Norwegian Epic

The 2010-built Norwegian Epic cruise ship belongs to a unique vessel class and has no sister ships by design. Epic was NCL’s largest vessel until the introduction of the Breakaway-Plus class.

The vessel (IMO number 9410569) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311018500) and registered in Nassau.

History – construction and ownership

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH). Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, NCL is publicly traded on NASDAQ and listed on the NYSE (New York). NCLH’s major shareholders include Apollo Global Management (USA), Genting Group (Malaysia), and TPG Capital (USA). In 2017, the NCL brand held a global cruise market share of 8.7% (passengers) and 8.4% (revenue). NCLH owns the brands NCL, Oceania, and RSSC-Regent.

The 4200-passenger Norwegian Epic was the newest NCL ship prior to the launch of Norwegian Breakaway (2013). Epic entered service in June 2010 and pioneered the first ice bar at sea. She spends most of the year deployed in the Caribbean and Europe, offering entertainment such as Blue Man Group at sea. Epic introduced several new concepts, including Studios designed for solo travelers and the private Haven complex. Dining options range from traditional fine dining and buffets to French, Japanese Teppanyaki, and classic steakhouse venues.

Decks and Cabins

Norwegian Epic staterooms (2122 total, in 38 grades) include 348 Suites, 1092 Balcony cabins, 2 Oceanviews, 560 Inside cabins, and 128 Studios (solo cabins). The ship features 75 “The Haven” accommodations and offers the industry's largest number of single-occupancy cabins.

Most cabins are sized 125–155 ft² (12–15 m²).

The largest accommodations are The Haven Deluxe Owners Suites, sized 730 ft² / 68 m², with a 120 ft² / 11 m² wraparound terrace.

The ship has 19 decks, of which 15 are accessible to passengers and 9 contain cabins.

Shipboard dining options – Food and Drinks

NCL pioneered the Freestyle Dining concept, allowing guests to eat whenever, wherever, and with whomever they choose. On Epic, this concept is taken to a new level. While many mega-ships have a single large main dining hall, Epic offers multiple venues. The closest to a traditional dining room is the 592-seat Manhattan Room, featuring two-story windows and a polished dance floor.

Below is the complete list of Norwegian Epic restaurants and food bars:

• Taste Restaurant (forward Dining Room, complimentary, Your Time dining)
• Le Bistro (French specialty restaurant; dinner only; reservations required; US$20 cover charge)
• Teppanyaki (Japanese Hibachi specialty; reservations required; US$25; lunch and dinner; live cooking)
• The Manhattan Restaurant (aft Dining Room; complimentary; Freestyle dining; dinner only)
• O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill (sports bar; 24-hour American cuisine; complimentary)
• Shanghai’s Noodle Bar (complimentary Asian restaurant inside O’Sheehan’s Pub)
• Wasabi Sushi Bar (25 seats; à-la-carte pricing)
• Cagney’s Steakhouse (steak and seafood specialty; reservations required; US$30 cover charge; free Kids Menu)
• Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse; reservations required; US$20 cover charge; outdoor seating available)
• La Cucina (Italian specialty; reservations required; US$15 cover charge; outdoor seating available)
• Garden Cafe (complimentary buffet with multiple stations)
• The Great Outdoors (complimentary outdoor buffet)
• The Haven Restaurant (exclusive; complimentary for Haven guests)
• Courtyard Grill & Bar (casual Haven venue; exclusive to Villa-Suite guests)
• Spice H2O (pool grill & bar)

Shipboard entertainment options – Fun and Sport

Most shows on Norwegian Epic, including complimentary ones, require tickets bookable at the box office on Deck 6 or online. Attendance is typically lower at later performances, which helps larger groups find seats together. For karaoke, billiards, and late-night dancing, adults can visit Bliss Ultra Lounge, which features three bowling lanes, continuous music, and plasma screens.

The Cirque Dreams & Dinner show is hosted in the two-level Spiegel Tent, combining acrobatics, singing, and dining (tickets from US$29.99). The venue also hosts The Second City’s shows and a murder-mystery lunch (US$20). The ship features 9 Jacuzzis and 7 pools. Major entertainment offerings include NCL’s FIREWORKS show, “Rock of Ages,” “Cirque Dreams,” and “Illusionarium.”

Additional onboard amenities include complimentary 24-hour room service, supervised kids’ programs (“NCL Kids”), Internet/WiFi access, and self-service laundry. Standard gratuities are US$12 per person per day. Onboard weddings are not permitted.

Below is the complete list of Norwegian Epic lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults:

• Epic Theatre (680 seats; Broadway-style shows; two grand shows nightly)
• Spiegel Tent (dinner-theatre with aerial acrobatics; surcharge US$30–40 pp)
• Entertainment Kiosk (bookings for Spiegel Tent, Blue Man Group, Murder Mystery, Second City)
• Atrium (three-deck midship hub with large LED screen, dance area, live entertainment)
• Atrium Café & Bar (specialty coffee and tea)
• I-Connect Internet Café (24-hour); Art Gallery; Perspectives Photo Studio
• Headliners Comedy Club & Lounge
• Fat Cats Jazz & Blues Club
• Sake Bar; Maltings Whisky Bar; Shaker’s Martini Bar; The Humidor (cigar lounge); SVEDKA Ice Bar; Waves Pool Bar; Studio Lounge
• Epic Casino (with Cascades Bar)
• Tradewinds Shops (tax- and duty-free boutiques); The Marketplace (shopping alley)
• Bliss Ultra Lounge & Nightclub; Concierge Lounge
• Cavern Club (Beatles-themed nightclub, added during 2015 refurbishment)
• Kids venues (Kid’s Aqua Park, Splash Academy for ages 3–12, Guppies Nursery for ages 6 months–2 years); Recess Kid’s Area (arts & crafts, movies, karaoke, PlayStations, PCs, play facilities, teen spaces); Entourage Lounge & Club (teen-only)
• Mandara Spa & Fitness (Thermal Suite, Snow Room, Salt Room, Medi Spa, Smile Spa, treatment rooms, salon, barber shop, fitness classes)
• Courtyard Fitness & Spa (Haven-guests-only gym and steam room)
• Spice H2O (adults-only area)
• The Haven complex (Courtyard, Restaurant, Lounge – exclusive to Suite/Villa guests)
• Rock Climbing Wall; Jogging Track; Sports Complex (Spider Web climbing structure with spiral slide, Bungee Trampoline, 9-hole Mini Golf course)

Vibe Beach Club is a large two-deck adults-only sundeck (capacity ~120 seats; surcharge US$15 pp/day). Located on Decks 18–19, it includes two large Jacuzzis, ample loungers, private cabanas (for rent), and its own bar.

During the 2025 drydock, the John Adam’s Bar space (55-seat specialty coffee venue) and the Atrium Lounge were converted into the new Starbucks Lounge & Bar.

The ship’s Aqua Park features two swimming pools, five whirlpools, a kids’ pool, and three waterslides, including the Epic Plunge bowl slide. SplashGolf (retrofitted onto the existing splash pad) is located under the Deck 15 waterslides and combines a splash pad and mini-golf area for toddlers and small children.

SplashGolf was designed by Adventure Golf Services and installed in October 2015 during the drydock refurbishment in Brest, France. It uses oversized floating balls and larger hole cups.

Itineraries

Norwegian Epic’s itinerary program is based on Mediterranean voyages (roundtrip from Civitavecchia-Rome and Barcelona) and 7-day Caribbean cruises from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Seasonal Transatlantic crossings (RepositionCruises.com) connect Europe and the Caribbean in spring and fall.

In winter 2023–2024 (December–April), the ship was homeported in Port Canaveral/Orlando, Florida for 7-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, all calling at NCL’s private Bahamian island Great Stirrup Cay, along with destinations such as St Thomas (USVI), Puerto Rico, Puerto Plata (Dominicana), Tortola (BVI), Cozumel (Mexico), Ocho Rios (Jamaica), and Grand Cayman.

Epic is NCL’s unique “F3 Project” liner and has no sister ships. The vessel is approximately 32% smaller by GT compared to Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships, which are the largest cruise vessels in the world.

The ship’s Inaugural Cruise (Maiden Voyage) was a Cruise to Nowhere from New York City (July 2–4, 2010). This special event also featured Macy’s 34th Annual Fourth of July fireworks show held onboard the ship. Macy’s has sponsored NYC’s July 4th fireworks since 1976.

The ship’s first Transatlantic crossing (from Southampton to NYC) departed on June 24, 2010. At that time, Epic was the largest passenger vessel ever to berth at Manhattan Cruise Terminal.

All outside staterooms have balconies. Epic was the first cruise ship to offer such a large number of “Studios,” and all solo cabins are bookable at single-occupancy rates.

NCL Epic refurbishments review

Drydock 2025

The ship’s most recent drydocking took place in 2025 (April 16–May 8) at Chantier Naval de Marseille (France).

The project focused on routine maintenance, classification and safety inspections, technical updates and machinery overhauls, and hull cleaning and repainting. Minor upgrades were also completed in passenger staterooms and public areas.

Changes included a new hot tub on Deck 18, a redesigned Kids’ Aqua Park (replacing the former SplashGolf area), and an expanded two-deck Vibe Beach Club (adults-only) with an additional hot tub, more loungers, and new private cabanas. The Shuffles Card Room was converted into a Library. The Splash Academy and Entourage Teen Club were relocated from Deck 12 to Deck 6.

A total of eight new staterooms were added on Deck 14 (six balcony cabins and two oceanview cabins).

Drydock 2015

The following deck plan changes were introduced during the 2015 drydock refurbishment (September 27–October 17) at Damen Shipyard Brest (France):

A new club lounge, “The Cavern Club,” opened in partnership with the original UK venue. It features live Beatles-inspired music performed by international artists.

Additional evening entertainment was introduced in the ship’s theatre (Deck 5), including the musical “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” and the ballroom-inspired dance show “Burn the Floor.”

“Burn the Floor” is also featured on NCL’s newer ships Breakaway and Getaway. The production includes 14 professional dancers and two singers performing with a live band.

“Priscilla Queen of the Desert” is a musical comedy featuring extravagant costumes, headdresses, and dance classics such as “It’s Raining Men” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

Extensive restaurant renovations were carried out at Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse), Cagney’s (steakhouse), La Cucina (Italian), Le Bistro (French), Taste (main dining room), Manhattan (main dining room), and Garden Cafe (buffet). Upgrades included new carpeting, refreshed décor, and reupholstered furniture.

Major refurbishments were also completed at Mandara Spa (Deck 14), Bliss Ultra Lounge (Deck 7), Marketplace (Deck 15), Epic Theater (Deck 5), and the Casino (Deck 6). The Haven suite complex (Decks 16–17) received updated furniture, lighting, wall coverings, and artwork.

New and redesigned facilities included a photo gallery (Deck 5), library (Deck 7), card room (Deck 7), and SplashGolf (kids’ mini-golf course). SplashGolf retrofitted the former splash pad and is located beneath the waterslides on Deck 15. The facility combines a splash pad and miniature golf into a single interactive water play area for toddlers and young children. Designed by Adventure Golf Services, SplashGolf uses oversized floating balls and enlarged hole cups.

Technical upgrades included two new Becker rudders, new propeller caps, hull repainting (robotic UHP blasting and a new silicone coating for improved fuel efficiency), and general maintenance affecting lifeboat and tender release systems, thrusters, stabilizers, diesel generator replacement, cooling-water connections, and the cabin air-conditioning system.