Live Review NCL Dawn British Isles One Way to Amsterdam 6/3/2022-6/12/2022. Lots of Pictures!

[BennyBrun]

6 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

You can't go wrong with Caffè Nero. It's a chain so you'll probably come across more in your other stops. Costa coffe shops are usually decent too.

That pistachio milk latte was so good!!  Yum yum yum

[Hogladyrider]

3 hours ago, luvcruzing said:

Nice to see you haven’t lost your healthy appetite. 😀

I would pay to see a sit down meal with @sid_9169 and @BennyBrunto see who consumes the most food!

[sid_9169]

19 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

I would pay to see a sit down meal with @sid_9169 and @BennyBrunto see who consumes the most food!

I'm up to the challenge!...

[Stratford1950]

I’ve been following both of these guys…their appetites are epic and I don’t think it’s possible to pick a winner, I would declare a tie😎

[Shaded Lady]

Loving your review as always @BennyBrun! We're doing a transatlantic out of Southampton in Oct 2023 so all your info about flying over there and where to stay pre-cruise is so helpful!

 

Which leads me to my question- we're thinking of booking Delta's Premium Select (can't afford Delta One with these oil prices!)... what did you think of Premium Select? Do the seats recline sufficiently to make such a long flight relatively comfortable? Do you get priority boarding with Premium Select?

 

Would have loved to have seen more pics of Southampton- unlike you we're spending our pre-cruise days there and we might take a day trip to London...

[Montanagirlalways]

There was an amazing massage therapist on the Dawn in April I believe. Sanjeeta. My friend won $150. in spa credit and gave it to me. I had done something to my knee prior to the cruise. After a hot stone massage by Sanjeeta I was pain free. I will always be grateful!!!!

[rwest898]

2 hours ago, Shaded Lady said:

Loving your review as always @BennyBrun! We're doing a transatlantic out of Southampton in Oct 2023 so all your info about flying over there and where to stay pre-cruise is so helpful!

 

Which leads me to my question- we're thinking of booking Delta's Premium Select (can't afford Delta One with these oil prices!)... what did you think of Premium Select? Do the seats recline sufficiently to make such a long flight relatively comfortable? Do you get priority boarding with Premium Select?

 

Would have loved to have seen more pics of Southampton- unlike you we're spending our pre-cruise days there and we might take a day trip to London...

Also on that cruise so I am also interested in the answer. 

[BennyBrun]

14 hours ago, sid_9169 said:

I'm up to the challenge!...

I am up for the challenge… see you on the Celebration? 😂 

[BennyBrun]

11 hours ago, Stratford1950 said:

I’ve been following both of these guys…their appetites are epic and I don’t think it’s possible to pick a winner, I would declare a tie😎

I think @sid_9169 drinks a lot more than I do though so I have to give him credit for that… those drinks on the Mardi Gras were epic!

[BennyBrun]

10 hours ago, Shaded Lady said:

Loving your review as always @BennyBrun! We're doing a transatlantic out of Southampton in Oct 2023 so all your info about flying over there and where to stay pre-cruise is so helpful!

 

Which leads me to my question- we're thinking of booking Delta's Premium Select (can't afford Delta One with these oil prices!)... what did you think of Premium Select? Do the seats recline sufficiently to make such a long flight relatively comfortable? Do you get priority boarding with Premium Select?

 

Would have loved to have seen more pics of Southampton- unlike you we're spending our pre-cruise days there and we might take a day trip to London...

Delta’s premium select is like the domestic first class with okay meal service.  I got a great deal on this but honestly I am happy with comfort plus.  Delta one is insanely priced and not worth it for me for a flight that’s less than 7 hours in the dark.  But that’s just me.  The seat reclines about the same as a domestic first seat and you do get priority over comfort plus and main cabin.  You get a bottle of water, Delta Tumi pouch along with foam pillow and blanket.  It does not live up to the hype!

 

I would reconsider and staying at LHR and visit London and do a transfer with NCL to Southampton unless you are flying into SouthHampton then that’s a different story.

[BennyBrun]

10 hours ago, Montanagirlalways said:

There was an amazing massage therapist on the Dawn in April I believe. Sanjeeta. My friend won $150. in spa credit and gave it to me. I had done something to my knee prior to the cruise. After a hot stone massage by Sanjeeta I was pain free. I will always be grateful!!!!

Wow!  That sounds amazing!

[BennyBrun]

Day 2 Leaving Portland 

[BennyBrun]

Day 2 Leaving Portland

 

Amazing view as we pulled out of the harbor.

[BennyBrun]

Day 2

 

Bamboo 

 

I appreciate the variety.  I did not care for the two soups as they were very sugary.  The Hot and Sour soup should not taste sweet.  It looks like they dumped that rooster chili hot sauce in a pot of water and added sugar.  YUCK!  The other options were better.  Hey at least I have the option to try something else so I was okay with that!

[BennyBrun]

Day 2

 

Shimi Goodman … he was excellent but it’s too bad he did not have a live band or back up singers and dancers to back him up.  It would have been phenomenal!  The way I see it, NCL’s show is like AGT the audition round where talented performers perform on their own and they receive no assistance from the producers.  Royal’s show is like AGT at the finals where they get make up, back up singers, dancers and make it into a production with the WOW factor.

 

Its really hard to be up there on your own trying to entertain a whole crowd!

[BennyBrun]

Day 2 MDR 

 

Interesting selections… unfortunately my go to salmon is not a classic selection on NCL so I went with other options!

[BennyBrun]

Day 2

 

I spoke too soon about the FreeStyle Dailies on my phone.  The app stopped working and I am stuck on day 1’s daily 😂 so back to the paper copy!

[BennyBrun]

Day 2

 

So there are 1300 guests onboard.  We heard from the cruise director the first day but then the assistant cruise director took over for the last two days.  It is a very calm very relaxed cruise.  Totally different vibe than a Royal cruise.  The crew is friendly and helpful but I they don’t go above and beyond what they need to be which is fine because they are doing what they are supposed to be doing and there is nothing wrong with that.

[BennyBrun]

Day 3

 

Garden Cafe Breakfast 

[BennyBrun]

Day 3 COBH Ireland 

 

a wet rainy day very chilly… another excursion booked with NCL Cork on your own.

[BennyBrun]

Day 3

 

I am not using the Wi-Fi from NCL and very on the fence about upgrading because when I tried to log into CC using their Wi-Fi it was painfully slow and couldn’t do much at all.  Nothing like Royals WI-FI so I might just stick with my international day pass with ATT.

[LouChamp]

15 hours ago, Hogladyrider said:

I would pay to see a sit down meal with @sid_9169 and @BennyBrunto see who consumes the most food!

Benny would eat all our food lol!

[BennyBrun]

Day 3

 

Lunch at Garden Cafe before Cork on Your Own excursion

[BennyBrun]

Day 3

 

Garden Cafe Lunch… Lots of selection to choose from … tastes just fine… most people should be able to find something palatable!

[BennyBrun]

Day 3 Garden Cafe 

 

I like how you can always find something to eat at the Garden Cafe until 11PM and O’Sheehans is always open for food!