors consists of waffle, pancakes, French toast, cereal, scrambled eggs, sausage, and bacon.
Lunch / Dinner
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Lunch and dinner at the Great Outdoors is always the same: hot dogs, burgers, mac & cheese. As with the rest of the ship, the burgers are not the best we ever ate, though the mac & cheese is pretty good.
Venue Overview
Epic’s best restaurant, in our opinion
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Shanghai is classified as Chinese, but it's more of an Asian-fusion restaurant, with traditional Chinese dishes but also Indian and other Asian dishes. Dishes like dim sum, wok-fried noodles, rice dishes, and lamb curry are prepared in an open kitchen. It has the same menu as Bamboo on the Norwegian Dawn, but the cooking is much better.
The decoration is all about old Chinese restaurants: Lots of reds and greens and Chinese vases and lamps. At one end of the restaurant is an open kitchen where all the food is prepared.
Lunch / Dinner
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Shanghai's menu has a lot to offer, including noodles, dim sum, wok dishes. As an hors d'oeuvre you get shrimp chips with three different sauces. Highly recommended is the chicken lettuce wrap. It includes one leaf of iceberg salad and ground chicken. You have to wrap it yourself, and it's a little messy, but the sweetness of the chicken and the salad go very well together. As a main course, you should definitely try the bass with mushrooms. The fish was cooked perfectly, almost melting in your mouth, and it included the only mushrooms on the Epic that didn't taste like they'd been in dry dock for a month.
Dessert
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Shanghai's offers ice cream, like most of the restaurants, but also some more unusual dessert options such as an Asian-spiced creme brulle. Our favorite dessert was the lychee and coconut spring rolls. They're not too sweet or heavy and round out the meal perfectly.
Wine List
Shanghai's offers Epic's regular wine list, along with Japanese beer, but oddly no Chinese beer.
Venue Overview
The Noodle Bar is part of Shanghai, opening at noon on sea days
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The Noodle Bar has a very limited menu, but the idea is great. You fill out a form and give it to your waiter. Since the kitchen has an open design, you can watch the chef preparing your meal. Because it's part of Shanghai's, the Noodle Bar has the same decor.
Lunch / Dinner
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The best dish at the noodle bar are the pork dumplings – no matter if you prefer them steamed or grill. You can get noodles from the wok, in broth, or on different kinds of fried rice. The beef chow mun was also delicious, with crispy vegetables and soft noodles.
Dessert
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There are just two dessert options in the Noodle Bar: chilled mango pudding and five-spice chocolate cake. We recommend the Chocolate Cake. The mango pudding has a layer of jello on top that just didn't work for us.
Venue Overview
A family restaurant with an Italian flair
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La Cucina not only has the same name, but the same menu as the Italian restaurant on the last Norwegian ship we visited, the Norwegian Dawn. We suppose that makes things economically efficient for the line, but it's a bit of a let down if you like jumping from ship to ship on your vacations. La Cucina is located underneath the Garden Cafe and has a beautiful view on the ocean. The menu is all Italian, with different pastas, pizza, risotto, and different meat dishes.
With its fake brick walls and book shelves, fake tree and fake vines, La Cucina feels a little like a parody of a Tuscan restaurant rather than an homage, but it's comfortable and the food is decent.
Lunch / Dinner
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Beef carpaccio, as a starter, is done well, and the pork saltimbocca with gnocchi was good too, but the sauce was a little bland. The gnocchi was delicious.
Dessert
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Tiramisu is a standard Italian dessert and La Cucina does it justice. The idea to make a pana cotta trio, with amaretto, vanilla, and lime sounds good, but alas, lime turned out to be a stretch for pana cotta, in our opinion.
Wine List
In addition to Italian cocktails such as Bellinis and Italian liquors such as Campari, La Cucina also has wine suggestions on the menu and sells these by the glass or in carafes of 1/2 or full liters.
Venue Overview
A French restaurant with a long wine list but just two French wines.
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Le Bistro is one of Norwegian signature dining venues. The high-end specialty restaurant is the spot to celebrate an anniversary with a romantic dinner. Being one of the higher priced and more elegant restaurants on the ship ($20 cover charge per person, excluding drinks) the expectations are high. Sadly, it did not meet expectations.
Lunch / Dinner
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Le Bistro offers classic French dishes like escargot and steamed mussels with Pernod for appetizers. Entrees include bouillabaisse or Coq au Vin (Burgundy Chicken). There are some specials on the menu, but they cost $10 more.
As an hors d'oeuvre, Le Bistro offers an acceptable salmon pate. The "Coquilles St. Jaques," seared scallops with eggplants, so small and lacking in flavor that we can hardly comment on their quality. Perhaps salmon is not the food to order in a French restaurant, but we did. It, too, was mediocre. The cream sauce was fine, but the mushrooms were on the verge of going bad. As for the fish, it is hard to mess up salmon, but it was definitely not the best we've eaten.
Dessert
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As one would expect, desserts have a French theme and range from crème brulée and profiteroles to the not-very-surprising French cheese plate. The profiteroles three ways, with chocolate, vanilla, and lime is an unconventional idea, but the lime did not play well with the rest of the flavors.
Wine List
Signature drinks include Kir Royal, a French Kiss, and more. Port wines, cognacs and liqueurs are also offered on the menu.
Venue Overview
They make a big show of the cooking, but the food is mediocre
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The only significant difference between the Teppanyaki on the Epic and the Teppanyaki eateries found on other Norwegian ships is that the Epic's dining area is a much larger. They share the same concept. The chef prepares food on a griddle right in the dining room, surrounded by an audience of diners. They toss their utensils around, generally making a lot of noise while cooking, all for a cover charge of $20.
The menu is the same: appetizers are edamame, miso soup, and seaweed salad. For main courses you can choose between different meats and seafood, or a combination of both. For dessert, you get the same green tea cake with green tea ice cream as on other Norwegian ships.
The restaurant's decor is relatively clean and simple, but the room is cavernous -- a design mistake, we think, as it results in an uncomfortably noisy and impersonal experience as compared to the smaller Teppanyaki restaurants found on other Norwegian ships. Norwegian clearly was trying to pack in as many tables as it could into this space, and the result is a warehouse-like ambiance that has a production-line feel. Unlike at the Teppanyaki restaurants on other Norwegian ships, this is not an intimate experience.
Lunch / Dinner
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Teppanyaki's menu is the same as on other Norwegian ships and similar to what is found at teppanyaki chains on land. On the Epic, the edamame are already peeled, which is much easier to eat, though some patrons may miss the act of popping them from the shell. After the edamame you get miso soup, which was serviceable. The seaweed salad was excellent, but was skimpy with the seaweed and too generous with the iceberg lettuce.
There's a choice of nine entrees of traditional teppanyaki and combinations. As everything is prepared at the same time and on the same grill, the seafood ended up with a meaty taste to it.
Dessert
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Fresh fruit sashimi and green tea cake with ice cream are offered for dessert.
Wine List
Teppanyaki offers two signature cocktails: the wasabi cocktail and a Japanese martini.
Venue Overview
Brazilian Grill with a salad buffet
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The Epic's churrascaria eatery is next to Cagney's Steakhouse, and offers a variety of meats and a huge salad buffet. When you arrive they give you a little card with green on one side and red on the other. When your card is green side-up, that means you want more servings; red side-up, you've had your fill.
Moderno looks like an old-style Argentinian steakhouse, with everything in dark woods and reds. The tables are lined with place mats instead of cloths, the steak knives are enormous, and the walls are decorated with monochrome photos.
We think this is one of the best restaurants on the Epic and far better than a similar churrascaria eatery opened recently on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas (Epic and Allure are the first two ships at sea to offer a churrascaria restaurant, a new trend in cruise ship dining).
Lunch / Dinner
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Being a Brazilian style grill, the choices of meat is extensive. The best is the picanha, a special beef tenderloin only found in Brazilian restaurants. Others include linguica, a Brazilian sausage. Waiters come along frequently with meat on a stick, and cut off a fresh piece for you. In between, they also offer grilled pineapple. Brazilians believe this helps the digestion and makes room for more food. On the side, they offer pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), rice, black beans, garlic mashed potatoes, and fried bananas.
The sides are very good, especially the fried bananas. Most meats are well-prepared. Our first piece of picanha was almost perfect. For some reason, a later serving of the same meat lost a lot of taste.
Wine List
Moderno offers all the regular drinks, as well as some specialty mixed drinks, like caipirinha, ginger passion, and strawberry batida.
Venue Overview
A circus show on a cruise ship, with dinner thrown in.
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Spiegel tents were invented by Belgium in the 19th century as moving dance hall, and many European chefs took this idea and made a dinner spectacle of it. The Norwegian Epic presents Cirque Dreams and Dinner, their own take on the spiegel tent.
Encompassing two levels, guests can eat and watch the circus show, which includes clowns, aerialists, and other acrobatic shows. The show itself is fun and exciting – the food, not so much. There are three predetermined courses that never change. If you don't mind sitting on the balcony or further away from the stage, the cover charge is $20, if you want to sit downstairs, close to the action, you'll have to pay $30.
Spiegel tents looks just like a circus. It's round, like a tent. On the walls are paintings of clowns. In the middle of the restaurant is a small stage where everything happens, as well as four corridors for the artists.
Lunch / Dinner
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The menu for Cirque Dreams and Dinner never changes. For starters you get an appetizer trio with crab cake, salad, and chicken satay. Surf & turf is served next, with a roasted beef tenderloin and jumbo shrimps. The dessert is a trio, as well: the Trilogy of Sweets, with a red velvet cake, vanilla bean pot de cream, and a flourless chocolate cake.
For a cover charge of $20 or $30, our expectations were very high. Unfortunately the crab cake was not good at all, the salad bland, the shrimps tasted funny, and vanilla bean pot de cream is just a fancy name for a vanilla pudding. Only the beef and the gratin were any good.
Wine List
The Spiegel Tent offers a selection of sparkling, white and red wines, as well as two special cocktails.
Venue Overview
Epic’s sushi bar is just outside the Teppanyaki restaurant
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Located on deck seven (midship), Wasabi has a beautiful view on the gigantic chandelier hanging down to the deck below. The restaurant offers a simple menu of sushi, sashimi and yakitori.
Being the entrance to Teppanyaki, the decor is basically the same. Every place setting has some fake grass and white dishes.
Lunch / Dinner
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Wasabi's sushi rolls have far too much rice and not enough fish or vegetables. It tastes good, but we wish there was less rice. The sashimi is just the right portion size and the fish tastes fresh and delicious.
Dessert
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Wasabi offers the same desserts as Teppanyaki: green tea cake and fruit sashimi.
Wine List
Signature drinks include Kamikaze (a Seabreeze) with Vodka, cranberry and apple juice, and a lychee saketini with vodka, lychee liqueur and sake. Wasabi also offers different sake and japanese beers.
Venue Overview
Epic’s steakhouse is right next to Moderno on deck seven
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The Cagney's on the Epic is huge, much larger than on other Norwegian ships. It's located on deck seven, right next to Moderno. Apparently taking a cue from Moderno's south American theme, Cagney's feels more like an Argentinian steakhouse than an American one. Around the dark wood tables are wide, comfortable chairs. Rather than white table cloths, Cagney's has place mats. There are some two-tops right next to the windows, making it a perfect spot for a romantic dinner.
To show everybody that all the food is prepared a la minute, Cagney's has an open kitchen in the back. They offer wines from all over the world by the glass or by the bottle, starting at about $30 per bottle. You can get a glass of wine for as little as $7 – excluding gratuity, of course.
Breakfast
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Once a week, the Norwegian Epic offers a jazz brunch, which sometimes takes place at Cagney's. For $15, Norwegian sets up a buffet with salmon, different cheeses, salads, souffles, and sweet rolls. At the open kitchen, the chefs serve French toast and pancakes.
Beyond that, there are some dishes you have to order a la carte, like braised beef or salmon with saffron risotto. The salmon is the perfect brunch dish: not too heavy, with the fish perfectly cooked.
Lunch / Dinner
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The version of Cagney's on the Epic has the same menu as the one we experienced recently on the Norwegian Dawn. There are no surprises here: New York strip steak, T-bone, rib-eye, prime rib, and filet mignon. Appetizers include shrimp cocktail, crab cake, and oysters, and sides like Cagney Fries (with truffle oil and parmesan), sauteed mushrooms, or steamed asparagus.
There was so much spinach on the oysters Rockefeller, that you couldn't really taste the oyster beyond a vague fishiness. We do feel that Cagney's on the Epic is better than the Cagney's we've experienced on the Norwegian Dawn. We salute the chef for delivering our prime rib as we ordered it, medium rare, but on the flipside, our side of asparagus was completely overcooked. We tried the Cagney Fries again, in the hope that this time we'd actually taste the truffle oil, but as on the Norwegian Dawn we were disappointed.
Dessert
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Cagney's offers a variety of desserts, from a sampler plate to a cheese plate. The raspberry creme brûlée looks quite good, but the cheese plate is the best thing on this dessert menu, with Danish blue cheese, brie and parmesan as well as some grapes, strawberries, and honey.
In-Room Dining Overview
24/7 pizza delivery service, special occasion menu, and lots of drink options.
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The room service menu is not long. Breakfast must be ordered by 4 am and will be delivered at the requested time (sometimes a little earlier). You can also order salads and sandwiches, special occasion dishes, and special dishes for kids.
There's a 24/7 pizza service too, which sounds very exciting. Delivery takes 30 to 45 minutes, sometimes less. Room service is available all day, but Norwegian adds a service charge of $3.95 per order between midnight and 5am.
Breakfast
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Breakfast delivery is available from 6.30 am to 10 am. Orders have to be made by 4 am, using the forms hanging on the door knob. There are juices, cereals, fruits, yogurts, beverages, and breads to choose from.
Lunch / Dinner
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There's just one menu for the whole day. It includes chicken noodle soup, caesar salad, omelets, and assorted sandwiches (BLT, tuna, etc.). Even though there was not a lot of bacon on it, the BLT tasted pretty good. The tuna sandwich, however, tasted as though the mayonnaise had gone bad. For kids, Norwegian offers mini hot dogs, chicken fingers, and mac & cheese.
For special occasions, there's a selections of cold and special hors d'oeuvres, a dozen of jumbo shrimps, Sevruga caviar, and a cheese platter for four. The special occasion menu is available from 11 am to 11 pm, for a cover charge of $15 to $42 (caviar is available at market price).
A 24/7 pizza delivery service is also available. Three pizzas for $5 each are available: cheese, vegetarian and pepperoni. They were all pretty terrible.
Dessert
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For dessert, the room service menu offers cheese cake, strawberry pound cake, and chocolate cake. The chocolate cake is Norwegian's special flowerless chocolate cake, which tastes more like a heavy brownie.
Drink Options
Soft drinks, still and sparkling water, and beers are available around the clock. Wines include Pinot Grigio from Italy, Cabernet Sauvignon from California, Moet Chandon, and more. All wines and champagnes / sparkling wines are available by the glass and bottle, and cost between $28 to $69 (a bottle) or $5.25 to $14 for a glass.
Drinks Overview
Norwegian Epic offers a wide range of specialty drinks as well as beer, wine and traditional cocktails.
Every day, Epic's bars offer a new drink of the day, mostly cocktails. All wines, beers, mixed drinks, spirits and liqueurs, and soft drinks can be ordered at almost every bar. Soft drinks cost about $2.50, beers from $4.95 to $6.
Different martinis, rums, vodkas, whiskeys and other spirits are available from $7.05 per glass. There are also some super premium and ultra premium spirits for $6.75 to $17.50, as well as different shots for $6.25. Special whiskeys from Scotland, USA, and Canada as well as beers from all over the world are available at Maltings. Prices for whiskeys range from $6.25 to $16.25 (for a blue label Johnny Walker), beers are available from $4.25, Shaker's offers special Martinis from $5.25.
Except for some Whiskeys and Martinis, drinks are available at every bar and restaurant on the Epic.
Beer & Wine
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There are a lot of wines aboard the Norwegian Epic and almost all restaurants have their own little wine "cellar." Most wines come from the Americas though, just a few from France or Italy. There are no wines from Spain or Greece at all.
The beer menu is not quite as extensive, though large enough: there are a bunch of mainstream American beers, such as Budweiser, Coors Light, and Miller, as well as some imported beers like Becks, Guinness, Newcastle, Stella, and Heineken, and even one brand from the Caribbean. We'd like to see more craft beers from smaller breweries on the menu.
Mixed Drinks
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All bars have mixed drinks and daily changing featured cocktails, like the Mangopolitan or the Rebellious Fish, for $5.95. Frozen Cocktails like pina colada and mudslide, as well as tropical cocktails like margaritas and mojitos are also available. Prices for these drinks range from $6 to $9. Shakers is the ship's martini bar and offers an extensive list of special drinks like the Pear Pleasure or the Forbidden Fruittini.
Drink Packages
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Other than five-for-the-price-of-six bucket of beer, there are no drink packages on the Norwegian Epic.
Non-alcoholic Options
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Being a family-oriented cruise line, Norwegian offers a soft drink package for about $50 a week. When you buy it you get a mug and can get it refilled as often as you like – great for families, but a little too expensive for a single traveler. Other than that, most bars also serve smoothies and all the cocktails can also be ordered without alcohol. Plenty of places to lay in the sun and dive in cool water.
The Norwegian Epic has a large main pool area in the middle of the ship that includes an aqua park with multiple slides. There also is a smaller pool at the back of the ship. Sun decks surround both pool areas, as well as on deck 16.
The biggest public sun decks on the Epic are decks 15 and 16 (forward), and deck 19 (aft), with hundreds of sun chairs. There's also the Courtyard sun deck, reserved for Norwegian's suite and Villa passengers. The Posh sun deck and Beach Bar are exclusive to Norwegian's Silver members. There also is a "Freestyle" sunning area where passengers can go topless if they like.
All of these areas are crowded nearly all the time, but sea days are the worst. To try and combat bickering, Norwegian has a "no sun lounger reservation" policy, but it's still tough to find a seat. The Epic offers a big main pool with an aqua park, as well as a smaller pool area.
Aqua Park
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The main pool area is called Aqua Park, which features two large pools, with fountains, and five hot tubs. Near the pool area is Waves, the pool's bar, and the Great Outdoors dining area, as well as a stage and dance floor. The water in the pools is heated to about 80 degrees, making it just right for a swim. There are a lot of sun chairs, but on sea days the area is completely swarming with passengers. Chairs are informally reserved with towels from as early as 7 am, despite requests from Norwegian to knock it off.
Water Slides
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The Aqua Park includes a huge, multi-channel water slide, including the "Epic Plunge," which feeds into into something resembling a toilet bowl. All in good taste, of course, and lots of fun.
Spice H2O
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Spice H2O is supposed to be an adults-only area from 7 am to 8 pm, but this rule is not always followed. It's made up of one large pool and two hot tubs. The bar offers cocktails, beer, and wine, as well as breakfast and lunch on sea days.
Spa Pool
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The spa offers a third pool option, although not outside. If you need to retreat from the crowds, this is the place to go.
Kids Pool
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The kids' Aqua Park, with several little slides, is located behind the main water slide area.
Sun Decks & Open Areas
Highlights include an adults-only area, a posh deck, and a “freestyle” deck where passengers can go topless.
Aqua Park
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Around the Aqua Park are hundreds of sun chairs, but not nearly enough to accommodate every passengers who wants one on a sea day.
Deck 16
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Deck 16 is not very large to begin with and the sun chairs are really crammed in there. There is not much space to navigate, but it's sufficient for sun bathing and getting drinks.
Spice H2O
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Spice H2O has several terraces with sun chairs and tables with sunshades.
Deck 17 & 18
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The public sun deck on deck 17 (aft) is next to the sports complex, looking over Spice H2O. It's sunny, of course, but never very quiet.
The sun deck on deck 18 looks over the Great Outdoors and the pool area. It is located forward. The very end of this area is closed to public.
Courtyard Sun Deck
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This area can only be accessed by Suite and Villa passengers.
Posh Beach Club
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The adults-only sun deck with Freestyle (topless) area is for Silver members only.
Ship Tour Overview
The ship is big, if not the most elegant-looking from the outside.
Deck 5
Deck 6
Deck 7
Deck 8
Deck 9
Deck 10
Deck 11
Deck 12
Deck 13
Deck 14
Deck 15
Deck 16
Deck 17
Deck 18
Deck 19
Design
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Norwegian's Epic has a more modern aesthetic than earlier Norwegian ships. Floors and walls are covered with dark woods and the restaurants are more elegant. The many individual armchairs and lounges placed all over decks 5 to 7 are eye-catching. All over the ship are fake plants and flowers. Obviously, fresh flower and live plants are preferable, but the cost of outfitting the entire ship is probably beyond reasonable.
Every bar, restaurant, and showroom is distinguished by a different design: The Maltings Bar has dark leather chairs and dark tables and bar, accented with orange bar stools. The same goes for the library and the humidor. Shaker's, on the other hand, features brighter purple and gray sofa furniture and a chrome bar with marble counter top.
There is one must see on the ship: the tacky, adults-only Bliss Ultra Lounge. Stools, chairs, sofas, and tables of all shapes and sizes fill the room. The walls are dark as night and the bar, in the middle of the room, is decked out in purple and gold. Fortunately, they classed it up with a pool table, dart machine, and bowling alley.
Navigation & Signage
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Navigating the Epic can be a bit confusing at times, especially because the ship doesn't have many elevators or stairs midship. You typically have to walk the whole length of the deck to get anywhere. The only stairs midship goe from the casino on deck six to Shaker's Martini Bar one deck above.
If you're lost, the elevator areas are equipped with a touchscreen guide in different languages. There are frequently signs on the public decks directing you towards popular locations, but they can blend in and easily be overlooked. Plenty of places to relax or get fit
The Norwegian Epic has a huge spa with over 20 treatment rooms, a beauty salon, and a fitness center. There's also a rock climbing wall on a top deck of the ship and a myriad of other activities.
At night ,you can choose between bars, lounges, or the club. The Spiegel Tent might be your bag: a dinner theater with a Cirque du Soleil-like show. The Blue Man group and other big shows play in the main theater. One of the first Irish Pubs at sea is the O’Sheehan’s
Lounge & Cafés
The Epic has quite a few lounges and other places to relax and grab a drink. Among them is O'Sheehan's, billed as the first Irish pub at sea (it takes its name from the line's most recent CEO, Kevin Sheehan). Other than that, there's the Humidor Cigar Lounge for smokers, and the Svedka Ice Bar, which is actually made of ice and serves cool vodka drinks (virgin for kids).
Humidor Cigar Lounge / Internet Cafe
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This is one of the few smoking areas within the ship. It’s designed like an old Cuban bar with dark leather seats and sofas, surrounded by pictures of big Hollywood stars from the ‘30s to the ’60s, and its often in use. On our cruise, the population of 5,000-plus passengers turned out to contain quite a few smokers, and a lot of them came to this lounge for a nicotine fix. Norwegian installed two very loud air purifiers to accommodate the air quality. Drinks are available from the nearby Shaker’s or Maltings bars.
The Internet Cafe is located by Clicks Photo gallery on deck five. The area is broken up into several cubicles with individual desktops. It is not a very comfortable environment, so nobody stays here too long. WiFi is available throughout the ship.
Maltings Beer and Whiskey Bar
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Maltings offers a long list of draft (14 and 22 oz) and bottled beers, along with whiskeys from Scotland, Ireland, USA, and Canada. Prices range from $4.25 for a Coors Light, to $17 for a Johnny Walker Blue Label. Additionally, the menu has martinis, spirits, wines, and soft drinks.
Fat Cats Jazz Club / Headliners
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At night, Fat Cats features live jazz and blues music. The decor is simple and the space is filled with chairs and small tables to fit as many people as possible. All the drinks come from the nearby Cascade Bar.
Headliners is home to the comedy shows, as well as Howl At the Moon, where dueling piano players take requests from the audience. It has its own bar in one corner, and offers the same drink menu as the rest of the ship. During the day, you can frequently catch a game of bingo here.
Atrium Cafe / Svedka Ice Bar
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The Atrium Cafe is a Starbucks-like venue where you can get espresso, cappuccino, hot chocolate, and various cakes. The whole area has reddish seats like you might find in a European café – if not for the gigantic, two story high screen.
The Svedka Ice Bar is touted as the first bar actually made of ice that’s cruising the seas. There’s a $20 cover charge for it, but two drinks are included in the charge. Before entering, you’re presented with a fake fur hooded poncho so you don’t freeze (although even with this, it’s still chilly). Once inside, most everything is constructed of ice: the bar, the walls, even the glasses. Ice statues of a bear and a viking watch over you while you drink and shiver. If you want a seat, the Svenda Ice Bar was kind enough to supply fake fur drapings for the ice furniture.
Concierge Floor / Club Floor
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The Studio Lounge is reserved for passengers who booked a studio on the Epic. Its design is similar to the Studio cabins: all whites and bright blues, as well as the recessed, multicolored lights. It features a bar, a coffee machine, and a vending machine. You can get a little breakfast here, too. One crew member is responsible for all the singles staying in the area, and there's a "single mingle" get-together every night at 6 pm.
Another club floor is the Epic Club area, where suite and villa passengers find a lounge, two restaurants, a Hydrotherapy Courtyard & Thermal area, and a fitness center.
Children's Areas
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There are two children-only areas on the Epic: Recess and Entourage. Recess is for smaller kids, while Entourage is for teenagers 13 to 17 years old. Both areas feature the newest gaming consoles, TVs, and board games. Some days, the big, two-story TV in the Atrium serves as a Wii screen. Other activities include the water slide, rock climbing wall, and sports courts. The Norwegian Epic also offers Nickelodeon at Sea, where the little ones can meet their favorite cartoon characters, like Sponge Bob or the Avatar.
Recess is overseen by crew members, and open long hours, so mom and dad have time to enjoy themselves too. Older kids can explore on their own.
Conference Rooms
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The conference rooms were used as a storage room, and not accessible.
Libraries
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On the way to the Humidor, just behind Maltings, is the library. Because of the leather seats and dark wood tables, it actually looks like it is part of Maltings. There are two shelves full with books and different board games.
Spa Overview
More than 50 treatments, hydrothermal rooms with balcony, and villas just for couples.
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The Mandara Spa features more than 20 treatment rooms. All of them have a massage bed, a sink, and dozens of different lotions. There are also two couple's villas with outdoor whirlpools. Six treatment rooms have balconies with sun chairs for relaxation before or after treatments.
Massages & Treatments
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Mandara Spa features more than 50 treatments from Botox to acupuncture to Thai herbal poultice massages. Mandara also offers special kids treatments, like an Acne Attack Facial, as well as treatments for couples. Prices range from $79 to $300 or more.
Hair Salon
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The salon in the spa features hair, nail, waxing, and tooth-whitening services from $19 for a chin waxing to $149 for the tooth whitening.
Spa Pools
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The Hydrotherapy Courtyard has one large pool, a whirlpool, thermal benches, and a balcony looking out the rear of the vessel. Day passes are available on port days only for $30 and cruise passes for $119.
Fitness Center
Highlights include a large fitness center, rock climbing wall, and a sports complex
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The fitness center features 37 treadmills and 18 cross-trainers, as well as weight equipment, free weights, and several aerobic studios and stretching areas.
Different classes are available throughout the week, most complimentary. Some, like boot camp or Zumba classes, have a service charge of $12, $20 or $69. Other classes include Pilates, yoga, and spinning. Nutritional consultations and metabolism testing is also available.
Rock Climbing
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According to Norwegian, the Epic’s rock climbing wall area includes the only U.S.-rated climbing wall afloat, and it also features the only rappelling wall at sea. There are races to reach the little bells on top, the shorter route is easier, the longer one more difficult.
Bowling / Ping Pong
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Both Bliss Ultra Lounge and O’Sheehan’s have bowling alleys — a Norwegian Cruise Line signature (the line remains the only one with bowling alleys on its ships). There are two lanes at Bliss and three at O’Sheehan’s. Bowling balls and shoes are provided on-site.
On deck 15, in the passages running underneath Spice H2O, are several ping pong tables. It’s not a lot of space, but enough to get a good game going.
Sports Complex
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Deck 17 is where outdoor sports are played, at a basketball court that doubles as a soccer field. The entire area is contained within a huge net so no balls can be lost. Next to the stairs is the Spider Web, a climbing web, and Vertical Reality, a bungee catapult. Unfortunately, these were closed while we were on the ship.
Shuffleboard and Jogging Track
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Both a shuffleboard and jogging track are on deck seven (port and starboard, respectively). Norwegian Epic does not have a promenade that goes around the whole ship, so the two parts are separated. There are three shuffleboard courts on the port side, and a giant chess/checkers board. The jogging track on starboard requires 3.8 laps to equal a mile.
Pool / Dart
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Pool tables and dart boards are in Bliss and O’Sheehan’s. They are free-of-charge and you can play as long as you want.
Retail
Lots of possibilities to spend your money while at sea
Tradewinds
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Tradewinds is a typical duty-free shop, and only open when the ship is at sea. It's divided into two big stores and several smaller ones that are all connected. It's one of the only duty free shop at sea to have a small Guess boutique (Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, notably, has its own Guess store). You can also get sports gear, accessories, knickknacks, and souvenirs. Prices range from a few dollars to thousands of dollars for brand-name jewelry, watches, glasses, and the like. Special sales are available almost every day.
Duty-free cigarettes, some prescription-free drugs, and alcohol are available in a smaller shop midship, next to the barber shop.
Click Photo Gallery
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The Epic's photo gallery makes the traditional shipboard procedure of searching for your pictures much easier: you simply put your key card into a slot and all the pictures taken by the ship's photographers appear on a screen. You can print them out or get them on CDs and DVDs.
Mandara Spa Shop
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At the Mandara Spa, passengers can purchase all kinds of creams, lotions, facial masks, and exfoliations. All products are from Elemis, with prices starting at $49
Marketplace
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On sea days, weather permitting, a part of deck 15 is transformed into a market place. The duty free shop offers the same products as Tradewinds, and there are no special prices.
Movie Theater
There is an video game arcade, two huge screens for movies and a large, Las Vegas-style casino.
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There are two huge screens on Norwegian Epic, one in the Atrium and one at Spice H2O. During the day, Norwegian plays some BBC or History Channel documentaries on these screens, and on some days there are even movies.
Arcade
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The video game arcade contains a mix of classic, older video games and newer games such as Rock Star to balance out the selection.
Lectures & Classes
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The spa and fitness center offer complimentary lessons on health and fitness.
Nightlife & Shows
The Blue Man Group plays several times a week.
One of the strengths of the Norwegian Epic is its entertainment, which is more diverse and elaborate than what is found on almost any other ship. Among big-name brands performing on the ship is the Blue Man Group, which offers multiple shows each week in the ship's main theater. Epic also offers performances by famed Chicago-based comedy troupe Second City and by members of Las Vegas' Legends in Concert impersonator troupe.
In short, there are many, many things to do at night on Norwegian Epic. Bliss Ultra Lounge, the main dance club on the vessel, stays open as long as there's somebody dancing. The Ibiza-like Spice H2O can be transformed into an open air dance club, as well. All bars are open until very late, though only O'Sheehan's is open all night. In addition to Second City shows, the Headliners lounge features a Howl at the Moon-branded dueling piano performance where piano players take audience requests.
Venue Overview
Billed as the first Irish pub at sea
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O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill is the first Irish pub at sea, at least according to Norwegian. It offers food 24 hours a day, as well as bowling, darts, pool, some arcade games, and big-screen TVs.
Food
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O'Sheehan's is the only place on the Epic offering food 24/7. For breakfast, you can create your own omelet or get O'Sheehan's Country Platter with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, mushrooms, hash browns, and grilled tomatoes – a great and healthy start to any day.
After 11 am serving up comfort food like chicken wings, chicken pot pies, meat loaf, sandwiches, burgers, and salads. There's also the same desserts you get from room service, but you can be more sociable while you eat them here.
Drinks
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Along with soft drinks and water, O'Sheehan's offers a long list of beers from all over the world. Shots, mixed drinks, red, white, and sparkling wines are also available for an extra charge. All drinks cost an extra charge and not all prices are in the menu. Very sneaky, Norwegian.
Venue Overview
The floor of the pool can rises to become a dance floor and stage
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During the day, Spice H2O is a terrace sun deck located on deck 15. At night, all the sun chairs are put away and the pool rises from below to form a stage and dance floor, simultaneously very cool and completely extravagant.
Food
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On sea days, Spice H2O offers breakfast and lunch. For breakfast you can get French toast, waffles, eggs, and bacon. At lunch, the pool bar serves up burgers, hot dogs, and mac and cheese.
Drinks
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The Epic offers nearly the same drink options all over the ship. Spice H2O is no exception, though it doesn't have as large a beer list as O'Sheehan's pub. For a cover charge, you can get the featured drink of the day, as well as all the cocktails and frozen drinks, such as pina coladas, margaritas, and mojitos.
Venue Overview
Waves is Epic’s main pool bar
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The bar is not very large for its task: Serving one of the biggest spaces on the Epic. Still, the bartenders here do the job reasonably well.
Drinks
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The bar offers soft drinks, beers, cocktails and iced drinks, as well as smoothies.
Venue Overview
Bliss is a fun place to be at night with an unusual decoration
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Bliss is Epic's only club, restricted to adults 18 and up. The entrance is marked by a light mist, which can be a tad disconcerting the first time you encounter it. A round bar sits in the middle of the room. For those who don't want to dance, there's a pool table, a dart board, some video games, and a bowling alley. Bliss also offers some light entertainment, like karaoke and trivia, before fully converting to a club at 11 pm.
Drinks
Just as in the rest of the ship, Bliss offers mixed drinks, some beers on draft and in bottles, wine, and soft drinks.
Activities
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Before 11 pm Bliss has karaoke, trivia, and other games.
Casino Overview
The largest casino on a Norwegian ship
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The Epic's Casino, with its Las Vegas-style ambiance, is Norwegian's largest. It offers poker, black jack, roulette, craps and hundreds of slot machines. There's something for everyone. For beginners, the casino also offers gaming lessons.
Slot Machines
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There are hundreds of slot machines in the Casino.
Card Games
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Epic's Casino offers blackjack and a bunch of different poker games.
Tables
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There are roulette and craps tables.
Casino Food & Drinks
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The bar provides gamers with drinks.
Shows & Performances
Many different shows and nearly all for free
The biggest and most popular show on Norwegian Epic is definitely the Blue Man Group, which plays several times a week in the ship's main theater. This isn't the only big, Vegas-y acts, though. A Legends in Concert show, with impersonations of such celebrity singers as Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Tina Turner, also is aboard the Epic and plays multiple times.
In addition, the ship's Headliners club has two rotating acts: Performances by a Second City comedy troupe and performances by Howl at the Moon, the branded dueling piano show found on land. With the latter, two side-by-side piano players will play whatever you ask them to perform, provided its a widely popular song from the 60's or later.
Another show option is Cirque Dreams & Dinner, at the Spiegel Tent, which offers a Cirque du Soleil-like dinner theater experience. All tickets, except the Spiegel Tent dinner, are complimentary and you can book all shows at the box office, located on deck six in front of the Epic Theater.
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Services & 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.
The service on the Epic is spot-on, keeping it in line with the better cruises we've taken. The wait staff, in particular, is friendly and attentive. The only complaint we would have from a service point of view is with our room steward, who came off as just a little creepy. But hey, one person's creepy is another person's charmingly eccentric.
Staff
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After a few hours on board our cabin steward knew us by name, which is impressive. He kept the room neat and clean, and we got a little towel animal every night. Stewards are available until 9pm.
Tipping
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A $12 per person, per day service charge is added automatically to your bill. This money goes into a pool and is divided between the whole crew. A gratuity of 15% also is added to drinks, specialty restaurants, and spa services. If you're particularly pleased with a crew member and want to give him extra tip, it's best to give them cash, as every tip on the receipts are also going into the money pool.
Dress Codes
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Norwegian likes to boast that its ships offer "freestyle" cruising, which means everything is flexible and there is no formal dress code. Everything is very casual. The only restrictions are that for any of the dining rooms, no shorts or sandals are allowed.
Loyalty Programs
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The more you sail with Norwegian, the better, and the more rewards you get. The Latitudes Program is divided in four tiers: Bronze (1 cruise), Silver (5 cruises), Gold (9 cruises) and Platinum (14 cruises). Benefits include a members-only cocktail party, on-board credit of up to $250, priority debarkation and a complimentary "Behind the Scenes" Tour, depending on your level. Upon completion of the first cruise, Norwegian offers complimentary enrollment into the Latitudes program.
General Safety
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There are several closed life boats with room for almost 300 passenger a piece on deck seven, as well as inflatable and floating boats. A mandatory drill is held on embarkation day. Life vests are spread all over the ship, and in every room in the closet.
Clinics
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The medical center is on deck ten. Opening times vary and depend on the ports of call.
Smoking Regulations
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Public areas throughout the ship are smoke-free. Cigarettes can be smoked in one's cabin, on cabin balconies, in the casino, and in the Humidor cigar lounge. The Humidor is also the only place to smoke cigars. Open decks have designated smoking areas. Smoking is not allowed near food venues and kids ares. Compare the Norwegian Epic to the the Carnival Magic
The Carnival Magic can't quite match the Norwegian Epic for its gamut of activities, but we sure did like the Magic's food a lot better. The Chef's Table on the Carnival Magic, in particular, was innovative and delicious. Both of the ships are big, with large deck-top areas full of water slides and a lot of nighttime entertainment options, making them both good choices for families. In keeping with Norwegian's trademark "freestyle" format, the Norwegian Epic offers more flexibility than the Carnival Magic for dining, in particular. If you're the kind of person who doesn't like to be tied down to a particular dining room, the Epic may be the better bet. If you're more a fan of the older-style of cruising where you head to the same place for most meals, you might want to go with the Carnival Magic. Compare the Norwegian Epic to the the Freedom of the Seas
At 154,407 tons, the Freedom of the Seas is almost identical in size to the Norwegian Epic, but its designed for fewer passengers (3,634 at double occupancy), meaning that each passenger on board the vessel has 'more room. This is no small matter. As compared to the Freedom of the Seas, the Norwegian Epic can seem crowded both in its interior and on its top decks (where lounge chairs often are in short supply on sea days). Overall, too, we found the food on the Freedom of the Seas to be a bit more elegant and tastier. That sais, the Epic had a more relaxed atmosphere with its "freestyle" dining concept. If you're the kind of person who likes a lot of choice in restaurants and to eat when you want, where you want, the Epic is surely the better bet.
Conclusion
The Norwegian Epic is a big, bustling ship that will appeal to people who like a lot of nightlife, entertainment and dining options when they travel. Bigger (and newer) than all but a handful of other vessels, it offers one of the most diverse arrays of restaurants, bars and showrooms at sea, including such innovations as a dedicated "big top" for nightly circus shows (a cruise ship first) and a large theater that's home to regular performances of the iconic Blue Man Group. With an unusual amount of big brand name entertainment (the ship also boasts a Second City comedy troupe and an offshoot of Las Vegas' Legends in Concert), the vessel is a lot like one of the mega-resorts found in Las Vegas or Orlando, except that it floats.
Like other Norwegian ships, the Norwegian Epic also offers a highly unstructured cruise experience where passengers can pretty much do whatever they want, whenever they want -- Norwegian's so-called "freestyle" concept. There are no fixed times or assigned seating for meals, bars and lounges stay open late, and shows are scheduled at a wide variety of times for maximum flexibility. If you're the type of person who doesn't like to be tied down by specific eating times or events, the Norwegian Epic may be an ideal choice of ship for you. It's also an ideal choice if you're a solo traveler looking for a big ship experience, as it's one of the few large vessels with cabins specifically designed (and priced) for singles.
If the Norwegian Epic has a flaw, it's with the design of its basic ocean-view and balcony cabins, which include oddly broken-up bathrooms that are less private than the bathrooms found on most cruise ships. While many people won't be bothered by this, it could be a deal-breaker for some. Also, while the ship's many restaurants offer a wide range of cuisines, from Japanese to Italian to Brazilian, not all of them are knock-your-socks-off gourmet affairs.
Still, overall, the Norwegian Epic is a solid choice for a vacationer looking for a big, lively ship with lots of on-board offerings. Compare the Norwegian Epic to the the Norwegian Dawn
Run by the same line, the Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Dawn have a lot in common, including many of the same restaurants, bars and nightspots. Still, the Norwegian Epic is a newer vessel in a world where newer means a lot. Unveiled in 2010, the Epic still has that new-ship feel, with one of the most up-to-date decors of any mass-market ship at sea, and being significantly larger than the nearly 10-year-old Dawn it offers a number of additional venues such as the Moderno churrascaria eatery that aren't found on other Norwegian ships. If it's the biggest, newest ship you're after, the Norwegian Epic is the better bet. That said, the Epic is quite a bit larger than the Norwegian Dawn (155,873 tons vs. 92,500 tons), and if you think you'd prefer a smaller, more intimate cruise ship, all else being equal, you probably want to go with the Dawn over the Epic. In addition, the Dawn sails to places such as Bermuda that the Epic doesn't visit, and vice versa. As is often the case with cruise ships, the specifics of the two ships' itineraries may be the deciding factor in which one you pick.
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