Just off the Dawn

Our first on Dawn, second NCL

Overall we thought the ship was in great shape and easy to navigate. They certainly do not keep windows clean like they did years ago...lol

We were in cabin 10092, midship, very quiet. Only complaint was a very small leak of the toilet which they tried to fix but never did...we just put a towel down on the floor underneath.

Specialty dining was overall good. Cagneys outstanding, French very good, Moderno disappointing, and Mexican good especially the guacamole!

MDR was chaotic and food just ok. Buffet was just ok...lunch only had a carving station once which was disappointing.

Service overall good. Noticed a larger percentage of crew from India and they were very good.

We loved the thermal suite and did the weekly pass. Yes the tubs are a bit awkward to get in and out of but we just enjoyed the quiet solitude of the place.

Embarkation was a zoo. We carried off our bags and it was very organized and quick...off by 745 am

Shows were a bit disappointing for us. A 10 night cruise with only two shows by the cruise line singers and dancers?

Cruise Director was not good!

Overall we enjoyed as we chose this cruise to just escape the winter

When we boarded the Dawn in Boston last summer, we saw crew washing windows before our sailaway. The ocean can do a number on the windows, but they try to keep them as clean as possible. They also clean the promenade deck fairly often.

We were pleased with the entire Bermuda cruise experience on the Dawn many times, and we look forward to our Two-week Caribbean cruise out of Boston in October.

We loved Los Lobos and their guacamole made tableside.

Balcony glass was never cleaned in 10 days...why not give each cabin steward a squeegee to make it a quick and simple cleanup

We loved Los Lobos and their guacamole made tableside.

yes we really liked los lobos too, Moderno.....rather have the buffett!

Hi...I was wondering what time were you able to start disembarking the ship? Thank you!

We were on the Dawn sailed Jan 28. We thought the shows were great. Especially the magic show and the comedy show. We ate in Aqua 4 nights and had great experiences not rushed or overly busy. We usually eat around 8:30 so that may have been a factor. Loved the cruise director and staff. There was always something to do in the evenings.

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Balcony glass was never cleaned in 10 days...why not give each cabin steward a squeegee to make it a quick and simple cleanup

Do you really think it's a good plan to have the cabin stewards hang over the balcony to wash & squeegee the glass?

I saw the windows being washed twice during the cruise. Maybe they did not get to all of them.

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We were just off the Dawn too (Jan. 28 cruise). First a note on the cruise director: she was just filling in for the regular CD, who was at a conference. I thought she did alright for filling in.

We arrived later than most for embarkation, so we missed the long wait outside the building. It still took us 2 hours from the doors of the port to on ship. Not much different than any other cruises we’ve been on.

We cruise cheap - no specialty dining - so no comment on that. Other than the chaos of the first night in the Venetian, we had no complaints about the MDR food or service. However, we were not happy with their new-since-we-last-sailed policy of allowing reservations in the MDRs and Bamboo. We never got to eat at Bamboo because when we showed up 15 minutes before the restaurant opened, it was already booked for 1.5 hours. How is that “freestyle dining?”

Our main “complaint” about the cruise was really mis-booking on our part. We had previously sailed the Sun, and we assumed the Dawn would have a similar “vibe” and entertainment. But we found that the Dawn had an older clientele and NCL did a great job of providing entertainment for them. The evening shows were fine, but the dances in the Bliss were all to music from the 70s or earlier, the Gatsby music was all oldies, and even the duo in the atrium stuck to classics (although we did enjoy them). We enjoyed the Caribbean Wave, and the DJ played some good newer tunes at the (very poorly attended) White Hot party on the pool deck. The daytime activities centered around bingo & bean bag toss, art auctions & anti-aging remedied. Like I said, NCL knew who would be on the ship and planned accordingly; we just wish we’d had some way of knowing this before we chose this particular cruise.

I was also annoyed that the majority of daytime activities either cost extra (i.e. bingo) or we’re trying to sell us something (primarily spa services).

The ship itself has some annoying layout deficits, namely a lack of entrances to the interior from deck 13, and the awkward inability to move to deck 5 from the Venetian or to walk between the Aqua and Venetian.

The crew was great at all times, and hey - a cruise is still a cruise! Maybe not everything was exactly to our liking, but we still found plenty to enjoy!

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Do you really think it's a good plan to have the cabin stewards hang over the balcony to wash & squeegee the glass?

Given the right squeegee with the appropriate length handle there would be no need to hang over the balcony...lol

Our first on Dawn, second NCL

 

Overall we thought the ship was in great shape and easy to navigate. They certainly do not keep windows clean like they did years ago...lol

 

We were in cabin 10092, midship, very quiet. Only complaint was a very small leak of the toilet which they tried to fix but never did...we just put a towel down on the floor underneath.

 

Specialty dining was overall good. Cagneys outstanding, French very good, Moderno disappointing, and Mexican good especially the guacamole!

 

MDR was chaotic and food just ok. Buffet was just ok...lunch only had a carving station once which was disappointing.

 

Service overall good. Noticed a larger percentage of crew from India and they were very good.

 

We loved the thermal suite and did the weekly pass. Yes the tubs are a bit awkward to get in and out of but we just enjoyed the quiet solitude of the place.

 

Embarkation was a zoo. We carried off our bags and it was very organized and quick...off by 745 am

 

Shows were a bit disappointing for us. A 10 night cruise with only two shows by the cruise line singers and dancers?

 

Cruise Director was not good!

 

Overall we enjoyed as we chose this cruise to just escape the winter

Thanks for info, will be sailing the Dawn on March 25, 2018

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Given the right squeegee with the appropriate length handle there would be no need to hang over the balcony...lol

And if they were to drop it?

Our first on Dawn, second NCL

Overall we thought the ship was in great shape and easy to navigate. They certainly do not keep windows clean like they did years ago...lol

We were in cabin 10092, midship, very quiet. Only complaint was a very small leak of the toilet which they tried to fix but never did...we just put a towel down on the floor underneath.

Specialty dining was overall good. Cagneys outstanding, French very good, Moderno disappointing, and Mexican good especially the guacamole!

MDR was chaotic and food just ok. Buffet was just ok...lunch only had a carving station once which was disappointing.

Service overall good. Noticed a larger percentage of crew from India and they were very good.

We loved the thermal suite and did the weekly pass. Yes the tubs are a bit awkward to get in and out of but we just enjoyed the quiet solitude of the place.

Embarkation was a zoo. We carried off our bags and it was very organized and quick...off by 745 am

Shows were a bit disappointing for us. A 10 night cruise with only two shows by the cruise line singers and dancers?

Cruise Director was not good!

Overall we enjoyed as we chose this cruise to just escape the winter

wow, at least you were honest and said you enjoyed your cruise.

As for the windows, we have never been on an NCL chuise when they did not wash the windows whenever possible. It is hard to do on sea days obviously. :confused:

Do you really think it's a good plan to have the cabin stewards hang over the balcony to wash & squeegee the glass?

My thoughts exactly: I didn't know if I should laugh or cry when I read that part. :rolleyes:

We were just off the Dawn too (Jan. 28 cruise). First a note on the cruise director: she was just filling in for the regular CD, who was at a conference. I thought she did alright for filling in.

 

We arrived later than most for embarkation, so we missed the long wait outside the building. It still took us 2 hours from the doors of the port to on ship. Not much different than any other cruises we’ve been on.

 

We cruise cheap - no specialty dining - so no comment on that. Other than the chaos of the first night in the Venetian, we had no complaints about the MDR food or service. However, we were not happy with their new-since-we-last-sailed policy of allowing reservations in the MDRs and Bamboo. We never got to eat at Bamboo because when we showed up 15 minutes before the restaurant opened, it was already booked for 1.5 hours. How is that “freestyle dining?”

 

Our main “complaint” about the cruise was really mis-booking on our part. We had previously sailed the Sun, and we assumed the Dawn would have a similar “vibe” and entertainment. But we found that the Dawn had an older clientele and NCL did a great job of providing entertainment for them. The evening shows were fine, but the dances in the Bliss were all to music from the 70s or earlier, the Gatsby music was all oldies, and even the duo in the atrium stuck to classics (although we did enjoy them). We enjoyed the Caribbean Wave, and the DJ played some good newer tunes at the (very poorly attended) White Hot party on the pool deck. The daytime activities centered around bingo & bean bag toss, art auctions & anti-aging remedied. Like I said, NCL knew who would be on the ship and planned accordingly; we just wish we’d had some way of knowing this before we chose this particular cruise.

 

I was also annoyed that the majority of daytime activities either cost extra (i.e. bingo) or we’re trying to sell us something (primarily spa services).

 

The ship itself has some annoying layout deficits, namely a lack of entrances to the interior from deck 13, and the awkward inability to move to deck 5 from the Venetian or to walk between the Aqua and Venetian.

 

The crew was great at all times, and hey - a cruise is still a cruise! Maybe not everything was exactly to our liking, but we still found plenty to enjoy!

 

 

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you were disappointed in the day time activities? What about daily trivia held about 3 times a day or cooking demos and animal towels dimenstations in the aturium, as well as other activities. Usually we circle what we want to do the night before when we get our freestyle daily. It seems we never have time to do them all. There usually is a movie or two during the week as well. I have to smile and this isn't meant to be taken as an insult or quesioning you, but your comment about the entertainment: on our last cruise (9 days) in Novemeber our biggest complaint I think was the lack of entertainment for those of us over mid 50s or so. ;)

And if they were to drop it?

If they dropped it...I guess the same thing would happen if the designated window washers were to drop it...it would fall. 😉

Our first on Dawn, second NCL

Overall we thought the ship was in great shape and easy to navigate. They certainly do not keep windows clean like they did years ago...lol

We were in cabin 10092, midship, very quiet. Only complaint was a very small leak of the toilet which they tried to fix but never did...we just put a towel down on the floor underneath.

Specialty dining was overall good. Cagneys outstanding, French very good, Moderno disappointing, and Mexican good especially the guacamole!

MDR was chaotic and food just ok. Buffet was just ok...lunch only had a carving station once which was disappointing.

Service overall good. Noticed a larger percentage of crew from India and they were very good.

We loved the thermal suite and did the weekly pass. Yes the tubs are a bit awkward to get in and out of but we just enjoyed the quiet solitude of the place.

Embarkation was a zoo. We carried off our bags and it was very organized and quick...off by 745 am

Shows were a bit disappointing for us. A 10 night cruise with only two shows by the cruise line singers and dancers?

Cruise Director was not good!

Overall we enjoyed as we chose this cruise to just escape the winter

JOHNANDLINDA,

My wife and I will be sailing the Dawn four weeks from today. Hope you (or any reader) can answer a question for us. Can the Ultimate Beverage Package be used in the Los Lobus specialty restaurant? THANKS in advance to all that can answer our question!! Jerry and Linda from WV

Yes. The UBP can be used anywhere on the ship.

JOHNANDLINDA,

 

My wife and I will be sailing the Dawn four weeks from today. Hope you (or any reader) can answer a question for us. Can the Ultimate Beverage Package be used in the Los Lobus specialty restaurant? THANKS in advance to all that can answer our question!! Jerry and Linda from WV

We had no issues with using the beverage package anywhere. We also tipped the bartenders a buck most of the time and they really appreciated it and they showed it in return for great service and strength of drinks. The evening crew in the Atrium late afternoons and evenings was a great team servicing the bar...had lots of fun with them!

We had no issues with using the beverage package anywhere. We also tipped the bartenders a buck most of the time and they really appreciated it and they showed it in return for great service and strength of drinks. The evening crew in the Atrium late afternoons and evenings was a great team servicing the bar...had lots of fun with them!

Thanks so very much for your quick reply (with the answer that we were hoping for!) We, too, have discovered that to carry, and share, a "wad of ones" generates a great ROI!! We have not sailed on the Dawn before but we can hardly wait to board for her Mar 11 sailing!!

We liked the Dawn

My mini review wasnt met to be negative, just really notice every year the decrease in overall service and quality...heck you dont even see much shrimp cocktail offerings anymore that used to be a nightly staple. One thing we miss about fixed dining is the connection you can make with your waitstaff team. Our experience with the MDR was food overcooked, rushed, and if we didnt ask if we could order a drink one would never be offerred.

JOHNANDLINDA,

 

My wife and I will be sailing the Dawn four weeks from today. Hope you (or any reader) can answer a question for us. Can the Ultimate Beverage Package be used in the Los Lobus specialty restaurant? THANKS in advance to all that can answer our question!! Jerry and Linda from WV

Yes, you can use your UBP anywhere on the ship.

Do you really think it's a good plan to have the cabin stewards hang over the balcony to wash & squeegee the glass?

He wouldn't hang over the balcony, but stand on your balcony, facing the sliders, and clean them.

We were just off the Dawn too (Jan. 28 cruise). First a note on the cruise director: she was just filling in for the regular CD, who was at a conference. I thought she did alright for filling in.

 

We arrived later than most for embarkation, so we missed the long wait outside the building. It still took us 2 hours from the doors of the port to on ship. Not much different than any other cruises we’ve been on.

 

We cruise cheap - no specialty dining - so no comment on that. Other than the chaos of the first night in the Venetian, we had no complaints about the MDR food or service. However, we were not happy with their new-since-we-last-sailed policy of allowing reservations in the MDRs and Bamboo. We never got to eat at Bamboo because when we showed up 15 minutes before the restaurant opened, it was already booked for 1.5 hours. How is that “freestyle dining?”

 

Our main “complaint” about the cruise was really mis-booking on our part. We had previously sailed the Sun, and we assumed the Dawn would have a similar “vibe” and entertainment. But we found that the Dawn had an older clientele and NCL did a great job of providing entertainment for them. The evening shows were fine, but the dances in the Bliss were all to music from the 70s or earlier, the Gatsby music was all oldies, and even the duo in the atrium stuck to classics (although we did enjoy them). We enjoyed the Caribbean Wave, and the DJ played some good newer tunes at the (very poorly attended) White Hot party on the pool deck. The daytime activities centered around bingo & bean bag toss, art auctions & anti-aging remedied. Like I said, NCL knew who would be on the ship and planned accordingly; we just wish we’d had some way of knowing this before we chose this particular cruise.

 

I was also annoyed that the majority of daytime activities either cost extra (i.e. bingo) or we’re trying to sell us something (primarily spa services).

 

The ship itself has some annoying layout deficits, namely a lack of entrances to the interior from deck 13, and the awkward inability to move to deck 5 from the Venetian or to walk between the Aqua and Venetian.

 

The crew was great at all times, and hey - a cruise is still a cruise! Maybe not everything was exactly to our liking, but we still found plenty to enjoy!

 

 

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The time of a cruise may determine the age of the passengers. Older retired folkes have the time to cruise anytime, whereas younger families need to stick to school breaks. DH and I have been on the Dawn in the summer for Boston to Bermuda cruises. It's an entirely different vibe. Twenty & thirty somethings, young families with children, and teens. The longer cruises and trips when school is in session attract an older crowd.

This may be true on any ship, not only the Dawn. We have done longer cruises, and trips during school times on other ships, and many of our fellow passengers were older.