Dawn Princess - post drydock

Any feedback as yet on the changes made during the recent drydock ???

Yes please. I'm very interested in that too.

We are boarding her in Freo in July looking forward to see what changes have been made.

We are boarding her in Freo in July looking forward to see what changes have been made.

Oh please........................pictures if possible - if not - a run down - we are all anxiously waiting :p

Hi All,

Just got off Dawn Princess last Saturday. Not a lot of changes that I could see from two years ago, the major change is the buffet. The whole area has had a make over. All the food areas redone, the seating and carpet changed. the area at the front facing the sea is now for desserts and coffees, the wooden floor and seating round the area has gone and the bar. The rails and change in levels also gone. Has opened it all up, but still gets very crowded at busy times.

The other changes are to the shops, layout and carpets changed. Also new carpet in the lifts on the stairs and in the lift/stairs areas. Also in the atrium bar there is new carpet. Other rooms and cabins the same. Might be new carpet in some cabins and the beds and duvets did seem better, and more comfortable than two years ago.

Oh one more change free ice cream bar replaced by New Zealand ice cream bar and they are $5.00 each. Didn't seem to be as many sun lounges, the chairs with the cushions and foot stools that folded out have gone.

Sorry no photos.

Hi All,

Just got off Dawn Princess last Saturday. Not a lot of changes that I could see from two years ago, the major change is the buffet. The whole area has had a make over. All the food areas redone, the seating and carpet changed. the area at the front facing the sea is now for desserts and coffees, the wooden floor and seating round the area has gone and the bar. The rails and change in levels also gone. Has opened it all up, but still gets very crowded at busy times.

The other changes are to the shops, layout and carpets changed. Also new carpet in the lifts on the stairs and in the lift/stairs areas. Also in the atrium bar there is new carpet. Other rooms and cabins the same. Might be new carpet in some cabins and the beds and duvets did seem better, and more comfortable than two years ago.

Oh one more change free ice cream bar replaced by New Zealand ice cream bar and they are $5.00 each. Didn't seem to be as many sun lounges, the chairs with the cushions and foot stools that folded out have gone.

Sorry no photos.

Thanks for that - I have a picture in my head now for the new layout in Horizon. Next question, are there varying kinds of eateries, Asian, Vegetarian, Mexican - that type of thing?

I'll be boarding next week for a day so will post photos. Also trying out the new whisky bar...

What is Princess in Australia doing. Putting New Zealand ice cream onboard and then charging for it. I would have thought that they would try and maintain a constant product throughout the entire Princess fleet. Who knows whats next that they would charge for. Is their intention to slowly change these ships to P&O Australia?

Seems like all the cruise lines are going the way of 'Nickel and Diming' as the Americans say.:D

On Princess though you still get the standard ice cream free that you always have.

This is just a premium extra if you want it.

I don't think if they introduce something new it also has to be free as well.

What is Princess in Australia doing. Putting New Zealand ice cream onboard and then charging for it. I would have thought that they would try and maintain a constant product throughout the entire Princess fleet. Who knows whats next that they would charge for. Is their intention to slowly change these ships to P&O Australia?

I'm sure I read somewhere that some Princess ships based in the US (not our three obviously) charge extra for gelato and sorbet. You could buy it with a punch on your coffee card at one stage, not sure about now though.

If so, then Princess is bringing Dawn into line with those ships. I assume they are using the NZ Natural brand?

Oh one more change free ice cream bar replaced by New Zealand ice cream bar and they are $5.00 each.

Doesn't say there is free ice cream anymore although I am sure you could go to the MDR for some with dinner.

From what people have said, the free soft-serve has been replaced by New Zealand icecream at a charge. Free icecream is of course available at lunch and dinner in the dining room. It is no longer available in the Horizon Court at dinner (as it used to be).

I'm sure I read somewhere that some Princess ships based in the US (not our three obviously) charge extra for gelato and sorbet. You could buy it with a punch on your coffee card at one stage, not sure about now though.

 

If so, then Princess is bringing Dawn into line with those ships. I assume they are using the NZ Natural brand?

The extra charge for gelato and sorbet might be in the International Cafe.

The extra charge for gelato and sorbet might be in the International Cafe.

That is correct, it has been in a previous thread.:D

The extra charge for gelato and sorbet might be in the International Cafe.

Possibly.

And I'm not sure whether those ships also offered free soft serve outside of the restaurants.

Possibly.

 

And I'm not sure whether those ships also offered free soft serve outside of the restaurants.

To my knowledge, none of the ships offer (or did previously offer) soft serve in the restaurants. It has only been at an 'ice-cream bar' near the pool. When we have been on Princess ships out of USA I think the situation was the same.

Going back a couple of years, the free ice-cream bar also offered hard icecream, but I think it was only vanilla.

We haven't been on P&O for a couple of years, but I can recall a NZ ice-cream bar that sold icecream. It was on the pool deck.

To my knowledge, none of the ships offer (or did previously offer) soft serve in the restaurants. It has only been at an 'ice-cream bar' near the pool. When we have been on Princess ships out of USA I think the situation was the same.

 

Going back a couple of years, the free ice-cream bar also offered hard icecream, but I think it was only vanilla.

 

We haven't been on P&O for a couple of years, but I can recall a NZ ice-cream bar that sold icecream. It was on the pool deck.

Whoops, I worded that badly. I meant offered any free ice-cream outside of the restaurants, and the free ice-cream offered outside the restaurants only being soft serve. I knew they didn't have soft serve in the MDR but wasn't sure about the buffet restaurant.

We're on the Dawn Princess in November but the lack of free ice cream won't bother me, I'm a diabetic.

Whoops, I worded that badly. I meant offered any free ice-cream outside of the restaurants, and the free ice-cream offered outside the restaurants only being soft serve. I knew they didn't have soft serve in the MDR but wasn't sure about the buffet restaurant.

Soft serve is/was available in the buffet.:D

Soft serve is/was available in the buffet.:D

never eaten soft serve from the buffet in Australia?????

Always from the servery near the pool! :confused: :confused: :confused:

but we won't miss it terribly either - just unwanted un-needed calories

I won't miss the icecream either. Never ate it.

Generally agree about not wanting Ice cream, however, it is nice on an afternoon by the pool.:D

I usually don't have room to fit in an ice-cream, although if it is NZ Natural brand that might actually tempt me on the odd occasion late afternoon.

Can't stand soft serve though.

Well I'll stand out and say I love ice cream. Not huge on soft serve ut if it's all there is I will eat it.

Celebrity Ice Cream bar is fantastic.

Glad our next cruise is on Princess the waist couldn't stand it otherwise.