BIG SHIP CRUISING
taurant for music (and even dancing) while you eat, while the Bliss Lounge offers Kara- oke and DJ entertainment. Gentle piano music? You got it. A musi- cal duo in the Atrium? You bet. How about a Motown show in the Manhattan Room on some nights? Yes, they do that, too. And then there’s Fat Cats Jazz Club, a superb lounge dedicated to live jazz and blues. On our cruise it was home to Char- lie Love & The Silky Smooth Band, who provided night after night of superb 60s and 70s standards, all delivered with great verve and gusto.
Final Analysis To complete the picture of modern cruise sophistication, I was equally impressed by the smooth, friendly service we encoun- tered everywhere, from our Nicaraguan cabin steward Winzyl to server Jo-Anne from the Philippines, the epitome of gra- ciousness in the Epic Club. It provided the perfect counter-point
to the Freestyle philosophy, ensuring everyone feels well catered for and unhur- ried, without ever feeling the staff are just angling for tips. As an industry standard, they take some beating. The one note of caution is over the standard cabin arrangement, which has caused some controversy with its sepa- rate W/C unit and shower stall (both with
frosted doors), and the small sink in the main cabin area which is hard to use with- out splashing water everywhere. The in-cabin privacy element (or, rather, the slight absence of it) of the toilet may not worry everyone, but you just feel it was a design innovation too many. Would it stop me cruising on the Norwegian Epic again? Not a chance, but I can understand how some might find it off-putting. All in all, this truly is a 21st
century
cruising experience par excellence. And, yes, just a bit Epic, too.
NORWEGIAN EPIC FACTFILE
Maiden voyage: June 2010 Tonnage: 153,000 Length: 1,080ft Beam: 133ft Draft: 28.5ft
Speed: 22 knots Passengers: 4,100 Crew: 1,730
Passenger decks: 15 Registry: Bahamas
ITINERARIES: Norwegian Cruise Line has its largest ever deployment in Europe this summer, with four ships offering a series of voyages. Norwegian Epic sails a 7-night Western Med cruise from Barcelona from Apr 29-Oct 14, before returning to the Caribbean. Prices for a 7 night fly cruise start from £884pp based on 2 people sharing a Balcony stateroom, departing May 27 from London Heathrow. For a Penthouse in the exclusive Haven complex, prices start from £1,909pp. Prices include transfers, meals and entertainment.
MORE INFO: in the UK, call 0845 201 8900 or visit
www.ncl.co.uk; in the US, call 1866 234 7350 or
www2.ncl.com.
Spring 2012 I WORLD OF CRUISING 43
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