There comes a point where a lady needs her privacy. And cruise ship designers of late seem to have developed a taste for translucent loo doors. Is this a good thing, we ask?
The majority of cabins on Norwegian Epic have the loo in one cubicle and the shower in another. Each has a frosted glass door. Now, while it’s a fair assumption that to be sharing a cabin with someone, you know them pretty well, there is a matter of keeping romance alive with an element of mystery. Or am I being prudish?
I, for one, do not relish the thought of watching my partner’s shadowy figure doing whatever he has to do behind that glass door. And kicking somebody out onto the balcony just so you can use the loo with some privacy seems a bit harsh. I’m travelling alone on this preview cruise but in the interests of our more modest members, some of whom have questioned the see-through doors, invited a friend into the cabin to conduct the test. I was right; he could see me in the cubicle and worse still, I couldn’t see out.
I wouldn’t have given this much thought, were it not for an episode at the launch of Seabourn Sojourn a couple of weeks ago. While the ship and the party were spectacular, the doors of each cubicle in the ladies’ loo outside the main restaurant are horribly see-through. And when there’s a queue, where do you look? One lady of a certain age surveyed the scene, aghast, declared herself unable to use the public facilities with appropriate dignity and flounced off to her cabin.
I, for one, was mortified that the whole queue might have spotted me checking my Blackberry while taking a ‘comfort break’.
Like I said, way too much information.
SJB
Pictured right: Cruise Critic member Heinbloed obligingly demonstrated for us how private (or not) Epic’s loos are.
Cruise Critic UK's Blog 
I think you mean non-opaque doors, right? If the doors were opaque you would not be able to see through them.
From all the comments I’m reading re: the balcony bathroom layout, sink size, etc. we may see Epic heading to an early dry dock to correct some serious shortcomings in her design.
Its a little more awkward as the wash hand basin is outside the curtained area and if you have a need to wash any parts after your daily “waste control operation” then you really do have to send anyone else out or alternatively take a shower. Can you imagine a ship full of tummy bug persons or what the floor will be like for the wet areas near the cabin doors in a year or 2? Surely there must have been a mock up which was tested by cruise couples?
Did you have a coffee machine hard wired under the TV? It was impossible to get the water in the top without a spill into the electrics or to heat the water without the steam going into the TV. They must be H and S risks?
I sat in the bed as my partner went to the loo and noticed that you get a direct reflection off the wardrobe mirror so you do not need to guess what they are up to! The cabin storage is not adequate or perhaps complete and why have a sofa from where you cannot see the TV? What was the point of the large cupboard with no hangers or shelves?
OK lets get the other issues raised. Why such a large smoking permitted casino in the main thoroughfare where us non smokers will try and avoid? Why could the staff not control queues to get off or get on?
That all said parts were excellent (even though some areas presumably like the outside market are still being fitted out), like
1. Garden Cafe with its fantastic views over the bow
2. The gym. Brilliant if a little warm on the day.
3. The food and staff during the cruise.
4. The big screen and terraces at the stern.
5. The slow speed which gave us extra hours to enjoy the ship on Tuesday.
6. Quiet cabins and good sized balcony.
7. Not least the Blue Man Group. Totally manic and wonderful.
Enjoyed the short trip despite the observations and think this ship will go down well with families in the med next year although with all its deck gadgets maybe not quite the ship we would choose for a longer trip. Thought the passengers were a good mix on this one.
Finally the oblong penthouse block on the top of the superstructure for the rich. Yes it it is ugly but if they could add taper to the rear of it to soften it it would help. No idea how to improve the front however so it looks right without tapering it and that would require a lot of alterations but maybe NCL should.
Done 17 Cruises in 5 years. Will do more and more on NCL .
Yes, non-opaque…thanks 🙂 Fixed!
Whew! Thanks for the tip. I’ll be sure to pack an extra light plastic curtain as I am traveling with my husband and 2 TEENAGERS.
Wow, this reminds me of the bathroom walls on easyCruiseOne — also translucent (with a transparent bit around the bottom so you could see your friends’ feet in the shower very clearly. Those bathrooms were also not sound proof (ew).
Ooooh! Not a good idea when traveling with teenagers. Probably want you to buy 2 cabins.
From all I hear about NCL trying to get you to spend money, the worst for me is lousy food in the dining room so you will go to the revenue restaurants, I am thinking of canceling my cruise on the Epic.
Julie, I’ve not heard anyone saying food in main dining room’s a problem in Epic. In fact have eaten twice in the Manhattan (gorgeous) and once in Tastes and thought they were both superb. As is the Garden Cafe, the ship’s buffet venue….
Hit send too fast. Love Garden Cafe too and I’m not a huge buffet aficionado. Food’s been excellent.
Main dinner food and service on Monday was excellent in the Manhattan restaurant. It was 3 courses plus coffee but you can always go to the Garden Cafe for anything else later, not that I needed to as I over indulged on the basket of bread rolls before the starter arrived!
Thank you CCUK for that feedback. I am going to keep checking the blogs. Its really the hubby concerned more about the food. He hates to pay high rates (we are going at Christmas) and not get decent food.
The bathroom situation (or lack of a bathroom) looks to be a very bad idea. I for one do not want to know what my roommate is doing in there. Did they think it would be a chic feature to have your facilities in the middle of the room like in a prison cell? Maybe they were thinking that everyone on this ship would look like a model in a Calvin Klein ad and that this would be sexy?
The water all over the floor situation would drive me crazy too. I’m sure that the cabin stewards will love working on this ship (that was sarcasm).
I guess you could call these “intimate” cabins as you will be very intimate with your roommate at the end of this cruise and know a lot more about them then you probably care to.
Joe
I think if NCL can add an extra curtain on the bed side of the basin it would be the quickest and least costly solution, even if a bit untidy.
There was a curtain in my cabin between the bed and the bathroom area – looked like a bit of an afterthought but it helps screen off the area… but if you’re going to cut off a third of the cabin like that, may as well have a normal bathroom!
I should add at this point that despite all the negative bathroom discussion, the shower is really good. At least there was no shower curtain to contend with! Sue
The semi-transparent doors on the loo would be enough for me to decide not to cruise on the Epic – I’m simply not interested in my spouse’s time on the toilet, nor he in mine. This is supposed to be luxury, not camping!
I go with my girlfriends. I love them but I dont not need to see what they are doing. I am modest when it comes to bathroom matters.
Someone above mentioned bringing a plastic shower curtain – where will you put it? I am a little confused. Wonder if a beach towel could be duct-taped to the outside of the ‘frosted doors’ ? Another use for duct tape! LOL
We have an over-the-door pocket shoe holder that just might be good to cover the door and hold various toiletries.