Second Thoughts on Breakaway

[bobg529]

I was on the inaugural voyage out of NY back in May and when I first got home I was kind of mixed up in my emotions. I had a good time but I also felt very disappointed. You've heard all the complaints by now and mine were no different than the rest. But as time has passed and I've reflected on the voyage, I think I was too harsh. Maybe my expectations were too high. OK, everything wasn't as I had imagined, but it being my first inaugural I really didn't know what to expect. Someday, I will sail Breakaway again, knowing better what she is all about and I won't feel so conflicted. She really is a nice ship, not perfect, but very nice. If you sail her with an open mind, you will have fun. I hope that some of my comments didn't dissuade anyone from trying her. They were said more to guide in correcting what was wrong than anything. I think a lot of us got caught up in the hype. I just felt I needed to get this off my chest so please excuse me for venting. :)

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Honey, Honey, Honey........please don't bash yourself so! Sometimes your first impression is your most honest impression. I take everything with the proverbial grain of salt.

 

I am in the process of planning our 30th anniversary cruise for DH and I, (he is totally NOT involved nor interested except for the cost :eek:), but we have no children, we've never been to Bermuda, we LOVE NYC, and our only concern is the well being of our two dogs. I can't think of anything better, and believe me I've checked all the other lines, than sailing on the Breakaway in an Aft Haven Penthouse Suite on Deck 11 with the balcony access from the bedroom for our anniversary. I have been totally obsessed with this since mid June.

 

I say thank God for CC and all the reviews, both good and bad, for helping me plan.

 

So rest easy, bless your heart, and thank you for your contributions! :D

[islandhoppingfool]

Thank you for sharing Bob.

 

The reviews have improved immensely over the months. We learned a long time ago...never to go to a "grand opening".

 

It is comparable to going to a new restaurant. You know the staff is good, the ambiance is good, the food is good and yet opening night was a disaster. Takes a while to work out the kinks.

 

We leave on the Breakaway this Sunday...the feeling of being excited, never gets old. Have a great day.:o Thank you again.

[karoo]

Thanks for your honest review. It's always good to read different opinions. I read them all. It doesn't stop me from going and having a great time, but it's always great to be forewarned so you can avoid possible problems. Many companies welcome customer feedback as that is the only way they can overcome and work to improve things. Often your first impressions are the most accurate. Through reading Cruise Critic and other travel forums I have learnt not to take a vacation during the long US Summer school break. I always choose September/October. We are also people that try to 'Zig' when others 'Zag' thus avoiding long lines/wait times etc. So it's great to read where the lines/wait times possibly are etc. I never worry about food comments as I have done a lot of cruises with NCL and know we both like the MDR for dinner, the buffet for breakfast and lunch. Plenty of choice for breakfast, choice of a variety of rolls, salads, hot meats and fillings for lunch. We also like Le Bistro, but prefer the MDR to the other specialties. Not overly keen on O Sheahan's and haven't tried Ocean Blue. We probably won't, as we've checked out the menu and nothing really appeals. Being non US though we probably have different tastes, but always enjoy the food on board. So here's hoping for a great cruise! (And if we don't enjoy the Breakaway, that's okay. We'll go back to the Jewel Class ships which we love and prefer over the Epic!) :)

[dcollette]

First off, don't be sorry for posting your review. Your thoughts and feelings were just that. Does it mean the ship is horrible? No, just that they had some things to work out. You can't fix what you don't know is broken. Personally, I thank you for your review, because it seems that they have corrected many of the early issues thanks to people like you who speak up. I always go with an open mind and let the situation speak for itself. It is good to hear from others and we will probably be doing things during "off" times to have less crowds and waiting. This time around, sailing with NCL, I am going to really embrace the freestyle part of cruising.

 

Please don't feel the need to beat yourself up over your honest opinions. I don't think people cancelled any cruise based on what they read. I think I would've had huge expectations on an inaugural sailing as well and I probably would've been equally disappointed. By the time we sail, all the kinks should be ironed out and I am only going with the expectation of having a fun vacation with my family.

[1witchydiva]

Please don't apologize. I appreciated every review that people took their time to write. Good or bad. They helped me plan the cruise and gave me expectations that were reasonable. My hubby joked with me constantly how I knew that ship so well before we boarded. I knew what I could possibly be confronted with. Drunk passengers brawling in bars, tub toys in the Haven pool. I read about these scenarios so when I was confronted with them, I just laughed to myself, used the drunks as a "why alcohol is bad "talk with my kids. I made Lemonade out of the lemons I was presented with . If I didn't know how crowded the pool deck is , or that I needed reservations for shows , I may have missed out on a lot. So, thank you.

Breakaway had so much hype. As with any new product, it is never exactly like they say it will be. Nothing or nobody is perfect. :)

[bingo3]

Definitely don't apologize! The reviews help the rest of us keep our expectations in check and we go in already knowing what some of the concerns may be, how to avoid if possible, etc. And, as others have said, hopefully the "powers that be" at NCL also read them and work to correct whatever can be corrected.

 

The problem with an inaugural cruise is the expectations are high and you have no reviews for reference yourself! I can imagine the disappointment. Hopefully, those of us who have read the reviews won't be as disappointed because we already know everything is not perfect and some things aren't as good as they could be!

Debbie