The ship and the "floating hotel" functioned flawlessly. Even as an experienced world traveler, I was enthralled by the views, the food and the service.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
We loved the Brazilian Steakhouse, ate there twice.
The main dining rooms presented the food beautifully, and the service was impeccable.
The buffet was sufficient in a pinch and included ice cream!
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
I loved the ropes course. If you want to try it, keep an eye on the weather as it is closed during windy days. The last sea day, it seemed that they slowed the ship purposefully so guests could take advantage of it.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The choices did not fit our preference or timing. I wish there had been more of a choice of music venues earlier in the evening.
Also, they need to be stricter about what is available during "family friendly" hours. One of the game shows in the afternoon was scandalous. That said, we entertained ourselves in other ways and had an enjoyable time.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The entire staff was a perfect blend of professional curtesy and personable friendliness. I couldn't ask for or imagine a better interaction.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
It is under constant maintenance as a sea going vessel would need to be. I did have trouble finding some areas but discovering them on the last night made for a magical surprise.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The size was perfect for the two of us and one of our favorite places on the ship. It had a lg closet and other storage areas, but would be physically challenging for more than two adults. The solution, of course, would to be to spend your days in public areas.
Ship tip
Don't buy the alcohol drinks package unless that's your only pleasure on the ship. We had drinks three different times and spent $44 each. Also, the FREE DRINKS packages are not FREE. The added gratuity is far more than anyone would need to pay than if they just paid for their alcoholic drinks as needed.
We went to the French Market area on a trolley and took a self-booked tour with Royal Carriages. We loved it. I highly recommend either a mule-drawn or walking tour of the area.
We went on the submarine tour, certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Especially enjoyable for those who cannot not snorkel themselves. Wheat we saw does not compare to the waters in Hawaii, but we were pleased with the whole experience.
It's too bad we cant stay for days since there's so much offered. Our focus was snorkeling so we took the NCL excursion to the private beach club, Tabanya. It is in the prime location for swimming on the West Bay. Lovely water, sand, plenty of lounge chairs, included delicious bbq chicken. Downsides were annoying choice of Spanish rap songs and an ailing coral reef.
This is a lovely, safe extension of the NCL experience. We also wanted to see the real Belize so we booked a bus tour to the small Mayan ruins and Spice Farm. Our tour guide, Nate, took us through his home village, explained modern customs of the Mayan people and generally made us feel like his bruddas an sistahs for the day. Caution: in the real Belieze, they have real biting insects. Wear long pants and shirts. I opted out of using insect repellant because I didn't want to ruin the fragrant experience at the Spice farm.
It was windy! A comedian described it as, "Costa Maybe." Maybe the ship will dock there. We opted for an independently arranged excursion to Xahuayxol Beach Club. Walk three blocks into town, behind the Mayan pyramid, into the fenced, attended parking area, ride in a taxi for 20 minutes, enjoy a beach with just a few people. There was only one other couple. The taxi, all drinks, food, snorkel gear, kayaks were included. I ate the best fried fish of my life. Downsides: the actual reef is a bit off shore. It may be often windy. While snorkeling close to shore, the seagrass was very short, not a bother at all, and I spotted a stingray. The beach is natural coral sand, some stones, not manufactured sand like on a cruise-owned island. I recommend this if you want a real experience, great food, friendly service and solitude.
We used the wheelchair service and it seemed that NCL did not have enough help in that area. However, we were not in a hurry and enjoyed the wait. Customs was a breeze, no questions, no forms. Lots of porters if you have more luggage than you can carry.
The "Free at Sea" drink package is an outstanding value for the mere price of gratuities ($22.00) passengers can have unlimited sodas and alcoholic beverages all day long. Two sodas and a glass of wine and after that ALL YOUR DRINKS are literally FREE. While other cruise lines charge $75-$99 a day PLUS gratuities per person, Norwegian's FAS drink package is outstanding. Those not choosing the FAS offer pay either $109 or $139 per day PLUS gratuities per person. Simply math and attention to your wallet tells you to pick the ultimate beverage package as part of you free at sea offers when booking your cruise.
Thanks for the detail. Question on the entertainment: did they replace the broadway show “Six” with another show? I know they have “Burn the Floor” but that appears to be in the Manhattan Supper club during dinner. We are wondering what their larger theater will have and how we can reserve ahead of time.
Trying to avoid the mad rush when we get on the boat. Thanks!
Thank you for the Breakaway review - I will be sailing on her in December and appreciate all the reviews - and glad that you enjoyed your cruise and am looking forward to mine
We think of a ship as a floating hotel, too. For us, it is all about the destinations.
We like the included drink package. It works well for us.
Glad you had a fun cruise.
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