5 leveled-up floating must-sees

MANILA, Philippines - There are a lot of things that come to my mind when I hear the word “epic.” Grand, legendary, unforgettable things. So, when I heard the much-celebrated Norwegian Cruise Line calls its newest pride Epic, I expected nothing less than well, an epic adventure.

Was I able to get just that? Well, let’s just say during my stay there, I was Alice, not in Wonderland but on what seemed to be a humongous floating city where adventures level up, goings-on are thrice as thrilling and every curve offers something totally dreamy. No, my escapades didn’t include a mad hatter, only a bunch of blue men, fat cats and a whole lot of howling!

1. Cirque Dreams & Dinner: Close your eyes. Think sit-down dinner. Swoosh in some breathtaking Broadway acrobatics from the renowned Cirque Dreams in between bites. Add a little of that dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment. Hold your breath and be amazed. That’s pretty much how Cirque Dreams & Dinner rolls! And if all the performers’ acrobatic daring is not enough to make your jaw drop yet, maybe their perfectly chiseled abs and biceps would. They perform so close it’s hard to miss the interesting details.

2. Legends in concert: Who else could define epic to the teeth but Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, Madonna, Cher, Marilyn Monroe and all the greatest artists of our time? Yes, they’re all on board. Well, their “carbon copies,” only the world’s A-class celebrity impersonators, are and they’re ready to rock it live at the longest-running tribute show in entertainment history. It’s an unforgettable musical extravaganza and it is, yes, you guessed it, legendary!

3. Fat Cats: Please excuse me, all feline fanatics, this might be the most disturbing thing you’ll ever hear: I do not like cats. Their needless “meowing” annoys me, all the time, really. Fat Cats, however, is an exception. How could I hate it when its tasteful sounds and smooth beats unleashed the tiger in me? By tiger I mean, rocking out my favorite guitar riffs on a Gibson guitar and jamming to some serious jazz and blues into the wee hours. No doubt, this happening place turns “meow” to “wow”!

4. Howl at the Moon: Here’s one interesting thing you can do in here — howl at the moon! Admit it, we all have rock star dreams and if you’re finally ready to free your inner Metallica while cruising, this might just be the place for you. It’s dubbed “The World’s Greatest Rock N’ Roll Dueling Piano Bar” and it has been rocking cities from Hollywood to Chicago for years and now even Norwegian Epic’s star-studded nightclub, Headliners. They won’t care what your music genre is, just be sure to give it all, sing, dance and howl all night long.

5. Blue Man Group: Contrary to the picture you’re painting in your head right now, this attraction does not involve sad guys singing melodramatic opera music to the sound of a depressing violin. Yes, they’re blue but they’ve got vibrating techno music, light shows, comedy, lots of paint and some seriously outrageous talent rolling in one wild theatrical party for audiences of all age, gender and well, color! The out-of-this world antics of the Blue Man Group will blow your mind and they don’t even have to utter a single word! They will make you want to come back to the Epic again. Take my word for it.