Cruise editor Johanna Jainchill attended the Norwegian Epic's July 2 naming festivities followed by a two-day preview cruise from New York. The second of three reports follows.
The Norwegian Epic has many innovative and revolutionary features onboard, especially in regard to its cabins.
Its studio cabins are the only ones in the industry designed for the solo traveler; its Villa Complex is the largest "ship within a ship" at sea, with 60 suites that have their own private courtyard, restaurants, lounge and bar.
Then there are the standard "Wave" cabins, which on this preview sailing were the subject of much buzz due to their bathrooms -- or lack thereof.
The components of the bathrooms -- the sink, toilet and shower -- are separated.
Concerns have mostly centered on the sinks, with users saying they create a mess: Water splashes in an area that in some cabins is next to the bed and in others the seating area.
Others said that with the shower being by the front door, it creates a messy and slippery entry and exit area. And there is only a curtain to separate the doors of the shower and toilet from the rest of the room.
NCL executives spent a lot of time explaining these bathrooms to both the press and travel agents.
But the executives here are steadfast that like anything else, cruisers will get used to this, and during the transatlantic inaugural last week, they said, it was not much of an issue.
"Like anything, people see something new and they don't understand it until they experience it," said Andy Stuart, NCL's executive vice president of global sales and passenger services. "When we launched Freestyle cruising, people had a lot of questions too. ... We're not hearing from customers. Is everyone going to love it? No. It's like everything else: Not everything works for everybody."
For his part, Stuart said, "I find it much less claustrophobic," and pointed to the bigger toilet and shower.
NCL's executives do admit that the sinks are a problem because the faucets don't move, making it difficult to wash one's face.
They are deciding whether to change the faucets only or the basins.
Uf Tukel, co-president and founder of WMPH Vacations, said that the "unconventional" bathroom design could seem awkward for some experienced cruisers, and unique for new ones.
"I believe guests will adapt and consider it a nonissue after getting used to it," he said.
He added that his agents would have prepared scripts ready to address passengers' questions or concerns about the bathrooms.
"The Norwegian Epic is a fabulous ship with an extraordinary number of entertainment and dining options," Tukel said. "With all that's onboard, I doubt the bathroom will be the most memorable part of the vacation."
Click here to read Johanna's first dispatch.