Great Itinerary, Questionable Execution

Item: Norwegian Breakaway
Rating: 4.1
Author: eghost

Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Review to Transatlantic

eghost

Contributor Level: Second Mate

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Reviews: 3

Helpful Votes: 74

Overall rating:

4.1 out of 5

12 Night Transatlantic Eastbound (New York To Southampton)

Sail date: April 15, 2018

Ship: Norwegian Breakaway

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 11216

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 3 years ago

Review summary

In all we enjoyed the cruise despite the shortcomings we experienced.

Embarkation

2 out of 5

The ship took a long time to disembark, which delayed embarkation for several hours. The lines inside the terminal were long. The waiting area became so crowded that the processing of new passengers had to be stopped. No reason was given for the slow process.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

4 out of 5

Overall the food was good but not exceptional.

The Manhattan Room Restaurant

5 out of 5

This was the best place to eat. The service was exceptional, the food was good and the waiters were very attentive. The menu had a good selection of standard dishes as well as daily special choices.

Garden Café

4 out of 5

This is a large venue, however the selection was at times limited, and often sections were closed forcing crowds into the open areas. The food was typical buffet. We ate here when we were in a hurry because it was quick. Each night featured a different cuisine. (Italian, Latin etc). Staff were helpful and quick to clear tables.

Taste Restaurant

5 out of 5

The menu here was the same as the Manhattan Room and Savor, just in a more intimate venue. Service was exceptional.

O'Sheehan's Neighborhood Bar and Grille

2 out of 5

This was the worst place to eat on the ship. Often understaffed, wait times were long, orders were lost or filled incorrectly. It was not uncommon to see passengers getting their own coffee, flatware etc because no staff assisted them. It was not uncommon to see people leave because they did not get waited on.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

We utilized the Fitness center, Thermal Spa, Spice H2O hot tubs and mini golf. Some of the outdoor activities were closed because of low temps and high winds.

Whirlpool

5 out of 5

Spice H2O is an adults only venue during the day offering 2 hot tubs and plenty of places to sit at the rear of the ship.

Mini Golf

5 out of 5

Typical mini golf. Nice way to be outside.

Pulse Fitness Center

5 out of 5

There is a wide range of fitness equipment for every level of activity.

Spa Thermal Suite

2 out of 5

This was a big disappointment. The heated ceramic lounges were in op and the jets in the therapy pool were often not working and it took hours for staff to respond and get them working. One of the 2 rain showers were in op. On the plus side, the sauna and steam room were great as was the hot tub. The were lots of lounge chairs and great views. This is worth the price if everything works, We ended up getting a full refund because we were tired of arguing with the staff the the problems were mechanical and not user error.

Entertainment

3 out of 5

The quality of entertainment was good, however Rock of ages was cancelled.

The Atrium

4 out of 5

This area was always busy and noisey

Breakaway Theater

4 out of 5

For a ship with 4000 people on board this was a small venue

Spiegel Tent

5 out of 5

This venue is designed as a circus tent

Service and Staff

3 out of 5

Our room steward was awesome as were most the the staff. However overall many guests had the impression that those running things were inexperienced and disorganized.

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

Because the ship is large, it takes a few days to learn where things are located, thankfully there are interactive screens near stairs and elevators to help. For the most part the ship was kept clean.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

This is a mid ship balcony convenient to Forward and Aft elevators. The room was clean and comfortable, there were plenty of extra pillows and plenty of storage for our 12 nights on the ship

Ship tip

Make reservations for entertainment shows early. Be sure to take advantage of all the complimentary dining venues.

Thumbs up

Ports of call

New York, New York

4 out of 5

We did not visit this port because we have been here before. We stayed close to the terminal the night before.

Thumbs Up 2

Ponta Delgada, Azores

5 out of 5

This was a beautiful island. We did the Hot Springs & Botanical Gardens excursion which left time to visit Ponta Delgada. The gardens were stunning.

Thumbs Up 1

Cobh (Cork), Ireland

5 out of 5

We visited Cobh and did the Kinsale Village & Countryside Views excursion. Our tour guide was awesome and very informative. the Irish country side was gorgeous.

Thumbs Up 6

Portland (Weymouth), England, Uk

5 out of 5

We did the Bath tour and were not disappointed. The tour guide was entertaining and informative and the views of the country side were fantastic.

Thumbs Up 1

Le Havre (Paris), France

5 out of 5

We took the Paris and Leisure excursion. The drive was long but a few hours in Paris was worth the ride. This tour drove by the most popular sites and stop for a couple hours free time.

Thumbs Up 3

Southampton (London), England

5 out of 5

We took a private tour to Salisbury, Stonehenge and Windsor Castle ending in central London.

Thumbs Up 4