Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 by Peter Knego
˜
NORWEGIAN EPIC on trials. Photo by Bernard Biger, STX Europe, courtesy of NCL.
NCL’s NORWEGIAN EPIC has completed her second sea trials off STX’s St. Nazaire, France-based shipyard and will head to Rotterdam and Southampton for a series of inaugural cruises before crossing the Atlantic to arrive in New York on July 1. On July 2, she will be christened by Reba McEntire, then depart on her first American inaugural two night sailing, returning for a gala July 4th Fireworks event before heading off to Miami for more inaugural festivities. Beginning July 10, the EPIC commences regularly-scheduled weekly cruises to the Caribbean.
UPDATE: On June 17, NCL took official delivery of the EPIC.
David
June 17, 2010 at 5:45 pm
I AGREE WITH ED V. This is the ugliest ship I have ever seen . Not to mention she has got to epitome of TOP HEAVY and an ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I AGREE LET HER ROLL OVER AND SINKS BEFORE SHE IS PACKED WITH PEOPLE. BUT WHOEVER DESIGNED HER FIRE THEM !
Cruise Review
June 17, 2010 at 5:47 pm
After reading all the comments, the attacks and the defense, I have to side with the attackers. I agree that it is a ugly looking ship, and before the defenders get all uppity let me explain.
It should be clear to NCL (just from these posts alone) that the cruising community like good looking ships. Some may say that this is superficial, however this is obviously what the market wants, so why did NCL decide on producing a ship that will obviously be described as ugly? For a company that is struggling, you would have thought that if they had one chance to get it right, they need to get the crowd to go “Wow!!”. “Ugh!’ is not a good first response for any product – never mind one that costs hundreds of millions of dollars.
First impressions are everything, and any cruise ship designer worth his salt should be prioritizing the aesthetic looks of a cruise ship after safety and stability (its not a box boat or tanker!). This is clearly a classic case of accountants running a business – as the money had run out and NCL had little choice but to take the cheapest option for the highest return. I wish NCL the best of luck, but would suggest next time they take a leaf from Carnival or Royal Caribbean. I am not saying all their ships are the best looking, but some of them certainly take some beating (Spirit Class, Radiance Class).
Anthony
June 17, 2010 at 6:56 pm
David, I think it is a bit of a cop out that the naval architects in this day and age cannot incorporate the internal design & amenities expected from a modern day cruise ship while still having a degree of concern for the external aesthetics that are pleasing to the passengers. Ships like RCI Radiance class ships, P&O’s Aurora, Oriana & Acadia not to mention the Cunard liners are all modern beautiful looking ships. Just admit it, in this instance NCL has got it terribly wrong. It looks so top heavy. If it was a ship undergoing a mid life cut & stretch, then one could be perhaps more forgiving…..but a new build, come on. One world….UGLY
David Walker
June 17, 2010 at 11:38 pm
This ship was designed (believe it or not) as it is from the beginning, not changed at the last minute with added on decks to appease accountants. It would have been rigorously model tested in a marine tank that would emulate pretty much all sea conditions (short of a tidal wave) that the ship will run into. And if she had not passed those tests NCL would not have been allowed to build her.
The Norwegian Epic is purposely designed to attract NEW cruisers, younger or more adventerous cruisers, not die hard ship enthusiasts, with more variety of dining and nightlife entertainment options not found on other ships her size. She even has 128 Single Cabins for single travellers with NO single supplement.
But as some have said, vote with your wallet. If you don’t like her, don’t go on her, don’t book cruise on her, forget she exists. But she is here, and will be for another 25 years, long after some of us (and all those classic liners still around) are long gone. And the Norwegian Epic will have the last laugh.
Jan
June 18, 2010 at 3:45 am
What the blazes is that monstrocity ontop of the bridge???
David Walker
June 18, 2010 at 4:30 am
P.S. The last time I checked the critic boards NO ONE was asking is the ship pretty, does it have classic lines, and a beautiful stern. They WERE asking abt the bar packages, spa treatments, dining options, entertainment types, and accomodations of suites. Again proof that aesthetics will always come in a distant 2nd to everything else.
Guy de Lestang
June 18, 2010 at 6:47 am
I do agree that the design of the ship is not up to the Ship’s Lover’s satisfaction. However we have not to forget that the Shipyard delivers what the Owner wants.
Regrettably after the latest beautiful silhouettes of the most recent NCL cruise vessels, this one just looks to a shoe box: Owner will again dictated by the cruise market. The Epic is due to satisfy the US cruise market, and is already fully booked until the end of this present year. All the beautiful ladies of the old time are now gone. Nowadays the mass market delivers its conditions, and it is no more to the Owners to possess what we used to name : a vessel.
This change already started with some of the RCCL vessels. Fine and delicate touches are now only the priviledge of smaller Cruise vessels such as those newly born for Seabourne or Compagnie des Iles du Ponant…
Safety should also be an extreme important concern… Mass market is just there to make money. The futur will let us know, and let us do hope that vessels will shortly replace the shoe boxes.
Michael
June 18, 2010 at 7:41 am
Wow what an ugly ship! those cabing in the upper ‘ugly’ area could turn out to be some of the most uncomfortable in the industry!!! even a slight roll will make them move an awful lot!
I agree with the other posts, who in their right mind would design something to look this hideous?
Ericf
June 18, 2010 at 8:05 am
This is just plain horrific looking on the outside. A long way from the S.S. Norway when NCL knew what a ship looked like.
P.C. Kohler
June 18, 2010 at 8:09 am
Oh come on people, you’re not actually upset at this steaming pile’s appearance are you? I gave up on how ships look like 20 years ago and haven’t been disappointed since. More to the point, there’s almost as many comments on this as on the sad demise of INDEPENDENCE, a ship that actually meant something, instead of this meaningless heap. I am just glad I am not Norwegian, then it would be personally insulting. Otherwise, just another who cares cruise ship signifying precisely nothing.
David Walker
June 18, 2010 at 8:30 am
Some new pictures:
http://www.stxeurope.com/upload/ships/hires/NorwegianEpic_Departure_17062010_DSC_3190.JPG
http://www.stxeurope.com/upload/ships/hires/NorwegianEpic_Departure_17062010_DSC_3209.JPG
http://www.stxeurope.com/upload/ships/hires/NorwegianEpic_Departure_17062010_DSC_3160.JPG
http://www.stxeurope.com/upload/ships/hires/Norwegian_Epic_ATRIUM_0109.JPG
http://www.stxeurope.com/upload/ships/hires/NorwegianEpic_%20MANHATTAN_restaurant_590pax_DSC_0088.JPG
http://www.stxeurope.com/upload/ships/hires/NorwegianEpic_SPIEGEL_TENT_DSC_0128.JPG
http://www.stxeurope.com/upload/ships/hires/NorwegianEpic_leaving_Saint-Nazaire_on_June_172010_3113_300dpi.jpg
David Walker
June 18, 2010 at 10:26 am
More pics on NCL Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=221926&id=43678986413
David Walker
June 18, 2010 at 10:32 am
MORE PICS:
http://gallery.mac.com/ekroller/100627/36405_435961201413_43678986413_5718315_6810468_n/web.jpg?ver=12768745670001
http://gallery.mac.com/ekroller/100627/36405_435961156413_43678986413_5718310_2984181_n/web.jpg?ver=12768745650001
http://www.travelserver.net/travelpage/aspgallery/pictures/Ad_3480_3.jpg
http://gallery.mac.com/ekroller/100627/35729_435725891413_43678986413_5713175_6170573_n/web.jpg?ver=12768085990001
Peter Newall
June 19, 2010 at 2:35 am
Who cares what this ship looks like. At the end of the day, it is what is inside, which is most important and from what I have seen, EPIC has some very innovative features, which I will be experiencing next week on a 2 day press trip ex-Southampton. All this talk of how wonderful past liners were is pretty academic as many of the them were plain ugly, including most of the 3 (apart from Normandie) and 4-funnelled ships of the early 20th century. Also does anyone want to swap a balcony cabin for a cabin in the bowels of the ship and having to walk down a corridor to have a bath? No thanks!
David Walker
June 19, 2010 at 6:37 am
NORWEGIAN EPIC arrived in Rotterdam today, her first port of call after leaving the shipyard:
4Pages here taken by Aad, a local resident:
http://www.cruisefans.nl/rotterdam2010/nepica19061001.html
More here:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YTJq-dg5bWs/TBx0Jf-aUYI/AAAAAAABG9M/LagO3ar9FRQ/s1600/ct007.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YTJq-dg5bWs/TBx0KNvescI/AAAAAAABG9Y/iutHOyDZGYA/s1600/ct008.jpg
Anthony Ward
June 19, 2010 at 8:59 am
It’s really just the 2-deck addition above the bridge that makes the ship look so ungainly. If it were not for that, the ship would look pretty much like most of the newer ships coming out today.
Unfortunately I do think this is the wave of the future re:ship design though — those are undoubtedly pricey cabins, so this sort of look is here to stay.
Anthony Ward
June 19, 2010 at 9:02 am
No, i take it back — i just saw the side view – with that sawed off stern … FUGLY. Real FUGLY.
Dan
June 19, 2010 at 9:47 am
Why is everybody so surprised? This isn’t the first time NCL has made the choice of greed over aesthetics by plopping down two decks of out of proportion suites to the top of a ship.
Ed V.
June 20, 2010 at 4:30 am
The stern isn’t really THAT bad. Notice how it curves out at the waterline. Makes a perfect slide. If the ship sinks by the bow you could always slide down the stern and get thrown clear enough to get past any possible suction problems. At least they got that design feature right.
gerry s
June 21, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Looks like lifeboat drill is going to be a lot of fun on this ship, wonder how you get to them before they are in the water. Didn’t NCL have most or all of their newest line of ships built in Germany ? Did the German yard refuse to build this one ?
Mike Ralph "The Sun Viking"
June 24, 2010 at 9:03 am
So – O.K. – Some of you have a valid point… She’s Butt Ugly outside BUT inside after viewing the slides from NCL – She’s quite beautiful! I guess while sailing on her you at least don’t have to look at her profile(!) Guess I’ll reserve further bashing until I sail on her next February – in one of those Single occupancy 100 Sq-Ft cabins. More Later…
Mike – “The Sun Viking”