Just returned from MAJESTY & DAWN---YOU GOT QUESTIONS-WE HAVE ANSWERS!

[dorothyl]

Thanks for the tips.We were going to drive in the day before(Sept 18th)but when I saw that we could fly Jetblue for $100 return each I thought that I will just swallow my terrible fear of flying and get there in an hour as opposed to 9hrs driving.Factor in gas,parking terminal and hotel the night before and it wasn't worth it.

We land at 10am on cruise day so I am not worried about time.I contacted a shuttle service yesterday and it is $17pp to the port.While I understand from your post to me that might take 2 hours, I have never been to NYC and it would almost be like a tour.I am not sure what I am more excited about,coming to NYC or cruising.We are staying for a few days when we come back.
I am looking for an affordable hotel if you have any suggestions?
We are in a Dawn mini AG just beside the spa on deck 11,if you have any knowledge on the room I would appreciate it, and I will be happy with that with or without and upgrade.
This is our first major vacation without our 4 kids(ages 6-20),we are both 39 and looking forward to everything.We have done Disney and Universal a number of times and KSC so we haven't decided what we are doing yet in the first 2 ports.Maybe Universal(without kids) and ride the rides we want this time.

In Nassua we are going to Atlantis and at GSC we are simply beaching it.Do mini-suites get early tenders as well as the higher suites?
Also what time is the latest to board the ship?I wouldn't mind going to Times Square first if there is time.

Hope I haven't asked to much?

Thanks

[bragstarr]

[font=Arial][size=3][color=red]Debjo, actually someone on the boards did see the deck 8 inside cabin and told me about the setup, but I had booked that cabin already anyway because it was dead center of the ship! So hopefully it will work out.....[/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=3][color=red]Dorothyl, I've heard about people boarding the ship as early as 11 in certain situations. I think you have to be on the ship an hour before departure. If you are staying in NY after the cruise, I would put a hold on Times Square until afterwards, when you can see it at night. I am a native born New Yorker and it is one of the few things that never fails to amaze me, but much more of an impact at night. Get yourself on the ship, start enjoying and tour Manhattan afterward! As for a hotel, have you been over to the hotels board on Cruise Critic? The people there usually give great advice, especially in terms of bidding on Priceline. Manhattan, unfortunately, is an expensive place. I would definitively plan on a Broadway show while you are here. There is something called the TKTS booth in Times Square where you can get half price tickets for a same day show. It opens about 2 hours before show times (noon for matinees, 5 or 6 pm for night shows, you might want to get there even earlier to be at the front of the line); lines are long but move and they'll give you a brochure describing the shows so that you can make a selection when you see what is available (obviously, you rarely get tickets for a really popular show, but you can score some great deals!). [/color][/size][/font]

[font=Arial][size=3][color=red][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Arial][size=3][color=red]Since I haven't actually been on Dawn yet, I can't give you many suggestions, but I can on places to eat and go in Manhattan if you are interested. [/color][/size][/font]
[font=Arial][size=3][color=red][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Arial][size=3][color=red]Happy cruising![/color][/size][/font]
[font=Arial][size=3][color=red][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Arial][size=3][color=red]Robin[/color][/size][/font]

[dorothyl]

Robin, thanks.
I understand clearly the high cost of rooms in a tourist area, just try booking here in the Falls right now.The cost is outrageous.I really want to be in Times Square so I will end up paying an arm and a leg.As for a show, thanks I will try that.

I had a hard time on Priceline, I could not get a list of hotels.I have been on the hotel board and will try a couple of those hotels suggested.

If we board the ship around 3pm are we ok?I figure if our plane lands at 10am we have lots of time.I would like to see something before we board.

[debjo]

[B]For bragstarr...[/B]
I'm so glad that you got some more definitive information about your cabin.

[B]For dorothyl[/B]
You might want to try http:[url]www.sidestep.com[/url] for hotel ideas. You'll have to download their seach engine (doesn't take long). It has been a great site for us to find hotels within our area & price range ideas.

I have to agree with Robin...it would be much better to arrange your "stay & sightseeing in NYC" until after your cruise. I understand that you'll have a few hours to spend in NYC after your flight arrives and before your DAWN cruise departs, but I think that waiting until 3:00 pm to get on the ship when sail-away is scheduled for 4:00 pm is cutting it a bit close. Remember that there is a long line process to go through (security, passport check, ticket counter, setting up on board accounts, embarkation photos, etc.). Besides, there is so much to do once you get on the ship before you set sail, that it would be a shame to miss all of that entertainment and food, not to mention getting to your cabin and acclimating yourself to the layout of the vessel. ;) Also, there is a LIFEBOAT/MUSTER DRILL that is manditory for all passengers. It usually takes place 1/2 hour before the ship leaves. You need to get to your cabin ahead of time to get your life vest and learn where you are to report for muster drill.

Besides, you are going to have all your luggage with you...if you were to do some sightseeing (other than the ride to from the airport to the ship), where would you leave all your luggage? We had this very dilemma when we wanted to do some sightseeing in NYC after a cruise before we had to catch our train home that day. We had several hours and didn't want to just sit around the train station. Fortunately, we could leave our luggage at the train station in lockers (for a fee) and were able to go to Macy's and do some shopping before our train arrived. Sadly, the passenger pier terminal in NYC does not have any lockers available. :( Once you leave your taxi at the pier terminal, your luggage is taken by long-shoremen to be put on the ship. I'm not sure how early they start that process, but considering the DAWN doesn't arrive in NYC for disembarkation until about 10:00 am...getting your luggage put on the ship "early" so you can do some sightseeing until 3:00 might not work out too well. About the only thing that you "might" be able to do, if you REALLY want to "see" NYC and not get on the ship immediately, would be to go to the INTREPID SEA, AIR, SPACE museum right next door at the docking area. The "Intrepid" is an aircraft carrier docked next to the passenger pier terminal along with another navy vessel and submarine. One of the old "Concorde" supersonic air transports is there also, but isn't scheduled to be "open" until 2005. Another idea would be to take a CIRCLE LINE BOAT TOUR...docking area is on the other side of the INTREPID. Both are an easy walk along the river from where the DAWN is docked, and you might have enough time to squeeze one of those things in...although I should tell you, we did each one on a day before our cruise departure date. Based on our last 4 cruise experiences out of NYC, with a JFK flight arrival time at 10:00 am...1/2 to get your luggage and get a taxi/shuttle (minimum)...roughly 1 hour drive to the passenger pier terminal with a taxi, more if you are on a shuttle...you might arrive at the ship by noon (at the earliest). That leaves only about two hours to "sightsee". I don't think I'd want to be getting "in line" at the passenger pier terminal any later than 2:00 pm. (We usually try to be amongst the first on the ship, so we've not been part of the "check-in" process later in the afternoon.) The CIRCLE LINE boat tours are either 2 hours (semi-circle tour was $21 pp in 2003) or 3 hours (full circle) depending on which one you can get. You'd probably have to do the semi-circle 2 hour tour if there is space available. The INTREPID museum admission is for "all day". Personally, I'd hate to spend the $14.50 pp(Apr '04) for just a couple hours there.

Sorry if I've "burst your bubble" about NYC sightseeing the day of your flight arrival/cruise departure, but I thought it would be better to share my experiences & opinions with you that to have you get there and be late getting to the ship and miss your cruise! :eek:

Best of luck with all your planning and preparations. If I can be of further help...don't hesitate to ask! :D

Debjo

[dorothyl]

Debjo

I will follow your advice.I don't want to miss any festivities taking place at departure,thanks.We are in an AG mini ,we booked gty and now have a room #11686 beside the spa.Is there still a chance we could get offered an upgrade or are we now locked in?
What is the best time to try or do they contact us?Do we go through our TA or can we call direct?Only 70 days to go.

Thanks for the advice.

[debjo]

For dorothyl

After I wrote all that, I was really concerned that I was being a bit too harsh. Thanks for not taking any offense. Truly, I think you'll be glad that you didn't schedule too much for your flight arrival/ship departure day. You'll be excited enough getting on the ship. Here's a "sightseeing" tidbit...Princess Cruise Line's "GRAND PRINCESS" will also be docked at the passenger pier terminal, so you'll have the opportunity to see another ship in port while you are getting on the DAWN. Sadly, gone are the days when one might have been able to "tour" another ship in port. But, it is still fun to "see" the other ships from the dock or from the top decks of the cruise ship you are sailing away on!

 

In answer to your other previous questions that I somehow overlooked earlier...

I didn't have the opportunity to "see" inside any of the suites on Deck 11, so I can't help you out there. I'm sure you'll appreciate the added space you'll have over our BA cabin...especially since this is your first trip without the rest of your family! Having a bathtub to soak in will sure beat only having a shower! One definite advantage that you'll have with your cabin being so close to the SPA is that you'll be able to take immediate advantage on the first day of the cruise to report to the spa for a complimentary tour and to enter their "lottery" for free spa treatments...you have to be present when they make the drawing to win! (Only of interest if you are a "spa" type person...I'm not, but I sure do enjoy getting a massage after my muscles start complaining that I'm having TOO MUCH FUN...besides anything for "free" on a cruise is a big plus!) You'll also be able to grab a quick bite at the Garden Buffet, especially on shore days, with that being just one deck above your cabin.

 

I'm not remembering that there was special tender boarding priority given to "suite" passengers, but I could be wrong. I had a "massage" scheduled "on the beach" at GSC for 9:00 am the morning we arrived. I got on one of the first tenders to the island without any special consideration given. You might want to check with the concierge once you get on board.

 

We didn't go to Atlantis...but are planning to do that next spring on our DAWN cruise. Neither did we go do Disney or Universal...my DH just isn't a "ride" sort of guy and those things aren't fun when you go by yourself. I'm a bit envious that you and your DH will be able to "ride all the rides you want without the kids"! We did go to KSC...DH's choice. I actually was much more impressed with everything there than I thought I'd be...especially the IMAX film. There was much more to do there than our 7 hour excursion time gave us...we'll probably go back again.

 

Great Stirrup Cay was also much more than I expected...both from my enjoyment level (not being a "beach" person) and from an activity level. We didn't have any time to just sit around "getting some sun". My husband and I have (because of cruising) discovered that we love to snorkel...especially since neither of us like to "swim". Our snorkeling experience at GSC was one of the best we've had...we even saw one (or two seperately) of the two resident stingrays they have there! The beach barbeque rivaled the one on the ship. We loved swinging in the breeze on one of the shaded hammocks. Even the little "straw" market was fun. We had planned to hike to the lighthouse, but since our Nassau & GSC days got switched around due to weather, the 1/2 day at GSC didn't give us enough time to do all that we planned. I recommend getting one of the earliest tenders...stake out your spot on the beach under the umbrellas before the big crowds arrive. We spent so much time snorkeling, we didn't really notice as the "masses" from the ship arrived. Looking back over our pictures...boy that beach got crowded! We didn't, but will next time, plan to take the very last tender back to the ship. Once we saw the lines developing for the tenders in the early afternoon, we thought we'd better join them. In essence, we ended up spending about 45 minutes in the line as the two tender boats traveled back and forth to the DAWN...we could have continued to have fun for those 45 minutes and gotten a "later" tender back. I longingly looked back at the lagoon waters and the beach ,as I stood in line, thinking that those few people left on the beach & in the waters enjoying the island were the smart ones!

 

Now regarding your upgrade possiblilities...

I haven't quite figured that one out yet. My understanding is that the cruise line will contact your TA (if you are working with one). Your TA (upon your request or at their own initiative) should be checking for upgrades for you. Once, ours did notify us of an upgrade, which we chose NOT to accept and were happy with our decision. Not all upgrades are "free" (there are "upsells" that will cost extra) and not all upgrades will put you in a better location. Sure they may put you in a higher cabin category, but consider the upgraded cabin's location on the ship (fore, mid, aft, port, starboard) and what deck it is on (what is on the deck above and below your "new" cabin placement...you don't want to be under the disco if you like to get to sleep early). So, if you are fortunate enough to be offered an upgrade...be sure to have your deck plans handy to check it out...or at least have your TA well aware of your likes/dislikes if they need to make an immediate decision with the cruise line for you. Personally, I think if you are working with a great TA, you should probably handle "upgrades" through him/her rather than contacting the cruiseline yourself...that is just my opinion, mostly because we have a great TA and I don't want to step on her toes or create any confusion! Lastly, if the "upgrade fairy" hasn't visited you by the time you arrive at the passenger pier terminal...it is not inappropriate to inquire about an upgrade at the ticket counter...it never hurts to ask!

 

Have fun with all of your "countdown" preparations and excited anticipation!

 

Debjo :D

[dorothyl]

No you were not to harsh at all.That is what my husband wanted to do anyway.I am noticing the time difference in your response.Where are you from if you don't mind me asking?

[debjo]

For dorothyl...

Not too far from you...about 4 hours east in Central New York State.

Debjo

[dorothyl]

Thanks Debjo

 

My husband thinks I am addicted to these boards.

He is right, but we will have an amazing vacation.To top it off our 20yr old and his girlfriend just suggested they would like to go.

In an inside room as cheap as posssible.He asked me to price it for them.

 

This could be enjoyable, they are adults and says we won't see them at all.

[debjo]

For dorothyl...

My husband hasn't "yet" accused me of that addiction...if he thinks I am, he probably wouldn't say anything because he loves all the interesting tidbits I share with him after my Cruise Critic "fix" each day! I don't see it as an addiction...it is my way to take a few moments (sometimes a couple hours), each day I get on the internet, to relax on especially hectic days. There is nothing like reliving your cruise memories to make a day better...nothing that is, except ACTUALLY being on a cruise!

Looks like your cruise might end up being a family cruise! I hope you can find a very affordable cabin for your son & his girlfriend.

 

Debjo

[SOS]

Debjo

 

I am a newcomer to this board and just wanted to thank you for your great reivew. My husband and I had some concerns about sailing on the Majesty after reading reviews of her elsewhere. Thank you for your great post. We are booked to sail in March 2005 and can't wait.

[debjo]

For SOS...

Just so you won't be surprised if you travel on the MAJESTY...there are some things that I don't dwell on, but perhaps you'd like to be informed of...mostly "little" things that happen because the ship is "considered old" by ship standards. (Remember, she is due to go into "dry dock" in October '04 for a refit.) I also became aware of these "things" because we had so many people in our traveling party and I, being the person who had been on other cruises, became their designated "go to" person (aka "problem solver").

 

1. Sometimes the cabin "key" cards don't work when you get to you cabin...the easy "fix" is to go to the RECEPTION DESK and they will immediately take care of it.

 

2. The cabin "safe" may not work. After making sure that you have followed the directions implicitly...making sure that you are NOT using your cabin "key" card (as some ships do)...you need to use one of your own credit cards. Also, one member of our party could not use there safe as one of the "bolts" that secured it was broken off by a previous passenger. If you happen to have a problem with your safe after you have put your valuables in it...such as not being able to get it to open again...report the problem to your Cabin Steward and Reception. Someone from the ship's Security Department will have to come and resolve the matter and you MUST be present in your cabin when they do so, for obvious reasons.

 

3. You should be able to get ALL the channels on your cabin television as shown in your Television Guide. For some reason, only three channels come through. This is a simple "fix" with a call to RECEPTION again. They will send someone to your cabin to fix the television connections almost immediately. If you aren't present in your cabin, the "repairman" will leave you a note to let you know when he was there and the outcome.

 

4. All of our pre-cruise research, NCL's website and our cruise documentation stated that we'd be arriving in St. George's at 1:00 pm. When our ship arrived before 9:00 am that day, we thought we were treated to a few extra hours on the lovely islands. Those hours would give us some time to acclimate ourselves and relax before our SCHEDULED and PREBOOKED "AFTERNOON" shore excursions at 1:00 pm. Needless to say, we overhead some people talking during breakfast (at 9:30 am) that their shore excursion times for that day had changed and they had only noticed it when they looked at their tickets that morning. When we finished breakfast and returned to our cabin to "check" our tickets...we discovered that our tickets had been printed with the "new and rescheduled" time. Therefore, we "missed" the departure of our "booked" 1:00 pm excursion because it had been changed to 9:00 am. I felt that there should have been some P.A. announcement made to alert passengers to that change -or- our tickets should have been "red flagged" or "highlighted" to the change in time. Once we realized the problem, we immediately went to the excursion desk to see if we could have the matter straightened out. Since we had "docked" no one was available at the excursion desk until later that evening. To make the "long" story "short", we did manage to come to a compromise with the management before our cruise ended, especially since we'd learned that the ship had been arriving in St. Georges for the past several cruises at 9:00 am instead of the published time of 1:00 pm! SO, BE SURE TO CHECK ALL THE DETAILS OF YOUR SHORE EXCURSION TICKETS IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU FIND THEM IN YOUR CABIN IF YOU HAVE PREBOOKED THEM BEFORE YOUR TRIP...it will help alleviate a possible stressful situation for anyone. I've since noticed that NCL has corrected their website itinerary to show that the ship does arrive (at times) in St. Georges at 9:00 am.

 

5. If you are diabetic, double check with the waitstaff and chefs that the "sugar-free" offerings in the buffet area are indeed "sugar-free". One member of our group noticed that the people who were resupplying the buffet food weren't very careful with the placement of the "sugar-free" signs.

 

6. Depending on the passenger compliment on your trip, you might encounter unsightly messes in the cabin hallways. We had a raucous foursome adjacent to our cabins who insisted on throwing their room service food down the corridor for the stewards to constantly clean up. I felt so bad for our cabin stewards and talked with them about it. They said that they are well trained to take care of the inconvenience and actually "expect" that in the 30 cabins they clean there will always be a few passengers who enjoy giving them "extra" work to do. I SAY PASSENGERS LIKE THAT SHOULD BE "INVITED" TO GET OFF THE SHIP! Sadly, the housekeeping staff on the ship can't be immediatley present all the time to clean up after these slovenly people! This was the first cruise that we've been on where we witnessed such deplorable behavior from some passengers. Hopefully, you'll have a great bunch of fellow cruisers and you won't have to "watch where you step"!

 

All in all, the great people that staff the RECEPTION DESK can be your best friends if you approach them with respect and politeness if you encounter a problem. Everyone on the ship works very hard to make your cruise enjoyable.

 

Debjo :D

[Tomct]

Debjo: I finally got around to "searching" for your info on the Majesty (and Dawn), so in addition to making it available to other cruisers via the bump, I was wondering about evening plans/activites in Bermuda. Since it appears your situation had you remaining on board for the evenings, and enjoying the shows, I was wondering what the general population was doing at that time. Do many spend evenings on shore, and if so, what are they doing? Having been on the Dawn (twice), and Star (once), I know how good the shows are, and have a problem thinking about alternate evening activities.

 

As you suggest, we are booked for a 10 day Dawn cruise in December, and are planning our first Bermuda vacation for next June. It will be a family group, maybe 8 - 10 cabins or more. For the most part we will want to be together, and know we will enjoy time on board together. Therefore I would appreciate any ideas on what we might do on shore, if we decide to do that.

 

Though originally leaning toward the Crown, we started to look into the Majesty, and now seem to be leaning that way. It could be the John Kerry approach!! Our main objective is to save some money for the young couples who will be going, a couple with new homes. That's why I was so interested in finding your related posts.

 

Thanks for your info, I always enjoy reading your posts.

[debjo]

For Tomct

First, my sincere apologies for taking so long to respond to your query (which, by the way, you posted on my birthday!). Sadly, it wasn't a happy one because I was "sick" for three weeks with a cold or flu...prior to finally getting my flu shot! Needless to say, I haven't been on my computer for quite some time and have much catching up to do!

 

Thank you for your nice comments...congratulations on thinking about two upcoming cruises. I'll try to share my Bermuda insights with you...regarding "evening" activities onboard and ashore. June will be a good month for you and your family. The temperatures will, most likely be, much warmer and humid that we experience in the northest that month. Each time we have been to Bermuda...no matter what city our ship was docked in, the individual towns host a "festival" one evening each week. On our MAJESTY trip (when the ship spent the entire time in St. Georges), there was one evening (Tuesday) that the "HARBOR NIGHTS FESTIVAL" was to be held in the Town Square. Sadly, it was "rained out" for our trip, but having been to Bermuda before, I can tell you that it would have consisted of musical entertainment, various local craftspeople and their creations, food vendors, etc. Picture something from a quaint small town. We found it quite delightful and festive on our previous visits and were saddened that it was cancelled due to bad weather when we were there this past spring with our extended family. Of course, there was much to do that evening on the ship. We attended our past passenger "Latitudes Party" early that evening just prior to our early dinner plans. Most people in our family group attended the show with the comedian that evening while I attended to some shore excursion business, since the rain kept us inside. A few people in our group enjoyed the "Wheel of Fortune" game show fun in the Royal Fireworks Lounge. The ISLAND NIGHT DECK PARTY scheduled to be poolside was moved indoors. Our group basically dispersed in the later hours of the evening...some going to check out their pictures in the Photo Gallery, some turned in a bit earlier than planned in order to catch-up on some "lost" sleep. My husband and I chose to wander the ship doing some exploration and got caught up with the joys of Karaoke. Unfortunately, there wasn't any "shopping" or "casino" activity on the ship since were were "in port", but there was still much to discover and do on the ship. Hopefully, you won't have to deal with the forces of nature and your June trip will be blessed with sunny skies by day and gorgeous sunsets at night (one thing I really missed this past April was the Bermuda sunsets!).

 

As far as other evenings in St. Georges go...if you want to do a bit of shopping in the evening ashore...be sure to make your plans for the earliest part of the night and take a "late" dinner. Most shops in St. Georges close early, some at 5:00. Remember it is a quaint historic old town! The eateries and bars tend to stay open later. Many people on the ship took advantage of the "Freestyle Ashore" program and used their vouchers for discounted meals at the preselected dining venues. We've not tried that as of yet, but we did hear many great responses from fellow passengers and those in our family group that took advantage of that option rather than dining on the ship. My husband and I, on one delightful evening with great weather, decided to walk up to the UNFINISHED CHURCH after dark. The panoramic view, from that hilltop location, of the MAJESTY was sublime, with the ship lit up like a Christmas tree. We've always found Bermuda to be a very safe place to wander the streets after dark as we seek out a place to capture a night-time photo of the ship in a "different light". Some people ventured by taxi into Hamilton to partake of their night-time "festival". On a previous trip to Bermuda, we attended the Hamilton festivities and discoverd a parade with the pagentry (Bermuda style) of an English royal marching band. Back on the ship, we learned that some in our group attended $500 Bingo that night...some went to the Palace Theater to enjoy another comedian. Since the weather was so nice, many passengers decided to enjoy shore-time.

 

On another night (Thursday), we were scheduled to take part in an evening Catamaran Sail shore excursion. I had looked forward to that sunset sail, but was again faced with disappointing weather that caused it to be cancelled. Instead we enjoyed the comedic/acrobatic act with Rudi Macaggi. If he is still entertaining when you take your cruise...be sure to catch his act! Other activities on the ship that night were another session of Bingo, the "Master's" Art Auction, Team Trivia, and the 50's/60's Rock & Roll Sock Hop...the rain had subsided by then, so the Poolside venue still held. The hula hoop contest was hysterical. Later the "party" moved to the lounge.

 

One thing to note, since you have enjoyed the exceptional theatrical shows aboard the DAWN, I need to point out that the theatre on the MAJESTY is MUCH smaller and only occupies one deck. The stage protrudes out into the audience seating area with is on an angled floor. There are ceiling support columns that can hinder your sight lines if you don't arrive to the show early enough to procure a "prime" spot. The shows are good, the entertainment staff very talented, but all geared and appropriate for the limited stage space. It would be unfair to compare and contrast the entertainment experience on the MAJESTY to the enormous stage and theatre on the DAWN. There is a much more intimate feel and experience with the entertainment on the MAJESTY. There were only two "staged" song & dance production shows on our MAJESTY trip. The rest of the headlined evening entertainment was largely comedy acts and/or "lounge" type entertainment.

 

Don't forget, there is always the spa and gym areas if you are being blessed with too much "liquid sunshine" and seek some time to unwind or shed a few calories.

 

All in all, as long as the weather is good in Bermuda (and it is much of the time...their annual rainfall is very limited), you won't have any difficulty finding something to do and/or experience in the evenings whether you are on the ship or on shore. Of course, by day your choices will be even more abundant. There literally is so much to do that even if you split up...you won't be able to cover it all. I guess that is why we keep returning to Bermuda. (For us Bermuda is "heaven on earth".) We're now getting to the point where we don't feel the need to partake in ship organized excursions and know the Bermudian islands well enough to venture off on our own. Believe me, St. Georges is really easy to explore on your own on foot...just get a good guide book and you'll find it easy to be your own tour guide!

 

Best of luck in all your planning...I'm always happy to answer any questions!

 

Debjo (a bit envious that you'll be "seeing" the DAWN before me...I have to wait until April)

[Tomct]

Debjo: Thanks for the detailed info. I'll have to get back to it in the morning, but look forward to reading your tips and descriptions.

 

Happy (belated) Birthday, sorry to hear you were so sick, but glad that you are on the mend. Since writing, we have booked the Majesty for 6/26/05, and so far have 8 cabins booked for our group. I'm very comfortable with the decision to go on the Majesty, as her fans seem so fond of her.

 

Thanks again,

 

Tom

[Tomct]

I got to read your notes today, and thanks again for taking the time to remember the highlights and write them down for me. I know that is one of the many good things about this board, you get to stretch out the joys of cruising, by sharing such moments with others.

 

I was wondering how long the street festivals last, when they start and end. We really enjoy sunsets, Cape Cod has some great ones, so we'll be looking forward to that. I always bring my camera to dinner, so if possible, try to sneak out for a sunset shot. I haven't been too successful, but keep trying. One night on the Dawn, the sun was getting low, and we had a window seat in Impressions. Unfortunately, the sun was so bright, people complained, and they drew the blinds. We've spent a total of 21 days cruising, and that dinner was one of only two meals that we were not pleased with, and to top it off, I missed out on a great sunset..

(FYI: the other dinner was also in Impressions, different cruise, but we learned it was the manner in which the meals were prepared and served that we don't like, they seem to mess up an otherwise nice piece of meat with sauces we don't like. Our suggestion might be to have the sauces served on the side.

 

That evening Catamaran sail sounds good, I'll have to look into that when I get a chance. I'm still behind in getting our s. Caribbean excursion game plan together, so may not get to that for quite awhile.

 

Keep up the good work,

 

Tom

[debjo]

For Tomct...

One thing I missed on the MAJESTY that helped me with the sunsets on the DAWN was the channel on our cabin television that listed the temperature & weather report, sunrise & sunset times, wave height, distance traveled, ship speed, etc. There was a desk area next to the purser's counter on the MAJESTY that did post some of these things each day, so I tried to remember to "view" it in passing to get the sunset times...sadly, it wasn't always kept up-to-date.

 

Well, you've finally stumped me with your request for times of the Street Festivals in St. Georges & Hamilton. From memory, I can say that we ate an early dinner and then went ashore for the festivities that were already in progress. We were able to catch the sunset and enjoyed the activity until well after dark before returning to the ship to partake of the evening schedule. In checking my past "FREESTYLE DAILY" for the MAJESTY, all I could find was the times for the Street Festival listed for Hamilton...

..."7pm-10pm every Wednesday of the tourist season, which features local live entertainment, shopping and artisans, food and children's activities. The street is closed off for the night, the shops stay open late and there is dancing everywhere!"

I would assume that it is similar, if not the same, for St. Georges. That wasn't listed in our "FREESTYLE DAILY" as it was cancelled due to bad weather.

 

Here's something you might want to check into (if you haven't already)...since you have booked 8 cabins for your June MAJESTY cruise and shared that you want to keep your cruise fares low in the interest of the young couples in your group. Our Cruise Planner told us that, if we booked 8 cabins with a minimum of 16 people, I, as "group leader", could be entitled to a DEEP discount on one cabin and/or some extra "perks" for our group. You might want to check into this if you are working with a travel agent. Our Cruise Planner also shared that we could spread the savings on the "one" cabin out to cover a SMALL discount on each of the cabins booked.

 

Sadly, we weren't able to "fill" all of the eight cabins that we originally reserved as only 11 people ended up going on our "family" cruise. Still, we did qualify for a bottle of wine as a "welcome gift" in each cabin from NCL.

 

Tom, thanks for reviving this message thread and my cruise memories from this past season. I guess, now that I'm less than six months from our next trip on the DAWN, I'd better start finding a hotel room in NYC and flight arrangements. We woke to the first blanket of snow covering the ground this morning. I'm glad I have our upcoming cruise as a "carrot to dangle before me" to get through what is likely to be a long hard winter. HAVE A SAFE & HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

 

Debjo

[Tomct]

Debjo:

 

Thanks again for continuing to supply me with helpful info. You answered my question about the street festivals, as it sounds like a good idea to eat early, and then take to the streets.

 

As for the group discount, I am planning to disburse any rebate we might receive. One or two of our reserved cabins are a little shaky, and on top of that, the school snow days this winter could also have an impact on our solid bookings. U wasn't aware of any other "goodies" that might be available, I will have to look into that possibility. I would not want that in lieu of the one cruise only fare that we hope to qualify for. We hope to get a couple additional cruisers to hedge against any cancellations.

 

FYI: I've been reading some posts that indicate that our upcoming 10 day Dawn cruise will bypass the last port, Tortola. There's much speculation on why, and what they might do for compensation. We were really looking forward to that stop, but it's the most southern stop, and there is some discussion that the ship can not sail at top speed, putting a crimp in their schedules. Keep an eye on this one!!

[first time cruizer]

We just returned from the MAJESTY yesterday and the DAWN a month ago. Since, I had so many questions that this group answered for me...I'm more than happy to give back to this group by sharing my experiences with answers to your questions...SO JUST FIRE AWAY!

 

Debjo

 

P.S. This helps keep the cruise going for me...at least for today, I still feel the "ship swaying"!

 

 

I can't tell how long it has been since you were on the Dawn, I'm traveling with my entire family...this trip is a present to my parents for 40th wedding anniversary. What is the best restaurant for a special dinner? We have 13 people going ages range from 7months to 72 years old. We are all first time cruisers. We do not know what to expect and I'm worried about not getting dinner reservations in some of the nicer restaurants. Will the people on the ship help us even though we are in inside cabins and we have a large group? Any help you can give would be so great!

:eek: :)

[debjo]

For first time cruizer...

Welcome to the addictive world of cruising and congratulations on being able to spend time with your parents on their 40th anniverary! I saw your post on another board, to which shoreguy very expertly answered your questions. I second his suggestion for booking the ROMANCE PACKAGE. It is a very good deal for the money and it includes dinner for two at Le Bistro (which could be a special dinner for your parents if they wanted some special time to themselves...it could be a bit expensive for your entire group to join them).

 

It has been almost an entire year since we were on the DAWN (April 2004), but we are headed back to this special ship at the end of April 2005.

 

If you wanted your entire group to share a special dinner, I would suggest IMPRESSIONS...it is a fee free dining venue and no reservations are required. Since your group is large, I would suggest that you contact the MAITRE D' once you board the ship and procure a reservation, even though it may be for one of the non-reservation restaurants. IMPRESSIONS is the smallest of the "free" dining rooms and has an intimate ambiance. It resembles LE BISTRO with "copies" of famous paintings rather than the "originals". A good night to have your special gathering would be on Sunday...the first full day at sea, also designated as formal night with pictures with the Captain. Everyone in your group could be "dressed to the nines" and have their picture taken by the photographers in one of several locations.

 

Don't worry about having "inside" cabins. The level of service that you will receive from any of the staff members will be the same as if you had one of the more expensive staterooms. One thing to remember...don't be afraid to ask anything!

 

If you don't purchase the ROMANCE PACKAGE for your parents...call NCL ahead of time and tell them of your special anniversary. Let them know what night you'd like to have your "party" after dinner. You will receive a card for a small cake in your cabin. Present this card to your waiter when you are seated at dinner and once your meal is finished, they will bring the cake out to your parents and serenade them. The cake is "free", but only serves 4 people at the most.

 

Another thing you could do is arrange to have your parents cabin decorated for their anniversary. Again, you can call NCL ahead of time and order this...information about it is available on the NCL website and you'll probably get a brochure with your tickets outlining the Bon Voyage gifts that are available for purchase before your cruise.

 

If you are planning on having your group of 13 eat meals altogether, it might be a good idea to outline a schedule with the time you want to eat, the dining venue, etc. With all the different places to eat on the DAWN, it is a challenge to try them all within the course of a week long cruise. For our family group of 10, we tried to eat just our dinners all together. Everyone had a copy of the meal itinerary and it worked out just fine. (I also made an enlarged color copy of the DAWN'S deck plans on card stock paper for each one of the people in our group and gave it to them with the meal itinerary...that way, they couldn't get lost in trying to find the different restaurants.) I went to the Maitre D' once I boarded the ship and shared my plans with him. A nice "tip" in advance showed him our appreciation for his efforts. He was able to arrange for a table each evening in the different dining areas for our group, even though some of the restaurants didn't require reservations. NOTE: You might not be able to share a table altogether...it may be two tables next to each other.

 

A nice spot to eat in the VENETIAN restaurant is near the windows in the back which overlook the "wake" of the ship.

 

Another nice treat for your parents, would be to book a COUPLE'S MASSAGE during the cruise at the Spa. If you think this is something they may like, you can either book it when you get on the ship...there is usually a "tour" of the Spa on the first day -or- you can wait to see if they run a special on the COUPLE'S MASSAGE and you can book it at a reduced rate. Be sure to read each copy of the ship newspaper, the FREESTYLE DAILY, which your cabin steward will leave in your room each evening for the next day's activities, events, and specials.

 

Hope this helps...

 

Debjo

[Wendy-Europe]

Hi,

 

perhaps I am too stupid - but I didn´t found out, which pier the DAWN in New York uses.

 

Will I receive directions with my document or can anybody prove a link to a website?

 

We will arrive on day before departure - but we arrive from Europe - and I don ´t want to get lost in New York....

 

 

Thanks a lot in advance for help

 

Wendy

[swoosh2005]

http://www.nypst.com/pages/directions.html

[Manugit]

DebJo, you know your stuff...1st timer here and sailing Magesty Sept 05 and read your writings and very helpful, but I still have a few ???

1.) what time is best to get to Black Falcon, I thought 1pm

2.) If I bring alcohol, will they take it from me, what about water

3.) whats free to drink, kids like soda, but thats at a price, right?

4.) we are a family of 4, JJ room, room is tight ?

5.) if rooms available next to ours , will cabin attendant offer to put our bags in empty room, maybe with a decent tip, I can do same with my 2 teens...never know without asking right :)

[Manugit]

Thanks Debjo... you gave us good info, we are a family of 4 in a cheapo JJ room which is as low as you can go, but thats the budget. Our 1st cruise and leaving from Boston in Sept 05, no hurricanes, no hurricanes :eek:

1. Magesty leaves on a Sunday, when should my family get there, we like the get there early idea. Birth certs and photo ID is good enough is what I hear.

2. my two kids 15F & 17M buy a soda pass is cheaper than $1.50 at the soda area is what I think you reccomend, and the parents can use it too if we want a coke?

3.) My son thinks he can get a steak and fries every night in the resturants, is this true?

4. I think it was you that wrote "went to the unfinished church at night an the veiw was great... I am taking your opinion on that one. it sounds great

5. we hope to do a "helmet Dive" any ideas :rolleyes:

Thanks again

[debjo]

For Manugit...

First let me apologize for the "lateness" of my response to you...somehow the email notification from Cruise Critics got "lost" in the massive amount of emails on my computer since I returned from my recent trip on the NORWEGIAN DAWN (4/24-5/01).

I think I can help you with a few of your questions:

Part One

1. We like to get on the ship as soon as we can...your cruise actually begins the minute you step on the ship. There's always a lot to do besides eating your first meal onboard...you can explore the ship, check out your cabin, make reservations for Specialty Restaurants, book Spa appointments, etc. And then you have to go to the Manditory Life Boat drill before you set sail. With all that in mind, if you have a sailing time of 4:00 pm (I don't know what it is for your sailing in September), I like to be on the ship by noon. In order to accomplish that, I'd like to be at the Black Falcon terminal by 10:30am.

 

2. Bringing bottled water in your baggage shouldn't present any problems...we've done it on all our cruises. Bottles of alcoholic beverages is another story. Neither my husband or I "drink", so we've not had personal experience here, but from what I've read on other message board...it is "hit and miss" whether it will be confiscated or not.

 

3. If you kid's like soda and drink lots of it...it is best to purchase the soda package for them with unlimited drinks. As to what is "free"...with meals in any dining venue you can get water, coffee, tea, milk, and an assortment of fruit drinks. At the buffet, you can get all of the same. You can even use one of your empty water bottles and fill it with fruit juice from the buffet to have whenever you want it. Up on the top deck is the Piazza San Marco, which is open 24 hours...and a place you can get "free" beverages whenever you want. (Not a fun thing to do if the weather is bad though because it really isn't enclosed at all.)

 

4. I didn't have the opportunity to "see" any of the Superior Inside Staterooms, but would venture to say that if they are similar to the Superior Oceanview Staterooms (with the only difference being a window or not), you should be just fine if your family is a "close" one. My friends traveled with their adult son on the DAWN and said it was a bit tight in their Balcony Cabin, but you are only really sleeping and changing your clothes in there. If money wasn't a problem, I'd probably be booking a seperate adjoining cabin for my teens (if I had kids and they got along well.

 

5. Chances of there being an empty cabin next to yours is a slim one. We've never sailed on a ship that it wasn't fully booked. But, you never know and my philosophy on a cruise is "It never hurts to ask". In all actuality, you will find ample storage space underneath your beds for your luggage and if you wanted to put your teens in the "empty" cabin next to you...the cruiseline would definitely want to charge you for that! By the way...we started "pre-tipping" our cabin stewards this year and it really seemed to make a difference.

 

PART TWO: (I hope you remain "hurricane free"!)

1. As I stated before...getting to the pier early has always been the best thing for us. Unless something changes between now and September...birth certificates AND photo I.D. (gov't issued) are fine. But, if you think you'll want to be cruising again and again (it is addictive) then you'll probably want to get passports for everyone. From what I've read it will soon become manditory and there is a price increase scheduled. Still the price isn't bad when you consider the number of years they are valid for.

 

2. Soda pass is what I'd recommend for your teens...but be careful no one sees you drinking from their glass occassionally!

 

3. There was a beef entree every night in the restaurants on our MAJESTY cruise...filet mignon, beef wellington, etc. Not sure if you can actually get a "steak" each night in the non-specialty dining rooms...but it never hurts to ask. To be assured of getting a "steak"...one would have to eat in the Le Bistro Specialty Restaurant at an additional charge. Now if your 17 year old son wants to order off the children's menu in the regular restaurants...I believe there was a Cowboy Steak available along with French Fries each night. No need to feel embarassed about it...my 80 year old mother-in-law ordered Chicken Nuggets off the children's menu one night in the Seven Seas Dining Room! (I don't see a problem with ordering french fries each night.) If I remember correctly...french fries were available ALL the time up at Piazza San Marco.

 

4. I did write about visiting the Unfinished Church at night (don't know if someone else did too). We also went there during the day. The experience at night was great...made you feel like you were in a castle ruin. Don't worry about wandering around St. Georges at night...we've always found Bermuda to be very safe...especially compared to Nassau. That safety factor is one of the things that we love about Bermuda. You'll also be able to get a great view of the MAJESTY all lit up like a Christmas Tree from up on the hill at the Unfinished Church.

 

5. Go for the Helmet Dive...it is one thing that is on my "list of things to do" in Bermuda (or anywhere else) when we get the chance. From what I've researched it looks like a lot of fun and a bit different from viewing the fish when we snorkel. (I highly recommend snorkeling too!)

 

Hope this helps...sorry again for the tardiness of my reply. If you've any other questions...just ask!

 

Debjo