Epic Refurbishment

Just had the cruise critic meet enroute to dry dock.

Full list of changes.

Replacing 2 Engines

Moderno/Cagney bar being moved to centre like on away class.

Photo gallery area - being gutted and new library built.

Bliss - removing the bowling alley and refurb.

Fat cats. Cavern club - bar and dance floor being added

Italian restaurant being replaced with that big tree being removed.

Most carpets being replaced

On pool deck the kids area is being replaced with a water mini golf.

I wonder what is going in place of La Cucina? That is such a prime location on that ship. We dined at the very edge of the restaurant where it sticks out over the edge of the ship. We had a view both forward and aft from our table. It's an amazing spot.

I wonder what is going in place of La Cucina? That is such a prime location on that ship. We dined at the very edge of the restaurant where it sticks out over the edge of the ship. We had a view both forward and aft from our table. It's an amazing spot.

Hotel director just said a brand new Italian restaurant

Hotel director just said a brand new Italian restaurant

That will be awesome. I need to get back on Epic!

When is the dry dock happening?

I would love to sail Epic again. I am sad to hear about the tree removal from La Cucina. That restaurant has the best atmosphere of any cruise ship. Its romantic and rustic and has the best sea views. That tree is so freaking cool.

Speaking with one of the engineers and in fact Epic is down to two engines.

Both faulty ones will be replaced in dry dock but they have to cut a hole in the side of the hull to get the units out and new ones in'

As platinum we did the behind the scenes tour today and below decks there are already loads of workmen onboard and all the areas are full of tools and materials like new carpets etc..

I would love to sail Epic again. I am sad to hear about the tree removal from La Cucina. That restaurant has the best atmosphere of any cruise ship. Its romantic and rustic and has the best sea views. That tree is so freaking cool.

I would imagine del Rio realised he could squeeze a few more tables in if the tree goes! Lol

When is the dry dock happening?

Drops us off Saturday in Southampton and then heads to Brest for 3 weeks dry dock.

Theatre closed last night ready for refurb and backstage work to get the bus onboard! :eek: for Priscilla

I would imagine del Rio realised he could squeeze a few more tables in if the tree goes! Lol

LOL, I wonder why the name change, when Escape has a La Cucina? I'm also surprised they kept the name O'Sheehan's for Escape.

Hi Craig,

Hope you're having a great cruise?

We loved our second trip on the Epic last month! :) Have you been to see The Beatles? They were just fabulous......a different show every night....very authentic, we thought!

Nice to hear what's going on, thanks for reporting! Have fun!

Hi Craig,

 

Hope you're having a great cruise?

 

We loved our second trip on the Epic last month! :) Have you been to see The Beatles? They were just fabulous......a different show every night....very authentic, we thought!

 

Nice to hear what's going on, thanks for reporting! Have fun!

Beatles played on the opening night in the theatre and to be honest were the worst cover band we'd heard in ages!

Definitely had better ones last year and even on Spirit in March, not sure if these are temp as a lot got rotated last week.

A lot of the changes appear to try and bring Epic into more standardisation with the away classes.

The library rm on deck 5, the bar between Cagneys and Moderno as on the away class. It sounds like the Cavern club will be set up similar to breakaway fat cats / Grammys layout.

Hard to believe it's been five years already. Seems like just yesterday I was boarding in Miami for the first trip. I love the Epic. It's a fun ship.

Thank you for the updates

I know the Epic is going to be cruising out of Port Canaveral for a time. Is there a repositioning cruise going to happen between UK and there sometime??

I would love to sail Epic again. I am sad to hear about the tree removal from La Cucina. That restaurant has the best atmosphere of any cruise ship. Its romantic and rustic and has the best sea views. That tree is so freaking cool.

So is anything being added? Based on the list I read that bowling is gone, unique dining venue is gone and kid's water play area is gone. How is this an improvement or upgrade?

I know the Epic is going to be cruising out of Port Canaveral for a time. Is there a repositioning cruise going to happen between UK and there sometime??

Apr 01 - 14, 2017

SAT - FR

PORTS EMBARK Orlando & Beaches (Port Canaveral); Royal Naval Dockyard (Bermuda); Funchal (Madeira); Granada (Malaga) (Spain); DISEMBARK Barcelona (Spain)

Just had the cruise critic meet enroute to dry dock.

 

Full list of changes.

 

Replacing 2 Engines

Moderno/Cagney bar being moved to centre like on away class.

Photo gallery area - being gutted and new library built.

Bliss - removing the bowling alley and refurb.

Fat cats. Cavern club - bar and dance floor being added

Italian restaurant being replaced with that big tree being removed.

Most carpets being replaced

On pool deck the kids area is being replaced with a water mini golf.

Thanks for sharing.

Sounds good. I can't remember that Fat Cats was so big that a dance floor and bar makes sense but I will see it myself in 133 days.

So is anything being added? Based on the list I read that bowling is gone, unique dining venue is gone and kid's water play area is gone. How is this an improvement or upgrade?

The Italian restaurant is being replaced with a new one.

The bowling alley in bliss was hardly ever used plus they have another 3 lanes in O'Sheehans which are rarely full.

They are adding a library which was a frequent ask from passengers for a quiet place to read / play cards etc. Rather than side of Maltings.

They are making Moderno bigger. The large side bar is often use, making a central one and relocating the salad bar and adding more tables.

Replacing carpets.

Redoing the theatre stage.

But as the hotel director said the main things are those below decks. Cutting a hole in the side and swapping two bus size engines is no mean feat.

Adding a bar in fat cats in the corner where the current servers go to a hidden back bar will make more use.

He was mentioning the thousands of workers involved. Simple things like cleaning the elements of that massive chandelier.

Big changes are normally for those 20yr old ships. This is Epics first regular check. Scrapping barnacles, painting hull etc.

As I said earlier they have already started some areas as 3 weeks isn't enough time.

That will be awesome. I need to get back on Epic!

My sentiments exactly! When I read she was coming back "home," and for us, a preferable home port, we booked the return--same cabin we had on the eastbound in April. A year is soooooooo long! Come join us. ;)

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

I know the Epic is going to be cruising out of Port Canaveral for a time. Is there a repositioning cruise going to happen between UK and there sometime??

Not between UK. Next October Epic will sail from Barcelona to Port C spend winter 2016/17 there and head back to Barcelona in the Spring.

Beatles played on the opening night in the theatre and to be honest were the worst cover band we'd heard in ages!

Definitely had better ones last year and even on Spirit in March, not sure if these are temp as a lot got rotated last week.

Oh what a shame! Doesn't sound like it was the same guys who were on our sailing then! As I said, they were super, really entertaining.

DSCN5133 by smilinglady, on Flickr

Is Paul McCartney playing guitar left handed? Alan pointed out our lot the one playing him was playing his guitar right handed and Paul's a lefty lol. But no these were out of tune and didn't even attempt a Liverpool accent

 

Full list of changes.

 

Replacing 2 Engines

Moderno/Cagney bar being moved to centre like on away class.

Photo gallery area - being gutted and new library built.

Bliss - removing the bowling alley and refurb.

Fat cats. Cavern club - bar and dance floor being added

Italian restaurant being replaced with that big tree being removed.

Most carpets being replaced

On pool deck the kids area is being replaced with a water mini golf.

Hi Craig!

Thanks for the update. I figured something was going to give under the hood for her to be extended in dry dock but TWO engine failures? Wow!! I can't say I'm surprised with where she was delivered from and how she almost didn't make it out in one piece!

I'll be eager to see the modifications to the Italian restaurant. I'm sure seating will be placed there instead and the openings to the buffet above closed over. The new mini golf seems intriguing and worth a check as well!

Best news you provided wasn't even in this update but in ones further down... the theater closed early to get ready for Priscilla's BUS! Woohoo! Now that's going to be some smashing good entertainment! :D I can't wait!

Can wait to sail on her in 67 days and counting [emoji3]

Thanks for the update