Too Big

We did enjoy our trip, 7 Days to Florida and the Bahamas, leaving NYC Dec 15,2013.

BUT. Too many people, (the children were ok). Ship layout was not as welcoming as older NCL Ships.

We did the same itinery/time frame last year on the Jewel, we enjoyed the trip much better despite bad weather. Our two previous NCL trips, repositioning trips on the Star were great.

The large public areas on deck 6, 7 and 8 are all interior. Not much opportunity to look out to the sea. To pass from foreward to aft on deck 7, you had to pass through the casino. We always used deck 8 or 6.

No single outdoor area as big as on the Star or Jewel. Thr total of outdoor was in fact greater. There are only two elevator banks,  no forward elevators. Guests in forward cabins had a long walk along the narrow passageways. (no wider than older ships). to get to the mid and aft elevators.

The main dining room still seems a bit disorganized No effort made to arrange shared tables. Service was sometimes slow, the crew tried hard, but, the galley on 6 one deck below Main dinning room on 7, the wait staff had to go a long way to get the food. The escalator between 6 & 7 for the wait staff Is a great idea, but it still creates a bottle neck.

The menus seem a bit diminished from our previous NCL trips. Same menu at lunch every day, Same dinner menu 3 main rooms. Caesar salad was always available at dinner on earlier NCL trips, only on some days on this trip. There was no parm cheese on the caesar salad (agreed it didn’t say so on the menu, caesar salad always has parm cheese) yes, they would have retrieved some for me, but it was a long trip to the galley.

The entertainment was not as good overall as on our earlier trips. The Jazz offerings were great, the Fat Cats Jazz and Blues Club, and especially Jazzy LadyT in Shakers Coctail Bar. We did not Care at all for “Rock of Ages”. Ok, we’re seniors!

We did have an issue that developed on the 4th day, with the door from the crew elevator bank, near our room, slamming shut, very loudly, and sometimes shaking the things in our cabin. The issue was eventually fixed, and the ship’s hotel director followed up directly with us to ensure it was ok.

I believe the Breakaway has some basic design flaws, galley on a different deck than the main dining room, and no forward elevators. The interior public large areas, no outside views, deck 7 must pass through the casino, are perhaps a personal objection.

Ok, I will go on the Breakway again, but only if  we get a bargain rate. We do like leaving from NYC, no airfare, no hassle..

Last but not least, complaint for all cruise ships, smoking on balconeys! Why don’t cruise lines limit smoking on a block of rooms, so we non smokers don' t have to share our neighbors second hand smoke?