Norwegian Breakaway Review
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As experienced cruisers with 30+ sailings on a mix of many mass-market lines, and a handful of luxury ones, we booked Breakaway’s 2-night cruise-to-nowhere out of Manhattan on Super Bowl 2014 Friday-Sunday. Check-in was efficient, but embarkation was inefficient and confused, perhaps because NCL’s normal venue at Pier 88 was usurped by “The Bud Light Hotel” (aka the Norwegian Getaway) that weekend.
Itinerary: Breakaway sailed due south in a slow and fossil-fuel-efficient-manner, thoughtfully reaching as far as about 60 miles offshore the VA-DE borderline before turning back, where it was warm (60‘s) by this winter’s standards. All the outdoor amenities, pool, waterslides, rope course, were open and in use! An unexpected treat!
The Ship: Spanking shiny, spotless and new. Breakaway’s interior decor is best described as sober, restrained & tasteful. Nothing at all loud or in-your-face. The only deservedly eye-popping public artwork is arguably Breakaway’s hull livery by Peter Max. If you’re looking for soaring 12-deck atria w/ glass elevators, look elsewhere. The atriums (there are two, the round one quite small) are only two and three decks tall. Someone figured that taller atria would have subtracted from valuable cabin space. The casino (and its smoke & noise) dominates the middle tier and thus most of the smaller atrium, and in fact much of deck 7, one of only three totally indoor decks with all-public venues.
Cabin Review
Balcony Stateroom #12108 which shares the distinction of being the furthest fwd in its class, just under the port-side bridge wing. Incidentally, portside you’ll get a breathtaking view of Manhattan and sunset leaving, and a nice Statue of Liberty view and sunrise returning (at 6:30am). Anyway, so far forward provides a rather long walk to the mid-ship elevator lobby & stairs, never mind the aft lobby. Breakaway could have used a fwd elevator/stair lobby. As many others have noted, there are larger balconies on the seas, but, thus expecting something truly useless, I found the size (3.5 ft deep sliding-door-to-rail) adequate. Two aluminum mesh chairs and a tiny 12”x12” table, suitable for resting two drinks. Cabin desk area features two US 115VAC outlets, two recessed-euro 220VAC outlets, and very good conventional handheld hair dryer, wired captively below desk. Slot near door to hold keycard and enable all cabin power. All lights, and notably the AC outlets, go out when card removed. Wanna charge your laptop while away? Fortunately, any plastic card will do. Generous under-bed storage. Decent sized closet w/hotel style wooden hangers. No drawers. Good mix of CFL and LED room lighting. Bathroom size generous for cabin size. Shallow, but adequate, shelving. Shower stall very generously sized with curved glass enclosure and door. Shower footrest bar. Shower pressure adequate but not invigorating. One universal AC "shaver" outlet above washbasin. Really powerful vacuum toilet! Novelty: Three little LEDs above outside your stateroom door inform passers-by (and presumably your attendant) of your status: white for cabin occupied (card in power slot inside), red for do-not-disturb switch on, and green for pls-make-up-room switch on. Effacive stateroom attendant honored these signals perfectly, as well as a request for extra bath towels (you only get 2?). Overall, std balcony cabins that are not the largest on the seas, and in fact smaller than other NCL ones, but not unpleasant at all. Fine for two, cramped for three. Nice & new & spotlessly clean.