Are you planning a Western Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Breakaway?
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now, you know that we typically cruise on Royal Caribbean ships. Now, I’m not likely to turn down ANY cruise vacation! But, we have cruised most often with Royal and have therefore built up a few fun perks that we enjoy.
I love all of the ships, but my current favorite is the Allure of the Seas. There are so many wonderful things to do on the beautiful Allure. But, even a smaller ship such as Jewel of the Seas has excellent features and charm.
Do you love learning more about different cruise ships as much as I do?
When my friend and favorite DIY blogger, April, decided to sail on Norwegian Breakaway, I asked her if she would share her thoughts with all of you! It’s in a fun Q & A style format, so hopefully, all of your questions will be answered!
Check out her experience sailing the Western Caribbean on Norwegian Breakaway below and don’t forget to check out her blog, Love Our Real Life for some DIY-Goodness and much more! I especially love her organizational tips, so I’ll link one of my current favorites at the end of the post.
Hi, it’s April from Love Our Real Life. I am excited to be joining Jill today! Like Jill, I love a fun, vacation getaway. During non-vacation times, I love to blog about DIY, home décor, and organization projects.
Now, let’s dive into Jill’s questions about our Western Caribbean Cruise on Norwegian Breakaway.
1. What made you book a cruise for your family vacation?
We (my husband, middle school-aged daughter, and high school-aged son) were planning on traveling with my sister, her husband, and their high school son. With the kids’ ages, my husband and I knew we couldn’t just have a low key, sit-around-and-watch-the-waves-all-day beach vacation. They would have been bored out of their minds!
But, unfortunately, at the time, we needed to be planning vacation details; all of our work lives had us a bit overwhelmed. A cruise just made the planning portion of the trip so much easier as all of the stops are planned for us, and it made us have fewer details to sort out.
2. What tools did you use to prepare for your Western Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Breakaway?
We LOVED looking at many of Finding Jillian’s posts for guidance because we trust you! It’s nice to have a resource that gives honest feedback and pros/cons.
Other planning tools included Trip Advisor, Google, and YouTube. When we had some excursions narrowed down, we just plugged in the names of the specific excursions we were considering and started reading reviews. I love how candid people are in Trip Advisor, plus many post photos, so you get a great idea of what you are getting into!
3. What type of cabin did you choose for your family and would you select this category again?
We stayed in an ocean view balcony room. Our kids still stay in the same room as my husband and me, so a balcony is a must for a place to escape. As much as I love my family, a week is a lot of together time!
4. Did you have a favorite ship activity?
Perhaps this is sad to admit, but I loved eating!
At home, I am a working mom that tries to make dinner for our family each day. It was beyond blissful to not have to meal plan, cook, or clean up after anyone! Plus, the food on the ship was delicious.
We spent the majority of our meals in the main dining areas because it was just so easy. For a few nights, we chose to do specialty dining. This did require some planning ahead as those restaurants tend to get booked in advance.
My kids and husband also really loved the ropes course.
It was a fun way to get a bird’s eye view of the ship and all that surrounds it. OR, at least they tell me it was!
I attempted it, but I am afraid of heights and chickened out before even starting. A sweet NCL worker encouraged me and suggested I “never give up.” He asked me to keep trying a few more steps each time, and eventually, I will be completing the entire course. So, maybe next time I’ll try a few more steps 😉 Perhaps by our 100th cruise, I will complete the ropes course!
5. What was something that surprised you about the Norwegian Breakaway?
NCL Breakaway did have a bit more of a “party” feel than I anticipated. Our kids enjoy hanging out with us (we are enjoying this while it lasts!), so I noticed we had to use caution where we decided to ‘hang out’ while onboard the ship.
We are a fairly low-key family, so it wasn’t much of a big deal. But, for non-drinking families, this is something to consider.
6. What was your favorite cruise port during your Western Caribbean sailing and how did you spend your day?
Our ports included:
1) Roatan, which is one of Honduras’ Bay Islands,
2) Harvest Caye, Belize,
3) Costa Maya, Mexico, and
4) Cozumel, Mexico
My personal favorite port was Cozumel, Mexico. The landscape was beautiful, of course, but what made me love this stop was the excursion we chose.
We took a short ferry ride to the mainland to go on the Amazing Secret River Excursion. Words cannot even describe how spectacular this trip was! In a nutshell, the approximately two-hour trip entailed walking, wading, and climbing, but mostly swimming through underground caverns. The stalactites and stalagmites were out of this world!
The great majority of the time was spent in the water. It was incredibly cold, so we opted to wear a wet suit to keep us a bit warmer. Talk about refreshing, though, during a steamy, hot day!
At the end of the cave tour, we were able to enjoy a light lunch on-site. We even had time to shop in Playa del Carmen for about an hour before heading back to the ship. This is a MUST excursion if you have this itinerary!
7. Did you attempt to pack light for your cruise?
I tried to pack as light as possible and managed to do a decent job. But, the one thing I wished I would have packed was a pair of tennis shoes. I intended to use my heavy-duty water sandals for hiking. Although they are very comfortable, they are NOT meant for long hikes. We love to be outdoors and to stay moving, but I regretted my shoes on multiple occasions.
The only other shoes I brought were a pair of flip-flops for hanging around the ship, and a pair of dressier flip-flops for evening wear. Tennis shoes would have been the only addition I would have made!
8. You sailed to Alaska last summer with Holland America.
Alaska and the Caribbean are such different sailing experiences, but overall, did your family prefer the Holland America ship or the Norwegian Breakaway?
That is a VERY tough question. It’s incredibly difficult to take the cruise destination out of the equation for me.
But, if I had to make a choice, I would pick Holland America. I am an introvert (possibly to the extreme). Large groups of people make me feel a tad bit stressed. Holland is a much smaller cruise ship (fewer people! so that alone made me feel more comfortable.
Alaska was absolutely magical! It was probably my favorite vacation of all time. Every turn and corner brought more of God’s beautiful creations. If you love nature and want to be amazed, that is the trip for you.
If you are considering this trip and would like packing tips for an Alaskan cruise, I’ve got you covered: Alaskan Cruise/ 20+ Items You Need.
9. Is there anything else you’d like to share about your Western Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Breakaway?
Prior to taking our first cruise, my husband and I were a bit leary of going as we were nervous we would get sick. We are both somewhat germaphobes.
However, we have felt that the cruise lines we’ve been on do a fantastic job of keeping the spaces clean. If this is a concern you have, I would say just to follow the same general rules you have in other public places. Wash hands frequently and don’t overthink it!
Thanks for letting me share my review of our Western Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Breakaway!
If you need more ideas for planning your cruise, peruse Jill’s cruising posts for detailed tips! She’s an expert resource for planning your next cruise!
Thanks, April! I appreciate you sharing such an honest experience!
Now, as promised, please go check out one of April’s recent posts…and one of my personal favorites, with great tips for organizing digital photos! This is such a massive struggle for me, and I am betting it is for you, too!
She is such an incredible blogger that I know you will want to check out her site!
Are you looking for more cruise port day options for the Western Caribbean Itinerary?
Paradise Beach or Nachi Cocom in Cozumel, MX
Maya Chan Beach or Chacchoben Mayan Ruins – Costa Maya, MX
Private tour in Roatan, Honduras
Or for planning your cruise?
When to book shore excursions through the cruise line – and when NOT to.
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Happy Travels!
Jillian
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