This is the second time I have been on this ship and my 25th cruise. I have cruised Holland, Norwegian, Disney, Celebrity, Princess and Royal. The last time we sailed Breakaway we did the Bermuda itinerary which I prefer for this ship. The embarkation process was long and frustrating. The port of Manhattan is by far the worst place to board. The staff is miserable and unaccommodating. We got on board and went directly to the dining room. The fact that the two small dining rooms Savor and Taste are open for lunch is welcomed as the buffet is a zoo on the boarding day.

The ship is large but not large enough for 5000+ passengers. The open areas are crowded and it is hard to navigate around the mobs of people. The buffet is so crowded at prime times of the day that finding a seat is impossible. I stayed to dining in the main dining rooms because I preferred not to fight the crowds. The cabins are standard except the balconies on this ship are tiny. Don't expect to sit on the balcony they are only for looks! The television channels offered are the worst on any cruise ship. They offer CNN, MSNBC, Fox and only two other stations one runs continuous movies and one that has popular tv series. The bathrooms are decent and offer glass shower doors as opposed to the sticky shower curtains. The dining venues are ok. The three main free dining rooms all offer the same options every night and it is very difficult to get a dining time in between 6 P.M. and 9 P.M. The specialty restaurants are plentiful so unless you get the free specialty dining package expect to pay if you want anything different. O'Sheehans is a nice option if you want pub food for a change of pace.

The main show Rock of Ages is fabulous but as I sailed on this ship prior I had already seen the show. Burn the Floor is also excellent but also the same show I saw on the prior sailing. The fact that they do not offer any other main shows is a disappointment to me because I like to have dinner and see a show. The other entertainment options are good but you need a reservation to see the comedy show and the other venues are extremely crowded and seating is limited. The service as on the majority of cruises I have taken is exceptional. We found a waiter on the first day of the cruise and requested him for the remainder and the dinner every evening with him was the highlight of our cruise. I am not a fan of the freestyle dining and am an advocate for the old school cruising. The reason I always found cruising to be a unique experience is because of the personalized service. Read more