NORWEGIAN EPIC’s Atlantic Crossing Continues! — Updated
So far, so good on the Atlantic on board NCL’s EPIC. No signs of any delay from the propeller shaft bearing issue that hampered the 150,000 gt ship’s crossing from Rotterdam to Southampton last week. At this rate, the EPIC, which altered course slightly to avert a storm, is due in New York at approximately 1:30 PM on July 1.
On June 24, NORWEGIAN EPIC began her sold-out seven night maiden crossing from Southampton to New York, apparently without hitch, passing Calshot at 6:00 PM, where she was photographed by Nigel Robinson. She will arrive in New York on July 1 and will be christened on July 2 by Reba McEntire before departing on a two night media and travel agents preview cruise. MaritimeMatters will be reporting live from the scene with images and video. For updates during the crossing, please see Paul Motter’s continuing blog at CruiseMates
With thanks to Nigel Robinson.
Peter Knego
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I saw her down at Calshot as I headed back on the Hythe ferry after seeing her off at Mayflower Park. Just finished updating my site with the pics from Rotterdam (Sat & Mon) and Southampton. Only thing I missed was the original arrival in Rotterdam but I was 15 mins from landing at Schiphol then. LOL! Glad she left and tugless! Did 20 knots passing Cowes.
This morning 21,5 Knots south of Irish sea with ETA NYC the 01 July at 11h30 UTC.When you will see her at NYC you will be astonished by her Spatial beauty.DU3
According to marinetraffic.com Epic´s speed is now only 13.4 knots and the average speen of the leg is only 10.8 knots. With average speed of 13 knots , she would arrive to New York on July 4
She will arrive on 7/4 If she does not capsize first !
If Ms Reba was smart she would not board the vessel after christening it !
Good lord, this EPIC beast makes the Pride of America look like the SS Norway.
@ Greenlord, thanks for the report. 13.4 Kts, there must be a good headwind. Imagine driving your car on the highway with a 4′ x 8′ sheet of plywood on top with the bulk of it facing the wind. BTW, I do not wish ill will to this vessel but this is verrrrry interesting!
From what I read on the NCL Facebook page, the passengers are having the same problems we did generally (things broken down or not working). It’s appalling really.
This has to be the ugliest ship ever built! I miss the beautiful classic lines of the older ships.
Everyone who is considering booking a cruise with NCL should remember the deceitful way they destroyed the SS Norway and SS Independence . I am sure the SS United States is next.
I implore all future cruisers…do not book NCL or Star Cruises.
Mary, please get your facts straight on NCL. The INDEPENDENCE story has been told over and over again if you care to read the comments under the Sad EndEPENDENCE post. As for NORWAY, if it weren’t for NCL, you and others would most likely be wondering why the FRANCE was scrapped in the early 1980s and not 2007/8. You are welcome to post your opinions on the EPIC and other ships but inflammatory statements and accusations are not going to be tolerated on this forum.
Yes, agreed NCL gave the France a new lease on line that it probably wasn’t going to get, and it was a HUGE gamble for them at the time.
peter is right,ncl did save the norway,myfavourite ship after the rotterdam v ,however after all the money they spent on her turning her into a cruise ship,they should have replaced her engines,with diesels then she would have lasted till the 2010 solas regulations doomed her,when I was last on her the historian on board told us that whatever ncl did,she could not meet the 2010 specs,her only option was hotel ship etc., and she was to big, and too deep drafted to put her anywhere.like the queen mary which we sailed on many times and have been to long beach to see hertwice,Idont know how much longer this 76 year old ship can survive,like the rotterdam an united states and god forbid the qe2. keep your fingers crossed!
Peter-You say Mary needs to get her facts straight. Look in the mirror buddy. NCL is in the wrong and no matter how much you try to smother that fact, it is still a fact. They sold Indy for scrap, knowingly. Sure they sold her to GMS first, but did they think that an elderly, poorly maintained and structurally compromised ship would be resold for commercial use? But that’s almost irrelevant. What about France? You make it sound like she had an honorable career with an honorable end. You seem to have forgotten how she was dragged around from port to port, while NCL manufactured new stories every hour about how she would be repaired, how she would be used as an accommodation ship, hotel ship, etc. You forget also that she was filled with hundreds of tons of highly toxic PCBs and Asbestos, which cannot legally be exported. I don’t know the particulars of the Norway case, but whether or not she was exported illegally the charge that NCL has been actively deceitful is absolutely undeniable. The least they could have done for both Indy and France was to be open and honest about what was happening. Instead they chose to lie their way through the whole mess. And people like you continue to defend them-why?
I believe that NCL is under (mostly) new management, so it is possible that things have changed. I certainly hope so. In any case, your screaming bloody murder every time someone says a word against NCL is very tiresome.
Any way- any updates on the crossing? I’ll be on Carnival Glory 7/3 out of NYC for the Canada run any maybe cross paths with Epic. I’d love to get a photo of her at sea. A word to Epic: Please be careful going under the Verrazzano Bridge- we need that.
I loved the transatlantic liners of the 20th century, I sailed and worked on them for 50 years. I shed tears every time we lose another to Alang. But NCL cannot be financially viable by operating a fleet of floating museums. The Norway ex France cost the company a fortune to convert and her operating costs were staggering. The new build Epic is Big-Bold and Beautiful she has the capacity to pay the high fixed cost of operating these vessels. Give her a chance the more I looked at her the more I fell in love. This is the 21st century and the cruise industry is here to stay.
Excellent point Glenn Paul, How do you maintain a ghost fleet and keep your shirt on? People will also knock NCL for the Hawaii flagging deal but don’t realize NCL got soaked on that one. They also hired more American crew than any othe cruise line as part of that soaking.
Hi Glenn, you can catch up on the crossing by reading Paul’s blog at CruiseMates.com. He’s been pretty frank about the shortcomings (long waits at shows and other issues) but overall, the trip sounds like it is going well. A nice plus was that he got to visit the crew quarters and engine room with Mr. Martinoli.
I worked in Maui for three years in restauraunts and if they hired people from hawaii that was ncl first mistake. Noone from the islands want to work the long hours with no days off to surf or have fun. Americans like to be served and not to serve. The American staff on the s.s. United states were always striking for more. Helped retire her early. That’s why a American cruise line won’t work. I have to admit if I waited on a couple for let’s fsay 2week cruise and they did not tip me( iv seen it happen to servers) I would push them off the gangplank.
Thanks Peter, Will do! If I happen to get any shots of of her, I’ll send them to you.
Its good that this ship has successfully weathered the storm and now heading safely towards New York.
The Epic hurts my eye’s, but most of the new ships do. I’m sure the inside of this ship is very nice. I miss the fine lines of the ships of the past.
One of the things that comes up off and on is that if it wasn’t for NCL the France would not have become the Norway. This is technicly true, It was Knute Kloster [ Kloster owned NCL] that saved the Norway. NCL today is Asian owed, not the same NCL. That being said I have sailed NCL under both owners and have had fine cruises, but did notice a diference between Norway 1996 and Norway 2001. In 2001 it looked like she wasn’t wanted by the new NCL. Good luck with Epic NCL. I hope her beauty is deeper than the funky hat she wear’s on her bridge
No doubt France is long on her way toward being building or auto parts in India. No doubt she was doomed by taste, function, age and regulations.
However, there would seem to be no doubt that NCL destroyed her and killed crewmembers by negligence and purposeful acts. Here is the NTSB report on the accident; read down to the bits about poor maintenance, deferred repairs, wrong operating proceedures, and the concealing from inspectors the cracks in the failed boiler by driving copper scraps into them: http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2007/mab0703.htm
As for EPIC’s appearance, she’s as lovely as a RORO car carrier. Both ship types are uniquely suited to their purposes.
N. EPIC had been overtook by QM 2 thsi morning ( 05h00) very closed , but N. EPIC disappear of the AIS Data since 1 hr few miles before NYC entrance harbour ?? A big surprise for the Fans !!!
She has arrived in N.Y. and is awaiting low tide to clear the Verrazzano Narrows bridge. Some media coverage has begun on our morning news. She’ll tie up at pier 88 around 10 maybe 10:30 am. Good webcams can be found on wiredNY.com
The SS United States was faster in reverse than the Epic is going forward.
She made it under the bridge and is docking between 9-9:15 am. It’s a beautiful day and she’s bathed in morning sunlight.
Why are folks so negative about NCL Epic ? OK she looks a bit unusual but we were on her maiden european cruise out of Barcelona in May, This ship is fantastic , the interior is very well designed , plenty of large open spaces and public areas, excelent restraunts and eating places, friendly efficient staff , the entertainment was top notch I could fault nothing on this ship.
Andrew J. They’re are just mad that the ship is not as pleasing to the eye as some of the ocean liners such as QE2 and United States. Others might still be mad that NCL sent the SS Norway off to the scrappers. The Norwegian Epic is a fun exciting ship. It just looks top heavy to some and they prefer a more graceful looking ship. Although as a purist I would probably choose an older more classic ship. But yes Epic is a great ship. 🙂
Just returned from almost a month in Europe – sailed NIEUW AMSTERDAM, and stayed in Valencia – this is not a review of the NA.
In Civitaveccia I observed the most ships at one time during the entire cruise, as seen:
SNAV – TOSCANO
Tirrena SHORDEN
Semester at Sea EXPLORER
Ibero Cruises HOLIDAY, still looks like she used to look as HOLIDAY
Thompsons DREAM – oh, what a ship she USED to be as MV HOMERIC
RCI’s LIBERTY OF THE SEAS
Princess Cruises RUBY PRINCESS
Grand Navi Veloci Lines ZEUSS
(two Grimaldis, names unseen were also in port)
AND, last and —-well—-
NCL’s EPIC, as ugly a duckling as ever there was one
Just a quick clarification on the DREAM – the ships is still gorgeous on the outside, thank god, and the circle on the now blue stack, which once was yellow in her Home Lines days, can still be seen through layers of paint, the three Home Lines “crowns” are not visible.
Six, three star/port side balconied cabins are unflattering, looking like gills on a carp, the way they stick out.
Other than that, still a real looker – AND her aft is a modified “squared off” one, a new trend in her day, for sure. Above the focasil windows are still missing, from her HAL WESTERDAM days, when a new theatre was installed, leaving her “face” without “eyes”.
How I loved the MV HOMERIC. Would I today? She’s saling, and thats what matters. Thompsons web site gives a look inside.
My husband & I are taking our FIRST CRUISE on the Epic. I’m reading such bad reviews I’m afraid it’s going to wreck our vacation. We’re in our 60’s and don’t have much money to spend vacationing.
We’re aging nerds who don’t smoke, drink or gamble.
WE love music and have booked all the entertainment offered.
What cruise lines would suit us better? Comments?
This is for Sheila
If you can get your money back, if any had been placed on the above cruise, then by all means look into
http://www.hollandamerica.com for e-mail sign up specials
Holland America is age appropriate for Sheila and her husband, and the ships are filled with music
Style and taste are a very personal thing. EPIC may not be styled like the grand dames of yesteryear, but it is human nature to push the envelope and reach out with new ideas. If we as humans hadn’t done this, ships might still look like Carmania and Caronia, the beautiful sisters.
Concern must be stated for a vessel’s stability when the metacentric point of stability is stretched beyond the norm and is of necessity high up in the vessel. Stabilizers add some measure of normalcy to a ship, but when something is so tall, its resistance to wind is great. Heaven forbid another fiasco like Costa Concordia, but getting 3500 people off a vessel that has foundered, can be quite a trick. We can only hope God’s hand guides her safely.