jints07

Any of the airports will work, depends what your priority is going to be? price? flying in the same day? NYC touring?

 

There are a lot of similarities between the cruise lines. I'd suggest reading through several Breakaway reviews. I happen to like the ship.

I agree with BQ here. If you are flying in early on the morning of a weekend departure (the Breakaway typically departs on Sunday's), the traffic around the city is pretty tame. I pass Newark Airport on my way to the cruise terminal and that's typically a half hour or less. My guess is Laguardia would be similar with JFK being a bit longer, but again, early on a weekend morning it won't be bad.

I bring 100.00 dollar bills and tip 1.00 every time I order a drink, I do that when I go to all-inclusives too, it makes a difference

Exactly what we do. I get a few hundred in small bills/ones and expect it to be all gone by the end of the cruise for tips in various places (bartenders, dock porters, steward, etc).

In my opinion it is totally an optional thing and no one should feel obliged, but for me personally I am already paying 4k for the cruise (family of 4) plus other expenses, another couple of hundred for tips is just treated as part of the cost.

I don't tip for this reason, but I will admit it's nice to enter the bar area and have a drink sitting on the bar waiting by the time you get over to it.

Yes, it was NCL that initiated the switch. We went from Spirit to Jade when the spirit moved to Asia, then Jade to Epic when the Jade was contracted out. This is what happens when you buy early folks (we booked March 6, 2015). They wouldn't give us a 2 bedroom haven suite so we ended up with this. Couldn't switch dates as we are traveling Presidents week. I didn't really think much of it at the time. We booked and paid for originally for all 4 of us to be in a family suite, I expect us all to have suite benefits.

 

Now that I'm thinking about it though, I hardly doubt NCL won't let the kids board with us and have lunch the first day, and beyond that and priority disembarkation at GSC I don't care so much.

 

It's so funny to call though. Every time I call (i.e., when we had our cruise docs printed), the very first thing the PCC tells me is "you can't have a room with only minors". Yes, I know, so how about you go and upgrade me to that 2 bedroom haven suite hmmmm? Oh no you'll leave it as it is? Oh, ok.

Exactly!

Sort of:

"Maam/Sir you absolutely cannot have only minors booked in a room....er...what's that....um.... oh...we at NCL did it because we tossed you off a different cruise? Oh....er....umm....yeah, you know what, don't worry about that pesky little rule"

I certainly hope not. For me it's not so much about losing access, it is the fact that the more common space they dedicate to Haven, be it on the ship or the private island, the more crowded the remaining space for the "common folk" becomes.

That raises an interesting aside of whether there are any cruise ship statistics anywhere the show something like percentage of ship available to all passengers. Would be interesting to see how all of the cruise lines stack up.

Just out of curiosity, when you say "we were switched", was this something that NCL initiated or something you initiated? If it was the former, then they absolutely need to provide you with a workable solution that does not require half of your group to miss out on benefits. If it was the latter, I'm afraid they probably won't be as helpful as you might like.

Great question. I have one cruise next certificate remaining (or whatever it is called) and if UBP is going away, I'd like to book now. Though at this point I'm not sure if they could really take UBP away without lowering fares.

For the record, the Ts&Cs can be found at the link below. In paragraph two it specifically states this:

Two (2) beverages per person per transaction

Link: https://www.ncl.com/terms/ultimate-beverage-package

Thanks for all the great info. My wife and I will be sailing on the Escape in May and we can't wait. Question regarding the UBP. I understand the different restrictions involved but can I get more than one drink at a time with the same card? We will both have the UBP but I'm hoping that I can pick up a drink for both of us and bring them back to the room or where ever else we might be hanging out.

 

 

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My experience on the Breakaway in November was that they will give you up to two drinks per card. If you are tipping the bartenders a buck a drink regularly and are clearly not breaking any rules (like sharing with people that dont have UBP) they'll be pretty darn flexible.

Knowing the cruise industry, in a few years you will be able to choose your arrival time slot for a "small" fee! Only $99 per person for the "premium" early times! Think of the marketing opportunities as it can then progress to be offered as a "free at sea" choice in which case you'd only be responsible for the 18% gratuity. :p

thanks for your response. we will be in 8766. we usually book a rm dead center, mid ship. How did you find the stability? your rm was more forward than ours.

Stability wasn't an issue at all. We booked that room because it had the extra large balcony but I will admit I was a little concerned that being forward would have extra movement, but it really didn't at all. We had sailed the Gem and Jewel in the past and it just seemed like due to the size of the Breakaway you barely felt any movement at all compared to those other two.

Also, being on 8 turned out to be work out nice because except for the buffet and pool deck, most everything else on the ship (shops, theaters, restaurants, bars, atrium, casino, etc) is accessible without the hassle of elevators.

Enjoy your cruise!

This is our 3rd cruise on the Breakaway. Great ship!. We usually book a cabin on 10,11th deck. This time we have one on the 8th(mid ship,balcony) deck. This floor has some clubs & restaurants and I"m concerned with ambient noise.I would like your opinion if you have stayed deck 8.. TY

Was just on the Breakaway in November in 8134 and I can say with confidence that noise wasn't an issue at all. But unless my memory fails me (which is very possible!) I think your room is probably forward and not midship as on the 8th floor I don't think there are any cabins between the forward and aft elevators.

We bought day passes to the Colonial Hilton Inn. it's a short walk from the pier. Nice location, great beach, beach loungers with clamshells, pool, cabanas, bar & patio restaurant. And they comp you part of the day pass cost in food & drink.

I think the pass is $60 & they give you a credit for $40.

It was a good deal & we followed that up with some local shopping on the way back to the ship.

Just google British Colonial Hilton Nassau Resort for a Day Pass.

Cheers

Yep, this is exactly what we did and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Since the it's very near the port you get to watch the ships come in and out. Quite honestly, you'd never even know you were in Nassau so for those that can't find something to do and that like beaches, I'd highly recommend this one. The fact that it is very easy walking distance also allows you to be on your own schedule and not one of some crowded bus or ferry (i.e. that you will be on for an excursion).

There are always people on the forum that defend the cruise line no matter what. Never understood that mentality....

Yes, it is truly bizarre and very difficult to not at least suspect some of them have some kind of motivation to do so, which would be very disappointing. I've never seen folks rally against their own best interests with such vigor as is sometimes displayed here. Consumers should always be skeptical of their service providers. It is what challenges said service providers to improve. Blind loyalty does nothing more than allow the goods and services to suffer.

If NCL instituted a pay per flush toilet some here would talk about how they like only paying for their share of flushes! :rolleyes:

Ok, derail over. :)

Doug = HALL OF FAME Trip Review/Live

I feel like I went on the trip too!

Thanks!

I agree, but if you play smart and fast the tournaments are very, very easy. The cash games also if you hit and run. In my last 6 cruises I have made money on every one from poker any where from $400-3800. I used to not play because of the rake and I can see a grinder having trouble with a game like this but for the right player it can be very profitable. Most players have a hard time playing the correct way in a game like this even if they want to most can't make the adjustment.

But as you know, the rake is an issue when you are winning, not when you are losing since the pot winner pays the rake. In the long run it is close to impossible to beat a 10% uncapped rake unless you just happen to fill the table with complete rec players. Sure, with small sample size and generally bad players as found on cruise ships, you can make some money, but in the long run, getting an extra 20, 30, or even 50 bucks (when stacks go in) pulled from the pot will catch up.

I do think the cruise line would get many more players if the structure wasn't so terrible but maybe they don't want them. I know when I was on the ship, the 2-5 cash game only ran from like 8pm to 1am and this was a sold out cruise.

Finally to answer your initial question, when I was on last month, there were both... sats to their event on the Epic as well as standard tournaments.

We were on the Escape recently and had to pay $99.54 per person (just under $200) for the UBP for our drinks for a week.

 

Was there a desk somewhere on the ship Jintz, that we missed to sign up for free booze?

Did you really think there was a desk for that or was the question typical CC snark?

Does anyone really disagree that there is less motivation for the smugglers now as NCL has made it considerably less expensive to enjoy adult beverages? And the 100 bucks is gratuity because unfortunately many people aren't capable of proper tipping when something is "free". If a restaurant offered a free meal would you not call it free because you had to tip?

In any event, none of this smuggling/booze stuff was the real point so apologies to the OP.

There has NEVER been an an assertion that the rules has to do with smuggling, so your post is irrelevant.

Haha, you're pleasant, sorry I thought it possible to have a grown up conversation.

And regardless of the smuggling comment, clearly you realize I was correct about the comparison. Most likely why you became nasty.

Could be that holiday cruise schedules may have the itineraries altered? Not sure, but just a guess. I would think cruises would be less likely to embark/debark on Christmas eve or Christmas day.

If you buy a case of liter bottles, the cost is about $2.50 a bottle. At my favorite 7-11, it's $2.30 a bottle of Aquafina. Considering that it burn fuel carrying tons of bottle water, seems cost comparable. Nowhere as cheap as buying at Costco,,, but similar to what I would pay for the exact same water at a convenience store.

But you are buying them by the case and not as individuals so it really isn't comparable to be honest. Even 7-11, if they sold cases, wouldn't charge you the per bottle price x quantity. This is evident because 7-11 does sell 12 packs of soda and it is far cheaper than buying 12 individual cans (like half as much if not more).

The price they charge for bottled water is very high. Saying so is not some attack on the cruise line (which I know some are very quick to defend), it is just fact. Some other lines manage to still make a profit despite allowing all that "heavy" water to be brought on board or sold for much less.

The funny thing is it has become the mantra that you can't carry water on because of smuggling, but that doesn't pass the logic test because with NCL basically giving free booze to anyone that wants it, no one is even bothering to attempt to smuggle booze on anymore. In fact, NCL should encourage smuggling now as it is less booze they have to give away!

For the Getaway/Breakaway I'm pretty sure that all of the large balcony and large mini suite rooms that are designated to hold 4 will have the bed near the balcony. I actually prefer the bed in the middle so that the couch is near the balcony but I was unable to find that arrangement for my previous and upcoming cruise in the large mini suite rooms that hold 4.

On the same Breakaway sailing right now. GSC was great. Just a slice of paradise even with the sprinkles we got here and there. To the other poster that asked, still lots of construction going on it appears but it didn't interfere at all with the main areas of the island.

You have to drink 5-7 drinks/day, every day, to make the UBP worth it. You think that "isn't drinking much?"

Since anyone that wants the UBP will certainly take it as one of the Free At Sea options, it only costs a $100 or so for the 18% upfront gratuities. $100 at cruise ship prices for seven days isn't really drinking much.

I wonder how many people in this thread think Jonathan Swift's, "A Modest Proposal" is a cookbook? That wooshing sound over your heads? That's the joke flying past.

Haha, exactly. I'm almost more amused by some of the reactions than the actual trip report.

I agree, NCL did nothing wrong, I'm just saying

that people will try, I'm already getting a hard

time for defending NCL. NCL did what they had to do

mkalio

I sincerely apologize that you took it as a hard time. l, like you, was just responding to something on a public forum.

I'm almost 100% positive that there are going to be people who are going to try big time to get a class action law suite going......I can feel it in my bones.

I hope I'm wrong but i know some will try,Good luck with one!

Good Job Captain for keeping everyone safe and out of harms way!

Marion

With all due respect (and I honestly mean that), why would this matter to you either way? I notice in that you are quick to defend critical comments about NCL, which is totally your prerogative, but sometimes it's good that a little public pressure be applied to large corporate entities as it helps drive innovative competition. When consumers just sit back and agree with everything a corp does, there is no impetus on their part to improve the quality of goods and services. Microsoft was a pretty good example for awhile.