NCL Breakaway or Regal Princess

[tonyfall1]

Hello,

My wife and I are in our late 50's and trying to decide between these 2 ships for a western Caribbean cruise in February. This will be our 3rd cruise and we have never cruised these lines. We like good food, a relaxed environment, the opportunity for lots of activities, so the freestyle cruising of NCL appeals to us. We would also prefer not having a ton of kids over running the ship and being able to occasional use the pools so Princess appeals to us there. We will be getting either the free at sea or plus package. The prices are the same. The itineraries are very similar. Princess making 3 stops with NCL making 4 stops one of which is Harvest Caye. We think we would really enjoy the private island. No private island for Princess. My concern with NCL is that it will be too packed with kids and we will never be able to enjoy the pools. Also, I've read that NCL has made a lot of cuts and may not be as nice as it was in the past. My concern with Princess is it may be too stodgy and lots of older people (people my age lol) and a little boring, plus no private island. I would like to just compare the base cruise so no Haven or Sanctuary, thanks. I've also posted this on the Princess forum.

Edited September 11, 2023 by tonyfall1
change

[dexddd]

You have done a fair evaluation.  We haven't sailed Princess for long time, so no comparison.  We did sail BA in best cabin and it was so so at best.  BA gets complaints about crowding, especially in atrium area.  Best I can help.

 

Note at Harvest Caye drinks not covered with a package.

[vswan]

I've sailed on both NCL and Princess (not recently). Unless someone has done both of these lines in the recent past, I'm not sure that the advice you receive will be of much help. From what I've been reading all cruise lines are making cutbacks in a lot of areas and what I experienced is no longer what is happening now. This will also be dependent on the specific ships.

 

I cruised NCL in 2022 and 2023 and had a good time. Lots of activities and food options - some better than others. What I can say is that I would pick the cruise with 4 stops, I like private islands. I like port calls, others like sea days. A February cruise should have less kids, but I've also found that school breaks happen at odd times and some vary from area to area. Are these both leaving from the same port? Is one easier/less expensive to get to than the other if not?

 

It's really hard to have a bad cruise. Enjoy whichever you pick.

[tonyfall1]

Princess leaves from Galveston, NCL from NOLA. Flights are basically the same.

Edited September 11, 2023 by tonyfall1

[ggTexasGal]

The good news for you is the schools in Texas have Spring Break start in March!

 

Harvest Caye is actually quite nice, especially if you are able to walk around on your own!

Many people complain about how far it is from the ship, however, it is not really any further than at most ports. The other complaint is that food and beverages are NOT included.

If you get hot, look for the misting stations, and there are shaded area to enjoy.

The pool is large and clean.  One of the excursions we enjoyed was the Electric boat -- short, but was fun and enjoyable tour off the island.  Also, don't miss the carvings, and animals/birds.

 

(There are carts to ride, to and from the ship, if needed).

[hallux]

48 minutes ago, vswan said:

A February cruise should have less kids, but I've also found that school breaks happen at odd times and some vary from area to area.

 

16 minutes ago, ggTexasGal said:

The good news for you is the schools in Texas have Spring Break start in March!

Schools in the Northeast (or at least in New York) get a 'winter break' in addition to the holiday and spring breaks.  That Winter break is usually President's week so that would definitely be a week to NOT consider if not having kids on the ship is a consideration.

[tonyfall1]

My wife works for the school system in Michigan and it is midwinter break here for some schools. That's why we are going that week and will probably push me more towards Princess and hope for the best. We did an MSC cruise at the same time last year and it was packed with kids.

Edited September 11, 2023 by tonyfall1

[www3traveler]

I am booked on The Breakaway in mid February out of New Orleans as a "Senior Citizen" solo passenger.  The ONLY issue, I see is that Mardi Gras ends on Tuesday February 13th.

 

If you have never sailed out of New Orleans, it is an interesting 7 plus hours journey down the Mississippi River beginning with the ship making a u-turn in The River as you leave the pier.  Amazing how they do that and then you sail past the downtown area of New Orleans with all of Her bright lights like beacon in the night.

 

Rembember that sailing out of Galveston, can be tricky because of the weather.  The Coast Guard has been known to close the Galveston Channel because of dense fog for hours and occassionally a day or two.

 

Whichever cruise you decide, enjoy.

[vswan]

I don't know about the Breakaway specifically, but many NCL ships have adult only areas. Thermal spas, vibe, H2O spice. Some of these are added costs but would give you a kid-free zone. Someone here will know if these are available on the Breakaway.

[Liljo22]

1 minute ago, vswan said:

I don't know about the Breakaway specifically, but many NCL ships have adult only areas. Thermal spas, vibe, H2O spice. Some of these are added costs but would give you a kid-free zone. Someone here will know if these are available on the Breakaway.

Breakaway has a Spice H2O but it only has a water feature and no pool.  

[vswan]

Just now, Liljo22 said:

Breakaway has a Spice H2O but it only has a water feature and no pool.  

This is a free option.

[www3traveler]

Breakaway Spice H2O, is a free adult space (until about 7PM when it becomes a family area and shows moives on the big screen) is at the back of the ship on Deck 16.  It does have a bar and a place to smoke.

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, vswan said:

I don't know about the Breakaway specifically, but many NCL ships have adult only areas. Thermal spas, vibe, H2O spice. Some of these are added costs but would give you a kid-free zone. Someone here will know if these are available on the Breakaway.

Breakaway has Spice H2O, thermal suite, and Vibe. Kids aren't allowed in any of those spaces, but thermal suite and Vibe are an upcharge. In my experience, thermal suite is around $300 a week and Vibe is just slightly less expensive.

 

I've never cruised on Virgin Voyages, but I would encourage you to think about it if you're really just not wanting kids around...unless you're a prude, that is. Then, definitely don't go on VV. Look them up. I think you'd enjoy a VV cruise. Personally, I'd stay far, far away from Princess. Far too stodgy, pretentious, and old for us (we're Millennials). 

[laudergayle]

2 hours ago, tonyfall1 said:

My wife works for the school system in Michigan and it is midwinter break here for some schools. That's why we are going that week and will probably push me more towards Princess and hope for the best. We did an MSC cruise at the same time last year and it was packed with kids.

Was your cruise last year with MSC a 3-4 or 7-night cruise?  

[tonyfall1]

14 minutes ago, laudergayle said:

Was your cruise last year with MSC a 3-4 or 7-night cruise?  

It was a 7 night cruise on the Meraviglia out of Orlando. I thought being mid February, it would not have a lot of kids but it was packed using the pools was impossible. My wife works for the school and she typically has mid winter break the week of Presidents day. I found out that a lot of schools across the country are also off that week. Hallux also mentioned that. That's why I'm  leaning towards Princess.

Edited September 11, 2023 by tonyfall1

[laudergayle]

8 minutes ago, tonyfall1 said:

That's why I'm  leaning towards Princess

I think that would be a safer choice if your wife really wants a break from kids. While the cruise may have some kids/teens, the ship doesn’t have all the amenities that attract families.  Either way you go…it’s still a cruise!!  Enjoy.

[DrSea]

I sailed with NCL 4 times and PCL 2 times this year.

 

You sound like you fit PCL better.

 

If food is your main concern, I would pick princess if your more concerned with quality and more seafood options. NCL will give you more variety and also has a beef option nightly in their complimentary main dining room. 

 

If you only eat beef, then you may go hungry on PCL like I did. I skip the chicken, pork, lamb, and seafood. 

 

You may like hanging out with 50 60 and 70 year old more than you thought you would. The entertainment is very dated though on PCL. I cannot listen to opera from the 50s/60s and walked out on their show. And the night life on PCL is dead after 10pm.

 

The private islands are overrated IMHO. They have you trapped on their island and they can charge you whatever they want. 

[AstoriaPreppy]

 

On 9/11/2023 at 6:54 AM, tonyfall1 said:

Hello,

My wife and I are in our late 50's and trying to decide between these 2 ships for a western Caribbean cruise in February. This will be our 3rd cruise and we have never cruised these lines. We like good food, a relaxed environment, the opportunity for lots of activities, so the freestyle cruising of NCL appeals to us. We would also prefer not having a ton of kids over running the ship and being able to occasional use the pools so Princess appeals to us there. We will be getting either the free at sea or plus package. The prices are the same. The itineraries are very similar. Princess making 3 stops with NCL making 4 stops one of which is Harvest Caye. We think we would really enjoy the private island. No private island for Princess. My concern with NCL is that it will be too packed with kids and we will never be able to enjoy the pools. Also, I've read that NCL has made a lot of cuts and may not be as nice as it was in the past. My concern with Princess is it may be too stodgy and lots of older people (people my age lol) and a little boring, plus no private island. I would like to just compare the base cruise so no Haven or Sanctuary, thanks. I've also posted this on the Princess forum.

 

Princess tends to feel more "traditional" than NCL, with old-school stuff like a champagne fountain made out of hundreds of coupe glasses, etc. NCL is a lot looser: shorts at dinner, no formal nights, etc. We've done both lines a bunch, and enjoyed ourselves on each. 

 

One note on Harvest Caye: it's not a private island in the traditional sense (in that food and drinks are not included. It's more like stop that only cruise line passengers go to, and you still have to buy food and pay for beverages out of pocket (even with a bev package).

 

Another note: Princess' "Medalion Class" experience really blows anything NCL has out of the water technology-wise. The internet is flawless, you cabin door opens automatically when you walk up to it, you never have to hand over a keycard when ordering (you just pop up on the tablet behind the bar), and you're able to order drinks/food throughout the ship via the medallion app, and they can literally find you anywhere. It's actually astounding, and no other line has anything like it yet. 

 

From our experience, NCL ships seem to feel more crowded than Princess ships do, which I think occurs because of the number of spaces given over to dinner-only specialty dining on NCL, along with chunks of the ship being only available to Haven guests.

Activity-wise, Princess ships have multiple lounges where games/activities take place, so things can be more spread out. On the NCL ships lots of activities tend to get put in the atrium on the big screen (which becomes completely packed), but there's not really a more conducive place to hold them.

 

Either way, you'll have a great time!

[goldfada]

I’ve done several cruises on both Breakaway and Regal and many on other NCL and Princess ships. I’d gladly cruise again on either Breakaway or Regal, basing my choice on itinerary, price, and timing. 

[JillK]

Hi. Our family cruised on both NCL and Princess last year. My husband and I both decided that we would not return to Princess for the foreseeable future.

 

On our Princess cruise there were lots of multi-generational families as it was over the Christmas week but there were several things that made us realize that it wasn't the right line for us at this time and would likely be a line we wouldn't consider until we are in our 70s.

 

There was a surprising lack of entertainment options once the main lounge show was done. Everything seemed to wrap up around 11:00 and we closed down the piano bar one night at 11:20. The lighting in every dining venue on the ship is constantly BRIGHT - to the point where our paid dinner in their Italian restaurant made our kids compare it to an IKEA showroom. Between that and no background music, there was no ambiance to be had at any of our diners. Service was generally excellent though and food quality ranged from excellent to good.

 

The medallion is great once you figure out how to wear it/where to keep it but the three times we used the app to order food/drink for delivery, nothing ever arrived. The downside to medallion is that you are now tethered to your phone for the duration of the cruise. I am the type of person who usually locks it away for the cruise and am happy to be screen-free. Impossible to pull off with Princess. 

 

Hope this helps but there are more similarities than differences between the mainstream lines these days. 

 

Best of luck and regardless of what you choose - happy cruising! 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

On 9/11/2023 at 6:26 AM, tonyfall1 said:

Princess leaves from Galveston, NCL from NOLA. Flights are basically the same.

NCL is returning to Galveston this fall.  We are booked on the Prima in February.