Family Cruise on the EPIC - lots of photos

[#1TravelMom]

I thought I'd post a link to my review since we had children of all ages in our group of 24. This is definately a great family ship!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1289800

[sandytoes03]

WOW, great review! Thank you! Looks like you and your beautiful family had a blast.

 

A few questions, if you don't mind. :)

 

Were your only stops Costa Maya and Roatan? Was it a 7 night cruise?

 

Are the shows included in the price of your cruise, specifically Blue Man Group?

 

How do you go about using the bowling alley?

 

 

 

Thanks!

[crusinmama06]

My kids are salivating over my shoulder! ;):D And my 10 year old is demanding that I get prices.

 

So now I have some questions. I know that NCL charges for some dining -- how hard is it to avoid all of the extra charges?

 

Did you go to the main dining room at all?

[#1TravelMom]

WOW, great review! Thank you! Looks like you and your beautiful family had a blast.

 

A few questions, if you don't mind. :)

 

Were your only stops Costa Maya and Roatan? Was it a 7 night cruise?

 

Are the shows included in the price of your cruise, specifically Blue Man Group?

 

How do you go about using the bowling alley?

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

We also stopped in Cozumel, but it was extremely windy and the ocean was rough - nothing fabulous to report that day. We've been there many times and have enjoyed ourselves, but last week it was just tooooo windy.

 

The show prices were all included except Cirque, now $20-$30pp depending on seat location. It was a very good show. It's a dinner show and the meal was fabulous! Blue Man Group was included. Although it didn't have quite the huge backdrop, I think it is the identical show we saw in Las Vegas - $125per person! The new Legend performers - Rod Stewert, Brittany Spears, and Michael Jackson were all terrific!

 

We meant to use the bowling alley -$5 a game. We just couldn't fit it in. There were many things(bowling, Wii in the Atrium, movies on the big screen, bungee trampoline, wildfire duo, Ice Bar, Fat Cats, just to name some) that we just couldn't fit in our schedule. This ship truly has more things than a family can possibly do in one week. We had a great time - and that's a gross understatement!

[#1TravelMom]

My kids are salivating over my shoulder! ;):D And my 10 year old is demanding that I get prices.

 

So now I have some questions. I know that NCL charges for some dining -- how hard is it to avoid all of the extra charges?

 

Did you go to the main dining room at all?

 

We avoided almost all of the extra charges: we do without soda, I don't play bingo, we don't drink alcohol, and we only paid for one specialty restaurant - Cagney's - well worth it for a one-time visit. f our budget allowed, we would have eaten here daily. But, my motto, spend less - cruise more! We ate in the Main Dining Room 4 nights - the food was excellent. We ate at the buffet one night - amazing - shrimp cocktail, salmon, hand-carved prime rib, and on and on. O'Sheehan's is yummy and FREE. Always a great late night snack- hot fudge walnut brownie a la mode!

 

My little one desperately wants to go on this ship again. I normally like trying new ships(20 ships in 25+ cruises, so far), but I know we will cruise on the EPIC again. I can't imagine a better ship for families. I do think it's important to note that we sailed with less than 500 kids on board - peak summer and holiday numbers aare 1200-1300 kids. We had very short to no lines on the waterslides, etc. I'm sure this is different on peak weeks. This would affect our enjoyment as my DD-6 has NOOOOOOO patience for long lines and standing around.

[laurieb]

can you please tell me about where you went in Costa Maya? I read your comments earlier today before it was removed, and this is where I want to go, but I didn't write down any of the info. Thanks!!

[Warmer Climes]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thorough review and post such beautiful pictures! We are sailing on the Epic in February and I was wondering if you know anything about the kids' club for the age group that includes 12 y.o.'s. My DD has always had a great time at the kids' clubs and since we don't allow ship roaming she will either use it heavily or be with poor old Mom and Dad for this cruise (with a resulting long face.)

 

Thanks, Barb

[skyw]

The Epic looks fun for kids. It sure is ugly though!!!! I can over look it with all of that fun stuff!!!! Thanks for the TR. I love ones with kids.

[CanadianTwosome]

My kids are salivating over my shoulder! ;):D And my 10 year old is demanding that I get prices.

 

So now I have some questions. I know that NCL charges for some dining -- how hard is it to avoid all of the extra charges?

 

Did you go to the main dining room at all?

 

The only difference between NCL and other lines as far as dining goes is that they have more specialty options. There are two main dining rooms, a casual 23 hour place, 24 hour room service, and the buffet, as well as some outdoor options that open at various hours. If it weren't for us, my mom would never dine anywhere other than the main dining rooms, I'm sure! ha ha ha We love the specialties, though, and we're really looking forward to Moderno on the Epic, which is a churroscaria.

 

While food is about the most subjective thing anyone will ever review on a cruise, our family has no complaints about the included fare. My daughter and I are fairly picky eaters, also, and we've always loved everything we've had. My mom is a retired home ec teacher with a BSc in nutrition, so she's spent a lot of time around food also, and she's very happy with the included dining - as I said, it's unlikely she would dine at a surcharge restaurant if she wasn't with us.

 

So... to answer your question, it's not hard to avoid extra charges at all - assuming you have no difficulties doing so on other lines. The one you may be unable to avoid on Epic may be the Cirque dinner show if you're interested in that sort of thing; I know we are. You can find prices for pretty much everything here on CC, though, so what I always do is just add up what we're expecting to do and consider it 'spent money' before we even set foot on board. :)

[#1TravelMom]

can you please tell me about where you went in Costa Maya? I read your comments earlier today before it was removed, and this is where I want to go, but I didn't write down any of the info. Thanks!!

 

We went to Tropicante - amazing place. I highly recommend it. If you don't tell your cab driver a specific place you want to go, they will drop you where they want you to go. Then, a bunch of guys will swarm you and try to get you to come with them. From now on, we will just say - take us to the Tropicante!

[#1TravelMom]

Sorry, I forgot to mention - if you go to the Costa Maya boards, my review is back up. Since I posted it under "legal" circumstances this time - it won't get deleted.

[#1TravelMom]

The Epic looks fun for kids. It sure is ugly though!!!! I can over look it with all of that fun stuff!!!! Thanks for the TR. I love ones with kids.

 

I don't think it's ugly at all! Maybe since I've sailed on the EPIC - it is more personal - like you are telling me my dog is ugly. When I can get away for a week with my family and have a great time - I don't care what the ship looks like. There is sooo much fun to be had on this ship - really a great cruise.

[crusinmama06]

I don't think it's ugly at all! Maybe since I've sailed on the EPIC - it is more personal - like you are telling me my dog is ugly. When I can get away for a week with my family and have a great time - I don't care what the ship looks like. There is sooo much fun to be had on this ship - really a great cruise.

 

I agree! I don't think it's ugly either. I think the entire ship looks awesome! Every picture my kids sat there wide eyed. :eek: That's all I care about. You know how I am -- happy kids = happy mama! :D