Norwegian Cruise Line raised the stakes on mega cruise ships when they added the Norwegian Epic into their fleet. The 3rd largest cruise ship in the world holds 4,100 passengers, has the only tube and bowl water slide at sea, a rock climbing wall, two three lane bowling alleys, and “entertainment aboard is a caliber greater than Las Vegas”.
Did I mention it also has an ice bar kept at a cool 17 degrees above zero? Don’t expect to just walk into the ice bar, reservations are a must and they fill up fast. If that is a little to cold for you, you don’t have to worry about going hungry on the Epic with 20, yes 20 dining options to choose from. Top off the vacation with a performance by the Blue Man Group and a cruise on the Norwegian Epic will be a trip that you will never forget.
Cabins
Norwegian redefined the cruise ship stateroom with the new wave design. The rooms have a delightful, contemporary curve,. Concealed lighting and domed ceilings give the feel of a skylight. The bathrooms are also done differently in that the shower is separate from the toilet and sink. However, they both have glass doors that are heavily fogged. Families might find this a bit uncomfortable while young couples tend to enjoy it. They do have a curtain that you can close for more privacy.
The Epic also introduced an industry first, studio rooms for single cruisers. Normally, a solo cruiser would have to pay the double occupancy rate even though they are alone. With these studio rooms, a single can pay just half the cost of a regular room. The studio rooms also have a studio lounge.
100% of the ocean view rooms on the Epic are balcony staterooms. Rooms with jacuzzis are also available.
Restaurants
There are 10 complimentary dining options and 10 specialty restaurants. The specialty restaurants include a french bistro, a churrasacaria, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, a steakhouse, sushi, pizza and more! The Epic Club is exclusively for guests in the Villas and the Studio Lounge is only for those guests staying in studio rooms. Alcohol is not allowed to be brought on the ship, many have found that rum runners on eBay are a way around this.
Entertainment
Norwegian took entertainment to a whole new level on the Epic. The main attraction is the award winning Blue Man Group. They perform 8 shows over a 7 day cruise. Other entertainment options include Cirque Dreams, Legends in Concert, Fat Cats, Second City, and Howl at the Moon.
Aqua Park
Norwegian added their first ever water park on the Epic. With 3 water slides to choose from, there is a thrill for all ages. The highlight is the Epic Plunge, the only tube slide at sea that goes into a bowl slide, and then through a 200 foot long tube. The aqua park also has 2 swimming pools (salt water) 5 hot tubs, a wading pool, and a kid’s pool with water sprays. At the very back of the ship is an adults only area called Spice H20. The area had a pool, a giant LED screen, and plenty of spaces to sunbathe. At night it turns into a outdoor night club.
The Epic sails to the Caribbean and during the summer has cruises in the Mediterranean.
