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

[newmomma0507]

Do you feel the spa access is worth the added cost? We cruise 4/2-4/9 and i really want to get the spa access, but the price seems high. First time cruiser and don't know how much time we will have to enjoy the spa. Also, were massages included at Maya Chan?

[CTCruiser001]

2 minutes ago, newmomma0507 said:

Do you feel the spa access is worth the added cost? We cruise 4/2-4/9 and i really want to get the spa access, but the price seems high. First time cruiser and don't know how much time we will have to enjoy the spa. Also, were massages included at Maya Chan?

 

This is our first time in 16 cruises that we did the Thermal Spa. It will be something we do on every cruise going forward. 😁😁😁

 

If you check the dailies I've posted, there have been days where a day pass was offered. Prices vary...I remember $59 for one date and $79 for another date. 

 

Massages at Maya Chan are not included, but pricing is very reasonable. 

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[CTCruiser001]

Internet Speed tests for those interested: This is with the FAS plus package (unlimited WiFi). The 1st image is from last night at 11 pm while we were sailing towards Mexico. The 2nd image is while we are docked in Cozumel at 12:45 pm. Pretty slow...Plan accordingly.  

 

 

[CTCruiser001]

Current status: Oooh these loungers are nice!!! 🫠🫠🫠

 

 

[CTCruiser001]

Haven lunch in the Courtyard:

 

 

[CTCruiser001]

We both had the caeser salad, so only 1 picture of it. 😄

 

 

 

[CTCruiser001]

Tomorrow is the last full day for us on the ship...Any questions? Anything I can find out for you guys? Here is your chance. I will do my best!

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, CTCruiser001 said:

Tomorrow is the last full day for us on the ship...Any questions? Anything I can find out for you guys? Here is your chance. I will do my best!

No questions, just an observation.  I loved the Misto, but a friend on the cruise told me that you could tailor it when you order.  You don't want a specific item, say mussels,  you can request they substitute something else, say onion rings.

We didn't take advantage of this.  My wife and I both ordered the misto and I gave her my musscles and she gave me her onion rings.  

Edited March 17, 2023 by RocketMan275

[Christina231955]

7 hours ago, CTCruiser001 said:

 

Tipping is a personal thing. Tip however you wish. 🙂

Thank you. We’re Italian and have absolutely no idea how much we should tip, I think we’ll just ask or follow the others that will be at our table. 

[CTCruiser001]

14 minutes ago, Christina231955 said:

Thank you. We’re Italian and have absolutely no idea how much we should tip, I think we’ll just ask or follow the others that will be at our table. 

 

Okay, your question makes more sense now. 😀 I forget there are other cultures who don't have experience with tipping...Here is what we do. 

 

Firstly, don't forget that each bill has 20% gratuity added already. Because of this, most of your fellow sailors won't tip additional at all. We tip $40 at every specialty meal ($20 for each of us).

 

For Teppanyaki (which has a separate bill for each individual) we tipped $20 to the servers and $10 to the chef, so $60 all in.

If we ordered a bottle of wine, we usually tip $10 to the sommelier for their assistance and discussion of wines and regions.

 

I will add this...In all of our 16 cruises, we've always tipped at least $1 cash to servers or bartenders when we get a drink. If we are both getting a drink, we tip at least $3 cash. Over the course of our cruises, we've seen less and less people tipping cash at this activity...

 

On this current sailing, this tipping for drinks seems way down - Which is very surprising for me. Perhaps inflation and the rising costs and cut backs have made people stop with small cash tips??? But we know these NCL employees are working hard to give us great service and we will continue to tip additional for drinks on all of our sailings.

 

I will share my thoughts on Haven tipping at the end of our sailing. 

 

 

[CTCruiser001]

Or finding out they are not working...

 

 

[CTCruiser001]

Awesome ship horn battle between the Breakaway and Prima as the Prima left dock. Not sure who won...We'll call it a draw! 

[chemcrazy]

I posted this on their Facebook page but also wanted to share here. I found my new cruise mascot over one of the slot machines at the casino this afternoon. 

[gaabbee]

Great review so far. I’ll be boarding on Sunday! We did the haven spa suite so it’s nice to get familiar before hand. I’ll leave this here as an ex server on the POA tipping extra is super rare. We did get a portion of the added gratuities but then some were also kept for crew “enhancements”. We would get discounted drinks or crew parties etc.
 

A lot of these people work their butts off and make decent money. They also live in a lot lower cost of living areas. I remember one lady would tell her guests she had 3 kids back home that she would see every 8 months. She would however forget to mention that she bought them all houses and cars from working there. Again some of the hard workers deserve to be compensated above and beyond and those are the ones I focus on. 
 

disclaimer POA was the highest compensated ship in the fleet. 

[jmmancini]

2 hours ago, CTCruiser001 said:

 

Okay, your question makes more sense now. 😀 I forget there are other cultures who don't have experience with tipping...Here is what we do. 

 

Firstly, don't forget that each bill has 20% gratuity added already. Because of this, most of your fellow sailors won't tip additional at all. We tip $40 at every specialty meal ($20 for each of us).

 

For Teppanyaki (which has a separate bill for each individual) we tipped $20 to the servers and $10 to the chef, so $60 all in.

If we ordered a bottle of wine, we usually tip $10 to the sommelier for their assistance and discussion of wines and regions.

 

I will add this...In all of our 16 cruises, we've always tipped at least $1 cash to servers or bartenders when we get a drink. If we are both getting a drink, we tip at least $3 cash. Over the course of our cruises, we've seen less and less people tipping cash at this activity...

 

On this current sailing, this tipping for drinks seems way down - Which is very surprising for me. Perhaps inflation and the rising costs and cut backs have made people stop with small cash tips??? But we know these NCL employees are working hard to give us great service and we will continue to tip additional for drinks on all of our sailings.

 

I will share my thoughts on Haven tipping at the end of our sailing. 

 

 

Even with the “free” drink package you still have to pay 18% of the cost of the package for gratuities.  That’s why you have the option of not getting the unlimited drink package even when it’s offered “free”.  If you aren’t drinking soda or alcohol, you don’t want to pay the extra for the gratuities.  As I recall it’s something like $150/pp.  That’s why you don’t see people paying cash gratuities- it was already paid up front.  

[CTCruiser001]

16 minutes ago, jmmancini said:

Even with the “free” drink package you still have to pay 18% of the cost of the package for gratuities.  That’s why you have the option of not getting the unlimited drink package even when it’s offered “free”.  If you aren’t drinking soda or alcohol, you don’t want to pay the extra for the gratuities.  As I recall it’s something like $150/pp.  That’s why you don’t see people paying cash gratuities- it was already paid up front.  

 

Yes, I'm aware. Thank you. 

[CTCruiser001]

Anyone have the extention number for the F&B Manager? I have a question and want to ask without Omar or someone else trying to defray. I keep getting an answer about the Premium Plus wine bottle offerings that makes zero sense and would like to ask the person in charge directly...

[CTCruiser001]

Dinner tonight in La Cucina - The Italian restaurant. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by CTCruiser001

[CTCruiser001]

Bread to start with oil to dip, Risotto and Caprese salad for apps. We shared a pizza (the rest was sent back to the room with the bulter...We'll see how that goes...). Salmon and Red Snapper for dinner. 

 

Everything was just okay...Fleetwide, the Italian restaurant seems to be where Norwegian swings and misses for us - We have never had a memorable meal here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rjm11]

34 minutes ago, CTCruiser001 said:

Anyone have the extention number for the F&B Manager? I have a question and want to ask without Omar or someone else trying to defray. I keep getting an answer about the Premium Plus wine bottle offerings that makes zero sense and would like to ask the person in charge directly...

I would love to hear more about your experience with the bottles offered with PP beverage package. We plan to bring some of our own but will also want to try some new ones- I've heard a "rumor" that lately the only bottles you can get for free are the same wines as the glasses you can get for free (which was not the case previously). What has your experience been? Thanks!

[CTCruiser001]

Our bottle of wine and dessert. Dinner was covered by our dining package. 

 

 

 

 

 

[CTCruiser001]

3 minutes ago, rjm11 said:

I would love to hear more about your experience with the bottles offered with PP beverage package. We plan to bring some of our own but will also want to try some new ones- I've heard a "rumor" that lately the only bottles you can get for free are the same wines as the glasses you can get for free (which was not the case previously). What has your experience been? Thanks!

 

Yes, interesting you mentioned that rumor...Must be a new thing because I wasn't aware nor have I heard this. I will share more a little later. I want to ask around more and get a more solid answer. 

[drumming cruisers]

Great review, and the cutest dog!!! 💗

[witchofthewastes]

I just finished packing 🤣. Hopefully southwest won’t mess up our flights

[CTCruiser001]

28 minutes ago, drumming cruisers said:

Great review, and the cutest dog!!! 💗

 

Thank you. We love him to pieces and he is quite the character...Can't wait to pick him up Sunday!