Right choice on the Dawn?

[New2cruise1483]

We have our first cruise ever booked on the Dawn this January. However, I've read a lot do negative reviews about this ship and am wondering if I made a mistake booking on this ship. Is it too late for me to cancel and book on a different line and ship or should I just stick it out and hope for the best? I've always dreamt of going on a cruise and am afraid of having the experience dampened by a poor experience because of the ship

[triptolemus]

Just like anything else, if you go in expecting a poor experience you'll likely find a way to make it happen.

 

Take the reviews with a grain of salt.

[hladygirl]

We have our first cruise ever booked on the Dawn this January. However, I've read a lot do negative reviews about this ship and am wondering if I made a mistake booking on this ship. Is it too late for me to cancel and book on a different line and ship or should I just stick it out and hope for the best? I've always dreamt of going on a cruise and am afraid of having the experience dampened by a poor experience because of the ship

 

I have sailed the dawn three times and have never had a bad cruise!

[jd1966]

We have taken 22 cruises and there have been "bad reviews" on every one of them!! Don't worry about them and enjoy yourself. Beware, cruising can be addictive!

[Love my butler]

Go with the flow and you will have a great time. The Dawn is a great ship and you are visiting some great ports.

 

If you can swing it, visit at least one specialty restaurant and check the Blue Lagoon menu for lunch and dinner.

 

Go to your meet and greet and make a point of meeting the ship's officers. The hotel director is your best resource if you have an issue you can't get resolved. His number should be 8888.

 

Wish I was going with you.

[DCP]

We are sailing on the Dawn in one week!! We're not into the huge mega ships and are really looking forward to our cruise. I look at it this way - any day on a ship beats being at home no matter what. NCL has the best staff ever, we've been on the Sprit and the Pearl, and I am sure the Dawn will be a great experience too! I truly believe the cruise is what you choose it to be. I choose positive!!

[tammy531]

We sailed the Dawn and had a great cruise. I wouldn't cancel!!

 

sent from my Samsung galaxy s3

[DGP1111]

. . . I've always dreamt of going on a cruise and am afraid of having the experience dampened by a poor experience because of the ship

 

A poor experience is certainly possible. I'm not going to stick my neck out and say, "Go, you'll have a wonderful time" . . . but I will offer my own personal experience.

 

I was onboard Norwegian Dawn last week (Nov 17-23) and I had a very very nice cruise vacation. I would repeat that week in a heartbeat.

 

With the exception of one single show, I thought the entertainment was great. The live musicians onboard were tremendous.

 

The meals I had were memorable, and for all the right reasons.

Debarkation was a big turd, but that was not solely the fault of the ship/management. It was a combination of several factors. But I put on my patience pants that morning, and just dealt with it as best possible.

 

It wasn't my best NCL cruise, and it wasn't my worst NCL cruise, but it was near the top of those I've taken on this line.

 

.

Edited December 1, 2013 by DGP1111

[legion3]

Wish I could help but I am sailing the Dawn for the first time tomorrow. Check back with me in a week. ;)

[EileenN]

Wish I could help but I am sailing the Dawn for the first time tomorrow. Check back with me in a week. ;)

 

We are sailing the Dawn on 12/15 and are very comfortable doing so. This is our 30th sailing with NCL and would not have it any other way. We sailed on the Dawn during the Rogue Wave that hit her and have come back time after time. Love the ships and crew. Good luck

Edited December 1, 2013 by EileenN

[lisakoivu]

The Dawn and the Jewel are my favourite ships... just the right size, great shows, awesome spa, you can always find something good to eat and lots of quiet and peaceful nooks to curl up in. You will have a phenomenal time if you focus on the positive (a mantra for all of life, right?). On EVERY ship there are one or two annoying things. Let's put it this way, we went to Bermuda in July, I remember there were one or two annoying things, but I no longer remember what they were, and if I had the $1300 I spent and the week free from work, I'd be back on that ship in a heartbeat.

[HokiePoq]

We have taken 22 cruises and there have been "bad reviews" on every one of them!! Don't worry about them and enjoy yourself. Beware, cruising can be addictive!

 

This is true. We had one of our best times on the Dawn last January.

Read terrible reviews on a ship of another line but went anyway and found it a great ship. I don't know if people are expecting a luxury line or just only unhappy people write the majority of reviews or what.

There is a great time to be had on the Dawn. We were in our first inside cabin and still had a blast. My review is posted from January 2013.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=113849

[debnjoe1438]

We have our first cruise ever booked on the Dawn this January. However, I've read a lot do negative reviews about this ship and am wondering if I made a mistake booking on this ship. Is it too late for me to cancel and book on a different line and ship or should I just stick it out and hope for the best? I've always dreamt of going on a cruise and am afraid of having the experience dampened by a poor experience because of the ship

 

If you look at any ship on any line, I'm sure you will find negative post/reviews. Those who complain are generally louder and tell more than the ones who don't complain.

 

I've been on the Dawn and had a great trip.

 

If you have an issue while on the ship and or service TELL SOME ONE IN CHARGE. Such as room issue call the Hotel Director, food issue call the Restrauant manager. Things don't get fixed if you don't tell someone.

[Demonyte]

If you have an issue while on the ship and or service TELL SOME ONE IN CHARGE. Such as room issue call the Hotel Director, food issue call the Restrauant manager. Things don't get fixed if you don't tell someone.

 

Actually the HD is the boss of Food and beverage director who is the boss of Restaurant and Beverage managers, just like the HD is the boss of Executive housekeeper. There are plenty of officers to voice your concerns to and they all work under the HD.

[biker@sea]

We have our first cruise ever booked on the Dawn this January . should I just stick it out and hope for the best?

 

Stick it out .:)

Attend your Cruise Critic Meet and Greet .

Come back February and tell us about your best cruise Ever .

[shelly11]

I have a Dawn review in my signature. Loved it.

[StamperRae]

We were first time cruisers on the Dawn last April. Absolutely loved the ship. Be excited. Go in with an open mind and be ready to fall in love with cruising.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Poppet1964]

My first 'real' cruise was on the EPIC in 2012... I worried and worried... did I pick the right line? The right itinerary? I freaked out each time I saw a bad review...

 

I enjoyed the whole experience! Of course there are always things that could be different, and I bet you'll like it enough to try it again on a different ship, just to see what's different. Eventually, you'll find exactly what your favorite attributes about cruising are: big ship/smaller ship... age range, etc.

 

You'll be absolutely fine and have a great time if you aren't one of those negative people just looking for things to complain about.

[puddles99]

Don't let anyone else decide how good (or bad) your vacation will be - you decide! As others have said, you could very well have a less than perfect experience. If you do, get in contact with the Hotel Director (dial 8888) without letting the issue fester and ask for assistance in remedying the situation. If you expect to have a great time, I suspect you will. My first ever cruise was on the Norwegian Dawn and she hooked me for life :). I have many fond memories of our time on the Dawn and would happily sail her (or any Norwegian ship) again. Enjoy your adventure!

[janymac]

We will be on her in February.

Love that she is sailing from Tampa

Love Blue Lagoon....the wings

Love the size of the ship...do not like the larger one's as much.

Always love the freestyle.

If you have to wait for a table, they offer you a soda or champagne.

It is your vacation, make every minute count!

janymac:p

[steffyngirl]

I am on the Dawn in August of 2014. I am beginning to wonder if I did the right thing also.

[Laszlo]

We just got back a week ago. In a nutshell the ship is fine, the food was great and your going to love the ports. The few things I didn't like about the ship was personal things. The stadium seating around the pool was fantastic with a truly separate section for kids in the aft section

[Barb Nahoumi]

I have been aboard the Dawn twice, one Boston to Bermuda, and one repo cruise between Tampa and Boston. The second cruise was 12 days in length, and we did not want it to end.

 

There will be nay-sayers for many ships on all lines. Many had complaints about the old NCL Majesty. I LOVED that ship, and had great cruises aboard her. When cruise lines sold off their smaller ships, it became impossible to dock in ports such as St. George, Bermuda. There is definitely a market for smaller ships, and each cruise line should build one.

 

The Dawn is still a good ship, which holds about 3000 passengers. Notice that only a few post negative reviews. The majority who cruise probably had a positive experience.

[Demonyte]

When cruise lines sold off their smaller ships, it became impossible to dock in ports such as St. George, Bermuda. There is definitely a market for smaller ships, and each cruise line should build one.

 

Not sure if this discussion would warrant its own thread (especially b/c related discussion in another thread about Sky and Sun) but unfortunately the smaller the ship is, the higher the fixed costs per passenger are (notably with the ever-rising cost of fuel) and hence the mass market lines are unlikely to purchase new small ships.

 

I too prefer non-megaships (sized like Dawn class and Jewel class) and hope that those ships will stay in fleet for years to come.

Edited December 3, 2013 by Demonyte

[Va. Plumber]

Don't let someone else determine your happiness. Yes, there may be some things that upset you to different degrees, but unless you are a real stickler, they shouldn't affect your vacation.

 

You are always going to find people who don't like a particular ship or cruise line, or for that matter, cruising in general. Unfortunately they tend to be the loudest voices. If you look at review section, 72% of those reviewing the Dawn loved it.

 

I have sailed on Dawn twice and am booked again for Bermuda next year.

I have also sailed on her sister the Star. I thoroughly enjoyed these cruises.