Just returned from the December 11th Norwegian Epic Cruise to the Western Caribbean.

Embarkation: We arrived at 12:00 noon and were onboard in minutes. Very fast and organized. I haven't sailed out of Miami in a few years and was surprised to see that there was no security into the pier area at all. We just drove up to the drop off area no questions asked. When you arrive at the pier in FLL you must show your cruise ticket to a security guard at a gate. This is no fault of NCL I'm just sayin.

Cabin: We were in a category BG on deck 8. The cabin is a little on the small side but very nicely appointed and decorated with dark wood tones and neutral colors. Plenty of storage space. The bathroom situation takes a little getting used to. My husband couldn't get away this time so I took my girlfriend instead. We had no problem with the privacy issue but I can see how some people would. I think you need to be with someone you are very close with to be comfortable. The curtain helps but without going into detail there are noises that come out of the bathroom that could be a little embarrassing, LOL. I was concerned that the room would get steamed up when someone was in the shower but this is not a problem at all. The shower stall and the toilet stall are both very well ventilated and the doors go all the way up to the ceiling. The sink is a little too small. Unless you wear a Speedo there is no way you can rinse out a ladies bathing suit or article of clothing in that sink. It has to be done in the shower. Not a big deal. Our balcony was very deep but it had no roof. It extends further out then the cabins on other decks so people on decks above you can look down into our balcony. Not a problem for us but I can see that it might be for some people. This looked to be the case only on deck 8. Also, we looked down onto the lifeboats. Again, this is only an issue on deck 8. Read more