I've never sailed on any Norwegian ship but I have to say that cabin layout and the lack of a real bathroom is a major turn off for me. Otherwise, the ship looks gorgeous! Thanks for another fun, informative vlog, looking forward to part 2!
@@CruisingCanucks This ship is not amazing. It's old. Needs to be retired. Tons of paint peeling and rust. I just finished a 10 day cruise on this ship. Subpar food, strange deck plan, constant marketing of their products and cruises. NCL one and done.
The only weakness for food we found was the buffet (and lunch options) but we had some of the best main dining room food ever for dinner and breakfast. We thought the interior was much more modern than other ships of its age. Our experience on the Epic renewed out interest in NCL for sure. We have a couple dozen family members about o sail the Epic this fall in Europe.
Hello!! Great vlog and thanks for taking the time to make one... As far as the room layout, i get it, every cabin i have been on, the bathroom is a tiny waste of space! We were just on the Carnival Celebration and i was always banging my head, elbows, knees as it was a ridiculous tiny room. We used to open the door right after a shower to keep from jamming our toes etc. There is a privacy curtain if need be but i get it. The lack of plugs seems odd and the curvature?? We will be sailing her this November for a Thanksgiving cruise and take in and see for ourselves. Enjoyed this we will be looking for more from you, btw what was your overall thoughts on the room and ship?
We loved the Epic ship and had a wonderful cruise. The cabin had lots of storage which we appreciated but it tended to feel very tight when we were both trying to get ready for the evening. The curve sofa looked pretty but we felt it took up extra square footage for walking space in the cabin. Still would cruise on the Epic again and have a wonderful time.
@@CruisingCanucks Maybe some other cruise haha! I did not unfortunately. I basically spent most of the cruise near the pool or at the bliss lounge haha.
Oh gosh, your cabin! Yikes! What a weird layout. At least you got an unobstructed view. You must have gotten your 10,000 steps without leaving the ship. It's huge. By the way: We were headed to Civitavecchia one year and were going to do the train from Rome to catch the HAL Prinsendam. That day it was raining cats and dogs (cani e gatti) and we called the concierge at our hotel to order a car service. The driver told us that he could deliver us directly to the ship because the company he worked for is one of the few that is allowed to drive inside the port. (Who knew?) It wasn't cheap, but it was oh so easy.
We were very close to doing the exact same thing. But when we found out the train was less than 20EUR for both of us and the car was well over 100EUR - we gave the train a shot. The biggest pain was getting from the train to the ship.
Thanks for this video, helped me change my mind about this ship, bathroom was the deal breaker... no way, looks like a RV... Going on Celebrity Infinity instead... What was the name of the drink that she loves???
It was a beautiful ship and we had a fabulous time but we definitely agree that those bathroom were an Epic fail. Mrs.Canuck’s favourite drink on the NCL line is Caipirinha. It is a drink originally from Brazil.
Thanks for the video…I’d have to take a pass on that cabin. Do they have Haven on that ship? That’s probably what I’d have to do if sailing on that one.
wow, I just got off the Epic: Sail date 12/7 TA from Portugal to NY. We sat at the same table and ate wings, nachos and the sausage sliders. We were booked on the same cruise you're on but had to change because of scheduling issues. Can't wait to see the rest of your videos.
Cruised on the Epic in February 2019....I hated the room design with the bathroom set up. Look up Norwegian Epic hits cruise dock in Puerto Rico February 2019...that was us! LOL. Ended up with 100% cruise credit for another cruise taken within 2 years then Covid hit...they were very good and extended the credit out. We just sailed on NCL Bliss to Alaska and loved it! Just signed up for NCL Dawn July 2023, 15 day Northern Europe cruise...I am so excited.
I have watched a few different cruise vloggers but you guys are the best I’ve seen. Other than a Royal cruise that wasn’t really for us, we’ve always cruises NCL. Initially with Epic & then their newer ships & we’re going back on Epic in May. It will be our first cruise on it for a good few years so I was looking for a fairly recent video just for a general overview. However I found your Day 1 video so enjoyable that I ended up watching the full week. I’m so glad I found you as your commentary is really down to earth & genuine & by doing it daily you really do provide an excellent overview of the travel, ship, ports & overall cruising experience. Just out of interest if you do see this, I was wondering if either of you are involved in the travel industry? Thank you so much for the great content, I’ve subscribed & look forward to catching up on all your existing & future videos. Here’s to many more great cruises for all of us.
Thanks so much for the kind words - we do read and try to respond to everyone who comments. We are SO happy that you enjoy our style of vlogging. Our intent is always to show a ‘day in the life’ of someone on a cruise. It's great when that comes thru to our viewers. We both hold down full-time jobs not in the travel industry. We just spend every moment of time off on cruises. Mr. Canuck is a licensed travel agent in Canada but doesn't do it for a living - more just to help with booking cruises for us and our family. We were pleasantly surprised by the Epic - we loved the ship, the cabin maybe not as much. We are now looking to cruise NCL again- what's your favourite NCL ship? Have fun back on the Epic in May and thanks for the sub and watching. 🙂
I really liked the bathroom idea on the EPIC.... It was fun. Plus I loved being able to use the toilet even when someone is using the shower. It is a bit odd having the sink in the bed area though.
We’ve cruised smaller NCL ships were there was a separate water closet for the toilet and then a glasses in shower (and sink) that were all in a separate bathroom - but gave the same flexibility. We prefer that approach for sure compared to the Epic.
Very odd cabin layout. When we were sailing out of civitiavecchia we walked from the train station to the ship. I was never so happy to get on a ship and get rid of our luggage lol
Yes it was odd to us that we could see the ship, but we couldn't get a taxi there and had to do this shuttle bus game. There are several docks at the port and sadly we were at the furthest through a large industrial area -so not sure they would have let us walk in? Yes we were so happy to finally get there after 2 hours of figuring out.
Thanks for watching. For those doing research for future cruises on the Epic can now use our video to see that you can lay in bed and have one foot in the toilet if you aren't careful. 🤣
Bathroom layout weird but not a deal breaker for me - its okay. Trade off is more room which is nice. And the shower is nice and big. I'd give it a go.
We heard it was meant more for a European audience - in fact, this might be its last winter returning to North America and might stay in Europe for good after that.
@@CruisingCanucks probably for the best, Europeans are more sanguine about such things. All in all it seems like a pretty good ship otherwise. I am looking forward to your episodes. You going to book Prima one day?
I’ve cruise on 7 NCL ships and have never seen a cabin set up like the Epic has. I inquired about why the ship was set up in this manor. I learned this ship was built for mainly for European travel.
We kind of knew going in about this cabin layout, but it still ended up being different than we expected. We thought there's be more of a 'hall' into the cabin where the bathroom facilities would be locations - instead it felt more like they were right in the room. Beautiful ship (and cabin) otherwise and our best NCL experience to date.
I have done 2 cruises on the NCL Epic, one in Caribbean and 1 out of Barcelona doing the Med. I personally loved the ship, bathrooms were a bit weird but as a couple it was fine. The food and entertainment was great onboard and I would not hesitate to go on her again but since there are so many ships we want to try it is unlikely we will sail on her again unless there is an unbelievable deal.
We are scheduled to go on the Epic from Haifa to Rome. 12 days. We have good and a number of bad things about NCL and EPIC. The bathroom not to big of a deal but wanted you feedback on food, crew and overall views
@@kf8478 we went on the Epic thinking this would be our last NCL cruise ever. We were impressed enough that we would cruise NCL again. The main dining at the Manhattan was great. The La Bistro was excellent. Moderno Brazilian was a let down(bad service) and the Asian restaurant wasn’t that good (food undercooked). The buffet was beautiful with okay selection. Breakfast at Taste was really good. Lunch was always the biggest struggle for us, since buffets aren’t our thing. Top deck is odd and swimming pools are a let down but the adults only area was closed for us. Interior is beautiful and we found the staff all amazing. Hope that helps.
@@CruisingCanucks , thank you so much. It really helps. I just need clean ship, good food and some nice amenities here and there. Appreciate you and Merry Christmas
I cruised on the epic in 2018.. we had rough seas due to a nor’ easter and the bathroom and shower doors rolled open and shut all night long 😅 we all agreed it was a horrible design
When you get an upgrade to a higher category, it gives a chance to the cruise line to sell their basic cabins at last minute. Last minute buyers are seldom looking for higher categories . Not necessarily a sign that the ship has lots of vacancies.
To our knowledge NCL does not provide self-service laundry rooms. When we cruised with them we were able to have an iron and ironing board brought to our cabin to use on day. That was years ago though so we are’t sure if that is still the case.
We've debated if we liked the outlooks hidden (and the mess as we often have lots of batteries/vlog stuff plugged in) or prefer it in a more accessible location.
That was a Caipirinha - Brazil's national cocktail, made with cachaça, sugar, and lime. The drink is prepared by mixing the fruit and the sugar together, then adding the liquor. We first discovered it at the Mojito Bar on the NCL Dawn.
Wow why so much luggage. We just got off a 15 day cruise with one suitcase between two of us, plus carry-on. We did laundry onboard. Pinch the nose clip on the mask to prevent droplets going down that you would breath in. It is Chi- vit-a-veccia, all good except the first part of pronunciation. Good try. Thx for this, well done. The shower is ok where it is, but totally disagree with not having a sink in same room as toilet as totally unhygienic that you have to touch the door handle (after doing your business) before one can wash hands. Try a Peroni beer next time, a nice Italian lager, and not that crap Coors.
We were in Europe for 35 days on three different cruises. We had laundry on 2 of those cruises. We like to dress up and not wear the same things over and over again while vlogging. We thought we did well with 2 checked bags.
I don’t like the way NCL make you have a reservation for the shows. One cannot predict how long dinner will take, so cannot tell when one is free for the show.
Wow! Weirdest "bathroom" setup EVER!! We're on Breakaway in 52 days--glad they learned from that mistake! LOL! Thanks for the tour.
I've never sailed on any Norwegian ship but I have to say that cabin layout and the lack of a real bathroom is a major turn off for me. Otherwise, the ship looks gorgeous! Thanks for another fun, informative vlog, looking forward to part 2!
Yes the ship itself is amazing - just those strange cabins.
@@CruisingCanucks This ship is not amazing. It's old. Needs to be retired. Tons of paint peeling and rust. I just finished a 10 day cruise on this ship. Subpar food, strange deck plan, constant marketing of their products and cruises. NCL one and done.
The only weakness for food we found was the buffet (and lunch options) but we had some of the best main dining room food ever for dinner and breakfast. We thought the interior was much more modern than other ships of its age. Our experience on the Epic renewed out interest in NCL for sure. We have a couple dozen family members about o sail the Epic this fall in Europe.
What a breath of fresh air. Like night and day between this ship and the last one. Love the new editing. Looking great. Thank you...
Yes NCL shocked us! In a good way
I remember planning a cruise on the Epic with a friend until while picking a cabin I came across the layout. That was the end of that
Ya it’s pretty bizarre- and awkward! Could t imagine sharing that cabin with anyone but a spouse.
Thank you for all details! Any USB ports around the cabin? We will sail soon and should I pack extra cords😮?
All we found was the 110V plugs (2) under the counter. We don't remember any USB.
Hello!!
Great vlog and thanks for taking the time to make one...
As far as the room layout, i get it, every cabin i have been on, the bathroom is a tiny waste of space! We were just on the Carnival Celebration and i was always banging my head, elbows, knees as it was a ridiculous tiny room. We used to open the door right after a shower to keep from jamming our toes etc. There is a privacy curtain if need be but i get it. The lack of plugs seems odd and the curvature??
We will be sailing her this November for a Thanksgiving cruise and take in and see for ourselves.
Enjoyed this we will be looking for more from you, btw what was your overall thoughts on the room and ship?
We loved the Epic ship and had a wonderful cruise. The cabin had lots of storage which we appreciated but it tended to feel very tight when we were both trying to get ready for the evening. The curve sofa looked pretty but we felt it took up extra square footage for walking space in the cabin. Still would cruise on the Epic again and have a wonderful time.
What month did you travel? I have a similar cruise coming up in June. Weather?
We were cruising on the Epic in August. It was extremely hot then. 🛳
I believe that was NCL's first mega-ship and they learned from their mistake right away 🤣 Enough reason to skip the ship, otherwise beautiful.
Yes - a beautiful ship otherwise. Too bad they couldn't refurb the cabins - cause we'd sail on her again for sure!
Hahaha lol the coincidence, at 5:40 that’s literally me with my family. Im in the pink swim trunks with the blue polo hahaha
No way!!! Too bad we didn't know you then to say Hi. Wonder if you can find yourself in the rest of the vlogs?
@@CruisingCanucks Maybe some other cruise haha! I did not unfortunately. I basically spent most of the cruise near the pool or at the bliss lounge haha.
Love ur necklace!!!!
Thanks 😊
Oh gosh, your cabin! Yikes! What a weird layout. At least you got an unobstructed view. You must have gotten your 10,000 steps without leaving the ship. It's huge.
By the way: We were headed to Civitavecchia one year and were going to do the train from Rome to catch the HAL Prinsendam. That day it was raining cats and dogs (cani e gatti) and we called the concierge at our hotel to order a car service. The driver told us that he could deliver us directly to the ship because the company he worked for is one of the few that is allowed to drive inside the port. (Who knew?) It wasn't cheap, but it was oh so easy.
We were very close to doing the exact same thing. But when we found out the train was less than 20EUR for both of us and the car was well over 100EUR - we gave the train a shot. The biggest pain was getting from the train to the ship.
did u have to pay for the upgrade or was it free?
It was free. Forward balcony upgraded to mid balcony
Great video…what was the favorite drink when you bellied up to the bar? I’m always looking for something not too sweet!!
Watch Saturday’s video for part 2 of embarkation day. There you will see a drink called ‘Grass Clippings’. You might like it.
Thanks for this video, helped me change my mind about this ship, bathroom was the deal breaker... no way, looks like a RV... Going on Celebrity Infinity instead... What was the name of the drink that she loves???
It was a beautiful ship and we had a fabulous time but we definitely agree that those bathroom were an Epic fail. Mrs.Canuck’s favourite drink on the NCL line is Caipirinha. It is a drink originally from Brazil.
@@CruisingCanucks Thank you, I'll try & remember that ...
Thanks for the video…I’d have to take a pass on that cabin. Do they have Haven on that ship? That’s probably what I’d have to do if sailing on that one.
Yes a large Haven area at the front of the ship.
wow, I just got off the Epic: Sail date 12/7 TA from Portugal to NY. We sat at the same table and ate wings, nachos and the sausage sliders. We were booked on the same cruise you're on but had to change because of scheduling issues. Can't wait to see the rest of your videos.
It reminds me of a dorm room
Cruised on the Epic in February 2019....I hated the room design with the bathroom set up. Look up Norwegian Epic hits cruise dock in Puerto Rico February 2019...that was us! LOL. Ended up with 100% cruise credit for another cruise taken within 2 years then Covid hit...they were very good and extended the credit out. We just sailed on NCL Bliss to Alaska and loved it! Just signed up for NCL Dawn July 2023, 15 day Northern Europe cruise...I am so excited.
Sounds wonderful! We’ve sailed the Dawn twice, quieter than the bigger ships but exceptional personalized service results.
I have watched a few different cruise vloggers but you guys are the best I’ve seen. Other than a Royal cruise that wasn’t really for us, we’ve always cruises NCL. Initially with Epic & then their newer ships & we’re going back on Epic in May. It will be our first cruise on it for a good few years so I was looking for a fairly recent video just for a general overview. However I found your Day 1 video so enjoyable that I ended up watching the full week. I’m so glad I found you as your commentary is really down to earth & genuine & by doing it daily you really do provide an excellent overview of the travel, ship, ports & overall cruising experience. Just out of interest if you do see this, I was wondering if either of you are involved in the travel industry? Thank you so much for the great content, I’ve subscribed & look forward to catching up on all your existing & future videos. Here’s to many more great cruises for all of us.
Thanks so much for the kind words - we do read and try to respond to everyone who comments.
We are SO happy that you enjoy our style of vlogging. Our intent is always to show a ‘day in the life’ of someone on a cruise. It's great when that comes thru to our viewers.
We both hold down full-time jobs not in the travel industry. We just spend every moment of time off on cruises. Mr. Canuck is a licensed travel agent in Canada but doesn't do it for a living - more just to help with booking cruises for us and our family.
We were pleasantly surprised by the Epic - we loved the ship, the cabin maybe not as much. We are now looking to cruise NCL again- what's your favourite NCL ship?
Have fun back on the Epic in May and thanks for the sub and watching. 🙂
I really liked the bathroom idea on the EPIC.... It was fun. Plus I loved being able to use the toilet even when someone is using the shower. It is a bit odd having the sink in the bed area though.
We’ve cruised smaller NCL ships were there was a separate water closet for the toilet and then a glasses in shower (and sink) that were all in a separate bathroom - but gave the same flexibility. We prefer that approach for sure compared to the Epic.
Very odd cabin layout. When we were sailing out of civitiavecchia we walked from the train station to the ship. I was never so happy to get on a ship and get rid of our luggage lol
Yes it was odd to us that we could see the ship, but we couldn't get a taxi there and had to do this shuttle bus game. There are several docks at the port and sadly we were at the furthest through a large industrial area -so not sure they would have let us walk in? Yes we were so happy to finally get there after 2 hours of figuring out.
Hello!! I’m watching your videos can you please tell me when you took the NCL epic cruise to the Mediterranean a.k.a. Rome what were the dates?
August 23-30, 2022. Thanks for watching!
I guess you never did any reaserch on the cabin?
Thanks for watching. For those doing research for future cruises on the Epic can now use our video to see that you can lay in bed and have one foot in the toilet if you aren't careful. 🤣
Bathroom layout weird but not a deal breaker for me - its okay. Trade off is more room which is nice. And the shower is nice and big. I'd give it a go.
Great solo cabin. The cabins with the beds near the balcony would certainly be a little better.
The Epic design was I think trying something new and different that clearly flopped, there is no other ship like it in the NCL fleet
We heard it was meant more for a European audience - in fact, this might be its last winter returning to North America and might stay in Europe for good after that.
@@CruisingCanucks probably for the best, Europeans are more sanguine about such things. All in all it seems like a pretty good ship otherwise. I am looking forward to your episodes. You going to book Prima one day?
Funny you should day......we are very close to booking the Prima, or possibly even the Viva in 2024!!
Those crazy french designers..
I went on the Epic from London to New york on the very first cruise, and we had a large bathroom but were in a Suite.
Ya we thought about a family suite to get a normal bathroom - but figured it would be a waste for two people.
I’ve cruise on 7 NCL ships and have never seen a cabin set up like the Epic has. I inquired about why the ship was set up in this manor. I learned this ship was built for mainly for European travel.
We kind of knew going in about this cabin layout, but it still ended up being different than we expected. We thought there's be more of a 'hall' into the cabin where the bathroom facilities would be locations - instead it felt more like they were right in the room. Beautiful ship (and cabin) otherwise and our best NCL experience to date.
I have done 2 cruises on the NCL Epic, one in Caribbean and 1 out of Barcelona doing the Med. I personally loved the ship, bathrooms were a bit weird but as a couple it was fine. The food and entertainment was great onboard and I would not hesitate to go on her again but since there are so many ships we want to try it is unlikely we will sail on her again unless there is an unbelievable deal.
We loved the ship - despite the strange bathroom setup.
We are scheduled to go on the Epic from Haifa to Rome. 12 days. We have good and a number of bad things about NCL and EPIC. The bathroom not to big of a deal but wanted you feedback on food, crew and overall views
@@kf8478 we went on the Epic thinking this would be our last NCL cruise ever. We were impressed enough that we would cruise NCL again. The main dining at the Manhattan was great. The La Bistro was excellent. Moderno Brazilian was a let down(bad service) and the Asian restaurant wasn’t that good (food undercooked). The buffet was beautiful with okay selection. Breakfast at Taste was really good. Lunch was always the biggest struggle for us, since buffets aren’t our thing. Top deck is odd and swimming pools are a let down but the adults only area was closed for us. Interior is beautiful and we found the staff all amazing. Hope that helps.
@@CruisingCanucks , thank you so much. It really helps. I just need clean ship, good food and some nice amenities here and there. Appreciate you and Merry Christmas
wait what was the drink called?!
Caipirinha - Brazil's national cocktail.
@@CruisingCanucks thank you! I’m going on Norwegian Epic in a couple weeks so I gotta try this drink out haha.
Did you use a selfie stick to record 😂
Nope - just a tripod
The Epic was the first and last ship NCL had built by the French. People either love it or hate it.
We love the ship and hate the cabins. So sounds about right!
I cruised on the epic in 2018.. we had rough seas due to a nor’ easter and the bathroom and shower doors rolled open and shut all night long 😅 we all agreed it was a horrible design
That would be awful. We wish they’d somehow fix all the cabins cause the rest of the ship was great.
When you get an upgrade to a higher category, it gives a chance to the cruise line to sell their basic cabins at last minute. Last minute buyers are seldom looking for higher categories . Not necessarily a sign that the ship has lots of vacancies.
We had heard that some Med cruises were sailing with only partially capacity - and were hoping that our upgrade was hinting at that.
Does any one know if there is self service laundry on Ncl Epic?
To our knowledge NCL does not provide self-service laundry rooms. When we cruised with them we were able to have an iron and ironing board brought to our cabin to use on day. That was years ago though so we are’t sure if that is still the case.
@@CruisingCanucks thank you for your speedy response!
That room is so weird. And there should be more accessible outlets.
We've debated if we liked the outlooks hidden (and the mess as we often have lots of batteries/vlog stuff plugged in) or prefer it in a more accessible location.
What is the drink you (Jill) were having at the end of this video?
That was a Caipirinha - Brazil's national cocktail, made with cachaça, sugar, and lime. The drink is prepared by mixing the fruit and the sugar together, then adding the liquor. We first discovered it at the Mojito Bar on the NCL Dawn.
@@CruisingCanucks can't wait to try it next month on the Epic! Thank you for filming all of your videos. Loved watching them!
CHEEVITAVEKIA NOT SIVITAVEKIA.
Thanks - very helpful as we weren't 100% we had it right and were trying to mimic what it sounded like from others.
Wow why so much luggage. We just got off a 15 day cruise with one suitcase between two of us, plus carry-on. We did laundry onboard. Pinch the nose clip on the mask to prevent droplets going down that you would breath in. It is Chi- vit-a-veccia, all good except the first part of pronunciation. Good try. Thx for this, well done. The shower is ok where it is, but totally disagree with not having a sink in same room as toilet as totally unhygienic that you have to touch the door handle (after doing your business) before one can wash hands. Try a Peroni beer next time, a nice Italian lager, and not that crap Coors.
We were in Europe for 35 days on three different cruises. We had laundry on 2 of those cruises. We like to dress up and not wear the same things over and over again while vlogging. We thought we did well with 2 checked bags.
I don’t like the way NCL make you have a reservation for the shows. One cannot predict how long dinner will take, so cannot tell when one is free for the show.
Seems to be a trend on newer large ships with smaller theatre. The smaller/older ships had bigger main theatres and there wasn't this issue.