This was our 15th cruise; the first on NCL and likely the last on that line. Although not a total loss, it was disappointing. Our ship, the Norwegian Epic, is a very big cruise ship – much too big! There were over 6500 passengers and crew aboard. It was crowded everywhere and the poor layout of the Epic made things even worse. For example, on the amenities decks, little thought seems to have been given to traffic patterns with respect to the location of shops, restaurants, lounges, etc. Foot traffic is very congested at many of these locations. The casino (deck six) clogs the mid ship section and it is impossible to avoid because most elevators open into it.

On embarkation day, and the first day at sea, chaos reigned. People milled around seemingly aimlessly, bumping into each other everywhere, but especially in the garden café buffet. Too many people and not enough seating, together with malfunctioning beverage equipment, added to the chaos. The same applied to the pool deck – too many people. There were not nearly enough lounge chairs and the incessant blaring of rap type music prevented conversation between two people who were standing immediately next to each other.

Our balcony cabin was another matter. At 151 square feet, it was the smallest cabin among any of the other cruise ships we have experienced. It was better suited for hobbits rather than humans. The cabin was very uncomfortable and the bizarre separation of toilet, sink and shower made for a very strange and awkward cabin design. Read more