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24 hours in the Garden Villa or How I Learned to Wave to the Minions.

shoreguy

By shoreguy,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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SailorsMate

SailorsMate

Posted
Posted
I can't believe they are still showing "Bollywood" on the Dawn? Will it never end? We will be boarding the Dawn for the 4th time in January and hopefully they will have finally replaced "Bollywood?" Doesn't NCL realize that the popular Dawn gets many repeat cruisers who return every winter for their annual escape to the sun? Give us a break!

 

Dolphins, you are correct about the "repeaters" getting tired of the old shows- Explanation here some time ago was that it is so expensive to mount the productions they keep them around until they are growing hair.. Just be happy if "skinny German juggle boy" has moved on to another gig by the time you cruise- "Skinny" was an act on my 10/9 Dawn cruise. :(

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shoreguy

shoreguy

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Great pictures Shoreguy!

 

:)

 

They are still a mess. Wrong order no comments. Webshots is not working again. Remind anyone of a website.

 

My favorite picture is the art work in the entrance hall that reminds you the GV costs 2 arms and a leg:D

259937197_DawnGVArm.jpg.35a7e1b844323eda5e14463495007710.jpg

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debjo

debjo

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For Shoreguy...

Thanks for the "upsell" details...personally I think that NCL should have given you a FREE UPGRADE to the Garden Villa for all the great work you do for them (as their unsolicited, unpaid, "unofficial" spokesperson) as you "share" your experiences with us.

 

Debjo

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shoreguy

shoreguy

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For Shoreguy...

Thanks for the "upsell" details...personally I think that NCL should have given you a FREE UPGRADE to the Garden Villa for all the great work you do for them (as their unsolicited, unpaid, "unofficial" spokesperson) as you "share" your experiences with us.

 

Debjo

 

I would love a free upgrade but on the other hand if they did that I think my credibility would be questioned. I book, pay,cruise like any other passenger, and share freely the good and the not so good.

 

I don't see myself as a NCL spokesperson but rather an NCL customer spokesperson. Does that make sense?

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SailAways

SailAways

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I don't see myself as a NCL spokesperson but rather an NCL customer spokesperson. Does that make sense?

 

Absolutely ... Isn't that what all of us who have been on even just one cruise are?

 

And, did it really cost two arms and a leg??? :eek:

 

Gotta Love That Humor :p

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shoreguy

shoreguy

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Absolutely ... Isn't that what all of us who have been on even just one cruise are?

 

And, did it really cost two arms and a leg??? :eek:

 

Gotta Love That Humor :p

 

It did for that guy:D Think about it to book it for a week can cost more then many people make in a year. :eek: You would have to make $13.50 an hour after taxes and not spend a dime to pay the $28,000 they ask for the GVs

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  • 2 years later...
dcpolet1

dcpolet1

Posted
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I am back but changed forever. I have to say the Dawn’s Garden Villa is absolutely something else ! Just ask the other CC members that joined us and turned a cavernous, excessive, one of a kind space into a warm and friendly hideaway.

 

I will post pictures later today. I tried to take shots that had not been seen but ended up with a lot of NYC at sunset. As grand as the Villas are NYC can always steal the show. Was everything perfect? No, as always. Did I get every bit of my monies worth? Yes and then some.

 

The day started out rocky and got better for every one of the 24 hours. Up at 6 am and ready to go. Ground the coffee, started the coffee make, off to the shower. Back to the kitchen, out with a mop. I forgot to put the pot in the coffee maker. Now what was I thinking about.

 

We headed to the city around 9:30. No traffic, up 10th avenue and west to the pier entrance. The Dawn was at Pier 90. Dropped my date for this adventure and parked the car. By the way if you are looking for a way to impress someone on your first real date - this works:D I was back in the pier in 5 minutes. The lot was empty but was in fact completely full by the time we sailed.

 

Somehow I expected as a GV quest I would be whisked away. I stopped everyone I saw and said “Where do I go I am in the GV I must be special” :rolleyes: One person tried to seat us on the floor with the rest of the arriving “minions” (more on minions later). I finally checked the stairs to the lounge that we had used as Latitudes members. There was a sign “Garden Villa, Penthouse, and Latitude Members. They had set up two areas of seating. Right side was for Villa and Penthouse and left side for Latitudes. Coffee, water, juice, sandwiches, and cake were in place. We were the only two on the penthouse side with perhaps a half dozen in the latitudes section at 11 am. There we sat in 80 degrees until we boarded around 12:30

 

I have to say sitting there by ourselves in a hot stark area on folding metal chairs was not how I expected to start this cruise. It got better quickly. Next group of passengers to arrive kicked up the atmosphere. They had three cabins booked two AD and a Mini. For some this was there first cruise. They started to talk about dinner and where to eat. As usual I had to jump in and offer some advice and information on the options. I told to make sure the first thing they did when the boarded was make reservations since they had decided on Cagney’s. Fast forward - they forgot and ended up with are you ready an 11:00 PM reservation. This was a different cruise.

 

The conversation continued and the “ringleader” ( no names to protect the innocent) starting telling a story about a guy on CC that had gotten an upsell to the GV. I started to laugh. I said that guy is me. “Are you shoreguy” and the cruise was on. My GF had no idea of my secret life on the boards but I had warned here we may run into a few passengers that know me by a different name. She looked at me a little worried. I did mention a “couple” might stop by the GF that evening. The hour spent waiting flew by and finally it was time to board.

 

This is getting much longer then I thought it would and we are not even on the Dawn yet.

 

Part two coming soon.

Hey shoreguy

I was on the Dawn in the GV in June. When we got to the pier about 12:30, we found someone who worked for NCL and told them we were in thre GV. They took us past everybody waiting in line ane brought us right to the front of the line to check in. After that a butler took us right on to the ship, bypassing photos, and everyrhing else and escorted us right to the Villa.

We are going on the Gem staying in the GV in Dec. I wiil post how that goes when we get back.

We are also going on the Dawn next June and we are getting both GV and an owners suite for a large birthday cruise. I hope we should get even better treatment for that trip.

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Ask4Jay

Ask4Jay

Posted
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AFAMILY -

Thanks for the wake-up call.

This thread started with "I am back but changed forever". I was about to post "Welcome-back shoreguy", and I was wondering why nobody mentioned anything about his long absence. Duh.

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Griller

Griller

Posted
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what happend to shoreguy? I loved his posts!

 

Jim is alive, well and enjoying life and cruising, but for reasons unbeknown to me is not allowed on here any more.

 

He was a great ambassador for CC and it is a pity. His is not a unique situation.

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ria926

ria926

Posted
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I was lucky enough to get an upgrade to the GV on a 10 day cruise. I have to say I have never gotten such special service, from the minute we got to the pier to the escort off the ship. The Dawn is my favorite, a repeat customer here. I haven't been on a 1 day, but I've gone on the 2 day cruise. They are not real cruises, more of a party cruise. My sisters and I go for the relaxation, spa, and the MArtinis!!!! But anyone lucky enough to be in the GV its hard to go back to a regular room. Just booked another 10 day cruise on the gEm......in one of the Courtyard villas....should be very special.........but I have to wait until 01/2010.

 

I am going in may on the 2 day again, for a get me ready cruise....lol

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UpYonder

UpYonder

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AFAMILY -

Thanks for the wake-up call.

This thread started with "I am back but changed forever". I was about to post "Welcome-back shoreguy", and I was wondering why nobody mentioned anything about his long absence. Duh.

 

Me too! I saw ShoreGuy and thought - wow, CC let him back on.

 

He's gone from CC, but not forgotten. He's on another cruise site. Don't ask why he's gone - CC will remove the thread.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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