Everything Breakaway!(LIVE on 4/28)

[Maryfrei]

We are rocking and rolling really good! Fun fun fun, feels like a roller coaster. Waves not too high 8ft, but I think this is the most motion I've ever felt. That is odd considering that the Silli is a smaller ship and we sailed 16ft waves. Either way not complaining, movement helps me remind myself that I am on a ship.

 

Also remember I am aft, I wonder how mid is bearing this.

 

I think a few people are going to be sick today. My guess is that waves will only get bigger as we sail into Manhattan.

 

Sounds like a good day for a nice long nap:p

[Godiva830]

We are rocking and rolling really good! Fun fun fun, feels like a roller coaster. Waves not too high 8ft, but I think this is the most motion I've ever felt. That is odd considering that the Silli is a smaller ship and we sailed 16ft waves. Either way not complaining, movement helps me remind myself that I am on a ship.

 

Also remember I am aft, I wonder how mid is bearing this.

 

I think a few people are going to be sick today. My guess is that waves will only get bigger as we sail into Manhattan.

 

Weather here in NYC is not great. The last 2 days we've had torrential rain. Forecast for today (sat) rain. Sunday is supposed to be a nice day. Enjoy your last day!

[time2cruise1]

We are rocking and rolling really good! Fun fun fun, feels like a roller coaster. Waves not too high 8ft, but I think this is the most motion I've ever felt. That is odd considering that the Silli is a smaller ship and we sailed 16ft waves. Either way not complaining, movement helps me remind myself that I am on a ship.

 

Also remember I am aft, I wonder how mid is bearing this.

 

I think a few people are going to be sick today. My guess is that waves will only get bigger as we sail into Manhattan.

 

I was surprised by the movement the one day we had any seas on the TA. The ship did not rock but it did roll. That side to side motion is more difficult for most that are sensitive.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[boyreporter]

I don't see anybody here freaking out about the ship based on the small sample of reviews. What I see are some people voicing concerns about what they're reading early on, and some other people trying to convince the first people to take the existing evidence with a grain of salt, and then a third group of people saying "HEY! WHOA! HOLD ON! Let's everybody just CALM DOWN."

 

I think we're all calm. And we're here for different reasons. Some of us are here to get whatever information we can about the ship. Some of us are here because we're excited about the ship, and/or the cruises we've booked. Some of you, I don't know what the hell you're doing here. :) But let's all coexist, ok?

[david_sobe]

It is important to remember that EVERY cruise is different even on the same ship. I sailed Epic twice and the first time Posh was packed with no chairs. The second time it was empty, even on sunny sea days. I asked the bartender if it was still busy in Posh, he told me that it usually is and the cruise was unusual. The next cruise, the reports said it was packed again.

 

When we tried to get a reservation at Cagneys the first night, there was a singles group that had booked almost the entire restaurant. So we had to wait.

 

So being that this is only the second cruise, I imagine Breakaway is packed to the hilt. There could be several groups on board that are eating together at the same time.

 

It is WAY to early to be making judgments on crowd flows on a new ship. You can judge the decor, pools, shows, etc. But give it several months to see how the crew adjusts to the crowds.

What we have not heard is any problems getting into entertainment. That is GREAT news. I remember when Epic was new, that was a very common complaint.

I am sure it wil all work out :)

[Sailaway Girl]

Well I have been cruising for years. Some cruises I thought were great others hated and some I had concerns about concerned no one else. I have had ships detoured by weather, miss ports and stay at sea an extra day and cut short. I have waited on lines on the Epic on one cruise and waltzed in to eat at others.

 

I learn a lot from ALL of you on CC and use the info to shape my cruise. Long lines reported, i rearrange my eating schedule. Rocking ship, pack dramamine. Ship cold, pack a jacket. I have never had a bad cruise or let any situation on a ship get me down. I am on vacation!!

 

Gambee mentioned the lines but loves the ship. Let's enjoy the reviews, the pictures and the comments then be flexible while onboard so we enjoy the cruise. And please continue to share information with me. I really look forward to it.

[English101]

 

I learn a lot from ALL of you on CC and use the info to shape my cruise. Long lines reported, i rearrange my eating schedule. Rocking ship, pack dramamine. Ship cold, pack a jacket. I have never had a bad cruise or let any situation on a ship get me down. I am on vacation!!

 

Gambee mentioned the lines but loves the ship. Let's enjoy the reviews, the pictures and the comments then be flexible while onboard so we enjoy the cruise. And please continue to share information with me. I really look forward to it.

 

This is what I do with all the info from CC! Help me to plan and just become familiar with the ship. I like to read about others experiences. I like to know whats available and if there are certain things I need to pack (e.g. White hot party on other ships and 80s party on breakaway). I like to read it all and Pick and choose what advice I want to follow and what activities I'm going to skip and what I can't miss. I like to learn all I can before the trip so I don't have to search for an answer and waste time on my vacation.

[sarahecohen]

I don't see anybody here freaking out about the ship based on the small sample of reviews. What I see are some people voicing concerns about what they're reading early on, and some other people trying to convince the first people to take the existing evidence with a grain of salt, and then a third group of people saying "HEY! WHOA! HOLD ON! Let's everybody just CALM DOWN."

 

I think we're all calm. And we're here for different reasons. Some of us are here to get whatever information we can about the ship. Some of us are here because we're excited about the ship, and/or the cruises we've booked. Some of you, I don't know what the hell you're doing here. :) But let's all coexist, ok?

 

Like!

 

I'm here cause I love cruising, would love to sail the Breakaway, but probably will be sailing the Getaway first since I live in South Florida, and like hearing ANY information possible about the new ship!

[shaun07]

Just some observations and comments

 

The ship is beautiful and does not feel crowded. I went to savor on Tuesday at 545 and there was no wait. My cabin is in the aft and we usually eat at around 6-6:30. On our way to other venues we always noticed the manhattan room line to look very long stretching back to the elevators.

The staff have been excellent and I have had nothing to complain about. The food has been very good. Have not had a bad thing to eat nor have we had to wait for food or drinks. Only hiccup was the steaks at cagneys coming out well done, not med rare, but they fixed them.:).

 

One frustration is the waterfront places (gelato Carlos and seafood) all close stupid early. Like 5pm which makes no sense to me. It would be so nice to go grab a gelato after dinner or a show and take an evening stroll around the waterfront. There are also large Empty spaces between some of the venues. The waterfront is a great addition but they have not taken full advantage of it and it could be so much better.

 

Getting into shows has not been an issue with or without tickets. The standby lines have been very short 4-10 people. ROA and BTF (theatre was very comfortable ) were excellent and so was cirque. I saw the comedian/magician last night. I was not expecting David copperfield but this was by far the worst show I have seen on any cruise ship. 5 mins in they had the assistant CD cone out and juggle 3 balls and make a few "jokes" it was pitiful. It was like amateur hour . Then the main act came back out I actually felt sad for the guy it was so bad. Second city is the same recycled stuff that you either like or don't. I don't! I loved the howl at the moon. Fatcats depends on if you like jazz. Bliss is just badly designed. Went from too many seats, sofas loungers and beds on other ships to almost none, It has minimal uncomfortable seating at the back and along the side so there is a large disconnect between the entertainment and the audience.

 

The haven area is huge and beautiful. Very relaxing and far from crowded. Plenty of lounge chairs for everyone. I do have one complaint which is the announcements in the pool area are deafening. There are usually only a few a day but they are almost unbearable. ( concierge said they cannot control the volume on ship wide announcements) the day they had drills we had to leave the area because it was so loud .

 

The s6 cabin is a wonderful cabin. It's a bit of a trek to the haven but not too bad. I will say that the door is very narrow. I am 150lbs and struggle to fit in it. The noise from spice h2o is very loud on the aft balconies (we enjoyed hearing the music while having a smoke before bed) I didn't notice any noise with the door closed. I am on deck 10. Gambee said he can hear and feel the vibrations on deck 12. Spice also has a poor layout. If you get a seat on the comfy chairs or at the bar the people that come in after you have no choice but to stand directly in front of you and block your view of the entertainment. If it was tiered like on the epic it could be a wonderful venue.

 

The water park and ropes course is a

great addition. I have not witnessed any lines ( I imagine if there was a lot of kids onboard It may be an issue)

 

The I concierge app is wonderful when it works which is only about half the time which is very frustrating. One great addition is the touch screens around the ship. Very helpful to find what's going on where and how to get to it. I do find it strange that a cruise line that worries about the spread or germs would install touch screens without a washy washy beside them.

 

Overall the breakaway is a wonderful ship. It's not as "freestyle" as the jewel class, If you want to see entertainment or eat somewhere you either reserve, book or pay.

[roe2ship]

The other thing is, and I too love me some Gambee, that he has not eaten in the MDR once this week. I think he is basing his information on others who have told him they waited an hour. I know if I'm standing in a line for a while it feels like an hour too.

 

I've been given a pager a few times on other cruises and am happy to have a bevvy while waiting for a table. I don't see it as such a big deal.

 

What I would be worried about was if Gambee was eating in the MDRs every night and couldn't get into any of them for an hour each night, then I might think there is a big issue. I don't know where he's getting his info from, if it's from the screens, people in line, or actually approaching the podium and asking, but we know it's not from him waiting in line and then eating.

Im not sure either but his last few posts about the MDR waits were confusing. I think its unknown if he is actually experiencing the long waits himself or if its second hand information from other passengers. I've asked twice if these times were the peak times and also asked if it was ALL the dining rooms but have not received a response.:confused:

 

The few reviews on the main NCL boards from the 5/12 cruise has no mention of these long waits at the MDR. It's way too early to judge what the overall experience will be. However, if over the next couple of months, most reviews say that ALL the three main dining rooms have one hour waits, that to me is unacceptable and a major cause of concern.

[English101]

Just some observations and comments

 

The ship is beautiful and does not feel crowded. I went to savor on Tuesday at 545 and there was no wait. My cabin is in the aft and we usually eat at around 6-6:30. On our way to other venues we always noticed the manhattan room line to look very long stretching back to the elevators.

The staff have been excellent and I have had nothing to complain about. The food has been very good. Have not had a bad thing to eat nor have we had to wait for food or drinks. Only hiccup was the steaks at cagneys coming out well done, not med rare, but they fixed them.:).

 

One frustration is the waterfront places (gelato Carlos and seafood) all close stupid early. Like 5pm which makes no sense to me. It would be so nice to go grab a gelato after dinner or a show and take an evening stroll around the waterfront. There are also large Empty spaces between some of the venues. The waterfront is a great addition but they have not taken full advantage of it and it could be so much better.

 

Getting into shows has not been an issue with or without tickets. The standby lines have been very short 4-10 people. ROA and BTF (theatre was very comfortable ) were excellent and so was cirque. I saw the comedian/magician last night. I was not expecting David copperfield but this was by far the worst show I have seen on any cruise ship. 5 mins in they had the assistant CD cone out and juggle 3 balls and make a few "jokes" it was pitiful. It was like amateur hour . Then the main act came back out I actually felt sad for the guy it was so bad. Second city is the same recycled stuff that you either like or don't. I don't! I loved the howl at the moon. Fatcats depends on if you like jazz. Bliss is just badly designed. Went from too many seats, sofas loungers and beds on other ships to almost none, It has minimal uncomfortable seating at the back and along the side so there is a large disconnect between the entertainment and the audience.

 

The haven area is huge and beautiful. Very relaxing and far from crowded. Plenty of lounge chairs for everyone. I do have one complaint which is the announcements in the pool area are deafening. There are usually only a few a day but they are almost unbearable. ( concierge said they cannot control the volume on ship wide announcements) the day they had drills we had to leave the area because it was so loud .

 

The s6 cabin is a wonderful cabin. It's a bit of a trek to the haven but not too bad. I will say that the door is very narrow. I am 150lbs and struggle to fit in it. The noise from spice h2o is very loud on the aft balconies (we enjoyed hearing the music while having a smoke before bed) I didn't notice any noise with the door closed. I am on deck 10. Gambee said he can hear and feel the vibrations on deck 12. Spice also has a poor layout. If you get a seat on the comfy chairs or at the bar the people that come in after you have no choice but to stand directly in front of you and block your view of the entertainment. If it was tiered like on the epic it could be a wonderful venue.

 

The water park and ropes course is a

great addition. I have not witnessed any lines ( I imagine if there was a lot of kids onboard It may be an issue)

 

The I concierge app is wonderful when it works which is only about half the time which is very frustrating. One great addition is the touch screens around the ship. Very helpful to find what's going on where and how to get to it. I do find it strange that a cruise line that worries about the spread or germs would install touch screens without a washy washy beside them.

 

Overall the breakaway is a wonderful ship. It's not as "freestyle" as the jewel class, If you want to see entertainment or eat somewhere you either reserve, book or pay.

 

Thanks so much for the info!! I have been trying to wait patiently for reviews from your sail date, since there are so many if you on board! :)

 

Your comments about iconcierge app is frustrating! I'm assuming that the suites have the portable phone. Does that have the iconcierge app or do you need your smartphone AND the suite phone, while out and about, if you want to use the iconcierge app AND be able to call butler & concierge?

[BrueDragon]

 

I do have one complaint which is the announcements in the pool area are deafening. There are usually only a few a day but they are almost unbearable. ( concierge said they cannot control the volume on ship wide announcements) the day they had drills we had to leave the area because it was so loud . If it's that loud That's not good.

 

I will say that the door is very narrow. I am 150lbs and struggle to fit in it.

Another bad thing cuz as of right now I'm a big girl:(:o

 

I do find it strange that a cruise line that worries about the spread or germs would install touch screens without a washy washy beside them. I guess I'll keep washy washy with me at all times.

 

Overall the breakaway is a wonderful ship. It's not as "freestyle" as the jewel class, If you want to see entertainment or eat somewhere you either reserve, book or pay. Now that just might make me switch ships:confused::(

Looks like I might be doing some talking with hubby. But I'll wait till I read everyone's reviews:cool:

[david_sobe]

Why in the world would they close the gelato stand at 5pm? I would think peak gelato times would be early evening or after dinner while taking a stroll before a late show or something.

 

Odd.

[spidybabe]

My favorite reviews are from those on the first cruise 2 night British Isles. Value for money 3 stars and it was FREE :D

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

 

Funniest thing I have read in a long time.:):):D:):)

Thanks for the laugh

Safe sailing

[English101]

Why in the world would they close the gelato stand at 5pm? I would think peak gelato times would be early evening or after dinner while taking a stroll before a late show or something.

 

Odd.

 

I agree...why not be open all day!? Guess they'd rather give out free icecream at the buffet than make money. Strange!

[kelee2405]

I know menus have been posted before - but I forgot what page they were on. We found one link and when we tried to zoom in it was blurry. Does anyone have a direct link for restaurant menus? Thank you!

[time2cruise1]

Thanks so much for the info!! I have been trying to wait patiently for reviews from your sail date, since there are so many if you on board! :)

 

Your comments about iconcierge app is frustrating! I'm assuming that the suites have the portable phone. Does that have the iconcierge app or do you need your smartphone AND the suite phone, while out and about, if you want to use the iconcierge app AND be able to call butler & concierge?

 

The portable suite phone is exactly that a phone. No Apps.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[dcollette]

I agree...why not be open all day!? Guess they'd rather give out free icecream at the buffet than make money. Strange!

 

Lol! That's so true! You would really think they would keep the Gelato stand open late. Unless it is like Carlo's and really belongs to another company and they set the rules, not NCL. Would think they would want the money, as I'm sure there would be plenty of demand for Gelato. I know my kids love to grab an ice cream after we have eaten or seen a show.

 

Oh well, their loss

[1witchydiva]

 

 

The s6 cabin is a wonderful cabin. It's a bit of a trek to the haven but not too bad. I will say that the door is very narrow. I am 150lbs and struggle to fit in it. The noise from spice h2o is very loud on the aft balconies (we enjoyed hearing the music while having a smoke before bed) I didn't notice any noise with the door closed. I am on deck 10. Gambee said he can hear and feel the vibrations on deck 12.

 

Lovely. I am not a small girl. I guess hubby will butter my hips to fit me through the door :D:eek:

 

Note to self: pack lots of butter and my tape measure !!!! lol

 

Thanks for the updates. Safe trip home...

[gambee]

For all of those curious about the wait, my information comes from second hand and from directly asking the lady how long the wait till be. And yes one time I was told 1 hour for the manhattan room.

 

That said yesterday things actually rotated and the waits were for the pay restaurants and there was no waits in the free venues. That was very odd, maybe everyone got tired of waiting or maybe people just planed to dine out on the last days. Who knows. But still from what I gather there are ways from avoiding the long waits.

 

It is funny how everyones experiences are different, unlike Shaun, my experience with service has been rather low. My cabin steward is amazing, she is the one person that has not disappointed me. Great person!

 

But it is so bad that I am actually scared of going into customer service, I was treated so poorly the first to days that I will do everything to avoid that again. Sliceoflife told me that they are giving free lanyards there, but I have decided not to go there to get frustrated with another bad experience.

 

Today I met dandy7 (think that is his screen name) and he told he bought day spa passes on day 2 for day 7. When I inquired about that, he rudely told me "sold out" and all I really wanted was info, I did not wanted to buy them. Dandy had a great experience, he was even able to return his repurchased passes today because of the bad weather. I really don't know what happened to me those 2 days, maybe the 2 guys I dealt with were just having a bad day. But it was bad enough to scare me away permanently.

 

Weather is so so, mom got sick for a few hours, I am ok so far nock on wood. I have spend most of the day doing nothing and gathering info requested by CC folks.

 

The ship really has a lot of movement for 8ft waves, and it is permanently tilted starboard side. I personally like it, but I am sure many are sick. Those top decks are empty, better for me.

 

I also agree with Shaun, the ship does not feel crowded. I am very happy that we did not spend the money on Vibe or the Spa. H2O did us just fine.

 

I guess that is it for now, I might try the raw bar tonight, I noticed that the platter for 2 went from $50 to $35. That is the only drop in price that I have noticed, everything else seems to go up and up.

 

ok my friends, I might go up to the jacuzzi for a few more hours and relax there. I should also start drinking :D.

[patter44]

Thank you Gambee for checking in. Hope your Mom is feeling better. Watching Gem leave NY and it is extremely windy. Hope your morning entering port tomorrow is better. Enjoy your last night on board. Waiting for the review.

[david_sobe]

Enjoy your last night Gambee

The last 2 nights of a cruise ALWAYS have the specialty restaurants packed or sold out. Everyone celebrates the last night at a fancy restaurant.

 

Thanks again for checking in!

[dcollette]

Not sure if it has to do with the size of the ship, maybe those who have been on Epic can have some input here. For a ship to encounter 8ft swells and be rolling doesn't seem right to me. I was on the Dawn in 27ft swells and while she rolled a bit, it wasn't scary. Sure, you had to hold the rails walking down any stairs, and two in my family were on dramamine and in bed, but it wasn't overly bad. Guess if you've ever been out on George's bank in bad weather in a small ship you can bear it on a larger vessel.

 

That being said, it makes me wonder if the height of the ship has anything to do with it, because the Dawn is a much "shorter" ship (fewer decks)? Has anyone been on a tall ship like this (say Oasis or Allure?) and experienced waves like that? Just curious

[SuiteCruiser]

Not sure if it has to do with the size of the ship, maybe those who have been on Epic can have some input here. For a ship to encounter 8ft swells and be rolling doesn't seem right to me. I was on the Dawn in 27ft swells and while she rolled a bit, it wasn't scary. Sure, you had to hold the rails walking down any stairs, and two in my family were on dramamine and in bed, but it wasn't overly bad. Guess if you've ever been out on George's bank in bad weather in a small ship you can bear it on a larger vessel.

 

That being said, it makes me wonder if the height of the ship has anything to do with it, because the Dawn is a much "shorter" ship (fewer decks)? Has anyone been on a tall ship like this (say Oasis or Allure?) and experienced waves like that? Just curious

 

Joeski just posted in this forum, different thread that the balcony dividers are snapping off. Pretty scary and lots of damage.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1850702

 

Re: the seas, I was on the Epic TA last year an really felt the movement far more than other cruises even when the seas were pretty light, so I think the height to hull ratio does make a big difference.

[janetz]

For all of those curious about the wait, my information comes from second hand and from directly asking the lady how long the wait till be. And yes one time I was told 1 hour for the manhattan room.

 

That said yesterday things actually rotated and the waits were for the pay restaurants and there was no waits in the free venues. That was very odd, maybe everyone got tired of waiting or maybe people just planed to dine out on the last days. Who knows. But still from what I gather there are ways from avoiding the long waits.

 

It is funny how everyones experiences are different, unlike Shaun, my experience with service has been rather low. My cabin steward is amazing, she is the one person that has not disappointed me. Great person!

 

But it is so bad that I am actually scared of going into customer service, I was treated so poorly the first to days that I will do everything to avoid that again. Sliceoflife told me that they are giving free lanyards there, but I have decided not to go there to get frustrated with another bad experience.

 

Today I met dandy7 (think that is his screen name) and he told he bought day spa passes on day 2 for day 7. When I inquired about that, he rudely told me "sold out" and all I really wanted was info, I did not wanted to buy them. Dandy had a great experience, he was even able to return his repurchased passes today because of the bad weather. I really don't know what happened to me those 2 days, maybe the 2 guys I dealt with were just having a bad day. But it was bad enough to scare me away permanently.

 

Weather is so so, mom got sick for a few hours, I am ok so far nock on wood. I have spend most of the day doing nothing and gathering info requested by CC folks.

 

The ship really has a lot of movement for 8ft waves, and it is permanently tilted starboard side. I personally like it, but I am sure many are sick. Those top decks are empty, better for me.

 

I also agree with Shaun, the ship does not feel crowded. I am very happy that we did not spend the money on Vibe or the Spa. H2O did us just fine.

 

I guess that is it for now, I might try the raw bar tonight, I noticed that the platter for 2 went from $50 to $35. That is the only drop in price that I have noticed, everything else seems to go up and up.

 

ok my friends, I might go up to the jacuzzi for a few more hours and relax there. I should also start drinking :D.

 

Yes, do have a few. :D Can't wait for your review.