NEW SHIP REVIEW
BRING ON THE CIRCUS!
restaurants to avoid disappointment. This can be done in the cabin or online before the cruise. However, the two largest restaurants, the 600-
seat Manhattan Room and 540-capacity Taste operate on a turn-up-and-eat basis and can usually accommodate most dining requests. Taste, situ- ated amidships on Deck 5, serves traditional and contemporary cuisine for lunch and dinner and is decorated in a retro-chic décor. Overlooked by the decks above, it features the
lower section of the largest LED chandelier at sea. Made in Vienna, this impressive 21ft chandelier spans three decks, has 40,000 crystal glass pieces and up to 255 LED colour combinations. The Manhattan Room is on Deck 6 and has two-
deck-high floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows look- ing aft. Designed in the style of a 1930s supper club, this colourful and stylish restaurant has a dance floor and stage for live music throughout the evening. Overlooking the Manhattan Room are two more
restaurants. On the port side is NCL’s signature tra- ditional American steakhouse, Cagney’s (150 capac- ity; $25/person cover charge) while on the starboard side is Moderno Churrascaria (120 capacity; $18/ person), a Brazilian-inspired restaurant where a variety of skewered meats are served at the table by passadores, or meat waiters.
rants on Decks 6 and 7. Not only is there the sushi and sake bar, Wasabi, you’ll also find the largest Tep- panyaki restaurant at sea (104 capacity; $25/person). Here, knife-wielding chefs prepare food with great skill and showmanship on flat-top grills. On the deck below is Shanghai’s, an a la carte Noodle Bar and restaurant (133 capacity; $15/person) with an open kitchen where wok-fried dishes, dim sum and delicious curries are prepared, plus a range of exotic cocktails. The international theme continues with excellent
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French and Italian restaurants. The elegant Le Bistro (124 capacity; $20/person) has traditional French cuisine and a well-stocked wine cellar. Situated high up on Deck 14 with views over the
bow, La Cucina (182 capacity; $10/person) offers casual Italian dining, with stone oven-baked pizzas
Autumn 2010 I WORLD OF CRUISING 39
he line’s strong Far East influence (from 50 per cent ownership by Malaysia’s Star Cruises) is also reflected in the variety of oriental restau-
and classic pasta dishes. The stunning entrance adds to the Italian ambience with a courtyard, large olive tree, hanging lanterns and tiled roofs. Above this is the 728-capacity Garden Café.
Well laid out, the main buffet area with its décor reflecting an English country house conservatory has none of the crowded feel found aboard other mega-ships. Unlike Royal Caribbean with its plastic plates, bowls and cups, NCL provide porcelain crockery and cups and this makes casual eating more homely and less like a production line.
he entertainment areas on Epic are impres- sive and certainly live up to their advance publicity. Instead of two nightly shows in one large main theatre, passengers are offered a number of options in specially-designed venues. The largest is the 681-capacity Epic Theatre,
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where the amazing Blue Man Group perform regular 75-minute shows. This extraordinary act is a combination of surreal comedy sketches, pulsating music and audience participation. Brimming with originality, it is in a league of its own and undoubt- edly one of the best productions at sea. The Theatre also hosts Legends in Concert, a tribute show to the world’s greatest performers, including Elvis Presley, Tina Turner and Madonna impersonators, who also do frequent “unplugged” shows in the Manhattan Room. The evening entertainment continues at comedy
club Headliners, where the talented Howl at the
Undoubtedly the most unusual din- ing experience aboard the ship is the two deck-high CIRQUE DREAMS & DINNER.
This is performed once a night in the Spiegel Tent (217 capacity; with a $15-$20/person cover charge), the first circus big top at sea. Dinner is served during a two- hour show, which includes clowns, ac- robats, singers and tightrope-walkers. However, the in- tensity of the event does not make for enjoyable eating, especially as the food served was rather mediocre. The dialogue was also a wee bit corny although some of the acts were extremely good.
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