Live from NOLA and NCL Breakaway - 3/12 thru 3/19 😀⚓️🕖☘️🍸

[CTCruiser001]

 

Heya friends! I will be posting my thoughts and observations for our sailing on the Breakaway from New Orleans. My fellow sailor is the wife, to be referred as the DW for the rest of our review. We've sailed many times on NCL, this being our 16th sailing with them. Even with the service cuts and nickel and diming, we enjoy the product they offer and are always happy to book again once we get off ship!

 

(photo from our last cruise, July 2022 NCL Pearl)

 

So today we ran around, getting packing done, getting the pooch checked into his boarding place and some final last minute errands done. 

 

 

We drove from CT to JFK and used SmartPark for our car! Great service and our shuttle driver was a sweetheart! A quick trip to the terminal and getting checked into Delta Airlines was quick and efficient. Having TSA Pre-Check made navigating the security line a breeze! 

 

 

 

 

We are a bit early and decided to try a lounge.  Settling on The Centurion Lounge which I have access to with my American Express card, we got settled with some food and drinks. Yum! 

 

 

 

 

 

Still have an hour before the flight...Going to watch the planes flying in and out for now! 

 

If there are questions or comments, feel free to ask. I will do my best to help out wherever I am able! 

 

Cheers!

[sansroof]

Excited to follow your adventures!  Your dog is adorable.

[Redsky5292]

Fellow Nutmegger here!  We will be on the Breakaway out of NO in April so I will be following your review and taking notes!  Have fun!!

[CTCruiser001]

Oof!

 

Getting logged into airline wifi is a bear. My personal phone won't allow a connection, which I attribute to the VPN settings. I've spent several frustrating minutes trying to change settings, but no go. Oddly enough my work phone was able to connect without any issue - Go figure...I will still get my work emails and texts for the flight! 🙄

 

The Captain announced we would experience mild turbulence for much of this flight...Oh well! Bumpy ride ahead! 

 

Because of turbulence, drink service is canceled. Whaaaaat?!?! There is an lesson here...Fill up your water bottle at the airport before you board!!! With luck the turbulence ceases and they decide to offer the beverage service. I was looking forward to a glass or two of the Woodford on board. Fingers crossed!! 🤞

 

[YVRteacher]

I’m looking forward to this review as this cruise is on my bucket list.  Hope you have a wonderful adventure!

[CTCruiser001]

 

[CTCruiser001]

I should comment...The DW and I have gone on calorie reduction diets since November. This is our first time flying in many years not needing seat belt extenders! A great feeling!!!

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by CTCruiser001

[CTCruiser001]

Score!! Beverage service was held and I was able to get my Woodford and a Ginger Ale. Bonus: The Delta Biscoff cookies are calorie free!!!

 

[CTCruiser001]

3 hours ago, sansroof said:

Excited to follow your adventures!  Your dog is adorable.

 

Don't tell him that...His ego is already out of control! 😄😄

[CTCruiser001]

2 hours ago, Redsky5292 said:

Fellow Nutmegger here!  We will be on the Breakaway out of NO in April so I will be following your review and taking notes!  Have fun!!

 

So glad to be helpful! Let me know if you have any specific questions I might be able to find out for you!

[TYTY]

Another fellow nutmegger here!!!  We'll be on the Breakaway next year.

[cantravel1]

Looking forward to your review!  We were on the Breakaway last November - so I'm looking forward to hearing your observations and reading about all your adventures...

 

Have a wonderful time on the Breakaway!

 

Colleen

 

[CTCruiser001]

20 minutes ago, TYTY said:

Another fellow nutmegger here!!!  We'll be on the Breakaway next year.

 

Plenty of time to plan!! 

[CTCruiser001]

We just landed...I get my personal phone back! This pleases me very much! 🤣

 

Now I'm ready for this...

 

[CTCruiser001]

45 minutes ahead of schedule!!! 😮😮😮

[sherrihall128]

I'm excited to follow along. My family and I are taking this cruise in 4 weeks.

[www3traveler]

Enjoy one of my very favorite cities.  

If you have the time, you might want to check out the aquarium.

[CTCruiser001]

And now we wait...and wait...and wait...🙄

 

[CTCruiser001]

Wow! Uber was on the ball!! Quick pick-up and already on our way to the hotel!

 

[CTCruiser001]

41 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

Enjoy one of my very favorite cities.  

If you have the time, you might want to check out the aquarium.

 

We love it too! Our third time sailing from The Big Easy! 

[brtwnr]

I will be looking forward to see your reviews.   I'll be getting on the Breakaway shortly after you disembark.  

[CTCruiser001]

Uber driver was speedy -  My kinda guy! 5 Stars and a cash tip! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

We've checked into the hotel we are staying this time in New Orleans...The Royal Sonesta Hotel - Located at 300 Bourbon Street, you can bet it's in the center of action! We hear the brass bands playing tunes in the street! 

 

We did have some trouble figuring out where the hotel entrance was located, a common complaint I saw in several reviews...Perhaps some signs to guide your weary guests? 😉

 

A quick call and we discovered the entrance. A very nice doorman held the door allowing us to wrangle the luggage in.

 

Check in was efficient.  I'm especially pleased with the $100 property credit we received, to be used anywhere on the property. Additionally we received a $200 Hotel Credit from when we booked a few weeks ago. Both were from the travel AMEX card I use...Nice getting the most out of those card membership fees! 🫣

 

We plan to chill in the room for a little bit before going to the hotel bar for a pre-dinner drink. Dinner reservations are at 9:15pm at a nearby seafood restaurant, when we thought it would be later for our arrival...Our Pilot decided to get us here 45 minutes earlier than planned, but it all works out in the end!

[Topdog52]

6 hours ago, CTCruiser001 said:

 

Heya friends! I will be posting my thoughts and observations for our sailing on the Breakaway from New Orleans. My fellow sailor is the wife, to be referred as the DW for the rest of our review. We've sailed many times on NCL, this being our 16th sailing with them. Even with the service cuts and nickel and diming, we enjoy the product they offer and are always happy to book again once we get off ship!

 

(photo from our last cruise, July 2022 NCL Pearl)

 

So today we ran around, getting packing done, getting the pooch checked into his boarding place and some final last minute errands done. 

 

 

We drove from CT to JFK and used SmartPark for our car! Great service and our shuttle driver was a sweetheart! A quick trip to the terminal and getting checked into Delta Airlines was quick and efficient. Having TSA Pre-Check made navigating the security line a breeze! 

 

 

 

 

We are a bit early and decided to try a lounge.  Settling on The Centurion Lounge which I have access to with my American Express card, we got settled with some food and drinks. Yum! 

 

 

 

 

 

Still have an hour before the flight...Going to watch the planes flying in and out for now! 

 

If there are questions or comments, feel free to ask. I will do my best to help out wherever I am able! 

 

Cheers!

The dailies would be awesome.

[fredflint]

Glad you are off to a good start I would say your dog is ugly but I would be lying 🙂

Yes with air travel today TSA pre/Global Entry/Clear/Lounge Access are all must haves as far as I am concerned.

Get to the airport early then just relax in a nice lounge.  Coming back into the country other people from our flight had pretty long lines we walked up to the Global Entry terminal and were done in 2 minutes waved to a person at the exit and we were off!

[CTCruiser001]

Dinner at GW Fins tonight. We've been Looking forward to it! Hmm...What are we having? 😕