Dawn or Diamond princess - interesting blog post

[bazzaw]

http://socram13.blogspot.com/2012/01/diamond-princess-or-dawn-princess-final.html

 

Excellent comparison - Looks like Dawn wins for this particular blogger

 

Barry

[Sandielle]

Excellent Barry - now that is a good review, allowing all to judge what will or won't suit them with these two ships. :)

[rkmw]

we have been on both ships and give us the Diamond any day

[Royalty X]

Very interesting read, thanks Barry. :) Honestly though, I wouldn't mind either ship! ;)

[normie616]

Excellent Barry - now that is a good review, allowing all to judge what will or won't suit them with these two ships. :)

Gee the Flavia the Italian liner was the very first ship i went on at 18 years 5 weeks in the Pacific.I still remember the "first exsperience" We are trying the Dawn Princess round Australia in July (wife has not cruised before) If that goes well we will book one for early next year.I would love to travel on Carnival Spirit butam a bit put off by all the hardcore American decor.We were recommended the Pacific Dawn which looks good for our age group (63 & 64)

[normie616]

Excellent Barry - now that is a good review, allowing all to judge what will or won't suit them with these two ships. :)

Gee you really like the Dawn Princess! 4 cruises we are going on July 10th around Australia first for wife.I just loved the Flavia it was my first at 18years 5 weeks South Pacific;but my favourite ship of all was the "Ocean Monarch" of Shaw Savill in 1973 so much space! so much timber panelling from what i can see they don't build them like that anymore.I think Pacific Dawn in March next year to New Zealand?

[rugbypopsie]

I have spent 6 weeks on each of them...Diamond no comparison. Dont get me wrong the Dawn is not a bad ship but cant hold a candle to the Diamond.

 

Sue

[Sandielle]

Normie616, I'm not sure if you were referring to my going on the Pacific Dawn (not Dawn Princess - two different ships) 4 times or not. Anyway, we have had 4 wonderful cruises on the Pacific Dawn - can't complain about any of them, although I am led to believe the Sun Princess, on which we are soon to cruise, is a bit more upmarket, albeit with smaller cabins...However, to me, any ship is a good ship - I come from a long line of seafarers. :D Our main reasons for choosing Pacific Dawn is because she leaves from our home port - I'm very averse to flying. :eek:

 

Re the Flavia, I don't remember much about her, but I also loved every minute of our voyages on her. She was staffed by Italian waiters and cabin stewards who were just wonderful. :)

[bazzaw]

I know that many people are either not capable of or do not wish to write long ship reviews. But, in this example, where somebody does take the time and effort to do so - and offers what appears to me to be a very well balanced assessment/comparison, I sit up and listen!! :)

 

Of course, at the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preferences (vanilla or chocolate icecream?? :) ). And the personal priorities of those preferences also determine the final yea or nay. For example, I couldn't care less about fancy atriums - I am happy enough to have one on a ship - but other things rate higher in my list of priorities.

 

Barry

[Kinkacruiser]

Thanks Barry. Having been on the Star Princess (same or very similar to the Diamond), the comparison is spot on.

I'm able to appreciate the benefits of the medium size Princess ships after reading this, though the 'big girls' are still exciting.

[Rassa]

I have been on both and appreciate both but with Dawn Princess, I loved the promenade deck, because I walk alot (on holidays). I agree about the food on the two ships but I liked the anytime dining on Diamond. Dawn always had much nicer things to eat with a cup of tea (before bed) in the buffet at night. The Diamond inside pool was great when the weather was not so warm outside and that is something I missed on the Dawn. I would go on either again. I am on Sea Princess next, hope it is just as good as Dawn.

Rosie

[K-Roo-Zers]

.Diamond no comparison. Dont get me wrong the Dawn is not a bad ship but cant hold a candle to the Diamond.

 

Sue

 

Couldn't have put it better myself. Absolutely no comparison.

 

Nicki

[normie616]

Normie616, I'm not sure if you were referring to my going on the Pacific Dawn (not Dawn Princess - two different ships) 4 times or not. Anyway, we have had 4 wonderful cruises on the Pacific Dawn - can't complain about any of them, although I am led to believe the Sun Princess, on which we are soon to cruise, is a bit more upmarket, albeit with smaller cabins...However, to me, any ship is a good ship - I come from a long line of seafarers. :D Our main reasons for choosing Pacific Dawn is because she leaves from our home port - I'm very averse to flying. :eek:

 

Re the Flavia, I don't remember much about her, but I also loved every minute of our voyages on her. She was staffed by Italian waiters and cabin stewards who were just wonderful. :)

i still have a full coloured brochure on the Flavia if you would like any photos from same scanned and sent to you. It was 1968 when i went on her August and the cruise was running 2 weeks late because of the closure of suez canal.She was an old Cunard liner Media or Parthia and had one of the most radical transformations of all time cheers

[colnjude]

I know that many people are either not capable of or do not wish to write long ship reviews. But, in this example, where somebody does take the time and effort to do so - and offers what appears to me to be a very well balanced assessment/comparison, I sit up and listen!! :)

 

Of course, at the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preferences (vanilla or chocolate icecream?? :) ). And the personal priorities of those preferences also determine the final yea or nay. For example, I couldn't care less about fancy atriums - I am happy enough to have one on a ship - but other things rate higher in my list of priorities.

 

Barry

 

We had the most brilliant cruise from Sydney to Dover last year on the "Dawn", after having a 'getting to know her' to the Great Barrier Reef a few months before... We then booked on the "Diamond" from Singapore to Sydney in November last year (I was concerned that I would fall in love with the bigger and newer "Diamond") - yes the cabins were slightly better laid out and the balcony was a tad bigger BUT all the "Diamonds" lounges, public areas, bars, and the Atrium were smaller (and dimmer) in comparison and their Horizon Court was all over the place and not nearly as well laid out as the "Dawn". We also love to walk the Promenade, which on the "Diamond" was not nearly as 'easy'.... Thank heavens every one has their own opinions, otherwise we'd all be wanting to cruise on the same ship. Our vote is "DAWN PRINCESS" and we have booked a biggy next year on our "Dawn" - and so looking forward to sailing with her again!!......"ColnJude"

[Sandielle]

i still have a full coloured brochure on the Flavia if you would like any photos from same scanned and sent to you. It was 1968 when i went on her August and the cruise was running 2 weeks late because of the closure of suez canal.She was an old Cunard liner Media or Parthia and had one of the most radical transformations of all time cheers

 

Thank you so much for your kind offer, Normie616. I have some of her from the

http://www.ssmaritime.com/flavia.htm site. Are there any different photos in your brochure?

[Thorpe]

I have been on both and appreciate both but with Dawn Princess, I loved the promenade deck, because I walk alot (on holidays). I agree about the food on the two ships but I liked the anytime dining on Diamond. Dawn always had much nicer things to eat with a cup of tea (before bed) in the buffet at night. The Diamond inside pool was great when the weather was not so warm outside and that is something I missed on the Dawn. I would go on either again. I am on Sea Princess next, hope it is just as good as Dawn.

Rosie

 

I did the 53 nights to Dover on the Dawn last year and then did 13 nights to NZ on the Sea Princess in Nov. Was practically identical to the Dawn, although the Sea had a dispenser in the shower and the laundries were free and slightly different set up to the Dawn. Maybe because she spends half the time in the US .....Apart from that and different names for Bars etc the design is the same, it felt like home :o (the Dawn)

[Rassa]

Thanks Helen - I thought the Sea Princess may feel like home.

Rosie

[normie616]

Thank you so much for your kind offer, Normie616. I have some of her from the

http://www.ssmaritime.com/flavia.htm site. Are there any different photos in your brochure?

Yes it is a full coloured brochure that features all the puplic rooms etc particularly the 2 deck high Riviera lounge / dining room etc etc. I also have a fold out cabin plan better detail than the one on the maritime site which has some photos as well.i think it may have been 1967 i sailed on her not 68" whichever year the Suez canal closed anyway.I think that brochure on the site was the one from the cruise i did 7 Islands of the South Pacific.Leave it to you Cheers

[normie616]

I did the 53 nights to Dover on the Dawn last year and then did 13 nights to NZ on the Sea Princess in Nov. Was practically identical to the Dawn, although the Sea had a dispenser in the shower and the laundries were free and slightly different set up to the Dawn. Maybe because she spends half the time in the US .....Apart from that and different names for Bars etc the design is the same, it felt like home :o (the Dawn)

Wasn't that a very long time to be on a ship? 53 days on Dawn Princess to Dover? The longest i have had was 5 weeks back in the old days of line voyages & there was 2 weeks there without a port Auckland to South America on Shota Rustaveli. We are considering a new Zealand Cruise next year after our round Australia one on Dawn Princess this July.Would you say NZ was a better trip than the South Pacific for similar time? Was looking at Carnival Spirit in March 2013 but the decor is a bit Revolting loud and American. Love the look of the ship though.Would like to do Holland Amercan line as i have heard they are the tops Cheers

[Sandielle]

Yes it is a full coloured brochure that features all the puplic rooms etc particularly the 2 deck high Riviera lounge / dining room etc etc. I also have a fold out cabin plan better detail than the one on the maritime site which has some photos as well.i think it may have been 1967 i sailed on her not 68" whichever year the Suez canal closed anyway.I think that brochure on the site was the one from the cruise i did 7 Islands of the South Pacific.Leave it to you Cheers

 

That's sounds great Normie. I'd be happy with whatever you feel would be suitable. The cabin plan sounds good - as you say the one at Maritime isn't very legible. You can reach me on occruiser12 at gmail dot com. Thanks so much. Cheers, Sandy

[Thorpe]

Wasn't that a very long time to be on a ship? 53 days on Dawn Princess to Dover? The longest i have had was 5 weeks back in the old days of line voyages & there was 2 weeks there without a port Auckland to South America on Shota Rustaveli. We are considering a new Zealand Cruise next year after our round Australia one on Dawn Princess this July.Would you say NZ was a better trip than the South Pacific for similar time? Was looking at Carnival Spirit in March 2013 but the decor is a bit Revolting loud and American. Love the look of the ship though.Would like to do Holland Amercan line as i have heard they are the tops Cheers

 

53 nights - wasn't long enough! And it was basically my first cruise (apart from a 2 night sampler I did just beforehand on the Dawn). I found I loved sea days and ports equally, I was with my 23yr old daughter who also loved it.

 

Can't comment on South Pacific but NZ was better than I expected and far less planning than half a world cruise. Would do it again.

 

And as you can see from my signature I haven't cruised much but am planning/dreaming of more :)