Cruising onboard Norwegian Epic
It was not only the first time I have cruised with NCL but it marked the first time I have left the country since the pandemic. Getting on the plane was an emotional occasion and not just for me but for everyone- there was a real buzz and excitement about going away and that feeling of heat when we reached Barcelona was divine! I can’t tell you how much I have missed that first step off of the plane and into an unknown place. The excitement mounted as our NCL transfer drove us to the port to meet the ship…
On arrival at the port, we stored our luggage and started the process of getting onboard. NCL have a full vaccination policy but you must also test negative before stepping foot onboard. This was a smooth and easy process and it gave me peace of mind that cruising with NCL is safe. We tested again onboard before we flew home which was super slick and easy to do as well. Once onboard we headed straight for our stateroom- a balcony cabin located on deck 12. The décor was stylish and there was ample room to be comfortable. The size of the balcony was perfect for sitting and enjoying the view.
One of my personal highlights of this cruise were the crew- you could see just how pleased they were to have passengers back on board and although you couldn’t see the smiles behind the mask, you could sense it. Epic has a well-established team and many were onboard when Covid was spreading around the world last year, it was fascinating hearing their perspective and just made it even more special to be back onboard.
Anyone that has cruised Norwegian before will tell you about the food and oh-boy was it good! I had the pleasure of enjoying 2 of the speciality dining restaurants- Teppanyaki and Moderno Churrascaria. The food was just incredible and the service impeccable. Highly recommend both restaurants- especially if you love meat, the steak in Moderno was so good! Whilst onboard you must also head to O’Sheehans pub for chicken wings and the pretzel bites with beer cheese fondue is also delicious!
Another jewel in Epic’s crown is the entertainment. We loved ‘Howl at the Moon’; a duelling piano bar with live music. Great fun after dinner! At the back of the ship, H20 offers an adult only area and most evenings the pool is covered over and becomes a dance floor- there is something magical about dancing under the stars in the middle of the sea! There was also a range of shows onboard and on our final night we watched the opening night for Priscilla Queen of the Desert- wow wow wow! What a show, what a set… could’ve been on at the west end, it really was that good!
Overall verdict on Epic was a huge thumbs up! We had a ball and certainly enjoyed the best that the ship had to offer. Would I cruise with Norwegian again- 100% yes! Prima is launching next year and she looks pretty special!