Dawn Secrets and Hints?

[richs52]

Unfortunately, NCL doesn't have the coffee card like Princess. I liked that too.

 

If you pack wine in your luggage, it will be spotted by the scanners and your bag will be sent to the "naughty room". You will know this because your bag won't show up at your cabin. They will make you open your bag and take out the wine, at which point they will make you pay the $15 corkage fee if you would like to keep it. You are better off paying it upfront.

 

At least it's better than Royal Caribbean's policy of No Alcohol on board.

 

Enjoy your cruise, I will be sailing the Dawn the week after you.

[xenite2525]

My husband is a beer drinker and friends who went on this cruise last year (Boston to Bermuda) said that NCL offered special prices on cases of beer for the cruise week the first two hours of being on the ship before it left Boston. Does anyone know about this or where you would go to find out when getting on the ship?

[rondb]

Too late !!! It will be gone after drydock.

 

Nope! It was there on my Oct 7-14th trip.

[snorkelgirl1]

A few comments:

- NCL usually has coffee makers in the rooms.....not found on most other cruise lines.

- take your own thermal cup to fill with coffee or ice tea from buffet area during the day.

- Have found the French speciality restaurant to be quite good.

- One bad outcome of "anytime" dining, is that groups often keep to themselves. When you go down and talk to the maitre de, you can offer to join a larger table ( ie, " we are a party of four but would be willing to join others"). I have met such great and varied folks over dinner. They have table that seat 8 or more, plus if they are very busy, you will get seated sooner. Part of the cruising experience is dining with others...at least on some nights.

- NCL has express check out....if you can walk out your own luggage...you go first. Easy, quick and no problem to get a taxi to the airport. Highly recommend it.

[Magna]

Can you Bring Wine onboard later in the Cruise

and pay the $15 Fee

 

Magna

[maryandmarge]

My question is to anyone who has been on the Dawn and had a oceanview room - prefer one that isn't just a porthole.....do they have 2 beds in these rooms and a couch that will sleep a 3rd person or do all those rooms have 2 beds and drop down bunks for the extra people in a room? I really don't feel the need to spring for a balcony for our trip to Canada/New England in Oct 2012 because it will be too cold to spend time out there - but since there are 3 of us that are staying together in a room and we are all 60 + I can't see one of us having to sleep in a bunk. Any info you can send over will surely be appreciated. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go along with the planning...

[halos]

We were told by our steward that he could not open the balcony dividers. I asked at the Guest Services desk and had it open within the hour. If the policy has changed for some reason then the worst you will be told is no! ;)

Thanks for the tip!!

[CRUISIN' TOGETHER]

Just bumping up for any more tips...especially from the ones who have just sailed the southern caribbean!!

[CRUISIN' TOGETHER]

My question is to anyone who has been on the Dawn and had a oceanview room - prefer one that isn't just a porthole.....do they have 2 beds in these rooms and a couch that will sleep a 3rd person or do all those rooms have 2 beds and drop down bunks for the extra people in a room? I really don't feel the need to spring for a balcony for our trip to Canada/New England in Oct 2012 because it will be too cold to spend time out there - but since there are 3 of us that are staying together in a room and we are all 60 + I can't see one of us having to sleep in a bunk. Any info you can send over will surely be appreciated. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go along with the planning...

 

I have not had an ocean view room on the Dawn...but in our kids inside cabin one year, we put the three beds in a "U" shape. One bed against one wall...the second bed against the back wall...the third bed, which I think was a cot, against the opposite wall. I hope this makes sense to you. This also left good walking room in the cabin. Hope this helps!

[jertom]

When we were going on the Sky there was a great thread with secrets to know when onboard. I tried searching for one for the Dawn and the last updated one I could find was from 2006 - yikes. That's probably a bit outdated. Since she will be going into drydock soon, maybe we could start a new thread with Secrets and Hints about the Dawn and those of us travelling on her after the drydock can update on if they still hold true? (pretty please :) )

 

Gail,

Thanks for starting this thread !

It has been very helpful for us planning our cruise on the Dawn leaving January 25.

Tom

[alwalaska]

My question is to anyone who has been on the Dawn and had a oceanview room - prefer one that isn't just a porthole.....do they have 2 beds in these rooms and a couch that will sleep a 3rd person or do all those rooms have 2 beds and drop down bunks for the extra people in a room? I really don't feel the need to spring for a balcony for our trip to Canada/New England in Oct 2012 because it will be too cold to spend time out there - but since there are 3 of us that are staying together in a room and we are all 60 + I can't see one of us having to sleep in a bunk. Any info you can send over will surely be appreciated. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go along with the planning...

 

We haven't been on the Dawn yet, but the chair beds that we had on the Sky and on the Spirit were too small for my teenage son to comfortably sleep in. Some of the ships have the trundle or cot beds for the 3rd person. If you haven't already made your decision, I would recommend calling NCL to see if they can give you the specific configuration for specific rooms since they sometimes seem to vary.

[alwalaska]

Does anyone have tips on quiet spots to sit and relax during the day?

 

or

 

Best cabin locations?

 

or

 

Cabins that are bigger or different from the others in the same category?

 

or

 

Best balconies. Someone posted on another thread that deck 10 had the largest balconies.

[Ontario cruise duo]

We will be sailing on the Dawn in balcony room number 10600 in March. Anybody stayed in this room recently and did you like it.:rolleyes:

[lb0103]

Thanks to OP for starting this as we are looking at the Dawn for a May cruise out of Boston.

 

We have never been on NCL nor tried free style dining. We have been on many Celebrity, Royal, Holland, Princess and Carnival all using traditional dining. We want to try NCL and this looks like a good cruise for us to try.

 

We are non-smokers so I guess we well look at an oceanview. We prefer balcony but I can not go out there if a neighbor is smoking so it will really be a waste to get one.

 

A few questions: Are lounge chairs on open decks a problem to get? Prefer shade but more an issue of getting one with only a porthole.

 

Any time dining; do you have to make a reservation every night, just show up what is the "real" deal on how it works.

 

I am sure the staff is fantastic, but as a cruiser on other lines what should I expect, we tend to be loyal to X as we have had more on that line and we will miss our perks but we want to leave from closer to home and this is our only option.

 

We love cruising and all cruises on all lines are great, we aren't picky, but want to know what to expect/ask for. I will miss most our free booze but maybe we can work up to it on NCL too.

 

Any thoughts?

Linda

[weltek]

Does anyone have tips on quiet spots to sit and relax during the day?

 

These spots are almost non-existant indoors. The Star Bar is a guest lounge during the day for suite guests. There are window seats in the 7th deck photo area and 6th deck hallway between Aqua and champagne lounge. The library was always full. Other than that, we had a heck of a time finding a quiet, comfortable reading spot when the weather was bad on sea days.

 

Outside, there's a "Quiet Area" on the upper area of the sundecks. Go forward behind the Bimini Bar. You can usually find a mix of shady and sunny spots.

[danfiveoh]

Thanks to OP for starting this as we are looking at the Dawn for a May cruise out of Boston.

 

We have never been on NCL nor tried free style dining. We have been on many Celebrity, Royal, Holland, Princess and Carnival all using traditional dining. We want to try NCL and this looks like a good cruise for us to try.

 

We are non-smokers so I guess we well look at an oceanview. We prefer balcony but I can not go out there if a neighbor is smoking so it will really be a waste to get one.

 

A few questions: Are lounge chairs on open decks a problem to get? Prefer shade but more an issue of getting one with only a porthole.

 

Any time dining; do you have to make a reservation every night, just show up what is the "real" deal on how it works.

 

I am sure the staff is fantastic, but as a cruiser on other lines what should I expect, we tend to be loyal to X as we have had more on that line and we will miss our perks but we want to leave from closer to home and this is our only option.

 

We love cruising and all cruises on all lines are great, we aren't picky, but want to know what to expect/ask for. I will miss most our free booze but maybe we can work up to it on NCL too.

 

Any thoughts?

Linda

 

Linda:

We've been on most of the cruise lines and are preparing for our 9th NCL cruise. I think you will enjoy the free style dining, although we do miss getting to know our table mates, that is offset by the fact that you will meet more people over the course of your cruise by dining at different tables. I also like the ability to eat when I want, no rushing to get to dinner after being in port. I've never worried about making reservations, but it is easy to do if you want to. As for service, I really believe that it is more of a ship to ship thing than a difference in cruise lines. We have had the range from outstanding to poor on several lines, including X. I do think the there is slightly better quality of food available on X, but NCL is very good and there are a lot of specialty choices.

[Mutt & Jeff]

Found on most ships that casino machines pay out many times more for same jackpot at night vs day.

 

Especially after entertainment show - not sure why but seems to be the case.

 

Any thoughts out there ?

 

I've seen people pay for their cruise in there but I've haven'nt been that lucky!

Edited January 6, 2012 by Mutt & Jeff
spelling

[jertom]

I think I've read that this men's room was removed during dry-dock to accomodate the new suites. I hope I'm wrong.

 

I was on the Dawn Jan 25 to Feb 5, and made it my mission to check this out.

It is there. Somebody said it was on the starboard side. It is on the port side at the aft end of the pool deck 12. Could it have been moved ?

If you are on the Dawn, be sure to check it out !

There is a women's room directly opposite, on the starboard side. No windows there according to DW.

[jertom]

I was on the Dawn Jan 25 to Feb 5, and made it my mission to check this out.

It is there. Somebody said it was on the starboard side. It is on the port side at the aft end of the pool deck 12. Could it have been moved ?

If you are on the Dawn, be sure to check it out !

There is a women's room directly opposite, on the starboard side. No windows there according to DW.

 

To clarify my own post: I meant the aft end of the pool area on deck 12. Just forward of the midship elevators.

[cruzcntrl]

Just bumping this up to see if anyone has nothing new to add.

[acricker]

Does the dawn or ncl in general allow you to purchase bottles of alcohol for your room?

 

Sailing July 27th Boston to Bermuda!

[letsgocruisin]

Does the dawn or ncl in general allow you to purchase bottles of alcohol for your room?

 

Sailing July 27th Boston to Bermuda!

I am going on this cruise also...come join the Roll Call message board.

The roll call board is quiet but i am sure it will pick up. I have been on this ship/cruise many times. To answer your question it is NO. What they do is hold your liquor purchase till the night before we come home or the morning of. I forget excactly but you definately cannot get it during the cruise. If you purchase liquor in burmuda they will hold it upon checking you back on the ship and you pick it up the same way.

Also the liquor stores will ask you if you are on a ship and they will deliver it to the ship.

[cruzcntrl]

You can contact NCL before our cruise and order a bar setup for your room. I think this includes full bottles

of liquor and mixers of your choosing or use in your room. I've never done this so I don't know the exact details or pricing but hopefully someone else can chime in with that.

[letsgocruisin]

Sorry : / I completetely forgot about that.....i never did that either. But I am sure someone will have the price list and post it since i have seen the prices on this board in the past.

[Cate M.]

My DH & I have booked the Dawn for March 2013 that sails out of Tampa for seven days. This is the first time with NCL. Switching from HAL.

 

I see that the ship arrives in at 8 a.m. on return which is the latest I have ever arrived back. Can someone tell me what time the rooms are ready for embarkation and what time should we arrive? Like to be able to have lunch on board the day of arrival.

 

Thanks!

 

Cate M.