DISNEY1975

Can anyone please state whether or not the dueling piano show on the Breakaway is family friendly or not?

 

We're trying to decide on the Breakaway or the Dawn. We're currently booked on both ships for the same dates! Trying to convince members of my family that it's worth the extra $$$ and the trip to NYC.

 

We all live only 45 minutes from the Dawn, but I think it's worth taking a bus to NYC to have the better ship. Am I crazy??

Dueling pianos is not un-family friendly, really depends on the crowd that is there. The kids will LOVE the larger pool area w/ slides etc.. on the Breakaway. The kids clubs are larger too, but obviously because there are way more kids. Breakaway holds twice as many guests. I personally love the Dawn. Its smaller, staff gets to know you, I like the MDRs much better..but entertainment on the Breakaway is much better in terms of big shows. They both have the game shows/activities.

Im no help! I like them both. I suggest flip a coin!

I have a question..

If one family is booked into two cabins, one being a Haven cabin and the other not, can the entire family check in priority? Can the non Haven guests enjoy any of the Haven perks? Breakfast/lunch at Cagneys etc?

Thanks

Well, I wished they would have waited until after my December cruise to institute the new policy, but oh well.

 

As a smoker, I'm beyond used to being banned in many places so this is just another one. I will miss my quiet morning on the balcony, but schlepping up or down flights of stairs to a designated smoking area is certainly nothing I haven't had to do before. So, I'll see how the December cruise goes. If the designated smoking areas are reasonable, I would imagine it will not impact my willingness to cruise again. If it's a giant pain, then I'll probably be looking at different alternatives for future vacations. Not that I imagine that NCL really cares about my decision one way or another.

 

I do hope that now that the new policy has been announced we can stop having stupid smoking debates every week. But somehow I think that is unlikely.

I agree. Im used to it, but I am also a considerate smoker. I don't smoke near people, especially when they are not smoking. I would never light up in the casino next to a non smoker, or at a bar next to someone not smoking. I liked my balcony, by myself, especially early morning or before bed.

With that said, I simply can not cruise any more :(. Im not rebelling, or taking a stance with the new policy. My reason is I also have a child. I don't smoke near her and I like to go on the balcony, while she is in the room to have a cigarette. I make sure my neighbors are not out there too. I wont leave her in the room alone or go to a bar or casino with her. I wont take her anywhere where there is a group of smokers and have her sit there waiting for me to have a cigarette. The balconies were my haven and now that is gone. :( Sad day for me.

Embassy Suites (airport area, 10 minute drive from port). Large 2 room suites, sleeps 6 (2 queens and a pull out sofa in the living room). Free buffet breakfast and free cocktail hour every day from 5-7pm. Free shuttle from airport and if you choose the "cruise package", they will shuttle you to the cruise terminal.

Marriott Courtyard is in the downtown area near port. You will have to taxi over to hotel, but they will bring you to the cruise for $5pp. Near lots of restaurants/shopping.

I also heard the Hyatt Regency is nice, downtown area.

More upscale would be the Intercontinental or Epic Hotel!! Both near the port, near bayside marketplace (shopping restaurants)

If you are going to be there for 2.5 days, you may want to consider the beach area. Best Western has a nice property, reasonably priced, oceanfront, free breakfast and wifi. Of course, taxi to get there and to the port will cost a little more.

Enjoy your trip!

Do we need to have it in a suitcase? Or can we just carry it out in plain sight?

Do we need to have it in a suitcase? Or can we just carry it out in plain sight?

Now 2 even weirder questions: My husband has a medical condition where he needs to have milk when he eats food. When we used to sail Carnival, we'd grab cartons of milk and have them in the cabin fridge, just in case.

1. Do they serve milk in the Main Dining room, and is it free?

2. Do you think we'll be able to grab some milk cartons from maybe the Buffet area, to take back to our cabin?

Thank you so much, everyone, for reading and any answers you may have. This will be our first Norwegian cruise.

Do we need to have it in a suitcase? Or can we just carry it out in plain sight? - You can have it in plain sight. If you bring a case, put a luggage tag on it

Yes, they have mini fridges in the cabins

1. Do they serve milk in the Main Dining room, and is it free? Yes and yes

2. Do you think we'll be able to grab some milk cartons from maybe the Buffet area, to take back to our cabin? I think milk at the buffet comes from the fountain dispenser...Don't quote me! Though it is very easy to order milk from room service (that does come in cartons) and have it delivered to your cabin. We did this for the kids..ordered milk and cookies the first night. They brought so much, we put it in the fridge and had it for the rest of the week.

Enjoy your cruise :)

You would get some back scrapping but not enough to last long and bother us and we went down 40-50 times on a couple days between the 5 slides. For me, the elbows were more of an issue even though you cross your arms. I still have remnants on my elbows of the fun times a couple weeks ago.

:) Sounds fun!!

There are about 10 chairs and 2 loungers around the pools. There is one main pool for the kids to swim. On each side is a small circular pool about the size of a hot tub with small slides for the kids (not for swimming, just landing in from the slides)

This pool area is elevated from the deck below, almost like being on a very high stage area. The deck below has more chairs, but you can not see the kids from that area. The whole area is very small.

As you can see there are no chairs! They were basically located where I was taking the picture, and again there were very few. You can see in the right corner of the first photo thecorner of a chair. They were lined up in front of the pool. There was a railing right behind the chairs

Answering the ones that haven't been answered yet.

I don't recall any themed days, if there were, my children didn't do them and they never said anything to us about how we forgot to pack a pirate or superhero costume. We didn't use the kids club at night so I'm not sure if nighttime is different.

 

If they are doing the purple (the open tube and easiest slide), the exit is on deck 15, so grab a chair near where you can see the exit tube. If they are doing the Free Fall blue and green slides, the exit is on 16. I'd grab a chair on 16 where you can see them dropping and going through the tube. The red and orange corkscrew slides are completely enclosed so you'd only be able to see them exit, but the exit is on 16 on the opposite side the blue/green exits from.

 

I was paranoid about someone taking my towel and getting charged. One day I walked up to the pool exchange counter, there was no one there and the towels were unlocked, so I just took a few extra towels and left them in the room at all times.

Thank you very much!!

Yes, you can get non alcoholic cocktails on the Dawn (margaritas/daiquiris and such...)

I don't remember the exact price, but they were more than soda/juice, but less than with the alcohol. Im thinking they were about $2.00 less than the alcoholic drinks...maybe $5.25ish...

Hopefully someone with a better memory can chime in!!:)

Im curious too to hear the answer to this. I didn't realize you could set up accounts per person. I thought everything got lumped into each cabin. Would be nice if I could set up accounts per child!!

Just off the Getaway 3/29 sailing and ate at prime time between 7:30 and 8:15 1X in the Savor and 3X in the Tropicana. There was never a wait in those 3 MDRs the entire cruise.

 

If you tell your server you are on a schedule, they will speed up your service.

Super! Thanks

Not only suntan lotion... It looks like there's a Walgreen's right outside the port. Easy enough to stop there for soft drinks, wine, sunscreen and other liquids?

 

Thinking even $5 for a 12-pack of Diet Pepsi will keep DH happy for a couple of days.

 

Can anyone confirm that there is, in fact, an easy stop for those of us in cabs from MIA airport?

How "right outside" is it to the port? Im in need of a case of water, but don't want to be carrying it, plus luggage 1/4 mile to the port! In San Juan, you could buy it in the port building. Is it the same in Miami?

If you want to be done with dinner quickly, tell your server - do NOT leave it up to chance. We had luck having dinner in a little over an hour, but it was just 2 of us.

How long was the wait to the MDR around 6:30ish to be seated? Do you think its more than 20 -30 minutes?

Thanks

Pool/beach towels will be waiting for you in your cabin. You will need to return a towel (deck 15 starboard side aft) in order to receive a new one. And yes, you should have the same number of towels you started with in your cabin when you dis-embark.

 

 

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Thanks for this and the juice question!!

You will have to go to guest services and request an extra cabin key for each of the rooms. No actual person will be assigned to the key, so when your husband charges anything, it will be tallied on your sons room, and vice versa. Other than that, there are no issues. Make sure all keys are carried at all times when leaving the ship. If you bring the wrong one, then it gets complicated!

Whole process takes about 1 minute!

I already thought of another question. 3 in my party of 4 are getting the soda package. My 10yo does not drink soda. She mostly drinks lemonade, milk and juice.

Is lemonade available at the buffet? What juices are available at the buffet during lunch?

Ive seen a picture of the buffet fountain drinks and most seem to look like flavored water. Are the "juices" crystal light sort of juice or real juice?

Trying to decide if I should get her a soda package with juice upgrade.

Thanks

Thanks!

I was told by someone at NCL it was almost sold out, with a few cabins left. Maybe it wasn't true... You cant necessarily go by the website. If its showing (example) 10 balcony rooms available, but 9 people have booked GTY and that 10th person is willing to pay the extra to pick a cabin, they will show rooms that have not been assigned. As soon as that one person books, they may all disappear due to needing them for the GTY guests.

As for the towels, should we end up with (4 in my party) 4 towels in our room at the end of the cruise or we will be charged?

I went on the Dawn 2012 and 2013 and we could use our keys in the slot machines, but I read a post about Getaway that it is cash only. Wanted to confirm.

Still would love to know how much time to plan for dinner. My daughter wants to go to kids club in the evening, which closes at 10:30. Im hoping to be finished dinner by 8pm the latest if we try getting seating at 6:30.

Thanks

Considering the ship stops in St Thomas on Wednesday, I would highly doubt they leave the ship on Tuesday to explore the island of St Thomas! We are, however, at St Maarten on Tuesday.

My guess is it is a movie/play etc.. kind of thing teaching about St Thomas.

Im sailing in 2 weeks!! Yippeeee!!

Ive been reading many threads and FB pages, but still have some questions. Hope someone here can answer..

1) Can you use your key card in the slot machines or is it cash only?

2) Are there any themed nights at the kids club (9 - 11)that I should pack appropriately for? (On the Dawn they had a VIP night and girls were in formal dresses, they also has jungle night and everyone had animal print shirts etc...)

3) Where is the best place to sit and watch your child on the water slides?

4) Realistically, how long should I expect to wait if I show up at one of the MDRs at 6:30pm to eat (on a sold out cruise)?

5) Is there a charge for bowling and mini golf?

6) Please explain the pool towel rules (Is it not as easy as getting one at the pool and dropping it in a bin when you leave the pool area ??)

7) My last NCL cruise (Dawn from Boston) had a sail away party on the pool deck complete with buffet (by the pool..not the actual buffet) and huge BBQ grills making chicken/burgers etc.. Is it the same on the Getaway, or is lunch only served in a dining area?

8) Do you need a CC or hotel key for the safe?

That is all for now..Im sure Ill think of more soon/during the week as Im packing. Thanks in advance for answers/advice! :)

I believe you are automatically enrolled after the completion of your first cruise.

This is correct. Ive never signed up for anything, but Ive been assigned a latitudes # and all of my NCL sailings are listed under the number.

Yikes...what happens when people have already booked their flights?

I'm a karaoke singer. I would like to know if they will allow you to bring your own disks or if you can only choose from their book.

Not sure about the Getaway, but you could on the Dawn. I saw someone who did. You would think that after the trouble of selecting the song, bringing it on vacation and asking to play it, it would be something fabulous. Had to laugh when I heard a very amateur version of "Getting to know you" from the King and I !!!!!

Just thinking about it now makes me laugh, so I guess in the end, he accomplished more than he wanted to. It gave me a long lasting memory!!

Youre probably on board by now, having lunch! But just in case youre caught in traffic, reading this from your phone.....

The kids dailies would be great! (9 - 11, please!!). Just want to know if they have themed nights I should pack special clothes for.

Thanks:)

I booked a hotel overnight Sat and am going out Sunday. I didn't want to chance the 10:45 out of Miami, never mind FLL! I also didn't want to wait all day with luggage for the next flight at 9pm. Ill simply go to hotel after cruise and get the 10:45 the next morning....stress free! I booked the Embassy Suites, free shuttle to the airport, free breakfast and free cocktail hours 5pm - 7pm! Nice pool area and spacious rooms for families. :)

Golden Eagle Catamaran is absolutely wonderful and one we have enjoyed over the years many times. :D

Honestly, the snorkeling is not good. Actually, snorkeling isn't the best anyplace in St. Maarten/St. Martin.

LuLu

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What was so great about it? Im looking for something to do with my family, including a 10 year old girl. I don't want a party boat!