Norwegian Breakaway Review

Wow, I am so fortunate, last week I was a guest of Norwegian Cruise Line onboard the Breakaway. It was so exciting to have Cardinal Dolan bless the ship and the Rockettes christen the ship. I want to share everything with you so here is my review of the Norwegian Breakaway.
This is New York Cities ship.... themed with the beautiful hull art by Peter Max, the Rockettes as the Godmothers, Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian's Ocean Blue and 3 Broadway Shows onboard, Rock of Ages, Cirque Dreams-Jungle Fantasy and Burn the Floor. Keeping with the NYC theme you will find Sabrett Hot Dog carts on the boardwalk, Carlo's Bakery and Gelato as well.
Dining: One of the greatest concepts onboard Norwegian ships is the "Freestyle Dining" and with 27 dining options onboard this is the way to go! The food in the main dining rooms was amazing our first night out I had "surf and turf" and the fliet was amazing and the lobster so delicious. Meals at O'Sheehan's and Ocean Blue were great as well. O'Sheehan's is open 24 hrs so it is great to stop here after a night out gambling and dancing!
Kids Clubs: Great safe play areas with supervised activities all day long, kids are split up into age appropriate programs and you will hear them say "I don't want to leave." The teen club Entourage is amazing and accommodates 13-17 year olds. Splash Academy is for ages 3-12 and here you will find interactive fun the kids will enjoy. There is even an area within Splash Academy open for kids ages 6 months-2yrs old with an adult accompanying them.
Sports Complex: This is an exciting area of the ship for all to enjoy there is the ropes course, "walk the plank" from 16 decks up and a zipline. The pool area has 5 waterslides, some are the largest at sea and you can shoot from the top to the bottom in 6 seconds....thrilling!
The Boardwalk: Such an exciting area(one of my favs), I can't believe this has not been done before. There is 1/4 mile of boardwalk lined with restaurants(inside and outside seating) a bakery, gelato and the famous NYC hot dog cart. There are great seating areas and bars on the boardwalk as well. At night this area is hopping!
Spiegel Tent: Jungle Fantasy themed with animal prints and animal themed art throughout. Quite a breathtaking show, be sure to arrive 30 mins before the show for best seating. The Premium seats here are worth the money.
Spice H20 hosts the weekly 80's themed party(dress up like Madonna and Don Johnson).They host a fireworks show right off the ship at this party-be sure to check it out! There are some cool wall murals in this area of the ship, maps of LI, Welcome to Fire Island and Rockaway Beach too! Keep your eye out for the NY theme all around the ship.
Main Theatre presents Rock of Ages and Burn the Floor, reservations suggested and arrive 45 minutes early for the best seats.
Carlos' Bake Shop: check out the goodies and coffee here from the "Cake Boss",  they have 2 locations Deck 6 in the Atrium and another smaller spot on the Boardwalk.
The Haven: This is a ship within a ship. Boutique style hotel with concierge and butler services, exclusive access to private restaurant and pool, preferred seating at all shows and access to VIBE Beach Club a private outdoor area with bar, cabanas and great seating areas.
678 Ocean Place: such an exciting area of restaurants, bars, casino, shops and great entertainment. Here you will find the dueling pianos at Howl at the Moon  and Slam Allen at Fat Cats Jazz and Blues Club.

Overall I found this ship to be a perfect spot for couples to travel together and for multi-generational families, there is so much for everyone to do while onboard or if you choose to do nothing at all there are great quiet spots for that too. If you have questions about the ship please feel free to contact me as I am a "Norwegian Breakaway Specialist."

Next up is the Norwegian Getaway, she will begin sailing Jan 2014 year round from Miami, this ship will have all the great attributes of the Breakaway with a Miami theme. Broadway show is Legally Blonde and each week they will have Grammy award winners or nominees onboard as well as Illusionarium(replacing the Spiegel Tent) with a magical, immersive experience that will blow you away!

Bon voyage.....
Jessica Dempsey
Cruise Planners
631-780-6195

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www.jdtravelplanning.com

Brides Dress Rehersal 2013

Brides Dress Rehearsal

BRIDE'S DRESS REHEARSAL

Spend 3 Nights and 4 Days - This is a fantastic way to view the resorts, and yes there are 8 of them, check out the wedding locations, taste the food and experience the warm welcome from the people of the Mexican Riviera.

Contact Jessica Dempsey, a Karisma Resorts specialist to book this amazing offer! Call today 631-780-6195

Details:

For only $399 per couple, brides and grooms who have not yet booked their destination wedding can stay for 3 nights at their hotel of choice and have the opportunity to taste different cake options, sample menu items and even view the various locations and setups for their ceremony and private events.

This promotion is good for any El Dorado Spa Resort or Azul Hotel by Karisma, and is offered once a month for the rest of 2013.

Azul Beach Resort

Here are the dates for 2013  

                                                                  
March 7

 

April 11

 

May 16

 

June 27

 

July 18

 

August 15

September 19

October 10

November 7


December 5

And here are the highlights of this promotion:

Upgrade to best available room upon arrival

Sample gourmet delicacies and wedding cakes from the private event banquet menu

$500 food & beverage credit after 10 rooms or more are booked*

Meet photographers and other vendors and view wedding set-ups

Meet wedding coordinators

 

Romantically decorated suite

And more!


Terms & Conditions

This promotion is not combinable with the Bride & Groom stay free promotion. No coupons may be used on these bookings. Transfers included between resorts only, airfare and airport transfers are not included. GIVC points cannot be used to pay for this package. GIVC will not receive points for this booking. Not valid if wedding date is held or deposited. Travel agents are not permitted to attend. $500 credit will not apply to groups with less than 10 rooms. *$500 food and beverage credit available when wedding date is confirmed within 30 days of Brides Dress Rehersal. All couples will be required to sign a disclaimer at check-in stating that they will attend a site inspection of the host hotel as well as a presentation at El Dorado Royale on Saturday. *Clients who want to travel outside of selected dates will be required to pay the current hotel rate at the time and will not receive the $500 towards the food & beverage portion of any private event they book. Booking must be made 30 days in advance; space is limited.

Group Cruise in Alaska

I had a client call me last spring to inquire about a family reunion. The  ages ranged from 7 yrs old to 82 yrs old and she wanted something that would be fun and relaxing for everyone. Easy right? Not so fast! She went on to describe particulars about some family members, who had food allergies, who had mobility issues and who cannot sit with who for too many meals. You get it - typical family stuff(we all have them). I asked a few more questions and quickly needed to find out who the decision makers were and then went to work. I came back to the group with an Alaskan group cruise intinerary with an extended land tour to Denali National Park. I was able to meet all of their dietary needs, and arranged for a scooter and oxygen to be delivered to the stateroom and I also set up the dining so a few nights some of the family who did not want to dine together every night would be in a specialty restaurants on different nights. Their group cruise in Alaska included activities for everyone  that enriched their minds and bodies. The onboard naturalist led discussions that educated them all about Alaska it's beauty and wildlife. The group cruise in Alaska would not be complete without viewing the amazing glaciers. I was told it was a highlight of the cruise being on deck drinking  hot chocolate while viewing the glaciers.
What was overwhelming to my client was quite easy for me to arrange because of my knowledge, education and  resources. A happy ending to a fabulous group cruise in Alaska, they all bonded so well, they already have another cruise planned for next year on the Allure of the Seas. I brought real value and worth to my clients and arranged everything perfectly for them, the power of awesome customer service is evident in all of the referrals I already have from their other relatives and friends.

Until next time,

Jessica Dempsey

Cruise Planners

Creating memorable vacations everyday, let yours be next.....

Liberty of the Seas Review, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line Liberty of the Seas

The Liberty of the Seas is an amazing ship with a fun exciting vibe onboard! This is the second ship in the Freedom Class along with the Freedom of the Seas and the Independence of the Seas. She began sailing in 2007 with 1817 staterooms and over 1300 crew members. The ship has an an incredible 15 decks. This ship features an ice skating rink, rock climbing wall, the incredible FlowRider(surf simulator) and 2 hot tubs that jut out over the sides of the ship. There are 2 main pools and the fun H2O zone with a kids only pool. The staterooms onboard are modern and comfortable ranging in size from 150sq ft to the Presidential Family Suite at 1215sq ft. There are plenty of dining options onboard as well, starting with the main dining room which is 3 levels high and beautiful, Johnny Rockets, Portofinos, Chops Steakhouse, the Windjammer Cafe(think big buffet) and of course room service is available. The Promenade is the spot to be seen with shops lining both sides of the promenade. Here is where the parades take place and the music is always inviting! You will find Vintages Wine Bar, Hoof and Claw British Pub, a coffee shop, the Barber shop, and plenty of duty free alcohol and jewelry shopping.

This ship is recommended for families, friends, romantics and is great for groups because of all the amazing activities onboard. There are always plenty of honeymooners onboard as well.  The vibe is exciting onboard the Liberty of the Seas and everyone is always having a great time. This ship is sure to please everyone in your group. The Liberty of the Seas is now sailing from Miami and will be repositioning over to Barcelona in the Spring to sail the Mediterranean. Beginning in the fall 2011 the Liberty of the Seas will begin sailing 4 to 6 night cruises from Fort Lauderdale. Rates begin at $359 per person  for a 4 night cruise. Call for more dates/rates and itineraries.

Until next time,

Jessica Dempsey

Cruise Planners

Creating memorable vacations everyday, let your be next....