Norwegian Breakaway

Norwegian Breakaway occupies a very interesting spot. Together with its sister ship Getaway, it’s one of the only Breakaway Class ships, paving the way for the Breakaway-Plus Class with Norwegian Escape in 2015. 

There’s actually a big difference between a standard Breakaway Class ship and the “Plus” versions, so it’s not just a minor upgrade. Breakaway Class ships don’t have the go-kart racing track you see on ships like Norwegian Joy and lack some specialty restaurants, but they still offer competitive prices and plenty of cool waterparks and playgrounds for families to enjoy.

What we like about Norwegian Breakaway

Love the mega-resort experience but don’t want to pay thousands of dollars for a cruise? I love that Norwegian Breakaway gives people in New York a huge chance to have fun with their families. This is, in fact, a rare case of a mainstream cruise with tons of entertainment options that sails from New York, New Orleans, and Boston, visiting the Caribbean and the Bahamas on week-long itineraries. 

Most ships that hit some of the best beaches in the world leave from Florida, so it’s great that New Yorkers don’t have to travel far to board a cruise and get a nice tan. Even better are the prices: an 8-day Bahamas cruise from New York starts at $520 per guest, which is an amazing deal for a ship that offers so much for families.

There’s actually a lot of cool stuff to try once onboard. Does it offer the same number of entertainment options as the Breakaway-Plus and Prima Class ships? Not really, but it still doesn’t disappoint. Norwegian Breakaway has two waterparks (one has the Freefall waterslide, which still feels pretty fast), a sports court, an arcade, and a fun ropes course that features an eight-foot plank hanging over the edge of the ship. It’s a great ship for kids who love exploring, trying out new playgrounds, and even going on a zipline to see the ship from above.

Last but not least, this ship also kickstarted the Waterfront on Norwegian Cruise Line. That’s a wide deck that wraps around half the ship and offers outdoor seating for the restaurants on deck 8, plus some other spots for anyone looking for a quiet place to read or enjoy the beautiful ocean views. It’s much calmer than the pool areas, and the port side has some very comfortable chairs for relaxing. There are also restaurants and bars here for fans of outdoor dining, and let me tell you, there’s nothing better than enjoying the views with a cold breeze in your hair while sipping a margarita.

What we don’t like about Norwegian Breakaway

This is a ship that often feels crowded, since it can carry almost 4,000 passengers. Yes, that’s more than ships like Norwegian Prima, and there aren’t a ton of spaces for all the guests onboard. The pool and deck areas fill up quickly, which is another reason to head to the Waterfront if you want to relax. There are also only two pools and no adults-only pool, limiting options for those who just want to chill. Lines for the complimentary restaurants can get long as well.

If you love pools, you might not enjoy this ship that much. Securing a spot can be tough - so tough, in fact, that there’s a rule on the Breakaway forbidding guests from saving pool chairs. The crew tags unattended chairs and removes all personal belongings after 15 minutes, which can later be reclaimed at the towel area. That would be great if there weren’t 17 people waiting in line for that precious chair. Bummer.