Dawn to Dockyard, off we go!
Norwegian Dawn Cruise Review to Bermuda
Contributor Level:
Second Mate
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 5
Helpful Votes: 178
7 Night Bermuda (Boston Roundtrip)
Sail date: August 25, 2017
Ship: Norwegian Dawn
Cabin type: Oceanview
Traveled as: Couple
Reviewed: 5 years ago
Review summary
The perfect cruise to paradise to relax and recharge your batteries. Rock on with Patti and Jose!Embarkation
Boston is an easy port to board and disembark. Many porters, and as long as people are listening to directions, things go smoothly.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The Dawn is a great ship. It is not super big and doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some of the newer ships, but it recently underwent the Edge redo and looks great. What it lacks in the perks of a newer, bigger ship it more than makes up with the friendly, capable staff. They get to know “the locals” who cruise frequently out of Boston and I think they are the tops. The Dawn finished her Boston to Bermuda run this year, and will be replaced on this Friday to Friday staple from Black Falcon Pier by the Gem this year. We will miss you, Dawn!
Onboard Activities
We love Dawn’s spa, even though it is a little smaller than some spas. I am often the solo occupant of the thalassotherapy pool more often than not. The thermal spas, especially the bigger one, are a little difficult to get in, but they are wonderfully reinvigorating. My husband and I enjoy the spa together, but there are few thermal loungers. That’s fine, we like to relax on a chaise between soaks, but the chaises are segregated by gender. We sneak each other into the chaise rooms when they are mostly vacant which other people do, too. No one has ever tossed us out, but please get the message, NCL, make the relaxation rooms gender free! Internet service is not usually great, but what can you do?
Entertainment
Pretty great. Elements is really an entertaining show. Band on the Run has seen better days, but I bet there are new shows being planned for the new NYC to Bermuda itinerary for 2019. The most outstanding entertainment and the one I will miss the most is Patti and Jose. I’ll even head to NYC just to go on a cruise with this amazing couple and their music. Every night they play we would be there singing and dancing along along with most of the ship. They perform in the Atrium, and a good seat in O’Sheehan’s balconies is the place to be! If you like Oldies, Classic Rock, good Country and seeing a quality duet, stake out your spot early!
Children's Programs
No kids!
Service and Staff
Dawn staff are the best. We make out quite a few “Hero” cards to call out staff that go the extra mile and we have never had a bad steward, not even once.
Ship Quality
The Edge redo changed most aspects of the ship for the better. O’Sheehan’s was the biggest change up and also the best. As said earlier, the balconies over the Atrium are prime real estate to see Patti and Jose perform. Just for the record - we may be the only ones - we LOVE the art in the Venetian! Makes us smile every time! We miss Pearly Kings, but the Cellars Wine Bar is a fun place to make art, and the flow is much better now with the Edge refit.
Cabin / Stateroom
It is average, a little cozy, but clean and we do not spend a lot of time there.
Ship tip
Patti and Jose are the best combo on any ship in the fleet! All of the Boston to Bermuda Dawn groupies are heartbroken! 💔
Thumbs up
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Ports of call
I am from Boston, but even being as unbiased as possible, this is a great port no matter what you are into. History buffs, of course, would love what we have, but also foodies, music lovers, art lovers, sports fans, beach bums, science fanatics, gardeners, animal lovers, you name it and we have a world class destination within an hour of Boston to satisfy your interest. As a port city, I recommend you come a day or two early to visit our museums and aquarium, do a HoHo history tour, take in the mystery of Salem, try to solve the Isabella Stewart Gardiner heist, visit Fenway Park or hang with the art at the Museum of Fine Arts. Go to Cape Cod, Cape Ann or Newport. Great food is found near the port in the North End, Quincy Market, at Eataly near the Pru, dine in the Union Oyster House, a 400 year old restaurant where the Patriots (think John Hancock, not Gronk) set plans in motion to throw tea in the harbor. The transit system, the T, is cheap, safe and goes everywhere you might want to go. There are two HoHo lines, one of which picks up right at Black Falcon, and Ubers and taxis are plentiful. The best kept secrets? Go to the maparium at the Christian Science Center to walk through a 30’ stained glass globe with unique acoustic properties, see the dioramas and John Singer Sargent art at the Boston Public Library (free) and take a dugout tour of Fenway Park.
Royal Naval Dockyard, West End, Bermuda
I have been here many times and it never gets old. Our favorite thing we did this time around was rent a Boston Whaler from Somerset Watersports with friends from our roll call and cruised all around the place. They gave us a cooler with ice, a loaf of bread to feed the fish and a map. We cruised out to a shipwreck and threw bread in the water and a million fish started jumping around like piranha, we checked out a few secluded beaches and snorkeled, saw some sea turtles up close, cruised around a mysterious deserted village, pulled up at the dock at Woody’s Restaurant for some cool brews and their famous Bermuda Wahoo Sandwich on raisin bread (unbelievable, trust me), checked out the America’s Cup preparations and sailed under the world’s smallest drawbridge. One day we went to Horseshoe Bay Beach with its famous pink sand via an air-conditioned mini van that takes you from right in front of the ship right to the beach, $7 US each way. I like Dockyard, and usually take a glass fusing class with Heidi and Matt at Studio 8 Glassworks and take home some handmade souvenirs I created myself. The free ferry to St. Georges is awesome, but we did not go this time around.
Disembarkation
It is always a little chaotic, but grab a nice breakfast and bring a book or video game to occupy yourself for moments you need to wait and you will be OK.