Which Mediterranean Cruise NCL Breakaway would you choose

[cdoobiest]

Hi everyone, trying to decide between two Mediterranean cruises on Breakaway in July 2025.  One is 9 days and one is 10 days.  Difference of only around $250 per cabin between the 10 day and 9 day cruise and there is 3 families going all teens and parents.  We have one room for the parents and one room for our kids so for us, the extra day will cost us an extra $500.  

 

Both cruise start and end in Barcelona, Cannes, 2 days in Livorno, Rome, Sardinia, Naples and Palma.  

 

Difference between 2 cruises

10 day cruise leaves Naples at 7pm, goes to Messina, Valletta

9 day leaves Naples at 5pm, No Messina or Malta but adds Ibiza. 

 

Thinking 10 day may be better cruise especially if only extra $250 per cabin for the extra night.  I think we want to do Amalfi coast on the Naples tour so the added 2 hours would be nice and seeing 2 extra ports in Messina and Valletta seem like good ports.  Have never been to either.  Are we missing anything in Ibiza?  I know it's known for their night life!  

 

Just wanted to get others opinions!

[cruiseny4life]

I always tend toward the longer cruise, especially if the price difference is nominal. 

 

7 PM departure means more time for pizza!!!! 

[yakcruiser]

Any extra time you can get in Naples for Amalfi Coast is a good thing. It is a long day with traffic. Ibiza is a nice DIY port but wouldn't be a deciding factor in my itinerary. Messina or any port in Sicily is a must.

[KeithJenner]

No question for me. Messina and Valletta are great ports. Ibiza is ok, but the nothing like as nice as the other two (in my opinion).

[MJSailors]

We have been on two cruises on the Breakaway when she was in NYC.

i wouldn’t go anywhere on that ship.

Unless things have changed, the Atrium was small,crowded and shared some of the deck space with guest services desk.

Midship decks 6,7,8 often smelled of smoke emanating from the casino.

The walking track was located where walkers had to pass by the rock climbing wall, an entrance/exit to an outdoor restaurant and loungers. This made walking for exercise very difficult.

Perhaps venues have been redesigned for the better.

MJ

[Phamer55]

Well I am doing the 10 day cruise and I’m especially excited to visit Messina, Sicily.  Malta would be a new port for me too, although it’s a short day there. I love the 10 day itinerary, you should definitely pick that one. 

[KeithJenner]

19 minutes ago, MJSailors said:

We have been on two cruises on the Breakaway when she was in NYC.

i wouldn’t go anywhere on that ship.

Unless things have changed, the Atrium was small,crowded and shared some of the deck space with guest services desk.

Midship decks 6,7,8 often smelled of smoke emanating from the casino.

The walking track was located where walkers had to pass by the rock climbing wall, an entrance/exit to an outdoor restaurant and loungers. This made walking for exercise very difficult.

Perhaps venues have been redesigned for the better.

MJ

I’ve been on the Breakaway three times, including it’s first sailing in 2013 and last autumn, and really enjoyed it each time.

 

In my opinion, the Breakaway was the first of the NCL ships that are excellent for walking for exercise. The waterfront is a great place to walk. When I did the transatlantic in 2013 I walked a few miles every morning.

[MJSailors]

Yes,we walked the Waterfront after being deterred by the situation with the walking track.

It was okay,sometimes we were dodging passengers and glass partitions.

We prefer full promenade decks such as those on older Princess ships or Cunard.

Or, at least dedicated walking tracks for walking without having to dodge passengers going to/from other attractions placed near those tracks.

MJ

[complawyer]

10 day, hands down.  we hired a cab in naples and he took us to the amalfi coast. stayed a few hrs. it's beautiful. years ago they had an ncl shore excursion  slightly over 300.

 

last time we went 2 years ago, this wasnt offered, so we hired a cab.

 

great thing about this is cheaper price, cabbie stops when, where and for however long we wish.

 

otherwise, pompeii is a must!

[Travelling2Some]

2 hours ago, cdoobiest said:

Hi everyone, trying to decide between two Mediterranean cruises on Breakaway in July 2025.  One is 9 days and one is 10 days.  Difference of only around $250 per cabin between the 10 day and 9 day cruise and there is 3 families going all teens and parents.  We have one room for the parents and one room for our kids so for us, the extra day will cost us an extra $500.  

 

Both cruise start and end in Barcelona, Cannes, 2 days in Livorno, Rome, Sardinia, Naples and Palma.  

 

Difference between 2 cruises

10 day cruise leaves Naples at 7pm, goes to Messina, Valletta

9 day leaves Naples at 5pm, No Messina or Malta but adds Ibiza. 

 

Thinking 10 day may be better cruise especially if only extra $250 per cabin for the extra night.  I think we want to do Amalfi coast on the Naples tour so the added 2 hours would be nice and seeing 2 extra ports in Messina and Valletta seem like good ports.  Have never been to either.  Are we missing anything in Ibiza?  I know it's known for their night life!  

 

Just wanted to get others opinions!

Malta is so much more interesting than Ibiza, especially in the daytime.

[bluesea777]

One thing I’d do though is to change the cruise month away from July to either Apr/May/early June or Oct/Nov. 

 

 

[Travelling2Some]

2 hours ago, bluesea777 said:

One thing I’d do though is to change the cruise month away from July to either Apr/May/early June or Oct/Nov. 

 

 

I would have said the same but notice they are traveling with teens so are likely limited to school vacations.  However, I would much rather sail the Baltics or fjords if I had to go in July or August.

[Travel R]

I would look at all the ports and decide. But from what you have, Although shorter, I would prefer the itinerary that calls upon Malta (since we have already been to Messina) and spend an extra day pre- or post-cruise.  We were on the Getaway a few years ago - we enjoyed the ship.

[KeithJenner]

37 minutes ago, Travel R said:

I would look at all the ports and decide. But from what you have, Although shorter, I would prefer the itinerary that calls upon Malta (since we have already been to Messina) and spend an extra day pre- or post-cruise.  We were on the Getaway a few years ago - we enjoyed the ship.

The shorter cruise doesn’t go to Malta. It goes to Ibiza.

[jkbec101]

Take the cruise with the two days in Florence (Livorno).  Take one whole day for Florence and not be rushed, and the second day for something different.  

[Panhandle Couple]

As a word of warning,

Rome 2025 is maybe not for the average tourist.

see details: https://www.visititaly.eu/magazine/best-places-to-visit-in-lazio/jubilee-2025-in-rome-everything-you-need-to-know

 

They expect 35 Million visitors in 2025.

[Panhandle Couple]

We did the 9 day this year and really liked it, on the Escape. (similar enough ship, as we have been on the Breakaway twice) It was our first time to Europe outside the UK.

 

Ibiza, for us, was a very good stop.  And we just walked around, but the town is clean and probably the lowest pickpocket worries of any of them.

 

Rome was probably at the bottom, due to the crowds, and it will be worse in 2025. We were warned by our tour guide.

Naples was 2nd worse, due to booking Sorrento and Pompeii in the same tour.  Too much time sitting in a bus getting to-from Sorrento (15 minutes or so in a tunnel, no sights to see) which limited time in Pompeii.  Our tour guide also had an annoying voice and attitude. We recommend booking either one or the other, not both.

I agree that for 2 days in Livorno, spend 1 in Florence and 1 in Pisa.

 

We walked around Cannes and Cagliari.  There is an inexpensive HOHO bus at the ship in Cagliari.  It has 1 stop at the top of the hill in town.  We got off and walked back to the port, mainly downhill.  There is a roman amphitheater, along with many other buildings and winding streets. It might allow the teenagers to use up some energy.

 

 

[ocdb8r]

On 9/4/2024 at 9:30 PM, KeithJenner said:

No question for me. Messina and Valletta are great ports. Ibiza is ok, but the nothing like as nice as the other two (in my opinion).

This is my opinion as well.  Have done over 20 western Med trips and both Messina and Valletta are much more interesting ports than Ibiza.  Getting both makes it a no brainer in my view.

[cruiseny4life]

11 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

As a word of warning,

Rome 2025 is maybe not for the average tourist.

see details: https://www.visititaly.eu/magazine/best-places-to-visit-in-lazio/jubilee-2025-in-rome-everything-you-need-to-know

 

They expect 35 Million visitors in 2025.

If I visit during 2025, will the pope advocate on my behalf with creditors that they should forgive my debt? Oh, to have been alive however many centuries ago when debt was forgiven during the jubilee!

[Travelling2Some]

12 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

If I visit during 2025, will the pope advocate on my behalf with creditors that they should forgive my debt? Oh, to have been alive however many centuries ago when debt was forgiven during the jubilee!

Ha! I think that was more of an Old Testament thing, way before the pope's time.  More recently  Debtors Prison was pretty well attended though.

[cruiseny4life]

On 9/6/2024 at 9:00 PM, Travelling2Some said:

Ha! I think that was more of an Old Testament thing, way before the pope's time.  More recently  Debtors Prison was pretty well attended though.

Hey! A guy can hope hahaha....I definitely don't want to be caught in that Debtor's Prison crowd. I don't think stripes would work.