Live from the Breakaway March 17-31, 2024

[www3traveler]

Hi,

I hope your 2nd week goes well for you.

 

If you see Charlin again, tell her, I am doing well and ask her when her sign-off date is.  Would love to sail with her again.

 

If you ever eat in the Manhattan Dining Room for dinner of O'Sheehan's  for breakfast one of my cruise kids may be there.  Myo Ko from Myanmar (Burma).

 

Have you heard the news coming from the Hal Nieuw Amsterdam?  Two crew members were killed in an accident in the "engineering space".  There are at least 2 former NCL Senior staff members currently on board the Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

 

Love and prayers always

[Norwegianprincess]

Hope you’ll have a wonderful 2nd week aboard 😊
 

[NikiPinkston]

Happy turnaround day! 🚢Thank you for sharing your first week with us. So glad that you were able to relax and re-charge. Looking forward to hearing about your further adventures!😊

[SenatorsFan]

Cheers to a wonderful second week on board. Thanks for sharing with us. ☺️

I have read "Our Missing Hearts", too and enjoyed it very much. 

[ceilidh1]

Hope you have an awesome second week! I will compare notes once we get on Bliss on 31st!

[chewsifer1220]

Absolutely enjoyed your first weeks live review! I'm hoping you have a great second week and I'm kind of hoping you do another live so we can live vicariously through you again! 

[YVRteacher]

43 minutes ago, chewsifer1220 said:

Absolutely enjoyed your first weeks live review! I'm hoping you have a great second week and I'm kind of hoping you do another live so we can live vicariously through you again! 

I’ll be doing another live from April 29-May 13. Thank you for reading!

[YVRteacher]

I was the first passenger on the ship today! That’s 

a pretty fun thing! (Small joys. Take them where you can!!)

 

That was the worst B2B experience I’ve ever had. However, there’s no point dwelling on it. About 20!minutes after I was back on the ship my friends texted to say they were checking in. I stood near the staircase on deck 7 to meet them and it was a joyous meet up.  I have a relative who says she has friends she will travel with and friends she will never travel with: these friends are the former!! I’m so excited to cruise with them again. The last time we cruised together was out of Hamburg on the NCL Jade to Norway, Iceland and Scotland. 

 

We dropped their bags off in my room then headed to Taste for lunch. Feeling a little Southern, we all had Hush Puppies.

My friends just spent 5 days in New Orleans and experienced and ate so much more than I did so it was fun to hear about their travel adventures. We all loved our food and the service was great.

 

 

A perfect embarkation day lunch. One of my friends improved the chicken dish by pouring a splash of wine into the sauce.

 

We needed to change a shore excursion for Roatan this week since new friend from the pool deck who will never be as awesome as @ceilidh1 did the one on which we were booked and said it was a lot of driving in a bus and no monkeys were involved.  This was an easy switch at Shore Ex then we signed up for Latitudes benefits at the Cruise Next desk. The man in front of us was booking his next cruise (pretty much in line with the purpose of the Cruise Next desk) and his wife came up at the end of the transaction, realized what he had done and gave him a big hug and thank you. I always love seeing couples be kind to each other!  

My letter to the GM went unheeded (is that the correct word? I have the beverage package…) so Sail and Sustain is once again scheduled on a port day while we are in port. I didn’t sign up for the Behind the Scenes Tour because I did it last week (and 11 years ago.)  I hope tomorrow’s tour involves all the treats. @fstuff1will report!

 

With the business part of the trip taken care of we decided we are all on vacation and no thinking is needed this week. We did a top to bottom ship’s tour and my friends said it was like having their own personal concierge.  I am now available for hire.

 

My friends unpacked then we got sailaway drinks.  We ordered Mango Meltdowns but they did not have the mango. (At lunch we ordered raspberry sorbet but received mango so in cruise ship world our mango needs are somehow balanced.) Instead of a Mango Meltdown the bartender made us his own concoction with strawberry, peach and rum.  I hope he competes in the bartender Olympics because this drink deserves gold! We all loved it!

We found cozy chairs on the waterfront for sailaway and bless my luck I was seated right next to Alisa from Howl at the Moon.  I kept my cool during this celebrity encounter. Barely. It helped that she was working on her laptop with headphones so could block out all my chatter until she took them out and I said a shy hi.  If I wasn’t already booked for cruises in July I would be booking a B2B2B on the Getaway this summer just to see her in Howl at the Moon. 

We had a 6:00pm reservation at Ocean Blue and were seated at a lovely window seat on the starboard side. Last week in La Cucina I was on port side and we were much closer to the river bank today.  Any other people in Girl Guides/Girl Scouts who hear port and starboard and start humming Barges??

 

Dinner was exquisite. The flavours! The colours! The deliciousness. The friendship. The service. The presentation.  We were all too full from the savoury part of the meal to have dessert. The waiter said we could come back at 9:30 but we were still full then too.  I am still thinking about that potato au gratin side dish. When potatoes that aren’t hash-browns are memorable, you know you have a winner!

 

The theatre was dark and the officers were being introduced when we arrived. The cruise staff said to head down and we would find seats. There were all these rows with plenty of space but the rest of the theatre was jam-packed full. You’re probably getting where I’m going with this. When Cruise Director Merlina came on stage they turned the house lights on and we realized we were in the Haven seats. Oh how we howled discreetly! Spoiler alert: there was no extra padding, no foot massagers, no one holding a sign so Haven people could find their seats. There were no scantily clad men in palm fronds fanning the Haven guests. In short, the Haven seats were the exact same as all the other seats. Fancy that. I await the repercussions to this post.

 

Both comedians were awesome! I had a smile the whole time. Fred Bevill was on last week and Tyrone Hawkins boarded today. They were both well received by the crowd. Good work, NCL! Well, good work Fred and Tyrone too.

 

Howl at the Moon was  💯

Every night I marvel at their talent and energy. I hope their parents are proud of them. 

 

What a terrific start to this week’s cruise!

[cruiseny4life]

Oh, I don't know how I can thank you for your lives! Simply liking, laughing, or thanking you on each post doesn't do it. I'm here laughing so hard, because of your humor, snark, and way you relate even awful experiences. So, simply and humbly, thank you!! 

[tcmagnum]

1 hour ago, YVRteacher said:

I was the first passenger on the ship today!

Instead of a Mango Meltdown the bartender made us his own concoction with strawberry, peach and rum.  I hope he competes in the bartender Olympics because this drink deserves gold! We all loved it!

 

Howl at the Moon was  💯

First, I love your attitude!!  You look at the positive and try to look past the issues!!

 

Did the bartender have a name for this 'Heavenly Deliciousness'?

It looks amazing!!

 

Can't wait to find Howl at the Moon on our cruise in October!!

 

Hope this next week is even better than last week!!

 

[www3traveler]

Hi,

I hope your 2nd week goes well for you.

 

If you see Charlin again, tell her, I am doing well and ask her when her sign-off date is.  Would love to sail with her again.

 

If you ever eat in the Manhattan Dining Room for dinner of O'Sheehan's  for breakfast one of my cruise kids may be there.  Myo Ko from Myanmar (Burma).

 

Have you heard the news coming from the Hal Nieuw Amsterdam?  Two crew members were killed in an accident in the "engineering space".  There are at least 2 former NCL Senior staff members currently on board the Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

 

Love and prayers always

[fethiyeden]

Thank you for sharing your cruises with us. So enjoyed your 1st week, I do love your writing style, wit & sarcasm.

Hope you enjoy this week even more.

 

[www3traveler]

Besides the Cruise Director and CruiseNext Manager any major changes in the Senior Management staff?  Is Micki back as F&B?

Edited March 25 by www3traveler
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[cincicruisers]

Yeah looking forward to your second week.  Again thanks for sharing with us.

[Niffernay]

5 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

There were no scantily clad men in palm fronds fanning the Haven guests.

That's it. I'm cancelling my Haven cruise.  I must have scantily clad men in palm fronds dammit. 🤣 

Loving your review; you have a fantastic writing style.  Have a fun second half of your cruise.  

[ceilidh1]

1 hour ago, Niffernay said:

That's it. I'm cancelling my Haven cruise.  I must have scantily clad men in palm fronds dammit. 🤣 

Loving your review; you have a fantastic writing style.  Have a fun second half of your cruise.  

That's what I'm saying! The prices they charge for Haven these days, there better be half naked men involved!

[YVRteacher]

On 3/23/2024 at 8:35 PM, AKR2011 said:

It sounds like you enjoyed your excursion.  I did that exact one years ago and remember the bus ride being so long. I took a very long nap on the way ba k to the port. However,  the spice farm was a big highlight. Ruins were meh to me, only because I had seen amazing ones the day before in Costa Maya.

I took a nap on the way back to Independence too!

[Seas2mountains]

Thank you so much for your wonderful and entertaining live reviews and I am also looking forward to the one on the Jewel with your Dad! 

 

We got off the Gem last Thursday and our next ship is... the Breakaway at the end of May so this is super timely. Can't wait to go to Howl at the Moon based on what you are describing.  But do they make you feel uncomfortable with all the tipping requests? The last time we went, we did not expect them to be constantly asking for tips. We went one time and did not go back. 

Do you like any of the other musical entertainers in the lounges or atrium?

 

We also experienced a few occasions of people speaking loudly in the spa. One time, a woman told her male partner in a loud teacher voice that there were no signs that said they had to be quiet. 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️  What is it that people don't clue in? 

Like you described, we also have had long and fun dinners for the Dinners with the Officers on our last three cruises.  Will you be doing another one this week? Hope you don't have to share the table with a woman like that one! That sounded awful.

 

Have a wonderful cruise and I am excited to read more! 😎

[YVRteacher]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:35 AM, www3traveler said:

Hi,

I hope your 2nd week goes well for you.

 

If you see Charlin again, tell her, I am doing well and ask her when her sign-off date is.  Would love to sail with her again.

 

If you ever eat in the Manhattan Dining Room for dinner of O'Sheehan's  for breakfast one of my cruise kids may be there.  Myo Ko from Myanmar (Burma).

 

Have you heard the news coming from the Hal Nieuw Amsterdam?  Two crew members were killed in an accident in the "engineering space".  There are at least 2 former NCL Senior staff members currently on board the Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

 

Love and prayers always

Mandy! We met Myo Ko today! He is wonderful! He was so happy when I said hi from you. He said he will be on the Breakaway until August 18 and will doing his next contract on the Viva beginning in October. He has a gift for you. He said he would email you.

[YVRteacher]

On 3/25/2024 at 10:44 AM, fethiyeden said:

Thank you for sharing your cruises with us. So enjoyed your 1st week, I do love your writing style, wit & sarcasm.

Hope you enjoy this week even more.

 

Thank you! We are having a wonderful time!!

[YVRteacher]

On 3/25/2024 at 9:56 AM, cruiseny4life said:

Oh, I don't know how I can thank you for your lives! Simply liking, laughing, or thanking you on each post doesn't do it. I'm here laughing so hard, because of your humor, snark, and way you relate even awful experiences. So, simply and humbly, thank you!! 

Just wanted to say thank you!!! I not you’re not a peoply person but I hope if we ever cruise together you and your hubby say hi!!

[YVRteacher]

20 hours ago, Seas2mountains said:

Thank you so much for your wonderful and entertaining live reviews and I am also looking forward to the one on the Jewel with your Dad! 

 

We got off the Gem last Thursday and our next ship is... the Breakaway at the end of May so this is super timely. Can't wait to go to Howl at the Moon based on what you are describing.  But do they make you feel uncomfortable with all the tipping requests? The last time we went, we did not expect them to be constantly asking for tips. We went one time and did not go back. 

Do you like any of the other musical entertainers in the lounges or atrium?

 

We also experienced a few occasions of people speaking loudly in the spa. One time, a woman told her male partner in a loud teacher voice that there were no signs that said they had to be quiet. 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️  What is it that people don't clue in? 

Like you described, we also have had long and fun dinners for the Dinners with the Officers on our last three cruises.  Will you be doing another one this week? Hope you don't have to share the table with a woman like that one! That sounded awful.

 

Have a wonderful cruise and I am excited to read more! 😎

I just take the asking for tips with a grain of salt. They do it with humour so it’s just part of the fun. 
Yes, Dinner with the Officers is tomorrow and John from HR has asked to dine with me again! He is the best dinner companion!

[YVRteacher]

Week 2 Day 2

Look! There’s a drink holder in my shower!

Since I had the spa pass last week this is the first time using the cabin shower.

 

Also for the first time this cruise I used the espresso machine in the studio lounge and oh my was that ever a great latte.

 

We met for breakfast at O’Sheehan’s for mimosas and food. My fruit salad was lovely, fresh and sweet. Our meals are lingering and long as we catch up on life, often circling back to experiences with aging parents.

 

We needed to explore the onboard shops and I went to the casino to find Cruise Critic friend before attending the Latitudes Party in Manhattan Room. My guess is there were 300 people, which is the largest I’ve seen.  Drinks included red wine, white wine, sangria, beer and Sidecars plus a non alcoholic punch that was always the last on the bar waiters’ trays.

 

We loved the music of Rockaway Duo! They are husband and wife and specialize in Motown. There were 2 Diamond and 1 Ambassador in attendance. The ambassador that attended went because I told him to! The other Ambassador on board did not attend.  Too bad, because that was a fun Latitudes Party. Cheese cubes and brandy. What’s not to like?

 

We hadn’t eaten in two hours and were starting to waste away to skin and bones so we went to American Diner. It was busy on this windy sea day and we were told it would be a 30 minute wait. After about 5 minutes in the sunshine at Spice H2O (it’s busy up there!) the beeper went and we were then offered a table in the wind tunnel effect to which we said no thank you, we would prefer the high top instead.

 

I tried to order a Mudslide and the waitress said they don’t do blender drinks. How is that possible when they are the restaurant that specializes in milkshakes? Then I ordered a Mai Tai and was told this bar doesn’t make Mai Tais. Then I said instead of me ordering drinks you DON’T have, please bring a menu so I know what you DO have. I tried a smoked peach margarita which tastes like a fire pit. I’m so careful not to waste food but just couldn’t consume this drink.

Found out from Cruise Critic friend that today’s Latitudes Behind the Scenes Tour did not even go to the galley, let alone get any treats. Instead they went to the provisions storage but didn’t go all the way inside the freezer.

 

 

When I first started doing Behind the Scenes Tours they always took us into the freezers. Anyone remember that? Just you and a bunch of frozen cow parts.

 

I also learned that the reason NCL uses tokens instead of coins in the coin pusher machines is if they used coins they would have to empty the machines each night and do a count.

With tokens this isn’t needed. I’ve never done a coin pusher machine. I took stats in university which served no purpose other than to keep me from being a gambler.

 

There’s a heat weighing heavy in the air that makes my skin clammy. A breeze is welcome as we sit on the Waterfront for the afternoon, reading and watching the wandering waves.

 

The book I’m reading now has pulled me in so deeply I can’t get out!

 My cheeks are rosy from staying outside in the wind for so long this afternoon. After tomorrow I’ll run out of pages.  I know there have been threads on here about NCL running out of Veuve but in my world running out of words to read is so much worse!! (I’ve never tried Veuve. I’m more of a Mudslide girl.)

 

Last week I just wore whatever I was wearing to dinner. This week I am lady who dresses for dinner. Okay, I couldn’t even write that without laughing. If you know me, you’ll be laughing too. For a dinner at 6:00 I start getting ready at 5:53 and I arrive at the restaurant on time.

 

 

Tomorrow we are in Costa Maya. Cozumel and Costa Maya are switched on this itinerary due to port congestion. I don’t have anything booked. My friends from home are doing the ruins which I’ve been to twice and I’m meeting @fstuff1 to go to some bird place and go on a glass bottom boat adventure.  Last week our sail in to Costa Maya was what made me so seasick. Jen from Howl at the Moon said later that night that she has been to Costa Maya dozens of times and she has never seen a docking like that in the wind. I missed all the excitement from my windowless cabin but I FELT it. Deeply.

 

Can someone please tell me how to get to the Mega Supermarket in Cozumel on Friday?

 

 

It is now 6:45 and dinner is at 7:00. Time to get fancy. Snort.

 

I am actually wearing a dress tonight. I shaved my legs this morning (not an easy feat in a shower with the diameter of an ice cream cone) and am not wasting the smoothness on pants. I elegantly accessorized with cleavage and seasick wristbands. They are black so they go with everything. The wristbands, I mean.

 

If you don’t want to read about dinner gone wrong, skip to the part of this post where I talk about my band teacher.

 

This was our experience in the Manhattan Room tonight.

We were given a buzzer at 6:52 and told it would be 30 minutes. No problem.

 

The buzzer buzzed persistently at 7:07 pm and we were seated at 7:11pm.

 

We were seated near the aft windows beside the stage where the Manhattan Band was playing. Our table was right over the engine. The lampshade and butter dish rattled like an old Chevy on a dirt road. We were bouncing and shaking so hard it was akin to one of those vibrating beds and we didn’t even need to put quarters in to make it go. We tried to tough it out. My friends are the most patient, kind people you will ever meet. If I had been by myself I would have left but I didn’t want to be rude. No one came to take our order so we just sat there, rattling.  Eventually we couldn’t take it and asked the assistant maître d to move us.

 

The rattling situation did not happen at the new table but my goodness the Manhattan Band was blow your ears out loud. Every time someone talked the other person said, “huh?” or “what?” or “pardon?” and mostly “I can’t hear you.”

 

Service was painfully slow. We did not get appetizers until 8:11pm. 

The band stopped for 5 minutes and I was so happy that if I was Oprah I would have taken a moment to jot this moment down in a gratitude journal.

Just when I thought we had a reprieve from the drums and crashing cymbals they came back. They were so loud my teeth (which are all my own) rattled.

 

Entrees came at 8:16.  I took two bites and had to stop because the food was so full of chopped up red hot chilli peppers I couldn’t eat it.  The maître d offered to have someone make it again but we had already been there for 90 minutes. I don’t know why but we ordered dessert. This arrived at 8:45. I would have liked the experience of Cherries Jubilee more if it was 1974 and they were flaming.  As it was I had a little taste and left the rest. At 8:50pm I couldn’t take one more second of the music so got up and left.  I was so, so done.

Never again will I eat a meal in a dining room with a drum set and amps.

 

With ringing ears we tried to get a martini at Shakers but it was packed and we needed some quiet so we went to Prime Meridian Bar between Cagney’s and Moderno on deck 8. Plenty of seats and a great drink menu. Continuing with my classy evening, I imbibed with Club Mudslide which is a Mudslide in a can. It was delicious.

We were talking about what activities we did in high school and I said I played clarinet and bass clarinet in band. I then told the story of how my band teacher became known as Flasher Malden.

 

You see, when I was in grade 9 our amazing band teacher took all the bands (grades 8-12) on a celebratory year end field trip down to the Birch Bay waterslides near Bellingham, Washington. All the high school kids spent the day in the hot sun enjoying the massive slides. Just as it was time to pack up someone convinced our band teacher (whom we all adored!) to take a turn on the big slide. All 200 of us plus the parent chaperones stood at the bottom of the slide, waiting for our teacher to emerge. Emerge she did! She shot out, stood up with her arms up in the air and off flew her bathing suit! 

She tried to stuff and tuck and cover but there was no hope. We all saw it all.  

And that is the story of how my band teacher became Flasher Malden.

 

Even though dinner was rough we regrouped and headed to the Breakaway Theatre for the 10:00pm Burn the Floor show. The lights were on tonight so we did not accidentally sit in the Haven seats.

 

Oh what a show! I saw it in New York and this was superior.

 

My favourite numbers were:

all of them!!

I did especially love Bohemian Rhapsody, Hallelujah and the art deco samba/rhumba medley. Cruise Critic friend said the Hallelujah one with the male dancers with long hair in their white outfits was like ballroom dancing with Jesus. He may have typed that in his phone and passed his phone to me and I may have had to stifle the giggles. He wasn’t wrong. 

 

Now, if you’re cruising on a ship that features Burn the Floor you will want to pay particular attention to this next piece of sage advice: choose your seats wisely.  You want to be close enough to see the gorgeous costumes, facial expressions and ripped muscles but not so close you are in the splash zone. Splash zone at ballroom dancing you ask? Yes! Both from the sweat and from the hair grease in Alessandro’s flowing locks. Consider this fair warning.

 

As we were walking around the deck after the show we talked about how we could have a crummy moment on board then turn it around and have an absolutely joyful experience. One of my friends who is also an educator reminded me that this is true in our jobs too, and it’s the wonderful moments that keep us going. For sure dinner was bad but overall the day was terrific. I’m still loving being onboard the Breakaway.

 

 

[www3traveler]

Hi Sweetie,

Glad you met Myo Ko.  He is a sweet kid.

The Mega is directly across the street in Cozumel.  It is bright blue with HUGE Lettering.  No way you can miss it.

 

Very chilly here again.  The temperatures for Sunrise Easter Service will be about 34 F at 6:30 A.M.

 

BIG BIG BIG BIG HUG

 

Love and prayers always

[justhappy]

I’m glad you can shake off the bad experiences and focus on the good.

 

if I remember correctly, about 10 to 15 minutes before a show starts in the Theater the Haven seats are open to everyone, at least that’s how it was a few years ago. Help yourself unless you’re worried about being heckled by the comedians!

 As for the Mega store, if the ship docks at Punta Langosta pier, you have to go through the folks waiting on shore excursions up to the second level and then back down unless they’ve fixed the broken escalator.

Then once outside the port area you head 

left and it’s a very short walk along sidewalks to the store.

Edited March 26 by justhappy