No WOW FACTOR with Epic ?

[Cruisin'cockney]

I'd rather say WOW getting off at the end of the cruise having experienced 2 weeks of mega vacation than WOW when I'm getting on!

[Rock Chick]

I reckon I'll be uttering several Wows;

 

1) when I step off the aircraft after a 9 hour flight in mid December to face the wonderful Miami heat.

 

2) When I look out of my hotel window overlooking the harbour

 

3) When I sit outside a cafe in the sunshine watching the ships and the world go by

 

4) When I watch the Epic arrive in the port

 

5) When I board the Epic as a single traveller and think, "Oh Wow, what the heck have I let myself in for?" :D :D :D

[k9sar]

I'd rather say WOW getting off at the end of the cruise having experienced 2 weeks of mega vacation than WOW when I'm getting on!

 

I'd rather say WOW in the cabin with my wife while the kids were somewhere else on the ship.:rolleyes:

[sjbdtz]

Yep. July 10th, boarded through the casino.

 

 

Not saying you didn't....but would love it if you could recall 'where' in the casino....was it toward O'Sheehan's, or Moderno? I keep replaying the casino layout in my mind, and can't visualize a doorway.

 

 

 

I'd rather say WOW in the cabin with my wife while the kids were somewhere else on the ship.:rolleyes:

 

Wow, this thread has way too many straight references. Somebody should hide the kids. :rolleyes:

[fi'fi]

My wow factor is being with my dh.

[dalyn]

I was on the August 14th sailing and we boarded through the casino. From what I remember as we came aboard the chandelier was right in front of us with the escalators to our right.

 

This was our fourth NCL cruise and certainly didn't feel welcomed at all. We missed the glass of champagne as we boarded. There was just one employee at a small desk that overlooked the chandelier giving out the ships maps. No-one asked if we wanted directions (as they have in previous cruises). On previous cruises staff have even offered to take us to the buffet or dining room for lunch. The pa kept announcing that lunch was available in the buffet. We actually made our way to Taste and it wasn't crowded at all.

 

As Scott mentioned, the only person to speak was the guy wanted to spray our hands!!

[14ersco]

On August 7 our cruise documents came with a terminal for check in; Terminal B or Terminal C. For Terminal C was the one that led into the casino. From the top of the starboard escalator follow along that wall as straight as possible to a dark corner on the outside starboard wall of the casino (near the blank area on the deck plans that lies between the casino and O'Sheehans). We had to actually wander among the gaming machines / tables to get the central hall of deck 6. This was also how we disembarked.

 

So for those passengers assigned to Terminal C you got your hands spritzed and then were left on your own to find your way into the ship. Last year as part of Freestyle 2.0 there were information tables set up at the entrance for some of the services available on your ship. So one could learn about spa services, specialty dining, kid's club, etc. We found this to be very convenient, because we would gather up the paperwork offered and go to lunch and read what to look forward to during our cruise. On the Epic you had to go to the location of the services to find out what they offered.

 

The entry way and welcome aboard to the Epic was less WOW than one would get at most mid-priced hotel chains (Hampton Inn, Residence Inn, etc.).

[eroller]

On our most recent cruise on Explorer of the seas (Voyager Class) we had

 

1. Main Dining Room

2. Windjammer (Buffet)

3. Portofino (Speciality restaurant)

4. Promenade Cafe (Pizza slices, desserts and sandwiches)

5. Johnny Rockets (Crappy junk food - horrific)

 

So as far as I am concerned that is 2 a la carte restaurants. We were on a 9 night cruise and got so bored. Plus it was like heavens waiting room on board.

 

 

Yes, and I recently sailed on NORWEGIAN SKY and was pretty bored and disappointed with the dining choices. This being said, you don't see me comparing SKY with OASIS. Don't compare an older RCI ship with EPIC.

 

Compare apples to apples, which is EPIC to OASIS. Both are the newest and largest ships RCI and NCL have to offer.

 

Bottom line, OASIS offers more dining options.

 

So I guess you are saying you won't be sailing on any ship besides OASIS and EPIC, as I would imagine you would be bored on the rest. No other ships sailing today offer as many dining options. I would hate to be so limited by only sailing two ships in the entire world.

 

Ernie

[eroller]

24 dining options? Uh, okay, I mean maybe Oasis has EPIC beat in dining options, but they don't have 24 unless you are counting 1) Cupcake cupboard 2) Mondo Coffee bar 3) Vintages (although they do have tapas) 4) Boardwalk Donut shop 5) Ice Cream Parler 6) You are counting the main Dining room twice (Decks 3 & 4 are traditional timing and My family time dining, while Deck 5 is My Time dining.) 7. The concierge lounge which is equal to the EPIC club 8) and Room Service. This is coming from a pdf I found on RCCL website.

 

Based on NCL's website the EPIC has

1) Cagney's Steakhouse

2) Courtyard Grill

3) Epic Club

4) Garden Café/Kid's Café

5) Great Outdoors

6) La Cucina Italian Restaurant

7) Le Bistro French Restaurant

8) Moderno Churrascaria

8) Noodle Bar

9) O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill

10) Pizza 24/7 +

Room Service

I combine these since they are pretty much the same

11) Shanghai's Chinese Restaurant

12)Spiegel Tent - Cirque Dreams & Dinner

13)Taste

14) Teppanyaki

15) The Manhattan Room

16)Wasabi Sushi Bar

 

If you take away from Oasis places that don't serve actual food, but just donuts or ice cream, etc. then they have 19 to EPICs 16. Still more but not 24. And most of EPICs dining is more substantial food than the snack places listed on Oasis, but I will give the benefit of the doubt since I haven't sailed either yet. Man do I need to get a life or what? :)

 

 

Hmm. If you want to get technical.

 

1. Great Outdoors is only a seating area for the buffet restaurant. I didn't see actual food being served there like it is a different restaurant.

 

2. Courtyard Grill and Epic Club are essentially the same restaurant, except one is "outdoor" so to speak, but it's all closed in and so hot that no one was eating there when I saw it. Also, the vast majority of passengers will never see this venue.

 

3. Don't Taste and The Manhattan Room serve from exactly the same dinner menu? They may be two different spaces but I think they serve exactly the same food.

 

Regarding OASIS, I didn't count the restaurants myself. Most websites stated 24 dining venues so that is what I went with. I agree that some of them might be a stretch calling it a "dining venue", but all cruise lines stretch a bit in their marketing materials. Having sailed on OASIS for a week, I can say without hesitation there was probably more dining variety than you can possibly experience in a week, unless you do nothing but eat. I supposed there are people that do that on cruises?

 

Ernie

[scottct1]

On August 7 our cruise documents came with a terminal for check in; Terminal B or Terminal C. For Terminal C was the one that led into the casino.

Yes indeed we were Terminal C. I wasnt aware they had more then one termial per ship and assumbed Termina A and B were for the other two docked ships.

 

I didn't understand the hand sanatizing thing... I saw a kid get his hands spreyed then wipe his running nose all over his freshly cleaned hands. So I am not sure what good the hand sanitizer did. :)

[eroller]

On August 7 our cruise documents came with a terminal for check in; Terminal B or Terminal C. For Terminal C was the one that led into the casino.

 

 

Yes, this was my experience as well. I boarded the ship from Terminal C and entered into the casino on Deck 6. I disembarked forward at the Entertainment Kiosk and into Terminal B.

 

Ernie

[Keeper420]

Hmm. If you want to get technical.

 

1. Great Outdoors is only a seating area for the buffet restaurant. I didn't see actual food being served there like it is a different restaurant.

 

2. Courtyard Grill and Epic Club are essentially the same restaurant, except one is "outdoor" so to speak, but it's all closed in and so hot that no one was eating there when I saw it. Also, the vast majority of passengers will never see this venue.

 

3. Don't Taste and The Manhattan Room serve from exactly the same dinner menu? They may be two different spaces but I think they serve exactly the same food.

 

Regarding OASIS, I didn't count the restaurants myself. Most websites stated 24 dining venues so that is what I went with. I agree that some of them might be a stretch calling it a "dining venue", but all cruise lines stretch a bit in their marketing materials. Having sailed on OASIS for a week, I can say without hesitation there was probably more dining variety than you can possibly experience in a week, unless you do nothing but eat. I supposed there are people that do that on cruises?

 

Ernie

 

All good points, although I think Taste and Manhattan have the same overall menu, I think they have "specials" that are different. But don't quote me on that, as I said before I haven't sailed either boat yet. I just thought it funny when it was said 24 dining venues and some of them were donut shoppe and ice cream bar! :) If you want to dine at a donut shoppe kudos to you! :) LOL But yes they all stretch. But in comparing Oasis to EPIC when looking for a cruise, my first thought was, sheesh EPIC must be trying to appeal the "Foodie" crowd. I didn't have that reaction when looking at Oasis' offerings.

[orangegrove]

We were terminal b and we walked into where the Epic Theater and Spiegel Tent were. My first pictures are of the Spiegel Tent interior. We then went to Headliner's to drop off our bags. So our "Wow" was the Spiegel Tent. :rolleyes:

We didn't care, we were here! :)

[UK_Cruiser]

Yes, and I recently sailed on NORWEGIAN SKY and was pretty bored and disappointed with the dining choices. This being said, you don't see me comparing SKY with OASIS. Don't compare an older RCI ship with EPIC.

 

Compare apples to apples, which is EPIC to OASIS. Both are the newest and largest ships RCI and NCL have to offer.

 

Bottom line, OASIS offers more dining options.

 

So I guess you are saying you won't be sailing on any ship besides OASIS and EPIC, as I would imagine you would be bored on the rest. No other ships sailing today offer as many dining options. I would hate to be so limited by only sailing two ships in the entire world.

 

Ernie

 

 

What utter utter nonsense.

 

I have also sailed Liberty and Freedom which basically had exactly the same plus one further speciality restaurant, Chops Steakhouse.

 

NCL Gem class ships have loads loads more dining options than any Freedom class ship and they are around the same age.

 

Oasis and Allure are the only other RCI ships I would now be interested in sailing, there are ate least 3 or 4 other NCL ships I would consider.

[eroller]

What utter utter nonsense.

 

I have also sailed Liberty and Freedom which basically had exactly the same plus one further speciality restaurant, Chops Steakhouse.

 

NCL Gem class ships have loads loads more dining options than any Freedom class ship and they are around the same age.

 

Oasis and Allure are the only other RCI ships I would now be interested in sailing, there are ate least 3 or 4 other NCL ships I would consider.

 

 

While I can appreciate the fact you may not agree with me, calling my post "utter nonsense" is rather short sighted. Is this how you typically react to a different perspective or something you don't agree with?

 

My point is valid, and to reiterate it's about comparing apples to apples. If you want to compare the Star/Jewel Class ships with the Voyager/Freedom Class go right ahead. That is a fair comparison. Likewise with OASIS and EPIC, as again these ships are the newest and largest for both RCI and NCL and comparing them is appropriate.

 

Personally I have sailed on the Star/Jewel Class as well as the Voyager/Freedom Class and frankly there is no comparison. The Voyager/Freedom Class is superior in almost every respect. The RCI ships historically garner higher per diems as well, so I'm guessing I'm not alone in my thinking.

 

Yes the Star/Jewel Class have more dining options, but certainly that alone does not make them superior ships. I find the overall experience much more substantial on the Voyager/Freedom Class. I found the Star/Jewel Class lacking in many respects. There were restaurants yes, but because of the way these restaurants and galleys are positioned, it leaves the ship with a choppy layout. Also during the day when many of the restaurants were closed the ship seemed dead. Who wants to look at empty restaurants? The pool area (which is very important to me) was really lacking as well compared to the Voyager/Freedom Class, and there was no adults only section. Now NCL has removed the Spinnaker Lounge on the STAR which leaves one less public venue, and frankly the best one the ship had to offer. Hopefully they don't do this to the rest of the fleet but the bean counters have a way of winning out.

 

It seems the choice of restaurants is very important to you. I like variety too, but frankly I don't take cruises because of the food. I live in Miami and no mass-market ship can compare to the restaurant options I have right in my back yard. The quality, service, and variety just don't compare. Perhaps if you live in a more rural area or a small town the cruise ship restaurant choices are more impressive? I've also found that quality is far more important than quantity when it comes to cruise ship dining options. On a mass-market ship in the main dining areas, you are basically provided banquet style food prepared on a large scale. The speciality restaurants are somewhat elevated from this because of their smaller size, but of course you pay extra. The best meals I have ever experienced at sea were not in a specialty restaurant, but in the Princess Grill on Cunard, and main dining room on Silversea. Interestingly enough, these ships have very few dining options besides the main restaurant. It didn't matter, the service, selection, quality, presentation, and taste were all impeccable. There were also unique touches like "silver service" and tableside food preparation. Yes, the "grills" on Cunard and Silversea are going to cost more than NCL, but if food is that important to you perhaps you should consider it?

 

Ernie

[jnjsmom]

Ocean Village: No

 

Royal Caribbean: No

 

NCL: No

 

You'd have to have a lot of staff to guide 5000 people to their cabins particularly when the cabins aren't even ready so that would be pointless.

 

I've sailed Royal Caribbean many times and EVERY time we boarded there was someone smiling at the entrance to say "Welcome Aboard" also, there was live music playing and a certain excitement that made you feel like your vacation had officially started.

 

Do I need a friendly hello? No, I don't NEED it but I sure to like it! :-)

 

Not a deal-breaker though.

[hat776]

We always had someone welcome us on board each time we sailed on NCL. Other wise I'd feel I had just sneaked on.

Regarding the mention of all the dining options - I think we'd better say that you have to pay extra for most of them. Otherwise someone new to cruising or to CC won't realise that. Many, many people save up for their cruise and eat exclusively in the MDR.

[UK_Cruiser]

While I can appreciate the fact you may not agree with me, calling my post "utter nonsense" is rather short sighted. Is this how you typically react to a different perspective or something you don't agree with?

 

My point is valid, and to reiterate it's about comparing apples to apples. If you want to compare the Star/Jewel Class ships with the Voyager/Freedom Class go right ahead. That is a fair comparison. Likewise with OASIS and EPIC, as again these ships are the newest and largest for both RCI and NCL and comparing them is appropriate.

 

Personally I have sailed on the Star/Jewel Class as well as the Voyager/Freedom Class and frankly there is no comparison. The Voyager/Freedom Class is superior in almost every respect. The RCI ships historically garner higher per diems as well, so I'm guessing I'm not alone in my thinking.

 

Yes the Star/Jewel Class have more dining options, but certainly that alone does not make them superior ships. I find the overall experience much more substantial on the Voyager/Freedom Class. I found the Star/Jewel Class lacking in many respects. There were restaurants yes, but because of the way these restaurants and galleys are positioned, it leaves the ship with a choppy layout. Also during the day when many of the restaurants were closed the ship seemed dead. Who wants to look at empty restaurants? The pool area (which is very important to me) was really lacking as well compared to the Voyager/Freedom Class, and there was no adults only section. Now NCL has removed the Spinnaker Lounge on the STAR which leaves one less public venue, and frankly the best one the ship had to offer. Hopefully they don't do this to the rest of the fleet but the bean counters have a way of winning out.

 

It seems the choice of restaurants is very important to you. I like variety too, but frankly I don't take cruises because of the food. I live in Miami and no mass-market ship can compare to the restaurant options I have right in my back yard. The quality, service, and variety just don't compare. Perhaps if you live in a more rural area or a small town the cruise ship restaurant choices are more impressive? I've also found that quality is far more important than quantity when it comes to cruise ship dining options. On a mass-market ship in the main dining areas, you are basically provided banquet style food prepared on a large scale. The speciality restaurants are somewhat elevated from this because of their smaller size, but of course you pay extra. The best meals I have ever experienced at sea were not in a specialty restaurant, but in the Princess Grill on Cunard, and main dining room on Silversea. Interestingly enough, these ships have very few dining options besides the main restaurant. It didn't matter, the service, selection, quality, presentation, and taste were all impeccable. There were also unique touches like "silver service" and tableside food preparation. Yes, the "grills" on Cunard and Silversea are going to cost more than NCL, but if food is that important to you perhaps you should consider it?

 

Ernie

 

 

I give up I really do.

[time2cruise1]

I give up I really do.

 

Smart move. The fact is the Epic should be compared to the Freedom Class ships. They are about the same size. Oasis and Allure are in a class by themselves a full Jewel Class ship larger then the Epic.

[eroller]

Smart move. The fact is the Epic should be compared to the Freedom Class ships. They are about the same size. Oasis and Allure are in a class by themselves a full Jewel Class ship larger then the Epic.

 

 

No, the fact is that ships should not be compared on size alone. If that were the case, I would be comparing QM2 with EPIC, which are essentially the same size. I would not make that comparison as it's apples to oranges.

 

It's appropriate to compare OASIS to EPIC because they are the newest and most innovative ships in their respective fleets, they compete for the same market share, they both sail on 7-day Caribbean cruises out of South Florida, and both ships make claims of being the most innovative in their class.

 

Ernie

[ColinIllinois]

Ah, so size does matter. ;)

[eroller]

Ah, so size does matter. ;)

 

 

Size always matters! ;)

[time2cruise1]

No, the fact is that ships should not be compared on size alone. If that were the case, I would be comparing QM2 with EPIC, which are essentially the same size. I would not make that comparison as it's apples to oranges.

 

It's appropriate to compare OASIS to EPIC because they are the newest and most innovative ships in their respective fleets, they compete for the same market share, they both sail on 7-day Caribbean cruises out of South Florida, and both ships make claims of being the most innovative in their class.

 

Ernie

 

Erinie like Mike I can't agree with you but that is my opinion and you have yours.

[cowbuoy]

Price matters the most. We can sail on a balcony on the Epic, eat in a speciality restaurant every night, have all the drinks we care to, have superior entertainment and still spend considerably less than we would than if we sailed on the Oasis in a balcony cabin and ate only in the MDR.

[eroller]

Erinie like Mike I can't agree with you but that is my opinion and you have yours.

 

 

Ok, I can respect that but are you saying it's ok for me to compare QM2 with EPIC because they are the same size?

 

Ernie