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Boarding the Ugliest Cruise Ship in the World: DIRTY, CROWDED, DATED

Cruise With Ben and David
Cruise With Ben and David
πŸ…Authority
πŸ‘οΈ 770K viewsπŸ“… 1 years ago⏱️ 53:04

Key Moments

Editorial Summary

The creators document a ten night cruise on the Norwegian Epic to investigate negative online reviews regarding the ship's condition and atmosphere. They describe the vessel as looking dated, dark, and resembling a ferry rather than a modern cruise ship. Throughout the journey, the creators highlight several significant issues, including extreme overcrowding, long wait times for food and drinks, and a lack of available entertainment. They express particular frustration with the physical state of the ship, noting rusted areas, dirty outdoor spaces, and soot from the engine landing on their clothing. While the creators praise the quality of the food, specifically at specialty restaurants like the Brazilian steakhouse, and commend the friendliness of the crew, they conclude that the overall experience is disappointing. They find that the negative reviews regarding cleanliness and capacity are justified, noting that the ship feels significantly less maintained than newer vessels in the same fleet. Ultimately, they suggest that despite the beautiful Mediterranean itinerary, the ship's poor condition and overcrowding make it a subpar choice for travelers.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.

How This Review Compares

This review's score for Norwegian Epic
Burnt to a Crisp
All-time creator consensus for Norwegian Epic
A Nibble

This review is more critical than the all-time creator consensus.

What This Creator Said
Creator Warns AgainstFull Ship ReviewπŸ…Authority CreatorSponsored
❀️ Best for CoupleMediterranean · Summer · 10 nightsFrom CivitavecchiaVeteran Cruiser

Source: Our analysis of the creator's lived experience, based on what they said in this video.

Creator's Key Takeaways

this cruise ship behind me is the ugliest cruise ship in the world

it's filthy it's dirty and it's completely worn down

we paid over $4,500 for this cruise for 10 nights that works out at $500 a night basically this is not cheap

the crew are so lovely it's not a crew problem guys the crew are so friendly lovely chatty just very nice crew

Creator's Tips & Advice

βœ“Download the app and book everything as soon as you board, as entertainment sells out quickly
βœ“Print your baggage luggage tags before boarding to avoid long lines
βœ“Stay in Rome the night before if flying from the UK to account for flight delays

πŸ†•New to Cruising? This Creator Addresses:

Ship appearance and cleanliness β€” Don't judge by the cover; online reviews are justified, but the itinerary can save the experience
Overcrowding and long waits β€” Book everything via the app immediately upon boarding to secure reservations

Questions This Creator Answers

QIs the Norwegian Epic the ugliest cruise ship in the world?
QIs the ship as dirty, crowded, and dated as online reviews suggest?
QShould you book a cruise on the Norwegian Epic despite its bad reputation?

Topics Covered

Ship Condition4Β½ Sad BaconService Crew2Β½ Happy BaconLoyalty Program1Β½ Happy BaconValue Pricing4 Sad BaconBooking Process3Β½ Sad BaconCrowd Capacity4 Sad BaconPool Deck4 Sad BaconWater Park3Β½ Sad Bacon

Port Highlights

Italy4 Happy Bacon
Civitavecchia2Β½ Happy Bacon
Malta4 Happy Bacon
How to read the Trip Bacon Score
Happy Bacon β€” creators loved this aspect
Sad Bacon β€” creators took issue with this
Meh β€” no strong opinion either way

Scale: 0–5 strips in half-step increments. 0 = β€œmeh”, 5 = β€œbacon bliss”. Aggregated from creator-review sentiment, weighted by channel expertise.

About our Bacon Score methodology

Video content sourced from the creator's original upload. Watch on YouTube