Norwegian Epic Review
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We chose this cruise for our 10-year wedding anniversary and opted for the Haven. I really enjoyed the embarkation process where we were taken to a separated, less chaotic area. Though, I don't know that I would book the Haven again. I know that I wouldn't book the Epic or this itinerary again. We live in Europe, so have been to all the ports except Majorca.
The ship was awful. I didn't like that the elevators only stop on certain levels and you HAVE to walk through the casino, which stank of smoke, to go to the Atrium if you are in the back of the ship. The layout was very confusing and you can tell it was made by a French company. Even some of the main levels, you had to walk in a certain direction or else you would reach a dead-end. Normally, the cruise ships are very predictable in how they are laid out (I've been on 8+ now), but it took me days to get my bearings on this ship. This was exacerbated by the people on board. I've never seen so many strollers. When you have 4,000+ passengers, it gets old. The atrium was the main thoroughfare for pretty much everything. Even the quizzes took place in the atrium (which were few and far between). If you sat in the back, you could not see the screen with question, so really, it's a poor area to host a quiz (or any game). The cabins were also odd as a curtain separated the bathroom from our bedroom. We liked the aft-facing balcony but the room itself was lackluster.
The ports were meh. If you have only one chance to come to Europe, this may be the itinerary for you. But, otherwise, it's disappointing. We've cruised out of "Rome" before so knew that it takes about 2 hours each way to get to the city. But, almost all the ports were like this. Naples was an exception, but that's only if you want to go to Naples (not Capri, Sorrento, Vesuvius, Pompeii, etc.).
Cabin Review
Aft-Facing Penthouse with Balcony
We had smokers next door (which breaks NCL rules but it happens) so didn't fully enjoy the balcony. View was great- as other cruisers mentioned, the ship does vibrate. Doesn't bother me. I loved the nespresso machine in our room. There was plenty of storage space and the bed was comfortable. I hated the bathroom. Why separate with a curtain? My hubby is an early riser and mid-cruise he started getting dressed in the dark to avoid waking me.
Port Reviews
Barcelona
I simply love Barcelona. I felt sorry for those that got on in Rome and the ship was in port on a Sunday when most things were closed.
Naples
I hate Naples do didn't get off the ship here. I've done the touristy things before here but I do enjoy Sorrento (and somewhat Capri though don't expect to go swimming and then go to a nice restaurant as they are snobby in Capri).
Cannes
The city itself is ok. I prefer Nice. We got off the ship to eat a baguette and some pastries as we used to live in France. But, this city doesn't really represent France well.
Palma de Mallorca (Majorca)
If you're only in port for a few hours (as we were) it's a boring town. There's not too much to do if you don't take an excursion. We chose a taxi ride to the center, which was pricier compared to other ports. As we arrived at 2pm, it was rather hot already. We spent about 2 hours in the port in total before going back to the ship.