Matt Baker is the best cruise director ever! (my Belated and long Dawn review 7/29)

[fastmaxae376]

Norwegian Dawn 7/29- 8/5

New York, Bermuda, Great Stirrup Cay, Nassau

Oceanview 5550

 

Embarkation

Since this review will be long enough, I suppose I will start at the beginning of my trip. I live in Melbourne, FL and I caught the 7:30am Delta flight to Atlanta. Melbourne Airport is a breeze and I made it onto my flight in 45 minutes. I had a 3 hour layover before heading to LGA. I got a quick breakfast at TGI Fridays in the B terminal. I find sitting upfront in the MD88’s easier than being cramped in the 757 which I took to LGA. I spent the night in New York staying at the Hilton New York. Not Bad at all for a hotel.

 

Saturday I woke around 9, ate breakfast, and caught a van to the pier. The Dawn was waiting for us, but apparently had arrived late, so our boarding time was 12:30 instead. After checking our bags we proceeded to the check in area which was a breeze. We had arrived around 11:30 and there was almost no lines. We waited in the corral which started to fill up around 12. they quit the early check in and ling lines started to form. At 12:30 they allowed the Latitudes members to board. This was quick then we were allowed to get onboard. We took our first picture and made it on.

 

First stop was the conceivers desk to make reservations. There was no problem making the reservations we wanted. We did Salsas on day 2, Cagneys day 4, and Bamboo Day 7. Next we visited the shore excursion desk, which we opted not to do as they didn’t have nearly a selection as RCI did. We proceeded to have lunch in the Venetian which we found very good. The special was chicken enchiladas, only point about that is that they were filled mostly with onions and peppers rather than chicken. Oh well, how I miss cruise food anyways. By that time it was 2:30 and out staterooms were promised at 2:00. we proceeded to deck 5 and our promise was true. Rooms were clean and larger than normal ones. The layout of the bathroom also can’t be beat with the shower and toilet separated from the sink. We headed up to the pool deck for the party as we pass the statue of liberty and go under the Verazanno Narrows Bridge. We were following a celebrity ship which we later passed. Finally that day we had dinner at Aqua. We had a late arrival for dinner so we seemed a bit rushed. The service was decent but the food was just ok. The prime rib seemed a bit mass marketed. That was the only time we ate there on the trip.

 

Sea Day

 

I woke up around 9:30, just in time to get ready and head to the 10:30 Cruise Critic Meeting. It was nice seeing everyone and organized very nicely. Thanks Maria and NCL. During the meeting we got to ask the cruise director, Matt Baker, and much of the staff questions. Good times! After the meeting I spent the day by the pool listening to the sounds of “Rhythm Explosion” the ship’s reggae band. I headed in early around 4 to shower up and get ready for our 6:00 reservation at Salsas. We found the food and service at Salsas excellent. We were seated right away next to a window. We had a great view of the sunset. I was surprised how few people there were in any of the specialty restaurants during the trip. This was maybe 25% full. The food really hit the spot. The portions of the appetizers were very small, so we ordered a second round of them. I particularly liked the jalapeño poppers. The chips were a great feature with an amazing homemade salsa with cilantro. Again, I wish the portions were bigger. The main course was tasty too, I had enchiladas. For nightly entertainment we went to the welcome aboard party and the 70’s party. The show was good with Matt Baker as Austin Powers and a select Village People. Later I attended the late night dance party but found it full of drunk underage kids. More on that later. That night we found that our stateroom had not been made. I called the front desk and they sent our room steward right away. I also requested towel animals which we got almost every night. Our room steward truly did an amazing job, although I did not see him much the rest of the trip. Our room was always done and clean and we had an animal waiting for us.

 

Bermuda

 

We woke up early for Bermuda, around 7am. I had lunch at the Garden Buffet which is always busy in the morning. Since we docked, it was a breeze getting off. Incase you haven’t been here, this island is beautiful. I can tell the locals take pride in their island and it is very green and clean. We took a bus from the dock to Horseshoe beach. The sand was pink and although the beach was crowded it wasn’t unbearable. We were there with many of the Celebrity Zenith passengers. After a few hours at the beach we headed into town. We had lunch at The Lobster Pot, the food was good and the drinks were refreshing. After lunch we had little over an hour before we had to be back on so we checked out a few shops and a drug store for some sun lotion. We took the ferry back to the pier which was a short 15 minute voyage. After boarding the ship we spent a good few hours working off the sun in the room. We had a late dinner at the Venetian which we found very good. The Venetian has been our established favorite spot, and everyone else’s as it is very busy after 6pm. After dinner we stayed in the Pearly Kings Pub for drinks. This was my personal favorite bar. They had an excellent variety of drinks from around the world. I also liked the instant and personal service and the relaxed atmosphere. We were in there almost every night watching the Red Sox on ESPN and the wait staff eventually got to know us. I was upset that I missed the Not so Newlywed game which I saw on TV the day after and it was Hilarious! Matt Baker is by far the funniest cruise director ever! While on the TV. Strange enough I felt the bridge cam was amazing. I loved the techno music with it and I would often leave it on while I was in the room just for some music. I was in bed around 12 this night because of all the sun from the beach.

 

Sea Day

 

For the most part my sea days were pretty much the same. I would wake up at a decent hour (9am) only to go outside and find the chair hogs in full force. Some how, though I manage to find chairs on the second deck next to the star bar, just my luck. After lying out in the sun, visiting the pool and hot tubs, I would go to the Garden Buffet for a lunch. Food there was decent for a lunch, but I would stay away from it for dinner. They had a salad buffet, pizza, grilled food, and a variety of other easy meals. I headed in early and got ready for a dinner at Cagneys. I must say that this was my favorite specialty restaurant. I opted for the Maine Lobster which was just which I got. The service was great and the taste of the sides was very good. I had a taste of my brothers fillet Menginon (sp?). It was also very good. No complaints here; it should be on everybody’s list and I even felt the 25$ cover was fair (much cheaper than any steakhouse). This night we opted for the formal night and we got our portraits done around the ship. Once again at night we found ourselves in the Kings Pub for drinks and we again called it an early night. We did however check out the chocolate buffet which had a line the length of the ship, but at least it moved. Also we watched the “Liars Club” it was entertaining but short.

 

Great Stirrup Cay

 

I woke up early (8am) to catch the tender to GSC. The lines weren’t long at all at this time. We were on the island by 9. luckily for us we had no problem finding a spot and getting chairs. We also rented snorkeling equipment and a floaty mat. Prices were a little steep, but oh well, your on vacation. Around 10am the island started to fill up. The island is beautiful but a little too small. We had a nice view of our ship and the RCI Sovereign of the Seas at RCI’s island. NCL sets up a buffet much like the Garden Buffet on the island which is where I got my lunch. It was mostly a beach day, although there were massage tables and picnic huts. After the beach we headed back and showered up for a lunch at Impressions. Impressions did not impress me all that much. First off, for a main dining room, I felt it was way to small. The biggest gripe was our service. Now our family likes to have a relaxing dinner and not be rushed, especially after being in the sun all day. Typically we order our appetizers first then our meal when they come. We ordered our appetizers and told our waitress that we would order our meal later. Her reply “everything now.” That was about the last words we heard from her except for the occasional “everything good?” I feel that this has to do with the fact that we ordered little alcohol (only one beer). Our waitress was not attentive at all and seemed to have no sense of humor. Now for good service we almost always tip extra (usually we leave a 5 or 10 on the table as we did every night in the Venetian) with our servers rudeness, this was not the case this time. The food however was decent. I opted for the tilapia which was seasoned just right. When we were done, we had arrived in Nassau. We took a cab to Atlantis after finding the shops closed and the area a little sketchy around the pier. Atlantis was very decorative and upscale but very highly priced. We took a tour of the aquarium and walked around a bit. Then we headed to the ship for the Caribbean Deck Party. It had been such a long day I called it a night later on after the party.

 

Nassau

 

Much like every morning, we woke early and got off at Nassau. We were off by 9am as we had to be back on the ship by 11:30am. I felt this was a horrible schedule on NCL’s part. We roamed around the city and did some shopping, eventually ending up at the straw market. There is no much to say about that as it is a straw market. Yes, they are pushy, yes the items aren’t made with the best materials, and yes you can bargain with them. We got some deals on t shirts, souvenirs, and fake purses. We made it on the ship by 11:15 and made it out to the pool deck. It’s funny to see everyone rush on the ship right at 11:30. As we left we were dwarfed (not by much) by the Navigator and Explorer of the Seas (I can’t imagine how crazy Nassau must get). I did the usual pool day for the rest of the day and had dinner in the Venetian. It was lobster night. The lobster was Caribbean which can’t compare to the Maine Lobster. Later that night I went to the Second City Scriptless, very good. Of course I went to The Quest. This adult game was hilarious. Warning, Don’t Take Your Kids! Needless to say for the people who know what I’m talking about I was one of the “guys in the end.” Good times! By that night I had met some people and we hung out for drinks. At one point we noticed there was a fight in the Dazzles lounge. All the following is my opinion…. There were way too many high school aged kids on this ship. At night many of them would get sloppy drunk at the dazzles lounge. This was completely NCL’s fault. The first few days they had no enforcement of the 18+ entry to the club. After the fight they IDed people and the club literally cleared out. Just shows how many underage kids were drinking. They need to put strict enforcement on this and even raise the drinking age to 21 the way many lines now do. A fight on a ship looks bad for the line. I knew from day one that this would happen and I stayed out of there. The parents were furious there because kids were literally falling down and breaking stuff. Many couldn’t even hold their liquor. Even the college spring break cruises I have been on haven’t been this bad.

 

Sea Day

 

Much like the others this sea day was spent by the pool. I had lunch at the Garden Buffet and finally my Sushi dinner at Bamboo. Although I’ve had better, the sushi was decent. I particularly liked the cali- rolls. The miso soup and chicken salad were also good. The sushi platter I got was more than I could eat and for $12 it’s a bargain. After a pot of warm sake I headed to the international crew show. I was disappointed it was only 4 acts which lasted 15 minutes. IMO way to short. Once again I went to the Kings pub for drinks and headed to bed later in the night.

 

Debarkation

 

We opted for the express debarkation. I woke up just as we were passing by the statue of Liberty. I got ready and headed to the Garden for breakfast. By the time I was done we were cleared to get off. It was the easiest debarkation I have ever gone through. There was no wait at customs and we were right in the terminal. What a great trip

 

Ratings 1-10 (10 the best)

 

The Ship 9.5 Beautifully cleaned ship. Very modern and the décor is very fancy. I would sail on her again any day.

 

Staterooms 8.5 The larger ocean view staterooms are larger than most ships. The layout of the bathroom is also very nice. The décor is fancy. I noticed some wear and tear on the carpets and I thought the bedding and linens could be improved or replaced.

 

Crew 9.0 with a very few exceptions of some servers, the crew was outstanding. They were very attentive. Matt Baker was by far the best cruise director. It was his last cruise on the Dawn before he goes on the Pearl. Our attendant was great with our extra towel animals. He earned his extra tip.

 

Itinerary 6.0 Bermuda was the best by far. GSC was fun, but only for a beach day. Nassau was kind of a bummer due to the time we had there. More time would change my opinion. Maybe if the itinerary was extended a day and we went to some place in the Caribbean it would have improved it. Just my opinion.

 

Dining 8.0 Freestyle dining has its obvious differences with traditional (service) but its nice to eat at the specialty restaurants and dine at your own time. The food was overall very good and on par with RCI or the other ones.

 

Overall Experience 8.5 NCL did an excellent job and I can say met and exceeded my expectation for all portions of my vacation. If the price is right I will cruise with them again and I would highly recommend the Dawn to anyone.

 

I will have webshots posted soon. Stay tuned. Any Questions fire away!! Thanks for reading!

[flyingpirate]

Thanks for your excellent, easy to read review!

 

Do you know that Matt Baker is going to the Pearl for certain? Did he tell you, himself?

[angeljt]

Nice review, thank you. Glad you had a good time on the Dawn. :)

[newlywedcruisers]

Wow great review, glad you had a good time. I didn't realize what a large effect a cruise director can have on a cruise.

Hmm... something else to look forward to.

[fastmaxae376]

During the debarkation speech, Matt made an announcement that he would be getting off with us for vacation (which he is taking on his brothers RCI ship) then heading to the Pearl.

[4merlurker]

Great Review!!! Glad you had such a good time!

 

~Connie :)

[judyf]

Nice review, thanks for taking the time to post.

[ria926]

Great cruise, and I agree with you on the CD he was one of the best. I know that the CD doesn't break a cruise, but I have to say, he sure can make it alot more fun!!!! Do you believe we're home a week already.....

[Carostan]

My wife and I are well traveled cruisers with seventy under our belts. Numbers 71 and 72 are already booked. Besides being a perfect gentleman and a real nice guy, Matt Baker is the most talented CD we've ever sailed with. The above posts are pretty old. Does anyone know where is is now? We'dlove to see him again.

[snorklinbarb]

Matt was CD on our Jan. Gem cruise 2008.

 

Right after that he was called upon to join the freestyle 2.0 rollout team.

 

Who knows, we may see him back on the ships, fingers crossed.:D

[mom2aiden]

Matt Baker is now on the sky. We just sailed last weekend. He is hilarious and we enjoyed him a lot.