We are lovers of the freestyle cruising that NCL offers and could not wait to get on this new, big ship. We had cruised in March and heard so much hype about what a fantastic ship the Epic would be. What a disappointment! The design of this ship is a mess.
The rooms are very tiny and so unbelievably nonfunctional it would be laughable except you are stuck there for the duration of your trip. You must orchestrate your movements with your spouse/roommate because two people cannot pass in the room. The sink is elevated and shallow and water splashes everywhere. We did not like the glass walled toilet. There is NO privacy. The bed and the sofa were on the curve and looked lovely but both were uncomfortable. The sofa was mostly good for storage. Postiives: The shower was roomy and worked well. The balcony was large and enjoyable. Storage was adequate. Our steward was outstanding.
All the Epic traffic is routed through the casino. It is filled with cigarette smoke and has narrow walkways due to the slot machines that run down the middle and on the sides. There is a mass of people trying to get to the main dining room,the casual pub, the Shangai restaurant, the Blues Club, the shows etc. It is overcrowded and difficult to traverse. People waiting on the shows view the casino bar as a smoking area and stop there just to smoke. If you are at the bar having a drink or playing the bar top machines you are subjected to constant cigarette smoke. It is miserable. If you are just walking through you WILL be exposed to excessive amounts of smoke.