Happy Birthday To Me: Breakaway Review, March 2-9

[Tralfie]

 

Also, if one person in your cabin gets the UBP, ever adult has to have it. So if one of you doesn't drink, it's a waste of money.

 

Interestingly, it wasn't the spring breakers who were drunk and disorderly during my cruise. We had a fair number of them, and they were really very well behaved. Honestly? Most of the "disturbances" I witnessed were from folks my age or older who'd had a bit too much and were ticked off about something. I watched one many go OFF on a bartender in the casino because she wouldn't give him a bottle of water. She offered him a glass of water, but said that, like on land, the bottled water wasn't free. He threw a massive hissy fit.

 

Also interestingly, the whole "everyone in the room" thing seems to be... unevenly enforced. I've read reviews from people who were told that, and I've read reviews from others who said only one person in the room had it!

 

Richard

[BritChickBN1]

Wonderful review. Welcome to your new addiction. And Happy belated birthday!

[Lucinarei]

Thanks for such a great review! Very entertaining!

 

Bonine and Nauzeme work. Take them. Start a few days before your trip.

 

Question- did you take both? Did you alternate? I usually take Bonine each morning of the cruise, which works most of the time, but I'm always on the lookout for something that always works. :)

[rochelle_s]

Thank you for the wonderful and entertaining review. It was a real pleasure to read and tag along on your birthday cruise. Sounds like a perfect way to celebrate your birthday. All the best!

 

Rochelle

[Tralfie]

Thanks for such a great review! Very entertaining!

 

 

 

Question- did you take both? Did you alternate? I usually take Bonine each morning of the cruise, which works most of the time, but I'm always on the lookout for something that always works. :)

 

 

I actually DID take both. I figured it was better to err on the side of caution! I actually took them both twice a day. And not a bit of sickness!

[ibwig]

I'll be on the Breakaway next week and am now looking forward to it even more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your review and was sad when it ended! Thank you and happy belated birthday to you!

[Tralfie]

I'll be on the Breakaway next week and am now looking forward to it even more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your review and was sad when it ended! Thank you and happy belated birthday to you!

 

Thanks for that! I"ll be looking forward to hearing what you thought of the Breakaway... and what you did that I didn't! I never DID get around to the ropes course!

 

Richard/Tralfie

[cheraz]

Before we dive into what promises to be a long and detailed review, here’s the short-but-sweet version:

 

The trip – planned to mark my 50th birthday, and my first full-length cruise – was one of the best vacations I’ve ever taken… maybe even THE best. Fantastic food (via the Ultimate Dining Package), lots of new friends (thanks to my Cruise Critic Meet & Greet), a big win in the casino. Yes, there were a few misses, which I’ll detail in the review, but nothing significant. Yes, we had one wildly bumpy night that left a lot of people ill and a few things broken, although I emerged relatively unscathed. Yes, everything you own will wind up smelling of smoke thanks to the casino.

 

Want the full story? Read on… and hit the comments with any questions! Note that I’m going to break this into several entries here on the main board, but if you want to read the whole review without comments and questions interrupting, look for it in the “Review” section… once I get around to finishing it!

 

DAY 1

As New York City’s my home port, I was at the pier by 10 a.m., and checked in by 10:30. The process was incredibly easy, although right from the start, you could spot the people who were bound and determined to have an awful time. While we sat waiting to board, one older man began furiously expounding about how upset he was about having had to walk so far to check in. It’s worth noting that the check in’s at the far end of the space were FAR less crowded than those up front, so it’s pretty easy to imagine that had he gone through those lines, he’d have been complaining about how long it took. This behavior was something I saw over and over again: people complaining for the sake of complaining.

 

Let’s stop here to discuss the first of several lessons learned: When picking out your wardrobe for the first day, make sure it’s fully functional! Only after handing my suitcase — which was approximately the size of Tahiti — over to a porter did I realize that the zipper on the jeans I was wearing wasn’t particularly interested in staying up. Every 10 minutes or so, I’d check and find it down. And of course, I was stuck with this outfit until my luggage was delivered to my room later that day. I’m sure I wound up flashing more than a few people. File that one under #SmallThrills

 

Moving on…

 

Once the boarding process began, things moved incredibly quickly. I was on the ship by noon, and was in the atrium with a cocktail in hand by 12:15 p.m.! Before swinging by the bar, I went straight to Guest Services in an attempt to snag a pass for Vibe Beach Club. Managed to snag the 17th pass of the limited number they sell, then sank my butt into one of the big, cozy chairs in the atrium and soaked up the atmosphere. For about 30 minutes, I had the space completely to myself. Honestly, I sat there thinking, “Holy crap… after a year of planning and waiting and obsessing, it’s finally here! My first full-length cruise!”

 

Time for another lesson learned, and for many of you, this one will already come too late: Don’t over plan. Don’t read too much. As with a striptease, there should be something left to the imagination. When I finally got my first glimpse of the infamous chandelier that hangs at 678 Ocean Place, I was… underwhelmed. Don’t get me wrong: It’s gorgeous. But you know how the rearview mirror of your car warns, “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear?” Well, sites aboard the ship will prove more stunning if you haven’t seen 10,000 pictures of them. By not looking at every picture you can find and not reading every bit of info available, you’ll find that things make their own impression as opposed to seeming smaller or less grand than you might have anticipated.

 

By this time, the rooms were ready, so I made my way to cabin 12906… which for many folks on these boards, myself included, might just as well be called The Gambee Balcony. After all, it was his review of the ship in general — and the balcony of this room in particular — that led me to wind up in the aft-facing balcony of my dreams. Once inside the room, I found an envelope on the bed inviting me to a VIP meet-and-greet with the ship’s captain, being held the following night in the Haven. And after wandering around a bit, I returned to find yet another treat: This time, it was a plate of delicious canapés! Headed off in search of food, and found that they’d set up a mini buffet in Moderno. Nothing fancy, but the grilled chicken and fries hit the spot and promised to hold me over until my reservation that evening at Le Bistro.

 

Wandering through the casino, just to sort of eye which machines would be eating all my cash over the next week (or so I assumed), I signed up for a slot tournament which would be held during our sea days. (Registreation was $15 bucks, and you could enter as many times as you wanted.) My muster drill station was in the Manhattan Room, and this was actually the only time during the entire week that I set foot in one of the Main Dining Rooms, thanks to the fact that I had pre-purchased the Ultimate Dining Plan and would wind up eating all my dinners in specialty restaurants. At the muster drill, I met fellow Cruise Critic member Tita and her son… who it just so happened were staying in the aft-facing balcony room next to mine! We would wind up spending a LOT of time together over the next week, and lemme tell you something: those two were the proverbial hoot, as well as the accompanying half.

 

As the dinner hour approached, I headed down to Mixx bar, which was shockingly quiet despite being situated directly between Savor and Taste, two of the main dining rooms. Downed a potent Moscow Mule while reading, then headed to Le Bistro for my first dinner. And man, what a way to start the week! If you eat nothing else in a specialty restaurant during your cruise, I’m going to have to insist that you swing by here to try the escargot. Three words… To. Die. For. Oh, sure, I also had a tasty salmon mouse starter and the lamb chops, but the escargot was the star. I have to say, you KNOW a meal is good when I eat the veggies, which in this case were some kind of zucchini hash accompanying the perfectly-prepared lamb. I actually skipped dessert not only this night, but just about every night… which may have helped prevent me from gaining weight despite there being food here, there and everywhere.

 

For absolutely no reason whatsoever, I wound up attending the jewelry sale and raffle. I have to say, the energy exuded by the hostess was infectious. Whether you gave a crap about what they were selling or not, you couldn’t help but get caught up in her vibe. After that, it was a drink or two at Shaker’s Martini Bar before heading back to the room for some good, old-fashioned stare-at-the-ocean-and-mull-over-life time, after which I hit the sack.

 

 

 

More to come...

 

Omg! I heard its harder to get a pass to vibe than winning lotto!:eek: I know that you go to guest services but do they have a special line just for vibe? Hand out bracelets like a Springsteen concert? Draw straws, etc? Any advice would be most welcome:):D:)

[Tralfie]

Omg! I heard its harder to get a pass to vibe than winning lotto!:eek: I know that you go to guest services but do they have a special line just for vibe? Hand out bracelets like a Springsteen concert? Draw straws, etc? Any advice would be most welcome:):D:)

 

 

I have to admit, I found it pretty easy. BUT, this could be because of two things:

 

1) I was at the port early and among the first to board.

 

2) We were sailing in early March, so for a lot of people, the idea of buying a pass that wouldn't be good on at least the first and last day may not have been appealing.

 

The best advice I have would be to treat it sort of like rope-drop at Walt Disney World when you wanna be the first person to ride Space Mountain: Be there early, and when you get on board, don't allow yourself to be distracted by anything! (The Disney equivalent would be to say don't stop in a shop on Main Street). There are lots of things to easily distract you upon boarding, especially if it's your first time on board. Know that you'll be entering the ship on... I want to say seven? And the guest services desk is one floor down. When you get on board the ship, the entrance is right next to the Manhattan Room. There's a staircase there. I think I just went down one flight and went straight to the Guest Services area. There were only a few people in line at that point.

 

Good luck!

 

Richard/Tralfie

[CRUISERLT]

Outstanding!! You are a very talented writer. I look forward to your next reveiw. :)

[cheraz]

You are the best!!! Full ship for my sailing so the rope drop strategy might work- I feel bad for those slow walkers that I will leave in my wake but I'm sure they will get back up eventually! Many thanks:D:D:D

[Tralfie]

You are the best!!! Full ship for my sailing so the rope drop strategy might work- I feel bad for those slow walkers that I will leave in my wake but I'm sure they will get back up eventually! Many thanks:D:D:D

 

I was all set to respond when I saw that your countdown clock indicates you're at sea right now! Hope you're having an AWESOME time! Can't wait to hear your thoughts/read your review!

 

Richard/Tralfie

[cheraz]

I was all set to respond when I saw that your countdown clock indicates you're at sea right now! Hope you're having an AWESOME time! Can't wait to hear your thoughts/read your review!

 

Richard/Tralfie

 

 

You are a rock-star in my book! :D Your suggestion worked perfectly and I spent everyday in Vibe (bundled in sweatpants and jacket the first day but sailaway was SO worth it!;)) I didn't go into port in Florida and had a jacuzzi and many margaritas all to myself (and don't forget the fruit kabobs:p). The bar guys were great, it was never crowded, and I met really fun people to chill with. I definitely recommend getting the pass and will certainly do so again on my next cruise.

 

Thanks again for your awesome advice!:D:D:D

[Tralfie]

You are a rock-star in my book! :D Your suggestion worked perfectly and I spent everyday in Vibe (bundled in sweatpants and jacket the first day but sailaway was SO worth it!;)) I didn't go into port in Florida and had a jacuzzi and many margaritas all to myself (and don't forget the fruit kabobs:p). The bar guys were great, it was never crowded, and I met really fun people to chill with. I definitely recommend getting the pass and will certainly do so again on my next cruise.

 

Thanks again for your awesome advice!:D:D:D

 

Soooo glad it worked out! I didn't even think to go to Vibe for sailaway! Then again, I was in an aft-facing balcony, which was a great place to do it. Loved the kabobs... what freaked me out a little was the people walking around on hot days offering to spritz you with water. I felt bad for them, like, "Lord, you shouldn't have to spray down my fat butt! LOL

 

Richard/Tralfie

[mommyto2girls]

Soooo glad it worked out! I didn't even think to go to Vibe for sailaway! Then again, I was in an aft-facing balcony, which was a great place to do it. Loved the kabobs... what freaked me out a little was the people walking around on hot days offering to spritz you with water. I felt bad for them, like, "Lord, you shouldn't have to spray down my fat butt! LOL

 

Richard/Tralfie

 

Hey Richard how are you? My daughter is on the BA now she got engaged last night on the ship 😍 That apple didn't fall far from the tree did it lol?

 

Andrea

[spidybabe]

Andrea .....Congratulations! !Hope they have a wonderful cruise and and life together.

She love the ring ? Happy holiday

Tina

Safe sailing

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Forums mobile app

Edited April 15, 2014 by spidybabe

[1smudslide]

You are a rock-star in my book! :D Your suggestion worked perfectly and I spent everyday in Vibe (bundled in sweatpants and jacket the first day but sailaway was SO worth it!;)) I didn't go into port in Florida and had a jacuzzi and many margaritas all to myself (and don't forget the fruit kabobs:p). The bar guys were great, it was never crowded, and I met really fun people to chill with. I definitely recommend getting the pass and will certainly do so again on my next cruise.

 

Thanks again for your awesome advice!:D:D:D

Richard, I enjoyed your review and also just got back from the BA. I had a fabulous cruise, though the weather didn't cooperate so much.

Cheraz, I feel we were on two different cruises. I also got Vibe passes. First day it was still winter weather, which I expected. The second day it was closed from high winds and heavy rain. The third day, they still had the caution tape up. We asked about it and told it would open later that day. Later came, the tape was still up. We decided to duck under the tape and go in anyway. I felt we had paid quite a bit and hadn't used it yet! There wasn't a soul up there. It was windy and drizzling. We decided to try the hot tubs anyway, since they had a roof. The hot tubs were ice cold. We told the bartender and he told he would call someone.

We waited about 20 minutes, checked again, ice cold and raining more, so we left.

Day 4, perfect day and finally used the Vibe. It is a nice area with much nicer loungers. I finally got to taste the fruit, when they came by once. We stayed hours and I got a burn. Oops, didn't reapply that sun screen.

Later that day, I decided to visit customer service. I asked for a partial credit since it was closed all day two and part of day three. The hot tub was also not useable on that date. She surprisingly gave us back $79.99. I didn't complain, I just asked. At that point, I felt much better about the price. I only used it once more, since I had a burn, I skipped the hot tub the next day.

I also tried the last date. I went upstairs to read, knowing it would be too cold to lay out. It was so windy again, that everything was blowing all over. It is definitely hit or miss. It's a nice area but it would not have been worth $180 for the two of us, considering it wasn't open for 2 1/2 days and the hot tub was either freezing or too hot to use. I felt better about the $80, but won't do it again.

[mommyto2girls]

Andrea .....Congratulations! !Hope they have a wonderful cruise and and life together.

She love the ring ? Happy holiday

Tina

Safe sailing

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Forums mobile app

 

LOVED the ring...I was going to email you today! And I still will do that,

[cheraz]

Richard, I enjoyed your review and also just got back from the BA. I had a fabulous cruise, though the weather didn't cooperate so much.

Cheraz, I feel we were on two different cruises. I also got Vibe passes. First day it was still winter weather, which I expected. The second day it was closed from high winds and heavy rain. The third day, they still had the caution tape up. We asked about it and told it would open later that day. Later came, the tape was still up. We decided to duck under the tape and go in anyway. I felt we had paid quite a bit and hadn't used it yet! There wasn't a soul up there. It was windy and drizzling. We decided to try the hot tubs anyway, since they had a roof. The hot tubs were ice cold. We told the bartender and he told he would call someone.

We waited about 20 minutes, checked again, ice cold and raining more, so we left.

Day 4, perfect day and finally used the Vibe. It is a nice area with much nicer loungers. I finally got to taste the fruit, when they came by once. We stayed hours and I got a burn. Oops, didn't reapply that sun screen.

Later that day, I decided to visit customer service. I asked for a partial credit since it was closed all day two and part of day three. The hot tub was also not useable on that date. She surprisingly gave us back $79.99. I didn't complain, I just asked. At that point, I felt much better about the price. I only used it once more, since I had a burn, I skipped the hot tub the next day.

I also tried the last date. I went upstairs to read, knowing it would be too cold to lay out. It was so windy again, that everything was blowing all over. It is definitely hit or miss. It's a nice area but it would not have been worth $180 for the two of us, considering it wasn't open for 2 1/2 days and the hot tub was either freezing or too hot to use. I felt better about the $80, but won't do it again.

 

I was up there every day but second (rain) and last (windy). I'm a lemonade type of girl so I rolled with the weather. Sailaway was awesome since Vive is on a high deck starboard. I thought it was totally worth it just for that.

 

The staff was wonderful and they happily delivered drinks and fruit kabobs in the hot tub. I would certainly get Vibe passes again on my next NCL cruise.

[ncklhaus]

How did I miss this review? I loved it! Thanks for sharing and happy belated birthday.

 

Regards,

JoAnn

[Tralfie]

LOVED the ring...,

 

CONGRATS! That's such awesome news! And hey, reason to celebrate... and by "celebrate" I mean, of course, CRUISE! lol

 

Richard/tralfie

[Tralfie]

How did I miss this review? I loved it! Thanks for sharing and happy belated birthday.

 

Regards,

JoAnn

 

Thanks on both counts, JoAnn!

 

Can't wait for my next cruise... I've clearly become an addict! 142 days... not that I'm counting... and I'll be on the Gem!

 

Richard/Tralfie

[mommyto2girls]

CONGRATS! That's such awesome news! And hey, reason to celebrate... and by "celebrate" I mean, of course, CRUISE! lol

 

Richard/tralfie

 

We need to meet for dinner one night email me arich555@aol.com

[ncklhaus]

Thanks on both counts, JoAnn!

 

Can't wait for my next cruise... I've clearly become an addict! 142 days... not that I'm counting... and I'll be on the Gem!

 

Richard/Tralfie

 

I am an addict too! :D 167 days until the Breakaway.

[rowlady]

Hi - I read your review and loved every word. You mentioned that you write for a living and I would love to read more of you. Can you tell me what books you have authored and what

magazine (?) you are currently with? Thanks again for writing such a wonderful review - I will be sailing on the BA the end of May :)