Did I make the wrong choice-breakaway?

[Disneycruisegirl]

I will be sailing on the breakaway on Nov 8th with my husband and our 19 month old daughter. I don't have a lot of cruising experience but I have sailed both the Allure and the Disney Dream. I'm starting to get frustrated with the the little things about this cruise, no fireworks, charge for room service, not to mention the increase in gratuities and shore excursion pricing:( I am still hoping it's going to be amazing ! Can anybody tell me in comparison to the Allure what it's like. Am I worried for nothing ?

[abe3]

Is wouldn't worry about it. The fireworks is really not worth to get upset about. We had probably our best cruise on the Breakaway and you will have a great time. Lots of things to do on the ship, great shows, and lots of dining options.

 

Shore excursions can be pretty expensive going through any cruiseline. Look at third party places that offer great excursions for dramatically reduced prices.

[beandippa]

Hey there. Me and my fan (wife and two daughters) will be on the same cruise. It's my first to as a family. I'm not letting these things bother me. I think you get what you want out of it. Let the little things bug you, and it will suck. Go in to it with the thought that you are part of what makes it fun, you win! Join our roll call. It will be cool to meet some fun people.

[Sauer-kraut]

Disney was (until recently) the ONLY line that had fireworks, so don't stress that. What you will enjoy is not having to eat when the cruise line dictates and your family can eat when is best for your little one.

 

Did you eat a lot of room service on your other cruises? If not, then why would the room service fees even be a bother for you?

 

You will have fun in the under 2 zoo playtime on board.

 

Have a wonderful time!

[SVMurcielago]

Been on the breakaway and oasis a while back. We are booking our own "excursions" ourselves as we've traveled to Bermuda enough to do so. Might be worth it for you as well. The fireworks on the breakaway were such an insignificant part of the fun. Big deal that they're gone. This ship has such a large variety of fun things (more than the oasis I'd say) to do that fireworks shouldn't be a source of frustration.

[biker@sea]

The Crew sure does try hard to entertain.

Check them out here = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk3dxDEVtJY

Edited August 6, 2015 by biker@sea

[meatball_nyc]

We had our best cruise last year on Breakaway too.

I know all the little things that have been adding up that have been taken away like the fireworks, dsc increases, room service charges, etc etc have been discouraging.

I personally have never been on Allure or Disney but have been on Breakaway after a bunch of CCL cruises and in my honest opinion we enjoyed our NCL cruise to Bermuda last year so much we are booked again for this year.

There's so much to do onboard. Mini golf. Arcades. Mini ropes course.

Go for it and have a great cruise!

Edited August 6, 2015 by meatball_nyc

[jd1966]

We've cruised NCL three times but not on the Breakaway. We will in September and I'm sure not letting the "posters" on the NCL boards dampen my enthusiasm!! CC is a great place to get information and help but you need to take opinions as just that, opinions. Find out for yourself and enjoy your cruise!!

Edited August 6, 2015 by jd1966

[KarenR122]

We have done Disney, the Allure and the Breakaway as well. We are leaving on the Gem next week! Disney is just amazing with kids as you already know so there really isn't a comparison. If they had a casino and more adult night time activities, we'd sail them every time.

 

We HATED the Allure. I have been on well over 20 cruises on many different lines and that was by far the worst we have been on. Too crowded, disliked the food, rude passengers and we detested waiting in life for everything. I can't understand how on a cruise ship you have to wait 30 minutes to get into a buffet.

 

We loved the Breakaway and recommend to everyone. Great ship, lots to do, food was yummy and they were great with our daughter, 6 at the time. You'll have a great time.

[setsail1975]

I'm on the same sailing and I contemplate daily about canceling it. I have till 8/25 to decide . We are traveling with a group and that's the only reason why I haven't cancelled..I'm not liking all the changes going on with NCL lately. This maybe my last NCL sailing. I'm already booked with CCL for my next cruise in April. This will be my 2nd time on the Breakaway and I didn't even know they weren't doing the fireworks till I saw your post .

[beandippa]

I'm on the same sailing and I contemplate daily about canceling it. I have till 8/25 to decide . We are traveling with a group and that's the only reason why I haven't cancelled..I'm not liking all the changes going on with NCL lately. This maybe my last NCL sailing. I'm already booked with CCL for my next cruise in April. This will be my 2nd time on the Breakaway and I didn't even know they weren't doing the fireworks till I saw your post .

 

 

Did you enjoy it the first time? If so, are any of the changes going to affect you based off your first experience? Fireworks are cool, but that would never be a reason to cancel or even book a cruise.

[abe3]

I can't believe that people would cancel a vacation because of fireworks.

[RuthlessBoss]

I will be sailing on the breakaway on Nov 8th with my husband and our 19 month old daughter. I don't have a lot of cruising experience but I have sailed both the Allure and the Disney Dream. I'm starting to get frustrated with the the little things about this cruise, no fireworks, charge for room service, not to mention the increase in gratuities and shore excursion pricing:( I am still hoping it's going to be amazing ! Can anybody tell me in comparison to the Allure what it's like. Am I worried for nothing ?

 

If you are allowing yourself to think these trivial things will ruin your cruise, then indeed your cruise will be ruined. You've lost 15 minutes of fireworks, not all room service has a fee, no one is forcing you to use the ship's excursions.

[mjkacmom]

We've never booked excursions through ant cruise ship, so I wouldn't notice if prices went up. Before the room service fee, the menu was a skeleton of what it is now - you couldn't even get a hot breakfast! I'd be more than willing to pay the fee to get food that actually looks like something we'd eat. I missed the fireworks on DCL and NCL, and wasn't thrilled about them in the first place (we have them in town on the Fourth of July, and small fires always seem to start up, so having them on a ship always made me nervous.)

[Sizzlechest]

The Breakaway is NOT the best example of "NCL freestyle." You really ought to make reservations for main theater shows and specialty dining if you plan on doing that. The pools are also small for this ship, so it will be crowded and it will be difficult to get chairs. Also, a lot of activities are held in the Atrium, which is also often crowded. Other than those negatives, the Breakaway is a great ship and you should have a great time.

[timmo44]

When you are sitting at the bar on the Waterfront in the sunshine watching the ocean roll by - decide then!

 

And as a bit of an amateur fireworks expert in my time, the ship ones weren't anything to write home about really. A novelty on a ship yes, but basic stuff.

[Debde]

I'm taking my first NCL cruise on Breakaway and can not wait. Best to take the cruise as you will have a first hand experience weather you like it or not.

 

Pick a line, pick a forum, some are complaining and leaving. It's the nature of a forum. Keep reading and people love it.

 

Go with an open mind and experience something for the first time. Try it, you might like it, or, X it off the bucket list. ;)

[rydan]

I will be sailing on the breakaway on Nov 8th with my husband and our 19 month old daughter. I don't have a lot of cruising experience but I have sailed both the Allure and the Disney Dream. I'm starting to get frustrated with the the little things about this cruise, no fireworks, charge for room service, not to mention the increase in gratuities and shore excursion pricing:( I am still hoping it's going to be amazing ! Can anybody tell me in comparison to the Allure what it's like. Am I worried for nothing ?

 

 

Due to the fact you are going on BA. And have those other two lines under your belt. Is it safe to say, you are avoiding air plane travel with this trip?

 

If that is the case, then I think you made a wise choice. And you should go with an open mind and just enjoy.

[setsail1975]

Did you enjoy it the first time? If so, are any of the changes going to affect you based off your first experience? Fireworks are cool, but that would never be a reason to cancel or even book a cruise.

 

 

In response to your question.. No we actually didn't enjoy our 1st time on it.. The 1st time we went on it was its 1st sailing to the Bahamas/Florida back in Oct of 2013.. We had the worst service ever on a cruise ship.. You have to realize we were NCL's biggest cheerleaders. We sailed with them 2x a year since 2004. I'm a former travel consultant and I've referred many friends and family to NCL. On the 2013 sailing on the BA, again this is OUR experience ... We loved that we could finally fit our family of 5 in the same cabin. Don't get me wrong there were things we liked but there were a lot more that we didn't.

 

Service on that sailing was horrific..We never saw our cabin steward,but the 1x she was standing in the hall talking with another crew member. We would leave our cabin for breakfast so she can clean our cabin, we'd come back hours later.. Nothing! Leave again, come back still not done. This was any everyday occurrence . We felt we could never go back and rest in our cabin or use the bathroom even because she may try and come and we were in there.. never in my cruise history had this happened. I always experience leaving the cabin for a bit come back room was done, like the cabin steward was hiding under our beds.. Lol! We contributed to new ship, new itinerary , new crew. We were eating in the Manhattan Dining room, seas were rough my daughter had just ordered her dinner. I explained to the waiter she wasn't feeling well but didn't want to waste her dinner and that we would take it back to the cabin with us.....So when her food came out to the table I asked for a lid to cover her food back to the room, he the waiter took off an already dirty eaten tray there lid and put it on my daughters new uneaten meal!!!! Needless to say I told him you don't do that and ended up wasting my daughters meal...1.)more we were a party of 7 walked into another dining room another night asked if they could seat us, The woman rudely said to us "No and told us to go to another restaurant !!" Not , oh yes we can accommodate you, but it may take some time! Just a rude No and go elsewhere .

 

***There were a few other issues we had and we missed GSC for yet another sailing... While we sailed passed RCCL tendering their passengers .. It was a clear beautiful day and the seas looked fine to us....and I'm aware of the whole safety issues , seas were not choppy.....but I'm already writing a novel.... I left that sailing with a bad taste for NCL.. The $$$$ we have dropped on these cruises, it's crazy...I especially love cruising cause you encounter such great people. On this sailing we felt we inconvenienced every staff member we came in contact with. One let down after another.. We had bought a future cruise reward on that sailing and that is why we are booked on this one. After this we will most likely be done with NCL. We cruised RCCL 2x a year since and we just got off Carnival in May our experiences were wonderful on both other cruise lines.. We are booked again in April on the Breeze.

 

And I would never cancel a cruise over no fireworks[emoji6]

[Eeyoregon]

I'm on the same sailing and I contemplate daily about canceling it. I have till 8/25 to decide . We are traveling with a group and that's the only reason why I haven't cancelled..I'm not liking all the changes going on with NCL lately. This maybe my last NCL sailing. I'm already booked with CCL for my next cruise in April. This will be my 2nd time on the Breakaway and I didn't even know they weren't doing the fireworks till I saw your post .

 

I hear you. Change is hard, especially when so much is happening in such a short amount of time.

 

Two increases in the daily gratuities, in less than 3 months, is rough and it now puts NCL at the HIGHEST daily gratuities of any standard cruise line. Boo!!

 

And charging for room service is a BIG disappointment for me personally. I use it a lot, on every cruise...love to sit out on my balcony and enjoy a meal away from it all. That's a vacation for me.

 

And no, the fireworks aren't a deal breaker BUT when you add it into everything else it seems like another blow.

 

I'm just thankful that I booked back in February when the free beverage package promotion still included the 18% gratuity. NCL took that away and now charges you the 18% gratuity in advance, with your final payment.

 

A lot of little changes add up and it makes you think twice. As you can see by my cruise history, I am not dedicated to any one cruise line in particular BUT NCL is moving lower on my list.

 

I sail the Breakaway in October and I'm sure I will have a good time and I hope you do too. :)

 

Gina

[setsail1975]

I hear you. Change is hard, especially when so much is happening in such a short amount of time.

 

Two increases in the daily gratuities, in less than 3 months, is rough and it now puts NCL at the HIGHEST daily gratuities of any standard cruise line. Boo!!

 

And charging for room service is a BIG disappointment for me personally. I use it a lot, on every cruise...love to sit out on my balcony and enjoy a meal away from it all. That's a vacation for me.

 

And no, the fireworks aren't a deal breaker BUT when you add it into everything else it seems like another blow.

 

I'm just thankful that I booked back in February when the free beverage package promotion still included the 18% gratuity. NCL took that away and now charges you the 18% gratuity in advance, with your final payment.

 

A lot of little changes add up and it makes you think twice. As you can see by my cruise history, I am not dedicated to any one cruise line in particular BUT NCL is moving lower on my list.

 

I sail the Breakaway in October and I'm sure I will have a good time and I hope you do too. :)

 

Gina

 

 

If we go we will make the best of it. We too booked back around then also. We have the unlimited beverage package w/ the gratuity included. Whoever is running a cruise deal at the time we are ready to book gets our business. I'm past passengers on RCCL, Carnival, Celebrity and NCL.

 

**I agree it's all the changes one after another with NCL that just is not appealing to our cruise interests any more..

Enjoy your cruise as well[emoji4]

[Geeni]

I am on the same sailing as you, OP, and I have only contemplated cancelling once. Why? Because I would rather make my own opinion. I'm not going to cancel a much-needed vacation because of some things that strangers on the Internet said. For every few negative reviews I've read, I've also read some positive reviews. I feel it's only fair to myself to experience it for myself, and if the cruise ends up being terrible, I'll know never to sail BA/NCL again. But if I end up enjoying it, I'll realize that everyone has different experiences and opinions. The world goes round because of difference of opinion :)

[setsail1975]

I am on the same sailing as you, OP, and I have only contemplated cancelling once. Why? Because I would rather make my own opinion. I'm not going to cancel a much-needed vacation because of some things that strangers on the Internet said. For every few negative reviews I've read, I've also read some positive reviews. I feel it's only fair to myself to experience it for myself, and if the cruise ends up being terrible, I'll know never to sail BA/NCL again. But if I end up enjoying it, I'll realize that everyone has different experiences and opinions. The world goes round because of difference of opinion :)

 

 

As you should and by know means is anyone trying to pursued any one from canceling their cruises. I was just stating our experience . I too am giving it another shot. This is a forum to share your thoughts , give some tips etc. I certainly hope your cruise is fabulous as I hope it is for us too. If it isn't then now I know I'm done with NCL. We all have different views and opinions and I respect them all, whether negative or positive.

[SuiteTraveler]

The Getaway is the sister ship of Breakaway and we were on Allure last November and Getaway in May. We enjoyed Allure, but overall, found the Getaway to be even better. My expectation is that you will enjoy the scale of the Breakaway, the dining options, and the buffet that is 400% better than the buffet on the Allure and the major water slides are great, the ropes course is fun and there are lots of other fun things like bowling and playing pool and rock climbing, the list goes on and on. The cabins on these ships are beautiful and well designed. Breakaway is a German built ship and the quality is there. There is a lot to do onboard, more than anyone can possibly do in a week. The one thing I would do in your position is make sure you either get a spa cabin or a spa pass as the spa on this ship is amazing - far better than anything on RCCL. The main pool IS overcrowded, but we are not people who hang out by the pool ever, so we didn't care. We did hang out in the spa daily. Allure has the all adults Solarium and I would say that the spa is most similar to that, except it also has a sauna, saunarium, salt room, steam room and heated tile loungers and padded loungers and tea and fruit water and the BEST showers on the entire ship in the locker rooms all of which you can use with a spa pass or if you are in a spa cabin.

 

The shows are excellent - just like on Allure, the casino is considerably better. It is positioned at the heart of the ship, which I really like compared to the Allure's basement casino. To me the Breakaway and Getaway are designed to be most similar to a Las Vegas Casino hotel resort - the Aria comes to mind - with the casino in the middles and shops, bars and restaurants all around it. Allure is built to be more like a theme park resort with the various neighborhoods and the Boardwalk and Central Park in the middle. Both are good designs and we enjoyed both Allure and Getaway but Getaway has the edge for having even more dining venues and the other thing - we were in a spa suite and that was just a fantastic experience. We were in the owner's suite on Allure and honestly, what NCL does for suite guests is waaaaaaay better than what RCCL does. We enjoyed the owner's suite on Allure, but it lacked almost all of the perks that suite guests get on Getaway. Yes, the spa suite was smaller, but to me it was just a better experience suite experience on Getaway than the owner's suite on Allure.

 

At any rate, I feel that both ships, in terms of amenities and number of activities are very comparable, but I honestly prefer the new NCL ships to Allure and Oasis. Still I'm looking forward to sailing on Quantum, Ovation or Anthem in the not too distant future.

 

BTW, I briefly saw the fireworks on Getaway. It was a 15 minute show that woke me up with the kabooms! I got out of bed and watched for a few minutes and then got bored and went back to bed. You're not missing much.

Edited August 6, 2015 by SuiteTraveler

[Seago2]

Am I crazy or did they do away with the charge for room service? People keep mentioning it- I thought they backtracked on that.