Carlo’s Bake Shop Opens on the Norwegian Breakaway

Oreo, Dark Chocolate Mousse and Purple Groovy Fondant cakes; Italian butter cookies; biscotti; and beautifully decorated cupcakes. Luscious chocolate and vanilla cannolis, cream-filled lobster tails, and individual goodies such as strawberry cheesecake, chocolate truffle and tiramisu …. Sound yummy?  These are just some of the delectable desserts that you can find on the Norwegian Breakaway!

 Norwegian Cruise Line announced that Master Baker Buddy Valastro, star of the popular TLC television series “Cake Boss” will open an extension of his family business, Carlo’s Bake Shop, on the new Norwegian Breakaway.  In addition to the onboard bakery, Carlo’s will offer cupcake-decorating classes, where guests can learn some of Valastro’s tricks of the trade.

“The New York area is known for its outstanding bakeries,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s chief executive officer. “As with all features of this new incredible ship, we wanted to bring not just a taste of the region to our guests, but the very best out there.  Buddy is known as the ultimate baker, so we knew he was the best choice for our new bakery on Norwegian Breakaway. We are thrilled to welcome Buddy to the Norwegian family.”

“Spending time with family is one of the most important things.  A cruise is a wonderful opportunity for a family to relax and have fun together and that is one of the reasons why I wanted to bring Carlo’s aboard this fantastic cruise ship,” said Buddy Valastro. “I am thrilled to begin this partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line and open Carlo’s Bake Shop on Norwegian Breakaway, the ultimate ship for families.”

The Norwegian Breakaway will be the largest ship ever to homeport in New York City. The 4,000-passenger vessel will debut in early May 2013, when she will begin weekly summer seven-day cruises to Bermuda. From October 2013 through April 2014, the ship will offer voyages from the heart of Manhattan to the Bahamas & Florida and the Southern Caribbean.

Norwegians Know How to Stay Toasty!

Do you plan to be in NY City this month?  If you decide to brave the cold, gray streets, (and I guess you must if you work there), keep an eye out for the Norwegian Cruise Line “Warming Station!” The stations feature a large backdrop of the Norwegian Breakaway surrounded by heat lamps, sand and palm trees! A piece of paradise on a city corner! Have your picture taken, enjoy a hot beverage, and if you’re lucky, you may even win a prize!  There will be instant wins every hour for tickets to Rock of Ages or the chance to eat at Geoffrey Zakarian’s restaurant, “The National”.

You can find a “Warming Station” at:   

• Flatiron Plaza on January 14^th
• 14^th St. & 9^th Ave on January 22^nd
• Times Square on January 28th

The Norwegian Breakaway will be the largest ship ever to homeport in New York City. The 4,000-passenger vessel will debut in early May 2013, when she will begin weekly summer seven-day cruises to Bermuda.

Norwegian Breakaway Lights Up The Sky

The soon to sail Norwegian Breakaway will light up the sky with a blazing and beautiful fireworks show on every cruise!  On the second to last night at sea each week, this dazzling display will be the grand finale of a 1980s-themed deck party.

The brilliant production is set to a playlist of classic 80s hits including “Come on Feel the Noise,” by Quiet Riot; “Whip It,” by Devo; “Cherish,” by Madonna; “Final Countdown,” by Europe; and “Purple Rain,” by Prince. 

“All the incredible entertainment and amenities on Norwegian Breakaway are going to wow our guests,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line’s CEO. “We wanted one additional element that would really blow them away and this incredible fireworks show is going to take the cruise to a new level of excitement.”

The Norwegian Breakaway will be the largest ship ever to home port in New York City. The 4,000-passenger vessel will debut in early May 2013, when she will begin weekly summer seven-day cruises to Bermuda. From October 2013 through April 2014, the ship will offer voyages from the heart of Manhattan to the Bahamas & Florida and the Southern Caribbean."

Cruising the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is an international waterway that that was built to shorten the distance that ships had to travel to pass between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  A cruise through this world-famous canal offers up cultural, ecological and engineering wonders found nowhere else in the world!

Cruisers have two choices when selecting a Panama Canal itinerary. The first is the traditional, trans-canal experience. It takes a day to traverse the 50 miles of locks along the Canal. This is a full crossing, meaning that guests will actually cross from one ocean to the other.

The other option is a ""partial crossings,"" in which the ship enters the Canal, but never crosses to the other side. Partial transits are typically from the Atlantic side, and involve going up the set of Gatun locks, into Gatun Lake, then turning around and returning to the Atlantic side.

The Panama Canal cruise season is a short one, typically a couple of months in the spring, then again in the fall. The majority of these cruises sail between Fort Lauderdale or Miami and San Diego or Los Angeles.  Itineraries vary in length and ports-of-call, but ports are generally concentrated in Mexico and Central America.  If you're looking for a different type of cruise, a Panama Canal cruise is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience."