I’ve cruised on one of Norwegian’s smallest ships and one of its biggest. I’d only sail on one of them again.

Both ships have been refurbished since launch — Breakaway in 2020 and Sky in 2024, according to Norwegian. The ships got updated public spaces, with Breakaway adding a new entertainment venue.

Sky and Breakaway have pool decks with chairs and lounges, but the latter also boasts waterslides and a ropes course. Meanwhile, both have pay-to-play arcades, clubs specific to kids and teens, and a sports court.

The Garden Cafe is common across many of Norwegian’s ships and offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Although the food options were repetitive, I liked the convenience.

On Sky, there is a second outdoor buffet, as well as a poolside bar and grill called Topsiders. The American Diner on Breakaway is also outside, but guests order from a menu.

The ship’s all-night pubs have different names — it’s the Local on Sky and O’Sheehan’s on Breakaway — but they serve the same purpose. Guests can enjoy bar food like burgers and chicken wings at nearly all hours of the day.

Breakaway has the Manhattan Room, Savor, and Taste. The food offerings are the same but rotating among the three gives guests some day-to-day variety.

Sky’s main dining rooms are called Crossings and Palace — I liked the latter’s decor better. The service on both ships, however, were long — I had to wait almost an hour for my entrees.

Despite Breakaway being five nights longer, it only showed two main production shows — the same as my Sky sailing. Breakaway showed “Burn the Floor” and “Broadway Cabernet,” while Sky showed “Rock You Tonight” and “Showdown.”

I, and other guests I spoke with, were disappointed in Breakaway’s number of performances considering the length of the cruise. Still, the vocals and dancing on both ships were excellent — especially on Sky, which was just a repositioning cruise.

Both ships had the problem of smoke-filled casinos, and they were essentially impossible to avoid walking through since they sat in the middle of the ship.

Guests could walk up and down a level to avoid them, though.

While the smaller Sky has fewer bars, it has enough inside and poolside to keep people hydrated, including one specifically for mojitos.

Breakway has a martini-specific bar called Shakers, which was my husband’s and my favorite drinking spot. The larger ship also had a cigar lounge and a whisky bar.

Both vessels had a Bliss Ultra Lounge for nighttime parties.

Breakaway had a large chandelier that overhanged an open-air pavillion, making the ship feel spacious and luxe. The Mixx Bar between the Savor and Taste dining rooms and the circus-like Speigel tent were other standouts on the newer ship.

Sky’s decor, by comparison, was more rustic and lacked the giant lighting displays and fancy bar areas.

To attract cruising families, Norwegian has been building increasingly amenity-heavy oceanliners, like the Prima, Viva, and future Aqua. On Prima, for example, a round on the go-karts is $15 per person, while the VR arcade costs $29 for one hour.

Breakaway doesn’t have these same glitzy perks, meaning guests can largely enjoy the ship’s offerings without being lured into paying for costly add-ons.