Just off Dawn to Bermuda (Mini-review)

[balywick]

This is my first time at writing a cruise review so be patient! My wife and I just returned from the NCL Dawn's cruise to Bermuda the week of July 10th. Overall, we both had a wonderful time and I just wanted to share a few thoughts about the ship and cruise. First off, a little about my wife and myself. We are in our mid-50's and have been on around 15 cruises on several different cruise lines. We have booked inside cabins and suites, and have traveled with and without kids. Over the past 2 years we have cruised on the NCL Getaway, the RCL Oasis of the Seas, and now the Dawn. Neither of us are big drinkers or gamblers, but we love good food and like to be entertained. With that in mind, the Dawn delivered an excellent cruise and we would definitely book again!

 

The Ship and Service - After reading several reviews, I was unsure if we were booking the Queen Mary or the SS Minnow with Gilligan and the crew. I found the Ship to be tastefully decorated but in need of some refurbishment in spots. I understand that a dry dock in the next year should take care of the worn areas. Overall, we really enjoyed the décor and feel of the ship. Except for a bad experience by my wife at the front desk, the staff members were friendly, helpful, and did an outstanding job! Service in the restaurants was as good as any ship we have been on. The cruise director Bobby was excellent and did a masterful job the entire cruise, even on a rough day at sea! Although not a mega-ship, the Dawn is plenty big enough to find ample activities to see or do. Although the ship was basically full, we never felt crowded or rushed and we never waited more that 30 seconds for an elevator (try that on the Oasis - never could get on an elevator due to the crowd!). We also never waited more than 5 minutes for a table in either main dining room. Really enjoyed that fact!

 

Dining Room and Food Experience - Let me again say that my wife and I enjoy good food but are not big drinkers. Also, food is very subjective, so take this with a grain of salt. Overall, we found the quality of the food in the Main Dining Rooms (Venetian and Aqua) to be very good. NCL does Italian very well and it shows in the Menu. I like to try new things on a cruise so not every dish is going to be a winner. However, I was especially impressed by the desserts on this ship, which were much better than what we experienced on the Getaway. Cheesecake is done especially well along with fruit related desserts. The Chocolate Lava Cake with strawberry compote was also very well done. We rotated breakfast between the Buffet and the Main Dining room and found both to be good with a slight nod to the Main Dining room. My only food complaint would be we were not a big fan of the buffet for lunch and the variety was somewhat limited. We ate most of our lunches in the main dining room and really enjoyed it! We had eaten at several specialty restaurants on the Getaway and didn't feel compelled to do so here. However, we did eat at Cagney's one evening and had a very good meal. My wife is not a beef eater so she had the Shrimp and Lobster which she thoroughly enjoyed. I had a Ribeye which was very well prepared. The sides and desserts were all excellent and the service was as well. With that being said, the ambience of Cagney's on the Dawn leaves something to be desired. With the screaming baby at one table, rude teens at another, and a view of the deck outside with people in cut off jeans and bathing suits walking by, I wasn't sure if this was Golden Corral or an upcharge restaurant on a cruise ship. As I said, the food was very good but the atmosphere was poor. Maybe requesting a seat in the back and away from the windows would have helped! Overall, the food on this ship gets high marks.

 

Entertainment - I am a person who likes to be entertained and this ship delivered in most respects. The evening shows in the Stardust Theatre were first class and we saw all of them, from the production shows, to the aerialists, to the magician, to Second City Comedy. We also attended the Second City Murder Mystery Lunch which was a hoot! The game shows and other activities were all entertaining and we enjoyed. We did miss having a promenade area like RCL ships have or the Howl at the Moon Piano bar like on the Getaway. The duet singers in the atrium were fine and had a nice following throughout the cruise. There was one gentleman who was an excellent musician that we listened to on occasion. However, one of the piano singers reminded me of Bill Murray's Lounge Singer on Saturday Night Live. It was so bad! Regardless of that, the entertainment on the ship was really good and Bobby the Cruise Director was great!

 

Bermuda - Not much to say here. Beautiful Island, Beautiful beaches, friendly people. Enjoy!!

 

Embarkation/Disembarkation - We got to the port around 1:00 pm and waited around 30 minutes to check-in and board the ship. Very smooth. We did the carry-off of luggage and was off the Ship by 9:00 am. Also smooth. Boston Port is old but functional. Much easier process than the Ports in Miami or Ft Lauderdale.

 

Summary - We are not picky people or complainers so take this review for what it's worth. The Dawn is a fun ship and I'll take a day on a cruise ship to any day at work 100% of the time!

[RumpunchGirl]

Thanks for your review. Very informative. I'll be on the Dawn in January, the Western Caribbean Itinerary. Sorry very excited!

[amberjohn]

We were on the same cruise as you and came away with almost all the same opinions. I was nervous with some of the reviews leading up to the cruise but never experienced any of the bad issues. We had a great time and really enjoyed the food and entertainment.

[slhopper]

 

Summary - We are not picky people or complainers so take this review for what it's worth. The Dawn is a fun ship and I'll take a day on a cruise ship to any day at work 100% of the time!

 

I think you nailed it here.... if you go into something, anything, with a good attitude then you are usually going to have a good time. My husband and I are booked for the New Year's cruise on the Dawn out of New Orleans. We have a disabled daughter and rarely go away on our own, but when we do we make it a wonderful time, no matter what happens. Our last trip we hit a flash flood, illness of a family member that cancelled half our plans *we were supposed to vacation with them!* no vacancy in the town we had to be in for family events, etc etc.... but we had fun because we had decided before we left that we WOULD HAVE FUN! Glad you enjoyed the Dawn, thank you for sharing!

[antsnanny]

This is my first time at writing a cruise review so be patient! My wife and I just returned from the NCL Dawn's cruise to Bermuda the week of July 10th. Overall, we both had a wonderful time and I just wanted to share a few thoughts about the ship and cruise. First off, a little about my wife and myself. We are in our mid-50's and have been on around 15 cruises on several different cruise lines. We have booked inside cabins and suites, and have traveled with and without kids. Over the past 2 years we have cruised on the NCL Getaway, the RCL Oasis of the Seas, and now the Dawn. Neither of us are big drinkers or gamblers, but we love good food and like to be entertained. With that in mind, the Dawn delivered an excellent cruise and we would definitely book again!

 

The Ship and Service - After reading several reviews, I was unsure if we were booking the Queen Mary or the SS Minnow with Gilligan and the crew. I found the Ship to be tastefully decorated but in need of some refurbishment in spots. I understand that a dry dock in the next year should take care of the worn areas. Overall, we really enjoyed the décor and feel of the ship. Except for a bad experience by my wife at the front desk, the staff members were friendly, helpful, and did an outstanding job! Service in the restaurants was as good as any ship we have been on. The cruise director Bobby was excellent and did a masterful job the entire cruise, even on a rough day at sea! Although not a mega-ship, the Dawn is plenty big enough to find ample activities to see or do. Although the ship was basically full, we never felt crowded or rushed and we never waited more that 30 seconds for an elevator (try that on the Oasis - never could get on an elevator due to the crowd!). We also never waited more than 5 minutes for a table in either main dining room. Really enjoyed that fact!

 

Dining Room and Food Experience - Let me again say that my wife and I enjoy good food but are not big drinkers. Also, food is very subjective, so take this with a grain of salt. Overall, we found the quality of the food in the Main Dining Rooms (Venetian and Aqua) to be very good. NCL does Italian very well and it shows in the Menu. I like to try new things on a cruise so not every dish is going to be a winner. However, I was especially impressed by the desserts on this ship, which were much better than what we experienced on the Getaway. Cheesecake is done especially well along with fruit related desserts. The Chocolate Lava Cake with strawberry compote was also very well done. We rotated breakfast between the Buffet and the Main Dining room and found both to be good with a slight nod to the Main Dining room. My only food complaint would be we were not a big fan of the buffet for lunch and the variety was somewhat limited. We ate most of our lunches in the main dining room and really enjoyed it! We had eaten at several specialty restaurants on the Getaway and didn't feel compelled to do so here. However, we did eat at Cagney's one evening and had a very good meal. My wife is not a beef eater so she had the Shrimp and Lobster which she thoroughly enjoyed. I had a Ribeye which was very well prepared. The sides and desserts were all excellent and the service was as well. With that being said, the ambience of Cagney's on the Dawn leaves something to be desired. With the screaming baby at one table, rude teens at another, and a view of the deck outside with people in cut off jeans and bathing suits walking by, I wasn't sure if this was Golden Corral or an upcharge restaurant on a cruise ship. As I said, the food was very good but the atmosphere was poor. Maybe requesting a seat in the back and away from the windows would have helped! Overall, the food on this ship gets high marks.

 

Entertainment - I am a person who likes to be entertained and this ship delivered in most respects. The evening shows in the Stardust Theatre were first class and we saw all of them, from the production shows, to the aerialists, to the magician, to Second City Comedy. We also attended the Second City Murder Mystery Lunch which was a hoot! The game shows and other activities were all entertaining and we enjoyed. We did miss having a promenade area like RCL ships have or the Howl at the Moon Piano bar like on the Getaway. The duet singers in the atrium were fine and had a nice following throughout the cruise. There was one gentleman who was an excellent musician that we listened to on occasion. However, one of the piano singers reminded me of Bill Murray's Lounge Singer on Saturday Night Live. It was so bad! Regardless of that, the entertainment on the ship was really good and Bobby the Cruise Director was great!

 

Bermuda - Not much to say here. Beautiful Island, Beautiful beaches, friendly people. Enjoy!!

 

Embarkation/Disembarkation - We got to the port around 1:00 pm and waited around 30 minutes to check-in and board the ship. Very smooth. We did the carry-off of luggage and was off the Ship by 9:00 am. Also smooth. Boston Port is old but functional. Much easier process than the Ports in Miami or Ft Lauderdale.

 

Summary - We are not picky people or complainers so take this review for what it's worth. The Dawn is a fun ship and I'll take a day on a cruise ship to any day at work 100% of the time!

 

Thanks so much for your review, I was beginning to think I made a mistake booking the Dawn to Bermuda next month. Back to looking forward to my cruse!

[S&S Cruisers 1983]

Thank you for your review. You sound pretty easy going, much like we are. We find it difficult to have a bad time on a cruise, but reading the recent reviews on the Dawn was making us a bit nervous for our cruise to Bermuda in October. I feel much better now!

[Doughboy139]

Great review, I've been on the Dawn around 6-7 times and have never been disappointed.

[KateQ22003]

Thanks for this review. We will be on the Dawn soon; I am counting the days! I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience in Cagney's; that's my favorite of the specialty restaurants.

[jakesnana]

Thanks for your insight. I am escorting a large group (21 cabins) to Bermuda in October and was beginning to think I had made a horribly bad choice, based on recent reviews. You have just given me reason to be hopeful. Pretty much everyone in the group is easy going, so we should be fine :)

[hawkeyetlse]

We were on the same sailing, and we also had a great cruise. The Dawn is the oldest and least impressive of the NCL ships we have been on, but we had no complaints about the facilities. We thought the food was great and the restaurant and bar service as good as ever (with the exception of the pool bars, which were usually swamped). The best money we spent was for the week-long spa pass. Great staff, never crowded, and the indoor pool there stayed open even on the rocky sea day when the outside pool was closed.

 

It was our first time in Bermuda and we saw a lot in two and a half days. Already thinking of going back, but probably on the BA instead. One tip: Don't bother with the Dockyard wifi pass. I got the 72-hour pass for 14.99, which sounds like a fine deal, but it only worked halfway the first day, and then it stopped working altogether. Take a hint from the crew members and use the wifi at the restaurants and bars around the Dockyard.

[gail-s]

We were also on the trip with you that week. I know the exact bar and musician you are talking about. As long as he wasn't trying to play a song you knew he was fine. Lol! My husband kept saying that the sad thing was that someone interviewed and hired him for that job.

[Daphne Starr]

We were also on your sailing and enjoyed it very much. This our 7th Boston-Bermuda cruise (and 5th on the Dawn).

 

The bar service was very slow this year (in previous years this has never been a problem). That was the only thing that needs improvement. However, we received the Unlimited Beverage Package for free so we really have nothing to complain about.

 

We are booked again on the Dawn to Bermuda next July. :)