Norwegian Breakaway Review
This is a big, bold megaship with a distinctive New York accent. It was a new class of ship for Norwegian Cruise Line and the largest vessel to homeport in Manhattan year-round when it debuted in 2013. Big Apple references abound, including the colorful hull design — by pop artist Peter Max — which features the Statue of Liberty and other city landmarks. Norwegian Breakaway still sails from New York on occasion, but its itineraries also now include the Caribbean from New Orleans and Miami and the Mediterranean from Barcelona and Rome. If you’re seeking a mainstream ship that offers lots of choices, you’ll be pleased with Breakaway’s options: 15 bars and lounges and 18 eateries.
What We Love
The Skyy Vodka Ice Bar: You may be cruising the Caribbean, but you can put on a loaner parka and gloves and enter to enjoy a window of time in this well-chilled room. While there, you can drink ice-cold vodka and cocktails made with ice wine and admire ice sculptures of such landmarks as the Brooklyn Bridge and the Chrysler Building.
Diverse Entertainment: This ship has a lot of great ways to spend an evening: See history and Girl Power combined in the musical phenomenon “Six,” which creatively tells the tales of the six wives of Henry VIII. Watch the sexy ballroom dancers of “Burn the Floor” perform on stage and in The Manhattan Room dining room, or a cover band deliver solid versions of top rock ‘n roll hits from the ‘70s and ‘80s in Syd Norman’s Pour House. Need some joy and laughter? You can catch first-rate dueling pianos in Howl at the Moon and comedy acts in Headliners Comedy Club.
The Waterfront: The ship's distinctive design feature is this extra-wide, quarter-mile promenade lined with restaurants, where you can hang out in the sea air and watch the ocean. Our favorite space: a seafood shack at Ocean Blue on The Waterfront that serves up lobster rolls.