Dawn Feb.18 Sailing~~

[seahorse]

First of all, I will preface this review with a disclaimer. This review is one from a professional (looking for faults) and a cruiser looking for fun:D.

 

My DH and I sailed on the Dawn 4 times and in suites. We don`t "do" the usual cruise cruising "stuff" because we have cruised many times. We look to relax, eat, drink, enjoy the ship and interact with friends. We do get off on an occasional island. We like days at sea enjoying the ship.

 

Last Feb. the cruise on the Dawn was less then stellar. I am glad to report that this time EVERYTHING improved.

 

Embarkation was a breeze. We arrived around 10:30 with hardly any people there.......checked in and waited in the suite area. We were the first ones on the ship:eek:

 

Went to Venetian with our carry-on luggage, had a nice lunch and our cabin was done around 1:30. The bar set-up was waiting as ordered. The cabin was spotless. One of the deck chairs was broken and another one was brought in immediately. Asked for an egg crate pad and it was on the bed that night.

 

Our cabin stewards were unobtrusive and took care of the suite perfectly.

 

The joy was our Butler Aries:D He was fantastic. The best one ever. He is very new at being a butler and he couldn`t have been better. I think we put him through a trial by fire. We had a dinner party out on our balcony for 6. Everything from soup to nuts. The food was served perfectly......hot and to order with flair.

 

All of his other duties were done on time and perfect. I really hope that he does well on his new career as a butler.

 

The food was a HUGE improvement over last Feb. We were very pleased with the new changes. The only complaint is that they took the Vegetarian Garden Buffet away so it was boring for me at lunch.

 

Another commendation I want to give is to Sunny. He was excellent. We met him at Cagney`s the first evening. We told him that I was a Veg. and he had a special dinner waiting for me every evening at any restaurant I was in. All I had to do was say that Sunny ordered it, excellent service.

 

Another great staff member is Claudio, fine Concierge.

 

Interesting observation.........I was down walking around the reception desk and overheard a conversation. Actually everyone heard it:rolleyes: A woman was waving her bill and ranting at NCL because it was too high. She said she couldn`t afford it:eek: Not her fault, right? It was for $2,400.00. So I guess NCL has to tell people that they are spending too much money.

 

Obviously I have a lot more and if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask.

[angeljt]

Welcome home!

I'm happy to hear your experience on the Dawn was better than last year. Thanks for the review.

Jackie

[Smellytoes]

Thanks for the review. I always find it interesting when passengers compare the Dawn from one year to another. I'm REALLY glad you found the Dawn better this year (not that it was bad last year). Now I only have to wait 5 weeks and 6 days.:mad:

[Smellytoes]

Oops, I forgot to ask one question. What cabin were you in and which suites were serviced by your butler? I'm in 10006 in April and was starting to wonder about who might be our butler.

[smeyer418]

Hi Ann I am glad you had a good time. There is always someone who will complain about anything and think if the yell enough they will be given what they want. We were on the 2/8 sailing and I had the same experience about the food and the service..

[seahorse]

Oops, I forgot to ask one question. What cabin were you in and which suites were serviced by your butler? I'm in 10006 in April and was starting to wonder about who might be our butler.

 

Hi Smelly,

 

Being that Aries just started, I would assume that he will be your Butler. We were on deck 10 also.

[Smellytoes]

Hi Smelly,

 

Being that Aries just started, I would assume that he will be your Butler. We were on deck 10 also.

 

It would be nice to have a good butler, not that I've had a bad butler. Actually, I've never had ANY butler.

[immargaret]

It would be nice to have a good butler, not that I've had a bad butler. Actually, I've never had ANY butler.

 

We were on the DAWN 2/18 as well and loved Aries as our butler as well. Of course I would love anyone who brought me chocolate fondue from Le Bistro every evening in my cabin.:)

 

There is no extra charge for ordering desserts from the specialty restaurants. They did just heat the chocolate (instead of risking a fire in the cabin) and brought it in a gravy boat type container, don't forget to ask for a spoon to get every last bit of chocolate.:)

[Smellytoes]

We were on the DAWN 2/18 as well and loved Aries as our butler as well. Of course I would love anyone who brought me chocolate fondue from Le Bistro every evening in my cabin.:)

 

There is no extra charge for ordering desserts from the specialty restaurants. They did just heat the chocolate (instead of risking a fire in the cabin) and brought it in a gravy boat type container, don't forget to ask for a spoon to get every last bit of chocolate.:)

 

Oh, I can't wait. Can I order appetizers in the room from the restaurants before dinner??

[Suesan Jean]

We were on the DAWN 2/18 as well and loved Aries as our butler as well. Of course I would love anyone who brought me chocolate fondue from Le Bistro every evening in my cabin.:)

 

There is no extra charge for ordering desserts from the specialty restaurants. They did just heat the chocolate (instead of risking a fire in the cabin) and brought it in a gravy boat type container, don't forget to ask for a spoon to get every last bit of chocolate.:)

 

Thank's for that EXCELLENT piece of advice....!!!:D :)

[Suesan Jean]

GOOD REVIEW.....!!!:D :)

[immargaret]

Oh, I can't wait. Can I order appetizers in the room from the restaurants before dinner??

 

We had onion soup from Le Bistro and Calamari from Trattoria one evening...but I don't think they can be delivered until at least 5:30 when the restaurant opens. Aries was great, and we did give him plenty of notice for our special requests. I believe I read somewhere to allow 45 minutes for dinner from the specialty restaurants to be delivered in the cabin.

[Smellytoes]

We had onion soup from Le Bistro and Calamari from Trattoria one evening...but I don't think they can be delivered until at least 5:30 when the restaurant opens. Aries was great, and we did give him plenty of notice for our special requests. I believe I read somewhere to allow 45 minutes for dinner from the specialty restaurants to be delivered in the cabin.

 

5:30 works for me:D . Did Aries have a pleasant personality? I met a couple of the butlers on the Dawn last year and they seemed almost too professional to me.

[seahorse]

Oh, I can't wait. Can I order appetizers in the room from the restaurants before dinner??

 

You are in an AA.....you can order anything that you want to from any restaurant that you want to.

 

Aires has a very pleasant personality, not stuffy but very professional.

[Maryfrei]

Love hearing good things about the Dawn, thanks:)!

[immargaret]

5:30 works for me:D . Did Aries have a pleasant personality? I met a couple of the butlers on the Dawn last year and they seemed almost too professional to me.

 

As Ann said I think he is new, and seems to be fitting in perfectly...and does show his personality at times, but it does take a little bit of time. Just open up to him first and all will be fine.......If you go in with the all business/professional attitude he will probably stick with just that.

 

Aries always asked us about our shore excursions, and plans for the day as well as asking us how we liked our cruise. He seemed comfortable asking us questions and taking time out to have a conversation when he wasn't too busy.

 

Since popcorn is no longer available on the ship we brought our own microwavable bags and would call Aries to pick them up and microwave them for us......no problem. :)

[snorklinbarb]

Great to hear that things went so well, seahorse. We agree that the food is much improved. No eggplant for you this time?;):D

 

Do you mean the Indian veg. buffet is gone or some other veg. dishes?

 

Your dinner party sounds wonderful and perfectly executed.:)

[judyf]

Nice review thanks for sharing.

[tigerlilycruiser12]

Ann

 

Great review. I am so happy to hear that the food was much better than last year. SO happy that you had a great time.

 

TLC

[SRUTKO1226]

We also loved Aries...he was the best butler we ever had and the nicest.;)

 

Claudio was wonderful and made our cruise special.

 

I gained weight :p The food was much better.

 

Thanks for the review, Ann.

[seahorse]

Great to hear that things went so well' date=' seahorse. We agree that the food is much improved. No eggplant for you this time?;):D

 

Do you mean the Indian veg. buffet is gone or some other veg. dishes?

 

Your dinner party sounds wonderful and perfectly executed.:)[/quote']

 

The entire veg. buffet is gone:( They have some Indian dishes on the regular buffet and a lot had meat in them and some had eggplant:D

 

The dinner was great. We had cocktails and snackies before and other friends in after. We opened the balcony on the cabin next door (They were there too) and it gave us a lot of room.......aft 10th deck have bigger balconies.

 

We even danced in my cabin, a lot of room with the table and chairs outside.

[filomene]

The entire veg. buffet is gone:( They have some Indian dishes on the regular buffet and a lot had meat in them and some had eggplant:D

 

The dinner was great. We had cocktails and snackies before and other friends in after. We opened the balcony on the cabin next door (They were there too) and it gave us a lot of room.......aft 10th deck have bigger balconies.

 

We even danced in my cabin, a lot of room with the table and chairs outside.

 

And who did you dance with young lady :D

[seahorse]

And who did you dance with young lady :D

 

Why you.......to the wounderful Fado Music:D

[Cosmopolitan]

Seahorse ~

 

Loved the review.

I'm with you...get on that ship and relax;)

 

Who is Sunny? F&B?

 

Is Jacques still HD?

 

Gotta love those Dawn butlers:)

[filomene]

Why you.......to the wounderful Fado Music:D

 

 

 

Wonderful music

Wonderful snackies, the best dirty martini

Wonderful sunset

Wonderful dinner

Wonderful Wonderful friends

 

Oh have I said what a wonderful evening it was :confused: ;)