標題: Wave hello to new cruise liner with some Epic amenities [打印本頁] 作者: tiffiant 時間: 2012-4-14 07:42 標題: Wave hello to new cruise liner with some Epic amenities
Wave hello to new cruise liner with some Epic amenities
Norwegian Cruise Line (www. ncl.com) is no stranger to innovation; they were one of the first lines to pioneer the use of onboard Internet when they launched Norwegian Sky in 1999, and they were the first line to break ranks with tried-and-true staples of cruising like assigned dining times and tables and regulated formal nights when they launched Freestyle Cruising in 2001. So it should come as no surprise that when the line launched their largest ship to date in 2010, it caused a few ripples.
The Norwegian Epic is 1,080 feet long and can carry just over 4,000 guests and nearly 2,000 crew. She dwarfs other ships when in port, and all that extra space gave her designers a chance to experiment: there are staterooms with curved walls, special Studio staterooms designed for the solo traveller, six bowling lanes in two separate venues, four waterslides, a rock and rappelling wall, and twenty different dining venues and equally as many bars and lounges.
Some features, like the Studio staterooms, were an instant hit when Epic set sail in the summer of 2010. Others, like the curved balcony staterooms, with their open-concept bathrooms, took some getting used to - and some modifications by Norwegian.
After nearly two years in service, many of the teething problems have been worked out. The non-stop entertainment runs like clockwork and includes some of the best performances I've ever seen at sea. Even the public spaces don't feel overly crowded; at times, you'll wonder where the other three thousand guests are.
If there are entertainment options for everyone onboard, the same is true of dining. If you want a pub lunch, you can have it. If you prefer a more traditional meal in the main dining room, it's yours. You can have a simple dinner of hamburgers and french fries, or opt for multi-course French cuisine. More good news here, too: the food onboard Norwegian Epic is a marked improvement over my last Norwegian cruise a few years ago.
In the Caribbean, Norwegian Epic flourishes; this is a ship designed for warm-weather runs. In fact, for $20 per person, you can cool off in the only true Ice Bar at sea: the Svedka Ice Bar, where drinks are served from glasses filled with ice inserts and enjoyed wearing parkas while sitting on benches made of ice. It's a great way to cool off after a long, hot day ashore.
Guests in the Mediterranean will get to experience Norwegian Epic when she sails across the Atlantic in April to operate weeklong voyages from Barcelona. As we mentioned in a past article, you can even enter to win a trip aboard this exciting ship, courtesy of Vancouver-based Cruise Experts Travel (www.cruiseexpertstravel.com).作者: tiffiant 時間: 2012-4-14 07:44
