Breaking Away from NYC » (NCL Breakaway Review)

[gangstarollerbunny]

Hello, CruiseCritic!

I'm not too sure where to start, especially since this "review" is about six months late.

 

That's right.

SIX MONTHS.

 

Now, I could give you all a whole bunch of excuses (I was working! I have school!)...but I'll just admit I am a huge procrastinator.

Well, let's not dilly-dally any further and get right to it...

 

 

AN INTRODUCTION

I'm Julia and my partner-in-crime (and lovely BF) is Kevin.

 

We're a couple of silly 20-somethings from New York City (born and raised!) with a passion for eating and napping. I'm more young-and-hip while Kevin is more of an old soul (...shuffleboard, anyone?). Of course he'll probably digress and argue that

he's

the cool one, but I'll let all of you make your own decisions. :p

 

We set sail on the

Norwegian Breakaway

on

December 7th to 14th 2014

. It was my BF's first cruise so, understandably, he was as excited as anyone could get. (Mostly because of all the food that he could possibly stuff in himself in the duration of a week...)

 

To escape the cold weather, Kevin and I decided to travel to somewhere warm for our first international trip together. After much deliberating on WHERE should we spend our hard earned dollars, we decided that a cruise would be most worthwhile.

 

In this review, I'll try to rack my memories for all the details from our first cruise together... I'll be writing this as I go, so hopefully the larger font and pictures will help ease you all along. :)

 

[gangstarollerbunny]

Day One » Embarkation

To start it off, I'm going to just touch quickly about embarking!

 

My father was nice enough to give us a ride to Pier 88 around 9AM in the morning. I was awake since 6AM, making sure we had everything and just getting everything ready. We arrived there with no traffic, and paid the corkage fee for our wines after security at a small table off to the side. I had all our documents and passports in my hand and easily accessible in my backpack, so I figure not digging through my bags for these things saved us a little bit of time.

 

The process (security and everything) was extremely easy. I'm not sure if I can attribute that to our being early, but whatevz. It was funny to see people disembarking as well (we could tell because they looked like they just woke up and hated that their vacation was over just as ours was starting).

 

We didn't wait long -- maybe an hour or two (mostly because we were very early and sat the closest to the doors) before we were one of the first people on board. The staff handled the crowds wonderfully, especially when late-comers attempted to sit in the front of the boarding area, even when there was no more room. They politely directed these people to the areas they were supposed to be, but Kevin and I did notice some people who pretended they didn't speak English to avoid listening to the staff...(insert eye roll here).

 

So...what did we carry on?

I am a self-proclaimed packing pro. Kevin, on the other hand, is an overpacker. Not only does he overpack, but he doesn't know how to pack ("Ugh, men") properly! I spent the morning rearranging our stuff. We brought on clothes, snorkeling gear, a 6 pack of water, and some snacks (this is the part where I mentally slap myself...why would I need to bring snacks on a cruise with ample food?!?!?!)

• 2 carry on suitcases
  
  
• 1 duffle bag
  
  
• 1 backpack
  
  

 

We opted to carry on all our luggage, which wasn't very much and decided to sit down at a restaurant for our first meal (which allowed us to avoid all of the craziness that is the buffet on the first day).

 

 

First Meal Aboard the Breakaway

We read reviews to avoid the buffet on embarkation day, so Kevin and I hurried to have lunch at Savor.

 

We ordered the scallops au gratin (AWESOME), popcorn chicken, and atlantic chowder as appetizers to share. Kevin said his shrimp and penne arrabbiata was "average, but al dente". I think it had something to do with his jealousy at my open air burger which was, honestly, DELICIOUS and I am currently drooling looking at that photo.

 

For the rest of the cruise, Kevin tried to order it again, but it never showed up on any of the menus. I just looked on smugly and didn't say anything...best not to rub salt in his wounds!

 

Home Away From Home (Our Room)

After we stuffed ourselves with yummy food, the announcement came on that we were able to go to our rooms. We managed to score a

MID SHIP SPA BALCONY

#14772 for a great price and we were super excited to check it out. In all of my excitement to see the room, I totally forgot to take pictures. However, I do have a (slightly rushed) video tour of our room if you would like to see it down below.

 

The room was very roomy, well-decorated, and had enough space for all of our stuff. Honestly, compared to some NYC apartments, our room was much bigger than some studios! Our luggages fit neatly under the bed, our clothes in the closet, and our random crap strewn all across the tables (hey...we're on vacation!)

 

Our steward was Oka (if I remember correctly). He was awesome! Such a friendly and nice character. We chatted with him for a bit to find out that he worked extremely long months and hours. He made sure our stay was comfortable, always had our ice bucket filled, and constantly made up our room even though we didn't feel the need to (We often left the "Do Not Disturb" light on just so he didn't have to clean our room!).

 

The Bed...

It was comfortable...right up until you fall (okay, fall might be exaggerating, but you could definitely feel the crease) into the little crevice between the two beds pushed together. It wasn't too big of a problem. Kevin and I just slept a little farther away from each other.

 

The Bathroom...

More than enough room. The shower was so cool, but it took me a couple of minutes to figure it out. Okay, I lied. I didn't test it out. I made Kevin go into the shower to play around with the nozzles. What we didn't know was that some of the settings sent out streams of very pressurized water, so I have some great stories of Kevin screaming in surprise (and slight pain) while he was playing around with the shower options.

 

The Balcony...

It was tiny, but we made it work. It was more than enough for Kevin and I to sit out there and enjoy a glass of wine or cup of coffee each day.

 

**WARNING HEADPHONE USERS...TURN DOWN YOUR VOLUME**

[YOUTUBE]

[/YOUTUBE]

(if the player doesn't work, you can click

)

 

 

Edited June 16, 2015 by gangstarollerbunny

[opalinem]

Great pics, thanks!

I really want to try those scallops now :)

[meatball_nyc]

I really want that burger now!

Looking forward to more of your review. Thanks for sharing :)

[gangstarollerbunny]

Sailing Away...

After the muster drill (which only took a few minutes), we returned to our room to start our vacation and relax, and watch the sail-away from the privacy of our balcony.

 

Funny Story...

When we were taking the elevator back from the muster drill to our room, Kevin and I entered, standing there and talking about how awesome our vacation was going to be....until someone else came into the elevator, forcing us to realize that we didn't even press a button!

 

 

It was pretty chilly on the balcony, but we were still bundled up in our winter gear, so we didn't mind. Kevin got the party started early (we got our first bucket of beer....of many) and started drinking and eating chips (even though we

just

ate lunch).

 

The balcony doesn't

offer much privacy... We could see our neighbors hanging out on the ledge and their limbs and shadows through the crevices of the divider. It wasn't too much of a bother (mostly because our cruise was in chillier weather), since they didn't stay out much.

 

 

We explored the ship a little after, playing ping pong. However, being in December, it was very windy and chilly so we ended up back in our room to take a nap before dinner.

 

It was

Prime Rib Night

at the buffet, and there was no way Kevin was going to miss it...I'm not a big meat eater, but I had no choice but to be dragged along! We ended up going to the buffet (our room was only ONE FLOOR below the buffet/pool deck! We actually did not hear any noise from above and it was great convenience to only have to travel one floor to grab a quick bite) ...and then headed straight to...

 

The Manhattan Room

for dinner right after. At this point, I didn't think it was possible for Kevin to continue eating, but we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at the Manhattan Room. They had a live band playing, people were getting up and dancing on the floor, and the whole vibe was just really elegant and entertaining. Just like an old-school Manhattan dinner club. I really wish we ate here more!

 

The food and service was spectacular!

 

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening trying to figure out where everything was.

 

All in all...it was a great day. Unfortunately, being on vacation mode, I totally forgot to bring my camera along to take pictures of the food...

 

So here's a picture of the Breakaway in the middle of the water, with the sun setting.

 

[jaja]

Enjoying it ....(and better late than never :D)

[bangzoom6877]

I'm enjoying your entertaining review and your pics are great! You're making me get more psyched for our Breakaway cruise in 33 days from now!!!

 

We are also from NYC, born and raised! Specifically, Brooklyn. But we are just a tad bit older than you (38). We have two sons, ages 8 and 10. They can't wait for our cruise! :)

Edited June 16, 2015 by bangzoom6877

[ncklhaus]

Thank you for doing your review! I love the way you are writing, and you are quite funny. Like jaja posted, better late than never. Especially if it's a review with pictures! I'll be following along.

[nautica34]

Enjoying your review so far. Will be sailing on Breakaway for the 1st time in July.

[beandippa]

Waiting for more.....thanks!

[cruisin0504]

Lots of fun, looking forward to more!

[rogue 35]

Anybody who can hit up the buffet for prime rib and immediately follow that with another meal is a man after my own heart.

[Luke Saint Joe]

Gangstarollerbunny, I'm enjoying your writing style very much! And, yes, the pics are gorgeous! We're sailing on Breakaway for our first time in November & I am anxious to hear more...I especially can't wait to hear about your spa experiences, because I'm contemplating the purchase of weekly spa passes for my husband and I as we're sailing, like you, in CHILLY weather & feel we may not get as much pool & sun time as we'd like. Great job! Loving it!

[gangstarollerbunny]

Great pics, thanks!

I really want to try those scallops now :)

They were amazing! A little oily, but the bread definitely helped to soak that up.

 

I really want that burger now!

Looking forward to more of your review. Thanks for sharing :)

YES! If you ever see it on the menu and you're on the Breakaway, order it!

 

Enjoying it ....(and better late than never :D)

Thank you!

 

I'm enjoying your entertaining review and your pics are great! You're making me get more psyched for our Breakaway cruise in 33 days from now!!!

 

We are also from NYC, born and raised! Specifically, Brooklyn. But we are just a tad bit older than you (38). We have two sons, ages 8 and 10. They can't wait for our cruise! :)

Not much older!! Your kids will definitely have a lot of fun, especially since the weather is going to be awesome for you. It's great having such an affordable ship right out of NYC with a decent itinerary.

 

Thank you for doing your review! I love the way you are writing, and you are quite funny. Like jaja posted, better late than never. Especially if it's a review with pictures! I'll be following along.

Thank you! I loved your Breakaway review. It was one of the first ones I read before my cruise. :)

 

Enjoying your review so far. Will be sailing on Breakaway for the 1st time in July.

ENJOY! She is a great ship!

 

Waiting for more.....thanks!

Coming up soon! Thank you!

 

Anybody who can hit up the buffet for prime rib and immediately follow that with another meal is a man after my own heart.

Haha, I will have to tell the BF that...he will feel proud!

 

Gangstarollerbunny, I'm enjoying your writing style very much! And, yes, the pics are gorgeous! We're sailing on Breakaway for our first time in November & I am anxious to hear more...I especially can't wait to hear about your spa experiences, because I'm contemplating the purchase of weekly spa passes for my husband and I as we're sailing, like you, in CHILLY weather & feel we may not get as much pool & sun time as we'd like. Great job! Loving it!

Thank you! I would recommend buying the spa passes, especially early on. I do hear that they tend to sell out quickly on the ship, so try to be the first ones on to get them. The first week of December was definitely nippy and the seas were a little rough, so we did not get the most of our "Sea Days"...Unfortunately, my BF and I did not get to the spa passes in time, but I heard GREAT reviews. Even if you're not interested in the spa packages, the steam rooms, loungers, and hydrotherapy pool seem well worth it. The main pool was only open for 3 days of the trip and very crowded...and the hot tubs were always occupied. :(

 

Of course, there were plenty of activities to do on the cruise, but if you're one for a dip in the pool, tanning from one of the heated loungers in the spa seems like the perfect way to unwind from the cold weather going down to your destination.

[gangstarollerbunny]

Days At Sea…



(kevin dreaming of nicer weather...)

For this section, I will be combining what we did on the days at sea. And explaining some more on the activities…

 

The Buffet

was located on Deck 15…one floor up from our room. I am an early riser, so it was great being able to head up to the buffet and grab a quick breakfast. Most of the mornings, we were up by 6:30AM/7:00AM and the buffet was mostly empty when we went. It was nice not having to fight for tables and being able to get freshly made eggs at the omelet station without having to wait in line.

 

Most of the time, we would take plates back to our room to eat on our balcony. No one said anything, and we always made sure to give our steward a tip for cleaning up after us.

highlights & tips

- made to order eggs at the omelet station (perfect if you like sunny side up/over easy/egg white eggs)

- peanut butter are in little individual packets

- the set up of the buffet was interesting; if you go on the other side, there are the same stations but usually not as crowded; sometimes people were bottle-necked at certain stations

 

Spice H2O…

The adult only pool deck was a nice treat away from all the commotion on the ship. The weird part is that you would have to pass by the Teen Lounge/Arcade to get to it! We checked it out on our first day at sea, and the hot tubs were still surprisingly warm. We were the only ones on the pool deck (since no one is silly enough to join us in our swim suits in 50 degree weather…) until it started to rain…

 

Kevin and I high-tailed out of there to get warm and dry before we got sick and ruined our vacation before it even started!

 

Game Room, Fun Mirrors, and MORE…

After getting dried up and changed into dry clothes, we decided to explore other parts of the ship. We stumbled upon some fun mirrors outside a theater. Those entertained us for about 30 seconds before we walked into the game room where we hit the jackpot of board games.

 

It was definitely a flashback to our childhood when we opened the cupboard and found Scrabble, Checkers, Chess, Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly! Luckily, there never seemed to be too many people in this room and we enjoyed occupying ourselves on sea days when the weather wasn’t too great.

 

MY FAVORITE PART was definitely the

ROPES COURSE

. Kevin would like to

strongly

digress. They offered a “Ropes Course After Dark” activity, where you would do this course at night. I dragged Kevin over here after dinner and he immediately started to panic. Our conversation went something like this, as we ascended past the mini-golf area:

 

Me: Ohhh! Look! Here’s the rope course! Let’s go!!

Kevin: ….what kind of crazy people think of this stuff...it doesn’t even look safe…

Me: Let’s get strapped in!

Kevin: ….*silence*

* The staff strapped us in to the gear and we started walking up the stairs to start the rope course*

Kevin: This doesn’t look too bad…

 

Now, they have an assortment of rope and plank obstacles that you can do before you finish a zipline to exit. Kevin, at this point, was already freaking out two obstacles in and decided he wanted to turn around. He tried to walk down the stairs, but they actually locked the second sets of stairs to exit. We asked the staff how do we exit the course, and they pointed at the zipline, much to Kevin’s fears.

 

I, however, was grateful that it was windy so Kevin couldn’t hear me laughing all the way. He kept hesitating at every obstacle. It was actually pretty scary when you mix in the wind blowing the ropes everywhere. There were some little kids that were afraid too and I felt a little bad. The most memorable conversation was between Kevin and a little kid waiting behind him to go on one of the obstacles:

 

Little Kid: Hi! How old are you?

Kevin: …26…

Little Kid: Are you scared?

Kevin: …yes…

Little Kid: Oh, which way are you going to go?

Kevin: *points ahead of him* This way…

Little Kid: *points the opposite direction* Okay cool! I’m going to go this way. Bye!!

 

By this point, I was about to roll on the floor in a fit of tears and laughter as the little kid was impatient and fed-up with waiting behind my boyfriend.

 

We get to the point where you can either go to the zipline to finish the course, or continue towards some more difficult obstacles. Kevin and I observed some individuals who didn’t run fast enough to launch off the zipline and ended up stuck in the middle (subsequently, they had to slowly inch themselves on the zipline to the finishing side as they’re dangling in the air)!! I could see the fear building in Kevin’s eyes. I asked him if he wanted to continue the course with me, but he shook his head and rushed to the zipline.

 

I actually walked the plank that extended over the ship’s edge…and let me tell you…I’m an adventurous person, but that plank definitely made me shake a little!

 

By the time I finished the course and met up with Kevin, he didn’t look too good and asked if we could sit down in the buffet. After a couple of bites of sweets, he seemed to be in a better mood. I asked if he wanted to do it again and I could feel the burning intensity of his glare… I guess that means no!

 

The shows on the Breakaway are amazing. Definitely check them out. The late-night comedy was definitely better than the PG-versions. I always slept early, so I never went to the parties, but Kevin checked out the Glow Party by himself and said it was lots of fun. I was a little sad to have missed it, but I enjoyed my sleep much more. We spent ample time in the casino and thanks to beginner’s luck, Kevin managed to win $600 total in penny slots! Guess it was karma for him braving the ropes course!

 

Honestly, I didn't do much on this cruise besides relax, watch a couple shows, and sit in the casino!

 

(The next part will center around the three ports we visited (or were SUPPOSED to visit). Then I will follow up with an overview and my takeaway from the Breakaway...*insert laughter for my lame joke*)

 

[bangzoom6877]

Excellent update! Your poor boyfriend on the ropes course! My husband wants to do the ropes course, without walking the plank though, but I'm not sure the ropes course is for me. I'm a fit and athletic person, in pretty good shape (I work out 5-6 days a week for years, well rounded fitness regimen with cardio, strength training and flexibility training), but I also have some old injuries. 4 years ago I had to have spinal surgery on my neck because of a badly herniated disk. That slowed down the pace of my workouts but I just modify everything as I need it. I also have had arthritis in my lower back for the last 5 years, and have had my back go out a few times so I have limitations there as well. I've done physical therapy for both issues too. So I'm wondering if it's too much of a risk to try the ropes course. What do you think? Are there "easier" options on it?

 

My husband and I are definitely getting the spa pass to use the thermal suite every day. He talked me into buying one for myself when he was buying one for himself on our last cruise on Carnival. I wasn't sure how I would like all the heat in the saunas and steam rooms, but it was heavenly and I really loved it. Buying the spa passes is the first thing on our to-do list! Followed by signing up the boys for the kids' club which they love. While they're at the club during the day, we will enjoy the spa. :)

 

I just might have to get that burger if they have it in the MDR at lunch on embarkation day. Did you eat a burger at Uptown Grill at all? I've read that they're amazing there and I have to try one for lunch one day!

[gangstarollerbunny]

Excellent update! Your poor boyfriend on the ropes course! My husband wants to do the ropes course, without walking the plank though, but I'm not sure the ropes course is for me. I'm a fit and athletic person, in pretty good shape (I work out 5-6 days a week for years, well rounded fitness regimen with cardio, strength training and flexibility training), but I also have some old injuries. 4 years ago I had to have spinal surgery on my neck because of a badly herniated disk. That slowed down the pace of my workouts but I just modify everything as I need it. I also have had arthritis in my lower back for the last 5 years, and have had my back go out a few times so I have limitations there as well. I've done physical therapy for both issues too. So I'm wondering if it's too much of a risk to try the ropes course. What do you think? Are there "easier" options on it?

 

My husband and I are definitely getting the spa pass to use the thermal suite every day. He talked me into buying one for myself when he was buying one for himself on our last cruise on Carnival. I wasn't sure how I would like all the heat in the saunas and steam rooms, but it was heavenly and I really loved it. Buying the spa passes is the first thing on our to-do list! Followed by signing up the boys for the kids' club which they love. While they're at the club during the day, we will enjoy the spa. :)

 

I just might have to get that burger if they have it in the MDR at lunch on embarkation day. Did you eat a burger at Uptown Grill at all? I've read that they're amazing there and I have to try one for lunch one day!

 

Hi Bonnie,

 

I found this really

on the ropes course, so you can take a look and see if any of them might be too hard for you. From my experience, it was a lot of arm + leg strength and balancing. The obstacles with the metal planks are not as strenuous, but there are some "tightrope"/rope web obstacles that will require a little more overall body strength. I saw individuals of all ages on it, so I don't think it will be too much of a strain on your back.

 

There's a good mix of rope/plank obstacles, but I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself on the cruise! There's no rush to finish the rope course in any specified time, so if you need to take a break and just catch your breath at one of the stands, that's totally fine. There are multiple options on the rope course, as there is no designated way to go through it. You can pick and choose. However, the only way out is to do the zipline...so make sure you're prepared for that. :)

 

I did eat at Uptown Grill, but since the weather wasn't too great on the Sea Days, they were mostly closed...the only time they were open were on the days we were at port, but we were off the ship exploring, so we didn't end up eating there. The burgers were cold when I went, but I also heard great things about them...might have to end up on the Breakaway in nicer weather just to try it out again!

[hansolosmom]

Loving your review, we're due on Breakaway in March so we're looking at some chilly weather too. I'll be the one in the hot tub :p

Don't tell Kevin but I laughed at the story of the kid going around him. That would be me trying to find a way back out.

[ncklhaus]

Excellent update! Your poor boyfriend on the ropes course! My husband wants to do the ropes course, without walking the plank though, but I'm not sure the ropes course is for me. I'm a fit and athletic person, in pretty good shape (I work out 5-6 days a week for years, well rounded fitness regimen with cardio, strength training and flexibility training), but I also have some old injuries. 4 years ago I had to have spinal surgery on my neck because of a badly herniated disk. That slowed down the pace of my workouts but I just modify everything as I need it. I also have had arthritis in my lower back for the last 5 years, and have had my back go out a few times so I have limitations there as well. I've done physical therapy for both issues too. So I'm wondering if it's too much of a risk to try the ropes course. What do you think? Are there "easier" options to it?

 

 

I did the ropes course on our Breakaway cruise and it was amazing. A little bit scary but you are harnessed in so you cannot fall. I am 43 years old and have had 5, yes 5, hip replacements. I've also had a shoulder replaced. I was able to do the course with no problem at all. I say Go For It!!

[cathyoo]

What a great review. Thank you so much for sharing. I will be faithfully following and hope to read more about your adventures.

 

thanks for sharing.

[Manbo]

Great review!!! We are going on the breakaway in January. One question, I thought the spa balcony came with a spa pass???:confused:

[rogue 35]

I did the ropes course on our Breakaway cruise and it was amazing. A little bit scary but you are harnessed in so you cannot fall. I am 43 years old and have had 5, yes 5, hip replacements. I've also had a shoulder replaced. I was able to do the course with no problem at all. I say Go For It!!

 

I'm jealous, I only have 2 hips.

[gangstarollerbunny]

Great review!!! We are going on the breakaway in January. One question, I thought the spa balcony came with a spa pass???:confused:

 

The Spa and Spa Mini-Suites with Balconies do come with complimentary access. However, the regular Mini-Suite with Balconies (which is the cabin I booked) do not include complimentary access to the spa. Only a nicer shower. :P I mistakenly wrote the wrong room name!! Sorry!

Edited June 18, 2015 by gangstarollerbunny

[ncklhaus]

I'm jealous, I only have 2 hips.

 

LOL. I had the first 2 replacements in 1990, then one in 1999, next in 2002, and the last one in 2007. Hopefully that'll hold me for a while. :D

[rogue 35]

LOL. I had the first 2 replacements in 1990, then one in 1999, next in 2002, and the last one in 2007. Hopefully that'll hold me for a while. :D

 

I hope you got the extended warranty :D