I was invited to visit the exclusive 2-night (2-3 July, 2010) before the opening session for the latest and largest sailing ship in the NCL, Norwegian Epic. Starting from New York City, began the journey by boat christening ceremony, the hosts comedian Jeff Garlin and was the featured sponsor, Reba McEntire. In addition to the celebrations was the Macy's 4th Of July fireworks from the epic was the live on national television (WNBC). It included musical performances by JustinBieber, Enrique Iglesias and LeeAnn Rimes. As I have experienced many times in the past, know the people at NCL really how to throw a party! But let us on their new ship, the focus Epic.
The "hardware"
When discussing the physical properties of a cruise ship (ie, it is appearance and layout), industry professionals often refer to the ship "hardware". So, let's start there.
At 153,000 tons with a passenger capacity of 4,100 (double occupancy)Norwegian Epic is by far the largest ship in the NCL fleet. In fact, with the exception of Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas (which was launched in December 2009), Epic is NCL's largest cruise ships at sea. It is also one of the uniquely designed cruise ships, which I quite one) ever been to (... and I have been a few were on. In most cases, that "uniqueness" a very positive attribute to the thoughtfulness and attention that reflects the EpicDesigners have paid for maximizing the use of space to a much larger, wide-open "feel" to reach out to all public areas of the ship. And that area seemed "easy" will go to the next (without the "cookie-cutter rigidity sometimes found) on cruise ships was truly remarkable. But in some areas, I did not perceive to be the unique design of the ship is an advantage. Seemed the outer shape of the ship a little "strange" to me. The bow is a bit "stubby-looking" andthe tail is "squared-off so that the ship does not have a" streamlined "appearance from the outside. In addition to the irregular appearance is a massive 3-deck appendage, which was apparently "flopped" on top of the front portion of the event (or, more likely to continue to maximize interior space of the vessel). Apparently the ship had the designers to make some trade-off's "all that she was inside the ship and eventually reached by a passenger perspective, the interior is much moreimportant.
The establishment of the Epic is modern and somewhat "weaker" than other NCL ships. Getting around was not quite so simple, because the ship's unique interior. Instead of the common areas amounts to a uniform width by the middle of the ship gave Epic the interior of the illusion, designed that way, but in different places, the inside width of the ship would vary apparently and you went to give the right or left at another location.So, just when I thought I had seen the whole ship, would I discover a new area. After more than 50 cruise ships, I found the layout of the Epic is very interesting and "refreshing".
The Food
Since all the restaurants offer a variety of dining options, an assessment of food is not only influenced by personal taste, but also chosen by which items from the menu. For example, the first night, my wife and I ate at the Manhattan Room, one of theShip main dining area. She had a chicken that they are "OK" as valued as I scallops which were very good, had. Like all public areas on the Epic, the layout of rooms and amenities Manhattan was a tribute to the ship designer. Wide open and airy, the Manhattan Room had the look and feel of a fine dinner theater. In fact, I was somewhat surprised when our dinner host (one of the NCL executives) informed us that the room was not a specialty Manhattan restaurant. The other main dining roomRoom, appropriately called "taste", was also very well designed and easy on the eyes. In the middle of the taste is a beautiful chandelier (reportedly the largest at sea), that spiral from the deck above. Although I have not eaten in taste, I hear that the menu is the same as the Manhattan Room, so I would assume our assessment of the food would be about the same (ie "OK" was to "very good", depending on the entre selected and, of course, personal taste).
One of theHallmark of the celebrated NCL Freestyle Cruising "is the selection of restaurants and, not surprisingly, so is the Epic this function to a new level. In addition to the two main dining area, the Epic 17 other dining options, each with its own cuisine and ambiance. These include the large buffet area (the "Garden Cafe"), in which the food was consistently fresh and of high quality (albeit with a little less choice than we experienced on some other ships have). It also includes theBBQ by the pool ("Spice H2O"), "O'Sheehan's" (a huge, sprawling pub, the meeting place and social nucleus "was for many of the guests of the vessel) and several specialty restaurants such as La Cucina Italian Restaurant (which was even more attractive set up on the Epic as on other ships NCL), Japanese teppanyaki grill (much larger than on other NCL ships) and Le Bistro French Restaurant to name a few. Each of the specialty restaurants has a "cover charge" (which ranges from $ 10 to$ 35 per person), but in my opinion, they are all well worth the money.
On this pre-inaugural cruise, I tried two of the specialty restaurants, Cagney's Steak House and Moderno a Brazilian Churrascaria "all-you-can-eat barbecue where guests their server signal with a green card (" OK, I'm ready for more ") or a red card (" No, please. I am filled "). My wife and I have raved NCL Cagney's Steak House on several other Norwegian cruise ships (eg, the NCL Dawn, theNCL Gem and Jewel) and we enjoyed it just as on the Epic. On the other hand, we were not nearly so impressed with the ship at Epic Moderno Churrascaria, Cruise, which is the first such restaurant to anyone. The salad bar was absolutely fabulous (especially the plump shrimp and fantastic gourmet cheese), but other than the loin (which the server cut in front of you), my wife and I were both disappointed with the quality of the meat. Ironically, my son Greg (CEO ofDirect Line Cruises), and several of our employees tried Moderno Churrascaria and really loved it. So, do not take my word for it.
The service
A cruise passenger perception of service on board is so often dependent on their cabin crew member and was waiters / waitresses served their meals in the. Since my wife and I began to Direct Line Cruises, there are customers for several cases in which different in exactly the same cruise wouldReport radically different service levels. So, at best, any assessment of the service are taken only as a generalization based on limited personal experiences while on board.
After preceded this part of my review (to "cover my tail", if the reader experience a different one), my wife and I found the service cruise (ie the on NCL Epic be consistent with, what we experienced ships on other NCL very well with a few exceptions).
And EntertainmentActivities
It may be hard to believe, but the show from the Blue Man Group actually exceeds NCL Hype! It was the only (... yes I am that word again ...) and professional act I've seen on any cruise ship. Funny and thoroughly entertaining, I would rather see the show, night after night as' sit some of the old Broadway song and dance shows I have ever seen on cruise ships so many others. The Blue Man performance was on the ship the main theaterWhich, given the size of the Epic, was relatively low (with a capacity of under 600 people). But despite this fact, the theater was not "packed" because, in accordance with NCL's concept of "Freestyle Cruising", the epic was with several entertainment options, each designed in a different show.
In addition to Blue Man Group, presented the NCL Epic "Legends in Concert," performances by Elvis, Madonna, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson and imitated presentedother "superstars". If you like this kind of thing, you will probably enjoy it very much. Doing so may be your "OK" as I did.
Another Epic "first" is Cirque Dreams and dinner, by an exceptionally talented group of acrobats in a special theater-in-the-run round is a mirror-tent. Several of our employees saw this show and said that it was very good, but perhaps a bit too long. My wife and I saw a very different show at the Spiegel tent. Our 3-year-oldGranddaughter, we were able to bring us a big fan of "Dora the Explorer and Diego, and she loved the Nickelodeon character breakfast, in addition to Dora and Diego, also presented" Sponge Bob Square Pants "" Jimmy Neutron " and others. In an exclusive deal with NCL, the Nickelodeon characters, not currently on the Epic and the NCL Jewel (now sailing all year round from New York City) and may be appearing on several other ships, NCL.
Another presentedLaw on the NCL cruise ships is the second largest city comedy troupe. Although I do not see their show on the Epic (... it just was not enough time to do all women ...), and I have seen my ship, as some other NCL cruise. In general, we find their "rehearsed" very funny skits, and their "improvised" routines very un-funny "(but then again, I never really enjoyed watching Jonathan Winters, which was seen by many as an" ad-lib comedyGenie).
Activities on the ship were abundant. Unique to the Epic, the Epic Plunge (a massive 7-deck water slide), 6 bowling lanes and the Svedka Ice Bar (NCL was the first ice bar advertises at sea), which are all content (including the bar) of ice and the venue is held in a "pleasant" 17-degree temperature to keep them from melting. Well, that's "really cool"! Patrons are clearly heavy jackets before entering the drink and vodkaChoice.
The State Rooms
Like every modern cruise ship, NCL offers a wide selection Epic of accommodation ranging from cheaper inside cabins (without windows), deluxe rooms with a personal butler. Of course you would a guest in one of the spacious suites have a different cabin experience as a stay in a much smaller inside cabin so again once I have my car checked by warning the reader that it is based on my forewordspecific experience (which may not hold for other types of accommodation on the Epic true).
My wife and I were in a standard cabin with balcony (one of the "Category B" cabins on the ship). Upon entering the cabin, we had two first impressions. First curved walls gave the room a very unique "look" (as opposed to typical cruise ship cabins that are almost rectangular with straight walls). The second thing we noticed that the cabinnot have a bathroom ... well, at least not in the traditional sense. You have the cabin through a door between a shower and a toilet stall (each with a strong "dull" housing). A curtain separated these areas from the main part of the cabin, which among other things, the bed, sofa, cabinets / cupboards and a sink. The advantage of the sink outside the toilet and shower area is that inmates can use the sink, while another with theShower or toilet (convenience that you do not often find in traditional cabins cruise ships). In addition, provided the unique design of the cabin much more space than is typically in a similar-sized conventional cars found. But despite this, I found the cabin very "tight" (especially in the cabins that have the bed closer to the front door, when the balcony door) and I have to admit a total that I would have preferred a moreconventionally designed cabin configuration or one of the larger deluxe balcony ("Category D") cabins on the Epic).
Conclusion
While on board, said one of the NCL executives me what I thought the ship and what type of client it would be best suited for. Without hesitation, I replied that the Epic would be really clear on most appreciated by many on the client, the cruise ships and now something would have been experiencing. In line with this, it isno coincidence that my wife Epic booked the 15-year anniversary cruise for Direct Line Cruises on NCL staff and taste "to it, we can hardly expect it until September, when we're on the sails now, that we become a little" Epic for 7 nights.
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