Breakaway: Before... and After

[Tralfie]

I sailed the Breakaway in March and, I'll be honest, I very nearly cancelled in the months leading up to it. Reading bad review after bad review nearly scared me off.

 

Of course, if you've read my review (linked in my signature), it turned out to be the best vacation I've ever had.

 

So I'm curious: For people who, like me, read the bad reviews... what most surprised you the most as far as things you feared... only to find out there was no need?

 

In other words, what pleasantly surprised you by being far better than you'd expected based on the reviews?

 

Richard/Tralfie

[Casino Comp Chick]

I sailed the Breakaway in March and, I'll be honest, I very nearly cancelled in the months leading up to it. Reading bad review after bad review nearly scared me off.

 

Of course, if you've read my review (linked in my signature), it turned out to be the best vacation I've ever had.

 

So I'm curious: For people who, like me, read the bad reviews... what most surprised you the most as far as things you feared... only to find out there was no need?

 

In other words, what pleasantly surprised you by being far better than you'd expected based on the reviews?

 

Richard/Tralfie

 

I for 1 take reviews with a grain of salt, I know I don't let little things bother me and I also know that people on here dissect and nitpick about things I consider inconsequential. I have had great neighbors on ships, (I have September booked with 1) & I have had people like OCSM Fan as neighbors. As annoying as they can be, they usually give me great stories to talk about when I get home. My mother always told me, don't wait on other people, if you want to do something, do it. I feel the same way about reviews, don't go by what He said/She said, go by what YOU say. People complain about crowds, (well uh duh it's a NYC Mega-ship), people complain about tipping (they are the same people that will tip a waitress a buck on a 30 dollar dinner). People complain that the casino is smoky (they forget the fact that over 90% of the ship is non-smoking), people complain about the food (I bet these are the same people that eat boxed macaroni & jar sauce at home), people complain that they had to lug a case of coke onboard (I for 1 am glad for pepsi products but even if they didn't to me it isn't worthy of a written review/complaint-fest). So Richard what I am trying to say is some people are miserable & just aren't happy unless they are complaining. You should never not do what you want because you read somewhere it wasn't the end all to beat all. Just because something didn't float someone else's boat, doesn't mean it won't float yours.

Edited April 28, 2014 by iimmie

[wrestlemom]

iimmie great response and so true!! You are on a cruise how bad could it really be. If you don't like the soda drink water if you don't like the buffet go somewhere else and so on. I always go back to the song, YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE SO YOU GOTTA PLEASE YOURSELF!!!

[meatball_nyc]

I read all reviews here on the message boards. Whether they are good or bad. Helps my research.

However, another persons review has nothing to do with MY vacation.

I would never cancel my cruise because of a bad review.

We are sailing on Breakaway in 10 weeks.

GET ME ON THE SHIP!!!!

Happy Cruising!

 

 

~Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Edited April 28, 2014 by meatball_nyc

[cruisebear84]

I was really nervous after reading bad reviews as well, but like you am so glad that it turned out amazing. I read reviews for lots of things, but I too learned that with cruising it's best to experience it for oneself.

 

I was pleasantly surprised about the food quality people complained about. Also, we found plenty of places to sit on public decks. The service was excellent as well. I'm so glad my first cruise was aboard this beautiful ship! :)

 

 

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[Mr and Mrs C]

Totally surprised about the food! Loved it all, and after 4 cruises we finally went to a pay restaurant. We enjoyed that too, but did it to try it not because we felt we had to.

So many people write that they have to eat in the speciality dining rooms and complain about having to pay for it, and that you don't have to do that on other lines. I have priced other lines and generally you pay double the cruise fare! So even if you do eat in a speciality dining room every night it's still cheaper!

 

 

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[tiffygirl]

Actually, I rarely pay attention to cruise reviews (although they are interesting reads)...unlike hotel reviews...that i give more credibility to..

 

People critique cruises to know end. Since I don't know you, I can't really say you are 'qualified' to make a judgment call for me, as in saying don't ever sail this ship...:rolleyes:

 

I won't post a negative review about my experience. If i have negative cruise which is rare(only 1), i can say its because my attitude was stank. I can admit that. That is not fair to the cruise line, because i was biased. It it probably wasnt as bad as I will make it out to be if I did a review, but you would not know that. So now i make sure i go into all my cruises happy as i can be, therefore my cruise experience will reflect that.

 

Some people are a$$holes in daily life. So because i know that, it will reflect there cruise experience. Some folks are complainers in their everyday life. So they will look to find everything that is wrong than is right. So their review will reflect that.

 

Some people don't like reviews where everything is perfect. In 99% of my cruises, they are perfect. I understand its all about perception. I don't look for things to go wrong. I don’t look for stains on the carpet,and ect. I don't have time. I made to much of a financial investment not to have a perfect cruise. I don't hang with complainers. I won’t cruise with complainers. If you complain around me i will call you out. It ain't that serious until we begin to take on water...

 

Like iimmie..food is subjective, and since i don’t know the person giving the review, your taste are different from mine, the person reviewing may not know how to cook, and prefer TV dinners to home cooking.

 

So i read them to get an idea of the overall atmosphere, like pool area is crowded. ok so i need to get there early or adjust my time. Like if i here there are wait times, ok so i need to be flexible in my dining times and options.

 

I would NEEEVER EVER cancel my trip on a review from a perfect stranger, that to me is stupid.

 

My experience is just that my experience, I choose to have a perfect cruise regardless of whatever line I sail on.

[LrgPizza]

Actually, I rarely pay attention to cruise reviews (although they are interesting reads)...unlike hotel reviews...that i give more credibility to..

 

People critique cruises to know end. Since I don't know you, I can't really say you are 'qualified' to make a judgment call for me, as in saying don't ever sail this ship...:rolleyes:

 

I won't post a negative review about my experience. If i have negative cruise which is rare(only 1), i can say its because my attitude was stank. I can admit that. That is not fair to the cruise line, because i was biased. It it probably wasnt as bad as I will make it out to be if I did a review, but you would not know that. So now i make sure i go into all my cruises happy as i can be, therefore my cruise experience will reflect that.

 

Some people are a$$holes in daily life. So because i know that, it will reflect there cruise experience. Some folks are complainers in their everyday life. So they will look to find everything that is wrong than is right. So their review will reflect that.

 

Some people don't like reviews where everything is perfect. In 99% of my cruises, they are perfect. I understand its all about perception. I don't look for things to go wrong. I don’t look for stains on the carpet,and ect. I don't have time. I made to much of a financial investment not to have a perfect cruise. I don't hang with complainers. I won’t cruise with complainers. If you complain around me i will call you out. It ain't that serious until we begin to take on water...

 

Like iimmie..food is subjective, and since i don’t know the person giving the review, your taste are different from mine, the person reviewing may not know how to cook, and prefer TV dinners to home cooking.

 

So i read them to get an idea of the overall atmosphere, like pool area is crowded. ok so i need to get there early or adjust my time. Like if i here there are wait times, ok so i need to be flexible in my dining times and options.

 

I would NEEEVER EVER cancel my trip on a review from a perfect stranger, that to me is stupid.

 

My experience is just that my experience, I choose to have a perfect cruise regardless of whatever line I sail on.

Yes to all that, especially, "It ain't that serious until we begin to take on water."

[dalgirl]

The Epic was really blasted for the split bathroom setup and although I am not a fan, it really wasn't that bad. Because so many people were negative, I expected it would be a huge deal - it was not, FOR US. The size was also turning a lot of cruisers away, which we also did not mind because NCL knows how to keep people spread throughout a ship and how to get them on/off in a very efficient manner. There were so many positive things about the Epic (studio cabins for my Mother) and it was going where we wanted to go (Europe) that we have sailed on it four times. Is it my favorite ship - no - but it does not deserve some of the bad reviews it got.

 

And this is not only on NCL: we will be sailing next year on Celebrity's Millennium and it is getting terrible reviews right now - but our goal is to sail in Asia, so we will withhold judgment for ourselves. Yes, I am reading them because knowing which "issues" are "trending," we can be prepared and just get past them now because we WILL be on that ship next year, might as well adjust our attitudes now and hope to be pleasantly surprised.

 

I think that because so many people get so little time off at work, and have sometimes made real sacrifices to afford a nice vacation, scheduling it sometimes for multiple families, etc., so many expectations get built up in their heads and they are really thrown when someone comes back and reports that they hated the cruise. Then they worry, "will Aunt Mary" or "Grandma" hate this?? If you are expecting rainbows in the sky and you don't see any, then you will be disappointed.

 

So take what anyone says with a grain of salt including those that are over the moon for a cruise - everything was perfect and it was the best thing ever. As seasoned NCL cruisers, DH and I really don't care for the Sky compared to all other NCL ships, but if it is going where we want to go, when we want to go, for the price we want to go, then we will be on board no matter what a reviewer says - even me:D

[CasinoCruzGirl]

I sailed the Breakaway in March and, I'll be honest, I very nearly cancelled in the months leading up to it. Reading bad review after bad review nearly scared me off.

 

Of course, if you've read my review (linked in my signature), it turned out to be the best vacation I've ever had.

 

So I'm curious: For people who, like me, read the bad reviews... what most surprised you the most as far as things you feared... only to find out there was no need?

 

In other words, what pleasantly surprised you by being far better than you'd expected based on the reviews?

 

Richard/Tralfie

 

People negative reviews of the food in the MDR. I thought it was fabulous.

[mking8288]

The Breakaway is different, it's a mega-ship and you expect some crowds to appear from time-to-time, just like getting on a rush hour train or bus at home. The beauty of Freestyle Cruising is that you have choices & flexibility. Deal with it or pay for your own exclusive charter cruise.

 

Pleasantly surprised about the size and layout of the average bathroom in most staterooms (not talking about your Haven or Suite, etc.) for the "ordinary" folks packed 3 or 4 to a "typical" cabin. The sitting surface or area for the "loo" could still be a squeeze for some, but designer did a decent job.

 

Dining is good at the MDR and elsewhere, and, of course, upscale Specialty dining comes with higher expectation - just keep in mind that this isn't your top tiered Michelin starred restaurants in NY, Paris or Hong Kong - nor, is it 5 star Zagat rated, but NCL puts on their best efforts with some of the best teams of chefs in the gallery. We will eat on the ship's MDR just fine every time over what they served on the most airline's so called "First Class" gourmet meals anytime - reheated, of course.

 

The world that we lived in today is full of surprises, be happy & smile - you are on a cruise, think about the tornadoes and the ferry accident or missing MH370, etc. Go with an open mind - we loved looking at pictorial reviews as they often "yield" the stories by itself, without words or need for expression.

[Medtech2]

People, including natives of the Big Apple, kept going on and on about the passengers on board being pushy, loud, obnoxious, etc.

 

Maybe it's just me. Maybe it's because down here we greet everyone we pass with a smile. Whatever it was, I did not encounter anyone who was not pleasant and considerate. Gives me a chuckle to think I picked the one week when there were no New Yorkers aboard.

 

Maybe it had more to do with how THOSE people greeted and viewed their fellow passengers?:)

[socrdad]

I sailed the Breakaway in March and, I'll be honest, I very nearly cancelled in the months leading up to it. Reading bad review after bad review nearly scared me off.

 

Of course, if you've read my review (linked in my signature), it turned out to be the best vacation I've ever had.

 

So I'm curious: For people who, like me, read the bad reviews... what most surprised you the most as far as things you feared... only to find out there was no need?

 

In other words, what pleasantly surprised you by being far better than you'd expected based on the reviews?

 

Richard/Tralfie

 

Richard, Well of course our biggest surprise was the great people we met on the cruise;). Other than that we would say the thing that surprised us the most was the friendliness of the employees and that every cruiser we talked to had a great time. We kept hearing on all of the negative reviews that all the employees could not wait to get off the ship and were anything but pleasant. They also mentioned that every passenger they talked to hated the ship and had a miserable time. From our experience we found that both of these complaints could not be further from the truth. All of the employees were extremely pleasant and over the top friendly. This was not just the ones in the Haven area but everyone we encountered throughout ship. We also talked with at least 30 people and asked them how they liked the cruise and the ship. Every one of them loved it!!!

 

Steve and Ann

[tymike]

When I sailed the Breakaway last July, my biggest concern was about crowding. I fully expected never to be able to enjoy the Waterfront in particular. I imagined wall to wall people, no room to move..much less walk (as in a NYC subway in rush hour). I was amazed at how easy it was to move about the ship...including the Waterfront. I am not a pool deck/sun person so although the pools areas seemed crowded it had no impact on my experience. I loved that cruise and still miss it!

[Jacy613]

I am guilty of reading every single review of the Breakaway that I can find! Some worried me, most of them just made me eager for my cruise.

 

The one thing about cruising that scares me (but wouldn't stop me) is hearing about people getting sick! But life is a crap shoot on so many levels, and like someone else said, its a cruise. How terrible can it be??

 

I can't wait to sail on the BA in September! And I will keep reading the comments, so please keep them coming!

Jacy

[1smudslide]

I have found that everyone has different opinions and I think it has a lot to do with what you expect to get out of your vacation. I read reviews from people that were on the same week as we were. We saw things totally different. His review says that there is a lack of open air deck space. I just don't get it. I was raving about the water front and how many different areas there were to sit, relax and read or people watch.

They complained about the weather and the ports. I wasn't happy with the rain and wind, but found plenty to do indoors. No one mentioned the coffee shop in the atrium. I could have sat there every day trying something new from Carlo's bakery and had some great chai lattes.

As far as the ports, I did the same ports last year, so it didn't bother me that we didn't stop at the island or that it rained in FL. I found time to lay out in the vibe and read a book I have wanted to read since last year.

I thought the staff were very friendly and even enjoyed the casino.

I think it depends what you are going for. If I had planned Disney or a great excursion, maybe it would have ruined my vacation if we didn't stop or it rained.

Their opinion isn't always mine.

[psac]

We haven't sailed yet, but I'm certainly hoping we have the experiences the people on this thread have! More often than not when it comes to things like the mega cruises and even going to Disney World where there are huge crowds (we're WDW junkies), it always seems like the ones who like it least are the ones who haven't done their homework.

 

The key always seems to be the right amount of preparation and planning, the ability to roll with it and make changes as necessary, and then just sit back, remember you're on vacation, and enjoy! :D

[1smudslide]

We haven't sailed yet, but I'm certainly hoping we have the experiences the people on this thread have! More often than not when it comes to things like the mega cruises and even going to Disney World where there are huge crowds (we're WDW junkies), it always seems like the ones who like it least are the ones who haven't done their homework.

 

The key always seems to be the right amount of preparation and planning, the ability to roll with it and make changes as necessary, and then just sit back, remember you're on vacation, and enjoy! :D

Maybe that's why I had such a good time, I'm also a WDW junkie. Usually get there every year. I'm used to planning every reservation for meals and know the parks inside and out. I did relax more on the ship though!

[UPNYGuy]

A theory has been brewing for quite some time about all the negative reviews of this downright stunning ship.

 

CC is well known to be owned by RCCL... a competitor with an agenda. Go and look at how many "negative" reviews for the Breakaway are from random usernames with only a single review. Many people feel that RCCL is trying to flood the Breakaway with low reviews so when they bring the new ship across the Hudson, people will book with them instead based on CC.

[DGP1111]

A theory has been brewing for quite some time about all the negative reviews of this downright stunning ship.

 

CC is well known to be owned by RCCL... a competitor with an agenda. Go and look at how many "negative" reviews for the Breakaway are from random usernames with only a single review. Many people feel that RCCL is trying to flood the Breakaway with low reviews so when they bring the new ship across the Hudson, people will book with them instead based on CC.

 

 

Or, perhaps, for a period of time Norwegian Breakaway did truly have some 'warts'.

 

Perhaps some people who continue to be really big fans of NCL found that particular ship to be the Achilles Heel of the fleet during their individual sailing.

 

Perhaps there were even some who actually researched flying back from Bermuda rather than continuing onboard for those final two sea days . . . not wanting to spoil the total splendor experience of those three wonderful days in Bermuda.

 

Perhaps there were Cruise Critic members who considered posting personal reviews of their ship experience (which would have included some highly-detailed documented challenges), but figured that it would be best just to remain silent and not have to endure the inevitable repercussions.

 

Hey, it could happen . . . hypothetically.

 

.

[dalgirl]

Or, perhaps, for a period of time Norwegian Breakaway did truly have some 'warts'.

 

Perhaps some people who continue to be really big fans of NCL found that particular ship to be the Achilles Heel of the fleet during their individual sailing.

 

Perhaps there were even some who actually researched flying back from Bermuda rather than continuing onboard for those final two sea days . . . not wanting to spoil the total splendor experience of those three wonderful days in Bermuda.

 

Perhaps there were Cruise Critic members who considered posting personal reviews of their ship experience (which would have included some highly-detailed documented challenges), but figured that it would be best just to remain silent and not have to endure the inevitable repercussions.

 

Hey, it could happen . . . hypothetically.

 

.

 

Flying back to avoid the return on the BA ?? Unless it is the titanic, we are beyond hypothetical into fantasy land:) I also don't believe in a RCCL conspiracy, have you read some of those ship reviews? All lines get ccomplaints.

 

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[Casino Comp Chick]

Flying back to avoid the return on the BA ?? Unless it is the titanic, we are beyond hypothetical into fantasy land:) I also don't believe in a RCCL conspiracy, have you read some of those ship reviews? All lines get ccomplaints.

 

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It is well known that royal has a doo-rah-rah group that gets free cruises for flooding the internet with good reviews (for them) and bad reviews for competitor lines. Do some research on it.

[Truluv]

I was pleased to hear that there are many quiet places to sit. Can you suggest some favorites? I'm hoping to find someplace where I can enjoy my Kindle, coffee (but not prepared to run a huge tab at the coffee shop) and people-watch.

 

I'll be essentially solo (widowed last year). I'm taking the kids on a cruise to celebrate their graduations from college and grad school. The kids are in a different cabin and I suspect I won't see them much.

 

We've cruised frequently with RCL and Carnival, but have only cruised once before with NCL. This time we could only schedule one week for vacation, because the kids have upcoming licensing exams and will be starting jobs. Breakaway fit the schedule, had a tempting price, and the NY port is convenient for us. I'm looking forward to it. A week at sea is better than a week in the office, whether on RCL, NCL or any other cruise line!

[Casino Comp Chick]

I was pleased to hear that there are many quiet places to sit. Can you suggest some favorites? I'm hoping to find someplace where I can enjoy my Kindle, coffee (but not prepared to run a huge tab at the coffee shop) and people-watch.

 

I'll be essentially solo (widowed last year). I'm taking the kids on a cruise to celebrate their graduations from college and grad school. The kids are in a different cabin and I suspect I won't see them much.

 

We've cruised frequently with RCL and Carnival, but have only cruised once before with NCL. This time we could only schedule one week for vacation, because the kids have upcoming licensing exams and will be starting jobs. Breakaway fit the schedule, had a tempting price, and the NY port is convenient for us. I'm looking forward to it. A week at sea is better than a week in the office, whether on RCL, NCL or any other cruise line!

 

On the waterfront there are quiet places to just sit & put your feet up, upstairs outside of vibe is quieter then the pool area, the martini bar has some seating by the glass staircase, O'sheehans isn't quiet but it is a great spot for people watching

[dalgirl]

Ok. Since you have done the research. Please send a link. We all know that the info on the internet never lies. The celebrity millennium is getting really bad reviews right now. Celebrity is owned by Rccl. Shouldn't they be protecting this ship?

 

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