We really enjoyed the variety and elegance of the Breakaway ship, and especially loved the Bahamas destinations--NCL's private island (Great Stirrup Cay) is just extraordinary. From the food to the wonderful staff, every part of the cruise was perfectly managed to make us happy. Our mini-suite stay came with a choice of promotions, and we chose unlimited specialty dining. We recommend this ship and this cruise wholeheartedly.

The Breakaway's entertainment is Broadway-inspired (Rock of Ages and Burn the Floor are theater performances, and Cirque Dreams and Wine Lovers The Musical are dinner and lunch theater performances, respectively). There are lots of places to just sit and have a drink or people watch, from indoor bars to the Waterfront "boardwalk." Breakaway has a great selection of specialty dining options, and our favorite was Ocean Blue. We love seafood and the prices (though high) are very reasonable compared to comparable fare in New York. We enjoyed the Waterfront nearly every day, from grabbing a bite at one of the a la carte restaurants to watching the stars at night.

Major tip: Pre-booking is very important on such a large ship. The NCL.com site lets you book well in advance. There are also touchscreen stations and a downloadable app to help you with any arrangements you need to make on ship. This will also help with your service experience, since waiting on line to get human help can be frustrating amid 4500+ other passengers.