Live from the NCL Breakaway May 6-16, 2023 – Spring in Italy, Greece, Malta and France Roundtrip from Rome

[CCTES]

17 minutes ago, Happycrafter123 said:

Made it to Montreal and waiting for our next connection.  Some more photos and thoughts to post when I settle back home.

Wow, you made it to the airport in enough time to return to Montreal? I wasn't sure we should even attempt to make that flight, you have given me hope! Did it depart at 11:20 am, that's the time in November when we are finished our cruise (on Air Canada) happy trails to YVR!

[Happycrafter123]

11 minutes ago, CCTES said:

Wow, you made it to the airport in enough time to return to Montreal? I wasn't sure we should even attempt to make that flight, you have given me hope! Did it depart at 11:20 am, that's the time in November when we are finished our cruise (on Air Canada) happy trails to YVR!

 

we had a 1:20 departure time originally and then it was delayed an hour.

 

 

 

 

[CCTES]

10 minutes ago, Happycrafter123 said:

 

we had a 1:20 departure time originally and then it was delayed an hour.

 

 

 

 

Oh OK, different flight times for November.

[LGinPA]

17 hours ago, Happycrafter123 said:

 

we had a 1:20 departure time originally and then it was delayed an hour.

 

 

 

 

 

I can't thank you enough for the valuable information, especially the good-bye disembarking sheets since I'm a cruise newbie. 

 

Question:  Since your flight was at 1:20 pm from FCO, how did you decide to get a transfer for 8 am (originally 7 am)?  Did you have too much free time at the airport?  I'm wondering why you decided to leave so early.

 

We have a 1 pm flight and was considering a private transfer for 9 am (getting to FCO at 10, the standard 3 hours for international), United Airlines Terminal 3 to the USA.  

 

Thanks!  

 

 

[Happycrafter123]

1 hour ago, LGinPA said:

 

I can't thank you enough for the valuable information, especially the good-bye disembarking sheets since I'm a cruise newbie. 

 

Question:  Since your flight was at 1:20 pm from FCO, how did you decide to get a transfer for 8 am (originally 7 am)?  Did you have too much free time at the airport?  I'm wondering why you decided to leave so early.

 

We have a 1 pm flight and was considering a private transfer for 9 am (getting to FCO at 10, the standard 3 hours for international), United Airlines Terminal 3 to the USA.  

 

Thanks!  

 

 

Air canada suggests being at airport a full 4 hours before flight.

[ollienbertsmum]

On 5/9/2023 at 4:31 AM, Happycrafter123 said:

Well, it was a challenging day.  Santorini is a very small space with limited ways to enter or exit.  There were 4 ships in port.  The guide said this was the first day they had this many people since 2019.  

 

If you choose to disembark be prepared for mass crowds and bottlenecks.

 

most importantly, be prepared for the problem that will be to get back to the ship.  

You must get to the ship tender spot via stairs, donkey, or gondolla.
 

 Gondolla takes 36 people at a time.  while they say it can take an hour to get down that would be in non-peak periods, you really want to allow closer to 2 hours if you plan to take the cable car down.  

 

The donkeys were looking mistreated and badly cared for and coated in sweat, they looked miserable.  I couldn’t bear to put them through more suffering.

 

 The stairs down are very slippery, there are no handrails, and you do not want to take the stairs if you have any physical limitations including fear of heights.

 

my review of the NCL excursion:  Santorini port:  Greek style celebration Opa!

 

- most importantly, they do not bring you back to the ship at the end of this excursion, they ditch you in the village, point you to the cable car, and wish you luck.  They left us there (with about 250-300 other people from the same tour) at 7:15 and last tender was at 8:30.  There was a very long line up like we see at ski mountains at peak time that was definitely over an hour.  Most of our group walked down the stairs as we felt we would certainly miss our ship if we waited for the cable car.  I normally book NCL excursions so I don’t have to worry about being stranded in a foreign port, but in this case they desert you and you are on your own to return.  This was an incredibly bad experience.  I thought I could do the walk and felt we had no choice as we would surely be stranded if we waited for the cable car.  But as we went I realized my fear of heights would be a problem, also I am clumsy on stairs and was worried about falling and injury.  I decided to take the donkey and sent my husband ahead walking as I felt it would be a safer option for me.  I gave the donkey keeper guy $10 euros and he told me to wait by the donkeys.  As I looked at them I knew I could not do that to them, they looked so sad and tired and sweaty and thirsty, like one more trip up and down might be their end, it seemed inhumane. So I let the guy keep my euros and started walking down alone.  Between fear of missing the ship, fear of slipping and falling, and fear of heights, I started to slip in to a panic attack about half way down.  I am so very very grateful that a kind family stopped to help and walk with me down, offering a hand to hold, it made all the difference.  

I think it is horrible that NCL does not take accountability to ensure our safe return to the ship.

 

apart from that, the tour was incredibly boring.  No headsets provided so you could not hear your guide, very little info on history or culture, it was like cattle being herded from one stop to the next, given two minutes for photos, then pushed along again.  Views are outstanding, but hard to see them over the heads of all the other people.  A private tour or even private cab would have led to a much better experience.
 

the buffet lunch sucked.  It was a large hall type venue where you might host a wedding.  They crammed about 250-300 of us in there from multiple busses at the same time.  Service was slow.  We were there a long long long time.  There were salads and bean stuff for vegetarians and being gluten free I felt there were safe looking options for me, but flavors were not great.  Wine was not palatable.  They were stingy with water.  In good news, there were clean bathrooms we did not have to pay extra to use.

 

all in all this excursion was a fail.  But Santorini is definitely beautiful.  The trick is figuring out how to best visit it.
 

My recommendation would be to skip this NCL tour, just go on your own, take cable car up and down, go sit in one of the gorgeous deck restaurants with a view, and go back down very early.  If you have time and like to shop there were many stores with nice looking things. Maybe hire a taxi to drive you around a bit, the land is interesting to see.

 

At dinner I spoke with folks who said the volcano tour was good and they got back with lots of time— that tour goes to a different island so avoids the cable car / stairs issue.  Another option to consider.
 

Next stop will be Athens with a small group tour with NCL, hopefully it will be better.

 

Will definitely be cancelling a couple of the planned excursions later this week.  

 

 

 

I have not read through the whole of this thread but wanted to add comments about my trip to Santorini.  I first went in 1979 and am sad for how busy it has become.  We returned in September 2019, omg it was so crowded.  DH wanted to walk up the steps, not difficult, but you had to get used to squashing against the wall when the donkeys came by.  Once i saw how busy (packed) the town was, I suggested that we go straight to the walk i had researched.  Basically it was walking along the coastline to the left of the donkey steps.  Lots of Kodak moments.  We turned back and before we went down to the ship stopped for a beer and some taramasalata.  Nice.   Going down was slippery but we were careful.  We met a cruiser at the bottom who had slipped.  She had to leave the ship in Mykonos because she had a nasty fracture that was going to keep her off work for months.   Would I do exactly the same again? Yes.  I cannot imagine better views and that is what Santorini is all about when you only have a few hours on a ship tour.  

[Brewster]

Just wanted to say thank you so much in your very in-depth and thorough review. Your insights really helped me for our future October cruise on the Breakaway with a similar itinerary. It was really much appreciated!  Enjoy your future Alaska cruise. It's also a great experience. Thanks again. 

[smillerholmes]

Thank you very much for the details on your cruise - what a wonderful Live from...

 

And now I look forward to my very similar itinerary in November 🤞

[Happycrafter123]

Sorry for not checking in these past few days, I woke up the next day after getting home with a chest cold and fever that rapidly deteriorated—turns out I got pneumonia!  
 

I’ve got a bunch of photos and some dailies that were missed etc to upload so will come back and do that later, just need to (literally) get my breath back.

[CCTES]

10 minutes ago, Happycrafter123 said:

Sorry for not checking in these past few days, I woke up the next day after getting home with a chest cold and fever that rapidly deteriorated—turns out I got pneumonia!  
 

I’ve got a bunch of photos and some dailies that were missed etc to upload so will come back and do that later, just need to (literally) get my breath back.

Oh my gosh! That is terrible, I hope you are feeling better soon!

[AstoriaPreppy]

On 5/3/2023 at 9:35 PM, southern reader said:

Does anyone know if it is easy to catch the train from Cannes, France to Monte Carlo, Monaco?  NCL is sold out of the Monte Carlo, Monaco excursions.  I saw it is an hour each way.  Any info on getting around Monte Carlo once the train arrives?

Thanks

 

You 100% can take the train. It's a regional service in France called TER, and from Cannes to Monaco is about an hour. Monaco is very walkable... it's a tiny place, with not much to see. TBH, I'd recommend stopping in Nice for more of a French Riviera experience.

[southern reader]

18 minutes ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

You 100% can take the train. It's a regional service in France called TER, and from Cannes to Monaco is about an hour. Monaco is very walkable... it's a tiny place, with not much to see. TBH, I'd recommend stopping in Nice for more of a French Riviera experience.

Thank you  @AstoriaPreppy.  So looking forward to it!

[southern reader]

Anyone use the NCL Appand pay the $10 each to communicate with others onboard in their party?  If so, how does it work, and does it work well? How do you get everyone's phone numbers in it etc ?

PS @Happycrafter123 so very sorry to hear you caught pneumonia!

Edited May 25, 2023 by southern reader

[Happycrafter123]

Just starting to recover now.  Hoping I am able to get my stamina and health back soon.  Must confess to not being keen to go on my next cruise.  So grateful my body didn’t fall apart till after disembarkation.

 

Overall on reflection I was impressed with the onboard experience on the Breakaway.  

 

Service was excellent onboard, much better than I expected after reading many bad reviews.  Staff seemed in good spirits and wanted to help.  Everyone was very accommodating from the room steward, guest services, excursion desk, bars, restaurants.  
 

The lady at Starbucks remade my drinks more than once (they are exceedingly generous with dairy) but was still nice though I was difficult.  
 

There were lots of excursions available to book on the ship so I was able to make some changes last minute, and the excursion desk was helpful with the changes.

 

room was always spotless and done up early in the day.  The Stewart if he saw us always asked if he could help with anything 

 

vibe was an excellent purchase and I’m so glad we had it.  The best drinks—they have some exclusive ones and I found one with gin and fruit juice that I loved.  Bartender premade a batch of it just for me so when I wanted some it was ready to go.  
 

my gluten free was catered to with excellent care and food was top notch.   They tried to help me make good choices and premade my food.  The gluten free bread got boring, it was always the same sliced white bread, but it was good tasting.

My onboard experience was significantly impacted by the cigarette smoke.   This was unexpected and had not been an issue on our last trip due to the smoking restrictions during covid.   I did not go to syd Norman’s or hang out in whisky bar like I had planned to, as the smoke in those areas was bad.  I avoided large areas of the ship to avoid the smoke so wasn’t able to enjoy the amenities as I’d hoped to.  I will absolutely not book an NCL cruise again that has such open smoking configuration.   I worry for my next cruise which is non refundable, I hope it is better not worst.  And I am interested in any recommendations for ships that are better—I hear the Bliss is better, I wonder about Prima and Viva?  What about the others, are there some that are more friendly

 for non-smokers?

 

 

Apart from the onboard experience, I found my self deeply disappointed in the Mediterranean.  Most of the places we went to were very Dirty, with grafiti and litter everywhere, rude grouchy locals, smoking everywhere, no bathrooms to be found, bad smells everywhere, vehicles in poor repair.  It was very slummy.  A stark difference To the day in Cannes, France (which was gorgeous, and scrupulously clean) or our visits in prior years to baltic, germany and Scandinavia where everything was pristine and folks so nice.  Italy and Greece were a bit too gritty

 for me.  I will not return to any of the ports visited, or Italy at all, except for the exception of Cannes.  I would love to go to the French Riviera again, it was heavenly nice.

 

Our next cruise leaves on the Sun from Seattle June 30th to Alaska.  I keep hoping someone on the similar itinerary will post a live blog between Now and then.  I will post one for that cruise when I go, though I believe internet will be much weaker without starlink and in Alaska so we’ll see how much I can post.  
 

things that should make alaska better than the Mediterranean for me:  (1) no flights, I can drive there.  (2) air quality should be excellent.  (3) more trees and green stuff (4) better food—I can’t wait for some fresh salmon and crab!  (5) whales and animals to see.  I’ll share this next adventure with you when it starts.

 

thank you all for taking this journey with me!!

[southern reader]

On 5/11/2023 at 9:24 AM, debenson0723 said:

The BTS tour is booked at the CruiseNext desk. If you are Platinum or above, there is a fee tour. If you want the paid one, it is approximately $89 to $129, depending on the ship. There is an informative thread on this forum about the BTS tour you should read for more information.

 

 

On 5/25/2023 at 8:57 AM, AstoriaPreppy said:

 

You 100% can take the train. It's a regional service in France called TER, and from Cannes to Monaco is about an hour. Monaco is very walkable... it's a tiny place, with not much to see. TBH, I'd recommend stopping in Nice for more of a French Riviera experience.

 

On 5/13/2023 at 10:13 AM, Happycrafter123 said:

I’ll give a full excursion review later, both Sorrentto and Pompéi are interesting stops but it was really too rushed and the guide’s accent, pooor quality sound headsets (lots of crackling) and size of group got in the way of it being a thumbs up day.  I would focus on just one if I were to get a redo.  Lunch was mediocre and I’d have rather of gone on my own somewhere in Sorrentto or Naples.  So two thumbs down on this one despite super interesting itinerary.  The execution was the problem, not the ingredients….

 

the ship comes in to the port so you could very easily do Naples on your own without a tour, or with a local walking or hop on hop off option.

 

 

 

 

Hi @Happycrafter123 do you remember if there is time at the end of the Taste of Sorrento and Pompeii tour to pop over yo a pizzeria near the Naples port to try a slice of pizza to go before getting back on board the ship? Thanks

[YVRteacher]

@Happycrafter123 I’m so glad to hear you’re feeling a little better.  Sounds like you were so sick which must have been awful!

 

I agree with your assessment of the Mediterranean ports.  Malta is the dirtiest place I’ve visited: we went to the beach on an NCL excursion and it was littered with garbage, glass and cigarette butts. I’m glad you enjoyed Olympia and did you get gelato in Katakolon???

The research you did to plan your pre cruise experience is Rome is inspiring and you found fabulous tours and experiences.

 

It sounds like the Breakaway is a bit too large of a ship for the Med.  

 

I loved the Bliss and the Encore for their enclosed smoking sections in the casino. Cigarette smoke really bothers me too and for the first time ever the Jewel’s casino smoke was irritating and widespread, seeping into the theatre and nearby bars.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write such an informative review!  
 

The Sun out of Seattle this summer has such great itineraries.  I loved sailing on her, once for the Baltic and once from Seward to Vancouver.  I hope the smoke stays in the casino and that the air is fresh and the ports are good to you!

 

 

[Happycrafter123]

Thank you, @YVRteacher this is the sickest I have ever been, much worst than I was with covid last year, this one landed me in ER and has really scared me.  We take breathing for granted till we can’t.

 

I’m going to go back and read some of your posts on Alaska, thanks for the tip about the Encore.

 

as for gelato, we ate lots of it in Rome.  In Olympia we got peanuts covered in sugar and stuff which were delicious.  And for shopping I got this gorgeous cameo at Pompéi…… I always thought cameos were ugly things old people wore but was amazed at the beauty and craftsmanship.  Wish I had had cash on me to be able to negotiate better, but still very happy with this, my sole souvenir given our carry on only limitations.

 

[Happycrafter123]

1 hour ago, southern reader said:

 

 

Hi @Happycrafter123 do you remember if there is time at the end of the Taste of Sorrento and Pompeii tour to pop over yo a pizzeria near the Naples port to try a slice of pizza to go before getting back on board the ship? Thanks

Hi @southern reader it was a full

day and we were late as with all excursions getting in close to 4, all aboard was 4:30.  I don’t think there would have been time or energy to run in to town at that point.

[southern reader]

LOL okay, thank you @Happycrafter123.  Do you remember if there was much free time in Sorrento?

[YVRteacher]

Your necklace is beautiful!

[Happycrafter123]

9 minutes ago, southern reader said:

LOL okay, thank you @Happycrafter123.  Do you remember if there was much free time in Sorrento?

We only had about 30 m free time which needed to include your bathroom break.  It was not enough, as there was lots of shopping and views 

[cruiseny4life]

On 5/28/2023 at 7:01 PM, YVRteacher said:

Your necklace is beautiful!

Thank you for saving me the Google search on what the heck a cameo is! Can you tell I'm a guy? 🙂

[Happycrafter123]

21 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Thank you for saving me the Google search on what the heck a cameo is! Can you tell I'm a guy? 🙂

Cameos are handmade carvings from seashells.  Usually with a metal rim added of silver or gold.  They are usually roundish and can range from a centimeter round to a couple inches round.  They are then turned in to earrings, necklaces, rings and broaches.  I picked the necklace version.  The pictures on them vary based on the artist.  It is very interesting to watch the artists work on these, you can see them at work in more than one shop outside the gate at Pompei. 
 

hubby left me to go to the bathroom which was in the shop, as all bathrooms on our tours seemed to be in the bowels of a shopping establishment, and he came back to find me with a necklace on my neck and swarmed by sales ladies.  My visa was in my hand.  Prepare yourself lol!

Edited May 30, 2023 by Happycrafter123

[CCTES]

How far is Pompeii from the dock, just wondering as my mom isn't going to be able to navigate the streets for a "tour" but I would really like to go see the area. The necklace is unbelievable! such artistry!

[cruiseny4life]

2 hours ago, Happycrafter123 said:

Cameos are handmade carvings from seashells.  Usually with a metal rim added of silver or gold.  They are usually roundish and can range from a centimeter round to a couple inches round.  They are then turned in to earrings, necklaces, rings and broaches.  I picked the necklace version.  The pictures on them vary based on the artist.  It is very interesting to watch the artists work on these, you can see them at work in more than one shop outside the gate at Pompei. 
 

hubby left me to go to the bathroom which was in the shop, as all bathrooms on our tours seemed to be in the bowels of a shopping establishment, and he came back to find me with a necklace on my neck and swarmed by sales ladies.  My visa was in my hand.  Prepare yourself lol!

Ahahaha, thank you! Ok...well, now I know. And they say we don't learn on Cruise Critic. Thank you:) 

 

I know all too well his feeling when he returned from the bowels (lol) of the shop!