HONEST REVIEW of NCL Dawn from Boston to Quebec City, 9/11-9/18/15

[NLH Arizona]

I always worry about going to the naughty room (never been, but worry each cruise), because of the type of container I use for my body wash and will be on the Dawn in December. The first thing I will do, is to alert the Concierge that under no circumstance does anyone open my luggage with me being there. If they have an issue, just call me down and I'll be there to open it and at that time, and only that time, are they allowed to go through my luggage.

[Loonbeam]

While not true for every US port, this is basically correct for most of them, the exceptions are 2 smaller rarely used ports (<1 cruise per week) can't recall which..

 

Each port has its own arrangements with longshoremen. These are the folks who provide porters and haulers for luggage. Their responsibility is to take the luggage from pax, cage it according to cruise line specifications and deliver it into the ships hull. Other than the exception below, until that point no NCL employee has touched your luggage.

 

The exception is where luggage is scanned prior to load. That is done either by the line or contracted security personnel. In that case, the luggage is taken by the porters to the scan area and after scan to the ship. Not sure what ports are set up this way.

 

Also, all check-in staff in the terminal EXCEPT for functions like Children's club sign up (Disney does, does NCL?), photographers, and liason are port personnel not cruise line. The line will have members of the purser staff available to assist with issues, those staff may also work an upgrades desk if there is one. If you cannot resolve a check in issue, these are the people to locate.

 

The point at which security switches over to line staff varies from port to port, but typically at the gangplank.

 

This is important to be aware of, as if the person in question is not a cruise line employee, the options of the line to address at that time are more limited (they have to go up their chain to the port liason who speaks to their counterpart at the port who goes back down to the union rep or team lead, etc). Also note that in most cases, non-union workers are often told if asked if they work for the line to respond yes (not always with the line's permission).

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not asking who signs their paycheck.

 

I'm saying that I believe NCL pays the port extra to basically rent their employees to load the luggage. This isn't an automatic service they get just for being in port.

 

Therefore, it is fair to describe the handling of luggage as being done by NCL (and to hold them responsible), even if some of the employees involved work for the port.

[BingoSlots]

BOARDING: As is par for the course with NCL, the boarding process was a bit chaotic. It wasn't always clear where to go, and the signage wasn't very good. Even worse, the lines were being directed by some very elderly women who didn't quite seem to know what was going on. Once I got to the Casinos At Sea desk, everything proceeded normally, and the rest of boarding went smoothly.

 

I am boarding the Dawn on Friday for a trip to Bermuda and am going on my CAS certificate as well. Can you tell me where the desk is? And since this is my first cruise, do we get priority boarding because we are CAS invited guests? I was told yes. I'm just not sure if that means we board when the suite/haven guests board or shortly thereafter?

 

Any tips you could give would be greatly appreciated!

[pokerpro5]

I am boarding the Dawn on Friday for a trip to Bermuda and am going on my CAS certificate as well. Can you tell me where the desk is? And since this is my first cruise, do we get priority boarding because we are CAS invited guests? I was told yes. I'm just not sure if that means we board when the suite/haven guests board or shortly thereafter?

 

Any tips you could give would be greatly appreciated!

 

I don't know about boarding priority, because we didn't arrive super-early, so I didn't bother to think about that.

 

Regarding the CAS desk, it's more than just a desk -- it's a whole checkin area. You just need to get in the correct line, and the signage is poor. Just keep asking NCL employees. It will be after you go upstairs (provided you're leaving from the same port in Boston as I did).

 

Beware that, at least when I sailed, they employ old, confused ladies to direct the lines, so you need to repeat yourself and speak slowly in order to get an answer out of them.

 

Good luck.

Edited October 6, 2015 by pokerpro5

[deladypilot]

Beware that, at least when I sailed, they employ old, confused ladies to direct the lines, so you need to repeat yourself and speak slowly in order to get an answer out of them.

 

Good luck.

 

I think that same lady was in Seattle a couple weeks ago. She looked as lost as most of the passengers. lol

 

Thanks for taking the time to review your cruise. I appreciate the time it takes and appreciate your honesty. Whether people agree or not, it is how you felt.

 

I am glad you mentioned the buffet area on the Dawn and the Sun. We loved the Sun but thought the layout of the buffet area was poor and now we are looking at a Dawn cruise so nice to know it is laid out better

[RiotAct]

I probably would have let the phone message thing go. But, good on you for having the fortitude to stand your ground on the UDP price issue. Some people are saying "well, it's only an additional $10 or so", but... where does it end? What's the cutoff for an acceptable price-gouging from NCL? Lol.

[Mandy412]

Tell me, how do they transport these cases of water to the supermarket without it ruining all of the other boxes of food?

 

Let's think for a second...

 

Oh yeah! They take care to keep the water separate from the items that aren't supposed to get wet, and they take care not to break the water bottles or its case!

 

Same concept with NCL. The water case was by itself and not hidden. All NCL had to do was handle it with care, and not drop 50 pound bags of luggage on it, and nothing was going to break.

 

Besides, it's not like I didn't bring the water up myself out of laziness. I had no other way to get it aboard, as I only have two hands and had other things to carry.

 

FYI, plastic water bottles don't burst open and spill on things, typically, even if they fall. This only tends to happen if something heavy lands on top of them.

 

I am not "self cenetered" because I'm bringing my own water on board. Give me a break. If the water did end up breaking and spilling on other luggage, then it's the fault of NCL for not handling it properly, not mine.

 

Also, the amount I paid for the cruise is immaterial. I am deserving of the same service as someone who paid full price. NCL isn't giving me charity when I get those discount certificates from my land-based casino. It's a strategic marketing partnership. BTW I didn't just pay "port fees and taxes". I paid a fare called NCF (albeit not a very high one). Read up on it, and try not being so condescending.

 

Amazing how many nitpickers and trolls come out on this site when you post an honest and balanced review.

 

Thanks for posting. My mom is Diamond and received her first comped cruise and we are going next May. I like all of the detail, good, bad, and ugly as it helps me learn. I don't think you are self centered or high maintenance.

[pokerpro5]

I think that same lady was in Seattle a couple weeks ago. She looked as lost as most of the passengers. lol

 

Thanks for taking the time to review your cruise. I appreciate the time it takes and appreciate your honesty. Whether people agree or not, it is how you felt.

 

I am glad you mentioned the buffet area on the Dawn and the Sun. We loved the Sun but thought the layout of the buffet area was poor and now we are looking at a Dawn cruise so nice to know it is laid out better

 

I can't say necessarily that it's laid out better (I didn't really think of that, and now don't remember it well enough to comment), but I can tell you that it wasn't as crowded or chaotic as my cruise on the Sun.

[pokerpro5]

I probably would have let the phone message thing go. But, good on you for having the fortitude to stand your ground on the UDP price issue. Some people are saying "well, it's only an additional $10 or so", but... where does it end? What's the cutoff for an acceptable price-gouging from NCL? Lol.

 

I only cared about the phone thing because the damn thing blinks like 3 bright lights at you when you have a message, and it creates a strobe effect in the room when you're trying to sleep. Otherwise I wouldn't have cared.

 

But yes, I agree with you fully about the principle of the UDP, which is why I expended way more than $23 worth of energy to get it corrected.

[pokerpro5]

Thanks for posting. My mom is Diamond and received her first comped cruise and we are going next May. I like all of the detail, good, bad, and ugly as it helps me learn. I don't think you are self centered or high maintenance.

 

Thanks.

 

BTW, for your mom's info, her "comped" cruise isn't actually comped (she is still paying a fare called NCF, as well as taxes), and it has nothing to do with her being a Caesars Diamond. They offer this based upon recent and semi-recent play, not tier status. Just a small clarification you might like to pass on, as I am an expert on Caesars and the way their rewards system works.

 

Thank you for your compliments, and I am glad that some people here enjoyed my honest and true views of the situations I experienced on NCL.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

I thank you for a fair and balanced review.

 

False advertising should always be called out. Hopefully it helps the rest of us BIG TIME. (But, knowing NCL, probably not). You people that couldn't care less about the little things need to learn to respect the people that do care.

 

And Customer Service, at least in my opinion, is the place people go to to get problems resolved. Posting employees there that are uncooperative, incompetent, ignorant, illiterate, impotent, and/or not willing or able to resolve any issue a customer has should be transferred or fired.

 

I believe the cruise line pretty much owns you and your luggage once you board. Keep in mind they all fly foreign flags, but this is also in effect when you check your luggage at any U.S. airport. They always retain the right to inspect your luggage, with or without you present. That's exactly why they always state you must use a TSA lock and I don't even bother to use any lock. DH and I cruised on Princess two weeks ago and there was a notice in my suitcase when it arrived that stated it had been inspected. I assure you, it was not. ;)

 

BTW, we had the same problem with the "blinking phone" on the Breakaway. I had to throw a towel over the damn thing.