Breakaway Review Aug 18-25

[SmurfinIrish]

I'm always reading about people grabbing up the lounge chairs early in the morning. Does it happen all over the ship or just by the pools?

[cemetery-man]

I'm always reading about people grabbing up the lounge chairs early in the morning

 

This is sad to hear. I know when we cruised with RCCL on Voyager of the Seas, they didn't allow chair hoarding. If a lounge chair sat unattended for so long they would take the belongings to the towel station so someone could use the chair.

 

I'm starting to feel a little uneasy with my decision to choose NCL from the things I am reading on here. Seafood night only in the buffet? Prime rib night only in the buffet? crowded dining rooms? Etc.. I thought freestyle cruising was supposed to be more relaxing but it sounds like a lot of hurrying around to get everywhere fast and grab everything up first. Sounds like a real rat race just to get a seat to eat, a pass to a lounge or a lounge chair to relax on deck.

 

I even read somewhere that the Breakaway didn't even have the popular NCL chocolate buffet?

[Starry Eyes]

This is sad to hear. I know when we cruised with RCCL on Voyager of the Seas, they didn't allow chair hoarding. If a lounge chair sat unattended for so long they would take the belongings to the towel station so someone could use the chair.

 

I'm starting to feel a little uneasy with my decision to choose NCL from the things I am reading on here. Seafood night only in the buffet? Prime rib night only in the buffet? crowded dining rooms? Etc.. I thought freestyle cruising was supposed to be more relaxing but it sounds like a lot of hurrying around to get everywhere fast and grab everything up first. Sounds like a real rat race just to get a seat to eat, a pass to a lounge or a lounge chair to relax on deck.

I am surprised you saw RCI policing the pool deck. I'd really like to see that someday, but I will not hold my breathe. I have been on multiple Royal Caribbean cruises (I am Diamond Plus). Each and every time the weather was nice, I witnessed chair hogging on every single cruise. Though they ask people not to hog chairs in the Compass, I have never seen RCI enforce the rule. Same as NCL. I love both lines (and Celebrity), so I am not trying to bash one or the other. None of them seem to deal well with chair hogging; perhaps it is too much effort, but more likely wish to anger and/or offend the chair hog.

 

To my mind there are two relatively small differences on the Breakaway. First in the daily, they ask people not to hold chair for more than 60 minutes (vs 30 minutes on most ships). I suspect that may encourage the hogs a bit, but the worst hogs on any ship are gone for hours at a time or never really use all the chairs they hold. Secondly, based on my recent experience, unfortunately the Breakaway may be drawing a crowd with more ill-mannered passengers than most cruises. I know there are many, many well-mannered people, but sadly on board there also appear to be a substantial number of rude, self important chair-hog and rule-breakers and line-cutters and stand-in-a-big-pack-blocking-the-whole-corridor types. I hate to say it and I wish it were not so. My recent Breakaway cruise sadly had more of these types than my second worst one, Explorer of the Seas out of New Jersey. Those two were noticeably worse than any of my cruises (43 total) from Florida or the various other US ports or Europe or San Juan. Again, I do not mean to offend the polite people from the vicinity; those were aboard, too. I see you are scheduled for the Getaway; it may be different; I hope so.

 

Prime rib is a special offering in the buffet and pub the first night. It was offered in the MDR's on a different night later in the cruise. I like the pub, and If I'd really wanted prime rib that night, I'd have gone there. Instead, I went to a specialty restaurant to first night; that was relaxing and we got a free bottle of wine for reserving the specialty restaurant the first night (if you care to look at it that way, for a solo or couple, the value of the wine would offset much of the cost of a less expensive specialty restaurant, like the Italian one).

 

Seafood night was in the buffet on the second night, including lobster tails. Some people pushed in and took many tails without blushing. It was strange to have the lobster there, but if some passengers are going to aggressively demanding, perhaps better to confine that to the buffet.

 

I did not have to wait more than a few minutes for a table in the MDR the three nights we ate there. The tables in the MDR's were less crowded than many other ships.

 

I always found a table in the buffet. Maybe not right inside the doors, but certainly a few yards further ( and still close to the oft-repeating serving stations).

 

Here is my NCL chocolate buffet story: I love chocolate, and was intrigued by the midnight chocolate buffet on my first cruise 13 years ago. An early riser, I was tired after a busy day, but dragged myself toward the dining room at midnight on the appointed night. Outside was a long, long, slow moving line of people with cameras in hand. Seeing how slow the the line (photo delays, perhaps), I went back to my cabin, and I have never bothered to try again on any other NCL cruise. That was an old, smaller ship no longer in the fleet. If that crowd gathered on a small ship, I cannot imagine the size of the potential crowd on a big ship. Since then I have been told the display is better than the taste, anyway. So, I did not miss the chocolate display on Breakaway; there were other venues and features to more than offset that.

[cruisendave]

During our July 28th sailing on the Breakaway, we witnessed staff marking unattended lounge chairs with stickers in order to keep the hogs away.

[OceanBlue123]

...

I even read somewhere that the Breakaway didn't even have the popular NCL chocolate buffet?

True. No Chocoholic Buffet. In fact, the buffet always closes before midnight. Conveniently, midnight is also when they start charging for room service.

[SuiteCruiser]

True. No Chocoholic Buffet. In fact, the buffet always closes before midnight. Conveniently, midnight is also when they start charging for room service.

 

But there's a massive 24 hour sit down restaurant that you can go to. Far better than going to a pared down buffet to eat. Most lines don't offer that.

 

What else did you notice about your cruise?

[KerCar]

If you book the Cirque style show for one of the two port nights, then you will not risk having the show shortened or canceled due to rough seas.

 

Is this something that happens often? I've got Cirque booked for the last night at sea. Your post has me wondering if I should switch to another night.

 

 

Thanks to the OP for a great review!

[Momofcandk]

Cruisendave on July 7 trip they were marking chairs also. Shhh about vibe we will never get in again...lol

[OceanBlue123]

But there's a massive 24 hour sit down restaurant that you can go to. Far better than going to a pared down buffet to eat. Most lines don't offer that.

 

What else did you notice about your cruise?

 

Well, I noticed that the already rather short menu at your "massive" O'Sheehans became even shorter at night. Again, this happened at about the same time that they would start charging for room service.

[Momofcandk]

Awesome wings n mozz sticks at O'Sheehans

[OceanBlue123]

Is this something that happens often? I've got Cirque booked for the last night at sea. Your post has me wondering if I should switch to another night.

 

Thanks to the OP for a great review!

I do not know how often it happens, but I do know it has happened. I also know that the last night is likely to be the roughest of the Bermuda cruise since the ship takes two and a half slow days to sail down but rushes back at high speed in only one and a half days.

[Keith1010]

Thanks for posting this review.

 

Keith

[Tiggertastic]

a great review, glad you enjoyed it

 

I certainly would have made the cabin next door known to guest relations

 

re the cirque show, our friends were telling us that they were amazing on that last night, being able to put on the full show without noticing any ship movement

 

we did the backstage tour, the platinum tour was the first day at sea at 11am and the bookable tour was on the second day at sea and there were 2 times available both in the morning. We went to the bookable one as the platinum one clashed with the meet and greet. We got to see the backstage of the cirque and they showed how they run from door to door down a back tunnel whilst changing their clothes. The freezers were great fun too.

[al70grogan]

The lobster's were weak......kind of something you would see at Golden Corral :D.(Not a make or break for me)

 

We had Cirque reservations for the last night but it was cancelled due to rough seas. (I'll catch it next time)

 

Peace Brian:)

[lacrossemitch]

Great review Brian! Quick question, how much were the haven passes?

[Starry Eyes]

I do not know how often it happens, but I do know it has happened. I also know that the last night is likely to be the roughest of the Bermuda cruise since the ship takes two and a half slow days to sail down but rushes back at high speed in only one and a half days.

 

We were sailing 19 to 20 knots on the return trip, as I recall. I would not call that "high speed." I'd call that a rather normal speed for a cruise ship.

 

The trip down to Bermuda is slower speed. They load BA on Sunday, a convenient day for many people, but, due to dock space, have no rush to get to Bermuda (Dawn occupies the dock until late Tuesday afternoon, the Bermuda dock workers presumably go home, and then Breakaway docks first thing Wednesday am). As I recall, even if the ship has a medical issue aboard, she may arrive in Bermuda waters early to transfer the patient, but then hangs back and she docks as scheduled.

[al70grogan]

Great review Brian! Quick question, how much were the haven passes?

Vibe passes were $78 a piece.

Peace Brian:)

[KerCar]

The lobster's were weak......kind of something you would see at Golden Corral :D.(Not a make or break for me)

 

We had Cirque reservations for the last night but it was cancelled due to rough seas. (I'll catch it next time)

 

Peace Brian:)

 

Thanks for the info, Brian. Were the seas unusually rough that night? I'm still debating whether I should switch my reservation to another night.

[al70grogan]

Thanks for the info, Brian. Were the seas unusually rough that night? I'm still debating whether I should switch my reservation to another night.

 

6 out of the 7 days weather was great. 85 and blue skies. Sea days going -calm .Sea day coming back was really windy and boat was rocking pretty good.

 

Heard nothing but good things about the cirque show

 

Peace Brian :)

[Heidict]

Thanks for the great review. We are looking to book our first NCL cruise on the Breakaway for next April. I have a couple of questions though, if any one can help.

 

How much are the vibe passes? Also, on Carnival, the kids could have dinner in the kids club. Do they do this on the Breakaway also or will we have to pull our daughter out to feed her dinner? Is their a minimum age for the cirque dinner? I know my 8 year old would love it but if she is not allowed then that is fine. How much is the dinner show? Thanks for your help!

 

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[al70grogan]

Thanks for the great review. We are looking to book our first NCL cruise on the Breakaway for next April. I have a couple of questions though, if any one can help.

 

How much are the vibe passes? Also, on Carnival, the kids could have dinner in the kids club. Do they do this on the Breakaway also or will we have to pull our daughter out to feed her dinner? Is their a minimum age for the cirque dinner? I know my 8 year old would love it but if she is not allowed then that is fine. How much is the dinner show? Thanks for your help!

 

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Vibe passes are $78 a peice

 

The spalsh academy(kids club) closes from 12-2 and 5-7 .

 

No minimum age for cirque. I believe it was $40 for dinner/show. They also have VIP seats for $60

 

Peace Brian:)

[pe4all]

I do not know how often it happens, but I do know it has happened. I also know that the last night is likely to be the roughest of the Bermuda cruise since the ship takes two and a half slow days to sail down but rushes back at high speed in only one and a half days.

We were at bingo, and one of the guests actually asked why it took such a short time to get back to NY, and a longer time to get to Bermuda. Simon (the assistant CD) quipped "because we are sailing downhill back to NY." It was really funny, and some people in the audience were heard to say "that makes sense!":p:D

Heard nothing but good things about the cirque show

We went to the Cirque show on one of the Bermuda nights. The place was empty. We had tried to get premium seats, and they told us they were "sold out." Pretty hard to do when literally ALL the booths around the back were empty, as was one of the two tables located "on" the stage. We then found out there is no such thing as premium seat pricing anymore. As far as the show goes - truthfully, if you have seen one Cirque show, this was pretty much the same - very flexible acrobats, and very wierd animals prancing around! I will tell you - imho the food was pretty bad! :)

[Heidict]

Vibe passes are $78 a peice

 

The spalsh academy(kids club) closes from 12-2 and 5-7 .

 

No minimum age for cirque. I believe it was $40 for dinner/show. They also have VIP seats for $60

 

Peace Brian:)

Thanks for your answers Brian. So excited that she can do the Cirque dinner!

[NYFirstTimeCruiser]

Thanks for the feed back

 

Your teen has to be social and make friends. The counselors don't do much to start friendships. My daughter did her thing and hung out with kids her age. My son who's always quiet didn't make any friends. Daughter had fun. Son, so-so