Norwegian Epic Review
Rating by category
Additional details
Our 7-day Caribbean cruise aboard the NCL Epic was mostly a failure. The only thing epic was all the lines we stood in to see or do anything. Lines to get drinks, see shows, board tender boats, and even the dining had lines. The worst was the 45+ minute wait in line to board a tender boat on the private island to return to the ship, not to mention the lines for drinks and food on the island.
The staff, primarily the beverage staff, was rude at times which I am sure was because of being overwhelmed. Our cabin attendant also seemed to be overwhelmed, always running late in getting rooms made up. The food was hit-and-miss.
We had two specialty dining experiences during our trip, Le Bistro French restaurant, and Cagney’s Steak House. The dining experience at Le Bistro was awesome, great food and great service. The Cagney’s Steak House was lacking. The staff seemed indifferent to our presence and the food did not live up to the hype the restaurant was given. My wife and I each ordered baked potatoes with our steak dinners, she ordered the Filet, and I chose the NY strip. The potatoes we received were small, old, and stale. Mine was so old the skin was like leather. My steak was tasty but not any better than the NY strip I had received in the main dinning room. My wife’s Filet was chewy and undesirable.
Cabin Review
Spa Balcony
Our room, a balcony room, was neat and clean upon arrival. The bathroom design is strangely different, but it worked out well. The shower was nice with plenty of water pressure. There is plenty of storage space in the room for all your clothing and other items. The bed was comfortable but short, a tall person would likely not enjoy the bed.
The weather on our last day was cool and staying out on deck was not enjoyable. Because of the weather, the interior of the ship was crowded, and I found it difficult to find a good place to sit comfortably and just relax. We wound up sitting on our balcony sharing the comforter from our bed.
Port Reviews
Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)
We went on a beach excursion while at Amber Cove to avoid the water park scene at the cruise port. It was a nice adventure that took us by bus through Porta Plata. The ride provided us with interesting sight of the region and the people of The Dominican Republic. The beach we visited was at a resort and was very picturesque. The excursion also included lunch that was a delicious local style meal.
San Juan
We took a bus tour of the city that include a visit to Castillo San Cristóbal which was very beautiful. The tour provide information on Old San Juan and New San Juan. It was a good time and very informative.
St. Thomas
We took a taxi to Magens Bay and enjoyed a few hours at one of the most wonderful beach we have ever visited. This was our second trip to Magens Bay and it did not disappoint. We arrived early before the beach became crowded. We highly recommend seeing this beach once in your life-time.
Great Stirrup Cay
This private island is an exceptionally beautiful place but it was crowded the day we were there and the lines to get drinks and food were horrible. The cruise line needs to improve the services.