What is Freestyle Cruising? And more specifically, what is Freestyle Cruising on Norwegian Breakaway? Norwegian Cruise Line defines it as follows:
“Freestyle Cruising offers a wide range of complimentary dining options included in your cruise price, and all available on your schedule. The freedom continues with entertainment for everybody. From Broadway shows, to adults-only clubs where you can dance ’til dawn, to supervised activities for kids and teens. When it’s time to recover from the excitement, you can retreat to accommodations designed for the way you cruise.”
Freestyle Cruising on Norwegian Breakaway is continued below…
More Cruise Reviews from Popular Cruising’s Norwegian Breakaway, Bermuda 2013 sailing:
Norwegian Cruise Line iConcierge App Review
Onboard Norwegian Breakaway, the theming is all New York – just look at Peter Max’s Big Apple-inspired pop art design on the hull, for instance – but the practical experience is much more Las Vegas. Just as the so-called Las Vegas Strip offers miles of accommodation, dining and entertainment choice, so too does the new Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship. As the name Freestyle Cruising implies, there is much freedom in choice, but there is also the responsibility to actively reserve your preferences.
Freestyle Cruising or Not?: The Choice is Yours (Copyright © Jason Leppert)
How It’s Done
Traditional cruising used to come with predetermined dinner times at one main dining room and corresponding set show times at one main theater. While recurring dining reservations are still an option with Freestyle Cruising, the primary focus of the program is to allow onboard diversity with reservations across multiple restaurant and entertainment offerings during your cruise.
The Manhattan Room Menu (Copyright © Jason Leppert)
This smorgasbord just requires that you preselect your reservations, itself a rather fun experience. While planning, do keep in mind that capacities are limited, and certain restaurants and shows fill up quicker than others. Bookings can be made online before your cruise and onboard at dozens of digital kiosks across the ship, through your stateroom television or via the very convenient Norwegian iConcierge app for mobile devices.
Norwegian iConcierge App Screen Shot (Copyright © Norwegian Cruise Line)
Accommodations
Even before dining and entertainment selections can be made, passengers get to choose from Norwegian Breakaway‘s impressive gamut of staterooms and suites, and there is literally something for everyone. Accommodations start with studio staterooms that are specifically designed for solo travelers and conveniently priced accordingly. Plus, a private Studio Lounge is made available to guests booked in these cabins.
Studio Stateroom (Copyright © Jason Leppert)
On the other end of the spectrum are the suites of The Haven where the best accommodations are reserved and plush luxuries are set aside with exclusives like private access to The Haven Courtyard, Spa, Lounge and Restaurant. Kevin Sheehan, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, touts these suites as the best way for families to enjoy luxury cruising with the unique pairing of amenities that adults appreciate and attractions that kids like.
The Haven Courtyard (Copyright © Jason Leppert)
Dining
The Norwegian Breakaway continues with an endless array of food: 29 total options, 9 of which are complimentary. Abundant choices include Brazilian, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, French, Irish and American cuisine as well as steaks, seafood, gelato and specialty cakes and pastries. As the theme of the ship is New York, the vessel’s year-round homeport, genuine Sabrett hot dog stands are also along for the ride.
4 Cones at Le Bistro (Copyright © Jason Leppert)
To get a clearer sense of the complimentary and specialty restaurants including what they cost onboard the Norwegian Breakaway as well as the entire Norwegian fleet, review the cruise line’s excellent dining guide in PDF format here. While onboard, the digital kiosks even give a quick look at how reservations are filling up at each restaurant for that evening’s opening hours with red, yellow and green dots indicating current availability.
Ossobuco at La Cucina (Copyright © Jason Leppert)
Entertainment
Rounding out Norwegian Breakaway‘s Freestyle Cruising choices is the entertainment onboard. Like with the restaurants, the goal here is to spread the shows and acts around the ship and across the length of the cruise. Rather than featuring one unrepeated show each night in a main theater alone, many smaller venues host multiple performances during the cruise that are also booked à la carte.
Burn the Floor at The Manhattan Room (Copyright © Jason Leppert)
The ticket highlights on the Norwegian Breakaway are Rock of Ages, Burn the Floor, Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy and the sketch comedy of The Second City. The greatest repeatability of shows is found with The Second City due to the improvisational nature of their shows and the various focuses and target audiences throughout the voyage including family friendly and more mature fare.
The Second City’s Dysfunctional Family Reunion Brunch (Copyright © Jason Leppert)
For more information about Freestyle Cruising onboard the Norwegian Breakaway, visit Norwegian Cruise Line‘s website here.
What do you think about Norwegian Breakaway‘s Freestyle Cruising? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below…