RocketSci73

I've always had great room steward service on NCL cruises, and I usually pre-pay my room gratuities through my travel agent. Of course, some stewards were better than others, but all have been good. I like to not worry about money when I'm on vacation.

Sounds like yours was the exception. You did the right thing by contacting the guest services desk.

I agree with VideoTech: The port of New Orleans is rather straightforward, and a great port to sail from! Once you hand over your luggage to the porters at the terminal entrance, there are lots of things to do within walking distance, rather than fight the crowds to board. The RiverWalk Mall is right in the same building, where you can grab some lunch, or shop for souvenirs. It's New Orleans, which is a wonderful city to visit, regardless of reason!

I found the Hilton Riverside to be especially convenient, as it is housed in the RiverWalk Mall itself, the same building as the cruise terminal. Whatever you do, don't try to drive & park to a cruise at this port. The downtown streets are hard to navigate, with all the foreign sounding street names and one-way directions, and parking is hard to find and not secure. It's best to take a taxi or public transport.

I also agree that the World War II museum is a great spot nearby, though you may want to dedicate at least half a day to it.

I like having my entire vacation paid ahead of time!

That way I don't have to worry about money while on vacation, or any credit card debt afterwards. It's a vacation, so I try to be free from the worries of everyday life. And yes, I get a refund check back from NCL or my travel agent a couple months after the cruise, for any onboard credit that I did not spend. I don't think either one is going out of business soon, nor has faulty accountants, so my money is safe.

Biker@sea said:

> Dawn / Star are the worst designed ship's in the fleet since NCL decided to removed the deck 12 observation lounge. Along with the lack of a great outdoors.

I agree. I miss the Observation Lounge.

This was a lounge perched on the top, forward section of the ship, with floor to ceiling windows, where guests could view where the ship was going, and even pretend to be captain of the ship with a navigation steering wheel put there. For my next cruise, I was torn between the Pearl and the Sun, both of which still have this feature, but I am going to try the Getaway instead since it has solo cabins. To this day, the Sun remains my favorite ship of all time, and I wish NCL would build more ships like her! On the Dawn, Norwegian ripped out the Observation Lounge, and put in more "owner's" suites, in the hopes of generating more revenue and mimicking the Haven suites on her later sister ships. (Say, how many owners does NCL have, anyway?...)

The Great Outdoors was an outdoor extension of the buffet dining area, where guests could eat under shaded canopy in the sea breeze, if they wanted. But on the plus side, I think they have put some more tables by the pool area just forward of the buffet, where folks can now dine outside. I saw some folks doing this on my last cruise (on the Dawn) and said, "That's a good idea."

Cmdchiefthom asked:

> Can you elaborate on what you dislike about sailing on the Dawn?

I sailed on the Dawn this past winter, March 2017. It was a great cruise!

My only two complaints were: 1) The ship is challenging to get around. Things are not layed out very straightforward, and sometimes you need a map to find how to get to certain places on the ship. This is true for the Star, Dawn, Pearl, Gem, Jewel, and Jade, as they use the same layout. Not all staircases and elevators reach all floors, and decks 7 and 12 are the only way to get between the front and back of the ship. 2) Although the ship went through renovation in 2016, some parts still appear worn or dated, especially the 1970's "chocolate sauce drizzled" carpet found in many of the public areas. You have to look hard to notice such things. Overall, she is a very beautiful ship. The decor is appropriate to set the mood for just about everywhere.

If you want me to state some positive things about the Norwegian Dawn and the rest of NCL, I certainly can. Other than these two issues, the Norwegian Dawn is a great vessel, with a great crew, and some great ports of call, and I am sure you will have a good time!

Cruising Hawaii in 2007 - Yes, that could have been a disaster indeed. I read a lot of negative reviews at the time about the All-American staff not being so good. That problem is unique only to the Hawaii cruises.

My main concern is that the Bliss is a brand new ship, less than a year old, so may have some kinks to work out.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is my favorite cruise line. I have always had a great experience, and keep coming back to them.

Yes, I do consider NCL to be a "nickel & dime" cruise line, and here is my explanation. There are lots of options of what to do, especially on their newest & biggest ship. Some are included, and some cost extra. There are lots of advertisements (printed & verbal) that you will receive for these extras. This was much improved on my most recent NCL cruise, as they toned down on the advertising. Perhaps this is because as more things are added, more advertising results from each individual thing, which overwhelmed customers, and led to lots of complaints. I like that NCL strives to innovate and improve.

However, in my experience with NCL, paying more for something does not make it better. The extra fee options might be something different to try, but not necessarily better. You can have a great cruise experience without paying extra. For example, the food in the main dining rooms and buffets has always impressed me, both the choices and the quality. I don't have children, but I hear NCL has a great kids program, so they should be happy too!