NCL v. RCCL
First and foremost, let me say that we had a wonderful family vacation on NCL's Epic last week. I'm writing this review because the comments and reviews we got from Cruise Critic before our trip were SO helpful ... it's only fair to pass my thoughts along too. It was our first NCL cruise (after many RCCL cruises and previous trips on both Carnival and Disney) so it's impossible not to make comparisons. Here's how preferences stacked up for my family of four (two adults and two teens - 13 & 15) between NCL and RCCL:
RCCL
Plenty of storage, unobstructed view, conveniently located near stairs and elevators, big shower, uncomfortable beds (bunk bed and pull out couch also really hard, roomy balcony. Overall ... a 4 out of 5