Live Blog: Norwegian Breakaway Inaugural Transatlantic Cruise!

[BugsyCruiser]

Ok Philamike one of the most important questions(to me anyway).... how is the food? Have you tried any of the specialty restaurants yet and if so how were they? Thank you :)

[SissasMomE]

Ok Philamike one of the most important questions(to me anyway).... how is the food? Have you tried any of the specialty restaurants yet and if so how were they? Thank you :)

 

The heck with the food - how's the desserts???? ;)

[dellas1000]

Some more pics here from the inaugural celebrations:

 

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/trip_reports/read.main/237500/

[BugsyCruiser]

The heck with the food - how's the desserts???? ;)

 

That too! :D

[Amowagou]

I just can't imagine it goes completely off when you are not there. Maybe goes to 78. Inside cabins could be roasting if not for some ventilation.

 

No, it won't be. The outside warm air will never get into the inside cabins.

[philamike]

I'm already a day behind. I guess that means I'm having fun, right? ;)

 

Wednesday, May 1 – First Sea Day

 

We had great weather today as we started our passage through the Atlantic Ocean – temperatures in the upper-50s and mostly sunny skies. There’s a brisk wind hitting the boat from the northwest. Most of the outdoor areas are protected from the wind, so you only feel it in certain exposed spots.

 

I had brunch in the Garden Café. At 11 am was the Cruise Critic gathering. CruiseCritic.com is an online forum for cruise enthusiasts, and members create “roll calls” for individual sailings. Since this is an inaugural cruise, we had a very active roll call in the months leading up to the sail date. At least 100 passengers showed up for this Meet & Greet. Everyone received a card with some of the senior officers’ names and their house phone numbers. The listed staff are:

 

Denis Prguda, Hotel Director

Sonja Sommeregger, Assistant Hotel Director

Ivanov Martin, Food & Beverage Director

Errol Nelson, Executive Housekeeper

Julie Valeriote, Cruise Director

Joseph Boyle, Guest Service Manager

Anil Chinthapattla, Executive Chef

Luiza Andrei, Restaurant Manager

 

And the Captain for this sailing is Haavard Ramsoey. Norwegian Cruise Line always goes the extra mile to represent the company and their staff at Cruise Critic gatherings, and today was no different. In addition to the Captain, the Hotel Director and the Cruise Director, about seven other senior officers were present. Led by Julie, everyone introduced themselves and thanked us for sailing with Norwegian.

 

About forty of the Cruise Critic members had pre-planned a slot pull in the casino immediately following the Meet & Greet. We gathered at the Wheel of Fortune machines and everyone contributed $21 each. We used three of the machines, and each person did seven pulls. One participant hit a jackpot of $1,600 on his pull! When all was done, we split the winnings and everyone walked away with $45 (a net gain of $24 each).

 

Overheard during the slot pull: one passenger had been carrying a Princess Cruises tote bag with her, and she said she was stopped by one of the senior staff. “Oh, that won’t do,” he said. “We’ll have to fix that.” He then wrote down her stateroom number so that he could have a complimentary Norwegian bag delivered to her!

 

At 2 pm, there was a Q&A session in the atrium. Simon, the Assistant Cruise Director, hosted it. It included Captain Haavard, Anders the Chief Engineer, Denis the Hotel Director, Julie the Cruise Director, and a very special guest on this sailing: Kevin Sheehan, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line! Among the questions asked:

 

 

• Does NCL still have any partnership with the original family who operated the company? Kevin said no, not in any official capacity.
  
• How does the weather look for the sailing? The Captain said it looks very good for now, but to expect some unsettled weather.
  
• What’s our speed for the journey? About 20 to 21 knots. We’re going a little faster than we need to, just in case we experience stronger than expected headwinds later in the voyage.
  
• What are NCL’s plans for future ports? Kevin said that with the fleet growing, they can begin to explore new markets. He cited the recent announcement of their deployment to Houston as an example.
  
• To Kevin: Will you do another Undercover Boss television episode? Kevin said that it was three years ago, and he still gets a lot of comments about it! He appreciated the experience and getting to see first-hand what the crew does every day. He was touched by hearing from the crew how they missed home, and he has since worked to enhance the crew experience. A couple days every month, he has lunch on the ships with some of the crew members. He finished by saying that he is proud of the crew and the hard work they do, but would not try to go undercover again.
  

 

Jake and I went to the sports deck to try out the ship’s ropes course. This is a series of elevated challenges that consist of planks and rope bridges, connected to each other by small platforms. Above each segment is a track for a harness tether. The most notable challenge is “the plank,” an eight-foot-long beam that extends off the side of the ship!

 

First we had to sign a waiver to participate, which was done electronically on a tablet computer. We also had to stow any loose articles, such as our cameras. We were outfitted in adjustable harnesses, then walked over to the start of the course to be connected to a tether line. A staffer double-checked the fit, then let us proceed up the stairs to the course. There’s no pre-defined route – you can just go as you want. The only restriction is that only one person should be on a single segment at one time. There is a nice variety of challenges – for example, I avoided the segments where there was only a rope below your feet, as I didn’t quite trust my skills on those. But I was able to move around to all platforms via planks and combinations of planks and rope. I don’t get too nervous about heights, but I did feel shaky taking those first few steps across a segment. You need to keep your tether in front of you at all times, so at least one hand was always on it. One benefit is that it helps you steady yourself, giving you something to hold on to. But the drawback is that you couldn’t try to walk across a beam with both arms outstretched for balance, as the tether would get in your way.

 

The course starts out on the port side of the ship. As we made it over to the starboard side, we no longer had the ship’s funnel to block the wind, and it was very strong! Between the headwind and our speed, I’d estimate that we had a net effect of 50 knot winds! I reached the plank. It was no narrower than a couple of the other planks I had already walked on, so I was sure I could do this. But those winds! I felt I was going to be blown off the side of the ship. Additionally, there is no NCL staff positioned here, which gives you a very isolated feeling. I carefully placed my right foot on the start of the plank, then slowly shifted weight onto it, tightly gripping my tether to steady myself. I swung my left foot in front of my right and took another step forward. Looking down, I was now over the edge of the ship, with windswept waves about 150 feet below me. Another sudden gust, and I gripped the tether even tighter. I took a few more steps, which seemed to take forever. Didn’t I just do this without hesitation a few minutes ago? This shouldn’t feel any different…but this wind! I took the last few steps. At the end of the tether track is a camera, and when your foot touches a sensor on the plank, a flash fires to take your picture. I made it to the end!

 

I wanted to appreciate this moment for a bit, so I looked all around me. It was very unfamiliar to be standing OUTSIDE a moving ship! As I looked around, there was a sensation that I was flying, as there seemed to be nothing around me except ocean and sky. Oh, and very strong wind. And now my next challenge: turning myself around on this beam. I put my back to the wind, as I felt that would give me more stability. I slowly pivoted my feet and turned back towards the ship. One step, two steps, more steps. I reached the platform, stepped over and grabbed the pole. I then let out a loud “Wooooo!”

 

I proceeded over a few more segments to the start of the “zip line,” which is actually a metal track, but you are suspended over a couple decks as you glide from starboard to port. There is a staffer here who checks your harness before you go across, then instructs you to run off the platform. Wheee! A braking system catches you on the other side, and another staffer is there to reset the brake for the next guest.

 

Satisfied, we descended from the course and got unharnessed. We enjoyed some hot cocoa in the Garden Café to warm up after those brisk winds. We would later learn that the camera system on the plank is not yet fully set up, so we wouldn’t be able to get those photos. If they happen to get it online during this sailing, I’ll probably do the course again so I can get the photo.

 

Jake, his mom and I made reservations for dinner tonight in Moderno, a Brazilian-style “churrascaria.” The kitchen prepares about ten types of meat, and waiters bring them by one-by-one and serve/carve them for you. There is a card in front of each diner: red on one side, green on the other. If you want to be served, keep the card on green. If you’re done (or want to take a break), flip it to red.

 

The meal started with an elaborate salad bar. I was taken aback that nothing was labeled, not even the two soups offered. Nor were the five dressings. Adrian, an Assistant Maitre ‘D, happened to pass by, and I advised him that nothing was labeled. I asked him to point out the types of salad dressings and the soups (seafood chowder and Portuguese bean). Later, as he came by our table while checking upon diners, he advised me that he put some labels out.

 

We sparingly sampled the salad bar so that we could save room for the meats. (But the seafood chowder was delicious!) Our first server excused himself, as he was needed in the main dining room. Our new server, Ruby Vallejos, came up to the table, looked at Jake and said, “I remember you from the Dawn. You wrote me a STYLE card.” STYLE cards are staff/crew commendation cards that are available for passengers to use to cite outstanding performance. (They were recently rebranded as “Vacation Hero” cards.) We were surprised and touched that she remembered this, and it just goes to show how much a kind word can mean to someone.

 

Back to the meal…we were given four sides to complement our meal: garlic mashed potatoes, pork and beans, buttered rice and fried bananas. Two sauces were also placed on the table: a tomato-based salsa for pork and chicken, and a green herb sauce for beef and veal. Then the feast started. One by one, servers came around with large skewers of chicken, sausages, filets, lamb chops, barbecued ribs and carved beef. Eventually we flipped our cards to red (Jake was last). We shared the three dessert options: flan, mango rice pudding, and a papaya cream dish.

 

Two other staffers came through the restaurant and chatted with diners: Daniel and Yuhi are crew training specialists. They had the challenging job of getting over 1,600 crew members acclimated to a new ship, over the past couple months. We also spotted Kevin Sheehan and a few other NCL executives dining here tonight.

 

Jake and I stopped by the Friends of Dorothy gathering at Shakers, then reconnected with Jake’s mom at the Manhattan Room at 9:30. The 12-member cast of Burn the Floor did a floor show with 1940s swing music. Jake commented that the dancers didn’t appear to be young, fresh-out-of-school performers, but rather more experienced dancers. They were outstanding! The dancing was high-energy and did not stop for 30 minutes.

 

Despite this chilly North Atlantic route, it seems that the entertainment staff is dedicated to perform all of its shows on the trip, even the outdoor ones. A 70s-themed Fabba party was held at Spice H2O, an outdoor area in the back of the ship that is normally adults-only during the day. Julie and seven of her entertainment staff were decked out in colorful attire, and danced to several hit songs from the decade, occasionally pulling passengers out of the audience to join them on the floor. Once the performances ended, we darted back inside and went to Bliss for a while. The other DJ, Arias, was spinning tonight, and I felt he played a good, energetic mix of music.

 

Before I turned in for the night, I put my watch back one hour, the second time on this cruise. We’ll do this again three more times before arriving in New York City.

Edited May 3, 2013 by philamike

[philamike]

Cake at the Meet & Greet:

 

 

Meet & Greet:

 

 

Me with Kevin Sheehan:

 

 

Q&A with ship officers and Kevin Sheehan:

 

 

Suiting up for the ropes course:

 

 

I'm ready!

 

[philamike]

Ropes course:

 

 

The Plank (pic taken while in Southampton):

 

 

Burn the Floor in the Manhattan Room:

 

 

Fabba party in Spice H2O:

 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

About forty of the Cruise Critic members had pre-planned a slot pull in the casino immediately following the Meet & Greet. We gathered at the Wheel of Fortune machines and everyone contributed $21 each. We used three of the machines, and each person did seven pulls. One participant hit a jackpot of $1,600 on his pull! When all was done, we split the winnings and everyone walked away with $45 (a net gain of $24 each).

...

 

Enjoying your reports and photos!!

 

Question for you. I'm not sure about NCL, but I know on some lines (Carnival for sure) if you hit a $1,200+ jackpot the cruise line will issue a 1099-g and someone will be on the hook for the taxes. Any issues with that w/regard to that nice jackpot??

 

Thanks,

 

Tom

[kollegekreed]

This is great. The thing that jumped out at me...the doors swing OUT? I can see the room service trays spread across the hallways already...

[BugsyCruiser]

Great pictures! This is an excellent live blog and definitely has gotten me interested in sailing on Breakaway someday

[peteukmcr]

Following your posts with interest as we only had the chance to sail on the 1 nighter from Rotterdam. I hope you get to see Fire & Ice the tribute to Tina Turner, she was excellent if a little crazy!:D

[jdvmd]

This is great. The thing that jumped out at me...the doors swing OUT? I can see the room service trays spread across the hallways already...

We had the same set up on the Celebrity Reflection last month. It actually makes the room feel bigger and you have more usable space in the cabin.

[Cruisegirl6]

So much enjoying your posts and thank you!

 

Few questions:

How are the showers

Do you know whether the standard balcony staterooms have coffee makers

Are there tables for 8 in the Garden Café

Where are the electrical outlets in the stateroom

When was it lobster night

[Ctrinh225]

A few question..

Cabana rental in Vibe. How much and how long for use? If we rent weekly do they lock that cabana till we come? How do they know that's us is renting?

Can u order more entrees without extra charge in all restaurants?

The relaxation room in spa is free or fee?

How is the food?

Spa thermal suite....is it worth it to get a pass?

 

Thank u...for now. Lol

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[joanna0627]

Great review. Count down 23 days to our cruise. Yippee... 2 question please:

 

1: Do the balcony staterooms have makeup mirrors?

 

2: Is there a weight / height limit on the rope course?

 

Thanks and enjoy your journey...

[Nightengale212]

Overheard during the slot pull: one passenger had been carrying a Princess Cruises tote bag with her, and she said she was stopped by one of the senior staff. “Oh, that won’t do,” he said. “We’ll have to fix that.” He then wrote down her stateroom number so that he could have a complimentary Norwegian bag delivered to her!

 

I've got two of those Princess Player's Club tote bags, one I bring to work every day, and the other reserved for traveling and it will be going on my Breakaway cruise next month as it is perfect holding stuff for day trips. Maybe if I am lucky mine will be seen also and I will get an NCL tote bag to replace it :)

[roe2ship]

I really enjoy your detailed information....nice writing style. Reading your adventure on the ropes course leading to the plank had my heart racing. I have a question about the Manhattan dining room....does the band play there at all times? Also, this is the dining room where "no shorts are allowed" correct? Thanks!:)

[philamike]

Thursday, May 2 – Second Sea Day

 

Today’s weather was similar to yesterday’s – temperatures in the upper 50s and mostly sunny. There was just a little bit more chop on the seas, but still pretty smooth. I took advantage of the time change one hour back and slept in late. I think I slept for 11 hours – it’s been a long time since I got to do that, and it felt great! Also, the bed and the duvet cover are very comfortable.

 

After a quick lunch in the Garden Café (salad and Louisiana-style seafood stew atop rice), I joined some of the Cruise Critic folks at 1 pm for a cabin crawl. There were about 50 people gathered, and we strategically divided ourselves into four groups – each group had five volunteers willing to show their stateroom: a studio, an inside, an oceanview, a balcony and a mini-suite. We set off in various directions to start the tour.

 

Our first stop was an oceanview stateroom, located in the front of deck 11. The front of the ship angles outward from top to bottom beneath the bridge, and these staterooms have large circular windows that face the bow. Due to the angle of the forward wall, these cabins are a little bigger than a standard cabin, and the area underneath the window becomes a sitting area. There is a small sign next to the window which asks guests to keep their window shade closed at night, due to the glare of the light potentially interfering with the bridge crew immediately above.

 

Next we saw an inside stateroom: mine. I already described it and posted photos a couple days ago.

 

Our next stop was a mini-suite. I’m not a big fan of Norwegian calling these rooms “mini-suites” as they are virtually the same size as a standard balcony cabin, but with a larger bathroom. The bathroom has two sinks instead of one, and a bathtub instead of a shower stall. These are very good rooms for families with small children, where having a bathtub can be very handy. But besides the upgraded bathroom, no aspect of the stateroom (nor any additional services) qualify a “suite” designation. The balcony is the same size of those for standard balcony staterooms: SMALL!

 

Among the regular talk I’ve been overhearing on this cruise, one of the biggest topics has been the small size of the balconies. There is room for two chairs and a very small table, and that’s it. I think if I were to sit down in one of the chairs, my knees would almost touch the glass partition. And if you wanted to stretch out your legs, you’d have to turn your chair sideways.

 

But some cabins do have larger balconies, and our next stop was an aft balcony cabin. These look out from the rear of the ship, and due to the angle of the back, the balconies are about twice as deep. The cabin we saw was next to one of the aft corner suites, and I managed to snap a shot of their wide balcony, equipped with four chairs, a table and two padded loungers. We also saw a “hump balcony,” which are the staterooms located in two areas on each side of the ship which extend outward. The cabin that sits between the “hump” part and the normal part has an angled balcony, making it larger than the standard ones.

 

We then saw a studio cabin. The studios are 100-square-foot cabins designed for solo travelers, and was introduced on Norwegian Epic. It looked larger than I had expected. The full-sized bed was against one wall, and directly opposite were a couple closets. On the other side of the door were a shower stall, a toilet closet and a sink. The studio cabins can only be accessed by its guests, and there is a two-story lounge for their use. In addition, special gatherings for solo travelers are organized here, and passengers can also go to dinner together. There is a dedicated NCL staffer who organizes solo traveler events.

 

We also saw another balcony category (B6, I think) on deck 9 that had an extended balcony.

 

In addition to the small balconies, another complaint about the balcony cabins is the narrow space between the bed and the closet doors. There is only about one foot of space in front of the closet, and only one person could be there at the same time.

 

I spent the rest of the afternoon writing up the previous day’s blog post (these take longer than I thought they would!), then met Jake and his mom for an early dinner at 5:30 in the Manhattan Room. We were seated at a window table. My meal tonight included a corn chowder and pot roast. A note about the dinner menu: there are some menu items that change every night, and some items that are available every night. (This is common on most cruise ships.) One of the always-available items is actually not available on this sailing: the tortilla crisp appetizer.

 

We proceeded to the 7 pm performance of Rock of Ages, the first of four performances on this sailing. There has been a trend among new ship builds to feature Broadway shows on them. Norwegian Epic has Blue Man Group, and Royal Caribbean has Hairspray and Chicago on Oasis and Allure of the Seas, respectively. They get pared down from their original length so they can be performed in one long act.

 

Rock of Ages contains popular songs from the 80s rock era, intertwined into a couple story lines: two young lovers trying to succeed in show business, and the threat to a longstanding music club by a persistent developer who wants to build a shopping complex. The story lines are rather weak, and just exist to introduce the musical numbers.

 

I was mostly unfamiliar with the show before I saw it, and I hadn’t noticed the warning in the cruise newsletter: the show contains language and sexual themes. And boy, did it! Some of the characters are strippers at a nearby “gentleman’s club” and are donned in lingerie for most of the show. One scene simulates a sexual encounter in the club’s bathroom. And lots of sexual references and foul language throughout the rest of the show.

 

I talked with various passengers tonight to get their take on the show. Jake’s mom did not care for the “mature themes” and Jake admitted he felt uncomfortable with his mom there. And I know I certainly would have felt embarrassed had my mother been watching the show! The consensus I got from others is that while the cast and performances were excellent, the show itself just doesn’t fit within a cruise experience. I think there’s something to be said for artistic integrity in that the show was NOT sanitized for the cruise, but kept in its original form (besides being shortened to one act); but due to its content it can be a polarizing experience for some of the passengers.

 

One other note about Rock of Ages: when I scheduled it online before the trip, it was listed as a 75-minute performance. But it actually ran for 1 hour and 40 minutes, so plan your night accordingly.

 

After the show, we spent a little time in the Fat Cats Jazz & Blue Club. Fire and Ice performed, a singer and keyboardist duo which consisted of Rosie and Mac from Barbados. They gave a great show.

 

Afterwards, Jake and I decided to try the Ice Bar, since neither one of us did it when each of us was on the Epic. There is a $20 charge which includes two drinks. We were given a hooded, insulated poncho and cloth gloves, then directed through two doors into what looked like a large walk-in freezer. There is a bar made of ice, an ice carving of the Statue of Liberty, and an ice chair styled to look like a segment of the Brooklyn Bridge. Otherwise, it looks like a walk-in freezer. There is a NYC-themed drink menu, and the drinks are served in a glass made of ice. I was pretty underwhelmed with the experience, and I’m surprised it was repeated from Epic.

 

Yesterday, I mentioned that the crew appeared determined to run all activities as planned despite the North Atlantic weather, but that changed today. Tonight’s party originally planned for Spice H2O was moved indoors to the Atrium. Tonight was “Norwegians Night Out,” which is an optional “dress up” night. I was actually surprised how many passengers did dress up. Julie and her entertainment crew hosted the party. We later moved over to the Bliss nightclub, where DJ Arias was spinning. He’s doing a great job with the music, and is actively participating with the guests.

 

When Jake and I left bliss, we decided to get a late-night snack at O’Sheehans, an Irish-themed pub that serves food 24 hours a day. (Besides room service, it’s the only place you can get food after midnight.) We were surprised to see that they have a pared-down menu at night, with only six items on it: chicken pot pie, fish & chips, bacon cheeseburger, tuna salad sandwich, hot dog, buffalo wings. Strangely, no vegetarian options! What we really missed, though, were the chicken tenders that they had on the Dawn.

 

I turned back my watch for the third time before going to bed.

[philamike]

Forward-facing oceanview stateroom:

 

 

Small balconies!:

 

 

Mini-suite bathroom:

 

 

Aft-facing balcony:

 

 

Aft corner suite balcony (not sure what category):

 

 

"Hump" angled balcony:

 

[philamike]

Very little room in front of the closets:

 

 

Studio lounge:

 

 

Studio cabin:

 

 

Rock of Ages -- I sneaked a photo during the ovation...:

 

 

Fire & Ice at Fat Cats:

 

[philamike]

Me and Jake in the Ice Bar:

 

 

 

Norwegians' Night Out party in the Atrium:

 

[Cruisegirl6]

You are so wonderful to do this for us.

[SissasMomE]

Thursday, May 2 – Second Sea Day

 

We proceeded to the 7 pm performance of Rock of Ages, the first of four performances on this sailing. There has been a trend among new ship builds to feature Broadway shows on them. Norwegian Epic has Blue Man Group, and Royal Caribbean has Hairspray and Chicago on Oasis and Allure of the Seas, respectively. They get pared down from their original length so they can be performed in one long act.

 

Rock of Ages contains popular songs from the 80s rock era, intertwined into a couple story lines: two young lovers trying to succeed in show business, and the threat to a longstanding music club by a persistent developer who wants to build a shopping complex. The story lines are rather weak, and just exist to introduce the musical numbers.

 

I was mostly unfamiliar with the show before I saw it, and I hadn’t noticed the warning in the cruise newsletter: the show contains language and sexual themes. And boy, did it! Some of the characters are strippers at a nearby “gentleman’s club” and are donned in lingerie for most of the show. One scene simulates a sexual encounter in the club’s bathroom. And lots of sexual references and foul language throughout the rest of the show.

 

 

Now that is definitely disappointing to me. I'm not a big fan of crass performances, and given this is a family cruise line, I again have to ask - what was NCL thinking with this?!!

[rowdyrosie]

You could be Kevin's younger brother. You write well, I am enjoying.