There is something to be said on having your feet in the sand and a drink in your hand. I spent most of last week with a drink in hand and a couple of days with my feet in the sand. Where did I go? I spent 7 days aboard the Norwegian Epic.

 

For those of you that don’t know what the Epic is here are some highlights of the ship. The Epic is Norwegians new “freestyle” cruise ship what boasts a ton of entertainment for the family. At 1080 ft the Epic indeed lives up to its name. The ship is huge to say the least. There are 19 deck levels that consists of numerous activities. There are 20+ dining areas on the ship along with a rock and repelling wall, water slides, pool area, sport area, outdoor adult pool and dance area, casino and numerous theme bars and theaters.

 

The Norwegian Epic

 

Now that I have the specs out-of-the-way I can give you an actual account of the ship.

 

Let me preface this by telling you that this was my 7th cruise in all. I have cruised on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney but this was my first time on a Norwegian Ship. I was very excited to try a new line do all the cool things you could do on the ship. However my excitement was tempered knowing that some of the amenities on the ship were incremental (more on that later).

 

My family booked a 7 day Easter Caribbean cruise that left out of Miami, FL. Our cruise itinerary was as follows:

 

• Saturday/Sunday/Monday – Sea Days
• Tuesday – St. Maarten
• Wednesday – St. Thomas
• Thursday – Sea Day
• Friday – Nassau, Bahamas
• Saturday – Miami

The family arrived in Miami last Saturday and we spent the morning waiting our turn to board the Epic. One really cool thing I was able to do to pass the time was interact with a local Miami Twitter group that was touring the Epic that day. See some of the tweets below:

 

 

 

 

When boarding the Epic you walk straight into the casino area. I think they do this on purpose so that the “players” can get a lay of the land before gambling starts. Our girls were hungry so we took them up to the buffet on deck 15. The buffet was bigger than anything that I have seen on a cruise ship prior to this one. There were so many choices that my girls didn’t know what to pick. The buffet was a regular stop for the family during the 7 days. Each day the kitchen had a different entrees to go along with the regular buffet food like hamburger, hot dogs and pizza. A neat thing Norwegian does is to have different dishes from other countries on the buffet to help cater to that many nationalities on board the ship. After lunch we took the kids to the water slides where they played the rest of the afternoon and I indulged in some beverages.

 

Sunday and Monday were spent at sea as we traveled toward St. Maarten. Norwegian knows how to entertain you when you are not in a port of call. Both days were jammed full of events that you can do individually or with the family. One day we hit the rock and repelling walls, the next we are hitting the sports deck. One really cool thing we were able to do was be apart of the Nickelodeon Slime Time Game Show. The Slime Time Game show was held only once on this cruise and our family was one of two selected to play on stage in front of a full Epic theater. Needless to say our family won the game show but our prize was not money, a t-shirt or even a little plastic ship. No, we were slimed! Here are the pics to prove it.

 

Slime Time Live

 

Getting slimed!

 

Other entertainment on the ship included the Blue Man Group, Howl at the Moon, a Jazz Bar, the Legends Concert series and a host of other entertainment options.

 

 

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7 Night Western Caribbean

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Interior	Balcony	Suite
$699	$899	$3,169

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Sailing Date:	April 2nd, 2011
Ship:	Norwegian Epic

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Sail round-trip from Miami aboard the new Norwegian Epic; NCL's newest, largest and most innovative cruise ship ever.

Search Norwegian Epic Sailings to the Caribbean and Mediterranean

Cruise Itinerary

Date	Port
Saturday, April 2, 2011	Miami
Sunday, April 3, 2011	At Sea
Monday, April 4, 2011	Costa Maya
Tuesday, April 5, 2011	Roatan, Bay Islands
Wednesday, April 6, 2011	At Sea
Thursday, April 7, 2011	Cozumel
Friday, April 8, 2011	At Sea
Saturday, April 9, 2011	Miami

Date Port Monday, December 6, 2010Jacksonville, Florida Tuesday, December 7, 2010Fun Day At Sea Wednesday, December 8, 2010Key West, Florida Thursday, December 9, 2010Nassau, Bahamas Friday, December 10, 2010Fun Day At Sea Saturday, December 11, 2010Jacksonville, Florida --> DEALS : END -->

@travlessentials was on the NCL Epic #TwEpic Tweetup and this is his review of the brand new NCL Epic:

Cruise ships come in all sizes and flavors to meet the expectations of the global cruising public, but no mega cruise ship sailing the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas offers as many innovative cruising experiences as NCL's newest fleet star - Epic.

The 4,200-passenger Epic sails from the Port of Miami on eastern, western Caribbean and transatlantic itineraries and from Barcelona, Spain on western Mediterranean itineraries, delighting its passengers with an experience that includes unique cruise offerings. Known for its interest in continually integrating new elements into its cruise experience, NCL raised the bar on cruising creativity with the launch of Epic.

Where else can passengers dawn parkas, gloves and have a drink at a bar that's made of ice ? The Ice Bar aboard Epic is unrivalled on any other cruise ship, features sculptures, stools and a full-liquor bar all made of ice. Don't worry, seats don't melt in this 17-degree "Vikingesque" party space. The Svedka Ice Bar provides just a small taste of many Epic creations.

Following is a summary of some of the most innovative new cruising features aboard Epic, which we had an opportunity to review:

Accommodations

If you've been on a cruise, you'll notice that most cabin staterooms provide a "box" feel, given their square layout. NCL has changed that aboard Epic with its wave-designed cabins featuring free-form, curving walls that undulate from front to back. That effect makes some parts of the stateroom wider than others. The effect is visually more pleasant than equal-sized square walls. Other features like large back-lit round ceiling fixtures over the round beds give the staterooms a softer, spacious feel. Special Spa Suite accommodations with hottubs in each cabin and patron access to spa services and a private dining club area are also firsts at sea.

Solo Cruising 

NCL Epic has gone to great lengths to attract solo cruisers by designing cabins to accommodate those travelling alone. Running almost the length of Decks 11 and 12, there are 128 solo cabins aboard. Access to the solo cabin area requires a key card to open passageway doors. Solo cabin offerings eliminate the need for solo cruisers to have to find a roommate to share the traditional double occupancy cabins aboard most cruise ships.Indirect ambient lighting on three walls of the room changes color from red to blue to white and all shades in between or passengers can opt to have the more traditional white cabin lighting.

 From NCLFreestyle on Youtube

Another Happy Passenger (dodge889 on YouTube) from the NCL Epic posting pics on YouTube. The NCL Epic is moving to Europe in Spring 2011. Better hurry and book, so you can Experience the NCL Epic for yourself in the Caribbean - 800.668.6414

 

One used to be the loneliest number on a cruise ship. During mealtimes, One would be relegated to the misfits' corner of the dining room or seated with families who aired their most intimate details between bites. On shore excursions, One was an outlier, a solitary snorkel in an ocean of multiples. In the top-deck pool, One swam alone. Worst of all, One was forced to pay for Two, despite One's singular status.

This Story

• Solo Cruisers, No Double Required
• Details: Norwegian Cruise Line

But a few months ago, One's fortunes substantially improved. The reason: the launch of Norwegian Cruise Line's new ship Epic, which pays some long-overdue attention to solo travelers. Unprecedented in the cruising world, the 4,100-passenger boat carved out 128 studios with single-occupancy rates and created an exclusive lounge for soloists, eliminating the creepy factor of cozying up to unsuspecting strangers.

"The industry needs this," said Sharon Kenner, a travel agent who sailed on Epic earlier this month with friends and family. "Solo travelers can now cruise and enjoy the experience without having to be punished for being single. The singles are being celebrated."

Rejoice, indeed. Wave that solitary flag proudly, but don't forget that, in the right circumstances, One can add up to Many.

 

No matter how outgoing your personality and independent your spirit, solo cruising is challenging. You often feel like the dateless guest at a wedding or the party crasher one mini-quiche away from being tossed out. And then there's the added insult of having to pay up to twice as much for the same experience as those boarding as Noah's pairs. (The economic theory behind the supplement: Since you are taking up room for two, you must spend like two.) At least cargo gets a free ride.

"Before this, cruising was too expensive, unless there was a one-day sale or a repositioning cruise," said Pete Balmain, a Texan who sailed aboard Epic's inaugural Eastern Caribbean voyage in July and returned for the seven-night western itinerary less than two months later. As for socializing, he said, "I'd go hang out at dinnertime just to be with people."

You're not alone, Pete. On the three cruises I'd previously sailed solo, I made some acquaintances - a honeymooning couple from Atlanta, a pair of boozy guys from Florida - but the bonds were short-lived, dissolving after a day at the pool and a few beers in the bar. Meals were especially trying. At one dinner, I sat with a mother and daughter from Miami whose conversation revolved around the daughter's unplanned pregnancy and the cad who hadn't stuck around. I felt like an extra in a "Real World: At Sea" episode.

But on the Epic, the discomfort of traveling alone receded as quickly as the Miami shoreline. Shortly after setting sail, I already had an engagement, the Solo Traveler Gathering in the Living Room. Potential travel companions awaited. All I had to do was locate the 11th-floor lounge on the second-largest cruise ship in the world. Note to newcomers: Give yourself a head start.

"Just because you're single doesn't mean you have to be alone," said Natalie, one of the crew members who facilitated the daily social hour. "You can meet someone and maybe join them for dinner or a show."

CLICK TO READ FULL ARTICLE

 

Excellent Article By Andrea Sachs of the Washington Post. To read full article go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/17/AR20100917040...