Breakaway - trying to manage expectations - nervous

[dcip5416]

So, I realize people with bad experiences will most likely post to the web, but people with amazing experiences usually do not. With that said, I cannot help but feel extremely concerned about our upcoming trip this Sunday (3/29). I have only been on one cruise (X Century, 1999). My husband and two boys (14 and 11) have never been on a cruise. My kids are spoiled, though. When we go to OBX, we stay with a group in a 10 bedroom, 12 bathroom house on the beach. When they go to Disney, my parents rent a Villa in Disney through the Disney Vacation Club. We've only had 1 bad trip in our lives and it was in Cabo - it was my fault - I went the cheap route and rented a condo which turned out to be horrible. But, we still managed to enjoy the week and made the most out of it.

 

I chose this trip because of the activities on board. I work full time outside of the home. I have a horrible commute. I am extremely stressed out most of the time AND I spend most of our vacations cooking, cleaning, doing laundry….I'm burned out!!! I need a week where I can chill out and not have to do ANYTHING except show up. So…with that said….here is where my expectations are for this trip based on numerous posts - the positive ones and the negative ones. Let me know if I'm way off or if I'm wrong, please!!!

 

- Service is horrible - ok…here's my take…I would like to see this for myself….I was a server and worked in retail for many, many years. It is amazing to me how people can be so down-right rude to service people and still expect them to fawn all over them. So, I am going to take this often stated review with a grain of salt. I am overly polite and appreciative of every service person who I meet. Normally, I met with equal or more graciousness and politeness.

 

- The free soda package was disappointing because there are no stations and it's hard to get refills - this bothered me a bit. I wanted to buy this for the kids. But, since it is spring break, I think it will be a mad house so we will bring a case of water and some other beverages for the boys.

 

- The food is awful - I would like to see this for myself, as well. I did not book this cruise for the food. My kids can live on mac and cheese and nuggets. I am not picky. My husband is not picky. If we wanted gourmet, we would have chosen a much more expensive cruise. As long as the food is edible, we will survive. Plus, I'm trying to lose 40 lbs (22 so far). So, not too concerned about this one…..

 

- hard to find chairs - I need tips on where to find a quiet space. I am a smoker (GASP). I just need a chair, a water bottle and my kindle. That's all I need - I don't need the pool, I might go in the hot tub….what I need is to decompress and forget I have a job for a week.

 

- lines for meals - I wake up at 4:30 am - I eat breakfast at 6 and lunch at 11, dinner at 4:30 and I'm in bed by 8:30 (no, I'm not a senior citizen - lol). Hopefully I will not be hitting the restaurants at the prime times….thoughts????

 

- rooms were dirty - This concerns me - I'm not a neat freak - I have dogs (lol). But, I am a little paranoid about 'people germs'. I would like to know how many had this experience. I'm sure our room will not be perfect.

 

- which brings me to my BIGGEST CONCERN - SPACE IN THE ROOM - I knew the room was tiny when I booked it. I chose an inside family cabin for a few reason 1) it was cheap, 2) it was cheap, and 3) it was cheap. Plus, I read bad reviews about the balconies so I couldn't justify the extra money. HOWEVER - now I'm reconsidering and the boat was booked when I called to try and snag a bigger room. Anyway - my family is on the petite side - BUT - are we going to want to kill each other by the end of the week?? Well - nobody can answer this for me but would love to hear from someone who tried to cram 4 people into an inside family cabin. This might have been the biggest mistake I made (not bigger than the Cabo fiasco, though - that one can't be topped!!).

 

So - if you actually made it to this sentence…thank you so much for reading my long, paranoid, crazy lady post. I want this week to be fun. And, after Cabo, I believe we can make it happen. I just don't want everyone in my family hating me on Easter Sunday for making them take this trip!!!

 

Thanks!

Donna

[Sparkygirl]

First, Relax My commute and schedule is similar to yours daily even with the crowds on the ship I'm not cooking or cleaning. You will have a blast and will barely be in the room. Enjoy!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nola26]

Buy the soda plan. They can get a soda at the restaurants or bar. You won't need to lug anything. No stress no running back to room.

[ColinIllinois]

As you stated...you are a paranoid, crazy lady.

 

But seriously, you are over thinking things. Relax, go with the flow and for the most part if you don't have a good cruise it's on you. Things happen, no cruise is perfect.

 

Go enjoy and report back to us. :D

[cruizinwithkids]

The first couple of cruises my husband and I went on with the kids was on the Norwegian Majesty. There were one or two rooms that had an obstructed view room and slept 4. It was 108 square feet. The four of us cruised in it a couple of times.

 

In 2012, we went on a cruise - my 20 year old daughter and my 21 year old son, my husband and I. We had a balcony but the four of us - NOT petite shared a room.

 

And we still like each other.

 

I really think with your attitude, you and your family will have a great cruise.

[dcip5416]

Thank you Sparkygirl and Nola26! Did either of you bring a case of water? I don't want to lug it around but worried about the water on the ship. I was thinking of bringing Brita water filter bottles. Does that sound like a good idea? Or can I get filtered water w/o the $4.50 price tag??

[TrumpyNor]

You will have a blast - and you have already great solutions to any "problem" you might run in to on board, so I actually believe that you will be pleasantly surprised that everything is going to be much better than you expect - so no need to worry.

 

Only thing I am concerned about is 4 persons in the family inside cabin - some times you would really regret not having a balcony. But on the other hand, since you have chosen one of the ships with the most activities on board, you will probably only be in your cabin to sleep and take a shower - so then the size of the cabin wouldn't be a problem either... :)

 

All I can say is ENJOY YOUR CRUISE, since your expectations and "demands" are quite low, I am certain that you will be pleasantly "surprised" and satisfied regarding all areas where you have expressed some "concern"! And if you have a bad experience with something - just try to get it fixed/taken care of right away, and then forget about it (instead of getting annoyed and let a tiny bagatelle ruin your vacation).

Edited March 24, 2015 by TrumpyNor

[Demonyte]

Ship's water is filtered, it just can have chlorine taste but other than that it's cleaner than bottled water.

 

We still prefer bottled water. ;)

[soaringfalcon]

Relax!!! You're way overthinking BUT I get it. I actually had to stop reading cruise critic for a month before our first cruise because everyone was so negative. I'm very happy to say that NONE of it came to fruition - none of it!

 

You won't have any issue with the soda package - as long as the kids are respectful and not shoving in line there won't be any problems. As a tip, they will give you the mug but there is no need to lug it around.

 

I wouldn't bring water - the water on the ship is better than most bottled water. I usually bring a water bottle but you don't even have to do that.

 

You'll find your space and you'll be able to relax - no phone, no email, no social media - just you and your family. It's bliss!

[dcip5416]

THANK YOU to ALL who have replied!!! I can feel the tension lifting as I read each reply!!! OMG this is SO HELPFUL!!! You are all awesome! Yes…I'm neurotic - I research, plan and schedule everything to the minute before our trips. - lol - might give you a hint of what I do for a living - so, not having to plan for a week will be awesome!!!

[landlady1952]

The Breakaway is a wonderful ship. Been on her 3 times and going again in Nov. I haven't stayed in family inside but have stayed in family OV. Was very adequate. Food is very good. Buffet is great. Ate there most of the time More then restaurants. Kids will have a great time. It's a big ship but doable. Relax and enjoy. Don't stress. Crew is very helpful so if you need anything just ask. Have a wonderful time.

[soaringfalcon]

THANK YOU to ALL who have replied!!! I can feel the tension lifting as I read each reply!!! OMG this is SO HELPFUL!!! You are all awesome! Yes…I'm neurotic - I research, plan and schedule everything to the minute before our trips. - lol - might give you a hint of what I do for a living - so, not having to plan for a week will be awesome!!!

 

I'm a Project Manager - I get it! I usually have researched everything to death and have stuff down to the minute. For our cruise in June, my DH has challenged me to NOT plan anything beyond one show reservation. I'm going to try. It actually feels kind of freeing. By now, I would have had everything done LOL

[dcip5416]

HAHA Soaringfalcon!! ME TOO - software project management!! I even have all the ship deck plans saved to a .pdf! LOL - I have a tabbed binder…OMG I NEED A VACATION SO BADLY!

[rochelle_s]

If this is the perception you have of how your cruise will be I think you will be in for a HUGE surprise. You should have a great time. I have been cruising since 1989 on a number of lines, and although not every cruise is perfect, I have never experienced any of those things you fear. There is always somewhere quiet to escape to. If a food item is not to your taste do not worry just order something else. The water is excellent on the ship but don't hesitate to bring your own filtered water bottles as they are also great for going ashore..or bring a case... the choice is yours.

 

I really hope you and your family have a wonderful cruise. I am sure your boys will love it!

 

 

Rochelle

[soaringfalcon]

I do something like a RAID log for our vacations - I'm crazy.

[jknacke]

I'm similar to you even have 2 boys though mine are 12 and 10. My kids have never been on a cruise either. I really can't imagine not having a good time. We're easy going though. I already gave my kids jobs on the ship...to get up and go reserve my chair by the pool:)

[Bluewake]

I went on Breakaway in January 2014 and loved it. In fact, I am booked for the same cruise in January 2016 and it's interesting how many people on our role call are return cruisers on Breakaway. That ought to tell you something!

 

Please allow me to respond to some of your concerns:

 

Your Concern #1: activities on board. We have been on quite a few cruises on three different lines. We felt the entertainment on Breakaway, particularly the shows and comedy, were among the best we've experienced on a cruise.

 

Your Concern #2: Service is horrible - I think it's fair to say there may be a difference between NCL and other lines with respect to the main dining room because of the set dinner times. The wait staff on those lines do make an effort to get to know you and try to ascertain and address your dining needs. If that is important to you then NCL could seem less "personal". I don't happen to need that level of chatting with wait staff and I don't mind simply telling them I want coffee without sugar..I don't need for them to remember. Service also comes from the ship staff and we've found NCL crew members to be more helpful than some other lines. Frankly, we've found RCCL crew to be the least helpful but that's pretty subjective stuff.

 

Your Concern #3: The food is awful. A few years ago, we did find the quality of the dinner in the main dining rooms on NCL to be just a little bit lower than other lines. However, in our past 3 NCL Cruises, we have decided that NCL really has "stepped up their game" and there is no longer much of a gap. In fact, we were on the Gem in January and were very pleased with the totality of the offerings and the quality. You seem reasonable about food and aren't expecting some 5 star dinner every night so I would bet that you - like us - will be pleased. And the buffet is pretty similar on all of the cruiselines.

 

Your Concern #4: Hard to find chairs. Yes, like every other line, NCL has its share of inconsiderate chair hogs...but we see absolutely no difference among the lines on which we've sailed.

 

Your Concern #5: Lines. Given your early up and early in lifestyle, you will be fine. We made reservations each night in the main dining room just to be safe and also for the shows. I do recommend doing that. The Breakaway is a big ship and it can, at times, feel a bit crowded. For us, it was getting off and on at the ports that the lines seemed to be an issue. However, we learned to arrive early for dinner (which suited us fine) and with reservations for shows, it wasn't a problem. There are places on the ship to find some quite space.

 

Your Concern #6: rooms were dirty. We did not find this to be at all the case and our room steward was wonderful.

 

Your Concern #7: SPACE IN THE ROOM - Okay, this one could be an issue since you are in an inside cabin. Our experience is that NCL inside cabins do tend to run a little smaller than on other lines. We were not in an inside on Breakaway so I can't directly respond but I do think a family inside on Breakaway is no bigger than any other inside cabin, it's just that there are two pullman beds that lower from the ceiling to accommodate 4. Our family of 3 was in an inside cabin on Gem once and, yes, it was a bit cramped. But not nearly anything to ruin a cruise! You have to be a bit neat, put things away, slide the suitcases under the bed and be patient....and you'll be fine!

 

Okay, my responses are, of course, personal opinion and I am sure others will have different thoughts. But, we really like Breakaway and are booked to sail on her again in a few months.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Bluewake

[Naomilights]

Don't even worry about any of this! Yes the ship is large and there are big crowds. Yes the dinner service can be slow. Yes your cabin will be small. But it's worth it! The Breakaway is a great ship and so much fun! Your teenage boys will have a blast! The best advice I can give you is don't spend too much time in the room(because there is so much fun to be had) and eat at the buffet if you don't want to wait for food! I personally think the buffet on the Breakaway was the best buffet on any NCL ship that I have experienced. While I have not been in a family inside on the Breakaway, we stayed in a 2 bedroom family suite, I have been on other ships in a family inside with 4 people. The hardest thing for us was the bathroom, but you just have to work past it for a few days. Ignore the negative reviews and make your own opinions on the boat!

 

Also, our rooms have always been adequately cleaned!

Edited March 24, 2015 by Naomilights

[Cynthia1271]

You will have so much fun, don't worry! I wouldn't bring the water, we brought refillable bottles and filled up at the buffet constantly.

 

The room will be tight, but you will be out and about a lot! Cut the amount of stuff you bring in half, pack an additional bathing suit, and some woolite in case you need to freshen something up!

 

Your boys can wait in line for their own soda, so don't worry about that.

 

Try the water slide drop, it was the best stress relief I have had in years!!! Let's off a lot of steam to scream like a crazy lady!!!

 

I chose cruises because I don't have to do anything, which is the best part....so relax and enjoy!!!

 

Next time try a balcony or get adjoining rooms, you'll love the extra space!! The balconies are so relaxing for me because I can be alone... My job is also insanely stressful... :(

[dcip5416]

LOL - RAID LOG - TOO FUNNY!! Yeah, that's basically how I came up with all my mitigation strategies!!! The only one I haven't mitigated is the chance of our JEEP breaking down on the NJ turnpike…LOL…yeah I am THAT CRAZY!!!

[bangzoom6877]

Hi there! You are so right that people are much more likely to take the time to post complaints online rather than positive reviews. All reviews ate subjective. Food reviews are extremely subjective. I was even at a restaurant at Disney World once ( character buffet) and overheard a guy complaining to the manager that they didn't have french fries on the buffet, and he was very upset. He could have very well gone and written a poor review of the restaurant online. Yet, our family (10 people total were on that trip) enjoyed that meal very much and we all loved the food. Like I said...subjective. Some people are looking for 5-star or Michelin-rated food on a cruise, some are looking for McDonald's. You will find neither, but you will find edible options and I'm sure you will even find some foods your family loves!

 

For relaxation, DH and I love to get the spa pass. I know you're a smoker and that of course you cannot smoke in the spa, but it certainly is a nice, relaxing quiet retreat where you could read and just relax. Or you could relax in the hot tub in there, which is so much less crowded and much more relaxing than the hot tubs on deck. My sister, who also has a very demanding and stressful job, a horrible commute, and 3 kids ages 14, 11 and 1, is also getting the spa pass (my mom said she will stay with the baby, and the girls will be in their respective camp groups during the day). Did I mention the spa is relaxing? ;)

 

As for space in the cabin...my first cruise, I was 13 and my sister was 15. There were 4 of us in a tiny, tiny inside cabin on Royal Caribbean's Nordic Prince to Bermuda. We all survived, even my dad was happy the whole time despite sharing a room with 2 teenage girls and his wife, and women getting ready all the time and kicking him out of the cabin lol! That cruise was what got my parents hooked on cruises and the cruise we're all taking together on the breakaway in July will be something like their 25th cruise, maybe even more. Believe me, you will mainly be in the cabin to get ready, shower and sleep. With all there is to do on the ship, the cabin is probably the last place you will want to hang out unless you're sleeping.

 

We also love our vacations, and my kids are spoiled by our vacations as well. We've been to Disney World with them 4 times and they're 7 (almost 8) and 10 now! We are Disney Vacation Club members and we always stay 10 nights in a huge 1-bedroom villa at Boardwalk Villas. And I will admit, ever since we started cruising with the two of them (this upcoming one will be our third cruise altogether), we have always stayed in 2 connecting cabins...I tell my TA to book us the cheapest connecting cabins she can find lol! But still, if one inside cabin was all we could afford in order for us to cruise, I would gladly stay in one small room with the kids...the cruise is so much fun and so worth it! :)

 

Have a fantastic trip!

[Mira28]

My opinion only here. You and your family will have a wonderful time!

Get into the spirit of the ship. It's fun and lively. Go out of the cabin and enjoy everything. (I have been to Disney many times, and it's great, but this is so much more relaxing). Go to the shows and dance parties! The food is excellent, but I believe it will be the friendliness of the staff and crew that you will note right away.

If you are able, tell us how it goes. Be well and enjoy all. Especially your family!

[kchiumento]

I think you will be pleasantly surprised. And it all depends on your expectations. There will be plenty of activities for the boys - we went on the Jewel in 2013 and while it didn't have all the bells and whistles that this ship has, it had enough to keep them entertained. Plus, we were on a ship! Don't sweat the small stuff. Enjoy not having to make meals or clean up. It was nice not having to plan meals, shop for food or clean up. If someone didn't like what was at the main dining room, we would just take them to the Garden Cafe.

Our rooms were well taken care of. We never had an issue with the cleanliness of our room. They make your bed for you, take out your trash, clean your room. You just get up and show up. It was the best vacation ever. Not everything was perfect, but it's not going to be. You may have a slow waiter because he has 12 tables or you may have to wait for a drink at the bar because there is only one bartender. But don't let the little stuff ruin your vacation. I think you have the right attitude about certain things -food, service and such. One person can think they had great food and another can say the exact same plate is rubbish.

 

I wish you a wonderful trip and time to relax and forget about your job. I honestly think it's the best vacation for the time and money. I can't wait to read your review.

[abbyar]

I think you will have a grand time. Even if the food is bad, the room is dirty, and the service is awful (none of which will happen) you will be somewhere warm with the people you love most and will be totally disconnected with the world. When I first started sailing it felt like my first real vacation in years, because I didn't have to worry about my phone ringing or my email coming in every 5 minutes. I told everyone I couldn't be reached and that was it. Soooooo much less stress.

[Davechipp74]

Hi there, I'm on the same cruise as you, cant wait. You should join our happy little roll call. We have some things planned like a slot pull, pub crawl, cabin crawl. Should be a great time.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2063600

:D