Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Breakaway from the Holiday- Costa Maya

Pool Party
Costa Maya, Mexico
Friday, November 23, 2018


Costa Maya is quickly becoming one of our favorite ports and we were excited to share it with the kids. We had an idea of what we wanted to do but ended up going a completely different direction. It was yet another day of fun in the sun!

Morning

The NCL Breakaway arrived in Costa Maya shortly before 7AM so when we woke up at 8:15AM, we were already parked and guests were getting off the ship. The NCL Pearl and the Holland America Rotterdam were already parked at the pier as well.


The Norwegian Pearl docked at Costa Maya!

The Holland America Rotterdam!



The Costa Maya pier is very long. They do offer a SHUTTLE but it was not running when we got off but you could tell they were getting ready to take passengers back and forth between the ship and the entrance to the terminal. 

I love this beautiful place! 

We got dressed and ate a quick bite before getting off the ship and making our way to the tourist area of the port. We had hoped to be able to get a massage and enjoy the lagoon area of the Port by using the Port Pass but it was not sold through NCL. We knew we would have to purchase it at the terminal entrance; however, when we got to the entrance it was not offered for NCL passengers. This was discouraging but we made the most of the day, anyway. We found our way to the pool and reserved 2 extra large chairs but committing to purchasing $15 each at the bar or restaurant!


The entrance to the port area is really nice and the kids LOVED seeing Nemo!

This was yet again another MASSIVE pool at the port area and the kids loved it. TIP- I will admit that this was the dirtiest pool or the trip and to be honest, kinda nasty! We played volleyball in the pool and splashed each other before playing a game with the hostesses. It was a BALLOON FIGHT! It was a lot of fun throwing water balloons at each other and the kids loved it. Then Natalie won a shirt by picking up the most balloon trash in the pool.


This was a VERY FUN game for all of us and a great way to spend the day! 


This was so much FUN!

Natalie's new shirt for picking up the most balloon pieces. 

Luke and I had a great time resting on the comfy pool chairs. 


The kids wanted their own, ahem virgin, drinks at the pool. 
We spent the rest of the morning at the pool and enjoying the pool and gorgeous sunny weather. It was a tropical 90* and absolutely perfect way to spend Black Friday.


You've gotta love Mexican souvenirs! 


I think they, too, are now fans of Costa Maya!

Afternoon
The kids and I did a little souvenir shopping before we all got back on the ship around 1:30PM. The drinks we had at the pool bar left us hungry and dehydrated so we went straight to the Garden Cafe and got lunch. The theme for this day was “Mexican” and it was not what we expected (I swear it never is on a cruise ship) but it was fulfilling and just what we needed after our morning in Costa Maya.


Luke lost a tooth at lunch! 

After lunch we spent the majority of the afternoon on the Lido deck enjoying the pool and hot tub area. The AquaPark opened at 2PM and we all made our way to the slides. Natalie and I did some racing on the Whip Slides. TIP- The purple Whip slide is MUCH faster than the Yellow Whip Slide. Also, I was hoping to be able to do the FreeFall slide at this time but it was not open. I asked why and it was because the water was not flowing correctly. The workers told me this happens frequently.

The NCL Breakaway was supposed to leave Costa Maya at 2PM but we did not have all of the passengers on board until nearly 3PM. I later learned that is because there was a group tour sponsored by NCL that was late getting back to the ship. TIP- Remember, if you book an excursion through the cruise line, they will wait for you no matter what. If you book and excursion through a 3rd party, they will leave you. Be mindful of this as you plan excursions.

We laid out on the Lido deck the rest of the afternoon and enjoyed the live entertainment and the "Miss Biceps Contest" as well. The kids played some more mini-golf and Luke ran 3 miles.

Evening
We cleaned up and got ready for our evening dinner. Chris and I had reservations at Le Bistro at 8:45PM. Once again, since the Splash Academy does not offer meals in the evenings, we had to get the kids fed before the 7PM drop off time. We took them to O'Sheehans for dinner around 6PM. There was not a line and the service was pretty good at this time.

While the kids were eating dinner I noticed on my bank account that NCL charged me $300 2 separate times. I tried to figure out what it was for and decided to go down to Guest Services to find out. I spoke with an agent who explained that NCL takes out a $300 deposit on EACH CREDIT CARD associated on the guests' account. This covers any charges they spend on board throughout the duration of the cruise. So I had $600 taken out of my bank account, one for my bank card and one for Chris's bank card. This was a little disturbing and was not made clear AT ALL by NCL. At this point we had about $125 in On-Board spending so this was not sitting well with me. FYI- The $600 WAS TAKEN OUT of my account during the cruise and I eventually got back what we did not spend on board but it wasn't until 5 days AFTER we got off the ship. That is NOT COOL NCL! NOT COOL at all!

I told the agent that I would be sharing this with my blog followers and she was understanding and the overall experience was fine, I just didn't like the actual process of taking out the money without telling the guest. As I walked away from the Guest Services to go back up to Deck 7 since the kids and Chris were still eating, a woman pulled me aside and said she recognized me from my blog. We talked a bit and then she told me that her and her sister in the same cabin found BEDBUGS in their cabin on the 1st day of the cruise. NCL disagreed that they were bedbugs and did nothing on Night #1. It wasn't until additional guests complained of the same thing did NCL move this sister pair to a new room. We talked for a bit and come to find out, her and her sister were moved to 3 different rooms. NCL quarantined their room and washed all their laundry but ruined several pieces in the process. She mentioned that she knew of at least 5 additional cabins that had been effected and NCL did not handle the situation very well. Now keep in mind- This DID NOT happen to me or my family but this woman found me and wanted me to share this with my followers. This all happened on Deck 5, where our original Family Ocean-view was located. Thank you LORD for knowing this would happen and having us change to a balcony stateroom on Deck 12. Once again... GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!

To you, Mary, I am so sorry y'all had to go through this on your vacation! I hope you got it all resolved and still had a great cruise!

The kids finished dinner and we went and got in line to drop them off at the Splash Academy at 7PM. TIP- Reminder, NCL closes the Splash Academy from 5-7PM on sea-days. Even though this was not a sea day, since we left Costa Maya at 2PM, NCL treated it like a sea day and the SA was closed from 5-7PM. Keep this in mind as you plan your day and activities.

We arrived at 6:40PM to find a line of about 50+ deep waiting for the SA to open. We waited and talked to fellow passengers but the line continued to grow while we waited. The "Tenors of Rock" entertainment began at 7PM so Chris went and got us seats for that show (you did not have to reserve tickets for this one). We did not get to the front of the line for drop-off until 7:25PM so in essence, I missed the first 25 minutes of the evening entertainment. Again, this is where I feel NCL really misses the mark. Having the Splash Academy closed from 5-7PM and then a show starting at 7PM is TERRIBLE TIMING. Change the open times or show start times or something. It is not very accommodating to parents of younger kids to say the very least.


My view of the line at 6:40PM. 

A true look at the line and swarm of people checking in to the Splash Academy!
In my opinion, this is where
NCL struggles THE MOST! 


The line after I dropped off my kids at 7:25PM. I learned in passing that at that point the 3-5YO room was already filled up. 

The last 15 minutes of "Tenors of Rock" was fantastic and even though I missed the majority of the show due to the Splash Academy line, I would still pay to see them perform in Las Vegas. They were an outstanding group and I highly recommend you see them if possible.

After their performance, the Captain, offers and countless crew members came on stage and gave us thanks for cruising with Norwegian. This is always emotional for me as I know this means the end of our cruise. I enjoyed the singers, and even the Cruise Director, sing "You are Norwegian Now" and it once again, brought tears to my eyes.


 I don't know why this makes me cry... BUT EVERY SINGLE TIME! 


The Breakaway crew did an #OUTSTANDING job with this! 

After the show, we made our way to Le Bistro for our 8:45PM reservation. We were early but got seated around 8:25PM. TIP- Le Bistro is a SPECIALTY DINING offered by NCL but is easily the best food I have ever had at sea. It is priced a la carte if not on the Dining Package. The French cuisine is phenomenal and the service is just as good. I highly recommend it.



The best cut of meat I have ever had! 

We got done with dinner shortly after 10PM and quickly went and got the kids from the Splash Academy to go to the Glow Party in the Spice H2O area. We had heard about this event from our NCL PEARL sailing in March and had planned it prior to our cruise. TIP- The glow party is usually held on the "mega-ships" on the 6th night and guests are encouraged to wear all white. NCL hands out glow sticks, but we came prepared with our own. We all enjoyed this party very much.



I am so glad we brought our own GLOW STICKS, they ran out by the time we got there! 


Natalie sure loved this party! She was getting down!
Of course, then got embarrassed that I was videoing her!



WE all LOVED this party! 
After the Glow Party we spent time in the arcade with the kids before calling it a night!

This day was filled with fun in the sun and lots of time in the pool(s). The kids had another good night at the Splash Academy and we enjoyed more phenomenal dining at Le Bistro. Overall, it was a great way to spend Black Friday.


Here is our RECAP of DAY 6!

Stay Tuned! Up next... Our last day on board the NCL Breakaway!

Thanks again for following along! We appreciate your support!

God is good... ALL the time!


Saturday, December 8, 2018

Breakaway from the Holiday- Harvest Caye

Harvest Caye Caye (Key Key)... Do You Love Me?
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Harvest Caye (Pronounced Key), Belize

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  


Hello from Harvest Caye!

We are counting our blessings and naming them one by one. We are so blessed to have been able to take this extravagant cruise with our kids and we are going to enjoy every minute. This day was full of gorgeous scenery and two turkeys took flight along this private island!

Morning

I woke up at 5:30AM and decided to look at the cabin telephone to check the ship’s time. Good thing since it was actually 6:30AM and we had an excursion booked for 8AM. For whatever reason, we did not do well with all of the time changes this cruise. I woke up the rest of the crew and we made our way to the Garden Cafe for our breakfast. We ate and then quickly got off the ship and made our way to the FlightHouse there on the island for our Zip Lining excursion.


Our very 1st view of the island at 6:30M. 


This was taken around 7AM. It takes a WHILE to get into the island pier area. 


Our view during breakfast. This was taken around 7:30AM. 


Our view from our balcony. The ship backed in so we saw the outlaying islands nearby. 

Mr. Turtle was available for pictures on the pier! 


They loved the pier and walking to the beach. 


A view of the Breakaway from the actual entrance to the island. 

A time-lapse video of the ride from the ship to the official entrance of the island.


Hello from Harvest Caye

Natalie and I use the $50 per port shore excursion credit given to us by NCL at the time of booking, on a Zipline tour of Harvest Caye. This was a great way to use the credit as it ended up costing us only $109 for BOTH OF US!

TIP- NCL typically offers "FREE AT SEA" perks when you book your cruise. The options for "Free at Sea" are: 1- 3 Night Specialty Dining, 2- Ultimate Beverage Package (Guest 1 and 2 in cabin only), 3- 250 Minutes of WiFi or 4- $50 credit per port for shore excursions. Typically NCL gives you 1 perk choice when booking an inside, 2 with an oceanview booking, 3 with a balcony booking and then ALL of them with a suite. When we booked this cruise on Black Friday 2017, our travel agent, CRUCON CRUISE OUTLET, offered ALL of them PLUS FREE GRATUITIES if you booked an Oceanview or higher. This meant we got ALL of these perks and $200 in gratuities at the time of booking. Furthermore, CRUCON CRUISE OUTLET also gave us $100 On Board Credit at the Black Friday sale and then and additional $50 loyalty OBC. We got a REALLY, REALLY good deal on this cruise!

We met at the FlightHouse (lighthouse) in the center of the island and signed a bunch of documents and waivers before getting suited for our harnesses. We watched a video and were debriefed before riding the elevator 90 feet above the island to our first traverse. Natalie met the height and weight requirement but they still gave her a “driver” to help her not get stuck on the zip lines. This driver basically rode with her on all of the traverses, except for the last one, where she rode by herself.

After our 1st traverse it began to rain and even pour. This made the course even more fun, although Natalie did not think so! There were 4 total traverses and a rope ladder to climb. On the last traverse, you had to lie down and fly over the ocean in a “Superman” pose. It was one of  the most invigorating experiences of my life and I HIGHLY recommend it!

Chris and Luke spent the morning on the beach hoping to watch Natalie and I soar over the ocean, but Mother Nature had other plans. The temperature was in the high 70s but the rain and wind made it feel much cooler. Luke got a little cold in the hour they waited for us so Chris and him waited in the restaurant until the rain passed. Unfortunately, this meant they missed us flying over the ocean but that is OK! Natalie and I will NEVER forget those moments!


The area Chris and Luke waited during the rain. 

Once Natalie and I got done with our zip lining adventure, we all spent time on the beach and in the ocean. The water was cold due to the morning rain but that did not stop us from having a great time.


A view of the beach area. Lots and LOTS of chairs. 
TIP- You have to pay for the clam-shells. They are $39 for the DAY and can be booked via the Shore Excursion desk. 

The water and weather were COLD!

We spent the rest of the morning between the pool, Splash Pad and ocean. It rained on and off throughout the morning and the temperature never got any higher than 80*. After about 3 hours, Luke was very cold and asked to go back to the ship.



We all really enjoyed the MASSIVE pool. 


Natalie took this crazy Slow-Motion video! 


A time-lapse of our time spent in the pool! 

The splash-pad area is really nice for kids 10 and younger. My kids LOVED it! 

This is how Chris spent most of the morning... LUCKY DOG! 

TIP- Harvest Caye offers a variety of activities for guests of all ages and especially for families of young children. Lounge chairs are available, free of charge, and umbrellas are there for shade. The island offers a kids Splash Pad area featuring a large bucket, slide and water sprayers. In addition, there is a GIANT pool in the center of the island that features a swim-up bar and various depths throughout the pool. We LOVE this island and it meets our needs perfectly. Plus it is all FREE!

Afternoon
We made our way back to the ship to get a bite to eat at O’Sheehans and change into dry clothes before making our way back off the ship to the private island. We enjoyed watching Thanksgiving football at O’Sheehans and enjoyed some Thanksgiving wings. TIP- The mid-day service at O’Sheehans was consistently the best.


Thanksgiving WINGS and Football in O'Sheehans! 

Once we got off the ship, we met the Manager of the island as we were riding back to the entrance of the island. He and his wife live 5 minutes off shore and commute by boat every day. He spoke to us about the threat of hurricanes and he even mentioned that Hurricane Harvey, before it became a major storm, threatened the island and they had to evacuate everyone. It was a highly educational conversation and we loved getting to meet him.


This ship is SO BEAUTIFUL! 



A view of the Breakaway from the pier area. 

The kids and I explored the island while Chris sat at the entrance to avoid his foot swelling more than it already was. We went through the butterfly exhibit, looked at the toucan birds and visited the few gift shops on the island. After an hour or so, we made our way back on board to enjoy the ship before Thanksgiving dinner.





We love Harvest Caye! It is such a beautiful island! 

Evening

We had reservations at The Manhattan Room (Elegant MDR) at 5:30PM and we got ready early to enjoy pre-dinner drinks and trivia in the atrium. This was trivia about ports of call and we all enjoyed learning about the cruises NCL offers.


Pre-Dinner Selfie!

The Manhattan Room is the "formal" dining room on the Breakaway.
It has a dress code of no shorts after 5PM. 


We made our way to the Manhattan Room around 5:15PM hoping to get there early but about half the ship thought the same way and there were over 100 people in line ahead of us. We moved to the reservation line but still encountered a wait. I had requested an aft table to view the wake on the 1st day but our table had been given away, despite being EARLY to our reservation. This entrance was a MAD HOUSE and total chaos. After talking to other cruisers we met on this cruise, they all agree this was one of the biggest frustrations of their sailing. That is didn't bother us to much but it was a complaint we frequently heard. The Maitre’D found us a table and we sat down for Thanksgiving dinner.
Cheers to us and Happy Thanksgiving!

There were many traffic jams this evening. I was HIGHLY impressed with the waiters! 


My Thanksgiving dinner! It was delicious! 


A cake from the Chefs on board the Breakaway!
The service was sub par to say the very least and they were SWAMPED. There were large groups needing tables for 18-30 people and getting upset with the hostesses and waiters for slow service. We recognized their hard work and enjoyed our slow dinner. Luke ate 2 heaping helpings of “Green Bean Casserole” or their version of green beans and bacon and Natalie and I enjoyed splurging on Pumpkin flavored everything.

It was a great Thanksgiving and the best part… NO COOKING or CLEANING! I swear, after 2 cruises over this holiday, I want this to be my traditional Thanksgiving routine. It is just amazing and in my opinion, the perfect way to enjoy this holiday.

After dinner we quickly made our way to the Family Comedy show at the Headliner’s Comedy Club. Unfortunately, this was the same comedian that Chris and I saw on SeaDay 1 but the kids laughed and laughed at his corny jokes. This comedian was a substitute teacher by day and his jokes hit a little too close to home for these 2 teachers. It’s always funny to laugh at yourself!


We FINALLY ran into Armon, the cruise director, after the Comedy Show! 

After the show we took the kids back to the room to change clothes and get ready for the Pirate Party at the Splash Academy. We had reserved tickets to the Broadway show “Rock of Ages” at 9:30PM which was for adults only so we knew we had to put the kids into the Kids Club. Chris took them to the Kids Club at 8PM and it was full. TIP- This is where NCL might have lost me as a MOM CUSTOMER. The limit for each group of the Kids Club (3-5, 6-9 and 10-12) was only 60 kids or less and each group had 8 or more workers. Now, I am a teacher and I literally teach 55 kids per class each and every day for 6 class periods a day. ARE YOU KIDDING ME NCL? The Splash Academy in general is TINY for the amount of passengers on the ship. We learned that on this voyage there were 4,687 passengers and 1,289 were under the age of 12. Yet NCL only had room for 120 of these 1,200. TEN PERCENT? TEN PERCENT!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Needless to say, I was a little upset and quite frankly IRATE. I called Guest Services and eventually spoke to the Kids Club manager who more or less told me to check back later. Around 8:45PM I took the kids back and was greeted by “Starfish”, the Splash Academy manager “Hello Mrs. Davis. Right this way. Let’s get Natalie and David checked in”. This was a little awkward but I didn’t hesitate and got them into the kids club just in time for our 9:30PM show. TIP- Again, NCL has a limited number of spots available for kids in the Splash Academy at any given time and is only open certain hours. On port days, the Splash Academy is closed from 5-7PM which is during prime-time dinner hours. Then once they open at 7PM, the adults have missed the 7PM entertainment. If the adults choose to see the later show at 9:30PM, they are forced to pay for “after hours care” which starts at 10:30PM. We have never seen anything like this with Carnival or Royal Caribbean and again, I believe NCL lost me as a cruising MOM. I will definitely still cruise NCL, but not with my kids! It is just not worth it!

The “Rock of Ages” show was #Fantastic and easily one of the Top 5 shows we’ve ever seen at sea. It IS, however, very much intended for mature audiences ONLY. Seriously… It was a little raunchy but the singers, dancers and actors were phenomenal.

The Finale of Rock of Ages!
It is worth standing in line for tickets! GO SEE IT! 


After the show, Chris and I enjoyed more live entertainment at the Shakers Martini Bar and a few drinks before getting the kids after midnight.

This was an #OUTSTANDING way to spend the Thanksgiving holiday and if I had my way, I would do this EVERY year! Harvest Caye was GORGEOUS and the kids loved it and our time spent on board was just as good!


Here is our Day 5 Recap video!
Happy Thanksgiving Y’all!

Thanks again for following along!

Up Next… Costa Maya!