Breakaway 9/26 - 10/3 Full Review

[megaphone84]

NCL Breakaway from NYC to Bermuda 9/26-10/3 Review

 

We went on the first sailing out of NYC on Breakaway and in many ways, it exceeded our expectations but it’s obvious that they are still working out some of the kinks. We booked largely because of the reduced capacity and we figured it would be one of the only child free sailings ever. 

 

Day 1: Embarkation

 

We arrived at the pier at 9:30am. Checked our luggage with the porters who asked for our Bermuda Travel Authorization and then we were told to head to the adjacent pier for testing. No less than 5 different people this morning would ask to see the Bermuda TA bar code.

 

Upon entering the terminal NCL employees greeted us with “Welcome Home” and it was enough to make me tear up a little bit. They all looked so excited to be back to work and the joy was infectious! We waited in line for about 15 minutes before proceeding to testing which was all straight forward and easy. 

 

It took about 45 minutes for results and the text from Eurofins came through well before our numbers were called. The NCL employees told us to watch the screens in the seating area but they were blank. Sometime after we had been sitting there for a while someone was coming around to plug them in which seems to have improved the system. After receiving our results, we checked in which was fast and smooth. We were on board by 12 noon. 

 

First stop was the buffet as we had not eaten breakfast and while the options were limited the quality is what we have come to expect from NCL over the last 4 cruises. After getting a bite to eat we explored the ship and found everything to be exceptionally clean and the staff could not be more cheerful and welcoming. Having watched the muster drill video all we had to do was report to our station and get our cards scanned. This is a wonderful improvement over sitting in a crowed bowling alley being told how to put on a life jacket. 

 

At 4pm we attended a Sail away party hosted by Mona @Mongre16  and it was lovely to meet so many people from our very active roll call and social media group. 

 

We did dinner at Cagney’s the first night and it was evident that both the waitstaff and the kitchen were a little out of practice but we still enjoyed it and we were both just so happy to be on the ship! I had been really looking forward to the Porterhouse but I had forgotten how massive the portions are and I was only able to finish about half of it. I feel guilty about the waste but the ample food and drink is one of the things we love about cruising. 

 

Our sail away party didn’t end up having any sail away as due to issues at the Pier the ship did not leave until 9:30pm. We were told later by people to attended a meeting with the officers that over 300 people did not have the Bermuda Travel Authorization and required testing which caused the 5.5-hour delay. The officers also said the total passenger count was 1850 people and I can honestly say the lack of crowding has changed the way I want to cruise forever. It was heaven. The whole week there was rarely a wait for anything, always a seat to be found, always easy to order a drink and just a complete general lack of congestion! It was almost impossible to imagine twice as many people aboard as we so easily got accustomed to the ease and quality offered by the less crowded ship. 

 

Day 2: Sea Day

 

Buffet Breakfast was plentiful and of great quality. All of the standards we expected to be on the buffet were present including lox! 

 

At 10:30 we went to the Cruise Critic meet and greet hosted by Charlie @silverc243 which was well attended and very fun. Got to talk to a lot of great people and hear some of the NCL department heads speak. At the Meet and Greet we met the infamous Jamie @JamieLogical and her wonderful husband. We got along immediately and decided to grab a drink after the session in the atrium bar. Conversation flowed so well over a few Rebellious Fish (my new favorite) and some other tasty drinks that we made plans to meet for dinner that evening. 

 

In the afternoon we went to the thermal spa (booked online in advance for $199 but I did hear that people who upgraded from Balcony to Spa Balcony were able to do this for bids of $175 which means we could have saved a few bucks) and it was spotlessly clean and not crowded at all. 

 

For dinner we went to Teppanyaki and Jamie insisted that we have order a drink called a Wasabi. I’m pleased to report that it does not contain any actual wasabi and is absolutely delicious! The four of us enjoyed a very lively chat and while we normally go to this venue for the show the chef did a wonderful job of reading the room and gave us a paired back show so we could focus on our conversation. The food was great as always though drink service was a bit slower than we expected. 

 

After dinner we went to Syd Normans and were ambushed by the Rock the Pour House Musical and I can’t speak highly enough of the show they put on. Absolutely first-class entertainment. I thought it was good enough to be a main stage production but found the intimate venue to be absolutely perfect. The show drew a decent crowd but we were able to get a booth for 4 and really, really enjoyed ourselves! We're so glad we saw it that night as there was a line out the door with a 45 min wait for the showings later in the week once word got out. If you like 70's and 80's classic rock the show will blow you away. 

 

Day 3: Sea Day 

 

We tried to mix it up by going to MDR for breakfast but due to the time change and a great night’s sleep we got there just as it was closing so the buffet was our next stop. The morning was spent reading in the most comfortable chairs on board (Deck 8, waterfront, starboard) but we made sure to make it to the lido deck before 1:30 as we very much wanted to cheer on Charlie for Mr. Sexy Legs! At the pool we ordered drinks and found Mona; we cheered loudly and made sure to give everyone good scores, but cheered for Charlie the loudest! The competition was a blast and while our favorite did not win, we will definitely make sure to catch this activity on future sailings as it was much more fun that expected. 

 

The afternoon was spent napping and lounging in the spa which was again not crowded at all and offered such a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere. 

 

For dinner we went to Taste and it was great. Honestly, the strip steak there was better than the porterhouse I had ordered at Cagney’s the night before. 

 

We caught the 7:30 showing of Six and while I’m a fan of the show I think the cast will benefit from more rehearsal and having a chance to grow into it. It was probably the weakest main stage show I’ve seen on NCL but maybe I’m just picky as I worked in professional NYC theatre and obviously this cast had minimal time after a massive amount of time off to mount such a vocally challenging show. I thought the costumes, sets, lighting and band were fantastic. I heard from many people that they loved the show and they even went to see it more than once! 

 

After the show we met up with Jamie and her husband to check out the dueling piano show Howl at the Moon at Headliners which was really fun. The crowd was into it and the performers were so talented. My husband requested a song they didn't know (Rock you like a Hurricane by Scorpions) and one of the performers even took a little break while the others sang so he could learn it! 

 

We ended the night at Garden Café for late night snack which had limited options and the cardboard pizza we have all come to expect but after a night of drinking and singing it was exactly what was needed.  

 

Day 4: Bermuda

 

Garden Café breakfast as always. Consistent and satisfying. I don’t know why but local authorities didn’t allow us to disembark as expected and we had to wait a few hours to leave the ship. We have never been to Bermuda and were not able to secure a rental car so we headed to the tourist info booth to try to get information about how to get around as we knew the busses were on strike. The ferry was running so we waited about an hour and headed for Hamilton. In Hamilton we went to check out a few stores as my husband is searching for a watch that’s been hard to find and we thought maybe with decreased tourism it might be found in Bermuda and while we had no luck on the watch, we did meet some really lovely shopkeepers and we had great conversations with them. One salesperson offered a lunch recommendation that was a few blocks away so we decided to check that out. 

 

Now, I have never been to Bermuda and I was told it was expensive but silly me didn’t think it would be that bad. I live in NYC and travel to LA and SF for work, we have been to many European capitals and thought we knew what we were in for. We were wrong! I’m sure there are cheaper meals to be found in Hamilton but in a small café on a sleepy side street we paid $9.75 for an iced coffee and $29.00 each for grilled chicken sandwiches. The food was really good but I was blown away by the cost. In general, we found Hamilton charming but I have to imagine it has a lot more to offer when things are really up and running. We discovered that busses had started service again and that while the pink public busses were down mini bus transportation was fully functional though we decided to play it safe and head back to the ship for a nap. 

 

Before dinner I went to Syd Normans outside bar where Erick and Mem are the bartenders. We thought they were the best on the ship! I had a few glasses of wine and then we went to the Raw Bar for Oysters. We tried to get in to Ocean Blue for dinner but they didn’t have any openings so we settled on Savor for dinner. 

 

After dinner we met up with Jamie and her husband at Shakers and were introduced to his favorite drink the Aviation. Having maybe had a little too much wine I headed to bed and the three amigos stayed up drinking and chatting followed by late night snack in the garden café.  

 

Day 5: Bermuda 

 

Garden Café for an easy breakfast before meeting up with our excursion group for the Transfer to Horseshoe Bay. DO NOT book this excursion. There is a $7 minibus that will take you there so don’t make my mistake!  I also forgot that shore excursion credits are per day and not per person so I thought it would be cheaper than it was. Lesson learned! It is requested that you wear your mask on the transfers but Im disappointed that not everyone complied. I realize as a cruise only bus these are the same folks we were unmasked with for the week but I felt it was respectful to the driver to follow the rules Bermuda had in place. 

 

Horseshoe Beach was stunning. Truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. When we arrived, we were among the first people to get there but over the next few hours the crowd did fill out and I think if we go to Bermuda again, we will find a way to discover a less popular location. 

 

We had two excursions booked this day and had about an hour to get changed, grab a bite and get to the next meeting spot. We took the Zara Luxury Catamaran Snorkel Tour and I highly recommend it. We met up with some new friends Melanie and Shayna on board and had a lovely time. The boat is spectacular and the crew was wonderful. The water around the reef was a little cloudy so there wasn’t too much to be seen but it was really fun none the less and I’d happily do it again. 

 

The night before we had tried to go to Ocean Blue for dinner but had not been able to get in, but we lucked out that the hostess called us later that night and said she had a cancelation for the next day and had secured us a 7pm slot. This is just one of many examples of really above and beyond service we received on this cruise.

 

After a great day in the water, we decided to pay out of pocket for Ocean Blue for dinner as we had used already used our dining credits. In hindsight we should have paid for Teppanyaki and used the credit for Ocean Blue. Dinner was fine, but not as good or as fresh as we had hoped for and for $150 all-in, I’m not sure I’d do it again ala cart.  

 

After dinner we went to grab some soft serve at Garden Café and made our way up to the ropes course where we were meeting Jamie and her parents. Now, Jamie’s dad is 79 years old and quite possibly one of the cutest people I’ve ever met and he was planning to do the ropes course! I stayed on the ground with her Mom, and we cheered on the bravest among us as they adventured onto the course. My husband reported back that it was utterly terrifying but Jamie and her Dad seem to have taken it in stride. 
 
As we were already on an upper floor, we went to visit Adem who is the bartender at Spice H20 and he made us some mystery drinks. One was gross and one was amazing- if you find yourself up there ask him to make his secret green drink which we think is maybe a Midori sour but with pina colada mix! 

 

Our plan for the later evening was to catch the Fleetwood Mac Rumors show at Syd Normans. On our way we stopped at MIXX where Jamie insists the best Mr. Worldwide is made. By the time we got to Syd Normans the seats were packed but we found outdoor waterfront seating where we could see into the bar and hear it over the outdoor speakers. The show was the same cast from the Rock and Roll review we saw earlier in the week and it was just amazing. I’d happily pay to see this exact same show in NYC.  

 

Day 6: Surprise Sea Day

 

Due to Hurricane Sam our last day in Bermuda was canceled and we left port around 7am to head back to NYC and get ahead of the weather. I don’t enjoy a super rough ride so I was totally happy that the captain made the call for safety. 

 

We had our usual Garden Café for breakfast and decided to take it easy for the day. We spent some time in the spa and some time reading before meeting up with the Cruise Critic pub crawl lead by Charlie.  The Pub Crawl/ Poker Run was fantastic! We made our way to 5 different bars starting at Spice H20 and ending at O’Shehans. The winner of the Poker Run took home around $150 and the rest of us enjoyed some fabulous shots that Charlie had arranged along the way the highlight of which for me was a Pistachio Martini at Shakers. Its not on the menu but I highly recommend ordering one when you are there!  

 

We decided on an easy dinner at the buffet and it was unremarkable but satisfying. I went back to the cabin and found a movie on tv while my husband met up with Jamie and her husband to play cards. 

 

Day 7: Final Sea Day

 

Again, we had our normal buffet breakfast. We really did intend to try out different venues for each meal but we got into a comfortable pattern and didn’t deviate.

 

The rest of the morning was spent in the thermal spa which was once again not at all crowded, very clean and peaceful. At some point on the voyage that had also put on terrycloth chair covers which were getting frequently washed and made the environment feel even safer.

 

We had lunch at O’Shehans and it was not without hiccups. Slow service, forgotten food and inconsistent quality but we were sitting over-looking the atrium and there was some amusing trivia being played so we didn’t mind so much. 

 

After lunch I went to the shops and having priced out a few items I bought some cosmetics that I knew would offer a little savings vs the price on land and my husband bought a few bottles of whiskey. He had looked up the prices and found for example Johnny Walker Blue is cheaper than on land but is an unusual bottle size. Wanting to make the most out of our last day on the ship my next stop was my favorite bar at Syd Normans Waterfront to join Erick and Mem. They really are lovely guys and offer wonderful conversation and great service. Every time I went there either alone or with others it was a very friendly environment to make new friends or even just read your book over a glass of wine. 

 

Dinner was at The Manhattan Room where the service was great and the food was exactly what we expected; nothing remarkable but overall, still pretty good. There was a classical guitarist playing that night and he was fantastic. 

 

We met up with Jamie and her husband at Syd Normans for karaoke and had a blast. Sadly, it ended pretty early so we kept the party going over at Headliners with Howl at the Moon. Having missed my final song at Karaoke the band asked me to come up and sing with them- well, turns out karaoke is a lot easier with the words in front of you and I bombed. Horribly. My apologies to anyone who witnessed this disaster and while I was thoroughly embarrassed “drunk woman on cruise ship sings badly” probably isn’t going to be an exciting enough story to alert the media. 

 

Day 8: Disembarkation 

 

We met up with our new best friends Jamie and her husband for breakfast and to say our goodbyes. I can’t speak highly enough of them as people but also to the idea that making friends is the best part of cruising and finding people you really, really like can really make an already wonderful vacation absolutely spectacular! We're already talking about potentially joining them on their next booked itinerary in January of 2022 as it was so fun to have people to meet up with in the evenings and we all have so many shared interests beyond cruising and so much in common! They are currently on the second portion of their b2b sailing and Im hoping we can kidnap them for breakfast on Sunday before they go back upstate. 

 

We decided to self-carry our luggage and getting off the ship was simple and easy. There wasn’t even a stop for customs just a facial recognition scan. The taxi stand was a little backed up so we walked an extra block to call an Uber and we were home in 30 minutes. 

 

Final thoughts:

 

-    If you can ever cruise on a ship that is half full and has no children do whatever it takes to get on that sailing. 
-    Covid is real and still very much a problem but I felt NCL did a great job of mitigating those risks. There were still cases on board I am told but I don’t know any details with any solid sources so I’ll wait on someone else to report on that. 
-    The Bermuda Travel Authorization is such a PITA but our roll call and social media page were lifesavers and I think ultimately it brought us all closer together. 
-    The best bar on the ship is Syd Normans on the Waterfront where Erick and Mem will take great care of you! 
-    Get the spa package. 
 

[seemoreroyals]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences on your recent Breakaway cruise.  We cruise with NCL as much for the entertainment as anything else.  It sounds like the Breakaway has a nice line up currently on board.  Our Breakaway cruise is not until December and we are hoping many of the entertainers we are hearing about will still be around.

 

We will be experiencing the thermal spa for the first time on our upcoming cruise.  We did have a quick question in regards to thermal spa. Can you bring adult beverages in or is there anyone that comes around taking drink orders?  

 

Again, thanks for your review.  

[megaphone84]

1 minute ago, seemoreroyals said:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences on your recent Breakaway cruise.  We cruise with NCL as much for the entertainment as anything else.  It sounds like the Breakaway has a nice line up currently on board.  Our Breakaway cruise is not until December and we are hoping many of the entertainers we are hearing about will still be around.

 

We will be experiencing the thermal spa for the first time on our upcoming cruise.  We did have a quick question in regards to thermal spa. Can you bring adult beverages in or is there anyone that comes around taking drink orders?  

 

Again, thanks for your review.  

Thanks for reading! There is no bar in the thermal spa but I walked in with a plastic cup from the pool bar a few times and no one said anything. There are not waiters or any one offering service in there but there is a self service area for water and fruit. 

[seemoreroyals]

Thank you.  We were hoping that was the case.  The thermal spa looks like a nice relaxing place and if we are not careful we will probably spend too much time there.  

[goldmom]

Thank you so much for the great review!  Do you happen to remember how often the ferry to Hamilton was running?  Thanks

[shof515]

4 minutes ago, goldmom said:

Thank you so much for the great review!  Do you happen to remember how often the ferry to Hamilton was running?  Thanks

here is current schedule for the ferry: http://www.rccbermuda.bm/Documents/Ferry/Summer Ferry Schedule 2021.pdf they should be running the ferry close to that schedule 

[goldmom]

1 minute ago, shof515 said:

here is current schedule for the ferry: http://www.rccbermuda.bm/Documents/Ferry/Summer Ferry Schedule 2021.pdf they should be running the ferry close to that schedule 

Thanks!  Appreciate it!

[LakeLureGuy]

Addressing the spa, taking in "beverages", etc., please take our thoughts kindly!  We have been on many NCL ships.  If the spa is offered, whether you purchase or have it as a "perk", this is how things should work to make it the best spa environment.

First, when you go in, please do not automatically put your things down on one of the heated thermal beds unless you are going to be on it right then.  There are always signs posted, but people ignore them.  You may be keeping someone who is coming out of the pools, and wants to lie down on it!  Please just place your items on one of the other lounges or wherever, and then wait your turn if necessary for a heated bed.  Just play nice!! 😊

Second, please remember this is a spa, not the outdoor pool where everyone is shouting!  Try and keep conversations to a low volume so that others who are trying to relax don't have to listen to you!

Third, alcoholic beverages really should not be brought in to the pool area.  We're not saying that to be anti, just again, this is a spa.  Relax and enjoy it, others will too!  

[megaphone84]

2 hours ago, LakeLureGuy said:

Addressing the spa, taking in "beverages", etc., please take our thoughts kindly!  We have been on many NCL ships.  If the spa is offered, whether you purchase or have it as a "perk", this is how things should work to make it the best spa environment.

First, when you go in, please do not automatically put your things down on one of the heated thermal beds unless you are going to be on it right then.  There are always signs posted, but people ignore them.  You may be keeping someone who is coming out of the pools, and wants to lie down on it!  Please just place your items on one of the other lounges or wherever, and then wait your turn if necessary for a heated bed.  Just play nice!! 😊

Second, please remember this is a spa, not the outdoor pool where everyone is shouting!  Try and keep conversations to a low volume so that others who are trying to relax don't have to listen to you!

Third, alcoholic beverages really should not be brought in to the pool area.  We're not saying that to be anti, just again, this is a spa.  Relax and enjoy it, others will too!  

Completely agree on your points about the loungers and the noise level. I wanted to clarify my statement about alcohol in the spa- its probably not offered for a reason and while I chose to have a single drink on a lounger (not in the pool) while quietly reading a book I can understand that could be a slippery slope to a rowdy atmosphere that would be very disrespectful of other spa patrons. 

[seemoreroyals]

4 minutes ago, megaphone84 said:

Completely agree on your points about the loungers and the noise level. I wanted to clarify my statement about alcohol in the spa- its probably not offered for a reason and while I chose to have a single drink on a lounger (not in the pool) while quietly reading a book I can understand that could be a slippery slope to a rowdy atmosphere that would be very disrespectful of other spa patrons. 

 

Our intentions as well.  Kicking back on a recliner.  Enjoying the peace and quiet, reading a book, enjoying a glass of wine, watching the sea go by.  

[Candy Apple 12]

6 hours ago, shof515 said:

here is current schedule for the ferry: http://www.rccbermuda.bm/Documents/Ferry/Summer Ferry Schedule 2021.pdf they should be running the ferry close to that schedule 

How much does the ferry cost? Do you pay in cash or do they take credit cards? How do you get to the ferry from where the Breakaway is docked?

Edited October 9, 2021 by Candy Apple 12

[megaphone84]

11 hours ago, Candy Apple 12 said:

How much does the ferry cost? Do you pay in cash or do they take credit cards? How do you get to the ferry from where the Breakaway is docked?

We paid $4.50 for each token which are good for one way travel between ferry stations. There is a tourist information pavilion in the dock yard where you can purchase tokens with cash or credit card and it can be seen from the end of the dock when you leave the ship. The ferry terminal is right next to the tourist info. There are also tons of really nice folks standing at the end of the dock who can direct you there. 

[summercruiser20]

14 hours ago, megaphone84 said:

Completely agree on your points about the loungers and the noise level. I wanted to clarify my statement about alcohol in the spa- its probably not offered for a reason and while I chose to have a single drink on a lounger (not in the pool) while quietly reading a book I can understand that could be a slippery slope to a rowdy atmosphere that would be very disrespectful of other spa patrons. 

We were on this sailing as well had a spa balcony I agree mostly with your review I disagree with the relaxation in the spa area.  We have had spa balconies in the past and maybe it was just the time we stopped in but it was very loud, crowded and  boisterous on the first day so much so that I didn't give it a second chance on this sailing just went back to our room to relax.  Maybe it was timing but otherwise we enjoyed this cruise very much, crew couldn't have been nicer - there were kinks here and there but hey just like us they haven't sailed in over a year.

[megaphone84]

8 minutes ago, summercruiser20 said:

We were on this sailing as well had a spa balcony I agree mostly with your review I disagree with the relaxation in the spa area.  We have had spa balconies in the past and maybe it was just the time we stopped in but it was very loud, crowded and  boisterous on the first day so much so that I didn't give it a second chance on this sailing just went back to our room to relax.  Maybe it was timing but otherwise we enjoyed this cruise very much, crew couldn't have been nicer - there were kinks here and there but hey just like us they haven't sailed in over a year.

Interesting that you say that! I did hear from someone else that during the beginning of the cruise a younger guy who had come to be a huge nuisance was asked to leave and possibly had his spa access revoked as I knew who he was and I never saw him later in the week. When we were there it was pretty quiet; people were having conversations, but nothing too loud to prevent us from relaxing. 

[summercruiser20]

4 hours ago, megaphone84 said:

Interesting that you say that! I did hear from someone else that during the beginning of the cruise a younger guy who had come to be a huge nuisance was asked to leave and possibly had his spa access revoked as I knew who he was and I never saw him later in the week. When we were there it was pretty quiet; people were having conversations, but nothing too loud to prevent us from relaxing. 

Wow I was unaware of that - it was just very crowded for me and I didn't feel comfortable being in there but have used it on past cruises so I was not too upset about not being able to - I booked it because you never know what the weather would be like sailing from NY in the fall - lucikly for us we had amazing weather that week.

[cruiselovebirds]

Thanks for the review and sharing.  Enjoyed reading it very much.  We are planning to take the same cruise on 24 Oct 2021, assuming we are able to jump all the hoops.

[ama123]

Thank you for taking the time to share. Enjoyed reading and picked up a few tips for our cruise.

[JamieLogical]

Finally got to read your review! Haven't even started working on my own yet. So happy to have met you. I agree that, if you can miraculously meet some perfect couple-friends on a half capacity, child-free cruise, then do it!

 

I can't say enough about how the reduced capacity and lack of children enhanced the overall cruise experience. Having one crew member for every passenger was nuts. And I think 90% of my elevator rides were just myself and my husband or just me. My husband and I are usually trying to invent methods of solving the elevator problem on the Breakaway and Breakaway Plus class ships. Who'd have thunk that less than 50% capacity was the solution? 😋

 

@megaphone84 I am sure you will be mentioned at least a dozen times in my review as well. ❤️

[cygnets]

Thanks for your review, we are getting excited for our Halloween cruise on Breakaway. 

Questions:

1. Do you still need to insert a card inside the room to turn lights on and do you slide card in slot to open door or is it a tap to unlock the door?

2. Were you able to reserve Six when you boarded and do they have late shows?

 

[trex-de]

Nice review.  Great to meet you and Jamie. We were at Howl at the moon that last night. 28 year anniversary.   Crazy trip. We have two more booked. Bahamas in April and Mediterranean in 2023   Maybe we will see each other in another cruise. Be well. 

[Drews_Cruise]

It’s so nice to finally see fresh cruise reviews again.  Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences with everyone.  Well done!