HELP! First Time Cruisers (Norwegian Breakaway:Bermuda)

[sjfade82]

My G/F and I are just booked our Bermuda cruise on Norwegian Breakaway. We are looking forward to meeting everyone. I have went on one Carnival Cruise with friends years ago. This will be my G/F's first cruise. Just a few questions we have below.

Pls feel free to offer any advice. We appreciate any suggestions as 1st time cruisers with Norwegian....

 

1) Cabin Preference- We have an option of booking on deck 8,9, or 10. What are the pro's/con's of each of the 3 decks? What is the best cabin location on the ship?

 

2) Dinner Package- I have been researching the reviews of the ship. We love good food. I'm wondering if the dinner package($119/person) is worth it. The reviews of most of the specialty restaurants have been good. Were worried we will get bored of the buffet.

 

3) Drink Package- My G/F is a light drinker. I like to drink(am,pm, late night, haha). Do you guys think the package will be beneficial to us considering we will be at port for 3 days. What drinks are included?

 

Kathy & Steve

[triptolemus]

Have you done any research on #2 or #3 yet? There are hundreds if not thousands of threads here on both topics. You might find some of them beneficial.

 

I don't think I can take this anymore. I've finally reached the end.

[Medtech2]

I like to book cabins that are between other cabin decks so for me 9 or 10 would be preferable to 8.

 

I am fine with the main dining rooms. There is more than just the buffet that is included! But, if the money is not a problem the dining package is nice. I personally would not get it but just pay the etra if I really wanted to try one of the specialties.

 

From what I gather you need to drink at least 7 or 8 drinks to make the beverage package worth it. If you feel that between you less than 15 drinks/day would be consumed it would not be worth it. Plus, as you will likely be out and about enjoying Bermuda you won't be on the ship to partake.

 

Hope this helps

[younglegend]

Agree with the previous poster on being on an all-cabin floor 9 or 10. 8 is full of bars, restaurants and public spaces, so you'll be closer to that, but my personal preference would be a quieter cabin floor. You'll only be a short flight or two of stairs away.

 

Regarding the packages, I personally don't see the benefit in either and I consider myself a heavy drinker while on vacation. The dining package is only worth it if you plan to eat at the more expensive restaurants every night. The most expensive (aside from Ocean Blue which isn't included) is Cagney's at $30. There are several complimentary dining options other than the buffet. While on the Breakaway, I ate at Shanghai (al la carte), Wasabi (a la carte), Cagney's, the buffet, room service, Savor, and The Manhattan Room. I paid about $45 total.

[Truluv]

Agree -- if you're off the ship for a few days, the drink package doesn't work out.

 

Personally, I recommend the dining package (was on Breakaway last week). The food is definitely better in the specialty restaurants for dinner, and it will be a more memorable/romantic experience.

 

We were in mini-suites in the middle of the ship. Middle of the ship is a little more stable, and lower decks feel a little less motion. (It would have been marginally nicer to be near elevators since I'm old and lazy LOL). We never had long waits for elevators after the first day. Either way, you'll be riding elevators or hiking up & down stairs. Deck 10 might be a little more quiet, but it will be less convenient if you wanted to take stairs to Decks 6-7-8 for stuff. The gangway for Bermuda is on deck 4.

 

Roll the dice...you'll be fine either way.

[danacline]

Awesome! I bet you will have a great time no matter what. Personally, I would not spend the extra for either the food or the drink package. I tend to find that the regular (already paid-for) food is an order of magnitude better than restaurants I typically visit.

 

Plus, I tend to be cheap. Why? Well, for the price of a 1-week balcony with specialty dinners and lots of drinks, I can get 2 weeks of a frugal inside cabin. I find that 2 weeks trumps 1 week just about any time...

 

I have some tips for first-time cruisers on my web site - might be worth looking at...

[cv322]

My G/F and I are just booked our Bermuda cruise on Norwegian Breakaway. We are looking forward to meeting everyone. I have went on one Carnival Cruise with friends years ago. This will be my G/F's first cruise. Just a few questions we have below.

Pls feel free to offer any advice. We appreciate any suggestions as 1st time cruisers with Norwegian....

 

1) Cabin Preference- We have an option of booking on deck 8,9, or 10. What are the pro's/con's of each of the 3 decks? What is the best cabin location on the ship?

 

2) Dinner Package- I have been researching the reviews of the ship. We love good food. I'm wondering if the dinner package($119/person) is worth it. The reviews of most of the specialty restaurants have been good. Were worried we will get bored of the buffet.

 

3) Drink Package- My G/F is a light drinker. I like to drink(am,pm, late night, haha). Do you guys think the package will be beneficial to us considering we will be at port for 3 days. What drinks are included?

 

Kathy & Steve

 

You're going to love the Breakaway...such a beautiful ship...and the crew is terrific!

 

1. Deck 10 is a great location...I was just on this deck on 5/4/14 & can tell you that it's perfect. ;)

 

2. I bought the UDP on my recent cruise & I'm happy I did. The food in the upscale restaurants is much better, in my humble opinion, than in the MDR. Not just a little better...it's much better!

 

3. Because you'll be in port for 3 days, I don't think the UBP is worth it. But, then again, if you stay on the ship even half a day + the evening hours, it might be worth it :o. Included in the UBP are martinis, margaritas, pina coladas, wine, Jack & coke, rum & coke, etc. ...just about anything you would want. I don't think beer is though...I think that's something else entirely...but I don't drink beer...so you can't go by me!

 

Be sure to join your roll call here...just find your sailing date in the Breakaway roll call page! Have fun! :D

[2Cruise4Ever]

My G/F and I are just booked our Bermuda cruise on Norwegian Breakaway. We are looking forward to meeting everyone. I have went on one Carnival Cruise with friends years ago. This will be my G/F's first cruise. Just a few questions we have below.

Pls feel free to offer any advice. We appreciate any suggestions as 1st time cruisers with Norwegian....

 

1) Cabin Preference- We have an option of booking on deck 8,9, or 10. What are the pro's/con's of each of the 3 decks? What is the best cabin location on the ship?

 

2) Dinner Package- I have been researching the reviews of the ship. We love good food. I'm wondering if the dinner package($119/person) is worth it. The reviews of most of the specialty restaurants have been good. Were worried we will get bored of the buffet.

 

3) Drink Package- My G/F is a light drinker. I like to drink(am,pm, late night, haha). Do you guys think the package will be beneficial to us considering we will be at port for 3 days. What drinks are included?

 

Kathy & Steve

 

I saw this post on our roll call this morning and posted a lengthy response. :)

[garycarla]

Generally, if you have to ask, the meal package is NOT worth it. And, for most,the same for the drink package.

 

For first time cruisers I would advice against both of them.

 

Cabins - as posted a few million times, look at deck plans and make sure there is not something noisy above you. Other than that, it barely matters.

[jerseyralph]

My G/F and I are just booked our Bermuda cruise on Norwegian Breakaway. We are looking forward to meeting everyone. I have went on one Carnival Cruise with friends years ago. This will be my G/F's first cruise. Just a few questions we have below.

Pls feel free to offer any advice. We appreciate any suggestions as 1st time cruisers with Norwegian....

 

1) Cabin Preference- We have an option of booking on deck 8,9, or 10. What are the pro's/con's of each of the 3 decks? What is the best cabin location on the ship?

 

2) Dinner Package- I have been researching the reviews of the ship. We love good food. I'm wondering if the dinner package($119/person) is worth it. The reviews of most of the specialty restaurants have been good. Were worried we will get bored of the buffet.

 

3) Drink Package- My G/F is a light drinker. I like to drink(am,pm, late night, haha). Do you guys think the package will be beneficial to us considering we will be at port for 3 days. What drinks are included?

 

Kathy & Steve

 

You have made a great choice! Breakaway is an amazing ship. It is one of our favorites and we cruise 2-3 times a year.

 

Deck 8 is a busy deck, but it does offer the huge balconies up front. My husband and I are booked on the Breakaway for the 3rd time: Bermuda, on 9/21. We chose an extended-balcony mini-suite on deck 8 forward. Those cabins are quite separate from all the activity on deck 8.

 

For our second Breakaway cruise this past March, we chose the UDP. We loved it! It was fun to experience a different dining venue most nights and it was terrific to pay for it upfront.(So my final bill was lower and I can delude myself into thinking I spent less!) We enjoyed the dining experiences we had and find the paid venues a bit more intimate and romantic. We are renewing our vows on the Sept cruise and we have chosen Le Bistro as our post-renewal dinner venue. We will take the UDP again.

 

As someone else has mentioned, there are other restaurants included for free on the ship, not just the buffet. You will enjoy whatever you choose to do.

 

Generally speaking we are not buffet visitors and on two different Breakaway adventures, we have not tried the buffet. FYI, we have enjoyed OSheehan's for breakfast.

 

I do not drink at all. On a cruise my husband might order 2-3 drinks. So, that package does not work for us. I suspect it might not work for either if both of you are required to buy it. I think your point about being docked for three days is a good one and when you factor in that your G/F is a light drinker, you might want to go pay as you go.

 

Do not forget to visit Howl at the Moon while on the ship and the smaller, more intimate venues that house the duets and bands. Fun stuff!

 

You have made a great choice in the Breakaway to Bermuda. Enjoy!

[mjkacmom]

You can still eat at specialty restaurants without the package - the package seems only worth it if you eat in them every night, which we never want to do. Some nights, we just want a quick meal, because we're tired, or just not that hungry. We usually eat in specialty restaurants 3 times during our cruise.

 

We enjoyed the UBP, but both DH and I can drink. We came out ahead, only because we ordered drinks we wouldn't have ordered if we didn't have the package (mimosas, drinks in the theater, wine with lunch...). Normally, even on vacation, I don't drink alcohol before 5 pm - I did with the UBP!