Why oh why didn't we sail HAL?

[ldlewis45]

My daughter said you didn't even know you were on the water.

 

See, I just don't understand how that was possible on the Breakaway. The NCL Epic, sure, since it doesn't have a wrap-around deck with great water views (it does, of course, have decks with water views, but they're all very high decks). The Breakaway, though, has the Waterfront, which is an open deck on one of the lower decks that goes most of the way down the ship on both sides and wraps around the stern.

[Seago2]

See, I just don't understand how that was possible on the Breakaway. The NCL Epic, sure, since it doesn't have a wrap-around deck with great water views (it does, of course, have decks with water views, but they're all very high decks). The Breakaway, though, has the Waterfront, which is an open deck on one of the lower decks that goes most of the way down the ship on both sides and wraps around the stern.

 

The only thing that made the Waterfront marginally better than most other promenade decks out there is that there is *some* seating. So yes, if you were on 8 and outside you would feel like you were on a ship. It's not a full promenade deck, so you can't walk laps without going inside, but it is very nice. However, when you add in the huge amount of lifeboat raft canisters, the seating for the restaurants, and the fact that the seats were occupied most of the time it still seemed full. I was talking about the top deck areas, though. The plexiglass and amount of deck space taken up by walls, stairs, mini golf, basketball, ropes, slide bottoms, Haven, etc etc etc and the fact that you were up so high peeking out of a slit of plexiglass, barely feeling the motion, made it seem like I was not at sea.

[ldlewis45]

The only thing that made the Waterfront marginally better than most other promenade decks out there is that there is *some* seating. So yes, if you were on 8 and outside you would feel like you were on a ship. It's not a full promenade deck, so you can't walk laps without going inside, but it is very nice. However, when you add in the huge amount of lifeboat raft canisters, the seating for the restaurants, and the fact that the seats were occupied most of the time it still seemed full. I was talking about the top deck areas, though. The plexiglass and amount of deck space taken up by walls, stairs, mini golf, basketball, ropes, slide bottoms, Haven, etc etc etc and the fact that you were up so high peeking out of a slit of plexiglass, barely feeling the motion, made it seem like I was not at sea.

On my trip, the only time the Waterfront seating was in use was when the restaurants were open for dinner. In fact, I sat out there many times during the day and was the only person seated. I also saw quite a few people walking laps, since the one small indoor section had the in/out doors directly across from each other.

 

I don't have a problem with people saying it's too large for them, or too young of a demographic, or they don't like all the extra activities like slides, climbing walls, etc. Different strokes for different folks, every ship is not going to appease the tastes of every single passenger. I don't usually partake in all of the extra activities, but I like knowing that they're there if I wish to use them. I understand that you were using a little literary leeway, I guess, but I think "not at sea" is a huge overstatement. It's a giant ocean liner in the middle of the ocean and you can watch the ocean from somewhere on every public deck. I'm not sure how much more at sea one could get, even if you do have to look through some clear plastic when on the upper decks (which, I admit was one of my least favorite aspects of the Breakway, in addition to the drifting casino smoke in the 678 area of the Atrium).

[denatravels]

My first cruise was on Breakaway. Here is why I will likely sail it again: it leaves from NYC in the winter and I don't need to mess with flights. Period. Is it my favorite? No-- but having flown in February several times over the holiday week, I don't have any interest to do it again.

[3rdGenCunarder]

My first cruise was on Breakaway. Here is why I will likely sail it again: it leaves from NYC in the winter and I don't need to mess with flights. Period. Is it my favorite? No-- but having flown in February several times over the holiday week, I don't have any interest to do it again.

 

I wish there was a ship I'd like sailing from NYC in the winter because I hate the risk of flight cancellation due to storms. Last winter it seemed like the northeast had snow every 3 or 4 days. We take the train to Florida and then have a wider choice of cruises. The bedrooms are expensive, but we look at it as a "land cruise" before and after our sea cruise.

[denatravels]

I wish there was a ship I'd like sailing from NYC in the winter because I hate the risk of flight cancellation due to storms. Last winter it seemed like the northeast had snow every 3 or 4 days. We take the train to Florida and then have a wider choice of cruises. The bedrooms are expensive, but we look at it as a "land cruise" before and after our sea cruise.

 

 

I'm trying Anthem this February and I'm very excited and hopeful!