Breakaway with kids 4 and 6 - And Loads of Questions!

[ktmac1]

Debating whether to book this or not. GREAT deal during NJ school November conference (2500$ for the four of us, mini suite, alcohol package. :) ) We don't have to fly. Basically costs us that much just to fly the four of us anywhere else, so obviously a great rate. But wondering about kids this age for a seven day cruise.. a not so stellar experience when its just the two of us is still going to be a great time. But I don't know when you throw little ones in the mix if that holds true.

So, my specific questions below - but would love any insight especially if you have travelled with kids around that age.

 

1) My kids love shows - I know Rock of Ages isn't suitable. Anything else they can see?

 

2) Kids Club. Since they will be 4 and 6, concerned about the 4 year old as she won't be with her sister, who she adores. We did a Disney cruise this year and anytime they separated by ages she wasn't unhappy and I had to go get her. (She is normally very good on her own but I think vacation just threw her to be separated from her sis.) Do they ever let them play together? Think she'll get over it the separation from her sis?

 

3) Pools - Heard they can be crowded. Imagine that week especially since there will be a ton of kids. Were your kids happy with the pools?

 

4) Shore Excursions - Any suggestions for good ones with a 4 and 6 year old? (Atlantis, Orlando I think and GSC.)

 

5) Restaurants - No clue how it works on Norwegian. Are there long waits? Are there any restaurants we should try that are especially fun for kids? Curious about how much extra $ they are?

 

6) Anything not included I should plan on doing (don't mind spending money if it's worth it, like maybe cirque?)

 

7) SPA. Normally we do spa passes on ships (pre-kids and on Disney...) But Disney we didn't get to use it much since the little one wasn't digging the kids club. It was pretty cheap though. Heard Breakway is expensive. Worth it?

 

8) In general - any other tips?? Hoping to hear your kids loved it!

[MotherofTrips]

Debating whether to book this or not. GREAT deal during NJ school November conference (2500$ for the four of us, mini suite, alcohol package. :) ) We don't have to fly. Basically costs us that much just to fly the four of us anywhere else, so obviously a great rate. But wondering about kids this age for a seven day cruise.. a not so stellar experience when its just the two of us is still going to be a great time. But I don't know when you throw little ones in the mix if that holds true.

 

So, my specific questions below - but would love any insight especially if you have travelled with kids around that age.

 

 

 

1) My kids love shows - I know Rock of Ages isn't suitable. Anything else they can see?

 

 

 

2) Kids Club. Since they will be 4 and 6, concerned about the 4 year old as she won't be with her sister, who she adores. We did a Disney cruise this year and anytime they separated by ages she wasn't unhappy and I had to go get her. (She is normally very good on her own but I think vacation just threw her to be separated from her sis.) Do they ever let them play together? Think she'll get over it the separation from her sis?

 

 

 

3) Pools - Heard they can be crowded. Imagine that week especially since there will be a ton of kids. Were your kids happy with the pools?

 

 

 

4) Shore Excursions - Any suggestions for good ones with a 4 and 6 year old? (Atlantis, Orlando I think and GSC.)

 

 

 

5) Restaurants - No clue how it works on Norwegian. Are there long waits? Are there any restaurants we should try that are especially fun for kids? Curious about how much extra $ they are?

 

 

 

6) Anything not included I should plan on doing (don't mind spending money if it's worth it, like maybe cirque?)

 

 

 

7) SPA. Normally we do spa passes on ships (pre-kids and on Disney...) But Disney we didn't get to use it much since the little one wasn't digging the kids club. It was pretty cheap though. Heard Breakway is expensive. Worth it?

 

 

 

8) In general - any other tips?? Hoping to hear your kids loved it!

 

 

Hello. I have been cruising with my Triplets since they were 6. They never had any interest in the kids club up until recently (they are now 15) and still not real interested. I think it is because they had each other. I imagine a child that did not have siblings would love to go to the club.

 

I am sure your kids will love cruising.

 

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[ktmac1]

Doh. Well I think that answers my question about whether or not I should buy the spa pass!

[MotherofTrips]

Doh. Well I think that answers my question about whether or not I should buy the spa pass!

 

 

LOL. The first few times they were in the cruise I had my mom with me and would try to meet up with my husband at the casino but my kids always wanted me lol. It always seemed like the last night before we left they wanted to go to the club.

 

Seriously though I would take my kids with me on vacation to be with them. And with no expectations that they would not be. We would look at the activities the kids club was doing and see if they would go for like an hour (one time in particular they were making tshirts or something and another time they had a little dance party). Other than that my kids were right by my side lol.

 

Last year I thought about the vibe pass and decided against it because even at 14 they would not be happy that I was somewhere they couldn't be lol!

 

My kids absolutely love cruising though. They have yet to be to Disney because Every year When they were young I would give them a choice and they always picked cruising!

 

 

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[Heckah]

I went with my girls last October. Hope this helps

 

 

1) My kids love shows - I know Rock of Ages isn't suitable. Anything else they can see? My kids enjoyed Deal or no Deal and some of the other shows in the Atrium. They had a family friendly Second City show and some family friendly time with the dueling pianos.

 

2) Kids Club.

 

Hard to say, my kids didn't mind being seperated. I know late at night they were all together and as well as when we were in port.

 

 

3) Pools - Heard they can be crowded. Imagine that week especially since there will be a ton of kids. Were your kids happy with the pools?

 

It was busy by the pool, they had a kids area on the other side with a wading pool and another pool that was pretty much empty, they loved the water slides.

 

4) Shore Excursions - Any suggestions for good ones with a 4 and 6 year old? (Atlantis, Orlando I think and GSC.)

 

We didn't have GSC on our cruise, in Port Canaveral we did the airboat tour. It was great, we saw some alligators and at the end they did a show with some rescue animals. My girls got to hold a gator and a fox.

 

5) Restaurants - No clue how it works on Norwegian. Are there long waits? Are there any restaurants we should try that are especially fun for kids? Curious about how much extra $ they are?

 

The regular restaurants are free, they have some specialty restaurants (we got the dining package as one of our perks). No wait when you made a reservation at a specialty restaurant (which you can do in advance of the trip), the times we dined in the regular restaurants the wait wasn't long.

 

6) Anything not included I should plan on doing (don't mind spending money if it's worth it, like maybe cirque?)

 

I didn't do cirque, I heard it was good. The kids club charges after 10pm and stays open til 1am. It was $10/hour for my two kids.

 

7) SPA. Normally we do spa passes on ships (pre-kids and on Disney...) But Disney we didn't get to use it much since the little one wasn't digging the kids club. It was pretty cheap though. Heard Breakway is expensive. Worth it?

 

We didn't do the spa.

 

8) In general - any other tips?? Hoping to hear your kids loved it!

 

 

Our kids ended up spending a lot of time in the kids club. They close for lunch and dinner unless the ship is in port, but they'll charge you for the kids lunch and dinner. My kids absolutely loved it. Another tip, don't bother with the Disney excursion, it's way too expensive for the little amount of time you actually get in the park.

[cb at sea]

Yes...they WILL get used to being separated....it's inevitable...in school, they will not be together, and as they age, they will have their own interests! While they may not be together in the club, they will have ample opportunity during the rest of the day/night. No worries!

[MotherofTrips]

Ktmac1. We will actually be on that sailing Breakaway Nov 5th out of New York. Traveling with my husband, my 3 kids and one of their friends

 

 

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[arestep]

2) Kids Club. Since they will be 4 and 6, concerned about the 4 year old as she won't be with her sister, who she adores. We did a Disney cruise this year and anytime they separated by ages she wasn't unhappy and I had to go get her. (She is normally very good on her own but I think vacation just threw her to be separated from her sis.) Do they ever let them play together? Think she'll get over it the separation from her sis?

My kids love the Splash Pad. I have been cruising since my kids were your kid's age and they have a great time participating. As a rule, we do stuff together during the day and I take them to the Splash Pad after dinner. I believe it is open till 10:30 each evening. After that, the kids can stay for a fee up to 2am. They spend time learning circus acts and then have a show on the last day of the cruise. I have left the kids on the ship while I got off the ship once. Trying to talk them into doing this again so I can scuba dive, but haven't got them to go along with it. My kids are pretty active and just enjoy getting off the ship and doing something when we are in port. If you are going to leave your kids on the ship on a port day, there is a small fee for meal times if the kids are going to be in the Splash Pad over a meal.

3) Pools - Heard they can be crowded. Imagine that week especially since there will be a ton of kids. Were your kids happy with the pools?

I am sure it can happen, but in my experience, the pools for the kids have not been too crowded. The biggest problem I have seen is kids that are unsupervised horsing around. The kids have their own pool area on the Breakaway. My kids spend most of their days in the pool.

 

4) Shore Excursions - Any suggestions for good ones with a 4 and 6 year old? (Atlantis, Orlando I think and GSC.)

As you review shore excursions on NCL.com, review the age requirements. I have found them pretty helpful. If in doubt, ask the Shore Excursion Office for advice.

 

5) Restaurants - No clue how it works on Norwegian. Are there long waits? Are there any restaurants we should try that are especially fun for kids? Curious about how much extra $ they are?

I know this is unthinkable for some on CC, but my kids love the Garden Cafe (buffet) and they have plenty of kid friendly options there (a separate kids line). There are times when I will run them up there for dinner and then take them to the Splash Pad before I go out to a specialty dinner. My kids are not too excited about getting dressed up every night and sitting through 2 hours of dinner. I once cruised with several family members that insisted on carting their small kids into every formal restaurant on the ship for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We eat a lot of our meals in the Garden Cafe (even when we have had access to the private restaurants for breakfast and lunch). We normally get dressed up for two dinners in one of the main dining rooms and pictures on a 7 day cruise. Those restaurants have plenty of kid friendly options too. I search out restaurants that do not have long wait times and information is available on the IConcierge App. My kids eat ice cream pretty much whenever they want (rules against sweets limited on the cruise) while on the ship (available in the Garden Cafe for free) which makes this a special time for them.

 

Other things to do: Besides the pool, the Breakaway has putt putt, rock wall climbing, bowling, water slides (some of them have a weight minimum) and many, many fun activities for the kids.

[dexddd]

PC - maybe go to KSC. Note that GSC could be missed if weather/waves not cooperative.

 

Pools will be crowded on BA.

[ktmac1]

SO helpful!!!

Thank you!

I went with my girls last October. Hope this helps

 

 

1) My kids love shows - I know Rock of Ages isn't suitable. Anything else they can see? My kids enjoyed Deal or no Deal and some of the other shows in the Atrium. They had a family friendly Second City show and some family friendly time with the dueling pianos.

 

2) Kids Club.

 

Hard to say, my kids didn't mind being seperated. I know late at night they were all together and as well as when we were in port.

 

 

3) Pools - Heard they can be crowded. Imagine that week especially since there will be a ton of kids. Were your kids happy with the pools?

 

It was busy by the pool, they had a kids area on the other side with a wading pool and another pool that was pretty much empty, they loved the water slides.

 

4) Shore Excursions - Any suggestions for good ones with a 4 and 6 year old? (Atlantis, Orlando I think and GSC.)

 

We didn't have GSC on our cruise, in Port Canaveral we did the airboat tour. It was great, we saw some alligators and at the end they did a show with some rescue animals. My girls got to hold a gator and a fox.

 

5) Restaurants - No clue how it works on Norwegian. Are there long waits? Are there any restaurants we should try that are especially fun for kids? Curious about how much extra $ they are?

 

The regular restaurants are free, they have some specialty restaurants (we got the dining package as one of our perks). No wait when you made a reservation at a specialty restaurant (which you can do in advance of the trip), the times we dined in the regular restaurants the wait wasn't long.

 

6) Anything not included I should plan on doing (don't mind spending money if it's worth it, like maybe cirque?)

 

I didn't do cirque, I heard it was good. The kids club charges after 10pm and stays open til 1am. It was $10/hour for my two kids.

 

7) SPA. Normally we do spa passes on ships (pre-kids and on Disney...) But Disney we didn't get to use it much since the little one wasn't digging the kids club. It was pretty cheap though. Heard Breakway is expensive. Worth it?

 

We didn't do the spa.

 

8) In general - any other tips?? Hoping to hear your kids loved it!

 

 

Our kids ended up spending a lot of time in the kids club. They close for lunch and dinner unless the ship is in port, but they'll charge you for the kids lunch and dinner. My kids absolutely loved it. Another tip, don't bother with the Disney excursion, it's way too expensive for the little amount of time you actually get in the park.