nyfltraveler

Having just returned from a sailing, I must say that I was shocked to see/hear how many people only rely on this daily service charge/prepaid gratituties fee and do not go out of their way to provide additional cash gratuities to a cabin steward or a restaurant waiter/maitre dmwho was especially helpful.

These folks work very hard at tough jobs for a nominal salary - if my few extra dollars to thank them for their hard work and attention can help make somebody's day brighter, Especially when they are on the ship 8 months straigh working 7 days a week, then I am all for doing that and hope others do as well.

I generally agree with your assessment, particularly about the smoking and the "madness"

My review is at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2395764

Would be interested in your views/comments

Great review. I to have two kids who are 4 and 2. I have been eyeballing this cruise for a week. We live in Md so it's easy to get to NYC. I have wanted to go to Bermuda for sometime. Compared to other cruises did you find this to be the most kid friendly adventure or would you have rather took them on a land based vacation?

 

 

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Certainly a kid friendly adventure. I'd suggest giving it a try.

Many families in the Haven this past week. If one does not like kids, then they can get Vibe passes or go on a cruise line which is less "family friendly"

I can open the door to a variety of other topics such as adults who act like kids getting drunk and being rowdy on the ship before 9am... But that's for another time and place......

This is a pretty lengthy review.......

Just returned from the 8/21-8/28 sailing of the NCL Breakaway. As I found other pre-trip reviews helpful, I hope that I can provide insight for a future cruiser.

For a frame of reference, we were 2 adults and 2 children (both children under 10 years old) and have previously cruised on this ship during the summer time period (also to Bermuda).

NYC Boarding

Arrived at the Pier around 10:30a..... Dropped off the luggage and went through the check-in process...The luggage drop at curbside is a bit chaotic but as long as you are willing to tip the porter, they will move you along. Another suggestion is to have all of your paperwork, passports and credit card ready.... makes the check-in process that much smoother.

We were on-board before noon. Note, suggest packing what you need for the first afternoon (bathing suits, etc) in a carry-on as the checked luggage didn't arrive until 5pm or so.

Once on-board the room was ready so we dropped our bags in the room and grabbed lunch at the Uptown Bar & Grill (Deck 16, upstairs from the Garden Cafe (buffet)). Not many people know about this restaurant. They make fresh, tasty burgers (beef and turkey burgers) which you can customize with many different toppings as well as nice salads.

Room

We booked a "mini-suite". The room was smaller than expected and the balcony was tiny. Given that we were 4 people, we used the bed, fold out couch and the ceiling opened up to another (upper) bed. The bathroom was surprisingly large which makes this a better choice over a standard balcony cabin. Large stall shower, double sink and enough room to move around. Another note, the hallways where the rooms are located are extremely narrow.

Staff

Generally the staff was extremely helpful and very polite. Even walking the halls and the ship itself you would always get a "hello", "good morning" etc. The staff in the restaurants would also aim to please.

These are all hard working people working for low wages, away from their families for months at a time (will discuss that more below under gratuities).

The cabin Steward was a very nice man who knew our names (and the names of the kids), kept the room tidy, was visible (but not on top of you) and yes, made towel animals each night. We had an issue with the room when we first arrived (an odor from the bathroom) and he made sure to address it and be certain that it was resolved to our satisfaction.

The cruise director (Dan Dan) was great - he engaged the crowd and could be seen all around the ship.

The Captain was a very nice man, who made it a point to keep the guests updated...and he could be seen around the ship talking to guests and staff alike.

Food

As part of our booking, we received the Ultimate Dining Plan (UDP) which entitled us to dine in a "specialty restaurant" for our dinners. As a result, other than the first night at the Manhattan Room, we did not have dinners in the buffet or the regular dining room (Manhattan, Taste or Savor).

We had our breakfasts in the Garden Cafe (buffet). The food was fresh, tasty and the selection was plentiful.

For lunch (while on the ship) we alternated between Buffet and the Uptown Grill. Again, the selection at the buffet for lunch was vast and the food was generally good. Note that at the Uptown since the burgers and salads are made to order, You need to be patient as it can take 15-20 minutes to get your food once you place your order.

Based on our prior cruising experience, other than the one night in the main dining room we had dinner at Teppanyaki (1x), Cagneys (4x) and Ocean Blue (1x).

Teppanyaki is more for the kids. It is no different than Benihana or hibachi restaurant. As for Cagney's steakhouse, the food was generally good as was the service. Being from the NY/NJ area, we often dine at some of the better NYC steakhouses, so I am biased. Nevertheless, while not of that quality, the food was certainly better than an Outback level and the menu had many more offerings than it did in the past (various cuts of meat, different seafood dishes). Worth the price with UDP as you can choose any item without worrying about the price. Their desserts were tasty as well. This trip we also tried Ocean Blue which was very good.

The children dined with us at Teppanyaki; otherwise we would take the kids to either the buffet, O'Sheahans Bar/Grill or Shanghai Noodle Bar before they participated in the Splash Academy camp in the evenings. O'Sheahans had typical pub food (burgers, fish/chips, chicken fingers, etc). It was fine. I was disappointed in the quality of the food at Shanghai's. It essentially was the same food served at the Asian station at the buffet. It also gets crowded.

At night, the buffet was open with late night snacks and dessert (including soft serve and hard ice cream)

Activities/Entertainment

There were plenty of activities by day/night, from bingo to a ropes course, rock climbing wall, water slides, trivia and the like.

Entertainment-wise, we passed on the shows Burn the Floor (similar to a dancing with the stars episode) and Rock of Ages as these were the same shows we saw on the prior cruise. From prior cruising experience, both were pretty good.

At night there are also various lounges with piano players, singers, etc. depending on the genre you preferred.

Given that we were traveling with young children we did not partake in the late night activities such as the Spice 2-0 parties although we did stop by the "glow party". Basically a lot of people in a small space dancing.

Bermuda

Having been there before, we did not need to sightsee. We left the ship on Wednesday and Thursday in Bermuda. On Wednesday we travelled via taxi to a private hotel to visit people we knew visiting the island and spent the day there - unfortunately it rained most of the day. On Thursday we went to a beach affiliated with that hotel. Friday we stayed on the ship until it departed at 3. Unlike the past, all passengers made it back to the ship on-time.

Splash (Kids) Academy

The children participated in the Splash Academy. This was a well-run operation which the children enjoyed immensely. The camp is split up by age group, under 3, 3-5, 5-9, 10-12...... The counselors have activities tailored to the age groups, whether its arts/crafts, movie time, organized sports etc. The camp was generally open 9-12, 2-5 and 6-10:30. The camp remained open from 10:30p-1:30a at an extra cost per camper. The highlight of the camp is that all of the campers participate in a show in the main theatre on the last full cruise day. This show, I must say, was the best show on the ship. The kids get really into it and it puts a smile on a parent's face seeing them perform. Hats off to the camp staff my kids already miss them. (Note, if you use the kids club, be sure to give a gratuity at the end as the kids club staff does not share in the "service charge")

General Observations/Comments

The seas were a bit rough on the way back from Bermuda to NY and You do feel the rock of the boat while its in motion. If you have issues with motion sickness, I suggest the wrist bands or Dramamine.

There were a wide array of people on this ship, although I would say at least 70% came from the New York/New Jersey area.

This is where I may get some pushback, but nevertheless it would be nice if NCL made the entire ship non-smoking. Besides the fact that this is a family ship and even though there are designated smoking areas, the smokers did not respect this.... In fact the designated outdoor smoking areas on Deck 15 were located right by the areas where many children (and adults) congregate.

I definitely suggest the Vibe Beach Club or Haven. These are private areas which generally require a room in that section (Haven) or cost money to access (Vibe - age 18+) ; however these areas are much more quiet, relaxing and humane. It is a zoo by the main pool area -noisy, crowded (and the pools and pool area are actually very small).

The casino was your typical cruise ship casino, slot machines and table games (blackjack, craps, roulette, hold em

The public spaces of the ship were always clean and fresh looking. The crew (of approximately 1600) are well trained and take pride in their work.

Beware, the out of pocket charges can add up quickly and while you think that your fare gives you an "all inclusive" trip, there are still expenditures you may need to budget for (tips, water packages, soda or other drink packages, spa, activities such as bingo, etc) *Note if you walk by the spa you will often be solicited by spa staff for a treatment. The services are great - and they do have "specials" - but nevertheless it gets pricey and the cost quoted does not include an automatic 18% gratuity added to the cost.

Speaking about tips, I've read many reviews where the gripe has been about the $13.50 per person per day "service charge." Assuming for a moment that these funds actually go to the intended crew members, it's worth the charge. Many of these men and woman (particularly those behind the scenes) work 8-10'months at a time for a fairly low wage. They are away from their families and every dollar counts to them. For example, one waiter in a specialty restaurant explained he is on the ship for 8 months, works 10 hrs a day, 7 days a week and makes $1800 per month in base wages. That's why I changed my position on the automatic tipping. Anything extra these men and woman can get means a lot to them. I am also sure to provide an additional cash gratuity to those I interact with (e.g room steward, restaurant server)

All in all, NCL makes the week at sea a pleasant experience and while the trip is certainly not inexpensive, if you think about it, for a couple hundred dollars per person per day, you do get value (room, meals, entertainment, etc).

I hope this review is helpful to future cruisers and that I made valid points to those who have cruised already, whether on this sailing or a prior sailing.

None. People wore whatever they wanted to in all dining rooms and specialties I was in. My commentary on that to follow with my review

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Hamilton Princess hotel. Book a room for 1 qnight, get 2 days at their private beach club.

Hopefully. But I can see a diversion up to the North or stay along the east coast with a visit to Florida/Bahamas instead.

Hope this does not change the destination......

Fiona is not a threat to either the Lesser Antilles or the U.S., at this time.

It's not entirely out of the question Fiona, or what's left of it after the hostile environment, could end up somewhere near Bermuda around the middle of next week.

On our cruise last year I was in my balcony cabin and must have exhaled directly toward the ceiling smoke detector because it went off. My steward came rushing into the room, quickly sized up the situation, told me to hurry and hide all my vape stuff (chargers, juice, etc) because security would be coming to the room any second. I quickly threw everything into a drawer and security came to the room not a second later. I tried to look innocent and told them I had no idea why the smoke detector was going off...They looked around the cabin, were very polite, said it must be the humidity, and left. We had been vaping in our cabin for several days so this was an anomaly. We were very cautious about our vape exhale after that!!:eek:

Why do this in the first place? The smoke alarm goes off, causing an unnecessary situation using security resources. What would have happened if the sprinklers went off? Its one thing to smoke in designated areas, but to violate policy by doing this in the room?

And don't lose it. If your child needs a replacement bracelet they charge $10.

What charges did you see at the end that you maybe weren't expecting or were maybe added up to go beyond your budget and what amounts should we budget for?

 

Thank you, Rob

We travelled with kids, so primarily Various on-ship activities (e.g. Bingo ($49), arcade (you pay with room card swipes, not cash, add-on gratuities for a restaurant (even with UDP), etc.....) and of-course the daily service charge per person. I would suggest allocating an extra $100-$150/day for incidentals.

I think NCL should just include the charge in the price of the cruise so people will stop complaining about it.

Agreed. No different than the port fees and taxes which are not optional.

However, I always had this question... Does NCL record these fees on its books as "income"? Skews the numbers in my opinion.

 

The onus is on the parents to teach their children not to drink drinks that do not belong to them, for their own safety. If they are drinking drinks that do not belong to them, where are the parents; shouldn't they be watching their children? (Please do not turn this into a good vs. bad parent thread; you could be the best parent ever and things happen to kids.)

Yes agreed, however, the drinkers need to take responsibility as well. How about the people who start drinking at 7am and by noon are stumbling around the ship ? Is that a good example for children?

Recently traveled on Breakaway with a 4 and 6 year old. The kids club was excellent. The staff was attentive kids wanted to be there as much as possible as there were organized activities and the kids made friends...... the best part of the club is the organized show that the kids perform on the last sea day. The kids take so much pride in putting on this show. The club is generally open 9-12, 2-5, 6-11.

I get up early eat breakfast and see the flood of towels on loungers. I laugh to myself and remove a bunch and stack it all on one. Then I go to the pool bar and wait. while I am sipping a drink I watching all the angry hogs fight over one apple its hilarious.

How juvenile. And the use of the 'yellow cards' is something that maybe the cruise staff should do, but not passengers.... It just leads to a potentially unnecessary confrontation.

I am of the school of you snooze, you lose. If I get chairs early, I am entitled to use them and also get up and walk away whether to get a bite to eat for breakfast/lunch, a lemonade, use the ropes course, take a dip in the pool/hot tub and not worry that some wise guy moved my belongings.

Using Breakaway as my point of reference, the fact of the matter is that there are plenty of chairs if you do not need to be right around the (very small) pools. One deck up there are many many chairs.

Some people (on Breakaway) even walked the plank which is part of the ropes course which extends over the side of the ship!! It was interesting to watch.

We just did the breakfast on Breakaway for the kids (ages 4 & 6). It was what you'd expect... but the kids enjoyed it and that's what counts....... It is $24 per person and they do charge for the adults attending with the kids. I stayed back and my wife took the kids.

Does NCL record the DSC payments as revenue on its books?

On the BA they show non-stop european soccer matches. There was no baseball games or other USA live sports programming to be found. However, I used the internet package and was able to keep up with baseball via the MLB At-Bat app.

Wish NCL would make the DSC mandatory and roll the cost into the ticket price.

Exactly! Make it a line item.... No different than when you book, you have your cruise fare and a line item for taxes and port fees. If this were added as another line item, it would be prepaid and non-negotiable. You cannot go and ask for the port fee to be removed because you are not getting off of the ship. Its a fee you pay either way.

One comment/question about the DSC is - given that the fee supposedly goes to the "behind the scenes crew", does (and if so, how does) NCL book these fees as income/revenue on its books?

As of 8/30 on Breakaway you could still remove if you complete a form at the front desk.

I think many people are turned off by meet and greets when one person hijacks the roll call and comes across as it being all about them. Personally we do not do the meet and greet - in the past attended and odds of seeing those people again during the cruise or socializing with them during the cruise are very slim.

The internet worked just fine while on the Breakaway recently. Was able to send and receive emails and look at websites. They have an unlimited package which on a 7 day was approx $174.

While I do not mean to stir up controversy, NCL should make all of its ships non-smoking.... Just like airlines, passenger trains, bus lines and many cities have done in restaurants, parks, etc...... Even with designated areas, many passengers ignore the designations and smoke wherever they want, even near the kids pool on the BA which is plain wrong.