CT Mommy Blog

We just got back from an amazing family vacation aboard the Norwegian Breakaway. It was a 7 day cruise that set sail from New York to Bermuda. We made wonderful memories and can’t wait to go back.

I have so much to share about our trip that I’m going to break it down into a few different posts. This first post is a basic overview of our experience aboard the ship. I’ll get into the real details in later posts.

I’ve always wanted to go to Bermuda. Walking along a pink sand beach was something I needed to experience. Chris and I had been going back and forth for months about what we wanted to do for vacation this year. Last year we went to Cape Cod. It was great, but low key. I wanted to do something a little more exciting this year. It doesn’t feel like a real vacation to me unless I’m getting dressed up for dinner every night. Even though we rarely go out to eat with the kids, something in me needed a vacation with fancy dinners. I’m either really brave or completely out of my mind!

We had been toying with the idea of taking the family on a cruise for a while, but finally made a last minute decision to book the cruise. We took a Disney cruise when the girls were 8-months-old and have the most wonderful memories. Unfortunately Disney wasn’t leaving from New York this year so we had to look at different cruise options. We were a little hesitant about whether cruising on a non-Disney line would be family-friendly enough but decided to take the risk anyway.

One of the biggest factors in choosing to cruise was that the ship left from New York. Being from Connecticut, there was no need to fly with our three little children which is a huge plus. It took us less than two hours to get to the port terminal from our house. We parked our car next to the ship, went through the boarding process and a half hour later we were on board being greeted with drinks and lunch. It was immediately vacation!

One of the tricky parts about having a larger family on a cruise is that only 4 people fit in a standard room. In order to accommodate our family of  five we only had three room options: purchase two adjoining rooms with one adult in each room, reserve a Family Room, or a 2-Bedroom Family Villa. We went through the pros and cons of each option and decided that the 2-Bedroom Family Villa was the best choice. Ultimately this decision ended up being the best part of the cruise.

The 2-Bedroom Family Villa is part of the VIP section of the ship known as The Haven (known to us as The Heaven). It features 24-hour butler service, private concierge, private restaurant, private pool & hot tubs. It’s luxury at its best and we gladly took advantage of it. Of course all of these amenities come at a price but since we were able to go off-season (beginning of June) we saved a ton compared to peak time.

The Breakaway is one of Norwegian’s biggest and newest ships (first sailed in 2013). Since its home port is New York it has a New York feel  — hot dog carts, Rock of Ages Broadway show, even exercise classes with some of The Rockettes.

Many of the Norwegian Breakaway’s best features are tailored to adults. It offers different upscale restaurants, lounges, bars, adult themed shows and a casino. Being a family with 3 little kids we weren’t able to experience a lot of what the cruise had to offer. I would love to go back next time to check everything out without the kids.

But while the Breakaway is a great ship for adults there is still plenty for kids to enjoy too. One of the reasons we chose to sail with Norwegian is their partnership with Nickelodeon. They have tons of different activities throughout the week dedicated to families. We spent a lot of time at the splash pad and baby pool. We also went to a story time with Dora the Explorer, make your own pizza party, and a family deck party. My kids had a great time.

The cruise docked in Bermuda’s Royal Naval Dockyard in Heritage Wharf for three days. We went to two beaches while there (including Horeshoe Bay, famously known for pink sand!), a glass bottom boat through corel reefs to feed  fish, toured the National Museum of Bermuda and watched a dolphin show. There is a lot to do right at the port. I love the fact that we were able to walk back to the ship for lunch or a nap and then get back off. Also, the fact that the ship is docked for three days meant there was no need to rush back to the ship each day.

We really enjoyed our vacation on the Breakaway. It was exactly the type of break we needed from the stress of our lives at home. Stay tuned for future posts about the details of the trip!