Glad we went once but probably won't cruise again

Item: Norwegian Breakaway
Rating: 3.9
Author: Dadtical

Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Review to Caribbean - Western

Dadtical

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 22

Overall rating:

3.9 out of 5

7 Night Western Caribbean (New Orleans Roundtrip)

Sail date: February 11, 2024

Ship: Norwegian Breakaway

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: 12226

Traveled as: Family (young children)

Reviewed: 8 months ago

Review summary

If you enjoy more activities and like to have more freedom, a cruise probably isn't the best for you (especially not this one). I found this one in particular had a much older crowd and was not geared toward families or people under retirement age as much. When you see the daily schedules it looks loaded with things to do but it is mostly cheesy sales presentations, bingos, casino events, and etc. If that sounds fun to you then have at it. If you are looking for more coordinated activities at the pools or outside decks, you are going to be disappointed. If you end up staying on the boat more at ports you'll be very bored. We probably won't do another cruise for a long time, and when we do it'll be much shorter and with a different line.

Embarkation

5 out of 5

Embarkation was very smooth. We paid the small amount extra for Priority and ended up walking through security about an hour before our time. Considering the amount of people they get boarded in the short amount of time this is very well coordinated. I will say that the port is a little warm though.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

3 out of 5

I had higher hopes for the food but was not impressed. We ate at most of the premium dining options and were only impressed with Le Bistro. La Cucina was a solid second. All the rest were on the same level. The steak at Cagney's was terrible. I honestly think a lot of people who eat on this cruise don't know what good quality food is. While we only did the buffet a few times it was pretty good. On par with an average casino buffet. Service was great everywhere we went though!

Moderno Churrascaria

2 out of 5

My son loves Texas de Brazil so we decided to try their version out. It was disappointing. The salad bar was lacking a lot of options you normally see at a Churrascaria and the meats were not very flavorful. Overall I wish we would not have gone. Service was very good though!

Cagney's Steakhouse

2 out of 5

Everything about the meal was good except the main part, the steaks. We got ribeyes and there were probably the cheapest cuts I've ever had. From the 16oz ribeye we both had probably 9oz of fat and grilse. I would not recommend going here.

La Cucina

4 out of 5

Service and food was very good. Overall our meal was great other than one or two items was were very bland.

American Diner

3 out of 5

My son really enjoyed the fish dip and sliders. I tried the meat loaf once and it was terrible. Most of the food here is basically like cafeteria food. It's not bad for a quick bite to eat but nothing to write home about. The service was always great though.

Garden Café

4 out of 5

We only tried the buffet a few times and it was pretty good. Not bad for a quick bite on the ship.

Waves Pool Bar

3 out of 5

These guys do a good job but they need help.

The Manhattan Room Restaurant

5 out of 5

Meals were always nice here and the service was fantastic. The atmosphere is terrific. I wish we did more dinners here.

Taste Restaurant

4 out of 5

Good not great but it was fast!

Skyy Vodka Ice Bar

4 out of 5

This was a fun experience and the bartender inside was amazing. The drinks they serve are a little nasty but it's so cold you don't care haha.

Shaker's Cocktail Bar

5 out of 5

Cocktails are amazing and the bartenders are machines! This is a great hot spot to have drinks before going out.

Savor Restaurant

4 out of 5

Not great but not bad, service is good and quick

Room Service

4 out of 5

Room service options are pretty basic but we used it for snacks in the morning to get going quick.

Ocean Blue

4 out of 5

Our appetizers were very good but our entrees were kind of fishy. The service was great and view was fantastic.

Le Bistro

5 out of 5

This was our best meal on the ship. Highly recommend going.

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

The ropes course was closed more than it was open. Several days my son and I tried to go but they were not open because the exhaust was being blown onto the course. This was a port and at sea, in low winds and high winds. It seemed like a pretty big design flaw for a big item on the ship. The pool was nice and when it was open due to weather the Vibe club was worth the month.

Vibe Beach Club

5 out of 5

Worth the money if you want to get away from the main deck area crowds. It's also nice to have a bar all to yourself and not have to wait.

Ropes Course

2 out of 5

My son only got to do this once the entire 7 day trip due to "smoke issues." He loved the one time he got to do it but when we tried to go back several times to go together we never could.

Pool

4 out of 5

Pool area is decent, although some additional shade would be nice.

Entertainment

2 out of 5

The DJ did a pretty good job throughout the day when I heard him but in the night club he was awful. Cheesy played out line dancing and boring wedding music. We went out every night and I was very annoyed with the lack of fresh music or diversity. We were not the only ones that felt this way.

Spice H2O

3 out of 5

It would be nice to have this area be adults only in the evenings too, keep the kids out. The bartenders are very overwhelmed in the evening.

Syd Norman's Pour House

3 out of 5

This place reminded me of a cheesy theme park attraction. The shows and sets are definitely geared towards an older crowd but it is kid friendly so that's a plus. We went once and left halfway through.

Bliss Ultra Lounge

3 out of 5

The atmosphere at Bliss was usually pretty fun at night but the DJ was TERRIBLE. I don't know if he is kept from playing better music or what but his playsets were bad. Felts like a bad wedding DJ every night.

Children's Programs

5 out of 5

My 10yo son loved the Splash Academy and the workers were great! There weren't many other things going on for him to do that worked with our schedule so this was "his thing." I only wish it was open a little more on port days as we didn't leave the ship for two of the 4 days and he wanted to go.

Splash Academy

5 out of 5

Best thing on the ship for my 10yo, he loved it.

Service and Staff

4 out of 5

Service was fantastic, hands down. My only complaint is the bars do seem to be a little under staffed at peak hours. If I spent the money for a drink package and I'm trying to enjoy my vacation, I don't want to spend 15-20mins of it standing at the bar every time I want a drink. Other than the crew at Shakers, you could tell the bartenders are overwhelmed. The guys at Shakers were rock stars!

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Every thing was very clean and I saw nothing that made me thing the ship wasn't well maintained.

Cabin / Stateroom

4 out of 5

I felt like the cabin was the appropriate size for us (family of 3). The balcony was nice when we used it and the room AC worked well. The larger bathroom was worth the extra money when we were all getting cleaned up and ready for dinner or etc. We opted to not get the cabin cleaned daily but when we did our attendant was excellent. The linens did show some wear and tear though. I was surprised to find some small holes and fraying in the sheets. Otherwise the cabin was great.

Ports of call

New Orleans, Louisiana

3 out of 5

New Orleans in a wild place with lots of good food!

Thumbs Up 0

Cozumel, Mexico

3 out of 5

We got off the boat and walked around a little. Everything at the port is super high priced and cliché tourist goods.

Thumbs Up 0

Coxen Hole, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras Did not visit port

The view off the boat was nice but that's as close as we got. Everyone we talked to that got off but didn't have an excursion said it was terrible.

Thumbs Up 0

Harvest Caye, Belize

5 out of 5

The Caye was very nice. We spent almost the whole day on the beach. The sand it crushed coral so it's very rough though. We did the superman zip line and it was a lot of fun.

Thumbs Up 0

Costa Maya (Mahahual), Mexico

5 out of 5

We did the Mayan Ruin excursion and thought it was was worth the money. Definitely splurge for the VIP experience so you don't have to ride with a huge tour bus full of people. You'll also get a better VIP tour.

Thumbs Up 0

Disembarkation

5 out of 5

We woke up at 7:30am, got ready, and were off the boat by 8:30am. We opted to carry out bags, which I know not everyone could do but it's the best option.

Traveler Photos

9 Comments

willwork4cruz 8 months ago

You’re right. Cruising probably isn’t for you. Those of us who enjoy them must not know quality, but we are happy in our ignorance.

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Ruby13 8 months ago

Thank you for sharing

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Gwbigdog 8 months ago

Thanks for sharing

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pilotvova 8 months ago

I don’t want my reply to look like my own personal review but I will try. Appreciate your detailed review. NCL overall has better food options , quality and presentation over other cruise lines. We had been on 10 cruises and of course there is always something we can get picky about. Every cruise is a different experience and how you approach it makes the vacation .As our kids got older we actually look for “less” things to do and spend more time away from crowds. Thermal suites, Vibe beach, The Haven seems to do the trick. Lots of clients lately find NCL a nickel and dime line , but I think it is not the case. We prefer to have lower itinerary cost and pay for extras as we go , because as we cruise more we find that buying an “all inclusive “ experience is just a waste of money. Royal has “ more “ included but their prices are much higher and if you don’t use it all you end up wasting money. We sailed just recently on Escape (3rd time) , and each sailing on the same ship was totally different experience. If you are looking for a party boat I am afraid NCL is a bit more classy.

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bubbles60 8 months ago

Sorry you were not pleased with some of the food. Normally, NCl food is better than most cruise lines. Glad you enjoyed your ports.

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Sogmoore 8 months ago

Nice review and thanks for sharing

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karlgrgurich 8 months ago

Right. Not the right cruise line for families

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cruising2004 8 months ago

Sorry this cruise was not up to par. Agree with previous shipmate, Carnival or Royal are better options for families. Thank you for your review.

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CruiseQueen34 8 months ago

NCL was not a good choice for young people with young children. Not all cruise lines are created equal. I've cruised NCL a lot but I'm a retired senior. You should try Carnival or RCL. They have a lot of activities and cater to younger people. Thanks for the review and I hope you have a good experience next time.

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