Epic Disappointment

As someone who was really, really excited about getting on board the TA I can say the actual experience didn't live up to my expectations.

While I will do a complete cruise review discussing many of the pro's the ship offers there are lots of cons as well - most notably the cabins.

If you are thinking about booking a cruise for the Epic you need to ask yourself certain questions in order to not be disappointed:

1. Do you use the pool deck a lot, in particular the pools? If yes this in NOT the ship for you

2. Do you like to see/hear lots of kids? If no then DON'T book on this ship?

3. If you spend lots of time in your cabins be SURE you don't mind a european style room

4. If you are modest in the least, you will be disappointed with these cabins. If you or your partner goes to the bathroom in the middle of the night expect to wake up the other person - there is NO PRIVACY

5. If you prefer a quiet ship - Don't book this ship. There is no library, the atrium is noisy with a crappy coffee area.

As someone who was really, really excited about getting on board the TA I can say the actual experience didn't live up to my expectations.

 

While I will do a complete cruise review discussing many of the pro's the ship offers there are lots of cons as well - most notably the cabins.

 

If you are thinking about booking a cruise for the Epic you need to ask yourself certain questions in order to not be disappointed:

 

1. Do you use the pool deck a lot, in particular the pools? If yes this in NOT the ship for you

 

2. Do you like to see/hear lots of kids? If no then DON'T book on this ship?

 

3. If you spend lots of time in your cabins be SURE you don't mind a european style room

 

4. If you are modest in the least, you will be disappointed with these cabins. If you or your partner goes to the bathroom in the middle of the night expect to wake up the other person - there is NO PRIVACY

 

5. If you prefer a quiet ship - Don't book this ship. There is no library, the atrium is noisy with a crappy coffee area.

So.....out of all of the above....I only have to ask, What's wrong with the pool area?

More details, please.

So.....out of all of the above....I only have to ask, What's wrong with the pool area?

Waaaayyy too small for 4,000 passengers.

the I pool resembles one of those lap pools that you see in magazines.

the other pool (P shaped) isn't any bigger.

If you are thinking about booking a cruise for the Epic you need to ask yourself certain questions in order to not be disappointed:

1. Do you use the pool deck a lot, in particular the pools? If yes this in NOT the ship for you Nope, can't be out in the sun for long.

2. Do you like to see/hear lots of kids? If no then DON'T book on this ship?

That's why I have a nice large balcony - for a quiet place all for me and DH.

3. If you spend lots of time in your cabins be SURE you don't mind a European style room

I do love that style!

4. If you are modest in the least, you will be disappointed with these cabins. If you or your partner goes to the bathroom in the middle of the night expect to wake up the other person - there is NO PRIVACY

No problem, not an especially modest person.

5. If you prefer a quiet ship - Don't book this ship. There is no library, the atrium is noisy with a crappy coffee area. Actually prefer lots of activity on most cruises, now the crappy coffee is another issue :D

Thanks for the update, sounds like I will have a fabulous time in September!

Waaaayyy too small for 4,000 passengers.

 

the I pool resembles one of those lap pools that you see in magazines.

 

the other pool (P shaped) isn't any bigger.

 

what is that six legged thing......a car wash......:D

As someone who was really, really excited about getting on board the TA I can say the actual experience didn't live up to my expectations.

 

While I will do a complete cruise review discussing many of the pro's the ship offers there are lots of cons as well - most notably the cabins.

 

If you are thinking about booking a cruise for the Epic you need to ask yourself certain questions in order to not be disappointed:

 

1. Do you use the pool deck a lot, in particular the pools? If yes this in NOT the ship for you

 

2. Do you like to see/hear lots of kids? If no then DON'T book on this ship?

 

3. If you spend lots of time in your cabins be SURE you don't mind a european style room

 

4. If you are modest in the least, you will be disappointed with these cabins. If you or your partner goes to the bathroom in the middle of the night expect to wake up the other person - there is NO PRIVACY

 

5. If you prefer a quiet ship - Don't book this ship. There is no library, the atrium is noisy with a crappy coffee area.

1. The atrium was noisy because the World Cup was being broadcast on the 2-storey screen.....

2. The pools were closed because the sea was a little choppy. The pool you photographed was not the only pool. There's another beside it, another at the rear of the ship, another in the Courtyard (not accessible to everyone, but reducing the number of people who would be likely trying to use the pooldeck)

3. We hardly saw any kids during the TA. Maybe because we hung out in the casino, and not in the kids club? Go where kids go, and you'll find kids. Go where adults go, and find fewer kids. Logical.

4. I loved the euro-style rooms....simply loved them. The frosting on the toilet door is opaque. You could NOT tell someone was in the bathroom. Yes, there were a couple of other issues, but they were mostly fit & finish issues which will work themselves out over a short period. (lighting, and noisy door on toilet). The majority of rooms have an opaque curtain to create privacy. The Spa Suites curtain is more decorative, and DOES create a lighting issue in the cabin. We got around it by bringing tiny foam earplugs and airline-style eye masks......maybe while things shake-out, NCL could provide these in-cabin.

5. We found nice quiet areas in the EPIC Lounge (for suite & courtyard guests), noticed people reading just outside of Wasabi (next to Maltings), and again in the lounge next to the Ice Bar. The Living Room (for Studios) also seemed like a fairly subdued zone, and the Art Gallery / Internet Cafe / Photo Studio were a huge collective space which was mostly unoccupied, the entire cruise.

Stephen

what is that six legged thing......a car wash......:D

In my experience, all 6-legged things ARE, indeed, car-washes. ;)

In all the cruises I have ever done never have I set foot in a pool and travelled mostly Off Season. That takes care of two of your pointers. In Off Season (to include non-holiday sailings) the ship is more liky to carry a lot less kids and families also taking care of some of those issues as well as maybe carrying a quieter demographic of passengers, making it easier to find a quiet place to relax and read. The rooms to me are a non-issue.

1. The atrium was noisy because the World Cup was being broadcast on the 2-storey screen.....

 

Yes but it was noisey most of the time due to the pub-like experiences of O'Sheehans as well. Unlike other cruise lines where the atrium can be relaxing this one never was.

2. The pools were closed because the sea was a little choppy. The pool you photographed was not the only pool. There's another beside it, another at the rear of the ship, another in the Courtyard (not accessible to everyone, but reducing the number of people who would be likely trying to use the pooldeck)

Yes I included a photo of the other pool (P shaped) on another thread. Both are tiny. As for the Courtyard pool - that is limited to those who paid for it. The pool in the rear - are you referring to Spice H2O? I never saw it as a pool only when the performers were on it.

 

3. We hardly saw any kids during the TA. Maybe because we hung out in the casino, and not in the kids club? Go where kids go, and you'll find kids. Go where adults go, and find fewer kids. Logical.

I spent LOTS of time in the casino playing tables and tournaments - even won the second BJ tournament. The problem with the kids on deck 15 on the last day is that when this ship is in the Carribbean they will overrun the adults. On this TA there couldn't have been that many. Most ships have deck areas for adults and mixed areas - when you are in the Spice H2O area the sports deck behind will be loaded with kids running up and down.

 

4. I loved the euro-style rooms....simply loved them. The frosting on the toilet door is opaque. You could NOT tell someone was in the bathroom. Yes, there were a couple of other issues, but they were mostly fit & finish issues which will work themselves out over a short period. (lighting, and noisy door on toilet). The majority of rooms have an opaque curtain to create privacy. The Spa Suites curtain is more decorative, and DOES create a lighting issue in the cabin. We got around it by bringing tiny foam earplugs and airline-style eye masks......maybe while things shake-out, NCL could provide these in-cabin.

While I thought the room decorations/style was lovely I was unhappy with the cabins. I recently sailed on the Equinox in December and greatly preferred those cabins to the Epic cabins. The beige curtain is a pain, allows noise on opening/closing, etc.,

5. We found nice quiet areas in the EPIC Lounge (for suite & courtyard guests), noticed people reading just outside of Wasabi (next to Maltings), and again in the lounge next to the Ice Bar. The Living Room (for Studios) also seemed like a fairly subdued zone, and the Art Gallery / Internet Cafe / Photo Studio were a huge collective space which was mostly unoccupied, the entire cruise.

I'm happy that you found the Epic lounge but for non-suite guests there isn't that option. On deck 7 next to the cigar smoking area is quiet and comfortable and we spent time there reading. The living room area - I wasn't a studio passenger so I wasn't there. I agree with you that the internet cafe/photo area seemed like an open area but hardly a place to sit and read. In fact the entire deck 5 region just seemed unfinished as compared to the rest of the ship.

 

Stephen

It goes to show two different perspectives from two different people. :D

In all the cruises I have ever done never have I set foot in a pool and travelled mostly Off Season. That takes care of two of your pointers. In Off Season (to include non-holiday sailings) the ship is more liky to carry a lot less kids and families also taking care of some of those issues as well as maybe carrying a quieter demographic of passengers, making it easier to find a quiet place to relax and read. The rooms to me are a non-issue.

I too was one who felt that the rooms would be a non-issue. I don't spend that much time in mine.

However these cabins, because of their design, will be very polarizing to cruisers; some will love them and some will hate them. All I am doing is simply tell you my experience and not "guessing" based on pictures.

As for a quieter demographic. First this is no library on the ship. That right there tells you something. The entertainment is constructed to be lively and vibrant. If you are a Celebrity/Princess/Holland cruiser who like to listen to strings then you won't like this ship.

Deck 15 will be a clusterf*** when the ship is full in the Carribbean with loads of kids - it WILL be filled with kids. The Nickelodean characters are there, Nick shows on board, the kids area is awsome!

If I were 13 or younger I would be BEGGING my parents to take me on this ship; with the slides and sports decks they will have an incredible time.

Hi all,

I must admit the pools are indeed a concern to me.

My daughter will be 15 when we sail next August in the Med (which i am expecting to be HOT HOT HOT) and loves swimming, she could swim all day and all night. I love a dip in the pool especially to cool down when it's hot as does my husband. Infact as a family we have spend many hours playing and swimming in pools on traditional land based holidays (2 years ago we had a private villa in the Med with a pool - bliss).

We booked a cruise because Husband and I have always wanted to do a family cruise (I went on the Oriana on one of her inaugrals many many years ago)

We chose the EPIC for many reasons, entertainment, thrill of a brand new(ish by time we sail) ship and the choice of 'freestyle' dining, we LOVE dining out as a family so this was a big factor and of course for the waterpark and pools area.

The waterpark is what sold the cruise idea to our daughter (she still has doubts and I know until she sails she wont be 100% sure about a cruise - it is to be our first family cruise)

I am now therefore rather concerned about the actual lack of pool area!! The pools all seem very very small considering the demographic that will be on the ship (yes we are expecting LOTS of families when we cruise - we wanted that so that our daughter will hopefully make some friends) and also considering the sheer volume of people on board.

I appreciate there is a pool at the rear, that however is adults only and also the size of a postage stamp! The courtyard area is not an option for us, we havent booked a villa as won't the majority of the passengers sailing infact.

I also know there is the Spa pool, again that isnt an option for children/younger teens and it costs extra (something husband and I do plan on using but not all the time as it will seggregate us from our daughter) but not everyone will want to have to pay a premium to use the facilities.

I just don't understand why NCL ever thought a couple of very tiny pools were a good idea? They knew the market they were aiming at, they knew the amount of potential onboard passengers ...where was their common sense and good design? The area is filled with wasted space that could of been larger pools, even the Spice H20 pool is a mass of wasted space that could of had a much bigger pool.

I simply don't understand their decisions. We won't be cancelling as we booked this on April 1st (as soon as the 2011 sailings went on sale here in UK) and have been looking forward to everything about the ship, but I do fear we are going to be sadly disappointed about the pool area as in reality they are far too small :(

Oh and yes, i know there are also the todder pool areas ( we wouldnt be using those though as none of us are toddlers :)

The library is a also a disappointment, mainly because I read absolutely loads on holiday and hoped to carry less books (nope dont want a sony book reader ;)) but as for an actual room, I'm happy reading anywhere! :D (I also kinda guessed from deck plans there would prob be no library on this ship)

Sam :)

As someone who was really, really excited about getting on board the TA I can say the actual experience didn't live up to my expectations.

 

While I will do a complete cruise review discussing many of the pro's the ship offers there are lots of cons as well - most notably the cabins.

 

If you are thinking about booking a cruise for the Epic you need to ask yourself certain questions in order to not be disappointed:

 

1. Do you use the pool deck a lot, in particular the pools? If yes this in NOT the ship for you

 

2. Do you like to see/hear lots of kids? If no then DON'T book on this ship?

 

3. If you spend lots of time in your cabins be SURE you don't mind a european style room

 

4. If you are modest in the least, you will be disappointed with these cabins. If you or your partner goes to the bathroom in the middle of the night expect to wake up the other person - there is NO PRIVACY

 

5. If you prefer a quiet ship - Don't book this ship. There is no library, the atrium is noisy with a crappy coffee area.

Sounds great in my opinion. Sounds like the livliest ship at sea :D

1. Do you use the pool deck a lot, in particular the pools? If yes this in NOT the ship for you

Mr. Luckytoo, have you seen the pictures with the fountains running? I think the change in size of the pools is in conjunction with these fountains as a complete package. Add in the water slides which are also fun water activity and I think the group you mention which usually spends a lot of time at the pools may indeed find Epic a very good water park and more interesting than just pools... just sayin... You may also be quite right and some will miss having more pool area, but a blanket statement that pool lovers will be dissappointed is an overstatement IMHO...

Pictures of the fountains in action in post #8 in this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1225300&highlight=fountains

I too was one who felt that the rooms would be a non-issue. I don't spend that much time in mine.

 

However these cabins, because of their design, will be very polarizing to cruisers; some will love them and some will hate them. All I am doing is simply tell you my experience and not "guessing" based on pictures.

 

As for a quieter demographic. First this is no library on the ship. That right there tells you something. The entertainment is constructed to be lively and vibrant. If you are a Celebrity/Princess/Holland cruiser who like to listen to strings then you won't like this ship.

 

Deck 15 will be a clusterf*** when the ship is full in the Carribbean with loads of kids - it WILL be filled with kids. The Nickelodean characters are there, Nick shows on board, the kids area is awsome!

 

If I were 13 or younger I would be BEGGING my parents to take me on this ship; with the slides and sports decks they will have an incredible time.

Can I just ask the following

1. Whatever made you think this ship would be anything other than lively ?

2. Why didn't you check before sailing that there was no library if it is such an issue for you ?

3. Why did you even bother booking without first checking the above ?

I too was one who felt that the rooms would be a non-issue. I don't spend that much time in mine.

 

However these cabins, because of their design, will be very polarizing to cruisers; some will love them and some will hate them. All I am doing is simply tell you my experience and not "guessing" based on pictures.

 

As for a quieter demographic. First this is no library on the ship. That right there tells you something. The entertainment is constructed to be lively and vibrant. If you are a Celebrity/Princess/Holland cruiser who like to listen to strings then you won't like this ship.

 

Deck 15 will be a clusterf*** when the ship is full in the Carribbean with loads of kids - it WILL be filled with kids. The Nickelodean characters are there, Nick shows on board, the kids area is awsome!

 

If I were 13 or younger I would be BEGGING my parents to take me on this ship; with the slides and sports decks they will have an incredible time.

I think you've hit the nail on the head here, and I would guess based on my own perceptions of the ship (pre AND post-sailing), that the X/Holland cruiser is not the target market.

If you were a Torontonian, you'd understand my reference that the ship is very Yorkville, and less Forest Hill. (both monied, but one young/hip/vibrant, the other 'old' money)

I got the impression also that the pools were small because that's what studies showed was needed....many varied spaces, so that the passenger load is distributed around the ship, not concentrated on the pool deck...the way other cruiselines insist.

Also, with the fountains, kids will be out of the pools and moving around.

There are decks on level 15, and also on levels 18 & 19 which are accessible to everyone....so there are outside areas which are above the din.

On the TA the weather was miserable...fog/rain/chill most days, and the pool deck sat empty most of the time....this certainly would change the passenger flow.

Even on the pool deck...the waterslides have 3 different splash-down areas, in addition to the pools....and you'll have kids in the sports area, rappelling, rock cliimbing, etc.... adults will probably gravitate to SpiceH2O.....time will tell, and many things can be tweaked once passenger behaviour is observed/recorded.

I guess I'm sounding defensive because your initial post was very negative, and I frankly thought that the 'absolute-ness' of it was misleading.

During the TA, perhaps your comments held....but speculating how people will behave in the Carribean when the ship has never been there, and then advising people to avoid the ship because of YOUR beliefs, deserved a rebuttal.

Give the ship time to sail in warm weather with kids, then give the line time to tweak/fine-tune policies, etc. and then re-assess....that's my advice.

Stephen

P.S. If I saw you at the tables, and I suspect I must have.... hello again! :)

I think you've hit the nail on the head here, and I would guess based on my own perceptions of the ship (pre AND post-sailing), that the X/Holland cruiser is not the target market.

 

If you were a Torontonian, you'd understand my reference that the ship is very Yorkville, and less Forest Hill. (both monied, but one young/hip/vibrant, the other 'old' money)

 

I got the impression also that the pools were small because that's what studies showed was needed....many varied spaces, so that the passenger load is distributed around the ship, not concentrated on the pool deck...the way other cruiselines insist.

 

Also, with the fountains, kids will be out of the pools and moving around.

 

There are decks on level 15, and also on levels 18 & 19 which are accessible to everyone....so there are outside areas which are above the din.

 

On the TA the weather was miserable...fog/rain/chill most days, and the pool deck sat empty most of the time....this certainly would change the passenger flow.

 

Even on the pool deck...the waterslides have 3 different splash-down areas, in addition to the pools....and you'll have kids in the sports area, rappelling, rock cliimbing, etc.... adults will probably gravitate to SpiceH2O.....time will tell, and many things can be tweaked once passenger behaviour is observed/recorded.

 

 

I guess I'm sounding defensive because your initial post was very negative, and I frankly thought that the 'absolute-ness' of it was misleading.

 

During the TA, perhaps your comments held....but speculating how people will behave in the Carribean when the ship has never been there, and then advising people to avoid the ship because of YOUR beliefs, deserved a rebuttal.

 

Give the ship time to sail in warm weather with kids, then give the line time to tweak/fine-tune policies, etc. and then re-assess....that's my advice.

 

Stephen

 

P.S. If I saw you at the tables, and I suspect I must have.... hello again! :)

I totally agree

I will not take any review seriously until it has sailed the set iteniaries in the Caribbean.

I couldn't think of anything worse than a transatlantic crossing especially on this type of ship. Miserable weather, pool decks unusable, everywhere else packed full of people.

This ship will appear so different once she is sailing the caribbean.

Mr. Luckytoo, have you seen the pictures with the fountains running? I think the change in size of the pools is in conjunction with these fountains as a complete package. Add in the water slides which are also fun water activity and I think the group you mention which usually spends a lot of time at the pools may indeed find Epic a very good water park and more interesting than just pools... just sayin... You may also be quite right and some will miss having more pool area, but a blanket statement that pool lovers will be dissappointed is an overstatement IMHO...

 

Pictures of the fountains in action in post #8 in this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1225300&highlight=fountains

You know what, I have trawled through all the photos, reviews, blogs etc religiously each day with great excitement and today thanks to you is the first time i have seen any photo with the pool are and fountains on!!!!!

I am now far less concerned about the pool areas!!!! :D

I had been fretting telling and showing husband and daughter about the teeny tiny pools but now I can show them that picture!! (I do still think the pools are way too small but the fountains are definately a plus)

I had honestly wondered why so much space was blue and if water would be a feature on top of the pools but as I had not seen or heard of any evidence to the fact I assummed it was all just 'space' - so I am now really really pleased to of seen this, I will happily sit under a fountain to cool off !

Phew :D much happier now!! I'm grinning away, Thankyou!!!

Sam :)

Can I just ask the following

 

1. Whatever made you think this ship would be anything other than lively ?

2. Why didn't you check before sailing that there was no library if it is such an issue for you ?

3. Why did you even bother booking without first checking the above ?

1. I never thought it wouldn't be lively - with Blue Man Group (which I enjoyed), Legends (not as good as Vegas but better than the usual cruise shows) and 2nd City (I like but the wife doesn't)

2. What cruise ship doesn't have a library? The ships people did have books on-board and they brought out boxes (yes boxes) for people to use on Day 2. We were told that it will be "built out" later but that they (NCL) didn't feel it was a priority with all the other things that had to be finished.

3. We did check out everything before booking.

I sailed the inaugural cruise from Southampton to NYC on the Epic. I have been excited about this inaugural sailing for the past few months and unfortunately NCL missed a great opportunity with this ship and this sailing.

The disappointments started right from the beginning in Southampton England. The boarding process was smooth -the lines were extremely long but once thru security people were allowed to board. After walking on board this is the first time I can remember not being greeted with either champagne or a mimosa. Instead we entered into the ship’s atrium where people were milling about and long lines had already formed at guest services. NCL didn’t provide people to give directions and it was mass confusion. Part of the problem was that the port had a cruising convention on board the ship as well as passengers.

Since it was already past 1 pm we went directly to our cabin to drop off our bags. To our dismay the cabin was dirty. While the bed had been made the coffee maker still had coffee in it with spilled coffee on the counter top. The mirrored cabinets had finger smudges all over them and a light coating of dust was on the end build-in. In addition we noticed that the air conditioner (AC) control panel was sitting on the counter and not installed.

After finding my cabin attendant and pointing out these things, he apologized and said he would get right on it. We left to walk around the ship. We had lunch in the Garden Café which is very nicely decorated. We did however find a joint that had a 2 inch gap open - apparently the cover/caulk hadn’t been completed.

When we returned to our cabin our luggage was there and we unpacked. Our cabin was a deluxe family balcony. That means that it has a tub and additional length.

Our luggage had arrived and we attempted to unpack. Firstly lets talk about this cabin. We stayed in cabin 9093 which is a deluxe family balcony,. Don’t believe NCL. For the two of us it was fine but for more than 2 people you WILL be disappointed.

The bed is very comfortable. The pillows and linen are fantastic. The lighting in the cabin is nicely done. The cabin colors are very relaxing. There are more build-ins then I could have imagined and it is a lacquered oak. The cabin TV was a flat screen. There is a coffee maker in the room with a nice (according to the wife) hair dryer. The cabin is stylish and very attractively styled.

Now for the problems and they are many: the cabin is too narrow and we were constantly bumping into each other. On several occasions she bumped her head into the overhead storage areas when I left them open and this was just the two of us. With 3 or more people in this room it will feel very cramped.

There is a curtain that separates the shower/tub and toilet from the remainder of the cabin. This is one of those ideas that may seen good on paper but in practice many people, the wife especially, did not care for it one bit. The toilet has a frosted glass sliding door which is supposed to provide privacy but don’t believe it for a moment. In addition due to the curve in this cabin this toilet area made me feel claustrophobic with the door closed. I am 6’ 230 pound former football player. It was cramped for me to use the toilet. If you are 300 pounds and larger you will have a difficult time shutting the door -that was why they made the door frosted otherwise you would feel like it was a coffin.

The other problem is the sound. You can hold a regular conversation with your cabin-mate without much difficulty. Unfortunately my wife didn’t like that fact and if you make any noises while on the toilet the other passengers in the cabin will know it as well. Because of the lighting if someone uses the toilet at night and turns on the light without closing the curtain everyone in the cabin knows.

The bathtub is larger than a regular tub. It is also higher. Therefore if you cannot step over a 30 inch wall to get into the tub/shower - don’t book this cabin type. Getting into the tub wasn’t a problem. Getting out onto the wood floor in rough seas “could” be a problem for some cruisers.

The sink sits in an area on top of the counters and is too small in diameter and too shallow. 85% of the time there is a mess after using it. The bright spot is the amount of cabin space for toiletries but larger sinks will have to be installed. The only garbage bin in our cabin was located under the sink and it was a build-in drawer.

The cabin looked like something out of an IKEA showroom floor, very compact and efficient. It had the feel of a luxury European room. While that is nice in Europe the American market, my wife and I in particular, were not happy and would not re-book on this ship because of this cabin configuration.

There were 11 settings on the TV

4 - Muster Drill continuous loop, 21 - view from the ship’s bridge, 22- interactive map showing ships position, weather conditions, etc., 23 - Nickelodeon, 24 - NCL promotions, 25 - MSNBC, 26 - Sky News, 27 - BBC World news, 28 - Sky 1HD, 29 - CNBC, 30 - composition of various taped programs

Interactive TV - this is typical of most hotels in which you can check on your account, description of shows, dining, services, etc. Many passengers on board did not have TV services but from what we observed they weren’t really missing anything. At night on channel 30 it was taped shows of Scrubs, friends, etc.,

The rooms throughout the ship are done very nicely - except for deck which has an unfinished feel to it. The service of the wait staff varied from eatery to eatery. The staff of O’Sheehans was by far the most friendly and efficient that we encountered on the ship. By the end of the cruise it felt like we were walking into Cheers! The food there was also great for breakfast and lunch and late night snacks.

We dined in the Moderno (Texas de Brazil) restaurant, Tappanyaki and La Cucina (Italian). Service in all three was very good, with exceptional service at Moderno and La Cucina.

Main Dining experiences in the Manhattan Club and Taste varied wildly. On the two occasions in which we ate at the Manhattan club (breakfast and lunch) the food took awhile to get there an was ok. We dined at Taste for dinner twice and really enjoyed the food and service was better. After talking to the staff it turns out that the galley for the Manhattan Club is located on deck 4 so the servers do a lot of up and down walking which may explain the longer wait times for food.

My biggest complaint about NCL and the Epic is that I feel the passengers on the TA were short changed. NCL didn’t really do anything to make this trip special. On the last night they provided free wine and beer between 5-6 but they cancelled the sail-away lattitudes party so…

There were many little things that were fixed by the end of the cruise, for example the dining signs on NCL showing which restaurants have waiting lines. The entrance to NYC was nothing special, the debarkation was a clusterf*** as well.

Not installing a AC unit and having cabins in which the shower mixer is not working is just shoddy workmanship. If this ship were a new car that I was purchasing from an auto dealer I would not have taken it home until they fixed all the bugs. There were French workers/contractors on board working throughout the TA and that just wasn’t right. NCL rushed this product to delivery and that left me feeling like they didn’t really care about me as a passenger.

1. I never thought it wouldn't be lively You sounded surprised that it was in your original post I thought - with Blue Man Group (which I enjoyed), Legends (not as good as Vegas but better than the usual cruise shows) and 2nd City (I like but the wife doesn't)

 

2. What cruise ship doesn't have a library? Errrrrr NCL Epic ?

 

3. We did check out everything before booking. Apart from "Does EPIC have a Library ?

I'm sure it would have seemed a better cruise if you were sailing the Caribbean

One doesn't have to have a library in order to read. Sure it would be nice, but I am sure there are other areas during the daytime when shows aren't running were you can find a quiet spot.

If a pool area is that much of a concern, do not book this ship. See if the new Carnival Magic will being doing the Med before she repositions to the US. It has a decent pool and water park area.

I totally agree

 

I will not take any review seriously until it has sailed the set iteniaries in the Caribbean.

 

I couldn't think of anything worse than a transatlantic crossing especially on this type of ship. Miserable weather, pool decks unusable, everywhere else packed full of people.

 

This ship will appear so different once she is sailing the caribbean.

I suppose the ship will be different hopefully they will fix the little things that mean so much to some of us. I hope the next people in cabin 9093 get a stopper in their cabin so they can actually use the tub that we didn't get a chance to use.

As for the pool decks around the rock climbing area it will be flooded (it was on the TA) due to water from the slides sloshing over and "not enough drains" (direct quote from a worker)

For an inaugural cruise NCL didn't dot their i's or cross their t's.

Was my cruise experience terrible? No! There were many things I enjoyed about the ship and the service in most eateries was some of the best I have received.

However if I had the opportunity to re-book this cruise with the knowlege and experience that I have now would I do it again?

No!

I'm sorry that you don't like to read my experiences but they are what they are. I hope everyone has a fantastic time when they are on the Epic.

I simply wanted to tell some of what I perceived as shortcomings. In business I operate mine along the lines of "undersell and overdeliver", also to make the customer happy.

Certain aspects such as Cirque Dreams, O'Sheehans, La Cucina and Moderno did that. Other parts of the ship didn't.

If a pool area is that much of a concern, do not book this ship. See if the new Carnival Magic will being doing the Med before she repositions to the US. It has a decent pool and water park area.

dmwnc, you've missed the pool part completely. I'm just telling you what I saw, first hand, not from pictures or drawings.

The two pools are very small. If you spend a lot of time in the pool just be prepared to be like a sardine.

I suppose the ship will be different hopefully they will fix the little things that mean so much to some of us. I hope the next people in cabin 9093 get a stopper in their cabin so they can actually use the tub that we didn't get a chance to use.

 

As for the pool decks around the rock climbing area it will be flooded (it was on the TA) due to water from the slides sloshing over and "not enough drains" (direct quote from a worker)

 

For an inaugural cruise NCL didn't dot their i's or cross their t's.

 

Was my cruise experience terrible? No! There were many things I enjoyed about the ship and the service in most eateries was some of the best I have received.

 

However if I had the opportunity to re-book this cruise with the knowlege and experience that I have now would I do it again?

 

No!

 

I'm sorry that you don't like to read my experiences but they are what they are. I hope everyone has a fantastic time when they are on the Epic.

 

I simply wanted to tell some of what I perceived as shortcomings. In business I operate mine along the lines of "undersell and overdeliver", also to make the customer happy.

 

Certain aspects such as Cirque Dreams, O'Sheehans, La Cucina and Moderno did that. Other parts of the ship didn't.

I apologise. I am in fact interested in what you have to say I just think that what you have described is EXACTLY what I would have expected sailing the Atlantic on a brand new cruise ship.