happygolucky62

When I was on the Dawn, the Concierge and Butler found out it was my birthday and decorated for free as a surprise.

The funniest part was they printed out a Birthday card with my photo that was taken as ID at Embarkation. It was so bad and I laughed for days whenever i looked at it!

I am very interested in booking one of the AFT Suites but am worried about the "catamaran" area above it.

Do you think it will take all of the sun away from the Balconies? Would one of the lower decks be better?

Do you happen to know if the "Outdoor Smoking Area" will be near the AFT Suite areas? I don't want to smell smoke while I am trying to relax on my balcony.

I absolutely LOVE Virgin Atlantic and am so excited to Sail but I am also a 50 something and want to make sure it is a good fit.

Thanks in advance for helping us all out!

Thank you so much for all of your effort! I am sailing to the North Cape on Jade this June. I love the Southampton pictures! Could you try to get some of the Terminal tomorrow? Anything to get me through the next 58 days! Be safe and have a great time on Bliss! Cheryl

Oh Hello Doug! We are sailing to the North Cape on Jade in June from Southampton. We are staying at the Holiday Inn as well.

I would really appreciate pictures of the Hotel and Terminal, as well as anything you care to share about Southampton. Now my 60 days out will go a bit faster seeing what is to come.

I hope you have a Blast on Bliss. Be safe and thank you in advance. Cheryl

Thanks...I assume she would take along something similar to this (which she is using tonight).

 

 

She does need a little space but it isn't like she needs to use the long arm machine (which is something like 12 feet wide ).

I see she has the most important accessory when sewing...the glass of wine!

We loved O’Sheehans. The food came out in a strange order sometimes, but the waiter explained that it as because they came from different kitchens. He made sure to explain it upfront and we were fine with it.

I guess I read this too quickly because I saw "STRANGE ODOR" instead of "STRANGE ORDER". I was wondering how someone could be FINE with it once it was explained to them. Guess I need a vacation....

We sailed in the Garden Villa in May 2017 and the Concierge was Leah. Absolutely wonderful. The Butler was William. We also had one of the Owner's Suites but the kids spent most of the time in the GV. He took care of all 8 us really well!

We stayed in the Garden Villa in May. Leah could not have been better.

Consider yourself very lucky if she is still aboard.

I am hoping she may be on the Jade in June when we go to Norway.

The piano tuner was in the living room when we first arrived. It was when he moved to the other GV and started playing their piano that we realized we could hear what was going on over there.

It was mostly the piano that we heard. We did hear every time Leah, the fabulous Concierge, was over there because she was so enthusiastic and bubbly when she talked.

As far as the outside "noise", I would suggest you take the back stateroom with the sliding door to the Sun Deck. It is the BEST room and far away from any noise at night. Have a wonderful time!

We stayed in the GV on Dawn in May 2017. The most surprising thing regarding noise was that you can hear the guests in the other GV. The wall is just a partition and not sealed. We kept it in mind and tried to be respectful but I am sure our neighbors heard us sometimes. We also heard them. As others have stated, the views, and sounds, from the pool deck are one of the best bits of entertainment. The show is a hoot at times!

The Hostess Stand is shared by both restaurants. At breakfast, the Buffet is set up in Moderno but they seat guests in both restaurants depending on party size and how busy each area is. Guests can walk to the Buffet and pick up whatever they did not order from their server. I usually ordered a toasted bagel then walked to get my lox and other meats, cheeses and fruits. At lunch they seat guests in both areas also.

Do you forfeit the Cruise Next Deposit if you cancel? Or would they put it back in your account?

Hello again. I am sorry I have not been around lately but as I said, I am trying to pay for next year's trip!

The photos posted in the review by WYTinman are basically identical to mine so I would recommend looking at those until I get time to figure out how to get mine up. The only difference in mine would be some of the birthday decorations Leah and William put up and different clothes in the closet!

In the end, I was very happy with getting the Villa and the Owner's Suite. I now know perks for everyone was necessary and I think even though we had all of the room in the Villa, sometimes my kids wanted to be alone in their room.

I have an AFT Suite on Jade booked for next year going from London to the North Cape.

The room, 10166, is identical to the center room in the Dawn Garden Villa. I used that room a few times getting ready for dinner, while my partner was in our bathroom. Even though it has the smaller bathroom, the room felt very spacious. Adding in the Balcony, I think it will be perfect for 2 of us. I am really looking forward to it.

Please let me know if you have any other questions! I am glad you all have gotten some enjoyment out of it!

My daughter and her family stayed in 10506 for the May 12 sailing. There was a damp spot on the floor which was taken care of while she was there. It was no inconvenience to them but Leah, the Concierge gave me a $200 OBC for their troubles. There was never any odor that I am aware of. They loved the cabin and I am sure you will too!

Hello again everyone. I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back at this. I need to work to afford next summer's cruise to the North Cape on Jade!

I do have a lot of pictures of the living room area and sun deck. As I said, I stayed in the third bedroom so I could use the sliding glass door. I have lots of pictures from that room. I will try to figure out how to get them uploaded tonight.

If someone really wants them, I would be happy to e mail them to you. Just let me know.

My daughter stayed in 10506, the Owner's Suite. You will love it! They had a great time. NCL does so much to make sure every guest has a wonderful time. There was a damp spot on the living room floor of 10506 when my daughter arrived and it got a little bigger every day. The Steward noticed it and Leah was all over it. It was no bother to my daughter and her family, they just walked around it.

They took care of the wet carpet and Leah insisted on giving me a $200 OBC for our troubles. It was totally unnecessary but as I said, NCL takes care of their guests.

Hopefully, the next post will have photos!

After lunch we went down to see the owner's Suite 10506 the rest of the family was staying in and then headed back to the Villa. We met William and he showed us all of the features of the Suite. He showed us how the showers work and took us outside to show us the hot tub and Steam Room. He said that you just need to give them 1 to 2 hours notice for the Steam Room since they don't leave it on. We headed down to the Muster and when we returned most of our luggage had arrived. My daughter's suitcase was missing and William took a description and made sure it was found immediately.

We soon realized that we were in for a very different experience. We just wanted a relaxing week and William and Leah went overboard making sure we didn't need for anything. It made us uncomfortable sometimes but they only wanted the best for me and my family.

Throughout the week we were escorted to all of our dinners and off of the ship. We made quite a sight, like a row of ducklings following Leah or William. On the night we were eating in Cagney's, I kidded and told William that we could probably make the trip down one flight of stairs alone, he actually got offended. He has a job to do and we let him do it.

We never asked for anything specific for our afternoon treats for the first few days. William was all over Meghan's needs and brought sandwiches and cookies that were gluten free. She also got muffins. Most of the time we didn't know they were gluten free and we ended up enjoying them.

On the third day, since he was bringing enough for all eight of us, I asked for something different. He brought a huge plate of PB&J sandwiches which disappeared quickly. We had crudites and dip, fruit, canapes, cheese and potato chips. One day we got shrimp. We never got M&Ms but when I asked if he had any, he rushed back in the service area and we heard him pour them into a bowl. He reappeared and the bowl stayed full the rest of the week.

Our wonderful Steward, Joe had his hands full since all eight of us were utilizing the Villa. He kept it so clean and was always smiling. On the first day he brought 2 Orchid plants which fell out of their pots that night. We went into the Service area looking for a broom to clean it up. There is enough room back there to have 2 more rooms. It is stocked with linens and food and drink.

Leah was at Breakfast every day and checked on our dinner plans. She also took note of what Meghan and John would be eating and put in their order.

She came to the Villa nearly everyday to check on things or make arrangements for anything we needed. She told us that we would get a Limo at the Terminal to take us to the Airport. We had late flights so we were one of the last people off of the ship and we were escorted to our luggage which was waiting and a porter took it to the Complimentary Limo.

We never had to go to any of the talks regarding disembarkation and other things because she would take care of everything in the Villa for us.

When we returned to the ship on my birthday she and William had decorated the Living Room with balloons and streamers and Signs. There was a cake and a cupcake for my grandson to enjoy.

She gave us a complimentary dinner of our choosing on the final night.

She was always waiting for us at the Theater to escort us to the reserved seats.

I will add one more posting regarding the funnier side of being a guest in the Garden Villa but if there are any specific questions that come up, I will be happy to answer them.

Our wonderful Butler, William, was not in the Terminal so another Butler escorted us to the Garden Villa. He took us up the elevator and it was always a crowded ride being the 8 of us plus the Butler. A woman with a huge suitcase jumped in before all of us could get on. It was so funny and awkward. The Butler told her it was going to be too full but she just said, "Well I am only going to 12" We rode in silence and she got off on 12. When we got to 14 we got off in the Foyer area the 2 Villas share. There is a staircase that drops right down to Cagney's with a locked door which could be opened with our keys. It was so convenient to slip down for breakfast. More about that door later. There were also 2 glass doors which look just like the main doors but went to the back of the Suite. It was the door the Steward used to come and go. We entered and went to check out the Living Room. 14500 is the Villa that has the very nice bar area rather than the stainless steel kitchen. It also has the egg chair.

One of the first things I noticed was the gap near the ceiling of the dividing wall between the 2 Villas. It is just a retractable wall and it is not tight at the top or soundproof. We realized this the first day when the piano tuner left our room and headed next door. We could hear him playing the piano as if he was in the same room as us. We took note, but I don't think we or our neighbors were too bothered all week. We did meet our neighbors waiting for the elevator and he made a comment about how we were being too noisy but I think he was kidding. We did hear their conversations quite a few times but we just ignored it.

I had already decided I wanted the last room by the Sun Deck because I had watched a recent YouTube video that had been posted after the renovation. It is a great video, check it out. Just search NCL Dawn 14500 and you will find it.

The room I chose had a full wall of windows overlooking the side and a sliding glass door so the room was flooded with light. The closet was huge and the bathroom was the same size as the "Master" but the bath tub could fit one, not 2 people.

My oldest daughter and her boyfriend took the Master and we left the middle room for sleepovers for anyone from the Owner's Suite, 10506 that wanted to crash there.

My intention was to watch my grandson while the kids all stayed out and he could sleep there. He ended up sleeping with us in the King Bed in our room. As a grandma who lives 3 states away, I was in heaven!

The Butler showed us how to get down to Cagney's for lunch. There we met Shetty, one of our Heroes of the Cruise.

My oldest daughter is vegan by choice and gluten free by need. Her boyfriend is a vegetarian. I had let them know when I made the reservation 8 months earlier and they had noted it in the room notes. Shetty is the Maitre'D and as soon as we swiped out room key at lunch, he appeared and talked extensively about their needs. He suggested options for lunch and they were very happy. All week long, Leah, William and Shetty met with Meghan and John in the morning and planned what they would want to eat. I honestly thought it was because we were in the Villa but I have read a lot since our return and see that NCL really takes wonderful care of their guests with special dietary needs.

Before we upgraded to the Villa, the Pre Cruise Concierge sent the letter with the Luggage Tags for both Owner's Suites and the list of Suite options. I got my daughter's requests and mine together and e mailed them in. I had asked for Liquor that was not on the List and they accommodated me. I also asked for milk to be in both cabins and made our Pop and water preferences. I wasn't sure what their pillows were like so I said I would choose when we got on board. I changed some dining reservations to times that had not been available when booking online. After I upgraded to the Garden Villa, I asked the Pre Cruise Concierge if I would get new Luggage Tags sent to me. She said that it was too close to sailing so I should just write the new cabin number n the Tags.

On Cruise Day we showed up at the Terminal around 10:45 am. We gave our luggage to the porters and headed inside. We were sent to the line and given Health Forms to fill out. We went through the line until someone noticed we were in the Garden Villa. She got all upset and told us we were to leave the "Regular" line and move immediately to another area. We never got to the counter. We were sent to the Curtained area and Leah, our fantastic Concierge, met us and that was the start of a week of her outstanding Service. When I told her I had the Owner's Suite also she pulled my daughter's paperwork and keys and we went to have a snack. We all started wondering because we had never gone to the Counter to show any of our paperwork. I think they realized the mistake and then we were all sent out to the Priority Check In to show our Passports and get our Security Photos taken. The Suite area became very crowded at one point and they asked that if there were any guests who were CAS guests. Those who raised their hand were asked to leave because they were apparently not VIP enough for the small area. It was funny because none of them moved. There were a couple of groups who were made up of people in Suites who had brought along their friends who were not in a Suite category. Since no one was moving, they decided not to press the issue since we were all going to be able to board soon anyway.

The Butlers were introducing themselves to their respective guests. They were taking people on the ship then and soon it was our turn.

We had the pleasure of sailing in the Garden Villa on Norwegian Dawn May 12-19, 2017.

I am going to share our experience and hope you find something that you may not have known before.

I made the Reservation for the Boston to Bermuda Trip in August 2106. There were 8 of us. My family of 7 adults and a 2 1/2 year old.

I originally reserved a 2 Bedroom Suite with the adjoining mini suite.

2 months later, I decided the mini suite would be too small for 3 adults and a toddler so I switched that cabin to another 2 Bedroom Suite. I liked the idea of adjoining cabins but thought the room was more important. I paid the difference and upgraded to two 2 bedroom Suites.

In February, the price dropped on the 2 Bedroom by $1,000 each. I called NCL and they offered me an OBC of 25% or we could upgrade to 2 Owner's Suites, keep the original offers and pay nothing more. I did hesitate because I had liked the 2 bathroom aspect. I didn't know if the 4 adults in my cabin would be able to get ready all sharing one shower. The half bath would have been handy but losing a shower was not so great. In the end I did upgrade both cabins to the Owner's Suites on Deck 10.

Then talk of the bidding program started. Like everyone, I started dreaming of getting the Garden Villa. The offer range was from $1k to 5k. I decided I definitely wanted the Villa so I bid $3500, It was strong. I also bid $3000 on the 2nd cabin. Oh wouldn't that have been something...Both Garden Villas! Every week I would increase my bid because I needed the Villa by then! 3 weeks out, I called NCL again and asked what the cost of the Villa would be to outright buy it. They told me I had to pay $10,000 more to buy it. I decided that this was going to be a trip my family would remember forever so I paid the difference and was now locked into the Vila 14500.

I kept my daughter's bid going at $3,600. 48 hours before we sailed, I got the "you have been denied" e mail. Oh well, how could I even think of complaining, we were about to share a week together, it was going to be mother's Day and my Birthday that week and we would have a wonderful time. Suites 14500 and 10506 here we come!

Oh I forgot to tell you that about 60 days out, you will get a letter from the Pre Cruise Concierge with the information to make your choices. Your priority luggage tags will be included.

My daughter just stayed in 10506 on the May 12 sailing. We were in the Garden Villa. She got to choose 3 bottles of liquor from a list provided. I had the same options but asked if I could get Meyers Dark Rum rather than the Bacardi offered. They did substitute. I also asked for Baileys rather than the Kahlua listed. They also complied with that request. She asked for milk for her toddler and it stayed stocked all week. You get to choose what Pepsi products and what kind of water you want . As you use it, it gets replenished. There will be afternoon snacks every day. Just let your Butler know what preferences you have and it will be taken care of. The first 2 days we had a lot of tuna and chicken salad. When our Butler saw they weren't being eaten, he asked if PB&J would be good. We ate all of those!. He provided potato chips and cheese plates as well as crudites and fruit. Just ask, they will take care of it.

Make sure you utilize the reserved seating in the Stardust Theater. You enter on Deck 7, on the left side. The Concierge will show you to your seats. They are in the Balcony on the side of the Theater. Perfect seats to see the Magician's assistant slip out the back of the box and "disappear"! When we went to shows and games in the afternoon we used those seats also. You can slip in just before the show starts and you get a good seat. My daughter loved the room and I am sure you will too! Please let me know if you have any other questions.

We just returned from the May 12 Boston to Bermuda sailing on the Dawn. We were fortunate enough to stay in the Garden Villa. You have a full set of floor to ceiling windows overlooking the pool. Nearly every night there was a different couple "enjoying" the Hot Tub in the wee hours of the morning. They would all look around and see an empty deck and assume that no one could see them. You know what happens when you assume something...

The Resort that I work at in Naples, Fl just hosted the Marine Hotel Annual Trade Show. I am in charge of Shipping and Receiving and we got in Frozen Meat, Cookies, Pastries and Fish. The Chefs prepared it in our kitchen and served it to hundreds of attendees. I had the most delicious Beef Tenderloin I have ever tasted and there was not a single item I tasted that was not of the best caliber. All of the Cruise Line executives were here to do their purchasing for the year. I can attest that most cruise lines buy "Fresh" ingredients and prepare them on board. Most of, if not all, of the baked items are purchased ready to bake off from the frozen state. There were also ingredients such as canned tomatoes which were used to make wonderful Bloody Marys. I saw canned beans but no other types of canned vegetables. There was a very popular Chocolate Booth as well as soft serve ice cream and Gelato. I am confident in saying the food you get on a ship has been made just for you!

dexddd I think you are right because now one is available again.

Thank you everyone for your replies.