I was excited about my upcoming trip on Breakaway until I read reviews…then I began to doubt that this would be a wonderful trip. I returned March 9, 2014 and I have my own review to post. I will try to be fair as there are pros and cons but let me say upfront that I loved Breakaway.

Boarding in NY: I have been on three other NCL cruises that embarked in NY and they were all crowded but well-organized. This would be the second time that I boarded with “priority” as we were booked into a Haven Penthouse. As we entered I clearly saw the line marked “Assistance” and only one other line (for everyone else, presumably). I asked the lady who was directing us to the lines and she denied the existence of a “priority” line. She looked at my reservation and said “Oh, you are only silver, you go in this line.” I knew this would not be right as NCL does want to give a VIP feeling to their Haven guests so I told her this. She was extremely rude so I left her and found someone who was able to direct us to the line for Haven guests. It is not well-marked and is all the way in the back, necessitating passing through literally thousands of people to get to the right line. In fairness to NCL, this woman worked for the Port, not NCL. Just be advised that if you have priority status, the line may not be well marked so keep asking and be sure to use the word “Haven” not “VIP” or “priority”. Once we reached The Haven check-in everything changed. NCL staff could not have been nicer, check-in took about 3 minutes, and we were escorted to The Haven for lunch.

Cabins and Suites: NCL is known for not having the cabins ready until about 2pm. However, at least on Breakaway, for 4 weeks they have been allowing guests to go directly to their cabin and drop off luggage. It is with the understanding that the cabin may not be ready for you to stay there but as a convenience for you to leave your carry-on items so you can have lunch and explore the ship unencumbered. Good move, NCL! Read more