It just Dawned on me! Review NYC to Bermuda 10/12-10/19 Long, Long, Long...

[Cubechick]

We had never contemplated sailing to Bermuda from New York as Boston is a much closer port for us. Why drive 4 hours instead of 45 minutes and pay double to park? Not to mention the cost of gas with prices being what they are now days. That changed in August of 2007 when I stumbled on an apparent glitch on the NCL website…an oceanview guarantee for $149pp??? “Oh, this can’t be right” I thought, as I reached for my credit card. I typed in my information as requested and ‘lo and behold, the booking went through! I ran around the office telling everyone about this spectacular find, only to have people hesitate, “I should really check with my husband first.” What? Were they out of their minds? Worst case NCL says “Oops” and gives you back your deposit.

I posted my find on a travel website and 4 lucky people got to book before NCL corrected the price to $749 (or $799 for non-Latitudes). I emailed my DH and told him that I’d booked the Dawn out of NYC for the week of October 12, 2008 for $643.98. The phone immediately rang as he asked what the heck was I thinking? He didn’t want to sail out of NYC! We sail from Boston to Bermuda and to a more desirable port! I explained that the price I quoted was it. The total. Including all port fees and taxes. He said, cool, I’d love to check out NYC in October.

Shortly after booking we noticed that our account showed an additional $1200 due. What followed were a few stressful days of working with an excellent PCC at NCL. She worked diligently with the billing department and after a tense week we were all locked in. She recommended that we pay in full to protect the booking. We happily agreed. For the next year or so, my companions and I gloated over our good fortune (and checked our reservations apprehensively, still waiting for the “oops!” that never came).

Time passed ever so slowly but October 2008 finally neared. We grew excited about our first cruise on the Dawn. So many NCL cruisers list her as their favorite that we could not wait to see her for ourselves. In the couple of months prior to our cruise some of the reviews coming in were negative, but we disregarded that. We’ve never had a cruise that we didn’t like (okay, there was the one two-nighter that we took, but that’s another story).

As they day grew near, we hooked up with some nice people on our roll call and arranged to join them on their bus to NYC rather than drive in (we did have the truck gassed up in case they turned out to be crazy or the limo company unreliable). Emails flew back and forth as we exchanged information and details. The cruise that we had booked nearly 14 months ago was mere days away. Hallelujah!!! A flurry of packing ensued and lists were methodically checked and double-checked until we were ready to head out. We left our house the day before the cruise to meet up with friends in Connecticut. I had booked the cruise for them when I had discovered the anomaly. They had been on vacation at the time, but I was pretty confident that they wouldn’t mind me spending their money for them. ;) We celebrated our last night before the cruise with some seriously great pizza and cocktails before forcing ourselves to go to sleep.

It turns out that our roll call peeps weren’t crazy and the bus showed up early. I called to let them know that we were one our way to get them. Vacation was finally here!!!

The ride on the bus was interesting as it took us through the streets of Harlem. We craned our necks as we took in this famous area and I wished I had my camera handy when we passed the historic Apollo Theater. Once at the pier, the porters pounced and whisked our bags away before we knew it. We promised our traveling companions that we’d chat at the meet and greet the following day and then began the check-in process. Actually that started with security, followed by (oddly…to us anyway) the embarkation photo, THEN check-in. The paperwork was processed quickly and we received our key cards. We were directed where to sit while we waited for boarding to commence and got the pleasant news that we’d be boarding early. The Dawn was ready to go and we were sipping champagne by 11:45 am! Woo-hoo!

As we were too early for lunch at the Venetian, I went to the reservation desk on deck 7 and made our dinner reservations for the first two nights. As I waited in the short line I took in the beautiful central atrium with its soaring staircases and glass elevators. Much nicer than the squat ceiling on the Gem which leaves me feeling closed in. We then spotted one of our roll call members (“Hey, Monte!”) and joined him and his wonderful wife for lunch. The embarkation day lunch menu is unfortunately pretty much the same as it has been for the last year and a half, but the food is still good. Our service was a bit slow (we sat for a long period with dirty dishes in front of us waiting to be cleared), but as I can honestly say this was the only time we experienced slow restaurant service on the cruise, I have to attribute it to the chaos of embarkation day.

When we left the dining room it wasn’t two o’clock yet (the magic room-ready hour) but we took a shot thinking we could at least drop off our carry-on bags. Our room was ready though, with the champagne I’d ordered chilling, so we quickly unpacked. The room was clean and a good size. I continue to love the bathrooms on the newer NCL ships, especially the showers, which are huge compared to what you find on the Majesty and the Dream. We flipped through the cruise ship flotsam that is ever-present on the bedspread and found an invitation to the VIP cocktail party the following evening. Drat! This was at exactly the time we’d made reservations for LeBistro. Well a quick phone call to Anshuman, the concierge, changed our reservation from Monday to Tuesday.

Killing time until the muster drill, we made our way around the specialty restaurants and found that they do have samples out as advertised. It would be nice if they had them labeled and gave you a spot to put your used spoons, though! The Dawn has bars scattered around the ship (including a sports bar and champagne bar) rather than the “bar central” layout found on the Gem. I like the Dawn’s layout better as it’s more suited to finding nooks and crannies to relax.

The muster drill was a snap and made a bit more enjoyable by the bottle of bubbly we’d just consumed. :D A notable lack of passengers at the drill made think that the ship wasn’t full. Rather than 5-6 rows deep we only had a couple of rows of cruisers at our station. That’s okay by us! After dropping off our life jackets in our cabin, up to the Spinnaker Lounge we went for Sail Away. Avoiding the masses appeals to us and we had a great view of the Statue of Liberty as we cruised on by.

Arriving back at our cabin we found that a fruit basket with a complimentary bottle of wine had been delivered. A nice little thank you for being a Gold Latitudes member!

Dinner that evening was Cagney’s which was as good as always. I’ve really gotta try that veal chop for myself some time. The chop is DH’s meal of choice and the bites I’ve had are fantastic. I tend to stick with the filet mignon, which is very good, but perhaps not worth the service charge. I had the bananas foster for dessert and was a bit disappointed as it was a little heavy on the orange juice, but the crème brulee was fabulous as always.

Sea days are always “veg” days for us, and this was no exception. The only thing on our plate was the Meet and Greet at 4:00 in the Star Bar. A quick perusal of the Freestyle Daily informed us that there was a martini tasting in the same location at 3:00. Could the timing have been any better? I think not! The martini tasting was good and the martinis poured with a generous hand. I wish the bar manager had explained more about the martinis we were consuming and the process by which they are made (ala Armando on the Gem), but it was still fun. We met another couple that we had chatted with on the boards and the roll call and that made a fun time even better…especially when we all made plans to meet up at the Frog and Onion at Dockyard for a few cocktails on Wednesday night!

The martini tasting segued neatly into the M&G. We had a good turn out and the ship’s officers who were present included the Hotel Director, the Food and Beverage Manager, the Restaurant Manager and the Cruise Director. Anyone who has attended a M&G knows that not only is this a great opportunity to meet up with your fellow roll call members, but it’s a chance to talk with the officers and bring up anything that’s on your mind. The Hotel Director, Hugo Vanosmael was one of the best we’ve encountered as far as his obvious love of his job and sincere wish to make this the best cruise we’ve ever had. At the end of the M&G the group coordinator came around and gave us the opportunity to put our names in for a drawing to dine with the ship’s officers. This was offered to all passengers in the Freestyle Daily as well. Everyone I spoke with who had put their names in during the M&G greet were selected.

After the M&G we gussied up before attending the VIP cocktail party in Spinnaker’s. As usual this was a great event and a chance to talk with officers one-on-one. The only downer was being accosted by a woman who’s company turned photos taken on the ship turned into oil paintings. I wasn’t there for a sales pitch and quickly made my escape. DH talked with Hugo about the ship’s capacity…Hugo insisted that the ship was full, but the ease with which we continued to find seating out doors and at the buffet told another tale.

The cocktail party was smack in the middle of the dinner hour so we made our way to the Blue Lagoon for a quick snack. The Buffalo wings remain yummy and the service remains mediocre at best. I don’t understand why the service at the Blue Lagoon is consistently poor (waiters standing with their backs to you, studiously ignoring you), but the food is good and quick.

Tuesday is a day that we’re normally all geared up to sail into St. George when we’re sailing from Boston. Unfortunately on the Dawn this was another sea day to build up the anticipation for Bermuda. Oh well, another day to relax and soak up some sun. Before our planned dinner at LeBistro we decided to meet for cocktails at Gatsby’s. There we were serenaded by a talented but loud pianist. Shouting to make ourselves heard over the din killed some of the relaxation we had achieved, however we were soon to make our way into the restaurant. As we waited patiently in line at the reservation desk, the couple ahead of us was seated outside the restaurant…right next to the piano player! We exchanged glances of horror as we approached the desk and sighs of relief as we were escorted in to the restaurant. Even more pleasant was being led to the best seat in the house right next to the amazing Renoir that graces this lovely room.

LeBistro, what can I say? The food and service was exquisite as always. We thoroughly enjoyed the new menu and found the old favorites (escargot and mushroom soup) to be as amazing as always. Anshuman stopped by to greet us and make sure that we were enjoying our visit on the beautiful Dawn. It is attention to detail like that that makes for a memorable vacation.

The next day…Bermuda! And we almost missed sailing in! For the first time ever, we over slept and were awakened by our traveling companions calling our room. We shot out of bed and quickly made ourselves presentable so we could watch our arrival at Dockyard, to which we had never sailed before. Dockyard does not have the charm of St. George (what does really?), but it is not unpleasant. Our friends who were expecting a port that was stacked with industrial containers (as experienced at port in Barbados on another cruise) were pleasantly surprised.

We decided to take our guests on a quick tour of Dockyard for orientation. An hour of roaming around Dockyard was enough (as almost everything was still closed) so we caught the ferry to Hamilton. What a great mode of transportation this is. 15 minutes by ferry vs. 60 minutes by bus. If you love to shop, Hamilton is for you. It is also a pretty city. However as we aren’t shoppers, we opted for some lunch. A quick inquiry at a Visitor’s Information Center gave us the location of the Hog Penny (which claims to be the inspiration for the TV show Cheers). Some great food was had here. DH states that this was the best Bermudian fish chowder that he’s had in nine trips now, and I have to say the bangers n’ mash were some of the best that I’ve had. I pulled out the ferry schedule and realized there was a ferry leaving in less than an hour, so we bolted down our food to catch that ferry. Not that it would have been tragic to spend another hour in Hamilton, but hey, if we didn’t have to, why?

Our next scheduled activity was meeting up with our roll call peeps at the Frog and Onion. What a wonderful time we had. We spent a couple of hours getting to know each other and sampling some good locally brewed beers (and at a good price too!) Okay, maybe not such a good price, as DH reminds me that our group spent $140…. ON BEER! :eek: Of course there were eight of us…and that included tip! Deciding that we needed some food we headed back to the ship and noticed the signs posted advertising deals at Bamboo and Salsa. Correctly deducing that they were trying to drum up business, we chose Bamboo and were seated immediately. The food at Bamboo was delicious and well worth the cover charge. I was really pleased with the sweet and sour pork which was far better than what I can get locally.

Thursday we decided to go to Church Bay which is supposed to be one of the best spots on the island for snorkeling. There is an express bus that runs from Dockyard to Horseshoe Bay Beach, but as Church Bay is on the way, they graciously added our stop. Only four of us left the bus at Church Bay while the rest of the passengers went on to Horseshoe Bay Beach, which also made us feel good about our decision. Walking down the stairs leading to Church Bay we were greeted by a spectacular view of glittering blue water and coral formations that indicated there would be some excellent snorkeling indeed. Only one other couple was at the beach when we arrived. By the time we left, around 12:30, the beach was just starting to fill up. It’s nice to not be “towel-to-towel” with your fellow cruise mates. I don’t often snorkel and didn’t on this occasion, but DH reported some truly excellent snorkeling as did our friends. However after a couple of hours we were ready to move on and make our way to the new Swizzle Inn on the south shore. On the bus we met up with new friends from our previous night at the Frog and Onion and we all passed a pleasant couple of hours enjoying a lunch consisting of appetizers (conch fritters are a must!) and pitchers of rum swizzle. Yum! I’m happy to report that the pitchers are just as good and flow just as freely as at the original Swizzle Inn at Bailey’s Bay.

Opting to take the bus back to Dockyard, we witnessed something quintessentially Bermudian. After our many visits to this lovely island, we’ve long since learned that a “Good Morning” and a “Good Afternoon” go a long way. Bermudians have good manners and demonstrating that you do too will make your visit on this island thoroughly enjoyable. Our bus driver took this passion for etiquette one step further. A group of people were getting on the bus before us and enquired if this bus went to Dockyard. Our driver replied, “Good afternoon.” Again the question was asked, “Does this bus go to Dockyard?” and again the reply was “Good afternoon.” Well, they didn’t need to be asked a third time! This time the young woman replied, “Good afternoon” and the bus driver immediately explained that this bus would not take us to Dockyard but she would drop us at a stop where we could connect with that bus. The entire exchange gave DH and I quite the chuckle. At the next stop, the scene was played out again as a gentleman at the stop asked if the bus went to Dockyard. However after two “Good afternoons” without a civil reply, the bus driver shut the door in the man’s face and sped off!!!! I thought this was a bit much, but still found it hilarious.

Shortly after this encounter our bus started to emit a foul order and soon an alarm was going off. The bus driver pulled off at the nearest bus stop and contacted dispatch to let them know that her bus had overheated. I was impressed that a replacement bus was pulling up behind ours within 10 minutes or so. However, we didn’t get far as the new bus had a problem with the driver’s seat not allowing her to lower it enough. After calling into the microphone “My feet aren’t touching the floor,” a few times, she determined she could drive…for one more stop. Off of the bus we all went again while a second bus arrived for her. (I have to admire how quickly they dispatched replacement busses!) Another bus arrived which clearly stated “Dockyard” on the front. I ended up on this bus, while my DH and friends ended up on another. The bus with the “too high seat” turned into a “Dockyard Express” bus and my friends arrived at Dockyard before I did. Go figure. Well, that added a little adventure to our day!

That evening we went to Pearly Kings to catch up on sports and ended up listening to the guitar player who arrived (sorry, I have no idea what his name was) to entertain us. DH ran up to the room for something and came back with an envelope that he hadn’t opened. Boo! It was luggage tags! What the heck? Why am I getting luggage tags when we have two full days of cruising left?! (I later realized it was because we were receiving the tags for Gold/Platinum Latitudes members). I jammed them in my pocket and ordered a couple of Sam Smith’s to ease the pain. After singing along to our favorite Jimmy Buffet, Billy Joel and Van Morrison tunes, we decided to head to the Garden Café for dinner. I do like that NCL makes this area nicer in the evening with the addition of the white table linens and flickering candles. Following dinner we walked around Dockyard for a bit and eventually found ourselves up at Spinnaker’s Lounge to watch the Liar’s Club (very funny) with our Frog and Onion peeps.

On Friday we had another glorious day and we opted to stay in Dockyard. DH and the husband of the couple we were traveling with had brought travel fishing poles to try their hand at fishing. DH actually caught a small tuna! I just wandered around, did some shopping (including restocking our supply of sparkling water for the cabin), generally relaxed and wistfully counted down our time to departure. That departure was somewhat delayed as the ship waited for an ambulance that would be taking a passenger from the ship. The ambulance finally arrived and the EMT’s whisked a gurney up the gangway. They returned with a woman with a cervical collar on who waved to passengers as she was loaded onto the waiting ambulance.

The ambulance hadn’t pulled away when the first lines were being cast into the water. Soon the Dawn was drifting away from the pier and we were on our way home. We quickly dressed for dinner (actually cocktails as we were meeting at Gatsby’s), and dashed to deck 6. As we were sipping martinis (and cringing because we’d forgotten about “too loud piano player guy”) DH drew our attention to the starboard windows. There the familiar sight of Fort St. Catherine’s greeted us so we all rushed to the window to catch this fleeting glimpse of St. George. “Wow, doesn’t the skyline look weird without the old Club Med there??” “Oh, and there’s the Town Cut!” A wave of nostalgia swamps us as we turn away from St. George and Bermuda and make our way to Impressions where we had dinner reservations.

Impressions was very good. The beef carpaccio was tasty, but sliced far too thin (you had to scrape it up off of the plate). I had the pizza as an appetizer and was relieved that they’d scaled back the size (on the Gem the pizzas were more than enough for a meal). The lobster ravioli was very good although the sauce was different than what I’d had before. DH had the osso buco which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Saturday, the last day, is always consumed by the gloomy task of packing and wishing the cruise weren’t yet over. This trip even more so as every aspect of the cruise had been so thoroughly enjoyable. A little after 1:00 pm, our luck with the weather turned and the skies when from bright and sunny to ominously black. The temperature plummeted and the wind whipped up. The seas jumped to 15 feet or so, the winds to around 50 mph and out came the piles of barf bags at the elevators! Thankfully motion bothers DH and I not at all (and honestly we’ve experienced much worse). Other than the weather keeping us inside for the rest of the day, it did nothing to put a damper on our trip.

It dawned on me as I planned to pack that I needed to get luggage tags for our friends who are not yet Gold so that we could all disembark at the same time. A quick call to the Cruise Consultant desk and the matter was taken care of. It’s nice to know that you can do this! As we packed we enjoyed the bottle of wine that came with our fruit basket. On our last cruise the wine had been, well, awful. This time we were pleasantly surprised to find that it was quite drinkable. Apparently fellow CCer’s who had assured us that we’d just received an “off” bottle last time were correct!

As is traditional for us on the last night, we had dinner up in the buffet which was consistently good throughout the cruise. We eventually made our way down to Pearly Kings to watch the Red Sox game. Despite the motion of the ship, Pearly Kings was packed with baseball fans and we enjoyed hanging out there for awhile. Then it was back up to the room and putting the bags out in the hallway. Now you know your cruise is pretty much over!

The following morning we awakened just in time to see the Statue of Liberty as we slowly sailed by. I hate the last morning on the ship. Vacation is over and I just want to be on my way home. DH ran up to the buffet and brought us back breakfast and we waited…and waited…and waited in the middle of the Hudson. Finally it was announced that we were waiting for a tug boat to help us to the pier as the current was too strong for the ship to maneuver herself. Finally, about 45 minutes late, we were able to leave the ship.

This truly was our best cruise ever. All of the stars were aligned to bring us the best ship in the fleet, the best crew, and the best people to sail with. The only thing keeping us going at this point is the knowledge that we’ll be on the Gem in less than 3 months! :)

[mbisson]

Again I'm reminded why I'm not gonna do a review of this cruise...it would never match yours Aimee.

 

Hey, how come you guys got a bottle of champage for being gold latitudes and we didn't? Now I'm not feeling as guilty for eating bfast & lunch in Cagney's ;) LOL

 

I completely agree-a great cruise (probably the best crew I've ever sailed with)

 

I enjoyed your guys company so much, I really hope we can sail together again.

 

:D

 

-Monte

[Zzannahk]

Cubechick,

 

Your review was awesome. We sail on Sunday, I can only hope our cruise is as good as yours.

 

Do you use the bus/ferry as primary transportation? We're never been to Bermuda before, but it sound like the most economic way to get around, will it be easy for a newbie??

 

Also, when you take the ferry to Hamilton, is there a lot of stuff within walking distance, or do you then take another bus once you're there?

 

Thanks

~Suzanne

[Cubechick]

Cubechick,

 

Your review was awesome. We sail on Sunday, I can only hope our cruise is as good as yours.

 

Do you use the bus/ferry as primary transportation? We're never been to Bermuda before, but it sound like the most economic way to get around, will it be easy for a newbie??

 

Also, when you take the ferry to Hamilton, is there a lot of stuff within walking distance, or do you then take another bus once you're there?

 

Thanks

~Suzanne

 

The bus & ferry have always been our primary transportation. It is $20pp for a two day pass and $28pp for a three day pass (they only accept cash—I understand this has been a problem for some). Walking distance from the ship is the ferry to Hamilton or St. George and the bus stop (make sure to get a bus and ferry schedule when you buy your tickets). You can hop a cab but their fares are much more expensive than public transportation. In Hamilton, the ferry dock is right on Front Street, where all the action is. Most of the shops, restaurants, bars and attractions are within 4x3 block radius. I know Monte went to Fort Hamilton, but we never made it that far. Perhaps he can chime in with directions… We wish you a great cruise!

[Zzannahk]

Sounds great! Thanks for the info

 

~Suzanne

[Kwynot]

Wow, I want to go back to Bermuda, and travel on the Dawn. Now you just gave me more passion to just book the trip now! :p

[elron]

Very nice review CC! Enjoy your Gem Cruise! We enjoyed the Gem!

[Cubechick]

Again I'm reminded why I'm not gonna do a review of this cruise...it would never match yours Aimee.

 

Hey, how come you guys got a bottle of champage for being gold latitudes and we didn't? Now I'm not feeling as guilty for eating bfast & lunch in Cagney's ;) LOL

 

I completely agree-a great cruise (probably the best crew I've ever sailed with)

 

I enjoyed your guys company so much, I really hope we can sail together again.

 

:D

 

-Monte

 

Hey Monte, glad you liked my review. Just to clarify, I ordered champagne for the room as it was our anniversary the day before we set sail. We got the wine w/ fruit for being Gold...just like you I'm sure!

 

We hope we can sail with you guys again too...if nothing else there's always the chance of meeting up in Seattle next year!

 

Aimee

[mbisson]

Hey Monte, glad you liked my review. Just to clarify, I ordered champagne for the room as it was our anniversary the day before we set sail. We got the wine w/ fruit for being Gold...just like you I'm sure!

 

We hope we can sail with you guys again too...if nothing else there's always the chance of meeting up in Seattle next year!

 

Aimee

 

Nope, no wine either :( (and I thought I had read previously that was a gold perk-so phoey LOL)

[ute_fan]

Great review, Cubechick! Between you and Monte, I'm starting to consider Bermuda for a future cruise.....

[*Luv2Cruz*]

What a great review!:cool: Though we've been to Bermuda three times we've never been on the the Dawn. After reading your review, we're more excited then ever!:D Thanks!!

[cv322]

Terrific review Cubechick. If you don't write professionally...you should!

[LOWTYD]

I am really looking forward to Bermuda via the Dawn. I didn't know the Swizzle Inn opened a new facility. Where is it in regards to the Dockyard (time/miles) ? We had a blast at the original when we were docked in Hamilton back in the 90's.

Glad you had a great time.:)

Sandy

[Host Kewlguy]

I am really looking forward to Bermuda via the Dawn. I didn't know the Swizzle Inn opened a new facility. Where is it in regards to the Dockyard (time/miles) ? We had a blast at the original when we were docked in Hamilton back in the 90's.

Glad you had a great time.:)

Sandy

 

The "new" Swizzle Inn is located on the South Shore Road. Coming from the Dockyards it's past Horseshoe Bay driving towards Hamilton. You can always just ask the bus driver to let you know when/where to stop.

[LOWTYD]

The "new" Swizzle Inn is located on the South Shore Road. Coming from the Dockyards it's past Horseshoe Bay driving towards Hamilton. You can always just ask the bus driver to let you know when/where to stop.

 

Thanks Kewlguy.

Does anyone know what a pitcher of Swizzle runs these days? I think it was pretty expensive back in the 90's, I can't imagine what today's prices are! (Better start saving now!)

:) Sandy

[The Queen]

Thanks Kewlguy.

Does anyone know what a pitcher of Swizzle runs these days? I think it was pretty expensive back in the 90's, I can't imagine what today's prices are! (Better start saving now!)

:) Sandy

 

 

We ate at the Swizzle South ourselves...per glass it was $6.25; and 1/2 pitcher was $22.50; can't remember what a full pitcher was.

[lalapodip]

Great review, Aimee! I agree with Monte & I'll skip my own review this time :)

 

I have the Swizzle menu....1/2 Jug $15.25 & full Jug $22.75...as good as I'd hoped & the nachos were awesome!!

[coffeebean]

Great review, cubechick. DH and I have been to Bermuda on the Dawn. We love Bermuda and love the Dawn. You can't beat this combination.

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Great review, Aimee! I agree with Monte & I'll skip my own review this time :)

 

I have the Swizzle menu....1/2 Jug $15.25 & full Jug $22.75...as good as I'd hoped & the nachos were awesome!!

 

Great review, cubechick. DH and I have been to Bermuda on the Dawn. We love Bermuda and love the Dawn. You can't beat this combination.

 

Just add a jug or two to the combo and we're on our way!:D

[Leafpeeper]

I loved reading your post. The first time we sailed on Dawn was to celebrate our DD's birthday and college graduation from Northeastern University. It was an exciting time for us because we had never sailed from the northeast. It was so much fun driving to NY with our DD and SIL in December and sailing to the southern caribbean. I must say it was probably the best cruise ever. It was our first time sailing freestyle. DH loved dining in a different restaurant every night. It really spoiled us.

 

Since then our DD and SIL have given us twin granddaughters and they will be sailing with us on the Gem on Jan 14. We hope to meet you at the M&G. We are sailing from Boston on Oct 28 but can't wait to sail from NY again in January.

[Cubechick]

I am really looking forward to Bermuda via the Dawn. I didn't know the Swizzle Inn opened a new facility. Where is it in regards to the Dockyard (time/miles) ? We had a blast at the original when we were docked in Hamilton back in the 90's.

Glad you had a great time.:)

Sandy

 

I just want to add that it's on the #7 bus route and it's in Warwick. It's about 30 minutes from Dockyard whether you first take the ferry to Hamilton, then catch a bus, or take the bus directly from Dockyard.

 

Great review, Aimee! I agree with Monte & I'll skip my own review this time :)

 

I have the Swizzle menu....1/2 Jug $15.25 & full Jug $22.75...as good as I'd hoped & the nachos were awesome!!

 

Thanks for the compliment (although I'd like to hear more from both of you about your experiences!). Thanks also for the Swizzle prices...I was thinking that the $22 or so was for the full pitcher not 1/2.

 

I loved reading your post. The first time we sailed on Dawn was to celebrate our DD's birthday and college graduation from Northeastern University. It was an exciting time for us because we had never sailed from the northeast. It was so much fun driving to NY with our DD and SIL in December and sailing to the southern caribbean. I must say it was probably the best cruise ever. It was our first time sailing freestyle. DH loved dining in a different restaurant every night. It really spoiled us.

 

Since then our DD and SIL have given us twin granddaughters and they will be sailing with us on the Gem on Jan 14. We hope to meet you at the M&G. We are sailing from Boston on Oct 28 but can't wait to sail from NY again in January.

 

We will definitely be at the M&G on the Gem! We can't wait to meet you! We'll have to see if we can't top this Dawn cruise. ;)

[Billy31]

We were on the cruise to bermuda at the same time. We loved it. Can't wait to go back.

[mbisson]

Billy

I sure wish you had invited us for a 2 minute walk thru of your villa ;)

Glad you enjoyed the cruise as much as the rest of us!!!

take care

[Pheton]

Great review. We were on the Dawn last month (9/28) and much of your review fits perfectly. We will be joining you on the Gem 1/14 (also 2/14). See you at the M&G.

 

Tom

[JUSRN]

Do you remember what movies were being shown on the Dawn that week?