My husband and I (in our late 60s) have sailed over twenty times on NCL, mainly because they sail year-round from New York (we live in New Jersey), and they have an excellent past-guest program. My husband has not been able to sail in the past few years, so I have cruised with other family members and friends. My favorite ships are the smaller ones (Spirit, Gem, Jewel) but this cruise was with my adult children and their children, ages ranging from 7 to 16. The Breakaway is definitely a family ship, with a young crowd. I had read about the stateroom size but was pleasantly surprised that our family mid-ship balcony was roomy, and the bathroom was larger than I expected. Yes, the balcony is narrower, but still seats two comfortably. Storage is mainly shelving, but there was enough of it for me, and two teenage granddaughters. Even the inside cabin my daughter shared with her young son was a nice size.

Even though the ship is large, it is very compact inside. One venue is right next to another, so there is not a lot of "open" space. I did miss "quiet" lounge areas, with windows, just to sit and read, and watch the sea, and when I went to the library, it was very noisy because it is next to the Atrium, where games and music take place. There should have been some soundproofing in there. Also, the casino is in the open center of the ship, so cigarette smoke is a problem walking past. And the jogging track goes directly in front of the entrance to the Uptown Grille--that is a bit dangerous.

The water slides, rope course, mini-golf, climbing wall are wonderful for the kids (and any adults who are adventuresome), and my grandchildren enjoyed Splash Academy and Entourage (for the teens). They did not want to get off the ship to tour Bermuda because they were having such a good time on board. Read more