NCL Dawn Review 5/23-5/30

[legalcruiser]

Hello everyone - we unfortunately just got back from our cruise and I am still sulking. My views will be very similar to Allison's review -all in all it was a fabulous week. Warning - this will most likely be long.

 

About us - DH is 31 and I am 27. This is our third cruise on our goal to try all the lines. We previously cruised on Royal Caribbean, which we enjoyed; Carnival Glory which was fun but not really our cup of tea; and now the Dawn which will most likely cruise again very soon.

 

We live in South Jersey so decided to drive our car to Hamilton train station and catch NJ Transit to NYC Penn Station. This worked out very well and saved us the hassle of driving in the city. We caught a cab from Penn Station to the pier ($7.70 fare plus tip) and arrived at about 11:30. The traffic was pretty bad so we got dropped off across the street rather than being let off in the terminal. Once getting to the terminal it was pure chaos compared to our prior embarkation in Florida. There was no direction and people congregating everywhere. Finally everyone was made to wait upstairs and we were told that they were not going to tell us what set of stairs they would use. People were very angry but once they actually started the process it was incredibly efficient. I believe they started boarding at 12:30 and although the line was very long, snaking around the terminal, we were on the ship in about 20 minutes. They actually directed us to use the non-US citizen line since there was no one in it so that probably shaved about 15 minutes off our wait. When we got on board we were in for a great treat!

 

We booked a BE gty and got bumped to a BB on deck 10. We were very excited until we learned it was all the way aft at the end of the corridor. This ended up working out well because it was very quiet and allowed us to get in some extra exercise from the copious amount of food we consumed. The room was great and very clean. We were pleasantly surprised with the bathroom as it was much bigger than our previous cruises. Our cabin steward was courteous but all about the business and kept our growing mess very tidy all week. Having been awake for almost 30 hours (long story) we actually settled down for a little nap after gorging in the garden cafe and outdoor bbq. Luckily, we missed the brief black-out. Our waiter later told us that they had turned off the engines briefly and the ship stopped moving.

 

FOOD - I would rate the food as good to excellent. Excellent in the speciality restaurants. We dined in Le Bistro, Teppanyaki, Bamboo, and Cagneys. Le Bistro was fabulous and the chocolate fondue was heavenly. We actually did Teppanyaki for lunch on the first sea day. We had the place to ourselves and it was excellent. Just as good if not better than Behihana's. However, be aware that you get ALOT of food. We ended up skipping dinner that night because we were still full. Cagney's was well worth the cover charge and the lobster was delicious. Bamboo was still very good but our least favorite only because they had a limited lunch menu on the last sea day and we were really looking forward to eating off the dinner menu. The thai beef salad was excellent though. The sushi was good but have had much better (spoiled after Morimoto's in Philly.) We only ate in Aqua as far as the main dining rooms were concerned. One night at 9:30 and another at 7pm and there was no wait. I also was surprised that we were in and out in under an hour and fifteen both times despite what we had read on these boards. The service was superb but not intrusive and the lobster (Friday) was excellent.

 

We ate at the buffet for breakfast everyday - there was a good variety and everything was good. Our lunches on ship were in bamboo, teppanyaki, outdoor bbq and garden cafe. the outdoor bbq was good especially the seafood pasta. We also snacked often at Blue Lagoon - we usually asked for it to go to enjoy on our balcony. The fried rice, noodles, shepherd's pie, mac and cheese and fries were always good. My husband also ordered room service a couple of late nights. They were always polite and there in about 20 minutes. My favorite thing about the food was the fresh fruit always available - it was great!

 

ON BOARD - We only saw a few shows and spent almost every evening in Karaoke. I generally would never enjoy it at a local bar but it was so much fun on the ship. We had some fabulous singers on our cruise including Lola who I believe used to be a showgirl.

 

Yes, I am a sucker and played every single bingo session. I won three times last year but not once this time. I thought the prices were pretty high compared to the payouts. On our previous cruises the final jackpot was around 7k but was only a little over 2k this time. We also pressed our luck (unsuccessfully) in the casino several evenings. It was pretty crowded and the dealers were not as friendly as staff in the rest of the ship. Passenger talent show was good, Spinnaker lounge late at night was also a good time and be sure not to miss Fabio Zinni. He was fabulous, no?

 

PORTS -

1. Port Canaveral - we went to Disney. It was pretty crowded for a Tuesday but we had a good time as it is one of our favorite places. We just walked around Epcot. As a previous review mentioned, we were quite delayed leaving the port. We did not see anything but were saddened when we heard the coast guard play "Taps" and realized that someone had passed at sea.

 

2. Miami - we just did the shuttle hopper. First we walked around Lincoln Drive for some shopping, then hit the beach for a couple of hours and then headed to Bayside for some more shopping. Needless to say my DH had a blast at this port. Poor guy - he never complained once.

 

3. GSC - I don't know if things have changed but previous posters said that there were like 2k lounge chairs lined up. This was not the case. We were not one of the first to get over. We actually did not get there until about 11:00 and there were no chairs left by the water and really no chairs or umbrellas left at all. We finally found two chairs and set them up under a tree for shade. Don't get me wrong - it was a fabulous day and the water was beautiful but don't expect to be right on the water unless you get there very early. The bbq was very good - don't miss the fresh fruit and stirfried noodles.

 

4. Nassau - Despite having booked the Atlantis Beach Day excursion, it was not available so we just caught a cab over to Atlantis. We were lucky - there were no guards out yet and we went outside and roamed the grounds. Later on, there were two guards forbidding non guests to pass. Then we walked to the public beach entrance. Surprisingly there was no one out there besides locals trying to braid your hair and rent you jet skis. We were quite sunburned so we just walked back to the Atlantis to catch a cab. Again, we were lucky and walked right through the beach and pool area without being stopped. We then caught a cab over to Downtown for shopping. Just a word of caution here - my husband loves cigars and we went into every single cigar shop to get some Cubans. They were all counterfeits except the last store we went into. So be careful.

 

OTHER TIDBITS - The weather was unbelievable until our last day at sea. However, sunbathing on the first sea day was nearly impossible because it was so windy. I think I layed out for about an hour until I couldn't take being lashed in the face by my hair anymore. However I was all the way forward behind the Bimimi Bar where it was very quiet and there were always chairs available. I highly recommend this spot if it isn't too windy.

 

DH got a massage and said it was pretty good but he has had much better, much cheaper.

 

Drinks are very strong so I guess you do get your money's worth. We eventually started asking for all drinks in a tall glass so that we could actually drink them. Also some staff members are still learning english so bear with them. One day, DH ordered a gin and tonic and when he took a sip, he ended coughing and spitting it all over. Apparently, they forgot the tonic and served him straight gin on the rocks. The server still didn't understand and we finally ordered a can of tonic and mixed it ourselves.

 

As Allison and I mentioned in earlier posts - Doug Flutie was onboard with his wife and daughter. We saw him everywhere and actually sat next to them in lounge chairs on the deck. We didn't bother him as he did look a little agitated when asked for autographs and pictures.

 

For those interested, it does not appear that they enforced the no jeans policy as we saw several people dining in the main restaurants and speciality ones in jeans and even sweat suits. We could care less but thought it may help with the packing.

 

The cigar room was great - we utilized it often. Try the mango cigars.

 

We got the romance package. It was well worth it. A bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries upon arrival in our room as well as dinner in Le Bistro and delicious canapes one evening. And no, we were not on a honeymoon or anniversary - they don't even ask.

 

I believe they said that there were about 700 kids on board this week. I couldn't believe it because you really didn't see that many. They did not card in many of the lounges or bars as we did see quite a few teenagers drinking and playing in the casino. However, they were not nearly as rowdy as the ones we witnessed on Carnival last year.

 

Also, please be careful when standing in line and watch your toes. Coming back from Miami a woman stepped on my toe, bending back and breaking my big toe nail halfway down the bed. Talk about excruciating pain! Even the women working the security scanners stopped to look at it. It hurt so bad I didn't even say anything to her but my DH said she looked like she felt horrible. It still hurts and I had to be extremely careful the rest of the trip especially in GSC when sand would get into it. However, I did see the sweet woman in the gift shop later and told her it was an accident and that I was fine. She couldn't speak English but kept holding my hand, smiling and speaking Korean to me. Again, the moral of the story is not to get too upset - accidents will happen but just watch your toes and where you are walking.

 

DISAPPOINTMENTS - Mind you that these are just minor annoyances we had but did not get in the way of having a fabulous time:

 

1. Lap pool - Despite a clearly posted sign, many people thought that the lap pool was the perfect place to congregate and talk. My husband was looking forward to using this pool but every time he went there was a big group of the same people in the pool, talking and having a little party. The staff saw this happening and did nothing about it.

 

2. Salsa - This was our least favorite restaurant of the whole trip. Many mentioned that it was too spicy but we found that it was too sweet. The tapas were very good as were the tamales and the corn soup. However, the enchiladas were filled with a sweet bbq sauce. It was okay but just not what we were anticipating.

 

3. Shop- the onboard store left something to be desired. It was big but really didn't have that much. Last year there was great jewelry and great deals but I didn't find anything I really liked this year. Also the only clothing they really carried was Tommy Bahama. Again, this really isn't a big deal but I would have liked something more.

 

3. Going home - This was the worst part of the whole trip! We overheard a group that was staying on board and were extremely jealous. Seven days is just not enough to do everything the Dawn has to offer. We did not get to eat in all the restaurants, see a movie, use the game room or library, etc. I think the ten day that is coming up would be a great way to see and do everything. However, one good thing about getting off is stopping our onboard bill from growing and growing. It was by far our highest one yet. But who cares, we had a great time!

 

Disembarkation was fine. We just lounged by the pool until they called our color tags - trying to get in that last bit of sun. We were the third to last group to be called and I believe we were off the ship by 11am. Again, the terminal was in complete chaos and the taxi line was pretty long so we just took the elevator down to street level, walked one block up to 11th and caught a cab within minutes. I am sure the people in the cab line waited far longer as the porter told me it could be up to an hour. We were in Penn Station to catch our train within 20 minutes.

 

If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask. I save everything so I have the dailys, menus, etc., and would be happy to answer whatever I can. It was our best cruise thus far and we will probably go out on her again in August. I hope you all have as fabulous a cruise on her as we did!

 

[This message was edited by legalcruiser on 05-31-04 at 03:15 PM.]

[CaroleV]

How did you get to Disney- bus or car & how long did it take to get there?

What time did you get to Atlantis or what time do the guards come out? How was the public beach there?

How far was your Miami treck. We thought we might try the Fountainblu trip with the pool & beach but $140.00 is a little steep. What do you think.

Did you try the hot tub in the front of the ship. Was it crowded?

Thank You!

[legalcruiser]

Hi CaroleV. Let's see what I can answer:

1. We took the ship's bus transportation to Disney. I believe it took roughly an hour and we got to the park a little before 11am. It was $30pp and a hassle-free way to get there. We went back to the bus at 5pm and we were on the ship a little after 6.

 

2. We got to Atlantis at about 9am. I would say that a little after 10am there were guards out. At about 11am we walked up through the grounds directly from the beach and walked passed the guards into the Atlantis. The public beach was nice - beautiful water, powder-fine sand, and only a handful of people there. You just have to get through the locals first. I have read that the Sheraton will allow you to use their facilities, rent their chairs, etc. but when we were there the Sheraton was closed for renovations. So perhaps that is why it was so quiet. I believe starting this week, NCL will offer an Atlantis Beach Day which includes use of the pool area, grounds, beach front access and lunch for $75pp.

 

3. In Miami we did the South Beach/Bayside hopper for $16pp. It was a greyhound bus that just dropped you off and picked up every 15-20 minutes. It took us, I would say, about 15 or 20 minutes to get to South Beach. We then walked to Lincoln Drive (big mistake, it was very hot and a long walk.) Then we took a cab back to South Beach and stayed on the beach there and later took the bus to Bayside. I have read good things about the Fountainblu trip especially if you have children. The price does sound high but you are in port for the whole day so it may be worth it to you. Next time we will probably do a stationary excursion instead of walking for miles!

 

I did not try the forward hot tub but did see it. There were people in it but I would say that it was less crowded and a more quiet environment then the Oasis pool hot tubs (although there are 4 there). There is also 2 hot tubs in the spa that are free of charge. They were sometimes crowded but not always.

 

Hope this helps. Fire away if I can help you more.

[asrubin]

Thanks so much for writing such an informative review. We will be going on the Dawn in two weeks. We also are planning on going to Epcot. Did you have tickets ahead of time or did you buy them once you got there? Do you have any tips for Epcot? We also are planning to go to Atlantis. We definitely want to go to the casino for a while. Did you wear your swim suits under your clothes that day to go to the beach, or did you bring them with you and change?

 

Thanks fot the advice!

[legalcruiser]

Asrubin - I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

 

We did not have tickets ahead of time because you can only buy multi-day passes at our disney store and our AAA office. The lines were not bad at all though - probably only five minutes to purchase tickets. I did read that you could purchase tickets at electronic kiosks to save time but I didn't see them and it wasn't necessary the day we were there (apparently they are at the end of the will call line.) We also had some days left on a park hopper but of course, I couldn't find them before we left (and believe it or not, I found them today!) You will get dropped off at the transportation center if you use the ship's buses. From there you can just purchase your ticket and then take the monorail over to Epcot. If you want to ride any attractions, I would just suggest that you get a fastpass first and then head over to the World Showcase. There was no wait at Honey, I shrunk the audience and when we arrived, it was only 40 minutes for standby to the Testtrack.

 

Atlantis - we wore our bathing suits under our clothes but you are able to use the bathroom facilities at Atlantis if you choose to change there. The casino actually got pretty busy when we left about 11 and there were quite a few tables open.

 

Hope this helps.

[bragstarr]

Legalcruiser,questions for you! I note that you ate in Teppanyaki for lunch, and also had lunch in Bamboo later on. Were these open for lunch every day, or just on the sea days? When you ate lunch in there the first sea day, was it the regular a la carte price, or a lesser price? It's the only surcharge restaurant I really plan to eat since, since it gets great reviews and I know my 18 year old son will love it (he loves Benihana). We are going Presidents' week, I know things will be overcrowded and therefore plan on booking it for Monday (1st sea day) as soon as I get on board. Just wondering if I should go for lunch, if available, rather than dinner.

 

Also, regarding 18 year olds (my son will just have turned 18). When out of US waters, are they allowed to drink wine and beer and gamble, like they were at 18 on RCI? He has absolutely no interest in drinking, and I am not promoting gambling, but I know he'd love trying his hand a little at the 25 cent slots. If you have this information in your ship newspaper, I would love to hear about it, and any other information pertaining to that "neither adult or child" 18-21 year old group.

 

Last question--do you know the hours of the gym/exercise facility? Hubby usually goes very early in the AM; I thought I might have read someplace it was open 24 hours. Would love to know about this also.

 

Thanks for the great review!

 

Robin

 

Explorer of the Seas (Western Caribbean) 12/7/02

Serenade of the Seas (Canada) 9/25/03

Majesty of the Seas (Bahamas) 2/16/04

Norwegian Dawn (Bahamas) 2/20/05

 

Until we sail the Dawn!

[legalcruiser]

Hi Robin

 

Bamboo was open on sea days (Monday and Saturday) on a first come basis and they did not take reservations. However, there was no need for reservations because it was never crowded our week. We had heard that the teppanyaki would book up for dinner so we went ahead and had lunch there Monday. It was the same menu for lunch and dinner in Teppanyaki only. I believe it was a $10 surcharge or $12-$15 for some combinations. It was well worth it in our opinion. It came with soup, salad, entree, delicious fried rice, veggies, the standard mustard and ginger dipping sauces, and dessert. The chef even gave us another whole plate of fried rice. It is ALOT of food! If you are worried about not getting a dinner reservation, I would try to get lunch there since it is the same.

 

The regular asian fusion part of Bamboo was also open on sea days but served a much more limited menu than dinner. Everything was priced a'la carte (very nominal fees) and you could also get sushi. The dinner menu looked much better with a set surcharge and it was also never crowded at all.

 

NCL says that no gambling or drinking unless you are 21. However, I never saw them carding and we saw several people who looked under 21 in both the casino and in the bars. One night a girl played blackjack at my table who I am almost certain was not of age but they never said anything to her. The only problem is that if your son did get a jackpot they probably wouldn't pay it to him since he is under age. Perhaps you could just hang out with him just in case he did? Also, there is a quarter machine right at the entrance, the kind where you drop in coins and the accumulated coins fall off the ledge? I don't know how to explain it. Anyway, he could also play that since there is no real jackpot.

 

The gym is open 24 hours (the lap pool and jacuzzi were only open until 8pm on the first and last night and 11pm the other nights) and it is the best I have seen on a ship so far. We used it several times - lots of treadmills, ellipticals and some free weights. I went probably at primetime and didn't have a problem getting on a machine and hardly anyone was in there late at night when my husband went to laps in the pool and workout.

 

I hope this answered your questions and I hope the time until your cruise flies by!

[nu2cruzin03]

I wholeheartedly agree with Allison's and Legalcruiser's review. We also on the 5/23 cruise and had a fantastic time. It was a bit depressing on Saturday knowing that the cruise was almost over. We are saddened to hear of someone's passing on our cruise. We enjoyed dined in LeBistro on Sunday, Salsa on Monday, Trattoria on Tuesday and Friday, Impression - Wednesday/Saturday, and the Venetian on Thursday. All of the meals were good - excellent. Lisa was a bit disappointed with her meal at Salsa; but, she is not a very big fan of Tex/Mex. A few small things which we enjoyed:

 

Sunday arrival lunch at the Venetian; sunbathing on the lounge chairs at the front of the ship/feeling the breeze at your face; Leisurely breakfasts at the Venetian; dining "with the masters" at LeBistro; the Pina Colada's at poolside; taking our evening walks along the promenade deck. Sitting on our balcony in the evenings; we loved our mini-Suite room 11662. We have the same Suite booked for our February Carribean cruise. The show's are excellent - don't miss Alfred and Seymour. An older gentleman sitting next to us at their 9:45 show caused a bit of a comotion since he did not apreciate their brand of humor. We, however, did think their show was excellent and very funny.

 

EXCURSIONS

 

Port Canaveral - we also took the bus to Epcot (an easy hour ride). Disney was very hot and farily crowded. We did get on 4 rides (including Test Track). We were about to get on Mission Space, but "bailed out" since we didn't want to risk getting motion sickness. We enjoyed strolling around the World Showcase and having a "Pub lunch" in the English restaurant.

 

Miami - Took the Hopper to Miami Beach. We were on the Beach for about two hours, then walked around the art deco district. We did see some "interesting" sites. We got back to the ship by about 1:30.

 

GSC - We undecided if we want to go over to the island since we both had gotten quite a bit of sun. But, we did take the tender at about 11:00 AM. The island was by that time very crowded but we did walk some down to the left toward the jetty and found seats. The water was simply gorgeous. Everyone was commenting about how blue the water appeared - a deeper blue than a swimming pool. One tip - if you would like to visit the island for only a part of the day, consider taking a tender at around noon and departing tne island at 4:00 - 4:30. Many people began leaving by Noon.

 

NASSAU - We both enjoyed the Dolphin Encounter. Many people took this excursion. You actual pet/hug a dolphin, along with learning a bit about this fascinating mammal. We returned from Blue Lagoon Island at about Noon and walked around town a bit. We really were not that impressed with the area immediately around the ship. We did get our free tote bag at Del Sol. Lisa did buy a bag at the straw market, but I couldn't wait to get out of there.

 

The only negative was the smoking issue. As Allison mentioned, quite a few people were smoking on the beach. The smoke naturally was being blown into our faces. We also moved around a bit. We didn't set foot in the casino due to the smoke and did not go to the lounge's, apart from the Latitudes party at Spinakers. As soon as we noticed smoking, we cleared the area.

 

The gym is open 24 hours; It is very well-equipped, with plenty of treadmills, bikes, and othe cardiovascular equipement. The cybex machines our just like those that I use at our local Gold's Gym.

 

We are counting down the days to our February 10, 2005 return to the Dawn.

 

Rick

 

Norwegian Dawn June 1, 2003

Norwegian Dawn May 23, 2004

Norwegain Dawn February 10, 2005.

[uneamie]

legalcruiser...

 

Excellant, wonderful cruise review! I so enjoyed ready it. How can your remember all that stuff...LOL? If I have too many "foo drinks" I forget half of what happened. Maybe in some cases that's a good thing?

 

I noticed you expressed being annoyed with the crowd that congregated at the lap pool. My hubby and I were looking forward to that being a nice get away from the deck pool. I get no enjoyment sitting with hundreds of other sun bathers around this tiny hole in the ship filled with water, and taking a dip or using a hot tub with a huge audience. It's just not our thing. We prefer being out of the way.

 

I guess in your situation the staff really could not do anything about that group being there. There are no rules against it...all though I understand why it would be an annoyance. I would have been annoyed too.

 

Thanks again for the great review.....we will be doing the 11 day cruise in January. Looking forward to those extra days.

 

 

<p align="center">

Countdown - Dawn 11 day cruise

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Home Lines - 5/1988

Disney Wonder - 10/1998

Carnival Triumph - 7/2002

Carnival Legend - 10/2003

NCL - Dawn - 1/2005

</P>

[legalcruiser]

Hi Uneamie - It is surprising I remembered so much considering our bar bill for the week! My husband says that he will never get away with anything because I remember absolutely everything!

 

Anyway, about the spa pool. I don't think it is a problem for people to hang out there as it is a nice and quiet place to relax. However, from what my husband tells me it was a rather large group (the same one on several days) who were fairly loud and in the middle of the pool (not towards the sides) making it difficult for those wanting to utilize the pool for laps. DH didn't get too upset and realized that there was really nothing that could be done.

 

I hope you have a fabulous time. The only things we really wished we could change on our trip were the extreme heat on some days and the length! Seven days is just not enough - just when you settle in and get acclimated - they go and kick you off! Looks like you will miss the heat and get extra time - I am so jealous! You'll have to report when you return - we are seriously considering that itinerary!

[abridalmaven]

The person who died was the son of an aquaintance of ours, he was 36 travelling with his recently retired father. As for the DR service, the specialty restaurants were great, but in the main DR we did not get out in less than 90 minutes and missed some shows because of it. And we never had coffee and dessert on the table at the same time. I do not like freestyle and would not do that style again, but to each their own.

And personally I found the layout of the ship annoying many floors you could not walk all the way thru on. And also I agree on the shop, not only overpriced Tommy Bahama clothes, but nothing over a size 12. Have they seen some of thier pax?

I had a nice time also, but as always on any vacation there are always things that someone will not find to their liking. And in the smoking issue, many of the smokers seemed to be very inconsiderate.

My vacation pics

http://community.webshots.com/user/abridalmaven

Norwegian Dawn May 23

[legalcruiser]

Abridalmaven - sorry to hear about your acquantance's loss. If it is not too rude to ask, what was the cause? I only ask because I always worry about my husband's high blood pressure and cholesterol.

 

Also sorry about your experiences in the main DR, luckily (for us I suppose) we did not have the same experiences. In Aqua, our server even inquired when we sat down whether we had plans and would like to "hurry" things up a bit. We also loved freestyle and don't know if we could go back to traditional cruising. DH and I rush so much in our daily lives it is wonderful to do everything at our own pace without too much structure.

 

We also found some of the smokers to be inconsiderate, especially the ones who blow smoke in your face. However, my husband is asthmatic (I know, I know - why is he smoking cigars? His answer - you don't inhale the smoke) and never had an attack or used his inhaler so I think the ventilation system on the ship is very good. There are also non-smoking sections of the lounges and all the restaurants are non-smoking.

[uneamie]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by legalcruiser:

Anyway, about the spa pool. I don't think it is a problem for people to hang out there as it is a nice and quiet place to relax. However, from what my husband tells me it was a rather large group (the same one on several days) who were fairly loud and in the middle of the pool (not towards the sides) making it difficult for those wanting to utilize the pool for laps.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

It's a shame they did not take notice to how they were hogging the pool all week. Looks like it was a group of people who discovered a nice place to get together but failed to realize that it was for "all passengers" not just them.

What a shame !

 

We definately will be checking it out and utilizing it if it's not crowed.

 

You have to check into the 11 day itinerary. It's fabulous! I am soo into this long cruise. My only regret is that I have to board my lab pups for soooo long. They will be on my mind a lot but not enough to spoil it I hope. When my son was young (is now 35 ), I gave up going lots of places because I just could not leave him with a sitter for more than a few days...if that! Unfortunately, I feel the same way about my dogs. I can't believe myself! LOL!

 

 

<p align="center">

Countdown - Dawn 11 day cruise

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Home Lines - 5/1988

Disney Wonder - 10/1998

Carnival Triumph - 7/2002

Carnival Legend - 10/2003

NCL - Dawn - 1/2005

</P>

 

 

 

 

[legalcruiser]

We are the same about our cats. We fortunately don't have to board them because they do fine on their own. We just have my in-laws come in a couple of times. They are so happy when we come through the door that we vow never to leave them again but when cruising calls...

[marilynd]

Thanks for the great review !!! I am leaving this Sunday on the Dawn. This will be my second time and you have brought back some great memories.

 

I too have cats and miss them when I cruise.

 

I have a couple of questions.

 

1. My family travels to Disneyworld quite often and are familiar with all the parks. Does the bus only drop off at Epcot? Did they take your name when you left the bus? Did anyone come late to the bus? If I sound a bit worred it is be my 24 and 16 yr old daughters are going while I stay on the ship. I guess I will send them with enough money for cab fare just in case.

 

2. What were the movies that were showing in your stateroom and in the theater?

 

Thanks

 

NCL Sun 4/02 - Carnival Elation 6/02 - NCL Norway 8/02

NCL Dawn 6/03 - RCI Monarch 1/04 - NCL Dawn 6/04

 

 

 

[unga]

Funny you mentioned Doug Flutie was onboard.

 

All week my husband kept showing me a man on board that looked exactly like Doug Flutie. I said maybe it is..He said "no way" but the last morning on board we were in the Garden Cafe and Doug Flutie was about 10 feet from us when I said (kind of loud) "DOUG" and he didnt turn around. My husband said "see, I told you it isnt him" I just showed him your post and he is hysterical. He said I must of looked like an idiot calling out his name!!

[ally10169]

Rick, we were at the Alfred and Seymour show with that older man too. We were sitting across the aisle and up a few rows. My husband, Rick, was pointed out by them during the show as the guy in the white shirt who looked like a team owner. Then when they asked his name they said "Rick, that's a caucasian name" and later pulled on the rubber glove and said they could make him laugh if he wasn't going to. It was a funny show but that man was really aggravated!!

 

abridalmaven, sorry to hear that you knew the person who passed away. All week we wondered if it was a crew or guest and we just felt terrible when we saw that someone had died.

 

We unfortunately didn't make it to the CC meeting that first day. I'm sorry we couldn't connect with you all. Did a bunch show up?

 

legalcruiser, I'm with you on the freestyle. I don't think we could do a traditional cruise now after that. I just really enjoyed having our tables for two and eating when and where we wanted to! Such a nice part of the trip!

 

We were watching the Travel Channel last night and a show called Cruise FAQ. Tons of footage from the Dawn. Made us sad but was cool to say "Hey we were there!"

 

Allyson

 

Till our 10th annivesary cruise without the kids!

 

[nu2cruzin03]

Allyson -

 

Yes, that older man was very agitated (wanting Alfred and Seymour to do "something original"). Didn't he say that they should be "more like Bill Cosby"? Lisa and I got up to let him out of our row (we were sitting at the end). I thought that I would have to break up a fight or something We were commenting that his wife didn't get up and leave with him. Perhaps she was glad that he was leaving. At least your husband took their "funny" comments with good humor.

 

We did check out Spinakers a little late (around 5:50). I didn't see any group (although I didn't go up to everyone in the bar asking if they participated in Cruise Critic).

 

Sorry we didn't meet up - we probably passed in the hallway a few times as our room was right down, toward the back of the ship, from yours.

 

Rick.

[abridalmaven]

We only met Pattty and Terry. And Terry left to meet with someone before 6 so there were never more than 6 of us sitting together in the Alice in Wonderland seats. Maybe we should have put up a sign or wore rubberbands (on RCI before CC parties were official that is how we all found each other). In the next few days I will upload pics to webshots. I am sure we must have run into each other in the halls at one time or another.

 

My vacation pics

http://community.webshots.com/user/abridalmaven

Norwegian Dawn May 23

[legalcruiser]

Marilyn - to answer your questions:

 

1. The bus dropped us off at the transportation center where you then must travel to the park of your choice. From there you can either take the monorail to Epcot or Magic Kingdom or take the bus to MGM or Animal Kingdom. They did not take our name but there were about 5 or 6 charters. They just said that they would start returning to the ship as the buses filled up with the earliest leaving at 4:30 I believe. I am a worry-wart so we actually got to the buses at 5pm which worked out well because it was so dang hot - we didn't even get the usual afternoon disney shower to cool us off. So unfortunately I was not there to see if anyone was late coming to the bus. I believe we ended up leaving at 5:15 or so and we were on the second bus so there were still plenty of people there.

 

2. The movies showing in the theater were Cheaper by the Dozen, Calendar Girls, Catch the Kid, The Company, The Big Bounce, Along Came Polly and House of Sand and Fog (in that order.) These also played in the rooms after airing in the cinema. There were several movies playing on the two in-room movie channels including: Hollywood Ending, About Schmidt, Bend it Like Beckham, Just Married, Manna from Heaven, Daredevil, Banger Sisters, Frequency, Runaway Jury, Nurse Better, Simone, Importance of Being Earnest, Welcome to Collinwood, Solaris, Brother Bear, Transporter, and a few others that I have never heard off.

 

Hope this helps with your planning and have a fabulous time next week!

 

UNGA - We also went back and forth on whether it was really him but it was. We knew for sure when we overheard him talking about having to put up a huge privacy gate around his house in Boston to keep fans out and when he mentioned having VIP disembarkation. Wonder if he was in the Garden Villas?

 

We also did not make it to the meet and greet. Unfortunately as I mentioned in my review we zonked out after being awake for over 30 hours and didn't wake up until right before dinner time.

 

Sorry that I missed the comedians - sounds like the man in the audience was just as entertaining as the comedians themselves! Not enough time on the Dawn to do everything!

 

[This message was edited by legalcruiser on 06-01-04 at 06:16 PM.]

[bragstarr]

I'm back--came up with another question! I know you can make reservations for same day dining and the day before you want to eat. Do you know how early in the day you can begin to make reservations? Hubby is a very early riser; this could work to our advantage!

 

Thanks again!

 

Explorer of the Seas (Western Caribbean) 12/7/02

Serenade of the Seas (Canada) 9/25/03

Majesty of the Seas (Bahamas) 2/16/04

Norwegian Dawn (Bahamas) 2/20/05

 

Until we sail the Dawn!

 

 

[luckyleo]

Legalcruiser,

 

Hello. I also want to thank you for the informative review. I am going on the Dawn this Sunday, and I can't wait. I just have two questions.

 

1. What was the name of the cigar store that has the real "cuban" cigars?

 

2. Are you suppose to tip for room service?

 

Thanks again for taking the time to answer these questions for me.

 

Dawn

[legalcruiser]

Bragstarr - You can make reservations starting at 8am until 5pm either by calling their number or visiting their podium in the grand atrium. After 5pm you have to call the restaurant. They give you little cards to remember your reservations. Also, be aware that that they charge $5 for ressies cancelled after 5pm the day of.

 

Luckyleo - Best wishes for a fabulous cruise. The name of the cigar shop was Stogies - it was down a little corridor of shops and had a walk-in humidor. The woman working there said there were three stores in Nassau with the real thing - her store, one more but I don't recall the name, and one in the Atlantis resort I believe called Havana Humidor. We also visited that one but decided to walk around town a bit first. My husband said the prices were similar at both places. I don't understand all that stuff but apparently the counterfeits will have more or fewer lines of dots, wrong typeface or typeface color, etc.

 

As far as room service I do believe it is customary to tip but not required. We generally tipped $1-3 depending on how much food my piggy husband ordered. The servers were always friendly and prompt and never expected a tip. On one occasion, he started to walk away before my husband called him back to give him the tip and he seemed surprised. So ultimately I suppose it is up to you but we did tip.

[marilynd]

Thans legalcruiser for the information. I will tell my daughters they have to be at the buese by 4:45 to 5:00. Don't want to pay $150.00 for a cab fare.

 

Thanks on the movie list - there are a lot of movies we haven't seen.

 

 

Marilyn

 

NCL Sun 4/02 - Carnival Elation 6/02 - NCL Norway 8/02

NCL Dawn 6/03 - RCI Monarch 1/04 - NCL Dawn 6/04

 

 

 

[luckyleo]

Legalcruiser,

 

Thank you for the information, it was very helpful. My husband is very excited about getting some real cuban cigars for his humidor.

 

Dawn