Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Reviews - Reviews

We had a blast. People pleasant. Shore excursions awesome. Great weather. Food really good. Teppanyaki awesome both times. Food is delicious and the show is always fun to watch that they put on. Absolutely loved rock of ages show!!!! Natalie Weiss was good but nothing like rock of ages. I didn't like the fact that we could only go to the comedy show 1 time. I think it should be first come first serve. I would have gone every night to the adult show. I'm not waiting on the side to see if I may or may not get in on the standby line. ridiculous. It took getting used to the key card controlling the lights in the room....kinda funny. The beverage package was perfect. No cares in the world, just sign and drink and its all paid for ahead of time. Well worth it!! The aristocrat catamaran with capt. Smitty and Baxter was very cool. Nice places they took us. Boy can he sail..... in and around all those reefs. Ray and John were great when we went scuba diving. Very relaxed and calm teaching us. It was only my second time. So many cool fish at snorkel Park too when we were being casual on the first day. Nice and close to the ship. I thought it was great to be able to get on and off the ship whenever. We could have stayed off the ship for three days if we wanted...very cool. Not cool was the stores closing at 5:00. I've got $$ to spend, whats up with that...That was a downer. I wouldn't want to waste a beautiful sunny day shopping but after I enjoyed my sunny day, I would have loved to go shopping. Oh, Cagneys was out of this world once again. Lets just say I had my fair share of filet mignon. LOL. OK I think I rambled on enough. Thumbs up all around!! Oh, Donnie our agent rocks!!

This was the smallest and more expensive balcony cabin ever....and didn't even included a bathrobe. The safe box was locked from day one and took two days for somebody to come and open it for us. The battery at the door lock died and we got locked out of the room waiting for somebody to come and fix it. People were smoking at the balconies and the smoke was getting on our cabin, what's the point of a balcony if I have to keep the door lock all the time? The food at the general buffet was ok, but always the same food, only one night they did Sea food Paella and the rest Mexican or some curry chicken or lamb...if you want better food you have to go to the "especial restaurants" and PAY, which we did...We got the Ultimate Dining Package (UDP), which doesn't include the best restaurants (Sushi, sea food, etc.)...(you call that ULTIMATE????) then you have to make reservations, and all the good times are already taken, so you end up waiting for a miracle to be sited. The show I pre-booked online was canceled, and we were informed when we got to the cabin....we were unable to reschedule due to the amount of people on the waiting list. I remember my first cruises, when we were treated like royalty...now I feel like I'm in the subway to New York City...well, to be honest this is the first cruise I feel this way, the one before, with Royal Caribbean, it was great. I never complain about tipping, but if they will force me to tip $14 per person per day, I expect excellent service...not just OK. If you want to get a chair close to the pools, you can forget about it...or wake up early, put towels\shirts\shoes and reserve them for the whole day, like most a-holes did all the week...on NCL this is allowed. I can believe that I had a better experience on carnival than NCL. I will never book on NCL again.

Our Cabin Steward, JR,  was awesome, but that was the only thing that was awesome. 

The slides, ropes course and rock wall were open only a couple of hours at a time, one to two times a day, depending on the day. This in turn caused long lines that you could wait in well over an hour to use. This is not how anyone wants to spend their vacation. All the lines could have all been alleviated by having them open for longer periods of time. 

I had to visit customer service 2 times to try and find out why one of my 3 cabins did not receive a $75 credit, which was part of the booking agreement. The first time I went to the customer service desk (Monday morning) the guy said he would send a message to look into why I didn't receive the credit and get back to me by Monday night. Monday night came and went - no message on my room phone. I gave them until Tuesday afternoon, at which point I went back to the desk again, spoke with another member of the team who said they contacted my travel agent and we weren't getting the credit. I asked who they contacted, they said the name of the travel agent they contacted - but it was not the travel agent I used!  At this point I asked for a supervisor. After waiting for about 25 minutes a supervisor appeared. We spoke about the issue I was having and he offered to call my travel agent directly. He let me speak with the agent who explained that they told Norwegian they would credit the $75 back to my credit card. It wasn't the travel agent - it was Norwegian who could not communicate the message. All in all I spent about 3 hours and a lot of frustration of my vacation trying to get this worked out - not how I was interested in vacationing. 

We went with three teenage girls 13, 15 and 17 years. The teen club was geared toward the 13 year old, not 13-17 years as stated. If the girls weren't interested in doing a specific activity they were kicked out of the teen club. This was very disappointing, especially since the activities were juvenile and certainly not something a 15 or 17 year would be interested in. One evening we were looking for the girls and checked the teen club. We were rudely greeted by the people who ran the teen club. They looked for the girls, determined they were not present and let us know. We said ok and left. Later that evening when we did see the girls they told us that the people who ran the club told them we were angry that we could not find them. This was totally not the case! What did upset me was that they lied to the girls, which in turn made them think we were upset with them.

The food was good and all the restaurants we tried. They had a nice assortment of food and the restaurant was friendly and attentive. 

As far as onboard activities go we all agreed they were pretty sad - we went to several group activities including health and wellness - where each time we attended all they tried to do was sell you something. We also attended several "name that picture", "name that tune" type of events - each one was poorly run and not enough seating. 

I have been on at least 10 cruises. Mostly Royal Caribbean. Felt that the hostess on Norwegian had difficulty understanding English. Made a reservation for a specialty restaurant. When I went to confirm my reservation it was cancelled (not sure by who). After a little heated discussion a new reservation was made. When I confirmed the reservation again the next day the number of guests was changed from 5-3. I would suggest when making reservations that you confirm them daily.

We had an amazing time. We traveled with 22 people, 10 parents and 12 children. Our children's ages ranged from 13 to 20. There is so much to do if you want to, and  time to relax if you want that too.  There is something for everyone. Norwegian cruise line is very accommodating. This is our third Norwegian cruise in four years.

Excellent trip!  Wish I were there right now! Great service, delicious food options, comfortable beds, variety of activities, something for every age, etc.... felt like home!  Ship is beautiful!  Bermuda was gorgeous!  Will be back!

Pros: good amount of time to enjoy the beaches of Bermuda, high quality entertainment, most of the food was terrific.

Cons: insufficient storage space in room for clothes, last minute raise in daily tip rates by NCL, last minute change to leave Bermuda 2 hours early on last port day, no privacy by adult only pool, no lounge beds by adult pool, no Quest game like on RC or Carnival ships, slow service to refill water glass at dinner at Cirque show. 

For those who don't like cruises because the short time in port prevents learning about a place, this one is good.  Two and a half days in Bermuda gives plenty of time to see everything.  Plus, the days at sea provide time to not have to worry about anything.  NCL also accommodates solo travelers with daily meet-ups and studio cabins. 

But, if you are looking for a high-class or well-designed ship, this is not it.  There are too many people on the ship, and you notice it.  The chairs are always full, there are crowds and lines at activities, shows, and restaurants, and it takes forever to get an elevator.  Additionally, the service, shows, and food is not of a top quality.  Maybe NCL's smaller ships are better, but I certainly would not recommend their larger ones.  And all of the games cost extra money. 

This is an excellent cruise to go. Crew of Breakaway is amazing, they are very friendly , helpful and accommodating. We had a great time , amazing food and drinks.

We had a fantastic time!  The ship was amazing, crew was awesome and we had so much fun on this cruise!  Bermuda was nice, a but crowded and expensive on the beaches so be prepared.  United did a great job coordinating my cruise and the entire crew on the Breakaway was top notch!  Activities, dining, shows all earn an A+! 

overall it was a fantastic cruise. Ncl has gotten a little cheap with their extras though.  I'm not sure if every ship is like this now - but since our last cruise 2 years ago a lot has changed . First - no chocolate buffet !!! Deserts are not as good as they have been in the past - dinner in all three free restaurants is exactly the same as each other each night so there is no variety at all - speciality restaurants are now 29 extra each night ( I remember when they were 5$)

Not enough lounge chairs for the quantity of guests and the running track is a joke - 1/8 of a mile!  

The positives - ship is beautiful - entertainment was fantastic - the island of Bermuda is gorgeous ! Staff was amazing - staterooms were lovely - and the atmosphere was great - ice bar was fun and the buffet was what you would expect. Ropes course and slide were great and kids loved that part.  The teen club was also great my kids never wanted to leave !!!!

This ship is lovely and has some beautiful spaces. The food is great even in the inclusive dining rooms ( also, Brazilian and Hibachi). We had some service issues in the Brazilian restaurant as we were required to reach across each other plates to grab meat from the skewer which was beyond rude. Otherwise you must say you are allergic to something for them to prepare your food without an ingredient. Otherwise they will ignore you and act like they can't make it that way.. (like Nachos without guac!) If you say allergic, they fall over themselves to prepare your food. Everything on ship is extra, video games for the kids, bottled water.. be prepared to spend another few hundred on ship even without any real purchases. Adult pool is impossible to even get a seat to dip your feet in as its filled with 18 and 19 year olds getting drunk. Lounge chairs in sun or shade are impossible to get unless you go at 6 am and throw a towel down. Be prepared for long lines at water slides and all activities on board. Iconcierge app is 8 bucks a phone to use but well worth it to communicate with people on board and a nice feature. Comedy shows, Cirque show and rock of ages are all excellent.

My wife and I are Platinum members with NCL and cruise exclusively with NCL.  The Breakaway Cruise to Bermuda was a fantastic trip and one we always have wanted to take. We live close to NYC so no planes was an extra bonus.  We would highly recommend the cruise to anyone. 

Two things to beware of:  First, we love the spa and the various offerings available.  BTW, book Rosanna for anything, she's a good friend and a wonderful person.  I booked two massages, one on day two, the other on day 6.  During the first massage, about every two to three minutes, I would hear a loud thud on the ceiling which obviously detracted from the experience.  When asking what it was, and I had already figured it out, seems when the ship was designed, they put the gym, specifically the weight room, on top of the private massage and therapy rooms.  Thus, when folks in weight room are lifting and then dropping the weights, they come crashing down on the floor and disturb whatever treatment you are having done.  The masseuse was great but obviously embarrassed and even mentioned she could not figure out why they put the gym on top of the treatment rooms.  Obviously, I cancelled the second massage not wanting to listen to weights pounding on top of me again. 

The  second thing to be aware of, that my wife and I are currently attempting to deal with, is an on board CrusieNext promotion that is headlined as "Up to $500 FREE today when you book your next cruise."  My wife and I did one of these before and were quite satisfied with the results.  Not so much this time.  The deal is you pay a $1,000 and immediately receive a $500 (the 'free' money) credit on board.  In paying this amount, you also receive 4 'credits' ($250 each) to be used on a subsequent cruise which we booked for March of 2017.  That's a great deal, $500 off your current bill and then 4 credits totaling $1,000 to use on your next cruise.  HOWEVER, upon our return we received a confirmation for the 2017 cruise and noticed only one of the credits had been applied.  When we called and spoke with a very nice representative, April,  who said according to what she was reading you could only use one credit per cruise which made absolutely no sense according to what we were told when we purchased the credits.  During the call, there were a few 'let me put you on hold' because there was obviously confusion over the promotion.  As a matter of fact the Terms and Conditions sheet she was reading from was different from the one I had.  We've put a call into the CruiseNext representative who was on the ship and sold us to the package to clear up what is either a mess, or, some misleading information.  Our CruiseNext consultant, Janine, even went as far to tell us that if we got a better deal through one of NCL's partners (we got this cruise through BJ's), that the credits could be applied. 

And so we would caution that if the offer is made on board for 'free money' you make sure, in writing, what you are getting and/or at least that the confusion will hopefully have been cleared up.  Happy cruising!  BTW, on the Breakaway, don't miss the Uptown Grill for lunch.  Best burger on the high seas! :-)

We enjoyed our week on the Breakaway but we're very disappointed in the pool area. The pools are way too small for 4,000 passengers. We spent our first morning in Bermuda finally enjoying some time at the pool. (All of the pool hogs went to the beach.) This was a major design flaw. 

If you were on the rest of the ship it was CROWDED!...too many people with too few lounge chairs and too little seating in the buffet area. Also, the safety drill was ridiculous; people kept talking throughout  it so that you couldn't hear the instructions. Luckily, we were near the person doing the life vest demo so we got to see that at least.

HOWEVER,, if you can afford the Haven it was WONDERFUL - great suite (10176), quiet, uncrowded area with great service.Private pool and deck area.  The food was very good, and we got the unlimited beverage and dining package. I think the Haven is the only way to go on this huge ship..

The first day on board was a disaster.  ID card error, conflicting information, misplaced luggage, inaccurate/poor information, etc.  Guest services told us the first day is chaotic.  There was no orientation for first time cruisers.  This is a family oriented cruise with a focus on family/kids activities.  If you are adults traveling to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, etc we would not recommend this cruise.  Pool area crowded and @ sea no lounge chairs available.  The "supper club"  seemed to be an area for kids to use the dance floor.  Children up late and attended "adult" shows.  Very crowded ship with all staterooms occupied.  Great for Norwegian business purposes, but not so for those of us who wanted a focus on mature activities and events.  They seemed focused on trying to nickel and dime guests for many services/events/programs, etc.   Finally, the casino was a designated smoking area if you gambled.  This was so smokey if was very uncomfortable.  If you are a non smoker and want to gamble on a cruise do not sail with Norwegian.   We would not travel on a Norwegian family breakaway cruise nor would we suggest it especially for mature travelers. 

Overall a very good cruise experience.  Rooms, entrainment, excursions met expectations.  Staff was very courteous. Dinner in complimentary restaurant were decent.  Specialty restaurants not worth the additional costs.     

We were so very excited to go on the Breakaway after only having been on Carnival before--we can't wait to go back to carnival.

With regards to our room:

1)It was right next to the crew door, so we heard that door all the time.

2) It was right under the theater that had Cirque Dreams-so we heard that twice a day if we tried to rest in our room

3) NCL kept from us the fact that Bermuda has "Cup Match" (a cricket match) for 2 of the 3 days that we were there-a national holiday that shuts down Bermuda for 2 days. They only told us as we got on the boat with a note in our room. They knew, but didn't tell us because they knew they couldn't fill the boat I they did.

4) Over 4,000 guests and 1 main pool-are you kidding?

5) Bumpy ride on the way back rom Bermuda. Before you flame me for this one, here's the story: It was so bad our bunk bed that was in the ceiling fell out and other guests reported that they fell out of bed. But, it wasn't just rough weather. We were told this happens every week on the last day of this run because the captain has to floor it while going against the current to get back on time. So every Friday, you can be sure this boat is rocking. I would rather 12 less hours in Bermuda and not getting sick the next 24 hours. (I NEVER get sick, but got sick 5 times because of this). We had to sleep in the lobby because our room rocked so bad-and several others did the same.

We don't expect perfection and are not entitled people at all, but if NCL doesn't entice us to come back somehow, we never will

Manhattan cruise terminal parking is not the best and a bit expensive at $40/night. The ship is simply awesome, massive, clean and tons of activities on board.  Julie the cruise director is awesome, captain Hoyt did a great job with the ship.   While in Bermuda I would recommend Horseshoe Bay beach, great water and a beautiful beach.   A shout out for two excursions, none of which were booked via the ship.   For fishing, Baxters reef fishing is great, excellent captains and crew, plus great fishing.   Keith and Gwen of Hat Trick snorkeling were fantastic, they go out six miles to blue hole which offers great snorkeling, lots to see and clear water.  Would definitely recommend this ship and cruise.   The only negatives were that because of the ships size it carries a lot of pasengers, the pool is small and sometimes the sun deck was quite crowded.    A great vacation for the family ...

THE   WEEK  I   SAILED   THE ''BREAKAWAY''  WAS  ' SOLD OUT'......TOO   MANY  PEOPLE  FOR  THE  SHIP  TO  HANDLE.....THE  POOL   AREA  WAS  HORRIBLE  FOR  ADULTS.....POOL  TOO  SMALL  NO  WHERE  TO  SWIM  AND  THE  LOUNGE  CHAIR  SITUATION  HORRIBLE  ....I  WENT  TO  GET  A  CHAIR.   BY  8AM  WHILE  SHIP  AT  SEA  ABOUT  90%  OF  THE CHAIRS WERE  ALREADY  RESERVED..... I  WOULD  HAVE PAID  EXTRA  FOR  THE ''HAVEN''....I  HEARD  PEOPLE WHO  BELONGED  TO  THE ''HAVEN''  HAD  OWN  PRIVATE  POOL  AREA  WITH  ENOUGH  CHAIRS....GUESS  IT'S  TRUE '''MONEY  TALKS''  AND  YOU  GET  GREAT  SERVICE....

THE  ENTERTAINMENT  AREA'S  ALSO  WHERE  TOO  SMALL  TO  HANDLE  ALL  THE  PEOPLE  WANTING  TO  WATCH  A  SHOW  PEOPLE  WERE  STANDING  TO  WATCH  A  PERFORMANCE  DUE  TO  AREA'S  SMALL  CAPACITY'' ....I  WENT  TO  '  OCEAN  BLUE'  RESTUARANT  THOUGHT  TO  HAVE  GOOD  SEAFOOD.   WHAT  I  GOT  WAS  VERY  DISAPPOINTING  ANY  ' SEAFOOD '  EX....CLAMS,  SHRIMP  COCKTAIL  WAS  '  EXTRA'' HAD   TO  PAY   FOR  THE  ''RAW BAR''........I  WOULD  NEVER  SAIL  WITH  NORWEIGAN   AGAIN.....I   FEEL   THE  '  BREAKAWAY '' IS  A  HIGHLY  OVER RATED  SHIP......