At Nth Hour - CCL Dream or NCL Dawn?

[RobinKY]

Looking at 7 day over Christmas. Wife and I are early 40s with two kids - 13 & 11. Wife & I like to sun by pool, frozen drinks, let kids do their thing. Not big into shows except maybe comedy. Food is probably similar on the two.

 

NCL Dawn - slightly cheaper assuming free beverage packages still available but would have to spend extra on excursion since ship is not as kid friendly as Dream. Wife said NCL website wouldn't give her free beverage packages as of last night. That would be a huge advantage for NCL if they did offer this for free. Might be able to get to OV cabins and still be cheaper than Dream.

 

CCL Dream - much more kids friendly. More expensive as it looks like best option would be two interior rooms.

[bigreid07]

I can't provide you any guidance on Dawn, but I will say CCL Dream is an amazing ship. She's well layed out, not cluttered, never feels crowded, and the service has always been great in my opinion! Also, embarkation/ debarkation in N'Awleans is second-to-none. In and out is super easy!

[JinxyB]

I've been on both ships, and I would definitely pick the Dream! The Dawn is an older, smaller ship with zero bells and whistles. Much more for your kids on the Dream. The Dawn has a small kids water park at the aft of the ship, but it is suited for small kids, like 6 and under. Even if you could get free drinks on NCL, I would still choose the Dream. You can book you and your wife in separate rooms and then only one of you would have to buy beverage package on CCL.

[RobinKY]

I've been on both ships, and I would definitely pick the Dream! The Dawn is an older, smaller ship with zero bells and whistles. Much more for your kids on the Dream. The Dawn has a small kids water park at the aft of the ship, but it is suited for small kids, like 6 and under. Even if you could get free drinks on NCL, I would still choose the Dream. You can book you and your wife in separate rooms and then only one of you would have to buy beverage package on CCL.

 

Thanks - you guys are making the choice clearer. My only hang up is the extra cost for the Dream but if I can convince my wife to do two separate bookings and only one cheers program, it would help with the cost.

[Cruisegirl6]

Oh my gosh, there is NO COMPARISON!! Definitely the Dream, stay away from the Dawn...also NCL is our most not liked cruise line for so many reasons.

 

The Dream is our favorite ship on Carnival, you will love her.

[nwo4life]

Thanks - you guys are making the choice clearer. My only hang up is the extra cost for the Dream but if I can convince my wife to do two separate bookings and only one cheers program, it would help with the cost.

 

 

You will not need 2 separate bookings, just put her and one kid in the same cabin. Every adult on the booking is not required to buy Cheers, just every adult in the cabin.

[EpcotBill]

I also have cruised on both ships. I would choose Dream without a doubt. There is a lot more to do onboard Dream. I think Dawn is too small for the number of people onboard. It seems crowded all over, especially the pool.

 

Don't forget even if you can get the free beverage package on Dawn it's not really free. You still have to pay the 18% gratuity on the actual price of the package.

Edited November 6, 2015 by EpcotBill

[RobinKY]

You will not need 2 separate bookings, just put her and one kid in the same cabin. Every adult on the booking is not required to buy Cheers, just every adult in the cabin.

 

I thought it was anyone over 21 in the same booking. I will do some digging.

 

Edit: You are correct, just anyone over 21 in the same stateroom.

Edited November 6, 2015 by RobinKY

[Who Cares?]

I can't stand NCL for a multitude of reason so go with the Dream!

[tkportersat]

I believe you have to book OV or above to get the free beverage package.

 

Looking at 7 day over Christmas. Wife and I are early 40s with two kids - 13 & 11. Wife & I like to sun by pool, frozen drinks, let kids do their thing. Not big into shows except maybe comedy. Food is probably similar on the two.

 

NCL Dawn - slightly cheaper assuming free beverage packages still available but would have to spend extra on excursion since ship is not as kid friendly as Dream. Wife said NCL website wouldn't give her free beverage packages as of last night. That would be a huge advantage for NCL if they did offer this for free. Might be able to get to OV cabins and still be cheaper than Dream.

 

CCL Dream - much more kids friendly. More expensive as it looks like best option would be two interior rooms.

[Cruisegirl6]

Who Cares I totally agree, there are way too many negatives with NCL we actually were booked on the getaway to go with family, but are cancelling that cruise because we all booked up Aruba for August so we not need to go with them on the NCL cruise, we are so glad, we HATE NCL!

[Taters]

I did an NCL cruise once and there were so many things that were downright wrong (running out of beer, broken sinks in the buffet restroom that were never fixed the entire cruise even after complaints to guest services, poor service, furniture that didn't fit in our cabin, on the ONE and only non-rainy day of the cruise, they took loungers away from the main pool area and put a roulette table there thus reducing the amount of space for guests by the pool, etc...) we will never sail with them again. I'm pretty easy going and these issues were ridiculous. One after the other after the other.

 

Go with the Carnival and you will have a blast.

[beckzay]

Also, I just want to add...that the "free" beverage package on NCL isn't necessarily all that free. They charge an 18% service charge at the time of booking. I know tipping is obviously a necessity but it's something that people don't always thing about. I believe it's around $165 for two people for a 7 day cruise. Just a heads up :)

[bakersdozen12]

I can only speak for the Dream, but she is an amazing ship and I echo the positive comments people here have made about her! Lots to do, great staff, never felt crowded. I would sail on her again in a heartbeat.

[Towel Critter]

I've sailed on both and enjoyed both, but the Dream is a better ship. Also, unless NCL has upgraded since I was on the Dawn, the beds were terribly uncomfortable to me. Food was also superior on the Dream. A cruise is a cruise. Neither would be a truly bad choice, but if I had the option... Dream, for sure. The one thing I disliked about the Dream was having a balcony stateroom on an upper deck and looking down onto deck, instead of water. If I sail a Dream class ship again, I'll go with a cove balcony, which is positioned below the lanai, or whatever the extra wide deck is called. We did that on the Breeze and enjoyed our balcony much more than we did on the Dream, since below us was water, as opposed to decking.

Edited November 7, 2015 by Towel Critter

[AmberTeka]

We were on the Dream four times before Carnival took it from us ( Port Canaveral) and sent it to Texas.

To me.....that is the perfect Ship. Big enough but not too big. Lots of activities but never crowded. Good shows. good staff.

 

I have not sailed NCL in a while, but we do sail Princess, HAL and have our first cruise on r

RCI coming up in the fall.

 

The Dream. If it were still in Port Canaveral............we would most likely have taken most of those cruises on the Dream.

 

We took our daughter, SIL and Grandchild on the Dream and then the next Year on the Princess Regal. The Dream won with them.hands down.

[RobinKY]

Thanks....we are 99% set on the Dream over Christmas. I just need to find an hour or so to book. This is my busiest week at work and finding time is going to be a challenge.

[linbobky]

We were on the Dream four times before Carnival took it from us ( Port Canaveral) and sent it to Texas.

To me.....that is the perfect Ship. Big enough but not too big. Lots of activities but never crowded. Good shows. good staff.

 

I have not sailed NCL in a while, but we do sail Princess, HAL and have our first cruise on r

RCI coming up in the fall.

:)

We took our daughter, SIL and Grandchild on the Dream and then the next Year on the Princess Regal. The Dream won with them.hands down.

 

I thought the dream was in new Orleans!