Live from the Dawn

[leekel619]

For those who just completed the cruise - please tell us your overall opinion of the rehab. Does it feel like a newer ship? Were you pleased? Were there any problems booking speciality restaurants?

 

 

 

We will be crushing on the Dawn next October and have encouraged a group of friends to join us. Just hoping we (they) will not be disappointed.

 

 

 

Appreciate your feedback.

 

 

 

We were pleased. It feels newer. Cleaner. Fresh. The style is more contemporary. I think they did a great job. They are still working too.

 

You will have a great time if you like being on a cruise ship for a week.

 

 

hall to Gatsby's

Buffet

O'Sheehan's

lounge area

[nancydow]

Beer options are pretty standard (Budweiser, Coors, Miller, Corona and their light varieties) but they ran out of a bunch of beers after the third day! With the UBP, it wasn't really an issue, but it is noteworthy.

 

On the next to last day and I would say it feels a lot like the Pearl and the Sky (the last two NCL ships I've sailed) with some nice improvements (Internet, tvs, beds, photo display area, spa, atrium, etc.). It does feel like a much newer ship, but there are definitely still some areas that could still be updated (bathrooms, mirrors, etc.). It's best to book the specialty restaurants before you board (you can always cancel!), so they were pretty busy. One thing I like about NCL is that even without a reservation, as long as it's not at a super busy time (6:30-8:30), you can still walk up and get a table in about ten minutes. Anything else you're specifically asking about?

 

Overall, I was pleased, but I have a good time at jury duty, so it's so much what you make of it! : )

[TheDougOut]

We were pleased. It feels newer. Cleaner. Fresh. The style is more contemporary. I think they did a great job. They are still working too.

 

Great photos - thanks for posting!!

[leekel619]

I wouldn't say much longer, but at times there can be a long wait at popular bars. The nice thing is that you can always go about 30 feet and find a bar with almost no line! If you're at the pool and the line is long, go to Bimini Bar, or Gatsby's or the atrium bar or ...

 

 

 

We never waited either. But we were not out at the pool bar. It's packed out there.

[megansdad1]

With all the UBP being given away at reduced cost, did you find that waits

for drinks was much longer than in the past?

The only way was at the pool bar. They set up lines by day 4 I think to help with the flow. If you are drinking beer or wine, it is much easier to go to the garden cafe next door. Much quicker there when pool bar is busy. The only bad part was lack of pool side service.

 

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[megansdad1]

For some reason the dailies are blurry when I try to enlarge them. Could I ask which entertainment was on each night? Also, any room photos? Curious what updated rooms look like. Thanks!

I will post them bigger when I can get to my computer later today or tomorrow. We just pulled into Boston. Having my last meal here. [emoji26]

 

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[mjaruse]

I will post them bigger when I can get to my computer later today or tomorrow. We just pulled into Boston. Having my last meal here. [emoji26]

 

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

Thank you!!

[megansdad1]

Not seeing MaCallan 18 or 21 or 25 is a bummer...Mac 12 Select Oak is ok...whats the best whiskey available besides JW Blue?

 

Any idea abt the wine bar...can you pay up for premium wines by the glasses, and what are the better/best CA reds?

 

I didn't take the time to stop into the wine bar. I understand that a lot of what they have there is not included in the UBP.

 

I did get teased while in Cagney's They had different drinks on there menu. I tried to order Chivas Royal Salute, but they mentioned that the menu was old and that the Mojito bar fills their drink orders.

 

[megansdad1]

For those who just completed the cruise - please tell us your overall opinion of the rehab. Does it feel like a newer ship? Were you pleased? Were there any problems booking speciality restaurants?

 

We will be crushing on the Dawn next October and have encouraged a group of friends to join us. Just hoping we (they) will not be disappointed.

 

Appreciate your feedback.

 

Like any cruise, it is mostly about mentality going in. The ship looked very nice. We had a good time. I had no issues with wait time or booking specialty restaurants. But I booked them online for just two people and usually dined around 6pm.

[punkincc]

 

[emoji7] As long as we have a balcony that's all I want.

Very content with B1 except for this year. Horrible music noise level on Deck 8 until 3AM every night. (We were ignorant that moment we maniacally re-booked when our cruise was cancelled for longer dry-dock)

 

But we adjusted quite well and already forgot about that part [emoji52] It was stressful at the time. Note to self: stop bringing it up *shivers*

 

We have a deck 9 cabin booked. Do you know where the misic until 3am was coming from on deck 8? Atrium area, new O'Sheehans? If you had a B1 aft facing booked I can't imagine how you would hear anything from deck 8:confused:. Just making sure we don't need to rebook to a different deck.

[kjquilts]

We have a deck 9 cabin booked. Do you know where the misic until 3am was coming from on deck 8? Atrium area, new O'Sheehans? If you had a B1 aft facing booked I can't imagine how you would hear anything from deck 8:confused:. Just making sure we don't need to rebook to a different deck.

 

 

I believe the poster was in an aft facing B1 on deck 8 and was bothered by the noise coming from Bliss Ultra Lounge on deck 7. Having learned this lesson the hard way (on the Pearl) as much as we love aft facing balconies we would never book a stateroom over Bliss or similar lounge again. You should be ok on deck 9.

[leekel619]

I believe the poster was in an aft facing B1 on deck 8 and was bothered by the noise coming from Bliss Ultra Lounge on deck 7. Having learned this lesson the hard way (on the Pearl) as much as we love aft facing balconies we would never book a stateroom over Bliss or similar lounge again. You should be ok on deck 9.

 

 

 

You are correct. Exactly where we were. We've been in Deck 9 aft-facing and it was fine. Our preference is Deck 10 Aft-facing. Where we're booked 5/5/17. [emoji1303]The only time we haven't secured that location is when we've been cancelled...like this past June 3.

 

Once we had to re-book when Ed broke his leg. Lost it that time too.

 

Yes so we officially learned the hard way. I keep forgetting to tell my TA to NEVER let any of her clients book that area. Because they will hate her [emoji57]. We more or less demanded to be back there in the re-book frenzy. She said it could be noisy.

 

Ok. It was.

[leekel619]

We have a deck 9 cabin booked. Do you know where the misic until 3am was coming from on deck 8? Atrium area, new O'Sheehans? If you had a B1 aft facing booked I can't imagine how you would hear anything from deck 8:confused:. Just making sure we don't need to rebook to a different deck.

 

 

 

Believe me we heard it and felt it. Bliss is directly below the Deck 8 aft-facing rooms.

 

The stage and main speakers are, I should say. I was looking one day and matter of fact they had some boomers mounted on the ceiling. I'm not good at spacial figuring (it took me a long time to realize my oil tank is in the cellar right below my parlor window even when I watch the oil man filling it up out the window [emoji46][emoji848][emoji52].

 

I also take wrong turns on ship all day.

 

But my theory is those speakers are mounted under my bed. [emoji23][emoji10][emoji83]

Edited July 1, 2016 by leekel619

[leekel619]

Great photos - thanks for posting!!

 

 

 

Thank you!

[leekel619]

 

Overall, I was pleased, but I have a good time at jury duty, so it's so much what you make of it! : )

 

 

Strange. I had jury duty earlier this year and I had a good time too.

Edited July 1, 2016 by leekel619

[Whirled Peas]

Thanks to those posting info and pictures about the new Dawn. It's great to get a sense of the changes, and to read everyone's reactions.

 

We will board the Dawn on July 15, which should mean that all of the finishing touches from the dry dock will be done, and everything will be going smoothly, right?:rolleyes:

 

I wonder if you can tell us if there was a White Hot Party on your post-dry dock cruise and, if yes, when and where it was held? I am in the middle of deciding what to pack, and if this event doesn't occur on this particular cruise, I won't waste the space in my suitcase packing something white.

 

Thanks,

 

WP

[megansdad1]

Thanks to those posting info and pictures about the new Dawn. It's great to get a sense of the changes, and to read everyone's reactions.

 

We will board the Dawn on July 15, which should mean that all of the finishing touches from the dry dock will be done, and everything will be going smoothly, right?:rolleyes:

 

I wonder if you can tell us if there was a White Hot Party on your post-dry dock cruise and, if yes, when and where it was held? I am in the middle of deciding what to pack, and if this event doesn't occur on this particular cruise, I won't waste the space in my suitcase packing something white.

 

Thanks,

 

WP

 

White hot party was held on deck 12 outside on night 6, I believe. It was pouring during it, so i wussed out and went to the casino instead lol.

[leekel619]

Thanks to those posting info and pictures about the new Dawn. It's great to get a sense of the changes, and to read everyone's reactions.

 

 

 

We will board the Dawn on July 15, which should mean that all of the finishing touches from the dry dock will be done, and everything will be going smoothly, right?:rolleyes:

 

 

 

I wonder if you can tell us if there was a White Hot Party on your post-dry dock cruise and, if yes, when and where it was held? I am in the middle of deciding what to pack, and if this event doesn't occur on this particular cruise, I won't waste the space in my suitcase packing something white.

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

WP

 

 

 

You're welcome!

White Hot party night was on Wednesday Day 6. (I had to go check. I saved all my dailies)

 

It was out on the pool deck. We checked it out while snacking up in the buffet. Wow.

 

People were dancing and yelling and the wind was howling and whipping everyone around. We called it a night and went down to our bedroom [emoji1354][emoji1353]

 

When the thunder and lightning started they moved it into the Bliss. I think it was shortly after midnight?

My bed was right above the Bliss. So that's how I know.

I was pretty happy they were out at the pool. Peace and quiet for awhile. Yay [emoji99][emoji1303]

 

Then that happened. [emoji15]

Edited July 2, 2016 by leekel619

[leekel619]

We haven't actually been to a White Hot Party in several years. I liked it when they were in Spinnaker. Before it moved. And they would drape everything in white gauze. And we all had flashing cups and black lights were on. Everyone glowed. Dancing was maniacal.

 

I always enjoy seeing every one getting ready to go. All the white outfits.

[Barb Nahoumi]

You are correct. Exactly where we were. We've been in Deck 9 aft-facing and it was fine. Our preference is Deck 10 Aft-facing. Where we're booked 5/5/17. [emoji1303]The only time we haven't secured that location is when we've been cancelled...like this past June 3.

 

Once we had to re-book when Ed broke his leg. Lost it that time too.

 

Yes so we officially learned the hard way. I keep forgetting to tell my TA to NEVER let any of her clients book that area. Because they will hate her [emoji57]. We more or less demanded to be back there in the re-book frenzy. She said it could be noisy.

 

Ok. It was.

 

I don't know why cruise lines don't have their cabins soundproofed when they order newbuilds, or dry dock older ships. It's the logical thing to do, and will certainly reduce the "noisy cabin," complaints.

[Barb Nahoumi]

Thanks to those posting info and pictures about the new Dawn. It's great to get a sense of the changes, and to read everyone's reactions.

 

We will board the Dawn on July 15, which should mean that all of the finishing touches from the dry dock will be done, and everything will be going smoothly, right?:rolleyes:

 

I wonder if you can tell us if there was a White Hot Party on your post-dry dock cruise and, if yes, when and where it was held? I am in the middle of deciding what to pack, and if this event doesn't occur on this particular cruise, I won't waste the space in my suitcase packing something white.

 

Thanks,

 

WP

 

The gift shop sells white hot party tee-shirts. I always bring a pair of white shorts or capris.

[leekel619]

I don't know why cruise lines don't have their cabins soundproofed when they order newbuilds, or dry dock older ships. It's the logical thing to do, and will certainly reduce the "noisy cabin," complaints.

 

 

 

Me either. Thankfully that was my first and hopefully last experience.

[nancydow]

Two words: noise machine. My husband snores, so I have one at home and a travel model. I was constantly woken up by slamming doors on our first cruise and this totally masks most sounds! Brookstone has a nice travel model for $99.

[leekel619]

Two words: noise machine. My husband snores, so I have one at home and a travel model. I was constantly woken up by slamming doors on our first cruise and this totally masks most sounds! Brookstone has a nice travel model for $99.

 

 

 

Nice tip! I'll look into it.

Edited July 3, 2016 by leekel619

[Framily]

I was in a 9th Floor Aft Balcony cabin last week and no noise at all really. Truly quiet.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums