In cruising, as in life, some things you like, some you don`t and the NCL Epic is no exception, but the good far outweigh the bad. So, let`s get rid of the negatives straight away. The design is odd; from the well documented toilet/bathroom arrangement in the staterooms to the fact that the lifts are at either end of the ship. Also the casino area, even if you`re a gambler, is far too big and a lot of the tables are empty a lot of the time, so the staff could be better employed. The size of the ship is not a major issue, however, it`s all relative. We`ve sailed on the Jade and the Spirit, both of which are half the size of the Epic, so initially it looks a bit of a beast, but you soon get used to it, and it never feels overcrowded.

So, now, let`s look at the positive side.

The entertainment is fantastic, from the glittering stage shows and dance routines of Priscilla and Burn the Floor through to an excellent Motown show, a superb group of singers called 4Ever, and a couple of very funny comedians. Most of the shows have to be prebooked(unless you want to queue up on standby) as the theatre is really too small for a ship this size, although the acts do appear at different times throughout the cruise. Some of them also appear in another venue on the ship so you should be able to catch them at some point. There is also the Cavern Club where you will find the Epic Beatles, among others. Their sound and mannerisms are brilliant but you`ll need to be in early as it gets pretty packed. The comedy club is another venue with terrific entertainment and great atmosphere from some first class musicians. The one slight downside was the Cirque Sol for which we paid extra. What they did was very good but I was expecting trapeze rather than mainly ground based acts. Not quite what it said on the tin! Read more