The wife and I have been on 16 cruises with 4 different cruise lines but we are now sold on the value and price of the NCL Breakaway sailing out of Manhattan. I'm sure the other NCL offerings are just as good (we did take the Epic out of Miami once) but being that I live within a few hours drive to Pier 88 makes the air-fare and bus expense lines on my cost spreadsheet blank. Aside from the $600 we save we also skip the anxiety generated by all the additional travel complications of getting to a far-away port just for the embarkation. For this cruise the drive was just under 2 hours, dock-side workers handled our luggage and we were directed to a short line for handicapped travelers to check-in, the wife uses a cane you see. The waiting area was clean and comfortable a did not get too crowded until just before the boarding started. Boarding is still just a short walk but you should be aware that it is up-hill all the way and it seems that there is always a wheelchair or scooter having a problem with the climb.

We decided to start the cruise with lunch in Moderno which was setup as a buffet just for embarkation day. Several friends we made in the waiting area joined us and a good time was had by all. Immediately after the mandatory safety muster, we met up with some others we found on Cruise Critic for a "pub crawl". We started at Shakers Martini Bar, then went on to the Malting's Beer and Whiskey Bar, down to O'Sheenans Bar & Grill, then down to the Attrium Bar, aft to the Mixx Bar, up to Prime Meridian, we had a stop in the Garden Café (which does have a bar in the rear of the buffet) and then the last stop was at H20 Spice in the "Fire Island Bar". It was a bit chilly in the night air off the coast of NJ in Feb but it was to be expected. Unfortunately, I was the only one still crawling by then, 11PM. The next day was a "Meet & Greet" with the officers setup with the assistance of Cruise Critic and one of the members, and later that evening the "Captain's VIP Cocktail Party" and I got a chance to wear my Tux again. Oh Boy!

The time spent with the officers, and whenever we are dealing with the crew is always an enjoyment. They welcomed us into their 'family' and never failed to smile and find a way to handle any requests we made. After enjoying a week with them it is a rude awakening when you a thrust back into the real world as you disembark. Our cabin (#12260), a family balcony stateroom, had plenty of space for the 2 of us, even the balcony itself was a good size for the few times we actually used it. The furnishings and the bathroom were adequate and well cleaned. The A/C, TV and lighting worked fine. I recommend the 12th floor aft location we had, near the elevators and away from the expected noise sources. Based on my experiences the cruise was smooth, the weather was a bit chilly and somewhat windy some days. The wife had a good time in the casino (winning is always fun isn't it). I enjoyed the pool and hot-tubs. 'Freddy' and 'Mike' at the pool bar were very helpful with my desire to try some new beverages, we even made up a few of our own. And I cannot give enough praise for 'Irma' and 'Jim' at the Shakers Martini Bar, again they handled our request for a 'Cotton Candy Martini' without delay, good thing I remembered to bring some cotton candy. Read more