Dawn 10-day South. Carib cruises cancelled for fall 2006..Should we switch to Spirit?

[Nath]

Hello cruise critic fellows!

 

During our last cruise to Bermuda onboard the NCL Majesty, we decided to take advantage of their booking incentive and went ahead reserving the DAWN 10-day Eastern Caribbean for next year (Oct. 2006).

 

Well...we received a call today that the Spirit is taking over those 10 and 11-day itineraries in 2006 that were scheduled on the Dawn and were offered the following:

 

- Move to any 10-day sailing on the Spirit between Oct. 11/2006 and Jan. 23/2007 (excluding Holiday sailings) with a $100 on-board credit (on top of the $125 already awarded by booking this one while onboard) and our BA balcony rate is fully protected; OR

 

- Move to any 7-day sailing on the Dawn at the 7-day prevailing rate with a 3-category upgrade (inside to inside/oveanview to oceanview/balcony to balcony, but not applicable to us since we had the highest (BA) Balcony rate) + a $50 onboard credit on top of the $125 already awarded by booking this one while onboard).

 

Now, my question is: How does the Spirit compares? When we booked, we hesitated between the two ships and decided to go with the Dawn since it is a larger and newer ship with more amneties.

 

We are disapointed since we had picked that particular BA cabin on the very back of the ship (#10730). There is no such location on the Spirit without paying for a Penthouse Suite (AD) and I am not willing to spend twice my original budget for it. What would you do?

 

Thank you all for your advice...CIAO

[annie m]

In the same boat........... I wanted to do the Dawn over Thanksgiving and the 10 - 11 day would have been fine. I was hoping that the Dawn would do a 7 or 8 day like the Spirit did for this Thanksgiving. Now that it is going to be Fla. - Bahamas I'll have to pass - love the ship just can't do that route again!!

[shoreguy]

Move your booking to the Spirit. If you are not looking to take advantage of all the higher category suites that the Dawn offers the experience should be similar to the Dawn.

 

I guess they are finding out this year it is hard to sell out two ships in the fall with both having longer then 7 day itineraries. For many 7 days is all they can do.

 

If you find something better in the next 9 months you can always cancel. Losing the aft cabin is a downer. You can today get your pick on the Spirit.

[Polish Falcon]

If your only NCL experience is the Majesty - You will love the Spirit.

 

Very unique ship.

[shoreguy]

If your only NCL experience is the Majesty - You will love the Spirit.

 

Very unique ship.

 

OMG - change your avatar - welcome back

[Don Haynes]

The Spirit is a very nice unique ship, slightly smaller and older than the Dawn. If she is missing anything, she is missing having more suites.

 

On which ship to book. It depends on whether you booked the Dawn or the intinerary. If you booked the Dawn, rebook the Dawn although her intineray has changed. If you booked the 10 day intineray and wished to visit these ports of call, book the Spirit.

 

Whatever you choose, you'll enjoy either ship.

[shoreguy]

OMG - change your avatar - welcome back

 

Much better :)

[NoCruiseBlues]

Nath:

 

I'll be able to give you an answer to your question in 6 weeks. My wife, friends & I will be on the Spirit in early January. Hopefully by then any problems that have emerged will be cleared. Look for my review in late Jan. Happy Sailing regardless what you decide. May all your cruises be PLEASANT & MEMORABLE ones.

[Markandrews]

I was also wanting a 10 day on the Dawn in fall 2006. I can't decide about the Spirit. We really enjoyed our cabin on the Jewel and nothing on the Spirit compares.

[Dolphins]

I was also wanting a 10 day on the Dawn in fall 2006. I can't decide about the Spirit. We really enjoyed our cabin on the Jewel and nothing on the Spirit compares.

 

I suggest you consider the category AC suites on Deck 10 of the Spirit which cruisecritic recently mentioned on their list of "Best Suites at Sea." It was also the most affordable suite on their list.

[electricron]

I agree with Don. What's more important to you, the itinerary or the ship?

 

Both ships are modern style cruising ships with plenty of balconies, and both were built for Freestyle Cruising. Alhough the Spirit has far less suites, just 18 compared to the Dawn's 143 suites, the inside, outside, and balcony cabins on the Spirit are just as large as you'll find on the Dawn.

 

Here's some comparisons that might be of interest.

 

Dawn's BA Balcony Cabins

204 sq. ft. (166 sq. ft. + 37 sq. ft, balcony)

Twin/Double Bed

Shower

Sit Area

Hair Dryer

Safe

Fridge

TV

Phone

3 Berth

 

Spirit's BA Balcony Cabin

201 sq ft (161 sq. ft. + 40 sq. ft. balcony)

Twin/Double Bed

Shower

Sit Area

Hair Dryer

Safe

TV

Phone

3 Berth

Basically, the only difference in the rooms is that the Dawn has a fridge, while the Spirit doesn't.

 

As for the number of public spaces:

The Dawn has 13 Bars/Lounges and 10 Restaurants

The Spirit has 11 Bars/Restaurants and 8 Restaurants.

Basically, the Spirit has two less Bars/Lounges and Restaurants.

Not bad for the Spirit since it is 15,000 tons smaller than than the Dawn.

[Nath]

We cancelled with NCL and booked the Explorer 9-day Eastern Caribbean out of Bayonne, NJ (EWR) for early October instead. We were able to have one of those corner AFT balcony cabins (1388). Price is about the same, we are obviously loosing the onboard credit ($225) and it will be 2 days less but cabin location, size of the ship and amneties were a factor for us. We did the Voyager back in 2002 and loved it. My mom only sailed the Golden Princess before. She should be pretty impress with RCI Explorer.

 

We tough about the Spirit in a suite, (only one AFT was available), it seemed to be pretty nice but $700 each more...We will be looking at upgrading to an AFT Junior Suite if one of these becomes available on the Explorer.

 

Price was right with RCI since we are Platinum member and received a $310 rebate on the Balcony rate.

 

Thanks for everyones' advice

[DroopySails]

Good luck to you!

 

Guess this answers my pondering from yesterday about which ship to book for the southern Carib itineraries. Spirit it is! I hope they're taking over the route that includes Dominica and Grenada, not just the one that goes to St. Maarten.

[Nath]

Yes Dominica and Grenada were on our new itinerary along with St. Thomas, Antigua and Tortola!

[bragstarr]

Forgive my confusion here...hubby and I planned a trip for November/December, right now we're booked on Spirit Southern Caribbean for November 30-December 10 for 10 day sailing. I know that when we booked this trip there were sailings of the Dawn (because we considered them!) for the same time period on similar itineraries. Now you're saying the Dawn sailings were cancelled and taken over by the Spirit. Is there a list somewhere of what the current sailings are for the Fall/Winter that the Spirit is doing? Did my cruise change--and I don't know about it--or do I have a better option someplace?

 

Robin

[shoreguy]

Forgive my confusion here...hubby and I planned a trip for November/December, right now we're booked on Spirit Southern Caribbean for November 30-December 10 for 10 day sailing. I know that when we booked this trip there were sailings of the Dawn (because we considered them!) for the same time period on similar itineraries. Now you're saying the Dawn sailings were cancelled and taken over by the Spirit. Is there a list somewhere of what the current sailings are for the Fall/Winter that the Spirit is doing? Did my cruise change--and I don't know about it--or do I have a better option someplace?

 

Robin

 

Sure as always NCL.com is a great place to start :)

 

http://www.ncl.com/itinerary/it_spirit.htm

[bragstarr]

The December 7 Dawn cruise stayed as is, which had been the one hubby and I had been discussing. Seems like its the September/October/November ones that got changed back to 7-dayers.....thanks, thought I was losing it....

 

Robin