Breakaway not all that it's claimed to be....

[tl12356]

7 day trip for my wife and me on the new breakaway to Bermuda.

Cabin was a balcony on deck 13 mid ship.

Great space and outstanding service to keeping it clean and comfortable, thanks for your attention.

Only issue was the clothes closet...Did the designers of this layout ever stand in front of this closet? We are a young couple and cannot see how someone older could deal with is setup.

 

Food...this were my wife and i have some bad feelings.

Service was very subpar to say the least. No personal connection for guests staying on the ship and seeing the same people day in day out.

Food lacked quality and flavor. Same menu over and over, not what we except or are accustomed to on a vacation.

Teppanyaki was outstanding...Cook was outgoing and engaging with everyone at the table, food fantastic.

Flavor and Taste restaurants very disappointing...Flavor and quality not acceptable. Service slow and not personable by any means. We thought we would have been better served at the garden buffet by ourselves.

Food and service major turn off.

We believe it not the fault of the staff of kitchen, it's planning from the beginning, very simple to many passengers.

 

Pools:

Way too small for amount of adults on a ship of this size.

Upper deck:

In order to make room for all passengers to have lounge chairs, running track must be shut down, and the deck is covered with chairs, very uncomfortable.

Pool bars staff not pleasant or engaging with passengers.

We are used to friendly people serving us pure and simple, we did not find this at this ship.

A lot of bar staff favoritism.

Security:

They failed on day two in the afternoon at the pool...

Pool was overtaken by out of control young group, and they did nothing to stop it in my eyes.

I was concerned about my wife's safety and could not allow her to use the pool.

She lost the afternoon at the pool which is her passion.

 

This trip cost us more than a nine day cruise with so many disappointments.

Ncl may have lost a customer........................

 

No drinks at a comedy show, Second City show, what up with that!!!!!!!

 

Again the designers of these vessels are not thinking.

Cigarette smoke is not for everyone.

Don't choose carpet in the casino, it holds the smell.

Don't place the layout in the middle of the ship, so everyone must pass through it .

Do you like to dance, get you respirator ready, only way to Bliss is this way.

 

Gym……………………………….. Great

Shows:

Howling at the moon……… Great!

Rock Of Ages.....................Great!

Fats Jazz Club....................Great!

Pool music……………………… Great

 

 

Wonder if we will get any feed back from them when they hear what I have to say about our vacation.

This was number five for us.

We might be taking our business elsewhere.

[Winston Wolf]

You couldn't allow your wife to use the pool?

She needs your permission?

Edited July 7, 2014 by Winston Wolf

[mpk218]

Such is life .. Hope it all works out better for you next go around.. ;)

[rochelle_s]

Thanks for providing your thoughts on your experience. Sorry to hear that it was not everything you had hoped it would be.

 

A couple of questions;

 

Pool was overtaken by out of control young group, and they did nothing to stop it in my eyes.

I was concerned about my wife's safety and could not allow her to use the pool.

 

What exactly was this group doing and how did they overtake the pool that would make you not allow your wife to swim?

 

A lot of bar staff favoritism.

 

Could you explain this more? Who was benefiting from the favouritism? The staff? Or other guests?

 

 

Rochelle

Edited July 7, 2014 by rochelle_s

[pieshops]

You couldn't allow your wife to use the pool?

She needs your permission?

 

Sometimes the way people write is so telling

[mjkacmom]

Thanks for providing your thoughts on your experience. Sorry to hear that it was not everything you had hoped it would be.

 

A couple of questions;

 

Pool was overtaken by out of control young group, and they did nothing to stop it in my eyes.

I was concerned about my wife's safety and could not allow her to use the pool.

 

What exactly was this group doing and how did they overtake the pool that would make you not allow your wife to swim?

 

A lot of bar staff favoritism.

 

Could you explain this more? Who was benefiting from the favouritism? The staff? Or other guests?

 

 

Rochelle

 

I can't imagine my husband NOT ALLOWING me to use the pool, and I'm all in favor of bar favoritism (as one who always tips extra on top of the auto gratuity - I find that if you are the best tipper, you get the best service).

[Casino Comp Chick]

 

A lot of bar staff favoritism.

 

Could you explain this more? Who was benefiting from the favouritism? The staff? Or other guests?

 

 

Rochelle

 

People who tip

[Orsino]

I have to agree with the OP. I got off the Breakaway yesterday and while the cruise as a whole was good, it was peppered with small but numerous annoyances. My husband blames it on poor management and training. Service was poor. Good service was the exception and when we finally found a good server on Day 4, we did everything we could to be seated with her for the rest of the cruise. I have to agree that The Manhattan Room is WAY better than Savor and Taste. I had read a review that panned Taste, and I dismissed it thinking that it couldn't be that bad. I was so Wrong. I should have listened. Stay away from Taste! (The short version is that in my opinion that two tables of 5 is not an acceptable substitute for a reservation for 10.) I fell into the trap of thinking that I wanted to try all the restaurants. Don't do it! There isn't anything special about Savor or Taste. Stick with the Manhattan Room.

 

Contrast that with The Manhattan Room where even though we didn't have a reservation at all (we tried, but couldn't get one), they moved tables together to make a table of 10 for us, in the section where our favored server was working. THAT is service. Unfortunately, it was a rarity; but I think it only fair that I point out that good service can happen if you hit upon the few who are well-trained and willing to put out effort.

 

I also think that we were victims of a very full ship. The woman checking us in at the port (who was super nice) told us there were 4600 passengers, 1300 of which were kids. Yikes! Our stateroom attendant said it was 4700 and the next cruise (this week's) was to be 4800. I don't know who to believe, but the ship was very full (and loud).

 

Ah, the Breakaway, where my mantra was constantly stating "That's weird."

[swedish weave]

OP -- I doubt that NCL will re-design the ship to suit your desires.

 

Good luck in finding a ship that satisfies you !!

Edited July 7, 2014 by swedish weave

[rochelle_s]

I can't imagine my husband NOT ALLOWING me to use the pool, and I'm all in favor of bar favoritism (as one who always tips extra on top of the auto gratuity - I find that if you are the best tipper, you get the best service).

 

I suspect from a few things in the original post that perhaps English is not the first language of the OP and that the 'not allow' was not what they meant to say. As a literal translation it does come off in a very poor light.

 

As far as being in favour of bar service favouritism I would have to disagree with you. I often tip over and above in appreciation for good/great service. It is not to given to put me over and above someone else. In the case of drinks a gratuity (15%) is already added to the bill in which case a customer should not be receiving inferior service because they have not 'sweetened the pot'.

 

 

Rochelle

[swedish weave]

I suspect from a few things in the original post that perhaps English is not the first language of the OP and that the 'not allow' was not what they meant to say. As a literal translation it does come off in a very poor light.

 

As far as being in favour of bar service favouritism I would have to disagree with you. I often tip over and above in appreciation for good/great service. It is not to given to put me over and above someone else. In the case of drinks a gratuity (15%) is already added to the bill in which case a customer should not be receiving inferior service because they have not 'sweetened the pot'.

 

 

Rochelle

 

A good server does not necessarily give "inferior service" to others in order to provide exceptional service to a person.

[tutuwahineLV]

You couldn't allow your wife to use the pool?

She needs your permission?

 

My thoughts exactly. I can see where the OP was concerned for her safety, but if she's your wife, she's an adult and should be able to take care of herself.

As an adult myself, I know I never needed my husbands permission to go swimming if thats what I wanted to do....:rolleyes:

 

And as for carpet in the casino... really? there's not a casino in Vegas that doesn't have carpet. the noise level is high enough with it, without the carpet to muffle it somewhat it would be an uncomfortable cacophony for slot machine noise...

 

:cool:

[rochelle_s]

A good server does not necessarily give "inferior service" to others in order to provide exceptional service to a person.

 

This is true but I made my comment in response to others responding to my question to the OP. The OP stated there was bar favouritism, I asked what they meant by that. They have not yet come back to respond but there have been posts implying the favouritism was to those who tipped above and beyond the automatic 15% gratuity.

 

A good server would be able to make the customer tipping extra feel special without ever making other customers feel like they were being slighted. For whatever reason the OP felt their was favoritism of some sort happening.

 

Rochelle

[Love my butler]

That is cruising nowadays on NCL's big ships, Epic, BA and GA. Pack in as many passengers as you can to squeeze every last nickel of profit. Service and quality are a distant second.

[yukongold]

My thoughts exactly. I can see where the OP was concerned for her safety, but if she's your wife, she's an adult and should be able to take care of herself.

As an adult myself, I know I never needed my husbands permission to go swimming if thats what I wanted to do....:rolleyes:

 

And as for carpet in the casino... really? there's not a casino in Vegas that doesn't have carpet. the noise level is high enough with it, without the carpet to muffle it somewhat it would be an uncomfortable cacophony for slot machine noise...

 

:cool:

 

 

I would hold judgment until we get more info. Perhaps she has a disability and needs assistance or consideration in the pool? Don't know. But it seems unfair to jump on the OP.

[NYcruzzer]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and observations. I am Platinum on NCL and have sailed with them over 20 times. In fact I am booked on the Gem for this January. I was on Breakaway to Bermuda last Summer. I had a nice time but do prefer the "smaller" ships of the Jewel class. Unfortunately bigger ships are the present and future of cruising. Not just on NCL, but Royal as well.

[rsato]

I think one of NCL's signature features - Freestyle Dining is also one that makes it a target for criticism compared to other dining programs. I read a great deal of criticism over lack of personal interaction and delays with seating, but both of these problems, as I see it, are related to the freestyle dining. Assigned tables and times distributes the load in a more balanced fashion - often making everyone a bit unhappy - have to eat too early in the early seating, too late in the late seating. Freestyle means a whole bunch of people show up at 7pm and want to eat before the entertainment that evening.

 

Turning over tables quickly, changing servers, all may result. Try eating at 5pm and see if the service is better...

 

I have been on cruises (Holland & Disney) with assigned seating, and know it is a much different relationship with your servers toward the end of the cruise vs NCL. That being said, I have never felt the service merited a complaint on NCL and would encourage those who felt it was substandard to make a comment to the Hotel Manager during the cruise!

[bluesea777]

tl12356:

 

How was Bermuda ??

[Kenlorz]

No drinks at a comedy show, Second City show, what up with that!!!!!!!.

 

Can someone confirm there are no bars or servers at the Second City show? That would be 'need to know' information and would be very surprising since all comedy shows are more laugh worthy with a frozen libation in hand :cool::D

[Quincella]

That is cruising nowadays on NCL's big ships, Epic, BA and GA. Pack in as many passengers as you can to squeeze every last nickel of profit. Service and quality are a distant second.

 

 

Thank you, Mr. Broken Record, for your fine contribution to this and every other NCL thread, where you seem to copy and paste this very response every single time. We all know that you do not enjoy NCL. Everyone knows. No one cares, in case you were wondering.

 

To the OP, sorry you did not enjoy your cruise. I find it odd that many people share your sentiments about this ship but the Getaway, the BA's sister ship, has mostly positive comments. I wonder why the stark difference?

 

I'd also be interested in your pool experience. I had an issue at the pool on a different ship that was horribly handled by security. So much so that I emailed the CEO directly, got a personal response within minutes, and extensive follow-up by support staff. I have never even so much as complained on a cruise previously, because I've had no reason to do so. It was a matter of personal safety that was not addressed, and I wonder if your experience was similar.

[CasinoCruzGirl]

You couldn't allow your wife to use the pool?

She needs your permission?

 

 

That exact statement really freaked me out. The word "allowed" if my DH ever said your not "allowed" to do something he would be kicked right in the ass lol

Edited July 8, 2014 by GeriC

[Sizzlechest]

To the OP, sorry you did not enjoy your cruise. I find it odd that many people share your sentiments about this ship but the Getaway, the BA's sister ship, has mostly positive comments. I wonder why the stark difference?

 

There's a higher percentage of New Yorkers on the Breakaway. New Yorkers have high standards. If there's a problem, we see it and complain about it. Or, maybe the people managing the Getaway are simply better at their jobs. Hard to say, but I'm still going into my cruise with a positive attitude.

[ldlewis45]

There's a higher percentage of New Yorkers on the Breakaway. New Yorkers have high standards. If there's a problem, we see it and complain about it. Or, maybe the people managing the Getaway are simply better at their jobs. Hard to say, but I'm still going into my cruise with a positive attitude.

I wouldn't say that New Yorkers have higher standards as much as they tend to be more "me, me, me," impatient, and pretty rude. There's a difference between "complaining about problems" and being rude and impatient. And I say that as a big fan of NYC.

 

When I was on the Breakaway last summer, I saw no issues with the staff. Many of the guests, on the other hand, left quite a bit to be desired. I remember one situation where I was at one of the margarita tastings. The bartender and her assistant was obviously busy and the bar was packed with people waiting on their margaritas. This guy and his wife/girlfriend comes up and stands at the bar next to where I'm sitting. Again, there's an obvious event going on, and the staff are all busy shaking/pouring. After about five seconds, the guy says loudly, "Can I get some service over here?!" and his companion huffs, "This is RIDICULOUS!"

[DGP1111]

. . . To the OP, sorry you did not enjoy your cruise. I find it odd that many people share your sentiments about this ship but the Getaway, the BA's sister ship, has mostly positive comments. I wonder why the stark difference? . . .

 

I'm also one of those hoping/wishing/praying for that "stark difference" when I board Norwegian Getaway later this year.

 

I hope that the onboard experience will, at the very least, begin well on embarkation day, and not become anything remotely close to mine on Norwegian Breakaway last September.

 

I'm grateful that Bermuda was one of the best port destinations I've ever been to. I'm grateful the onboard food was quite tasty throughout. I'm grateful I traveled with terrific friends. :) There were definitely positive moments to be found during the week . . . and then there was that crew/staff. :(

 

.

[Love my butler]

Thank you, Mr. Broken Record, for your fine contribution to this and every other NCL thread, where you seem to copy and paste this very response every single time. We all know that you do not enjoy NCL. Everyone knows. No one cares, in case you were wondering.

 

Yet you cared enough to respond.....

 

P.S. I wasn't wondering.