Dawn Dilemma

[April42749]

Several years ago we cruised on the Dawn.  It was awful...not because of NCL....but the weather.  It was a Bermuda bound cruise and we hit storms both ways.  For example, at breakfast one day it was just me and a handful (like 12) other people at the buffet.   I believe we had 50ft waves and 50mph winds.  Whatever the true statistics were, I vowed I'd never cruise again.  I spent most of that trip being terrified that the ship would roll over (and I wasn't alone).

 

So, here I am, about 15 years and 30 cruises later....faced with a dilemma.  There's a cruise I'm interested but it's on the Dawn.  And most of the reviews I read are negative.  I usually don't pay attention to people who complain, but I'm not seeing anything good.

 

I'm looking to hear "good".  We care about entertainment in the theatre, entertainment by professional singers/dancers...NOT audience participation.

We care about "the buffet".  Is it as good as the Away Class ships....with huge varieties and hard ice cream?

We care about toilets that work.  I'm reading about so many broken ones.

We care about safe deposit boxes that work.  We aren't paranoid but I travel with good jewelry.

 

We are by no means complainers.  If anything, I just let things roll by.  But, if the Dawn is as bad as they say, a good itinerary won't make up for it.

 

Please comment!

[cliffd64]

1 minute ago, April42749 said:

Several years ago we cruised on the Dawn.  It was awful...not because of NCL....but the weather.  It was a Bermuda bound cruise and we hit storms both ways.  For example, at breakfast one day it was just me and a handful (like 12) other people at the buffet.   I believe we had 50ft waves and 50mph winds.  Whatever the true statistics were, I vowed I'd never cruise again.  I spent most of that trip being terrified that the ship would roll over (and I wasn't alone).

 

So, here I am, about 15 years and 30 cruises later....faced with a dilemma.  There's a cruise I'm interested but it's on the Dawn.  And most of the reviews I read are negative.  I usually don't pay attention to people who complain, but I'm not seeing anything good.

 

I'm looking to hear "good".  We care about entertainment in the theatre, entertainment by professional singers/dancers...NOT audience participation.

We care about "the buffet".  Is it as good as the Away Class ships....with huge varieties and hard ice cream?

We care about toilets that work.  I'm reading about so many broken ones.

We care about safe deposit boxes that work.  We aren't paranoid but I travel with good jewelry.

 

We are by no means complainers.  If anything, I just let things roll by.  But, if the Dawn is as bad as they say, a good itinerary won't make up for it.

 

Please comment!

The Dawn remains one of my favorite ships.  In 15 years, it hs changed a bit, but it still is  fine ship.  NCL always has first class entertainment.  I've been on Dawn several times never had a broken toilet.  Never heard of a broken safe, seems like that is easily rectified.  The buffet is not quite as big as the *AWAY ships but is very nice for a medium sized ship.

[April42749]

13 minutes ago, cliffd64 said:

The Dawn remains one of my favorite ships.  In 15 years, it hs changed a bit, but it still is  fine ship.  NCL always has first class entertainment.  I've been on Dawn several times never had a broken toilet.  Never heard of a broken safe, seems like that is easily rectified.  The buffet is not quite as big as the *AWAY ships but is very nice for a medium sized ship.

Thanks....but if you read the reviews (and if you believe them) there are entire areas with safes that don't function and "toilets that don't work" is a common theme.  However, I'm putting the positive first hands against the "negative Nellies" and I'm hoping more people are like you....positive.

[cliffd64]

19 minutes ago, April42749 said:

Thanks....but if you read the reviews (and if you believe them) there are entire areas with safes that don't function and "toilets that don't work" is a common theme.  However, I'm putting the positive first hands against the "negative Nellies" and I'm hoping more people are like you....positive.

 

 

Every week the Dawn sails with over 2000 passengers on it.  There are bound to be a handful of people who cannot seem to be happy by design and post a negative review, but the other 1997 passengers on any week enjoyed it and don't  bother with a review because they enjoyed their vacation.  Plumbing issues can happen and it can affect multiple passengers if one person doesn't understand what not to flush, but again, those things are usually easily overcome.  Same with safes.

 

I sail with the philosophy that I paid good money for my vacation and I'm going to enjoy it ...    There may be a bump or two, but nothing to let ruin my vacation.

[NoobCroozer]

I was on the Dawn April of this year Miami-Bahamas (haven't gotten around to review it yet). We had an outstanding time! I was apprehensive about it as she is an older ship, but we found it to be very clean and everything was well appointed and in working order. We didn't go to any shows, but the band at the pool rocked. Service was great. I found the food to be pretty good, with exception of the French restaurant, as my meal was cold (good enough though that I didn't send it back, was starving). I would sail aboard her again, and would give 4 stars out of 5 for my experience. Go for it.

Edited November 14, 2019 by NoobCroozer
Spelling

[bluesea777]

No negative Nellies here, but we did have things wrong on some cruises but they were rectified and we’re happy. Things happen everywhere, not just on ships.

 

Twice the room safe didn’t work - one needed new battery in the keypad, and another got replaced.

 

One morning on Epic I stepped into the flooded toilet cubicle but held back and reported it to the room steward on our way to breakfast (with a stop in the public toilets). It got rectified within hours.

 

Last month I saw the video made by the guy who complained about the blocked/overflowing toilet .... little did he know that we spotted the culprit in the video - a packet of wet bum wipes laying on floor next to the loo!! There are signs and instructions saying NOT to flush down anything except for the toilet paper provided, and that includes the flushable items that can be flushed down in your own toilet at home, but not on ships.

 

I do not like to read the reviews made by people who complained about one or 2 negative things that happened to them during their 7 to 20 days cruise and have nothing else good to say.

 

Food is very subjective - on all cruises we like the food yet some other people didn’t like the same food we liked. 
 

So read the bad reviews at your own risk! Sometimes I laugh at some.

 

 

[NoobCroozer]

Out of curiosity, what month did you travel with the 50 ft bumps?

[dtiger]

I love the Dawn.  When I first when on it in 2004 it was one of the larger ships, it's now one of the smaller. 

[roger001]

Sailed the Dawn a year ago, Bermuda.  Seas so smooth both ways you could have water skied there and back.  But, you can't predict mother nature always.  The Dawn, primarily because of her wonderful crew, now one of our favorite ships.  Have the book again an a few months.  Otherwise, you'll just have to pay your money and take your chances...if you wish.  

[shof515]

1 hour ago, April42749 said:

Thanks....but if you read the reviews (and if you believe them) there are entire areas with safes that don't function and "toilets that don't work" is a common theme.  However, I'm putting the positive first hands against the "negative Nellies" and I'm hoping more people are like you....positive.

 

I just got off the Dawn on Saturday. The hotel manager said they are replacing the safes in all of the stateroom.Due to this, they are still rooms that do not have a safe. from what i noticed in my room, the new safes now have a norwegian branding them and the keypad is in a light blue color scheme. 

[Trimone]

We sailed on the Dawn out of San Juan this year, we had a balcony room and on occasion we had toilet trouble, I must say the Star was worse, overall the cruise was excellent and it’s hard to believe the age she is, I wouldn’t hesitate to book her again.

And the staff are excellent 

[DZcreature]

My husband and I sailed on Dawn for several Boston to Bermuda runs. It does not have all the bells and whistles of a newer, bigger ship, but we always enjoyed being on Dawn.

 

I prefer the buffet on Dawn over the Jewel class ships because it has two separate sides. This makes it less crowded, and allows them to keep one side open while they transition from breakfast to lunch etc. Always had plenty of variety. I also really like the Venetian main dining room. Even with the artwork that some people don't like, it is a very nice room, and always good service,

 

Entertainment was always fun, but no Broadway shows like a big ship.

 

Pool area gets crowded, but we would always get thermal suite spa passes. The Dawn thermal suite has a swimming pool in addition to the hot therapy pool and whirlpool. I would go there every day to swim, and often had the pool all to myself. The saunas are small, but adequate, They do not have the beautiful views that the saunas on Jewel class ships have, but you can still relax and work up a sweat.

 

I have heard of some plumbing issues, but mostly on deck 8. If you avoid getting a room on deck 8, I do not think you will have any problem. 

[OHRiverRats]

We loved the Dawn. We were afraid we would be bored as we'd grown accustomed to the mega ships. We enjoyed just unwinding in the hot tubs after port days. The entertainment was great and we liked that we didn't need to make reservations like on larger ships. The food was good and the crew was super. We didn't encounter any issues with our cabins.  I agree you usually just hear from folks who have something to complain about. 

[April42749]

3 hours ago, NoobCroozer said:

Out of curiosity, what month did you travel with the 50 ft bumps?

May 11, 2008

 

It was really awful.  Think severe turbulence in a plane, but instead of a couple of hours it was a couple of days.

The cruise started off bad. At about 8pm of the first evening it was announced that we had to do a search for a (drunk) woman who fell overboard.  So the ship was doing these jerky maneuvers in a small area to find her (not found).  Then the captain announced that he had tried to "beat the storm" but because of the delay we'd be in the storm.  Sounds bad.  Coming back we went thru an even worse storm.

 

I don't blame NCL for anything; I just have bad memories of the ship.

 

Anyway....thanks for the posts.  They've been very reassuring.

[NoobCroozer]

Ugh....glad you were ok....I take it they never found the woman?

 

 

 

Nevermind......googled it.

Edited November 14, 2019 by NoobCroozer

[Monica887]

I was on the Dawn this past summer. No problem at all with the safe or toilet. 

 

I thought the main entertainment was very very good. Not Earth shattering, or Broadway level but definitely enjoyable. 

 

The buffet food was as good as other ships and plenty of variety (I always like the Indian food and the salads). My only complaint is how the buffet is set up. It's 2 separate sides and doesn't connect on the other side like I'm an oval. I like to do one loop around before deciding what I want but can't do that here. Each side has different entrees, so you have to walk all the way up one side and back before being able to go back and forth on the other side. Not a deal breaker, but not preferable.

 

The layout of the ship in general isn't my favorite, but there are plenty of nooks and lounges to relax in quietly during the day, which I enjoy and feel like the Away ships are missing. 

 

Service was mixed. Some very very excellent employees. But a handful who I came across who clearly were not interested in helping with even basic requests. But I had my favorite waiter and bartender and my steward was fantastic. 

 

Pool was smaller but nice and I liked the seating set up. And I liked the quiet deck around the corner from the pool. The main band who was at the pool and some lounges was also particularly good, and I usually get annoyed by pool music. 

 

 

[PortFees45]

No cruise ship has ever capsized in a storm. Ever. 

[April42749]

1 hour ago, NoobCroozer said:

Ugh....glad you were ok....I take it they never found the woman?

 

 

 

Nevermind......googled it.

For those too lazy to google it, read the whole article....all about the weather.

https://www.cruiseshipdeaths.com/2008/05/11/mindy-jordan-passenger-cruise-ship-death-norwegian-dawn/

 

[esm54687]

6 hours ago, April42749 said:

Thanks....but if you read the reviews (and if you believe them) there are entire areas with safes that don't function and "toilets that don't work" is a common theme.  However, I'm putting the positive first hands against the "negative Nellies" and I'm hoping more people are like you....positive.

I love the Dawn and have down Boston to Bermuda multiple times over the years..... While every vacation has its challenges (even the Happiest Place on Earth - Walt Disney World) and can have a bad day or week...... when was the last time someone had a perfect day at work? 

 

The vast majority of reviews you are reading are from entitled jerks who will have an issue and either don't give NCL a chance to fix or they just love to complain because their toast wasn't buttered using North - South strokes. 

 

Remember that public forums are not fact checked and people would much rather spin a story being a victim instead of the truth. When was the last time anyone called an 800 Customer Service number to compliment an employee or experience? People only call to complain. 

 

Have a great trip on the Dawn as you sound logical and realistic based on your understanding that NCL does not control the weather. Happy Cruising!!!! 

[April42749]

No way I'm going on that cruise!

 

What could be worse than 50mph winds?  A ship in a storm?  Broken toilets and locks?  No towel animals?  Not enough choices in the buffet?

 

Well, how about a cruise that exactly coincides with Easter week and Passover week!

 

Despite the great itinerary and the great feedback I got  here.....there's no way I'm going on a cruise that stops in Orlando (from 7am to 10pm) during that week.

 

Talk about being disappointed....but at least I'm not blaming NCL.

[lenquixote66]

10 hours ago, April42749 said:

Several years ago we cruised on the Dawn.  It was awful...not because of NCL....but the weather.  It was a Bermuda bound cruise and we hit storms both ways.  For example, at breakfast one day it was just me and a handful (like 12) other people at the buffet.   I believe we had 50ft waves and 50mph winds.  Whatever the true statistics were, I vowed I'd never cruise again.  I spent most of that trip being terrified that the ship would roll over (and I wasn't alone).

 

So, here I am, about 15 years and 30 cruises later....faced with a dilemma.  There's a cruise I'm interested but it's on the Dawn.  And most of the reviews I read are negative.  I usually don't pay attention to people who complain, but I'm not seeing anything good.

 

I'm looking to hear "good".  We care about entertainment in the theatre, entertainment by professional singers/dancers...NOT audience participation.

We care about "the buffet".  Is it as good as the Away Class ships....with huge varieties and hard ice cream?

We care about toilets that work.  I'm reading about so many broken ones.

We care about safe deposit boxes that work.  We aren't paranoid but I travel with good jewelry.

 

We are by no means complainers.  If anything, I just let things roll by.  But, if the Dawn is as bad as they say, a good itinerary won't make up for it.

 

Please comment!

We just got off the Dawn on November 2.It was our first time on the ship.We previously were on 4 NCL cruises and have cruised on 5 other cruise lines since 1973.The food on the Dawn in the MDR was the worst of any prior cruises.Service was so slow that most evenings we were there close to 2 hours.

One night we had dirty silverware.

On day number two in the evening the toilet was not flushing.I called Guest Services and an hour later a plumber came to check it out and fixed the problem.Two days later,the same problem and two days after that the same problem.

 

[lenquixote66]

10 hours ago, cliffd64 said:

The Dawn remains one of my favorite ships.  In 15 years, it hs changed a bit, but it still is  fine ship.  NCL always has first class entertainment.  I've been on Dawn several times never had a broken toilet.  Never heard of a broken safe, seems like that is easily rectified.  The buffet is not quite as big as the *AWAY ships but is very nice for a medium sized ship.

We were on the ship two weeks ago and the guest entertainers were really bad.

[shof515]

17 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

We were on the ship two weeks ago and the guest entertainers were really bad.

i noticed the same thing on my November 2 sailing too

[lenquixote66]

16 minutes ago, shof515 said:

i noticed the same thing on my November 2 sailing too

A few years ago I met a guy in a LI restaurant who appeared on a cruise I was on.He was an operatic singer and he was great.He told me that cruise ships are no longer hiring the class of entertainers that they used to have years ago.He said that they try to save money by having the staff entertainers appear several times on a cruise.

[April42749]

10 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

A few years ago I met a guy in a LI restaurant who appeared on a cruise I was on.He was an operatic singer and he was great.He told me that cruise ships are no longer hiring the class of entertainers that they used to have years ago.He said that they try to save money by having the staff entertainers appear several times on a cruise.

This is one area where I care about the cutbacks.  Waiters dancing or housekeeping staff singing just doesn't do it for me...DH is even more picky. Bad "professional" entertainment...oh come on....there are lots of underemployed entertainers out there who could do better.   By comparison, we were just on an MSC cruise and the entertainment was so good that I came home and booked the same ship for next year.

 

I thank you all for the feedback.  We won't be going on the Dawn as it's sailings out of NY are limited and the one I was interested in will be during a school break.