All Things Breakaway (secrets, tibits, to do)

[MCAT48]

What shows do you have to pay for? Do you recommend booking shows before you leave or will you still be able to get in? Is there a charge for Howl at the Moon?

 

 

 

You pay for the cirque dinner show and one of the second city shows. Howl at the moon is free

[kylenyc]

What shows do you have to pay for? Do you recommend booking shows before you leave or will you still be able to get in? Is there a charge for Howl at the Moon?

It's recommended that you make reservations for the evening's production shows in the theater but you don't have to. You can try to get in on standby 10 minutes before the show. I made reservations when I was on board, was able to them a few times, and went in on standby as well.

 

I'd make reservations online if you have a special occasion to celebrate, or you definitely know you prefer early or late shows. If you're flexible and don't care then you don't have to.

 

In general, if there is a meal served, then there is a cover charge such as Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy dinner theater, and Second City Dysfunctional Family or Murder Mystery lunch.

 

No charge for Howl at the Moon, Rock of Ages, Burn the Floor, Fat Cats Jazz and Blues Club, Second City, etc.

[youngestof9]

Uptown Bar & Grill on 16 is a great breakfast spot. They have pre-made egg mcmuffin type sandwiches, but also bagels, fruit, croissants and they do eggs/omelette's to order. It's never crowded and has a great view. Just go up one flight from the Garden Café on 16 aft

 

On Deck 17 all the way forward is a nice public sundeck. Pass Vibe and keep going and there's clamshells and loungers. Bar servers walking around.

 

In that same area, when you come to the top of the stairs, it's a great place to watch the fireworks.

 

O'Sheehans dartboards are FUN!! (I actually wish I knew the tip of the bigger menu on the other side - never realized the O'S bar menu was different than the restaurant menu)

 

If you get the Ultimate Beverage Package, wait until you're at sea so you don't pay tax. You won't be charged for drinks before you actually bought the package. You can buy it on day 1 and 2.

[luvs2beachit]

You can take money off of your room card to play slots too with your players card! I learned that this last cruise!

 

They usually hand out dailies at the terminal first day.

 

Do you take the money out at the slot machine or do you need to go to the cage?

Going on 10/27 and would like to limit the money that I need to carry on me.

Also, I get points on my Amex when it is charged to the final bill.

 

Thanks

[moosecrouse]

If you get the Ultimate Beverage Package, wait until you're at sea so you don't pay tax. You won't be charged for drinks before you actually bought the package. You can buy it on day 1 and 2.

 

I purchased UBP as soon as I walked on. They hand wrote a ticket and then manually entered when we were at sea. I paid 396. No taxes. At Spice the bartenders did manual tickets until at sea for the same reason.

They also used the manual system when we were in port @ PC to avoid local taxes.

 

 

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Forums mobile app

[carol54]

The fish on the carpet in the hallways "swim" forward. Good to remember if you are "directionally challenged" as I am.

 

You cannot wear any jewelry on the slides. Take it all off before climbing to the top. Also, if you wear glasses all the time, you need to take them off and that will mean you will need someone at the bottom to give them back to you!

[kylenyc]

The fish on the carpet in the hallways "swim" forward. Good to remember if you are "directionally challenged" as I am.

Oh... and the solid blue sections of the carpet exit to the elevator banks.

[MCAT48]

Do you take the money out at the slot machine or do you need to go to the cage?

Going on 10/27 and would like to limit the money that I need to carry on me.

Also, I get points on my Amex when it is charged to the final bill.

 

Thanks

 

you put your players card into the machine and there is a button on the screen you hit to download funds from your on board account. It takes a few minutes to dl then you van print voucher if u want to play another slot machine.

[kerrydee]

The fish on the carpet in the hallways "swim" forward. Good to remember if you are "directionally challenged" as I am.

 

You cannot wear any jewelry on the slides. Take it all off before climbing to the top. Also, if you wear glasses all the time, you need to take them off and that will mean you will need someone at the bottom to give them back to you!

 

this fish info is wonderful. thank you very much. are the port side hallway carpets and starboard carpets different colors? i "really" get lost easily.

anything else?;)

[memjgm55]

Although it was a full cruise, things went very well. Spice H2O was a great place for adults only. Enjoyed lounging with a beautiful ocean view. We like the Manhattan Room a lot. Food was great and enjoyed the music during dinner. Howl at the Moon was great, as was Fire and Ice. The singer Rosie was fantastic. Just enjoy the ship and your vacation!:)

[carol54]

this fish info is wonderful. thank you very much. are the port side hallway carpets and starboard carpets different colors? i "really" get lost easily.

anything else?;)

 

I think they are the same color.

[gizmo911]

Although it was a full cruise, things went very well. Spice H2O was a great place for adults only. Enjoyed lounging with a beautiful ocean view. We like the Manhattan Room a lot. Food was great and enjoyed the music during dinner. Howl at the Moon was great, as was Fire and Ice. The singer Rosie was fantastic. Just enjoy the ship and your vacation!:)

 

Did you try any of the other MDR (Savor/Taste).

Edited October 22, 2013 by gizmo911

[gizmo911]

Uptown Bar & Grill on 16 is a great breakfast spot. They have pre-made egg mcmuffin type sandwiches, but also bagels, fruit, croissants and they do eggs/omelette's to order. It's never crowded and has a great view. Just go up one flight from the Garden Café on 16 aft

 

On Deck 17 all the way forward is a nice public sundeck. Pass Vibe and keep going and there's clamshells and loungers. Bar servers walking around.

 

In that same area, when you come to the top of the stairs, it's a great place to watch the fireworks.

 

O'Sheehans dartboards are FUN!! (I actually wish I knew the tip of the bigger menu on the other side - never realized the O'S bar menu was different than the restaurant menu)

 

If you get the Ultimate Beverage Package, wait until you're at sea so you don't pay tax. You won't be charged for drinks before you actually bought the package. You can buy it on day 1 and 2.

 

 

Can you give me a little more detail my friend has mobility issues and can't be in the sun. So this public sundeck sounds great with claim shells and loungers. I thought only Vibe had that accommodation. Is this on the same deck as Vibe?

[youngestof9]

Can you give me a little more detail my friend has mobility issues and can't be in the sun. So this public sundeck sounds great with claim shells and loungers. I thought only Vibe had that accommodation. Is this on the same deck as Vibe?

 

Well you do have to walk up the stairs to this area (although we noticed a chair climber attached to the rail). It's on the same deck as vibe. In fact, you head toward Vibe, but instead of turning right into Vibe, you just keep going toward the front of the ship. There are tons of regular blue loungers and across the front of the ship there are 5 clamshells.

 

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

Summary of some of the above items - I hope the individual contributors don't mind.......

General....

· There's a real lack of electrical outlets in your cabin so don't forget to bring along a power strip.

· It's good to carry a little penlight with you too. You need it to find the little doojigger thing you stick your room card in as it also turns on the lights.

· If you're not worried about being "green", you can use any discount card you have and leave that in the slot all the time.

· Deck 17 Forward Sundeck (way forward) has cabana loungers and was always lightly attended and quiet even on sea days with an overbooked cruise.

· Don't miss the ropes course and walking the plank. The feeling you get looking out and seeing nothing but blue sky and blue ocean is exhilarating.

· Try going to the pool around dinner time. We did that, and had the entire pool and a hot tub all to ourselves for about 30-40 minutes.

· If you are getting a spa treatment and they take you to room 15, request a different room. 15 is directly under the weight room and the thudding and shaking (literally) does not make for a relaxing treatment!

· As others have said don't miss the free fall slide....the purple slide is the fastest ...the yellow slide is a tad slower. But remember when you do the free fall slide be sure to either wear nose plugs or hold your nose...because when you hit the bottom....water comes hard and fast from everywhere.... (i thought i was drowning ) Much more so than the others.... You don't expect it at all!!! we all want to do a 'do over' but then the tube broke...so was unable to slide again that time!!

· If you want to be at Spice H20 for the fireworks go early. They close it when it gets to a certain capacity.

· The fish on the carpet in the hallways "swim" forward. Good to remember if you are "directionally challenged" as I am.

· You cannot wear any jewelry on the slides. Take it all off before climbing to the top. Also, if you wear glasses all the time, you need to take them off and that will mean you will need someone at the bottom to give them back to you!

· Walking the Waterfront in the early morning, relaxing on a lounger. The entire Sports Complex - Water slides, ropes course with zip line and walk the plank, mini-golf, etc.

· Shows....Burn the Floor (excellent), Rock of Ages (very good show, excellent band, mature themes). Reservations recommended but you can also try to go in on standby minutes before the show. Any performances in the Atrium, Headliners, and Fat Cats, go early because of limited seating. Fire & Ice, and Fat Cats excellent.

Food

· If you go to Moderno be careful of that salad bar. It's fantastic, but it will fill you up fast and you have 11 kinds of meat to sample. They're all great, and they are quite free about giving you seconds and thirds!

· Everyone will tell you about the wings and fish and chips at O'Sheehans and they are great as advertised, but don't forget to try the chicken pot pie.

· Don't miss the gelato stand out on the board walk. They change the flavors every day or so. Keep an eye out for the Cappucino flavor. Wow!

· And try to find the Sabrett hot dog stand if you can. It moves around and it's only open for about an hour a day, but they're real Sabrett dogs in a steamed bun with all the right condiments. They're free and they rock! (response The hours (usually 12 - 4) for the hot dog carts, and their locations, are listed in the Freestyle Daily.)

· Bring beverages! We fill a cooler with soda and water, and put a luggage tag on it. We check it in with our luggage at the curb. When you get to your room, ask your room steward to empty the fridge. You can then fill it up with your own goodies.

· A little secret for me was the prime rib dinner at O'Sheehans on the 1st night. Even with football on atrium screen the restaurant wasnt over crowded

· Uptown Grill is a lightly used covered open air lunch and breakfast spot. It's on 16 I think aft nice little out of the way spot. We didn't find it till day 5 and sorry we didn't find it sooner. more..... Uptown Bar & Grill on 16 is a great breakfast spot. They have pre-made egg mcmuffin type sandwiches, but also bagels, fruit, croissants and they do eggs/omelette's to order. It's never crowded and has a great view. Just go up one flight from the Garden Café on 16 aft

· O Sheehans has an added ice cream menu, you pay extra but the sundaes are yummy.

· On our cruise they offered a free bottle of house wine - red or white - at any of the pay dining venues on the first night. We had a nice dinner at La Cucina for $15 each so was a deal. It may not always be on so check.

· A word of warning if you're a coffee drinker. The coffee was really strange and we didn't like it at all. I mostly drank the coffee in the cabin but someone suggested the Starbucks coffee packets or something similar.

· Main dining rooms (Taste/Savor) and O'Sheehans is open is for lunch on embarkation day... You don't have to go to the buffet if you don't want to but that's good too.

· A Sabrette hotdog that's pink and snappy (not a grey dirty water dog like NYC) - Both on the waterfront during the day, and indoors at night (included)

· Lobster night (second night) in the Garden Cafe buffet (included)

· Lunch at O'Sheehans - Corn Beef Cabbage Soup amazing! Buffalo Wings, Burger, Corn Beef sammich Yum! (included)

· Lobster Tail from Carlo's Famous Bake shop YUM! (a la carte)

· Lobster Roll from Ocean Blue on the Waterfront for lunch WOW! ($10) The roll is toasted and buttered, and the lobster is tossed in a type of butter sauce and very rich. It's different than a Maine Lobster Roll which is served two ways 1) Tossed with mayo like a slaw or 2) "Naked" drizzled with drawn butter.

· Steak Tartar and Dover Sole in Ocean Blue for dinner AMAZING! ($49) Dragon Roll and Godzilla Rolls from Wasabi very good (a la carte)

 

 

[RichardE954]

Thanks for that nice summary WhenIsOurNextCruise!

[gizmo911]

Thank you for putting that summary together, I am def taking notes. Hope we get some more tips to add to it.

[gizmo911]

Well you do have to walk up the stairs to this area (although we noticed a chair climber attached to the rail). It's on the same deck as vibe. In fact, you head toward Vibe, but instead of turning right into Vibe, you just keep going toward the front of the ship. There are tons of regular blue loungers and across the front of the ship there are 5 clamshells.

 

 

 

Thank you I am def going to be looking for this area.

[limeyalchemist]

Well you do have to walk up the stairs to this area (although we noticed a chair climber attached to the rail). It's on the same deck as vibe. In fact, you head toward Vibe, but instead of turning right into Vibe, you just keep going toward the front of the ship. There are tons of regular blue loungers and across the front of the ship there are 5 clamshells.

 

 

If you go to this video tour of Breakaway (in 5 parts), on part 1 at around the 8 minute mark he shows the area in question so you'll be able to see what it looks like. Unfortunately, the weather that day was rainy, but with imagination you'll get the idea on a better day!

 

[karen119]

Splash Academy was wonderful. However, the check-in process was a complete nightmare. One night, I stood in line for 30 minutes, which is absolutely ridiculous. The SA entrance is located at the end of the bank of elevators on deck 12 and the line would snake through the bank of elevators and down (or up) the stairs. I booked rooms near SA, so this is the elevators we had to use. It was near impossible for my mother (who is disabled and uses a scooter) to use the elevators from about 6:50-7:45 pm. It's a horrible system that needs to be changed. Part of the issue is that people who decide to register their children at opening time were in the same line as those checking in their children. Later in the week, the lines were a little better, but you still had a long wait. We were on the Jewel last year and while it was crowded at check-in, we didn't have a wait like this.

 

So, if you have kids the age for SA, register them when you get on the ship. SA is open for registration almost all that day for registration, so there is plenty of time to do so before and after sailaway.

[Ronni G]

- Once you board the ship you can have lunch at O'Sheehans (this is one of the restaurants you will NOT be directed to but it is open).

 

- Although the cabins are usually not ready after lunch, you can drop your hand luggage in the cabin and lock valuables in the safe.

 

- Breakfast

O'Sheehans has a nice breakfast menu. It is limited - mostly eggs, but also delicious french toast. A basket of pastries will be put on the table. They were never crowded and we were a party of 4 that always got a table right away.

The Uptown Grill is a great choice for breakfast. It is buffet style. Never crowded; always able to find a table. Made to order omlettes, bacon, scrambled eggs, sausages, different types of egg sandwiches, fruit, pastries, bagels/rolls, lox, etc. No oatmeal - have to go to the buffet for that. This was our favorite spot for breakfast.

 

- Lunch

Same two restaurants mentioned above are great for lunch.

At O'Sheehans - Warm spinach/artichoke dip lacked flavor. Try the corn beef sandwich and chicken pot pie. Very good. They did run out of corn beef a day or so into the cruise but restocked at one of the ports.

At Uptown Grill - Delicious salads that change from day to day. Also, burgers, franks, a variety of freshly made sandwiches including pastrami, corn beef and turkey, fruits, pastry, etc.

 

- Drinks (Free)

NCL has added some free drinks that are now available in the buffet, O'Sheehans, Uptown Grill, etc. They include lemonade and several fruit drinks. All were good.

 

-Hot Dog Stand (Free)

This was really very nice. The stand moves around the ship - locations are given in Freestyle Daily. The 1st day it was near the Atrium and as we reached warmer weather it was up at Spice.

 

- Spice (Free)

This is an adult only area - Deck 17 I think. No one under the age of 18 is permitted and the NCL staff was enforcing this rule. There are loads of lounges, hot tubs and a waterfall area with COLD water to cool you off. Loved it here. Never crowded. There is a bar, but no food right there unless the hot dog stand is there that day.

 

- Fireworks - Great viewing area is Spice. You must get there early as it gets VERY crowded and there is very limited sitting as NCL clears the area of all lounge chairs to make room for the crowd.

 

- Dining Rooms (Free)

Food is the same in all three - Taste, Savor, The Manhattan Room. We preferred the Manhattan Room because of the music. Loved the piano player - could have done without the singer. Still, preferred dining here.

Food in the three main dining rooms was just okay for us. Loved the three specialty restaurants, though. Le Bistro - EXCELLENT; Cagneys - EXCELLENT; Japanese -VERY GOOD.

 

-Cabins

Too late now since you are already booked, but for the future. The balcony cabins and mini-suites don't really differ. The mini-suite bathroom is a bit larger and has some extra storage. The rest of the cabin is pretty much identical.

 

Chocolate Buffet

NOT ON THIS SHIP!!!

 

Lobster Night

In the buffet on the 2nd nite. We went at around 5:45 and walked out. The lines were out the door and going every which way. Heard that it was okay later on.

 

We loved the ship. Just remember that there are 4,000 passengers and some of the areas on the ship are small. So don't expect to find a seat if you go to something at the last minute.

[Linnynad]

Where does Burn The Floor play?? I have heard some people say it's in the Manhattan Room......so then is like a dinner show??

Also, any reviews on the dinner from the Cirque show??

I am booked in a spa stateroom, can we use the spa ( saunas, thermal chairs etc.....)once we first get on board??

Thanks for this thread, it is super helpful. I'm just doing the 2 night weekend getaway so I want to know what I need to know before we go as it is such a short trip......

[mjkacmom]

Where does Burn The Floor play?? I have heard some people say it's in the Manhattan Room......so then is like a dinner show??

Also, any reviews on the dinner from the Cirque show??

I am booked in a spa stateroom, can we use the spa ( saunas, thermal chairs etc.....)once we first get on board??

Thanks for this thread, it is super helpful. I'm just doing the 2 night weekend getaway so I want to know what I need to know before we go as it is such a short trip......

 

They do some performing in the Manhattan room (actually watched overhead from Moderno), and the main show is in the theater. We liked the dinner at the Cirque show - filet and breaded shrimp (coconut shrimp maybe?). Started out with a salad with prociutto, roasted peppers, and fresh mozzarella.

 

ETA - just recalled that when I signed up for the spa pass, and took a tour, at sailaway, there were people there on loungers, so I assume you can use the facilities right away.

Edited November 12, 2013 by mjkacmom

[Linnynad]

They do some performing in the Manhattan room (actually watched overhead from Moderno), and the main show is in the theater. We liked the dinner at the Cirque show - filet and breaded shrimp (coconut shrimp maybe?). Started out with a salad with prociutto, roasted peppers, and fresh mozzarella.

 

ETA - just recalled that when I signed up for the spa pass, and took a tour, at sailaway, there were people there on loungers, so I assume you can use the facilities right away.

 

Thanks for that info.....I was planning on eating in the Manhattan room to see the show, but seems as if we don't have to as we can just go to the theatre.

[tammy531]

Splash Academy was wonderful. However, the check-in process was a complete nightmare. One night, I stood in line for 30 minutes, which is absolutely ridiculous. The SA entrance is located at the end of the bank of elevators on deck 12 and the line would snake through the bank of elevators and down (or up) the stairs. I booked rooms near SA, so this is the elevators we had to use. It was near impossible for my mother (who is disabled and uses a scooter) to use the elevators from about 6:50-7:45 pm. It's a horrible system that needs to be changed. Part of the issue is that people who decide to register their children at opening time were in the same line as those checking in their children. Later in the week, the lines were a little better, but you still had a long wait. We were on the Jewel last year and while it was crowded at check-in, we didn't have a wait like this.

 

So, if you have kids the age for SA, register them when you get on the ship. SA is open for registration almost all that day for registration, so there is plenty of time to do so before and after sailaway.

 

We did not have this problem on our other 2 ncl cruises, but the kid's club was open all day then. I wonder if this is because they now close down for 2 hour increments twice a day so then people are scrambling to get the kids back so they can go to dinner or a show. We are also on deck 12 in a BA near the aft elevators so I hope we can get out of our room around this time!

 

sent from my Samsung galaxy s3