Live Blog: Norwegian Breakaway Inaugural Transatlantic Cruise!

[philamike]

Greetings! Answering some questions that folks posted:

 

Angelfish2012: re: cigarette brands. I looked in the shop and saw these: Marlboro, Camel, Pall Mall, Kool, Newport, Winston, Salem.

 

Bugsy4271 and SissasMomE: re: the food and desserts. The food is no different than what’s on other Norewegian ships, so if you’re familiar with that then you’ll know. I think the food overall is good. Nice selection in the Garden Café. Desserts are tasty, of course! :-)

 

Tom-n-Cheryl: re: casino taxes. You are correct, once you win a certain amount, the cruise line needs to file the winnings with the IRS for a US-based passenger. I know that was discussed on our roll call before the trip, and I think the slot pull winnings may have been claimed by a non-US citizen as to avoid the US tax.

 

KollegeKreed: re: stateroom doors. Yes, the doors do swing out! (Except for studio cabins.) I haven’t really noticed that many room service trays in the hallway, but I think the staff is very quick to collect them.

 

Lyndamr:

Re: showers. The showers themselves are pretty roomy, compared to other ships I’ve been on. And the water pressure is great. I noticed it takes a little while (maybe 45 seconds) for the hot water to reach its maximum temperature, but that may be because I’m at the end of my hallway. And the hot water is HOT!

Re: coffeemakers. Yes, the balcony staterooms have coffeemakers.

Re: tables for 8 in the Garden Café. There are tables of all sizes, but I’m trying to remember if the maximum round table I saw was for 6 or 8. But there are plenty of tables for four (two seats on each side), which could be put together for a group of eight.

Re: electrical outlets. There are two American-style and two European-style outlets, on the back of the desk. There is also a “shavers only” outlet in the bathroom that can take either type of plug.

Re: lobster night. There was surf and turf on the first night’s menu. I think it will be the same for the regular itineraries.

 

Ctrinh225:

Re: Cabanas in Vibe. Vibe is not actually open for service on this sailing, probably because it’s so cold on this route. But the space itself is open, and I noticed some folks in the cabanas. But I think they’re simply open to whomever gets there first this week. Since there hasn’t been any on-board advertising for Vibe, I don’t know what the various costs are.

Re: ordering additional entrees. I heard someone say that in Cagney’s, you can only order one entrée. Not sure about the other restaurants.

Re: Hydrotherapy suite/relaxation room: these are for-fee. It’s $149 for the entire week, or $39 for a single port day. Passes can sell out.

 

Joanna0627:

Re: make-up mirrors. I looked back at my photos, and noticed a small make-up mirror in the mini-suite that was adhered to the main mirror. I’m sorry I don’t recall if they were in the balcony staterooms. But I can confirm that they are not in the inside rooms.

Re: restrictions for ropes course. The weight limit is 300 pounds. The height restriction says, “You must be 48” tall to participate without a chaperone.” So I’m not sure what they let kids do WITH a chaperone, but I did notice a “mini-course” underneath the stairs that appears to be child-sized.

 

Roe2ship: Re: Manhattan dining room. Yes, there is live music throughout the dinner, but they will take occasional breaks. Dancing is encouraged! I haven’t seen any restrictions about shorts, probably because no one is wearing them in the North Atlantic. :-) But I’d imagine that if there is a restriction, it would be for Manhattan Room, and not for Taste or Savor.

 

 

- Mike :-)

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

 

Tom-n-Cheryl: re: casino taxes. You are correct, once you win a certain amount, the cruise line needs to file the winnings with the IRS for a US-based passenger. I know that was discussed on our roll call before the trip, and I think the slot pull winnings may have been claimed by a non-US citizen as to avoid the US tax.

...

 

Thanks - that was to be our "solution" as well, but alas it has never been necessary... :(

 

Tom

[ibcnusoon]

M

 

Follow the fish! In stateroom hallways, the fish in the carpet always swim towards the front of the ship -- helps you get your bearings!:

 

 

great review, I love this carpet and the idea is wonderful!

[www3traveler]

Was there a fee charged for "Walk The Plank" and the "Toboggan Water Slide"? did you need to sign a wavier for the water slide?

Sounds like you are having a great trip. Thank you for taking the time to write, take pictures and post.

[gambee]

Can I ask what deck was the aft balcony you visited?

[Cruisegirl6]

Thank you and keep enjoying! :p

[peteukmcr]

 

Mini-suite bathroom:

 

Interesting that some mini suites have a bathtub with a ordinary shower over. We had a category MB mini suite and only had a large shower with a large shower head and 6 adjustable massage jets which is my preference. Do you remember the cabin number of the mini suite with the bathtub?

 

Ours from 10804 category MB

 

Edited May 3, 2013 by peteukmcr

[roe2ship]

Thanks so much, Mike!

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise!:)

[roe2ship]

Interesting that some mini suites have a bathtub with a ordinary shower over. We had a category MB mini suite and only had a large shower with a large shower head and 6 adjustable massage jets which is my preference. Do you remember the cabin number of the mini suite with the bathtub?

 

Ours from 10804 category MB

 

The mini-suites that actually have a bathtub are the ones listed as family mini-suites....I believe the categories for those are M2, M3 and M4. Edited May 3, 2013 by roe2ship

[peteukmcr]

The mini-suites that actually have a bathtub are the ones listed as family mini-suites....I believe the categories for those are M2, M3 and M4.

Thanks for that info, I'd rather have the shower only so know which categories to avoid.

[Cruisegirl6]

PhilaMike you mentioned there are coffee makers in balcony cabins are they keurig machines?

[janetz]

Great thread. Thanks so much. May have to switch my balcony on 10....;)

[green eyed lady]

I love this thread :D

 

A couple of cabin questions...regarding the balcony just off the hump that you posted...I am booked in one right next to that type...11780. 11782 is available...is it that much more room? Worth switching?

 

I saw the pic you posted where the bed is practically IN the closet lol. Do you know if every cabin is like that? I think I read somewhere that there's a way to figure out if your bed is by the balcony or the closet going by the deck plans. But I don't know how to tell. Do you know the cabin number for the pic you posted? I'm pretty sure they rotate every other cabin similar to Oasis and Allure.

 

Thanks again for this awesome thread and pics :D;)

[darrengs]

...I think I read somewhere that there's a way to figure out if your bed is by the balcony or the closet going by the deck plans. But I don't know how to tell. Do you know the cabin number for the pic you posted? I'm pretty sure they rotate every other cabin similar to Oasis and Allure.

 

If you look at the deck plans you can tell where the bed is by looking at the bump out in the wall. The area that is deeper is where the bed is.

[KrystalWaters]

OP, love the review. Was hoping that someone in your roll call had a M6 :D.

Looking forward to more.

Edited May 4, 2013 by KrystalWaters
Darn iPad auto correct

[KrystalWaters]

If you look at the deck plans you can tell where the bed is by looking at the bump out in the wall. The area that is deeper is where the bed is.

 

Not necessary...I thought that too...then got a rude awakening.:cool:

Glad I double and tripled checked

[JoePiz]

Couple questions...

 

Is pizza served late night?

 

Are there bowling lanes?

[dirtgirl]

Thank you so much for your review, Mike. I am on the May 12th sailing to Bermuda. :)

 

I have a question about the ropes course, and more specifically about the zipline portion. I had a severe neck injury back in 2010. I re-injured my neck on a zipline in Alaska in 2012 (my first time ziplining since my injury) - and it was injured due to a brake in the zipline. If I could control my own speed - no problem. But brakes in lines throw your neck around.

 

I am SO disheartened to hear that there is a brake in the line.:( Did it jolt you a lot? Do you have to do the zipline to finish the course, or is there a bypass to it? I am so sad as I am a fitness buff, and love to zipline. I have been so looking forward to doing the ropes course. I hope I can do it without doing the zipline, much as I'd love to do it.

[cruise0830]

thanks Mike,.

[green eyed lady]

Not necessary...I thought that too...then got a rude awakening.:cool:

Glad I double and tripled checked

 

So do you know how to figure it out? :confused:

[green eyed lady]

If you look at the deck plans you can tell where the bed is by looking at the bump out in the wall. The area that is deeper is where the bed is.

 

Yea but looking at the deck plans it makes no sense. It looks like the cabins with the bump out in the wall are bigger than the one next to it. and if it has the deeper area, it still doesn't tell me where the bed is. Can you explain :confused:

[luvcruise50]

Thanks

[bob brown]

Yea but looking at the deck plans it makes no sense. It looks like the cabins with the bump out in the wall are bigger than the one next to it. and if it has the deeper area, it still doesn't tell me where the bed is. Can you explain :confused:

I'll try to help....look again at the plan http://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/breakaway/decks/2/8

If you enlarge your browser to 200%, it will help.

Now look at cabin 8164. It is much wider in the center, than the adjacent 8162 and 8166. It creates an optical illusion of being larger. But if you notice, those cabins are wider near the balcony. Both layouts are the same width at the entry door end.

The wider portion shows where the bed(s) are located.

The cabins are designed in an alternating, interlocking fashion, basically to cram more of them in a given space.

Each design has its proponents, depending on whether you want the beds nearer to the bathroom or to the view. Or whether you want to have the 'living area' closer to the view....

[Educators2]

Love the blog. Can't wait until our June 2 cruise. Is there a great outdoors for eating behind the Garden Cafe? That's such a nice spot on the Gem and the Jewel. Thanks.

Susan

[green eyed lady]

I'll try to help....look again at the plan http://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/breakaway/decks/2/8

If you enlarge your browser to 200%, it will help.

Now look at cabin 8164. It is much wider in the center, than the adjacent 8162 and 8166. It creates an optical illusion of being larger. But if you notice, those cabins are wider near the balcony. Both layouts are the same width at the entry door end.

The wider portion shows where the bed(s) are located.

The cabins are designed in an alternating, interlocking fashion, basically to cram more of them in a given space.

Each design has its proponents, depending on whether you want the beds nearer to the bathroom or to the view. Or whether you want to have the 'living area' closer to the view....

 

Thanks for the explanation but I'm still confused lol :rolleyes: I'm in 11780 but I want the bed near the balcony...not the closet. So can anyone tell me for sure if I'm in a good one or not? :confused: I could also move to 11782 which is just off the hump so it has the angled balcony which according the the OP is a little bigger than a standard one. :D

 

After looking at your explanation again...I think I should switch to 11782. Does that seem right?

Edited May 4, 2013 by green eyed lady