MITSUGIRLYS DAWN TO BERMUDA NOVEL (or review as some may call it)

[mitsugirly]

So here I'm going to stop the review because that is the end of Day 1. Losing/not being able to find my camera charger was devastating to someone like me and all I can say is things went downhill after that in various ways. :(

 

I'm going to get the pictures together that I took of the ship itself and get them organized as I always do according to the place and the deck. This may take awhile, so I will try to be back tomorrow and start that. But I need a break and need to catch up on some of my shows I missed while I was gone last week and it's time to put away the clean laundry and relax a bit.

 

I will answer those of you that have commented already and then I'm off for awhile.

 

I hope you are enjoying the review so far. :)

[jenseib]

Oops, I posted before I read about the missing charger...Oh NO!!!!

[mitsugirly]

Welcome back! I'm really looking forward to reading all about your latest adventures.

Did Sakari really do the drop bottom slides? I thought you had to be over 99 lbs to do them. No excuse for my daughter if Sakari did them. :D

 

Hi friend! Glad to have you here with me.

 

Yes, Sakari really did the drop slide...BUT not on NCL of course since they have so many rules about height and/or weight. She did it on the Carnival Pride 2 months ago. There's is called the Green Thunder and it's the exact same thing. She loved it. She had watched videos of it on youtube prior to going and said "I'm doing that on the ship". LOL....and she did.

 

I'm so looking forward to your review. We're going in 7 weeks and I feel like I haven't cruised in forever. (It's been 18 months)

 

You are right, 18 months is forever. :p I hope you have a wonderful time in 7 weeks. Are you on the Dawn? Glad to have you here with me on the review and I hope you enjoy it. :)

[mitsugirly]

I have been looking forward to this review. I really tried talking my husband into Bermuda for next year, but he was determined that we do Alaska. So I guess it will have to wait at least a couple of years.

 

Aww, glad you are here joining me. I have been trying to get my hubby talked into an Alaskan cruise for awhile now. Actually, truth be known, I'm trying to talk myself in to it as well. I seriously HATE the cold, but I want to suck it up just for the experience and the "new" animals we would see. I know Sakari would just love it.

 

Yeah! Your back! I cannot wait to hear all the details of your trip and see your gorgeous pictures! I think you have me talked into an Olympus Tough and I think seeing your pictures will be the final push to purchase one. Thanks again for doing this review..I know how busy you are, and you still make time to do an awesome review! And you have already booked for next year? Told you, you would have to go back to see what you missed!

Lauri

 

HEY LAURI!!!! So glad you found the review and you are here my friend. Once again, you don't know how much I appreciate what you did for me and it worked out PERFECT!!! I seriously love helpful and giving people on these boards. :)

 

The Olympus Tough is an amazing camera and I love mine. Although next camera I purchase, I will probably try out the Go-Pro. But I will still carry my Olympus with me everywhere. They just do an amazing job.

 

Yes, we are already booked for next year, same time (June 3), same ship (Dawn)...HOWEVER, I may end up canceling it. More to come on that later in the review.

 

I will definitely need to go back to see what I missed...that's an understatement. :(

[mitsugirly]

So glad to see your new review! I can't wait to read about what you do in Bermuda! I've never seen an elevator panel like that. How did it work?

 

Glad to have you here and welcome. :)

 

Um, I had to go back and look at my picture better because I had no idea what you were talking about when you ask how it worked. LOL In the picture is the top have to the elevator. There's actually buttons down below that you push for the floors. I only took the picture to show that it didn't light up in the little black section to let you know what floor you were on. LOL Sorry for the confusion. :p

 

You have no idea how close you were to my house. I could actually hear you pulling out of Black Falcon terminal from my back deck. That's part of the reason I LOVE the Boston to Bermuda cruise. We can get from our front door to the ship in 7 minutes

 

Lucky lucky you! I would love to live within minutes from any cruise port. Heck, I would take with a few hours from any cruise port and be perfectly happy! :D

[SuiteTraveler]

I've been trying to track down the exact whipped topping product that NCL uses. On my last cruise I asked the concierge and she got this answer: "vanilla flavored whipped topping". Great. As a chef, I would think of this product description being something like Dream Whip. But the appearance is also like marshmallow creme. Did you have any luck finding out exactly what it was?

 

PS: The Godiva chocolates are the "welcome aboard" gift from Latitudes. I'm not a chocolate fan either, so I told my husband they were a birthday present for him and he scarfed them! LOL! This week, we're sitting on some Cadbury chocolate with Vegemite (?!!!!) chocolate bars that my SIL sent us from Australia. I'm surprised he hasn't got into them yet. Probably one will be gone by breakfast tomorrow morning.

Edited June 14, 2015 by SuiteTraveler

[mitsugirly]

Love your 'novels'! And I'm in need of a good book! :D

 

Well glad I could help you out with some reading material for at least a little while. :) I hope you enjoy it.

 

Glad to hear that the Comfort Inn served your needs. Now that you've been there, I'm sure you can understand why its not on the top of the list for recommendations.

 

What time were cabins available? We are sailing in a couple of weeks, and plan to arrive around 12:30. Hoping by then we can just get on, drop bags, and explore.

 

 

Hmm, actually I'm not sure what you mean by understanding why its not on the top of the recommendation list? :confused: We found that it was nice, good service, nice rooms, hot free breakfast and had everything we needed right across the street and beside us. It definitely suited our needs and we would definitely use them again if needed. The only draw back was it didn't have a pool or anything to keep the kids entertained...and by kids, I included Kendra and the family in that category because she always wants to swim at the hotel.

 

So honestly IMO, I don't understand why it's not recommended more. It seems to be cheaper than any of the other hotels we checked out and it definitely fit all the needs we had plus free shuttle from the airport and cruise port.

[Pandot]

Yippee! Love your reviews! Looking forward to the rest.

[mitsugirly]

subscribing cant wait for more we did burmuda 2 years ago on MSC out of fort lauderdale

 

Now that would be nice leaving out of FLL to Bermuda instead of Boston. I would really like that. :) Glad you're here and nice to have you.

 

Joining in this one early on!

Loving the start and glad everything is going pretty smoothly so far!

 

Haha. Where you able to finish the others? I know you were on a bit of a mission. hehe

 

Key word in your statement..."so far" ;)

[mitsugirly]

Oops, I posted before I read about the missing charger...Oh NO!!!!

 

 

HAHA, you caught that part now huh? Yea, that was the beginning of my downfall and it's a biggie for someone like me that does these reviews. :(

 

 

I've been trying to track down the exact whipped topping product that NCL uses. On my last cruise I asked the concierge and she got this answer: "vanilla flavored whipped topping". Great. As a chef, I would think of this product description being something like Dream Whip. But the appearance is also like marshmallow creme. Did you have any luck finding out exactly what it was?

 

PS: The Godiva chocolates are the "welcome aboard" gift from Latitudes. I'm not a chocolate fan either, so I told my husband they were a birthday present for him and he scarfed them! LOL!

 

Actually awhile back some people on here posted the "recipe" for the whipped topping and what all is in it. It's not exactly something you can purchase somewhere, but something you have to make. I wish I would have saved the link to the post, but it's been awhile. I really wanted to know how to make it as well and then forgot all about writing down what they said. I could try to do a search and see if I can find it again.

 

YES, the welcome aboard latitudes gift...I knew it had to do with the latitudes somehow but couldn't remember what it was. I just know that I'm not fond of chocolate (except every once in awhile certain things I'll try, but white chocolate is an exception) and I definitely don't like anything chocolate with something stuffed in them. :rolleyes: But someone ate all of them so I wasn't too worried about it. :p

[mitsugirly]

Yippee! Love your reviews! Looking forward to the rest.

 

Glad to have you along and thanks for commenting. I hope you enjoy it. :)

[SenatorsFan]

I'm happily following along on your latest adventure and looking forward to seeing what you did this time around. :) But, no camera charger? Uh oh. :eek:

Heather

[dng6325]

Can't wait to read more about your Bermuda trip!

[wildwanderer]

I'm so excited I have read all your reviews an will be in the Caribbean on the Dawn in January after finishing Nursing School. I have a 2 &5 year old so you give me guidance in shore excursions for the family. I was waiting for this as your guide to the dawn will be more useful then almost anything else. So thanks in advance -Thea

[Freespir8]

So exited to read your review. We will be on the Dawn in November with our 3 adult boys and then again in Oct of 2016 (just me and the hubby) for a 3 week back to back which includes Bermuda. Thanks for all of the time you spend writing your reviews...they are such fun to read!

[bonvoyagie]

Always enjoy your reviews/novels :D. We will be on the Dawn next fall going to Canada and New England.

 

We are history buffs and will be spending a few days pre and possibly post cruise - we don't need a fancy hotel - but I am debating on staying near downtown - or going either north or south of the city. Where was your hotel in relation to downtown?

 

We will also be in a suite - did you happen to notice if there was a special check-in and waiting area for the suites? BTW I agree that that cruise terminal looks awful - nothing like the one in Seattle that we are used to :eek:

 

Like you, I also enjoy the climb to the ship :)

 

Looking forward to the rest of your novel :cool:

[aztekpm]

Yay, another 'novel' review from Mitsugirly! Plus one I now have a vested interest in, just put a deposit down for Bermuda for next year!

[perfect match]

I'm excited to read this review! I have Bermuda pretty high up on my list of places I'd like to go, and a lot of the activities you choose to do are ones I'd like as well.

 

That's quite the burn you got on your arm from trying to catch that iron. I sure wish you'd stop getting hurt every time you go on a cruise! This coming from a woman who ripped a toenail off on her last cruise. :rolleyes:

 

I hope that camera charger turns up somewhere. :eek: I cannot imagine you on a cruise with out a working camera. Besides, it seems like you are always so well organized, I can't imagine you would ever forget something as important as a camera charger.

 

I am one of those who has had problems with the color/font on previous reviews. I couldn't read for more than a few minutes at a time. I think this time you've got it right! I have had no problems at all with this one. :D

 

I am really looking forward to following along as this story unfolds! :cool:

[lisakoivu]

Since I just found and finished your Carnival review (it helped to look for it on the carnival page and not the NCL page, go figure, duh), it's super exciting to be reading your Dawn review so "soon". I L-O-V-E the Dawn and Bermuda. Can't wait to hear what you thought. I only go into obsessive plan mode when travelling with kids, so currently trying to persuade hubby to do a last minute Dawn cruise with no planning in July, but we'll see if your review spurs him along.

[dcipjr]

Thank you so much for doing this review! So many of us love cruising vicariously through your reviews! I know I have been looking forward to this one in particular, since you're going somewhere I've been!

 

Our own cruise on the Dawn was probably my least favorite cruise. We still had a great time, and it was much better than working, but it rained every day in Bermuda—there were periods without rain, but it was cloudy and overcast the whole time. Except, naturally, for when we were leaving, when brilliant sunshine came out to remind us of what we had missed. What a tease!

 

If that wasn't bad enough, my phone took a dip in the ocean—yeahhh, that's what happens when you get to the beach, and it's raining, and you decide to just make a mad dash for the warm ocean waters, and forget to take your phone out of your pocket. 0/10, would not recommend. :rolleyes:

 

It was still Bermuda, but the wet weather and personal electronics kind of dampened the whole cruise.

 

The good thing is that we have a chance to redeem ourselves coming up in 7 weeks!

 

We're headed back to Bermuda on the Breakaway, with my wife's sister and her husband—it'll be the first time that we've cruised with family or friends, and their first time cruising. I have an aft balcony (which I've lusted after since the first time I cruised, and stood at the back watching the wake). So we're excited to have people with us, hoping for good weather, excited to be cruising out of NYC again, which is only 2 hours from our house.

 

I'm counting the days. :D

Edited June 14, 2015 by dcipjr

[momo24]

Hey Mitsugirl I don't know if you remember me but I was on the Epic with you and I love reading your reviews.

You are now in my area and going to the place where my family loves to go. We try every year to go to Bermuda and we are going this year in October. The best ship for us is the Dawn where we just drive to the port, park the car and get on the ship and head to Bermuda.

[ALS1214]

I'm leaving for Bermuda in 4 weeks. We had a great time last year on the dawn with only one drizzly cool day in Bermuda. I'm hoping for great weather this time. Looking forward to the rest of the review

[Vacationlover2]

Yaaay. Perfect timing for me with this review. I go to Bermuda on the breakaway in September for the first time. Your reviews are the best!!!

[virginialucy]

One thing I noticed is that there is a Dunkin Donuts on every street it seemed like. They were just everywhere. Not only did they have one there beside Subway, but directly across the street at the grocery store there was another. Are there a lot of cops in Boston? (just kidding).

 

It's not a mirage...there really is a Dunkin Donuts on every street in the Boston area. DD started in Quincy, MA (just over the river from your hotel) so that is why there are so many around here. One time I counted that I pass 7 on my way to work (about 3.5 miles from my house.)

[Jamman54]

Hey Kim!! I travelled all the way over from the Carnival board for this review!! GREAT start. We've loved our cruises to Bermuda and can't wait to relive it again through your eyes!! :)