Dawm western Carib feedback

[deshler]

Hi we just booked the dawn,but have read so many mixed reviews.We have cruised once on norwegian to bermuda,it was fine.Since we have always done royal carribean.Are the main dinning rooms that difficult to eat in Ive read long waits Any other input would be greatly appreciated Thanks Annette

[Dolphins]

We will be doing our 4th cruise on the Dawn to the Western Caribbean in January. Freestyle dining is one of the main reasons we keep coming back to the Dawn. You will find many hopeful suggestions regarding this cruise on this site. Hopefully, your experience will be as positive as ours have been.

[Maryfrei]

We sailed the Dawn this past June. We never had to wait to eat! Hope it works out well for you!

[Mrmacman]

Hi we just booked the dawn,but have read so many mixed reviews.We have cruised once on norwegian to bermuda,it was fine.Since we have always done royal carribean.Are the main dinning rooms that difficult to eat in Ive read long waits Any other input would be greatly appreciated Thanks Annette

 

We are booked on our 2nd Dawn cruise Jan 2. What I always hated about traditional cruising was the meal seatings. I did not like being locked into a specific dining time, and missed dinner about 1/2 the time because of that. Also, we tend to travel just the two of us. I do not love the idea of being seated at a table of total strangers. It just turns me off. I know that MANY people find that the best part of cruising, but not us. It really depends on what you enjoy.

 

I never found the dining rooms difficult to eat in on the Dawn. And I am a very low tolerance, typical North NJ person. I hate to wait and I hate to be annoyed (don't I sound like a pain in the @ss). We always ate at a table for 2, and rarely waited more than 10 mins. Once we tried to get into Impression and were told 20 mins. Well, we were hungry and ran over to the Venetian and got right in. It would not have killed us to wait 20 mins, but we chose not to. Over the 10 days, we ate at various times....from 5:30 - 9:30. I am not a cheerleader for NCL, I don't care either way about NCL. But the Dawn cruise was very pleasurable...hence why we booked again. The worst part is the small percentage of rude or inconsiderate people. But I would venture to bet that they exist on every ship. I just returned from Short Hills Mall, and the place was crawling with rudeness.

 

Figure out what it is about cruising you like and dislike and choose your ship accordingly. 15 days till I sail!!!!!

[shoreguy]

I leave on 2/12 for my 6th cruise on the Dawn. Is it perfect? No way.

 

Dining in the main restaurants is no problem. A couple of tips avoid showing up just as the first show gets out. Be flexible as posted by Mrmacman if you don't feel like waiting a few minutes check out the other two main dining rooms.

 

My favorite room is Impressions. That space on the Jewel has become the Bistro and I missed it. I actually like waiting a few minutes to be seated there. Outside the entrance is Gatsby's. A really nice bar area with a piano player. It is a great place to enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine before dinner. I have never had to wait long enough to finish the first drink.

 

Freestyle dinning is all about choices. Take advantage of them. Nothing better then having the option to have dinner with new friends you meet onboard. As many wonderful people I have meet on traditional cruises at dinner I have also had to spend a week eating with people I would rather not.

 

You can eat by yourself or request to be seated with others - your choice.

You can eat early or late in anyone of 7-10 restaurants - your choice

You want lobster every night you can - your choice

 

Choices can overcome problems - one night as we were escorted to our table for 2 we could hear the screaming baby before we got halfway there. We just turned to the hostess and said no thanks. I was thinking this could be a nightly event on a traditional cruise.

 

Freestyle puts a little more burden on you to get things the way you want it. You give up the traditional dedicated wait staff that knows you want iced tea every night, the traditional show of singing and dancing wait staff, but gain so much more.

 

You can stop and enjoy a great sunset and not feel you have to rush to dinner. Stay later on-deck and not worry about being sentenced to the buffet.

 

Some try and turn freestyle to traditional by making reservations for the same table and staff every night. I think you give up all the benefits of NCL by doing that. What ever makes them happy.

 

Take the time to find the roll call for your cruise. It is always good to know a few folks before you go. You will find many repeat cruisers on every roll call.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=349

[EileenN]

On our last cruise onthe Dawn, we were told we would have a wait for Impressions, our favorite, too. The girls at the desk offered to call the Aqua and Venetian to see if they were seating at that time and put our name on their list and we walked over and went right in and were seated immediately. Always a pleasure working with that staff. Eileen