Norwegian Breakaway Cruise Reviews - Reviews

I've sailed many times with NCL. Over the years I watched the quality go downhill and this is by far the worst I've ever experience.  It is not what it used to be from poor service to them milking us for everything.  First, they increased the gratuities AFTER we already booked.  Second, they now charge for room service at $7.95 per order. There's no bathrobe in the stateroom. Body lotion no longer provided. Food quality at main dining rooms was bad.  You're better off going to garden buffet for all your meals but you will have to fight with thousands of passengers for seats.  Out of all 7 days, I only had one good service. Entertainment used to be good, but now you have to pay to see Cirque shows.  Embarkation was a pain.  I had to remind them 3 times I was a platinum member for them to put me in different line.  They messed up our pictures and had to go back to retake them. Disembarkation was even worst.  They had to get so many people out it took over an hour just to get off.  The only thing I enjoyed on this cruise was the perks of being a platinum member: free champagne and chocolates the first day, free laundry, and 1 free meal at Le Bistro, which by the way was great. Maybe I would have had better time if this was my first time cruising. 

Our first cruise on Breakaway...We were nervous about the large size but it was not an issue and the flow of the ship was very good except for the casino...My wife is in a wheelchair and to navigate on Deck 7 is difficult when having to pass thru casino...On the plus side, the Restaurants were better the ok and we enjoyed the food aspect of the cruise...The only negative we found was the service level...More then adequate help but I feel they have  poor training...That goes from the room steward to the restaurant servers but we tried not to focus on it and thus had a great overall cruise experience...

This was first my cruise and frankly I would advise everyone out there not to take this cruise from Newyork it's way too boring. Where to start not a good option for those who are vegetarians as they have very limited options of veg food to offer and the food they do offer is not good in quality or taste. Also they have very limited entertainment on-board to occupy your self busy and the night clubs are so boring as the DJ's need to sync up with the current music. 

I will start by saying I am not the type of person that looks for things to complain about. However, if something is not good, I will make it known. Excellent time on this cruise. Loved the ship (I am a fan of the big ships). Crew was excellent. very friendly and accommodating. Next time would book excursions in Port Canaveral and Nassau. Greta Stirrup Cay was the best stop. I am amazed at how they can get food, drink and entertainment for 4000 passengers. Plenty of beach chairs. Overall this was one of my favorite cruises out of the 6 I have taken. All have been with Norwegian.

Breakaway is beautiful and glides without a ripple. we had the mini-suite and it was just like an outside cabin no bigger.Book your specialty restaurants early they go quick.Bistro,Cagneys,the Italian ,Brazilian,and Japanese were fantastic.The Ocean-Blue (which you pay more for) was at the most just average.5 out of 6 is pretty good..the staff on the entire ship were exceptional.Pools ,shows,& bars were really great.NCL needs to supervise their island. people fighting over chairs, with no supervison at all---but you saw bar hops  all over the place.I'd do this trip again (without O.B.)

My wife and I had a wonderful time. The food was great. There was a great variety of activities including a Broadway production of Rock of Ages. Also the crew was very personable and attentive. When you stop at Port Canaveral, I would recommend visiting Kennedy Space Center rather than going to Disney since you will not have enough time to really enjoy Disney. We really enjoyed the private island day at the beach, where you have the option of a quiet Lagoon area for lounging or activity filled beach area with music and beach bars. The freestyling of this cruise gives you the option of dressing up or not. We chose to do our evening dining in the Manhattan room which was a more elagent dining option available without a surcharge.   Boarding and disembarkation process was very smooth, I would recommend the option to take you own luggage off the ship. Overall the experience was excellent and would do this again.

Simply put, The most incredible vacation my wife and I have ever taken! From top to bottom, the crew of the Breakaway provide a vacation that you will never forget. from the food, entertainment, ports, and everything in between , cant imagine any vacation being any better. Also dealing with Thomas Houser from wasalso a very pleasant exsperience, Thank you Thomas!

           Kent&Marianela Pitz

The crew members were fabulous, friendly, helpful, cheerful, can't give them enough credit.  The water from the tap was good at the beginning of cruise but rather strong at the end, guess that is to be expected.  Enjoyed most of the entertainment, but did wish there were a few more that were family oriented in the evening.  This was our first cruise. 

As far as cruises only, they were great. They made it very easy for my first ever cruise. Their app was easy to use and their emails kept me updated. The only regret waso the cruise was too long. 8 days for your first cruise is too long. Also leaving from NY in March was not a good idea. Hope this helped.

Last year, we hit a whale and it took us over 4 hours to get off the Breakaway. We were told one lame excuse after another; never the truth.

This year, we arrived early since we had priority boarding and had to wait two hours to board. Our first night out was uneventful. The next morning we had breakfast, walked the ship, went to the casino, and had lunch. When we got back to our stateroom on the fifth floor, aft (rear) of ship, we noticed that our room a terrible odor. Our room steward reported to his supervisor and we reported to the front guest service desk. We were told if would be corrected in 30 minutes to about an hour. They LIED, it took them over 12 hours to correct the problem. Our stateroom is above the septic tank on this ship and the septic system was emptied in NY and not re-hooked up properly, therefore after the first night and one morning of cruising, the sewage smell between our stateroom and our neighbors was unbearable. We were told there was no other cabin available on the ship except for an inside cabin across our room, which also smelled. This is a hell of a way to treat a PLATINUM MEMBER. It ruined the rest of our cruise as we both became quite sick with bacterial infections.  On the next day, Monday,  our Doctor gave us antibiotics for our bacterial infection.   

I have enjoyed cruising on NCL many times and I've done this itinerary before on smaller ships.  I had a great cruise, and that was mostly because of the choices I made.  Ziplining in FL, parasailing on the island.  I met some wonderful people and made new friends.   I'm not impressed by size.  A bigger ship doesn't mean a better cruise.  The services (restaurants, spa, etc.) on this ship were on a par with the other NCL ships I've been on, but maybe twice the cost.  A massage?  Twice the cost.  Access to the spa?  Twice the cost.  And now there's a restaurant that's not covered by the Ultimate Dining Package.  Back to nickle-and-diming the customers.  

The thing I found to be not as good was the food in the standard dining rooms.  Breakfast was disappointing no matter where we had it.  Dinner in the Manhattan dining room was disappointing both in service and in food.  Also, while the Cirque Dreams show was fun, the dinner served with it was close to awful, with no substitutions. The woman next to me was a vegetarian and she was handed the same plate as everyone else with a beef fillet and shrimp.  She asked for another option and was told nothing was available.  She didn't miss much by not eating it.   Don't get me wrong.  I enjoyed my cruise very much.  The ship is beautiful and very clean.  The room stewards are wonderful as usual.  NCL has streamlined the embarking and debarking process and that is much appreciated.  There are more bars and more shows.  And you get FREE exercise just walking from fore to aft!  It's a BIG ship.  It's just that for the extra money I spent to have the quality vacation I enjoy, I could have booked a haven suite and gotten the same services, or gone on a higher-priced cruise line.  

I say good due to this ship is so different, we love to go to the shows on stage and on this ship we we unable to see any. This ship has kid programs going on while people are getting drunk in bars and Dora with the kids are about 10 feet away..NOT GOOD.

We have been on this ship several times and enjoy it more and more.  Great entertainment, great food, and even greater service. We will definitely sail the Breakaway again.

PAID $$$$$ NEVER EVEN SAW A BATHROBE ROOM WAS TO HAVE ONE FOR ALL FOUR OF US, DISHES LEFT EVERY DAY HE NEVER CLEANED THEM ALL. SAME SHEETS FOR ENTIRE WK SAND AND EVERYTHING STILL IN BED.  RAN OUT OF TOWELS EVERY DAY.  HAD BEVERAGE PACKAGE BUT STILL HAD TO PAY FOR DRINKS.  GOT THE DINNNER PACKAGE FOR ALL 4 OF US BUT COULD NOT GET RESERVATIONS TILL 10PM REALLY WE SHOULD BE IN BED NOT EATING AND THE RESERVATIONS WE MADE WKS IN ADVANCE REALLY? DON'T BOOK WITH BJ'S THEY CHARGE YOU ONE DAY THEN CALL YOU THE NEXT DAY AND FORCE YOU TO PAY FOR MORE CHARGES THAT YOU ALLREADY PD FOR BUT GUESS WHAT YOU ARE STUCK NOW BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT GET ANY MONEY BACK NO RETURN SO YOU ARE STUCK SO PLAN ON ABOUT $400.00 OR MORE  IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU ARE CHARGED THE FIRST TIME YOU TALK TO THEM BECAUSE THEY WILL CALL YOU BACK AND CHARGE YOU MORE FOR SOME FEE THAT YOU DID NOT PAY FOR THE ORIGINAL  PHONE CALL GOOD LUCK

I had a good time on my cruise, but, I never even met my room steward.  Although I met his brother in the hall. I always looked forward to two items on the menu which were always included in a 7 night or longer cruise.  The Lobster and the escargot. I was sad to hear that they were no longer available. But I still wanted it. So we booked a specialty restaurant, the french. When my Lobster came it was chewey and veiny. The disappointment showed on my face and I was told I could have another, I declined. For fear of another of the same and I can not eat all I can eat like some people.This meal cost alot and was not as good as the restaurants included with the cruise. I see many of the things I had become used too are no more.  But I guess that is the way things go these days.  I will cruise again but I will look around more next time I book.

Our cruise on the Breakaway was okay... However, the boarding process was the worst we have ever experienced. In NY the line to check luggage was backed up at 11:30am about a half mile outside along the fence and it was freezing. When we finally got to check our luggage and proceed inside we proceeded to wait 1 hour and 45 minutes.  When we finally got onto the ship we went to the buffet to find it was closed for the drill. If that was going to be the case then food should have been brought in for the people that were waiting to check in. When we got our luggage several things were broken by the cruise line.  

The days to follow were decent except for the main dining rooms- service was slow and food was mediocre. We were ignored in-between courses because we weren't drinking alcohol.

In the restaurants that had a cover charge we received better service, wait staff were much more attentive and the quality of the food was far better.

Second City and Rock of Ages were very good but on the other nights the cruise was lacking quality entertainment.

The morning we were disembarking the ship was absolutely ridiculous and hazardous. We were carrying off our luggage and started to head down one  floor to deck 7 to leave the ship. There were people completely covering the stairs and the corridor. The elevators were busy but we managed to get into an elevator. The four of us proceeded into the elevator and road it up in order to go down. When the doors opened on floor 7 there wasn't enough room for my son and husband to get off the elevator. They were stuck inside the elevator and because it was so packed tensions were high and no one would move fearing they would lose their place in line. NCL finally locked the elevators so no one could get on. Eventually, the line started moving at 8:40am- after over an hour of waiting. The line wrapped all through the casino and back again. When got off the gangway we waited  40 minutes in the cold before we could proceed to customs. Norwegian then allowed passengers with excursions in NY to cut the line but the people that were trying to get to the airport ,like us could not jump the line. Once inside waiting to go through customs there were only 4 lines open. Once we got through customs we were pushed outside and across the road to wait for transportation-again in the freezing cold. We have cruised 8 times and have never experienced anything like this. The dismemberment process was so dangerous if there were ever a need for us to get off immediately it would have been impossible. The boat possible should have been cleared by deck for carry off. The execution was poor and unacceptable.

For those who think bigger is always better they may want to stay away from the Breakaway. Although it's a huge ship there were times when the large amount of people on the ship was overwhelming. For example the first time you step on the ship and went to the buffet it was overcrowded with not enough seating. And whatever you do don't expect much from their much publicized "Ocean Blue" specialty restaurant which cost you $39 extra per person. My wife and I went in expecting to be offered at least a lobster tail, shrimp cocktail or even swordfish for the extra cash but none were available. Oh yeah if you wanted to pay even EXTRA you could get some of the above. All in all the ship was no big deal and I wouldn't go out of my way to go back for any reason on this particular ship unless you have kids and teenagers who like a water slide(they have a nice "tube type" water slide) and stop at Port Canaveral which allows you to spend a day at Disney. We've been on 8 cruises now and would rate this ship average. Found food much better on RCL the two times we've cruised with them...

Extremely disappointed in this cruise. My family and I have cruised several times before, both on NCL and other lines and this was the worst experience thus far. You are nickel and dimed to death (i.e. cover charge to go into a bar on ship), food provided in 'free' dining areas (which are limited - most charge) was subpar (we actually got sick on board). There was a crowd everywhere you went on ship - so you spend a good portion of time waiting in lines (to eat, to be waited on, to get off, to use the sports equipment, etc.).  

excellent crew support & attention to guest concerns & needs.Cabin always clean and restocked towels,ice etc.Food was great.bars & clubswere top shelf.

The first few hours on board will be your best. The workers will get bored really quickly. They're on long 8 month contracts with no time off and long days,they will be quick in letting you know. Food is par with exception to moderno. Shows are ok with exception to cirque which is great. Long story short, I'm glad 6 of my cruisers were with celebrity