dongordon

Great Show, Great Songs....do not miss it!!

I also thought that Rock of Ages was one of the best shows on a cruise ship as well.

(Watch the language though....do not bring children!).

Slam Alan completes the array of great entertainment on the Breakaway!! :)

Don

I just want to update my review with information I have found. this is a post to me on another board regarding some souvenirs I bought. [mentioned earlier] Biaria mentions a seal to look for her is the post:

*******************************************************

Quote:

Originally Posted by biaria View Post

Hi DragonOfTheSeas,

 

Yes, Madeira is very famous for hand embroidery, but a genuine Madeiran hand embroidered tablecloth is way much more expensive than what you paid for yours. Depending on the size and how much embroidery is on it, a tablecloth may vary between 200 and 3000 euros. I'm sorry to have to say this, but your tablecloths must have been made somewhere else.

 

The real Madeiran hand embroidery always comes with a stamp of approval as you can see here: http://www.bordadomadeira.pt/certifi...enu-id-35.html

 

. . . and I write back:

OK--I am not unhappy. I got nice tablecloths [small square variety] that are hand embroidered from Madeira--even if they were not made there. They will remind me of your beautiful island. [if you turn them over you can see yarn going from one flower to another in a random way and even a few knots. Someone did them by hand. It was likely from Bangladesh or some such place]

 

It is like the hat DH bought in Alaska. It says Alaska on it--but, I am sure it was made in China. I do not think you can find a hat made in Alaska.

 

However, the next time I am in Madeira I will look for the seal you mentioned and get myself a genuine linen. Maybe a handkerchief--I should be able to afford that. :o

 

Thanks for all of your help. You are a real gem!! :)

Did you use a ship excursion or a private tour?

Don

I went on the January 5th 12 Day cruise on the Breakaway.

We had very smooth cruising, no major movement to mention that was more than other cruises I have been on in the winter.

Don't know about the hot tubs, but I took my morning swim on the last day at sea before we arrived back in NYC.

The pool was heated and the air a bit chilly!! :D

Don

I have stayed in penthouse suites on the Star and the Gem. They were two completely different experiences. On the Star, I was told that being in a penthouse suite did not entitle me to saved seating in the theater or early admission to the chocolate buffett. On the Gem, I didn' t expect to get either but we did. I felt like we were treated like royality on the Gem. I spoke to other suite passengers about it and was told that it depends on the concierge. I had Patrick on the Star and Kadek on the Gem. I just don't want you to get your hopes up and have them fall short of expectations like I did. I almost did not book another suite because of my disappointing experiences and too high expectations on the Star with both my concierge and my butler. I am glad I tried again because my experience on the Gem was amazing. I just hope my third try is as good! Enjoy your trip, but go in with realistic expectations. Just because people get it on oneship or with one concierge does not mean it is standard. If it is not listed as a suite amenity, it is possible, but not guaranteed.

It might be that the "perks" you described (reserved theatre seating and the chocolate buffet) are not part of the standard "Suite Perks" as indicated by the post by kcwingwalker.

Just wondering where kcwingwalker found this list?

Is this from something in writing that NCL has?

I would really be surprised if there were certain standard suite perks and NCL would not enforce this on all their ships and with all their Concierges.

I am wondering if your lack of ccertain perks on the Star were because of the ship you were on or the concierge?

Suite perks that are "listed" should all be standard regardless of the ship or conceirge or if different by ship, it should be noted by NCL somewhere so suite guests are not disappointed as you were.

Don

Thank you for your responses.

That is somewhat disappointing that there are not any indoor venues for smoking cigars.

I am going on a 14 day transatlantic cruise on the STAR and I am not sure if the weather in late April will be very conducive for having a cigar outdoors....could be very windy crossing the BIG POND! :)

Don

Just curious what answer you got from Rendezvous regarding your daughter. Someone on my roll call for my upcoming cruise was surprised I got turned down, too. She got a day pass for Rendezvous with her mother in law a while back. Interesting couple...

 

I'm currently looking into the Sandals resorts, probably the Halcyon. I'm not thrilled about paying more plus now a taxi fare. I'm wondering how far it really is. From downtown where the cruise ship piers are, it looks to be about twice as far as Rendezvous. I think I saw somewhere the taxi fare is $25. I'm assuming that's each way. Seems kinda high to me, especially for just me to have to pay. Not sure if it's walkable or not. I'm sure most would say not, but a couple miles is nothing, as long as it's safe.

 

Well, good luck with your plans. Check in with what you find out at Rendezvous.

No, they would not allow me to purchase the day pass because of my daughter.

We went to Sandals Halcyon and had a wonderful day (including breakfast and lunch) and great drinks and very nice guests at the resort who asked me to do tequila shots with them at the bar! :D

Don

Does the Star have a cigar lounge and if not, where on the ship is cigar smoking allowed?

Don

The wine package was available on my recent January cruise on the Breakaway and we purchased two 8 bottle packages! :D

Don

Nope....no place that comes close to the Great outdoors. Many other great outdoor spots on the ship... but sadly no great outdoors:(

safe sailing

I agree with you 100%!!

This was probably my major disappointment on the Breakaway and although for some, not a big deal, it is one of the major reasons (and no Spinnaker Lounge) that I am probably doing my next NCL cruise on the GEM.

(Although I did enjoy the outside seating venues of the specialty restaurants!) :)

Don

He was on my cruise that ended 1/17 (last Friday)

Don

100% CORRECT!!

Know the issues before you board and find solutions to correct them or live with it and enjoy your cruise vacation!!

Don

Having just sailed on the Breakaway, here are some comments I would make to future cruisers:

There are good and "not" so good things about the Breakaway.

It depends what is important to you.

Yes, it is a very large ship and with that, it might mean an extended wait for the MDRs.

If that really matters, than perhaps the Breakaway is not a good choice.

I ate in the specialty restaurants almost every night and had no problems getting reservations for those restaurants. The food was great and as was the service!

The side balconies are very small and if I had one, I would be disappointed. (I had an Aft-Facing Balcony and it was great.)

Because of 4000 passengers onboard, you must make reservations for the major shows and show up at the theatre 30 minutes before showtime. I missed one show because of that, but was able to book the next night. No big deal....saw all the shows I wanted to see.

No "Great Outdoors" which was one of my favorite spots on other NCL ships.

That was probably my biggest disappointment, but you adjust and make the best of it.

The outdoor seating venues for most of the specialty restaurants and lounges was fantastic and loved it!!

There was a nice cigar lounge...nice people there and nice big leather chairs...so nice! :D

Plenty of activities (rope walk, water slides, climbing wall and miniature golf) if that is important.

Great ports on my 12-day cruise....and that to me was fantastic.

Would I prefer a different ship?

The Gem is still my favorite NCL ship and I probably would opt for that next winter instead of the Breakaway because of my personal preferences.

That being said, I had a wonderful cruise!! :)

Don

Getting ready to book a Transatlantic on the Star which sets sail in Late April (April 27th) from Miami and arrives in Europe in May (14 days later).

What is the weather like....will I be able to enjoy the sun and pools on deck since there are many sea days?

How are the temps and the seas crossing the "Big Pond" at that time?

Don

Have to agree with all4gizmo on that couple allowing their child to run amok around the dance floor...and that couple didn't even dance themselves, so yes, they were 'rude' to allow that behavior.

 

Since the Breakaway has three main dining rooms, I believe that they should make the Manhattan Room an 'adults only' venue. Perhaps designate either Taste or Savor as a 'family' dining room, or if there is a large number of families aboard, both of those as family rooms....

 

As for no 'Great Outdoors'....the Uptown Grill could sort of fill in somewhat, although not with the nice aft view.....

Hey Bob....great meeting you on the cruise.

IMHO, the biggest disappointments for me on the Breakaway were:

1- No "Great Outdoors" ....my favorite place for breakfast and the "enclosed" Uptown Grill and limited menu there just did not work for me and just did not have the nice feeling and view of the "Great Outdoors."

2- No Spinnaker Lounge in which I was so used to on most NCL ships as an entertainment venue.

Also, I am sure glad I had an aft- facing balcony cabin. The size of the side balconies were really small and I know that would have really been a disappointment.

Hope to see you on future cruises.

Don

Exactly WHAT 200 dollars is he talking about??

 

Two Hundred Barbados Dollars? (= US$100)

-or is he talking about Two Hundred U.S. Dollars. (= Bds. $400) :confused:

 

 

These fellas play tricks with your ignorance of currency exchange rates!

BE CAREFUL! You've been warned!

 

 

Hey, for Bds.$200 a day (not 200 US$)

*I* will come pick you up, take you to the Crane,

wait on you and bring you back, OK? :D

 

.

That is a great price....grab it.

I was charged $120 for three people to the Crane Beach Hotel.

Be sure to contact the hotel if you are looking for day passes....if they are full, they might not allow day passes for the day. I asked to see a manager and said that I had been there many times and they allowed me to use the facilities and purchase food and beverage without needing a day pass.

they were so nice.

Don

I just returned from the same cruise on the Breakaway.

Like all cruises and ships, there are "good" and "not so good" points to be made.

There has not been a cruise that I have been on that I did not have a great time.

That being said, some are better than others.

These are my opinions of the Breakaway and please note everyone views things differently. :)

In a "Nut Shell".......

Good:

The Specialty Restaurants with outdoor venues were great as were the different foods.

We ate at a specialty restaurant every night and each offered something different and something that I particularly enjoyed.

They were all so good, I cannot tell you which one was my favorite! :)

The two shows "Rock of Ages" and "Oh What a Night" along with Slam Alan were not only good, but fantastic. We viewed Slam twice in the Fat Cats and once in the theatre...he is by far the best entertainment on the ship and after the first night, you might have trouble getting a seat since he is very popular once people see his performance.

Crew, Service and Friendliness: Always great on NCL! :)

Buffet: Very good, wide variety of different dishes. The soft ice cream was fantastic and probably paid a big part in my added weight coming home. I had at least 4 cones/day! :D

Plenty of physical activities (Rope Walk, Water Slides, Miniature Golf (must pay!)

Pool although small was heated and I even swam the last morning at sea.

Ports: Fantastic ....each one was great in its own way.

Roll Call Group: One of the Best Roll Calls I have ever been on with plenty of activities planned.

Now, Not So Good:

No Great Outdoors for enjoying breakfast each morning in the aft.

No Spinaker Lounge which I really enjoyed so much on the other NCL ships.

Cabins: Smaller than what I was used to, not too much storage space. More than two people could be a challenge keeping everything neat and in order.

I had an aft-facing balcony so I was fine with the size of the balcony, but if I were in a side balcony, I would have been greatly disappointed in the size.....really small for my liking.

Reservations required for certain shows because there are so many people onboard and not a real big theatre. If you do not get there 30 minutes before showtime you might miss out.

Twelve other people and I missed a show because we arrived 15 minutes before the show and all seats were given away. I was told it was posted a few times in different venues, but others and myself were not aware of it. I did get tickets for the next night, but had to rearrange dinner plans.

Disembarkation: A COMPLETE DISASTER!!! This could be because it was the first 12 day cruise on the Breakaway and all the luggage everyone brought with them and perhaps NCL was not proepared for this.

It took us 3 hours to get off the ship.

The colored luggage tags system is useless. It doesn't matter what color you are, everyone (except walk offs) get off at the same time. This is a very poor system and one NCL should look at carefully for the future.

For Example, I supposedly had Priority dismbarkation because of my Platinum Lattitudes status (Yellow)...believe me, I was on line with the Blue, Salmon, Brown, etc. tag people and everyone is equal. :)

Overall, the Breakaway is a beautiful ship, but I think my next few cruises will be on smaller NCL ships. :)

I am looking at the GEM for next winter and perhaps the Star for a transatlantic in April 2015.

Don

I have heard that Kakoa Beach Club at Orient Beach is very nice.

Has anyone been there recently?

How is it in terms of Food, Beverage, Beach Chairs and Umbrellas?

Costs?

I usually go to Dawn Beach and I am deciding whether or not try something different this time.

Don

If you are planning on cruising on NCL Breakaway and enjoy the casino for penny slots, then this post is for you (maybe)

 

I was on the 12/22 to 12/29 NCL Breakaway cruise, during the cruise, the casino will host multiple rounds of slot tournament qualifying rounds up until the last full day at sea, $15.00 to enter, when the last full day at sea comes along, the ship will take the SIX people with the highest scores overall and they will compete for a cash prize UP TO $500.00 (I won the final round on my cruise, I received $323.00)

 

Just wanted to give everyone a helpful tip, SLOT MACHINE # 1 produced THE MOST of the highest scores, my qualifying score on 12/25 was the highest score overall the entire cruise, easily earning me a seat at the final...When the final came up, the highest score overall got to chose what seat they wanted, I of course went w/ the odds and retook slot machine # 1 which led me to victory scoring me over 120,000 pts (which was LOW compared to my qualifying total of 49,000 pts more, but it was enough by over 11,000 pts to get the win)

 

What is this post all about? Just chose Slot # 1 at sign up and let me know how you do by replying here after your cruise.

 

Everyone who participated in the slot final will receive a bottle of wine and a t-shirt, so the $15.00 entry fee paid for itself (unless you entered multiple times spending hundreds of dollars trying to beat my score and still failed, you know who you are) anyways, it was a fun thing to do on the ship!

 

I spent most of my time in the casino playing penny slots by WMS Gaming, as people were losing their shirts on other machines, we who played WMS Gaming slots were winning! But not all WMS slots were hot, only a select few were hitting pretty decently, those select few were Bier Haus, Mystical Unicorns, Kronos, and Zeus III...Might want to try those out!

 

If one of your ports is Nassau, Bahamas, you may wanna take a taxi or ferry (I suggest the taxi, unless you want to walk across what can qualify as a major highway and then some) across the water to Atlantis Paradise Island Casino and look for the set up of LIFE OF LUXURY DELUXE themed slot machines by WMS Gaming, they are located near the back of the casino, you can't miss the tall sign. I cashed out over $600 as did other people only betting 40 cents per spin, 2 days in a row! I don't think i've ever seen so many "Big Win", "Super Big Win", and my 1 "Mega Big Win" ever in my history of slot playing...Only wish it could be that easy in Atlantic City!

 

Let me know how you do if you take my advise!

What is WMS Gaming...is that a "brand" of slot machine?

Don

You're welcome don,

 

I have never tried the Ruffino Pinot G. So I can't say. At home I drink a Citra Pinot G. from Italy.

 

The Ruffino that is offered in the package sells for $8.99 in a wine store that I go to.

 

The second wine package that NCL offers has an Estancia Pinot G. but I've never tried that one either.

 

I am interested in your wine holder that carries a case of wine, tho!

 

 

~robin and brian~

Norwegian Breakaway 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

Robin....

Thanks Robin

Here is the website for the wine carriers:

http://www.winestuff.com/wine-carry-bags.html

Don

You're welcome, Don.

 

They basically went from $20's for the first package; $30's for the second Package and into the $40's for the third package. With 10 selections in each package.

 

What I think I will be doing on my summer Breakaway cruise ( I'm hoping it will still be an option by then) is get the 8 bottle package of the $30 Ruffino Pinot Grigio. It should give me a savings of $8 a bottle (roughly). Therefore, making it less expensive than paying the $30 corkage fee if I brought my own magnum sized bottles from home. Besides, I don't want to pay twice for my own bottles.

 

Hope I'm making sense!

 

Happy Cruising!

 

 

 

~robin and brian~

Norwegian Breakaway 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

Yes Robin, that makes sense.

We had purchased a special carry on bag that holds a case of wine and were going to bring our Cabot Pinot Grigo and pay the $!5 corkage (for the 12 bottles) and then when we figured out the combined costs, it seemed better to go with the wine package.

I am just hoping their Pinot Grigio is as good as the Cabot. Is the Ruffino the one that is in the package and how does it compare with a very dry Pignot Grigio (like the Cabot)?

Thanks again and Happy Cruising!! :)

Don

Thanks drnora :)

I didn't want to start any trouble!!

 

Next time I speak to my PCC I will ask and let all know what I can find out.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

 

 

~robin and brian~

Norwegian Breakaway 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

Robin....

I missed seeing the Wine Package List before it was removed.

But thank you anyway.

Don

Has anyone recetly been on the Breakaway and has purchased the Wine Package.

If so, could you please let me know what wines (and prices) are available.

I am most interested in the white wines....particularly Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay.

I was going to bring a case of my own Pignot Grigio onboard, but if the wines are good and reasonable in price, I will just go with the wine package.

Thank you.

Don

El Morro

Thank you Ginny....

I only have a few hours in port.

I will go to El Morro.

Hey Trish....I will stay clear of the "Dark alleys! :D

Don

Don -- your info says you are from NYC. Use those street smarts in OSJ & you will be just fine.

Trish...in NYC, there are plenty of people in the streets.

I just wanted to be sure there are no dark alleys walking back to the ship! :D

Don

I usually always give a $20.00 bill when I first meet them. I ask them to please keep the ice coming. I don't expect much but I do expect them to keep the ice coming. If they do what I ask (keep the ice coming) they may get a extra bonus when I leave. If not, so be it. :p

I am the same way with the $20 at the beginning of the cruise and ask that there is always plenty of ice in the cabin.

If that happens, I give another $20 at the end of the cruise.

Don