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

BennyBrun

By BennyBrun,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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snorklinbarb

snorklinbarb

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Loving all the photos especially Beatles Tour and Guiness!

Congrats on doubling up on your shorex credit and glad you made the 2nd one in time.

Sounds like you really maxed the $50 shorex credit.  Did the same recently solo on Escape transatlantic and Greek Isles.  With the 15% Diamond discount and the credit it really reduced tour prices!

 

What was the "Nickel and Diming "you mentioned?  The "plus" beverage package vs the Premium Plus?  Is that the "upsell" you say you didn't like?   We haven't had the experience of anyone trying to upsell us from the regular package, but maybe you were referring to something else?  

 

Some lines don't charge extra for gratuities on beverage pkg like NCL does.  It really adds up.  On recent cruises I didn't take that perk as it's less for me to buy bottle of wine which is my drink of choice.  Just about everyone onboard had the perk though.   Celebrity tried imposing the gratuities upfront but had such pushback they had to drop it.

 

You mentioned you didn't care for CD Troy.  Dawn used to have one of NCL's best -Richard Matic.  Read here he's on another ship now.  Really set the stage for a great cruise, funny and visible everywhere.  Was it Troy's personality, lack of visibility or what?  Will try to avoid him.  Gem had a Brit named Jake who is very very good.  Escape has Alvin Oliva who certainly puts a lot of energy into the job.  

 

I thought I knew the MDR menus pretty well but a few pages back you posted some photos of blackened shrimp that looked amazing.  Now will look for that on next cruise!

The bay scallops au gratin photo from one of the MDR lunch menus are amazing.  Just like Bistro escargots in ramekins but scallops instead.  The moussaka same menu is really good. Top it off with tiramisu.  I felt like I had had a full dinner and it was only lunch!  Unlike you though, I didn't hit the fitness center......good job!

 

Loving your review.  Feel like you took us right along on all your tours!

 

 

 

 

 

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luvcruzing

luvcruzing

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Just curious, Benny, did you buy anything at the everything Irish store?

 

Really impressed with how clean the streets in Kirkwall are in your photos.

 

I have one Cruise Next certificate left and thinking of letting it expire.  But, then again, it doesn’t expire until 2025, so you never know.  🤔

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insidecabin "Live from...." Rare

insidecabin

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19 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

Thanks. We leave At 4.30pm so our last tender will be at 3.30. I’m trying to decide between our original plan of walking around Dublin or whether to go to Guinness. Looks like a late morning tour will give us a lunchtime pint and still have a few hours to get back. I had been planning on lunch and a pint in Temple Bar. Decisions…….

I think for that early departure I would head into Dublin early get done what tourist things need doing and then maybe have a beer there, but head back to Dun L. with plenty of time.

 

There are a couple of pubs to try if time that get good reviews( McKennas,O'Loughlin's) , end up in The Forty Foot  that overlooks the harbour, might be able to see the tenders from there  short walk when you see the last one heading from the ship

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BennyBrun "Live from...." Rare

BennyBrun

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14 hours ago, snorklinbarb said:

Have always loved Le Bistro.  On recent cruises Gem and Escape had a chance to try the new menu.  Loved that veal chop w/peppercorn sauce, the filet Rossini with foie gras, the lobster Thermidor (upcharge), fruits de mer and someone else raved about the duck.

 

For apps, I would agree with Nina about the escargots choice!  The onion soup has been changed and lacks that great cheese like before.  Server had me try the mushroom soup and it was amazing.  Onion soup used to be my favorite.  The salmon wrapped crab was tasty as well.  

 

Went several times including with 2 guests on 2 separate visits since voucher covered 2.  Rest of the time went solo.  They also loved their meal.  Australian guest said it was one of the best meals she had had anywhere.  

 

Too bad they dropped the choc. fondue - other than the poached pear I didn't find a dessert that wowed me although guest raved about strawberry meringue "island."  Why would NCL drop their signature dessert?!

I was told they trimmed down the menu to adjust for cost and availability of ingredients.  The molten lava cake used to be every night but no more… 

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BennyBrun "Live from...." Rare

BennyBrun

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14 hours ago, snorklinbarb said:

Loving all the photos especially Beatles Tour and Guiness!

Congrats on doubling up on your shorex credit and glad you made the 2nd one in time.

Sounds like you really maxed the $50 shorex credit.  Did the same recently solo on Escape transatlantic and Greek Isles.  With the 15% Diamond discount and the credit it really reduced tour prices!

 

What was the "Nickel and Diming "you mentioned?  The "plus" beverage package vs the Premium Plus?  Is that the "upsell" you say you didn't like?   We haven't had the experience of anyone trying to upsell us from the regular package, but maybe you were referring to something else?  

 

Some lines don't charge extra for gratuities on beverage pkg like NCL does.  It really adds up.  On recent cruises I didn't take that perk as it's less for me to buy bottle of wine which is my drink of choice.  Just about everyone onboard had the perk though.   Celebrity tried imposing the gratuities upfront but had such pushback they had to drop it.

 

You mentioned you didn't care for CD Troy.  Dawn used to have one of NCL's best -Richard Matic.  Read here he's on another ship now.  Really set the stage for a great cruise, funny and visible everywhere.  Was it Troy's personality, lack of visibility or what?  Will try to avoid him.  Gem had a Brit named Jake who is very very good.  Escape has Alvin Oliva who certainly puts a lot of energy into the job.  

 

I thought I knew the MDR menus pretty well but a few pages back you posted some photos of blackened shrimp that looked amazing.  Now will look for that on next cruise!

The bay scallops au gratin photo from one of the MDR lunch menus are amazing.  Just like Bistro escargots in ramekins but scallops instead.  The moussaka same menu is really good. Top it off with tiramisu.  I felt like I had had a full dinner and it was only lunch!  Unlike you though, I didn't hit the fitness center......good job!

 

Loving your review.  Feel like you took us right along on all your tours!

 

 

 

 

 

It’s the they give you the “free” beverage package but they don’t include water and coffee and juices like Royal unless you upgrade to PLUS.  The wine selection isn’t great for me and to have Chandon it’s an upcharge or upgrade.  So when you add it all up it’s no longer a perk but something you paid for that they advertise for free.  They specialty dinning they are sticking with the 1+1+1 anything you order extra is an upcharge.  I did not want to pullout the TC but the manager there were nice enough to open up the menu at Cucina when they discovered my fish was raw.  Troy was not good at all.  I wish I could record the marriage game show to give you a sample.  He was the assistant CD the first two days then on day 3 he became the CD … so not sure what happened there.  No energy? Not visible and pretty much on you are on your own.  You don’t get that on Royal.  They try to be at the shows after the shows and hosting many things to try to be visible.

 

The cruise itinerary itself is amazing I have no complaints about that but again I am on here for the itinerary and the shore excursion credits not for NCL or the ship or the cruising experience especially there is no time with all the stops.  I barely get enough sleep 😂 

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BennyBrun "Live from...." Rare

BennyBrun

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8 hours ago, luvcruzing said:

Just curious, Benny, did you buy anything at the everything Irish store?

 

Really impressed with how clean the streets in Kirkwall are in your photos.

 

I have one Cruise Next certificate left and thinking of letting it expire.  But, then again, it doesn’t expire until 2025, so you never know.  🤔

I did not buy anything there because everything there looks like you can order from Amazon.  I bought by Irish souvenirs from Christy’s at Cobh port.  Great prices and good selection.  My Guinness purchase was for items that’s exclusive to the storehouse.  The licensed products were cheaper else where like LIDL but at Carroll’s it was much more expensive.

 

I might find a 3 day cruise and use the certificate down in Miami BEFORE a Royal cruise so I can appreciate the Royal difference and tip out the crew by making it rain 😂 

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BennyBrun "Live from...." Rare

BennyBrun

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Day 8

 

Edinburgh

 

This is the third time I ran into this couple … Some people just don’t listen/ read the instructions.  It clearly states where to meet on the NCL excursion ticket and what you need to do but yet some people would ask the questions 10 different ways to get the answer they want to hear and do things on their own.  This couple has the same excursion as I do, so is telling everyone that she has to make the excursion at 11 AM and how she already got a tender ticket ( no tender ticket required for a NCL excursion) and how she is going to be late.  Finally people got tired of her and told her to just go and off she went and complain about how this is handled.

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tartana

tartana

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Hope I live long enough to do almost this same cruise itinerary! Had one planned for my parents almost identical in 2019 which fell thru....think I will join them when we dare cross the pond again.  thanks again for the wonderful trip report....This itinerary is almost bang on for me. 

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BennyBrun "Live from...." Rare

BennyBrun

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2 minutes ago, tartana said:

Hope I live long enough to do almost this same cruise itinerary! Had one planned for my parents almost identical in 2019 which fell thru....think I will join them when we dare cross the pond again.  thanks again for the wonderful trip report....This itinerary is almost bang on for me. 

Thank you so much!  I hope that you get to cruise this itinerary… it is amazing!

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