The Dawn

[ddixon30]

Ok, I am getting VERY nervous for our upcoming cruise on the Norwegian Dawn to Bermuda. There has been ALOT of bad reviews for this ship lately. We last cruised to Bermuda on RC Explorer of the SEas and loved it but opted for the Dawn for a longer time on Bermuda. Please put some ease to my worrying mind.......

[ohioNCLcruiser]

I cruised on the Dawn to Bermuda in April and loved it. Can't beat that ship and itin combo. That was my second time on the dawn and I have a third cruise booked on the Dawn next month.

 

Someone who had a bad time will voice their concern when most people who had a great time don't even think about talking about it online.

 

The Dawn is a beautiful ship and I know you will enjoy her and its crew.

[Baitman19]

Ok, I am getting VERY nervous for our upcoming cruise on the Norwegian Dawn to Bermuda. There has been ALOT of bad reviews for this ship lately. We last cruised to Bermuda on RC Explorer of the SEas and loved it but opted for the Dawn for a longer time on Bermuda. Please put some ease to my worrying mind.......

 

We will be sailing the Dawn for the 11th time on the 31st. Not to worry.

 

We'll try to keep her shipshape for you.

 

Happy Cruising

[CC Help Michell]

Ok, I am getting VERY nervous for our upcoming cruise on the Norwegian Dawn to Bermuda. There has been ALOT of bad reviews for this ship lately. We last cruised to Bermuda on RC Explorer of the SEas and loved it but opted for the Dawn for a longer time on Bermuda. Please put some ease to my worrying mind.......

 

Here's Sunday's thread about this subject -- a couple of pages of posts with lots of information that might help alleviate your concerns... or might not. The only person who can control your worries is you, and if you go into your cruise with a "oh this is going to be horrible" feeling, it likely will be.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=828842

 

Hope this helps, and that you have a wonderful cruise (we're getting late into August now, so more and more US kids will be back in school by now, which should help with some of the issues posters experienced in July)!

[ashea]

I'm sailing on the Dawn 9/28 and I'm also nervous. There are so many negative reviews. Can the restaurants really be that bad? And is the pool area really as crowded and small as the reviewers describe it?

[ohioNCLcruiser]

I'm sailing on the Dawn 9/28 and I'm also nervous. There are so many negative reviews. Can the restaurants really be that bad? And is the pool area really as crowded and small as the reviewers describe it?

 

I was surprised by the size of the Dawn's only main pool but I never saw it over crowded.

[jollycruise]

There were plenty of bad reviews of the Dawn before we sailed her in January. We had an absolutly WONDERFUL time! Take the reviews in stride. We loved our cruise and didn't let the small things get to us. Go, have a wonderful time and remember you are on vacation...enjoy every minute of it!:D

[BuckeyePat]

Ok, I am getting VERY nervous for our upcoming cruise on the Norwegian Dawn to Bermuda. There has been ALOT of bad reviews for this ship lately. We last cruised to Bermuda on RC Explorer of the SEas and loved it but opted for the Dawn for a longer time on Bermuda. Please put some ease to my worrying mind.......

I, too, have been worried after recent reviews. Seems at the time I booked everyone was pleased with their experience, and now??? I sail on the 31st [with baitman!] and have decided---after reading these boards---that our ship mates will be older and more sedate:p ! School will have just begun almst everywhere and we are headed north, instead of to sunny beaches. That said, as I have posted before, the only thing I will not accept is a dirty cabin.

 

So, lookout, Dawn! I am in countdown mode---almost. As I have also posted before, buying insurance was a no brainer for me [even as a newbie] due to a terminally ill SIL. She passed away Monday, so the excitement is tainted for now. Services the next couple of days, and then I will think about packing.

 

So, plan to enjoy as I sure am---and not much will prevent me from having a great time! [Hear that rain Gods? Stay away from East Coast that week:D !]

[bonz15]

I got back from the Dawn a few weeks ago and this was my first time on NCL but not a first time cruiser. I was worried about freestyle dining and such but its what you make of it, I was with my whole family so we had a great time.

It seems the recent reviewers were a little too picky on things and in my opinion seemed to not have researched enough and were surprised about certain aspects.

If you are excited to go and know what to expect, it will be great. Entertainment is great, food is pretty good and of course Bermuda is great so dont worry.

Bonnie

[cljd]

I posted a similar question a few days back and got nothing but great reports on the Dawn. I leave on 8/24 and a few of the bad reviews I had read really freaked me out.

 

There are 2 new reviews in the member review section as of today. Read them. The contrast is striking. One is a "never again" by some old cranky man (that's my mental picture of him). The other is a glowing report from a newlywed who loved the food, loved the cruise, loved the entertainment. She had a few negative things to throw in (like the cheese sauce on the nachos at Salsa's, which is enough to totally turn me off). But she put a lot of positive in there, which made me feel she was really being fair and really trying to enjoy the experience. When I read a review that's all negative, I wonder why?? Surely you enjoyed some moment of your hard-earned vacation?? It's awful that we live among so many complainers in our society... we have so much.

 

Anyway, I think my point here is to approach it with a great attitude and know that it's what you make it (most of the time...). Maybe we all need to have the positive attitude of honeymooners??

 

I leave on 8/24. If it's truly as awful as the old cranky man made it sound, I'll post a review!!!

[CC Help Michell]

I'm sailing on the Dawn 9/28 and I'm also nervous. There are so many negative reviews. Can the restaurants really be that bad? And is the pool area really as crowded and small as the reviewers describe it?

 

Food is (no, I'm not breaking new ground here at CC!) extremely subjective. What one person hates another will love. Many (perhaps even most) cruisers think "HEY! I didn't go shop for it, prepare it, cook it, serve it, and clean up after it -- so it's all good"). Debating/discussing opinions of food on the internet is really pointless.

 

Regarding the pool area, you have the power! Go google or go to webshots and look for "Norwegian Dawn pool." You can see photos, like this one I found by doing that -- http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1327818445054104592GOiiCE

 

How you react to it is up to you. My thoughts were "yep, pool's small... good thing I wouldn't get in a pool shared by 2500 other people unless I was on fire!" I would think the same if the pool were 2x that size, by the way. Others differ in their views on this, but after a few too many "fecal tea bag" threads here at CC, a general pool or hot tub on any cruise ship is the last place I plan to be.

 

I do like the Dawn's tiered deck chair arrangements -- http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2282653960062385534rBvDeP -- for those who don't have to be right beside the pool, but want to be close enough to hear the poolside band, etc.

 

I hope you have a great cruise -- we plan to, on the Dawn, next April. :)

[dlm615]

So sorry for your loss....this cruise will be needed....my condolences

[watchdiva]

Go and enjoy the lovely Dawn. We were on her 6/08 and had a great time! We've loved our cruises on the Dawn and to sail her is the ONLY reason I would get on a plane to NY, spend the night in a hotel in NY and incur limo expenses.

 

We live 25 minutes from Port Everglades and about 45 minutes from Port of Miami.......only for the Dawn would we endur the hassle of flying:D .

 

Relax in the spa, enjoy great meals and have the time of your life. Reviews need to be taken with a grain of salt - the Dawn has a large number of repeat pax so they must be doing something right if so many of us sail on her time after time........

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Your gonna Luv it!:D

[reenicruiser]

ddixon - I'm just off the Dawn Sunday. I can list a lot of things that weren't perfect, but as I've said before, this website is called cruise CRITIC, we're not here to say NCL is perfection, how boring would that be? I had a great time and would probably try another cruiseline next time simply because I have nothing to compare NCL to, but given a great deal, I'd certainly go again.

 

I learned a few beneficial things from reading these boards before going which were a great help (avoid buffet, restaurant reservations can be a pain, don't expect to get near the pool, take sticky notes with you). But I also "learned" a lot of stuff that was incorrect (crew doesn't care since they get their 10%, NY/NJ travelers are rude, you can fill containers at buffet for your room, Venetian is open upon embarkment, Salsa charges for lobster tacos only (absurd!)).

 

My advice is, if the majority say something (like the buffet is mediocre) believe it, but remember that it might change by next week. The Dawn is beautiful inside and out, the crew is great, your vacation will be what you make of it.

[bklynangel]

I was surprised by the size of the Dawn's only main pool but I never saw it over crowded.

Hi James..I saw alot of your videos because i was always wondering what life is like on a ship...also i have consided working on one. I have found them to be very interesting, but i do have to admit, your room is small... What ships have you worked on and which ship are you on now? Do you always know where you will be going when your contact is up?Why did you decide to work for a cruise company? Thanks for all your answers.......hope to see you one day working on one of the ships i'll be sailing on. ........Diane

[BuckeyePat]

Ok, I am getting VERY nervous for our upcoming cruise on the Norwegian Dawn to Bermuda. There has been ALOT of bad reviews for this ship lately. We last cruised to Bermuda on RC Explorer of the SEas and loved it but opted for the Dawn for a longer time on Bermuda. Please put some ease to my worrying mind.......

Four new reviews on Review site were posted today. Nothing too bad, other than mention of a dirty room again. Not acceptable! Let's get going with those vacuums ,sponges etc., NCL!:eek:

[WinnieinWA]

I loved the Dawn in Dec. 07 in the Carribean. The pool was never crowded but the deck chairs were. Service poolside was great!

 

I enjoyed the food and the large selection offered.

 

I loved my extremely clean mini suite.

 

I loved that the crew were always cleaning the public areas and maintaining the ship constantly.

 

I loved that NCL takes a proactive stance for controlling germs by having hand sanitary stations throughout the ship and especially upon entering the ship and at all eating venues.

 

I loved the terrific, friendly attitude of the crew.

NCL Dawn is my favorite ship to date.

 

Go... but go with the idea you will have a great time and you will!

 

Happy Sails :)

[coffeebean]

I've been on Dawn three times and loved each cruise. I love the atmosphere on Dawn, especially in the evening. The ship "sings" with music which seems to be everywhere. As you stroll from one end of the ship to the other, music is at every turn. Make sure you see Jose and Pattie as they are a wonderful lounge act. You will find them in Dazzles lounge on deck 7, midship.

Dawn's centrum is lovely and very inviting. You will love this ship. Have a great cruise.

[logcabin]

I, too, have been on the Dawn 3 times. Loved each time. The ship is spotless, crew is wonderful, food and service great. I have never had a bad experience on her. In fact, we love the Dawn so much and the Bermuda itinerary, that we booked a large group on her for next summer.

 

Don't worry, you'll have a great time.

[chrisbd1]

Other than not having the free Cappuccino/Espresso/latte machines like the Jewel class ships, I enjoyed the heck out of the Dawn. I heard she was getting them at some point. She might be my favorite, though the Jewel will always be special to me. The Dawn is almost a perfect ship, as far as layout is concerned, to me. I loved the tiered pool area, I loved that the Blue Lagoon is on the Promenade deck, I LOVE that the kids pool is in a completely separate area from the adult pool. My cabin stewards weren't the best but my cabin was never dirty and it was always made up on schedule.

[iKarenE]

Any vacation will be what you make of it. Don't worry, you're going to love the Dawn, and if there's something you don't like, let someone know, they bend over backwards to please you and make your cruise the best it can be. This will be my second time on the Dawn and if it was that bad I'd be trying another ship not going back again. You will have a great time!

[crusin fools]

I too had some reservations about going on a cruise with NCL again...but I figured "what the heck" I'll give them another try, especially since I really really want to go back to Bermuda...now my question is, the cruise I will be going on (6/7/09) will have a big delegation of Cruise Critics traveling on it...so does anyone know if NCL is aware of that and would they go out of their way to deliver above and beyond service?...:confused: You would think that they would especially if they are aware of our presence...