Norwegian Dawn - Bermuda

[Frogso]

Any comments on either of these? We're looking into the above cruise but haven't sailed on NCL before. We've gotten mixed reviews on the cruise line and would like to have some more information before booking. Thanks for your imput!

[2Cruise4Ever]

Taking that very cruise in a little over 3 weeks!! Can't wait! This will be our 3rd time to Bermuda and our 3rd time on the Dawn. Our favorite ship to our favorite destination. What can be better???

 

There is a ton of info on the Dawn on this board. Just keep looking. And, go to the Bermuda board for details about the island. We love it there. The island is beautiful and the people are so amazingly friendly. Good food. Good drinks. Good shopping. Good beaches.... the list goes on and on....

 

Happy Sailing!!!

[electricron]

Any comments on either of these? We're looking into the above cruise but haven't sailed on NCL before. We've gotten mixed reviews on the cruise line and would like to have some more information before booking. Thanks for your imput!

 

Dawn's CC reviews in the last two months:

 

5+ Stars=Red Dawn at night, sailors delight (Bermuda)

bellabeaubean 04/08

 

1 star=dangerous! (Bermuda)

slesinger 04/08

 

4 stars=Cold, Wet & Wild Cruise of the Dawn (Bermuda)

The Cool Cruiser 04/08

 

5 Stars=Rocking and Rolling to Bermuda (Bermuda)

paulekrause 04/08

 

4 Stars=NCL Dawn - April school break 08 (Bermuda)

Brigitte 04/08

 

3 Stars=Bermuda Cruise (Bermuda)

aleelee_73 04/08

 

4 Stars=Dawn beautiful but beware the double standards (Bermuda) chance1218 04/08

 

5+ Stars=Cruise to Nowhere - a lot of fun! (Cruise to Nowhere) cruiseinfoseeker 04/08

 

4 Stars=Not impressed (Eastern Caribbean)

MJB 04/08

 

4 Stars=NCL YAWN...(Eastern Caribbean)

cruiser2333 04/08

 

5 Stars=Norwegian Dawn (Eastern Caribbean)

ALBE 03/08

 

4 Stars=Our Trip on the Dawn 3/30 (Eastern Caribbean )

rccoble 03/08

 

1 Star=Nowegian Dawn It On Us! (Eastern Caribbean)

jaegermeister 03/08

 

5 Stars=Great Family Trip! (Eastern Caribbean)

sorensesca 03/08

 

5 Stars=AWESOME (Eastern Caribbean)

ELLE 03/08

 

4 Stars=Frequent Cruiser but 1st NCL Cruise (Eastern Caribbean) meeshell 03/08

 

4 Stars=Dawn Still Shining (Eastern Caribbean)

aprilrad 03/08

 

4 Stars=Not too Much, Not too Little (Eastern Caribbean)

CruisinDiva 03/08

 

4 Stars=Good, but maybe not our style (Eastern Caribbean)

Linda 03/08

 

5+ Stars=Hooked on NCL (Eastern Caribbean)

samson11 03/08

 

5 Stars=Freestyling on the Dawn (Eastern Caribbean)

Alan L 03/08

 

4 Stars=NCL cruise #7....the Dawn (Eastern Caribbean) can'twaittogoagain 03/08

 

4 Stars=NCL Dawn March 2008 review (Eastern Caribbean)

ds521 03/08

 

5 stars=Beautiful Dawn! (Eastern Caribbean)

Kathy Kooiker 03/08

 

4 Stars=Dawn Eastern Caribbean was nice!! (Eastern Caribbean) bakerintn 03/08

 

All the reviews are 4 Stars and higher except two bad 1 Star reviews and one 3 stars so-so review. The total number of reviews add up to 25, so there were 22 great or excellent reviews. That's not mixed in my humble opinion.

 

So, why did two rate the Dawn so badly? Read their reviews.

 

From slesingers we read,

"On the last night we went to the talent show to hear a friend play piano. We arrived a bit late and it was dark. The stair railing ended mid-way down the steps. We wanted to be in the first row. I have trouble seeing in the dark but expected an usher with a flashlight. No such thing. Although I was holding my husband's arm, with no arm rail I missed last step and fell, landing on my hands and knees. (Had major hand surgery 3 mos ago) My husband picked me up, no one else to help.

FINALLY: I have multiple neurological problems which are not apparent to most; but I have significant balance problems and walk with difficulty. So does my friend, the piano player in the talent show. After he finished he walked slowly off the stage, weaving with stiff legs as he did so. The talent show pointed to him, laughing, saying that he (my friend) must have a few too many before the show! WOW, he said, look at that! That's really bad!! As he laughed he encouraged the entire audience to laugh, too! My talented friend slowly, warily left the stage embarrassed by everyone's laughter. Great fun!!! Some mercy, please! Not all of us consider ourselves disabled, but many of us DO have invisible problems and we all manage these problems as best we can!

Overall, the staff was insensitive, rude, sparse, unskilled, unfriendly, and lazy."

 

I wonder if she felt picked upon slanted her review for the entire week?

 

Next from jaegermeister we read,

"The casino was comfortable. Bar tenders and dealers were friendly and very personable. This was the only place that the employees opened up and made the guests feel welcome. At the Bimini Bar and Grill the bartenders were so cold. I understand they are busy but not once did they try to welcome the guest and make us feel at "home". I was not sitting at the bar - I had a waiter take my order. I ordered a rum and coke without lime. I received a diet coke and rum with lime. The waiter left and then I tasted my drink. I realized that the drink was mixed with diet coke. I am allergic to the "diet" sugar in diet coke. I returned the drink to the bartender at the bar, and asked for a replacement drink. His response to me was "Are you sure you shouldn't be drinking diet coke - you look like you need a diet coke." I asked him to replace my drink as requested and he just laughed at me and finally gave me the correct drink. I wear a body cast and appear much larger physically than normal- but this was no reason for him to suggest I needed to drink diet coke. Also, there is a female bartender, quite short, who constantly talks about the guests under her breath and laughs at us. Older people cannot hear her - but I listened to her put down the fat american arms and bellies. She thought we were funny - but funny part is the guests are paying her salary and she needs to be tutored in this fact. An $7 beer - I can afford - Can She? The Rudeness of the Bimini bar employees needs to be checked."

 

I wonder if she felt picked upon slanted her review for the entire week?

 

Neither had any sense of humor or fun. Both spent the rest of the cruise nit-picking and blowing every little detail out of proportion. And now you know why they gave the Dawn a poor review.

 

I won't take the time to nit-pick the postive reviews. They came expecting to have fun, and did.

[pixiedustdawn]

We love the Dawn to Bermuda. We are ready to book another!

[paulekrause]

Any comments on either of these? We're looking into the above cruise but haven't sailed on NCL before. We've gotten mixed reviews on the cruise line and would like to have some more information before booking. Thanks for your imput!

 

Good pricing and a great itinerary.

Bermuda is always wonderful... can't go wrong with the destination. Plenty to see and do or just find a nice beach and enjoy. Easy to get around. Great public transit by bus or ferry.

 

The Dawn is a clean, large basic ship. No WOW factor at all, but a good ship nonetheless. Food is good but not great. Hey you're not cooking. the crew and service are top notch. Cabins are basic but who stays in them anyway.

 

I've never had a bad cruise... no matter what the line, where it is going, or the weather.

 

Book the Dawn and you'll have a great time.

 

Paul

[BeachBumMama]

Any comments on either of these? We're looking into the above cruise but haven't sailed on NCL before. We've gotten mixed reviews on the cruise line and would like to have some more information before booking.

The difference in NCL and the other lines is mainly the dining style. Eating when and where you want instead of a fixed traditional dining time of 6 or 8. As for mixed reviews, you'll get mixed reviews no matter what cruise line you're looking at. Personally, I find that for the most part all the cruise lines offer the chance to have a great time and a wonderful vacation. Different ships will offer different things but they're all pretty mass market lines and comparable in food, service, activities, etc.

 

The Dawn is a beautiful ship and Bermuda a beautiful place. You can't go wrong with either.:)

[katyjeka]

We LOVE the Dawn and would take her anywhere!!!! Janice

[Leafpeeper]

We sail on Carnival, RCCL, Princess, and NCL and like them all. We enjoy variety so we like taking a different ship and different cruiseline to mix things up. We like to experience different production shows, entertainment, and food.

 

What you will notice most when you sail on NCL Dawn will be all the restaurant choices. No other cruiseline offers such a variety. There is a large formal dining room with floor to ceiling windows on the aft of the ship that have a gorgeous view of the wake during dinner.

 

The specialty restaurants are very resonable compared to other cruiselines. We love the French LeBistro ($15pp) for a romantic intimate dinner. I think we paid $10pp for the Asian restaurant and loved the tempura and steak terriyaki. Aqua is a medium sized restaurant with a lovely blue decor with an ocean theme that has the same menu as the main dining room.

 

We like the entertainment on NCL the most of any cruiseline because of the variety of shows. On our recent 12 night RCCL cruise on Explorer of the Seas we had a muscial show each night except for the last night which featured a comedien. NCL tends to mix things up with entertainment. One of our favortie things on NCL is the hypnotist show. I never laughed so hard. Alot of people enjoy the SCTV improv comedy shows in the theater and in the Spinnaker Lounge.

 

I always say that variety is the spice of life. Try it--you might like it.