Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Just off Breakaway today... Brrrrrr

sugarval

By sugarval,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

sugarval

sugarval

Posted
Posted (edited)

As a serious lurker who learned SOOOOOO much from the forums.. I wanted to post my thoughts on the Breakaway to pay it forward ... hopefully this helps someone else....

 

Okay... where to start? Overall.. we had an amazing trip... It was exactly what I needed! 7 days of no phone.. no internet.. no deadlines.. no plans! :) We travelled on the Breakaway 3/1/15-3/8/15

 

I traveled with my 11 year old nephew. So, it was just the two of us.

 

PORT - I received this trip through Tropicana Casino.. so, I was able to check-in at the Casino/VIP line. This was a HUGE plus! No lines.. and we were in the first group to board the ship. I did have a little bump in the check in process as for the first time ever I was given a problem traveling with my nephew. They were requiring a copy of my Sister's valid photo ID. I have never been asked for that. I have his passport and a signed/notarized permission letter that I always have done for each trip. But they insisted on the Photo ID... thank goodness for technology.. we were able to have her take a pic of it and email it to NCL and we were all set to go!

 

WEATHER - Not something NCL Can control.. but I thought I would mention it because it was surreal to be on a cruise ship and have it SNOW!!! LOL!! The staff was so much fun to watch.. they were coming up onto the top deck and making snowballs and taking selfies!! LOL! So many of them said they had never seen snow before and were so excited! Our departure day and first day at sea were cold.. then we had 3 full days of beautiful warm weather ... and the last 2 sea days were again chilly. Nothing dreadful! A sweatshirt was enough to hang outside with.

 

CABIN - With the Casino Certificate, you are given an inside cabin. However, I succumbed to the Upgrade desire.. and bumped to a Spa Balcony. We were in Cabin 14704. This cabin sleeps 3 maybe 4.. I did not look to see if there was a bunk in the ceiling. The cabins are definitely the smallest of any other ship I have sailed. And I can now understand why people wanted the balcony cabins where the bed is near the balcony and NOT the closet. You cannot get into the closet if the beds are split. It is a VERY tight squeeze. Nothing to make or break your trip... just a little acrobatic! LOL! The bathroom was a great size! Shower is large enough.. and there is plenty of space for getting ready. The location of the cabin was VERY far forward. We were the 2nd to last cabin before the senior staff cabins. We could see into the Bridge when on our balcony and got a few good morning waves from the captain LOL! The cabin came with Spa Access.. and even though I am not normally a spa person.. I figured that since the weather was going to be cold for a majority of our sea days having spa access would be a plus! I was right That being said.. I would Not Upgrade on a "free" cruise again during the colder trips. If needed, I would just buy the spa pass for the week. An inside cabin would have been just fine. I know we ALL get that upgrade bug as the trip gets closer... so... If you are not sure... don't do it. Save the money for all the other fun stuff you will be doing. I will say.. for a special trip.. the Spa Suites looked BEAUTIFUL as we walked past them each morning and the doors were open while they were being cleaned. I would definitely book that category for a special occasion/Adult only trip.

 

SPA - Not being a spa person in general... this was my very first time using a Spa on a cruise. It will NOT be my last....I am hooked! First I will say that I am of the Fluffy size - so I was a little nervous going in. But that fear was unfounded. Except for the robes which are NOT made for the plus sized! I just wore my own over my bathing suit.. or on some days, I just used my normal bathing suit coverup. The breakaway spa is very nice. There are many lounge chairs.. both regular and heated. There is a hot tub and a pool that is amazing. It has many pulsating water features and is sooooo relaxing. I tried the sauna, and the salt room and relaxed on the loungers looking out over the water. Beautiful. I never found the spa to be too crowded. Other than the first full sea day, where it was very cold out, there was always a chair and the facilities were never overflowing. It was quiet and a nice escape from the buzzing activity all over the ship. Spa access does Not include any of the other services such as massages, facials etc. You would still need to book and pay for those separately.

For those who were wondering, I did see them selling Spa passes in the port prior to Boarding.

 

SHIP - Unknown to me, this sailing was during Canada's spring break. SOOooooo... the ship had over 2500 French Canadian passengers. I now know what feels like to travel amongst people who do not speak english as their primary language. We definitely felt like the minority! I did, however, pick up a little french on the trip! LOL.. So.. it was definitely very crowded. And, with the weather being so cold on 2/3 of our sea days, it forced many people to the interior of the ship... which is definitely not designed for this to happen. When the weather was beautiful, there was much more room everywhere.. except the pool area.. which I will get to. The atrium is the main gathering place. I don't know if that is what the intent was, but that is what happens. O'Sheehans is also the main gathering bar/restaurant as it is surrounding the atrium one deck up. We got lucky and happened to have that be our muster station for the drill and were sitting "along the rail" for the drill when they announced the sail away would be in the atrium due to the snow... so we had front row seats. However, there was definitely not enough room for everyone on the ship to participate in the sail away It is, as many have said, poorly designed for crowds. Even Spice H2o where the sail away normally would happen cannot fit everyone on the ship.

 

What seems to be the issue is that the ship is compartmentalized. There is no large open area that we are used to on a cruise ship. The theatre is smaller than most ships, the atrium is smaller, the cabins are smaller, there are many different venues.. but they are all small. So, it seems in trying to give guests many different options, they lost the space to have a large communal area. I didn't really think the posts I was reading about the Nickel and diming was that serious.. but after this week... I Know it is. This is where the space issue comes in. With the breakaway.. you have to pay extra to have space. That simple. You want a lounger every day? Well.. get a vibe pass and you will. Or pay extra for the Haven, and you can have it all. My final bill definitely proved this to be true! BUT I still had a great time. Again.. nothing to ruin your vacation.. but something for those to know if you are budgeting. Definitely don't think your trip budget ends at final payment.

 

POOL - Okay.. this is definitely an area that needs a total rethink. There are two pools on the main deck. One is the "Adult pool" which is surrounded by 4 hot tubs. 2 of which are designate Adult only.. and 2 for everyone (kids). The other is the pool for the kids. Both Pools are Salt Water... do not forget the goggles!!! (i did!! ooops)

 

Let's start with the kids pool. Now we all know that the one thing kids will do ALL day long is swim. This is what they want to do primarily. How many times have you taken your kid to Disneyworld and what they want to do most is go back to the hotel to swim in the pool?? Well.. the kids pool is not a sufficient area.. because guess what NCL... kids have parents.. Parent's that I HOPE want to watch their kids while they are in the pool.. or even go in the pool with them. Now that my nephew is older, I don't feel I need to sit on the edge of the pool and watch his every move. He is a great swimmer.. so I am quite content to swim with him for a while and then head to a lounge chair where I would normally read and keep an eye on him as the same time. Well, on this ship that is impossible. The kids pool has no lounge chairs near it. It is surrounded by clear lucite walls ... On one side is the smaller blue slide which blocks your view of the pool.. and on the other side is the younger kid play area. The lounge chairs in this area are set way back against the windows of the ship, way too far to be able to see your child. So, you are forced to sit alongside the pool perimeter with all the other parents and kids running back and forth... and the parents who try to sneak in their diaper wearing children only because they have it even worse! This pool is Way too small.. and they have now added a wall in the middle of it to separate the 3 foot section from the 4 foot section. Leaving that part only slightly larger than 2 hot tubs. Imagine it... 1200 kids on board... It's not pretty. I can only imagine on warmer sailings how much worse it could be! We chose to stay onboard for 2 of the ports so had more elbow room on those days.

 

Now.. we have the Adult pool. Why? Why is there an adult only pool in the middle of a ship??? This pool should be a Family pool It is centrally located. Perfect for watching your kids... and everyone can have fun. They let the kids go there for the hot tubs.. soooo?? Why not the pool? The adult area SPICE h2o should have also included a pool. It has 2 hot tubs and a waterfall area. Isn't that sufficient for adults only? And the Vibe area is Adults only. So why confine the kids to an area that is way too small for them and the adults that they go along with. This makes for a not so fun pool experience for families. I really think NCL should rethink this.

 

SLIDES - Awesome!!! As I mentioned earlier.. we chose to stay on board for both port canaveral and the bahamas. We pretty much had the slides and pool area to ourselves.. it was FABULOUS! :) My nephew did all the slides over and over for 3 hours straight. I think he must have done the free fall slide over a hundred times! He had a blast! The lines for the slides once people got back onboard definitely grew... but it never got to be too awful.

 

SPORTS DECK - This area was closed a lot during our sailing due to weather. But never for a full day. So, if you see a sign that it is closed, always check back as they will reopen unexpectedly. We played mini golf a few times. Definitely Fun! And he used the basketball court a few times. I don't think he ever did the ropes course, unless it was with the kids club. But that never seemed to have a line.. other than the first sea day where everyone was looking to try things for the first time. They also did the ropes course at night a few times. That looked like fun! I didn't see the rock climbing wall ever in use.

 

ARCADE - Beware! Do not give your child charging privileges on their card if you think they may hit the arcade. You will be amazed how quickly the charges add up. The ship has an arcade on deck 16. And there are also many arcade games in O'Sheehans. The games in O'sheehans are fun for families. There is a pool table, two dart boards, bowling, basketball, skeeball and more. Each are about 1-2 dollars with the exception of bowling which is 5 dollars per player. A friend that my nephew had made onboard was traveling alone with his mom... so it was perfect.. we all ended up hanging out.. She got a call in her cabin that her son had racked up $400 in the arcade .... Ummmmm So.. it is pretty easy to do! My nephew had a budget that he was given.. and yes.. he did go above it.. but not by much... he has learned. FYI.. the Iconcierge app will show you charges immediately so you can see what is going on at all times.

 

ICONCIERGE APP - DOWNLOAD IT before you get on the ship! I cannot tell you how fabulous this app was to have! You can pay $7.95 per person to add free texting/calls between anyone who has the app and this feature installed on their phone. It is the best money I spent all week!! People kept looking at me with horror as I would take a call on the ship... they would say.... you do know how much that is costing you right? And I would say.. yep.. $7.95 LOL.. I would then explain to them about the app and they would say .. we need that! Thanks to the boards I knew about it.. and it was a lifesaver. My nephew and I were able to communicate when he was at the kids club... or hanging out with this friends....No searching the ship for one another! We were also able to call any state room, guest services, make dinner or show reservations, see what activities were going on right on the spot... Do it.. trust me... If you do not want the calling/texting feature.. the app is free!

 

KIDS CLUB - I didn't go myself so I can't say what goes on in there.. LOL.. But my nephew seemed to want to go everyday for some part of the day... so it must have been good! His only complaint was on certain days they would mix his age group 10-12 with the younger group 6-9 and he then felt that the activities were too "babyish" for him. Other than that.... he would regularly enjoy the 7-10 time slot. I gave him check in check out privileges which normally means on any ship that he could come and go as he pleased. On NCL this was not the case. They had many rules regarding the check in check out that I found very frustrating. The biggest was if they signed into the club (and many times I had to be present for this part???) they had to stay in the club for a minimum of 2 hours??? This was not communicated to us when we first signed up for the kids club. So... what would happen is... he would check in.. they would do an activity that was approx one hour long. The next activity was something he was not interested in and he would want to leave and go play basketball. I would need to be called to come sign him out.??? So.. .essentially ... if I didn't have the app... he would be trapped there. This is my thought process. If I give my kid that privilege then I trust him. If I didn't want him to wander, I would have made the choice that I need to sign him in and out. The one other suggestion I would have is that the time be extend to 11 pm. close. They run the program to 10 or 10:30.. and then at 10:30 you get charged $6 per hour for the kids to stay. Most parents do not want to pay the money, so the club empties out. I think it would be a great perk to have the club stay open later so the parents could enjoy the late night activities... and the kids can also... once the club empties it is boring for them. I picked my nephew up the first night after he had asked to stay late... and he was the only kid that was there for the entire time! Other than that.. I think that the kids club is fantastic! The counselors were all so wonderful! They loved all the kids.. and made them feel special. We would run into them around the ship and they would see my nephew and say - see you later.. or something else to make him feel good. A nice touch! I would not hesitate to use the kids club if you are nervous about it.. don't be.

 

STAFF - I have read soooooo many reviews on here about how rude the staff is.. That is definitely NOT the experience I had. I found the staff to all be so wonderful! They were friendly... happy ... and eager to make your trip the best it could be. From the washy washy to the cruise director... everyone was friendly and enthusiastic. There will always be one or two that will be having a bad day. But hey, that's life! We all have bad days! My experience is.. if YOU smile at someone.. odds are they will smile back!

 

ACTIVITIES - There is sooooo much to do. You cannot do it all. I think this trip was a great balance of activity vs relaxation. We played cards/games in the game room. We played Bingo 1x (we missed the 5000 prize by 2 numbers!) We played Deal or No Deal (won $50, a free photo and an instant win); I sang in NCL Karaoke Idol and again with the Karaoke Band (Fun Fun Fun); we played pool.. ALOT.. with other passengers and alone; mini golf; Shuffleboard (very badly LOL) Cupcake making; Pizza Making; And we saw quite a few of the guest participation shows in the atrium... Those are tons of fun! and if you miss them, they tape some and play them over and over in your stateroom.

 

PORTS - We did not get off at any of the ports.. with the exception of Great Stirrup Cay. So we did no excursions.. This was supposed to be our low budget trip of the year.. (yeah right!) So, the only port I can comment on is Great Stirrup Cay... and what else can I say except Beautiful! What is better than the beautiful Blue Water... Sand.. and sun... We had all 3!! Yes, it is crowded near the chairs... and yes .. it's hard to get one in the main section when you first get on the beach... but.. you will get chairs... no worries. I do not recommend renting the Clamshells as they have them stacked in rows one behind the other... and unless you get one in the front row, your view all day will be a big blue clamshell! Not what you go to the bahamas for! Unless you need a spot for nap time for the little ones.. Stick to the chairs! We did get snorkel equipment.. and a mat. The kids loved exploring the rock area where there were some fun fish to see. Water shoes would be a great idea to have. Along with Goggles. I did forget those! Oops! The lunch on the island is nothing to get excited about. Burgers, corn, salad and ribs I think. Some fruit... that's it. Fine...not good.. not bad. But we didn't come to the island to eat! We came to Swim in the water (which was unusually chilly.. but warmed up once you were in) and think about all of the snow we left back at home!

 

SHOWS - We were on the sailing that started Not accepting reservations for the 2 main shows - Burn the Floor and Rock of Ages. It was a non-issue. We saw both and enjoyed them both. Just get there about 1/2 an hour before to find a seat, get a drink and enjoy your fellow guests. I did not see any of the comedians or other shows .. I wish I had. The 2 we did see were both great.. and heed the warning of adult content. Use your judgement as to what you feel your child can handle.

 

FOOD/DRINKS - We had the soda package as I do not drink alcohol. If you do drink.. definitely get the UBP. We never had a problem getting a drink anywhere. The staff was again.. Amazing! We ate at Teppanyaki. and the brazilian Restaurant as the up charge meals. Both were great! We ate in O'sheehans a few times and the Pot Pie lived up to all the rave reviews... however, the wings did not! The most meals we had were at the Garden Cafe. Everything was great. Oddly enough it was the kids who noticed the lack of vegetables on the trip LOL!! There was never a large selection. Also.. not too much Chocolate! EEEEKK!! We didn't find the Buffet to be too bad crowd wise except in the mornings it would be a little crazy, but we always found a table. I had planned to do breakfast at some of the other locations.. but we never did. This was not a foodie trip..BUT.. I would definitely suggest getting the dining package if you want to do an up charge rest each night. We did not eat in any of the main dining rooms, but a few people commented that the food there was just as good as the up charge places... I cannot comment, as I was not one of them.

 

CASINO - I have saved this for last as it was the reason that I was on the trip to begin with. As I had said, I won the trip from the Tropicana Casino in AC. I am not a huge gambler.. but obviously a big enough one to have gotten the cruise. I am not a slot player.... but a table games player. Particularly, 3 card and roulette. I learned a lot from the boards about the perks of Casino players. Thank you for the info!! First is the Priority check in line... this is a great perk! Second, is the Drink Card. You receive this in your cabin when you board. It is delivered along with your players card. For those of you who Gamble.. this is a great perk! even if you don't get the cruise from a casino.. make sure to sign up for your Player's card before you start playing. Once you earn 1500 points you can get a drink card. This will get you free drinks while you are IN the casino. You can get them from the many servers, or just go up to the Casino Bar. As a non drinker.. this perk is wasted on me.. but.. it is great for those who don't have a drink package.

 

Playing... let's just say I should have stopped a long time before I did!! This Casino is not one to pay out! Winners were few and far between. Most stories were of huge losses! BUT.. that's what we do! Even when I was losing.. we were having fun! I met so many new friends.. one even gave us a ride home from the port! The staff was great in here! The only thing that could have made it better was just One Straight Flush! ;)

 

I think that is it! Except for Debarkation.. which was painless and easy!

Even with the few spacial issues.. and the language barrier... and the few random rude kids running around with no manners.. (it was always the same pack of 5) ... We had a GREAT trip! I would not hesitate to do another trip on the Breakaway! I think NCL is a great line.. with top notch entertainment... a wonderful staff... and a little bit of something for everyone of all ages!

 

I hope this helps someone.. and if you have any questions.. don't hesitate to ask!

 

Kathy

Edited by sugarval
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rochelle_s

rochelle_s

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the wonderful balanced review. I enjoyed it very much. A little tip from one fluffy gal to another, speak to you cabin steward or the spa manager and ask for a suite robe. They are softer and a little fluffier just like us. ;) Keep it with you for the entire cruise.

 

 

Glad you and your nephew had such a great cruise and welcome home. :)

 

 

Rochelle

Link to comment
Share on other sites
newmexicoNita

newmexicoNita

Posted
Posted
As a serious lurker who learned SOOOOOO much from the forums.. I wanted to post my thoughts on the Breakaway to pay it forward ... hopefully this helps someone else....

 

Okay... where to start? Overall.. we had an amazing trip... It was exactly what I needed! 7 days of no phone.. no internet.. no deadlines.. no plans! :) We travelled on the Breakaway 3/1/15-3/8/15

 

I traveled with my 11 year old nephew. So, it was just the two of us.

 

PORT - I received this trip through Tropicana Casino.. so, I was able to check-in at the Casino/VIP line. This was a HUGE plus! No lines.. and we were in the first group to board the ship. I did have a little bump in the check in process as for the first time ever I was given a problem traveling with my nephew. They were requiring a copy of my Sister's valid photo ID. I have never been asked for that. I have his passport and a signed/notarized permission letter that I always have done for each trip. But they insisted on the Photo ID... thank goodness for technology.. we were able to have her take a pic of it and email it to NCL and we were all set to go!

 

WEATHER - Not something NCL Can control.. but I thought I would mention it because it was surreal to be on a cruise ship and have it SNOW!!! LOL!! The staff was so much fun to watch.. they were coming up onto the top deck and making snowballs and taking selfies!! LOL! So many of them said they had never seen snow before and were so excited! Our departure day and first day at sea were cold.. then we had 3 full days of beautiful warm weather ... and the last 2 sea days were again chilly. Nothing dreadful! A sweatshirt was enough to hang outside with.

 

CABIN - With the Casino Certificate, you are given an inside cabin. However, I succumbed to the Upgrade desire.. and bumped to a Spa Balcony. We were in Cabin 14704. This cabin sleeps 3 maybe 4.. I did not look to see if there was a bunk in the ceiling. The cabins are definitely the smallest of any other ship I have sailed. And I can now understand why people wanted the balcony cabins where the bed is near the balcony and NOT the closet. You cannot get into the closet if the beds are split. It is a VERY tight squeeze. Nothing to make or break your trip... just a little acrobatic! LOL! The bathroom was a great size! Shower is large enough.. and there is plenty of space for getting ready. The location of the cabin was VERY far forward. We were the 2nd to last cabin before the senior staff cabins. We could see into the Bridge when on our balcony and got a few good morning waves from the captain LOL! The cabin came with Spa Access.. and even though I am not normally a spa person.. I figured that since the weather was going to be cold for a majority of our sea days having spa access would be a plus! I was right That being said.. I would Not Upgrade on a "free" cruise again during the colder trips. If needed, I would just buy the spa pass for the week. An inside cabin would have been just fine. I know we ALL get that upgrade bug as the trip gets closer... so... If you are not sure... don't do it. Save the money for all the other fun stuff you will be doing. I will say.. for a special trip.. the Spa Suites looked BEAUTIFUL as we walked past them each morning and the doors were open while they were being cleaned. I would definitely book that category for a special occasion/Adult only trip.

 

SPA - Not being a spa person in general... this was my very first time using a Spa on a cruise. It will NOT be my last....I am hooked! First I will say that I am of the Fluffy size - so I was a little nervous going in. But that fear was unfounded. Except for the robes which are NOT made for the plus sized! I just wore my own over my bathing suit.. or on some days, I just used my normal bathing suit coverup. The breakaway spa is very nice. There are many lounge chairs.. both regular and heated. There is a hot tub and a pool that is amazing. It has many pulsating water features and is sooooo relaxing. I tried the sauna, and the salt room and relaxed on the loungers looking out over the water. Beautiful. I never found the spa to be too crowded. Other than the first full sea day, where it was very cold out, there was always a chair and the facilities were never overflowing. It was quiet and a nice escape from the buzzing activity all over the ship. Spa access does Not include any of the other services such as massages, facials etc. You would still need to book and pay for those separately.

For those who were wondering, I did see them selling Spa passes in the port prior to Boarding.

 

SHIP - Unknown to me, this sailing was during Canada's spring break. SOOooooo... the ship had over 2500 French Canadian passengers. I now know what feels like to travel amongst people who do not speak english as their primary language. We definitely felt like the minority! I did, however, pick up a little french on the trip! LOL.. So.. it was definitely very crowded. And, with the weather being so cold on 2/3 of our sea days, it forced many people to the interior of the ship... which is definitely not designed for this to happen. When the weather was beautiful, there was much more room everywhere.. except the pool area.. which I will get to. The atrium is the main gathering place. I don't know if that is what the intent was, but that is what happens. O'Sheehans is also the main gathering bar/restaurant as it is surrounding the atrium one deck up. We got lucky and happened to have that be our muster station for the drill and were sitting "along the rail" for the drill when they announced the sail away would be in the atrium due to the snow... so we had front row seats. However, there was definitely not enough room for everyone on the ship to participate in the sail away It is, as many have said, poorly designed for crowds. Even Spice H2o where the sail away normally would happen cannot fit everyone on the ship.

 

What seems to be the issue is that the ship is compartmentalized. There is no large open area that we are used to on a cruise ship. The theatre is smaller than most ships, the atrium is smaller, the cabins are smaller, there are many different venues.. but they are all small. So, it seems in trying to give guests many different options, they lost the space to have a large communal area. I didn't really think the posts I was reading about the Nickel and diming was that serious.. but after this week... I Know it is. This is where the space issue comes in. With the breakaway.. you have to pay extra to have space. That simple. You want a lounger every day? Well.. get a vibe pass and you will. Or pay extra for the Haven, and you can have it all. My final bill definitely proved this to be true! BUT I still had a great time. Again.. nothing to ruin your vacation.. but something for those to know if you are budgeting. Definitely don't think your trip budget ends at final payment.

 

POOL - Okay.. this is definitely an area that needs a total rethink. There are two pools on the main deck. One is the "Adult pool" which is surrounded by 4 hot tubs. 2 of which are designate Adult only.. and 2 for everyone (kids). The other is the pool for the kids. Both Pools are Salt Water... do not forget the goggles!!! (i did!! ooops)

 

Let's start with the kids pool. Now we all know that the one thing kids will do ALL day long is swim. This is what they want to do primarily. How many times have you taken your kid to Disneyworld and what they want to do most is go back to the hotel to swim in the pool?? Well.. the kids pool is not a sufficient area.. because guess what NCL... kids have parents.. Parent's that I HOPE want to watch their kids while they are in the pool.. or even go in the pool with them. Now that my nephew is older, I don't feel I need to sit on the edge of the pool and watch his every move. He is a great swimmer.. so I am quite content to swim with him for a while and then head to a lounge chair where I would normally read and keep an eye on him as the same time. Well, on this ship that is impossible. The kids pool has no lounge chairs near it. It is surrounded by clear lucite walls ... On one side is the smaller blue slide which blocks your view of the pool.. and on the other side is the younger kid play area. The lounge chairs in this area are set way back against the windows of the ship, way too far to be able to see your child. So, you are forced to sit alongside the pool perimeter with all the other parents and kids running back and forth... and the parents who try to sneak in their diaper wearing children only because they have it even worse! This pool is Way too small.. and they have now added a wall in the middle of it to separate the 3 foot section from the 4 foot section. Leaving that part only slightly larger than 2 hot tubs. Imagine it... 1200 kids on board... It's not pretty. I can only imagine on warmer sailings how much worse it could be! We chose to stay onboard for 2 of the ports so had more elbow room on those days.

 

Now.. we have the Adult pool. Why? Why is there an adult only pool in the middle of a ship??? This pool should be a Family pool It is centrally located. Perfect for watching your kids... and everyone can have fun. They let the kids go there for the hot tubs.. soooo?? Why not the pool? The adult area SPICE h2o should have also included a pool. It has 2 hot tubs and a waterfall area. Isn't that sufficient for adults only? And the Vibe area is Adults only. So why confine the kids to an area that is way too small for them and the adults that they go along with. This makes for a not so fun pool experience for families. I really think NCL should rethink this.

 

SLIDES - Awesome!!! As I mentioned earlier.. we chose to stay on board for both port canaveral and the bahamas. We pretty much had the slides and pool area to ourselves.. it was FABULOUS! :) My nephew did all the slides over and over for 3 hours straight. I think he must have done the free fall slide over a hundred times! He had a blast! The lines for the slides once people got back onboard definitely grew... but it never got to be too awful.

 

SPORTS DECK - This area was closed a lot during our sailing due to weather. But never for a full day. So, if you see a sign that it is closed, always check back as they will reopen unexpectedly. We played mini golf a few times. Definitely Fun! And he used the basketball court a few times. I don't think he ever did the ropes course, unless it was with the kids club. But that never seemed to have a line.. other than the first sea day where everyone was looking to try things for the first time. They also did the ropes course at night a few times. That looked like fun! I didn't see the rock climbing wall ever in use.

 

ARCADE - Beware! Do not give your child charging privileges on their card if you think they may hit the arcade. You will be amazed how quickly the charges add up. The ship has an arcade on deck 16. And there are also many arcade games in O'Sheehans. The games in O'sheehans are fun for families. There is a pool table, two dart boards, bowling, basketball, skeeball and more. Each are about 1-2 dollars with the exception of bowling which is 5 dollars per player. A friend that my nephew had made onboard was traveling alone with his mom... so it was perfect.. we all ended up hanging out.. She got a call in her cabin that her son had racked up $400 in the arcade .... Ummmmm So.. it is pretty easy to do! My nephew had a budget that he was given.. and yes.. he did go above it.. but not by much... he has learned. FYI.. the Iconcierge app will show you charges immediately so you can see what is going on at all times.

 

ICONCIERGE APP - DOWNLOAD IT before you get on the ship! I cannot tell you how fabulous this app was to have! You can pay $7.95 per person to add free texting/calls between anyone who has the app and this feature installed on their phone. It is the best money I spent all week!! People kept looking at me with horror as I would take a call on the ship... they would say.... you do know how much that is costing you right? And I would say.. yep.. $7.95 LOL.. I would then explain to them about the app and they would say .. we need that! Thanks to the boards I knew about it.. and it was a lifesaver. My nephew and I were able to communicate when he was at the kids club... or hanging out with this friends....No searching the ship for one another! We were also able to call any state room, guest services, make dinner or show reservations, see what activities were going on right on the spot... Do it.. trust me... If you do not want the calling/texting feature.. the app is free!

 

KIDS CLUB - I didn't go myself so I can't say what goes on in there.. LOL.. But my nephew seemed to want to go everyday for some part of the day... so it must have been good! His only complaint was on certain days they would mix his age group 10-12 with the younger group 6-9 and he then felt that the activities were too "babyish" for him. Other than that.... he would regularly enjoy the 7-10 time slot. I gave him check in check out privileges which normally means on any ship that he could come and go as he pleased. On NCL this was not the case. They had many rules regarding the check in check out that I found very frustrating. The biggest was if they signed into the club (and many times I had to be present for this part???) they had to stay in the club for a minimum of 2 hours??? This was not communicated to us when we first signed up for the kids club. So... what would happen is... he would check in.. they would do an activity that was approx one hour long. The next activity was something he was not interested in and he would want to leave and go play basketball. I would need to be called to come sign him out.??? So.. .essentially ... if I didn't have the app... he would be trapped there. This is my thought process. If I give my kid that privilege then I trust him. If I didn't want him to wander, I would have made the choice that I need to sign him in and out. The one other suggestion I would have is that the time be extend to 11 pm. close. They run the program to 10 or 10:30.. and then at 10:30 you get charged $6 per hour for the kids to stay. Most parents do not want to pay the money, so the club empties out. I think it would be a great perk to have the club stay open later so the parents could enjoy the late night activities... and the kids can also... once the club empties it is boring for them. I picked my nephew up the first night after he had asked to stay late... and he was the only kid that was there for the entire time! Other than that.. I think that the kids club is fantastic! The counselors were all so wonderful! They loved all the kids.. and made them feel special. We would run into them around the ship and they would see my nephew and say - see you later.. or something else to make him feel good. A nice touch! I would not hesitate to use the kids club if you are nervous about it.. don't be.

 

STAFF - I have read soooooo many reviews on here about how rude the staff is.. That is definitely NOT the experience I had. I found the staff to all be so wonderful! They were friendly... happy ... and eager to make your trip the best it could be. From the washy washy to the cruise director... everyone was friendly and enthusiastic. There will always be one or two that will be having a bad day. But hey, that's life! We all have bad days! My experience is.. if YOU smile at someone.. odds are they will smile back!

 

ACTIVITIES - There is sooooo much to do. You cannot do it all. I think this trip was a great balance of activity vs relaxation. We played cards/games in the game room. We played Bingo 1x (we missed the 5000 prize by 2 numbers!) We played Deal or No Deal (won $50, a free photo and an instant win); I sang in NCL Karaoke Idol and again with the Karaoke Band (Fun Fun Fun); we played pool.. ALOT.. with other passengers and alone; mini golf; Shuffleboard (very badly LOL) Cupcake making; Pizza Making; And we saw quite a few of the guest participation shows in the atrium... Those are tons of fun! and if you miss them, they tape some and play them over and over in your stateroom.

 

PORTS - We did not get off at any of the ports.. with the exception of Great Stirrup Cay. So we did no excursions.. This was supposed to be our low budget trip of the year.. (yeah right!) So, the only port I can comment on is Great Stirrup Cay... and what else can I say except Beautiful! What is better than the beautiful Blue Water... Sand.. and sun... We had all 3!! Yes, it is crowded near the chairs... and yes .. it's hard to get one in the main section when you first get on the beach... but.. you will get chairs... no worries. I do not recommend renting the Clamshells as they have them stacked in rows one behind the other... and unless you get one in the front row, your view all day will be a big blue clamshell! Not what you go to the bahamas for! Unless you need a spot for nap time for the little ones.. Stick to the chairs! We did get snorkel equipment.. and a mat. The kids loved exploring the rock area where there were some fun fish to see. Water shoes would be a great idea to have. Along with Goggles. I did forget those! Oops! The lunch on the island is nothing to get excited about. Burgers, corn, salad and ribs I think. Some fruit... that's it. Fine...not good.. not bad. But we didn't come to the island to eat! We came to Swim in the water (which was unusually chilly.. but warmed up once you were in) and think about all of the snow we left back at home!

 

SHOWS - We were on the sailing that started Not accepting reservations for the 2 main shows - Burn the Floor and Rock of Ages. It was a non-issue. We saw both and enjoyed them both. Just get there about 1/2 an hour before to find a seat, get a drink and enjoy your fellow guests. I did not see any of the comedians or other shows .. I wish I had. The 2 we did see were both great.. and heed the warning of adult content. Use your judgement as to what you feel your child can handle.

 

FOOD/DRINKS - We had the soda package as I do not drink alcohol. If you do drink.. definitely get the UBP. We never had a problem getting a drink anywhere. The staff was again.. Amazing! We ate at Teppanyaki. and the brazilian Restaurant as the up charge meals. Both were great! We ate in O'sheehans a few times and the Pot Pie lived up to all the rave reviews... however, the wings did not! The most meals we had were at the Garden Cafe. Everything was great. Oddly enough it was the kids who noticed the lack of vegetables on the trip LOL!! There was never a large selection. Also.. not too much Chocolate! EEEEKK!! We didn't find the Buffet to be too bad crowd wise except in the mornings it would be a little crazy, but we always found a table. I had planned to do breakfast at some of the other locations.. but we never did. This was not a foodie trip..BUT.. I would definitely suggest getting the dining package if you want to do an up charge rest each night. We did not eat in any of the main dining rooms, but a few people commented that the food there was just as good as the up charge places... I cannot comment, as I was not one of them.

 

CASINO - I have saved this for last as it was the reason that I was on the trip to begin with. As I had said, I won the trip from the Tropicana Casino in AC. I am not a huge gambler.. but obviously a big enough one to have gotten the cruise. I am not a slot player.... but a table games player. Particularly, 3 card and roulette. I learned a lot from the boards about the perks of Casino players. Thank you for the info!! First is the Priority check in line... this is a great perk! Second, is the Drink Card. You receive this in your cabin when you board. It is delivered along with your players card. For those of you who Gamble.. this is a great perk! even if you don't get the cruise from a casino.. make sure to sign up for your Player's card before you start playing. Once you earn 1500 points you can get a drink card. This will get you free drinks while you are IN the casino. You can get them from the many servers, or just go up to the Casino Bar. As a non drinker.. this perk is wasted on me.. but.. it is great for those who don't have a drink package.

 

Playing... let's just say I should have stopped a long time before I did!! This Casino is not one to pay out! Winners were few and far between. Most stories were of huge losses! BUT.. that's what we do! Even when I was losing.. we were having fun! I met so many new friends.. one even gave us a ride home from the port! The staff was great in here! The only thing that could have made it better was just One Straight Flush! ;)

 

I think that is it! Except for Debarkation.. which was painless and easy!

Even with the few spacial issues.. and the language barrier... and the few random rude kids running around with no manners.. (it was always the same pack of 5) ... We had a GREAT trip! I would not hesitate to do another trip on the Breakaway! I think NCL is a great line.. with top notch entertainment... a wonderful staff... and a little bit of something for everyone of all ages!

 

I hope this helps someone.. and if you have any questions.. don't hesitate to ask!

 

Kathy

 

Kathy, thanks for a great review: You are honest and objective; all reviews should be this way. As for the number of foreigners, we have run into this on 2 cruises, yes, it can make a huge difference in the cruise. It doesn't spoil a cruise but does make an impression.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rufferto

Rufferto

Posted
Posted

I was on your sailing, and I have to agree with a lot of what your wrote.

The ship definitely felt crowded. On the second to last sea day, it was next to impossible to get a place by the pool.

The cabins are smaller, and I think this is due to the large number of inside cabins. This squeezes the size of most other cabins. Our cabin's balcony was the smallest we ever had. It was fine for 2 people to sit out there, but it can't fit more than that. I don't have any complaints about the bathroom though.

The rope course was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed Burn the Floor and Rock of Ages. The children with us loved the kids club, and often asked to go there.

We were a large group, and dinner service was very long for 4 of the 5 nights we ate in Taste / Savor. It was slow, our food never arrived at the same time, and there were long lines in order to get in. You better make reservations, which to me kind of defeats the purpose of "Freestyle" cruising. I hope that this was an exceptional week because of spring break and not the norm.

It was surreal watching a heavy snowfall while on board.

In short, I am wondering if I would ever do this cruise again. A huge plus for me is that I don't need to buy airfare in order to get to the port, so it is a huge cost savings for me. I did not hate this cruise or the ship but I do think that Royal and Celebrity offer better options to meet my own needs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mking8288 "Live from...." Rare

mking8288

Posted
Posted

Thank you for taking the time to write & post the review in lieu of / in addition to "recovering" from the cruise, never easy to transition back to work & daily living, IMO. There's useful information for everyone interested/sailing on the BA to take away from, 2 are doing our happy dance, almost down to our single digital countdown :D

 

iConcierge is great, we used it last year & will make good use of it again. Do you recall what the WiFi/internet plans being offered were - based on MB data used or by the minutes, as I might get some for very light use & charge it against our generous OBC.

 

Who was the CD on the ship? There wasn't a big push to pitch Bingo & Instant Win last year, so we're pleasantly surprised as that can get very annoying with the PA annoucement (on other NCL ships, yulp ...)

 

I have to laugh & chuckle about your comments on the pools, given the ship's pax capacity, I labeled them oversized standing-room only "bath houses" as it's so crowded once it's warm enough (heated water to 84 degree F, supposingly, never dip inside - hot tubs were definitely nice & warm with steaming rising as it was chilly in the morning for us then) - designed specifically for NCL runs for 7 nights. Those partitions & walls, I agree, not good for parents to "supervise" from nearby with views blocked - maybe they can consider some changes when it eventually go into drydock ... at some point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cage keeper

cage keeper

Posted
Posted

Enjoyed this great review. I am also going on her very soon and loved reading this. Reading other's takes on the pools made me also upgrade to the spa balcony. Plan on spending a lot of time there and will do the pool decks on port days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Feistyangel20

Feistyangel20

Posted
Posted

Thank you sooo much for taking the time out to write such an informative list of the Breakaway. I will be traveling on that ship out of NYC in two weeks. This will be my first cruise with Norweigan although I have traveled with Carnival and Holland America in the past. Can you let me know if Norweigan supplies you with soap, shampoo and conditioner in the bathrooms (Carnival does). I wouldn't want to bring extra stuff if they are already supplied :)

 

Thanks! Hope you have have tons of great photos from your trip.

 

 

 

As a serious lurker who learned SOOOOOO much from the forums.. I wanted to post my thoughts on the Breakaway to pay it forward ... hopefully this helps someone else....

 

Okay... where to start? Overall.. we had an amazing trip... It was exactly what I needed! 7 days of no phone.. no internet.. no deadlines.. no plans! :) We travelled on the Breakaway 3/1/15-3/8/15

 

I traveled with my 11 year old nephew. So, it was just the two of us.

 

PORT - I received this trip through Tropicana Casino.. so, I was able to check-in at the Casino/VIP line. This was a HUGE plus! No lines.. and we were in the first group to board the ship. I did have a little bump in the check in process as for the first time ever I was given a problem traveling with my nephew. They were requiring a copy of my Sister's valid photo ID. I have never been asked for that. I have his passport and a signed/notarized permission letter that I always have done for each trip. But they insisted on the Photo ID... thank goodness for technology.. we were able to have her take a pic of it and email it to NCL and we were all set to go!

 

WEATHER - Not something NCL Can control.. but I thought I would mention it because it was surreal to be on a cruise ship and have it SNOW!!! LOL!! The staff was so much fun to watch.. they were coming up onto the top deck and making snowballs and taking selfies!! LOL! So many of them said they had never seen snow before and were so excited! Our departure day and first day at sea were cold.. then we had 3 full days of beautiful warm weather ... and the last 2 sea days were again chilly. Nothing dreadful! A sweatshirt was enough to hang outside with.

 

CABIN - With the Casino Certificate, you are given an inside cabin. However, I succumbed to the Upgrade desire.. and bumped to a Spa Balcony. We were in Cabin 14704. This cabin sleeps 3 maybe 4.. I did not look to see if there was a bunk in the ceiling. The cabins are definitely the smallest of any other ship I have sailed. And I can now understand why people wanted the balcony cabins where the bed is near the balcony and NOT the closet. You cannot get into the closet if the beds are split. It is a VERY tight squeeze. Nothing to make or break your trip... just a little acrobatic! LOL! The bathroom was a great size! Shower is large enough.. and there is plenty of space for getting ready. The location of the cabin was VERY far forward. We were the 2nd to last cabin before the senior staff cabins. We could see into the Bridge when on our balcony and got a few good morning waves from the captain LOL! The cabin came with Spa Access.. and even though I am not normally a spa person.. I figured that since the weather was going to be cold for a majority of our sea days having spa access would be a plus! I was right That being said.. I would Not Upgrade on a "free" cruise again during the colder trips. If needed, I would just buy the spa pass for the week. An inside cabin would have been just fine. I know we ALL get that upgrade bug as the trip gets closer... so... If you are not sure... don't do it. Save the money for all the other fun stuff you will be doing. I will say.. for a special trip.. the Spa Suites looked BEAUTIFUL as we walked past them each morning and the doors were open while they were being cleaned. I would definitely book that category for a special occasion/Adult only trip.

 

SPA - Not being a spa person in general... this was my very first time using a Spa on a cruise. It will NOT be my last....I am hooked! First I will say that I am of the Fluffy size - so I was a little nervous going in. But that fear was unfounded. Except for the robes which are NOT made for the plus sized! I just wore my own over my bathing suit.. or on some days, I just used my normal bathing suit coverup. The breakaway spa is very nice. There are many lounge chairs.. both regular and heated. There is a hot tub and a pool that is amazing. It has many pulsating water features and is sooooo relaxing. I tried the sauna, and the salt room and relaxed on the loungers looking out over the water. Beautiful. I never found the spa to be too crowded. Other than the first full sea day, where it was very cold out, there was always a chair and the facilities were never overflowing. It was quiet and a nice escape from the buzzing activity all over the ship. Spa access does Not include any of the other services such as massages, facials etc. You would still need to book and pay for those separately.

For those who were wondering, I did see them selling Spa passes in the port prior to Boarding.

 

SHIP - Unknown to me, this sailing was during Canada's spring break. SOOooooo... the ship had over 2500 French Canadian passengers. I now know what feels like to travel amongst people who do not speak english as their primary language. We definitely felt like the minority! I did, however, pick up a little french on the trip! LOL.. So.. it was definitely very crowded. And, with the weather being so cold on 2/3 of our sea days, it forced many people to the interior of the ship... which is definitely not designed for this to happen. When the weather was beautiful, there was much more room everywhere.. except the pool area.. which I will get to. The atrium is the main gathering place. I don't know if that is what the intent was, but that is what happens. O'Sheehans is also the main gathering bar/restaurant as it is surrounding the atrium one deck up. We got lucky and happened to have that be our muster station for the drill and were sitting "along the rail" for the drill when they announced the sail away would be in the atrium due to the snow... so we had front row seats. However, there was definitely not enough room for everyone on the ship to participate in the sail away It is, as many have said, poorly designed for crowds. Even Spice H2o where the sail away normally would happen cannot fit everyone on the ship.

 

What seems to be the issue is that the ship is compartmentalized. There is no large open area that we are used to on a cruise ship. The theatre is smaller than most ships, the atrium is smaller, the cabins are smaller, there are many different venues.. but they are all small. So, it seems in trying to give guests many different options, they lost the space to have a large communal area. I didn't really think the posts I was reading about the Nickel and diming was that serious.. but after this week... I Know it is. This is where the space issue comes in. With the breakaway.. you have to pay extra to have space. That simple. You want a lounger every day? Well.. get a vibe pass and you will. Or pay extra for the Haven, and you can have it all. My final bill definitely proved this to be true! BUT I still had a great time. Again.. nothing to ruin your vacation.. but something for those to know if you are budgeting. Definitely don't think your trip budget ends at final payment.

 

POOL - Okay.. this is definitely an area that needs a total rethink. There are two pools on the main deck. One is the "Adult pool" which is surrounded by 4 hot tubs. 2 of which are designate Adult only.. and 2 for everyone (kids). The other is the pool for the kids. Both Pools are Salt Water... do not forget the goggles!!! (i did!! ooops)

 

Let's start with the kids pool. Now we all know that the one thing kids will do ALL day long is swim. This is what they want to do primarily. How many times have you taken your kid to Disneyworld and what they want to do most is go back to the hotel to swim in the pool?? Well.. the kids pool is not a sufficient area.. because guess what NCL... kids have parents.. Parent's that I HOPE want to watch their kids while they are in the pool.. or even go in the pool with them. Now that my nephew is older, I don't feel I need to sit on the edge of the pool and watch his every move. He is a great swimmer.. so I am quite content to swim with him for a while and then head to a lounge chair where I would normally read and keep an eye on him as the same time. Well, on this ship that is impossible. The kids pool has no lounge chairs near it. It is surrounded by clear lucite walls ... On one side is the smaller blue slide which blocks your view of the pool.. and on the other side is the younger kid play area. The lounge chairs in this area are set way back against the windows of the ship, way too far to be able to see your child. So, you are forced to sit alongside the pool perimeter with all the other parents and kids running back and forth... and the parents who try to sneak in their diaper wearing children only because they have it even worse! This pool is Way too small.. and they have now added a wall in the middle of it to separate the 3 foot section from the 4 foot section. Leaving that part only slightly larger than 2 hot tubs. Imagine it... 1200 kids on board... It's not pretty. I can only imagine on warmer sailings how much worse it could be! We chose to stay onboard for 2 of the ports so had more elbow room on those days.

 

Now.. we have the Adult pool. Why? Why is there an adult only pool in the middle of a ship??? This pool should be a Family pool It is centrally located. Perfect for watching your kids... and everyone can have fun. They let the kids go there for the hot tubs.. soooo?? Why not the pool? The adult area SPICE h2o should have also included a pool. It has 2 hot tubs and a waterfall area. Isn't that sufficient for adults only? And the Vibe area is Adults only. So why confine the kids to an area that is way too small for them and the adults that they go along with. This makes for a not so fun pool experience for families. I really think NCL should rethink this.

 

SLIDES - Awesome!!! As I mentioned earlier.. we chose to stay on board for both port canaveral and the bahamas. We pretty much had the slides and pool area to ourselves.. it was FABULOUS! :) My nephew did all the slides over and over for 3 hours straight. I think he must have done the free fall slide over a hundred times! He had a blast! The lines for the slides once people got back onboard definitely grew... but it never got to be too awful.

 

SPORTS DECK - This area was closed a lot during our sailing due to weather. But never for a full day. So, if you see a sign that it is closed, always check back as they will reopen unexpectedly. We played mini golf a few times. Definitely Fun! And he used the basketball court a few times. I don't think he ever did the ropes course, unless it was with the kids club. But that never seemed to have a line.. other than the first sea day where everyone was looking to try things for the first time. They also did the ropes course at night a few times. That looked like fun! I didn't see the rock climbing wall ever in use.

 

ARCADE - Beware! Do not give your child charging privileges on their card if you think they may hit the arcade. You will be amazed how quickly the charges add up. The ship has an arcade on deck 16. And there are also many arcade games in O'Sheehans. The games in O'sheehans are fun for families. There is a pool table, two dart boards, bowling, basketball, skeeball and more. Each are about 1-2 dollars with the exception of bowling which is 5 dollars per player. A friend that my nephew had made onboard was traveling alone with his mom... so it was perfect.. we all ended up hanging out.. She got a call in her cabin that her son had racked up $400 in the arcade .... Ummmmm So.. it is pretty easy to do! My nephew had a budget that he was given.. and yes.. he did go above it.. but not by much... he has learned. FYI.. the Iconcierge app will show you charges immediately so you can see what is going on at all times.

 

ICONCIERGE APP - DOWNLOAD IT before you get on the ship! I cannot tell you how fabulous this app was to have! You can pay $7.95 per person to add free texting/calls between anyone who has the app and this feature installed on their phone. It is the best money I spent all week!! People kept looking at me with horror as I would take a call on the ship... they would say.... you do know how much that is costing you right? And I would say.. yep.. $7.95 LOL.. I would then explain to them about the app and they would say .. we need that! Thanks to the boards I knew about it.. and it was a lifesaver. My nephew and I were able to communicate when he was at the kids club... or hanging out with this friends....No searching the ship for one another! We were also able to call any state room, guest services, make dinner or show reservations, see what activities were going on right on the spot... Do it.. trust me... If you do not want the calling/texting feature.. the app is free!

 

KIDS CLUB - I didn't go myself so I can't say what goes on in there.. LOL.. But my nephew seemed to want to go everyday for some part of the day... so it must have been good! His only complaint was on certain days they would mix his age group 10-12 with the younger group 6-9 and he then felt that the activities were too "babyish" for him. Other than that.... he would regularly enjoy the 7-10 time slot. I gave him check in check out privileges which normally means on any ship that he could come and go as he pleased. On NCL this was not the case. They had many rules regarding the check in check out that I found very frustrating. The biggest was if they signed into the club (and many times I had to be present for this part???) they had to stay in the club for a minimum of 2 hours??? This was not communicated to us when we first signed up for the kids club. So... what would happen is... he would check in.. they would do an activity that was approx one hour long. The next activity was something he was not interested in and he would want to leave and go play basketball. I would need to be called to come sign him out.??? So.. .essentially ... if I didn't have the app... he would be trapped there. This is my thought process. If I give my kid that privilege then I trust him. If I didn't want him to wander, I would have made the choice that I need to sign him in and out. The one other suggestion I would have is that the time be extend to 11 pm. close. They run the program to 10 or 10:30.. and then at 10:30 you get charged $6 per hour for the kids to stay. Most parents do not want to pay the money, so the club empties out. I think it would be a great perk to have the club stay open later so the parents could enjoy the late night activities... and the kids can also... once the club empties it is boring for them. I picked my nephew up the first night after he had asked to stay late... and he was the only kid that was there for the entire time! Other than that.. I think that the kids club is fantastic! The counselors were all so wonderful! They loved all the kids.. and made them feel special. We would run into them around the ship and they would see my nephew and say - see you later.. or something else to make him feel good. A nice touch! I would not hesitate to use the kids club if you are nervous about it.. don't be.

 

STAFF - I have read soooooo many reviews on here about how rude the staff is.. That is definitely NOT the experience I had. I found the staff to all be so wonderful! They were friendly... happy ... and eager to make your trip the best it could be. From the washy washy to the cruise director... everyone was friendly and enthusiastic. There will always be one or two that will be having a bad day. But hey, that's life! We all have bad days! My experience is.. if YOU smile at someone.. odds are they will smile back!

 

ACTIVITIES - There is sooooo much to do. You cannot do it all. I think this trip was a great balance of activity vs relaxation. We played cards/games in the game room. We played Bingo 1x (we missed the 5000 prize by 2 numbers!) We played Deal or No Deal (won $50, a free photo and an instant win); I sang in NCL Karaoke Idol and again with the Karaoke Band (Fun Fun Fun); we played pool.. ALOT.. with other passengers and alone; mini golf; Shuffleboard (very badly LOL) Cupcake making; Pizza Making; And we saw quite a few of the guest participation shows in the atrium... Those are tons of fun! and if you miss them, they tape some and play them over and over in your stateroom.

 

PORTS - We did not get off at any of the ports.. with the exception of Great Stirrup Cay. So we did no excursions.. This was supposed to be our low budget trip of the year.. (yeah right!) So, the only port I can comment on is Great Stirrup Cay... and what else can I say except Beautiful! What is better than the beautiful Blue Water... Sand.. and sun... We had all 3!! Yes, it is crowded near the chairs... and yes .. it's hard to get one in the main section when you first get on the beach... but.. you will get chairs... no worries. I do not recommend renting the Clamshells as they have them stacked in rows one behind the other... and unless you get one in the front row, your view all day will be a big blue clamshell! Not what you go to the bahamas for! Unless you need a spot for nap time for the little ones.. Stick to the chairs! We did get snorkel equipment.. and a mat. The kids loved exploring the rock area where there were some fun fish to see. Water shoes would be a great idea to have. Along with Goggles. I did forget those! Oops! The lunch on the island is nothing to get excited about. Burgers, corn, salad and ribs I think. Some fruit... that's it. Fine...not good.. not bad. But we didn't come to the island to eat! We came to Swim in the water (which was unusually chilly.. but warmed up once you were in) and think about all of the snow we left back at home!

 

SHOWS - We were on the sailing that started Not accepting reservations for the 2 main shows - Burn the Floor and Rock of Ages. It was a non-issue. We saw both and enjoyed them both. Just get there about 1/2 an hour before to find a seat, get a drink and enjoy your fellow guests. I did not see any of the comedians or other shows .. I wish I had. The 2 we did see were both great.. and heed the warning of adult content. Use your judgement as to what you feel your child can handle.

 

FOOD/DRINKS - We had the soda package as I do not drink alcohol. If you do drink.. definitely get the UBP. We never had a problem getting a drink anywhere. The staff was again.. Amazing! We ate at Teppanyaki. and the brazilian Restaurant as the up charge meals. Both were great! We ate in O'sheehans a few times and the Pot Pie lived up to all the rave reviews... however, the wings did not! The most meals we had were at the Garden Cafe. Everything was great. Oddly enough it was the kids who noticed the lack of vegetables on the trip LOL!! There was never a large selection. Also.. not too much Chocolate! EEEEKK!! We didn't find the Buffet to be too bad crowd wise except in the mornings it would be a little crazy, but we always found a table. I had planned to do breakfast at some of the other locations.. but we never did. This was not a foodie trip..BUT.. I would definitely suggest getting the dining package if you want to do an up charge rest each night. We did not eat in any of the main dining rooms, but a few people commented that the food there was just as good as the up charge places... I cannot comment, as I was not one of them.

 

CASINO - I have saved this for last as it was the reason that I was on the trip to begin with. As I had said, I won the trip from the Tropicana Casino in AC. I am not a huge gambler.. but obviously a big enough one to have gotten the cruise. I am not a slot player.... but a table games player. Particularly, 3 card and roulette. I learned a lot from the boards about the perks of Casino players. Thank you for the info!! First is the Priority check in line... this is a great perk! Second, is the Drink Card. You receive this in your cabin when you board. It is delivered along with your players card. For those of you who Gamble.. this is a great perk! even if you don't get the cruise from a casino.. make sure to sign up for your Player's card before you start playing. Once you earn 1500 points you can get a drink card. This will get you free drinks while you are IN the casino. You can get them from the many servers, or just go up to the Casino Bar. As a non drinker.. this perk is wasted on me.. but.. it is great for those who don't have a drink package.

 

Playing... let's just say I should have stopped a long time before I did!! This Casino is not one to pay out! Winners were few and far between. Most stories were of huge losses! BUT.. that's what we do! Even when I was losing.. we were having fun! I met so many new friends.. one even gave us a ride home from the port! The staff was great in here! The only thing that could have made it better was just One Straight Flush! ;)

 

I think that is it! Except for Debarkation.. which was painless and easy!

Even with the few spacial issues.. and the language barrier... and the few random rude kids running around with no manners.. (it was always the same pack of 5) ... We had a GREAT trip! I would not hesitate to do another trip on the Breakaway! I think NCL is a great line.. with top notch entertainment... a wonderful staff... and a little bit of something for everyone of all ages!

 

I hope this helps someone.. and if you have any questions.. don't hesitate to ask!

 

Kathy

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rufferto

Rufferto

Posted
Posted
Thank you sooo much for taking the time out to write such an informative list of the Breakaway. I will be traveling on that ship out of NYC in two weeks. This will be my first cruise with Norweigan although I have traveled with Carnival and Holland America in the past. Can you let me know if Norweigan supplies you with soap, shampoo and conditioner in the bathrooms (Carnival does). I wouldn't want to bring extra stuff if they are already supplied :)

 

Thanks! Hope you have have tons of great photos from your trip.

 

Liquid body-wash soap and shampoo was in a dispenser in the shower of my stateroom. No conditioner (maybe if you ask the cabin steward?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bird in Jersey

Bird in Jersey

Posted
Posted

Great Review of the Breakaway!! I was on this ship last year and you really captured many of my own observations and thoughts. I usually come back excited to post a review, but never get around to doing one, because life happens. I will be back on the Breakaway in less than a month and can't wait!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sugarval

sugarval

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Enjoyed this great review. I am also going on her very soon and loved reading this. Reading other's takes on the pools made me also upgrade to the spa balcony. Plan on spending a lot of time there and will do the pool decks on port days.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write & post the review in lieu of / in addition to "recovering" from the cruise, never easy to transition back to work & daily living, IMO. There's useful information for everyone interested/sailing on the BA to take away from, 2 are doing our happy dance, almost down to our single digital countdown :D

 

iConcierge is great, we used it last year & will make good use of it again. Do you recall what the WiFi/internet plans being offered were - based on MB data used or by the minutes, as I might get some for very light use & charge it against our generous OBC.

 

Who was the CD on the ship? There wasn't a big push to pitch Bingo & Instant Win last year, so we're pleasantly surprised as that can get very annoying with the PA annoucement (on other NCL ships, yulp ...)

 

I have to laugh & chuckle about your comments on the pools, given the ship's pax capacity, I labeled them oversized standing-room only "bath houses" as it's so crowded once it's warm enough (heated water to 84 degree F, supposingly, never dip inside - hot tubs were definitely nice & warm with steaming rising as it was chilly in the morning for us then) - designed specifically for NCL runs for 7 nights. Those partitions & walls, I agree, not good for parents to "supervise" from nearby with views blocked - maybe they can consider some changes when it eventually go into drydock ... at some point.

 

Honestly I don't recall the wifi package prices... I didn't use it at all.. I wanted a total disconnect. I will look at the dailies I brought home and see if I see it there :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sugarval

sugarval

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Thank you sooo much for taking the time out to write such an informative list of the Breakaway. I will be traveling on that ship out of NYC in two weeks. This will be my first cruise with Norweigan although I have traveled with Carnival and Holland America in the past. Can you let me know if Norweigan supplies you with soap, shampoo and conditioner in the bathrooms (Carnival does). I wouldn't want to bring extra stuff if they are already supplied :)

 

Thanks! Hope you have have tons of great photos from your trip.

 

I loved the smell of the hand soap.. and I brought my own shampoo/conditioner.. so I can't attest for theirs. The spa has some great products available.... and if you are staying in a spa room, you get daily deliveries of those as well. :)

 

As to the photos... I have a total of 2 pics from my entire trip LOL! I am a photographer by trade.. and on the total rest and relaxation trips I don't bring my gear as it feels like "work". Sorry! :o

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sugarval

sugarval

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Enjoyed this great review. I am also going on her very soon and loved reading this. Reading other's takes on the pools made me also upgrade to the spa balcony. Plan on spending a lot of time there and will do the pool decks on port days.

 

You will enjoy the spa... I really did :) I only wish they did have an outside deck option as well.. but that would only make it better than it is :) Make sure to utilize the locker room as well.. there are additional towels and robes in there ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Askmelanie

Askmelanie

Posted
Posted

Great review! We are going on the Breakaway on March 22, from a Foxwoods Casino offer. We upgraded to the spa mini suite. Thanks for the packing tip, I forgot it will be colder for a few days on each end, have to bring more than sun dresses!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sugarval

sugarval

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Great review! We are going on the Breakaway on March 22, from a Foxwoods Casino offer. We upgraded to the spa mini suite. Thanks for the packing tip, I forgot it will be colder for a few days on each end, have to bring more than sun dresses!

 

The spa suites are GORGEOUS!! Enjoy!!!! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sugarval

sugarval

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Not the Canadian spring break. Maybe the province of Quebec, as you mentioned French Canadians. We don't all speak French. My kids don't have their March break until next week.

 

Yes.. it seemed that most of the guests were from Quebec and Montreal... We now have many new Canadian friends :) My FB has expanded! If only I had an ear for learning languages! I would love to speak french!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail on Sun Princess®
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...