Norwegian Epic Review
A Good Cruise Overall, With a Few Glitches.
Rating by category
Additional details
We sailed the Norwegian Epic from January 11, 2014 to January 18, 2014. We are a family of four from Montréal, Canada, kids ages 11 and 9, and have been on 15 prior cruises, once on NCL. We had a balcony cabin #12035 (our first time in any cabin other than inside).
We arrived the night before, and stayed at the Embassy Suites MIA Airport. This is a decent hotel with a hot breakfast included in the price, with sleeping arrangements for four. They have a shuttle to the ship for $10pp but since we were four, it was cheaper to take a taxi ($26).
Embarkation: We arrived at 10:45am and were checked in at 11:00am, and then we proceeded to wait approximately 40 minutes in a waiting area to board. They call the groups by numbers. We entered the ship through the casino, and found our way up to the pool deck, where we secured a table until our cabin was ready (2pm). There was a decent buffet available and attentive bar service (not so for the remainder of the cruise). The kids hit the waterslides. In order to obtain towels, I had to present my room key and sign for them at the towel counter. I ordered a Mai Tai ($7.99) which was well-mixed but served in a plastic cup. I expected more… silly me. If you want a “souvenir cup” (also plastic) it costs $2.99 more. Pass. There already was a huge line-up to buy drink packages, but we didn’t get any. I intended to vary my alcohol from hard drinks to beer, and only 2 or 3 a day, so the packages didn’t make sense for me.
Cabin Review
Our Cabin: We had a “Family Balcony” cabin, which is, incidentally, identical to the regular balcony cabin. Since we are used to climbing over each other in an inside cabin, the additional space was much appreciated. The balcony was also a decent size, with two chairs and a small table. The bed was a bit short: If you are 6 feet tall or more, beware… your feet will hang off the bed. There are two flexible reading lamps which are a nice touch. Also be advised that you will have to search for some of the light switches. Also, cabin lighting could be brighter overall. The bathroom set-up was odd but we had read about this and were prepared, however, there is a curtain that you can pull across for privacy. Shower was regular size, but the toilet area was tiny. The sofa (daytime) converted to a bed for the night, and a fourth bunk came down from the ceiling, accessed via ladder. The mini-bar was locked, and remained so until the evening of the second day. Our cabin steward was on his last week, and seemed somewhat unmotivated. We put wet beach towels in the bin, and he appeared not too pleased about this. Apparently, it was a bit of bother for him to get fresh ones. I also asked him to empty the mini-bar and replace it with sodas… it took him two full days to accomplish this. (No bonus for the steward at tip time, but he did not ruin our cruise)