My Breakaway takeaway - sailed 4/17......

[Jerseygirl1416]

My husband and I just sailed the Breakaway and I thought I'd share my thoughts and experiences as I take so much information from this forum. First, we are both 50 and this was our first NCL cruise but not our first big ship experience.

 

I booked a year ago a B1 on deck 9. We got the UBP free with booking. Didn't have to pay gratuities and a small OBC. I booked the thermal spa for the two of us and bought the 3 UDP. I also prepaid the service charge to get the rate when I booked. I made revervations in advance for ROA, Burn the Floor and the specialty restaurant's.

 

We arrived at the pier parking lot at 9:30 but were in a line to park and probably didn't get parked until a little after 10:00. We went downstairs, checked our bags, went very quickly through security and right to a very short check in line. We were in boarding group 23. They began boarding groups 1&2 at 11:30 and we were called around 12:10. I wasn't completely sold on the Vibe pass but thought lets go see if it's still available and decide then. When went straight to guest services(walked didn't run!) and they had one cabana left and what looked like about 6 regular passes left. We decided to go for the cabana as the net cost was only $30 more for the two of us with the $100 OBC they give. The other passes were purchased by the time we reached the front of the line to pay. I'd say Vibe was sold out by 12:30.

 

Cabin-the balcony was huge and the cabin at first seemed smaller than usual but got used to it quickly. Typical bathroom but had the glass door instead of the curtain for the shower and that was nice. Our room steward was great and just a really nice guy! Only downfall was the Haven Aft suite next door seemed to be home to a big group that sounded at times like a frat house with foul mouthed guys. They were only annoying if you were out on the balcony at the same time they were.

 

Food- we ate at Ocean Blue, Modernos, Cagneys, Le Bistro and the Manhattan Dining room for dinner. The food was all good but nothing great. The creme brûlée at Le Bistro was probably the best thing I ate. The Carnival steak house blows Cagneys out of the water with RC's second. My filet seemed like it was precooked. Service was great at all the restaurants. We had breakfast and lunches at Osheehans, the main buffet and Savor or Taste. Again the food was fine but again nothing great. I didn't like the cafeteria design of the buffet. I prefer the small island designed buffets. I think the cafeteria style makes it seem more crowded. Didn't have a problem getting a table and breakfast in the dining rooms was very relaxing.

 

Shows-we only saw ROA and it was ok. Probably would've enjoyed it more if it was 45 minutes shorter. The theater is not very attractive and the uncomfortable seats are not a myth. It was probably the most plain, small theater I've ever seen on a ship. We watched some of the stuff going on in the atrium from the bar area in OSheehans and that was usually a good time!

 

UBP- never had a problem getting served quickly and most drinks were well made. Tried a few new ones and felt like I drank less with the free UBP than when I have paid for beverage packages in the past. Again service was always pleasant and efficient.

 

Spa- very nice and relaxing and we spent probably an hour a day there and had no problems getting chairs or using the facilities.

 

Gym- very crowded the first sea day and there is a 30 minute limit on cardio equipment. By 8:00am there was a wait for equipment. Each day it got less crowded and never saw a wait for cardio equipment again. I was usually there by 7:00am-7:30. Signed up for 4 spin classes and really liked them. They provide the spin shoes that clip in.

 

The casino was never really smokey but always smelled like a dirty ashtray. Maybe they should take the carpet out and use some hard flooring surface. It did seem like there were a lot more smoking areas on this ship. I don't smoke but it doesn't really bother me unless I'm sitting right next to someone smoking. I also don't want to eat in a place that smells like a dirty ashtray.

 

The pool area and the sun decks are just awful. It was really crowded. The pool area is too small and doesn't even seem like it's in the sun as there is so much stuffed into the small area. I didn't even like to walk through it. Spice H2O looks bigger in pictures and is just a weirdly set up area for daytime with chairs all sandwiched in to focus on a big screen that looks too big for the area. I walked through but wouldn't find it a relaxing place to sit. As for getting a lounger, after the first sea day it can be done but you have to crawl up them and sit 2 inches from the person next to you. They seemed to pack chairs in next to each other on all the decks including outside of Vibe.

 

Vibe-was our saving grace for daytime lounging and everyone in there seemed to agree. We had great servers and there were people in there but the chairs weren't packed in like sardines like the rest of the decks. The cabanas on either side of ours were hardly used which seemed like a waste but to each his own.

 

Overall I think the design of the Breakaway is a fail. Nothing on this ship felt grand and you never got a sense of her size. The Waterfront is a great concept but I think they could've done more with it and they allow smoking in too many areas here.

 

We had a very nice relaxing time, the food was good but nothing outstanding, the drinks were good and the service great but I wouldn't sail this ship again. I love the big ships but not this ship design.

 

Any questions?

[Jerseygirl1416]

I forgot to mention disembarkation. We were under the Verrenzano bridge by 6:00am so we went down to 7 aft and got in the self embarkation line at 6:30am. We were about the 8th group in line. Around 7:40 they let us off and somehow we were they very first people to customs. Not sure where everyone else went because we were held up at the door because the person in front of us was trying to leave with a balance due. We live an hour from the pier and were in our house by 8:50am. The process was painless.

 

I also forgot to mention that we had absolutely beautiful weather except for the last sea day and the first night was the only rough seas we experienced.

Edited April 26, 2016 by Jerseygirl1416

[djmcwilliams106]

Nice review. We sail on 5/29 and I have mixed feelings in what to expect. But hey if nothing more we will be on vacation on a cruise. We hoping do a haven upsell to a spa suite but will get spa passes and vibe cabana if we don't. Thanks again

[Clarea]

Appreciate the feedback.

[Keith1010]

Thank you for your review.

 

Keith

[ksmcdonald]

Thanks for the review. We will be on the ship early June.

 

One question I have is do they have anything that resembles the "Sea Day Brunch" that Carnival has? We really enjoyed those brunches!

 

Also, what did you do in the port(s)? Was it the Berumda cruise you were on?

[Jerseygirl1416]

Thanks for the review. We will be on the ship early June.

 

One question I have is do they have anything that resembles the "Sea Day Brunch" that Carnival has? We really enjoyed those brunches!

 

Also, what did you do in the port(s)? Was it the Berumda cruise you were on?

 

No "Sea Day Brunch" but they do offer lunch in either Taste or Savor on sea days as well as a themed buffet in Moderno's on sea days. When my spin classes were at 9:00 I would usually miss the dining room and buffet breakfast times so we would go to O'Sheehans for a later breakfast. I believe they served breakfast until 11:00. It's pretty much the same stuff as the dining room and the buffet only a more limited menu but I do love a brunch too!

 

We were on the Florida/Bahamas itinerary and really didn't do anything special at the ports. We didn't get off the ship at either Port Canaveral or the private island. In Nassau we did some shopping and went to Senor Frogs for lunch. The shopping in Nassau was very pleasant if you stay out of the straw markets. The locals were very friendly and not at all pushy.

 

Have a great cruise!

[ksmcdonald]

No "Sea Day Brunch" but they do offer lunch in either Taste or Savor on sea days as well as a themed buffet in Moderno's on sea days. When my spin classes were at 9:00 I would usually miss the dining room and buffet breakfast times so we would go to O'Sheehans for a later breakfast. I believe they served breakfast until 11:00. It's pretty much the same stuff as the dining room and the buffet only a more limited menu but I do love a brunch too!

 

We were on the Florida/Bahamas itinerary and really didn't do anything special at the ports. We didn't get off the ship at either Port Canaveral or the private island. In Nassau we did some shopping and went to Senor Frogs for lunch. The shopping in Nassau was very pleasant if you stay out of the straw markets. The locals were very friendly and not at all pushy.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

 

Thanks for the input on sea days brunch options.

[Linda the Book Lover]

Did you ever use the cabana? I know there is an answer on another thread but would you please tell me the price for Vibe. Thanks!

[Jerseygirl1416]

Did you ever use the cabana? I know there is an answer on another thread but would you please tell me the price for Vibe. Thanks!

 

We used the cabana every single day for hours! Loved it. My husband figured out how to lower and put back the shade cover so we could control the sun we got to an extent. The cost of the cabana is $329.00 and they give you $100 OBC. The cabana price is good for two people. The regular Vibe pass is $99.00 per person.

[treasurespast]

Would you please explain more about the Vibe? I don't know a think about it. Thanks.

[Jerseygirl1416]

Would you please explain more about the Vibe? I don't know a think about it. Thanks.

 

It's a private sun deck area which they sell about 66 individual passes and 5 cabana passes that hold two people in each. They are sold at guest services on the BA on a first come basis. You are given a key card to open the door to the Vibe area which is forward on deck 17. The area has cushioned loungers, chairs and tables with unbrellas. There is a bar, bathrooms, a shower and two hot tubs. It was well utilized on our sailing but was still very peaceful.

[Viva_la_Vida]

Can you use pre-existing OBC to purchase vibe or cabana passes?

[Jerseygirl1416]

Can you use pre-existing OBC to purchase vibe or cabana passes?

 

The charge for Vibe is posted to your on board account. If your OBC is credited to your on board account then yes.

[Linda the Book Lover]

We used the cabana every single day for hours! Loved it. My husband figured out how to lower and put back the shade cover so we could control the sun we got to an extent. The cost of the cabana is $329.00 and they give you $100 OBC. The cabana price is good for two people. The regular Vibe pass is $99.00 per person.

 

Thanks a bunch it sounds like a good deal.One more question; are the cabanas assigned?

Edited April 28, 2016 by Linda the Book Lover

[Jerseygirl1416]

Thanks a bunch it sounds like a good deal.One more question; are the cabanas assigned?

 

Yes with cabana #1 closest to the hot tubs and #5 next to the wall dividing Haven sun deck and Vibe. We had #4 and had no issues.

[emmak8]

Thank you for sharing.