Just Returned from Breakaway - 7/27 to 8/3 - Ask Away

[Babygirl08]

Will be posting some thoughts later but feel free to ask questions in advance.

[cpiers]

Did you get a spa pass?

[chrisc71]

Looking forward to your feedback. Seems like you had an interesting week. An airlift and some late arrivals when you left Bermuda.

[Fraggle5512]

How did you feel like crowds were? We are 27,& 25 just came off the carnival splendor and had an amazing cruise. We are considerin the 12 day southern caribbean on the breakaway next winter, but have been hearing some bad things about the crowds. We are also looking at the 10 day eastern on the Gem. Any advice or opinions would be greatly welcomed. Thank You!

[Malamel]

Did you eat at any of the specialty restaurants? I made reservations for Cirque, Moderno, and La Cucina.

 

How was the setup at the buffet? Was it crowded or spaced out nicely?

 

Was it easy to find a lounge chair (not necessarily by the pool)?

[KweezyCruiser]

Who is playing in Fat Cats?

[wasiii]

Will be posting some thoughts later but feel free to ask questions in advance.

 

1. Was there lobster?

2. Did your steward remember you name?

3. Were there long lines at the buffet?

4. How long were the shows?

5. Did anyone smoke on their balcony?

6. How was the food?

7. How much were the drinks?

8. Did you get a Vibe pass?

9. Did anyone miss the ship?

10. Do you think it will rain next week?

11. Did you get a transportation pass?

12. Were there any drug dog searches?

13. Did you bring your own soda/water on?

14. If you brought wine did they charge you the corkage fee?

15. How was the ocean?

16. Did you take off the DSC?

17. Did you buy the UDP?

18. Did you buy the UBP?

19. Did they put a self serve laundry on the ship yet?

20. Was Julie the cruise director?

 

I figured I would put these out here before the masses did.

 

;)

 

wasiii

[klangel]

1. Which places were open for lunch on the first day?

2. If you bought a spa pass, what did it included? Was it crowded and was

worth the $199?

3. Lobster in the buffet and not in the MDR, is it true?

4. What time can we drop off our carry on bag?

5. Which night is the fireworks? Please recommend a couple of areas

To watch the fireworks?

6. Do you have any information on the "behind the screen" tour? Such as cost

And what areas are tour? DH had knee replacement surgery is there lots of

Steps to climb?

 

Thanks

[luvtheships]

How did you feel like crowds were? We are 27,& 25 just came off the carnival splendor and had an amazing cruise. We are considerin the 12 day southern caribbean on the breakaway next winter, but have been hearing some bad things about the crowds. We are also looking at the 10 day eastern on the Gem. Any advice or opinions would be greatly welcomed. Thank You!

 

Exactly who do you think will be on a 12 day in January out of NYC?

 

Older retired couples

 

Empty nesters who still work and are willing to use vacation time early in the year

 

Parents with pre school kids who for some reason feel the need to cruise right after Christmas but 12 days? Doubtful except the price was incredible and I am booked early jan with my 2 college kids.

 

Parents with their college kids because they know that other than late may that this is the only time their kids can fit in a cruise and a family vacation You will not find big groups of college kids as they all go home for semester break in January and scatter so they rarely travel together at that time trust me on this one

 

There will not be high school kids because January is exam time

 

And only a nutty parent takes a kid out of school in early January right after Christmas break

 

So the early January cruise is best for crowds as is the early February one

 

I would run from the later January and the one at February break however be caused based on NYC demographics you will have large family groups at those times Trust me about the cruise leaving MLK week

 

If you are concerned about the NYC general demographic well not much can be done there

 

If you are concerned about your specific age demographic you may have a point as many your age are still so unsettled in life and career that cruising for 12 days is not on their adgenda yet ( btw that 10 gem itin looks horrible)

 

My feeling about my early January 12 day is that there will be lots of regular people and I will lay odds that my demographic of one parent with college kids ( leaving other parent home with the younger kids) is going to be common. The other large demographic will be couples 45 plus

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited August 4, 2014 by luvtheships

[Coastalbreezes]

How did you feel like crowds were? We are 27,& 25 just came off the carnival splendor and had an amazing cruise. We are considerin the 12 day southern caribbean on the breakaway next winter, but have been hearing some bad things about the crowds. We are also looking at the 10 day eastern on the Gem. Any advice or opinions would be greatly welcomed. Thank You!

 

I did the 12-night last January. It was only on the sea days (which there are several) that the ship felt especially crowded (casino, restaurants in particular). That being said, I would still sail that itinerary again in a heartbeat! You can always find ways to escape the crowds and the islands we visited were fantastic.

 

Tracy

[pj17]

We also sailed the 12 day - mid January. Very mixed crowd leaning towards the older age groups - 40+. There were children but not that many. The only crowds we encountered were MDR seating at 7:30 and the sales tables while at sea!!!

[dorito6778]

i was on this sailing too so i'll answer too :)

 

1. Which places were open for lunch on the first day? i dont remeber all of them but we ate the Garden Cafe

2. If you bought a spa pass, what did it included? Was it crowded and was

worth the $199? spa pass included access to the thermal suite all week. since its all inside, it wasnt worth it to me since i wanted to be outside in the sun and fresh air.

3. Lobster in the buffet and not in the MDR, is it true? i dont eat lobster so i have no idea

4. What time can we drop off our carry on bag? we dropped our stuff off as soon as we got inside (11:30ish). they were still tidying up, but he said we could leave our bags in the corner. we locked up our passports and wallets in the safe and left our bags out of his way.

5. Which night is the fireworks? Please recommend a couple of areas

To watch the fireworks? Friday night, 10:45pm sharp, anywhere on the portside. If you have a balcony, you'll be fine. I have a feeling most people were up on deck 16, but we hung out on our balcony (deck 12) and saw everything just fine. the waterfront on deck 8 was pretty empty (could see from our balcony) so thats a good public spot to view if you dont have a portside blacony.

6. Do you have any information on the "behind the screen" tour? Such as cost

And what areas are tour? DH had knee replacement surgery is there lots of

Steps to climb? nope, dont know

Edited August 4, 2014 by dorito6778

[dorito6778]

1. Was there lobster? i dont know

2. Did your steward remember you name? yes, he did

3. Were there long lines at the buffet? only at the omelette stations

4. How long were the shows? rock of ages was about 90 minutes i think. comedy shows were 35-40 minutes each.

5. Did anyone smoke on their balcony? yes, a woman directly below me :(

6. How was the food? buffet was good. we were extremely disppointed in the restaurants

7. How much were the drinks? $7-9 w/o souvenir glass.

8. Did you get a Vibe pass? no, too late.

9. Did anyone miss the ship? YES. 2 people had to be tendered over. MORONS. it was nearly 90 minutes past all aboard. we should have left them there.

10. Do you think it will rain next week? i'm not a weatherman.

11. Did you get a transportation pass? no, with cup match going on, we just hit the beach on Wed and stayed close to the ship Thurs and Fri.

12. Were there any drug dog searches? i saw dogs in NY on the dock

13. Did you bring your own soda/water on? yes

14. If you brought wine did they charge you the corkage fee? n/a

15. How was the ocean? totally fine, even when it poured on Tues AM.

16. Did you take off the DSC? no!!!! DH wanted to but they said we couldnt! he is going to be PISSED!

17. Did you buy the UDP? no

18. Did you buy the UBP? no

19. Did they put a self serve laundry on theip yet? no

20. Was Julie theise director? yes

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[luv2travel29]

how much soda /water are you allowed to bring on board ??

can you bring beer ?

[mcsb11]

I too was on this ship & thought it was very good, but not quite great. I posted a very lengthy review on the CC breakaway page. It hasnt been approved yet, but here's here's the (not so) short summary & a tip sheet for future BA cruisers. I'll also answer any individual questions anyone may have

 

We decided to book the July 27th sailing 3 weeks ago after seeing the price drop down to $719pp. We were prepared to spend ~1000pp, so this easily enabled us to get the UBP & UDP. The UBP is def worth it if you like to drink. Spend the afternoon by the pool and you can very quickly suck down five frozen drinks @ $6-9 each. At dinner, a $8-10 glass of wine or three will very easily put you into the black.

 

 

The dining package was only really good for peace of mind of not having to worry where to eat. If you’re a foodie or appreciate good food, you will be disappointed in general. Set your expectations for average to slightly above average food, and you will enjoy your dining experiences a lot more. Also, don’t expect excellent service, as it simply just does not exist. Most waiters are mia a majority of the time.

 

 

If you’re a sun/pool person, don’t gripe when you get to the pool at 10am and cant find a seat. Having only 1 pool for adults and such a small chair area around it is probably the biggest flaw of this ship. Get there bet 8-9am ad you’ll get a spot pool side. 9am – 10am and youll get a spot up top overlooking the pool. Be forewarned, it’s a pain in the A to get down to the pool if you’re not right by the steps. Get there early! The band/DJ’s are going to be loud. If you want a more quiet atmosphere go to spice h20.

 

 

On Day 2, we had to turn around and go 1/3 of the way back towards NJ, as a child got seriously injured and we had to meet the coast guard helicopter closer to land. I felt bad for the family and was confused as to why everyone and their mother who was by the pool was so enamored by helicopter & taking pics of it; esp given the circumstances.

 

 

The entertainment was a home run IMO. Rock of Ages was great (if you bring your kid to it and complain, you’re a fool), Cirque Dreams was also excellent, Burn the Floor was good, but not great. Howl at the Moon & Second City were great for comedy. The pool bands were also great.

 

 

Our room was in the front of the ship on Deck 5 which allowed for very easy access to Decks 6, 7 & 8. The waterfront is the best thing on this ship. Its never crowded & a great place to eat. The Atrium fills up when shows are going on, but its not as bad as people complain about.

 

 

The cigarette smell from the casino is noticeable, but it is not bad at all. You can smell it on deck 7 and faintly on deck 6 by le bistro. In no way, shape or form is it offensive. People have described it as someone blowing second hand smoke on you, but that’s a farce.

 

 

We really enjoyed our trip on the Breakaway. We probably wont ever cruise alone again, but would certainly go on the ship again with family. If you do you research, and know what to expect, you will have a great time.

 

 

In summary, be prepared for average food and below average service in all the restaurants, be aware that the pool chairs will fill up super early & the pool will be loud from the band/DJ and probably have dancing in the shallow parts. Make use of the waterfront. It was a nice retreat from the other 4,000 passengers. It was a ghost town the first 5 days. And lastly, plan your shows ahead of time. If you know what to expect, the Breakaway is a great ship!

 

 

Tips

· Bring a case of water onboard with you. We brought a costco 1 liter case of Poland Spring and it hit the spot. What they charge for water is comical & it is not included in the UBP.

· Bring a powerstrip for more outlets.

· Bring an old hotel key card to keep in the card power slot. Without something in it, you outlets will be dead and you wont be charging anything when you think you are.

· The bathroom doors all push in. I spent the first day poolside annoyed that the bathroom was always locked. It wasn’t – I just never pushed in like a fool.

· The wine machines are NOT INCLUDED in the UBP. I was told they were by several people, only to rack up a $95 bill on my last day. They were kind enough to remove the charges, but I still had to spend 30 mins doing so on disembarkation day.

· You will have to pay FULL PRICE for any drink over $10 if you have the UBP! I thought you would simply have to pay the difference. That is not the case.

· Eat on the waterfront! We were the only table outside 5 of the 6 times we ate on the waterfront. If the weather is right, it is beautiful and relaxing.

· Sailaway on the waterfront! Sit at Maltings (Santosh is one of the best bartenders on the ship) if you want to see the Statue of Liberty. Sit at Shakers if you want to see the WTC & NY skyline. I assure you, you wont be missing much by not going to the party at spice h20. You’ll see it on the TV the next day – it looked comically bad.

· Watch the fireworks from the waterfront. Spice is mobbed for the fireworks, and youll get to see them from underneath with no crowds. They’re not great fireworks by any stretch, but its nice to see. The side they shoot them off of depends on the wind direction. If you look at which way the exhaust of the ship is blowing, that will tell you.

· Dancho is BY FAR the best waiter by the pool. He is outgoing, will quickly remember your name and drink order. He is faster than the other waiters and quicker than going to the bar. He was also very astute, looking for his people. Ie: those getting drinks from him. I ordered drinks multiple times from across the pool by just signaling to him. He was the best employee I found on the ship, by far!

· If you’re looking for a quiet afternoon in the sun, you can always get a seat at spice h20 and its very quiet there.

· The Noodle Bar was the best meal on the ship

· If you have the UDP, the Cirque show is free Day 1. Take advantage of this, as it is a great show. Also, with the UDP, dont be afraid to go to multiple pay restaurants in an evening. We would often have a real early dinner/late lunch of a burger at cagneys, then see a show and go to 9/930 dinner at a different pay restaurant.

 

· Don’t play the Key Master game at the entrance to the casino. An easy Google search will share with you how it is rigged.

· Shows at the atrium can get crowded. Its not unbearably crowded but be prepared to stand.

· Get to shows in headliners early, as the sight lines can be pretty bad in there

· If you’re going to the Cirque show, get there at least 45 mins before the start time. The line fills up quick and they open the doors 30 mins prior, so you can sit down and get a drink and relax for 30 mins leading up to the show.

· Don’t wait til the last day for the ropes course, as the line will be 30-60mins

· I don’t think vibe is worth the added cost. Spice h20 always had open seats, was quiet and had servers.

· If you’re a cigar smoker, bring your own stoags on board. You can smoke in the cigar lounge, right outside it at maltings, or by the bar @ spice h20.

· The salad dressings are AWFUL! They are watered down and just don’t taste good. The Ranch tastes like tartar sauce. Its bad!

· Double up on your apps at O’sheehans, as they are all super small! One order of mozz sticks in only three pieces. Same for the chicken tenders

· Reservations aren’t really needed for the first 4 or 5 days at any of the pay restaurants. There is always room. The last two nights however, those without the UDP and looking for a different dinner will flood the specialty places. If you’re planning on doing that, book ahead of time.

· There is a great Johnny Walker tasting in the liquor store on the 3rd night (I think). If you’ve never tasted blue label, now is your chance to try it for free.

 

If there's anything else you want to know, dont hesitate to ask. If the food at the pay restaurants was better, this would have been (to quote Julie the cruise director) "the vacation of a lifetime."

[cruisin07family]

16. Did you take off the DSC? no!!!! DH wanted to but they said we couldnt! he is going to be PISSED!

 

Regarding this one, why? Why did you want to (because restaurants were disappointing)? What do you mean by they wouldn't let you? There seems to be a big group posting here that believe they absolutely can take off the DSC so I'm curious as to why you were told no.

[wasiii]

1. Was there lobster? i dont know

2. Did your steward remember you name? yes, he did

3. Were there long lines at the buffet? only at the omelette stations

4. How long were the shows? rock of ages was about 90 minutes i think. comedy shows were 35-40 minutes each.

5. Did anyone smoke on their balcony? yes, a woman directly below me :(

6. How was the food? buffet was good. we were extremely disppointed in the restaurants

7. How much were the drinks? $7-9 w/o souvenir glass.

8. Did you get a Vibe pass? no, too late.

9. Did anyone miss the ship? YES. 2 people had to be tendered over. MORONS. it was nearly 90 minutes past all aboard. we should have left them there.

10. Do you think it will rain next week? i'm not a weatherman.

11. Did you get a transportation pass? no, with cup match going on, we just hit the beach on Wed and stayed close to the ship Thurs and Fri.

12. Were there any drug dog searches? i saw dogs in NY on the dock

13. Did you bring your own soda/water on? yes

14. If you brought wine did they charge you the corkage fee? n/a

15. How was the ocean? totally fine, even when it poured on Tues AM.

16. Did you take off the DSC? no!!!! DH wanted to but they said we couldnt! he is going to be PISSED!

17. Did you buy the UDP? no

18. Did you buy the UBP? no

19. Did they put a self serve laundry on theip yet? no

20. Was Julie theise director? yes

 

Thanks dorito, I know we helped a lot of people out there with my questions and your answers.

 

wasiii

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

[meatball_nyc]

Dorito,

Dancho (whom we called Nacho) was our hero too. He's the one who looked just like Johnny Knoxville when he was wearing his Ray Ban sunglasses ? He also worked outside at Malting's at night. Great guy.

Have to agree on the salad dressing too. My son made a big salad one day in the buffet, put Ranch on it but couldn't eat more than one bite because he could have sworn it was Blue Cheese Dressing.

We had a really great time on our trip.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

 

~Robin

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

[Kenlorz]

I too was on this ship & thought it was very good, but not quite great. I posted a very lengthy review on the CC breakaway page. It hasnt been approved yet, but here's here's the (not so) short summary & a tip sheet for future BA cruisers.

 

Great Tips! Many I have not seen posted before. You tend to see the same ones posted over and over, but you had a few that are "new" to my tips sheet. Thanks for posting!

[Bobloblaw11]

Dorito,

Dancho (whom we called Nacho) was our hero too. He's the one who looked just like Johnny Knoxville when he was wearing his Ray Ban sunglasses ? He also worked outside at Malting's at night. Great guy.

Have to agree on the salad dressing too. My son made a big salad one day in the buffet, put Ranch on it but couldn't eat more than one bite because he could have sworn it was Blue Cheese Dressing.

We had a really great time on our trip.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

 

~Robin

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

 

He was great... By far the best person on the ship. Ya, he was the Knoxville one with the shades and collar flipped up. I was always amazed at how quick he was!

 

Did you go last week or a different time?

 

Kenlorz, glad my tips help.

 

If anyone has any questions about the BA, please don't hesitate to ask. I explored almost every inch of that ship.

[meatball_nyc]

Yes! That's him. I filled out a hero card for him in the survey NCL emailed me. He is from Macedonia and spent 3 years on the Spirit. He loves being on Breakaway.

We sailed the week of July 6 right after Hurricane Arthur.

Can't believe it's almost a month ago :(

 

 

~Robin

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

[mcsb11]

Yes! That's him. I filled out a hero card for him in the survey NCL emailed me. He is from Macedonia and spent 3 years on the Spirit. He loves being on Breakaway.

We sailed the week of July 6 right after Hurricane Arthur.

Can't believe it's almost a month ago :(

 

 

~Robin

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

 

I didnt know his last name, or if it was dancho or doncho. I hope he gets the recognition. YOu can tell he loves what he does! It really shows

[CinAndTheCity]

Was there a pub crawl? If so, what day/time was it?

[mcsb11]

They had bermuda themed crawls several nights. I never bothered as I had the UBP and tasted most of the bermuda inspired drinks day 1 or 2