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Norwegian Epic vs Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady
The Norwegian Epic was built in 2010. It was renovated in 2025. It's 14 years older than the Brilliant Lady, which was built in 2024. This is an adults-only ship; all guests must be 18 or older. Brilliant Lady was originally scheduled to debut in 2023 but the launch was pushed back until September 2026. The Brilliant Lady is still under construction and Virgin Voyages hasn't released all the details yet.
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 Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady, the Epic is 42% larger in terms of overall tons.
Number of Passengers
Norwegian Epic holds 52% more passengers than the Brilliant Lady 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 Brilliant Lady.
| Norwegian Epic | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Class | Epic | Lady |
| Gross Tonnage | 155,873 | 110,000 |
| Length | 1,081 | 912 |
| Beam/Width | 171 | 125 |
| Passenger Decks | 14 | 13 |
| Passengers (double occupancy) | 4,100 | 2,700 |
| Crew | 1,724 | 1,150 |
| Passenger to Crew Ratio | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| Space Ratio (tons of ship per passenger) | 38 | 41 |
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 Moderno Churrascaria, Main Dining Room, and Teppanyaki. Of those options, eight are complementary, or included with your cruise fare. The other fourteen options have an additional fee.
The Brilliant Lady has five fewer dining venues. Some of its popular venues are Pink Agave, Gunbae, and The Galley. twelve of these restaurants are complementary.
If you like having a variety of places to eat, the Epic might be a better choice. It has 42% more dining options than the Brilliant Lady.
If you're looking to avoid extra money while on board, the Brilliant Lady 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 | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Dining Options | 17 | 12 |
| Complimentary Dining Options: | 8 | 12 |
| Additional Fee Dining Options: | 14 | 0 |
| % of Included Options | 18% | 100% |
| See the options | See the options |
Bars and Drinks
The Norwegian Epic has 2 fewer bars than the Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady. The Epic has 16 bars like Atrium Bar, Headliners Comedy Club and Spice H2O. On Epic, you can grab a drink at 18 different bars such as Draught Haus, The Grounds Club Too and The Social Club.
| Norwegian Epic | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady |
|---|---|
| •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 • Draught Haus • Grounds Club • Gym & Tonic • Mezcal Bar • On The Rocks • Red Bar • Richard's Rooftop Bar • Sip Lounge • Sun Club Bar • The Aquatic Club Bar • The Athletic Club Bar • The Dock Bar • The Dock House Bar • The Grounds Club Too • The Loose Cannon • The Manor • The Social Club |
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.
You can check out recent the bar menus for the Epic and the Brilliant Lady 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 13 hot tubs. 2 of the pools and 5 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.
Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady has fewer pools than the Epic and fewer hot tubs. There are fewer exclusive pools and hot tubs on the Brilliant Lady. 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 | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Pools | 5 | 2 |
| Pools - General Access | 2 | 2 |
| Pools - Adults Only | 1 | |
| Pools - Exclusive | 2 | |
| Total Hot Tubs | 13 | 6 |
| Hot Tubs - General Access | 6 | 4 |
| Hot Tubs - Adults Only | 2 | |
| Hot Tubs - Exclusive | 5 | 2 |
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. On the Epic, 59% of the activities below are included in the cruise fare. On the Brilliant Lady, only 55% of the activities are included, meaning you might spend more money while on board.
| Norwegian Epic | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Acrobatic Show | ✗ | ✓ |
| Adult Only Relaxation Area (free) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Arcade | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basketball | ✓ | ✗ |
| Bowling Alley | ✓ | ✗ |
| Casino | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cigar Lounge | ✓ | ✗ |
| Climbing Wall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comedy Club | ✓ | ✗ |
| Escape Room | ✓ | ✗ |
| Fitness Center | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Fitness | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ice Bar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Jogging Track | ✓ | ✓ |
| Private Karaoke Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Salon | ✗ | ✓ |
| Shows - musical review | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spa | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sports Square | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tattoo Studio | ✗ | ✓ |
| Thermal Suites | ✓ | ✓ |
| Water slides | ✓ | ✗ |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Cruise Costs
Norwegian is considered a mainstream cruise line. 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.
Virgin Voyages, on the other hand, is a premium cruise line. Premium cruise lines typically offer upscale food, accommodations, and service. These typically cost about $150 - $400 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. To get a good idea of how the pricing compares, visit the cruise line's website to price out the separate cruises or consult a travel professional.
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 | Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady | |
|---|---|---|
| Base Daily Gratuities* (Per Person Per Day) | $20.00 | Included |
| Tip added to drinks & services | 20% | Included |
| Soda Price | $3.50 | Included |
| Domestic Beer Price | $7.50 See drink menus | $8.00 See drink menus |
| Drink Package Price | 106 Learn more | No drink package available |
| Internet Plan | $29.99 - $39.99 per cabin per day, with $5 for each extra device | Basic Wi-fi is included. Premium is $30/day and Work from Sea is $50/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.
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