Our trans Atlantic cruise was great when we visited our destinations but cold & rainy during the 5 days we crossed the Atlantic. This meant we were confined to the inside of the ship for the 5 day crossing. There were plenty of diversions & activities inside the ship which made the crossing fun although it would have been nice to be able to use the pool & hot-tubs. The food was no better or worse than any of the other cruises we have taken on other cruise lines. The crew was exceptional including the captain who always kept us informed about our route and weather conditions. Our cruise was forced to take a more northern route across the Atlantic because of storms which severely lowered the speed of our internet service. We were dismayed that Princess allowed one passenger to bring their dog on the cruise. There was no indication that this was any type of service dog! I am a dog owner & would never consider taking our dog on a cruise. I wonder about the public health issues when a dog is brought into the dining rooms! Overall we had a good time but would think twice about ever taking another Trans Atlantic cruise, particularly one that takes a northern route like ours did. Read Less

Princess Cruises with the Regal was outstanding. We are elite so we have a few cruises with Princess but this time the entire staff: dinning room waiter (Herbert), assistance waiter (Veljko), dinning room manager (Norbert), dinning room hostess(Yaniris), and room steward (Carlos) were exceptional with friendly attitude, willingness to provide service, interest in our activities on ship and in ports with recommendations of what to try. Captain Stringer was amazing with his detailed explanation of our course across the Atlantic Ocean and changes due to the weather patterns. His daily updates could be quite humorous. I loved the description of a massive ship like the Regal sneaking out of port late at night. It reminded me of an elephant in a china shop trying to be delicate. The itinerary was great the best ports were Copenhagen. I could have stayed longer. St. Petersburg was fantastic with the two day small group tour and our guide was the best with so much knowledge about the people and history. Again I could have stayed longer. What a fantastic voyage. Thank you Princess Cruises and the Regal Princess Staff. Read Less

This is a repositioning itinerary, with a unique combination of Norway and Iceland. The detour via Scotland was something I was less interested in, especially Inverness. The Getaway just came out of a 2-week upgrade in the dry dock, and there was still a new-carpet smell. The trip started off badly - due to some vague explanation of delayed supplies, we left Copenhagen 5 hours late, and because this time could not be made up we had a day at sea the next day rather than the planned first stop at Haugesund, Norway. There is no excuse for this bad planning, and the only compensation we got was $50 per cabin!!! On the way back, there was another unplanned day at sea - we made it almost to Inverness, but then the captain made a U-turn because he felt the wind was too strong for the narrow strait. In return he promised an early arrival in Edinburgh, but it too was a disaster - the ship anchored way out from port and because there were few tenders available there was a minimum of 2 hours wait to get to and from shore. An additional minor gripe - the vertical water slides were broken the whole trip. Food and entertainment were fine. Because of the cold weather the outdoor space was hardly used, making for crowded conditions indoor, esp. the atrium. The wait times at the sit-down restaurants were quite long - often 40 minutes to be seated, and 2 hours from ordering to desert. Read Less

Holland america is a great line The zuiderdam was nice and clean and comfortable I like the food and the services Love the Baltic cruise St Petersburg Stonia Finland Sweden Denmark I had a great experience the excursions was beautiful The disembarkation and embarkatoin was nice and smooth Our dining room stuff ware wonderful specialy Herman and iman Love the wine tasting and wine package The captain was very friendly just like the rest of the crews entertainment was so so was okay Didn't like the idea of the yoga room all open concept saroundit with bicycle and other exercise machines Pools was clean and well look after I was disappointed because no library Only few books for exchange Not enough exercise class or activities I attended some free starch class The exercise room wasn't open tel 7 o'clock AM we ware waiting at the door 5 minutes after a sleepy fitness structure Appear and open the door I felt he was over worked Read Less

While it is churlish to be too critical when we are privileged enough to be able to afford a trans-Atlantic cruise, this ship has some issues that will keep us from booking with NCL again. I also recognize that the ship is not designed for cruising in colder weather when, for the most part, the outside decks are closed. That meant that most of the time, the 3,700+ passengers were sausaged into the internal spaces. I suspect that would not be quite as big an issue in a Caribbean environment, but on this cruise from Copenhagen to New York, it was a fairly constant irritant. On the plus side, the staff in the dining rooms, bars and staterooms were as helpful, fun and eager to please as any we have ever had the pleasure to meet - so job well done there. The food, as well, was for the most part excellent although we did have one less than ideal meal in the Manhattan Club and our anniversary meal in Ocean Blue was underwhelming at best - certainly not worth the price. The overall cleanliness and upkeep of the ship were also excellent. My issues with the ship itself are: 1) noise. There is a significant lack of (indoor) quiet places where one can read in peace and maybe watch the ocean. There is the library, but it seats only about 15 people. To be fair, there were odd times when some of the dining rooms were opened for people looking for some quiet but they were not scheduled and not widely announced. For the most part, those prime locations remain closed and empty. Also there is the issue of constant muzak piped everywhere at all hours (this is not an NCL-only issue). It would be nice, when forward on deck 17, watching the white caps, to hear only the wind - but no, we are also subjected to non-stop music from speakers everywhere. I heard this complaint from several people and I would suggest NCL would do well to poll its customers to see how common this feeling is. 2) smoking. The smell of stale cigarettes permeated the casino area on Deck 7 at all times. Not that we used the casino, but we couldn't even walk through it to get from the theatre to the Manhattan Room because of the stink. As well, we never could go to one of the bars we wanted to visit (Maltings Beer & Whiskey Bar) because it was plagued with both fresh and stale cigarette smoke. 3) Lack of places to see the ocean etc. Most ships we have been on have large lounges with excellent places for people to relax and watch the passing ocean no matter what the weather. This does not seem to be the case on Breakaway. Except for those paying more to be in The Haven (and I don;'t know what they have), there is no lounge forward to see what is ahead. And the after deck on 16 is not only a hang out for smokers, the views are blocked by the giant screen at the aft edge of the ship - what is on other ships a fantastic place to view sail away or just watch the wake. It is ridiculous to think that people would rather watch a looped video of a tropical island on the screen rather than having an unencumbered view off the stern of the ship. 4) closed in feeling. Recognizing that many people love to climb walls and slide down giant tubes, all the recreational equipment on the top decks looks junky and gives the ship a closed-in feeling. The Atrium, likewise, is pedestrian (and constantly noisy). Maybe this is why the ship is so popular with families but it was not for us. 5) the library: It is beyond me why the ship keeps the bookshelves locked up except for specific hours when there is a crew person available to monitor things. Surely the honour system that works on other ships is better. Treat passengers like they are trustworthy and the positive feelings engendered by that would far outweigh the cost of any books going missing. This is penny pinching at the expense of the big picture. 6) entertainment: it is just not acceptable that so many people are not able to get into shows because there is not enough space or performances to ensure everyone has a chance. Those in the know booked ahead to the extent. Good for them, I guess. But for the rest of us, by the end of day one, it seemed there was no availability for the bigger shows - and this was a 14-day cruise. The irritation we felt from this was not helped by the constant presence of promotional videos displayed around the ship and the pitches by the cruise director continuing to promote these events as if they were not already sold out. And for the free shows, we had to show up 45 minutes or so before the performance to get a reasonable seat, and even then as often as not there was an alcohol-fuelled crush of the crowd to get in. NCL needs to completely rethink its approach in this area. 7) sundries: it is laughable that out of all that retail space in deck 8, there are just 3 or 4 small shelves for everything from motion sickness tablets and tampons to sunscreen and cough drops/syrup, or over-the-counter cold medication of any kind - especially on a fall trip in cold weather locations. Acres devoted to watches, and handbags etc. Next to nothing for things people actually might need. 8) Lack of communication: At least once a day, the captain came over the PA to give an update on weather etc. However, if you happened to be in your cabin, or in a busy locale (i.e. anywhere on the ship) it was next to impossible to hear what he said, if only because people talked right over it. My suggestion is that those updates be distributed as voice mail and on the television network so that everyone has a better chance to stay informed. There was also precious little information available on the ports visited, again easily remedied if there were someone on the communications staff who could post material on the TV system - even something as simple as how far from the city centre did the ship dock - walkable or taxi? I did see a fibreboard display on one easel in the Guest Services area the day before New York but that would reach a miniscule fraction of the people on board (we did not go to Guest Services until that second to last day - no need) and seems a curiously primitive method of communication on a ship with all the technical wizardry that Breakaway has. 9) water; Speaking of penny-pinching, how is it right to exclude water from the drinks package? Read Less

We chose the breakaway transatlantic mainly for ports and price - we cruised Norwegian in 1990,1991,2001 but those records were no where in their system so went as new cruisers (our 14th cruise). the ship is beautiful but Norwegians attention to cost per plate in the main dining rooms were apparent - meals in the premium rooms were great but 14 days with cafeteria level food. Our room steward was in to make the room approx 4 times - if gone on a 5 hr excursion the room would be in the same condition as when we left. The Hibachi premium restaurant was very good and we found ourselves going to O'Sheehans and Shanghai more than the main dining rooms because of the food quality. I would like to ad the first night on the ship the Manhattan meal was spectacular but many guest commented that the chef must have changed in Sweden. General areas were very clean and nice. shopping was disappointing (on a transatlantic you have a lot of opportunity to shop), the comics were spectacular but found other entertainment not up to par with other ships we have been on. Drinks were priced in a way to make the drink packages look more appealing. Staff at the main desk were always friendly and helpful. dining staff we suspect must have largely started a new contract in Copenhagen. meal times in the main rooms were around 2 hours. Last year we went with another line from Rome on a transatlantic for comparison and at a cheaper price was a real bargain. Shore excursions ( we did 3) were rushed and we felt a little more time at the major attractions would have been helpful - we are fairly young and not slow moving but found ourselves running for the bus on all 3 excursions we booked thru the ship. In the azores we took a van tour from the dock with 2 other couples and was wonderful with much more relaxed pace and saw much more during the time spent. Room was clean and new looking ship clean and very nice Our room was booked as one step up from the bottom with it being said we would have a chance to upgrade (the travel consultant for Norwegian was fired in December and we found out we had been missing out in August) we like an interior room but promises did not materialize adding to the disappointment along with the poor service we experienced we find it hard to recommend Norwegian to our friends and co workers. Read Less

We made a mistake in booking a cruise on this ship. It was too big for our liking and had too many passengers (even though it was not full). Many activities, such as they were, were in the atrium where it was very difficult to find a seat. This class ship has no central elevator, meaning my partially disabled husband had to walk many extra steps every day. Even with reservations in the main dining room, there was a long line at peak dining times. The major productions in the theater required reservations; this was OK for us since I booked in advance, but others were not so fortunate. However, the "big show" in the theater, "Rock of Ages," was very disappointing. Rated 18-and-over, it was crude, offensive, and unsuitable for the senior citizens who made up the bulk of the passengers on this 2-week repositioning cruise. However, service was, as usual, excellent. Food in the dining rooms was usually very good. We had a premium dining package where food was generally excellent. The exception was La Cucina which was horrible. Our one excursion, to Bath, England, was excellent. The lecture series content was very good but the delivery could put you to sleep. Read Less

To be fair we chose this cruise for the itinerary…not the ship. However, the ship was a big disappointment. The upper decks were closed for the vast majority of the cruise and there were no accommodations made even though there were 4000 people jammed in the lower decks. They have 3 main restaurants and they were almost never open at the same time. We utilized the “pay’ restaurants 6 times and they were great (as usual). The other restaurants were extremely slow. Our average meal was 1 and ½ hours. This includes breakfast. Several times our food was either wrong or didn’t show up at all. As for the entertainment, it was average. The Cirque Jungle Fantasy was very good. Many things were not working on the ship. The pool was drained and only available on the last 2 days. The spa hot tub was broken for 2 days and the spa therapy pool was broken for the last 5 days. The “ropes” course on the upper deck was closed for the majority of the cruise and, when it was to open, they would not open even one minute early. When they did and we “walked the plank” we found out that the camera was not working so….no photo opportunity. Overall the experience was poor to say the least. This is our 6th cruise with Norwegian and was our worst. Read Less

Small embarkation area in Copenhagen, but things moved smoothly. Loved our large balcony when we could, but transatlantic sailings have a long way to go, so we were going fast. Lots of wind closed decks a lot, plus traveling between two hurricanes. Closing decks meant more time in our cabin, which was hard on our steward since he needed to straighten up! But Lawrence did a great job and let us do our thing. Cruise director was the best we have had in all of our cruises. Dan Dan was engaging, very natural, and really enjoyed what he was doing. He is also a great singer. Our best time onboard was the first night of Howl at the Moon. Other singers and comedians joined the musicians at the pianos and it was a fabulous party. A bit disappointed we arrived in the very early morning into NYC -- it would have been great to do a sunrise entry past Lady Liberty, but with the tides and bridges, it was what it was. Overall a great time. Read Less

When Norwegian changed the first port of call from Amsterdam to Gothenburg, Sweden I knew it was an omen. Embarkation was rainy with no cover for the very long walk to the ship. The ship's crew were not friendly and service was terrible. Food was mediocre at best. The Manhattan dining room served up food that was slightly warm and tasteless. The specialty dining rooms scored better but only on the food side. Service was certainly lacking. Our cabin was very spacious (mini suite mid ship) and the bathroom was the roomiest I have ever had on a cruiseship. The chairs throughout the entire ship were the most uncomfortable chairs ever. I guess Norwegian didn't want any loitering. Entertainment was quite good. In cabin TV was a boring loop of old movies and TV shows. If you wanted a movie, you paid for it. It seemed like every time you turned around, Norwegian was squeezing more money out of you. GOTHENBURG - why any cruise line would stop here is a mystery to me. There is nothing there. We were unable to walk on the pier and were forced to either stay on the ship, take one of their tours or pay $15 for a transfer to a city where there was nothing to do. The day before disembarkation, I found out that I couldn't use my onboard credits towards gratuities. This came as a surprise. There was no place they could point out in my documentation where it stated that. But they wouldn't budge. Not impressed. I am giving this cruise an AVERAGE rating although even that is a stretch. Read Less

This was the cruise for us!! Four stops in a transatlantic package!! Ideal! It was our first experience on a larger ship and it was a worthwhile experience. The facilities were luxurious and the ropes course was sprine tingling! Our cabin was perfect for us, not fancy but it had everything we needed including a surprising amount of storage space and the entertainment was outstanding! Totally top shelf! Cirque, Burn the Floor, Rock of Ages, Helen Ward-Jackson, Justino Zuppo all fantastic! The food was very good with lots of variety and the service was courteous, friendly and prompt. A new addition was a lecturer who briefed us on each of the destinations and tied the trip into a theme of American Immigration. Finally!! He was wonderfully informative. That said, I don’t believe we will choose a large ship again. The theater was too small to seat even half of the guests so that not everyone could see the shows. There were long queues for nearly everything, The fitness center had lots of machines and they were adequate.The trainers were knowledgeable, professional and friendly but the workout room was entirely too small to accommodate the number of people who wanted to attend morning stretch and abs classes. Many people were turned away. We had to be sure to arrive 15 minutes early for class to claim a slice of the floor and a mat. We did like the fact that a fitness pass was offered which allowed us to attend as many classes as we chose to attend for one price but there was an overwhelming sense that additional charges were a theme. There was no longer a shower or sauna in the gym. The only saunas or steam rooms were available at an additional cost in the spa which was beautiful but expensive and not our vibe. Read Less

This cruise was wonderful! I particularly enjoyed the “Freestyle” format. The venues provided everyone with a variety of options for dining. The Manhattan Room was my personal favorite. The staff was both pleasant and efficient. Entertainment on this beautiful shop was first rate. The “Adele” tribute was incredible. There was something for everyone to enjoy. Port stops, though short, were great. The excursions that I booked through NCL were both informative and well organized. I particularly enjoyed the excursion on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores. It truly has to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Around every bend was a picture postcard view. My cabin (9720) was spacious with plenty of storage. My only criticism would be the lack of effort of our cabin steward. He could have been much more thorough. All in all this was a very pleasant vacation experience. It was my first Transatlantic crossing, and I would gladly do it again! This cruise on The Breakaway provided memories to last a lifetime. I look forward to sailing with NCL again. Read Less

The restaurants were very good especially the speciality group. Service at all venues and bars was friendly, prompt and well done. For port excursions, we were pleased with them all on this cruise and the ports we visited were ones we had not experienced before so that added to our enjoyment. The entertainment was quite good even though one show was not our cup of tea, but for other passengers it was. Our experience with service was good and all of our questions were answered and full of humour too. Our cabin met our expectations, was conveniently located and the cabin attendant was very good with her services and in responding to our few requests. We will travel with Norwegian again and have purchased Future Cruise Certificates to use for ourselves and for family members too. We found the overall experience was pleasing for us. The Captain always had the safety of the passengers and crew in mind when considering safety at sea due to weather conditions. That is and was very important to us. Read Less

Actually it was a YMT offer which they selected NCL not us. However, we chose it for combination of reasons: time of year, price, a cruise with bus trip in U.S. and ports of call were of interest. We were a little disappointed port changed from Amsterdam to Gothenburg but it was a lovely city and we enjoyed ourselves. Let me start with we have cruised 3x before so have a comparison, first time with NCL. Inside cabin SMALL no seating. Weather cool/cold windy so had to stay inside either your cabin or elsewhere. However, couldn't get a chair to sit, like in the Atrium people sat and didn't move ALL day. No extra seats to enjoy any of the programs NCL offered like games. Bar stools filled up early. Felt like vultures waiting for a seat. Layouts in some bars wasted space can add more tables and chairs. Our favorite bar was the Shakers Martini bar but again seating inadequate. Food in Manhattan Club excellent as was the service. Had a couple really great meals in the Garden Cafe Italian and Seafood nights. Other wise nothing in cafe really special some very good to some just OK. Lots of times we waited in lines for the comedy show then for the shows in the theater. Need to open sooner to be able to SIT DOWN. SERVERS very professional. We especially appreciated the attention from our Housekeeping personnel & Supervisor. EXCELLENT. Thank you for listening. Read Less

We chose this cruise to experience a Norwegian large ship, open cruising and a transatlantic experience. All were wonderful. We flew to Copenhagen Denmark a day early and had a full day to explore the city. Embarkation was smooth, painless and very quick. Probably the best embarkation experience I've had. The ship is just beautiful. Very easy to find your way around. And even though we were close to 4000 people it never seemed crowded......no long lines for meals or long waits, no crowded elevators. Our cabin was wonderful......plenty of space with more than enough storage space. Very decent sized bathroom. Wonderful shower with a door instead of a curtain and no wet floor. We enjoyed dining and having many choices of places to go. The food was delicious and service was impeccable. Our favorite place to eat was the Manhattan dining room. We went whenever we wanted to and never had a long wait. We liked the choice we were given as to whether we wanted just a table for 2 or we wanted to share. Nice to have a choice. The entertainment was fabulous especially Arvin and Emily in the Atrium.......they were fabulous. Our only problem was with our room steward. He didn't do a very good job keeping the bathroom clean and sometimes didn't leave clean towels and we only requested clean ones every other day. He also neglected to leave important information in our room in the evenings. The day before disembarkment he never left the information about luggage tags, schedules etc. We were kind of surprised. The ports and excursions were wonderful. We would definitely go again. As a matter of fact we are booked on the Escape in May for a Bermuda cruise. Read Less

We decided to try a transatlantic cruise and we liked the ports. We also like Norwegian. The ship is big so there is a lot of walking, but laid out well. The crew was wonderful and we loved the fellow passengers. There was something for everyone. There were handicap people on the ship who seemed to get around okay. They have studios for singles with a special lounge. We particularly liked the bridge instructor who held lessons and playing duplicate every sea day. The food was great and the entertainment was fabulous! Some shows you had to pay for and the wait time was often almost an hour for good seats, but they were worth it. The food in the main dining rooms were repetitious, but the buffet and speciality restaurants were very good. We did a tour of the behind the scenes which was fascinating. They are environmentally far ahead of anything you can imagine. They even have as n incinerator. Amazing how they can keep up with all the laundry. The water was rough at times, but we did not miss any ports. We would love to take a cruise on this ship sgsin. Read Less

To join my wife's sister and husband returning from St. Petersburg cruise. Comments from the four of us: 1. Poor on board Communications between captain and guests, infrequent and marginal information given 2. Terrible television selection, too much children's programming 3. Terrible movie selection, no program guide 4. Outdated television system, maps over 20 years old, navigation antiquated 5. Terrible weather information in dailies and television 6. Terrible port information on television 7. Vending machines onboard inoperable 8. Several gym machines inoperable 9. Inadequate floor space in gym for stretching 10. Terrible show reservations system 11. Needlessly long lines to get into shows 12. Poor crowd management and control 13. Deck numbers missing from dailies for shows and events 14. No deck information in elevators 15. Poor casino ventilation smells like smoke 16. Bowling and games should be free 17. Screws out of synchronization, shuddering entire trip 18. Not enough shows and variety during the day 19. Buffet food stations randomly opened or closed, staples missing like nuts or muffins 20. Siegal Tent food oversalted 21. Cruise Director difficult to understand 22. Activities poorly scheduled 23. Furniture and seating worn-out and uncomfortable 24. Terrible acoustics in Atrium Deck 6 25. Bathrooms well maintained for women , no soap in mens rooms 26. No quiet areas for reading or working 27. Maintenance work done during the daytime, peak eating hours, noisy 28. Loud explosion on Saturday early am and no explanation from the captain 29. Dining services too slow in Manhattan, +2 hours for dinner 30. Staff is not trained to provide satisfying answers to complaints 31. Officers walk in front of passengers 32. Alcohol pours very light in every bar 33. Laundry carts in Deck 9 hallway around the clock 34. Dedicated movie room needed and not Atrium 35. Lower rental movies charges 36. Bottled water should be part of drink card 37. Ship's directory on each floor 38. All entertainment rooms are too small for this size ship 39. Captain only important messages in rooms 40. Staff generally not trained in etiquette and right-of-way courtesy 41. Better hand sanitizer dispensers through out the ship 42. Buffet music too loud 43. Not all elevators announce floor numbers 44. Entertainment was good and varietal 45. Variety of food choices 46. No vegan/vegetarian menus 47. Breakfast in Manhattan was too short ending by 0930 48. Housekeeping staff is friendly and personable 49. Towels were good 50. Plenty of shelves in stateroom bathrooms 51. Better toiletries 52. Bar hours good but inconsistent service at tables 53. Jacuzzi temperature not warm enough 54. More variety of sports on television 55. NFL feed was appreciated 56. On/off boarding was good 57. Personal special diet assistance was good 58. Cruise Director tried to mollify disenchanted passengers 59. Pillows were old 60. Better distribution of comment cards through out the ship 61. Ship interior lighting was good 62. Well cleaned ship through out 63. Good selection of alcohol 64. Good number of deck chairs 65. More knowledgeable and enthusiastic lectures needed 66. Good gym programming 67. Poor pastries in buffet 68. Ice-cream flavors good 69. Corkage fee should be waived for first two bottles brought onboard 70. Chlorine smell around whirlpools 71. No bananas after 10 day 72. Poor graphics on monitor screens around the ship Read Less

We chose this transatlantic cruise mainly because of the ports offered. When we booked, Amsterdam was to be the first stop from Copenhagen. This was changed to Gothenburg, Sweden....very disappointing, but all the other ports remained the same. First the pros of this mega ship: Balcony cabin storage was plentiful Angle balcony was larger than others but due to wind and weather, we only used it one day Most of the staff was welcoming and happy We played games in Savor as outdoor decks were closed due to gale force winds and waves...cookies and water, coffee, and tea were available The bedding was comfortable but do not choose a bed by the closet...tight squeeze Balcony bathroom had plenty of storage space Cabin steward was excellent We liked the sinks for hand washing before entering the Garden Cafe Food was ample and good. It was better in the specialty restaurants but this came with a fee. Manhattan Room was good but service was erratic. At times we thought it was the training venue for new waiters. Size of ship handled huge waves very well...we were not seasick. Now the cons of this mega ship: You have to walk through the smoke filled casino...no other way. With outside areas closed due to weather, only three public decks for 4000 people...crowded. Staff who said "it's not my job". Staff who refused to clear tables in crowded buffet Arguing staff in Moderno in front of guests at breakfast. The theater layout causes claustrophobia...seating rows offer one way in and one way out...try to sit on an aisle. Embarkation from terminal 2 in Copenhagen required us to walk two blocks outside in wind and rain...no photos please. Being charged for juice at dinner in Manhattan, savor, and taste dining rooms Crowded and chaotic Garden Buffet...it was a jungle No donuts or popcorn No chapel Could not hear captains announcements if in cabin. Had to listen from doorway. All in all, we were satisfied with this cruise as the ports made it for us. We became platinum plus after this cruise, so we may sail on NCL again but NOT this ship. We prefer the Sun or Jade size. Read Less

I am active, active, active onboard transAtlantic cruises and NCL keeps me busy with dance classes, cardio, origami, trivia games, mystery games, lectures, speakers, movies, NFL football games shown on the big screens (YIPPEE!!), audience participation events, the reading room's daily puzzles, art classes, the 24 hour freestyle food buffet, the rock climbing wall, the ropes course, bowling, the golf course, ping pong, basketball, the walking track, the gym. So much to do, I get worn OUT!! I do everything and wear myself out. And in doing all the activities, I accomplish my cruising goal of meeting folks from all over. The customer service desk and box office staff are always so helpful and friendly to me on NCL ships, I can't even begin to describe how they follow up on every little detail if I need them or make a call. One example is Renata printing out the NFL complete satellite TV schedule and having it sent to my room, knowing I love football. I have cruised NCL forever and have been a platinum member forever now and get all kinds of special gifts onboard. Stick with one cruise lines, folks, and build up your status. Pick one and stick with it, the one you like, there are many out there. Most of all, cut loose and have fun and don't be all stodgy and stiff. Loosen up. Read Less

If you are going to take a tranatlantic cruise, be prepared for it to be overwhelmingly older folks. They told us the average age for the guests was 63 years old. As far as the entertainment is concerned, we enjoyed it, but for every show the sound was 1) way too loud; and 2) poorly balanced, where the instrumentation was louder than the voices. I found the food to be above average. We tried four specialty restaurants (Moderno, Cagneys, Le Bistro, and La Cucina) all very good, and also ate at all three main dining room, the buffet (for most breakfasts and lunches) and O'Sheehans once. Activities were limited because so many of them were held in the Atruim, which has poor sound and poor seating for activities in such a large ship. Because of the wind outside, the pool, the ropes course, and the rock-wall were all closed almost the entire trip. Read Less

We chose this cruise based on the ports on the itinerary of this Transatlantic cruise. The only port which proved to be less than desirable was Gothenburg, Sweden. There just wasn’t much to see or do. The embarkation port of Copenhagen and the destination ports of Southampton, Cork, and Ponta Delgada were extremely enjoyable. Hamlet Tours in Copenhagen has a wonderful full day tour of many of the more interesting points of interest including a stop for lunch (not included in tour price). Check out their Grand Day Trip Around Copenhagen. You won’t be disappointed. Southampton is great as it provides the must see opportunities of Stonehedge and the Salisbury Cathedral. There is much to enjoy in seeing the countryside when in transit to those sites, as well. Cork, Ireland is a very special place. We thoroughly enjoyed a full day shore excursion provided by Paddywagon Tours. The tour encompassed a visit to Blarney Castle and the historic city of Cobh. It was great! Our guide was both informative and entertaining. Our last stop before the big float to New York was Ponta Delgado. The beauty of this place cannot be overstated. It is a must to go see the geothermal vents and Nissan Senhora da Paz which is a lovely chapel with a legend, stunningly beautiful views, and thousands of colorful hydrangeas. The Breakaway is easy to get around and has some great things to enjoy. The free dining choices are passable. O’Sheehan’s has great hours and a varied menu for any palate. The specialty restaurants are all worth a try. Jimmy Buffets Margaritavile is outstanding but only open for lunch. We felt Ocean Blue was not as good as we anticipated and would not recommend it. We, also, ate at Le Bistro, La Cucina, Moderno, and Cagney’s. Each provided very nice ambiance, great service, and the type of menu choices one would expect based on the specialty of the restaurant. We were both happy with our choices. There is plenty of entertainment on the Breakaway. We paid for the dinner show, Cirque Dreams and Jungle Fantasy. The cost is $39.99 for premium seating and $29.99 for standard seating. Whichever is booked, it is still imperative to get there early as seats are not assigned. Dinner comes with the show and was good but not great. The show more than made up for that. The set and costumes were imaginative and the performance entertaining. We, also, went to Burn the Floor. It is a free show based on dance. It, in our opinion, was just ok. There was no story line just dance to various musical genres. There was lots of energy on stage but beyond the dance moves it failed to engage us. A free show we thoroughly enjoyed was the Mersey Boys. They are a rock band. Very talented guys who have a repertoire encompassing Motown up through the rock of the 80s. The Casino aboard the Breakaway was disappointing to us. We like to play Blackjack and are experienced players who understand odds and smartest plays on hands dealt. We tried playing several times on different tables and got our clocks cleaned every time. I think we will avoid their casinos in the future. All in all this was a wonderfully memorable cruise. I would highly recommend it based on the livability of the ship and visitability of the ports. Read Less

Part of a group of two Australian couples, we were looking forward to this cruise as something a little different. (This is our 6th cruise) This was the second of a back-to-back cruise holiday. The first cruise also on the Breakaway (Russia & Scandinavia from Copenhagen) was fraught with problems so we were hoping for a better experience. Our planned 5pm departure came and went and at 5:20pm the Captain (who now elicits a groan from many who were on the previous cruise) announced that departure would be delayed a ‘few’ hours as a ‘couple’ of passengers were on a delayed flight from JFK airport. Simple enough. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Finally, at 10:10pm the ship set sail. Anecdotally, certainly not officially, it transpired that the ‘few’ passengers were in fact nearly 300! Apparently on a charter flight organised by Norwegian. Made more sense than a couple of passengers, like us, calling the ship and asking them to delay sailing as we should have arrived the day before but thought things always go to plan. Not. We arrived on time in Gothenburg, the sun shone, and all was well. A pretty city. Next stop Southampton. Be aware that you will probably have to handover your passports for entry into the UK the day prior – to UK officials. Like many, I’m not comfortable doing this but each country has their own visa and customs requirements. It’s not personal. The process was seamless and well-handled. Just check when you collect your passport after leaving UK waters that you have the correct one. Mistakes happen. Such experiences and challenges are part of the joy of travel to other countries whose laws and processes (like the language, customs, food and coffee) are different to your own. If you don’t like different, international travel might not be for you. Having said that, I wish NCL would learn how to make tea - tea bag in first with HOT water poured on top with cold MILK not cream/er. :) Southampton The day started out with a heavy fog – couldn’t see a thing on shore – but it cleared by late morning into a stunning day. For the first time jackets, jumpers and beanies could come off. The Titanic exhibition was fascinating and we spent more time there than expected. Lots of interactivity and information we had not heard before. Thankfully, no icebergs interrupted our Atlantic Crossing. The Old Town is an eclectic mix of buildings, including the remains of the original town wall, WWII bombed buildings, an original Tudor house (sadly closed on Fridays), old pubs, new houses, and businesses and medieval buildings mixed with (distressingly awful) architecture of the 60s and 70s. There is a modern shopping complex very close by if you need some extra clothes, etc. So much change to the world has emanated from the port of Southampton – trade, immigration, etc. An interesting day. BTW - we didn't get British pounds for the port, just used a travel money card. The port has free wifi (blocked by NCL when on the ship) – so the terminal was filled with passengers getting their fix of the internet, which is horrendously expensive on board (though it works very efficiently even in the middle of the Atlantic). Off to Ireland (Euros) One of the few tours we booked for this trip was for Cork – with About Cork Taxi Tours. Basically hiring a cabbie to take you to wherever you want. What did we want? I wanted to drive by the historic family home not far outside of Cork (Fermoy) and hubby wanted to have a Guinness in a local pub. Boy did we get what we paid for - and more! I highly recommend About Cork Taxi Tours! Other companies declined our request. We will be coming back to Ireland and using About Cork Taxi Tours again. Next up Ponta Delgada, Portugal (Euros) What a pretty place is Ponta Delgada. I’d heard of the Azores previously but had no idea where it was. I can see why it is a holiday place. We had the most perfect day to take a horse drawn carriage ride through the cobbled streets, have coffee on one of the many town squares (with a chocolate donut and Portuguese tart), visit the military museum, spend some Euros (it’s surprisingly cheap here). The weather improved and the layers of clothing and beanies are no longer necessary. At sea, many of the decks were regularly closed as the winds were high (three hurricanes surrounded us – but we were assured that there was no imminent danger.) Too cold for waterslides - but mini golf was fun. Last stop New York. What a wonderful town. We will be back! Cruise summary The ports were all wonderful (none were cancelled) and we enjoyed the experience of the crossing – though five days at sea is a bit long (our group learned to play Canasta). NCL did not provide sufficient variety of activities for the long sea days (particularly with the decks often closed). Many venues were not used or under-utilised and too many activities were in the Atrium (over-crowded, noisy and next to Customer Service and the iCafe). Many activities were just sales pitches. The ship did provide board-games on sea days which was great. The library is very small, as is the card room. The book exchange was a great idea. The port ‘historian’ on board needs presentation skills training. The dining choices are excellent (though don’t bother with the noodle bar – disorganised, and the advertised 24hr ribs at O'Sheehans did not exist). The buffet area is poorly laid out. The coffee (free and paid) is awful. The coffee in the room is ok. Stateroom was clean and well-cared for during our cruise. Our attendant was fantastic. The TV information on current and forecast temperature, sunrise, sunset, etc. was rarely up to date (despite the captain's advice) and the wave height was provided in mm (though we suspect someone mistakenly added the extra ‘m’). Stateroom TV viewing is limited with the same movies repeated endless. If you are into sports, there’s heaps available – especially soccer. There are also news channels. The Cruise Director should consider a career change – no sense of humour and hard to understand. The assistant Cruise Director ‘Shirley’ saved the day on many occasions. The shows we saw we very good but we couldn't understand why many of the 'big' events were not available during the 5 sea days. This was a repositioning cruise and last of the season, so we were expecting cold weather (it was very cold). There are a lot of time changes as you sail half-way around the world. Hardly surprising. You are on the open ocean folks - take a seasick pill morning and night to avoid spending extra time in bed. Easy peasy. The Breakaway is a lovely ship, however there are some curious design elements resulting in over-crowding in some areas, e.g. *the Atrium, the venue for many of the activities, is adjacent to Customer Service and the iCafe (both always busy and noisy). We avoided the area as much as we could. *cigar room doors open, and spread smoke, into the Maltings Bar area - joining the smoke blowing in from the outdoor smoking area. I'm sure ship board the experience would be better for families - in hot weather. It is also very oriented towards the USA market. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Sometimes NCL forget there are other nationalities and languages on board. Gratuities are high and there seem to be more onboard even if you pay in advance. Celebrity is still our favourite cruise line. Read Less

Spent three days in Copenhagen before we departed. We stayed at the downtown Marriott on the riverfront, a great central location. Copenhagen is a beautiful city. Great food, lots of charm, easy to get around. The canal and harbor tour was great. Embarkation was easy, NCL is very organized and efficient. We had no issues at all. We visited Gothenburg Sweden, Southampton England, Cork Ireland and the Azores after leaving Copenhagen. NCL offered a great variety of tours. We were disappointed in the West islands tour in Sweden. The tour guide did not communicate well and was very difficult to understand. The Stonehenge tour was phenomenal and the Best of Ireland tour was equally as enjoyable. Both provided plenty to see and do and well worth the money. In the Azores the ship docks in a lovely town that is very easy to visit on foot. We visited an old fort that was very interesting and a number of beautiful cathedrals all within easy walking distance of the ship. It was a great port, a beautiful place to visit and grab some local food and drink. The 5 days of sailing at sea flew by. The food and entertainment was above our expectation. Definitely first rate. Having to get in line hour before showtime to get a decent seat in the theater was annoying but the quality of entertainment made it worthwhile. Overall NCL provided an excellent experience. We will certainly consider another NCL cruise for our next trip. Read Less

I am a platinum member and when we got to our suite I never received the specials for platinum members...had to ask for them..ex bathrobe extra towels also had to go to guest relations for my laundry and extra specialty coupons. Sometimes had to wait over 60 mins for food in restaurant and café food was luke warm. Some of our group of eleven did not receive the correct free spending allotment and those that chose the spa package could not use the pool and were only offered a 67.00 credit instead of 1/3 of what they paid. Basically since all the pools were closed most of the time not much to do around the ship. We got tired of the origami...wished there were more things like scrapbooking, card making etc. One of the good things were the elevators which did not create a problem with that many passengers on board. Read Less

NCL Breakaway is a wonderful ship with a captain who is way to eager to close off access to outer decks. He closed the lower deck often with sunny skies and 15 mph wind. Our transatlantic cruise consisted of 8 sea days and only 2 days warranted closed decks. This may have been due to reduced staff who could not manage the chairs and cleaning duties. The food was very good and our wait staff was superb. The embarkation was not good. We were made to walk in the rain to terminal 2 which was 100 yards away from main terminal. Disembarkation was great. Did not like having to pay extra $15 per person for shuttle to main city stop at Gottenburg. This should have been included in the cost of cruise. The entertainment in the theater was 2 of the best shows ever. Every seat had a good view of the stage with great sound. Read Less