Norwegian Epic Review
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My wife and I took the 4/5/15 cruise out of Miami with another couple. We are 50+ and are seasoned travelers/cruisers.
We each had a mini suite on Deck 12, ours was 12074 port side forward. The bed was closest to the balcony, which we liked. See the cabin review below.
The Epic was way too big for us. We would have preferred cruising on a smaller ship (albeit with less entertainment and activities) rather than on a floating, moving building in the middle of the Caribbean. All the public areas can get crowded. The ambient noise level is high. A quiet place can, in fact, be the elevator. The boat was extremely stable. Seas were calm and motion from the ocean was barely noticeable. In fact, *the Ocean itself* was barely noticeable, which was unfortunate.
Cabin Review
Mini-Suite with Balcony
We did not care for the curved layout of the mini suite. The cabin was narrower than we would have liked. It's an adequate size for two people only. The cabin was on the port side, away from the dock when in port. The cabin was close to the forward staircase and elevators. We did not hear excessive noise from either. We liked the balcony. Lifeboats were several decks below but did not impede the view.
Our cabin had a shower/tub combination. We made do with the toilet situation. The cabin had plenty of storage. The bed was oddly shaped and a bit short but comfortable. There is not enough lighting for the ladies to put on makeup. Shaving in the sink was a bit splashy. Our cabin had dirty carpet and a ring around the tub, signs of a ship that has been well used and needs freshening!
DO bring a power strip if you must bring electronic devices
DO bring your own coffee (and non-dairy creamer if you need it)
DO close the drapes when leaving to help keep the room cool
DO read the daily newsletter. Remember to set your clocks as needed and book your tender in advance.
We arranged in advance to see the Haven on debarkation day. We were expecting a short guided tour only to have the Guest Services agent say "Go up and look for yourselves. If the room doors are open and the room is being made up, then the guests are gone." A more professional tour of the Haven rooms and facilities would have been appreciated.