Epic - 12/30/16

[Sissaaaaaa]

Just back from a wonderful week in the Haven. Great cruise, great crew. I will be writing my review this evening, and will post a copy in this thread as well. I am happy to answer any questions!

[DMH15]

Who were your concierge and butler please? On next month.

 

 

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[Tutontow]

Following

[Sissaaaaaa]

Just returned from a week in the wonderful Haven on the Epic. This is our third time on this ship, and our first in the Haven. We ended up spending 90% of our time in the Haven. The food in the Epic Club was far superior to anything else available on the ship. We have cruised with NCL since 2008, and the meals in the Epic Club were just fantastic!

 

I like the Epic because Haven guests have access to Posh, as well as the Haven itself. Posh is great because it overlooks the pool deck, so you can still hear the music, and watch the crazy, fun activities they do poolside without the alienation of the Haven pool area, or the craziness of the main pool deck. It's the best of both worlds! Haven guests are able to order lunch in Posh (those purchasing Posh passes are not). Lunch in Posh and the Courtyard were the same menu. You had your choice(s) of a grilled veggie wrap, chicken Caesar salad wrap, grilled swordfish burger, cheeseburger, hotdog, and the best onion rings on a cruise! I can't recall if there was a salad on that menu or not. Lunch in the Epic Club was a full menu consisting of various sandwiches (French dip, sesame encrusted mahi mahi served on a pretzel roll, a burger, etc) a couple of salads (cobb, Caesar, and a mixed salad), to "dinner for lunch" options (linguini with clam sauce, salmon with lobster sauce, etc). There were other options, but I did not take a picture of the menu, and cannot remember them all. I had the mahi mahi one day, and the French dip another. Both were very good. My husband had the salmon one day, and the cobb salad another, and he enjoyed both. The kids only ate lunch with us on embarkation day, and both ordered burgers. We all had lunch in Posh a few times. My husband ordered the Caesar salad wrap a few times, and other times, the hot dog. I had the grilled veggie wrap one day, and a burger another day. The kids pretty much ordered hot dogs when eating there. I say kids - they are 19 and 20 !! My daughter had her friend from high school traveling with us as they are both on college break. As stated, Posh and the Courtyard were the same menu, and both were "okay". The Epic Club was fantastic.

 

We ate dinner in the Epic Club for 5 of our 7 nights. We ate once in the Manhattan Dining Room because my husband ran into Grace, the hotel director's secretary, and she asked if we would enjoy dinner and the Burn the Floor show that evening. He said yes, and she secured a dance floor table for us, with our meal reservation for 8pm. The assistant maître d in the Manhattan room is Sasa from Bosnia, and he quickly became a favorite for my family. He has such a fantastic personality, and was very attentive to my family. During the day, Sasa manages O'Sheehan's, and also made sure our lunch there was up to par. If you do eat in O'Sheehan's, make sure to save room for the brownie cheesecake. We were stuffed, but Sasa insisted that we try it - and we are glad we did. It was delicious.

 

In the Epic Club, Maria was our server for most of our meals (breakfast and dinner). Our family very quickly fell in love with Maria, and her sweet personality. She definitely made our experience more enjoyable! The food in the Epic Club was outstanding. The mustard encrusted rack of lamb was melt in your mouth delicious! My daughter ate surf and turf (filet and jumbo shrimp) multiple times. My husband and I pretty much tried everything on the menu. My daughter's friend tended to stick with the chicken, but only because she loved it so much. I honestly did not think we would eat there so often because the menu is limited, but the food is far superior to that anywhere else on the ship. It was definitely worth repeating a meal or two. The colossal shrimp cocktail were a favorite of mine, as well as the butternut squash soup. My husband had the shrimp risotto appetizer every night. We did end up eating in La Cucina one night, but only because we had platinum certificates to burn. I really did not want to leave the Epic Club for dinner! Dinner in La Cucina was good though, so no complaints there!

 

Diego is the bartender in the Haven Bar. Fabulous bartender who can pretty much make any drink you want, and he does it well!! We started our evening there every night. By night two, he knew names and what people were drinking. This was also the gathering place for the same group of people (or so it seemed) every night before dinner. Friendships were quickly made!!

 

We sailed during new year's week, so the ship was sold out. Crowded is an understatement. We were lucky to have David to escort us to Priscilla so we did not have to wait in line (great show!!). We really did not leave the Haven area unless necessary. Outside of the Haven, the ship was a zoo. Inside - a completely different experience. It was a wonderful, relaxing week. It will be very difficult to return to a "regular" cruise after this one. Leaving the ship - we were finishing breakfast at 6:40am or so, when the ship was cleared by customs. I don't think we were ever cleared that early! We finished our breakfast and were escorted downstairs to walk off the ship. We were in our car and headed home before 7am.

 

Can't say it enough - this was a great cruise!

[Clarea]

Thank-you for the report.

[owlgirl31]

Just back from a wonderful week in the Haven. Great cruise, great crew. I will be writing my review this evening, and will post a copy in this thread as well. I am happy to answer any questions!

Is the private section for Haven guests open on GSC? Also, can the concierge get you into a sold out comedy show? thanks!

[blondie1746]

Do you remember who was the bartender in the Haven during the day? The bar that's in the area next to the pool area, enclosed with louvered windows?

 

And who was concierge?

 

Thanks!

[tombec1]

Do you remember who was the bartender in the Haven during the day? The bar that's in the area next to the pool area, enclosed with louvered windows?

 

And who was concierge?

 

Thanks!

 

I was on there 12/10 - 12/17 , and Apollo (sp?) from Greece was the bartender next to the pool. He was awesome. I think he said it was his 1st week.

Diego was the bartender in the lounge.

Edited January 7, 2017 by tombec1

[tombec1]

We ate dinner in the Epic Club for 5 of our 7 nights.

 

 

The guy who heads up the Cruisenext dept on the Epic (forgot his name) wanted feedback. I told him to let NCL know that getting the UDP while you're in the Haven is worthless to many , because the Epic Club is so good.

 

I heard that from so many others in the Haven. All of us felt like we "wasted" the UDP, because we ate in the Epic club instead. I suggested they make UDP an option, and maybe offering gratuities or UBP for guest 3&4, or OBC instead.

[Linda the Book Lover]

I am glad you enjoyed your cruise. Our cruise will be very port intensive with only one sea day that I intend to do nothing.

[Sissaaaaaa]

The guy who heads up the Cruisenext dept on the Epic (forgot his name) wanted feedback. I told him to let NCL know that getting the UDP while you're in the Haven is worthless to many , because the Epic Club is so good.

 

I heard that from so many others in the Haven. All of us felt like we "wasted" the UDP, because we ate in the Epic club instead. I suggested they make UDP an option, and maybe offering gratuities or UBP for guest 3&4, or OBC instead.

 

I totally agree with this. Leaving the Epic Club for a specialty is a step down, IMO!

[Sissaaaaaa]

Is the private section for Haven guests open on GSC? Also, can the concierge get you into a sold out comedy show? thanks!

 

The private area for Haven guests on GSC is still being built. As for tickets, our cards were never scanned for the shows. We were escorted in, and that was it.

[Sissaaaaaa]

I was on there 12/10 - 12/17 , and Apollo (sp?) from Greece was the bartender next to the pool. He was awesome. I think he said it was his 1st week.

Diego was the bartender in the lounge.

 

Yes, and Hector was in Posh.

[BermudaBound2014]

Haven guests are able to order lunch in Posh (those purchasing Posh passes are not). Lunch in Posh and the Courtyard were the same menu. You had your choice(s) of a grilled veggie wrap, chicken Caesar salad wrap, grilled swordfish burger, cheeseburger, hotdog, and the best onion rings on a cruise! !

 

Welcome home, glad you enjoyed your trip. This just goes to show how inconsistent rules are applied. I sailed the week before you. We had posh passes but were not in haven. Not only were we allowed, but We were ENCOURAGED to order lunch in Posh. Not once, but several times. I had the swordfish burger (excellent). Sad I missed the onion rings. We did tip, so not sure if that had anything to do with it, but we had access to everything in Posh with just the passes. I'd do it again in a heartbeat even if we couldn't order lunch. Without Posh, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the epic as much as I did.

[Sissaaaaaa]

Welcome home, glad you enjoyed your trip. This just goes to show how inconsistent rules are applied. I sailed the week before you. We had posh passes but were not in haven. Not only were we allowed, but We were ENCOURAGED to order lunch in Posh. Not once, but several times. I had the swordfish burger (excellent). Sad I missed the onion rings. We did tip, so not sure if that had anything to do with it, but we had access to everything in Posh with just the passes. I'd do it again in a heartbeat even if we couldn't order lunch. Without Posh, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the epic as much as I did.

 

A couple who were not in the haven were told they could not order lunch in Posh. We felt bad for them. They were told they could go to the buffet and bring the food back if they wanted. Maybe it was just changed with my sailing. Hector did tell them even if he wanted to do it for them, he couldn't because they were required to swipe the card for a lunch order, and it would not go through without a haven card.

 

I agree about Posh access though - during a holiday week. My cruise would have been miserable if we were on that main pool deck. There were people everywhere!!

Edited January 8, 2017 by Sissaaaaaa