Norwegian Epic Full Ship Tour: A Cruise Ship Desperate for a Makeover
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- Опубліковано 5 лют 2025
- Today join us for a full video ship tour of the Norwegian Epic in 2024. This ship is looking run down and very retro and needs a refit!
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From bow to stern, we’re taking you deck by deck through all the key areas of this Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ship. You’ll get an inside look at the theatres, restaurants, outdoor pools, lounges, and so much more. While the Epic may have a retro charm, we’ll be sharing our honest thoughts on the ship’s condition, why it could use a refit, and insider tips to help you make the most of your cruise experience. Whether you’re curious about cruising on the Epic or just love ship tours, this video is a must-watch!
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On the maiden voyage, NCL charged for the Asian noodle place in casino and didn't have a card room or library. People complained so much, they were forced to add these in subsequent years.
On the Maiden Voyage, the menus never changed, for any dining venue for the whole crossing. This includes the buffet, the pub, both main dining rooms, all specialty dining, and the Haven dining room.
Have you ever cruised with norwegian encore from seattle to Alaska? I'm taking this cruise on Aug 24 to 31st 2025. I wish I could see it on video with your perspective of it.
As someone who has never had a passing thought about cruises and never once even considered going on a cruise, it’s crazy that in a matter of binge watching almost every video on this channel is the last 2 weeks this has become my absolute favorite UA-cam channel. I don’t even know who I am anymore, my husband and I are looking into cruises in 2025😂 WHAT. And I never have any notifications on for when a channel uploads a new video but I turned on notifications for this channel lmao, for the first time in all the years I’ve watched UA-cam. That says a LOT about how wonderful Ben and David are and how excellent they are at running their channel and giving such fantastic reviews and giving such helpful and insightful advice and experiences on cruise ships, I genuinely absolutely love every bit of this and look forward to everything to come!
It's a great channel and am thinking of taking my first cruise next summer. Still, this channel is entertaining and informative.
Go for a cruise. You’ll have a great time!
@@stormythelowcountrykitty7147 I think that is the game plan for next summer. A cruise to Alaska.
The best part of the cruise is that there’s no work! No laundry, no chores, no driving, no cooking, no washing dishes, etc. The hardest decision is to decide on what you are going to eat that day. If you go on a more traditional cruise you can get a set dinner time and each night it’s the same table + wait staff.
@@kennixox262 I’ve actually been too scared of cruises and being out on the ocean to even consider it until coming across this channel. I heard so many bad and dangerous things and I’ve always been terrified of the ocean lol, but after binge watching Ben and David I actually can’t wait to go on a cruise! I feel like the ocean is still terrifying but the cruise in and of itself will be worth it lol. I hope you and I both get to go on cruises and it’s a good experience! It would be really neat to cruise with each cruiseline over the years and experience them all
We have been on this ship it is amazing best ship we have ever been on.
Pool tables and bowling should be free just an activity to keep people entertained
Okay guys. I have been on two Mediterranean cruises so far, I'm going on a Caribbean cruise in January. All on MSC. I truly do not know why you are so down on MSC. My cruises have been wonderful, the ships are beautiful, my cabin has been comfortable and I've enjoyed every minute. On my last cruise, the entertainment was world class. I saw the best flamenco performance I have ever seen performed by a troupe from Spain. As for the announcements in multiple languages...I am American, English is my first language, but I also speak Spanish and some French and Italian. When I go to Europe, I want to hear multiple languages. It's a wonderful multi-cultural and life-enriching experience. You guys come across as such Anglophiles. If you travel, open up your minds and expand your world! That's what travel is about!
I completely agree with you on all of your comments…And we both speak the same languages😁😎
You guys always do such great tours! You are also so respectful of the other cruisers! ❤🎉😊
Hi Ben and David it’s only me - I mentioned to you a few weeks ago about the cruise that I wouldn’t mind for a holiday. it looks really good and it specialises in cruises for disabled and special needs service users ~ I’m really tempted !!!!! ~ I hope you have a good week ~ sending loads of love and hugs as always ~ Xxx Xxx
Went on this ship when blueman group and the cirque show was on board. It was truly a epic cruise back in the day.
That sounds amazing. I'm gonna have to see if there's any recordings of those.
Wow talk about great timing. Think this is the earliest I've ever watched your vlogs. We love your commentary it's so funny and makes them so enjoyable.
I have taken five cruises with NCL. My experiences were generally good. One thing I really don't enjoy (on their larger ships) is that so much space is used for slides, car racing, Haven area etc. Public area for general passengers is quite limited.
Reno in the 90s is the perfect oddly specific description
it was my birthday yesterday so this is really the bestest way to finish the weekend!! thankyou for being here throughout all the good and bad ur truly rays of sunshine 🥳
Thanks guys. I much appreciate the way you show the entire boat like this. ❤️❤️💐💐
We sailed on the epic in 2016 we loved it. There was a bowling alley and pools tables in Irish bar. You could book shows when you booked holiday. They also had table tennis tables. The garden caffe did different menus every night eg Indian Chinese Italian. Think they must have reduced expenditure
This is so sad to see. We were on the Epic in 2016 and it was brilliant and very clean. So sad to see how dirty and run down it looks. We were very lucky to see Burn the Floor and Pricilla. Hope the refurb brings it back to how it was before.
😆🤣😂 I’m dying “I don’t think that guy was dead on the sun lounger” lol
What a great way to finish the end of my day! Thank you two as always for all that you do!
Love your ship tour videos, nicely shot and narrated as always.
We sailed her in 2022. Nice ship, clean, friendly crew good food and great entertainment. My only beef is the Haven. Because of it you can’t go out on deck and do a complete walk around to the front of the ship.
Hi David and Ben, thanks for this interesting video. Very well done guys. The ship is poorly designed and maintained. I hope you had nice ports to get off and enjoy your holiday. ❤from Queensland Australia
Your review of the NCL Epic was quite generous. I was on the Epic last week and was very disappointed. The ship was dark, crowded and under staffed. There was minimal variety to the food on the buffet. It is obvious that NCL has given up on this ship and is putting its resources into its new ships.
Great content as always guys! The things that killed me about this ship were (1) not nearly enough elevators for its size; I got my Mom a room on deck 14 and I was on 5. It was faster to run up 9 flights than wait for a freaking open elevator. (2) the Casino wasn't properly ventilated which made all of the surrounding spaces reek of gross cigarette smoke (which you note). (3) Every event you went to, everywhere you turned, you were being sold something dumb to gamble on. It felt super trashy. (4) They need to learn a thing or two from Royal about how to run shore excursions. It was a dumpster fire of chaos at every port. On the plus side... the food was great. Especially enjoyed the sommelier wine pairing nights.
NCL was the only major Cruise Line that did not have a ship on the CDC’s list of ships that failed a health inspection. And it had the most ships with the highest scores. This list was released by the CDC (Centets for Disease Control) this week.
lmao this specific ship received one of the lowest rankings by the CDC. Ever.
@@FABRCTRnot this year. Zero NCL ships failed.
@@jlofla "this year" lol Bet youre focused on the "next four years" too huh? Youre going back!!
@@FABRCTR i sailed on this ship a while ago and didnt have any problems on it. in fact it was one of my favorite cruise ships ive been on
@@FABRCTRlook at your goofy ass trying to make things political that isn’t
I was also on this ship when the Blueman group and Cirque shows and it was great however even some of the senior officers di not like the look of the ship and how it handled so I am not surprised that it was allowed to get run down
This ship was my first cruise in 2011, and it turned me onto cruising ever since. The folks I went with were used to the older NCL ships and did not appreciate the French design. We had The Blue Man Group as the entertainment, my daughter and I loved it. The music venue back then was a blues club. We have since sailed on the smaller NCL ships like the Dawn, as well as the bigger ships such as the Breakaway. We would not consider another cruse on the Epic, it is just an odd ship.
8:27 As a resident of Reno for the past 20 years, I can say with absolute certainty that there’s no need to travel back in time, there’s parts of Reno still like that! It’s definitely giving CalNeva. 😂
I like the cruise your format where we see you interacting with us. Miss your faces.
BTW, the escalator options sounds amazing! I broke my ankle a few years ago so sometimes that foot doesn't want to work right. The stairs on the Breakaway class between the middle of decks 6,7 and 8 sometimes are a bit much and I don't like to take elevators for just a few floors.
Great information , good to know....... I wanted to try NCL but not now, I'll sick to RCCL and Celebrity 😊
Hi Ben and David I think you two are lovely and you are from Yorkshire same ere we always watch your 🛳 keep ip the good work and happy cruseing
Hi Ben and David. I haven't been on the Epic but a friend of mine went with her husband and said never again on Epic. We have cruised together many times and used to enjoy NCL. It's very sad the lack of great shows that they used to have. The bathroom in the cabin is what I don't like. Anyway.. As always thank you for all you do. ❤❤
Looks good.
Another fun and interesting tour, thanks guys.
That Cavern Club looked larger than it's contemporary on the Getaway. We tried all week to get in there, ant it was usually packed well before the performances. I thought that was absolutely nuts, considering the Seafood restaurant and raw bars were empty almost all of the time. They should have planned their spaces better.
Reminds me of a shopping mall.
Thanks for the tip on La Cucina! We are sailing on the Epic in November in the Haven so we only made reservations for Cagneys and Le Bistro for now. Ran to book La Cucina as the restuarant looks lovely but there's not reservations available.= - darn! Maybe with our status and being in Haven we might be able to snag a table.
You boys always do extremely thorough videos and I love your work! 🥰 Shame about NCL allowing the Epic to become shall we say “less than epic” these days. 😮 I was on her back in 2018 when she was actually quite nice. Even braved one of those pool slides, which is very unlike me. 😂 Cruise companies really should invest in their ships because I imagine it would cost way less to keep a ship in good repair than to have to bring one back from a state like that. 😳
Sailed on her 2021 loved that ship and crew. NCL have been brilliant when I have used them it's a shame they are effectively killing of a great company. The shows on board really were second to none. I hope the refurbishment of this ship brings it back to life . Doing my first royal ship next year the allure after it has gad it's upgrade
I have been playing junes journey since it started 7 years ago.
Hi guys, I knew up front it wasn't the best ship but I agree with you it is not nice anymore. Even in the studio cabin I had several troubles. No hot water on three days and at last they replaced the tap. But I will not sail the Epic again. I liked the Gem much better and she is also an old ship.
We ate in Moderno’s on Norwegian Gem a long time ago - best salad bar we’ve ever had and the meat was pretty damn good too. Loved that NCL trip - we went from NYC to Canada and back through Bar Harbour and Boston 🎉
On my Alaska cruise this summer they had a good show Jersey Boys but it was only shown 2 times and canceled once.
I’d want to clean and I don’t clean anymore. 🤦🏼♀️ Sorry y’all paid for such a dirty ship, but as usual you made the best of it and made me smile. 😊
I just got back ship was very clean
We were going to go on the epic for spring break but we decided it wasn’t worth our money. Going to Barcelona ourselves instead!
Hi, I note that you concentrate on the large glitzy ships but have never seen you try the smaller lines aimed at the British market. I would be interested to see your views on lines like Ambassador, Fred Olsen and Marella who I find provide an excellent product using smaller, older ships
My plan is to book an early 2026 sailing now, before the refresh and the subsequent fare increases. If she still isn't better "enough", I can always cancel. Thank you for not trying to put lipstick on a pig with your honest assessments!
I've never been this early!
Me neither!
Same!
11 mins I caught it 😅
you guys clearly didn’t like it very much, but this feels like just my kind of cruise😂
They were just disappointed in how dilapidated the ship has become. Also, the nickel and diming have meant a lot of services have been cut. The reviews were so bad that the boys decided to test it out, and the reviews were correct.
Hated the art gallery position because I was hassled so often to go to one of their stupid auctions. I also hated how big the casino was.
They need to remove that main dining room from the bottom of the atrium, and move the casino down there. Then in the casino space you can put the main dining rooms on either side of the main corridor like the do on the getaway class ships. The atrium area on that floor could be used for a bar and access to the restaurants. There is opportunity to fix up this ship, but is NCL willing to do what is necessary?
You’ve done NCL a disservice. Absolutely entitled to your opinion, but to say it’s desperate for a make over is a strong statement to make especially for those who have already booked on the Epic. Have sailed twice on this ship and would go back in a heartbeat.
A full makeover has been cancelled multiple times by NCL, they have delayed and delayed it until the ship has became the state it is currently in.
I'll be on this ship in a few weeks and can't wait
@@Cruisewithas it is due for retrofit, what can be done in 3 weeks?
I just got off this ship 3 weeks ago. It’s in horrible shape!!!
Great tour guys. I'll be sailing Epic next year after their maintenance period. I'm really curious to see how many of the things you've noted that need to be fixed or updated actually get done. I'll report back after my cruise. 😉😁👍 Cheers!
We will be on the Epic too, 10 day cruise in August 2025. Hopefully it's had a good scrub and the renos are done.
Are there speakers for that giant outside TV? Or do they mute it so you're not being disturbed by television while lounging?
It was are 30th anniversary and are 1st trip .We loved the itinerary to visit all the places in Europe and we loved all the workers on the ship.But the bad was very bad .Room was weird shape and we had a balcony , Bathrooms were smelling bad and stalls and urinals closed ,ship was very dated. I Spent alot of cash on the Cruise and was upset. BUT I wouldn't let it ruin my time. Next time I will learn better
I know it’s personal preference but I’ve always liked these darker wooden themes of the late 2000s/early 2010s. I get why you think it looks dated, I think it looks quite cosy 😀
I almost scrolled right by this video! The thumbnail didn't say Ben and David! 😮❤
A bit dated like you said! Sun bed area looks depressing! For the price, maybe not a bad deal!
Never cruised Norwegian to be fair! I can’t compare to the other cruise lines we are loyal to and regularly cruise with!
Another thorough review!! Always appreciate everything you do and your charming sense of humor!! 😊
It's a shame that this ship seems to be lacking in so many areas. I really do love NCL, and recently cruised on NCL Escape - I found the ship to be in really good condition, and the facilities were ageing really well!
You would have thought they would put the 'Cavern' in the comedy club space. I could imagine that Beatles tribute acts are a lot more popular than Cruise ship stand up.
Bowling is an extra charge? What?? What if you bring your own ball and shoes?
Brilliant quality video unlike the ferry you are on, oh sorry its not an old ferry are you sure, I'm positive I saw that in the 70s out of Dover !
I think The Cavern was in Berlin, but the Beatles are from Liverpool - looks like they combined them?
I felt like I was a spider on tour with a rooftop view over here... How tall are yall? Or are you hail marying the camera over your head? My flabbers are ghasted LMAO
The one thing i love is Bens one liners. Like one of my favourite quotes was " cover me in chocolate and call me willie wonka. The ship looks very disorganised, dark. Its very lacking in glits and glamour.
It’s Ben who comes up with those one-liners. 😄
It's Louise I've got Junes jerney it's good
Sad to see it this bad. We were on this out of Barcelona 5 or 6 years ago.
On the bright side, NCL has no place to go but up for the remodel. 😊
When I finally get to go on a cruise, I'll pass on this ship. I'm ultra sensitive to smoking Anyway, and yeah. I'd rather avoid the smell of it.
I am about to cruise on that ship. Never been on it. I am now a bit scared. I have el cheapo cabin, so I never expect a lot. Now, I at least know what to expect. 20 cruises on Norwegian and I am not happy with all the changes.
Speaking about the 1920s have you seen «the Miss Fisher mystery series « ?
Love your channel, but you gotta cruise the older Carnival and RCL ships. Carnival especially is even worse than this. The NCL up front cost for my fam of five is also a lot cheaper compared to RCL right now.
Gotta take all of this into consideration.
A bowling alley on a cruise ship? Same with the pool table? What happens when she’s on bit of a roller?
let’s just say those balls have a mind of their own when the sea gets a bit lively.
Did 4 ncl Epic cruises
Love Epic perfect for me
@ think this year lots of cancelled ports
Ship getting old
Gosh..so dark. Those multicoloured stained glass style fake windows in one of the restaurants look like a 1970s boozer in dodgy tudor style.
We did a NCLin April, ship was nice, but service was lackluster. Crowded everywhere. Drunk people. Drunk fights. Impossible to get a specialty restaurant reservation. One and done for us and NCL. On the flip side, we just did a RCL in September, fantastic experience.
To be fair , not all NCL ships are like this…I am a loyal NCL fan and has there been cuts ? YES but the Epic is a special one off that Norwegian knows is disliked and has issues… This shouldn’t be a reason to allow the ship to fall apart but having said that, NCL remains a great cruise line with excellent food and many other beautiful ships😊
We will be on the Epic in 3 weeks. Trying to keep my expectations low, because some of the reviews including yours have not been very encouraging.
🇨🇦Hewitt. The ship looks like a very old hotel, with little views of the sea.
You heard of Sim City = Sim Ship.
Yea this cruise does need a bit of cleaning, but u scared us with these reviews. Just literally left the airport from coming back from
this cruise and the bowling was open, and the slides worked. The room was fine as well.
I am going on this ship in a week Did you notice any engine issues or vibrations in your stateroom?
The Cybertruck of cruise ships. NCL should scuttle it.
Sailed on Epic in 2010 and definitely was a one and done! We enjoyed the Blue Man and Cirque shows as well as the comedy club but did not care for the restaurants surrounding the casino as all we could smell was cigarette smoke! Truly awful!
I think the idea of a bowling alley aboard a ship is a hoot. What happens if the ship is in rough seas? A good excuse for a gutter ball. I am a bit surprised that the ship has the space wasted on venues that are underutilized;. One might think that they would monetize every square foot of the ship to bring in as much revenue - like a Las Vegas resort uses every bit to make money. The shipping looked underwhelming, Invicta watches? Top tip: When traveling and buying fragrances, those have to go into checked luggage and more often or not, the bottle leaks or goes missing. Lost two bottles of cologne on a trip from Paris last year.
How do you afford this?.
It's a shame coz we went on this ship many years ago and it was fantastic
Ben will soon be as skinny as David! After telling us how awful Epic was in a previous video, I am surprised you are back on this topic. Time to go on a new cruise.
I was always told that accidentally eliminating children under eighteen was just late contraception! 😜
The Epic was the big threat to Royal Caribbean when she was launched. I’m sure many people have a good holiday on the Epic, but it has a whiff of Brian Potter’s Phoenix Funtime as it’s so dated. You chaps are too young to remember that on telly!
The interior looks like occupied corridors.
Tip for cruise arcades, we tell our son it’s for suite guests only and it’s part of the casino, so adults only 🤔
Dated, dark, cut up, well-worn. We were on it earlier this year. The food was good, the entertainment was fine, the staff was exceptional. But the cabin was awful (it was clean and maintained, but that’s all I can say that was nice about the cabin). I have loved NCL….but never this ship again.
You two need to come onto Queen Anne over Xmas and new year,would be amazing to see you both 😃
So glad I wasn’t the only one whose first reaction was ‘UGH, THAT FONT!’ on seeing the entry to the Headliners club. Cheers, B&D!
Also, a public service announcement: ‘O’Sheehan’s’ is pronounced very similarly to ‘oceans’, and the bar is on a SHIP! You’re welcome!
On a quest to watch all of the videos?
it's a shame, I have such fond memories as a kid of Norwegian. Sad to see things like the buffet, main dining room and general upkeep go down hill
The cabins are so abysmal, with the way the bathroom and shower being in the main cabin, is an absolute show stopper. I wouldn't sail on this ship even if the cruise was 100% free.
Thanks for the thorough review! This reinforces my decision not to book with Norwegian ever again. Out of the 25+ cruises I've been on, I've only sailed with Norwegian once. The food was far below average and the ship was overcrowded. There are far better cruise lines out there.
Desperate for a makeover? More like desperate for a cruise to Alang or Chittagong, if you know what they do in those places.
Great tour. The low ceilings are a huge “no” for me. Just looks dated and even on video-it feels stuffy and cramped. This ship needs more than a makeover or remodel-it just needs to be replaced imo.
As someone who has seen quite a few spiegeltenten at festivals in my country, this is 1 of the most boring spiegeltenten Ive ever seen ngl. Def needs a revamp (or probs gets removed then with the refitting)
Epic is due for refurbishment in the spring of 2025. Will be happy to cruise on her again
i hated this cruise when i went on it.