Norwegian Epic Cruise

December 31, 2023 - January 7, 2024

Ship Stats

Built: 2010 Refurbished: 2020 Capacity: 4,100 passangers Decks: 15

Stateroom

Family Balcony #11299 Category B4

Tons of storage! Loved the balcony. The room felt like a good size and was comfortable. Shower small but functional. Our stateroom attendant, Romney, did a great job keeping our room cleaned and was always friendly when we saw him. We could have used a few more outlets in the room.

Onboard Activities

The ship had plenty to keep all of us busy. We did bowling (a little harder on a moving ship than on land), played a lot of arcade games (those swipes add up but we had fun collecting tickets), giant chess, waterslides, pool, hot tub, mini golf (could use a refurbishment), basketball, ping pong, and shuffleboard. Caden did the climbing wall.

Entertainment

There were several more options for entertainment, I'll just share what we did.

• Burn the Floor - Rebellion in the Ballroom - This was a theatrical dance and musical performance. The ensemble was very talented and fun to watch. It was impressive to watch them blend traditional dances with more modern ones.

• Howl at the Moon - We went to a family-friendly version of the dueling piano bar on New Years Eve. The 11 year old was less than impressed with our ability to sing along with all the songs.

• Glow Party - We dressed in white and danced with glow sticks in the ocean breeze.

• Behind the Scenes Tour - Dan and Caden did a behind the scenes tour. They got to see parts of the ship that the general public wasn't allowed to access. The toured backstage, the bridge, kitchen, and control room. They really enjoyed it and felt like it was worth the cost.

Dining

Included with no extra charge:

• Garden Cafe - This was a great buffet. No waiting in lines with several options. The food seemed fresh and was restocked frequently so it never felt picked over.

• Great Outdoor - Lunch grill near the pool. It had some grab and go items like burgers or pizza. This would be an okay option if you are swimming and didn't want to go inside. We chose to wear appropriate attire (no swimwear) and go to the buffet inside because it had more options.

• Manhattan and Taste - These were the two main dining rooms. The menus were the same with different decor in the dining areas. The food was good and it seemed a little fancier than the buffet.

• O'Sheehan's (See what they did there?) - Pub food near the bowling alley. We ate here one morning for a sit down breakfast and a few other times for snacks or dinner.

Specialty dining - additional charge:

We had two adult meals at two of the specialty restaurants included with our package.

• Wasabi Sushi - Delicious Japanese food! Our favorites were the Tuna Wonton Volcano and the Tuna Pizza with truffle oil. We had trouble getting reservations but persisted and eventually scored some seats at a narrow table overlooking the ship's chandelier over the Taste restaurant. Dan and I were each able to order a few menu items and it was plenty of food to share between the three of us.
  

• Le Bistro - Fantastic French food! Poor Dan ordered the steak tartare and then I panicked about the possible dangers of consuming raw beef in the middle of the ocean and wouldn't let him eat it. I mean well. Really, I do. I had Coq Au Vin that melted in my mouth in a rich velvety sauce. Dan had Filet de Boeuf Rossini with a beef tenderloin, potatoes, and mushroom. Caden (a child) was a little irritated that his options were too childish. He settled on a cheeseburger and the chocolate on chocolate dessert won him over at the end.
  

• Room Service - There's a $9.95 convenience fee for lunch or dinner or $5.95 for breakfast plus tip. We only did room service one morning and it was fun to eat in the room and balcony.
  

Pros

I like that there are digital ways to get information via the app, tv, or interactive displays all over the ship but that they also still provide a paper daily newsletter. The app is easy to use but has room for improvement.

Cons

Because we booked late and didn't understand the importance of making reservations before the cruise, we were not able to try a few of the restaurants that we wanted to.

Tips

• Make dining, entertainment, and excursion reservations as soon as possible.

• There is an unlimited arcade package ($175) but it doesn't include games that give tickets or prizes. Didn't seem worth it to us.

• The highest tier beverage package is expensive but seems worth it to be able to order anything you want without worrying about paying for it. It also includes Starbucks and bottled water.

• Download the app and do your mandatory safety drill before you go.

• If you think you'll do another cruise in the next 4 years, go ahead and do the CruiseNext credit.

This was our first Norwegian Cruise and we were happy with it. We liked that there were several options if we wanted to be busy but also plenty of time and space to relax when needed. We would recommend it to other travelers and have already booked our next one!