1st time on NCL - Questions about Norwegian Epic?

[mrsbunder]

Hi, thanks in advance for input on this.  I consider myself an experienced cruiser, I primarily sail on Celebrity and went on Royal Caribbean for the 1st time, this will be my first time on NCL.  I'm booked on the 10 night Grecian Islands cruise on 8/27/24, and am going with a women's travel group, and have a few questions.

 

I have an inside room, sharing with another person (don't know her too well).  Does the bathroom have an actual door that you can close?  I've seen pictures online, and read reviews, I thought I saw posts stating that there was just a glass partition, no actual door.  If that's the case, I may want to opt for a single room.

 

Our package includes the beverage package and 1 specialty dining.  I spoke to someone at NCL to ask if the gratuity is factored into the drink, I was told yes.  However, I've seen reviews where a 20% gratuity is separate from the drink, and you'd have to pay at the end of the cruise (on your cc provided for onboard expenses).  The woman I'm rooming with isn't a big drinker at all, and was appalled at the extra 20% charge, I've been used to Celebrity drink package, where the gratuity is factored in.  If someone can confirm, that would be great.

 

If any other tips can be offered, such as the better restaurants, bars, etc. on board, that would be great.  I got a great price on this trip and it's port-intensive, so I know that this cruise won't be about relaxing onboard as much, so I feel I have a proper expectation, but any advice and tips would be greatly appreciated.

[Liljo22]

For the drink package, you paid the 20% when you booked your cruise if you accepted the package.  Same with the dining package.  The only extra gratuity on drinks will be if you go over the $15 limit. You will pay 20% on the difference.  Say you order a $17 drink, you will pay the $2 overage and .40 gratuity(20% of the $2).  

[TheDawg79]

I can also confirm that the gratuity is paid upon booking. The drinks are free, the gratuity is not. When you booked the cruise, you could have removed the Free at Sea drink package and you would have seen this drop your purchase price by several hundred dollars as the gratuities would also be removed. 

[mrsbunder]

That's good to know, I'll let the other woman know that she can remove the drink package, for me, I'm fine to keep it on, if you spend over $15, you get charged the difference and the gratuity, which is what I'm used to anway.

[Liljo22]

21 minutes ago, mrsbunder said:

That's good to know, I'll let the other woman know that she can remove the drink package, for me, I'm fine to keep it on, if you spend over $15, you get charged the difference and the gratuity, which is what I'm used to anway.

Both guest 1 & 2 in the cabin need to have the package.  They don't want one person getting the package and giving the second person free drinks.  

[mrsbunder]

Liljo, thank you, I'll have to let her know about that.  If that's a make-or-break for her, then it may be best to get separate rooms.

 

Can any of you comment on the bathroom situation?  Does it have an actual door to close, or is it just a glass partition?

[Liljo22]

22 minutes ago, mrsbunder said:

Liljo, thank you, I'll have to let her know about that.  If that's a make-or-break for her, then it may be best to get separate rooms.

 

Can any of you comment on the bathroom situation?  Does it have an actual door to close, or is it just a glass partition?

Its a sliding frosted glass partition for both the shower and toilet.  There is a curtain that can be pulled across to block the view from the bedroom.

[GuelphCruisers]

When we sailed on the Epic, we had a balcony stateroom. The shower was on one side, with a frosted door, and the toilet was on the other side, also with a frosted door for privacy. The sink was right in the hallway. I was not a fan of this arrangement, however my wife loved it. She loved everything about the Epic. I think it is her favorite ship. Only due to the bathroom layout, I would rank it lower than NCL ships.

[MeHeartCruising]

And just to make sure you know.  Since you mentioned the confusion about the "separate gratuity".  There IS a separate gratuity in the amount of $20/person/day that will be automatically added to your onboard accounts.  It is not 20% of anything.  Just a flat $20 per day.  

 

This is NCLs version of the tip/gratuity/service charge that has long been a part of cruising.  This $20 is not related to the built-in gratuity of the beverage and dining packages.  The $20 charge goes toward your cabin steward, the wait staff in all the dining rooms and restaurants, the cooks, the dishwashers, the people who wash your towels, etc.  NCL currently refers to this as a "service charge".  You can pre-pay this if you desire using your online account or by calling NCL.  Otherwise, it will be added to your onboard account every day of your cruise.

 

I believe both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean do the same thing nowadays for this "gratuity".

[MeHeartCruising]

As for the bathrooms, there is definitely a door on the shower stall, which is on one side of the room as you enter the cabin from the hallway.  There is also a door on the toilet stall, which is on the other side of the room.  The sink and mirror sit off to one side, somewhat in the cabin's interior.  There is a curtain that can be pulled across the room to separate the bathroom area (shower stall, toilet stall, sink/mirror) from the sleeping/sitting area.  With the curtain pulled, those in the sitting/sleeping area can't see anything.  But they can probably hear more than a more traditional bathroom setup.  

 

The stalls are made of a frosted glass which prohibits seeing anything clearly.  However, in certain lighting, you can somewhat make out shapes in the stalls.  Nothing X-rated, but you're aware people are in there.  

 

Also, if someone is using the bathroom area, even with the curtain pulled, someone could walk in from the hallway door if the door was left ajar or had a key.  I think there is a deadbolt lock for the door, however. 

 

I don't care for the bathroom configuration.  But we made it work.  Depending on your comfort level with a roommate, it may be considered uncomfortable for some.  I've sailed the Epic twice, so obviously, it's not a deal breaker for me.  But it's a personal thing to either like or dislike.

 

This is a good YouTube video of a typical Epic cabin.  About halfway thru they start showing the bathroom stuff.  This is a balcony cabin, but the insides are the same bathroom setup.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by MeHeartCruising

[Eggs2Go]

The Epic has very nice solo studio cabins. You both may be happier with that arrangement, providing each some privacy and also allowing choice of drink package.  With your own cabins you also each would get the $50 off shore excursions. You could book solo cabins next to each other, take your showers etc. at the same time and meet up in the studio lounge before joining the rest of your travel group. I know that's what I would prefer.

[mrsbunder]

Thank you all for your great input.  I know that the $20 pp/pd gratuity will go to the dining room staff, stateroom attendants, etc.  I typically add that ahead of time vs. paying it at the end of the cruise.  Thanks for sharing the video of the cabin, that will be very helpful to show my friend.  I'm leaning toward the studio cabin at this point as well.

[Pookie2u]

I second getting the studio cabin.  I sailed the Epic in a studio last month.  The bathroom setup is perfectly fine when you have your own room.  Plus, you get the perks of the studio lounge and solo meetups.  Not all people enjoy the lounge but I loved to run into people there and grabbing a quick snack or coffee.  The solo meetups were nice, we really had a great group of travelers from all over.

 

My recommendations are The Manhattan Room MDR because it has live music during dinner and the noodle bar at Shanghai's is delightful.  I can't really compare the specialty dinning because I only did Le Bistro but it was so delicious.  I definitely recommend it.  My favorite bar was in the studio lounge.  It was only open 5-7pm but that was when the solo travelers met up, our bartender was so fantastic- he kept the prosecco stocked for me, and there was no wait or searching for a seat!  

My favorite place on the ship was the spa thermal suites.  I also had a port intensive cruise but found the best was to unwind and recover after a long day of walking cobblestones was to soak in the pools, catch a steam or sauna, then melt on a heated lounger.  I miss it so much!  I'm ready to go back.  

Happy cruising!

[carmzav911]

With the free drink package, as others have mentioned, the tip was paid at the time of booking- however, depending on your itinerary and the tax rate in each country, you will be charged a buck or two per drink for tax.  
 

the bathroom situation is ok for people who are close, but awkward for everyone else.  We traveled last summer with our teenaged son.  Verrrry awkward!   Sounds like solo rooms might be a good idea for you!

[mrsbunder]

Thanks for the input, I'm gearing more and more toward the solo room.  Relaxing on the heated loungers sounds like the perfect way to end the day.  My roommate is thinking that if she takes the drink package off the reservation, the cruise fare would be lower?  Would that be the case?  I'm fine to keep the drink package for myself, but she seems pretty firm that she doesn't want it.

[MeHeartCruising]

2 hours ago, mrsbunder said:

Thanks for the input, I'm gearing more and more toward the solo room.  Relaxing on the heated loungers sounds like the perfect way to end the day.  My roommate is thinking that if she takes the drink package off the reservation, the cruise fare would be lower?  Would that be the case?  I'm fine to keep the drink package for myself, but she seems pretty firm that she doesn't want it.

Yes, a solo cruiser in a Studio cabin can optionally decline the drink package.  That will remove the mandatory gratuities for the package from the cost of the cruise.  For a 7 day cruise, it removes $152.60 from the cost. 
 

You can also remove the dining package if you really want, but that only saves $11.80. 

[jsn55]

Both WC and shower have doors that slide shut.  The walls are translucent glass, they're fine.  And there is that curtain in case one of you doesn't want the other to see 'your shape' in the shower.  Having the sink in the cabin is a great idea for access anytime.  But I found the sink much too small and shallow and was constantly splashing water all over.  

[MSUjohn]

i am sorry the epic will be your first experience with ncl

[ready2cruzagain]

5 hours ago, MSUjohn said:

i am sorry the epic will be your first experience with ncl

 

It was our first experience and have sailed her 3 times and have her booked for 6 more cruises. We love the Epic.

 

[MCMC100]

On 12/4/2023 at 4:06 PM, mrsbunder said:

Thanks for the input, I'm gearing more and more toward the solo room.  Relaxing on the heated loungers sounds like the perfect way to end the day.  My roommate is thinking that if she takes the drink package off the reservation, the cruise fare would be lower?  Would that be the case?  I'm fine to keep the drink package for myself, but she seems pretty firm that she doesn't want it.

Your friend’s cruise cost would go down if she declined the FAS drink package. However, you characterized her as “ not a big drinker at all.”  I take that to mean she is a light drinker.  If she likes a glass of wine or two at dinner or perhaps a pre dinner cocktail, it’s important to note that the break even point for the drink package is two drinks per day. It’s cheaper to pay the gratuity fee and take the drink package then purchase two glasses of wine/cocktails a day and pay-as-you-go. (Beers are slightly cheaper so you’re saving a few bucks with two beers/day, but losing money at 3 per day).  
 

[mrsbunder]

Thanks, I think she'd have one glass of wine at dinner maximum, so she's probably best off not getting the package.  Even for myself, I would probably have 2 glasses of wine at dinner, maybe a cocktail after.  Since this is a port-intensive cruise, I want to make sure I get good sleep and get up and at 'em in the morning for the ports, and not feel groggy from drinks.

[Sailing12Away]

Epic is a unique ship. It was the first NCL ship we were on, and we'll be on her again for the 3rd time in February.

 

Our first trip was 3 people sharing a club balcony room. My MIL felt more comfortable using the toilet in the public areas some times, or she would just pull the curtain closed for added privacy.

 

The bigger issue was showering - you had to coordinate your plans with your cabin mate. Yes, there is a curtain - but if my MIL was taking a shower we had to either sit in the room for the next 20+ mins, or leave before she got undressed and wait to come back into the room for at least 20+ mins. If only one of us was in the room with her and she had the curtain pulled to get dressed after coming out of the shower, the other person had to make sure they didn't walk into the room while she was standing there in the entryway buck naked.

It just takes some planning and communication. Or - you splurge and get a Haven room where you don't have to worry about the odd bathroom situation at all 😉 

[MSUjohn]

On 12/8/2023 at 6:47 AM, ready2cruzagain said:

 

It was our first experience and have sailed her 3 times and have her booked for 6 more cruises. We love the Epic.

 

let me guess it is the escalator, right? 
just hours and hours of ridding up and down the escalator.😉