Any Dawn reviews yet???

[viennastatic]

Any reviews from the folks just off the Dawn? I leave in 9 days and want to hear all about it.

[NoPiratesPlease]

1. We booked for next year while on board so that should answer most questions about whether it was good or not.

 

2. Basically same shows as last year (and summer 2004), so we'd love to have them update the shows.

 

3. Food portions seem smaller this year vs last, but that's ok with us. Food quality and taste, however, seemed better than last year. Didn't have a bad meal (except teppanaki, more below).

 

4. Ship itself was decorated very nicely for the holidays. They don't do the dessert station in the Garden Cafe the way they used to, so not quite as spectacular a display of gingerbread and holiday sweets as last year.

 

5. Ship itself seemed clean, but looking like she needs a little updating/refurbishment. I noticed paint peeling in the garden of the villa. Shouldn't do that. Also, no hot water first night and morning at sea for most of deck 11 and the villas on the port side. One call and we had water in 10 minutes flat. Then, at 11:30 pm the next night, there was a sound of water gushing under pressure. NoPirates (this is actually msescada, the wife) thought they were pressure washing the deck and went out into the garden to look. Na uh. The fire hose valve sprung a leak and water was shooting out of the hose's cabinet under very high pressure. He couldn't remember the concierge's number, so he called the butler, got roomservice, who got Claudio who got the fireman and they both raced upstairs. Fireman takes one look and flies out of the villa to get to the shut off valve. Quite a floor show. They still haven't fixed the valve but at least the leak was a dribble, not a geyser. I couldn't help feeling that the ship is beginning to age a little prematurely.

 

6. entertainment: duo wasn't good in our view. we saw them in dazzles and thought they were doing kareoki (sp?) until we saw them in the Atrium the next night. oops. trio and dan hodges and others were just fine.

 

7. New Years: Atrium had show band playing dance music. We do ballroom dancing but let me tell you there are plenty of things one can dance to that don't sound like a dirge. Place had no life. Pool: Rhythm Explosion has had better nights, with more energy and fun, but that was pretty good. Nice to be on deck at midnight. Spinnaker had Bonafide - rock/hip hop/club dancing. Place was packed and had the liveliest of the parties. Great toys/hats/noisemakers. Was fun. Champagne prices were VERY high.

 

8. Shops: Columbia Emeralds took over the shops. No costume jewelry sales, no $10/carat gemstone sales in the atrium. High prices and little stock (they ran out of candy for example). Staff was very nice though. They're trying hard.

 

9. Overall service: excellent but..i had arranged for a teppanaki reservation on the 27th for 9 of us that was confirmed on the first day of the cruise. It was a birthday celebration for one of our party. Somehow, between the 22nd and the 27th, someone erased it. We had it, it was confirmed and we had it first, but the other people were seated at 7:15 for the 7:30 seating. The concierge confirmed it, the maitre d' confirmed it but when the time came, the reservation wasn't there. The did manage to squeeze 7 of the 9 of us in and it was complimentary (but would have been anyway b/c villa guests get two specialty restaurant dinners per trip). Claudio and the maitre d' did everything they could to make it ok, but it was an unpleasant situation instead of a pleasant one, but we all tried to make the best of it. The food was not great (I wouldn't have picked teppanaki but the birthday girl wanted it) either. We got past it, however, and had a great time anyway.

 

that's all for now.

[Judyb]

Hi Msescada,

I was hoping you would be posting after your annual Holiday cruise. So glad you had another wonderful cruise! We will be back on the Dawn in April and look forward to enjoying the GV again. This time it's the portside villa.

 

With many of the staff from the Dawn gone to the Jewel, did you see any of your favorite staff from last year? Could you let us know who the butler and concierge was?

 

I had to laugh at your Geyser story, since we had one as well. I woke up to the sound of loud rushing water the first morning out and finally tracked it out to the Garden. It was gushing across the doorway from the lion fountain. Called John the butler and showed him and he went running out to find the shut off valve. It was fixed immediately and we enjoyed a nice sedate fountain for the rest of the cruise.:D

 

So sorry to hear about your experience with Teppanyaki. We missed it last year and are planning to visit this time around.

 

Please let us know any other interesting details when you have a chance.

 

Judy

[NoPiratesPlease]

really quick: john is on jewel. claudio is concierge instead of ruth but not sure he'll still be there when you go

 

Denny is the butler, but he's trying to get leave to go home for the birth of his next child.

 

Leahlu and Rafael are the cabin stewards, but she leaves in 1.5 wks for vacation.

 

Hugo is hotel director and Tony is fb mgr.

 

so everyone is different.

 

have a wonderful time and port side is 14500 and great

[Judyb]

Thanks for the rundown. Looks like I'll just have to wait and see who's still there in April.:) I had originally wanted 14500 last year but had 14000, instead. I was very happy with it. I am hoping I like 14500 just as well. This time there will be 5 of us in the GV and we're all so excited.

 

again, thanks for the update,

Judy