We just got back from our Spring Break trip on the Breakaway. This was our (myself, husband, 8-year-old son and 2 friends) first time sailing NCL. We have cruised Royal and Disney in the past so we were excited to try it! Overall, we were very happy with our trip and would book Norwegian again.

Embarkation and New Orleans: This was a really easy process for us. The key? We arrived around 1:00 and therefore most everyone was already on board. What did that mean for us? It meant no lines, a quick walk onto the ship and our rooms were ready for us immediately. We didn't mind not having the buffet lunch since we left from New Orleans and had a DELICIOUS lunch on land before we left for the port. I would say that New Orleans on a Saturday night (we arrived a day early to make sure we weren't delayed) with an 8-year-old is not ideal. We did go to the Audobon Insectarium and while pricey, that was a lot of fun! We did enjoy all of the food and drinks available in NOLA! We recommend Deanie's Seafood. I think it was some of the best shrimp I have ever eaten!!

Ship: The ship was sold out for this sailing as it was Spring Break. Since we all knew that it would be crowded, we managed our expectations. The ship is large, so there were plenty of places to go to escape the crowd. We avoided the pool deck - as if you didn't get up before the sun and reserve a deck chair, you weren't going to get one - and the pools on the sea days - way too many people on board to only have one pool. We LOVED the waterfront! This was our go-to when wanting to be outside. You could find seats in the sun or shade and all were so comfortable. We usually ended up in the couches by Shaker's Martini bar. It was awesome. This was our favorite part of the ship. I will also note that because the casino is right next to the Atrium, there is a stale cigarette smoke smell that wafts through the Atrium. We just avoided it when we could and dealt with it when we had to, but if you are bothered by smoke, this is something you should know. Read more