5/1/05 Dawn Review--CHUNKS!

[Cosmopolitan]

Yes, he is. And he certainly would've gotten into mine! (Wait--that didn't sound right ...:o) You know what I mean!

 

I thought it was cool how the forward balcony people would chat/wave with each other. 2 people from our roll-call (Samthebookitty and his GF) were in 9500. They'd been booked for the poor damaged 9502--directly next to us-- and had been switched. Would have been fun to have had all our neighbors. And I should have looked up and waved at you guys! Oh well.

 

I totally understand about needing the down time and not joining the M&G. I realize not everybody wants to do that. Sorry we missed meeting you, too. Our next cruise is a 10-day Southern Caribbean on the Spirit from NY on 2/9/06. We booked an AC Penthouse, and after seeing several sets of photos of them, we are excited--they look lovely. There's a couch in the living area, Timster, doesn't look full size but it can be reserved for you! And I love the bathrooms with all those windows! I must have a thing for nice bathrooms ...

 

Did you get a look at the AC's?

When we boarded, they were still prepping our room. We wandered into the AC's. They are really nice. I thought they were bigger than the pictures portray. I'm sure you will love it.

 

Our Dawn 5/1 cruise was really a LAST minute decision. We had the Sept., Jewel booked but after dealing with some really stressful situations this year, I just had to get away, out on the ocean away from it all.

DH told me to check the Dawn for prices. I hit a good price one day and we booked. So glad we did.

 

I would love to sail the Spirit. There is a poster "cruizinminn" (something like that) posted GREAT reviews this year from their Spirit cruise.

 

I told DH, when we retire, I want to retire to a cruise ship. Can you imagine?

Closest thing to heaven! :)

 

PS - I think you can squeeze the Timster in....just change the sofa for a roll-away. lol Warning: sounds like he travels "heavy" you may require Extra storage!

[Cosmopolitan]

Sorry, It's "cruzingfromMN" she's back on the boards again.

Writes beautifully, like you!

She did do the Spirit.

[travelgirl913]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have been enjoying reading your great reviews. My husband and have been Celebrity fans becuase of the great food & service but were looking to try something different. Also, looking for a ship with a little more night life since I am 30 and my husband is 34.

 

Could anyone please list the places to eat, a small description and tell me the surcharge if any?

 

Also, could you let me know where you get the smores? and what places offer the 50% nights?

 

Thank you very much in advance!!

[NJcruiser21]

PS - I think you can squeeze the Timster in....just change the sofa for a roll-away. lol Warning: sounds like he travels "heavy" you may require Extra storage!

 

"Heavy" is an understatement. I went through my closet today and the clothes I'm bringing alone from there would last me the week if need be! :eek:

[NJcruiser21]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have been enjoying reading your great reviews. My husband and have been Celebrity fans becuase of the great food & service but were looking to try something different. Also, looking for a ship with a little more night life since I am 30 and my husband is 34.

 

Could anyone please list the places to eat, a small description and tell me the surcharge if any?

 

Also, could you let me know where you get the smores? and what places offer the 50% nights?

 

Thank you very much in advance!!

 

I'll be happy to do this for you once I get back! :D

[judyf]

Tim, I was trying to find that post for her with the web site all the info about the Dawn or something like that and I couldn't find it in the search. Maybe you can!!! You're better at that then me.

[travelgirl913]

I'll be happy to do this for you once I get back! :D

 

Thanks!! We are looking to sail on the Dawn this summer and looking to get all the information I can.

[NJcruiser21]

Judy - good thinking!!

 

Travelgirl,

 

Here is a site that gives you virtual tours of the ship:

 

http://www.virtualtoursusa.com/norwegiandawn.htm

 

Here is a site that a CC put together about everything you want to know about the ship:

 

http://www.*****.com/users/glory4usa1/index.html

 

Here is a thread I saved with Dawn Secrets:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=61601&highlight=tips+dawn

 

 

here's a start for you!

 

happy sailing,

 

Tim :D

[MasterLee]

We go take our first curise on NCL Dawn on 6/12 and we have a question on the speciality restrants. I understand there is cover charge to eat in them, do we need to pay extra again for each item we order? Can someone let me know the cover charge for the Le Bistro resturant and the Japanese resturant?

[judyf]

I knew you would have them. happy searching.

[travelgirl913]

Judy - good thinking!!

 

Travelgirl,

 

Here is a site that gives you virtual tours of the ship:

 

http://www.virtualtoursusa.com/norwegiandawn.htm

 

Here is a site that a CC put together about everything you want to know about the ship:

 

http://www.*****.com/users/glory4usa1/index.html

 

Here is a thread I saved with Dawn Secrets:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=61601&highlight=tips+dawn

 

 

here's a start for you!

 

happy sailing,

 

Tim :D

 

Thanks Tim & Judy F. I'm off now to learn about the Dawn!!

[NJcruiser21]

Thanks Tim & Judy F. I'm off now to learn about the Dawn!!

 

Good luck and warning..once you start you can never stop! :D

 

Tim

[judyf]

Isn't that the truth!

[greenie]

Did you get a look at the AC's?

When we boarded, they were still prepping our room. We wandered into the AC's. They are really nice. I thought they were bigger than the pictures portray. I'm sure you will love it.

 

Our Dawn 5/1 cruise was really a LAST minute decision. We had the Sept., Jewel booked but after dealing with some really stressful situations this year, I just had to get away, out on the ocean away from it all.

DH told me to check the Dawn for prices. I hit a good price one day and we booked. So glad we did.

 

I would love to sail the Spirit. There is a poster "cruizinminn" (something like that) posted GREAT reviews this year from their Spirit cruise.

 

I told DH, when we retire, I want to retire to a cruise ship. Can you imagine?

Closest thing to heaven! :)

 

PS - I think you can squeeze the Timster in....just change the sofa for a roll-away. lol Warning: sounds like he travels "heavy" you may require Extra storage!

 

Maybe you'll just have to get away again after your Jewel cruise--maybe it'll be 2/9/06! Hee. Yes, I've seen an AC on the Dawn--it is really nice, and a huge balcony (at least the one we saw--in the forward). Nice and roomy cabin, beautifully appointed. I have gazed at pics from 2 Cruise Critic's cruises and seen what the ones on the Spirit look like--just gorgeous. That whole ship looks gorgeous. Very rich in decor. THe Dawn is beautiful too, of course, but the Spirit's look makes me think of antiques and luxurious older things, while the Dawn is more modern. I could be wrong but what I have seen of the Spirit strikes me that way.

 

If you (or anybody else) are interested, the 2 nice links to view the AC Suite are:

 

http://www.jeffandjenette.com/ncl-spirit-gallery1

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/cruisingfrommn

 

I want to cruise on the Jewel. I hope she sails out of NY eventually, it's easier to get Joe to do it if a ship leaves from here!

[2Cruise4Ever]

We go take our first curise on NCL Dawn on 6/12 and we have a question on the speciality restrants. I understand there is cover charge to eat in them, do we need to pay extra again for each item we order? Can someone let me know the cover charge for the Le Bistro resturant and the Japanese resturant?

 

MasterLee ~ come join our roll call:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=152129

 

I don't know anything about the Dawn except for what I've read on these boards. So, it'll be an adventure for sure!!!! I'm sure someone who has sailed on her recently will be able to answer your questions about the specialty restaurants.

 

Happy Sailing!! And, see you in 27 days! :D

[greenie]

The Venetian Restaurant

 

 

We ate at the Venetian three times—in order of appearance: breakfast, dinner, and lunch.

 

Breakfast.

 

On our first morning at sea, we decided to “go whole hawg” and have our breakfast in the Venetian. I’d heard from various sources that meals at the Venetian take a long time, and therefore figured I wouldn’t want to waste half my mornings having a lengthy sit-down breakfast. I’m a morning person and I like to be active during that time of day, even if being active only means walking around the ship exploring or sipping coffee and reading out by the pool before the hordes descend upon it. Monday seemed the logical choice--it’s a sea day and it wouldn’t really start to get warm out until that afternoon. So off we went.

 

The restaurant was busy, but not a madhouse. We were seated right away, given menus and left alone. With no coffee and no sign of anyone from whom to request coffee. Coffee … please … I need coffee …

 

Eventually someone came over to us, took our order for coffee and scurried off to get it while we decided what we wanted to eat. We had to go through a frustrating coffee dance: brought the coffee but no milk or creamer, scurried off before we realized it/finally got her back, asked for ½ and ½ please/off she scurried, finally came back to drop off the ½ and ½, scurried away again/it WASN’T ½ and ½/finally got her attention/asked for ½ and ½ again. Blah blah woof woof. You know how that goes sometimes. Bummer. All I wanted was my coffee…!

 

Eventually we got creamer, and ordered breakfast. * whew *

 

Breakfast was fine—the offerings were uninspired but the food was certainly adequate. I had an omelet, Joe had scrambled eggs. My introduction and subsequent love affair with the Dawn’s hash browns began that morning, so it wasn’t ALL bad!

 

Dinner

 

As unfair as it turned out to be, it took us awhile to get back there after that not-quite-stellar experience. On Friday night, the Dawn had begun to ride some serious swells. I had taken Bonine, but not enough of it and not soon enough, so I was feeling kind of queasy. But you remember the rule, right?

 

It’s a cruise.

 

You have to eat.

 

I couldn’t deal with looking at heaps of food at the buffet … Mexican food wasn’t gonna be happening …couldn’t possibly enjoy going to Le Bistro as much as I knew I would want to … and lord help me, but get me outta that gorgeous but HEAVING and BOUNCING suite ... room service tonight? I don’t THINK so.

 

We decided to go to the Venetian. Maybe if we could sit by the windows and I could see the horizon, I’d feel better. Joe called Carlos and explained the situation—is it possible to reserve a table by the window? Of course. Done. When do you want it? (Carlos was so cool. We loved Carlos.)

 

When we arrived at the Venetian it was, believe it or not (and bad weather or not), crowded. After taking our cabin #, the hostess led us to our table. Carlos had worked his magic, and we found ourselves sitting at a table for 4 right next to the windows overlooking the wake. With a great view of the horizon, yay.

 

Do you know that no matter how hard I try to remember, I can’t recall what I had for dinner that night. Neither can Joe. I think it’s because of not feeling great and concentrating so hard on that horizon! But I do remember that we both enjoyed our meals very much. The service wasn’t fast. But it wasn’t slow either. I think it was more just “drawn out” and meant to be. So we could enjoy a leisurely dinner with time between the courses to relax, sip some wine, converse, enjoy our surroundings … all things we seem unable to do often enough in our stressful everyday lives. It was lovely.

 

Lunch

 

On Sunday, as most of you know, our arrival time in NY was moved to 4:00 pm, thanks to the high winds and subsequent decrease in speed. I know many people missed out on their Mother’s Day cruise as a result of that, and I feel badly about that. So please know there is no disrespect or lack of sympathy meant when I say that Joe and I (and many others, I think) were excited to have an almost-extra-day onboard. Which meant, of course, a “freebie” extra lunch time to try a new place.

 

We decided to try the Venetian. It was no longer windy/swell-y by that point. We would go back to that beautiful ball-room-like dining room and enjoy our last meal totally (or die trying).

 

Our lunch was fantastic. We again were seated in front of the windows. We hadn’t mentioned to Carlos that we were going there, so I don’t know if it was dumb luck or if our room number was known to be a suite and therefore we got extra-nice seating. Whatever the case, we were seated at the table next to the one we’d had for dinner.

 

I had as my appetizer, Chicken and Beef Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce (minus the beef), one of my all-time favorite dishes! Joe had chilled watermelon kiwi soup. He’s not a cold-soup sort, but he really enjoyed that. I had a few spoonfuls and it was yummy. But more like a dessert, in my opinion (one he did not share). My Chicken Satay was DELICIOUS. I could happily have eaten that as a double order for my entire lunch. YUM.

 

We both ordered the vegetarian entrée—vegetable moussaka. That was also delicious .. sort of like grilled vegetables with red sauce and mozzarella. The red sauce was not like a “spaghetti sauce”. It was flavored with something we couldn’t identify, but which was very tasty.

 

We had planned on going to go back to the room to relax after lunch—we still had a few hours before we got to NY and we were kind of tired. It’s hard work being on a cruise, you know.

 

When the waitress came over and offered dessert, we both said oh heavens, no thank you, and began to gather ourselves together to leave. But then something weird happened. First, horns appeared on the waitress’s head and she grew a long red tail. Then she did something evil, truly evil: Her eyes turned gold and she hissed “You can not leave ussssssssssss wihout firssssst trying the ssssspecial desssssert. Ssssuclent apple fritterssss with vanilla ice cream. Jussssssst try a bite. Jusssssssst a bite.

 

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH, the pull of evil was harsh and impossible to ignore! I don’t eat dessert very often, and I never eat dessert at LUNCH. Joe does eat dessert. He’ll eat dessert after anything, even after dessert. Joe went back to the room. I stayed and ordered apple fritters with ice cream. Oye. It was out of my control and all because of the evil waitress. HER fault.

 

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

 

I’d just have a couple of bites, what the heck. She brought me the apple fritters. There were two on the plate. I’ll just have one. I’ll leave the other one.

 

I ate both of them. And the scoop of ice cream.

 

A gigantic crane descended from the ornate ceiling and hoisted me up out of my seat. Then the Dawn Emergency Oink Oink Fork-Lift picked me up and delivered me back to the suite.

 

 

 

(We loved the Venetian.)

[nycglitter]

Greenie - I couldn't stop laughing at your description of the Venetian, especially when Satan...er..I mean the waitress forced you to eat the apple fritters! I think she served me last year too, only it was champagne and more than I wanted, but she made me and how can you fight evil like that???

[greenie]

Greenie - I couldn't stop laughing at your description of the Venetian, especially when Satan...er..I mean the waitress forced you to eat the apple fritters! I think she served me last year too, only it was champagne and more than I wanted, but she made me and how can you fight evil like that???

 

You just can't fight that sort of evil. I'm glad you understand!

 

:D

[nycglitter]

Lol :D

[judyf]

Love your reviews they are great. I think I've had that waitress before. That's what happened, I just didn't realize it till I read your post. I was in a trace!

 

Thanks for taking the time and posting all the details. Love details!

[travelgirl913]

Good luck and warning..once you start you can never stop! :D

 

Tim

 

I know...We were just on our 4th cruise last month and are looking into the Dawn this summer then possibly another one in November. It's addictive!!

[Wendy-Europe]

Hi Greenie,

 

you made my day - can´t stop laughing "the Dawn Emergency Oink Oink Fork-Lift picked me up and delivered me back to the suite."

 

:D

 

Wendy

[greenie]

Yes, folks, the wait staff on the Dawn are evil--they force people to eat delicious food and they never seem to get in trouble for it! ;)

:D

[KarlaC]

Yes, folks, the wait staff on the Dawn are evil--they force people to eat delicious food and they never seem to get in trouble for it! ;)

:D

 

To quote a Metallica song..."Sad, but true".

Quick question...was it easy to make dinner ressie for the specialty restaurants the first night. I really want to take advantage of the 50% off and go to Cagney's the first night. Also, how soon after you board can you call or go and make these ressies.

I have a mini-suite so I was wondering if the Concierge could do this for us. We had an AC Penthouse last year (10002) and were spoiled. Unfortunately it is not in the budget this year.:(

[NJcruiser21]

To quote a Metallica song..."Sad, but true".

 

Quick question...was it easy to make dinner ressie for the specialty restaurants the first night. I really want to take advantage of the 50% off and go to Cagney's the first night. Also, how soon after you board can you call or go and make these ressies.

 

I have a mini-suite so I was wondering if the Concierge could do this for us. We had an AC Penthouse last year (10002) and were spoiled. Unfortunately it is not in the budget this year.:(

 

Karla,

 

I have the same idea for Sunday night! It's so cool to be able to say this Sunday! :D I'm going to do that first thing on the ship..Probably on the way to my cabin. I'll let you know when i get back if it was hard or not.