I’m back on the Norwegian Epic! This NCL Epic Caribbean Cruise was my second time aboard this unique ship. My first was in Spring 2024 when I was on an epic (pun intended) 10-day Mediterranean Cruise. On both sailings, we were in port every single day, which makes for a jam-packed vacation! Here is my full review of my 7-Day NCL Epic Caribbean Cruise.
Read More: 6 Tips for Sailing on the Norwegian Epic
Day 1: Embarkation in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Embarkation day! We embarked for our NCL Epic Caribbean Cruise in San Juan, PR in the early afternoon. Boarding times were much later on this itinerary, the earliest available time being at 1:00 pm. Which meant we got a full morning of exploring! We took an Uber right into the heart of Old San Juan and enjoyed wandering and admiring the cobblestone streets, bright colorful buildings, and rich history. We enjoyed an incredible al fresco breakfast at Patio del Níspero, walked through the Puerta de San Juan and along the Paseo del Morro, and enjoyed a Christmas market on the Paseo de la Princesa (yes, even in January!). Fun fact, Puerto Rico is known for having the longest Christmas seasons in the world! When it was time to board the Epic, we grabbed an Uber from our hotel and made our way to the Pan-American Pier for embarkation!
Tip: this pier only has one two-lane road going in and out, and traffic can get really backed up. Allow yourself plenty of extra time to arrive at the pier!
Once we were onboard, we immediately checked off our muster station check-in and beelined it to Spice H2O (the adults-only area) to catch the Bills playoff game! The tiered set-up of this area made it the perfect place to watch the game, and you could even dip into the pool and still be able to see the screen! After a tight victory over the Jaguars, we made our way to our staterooms to settle in, and then ended the night with a dinner at Taste, one of the two main dining rooms onboard. We departed San Juan at 7:30 pm and watched sail away from the promenade on deck 7 (peeking in between the life boats). After a jam-packed day, we called it a night and geared up for the rest of our itinerary on our NCL Epic Caribbean Cruise!
Day 2: Tortola, British Virgin Islands (Ship Day)
On day 2 of our NCL Epic Caribbean Cruise, we were docked in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. I had been to Tortola before in early 2025 on a 7-day Caribbean Cruise on the Norwegian Encore. It was an amazing stop and included a bucket list scratch at The Baths on Virgin Gorda. If you have never been to The Baths, I’d highly recommend visiting! Because we had been to Tortola before and this itinerary had no sea days, we decided to use this day as our one and only ship day.
The morning started slow, with a visit to the onboard Starbucks (followed by a sunrise walk around the pool deck) and a breakfast in The Garden Cafe. While the buffet on the Epic was one of the busiest I had ever experienced, waiting until after we docked and the masses got off the ship was a much more enjoyable time in the buffet! We were then able to easily snag deck chairs right by the pool, and I was able to go down all the water slides with no line! I loved the “toilet bowl” slide and did it multiple times in a row. Throughout the rest of the trip, there was always a long line for this slide, so doing it on a port day was the way to go! The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and soaking in the Caribbean sun!
Dinner at Cagney’s
Tonight’s dinner was a meal we had been waiting on for months. Cagney’s Steakhouse! Cagney’s is one of the speciality dining restaurants on board, but with our booking we had one free meal included. And we knew immediately that we’d be using that credit at Cagney’s! The reservations fill up quickly, so be sure to reserve it on your app when you are exactly 120 days out from your sailing. I started my meal with grilled bacon, which was a delectable cut of pork belly that melted in your mouth. I then went for the 8 oz. filet mignon with broccoli and a baked potato (with all the fixins!). Dessert was their famous 7 layer chocolate cake à la mode. Cagney’s never disappoints and was so worth the wait!
Day 3: St. John’s, Antigua
Day 3 was a port day in St. John’s, Antigua! A new country for me, but another port that we didn’t have any plans for. While we certainly were able to make the most of our time in port, next time I would book an excursion to tour the island. Upon docking, we made our way off the ship and explored the immediate port area. Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay are two beautiful shopping centers catered to cruise ship passengers. The area is secured away from the rest of the city and felt very safe, clean, and well kept. All of the shopping in this area is duty-free, but the prices will be inflated (but that’s shopping in the port for you!).
We then made our way on foot outside of the port area and into the city of St. John’s. And boy, was it an immediate contrast. The city itself was run down, the sidewalks were cracked and unsafe, and we felt uncomfortable at times. We did continue on though, and made our way to Saint John’s Cathedral. This cathedral was visible from the port and is a focal feature, sitting high atop a hill in the city. It was $5 USD per person to enter, and was definitely worth the time and effort to visit. The church was beautiful, the employees were friendly, and the grounds were well kept. After, we continued through the city, but were pretty disappointed with everything else we saw. Back to the ship we went to watch for pier runners, nap by the pool, and enjoy another relaxing evening onboard!
Day 4: Bridgetown, Barbados
Day 4 on our NCL Epic Caribbean Cruise brought us to one of my new favorite ports, Barbados! My family booked a private island tour with Worrell Island Tours, and we couldn’t have asked for a better day! After a long walk from the ship to the exit of the pier, we met our guide Andre and geared up for a busy day around the island. Our first stop was at the George Washington House, a rental property where he stayed prior to him becoming president in 1751. We then toured downtown Bridgetown, stopping at Independence Square, National Heroes Square, and enjoying the views of the iconic Parliament Building. Next, a fun stop at the Military Cemetery and the surrounding neighborhood to view the wild green monkeys! Andre cut up bananas for them and we loved watching and feeding them. Such a highlight!
No trip to Barbados is complete without paying homage to Rihanna! We did a quick drive down the street where her childhood home is, which is now aptly named Rihanna Drive. Then, we cruised up the west coast (best coast!) of the island, admiring the mansions, beautiful little towns, and then seeing where Rihanna currently calls home on the island. We made a brief stop in Speightstown, the second largest city on the island. Speightstown has a beautiful downtown, beaches, a pier, and a large boardwalk. It was the perfect stop for an afternoon walk in the Caribbean sun!
Animal Flower Cave & Cherry Tree Hill
One of my favorite stops of the day was at Animal Flower Cave. This cave and the grounds that surround it are stunning, and are quite the contrast from the soft sandy coast on the west side of the island! This is the most northern point of Barbados, where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean. Going down into the cave for the iconic “window” shot will cost $20 USD per person, and will involve going down 27 steep steps. Once inside the cave, you’ll see three rooms, all with different “window” views to admire. You’ll be walking over many slippery, uneven rocks, so be sure to wear sturdy shoes. The last of the rooms is the natural pool, where you can swim while simultaneously looking through the rocks and out to the ocean. We forgot our swimsuits and couldn’t participate, so be sure to learn from our mistakes!
Our final stop in Barbados was at Cherry Tree Hill (fun fact, there aren’t actually any cherry trees here!). Cherry Tree Hill is a spectacular overlook with view over the island that stretches for miles. It’s a perfect way to look over Barbados and reflect on a great day exploring all of its beauty! Andre then brought us back to the ship where it was time for a (well-deserved) nap. Dinner tonight was at The Manhattan Room where we had “dinner and a show” with a live jazz band.
Andre was the best guide for a day on Barbados! If you are interested in booking with him, feel free to send me a message and I will gladly share his contact information.
Read More: How to Spend One Day on Barbados
Day 5: St. Lucia
The stop in St. Lucia was, transparently, the reason I chose this itinerary! For so long, I’ve admired photos of St. Lucia and the famous Pitons that make this island so unique. And I knew that I had to get as close to them as I could. I partnered with Spencer Ambrose Tours for a full day relaxing at Sugar Beach, a beach that is smack dab in the middle of the Petit and Gros Pitons! I met the tour at the exit of the port, and we immediately boarded our speedboat out to the beach. The ride was about an hour, which included made several stops along the way to admire and learn about small fishing villages, beaches, and natural rock formations along the way. Once we arrived at Sugar Beach, it was a quick disembark and it was straight to relaxing!
Read More: A Perfect Port Day in St. Lucia with Spencer Ambrose Tours
The beach had something for everyone! On the far end (at the base of the Petit Piton) was great snorkeling! Spencer Ambrose Tours provided all the gear needed, so there was no need to bring your own. The rocks created many natural reefs, I saw a ton of different fish and lots of colorful coral! I swam alongside angelfish, butterflyfish, boxfish, and even eels! A group near me saw a school of squid, but they swam away before I could clean my mask and see. After a lengthy swim, we were treated to an authentic Creole lunch and refreshing rum punch.
I then spent the rest of the afternoon being a true beach bum. The sand was soft and golden and the water was calm and crystal clear. I loved how the beach had floating mats and hammocks available to the public, so I could relax to the max. I might have even dozed off at one point! The beach is also home to Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort. This five-star hotel has tons of additional amenities to enjoy, if you’re looking for that experience! There were outdoor restaurants and cafes where (for an additional cost) you could grab a bite to eat, sweet treat, or refreshing drink. You could also book a spa treatment, for a true luxurious experience.
After a full day in the sun, sand, and salt, we boarded our speedboat back to the pier. We returned to the ship with plenty of time before all aboard, and even had time for a pit-stop through Marigot Bay (which was stunning!). The rest of the evening onboard the Norwegian Epic was spent by playing cards, making balloon animals in the atrium, and a dinner at Taste. Followed then by an early nights sleep!
Book your day at Sugar Beach with Spencer Ambrose Tours by clicking here!
Day 6: Philipsburg, St. Maarten
Day 6 on our NCL Epic Caribbean Cruise was one I was looking forward to all week. A bucket list scratch at Maho Beach! I’ve seen photos for years of planes landing over this perfect Caribbean beach, and I’ve long dreamed of experiencing it for myself. After all, it combines my two favorite things: beaches and aviation! To make sure nothing went wrong with this aspirational day, we booked the Maho Beach Transfer excursion directly through NCL. We grabbed a sit-down breakfast at Taste before meeting our bus at the pier. The ride to Maho Beach was about 45-minutes, but it was a scenic drive as we saw beautiful bays, beaches, and even passed by the border between the Dutch and French sides of the island!
Maho Beach
Arriving at Maho Beach, we were immediately greeted by dozens of planes landing. Shortly after we arrived, we even saw a large Delta plane arriving! The entire beach lit up every time a big commercial plane was on the arrival. You’d first see just a headlight in the distance, and then it would slowly get closer and closer. Feeling the power of them flying so close overhead and watching them land only a few hundred yards away was a feeling I never got tired of. One of the best parts though, was standing in the jet blast area when planes were taking off! There are many warnings to stay on the beach, which is a safe distance away, but the power can still be felt. The power of the engines kick sand (and any loose belongings!) at such intensity. Everyone couldn’t help but scream, laugh, and feel like a kid!
After about 3 hours at the beach, we boarded our bus back to the ship where we cleaned all the blown sand off of us. Dinner tonight was at Moderno, the Brazilian Steakhouse onboard! My brother and I enjoyed bottomless cuts of different meats. Everything from steak, to lamb, to pork belly, to chicken. The servers are constantly walking the floor and, as long as your card is turned to green, you will be fed! We walked away with full bellies and huge smiles on our faces.
Read More: 5 Tips for Visiting Maho Beach on St. Maarten
Day 7: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Our last full day was a calm one, especially after a few jam-packed days that preceded it! It was nice to be back on St. Thomas, and back on US soil! Only a year before, we docked at St. Thomas on our 7-day Caribbean Cruise on the Norwegian Encore where we spent a perfect port day at Magens Bay. Getting to Magens Bay was easy and the beach was perfect, so we knew we had to get back.
After walking off the ship, you’ll see taxis with pre-set rates around the island. Getting to Magens Bay from the port is $12 per person, and is in a shared van or open-air safari bus. The ride is quick (~15 minutes) and is very scenic. You’ll go over the highest point on the island, and down into Magens Bay. Grab a window seat! Entrance to Magens Bay is $7 per person, cash only. One you arrive, you can get relaxing immediately. One of my favorite things about Magens Bay is the large trees that line the back of the beach. They make for the perfect place to lay out without getting burned. The water when we visited was unbelievably calm and we even saw sea turtles!
After a few hours at the beach, we boarded a taxi back to the port. We got back on board and geared up for another Bills playoff game (this one unfortunately didn’t go in our favor). The rest of the evening was spent packing up (boo) and a quick dinner at the buffet. Once back at the room later that evening, we had to room service some chocolate cake and ice cream to toast the end of a fantastic cruise!
Day 8: Disembarkation in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Our last day onboard was a short one. We had an early flight out of SJU and learned it was also the weekend of the San Sebastián Street Festival in San Juan. We weren’t sure how traffic was going to be, so we pre-ordered an Uber to pick us up at the port at 7:30 am. Guests were given clearance to start leaving the ship around 6:45 am, but we were glad to have given a little bit of time for the initial rush to get off. By 7:15 am, we were able to walk right off and jump in our car right away. We read on the Facebook group that those who waited until 8:30 am or later had a very different experience with traffic. Lesson: get off the ship early! The ride to SJU airport was quick and easy, and we had smooth travels home.
Overall, this NCL Epic Caribbean Cruise was a dream itinerary and another great sailing with Norwegian. I particularly loved sailing in and out of San Juan, because it meant you were already in the Caribbean! No need for sea days to-and-from South Florida! I’m partial to port-intensive itineraries and this one scratched many bucket list experiences for me!
Some tours and excursions mentioned on this post were gifted. As always, the content & opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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