Norwegian Dawn - New England route

[TWirth1204]

My husband and I are celebrating our 25th Anniversary in September and I would really like to cruise. DH isn't crazy about too many sea days, and the Dawn has an interesting itinerary to New England in Sept. with stops most days. I have been unable to find any reviews, so I'm thinking that it must be a new route?

 

Has anyone been on this trip? Any information would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

My husband and I are celebrating our 25th Anniversary in September and I would really like to cruise. DH isn't crazy about too many sea days, and the Dawn has an interesting itinerary to New England in Sept. with stops most days. I have been unable to find any reviews, so I'm thinking that it must be a new route?

 

Has anyone been on this trip? Any information would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

What is the itinerary? Can you provide it for us or give us a link to it?

 

If people have to play detective and locate the itinerary themselves, I wouldn't expect that you would get many responses.

 

I was on a New England cruise last year on the Jewel and may be able to provide some input, but I need to know your itinerary first.

 

Cruisin&Relaxin

[Baitman19]

My husband and I are celebrating our 25th Anniversary in September and I would really like to cruise. DH isn't crazy about too many sea days, and the Dawn has an interesting itinerary to New England in Sept. with stops most days. I have been unable to find any reviews, so I'm thinking that it must be a new route?

 

Has anyone been on this trip? Any information would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

This is a new itinerary for the Dawn. We are booked on the Sept 9th cruise. The Jewel did 10 & 11 day cruises last year to New England & Canada.

 

Here's a link to the Ports of Call site they have some info on excursions

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20

 

Happy Sailing,

Monty

[Baitman19]

What is the itinerary? Can you provide it for us or give us a link to it?

 

If people have to play detective and locate the itinerary themselves, I wouldn't expect that you would get many responses.

 

I was on a New England cruise last year on the Jewel and may be able to provide some input, but I need to know your itinerary first.

 

Cruisin&Relaxin

 

The itinerary is:

Boston

Newport RI

Martha's Vineyard

Bar Habour Me

Halifax NS

 

Happy Sailing,

Monty

[TWirth1204]

Oops....sorry! I didn't think to post the itinerary. Thank you Monty for doing that!

 

September 9 is the date we're looking at also. I've sailed on 3 cruises in the past; the late 70's on Holland America, 2001 Carnival in the Caribbean with a group of family & friends, and 2003 on Royal Caribbean in Europe.

 

This is rather last-minute planning for us, and I think I've narrowed it down to this cruise to New England or a Bermuda cruise on Celebrity. I'm trying to have us make our decision so I can have the peace of mind of booking the trip since the date is coming up quickly. And since it is a special occasion for us, I would like to make a good choice...as I'm sure we all would!

 

Anyway, thanks again for any input/help!

 

Tina

[yuckylucky]

This is rather last-minute planning for us, and I think I've narrowed it down to this cruise to New England or a Bermuda cruise on Celebrity. I'm trying to have us make our decision so I can have the peace of mind of booking the trip since the date is coming up quickly. And since it is a special occasion for us, I would like to make a good choice...as I'm sure we all would!

 

Anyway, thanks again for any input/help!

 

Tina

 

Tina,

I was on the Dawn and if the ship is important to you, then go with the Dawn. While I haven't been on the Zenith (I believe that is the ship you'd be on from Celebrity), I saw it in port in Hamilton, Bermuda. It's one of their smaller, older ships...not many balcony rooms (if you want that). The Dawn is much larger and newer so if that's what you prefer, then the Dawn should be your choice.

 

The Dawn is a beautiful ship! The food is good (I prefer Celebrity's food but have practically no complaints about food on the Dawn). The crew keeps it immaculate and the choice of restaurants is great! We found the service to be excellent. The activities were plentiful and the bar areas all have their own theme and each is delightful. The El Dorado gym is great and the library and game rooms are nice as well (if you like playing checkers, chess, cards, etc.) Shuffleboard is everywhere (though often being used).

 

It looks like a great itinerary. I've been to all of those ports (either by driving or by cruise: Halifax) except Bar Harbour and you will find wonderful things to do in each. In Martha's Vineyard, be sure to check out Edgartown for some delightful pedestrian shopping. This is also where the Black Dog store is which is a nice place to buy souvenirs for family (you know, those ever-popular T-shirts with the Black Dog on them). If time allows, take a bus to Gayhead Cliffs to see some beautiful clay-colored landscaping and the lighthouse (there's an Edgartown lighthouse as well, BTW) and take pictures of the pastures filled with cows along the route. Oak Bluffs has some shopping as well and lots of ice cream parlors...yummy.

 

In Halifax, you can take an excursion to Peggy's Cove if you'd like. We rented a car and drove there since we're not big on being on someone else's schedule. Also, the price of the car rental was cheaper than the excursion and allowed us the freedom to see other things as well (though we didn't see too much). There is a candy store in port in Halifax called The Freak Lunchbox that is a blast from the past and we bought candy we hadn't seen in years...it was fun to go in there.

 

 

Back to choosing which cruise: while the Bermuda cruise on Celebrity is probably less expensive since it's in September, it is because it's hurricane season. So, based on that fact alone, I'd go with the New England cruise on the Dawn (I'd hate to find out the weather ruined the cruise).

 

I love Celebrity but can't knock the Dawn at all...I experienced why so many CCers keep cruising on that ship year after year...it was great.

 

I've cruised Celebrity and found their food and service to be nothing short of excellent and I will cruise with them again (when we can afford it...LOL). However, I would argue that those same things on the Dawn are great as well.

 

 

P.S. Happy Anniversary and if you choose the Dawn, make a reservation to celebrate your occasion in Le Bistro...perfect venue for an anniversary dinner.

[SAMMYR]

Wife and I were on the Dawn in mid June and had one of our best cruises yet. Free style is great. Speciality restaurants especially good. The 3 main restauarants all serve the same food every nite but were good to very good, service in all areas very good. Entertainment was the best we've seen in years, our 18th cruise. Cruise director was very good. We took the New England cruise on Princess 2 years ago and it also was great. Beautiful scenery that time of the year. Relax and have a great time.