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Just back from EPIC B2B

UK_Cruiser

By UK_Cruiser,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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UK_Cruiser

UK_Cruiser

Posted
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Hi All

 

Well EPIC did not dissapoint. It really is a magnificent ship, however, all is not perfect but then is anything. Will possibly post a full review later, started a "Live From" thread whilst on board but soon lost interest due to high internet costs and to be honest too busy enjoying myself. For the mean time these are some of my thoughts:

 

Rooms: We had room 8108 Standard Balcony room, bed near the balcony. This was a lovely room, mid ship with no lifeboat obstructing view. The room itself was very nice with plenty of storage, no issues at all with bathroom arrangement.

 

Blue Man Group: Did this first night. Was ok and a good bit of fun but once was enough

 

Cirque: Didn't bother. Heard good and bad reviews but mostly just average and premium seating hit and miss as some people were seated with backs to the show. I met two couples that walked out of show and one couple that managed to get their money back due to poor seating.

 

Legends: Loved it. We saw it twice. Elvis is magnificent but all the performers and dancers were very very good. Very slick production.

 

Howl: Never really did it for us. We tried it 4 or 5 times but it was never well attended and the same songs every night. Week one performers were no where near as good as week two performers.

 

Slam Allen in Fat Cats: WOW !!!! Absolutely fantastic. What a band ! Loats and lots of audience participation and a fantastic atmosphere everysingle night. Ron Brown (Guest keyboard player that plays in Taste) is the coolest guy on the planet and he can really play the Blues ! On Penultimate night in Fat Cats it was standing room only with around 6 or 7 members of the audience making a guest appearance on guitar, vocals, drums, keys, harmonica. Fantastic.

 

Second City: Didn't bother with this

 

Jeff Hobson (Comedy Magician): Brilliant ! Saw him two nights running in the Theatre. Good crowd both nights and an excellent show. What a showman.

 

Wes John: (Guitar player in Maltings): Fantastic guitarist and vocalist. Used to listen to him nightly whilst having pre dinner drinks. Top bloke as well.

 

Manhattan Room: Didn't like this as much as Taste. Tried it twice and both times a bit chaotic although it was nice to listen to the Manhattan band whilst eating.

 

Taste: Tried it 3 times and preffered it by far to Manhattan room. Much nicer environment in my opinion serving the same food. Far better service as well. All other occasions we paid for evening meals in speciality restaurants.

 

La Cucina: Ate here twice. Nice setting at front of ship. Nice menu and good service. Well worth $10 of anybodys money.

 

Cagneys: Ate here once. Loved it.

 

Moderno: Didn't try as wife is a non meat eater and no matter how good the salad bar we weren't paying $18 for salad. Plus I am not exactly a big eater so all that you can eat meat would have been wasted on me.

 

Le Bistro: Loved it. Especially the Escargot.

 

Tepanyaki: What a load of rubbish. Tasteless food and minimal showmanship from chefs. When I say tasteless that isn't strictly true. Just that everything tasted exactly the same soaked in Soy Sauce.

 

Noodle Bar: Amazing

 

Shanghai's: Fantastic. Loved it 4 times !

 

O'Sheehans: Brilliant. Great bar albeit a bit noisy at times, huge selection of beers and other drinks and lovely food. Loved the Chicken Wings and Chicken Tenders.

 

Buffet: Was ok but we are not buffet fans largely due to the disgusting mess left behind by others. It is however probably the nicest looking buffet restaurant and no problems getting a seat. We used to use the great outdoors for breakfast but only ever had fruit and yoghurts and sometimes pastries.

 

Spice H20: They do some lovely curries there at lunch time. We never ate the snacks/appetisers that are available after 6 PM.

 

Room Service: Tried it once.......stone cold food

 

Wasabi: Didn't try

 

 

 

Main Pool Area: No problem with small pools. Never saw more than 20 people in each pool. This area of deck 15 is ram packed with people on sea days and it really is very difficult to walk through this area. Huge area of this deck lost to Garden Buffet and Great outdoors and Wave bar area and then of course the slides. We tried the slides on the last day and they were great fun.

 

The Market Place Deck 15: Wind Tunnel

 

Spice H20: Nice area. Was difficult to get a seat on sea days but if you tried again after 1PM you could usually get a chair. The bar guys and waiters did a good job of making sure it stayed adults only. We saw them make kids leave the pool on two occasions. The kids parents stood and watched them climb in despite signs up stating Adults Only. Spice was used extensively for evening entertainment in week one (White Hot Party, Fabba, Dancing to DJ, Latin night, Quest and Newlywed show) and all events were really well attended, particularly the White Hot Party, Fabba and dancing to DJ. Week two, all this was held in Bliss. I think they were a bit concerned about possible inclement weather due to approaching hurricanes but also it looked like they had a few technical issues with lighting last week as they were working on lights all day last Monday or Tuesday whilst at sea.

 

 

Epic Myths:

 

The smoke from the Casino does NOT "waft up the attrium". We only ever smelt smoke when walking through area of casino from attrium towards Cascades bar/Shanghai/Fat Cats

 

The Rooms do NOT smell of smoke. This was discussed on our meet and mingle cabin crawl and not one person out of 50 mentioned that their room smelt of smoke.

 

Bathroom Myths: Rooms do not steam up or smell. More than adequate permanent extraction is installed. We never once had problem "flooding" our room due to a shallow sink and we found the sink to be perfectly adequate.

 

Open Balconies: We never once had "trash" or cigarette ash falling down onto us whilst using the balcony nor did we smell cigar or cigarette smoke whilst using balcony.

 

Shows: Do NOT completely sell out on day one. All week, both weeks the box office had a digital sign stating that space was available for all shows including Cirque (albeit limited for Cirque). BMG and Legends was only 80 - 90% full on the three times we visited the theatre to watch these shows.

 

 

 

 

Staff: All of the staff were fantastic in our opinion although the guest services staff were sometimes surly but then you would be when you have to deal with some of the rudest people I have ever encountered. Some of the behaviour I saw at guest services from some guests was appalling. We found the staff to be far far friendlier than on RCI. This was our first ever NCL cruise and we will definitely return and this has a lot to do with the fantastic staff. Our room Steward Jun from Phillipines, Aura (from Peru) in Maltings and Dewar (from Bali, Indonesia) in Maltings in particular stood out for us but as I said I think all of the staff were lovely people.

 

 

 

Overall Conclusion of Epic:

 

She is big and yes we did notice the amount of people on board. Pool Deck was extremely busy (obviously) but so was Casino and due to the design of the ship you encounter the Casino every day no matter what. At night it really can be chaotic to get around via the casino. I personally think NCL are onto a winner with this ship although they have crammed an awful lot into this ship and in particular on the pool deck which is all a bit of a mess to be honest. I predict that this ship will be a massive winner for NCL when it comes to the Med next summer. Would I do 14 days on board Epic again ? No. It really WAS too long in our opinion and the farce of getting off in Miami and back on again for B2B was a joke. We were all told (about 200 of us) it would be a breeze and that we would be off by 10:30 and back on by 11:00. The tuth was we were off at 11:45 (after waiting for 1hr 15 in Attrium Bar) and were not back on until almost 12:30.

 

First ever NCL cruise and we loved it. We may go back to RCI for Oasis or Allure but we will definitely return to NCL very soon.

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Cruisin'cockney

Cruisin'cockney

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Just got off the same B2B as Mike (Mike - I think I saw you in Fat Cats on more than one occasion) and have to say that I agree with pretty much everything he said. Looking forward to his review but suspect it will tell me exactly what I already know i.e. that this is a fantastic ship that truly breaks the mould. Not wanting to pre-empt what he will say but my own thoughts on a couple of areas outlined by Mike:

 

1) Rooms - couldn't agree more. A big non-issue although I know that the layout is revelutionary and doesn't suit everyone. Sink is not ideal but they are a neat design with storage everywhere. Toilet and shower design "interesting" but not a major issue. We were offered an upgrade to a Deluxe Balcony at the end of week one but declined as they were not much bigger and we were comfortable where we were.

 

2) Cannot agree more about Slam Allen. The music is fantastic and the man himself is a mesmorizing showman. Saw him everynight he was on (5 nights a week). Almost worth the cruise fare alone! Everyone who enters the room is acknowledged with a nod and a smile and he has time for everyone.

 

3) Moderno - tried this and this is real meat lovers heaven. Great salad bar but suggest you don't eat at all that day to really appreciate the food on offer which is pretty good. Woth $18 of your money but only if a real meat lover with an enormous appetite.

 

4) Teppanyaki - Agree with Mike. However this depends entirely on your chef who is sometimes a great showman with culinary skill or (unfortunately like ours) a nervous novice who over does the soy and keeps showmanship to a minimum.

 

5) Jeff Hobson - Saw him 3 times (once in Spiegel and twice in Epic Theatre). Fantastic and highly entertaining.

 

6) BMG - A completely novel experience. DW not impressed but you cannot take your eyes off the action and is not an hour wasted. Have to experience this as cannot compare to any theatre experience on land or sea.

 

7) Cirque - Fantastic acrobatics and a decent meal. The non-acrobatic padding that accompanies the show is not to everyones taste and a little cringe making in parts. I would suggest worth the money if in a good standard seat i.e. on the balcony and not in the booths.

 

8) Murder Mystery - Hosted and performed by Second City. Worthwhile if you like Second City but too "American" for me i.e. a lot of references to US culture that just passes me by. Food OK.

 

9) Pool area - Never overcrowded unless you wanted to be right alongside the pools. Always found somewhere to sit. Slides fantastic but need to pick the right time as can get busy.

 

10) Legends - Good professional production. Especially recommend the Unplugged show in Manhattan Room.

 

11) O'Sheehans - Loved it! Good food and a great atmosphere. Great place for people watching.

 

Overall a great experience. 2 weeks a little long but 1 week not enough. Looking forward to Mike's review.

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UK_Cruiser

UK_Cruiser

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Hey Mike

Glad you had a good time overall. I will also be doing a b2b soon on Epic. Do you know who will be replacing Slam Allen when he leaves in Oct??

Also do you know when the Legends performers will be changing??

 

Thanks

 

 

I have no idea who will replace Slam Allen

 

I spoke to him at length. The band on board was a band he auditioned and put together specifically for Epic. He didn't have much time to do it apparently as he was a last minute addition to the ship after another act pulled out at the last minute.

 

Slam says he loves it on board and loves the rapport he gets going with passengers. He told me as it stands he is due to leave in October but MAY return for the Med cruises next year.

 

I believe the Legends gang are due to also run to October but I could be wrong.

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brfan

brfan

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I have no idea who will replace Slam Allen

 

I spoke to him at length. The band on board was a band he auditioned and put together specifically for Epic. He didn't have much time to do it apparently as he was a last minute addition to the ship after another act pulled out at the last minute.

 

Slam says he loves it on board and loves the rapport he gets going with passengers. He told me as it stands he is due to leave in October but MAY return for the Med cruises next year.

 

I believe the Legends gang are due to also run to October but I could be wrong.

 

Did he say when in October he will be leaving? I'm on the 9 October cruise and was looking forward to seeing his show a few times during the week.

 

As far as having to get off the ship during a back to back, I believe the blame lies with Customs as I believe all passengers have to be off and cannot return or start the boarding process until they clear the ship.

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sottovoce

sottovoce

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Bathroom Myths: Rooms do not steam up or smell. More than adequate permanent extraction is installed. We never once had problem "flooding" our room due to a shallow sink and we found the sink to be perfectly adequate.

Ah, Mr Luckytoo should read this, but, alas, he only reads the negative NCL threads. Pity.

 

Very thoughtful and well-written review, UK_Cruiser. Our sentiments are amazingly similar based on our Epic trans-Atlantic, with the exception that we preferred Manhattan to Taste

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UK_Cruiser

UK_Cruiser

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Ah, Mr Luckytoo should read this, but, alas, he only reads the negative NCL threads. Pity.

 

Very thoughtful and well-written review, UK_Cruiser. Our sentiments are amazingly similar based on our Epics trans-Atlantic, with the exception that we preferred Manhattan to Taste

 

 

I even turned the tap on full blast just to experiment. Guess what ? No splashing or flooding. Some people really do like to make an issue out of nothing.

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NEW 2 CRUISIN

NEW 2 CRUISIN

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Thanks for the reviews guys!

 

Some day I'll make time for a B2B cruise -- sounds like a great chance to see both sides of the Caribbean with enough rest time mixed in!

 

Seeing as the onboard entertainment lineup will most likely change at least twice before my cruise next year, I'm curious to follow who comes and goes. In my eyes, keeping it fresh is the best way to go and gives repeat customers something new to see. Sounds like the bar was set pretty high with Jeff Hobson, the first round of "Legends" performers and Slam Allen, so it will be interesting to see how they "top" that lineup!

 

Thanks again for sharing!

:)

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mylesf

mylesf

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Did he say when in October he will be leaving? I'm on the 9 October cruise and was looking forward to seeing his show a few times during the week.

 

As far as having to get off the ship during a back to back, I believe the blame lies with Customs as I believe all passengers have to be off and cannot return or start the boarding process until they clear the ship.

 

Slam Allen and his band will leave the ship Oct 2nd and will be replaced with a band out of New Orleans.

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I.Like.Beer

I.Like.Beer

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In regards to Slam Allen/Fat Cats, is it always jam packed and standing room only? Sounds like this type of music is right up my alley and I'd love to check it out, but don't so much look forward to being shoulder-to-shoulder with people packed in a room.

 

Glad to hear no kids rule enforced in Spice H2O.

 

Glad to hear the ship is not smoky.

 

Thanks for the review!!!! :D

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mylesf

mylesf

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In regards to Slam Allen/Fat Cats, is it always jam packed and standing room only? Sounds like this type of music is right up my alley and I'd love to check it out, but don't so much look forward to being shoulder-to-shoulder with people packed in a room.

 

Glad to hear no kids rule enforced in Spice H2O.

 

Glad to hear the ship is not smoky.

 

Thanks for the review!!!! :D

 

I never had a problem getting a seat and did not feel cramped...

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bcakes

bcakes

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Oh man! I was really looking forward to seeing Slam Allen on our upcoming December cruise. I guess that won't be happening after all :(

 

My sentiments exactly. I'm sure the replacement will be good too, but Slam Allen has gotten such consistently great reviews that I can't help but feel disappointed.

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mylesf

mylesf

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Ahhh, well that is good to hear. But I also think the OP stated it was a standing room only venue? Having a chair would be great! (So long as people don't fill in and stand in front of me!) :D

 

Been on the Epic twice and spent a lot of time in Fat Cat's. There are plenty of chairs, couches and tables...

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