Norwegian Epic

Day & Night

• Daytime schedules are packed with trivia, circus skills workshops, dance classes, towel-folding demos and other similar activities
• Three-lane, extra-fee bowling alley
• The nighttime bar scene is happening and lively (don't miss The Beatles cover band in the Cavern Club)
• Shows, such as "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" and "Burn the Floor," are outstanding but perhaps generally not for children
• Busy casino with a variety of table games, slot machines and tournaments

During the day, cruisers have plenty of choices inside and out. Inside, you'll find everything from trivia and dance classes to an extra-fee bowling alley near O'Sheehan's. Outside are traditional cruise pastimes including shuffleboard, Ping-Pong, basketball challenges and pool games. There's also occasionally movies screened on the large screen in the atrium.

The main theatrical event on the ship is the Broadway show, "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert." Based on the Oscar-winning movie, it's a dazzling production with fabulous costumes and a hit parade of toe-tapping dance floor favorites. Note: It contains adult themes and is not recommended for children or the easily offended.

A second show is "Burn the Floor," with dazzling dance numbers, mainly of the Latin variety; as with "Priscilla," this show may not be for children.

You'll need to book tickets (they're free) for the theater's headline shows before sailing; any empty seats will be opened to stand-by passengers about 10 minutes before showtime.

When not enjoying main theater entertainment, Epic's cruisers hit up the bars and lounges in large numbers. The Cavern Club, a recreation of the legendary Liverpool club made famous by The Beatles, is one of the most popular venues; its standing room only when The Beatles tribute band is playing.

For those looking for some dinner theater action, the colorful Spiegel Tent hosts the nightly Cirque Dreams and Dinner Show for an extra fee. You'll want to go for theatrical entertainment and gravity-defying acrobatics; the food is pretty dull and forgettable.

Other nighttime activities include ballroom dancing, karaoke, comedy, live music and nightclub dancing in the later hours.

Norwegian Epic Bars and Lounges

With a dozen bars and lounges onboard, you'll easily be able to find a spot to suit your needs. There's even an ice bar to cool you down after a hot day in the sun.

Highlights include:

O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill (Deck 6): The sun is always over the yardarm at this 24/7 pub.

Humidor Cigar Lounge (Deck 7): This cozy dark-red lounge has the feel of a gentlemen's club and has a humidor stocked with premium-brand and hand-rolled cigars. It tends to be used in the evening, and the cigar-lovers don't like it if cigarette smokers slip in for a sneaky puff.

Maltings Whiskey Bar (Deck 7): Next to the cigar lounge, this intimate bar has an old-fashioned feel and offers dozens of varieties of Canadian, Irish, American, Welsh or Scotch single malts and blends.

Wasabi Sake Bar (Deck 7): To work up an appetite for dinner at the adjoining sushi restaurant, sip some hot sake or go kamikaze with an Ichi, Ni, San (one, two, three) sake "bomb" downed in one swallow.

Shaker's Martini Bar (Deck 7): This piano bar is a sophisticated spot to unwind with a cocktail or a flute of Champagne.

Svedka and Inniskillin Ice Bar (Deck 7): Undoubtedly the coolest spot on the ship, passengers can literally grab a cold one in the bar where everything -- bar, glasses and stools – is made from ice. Bar-goers are outfitted with cold-weather capes and woolen gloves, and the cover charge gives you a choice of two vodka-based drinks.

Norwegian Epic Outside Recreation

• Epic has two pools, a kids' splash area and a private pool just for suite passengers
• Adults-only Spice H20 space
• Plenty of outdoor fun with a three-water slide water park, rock climbing wall and mini-golf

Norwegian Epic's outdoor decks are busy and noisy, particularly on sunny sea days. Cruisers of all ages flock to the main pool, with its four whirlpools, while kids love the Splash and Play Zone, a shaded oasis of fountains, wading pools and animal sculptures tucked under the Aqua Park water slides. Note: No diapers of any kind, including those marketed as "swimmers," are permitted in the swimming pools or hot tubs.

Speaking of the Aqua Park, here you'll find the Epic Plunge, in which riders step into a giant funnel before dropping suddenly through a 200-foot-long chute into a pool below. Two other slides are just as wet -- maybe not as wild, but worth the wait.

Loungers around the main pool fill up quickly. There are more located on balconies around the pool, accessed via a staircase, but there is no shade. (Tip: Head further aft to find available seating or check out the nearly hidden -- and frequently uncrowded -- sun deck on Deck 18.)

Those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the main pool area should check out Spice H2O, a tiered stage-like adults-only space with a pool, two hot tubs and plenty of loungers at the back of the ship. The Haven suite passengers have their own private pool on Deck 16.

Other outdoor diversions include a rock climbing wall (33 feet high and 64 feet wide) and an industry-first rappelling wall. The sports complex, on Deck 17, has a full-sized basketball court, bungee trampoline and Slide Spider Mountain, a two-deck climbing cage.

And don't forget the SplashGolf attraction, located in the Splash and Play Zone. This interactive water-based game combines two age-old elements of fun -- water and mini-golf -- and is a top pick for families.

Norwegian Epic Services

• Guest and shore excursion services
• Future cruise sales
• Library and card room
• Photo gallery, camera shop and portrait studio
• Bridge viewing room
• Internet cafe (find Norwegian Cruise Line prices here)
• Shops: designer accessories and clothing, fine jewelry, Norwegian-branded items, toiletries, snacks, art gallery, duty-free alcohol and tobacco products
• Meeting rooms
• Laundry service (no self-serve facilities)
• ATM
• Medical center

• More than 14 free and extra-fee dining options, representing American, Japanese, Italian, French, Brazilian and Spanish cuisines
• Vegetarian options always available in the main dining rooms and buffet; cruisers with other special dietary requests should let the cruise line know ahead of time
• Room service is available 24 hours a day; while morning coffee and continental breakfast is free, all other orders incur a $9.95 charge; passengers staying in The Haven receive complimentary room service

Food on Norwegian Epic is good, and you don't need to splurge on extra-fee dining options if you simply want a tasty meal. Service, on the other hand, can be a touch patchy.

Specialty food-lovers can dine out for less by purchasing the Specialty Dining Package, which can be bought online or onboard.

Free Dining

Taste (Deck 5) and Manhattan Room (Deck 6) Restaurants
Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

Taste and the Manhattan Room are Norwegian Epic's main dining rooms. Taste is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, while the Manhattan Room is only open for dinner. The Manhattan Room has more character than Taste with an Art Deco-inspired New York Supper club feel and a polished dance floor (where professional dancers, rather than passengers, perform three times a week).

Both have open seating -- there are no fixed early or late seatings for dinner.

Breakfast features everything you'd expect in the morning; if you're heading off on a shore excursion, or time is at a premium, opt for the handy express breakfast. Lunch features a variety of dishes, from soups and salads to burgers and sandwiches.

At night, tables are set up for two, four, six or eight people (with larger tables available on request). As there are few two-tops, couples are likely to end up dining with other passengers. The main dinner menu, which is the same in both venues, always features a wide choice of American and international standards, served with a dash of contemporary flair. There is always a vegetarian option.

Garden Cafe (Deck 15)
Meals: B, L, D

Epic's casual dining buffet is a bright area with great views, a logical layout and plenty of made-to-order food stations. Although the ship was pretty full during our cruise, we never had a problem finding a seat, even if it took a bit of looking around. It's worth the walk to find a quieter spot, particularly in the attractive section that stretches across the front of the vessel.

You'll find a full breakfast spread, and a lunch that features all manner of options, including excellent Asian and Indian food sections. Food is clearly marked for vegetarians. Dinner is similarly expansive, and there's always a different culinary theme each night at one of the buffet stations, such as "Taste of Asia" or a Mediterranean extravaganza.

O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar & Grill (Deck 6)
Meals: B, L, D

O'Sheehan's is always popular and features an emphasis on American favorites and comfort food. It's a nice breakfast alternative to the buffet and dining room but can get busy at lunch and dinner.

Shanghai's Noodle Bar (Deck 6)
Meals: L, D

This bar is the casual sidekick of the adjoining Chinese restaurant of the same name. Seating 15, the venue makes it easy to order: Simply tick the boxes of your choice on the order form, hand it over and wait for the chefs to prepare fresh and tasty noodles, dim sum and stir-fried dishes.

Shanghai (Deck 6):
Meals: D

This dinner-only restaurant serves a selection of pan-Asian fare.

Great Outdoors (Deck 15)
Meals: B, L, Snacks

Steps from the Garden Cafe, and almost poolside, is the Great Outdoors. This extension of the main buffet offers easy access to well-spaced tables, tucked under attractive tent-like canopies.

Spice H2O (Deck 15)
Meals: L, D

On certain days, this adults-only complex offers a lunchtime buffet and from 6 p.m. daily it serves light appetizers.

Pricing was accurate at time of review, but may have changed since.

Le Bistro (Deck 5); a la carte
Meals: D

Savor a taste of France in Le Bistro, a high-end formal and intimate dining venue. The large menu lists the dishes in French, with the English translation beneath. Good luck getting to dessert; the appetizers and entrees are rich and filling.

Cagney's (Deck 7); a la carte
Meals: D

Norwegian's signature restaurant is Cagney's Steakhouse, which shares space with Moderno Churrascaria at the back of the ship. There are some fish dishes, but it's not the place for vegetarians. Two words: Go hungry.

Moderno Churrascaria (Deck 7); $29.95
Meals: D

Across from Cagney's, passadors hauling towering skewers of beef and other carnivore cravings make the rounds at Moderno, an all-you-can-eat meat-fest. Diners are handed a green (for go) chip to put on the table to signal they want more, along with a red chip when they want to halt the feast, perhaps to rustle up some greenery from the large salad buffet.

Teppanyaki (Deck 7); $29.95
Meals: D

Culinary art is the name of the game at Japanese hibachi eatery Teppanyaki. Cruisers sit around a cooking station while the chef serves up equal amounts of food and theatrical effects, including juggling, jokes, singing and other antics.

Yakitori & Sushi (Deck 7); a la carte
Meals: D

If Teppanyaki is not your style, then stop off at the 20-seat a la carte sushi and sashimi bar at the entrance and enjoy Japanese delights in more serene surrounds.

La Cucina (Deck 14); a la carte
Meals: D

Accessed via stairs from the Garden Cafe or an elevator close to the aft cabins on Deck 14, this Italian restaurant is tucked out of the way, and a lovely surprise (once you find it). More casual than Le Bistro and Cagney's it, nevertheless, makes for a nice date-night venue.