Is the Dawn sailing empty?

[Sheshefran]

Is the Dawn carring passengers on her way to Boston? Also can you have lunch in TMD on the day you board or only in the buffet?

[DDD06]

Sorry, can't answer your first question. Yes, one of the main dining rooms should be open for lunch, though for some reason the staff may try to direct you to the buffet.

[gra2172]

Is the Dawn carring passengers on her way to Boston? Also can you have lunch in TMD on the day you board or only in the buffet?

 

I cant imagine any time when the ship would be empty short of going into a dry dock. Theres just too much money at stake.

 

Ive seen some posts say that yes, you can eat lunch in a MDR on embarkation day. Remember, there are 2 dining rooms on most ships, so if ones closed, look at the other.

Ill be keeping my eye open for that. I cant believe I didnt know about that until recently! Thanks CC! ;)

[www3traveler]

Is the Dawn carring passengers on her way to Boston? Also can you have lunch in TMD on the day you board or only in the buffet?

My guess would be no, it is probably a "charter" cruise. Yes, you can eat lunch in the dining room, but may have limited menu.

[jvsnana]

Just got off the Dawn Wednesday and it is indeed sailing empty from Miami to Boston. The crew gets 2 days with no passengers. We were told that there will be some deep cleaning done and deck parties for the crew:)

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

Dawn sailed empty last year when she went from Boston to Miami in November. It was great getting on the ship and not having to wait for your room to be ready.

[Pokeraddict]

I cant imagine any time when the ship would be empty short of going into a dry dock. Theres just too much money at stake.

 

Ive seen some posts say that yes, you can eat lunch in a MDR on embarkation day. Remember, there are 2 dining rooms on most ships, so if ones closed, look at the other.

Ill be keeping my eye open for that. I cant believe I didnt know about that until recently! Thanks CC! ;)

 

 

We sailed the Sun to South America and the ship was 75% capacity in 2008,

so it can happen although rare.

[shof515]

due to annoying legal laws, the ship has to sail empty between to 2 us ports unless it stops at a distant foreign port

[fridaythe13th]

due to annoying legal laws, the ship has to sail empty between to 2 us ports unless it stops at a distant foreign port

 

I thought that too but how does it get to sail from NY to FL to the Bahamas? I guess they consider that as a "distant foreign port"??

[OttawaJohn]

Can confirm it sailed empty. Was gone shortly after the last passenger left. The environmental officer on the behind the scenes tour I did said they had painting to do and replacing the carpets in all the staterooms that hadn't been updated yet, basically finishing the final work from the overhaul.

[shof515]

I thought that too but how does it get to sail from NY to FL to the Bahamas? I guess they consider that as a "distant foreign port"??

 

part of the reason is because it leaves from NY and returns to NY making it a closed loop cruise. Part of the law states that a foreign flag ship can not transport passengers between two US ports

[peg013]

I thought that too but how does it get to sail from NY to FL to the Bahamas? I guess they consider that as a "distant foreign port"??

 

That is totally different. In your example, passengers are embarking and debarking in NYC, Port Canaveral is simply a port stop. They have to hit a "distant port" during a repositioning because they embark in one US city (ie Miami) and debark in another US city,(ie Boston) or sail empty.

[Doughboy139]

The Venetian Main Dinning Room on the 6th deck Aft will be open for lunch on the day of Boarding. There is a good choice to select from on the menu. I'll be ordering a steak as my first meal for lunch......The Dawn will also be doing a cook-out on the pool deck during sail-away.

[drumexpert510]

Thats dumb... they are losing so much money... If they are going from Miami and then up to boston... Why cant they stop in Kings Warf for a night... Sail at half capicity to cover costs and and still be able to do renevations...

[rvsullivan]

Thats dumb... they are losing so much money... If they are going from Miami and then up to boston... Why cant they stop in Kings Warf for a night... Sail at half capicity to cover costs and and still be able to do renevations...

 

As already stated, it must go to a distant port if not a closed loop. It would have to go several days south to make it legal. Not cost effective. As said, this is also a way to perform maintenance without taking the ship out of service.

[2boyzmom]

We disembarked in Miami on Wednesday and would have loved to stay on and sail back to the northeast :)

[johnql]

Thats dumb... they are losing so much money... If they are going from Miami and then up to boston... Why cant they stop in Kings Warf for a night... Sail at half capicity to cover costs and and still be able to do renevations...

Bermuda doesn't qualify as a distant foreign port for a cruise that's not a closed-loop itinerary (i.e., begins and ends in the same port). I'm pretty sure all cruise lines (not just NCL) would love to do what you advised but federal law doesn't allow it.

[Karysa]

Thats dumb... they are losing so much money... If they are going from Miami and then up to boston... Why cant they stop in Kings Warf for a night... Sail at half capicity to cover costs and and still be able to do renevations...

 

What better way to reward such a great crew then a couple of days of R and R.

[vols_159]

wow sailing empty.. Im sure the crew needs the time off.. but how do you think they act without passengers? what does the washy washy girl do? how about the room stewarts/ butler.. Im sure They sleep as late as possible and just relax! But they are probably hard at work

[bob brown]

She sails empty because of the outdated Passenger Vessel Service Act. (Just do a search on CC for many threads with very detailed explanations of what is and isn't legal).

 

There are alternative ways to reposition ships from their winter home ports to their summer home ports, but they require either ending (or beginning) their cruise at a 'near' foreign port. Or, as mentioned, take a sojourn thru a 'distant' foreign port to legally begin in one US port and end in another. NCL does this as well, but there probably isn't sufficient market to make it profitable to repo all the fleet this way, and it is deemed better to rush empty in the shortest time, utilize it for some refurbishing, and get the ship onto its new seasonal run and earning revenue ASAP.

 

Some examples....The Star will repo from NYC to New Orleans in October at the end of her summer season. She will visit Curacao and Aruba enroute, considered 'distant foreign ports'. The Dawn will repo from Quebec City to Tampa around that time. Quebec City is a near foreign port. The Dawn is actually based in Boston, so she first is doing a oneway Boston to Quebec City cruise (7days). The PVSA law makes it illegal to do a back-to-back booking from Boston to QC to Tampa, and NCL will not knowingly sell it.

 

Those are lengthy 14 to 16 day cruises. Other ships will go empty, but only for a couple of days.....

[Epic_Bear]

We're boarding the Dawn in a few hours! Can't wait!

[momoftwinteens]

I guess it would depend on where the ship is starting and ending up. Our cruise next year starts in Boston and ends in Tampa 15 days later after visiting various ports in the Caribbean. Can't wait!

[saltmom1]

This was posted on Jose and Patti's facebook page:

 

We are on our way back to Miami to drop off our guests on board the Dawn. Then we sail to Boston with only crew aboard, and start the Boston to Bermuda run till we disembark..ch,ch,ch,changes......it was a great Spring and we look forward to seeing all our friends and fans sailing out of Boston with us!

[redhead621]

Must be an eerie feeling, quiet and empty. I hope that the crew were able to enjoy some down time.

[bob brown]

I guess it would depend on where the ship is starting and ending up. Our cruise next year starts in Boston and ends in Tampa 15 days later after visiting various ports in the Caribbean. Can't wait!

Right. Your cruise, which is next year will have to call at one of those 'ABC' islands off the South American coast, considered a 'distant' foreign port' to make it legal...I am going on the Dawn's repo this year, we all embark in Quebec City, a 'near' foreign port', and then we stop at nine US ports including Tampa.

 

We are really looking forward to seeing Jose and Patti, again. We saw them on the Dawn back in Oct. 2010 on a 7 day New York/Halifax cruise.:)