While I respect the man's opinions, because we all have different feelings, likes, dislikes etc, I do feel a lot of the negatives here could be summed up with "I'm American and like things that are American" because a lot of the negatives he described are simply how things are in Europe, especially in Scandinavia and this is "Norwegian" cruise lines, not an american themed line. We don't drink in pools here, our pools are heated for warmth, we don't have the same level of body shame/prudishness when it comes to bathroom use etc, we shower together in open showers, we have nude saunas co-ed etc. When it comes to kids clubs, we don't use them much because if we bring kids on vacation, we wanna spend time with them, not drinking alone while strangers babysit. I can see why he is upset though and why he doesn't like these things and definitely think this is just a matter of personal taste and culture shock.
yea Norwegian had few kids as well when I went last year. went on carnival months later and there was way to many kids got real annoying. they were splashing all over in the hot tubs had to leave and find the adult ones but those didnt have the movie theater.
So you’re saying that one person can shower while someone else uses the toilet and someone else can even brush their teeth without cramming into one little room? That’s awesome!
I agree. Not only does it make multiple simultaneous uses easy, it saves a substantial amount of space. That extra space would have to be payed for. They should offer rooms with closed separate bathrooms at a higher price for those who have a psychological need to have it. Anyone worried about touching doors after relieving themselves should use towels on the latches.
Exactly, and the funny thing is it’s the only ship that was made in France, it was supposed to have a sister ship but it got canceled. If you research and find out why it’s pretty interesting, regarding a fire when being built . Besides room the ship has a nice cozy modern feel with a flare of vegas
It’s an European layout cause it was made in France. Also you have to remember that they can’t have big room Casey there is about 3,500 people in board.
blythe emily You know what other ships were built in Europe? Like almost all of them! RCI ships, Carnival ships, and most other NCL ships are all built in Europe and they have bathroom doors. There are also larger ships with more capacity that have bathroom doors. This was them trying something new and pretty much everyone agrees it was a bad idea. The idea that it’s because it’s a European build is objectively inaccurate.
I know Im asking the wrong place but does any of you know a tool to log back into an instagram account..? I somehow forgot the login password. I would love any tips you can give me.
@Arturo Skylar Thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and Im trying it out now. Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
NCL is the best, especially for solo cruisers! Epic is the one ship that has that design. They never had another one. Loved the Epic! Cruised in the solo cabins Christmas week 2016. Had a fantastic time! Have been on 6 NCL cruises as a solo traveler.
Cant see me ever cruising. Their surcharge for a person travelling alone is almost the same as paying for two people. Sometimes it sucks to be a solo traveller.
As listed below by many, do not judge the NCL fleet by the Epic. It’s the one and only and it was ncl first attempt at mega ship and they call it the Epicfail. Not a very pleasing sight to see from the outside. I’ve been on 23 NCL cruises and every single one was amazing. Just returned Sunday from the 9 day Escape cruise and it was fantastic. I agree with no drinks In the pool as people can’t be in there without spilling. Like no drinks on the dance floor kind of thing. They allow plastic cups In the hot tubs so you can relax in there. But please go on another ncl ship. Ncl is the innovative cruise line that started freestyle dining, the waterfront Alfresco dining amongst other things. They call the Escape the “friendliest ship in the world” and I agree. The crew is amazing. Definitely recommend the Dawn, Jewel, Spirit, Gem, Escape and Bliss although I haven’t sailed bliss just yet. Breakaway was nice too but a lot of cramping. The Escape solves that and looks like Bliss solves it even further based on the expansive pool deck. Long winded but I was commenting as you spoke too lol. Cheers
Eric Benigno went on Escape this summer and hated it. Lines for everything, no lounge chairs ever, internet terrible. Way too many people. Learned I hate mega ships. Only smaller ships for me.
Amy Bradley Escape is awesome to me and it’s ranked top in fleet. But I totally understand why one would like the smaller ships too. The smaller ships is what hooked me on ncl over a decade ago. Never had an issue with lounges as long as you weren’t looking for a prime time spot after 11am. I also never encountered any lines for anything including the main dining rooms. And this was a peak week for New Years. 5k people full capacity. Next class of ships will be smaller btw. Smaller then Breakaway class and bigger then Jewel class. Should be interesting as they are changing ship yards as well
I WILL judge the NCL line on the Epic ship. It was my 2nd NCL cruise, the first being the Gem, which was very pleasant. I was on the 11-night Epic cruise from Port Canaveral which departed 24 Nov 2018 and returned 6 Dec 2018. Many of the Epic crew members had fun mocking the ship's design, which they, of course, had no control over. What they did have control over was how they conducted themselves. I agree with Dad Gizmo that the crew members were neither friendly nor engaging. After a few days, I stopped acknowledging them altogether when I passed one in the hallway because they neither made eye contact nor greeted me. (The exception was the Lido deck where the washy-washy girls were always friendly and smiling and greeting.) As for the food, it was awful! Luckily for Dad Gizmo, he had specialty dining. Everyday food on the Lido deck was so bad, that my sister and I mostly ate hamburgers and grilled chicken. And the choices and the service in the Main dining rooms were lacking, so we went to the Lido deck and had chicken or a salad. Each day I checked the Main dining room menu hoping for the filet mignon and lobster night. I was laughed at by a few fellow cruisers telling me that I would never get that on a NCL cruise. I didn't believe them and continued to check the menu daily. They were correct. It never happened. (Holland and Princess had filet and lobster at least one night.) Anyway, this is the only cruise I've been on where I didn't gain weight! (I know that can be a good thing...) We were comped a meal in the French restaurant one night and the food there was amazing. However, I do not understand and refuse to pay extra for specialty dining on any cruise ship. My bottom line for never wanting to choose NCL again is because the crew and the NCL line all know that the Epic is horribly laid out and cruisers are going to be disappointed with the rooms. Knowing that, I would think they would work extra hard to make every other facet of the cruise amazing. But that was not the case and that is why I will never cruise on NCL again.
lilimarlene313 that’s unfortunate. Out of the 23 on ncl, I only experienced one bad time and that was due to the passengers during that specific week 3 years ago this month. Happy sailing
Terrible crew attitudes, one-minute-and-you’re-late reservations and extra money to use the same internet you’d have paid for in advance are some awful ways to run a cruise line. And none of those have anything to do with the layout of the ship. If they treat you like that on the easy stuff, I can’t imagine how the test of the experience was. No thanks.
NCL is more geared to a more adult themed ship. Drinking in the pool yeah, no that should not be allowed so good on them for jumping on that when they saw you. Your opening remarks about if somebody doesn't like what you are saying basically speaks volumes and clarifies a lot.
That design is becoming more and more popular in hotels. Makes it more efficient when 2 or more people are trying to get ready in the morning. Personally, I like that design
i totally agree with you i just got back from a cruise on the epic and it wasn’t as great as i expected. a few years ago i went on their ship “the pride of america” around hawaii and it was one of the best cruises i’ve ever been on
Did the Epic in 2016. Do research before choosing room on any ship. We had 5 ladies in the Haven 2 bedroom Villa after viewing the room layouts & truly enjoyed the perks that came with it. Bowling was a fun & the food was fantastic, as was the entertainment.
Just got back from Med Cruise on Epic. We had aft-facing balcony and it was great. I happen to like the separate bathroom and shower and room layout. I also liked the way most things on the ship were in the same area. I like that better than having things all over the place. For internet, be sure to log out when you are not using it because minutes keep running. I wasted 80 minutes of my internet time helping someone else use theirs. We never stood in line for food the entire trip. Just walked right up to the buffet every time. Also, unlike many other cruise lines, we disembarked the boat in a few minutes. I thought it was great. Oh, and I HATE cold pool water so I guess you just can't please everyone. And I LOVE seeing my wife in the shower through the frosted glass. Buffet food was ok, specialty restaurants were awesome.
We are scheduled for a 10-day Med Cruise beginning of Oct. They just informed us that the Norwegian Epic Sports Complex and Spice H2O are undergoing maintenance and will be closed during our cruise. They are compensating every state room with a $50 non-refundable onboard credit. We are first time cruisers so have a couple questions. Were those areas closed for your cruise? How will those closures affect us? Is that a large area of the ship? Also, since this is all inclusive, what would you use the onboard credit for?
@@ginavolovich Congats on going on your first cruise. You are starting from the top and working your way down if your first cruise is the Med. You will love it. The H2O area was closed during our cruise as well, from Aug 20-28 2022. To be honest, we didn't even notice. These ships are huge with lots of places to explore. Sort of like Disney World. So if they have one area closed down for renovations you barely notice. Well, unless those areas were your reason for picking that particular ship. The H2O area, as I understand it, is just an adult-only pool area. I don't quite have my old beach body anymore so not being in the "cool" area of the ship was not a big deal for me. I also don't have my 10 year old body anymore, so the Sports Complex was also not a big deal for me. In fact, I didn't even know they had one. They also gave us non-refundable onboard credit for not having those areas open. I think we had a total of $150 onboard non-refundable credit (each?). They say "non-refundable" because, obviously, you need to spend it during the cruise. We also got some pre-paid excursions refunded to us and those showed up on the invoice as "Onboard Credit Refundable", which I assume means you will get a credit card refund if you don't use it. Believe me, there are plenty of things to spend on. You can use it for specialty dining (which is incredible on NCL), onboard purchases, and I think just about everything except gambling chips. We ran out of time to spend ours so my wife just bought some jewelry or something (and she's not even a big jewelry fan).
Thanks for the video! Some of those things, like your child not being allowed in to the kids club some nights or for the 1 minute technicality, are really disappointing.
Everybody thinks they're a small exception, but as soon as you let one person get away with something, good luck stopping everyone else from wanting their own "small favor."
@@s0ld4u DadGizmo didn't make it clear, but the impression I got of his account was that the staff swiped the kid's room card a minute before they could actually let him in... Probably the kid who was checking out was taking a little longer to leave than expected, so because of that delay, even though the kid checking in already had his card swiped, he couldn't actually go in based on the rules. That would make this the staff's fault and it's not fair to the passengers to pull some shit like this... Sounds like a stupid rule that should be lifted, but that is on NCL, and I don't see them changing any time soon...
Hmmm?? Qe just went 11 days on the Norwegian Jade to Greece and Italy. And in regards to the bathroom set up, the pools, the jacuzzis, and the crew, it was completely the opposite! Our only complaint about our room was that if you sleep on the left side of the bed (left side while laying on it) you had to pass that little "desk" thing, and it was tight!
Bathroom visibility and sink placement, if you've got some hang-up about washing your hands in front of your travel companions, have an easy fix. It's called the divider curtain! Pull it across, and voila!
Thanks for your video. I watched it before I went on my cruise and just now watched it again. Please allow me to add my feedback from my recent Mediterranean cruise from June 22-July 2. Maybe my comments can help someone thinking about booking this ship. It was just me. I booked an inside cabin and paid x2. Being solo I didn't mind the cabin, I actually thought it was nice. I can see how with family it might not work so well. I had a great cabin steward and most of the "working people" were really nice. My pros: Cabin steward, and other "working people", ports (I had 7 in 10 days). That's it for pros. My cons: The food in general was horrible. I live in Las Vegas. The cheapest buffet here in town would be better than the one on the ship. It was a joke. Food quality was nonexistent. I didn't expect much from a buffet but I couldn't believe how bad things tasted. They couldn't even make an omelette without burning it. Maybe if they were making it correctly in a pan instead of on a crepe iron it might have been better. Just the overall selection and especially the food quality was subpar. The dining room food wasn't much better. Very hit or miss. I would have the same thing on a different night and it would taste differently. I really enjoy eating in the dining room but never knew if what I ordered would be good or not. To be honest, I was embarassed for them. This was not the quality type of food you would find in the dining room on a cruise ship. Things would come out cold, salty and taste like they were prepared way before you ordered them. Most the the staff were really nice. But even the servers would tell me they would get complaints on things tasting too salty. What I also didn't appreciate is that they wouldn't even enforce their own dress code in the more formal of the two dining rooms. I was was told to take off my baseball hat in the less casual dining room but people could wear shorts and beach attire in the more formal. I had three nights of specialty dining. I did two in Le Bistro and one in Cagney's. Le Bistro was excellent. Some of the best escargot I have ever had. Two wonderful meals there. GREAT service all around. I had the same waiter two night. He would call me by name and seemed to really care about my dining experience. My interactions with the manager were also good. They treated me like a king. My night in Cagney's was not so good. My filet was perfect but my earlier courses were not so good. A crab cake with so much salt you could hardly eat it and lobster bisque soup that as another passenger put it, "tomato soup with a tiny piece of lobster." The service was just ok. That's my dining experience on the Epic. It really pissed me off that I constantly received voice mails marketing to me. Come on now. I'm on vacation and I can't avoid being spammed by the cruise ship I've paid to be on? There were a lot of things that were just marketing to get you to cruise again. So many places on the ship (events) just getting you to spend more money. The ship itself needs to be retired. Lots and lots of peeling paint all over the place, rust etc... The deck plans and overall layout of this ship is strange, but I knew that going in. It had the itinerary I wanted so I booked it. They changed one of my excursions and never even emailed me. I asked two different people at the excursion desk and both were totally rude. I heard about some other people who's excursions were completly cancelled and they were not informed until they got on the ship. I didn't use the pools or hot tubs for the exact reason you talked about. I felt like I'd be sitting in a pool of e-coli. My overall experience on this ship was not good. I would never sail on NCL again. Poor food quality, constant marketing for future cruises, art, jewelry and anything they could make more money on. Try fixing up your ship or retiring it. Do something. Try buying some decent/good quality food instead of the nasty stuff you are currently purchasing. Sorry for the long review, but if it can help anyone else, it was worth my time to write it.
Wow!!! I've never had any of these issues on NCL. I've never been on the Epic though. I've been on the Dawn (x2) & next month the Escape. I hope the Escape is as good as the Dawn has been! Last time the gentleman that cared for our room knew our names before we even went to our room! He knew how much I appreciated the adorable little critters he made for us that he left them lined up on the back of our sofa for the remainder of the cruise. But maybe it was because Dawn is a smaller ship. Boy, I'm hoping.
Honestly the majority of the public probably would not like the bathroom/sink layout. Take a poll and find out for sure. As far as the kids club, that's awfully stressful-poll families and find out for yourself. On the other hand of course it's his opinion, it's his video....
@@arl4945 Actually, quite a few hotels have the sink outside the bathroom. I'd rather the sink be inside too. But, sometimes to save space it has to be done. Also with multiple people in a room having to get ready it could be done for efficiency.
NCL tried to change things up and order 2 ships from the French and after they received the Epic they cancelled the other ship because it was so bad. Ncl is a great cruise line, I think the best out of them all.
Wow, I would not like the bathroom at all, weird. I agree with you on your complaints, I would not be happy. Try the Norwegian Bliss. We have not gone on it yet, first cruise is this coming August. We picked this ship because of the good reviews.
Sailed three times on the EPIC. once in a balcony room. It was odd but interesting. Our son was young and the pull out was ok. Had a two bedroom Haven suite the second time. Paid nominal price for a last minute upgrade to I booked room. Restricted quiet access. Nice espresso machine in the room. Great facilities. Restaurants were excellent! Did not need specialty dining. Ship within a ship! The Haven was awesome! Our son was older and bigger but had his own room. Yay! He loved the climbing wall. Third time, just the two of us in a Haven suite. Same awesome amenities as time two but for just the two of us. NCL had a bid program that time, again upgraded for a nominal bid. Otherwise the ship is so huge that you can get lost! Can be exhausting at times! The Haven feels special but I prefer sailing on regular sized ships.
I was just on a Norwegian with my family....and it will probably be my last with them...I totally agree with you...my husband did as well and my daughter was bored....back to Royal I go...lol
Once you come out of the toilet area and wash your hands why would you have to go back in and touch the interior handle??? Not a problem. And the curtain can be pulled across. Not a big deal.
I'm so glad that I found your vid! In fact, I was just about to book Epic for the next summer vacation to Europe because it seems the only option that I can choose from for my schedule in NCL. Since I've never been on NCL cruise, thanks to your honest opinions based on your own experiences, I think I'd better find another one (or maybe next time another ship in NCL). Furthermore, I found that Epic is scheduled to be in drydock for refurbishment in Nov. 2020. Anyhow, I'd just like to say thank you for helping me withdraw my decision. :)
The biggest joke about the Epic is how they take up all the lounge chairs at 6 PM every night even back where the T.V. is so you have no place to sit. In fact the entire ship is a joke.
I'm glad you did this review. Everyone always complain about Carnival. Every cruise line has a few bad ships. Hope you try another one. I've heard Ncl escape is nice.
Tiberia James honestly we were shocked when we went on one of the newer Carnival ships - it was pretty damn nice. I have always heard that you need to at least do 7 days on Carnival or it is a booze fest
I cant stand the carnival sunshine. And I have heard nothing but bad reviews for the epic. But if you cruised on the escape or bliss... omg. Its amazing. Its hit or miss with certain ships.
First NCL cruise and you chise the Epic? That ship is known as the "Epic Fail" and NCL knows it, that's why they cancelled the order for her sister ship. Do not judge NCL by that ship.
Yep, i didn't mind but the room layout and the schip layout are just weird. The other big ships they have a much better including the waterfront idea ... Only good thing about the epic is some of the repo's they have since they can be silly cheap for all included.
NCL sucks in general. Many packages up charged on day 0, while still at the dock--because you didnt prepurchase. Drink prices a joke. Pools and hot tubs suck because of water temp and rules. But the Waterfront and specialty restaurants are indeed good. I found the "Getaway" tolerable, but I'm not coming back to NCL
I’ve sailed on the Epic once and stayed in a studio cabin. I didn’t mind the separate toilet and shower area, but the toilet area was so small that I couldn’t close the door while sitting on the pot. I’m not that tall and had one leg hanging out the door. It wasn’t horrible since I was alone, but it still felt odd. I also never met my room steward at any time during the 3-day cruise. My room was taken care of, but there seemed to be something missing in the hospitality by not meeting the person.
Very Informational, I'm looking at Norwegian Cruises for me and my souse. I liked that you showed the room. I saw the layout online and was a bit concerned. You're raw and keep it that way. People need to hear the truth.
Norwegian Epic Fail LOL. That was the only ship NCL ordered in that style before realizing they made a big boo-boo. And it looks like it was built out of LEGO's. Their later ships in the Breakaway & Breakaway Plus class are far superior. Also looking forward to the Leonardo Class in a couple of years.
This feels like a hit piece, I've been on the ship and had no issues at all, Norwegian is my go to cruise line. The point about the kids activity sounds like it needs to be looked into because as he described it just doesn't make sense.
I have sailed norwegian tons of times, i have been on bliss, epic 2x, and escape. I went on epic last year and it was terrible, the first time we went on epic but if i have learned one thing from norwegian, go on their newer ships because they put their top ranked staff on their latest and greatest ships.
The room setup is to save space. I actually prefer NCL setup i cruise solo so all the studio rooms are set up bathroom seperate from shower seperate from the sink. They did well fitting all that into 99sqft. You went on an old ncl ship. I take it you aren't a fan of NCL that's cool because there are other cruise companies. But I'll never sail Carnival again unless someone pays for my board. I'll take NCL anyday over other cruise ship companies. However we all have different opinions and experiences understandable. No hate.
was on that ship in 2011 I totally agree, and that couch was impossible to sleep on it was curved and narrow, the shower and toilet were so small, the internet was a joke, the elevators were sooo slow. The staff was amazing, the adult activities sucked. How tub was dirty. lounge chairs where way too close together no room to move aorund them.
That's a shame you had this experience on the Epic and it was wrong how they did not allow your kids to attend pirate night due to the 1 minute delay in checking in. I agree-the specialty restaurants were fantastic! I ♥️their thermal spa and ended up getting a pass for it. The crew catered to me and was so wonderful and attentive throughout my whole cruise. I had a chance to experience both a solo cabin and decent size balcony cabin (larger than the one in this video) and was very pleased. I've been on 5 of their ships and this is the first I've heard from anyone having so many issues with NCL. I hope you wrote them a letter expressing your dismay.
you would have created a lot of work if you spilt the beer in the pull. There is a reason for that rule. Appreciate the comments though. Thanks for the comments. You basically brought up everything that others don't say..... My favorite lines are Celebrity and RCCL.
While the bathroom setup may seem a bit odd, it's an efficient setup, especially for those with families. One person can shower while the other can brush their teeth. I agree with designing a venue that has only a 45 kid limit when they have a 4000 passenger ship and who hopes to attract families with kids.
1000% agree with the review. We were on epic last thanksgiving and it was one of the worst cruises we have been on and we have been on a lot. Service was horrible.
Absoultely agree with you Mr Gizmo ….going on a cruise is not an inexpensive process and I for one want it to be a nice vacation. I want the ship to think about what actual people who cruise want.
Going on it next week I may agree about the room layout but we’ll see. The food on NCL is by far the best of the major cruise companies we’ve had hands down.
lighting could have been better, could be more seating around the outside of the ship for ocean views. The rooms were different but we had a huge balcony with 2 deck chairs which was nice. But overall good trip
Norwegian is our favorite cruise line... but we just got off the Epic a couple weeks ago and did not like this ship... try other NCL ships, you will be pleasantly surprised
Two points about the Norwegian Epic: 1) I saw that exact design of the bathroom at a hotel in Reno, NV. However, it was in rooks above the casino for gamblers who were generally by themselves and wanted a cheap room where they could get a few hours of sleep. 2) I have NEVER seen with so many unhappy employees. We went to the MDR for dinner multiple times as a couple. We were kind of bored as they would not seat us with other people like on every other lines we sailed with. We started to count the number of smiling during meal service ... The sad part was that we never got over THREE. When you have a staff that is 50% Filipino and no one is smiling means that the ship has a serious morale problem. I took the February 2023 cruise to the Southern Caribbean.
Only positive on the cruise was the speciality dining? WOW! You almost put me off my cruise on Epic in the Med next summer .... Except, having been on it before, the ship suits me fine and I don't like all that "high-fiving" shite anyway.
I just got off the cruise lol. I agree with the hotubs, but when I just was on adults were drinking in the pools. And some rooms were different. So ya.
ok this video may be stale but just got off the Epic (dec-21) and it still sucks.. even with no kids due to covid and half full.. The curved sofa is totally unusable for sitting or sleeping on. Bed is short and headboard curved too.. Doors to toilet are 3 part sliding and will wake you up in rough seas at nite as they slide back and forth and bang against wall. Anywhere aft of the exhaust stacks get covered with Black Soot.. including your balcony. Shore excursions are a disaster.. waiting an hour After your reporting show time in the showroom.. each day this happened.. Food is bland and mediocre in dining rooms.. Coffee is horrible. The drink package includes drinks under $15.. so if you like wine.. its a disaster.. their wine is priced at 8-9 bucks.. then jumps up to $17 or more.. so the wine you get with the package is worse than Aldi Winking owl..or trader joes 3 buck chuck.. both of which i love. They keep cancelling ports of call and communication with guests is nonexistant.. theres a lot more.. but lets just say its an EPIC FAIL.. fyi we have cruised more than 30 times
Sorry but I LUV The Epic and especially their Studio Cabins and The Studio Lounge. I've been on numerous Epic Cruises too include two crossings with a B2B to The Canary Islands. I've also been on numerous other NCL ships too include most recently The Bliss on its inaugural through The Panama Canal. I've also been on several of NCL's smaller ships (my fave small ship is The Sky) BUT overall I still LUV The Epic the best. (Disclosure: I am a little biased being PLATINUM PLUS). Booked again actually this April for a B2B2B (Eastern and Western Caribbean with a crossing to Barcelona) And oh yes Cagney's fleet wide is totally awesome! I have done the Ice Bar and I liked it. Other things I really like about The Epic is SPICE H2O, Epic Casino, Epic Theatre (Priscilla is a must see) like you said The Specialty Restaurants are amazing, but I've enjoyed the MDR's and The Buffett too...….
I recently was on NCL Epic - first cruise after researching all the other cruise lines. One of the deciding factors for me was that this is not a cruise ship for kids. It has some kid-friendly things BUT it caters to adults. That's one of the biggest rreasons I chose this and it seems your biggest regret. The frustrated glass doors - weird but the layout is European and I think they did a good job squeezing a lot of amenities into a tiny space. I greatly enjoyed the food venues though I wasn't enamored by Cagney's steakhouse. I actually think it was one of the weaker restaurants on board. 🤷♀️ I had a lot of fun AND I greatly enjoyed the ice bar - it was worth every penny. If you really want to know what it is like inside - there are loads of pics on the internet. Speaking of internet, I did not pay the exorbitant internet fees because I was on vacation and was glad to unplug for a week. I also don't have a RUclips channel but if I did, I would have been in contact well in advance for internet because you'd likely score a deal for honest reviews or daily updates. Sorry about your "bad experience". Maybe stick to Disney for the kids!
amie flather thank you for adding so much detail to the comments! This really helps others make the best purchase decision for their cruise money! I agree - maybe this is just not a cruise for kids.
Norwegian Epic,is an old ship made by French. Last year we were at Norwegian Bliss and it’s a show,in the Epic the rooms were strange but had good restaurants and animation was very good,we will see this year with the new Norwegian Ancore. My husband and I have already had six cruises ever with Norwegian and enjoyed it very much.
The no drinks at poolside rule is to stop people accidentally dropping their glasses into the water!
While I respect the man's opinions, because we all have different feelings, likes, dislikes etc, I do feel a lot of the negatives here could be summed up with "I'm American and like things that are American" because a lot of the negatives he described are simply how things are in Europe, especially in Scandinavia and this is "Norwegian" cruise lines, not an american themed line. We don't drink in pools here, our pools are heated for warmth, we don't have the same level of body shame/prudishness when it comes to bathroom use etc, we shower together in open showers, we have nude saunas co-ed etc. When it comes to kids clubs, we don't use them much because if we bring kids on vacation, we wanna spend time with them, not drinking alone while strangers babysit.
I can see why he is upset though and why he doesn't like these things and definitely think this is just a matter of personal taste and culture shock.
Totally agree. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I noticed very few children on the ship. I was actually pleased that it seemed to be mostly adults.
Sasquatch Models we traveled during a school break so that probably amplified the kid quantity problem.
yea Norwegian had few kids as well when I went last year. went on carnival months later and there was way to many kids got real annoying. they were splashing all over in the hot tubs had to leave and find the adult ones but those didnt have the movie theater.
@@MrGizmo211 I'm gonna be going on the Norwegian Breakaway during a school break....
I'M SCARED!!!
Allison Temple please let me know how it goes! I need details ;)
Watching
Oh my when he said "washy washy, happy happy," it made me miss this cruise so bad. I loved this ship.
Callie Reuter me too
Same
That was the best part of the Cruise.
They did this on the Jade too.
I went on it two years ago and that just brought back the memories so much 😭
So you’re saying that one person can shower while someone else uses the toilet and someone else can even brush their teeth without cramming into one little room? That’s awesome!
I would choose to take turns anytime. That layout is an Epic wrong IMO.
I agree. Not only does it make multiple simultaneous uses easy, it saves a substantial amount of space. That extra space would have to be payed for. They should offer rooms with closed separate bathrooms at a higher price for those who have a psychological need to have it. Anyone worried about touching doors after relieving themselves should use towels on the latches.
I like my space this layout wouldn’t work for me.
The professional should be washing his hands after using the bathroom anyway.
I think the design is good if they would have just used solid doors, not frosted glass
If the frosted glass bothers you, you can simply close the curtain;that's kind of what it's there for.
Sorry Frank must agree with DG on this,bathROOM,should be a ROOM.WITH BETTER PRIVACY
Frank Carlone glad there’s a curtain
The whole thing sounds like it sucks. You have a solution for all the other problems?
And then nobody can leave the room...
Or if someone knocks on the door....so weird...omg
please note: EPIC is the only ncl ship with that bathroom layout
Thank goodness you said that!
Still shitty idea.
The Gem had a distinct bathroom with a closing door and toilet and shower doors also, sink inside.We were in an ocean view room.
Exactly, and the funny thing is it’s the only ship that was made in France, it was supposed to have a sister ship but it got canceled. If you research and find out why it’s pretty interesting, regarding a fire when being built . Besides room the ship has a nice cozy modern feel with a flare of vegas
Let me explain this to you. The Epic is the only ship in our inventory that was built in France. It is a French layout that is why it is like that.
My one cruise was on Carnival and it was great. No problems, a really nice cabin, friendly crew, great food, and great shows.
SymphonyBrahms carnival is good cuz it’s real cheap compared to others, less glam but still a good time!
That room layout is horrific.
It’s an European layout cause it was made in France. Also you have to remember that they can’t have big room Casey there is about 3,500 people in board.
@@726athompson The Escape is fantastic.
blythe emily You know what other ships were built in Europe? Like almost all of them! RCI ships, Carnival ships, and most other NCL ships are all built in Europe and they have bathroom doors. There are also larger ships with more capacity that have bathroom doors. This was them trying something new and pretty much everyone agrees it was a bad idea. The idea that it’s because it’s a European build is objectively inaccurate.
pcosta816 disney also has their ships built in Germany.
I been on the Epic. They build this ship in France. They didn’t order any new ship from France. You either love the Epic or hate it. I love the Epic.
Me i love it
Oh and thank you for taking the time on putting out such an informative video. It especially helps me cause that's the ship I'll be on.
I know Im asking the wrong place but does any of you know a tool to log back into an instagram account..?
I somehow forgot the login password. I would love any tips you can give me.
@Gianni Edgar instablaster :)
@Arturo Skylar Thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and Im trying it out now.
Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
I agree with you on the layout
That odd layout is the reason we booked a "mini-suite" (MA) so we had actual doors on the toilet room and a tub.
Tom Blikre we should have done that
Glad to hear this is the only ship built with all the wired bathroom facilities.
NCL is the best, especially for solo cruisers! Epic is the one ship that has that design. They never had another one. Loved the Epic! Cruised in the solo cabins Christmas week 2016. Had a fantastic time! Have been on 6 NCL cruises as a solo traveler.
Cant see me ever cruising. Their surcharge for a person travelling alone is almost the same as paying for two people. Sometimes it sucks to be a solo traveller.
@@leerag Yeah the surcharge sucks but I won't let it stop me.
@@playboymaxim well since i wrote that and now i booked a cruise lol
@@leerag Enjoy!
I had an amazing experience on the epic. One of the best cruises I’ve been on
Good information, plus this guy has a great delivery... should be on TV.
When I was looking at the Epic ship online I THOUGHT THE SAME THING ABOUT THE CABIN FLOOR PLAN!
Imagine being surrounded by water, looking at a pool, being ON A SHIP, but sweating ur hinny off cause there's no way to cool off
As listed below by many, do not judge the NCL fleet by the Epic. It’s the one and only and it was ncl first attempt at mega ship and they call it the Epicfail. Not a very pleasing sight to see from the outside. I’ve been on 23 NCL cruises and every single one was amazing. Just returned Sunday from the 9 day Escape cruise and it was fantastic. I agree with no drinks In the pool as people can’t be in there without spilling. Like no drinks on the dance floor kind of thing. They allow plastic cups In the hot tubs so you can relax in there. But please go on another ncl ship. Ncl is the innovative cruise line that started freestyle dining, the waterfront Alfresco dining amongst other things. They call the Escape the “friendliest ship in the world” and I agree. The crew is amazing. Definitely recommend the Dawn, Jewel, Spirit, Gem, Escape and Bliss although I haven’t sailed bliss just yet. Breakaway was nice too but a lot of cramping. The Escape solves that and looks like Bliss solves it even further based on the expansive pool deck. Long winded but I was commenting as you spoke too lol. Cheers
Eric Benigno went on Escape this summer and hated it. Lines for everything, no lounge chairs ever, internet terrible. Way too many people. Learned I hate mega ships. Only smaller ships for me.
Amy Bradley Escape is awesome to me and it’s ranked top in fleet. But I totally understand why one would like the smaller ships too. The smaller ships is what hooked me on ncl over a decade ago. Never had an issue with lounges as long as you weren’t looking for a prime time spot after 11am. I also never encountered any lines for anything including the main dining rooms. And this was a peak week for New Years. 5k people full capacity. Next class of ships will be smaller btw. Smaller then Breakaway class and bigger then Jewel class. Should be interesting as they are changing ship yards as well
I WILL judge the NCL line on the Epic ship. It was my 2nd NCL cruise, the first being the Gem, which was very pleasant. I was on the 11-night Epic cruise from Port Canaveral which departed 24 Nov 2018 and returned 6 Dec 2018. Many of the Epic crew members had fun mocking the ship's design, which they, of course, had no control over. What they did have control over was how they conducted themselves. I agree with Dad Gizmo that the crew members were neither friendly nor engaging. After a few days, I stopped acknowledging them altogether when I passed one in the hallway because they neither made eye contact nor greeted me. (The exception was the Lido deck where the washy-washy girls were always friendly and smiling and greeting.) As for the food, it was awful! Luckily for Dad Gizmo, he had specialty dining. Everyday food on the Lido deck was so bad, that my sister and I mostly ate hamburgers and grilled chicken. And the choices and the service in the Main dining rooms were lacking, so we went to the Lido deck and had chicken or a salad. Each day I checked the Main dining room menu hoping for the filet mignon and lobster night. I was laughed at by a few fellow cruisers telling me that I would never get that on a NCL cruise. I didn't believe them and continued to check the menu daily. They were correct. It never happened. (Holland and Princess had filet and lobster at least one night.) Anyway, this is the only cruise I've been on where I didn't gain weight! (I know that can be a good thing...) We were comped a meal in the French restaurant one night and the food there was amazing. However, I do not understand and refuse to pay extra for specialty dining on any cruise ship. My bottom line for never wanting to choose NCL again is because the crew and the NCL line all know that the Epic is horribly laid out and cruisers are going to be disappointed with the rooms. Knowing that, I would think they would work extra hard to make every other facet of the cruise amazing. But that was not the case and that is why I will never cruise on NCL again.
lilimarlene313 that’s unfortunate. Out of the 23 on ncl, I only experienced one bad time and that was due to the passengers during that specific week 3 years ago this month. Happy sailing
Terrible crew attitudes, one-minute-and-you’re-late reservations and extra money to use the same internet you’d have paid for in advance are some awful ways to run a cruise line. And none of those have anything to do with the layout of the ship. If they treat you like that on the easy stuff, I can’t imagine how the test of the experience was. No thanks.
The rooms are prefabricated off the ship then loaded like shoe boxes. I worked building this ship for over a year.
That's the only ship they have like that with that bathroom setup. One and done. They didn't like the design of the epic either.
Layout? So what….close the curtain and put hand wipes in the bathroom…problem solved!!
I love the little "washy washy happy happy" reference you did there, those rooms don't seem to apply to that "rule" haha
NCL is more geared to a more adult themed ship. Drinking in the pool yeah, no that should not be allowed so good on them for jumping on that when they saw you. Your opening remarks about if somebody doesn't like what you are saying basically speaks volumes and clarifies a lot.
I like the sink in the room as one person can still brush their teeth while another is using the toilet.
That design is becoming more and more popular in hotels. Makes it more efficient when 2 or more people are trying to get ready in the morning. Personally, I like that design
i totally agree with you i just got back from a cruise on the epic and it wasn’t as great as i expected. a few years ago i went on their ship “the pride of america” around hawaii and it was one of the best cruises i’ve ever been on
i have been on 18 cruises including NCL 3 times i have never seen this type of room set up and it does suck
Did the Epic in 2016. Do research before choosing room on any ship. We had 5 ladies in the Haven 2 bedroom Villa after viewing the room layouts & truly enjoyed the perks that came with it. Bowling was a fun & the food was fantastic, as was the entertainment.
Betty Bierema I guess you need to pay twice as much and upgrade to the haven to get a bathroom door? Lol
Cruise professional???? Who you kidding
Lewy NiSch oh Lewy - so clever and funny!
Mr Gizmo 58 people agree 😆
Well, how many cruises have you experienced?
Just got back from Med Cruise on Epic. We had aft-facing balcony and it was great. I happen to like the separate bathroom and shower and room layout. I also liked the way most things on the ship were in the same area. I like that better than having things all over the place. For internet, be sure to log out when you are not using it because minutes keep running. I wasted 80 minutes of my internet time helping someone else use theirs. We never stood in line for food the entire trip. Just walked right up to the buffet every time. Also, unlike many other cruise lines, we disembarked the boat in a few minutes. I thought it was great. Oh, and I HATE cold pool water so I guess you just can't please everyone. And I LOVE seeing my wife in the shower through the frosted glass. Buffet food was ok, specialty restaurants were awesome.
We are scheduled for a 10-day Med Cruise beginning of Oct. They just informed us that the Norwegian Epic Sports Complex and Spice H2O are undergoing maintenance and will be closed during our cruise. They are compensating every state room with a $50 non-refundable onboard credit. We are first time cruisers so have a couple questions. Were those areas closed for your cruise? How will those closures affect us? Is that a large area of the ship? Also, since this is all inclusive, what would you use the onboard credit for?
@@ginavolovich Congats on going on your first cruise. You are starting from the top and working your way down if your first cruise is the Med. You will love it. The H2O area was closed during our cruise as well, from Aug 20-28 2022. To be honest, we didn't even notice. These ships are huge with lots of places to explore. Sort of like Disney World. So if they have one area closed down for renovations you barely notice. Well, unless those areas were your reason for picking that particular ship. The H2O area, as I understand it, is just an adult-only pool area. I don't quite have my old beach body anymore so not being in the "cool" area of the ship was not a big deal for me. I also don't have my 10 year old body anymore, so the Sports Complex was also not a big deal for me. In fact, I didn't even know they had one.
They also gave us non-refundable onboard credit for not having those areas open. I think we had a total of $150 onboard non-refundable credit (each?). They say "non-refundable" because, obviously, you need to spend it during the cruise. We also got some pre-paid excursions refunded to us and those showed up on the invoice as "Onboard Credit Refundable", which I assume means you will get a credit card refund if you don't use it. Believe me, there are plenty of things to spend on. You can use it for specialty dining (which is incredible on NCL), onboard purchases, and I think just about everything except gambling chips. We ran out of time to spend ours so my wife just bought some jewelry or something (and she's not even a big jewelry fan).
@@rogfromthegarage3143 thankyou!! appreciate the info.
Thanks for the video! Some of those things, like your child not being allowed in to the kids club some nights or for the 1 minute technicality, are really disappointing.
Everybody thinks they're a small exception, but as soon as you let one person get away with something, good luck stopping everyone else from wanting their own "small favor."
@@s0ld4u DadGizmo didn't make it clear, but the impression I got of his account was that the staff swiped the kid's room card a minute before they could actually let him in... Probably the kid who was checking out was taking a little longer to leave than expected, so because of that delay, even though the kid checking in already had his card swiped, he couldn't actually go in based on the rules. That would make this the staff's fault and it's not fair to the passengers to pull some shit like this... Sounds like a stupid rule that should be lifted, but that is on NCL, and I don't see them changing any time soon...
The sink outside allows for ppl to use sink while someone is in bathroom. This works for more than 2 cruising.
Try the Norwegian Breakaway ship mini suite or balcony rooms . You’ll change your mind about Norwegian
almost exactly the same ship been on both
Had a spa mini suite on Breakaway. It was bomb diggity!
The best thing I liked was that you can walk across the whole ship no matter the floor.
I love NCL just for the fact that you don’t have to deal with kids. There aren’t usually many aboard
Hmmm?? Qe just went 11 days on the Norwegian Jade to Greece and Italy. And in regards to the bathroom set up, the pools, the jacuzzis, and the crew, it was completely the opposite! Our only complaint about our room was that if you sleep on the left side of the bed (left side while laying on it) you had to pass that little "desk" thing, and it was tight!
I did the Norwegian Escape and loved it. The bathroom layout for the Epic does look weird as hell!
Jo Star I’m looking to book the Escape. Just got off Breakaway
We appreciate you sharing this
You can't drink by the pool? 😱 That's Crazy
That killed it for us
All of this is because it’s a European ship
Love NCL and the experience!!
Well that's 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back.
Neale Duncan 😂
Ive never seen people allowed to drink in the pools. Only hot tubs
Stephanie Margaret Keeling as long as it wasn’t glass they are usually okay with drinks in pools/hot tubs
The cabin puts me in mind of a European hotel design.
Thanks for the info
And thanks for not acting like a fool while giving the info
Liz Reynolds no problem! I try not to act like a fool ;)
Bathroom visibility and sink placement, if you've got some hang-up about washing your hands in front of your travel companions, have an easy fix. It's called the divider curtain! Pull it across, and voila!
That bathroom layout would only be ok if I was solo in the cabin.
Understand your POV but none of these issues would affect me if I were to cruise on Epic. Thank you for sharing.
i like Norwegian epic
*I DISLIKED BECAUSE OF THIS MAN THUMBS DOWN!!!*
Thanks for your video. I watched it before I went on my cruise and just now watched it again. Please allow me to add my feedback from my recent Mediterranean cruise from June 22-July 2. Maybe my comments can help someone thinking about booking this ship. It was just me. I booked an inside cabin and paid x2. Being solo I didn't mind the cabin, I actually thought it was nice. I can see how with family it might not work so well. I had a great cabin steward and most of the "working people" were really nice.
My pros: Cabin steward, and other "working people", ports (I had 7 in 10 days). That's it for pros.
My cons: The food in general was horrible. I live in Las Vegas. The cheapest buffet here in town would be better than the one on the ship. It was a joke. Food quality was nonexistent. I didn't expect much from a buffet but I couldn't believe how bad things tasted. They couldn't even make an omelette without burning it. Maybe if they were making it correctly in a pan instead of on a crepe iron it might have been better. Just the overall selection and especially the food quality was subpar.
The dining room food wasn't much better. Very hit or miss. I would have the same thing on a different night and it would taste differently. I really enjoy eating in the dining room but never knew if what I ordered would be good or not. To be honest, I was embarassed for them. This was not the quality type of food you would find in the dining room on a cruise ship. Things would come out cold, salty and taste like they were prepared way before you ordered them. Most the the staff were really nice. But even the servers would tell me they would get complaints on things tasting too salty. What I also didn't appreciate is that they wouldn't even enforce their own dress code in the more formal of the two dining rooms. I was was told to take off my baseball hat in the less casual dining room but people could wear shorts and beach attire in the more formal.
I had three nights of specialty dining. I did two in Le Bistro and one in Cagney's. Le Bistro was excellent. Some of the best escargot I have ever had. Two wonderful meals there. GREAT service all around. I had the same waiter two night. He would call me by name and seemed to really care about my dining experience. My interactions with the manager were also good. They treated me like a king.
My night in Cagney's was not so good. My filet was perfect but my earlier courses were not so good. A crab cake with so much salt you could hardly eat it and lobster bisque soup that as another passenger put it, "tomato soup with a tiny piece of lobster." The service was just ok.
That's my dining experience on the Epic.
It really pissed me off that I constantly received voice mails marketing to me. Come on now. I'm on vacation and I can't avoid being spammed by the cruise ship I've paid to be on? There were a lot of things that were just marketing to get you to cruise again. So many places on the ship (events) just getting you to spend more money.
The ship itself needs to be retired. Lots and lots of peeling paint all over the place, rust etc...
The deck plans and overall layout of this ship is strange, but I knew that going in. It had the itinerary I wanted so I booked it.
They changed one of my excursions and never even emailed me. I asked two different people at the excursion desk and both were totally rude. I heard about some other people who's excursions were completly cancelled and they were not informed until they got on the ship.
I didn't use the pools or hot tubs for the exact reason you talked about. I felt like I'd be sitting in a pool of e-coli.
My overall experience on this ship was not good. I would never sail on NCL again. Poor food quality, constant marketing for future cruises, art, jewelry and anything they could make more money on. Try fixing up your ship or retiring it. Do something. Try buying some decent/good quality food instead of the nasty stuff you are currently purchasing.
Sorry for the long review, but if it can help anyone else, it was worth my time to write it.
Wow!!! I've never had any of these issues on NCL. I've never been on the Epic though. I've been on the Dawn (x2) & next month the Escape. I hope the Escape is as good as the Dawn has been! Last time the gentleman that cared for our room knew our names before we even went to our room! He knew how much I appreciated the adorable little critters he made for us that he left them lined up on the back of our sofa for the remainder of the cruise. But maybe it was because Dawn is a smaller ship. Boy, I'm hoping.
Really appreciate your video great heads up 🤙
a big thumbs down to this video. its more personal preference than things wrong with the ship.
Matt Heller valuable feedback!
Honestly the majority of the public probably would not like the bathroom/sink layout. Take a poll and find out for sure. As far as the kids club, that's awfully stressful-poll families and find out for yourself. On the other hand of course it's his opinion, it's his video....
ned kelly would you like cold hot tubs?
Matt Heller yeah his crazy tho
@@arl4945 Actually, quite a few hotels have the sink outside the bathroom. I'd rather the sink be inside too. But, sometimes to save space it has to be done. Also with multiple people in a room having to get ready it could be done for efficiency.
NCL tried to change things up and order 2 ships from the French and after they received the Epic they cancelled the other ship because it was so bad. Ncl is a great cruise line, I think the best out of them all.
Wow, I would not like the bathroom at all, weird. I agree with you on your complaints, I would not be happy. Try the Norwegian Bliss. We have not gone on it yet, first cruise is this coming August. We picked this ship because of the good reviews.
Sailed three times on the EPIC. once in a balcony room. It was odd but interesting. Our son was young and the pull out was ok. Had a two bedroom Haven suite the second time. Paid nominal price for a last minute upgrade to I booked room. Restricted quiet access. Nice espresso machine in the room. Great facilities. Restaurants were excellent! Did not need specialty dining. Ship within a ship! The Haven was awesome! Our son was older and bigger but had his own room. Yay! He loved the climbing wall. Third time, just the two of us in a Haven suite. Same awesome amenities as time two but for just the two of us. NCL had a bid program that time, again upgraded for a nominal bid. Otherwise the ship is so huge that you can get lost! Can be exhausting at times! The Haven feels special but I prefer sailing on regular sized ships.
I was just on a Norwegian with my family....and it will probably be my last with them...I totally agree with you...my husband did as well and my daughter was bored....back to Royal I go...lol
tonyaldorsey me 2 :)
I’ve been on the Epic twice and going for a third time next week. We love it. And I’ve been on RCL and Disney.
Elliot Marks - thanks for your comment! What did you like the best about it?
My suggestion don't experiment with another company always Stay with a company that treat you good😊😊
Once you come out of the toilet area and wash your hands why would you have to go back in and touch the interior handle??? Not a problem. And the curtain can be pulled across. Not a big deal.
I'm so glad that I found your vid! In fact, I was just about to book Epic for the next summer vacation to Europe because it seems the only option that I can choose from for my schedule in NCL. Since I've never been on NCL cruise, thanks to your honest opinions based on your own experiences, I think I'd better find another one (or maybe next time another ship in NCL). Furthermore, I found that Epic is scheduled to be in drydock for refurbishment in Nov. 2020. Anyhow, I'd just like to say thank you for helping me withdraw my decision. :)
NCI is fabulous
I’ve never wanted to drink whilst in a pool! Pool=swim, sun lounger=beer??
Emma Morgan to each their own!!
The biggest joke about the Epic is how they take up all the lounge chairs at 6 PM every night even back where the T.V. is so you have no place to sit. In fact the entire ship is a joke.
6pm?? Gotta watch the sun go down with a drink in your hand while sitting in a lounge chair.
Sink outside the bathroom is a no-go for me, glad I never booked EPIC! Thanks for the heads up!
I agree! I am happy to save you the money and problems!
I'm glad you did this review. Everyone always complain about Carnival. Every cruise line has a few bad ships. Hope you try another one. I've heard Ncl escape is nice.
Tiberia James honestly we were shocked when we went on one of the newer Carnival ships - it was pretty damn nice. I have always heard that you need to at least do 7 days on Carnival or it is a booze fest
I cant stand the carnival sunshine. And I have heard nothing but bad reviews for the epic. But if you cruised on the escape or bliss... omg. Its amazing. Its hit or miss with certain ships.
Tiberia James Escape is gorgeous. Just got back Sunday. She’s best in fleet. Of course I haven’t seen the Bliss yet but Escape is the real deal.
Tiberia James I did the Escape and loved it!
Exept for the rooms (because it was not many case), I totally agree with the rest
First NCL cruise and you chise the Epic? That ship is known as the "Epic Fail" and NCL knows it, that's why they cancelled the order for her sister ship. Do not judge NCL by that ship.
Yep, i didn't mind but the room layout and the schip layout are just weird. The other big ships they have a much better including the waterfront idea ... Only good thing about the epic is some of the repo's they have since they can be silly cheap for all included.
NCL sucks in general. Many packages up charged on day 0, while still at the dock--because you didnt prepurchase. Drink prices a joke. Pools and hot tubs suck because of water temp and rules. But the Waterfront and specialty restaurants are indeed good.
I found the "Getaway" tolerable, but I'm not coming back to NCL
@@wallyklw5 I'm convinced if a Norwegian ship we're sinking they'd charge for the lifeboat and call it a shore excursion.
@@johnneblett7185 That is hilarious!and true😀
@@bnyob3463 The sad part...you are probably right
I’ve sailed on the Epic once and stayed in a studio cabin. I didn’t mind the separate toilet and shower area, but the toilet area was so small that I couldn’t close the door while sitting on the pot. I’m not that tall and had one leg hanging out the door. It wasn’t horrible since I was alone, but it still felt odd. I also never met my room steward at any time during the 3-day cruise. My room was taken care of, but there seemed to be something missing in the hospitality by not meeting the person.
I’ve heard this ship is called the “Epic Disaster”
Very Informational, I'm looking at Norwegian Cruises for me and my souse. I liked that you showed the room. I saw the layout online and was a bit concerned. You're raw and keep it that way. People need to hear the truth.
Sunni D thank you! Follow me - I will always keep it real!
Sunni D TV just got off NCL Breakaway. It’s a fantastic ship. Great itinerary too ! Roatan, Belize, costa Maya, Cozumel
Agree with you totally dude!!
AD ADC thanks!
agree man! the bathroom lay out sucks!
I love Holland America line.
Are all the bathrooms like that on Norwegian, or just the Epic. Very odd!!!! Sure would not want to have that bathroom when traveling with the kids!
Just the epic I think.
Norwegian Epic Fail LOL. That was the only ship NCL ordered in that style before realizing they made a big boo-boo. And it looks like it was built out of LEGO's. Their later ships in the Breakaway & Breakaway Plus class are far superior. Also looking forward to the Leonardo Class in a couple of years.
Walter Haight I am going to give another ship a try! I guess I owe my parents another anniversary cruise!
I may not agree much with his assessments but he said it from his heart!
This feels like a hit piece, I've been on the ship and had no issues at all, Norwegian is my go to cruise line. The point about the kids activity sounds like it needs to be looked into because as he described it just doesn't make sense.
My kids have never had an issue getting in. This was surprising.
I have sailed norwegian tons of times, i have been on bliss, epic 2x, and escape. I went on epic last year and it was terrible, the first time we went on epic but if i have learned one thing from norwegian, go on their newer ships because they put their top ranked staff on their latest and greatest ships.
The room setup is to save space. I actually prefer NCL setup i cruise solo so all the studio rooms are set up bathroom seperate from shower seperate from the sink. They did well fitting all that into 99sqft. You went on an old ncl ship. I take it you aren't a fan of NCL that's cool because there are other cruise companies. But I'll never sail Carnival again unless someone pays for my board. I'll take NCL anyday over other cruise ship companies. However we all have different opinions and experiences understandable. No hate.
was on that ship in 2011 I totally agree, and that couch was impossible to sleep on it was curved and narrow, the shower and toilet were so small, the internet was a joke, the elevators were sooo slow. The staff was amazing, the adult activities sucked. How tub was dirty. lounge chairs where way too close together no room to move aorund them.
That's a shame you had this experience on the Epic and it was wrong how they did not allow your kids to attend pirate night due to the 1 minute delay in checking in. I agree-the specialty restaurants were fantastic! I ♥️their thermal spa and ended up getting a pass for it. The crew catered to me and was so wonderful and attentive throughout my whole cruise. I had a chance to experience both a solo cabin and decent size balcony cabin (larger than the one in this video) and was very pleased. I've been on 5 of their ships and this is the first I've heard from anyone having so many issues with NCL. I hope you wrote them a letter expressing your dismay.
you would have created a lot of work if you spilt the beer in the pull. There is a reason for that rule. Appreciate the comments though. Thanks for the comments. You basically brought up everything that others don't say..... My favorite lines are Celebrity and RCCL.
While the bathroom setup may seem a bit odd, it's an efficient setup, especially for those with families. One person can shower while the other can brush their teeth. I agree with designing a venue that has only a 45 kid limit when they have a 4000 passenger ship and who hopes to attract families with kids.
The point is they are not trying to attract families with kids, they are more of a adult cruise.
1000% agree with the review. We were on epic last thanksgiving and it was one of the worst cruises we have been on and we have been on a lot. Service was horrible.
Carl Warner thank you! Some people here like mediocre trips
you may just want to stay home in your own comfort zone
Richard Ruocco wanting a nice vacation that I paid for is not unreasonable.
Absoultely agree with you Mr Gizmo ….going on a cruise is not an inexpensive process and I for one want it to be a nice vacation. I want the ship to think about what actual people who cruise want.
Someone forgot to tell you NCL isn't for kids. it's geared toward open bars and older couples and food.
I've done 3 Norwegian cruises. I'm never going back.
How come? (Not defending them. I've never been used Norwegian.)
Going on it next week I may agree about the room layout but we’ll see. The food on NCL is by far the best of the major cruise companies we’ve had hands down.
So how was it?
lighting could have been better, could be more seating around the outside of the ship for ocean views. The rooms were different but we had a huge balcony with 2 deck chairs which was nice. But overall good trip
@@kain4645 nice and thank you for sharing. I'm going on epic in April an ive been getting lots of mixed reviews
Norwegian is our favorite cruise line... but we just got off the Epic a couple weeks ago and did not like this ship... try other NCL ships, you will be pleasantly surprised
Two points about the Norwegian Epic:
1) I saw that exact design of the bathroom at a hotel in Reno, NV. However, it was in rooks above the casino for gamblers who were generally by themselves and wanted a cheap room where they could get a few hours of sleep.
2) I have NEVER seen with so many unhappy employees. We went to the MDR for dinner multiple times as a couple. We were kind of bored as they would not seat us with other people like on every other lines we sailed with. We started to count the number of smiling during meal service ... The sad part was that we never got over THREE. When you have a staff that is 50% Filipino and no one is smiling means that the ship has a serious morale problem.
I took the February 2023 cruise to the Southern Caribbean.
I love the Epic
Only positive on the cruise was the speciality dining? WOW! You almost put me off my cruise on Epic in the Med next summer .... Except, having been on it before, the ship suits me fine and I don't like all that "high-fiving" shite anyway.
I just got off the cruise lol. I agree with the hotubs, but when I just was on adults were drinking in the pools. And some rooms were different. So ya.
Hey, have you ever been on Carnival Fascination? If so, how was it in comparison to Epic when taking price into consideration?
I liked the epic so much I had to go a second time!
Will Jorgenson happy to hear that Will! I wish ours was the same.
ok this video may be stale but just got off the Epic (dec-21) and it still sucks.. even with no kids due to covid and half full.. The curved sofa is totally unusable for sitting or sleeping on. Bed is short and headboard curved too.. Doors to toilet are 3 part sliding and will wake you up in rough seas at nite as they slide back and forth and bang against wall. Anywhere aft of the exhaust stacks get covered with Black Soot.. including your balcony. Shore excursions are a disaster.. waiting an hour After your reporting show time in the showroom.. each day this happened.. Food is bland and mediocre in dining rooms.. Coffee is horrible. The drink package includes drinks under $15.. so if you like wine.. its a disaster.. their wine is priced at 8-9 bucks.. then jumps up to $17 or more.. so the wine you get with the package is worse than Aldi Winking owl..or trader joes 3 buck chuck.. both of which i love.
They keep cancelling ports of call and communication with guests is nonexistant.. theres a lot more.. but lets just say its an EPIC FAIL.. fyi we have cruised more than 30 times
I dunno, I quite liked my cruise on the Epic. Then again, we were in the Haven, so...
Great tips! I'd rather know what someone dislikes so I can at least know what to expect on the downside. I appreciate your candor.
Sorry but I LUV The Epic and especially their Studio Cabins and The Studio Lounge. I've been on numerous Epic Cruises too include two crossings with a B2B to The Canary Islands. I've also been on numerous other NCL ships too include most recently The Bliss on its inaugural through The Panama Canal. I've also been on several of NCL's smaller ships (my fave small ship is The Sky) BUT overall I still LUV The Epic the best. (Disclosure: I am a little biased being PLATINUM PLUS). Booked again actually this April for a B2B2B (Eastern and Western Caribbean with a crossing to Barcelona) And oh yes Cagney's fleet wide is totally awesome! I have done the Ice Bar and I liked it. Other things I really like about The Epic is SPICE H2O, Epic Casino, Epic Theatre (Priscilla is a must see) like you said The Specialty Restaurants are amazing, but I've enjoyed the MDR's and The Buffett too...….
thanks for the honest opinion!
I recently was on NCL Epic - first cruise after researching all the other cruise lines. One of the deciding factors for me was that this is not a cruise ship for kids. It has some kid-friendly things BUT it caters to adults. That's one of the biggest rreasons I chose this and it seems your biggest regret. The frustrated glass doors - weird but the layout is European and I think they did a good job squeezing a lot of amenities into a tiny space. I greatly enjoyed the food venues though I wasn't enamored by Cagney's steakhouse. I actually think it was one of the weaker restaurants on board. 🤷♀️ I had a lot of fun AND I greatly enjoyed the ice bar - it was worth every penny. If you really want to know what it is like inside - there are loads of pics on the internet. Speaking of internet, I did not pay the exorbitant internet fees because I was on vacation and was glad to unplug for a week. I also don't have a RUclips channel but if I did, I would have been in contact well in advance for internet because you'd likely score a deal for honest reviews or daily updates. Sorry about your "bad experience". Maybe stick to Disney for the kids!
amie flather thank you for adding so much detail to the comments! This really helps others make the best purchase decision for their cruise money! I agree - maybe this is just not a cruise for kids.
Norwegian Epic,is an old ship made by French. Last year we were at Norwegian Bliss and it’s a show,in the Epic the rooms were strange but had good restaurants and animation was very good,we will see this year with the new Norwegian Ancore. My husband and I have already had six cruises ever with Norwegian and enjoyed it very much.