So confused! Summit or NCL Breakaway to Bermuda??

[could travel all the time]

Hi,

I really am confused. Hoping that I could get some opinions on what I should do from you all.

We (husband, 2 dd, 17 and 12) are hoping to travel to Bermuda in July.

We were all on the Summit in 2010 (summer) and enjoyed it but it honestly wasn't very strong on the kids programming.

The Summit will be docked in Bermuda next to the Breakaway, the newest ship by NCL.

I am not really interested to go with NCL nor be with over 4000 passengers.

I am however, worried that the kids will look over at this mega-ship and say 'why aren't we on that ship?'.

 

The kids say that they wouldn't mind but I am worried they will.

 

I really appreciate your thoughts!

[whatevergoes]

We were on Norwegian last year with our son and did not love their kids program at all. My son was bored after day one. I am hoping for better on Celebrity. Fingers crossed. But keep in mind, anytime you get to cruise and have family time is wonderful. Good luck with your choice!

[Cruise Junky]

The reviews coming in for breakaway are incredible from the Travel Agent event last week. I'd be confused too but I think you'd find more kids on NCL.

[mardon]

We only cruise with Celebrity. We never see too many kids on the Celebrity cruises

BUT last summer we went to Bermuda on the Summit and the ship was loaded with kids because it was summer and they are on vacation. LOADED, LOADED, LOADED. We are going to be on the Summit July 21 of this year going to Bermuda. YEAH!

[danfiveoh]

If your kids were younger, I would say it is a toss up, but at 12 and 17 you should go with the NCL ship. Our son sailed with us from about age 9 up through 17. I still remember him looking at the ships docked next to us with the cool water slides on his first cruise (it was on Celebrity) and him asking why our ship didn't have a slide. After that it was all NCL, with one Carnival thrown in for a change.

Now that he is out on his own, we are back to Celebrity, going on the Summit next month. Still enjoy NCL tho, never to old for a slide!

This link might help, you can see both ships docked right now and let your kids tell you which they would rather be on:

http://www.portbermudawebcam.com/

[could travel all the time]

Thanks for all the replys!

 

danfiveoh, just what I didnt want to hear -:D

 

Oh Boy!

(I wish there were more options in the summer. Seems like it is either Alaska or Europe.)

 

Thanks again everyone!

[danfiveoh]

Well, on the plus side, my son tells me that Bermuda was his favorite island and he has been to a bunch of different islands. I'm thinking he was about 15 when we went there. Great beaches and lots to see and do. Of course, it could be that he is just hoping that we will invite he and his wife to go with us next month... :)

Not sure if you've been on NCL before but they seem to have decent teen activities on their larger ships.

[drarill]

Thanks for all the replys!

 

danfiveoh, just what I didnt want to hear -:D

 

Oh Boy!

(I wish there were more options in the summer. Seems like it is either Alaska or Europe.)

 

Thanks again everyone!

We've cruised with NCL twice, both times in suites, and to Alaska itineraries. If there is something NCL does better is the suite experience. We chose NCL in Alaska for our children, and it worked out fine for us. Our children had a great time and the suite experience made it up for NCL shortcomings. We also ate in specialty restaurants most days. :)

[NJtomato]

I looked at both ships when planning our next Bermuda vacation. In the end, ship size and price were the determining factors. We got two rooms in AQ on Summit for just a bit more than a balcony room for 4 would have been on Breakaway. Also, for me, there will be wayyyy too many people on Breakaway. I prefer the smaller ship environment. The Breakaway is brand spankin new and has lots of cool stuff for kids and the Broadway show.

[Avery's mom]

This was our decision as well when deciding which ship to take to Bermuda this summer. We have three young ladies (10, 13 & 14) with us for this trip and I thought they would prefer the Breakaway to the Summit. However, pricing was no where close to each other - we could get an aft Family Suite for thousands less than a standard balcony room on Breakaway for all 5 of us.

 

In addition to price - the 123 offer was a nice bonus (gone, now..I know) and the more laid-back nature of the Summit appealed more to me. I've sailed NCL Epic and really enjoyed it (but I was in a suite away from the masses) but did know that I would feel more comfortable trying to keep track of the girls on the Summit. Our girls want to spend days on the balcony, ordering room service and drinking virgin frosty beverages. Thus, Summit was our choice:)

 

I wonder if they'll see the Breakaway docked next to us and wonder why we're not on that ship as well....However, I'll tell them that the money we saved by going with the Summit allows us to spend 2 days in NYC beforehand, time at the Teen Spa, Premium NA beverage packages for them, renting a private boat in Bermuda, etc...that we wouldn't have been able to do on Breakaway.

 

I'll report back in late June when we get back to see what the girls thought of the Summit experience.

[could travel all the time]

Thanks Avery's mom,

Yes, I priced out NCL, and it is more expensive.

Beyond that I really don't think I'd like being on such a big ship. 4000 ppl?!

 

Does anyone think that the island will be packed with cruisers (I think there will be three ships there at one point) going to all the same places?

[cherylroslyn]

This was our decision as well when deciding which ship to take to Bermuda this summer. We have three young ladies (10' date=' 13 & 14) with us for this trip and I thought they would prefer the Breakaway to the Summit. However, pricing was no where close to each other - we could get an aft Family Suite for thousands less than a standard balcony room on Breakaway for all 5 of us.

 

In addition to price - the 123 offer was a nice bonus (gone, now..I know) and the more laid-back nature of the Summit appealed more to me. I've sailed NCL Epic and really enjoyed it (but I was in a suite away from the masses) but did know that I would feel more comfortable trying to keep track of the girls on the Summit. Our girls want to spend days on the balcony, ordering room service and drinking virgin frosty beverages. Thus, Summit was our choice:)

 

I wonder if they'll see the Breakaway docked next to us and wonder why we're not on that ship as well....However, I'll tell them that the money we saved by going with the Summit allows us to spend 2 days in NYC beforehand, time at the Teen Spa, Premium NA beverage packages for them, renting a private boat in Bermuda, etc...that we wouldn't have been able to do on Breakaway.

 

I'll report back in late June when we get back to see what the girls thought of the Summit experience.[/quote']

I think you made the right choice.... For $100.00 take them to a water park later inthe summer for the day:)

 

I have been an a number of ships with slides and have never even gone on them....even though I wanted to and said I was going to, its a great thing and it is novel, but you'd be surprised how many get off the ship without ever going on:)

 

Go on Breakaway in a couple of years......

 

I just did Oasis and I loved it, but I would'nt have done it the first season for double the price........ I also di Epic, so I am in no way opposed to the large glitzy ships....but cramig five into a balcony room, just to be on a ship in its inagural season is not worth it:)

 

 

The FV room is the envy of the entire ship.....my friends who get the Penthouse even call the FV the best room on the ship:) It is a great value and your girls will love that balcony....the balconies on Breakay look like "Juliet balconies"....they are so tiny all three girls wont even fit out there:)

[could travel all the time]

Hi,

Just wanted to reply to this thread as we have now returned from this cruise.

To sum up, all my worries were for nothing. Yes we were docked next to the Breakaway. The ship is massive and actually did not interest my kids. We heard from enough people on it how busy and crowded it was that we were actually happy we were on the smaller Summit.

 

While I think we will try another ship (second time on the Summit), I think we concluded that going on a mega ship wouldn't be for us.

 

(Summit is indeed an older ship. She hasn't changed much since we were on before the last renovation. Bistro on Five was a great addition (!!) but outside of that we didn't notice much change. The ship was without doubt clean and in good condition but the decor needs a bit of updating. I was surprised that the public area washrooms weren't updated, nor the cabins, esp the shower tiles. Regardless we had an amazing time, and Bermuda is something else!!:))

[dkjretired]

Hi,

Just wanted to reply to this thread as we have now returned from this cruise.

To sum up, all my worries were for nothing. Yes we were docked next to the Breakaway. The ship is massive and actually did not interest my kids. We heard from enough people on it how busy and crowded it was that we were actually happy we were on the smaller Summit.

 

While I think we will try another ship (second time on the Summit), I think we concluded that going on a mega ship wouldn't be for us.

 

(Summit is indeed an older ship. She hasn't changed much since we were on before the last renovation. Bistro on Five was a great addition (!!) but outside of that we didn't notice much change. The ship was without doubt clean and in good condition but the decor needs a bit of updating. I was surprised that the public area washrooms weren't updated, nor the cabins, esp the shower tiles. Regardless we had an amazing time, and Bermuda is something else!!:))

 

Thank you for coming back to tell us of your experience.....

[Mulege]

Try NCL and then you can decide in the future what you like best. NCL has better entertainment. IMO they nickle dime you to death with their for fee venues. More high energy than X.

[miched]

We were on the Summit twice. All that hype about the Solsticizing was basically nothing more than adding the AQ cabins.

 

We only sailed on the Summit after the "big" renovation but sailed on the Constellation before it was Solstilized. I wish they would have just renovated those ships and not tried to Soltilized them. The Constellation was nice as the way that it was built.

 

 

.