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Cruise ship review: Norwegian Epic

In October 2015, I did a cruise on the Mediterranean sea aboard the Norwegian Epic. During September and October, the Epic underwent a massive refurbishment to get the 2010 ship back in mint condition. There were also a few new shows added to the line-up, such as Priscilla Queen of the Dessert, and Burn the Floor.

I hadn’t sailed on the Epic before, so I couldn’t really compare, but naturally the ship was in an extraordinary condition. Below are a few pictures from the public areas.

Crowd

The fellow passengers on board seemed to be a mixture of all ages, something I really liked. Definitely a much younger crowd than compared to e.g. Celebrity Cruises, but of course they cater to different needs. I was under the impression the majority of passengers were American citizens (and also British). Generally speaking, I feel European cruise enthousiasts seem to prefer lines as MSC, P&O or Costa.

Solo travelers

Norwegian Cruise Line is one of the few lines that pay special attention to solo travelers. Many of their ships have special ‘studios’ that should be perfect for solo travelers. All studios are in close proximity of each other, in a designated area only accessible for solo travelers. One of the first nights when I was having dinner, I was approached by the Cruise Director, who invited me to the party in the single travelers bar, which is a great way to meet new people.

Rooms:

I myself traveled solo so I originally booked an inside studio cabin. But for me personally it turned out to be way smaller than expected. The friendly people from the guest services desk arranged a balcony room for me. I didn’t mind paying the extra charge.

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Although I enjoyed my room, this was one of the smaller standard balcony cabins I’ve stayed in. Maybe it had something to do with the wavy shape of the walls. The only advantage I see is one that’s beneficial for Norwegian: being able to cram more rooms on the same space. There’s only a few inches of space between the end of your bed and the wall.

Spa

I highly recommend getting a spa pass for you entire stay, but be quick because they normally sell out on the first day! Due to that, the wellness area is never crowded. There were times I was the only person. The Mandara spa is very spacious and has 2 saunas, steam bath, heated stone beds, whirlpools… anything you want! It’s the perfect place if you want to get away from the +4,000 other people on board. Sadly no pics as I never brought my camera there.

Dining

NCL’s freestyle dining means there’s no main dining room, but rather a variety of smaller restaurants. This is great because you’re more likely to try new things each night, from sushi, fish & chips, italian or french cuisine… you name it. Here’s a few pics from the dining areas.

Bars

Of course, like on all cruise ships there’s an abundance of bars. I particularly enjoyed the Svedka Ice bar (extra charge). Correct, a bar entirely made of ice. On a ship! This blew my mind. Before entering you get a warm coat so you’re fully prepared to go in and drink 2 complimentary cocktails from your ice glass 🙂

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There’s much more to say about this beautiful ship, but that’s all for now. If you have any question or would like to share your own experience, don’t hesitate to comment below!

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