Embarkation went very smooth. Being from CT, we drove into NYC. Leaving on a Sunday is a major plus as we saw very little traffic coming down Harry Hudson at about 11 AM. There was a disabled vehicle in the left lane, but getting around that didn't take long. As we approached 55th Ave., traffic did start to slow, as it usually does due to traffic lights. Signage directed us to exit right for Manhattan Cruise Port terminal. After the light, we stayed to our left to go up the ramp to the second story parking. Going right would allow you to drop-off. Parking is paid as you enter, so have your credit card ready. Cars got backed up (5-10 minutes), as there was only one person handling payment.

There were parking areas on both sides of the Breakaway. We drove down to the furthest (Pier 88), made a right and once in, pulled to the side to drop-off luggage near the elevator. The family stayed with the luggage as I parked the car. The lot was about 3/4 full and I had no problem finding a spot.

After going down the elevator, we found a porter to take our luggage. Look for the carts with luggage stacked on them and you will usually find a porter loading it. They will be right outside the terminal building as you exit the elevator. Tipping the porter a few bucks, we headed inside to check-in. Lines are determined by deck, so we moved into ours where there was quite a few people. It took us about 30-40 minutes to finally reach the counter. During that time, they announced that loading numbers were not necessary and passengers could board as soon as they completed check-in. After a brief stop at the bathroom, we boarded the Breakaway at 1:10.

We arrived at Port Canaveral at 1 PM and people were disembarking within 10-15 minutes. We were going to Cocoa Beach, so we left the boat later at around 2 PM to miss the crowds, and contacted Uber. There was one uberXL within 14 minutes, so we grabbed it. Unfortunately, he got stuck in traffic and we waited for about 40 minutes before he arrived. In the meantime, a flat rate taxi was waiting in front of Terminal 1 and I asked for their rates, $15 for as many that could fit in the mini-van. Better than $15 per person off the boat. Not knowing exactly where to go, we directed Uber to the Cocoa Beach Pier, but the driver suggested Ron Jon's and a short walk to the beach. My wife likes shopping, so this was a better choice and worked out well. While she shopped, I headed to the beach and grabbed a couple of chairs for $14 for 3 hours. There was a swift breeze that was refreshing, but as the sun went down, it got chilly.

After a couple of hours at the beach, we headed back and connected with Uber and surprise! We got the same driver! 14 minute wait and he actually made it in that time. Total cost for Uber to Cocoa Beach and back from Cruise port was $30 for six people.

Arrived Great Stirrup Cay around 9 AM and anchored off shore. Tenders arrived immediately to transport staff to the island. Passengers began to load at 10 AM. Don't forget to make reservations for a tender. I didn't know about it until I was playing around with iConcierge application on the first day. It was real easy to make and we nabbed reservations for Tender A. We got down to the theater a little late, so we missed Tender A, but it was orderly and they seated and we watched a video until we were ready to go, about 30 minutes later.

The island is fine, but you will want to get there early to get a chair(s) on the beach. The beach was a mix of sand and rock, so be careful. Unless you rent a cabana/shell, don't expect any shading on the beach, because they don't rent umbrellas. Snorkeling was OK, but not great. There really isn't much diversity underwater to look at. On they way out there are large patches of rock on the bottom that you can scrape your skin due to the shallow waters. Be careful.

Buffet was OK, but the line was long and it takes about 3040 minutes to get food. Take advantage of the burger/hot dog stands.

The excursions were a bit expense for us, so we arranged a tour online before leaving. This worked well for us, since we had two beach days already and just wanted to see what was on the island. It ended up costing us a little more than one person at Atlantis for a three hour tour. We saw many cool stuff (conch demo, bat cave, factories of rum cake, choclate & cigars) in addition to the history of the island and whats happening now. For a care free time, I would recommend this to anyone.

The scene at Festival Place can be intimidating (many people trying to sell you stuff), but if you have a plan, ignoring it all is much easier. Once you leave the gate, it gets much better.