Cruising the Caribbean.
We chose NCLs brand new ship the EPIC purely because of its "Aqua Park" with three slides, including the famous EPIC PLUNGE.
I can only liken the Epic Plunge to a huge plug hole that you whizz down whilst sitting perched inside an inflatable ring! Our children were not disappointed and were very happy to spend much of their time in this area of the ship. The sundeck is not all about the Epic Plunge and water slides, you will also find the usual more traditional swimming pools here, along with bars, ice-cream machine and a stage where in the afternoons there is often a live band playing. The size and grandeur of this ship will not disappoint you. Its tonnage is a huge 155,873 - slightly larger than my family's favourite ship Royal Caribbean's "Liberty of the Seas."
With Epic's exciting week-long itinerary visiting St Marteen, St Thomas, and The Bahamas its all made very easy for you with embarkation from Miami, it is a family holiday that I am happy to recommend. The whole holiday also slotted perfectly into the UK's October half term 2010 (although this itinerary runs frequently throughout the season).
For those who have not cruised before on NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line) it must be remembered that their "informal" take on cruising is different from the traditional cruise lines & will not be the right choice for everybody. Dining is in the form of many, many speciality restaurants from Chinese, Indian, Italian and Steakhouses and so on. Guests are encouraged to make table reservations for these speciality restaurants so that they can experience a range of cuisine throughout their cruise. There are also supplements to be paid to eat in these speciality restaurants and we particularly liked the atmosphere in the Italian – with its round tables and rustic feel – even an Olive tree growing in the middle of the courtyard setting.
One of the highlights of our week was definitely the Epic calling at the wonderful island of St Thomas with the opportunity to get off and spend the day on the beautiful "Magens Bay Beach". This beach is a short ride from St Thomas Harbour - maybe 20 mins or so across the island by taxi - which you will find waiting as you disembark your cruise liner. The beach is amazing and has idyllic character of white sands against azure blue sea. It isn’t overshadowed by huge hotels and is in fact quite rustic in its nature – with bushes and trees behind the white sands. The sea here is usually very warm (both times I have been lucky enough to visit this beach the sea has been the temperature of a warm bath!) and the water is very gently shelving so safe for the children too.
My summary of this cruise American feel and very informal, so might not be for everyone however it has excellent dining choices, state of the art cabins, and fantastic entertainment including the famous "Blue Man Group"....
...So if you were to ask my children if they enjoyed it, then you will hear them begging us to go again...and its a consistent tale I hear from some of my customers who are also parents – When our children are happy on holiday, well thats when we can start to relax....!