If you read yesterday’s blog you know I was pretty harsh in my critique of Norwegian Epic’s New Wave staterooms. There are a few other quirks about the room, one being the bed is short, but I just found out from one of the onboard hotel personnel that the bed is standard size – the problem is the headboard is extending five inches over the mattress. The fix – pulling the bed out from the wall. That works, but it will limit the space to walk to the bathroom. The other issue is the 3rd berth is rock hard – my daughter is having a tough time sleeping on it. They are going to try using a duvet to make it softer for tonight. I also discovered that they will be changing all the sink faucets since they are getting a lot of complaints about them.

I had a good look at the staterooms today and there is a better New Wave layout than my current room. I have the New Wave design where the bed is first (right next to the toilet and shower) and the sitting area is by the balcony door. The other layout for the room is when the sitting area is first and the bed is next to the balcony/window. This much better as there is more space around the bathroom area. I’ve also seen the connecting cabins for these rooms, well, in order to have the door you will lose a closet and all the drawers. It’s always something.

Granted it was very bold for NCL to change the stateroom concept with the New Wave set up. I think a lot of passengers will grin and bear it. But I am sure there will be some passengers turned off by this and may not book Epic. Time will tell.

If I had my choice of accommodations on this ship it would be in the Villa Complex. This area at the top of the ship boasts 60 suites and penthouses with private pool, sunbathing space, restaurant and nightclub. The Travelocity Gnome is up there now sunbathing as I type this…(sigh)
Singles have the Studio area that offers 128 single cabins; each is just 100 square feet, but offers exclusive access to a lounge with TVs, a bar and space to hang out with other solo cruisers.

This morning it was breakfast with Sponge Bob. Yes, you can dine with the Nickelodeon characters and they even put on a show in the Spiegel Tent. Cost is $10 per child, $15 for adults – it’s a fixed breakfast menu.

The coolest place on the ship (literally) is the SVEDKA Ice Bar that is inspired by the original ice bars and ice hotels in Scandinavia. This frozen chamber is the first ice bar at sea and offers lighting that simulates the Northern Lights and creates a distinctive arctic atmosphere. The bar, walls, tables, stools, glasses and life-size sculptures all made from ice. You have to make reservations for this bar in advance as only 25 guests are allowed in for a limit of 45 minutes. Guests are given hooded coats and gloves to keep them warm, since the room’s temperature does not rise above 17 degrees Fahrenheit. Big tip — wear pants, closed toe shoes or you won’t last more than 5 minutes. Time is limited in the bar because in order to keep it frozen it must stay closed for 16 hours a day. The cost is $20 and includes two vodka drinks.

Dinner tonight was at Teppanyaki, a Japanese eatery where chefs cook at individual stations surrounded by 10 or 12 diners. The cost is $25 per person and the food is terrific. The best part is watching the dramatic knife wielding chef put on a show.

Another unique experience only on Epic is Blue Man Group. Guests in the theater’s front-row seats slip on plastic rain ponchos for protection from the messy onstage mayhem. It’s the best show at sea – not to be missed.

Stay tuned for more blogs from Epic! Including the NBC broadcast of Macy’s Fourth of July celebration.

First impression on boarding the Norwegian Epic is experiencing the wide open spaces – it’s massive, yet offers abundant comfy nooks and crannies to relax in. The décor is lovely with tasteful coloring, lighting, and architectural design.

First stop was to eat lunch at Shanghais’ Noodle Bar where my family and I ordered delicious ala carte dumplings, spring rolls, lo mein, and rice dishes. It’s a great atmosphere as you watch your food being prepared in front of you. Cost is $2-3 per item. While eating we had the added pleasure of enjoying some terrific blues music being played across the way at Fat Cats.

Now it was off to find our stateroom on Deck 14. This took some major detective work as there are no markings and if a room steward hadn’t opened a corridor door we wouldn’t have known where to go. This area of the ship is where the family staterooms are located and they are just steps from the children’s play area and the pool area a deck above. Stateroom 14096 is at the very end of a winding hallway next to a secret door to the gym. The lack of foot traffic is a plus and being so close to the gym and spa is a bonus.

Once inside the balcony stateroom, well, I sounded like Nancy Kerrigan after she was hit in the knee with a crowbar – why, WHY, W-H-Y!!!??? What a design disappointment these New Wave staterooms are. It’s cool looking with the contemporary curved walls and ceilings that supposedly maximize the living space. As for the bathroom – there isn’t one. Somebody thought it would be crafty to break apart the shower and toilet and put them behind retracting smoked glass doors. There’s a curtain to separate the shower and toilet, but the sink is outside in the cabin area. My quad stateroom is 216 square feet, but it feels so much smaller. There are two lower beds and floor-to-ceiling glass door that opens to a big private balcony, a sitting area, a flat screen television, mini-bar, and a tea and coffee maker. The closets and drawers are across from the sitting area (3rd berth) and when the ceiling bed (4th berth) is retracted you can’t open the closets. My family and I are literally colliding into each other. These rooms are fine for two people, but for a family of three or four it’s just too cramped.

It’s a shame I had to devote so much negative space to the stateroom issue because the rest of the ship and the crew are fantastic. The gym is the biggest I’ve seen on any ship and is equipped with abundant exercise equipment, work out rooms, and a squash court. The spa is lovely and offers an escape from the non-stop action around the ship.

This ship is hopping with activities from bow to stern. The pool deck is huge and offers a lot of sun and shaded areas. The slides are huge with the 200-foot-long Epic Plunge being the highlight. The rock climbing and repelling wall (the only one at sea) is pretty cool as is the outdoor ice rink (not real ice, but oiled Teflon that ice skates can glide across), spider web climb cage, and bungee jumper area.

For dinner it was off to the Cirque Dreams and Dinner show that is a two hour theatrical dining experience held in the Spiegel Tent room. Cover charge is $15 for general seating and $20 for premium seating. This one of a kind interactive theatrical dining experience is performed in the air, while juggling a four course, fixed-menu dinner. The food and acrobatics were excellent; however, the pantomime show in between acts was loud and very annoying at times. Additionally some of the dialogue was not suitable for young people.

After dinner it was off to observe all the nightlife and no other ship on the high seas can touch this vessel in the sheer number of bars and entertainment options. It’s truly…Epic.

Stay tuned: Tomorrow we’ll talk more about staterooms, breakfast with the Nickelodeon characters, Svedka Ice Bar, O’Sheehans, bowling, Teppanyaki, Blue Man Group, Fat Cats and more.

Norwegian Epic, the largest ship ever to dock in the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, arrived today for her official inaugural festivities following her maiden transatlantic seven-day voyage from Southampton, UK. Norwegian Epic with a height of 200 feet cleared the Verrazano Bridge by approximately 24 inches at 7:40 a.m.

The 153,000 gross tons, 4,100 passenger Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Cruise Line’s largest and most innovative ship ever, enjoyed a smooth and successful first sailing before arriving in New York this morning. The ship, billed as the world’s largest floating entertainment venue with world-class entertainment unlike anything before seen at sea. There are 20 dining options, a Svedka ice bar, a 2-story Wii, two 3-lane bowling alleys, a rock-climbing and an aqua park, among other fun features.

The ship will be officially christened by country music superstar Reba McEntire at 2 p.m. ET on Friday, July 2. Comedian and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Jeff Garlin will serve as host of the ceremony. The ship, which is docked at Pier 88 at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, will then sail on a two-day preview sailing, before returning to the pier the morning of July 4th to host the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular.

Norwegian Cruise Line today announced that Norwegian Epic, its most innovative Freestyle Cruising ship to date, will feature the largest spa facility and fitness center at sea, totaling more than 31,000 square feet.

The ship’s luxurious Mandara Spa will feature 24 treatment rooms, two private couple’s villas, two exotic steam Rasul rooms, a DIY Scrub Experience, Hydrotherapy Courtyard & Thermal Suite, full-service salon, fitness center and barber shop.

In another first for the line, Norwegian Epic features 39 spa suites, deluxe balcony and balcony staterooms, which are accessed via private key-card and offer complimentary access to the enclave surrounding Norwegian Epic’s luxurious Hydrotherapy Courtyard & Thermal Suite and state-of-the-art fitness center. For an added indulgence, eight spa suites each feature an in-room whirlpool.

“As with our world-class entertainment, dining and innovative stateroom categories on Norwegian Epic, our spa facilities will take cruising to an entirely new level,” said Kevin Sheehan, chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “The Mandara Spa on Norwegian Epic is a relaxing retreat with unique treatments, innovative fitness training, a stand-alone barber shop, spa staterooms with in-room whirlpools and an expanded Hydrotherapy Courtyard & Thermal Suite facilities.”

The spa features more than 50 treatments for both men and women including Elemis facials, massages, body therapies, bliss® face and body treatments, and acupuncture along with cosmetic medical treatments performed by a licensed doctor. The salon features hair, nail and waxing services. In addition, kids and teens can choose from a selection of kid-friendly spa services.

Among the two dozen treatment rooms are two new couple’s villas for the ultimate in togetherness massages with the opportunity to soak in a private, outdoor whirlpool. Two solo villas also have outdoor whirlpools, and six treatment rooms have balconies with chaise lounges where guests can relax privately outdoors before or after their treatment.

Hydrotherapy Courtyard & Thermal Suite -

Expanding on the popular Thermal Suite on board the line’s Jewel class ships, Norwegian Epic’s adults-only Hydrotherapy Courtyard & Thermal Suite features separate men’s and women’s areas equipped with sauna, aromatherapy steam, experience showers and heated ceramic loungers. In addition, the Hydrotherapy Courtyard & Thermal Suite features a tropical garden communal setting, chaise lounge seating, a pool with massaging jets and waterfalls, a whirlpool and an outdoor relaxation deck.

Exotic Steam Rasul Rooms

Guests looking for a unique body renewing experience should indulge in one of the two Rasul rooms. This is a purpose-built steam room that soothes and detoxifies the body, while guests are provided with organic muds, exfoliants and oils to purify and nourish the body. To complete the ritual, a warm tropical rain pours down from the dome of the rasul to wash away tension.

DIY Scrub Experience

Epic’s onboard spa mixologist creates personalized sugar or salt exfoliating scrubs using herbal blends to use during treatments or within the Rasul rooms. Each flavorful blend soothes sore muscles, removes dead skin and reveals a smoother, more polished glow.

Epic Signature Spa Treatments

Among the new spa treatments and services that will be introduced on board Norwegian Epic is the signature Epic 24 Karat Gold Facial. This luxurious facial includes a blend of medicinal plants, rose quartz and a pure 24 karat gold leaf mask that brings about miraculous results speeding up cell renewal while evoking a brighter and more clarified skin texture and complexion.

Norwegian Epic will also feature two bliss® services: the bliss® triple oxygen treatment and the bliss® fatgirlslim. The bliss® triple oxygen treatment is an all-around complexion reviver that includes a cleansing and exfoliating fruit acid wash, an oxygen wrap, a calming oxygen and milk mask, a hydrating enzyme pack and a vitaminized oxygen spray. The bliss® fatgirlslim is a detoxifying, circulation-stimulating, body-toning treatment that includes dry brushing, a firming grapefruit essential oil, a trouble-spot-targeting seaweed mask, a heated wrap and a rubdown.

Norwegian Epic will also offer three new massages:

The Thai Herbal Poultice Massage, the Bamboo Massage and the Freestyle™ Massage.
•Thai Herbal Poultice Massage: This energizing, rhythmic massage utilizes scented herbal poultices that are heated and applied to the body at pressure points to relax the muscles and release tension. The therapist then follows with an array of Eastern and Western massage techniques and acupressure movements combined with essential oils that take the body on an exotic journey of total renewal.
•Bamboo Massage: A warm, soothing massage using bamboo shoots of various sizes soaked in essential oil which then roll, slide and massage muscles. This indulgent massage revives the senses in a new and innovative way, inspiring the most relaxed state. Customized to the guest’s preference, the therapist uses deep tissue techniques or gentle strokes to melt away tension and soothe muscles.
• Freestyle™ Massage: A customized massage that lets the guest choose what areas to focus on during the treatment.

In the Medi-Spa, guests can have their teeth whitened or try acupuncture. A licensed medi-spa doctor is also onboard to provide BOTOX® Cosmetic, Dysport™, Restylane® and Perlane® treatments.
In keeping with the extensive family and kid-friendly facilities on board Norwegian Epic, the spa offers several treatments for younger cruisers.

The signature ME! Bath® Ice Cream Manicure and Pedicure gives kids and teens the inside scoop on their beauty regimen. The ME! Bath® Ice Cream Social is a fun group activity that will have kids all screaming for ice cream. The Mother-Daughter Paradise Massage and the Father-Son Chill Out Massage allow for the ultimate in relaxation and bonding time for both parent and child.

Fitness Center

Fitness enthusiasts won’t need to put their workout routines on hold while vacationing on Norwegian Epic. The ship has many firsts that take sports and fitness to a new level: the first rappelling wall at sea and the only U.S. rated climbing wall afloat.

The fitness center features an unprecedented 37 treadmills and 18 cross trainers, extensive weight equipment and free weight areas, stretching areas and four distinct aerobic studios. For those who enjoy group settings, Norwegian Epic has more diverse fitness classes than any other ship at sea, including TRX and kettlebell training; yoga; pilates; Activio® group cycling; Gravity® reformer; and body sculpting boot camp classes. Personal training sessions will also be available, along with nutritional consultation and metabolism testing.