The Norwegian Breakaway is one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s most popular ships, offering a blend of fun, relaxation, and luxury across its 18 decks. Here’s your ultimate guide to what’s on each deck—so you can plan your cruise days with ease. We enjoyed our time on the Breakaway. This was our first time cruising with Norwegian.
Deck 5 – Medical Center & Staterooms
- Medical Center – Located midship, this is where you’ll find onboard doctors and nurses if you need medical attention. It’s open daily and 24/7 for emergencies.
- Staterooms Interior and Ocean view are located on Deck 5
Tip: Our rooms happened to be on Deck 5. We had two rooms, one interior and one ocean view. The rooms were on the smaller side but we were not in them much other than to sleep and get ready. We enjoy the savings of booking inside and ocean view rooms.
Deck 6 – Entertainment & Services
- Breakaway Theater (Lower Level) – This two-story theater features spectacular Broadway-style shows, such as Burn the Floor.
- Taste & Savor Main Dining Rooms – Complimentary restaurants offering elegant multi-course meals with rotating menus. These were on opposite sides of the ship but offered the same menus that change nightly. We experience both when we choose based on the views we have outside.
- Mixx Bar – A stylish bar between Taste and Savor, ideal for a pre-dinner cocktail.
- The Atrium – A large open space with comfy seating, a giant screen for trivia and games, and live entertainment as well as a main bar. This space was used for a lot, there was always something going on.
- Guest Services & Shore Excursion Desk – Plan excursions, handle onboard questions, or check your account.
- Internet Café – For those who didn’t buy Wi-Fi but need brief access.
- CruiseNext Desk – Learn about future cruises and apply onboard credit offers.
- The Library & Card Room – Quiet spaces for reading, games, or puzzles, was located near the Atrium.
- The Silver Screen Bistro – offers dinner and a movie for an upcharge.
- Starbucks – A lot of people can’t go without their coffee, don’t worry Breakaway Starbucks has you covered.
- Headliners Comedy Club – Hosts stand-up comedy acts, and live music. I think my favorite park of Headliners was the Dueling Pianos that were featured a few nights. There were three musicians that took turns; it was a unique set up.
- Le Bistro French Restaurant – one of the many specialty dining restaurants on board. This space was also used for several of the Wine Tasting events on board. Find out more about the one we tried later!
- Teppanyaki – a specialty dining restaurant that features Japanese cuisine.
Deck 7 – Casino, Dining & Comedy
- Breakaway Theater (Upper Level)
- O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill – Open 24/7, this Irish-American pub offers burgers, wings, fish & chips, and bowling lanes. This was the only place to get food after the buffet closes at 10, so it was always busy in the evenings and often times had a slight wait.
- The Manhattan Room – A swanky, complimentary dining venue with live music and a dance floor. It’s dinner only and feels like a supper club with spectacular floor to ceiling windows off the back of the ship.
- The Casino – With slots, blackjack, poker, and roulette tables, it’s a Vegas-style experience at sea. Smoking and non-smoking sections available. While I have been on other ships that the smoking in the casino has wafted to a lot of other areas there were only a few times when I could smell smoke, this was a welcome surprise.
- Bliss Ultra Lounge -this was used as many things throughout our cruise but it is mainly used for some of the parties and night club.
- Shanghai’s noodle bar – first come first serve specialty restaurant
- Shuffleboard – outside the box office, take the doors outside and turn to the left, there will be a shuffleboard set. This was a fun place to go, even if you have never played before.
Deck 8 – The Waterfront & Specialty Dining
- The Waterfront – A unique outdoor promenade with lounge seating and oceanfront dining. Perfect for cocktails at sunset or a great place to sit and relax out of the sun.
- Cagney’s Steakhouse –Specialry dining restaurant with premium cuts of meat, truffle fries, and a romantic ambiance.
- Syd Norman’s Poor House – bar and lounge was used mainly for Karaoke.
- Maltings Beer & Whiskey bar -featured special drinks
- The Humidor Cigar Lounge – enjoy a cigar
- Ice Bar – for $15 per person you can experience a drink in the ice bar, jackets included.
- Shaker’s Cocktail Bar -one of a few bars on this deck
- La Cucina – Rustic Italian dining specialty dining restaurant
- Wasabi Sushi Bar – À la carte sushi, sashimi, and rolls.
- Palomar –a specialty dining restaurant featuring Mediterranean flavors.
- The Humidor Cigar Lounge – A quiet place for cigar lovers to enjoy a smoke in comfort.
- Shops & Boutiques – Duty-free shopping, including watches, jewelry, clothing, and NCL logo gear.
- Photo Gallery – View and purchase professional cruise photos taken by ship photographers.
- Family Chess Board -just outside of the forward-deck restrooms, there is a giant chess board
Decks 9 to 14 – Accommodations
These decks are dedicated primarily to staterooms, including:
- Inside Cabins – Budget-friendly and cozy.
- Oceanview Cabins – With a window or porthole.
- Balcony Cabins – Private outdoor space perfect for morning coffee.
- Club Balcony Suites – Larger rooms with better amenities and priority services.
Deck 15 – Pools, Kids, & Sun
- Main Pool Deck – Includes two pools, several hot tubs, and plenty of sun loungers.
- Waves Pool Bar – Grab your favorite frozen drinks poolside.
- Kids’ Aqua Park – Splash area with mini slides and fountains, perfect for young cruisers.
- Garden Café (Buffet) – Huge complimentary buffet with stations for international food, pasta, salad, carving meats, desserts, and soft serve.
- Fitness Center – open specific hours
- Spa & Thermal Suite –for a daily price you can enjoy the thermal suite or several spa options
Deck 16 – The Haven Private Areas & Pubic Slides
- Jogging Track – A loop around the sports deck for walking or running.
- Slides & Aqua Racer – Multi-story water slides including the Free Fall (a heart-stopping drop slide) and the twisting Aqua Loop.
- Video Arcade – the kids will enjoy the arcade
- American Diner – This 50’s style dinner is one of the complimentary options on board.
- Entourage Teen Lounge – A cool hangout for teens ages 13–17 with movies, games, and music.
- Spice H2O (Adults-Only) – A quieter, 18+ space during the day with loungers, waterfalls, and a hot tub. Transforms into a party space at night with live DJs and theme nights.
- Guppies Nursery/Playroom – For toddlers and small children (some activities require registration)
- The Haven Lounge – Exclusive bar and seating area for relaxation or cocktails.
- The Haven Courtyard & Pool – Enclosed luxury space with a private pool, hot tub, loungers, and retractable roof.
- The Haven Sun Deck – Separate from the main pool deck, with padded loungers and panoramic views.
- The Haven Restaurant – Fine dining just for Haven guests, with attentive service and no wait times.
Tip: While I am not a huge fan of the Ship within a Ship concept, the Haven areas seem nice. The areas used by the Haven could be utilized to make more spaces for everyone to use. I did notice that the common areas of the ship did not seem overly crowded.
Deck 17 – Rope Course & Vibe Beach Club
- Ropes Course – The largest at sea! Includes The Plank, where you can walk out over the edge of the ship (securely harnessed).
- Vibe Beach Club Entrance – Accessed with a pass (extra cost), this is an adults-only, limited-access sun deck with cushioned loungers and dedicated bar service.
- The Stadium –features games like shuffleboard and foosball
- Vibe Beach Club – An exclusive adults-only retreat with limited passes. Includes plush loungers, umbrellas, whirlpools, and waiter service.
- Haven Private Sun Deck and Hot tub
- Sun Deck – Open space for lounging with views over the ocean. Sometimes used for yoga or sunrise meditation sessions.
Deck 18 – Sports Court
- Basketball Court / Sport Court – Full court for basketball and other games.
Final Tips for Cruisers
- Download the NCL App before you board. It lets you see daily schedules. While I didn’t love the App it was helpful to view daily activities.
- Make specialty dining and show reservations early, if you are not able to book prior to boarding, once on board, stop in to the Headliners Comedy Club on deck 6 there were plenty of reservations available. Show reservations can be done at any of the screens near the elevators, you can scan your card to selct your self.
- Try The Waterfront at sunset for the perfect cocktail-hour moment.
- Get to the slides early on sea days—they can have long lines! The body slides, have strict rules against metal, so be sure your suit doesn’t have anything metal. As well be sure to leave all jewlry behind in your cabin.
- Ropes Course: make sure you have tennis shoes and be sure to leave all personal items in your stateroom or with someone you trust, as there is nowhere to place your belongings while climbing.
