5/22 Dawn Review "HUNKS"

[nycglitter]

Tim-

 

 

Count me in on the contests... I'll start practicing tonight.

 

Mark

[KarlaC]

Tim: LOVE LOVE LOVE the keg idea. First one to smuggle it on gets a bottle of wine from me....

[Suesan Jean]

:) For your FIRST review, you did GREAT!!! I laughed myself silly!!! Cheesecake dipped in chocolate....:rolleyes:, that sounds absolutely, positively, deccadent!!! Dip in a strawberry, dip in a piece of cheesecake, dip in a piece of pineapple, dip in a piece of cheesecake.... OMG, I CAN'T WAIT till next February!!!.....

 

Yesterday, for my FIRST cook-out of the season, I made strawberries dipped in chocolate, I have NEVER seen ANYTHING vanish SO FAST!!!:eek: And I had about 40 pieces too.... Next time I think I will have to make at least 60......, gotta keep everybody happy!!:D

 

TTFN

 

Suesan:)

[NJcruiser21]

Mark and Karla - watch out for the darkhorse of the competition..ME! :D

 

 

Suesan - Thanks so much for the kind words! And pleaseeeee bring those strawberries in 2007..they sound absolutely delicious!

[Suesan Jean]

Tim, if we go on the Dawn or an NCL ship on our "Wotta Hoot" cruise, I will have a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries delivered to you by our Butler!! (if we go on the Dawn, we will get an AB, we LOVED it last month..) She (our Butler)was bringing my DD a plate of strawberries and bananas dipped in chocolate EVERY day!!!:D

 

YES, my DD LOVED them and did NOT share with us!!!....:(

 

Suesan:)

[judyf]

Tim,

 

Isn't the Sprit an older smaller ship? I think that's what someone told me. Haven't had time to research.

 

Just be careful once you do those big ships with all the trmmings, it's hard to go back to old and smaller.

 

I loved my cruise on the CCL Fantasy and the NCL Sea but after the RCCL Voyager of the Sea, CCL Legend and now the NCL Dawn, don't think I would enjoy them as much.

 

Just a word of advice from all old lady here. Better to start small and grow up but too late for you, you started off with the all grown up ship already!

[greenie]

Tim--I loved your review! (And your picture ... why, if I were a guy and 30 years younger, har har) I hope you're going to keep the hunks coming ;) and tell us more!

 

I am very glad to know the Dawn Emergency Oink Oink Forklift was not left to get rusty after I left. That means you made your servers happy (mangia mangia). (Did I spell that right ...?)

 

I am off to see more of your pictures. I hope you turned those tree-hugging ones around, I like to got a crick in my neck (as some Granny somewhere would maybe say) tryin' to eyeball them! :D

 

We want more review, bring on da hunks.

[NJcruiser21]

 

YES, my DD LOVED them and did NOT share with us!!!....:(

 

 

How dare her!!!! :p Nothing will get in the way of me and those...you better warn her!

 

 

Judy - I was thinking the same thing but I would love to try the Spirit but if the Dawn offered those 10/11 day in the spring/summer (may and after) I'd jump on that in a heartbeat!

 

Greenie....Sorry about the crooked photos....I fixed most of them I think..i might have missed a few but after posting them so many times I was going crazy! :p

 

 

 

 

I thought of some more stuff for my review...

 

Attention everyone...make sure you don't pack away your identification and your room key in your luggage the night before you leave. I never emptied my back pocket of my dress pants and voila..sunday morning..I didn't have it. So they issued me a new key card and thankfully didn't ask for ID when I disembarked. DUH! :o

 

We opted to stay in our cabin on the 29th but after we came back early from breakfast (we kept it do not disturb like Colin instructed) our room was occupied with the cleaning staff and they had put all of our stuff into a pile and had everything ready for the next people. I do understand that they needed to clean the room and get it ready but it made us feel like we couldn't stay in the room and not have to wait in the lounge...which is what I thought was part of the freestyle approach. Please definitely correct me if I am wrong there...we just thought it was a little weird and made us really uncomfortable espcially when they came in again without knocking and fixed the thing on the bed (place your luggage here mat) we had taken off to sit on it. Colin had told us to open our door when we were done with it. A closed door was supposed to mean we weren't done. Not complaining but it just made us uncomfortable. Maybe I'm wrong?? :confused:

 

 

Speaking of disembarktion...it was soooo smooth and took a matter of minutes except after we realized after walking 3 blocks we had taken someone else's luggage..LOL. We had to walk back and drop it back off with them. Another one of my blonde moments that happened alot during the week! We got off on deck 4 fwd right near our room and swiped our key card and got our luggage.

 

A tip which I read on here a while ago is to check on Saturday with the credit desk on Deck 7 and get a print out of your charges. This way you can look over it and fix any problems before the big rush Sunday morning (they're open 6-8 am on Sunday). I did this to make sure but there were no mistakes.

[NJcruiser21]

(And your picture ... why, if I were a guy and 30 years younger, har har)

 

greenie...you tease you!

[KarlaC]

A tip which I read on here a while ago is to check on Saturday with the credit desk on Deck 7 and get a print out of your charges. This way you can look over it and fix any problems before the big rush Sunday morning (they're open 6-8 am on Sunday). I did this to make sure but there were no mistakes.

 

I agree totally...saves you time and frustration to fix anything wrong before the masses receive their bills. Just wish NCL did what CCL does and puts your bill daily on your tv in your room. HMMM...a suggestion for the comment card.:rolleyes:

[greenie]

Tim,

 

Isn't the Sprit an older smaller ship? I think that's what someone told me. Haven't had time to research.

 

Just be careful once you do those big ships with all the trmmings, it's hard to go back to old and smaller.

 

I loved my cruise on the CCL Fantasy and the NCL Sea but after the RCCL Voyager of the Sea, CCL Legend and now the NCL Dawn, don't think I would enjoy them as much.

 

Just a word of advice from all old lady here. Better to start small and grow up but too late for you, you started off with the all grown up ship already!

 

 

I've done a bit of research on the Spirit.'Tis true she is smaller and older than the Dawn, but she is also absolutely gorgeous. She was originally built for the Asian market (before NCL bought her) and her decor is lovely with much Asian influence. Check out the various photos. BF and I have booked ourselves on her in Feb 06 and I can't wait!

[greenie]

How dare her!!!! :p

 

We opted to stay in our cabin on the 29th but after we came back early from breakfast (we kept it do not disturb like Colin instructed) our room was occupied with the cleaning staff and they had put all of our stuff into a pile and had everything ready for the next people. I do understand that they needed to clean the room and get it ready but it made us feel like we couldn't stay in the room and not have to wait in the lounge...which is what I thought was part of the freestyle approach. Please definitely correct me if I am wrong there...we just thought it was a little weird and made us really uncomfortable espcially when they came in again without knocking and fixed the thing on the bed (place your luggage here mat) we had taken off to sit on it. Colin had told us to open our door when we were done with it. A closed door was supposed to mean we weren't done. Not complaining but it just made us uncomfortable. Maybe I'm wrong?? :confused:

 

Tim, I don't think you are wrong at all. You ARE allowed to stay in your cabin. And especially as Colin said to leave the door closed and they'd stay out--those room stewards were wrong. I don't blame you for feeling awkward. That's too bad that it happened. :(

[shoreguy]

I've done a bit of research on the Spirit.'Tis true she is smaller and older than the Dawn, but she is also absolutely gorgeous. She was originally built for the Asian market (before NCL bought her) and her decor is lovely with much Asian influence. Check out the various photos. BF and I have booked ourselves on her in Feb 06 and I can't wait!

 

greenie I agree - 79.000 tons is not small - twice the size of the Sea and alittle biiger then the Sun. Best dicription I have read is a Jr. Dawn with all the trmmings. 11 bars 8 resturants.

 

The added tonage on the Dawn for the most part delivers all the mini suites (non on the Spirit) and more full suites.

 

Never in all my research have I heard the spirit call an older small ship. Need to check but I think the Spirit is no older then the Sun.

 

I was wrong :eek:

SuperStar Leo had been launched in 1998

[NJcruiser21]

KarlaC - I suggested that at the focus group I went to during the week and the guy said everyone tells them that and they will be rolling that out starting with the PoAM and Jewel and then to the other ships. :D

 

Greenie - Okay I wasn't sure if I was going crazy or not because my friend who went on Princess thought we had to stay in a lounge but I told her (thanks to CC) that I knew we could chill in the room until we were called. I'm glad you reassured me. :) Good thing me and Adam weren't enjoying that room one last time when the stewards came in. :eek: ;)

 

 

Also, I agree about the Spirit - from what I've read and things I've looked up on her she seems like a great ship and in great condition. I didn't even know she had that many restaurants - that's something i LOVED about the Dawn.

[KarlaC]

KarlaC - I suggested that at the focus group I went to during the week and the guy said everyone tells them that and they will be rolling that out starting with the PoAM and Jewel and then to the other ships. :D

 

NCL...Welcome to the 21st Century :D

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

Tim, I am interested in hearing about this focus group. Was it on board the ship? What do you all talk about? Anything interesting or news for the future?

[NJcruiser21]

Brett - I went to it after the martini clinic and after having some champagne on Mark and Marit's balcony so it was a challenge to focus but I did. :D We received their comment cards they give out to all passengers and we filled them out (as best we could since it was only Monday) and then we went through each category on the card and mentioned what questions should be altered or included. Didn't really get any insight or news about the future except after I mentioned iTV's. There was a couple in the back who traveled on Radisson and don't like how NCL charges extra for things (which a thread discussed - the reason is that the price of a cruise would skyrocket) so they were kind of annoying with their constant complaining even though the moderator said it wasn't a focus group to say what's wrong with the cruise line..just how to improve the comment card.

 

 

We received a coupon for a free bar drink (yippeeee) and raffled off dinner for two in a specialty restaurant.

[nycglitter]

Tim,

 

 

So you couldn't focus at the focus group...ha

 

That's why Marit and I stayed in the cabin. We needed to focus on formal night.

 

Mark

[Teacherloves2Cruise]

Thanks :)

[vacationgogo]

Welcome home Tim. I'm glad the cruise was all you had hoped for.. I have been trying to taper off this cc addiction but I came on to see how your trip was.

 

 

Paul left in the middle of our cruise and Rob took over. I know what you mean about trying too hard. He was constantly asking how he was doing. I thought Ed Koch was our cruise director (I think I'm dating myself there). It was annoying.

 

How was your murder mystery dinner? Someone mentioned you were the murderer. I didn't see that in your review. Did I miss something?

 

Did you eat at Bubba Gumps in Miami? That's where we ate and we found it excellent!

 

Thanks for your review, it was fun to read.

 

 

Sue

[NJcruiser21]

Hey Sue,

 

I'm trying to tame my addiction as well - I'm not as much as before the cruise which I"ll take as a start!

 

I think Rob saw how funny and well liked Colin was so he thought he had to be at the level but I think he'd be funny if he was just himself and wasn't trying to make us laugh all the time.

 

Do you have another cruise lined up??

 

The MM dinner was fun but I we ate in Aqua which I didn't care for and yes I was the murderer! :D How fitting...LOL I thought it was a little disorganized and they could improve on it but I still had alot of fun as did the other CC'ers who did it with me.

 

I have pictures posted if you want to check them out!

 

check out the thread titled pictures and freestyle dailies dawn 5/22. :)

[vacationgogo]

I'll check out the pictures. Thanks. We ate at Aqua for lunch one day and we decided to skip it for dinner. No charm, no atmoshere and the food was nothing special.

 

No cruises on the horizon for us. My younger daughter had to do a report last year on a city. She chose San Diego and now she really wants to see it. I think that will be our big vacation for next year. The year after that, my older daughter graduates high school and has chosen Italy for the family trip. I'm psyched for that since I've never been there. We're also budgeting for college so any cruise we take in the next couple of years will have to be a great deal, and we'll have to sneak it in somewhere. We all love cruising so I'll keep my eyes open.

 

Take care and I'll see ya around the boards.

 

 

Sue

[greenie]

Brett - I went to it after the martini clinic and after having some champagne on Mark and Marit's balcony so it was a challenge to focus but I did. :D We received their comment cards they give out to all passengers and we filled them out (as best we could since it was only Monday) and then we went through each category on the card and mentioned what questions should be altered or included. Didn't really get any insight or news about the future except after I mentioned iTV's. There was a couple in the back who traveled on Radisson and don't like how NCL charges extra for things (which a thread discussed - the reason is that the price of a cruise would skyrocket) so they were kind of annoying with their constant complaining even though the moderator said it wasn't a focus group to say what's wrong with the cruise line..just how to improve the comment card.

 

 

We received a coupon for a free bar drink (yippeeee) and raffled off dinner for two in a specialty restaurant.

 

Tim, I sure wish you'd been on our cruise! We kept talking about "we're really gonna party this time! yeah! drinkin' AWL night whoo baby! Party time!"

 

Then we'd have a big dinner, some drinks and go crash. Argh! We needed some young and crazy blood egging us on. That, and some people to share shooters with.

 

Shooters! Hey--(s)hooters! Hee.

 

:D

[tony@stanton19.freeserve.]

Tim,

 

What's happened to your pics thread, I can't find it anywhere?

Even looked in my past posts, they ain't there.

Are we about to enter the Twilight Zone?

Tony

[NJcruiser21]

Tony,

 

Last I was on the boards (about 6 pm last night) I had replied to Carl and didn't write anything nasty I didn't think (just explained why IMO there are different boards, etc) and told him to stick to cruising - these boards are not the place for what he had to say. And now today, it's gone. Cecelia must have deleted it. I don't know why...it was a great thread!

 

Greenie,

 

IT's funny because at home I would be out til all hours of the night but on a cruise I was so shocked at how tired I'd be by 1 am. I don't usually go out til 10:30 at home and even by that time I found myself checking the time..LOL There's so much to do on a cruise and you get up so early that it's like bed time by midnight. :p On the hooter cruise we'll be hootin and hollerin all night because we'll all have eachother to keep us going! :D