Norwegian Cruise Line·Norwegian Breakaway

Norwegian Breakaway - Canada & New England

3.8(3,632 reviews)
via U.S. News & Cruise Critic · Jun 2026
|7 Nights|4 Ports|2 Sea Days

A late-summer round-trip from Boston that strings together the best of the Gulf of Maine and the Canadian Maritimes: Portland, Bar Harbor, Halifax, and Saint John. Breakaway sails this route repeatedly from August through October 2026, with an unusually long call in Saint John (11:30 AM to 11:00 PM) that leaves time for a Bay of Fundy excursion and an evening in the Uptown district.

SeniorsNature LoversHistory BuffsFirst-Time Cruisers

Price Range

$

Budget

DepartureBoston, MA
Dress CodeCasual
MealsIncluded
WiFiPaid

*Prices vary by cabin type, sailing date, and availability. Confirm rates with Norwegian Cruise Line before booking.

Ship Details — Norwegian Breakaway

View full Norwegian Breakaway details
Norwegian Breakaway cruise ship

Year Built

2013

Tonnage

145,655 GT

Passengers

3,963

Crew

1,657

Decks

18

Class

Breakaway

Itinerary & Route Map

Loading map…

Where this cruise calls, day by day

6 ports and 2 sea days over 7 Nights.

  1. Day 1

    Boston, MA

    United StatesDepart
    Boston, MA port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
  2. Day 2 · At sea

  3. Day 3

    Portland, ME

    United StatesPort

    Portland is the easiest stop in New England: larger ships tie up at Ocean Gateway, smaller ones at the Maine State Pier, and the Old Port's cobbled blocks of brick warehouses begin about five minutes from the gangway. It is a walking call, which means you can skip the excursion entirely and still fill the day.

    • The Old Port - Commercial, Fore and Exchange Streets for lobster rolls, bookshops and breweries
    • Portland Head Light at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, 15 minutes out of town
    • The Portland Museum of Art, strong on Winslow Homer
    • A Casco Bay Lines mailboat run out through the islands if you have most of a day
    Getting ashore
    Ocean Gateway Terminal takes the larger ships and the Maine State Pier the smaller ones; both are a 5-10 minute walk from the Old Port, and the Jetport is about 15 minutes by road.
    Best months
    Jun-Oct (the season is short; late Sep-Oct brings foliage cruises and cold mornings)
  4. Day 4

    Bar Harbor, ME

    United StatesPort

    A tender call into a small town that has spent years arguing about cruise ships: voters approved a cap of 1,000 disembarking passengers a day in 2022, and the litigation that followed has thinned the schedule considerably. What remains is a walkable village at the edge of Acadia National Park, which is the actual reason to come.

    • Acadia National Park - Cadillac Mountain, the Park Loop Road and Sand Beach
    • The Shore Path, a short flat walk from the town pier past the old summer cottages
    • Jordan Pond House for popovers, if your excursion timing allows
    • Main Street's lobster pounds for a lunch that takes half an hour
    Getting ashore
    A tender port: ships anchor in Frenchman Bay and land passengers at the town pier, steps from Main Street, and rough weather occasionally cancels the call outright.
    Best months
    Jul-Oct (early October for foliage; the season shuts down fast after that)
  5. Day 5

    Halifax

    CanadaPort
    Halifax port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
  6. Day 6

    Saint John

    CanadaPort

    Saint John sits on the Bay of Fundy, which has the largest tides in the world. Here the range is around eight metres, and twice a day the incoming tide physically shoves the Saint John River backwards through a rock gorge - the Reversing Falls Rapids, which only performs if you time your visit to the tide table. The city behind the pier is a weathered working port with a genuinely good 1876 market hall, and you can walk off into it.

    • The Reversing Falls Rapids from Fallsview Park - check the tide times before you go
    • Saint John City Market, the oldest continuously operating farmers' market in Canada
    • The sea caves and covered bridges at St. Martins, about 40 minutes out
    • Hopewell Rocks flowerpot formations, walkable on the sea floor at low tide but 90 minutes each way
    Getting ashore
    Docked at the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal on the downtown waterfront, with an enclosed pedway through to Market Square and the City Market.
    Best months
    Jun-Oct; Sep-Oct for fall colour
  7. Day 7 · At sea

  8. Day 8

    Boston, MA

    United StatesArrive
    Boston, MA port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore

Onboard Amenities

Aqua Park
Ropes Course
The Waterfront Promenade
Casino
Spa
Kids Club
Multiple Pools
Specialty Dining
Fitness Center
Ice Bar
Rock of Ages Musical
Brooklyn Room
Two Aqua Parks with multiple waterslides
Three-level Sports Complex with ropes course
The Haven luxury suite enclave with private pool, lounge and sun deck
The Waterfront oceanfront boardwalk with restaurants and bars
Garden Cafe buffet
The Manhattan Room main dining room (supper-club style)
Cagney's Steakhouse
Palomar Mediterranean seafood restaurant
Silver Screen Bistro dine-in theater
Vibe Beach Club adults-only retreat
Production shows
Kids and teens clubs
Spa & Fitness Center

Cruise Highlights

Bar Harbor tender call with easy access to Acadia National Park's Cadillac Mountain and carriage roads
Halifax's boardwalk waterfront, Citadel, and side trips to Peggy's Cove lighthouse
Saint John on the Bay of Fundy, home to the world's highest tides and the Reversing Falls
Portland, Maine for lobster shacks, Old Port cobblestones, and Casco Bay lighthouses

About the Ship

What Travelers Say About Norwegian Breakaway

Reviews of the ship itself — the same for every Norwegian Breakaway sailing. Distilled from 500 traveler threads, Cruise Critic member reviews and travel blogs.

Norwegian Breakaway, a 2013 Breakaway-class ship for roughly 3,900 guests at double occupancy, made its name as a big, energetic, freestyle-cruising vessel sailing year-round from New York. Its signature feature is The Waterfront, an oceanfront boardwalk where restaurants and bars open onto the sea, paired with an action-packed top deck of two Aqua Parks, waterslides and a towering ropes course. The vibe is lively and family-friendly rather than refined, and a 2020 and 2025 refurbishment have kept the ship feeling current.

What People Love

  • The Haven is a genuine ship-within-a-ship: private pool, lounge, restaurant and an expanded Deck 17 sun deck with cabanas that stays quiet and feels like a separate luxury vessel
  • The Waterfront oceanfront boardwalk is a standout, letting you eat and drink at railings overlooking the sea rather than being boxed inside
  • Strong specialty dining, with the new Palomar Mediterranean seafood venue described by reviewers as a seafood-lover's paradise and an enlarged Cagney's Steakhouse

Common Complaints

  • The Garden Cafe buffet draws habitual lines and feels cramped and tight on seating when the ship sails full
  • Crowding is a recurring complaint, with guests reporting lines for entertainment and not enough seating for popular shows
  • Food and service quality are inconsistent across the ship, a frequent theme in mixed reviews
See the full Norwegian Breakaway ship page — all 16 pros & cons, review & FAQs

More Canada & New England Cruises

View all Canada & New England cruises