After a very long hiatus from cruising, I ventured back into the open seas aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway this November, and was amazed at how far cruising had evolved!
In the travel industry I want as much first-hand knowledge as possible to offer my clients, so when the opportunity came up for a last-minute 5-day cruise to the Caribbean, I jumped at it. Here’s some of the highlights:
My first surprise and delight was how the Muster Station Check-in has changed. No more suiting up in your life jacket while waiting for all 4,000 passengers to show up at their required emergency station and listen to a safety announcement. Instead, NCL sent a video to watch prior to the cruise about the safety procedures and emergency evacuation. Then, when embarking, our first stop was at our Muster Station where a crew member quickly scanned our key card to show we had checked in and knew where to gather in an emergency. Easy-Peasy. One and Done!
The days at sea were chocked full of optional activities led by a very impressive cruise director and her crew, and I think no one in their right mind could claim to be bored. There were things you’d expect like Bingo, the casino, arcades, and pool/waterpark areas. There were trivia games and dance lessons, as well as games shows and contests, and lots of parties and karaoke. The ship was buzzing with entertainment from morning until night. Since I travel with an introvert, and I also easily grow weary of noise, my husband and I opted for more subdued entertainment: a panel discussion and Q & A about how NCL runs a floating hotel, and a behind the scenes tour of the ship (complete with crew gossip and fascinating details about life on board). In the evenings we saw a variety of entertaining shows; Comedy, a mentalist, a dance show, and dueling pianos in a bar. All shows were included in the price of our cruise and offered multiple show times so we didn’t miss out.
During the afternoon, we also spent hours outside in an area called The Waterfront, which is a quarter mile ocean front promenade deck that provides over-sized patio furniture with comfy cushions and side tables and even bar service. Pleasantly nestled away from the noise of the pool and outdoor bars, The Waterfront was a great place to curl up with a book while occasionally lifting my head to watch the water go by.
On days in port, things looked different. There were still activities offered on board for those who chose not to disembark, and full dining options were available. Even those choosing to go into port were able to choose when and how long they would venture off the ship. When the ship is able to use a pier, disembarking and embarking are a bit easier with shorter (or virtually no) wait times. When tendering is required, the lines are longer and you must wait for your group to be called in order to board the tender boat that will take you to port. It wasn’t a big deal either way, and NCL has perfected the process to make it as smooth and quick as possible.
We booked an excursion with a preferred supplier,
Shore Group Excursions, in Puerto Plata and were not disappointed. From the reasonable pricing, the very detailed meeting instructions (including a map), the professional tour guides, and the comfortable mini-bus transportation to the very detailed historical and cultural insights and breath-taking photo ops, we were impressed with our choice. I also appreciated the return to ship guarantee, and we made it back with plenty of time to spare despite a traffic fiasco at the last stop.
If we return to Puerto Plata in the future, we will probably opt to check out the large pool area/waterpark at the pier. Open only to cruisers (and apparently free of charge), it was a popular stop for many travelers who wanted to spend a few luxurious hours in the sun. The pier also had lots of shopping and restaurants, which I would have liked to explore next time.
Getting back to the ship in mid-afternoon, we were tired and hungry—which is never an issue on board. We walked directly to O’Sheehan’s Bar and Grill and ordered a chicken salad sandwiches to get us through until our dinner that night. We could have chosen Gelato or cupcakes, soft-serve ice cream, or even pizza. There’s never an excuse to go hungry while on a cruise ship!
Our last port was at Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, which is NCL’s private island. There were small excursions available on this island (zip-lining, kayaking) but we decided to just explore the area ourselves. It’s not a huge area, but it was really cool. Lots of white sugar-soft sand beach, comfy ocean-front loungers, bars, restaurants, nice restrooms, outdoor showers, and a small straw market with (in my opinion) cheesy over-priced souvenirs. The staff is the same crew from the ship, and lunch is included- either from the buffet, food truck, or food shack. The beverages are also included based on the same drink package you have on the ship. When we were there in November, it was a gorgeous day to spend a few hours sunning on the beach, and there’s enough beach and chairs that we never felt crowded. You could rent a cabana or a clam shell, or just an umbrella even for an additional fee, but unless you really want to spend the entire day on the island (or have a large party worthy of the price of the Cabana) I just don’t think it’s worth it. We spent about 3 hours on the island before tendering back to the boat, which was a perfect amount for us.
One more thing I must mention is I was really impressed with the crew on our ship and the level of customer service provided. Everyone we encountered- almost without exception- was friendly and accommodating, and very concerned with our comfort.
Because of my food allergies (gluten), I met with the chef on day one after embarking and was given many options for my food the next day. This continued every day we sailed; I was able to see a preview of tomorrow’s menu and place orders for all three meals. Most of the time I only pre-ordered dinner because there were plenty of gluten-free options on the regular menu that I could order for breakfast and lunch, and that way I could wait and see what I felt like eating. But it was nice to have the option, and I was impressed with their willingness to create new items based on what I wanted, even if it wasn’t on the menu. Every one of the wait staff was aware of the procedure and made it so easy to order my food and to deliver it whenever and wherever I showed up to eat.
And during the comedy show, one of the passengers had a medical emergency. The quick and controlled response by crew and medical personnel showed an impressive level of training that stresses safety as a priority.
I was also excited to tour The Haven- a private "ship within a ship" experience only for registered guests of The Haven. It boasts a private pool and sundeck, lounge, restaurant, and larger suites. Butler service, priority embarkation, and priority tendering are a few more of the perks enjoyed by those staying in this luxury area.
So now that I’ve dipped my toe back into the waters of cruising, would I go again? Well, if you must know…I’ve already booked my next cruise with Norwegian- this time to Alaska, just 4 months from now!