All stream on deck 16. There, the “sail away party”, cocktails free until you drop starts now. On the “high energy dance floor”, funky rhythms out of the speakers booming, much too loud, one to still talk to. The “Breakaway” leaves the port of New York, the leakage is to be celebrated. “You bring your cameras”, cruise had recommended Director Alvin. A good advice. It’s not about, to snap the dancing passengers. Rather, it is Manhattan the attraction. Because now, in the early afternoon, the Sun on the glittering skyline is shining. Lady Liberty comes ever closer. How dainty she looks. We, however, are on a colossus. 324 metres in length the “Breakaway” is sky high and 40 meters wide.

A ship with 18 decks and a motto: “do not miss a moment!” Any show, a dancing class, a Blackjack competition takes place always. Who wants to come to rest on this ship, must stay in his cabin. But for unsociable sensitive soul this one week trip has not been on Yes. We need to have fun. With many people. Less than 4000 passengers might ride, but some cabins have remained empty on the November trip. Low season. Mainly Americans are on board. You want to soak up a few days Caribbean heat. Finally, the travels in the Caribbean. Nassau in the Bahamas is the goal. Some passengers take advantage of the opportunity to feed on winter fat. “The more you eat, the cruise is even cheaper,” jokes an employee. Eggs, 25 000 chicken be aboard 65 000 per week and consumed countless hamburger.

This includes 22 bars there, 27 restaurants. It is well served with the all inclusive offers. Specialty restaurants like the Teppanyaki (Japanese), the ocean blue (fish), or the La Cucina (Italian) cost extra. The surcharge remains in the frame, the meals are delicious and artfully prepared. However, the classy furnished and elaborately designed restaurants guests are requested to renounce on shorts and T-Shirts. There is, however, no dress code in the buffet restaurants and bars. “Feel Free” – is the motto. Also eat you must when you just want to. And when it comes to four at night. The o’ Sheehan’s Grill is open around the clock, ice cream is always available. The huge selection at the Garden Café buffet is confusing. Here, too, on deck 15, there are of course window seats. No one rangelt is about. What also? The sea is incidental to this giant ship.

Get ready for the jungle show at the Spiegeltent

Instead, on the “Breakaway”, there are attractions churning. We have just missed the courses on the climbing wall, the limbo competition is already through. Applies to us: quick finish to the “jungle”show at the Spiegeltent. First and foremost a dinner, then admire acrobats in Snake costumes and dancers in the Maikäfer dress. Then quickly to the salsa or even to stand up comedy? Starting at half past eleven at night the late night party at the Bliss lounge, at midnight, the “Heavenly lottery drawing” at the Casino would be off.

The next day on deck 18. A giant rainbow stretches across the sea, it’s warm. No place in the swimming pool; in the hot tubs, the people sit skin on skin. Several passengers Lounge on sunbeds. Sunscreens are applied, brought drinks in plastic cups. Glass could shatter – and so there is no in the self-service area. It will be so, if the “Breakaway” crosses this summer on the Baltic Sea. Other priorities for the food in the buffet restaurants. “Americans want burgers, Europeans love low-calorie”, white Manager Shailendra Sawant, responsible for food and drinks on board. They bought at all depending on the area. “If we start from Boston, we carry a lot more beer”, says Sawant. “The passengers there drink much away.”

All are looking forward to great Stirrup Cay, the private island of owned and operated by Norwegian Cruiseline. But will anything out of it. High seas, reports on the bridge. The waves are manageable. “Who want to just can’t bring us ashore”, Janeway a disillusioned New Yorker. Consoling a fellow traveller from Chicago: “On the island it is Yes but only fully, when 4,000 people there on stream.”