kellieden1988

I just plain like the cruise vacation. Norwegian and the staff of the Dawn did well to deliver a nice sailing experience. Overall they did very well from housekeeping, restaurants and activities.  Having not booked any shore excursions, we have no insight on that, other than our family was going to make a pleasant trip out of this.

The cruise director, Dan and his assistant Fernando did a splendid job of putting energy and creativity into the many enjoyable activities. The shows were really good. The Elements show was over the top good.

On the improvement side, I would have liked somewhere to hang out and play a board game other than.in a restaurant. Bars with cocktail tables are the norm. Bigger tables for folks who are not very inclined to run up a big bar tab...I get that. I feel as though the cut rates to get on the cruise are being aggressively balanced by on board 'extras'. As I choose cut rate I would expect a certain degree of this.

I think the Bingo fell into this category of 'Lets make some Norwegian Money'. Rather than a fun game, throw a couple bucks in and add to the fun, I felt as though I had to win in order to justify the exorbitant expense. Our plans of playing Bingo were dashed.

One thing that did not set well with me was how the situation with the fan I packed was handled. I sleep with a fan. Without it sleep is fleeting. I got my baggage late, very late the first night only after asking whoever I could to help find it and get it to my room. It did make it, without my fan, and a note instructing me on how I could get it back upon disembarkation. I asked for further explanation about this the following day at the front desk. I was told it must be tested by the staff to verify its safety. If it passed I can have it back. I asked why this was not explained in the information I was given. No explanation was forthcoming. Once it passed the test I was instructed to retrieve it. I think it would have been a nice gesture to have it brought to the room.

Disembarking by tender in Grand Cayman was a bit laborious. Our family wanted a casual walk around the island and were able to do this. We got on a tender 2 hours after the first groups went ashore.Shore excursions booked through Norwegian got first priority everyone elses  plans fall somewhere behind that. Two gangplanks for docking at a pier, and one when tendering, the math does not work well.