Dawn AB Suite Questions

[Sail Happy]

My fellow cruisers are booked in an AB Penthouse suite on the Dawn on 4/3/05 and we were all wondering if anyone else had used the butler and concierge when they cruised. Does the butler unpack for you (like they do in hotels)? I assume they can make dinner reservations and shore excursion reservations, but are there any other cool things they do for you? Also, as far as the accomodations go, are they worth the money? They are traveling with a toddler, so they hope there will be enough room for the 3 of them.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated! :D

[watchdiva]

Dear Sail Happy:

 

Your friends will love the AB on the Dawn. We had the Diamond Suite in April 2003 and the butler/concierge couldn't do enough for us. We had a private dinner party celebrating our anniversary in our suite for DH, myself and our two friends and the concierge/butler handled all the details. The meal was customized so that they would serve all DH's favorite foods, even though some of them were not on the menu that night. We met with the concierge (her name was Amanda) before the ship even left port on the first day and had all dinner reservations made for the entire week. The concierge will leave letters about each port the night before. Spa reservations and tour reservations can also be handled by them. Our butler (Denny) was fabulous and served our room service breakfasts and late afternoon hors d'oeuvres each daily on linen tablecloths. He personally supervised the cleaning of our suite, coming into check each time the room stewards tidied up that everything was "just so".

 

The AB provides a portable phone that you can carry on deck and you can use it to call your butler, friends, etc. The overall experience is one not to be missed and I would definitely do it again in a heartbeat.

 

We were on one of the last sailings out of Miami (we leave in S. Florida) before the Dawn moved to NY and should the Dawn ever come back to S. Florida we would cruise her again in the AB. The two bedrooms/bathrooms made an incredible difference as far as closet space is concerned and there was nothing I didn't like about the cabin.

 

Tell your friends to have the time of their life - I know we did!:D

 

Lin

[shoreguy]

Here is a link to the best overview of an AB I have found. It is from the Star but exactly the same as the Dawn.

 

http://www.orcatekweb.com/Cabin-11550.htm

[CRUISEinTIME]

Great information !!! We have an AB booked in August (first time on NCL), sounds more and more like we made the right choice !!!

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[AmyinVail]

particularly since they're travelling w/ a little one, the AB is perfect. We stayed in one with our 9 mos old and our 9 year old DDs, and it was perfect...the cruise would've been ruined had we not had it.....both bedrooms can be completely closed for privacy. Mom and Dad can watch a dvd at night while the toddler sleeps AND have the butler bring a sampling of all desserts from the restaurants for you to enjoy while the baby sleeps. Heaven. Above everything else, the L'occitane toiletries - since sailing, I'm hooked on them and have to have them. Luxurious!

[hkburke]

on both the AB penthouse on the dawn last week (jan20-30), and on the owners suite in the Wind last year, we LOVED the Butlers. Ours last week on the Dawn was Corrina. We used the Butler for in-room dining for breakfast and dinner EVERY day! We also had her bring milk for the baby and additional snacks during the day. we are in-room lurkers, choosing to cruise to relax, so we NEVER ate out except for the Garden Cafe and Blue Lagoon (GREAT cheseburgers and Macaroni & cheese). the 2nd bedroom is GREAT for the toddler, she really LOVED to play in Her Own Room. having 2 bathrooms is a REAL luxury too!

 

i saw other penhouses suites with a large roll away bed replacing the couch in the living room - no big loss, the couch was hard and uncomfortable. in the 2nd bedroom was a pullman single bed above the fold down double bed.

 

the butler wont unpack. the concierg makes the tender and shore excursions reservs. you get, if you ask, vip tender tickets to get off at any time you wish w/o waiting for the "we will call your numebr" plan.

 

more questions? write me direct at hkburke@cnsp.com

 

 

heather burke

 

 

 

My fellow cruisers are booked in an AB Penthouse suite on the Dawn on 4/3/05 and we were all wondering if anyone else had used the butler and concierge when they cruised. Does the butler unpack for you (like they do in hotels)? I assume they can make dinner reservations and shore excursion reservations, but are there any other cool things they do for you? Also, as far as the accomodations go, are they worth the money? They are traveling with a toddler, so they hope there will be enough room for the 3 of them.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated! :D

[Sail Happy]

Thank you everyone for your input. I'll post info on how we all enjoyed the cruise (7 of us in very different accomodations) in April. I looked at the pictures that shoreguy recommended and it looks fantasic--I can't wait to see it in person, and of course, I'm jealous that I'm in an obstructed view cabin!

 

I'll probably call Norweigan on this question, but does anybody know if you can have the butlers order food from the "pay extra" restaurants like Le Bistro and have that set up in the room?

 

Thanks again for responding, everyone!

 

Sail Happpy

:D

[shoreguy]

Thank you everyone for your input. I'll post info on how we all enjoyed the cruise (7 of us in very different accomodations) in April. I looked at the pictures that shoreguy recommended and it looks fantasic--I can't wait to see it in person, and of course, I'm jealous that I'm in an obstructed view cabin!

 

I'll probably call Norweigan on this question, but does anybody know if you can have the butlers order food from the "pay extra" restaurants like Le Bistro and have that set up in the room?

 

Thanks again for responding, everyone!

 

Sail Happpy

:D

 

No need to call NCL - the menus for the specialty resturants will be in your suite when you board and butler will be happy to take your order.

[hkburke]

well - i learned from our butler that they can (1) bring items from the surcharged restaurants - we saw no charges for those dishes. (2) we found no menus in our room except for the mini suite room order menu - we made it the eveings exercise to go read all the menus and note what we wanted. rooms less in stature than the mini suites can not have hot food in their rooms - only continental breakfast and the like.

[Suesan Jean]

:) It's nice to read/see people who are HAPPY with an "AB" Penthouse. I unfortunately mentioned it yesterday in two postings (that I was able to upgrade yesterday from an "AF" to an "AB" for my upcoming April 17th, Norwegian Dawn Cruise!!!) and I got the distinct impression that some of the posters, well, it was like a bunch of "sour grapes....."

I was SO HAPPY yesterday, I have been wanting/hoping to upgrade to an "AB" for the past few months. I was SO HAPPY when I got a phone call from "Irene" at the NCL "Reassignment Department"!!!

For one full week we (my Husband, Daughter and I) will be living in the "lap of luxury"....!!! My daughter will have her OWN space (although I am sure she will want to use our spa tub and totally cool shower once she gets a look at it!!!) We will have a Butler which means we will be able to have breakfast in our room, in our night clothes if we so desire... We can have late night snacks brought to us if we wish. We can even use the cabin's cordless phone and call for snacks when we are getting back from an excursion at a port!!! WOW!!!

We will have something of a luxury on cruise ships, "SPACE", we won't feel totally cramped and squeezed in. I know that we would have enjoyed our cruise in an "AF" Mini-Suite just as much, BUT, being in an "AB" just makes it SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!

I am SO PSYCHED for this cruise!!! I have been planning it and thinking about is for the past almost 11 and a half months...... And now that we will be in an "AB", well, it can't get any better.......!!!!

I am very happy to see that you all were/will be happy with an "AB". I have a few questions for those of you who have already sailed on the Dawn in an "AB".

1. Do "AB" passengers have "priority boarding" in New York City? If we do, how does it work??? I have absolutely no clue on what to expect at the dock, the only picture I have in my head is from the movie "Titanic" when there are hordes of people, pushing, shoving, yelling, etc.... How does it all work? Where do you get dropped off? Where do you go? Where do you put your bags or do you just drag them behind you? Could someone write a detailed description of what it will look like and where to go and what to do???? THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

2. Do "AB" passengers have priority disembarking at the various ports?

3. What are the Butler's hours? How early and how late can you call him or her?

4. What is the usual and customary tips for a Butler? Does it depend on how much you use their services?

5. Do you tell your Butler the night before what you would like for Breakfast and at what time?

6. What EXACTLY does a concierge do? Have you used her services often?

7. If you finish any of the toiletries in the bathroom, are they replenished?

8. Do any of you have a favorite Butler? I guess I should also ask, what about a Butler NOT to have???? Can you request a specific Butler? How would you do that? Call NCL and speak to who??? (just wondering.....)

Do any of you have any thing else to tell about the Dawn and the "AB"? How about the kids place? My daughter is almost 13 years old. Do you think she will like it?????

THANK YOU to anyone who answers my questions, I TRULY APPRECIATE IT!!!

 

Suesan

[bigsweeps]

Anyone who complains aobut anything in an AB suite needs their self "checked". You will love it! There isn't any priority boarding in NYC unless you're in the Garden Villas. It's a very orderly process with lots of signs - don't sweat it - it's quick and painless.

 

You will get priority disembarkation at ports ONLY if it's a port that requires a tender.

 

The Butler doesn't have "set" hours - they are available 24/7 (but I try not to call on them between midnight and 6am). Tips depend on how much you use them. I've seen people as low as $50 for the week and as high as several hundred. I usually tip in the $200-$250 range but that's because I enjoy in-suite dining for breakfast and dinner every day. For breakfast, there is a suite menu hang tag that you fill out each night and put on your door. You are often not limited to what is on that hang tag - if you talk to your butler ahead of time they can usually arrange for whatever you want.

 

The concierge arranges dinner reservations, port excursions, etc. I only use the concierge if I want a reservation at a specialty restaurant.

 

The toiletries are checked and/or refreshed twice a day by the cabin stewards. They are L'Occitane (luxury bath items from France).

 

Yes, you can request a specific butler (through the concierge). You would do that when you get onboard.

 

Your daughter will love it! But be warned....she'll be spoiled and probably won't be happy in anything less next time (and same for you!).

[annie m]

I'm hoping that someone can help me out with this one. I am booled omn the 4/3 Dawn in an AF Mini Suit. I would kike to upgrade to an AB penthouse. I called the upsale desk and they told me that they did not have the grids yet for that sailing. They also told me that I had to go through my TA. Unfortunatly I booked through the agency that NCL is no longer using. Any suggestions?

 

 

Thanks,

 

Ann

[Suesan Jean]

:) Ann, click on my name and e-mail me, I will e-mail you back the phone number for NCL's "Re-assignment Department". Just keep calling till you reach a person who sounds "nice: and will help you or, I have two names for you, I hope they can help you, because I just upgraded to an "AB" from an ""AF" yesterday for my cruise on April 17th.

E-mail me!!!

 

Suesan:):):)

[annie m]

Hi,

 

 

The e-mail won't go through. My e-mail is Annmarie.monahan-lye@wachovia.com

 

Thanks

 

Ann

[Suesan Jean]

Annemarie, did you get me e-mail?

 

Suesan:)

[annie m]

No not yet.

 

 

Thanks

[greenie]

:) It's nice to read/see people who are HAPPY with an "AB" Penthouse. I unfortunately mentioned it yesterday in two postings (that I was able to upgrade yesterday from an "AF" to an "AB" for my upcoming April 17th, Norwegian Dawn Cruise!!!) and I got the distinct impression that some of the posters, well, it was like a bunch of "sour grapes....."

I was SO HAPPY yesterday, I have been wanting/hoping to upgrade to an "AB" for the past few months. I was SO HAPPY when I got a phone call from "Irene" at the NCL "Reassignment Department"!!!

 

 

 

You have every reason to be excited--those ABs look awesome! I've never heard anything bad about them--the only thing that seemed to be brought up (4 different times and by the same person--yeesh) was why use a TA and not just NCL direct. Seems to be an ongoing debate--I have always used TAs myself. Each to his/her own, I say!

 

Have a great cruise!!

 

:-)

[CRUISEinTIME]

We actually have the AB booked for us and our two children and booked the connecting AF mini suite for my parents.

[dajson]

Suesan

 

Can you e-mail me those names also, I would like to upgrade.

Thanks

david

dajson@optonline.net

[JessLCH]

There isn't any priority boarding in NYC unless you're in the Garden Villas.

 

 

Is this true? I thought the penthouse suites got priority boarding too.

[shoreguy]

Is this true? I thought the penthouse suites got priority boarding too.

 

They do, well sort off. No clear area or line. You have to find an NCL representive not a pier employee. IF you ask the wrong person they will say no. They will have you wait in a seperate area and be one of the first to board.

 

Nothing like Vancouver with a clearly marked VIP check in and waiting area.

[SummerRenee]

Thanks Shoreguy,

 

Thus far everyone else has said NO VIP BOARDING for Penthouse AB cruisers. I am sailing tomorrow and will seek out NCL staff as soon as I get to the pier. No need waiting in a long line if I dont have to.

[shoreguy]

Thanks Shoreguy,

 

Thus far everyone else has said NO VIP BOARDING for Penthouse AB cruisers. I am sailing tomorrow and will seek out NCL staff as soon as I get to the pier. No need waiting in a long line if I dont have to.

 

 

 

I had friend in the AB next to me when we cruised in Feb. I stood in line until 5:30 (ship was late) they were seated, served sandwiches, and boarded the ship at 4 as soon as it was available.

 

Keep asking until you get to YES

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[May05Bride]

Trying not to sound naive here, but I am a first time cruiser, lol. What is an AB Penthouse suite? I don't see it listed on the NCL site. We are leaving on the Dawn- we have an Oceanview with a balcony, but I know my fiance had wanted to call and see if there were any upgrades available. Thanks!

[SummerRenee]

Deck 11

Living area, private balcony, dining area, separate bedroom with queen-size bed, separate children's bedroom, CD/DVD library and luxury bath with whirlpool tub and separate shower. Butler service and concierge available.

 

Here's one of the many links to pics of this accomodation:

 

http://www.orcatekweb.com/Cabin-11550.htm

 

If it's just the 2 of you, it might be more room than you need. I booked it because of the children's room (travelling with 2 of them). If you're looking to upgrade, check out either the Owner's Suite or the cream of the crop, the Garden Villa.