Live From the Dawn...

[Sea and Me]

Does the Dawn have an inside pool?? Your cruise sounds wonderful and thanks for all the updates. Have a wonderful time. We will be on the Dawn 5/31/07 heading for Alaska. Enjoy your day & night too:)

[cruiserforlife]

Hi cruisers,

 

I know at least one of you is doiing Anytime Dining...I'll be on the Dawn next month, and found out the reservation policy varies fro ship to ship. Anyone know if the Dawn lets you make a standing Anytime reservation for the duration of the cruise?

 

Thanks!

 

As on the Sun,we have made a standing res @ 8:15 for the entire cruise.ccain is doing PC as well,we will dine with them for the world-record lobster eating contest.

 

Carol P,

 

No inside pool on the Sun-class ships...bummer too.:(

 

CFL

[ccrain]

We arrived in Mazatlan on schedule (1300) docked just behind Mercury. We did not go ashore, having been here before and this is our yearly "on the cheap" cruise. Enjoyed hot tubbing and swimming on a nearly empty ship. There appears to be a problem with the hot tubs as only 1-2 have bubbles and those are not very "bubbly". Made do with the one in the back near the Lotus Spa. The small pool down there is VERY cold, but refreshing as well.

 

Temps in the upper 70's makes for a perfect weather day to just veg out around the ship.

 

Line dancing was at 915 again, followed by ballroom dancing. Today was the cowboy and cowgirl twist, then the SALSA!!! Jo is teaching line dancing, along with Chrissy, and Jen and Darryl are teaching ballroom. Having line danced on the past cruises, we're getting pretty good at this, but this is our first exposure to ball room dancing. Now guys, here's a little tip. Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but if you really want to score big, take her dancing - even if you can't carry a beat in the shower, don't worry, you get big points for trying.

 

Free ice cream in HC from 330 to 430 each afternoon including port days. I forgot to do my shot of bailey's in the vanilla, but not next time. As I said in my last post, I think the selection and overall quality of the food in the buffet has declined since last year - at least for breakfast for sure. But I understand why completely. Face it folks, its the competion. I've overheard more than once about nickle and diming on this cruise, but I think of it more of as choice. Princess keeps the cruise price down by allowing you the choice of buying the little things. Everybody is determining cruises by price point more than anything else.

 

We reserved Nehila, table 42 for 2, for dinner tonight which is continental (nee "french"), usually our least favorite menu. But I do like the escargot and we will just have to make due with the rest of the menu - I think we can manage.

 

I am going to arrange for our Lobster night reservation, hopefully at eight, so that we can all witness CFL's attempt at the lobster record. Speaking of CFL, I encourage all of you to get involved in the roll call for your cruise. Meet the people on board. You'll run into them all over the ship and have someone to talk to as well.

 

For those people who want to work out, the gym schedule is quite good on this cruise. The 0700 walk a mile, then an 0730 -0800 stretch, then an hour aerobics, step aerobics or circuit training class that are all free and at good times. The gym equipment modern, works well, but is missing an ABS weight machine for a well rounded workout. The treadmills are all in use by 0700, but the ellipticals and bikes are still available. No sign up sheets.

 

So far, a great vacation. Similar to the 10 day last year, its not a once in a lifetime trip to exotic locations, its a get away from it all to relax. That's what cruising is all about. Judy and I were just laying around in the hottub today, watching the frigate birds fly by, getting our feet massaged by the jets in the tub, warm bubbly water flowing up your back. No cell phone, no computer, no frantic phone calls, just kick back, relax. After about 20 minutes we looked at each other, sighed, and then kicked back for another 20 minutes.

 

It one of those times in life that you simply pause the time stream and take a deep drink of the entire moment, the feelings, the sites, the sounds. Then the real world seeps back in and time begins to flow again, but the sense of complete relaxation and calm remains.

 

Here's hoping for many more of those pauses in time. But for now, time to change for dinner, then off to Dan Horn and his puppets, 50's nights at the Wheelhouse Bar, a romantic moonlit walk of the deck with the love of my life, then off to bed to sleep to the sounds of the sea whispering by as we sail towards Acapulco.

 

It just doesn't get any better than this.

 

See ya all later...

[california mike]

Thanks for the great info. We're on the Dawn Feb 5th. Very interested in your port reviews and comments on activities done during the days.

Party on!

[ruthandjohn]

Great thread!!! We are booked for the 11 night Mexico out of SFO on Jan 14th and haven't sailed this class...usually the Sapphire & Diamond so wondered how it differed.

 

I'll miss the indoor pool. Our last Princess was on the Sapphire to Mexico in April with the kids & grandkids. We sat by the pool while they shopped til they dropped! Had it to ourselves, so...that's a bummer no indoor pool.

 

Thanks for the foam topper info. We often go Holland because the beds are better & didn't know about requesting a foam topper. I just called & left a message for my TA.:) Thanks SOOOOO much for the info that they are available!!!

Ruth

[exgman]

Hi cruisers,

 

I know at least one of you is doiing Anytime Dining...I'll be on the Dawn next month, and found out the reservation policy varies fro ship to ship. Anyone know if the Dawn lets you make a standing Anytime reservation for the duration of the cruise?

 

Thanks!

 

Just got off the Dawn and they wouldn't let us make a standing reservation. However, we were a party of 10 and we wanted between 7 and 8. Maybe they'll let you do it after 8 or maybe fewer people. We called them every morning before 9 and were able to get the same table every time, so it worked for us. have a great cruise

 

Dan

[cruiserforlife]

its a get away from it all to relax. That's what cruising is all about. Judy and I were just laying around in the hottub today, watching the frigate birds fly by, getting our feet massaged by the jets in the tub, warm bubbly water flowing up your back. No cell phone, no computer, no frantic phone calls, just kick back, relax. After about 20 minutes we looked at each other, sighed, and then kicked back for another 20 minutes.

 

Gee Charles...you must be on the same cruise we're on.;)

 

I could not have stated it any better myself.This is a very relaxing trip,the weather has been warm and the company has been most enjoyable.ccrain is right when it comes to Roll Calls...take the time to get involved.What you invest in time will be rewarded ten-fold in terms of memories...

And a big thank you to ccrain for his informative insites as to the real goings-on of the Dawn.Great to meet Charles and Judy both,two genuine nice people who know how to relax.Keep that good info coming Charles,looks like a good group here.;)

 

Another relaxing sea day today,my wife can't seem to get too far away from the dreamy bedding,she's up there taking an after-breakfast-but-before-lunch nap.We really are enjoying the new Princess bedding and fancy pillows.

 

We filled out the form to pre-book our next cruise as everyone has advised us to do.You not only get greatly reduced deposit ($100/pp),you get $150 shipboard credit per cabin...and you don't have to even pick out a cruise!No commitments and tons of benefits...where do I sign up?The line to book has been long at times (can't quite figure out why Princess doesn't make this easier to do) but today we received a form to fill out and that is what we did.

 

Filet of Turbot last night was killer as was the sorbet...but I can't think of what kind it was right now.:eek: Must be food overload.I don't know what they put into this sorbet stuff but it must be drugs.I'm still kicking myself for missing the Black Cherry sorbet.

 

Oh well...gotta go and exercise some if I expect to consume more calories.:o Talk to you all later,

 

CFL

[Carol C]

Thanks for all the updates and info, we sail on this cruise next Tuesday, just one week from today! We will be like passing ships....I'll wave you off and you wave me on!

 

I am so very glad to hear that you also relax and enjoy being on the ship, I have often told other people that I could just go onboard and not have ports, I love sea days, it gets my very busy husband in a place where he can relax and enjoy.

 

Good luck on the lobsterfest and I don't think on any of our last cruises we tried the sorbets, do they serve them between courses as palate cleansers or are they offered to top the meal off?

 

Keep enjoying:

Carol

[Nancyquilts]

For entertainment, the ventriloquist, Dan Horn, has been our favorite (so far). Nancy

[ccrain]

Well we lost another hour last night. So this morning at 0555 I turned over, patted my wife on the ... and went back to sleep. That's what cruising is all about. So who needs to work out at 0 dark thirty every morning? There's a lot of other hours to choose from.

 

So we did a nice leisurely breakfast, coffee, line dancing (actually party dance day) and then ball room dancing with the CHA CHA CHA. We've had a good turnout for line dancing in spite of it happening at 915 in the morning. We've also had a lot of fun for sure.

 

BTW, the Dawn is on Stage 1 Noro with, we heard, 14 people sick. Enforcement of the clean hands policy, no cloth napkins at the buffet, no salt and pepper shakers and no sugar packet containers on the table. The bread was delivered on order last night instead of being left at the table.

 

Smoking policies are being enforced and have changed since the last time. Smoking on the open deck near the pool is only allowed in a corner of the Riviera deck near the forward doors on the port side. We actually had a manager tell a bunch of people to leave the area around the grill since it is now non-smoking. Its kind of nice.

 

1 Liter bottle of water in the stateroom is still 2.95 and the canned drinks are 1.50. A small bag of laundry is now $20, but the machines are still here, but crowded on sea days.

 

Today we missed making our reservations for our table for 2 tonight. All that was available was 815, which is too late for us tonight, so we'll just have to wing it tonight - and tonight is international menu - so we shall see how the service is at a different table.

 

Ok, now to the good stuff.

 

Dinner last night was Continental - nee French, but it was not bad at all. Service was excellent, the Duck ala'orange was very very good. Judy's pork was ok, but very lean so it was on the dry side. The escargot was top rate. We has a couple next to us in a table for two that I recommended ordering the escargot, and she agreed, until I called them snails at which point she vehemently changed her mind. It was fun. The love boat dream was death by chocolate as usual, but when balanced by vanilla ice cream...yummmm.

 

Dan Horn was very good as usual. Same act as before, but still funny, with different interactions from the audience. We would rate it a must see by anyone that hasn't seen him before. Even if you have, he's still good to see time after time.

 

Ran into Raina and CFL in the pool this morning. We talked at length to Tina G yesterday at lunch. It is very nice to see people you know on a cruise and just swap stories.

 

Weather is warm and humid, but not hot and stiffling. Good time of year to do this cruise. It was much hotter last October.

 

CFL is prepping for this world record attempt at lobster. Working out to the sounds of Rocky and Eye of the Tiger. (A cheer goes up as he rounds the deck time after time in his quest for the title.) This may prove to be the highlight of the cruise. I'll make sure to take pictures of the empty lobster shell husks.

 

Ok, thats all for now. We've had our afternoon snack, pre-dinner drink and now we're going to check out the shopping on board since we haven't done that yet.

 

Having a GREAT time...Charles and Judy

[cruiserforlife]

I don't think on any of our last cruises we tried the sorbets, do they serve them between courses as palate cleansers or are they offered to top the meal off?

 

Keep enjoying:

Carol

 

They are served after dinner as desserts...the reason why I mention them is because they are even more rich than the ice cream...which isn't how I remember sorbets being.The Blueberry one was to die for.

 

I'm not certain if the lobster record attempt will be the highlight of the entire cruise...but it certainly will be fun and having everyone there will verify it for the record books.I understand Princess is putting my picture up on the wall...the galley wall...as in don't feed him anymore food.:eek:

 

Gotta go hit the Riviera Bar and see our good buddy Joel the bartender.

 

CFL

[RRTrain]

We will on The Dawn in February and I was wondering if you could answer a question that no one at Princess can answer (at least with no consistency)? Since we have a wet bar in our room I wanted to get a full bottle of various liquors (Scotch, Gin, etc.) to consume in our room, not the minis in the mini bar but real bottles and mixers. I was told by some that you can buy full bottles at certain bars or order them from room service and others have said this is not so. If you get a chance could you ask and find out. It would truly be appreciated.

 

Thanks again.

[LARGIN]

RRTrain.. I was on the dawn last month.. No large sized bottles for sale for your room. I bought my own in my carryon with no problems.

[Carol C]

I was wondering are the Captain and Staff wearing blues or whites, I am assuming since it is warm water ports they are in dress whites? The reason I am asking is that my husband has a tux and white dinner jacket and being a navy brat, seems that what they wear will be what the men should wear.

 

When growing up I remember my Dad in his whites in warm weather and his blues in winter, or as in cold water ports and warm weather ports also.

 

Are many even wearing tuxes or dinner jackets this cruise?

 

Thanks:

Carol

[LARGIN]

Dress whites last month on the Dawn

[CruisinCadie]

DH and I are on this cruise in April, so I'm really enjoying your exploits. Thanks for keeping us informed.

 

KD

[Carol C]

sorry duplicate msg.

[Carol C]

Dress whites last month on the Dawn

 

Thanks so much for a quick answer, I was assuming that I was right but never SURE!

 

Carol

[Nancyquilts]

DH wears a white dinner jacket. Only two formal nights on this cruise.

[cruiserforlife]

Warm with a slight breeze,they tell us it will get to 90 today.

 

Red snapper for dinner last night was excellent as was the crepes stuffed with riccota cheese...yummy.:o Had champagne sorbet as well...gotta be drugs in the sorbet.Cruiserforlife's wife had chicken salsa verde which was very good as well,ccrain commented he enjoyed it as well during our breakfast this morning.

 

We arrived here around 6am this morning and will shove off at 10pm.

We saw the production show "Piano Man" and I must say those have slipped as well.If it's your 1st cruise,you'll think they are fantastic but last night's show seemed as if they were going through the motions.Oh well,life still is grand on a cruiseship and could be much worse...I could be working!:eek:

 

Check in with everyone later...Charles should be along shortly with a more concise update.;)

 

CFL

[cruzinchris]

CFL,

I'm enjoying the daily logs of the cruise - especially the menu reports. I'm going to be totally bummed :( if tonight's (Acapulco) menu features my Princess favorite Rack of Lamb. We've had dinner reservations at El Olvido since July for our January 30 port call. Guess I'll have to flirt with a Head Waiter and have them prepare the lamb for me another night :D , or maybe I can get leftovers in Horizon Court in the wee hours? :p

 

Enjoy your day in Acapulco.

Chris

[momofkaze]

I love reading your posts!!! We are going on the Dawn, June 20th to Alaska. I have been a bit nervous over the fact that we went on the Saphire last year and loved her. I am hoping to love the Dawn as much. We are in an inside cabin....although the balcony is a dream for us someday. Thanks for the posts!! Sounds like some of the food is the same, which is fine with me, seeing how I loved it!! How early do you think we should arrive in SF. Thanks for your help and enjoy!!!

[momofkaze]

I love reading your posts!!! We are going on the Dawn, June 20th to Alaska. I have been a bit nervous over the fact that we went on the Saphire last year and loved her. I am hoping to love the Dawn as much. We are in an inside cabin....although the balcony is a dream for us someday. Thanks for the posts!! Sounds like some of the food is the same, which is fine with me, seeing how I loved it!! How early do you think we should arrive in SF. Thanks for your help and enjoy!!!

[ccrain]

Last night was our once in a while crash night. We had a wonderful dinner. It was the international menu. Judy had the surf and turf, filet and grilled shrimp. Almost as good as the filet in the Sterling Steakhouse - almost. Judy basically cleaned her plate, so it must have been good. I had the chicken salsa verde - now that was PRETTY DARN GOOD - or PDG for sure. Just a hint of heat with the green chiles and a very moist and tender filleted chicken breast.

 

There was a little trouble with waiter communication. This is probably where most people end up havnig lots of trouble with Personal Choice. We took first available and had a new waiter. Tried to explain Judy's Mayo allergy and then just simply gave up and requested a dry salad - she brought her package of French to the table but the Jalapeno Vinigerette was just too good sounding to pass up without a question or two - but it contained mayo - it was great BTW, since I'm not allergic. The waiter also forgot her order of fetticini for an appetizer - I had the smoked duck - YUUMMMM. On the Island in June with our regular Personal Choice wait staff and table, Claudia took it as a personal challenge to find a salad dressing that Judy could eat or at least have someone whip one up without Mayo. She kind of took our little package of dressing as a personal challenge.

 

Then we crashed. Don't know why, but we stopped back by the room on the way to ballroom blitz, looked at the bed and just crashed out. Nice full nights sleep. Door open, moonlit night, swishing of the waves, a nice lullaby.

 

Beautiful day in Acapulco, tropical heat, humid, but not too bad - or it could be a lot worse for sure. This morning we did do our obligatory workouts, and then ran into CFL and Raina in the HC for breakfast. I think we all agreed that the scrambled eggs are to be avoided. The made to order omelet was very good. I just told them to put a little of everything in it and it was fine.

 

After that an obligatory shopping trip into the little strip mall for that refridgerator souvenier and we're back in the pool chillin out. These fresh water pools are nice.

 

The crew was drilling for the morning. Princess seems to have stepped up their drills since the Star. There is a much more serious note and frequency to the drills. I for one appreciate it.

 

Judy is getting her 3 20 minute massages topped by a salt, ginger, bacon and egg massage or something like that. She ought to be really relaxed when she gets done in about 30 minutes so I'm just chillin in a cool place on the ship before I head out. Its 5 o'clock somewhere.

 

We scored our table for dinner, which is the Princess menu tonight. We'll let you know how that goes.

 

That's all for now...Charles and Judy

[cruiserforlife]

cruiserforlife, we will be in C336 on the December 23 Holiday Cruise. We appreciate all of the good information you've given so far as this is our first Princess Cruise. We've been #3 on the waitlist for a mini-suite since February, so it looks like we'll be spending our 11 days in C336. Glad to hear that the room steward is a good one and that the room isn't as small as I've heard from some reviews.

 

ccrain, how are the crowds in the gym at 6:00 a.m.? Are there enough available treadmills, eliptical machines, etc?

 

Sonogirl, come over and join us on the Dawn Princess Roll Call Board. It's a small group so far, but we are all on the Holiday Cruise.

 

Debra,

 

If you are still following along,problem sloved in C336 as to the mystery noise in our cabin.After two trips to the pursers office and a visit in our cabin from any engineer,I am happy to report that the noise is no more.Seems Princess can turn off or on this "pump" or whatever it's called that is located netween the tenders on the Promanade deck.The engineer knew exactly what it was and had it disconnected just like CruisingSal said they could.I only wonder why it wasn't done like that in the first place but hey...no time to worry about little stuff like that...when there's so much food to consume!:eek: :eek: :eek:

 

So no worries...I hope you didn't cancel on my remarks!

 

I see ccrain is posting away three computers away...I bet he's got all the juicy gossip about what's really going on...;)

Hot and humid out...I have had enough of that.Time to go visit Joel at the Riviera Bar.The guy makes a mean drink.Tell him John & Raina sent you.

CFL