Georgia_Peaches

Perhaps the concept just never tired out?  I recall similar types of acts on various RCCL ships as well...from very tall stilt walkers to random trapeze acts seemingly falling from the sky.  I think part of the beauty of being on a cruise ship is that if one type of entertainment doesn't quite appeal, there's surely something else that pleases not too far away.  For years people have been asking celebrity to beef up its evening entertainment so as to possibly appeal to a wider age demographic.  In making the attempt to answer the call for refreshed entertainment, there are some who are bound to prefer the other way...No way to please everyone.

4 hours ago, seemoreroyals said:

We were on the cruise just before yours.  Other than a horrendous embarkation we had a fantastic cruise on the Breakaway.  It took over an hour to get from Harrah’s to the pier and about an hour and a half from the pier to get on the ship.  The MDR had just closed by the time we got on so we tried to get in O’Sheehan’s but they were handing out beepers with an expected wait over 30 minutes so we had to go to the buffet.  

 

On on the subject of straws, we packed ours, but most of the time forgot them and left them in the room. Throughout the trip My wife and I either had wine,  drank Micolob Ultra or had Grey Goose, diet Sierra Mist and a lime squeeze so most of the time they were not needed.  And I noticed they were making the frozen drinks a little thinner than usual.  The only time I remember a normally thick frozen drink was one night when we were waiting for dinner at one of the MDR’s an older lady next to us ordered a strawberry daiquiri and asked for both a straw and then a spoon and was told they had neither.  So the straw thing wasn’t as big a deal but I did feel sorry for those that were unprepared and for what we all pay for these cruises they should have had some for when they were really needed.

 

The entertainment was great.  We enjoyed the Cirque show, the comics,  the entertainers in the small lounges, as well as the various shows in the main theater.

 

Note to those with upcoming Breakaway cruises.  Make your reservations as far advance or as soon as you get on board as spots fill up fast. Especially for the entertainment that requires it. 

Seems we had quite a different embarkation experience. Ours was very smooth and took about 30 minutes from luggage drop off to first drink on the pool deck. I will say that the NOLA port itself is very dated and lack luster. Agree that advanced reservations are a must. But even things showing as fully booked opened up throughout the cruise due to cancellations. 

Hi everyone,

I recently started what I thought was going to be a live review of my Thanksgiving voyage out on NOLA on the Breakaway.  Well that only lasted until the first day of the trip as technical difficulties with the internet package shut me down pretty quickly.  I could rehash everything but honestly, I don't know that I could say more than what has already been reported by some other great reviews.  We had an awesome time from start to finish and I highly recommend the Breakaway to others.  That said, I wanted to at least give back to others who have taken time to write lengthy reviews and post awesome pictures.  So here goes...based on actual events. Where there's a will...there's a way.

The Straw

The packing began with the fill of my tote,

All things needed to take on the boat.

The outfits and shoes were carefully planned,

With hats and sunscreen ready for sand.

And with all of my planning and checking you’ll bet,

That surely there’s nothing I’d totally forget!

Wrong you would be as I unpacked and saw

 That I forgot to bring my reusable straw!

I bought it on Amazon just a few weeks before

At the rock bottom price of seven-ninety-four.

An assortment of colors in red, blue, and pink,

And I couldn’t wait for that first frozen drink.

But the straw I planned for was still on the bed

Right next to the things I left home instead.

Disappointment in check, the boat must sail on,

I gathered my wits and had a shot of Patron. 

I scoured the drink list and with the drop of my jaw

Discovered many a-drink that required no straw.

Encouraged, I thought, I can do this, I can.

And with all of the options, I made a new plan.

The days of the trip sailed by without delay

And before we knew it, we saw Harvest Caye.

A cute little island with so much to do

We quickly found our clamshell , but that’s when I knew.

A frozen drink on this island was truly a must

And without one I knew I’d simply combust.

Storing his cash in his mini armada,

DH placed an order for a pina colada.

With a hushed voice and a glimmering eye,

I asked DH to get a straw on the sly.

But the bar tender was clever and gave a shake of his head

And offered DH a plastic spoon instead.

I scooped my coladas right in to my mouth

And before I knew it, it was time to walk south.

A bathroom I needed and I needed it fast!

To the path I sprinted, the urge was vast.

Eager to return to my spot to relax,

Only one thing could compel me to stop in my tracks.

And there it was in all of its glory,

I knew right then, it would make quite a story.

For the abandoned coconut head shone in the light

With a clear plastic straw standing proudly upright.

You may think me crazy but I knew at the time,

That pretty little straw, it had to be mine!

Someone just left it?  They gave it no thought?

Hard to believe, but hey, perhaps they knew not.

Looking first to the left, and then to the right,

I grabbed that straw and held on to it tight.

DH was amazed at the measures I took

But securing a straw was worth his disdainful look.

I washed my new straw in a most careful way

And drank pina coladas the rest of the day!

And while the highlight of my cruise may have a slight flaw,

It got a tad bit better when I found that little straw!

So just an FYI, Breakaway has not yet moved to paper straws like some of the other ships.  I have to say it was no big deal but I did see some irony in being offered a plastic spoon with my frozen drink while on the island. 

Arrived at 10:45 and made it on the ship by 11:30. Took a cab to the terminal, total cost $20 including tip. Well worth it!  

Haven bar pre-sail away. While the picture doesn’t do justice, the bar is very lively and bar tenders hard at work. A packed house. 

Margaritaville was open for lunch on embarkation day but was not complementary for Haven guests as I am told it has been in the past. 

Embarkation:  a little different from other terminals.  Lots of confusion about luggage drop off. No sign of our bags yet. Hoping they made it aboard. We were taken to the Haven holding area and waited while general boarding occurred without waiting. One passenger asked if he could board with the others and was told that he had to wait for the Haven escort. After a while we were escorted onto the ship and led into a private elevator. We eventually made it to the Haven where we began the ship exploration and of course, had lunch. 

Saying goodbye to Le Pavillion on Poydras st... loved the historic charm of the 100 year old building!  It’s on the historic registry and is said to be haunted. I didn’t notice anything except the beautiful original features of this old place. The king room was comfortable and updated, but high ceilings, heavy crown moldings, and original door knobs remain. Loved the location... close enough to walk to the action but far enough away from the noise. I must say our pre-cruise visit to N.O. Did not disappoint. 

Last year I wanted to surprise my hubby with an upgrade to a Royal suite on Celebrity. Two weeks prior to embarkation we both got a welcome email from shore concierge asking our dining and stateroom bar preferences. At first I was disappointed by the ruined surprise but it turns out that his excitement for the trip grew exponentially because this was going to be a brand new experience. Had the surprise not need “ruined” he would have missed out on that precruise excitement that I had already been feeling. Like with Celebrity, I’m sure NCL meant well.  They were giving you the suite precruise treatment. For your friend, I’m sure her excitement is ever greater now!  Enjoy your cruise!

A few more random pics..

Other notable high lights of the day:

Aunt Sallie’s Praline Shop!  Wow! If you love the rich goodness of pralines then this is your stop. Platters of samples are scattered throughout the store. Great little shop!

All in all we walked all over and clocked in just under 12 miles!  The whole city was alive with music, street performances, and fortune tellers. We had a great day!

next up...embarkation. 

So last stop on the foodie tour was New Orleans Creole Cookery. We sat in the courtyard with some cocktails and shrimp and grits. Food was good but didn’t compare to the oysters. We really wanted to try Acme Oyster House but lines were crazy long and with only 1 day in the Big Easy, time was precious. 

1 hour ago, cruisecrazypat said:

Your ship is coming IN~!  Breakaway at 430 this morning heading up the Mississippi..  Enjoy

Yay!!  Thank you for posting. We only made it ‘till midnight before calling it a night. 

Just now, llrcno0210 said:

Ahhh you didn’t go to Drago’s for oysters? Yummmm.

We are on the cruise with you. We live on the Northshore. Having some vans pick us up and drive us to the terminal in the morning. 

Praying for a smooth process. 

Great!  Hope to see you at the CC Meet and Mingle. Bliss lounge 11 am first sea day. 

Next up on the foodie tour...Felix’s World Famous Oyster House.  Ohhh so good!!

Pre-cruise:port of NOLA

We arrived to sunny skies and high temp of 67 degrees. Dropped our bags at Le Pavillion on Poydras St after a quick $35 cab ride from the airport. We are taking a self guided foodie walking tour...first stop, Cafe Dumonde at Jackson Square. Line was a mile long....literally!  So we took a pic and made our way to the Market Cafe for a cup of gumbo and Bloody Mary NOLA style. 

So it's finally here...pre-pre-cruise eve!  Planned since July, it's been the longest 5 months ever!!  We picked this cruise because of it's embarkation port and since it's been years since my last visit to NOLA and a first visit for DH, we are going to spend Saturday eating our way through the French Quarter as we pre-game for Sunday's embarkation!  

About us:  50 years young, empty nesters who love cruising.  This will be our third voyage with NCL and our first Haven experience.  I'm ready to soak up every second.  

So far...bags are packed and airline check-in is complete.  It's chilly for November in ATL but we'll be braving the chill as we make our way to the North Ave. MARTA station early tomorrow morning.  

First stop:  New Orleans!  More to come...

On 11/15/2018 at 1:55 PM, cruiseseal said:

Any specific suggestions from your experience? Thanks.

Celebrity offers very limited smoking areas...nowhere inside and only 1 or 2 places outside.

Two more wake-ups!

18 hours ago, Warm Breezes said:

I can tell you from our experience that it was a relief to know when my Grandmother passed away the day before our cruise, that we could cancel that cruise to go home and grieve with our family, and use our insurance to rebook that same cruise the following year.  We took the hit purchasing a cruise.  We paid 5% more to insure 1) we were covered in case of a medical emergency and 2) if we did have to cancel we could still take our vacation at a later date.  As you stated it was not really the loss of money, it was already gone.  It was being able to take that trip that we had saved and paid for...if not at that scheduled time then at a later date.  It was and still is a small price for us to pay for that peace of mind.

 

OP is a prime example of how distressing it can be to have something happen that causes you to cancel without insurance.  He is extremely upset because his funds are gone with nothing to show for it.  I insured that once my funds were gone, I would have something to show for it.  I went home to concentrate on grieving.   He is on cruise critic blaming NCL for not giving him that peace of mind I paid for.  Again I and I believe everyone on here as well as NCL, have empathy for the OP and his wife....but that doesn’t make NCL responsible for the OPs financial decisions.

Very well said...thank you for the perspective.  And I completely agree.

11 hours ago, beerman2 said:

As would a 12,000. 00 loss. Some people just aren't in the financial situation to take that hit, if they couldn't make that cruise.

 

 

But haven't they already taken the hit either way?  The hit is not being able to go on the trip...not the loss of money.  If you go on the trip, the money is gone.  If you don't go on the trip the money is gone.

Three chairs will fit but it will be tight.  Someone will block the door but it is do-able.  I think your steward will bring one if you ask without much problem...unless there's some fire code or some other max occupancy rules we don't know about.

I would entertain a partial opt out if it was offered.  I often hang the Do Not Disturb  sign on my door bc I don't really want anyone in my room.  Maybe halfway through the stay I'd like a visit for a tidy up and new towels.  I for sure don't need a visit twice a day.

I am of the mind that I will try just about anything once as it relates to cruising since opinions are subjective and experiences are varied.  For me, each line has its own set of pros/cons.  RCL has the mega ships and I've enjoyed several of them...but they don't offer a drink package as a perk...so no.  Carnival has a fun vibe and while they don't offer a drink package as a perk, you can often get complimentary drinks in the casino after you've reached a certain player point level during the cruise...so maybe.  Celebrity is my go to when it's just DH and myself because we book a suite and all the perks are included...so yes.  NCL has been fun with new and different things to do.  They offer a beverage package as a perk (not including gratuities)...so yes.

Bottom line, like others have mentioned, you're probably going to see more similarities than differences between all of the major lines.  I haven't tried MSC yet, but I'm sure I will at some point.

3 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

When did Chior of Man install on the Getaway? It was being done in the small Supper Club on the Escape. The Getaway had the Million Dollar Quartet and Burn the Floor. 

Oh...sorry for the bad info...I got the two confused.