Epic or Getaway?

I currently have the Epic booked for Thanksgiving week in conjunction with a Disney trip.

But, being the never-sticking-to-original-plans person that I am, I'm now debating switching to the Getaway.

I have not been on either ship.

Here's how I see it- Epic is obviously more convenient to Orlando, and has the bowl slide that my son has been talking about.. AND it's $800 less than the Getaway.

But- the Getaway has the ropes course and plank..which means there is more for him to do on the Getaway..as well as the waterfront.

Which would you choose and why?

I have been on both ships and Epic wins hands down in my book. Its not even a close comparison. But Getaway offers good things too. You mentioned the water slide on Epic. The water park on Getaway is far superior to Epic. That is one of the few areas where I think the Getaway is better. The waterpark on Getaway has some amazing fast slides and 2 vertical drop slides that are pretty intense. So if water parks are important to your kids than think about Getaway. Here is why I think Epic is a better ship.

I sailed in the Haven on both ships. The Haven on Epic is so superior to Getaway that is not even worth describing the differences and you may not be sailing in the Haven.

The Epic has a bigger and better spa. Not even a fair comparison.

The Epic has better and bigger areas: Spice H20 has tiered seating and a real swimming pool. Epic has a huge and funky nightclub. Getaway has a very tiny small nightclub that is really an afterthought. I even think the Epic theater is better.

The Epic has a HUGE gym that still may be the largest at sea. The gym on Getaway is not that great.

The Getaway has an awesome waterfront boardwalk that goes around the ship. That is a very nice feature but not enough to sway my decision.

IMPORTANT: Both ships are very similar in so many ways. That was one tiny disappointment with Getaway. It was so similar to Epic and I was preparing for something completely different. I also liked the bigger and full restaurants on Epic. The Asian restaurant is a full restaurant and not just a bar type restaurant.

If I lived in Orlando I would save the money and have the easy commute. The Epic has a great waterpark, its just not as impressive as Getaway. Some hate Epic for its lack of water views. This does not bother me. The Garden Café is better on Epic too. They put the Café in the front of the ship with amazing views.

You will have a great time on either ship. Please keep us posted and come back with a review.

Here is why I think Epic is a better ship.

I sailed in the Haven on both ships. The Haven on Epic is so superior to Getaway that is not even worth describing the differences and you may not be sailing in the Haven.

Can you tell us what the difference is? I'm interested....

I have been on both ships and Epic wins hands down in my book. Its not even a close comparison. But Getaway offers good things too. You mentioned the water slide on Epic. The water park on Getaway is far superior to Epic. That is one of the few areas where I think the Getaway is better. The waterpark on Getaway has some amazing fast slides and 2 vertical drop slides that are pretty intense. So if water parks are important to your kids than think about Getaway. Here is why I think Epic is a better ship.

I sailed in the Haven on both ships. The Haven on Epic is so superior to Getaway that is not even worth describing the differences and you may not be sailing in the Haven.

The Epic has a bigger and better spa. Not even a fair comparison.

The Epic has better and bigger areas: Spice H20 has tiered seating and a real swimming pool. Epic has a huge and funky nightclub. Getaway has a very tiny small nightclub that is really an afterthought. I even think the Epic theater is better.

The Epic has a HUGE gym that still may be the largest at sea. The gym on Getaway is not that great.

The Getaway has an awesome waterfront boardwalk that goes around the ship. That is a very nice feature but not enough to sway my decision.

 

IMPORTANT: Both ships are very similar in so many ways. That was one tiny disappointment with Getaway. It was so similar to Epic and I was preparing for something completely different. I also liked the bigger and full restaurants on Epic. The Asian restaurant is a full restaurant and not just a bar type restaurant.

 

If I lived in Orlando I would save the money and have the easy commute. The Epic has a great waterpark, its just not as impressive as Getaway. Some hate Epic for its lack of water views. This does not bother me. The Garden Café is better on Epic too. They put the Café in the front of the ship with amazing views.

You will have a great time on either ship. Please keep us posted and come back with a review.

Thank you for this comparison!

I do not live in Orlando, I actually live in Cincinnati.. but Port Canaveral is closer to Disney World and we are doing 5 nights there as well.

We will be in an aft balcony, not the Haven.

The waterpark and ropes course is making me lean towards the Getaway... however, the convenience of Port Canaveral to Orlando, along with your review, are making me think that I should stay put!

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Can you tell us what the difference is? I'm interested....

The Haven restaurant on Epic is probably twice the size than Getaway. The Epic Haven lounge is better too with ocean views. No ocean views from the Haven lounge on Getaway. The Epic restaurant also has outside seating called the Epic Grill. Posh is the private beach club on deck 18 with the best views from the ship. Posh also has a private bar. Getaway has a Haven sundeck but it is not as nice as Posh nor does it have the great views and also has no bar.

The entire Haven complex on Epic is just bigger and better at every level.

There's only 3 Port days on the Epic, 4 on the Getaway.. so I just want to be sure that there is enough for myself and a 7 year old to do with an extra Sea day

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I think either choice is fine but the Getaway has a superior waterpark and has the rope course. I don't know the entertainment on the ships these days. Many years ago Epic had Blue Man Group that was a big hit with all audiences but especially kids. If you plan to use the spa or gym then Epic would sway you. If not then maybe the deck activities will make you pick Getaway. Or maybe the amount of port days makes a difference to you. I am sure you will have a great vacation no matter which ship you choose.

I've always said that if you could put the waterfront boardwalk on Epic it would be the best ship ever. While the rope course is great and the waterpark is better on Getaway, they come at a cost. They both greatly reduce the deck size around the pool. I believe Epic has a better pool area to handle crowds.

I've sailed on the Epic twice in the mini suite because of the itinerary. The bathroom or lack of a bathroom is the reason I will not sail on it again and have booked the Getaway for my next cruise. However, this may not be a factor for one as young as 7years of age or if booking in Haven.

I've sailed on both, and would easily choose the Getaway... The Epic is probably the only ship that I would not wish to sail again. It just feels like a large indoor mall.

Itinerary is-

Epic- Great Stirrup Cay

Tortola

St. Thomas.

Getaway-

Roatan

Harvest Caye

Cozumel

Costa Maya

I have not been to any of NCL's private islands.. is one "better" than the other?

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I've been on both within the last year.

Miami is a larger & busier terminal than Port Canaveral but also closer to the airport.

Liked the cruise director & staff much better on Getaway. Outdoor stage near pool in a better location than Epic. Getaway's outdoor entertainment was what I would expect on a Caribbean cruise, with Epic the theme seemed to be oldies (at one point I joked that if I heard 'Sweet Caroline' one more time I might hurt someone :rolleyes: ) I actually like the pool area better in general on Getaway

Absolutely loved Priscilla Queen of the Desert on Epic but that's definitely an adult show.

I'm more of a days-at-sea person but did enjoy Great Stirrup Cay a lot.

Spice/H2O is set up better on Epic for both day and night use.

We did not do Haven on either ship and only did a few specialty restaurants. That being said I found the food very good on both. We do a lot of breakfast & lunches in the cafe; staff there on Getaway was much more entertaining & interactive with passengers.

The only waterslide I did on either was the 'toilet bowl' on Epic and it was pretty awesome!

Personally based on my experience if I had to choose it would be a matter of itinerary, with the proximity to the airport a definite plus for Getaway.

From one Disneygirl to another... we are doing the Epic in November. We will be in Epcot one day prior to the trip bc of the proximity to Orlando(and it's our happy place). We have done the Getaway twice and our kids and our friends kids loved it..we just wanted to try a different ship and this itinerary worked for us as we have done the one the Getaway is doing that week. I don't think you can go wrong with either. Our kids are excited about the "toilet bowl" slide but sad there is no ropes course. But there is plenty to keep them busy so I wouldn't stress if he goes to the kids club he will meet other kids and have a blast!!;)

From one Disneygirl to another... we are doing the Epic in November. We will be in Epcot one day prior to the trip bc of the proximity to Orlando(and it's our happy place). We have done the Getaway twice and our kids and our friends kids loved it..we just wanted to try a different ship and this itinerary worked for us as we have done the one the Getaway is doing that week. I don't think you can go wrong with either. Our kids are excited about the "toilet bowl" slide but sad there is no ropes course. But there is plenty to keep them busy so I wouldn't stress if he goes to the kids club he will meet other kids and have a blast!!;)

Thanks everyone for your input! I went ahead and switched to the Getaway. I just think there are more activities for us to do together on that ship. I'll just have to make the drive to Orlando from Miami afterwards.

I'll probably just buy one way tickets to Fort Lauderdale and then one way tickets back from MCO. I'll figure out how to make it work!

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Are the balcony bathroom set-up with the translucent doors that are on the EPIC also on the Getaway? Just finished a cruise on EPIC and loved everything but the shower/toilet situation especially with teenagers sharing the room.

The Getaway has a standard bathroom.

I know you already switched, but I just wanted to throw a little love towards the Getaway! I sailed the Getaway in Feb of 2016 & the Epic in Feb of 2017. I definitely favored the Getaway over the Epic. We did not sail in the Haven, nor did we get Posh/Vibe passes. We also didn't sail with kids, but we did try out the water slides on both and ropes course on the Getaway. I did get a spa pass on both ships.

Complimentary food in the buffet, main dining rooms, O'Sheehan's & the noodle bar were all comparable. Entertainment on both was very good and comparable (both had Howl at the Moon, comedians, live music, and a Broadway style show - entertainment on both blew away what was offered on my previous cruises on the Dawn, Sky & Sun).

Much preferred the stateroom, bathroom, and pool deck on the Getaway. I preferred the Getaway's Spice H2O - I felt like the stadium seating on the Epic was claustrophobic. I liked the grotto with the waterfalls to cool you off on the Getaway. The bar area in Spice H2O was very cramped on the Epic, and as one of the few places you could smoke, it became very crowded (I don't smoke, so that probably made it worse).

The Epic plunge is fun - the fast slides on the Getaway are better! The ropes course is awesome.

I was surprised at the number of people who liked the Epic's spa better - while the outdoor area was very nice, I found the rest of the spa to be kind of dark. The Getaway's spa was much bigger, had more tiled loungers (my favorite) and a salt room.

I felt a disconnect from the sea on the Epic that I didn't feel on the Getaway. I probably wouldn't go on the Epic again unless it was an itinerary I really wanted. I would go on the Getaway again in a heartbeat.

I have sailed both of those ships, with my kids. I just asked, and both prefer the Epic to the Getaway, although it’s a close call for the. The Epic is my favorite ship, and we’ll be sailing on her again next month.

That said, I’d definitely go with the Getaway based on the itineraries. It’s monumentally better on the Getaway.

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The ships are more similar than they are different. I just think the Epic's advantages are more than Getaway.

The Getaway has a standard bathroom.

Thanks. We're looking at a Getaway. Cruise and am happy to hear about normal bathrooms

I know you already switched, but I just wanted to throw a little love towards the Getaway! I sailed the Getaway in Feb of 2016 & the Epic in Feb of 2017. I definitely favored the Getaway over the Epic. We did not sail in the Haven, nor did we get Posh/Vibe passes. We also didn't sail with kids, but we did try out the water slides on both and ropes course on the Getaway. I did get a spa pass on both ships.

 

Complimentary food in the buffet, main dining rooms, O'Sheehan's & the noodle bar were all comparable. Entertainment on both was very good and comparable (both had Howl at the Moon, comedians, live music, and a Broadway style show - entertainment on both blew away what was offered on my previous cruises on the Dawn, Sky & Sun).

 

Much preferred the stateroom, bathroom, and pool deck on the Getaway. I preferred the Getaway's Spice H2O - I felt like the stadium seating on the Epic was claustrophobic. I liked the grotto with the waterfalls to cool you off on the Getaway. The bar area in Spice H2O was very cramped on the Epic, and as one of the few places you could smoke, it became very crowded (I don't smoke, so that probably made it worse).

 

The Epic plunge is fun - the fast slides on the Getaway are better! The ropes course is awesome.

 

I was surprised at the number of people who liked the Epic's spa better - while the outdoor area was very nice, I found the rest of the spa to be kind of dark. The Getaway's spa was much bigger, had more tiled loungers (my favorite) and a salt room.

 

I felt a disconnect from the sea on the Epic that I didn't feel on the Getaway. I probably wouldn't go on the Epic again unless it was an itinerary I really wanted. I would go on the Getaway again in a heartbeat.

I'm faced with this same decision again this year!

We LOVED the Getaway! We're currently booked on the Breakaway for Thanksgiving week this year, but now kiddo is saying that he wants to go to Florida instead of NOLA, and I agree with him!

So now it boils down to the Epic vs Getaway again.

This time I prefer the itinerary of the Epic- Jamaica and Grand Cayman...but seriously, we spent SO MUCH time on the ropes course, I'm worried about not having it on the Epic.

Kiddo spent a max of 3 hours in the kids club, which means it's basically not factored in to our plans at all.

I'm torn over this decision!

I have sailed both of those ships, with my kids. I just asked, and both prefer the Epic to the Getaway, although it’s a close call for the. The Epic is my favorite ship, and we’ll be sailing on her again next month.

 

That said, I’d definitely go with the Getaway based on the itineraries. It’s monumentally better on the Getaway.

 

 

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Thanks! Did they say why the Epic was their favorite out of the two?

I currently have the Epic booked for Thanksgiving week in conjunction with a Disney trip.

 

But, being the never-sticking-to-original-plans person that I am, I'm now debating switching to the Getaway.

 

I have not been on either ship.

 

Here's how I see it- Epic is obviously more convenient to Orlando, and has the bowl slide that my son has been talking about.. AND it's $800 less than the Getaway.

 

But- the Getaway has the ropes course and plank..which means there is more for him to do on the Getaway..as well as the waterfront.

 

Which would you choose and why?

I have only been on the Epic, and that is hands down my favorite ship of any that I have been on across all the lines. I know some people have very strong anti-Epic feelings, but it was probably the best cruise (or second best cruise) ever. I would hands down pick the Epic.

Thanks everyone for your input! I went ahead and switched to the Getaway. I just think there are more activities for us to do together on that ship. I'll just have to make the drive to Orlando from Miami afterwards.

I'll probably just buy one way tickets to Fort Lauderdale and then one way tickets back from MCO. I'll figure out how to make it work!

 

 

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You will not be disappointed in Getaway. We have sailed both Epic and Getaway with the kids and Getaway wins hands down for them (ages 7-18 at time of sailing)

Sailed both , definitely liked the Getaway better.