We are veteran cruisers in our 60's with gold status on Norwegian. We like the itineraries and the convenient home ports. We originally scheduled the Breakaway for Memorial Day, but had to put it off until Christmas week. We were curious to try the new ship. After booking, we started reading the reviews and wondered whether we should have booked the Gem which we have been on before and enjoyed.

We stayed at the Weehauken Sheraton the night before the cruise, only because the City was packed and we couldn't find a room on the West Side at a reasonable price. The transportation to the ship was a snap on the Water Taxi from just outside the hotel. It took us to 40th street and we walked up from there. There was a little delay in boarding, but once they opened the gates, it moved well.

We were most concerned about the food and steward service, but found it comparable to what we experienced on other Norwegian cruises. We take all our meals in the dining rooms, avoiding the buffets. We had no complaints with the two small dining rooms on the 6th deck, Taste and Savor. Service was outstanding and we had several excellent meals, some very ordinary. The Strip Steak was always a good choice, if the daily menu lacked anything interesting. The Manhattan dining room on the 7th deck was huge. If you like music and dancing during dinner and do not mind a relaxing tempo, this is the place for you. We found the pace a little slow and the music a little loud. The only specialty restaurant we generally eat at is the Bistro. We thought about eating there the first night when they gave away a bottle of wine with dinner, but decided not to until later in the cruise, but then got shut out. So, make your reservations for the Bistro early. Read more