What is going on with Breakaway? So many bad reviews.

[newmexicoNita]

16 hours ago, NightOne said:

 

I've been on multiple spring break cruises but this was the most kids I have ever seen on one. 🙂

Us as well: I think it was to do with the way families travel today and the embarkation port as well. The funny thing, we didn't even think about spring break because here it had been a few weeks before we sailed. 

[perditax]

From someone on another social media site:

 

Quote

Yes just got off a couple days ago. So we had a great time overall, but I will say there is something to those reviews. The ship seems understaffed and a lot of them look unhappy. It was a much different experience than the escape we did a couple years ago from that aspect. Drinks took forever. Most meals were two hours or so with very few waiters or bartenders seeming happy (they weren’t rude or anything, just seemed like they were miserable). Waiters taking drink orders were barely existent. That said it was spring break week and the ship was way over crowded. Hopefully you are going during a down time and it should be better.

Edited April 3, 2019 by perditax

[tumblew467]

The OP metioned about the escape and listing--when did that happen, I did not see that post ,if someone could point that link out  to me Id appreciate it. thanks---nvm  found it 

Edited April 3, 2019 by tumblew467

[Apsalar]

We were on Breakaway in February. It was a good cruise. The bars mid-day could be very busy, particularly by the pool and Waterfront. We eventually found others that were usually a lot less crowded like in the theater when they were doing game shows. Never had a problem in the evening. We found the crew friendly but often a little stressed, they seem spread a little thin. But still, a good cruise. 

[Texasgingerbread]

We just returned from the Breakaway on a Spring Break cruise out of New Orleans.  Overall, and this was our first time on a sold out mega ship and also first time on NCL, I would say it was good.  It's vacay so that's awesome.

 

Pros: 

- Plenty for kids to do (bowling and pool in O'Sheehans were my kids fav)

- Entertainment

- fun Escape the Big Top event

- VERY efficient and FAST embarkation and disembarkation...impressive!

- freestyle dining

- never felt seasick (this is the first cruise I haven't felt queasy on - I do take meds but I did on other lines too and on this one I never felt it.  We stayed on Deck 12 aft and it was awesome)

 

Middle of the road: 

- Staff:  Not great, not bad.  The buffet staff is amazing - smiling, energetic, helpful in clearing dishes, washy washy fun.  The remainder of the staff - bartenders, waitstaff in dining rooms, room stewards, etc. barely smiled and barely noticed you.  The did their jobs and went on their way.  This is the first line we've sailed where the staff wasn't friendly.  Overall I got the impression of "indifference" but capable.  Our steward worked in the laundry during the day and was a steward in the morning and evenings. 😞

- Tendering:  We tendered in Belize overall this went fine but staff told us different answers all over the ship.  One told us to wait here - another there - etc.  Once we found the correct spot we were supposed to be (announced over the speaker) we showed up to a room of people.  We were still on one of the first tenders but no one knew where we should go until the announcement was made.

 

Cons: 

- Kids club can max out on kids and you'll have to wait for 1 in/1 out. 

- Not enough chairs on pool deck - hard to find unless you claim your spot early.

- Food:  mediocre to bad (with the exception of Shanghai's...Shanghai's is great).  We ate in main dining rooms, buffet, O'Sheehan's (some dishes good some really, really bad).  No reservations to be had onboard (we tried booking specialty after we discovered how mediocre the food was) unless you want to eat at 9pm or later...even 5pm slots were full.  Had we booked ahead for specialty we would have been able to eat a variety and in different spots and mix it up a bit.  I will say we eat out a lot at home so that spoils us a bit I think.

- Balcony size is pathetic let's be honest.  My husband could not sit straight and had to be at an angle.

- People everywhere.  Everywhere.  Kids running wild everywhere.  I know it was Spring Break but it was worse than a Disney ship.  The common areas are smaller than they should be.  The buffet needs to be laid out better.  Pool deck is a hot mess with this many people.  

- Smoking - walking thru casino and the places around it (Shanghai's is in the thick of it) is just plain gross.  We tried to avoid it.

 

Overall we had a FABulous vacation - hey it's vacay what's not to love?  I didn't have to cook, clean, entertain, etc. so it was fun, fun, fun.  However would we return to NCL?  Meh.  It's how I felt about the overall NCL experience.  Not great, not bad.

[rmurray847]

On 3/28/2019 at 8:13 AM, davy jones said:

 

 

The issues that I see coming up in the reviews (and my experiences) are

1.  Odd layout with casino open to other passenger decks, hence smoke.  I agree that the layout is a bit odd and there can be a little smoke odor at times, but I may be less sensitive to smoke than some.  It is really not that bad.

2.  Odd layout with over use of atrium.  This is true.  Use the theater a lounge for trivia games and presentations.

3.  Reservations for shows and dining rooms.  Do your homework, or you may have to wait.

4.  Waiting for drinks.  I have never waited more than a few minutes.

5.  Nickle and diming.  That is a common belief across NCL.

6.  Service.  I find it to be fine across the mainstream cruise lines and NCL is no different.

 

 

I agree with all this, especially 1 & 2.  With the casino being open to other decks, it makes that entire section of the ship less than desirable.  And it's just weird that the ship has no real venue for holding events like game shows and dance instruction.  The Atrium gets crazy crowded and when we sailed on her, it felt like the Atrium was a temporary space for these events...just a place we were forced to have our events while the real venue was being renovated.  BUT this was not temporary...it's actually where they held these events ON PURPOSE.  This was the least satisfactory part of our time on the ship...we did a TA, so we had 7 sea days in which to get really tired of the Atrium.

 

Also, the theater is too small for the number of the passengers.

 

Regarding drink service...we never had any issues at any bar.  Sometimes received instant service; sometimes waited 2 minutes.  Never felt unreasonable.  If I walk up to a bar completely surrounded by patrons, I'm not surprised to wait a minute.  And as with any ship I've sailed, ordering drinks from my dining room table is a guaranteed way to get slow service.  

[newmexicoNita]

15 hours ago, Texasgingerbread said:

We just returned from the Breakaway on a Spring Break cruise out of New Orleans.  Overall, and this was our first time on a sold out mega ship and also first time on NCL, I would say it was good.  It's vacay so that's awesome.

 

Pros: 

- Plenty for kids to do (bowling and pool in O'Sheehans were my kids fav)

- Entertainment

- fun Escape the Big Top event

- VERY efficient and FAST embarkation and disembarkation...impressive!

- freestyle dining

- never felt seasick (this is the first cruise I haven't felt queasy on - I do take meds but I did on other lines too and on this one I never felt it.  We stayed on Deck 12 aft and it was awesome)

 

Middle of the road: 

- Staff:  Not great, not bad.  The buffet staff is amazing - smiling, energetic, helpful in clearing dishes, washy washy fun.  The remainder of the staff - bartenders, waitstaff in dining rooms, room stewards, etc. barely smiled and barely noticed you.  The did their jobs and went on their way.  This is the first line we've sailed where the staff wasn't friendly.  Overall I got the impression of "indifference" but capable.  Our steward worked in the laundry during the day and was a steward in the morning and evenings. 😞

- Tendering:  We tendered in Belize overall this went fine but staff told us different answers all over the ship.  One told us to wait here - another there - etc.  Once we found the correct spot we were supposed to be (announced over the speaker) we showed up to a room of people.  We were still on one of the first tenders but no one knew where we should go until the announcement was made.

 

Cons: 

- Kids club can max out on kids and you'll have to wait for 1 in/1 out. 

- Not enough chairs on pool deck - hard to find unless you claim your spot early.

- Food:  mediocre to bad (with the exception of Shanghai's...Shanghai's is great).  We ate in main dining rooms, buffet, O'Sheehan's (some dishes good some really, really bad).  No reservations to be had onboard (we tried booking specialty after we discovered how mediocre the food was) unless you want to eat at 9pm or later...even 5pm slots were full.  Had we booked ahead for specialty we would have been able to eat a variety and in different spots and mix it up a bit.  I will say we eat out a lot at home so that spoils us a bit I think.

- Balcony size is pathetic let's be honest.  My husband could not sit straight and had to be at an angle.

- People everywhere.  Everywhere.  Kids running wild everywhere.  I know it was Spring Break but it was worse than a Disney ship.  The common areas are smaller than they should be.  The buffet needs to be laid out better.  Pool deck is a hot mess with this many people.  

- Smoking - walking thru casino and the places around it (Shanghai's is in the thick of it) is just plain gross.  We tried to avoid it.

 

Overall we had a FABulous vacation - hey it's vacay what's not to love?  I didn't have to cook, clean, entertain, etc. so it was fun, fun, fun.  However would we return to NCL?  Meh.  It's how I felt about the overall NCL experience.  Not great, not bad.

Glad you had a good time, but spring break is not the best time to try a new line. I realize many have no other choice than to sail during spring break but there is no way a sailing experience can be judge by spring break. We had the same experience with kids, kids everywhere 2 years ago during spring break. The smoke issue is something you read a lot about. We are X smokers, hate the smell and yet, we were not bothered at all when we sailed the Breakaway. 

 

murray 847, I agree about the atrium especially in the evening. Like  you, when it came to drinks, it was never a problem and we would play trivia every afternoon in the atrium. There were always plenty of cocktail wait people coming around, taking orders. The only time we have ever had a problem with bar service was when the perk first went into effect and it was sail away day. There were people pushing other people away near the pool bar or trying to order while standing behind those of us who were waiting our turn. 

[Texasgingerbread]

Regarding service, I have sailed on Disney, Holland, Celebrity and NCL.  NCL's service like I tried to descriev was indifference.  Celebrity, Holland, and Disney were all AMAZING service.  Amazing.  The staff smiles, is helpful, stewards go above and beyond.  NCL didn't even come close compared to these other lines.  I'm not saying it was bad but when comparing the 4 they don't compare.