| I was invited to attend the exclusive 2-night (July | | | | A cruise passenger's perception of onboard |
| 2 - 3, 2010) pre-inaugural sailing for NCL's newest | | | | service is so often dependent upon who their |
| and largest ship, the Norwegian Epic. Departing | | | | stateroom attendant was and which waiters / |
| from NY City, the sailing began with the ship's | | | | waitresses served their meals. Since my wife and |
| naming ceremony, which was hosted by | | | | I started Direct Line Cruises, there have been |
| comedian Jeff Garlin and featured the ship's | | | | several instances in which different clients on the |
| godmother, Reba McEntire. Adding to the | | | | same exact cruise would report radically different |
| festivities was the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks | | | | service levels. So, at best, any evaluation of |
| show which was broadcast live from the Epic on | | | | service should be taken only as a generalization |
| national television (WNBC). It included musical | | | | based on limited individual experiences while |
| performances by Justin Bieber, Enrique Iglesias | | | | onboard. |
| and LeeAnn Rimes. As I have experienced many | | | | Having prefaced this part of my review (to |
| times in the past, the folks at NCL really know | | | | "cover my tail" in case the reader has a different |
| how to throw a party! But let's focus on their | | | | experience), my wife and I found the service on |
| new ship, the Epic. | | | | the NCL Epic to be consistent with what we've |
| The "Hardware" | | | | experienced on other NCL cruise ships (i.e., very |
| When discussing the physical attributes of a cruise | | | | good with only minor exceptions). |
| ship (i.e., it's layout and appearance), industry | | | | Entertainment And Activities |
| professionals often refer to the ship's "hardware". | | | | It may be hard to believe but the show by the |
| So, let's start there. | | | | Blue Man Group actually exceeds NCL's hype! It |
| At 153,000 tons with a passenger capacity of | | | | was the most unique (...yes, I'm using that word |
| 4,100 (based on double occupancy), the | | | | again...) and professional act I've seen on any |
| Norwegian Epic is, by far, the largest ship in the | | | | cruise ship. Thoroughly funny and entertaining, I |
| NCL fleet. In fact, with the exception of Royal | | | | would rather see that show night after night than |
| Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas (which was | | | | to sit through some of the same old "Broadway |
| launched in December 2009), NCL's Epic is among | | | | song-and-dance" shows I've seen on so many |
| the largest cruise ships at sea. It is also one of | | | | other cruise ships. The Blue Man performance was |
| the most uniquely designed cruise ships that I | | | | in the ship's main theatre which, considering the |
| have ever been on (...and I've been on quite a | | | | size of the Epic, was relatively small (with a |
| few). In most cases, that "uniqueness" is a very | | | | seating capacity of under 600 people). However, |
| positive attribute which reflects the thoughtfulness | | | | despite that fact, the theatre was not "packed" |
| and attention that the Epic's designers must have | | | | because, consistent with NCL's concept of |
| paid to maximizing the use of space to achieve a | | | | "Freestyle Cruising", the Epic was designed with |
| much bigger, wide-open "feel" to all of the ship's | | | | multiple entertainment venues, each offering a |
| public areas. And, the way that one area just | | | | different show. |
| seemed to "flow" into the next (without the | | | | In addition to Blue Man Group, the NCL Epic |
| "cookie-cutter" rigidity sometimes found on cruise | | | | showcased "Legends In Concert", which featured |
| ships) was truly remarkable. But, in a few areas, I | | | | impersonated performances by Elvis, Madonna, |
| did not perceive the unique design of the ship to | | | | Tina Turner, Michael Jackson and other |
| be an advantage. For instance, the exterior shape | | | | "super-stars". If you like this sort of thing, you will |
| of the ship seemed a bit "odd" to me. The bow is | | | | probably enjoy it very much. Otherwise, you may |
| somewhat "stubby-looking" and the stern is | | | | find it to be "OK", as I did. |
| "squared-off" so that the ship does not have a | | | | Another Epic "first" is Cirque Dreams and Dinner |
| "sleek" appearance from the outside. Adding to | | | | which is performed by an exceptionally talented |
| the irregular look is a massive 3-deck appendage | | | | group of acrobats in a special theater-in-the-round |
| that was seemingly "plopped" on top of the front | | | | called the Spiegel Tent. Several of our staff |
| section as an afterthought (or, more likely, to | | | | members saw this show and said that it was |
| further maximize the ship's interior space). | | | | very good but, perhaps, a bit too long. My wife |
| Obviously, the ship's designers had to make some | | | | and I saw a very different show in the Spiegel |
| "trade-off's" to accomplish everything they did | | | | Tent. Our 3-year-old granddaughter, who we |
| inside the ship and, after all, from a passenger's | | | | were able to bring with us, is a big fan of "Dora |
| perspective, the interior design is far more | | | | the Explorer" and "Diego" and she just loved the |
| important. | | | | Nickelodeon character breakfast which, in addition |
| The decor of the Epic is modern and somewhat | | | | to Dora and Diego, also featured "Sponge Bob |
| more "toned-down" than other NCL ships. Getting | | | | Square Pants", "Jimmy Neutron" and others. In an |
| around was not quite as easy because of the | | | | exclusive deal with NCL, the Nickelodeon |
| ship's unique interior design. Rather than having its | | | | characters are presently appearing on the Epic |
| public areas running at a uniform width through | | | | and the NCL Jewel (which now sails year-round |
| the center of the ship, the Epic's interior gave the | | | | out of New York City) and will eventually appear |
| illusion of being designed that way but, in several | | | | on several other NCL ships. |
| different places, the interior width of the ship | | | | Another featured act on NCL's cruise ships is the |
| would seemingly vary and you would go to the | | | | Second City Comedy Troupe. Although I did not |
| right or to the left to enter another venue. So, | | | | see their show on the Epic (...there just wasn't |
| just when I thought I had seen the entire ship, I | | | | enough time to do everything...), my wife and I |
| would discover a new area. Having been on over | | | | have seen them on several other NCL cruise |
| 50 cruise ships, I found the layout of the Epic to | | | | ships. In general, we found their "rehearsed" skits |
| be very interesting and "refreshing". | | | | to be very funny, and their "ad-libbed" routines |
| The Food | | | | very "un-funny" (but, then again, I never really |
| Since all restaurants offer a variety of culinary | | | | enjoyed watching Jonathan Winters, who was |
| choices, any evaluation of food is influenced not | | | | regarded by many people as an "ad-lib" comedic |
| only by personal taste but also by what items are | | | | genius). |
| selected from the menu. For example, on the first | | | | Activities on the ship were plentiful. Unique to the |
| night, my wife and I ate at the Manhattan Room, | | | | Epic were the "Epic Plunge" (a massive 7-deck |
| one of the ship's main dining areas. She had a | | | | water slide), 6 bowling alleys and the SVEDKA Ice |
| chicken dish, which she evaluated as "OK", while I | | | | Bar (which NCL touts as the first ice bar at sea) |
| had scallops which were very good. Like all public | | | | in which the entire contents (including the bar) are |
| areas on the Epic, the layout and décor of the | | | | made of ice and the venue is maintained at a |
| Manhattan Room was a tribute to the ship's | | | | "toasty" 17-degree temperature to keep it from |
| designers. Wide open and "airy", the Manhattan | | | | melting. Now, that's "really cool"! Patrons are |
| Room had the look and feel of a fine dinner | | | | provided with heavy jackets before entering and |
| theater. In fact, I was somewhat surprised when | | | | vodka is clearly the beverage of choice. |
| our dinner host (one of NCL's executives) | | | | The Staterooms |
| informed us that the Manhattan Room was not a | | | | Like every modern cruise ship, the NCL Epic |
| specialty restaurant. The other main dining room, | | | | offers a wide variety of accommodations, ranging |
| appropriately called "Taste", was also extremely | | | | from lower-priced interior cabins (with no window) |
| well laid-out and pleasing to the eye. At the center | | | | to huge luxury suites with personal butlers. |
| of Taste is a beautiful chandelier (claimed to be | | | | Obviously, a guest staying in one of the large |
| the largest at sea) that spirals down from the | | | | suites would have a different stateroom |
| deck above. Although I did not eat in Taste, I am | | | | experience than one staying in a much smaller |
| told that the menu is the same as the Manhattan | | | | interior cabin so, once again, I must preface my |
| Room, so I would assume our assessment of the | | | | stateroom review by cautioning the reader that it |
| food would have been about the same (i.e., "OK" | | | | is based on my specific experience (which may or |
| to "very good", depending on the entre' selected | | | | may not hold true for other types of |
| and, of course, personal taste). | | | | accommodations on the Epic). |
| One of the hallmarks of NCL's acclaimed | | | | My wife and I were in a standard stateroom with |
| "Freestyle Cruising" is the choice of dining options | | | | a balcony (one of the "Category B" staterooms |
| and, not surprisingly, the Epic takes this feature to | | | | on the ship). Upon entering the stateroom, we |
| a new level. In addition to the two main dining | | | | had two initial impressions. First of all, the curved |
| areas, the Epic offers 17 other dining venues, | | | | walls gave the room a very "unique" look (unlike |
| each with its own cuisine and ambiance. This | | | | typical cruise ship staterooms which are almost |
| includes the spacious main buffet area (the | | | | always rectangular with straight walls). The second |
| "Garden Cafe"), in which the food was | | | | thing we noticed is that the stateroom didn't have |
| consistently fresh and of high-quality (albeit with | | | | a bathroom...well, at least, not in the traditional |
| somewhat less variety than we've experienced | | | | sense. You entered the stateroom through a door |
| on some other ships). It also includes the poolside | | | | between a shower stall and a toilet stall (each |
| grill ("Spice H2O"), "O'Sheehan's" (a huge, sprawling | | | | with a heavily "frosted" enclosure). A curtain |
| pub that became the meeting place and "social | | | | separated these areas from the main part of the |
| nucleus" for many of the ship's guests) and | | | | stateroom which, among other things, included the |
| several specialty restaurants such as La Cucina | | | | bed, a couch, storage closets / cabinets and a |
| Italian restaurant (which was even more | | | | sink. The advantage of having the sink outside of |
| attractively decorated on the Epic than on other | | | | the toilet and shower area is that one occupant |
| NCL ships), Tepanyaki Japanese grill (much larger | | | | can use the sink while another is using the shower |
| than on other NCL ships) and Le Bistro French | | | | or toilet (a convenience that you don't often find |
| restaurant just to name a few. Each of the | | | | in traditional cruise ship staterooms). In addition, |
| specialty restaurants has a "cover charge" (which | | | | the unique design of the stateroom provided |
| ranges from $10 to $35 per person) but, in my | | | | much more storage space than is typically found |
| opinion, they are all well worth the money. | | | | in a conventional stateroom of similar dimensions. |
| On this pre-inaugural cruise, I tried two of the | | | | However, despite that, I found the stateroom to |
| specialty restaurants, Cagney's steakhouse and | | | | be very "tight" (particularly in the cabins that have |
| Moderno Churrascaria, a Brazilian "all-you-can-eat" | | | | the bed nearer to the entrance door than to the |
| barbeque in which guests signal their servers with | | | | balcony door) and, overall, I must admit that I |
| a green card ("OK, I'm ready for more") or a red | | | | would have preferred a more conventionally |
| card ("No more, please. I'm stuffed"). My wife and | | | | designed stateroom configuration or one of the |
| I have raved about Cagney's steakhouse on | | | | larger deluxe balcony ("Category D") staterooms |
| several other Norwegian cruise ships (e.g., the NCL | | | | on the Epic). |
| Dawn, the NCL Gem and the NCL Jewel) and we | | | | Conclusion |
| enjoyed it just as much on the Epic. On the other | | | | While onboard, one of NCL's executives asked me |
| hand, we were not nearly as impressed with the | | | | what I thought of the ship and what type of |
| Epic's Moderno Churrascaria, which is the first such | | | | client it would be best suited for. Without |
| restaurant on any cruise ship. The salad bar was | | | | hesitation, I responded that the Epic would be |
| absolutely fabulous (especially the plump shrimp | | | | most appreciated by the client who has been on |
| and fantastic gourmet cheeses) but, other than | | | | many cruise ships and now wants to experience |
| the sirloin (which the servers cut right in front of | | | | something truly unique. Consistent with that, it's no |
| you), my wife and I were both disappointed with | | | | coincidence that my wife booked the 15-year |
| the quality of the meats. Ironically, my son Greg | | | | anniversary cruise for Direct Line Cruises' staff on |
| (who is CEO of Direct Line Cruises) and several of | | | | the NCL Epic and, now that we've gotten a small |
| our staff members tried Moderno Churrascaria | | | | "taste" of it, we can hardly wait until September |
| and really liked it. So, don't take my word for it. | | | | when we set sail on the Epic for 7 nights. |
| The Service | | | | |