May 26- June 2 Breakaway review

[andymattmom]

Sitting in Miami airport back in real world! We are a family of 4-  sons 23 and 22, hubby and myself. We are first time Breakaway passengers but second NCL Cruise (first Escape 2 years ago Aft Haven). We sailed Haven this time Spa Suite.

 

We arrived in Miami Saturday and stayed at Hampton Inn Mary Brickell- wonderful hotel once again. Our regular Uber driver picked us up Sunday morning- from pickup time to being in Haven with welcome drink was 1 hour. He picked is up a little after 10AM. 

 

Haven had sliders and Margaritaville open for no charge to Haven guests. Cabins ready 1:30ish. We had cabins 14732 and 14728- I was concerned about 14732 being partially under spa but both cabins quiet and well maintained. We had 2 different cabin stewards - our sons was fantastic- hardly saw ours but he did good job. Location was great - Spa was huge perk. Used daily and no issues getting chairs there (either heated or regular). Staff there very nice except one who was rude at times (at desk).

 

Haven- fantastic! Roy was concierge and was great. Rodrigo and Romeo were bartenders and made fantastic drinks (Ian recipes) daily. Wonderful group of regulars at bar! Rogelio was pool deck attendant- after one time he knew our names and always had a smile. No issues getting loungers on sundeck in Haven and nobody saved chairs. Pool area was quiet even though several kids there. Haven restaurant was hit or miss- Kyrie was a great waitress. First night dinner took over 2 hours- lunches could take well over an hour. Breakfast was the same either fast or really slow. Food hit or miss- French dip was cold on two occasions. Other times food fantastic. Overall haven fantastic and well worth it- everybody passengers and staff were great (maybe a couple who felt super entitled but met many wonderful people)

 

Shows- Burn the Floor was enjoyable. Very impressive dancing (we went to second show the first time offered). 

 

Rock of Ages- fantastic! It is 1.5 hours long and as some mention not appropriate for young kids or if very conservative (costumes are revealing) but we weren’t offended and enjoyed.

 

Magician and comedians - funny and cheesy but good.

 

Pool deck- ventured out to use slides on main deck. Chair hogs galore there- families with loungers for kids who never sat in. Slides were fun (hubby and sons did drop slides and I just did the blue one). Was shocked to see a child no more than 4-4.5 barely tall enough going down slide for over 30 minutes with no adults with him! He did yell at mom and Mamaw when on top. Surprised NCL allowed but sad thing is he cut in line all the time- I told him he had to wait (like other kids he was cutting in front of). Scared him and he didn’t cut in front again. Pool was crowded!

 

Specialty dining- first try was Cagney’s. It was horrible - my filet was cold so I sent back (hubby and sons were good and they ate). 15 minutes later my medium well filet arrives and it was medium rare - gave up and had dessert. Manager didn’t use our dining perk for that so we went to La Cucina. 

 

Teppinayki- had 945 reservation. Mediocre at best. Food very salty and since last group “performance “ wasn’t best. 

 

LaCucina- fantastic! Food and service great so cancelled Moderno ( heard several times how bad it was)  and ate at La Cucina again.

 

OShehans- good

 

Buffet- just got ice cream and late lunch. Nothing special and hated atmosphere 

 

Overall ports ok. Did western Caribbean and prefer Eastern. I will post warning review about Roatán under ports of call. Only ship excursion was paddle boarding in Harvest Caye.

 

We had a great time. Breakaway was hit or miss- many wonderful things but several misses. I understand the mixed reviews. I am happy to answer questions

 

Think the main thing is treat the crew with respect and they will go out of their way for you. Saw people yelling and crew and treating horribly. They work so long and hard - 

 

 

 

 

[drvmywifecrzy]

nice review....did you review all the ports?

[C cruise]

thanks for the review - have a cruise booked for later this year

[AmyJA]

Thanks for the review.  We are about 100 days out.

 

And we will be skipping Cagney's.

[andymattmom]

1 hour ago, drvmywifecrzy said:

nice review....did you review all the ports?

I had planned on doing the ruins or something more “fun” but I was in a walking boot as I have a partial Achilles’ tendon tear (surgery tomorrow). 

 

 

Roatan- did Victor Bodden private tour independently. I posted lengthy review in Caribbean port thread. Do not recommend.

 

Harvest Caye- we just used OBC and paddle boarded. Stayed on beach- relaxing day. ( I sat on paddle board). Hubby and sons enjoyed. 

 

Costa Maya- just got off ship and shopped (will say Cozumel much cheaper!).

 

Cozumel- shopped and ate at Cafe Denis on recommendation of Rodrigo (Haven bartender who we saw there). 

 

We we enjoyed the ports but prefer Eastern Caribbean. Sorry not to exciting reviews on ports! 

[K&M2009]

Not sure which is more sad - that you told off a 4 year old or that you bragged about it on a message board. Not sure how that has anything to do with a review of a cruise either. 

 

Also, are you petulant toward the workers at Cagneys or do “they work so hard”? Because it’s hard to take you seriously when you try to act empathetic towards the workers, but in the same review act like a baby over your steak.  

 

Hope your 22 and 23 year olds had fun though! Family of 4 coming through! I hope they didn’t cut in line. 

Edited June 9, 2019 by K&M2009

[perditax]

23 minutes ago, K&M2009 said:

Not sure which is more sad - that you told off a 4 year old or that you bragged about it on a message board. Not sure how that has anything to do with a review of a cruise either. 

 

Also, are you petulant toward the workers at Cagneys or do “they work so hard”? Because it’s hard to take you seriously when you try to act empathetic towards the workers, but in the same review act like a baby over your steak.  

 

Hope your 22 and 23 year olds had fun though! Family of 4 coming through! I hope they didn’t cut in line. 

 

Interesting that your first post in years was to attack this poster. I guess it was your kid cutting in line? 😉

[andymattmom]

10 hours ago, K&M2009 said:

Not sure which is more sad - that you told off a 4 year old or that you bragged about it on a message board. Not sure how that has anything to do with a review of a cruise either. 

 

Also, are you petulant toward the workers at Cagneys or do “they work so hard”? Because it’s hard to take you seriously when you try to act empathetic towards the workers, but in the same review act like a baby over your steak.  

 

Hope your 22 and 23 year olds had fun though! Family of 4 coming through! I hope they didn’t cut in line. 

I posted about the 4 year old because obviously the parents don’t care what their unsupervised child did. Seeing him cut in front of others over and over (yes cutting in front of kids). I said something and don’t feel bad. He needs to learn. Agree with PP that maybe it was your kid! Not fair to anyone for this child to do. My kids always learned to wait their turn thank you for asking! Never an issue- when they were young. 

 

Why should I eat a cold steak-? The first one was cold. Second one to be medium well and was medium rare- I expect it to be cooked properly. Everyone else in my party was. I didn’t act like a baby- just sent back and said no thank you to third one. If you want to eat undercooked or cold food that is on you. I don’t need to nor should I have to. 

 

I don’t understand pulling up a weeks old post with no replies to attack me. Maybe you if you don’t like my Breakaway review Carnival might be a better for you. 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 9, 2019 by andymattmom

[Georgia_Peaches]

11 hours ago, K&M2009 said:

Not sure which is more sad - that you told off a 4 year old or that you bragged about it on a message board. Not sure how that has anything to do with a review of a cruise either. 

 

Also, are you petulant toward the workers at Cagneys or do “they work so hard”? Because it’s hard to take you seriously when you try to act empathetic towards the workers, but in the same review act like a baby over your steak.  

 

Hope your 22 and 23 year olds had fun though! Family of 4 coming through! I hope they didn’t cut in line. 

Wow.  Just Wow.

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 6/2/2019 at 11:32 AM, andymattmom said:

 

 

Haven had sliders and Margaritaville open for no charge to Haven guests.

Thank you for the review.  My mom and I are taking our annual cruise together and will be on Breakaway in two weeks.  She doesn't know it yet, but I upgraded us to an H7.  I love the Haven and wanted her to experience it too.  My question is about Margaritaville on embarkation day.  DH and I were on Breakaway back in November in an H5 and Margaritaville was not offered as complimentary for Haven guests at that time.  We were told that complimentary embarkation day lunch in Margaritaville was no longer a perk for Haven guests.  Have they reversed this?  It would be nice to have lunch there on embarkation day but I'm not going to pay extra for it since we can get that any time at home.  Again, thank you!

[andymattmom]

7 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Thank you for the review.  My mom and I are taking our annual cruise together and will be on Breakaway in two weeks.  She doesn't know it yet, but I upgraded us to an H7.  I love the Haven and wanted her to experience it too.  My question is about Margaritaville on embarkation day.  DH and I were on Breakaway back in November in an H5 and Margaritaville was not offered as complimentary for Haven guests at that time.  We were told that complimentary embarkation day lunch in Margaritaville was no longer a perk for Haven guests.  Have they reversed this?  It would be nice to have lunch there on embarkation day but I'm not going to pay extra for it since we can get that any time at home.  Again, thank you!

From what I read here prior to our cruise Margaritaville is sometimes open on embarkation day. For our cruise once in the Haven lounge they stated Margaritaville was open. Hopefully it will be open for you! Enjoy the cruise and know your mom will be thrilled in Haven!