Epic review, April 2nd-9th, LONG with pictures

[cruiser1955a]

Without a doubt, the most thorough and descriptive review ever.

 

Bravo Nathan

[Norwaylin]

Nathan,

 

You did a great job with your review. I have been watching the reviews of this ship since I first saw pictures of it prior to the first sailing. I thought it was very top heavy and wondered how it would do in high seas. I don't normally get seasick, but a friend I cruised with years ago on the Norway had to take bonine. We went on a cruise the following year (another NCL ship) and we had 30-foot swells. Our cabin was midship both times. I actually enjoyed the Norway movement rocking us to sleep.

 

Good luck in your career choice, whatever it may be.

[Medtech2]

Great review. Glad you enjoyed the Epic as much as we did. OMG sorry you had to run into such inappropriate behaviour the last night--yuck!

 

Have fun in Costa Rica and don't forget to look up--you just may see a wild red Macaw flying by...now that is much better to keep in your head!

[nathand95]

Thank you Nathan,

Great review and great perspective. I hope you managed to get all your homework done though.,..... HAHHA

Haha! I did finish all my homework! This week is going to be sooooo stressful though!

 

Without a doubt, the most thorough and descriptive review ever.

 

Bravo Nathan

Thank you so much! I can't wait to cruise again so I can write another one up. This time I learned to keep a daily journal so i don't forget anything while makeing the write up process go quicker.

 

Nathan,

 

You did a great job with your review. I have been watching the reviews of this ship since I first saw pictures of it prior to the first sailing. I thought it was very top heavy and wondered how it would do in high seas. I don't normally get seasick, but a friend I cruised with years ago on the Norway had to take bonine. We went on a cruise the following year (another NCL ship) and we had 30-foot swells. Our cabin was midship both times. I actually enjoyed the Norway movement rocking us to sleep.

 

Good luck in your career choice, whatever it may be.

30 foot swells!!!!:eek: I felt NO motion on the Epic. I was a little disapointed because, like you, I love the motion. I love zig-zaging down the hallway. It always adds to the excitement of the cruise. I think the highest swells we encountered all week were 8-foot swells.

 

Thank you so much! :)

[nathand95]

Great review. Glad you enjoyed the Epic as much as we did. OMG sorry you had to run into such inappropriate behaviour the last night--yuck!

 

Have fun in Costa Rica and don't forget to look up--you just may see a wild red Macaw flying by...now that is much better to keep in your head!

Epic=best ship ever made!

That instance definitely threw me for a loop! My retinas are forever scarred!

I hope I don't get whiplash from turning all around! I also hope my camera can keep up with me! I'm following in my mom's footsteps of being a picture taking freak!

[Kssafrg]

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!

One thing i feel like I should mention now before I continue any further is the safety of the ship. My parents give me an immense amount of freedom to come and go to my cabin as I please without having to check in every hour or be within eyesight the entire cruise.

 

Yes, it is a cruise ship and is in no way safer than anyone's hometown. You CAN NOT trust every crew member. It is extremely dangerous to be by yourself, especially at night. However, the Epic is a very safe ship. I have never seen so many visible secuirty guards. They made me feel very safe. I use common sense whenever I go on board a ship. I know to never be around dark areas alone and never llet a crew member take me somewhere alone.

 

TO ALL THE PARENTS WITH TEENS-let your kids have some freedom on a cruise. Give them a talk before going on board about ship safety. No teenager wants their parents always checking up on them and breathing down their neck. We want to be able to have fun, and

not always worry if mom and dad are around.

 

Teens going off without parents was the topic of a thread I posted on earlier and some

people were dismayed at how my parents allowed to run around the ship. This prompted to me to post the interjection.

If anyone has any questions about security, my parent's safety practices, or their own comments, I am open to hearing what everyone has to say. Please feel free to comment with any questions, comment, or concern you may have that may or may not relate to this post in particular. I am more than happy to discuss, rebutle, or ease anything concerns.

 

Nathan, loved your review! You have an amazing memory. In reference to your posting above, and being a parent of 4 grown sons...it isn't always that we don't trust you going off until all hours , it's that we are aware of the things that you ran into on your last night and want to protect you kids from that and worse for at least a while longer. At that hour of the night I would not want my teen out and about on a cruise ship. You didn't even have to go into a dark area to find retina blinding stuff. I hope you won't be scarred for too long and the great memories will override those...thanks for the entertainment. We enjoyed it.

Kate

[djmaine]

Nathan, I had jumped on the Norwegian thread by mistake thinking I was on the Royal site and started reading your report and was hooked then on to Don's and now think I might want to take a cuise on the Epic. ha ha.

 

So I've only been on one cruise with carnival and thinking either this cruise or one out of Bayonne with Royal (wouldn't have to fly) but a long drive.

 

So, I'm just a bit confused. I know there are 2 places that you can eat dinner for no fee. Is it like the main dining room on Carnival or more like 2 restaurants. If we didn't want to try the speciality restaurants would we be satisfied with those 2 places???? I'm sure we would do at least one or two speciality restaurants but just wondering.

 

Did you get a soda card??? if so how much is it? and can you bring on soda onto the ship.

thanks Nathan for the great review.

[mtb242]

So, I'm just a bit confused. I know there are 2 places that you can eat dinner for no fee. Is it like the main dining room on Carnival or more like 2 restaurants. If we didn't want to try the speciality restaurants would we be satisfied with those 2 places???? I'm sure we would do at least one or two speciality restaurants but just wondering.

 

Taste and Manhattan Room are the two MDR's, no fee. Other places you can eat no fee: Garden Cafe buffet, Spice H20, O'Sheehan's (pub food). Many posts here have stated the included meals are satisfying and no need to go specialty. Others enjoy a few meals in the fee-required restaurants.

[djmaine]

Thanks for the reply!!!!! I'll have to search out some menu's.

[terriberri268]

Thank you Nathan for taking the time to post a very in depth review.

I was riveted! Great detail! I feel like I was on this cruise with you!

Good luck to you. You are a fine young man and your parents must be very proud of you.

 

Terri

[nathand95]

Nathan, I had jumped on the Norwegian thread by mistake thinking I was on the Royal site and started reading your report and was hooked then on to Don's and now think I might want to take a cuise on the Epic. ha ha.

 

So I've only been on one cruise with carnival and thinking either this cruise or one out of Bayonne with Royal (wouldn't have to fly) but a long drive.

 

So, I'm just a bit confused. I know there are 2 places that you can eat dinner for no fee. Is it like the main dining room on Carnival or more like 2 restaurants. If we didn't want to try the speciality restaurants would we be satisfied with those 2 places???? I'm sure we would do at least one or two speciality restaurants but just wondering.

 

Did you get a soda card??? if so how much is it? and can you bring on soda onto the ship.

thanks Nathan for the great review.

They do differ a tad from Carnival 2 MDR's. On Carnival they are exactly the same, but on NCL they differ by a small amount. They have the same exact menu, but there is nightly entertainment in The Manhattan Room from I think a band. We heard some people saying it was hard to hear so we stayed with Taste. Also, the Manhattan Room is more formal. A couple of my friends,who were wearing nice shorts, got turned away for not wearing pants.

I found the food in the MDR's on NCL to be better than Carnival, but specialty restaurants are the best!!!! If you only go to one, go to Cagney's steakhouse! It's $25 p/p and worth every penny!

I did get a soda card which was $50.32, but also included is a nice tumbler type glass. You can bring on as much soda as you want! We brought on 8-20oz bottles and a 12 pack, but no alcohol is aloud! You can bring uncorked wine for $15 per bottle aboard though.

The Epic is a great ship! Happy cruising!

 

Thank you Nathan for taking the time to post a very in depth review.

I was riveted! Great detail! I feel like I was on this cruise with you!

Good luck to you. You are a fine young man and your parents must be very proud of you.

 

Terri

Thank you so much! That was the goal!

[djmaine]

Thanks for the reply,. One more question and sorry if I have my ships mixed up. The blue man group do you have a cover charge to see them?

[KandJCruising]

Thanks for the reply,. One more question and sorry if I have my ships mixed up. The blue man group do you have a cover charge to see them?

No charge; BMG is included in the cruise fare. You can reserve one show, and can likely get in standby later if you really want to see it more than once.

[mypleasure]

Thanks for the reply,. One more question and sorry if I have my ships mixed up. The blue man group do you have a cover charge to see them?

 

 

No cover for entertainment except the Cirque show.

[mtb242]

Thanks for the reply,. One more question and sorry if I have my ships mixed up. The blue man group do you have a cover charge to see them?

 

No fee for BMG.

[mypleasure]

Nathan I have read and thoroughly enjoyed reading of your adventures on the Epic. You have written it very well and in a humourous way.

 

I just want to say thank you for the information you gave. It will be handy for my forthcoming Epic adventure of my own.

 

I also want to say a big thank you to your parents for raising you to be such a great young man who has the right values and beliefs to see him through life just fine. You did a great job.

 

Sail again soon Nathan, I'm looking forward to your next review and enjoy your school trip this summer

[elsplace2]

Great review Nathan! I can't believe you remembered all those details without notes.....I wrote a couple of reviews with pics too, on our Alaska cruise and one from our Caribbean cruise...but I wrote a daily journal with the highlights. I will be writing one with pics as well, when we get back from our Epic cruise in Europe! This time I think I am going to take my laptop and write my notes from there, then fix it up when I get back and just copy and paste it, over to CC and add pics. Those pics are time consuming aren't they??....but I love a review with pics!

 

Thanks for taking the time to writing one and adding the pics.

[Tropicalgurl]

Hey Nathan

Sorry I have been out of the loop for a week or so... maybe a little bit longer... Have to catch up with everything later... I only went back to the last 2 pages... but I remembered you said you had a birthday in 13 days...I counted but can't remember what day it was or is ... maybe it was Monday, yesterday or even today or tomorrow..... So I hope I did not miss it... Anyway...

 

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y :p:p:p !!!!

[nathand95]

Nathan I have read and thoroughly enjoyed reading of your adventures on the Epic. You have written it very well and in a humourous way.

 

I just want to say thank you for the information you gave. It will be handy for my forthcoming Epic adventure of my own.

 

I also want to say a big thank you to your parents for raising you to be such a great young man who has the right values and beliefs to see him through life just fine. You did a great job.

 

Sail again soon Nathan, I'm looking forward to your next review and enjoy your school trip this summer

Thank you so much! I am glad my review could be helpful for future cruisers. CC helped me so much in preparation for this cruise.

Next time I hopefully sail is next spring break. We are down to the Epic,NCL Spirit, RCCL Oasis/Allure, Adventure of the Seas, or Grandeur of the Seas. I look forward to writing another review!

 

Great review Nathan! I can't believe you remembered all those details without notes.....I wrote a couple of reviews with pics too, on our Alaska cruise and one from our Caribbean cruise...but I wrote a daily journal with the highlights. I will be writing one with pics as well, when we get back from our Epic cruise in Europe! This time I think I am going to take my laptop and write my notes from there, then fix it up when I get back and just copy and paste it, over to CC and add pics. Those pics are time consuming aren't they??....but I love a review with pics!

 

Thanks for taking the time to writing one and adding the pics.

Very good idea! I can't wait to read your review from an Epic European cruise. I hope you have a great cruise!!!

 

Pictures are extremely time consuming!!!!

Hey Nathan

Sorry I have been out of the loop for a week or so... maybe a little bit longer... Have to catch up with everything later... I only went back to the last 2 pages... but I remembered you said you had a birthday in 13 days...I counted but can't remember what day it was or is ... maybe it was Monday, yesterday or even today or tomorrow..... So I hope I did not miss it... Anyway...

 

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y :p:p:p !!!!

Haha! It was yesterday. Thank you so much!!!! SWEET 16!!!!!!! I wonder if I am the youngest person on CC...

[atanac]

Next time I hopefully sail is next spring break. We are down to the Epic,NCL Spirit, RCCL Oasis/Allure, Adventure of the Seas, or Grandeur of the Seas. I look forward to writing another review!/quote]

 

Believe me when I say that after a cruise on the Epic the only ships that can compete with

it for the simple "Wow Factor" is the Oasis or Allure. I would do everything in my power to

convince your parents to book on one of those.

[mypleasure]

We are sailing on Epic in June and then Spirit in November. Two very distinct ships in the fleet. I am looking forward to both of them, Epic because it is the Epic and we have not been to Italy before and Spirit because I have never been to New Orleans and we have 3 days there, the itinerary is all new to us and because 2 very dear friends we made on this board are also cruising and we have never met in person.

 

I will do reviews for both in due course.

[CruisingAmazona]

You were right on the money kid! I just returned from the April 30 sailing on the EPIC, and like you and others, thought it was SPECTACULAR. I have already posted my review as well! Thanks.

[Liztoybiz]

I realize this thread is a several weeks old but I just had to commend you Nathan on a wonderful trip report!

My daughter (soon to be 17) and I will be on Epic at the end of July and I'm going to have her read your review.

Many thanks for writing and I hope they take you on another cruise soon!

 

Cheers!

Liz in Kingwood

 

ps. Any tips for teens meeting other teens? I remember you said to go to the planned events on the first night...Thanx

[SissasMomE]

Great review! I am thinking about booking for myself, hubby, and daughter (who will be 15 when we cruise) for spring break in April. It will be eastern carib. Looks like a great ship!

[Bars7816]

Hi Nathan. Not able to find your 260 Epic photos on Photobucket. Are you allowing all viewers, or are they for friends only? I'd love to check them out.