you recommend - Gem or Breakaway?

[Kreativ' Gal]

Never cruised before :) I'm looking to book in May out of NYC, NCL for the free UBP. The best price I'm finding for May is on the Gem and I'm thisclose to booking. I've called and chatted online with NCL reps and they all seem to recommend the Breakaway over the Gem. :confused: Now I don't know what to do.

 

I'm trying to decide: Breakaway/Bermuda or Gem/FL-Bahamas. I'm reading Bermuda might be a rough sail at this time of the year (ok, so I'll so go on the Gem), but then hear the Gem is not as nice or big as the Breakaway.

 

What to do?!?!?!? :eek: Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance!

[mizLORInj]

I like both ships but they are quite different. Gem has some features I love like Spinnaker lounge and The Great Outdoors. But Breakaway has good waterslides and Gem does not. Cabins are better on Breakaway IMO but balconies are not unless you're in a B1, B6, M6 or suite.

 

Breakaway is newer and Gem is in need of some cabin makeovers.

 

This would be a tough choice for me too!

 

The sea to Bermuda can be rough any time; not sure I'd book or not book based on that possibility.

Edited March 13, 2015 by mizlorinj

[Guindalf]

Both ships have their pros and cons. For a first cruise, I'm tempted to say go on the Gem because it'll be a little less overwhelming in size and you get to see more ports.

 

I love Bermuda too, but the Gem is probably easier to navigate around, being a little smaller (it's still a big ship!) and slightly more traditional in its layout.

 

Once you're hooked on NCL and/or cruising, you'll be booking the BA very shortly after returning anyway!!!

[ColinIllinois]

Depends on what you like to do, who is going and their ages. If you are active, young and want plenty to do go with the Breakaway.

 

Personally I wouldn't even consider the FL/Bahamas itinerary, I find it boring. Bermuda on the other hand is awesome.

[Godiva830]

My vote is for Breakaway to Bermuda lol just bc I hate that fla/Bahamas itinerary and I love Bermuda.

[Guindalf]

Depends on what you like to do, who is going and their ages. If you are active, young and want plenty to do go with the Breakaway.

 

Personally I wouldn't even consider the FL/Bahamas itinerary, I find it boring. Bermuda on the other hand is awesome.

 

Not necessarily for a first-time cruiser.

[NJsharon]

For a first timer, I would definitely choose the Gem too! Great ship!

[jkneern]

I'll throw my 2 cents in on this. We just got off the Breakaway and have sailed the Gem too. We just booked the Gem again for December (you know where this is going). Now the Breakaway ia a beautiful new ship but it also carries LOTS of people. The design of the ship does not allow for this many people to share common areas causing huge crowds. We have sailed 30+ times on all of the cruise lines and this is the first time I have felt so overwhelmed by people. My first thought when we returned was, this would be a great ship if they eliminate about 3 decks of passenger cabins. As for the Gem it has been a few years since we sailed on her but do remember lots of areas as get away spaces, if you just wanted to sit back and read a book or people watch. The open deck I believe was deck 6 and you could go outside and walk around the entire ship or just sit and relax. On the BA most of this is specialty dining(outside eating) or bars. We just like the smaller less crowded ships. As for the itinerary? Florida or Bermuda.....well I'd pick Bermuda. So......any choice you make will be a good one. I'd do BA again but maybe not for a while. Enjoy!!

[gymbomb]

I have sailed Gem and I like it and would go on it again, but it hate the Fl/Bahamas itinerary so for me choosing breakaway to Bermuda would be a very easy choice!

 

 

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[meatball_nyc]

Doesn't matter first time cruiser or not.

Breakaway to Bermuda first choice.

Haven't been on Gem but have done that itinerary (except for GSC) on another line.

Have fun with whatever you choose!

Edited March 14, 2015 by meatball_nyc

[aquarianne11]

We have been on Gem and the Breakaway. The Breakaway wins for me, just so fun and so many things to do! Bermuda is the better itinerary too.

 

I like both ships but they are quite different. The water slide on the Gem is quite lame but good for little kids. We had a great time on the Gem but we had an even better time on the Breakaway.

[SJ]

Prefer Gem over breakaway as a ship, but Bermuda wins hands down over Bahamas. I know many rave about the Breakaway, I personally don't need to go back for various reasons. I would only sail on her to go to Bermuda. If you are not flexible when you can sail, then take Breakaway to Bermuda. Nice ship for the first time but I am going back to the Gem in December. Choose the Gem with another itinerary if possible. Have fun on your first cruise!

Edited March 14, 2015 by SJ

[ldlewis45]

I would take the Bermuda cruise over the FL/Bahamas itinerary any day. But then, I've always refused to take a cruise to go to Florida (especially now that I actually live in Florida). To me, Port Canaveral is a worthless port.

[beckzay]

I see you're in Pennsylvania, have you looked at the Dawn to Bermuda out of Boston? You could have the better itinerary with a less crowded ship...best of both worlds :)

[garycarla]

First time cruiser! Take the GEM.

 

Heck, many long time cruisers would still take the GEM (sister to Jewel, Pearl, Jade).

 

Great ship.

[Kreativ' Gal]

Thanks Everyone! :D

 

I feel better knowing the Gem is still a great ship! :cool:

[Carrickbeg]

I am taking the FL/Bahamas trip second year in a row on the Gem. We love the Gem. Not a fan of the Breakaway. Don't get me wrong it is a beautiful ship, but it is just way too big. I agree that Bermuda is the better itinerary. But, on the FL/Bahamas trip you get to go to Great Stirrup Cay which is great in my opinion. So long story short, even though I love Bermuda, I made the decision to do the same itinerary and go on the Gem again to avoid going on the Breakaway.

[Family Travel Story]

I know it's a different itinerary but I just went through this decision the gem or the breakaway for the final 9 night cruise in the season going to the Caribbean from New York on the Gem. We opted to take the Gem because the itinaraey was so much better. However, with bermuda versus florida now, the ship and the itinerary would lean towards the break away

 

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[abbyar]

We're first time ncl cruisers (done other lines) and picked the Gem. For us, the great thing about port days is that everyone is off the ship. We plan on disembarking only at Great Stirrup Cay, and enjoying the quiet of the ship the other two port days.

 

Bermuda is nice, but the transportation to get anywhere worthwhile is a drawback. I hate getting off the ship just to have to take a ferry/bus to get to the beach, hence the draw of GSC. For our sailing dates, the Gem is less expensive, so we booked UDP and a Large Cabana and we're still paying less than sailing the Breakaway. And personally, I don't enjoy large ships. I really don't notice if everything isnt brand new, but I do notice when it takes me 20 minutes to walk to dinner. In 4" heels, I need a vacation hero with a motoscooter to deliver me to the dining room every night.

[abbyar]

Oh, I priced out Boston for you. You could do the Bermuda sailing out of Boston, however it's about $350 more for the same sailing as Fl/Bahamas, for the same level room (guarantee minisuite) and only 7 days instead of 8. For us, the Saturday-Sunday extra day was key to choosing the Gem as well.

[adivineeternity]

This is in no way objective, just a warning. Heavy bias awaits thee!

 

I was a first time cruiser last year, as was my boyfriend, and we chose the Breakaway to Bermuda over all other options because BERMUDA, as well as a few other factors. Maybe we're just not easily overwhelmed or maybe we just got lucky, but we never encountered unmanageable crowds, we found deck chairs in the shade (my skin tone is the one between that of a stereotypical ginger and pasty and boyfriend turns into a lobster if he even thinks about the sun) within five minutes of getting onto the very full, but not overwhelmingly so, pool deck. The pool was full, yes, but we had no real interest in swimming, we just cared about the water slides, which had short lines and friendly people to talk to. We also had 0 problems getting around on the Breakaway, but we, well, I chose our cabin very carefully (deck 10 balcony toward the aft). We got to the port early on embarkation day, were among the first 50 or so regular neophytes to board, and spent probably 2 or so hours walking around and familiarizing ourselves with the lay-out while there weren't that many people aboard. It worked out quite well.

 

I haven't ever been on the Gem, but my boyfriend's mother has - she did the itinerary you're talking about - and really loved it. This was several years ago, but she said it was very nice, the food was all quite good, the staff was wonderful and accommodating, etc. She can't swim and is terrified of deep water, so they stayed in an Oceanview and she just LOVED it. She also enjoyed the itinerary, although I admit it holds 0 appeal for me since I used to live in Florida (I'd do it as a last minute "hey this costs next to nothing and I really HAVE TO GET AWAY" type of cruise, if no really good options existed).

 

As for Bermuda, yes. It's amazing. It's gorgeous. Public transportation to get to the beach really isn't all that big of a deal with this one since you get to overnight in-port and are there for so long. The pink beaches along the south shore are incredible and the pink sand is cool underfoot, plus the water is as blue as any Caribbean island's water that I've seen. The people are also very friendly and helpful. We met a lady at Horseshoe Bay Beach who owned a cottage or something that she rented out for vacations and she was telling us just how much she loves having people stay there and how proud she is to be Bermudian. If I hadn't been chest-deep in the Atlantic Ocean I would have gotten her information for possible future trips to Bermuda that don't involve cruises.

 

Anyway, before I ramble on horrendously, I will say that if you've got at least some patience and a decent sense of humor, you can't go wrong on the Breakaway to Bermuda. It's a little more expensive, sure, but oh gosh was it worth every penny.

 

The Gem... I want to sail her, but not until I can afford one of the longer itineraries she does into the Caribbean (time is more of a problem than money). You can't go wrong with her as a ship, from everything I've ever read/heard. I'm just personally rather ehh about the FL/Bahamas itinerary. Either way, I hope you enjoy whichever cruise you pick. J

 

ust beware, if you turn out to be the cruising type, you'll get hooked and next thing you know you'll be obsessed with finding that next amazing deal on that one itinerary you read about because the ship just sounds amazing and OH GOD YOU HAVE TO GO NOW!

[spidybabe]

Very hard decision...been there myself many times. It really depends on what you like. There are great things to do in every port...GSC- great beach day...Bermuda great island. As far as the ships go...again it depends on what you like...pool ->the Gem.....water slide and adventure stuff ->the Breakaway Yes the BA is larger and more crowded at times, but it is a wonderful ship to experience, but our first choice will always be the Gem. As I said...tough decision...but you win either way cuz you will be sailing and have the UBP