Norwegian Epic Review
Rating by category
Additional details
The destinations were great. Tour guides not very good (with two great exceptions). In Morocco, spent 2 hours 'killing time in traffic going 20 MPH' to not get back to the ship before 4:00 PM on all day tour (according to guide). Would have preferred doing shopping in Alisal. Bad weather forced cancellation of a tour (not ours). Instead of getting all tours not cancelled off the ship, they wasted 45 - 60 minutes trying to explain to the cancelled tour people that the tour was cancelled. IF they would have gotten the other tours off on time, then everyone would have been better served and they could have dealt easily (with much less confusion and chaos) with the cancelled tour. As a result, tours came back late (ship waited). However, the next day, the ship was late in docking resulting in tours going off late and, in our case, finishing 30 - 45 minutes early because the tour guide had another committment. (Do the sled ride on Madeira!!!!) Food was marginal at best, except in the specialty restaurants, but having to pay extra to get good food doesn't seem quite right. The "Taste" was a very good, quiet setting. The Japanese restaurant view was of the bottom of the lifeboats!!
The Stateroom design was unique, to say the least. Very impressive and well thought out.
Lots of coughing and hacking on board and particularly because of the unexpected bad weather. Only thing for coughs was Dayquill (@17.99). With 4,000 passengers, one would expect a variety of medications available to deal with colds, etc.
Cabin Review
Balcony
Appointments were very good. Well laid out, lots of storage. Great design with the shower isolated from the toilet and the wash basin separate. No chairs, but a seating area that can be folded out for another bed (I guess). Attractive appearance. Only downside was that the door on the toilet 'creaked' during transit. Used a washcloth between panels to eliminate the noise. Apparently a common problem on this ship according to staff.
Port Reviews
Barcelona
The Arc la Rambla is inexpensive, near the foot of La Rambla (the main shopping and pedestrian area). Hotel is clean, staff very attentive and responds to e-mails in minutes! Easy walking (15 - 20 minutes) to HopOn/Off bus. Lots of vendors and places to eat. $35 Euros for a taxi from the airport for 2. Too far to walk to the cruise ship. For the HopOn/Off bus to see everything, allow at least 1 day, and probably 2. Sangria Familia is several hours to see IF you get there early. Although warned about pickpockets, we were there during a street celebration with lots of people and performers and did not see or hear of any problems, but better to still be careful.
Madeira (Funchal)
No waiting for tickets.
Madeira (Funchal)
Having seen a lot of different mountains and valleys throughout the world, this is still worth doing and seeing.
Madeira (Funchal)
Fantastic views of the mountains. Very narrow roads, lots of construction. The wine tasting before the cable car and toboggan rides was well planned. A little fortification for a truly fun experience!
Malaga
Oversold (but maybe impressive for Europe) if you have seen caves elsewhere. Caves are safe and dry for walking, but lots and lots and lots of steps. People with canes, shortness of breath, or trouble getting around should avoid this tour.
Palma de Mallorca (Majorca)
A good overview of the area. Bad weather made it difficult to enjoy many of the outdoor activities. Torrential rains (!) and no umbrella.