If you’re looking for something new in cruising check out Norwegian Cruise Lines’ 4100 passenger Norwegian Epic, which is billed as Norwegian’s “newest, largest and most innovative cruise ship ever.” They have recently announced new options for the Epic’s 7 day Mediterranean cruises.
Embarkation Choices
Beginning in the summer of 2012 Mediterranean cruise passengers will be able to choose the port of embarkation, deciding whether to board at Barcelona, Marseilles or Civitavecchia. Once aboard the passengers will stay for a 7 day cruise, disembarking at the same port where they began their cruise.
This concept of different embarkation ports is not new in the cruise industry as both MSC and Costa Cruise Lines have been doing this already but those are the only major cruise lines with these options. This is a real benefit if you who would like to spend more time on land and now have a choice as to whether that is in Spain, France or Italy.
In addition, there is the cost-saving factor if you happen to live within easy driving distance or train access of any of these ports. If you are an international passenger arriving from the U.S. or the U.K. you now have more options in researching the best airline deals to three cities instead of one.
Dining Choices
This new option creates some changes for the flow of the cruise as passengers no longer sit at the same table with all the same people every night as they did years ago. Norwegian however has so many different dining venues that the likelihood of meeting up with all the same tablemates is minimal anyway.
This freestyle dining concept has been in existence at Norwegian for quite a few years, and now other cruise lines have followed suit. On the Norwegian Epic there are 20 different dining venues including both restaurants and bars. One of these is the unique Svedka Ice Bar which was patterned after the concept of the ice hotels in Scandinavia. There are only 14 ice bars in the world and Norwegian Epic features the only “true” ice bar at sea.
Entertainment Choices
Kicking it up a notch, Norwegian has developed freestyle entertainment aboard the Epic and instead of the usual main theater shows each night, you have cool options such as Cirque Dreams and Dinner where you can have dinner and watch awesome aerial stunts at the same time. Another first is Blue Man Group at sea, and the only cruise ship offering this entertainment group is Norwegian Epic. Recently they celebrated their 500th show on the ship. Performances are four nights each week in a theater with a capacity of almost 700.
Accommodations
Norwegian Cruise Lines has started something new in the accommodations area recently with the first and only ship, the Norwegian Epic, to feature studio cabins for the solo traveler.
These cabins are small but appealing to travelers who are not sharing a cabin, because the pricing is just a little over the cost of an inside cabin with double occupancy. Until now solo travelers had to pay almost double the cost of a cruise since most major cruise lines charge a single supplement for a solo traveler taking up a double cabin.
Norwegian Epic sails 7 day Mediterranean cruises in the summer beginning in May and running till October. For the winter the Epic sails 7 day cruises in the Eastern Caribbean from October to April.