VickiD59

We just got off the Breakaway this past Sunday, and everyone in our group with teens downloaded the iConcierge app and used the message feature constantly - you can text and call anyone else with the app who is on the ship. You just need to add their app ID# to your phone. Worked like a charm.

Not traveling with kids, there was no need for us to activate the message/call feature of the app (which is where the 7.95 comes in), but I did use the free features on the iConcierge app to check on board account, dining options etc.

It's been starboard for the last two weeks - I would've bet money that we would've docked port side last week, but good thing I didn't because I would've lost :p Maybe Captain Hoyt likes starboard.

We just got off Breakaway yesterday, and I also utilized the new internet package as well - 25mb for 5.00

I primarily used for emailing home, and in the long run I ended up purchasing 3 such packages - had I known ahead of time I would've opted for the 100mb for 15.00 plan. You will be notified each time you log out how much time you have left.

I'm sure there are balcony divider rules, and depending on your room steward, whether they are hard rules, or soft rules. The dividers for our aft cabins were on a slant, and only the first triangular shaped section opened, but not completely flat against itself - it only opened 90 degrees, which did cut into the floor space of the balcony. It was just enough for us to pass from one balcony to the other. Again, we didn't keep them open much, just for when we were all hanging out together, then we'd lock them up again.

Never met Nacho. Actually never had one particular bartender that stood out - probably because we never sat at anyone one spot long enough to form an attachment.

We LOVED our aft balcony and I can't imagine not booking one all the time from here on in. Initially my concern was that if we had rough waters we'd feel it more, but the water was so smooth on this sailing. Coming home we felt the waves a little more, but I think it was because coming back you're going faster. Really would have loved that extra sea day on the way home as well. Our Carnival sailings were 8 nights, and that extra day really is wonderful.

Can't believe after all the planning it's come and gone so quickly. This time last week we were at dinner (the one that took forever), and I so wish we were back there.

For those of us skeptical about trying a new cruise line, no one had any complaints. Or if there was, it was primarily food related, but believe me... no one starved. I think we've exhausted the sailings out of NY and may have to venture to FL to get some different port choices. We've been cruising every two years - I really hope we don't have to wait that long for the next one. Of course by then RCCL's newest will be in operation and we might give that a whirl. Or...more than likely we might try an all-inclusive land resort next year. But who knows.. right now we're all on that post vacation high ya get after having had a fantastic week with family and friends. :D

Having only ever cruised twice before, and both on the same Carnival ship, it's sort of like comparing apples to oranges - but there were times when I did prefer one over the other for some things.

We loved the decor of the Breakaway - very upscale resort

The Waterfront was the perfect place to hang out after dinner - very mellow.

Casino smoke was not as terrible as I imagined - it's definitely there, but not to the extent I had expected. Trying to walk through there could be a challenge at times - slow meandering walkers who just sort of zoned out trying to find the next machine to play on- we referred to them as the Walking Dead. I did win consistently at the penny slots. I'd only play with 20.00 bucks and either I would lose it and would walk away, or would get it to 120.00-130.00 and cash out. This happened a few times, and I was up 320.00 by the end of the trip. One person in our group won 1000.00 on 1.00 Wheel of Fortune slot. Score!

We ate primarily in Taste or Savor - this was because our first night in the Manhattan Room was painfully slow. We had originally reserved most dinners at 8:30, but soon changed our dining time to 5:30 (never thought we'd eat that early) but eating so late... and having it take so long to complete, gave us no nightlife - we were too tired after dinner to want to do anything.

Moderno- I wanted to like it more; we had a group dinner (25 people) after our cocktail hour in Shakers. Maybe it was too many rum punches before hand ;) or again... too late of a dining time.

From that point on we ate earlier and didn't feel so sluggish and tired afterwards. We tried Manhattan again at an earlier time, and unbeknownst to us it was a night that Burn the Floor preformed - very nice bonus.

MDR Menus- I'm sure 90% of you will disagree with me, but this is where I have to give it to Carnival (or at least our experience with Carnival) - there was a lack of choices on Breakaway, and the food was never piping hot. I found I ended up eating the same few things because there wasn't much to choice from. Even the buffet had the same things over and over. But again, food is subjective - one mans steak is another mans hamburger.

Nightlife- LOVED the themed deck parties! We literally danced the night away. Sail-away party was great as we left NY, and the Glow Party was awesome. It was raining as we left Bermuda, and we thought the fireworks were cancelled. Having had too much sun I went to bed early. I woke up to what sounded like gun shots :eek: but found it was the fireworks after all. We watched them from our aft balcony, then I went back to bed zzzzzz.

We just got home about an hour ago - so sorry to have the week end.

NCL's debarkation process was the smoothest we've ever had. As soon as we got into the luggage hanger we immediately found our bags and were with through customs and outside in no time.

Our aft cabin was amazing (11310), the corner suite next to us was never occupied - we were tempted to open the dividers and go hangout (kidding of course), but speaking of dividers; we asked our steward Eric the first day if he could open ours and 11312 and 11314. He said he couldn't, and that even while in Bermuda they could not be opened. Youngest son was in the midship mini with his gf's family. They also had several cabins in a row and their steward opened theirs for them once arriving in Bermuda.

Well...hubby always travels with his leathermen tool set - it took just a twist and it opened right up. We only had the dividers opened once we arrived to Bermuda and only when we were all sitting outside together. We'd close them up when we were done. It was a shame that we could only "hang out" with our friends and family while standing up at the railing. We purposely chose our spacious aft balconies for that benefit - so for about 15 minutes each night in Bermuda, we opened our dividers for a pre-dinner cocktail time. Mostly the men folk hung out together while we women got ready.

Side note - we carried on water and small 8pk cans of soda. There was no issue with our packed rum-runners.

That's it for now.. will add my 2cents on a couple of other things later on. For now it's laundry and a nap!!

The Emcee of the show (best character in the cast!) comes right out in the beginning and says.. "for all you kids 12 and under, you should leave now, and take your awful parents with you."

Enough said :rolleyes:

However.. I didn't care for it myself - not because of language or content; I had the tallest, biggest headed man EVER sitting RIGHT in front of me. I had to constantly lean left and right for 90 minutes, while sitting on the most uncomfortable seat ever. And no... there was no where to move, or change seats. That made 90 minutes seem like hours - it was torture set to an 80s soundtrack. :cool:

JUST returned.... literally.

We went to Horseshoe Baby the first day - beautiful. Beach got very crowded right at the point of entry, but we had planned ahead and knew to go further down to the left.

I only did one beach day, but the second day, others in our party went to Warwick, while some went to Church - both received high praises. It was very breezy the second day and both groups said that the beaches had big waves.

Also, we didn't bother with the bus/ferry passes - as we were approaching the long line for the passes, we were approached by a gent offering a ride for 7.00 each way. We were enough of a group that we filled up his mini-bus ourselves and for 14.00rt pp we got a little tour with our trip to Horseshoe Bay. Also, we arranged a time for the driver to pick us up. Maybe not the most economical, but it was convenient. They used the same driver the following day as well.

Hooray...the day is finally here! Been up since before dawn, like a kid trying to sleep on Christmas Eve :)

We'll be leaving in about an hour to meet up with the rest of our group, and we're being picked-up at 10:00 to head to the port. I AM SO EXCITED!!!! Judging by last weeks starboard docking in Bermuda, seems like a pretty good chance we'll be port side this week; maybe we'll even get that aft to aft configuration I've been hoping for.

I'll use this same thread to maybe pop in during the week, and for my post-cruise thoughts.

Have a great week everyone!!!!

That happened to us as well - when we first booked our cruise I saw that the NCL insurance was automatically added. I mentioned to our PCC a few times that we had already purchased travel insurance on our own; he said not to worry about it.. that it could be removed. It took a couple of requests, the last time being right before final payment, for him to finally take care of the request to remove it.

I am excited about leaving on the Breakaway on Sunday

Me too! :D

Would it be weird to take your soda to the dinning room and ask just for a cup of ice ?

There's probably a corkage fee ... a canage fee :p

Thanks all - I'm going to pack it an hope for the best ;)

Top side, or anywhere with a panoramic view - take it all in :)

YAY! I was hoping you'd share your trip with us. We leave Sunday and I can't believe it's finally here. We've been counting down since June 2013 - it's been so long it doesn't seem real. Well... the piles of clothes waiting to be either washed... folded...ironed...or packed are all too real :rolleyes:

I've had it downloaded on my iPad for awhile now...most of the features aren't activated until we're actually on board this Sunday, so it's pretty much just a countdown clock at this point. We'll use it primarily to check accounts and make reservations etc. The fee (I believe) only comes into play if you use it for communication, and then it's 7.95 per device. I can see where it would come in very handy for those traveling with many folks.

You have some choices:

 

 

 

1 Downy Wrinkle Release, available in most grocery stores or places like walmart/target

 

 

 

2 Ask if you can borrow an iron & ironing board, they have them available, you may have to call customer service/front desk.

 

 

 

3 Bring the steamer and hope you can use it... I'm sure I've read where others have taken them and had no worries using them but I've never done it myself.

EXACTLY what I just told my niece - I'll bring the steamer and hope for the best, but the other option is we'll ask for any iron, and

bring Downy as well. Thanks :)

On Carnival they have a small laundry on each deck where you can also use an iron; I know this is not the case with NCL, so what option would we have if we need to iron something?

Was so excited to receive my mini travel steamer in time to pack for my BA cruise this Sunday - my niece just told me she thought she read somewhere that I can't pack it, and it will be confiscated??

Is this true? It's the kind that you pour tap water into and plug in. Really....confiscated?

We're really hoping our three aft balconies can be opened while in Bermuda - it would really be nice to have everyone able to be out there at once.. together.

Go to Malting's on the Waterfront after dinner and see Nacho the bar waiter. He looks just like Johnny Knoxville with his Ray Bans on. Tell him Miss Robin and Brian say hello! He will take such good care of you.

Will do!!! ;)

I'm in packing mode right now... but haven't committed and actually put anything into the suitcase yet. I have clothes everywhere - to be ironed...just ironed...am I taking it.. am I not... to-do lists galore. But that's part of the fun of the last minute craziness.

With 5 Wed in July I was hoping he'd mix it up a little. We leave Sunday, and have a block of aft balconies that we were all hoping would be aft to aft with Celebrity, or at least Breakaway port, with a view of the dockyard - but of course we'll be just as happy to dock starboard and face the beautiful aqua water... hell with 4 days until we sail.. we're just HAPPY!! :D

Camera is pretty stationary now and I only see Summit... I know the Breakaway is there but the suspense was killing me - knew if I signed on here this thread would have the answer for me.

Robin... welcome home! Did you have a nice time?

Hmmm, I was automatically going to say, well you're home address of course, but now I see you have a slightly unique situation. For you luggage tags, I'd put your actual Switzerland address - but I would type out on a piece of paper all your contact info for the 12 days post cruise that you'll remain in the area. Name.. cell #, phone of where you'll be staying, etc. Zip that in the front pocket of your suitcase.

Have a wonderful cruise and trip to NY :)