Quiet spots

The last bunch of reviews I've read from Breakaway and Getaway mentioned that the ships felt crowded (understandable, I guess, as it is summer). But we like to get away from it all every now and then. Are there any great spots on the ship for solitude, quiet reading of books, etc.? Please advise, and thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

The Waterfront on deck 8 is perfect for quiet during the day. Big wicker chairs are very comfortable for reading a book and enjoying the ocean going by.

Spice H2O is quiet in the mornings. The big screen plays quiet ambient music and it's adults only for the daytime.

There is also the library, but we never went there.

Bon Voyage!

 

 

~Robin

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

The last bunch of reviews I've read from Breakaway and Getaway mentioned that the ships felt crowded (understandable, I guess, as it is summer). But we like to get away from it all every now and then. Are there any great spots on the ship for solitude, quiet reading of books, etc.? Please advise, and thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

 

Hi Carolyn, first of all the site is great and very resourceful and I read it every day.

On my Breakaway cruise (which was September, but I did Epic in a December) I found that the Spice H20 area (on the sides) tended to be quiet even throughout the day.

I didn't find the spot though as connected to sea as middle of the ship against the glass though.

Sometimes there are spaces outside of dining rooms (can't remember which one specifcally) that have chairs (one might have been near a bar) that was good for 30-60 minutes middle of the day.

If you've got a spa room or a spa pass, the spa is a great place to relax. Most of the time, it's not crowded, especially in the evening. The heated tile loungers are wonderful, especially if you have back pain issues like me. There are also padded lounge chairs, too. The $199 I spent on the spa pass for my Bermuda cruise on the Breakaway was worth every penny.

 

The Waterfront is great during the day, since it's pretty deserted.

We booked a b6 balcony and lived out there during the day. It was very very difficult to find quiet spots during the day. Even deck 8 was very congested last week. I am so thankful we had our own lounge chair on the balcony- it totally made the trip for us because it was always available and quiet. If you like quiet and to lay outside during the day and can get an aft, b6, or m6 I would personally recommend.

The last bunch of reviews I've read from Breakaway and Getaway mentioned that the ships felt crowded (understandable, I guess, as it is summer). But we like to get away from it all every now and then. Are there any great spots on the ship for solitude, quiet reading of books, etc.? Please advise, and thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

 

I was on the Breakaway transatlantic, which wasn't too full but the outdoor areas weren't available much of the time because of the weather.

 

I found that the area around Cagneys and Moderno was fairly good for settling down with a book. There is the bar area between to two and also the corridor leading up to it has some sofas to sit on.

The library, the atrium when no activities are scheduled, Spice H2O, Vibe (for pay), the waterfront...

 

If you really want quiet to lounge in the sun, I'd go to the very front of the ship on Deck 17. The Haven is on one side, and the other side is open to the public. It was always nearly empty when we were there, and far removed from the pool area, so away from the bustle and noise.

 

I'd also suggest Bliss Nightclub, since I never saw a soul in there. LOL!

Edited August 24, 2014 by LrgPizza

It musy have been extra busy last week. I Went up to sun around 9am on monday. No spots available on deck 17 far forward at all. There were some less desirable spots on 16. Forget 15 and spice h20 - both were jam packed w/loungers only inches apart.

 

Also, last week the waterfront spots were taken w people camping out. Not to mention the kids running up and down the waterfront made it far less than quiet.

 

Maybe we just had a super busy week, but we found quiet only on our own balcony.

The Breakaway is at capacity most of the time, it's great for the NCL ,but it can get congested, this is where the money spent on a balcony is worthwhile.

 

I spent most of the time aboard on my balcony,I'm on a cruise, I want to enjoy watching the ocean,listening to the waves,it's quiet and restful. You may see dolphins.

 

The library is closed off from the large noisy areas nearby,it needs more books. If you want to see the costumes of the Rockettes they are here. It is a nice place for anyone in an inside cabin or try the buffet when meals are not being served, the rear seating is floor to ceiling windows over the wake of the ship it's quiet and inviting.

Hello from the Card Room on Norwegian Breakaway and thanks for all the helpful tips!

 

Was interesting, on this first day, to suss out which breakfast eateries to avoid and which to embrace. The Garden Cafe was a nightmare but Uptown...nice and quiet. O'Sheehans had plenty of tables. Savor was busy and slow, slow, slow. Neat set-up in Moderno if you want basic steam table fare. Interesting to see how Breakaway is using different spaces for different times. Yes, it's busy, chaotic and crowded, but I'm finding some nice spots :)

 

Carolyn

Ohh... I"m so jealous and I hope you have a terrific vacation.

 

We found breakfast and lunch in Savor to be MUCH slower and less attentive than Taste. Taste wasn't speedy, but didn't take an hour for an omelette either. There is a waitress in Taste named Gina. We thought she was wonderful and would wait for her section.

 

PS: Sending positive energy that Cristobal misses Bermuda entirely on Wednesday!!

The last bunch of reviews I've read from Breakaway and Getaway mentioned that the ships felt crowded (understandable, I guess, as it is summer). But we like to get away from it all every now and then. Are there any great spots on the ship for solitude, quiet reading of books, etc.? Please advise, and thanks.

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

 

Hello Carolyn,

 

 

Obviously your cabin/balcony is always a great place to get away from the people.

 

Outside of that, I've always found the Vibe Beach Club (on both Breakaway and Getaway) to be really good for escaping from the crowds.

BermudaBound2014 can you amp up that positive energy? We've just learned that &*$% Christobal is heading straight for Bermuda, and so we're heading straight for ... Port Canaveral and Nassau.

 

Hoping the storm doesn't cause Bermuda any troubles.

 

Really cool thing: Captain Hoyt Evans just did a seriously weather-geek-style hurricane presentation to make sure passengers understood why we had to make such a drastic change, and he got applause at the end. I was so proud of everyone for understanding....

 

Still, maybe Christobal could suddenly just...stop?

 

Carolyn

 

Ohh... I"m so jealous and I hope you have a terrific vacation.

 

We found breakfast and lunch in Savor to be MUCH slower and less attentive than Taste. Taste wasn't speedy, but didn't take an hour for an omelette either. There is a waitress in Taste named Gina. We thought she was wonderful and would wait for her section.

 

PS: Sending positive energy that Cristobal misses Bermuda entirely on Wednesday!!

BermudaBound2014 can you amp up that positive energy? We've just learned that &*$% Christobal is heading straight for Bermuda, and so we're heading straight for ... Port Canaveral and Nassau.

 

Hoping the storm doesn't cause Bermuda any troubles.

 

Really cool thing: Captain Hoyt Evans just did a seriously weather-geek-style hurricane presentation to make sure passengers understood why we had to make such a drastic change, and he got applause at the end. I was so proud of everyone for understanding....

 

Still, maybe Christobal could suddenly just...stop?

 

Carolyn

Hopefully, it does a sudden route change. lol. I'd be SO ticked off if I had to substitute Port Canaveral and Nassau for Bermuda. I don't cruise to go to Florida, especially since I live in Florida. Nassau is fun for a short cruise or for a "filler" port, but Bermuda is the nicest and friendliest port I've ever been in. It just doesn't compare.

BermudaBound2014 can you amp up that positive energy? We've just learned that &*$% Christobal is heading straight for Bermuda, and so we're heading straight for ... Port Canaveral and Nassau.

 

Hoping the storm doesn't cause Bermuda any troubles.

 

Really cool thing: Captain Hoyt Evans just did a seriously weather-geek-style hurricane presentation to make sure passengers understood why we had to make such a drastic change, and he got applause at the end. I was so proud of everyone for understanding....

 

Still, maybe Christobal could suddenly just...stop?

 

Carolyn

 

Well look at the bright side , The weather is always good inside an NCL ship .:D

Have fun wherever you end up going!

And enjoy the ship :)

Safe Sailing!

 

 

~Robin

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

BermudaBound2014 can you amp up that positive energy? We've just learned that &*$% Christobal is heading straight for Bermuda, and so we're heading straight for ... Port Canaveral and Nassau.

 

Hoping the storm doesn't cause Bermuda any troubles.

 

Really cool thing: Captain Hoyt Evans just did a seriously weather-geek-style hurricane presentation to make sure passengers understood why we had to make such a drastic change, and he got applause at the end. I was so proud of everyone for understanding....

 

Still, maybe Christobal could suddenly just...stop?

 

Carolyn

 

Oh shoot, I was afraid of that. I had a stinkin' suspicion there was going to be a diversion when I heard latest weather report. For what it's worth, I'm looking at a models right now and some of the models put Bermuda right in the path as Cristobal turns into a hurricane. I think you will be VERY happy with the Captain's decision.

 

I'd be glad to post updates here for you so you don't have to use bandwidth googling :).

BermudaBound2014 could you post what model sites you are looking at? We leave on the Getaway on 9/6 and I wanna be able to start looking next week. Thanks :D

 

Still, maybe Christobal could suddenly just...stop?

 

Carolyn

 

I KNOW this is a very serious matter but I love your comment above! It made me smile. It's something that I'd say!! I DO believe you are in great hands.

BermudaBound2014 could you post what model sites you are looking at? We leave on the Getaway on 9/6 and I wanna be able to start looking next week. Thanks :D

For key west and the Caribbean .

 

Scroll through this link = http://queerkey.com/

Edited August 26, 2014 by biker@sea

BermudaBound2014 could you post what model sites you are looking at? We leave on the Getaway on 9/6 and I wanna be able to start looking next week. Thanks :D

 

I look at a bunch of different sights, but this morning I started with NOAA. Looks like she's officially a hurricane :(. Even if the eye doesn't pass over Bermuda, it's likely to be pretty crappy weather Wednesday and Thursday and a rough ride in. If I were on the breakaway this week I'd certainly be bummed to miss Bermuda, but very happy the captain chose smooth sailing and blue skies. Here's a link to NOAA image from this morning for wind probability.

 

Thanks :D

We were in good hands, Angela -- and the cruise (we're just back) was really terrific though of course Port Canaveral and Nassau don't quite equal Bermuda. I know a lot of us were disappointed but you didn't really get a sense that people were upset (or overly upset). So many times I heard people saying "it's better to be safe" and it did seem to me that the ship did a great job, the best it could've, in re-routing. We knew it had to be a super-tough week for both the shore ex and the entertainment staff....

 

It's funny, we did lose Celebrity Summit at one point Monday afternoon, and we did wonder where it was going to end up -- and each day it followed us to Port Canaveral and then to Nassau.

 

From what I'm hearing there's no problem this week going to Bermuda. I wonder how many others (including me) wanted to stay on for another week (plus we didn't get to every restaurant we wanted to try!).

 

Carolyn

 

I KNOW this is a very serious matter but I love your comment above! It made me smile. It's something that I'd say!! I DO believe you are in great hands.