THE DAWN,. How is it?

[geocruiser]

Hi,

We are thinking of taking a cruise on NCL Dawn. We have taken many cruises but have never been on NCL. Can you tell me the good and the bad (if any ) of the Dawn? The search function does not seem to work for me. Therefore, I can not get much info.

What shape are the cabins in? How is the food in the main dining room? (I know that can be a loaded question). What is the over all condition of the ship?

[NH Cruisers]

I sailed the Dawn for my first NCL cruise. I loved it. Nothing bad to report. I felt the food was good. Great Spa package. entertainment good. Value was good. Maybe the only thing I would have liked better, would have liked a lounge high up. Instead the area is taken up by suites that regular passengers will never get to see.

 

The ship was clean and in normal condition for age.

[macimoo1]

I am cruising the Dawn on Feb 24th and found reading the member reviews at the top of the sign in page the most helpful! Just enter the Dawn under ship selection and read away! Then come back and ask all the nitty gritty details!

Good Luck and hope you get some good help!

[HOTROD1]

Our family of 3 sailed on Dawn this past Christmas. Ship was in good shape. We had an Aft cabin. Food was fine- but I try not to gain weight :p DH & DS enjoyed. Chocolate buffet that was off the chain great.

Loved the forward hot tub. Easy to get around ship

 

Not much to do at all on board during the day if u are not a pool or sun lover. Not a problem for me but 17 year old non sun lover was very bored. I tried to get to get him go to Bingo but no go! LoL

 

Consider early dinner times as shows are usually 7p & 9p. We were busy on port days and had 7-7.30p dinner reservations so shows didn't work out for me. Bad planning on my part.

 

4 port days -new destinations for us. Can check them off the bucket list. Costa Maya we went paddle boarding with undertoemexico.com. $2pp taxi - 5 min trip one way $35 pp private lesson and all equipment. Carolyn is owner and instructor. I warned her I was a clutz but I was standing up and the only one in my family not to fall in!! Really fun and cheap.

 

It's a cruise vacation. We had a good time but won't go on Dawn again. Last Christmas we sailed Epic. We will sail on her again!!

 

We do love Freestyling!!

[shelly11]

I have a review from a week ago in my signature. I enjoyed the Dawn and would take it again.

[kh6275]

I was on the Dawn in 2004 out of NYC and had a great trip. The ship was recently refurbished. Of late, I have read more negative reviews then positive. I'm heading back to the Dawn on the 20th and will write a detailed review.

[jbtyler927]

I was on the Dawn in 2004 out of NYC and had a great trip. The ship was recently refurbished. Of late, I have read more negative reviews then positive. I'm heading back to the Dawn on the 20th and will write a detailed review.

 

I felt the same way before we sailed this past week, but we got back today and we are already looking to book our next trip! The ship was awesome, the crew was amazing, and the food was great!!!!! Moral of the story, do not believe everything you read because most people that take the time to write a review are writing it to share all of their complaints!! It is quite true that everyone has a different perspective though, because on the last day I ran in to several people that had nothing the horrible "stories" of what they experienced during the week (I thought the majority of complaints to be ridiculous)! The only negative I can even comment on is the desserts were not up to par with other lines we have been on, but to me that was a positive because I was able to keep my weight gain to 4 pounds for the week!!!;) Have fun!!!:)

[kh6275]

I felt the same way before we sailed this past week, but we got back today and we are already looking to book our next trip! The ship was awesome, the crew was amazing, and the food was great!!!!! Moral of the story, do not believe everything you read because most people that take the time to write a review are writing it to share all of their complaints!! It is quite true that everyone has a different perspective though, because on the last day I ran in to several people that had nothing the horrible "stories" of what they experienced during the week (I thought the majority of complaints to be ridiculous)! The only negative I can even comment on is the desserts were not up to par with other lines we have been on, but to me that was a positive because I was able to keep my weight gain to 4 pounds for the week!!!;) Have fun!!!:)

 

Excellent. We are easy going and have booked a great suite so I'm sure my family will have a blast.

[geocruiser]

Thank all for you for the info. I did read some of the reviews here on CC. It seemed to be either you love it or didn't. I just got an E-mail from some friends of ours and they said that the did like it and are going again on the Dawn.

A question about the inside and outside cabins. Do any of them only sleep two?

[Bug & Sprouts]

Just got off the Dawn at 10am this morning. Not one single complaint!!! My cabin was in great shape, my room steward was awesome and went out of his way if I wanted anything, I never found any food that I didn't like. I know that is a personal taste issue but I thought it was all really good.

 

Also, I have Celiac Disease so all my meals had to be Gluten Free, and the staff and Maitre'D were great in all venues and with all my meals. Only thing they couldn't make GF for me was the Spring Rolls in the Venetian. Anything else, if I wanted it, they made it for me.

 

I would absolutely sail on the Dawn again :)

[che5904]

A question about the inside and outside cabins. Do any of them only sleep two?

 

A little confused by this question. All cabins to my knowledge will sleep two. Some offer a choice to be able to sleep 3 or 4 etc.

 

If the cabin states "accommodates" it means you can have up to that many passengers in that cabin.

[geocruiser]

A little confused by this question. All cabins to my knowledge will sleep two. Some offer a choice to be able to sleep 3 or 4 etc.

 

If the cabin states "accommodates" it means you can have up to that many passengers in that cabin.

 

I was looking at pictures of inside and outside cabins and saw that they can sleep up to four people in a cabin. Does NCL Dawn have any inside or outside cabins with only two beds? I don't like the extra bunk beds in a cabin if they stick out from the wall when closed.

 

Thanks

[shelly11]

I was looking at pictures of inside and outside cabins and saw that they can sleep up to four people in a cabin. Does NCL Dawn have any inside or outside cabins with only two beds? I don't like the extra bunk beds in a cabin if they stick out from the wall when closed.

 

Thanks

 

Yes some have pull out couches instead of bunks. Not sure how you'd determine this when booking. I know someone will answer that for you.

 

 

 

I'm glad several of you are coming back with great reviews. I enjoyed the dawn as well!

[Aquahound]

Hi,

We are thinking of taking a cruise on NCL Dawn. We have taken many cruises but have never been on NCL. Can you tell me the good and the bad (if any ) of the Dawn? The search function does not seem to work for me. Therefore, I can not get much info.

What shape are the cabins in? How is the food in the main dining room? (I know that can be a loaded question). What is the over all condition of the ship?

 

Here is a link to my review. I just cruised the Dawn a couple weeks ago and if your signature is indicative of the cruise line you are used to, my review might be of interest to you. There are plenty of pictures showing the good and bad.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1759414

[camz]

The Dawn was an excellent experience for us in 2010. The ship was very user friendly and has one of the friendliest crews at sea. Recently, we were on her sister ship, the Star, and found the two ships almost identical in nature. Again, an excellent experience with the Star. I was saddened to read a few unhappy passengers reviews of the Dawn. However, recently the reviews have been very good. In any event, have a great trip and enjoy your time aboard the beautiful Norwegian Dawn.

[cusecruise]

We really enjoyed the Dawn - you can read my review here:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=113291

[canadianjovigirl]

Now that we are done with our Christmas/New Years vacation in Grand Cayman i can focus on our cruise that i have booked for Feb 2014 on the Dawn.

 

I am still second guessing my choice and am getting nervous that maybe it is not the right ship for my kids as they will be 13 and 15 when we cruise and i would hate for them to be bored and not enjoy it. For now i will leave the family suite booked and continue browsing at other ships/lines to see if anything else peeks my interest.

 

Hoping i made a good choice and can just move on to all there is to learn about cruising.

[che5904]

Now that we are done with our Christmas/New Years vacation in Grand Cayman i can focus on our cruise that i have booked for Feb 2014 on the Dawn.

 

I am still second guessing my choice and am getting nervous that maybe it is not the right ship for my kids as they will be 13 and 15 when we cruise and i would hate for them to be bored and not enjoy it. For now i will leave the family suite booked and continue browsing at other ships/lines to see if anything else peeks my interest.

 

Hoping i made a good choice and can just move on to all there is to learn about cruising.

 

After many many holidays with my children growing up and now taking my grandchildren on holidays. All I can say to you is a vacation is what you (and your family including your children) make it.

[camz]

After many many holidays with my children growing up and now taking my grandchildren on holidays. All I can say to you is a vacation is what you (and your family including your children) make it.

 

Very true, well said. Che, Did I read correctly that your grandson was injured? If so, hope all is well.

[che5904]

Very true, well said. Che, Did I read correctly that your grandson was injured? If so, hope all is well.

 

Yes you did, he had a minor head injury and was kept overnight for observation but I have him today (Mommy had to go to work), and he appears to be in fine form. Just has to be kept quiet. Very hard to do with a very energetic 6 year old.

 

Thank you for asking and the kind words.

[canadianjovigirl]

After many many holidays with my children growing up and now taking my grandchildren on holidays. All I can say to you is a vacation is what you (and your family including your children) make it.

 

 

We travel as a family once or twice a year so i am well aware of that, I am just concerned over the negative reviews and the statements that there is nothing for the teens to do............

 

We did not let luggage delayed by 4 days or a stingray injury ruin our Grand Cayman trip, but wanting to pick the best ship for our family so that everyone can have a good time. I choose the Dawn as it was a Tampa departure so i thought that port would be less overwhelming then the others as well as it not being a mega ship which i was thinking would also be overwhelming for our first cruise. And i choose NCL as that was really the only site i checked out and liked the idea of not having to have set dinner times with strangers as that has prevented us in the past from trying cruising as my husband did not like that idea.

[che5904]

We travel as a family once or twice a year so i am well aware of that, I am just concerned over the negative reviews and the statements that there is nothing for the teens to do............

 

We did not let luggage delayed by 4 days or a stingray injury ruin our Grand Cayman trip, but wanting to pick the best ship for our family so that everyone can have a good time. I choose the Dawn as it was a Tampa departure so i thought that port would be less overwhelming then the others as well as it not being a mega ship which i was thinking would also be overwhelming for our first cruise. And i choose NCL as that was really the only site i checked out and liked the idea of not having to have set dinner times with strangers as that has prevented us in the past from trying cruising as my husband did not like that idea.

 

Not trying to insult you.

[Aquahound]

And i choose NCL as that was really the only site i checked out and liked the idea of not having to have set dinner times with strangers as that has prevented us in the past from trying cruising as my husband did not like that idea.

 

Just so you know in the future, all major cruise lines offer an anytime dining option now. I've been using the anytime option now for years, on 3 lines other than NCL, and they work great, if not better.

[shelly11]

We travel as a family once or twice a year so i am well aware of that, I am just concerned over the negative reviews and the statements that there is nothing for the teens to do............

 

 

My teens didn't take advantage of the teens club. They enjoyed the library, the pool, the ping pong and giant chess games and the shows with us each night. They are more bookworms than outgoing teens.

 

The teen club looking amazing and they had events planned everyday. Just didn't suit my teens. Maybe yours are more outgoing and would love it?

[camz]

I can tell you that the Teen Club on the Dawn is amazing. We hardly saw our teen son, age 16 at the time. He didn't want to join the Teen Club and getting him there was at the very difficult. However, once there, it was another story. :D