Just Off The Breakaway Today 29 November, questions?

Just left the Breakaway today, it was our first time with NCL. Lots of pros and cons, does anyone have questions? ;)

Would love to hear your thoughts. We just booked our cruise leaving NY 12/27. Pros, cons....whatever you'd like to share. Did you use Vibe? Curious about that. We are interested and were considering getting a cabana but not sure it is worth it...Any particular restaurants you would suggest? Considering booking Teppanyaki, Cagneys, Le Bistro and and the Brazillian steak house. I understand that the casino is not smoke free. Do they have a non-smoking area? How early did you get to the port? Thanks in advance. Shelly

Would love to hear your thoughts. We just booked our cruise leaving NY 12/27. Pros, cons....whatever you'd like to share. Did you use Vibe? Curious about that. We are interested and were considering getting a cabana but not sure it is worth it...Any particular restaurants you would suggest? Considering booking Teppanyaki, Cagneys, Le Bistro and and the Brazillian steak house. I understand that the casino is not smoke free. Do they have a non-smoking area? How early did you get to the port? Thanks in advance. Shelly

Just wanted to say something about the casino. I know there is a part of casino that states clearly on the wall "no smoking", however I have seen numerous people smoking there. I was there Nov 15-22.

About the Vibe, I would not even suggest getting a pass to it, let alone the cabana. The reason being you would be using it only during the warm days but paying for the weekly pass. I assume you don't want to be there when its cold. It makes total sense to get Vibe passes if you are leaving from a warm port such as Miami, that way you can use Vibe every single day.

Last year my Husband and I rented a Cabana in Vibe! Was not worth the money and every time we went to use it, we found people sleeping in it! It's not private just private to everyone in vibe! Just get the weekly pass!

Thanks for the info. We are not big gamblers, but do like to spend a few dollars there so it's nice to know that there is an area that is designated no smoking. I'm allergic to smoke and I have no problem asking people to not smoke in a designated non smoking area. Also, I appreciate the info on the vibe. We will just go for the weekly pass. The only reason we were considering the cabana was because my husband is not as much of a sun lover as I am. I guess we will just look for chairs that are not in direct sun. If you get a weekly pass, do you get assigned chairs or are you guaranteed a chair and you just have to find one for yourself?

Are singers Arvin and Emily back on the Breakaway yet?

Last I heard Arvin and Emily will be back on December 13th. They are great I was off BA on 11-22 and really missed them. Fire and Ice were in the atrium instead.

Would love to hear your thoughts. We just booked our cruise leaving NY 12/27. Pros, cons....whatever you'd like to share. Did you use Vibe? Curious about that. We are interested and were considering getting a cabana but not sure it is worth it...Any particular restaurants you would suggest? Considering booking Teppanyaki, Cagneys, Le Bistro and and the Brazillian steak house. I understand that the casino is not smoke free. Do they have a non-smoking area? How early did you get to the port? Thanks in advance. Shelly

Hi Shelly! So, I know this is MY opinion, and we had an awesome cruise! I always say, no cruise is ever bad! We are easy going people and not very judgmental, but here goes...

PROS:

- Friendly Service from all from day one to day seven (usually staff gets snippy towards end) Every staff we passed said hello, good morning or good evening!

- We had Mini Suite, nice size and the bigger bathroom and jets was really nice! Lots of storage and yes, balcony was a little small, but who cares.you are hardly ever there

- Our room stewards, Renato (who left in FL) and Fidelis were awesome! We had a towel animal EVERY night, along with any requests for towels etc. were satisfied!

- Embarkation, we arrived in NY at 1000 (we noticed the later you got there the worse the lines, but it was worth getting there early) was checked in and waiting for boarding by 1020! Awesome! We were boarding by 1120 and on the ship by 1140, eating at the buffet :)

- cruise director and activities staff were so nice (Scott, Zach and Antonio were our favs)

- All the food we had (Taste, Savor, Manhattan Room, O'Sheehans, Uptown Grill, Garden Cafe) were all very good, our favs were Manhattan Room and O'Sheehans! We didn't go to any of the upgraded restaurants, but heard that they were ok, but really not worth paying for, especially the Italian restaurant

- Rock Of Ages and Burn The Floor, Howl At The Moon, DEFINITELY Must Sees! :) We also went to the kids show on the last day, it was very cute (our friends son was a part of it)

- Casino, ONLY because hubby and I WON! (He won $600 last night and I won about $200) :) The ONLY pro lol

- Spice H2O in the back in the corner by the little wading area..good quiet spot if you can get to it. We heard the Vibe passes were worth it, but never did see it.

- Cleanliness and Sanitizing of the ship was incredible! they take pride in their CDC ratings (we went to Captain's question and answer session and it was mentioned)

- Atlantis is beautiful..just to walk around and take pics!

- Deal or No Deal was fun to watch/play ($20.00 a card)

CONS:

- Fire and Ice..umm...don't like to be too mean, but she was not a very good singer

- Atrium area HORRIBLE!!! We wanted to go to a lot of the games and trivia,but not ONCE could we get a seat. Whoever designed this area for 4000 passengers to interact should be fired! (Guest services, bar, Shore Excursion Desk, and Onboard Credit, plus games and entertainment, all in this area)

- Missing Great Stirrup Cay, the Captain himself told us and Q & A, the % of time they go there is 50%, with it being a little higher in the Spring and Summer, but even then it's 70%. So, I am thinking maybe build a pier or change the itinerary permanently.

- Debarkation! Just the line from the ship to the door of where you get your luggage..took us over 30 minutes, BUT customs and baggage claim was very organized and quick!

- Oh Yeah, BIG CON! They "lost" my bag that had all my toiletries (makeup, hair, soap, toothbrush, glasses, contacts, etc) We went between our room, guest services, and the lost baggage area for over 4 hours! (from 5 pm to 9 pm) Finally, they filed a lost baggage report and handed me a NCL Tshirt and toothbrush/toothpaste! That was it!! I said are you serious????!!! So, would you like me to walk around your ship with a Tshirt, panties and fresh breath? She didn't like my comment, but oh well..then in small print it said maximum reimbursement was $100. My glasses and extra contacts were over that alone...she said they would open an investigation in to the missing bag and would get back to me in the morning to take further action...well,needless to say when I got back upstairs around 930, our wonderful room steward said he saw the bag outside our door and put it inside! It was one of 3 they found that were "homeless". The tags were still intact, so not really sure what happened, but it all worked out ...THANK GOD! It would have ruined our whole trip!

-SMOKE!! YUCK!!My husband is a smoker and he couldn't stand the smell of it in the casino area...as soon as you get on, before the casino even opens, hubby described it as an "old Atlantic City Casino/Hotel" ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING for such a new ship!! Unfortunately there is no escape from it! Even in the non smoking areas it reeks! I have asthma, so there were a few times I just had to leave.

Overall, we had a great time!!! We would go on the Breakaway again, however, I must say that I really like the more structured style (same time eating, same dining room, waiter, etc) Any more questions/info needed, please ask away! ;)

We will be on the Breakaway for 14 days so I'm sure I'll need to wash some bathing suits, delicate items but was wondering where in the cabin to hang to dry? We're in a mini suite. Is there any kind of mini clothes line in the bathroom? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi Shelly! So, I know this is MY opinion, and we had an awesome cruise! I always say, no cruise is ever bad! We are easy going people and not very judgmental, but here goes...

 

PROS:

 

- Friendly Service from all from day one to day seven (usually staff gets snippy towards end) Every staff we passed said hello, good morning or good evening!

- We had Mini Suite, nice size and the bigger bathroom and jets was really nice! Lots of storage and yes, balcony was a little small, but who cares.you are hardly ever there

- Our room stewards, Renato (who left in FL) and Fidelis were awesome! We had a towel animal EVERY night, along with any requests for towels etc. were satisfied!

- Embarkation, we arrived in NY at 1000 (we noticed the later you got there the worse the lines, but it was worth getting there early) was checked in and waiting for boarding by 1020! Awesome! We were boarding by 1120 and on the ship by 1140, eating at the buffet :)

- cruise director and activities staff were so nice (Scott, Zach and Antonio were our favs)

- All the food we had (Taste, Savor, Manhattan Room, O'Sheehans, Uptown Grill, Garden Cafe) were all very good, our favs were Manhattan Room and O'Sheehans! We didn't go to any of the upgraded restaurants, but heard that they were ok, but really not worth paying for, especially the Italian restaurant

- Rock Of Ages and Burn The Floor, Howl At The Moon, DEFINITELY Must Sees! :) We also went to the kids show on the last day, it was very cute (our friends son was a part of it)

- Casino, ONLY because hubby and I WON! (He won $600 last night and I won about $200) :) The ONLY pro lol

- Spice H2O in the back in the corner by the little wading area..good quiet spot if you can get to it. We heard the Vibe passes were worth it, but never did see it.

- Cleanliness and Sanitizing of the ship was incredible! they take pride in their CDC ratings (we went to Captain's question and answer session and it was mentioned)

- Atlantis is beautiful..just to walk around and take pics!

- Deal or No Deal was fun to watch/play ($20.00 a card)

 

CONS:

- Fire and Ice..umm...don't like to be too mean, but she was not a very good singer

- Atrium area HORRIBLE!!! We wanted to go to a lot of the games and trivia,but not ONCE could we get a seat. Whoever designed this area for 4000 passengers to interact should be fired! (Guest services, bar, Shore Excursion Desk, and Onboard Credit, plus games and entertainment, all in this area)

- Missing Great Stirrup Cay, the Captain himself told us and Q & A, the % of time they go there is 50%, with it being a little higher in the Spring and Summer, but even then it's 70%. So, I am thinking maybe build a pier or change the itinerary permanently.

- Debarkation! Just the line from the ship to the door of where you get your luggage..took us over 30 minutes, BUT customs and baggage claim was very organized and quick!

- Oh Yeah, BIG CON! They "lost" my bag that had all my toiletries (makeup, hair, soap, toothbrush, glasses, contacts, etc) We went between our room, guest services, and the lost baggage area for over 4 hours! (from 5 pm to 9 pm) Finally, they filed a lost baggage report and handed me a NCL Tshirt and toothbrush/toothpaste! That was it!! I said are you serious????!!! So, would you like me to walk around your ship with a Tshirt, panties and fresh breath? She didn't like my comment, but oh well..then in small print it said maximum reimbursement was $100. My glasses and extra contacts were over that alone...she said they would open an investigation in to the missing bag and would get back to me in the morning to take further action...well,needless to say when I got back upstairs around 930, our wonderful room steward said he saw the bag outside our door and put it inside! It was one of 3 they found that were "homeless". The tags were still intact, so not really sure what happened, but it all worked out ...THANK GOD! It would have ruined our whole trip!

-SMOKE!! YUCK!!My husband is a smoker and he couldn't stand the smell of it in the casino area...as soon as you get on, before the casino even opens, hubby described it as an "old Atlantic City Casino/Hotel" ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING for such a new ship!! Unfortunately there is no escape from it! Even in the non smoking areas it reeks! I have asthma, so there were a few times I just had to leave.

 

Overall, we had a great time!!! We would go on the Breakaway again, however, I must say that I really like the more structured style (same time eating, same dining room, waiter, etc) Any more questions/info needed, please ask away! ;)

I was also on this ship. My daughter was the Jr. Host at the Kids show.

Also in the Atrium for Deal or No Deal I was the first one called up to play. It was so fun.

Yeaaa...unfortunately the Atrium gets really packed whenever there's an event. On the Jewel-class ships, you can go to Spinnaker Lounge 5 minutes before the show and can still find a seat. For the Breakaway and Escape, you will need to show like 10-15 mins and hope that you can find an empty seat (which is rare).

Grbarepups. Did you win anything? Interested in playing.....how do they select and how else can you win if your not called up?

Thanks for all of the info. I'm also asthmatic so that casino will be a challenge. May have to spend my money elsewhere! I'll bet if you walked around in an NCL T shirt and panties that would add something to free style cruising! But all kidding aside, I'm glad you were able to get your luggage. A few years ago we were on the Star in Europe and met a couple whose luggage was lost. I don't remember how long they were without luggage, but I do remember they went shopping on board to get some things that they needed. Our package included the specialty restaurants. I'm not inclined to go to the Italian restaurant since we eat Italian food quite often. If I think of any other questions I will ask. Right now we are trying to work out how to get from our house in central NJ to the pier without it costing a fortune....We've got some reasonable ideas. I had a brilliant idea (or so I thought) about maybe just driving in...until I checked on the fee to park at the port...$40 each night....Forget about that idea! Thanks about the time issue. We will be planning to get there early even if we have to wait until we actually board.

We will be on the Breakaway for 14 days so I'm sure I'll need to wash some bathing suits, delicate items but was wondering where in the cabin to hang to dry? We're in a mini suite. Is there any kind of mini clothes line in the bathroom? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

We had the mini suite and in the shower is a mini clothes line :)

Right now we are trying to work out how to get from our house in central NJ to the pier without it costing a fortune....We've got some reasonable ideas. I had a brilliant idea (or so I thought) about maybe just driving in...until I checked on the fee to park at the port...$40 each night....Forget about that idea! Thanks about the time issue. We will be planning to get there early even if we have to wait until we actually board.

We park in NJ and take the ferry over to NYC and walk down to the ship terminal about 1/2 mile. You can also catch a taxi if you do not wish to walk to the ship. Keeps the costs down substantially.

Thanks for the info. We are not big gamblers, but do like to spend a few dollars there so it's nice to know that there is an area that is designated no smoking. I'm allergic to smoke and I have no problem asking people to not smoke in a designated non smoking area. Also, I appreciate the info on the vibe. We will just go for the weekly pass. The only reason we were considering the cabana was because my husband is not as much of a sun lover as I am. I guess we will just look for chairs that are not in direct sun. If you get a weekly pass, do you get assigned chairs or are you guaranteed a chair and you just have to find one for yourself?

The smoke in the ba casino is terrible and the non smoking section is just as smoky

The casino has an open design in the middle of the tri level second atrium on the ship and the smoke smell drifts up 1 deck and down 1 deck and into the le bistro area the sushi bar and some other areas

It is a terrible design in this day and age and I don't understand what the designers were thinking.

The parking is $40 per night but the maximum charge is $400. So a 14 day is $400. So is a 10 day

Camz, is that the ferry from Weehauken? Thought about that as well. We aren't really close to there, but could possibly convince our son to take us there to catch the ferry. Do you know how much that is? Thanks.

Grbarepups. Did you win anything? Interested in playing.....how do they select and how else can you win if your not called up?

So I was bugging my husband and in- laws about going there to play the game. And we got there about 20 minutes before, and I noticed your supposed to buy a deal or no deal ticket (looks like a scratch off ticket) . So I bought one for 20 bucks. The game show host started and mixed some numbers on the big screen for the next contestant. They were my numbers so I went up and played the game. I won like 200 something, you can win up to 1000. It was crazy fun, they only call up two people though. For The card you buy, what ever suit cases the contestants open are the numbers you open on your card. If the money on the screen matches the same on your card you win that.

We park in NJ and take the ferry over to NYC and walk down to the ship terminal about 1/2 mile. You can also catch a taxi if you do not wish to walk to the ship. Keeps the costs down substantially.

Which ferry and what's the cost ?

We park in NJ and take the ferry over to NYC and walk down to the ship terminal about 1/2 mile. You can also catch a taxi if you do not wish to walk to the ship. Keeps the costs down substantially.

I am really curious as well! How much was it to park overnight at the ferry terminal? Last time we had a park and "fly" hotel with free parking in Newark, but the cab ride alone cost us $240US (both ways) which is more like $330CAD - so we are looking to save money during our cruise in April :)

We(11) used the Golden Horse Transfer which was referred to me by MKING88. I think that was his name, might be wrong. Great info so thanks to him. From the Marriott Newark Airport to cruise dock was $83 plus tolls, $14 which came to $100. Not in my book but after a real bad start I did not begruge $3.

I will be leaving a review of my 50-50 cruise when all my outstanding bills and info are complete. In the meantime, if you stay at that hotel, watch your costs for meals.

For The card you buy, what ever suit cases the contestants open are the numbers you open on your card. If the money on the screen matches the same on your card you win that.

Not exactly. You win prizes based on the number of matches you make, not the value of the matches. E.g., if there is $50 behind case 3 on the screen and behind case 3 on your card, you don't win $50, you earn one match. It takes two matches to win a free raffle ticket, three wins a free photo etc., with seven matches winning a free 7-day cruise and eight matches winning $5,000.

Not exactly. You win prizes based on the number of matches you make, not the value of the matches. E.g., if there is $50 behind case 3 on the screen and behind case 3 on your card, you don't win $50, you earn one match. It takes two matches to win a free raffle ticket, three wins a free photo etc., with seven matches winning a free 7-day cruise and eight matches winning $5,000.

Oh ok, thanks.

Which ferry and what's the cost ?

The ferry leaves from Port Imperial , Im pretty sure this link will give you the information you need.

http://www.nywaterway.com/PortImperialWeehawkenTerminal.aspx