JerseyGem

Thanks for the details! We'll definitely use the shuttle!

......We did not book any excursions since Bermuda is easy to get around with buses and the ferries. I had done some research on Bermuda and knew about the $16 per person round-trip shuttle to Horseshoe Bay Beach. We used that rather than the public buses. It was a bit more expensive than the bus, but more convenient, as the shuttle drops you off right near the beach, rather than at the top of the hill. ........

Thanks for your great review; lots of good info for our August cruise! I have a question about the shuttle to Horseshoe Bay. How did you pay? Will the driver take USA dollar bills or just coins? Or do you have to stand in line somewhere else to buy a ticket for the shuttle?

How often does the shuttle run? Reading another review, it sounded like the shuttle was a large van that did continual round trips between the beach and dockyard?

Thanks, Lynn

We'll be in 12272 in August. The balcony is supposed to be a little larger due to the angle shape. When we return, I'll report about our cabin in the sticky about cabin information.

We've cruised many times from NYC in January or February. Be prepared for any kind of weather- from balmy days with people in the pool on the first sea day to ice and snow storms in NYC with cold days almost until San Juan. But we still love cruising at that time of year because we know we're going to warm islands for a brief respite from our cold winters.

If you decide to cruise on Feb 21, 2016, join our Roll Call:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2195335&page=2

Lynn

That's good to know. We have a balcony room on starboard side, deck 8. Is there any particular place there (middle, aft, etc.) that is best?

Since you're balcony is on the starboard side, you'll need to cross over to the port side along deck 8 to see the fireworks. Aft is best, since they shoot them off from the aft part of the ship. We walked back towards Cagney's until we had an open viewing spot at the railing. Or walk all the way to the rear of the ship on Deck 8. You will hear some of the music from Spice H2O. I forget which song "signals" the start of the fireworks; someone here will remember!

In Jan 2015, the port side cabins had a view of the fireworks. I don't know if this holds true for every cruise. (And yes- port is left)

Another great area to view the fireworks is outside on deck 8. Since we had a starboard cabin, we viewed them from there. Spice H2O was mobbed.

In January, we didn't have beachtowels in our cabin (on the BA). We had to go to the towel exchange on the pool deck to check out towels. There was a sign in & sign out form. You can take as many as you want (within reason!).

On other NCL cruises, we have received one towel per person in the cabin.

We used the outlet over the mirror in our SF Suite on the Pearl...it's on the left above the mirror next to the tub and it was perfect for an LED nightlight.

Our regular balcony cabin on the BA did have an outlet- up high over the shelves. It kept our electric toothbrush charged. However, from what we could tell, it only worked when the bathroom light was turned on.

We knew in advance that a regular nightlight might not work, so we brought a battery operated Christmas candle (about 8 inches tall). It worked well for a nightlight and also could work on the balcony- a little romantic light in the evenings.

heard the pot pies at O'Sheehan's were very salty, even by TV dinner standards.

We had lunch at O"Sheehans on embarkation day. Service was very slow (we tried it one other day for breakfast- even slower). The beers were great, but the food (when it finally arrived) was just OK. So many rave about the chicken pot pie; of course I had to try it! The two small pieces of chicken in the dish were tasty, as were the few pieces of carrots and potato. But the dish was mostly cream sauce with the puff pastry crust. And salty.

Try Taste or Savor on the first day.

I know the OP is going on the Getaway, but since this has evolved into a discussion of actual bed location vs deck plans, cabin 14858 on the BA has the bed next to the balcony. The deck plans show the bump out next to the closet (where you would assume the bed would be located).

FYI- great cabin!

We hope that they run this again next year. I REALLY debated with myself because I don't drink more than 2 drinks an evening and the UPB seemed wasted on me....the clincher was that you can remove the AI up to,the day before sailing. I can still cancel but don't think that I will.....

...

Keep your eyes open- Seashark always seems to know an inside scoop- or two or three!!

Don't cancel the AI! We cruised the BA in January (12 day Caribbean) with the All Inclusive package and loved it! We tried cocktails that we never would have even considered trying if we had to pay for them! If you don't like it, put it down and order another. (Although to be truthful, I did like- and drink- almost all of them.) We really enjoyed eating in specialty restaurants every night (I will miss this on our next cruises). With the free pictures, we posed for the photographers every night (haven't done that in decades). We actually have some nice pictures of ourselves (gifts for DD!).

FYI- Upon entering your cabin for the first time- don't trip on all the water bottles stacked on the floor. We ended up giving several of them away.

If they offer this again- we'll book it!

Look on a deck plan. Each cabin has a "bump". The location of the bump is where the bed is -- the cabin is slightly wider around the bed.

 

If you have a specific cabin in mind, we can take a look and confirm it for you.

We were in 14858 in January. The bed is next to the balcony, but the bump (on the deck plans) is where the sofa is located. The cabin is definitely a little larger (wider) where the bed is located (but the image on the deck plans is incorrect).

The casino is vented better than on many other ships, but you will still notice the smell. (And if you're walking through the casino, you could walk by a smoker and get direct smoke.) Other venues on that deck (deck 7) were OK for me. There is an open stairwell, mid-ship, connecting decks 6, 7 and 8. (right in the middle of the casino) Smoke seemed to drift up or down that area, so you might notice some odor below (in the outer area of Le Bistro) or above (in the area of Shakers).

On Deck 8, there is a smoking area outside of Maltings (along the Waterfront). Avoid that area! Inside at Maltings, just don't sit too close to the door.

There is a semi-enclosed smoking area on Deck 15 by the pool. If you avoid that area, you should be fine. I don't know about smoking on the island.

Jersey Gem, I'm so glad you enjoyed your GCT trip was much as I did!

Yes- we enjoyed that trip and travelling with GCT so much that we took their Romance of the Rhine and Mosel last Spring and will take their Essence of the Elbe next Fall. We're hooked!

Ship - Breakaway

Deck - 14

Stateroom # - 14858

Stateroom Category – BX (Regular Balcony)

Starboard or Port Side – starboard

Quiet Stateroom? (With comments on problems) –Yes. We very rarely heard any noise from the Garden Cafe above or from Spice H2O. Slight "noise" on the balcony with an evening party at Spice H2O.

Was stateroom a connecting stateroom? – No

Balcony View (Give comments on view, noting if location of any obstructions was an issue.) – No obstructions, although the lifeboats do stick out a little for the straight down view. We did have a generous overhang (above) which was wonderful for keeping out the rain and sun. Sun worshippers may object to the overhang, but we loved it.

Balcony Size? Normal or oversized for class? – Normal for the Breakaway. Two chairs and a very small table. Perfectly adequate for two people.

Was wind a problem? – Not normally.

If an aft cabin, was soot a problem? – n/a

Any specific problems with this cabin? – Only with the closet. About half of the hangers didn't work (the top of the hanger slipped all the way through the opening on the part attached to the closet rod). Bring your own hangers.

Any other comments? - The bed is by the balcony. If the bed had been by the closet, it would have been quite difficult to access the closet. For storage, don't overlook the two drawers under the sofa and the inside of the hassock (ottoman). Plus lots of storage in the bathroom. Cabin is conveniently located not too far from the aft stairwell.

I am the original poster for this thread. DH and I did take this cruise/trip in the Fall of 2013. We had a wonderful time. I highly, highly recommend this trip! The ports are very interesting, the ship was lovely, and the PD's were very informative and helpful. I don't know how many times I can use the word "very" without all of you laughing at me!

We were on the Artemis; the Athena is the sister ship (and there is one other whose name eludes me at the moment). We had only 48 passengers (max is 50) and were divided into two groups of 24 for almost all excursions, walks, talks, etc. The captain had an open bridge policy (meaning stop by and ask questions, look around, etc). Meals were open seating with a set time for dinner and usually lunch and a range of times for breakfasts. Usually a choice of 3 or so entrees for dinner- all very good. House wines with dinner (other wines available to buy).

We had the most forward balcony cabin. It was small but certainly adequate. The balcony was small, but the side panel opens and you can move around to the front of the ship on that deck for better views. Or just go to the end of the hallway on that deck and go out to the front of the ship. The sundeck is large enough for everyone to be up top if the weather is nice. We had decent wifi service in the lounge area (along almost whole trip).

We started in Athens (two nights in a hotel) and ended in Zagreb (3 nights?). Both were great, but we were very surprised at how much we enjoyed Zagreb. It's a very interesting city! We did not take any extensions. Those on the pretrip (Athens) thought it was overpriced but enjoyed it. We did hear (after we were home) from some on the post trip (Lake Bled); all loved that extension. If you can only take one, I would suggest the Lake Bled (Slovenia) trip.

Ask any questions. I try to look at this thread every other day or so. Lynn

Other than Teppenyaki, none of the main specialty restaurants were open for lunch. I wish they had been!!! But you do have options.

Shanghai's Noodle Bar (deck 7, just aft of the casino) is open for lunch. Prices are comparable to Asian restaurants in our area of NJ. We had a wonderful lunch there. Dishes are mostly made to order; service was timely. I definitely recommend trying a lunch here.

The biggest disappointment on our cruise was one of the free venues: O'Sheehans on Deck 7 forward of the casino. The service is very slow, and the food was either room temperature or just bland.

Another (pleasant) lunchtime surprise: the Garden Cafe had some interesting (and tasty) selections. We only had trouble finding a seat at breakfast on the last day. While it was crowded at other times, it was still possible to find seats and to negotiate the various lines (even with over 4000 people on board).

Along the Waterfront (deck 8, starboard), there is a snack area from Ocean Blue that is sometimes open, weather permitting. Prices seemed high to me (for what little was offered), but some people really enjoyed the offerings. You could make this a lunch stop.

Come join our Roll Call! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1781205&page=48

This will be our first time on the BA, but there are repeat cruisers on the Roll Call who may be able to answer your questions. Plus we have a slot pull, a cabin crawl and the official meet & greet.

I always bring an over-the-door shoe holder. If it doesn't fit on the bathroom door, it might fit over the closet door. DH & I are OK if the bathroom door doesn't close all the way; I'd rather have the shoe holder (which rarely holds shoes- too much other stuff that would normally clutter the limited counter spaces).

Repeat cruisers have said that suitcases fit under the beds (you may have to lift the frame to get them under).

We're bringing a lot of clothes to layer- for the first & last days that might be cold (or for air conditiioned venues). If we park at the dock, we'll leave the really heavy clothes in the car; if we park further away, we'll just leave them in the suitcase (under the bed) for most of the cruise. Fortunately, we're driving to the ship!

See you soon! Lynn

In addition to phenergan suppositories (since you may not be able to keep anything down long enough for oral meds to dissolve LOL!):

Whatever food or drink works for you: bring your own supply. Don't assume the ship will have some onboard (not all lines carry ginger ale, for example). If saltines stay down, bring some. Load up on what you know will keep you from getting too hungry (which will make you feel worse).

Talk to your wait staff. If nothing on the menu appeals to you, they may know of something else that's available (maybe from a kids menu or something that can be served without a sauce, etc). I almost lost breakfast one morning when our waiter- trying to be helpful- waved a large platter of bacon in front of me. I should have told him up front that I was pregnant and odors bothered me.

Location: if the movement of the ship exacerbates your morning sickness, spend time on a lower deck, midship (hopefully you'll find a comfortable chair there and a bathroom nearby- just in case). If it's a promenade deck with access to the outside- even better. Fresh air and looking at the horizon helped me.

If all else fail, go to the ship's doctor. I delayed until I was so dehydrated that they discussed getting me off the ship. The ship's doc gave me an injection of phenergan and then oral meds to take. It worked. I still couldn't stand the smell of bacon (and many other things!), but I could at least keep food down.

We booked our cruise before we knew I was pregnant. My morning sickness (afternoon & evening sickness for me) started a few days before we left. I had never had motion sickness before, plus my OB had given me the scopolmine patch, so off we went.... I was so sick I thought I would die, then it got worse and I was afraid I wouldn't die LOL! I used to scoff at people who didn't have their sea legs and had motion sickness- not anymore! I even had a nasty reaction to the scope patch (blurry vision leading to temporary vision loss and the start of kidney failure).

I'm glad you have trip insurance- just in case. Hopefully, you'll be able to have some fun- even if it's just knowing that your family is having fun. Good luck!

I've been there. I'll write more tomorrow. Just about to serve dinner and DH just saw your post and told me to reply. Meanwhile- I suggest talking to your OB about a script for phenergan suppositories as well as oral meds. Just don't let anyone talk you into using the scopolamine patch! You will get through this! Lynn

We are doing an all-inclusive cruise in January and have booked our restaurants and shows already (online, at 90 days). We also called NCL and booked shore excursions to be withheld from our onboard account (so that we can use our OBC to pay for them).

Apparently, only a small percentage of reservations (dinners and shows) can be booked in advance. At least one person from our Roll Call was not able to book in advance because that percentage had been met.

Since the All-inclusive program is so new and doesn't start until 1/15, there is very little info on Cruise Critic. Additionally, the NCL reps aren't familiar with the intricacies of the program. We hope to post when we return (especialy if we have any problems LOL!).

Lynn

Hi; Are you doing the Great Rivers of Europe trip? We did this several years ago on GCT's River Concerto. We were also on their River Harmony several months ago; all three ships are sister ships.

As for coffee: this is so subjective (as is food in general). The ships have a coffee machine (cappuchino, latte, hot chocolate, etc) in the lobby (free) which I enjoyed. Coffee at breakfast was good, but for some reason I didn't like the coffee after dinner. If you're really particular about coffee, I suggest bringing some instant- just in case.

As for excursions, since these change over time, I'll have to look at their site to see what they're currently offering. When do you sail?

One way to find your way if you are in the areas of the ship with staterooms is by looking at the carpeting. The little fish are always swimming forward. The hallways are long so its easy to head in the wrong direction. This is the view from outside our stateroom 8130 looking aft. The forward elevator bank is all the way the end of the hallway. Notice the little fishes swimming forward.

 

Thanks- and I love your idea of bringing glow sticks with you!

I just discovered this thread; what a wonderful treat! DH & I will be on the BA in January- our first time on her and our first time on such a large ship. Any hints for finding your way around the ship?

I'm driving to the Breakaway on Sunday the 18th of Jan. Going up the turnpike right by the Meadowlands, no need to worry, it's playoff time and neither the Giants or Jets will be playing.

As I've read this thread, I've been wondering about the Meadowlands activities on 1/18!!! We're also on the Breakaway (come join our Roll Call!) and were contemplating taking a bus. I think driving (even if the weather is bad) will be less stressful than worrying about the bus! We'll be on major roads most of the way (Rt 295 in south Jersey to the turnpike). Hopefully, the roads will be clear of ice/snow, construction should be over, and no local team (except the Eagles LOL) will be in any playoffs.