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Norwegian Epic vs Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas
The Norwegian Epic was built in 2010. It was renovated in 2015. It's 7 years newer than the Serenade of the Seas, which was built in 2003 and renovated in 2023.
Comparison Overview
- Ship Size
- Number of Passengers
- Food and Restaurants
- Bars and Drinks
- Pools and Hot Tubs
- Ship Features and Activities
- Cruise Costs
- Onboard Costs
Ship Size
The Epic is considered a large size ship. Coming in at 1,081 feet long and 171 feet wide, it's roughly the length of 3 football fields, as wide as 3.2 tractor-trailers and the same height as a 14-story building. Compared to the Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas, the Epic is 73% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Epic holds 91% more passengers than the Serenade of the Seas based on double occupancy (two people per room). When you look at the "Space Ratio," or the total tonnage of a ship compared to the number of passengers, the Epic has less space per person compared to the Serenade of the Seas.
| Norwegian Epic | Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Epic | Radiance |
| Gross Tonnage | 155,873 | 90,090 |
| Length | 1,081 | 965 |
| Beam/Width | 171 | 106 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 12 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,100 | 2,146 |
| Crew | 1,724 | 848 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.4 | 2.5 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 38 | 42 |
Food and Restaurants
Food is a big part of any cruise, and the ship you choose can make a huge difference in your food experience.
The Epic has seventeen different dining options like Shanghai's Noodle Bar, Main Dining Room, and Le Bistro French. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other fourteen options have an additional fee.
The Serenade of the Seas has eight fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Chef's Table, Chops Grille, and Izumi Sushi & Hot Rocks. eight of these restaurants are complementary and the other six have an additional fee.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Epic might be a better choice. It has 89% more dining options than the Serenade of the Seas.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Serenade of the Seas might be a better choice then the Epic. More of the dining options are included in the base cruise fare, potentially saving you money.
| Norwegian Epic | Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 17 | 9 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 8 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 14 | 6 |
| % of Included Options | 18% | 33% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Norwegian Epic has 5 more bars than the Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas. The Epic has 16 bars like Sake Bar, Skyy Vodka Ice Bar and Starbucks. On Epic, you can grab a drink at 11 different bars such as English Pub, Sky Bar and Vortex Nightclub.
| Norwegian Epic | Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas |
|---|---|
| •Atrium Bar • Bliss Ultra Lounge • Cascades Bar • Epic Theater Bar • Headliners Comedy Club • Maltings Beer & Whiskey Bar • O'Sheehan's Bar & Grill • Posh Beach Club • Sake Bar • Shakers Martini & Cocktail Bar • Skyy Vodka Ice Bar • Spice H2O • Starbucks • The Cavern Club • The Haven Bar • Waves Pool Bar | •Casino Bar • Champagne Bar • English Pub • Pool bar • R Bar • Schooner Bar • Sky Bar • The Congo Bar • The Safari Club • Vortex Nightclub • Zanzibar Lounge |
In terms of drinks and cocktails, you have a variety of choices. Both ships serve the Coca-cola family of products. That means Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Barqs Root Beer, although the selection can vary by ship. Most Royal Caribbean ships also have Coke Freestyle machines where you can make 100 different flavor combinations.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Epic and the Serenade of the Seas below.
Pools and Hot Tubs
Nothing beats relaxing by a pool with a nice drink in hand as you feel the fresh sea breeze pass by you. The Norwegian Epic has a total of 5 pools and 11 hot tubs. 2 of the pools and 4 of the hot tubs are exclusive access, which means there's either an extra charge to access them or you need to book a certain class of cabin to have access to them.
Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas has fewer pools than the Epic and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Serenade of the Seas. If you like ships without extra charges or exclusive areas, this might be a better choice since everyone will have access to these areas.
Tired of loud kids and splashing? One of the pools and two of the hot tubs are adults only on Epic.| Norwegian Epic | Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 1 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | 1 |
| Pools - Exclusive | 2 | 0 |
| Total Hot Tubs | 11 | 3 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 5 | 2 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | 1 |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 4 | 0 |
Ship Features and Activities
Both ships have lots of activities to keep you busy throughout your cruise. Below you'll see a list of some of the major features on these ships. You might up paying more while on board the Epic. Only 59% of the activities below are included in your cruise fare. On the Serenade of the Seas, 70% of the activities are included at no additional cost.
| Norwegian Epic | Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Only Relaxation Area | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (free) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bowling Alley | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✓ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ice Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mini golf | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pool-side Movies | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sports Square | ✓ | ✗ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✗ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian and Royal Caribbean are both considered "Mainstream" cruise lines. Mainstream cruise lines cater to a variety of guests, hoping to provide something for everyone. These typically cost about $100 - $350 per person per day.
Cruise pricing is dynamic and varies for each specific sailing based on factors such as departure point, ports of call, and time of year. Typically newer ships cost more, so a cruise on Norwegian Epic will likely be more expensive than on Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas.
Onboard Costs
Another way to gauge the cost of a cruise is to consider how much you'll spend on board. Even though a lot is included in the base cruise fare, you may still spend money on things like spa treatments, specialty dining, drinks, and excursions. In addition, guests can also have to pay for things like gratuities and tips.
Typically guests can expect to spend about 25 - 40% of the cost of the cruise on onboard expenses. In other words, if the cruise fare is $1,000 per person, you might spend between $250 and $400 on extra expenses.
The table below will help you compare onboard prices to see if you might spend more on a specific ship.
| Norwegian Epic | Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | $18.50 |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | 18% |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | $3.50 |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.50 See drink menus | $8.25 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more | $77 - $118 Learn more |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device | $19 to $30 per device per day |
| *Daily gratuities for a standard cabin. Suites or specialty rooms may have higher rates. | ||
Norwegian Cruise Line offers a More at Sea fare. Through this program, guests receive open bar, a discount on excursions, some free internet, and some meals at specialty restaurants. If you book using this promotion, you'll be responsible for the gratuities on the dining and drink package. If you won't be using these options, booking a "sail away" rate that doesn't include the More at Sea benefits is considerably cheaper. Also, most of these benefits are the base packages; you can spend more to upgrade to better alcoholic drinks or faster/more wifi.
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing, which means the pricing for many things will vary per sailing. The daily gratuities and tip are consistent across the fleet, but the pricing for the drink package, internet, and excursions will change. The only way to know your price is to consult the Royal Caribbean cruise planner once you're booked.
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