Breakaway 5/19 - Random Thoughts on Casino, Vibe Cabana, Haven, and More

[riclop]

The Breakaway is a very over rated ship. You want a great experience try the Allure or Oasis.

[shaun07]

Excellent point about the elevators! We would just take the elevator to deck 15, then enter the Haven space by the keyed door on the port forward side, and take the stairs inside (on your right side) up to the Concierge Lounge. But since our suite was on deck 15, we knew the door and stairs were there, and I think that most didn't even know there was a Haven entrance on that floor! Strange design with only a few elevators in the same bank going all the way up.

 

Another note about Vibe, finding it wasn't easy, as there is no elevator to deck 17, and you can't access it from deck 16 starboard side (it's located deck 17 starboard). You can take the elevator to either deck 15 or 16, go outside on PORT side, and take stairs up from there. Once you get up to deck 17, walk forward and cross over to starboard for the entrance. It took us a while to find it the first time.

 

Robin

 

Also all the bathrooms on deck 17 in the haven are wheelchair accessible but there is no elevator to deck 17 so the only way someone could get there is if they are carried up the stairs.

[time2cruise1]

The Breakaway is a very over rated ship. You want a great experience try the Allure or Oasis.

 

So you have sailed on the Breakaway ?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[BettyCruiser]

So you have sailed on the Breakaway ?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

 

I was wondering the same thing.

 

IMO the Breakaway and Allure/Oasis isn't a good comparison, I like to compare ships of similar size.

 

I think the BIG question will be what is best Breakaway, Royal Princess or Quantum of the Seas, all similar size with Quantum a bit bigger...

[time2cruise1]

I was wondering the same thing.

 

IMO the Breakaway and Allure/Oasis isn't a good comparison, I like to compare ships of similar size.

 

I think the BIG question will be what is best Breakaway, Royal Princess or Quantum of the Seas, all similar size with Quantum a bit bigger...

 

Simple answer each of those will be the best to different people. It really comes down to what is best for each individual.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[NW Pacific]

Is the Freestyle Daily still left in your room at night? Have been reading how electronic everything is, was wondering abut this.

 

Now I am sure I missed it somewhere in the great reviews but are there pictures of the Haven Area? We are looking at booking a suite with Haven Access- but now kind of thinking about a non-haven suite and paying for the Vibe- any opinion?

[riclop]

I was wondering the same thing.

 

IMO the Breakaway and Allure/Oasis isn't a good comparison, I like to compare ships of similar size.

 

I think the BIG question will be what is best Breakaway, Royal Princess or Quantum of the Seas, all similar size with Quantum a bit bigger...

Size does not matter, its the overall experience from embarkation to debarkation and yes i have been on all 3 and the overall experience is not even close Oasis and Allure are SO much better!!!

[BettyCruiser]

Size does not matter, its the overall experience from embarkation to debarkation and yes i have been on all 3 and the overall experience is not even close Oasis and Allure are SO much better!!!

 

I did say IMO, obviously this is your opinion...

[Demonyte]

Is the Freestyle Daily still left in your room at night? Have been reading how electronic everything is, was wondering abut this.

 

I'm not the OP but yes it is. Only other way of getting the info easily to go would be that every passenger onboard would have iConcierge supported smart phone or tablet and IMO the application is nowhere close to replace the printed Freestyle daily so I wouldn't worry about it for years to come.

[Fishbait17]

Is the Freestyle Daily still left in your room at night? Have been reading how electronic everything is, was wondering abut this.

 

Now I am sure I missed it somewhere in the great reviews but are there pictures of the Haven Area? We are looking at booking a suite with Haven Access- but now kind of thinking about a non-haven suite and paying for the Vibe- any opinion?

 

Not sure where you can find pictures of the Haven, but I'm sure there are some posted in other reviews both on this board and other sites. But it really doesn't matter anyway, all true suites on the Breakaway come with Haven access, no matter where they are located on the ship. Vibe was a great area, I would gladly pay for it again, but we had more bad weather than nice, so didn't get a lot of use of it.

 

Robin

[Les_Bill]

Do you know if the video poker offered anything other than the basic one line configuration? Thanks in advance

[Fishbait17]

Do you know if the video poker offered anything other than the basic one line configuration? Thanks in advance

 

There were definitely some multi-hand games mixed in, but never got close enough to them to get a good look (always taken). At least six VP machines of at least two different types, and likely more, plus I think they had VP at the casino bar.

 

Robin

[Les_Bill]

Thanks Robin:)

[coka]

Hiya Coka! Long time, no see! To answer your questions:

 

1). The ship didn't seem to have too much in the way of "new ship kinks". Working on signage for both the casino smoking areas and Vibe cabanas is something that I would blame on that. Maybe even the Le Bistro problems can be worked out in time. But it was more of a "different" feeling of the ship in general (see answer #2 for more on this).

 

2). This ship felt like a bit of a departure from my regular NCL experiences. Really hard to explain, but it felt more like a money-churning business than a friendly sailing - not nearly as personalized as previous NCL cruises. It could be simply the size of the ship and number of passengers, maybe also partly due to the increase of extra-charge experiences, etc. I felt a bit of departure on my Epic sailing, but that one leaned more toward "personal". The Breakaway crossed that line, leaning more toward "impersonal" if that makes any sense. It almost felt like I was sailing on a different line, not like "home". I would probably sail her again, once prices drop, because NYC is just so easy for me. But my expectations would be adjusted, and I would be better prepared for the "different" experience. Really, it wasn't so much "bad" as just "different". Hope that makes sense!

 

Robin

 

Yes, it makes total sense to me. Thanks for the reply!

 

coka

[NW Pacific]

? the Haven restaurant- is this open for dinner also for no upcharge?

Have read that access to the Haven can be "complicated", where would you suggest getting a room that would have the best access. Haven on 17?, cannot figure out if it is Aft or Foreward.

[Bobbye]

Next I will discuss our experiences with Vibe and our cabana. I had requested a Vibe cabana, for the full week, through the pre-cruise concierge, along with one extra pass (we had three adults). Upon boarding, we asked the asst concierge about the Vibe cabana and pass and she was able to book it for us. While she did have notes as to our request, She was NOT able to book it without us actually standing there, so there is so far NO pre-booking prior to sailing. The Cabana cost $299 for the week, including two passes and $100 food and beverage credit for Vibe only. The extra pass cost $79 for the week.

 

The cabana was great, when it was usable. Our sail away Sunday was raining and Vibe was not open. Monday's weather was still not pleasant, but hubby and daughter were able to use the Vibe cabana for a little time (maybe 1/2 hour). Tuesday was a bit better, and they used it for maybe 2 hours in between rain clouds to read. Wed, Thurs, and Fri in Bermuda had fantastic weather, but we were off the ship the first two days and never used it. Friday we stayed on the ship and used the cabana for about four hours including sail away. Once we set sail, it got too windy so we went indoors. Saturday Vibe was closed altogether due to bad weather. The cabana does a great job of protecting against the wind if the sun is out, with no sun it was pretty cold up there!

 

Vibe itself was pretty much empty for most of our sailing, and closed often. I think the bar and service was closed by 7pm or so, but our sea days closed the whole area for several hours each day. For the time we were able to use it, it was a lovely space. We used our $100 F&B credit for a few buckets of beer, which we finished in our cabin or put and about the ship.

 

They are still disorganized with the cabanas and rentals. All five cabanas were rented during our week. On Monday, hubby asked about our cabana and we were "assigned" cabana #5. There was nobody checking when people used them. Twice, when we went to use our cabana, it was already in use. The first time, the attendant asked the people inside about their "rental" and they vacated, saying they didn't know they were "for rent". The second time, we came up to find that four of five cabanas (including ours) had items left inside, but no people (the fifth cabana was occupied by its "renters"). We waited about 1/2 hour for an attendant to come and figure out what to do - he finally removed the contents of cabana #5 and placed them behind the Vibe bar. When the gentleman finally returned, he asked us where he could collect his "stuff". It was fine but a bit uncomfortable. There is NO signage in Vibe regarding the cabanas, stating that they cost extra $ and are available for rent, so people would just set up inside for the day not knowing they were doing anything wrong. This problem could be simply solved with a sign near the cabanas, and possibly each cabana with a clear "pocket" sign where they could insert your name or something for the week (something like "Reserved" etc). There were no locks. Not very organized at all.

 

The two Vibe hot tubs were not really "hot" at all, basically about body temperature. I am used to this on ships (and we keep our home hot tub very warm) but these felt almost cold.. Bartenders were great! The whole place would have been worth it more if weather had been better, but all-in-all we enjoyed what little time we did use it.

 

A few comments -- we got a Vibe pass this past week even though we had Haven access. We also requested through the pre-concierge but had to book it in person once on board.

 

They did put up signage this week on each cabana that they are rented and not for general use.

 

Even though they say the $100 on board credit is just for Vibe, it is placed on the account as a general on board credit that can be used for anything but the daily service fees. At least that is what we experienced on the 5/26 cruise.

Edited June 3, 2013 by Bobbye

[Fishbait17]

A few comments -- we got a Vibe pass this past week even though we had Haven access. We also requested through the pre-concierge but had to book it in person once on board.

 

They did put up signage this week on each cabana that they are rented and not for general use.

 

Even though they say the $100 on board credit is just for Vibe, it is placed on the account as a general on board credit that can be used for anything but the daily service fees. At least that is what we experienced on the 5/26 cruise.

 

Good to know about the signage, it was needed! Much less confusion I'm sure!

 

Robin

[Fishbait17]

? the Haven restaurant- is this open for dinner also for no upcharge?

Have read that access to the Haven can be "complicated", where would you suggest getting a room that would have the best access. Haven on 17?, cannot figure out if it is Aft or Foreward.

 

Yes, the Haven restaurant is available for all meals at no charge for Haven guests. For easiest access, any suite surrounding the Haven on deck 16 would be best (the Haven is forward). But I wouldn't choose a suite necessarily for easiest Haven access, the two room aft suites are some of the best on the ship and I would book one of these before I would book a single room Haven Penthouse. You have to decide what your priorities are, whether it's being closest to the Haven or the suite itself.

 

Robin

Edited June 3, 2013 by Fishbait17

[mommyto2girls]

Size does not matter, its the overall experience from embarkation to debarkation and yes i have been on all 3 and the overall experience is not even close Oasis and Allure are SO much better!!!

 

Just curious since you are saying overall experience from embarkation to debarkation how long were you on the Breakaway? We had an invite when the Oasis first sailed and did not like it but then realized it was just too short of a time to judge.

[cruiseclues]

Nice Review. Thank you for the details that few have mentioned. :):):):)

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Good review - thanks!

 

Nothing worse for smokers and non-smokers (in an environment where there are supposed "areas" for each) than not having proper signage or enforcement... :(

 

I love how people are now reviewing the review :). For what its worth I give 5 out of 5 stars

 

One thing that frustrated me was the elevators to the Haven.

That bank has 8 elevators, 4 of which go to deck 16(main haven floor). When you press the up button you have to hope 1 of the 4 come, which of course they hardly ever do. You can get off at 15 and enter the haven, then walk up a flight of stairs to get to the main haven floor . This was fine for me but one elderly gentleman was very annoyed about it.

 

The elevators for the Haven on the Epic were one factor in our booking a suite outside of the Haven (S6) on the Breakaway. Seemed to take forever coming/going from deck 17 on the Epic on both of our sailings. Since we'll be on deck 9 on the Breakaway it's my goal to avoid the elevators as much as possible - with deck 6,7, and 8 so close by!

 

Tom

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

The Breakaway is a very over rated ship. You want a great experience try the Allure or Oasis.

 

Which week did you sail the Breakaway - how would you compare it pros/cons with the Oasis class ships (which we did enjoy)? We sailed both the Allure and Oasis this year.

 

We loved the Epic, so I have a pretty good idea we'll like the Breakaway as well.

 

Tom

[gambee]

I agree with you. Reviews should not be dragged out longer than the time you actually spent on the ship. This one was great!

 

Thanks for the detailed review!! Pay attention people.... THIS is how to write a review. Short, direct and to the point:)

 

Is this a hint to me ;). lol, anyway, it's cool we all review differently.

 

 

 

 

Fishbait: It was really nice to meet you, I loved your review. It is interesting to read all the different experiences that everyone had onboard the same sailing.

 

One thing is for sure, I would of been really pissed off if I had bought the Vibe pass and half of the time the area had been closed. I am really happy that I did not purchase either Vibe or Spa passes. Although I might consider Vibe on future Caribbean sailings.

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, I was not expecting a review from you. But it is certainly well appreciated.

 

I heard that Joeski did a review as well, but I can't seem to find it.

 

 

Until next time ;).

[sjbdtz]

Hiya Coka! Long time, no see! To answer your questions:

 

1). The ship didn't seem to have too much in the way of "new ship kinks". Working on signage for both the casino smoking areas and Vibe cabanas is something that I would blame on that. Maybe even the Le Bistro problems can be worked out in time. But it was more of a "different" feeling of the ship in general (see answer #2 for more on this).

 

2). This ship felt like a bit of a departure from my regular NCL experiences. Really hard to explain, but it felt more like a money-churning business than a friendly sailing - not nearly as personalized as previous NCL cruises. It could be simply the size of the ship and number of passengers, maybe also partly due to the increase of extra-charge experiences, etc. I felt a bit of departure on my Epic sailing, but that one leaned more toward "personal". The Breakaway crossed that line, leaning more toward "impersonal" if that makes any sense. It almost felt like I was sailing on a different line, not like "home". I would probably sail her again, once prices drop, because NYC is just so easy for me. But my expectations would be adjusted, and I would be better prepared for the "different" experience. Really, it wasn't so much "bad" as just "different". Hope that makes sense!

 

Robin

 

 

Hi Robin, did you mention who the concierge was? Is Sean already in place as HD? Did you happen to mention any of the Le Bistro concerns?

 

I'm intrigued about the PIN number, as I play tables usually... thanks for posting that tidbit! :)

 

 

Am possibly considering a really short-notice trip in a few weeks, so am hastily trying to catch-up on everything.

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

[Fishbait17]

Hi Robin, did you mention who the concierge was? Is Sean already in place as HD? Did you happen to mention any of the Le Bistro concerns?

 

I'm intrigued about the PIN number, as I play tables usually... thanks for posting that tidbit! :)

 

 

Am possibly considering a really short-notice trip in a few weeks, so am hastily trying to catch-up on everything.

 

 

Stephen

 

 

.

 

Hey Stephen! Might have forgotten to mention that Ruth was the concierge - not my favorite, but she does the job well. Can't remember about Sean... Meant to mention the Le Bistro stuff to the Rest guy, just never got around to it, thought it would be settled by the second reservation which was late in the sailing, and by then it just seemed too late.. The PIN is awesome - as a player you know what to do with the chits ;)....

 

Robin