Semi-Live, Dawn - Canada & New England 5/11/2019, our old favorite

[mking8288]

For those sailing the Dawn, be sure to bring a 220v euro 2-pin round plug adapter to use the outlet, good for most common dual voltage charging devices, etc. (iPhone, iPad, smartphone/tablet, laptop/notebook & digital cameras, etc. - almost all are auto-sensing, dual 110/220v compatible these days, with a correct adapter/plug.)  

If you have a UK plug adapter, bring it along for the 3rd available 220v outlet (should looked like the big one pictured below - in the middle) 

No USB outlets whatsoever. A 6' USB extension cord to reach bedside, 10' is better ... as the outlet isn't exactly close by.  

A simple 110v power tap should be part of one's must pack & come along items. CPAP users, I highly recommend a 12' or 15' power extension cord. No surge suppression for electrical fire safety reasons.

Updated my illustrated guide ... (bluetooth keyboard is optional) 

Sent via global dual-sim XiaoMi MA2L w Google Fi using Tapatalk & Pie
 

Edited May 19, 2019 by mking8288

[dexddd]

23 hours ago, Arzeena said:

We are doing Meraviglia Repo from NYC to FLL.

6/22 will be the more or less the deciding factor. I have high hopes for the 6/22 Seaside.

Wish we could take one of those trips in October but a no go.

[dexddd]

21 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Portside view of the Atlantic Ocean ... and here is a set of mystery storage location, somewhere on the lower passenger deck. 

 

No idea what's behind those stainless steel doors (pretty sure it is not provisioning) & it is not a stop on the Behind The Scene tour either,  could that be ... 

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That's where they hide the straws and towel animals, for your convenience of course.

[dexddd]

24 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

For those sailing the Dawn, be sure to bring a 220v euro 2-pin round plug adapter to use the outlet, good for most common dual voltage charging devices, etc. (iPhone, iPad, smartphone/tablet, laptop/notebook & digital cameras, etc. - almost all are auto-sensing, dual 110/220v compatible these days, with a correct adapter/plug.)  

If you have a UK plug adapter, bring it along for the 3rd available 220v outlet (should looked like the big one pictured below - in the middle) 

No USB outlets whatsoever. A 6' USB extension cord to reach bedside, 10' is better ... as the outlet isn't exactly close by.  

A simple 110v power tap should be part of one's must pack & come along items. CPAP users, I highly recommend a 12' or 15' power extension cord. No surge suppression for electrical fire safety reasons.

Updated my illustrated guide ... (bluetooth keyboard is optional) 

Sent via global dual-sim XiaoMi MA2L w Google Fi using Tapatalk & Pie
 

Are you part of the MI Team?

Think there are two MSC Canada NE trips then repo to Miami.  Jvsnana is on one of the first two.

 

[Iworktocruiseandtravel]

48 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

For those sailing the Dawn, be sure to bring a 220v euro 2-pin round plug adapter to use the outlet, good for most common dual voltage charging devices, etc. (iPhone, iPad, smartphone/tablet, laptop/notebook & digital cameras, etc. - almost all are auto-sensing, dual 110/220v compatible these days, with a correct adapter/plug.)  

If you have a UK plug adapter, bring it along for the 3rd available 220v outlet (should looked like the big one pictured below - in the middle) 

No USB outlets whatsoever. A 6' USB extension cord to reach bedside, 10' is better ... as the outlet isn't exactly close by.  

A simple 110v power tap should be part of one's must pack & come along items. CPAP users, I highly recommend a 12' or 15' power extension cord. No surge suppression for electrical fire safety reasons.

Updated my illustrated guide ... (bluetooth keyboard is optional) 

Sent via global dual-sim XiaoMi MA2L w Google Fi using Tapatalk & Pie
 

Do they not have any “American” outlets?? I bought something that was recommended by someone else before...

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, Lionessa15 said:

Would you mind giving a summary of what the weather was like? Trying to figure out what kind of weather to expect is really confounding my packing list!

 

Sure, but I think by early June, it should be a little warmer & (hopefully) nicer ... follow seadog67's "live" review/blog this week (docking at Halifax in less than 24 hours, not looking good, rain in the forecast)  ... I started following extended forecast at 10 to 15 days out, and begin the final packing about 3 to 4 days out, as the forecasts usually are quite accurate - for all the ports of calls along the way, including maritime ones for wind & waves, etc. 

 

DW and I basically packed everything in each of our 22" rollerboard and essentials in a smaller carry-on, mix-n-match and in layers, including a 3 season weatherproof jacket/parka, hat/umbrella & comfortable walking shoes (high heels are not advisable for tender ports on lifeboats w. steps to climb up/down & sometimes, rather steep & long gangways)

 

We had a beautiful sailaway, left Pier 88 practically on time & down the Hudson out to sea - around 60 degree F as I recall.  By the early morning of (Sea) Day 2 - we're far SE of Cape Cod/Nantucket going between 15 or 16 knots & 22 knots,  On early (Tuesday - Day 3) morning arrival into Halifax, it was a bit cool, windy & cloudy mixed with sun (showers forecasted but didn't) in the mid/upper 40's to low 50's - a great day to walk along the Waterfront.  Sailed into a beautiful golden evening sunset toward St. John, NB  - definitely needed a Fall/Spring jacket to be on the outside decks as ship was running at near full speed (due to distance between ports) ... not just a nylon windbreaker, a fleece jacket might suffice in June.  

 

Showers on & off and temps in 50's in St. John and similar forecasts expected for tendering ashore at Bar Harbor, Maine - I check the latest weather forecast for updates each morning/evening for the next port ... Bar Harbor's waterfront with little hills is great for walking around, weather permitting - been there before, instead of doing an Acadia NP tour, we opted to hunt for a good fresh seafood lunch & then returned to the ship - I believed we had brief showers later in the day & it was cloudy in the 50's (on Day 4, yet to really see temp's in the 60's)  CBP cleared the ship's pax for immigration rather quickly ... but, tendering ashore is still time-consuming.  

 

Portland was probably the best day, mostly sunny with few clouds, 50's early into the low 60's - excellent weather to walk along Commercial Street until we decided what to eat ... we've been to Portland & Freeport, etc. nearby many times so decided to just checkout the port area.  Newport, another tender port was forecasted to get showers but somewhat warmer in the 50's & 60's -  we're delayed for arrival due to Right Whales ... even with priority tendering, knew that we need to time our times ashore carefully to try to not get too wet.  Joined the end of the line for Tender group #6 around 1:15 pm or so and by the time we stepped off the pier landing - a 15 minutes transfer by tender lifeboat - it was close to 2 pm.  We decided to just scroll the shops & stores up the waterfront, toward the commercial strips - about 1 hour into our self-guided adventure, a light mist/shower began to fall & we decided to head back to the pier, stood in a light shower for about 10 minutes waiting for the next tender to board ... luckily, everyone prepared our layered clothing according - felt a bit chilly as the sky began to darken a bit (easily catch a cold).  The pier/waiting area for the tender offered no protections for the element.  

 

Think of packing in layers for 3 seasons, like doing an Alaska cruise in the middle of July ... pack an extra fleece/vest, hat/umbrella, water bottle & other essentials in a daypack (free your hands for holding on to the hand rails while tendering and/or walking along those steep ramps due to extreme tides.)  Enjoy your C/NE cruise next month. 

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, Iworktocruiseandtravel said:

Do they not have any “American” outlets?? I bought something that was recommended by someone else before ... 

 

Yes, there is one, uno, (1) - American wall outlet (110 volts) in all the staterooms, including full suite (per a fellow CC member at the Roll Call who raised the question "why" with the GM) - if you go back to the earlier post here, I had a photo of the outlet, right next to the single 220v U.K. style outlet on the wall next to desk/dresser along the wall.  

 

There has been numerous discussion about the use of these items, I owned and still use 2 of these Belkin outlet/usb adapter for travel, just not on cruises - it's great when it can be rotated & turn to adapt to the wall outlet's orientation as installed. 

 

Something like this - sold on Amazon, also seen them at Home Depot - will work nicely & take up minimal space.

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Adapter-Grounded-Outlet-58368/dp/B001UE7SC8

or, this - like the ones I carried (also at MicroCenter retail stores/online) 

 

Edited May 19, 2019 by mking8288

[NYcruzzer]

Welcome home. Enjoyed your semi-live posts. I'm on the June 8th sailing. Quick question. What is reservation policy for Bamboo ? If memory serves my correctly from my Gem Sailings you can only make reservations for Asian venue  same or next day. 

[mking8288]

@NYcruzzer - Thanks.  On the Dawn, we booked a table for 8 on day 2 (maybe it was day 3) for day 6 ... booked LeBistro online in advance.  We also booked Teppanyaki and Moderno onboard, day 2 & 3 - actually quite surprised about availability, not necessary for a desired time (but 5:30 & 5:45 pm worked for us, unless you plan to stay ashore until late up to all abroad time)  They had to check ahead & get their system override for a table of 8, as tables of 2, 4 & 6 are common, but for 8 - as in Bamboo & Moderno.  

 

Refer to the uploaded Dailies for scheduled port times but I wasn't aware of being limited to same or next day bookings only for Bamboo.  On the "Norwegian" App, it noted reservations not accepted but not true, just has to do it on board.  Embarkation day, they set up the reservation ops at Bamboo - otherwise, it's next to/part of Guest Services - portside, opposite CruiseNext office (remember to go there to ask for those (yellow) Platinum tags) starting on Day 5.  

 

IMO, subjectively, the (vegetarian) egg rolls were good enough - just avoid the hot & sour soup (it's ruined) ... spicy seafood or cha shiu (roast pork) noodles soup are fine ... stired fried rice noodles, too sweet for our "trained" taste.  The lemon peppered shrimps, not bad - a notch too sweet but no upcharge; and, we ordered extra entrees to share.  Enjoy !  

Edited May 20, 2019 by mking8288

[NYcruzzer]

Thanks for the quick response. Soon as I board I have to tighten up the reservations I made online for Cagney's and La Cucina. They only had 9:00 pm. We prefer a 6:30 time slot . I'll book one night at Bamboo at that point as well.

Edited May 20, 2019 by NYcruzzer

[Lionessa15]

13 hours ago, mking8288 said:

 

Sure, but I think by early June, it should be a little warmer & (hopefully) nicer ... follow seadog67's "live" review/blog this week (docking at Halifax in less than 24 hours, not looking good, rain in the forecast)  ... I started following extended forecast at 10 to 15 days out, and begin the final packing about 3 to 4 days out, as the forecasts usually are quite accurate - for all the ports of calls along the way, including maritime ones for wind & waves, etc.  

 

Thanks again for all the info! What resource did you use for weather forecasts (including the maritime ones)?

[mking8288]

Until we get some fresh live views this week from Seadog67, here are more pix that I "confiscate" from others [emoji23]

LeBistro on the Dawn last week.

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[mking8288]

Dining at Bamboo and MDR choices

 

 

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[mking8288]

Halifax, NS


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[mking8288]

Bar Habor, ME - allow time to clear immigration & tendering

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[mking8288]

Freshly catched & prepared ... good food & prices. Free WiFi, for your convenience, of course.

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[mking8288]

More seafood in Portland, ME ... you just gotta eat it to judge [emoji39] for yourself while you are there.

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[mking8288]

Best day of our week, weather-wise ... comfortable walking shoes, leave those high heels on the ship.

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[mking8288]

Non-slip shoes to go ashore via tenders, capacity of 110 max per lifeboat. Transport wheelchairs & strollers were loaded, but ...

 

 

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[mking8288]

Still want to ask & know about the white space on the deck plans ? [emoji2960]

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[mking8288]

6 hours ago, Lionessa15 said:

What resource did you use for weather forecasts (including the maritime ones)?

 

We are mostly on Androids, except for the iPads and an iPhone SE as a 2nd. backup for global travel - the usual ones like Weather Channel, AccuWeather along with the default weather Apps.  MarineTraffic & ShipMate to track ship's AIS data for ETA, distance to ports, etc. 

 

"Windy" is another app that I like and for "current marine data" - browser link to Oceanweather.com/data to look at ocean waves, flow & directions, etc. - regardless of season, as the North Atlantic can be unpredictable year-round.  

 

NOAA has a maritime page/forecast - with text-based summary & updates - it is a little harder to read and understand ... terms like "strong gale force wind" do stand out.  https://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/marine_map.htm 

Canada's weather bureau also post reader-friendly forecasts for the maritimes.  Between them, look at 5 and 10 days outlook for coastal MA (Nantucket, off Cape Cod) and places within the Gulf of Maine (Yarmouth & Halifax).  

 

In general, forecast are usually spot-on within 48 to 72 hours except for those fast-moving Nor-Easters, a quick check at each port to look ahead has helped us to adjust plans as needed ... even if satellite WiFi at sea is not available or offline, for whatever reasons.  

 

Twitter feeds & SMS/text-based push message subscriptions, including local/regional OEM that I subscribed to (for medical reserve reasons as a local volunteer) & USCG help to pretty much stay in the loop, most of the time,  

[mking8288]

Time to wrap up, now that the NCL post-cruise e-surveys (got 3 of them ... randomly ... sure, #cough #cough) are here, to summarize with an overview, and take any questions ... plus, a small bonus *** insider's tip (read on) on a little extra free satellite WiFi minutes.  

 

Gang of 8 - 4 cabins, last minute: 

We directly booked (almost) last minutes - 2 cabins (an Oceanview mid-ship picture window and an Inside GTY, both with "free" promotions - at 25 days when NCL began to lower prices.  WiFi (250 minutes) in both cabins and SDP for 3 nights with one.  Booked 2 SailAway - Inside GTY cabins at 10 days out ... all 4 cabins eligible to particiapte and invited to submit bids for the Upgrade Advantage.  A little over a day before the bids expired, we got upgraded to an Oceanview, porthole & 48 hours prior to sailing, the bids for the balcony expired - details are (click for the link) here.

 

Dining - 

We booked LeBistro dining for 8 on Day 10, Moderno for 8 onboard (Day 2) and Teppanyaki onboard the ship too (Day 3) for 8 ... plus Bamboo (free, reservations are required, not a walk-up) ... ate mostly in the MDR (Venetian) for breakfast & dinner, only once in O'Sheehan's - lobster/seafood lunches twice off the ship ... and, fruits/snacks & coffee in the buffet a few times as in-between.  It worked for us - and, what a "Joy" to not having to "need" advance reservations for shows in the Stardust Theater ... both thumbs up, gotta love these mid-sized ships in the fleet.

 

Crew & officers - 

Generally speaking, we found the the crew members to be trending younger, friendly and doing their job ... some of them once worked on the Joy in the China market until recently.  Mrs. M spoke to and chatted with several of them when they weren't busy in the MDR, one just transferred to the Dawn a week ago & still getting oriented to how things are done ... very interesting (they choose to stay & work at sea, and, NCL renewed & continued their contracted work for another 8 months.)  They seemed to be happy campers and had a good, basic command of English - unlike some of the ones we saw/met on the Breakaway, Gem & Escape with earlier sailings ... a few of the trainees then, seemed rather robotic & miserable.  

Ship's senior officers - we met some of the them at the CC Meet & Greet and the GM stayed around for an extra 15+ minutes to do a nice Q&A with us, kudo & thank you !!  Don't believed we sailed with some of them on other ships, not that it mattered one way or another - CD Luz was good, fun & high energy, and apparently promoted recently.  

 

We did not see those small "Comments" card in the MDR and/or buffet at all for the entire week, and the Vacation Hero cards were put out by management only toward the end of the cruise week, at a corner by Guest Services - apparently, the impression - IMHO - being that it is not a big push to get as many filled out as they could ??   We pooled ourselves & "voted" to fill out 2 cards for 2 MDR servers.  Room stewards were fine for our 4 staterooms and got the job done, clean & mostly efficient (ours "met" the standards) not quite "going above & beyond" - has little or nothing to do with not doing towel animals and/or ice buckets.  

 

It's been 14 years since we sailed (twice) the Dawn and as a whole, she is a remarkable "old" ship that looked great ... missed the Spinnaker Lounge & Bridge viewing room setup on the Gem, but, generally like the bright color scheme on the ship, i.e. the newer Bliss Lounge, where many activities were held.  The atrium lobby felt "small" compared to the Gem, with compact & efficient seating around the cafe/bar. 

 

Satellite WiFi & connectivity, etc. - 

Almost missed the tiny iCafe (internet "center") with just PC terminals, access to a laser printer (50 cents per page) plus a tiny workstation for the iCafe manager ... it sat mostly unused & empty, except toward the end of the cruise ... unlike the mega/+ ships, often with a line for tech help.  It's pretty much easy DIY help for most semi-tech savy end users.   Satellite WiFi is what it is - latency is very high, as expect and wireless signal isn't dual-band (missing 5 Ghz) and 802.11 ac not supported, sluggish & congested at peak times - it's "worst" than what I expected, after being on the BA & Gem in recent cruises.  U/L and D/L speeds are mostly accepted, fine for email & basic web surfing, VoIP calls & most apps ... I don't recommend paying extra for unlimited unless you insist, and streaming HD contents is at your own risk ... you've been cautioned & advised herein, not to.  

 

Transportation, Embarkation & Disembarkation, etc. - 

Embarkation was a breeze, super fast - Dawn sailed up to NY empty without passengers, got some maintenace work done for its 2 days at sea, crew members were somewhat relaxed while getting other "jobs" done - it arrived into NY early, docked & ready. 

 

We used Carmel car service again - driver arrived 10 minutes+ early for our scheduled 9 a.m. pickup time - booked a standard/basic 4 door sedan, and the late model Toyata Camry was fine, generous trunk room - fit all our bags easily, would be good for 3 adults & luggage - for the ride.  Shortest & fastest route from our home was actually over the Bronx, across I-95 and down the West Side Hwy with a toll & congestion surcharge included - total with discounts & 20% tips, came to $61 rounded up, credited 94 airline miles - LOL.  Easily dropped off - no traffic jams on the roadway upstairs - at 9:30 am (wow, got there far too early ... but, this NYC - better than being late)  Security not open, roped off & closed - contracted pier agents still doing their "huddles" in the back, and about 150 to 200 early birds hanging out.  

 

Security was ready & finally began screening folks at 10 a.m. and took us less than 10 minutes to get past them, had the greeters show us to the Platinum line for getting checked in - done in less than 5 minutes and by 10:20 - past the ship photographers, made our way into the roped off Platinum sitting area (probably no more than 150 or so in total when we started boarding).  As usual, suite (Haven) guests get escorted boarding first and we're on the gangway by 11:15 - all of the staterooms were ready and we dropped our bags off by 11:20.  Made our way back to the atrium lobby at 11:45 and by noon, the gang of 8 were seated in Venetian MDR for a sit-down lunch ... sort of disappointed that it's the same 2018 lunch menu.  

 

Amazing what an extra 90 minutes to 2 hours can do - especially by the time we went back to our rooms, bags had been delivered & waiting for us - unzipped & tossed those packing tubes into the drawers, hang up a few items.  Time for a quick power nap after setting the alarm - muster drill was in the Stardust @ 3:30 pm ... organized, efficient & promptly runned; and, everyone dismissed in about 15 minutes.  Nice thing about being in steerage on Deck 4 Fwd, we don't need to wait for 1 of 4 elevators in the front coming out of Deck 6, 2 quick floors down, a quick right & few steps and we are in our cabin again. 

 

Ports of Calls & Tendering - Gangway Access, etc. - 

<< Forward elevators are usually not crowded or packed, except during showtimes ... not even on port days ... and, coming out of ours, the gangway to go ashore, especially tendering is on 4 >> 

 

With 2 of our stops being tendering ports, it took a little longer than usual for the lifeboat & flip-out platform/ramps from the ship to be ready & secured - those doing independent shorex, please plan for & allow extra time in booking ... things happen, could be immigration, tides or the Right Whales & seasonal migration, not just weather or rough seas for safety reasons.  No pier runners that we know of and/or anyone left behind with their luggage & belongings on the pier, but some names did get called out over ship's PA to contact guest services ... in Portland, ME (it was the best day among all the stops.)  

 

With arrival into Canada, we filled out declaration form (NCL provided instructional tip sheet) & dropped them off at Guest Services by 4 PM of Day 2, ahead of next morning arrival into Halifax, NS - it was simple & easy.  Once the entire ship was cleared & gangway ready, jus walk off the ship.  

 

Bar Harbor was first US port of entry, informed that CBP will tender out to the ship, do a face-to-face inspection/interview with all passengers, starting at 8:30 am (arrival scheduled at 8, ship was early & pax on NCL shorex instructed to report shortly after 7:30 am ... while we're on our way to the MDR for breakfast)  It went quicker than expected, the last group called around 9:15 am - a simple 15 seconds passport check with 1 of 3 uniformed CBP thru/inside Bliss Lounge - entry portside & exit starboard side, and NCL security affixing a sticker to ID each pax cleared ... Once done, you are free to proceed to go ashore/get on the next tender ... on Deck 4 portside.  It's a short 5 minutes transfer to go ashore, we're not in a hurry & got on the 10:35 am lifeboat - the 5 or 6 CBP officers had already finished their work on the Dawn & came along for the ride, a wheelchair & a stroller got loaded as well ... on the pier @ 10:50 am.   

 

Disembarkation once we get back to NYC on Saturday morning "should" be quick, simple, easy, fast and a walk in the park ... well, not true.  Surprise !

 

Portland - simple & easy - it's a long gangway, Deck 4 ... portside.  Comfortable, non-slip walking shoes for this route is highly recommended.  

 

Newport, RI - weather forecast not great, cloudy skies & showers on the way (live radar maps on smartphone App).  We're expected to be on time for the short distance from Portland, speed reduced from 22 to 23 kts to 15 to 16 kts, somehow slowed by mandatory USCG speed restriction zones passing thru the area due to seasonal Right Whales sightings as reported by all vessels.  As a result, we're late getting into the harbor by about 30 minutes, then it took longer than usual to set up tenders.  

 

Sea conditions a little rough, a little windy - hold on to the rails stepping out, both hands (gotta love those backpack or daypack) - at one point, lifeboat was moving up & down quite a bit and loading stopped by crew for safety reasons, resumed & the trip ashore took longer, almost 15 minutes thru the harbor.  By the time we got ashore, it was close to 2 pm - after doing an early & quick lunch, MDR was open at 11:30 ... not everyone choose to go ashore.  

 

Drizzle began to fall as we began to work our way back to the tender pier about 2:45 pm - with our local shopping trophies.  One of the lifeboat apparently had minor issues & was taken out of service, return to the ship empty, as showers began to fall - with about 75 people standing in the open, no cover on the dock/waterfront waiting  ... embrella, hats & hoodies went up for us, being prepared.  Waited about 10 minutes for the tender to dock & tied up, as they only load us 1 boatload at a time - by the time we got off the ramp & onto the ship, it was about 3:30 pm.  Time to get some warmth, coffee & snack time at the buffet.  

 

Homecoming - NYC - easy on the speed & we're early, as expected - off the Rockaways by 5 am, sailed passed VZ Bridge & SOL at sunrise @5:30 am, north on the Hudson & began the slow turn toward Pier 88 at 5:45 am.  Full stops before 6 am as many pax sleep while the early birds are heard down the hallway.  The gang of 8 met one last time in MDR for an Express sit-down breakfast again @ 6:45, our usual long table for 8 and by 7:30 am - back in our room, make sure we cleared out everything.  Took the nearly empty Fwd elevators up to Deck 7, away from the long lines snaking around the corners Mid ship, eager to walk-off, quite a few dragging oversized luggage ... must be in a hurry.  Suite/VIP's are coming off Fwd elevators & using the Fwd gangway, proceeding toward the terminal building.  

 

Luz, CD reminded all pax at 8:20 it is still doing Express self walk-offs, that everyone else are to wait onboard.  By 8:35 - Yellow tags called for Platinum/Plus to proceed and we headed to the AFT gangway, for a shorter walk as it is closer to the terminal's escalators & elevator to get downstairs to street level to access luggage hall - this segment, took about 20 minutes.

 

Once we got downstairs, discovered a surprise - several hundreds in line, queued up ahead toward the exit area ... well, CBP apparently is doing another round of passport check of all arriving pax (despite this being done at Bar Harbor, 3 days earlier at the first port of entry into the US !!)  That, explained, the slow egress & delays in disembarkation for everyone.  

 

Plenty of porters around this morning with their carts, so Mrs. M just waived at the next available one - she is 1 of the 3 female porters working the MCT - piled a dozen assorted bags, medium & small, larger ones, and followed her - down the middle "express" porter aisle - got a welcome home smile from the CBP officer, with a quick passport check ... no scanning - headed straight toward & crossed 12th Ave.  No lines at the yellow taxi stand at all but a long line of drivers waiting, split into 3 taxis and by 9:25 am ... zooming north on the old West Side Hwy, zipped across I-95 with a slight slow down & curbside in front of our driveway at 10.  

 

Fying home, somewhere same day - the porter express route probably saved us easily 20 to 30 minutes - if out of towners had to catch a domestic flight at LGA for 11:30 am or 12 noon, it would be close but doable - probably can make a 11:00 am push back with Global Entry as airport is possibly 15 minutes closer (assuming no access/service roadway delay due to construction thru 2020+) providing that on a given Saturday, those lines are staffed & open by TSA.  My advice on the East Coast forum still stand - do not book any flights before 1 pm if possible ... things happen.  

 

I.D. memo - bring a government photo ID along with the ship's Guest keycard, port security for all stops were checking them ... passport not necessary, keep them safely inside your stateroom, unless instructed otherwise onboard. 

 

Latitude/Platinum Perks & related - 

The Latitude Welcome tri-fold was in all of our cabins, along with the newly downsized 16 oz. bottled "premium" NCL water (it was a larger 22+ oz. one) along with the sparkling wine.  Fresh chocolate-covered strawberries wasn't delivered until Day 2, we got 2 plates worth ... no ice bucket, however (only on request by speaking direct to RS) (ditto, if towel animals are desired)   

 

Our friend's CAS (land-based) welcome bottle of wine, player's drink cards & letter from the ship's casino host were in their cabin, waiting.  Otherwise, none of the 3 rooms received any other pro forma "Welcome Back" letter like in the past ... must be eco-friendly.  If one isn't familiar with the drills, could easily not know how/when to sign up for the BTS tour, short but complimentary for Platinum/+.  

 

A voicemail message was pushed by the CruiseNext team to all 4 of our cabins for the next day's all-purpose Latitude reception/cocktail party at 12:30 pm in the Bliss Lounge ... no invite letters to bring, just flash your color-coded Guest keycards since there are no longer door prizes, drawings or giveaways  ... holding on to the Del Sol frisbees that I won a few years ago.  Someone asked about concierge-like assistance with dinner reservations (since main shows do not take/accept/need to be booked in advance) - what's that, forgetabout it ...  Oh, well - I can deal with this myself & check on availability, or just take a walk to the desk/kiosk ... all the menus are on display inside Bamboo, at the sushi counter round-about.  

 

As far as priority tendering is concerned, none that I know of for Bar Harbor - with the CBP, I can understand.  It is offered at Newport, RI ... you joined the end of the line when ready to tender, not get in front of everyone else.  

 

Ditto for those yellow (Platinum) luggage tags - certainly, no longer delivered by your friendly RS, it's now DIY - pick a color up outside CruiseNext by Day 4, but ask the CN team for your yellow ones.  Those "special ones" somewhat like the gold VIP/Priority tags are good for faster disembarkation, by joining the end of the line when the color is called - it is different than escorted ones.  

 

- to be continued - part 1 of 2, maybe 3 (at most) ... trying to keep it as short, brief & inclusive as possible.    Questions, comments are welcomed & and will be answer, please try NOT to quote the whole post, to make it easier & simple for others to read and follow.  T.I.A. 

[mking8288]

Wrap-up - part 2 of 3.  

 

Onboard the recently refurbished Dawn - 

Stardust Theater & Shows - it's nice to not book any shows in advance, just check the posted time in the Freestyle Dailies, and plan to arrive 15 to 30 minutes early for best seatings - Deck 6 Fwd is easiest.  There is a reserved section in the middle, set aside for fellow pax with accessible needs ... otherwise, plenty of excellent seating.  Upper level has reserved box seating for suite guests ... IMHO, some of the best are downstairs in the middle, 5 to 10 rows down the steps.  On the downside, legroom remains poor, bad - if others need to get into their seats or leave early, everyone in that row need to rise - no "if's" or "but's" unless you are have extremely short legs, like the Breakaway ... the Escape is rather roomy in comparison.  

 

We attended 3 out of 5 shows ... Showdown is very good (look for Luz on stage, kicking & singing along, performing; Duo Odyssey with the Aerialist pair is great; and of course, Elements is a must see, with the officers & crew special farewell.  We missed the comedy & the last evening's special, too tired & exhausted and with our busy meals. 

 

Check the Freestyle Dailies for other performances, shows & presentations inside the (nicely done) Bliss Lounge, and when it is not "in use" a good place to sit back, relax & enjoy a beverage - a noise-isolation headphone or ear-buds will take care of distractions from others.  Gatsby's Bar, next to LeBistro on Deck 6 is a good place to listen to live music & singers performing, if you can find seating, always packed to a full house ... try finding a place to sit upstairs, opposite the entrance to Bamboo ... window seatings can be found, sometimes to listen from above. 

 

Atrium lobby - Deck 7 Midship with coffee & pastries and bar service, dozen + tables & chairs around it.  Unlike the Gem, no movies shown here - there are more cushioned seating all around - it is a little different for those familiar with the Gem - the place looked to be a bit too crowded at times, but not badly ... NCL made good use of all the available space.   We loved those glass elevators going up & down. 

 

The "not so" secret Lounge - Deck 9 Mid, access via doors on either side, around the corner from the elevators (easily missed, even if you room is on Deck 9) or up the spiral staircases from Deck 8, next to O'Sheehan's .... this was once the ship's internet center with PC's ... years ago.  Gone.  Now, you will find comfortable long sofas, cushioned chairs & loungers - it is quiet except for noise from the atrium below or live music being played, a place to read, put on a pair of headphone, catch up on email or work, do some knitting and just sit back & relax, perhaps small talks & chat among friends ... whatever, especially if you are in a small cabin, inside or otherwise.  

 

O'Sheehan's on Deck 8, above the atrium is a nice place to enjoy comfort food, we had a good lunch there once - quick service, friendly staff & food served warm, if not hot - never cold.  Portion sizes, downgraded - 2 pieces of whites in an order of Fish & Chips.  Hey, you can always order a double or another item, it's free - wings are good, ordered ours with sauce on the side.  Checkout the pictures we took to judge for yourself about portion sizes - it is highly subjective & personal, YMMV.  Nobody left that place on an empty stomach - didn't see the late night (shorter) menu, after 11 pm - it is the only place staying open, besides Room Service with a service fee for delivery ... unless you are in a suite & want to call your butler.  

 

On different nights, OSH ran evening dinner specials ... not heavily promoted, a little different than mega/+ ships.  The wait to get seated isn't bad - even when 8 of us showed up ... just swipe all 4 cabin's keycards, for tracking purposes ... I guess, cost control & planning.  

 

Outdoors/Waterfront - our week onboard being a chilly one, we hardly went up to Deck 12, let alone 13 or 14 Fwd, etc. - the (heated ?? not sure) main pool was basically empty all week, chair hogs not a problem but a few brave souls seen in the hot tubs at different times.  Outside Deck 4, below the lifeboats - is open but again, hardly anyone out there - no loungers or chairs from what I can see while out there.  It's probably okay for doing a morning or evening slow walk, not for jogging or runners, if you wish to - providing seas are calm & not windy, and not roped off or closed for safety reasons ... under the watchful eyes-in-the-air CCTV cameras, everywhere if you really look closely.  

 

Fitness Center - located Deck 12 AFT, go past the Garden Cafe (buffet) - starboard side (unlike the Gem, no "Outdoors" AFT) - SIL & friend reported good choice of equipments, well maintained & busy, but not crowded.  

 

Library - Deck 12 Fwd - it is rather spacious compared to the Gem, quiet inside and a good collection of books on the shelf, hours are posted - did not looked too busy or crowded, seating available ... could be a function of the ports & itinerary.  

 

Staying In Touch - as noted, satellite WiFi on the Dawn isn't as good as those on the Gem, Breakaway & Escape, as I benchmarked & compared among these 4 ships since NCL's upgrade began 3 years ago, improvements observed ... could & should be better on the Dawn. Fewer wireless routers/repeaters in the hallways & other public area - signal strength as measured not as robust and "no" on 5 Ghz band used.  

 

Calling rates from staterooms is $5 a minute, using the NCL App to call is 79 cents a minute, billed to the associated stateroom accounts.  Calls to the ship are at a higher rate - as a last resort, keep in mind that in a true emergency, it is priceless !! if a call need to go thru without static or being dropped ... see earlier post on "how".  

 

For Halifax & St. John in Canada (thanks, seadog67 for checking it) - free pubic WiFi (unsecured) are available & nearby - not necessary convenient.  Otherwise, Rogers & Telus has solid 4G LTE signals and is fast.  Celluar coverage in Bar Harbor, Maine is mostly available to Verizonwireless and AT&T,  Sprint & T-Mobile users (that's some of us) found no signals or towers to connect to, not even for 2G (Edge) voice calling with good old GSM quadbands, not even on new iPhones.  ** Mrs. M's Nexus/Moto on Google Fi got a solid 4G LTE signal, probably a case of domestic roaming (free) on AT&T's tower.  Everyone was happy on their home carriers in Portland and Newport, no problems reported among us for not getting 4G services.  

 

We managed to metered our 330 minutes worth of "free" satellite WiFi minutes for the entire week and make it work.  Reaffirming also that for our Google Fi cellular services, we used a total of about 2.5 GB worth of 4G data among 3 enabled/activated devices, on a single line - our extra out-of-pocket expense for this trip on data, a frugal $30 at most, actually free & written off as we had rebated credits from Google ... LOL.  

 

Insider's (free WiFi) Tips:  ***** for Latitude members on Sailaway rates, not paying for extra WiFi minutes & trying to get by with just 30 or 60 "free" Platinum minutes ... (or, anyone else) you can get an extra 10 free minutes, while it last and/or until the loophole is closed, changed or blocked - I will not explain this further elsewhere on CC or get into it at length.  First, download the latest "Cruise Norwegian" App, as updated to your devices first.  Second, once connected onboard to ship's WiFi and ready to activate for the first time, click the option to "download NCL App" & then follow the steps to continue or activate - viola, 10 free minutes given to allow for D/L.

Next, continue to "go online" and use those minutes first to do whatever, like emails or messages, etc. - they go very quickly.  Once used up, you need to select other available free minutes in your plan - use them one at a time until depleted.  Use the above loophole at your own risk, subject to change or block without notice, and I am not responsible for anything you do as a result.  If it no longer works for whatever reasons, let it be and I do not have an answer for it ... it's like that infamous iMessage loophole that some sworn by.  

 

Ship's iCafe URL is easily reached on your mobile/desktop browser by typing in login dot com to sign-in.  Remember to do logout dot com each time to sign-out or else the minutes "meter" will continue to do the countdown & even at 30 or 40 minutes, it will be gone before you know it. 

 

The Norwegian App connects to ship's WiFi inTRAnet and is free, except for calling or texting other registered/activated users on the ship only, for a one-time fee of $9.95 per device - no WiFi minutes are deducted or used.  

 

Got a question or comment - sure, go ahead & ask.  Please try NOT to quote the whole post, to make it easier & simple for others to read and follow.  T.I.A.  Next, last but not least - a few thoughts about dining on the Dawn & some observations.  That should do it, on my end.  Maybe, perhaps, see if  seadog67 can help while he is still onboard the Dawn this week - follow & check out his live post.  

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Wrap-up - part 3 of 3

 

Onboard the Dawn, the Washy Washy theme is well established, projected and maintained, especially at the entrance to the buffet - a crew member is almost always on duty, "guarding" & using the spray bottle on anyone and everyone coming into the buffet area to eat, drink or grab something, etc.  

 

On a nearby wall is two hand-wash sinks, soap & paper towels ... did not see anyone voluntary walking up to it, soap up & wash their hands before eating, and certainly not after eating.  We did see, 2 or 3, off-duty crew members planning to eat/stay in the buffet area, walk up to wash & dry their hands - nice, well done.  

 

The buffet area is smaller compared to the one on the Gem (which also has the Great Outdoors in the back of the ship) but the inside setup is a bit spacious, with room for someone to walk around.  No folding chairs anywhere seen (nor in the atrium lobby, unlike the Escape or BA)  Staffing ratio seemed adequate for the buffet stations, with crew members going around clearing plates & taking away utensils and cups when finished.  

 

Water bottles - the art of refilling:  well, most of the pax on this cruise were good in using a clean cup to fill & transfer drinking water into their own water bottles, thermos or insulated mug, etc.  On 2 different occassions, late night - we saw 2 pax skipping the part - just shoved their narrowed-mouth water bottle directly toward the tip of the water dispenser, and, then walked away - ignoring the post sign, written in "English" only, nearby.  A crew member was nearby, cleaning and stacking cups & glasses - apparently did not notice or missed noticing it.   Since there're a fair # of non-English speaking passengers on the ship, like similar ships doing other itineraries - perhaps, NCL should adopt the use of an universal infographics style signage/logo to inform all guests to don't do it directly, use a clean cup.  Too much to ask for ?  Maybe ... 

 

Dinner Reservations & Availabilites - when it was just 4 of us in 2 cabins, I wasn't planning to try to book prime dining time at all and just going to wing it or play by ears.  But, at 10 days out with 2 more cabins booked & 4 more coming along - I decided to book a table of 8 on several nights, just in case and with just a little more than a week to go, still managed to find a reasonable time to eat together in the MDR, also in LeBistro.  

 

We had Platinium dining vouchers to cover 6  of us and 2 others with the SDP for 2 at 3 nights, and not surprised at all - able to book on the ship, a 5:30 pm table for 8 in Moderno, also 5:30 seating in Teppanyaki for 8 on another day for 5:30 pm; and, lastly, 5:45 pm for Bamboo for 8 again (complimentary but reservations required.)  We're surprised that 2 tables inside Teppanyaki (each seating up to 8, were vacant & not booked - or, maybe no-shows ?? - on Day 6 at 5:30 pm - while we're seating inside Bamboo.  The sushi counter was basically empty, both times we ate in this area,  not a soul there.  Maybe, just maybe, it is the clientele or composition of who's onboard a particular sailing.

 

Teppanyaki was fun & the steak served was pretty good - with an entertaining show put on by the chef while doing the cooking ... we haven't done this in a good # of years, doing it every now & then isn't bad.  Generous amount of fried rice available for anyone by asking, to make sure in filling one's stomach.

 

Moderno located on Deck 13 Mid-ship is smaller but we managed to get 8 of us together for another good meal, sampling the various cut & variety of red meat, poultry & the salad bar - a nice poolside window view as the ship sailed for the evening.   By the time we finished, more than 90 minutes later, we're stuffed full - good thing that we asked for small pieces or cuts, or else ... 

 

LeBistro - seated at a large round table that can easily fit 10, maybe 12 together at one end of the restaurant, it felt like we're in a semi-private dining room.  Upon presenting 3 Platinum dining vouchers, we're given the special wine list to select from ... our server brought 3 bottles of Beringer wine, opened one & we kept 2 unopened ones for the other nights.  With the Platinum vouchers, it's 1-1-1 whereas with the SDP for 2, they could do 2-1-1 (an extra "starter" item to choose from the menu.)  Service was great and it was a fine meal that we enjoyed, and, the server took pictures for us on our smartphone, spending a little over 2 hours - managed to catch the 9 pm show inside the Stardust Theater.  

 

As a result of these dining scheme, we didn't do Aqua at all and the rest of the meals were eaten in the Venetian MDR.  Expect to spend 90 minutes for a full dinner, unless you skip dessert & coffee and make sure to inform the server that you are on a clock & wanted to be out of there by a certain time - s/he will acknowledge & promised to try their best to do it.  

 

On the downwind side, we're a little disappointed to see the same 2018 menu again in early May ... was expecting or at least hoping to see some new & different MDR menu items to be introduced.  Not.  What 8 of us collectively concluded - with so many cruise nights that we combined together, on several different ships, is that portions had been recently downsized, it is definitely more "petite" - good for cooking light & healthy eating (doesn't this sound familiar to old-timers, LOL)  Hint, Hint !  The "wow" factor is definitely there for our eyes to see.  Not to worry, extra entrees are still free, for our convenience ... and we found plenty of shrimps, complimentary and zero upcharge ... just not shrimp cocktails.  

See those food porn pictures that we took & decide for yourself ... I actually had our January ones on the Escape to compare to.  But, I will give the benefit of the doubts to the chef's executive decisions to plan & manage his food budget onboard for all the guests.  

 

The other positive changes, lately, is that aside from embarkation & during port stops, the ship's outsourced photographers are no longer chasing after everyone for photos & cabin #'s - you need to go to them or find them, including those studio pro pix with the Captain.  The exception being in Specialty Dining as they will come around & ask if you wish to get some pix taken, then they rushed off to print them & make a sale on the spot.  We brought 2 large pictures, priced at $24 each - with our 30% discount, came to about $17 only.  

 

Gift shops & Duty-Free Shopping on the ship - we hardly spent any time roaming thru the gift shops, stocked with the usual items for familiar NCLfans.  On the duty-free side, everything appeared to be available in good quantities ... there wasn't a line of oversea shoppers/buyers.  Cigarette prices gone up again (since this January - Escape sailing) ... the usual sale pricing offered all week long.  

 

Casino - like the Gem  and the Jewel the Dawn's casino is small, especially when compared to the Breakaway, Getaway or Escape, fewer bandits and fewer tables - it was often packed, busy & smokey, vent exhaust not keeping up wit the heavy cigarette odor coming from almost everywhere, regardless whether there is a non-smoking section/area or not, unfortunately.  Mrs. M spend some time there the first 2 nights and I only dropped in briefly for the evening of day 1 - and contributed to the CAS's revenue sheets, no #1099-G to take home (Dexddd, hence no mansion anywhere)   Slots were said to be tight for most, but some did say it paid out for them as wins ... whatever.  One of the BIL played Blackjack briefly & it was a break-even for him, and he called it the night thereafter & went to bed ... the itinerary being a port intensive one, plus the time zone changes.  

 

Weather - it was nowhere near ideal, cooler & clouds, and showers/light drizzle in 2 ports, both tender stops - Bar Harbor and Newport.  Thankfully, we travel light in layers & prepared, the spirits took a little collateral damage but otherwise, it was a very good cruise for us.  

 

Well, this summarize just about all my/our thoughts - with Mrs M's input on what we saw, felt and observed, yada yada for what it's worth.  For the themed parties, bar scenes & spas, or other areas - I am someone else, like seadog, can and will most likely able to do it on their coverage.  Another seasoned CC is sailing next month on the Dawn ... just wait or ask in advance.  Otherwise, sail along and cruise with an open mind - it's an imperfect world we are in, and when it rain or shower on your port days, put on a non-slip pair of shoes, hoodies & weather-proof hat, and roll with the punches.  Thank you all for following along.  

 

Asked on whether we should book & sail the Dawn again in the near future - Susan said yes.  That answered "the question" for me, and maybe it's not what you think.  On the other hand, she put Princess & MSC on our radar ... let's start to "ping" them as well - in between other air-land trips being planned for 2020.  

[Arzeena]

Thank you so much for enlightening us with the tips and tricks.

 

I forgot already......for Platinum Plus, how many dining vouchers does one get? I was saying 1 voucher for a (dinner for two people) per P+ memeber, RJ says it is 2 vouchers (for a dinner for two people) per P+, so it 2 +2 =4  meals for P+? I don't have enough days to eat 4 specialties plus 3 from my dining perk I picked.!!!! LOL!

Edited May 23, 2019 by Arzeena