Questions re: Breakaway

We haven't cruised in years. Our first and only cruise was on the Dreamward (!!!) and while we loved being at sea, and the location of our cabin, which was on the promenade deck, we decidedly did NOT like the dress code and proscribed meal times and that is what has prevented us from cruising again.

We're thinking of booking the Breakaway to Bahamas/Florida in an H7 suite. I can't find the floor plans anywhere. Is this a true suite with a separate bedroom or just a really large room?

It appears that the Haven level is a completely different part of the ship offering more privacy and amenities.

Desires:

-casual environment - as in shorts and tops most, if not all the time

-peace and quiet to enjoy being at sea

-meals when we want - and that means not dressing for dinner besides putting on clean clothes if needed

-I tend toward motion sickness, and Bonine worked for be just fine going to/from Bermuda. Would this cabin location be problematic?

Needs:

Internet access - I need to connect to the office and also for personal business. Is there a charge? How much?

Does the Haven area have a place to go early in the morning to have coffee/etc not too far from the cabin? If that's the case, we may not need a suite, though the extra space would be nice.

What are the extra costs besides port fees? Tips? Sodas/bottled water?

I'll be the first to admit that perhaps cruising isn't for us, but I have hope that the Haven area can meet our desires and needs.

Thanks in advance... I know I asked a lot of questions and really appreciate the guidance from all you experts!

The Haven is a "ship within the ship." However, the Haven amenities are located on deck 16, so if you book an H7 you will have to go up to that level to enjoy many of the perks. I cannot answer if H7 is an actual multi room suite as I was in a regular Haven Penthouse suite. I can tell you that the regular penthouse suite did not have multi rooms but did have plenty of room for the two of us. It was also one deck directly below the haven courtyard, and there is a small flight of stairs within the key only access area to get there from.

NCL dress code is casual, even at dinner, with dress shorts and jeans allowed in all restaurants on all nights except the Manhattan room (the dressier main dining room) and in Ocean Blue (a specialty restaurant). The Haven restaurant allows the same casual dress code. Freestyle also means you eat when, where and with whom you want.

The Haven courtyard area and your balcony will allow you to enjoy much peace and quiet. Even if the pool is busy, there are upper floors and an outside area that are quite peaceful.

With regards to motion sickness, if you are prone to it, take Bonine (Meclizine is the OTC and cheaper version) starting at least an hour before you sail and continue taking it as suggested. It doesn't really matter where your cabin is if you are prone to motion sickness, because you are going to be in all areas of the ship at different times anyway. But the pills that are out there work well, as you have experienced. We had 42 foot seas in the middle of the night. Meclizine worked fine, even through that for me.

There is a charge for the internet, and I don't know how much that is because Breakaway recently changed the way they offer it. You will be able to connect with your laptop or tablet in your room as well as around the ship. The speed will be slower than what you are expecting.

The Haven offers breakfast in the restaurant and also has coffee, tea and Danish in the courtyard. That being said, your butler can deliver full breakfast to your Haven suite, and you will have a Lavazza espresso machine in your suite. Even in the regular penthouse suite, there is a small dining table that is adequate for meals for two.

Do a search to see what drinks are included in your room, but I am pretty sure it only includes one bottle of water and one bottle of sparkling wine. Anything else you pay for, but the water in your cabin and throughout the ship is perfectly fine and tasty to drink. Juice and flavored waters are available at the buffet at no cost, and the Haven courtyard always has coffee, tea and herb/lemon infused waters.

Tips are not included, but NCL will charge a daily "service fee." This fee does not include the butler or concierge, so you will need to tip them separately.

Once you Haven, you will be spoiled for any other type of accommodation.

The Haven is a "ship within the ship." However, the Haven amenities are located on deck 16, so if you book an H7 you will have to go up to that level to enjoy many of the perks. I cannot answer if H7 is an actual multi room suite as I was in a regular Haven Penthouse suite.

We had an H7 and there is a separate bedroom. They are great cabin/suites. Not being in the haven itself was not an issue, except for last day when we were going to do self disembark using concierge but would of been trouble getting elevator with baggage up to Haven.

I attached a pic of the bedroom.

Wow. Thank you. Things sure HAVE changed.

I will discuss with my husband. Perhaps we don't need a suite if we can get a large enough cabin and my husband can get out of the room to get his coffee. He gets up at 6am, me, well, not so much :) That's the main reason we opt for suites when we can.

Thank you very much for your very detailed responses.

Wow. Thank you. Things sure HAVE changed.

 

I will discuss with my husband. Perhaps we don't need a suite if we can get a large enough cabin and my husband can get out of the room to get his coffee. He gets up at 6am, me, well, not so much :) That's the main reason we opt for suites when we can.

 

Thank you very much for your very detailed responses.

Just to be clear, all cabins that have haven access are considered suites. Since it is just the two of you, a regular haven penthouse cabin should be fine. The neat thing about them is that they are located in the haven itself.

You have coffee makers in the room BTW.

Thanks again.

I called NCL to get some more information and my Lattitudes number, and discovered that we were already within the 68 full payment period. I don't mind making full payment, but the cancellation policy is onerous for us - even with insurance we risk losing 25% of our deposit if we have to cancel.

They also told me that internet access is .75 per minute at the internet cafe. I asked about shipwide wifi, and the person said "the internet cafe is .75 per minute." I suspect he didn't have a clue.

We may wait until closer to sailing before making up our minds. I don't mind a cancellation policy with a sliding scale of deposit loss, but this policy is more than I'm willing to commit to.

Will keep you posted should we decide to go :)

Thanks again.

 

I called NCL to get some more information and my Lattitudes number, and discovered that we were already within the 68 full payment period. I don't mind making full payment, but the cancellation policy is onerous for us - even with insurance we risk losing 25% of our deposit if we have to cancel.

 

They also told me that internet access is .75 per minute at the internet cafe. I asked about shipwide wifi, and the person said "the internet cafe is .75 per minute." I suspect he didn't have a clue.

 

We may wait until closer to sailing before making up our minds. I don't mind a cancellation policy with a sliding scale of deposit loss, but this policy is more than I'm willing to commit to.

 

Will keep you posted should we decide to go :)

I don't understand. If you book the cruise and possibly cancel at the last minute, do you think NCL should have to eat the cost of your cabin if it can't be resold?

wasiii

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

Hey, we just got home from Breakaways sister ship Getaway! I cannot answer any Haven questions, we always do a balcony or suite. I was able to use the internet anywhere on the ship. (I work 24/7--365 days a year). It was a little slow in our cabin...but much better than it has been in the past! You can buy a package of 250 minutes, or 100 minutes at a discount. If you are a lattitudes member you can print out a coupon that will give you some extra minutes! This last time I purchase just the 100 minute package, but ended up buying extra minutes at the 75 cent rate. Should of bought the 250 minute package. Last night of cruise, went down and put all my internet costs on my business credit card!

I am a very early riser, and DH likes to sleep in. I would just head to the cafe on deck 6 and buy a fancy coffee...or you can head to the Garden Buffet where there is coffee early!

I believe The Haven area is very nice, but I am alway afraid we will sit up there and never do anything else!

That is not what I said. I said I don't mind a sliding scale that gets to a bigger loss of deposit as it gets closer to sailing.

I mind paying in full at 68 days and being subject to losing either all of it, or 25% of it if I have insurance AND meet their requirement for getting money back.

So no, I don't expect NCL to eat the cost of the cabin if I cancel. The same way I don't expect an airline to eat the cost of a cancelled seat. But I also don't expect to lose so much of a deposit, or all of it, if I do cancel.

As I said in my OP, perhaps cruising just isn't for me.

Hey, we just got home from Breakaways sister ship Getaway! I cannot answer any Haven questions, we always do a balcony or suite. I was able to use the internet anywhere on the ship. (I work 24/7--365 days a year). It was a little slow in our cabin...but much better than it has been in the past! You can buy a package of 250 minutes, or 100 minutes at a discount. If you are a lattitudes member you can print out a coupon that will give you some extra minutes! This last time I purchase just the 100 minute package, but ended up buying extra minutes at the 75 cent rate. Should of bought the 250 minute package. Last night of cruise, went down and put all my internet costs on my business credit card!

 

I am a very early riser, and DH likes to sleep in. I would just head to the cafe on deck 6 and buy a fancy coffee...or you can head to the Garden Buffet where there is coffee early!

 

I believe The Haven area is very nice, but I am alway afraid we will sit up there and never do anything else!

What about data access? I have to be able to use my computer to connect to the office, or my smart phone to get office email. Is there a data package?

How much was your 250 minute package?

That is not what I said. I said I don't mind a sliding scale that gets to a bigger loss of deposit as it gets closer to sailing.

 

I mind paying in full at 68 days and being subject to losing either all of it, or 25% of it if I have insurance AND meet their requirement for getting money back.

 

So no, I don't expect NCL to eat the cost of the cabin if I cancel. The same way I don't expect an airline to eat the cost of a cancelled seat. But I also don't expect to lose so much of a deposit, or all of it, if I do cancel.

 

As I said in my OP, perhaps cruising just isn't for me.

Okay, didn't mean to get you riled.

wasiii

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

I have a friend just off of the Breakaway. They've rolled out new Internet. He bought 1000 mb for $50 and no start-up fee.

He was thrilled with it. (As opposed to $55 for 100 minutes plus $7.95 start-up fee standard on the rest of the fleet.)

Thank you!! That sounds excellent, and reasonable too!