Dawn 10 day review from a first time freestyler

[emcemt]

Just got off the Dawn 10 day yesterday....this was my 9th cruise but first time with NCL....overall I was quite impressed (having many doubts after dealing with NCL customer service).

We arrived at the pier at 11:45 and were ont the boat by 12:30. Check in was smooth with people serving hot chocolate along the way....they even had a piano guy playing at the check in lines (a little note to NCL...dont play the theme to Titanic while waiting to board!!!)

The ship layout we found to be a little weird. Not many very open areas and I found it wasn't very easy to navigate the ship. Many decks don't go straight through.....having to go up a deck to come back down to go were you want to go. I guess this is due to all the resteraunts and galley space needed for them. The ship was IMACULATE though with plenty of people to guide you to your cabin.

We had a BA balcony on deck 10. The room was again very clean and we found the beds to be very comfortable. The bathroom, while having a nice layout....needs some work. I'm a big guy and had some trouble in the toilet area. My uncle who is also a big boy finally gave up and started using the public bathrooms for his buisness if ya know what I mean :rolleyes: . There were many people larger than us on the cruise as well and I have no idea what they ended up doing. The room was always clean and tidy courtesy of room steward. The main thing I was most impressed with was the service on the Dawn (more on that later). We also found the balcony to be pretty small...adequate... but small. The ship does creek a lot and makes a lots of noises....not that they kept me up at night but you knew you were at sea. The vibrations in the Venetian were horrible and I hope that will be addressed in the upcoming dry dock.

I wont really address the islands because there are many posts out there about them and i'm sure you guy's can care less what we did. :)

We set up a Cruise Critic meeting through NCL and were assigned the Star Bar for our meeting on our first sea day out. We had a good turnout...NCL had pastries,snacks and light beverages for us. Then approx. 10 officers came to introduce themselves.....everyone from the cruise director and his assisntant (Paul and Mike), the hotel Director (Klauss) F&B director and resteraunt managers. They all gave us their buisness cards with personal hand held phone numbers to us urging us to call them for anything. Very friendly and nice!!!

Dining...ok here we go.....fressstyle vs traditional. I found the dining more difficult than it needs to be. Being a group of 7 we wanted to make standing reservations for the same time every night. This is difficult to do because they change around show times. We eventually secured 8:30 pm reservations in all the dining rooms we wanted with help from the concierge (more on that in a little bit) We found the menus in the 3 main resteraunts very small. I'm used to 6-7 different main dish options as on traditional cruises. There were 3-4 main dishes to choose from in the main resteraunts. The food was good, on par with RCCI and Canival I thought in the main resteraunts. I felt there was a lot on nickle and diming going on in the specialty resteraunts. In Lebistro for example there is a $15,18$ and 20 $ menus. Come on if your going to charge a surcharge....just charge one. It makes NCL look very cheap to vary there menus in an upscale specialty resteraunt over 3-5 dollars. Every specialty resteraunt I have eaten in on other cruises charges one price for the entire menu. I found Le bistro to be good (the chocolate fondu was excellent) but not really worth the surcharges. Cagney's was better but again the 5 extra dollar surcharge for a porterhouse in a specialty steak house I thought was really cheesy. Tratoria was very good. The best meals we had though were in Salsa. The Maitre De' Laura was great. The food was excellent. Being a group of 7 they just brought an appetiser sampler and a tapas plate to our table while looking over the menu. This is also were we had our Cruise Critic dinner. Freestyle dining wasn't really for us. We like late diners and like 2nd seating on traditional cruises. I like the more varied menus that come with traditional dining and I like having the same waiter staff for the cruise. We did have excellent service in all resteraunts barring 1 or 2 nights where it was just good. Never had BAD service on this ship. Also with traditonal dining I think it's easier to plan your night. You know the show is either before or after dinner....there is no checking 8 different menus to see where you want to eat....no reservation hassels, but I could see how some people like it as well. Might have liked freestyle better if we werent travelling with a group. Also a quick word on the chocolate buffet....Gross. Everything looked beautiful but NOTHING tasted really good (ok except maybe the fruit kabobs that they pour melted chocolate over).

Since I arranged the Cruise Critic meeting I must have been put on a VIP list or something because every night we had canapes sent to our room either from the concierge or from the hotel directior. We had cards for a free bottle of wine from the hotel director as well. We also had the benefits of Gary the group coordiator to help us out (he arranged our Cruise Critic dinner and was available for whatever we may have needed) The best was that we got concierge service. Ruth the concierge called on the second sea day to introduce herself. We were also invited to a vip party were we mingled with all the directors and captain (different from a repeaters party). We really didn't utilize Ruth very much except to make reservations for us for the whole week at the resteraunts we wanted to dine in (the concierge can make reservations for the whole cruise instead of just the night before). The best thing about the concierge service is priority departure. We recieved VIP luggage tags to replace our color coded ones on the last night. We met at bamboo resteraunt in the morning and before the announcment was even made that ship had cleared we were escorted off the boat. We were THE first ones off (pretty important in NY were the piers are CRAZY). Will have to book a suite now if we go back out on the Dawn...we are now spoiled!!

I cant emphasize enough the excellent service we recieved from all staff throughout the cruise!! This was probably some of the best service we experienced on any line. Far different from the service form NCL's customer service Dept. Hard to believe they all work for the same company. You can feel the pride the staff has in their ship.

I found that we tipped a LOT more on this cruise. On a traditonal crusie I usaully throw the waitstaff some extra cash in addition to the prepaid gratuities. Here we basically tipped in every resteraunt because the service was so good...not that I mind to tip tip for good service but it adds up quickly!!

All in all the cruise was excellent. Would I go freestyle again??????? Probably. Not sure if NCL would be my fisrt choice but that's only because i'm not sure if freestyle is OUR thing. Would I reccomend the ship to others???? Defenitely!!! You have to try freestyle to see if it's right for YOU. Living in NY the Dawn is very convienent. It is a great ship with a great crew!!!

[Mar y Sol]

Thanks for the tips emcemt!.:) Glad your trip was a good one. Will be sailing on the Dawn, Jan. 9 and was waiting to hear from a recent cruiser. This will be out 12th cruise, # 3 on NCL and although we're not thrilled about 'freestyle', we love the idea of leaving out of NYC.

[ChrisConnolly]

I'm assuming you were in a suite? The canapes, suite party, and cards from the hotel director and concierge are part of that package.. If you weren't in a suite, then you got the suite treatment.

[Mrmacman]

Did you hear from Jessice yet about the upgrade?

I am on the list too, but a few behind you.

What would you expect the per person increase to be to bump from a BA

to the AC she told me about? What would you think the $ would be per?

[RichNY]

Emcemt

 

Thanks for infomation. We leave on Dec 9th and it sounds like we made the right choice.

Its good to know Ncl took good care of your CC meeting. Our last count is around 30.

 

Again Thanks.

 

Hey Chris hows things out east.???:D Are you related to Kevin Connolly of the HBFD??

[Brian Raine]

emcemt, Thank you for your concise informative review of the Norwegian Dawn. We are sailing from NY 09Dec, the first trip with NCL having done P&O/RCL/Carnival/Celebrity and local UK cruise ships.

[michelle45]

Brian, we are also flying from Manchester to join the 9th December sailing. I'll listen out for a British accent on the ship! Are you joining the CC get-together on board. Looks like it will be a fine gathering!

Can't wait to fly out a week tomorrow:)

[ChrisConnolly]

Read the information again..Obviously the poster wasn't in a suite, as he pointed out he was in an BA.

 

 

Rich.. not related to any other Connolly's out here.. Though the guys at the Hampton Bays Fire Department put on some good local events. If you get a chance pick up the Long Island Press this week.. They have a great article on how LIer's percieve each other.

 

 

MrMacMan.. doesn't look like anyone is getting cheap upgrades for our cruise, they are basically sold out.

[Mrmacman]

Hey Chris, Thanks for the info. You should really be getting a salary from NCL for the work you do. You are so much better than their Cust Service reps!

 

So no upgrades...Slit my wrists now. I had convinced myself I would get one of the AC cabins in the front. I can see their balcony's from the bridge cam. Ah well, I will have to settle for my BA on deck 10. I will look at it as saving money to spend on more drinks, and pampering in the spa. Thanks for the insights.

[dolfinmusic]

Also a quick word on the chocolate buffet....Gross. Everything looked beautiful but NOTHING tasted really good (ok except maybe the fruit kabobs that they pour melted chocolate over).

 

:eek: NO!!!! Don't say that!!!! NO NO NO!!!!! That's the reason why I booked this cruise! OK - maybe not based on the chocolate buffet but it made up for no 24 hr pizza! Geez - what next - they cancel bus service and the chocolate buffet is gross.... :(

[johnql]

:eek: NO!!!! Don't say that!!!! NO NO NO!!!!! That's the reason why I booked this cruise! OK - maybe not based on the chocolate buffet but it made up for no 24 hr pizza! Geez - what next - they cancel bus service and the chocolate buffet is gross.... :(

I enjoyed the OP's review because it contains a balanced view of the positives and negatives of the cruise. That always gives it a lot more credibility than a review that is completely lopsided. However, I disagree with the opinion that the chocolate buffet is gross. I happened to enjoy many of the items offered in the chocolate buffet and I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one. I think you'll need to try it for yourself and see how it suits your taste. Please don't be swayed by a single negative opinion, especially when it comes to food, which is so incredibly subjective.

[dolfinmusic]

LOL!!! I won't be swayed until I am at that buffet! I just wanted to be a little dramatic! But I do hope it isn't that gross - better than dollar store chocolates!!!

[emcemt]

:eek: NO!!!! Don't say that!!!! NO NO NO!!!!! That's the reason why I booked this cruise! OK - maybe not based on the chocolate buffet but it made up for no 24 hr pizza! Geez - what next - they cancel bus service and the chocolate buffet is gross.... :(

 

 

Like Johnql stated....everyone's tastes are subjective...so please dont let my feelings about the buffet influence you....It was still a beautiful display. I wasn't really impressed with most desserts on the boat...except the chocolate fondue in Le Biestro. The best dessert I found was on the first 2 days at the Garden Buffet (which I forgot to mention in my initial review needs A LOT of improvement...all other lines have them beat hands down in this dept.) They were thick chocolate over a thin piece of sponge cake. They were delicious but only saw them the first 2 days then they were gone.

[johnslig]

Just a few more comments on the Dawn . I too was on the Dawn 18th-28th.

 

Staff- excellant

Food- moderate ( RCCL is better by way of choices and presentation)

Rooms - very good ( I was in a balcony room and they were well set up and very very clean)

 

All of my " issues" regarding the trip relayed to passengers being rude and pushy, and never related to the staff. There were a ton of young kids and they were all well behaved and seemed to have a great time. I had many issues with the behaviour of the older kids. They were running around the spinnaker lounge during performances and yelling at each other and running up and down the hallways. Staff would walk right past and not say a word. Many people left the comedy show and big band show because of these brats and their rude behaviour. BTW. If my parents ever heard me call an elderly man " Bud" I would have never heard the end of it.

 

The Bistro and Cagneys offered wonderful meals and service and I cant stop salivating over the chocolate fondue.

 

We spent a lot of time at the Pearly Kings Pub and it was great for watching soccer, football etc.

 

I was very impressed with the hand sanitizers at the beginning of each buffet line and the entrance to each restaurant.. This was a nice touch to keep things germ free in such a busy area.

 

I would have to say that overall I was not thrilled with the Dawn. I thought it poorly laid out and the pool area was horrible, compared to other lines. I found the food to be good but in no way as high end as I expected. Like others have mentioned, the choices were way to limited. I also noted that the quality of the meals diminished as the cruise came closer to end.

 

I wont be cruising NCL again, but not because of poor staff or dirty conditions. I must admit that freestyle was not for me and I feel the crowds to get into shows etc would not exist with a formal seeting arrangements.

 

Everyone will have fun on the Dawn, but I cant guarantee that they will go home feeling like it met their expectations. I am going back to RCCL.

 

Note: If you put the do not disturb sign out in the evening, my DH was sick one night, I think it is rather silly to have maid service call the room at 10:30pm to ask it we want her to turn down the room. Those poor honeymooners must have hated that lol.

 

Cruise Critic was a valuable source of information prior to my trip.

[johnslig]

Also meant to mention that the Garden Cafe needed a lot of improvment regarding the food, seating and flow of traffic. It was most often very aggravating to get around that area.

 

Embarking was a breeze and disembarking was highly frustrating ( we were non-us group) but once off the boat retrieving our luggage and getting to the car was a breeze.

 

I felt sorry for the guy who parked next to us and left his driver door window open for 10 rainy NYC days. oops

[Tomct]

emcemt, Thank you for your concise informative review of the Norwegian Dawn. We are sailing from NY 09Dec, the first trip with NCL having done P&O/RCL/Carnival/Celebrity and local UK cruise ships.

 

Check out the Roll Call Board for our cruise, and make plans to attend our gathering. As was pointed out on this thread, the ship may cause you some difficulty getting around, and Star Bar is the only place that does give me some difficulty. If you have any problem, just look for Cagney's, and it's directly across the hall.

[EChris]

I noticed your comment regarding somebody being sick one night on Dawn.

I too was on the 18-28 cruise and became ill after eating at the Mexican restaurant Sunday night. Stomach cramps and what goes with it.

I bought Pepto Bismol in Antigua and was fine 24 hours later. Saw quite a few "Do not disturb" signs Sunday and Monday and wondered if others had the same symptoms.

[Tomct]

We were attracted to NCL because of FreeStyle, and it fits our needs perfectly. I do have a couple of comments in regard to the Chocolate Buffet. First, the piano player they had on our last cruise was also playing the theme to "Titanic", and I agree, not a great selection for a cruise. Second, I'll mention a couple of comments on the buffet itself, and you can make your own conclusion.

 

The day it was scheduled on our April cruise, it was 2:30 in Venetian, and I had plans for a Martini Clinic at 3:00. Having already graduated from several past Martini Classes from NCL, I planned to work on my Masters, so opted for the Clinic. However, with some first time cruisers in the family, including grand kids ages 5 & 7, I had to go watch them and take some pictures and video of the buffet. My plan was to just grab a couple of things, sample them, and head up to the clinic. Well, I filled my plate, and ate most of it, and had to pass on the Martinis, knowing there was another class later in the cruise. As mentioned, the chocolate covered fruit was outstanding!!

[rossbabsy]

How did you arrange a cruise critic gathering? there are several of us on January 9th and It would be nice to meet.

 

This is my first time for freestyle cruising. Sounds like you had a great time.

[swoosh2005]

How did you arrange a cruise critic gathering? there are several of us on January 9th and It would be nice to meet.

 

This is my first time for freestyle cruising. Sounds like you had a great time.

Hi

I also posted this on your other board.

For the 12/30 cruise I contacted the Dawn coordinator-Claudia Reyes at

clreyes@ncl.com

she set up the location at the Star Bar for us

Denise

[emcemt]

Claudia is the one who set up our meetng as well. She is a good resource at NCL.

[chinaman john]

Good review. Thank you for information.

[Sybird]

We too are scheduled to sail the Dawn on Jan 9th. Are there anyplans in the works for a CC get together?

Sy

[msescada]

emcemt, Thank you for your concise informative review of the Norwegian Dawn. We are sailing from NY 09Dec, the first trip with NCL having done P&O/RCL/Carnival/Celebrity and local UK cruise ships.

We have sailing friends in Manchester, Brian. You wouldn't ever have sailed on Cunard's Caronia, would you?

[montycjv]

I too was on the 10 night dawn Nov 18-28th...I agree with most of you on the service and food. Service I thought was wonderful, but the food was good...not great. We ate two nights in Salsa, and this was one of the food highlights for us. Service and Food in Salsa was great. Also ate one night in Le Bistro...and everything was great...especially the Chocolate Fondou....Garden Buffet...not impressive...never seemed to find anything good on the hot buffett...so I always ate at the poolside BBQ..

 

Trying to find a chair around the pool, especially on sea days was a nightmare...too may people saving chairs. I was an early riser, uot on deck by 6:30am and some people had already put towels and books on chairs...NCL does not seem to enforce the "no saving chair" policy.

 

Evening shows were impressive...Bollywood is wonderful....don't miss it.

 

Overall...we had a wonderful time. We had a regular Cat 5 outside cabin on Deck 5...and there were 4 of us in there...two adults and a 12 year old and an 8 year old...cramped..but not impossible. cabin stewards were great.

Remember, this is my opinion...but I'll definitely be back on the Dawn...but in a larger cabin...:)