Which Norwegian Ship Class Is Better Breakaway or Breakaway Plus?

When you’re comparing Norwegian Cruise Line ships, one of the most frequent questions that travelers ask is basically whether to pick a ship from the Norwegian Breakaway class, or to go for one of the larger Breakaway Plus class ships. Both groups are filled with entertainment, dining options, and modern amenities, but they still feel different once you’re onboard, like the vibe shifts with how you like to spend your days.

The original NCL Breakaway class ships rolled out a newer style with open-air spaces, extra dining variety, and more flexible onboard entertainment. Then a few years later, Norwegian took that idea and expanded it into the Breakaway Plus class, making bigger ships that add more attractions, enlarge public areas, and upgrade the suite experience.

If you’re stuck deciding between NCL Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus ships, this guide walks through the differences in ship size, stateroom setups, dining, activities, and more, so you can choose the right one for your next cruise vacation.

The main difference between Norwegian Breakaway and Breakaway Plus ships is size and onboard attractions. Breakaway Plus ships are larger, newer, and offer features like go-kart tracks, Observation Lounges, and expanded Haven suites. Breakaway ships are slightly smaller, easier to navigate, and often provide better value for budget-conscious travelers.

What Are Norwegian Breakaway and Breakaway Plus Class Ships?

The Norwegian Breakaway class first launched in 2013 as a next-generation ship concept, mostly centered on outdoor spaces, waterfront dining, and Norwegian’s freestyle style of cruising.

The Breakaway Plus class ships showed up not long after that, and they were built on the same foundation. The substantial change is that these ships are larger, they carry more passengers, and they introduce additional attractions along with enhanced suite areas.

Think of it like this, kinda simply:

Norwegian Breakaway class ships: the original design, slightly smaller, and a lively onboard atmosphere

Breakaway Plus class ships: the bigger version with more venues plus new features

Both are modern, and both stay popular for a reason, but the experience you get onboard can feel a bit different depending on which class you book, even if you choose similar itinerary plans.

Norwegian Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus: Quick Comparison

These two ship classes look similar. They both have:

• Norwegian’s waterfront promenade, plus that whole promenade vibe
• A bunch of specialty restaurants
• Broadway-style entertainment
• Family-friendly attractions
• Adult-only relaxation spaces  
• The Haven luxury suite complex, which is a big signature.

But the biggest difference is scale, like really the size of everything.

The Breakaway Plus class ships tend to offer more passenger capacity, larger pool decks, expanded Haven suites, and even additional entertainment venues. There are also more outdoor attractions, and more recent technology along with ship design updates.

Meanwhile, Norwegian Breakaway class ships often feel easier to navigate, and honestly they can feel a bit less crowded.

Norwegian Breakaway and Breakaway Plus Ships List

Norwegian Breakaway Class ships.

• Norwegian Breakaway (2013)
• Norwegian Getaway (2014)

Then you’ve got the Norwegian Breakaway Plus class ships, which feel like a bigger, newer version of that same idea.

• Norwegian Escape (2015)
• Norwegian Joy (2017)
• Norwegian Bliss (2018)
• Norwegian Encore (2019)

So yes, these all kind of belong to the broader Norwegian Breakaway family, but the Plus ones are larger, and newer by a stretch.

Norwegian Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus Key Differences

The main difference between Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway and Breakaway Plus boats is about the physical size, more space to hold people and what you can do up top. Both versions are still centered on NCL’s “freestyle cruising” style, and they both come with “The Waterfront” open air boardwalk, but The Breakaway Plus class is approximately 10% larger, includes additional public spaces, and introduces attractions such as electric go-kart tracks and expanded entertainment venues.

Core Specifications Comparison

Norwegian Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus Ships Compared

Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus Entertainment and Nightlife

While both classes deliver Norwegian Cruise Line’s signature energy and flexibility, the bigger hull size of the Breakaway Plus class lets them spread out more, with expanded dining venues, tech-heavy attractions, and all-weather indoor viewing areas. The original Breakaway class leans more into familiar outdoor thrills and a more tightly braided entertainment center, you know, more old-school in a way.

Here’s how the two classes stack up across the four main pillars of ship life.

Entertainment & Nightlife

Breakaway Class:

• The Vibe: It’s very centered on small-comedy rooms, live rock music settings, and the classic production shows in the main theater.
• Signature Highlights: You get the super energetic Syd Norman's Pour House, which feels like an authentic rock-and-roll dive bar, and Howl at the Moon with the dueling pianos setup.
• The Theater: Because the seating is smaller, making reservations for the headlining theater performances can be competitive.

Breakaway Plus Class:

• The Vibe: This one widens the entertainment footprint by bringing in multi-sensory venues and showing lounges that manage higher capacity.
• Signature Highlights: It features large Broadway-style musical reworkings (like Beetlejuice on Encore or Six on Bliss) plus extra dedicated spaces such as Social Comedy and the Nightclub.
• The Observation Lounge: There’s a huge 180-degree forward lounge that turns into a calmer, quiet acoustic music spot later in the day.

Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus Dining, Bars and Lounges

Breakaway Class:

• Main Dining has two traditional main dining rooms, and the multi-story, elegant Manhattan Room which comes with a built-in dance floor, plus a live band stand, quiet but lively.
• The Waterfront, though, is mostly about outside seating, for NCL staples like Cagney’s Steakhouse, Ocean Blue (seafood), and Moderno Churrascaria.
• Then there’s Pub Life which is centered around O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill, a 24-hour casual pub, overlooking the main atrium, straightforward.

Breakaway Plus Class:

• Expanded Specialty Dining leans on added deck space, so it can roll in newer global ideas like Food Republic (sushi and fusion tapas), Q Texas Smokehouse (authentic BBQ with live country music) and Onda by Scarpetta (high end Italian).
• The District Brewhouse swaps out some of the older bar footprints for a huge craft beer hall, with twenty-four beers on tap, and that energetic piano singing-along feeling.
• Finally, Upgraded Casual Bites adopts the 24-hour pub idea and turns it into The Local Bar & Grill, with a more open, modern layout, and just less tight corners.

Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus Pools, Water Parks and Outdoor Attractions

Breakaway Class

• Pool Deck Layout: You get two main open air swimming pools, hemmed in by high-speed waterslides, including that straight up heart stopping Free Fall drop slide.
• Adults-Only Spaces: Back of the ship you’ll find Spice H2O, it has an outdoor waterfall moment, hot tubs, and a giant LED screen, which is built for night parties.
• The Thermal Spa: A super well reviewed, calm indoor zone with a thalassotherapy pool, steam rooms, and heated ceramic loungers that feel almost unreal after a long day.

Breakaway Plus Class

• Family Aqua Parks: The waterslides are upgraded here, with the Ocean Loops—those double loop drop slides that overhang out over the side of the ship, plus a big, super interactive splash zone for kids.
• Spice H2O Enhancements: On newer hulls, they swap out the waterfall feature and give you even more hot tubs, and a very terraced sun-lounging area.
• Vibe Beach Club: This grown-up, premium-charge sanctuary gets expanded in a major way. Expect dedicated bars, plush infinity hot tubs, and chilled towel service, so it stays easy and a little dramatic.

Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus Activities and Onboard Attractions

• Breakaway Class: Physical Thrills is mostly a huge multi-level ropes course outside. You get a zip track, climbing walls, and “The Plank,” which is this narrow beam stretching about eight feet right at the ocean edge. Traditional Fun kinda mixes it up too, with a multi-story sports court for basketball, mini golf courses, and old school arcade spaces that feel familiar.
• Breakaway Plus Class: High Tech Thrills swaps the ropes course on the newer ships (Joy, Bliss, Encore) and replaces it with a massive electric go kart racetrack, and that thing can spread across as much as three decks. Virtual Reality & Combat adds the Galaxy Pavilion, an immersive VR zone with flight simulators, escape rooms, and interactive dark rides. There’s also an outdoor themed Laser Tag arena. (Quick note: Norwegian Escape keeps a ropes course, instead of the racetrack).

Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus Cabins and Suites

The structural progression from the Breakaway to the Breakaway Plus classes totally shift, kinda changes, your stateroom experience. In general, the Breakaway Plus is bigger, so you get a more expanded, fully sealed luxury haven plus, reworked standard cabin layouts that address a few of those structural design issues that showed up in the original Breakaway class.

Here is exactly how the accommodations, stateroom sizes, and the VIP areas differ between the two classes, in practice, like day to day:

The Haven Luxury Enclave

Breakaway Class:

• The Layout: Built as a multi-deck “ship-within-a-ship” setup up there near the top of the vessel, it includes a private pool courtyard, a small lounge, and a dedicated specialty restaurant.
• The Flaw: Due to hull restrictions, some high-demand suite categories are physically placed outside the secure keycard zone, (for example Forward-Facing Penthouses, or Aft Suites). So, guests staying there must go through public corridors and use regular elevators just to reach the private Haven features.

Breakaway Plus Class:

• The Layout: Upgraded into a massive, more consolidated sanctuary that can span up to three private decks. The courtyard feels noticeably roomier, and it also features retractable glass roofing.
• The Fix: This class adds The Haven Observation Lounge, a dedicated two-story panoramic glass lounge that’s reserved strictly for Haven guests. Also, all Haven-qualified suites are positioned in the center of that secure, keycard-access enclave, which creates a fully sealed VIP ecosystem.

Balcony & Oceanview Staterooms 

Breakaway Class:

• The Balcony Dilemma: to maximize the footprint of "The Waterfront" boardwalk on Deck 8, the ships hulls were narrowed on the upper decks. So, standard balcony cabins end up having noticeably smaller, shallower balconies compared to older NCL ships, you know. 
• Family Options: This one lean hard on Family Oceanview staterooms, they come with big picture windows and some bedding choices that can host up to five guests… near the youth clubs. 

Breakaway Plus Class:

• The Reworked Hull: NCL fixed the balcony size problem. Standard and Club Balcony Suite balconies are deeper, and more useful overall across the whole ship. 
• The View Concept: On Norwegian Joy, the old Oceanview category got heavily redesigned, turned into "Concierge Level" cabins—larger staterooms with virtual balconies or bigger picture windows, plus private concierge lounge access.

Studio and Inside Cabins for Solo Travelers

Breakaway Class:

• Studio Blueprint re invents solo cruising with a dedicated corridor that includes 100 sq. ft. studio cabins. These are built and priced for single travelers only, and yes there’s no single-supplement fee, which is honestly the part most people care about. 
• The Lounge: a chic Studio Lounge that’s keycard-accessible, so solo travelers can bump into each other, enjoy the complimentary espresso machines, and then just grab evening drinks when they want. 

Breakaway Plus Class:

• Expanded Solo Inventory: it boosts the overall amount of Solo Studio cabins across the ship. It’s meant to keep up with massive global demand, no waiting around. 
• Reworked Bathrooms: the interior and inside cabin layouts were slightly shifted. The idea is more open walking paths around the beds, and those standalone glass shower/toilet arrangements from the typical rooms get improved acoustic privacy, so it feels calmer, quieter, more “right.”  

Bathroom Layout Differences

• Breakaway Class: In many standard categories you get a split-bathroom setup. The glass shower stall and the toilet stall are placed on opposite sides of the entryway, and they’re separated with frosted glass doors that face the main living space.
• Breakaway Plus Class: it goes back to a highly preferred traditional fully enclosed bathroom layout. Here the vanity, toilet, and the large glass shower are kept behind one single solid entry door, giving better privacy and stronger noise isolation.

Newest Norwegian Breakaway Plus Ships and Key Features

The Breakaway Plus Class grew gradually larger, smarter, and higher tech over its four-ship production run. The evolution ended with the two newest, biggest, and most advanced vessels in the fleet, Norwegian Bliss (2018) and Norwegian Encore (2019). While the earliest hulls in the class, Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Joy, set the structural blueprint, NCL used its last two builds to fully substitute traditional sports decks with high tech amusement parks.

The Newest Breakaway Plus Vessels & Their Upgrades 

1. Norwegian Encore (the Class Flagship)

As the newest, largest, and final ship made for the Breakaway Plus generation, Encore got the most radical design overhauls. NCL removed the usual sports court and ropes course, so they could fit in with a bunch of massive, high tech entertainment things. 

• The Encore Speedway: upgraded into the largest racetrack at sea, 1,150 feet long. It has ten turns and the track itself rises thirteen feet over the side of the ship, which feels unreal when you are onboard, and yes people notice.
• The Galaxy Pavilion: expanded into this huge 10,000-square-foot indoor virtual reality complex, with multi-sensory flight simulators, an interactive driving range, and even escape rooms too.
• Atlantis Laser Tag got reimagined into a giant open-air laser tag arena, themed around the lost city of Atlantis, with augmented reality effects sprinkled in too, so it feels more alive.

2. Norwegian Bliss (the Scenic Pioneer)

Built specifically for premium cruising in Alaska, Bliss was the ship that really tuned the signature indoor–outdoor balance of the Plus class, before its features were reused on later hulls.

• The Observation Lounge: Bliss was the first NCL ship to introduce the huge 20,000 square foot Horizon Lounge, offering floor to ceiling 180-degree panoramic views of glaciers and wildlife in full climate-controlled comfort.
• The Go Kart Debut: it was also the first North America based ship to carry a competitive electric racetrack on its top deck, and that detail is a calling card.

Premium Features on the Newest Breakaway Plus Ships

The newest Breakaway Plus ships come with a bunch of big upgrades compared to the older Escape and Joy hulls, and honestly it feels like they tightened everything up a bit too.

• Broadway Blockbusters: The entertainment areas have a major redo. Norwegian Encore rolled out the award-winning Broadway run of Beetlejuice: The Musical, while Bliss launched the hit musical Six, pushing the whole stage quality way past the usual cruise revues.
• Onda by Scarpetta: On the newest ships, this newer Italian idea permanently replaced the older Italian concepts. It is a high-end, upscale specialty restaurant, built around modern Italian culinary designs, fine wines, and a really refined indoor-outdoor setup along The Waterfront.
• Enhanced Vibe Beach Club: On Bliss and Encore, the adults-only, extra-charge Vibe Beach Club was expanded in a way that takes over the vibe. It sits in prime real estate on the top decks, with two private infinity hot tubs, a dedicated full-service bar, and plush luxury loungers that stay uncrowded, at least often.
• Consolidated Haven Sanctuary: The Haven luxury enclave on the newest ships is a flawless, completely enclosed, three-deck ecosystem. There’s also a private observation lounge, so VIP guests never need to step out of their secure keycard area to get scenic viewing, which is the whole point.

Best Norwegian Breakaway and Breakaway Plus Ships for Families, Couples and Solo Travelers

Picking between Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway and Breakaway Plus ships comes down to how you like to vacation, like, the vibe you chase. The original Breakaway ships tend to feel more compact, tighter too, and yes more socially right from the get-go. Meanwhile the Breakaway Plus hulls bring in bigger, high-tech everything and lots more indoor room… so it’s less “crowded energy” and more “more space, more stuff.”

So yes here’s the clearer, almost final rundown for which ship fits your specific kind of time away:

Best for Families: Norwegian Encore

• The Vibe: maximum high-tech thrills. You get the biggest go-kart track at sea, a 10,000 sq. ft. VR pavilion, giant drop waterslides, and even full-scale Broadway-style shows like Beetlejuice.

Best for Couples: Norwegian Bliss

• The Vibe: calm, romantic, and a little more “slow down.” You get that big 180-degree indoor Observation Lounge, plus date-night dining at Onda by Scarpetta, and then the adults-only Vibe Beach Club, which is perfect if you want quiet without the whole crowd energy.

Best for Solo Travelers: Norwegian Getaway

• The Vibe: a calmer, intimate social rhythm. It has a hallway built for solo Studio cabins with no single supplement, a private keycard-access solo lounge, and the nightlife areas are easy to reach without doing a whole “where am i” dance.

Best for First-Time Cruisers: Norwegian Joy

• The Vibe: simple navigation, and an overall breezy layout. Expect an elegant, roomy design, a seriously impressive oceanfront promenade (The Waterfront) with restaurants along it, plus a solid mix of classic pool time and go-karts.

Pros and Cons of Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus Ships

Choosing between Norwegian Cruise Line’s original Breakaway Class and the bigger Breakaway Plus Class mostly means you’re, kind of, picking your priorities, high-tech attractions on one side and then the whole crowd/budget thing on the other. Here are the real pros and cons of booking either of these two ship styles that everyone talks about

Breakaway Class Pros and Cons

The Pros

• Traditional Outdoor Thrills: You get huge, multi-level outdoor ropes courses plus zip lines that are included with the cruise fare, which is kinda a big deal if you like getting outside.
• Syd Norman’s Pour House: This is a standout live rock and roll lounge at sea, and honestly it feels like one of the more energetic yet close club atmospheres you’ll find onboard.
• Easier Navigation: Because the hull is smaller your distances feel shorter, so it’s less tiring to go from your cabin to the public decks, and you don’t keep “wading” through corridors as much.
• Lower Base Fares: Since these ships are typically a touch older, they often come with a more budget-friendly entry price, and that can matter more than you think.

The Cons

• Tiny Balconies: Standard balcony cabins end up with… you know, that famously shallow and narrow kind of balcony, mostly because of the structural design down on Deck 8 below.
• Split-Bathroom Layout: A lot of the standard rooms have that divided shower and toilet stall situation, with frosted glass doors that face the main bed, so you don’t really get full acoustic privacy.
• No Observation Lounge: There’s no real, dedicated indoor forward-facing panoramic lounge, so for chilly weather or just scenic watching, you miss out.

Breakaway Plus Class Pros and Cons

The Pros

• High-Tech Amusements: There are features that are spectacular, industry-leading things like multi-deck go-kart racetracks, laser tag, and massive VR arcades.
• The Observation Lounge: Holds a spectacular 20,000-square-foot indoor sanctuary, with floor-to-ceiling 180-degree ocean views too, it feels almost unreal.
• Reworked Bathrooms: it goes back to a more traditional arrangement, fully enclosed single-door bathrooms in all standard staterooms.
• The Ultimate Haven: You also get a big, consolidated VIP area, stretching across as many as three secure decks, so it feels like a real getaway.

The Cons

• Pay-to-Play Attractions: A lot of the main top-deck highlights (go-karts, laser tag, Galaxy Pavilion VR) are not included, and you’ll run into extra-charge fees for each ride or session.
• Crowd Congestion: With something like 4,000 up to 5,000 passengers onboard, it can mean longer elevator waits and crowded buffet lines when things are at peak.
• Sports Courts Removed: On the newest hulls (Bliss and Encore), the usual open basketball courts and ropes courses were completely pulled out, to make room for the racetracks.

Norwegian Breakaway vs Breakaway Plus Which Is Better?

Honestly the answer depends on how you cruise, you know the vibe, like how you move around, what you care about most.

• Pick Norwegian Breakaway class ships if you want: Easier navigation, excellent value, that classic Norwegian atmosphere
• Pick NCL Breakaway Plus class ships if you want: More attractions, larger suites newer design, and extra entertainment.

For a lot of travelers

• Best overall Breakaway ship: Norwegian Getaway
• Best overall Breakaway Plus ship: Norwegian Bliss

Final Verdict: Breakaway or Breakaway Plus?

Choose a Breakaway-class ship if you want lower fares, easier navigation, and a classic Norwegian Cruise Line experience. Choose a Breakaway Plus-class ship if you prefer larger ships, newer attractions, Observation Lounges, expanded Haven suites, and more onboard entertainment. For most travelers, Norwegian Bliss offers the best balance of size, amenities, and overall value among the Breakaway Plus ships.