What do I need to know...

[appletinine]

What do I need to know for my first cruise on Norwegian. Epic to more specific. I have only cruise with Carnival before. Any suggestions, ideas, process , etc. that anyone would like to share will be GREATLY appreciated.

 

 

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[Quilting_Cruiser]

This question gets asked very frequently. If you go to the search function and type in "new to ncl" (including the quotation marks) you'll get many threads that should help you out.

[ColinIllinois]

1. Read the Frequently Asked Questions on NCL.com.

 

2. For promo information, click on the promo page, scroll down to Terms and Conditions. Valuable information there.

 

3. Read through the NCL forum of Cruise Critic.

 

That will give you a ton of information. If you still have specific questions feel free to ask.

 

Enjoy.

Edited June 28, 2016 by ColinIllinois

[mal&jason]

1. Read the Frequently Asked Questions on NCL.com.

 

3. Read through the NCL forum of Cruise Critic.

 

 

Enjoy.

 

Also, once you are in the NCL forum of Cruise Critic, there is a link specifically for the Norwegian Epic that will lead you to others' questions and reviews.

 

:-)

[fshagan]

What do I need to know for my first cruise on Norwegian. Epic to more specific. I have only cruise with Carnival before. Any suggestions, ideas, process , etc. that anyone would like to share will be GREATLY appreciated.

 

The Epic is a very fun ship, with a lot going on.

 

The main difference with NCL is that dining is truly Freestyle, and there are no required formal / dress up nights. There is no set dining time, so any time between 5:30 or 6 and 9 you just go to one of the main dining rooms and get seated. If you are a couple, they seat you at one of many tables for two. It works much like a restaurant on land. You never have to make a reservation for this, or any of the other free eateries like O'Sheehans (an Irish Pub style place).

 

You may find the entertainment better on NCL. They have more live music. One of the "don't miss" things, in my opinion, is the "Howl At The Moon" dueling pianos. We went multiple times as the players were really great ... taking requests from the audience and then playing and singing the songs ... with the audience singing along. Great fun.

 

If you are with a mixed sex family where your teens are shy, or you are, be aware of the way the toilet stall and shower are open into the room, separated by frosted glass that you can still see through (sort of, see image). This is rarely an issue for couple, of course, but teens are often put off by it, as are friends who are not "that close".

 

To me, that's one of the few negatives about the Epic. It is a very fun ship to be on.

[BirdTravels]

What do I need to know for my first cruise on Norwegian. Epic to more specific. I have only cruise with Carnival before. Any suggestions, ideas, process , etc. that anyone would like to share will be GREATLY appreciated.

 

We've sailed on the Epic 5 times and enjoy the ship.

 

Exactly 90 days prior to cruise (or 100 days if you are in the Havens), use your MyNCL account to make show and specialty restaurant reservations. You can book Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Burn the Floor in the main theater and any of the specialty restaurants. Prime time dinner reservations will sell out quickly (especially for Teppanyaki and Cagney's steakhouse).

 

Be prepared for the boutique-type bathroom facilities in the Epic cabins.

 

As soon as you board, you can make reservations for the Comedy shows in the Headliners club. Booking shows, shore excursions, and dinner reservations on the ship is easy. Use any of the touch screens in the public areas, the iConcierge app on your phone, or your stateroom TV.

 

Consider the additional-fee Cirque Dreams show. Really fun. Purchase the premium seats. Show up at least 60-90 minutes before show time for the best seating (seating is first come first serve).

 

Enjoy freestyle dining. No set dining times. Eat when you want or where you want (if you didn't book a specialty restaurant). The Manhattan Room main dining room has live music and a dance floor.

 

Consider a week-long thermal suite pass. The spa on the Epic is great.

 

Have a great cruise.