First NCL cruise out of NYC in a while... Help Please

[amy2313]

Going on our first NCL cruise out of NYC in a number of years and need a little help...

 

 

1. Can we bring wine onboard with us?? If so, carry-on only?
   
2. Can you bring soda and/or bottled water onboard? If so, carry-on only?
   
3. Which restaurants on the Breakaway are free?
   
4. What type of products are available in the staterooms? shampoo? conditioner? body wash?
   
5. What are musts on the breakaway that you need to reserve in advance?
   
6. What are the not to miss shows onboard?
   
7. What else do I need to know about the Breakaway?
   

Thanks!

[dman72]

Going on our first NCL cruise out of NYC in a number of years and need a little help...

 

 

1. Can we bring wine onboard with us?? If so, carry-on only?
   
2. Can you bring soda and/or bottled water onboard? If so, carry-on only?
   
3. Which restaurants on the Breakaway are free?
   
4. What type of products are available in the staterooms? shampoo? conditioner? body wash?
   
5. What are musts on the breakaway that you need to reserve in advance?
   
6. What are the not to miss shows onboard?
   
7. What else do I need to know about the Breakaway?
   

Thanks!

 

On the first four:

1)no

2)water only

3) Taste, Savor, Manhattan Room, O'Sheehans, Uptown Grill, Noodle Bar, Hot Dog Carts, Buffet. Moderno breakfast buffet only.

4) Soap and Shampoo only

[mjkacmom]

You can bring unlimited wine, $15 each corkage. Unlimited water, unlimited soda, just out luggage tags on them and give them to a porter with your luggage.

[amy2313]

You can bring unlimited wine, $15 each corkage. Unlimited water, unlimited soda, just out luggage tags on them and give them to a porter with your luggage.

 

 

So we can bring a bottle of wine?? What if we are have a glass pre-dinner in our cabin? Do you still have to pay the corkage fee?

[amy2313]

Are there refrigerators in the cabins on the Breakaway?

[mjkacmom]

So we can bring a bottle of wine?? What if we are have a glass pre-dinner in our cabin? Do you still have to pay the corkage fee?

 

The corkage fee is a service charge for losing revenue on your bottle. They don't care where you drink it, just that you pay the charge before you board.

[maywell]

Are there refrigerators in the cabins on the Breakaway?

There's refrigerators in all rooms but the studio cabins.

 

 

Edit- The not to be missed shows are Burn the Floor, Rock of Ages (at least once), Cirque (at least once), Howl at the moon, Blues shows & maybe Second City (You either like SNL / Kids in the Hall or you don't)

 

 

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Edited August 31, 2015 by maywell

[Turtles06]

On the first four:

1)no

2)water only

...

 

I just want to specifically flag that these answers are incorrect. As mjkacmom has stated, you can bring on wine (including champagen) for $15 per bottle. You pay on the pier when boarding, so put it in your carryon. (Plus if it's in checked luggage, you may have your bags sent to the naughty room.)

 

2. You are allowed to bring on soda as well as water. (I wouldn't bother with water, as ship's water is fine.) When we bring on soda, we duct tape the boxes of cans together, put luggage tags on (as well as write our cabin number with a magic marker), and give them to the porter with our other checked stuff.

 

Have a great cruise!

[fshagan]

 

1. Can we bring wine onboard with us?? If so, carry-on only?
   
2. Can you bring soda and/or bottled water onboard? If so, carry-on only?
   
3. Which restaurants on the Breakaway are free?
   
4. What type of products are available in the staterooms? shampoo? conditioner? body wash?
   
5. What are musts on the breakaway that you need to reserve in advance?
   
6. What are the not to miss shows onboard?
   
7. What else do I need to know about the Breakaway?
   

 

Wine: you pay a $15 corkage fee per 750ml bottle. If the bottle is larger, the corkage fee is more

 

Soda / Water: we simply put a small case of water inside a nylon duffle and tag it. Previously we would just tape a luggage tag to the case. We have done the same with sodas. Some ports reportedly won't deliver the water and soda if it isn't in a suitcase (New Orleans, I think), so we now use the little nylon duffel.

 

Free restaurants: The buffet, two main dining rooms, O'Sheehan's (a pub-style place that is open 24 hours), and a few other places for fast food items during the day are available on most every NCL ship. Most ships have a pool-side BBQ on sea days that is great.

[bjtravelnews]

Are there refrigerators in the cabins on the Breakaway?

 

The refrigerators in the rooms are not cold enough to keep food. The water bottles we out in ours were barely cold after being inside overnight. I think they want to discourage people from storing food in the rooms. If you have medication that needs to be refrigerated, get in touch with guest services before you board.

[richg35]

As for what you "must reserve", I would say "as much as possible, especially if there are things you really want to do."

 

Teppanyaki and Rock of Ages will typically be the first two things that are fully booked, so if you are interested in either of those things, then definitely make reservations online when your booking window opens up.

 

If you don't want to be stuck eating dinner really late and want to dine at specialty restaurants, then I would also suggest making reservations for any of those online as well. Some will accommodate walk-ups, but at LeBistro you'll have to sit outside the restaurant in the main corridor where it is noisy. Cagney's will seat walkups out on the Waterfront. If you are a larger group, I would definitely urge you to make reservations online, or if you want to guarantee you'll eat around a specific time, make your reservations online. We did this because we were a party of 8. We wanted to change something onboard (on embarkation day they set up in Headliners to handle dining reservations) and were told pretty much everything was already booked despite being one of the first groups (casino) to board the ship.

 

I've only cruised on the breakaway during prime (summer) season, so if you are going on a less crowded time then things might be different.

[amy2313]

Thanks so much everyone! This is a great help.

 

What about beach/pool towels?? Available in the cabins to use on and off the ship?

 

Hairdryer in the cabins??

[maywell]

Thanks so much everyone! This is a great help.

 

What about beach/pool towels?? Available in the cabins to use on and off the ship?

 

Hairdryer in the cabins??

There's beach towels in the cabin - there's a towel exchange on deck 15 for better quality for like $20-25 each.

 

The hairdryers are extremely good - you don't need to bring one with you.

 

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[amy2313]

As for what you "must reserve", I would say "as much as possible, especially if there are things you really want to do."

 

Teppanyaki and Rock of Ages will typically be the first two things that are fully booked, so if you are interested in either of those things, then definitely make reservations online when your booking window opens up.

 

If you don't want to be stuck eating dinner really late and want to dine at specialty restaurants, then I would also suggest making reservations for any of those online as well. Some will accommodate walk-ups, but at LeBistro you'll have to sit outside the restaurant in the main corridor where it is noisy. Cagney's will seat walkups out on the Waterfront. If you are a larger group, I would definitely urge you to make reservations online, or if you want to guarantee you'll eat around a specific time, make your reservations online. We did this because we were a party of 8. We wanted to change something onboard (on embarkation day they set up in Headliners to handle dining reservations) and were told pretty much everything was already booked despite being one of the first groups (casino) to board the ship.

 

I've only cruised on the breakaway during prime (summer) season, so if you are going on a less crowded time then things might be different.

 

We are going in just a couple weeks. This was a last minute cruise that we booked with easy access to NYC port.

 

We don't normally sail NCL so we are definitely not used to the pre-cruise reservations for things. Are we sunk if we do not make reservations for dinner and shows online before we board? I'm wondering if we already missed the window or if things are already sold out! yikes!!

[amy2313]

And I almost forgot...

 

Dress Codes?? I know NCL is the freestyle cruising but are there any formal nights? or certain dress codes for the different restaurants??

 

Thank you everyone for all your help!

[maywell]

And I almost forgot...

 

Dress Codes?? I know NCL is the freestyle cruising but are there any formal nights? or certain dress codes for the different restaurants??

 

Thank you everyone for all your help!

Just try not to look too extremely tacky, so people aren't making any comments while drinking or eating (you know the type - they feel that one's dinner has been destroyed because a complete stranger wore a basketball jersey at Cagney's) . Otherwise; wear pants, sundresses, polo shirts, t-shirts, blouses, shirts, casual dresses, plus maybe a light sweater, shawl or scarf for the A/C (it gets ridiculous cold on the ship). Pretty much Business Casual Friday aka resort casual.

 

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Edited September 4, 2015 by maywell

[jm485]

Saw a link to this on another post, and it's helpful re: what to wear.

 

https://www.ncl.com/faq#packing

 

It seems like "resort casual" (no tank tops for men and no shorts for adults, no hats, no ripped jeans, etc.) is the appropriate dress in one MDR and in Le Bistro ... otherwise, it's "cruise casual."

Edited September 4, 2015 by jm485

[mizLORInj]

Don't fret about the shows. You can also book them in your cabin on your tv. If they show as full, go 10 mins. before showtime and you can likely get in and get a decent seat. The best show IMO is Burn the Floor in the theater--not the dinnertime Manhattan dining room show.

 

Dinner reservations. I personally think the"included in cruise fare" restaurants are fine. For the 8/23/15 Breakaway sailing we did not make reservations and our party of 4 did not ever have a long wait to be seated--between 6 and 7:30 we went various nights.

 

Always interesting to me is how sometimes the upcharge restaurants have no reservations available, yet I have yet to eat at one of these when the entire restaurant is actually full. So even if nothing shows online, check when you are onboard. Even though you get charged if you do not show for an upcharge venue, people do cancel.

 

Have fun!

[Zippeedee]

Don't fret about the shows. You can also book them in your cabin on your tv. If they show as full, go 10 mins. before showtime and you can likely get in and get a decent seat. The best show IMO is Burn the Floor in the theater--not the dinnertime Manhattan dining room show.

 

Dinner reservations. I personally think the"included in cruise fare" restaurants are fine. For the 8/23/15 Breakaway sailing we did not make reservations and our party of 4 did not ever have a long wait to be seated--between 6 and 7:30 we went various nights.

 

Always interesting to me is how sometimes the upcharge restaurants have no reservations available, yet I have yet to eat at one of these when the entire restaurant is actually full. So even if nothing shows online, check when you are onboard. Even though you get charged if you do not show for an upcharge venue, people do cancel.

 

Have fun!

 

One of the hostesses on the Gem explained to me last week that there may be empty seats because they don't have enough waiters for every table. If they filled every table people would complain about slow service. I had great service at every specialty restaurant so it must be working.

[Cruisin KLS]

Wondering if there is a store at the port that sells water or soda? We are used to sailing out of PR where there are great deals on water at the port. Thanks!

 

-Kristi

[luvtheships]

Wondering if there is a store at the port that sells water or soda? We are used to sailing out of PR where there are great deals on water at the port. Thanks!

 

-Kristi

 

Not really a convenient store right next to the port

 

However if you are staying in NYC the night before and want to lug the water thru NYC or the back of a cab to the port then you might want to look for a Duane reade store or a grocery store but don't expect a bar gain prices.

 

Small food stores are not going to sell discount cases of water in NYC

 

If you are driving in just stop...before you enter manhattan....at a grocery store chain and buy what you want

 

 

The NYC port is easy to navigate btw but trust me NYC does not exist primarily because of its port and has no reason to sell discount anything near the port...nor does it....nor is it convenient to find a store nearby for essentials.....just do that before you get to the port and please do not think you can board and then leisurely stroll around and buy stuff

 

While pax are allowed to leave after embark...it's really just not terribly efficient or convenient....

 

Staying on the ship...having a quiet lunch in the mdr....using the very uncrowded at this point pool...and admiring the Incredible NYC skyline right in front of you is the best use of your time.....not walking blocks in search of a $5.99 (maybe but unlikely) case of Poland spring

 

If you are flying and going straight to the port just bite the bullet and buy it onboard

 

 

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Edited September 5, 2015 by luvtheships

[mrobstad]

No store.

[maywell]

Wondering if there is a store at the port that sells water or soda? We are used to sailing out of PR where there are great deals on water at the port. Thanks!

 

-Kristi

There's no stores at the port that sells those cheap or in bulk. Pretty much have to buy at Walgreens/Duane Reade or CVS at Penn Station(there's a K-Mart as well, on the lower level), 42nd - Times Sq, Columbus Circle then cab it. Otherwise, you going to forgo it or lugged it from elsewhere(there really not many supermarkets or grocery stores in that area, maybe a Morton's by Columbus Circle, but that's about it).

[mjkacmom]

Wondering if there is a store at the port that sells water or soda? We are used to sailing out of PR where there are great deals on water at the port. Thanks!

 

-Kristi

 

How are you getting to the pier? We drive, so we bring a case of water from home. You're obviously not flying!

[Cruisin KLS]

How are you getting to the pier? We drive, so we bring a case of water from home. You're obviously not flying!

 

 

Found a cheaper option than parking by taking a bus from NJ. We would park at a Walmart so probably getting water there is not a bad option. We are from CT and this is our first time sailing out of NYC.