NYC Breakaway 9-15-2013 w/ pics

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

We returned to the ship to be greeted by cold towels and water. When we got back we changed and ate at the Manhattan Room. We were seated at the back window which would have great view if the middle window frame was not right at eye level. We handed our "anniversary" card to the waiter and were presented with a small cake that we took back to our room. We went to see Second City "Totally at Sea" which was somewhat funny but, not being a real fan, did not feel the need to attend any more of their shows, all of which are different.

 

We went back to the cabin to chill with the Balcony door open. You could hear the sea and the music from other parts of the ship and it was totally relaxing. We went looking for the crepes and also had Coconut ice cream, something I cannot seem to find elsewhere. Delish! We went to O'Sheehans to watch Dancing with the Breakaway stars in the Atrium. It was hilarious. As an aside, due to the lack of seating to watch these events in the Atrium you need to be both creative and accommodating. I noticed people would have bubbles of space around them or leave an empty seat between. I politely asked two couples to scoot over a bit so that we could pull up another stool and we all fit fine along the railing. People keep repeating that the passengers are New Yorkers, as if that means something negative. I did not encounter a rude or unaccommodating person all week. If you ask people nicely, and in turn answer nicely, everyone gets along. I especially noticed people in the elevator wishing others a nice day or whatever. Coming from the South we tend to nod and greet each person we pass and it was usually reciprocated, if not initiated by all I passed.

 

We went back to the cabin to relax and enjoy the sounds of a noisy wharf when disaster struck. DH flushed the toilet only to have it start overflowing with a vengeance. I tried calling the operator-no answer. I tried calling housekeeping-no answer. The only direct number I could think of was 28888--you guessed it--I called the HD himself. I was mortified to tell Sean Wurmhoeringer, who had probably retired for the evening, that I had an overflowing toilet :(

 

He was able to get through and called me right back to say help was on the way. An engineer came to test the system from the outside access panel then someone came to clean and sanitize the floor. People complain that they bump their toes on the door rim but it is there for a reason, I can tell you.

 

 

 

 

[ladybugpug]

You need to put a warning on your review to not view while hungry lol. Amazing pics and it looks like you have a great time!!

[Medtech2]

September 19 2013

 

It was overcast so we decided to walk around the Dockyard. We ate breakfast at Savor and were curious to know what Scotch Kipper tasted like. Okay. Now we know--a pan-fried smoked fish with sautéed onions on top. DH took the onions to put on his omelet. My French Toast was dry and the hollandaise sauce on the Eggs Benedict was bland.

 

We walked over to the Clock Tower where I bought some Lili Bermuda perfume. The woman at the shop was very helpful in picking which fragrance to get. There is a pharmacy/store on the way to the Clay Works where we scored a bag of Jelly Babies, a British candy you can’t get in the States. The Clay Works were wonderful but way over budget for us and the Glass Works was just too overpriced. We tasted the Rum Cakes but they tasted so light on the rum that we decided not to buy.

 

We went over to the Fun Golf and had a Rum Swizzle while playing. Luckily it was cloudy or we would have been seriously hot. DH got a hole in one at hole 12, where you actually had to shoot over a bridge. Then we ambled over to the Craft Market and bought a small bottle of Bermuda Sand for $3 to support vocational training at the Mental Health Institute, a worthy cause.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

You need to put a warning on your review to not view while hungry lol. Amazing pics and it looks like you have a great time!!

Thank you. I am not posting near the food porn I took. It was amazing and I want to go back!

[Medtech2]

We went back to the ship for lunch at the buffet and then I tried the ropes course. A bit too much for someone with acrophobia. I also did the Bungee Jump but they make you remove your glasses so I could not see much. The harness was hurting my thighs so I did not last long but it was fun. Bill relaxed in the hot tubs again while I showered and changed. We ate wings at O’Sheehans and they were good but messy. I ended up writing a note to the FB Director requesting that they provide wet wipes with the wings. I left the table to go wash my hands but how many people do? They lick their fingers and then go from there. As a germ phobic Medical Technologist it gives me the willies. Back at the room Dan the Man called to discuss some concerns I had expressed about Bingo and it was totally unexpected and very nice of him. He even offered to meet with me somewhere but I did not want to impose on his busy schedule for such a minor issue. This is what impresses me so much with Norwegian. Sean nicely dealing with a late call about a toilet and Dan calling to discuss an issue. They take the time to address everything and try to improve processes constantly.

 

We saw Burn the Floor which we both enjoyed but ended up missing the crepe station. Norwegians want their crepes 24 hrs a day! We went to Spice H2O for the White Hot & Glow Party. You can wear white but neon is really fun. Regular bright yellow like we were wearing does not work. The first 150 people got glow sticks. I noticed the crew worked really hard to get people on the dance floor :)

 

We must have really affected Sean with our toilet issue because midweek Hugo took over as HD

 

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3d711b3127ccef4688589b2a100000030O00AZNmjVq5atmYPbz4Y/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00306595546220130930212758681.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/

Edited September 30, 2013 by Medtech2

[Medtech2]

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

September 20 2013

 

Had the Muesli at the Garden Cafe. That stuff is wonderful--does anyone know how to recreate it at home? We went on the Rising Son Catamaran Sail & Snorkel. The wind was at 20-25 knots and were the strongest they had been out in all year--they actually used only the sails, not the engine. It turns out one of the crew just graduated in 2011 from my alma mater the College of Charleston. We took the long way around to a cove and he pointed out all the homes of the rich and famous, with interesting stories. We also found out Gosling’s Rum is outsourced to Kentucky(!) and then bottled in Bermuda. We snorkeled roughly 1 hour. They also had kayaks and stand up boards you could use. Half the people stayed on the boat and never went in the water. I assume they were drinking Rum Swizzles the whole time. The guides stayed on the boat but were hopefully watching us. We saw some fish and a variety of coral and sponges. It is so important to not stand on anything but bare sand as you end up killing the coral. For the sail back we had Rum Swizzles and I managed to swizzle 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

Staggering back to the ship I headed straight for the Free Fall Slide. Note-if you want a backboard get it at the bottom of the steps. I did not have one. I handed DH my glasses, gave the thumbs up and floated oh so limply down to the end. Piece of cake, very smooth. The open blue slide was also fun but the enclosed purple slide hurt my back. It had too many bumpy seams. We then tried the pool. It is so salty you can literally stand still and be upright, head out of water like a bobbing cork. I went back to the room to shower and “nap” away my swizzle while DH watched the movie “Here comes the Boom” in the Atrium. We decided to eat dinner during sail away. BIG HINT--EAT IN TASTE. We ate in Savor and did not realize the Captain circled the island on the way out so missed all the scenery as we were on the seaward side. Also, we tried the rib eye steak and I have to say it was horrible. As much as I like Norwegian this downgrading of steaks in the MDR’s is really not good.

 

When we headed up to the cafe for a crepe we discovered we had been missing seeing Bermuda all around and I hurried to get a now too far away picture of Gibbs Lighthouse. We attended the Latitudes party in H2O. They had 2 during the week to accommodate all the Latitudes members but at least brought it back to the large ships. However the location was bad. It was way too windy and cold. There were very few seats. We talked with people we knew and then went to the Atrium, where we both entered the 55 to Stay Alive show. Again we got creative with seating and DH carried some chairs over from the Consultant desk. We both got picked. DH had to knock down 6 cans with rubber bands and I had to pull all the tissues out of 2 boxes with one hand. We both won coozies so now have a set of 4...I was bummed to find out they did not show this game show on the in cabin TV because I would have liked to see what all the tissues twirling about my head looked like.

 

At 10:30pm we tried to go up top to see the fireworks and they had already closed off the back half of the ship to more people so if you want to be back there you need to go earlier. We ended up midway back port side deck 16 near the entrance to the slides. It was a very good viewing location. Bill went to see Second City again and the Quest show while I went to bed. Note--it had been said on here previously that the Quest show was not on this ship so I left home certain items but here it was, albeit after midnight and too late for me. Back on our balcony I was mesmerized by the full moon. It was cloudy but it would peek out and was breathtaking with binoculars.

 

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

 

[ibcnusoon]

 

Since this was an anniversary cruise I had booked the Fire & Ice Pedicure for DH in the Spa. I was disappointed to learn that it did not include actually clipping his toe nails, just buffing, as with his hip arthritis he has limited mobility to do that himself. Further, when he came back he had a VERY small container of some type of oil for $55! Talk about an upsell! It should not be allowed that children or husbands can be sold anything during a treatment. Needless to say, this DW marched it right back to the Spa for a refund. Not cool!

 

Hahahaha, sorry for laughing, awwwww, DH! :D

[heathermay70]

Keep the pictures and info coming - love living vicariously through you for another 190 days. :)

[YankeeFan4Ever]

Great review! can't wait to read more! :)

[Medtech2]

September 21 2013

 

The last sea day was our 28th anniversary. We ate breakfast at Taste and tried the waffle. It was the thin type, not a Belgian, topped with a banana compote, and very good. No butter or syrup needed. The turkey sausage is VERY dry and hard so it must be good for you, right? YUK. We both went to the trivia marathon. Trivia with strangers is a neat exercise in sharing, compromise, and losing gracefully. If our partner had just listened to me on the one answer I actually knew we would have won, lol! Not that I knew anything else, mind you...

 

We decided to eat lunch from the Ocean Blue window on the waterfront. The cost to eat in that dining room is just too steep for me. The calamari were phenomenal. I don't even like the thought of calamari but these were good, interspersed with pepper rings and topped with a small octopus. The lobster roll is a chunk lobster meat sandwich on a toasted brioche roll which was also very good and my favorite. We tried the crab tostada which was cool and refreshing but small. It was my least favorite. The total for these three came to $17. We also went by the Sabrett stand for my hotdog fix. Most hotdogs give me indigestion and I do not eat them but these do not. Good thing I do not have access during my daily life.

We then meandered up to the Garden Cafe and tried lamb skewers with tzatziki sauce, lamb pilaf and lamb stuffed zucchini. We were definitely in a browsing and grazing mode, lol. We went back to the room and had no sooner entered when room service brought chocolate covered strawberries and sparkling wine. Thank you Raewyn and Merci! It was a perfect anniversary gift to enjoy on our balcony.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went to the Atrium to watch Deal or No Deal and again found a lack of seating. This time I sat on one side and DH found a seat on the other. There was just no room to sit together anywhere but we both have a tendency to talk to whomever is near so no biggie. We should have played! The $5000 case was my birthday date, 12!

 

After, we went to see the crew talent show. These crew members were very talented, ranging from a magician to dancing to singing. It ended with the world famous skit "Fountains." If you have not seen "Fountains" it is a must see. It is hilarious.

 

Back at the cabin we packed and relaxed. It seems the 1st half of the week you exhaust yourself trying to see and do everything and by the last day you finally relax. This is why I enjoyed out B2B on the Epic so much. That 2nd week was gravy! We went to the Manhattan Room for our last dinner. I had the mushroom tempura which was a bit soggy but tasted excellent. DH had the Caesar Salad that he had enjoyed every day so it must have been good. He ordered the special of the day which was roasted pork ribs with a spicy sauce that he said was tasteless so he ordered a grilled pork chop in addition. I ordered the lamb shank with some adjustments. As sides I ordered the peas and carrots and the sauteed mushrooms that would normally accompany a steak. This was a perfect combination and my favorite meal. Dessert was a coconut soufflé with mango sauce followed by a zesty lemon sorbet. DH had the "signature" cheesecake which is passable but no Cheesecake Factory. We really enjoyed talking with newly made friends at the next table.

 

We then went to pick up our last photos. It is very easy to buy pictures, especially if you find a good photographer, which we had in Edison. He paid attention to minute detail. Another photographer we used did not notice I had a Band-Aid on one elbow and I was certainly not paying attention. He should have asked me to turn the other way so it would not show, and darn if that was not my favorite backdrop all week. Even so we spent roughly $120 on pictures, good presents for relatives...

 

We went to see the Fire & Ice Tribute to Tina Turner. That singer has just boundless energy--and muscles! Unfortunately I was seated next to a young lady who was drinking and was doing it by putting the drink in the cup holder between us and practically bending over my lap to suck it through a straw, because it would have been too taxing to actually lift it. Awkward! This show was followed by a tribute from the crew where those available filed into the theatre. On the way out we saw Budi our steward and got a picture. We could not sleep and stayed up watching movies.

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

 

 

 

 

[Medtech2]

September 22 2013

 

I slept very little and was up at 4am. I went up to Deck 16 and, joined by a few other hardy souls, stood in the cold wind surrounded by crew hosing off the decks to watch us sailing back into New York Harbor. Noooooo! Sigh. We ate one last breakfast in the buffet and did self embarkation around 8:45am. Thinking that the aft elevators would be busier with people going to the buffet for breakfast we used the forward elevators. Big mistake. They were constantly full so we actually pushed both buttons and got on one going up, then went down, Then we joined a line leading out for the last time. As we exited we were then in a long line at the pier next to the ship heading towards the aft and the single open door into the terminal. I noticed that the people coming off the ship from the aft were merging with our line to enter that door and, as they had no wait, they had no line. Once inside the terminal we again snaked around to go through customs. At one point we were held up as they stopped us to let the priority disembarkation passengers go by. We were joking about what color tag we needed to join that line when the lady said to us, as the last of that group passed, "Aren't you with them?" Honey I think fast on my feet sometimes. "Yes!" We practically ran to that now open Custom's Agent.

 

We walked 4 or 5 blocks with our luggage to the subway station, loaded $7.50 on each Metro Card (for subway and Airtran) and made our way to JFK. There we chatted with some fellow passengers who had just gotten off the Queen Mary 2 (I think, or QE2, whichever). They said it was the worst cruise they ever took. The wife had gotten Noro (BIG...STEP...BACK) but they both said it was awful. Thank you Norwegian, for another wonderful cruise!

 

 

 

 

The view from the AirTran...

 

[hansolosmom]

Wow thanks for the review it looks like it was a great time.

 

Happy Anniversary!