Photo Review: H, a loyal CCL cruiser, tries Breakaway. Puppies! Babies! Applie Pie!

[djny1077]

Loving your review H! While I (impatiently) wait for the next installment of your trip on the Breakaway, I'll admit to creeping on your previous reviews, which are all highly entertaining. I'm anxiously awaiting to hear daddy's reaction when he realized his clothes were left to roam the streets of New York!

You certainly are the cutest little cruiser I've ever seen.

 

On a side note, you share a birthday with my little guy (although he is a year younger)! He's not quite as grown up as you so he's skipping my upcoming cruise. However, I look forward to the time he is mature enough to handle partying with mommy on a big boat in the deep blue sea!

[NJsharon]

I didn't, but dad did. Any of the frozen drinks work great. Dad's recommendations:

 

Strawberry daiquiri

Peach daiquiri

banana daiquiri

Pina Colada

Bushwacker (tastes like a chocolate milkshake)

Toasted Almond (tastes like a chocolate almond milkshake)

 

Enjoy!!! :D

 

Cool, thank you!!!

[nanagu]

Loving this review as we will be on the Breakaway in April with a big group and various ages(4-60)..Cant wait for the rest and to see what you all did in Nassau..

Edited March 18, 2016 by nanagu

[ProfCruise]

Let Her Eat CAKE

 

Mom was a bloodhound in a former life. Even now she can sniff out sugary baked goods from miles away (and we occasionally have to scold her for chewing up shoes). On our last sea day she picked up the scent of cake and followed it to the Cake Masters Contest in the atrium. Even though the contest was over, she felt entitled (you’d think she were a millennial if it weren’t for her gray hair, crater sized wrinkles, and lack of student loan debt) to a piece of the free black forest cake they were passing out, so she got in line. Mom snaked around the atrium for 10 minutes, occasionally stopping to sniff her butt, and when she finally got to the front of the line she did her best “sit,” closed her eyes, opened her mouth wide and…waited. And waited. And waited. Finally she slowly and tentatively cracked open one of her eyes to peak and, upon seeing an empty cake pan being carted away, let out a loud yelp (jeez, you’d think someone had stepped on her tail). Then she pressed her snout to the floor to devour a few remaining squished cherries and crumbs.

 

Before mom could even log onto Cruise Critic to complain about the “great cake famine,” she picked up the scent of black forest cake again along with something delightfully savory.

 

Let me pause for a moment to provide you with some additional background information to help you understand the rest of the story. This trip with the French Canadians was hardly the first time mom had tarnished the reputation of Americans. One occurrence took place 15 years ago at a quant little family restaurant in Germany when she tried Spätzle with cheese and onions for the first time. Six orders later (not an exaggeration) and the stereotype of Americans as over-consumptive and fat was born.

 

Now, fast-forward 15 years to the Breakaway. That delightfully savory scent was this:

 

 

So mom eagerly followed her nose to the Bavarian Food and Beer Fest at the Moderno (which, in the evenings, is a Brazilian pay restaurant) where a buffet of German food and desserts was available free of charge.

 

 

Mom loaded up her plate with Spätzle, but instead of going back for 5 more helpings, she didn’t eat a single bite. Why? Those brown bits that mom assumed were onions… BACON (yelp). Instead of bacon police, like on Carnival, it seems NCL has the opposite problem. At least mom finally had some black forest cake to comfort her.

 

 

In any case, if you’re not a vegetarian, definitely try the Bavarian Food and Beer Fest for lunch. It was a nice change and fun way to experience Moderno without having to pay (yeah, mom’s responsible for the “stingy” stereotype too). And if you’re a vegetarian? Eat lunch somewhere else first and then go for the CAKE!

[ProfCruise]

 

 

As I’ve mentioned, mom finds it morally objectionable to pay extra for food on a cruise, so she tried to forbade me from reviewing any pay options. But, as usual, I screamed and kicked and threatened to start using “grown up words I learned from you, mom!” at school and eventually got my way.

 

So, with that, let’s move on to NCL’s pay/specialty options, beginning with more cake at Carlo’s Bake Shop. Even mom’s not totally opposed to paying a little extra for a premium item on a cruise (like the $2.25 you pay on Carnival for a giant slice of delicious carrot cake that would cost $7 on land and that is far and above better than the included desserts). But to pay retail for a food item on top of what she’s already paid for food as part of her cruise fare? Not her thing. I, on the other hand, had no problem forking over $7 for a single serve cheesecake (before mom checked her account balance and cut off my charging privileges). But even I admit that I wouldn’t do it again (I appreciated “real” cheesecake and it was pretty good – but very small and not worth the cost).

 

 

Cheesecake, top middle.

[NJsharon]

Ooh they do look pretty good though & I love me some tiramisu!

[psupa]

I am loving your review and pics and your style of writing. We will be sailing on the Breakaway in January (first time on a ship this large) and appreciate the info on the free restaurants. We don't do specialty dining when there is plenty of food included. We are also in an inside cabin because we need to have an accessible for my husband who has a mobility issue and your pic of outside deck 8 with seating is nice to know.

 

Theresa

Edited March 20, 2016 by psupa

[Cruise-mom]

Mmmm! Those Carlo's Bake Shop cakes look delicious. I think I may have to try them all..

[Chesneygirl]

Love love love your review!!

So much fun to read!!:D

[ProfCruise]

Just getting around to posting because I had an important appointment this morning:

 

 

Now pardon the interruption, but mom insists on a word: This is H’s mom. Had we known the Easter Bunny would be at IKEA and that H would be making this photo available to the whole internet, we would have more strongly encouraged matching boots. #parentsoftheyear

 

H again. What? The weather forecast was a mix of rain and snow. You want to hear about a truly unfortunate clothing choice though? While dad’s dress clothes were enjoying the free continental breakfast at the Milburn Hotel, he was on the phone with reservations confirming that there wasn’t a dress code at Ocean Blue. There wasn’t. Still though, when everyone in the place is celebrating something and dressed to the nines and you walk in by yourself in a clean (dad wanted me to make sure you knew it was clean) undershirt and track pants that are 5 inches too short, don’t complain when they sit you at a card table in the galley.

 

So…Ocean Blue.

 

 

Prices are a la carte. Here's the menu:

 

 

 

 

To be continued (soon, I have no further appointments today)...

[ProfCruise]

Ocean Blue Continued

 

Here’s what dad ordered:

 

Bread

 

Appetizers

Calamari

 

Florida Stone Crab Claws

 

Entree

Lightly roasted sea scallops

 

To be continued...

[ProfCruise]

Ocean Blue Continued

 

Sides (sides were free and unlimited)

Tomato, onion, and blue cheese

 

Charred broccoli with red chili and olive oil

 

Asparagus with Hollandiase

 

Dessert

Banana Split (around $5)

 

Dad thought the food was good. He especially liked the broccoli, the stone crab claws, and the banana split. All together the meal cost about $50 and, although it was interesting to see how a ship galley operates, dad doesn’t think he’d dine at Ocean Blue again (just didn’t seem worth the extra cost – fun to try once though).

[ProfCruise]

The mood is somber at the H household tonight. The weekend's almost over, I’m fresh out of food pics (will you keep reading if I promise to warn you to shield your eyes before posting any beach shots of mom?), and mom just realized upon receiving an invitation to her 20 year (!?!?!?!) high school reunion that her trip to Europe was 20 years ago, not 15 (she’s struggling to even remember where she went to high school, but she can still taste that Spätzle). Sigh.

 

To conclude the food portion of the review, I’m going to provide some photos and the menus for the specialty/pay restaurants I didn’t get to try, because apparently a library card isn’t a valid form of payment on the Breakaway (don’t bring your Children’s Museum membership as backup – that didn’t work either).

 

Cagney's Steakhouse

 

Chef's Table

 

Moderno

[ProfCruise]

Teppanyaki

 

 

 

[ProfCruise]

Le Bistro

 

 

 

[ProfCruise]

La Cucina

 

 

[

 

 

That's all, folks. Next up, ship activities (I assure you that all evidence of mom singling karaoke has been destroyed).

[amydandrea]

Loving your review, I was on the same sailing, also 10th floor aft 10908 and had Ms Carol as my steward. Believe it or not, you and mommy sat down next to me at a slot machine one day, and I believe one of the casino people said no, and ruined your fun. But you are super cute, I had a great trip and it seems like you (all) had fun too!

[appletinine]

Missed you after you last CCL review, so glad you are back!

[Cruzinbabe06]

Loving your review!:p

[mitsugirly]

Oh my gosh, I'm loving this review!! Also the perspective of a 3 year old. How awesome. I'm now wondering why my young daughter (who started cruising when she was 3 also and is now 7) didn't do this. Maybe I have raised a lazy slum child and I should re-evaluate my parenting skills at this point. :D

 

I "normally" don't read reviews, unless they pertain to a ship I'm going to be on, but well, at this point...there's not many in NCL's fleet I haven't been on. What caught my eye was not the diaper changing babies I might encounter, or the hair shedding puppies that could be around and the thought of apple pie after getting off the Jade 2 weeks ago just disgusted me, but the fact that you said you were normally a Carnival cruiser trying out NCL. I was once in your shoes.

 

I normally cruise with NCL and tried Carnival for the first time in 2013 (the Dream) and loved it so much that we took another cruise last year on the Pride. This Friday I leave on the Breeze and can't wait. I'm telling ya, the snooty NCL cruisers don't know what they are missing...now I'm off to pack my Freddy stuffed animal, grab my Carnival "Cruizin" tee shirt and put my manners, politeness and grammar away for the week. (Just kidding of course. I have found nothing but similarities in the two lines and love them both now). :)

 

I'm hoping you have more for me to read soon...like as in before I leave on Friday for my Breeze cruise. :D

[aztekpm]

Another 'H' review, yay. My how you've grown, you're becoming quite the young man.

 

You're mother really did put the UBP to good use, didn't she ;) I enjoyed it on my NCL cruise last Sept. too, but, have to say she truly went for variety!

 

Hope your collarbone is feeling better!

[ProfCruise]

ENTERTAINMENT

I’d read wonderful things about NCL’s entertainment, but I have to say, it exceeded all expectations. Well see, here…

 

 

Any record producers out there? Hit me up (and block mom’s number unless you want to hear unsolicited off-key Debbie Gibson covers during dinner).

 

In this section I’ll be reviewing The Second City: All Ages Improv at Headliner’s, Burn the Floor, Rock of Ages, Big Hero 6 in 3D, and Broadway performer Carla Stickler.

 

The Second City: All Ages Improv at Headliner’s

 

 

I’m really into comedy right now – in fact, my mom calls me her little comedian. When mom asks me what I had for lunch, I say “THE POTTY!” and I sometimes pretend I’m pooping in dog dishes and decorative vases. So you can understand my high standards.

 

The Second City: All Ages Improv reminded me too much of the team building exercises they make you do at work retreats. Think of one word to describe yourself: “annoyed.” And then I intentionally dropped my partner during the “trust fall” exercise so I could drive him to the emergency room.

 

Anyway, the performers asked the audience questions and then they would incorporate their answers into different skits. If they asked me for a word to describe Second City, it would be: not funny. I know that’s two words, but I refuse to follow instructions when I’m being a bad sport. I left with my drink (a Rebellious Fish – fitting) after the first two sets. The win goes to Carnival here with their scripted comedians. But if you want to see some real comedy, check out mom trying to assemble IKEA furniture.

[NJsharon]

Thanks H!

 

Love reading your review, getting me excited about our cruise on the Breakaway on Sunday!

[Le Cruisester]

WOW, Awesome review H. One question, we are bringing my soon to be 2 year old on the Breakaway and are trying to figure out how to keep him clean at meal time, he gets food everywhere but on his bib.... I noticed you have a pretty neat looking cover up with sleeves and all when you eat. How do you like that get up and can you let me know where you got it? Thanks so much bud...

[ProfCruise]

WOW, Awesome review H. One question, we are bringing my soon to be 2 year old on the Breakaway and are trying to figure out how to keep him clean at meal time, he gets food everywhere but on his bib.... I noticed you have a pretty neat looking cover up with sleeves and all when you eat. How do you like that get up and can you let me know where you got it? Thanks so much bud...

 

My grandma came up with this idea (she's a genius and spoils me properly -- I'm not sure how she's related to mom). These are painting smocks (I had two I rotated through). Grandma purchased these particular ones at IKEA, but they are available lots of places (just Google "kids painting smock"). They fully cover your clothing and are easy to wash. I'm sure you'll find lots of other ways to make a mess though ;) Have fun!!! :D

Edited March 22, 2016 by ProfCruise