cruise for the masses

Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Review to Caribbean - Bahamas

Cruises: 7+ cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 22

Overall rating:

3 out of 5
Verified Review
Norwegian Breakaway

7 Night Bahamas & Florida (New York Roundtrip)

Sail date: February 21, 2016

Ship: Norwegian Breakaway

Cabin type: Inside

Cabin number: 13431

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

Vey basic cruise, does not have what we were looking for in a cruise. We have done over 25 different cruises, including getting married on a Norwegian ship.

The food was sub par for a cruise line. with that said it wasn't bad but was not what a cruiseline normally offers. In main restaurant we had a prime rib that was dried out tasted like liver, and some Asian dish that was horrible. On all cruises in the past 30 years I was offered at least 1 night lobster. This cruise it was an extra $20. That's ridiculous

The noodle bar is clueless, not only did they forget parts of our order, what they did give us was totally wrong. My wife has a gluten allergy and can only eat rice noodle not the normal noodles that are made with wheat/gluten

They offer food 24hrs but from a greasy over cooked restaurant with extremely poor svc and un friendly hostesses. Room svc is an charge of $7.95 plus gratuity.

Top floor buffet was closed between 11pm-12 am. That is ridiculous on a cruise line that is promoting drinking,gambling and entertainment until the wee hours.

Waiter service to table was horrible in all bars with the exception of Shakers. The young lady and gentlemen were on top of everything in the martini bar, really impressive.

Waited in whiskey bar for 20 minutes waiting for svc, waitress was to busy talking to other cruise staff. It took one of the ships entertainment directors who happened to walk by, asked if we were ok, we said we were waiting for service, 15 minutes later they walked by again and saw that we still didn't get served, they called the beverage director to come down to the lounge and then she got to work. Days later the service returned to next to non existant.

Chairs couches were all hard as rocks with the exception of the chairs in the casino, they want you to stay and keep gambling, but feel that they want you to move on in the lounges where most people have prepaid beverage plan. It was so obvious to someone who has cruise before. Does not make you want to stay and enjoy your drink.

Entertainment was a good quality but with 5000 people on the ship it is always making reservations. And with that many people you would think they would have more entertainment on sea days but was mighty slim.

 

When you walk through the ship and the air is turned off you begin to smell sour/foul smells. Mostly in the Garden Café buffet on the 15th floor.

 

3hour wait to get a tendor to their island, that is crazy

 

Room steward were great, what I would expect on a cruise ship. She knew our names, made a point to say hello, room was well kept and updated.

 

I thought I was a bit generous on the rating system for this ship.

they provided a service, but not up to NCL or any cruise ship class

 

If you want a ship to drink, party and just eat, then this is ok for you,

We prefer more than an all inclusive on a ship.

 

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

1 out of 5
basic fast food, no quality unless you want to pay extra

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Entertainment

3 out of 5
dual pianos was great fun. reservations for nightly show terrible

Service and Staff

3 out of 5
besides Shakes staff/waitress who were great! all other lounge svc and irish restauarant, and noodle bar horrible

Ship Quality

3 out of 5
besides the foul smells on occasion, average, thought certain areas were not taken care of as should be.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
Stewardess was great, kept our room well organized and always greeted us with a smile and a hello. She was one of the few highlights of the cruise

Ports of call

New York, New York

1 out of 5

Port Canaveral, Florida

3 out of 5

Great Stirrup Cay (Cruise Line Private Island), Bahamas

1 out of 5
3hr wait for a tender to get on island

Nassau, Bahamas

5 out of 5
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9 Comments

Gwbigdog    1 year ago

Thanks for sharing your cruise with us.

Ejan    8 years ago

That smell outside of the Garden Cafe is septic.  (I live in the country and there is no mistaking it.)  I noticed it when we were in port.  There is something definitely wrong with this ship's system.  My husband said that Norwegian has been fined for discharging in the ocean.  Maybe the septic system is "backed-up" in port.

sandheichert    8 years ago

alioop    8 years ago

Thank you for elaborating & you are in fact correct.

louisaredman    8 years ago

Some items are free on carnival for room service, others carry a charge. Basically you can get salads a couple different sandwiches and a Continental breakfast free anything else is a 6 buck upcharge. This all started around the first of the year. Almost all the cruise lines have done something similiar and it blows.

Ejan    8 years ago

From January 2015:  "Room Service is available on ALL Carnival cruise ships. There is no charge for room service food." 

alioop    8 years ago

Carnival does not give free room service to people in balcony cabins

maggie1211    8 years ago

Well we only gave it 1 star, for the cruise line itself, it was below standard, this was our 14th and was very disappointed, We've had Carnival cruises superior to this one, at least they supplied robes and free room service for balcony suites and the quality of the beach towel are superior to NCL. 1st time 4 spa, was so over chlorinated it was like walking into a bleach bath and we both got rashs

alioop    8 years ago

I've cruised 6 different lines & I have to say the breakaway exceeded our expectations . One lousy meal or 2 isn't the end of the world for me though & I have back issues & found the chairs were quite comfortable. Poor service is inexcusable however & I would have lodged a formal complaint. As for the rest, including the afore mentioned, maybe you should try crystal or windstar..more up your alley

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